Church Arise!

Postmodern pastor writes Paul, the Apostle

2012-01-16T23:49:00.002+01:00

Paul the Apostle, c\o Aquila the Tentmaker
Corinth, Greece

Dear Paul:

We recently received a copy of your letter to the Galatians. The committee has directed me to inform you of a number of things, which deeply concern us. First, we find your language to be somewhat intemperate. In your letter, after a brief greeting to the Galatians, you immediately attack your opponents by claiming they "want to pervert the gospel of Christ." You then say that such men should be regarded as "accursed"; and, in another place, you make reference to "false brethren." Wouldn’t it be more charitable to give them the benefit of the doubt—at least until the General Assembly has investigated and adjudicated the matter?

To make the situation worse, you later say, "I could wish those who trouble you would even cut them selves off!" Is such a statement really fitting for a Christian minister? The remark seems quite harsh and unloving.

Paul, we really feel the need to caution you about the tone of your epistles. You come across in an abrasive manner to many people. In some of your letters you’ve even mentioned names; and this practice has, no doubt, upset the friends of Hymenaeus, Alexander, and others. After all, many persons were first introduced to the Christian faith under the ministries of these men.

In one place, you wrote, "Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing." Paul, you have a tendency to describe things strictly in black and white terms, as if there are no gray areas. You need to temper your expressions, lest you become too exclusive. Otherwise, your outlook will drive away many people, and make visitors feel unwelcome. Church growth is not promoted by taking such a hard line and remaining inflexible.

In the meantime, rejoice that we all share a common profession of faith in Christ, since we have all been baptized in his name.

Sincerely,
Charles Phinney [fictional]
Coordinator, Committee on Missions

[Culled from www.crossroad.to/HisWord/notes/galatian-letter.htm. Original source: www.trinityfoundation.org]

Climategate 2: More E-mails leaked

2012-01-16T23:38:00.000+01:00

Akin to the Wikileaks, an insider is leaking emails between prominent climate scientists, showing that these people are obsessed with selling their anthropogenic global warming position, despite clear scientific evidences to the contrary.(see for instance, vol 12 no 5, 2009). The first batch of leaks was released in 2009.
A new batch of release has now been made on November 22, just a week before the next big United Nations global-warming summit in Durban, South Africa. It is quite extensive and some sits are offering facility for individuals to search the documents for particular subjects of interest.
Significantly, the new leaks show how algorithms were systematically rigged by rogue scientists to produce skewed data. The e-mails between supposed top experts using conspiratorial language to discuss devious ways to advance “the cause”— global-warming alarmism. The e-mails also reveal discussions on how to marginalize skeptics and even illegally destroy evidence and hide data.
For comprehensive introduction to what is now being referred to as Climategate 2, please refer to Alex Newman’s article at
www.thenewamerican.com/tech-mainmenu-30/environment/9904-climategate-2-more-e-mails-leaked-ahead-of-un-summit

One-Third of UK Divorces Blamed on Facebook

2012-01-16T23:37:00.000+01:00

The Christian Post (http://global.christianpost.com) has reported that as much as 33 percent of divorce petitions filed in the United Kingdom in 2011 referenced Facebook. Citing a survey carried out by a UK divorce website Divorce-Online, of 5,000 divorce petitions filed between 2009 and 2011, the Christian Post reports that the main three reasons regarding Facebook-related causes for filing a divorce were: inappropriate messages sent to the opposite sex; posting nasty comments about former partners; and friends reporting a spouse's behavior on the social media website.
Observing that “experts have been noting that the Internet has become a breeding ground for adultery, with many affairs reportedly starting online”, the Christian Post quotes Mark Keenan of Divorce-Online as counseling that "People need to be careful what they write on their walls as the courts are seeing these posts being used in financial disputes and children cases as evidence."
A Christian think tank, Pure Hope, was further cited as counting online communication as potentially harmful for marriages and relationship values as online access to pornography. According to Pure Hope, "Today, mobile technology and social media are changing society in remarkably exciting ways. At the same time, they are exposing young people to shockingly destructive sexual content, behavior, and exploitation."
While Facebook and similar social networking media obviously offer several opportunities and advantages, it is reasonable that Christians also appreciate these other negative potentials – the reality of which is demonstrated by the staggering figures cited in this report.

Raymond Ibrahim: Muslim Persecution of Christians at a Crossroads

2012-01-16T23:27:00.000+01:00

A recent article by Raymond Ibrahim in support of a petition by the Christian Solidarity International, urging US President Obama to take steps to “prevent the eradication of the endangered Christian communities and other religious minorities of the Islamic Middle East” provides a concise compilation of recent Christian persecution around the globe. We present part of it here, and urge readers to check the rest on the internet.

“When the major media reported a few months ago that Iranian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani was set to be executed for leaving Islam, many Western people were shocked, finding it hard to believe that in the 21st century people are still being persecuted—by their governments no less—simply for being Christian.

“The fact is, Muslim persecution of Christians in the modern era has been consistently growing worse. Yet, because only one out of every few hundred or so cases ever receives major attention, few in the West have any idea that it exists.

“For instance, around the same time that the case of Pastor Nadarkhani made headlines, 129 Christians in Sudan were imprisoned, and one in Somalia was beheaded—like the pastor, simply for converting to Christianity.

“ Dozens of other documented cases of persecution were occurring at the same time, none of which received much media attention. These include Christians imprisoned, tortured, and killed for allegedly “blaspheming” Islam; Christian girls abducted and raped because they are “infidels”; churches burned, Bibles confiscated, and crucifixes destroyed—and in one instance, a Christian boy killed for refusing to conceal his crucifix.

To anyone familiar with Islam’s history and traditional teachings, none of this is surprising. Instead, all of these accounts demonstrate 14 centuries of continuity. With Islam’s resurgence and the concomitant upsurge of anti-Christian violence, however, the very existence of Christian and other non-Muslim communities is under threat. The process of religious cleansing could lead to their eradication within a generation [see CSI's Genocide Warning].

“So why is there such a lack of awareness concerning this matter in the otherwise “humanitarian” West?…
Read the rest of the article here, and be sure to sign the CSI petition. www.jihadwatch.org/2011/12/raymond-ibrahim-muslim-persecution-of-christians-at-a-crossroads----the-time-to-act-is-now-or-never.html

Google gets US patent for Driverless Car

2012-01-16T23:22:00.003+01:00

A US patent for self-driving cars has been awarded to Google. The intellectual property rights relate to a method to switch a vehicle from a human-controlled mode into the state where it takes charge of the wheel. It explains how the car would know when to take control, where it is located and which direction to drive in.

Envisaged applications include the use of such technology to offer tours of tourist locations or to send faulty models to repair shops. It could also be used by Car Hire facilities to send cars to potential clients at remote location, with the cars returning to base on its own after the client is done with it.

Although Google submitted the patent application in May 2011, it kept the development hidden from public view until now that the patent has been issued. It was also revealed that Google has actually been testing a fleet of driverless cars for several years. The vehicles combine artificial intelligence with the firm's Google Street View maps as well as video cameras and a range of sensors.

Patent experts note that Google's patent will not however prevent others from developing rival self-drive vehicles. Experts say driverless cars could become a commercial prospect sooner than most people believe.

Meanwhile, Facebook has added a new feature called Places, that tracks users' physical locations. The issue with this introduction is the unconventional decision to automatically opt-in every single user. In other words, a Facebook user who has not consciously changed his settings has been automatically enrolled in the new feature. Their physical location from time to time is therefore available – to anybody. This is already operational, right now. (Get more details from www.bbc.co.uk)

675 Women murdered in “Honour Killings” in Pakistan in the first nine months of 2011

2012-01-16T20:49:00.000+01:00

The AFP on December 20 reports that a total of 675 women and girls were killed in the name of “honour” across Pakistan from January to September, 2011. That’s an average of 18 women every week, all year-round. The final figures are expected to be similar to 2010’ s figure of 791 once the tally for the remaining 3 months is added. According to statistics provided by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, about 130 of the victims were killed for marrying without permission. Some 19 were killed by their sons, 49 by their fathers and 169 by their husbands. At least 71 of the victims were under the age of 18.

Even outside Pakistan, Pakistani nationals keep implementing their “honour-killing” code with all impunity. For instance in the UK, a court believed that a child born out of wedlock by a young Pakistani lady will eventually be tracked down and killed by her family for honour’s sake - even in the UK. The court therefore has ordered that the baby be put up for secret adoption (http://barenakedislam.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/uk-court-says-muslim-baby-at-risk-of-being-honor-killed-must-be-adopted/). Elsewhere, in Belgium, four members of a Pakistani family were in December sent to prison for the murder of their daughter and sister. The girl had defied the family by living with a Belgian man and refusing an arranged marriage. Figures provided on JihadWatch indicate that the Moslem world is responsible for 91% of all “honour killings” in the world.

The number of women seriously abused in the name of honour, without outright killing, are simply legion. In a recent case reported by the AFP on December 19, a Pakistani man went a step above the Islam- permitted hitting of his teenage wife, to chop off her nose and lips in the midst of a furious marital row. The 17 year old wife Salma Bibi tells her story: "He repeatedly slapped my face and then went into the room and brought with him a locally made, sharp razor. I started shouting in panic. He tied my hands and foot with a rope and chopped off my nose and lips" (for details, see http://www.answeringmuslims.com/2011/12/pakistani-muslim-chops-off-wifes-lips.html).

It’s hard to see what is honorable in these brutalities. In other cultures of the world, Nigeria for example, “honour killing” would actually suggest killing oneself, and not the other, weaker person!

Forced Sterilization revealed in Peru

2012-01-16T20:45:00.000+01:00

The latest scandal of mass forced sterilization is unfolding in the Latin American country of Peru. Just like the case of Brazil where millions of young women (particularly blacks) were systematically sterilized without their knowledge (see Church Arise! Vol 6 No 4, 2003), an estimated 300,000 young Peruvians were surreptitiously sterilized over a period of at least ten years, during the government of Alberto Fujimori.

Sterilization of young men and women in Peru first started as a state policy with generous funding from the US (USAID) and the UN (UNICEF). Initially, people were encouraged to volunteer, but gradually as pressure mounted on the health practitioners to meet up certain “targets” , doctors began to perform surgical sterilization on people, whenever they had the opportunity (as during caesarian delivery of babies) – without informing the patient! A notable case was Victoria Vigo who later sued the doctor and was awarded damages of about £2,000. During the trial in 2003, the doctor reportedly claimed he was only following instructions and that the practice of sterilising patients – with or without their knowledge or consent – was standard among Peru's public healthcare providers. Peru's Medical Association concurred, but insisted that its members were pressured into carrying out sterilisations, including under the threat of losing their jobs.

What is bringing back to life this once closed investigation into the issue of forced sterilizations is the case of Mamerita Mestanza. The 33-year old mother-of-seven died in 1998 from complications that developed during sterilisation surgery which health officials allegedly harassed her into accepting. In 2001, the Peruvian state agreed to an out-of-court settlement with the family of Ms Mestanza, including a compensation payment of $100,000. The case was shelved in 2009 after it was deemed to have lapsed under the statute of limitations. However, prosecutors have now reclassified the sterilisations as a crime against humanity, meaning there is no time limit for perpetrators to be brought to justice. Fujimori (already serving a 25 year jail sentence) and his three health ministers Eduardo Yong Motta, Alejandro Aguinaga and Marino Costa Bauer could therefore be facing fresh trials soon.

Victoria Ugo described the pain of helplessly watching the State intrude in the most personal aspects of her life. "Of course it has changed my life. …The instinct to be a mother is so powerful. Having that snatched away from you takes away your whole purpose in life, your reason for being." www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/sterilisation-perus-darkest-secret-6273734.html

Historically, men have always been fascinated with the idea of trying to play God in the lives of their fellow men. In vol 6 no 4 we reported on an “on-going covert mass sterilization program sponsored by the US and targeting 13 developing countries, including Nigeria and Brazil.” Brazil’s response to that development included a formal congressional inquiry which unearthed such an extensive rot that made Brazilian authorities to complain that the level of US population assistance had become “overwhelming and unnecessary!” In Volume 13 no 4, we reported on the clamour by a British Professor of Sociology and Health Sciences that “unfit” members of society (i.e. the mentally and morally ”unfit”) be permanently sterilized. (see http://churcharise.blogspot.com/2010/10/british-professor-advocates-forced.html) Also a few weeks before then, Bill Gates had called for “massive sterilizations of the world”, suggesting that vaccines be laced with sterilizing chemicals. According to Bill Gates, vaccines, if used aggressively, could help the world do “away with 1.5 billion people” (see vol 13 no 2 or /www.youtube.com/watch?v=f21fPRw9JaU for details on this apparent slip of the tongue)

An online Search for the words “forced sterilization” (on Google, for instance) will yield dozens of records of incidences of official forced sterilization spanning several countries – from America to Australia (for example, see http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/forcedsterilization.html.). Reportage often comes up only years after such mass sterilization has ceased. Curiously, the only place for which no such records exist is black Africa. Could it be that such mass sterilization programme is still on-going on the continent?

New York City Orders Churches To Quit Public School Buildings

2012-01-16T20:35:00.000+01:00

About 60 churches who worship in public school buildings in New York City will have to find alternative venues for their services by February 12, 2012. This development is as a result of a court ruling upholding the decision of the New York City Department of Education to ban religious activities on school premises in that city. In reality, the churches only meet in the buildings on Sundays, when school was not in session; and many of them have excellent mutually beneficial relationships with the school. The case had been on since 1994 before the ruling by the Second Circuit. Hopes that the Supreme Court would reverse this decision were dashed when the Court declined in early December to even hear the case.

Happily, church leaders are not miffed by the situation. In general, they are saying,

"Well it is an inconvenience, but 'Our identity is not in a building, our identity is who we are as a body.”

Rather than cause a set-back, the situation is compelling them to look more prayerfully at their ministries. 'How can we best be the body of Christ in this city'? they are asking themselves. Sounds like Acts of Apostles.
Particularly for the large churches, finding a large-enough facility within the same neighbourhood is a huge task. Many are therefore thinking decentralization. “Maybe we need two locations instead of one because of where our people come from” some are beginning to reflect.

Hawaiian churches denied exemption from same-sex civil unions

2012-01-16T20:08:00.002+01:00

While the State and the Church of England engage themselves in the cat-and-mouse game described in the previous article , The shape of things to come can be gleaned from new developments in the US state of Hawaii. There, a court has refused to exempt churches from being compelled to allow their property to be used for civil union ceremonies.

As in England, the State is still willing, at least for the time being, to exempt the clergy from taking part in same-sex rites; but no such exemption is provided for Church properties. The Emmanuel Temple and the Lighthouse Outreach Center Assembly of God have therefore requested a restraining order to block the law (effective Jan 1, 2012) from requiring them to hire out their Church halls for the conduct of same-sex civil unions. But U.S. District Judge Michael Seabright denied the request.

Things are therefore coming full circle in the US. Before, the clamour was for the separation of State and Church – such as no prayers allowed in public schools. The US government even recently attempted to ban Bibles or other religious reading materials from being given away or used during any visit to patients at Walter Reed, the country’s largest Military hospital – if not for a prompt expression of outrage by Christians (see
www.christianpost.com/news/over-20000-sign-petition-over-banned-bibles-at-military-hospital-64207/). And as we can see from the next story below, the same principle is being used to evict Churches from using public school halls for worship in New York - even when the schools were not in session (Sunday mornings) and there were considerable financial and other benefits in kind being enjoyed by the schools under the arrangements. Now, in the same God’s own country, godless advocates are insisting that Church halls must be made available for utter desecration in homosexual unions. Whither the right to free exercise of religious conviction in the famed Land of the Brave? www.onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=1507496

Church of England Rejects Same-Sex Civil Partnership Ceremonies

2012-01-16T19:55:00.000+01:00

The Church of England (CoE) has reiterated that it will not allow civil partnerships for people of the same sex to be registered on their premises despite the passage of a new law in England and Wales that gives the church and other religious premises the “opportunity” to do so. A written statement released on Dec 1 by the Church’s Secretary General, William Fittall reads in part: “No Church of England religious premises may become ‘approved premises’ for the registration of civil partnerships without there having been a formal decision by the General Synod to that effect.”

Previously, under the Civil Partnership Act of 2004, civil partnerships could not be registered on religious premises . In March 2010, however, the Parliament decided during the passage of the Equality Act of 2010 to remove the prohibition on places of worship. This amendment was approved on Nov. 8, 2011 and it comes into full force beginning Monday Dec 5, 2011

The Church of England is however quick to ‘respectfully decline” to use this new “opportunity” to participate in registering civil partnerships. It justifies this stand by referring to “Clear assurances ... given in Parliament by the then Government that the new possibility for the registration of civil partnerships on religious premises would operate by way of denominational opt-in and that no Church or other religious body would be under any obligation to permit the registration of civil partnerships on its premises.”

The Christian Post, in reporting the stand of the CoE also observes that the government of David Cameron had also “issued a consultation document, reaffirming previous commitments by the previous leaders, which the Archbishops’ Council and the Standing Committee of the House of Bishops both agreed upon.”

But how would the Church marry this position with the country’s Equality Act 2010 which makes it unlawful for ‘a person concerned with the provisions of a service to the public or a section of the public’ to discriminate on various grounds, including sexual orientation, ‘against a person requiring the service by not providing the person with the service’? The Church’s Legal House claims that their decision was not discriminating in a way which was unlawful under the Act because they were “not concerned” with the service of civil partnership registrations.

“A Church which provides couples with the opportunity to marry (but not to register civil partnerships) is ‘concerned with’ the provision of marriage only; it is simply not ‘concerned’ with the provision of faculties to register civil partnerships,” the Legal Office noted. “That would be a different ‘service,’ marriage and civil partnership being legally different concepts.”

This argument thus rests heavily on the definition of “marriage” to automatically mean a union between opposite sexes. The question is how long will that definition remain valid? Evidently, changing the legal definition of marriage is the next task the gay movement has assigned itself. Rather than all these laborious process of fighting the satanic concept of same-sex marriage, how refreshing to be able to simply declare, as the Church in Nigeria is able: we oppose same-sex union because it is sin and abomination before God! Period. Nigerians must never compromise the right to freely hold such a position.

The Church of England recognizes the tenuousness of its position and concedes, as reported by the Christian Post, that “If the Parliament were to legislate for same sex marriage, however, which the Prime Minister recently suggested, the church would reassess the issue.” With the threats of fire and brimstone David Cameron is breathing down on Nigeria on the issue of same-sex marriage, there can be no doubting which direction he is taking his native country England.

In the meantime, the Church of England laboriously continues with its self-defence, explaining that the nondiscrimination requirement imposed by the Equality Act on service-providers did not include a requirement to undertake the provision of other services, in this case civil partnership registrations, that a service-provider was not already concerned with providing just because the services that it currently offered were of such a nature that they tended to benefit only persons of a particular age, sex, sexual orientation, etc.

“For example,” the church argued, “a gentlemen’s outfitter is not required to supply women’s clothes. A children’s book shop is not required to stock books that are intended for adults. And a Church that provides a facility to marry is not required to provide a facility to same-sex couples for registering civil partnerships.”

Additionally, the Legal Office commented that the church was not violating the public sector equality duty contained in the Equality Act as well because the church was not exercising public functions in making their decision to deny civil partnership registrations.

We salute the position of the Church of England, but sympathizes with their inability to simply freely declare their religious convictions based on the clear words of God without all these legal rigmarole.
(Story sourced from The Christian Post Dec. 03 2011)

Church of Scotland says ‘No” to Same-Sex Marriage, Denmark Churches embrace it

2012-01-16T19:52:00.000+01:00

The Church of Scotland has responded to the government's question as to whether or not it should allow same-sex marriage in that country. The answer is a resounding “NO.” In a statement on its website, the Church wrote: “The Church of Scotland cannot agree that the law in Scotland should be changed to allow same-sex marriage.The Government’s proposal fundamentally changes marriage as it is understood in our country and our culture – that it is a relationship between one man and one woman”. While the church's statement categorically condemns “homophobia” which it regards as a sin it nevertheless affirms that the historic position of the Christian Church, which the Church of Scotland unflinchingly endorses, is that marriage is between one man and one woman. “Scriptural references to marriage, whether literal or metaphorical, all operate under this understanding.” the Church declared.

The church did not fail to express its concerns over the great speed with which the government has been trying to make the proposed changes. In the opinion of the Church of Scotland, the debate over the issue thus far is “patchy, undeveloped and exclusive of both ordinary people and the religious community.” The church said it is concerned that the government is acting too quickly, for the sake of pleasing a few, to change an institution that is highly valued in society by religious and non-religious people.

Patrick Harvie, member of the Scottish Parliament for the Scottish Green party, strongly disagreed with the Church and averred that allowing same-sex marriage would actually strengthen marriage in the country.

The man would have been proud to have been a Dane. This is because Denmark, the first country to endorse civil union between homosexual partners in 1989 is now set to be the first to officially embrace gay wedding in its churches.

Beginning from February 2012, gay couples can now have full weddings in the Lutheran Church of Denmark. New church minister of the Church of Denmark, Manu Sareen, enthused: “I look forward to the moment the first homosexual couple steps out of the church.” Officially 80 percent of Danes belong to the Lutheran Church of Denmark, (but only 5% actually regularly attend).

In Denmark, a portion of tax dollars collected from Danish citizens is allocated to churches and religious groups. About $1.1 million is allocated annually to churches and religious organizations. http://www.christianpost.com/news/gay-marriage-ok-in-denmark-churches-62818/

Nigeria: Introducing “Witches for Jesus”!

2012-01-16T19:46:00.001+01:00

Much has been written both on the Internet and mainstream media, on the so-called slap by a highly respected Bishop on a supposed innocent girl.While we do not hold brief for the man of God (whom, by the way, we deeply admire and respect), we believe the incident has important lessons for the saints as we slug it out with a desperate devil these end times.

We’ve gone through some transcripts provided of the event – most of them crudely edited to promote some uncharitable perspectives. Apparently, the man of God had made an altar call for those involved in witchcraft, and who wished for deliverance, to step forward. Apparently some who stepped out were coerced into doing so (e.g. by concerned relatives) and they were not willing to openly admit to being practicing witches in need of deliverance. Even though transcripts provided by the most ardent critics clearly reported the Bishop by-passing at least one such case and telling her to continue on the path to hell if she was not willing to renounce witchcraft and embrace Jesus, the incident of slapping of the “innocent young girl” is the long-sought opportunity the desperate anti-christian press needed to bash an influential and unstoppable Christian minister.

The simple and clear fact however, is that what got the Bishop all provoked was the insistence of the subject that she is a witch for Jesus. The slap was therefore not a process of deliverance - as being portrayed in the tomes that have now been written trying to link the Bishop with the numerous incidences of child abuse connected with so-called deliverance ministers from various religious and spiritual expressions.

Our interest in the case however, is the apparent genuine insistence of the girl to being a Jesus’ witch. It is what she really believes! And it speaks volumes about the infiltration of the Church with satanic concepts painted in Christian terms. Over the years, we have been shouting ourselves hoarse on this dangerous trend: myriads of lodges, freemasons, cults, and inter-faith buffs sincerely believe (and seek to teach) that they are worshipping the Lord Jesus, while so blatantly opposing His commandments! See for instance the last edition for the story of the Norwegian mass murderer who insisted in all apparent sincerity that he was defending the Church!

Unfortunately, these high profile cases are only the tip of the iceberg. In the vast majority of cases, observable from day to day, the issues are not quite as stark clear as the examples cited here. Nevertheless, it’s the same phenomenon: multitudes who engage in clear sinful living still tenaciously believe they are serving Jesus and are Heaven-bound!

The Scripture is quite clear on the issue, however:
“For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:5-6)

Recommended further reading: Blending Witchcraft and Christianity (Spiritual Warfare, Part 4). By Berit Kjos (October 24, 2011)
www.crossroad.to/Quotes/spirituality/African-witchcraft.htm

US: Lutheran Church Invites High Priestess Of Isis To Speak At Conference

2012-01-16T19:41:00.002+01:00

A high priestess of the pagan fertility goddess Isis, was one of the major speakers listed for the fifth annual "Faith and Feminism Conference" of the Ebenezer Lutheran Church, ELCA, (Nov.11–13, 2011)
Loreon Vigne, high priestess of the Egyptian goddess Isis, will be bringing several other priestesses from her Oasis Temple “to conduct prayers, songs and meditation,” organizers of the so-called Christian conference announced.

What exactly is this meditation? Ms Vigne explains: "Guided meditation is where the audience closes their eyes and you take them on a little journey. I've taken people to their past lives in Egypt, as [that culture] had all the secrets….”

Defending the event, one of the organizers, Rev. Megan Rohrer told the World Net Daily, "I think the world is much more interested in interfaith connection than exclusivity." Rohrer holds the unenviable “distinction” of being the first openly transgender Lutheran minister ordained in the United States. Other events announced for the conference include a chanting workshop with another Isis priestess, Katie Kethcum, "inclusive" hymns, Interplay, Individual Reiki Sessions, Labyrinth, sacred walks, sacred drums, sacred dance, and Kundalini Yoga mantras, which the church says "are composed of basic phonetic sounds common to all languages and have been used to invoke the presence of the Divine for centuries.

The ELCA refers to itself as Her-Church and describes God as a female. According to this notorious church, faith in Jesus is not needed for salvation. Read details of this story at http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2011/November01/0152.html. The next story below shows that the concept of harmonizing Jesus and goddess-worship is seeking for acceptance, even in Nigeria

US: Planned Parenthood baits teens into homosexuality with jobs

2012-01-16T19:36:00.001+01:00

Planned Parenthood groups in the United States are now hiring children to drive their new sexuality agenda. In a use-one-stone-to-kill-multiple-number-of- birds scheme, PP groups are not only targeting children with their corrupting messages, they are now using children to promote the messages to other children.

For instance, under the "Seriously Talking About Responsible Sex" (STARS) scheme, the PP group in New York is hiring teenagers into the paid positions of so-called “peer educators”. Part of the conditions for securing such a position is an undertaking to attend Albany’s annual homosexual “pride” parade.

Duane Motley of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms objects very seriously to this practice. Speaking with OneNewsNow, he recalled how the PP enlisted children into making phone calls to promote New York's homosexual "marriage" bill that passed and was signed into law in June 2011. To rub in salt into the injury, the wages for these innocent teens are being settled using tax-payers’ money. Of course most people are completely unaware of the situation!

Similar programmes exist in several other Planned Parenthood groups all over the United States. In Wisconsin, the group there recently announced it was hiring seven "youth health educators" to influence teens on sexual issues.(For more details, see www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=1501474)

The Fuel Subsidy Removal Palaver

2012-01-16T19:27:00.001+01:00

The “mother of all protests” against the removal of fuel subsidy continues into the second week, albeit with somewhat less force. Much heated debate however continues on the streets (as it did earlier in the House of Reps). Especially by people who would score cheap points or at least let off some steam by hauling expletives at the President. Unfortunately, it looks more like a SouthWest issue. The North is mostly too busy with the Boko Haram menace, while the South East has quite bluntly expressed unreserved support for government’s policy on the matter.

Unfortunately while the so-called masses continue with their tyre burning and barricading of major roads (and extortion has inevitably cropped in); and the middle class elites continue with their heated discussions at street corners and at media houses, the real beneficiaries of petrol subsidy are most certainly engaged in some other types of activities. This tiny group, comprising of stinkingly rich and corrupt officials at the NNPC and allied government agencies, or the cabals that smuggle petroleum products for re-selling at neighbouring countries, not to talk of their political god-fathers involved either in refining petrol products abroad to be re-imported back into Nigeria on their terms – this tiny group are not to be found wasting words or sweat in their evil quest to maintain the status quo.

There is absolutely no need for any “security report” before one could make a good guess as to what they are probably doing even at this very moment – writing fat cheques to mould opinions through the mass media and putting pressure on appropriate quarters, including both government and Labour, in order to confuse issues and protect their rotten interest. Any one who is ignorant of this critical factor has no business offering any commentary on the subsidy removal issue!

At the end of the day, we believe, Nigerians will eventually realize that both President Goodluck and Labour Leaders have been the major patriotic parties used by God to shake a monumental corrupt structure that Fuel Subsidy represented. The President needs an informed, interested and outspoken public to make “democratic” demands which will “compel” him to take necessary efforts to tackle the corrupt cabal – most of which are alleged to have been his sponsors and staunch supporters for the top office. Only the most naïve would require the President to take steps that would not only amount to political suicide, but will also not yield any lasting impact – such as unilaterally hoisting some top fellas into jail – without first ensuring that such a process will not only be fully supported by the public, but will actually be driven by the public. The public’s response to the President’s “dialogue” on the previously unmentionable issue of fuel subsidy is currently being spearheaded by the Labour Congress. Labour is of course under its own pressures – not only from political forces that would want to use it as a tool to further their own selfish hidden agenda, but also from the naïve and ever-skeptical followership which automatically sees a “sell-out” in any responsible discussion or rancor-free agreement between Labour and Government!

Discerning Christians must therefore continue to pray that the Almighty God will use the on-going process as His joker to achieve the deliverance of our beloved country from the hands of the forces of pauperization who have kept us in bondage for so long. At least, now people are asking seriously why our refineries are not working and official reports documenting monumental corruption in government agencies like the NNPC, which the average Nigerian was totally uninterested in a few weeks ago, are now the subject of hot passionate discussions. So far so good, but prayers and good confessions remain paramount.

In conclusion, Nigerians need not despair at the on-going situation. Rather with thanksgiving, we should continue to request that the good Lord will complete the good works He has began, and release His joker on the jokers who have kept Nigeria under their pockets all these decades.

Nigeria's Anti-Gay Bill: “New Sexuality” goons remove veil, bare fangs

2011-12-08T13:05:00.003+01:00

For years we have alerted Nigerians that there are powerful satanic forces behind the new sexuality drives which have Nigeria as a special juicy target. Most people thought it was just some over-fed NGOs, lacking other useful purpose, that are amusing themselves with new experiments in sexuality.

With the snarls and serious threats coming directly from western governments following the Senate’s position on same-sex marriage, Nigerians now know better. As rightly put by Senate President David Mark, “They say it is an unimportant bill, but all the attending furors indicate it is very important (paraphrased)”. At the last count, Canada, France and the United States have strongly added their voices to the salvo first fired by Britain’s David Cameron using the platform of the Commonwealth, in Perth, Australia. Obama in particular has directed that all US Embassies do everything possible to fight the ”criminalization of homosexuality” anywhere in the world. But nobody can seriously doubt that he was actually referring to Nigeria.

Even then, the real truth is that these now vocal world leaders are only responding to pressures being mounted on them by the tiny but very powerful homosexual lobbies in their respective countries. Having failed to make any serious impact here directly through their numerous NGOs, these lobbies have now come out to let loose their prized hounds on the government of Nigeria - even at the price of revealing the reality of their erstwhile hidden powerful stranglehold on these western governments. It may be difficult to appreciate the immensity of the pressure on President Goodluck at the present time, but hopefully he should know what the other alternatives would be. God forbid the President dragging his feet in providing a prompt assent (once the House of Representatives accords to the bill). The unacceptability of official homosexuality is one thing virtually all Nigerians are agreed on – from Boko Haram to the regular guy on the street!

It is amazing how illogical Satan could reduce people to. The desperate advocates of homosexuality somehow can’t see that it is the very same arguments they are using to try to foist their practice on us that their sponsors are using in other lands to advocate for incest, pedophilia, bestiality, and other follow-ups to homosexuality. At the present time, the Nigerian advocates are still too shy to mouth these concepts, but as surely as night follows the day, their western sponsors are bound to give them further instructions along that line - if they could surmount their current hurdle. Even as we write, the law criminalizing sex with animals is being removed in the books of American military (see
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/senate-approves-bill-legalizes-sodomy-and-bestiality-us-military). Numerous academic treatises have been written by disciples of Alfred Kinsey to cheerfully justify such abominable sexual intercourses. No wonder Charles Branson is appealing to “educated Nigerians” to help oppose the apparently hapless lawmakers. What cheap old colonial divide-and-rule tactic! Sadly, the country’s only Nobel Laureate promptly rose to do just that.

And no one can really stop two consenting homosexuals from doing whatever they wish in their closets. Indeed, contrary to the Laureate’s assertion, the society is not interested. The actual problem here is that these gay advocacy groups not only want to compel the rest of us to be interested, they want our endorsement of their evil product. And then they can move to the next steps - pedophilia, incest, bestiality etc. After all, if their current arguments were to hold and there is no morality aspect to the homosexual question, why can’t a man sleep with his beloved pet and even get a marriage certificate? Again, one does not need any extra-ordinary imagination to see these ultimate intentions of new sexuality advocates – one only need look at Europe and the United States to see where they are trying to push us!

The law being promulgated by the Nigerian Senate is primarily against advocating for homosexuality, operation of homosexual bars and brothels, etc - all of which simply are efforts to recruit people into homosexuality. There are abundant of evidences all over the world that the main interest of these vocal, powerful, and deadly advocates of homosexuality is to see other people practice homosexuality. Where necessary, as shown in the case of campus cultists at Enugu and elsewhere (see ChurchArise!, vol 14 no 4 www.churcharise.org/archives/Vol%2014%20no%204%20July%20-%20August,%202011.doc) brute force is being used to compel people have a taste of (and hopefully get hooked on) homosexuality.

In the daily devotional Open Heavens, (obviously written at least a year ago), Pastor Enoch Adeboye made an apt reference to homosexuality in the reading for Wednesday 7th December, 2011. “[Harlots and homosexuals]… may operate in other lands, but not in God’s land”, he was led to write – even while addressing a quite different subject matter. And so, to the Camerons and Obamas of this world, all we Nigerians are saying is: keep your madness to your land [See also http://chatafrik.com/articles/nigerian-affairs/item/307-statement-on-the-diplomatic-face-off-between-the-us-and-nigeria-over-the-proposed-prohibition-and-criminalization-of-same-sex-marriage-by-nigeria.html?tmpl=component&print=1]

Costly confusion: Millions of Nigerian children repeatedly being vaccinated against vaccine-linked polio

2011-10-01T14:30:00.004+01:00

It has become one of the characteristics of the times, that agencies and people would grow very passionate on certain issues that catch their fancy while displaying obscene indifference to other similar or even weightier issues not on their agenda.

For instance while the government of Nigeria mobilizes enormous resources (made available by Bill Gates) to deal with the 26 (THAT IS TWENTY-SIX) incidences of polio in Nigeria in the current year, they shrug at the THOUSANDS that DIE annually from each of basic diseases as dysentery, malaria, malnutrition, etc.

Worse still is the fact of hundreds of thousands of annual deaths arising from moral issues as abortion, homosexuality, overly-romanticed promotion of condoms, mockery of the marriage institution, etc all promoted by the same Mr Bill Gates and associates!

The situation becomes truly pathetic, when we consider further that a significant number of children are guaranteed to contact wild polio virus from the very vaccine they are given. Figures of risk of a normal child contacting polio strictly from the oral vaccine itself range from 1 per 750,000 (www.chop.edu/service/vaccine-education-center/a-look-at-each-vaccine/polio-vaccine.html), 1 per million (www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-08-14-nigeria-polio_N.htm), or 1 per 2.4 million (www.babycenter.com/0_the-polio-vaccine_1566.bc). All these figures are cited by strongly pro-vaccine lobbies. If we take the most conservative of the figures, and considering the millions of children involved, say 50 million, then the expected number of cases of polio in the country, arising purely as a result of the vaccine programme would be 21 cases! Yet, many children are repeatedly vaccinated over and over again - at school, market, church, mosque, etc! (The issue of thimerosal – 49.55% mercury - used as preservative for vaccines sent to third world countries, and administered to young infants is a subject for another time.)

And it is not that these figures are unknown both to the sponsoring bodies and the recipient Nigerian officials. According to a news item in USA today, “In 2007, health experts reported that amid Nigeria's ongoing outbreak of wild polio viruses, 69 children had also been paralyzed in a new outbreak caused by the mutation of a vaccine's virus.” The report continued, “Back then, WHO said the vaccine-linked outbreak would be swiftly overcome — yet two years later, cases continue to mount. They have since identified polio cases linked to the vaccine dating back as far as 2005.” (www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-08-14-nigeria-polio_N.htm). Reflecting on this situation in Nigeria, the man who heads the polio department at the World Health Organization, Dr Bruce Aylward, was reported to have said, "It's very disturbing."

In 2009, according to the usatoday, “the number of polio cases caused by the vaccine” (between January and August, when the report was released) was 124 children “out of about 42 million children vaccinated.” The report further noted that “For every case of paralysis, there are hundreds of other children who don't develop symptoms, but pass on the disease.”

Concluding, the article observed that “Nigeria's vaccine-linked outbreak underlines the need to stop using the oral polio vaccine as soon as possible, since it can create the very epidemics it was designed to stop, experts say. WHO is researching other vaccines that might work better, but none is on the horizon.” http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-08-14-nigeria-polio_N.htm

So again we ask the question that our egg-heads and technocrats in charge of oral polio vaccine programme seem unable to ask once Mr Gates comes on his perennial visits: Why is all this obsession about zero-polio when the very same children being saved from polio (if at all that is correct) are only being reserved for malnutrition, malaria or common dysentery?

Anti-semitism hits the Church

2011-10-01T13:49:00.001+01:00

The Bible is explicit that anti-semitism (rabid hatred of the Jews) would be in vogue towards the end of times. Spikes of these were seen during the Hitler years when six million human beings were sent to the gas chambers simply for being Jews. It is instructive that anti-semitism is on the rise again, and worst of all, even the Church is now playing an active part in the sordid phenomenon.

A group of churches, spearheaded by the World Council of Churches, are calling for economic boycott of Israel. They justify this by twisting the historic and political events between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs, coupled with the so-called replacement theology. Under this viewpoint, Israel had ceased to be God’s people, and all God’s promises for Israel are now to be fulfilled through the Church. This is clearly fallacious as well clarified in several Scriptures. For example Rom 11, makes it clear that God has programme for both the Church and Israel. Israel’s programme (Daniel 9) is currently frozen in this “gap period” (Luke 21:24) where God, by grace divine, is bringing both Jews and Gentiles into the one Body, the Church (Eph 2:14), but after the Rapture, Israel would continue to provide a witness for God on this planet before the final consummation of all things. For this, adequate plan has been made by the Lord. See Rev. 12:6 Indeed, “God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew” Romans 11:2.

Spearheading the socio-political and economic moves against Israel are church-groups like the Methodist in the UK (http://seismic-shock.com/2010/06/19/dr-stephen-leah-the-anti-israel-methodists/), Presbyterians (http://community.comcast.net/t5/In-The-News/Presbyterian-Network-calls-for-boycott-of-Israeli-products/td-p/6400164), and individuals such as the Anglican Vicar, Stephen Sizer.

Thank God for another segment of the church that is taking the great efforts required to stand by Israel in this time of beginning of her troubles yet to come. We are particularly grateful to God that Nigeria’s Pastor Enoch Adeboye is playing a major role in this respect. Check out details of his meetings with both the Israeli’s President and the PM at www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/147219#.ToY2dWHowsY. Pastor Adeboye’s advocacy for a “culture of peace” is essentially a demand that Israel’s sworn enemies must first agree to the right of Israel to exist as a first condition to peace. That is reasonable enough and it is amazing that so-called men of God will demand that Israel continue to make concessions to people whose charter continues to be that Israel has no right to exist! Speaking in Samaria, Pastor Adeboye consoled Israel with the profound, now famous statement: "When you are special in the eyes of God, automatically people will dislike you." That sounds like Joseph in Genesis 46:34 “….for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians”

All this is merely the Church playing its role as salt and light of the world while we are around. The Bible is clear that, perhaps coinciding with the Rapture, a false peace will first be ushered in by the false Christ (the antichrist), lasting only three and half years (Daniel 9:27). Later on, everlasting peace (such as Isaiah writes about, Chapters 11 and 65) will be ushered in by the Lord Jesus Christ. This is also a certainty, and for this we prepare.

Stepping up recruitments into lesbianism in Nigeria: it’s now “by force, by fire!”

2011-10-01T13:46:00.000+01:00

In Vol 8 No 6 (2005), Church Arise! reported on the activities of some major NGOs in Nigeria, such as the Minna-based INCRESE, who boldly admit to luring girls into lesbianism with material trappings. INCRESE in particular organizes the Igonet, a periodic female-only sexual rumps at Abuja with the attendance of young girls from various campuses all over the country sponsored. This is their own little way, they claim, of facilitating “reproductive health” and sexual freedom in Nigeria!

However, such carrot-approach to increasing the number of lesbians in the country seems too slow in producing the critical number of homosexuals these shameless but vocal advocates of abominable immorality desire. Armed with their literally “sea-never-dry” fundings, these “change agents” are apparently now seeking help from campus cultists to further help speed up recruitments into their satan-inspired lifestyle.

Nigerians were shocked to read in national newspapers in July, of cultists who brutally forced female students to perform lesbian acts together. Lt Col Sagir Musa, Assistant Director, Public Relations of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu described the situation: “It was such a nasty , terrible, brutal situation where cultists captured female students and forced them to have sexual intercourse with themselves” The number of girls involved were not stated but as many as 20 cult members involved in the saga were paraded before pressmen before being handed over to the police. (see http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/07/20-cultists-arrested-for-forcing-girls-into-lesbianism/). According to other reports, the girls were asked to pretend to be carrying out the acts willfully and the video recordings were made to give the impression of supposed lesbians enjoying their acts.

Unfortunately, cultists raping girls on campus is no longer news in Nigeria (with the filmed gang-rape at Abia State University – august 2011 – apparently the final straw provoking a national outrage). What many people could not understand is why cultists would subject innocent girls to brutal treatment just to get them to try out lesbianism? What exactly do the cultists stand to gain?

The answer might lie with another curious action of the cultists – why make potentially incriminating video recordings of the proceedings?
In trying to explain the situation, one NGO theorized: “Once the cultists succeed in forcing the girls to perform the acts, they know they have obtained an instrument that can be used to devastating effect. This is because Nigerian society strongly disapproves of homosexual relations… In such a society, where homosexuality is viewed not just as deviance but as extreme depravity, a video tape in which a girl is shown engaging in such a taboo “voluntarily”, instantly becomes a potent instrument for endless blackmail, emotional torment and monetary extortion.” http://saferafricagroup.com/2011/07/16/insight-forced-lesbian-sex-on-campuses-a-new-crime-in-schools-already-endangered/

This line of thinking is clearly warped and far-fetched. Other simpler means would have worked even better if the end goal were just blackmail for monetary extortion. It is more likely the cultists were trying to stimulate homosexuality in these girls in the first instance. It is well established that homosexual assault is one of the commonest ways of getting people to eventually choose the gay lifestyle (see our previous article at http://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2006/feb/072.html). The video recording would confirm that the cultists were commissioned for this assignment, and the videos would be proof that they had delivered on the assignment – and could collect the balance of their payment. Of course, the videos could also find further use in the multi-billion dollar global porn industry, especially for further recruitment purposes.

Incidentally, the line of reasoning advanced by the above-cited NGO is subtly suggesting that if only our society were less intolerant of homosexuality, incidents like these would be minimized. What a way of turning facts on their heads, characteristic of people who have become carried away by the several soap opera scripts they routinely write!

Mark our words: the shameless advocates of homosexuality in our society who have to write reports to the likes of Mr Bill Gates to justify the millions of dollars they routinely collect, and who are even at this present time pressurizing the National Assembly to legalize homosexual marriages, are not far behind this incident at Enugu.

Exodus Int'l: Churches Shying from Controversy

2011-10-01T13:42:00.001+01:00

Exodus International, the world's largest ministry that reaches out to homosexuals (and comprising of a large number of former homosexuals) not surprisingly, is one major target of the gay movement. The impact of the steady, unrelentless attacks on Exodus International is showing as more and more of their traditional supporters are finding it more convenient to keep the distance from them. The latest of such Churches is the Willow Creek Community megaChurch, pastored by Bill Hybels. In actual fact, Willow Creek, polled as the most influential church in America, had made the decision to split from Exodus as early as 2009, but kept the information away from the public until June this year, when the Church probably thinks the environment is more conducive.

Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, said Willow Creek's departure is evidence of a "disappointing trend" in the Christian community, with churches and other groups shying away from controversial issues -- like homosexual outreach.
"There are Christians who believe like one another who aren't willing to stand with one another, simply because they're afraid of the backlash people will direct their way if they are seen with somebody who might not be politically correct," Chambers charged.

Recently, in the UK, Owens and Eunice Johns were told by the Royal Courts of Justice in London that they can't be foster parents because their religious beliefs prohibit teaching youngsters that the homosexual lifestyle is acceptable. (http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/03/01/uk-court-anti-gay-couple-foster-parents/)
Exodus International has seen several departures over the years. These include the Canadian ministry New Direction (2010) and Where Grace Abounds (2008). The group is often criticized for its attempts to convert homosexuals and, among other events, its annual conference for former gays and lesbians. (see http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2011/July/Exodus-International-Churches-Shying-from-Controversy/)

One major arena of on-going hot battle on homosexuality, is the debate over Reparative Therapy also known as the sexual orientation conversion therapy. It goes without saying that ex-gays are a big embarrassment to the gay movement who brazenly claim that homosexuality is an inborn trait that cannot be changed – just like the colour of one’s skin! Therefore, while campaigning for tolerance towards homosexuality, the homosexual lobby spares no action in demonstrating their gross intolerance of ex-gays. Happily, a US court has recently ruled that gay groups who invade and interrupt church worship services are now to be subject to contempt charges and heavy fines. (see http://www.onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=1394042)

Hopefully, his will bring some respite, for a while!

Cisco Fires Christian Consultant for opposing homosexuality

2011-10-01T13:39:00.001+01:00

A Christian consultant with the computer firm Cisco was relieved on his job, June this year, simply because of his critical opinion to homosexuality.

Mr Frank Turek tells his own story: “I was fired as a vendor by Cisco for my conservative beliefs about sex and marriage even though my beliefs were never expressed on the job. When a homosexual manager found out on the Internet that I had authored a book giving evidence that maintaining our current marriage laws would be best for society, he couldn’t tolerate me and requested I be fired. An HR executive canned me within hours without ever speaking to me. This happened despite the fact that the leadership and teambuilding programs I led always received high marks (even from the homosexual manager!).” Read the full details at http://townhall.com/columnists/frankturek/2011/06/28/sex_at_work/page/full/

Commenting on this story, the American Family Association noted that the homosexual lobby in the US “is becoming more powerful and more brazen in their efforts to punish and intimidate anyone who disagrees with them”

The AFA speaks of employees who are being forced to attend “diversity” and “sensitivity” classes failing which they could lose their jobs. A children’s hospital in Ohio reportedly features a “gay pride” exhibit on prominent display inside the hospital! http://www.afa.net/Detail.aspx?id=2147509060

Challenging Hypocrisy: Why not Warning labels for abortion adverts?

2011-10-01T13:34:00.001+01:00

In the United States, some citizens are boldly standing up to the bare-faced hypocrisy that considers sexuality issues a no-go-area, while so much noise is made on other evils in society. Specifically, the Students for Life of America (SFLA) is asking why is the US government requiring (as is currently being proposed in that country) that graphic pictures – such as a dead body or diseased lungs - be displayed on tobacco products, while a similar measure is inconceivable with respect to abortion?

Kristan Hawkins, executive director of SFLA queries: "Why doesn't the pro-life movement get this? Why is it that we can't show a woman before she can have an abortion what exactly abortion is going to do…Why is it that the FDA, the U.S. government, is forcing cigarette manufacturers to put these warning labels on cigarettes, but they won't tell women what an abortion really is?"

According to Hawkins, the government even refused to require warning labels on the abortion drug Ella before it was approved last summer, when there are known dangers.

Russia leads the Revolution

Interestingly, while the battle is just picking up in the US, the Russians are already set to implement this very same proposal—though for a different reason!

As reported by Reuters, Russian lawmakers on Friday July 1 passed a law requiring that abortion advertisements must carry a health warning. However, the Russians are not as concerned so much about the morality or even direct health aspects on the mothers as the resulting declining birth rate!

Russia has one of the world's highest abortion rates and cutting this could help it stem a demographic disaster that is looming as its population shrinks. Citing figures available on the website of Russia lower house [www.duma.gov.ru], Reuters reported that in 2007, the number of aborted babies (1.5 million) was almost as much as the number of babies born. Apart from the babies directly aborted, a frequent complication in abortion procedure is infertility –further worsening the impact on population figures.

Under the new Russian law, 10 percent of the space used in abortion ads must carry a list of possible negative consequences for women, including infertility.

Reuters reported that Russia’s “increasingly powerful Orthodox church weighed heavily into the abortion issue a year ago, calling for tougher rules to reduce their number”, Incredibly, so-called feminists argued that this requirement “would hurt women's rights”. In short, just knowing the facts about abortion (which they are free to go ahead and procure anyway) can hurt women, eh? http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/01/us-russia-abortion-idUSTRE76058S20110701

Norweigian killer demonstrates identity crisis

2011-10-01T13:19:00.002+01:00

A 32-year old Norwegian, Anders Behring Breivik, went on rampage on July 22 and started to systematically shoot to scores of youth who were on holidays on an Island. To distract the police, he had initially detonated a car bomb at the Government House in Oslo. Eight people were killed in the car bomb, while 69 youths were shot dead in cold blood on the Island of Utoeya, 40 kilometres away (25 miles) see http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/07/norway-terror-suspect-arrives-in-court/

One fact clearly demonstrated by this sad incident is the identity crisis in the Church. Wonder of wonders, Anders Breivik sees and describes himself as a Christian and a conservative! Indeed, according to him, his motive for the dastard killings was to save (supposed Christian) Norway and Western Europe from a Muslim takeover”. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anders_Behring_Breivik)

But in the same breath (as documented in his lifestyle and his “manifesto”), Mr breivik says he is “not an excessively religious man and reveres Darwinism. (http://frontpagemag.com/2011/07/28/new-york-times-reader-kills-dozens-in-norway/). In a blog he advocated that all protestants convert enmasse to Catholicism – Breivik, apart from being a so-called “Knight Templar” is also a Mason. See picture dressed in Masonic garb at http://www.prisonplanet.com/norway-killer-anders-behring-breivik-was-a-freemason.html

In a self-interview he did in his manifesto, he explains what it means to be a Christian:
Q: Do I have to believe in god or Jesus in order to become a Justiciar Knight?
A: As this is a cultural war, our definition of being a Christian does not necessarily constitute that you are required to have a personal relationship with God or Jesus.

In fact, Breivik emphasized that “ Christian fundamentalist theocracy” is “everything we DO NOT want,” and a “secular European society” is “what we DO want.” It is enough that you are a Christian agnostic or a Christian atheist” This is sad, not only in the calculated efforts by the world’s antichristian media houses to use this event to rope in “fundamentalist christianity”.

It is truly sad that people could so much be confused in their identity. - thinking themselves Christian while working ardently against the Lord’s interests and instructions. Scriptures like Ephesiasns 5:5-6 or Mathew 7:21-23 apparently don’t make any sense to this class of people. What blindness!

Man claims doctors surreptiously implanted microchip on him during surgery

2011-10-01T13:15:00.002+01:00

In Vol 13 No 5, we discussed the MK Ultra experiments and other extensive efforts that government agencies are apparently doomed to be forever preoccupied with – based on the very structure of the current world order!

It should not be any surprise then, to find that stories by individuals along that line continue to hit the headlines. In one of the latest stories, set in Singapore, a Danish national has filed a writ against Alexandra Hospital (AH) for allegedly planting a microchip in him during a 1988 operation. He further claims that this surreptitious implant has caused him considerable mental distress as he found himself being constantly monitored.

Mr Mogens Tindhof Honore doesn’t sound quite like a deluded crank. According to papers filed in the High Court on June 21 against AH, he said he first found a metal instrument akin to a microchip in his left lung after an X-ray scan in 1997. He recalls that he had undergone surgery in his chest and lung some 2 decades ago, after being stabbed in the lung as a seaman in May 1988. The surgery was conducted at AH, and Mr Honore is claiming the microchip implant was introduced during the surgery.

Mr Honore, now 54, claimed that after his discharge, he kept hearing voices in his head and could not lead a normal life. He would also feel generally unwell and would even cough out blood. As reported by TODAY, "(Mr Honore ) also discovered and experienced that strange people on the streets would approach and speak to (him) about strange subject matters or pass strange irrelevant comments.” Other conditions Mr Honore claims he suffers from include impairment of relationship, loss of enjoyment of life and suicidal thoughts.

In the court papers, Honore stated that two X-ray scans on May 9 this year, both at AH and Mount Elizabeth Hospital found the metal fragment (microchip) in his left chest. He has subsequently undergone an operation at Mount Elizabeth Hospital to remove the fragment.

The response of AH to this allegation has not been too helpful. When Honore approached the hospital last December to investigate his condition, he claimed that he was turned away by AH which said it had no records of his stay. When media houses followed up the story, AH through its director of communications and service quality, Casey Chang said: "We understand that the patient had recently returned to Alexandra Hospital to seek information regarding medical treatment he had received at Alexandra Hospital in May 1988. This was 23 years ago when Alexandra Hospital was a government hospital." (www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1138042/1/.html)

As held by conspiracy theorists, and depicted in the film”The Manchuria candidate”, it is possible to implant people with chips and later deploy these people into acts of crimes etc to prove some points.

US Air Force wishes to secretly tag people with biological paints from insect drones

2011-10-01T13:12:00.002+01:00

The US Air Force has put out a call for scientific proposals on the practical application of tiny drones that could surreptitiously 'paint' an individual with some kind of signal-emitting powder or liquid that allows the military to keep tabs on him or her. Or even upload the person's whereabouts to a hellfire missile. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk)

As explained in a Fox News Report, “Tiny insect drones, while not yet perfected, are gaining popularity in the military labs. From larger hummingbird drones to other tiny ornithopters to DARPA's remote-controlled beetle, the delivery system for such a technology isn't so far away from being a reality. What most of these tiny drones lack is range, which will evenutally improve with advances in battery life and materials science.”

To complement their remote-controlled insects, DARPA is further investigating 'smart dust' - a cloud of dust that could be sprayed into the air near a target in hopes that he or she might walk through the cloud and be tagged. Then the drone or delivery system would not even have to make direct contact with the target.

And why is the US Air Force interested in such technology anyway? The call for proposals notes that the technology will be useful for things like, em, tracking wildlife. Really! http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2011/May02/0272.html

BOKO HARAM: Hands of Esau, Voice of Jacob

2011-10-01T13:10:00.001+01:00

The existence of the Political Boko Haram wing can no longer be doubted by any informed observer. Following the desperate attack on the UN building on Aug 26, the wind has blown away the last strip of veil under which some politicians have been carrying out their open threat of making Nigeria ungovernable.

Boko Haram chieftain, Ali Tishau, virtually declared on Africa Independent Television (AIT) that his organization did not carry out the UN bombing.

Here is the flow of discussion on the interview: “Did you blow up the Police HQ?” Reply: Yes we did! This is because. … bla, bla, bla. Next Question: Did you blow up the UN building? Reply: “'I would not answer [that] question…..for some reasons!”

What else does BH have to say to confirm that a virus had taken over their system and that it was this virus that has been providing the bite for many of BH actions - and even on occasions (as in the UN bombing), had been implementing its own programme? In any case, why would BH want to bomb the UN building? A supposed stand-in for the usual spokesperson was quoted as saying “because United States (US) and the UN are supporting the Federal Government to persecute Muslims in Nigeria. (http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/08/un-house-bombing-why-we-struck-boko-haram/) Puerile after-thought! It was clear the whole point of the Bomb UN was to embarrass Nigeria and keep up the attention on BH, which attention was waning before the bomb blasts.

To further confirm the desperate intention of Mr Making- Nigeria-Ungovernable, to keep up the crisis, a co-founder of BH, Babakura Fugu, who hosted former President Obasanjo in a promising peace parley, was shot dead two days later - supposedly by BH! The media houses were forced to admit that at least there were now factions within BH. And predictably, would-be testifiers at the Government Panel investigating the crisis promptly began giving the Panel a wide berth. Earlier on, the governor of Kano state, that is a sitting governor in one of the key states in the country, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, following threats of a BH strike unless detained members were released, quickly “granted unconditional pardon to 20 inmates” – identity not specified. Furthermore, speaking in Hausa, governor Kwankwaso requested for other agencies of government to release detained BH members adding that, “As a government, we consider all Islamic and Christian religious sects the same”.! (Channels TV, August 30)

There is an instructive parallel between recent events within BH in Nigeria and the Talibans in Afghanistan. It has been known for long by intelligence forces that the Haqqani , nominally under Talibans were actually the hit squad of the Pakistani Secret Services ISI. But everyone preferred to ignore the facts. However with things falling apart between the US and Pakistan, following the killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, under the very nose of the elite military establishment, diplomacy is giving way to rough street talk. When the US accused the ISI, as being (through the Haqqani) behind the 9-11 anniversary truck bomb that recently wounded 77 US soldiers, the Pakistani retorted that the statement was “irresponsible”. No mention of whether it is true or not. http://www.jihadwatch.org/2011/09/us-officials-pakistani-intelligence-urging-on-haqqani-jihadists-against-us-targets.html

In any case, the interesting parallel we refer to, is between the BH-labelled UN-building bombing and the Talibans-labelled killing of former Afghan President and current chief peace negotiator, Burhanuddin Rabbani. On Tuesday Sept 20, a suicide-bomber claiming to be from the Talibans had packed high explosives in his turban and under a well concocted plan of bringing a juicy peace deal, sought audience with Rabbani. As they embraced at the meeting, … kababum bum! Fireworks!

Even though the initial reports, as routine, promptly ascribed the bombing to the Talibans, realizing the real import, the Talibans soon back-pedalled. Contesting the earlier report by the Reuters news agency that said the Taliban accepted responsibility, the group issued a statement saying: "Our position on this issue is that we can't talk about it and all the media reports that claim responsibility are groundless….Right now we don't want to talk." Most people in the intelligience world point the fingers at the Haqqani, but probably due to some pact between them, the Talibans are hesitant to overtly dissociate themselves from the bombing. Yet they know as well as everybody else that killing Rabbani was far beyond their agenda.

A summary of the situation is provided in the Guardian, (UK) of September 21:
“Diplomats say it raises the possibility that Mullah Omar and other high-ranking Taliban leaders may not have approved, or even have been aware of, an operation conducted by a splinter or affiliated group linked to Pakistan's powerful military intelligence agency, the ISI, which has long-standing ties to militant groups.
“A western expert on the Taliban, who did not want to be identified, said senior figures within the movement had tried to bypass the ISI and hold direct talks with Karzai's government and the US, and Pakistan had responded with ruthless efforts to reassert control of any negotiations.
“He said spectacular attacks in Kabul in recent months were probably designed to derail any independent Taliban contacts with the government, while the killing of Rabbani could have been aimed at putting all talks on hold for several months.” For more details see http://www.jihadwatch.org/2011/09/taliban-oddly-quiet-about-rabbani-assassination.html.

Boko Haram has no business or interest killing UN staff. But having enjoyed all along the “support” of their un-named benefactors in achieving spectacular bombings far above their normal capacity, are they now going to overtly denounce the UN bombing? We believe this is exactly the situation behind Mallam Tishau’s “I won’t answer that question” when asked directly on Raymond Dokpesi’s AIT if BH indeed bombed the UN building. And now, perhaps wary of being used endlessly, the real BH is eager to get back to the negotiating table, and like we noted in the last edition of CA!, their requests are really basic – stop the harassment, compensate those killed extra-judicially and let’s get back to living.

Indeed, when AIT pointed out to Ali Tishu that installing Sharia in all the North is now touted as one of BH requests, he retorted that rather than requesting more sharia controlled enclaves, BH is really more interested in witnessing genuine sharia within the states who claim they have already adopted sharia. He cited situations of petty thieves being amputated while bigger thieves in authority loot the state treasury and still emerge as heroes. Or the harassment of local prostitutes to be replaced by sophisticated ones imported from abroad.

Just like the situation in Afghanistan, the UN bombing and the killing of Babakura Fugu in Maiduguri clearly show that some mid-level operators in Boko Haram are under a different payroll; and their Paymaster would rather there were no negotiations rather than one where he cannot call the shots.

Meanwhile, the overall effects of all these terror incidents are the same all over the world and they are serving the same one grand purpose. They are helping to force the hand of governments in installing infrastructure and measures that would safeguard against terror – while at the same time tearing away the thick cloak of privacy citizens (and criminals) have enjoyed from time immemorial! (Please see e.g. Vol 4 No 6 for more on this Hegelian approach of creating “world problems” to be solved by particular methods dictated by New World Order advocates).

Developments along this line, which might have taken decades to occur under normal circumstances especially in the under-developed parts of the world, would now be prioritized and effected within months. That indeed is the general character of end-times “civilization”, especially in those areas critical to the emergence of the antichrist. Just as the 9-11 bombings changed the face of security and privacy rights in the US and Europe, the same spiritual forces are ensuring that similar infrastructure are coming to Nigeria, en route other developing/under-developed countries.

The soon-to-be-revealed antichrist needs all these facilities and structures to establish his short-term totalitarian reign on earth following the rapture of the Church. These events are surely on us.

Study links early sex, divorce

2011-10-01T13:00:00.003+01:00

A study recently published in the Journal of Marriage and Family has revealed that women who had sex for the first time when they were teenagers are more likely to divorce than those who wait till adulthood before engaging in sex. The study by University of Iowa researcher, Anthony Paik, shows that 31 percent of women who had sex for the first time before age 18 divorced within five years and 47 percent divorced within ten. The corresponding figures for those who wait till adulthood were a significantly reduced 15 percent at five years of marriage and 27 percent at ten.

Speaking with OneNewsNow, Valerie Huber, the executive director of the National Abstinence Education Association said the study has again confirmed the well-known truth that there are more than just physical consequences involved in sexual activity. In her words, "It affects the emotional, psychological, economic, and many other areas of not only the individual life but societal health in general."

Unfortunately, advocates of the new sexuality go ahead to as much as promote what they call “infant sexuality.” (see for instance the article: A Plea to Atheists: Pedophilia is next on the Slippery Slope; Let us turn back before it's too late, http://www.JewishWorldReview.com). Using the pseudo-science of Albert Kinsey, coupled with a generous dose of financial inducements and blackmails at high places, they have managed to keep results from genuine studies like Paik’s, (not to talk of our common sense about morality), out of reckoning as they force their new sexuality down society’s throat. http://www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=1375992

Remarks by PM Benjamin Netanyahu to the U.N. General Assembly, 23 Sep 2011

2011-09-24T14:48:00.001+01:00

Ladies and gentlemen, Israel has extended its hand in peace from the moment it was established 63 years ago. On behalf of Israel and the Jewish people, I extend that hand again today. I extend it to the people of Egypt and Jordan, with renewed friendship for neighbors with whom we have made peace. I extend it to the people of Turkey, with respect and good will. I extend it to the people of Libya and Tunisia, with admiration for those trying to build a democratic future. I extend it to the other peoples of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, with whom we want to forge a new beginning. I extend it to the people of Syria, Lebanon and Iran, with awe at the courage of those fighting brutal repression.

But most especially, I extend my hand to the Palestinian people, with whom we seek a just and lasting peace.

Ladies and gentlemen, in Israel our hope for peace never wanes. Our scientists, doctors, and innovators apply their genius to improve the world of tomorrow. Our artists, our writers, enrich the heritage of humanity. Now, I know that this is not exactly the image of Israel that is often portrayed in this hall. After all, it was here in 1975 that the age-old yearning of my people to restore our national life in our ancient biblical homeland - it was then that this was branded shamefully, as racism. And it was here in 1980, right here, that the historic peace agreement between Israel and Egypt wasn't praised; it was denounced! And it's here, year after year that Israel is unjustly singled out for condemnation. It's singled out for condemnation more often than all the nations of the world combined. Twenty-one out of the 27 General Assembly resolutions condemn Israel - the one true democracy in the Middle East.

Well, this is an unfortunate part of the UN institution. It's the theater of the absurd. It doesn't only cast Israel as the villain; it often casts real villains in leading roles: Gadhafi's Libya chaired the UN Commission on Human Rights; Saddam's Iraq headed the UN Committee on Disarmament. You might say: That's the past. Well, here's what's happening now - right now, today, Hezbollah-controlled Lebanon now presides over the UN Security Council. This means, in effect, that a terror organization presides over the body entrusted with guaranteeing the world's security.

You couldn't make this thing up.

So here in the UN, automatic majorities can decide anything. They can decide that the sun rises in the west. But they can also decide - they have decided - that the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Judaism's holiest place, is occupied Palestinian territory.

And yet even here in the General Assembly, the truth can sometimes break through. In 1984 when I was appointed Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, I visited the great rabbi of Lubavich. He said to me - and ladies and gentlemen, I don't want any of you to be offended because from personal experience of serving here, I know there are many honorable men and women, many capable and decent people, serving their nations here - But here's what the rebbe said to me. He said to me, you'll be serving in a house of many lies. And then he said, remember that even in the darkest place, the light of a single candle can be seen far and wide.

Today I hope that the light of truth will shine, if only for a few minutes, in a hall that for too long has been a place of darkness for my country. So as Israel's prime minister, I didn't come here to win applause. I came here to speak the truth. The truth is that Israel wants peace. The truth is that I want peace. The truth is that in the Middle East at all times, but especially during these turbulent days, peace must be anchored in security. The truth is that we cannot achieve peace through UN resolutions, but only through direct negotiations between the parties. The truth is that so far the Palestinians have refused to negotiate. The truth is that Israel wants peace with a Palestinian state, but the Palestinians want a state without peace. And the truth is you shouldn't let that happen.

Ladies and gentlemen, when I first came here 27 years ago, the world was divided between East and West. Since then the Cold War ended, great civilizations have risen from centuries of slumber, hundreds of millions have been lifted out of poverty, countless more are poised to follow, and the remarkable thing is that so far this monumental historic shift has largely occurred peacefully. Yet a malignancy is now growing between East and West that threatens the peace of all. It seeks not to liberate, but to enslave, not to build, but to destroy.

That malignancy is militant Islam. It cloaks itself in the mantle of a great faith, yet it murders Jews, Christians and Muslims alike with unforgiving impartiality. On September 11th it killed thousands of Americans, and it left the twin towers in smoldering ruins. Last night I laid a wreath on the 9/11 memorial. It was deeply moving. But as I was going there, one thing echoed in my mind: the outrageous words of the president of Iran on this podium yesterday. He implied that 9/11 was an American conspiracy. Some of you left this hall. All of you should have.

Since 9/11, militant Islamists slaughtered countless other innocents - in London and Madrid, in Baghdad and Mumbai, in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, in every part of Israel. I believe that the greatest danger facing our world is that this fanaticism will arm itself with nuclear weapons. And this is precisely what Iran is trying to do.

Can you imagine that man who ranted here yesterday - can you imagine him armed with nuclear weapons? The international community must stop Iran before it's too late. If Iran is not stopped, we will all face the specter of nuclear terrorism, and the Arab Spring could soon become an Iranian winter.

That would be a tragedy. Millions of Arabs have taken to the streets to replace tyranny with liberty, and no one would benefit more than Israel if those committed to freedom and peace would prevail.

This is my fervent hope. But as the prime minister of Israel, I cannot risk the future of the Jewish state on wishful thinking. Leaders must see reality as it is, not as it ought to be. We must do our best to shape the future, but we cannot wish away the dangers of the present.

And the world around Israel is definitely becoming more dangerous. Militant Islam has already taken over Lebanon and Gaza. It's determined to tear apart the peace treaties between Israel and Egypt and between Israel and Jordan. It's poisoned many Arab minds against Jews and Israel, against America and the West. It opposes not the policies of Israel but the existence of Israel.

Now, some argue that the spread of militant Islam, especially in these turbulent times - if you want to slow it down, they argue, Israel must hurry to make concessions, to make territorial compromises. And this theory sounds simple. Basically it goes like this: Leave the territory, and peace will be advanced. The moderates will be strengthened, the radicals will be kept at bay. And don't worry about the pesky details of how Israel will actually defend itself; international troops will do the job.

These people say to me constantly: Just make a sweeping offer, and everything will work out. You know, there's only one problem with that theory. We've tried it and it hasn't worked. In 2000 Israel made a sweeping peace offer that met virtually all of the Palestinian demands. Arafat rejected it. The Palestinians then launched a terror attack that claimed a thousand Israeli lives.

Prime Minister Olmert afterwards made an even more sweeping offer, in 2008. President Abbas didn't even respond to it.

But Israel did more than just make sweeping offers. We actually left territory. We withdrew from Lebanon in 2000 and from every square inch of Gaza in 2005. That didn't calm the Islamic storm, the militant Islamic storm that threatens us. It only brought the storm closer and made it stronger.

Hezbollah and Hamas fired thousands of rockets against our cities from the very territories we vacated. See, when Israel left Lebanon and Gaza, the moderates didn't defeat the radicals, the moderates were devoured by the radicals. And I regret to say that international troops like UNIFIL in Lebanon and EUBAM in Gaza didn't stop the radicals from attacking Israel.

We left Gaza hoping for peace.

We didn't freeze the settlements in Gaza, we uprooted them. We did exactly what the theory says: Get out, go back to the 1967 borders, dismantle the settlements.

And I don't think people remember how far we went to achieve this. We uprooted thousands of people from their homes. We pulled children out of their schools and their kindergartens. We bulldozed synagogues. We even moved loved ones from their graves. And then, having done all that, we gave the keys of Gaza to President Abbas.

Now the theory says it should all work out, and President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority now could build a peaceful state in Gaza. You can remember that the entire world applauded. They applauded our withdrawal as an act of great statesmanship. It was a bold act of peace.

But ladies and gentlemen, we didn't get peace. We got war. We got Iran, which through its proxy Hamas promptly kicked out the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian Authority collapsed in a day - in one day.

President Abbas just said on this podium that the Palestinians are armed only with their hopes and dreams. Yeah, hopes, dreams and 10,000 missiles and Grad rockets supplied by Iran, not to mention the river of lethal weapons now flowing into Gaza from the Sinai, from Libya, and from elsewhere.

Thousands of missiles have already rained down on our cities. So you might understand that, given all this, Israelis rightly ask: What's to prevent this from happening again in the West Bank? See, most of our major cities in the south of the country are within a few dozen kilometers from Gaza. But in the center of the country, opposite the West Bank, our cities are a few hundred meters or at most a few kilometers away from the edge of the West Bank.

So I want to ask you. Would any of you bring danger so close to your cities, to your families? Would you act so recklessly with the lives of your citizens? Israelis are prepared to have a Palestinian state in the West Bank, but we're not prepared to have another Gaza there. And that's why we need to have real security arrangements, which the Palestinians simply refuse to negotiate with us.

Israelis remember the bitter lessons of Gaza. Many of Israel's critics ignore them. They irresponsibly advise Israel to go down this same perilous path again. You read what these people say and it's as if nothing happened - just repeating the same advice, the same formulas as though none of this happened.

And these critics continue to press Israel to make far-reaching concessions without first assuring Israel's security. They praise those who unwittingly feed the insatiable crocodile of militant Islam as bold statesmen. They cast as enemies of peace those of us who insist that we must first erect a sturdy barrier to keep the crocodile out, or at the very least jam an iron bar between its gaping jaws.

So in the face of the labels and the libels, Israel must heed better advice. Better a bad press than a good eulogy, and better still would be a fair press whose sense of history extends beyond breakfast, and which recognizes Israel's legitimate security concerns.

I believe that in serious peace negotiations, these needs and concerns can be properly addressed, but they will not be addressed without negotiations. And the needs are many, because Israel is such a tiny country. Without Judea and Samaria, the West Bank, Israel is all of 9 miles wide.

I want to put it for you in perspective, because you're all in the city. That's about two-thirds the length of Manhattan. It's the distance between Battery Park and Columbia University. And don't forget that the people who live in Brooklyn and New Jersey are considerably nicer than some of Israel's neighbors.

So how do you protect such a tiny country, surrounded by people sworn to its destruction and armed to the teeth by Iran? Obviously you can't defend it from within that narrow space alone. Israel needs greater strategic depth, and that's exactly why Security Council Resolution 242 didn't require Israel to leave all the territories it captured in the Six-Day War. It talked about withdrawal from territories, to secure and defensible boundaries. And to defend itself, Israel must therefore maintain a long-term Israeli military presence in critical strategic areas in the West Bank.

I explained this to President Abbas. He answered that if a Palestinian state was to be a sovereign country, it could never accept such arrangements. Why not? America has had troops in Japan, Germany and South Korea for more than a half a century. Britain has had an air base in Cyprus. France has forces in three independent African nations. None of these states claim that they're not sovereign countries.

And there are many other vital security issues that also must be addressed. Take the issue of air space. Again, Israel's small dimensions create huge security problems. America can be crossed by jet airplane in six hours. To fly across Israel, it takes three minutes. So is Israel's tiny airspace to be chopped in half and given to a Palestinian state not at peace with Israel?

Our major international airport is a few kilometers away from the West Bank. Without peace, will our planes become targets for antiaircraft missiles placed in the adjacent Palestinian state? And how will we stop the smuggling into the West Bank? It's not merely the West Bank, it's the West Bank mountains. It just dominates the coastal plain where most of Israel's population sits below. How could we prevent the smuggling into these mountains of those missiles that could be fired on our cities?

I bring up these problems because they're not theoretical problems. They're very real. And for Israelis, they're life-and-death matters. All these potential cracks in Israel's security have to be sealed in a peace agreement before a Palestinian state is declared, not afterwards, because if you leave it afterwards, they won't be sealed. And these problems will explode in our face and explode the peace.

The Palestinians should first make peace with Israel and then get their state. But I also want to tell you this. After such a peace agreement is signed, Israel will not be the last country to welcome a Palestinian state as a new member of the United Nations. We will be the first.

And there's one more thing. Hamas has been violating international law by holding our soldier Gilad Shalit captive for five years.

They haven't given even one Red Cross visit. He's held in a dungeon, in darkness, against all international norms. Gilad Shalit is the son of Aviva and Noam Shalit. He is the grandson of Zvi Shalit, who escaped the Holocaust by coming in the 1930’s as a boy to the land of Israel. Gilad Shalit is the son of every Israeli family. Every nation represented here should demand his immediate release. If you want to pass a resolution about the Middle East today, that's the resolution you should pass.

Ladies and gentlemen, last year in Israel in Bar-Ilan University, this year in the Knesset and in the U.S. Congress, I laid out my vision for peace in which a demilitarized Palestinian state recognizes the Jewish state. Yes, the Jewish state. After all, this is the body that recognized the Jewish state 64 years ago. Now, don't you think it's about time that Palestinians did the same?

The Jewish state of Israel will always protect the rights of all its minorities, including the more than 1million Arab citizens of Israel. I wish I could say the same thing about a future Palestinian state, for as Palestinian officials made clear the other day - in fact, I think they made it right here in New York - they said the Palestinian state won't allow any Jews in it. They'll be Jew-free - Judenrein. That's ethnic cleansing. There are laws today in Ramallah that make the selling of land to Jews punishable by death. That's racism. And you know which laws this evokes.

Israel has no intention whatsoever to change the democratic character of our state. We just don't want the Palestinians to try to change the Jewish character of our state. We want to give up the fantasy of flooding Israel with millions of Palestinians.

President Abbas just stood here, and he said that the core of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the settlements. Well, that's odd. Our conflict was raging for nearly half a century before there was a single Israeli settlement in the West Bank. So if what President Abbas is saying was true, then the - I guess that the settlements he's talking about are Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jaffa, Be'er Sheva. Maybe that's what he meant the other day when he said that Israel has been occupying Palestinian land for 63 years. He didn't say from 1967; he said from1948. I hope somebody will bother to ask him this question because it illustrates a simple truth: The core of the conflict is not the settlements. The settlements are a result of the conflict.

The settlements have to be - it's an issue that has to be addressed and resolved in the course of negotiations. But the core of the conflict has always been and unfortunately remains the refusal of the Palestinians to recognize a Jewish state in any border.

I think it's time that the Palestinian leadership recognizes what every serious international leader has recognized, from Lord Balfour and Lloyd George in 1917, to President Truman in1948, to President Obama just two days ago right here: Israel is the Jewish state.

President Abbas, stop walking around this issue. Recognize the Jewish state, and make peace with us. In such a genuine peace, Israel is prepared to make painful compromises. We believe that the Palestinians should be neither the citizens of Israel nor its subjects. They should live in a free state of their own. But they should be ready, like us, for compromise. And we will know that they're ready for compromise and for peace when they start taking Israel's security requirements seriously and when they stop denying our historical connection to our ancient homeland.

I often hear them accuse Israel of Judaizing Jerusalem. That's like accusing America of Americanizing Washington, or the British of Anglicizing London. You know why we're called "Jews"? Because we come from Judea.

In my office in Jerusalem, there's an ancient seal. It's a signet ring of a Jewish official from the time of the Bible. The seal was found right next to the Western Wall, and it dates back 2,700 years, to the time of King Hezekiah. Now, there's a name of the Jewish official inscribed on the ring in Hebrew. His name was Netanyahu. That's my last name. My first name, Benjamin, dates back a thousand years earlier to Benjamin - Binyamin - the son of Jacob, who was also known as Israel. Jacob and his 12 sons roamed these same hills of Judea and Samaria 4,000 years ago, and there's been a continuous Jewish presence in the land ever since.

And for those Jews who were exiled from our land, they never stopped dreaming of coming back: Jews in Spain, on the eve of their expulsion; Jews in the Ukraine, fleeing the pogroms; Jews fighting the Warsaw Ghetto, as the Nazis were circling around it. They never stopped praying, they never stopped yearning. They whispered: Next year in Jerusalem. Next year in the promised land.

As the prime minister of Israel, I speak for a hundred generations of Jews who were dispersed throughout the lands, who suffered every evil under the sun, but who never gave up hope of restoring their national life in the one and only Jewish state.

Ladies and gentlemen, I continue to hope that President Abbas will be my partner in peace. I've worked hard to advance that peace. The day I came into office, I called for direct negotiations without preconditions. President Abbas didn't respond. I outlined a vision of peace of two states for two peoples. He still didn't respond. I removed hundreds of roadblocks and checkpoints, to ease freedom of movement in the Palestinian areas; this facilitated a fantastic growth in the Palestinian economy. But again - no response. I took the unprecedented step of freezing new buildings in the settlements for 10 months. No prime minister did that before, ever. Once again - you applaud, but there was no response. No response.

In the last few weeks, American officials have put forward ideas to restart peace talks. There were things in those ideas about borders that I didn't like. There were things thereabout the Jewish state that I'm sure the Palestinians didn't like.

But with all my reservations, I was willing to move forward on these American ideas.

President Abbas, why don't you join me? We have to stop negotiating about the negotiations. Let's just get on with it. Let's negotiate peace.

I spent years defending Israel on the battlefield. I spent decades defending Israel in the court of public opinion. President Abbas, you've dedicated your life to advancing the Palestinian cause. Must this conflict continue for generations, or will we be able our children and our grandchildren to speak in years ahead of how we found a way to end it? That's what we should aim for, and that's what I believe we can achieve.

In two and a half years, we met in Jerusalem only once, even though my door has always been open to you. If you wish, I'll come to Ramallah. Actually, I have a better suggestion. We've both just flown thousands of miles to New York. Now we're in the same city. We're in the same building. So let's meet here today in the United Nations. Who's there to stop us? What is there to stop us? If we genuinely want peace, what is there to stop us from meeting today and beginning peace negotiations?

And I suggest we talk openly and honestly. Let's listen to one another. Let's do as we say in the Middle East: Let's talk "doogri". That means straightforward. I'll tell you my needs and concerns. You'll tell me yours. And with God's help, we'll find the common ground of peace.

There's an old Arab saying that you cannot applaud with one hand. Well, the same is true of peace. I can not make peace alone. I cannot make peace without you. President Abbas, I extend my hand - the hand of Israel - in peace. I hope that you will grasp that hand. We are both the sons of Abraham. My people call him Avraham. Your people call him Ibrahim. We share the same patriarch. We dwell in the same land. Our destinies are intertwined. Let us realize the vision of Isaiah - [Isaiah 9:1 in Hebrew] - "The people who walk in darkness will see a great light." Let that light be the light of peace.

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Speeches+by+Israeli+leaders/2011/Remarks_PM_Netanyahu_UN_General+_Assembly_23-Sep-2011.htm

BOKO HARAM MEGA BOMB: PHARAOH IN PURSUIT!

2011-08-08T22:29:00.000+01:00

Days after the Inspector General of Police, Afis Ringim, declared that Boko Haram will soon be flushed out of the country, a mega bomb rocked the very headquarters of the Nigeria Police at Abuja. The car that brought the bomb had trailed the convoy of the IG, and wanted to park at the IGs parking lot before it was asked to re-park elsewhere. Apparently the IG himself was a prime target. And so, again, innocent lives have been lost – about 4, not counting at least two occupants in the bomb-bearing car. Nearly 70 vehicles were also destroyed. See some details here>>> http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201106172471729 .

Understanding this latest bombing incident does not require a degree in criminology. It is clear that the reality of having lost out is a bitter one for the sworn Enemy of Nigeria to accept; and just like Pharaoh of old, he is determined to have one more go at pulling Nigeria back into bondage. Unknown to him, however, this latest pursuit after a jubilating nation is only bringing him (and his entire formidable hosts) closer than ever to their red sea experience - to becoming dinner for the fishes, by the grace of God.

The way Pharaoh-spirited politicians (and their cronies in the Police/Press) have been trying to portray or interpret this latest Boko Haram-labelled blast would have been comical were not for the gravity of the situation. First, there were the strenuous efforts to label the bombing as a suicide mission, despite clear evidences to the contrary. Why would a genuine suicide bomber who had successfully infiltrated the convoy of the IG comply with the instructions of a traffic policeman to divert and go park elsewhere. According to reports, the bomb subsequently went off while the vehicle was in motion, away from the crucial target. Maximum damage would have resulted if the driver, were he a suicide bomber, simply crashed the car into the IGs convoy! (see ThisDay, June 20). Apparently, the unfortunate pawns inside the car thought they were merely to park the car and disappear! Hopefully the nation’s security will soon be able to re-construct the actual details, but it is more likely there was a mole police officer somewhere who remotely detonated the incredibly-sized bomb, probably to the shock of the Boko Haram couriers who were being merely used by far more endowed political actors. As a matter of fact a plot to bomb the IGs office, NOT by Boko Haram, had been foiled only a few days previously (see some account here http://allafrica.com/stories/201106200409.html ).

Then there were also the puerile efforts to blackmail the President into entering into dialogue supposedly with Boko Haram – proxy for lost-out politicians. Actually, the calls for “dialogue” to solve non-existing problems started with the showman-preacher-politician, Rev Chris Okotie, who immediately after the elections said the results should be nullified, and a caretaker government formed by all the presidential candidates be instituted (http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/polls-okotie-rejects-results-calls-for-interim-govt/90017/) . Okotie had actually called for Interim government even before the general elections - soon after politician Atiku Abubakar lost the PDP ticket to Goodluck Jonathan (http://www.tribune.com.ng/sat/index.php/news/245-okotie-calls-for-interim-govt.html). All these calls for “dialogues” are really only thinly-disguised voice of Pharaoh, the man (and his coalition) that had publicly vowed to make the country ungovernable if not allowed to rule Nigeria.

In the beclouded vision of Nigeria’s Pharaoh and his spokespersons, it is reasonable to compare the Boko Haram situation with Niger Delta militancy. In the last edition, we explained why this is arrant nonsense. It is instructive to watch Boko Haram’s conditions for dialogue grow with time, with each terrorist action. Late last year, sect spokesmen were virtually begging to be treated with respect and making the reasonable demands of having unmolested access to their mosques and unconditional pardon for detained and exiled members (see http://allafrica.com/stories/201010140307.html). By February 8 this year, after the successful high-profile killings of a gubernatorial candidate and his security details, the demands grew to include calls for the resignation of then governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff. After the Abuja beer parlour shootings in June and when calls for amnesty became vociferous, Boko Haram stepped up the list. Now included are demands not only that the former governor and a host of traditional rulers be prosecuted under Islamic laws, but that the newly-elected governor for Borno state also resigns or be removed by President Jonathan. Finally (at least for now), is the demand for the “strict practice of Sharia law in at least 12 Muslims-dominated states in the North, equivalent to one-third of the country.” http://www.informationnigeria.org/2011/06/boko-haram-conditions-for-ceasefire.html.

Yet, not only top mainstream Islamic clerics (as we reported in vol 14 no 2), but now the main opposition political party in the country, is insisting that these demands can be discussed! While we have a great deal of sympathy for the young people being destroyed in the name of Boko Haram, there is little doubt that the real powers behind the sect are either outright foreigners, or at least heavily brainwashed people who see themselves more as Al Qaeda than Nigerians. Worse still, any supposed dialogue with Boko Haram will not even be with these rabid Islam-inspired ideologues, but with the desperate politicians who have now found a new tool to empower and use. (See again, for instance, http://churcharise.blogspot.com/2011/02/nigeria-travails-of-national-re-birth.html)

Like we warned in the last edition of CA! (vol 14 no 2), before the President could settle to the important business of providing electricity, education and employment, he must need settle the security issue first - simply by allowing the law to take its course with respect to those already indicted in the several bombing incidents. In other words, the temptation to resort to a “political solution”, no matter how nicely it is couched, must be totally resisted.

For instance, in the initially encouraging steps taken by the President, a Panel was constituted to study and report on the bomb blasts and related violence. Soon however, it became clear that the unwieldy 22-man Judicial Panel lacked even the power to compel people to appear before it. Moreover, the 82 year old, controversial Sharia-advocate, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu was deemed the right candidate to chair the Panel! As we write, (today June 22) the six weeks given the Panel to submit its report is expiring, yet hardly anything has been heard concerning its activities.

Hopefully, the President was just trying to test the grounds with the Panel. But it should be clear to him that time is not on his side. The enemy is far more desperate than the President perhaps realize. With the security outfits now soundly aroused, knowing they are prime targets in the new war, all the President needs do is put men of proven integrity, capacity and drive, in the right offices to implement the newly passed anti-terrorism bill. And like the God of heaven helped Attahiru Jega at the elections, we can look forward to the Divine hand discomfiting Pharaoh’s chariots mid-sea, making him history as Nigeria moves forward to fulfill her glorious destiny. http://churcharise.blogspot.com/2011_06_01_archive.html

Terror threat -- U.S. churches advised on standby emergency team

2011-08-08T22:19:00.000+01:00

In United States, the Christian Emergency Network has issued a warning for churches to be on the alert for possible terror attacks. This follows the recent airing of an al-Qaeda video that encourages Muslims in that country to quickly obtain guns and to "do major damage to the enemies of Islam, waging war on their religion, sacred places, and things and brethren."

OneNewsNow further quoted Steve Amundson of the Florida Security Council as saying: "Churches, just like everybody, I tell them to be vigilant; be aware of your surroundings. Don't walk around like everything's okay, because we're in different times now, and it's time for Americans to be vigilant, be aware, [and] be alert because something could happen."

Churches are also advised to have an emergency team ready and to regularly conduct emergency drills. We feel this is good advice not just for the Church in the US but also in Nigeria and elsewhere. OneNewsNow - 6/30/2011

Boko Haram now targets Churches.

2011-08-08T22:18:00.000+01:00

Further confirming other evidences that the Boko Haram phenomenon was just a tool for making Nigeria ungovernable as threatened by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar earlier in the year, Churches, rather than state institutions or beer parlours, have now become major targets for bombing campaign allegedly perpetrated by Boko Haram. The first of the incidents was the bombing of the All Christian Fellowship in Suleja at 3.00 pm on Sunday July 10. A distraught Christopher Ogbogu described on national television how the bomb, packed in a polythelene bag, had exploded killing three people, including his 51year old wife Theresa, and mother of his five children. They had gone to Church ahead of an evening committee meeting.

The General Overseer of the Church, Rev William Okoye insisted that the motives for the bombing could not only have been religious, but political since the people claiming responsibility obviously lacked capacity for the actions. Rev Okoye was one-time the chaplain of Aso Rock chapel and a key figure in the battle to institute righteousness in the nation. (See an extract of his booklet, Clash of the Champion, Battle for the Soul of Nigeria featured in the Exhortation Column of CA! Volume 4 No 5, in 2001). Church Arise! sympathises with the man of God and his congregation and urge them not to grieve as people without hope (1 Thess. 4: 13).

A day after the fatal explosion at All Christians, another bomb exploded at the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), but mercifully, there were no casualties . According to an eyewitness, the bomb was thrown into the premises of the Church in the Madalla suburb of Suleja while members of the congregation were taking part in a weekly prayer service at around 9pm on Monday 11 July. The bomb fell short of the church building, damaging the outer walls but causing no injury. (http://au.christiantoday.com/article/nigeria-another-church-in-suleja-targeted-by-bomb-attack/11541.htm)

On July 28, the spiritual head of Muslims in Nigeria, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of Jamatul Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar spoke for the first time on Boko Haram (and also on Islamic Banking) (www.vanguardngr.com/2011/07/islamic-banking-has-come-to-stay-sultan/) Interestingly, the Sultan said that the state of affairs in the North Eastern part of the country should not be blamed on Boko Haram, rather that the government should fish out those behind the violence. While most Nigerians agree that there is indeed a clear mismatch between the “voice” and the” hand” behind the violence, nevertheless since Boko Haram is the one claiming responsibility, it can not be totally absolved. In his own reaction to the statement, the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, thanked the Sultan and urged him: “if the eminent citizen has superior information, he should avail the nation’s security apparatus with such to put a stop to the daily massacre of innocent Nigerians in that part of the country, because every Nigerian is sick and tired of the continued violence in that region and the attendant effect on the nation’s economy.”

Meanwhile, a letter written in the name of Boko Haram is urging people who use the name of Boko Haram for their own agenda to desist from doing so. Though another counter notice was also issued attributing the first notice to the work of Nigerian security, there can be no doubt that the name Boko Haram has become a cover for many with hidden agenda. For instance the direct trigger for the closure of the University of Maiduguri was a notice purportedly written by Boko Haram and pasted at several places on campus, threatening that some strategic buildings were to be bombed. However another Boko Haram faction dissociated themselves from this threat. Observers noted that the notice was written in English, contrary to the general practice of the real Boko Haram

Stop Press: The FG has raised a committee to dialogue with Boko Haram. (www.vanguardngr.com/2011/07/fg-appoints-committee-to-dialogue-with-boko-haram/) At least, seeing that both the former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff and former Gombe State Governor, Danjuma Goje (now a distinguished senator of the federal republic) have made humiliating apologies to Boko Haram to secure the group’s clemency, ( www.jihadwatch.org/2011/07/nigerian-governors-apologize-to-boko-haram-as-group-goes-on-yet-another-murderous-rampage.html ) some people at least must know who and where the real Boko Haram is. The article on the frontpage of this edition shows how the list of “Boko Haram demands” has been growing to include amazing unrealistic contents – and yet, top politicians are urging urgent acceding to these!

Food for thoughts on Mormonism

2011-08-08T22:15:00.000+01:00

“Joseph Smith was a convicted swindler and Brigham Young, with 23 wives, a proven false prophet. Nobody in their right mind would believe that someone who said Quakers living to be 1000 years old resided on the moon, as Smith did, nor on the sun as Young did in his Journal of Discourses Volume 17. Only an ignorant bigot would believe that black people are the descendants of fallen angels and are ugly, wicked and mischievous, and that any white person marrying a black should be killed, because of the Mormon law of atonement. Yet, this is what Brigham Young taught. It is simply not reasonable to believe such evil men were God's prophets. The first requirement of being a Mormon is to abandon any sense of reason”

This is part of a recent article by Jacob Prasch, of Moriel. The full article titled “Death of Reason and Return of Jesus may be accessed at http://www.moriel.org/pfp/discernment/church_issues/death_of_reason_return_of_jesus.htm

Funding Apostasy: Methodist Bible College to use donation to grow other faiths

2011-08-08T22:14:00.000+01:00

The Clarement School of Theology, a leading institution of the United Methodist in the USA is surging forward in its bid to start training imams and rabbis as we reported in Vol 14 No 1. The new agenda of the College to teach instructions and raise clergy for other religions apart from Christianity received a giant boost with a generous donation of $40 million from a California couple.

The school's president, Jerry Campbell, told the Los Angeles Times that the university is "looking for understanding, respect and the possibility of collaboration" with other religions. He noted that other religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism may be implemented in the future. The university also hopes to engage all religious groups in social issues, such as tackling poverty.

Not all Christian leaders think all this a good idea though. According to highly respected Rev. Lou Sheldon of The Traditional Values Coalition, "I just think it's foolishness. It's not going anywhere. We know where things are going. We know who has been given all authority and power in heaven and on earth. We know what the gospel is about.”

See more about this story at http://www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=1353590

Global control of food and drugs: SWAT team to the rescue in Detroit

2011-08-08T22:09:00.000+01:00

Satan bastardizes good concepts and institutions. Just look at the mess he’s making of marriage and human sexuality.

Man-made institutions are even much more vulnerable. For instance, we have Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control , NAFDAC currently doing a great job saving lives through the regulation of food and drugs. But the handwriting of things to come, as we approach the end of the age, is clear. All man-made institutions will be hijacked and compelled to serve the anti-christ’s purposes in his coming one-world government. As usual, early warning signals abound from the developed nations, and the rest of the world should be smart enough to learn on their onions.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration is wielding its enormous stick against natural products that have not gone through “big pharma” label, even when they have been in use for ages. The development actually started from the European Union which several years ago, came up with the “positive list” of natural remedies - vitamins, supplements, etc that could be traded. The express reason for this list is not necessarily anything pharmaceutical, but mainly to simplify trade in these products and facilitate their free movement across borders. All members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are liable to comply, and this is no longer news.

What is simply amazing is the extent and the zeal being put in by US authorities in recent times to regulate these products even within their country. (See http://naturallyyoursblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/world-health-organization-vs-health.html, for some instances. In one hard-to-believe situation, armed officers from the Special Response Team (SRT) of the Detroit Police Office were invited by the Michigan State child Protective Services (CPS) to abduct a 13 year old girl, Arianne, from her black mother who had decided to stop using a prescribed psychotropic drug which clearly was worsening the girl’s condition. Another medical doctor had recommended that Maryanne Godboldo could stop the drug on account of the side-effects, but apparently her recourse to natural remedy was what could not be tolerated by the CPS. When she rebuffed the initial attempts of the CPS to take her daughter away to a psychiatric facility for the continued administration of the drug, Risperdal, the swat team was called in. Now the question is not which drug is the better one, but rather the freedom of a sane citizen to choose which medical treatments they want or don’t want! Read the incredible details about this story at http://www.naturalnews.com/032090_Maryanne_Godboldo_health_freedom.html. For an update, indicating that two weeks after the event, Arianne is doing quite well even without taking the psychotropic drug, please see http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2011/04/post_55.html

And In Malawi, Bill Gates’ partners demand all must take their measles vaccination – at gun point!

2011-08-08T22:05:00.001+01:00

If the situation described in the previous article could be happening in the United States, the famed land of the bold and free, is it any surprise to learn (Monday, July 25, 2011) that with the generous financial supports of the Bill and Melinda Foundation, villagers in Malawi are being required to take their measles vaccine shots at gunpoint? A case of take your shot or be shot! Reports indicate that a number of children and their parents belonging to Zion and Atumwi Churches fled their homes in Malawi to neighboring Mozambique a few months ago in order to avoid a measles vaccine campaign – which rightly or wrongly, they reject on account of their personal faith.

Upon recently returning, officials apparently learned of the unvaccinated children's whereabouts and, with the help of “Health Surveillance Assistants” supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation allies, armed police are compelling the “renegades” to take the shots or be arrested. Dr Medison Matchaya, District Health Officer in Nsanje, Malawi, reported progress being made to the Malawi Voice:
"We were alerted that some children who were hiding in Mozambique were back in the country and we asked police to escort the health officials in order to vaccinate them, and we have managed to vaccinate about 131 children," Dr Matchaya sounded like someone reporting to some higher authorities elsewhere: see, we did a good job!

The same Malawi Voice article reports that Chipiliro Kalimira, a member of the Seventh Day Apostolic faith that does not believe in vaccines, was arrested and put in prison on a two-year term, with hard labour, for refusing to let authorities force the measles vaccine on his three children.

One of the expressed cardinal goals of the Bill and Melinda Gate foundation is to vaccinate every single child on the planet earth - whether their parents liked it or not! Contrast all these with the much touted “right” of the woman (or even girls as young as 13) to kill her baby whilst that baby is still in the womb. As we have reported on several occasions, Bill Gates and associates are also behind the abortion agenda as well as the promiscuous sexual habits that directly fuel the abortion big business.

And it is not as if parents who squeal at entrusting their children to the drug and vaccine companies are being totally irrational or unreasonable. Evidences are stacked high up against the vaccines and their providers that could encourage some people to seek other alternatives to staying healthy. A sore example is the infamous Pfizer meningitis experiments at Kano. It was a calculated conscious unconscionable act that has permanently eroded the confidence of many rural folks in Northern Nigeria in Big Pharmacy and their vaccines (See CA! Vol 4 No 6, 2001). Even up to the present time, the scandal is still in the news, as several individuals are yet to collect the compensation agreed to by Pfizer in the out-of-court settlement it sought and got. (www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news-update/12694-kano-indigenes-seek-payment-of-pfizer-s-compensation-to-victims.html). Also learn more: www.naturalnews.com/033119_vaccinations_gunpoint.html#ixzz1TDwn6JBR

There is only a very thin line between medicinal recipes (plants, fish, etc) and food. It therefore shouldn’t be any surprise that similar efforts to control food products on earth are ongoing. In fact, in several countries, the same institution (such as NAFDAC, US FDA, etc) control both drugs and foods. The major way the global government agents are taking control of foods out of the hands of individuals is through the genetically-modified (GM) foods. The next story therefore further corroborates this general agenda of achieving a global control of the people of the world. Even if, for the sake of argument, we agree that the adverse health impacts of GM foods can be overlooked, the undeniable fact is that since these products come emasculated without viable seeds, the populace must resort to the big people behind GM foods to get patented seeds year in year out. Interestingly, Bill Gates is stocking up natural seeds at his seed bank in Svalbard (see CA! vol11 no 2 or www.knowthelies.com/?q=node/1910)

What was it that globalist icon Henry Kissinger said the other time?: "Who controls the food supply controls the people; who controls the energy can control whole continents; who controls money can control the world."

Food Control – scientists who oppose Genetically Modified foods face global persecution.

2011-08-08T20:24:00.000+01:00

Natural News in its April 17, 2011 edition is reporting on an intense global persecution of scientists who refuse to embrace genetically-modified foods. “In order to maintain its massive charade of deception in claiming that genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) are the safe, practical solution to the world's food problems, the biotechnology industry has had to silence and destroy the lives of many in the scientific community” Natural News reports (http://www.naturalnews.com/032110_scientists_GMOs.html).

The report reviews the hard-hitting new documentary Scientists Under Attack - Genetic Engineering in the Magnetic Field of Money. In the film, as reported by Natural News, Bertram Verhaag “explores the heavy hand of the biotechnology industry in steering "science" towards its own interests, and eliminating the actual, legitimate science that exposes genetic engineering (GE) as the fraud that it is.”

According to the scientists interviewed, roughly 95 percent of the published research involving GMOs has been conducted and paid for by the biotechnology industry. This means that only five percent of the available research on the subject has been conducted by independent research firms that are much more likely to have an honest, unbiased approach

"The attack on scientists is very well-structured by the biotech industry," says one of the scientists interviewed in the film. "It's systematic. It's worldwide. It's very coordinated. It's part of the way they do business."

The official movie trailer for Scientists Under Attack - Genetic Engineering in the Magnetic Field of Money can be watched at http://www.scientistsunderattack.com/

In the US, Invasive airport security procedures to be extended to hotels and shopping malls

2011-08-08T20:22:00.000+01:00

With the seeming acceptance by the general populace of extensive body searches, (including body scanners that see beneath clothes), at US airports, that country’s Homeland Security has announced that the procedures will soon be extended to other locations. These locations include hotels, shopping malls, train terminals, etc where according to the government department, identical terror threats as at airports, now exist. It has been pointed out by several commentators that Israel which faces a more intense terror threat by more fanatical foes has not found it necessary to introduce such draconian measures, even at her airports, simply because of the use of basic intelligence features. The US is however petrified in its fear of being seen by the Moslem/Arab world as “profiling” their people. This pretended ultra- respect for Arab/Moslem sensibilities of course suits very well the purposes of the new age agents in the United States at the present time. It provides a perfect excuse to continually put in place measures that establish total control over the populace – in preparation for the coming global leader, the antichrist, who has absolute need for such measures. Meanwhile, a former Miss USA recently claimed she was fondled during body search at the airport, with her private part touched four times. But how do you prove that in a law court? (http://www.dawsondaily.com/miss-usa-fondled-by-tsa/)

Crisis at Crystal Cathedral – Schuller voted off Board

2011-08-08T20:16:00.000+01:00

The crisis at the famous Crystal Cathedral reached a new climax when the Board recently voted the founder, Rev Robert H. Schuller off the Board of Directors. Making the announcement on July 3 was his son Robert A. Schuller, who himself had been voted off by the Board some three years ago. According to the younger Schuller, his dad was ousted because he had proposed adding new members to the board. In his words: “My father wanted to add board members, and they didn’t want that because they would lose control. They kicked him off. … I feel bad for him because he’s had to watch his life’s work go down the toilet the last three years.”
The story of the building of the Crystal Cathedral in an audacious move of faith is popularized in the book by Schuller, Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.
Robert Schuller, now 84, stepped down from the pulpit five years ago and had been a non-voting but influential member of the board with the title chairman emeritus. Daughter Sheila Schuller-Coleman was named Senior Pastor on July 11 last year, and her husband Jim Coleman is the current president of the Cathedral. http://moriel.org/MorielArchive/index.php/discernment/rev-robert-h-schuller-voted-off-crystal-cathedral-board#more-7647.

However, probably as a result of expression of outrage from several quarters, the governing board on July 27th made an about-turn and decided to restore “the voting rights” of Robert H. Schuller. Furthermore, an additional five members were added to the Board,

It remains to be seen whether this move could step the tide of financial woes that has befallen the Church. Last year the Church declared bankruptcy and filed a plan to sell its campus and its all-glass sanctuary in the face of a $47 million debt profile. To worsen an already sad story, one of the potential buyers of the cathedral is the local Roman Catholic diocese. Such a deal, would likely end the tenure of Crystal Cathedral Ministry on the site, unlike other deals which would allow Crystal Cathedral ministries to lease back portions of the site, including the cathedral itself.

In May last year, we reported the easing out of Dr James Dobson from Focus on the Family – a ministry he had nurtured for 33 years. He subsequently went ahead to start a new ministry . (http://churcharise.blogspot.com/2010/03/james-dobson-forced-out-from-focus-on.html ) Could it be that pressures such as these –perceived or real -- sometimes make even godly leaders to miss their steps? The next story throws more light on this perspective.

Mega church Pastor takes leave to deal with pride and hypocrisy

2011-08-08T20:14:00.000+01:00

On July 6, Pastor C. J. Mahaney. President of Sovereign Grace Ministries, a network of some 95 churches in the US wrote on his blog that he was proceeding on a leave of absence. This, he said, was in response to some charges made against him by “some former pastors and leaders in Sovereign Grace”.

Interestingly enough, the charges “are not related to any immorality or financial impropriety,” but Mahaney considers them serious enough to warrant his vacating office for a while. They “include various expressions of pride, unentreatability, deceit, sinful judgment, and hypocrisy.” Mahaney said he has, by the grace of God, been able to perceive a degree of his culpability in the charges; and even for those charges he disagrees with, he still sees them as an opportunity for soul-searching. Declaring that the most important issue for him is to please God, he expressed his readiness to “take responsibility for my sin and every way my leadership has been deficient, and this would include making any appropriate confessions, public or private.” (http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/blogs/cj-mahaney/post/2011/07/06/Why-Im-taking-a-leave-of-absence.aspx) This is truly refreshing and a powerful preaching of the Gospel to the myriads of preachers and pastors currently towing the slippery slopes of ministry.

This action calls to mind a similar action by another eminent Christian leader and famous preacher, John Piper, who took an 8-month break from Ministry last year, in order to reexamine his soul. Piper did not even have any body laying any charges against him. But he spoke of self-discovered “sins of my own soul,” “ongoing character flaws” and stresses that they have caused to others. Addressing his church, Piper said: “I see several species of pride…They may not rise to the level of disqualifying me for ministry. Nevertheless, while I don’t think they do, I grieve over them.” His leave, the first in almost forty years of ministry, he explained, “ means no preaching, no book writing, no blogging, no tweeting, no articles, no papers and no speaking engagements” http://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2010/03/29/john-piper-taking-leave-of-absence-to-reexamine-his-soul/

In his own case, Mahaney hopes the leave of absence would afford him opportunity to solemnly consider the charges, examine his heart, and pursue reconciliation with the people making the charges. He has also stepped off the board of SGM and further relinquished the office of President during the period of examination and evaluation – so as to not be able to influence the process in any way.

In reporting the story on Mahaney, Mark Galli (himself a pastor) lamented that pastors in America who somehow manage to scale the all-pervasive hurdles of gross sins, (such as sexual immorality and financial misconduct), still have to also contend with the more subtle ones that, as it were, spontaneously arise in the very system they serve. Writing matter-of-factly, he declared: “we have a system in which pride and hypocrisy are inevitable.”

Asserting that “pastors all over America commit week in and week out” the same sins Piper and Mahaney are responding to, he opined that “the state of the modern American pastorate has been shaped so that these sins—especially pride and hypocrisy—are impossible to escape.” Will the Church in America (and the copy cat countries) be able to change her perspectives of Church and ministry? The situation sounds like the fulfillment of the prophesy in 2 Timothy 3:1- 7 for the end times. Galli concluded by urging: “our pastors need not our condemnation, but our prayers “ http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/mostriskyprofession.html

Fall-out of economic depression: metal scrap thieves ravaging America

2011-08-08T20:10:00.000+01:00

Todd of RaptureReady appeared awe-strucked as he described (18 July, 2011) a new phenomenon engulfing the American society. It is a situation quite familiar for many people from the third world countries – vandalization of public utilities in search of metals for re-cycling! In this case, the metal in question is copper which is witnessing a steady rise in the commodity market.

Todd describes the progression: “The problem started out with abandoned houses. Crooks would go into homes that are vacant and strip all the copper piping and utilities that contained the metal. The situation quickly escalated to the point that any form of copper was fair game.” He cited three cases in particular where innocent lives were put in jeopardy as unconscionable vandals went after copper:

“Georgia Power lost nearly a half a million dollars worth of copper wire last year. The utility is taking extra steps to stop copper thieves who have broken into several substations to clean them out. In many cases, the thefts were conducted on live power cables. Crews would respond to reports of outages and find that wires carrying 10,000 volts had been cut from the poles.

“In Jackson, Mississippi, five tornado warning sirens failed to warn residents of an approaching tornado because thieves had stripped the sirens of copper wiring, rendering them inoperable.

“In New Mexico, thieves stole a crucial piece of copper bonding from a train track, which could have caused a derailment.

But perhaps most despicable is the fact that, in the last few months, the phenomenon has reached the church, where air-conditioner units are the target. Todd continues with the sad chronicle: “In Parker County, Texas, thieves have stolen or damaged air conditioning units at seven different churches. Faith Presbyterian Church in Aledo was vandalized when a unit was pulled from the side of the building. The damage will cost the church at least $10,000. Members of a church in Mesa, Arizona, had to sweat through a service after thieves stole two of the church's three air conditioners. Authorities say the units weighed 5 tons each.” The value of copper in an AC unit is around $25!

As Todd laments the stark fact that “America has lost its moral base”, he fears that “a dog-eat-dog condition” could be triggered by even a mild economic depression. (http://raptureready.com/nm/362.html)

Now, if any nation thinks that great America would just go down without attempting to take the whole world with it, that must be some big joke indeed! As both the economy and morals go down in the United States, similar trends are bound to follow in other countries around the globe –whether spontaneously or by stimulation!

Pity those who put all their treasure and hope in this passing world order – especially when there is such a wonderful invitation into glory still begging to be picked up. Jesus says: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be” What a glorious hope! How could anybody reject such offer ?

Saudi Arabia operates official 'Anti-Witchcraft Unit'

2011-08-08T20:07:00.000+01:00

Islam flagship country is in the throes of witchcraft! Witchcraft is so widespread in the Islamic holy land that the government has had to set up a special Anti-Witchcraft Unit to respond to the menace of occultic practices. The unit, established in May 2009, is charged with apprehending sorcerers and reversing the detrimental effects of their spells in the country. [Nigerians can imagine a kind of “EFCC” to deal with witchcraft and sorcery].

David Miller in a Media Line article (20th July) describes a typical activity of the anti-witchcraft unit:
“When the severed head of a wolf wrapped in women's lingerie turned up near the city of Tabouk in northern Saudi Arabia this week, authorities knew they had another case of witchcraft on their hands. … Agents of the country’s Anti-Witchcraft Unit were quickly dispatched and set about trying to break the spell that used the beast’s head. “

Sorcery carries the death penalty in Saudi Arabia. However the last official execution of a convicted sorcerer was in late 2007. When Fawza Falith, a Saudi woman, was condemned in 2008, intense appeal from international human right agencies caused her execution to be postponed. However she eventually died in prison, reportedly of ill health. The Anti-Witchcraft Unit operates under the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (CPV), Saudi Arabia's religious police.

The belief in sorcery is so widespread in Saudi Arabia, that it is even used as a defense in criminal court cases. Media Line reports that last October, a judge accused of receiving bribes in a real-estate project told a court in Madinah that he had been bewitched into doing so. He is said to be undergoing treatment by Quaranic incantations, known as ruqiyah, to restore him.

Media Line also reports that accusations of witchcraft are conveniently used to counter charges of sexual harassment when made by foreign domestic workers against their Saudi bosses. “They will often say that the [female] domestic worker bewitched the Saudi into falling in love with her.” www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=230183

Three years ago, in August 2008, the corruption case against a former Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission made waves in Nigeria. The intriguing part of the story was that it was actually the accused who apparently reported himself to the police. The claim was along the line that a sorcerer the accused had been consulting had turned his spells on him compelling him to steal government funds. Up to N510 million out of the N800 million stolen money was handed over to the sorcerer! On his turn, the sorcerer claimed he had not done anything illegal! Part of the occultic rituals supposedly involved the burning of N270m cash at a cemetery. www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20080820052531

But there is probably no land on earth as immersed in sorcery at the present time as Europe. Yonder, through the various Harry Porter movies (among other media), the whole land is reeking in sorcery - cast in the guise of harmless stories on guts, courage and loyalty. The prime targets are the children. For a review of the latest Harry Potter movie recently released, see http://www.raptureready.com/featured/markell/21.html.

Death sentence still hanging on Iranian Pastor charged with apostasy

2011-08-08T20:04:00.000+01:00

Iran’s Supreme Court has upheld a lower court ruling that Yosef Nadarkhani, a 32 year-old Iranian evangelical pastor, must renounce his Christian faith or be put to death. It’s the latest incident in the Islamist Republic’s continuous and increased assault on its small Christian population. An unofficial translation of the Iranian Supreme Court’s decision to execute Pastor Youcef Nadakhani has been provided by Present Truth Ministries and is published here http://www.worthynews.com/10672-unofficial-translation-of-pastor-youcef-nadakhanis-death-sentence.

The background to the case reads, in parts: “Mr. Youcef Nadarkhani, son of Byrom, 32 years old, married, born in Rasht in the state of Gilan is convicted of turning his back on Islam, the greatest religion the prophesy of Mohammad, at the age of 19.

“He has often participated in Christian worship and organized home church services, evangelizing and has been baptized and baptized others, converting Muslims to Christianity. He has been accused of breaking Islamic Law that from puberty (15 years according to Islamic law) until the age of 19 the year 1996, he was raised a Muslim in a Muslim home. During court trials, he denied the prophecy of Mohammad and the authority of Islam. He has stated that he is a Christian and no longer Muslim.

“During many sessions in court with the presence of his attorney and a judge, he has been sentenced to execution by hanging according to article 8 of Tahrir -olvasileh (one of Khomeni’s books about Sharia Law and Khamenie’s and Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi’s fatwa) His sentence was appealed by his attorney and sent to the supreme court.

The Supreme Courts Response of June 12, 2011 now states: “We know that Mr. Nadarkhani has confessed that in his heart and in his actions he has denied being Muslim and converted to Christianity and has advertised and encouraged other Muslims to convert to Christianity. And because of advertising and pastoring a church repeatedly professed his Christian faith and denied the prophet Mohammad and the 12th Imam and denied the entire Koran and truth of the Koran.

The ruling, signed by Morteza Fazeli and Azizollah Razaghi, was that: “this case … must be returned [to] the state court of Gilan Section 11, and further investigated to prove that from puberty (15 years) to 19 he [Nadarkhani] was not Muslim by his acquaintances, relatives, local elders, and Muslims he frequented. He must repent his Christian faith if this is the case. ….., if it can be proved that he was a practicing Muslim as an adult and has not repented, the execution will be carried out.”

Clearly, the state of Iran is stalling on the case, reluctant to kill Pastor Nadarkhani on account of the enormous publicity the case has already generated worldwide; but nevertheless trying to break his resolve by legal rigmarole and various deprivations and harassment. The last known Christian to be officially hanged for his faith in Iran was Assemblies of God Pastor Hossein Soodmand, in 1990. http://www.worthynews.com/10672-unofficial-translation-of-pastor-youcef-nadakhanis-death-sentence

Fanatical Moslems, Normal Moslems and the rest of us

2011-08-08T20:01:00.000+01:00

There is an interesting article almost going viral on the internet on the world wide epidemics of Islamic fanaticism. It was generally attributed to Dr Emanuel Tanay, a well-known and well-respected German-Jew psychiatrist (see his interviews at http://holocaust.umd.umich.edu/tanay/). Although the Truth or Fiction site seems to have some formal grouse with it, the perspective shared by the author provides a very useful insight into the situation in Nigeria at the present time. Just replace “Nazi” with “Boko Haram” and “German” with “Moslems” and see the striking similarity!
The writer also repeated his analogy about Germany with historic events from other countries like Communist Russia, China, Japan and Rwanda, Serbs, Afghans, etc, including Nigeria! The full article can be found at bibleprobe.com/Emanuel-Tanay.pdf. Here is part of the introduction:
“When asked how many German people were true Nazis, the answer he gave can guide our attitude toward fanaticism. 'Very few people were true Nazis,' he said, 'but many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had come. My family lost everything. I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories. “

Pakistan Plans to Ban the Bible

2011-08-08T19:58:00.000+01:00

Pakistan’s Islamist party, Jamiat-Ulema-e-Islami (JUI), has petitioned to have the Bible banned from Pakistan because it violates the nation’s notorious blasphemy laws. According to JUI leader Maulana Abdul Rauf Farooqi, the Bible contains passages that show biblical figures whom Muslims regard as prophets (such as Abraham and Solomon) to be engaging in “a variety of moral crimes.” As such, the JUI has called on Pakistan’s supreme court to have the entire Book banned from the country if the offending passages are not removed.

As patently unreasonable as the basis of this petition is, the Christian minority feels it might well succeed. As we mentioned in the last edition, the blasphemy law enjoys such fanatical support in Pakistan that a governor who suggested it could be polished or modernized was gruesomely assassinated – by his own security detail.

In reporting this story about the proposed Bible ban, Frontpagemag observes that over the years, “Pakistan’s blasphemy laws have proven to be a reliable legal cudgel with which to bankrupt, beat, jail and kill Christians.” See further details at http://frontpagemag.com/2011/06/14/banning-bibles/

In Pakistan, Muslim man murders six daughters in “honor killing”

2011-08-08T19:56:00.000+01:00

A Pakistani man has gunned down six of his daughters on suspicion that two of them were in relationships with boys in the neighbourhood. In the morning of Tuesday July 26, Arif Mubashir called his teenage daughters to his room and shot them while the rest of the family, including their mother, watched. His wife Musarrat called the police after the incident. (http://tribune.com.pk/story/218250/honour-killings-man-guns-down-six-daughters’)
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Mubashir shot the girls after their brother said two of them were in a relationship. He afterwards told police officials that he had killed his daughters because they were both “without honour”. That the magic phrase no sensible government official will ignore! The killer dad explained that his daughters Sameena, 14, and Razia, 16, were in a relationship with college boys from the neighbourhood and the sisters had helped each other. Police officials have taken Mubashir into custody and filed a case against him. “He does not regret what he did. He boasted that he would do it all over again if he had to,” the investigating Police officer Javed Sial told reporters.

Despite denials and protests by moslems, “honor killing” is firmly grounded in Islam. As pointed out by Robert Spencer, “It is no accident or coincidence that Muslims commit 91 percent of honor killings worldwide.” In 2003 the Jordanian Parliament voted down on Islamic grounds a provision designed to stiffen penalties for honor killings. Al-Jazeera reported that "Islamists and conservatives said the laws violated religious traditions and would destroy families and values."

Pakistan has repeatedly been termed as one of the least women-friendly countries. In June, the Thompson Reuters Foundation ranked Pakistan as the world’s third most dangerous country for women. Please see more details and commentaries at http://www.jihadwatch.org/

'Chrislam' - A Spirit of Antichrist by David Dollins

2011-08-08T19:53:00.000+01:00

It's becoming increasingly 'in vogue' to accept Islam in the Church. Consider a June 24 article from World NetDaily. "Dozens of churches, ..are planning to send 'a message both here at home and to the Arab and Muslim world about our respect for Islam' with a time to read the Quran during worship this Sunday." Scripture declares 'Chrislam', the mixing of Christianity and Islam, to be a Spirit of Antichrist!

The word 'Antichrist' simply means 'against Christ' or 'opposes Christ'. Anything that would be introduced into the Church that would subvert the finished work of the Cross, that is, distract, corrupt, or take away from who Jesus Christ is and what He accomplished at the Cross, is a Spirit of Antichrist.

What I am about to show you are the characteristics that the Apostle John himself used to describe the Spirit of Antichrist:
1) The Spirit of Antichrist denies that Jesus is the Christ. In 1 John 2:22, it says, "Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is Antichrist..." Islam rejects that Jesus is the one and only true Messiah.
2) The Spirit of Antichrist denies that Jesus is the Son of God. In 1 John 2:22, the Apostle continues, "He is Antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son". Islam rejects that Jesus affirmed He was the Son of God
3) The Spirit of Antichrist does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. In 1 John 4:3, again the Apostle states, "And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that Spirit of Antichrist..." Islam rejects that God came into this world in the flesh.

For these blind watchmen, to bring Islam and the reading of the Quran into the Church is to deny the Lord himself, it is to deny who He is, and it is to deny what He accomplished at Calvary's Cross when He gave His life for the sins of the world! (see 2 Pet 2:1).

What should the Church do now? We must get back to proclaiming that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation without fear of reprisal. We must defend and preach the deity of Jesus, that He is the one true God and there is no other. Then we must also boldly proclaim the Holy Scriptures, not the Quran, as the inspired and inerrant Word of God.

Everyone should be free to practice their religion in the way they choose. What this is about is defending the truth of who Jesus Christ is and what He accomplished at the Cross, and preserving the purity of the Church against the infiltration of false doctrine. David Dollins
http://blogs.christianpost.com/bibleprophecy/2011/07/chrislam-a-spirit-of-antichrist-20/

Tunde Bakare defends Islamic Banking in Nigeria

2011-08-01T09:06:00.002+01:00

While virtually every Christian institution or individual leader in Nigeria is either outrightly critical or at best cautious on the proposed Islamic Banking in the country, the concept has at last found an enthusiastic Christian advocate - Pastor Tunde Bakare. Apparently enjoying the free publicity that comes with being labeled “controversial,” Pastor Bakare entertained newsmen in his church auditorium on Sunday July 24 by calling for the immediate take-off of Islamic banking.

Bakare, who was the running mate to General Muhammadu Buhari in the last presidential election, failed to address any of the issues being raised by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), but merely kept mouthing the mantra that Islamic banking “has benefits for everybody economically.” In his vigorous passionate defence of Islamic banking, Bakare tried to appeal to the Bible. He was quoted by the Sun newspaper as saying: if the Bible says “do away with usury, any cleric who says otherwise would be an anti-progressive element in the church.” He further expressed the conviction that “business strives better in an interest-free system where no businessman can be tied to bondage.” http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/july/25/national-25-07-2011-004.html

In reality however, while “interest-free” banking follows the letters of “no usury”, it can hardly be said, as being practiced, to imbibe the spirit intended in the Bible (see for instance Deut 23:19-20). Neither also does it guarantee a freedom from bondage. Here the “interest” payable on loans are simply transferred to profit-sharing, making the loan-giver effectively a joint-owner of the business. An enterprising guy might prefer to pay interest and keep his business to himself while a less sure individual might want to share the risk with the capital provider. Both are legitimate means of doing business and each individual should be free to choose their preference. The contention of CAN is that state fund ought not to be used to promote or organize such a system, especially where the CBN is now overtly discriminating between general “interest-free banking” and “Islamic banking” in particular.

In the words of CAN president, Pastor Ayo Oritsajefor, “ we have continued to frown at the way the CBN governor who is being paid by taxpayers’ money is championing the cause of Islamic banking in isolation of other non-interest banking formats. We are against Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi using state fund to promote Islamic banking as though that is the only form of non-interest banking. It is against the spirit of the Nigerian Constitution.” Declaring at several forums that the CAN is not necessarily against Islamic Banking per se, Pastor Oritsajefor nevertheless wants the CBN governor to “allow people who are interested in Islamic banking to use their money to sell their manifesto to Nigerians with a view to wooing them to accept that form of banking which is different from what they used to know.”

As noted by other Christian and secular business leaders, the zeal with which Mallam Sanusi is prosecuting the Islamic Banking issue is simply amazing and hardly ethical.

Speaking at a seminar organized by the Apostles in the Market place (AiMP), the Chief Executive Officer of Pharez Consulting, Mr. Eghes Eyieyen wondered: "What is the inordinate drive and ambition behind the introduction of Islamic banking? To me, it seems as if the CBN is in a hurry to introduce it and why does the CBN think it is going to be a major driver of financial inclusion? It is not about religion, it is about the law and professionalism. Why has the CBN not given such passion and priority to the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN)? You cannot use a small provision in the BOFIA that gives you the power to regulate, to now begin to legislate."

The answer to the question of why the CBN is having to use state fund and clout to promote Islamic Banking could be gleaned from a quote by Junaid Bhatti, a member of the team that set up the Islamic Bank of Britain (IBB): "As we now approach the sixth anniversary of IBB's launch, I'm sad to finally have to admit that Islamic finance in the UK has been a huge flop." In a World Street Journal report of June 2010, Bhatti added "IBB may still be limping on as probably the last bastion of the cause, but it's difficult to imagine it holding out for much longer." http://zulkiflihasan.wordpress.com/2010/06/23/why-britain%E2%80%99s-islamic-finance-industry-flopped/) In short, without state backing and active sponsorship, Islamic banking would be dead on arrival in Nigeria. As we wrote in the last edition while discussing the demonstrations in Arab lands, Islam is seriously handicapped to deal with real life situations –especially the problem of human lusts and sin. Islam and her institutions always needed some measure of state muscle or coercion to survive in the real world. But that is none of our business or problem.

The other major issue raised by the CAN is that Mallam Sanusi is writing a separate guideline for Islamic Banking, different from other non-interest banking systems. In the words of Pastor Oritsajefor, this can be likened to the National Universities Commission issuing different rules for the establishment of Islamic Universities and another for Christian or secular Universities – which of course is unthinkable. What is probably more serious with the procedure is that the proposed guidelines for the establishment of Islamic Banking requires the establishment of a Shari’a Council of Experts - to be based at the CBN to monitor the operations of the Islamic banking! Pastor Oritsajefor asked rhetorically: “ is this what operates in all the countries in the world where Islamic banking operates?” Speaking further on the proposed Advisory Council, Dr Bankole Sodipo of Babcock University stated bluntly: “there is no way they [the CBN] can delegate the decision making of the body[Islamic Banking] to another body because the National Assembly doesn’t give them that power.” Dr Sodipo, an Associate Professor of Law and Security Studies made this contribution at the AiMP seminar previously referred to above. (see http://www.independentngonline.com/DailyIndependent/Article.aspx?id=36538)

In making his contribution to what he calls a “worthless and useless debate,” Latter Rain Pastor Bakare used disparaging words on everybody holding views different from his, and as usual, managed to bring in the President for mockery and taunts. One simply cannot help wondering why Pastor Bakare should be the most passionate defender of a concept blatantly labeled as “Islamic” – and that in a clime where Islamic zealots are out on rampage, killing and maiming Christians in pursuant of their publicly declared vow of making the country ungovernable!

In the meantime, the Fellowship of Christian Ministers is insisting that the Islamic banking was a booby-trap that could threaten the corporate existence of the country; and the Anglican Bishop of Enugu, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma has disclosed that the Anglican Church would embark on a protest if the apex bank ignores its position on the issue. He warned that the Anglican Church would equally pass a vote of no confidence on CBN if it approves Islamic banking.
http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/july/25/national-25-07-2011-004.html

BOKO HARAM MEGA BOMB: PHARAOH IN PURSUIT!

2011-06-22T11:31:00.005+01:00

Days after the Inspector General of Police, Afis Ringim, declared that Boko Haram will soon be flushed out of the country, a mega bomb rocked the very headquarters of the Nigeria Police at Abuja. The car that brought the bomb had trailed the convoy of the IG, and wanted to park at the IGs parking lot before it was asked to re-park elsewhere. Apparently the IG himself was a prime target. And so, again, innocent lives have been lost – about 4, not counting at least two occupants in the bomb-bearing car. Nearly 70 vehicles were also destroyed. See some details here>>> http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201106172471729 .

Understanding this latest bombing incident does not require a degree in criminology. It is clear that the reality of having lost out is a bitter one for the sworn Enemy of Nigeria to accept; and just like Pharaoh of old, he is determined to have one more go at pulling Nigeria back into bondage. Unknown to him, however, this latest pursuit after a jubilating nation is only bringing him (and his entire formidable hosts) closer than ever to their red sea experience - to becoming dinner for the fishes, by the grace of God.

The way Pharaoh-spirited politicians (and their cronies in the Police/Press) have been trying to portray or interpret this latest Boko Haram-labelled blast would have been comical were not for the gravity of the situation. First, there were the strenuous efforts to label the bombing as a suicide mission, despite clear evidences to the contrary. Why would a genuine suicide bomber who had successfully infiltrated the convoy of the IG comply with the instructions of a traffic policeman to divert and go park elsewhere. According to reports, the bomb subsequently went off while the vehicle was in motion, away from the crucial target. Maximum damage would have resulted if the driver, were he a suicide bomber, simply crashed the car into the IGs convoy! (see ThisDay, June 20). Apparently, the unfortunate pawns inside the car thought they were merely to park the park and disappear! Hopefully the nation’s security will soon be able to re-construct the actual details, but it is more likely there was a mole police officer somewhere who remotely detonated the incredibly-sized bomb, probably to the shock of the Boko Haram couriers who were being merely used by far more endowed political actors. As a matter of fact a plot to bomb the IGs office, NOT by Boko Haram, had been foiled only a few days previously (see some account here http://allafrica.com/stories/201106200409.html ).

Then there were also the puerile efforts to blackmail the President into entering into dialogue supposedly with Boko Haram – proxy for lost-out politicians. Actually, the calls for “dialogue” to solve non-existing problems started with the showman-preacher-politician, Rev Chris Okotie, who immediately after the elections said the results should be nullified, and a caretaker government formed by all the presidential candidates be instituted (http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/polls-okotie-rejects-results-calls-for-interim-govt/90017/) . Okotie had actually called for Interim government even before the general elections - soon after politician Atiku Abubakar had lost the PDP ticket to Goodluck Jonathan (http://www.tribune.com.ng/sat/index.php/news/245-okotie-calls-for-interim-govt.html). All these calls for “dialogues” are really only thinly-disguised voice of Pharaoh, the man (and his coalition) that had publicly vowed to make the country ungovernable if not allowed to rule Nigeria.
In the beclouded vision of Nigeria’s Pharaoh and his spokespersons, it is reasonable to compare the Boko Haram situation with Niger Delta militancy. In the last edition, we explained why this is arrant nonsense. It is instructive to watch Boko Haram’s conditions for dialogue grow with time, with each terrorist action. Late last year, sect spokesmen were virtually begging to be treated with respect and making the reasonable demands of having unmolested access to their mosques and unconditional pardon for detained and exiled members (see http://allafrica.com/stories/201010140307.html). By February 8 this year, after the successful high-profile killings of a gubernatorial candidate and his security details, the demands have grown to include calls for the resignation of then governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff. After the Abuja beer parlour shootings in June and when calls for amnesty became vociferous, Boko Haram stepped up the list. Now included are demands not only that the former governor and a host of traditional rulers be prosecuted under Islamic laws, but that the newly-elected governor for Borno state must also resign or be removed by President Jonathan. Finally (at least for now), is the demand for the “strict practice of Sharia law in at least 12 Muslims-dominated states in the North, equivalent to one-third of the country.” http://www.informationnigeria.org/2011/06/boko-haram-conditions-for-ceasefire.html.

Yet, not only top mainstream Islamic clerics (as we reported in vol 14 no 2), but now the main opposition political party in the country, is insisting that these demands can be discussed! While we have a great deal of sympathy for the young people being destroyed in the name of Boko Haram, there is little doubt that the real powers behind the sect are either outright foreigners, or at least heavily brainwashed people who see themselves more as Al Qaeda than Nigerians. Worse still, any supposed dialogue with Boko Haram will not even be with these rabid Islam-inspired ideologues, but with the desperate politicians who have now found a new tool to empower and use. (See again, for instance, http://churcharise.blogspot.com/2011/02/nigeria-travails-of-national-re-birth.html)

Like we warned in the last edition of CA! (vol 14 no 2), before the President could settle to the important business of providing electricity, education and employment, he must need settle the security issue first - simply by allowing the law to take its course with respect to those already indicted in the several bombing incidents. In other words, the temptation to resort to a “political solution”, no matter how nicely it is couched, must be totally resisted.

For instance, in the initially encouraging steps taken by the President, a Panel was constituted to study and report on the bomb blasts and related violence. Soon however, it became clear that the unwieldy 22-man Judicial Panel lacked even the power to compel people to appear before it. Moreover, the 82 year old, controversial Sharia-advocate, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu was deemed the right candidate to chair the Panel! As we write, (today June 22) the six weeks given the Panel to submit its report is expiring, yet hardly anything has been heard concerning its activities.

Hopefully, the President was just trying to test the grounds with the Panel. But it should be clear to him that time is not on his side. The enemy is far more desperate than the President perhaps realize. With the security outfits now soundly aroused, knowing they are prime targets in the new war, all the President needs do is put men of proven integrity, capacity and drive, in the right offices to implement the newly passed anti-terrorism bill. And like the God of heaven helped Attahiru Jega at the elections, we can look forward to the Divine hand discomfiting Pharaoh’s chariots mid-sea, making him history as Nigeria moves forward to fulfill her glorious destiny.

New Nigeria emerges

2011-05-27T19:43:00.000+01:00

What visionary Christians saw a year ago, of a new Nigeria emerging at the dawn of Jubilee, is now visible to about everybody. The clear hand of God intervening in the affairs of Nigeria should be evident to anyone who has eyes to see. Not only did God confirm an easy-going, God-trusting patriot as the President of Nigeria, God did so in such a way no one else but Himself could claim the glory. God did it at the expense of fire-breathing desperadoes carrying awesome credentials of capacity to generate considerable chaos - both in the physical as well as spiritual realms The story is repeated several times in the various other elections – governorship, and both state and federal legislature.
It is interesting to observe that after the first rounds of elections to the federal legislature, when it became evident that people’s votes would count and actually determine the winners, politicians quickly adapted, and started reaching out to the people, soliciting their votes. The street rallies and house-to-house vote-seeking campaigns of the politicians easily rivaled the evangelistic outreach of many a Christian mission during the Easter period which coincided with the elections!
Of course, it is no time to rest on our oars. The prayers and vigilance must continue. As we enter the period of harvest, it is important that every son in the Kingdom braced up and get to work (Prov 5:10)

End-times Implications

It is instructive that just as most of the so-called advanced and stable countries of the world are tottering under various intensifying storms – economic, moral, political, natural disasters, etc, Nigeria is having her own positive turn-around. Watch out as Nigeria takes the centre stage in world affairs, confounding the calculations of the antichrist confederacy – until the Church is eventually raptured.
In other words, we believe that the course and timing of current events in Nigeria are not mere happenchance. We are predicting that Nigeria’s leadership in world affairs, already manifest in evangelical Christianity, will soon spill over into several other spheres of life. With Nigeria’s influence, the projections of the dark forces behind the One World Government and One World Religion moves, required to usher in the Antichrist, will continually suffer sundry setbacks - until it will please the Lord to remove the Church (via Rapture). Thereafter may it be permitted the eventual manifestation of the man of sin, the Antichrist (2 Thess. 2:6-8)

New Agers pummel Islam: Jews, Christians next in line

2011-05-27T19:42:00.002+01:00

Given a level playing field, who wins – religious restraints or human lusts?
The stage is again being set for yet another determination of this recurring theme. The venue for what might as well be the Grande Finale global demonstration of the issue, is the Islamic Empire spanning North Africa and the Arabian peninsula. With dictatorship on its way out in many of those countries, the previously repressed masses are at the moment euphoric over their new-found power. A common animosity towards Israel is further helping to stoke the fire.
But all these won’t last. The race is already on to fill the vacuum in power structure left by the vacating dictators. For now it looks like a one-sided competition with the pan-Arab MuslimBrotherhood joining forces with other local Islamic groups to make sweeping gains and push for Islamic fundamentalism. This is already happening in a place like Egypt where Coptic Christians are feeling the intense heat (see http://www.khouse.org/enews/2011-05-17/#1) But also at play here is one little-acknowledged entirely new factor – the very ‘spirit’ behind liberalism and democracy! All the turbulence in the Arabian kingdoms, with the macabre Sunni/Shiite-based selective intervention of the UN/NATO, cannot be fully explained without considering the roles of the spirits and people pushing the New World Order (NWO) agenda.
The politically-savvy Moslem Brotherhood is indeed set to take over Arabia – either through democracy or otherwise. However, one important change is now in place: the playing field is less tilted and “Islamic fundamentalism and piety” will have to compete fair with ”human lusts” to determine who rules the land. Now with the death of Bin Laden (and consequent destabilization of Al Qaeda – with those hard disks in US custody!); together with the defiant spirit introduced by the pro-democracy riots and consequent opportunity for massive strategic infiltration by ground forces of the NWO, etc, one major implication is that fundamentalist Islam will discover that it has lost its traditional coercive powers over people in that region. Famously known as ”the Koran or the sword” doctrine, it has provided invaluable backbone for Islam since inception. The issue, in short, is this: Can Islam survive in an educated, democratic setting devoid of any religious coercion? The Bible is emphatic that no religion at all can (see Rom 7.22-24, Jhn 14:6, etc!!)!
Expect a soaring of incidences of raw vices – homosexuality, open prostitution, family breakdowns, drugs, school-shootings, abortion, porn-TV, state-sponsored mind control, life-style related chronic diseases and conditions, microchip implants, etc in those lands as non-coercive Islam is proven to be no match for human lusts and depravity. Why, even in Osama’s haven in Abbottabad, pornography was part of the staple diet! Such a new Dar al-Islam will be mince-meat for the Antichrist when he is eventually revealed. This is akin to the phase the United States entered two years ago when the ultra liberal team headed by Obama got on the driver’s seat. The Islamists and liberal Christians (Rick Warrens, etc) no doubt think they are winning. But they are contending against phantom foes. The real battle is with the decay and lusts in society – actively being promoted by N ew Agers! Soon all the world, united by common and overwhelming problems, will wait with bated breath for the appearance of the man who seemingly has the answers. That man, who would offer to bring to the world “life more abundantly” without the “restrictive” holiness requirements of the Bible (Psa. 2:3), is none else but the Antichrist soon to be revealed.
Let’s examine the situation in a little more details. Islam, as it really is, is caving in to a new un-koranic Islam (not necessarily a bad development!). It may not be politically correct to push this point, but the real Islam is more like that practiced by the Osamas and the Ahmadinejads. It is the Islam of beheadings of apostates, “honor killings” of close relatives, summary divorcing of women as pleased the man, scriptural fallacies – such as confusion of Miriam, Moses sister with Mary, Jesus mother etc (see Jacob Prash, part 2), etc. If truth is to be told, the face of true Islam is the Taliban, Al Qaeda, the Egyptian Salafists, the Somalian Al shabaab, the Borno Boko Haram, etc! The world, through the New Age movement, is up in arms against this genuine form of Islam.
While every reasonable person might as well applaud this development within Islam, we should take a little time to understand where things are ultimately headed for. The Scriptures are clear that the political leader who will be the antichrist will actually be preceded and introduced by a religious leader – the False Prophet (see Rev 13:11-12ff). As we have explained in several past editions, the False Prophet will head a New global religion, which necessarily must be pantheistic – “no one superior personal God: all roads lead to the same heaven doctrine”. The only serious opposition to this development are the monotheists who insist there is indeed one, and only one, ‘true’ God - theirs ! These so-called Abraham-sourced faiths are Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.
We have cited in past editions (eg vol 14 no 1) both the Bible and New Age writings to establish the point that the way the New World Religion will attempt to crush the monotheist religions and install itself is more like the ‘sifting of the wheat’ approach (cf Luk 22:31), rather than direct confrontation . In other words, the religions are to be infiltrated, deprived of their essence, and left only with carcasses of themselves! (See also 2 Tim 3:5). We see this method demonstrated by the Babylonians of old who exchanged the top hierarchy of a conquered nation, either with docile, compromised crop of leaders (e.g.2 Kings 25:18-22) or outright strangers who will introduce the populace to new, previously repugnant ideas 2 Kings 17:24ff). The best in each vanquished land is further brought to the Babylonian capital to be assimilated into their global inter-faith outlooks (eg. Dan 1:3-4; 3:13-14). It is not for nothing that new agers and homosexuals are fighting tooth and nail to be allowed to contest for leadership positions in campus-based Christian fellowships in the US (see Vol 13 No 4). Indeed, the whole goal of the “Hate Crime” laws which forbids Churches to “discriminate” against people on basis of their “sexual orientation and lifestyle” is simply to infiltrate the Church with people who live in open defiance of Scriptures!
The key point of this article should be clear by now: The treatment meted out to Islam awaits the other two monotheisms. Of course, this has been on-going at various intensities for several decades, but we say watch out, the end games are here! With Islam dealt with, more efforts, resource, and justifications, will soon be available to mete identical treatments to Judaism/the State of Israel and evangelical Christianity. As Rick Warren once said, “ fundamentalism, of all varieties, will be 'one of the big enemies of the 21st century.' (see http://www.newswithviews.com/PaulProctor/proctor90.htm). In other words, people not willing to compromise their basics and integrate with others are the problem.
It is quite evident that unprecedented pressure is mounting on Israel, home of the Jews from ancient times. While Palestinians hopes to provoke clashes with Israeli;s Defence Force during the March 15 Day of Rage didn’t amount to anything, the threat of actualizing a similar mass demonstration in Israel as in the Arab lands is still real. For instance, another Gaza-bound flotilla, more determined and better organized than the previous one stopped by the IDF on May 31, last year, is in the works.( http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42766164/ns/world_news-europe/t/activists-prepare-new-gaza-flotilla/) . It will be near impossible to accurately predict specific course developments will take in the next few weeks. However, the more serious challenge for Israel might as well be the deadly antagonism and rivalry between secularism and Judaism in Israel (see vol 11 no 5, based on http://morielbealertblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/israeli-left-unmasked.html). Success of external attacks are usually facilitated by prior internal decays.
A possible scenario is the UN going ahead to recognize a Palestinian State with capital in Jerusalem as the Arabs are planning for this September. Then, as in Cote D’ivoire, Libya etc (perhaps mere test cases), the UN may decide to “enforce the protection of civilians” in the newly recognized state. It seems likely the Russians will not mind spearheading such a “humanitarian” force, and the EU are guaranteed to offer supports. The United States under Obama will certainly find reasons to stay “neutral”!
However, dear friend, don’t bank on the final smashing of Israel/Judaism or Christianity as being the next global event on the end-time schedule. Even as the assault to sift the true Church intensifies, we have the assurance of the Word of God that the gates of hell shall not prevail against her. As a matter of fact, the ever-living Head of the church has another plan in mind – incorporating, among other events, the evacuation of the Church in what is popular referred to as the Rapture.
According to Rev 12:13-14, after the Man-Child is suddenly raptured to heaven, the attacking Dragon, now cast down, will divert its wrath to the woman who had brought forth the Child. However, the Lord has a plan for her too as a place in the wilderness has been reserved for her nourishment and preservation throughout the 3 ½ years rampage of the antichrist – starting midway into the final 7 year covenant (see Daniel 9:27). Thereafter, God’s plan to secure “fundamentalist Jews”(not the same as the esoteric new age Talmudic Judaism) will unfold (Rev 12, Zech.14, Psa. 2, 83, etc).
The next event then, with no dates announced, will be the Rapture. And the good news is that you can still book a space on that glorious flight by turning to Jesus, today ( Rom 11:25). This is not fantasy. It is real and well within your reach today. Act NOW - Pray, make a phone call, find a Bible-believing Church….. Do something!

Human Lusts no child play

2011-05-27T19:42:00.001+01:00

Apparently, there is never going to be an end to stories of top celebrities making a public mess of themselves. One of the current examples is the now ex-Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Frenchman Dominique Strass-Khan (DSK). He jumped on a young Guinean maid doing cleaning service in his $3,000 a night hotel suite and attempted to rape her. He is currently in detention awaiting prosecution, having been denied bail.
DSK is certainly not the first and is not likely to be the last man of influence to be involved in stinkers as these. Famous Arnold Schwazenneger, big screen star and two-term governor of California in the USA is also in the news and amidst a can of worms was reported as having a “a history of groping women”. (Los Angeles Times). Arnold reportedly concurred later, admitting that he "behaved badly sometimes."
The big question is: Why do they do it? One would think that with open and closet prostitutes on the increase, nobody with enough cash to spare would need to force a woman again? Nope! The sexual promiscuity demon is a fire which once started easily gets out of control, demanding more and more, insatiably. This explains the passion of the new sexuality folks to kindle their ugly fire in as many in the society as possible. From marketing hard porns and drugged prostitution, these innocent-looking folks have virtually taken over the entertainment industry (TV, movies, music) and will not be satisfied until they get right into the schools, infecting the educational curriculum with their poison, right from the elementary school level to the University. They know exactly what they are doing. And that’s why they are soo dangerous.
For the individual toying with this fire, we say: Watch out! That “blessing” from the devil has strings, ugly strings attached to it! And those strings, responsible for those ugly urges/deeds you still are secretly managing in the closet will eventually end in open ridicule and destruction someday – unless you run to the Lord Jesus Christ, TODAY. (see John 10:10).

Stiglitz – 1% Controls 40% of US Wealth

2011-05-27T19:41:00.000+01:00

As the Middle East clamours to be like America, An American professor is warning that America too is on its way to becoming like the Middle East.
In the words of Joseph Stiglitz, “As we gaze out at the popular fervor in the [Middle East], one question to ask ourselves is this: When will it come to America? In important ways, our own country has become like one of these distant, troubled places.“
Stiglitz, who is a professor at Columbia University. was fired as chief economist of the World Bank in 2000 for criticizing its policies. The article begins: It’s no use pretending that what has obviously happened has not in fact happened. The upper 1 percent of Americans are now taking in nearly a quarter of the nation’s income every year. ….In terms of wealth rather than income, the top 1 percent control 40 percent. Their lot in life has improved considerably. “
After a lengthy fact-laden economic analysis that many may agree or disagree with, he reaches an incontrovertible conclusion: America is losing its famed pragmatism - the understanding that: looking out for the other guy isn’t just good for the soul–it’s good for business! In closing Stiglitz writes: “ The top 1 percent have the best houses, the best educations, the best doctors, and the best lifestyles, but there is one thing that money doesn’t seem to have bought: an understanding that their fate is bound up with how the other 99 percent live. Throughout history, this is something that the top 1 percent eventually do learn. Too late.”
One thing Prof Stiglitz seems unaware of though: The top layer of the top 1% are not too dumb not to understand the points Stigltz is making! Might it be they simply want to create similar problems all over the globe, so they can eventually come out with their global solution? Institution of Global governance is simply the next card on the table. As James Paul Warburg put it in a statement made before the US Senate on Feb 7, 1950: "We shall have World Government, whether or not we like it. The only question is whether World Government will be achieved by conquest or consent." (www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Illuminati/quotes_on_the_new_world_order.htm)

End of the World – May 21 Hype!

2011-05-27T19:40:00.000+01:00

To most of the world, there is no difference between the latest hype that the world would end on Saturday May 21, 2011 (about 6.00pm, US time) and the numerous previous ones. But people in the catchment area of the $180 million worth propaganda machinery of Mr Harold Camping were not so unaffected. Confronted daily by dozens of imposing high tech bill-boards and other messages (2,000 bill boards and regular program on 66 radio stations), many found it rather difficult ignoring Mr Camping message. It is another evidence of the deteriorating mental state of people in this technology-saturated manipulative age that several people would still take such a message seriously, with many donating all their livelihoods to help spread the message. Thankfully, other Christian ministries prepared ahead to help the deceived face the new reality come Sunday May 22!
Of course, May 22 also saw a swell in the number of people who got hardened to the message of Jesus’ imminent return – at a date when no one thinks. Oh that we would get a few “mad” folks too, who would be as mad as the Apostle Paul in preaching the Gospel! If Mr Camping and his associates could be so sold out on a lie, why do people who know the truth and claim to love the Lord find it so difficult becoming sold out for the Gospel? MARANA THA!

Mind control moves to Gadgetry

2011-05-27T19:38:00.000+01:00

As sign of immense steady progress in the science and technology of mind control, spin-offs from highly classified military and medical research are now being openly traded in the entertainment industry.
A new video game was exhibited at this year’s annual Las Vegas Consumer Electronic Show (CES). Describing the new game, FoxNews.com (Jan 9) reports, “Gamers set aside their joysticks … All they needed instead? The power of thought.”
The technology of Thought Controlled Computing as it is called, is already finding its way into several products. Other products demonstrated at the CES by the Canadian digital innovations company, InteraXon, included the thought-controlled 3D glasses which can detect the mood of the wearer and automatically offer a series of appropriate movie or televised content – from the almost infinite choices available round the clock. Hmm..hedonism just moved to the next level!
All these are however still “days of small beginnings”, apparently. Speaking to FoxNews, a company spokesperson said: “This is just the beginning of an enormous industry to understand brain activity, to use it, and to have intelligent responses to brain-activating activities…Ultimately, we’ll have an intelligent response simulation that can modulate to what you are thinking… (It) is going to be a multi-billion dollar industry.”
Another expert concurs: “In the short term, we’re going to see these kinds of systems integrated in home devices like cell phones and televisions. But in the long term, it’s going to be the way we control the world on a regular basis.”
All these are evidently exciting and fascinating. However, we have always pointed out, there are a number of problems that may not be easily waved aside. One of these is the reversibility allowed by the technology such that not only can outputs from the mind be read, but inputs could by the process also be supplied into the mind. In simpler terms, thoughts can be put into your mind. Unfortunately, there are too many people and organizations interested in such application not to actually put it into practice if provided the opportunity. All these of course are, sometimes unwittingly, being goaded along that line by the disciples of the coming antichrist – the New Age movement. Except for those intimately involved with organizations such as the United States DARPA, now one knows how really advanced the mind control technology has gone – but the level of sophistication in the mere spin-offs allowed into the entertainment industry do tell a tale! As these New Agers will say, talking about their expected messiah of mankind: if we prepare the way, he will come (see www.cuttingedge.org/News/n1222.cfm).
If only genuine Christians will take the preparation of the way of the Lord Jesus Christ with similar zeal!

Drugs of the future will be designed specifically to control the human mind

2011-05-27T19:37:00.000+01:00

In the last edition, we discussed the unstoppable resolve of Secret service units to control the human mind – with reference to the MK NAOMI project of the CIA in particular. Confirming that such development is actually now coming mainstream, NaturalNews, on Friday, April 15, 2011 is reporting that modern conventional medicine is furiously working to develop ways to change the moral states of humans through pharmaceutical drugs. This is specifically to control the way people think and act in various life situations. According to NaturalNews, “These new drugs will literally have the ability to disrupt an individual's personal morality, and instead reprogram that person to believe and do whatever the drug designer has created that drug to do.”
The report quotes one of the top practitioners in the field, Dr. Guy Kahane from the Oxford Centre for Neuroethics in the UK, as saying " Studies show that certain drugs affect the ways people respond to moral dilemmas.”
NaturalNews was careful to explain that the issue here is not just the well-known dangerous side effects of existing drugs which could be used to achieve mind control (http://www.naturalnews.com/mind_control.html), but rather, that “designer drugs specifically designed to not only alter one's mental state, but also to change the way that person thinks about situations from a moral perspective” are in the works. “The end result”, NaturalNews concluded, “ is literally a type of drug-induced mind control where human subjects will be controlled by someone else, and unable to make conscious decisions for themselves.”
To worsen the matter, the “already mind-numbed masses” are being further numbed into accepting the idea as a good thing! Check the full article and references at www.naturalnews.com/032088_mind_control_drugs.html

Fire on Persecution unrelenting: China, Algeria, Zimbabwe

2011-05-27T19:36:00.000+01:00

While clowns like Harold Camping were garnering all the publicity with his Rapture date-setting, the saints of God continue to suffer various persecution all around the world. A few samples:

Chinese Government Cracks down on Shouwang Church
Over 500 Christians, about half of the membership of the Shouwang Church in Beijing, were placed on house arrest, in the efforts of the Chiinese government to prevent the Church, from celebrating Easter outdoors. This however did not deter the others from still showing up. According to ChinaAid, “As happened the previous two Sundays, police and police vehicles were waiting at the plaza, and church members were bundled onto a waiting bus.” At least 34 of them were detained by police. Shouwang, a Church of mostly young professionals and students, is forced to having outdoor meetings as the tenancy of the Church’s rented space was not renewed by the owners – following pressure mounted by the Chinese government. Similarly, the keys to the $4 milion property the Church paid have not been released by the seller – also due to pressure from the government.
ChinaAids further reports: “Among those who were held under informal house arrest were Shouwang’s pastors and lay leaders, including founding and senior pastor Jin Tianming. These church leaders have not been allowed out of their homes for more than two weeks. Also detained were all the members of the Shouwang choir, reputedly the best of the Beijing house church choirs. The choir had been practicing for months for the Easter celebration. As a result of the on-going showdown, some church members have lost their jobs or rented homes—or both.
For its effective efforts to publicize the persecution of the Shouwang Church, Texas-based ChinaAid has found its website under severe attacks in recent times – from Mainland China.
http://www.chinaaid.org/2011/04/500-shouwang-church-christians-under.html

Algeria demands closure of all Protestant Churches
The International Christian Concern is reporting that Algerian authorities have ordered the Algerian Protestant Church Association (EPA) to close all churches under her authority throughout the country. Seven churches in particular, in the province of Bejala, were to be closed with immediate effect. The May 8 notification was ordered by the governor of the Bejala province and signed by the Police Commissioner Ben Amar Salma. It is supposedly based on Ordinance 06-03 which was established in 2006 to regulate the worship of non-Musllims by requiring churches to obtain government permission to hold services. According to the notification received by the EPA, the churches are to be closed permanently “for exercising religious worship other than Islam without authorization or the compliance of the National Commission for Non-Muslim Religious services.” This requirement is however in gross violation of the country’s constitution which, in article 36, admits that freedom of creed is inviolable. See details at http://www.persecution.org/2011/05/25/seven-churches-forced-to-close-in-algerian-province/

Zimbabwe:
A truckload of riot police stormed a prayer meeting held in a Harare suburb on Saturday April 9 and assaulted worshipers gathered to pray for peace. The police rushed into the Nazarene Church in Glen Norah and used tear gas to force the worshippers, including community leaders, out of the church hall. The police then fired tear gas canisters at homes and other local churches and eventually drove numbers of people out of the suburb. The police even arrested passersby who walked by the church after the congregants had been arrested or chased away. Why the rampage by Robert Mugabe? See further details at http://www.khouse.org/enews_article/2011/1762/print/

Jacob Prasch on Mormonism

2011-05-27T19:34:00.000+01:00

“Joseph Smith was a convicted swindler and Brigham Young, with 23 wives, a proven false prophet. Nobody in their right mind would believe that someone who said Quakers living to be 1000 years old resided on the moon, as Smith did, nor on the sun as Young did in his Journal of Discourses Volume 17. Only an ignorant bigot would believe that black people are the descendants of fallen angels and are ugly, wicked and mischievous, and that any white person marrying a black should be killed, because of the Mormon law of atonement. Yet, this is what Brigham Young taught. It is simply not reasonable to believe such evil men were God's prophets. The first requirement of being a Mormon is to abandon any sense of reason”
This is part of a recent article by Jacob Prasch, of Moriel. The full article titled “Death of Reason and Return of Jesus may be accessed at http://www.moriel.org/pfp/discernment/church_issues/death_of_reason_return_of_jesus.htm

Cash limits gets to Nigeria

2011-05-27T19:33:00.000+01:00

Two editions ago (Vol 13 No 6, 2010), we reported on on-going global efforts to transit to a cashless society as governments all over the world continue to create more and more hurdles to render large cash transactions unattractive. Nigeria is clearly in tune with these moves, as the Central Bank of Nigeria (whose governor has just received the Bankers’ Global and African Central Banker of 2011) has now announced limits and penalties on cash transactions (withdrawals or deposits) in the country. To take off in five commercial nerve centres of the country as from June next year, the new rule stipulates a fine of N100 per extra N1,000 of cumulative cash transactions above N150,000 per day for individuals; while corporate organisations who deal with cash above a total of N1,000,000 per day will pay a fine of N200 per extra N1,000.
Of course, there are sound social and economic reasons to justify the new policy. According to the CBN, it will “reduce the high usage of cash, moderate the cost of cash management and encourage the use of electronic payment channels.” http://odili.net/news/source/2011/apr/29/328.html
However, as we pointed out in the previous article, even though reasons cited by various countries vary, the one inevitable result of these moves to a cashless society is more central control, necessary in the establishment of a one-world government to be headed by the antichrist.

David Wilkerson gone to be with the Lord

2011-05-27T19:32:00.000+01:00

“David served the purposes of God in his generation, then he died” (Acts 13:36).
With these words, Gary Wilkerson began his tribute to his father, the much beloved and highly respected David Ray Wilkerson. David went to be with the Lord during a car crash on Wednesday April 27. 79 year old David was driving himself and had his wife of 57 years, Gwen by his side Mercifully, Gwen survived the accident..
A common expression used to describe brother Dave is his “unlimited faith”. He believed God could change the lives of gang members and transform the most desperate drug addicts. He believed that a dynamic church could be launched in the heart of Times Square, New York City (perhaps the very centre of the world’s depravity). He believed he could be a man who loved his wife and children well. And from clear evidences, including testimonies from friends and family, all these he did creditably with the help of the Holy Spirit.
According to Gary, “Dad was not one for fanfare, acclaim or ceremony. He turned down invitations to meet with world leaders yet would give everything he owned to support a poor orphan or a widow in distress…. He preached with uncompromising passion and relentless grace. He wrote with amazing insight, clarity and conviction. He ran his race well and when his work was done, he was called home.”
According to Dave’s close friend and New York Times reporter, McCandlish Phillips, “His method was an absolute model of simplicity, directness and total non-sophistication—he just went out on the streets and mixed with the kids and reasoned with them face-to-face, often quoting the Bible—and it worked.”
Outcomes of his faith and spirit-led boldness include the Teen Challenge ministry, a Christ-centered drug and alcohol rehabilitation program. The ministry became well known though the book The Cross and the Switchblade, which has sold over 50 million copies and been translated into 30 languages. The ministry has grown to more than 1,000 centers in the United States and 80 other countries. David Wilkerson was in Nigeria for a pastoral visit a few years ago.
According to Carter Conlon, Senior Pastor of the Church at Times Square “I get tremendous personal comfort from the thought of Brother Dave dancing around the throne of God.”. Son Gary echoed similar sentiments when he wrote: I don’t think my father would have retired well. I don’t think he was one to sit in a rocking chair and reminisce about times past. I believe that Jesus, knowing this, graciously called him home.
David was born on May 19 1931 to a line of devoted Pentecostal preachers. His body was laid to rest in Lindale, Texas on May 2, 2011. During the funeral service, attended by members of Wilkerson's family and close friends, including evangelist Nicky Cruz. a tribute video was shown to those who attended. The video may be viewed on http://pleasepassthebread.org/2011/05/02/a-tribute-to-david-wilkerson/

Dilemma for Bauchi Pastors – “To carry guns or remain unarmed”

2011-05-27T19:31:00.000+01:00

As a Bauchi Pastor was being handed an 18-month jail term for possessing guns for deterring Islamic attackers, other Pastors in the state who chose to remain unarmed continued to be sitting ducks for Islamic militants.
Pastor John Andrew of the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN), in Dass Local Government, Bauchi State, after being attacked thrice by Islamic militants thought it was time he procured an AK47 riffle.. “When I got the arms, I thought of using them to protect myself and members of my family, because of the incessant attacks on us, by some unidentified persons,” he told journalists.
According to The Sun (March 8) Pastor Andrew was full of remorse as he explained why he resorted to procuring a gun for self-defense: “Honestly, I’m sorry, particularly, to the members of my church, who I have always told to be peaceful and law-abiding citizens. Also, I have always told them to learn how to live peacefully with their neighbours, irrespective of the level of provocation. But we were being attacked on regular basis, and you know, we in the villages need to protect ourselves from such attacks. That was why procurement of the arms became necessary for our self-protection,”
But the State insisted the excuse was too lame. The trial Magistrate, Emmanuel Danjuma, said he took cognizance of the fact that the convicted pastor was a first offender and a cleric, and thereafter handed him a two years imprisonment sentence on one of the charges. Another 18 months jail term was handed down on a second charge. Mercifully there were options of fine for the two sentences which were to run concurrently.
Unfortunately, dozens of Christians have been killed in Bauchi with nothing done by the government. No one can query the jail term handed down to Pastor Andrew for illegally acquiring guns (which he has not yet learnt how to use). One only wishes that those who do the actual killings will also be brought to justice by the authority!
Meanwhile, within 2 months of Pastor Andrew being handed his jail terms, at least FIVE pastors and SEVERAL family members have been murdered in the same Bauchi state. The latest incident occurred in the night of May 14 when 56-year-old Pastor Irimiya Maigida and his wife were shot and matcheted at Jaruma village in Toro Local Government area of Bauchi State. Wife Kezia survived while Irimiya Maigida gave up the ghost on the 110km trip to the Teaching Hospital in Bauchi, especially after prolonged delays at a police check point where the police insisted on having a police report explaining the wounds. Before the gruesome murder of Maigida (who left behind seven children and four grandchildren), another pastor of COCIN, Pastor Joshua Reke narrowly escaped death when his church was attacked by gunmen. Reke’s wife and three children were among the 16 people, mostly women and children, brutally murdered.
In describing the security intelligence efforts that nabbed Pastor John Andrew , the prosecuting counsel, Geraldine Longtsen, told the court that officers and men of the State Security Service (SSS), acted on a tip-off, How come the security forces have been unable to respond to the several tip-offs that could have stopped the routine butchering of Christian families in Bauchi? Hopefully, the new dispensation in the country will address this fundamental issue so that the country can make progress.
Meanwhile, Pastor Maigida, slain after diligently serving his Lord for over 30 years in the ministry, had since been buried at the Christian Cemetery at Yelwa Zurfi in the state capital .

Islamic Chieftain advocates Amnesty for Boko Haram.

2011-05-27T19:30:00.002+01:00

The Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (SCIA), Alhaji Lateef Adegbite, has urged the Federal Government to meet with the leadership of the Boko Haram, an organisation that has been launching violent attacks on state institutions and personalities.
Comparing the Jihadists with the Niger Delta militants, Alhaji Adegbite told the Nigerian Compass newspaper, that such a meeting would help the government understand the ” motives and grievances” of the group.
It is amazing that the highly placed officer of Islam would claim ignorance of the well stated “motives and grievances” of Boko Haram – which they never fail to clearly state with each killing they carry out. Unlike the Niger Delta militants who are asking for schools, hospitals, jobs and better conditions of living, Boko Haram militants are demanding, on the authority of Islamic scriptures, that western education, facilities, rule of law, etc are “haram” and must be done away with as the condition for peace! They further consider being killed for such a demand is about the only guarantee of a blissful after-life for them, rewarded with 72 virgins for each man!
The top echelon of Boko Haram has to be firmly dealt with. Expecting a peaceful resolution with them would be like requesting the United States to discuss with Osama bin Laden to understand Al Qaeda’s “motives and grievances”.

Post Election Violence turned anti-Church

2011-05-27T19:30:00.001+01:00

Although the top Moslem contender in the last Nigerian Presidential election won the majority of the Northern votes and lost woefully in the South (half of where he never even bothered to campaign), he still felt the results should have been otherwise. However, the supposed spontaneous “protests” against the election results soon turned into an organized militarized campaign against the Church in the North. Eye-witness accounts told Church Arise! of a systematic sacking of churches and cold blooded murdering of Christian families around the Zaria metropolis; but the mother of all sacking was probably that in Kafanchan.
A formal report by the catholic non-govermental organization, the Justice and Development Commission has provided a detailed eye-witness account of the horrific killings in Kafanchan, beginning around 10.00pm Monday 18th April, following an unusual call to prayer (Kiran sallah) at the mosque, and lasting several hours till the next day, without anyone daring to intervene on account of the intensity of the attack and the sophistication of the guns involved. At least THREE HUNDERED people were given mass burial, not counting those given individual burials by their families.
The report and analyses, raising a number of fundamental questions, can be found on the website of the Catholic News Service of Nigeria.

HOPE IN THE COMING STORM - By David Wilkerson

2011-05-27T19:28:00.001+01:00

David gives us a clear picture of Jesus’ attitude in the face of the coming storm. He speaks prophetically of Christ, saying, “I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved” (Acts 2:25). The literal meaning here is, “I was always in his presence, beholding his face.” David quoted Jesus as saying, “Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope” (2:26).
Here is the secret: Jesus kept the Father always before his face! Jesus continually sought out secret places to be shut in with his Father. And it was only after being in God’s presence that Christ came forth to minister, fully persuaded that his Father was always with him. “He’s at my right hand—and nothing on this earth can move me.” The Greek word for move here means “agitated or shaken, disturbed.” Jesus was saying, “None of these problems, evils or coming events can cast me down or shake my confidence. My Father is in complete control.”
Beloved, if we’re going to face the coming storm, then we need to be prepared so nothing disturbs our spirit. And the only way to do that is to spend time in the Father’s presence beholding his face. We have to be shut in with him—on our knees, practicing his presence, seeking him—until we’re thoroughly persuaded he’s at our right hand.
God is clearly telling us, “Don’t be moved or agitated by anything you see. Keep your eyes focused on me and you’ll retain your joy.” And, according to David, Jesus testified, “Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance” (Acts 2:28).
It’s as if Christ is telling us, “I faced everything you’re going to face in the closing days of time. I had the same foreboding feelings, because I saw the coming storm. But I ran into the presence of my Father, and he lifted all my concerns. He showed me the outcome to it all. And in his presence I found all the joy, hope and rest I would ever need—to the very end. I have peace and joy because I’ve been with him.”
“My flesh shall rest in hope” (2:26).
David Wilkerson
Daily Devotion forWednesday, April 20, 2011. http://davidwilkersontoday.blogspot.com/

Key Agenda for the President

2011-05-10T07:22:00.000+01:00

Nigerians’ basic requests to Mr President is a short list: Energy, Education and Jobs.

Church Arise! agrees with these basics, but feels there is by far ONE most urgent fundamental issue the President must settle, so he can truly settle down to effective governance. It has to do with a solemn promise the president had to repeat several times in the past few months: the promise to allow the law take its course with respect to those who killed other Nigerians with impunity in the recent past.

From sponsors of the Jos killings, the Independent Bomb Blasts, the post PDP primary election bomb blasts, the pre-national elections bomb blasts (Suleija, Maiduguri, Kaduna), to finally, the post-election massacres. It’s only if and when, by God’s grace, the deadly snakes behind these events, now stunned, are finally beheaded that David can truly celebrate over Goliath. President Jonathan, please strike the blow by putting patriotic, firm and bold people in the right offices, with clear mandates. We saw this approach work in the case of INEC. By God’s grace, it will work again.

Goodluck, just do it! The LORD is with you!

Buhari-Bakare: Hypocrisy, greed, pure evil exposed

2011-04-25T19:59:00.007+01:00

"This would characterize him as an exposed fraudulent, dubious, dishonest and dangerous man that all men and women of goodwill, who cherish integrity and dignity, should stay away from. Either way, Pastor Bakare is a loser both on the spiritual and temporal plains."

Church Arise! feels the article PASTOR TUNDE BAKARE’S DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD by Remi Oyeyemi posted in Osundefender http://www.osundefender.org/?p=15434 contains a good compilation of some horrible antecedents of General Buhari which is sadly now eloquently demonstrated in the past few days. Of course the hypocrisy of latter-rain pastor/prophet is also well exposed.

Church Arise! Marks ten years of formal dedication in April

2011-03-28T19:46:00.000+01:00

It looked like yesterday that Bishop Francis Wale Oke, leading a team of several other anointed men of God came to Ile-Ife to officially commission the Church Arise! LivingWater Ministries. But it’s now ten solid years, praise the Lord! After three years of publishing the bi-monthly newsletter, CA!, we were led to seek the laying-on of hands by the Church for strength and grace to fulfill the ministry evidently committed unto us by the Lord. The vision for the work had been received during the 3rd God’s End-Time Army Conference, convened in March 1997 by Bishop Francis Wale Oke. Joining the Bishop to lay hands on Dr and Mrs Joshua Ojo on April 6 2001 were Pastor Adewole Haastrup, then state Pastor of the RCCG, Osun State, His Royal Highness, Pastor Julius Fatanmi (the Olura of Ira and chairman of CA! Board), and Mrs O. Ayeni, among other Christian dignitaries.
To mark the tenth anniversary, we will be releasing a sequel to our 2001 book titled The Time is Fulfilled. The sequel will be a Trilogy – titled Behold I come quickly Books 1-3. Book 1 is subtitled Alerts from Science and Technology, Book 2 is a compilation of Signs from Society and Governance, while Book 3 is subtitled Warnings from Religions and Spiritual Expressions. The books are an orderly and indexed compilation of the contents of Church Arise! from Volume 4 no 3 to date.
All these will be available, in the first instance, as e-books which can be freely downloaded from our website. Also to be released is a must-read book How is the gold become dim!– providing original little-known facts and details on evolution of norms, doctrines and practices in the Cherubim and Seraphim Society – an indigenous Church movement in Nigeria. Dr Ojo spent the first thirty years of his life (and the first ten of his Christian life) in this Church movement, and so writes as a priviledged insider. By God’s grace, the paper versions of these books will be released as soon as the financial details can be settled.
Meanwhile to the glory of God, traffic to our website (www.churcharise.org) more than doubled from 3,403 unique visits in 2009 to 8,631 in 2010. Visitors in 2010 came from several other new countries, in addition to the over 30 countries from where we received visitors in 2009. Starting from April 1, our blog : http://churcharise.blogspot.com/ will now be updated with new articles and commentaries EVERY WEEK. The blog is where to get fresh information from us, just as the website is the place to get our archived materials and an incredibly vast amount of other resources and links to other ministries. Please pay us a visit today!
We appreciate everyone who has encouraged us so far with letters, finances, and most important of all, prayers. We trust God to keep growing in leaps and bounds till the shouts of the Trump and the voice of the Archangel brings this present dispensation to a close!

Pastor Ayo charges on Coming Elections: RSVP

2011-03-28T19:45:00.000+01:00

“I would say to Nigerians, for once, let us see Nigeria as a project…. Let us see Nigeria as a project worth sacrificing for. We must all agree and say, I will register. Then make a selection of who you would vote for. Don’t let people intimidate or buy you, because if they give you money——how much would they really give you?—if they come into office, they are not obligated to give you anything because they had given you what is due you for the next four years. So, register, select, then when it’s time to vote; go out and vote and protect your vote. That is RSVP—Register, Select who you would vote for, Vote and [Protect] your vote. It’s very important. That is part of the sacrifice”
– Pastor Ayo Oritsajefor, President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)
(http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/religious-leaders-sue-for-peace-at-christmas/)

Earth in Convulsion

2011-03-28T19:44:00.002+01:00

The above expression borrowed from the 2011 prophecies of Pastor E.A. Adeboye best describes the present situation on planet earth. First is the political turmoil currently engulfing the Gulf and Arab states. It all began in Tunisia on December 17 2010, when a policewoman confiscated the unlicenced vegetable cart of a street trader, Mohamed Bouazizi, and refused all reasonable entreaties. This is a fairly common incident in several parts of the world -, Nigeria not excluded. So when a desperate Bouazizi doused himself with some inflammable liquid and set himself ablaze, something snapped in the previously docilely watching masses; and they took to the streets. When Bouazizi eventually died on January 4, 2011, the protests – fanned by facebook and youtube, went out of control. At the end of the day the President, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was forced to resign his 23 year old reign and flee to Saudi Arabia.
Inspired by the events in neighbouring Tunisia, it was the turn of the Egyptians to demand the resignation of President Moubarak, citing gross corruption and injustice. This was a very dicey one, for Egypt under Moubarak has proven over the years (since the murder of Anwar Sadat by Muslim extremists opposed to the peace treaty with Israel in 1981) to be pivotal to the strategic interests of both the United States and also Israel. Moubarak was however sorely disappointed to find President Obama rooting deeply for the Muslim Brotherhood-led opposition, and after several futile efforts to remain in power, finally handed over to the nation’s military 17 tense days after. [see http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/30/egypt-revolution-2011_n_816026.html for details]
The blunt back-turning of Obama to a supposed ally in time of dire need was a shocking eye-opener to many Arab leaders – not the least Saudi’s King Fahd, who was a personal close friend of Mubarak. Now the masses all across Arabia knew it could be possible to throw away the yoke of their oppressive dictators, while the dictators on their own knew no help would come from America. So as the unrest swelled up through Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, United Arab Emirate and Mauritania, it assumes different colouration and resulted in different outcomes. One of the major factors that was stirred up, was the ancient rivalry between Shiite (as in Iran) and Sunni (as in Saudi Arabia) moslems. For instance the “pro-democracy revolution” in Bahrain quickly assumed the religious picture of Shiites challenging a Sunni king. With this interpretation, Saudi Arabia justified the sending of a 1000 strong troop to Bahrain, under the auspices of the Gulf Cooperation Council. One country where the division between the revolutionists and the sitting dictator was maximally exploited was in Libya. Ghadaffi showed no emotion as he ordered his fellow countrymen, in their hundreds, mowed down by machine guns and aerial strafing. Libyan soldiers who refused to shoot were summarily executed, and very soon mercenaries from Chad, Dafur, Guinea, Nigeria (north to be sure!) and elsewhere were recruited in exterminating the demonstrators - famously described by Ghaddafi as “cockroaches!” The carnage is on-going as we write, and even western media have started to call the demonstrators, “ rebels”.
Of course, all these developments cannot be cheery news for Israel. The Arab dictators, under America’s patronage, have played pivotal role in maintaining peace in the Middle East by defending Israel from the Arab’s masses who are under a religious conviction that Israel should not exist. Now, that is changing! Furthermore, Obama has never hidden his disdain for Israel since coming to power, and the only favours Israel still get from her traditional greatest ally only come as a result of pressures from the US Congress. The European Union has always been anti-Israel, and Turkey under Erdogan moved against her traditional ally Israel several months ago – with the Flotilla incident marking a record low in their relationship. Even a traditionally quiet and neutral country like Japan recently issued a strongly anti-Israel’s statement adding to the pressure that Israel should give up the strategic West Bank and become totally defenseless.( http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2010/3/0311_01.html). And so, as the company of Israel’s ally diminishes very rapidly, the prophecy of all the nations agreeing to attack Israel (Zech. 12:1-3) looms. But Israel not only has one of the best intelligence and military forces in the world, it is also a nuclear power. And like one of the great Judges of that nation, Samson, it is not likely Israel would allow itself to be wiped off the map without taking the world along with it. Does that sound like Armageddon?
But the convulsion of planet earth is beyond the man-made turmoils in the Middle East (not to talk of what would now amount to ‘skirmishes’ in countries like Ivory Coast), there are also “acts of God” – as people refer to natural disasters. Beginning from the floods and mudslides in Rio de Janeiro, flash floods in Australia and New Zealand, the North American winter storm, to the on-going earthquake and accompanying tsunami in Japan (which struck, incidentally on the same day Japan released its vicious anti-Israel statement),several thousands of human lives have sadly perished.
Human lives and property losses apart, there is the additional fear of the future with respect to the irreplaceable basic need for Energy. Now with the on-going leakage of radiation from one of the nuclear reactors at Fukushima, Japan in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami, these formidable facilities suddenly don’t look as safe as people thought – or rather, the magnitude of havoc that could result from the admittedly very very slim chance of accident, has become very daunting and scary! As pointed out by one writer, though the current magnitude 8.9 earthquake is the largest in Japan’s recorded history, it is clear that it would not be the last! If this one could compromise the “fail-proof” reactor at Fukushima, who can be sure of what would happen, sometimes in the future, to the dozens of other reactors located on other earthquake-prone sites in Japan? These grievous concerns arising at a time when many are reading the events in the Middle East as a wake-up call to diversify from fossil fuels to other alternatives (nuclear being the prime alternative) is confounding mankind. To cap all these avalanche of landmark tumultuous events, is the announcement of the find of 16 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves in Israel – making it a fresh target not only to those who wanted to take over that land for religious reasons, but now for economic reasons. In fact, according to Bible prophecies, one of the major reasons for the attack by the nations on Israel, like the gulf war on Iraq, would be to loot….. (http://www.thenational.ae/business/energy/discovery-of-giant-gasfield-sparks-frenzy-in-israel, Ezekiel 38:10ff).
Dear reader, if you think all these convulsions of the planet earth is merely fascinating reading of events that don’t affect you personally, please think again. The end of the current world order is right across the corner. Unlike those caught in the spates of disasters highlighted above, you still have the opportunity to re-locate yourself out of disaster region. Noah’s Ark is still boarding! No matter your current circumstances, you don’t have to go hell. Turn to Jesus in all sincerity today in order not to miss the imminent Rapture. This is a personal decision that would profoundly affect the rest of your life and eternity. And the time for that decision is NOW.

Middle East: Lessons from Sudetenland

2011-03-28T19:44:00.001+01:00

Koinona House in their February issues of khouse news, published a three-part series with the above title, extracted from the book A Place Among The Nations, published in 1993 by current Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. It’s really amazing how the current developments and dilemma in the Middle East parallel events leading to World War II. Netanyahu describes in clear terms the strategic barrier that Czechoslovakia constituted to Hitler’s plan to overrun Europe in his dream of starting the 1000 years rule of the Third Reich.: With the Sudeten mountains bordering Germany and Czechoslovakia being virtually militarily unassailable by Hitler, the only option left for him to move forward was political. Hitler therefore clamoured that the Germans in Sudetenland who were minorities in Czechoslovakia were not getting their rights (a string of deliberately provocative, never-ending demands) and he was set to defend them. The whole world, desperate to have, in the word of Britain’s Chamberlain “peace in our time” mounted obscene, shameless but irresistible pressure on Czechoslovakia to withdraw his troops from his own country. Hitler wasted no time, in less than six months –on March 15, 1939, in rolling his tanks into the remaining part of Czechoslovakia, and WWII was on in full swing. Today, the whole world is mounting identical pressure on Israel to withdraw from the West Banks, land that historically had been Jewish for thousands of years and which are critical to her defenses. Read the entire article as first published by k-house in 1997 at http://www.khouse.org/articles/1997/11/

'If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence.
If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel ."
Benjamin Netanyahu (see http://www.ipi-usa.org/faq.htm)

Update on murderous abortion doctor “ I don’t know what I did wrong!”

2011-03-28T19:43:00.000+01:00

We provide an update on Dr Kermit Gosnell, the West Philadelphia doctor who specialized in late-term abortion, particularly for black girls (see last edition of CA!). Dr Gosnell said at his arraignment in Court that he did not understand why he was being charged in the deaths of the babies.” According to the grand jury “He told his staff that this barbaric conduct was standard medical practice. It was not. It was criminal behavior” Gosnell was jailed without bail. (www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jan/25/checks-of-pa-abortion-clinics-find-some-problems/?page=1).
Church Arise! certainly understands the confusion of Dr Gosnell. He apparently can’t understand what to him is the out-of-proportion rumpus to his choosing to kill a few hundred condemned infants immediately after their induced birth rather than kill them with the same scissors inside the wombs of their mothers in the name of abortion! Dr Gosnell’s logic is quite simple: Just because late-abortions are dangerous to the mothers, people have to pay exorbitant fees at specialist clinics who are licensed to carry them out. The problem of late abortion is basically that the baby having grown considerably, cannot be so easily cut into pieces and every piece completely evacuated from the womb without risks of serious contaminations and infection. So, we have the Gosnell’s cheap, effective commonsense approach: Simply allow the baby to develop even a little more in the womb, let her come out naturally through the process of birth (induced or normal); and immediately the baby comes out, meet her with a stroke of the scissors at the back of the nape!. What is the difference killing the baby in the womb (with so much risks of complications), or simply killing him safely immediately it comes out of the womb?
The respectable-looking elderly doctor has consistently applied this logic and practice a couple of several hundred times over a decade - with tremendous revenue accruing!
In Dr Gosnell’s thinking, as long as no one is questioning why the babies have to die, it’s pure hypocrisy complaining whether they were killed within the womb (with only a few elitist centres getting the licence for such killing) or killing them more safely outside the womb! As a matter of fact, it was only in 2002 that it became illegal to simply throw away (or use for research) babies who survive the abortion process and come out alive. And even then, there is still no penalty specified for defaulters! (http://www.opposingviews.com/i/protecting-babies-who-survive-abortions) . Unfortunately, abortion advocates seem incapable of seeing all these contradictions. For now they are ready to feed Gosnell , apparently just one of their disposable “useful idiots” to the dogs and go on with their sordid business. For more info on abortion in the US, including partial birth/live birth abortion, see http://prolifeaction.org/faq/abortion.php#roe
Meanwhile as reported on Moriel website, the 53rd million American child was aborted sometimes late last year , 38 years after the landmark Supreme court’s Roe vs. Wade ruling making the procedure perfectly legal in the United States.. (http://moriel.org/MorielArchive/index.php/news/staggering-u-s-passed-53-million-abortion-mark-in-2010) Moriel.org also drew attention to a parallel story announcing that 40% of all pregnancies in New York city now end up being aborted The same players who have brought America thus far in her unenviable track are currently furiously working hard to accomplish the same in Nigeria and elsewhere. Hence the need for those on the side of the Truth to speak out and act as led by the Spirit. Moriel threw up two Scriptures to provoke further discussions on abortion:
Lk 1:41: When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Heb 7:9–10: And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

Caught on Camera: How Planned Parenthood encourages prostitution of teens

2011-03-28T19:42:00.000+01:00

A recent large scale expose of Planned Parenthood by the NGO Live Action is making the rounds on the internet. Right on (hidden) camera, PP staff from many centers across the USA gave brutal counsel on how pimps and prostitutes using little children (as young as 13 years) as sex-slaves could procure abortion and other “reproductive health care” for these unfortunate children, using free government’s fund. In law and by society’s moral standard, the PP officials were required to have reported the cases to government. Unfortunately for the PP, the convincingly real “pimps and prostitutes” they were speaking with were professional actors and actresses [which brings out a new ministry for Christian actors!] Check details (videos and transcripts) at LiveAction sites( http://liveaction.org/traffick)

Sex slavery of youngsters now a global epidemic

2011-03-28T19:41:00.000+01:00

While the world’s attention is gripped by the massive convulsion currently shaking the planet (from social upheaveals to natural disasters of flash floodings, earthquakes and tsunamis), it is easy to overlook a no less catastrophe that is consuming the world, pointing at the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the thriving sex slave business.
A recent article in the NEWS OF THE WORLD (Feb 13) indicate that an incredible 13 million children have been enslaved worldwide, with the current annual figure standing at a staggering 800,000. Most of the sex slaves are from developing countries of the world, including Africa and Eastern Europe. At least 30,000 abused sex slaves die every year as a result of different ailments and maltreatment. However, organizations such as Planned Parenthood [PP] and their many collaborators (many of them hiding under nice-sounding programmes in Secondary and Tertiary institutions of learning in Nigeria) would have us focus on providing treatments for these ailments rather than cutting from the roots the business of sex-slavery itself. This is the core issue in the new sex revolution that is threatening to engulf the world right now. Is making abortion, licentious sex, etc safe what matters or the morality of it? Incidentally improving one of these (e.g. safety) will dramatically worsen the other (i.e. morality), as found out by an Indian community where improved social and reproductive health care for prostitutes made it so inviting that husbands and fathers had to protest the impact on their society (see Vol 7 No 4) .
It’s really amazing that so-called educated people could come out boldly to attack the simple and beautiful blueprint for the expression of sexuality as designed by the Creator of sex: have all the sex you wish, but only within the context of a marriage contract! This guarantees security not only for the couple but also the products of the sexual act, and as well provide safeguards against emotional heartaches, and a battery of STDs, the latest being HIV/AIDS. To really see the seriousness of these sex czars and their utter disdain for the rest of society and our sense of morality, download a copy of their latest report at www.glaa.org/archive/2010/woodhullreport1019.pdf
While majority of the trafficked sex slaves are young naïve girls lured into cities with offer of good fortune, such as Irina of Chermigov in Ukraine cited by the News of the World, others had a rough idea of what awaited them in the city. However, by the time they face the reality of having to sleep with about a dozen men every day, seven days a week, they realized too late that their future is quite bleak. They also discover too late that they are quite expendable as their pimps have a ready supply of fresh replacements for them! In a recent local example published in the PM News report of Friday 4th February, when a 13-year old girl brought to work as a sex slave complained to her aunt that she was suffering severe pains in her private parts (after two months of daily sex with up to 10 men), the aunt only encouraged her to work harder. It was only because of the pain and the lack of attention that she finally absconded from her brothel room and was picked up by the police. But the really sad aspect about such stories, as lamented by a law enforcement officer, is that as soon as such sex-slaves are returned to their parents/guardians in the South-South, fresh attempts are made to send them back to Lagos. In other words, the primary pimps were the parents of these unfortunate children themselves!
====================================================
For related stories see:
Nigerian pastor faces jail in UK over ‘human trafficking’ February 15th, 2011 in News, Society
Outrage over Nigerian gay pastor in UK , Sunday, 06 March 2011
Lucky escape: How Immigration men rescued teenagers from child traffickers. Daily Sun. Thursday, March 03, 2011
====================================================

Meanwhile Comprehensive “catch-‘em-young” sex-ed forges ahead

2011-03-28T19:40:00.002+01:00

As reported in OneNewsNow of February 28, (http://www.onenewsnow.com/Education/Default.aspx?id=1301602 the Montana's school district in the US has decided to ignore public outcry and proceed with its plans to teach sex education to young students. But parents and state lawmakers are still fighting the initiative.
According to Jeff Laszloffy, president of the Montana Family Foundation, while many fed-up parents are taking their kids out of public schools to pursue other education options, others are so outraged that that are taking legal action against the school district. Progress is also being made along legislative line, as the state House, lobbied by the Montana family Foundation, has passed a bill that obliges schools to notify parents at least 48 hours prior to sex education courses. It also requires them to receive written consent before the children can attend.
Parents in Germany are however no so lucky. We have reported in previous editions (e.g. Vol 10 No 1) that parents who opted to take their children off government-supervised schooling have been jailed in Germany. Now, even those who keep them in public school with the hope of having them excused from certain corrupting classes, such as comprehensive sex-education, are also being jailed. As reported in OneNewsNow of March 9, up to ten parents in Germany have been jailed for keeping their children from attending sex-education programs at school.
According to Roger Kiska, a legal counsel in the Alliance Defense Fund (http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/), the new curriculum makes it mandatory for nine- and ten-year-olds to participate in the programs, which include an “interactive play”.
The imprisoned parents have also been fined the equivalent of nearly $1,300 (U.S.).

Death of a gay activist

2011-03-28T19:40:00.001+01:00

The murder of David Kato, Ugandan gay activist on January 27 made global headlines, as to be expected. Many are cashing in on it to seek concessions for homosexual activism. Even after the murderer of Kato, Nsubuga Enock has confessed, clarifying that the gruesome murder was over personal issues and neither for robbery nor lifestyle, gay activists insist the murder must have been provoked by a newspaper report which last October published pictures and addresses of several Ugandan gay activists, including Kato’s. As far as the majority of world’s news outlets are concerned, the police must be covering up the hate crime! (http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/02/03/Uganda_Police_Kato_Forced_Killer_Into_Sodomy/)
From all indications, the murderer was even a sleeping partner to Kato; and is known to be a criminal. As a matter of fact, David Kato had just bailed Nsubuga out of jail (on January 24) and had him stay with him for two days, just before his death. What then is there to cover up? Who can keep a tab on how many people have been killed by dissatisfied lovers, all over the world all through history? Does Kato’s homosexual activism absolve him from reaping what he sowed?
Uganda is being portrayed by international lobbies for homosexuality, as a draconian, unreasonable homophobic society. Yet no one is saying, even in Uganda, that homosexuals should not live any lifestyle they please. Talk less of them being killed for doing so. What sane voices in society all over the world are demanding is that the gay lobby should not be allowed to criminalize any criticism of homosexual lifestyle. Homosexuals, just like heterosexuals, should just keep their sexual lives to their bedroom and allow society to focus on more productive issues. On the contrary, what the gay lobbies are demanding is that they be given the public platform to recruit from our kith and kins into their unproductive, unhealthy, unnatural and abominable acts; while we all must keep mute, not allowed to even respond. (Please read our previous article on gay advocacy at http://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2006/feb/072.html
The so-called draconian bill in Uganda calls for death sentence for “serial offenders” – men who rape boys and other men, repeating the crime over and over again – especially when they know they are HIV positive!. Why is such a suggestion draconian? Why not look at the issue from the point of view of the rest of society – of the people being exposed to the serial rapist? Of the society trying to cope with the onslaught of HIV/AIDS known to be mainly transmitted through gay sex? If drug pushers, armed robbers, drug counterfeiters, terrorists, etc could be sent to the gallows, what make men who repeatedly rape men (or even women) so sacred, that they could go on over and over committing their heinous deeds with impunity?

Prostitutes Pushed to dance on Lagos Streets by foreign funded Sexuality NGOs

2011-03-28T19:39:00.001+01:00

With apparent pomp, placards and banners, about 50 commercial sex workers and sponsoring sex activists reportedly marched through the streets of Ikoyi, Lagos to mark the International Sex ‘workers rights Day on March 3.( http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/arts/life-midweek-magazine/29915.html)
The “peaceful protest march” was carried out under the banner of the African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA) Nigeria, described as “a coalition of NGOs working to promote equity and justice among citizens.” ASWA's continental head office is housed by the Sex Worker Education & Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT), an NGO based in Cape Town, South Africa. The self-labeled “gender and economic rights organization” has presence in six East/South African countries and is reaching out of that enclave to make Nigeria the seventh.
Oddly enough, in its self-assigned task of “leading the fight for sex workers' respect and rights” the ASWA says it is “advocating the de-criminalisation of sex work…” But what de-criminalisation?. If sex works were being treated as a crime, why do we have all the brothels openly practicing their trade without government’s molestation?
Speaking to the press, Executive Director of Safe Haven International in Nigeria and coordinator of ASWA, Magaret Onah revealed the true desires of her organization as she “called on government, especially the Lagos State government, to come up with policies to encourage sex work”. ASWA is out to raise more prostitutes, by emboldening, encouraging and even deceiving them. Pure and simple.
The truth of the matter is that the so called ASWA is nothing more than a group of individuals backed by limitless funds from the Bill Gates of this world (see previous editions of CA!, e.g. vol 13 no 4) with a mission to promote prostitution. With only a fraction of the budget they spend on advocacy and “fighting for respects”, these NGOs could as well have taken majority of people who were pushed into prostitution by socio-economic situation out of their humiliating and destructive profession.
As revealed in the news report, “ASWA is currently being run by a group of NGOs working with sex workers until the sex workers are empowered to run ASWA themselves.” Meaning? ASWA is nothing more than foreign-funded NGO staff, trying to raise, encourage, and embolden local prostitutes. . How far are these sex NGOs ready to go in putting sex work on the same level of respectability as being a school teacher? We reported in vol 9 no 3 the case in Berlin of a young lady who having lost her job as a waitress refused to accept one as a sex worker in a brothel. She was threatened with losing her unemployment benefit for refusing legal work! The argument, as we have been told endlessly in the case of homosexuality, is that you are not allowed to denigrate the choice of others
According to Rex Ajenifuja, described as the Lagos Coordinator for Nigeria, “global partners” organized their African minions into ASWA for the first meeting in South Africa two years ago – confirming that the initiative and funds are from outside Africa. Obviously, these externally-funded agents driving the sexual revolution in Africa are the real danger. The actual sex workers practice their trades in shame and quietness, with many of them nursing the desire of someday getting out of the demeaning and dangerous business. Our so-called educated and rights advocates come along [inspired by foreign funds] to goad the confused sex-worker into the open and encourage them to express how proud they are of their business. How can anyone in their right senses be proud of presenting himself/herself naked to just anybody that comes along (irrespective of age, mental/social/health status, etc); and for a token, yield up that naked body for whatever would catch the fancy of this total stranger!
Even without addressing the graver issues of ritual sex, bestiality, and the ultimate rendezvous with the “devil and his angels” in hell fire, it’s clear that these hapless pawns in the hand of the NGOs are billed to start experiencing hell on earth in just a matter of years if they persist with their trade. Getting these people to come out and dance on the street (obviously for a fat fee) only takes their humiliation and de-humanization to a new low! It’s a sign of the times that these NGOs are just too influential for government to do anything about them, except perhaps curry their favour and ask for good words to be put in for their political aspirations with the Bill Gates and Warren Buffetts of this world. The recent Wikileaks confirm this scenario! (see for instance http://techrights.org/2010/12/20/pfizer-scandal/
Are you a prostitute – either official or unofficial? Jesus loves you and He will provide you with genuine help if you will allow Him. Please contact a Pastor in a serious Bible believing church near you to find out how. Please do that TODAY.
(Original report from: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NIgerianWorldForum/message/98728)

US passports move closer to gender neutrality

2011-03-28T19:37:00.002+01:00

FoxNews.com. January 07, 2011

The words “mother” and “father” will be removed from U.S. passport applications and replaced with - ‘parent one’ and ‘parent two.’" FoxNews reported on January 7. A statement on the State Department website reportedly noted: “These improvements are being made to provide a gender neutral description of a child’s parents and in recognition of different types of families.”
These “improvements”(!) come after several years of intense lobby by Gay rights groups, who are overwhelmed in applauding the latest pandering to their interest by the Obama administration.
Bible-believing Christians on the other hand are voicing their outrage over the decision. “Only in the topsy-turvy world of left-wing political correctness could it be considered an ‘improvement’ for a birth-related document to provide less information about the circumstances of that birth,” wrote Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council in a statement to Fox News Radio. Robert Jeffress, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, concurred, stating that “It’s part of an overall attempt at political correctness to diminish the distinction between men and women and to somehow suggest you don’t need both a father and a mother to raise a child successfully. (This decision) was made to make homosexual couples feel more comfortable in rearing children.”

End of the world – May 21, 2011?

2011-03-28T19:37:00.001+01:00

Have you heard the new date when the world would come to an end?. Based on a supposed scholarly study by 88 year old Harold Camping, the planet earth will probably stop spinning come May 21, this year! Never mind that the failure of a previous date set by Mr Camping for the return the Lord Jesus (Sept 6 1994) was later explained as due to a “mathematical error”. What’s amazing is how much efforts are being put into pushing obvious unbiblical nonsense as these to the populace. (http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-01-01/bay-area/17466332_1_east-bay-bay-area-first-time-camping ). However, all these attempts to confuse issues and probably get people to resignedly cast off restraints and become hardened to the news of the promised imminent return of the Lord, do confirm that the real end, though clearly stated in the Bible as scheduled for a date nobody will ever be able to predict in advance, is “at the doors” – Mathew 24:33. Now that’s information worth all the energy, money and time we can muster to push around.

Killings continue in Plateau villages. Divine protection for churches

2011-03-28T19:36:00.000+01:00

The killing of Christians by so-called Fulani marauders continue in Plateau state. The latest is the slaughter of five member s of the Bitrus family at Kai Village, Barkin Ladi LGA on Monday14th March
According to a bulletin issued by the state police command, apart from the killings, nothing was stolen or destroyed. The police said that on the receipt of the information, security personnel rushed to the scene but they could not get the attackers. Unfortunately, a story all too familiar. (http://www.compassnewspaper.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2347:-again-family-of-five-killed-in-jos-crisis&catid=308:headlines&Itemid=600)
Thank God however, for ultimate, unfailing divine security. As reported by the Sun newspaper (March 21, 2011): “Another major bloodshed was averted in Jos, the Plateau State capital, when two attempts to detonate bombs in two separate locations [on Sunday March 20] failed through divine intervention”. It was gathered that two men, who were carrying bomb on a motor cycle heading for where to plant it had the device exploded on them around Dualla junction between ECWA and COCIN churches at about 9.45 am when Sunday morning services were in progress.
According to the Daily Sun, yet another bomb blast was averted at the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Church, off Murtala Muhammad Way in Jos, when men of the Special Task Force, who were going round the church during the service discovered a bomb, “which was capable of bringing down the whole building and even those around if it had detonated”
Immediately the bomb was discovered the church service was abruptly brought to an end and the area condoned off. Although the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Abdulrahman Akano confirmed that four youths had been arrested in connection with the explosive found near the church, we are yet to see any prosecution so far

Islamists continue to be readily available as tools to decimate local innocent Christians

2011-03-28T19:35:00.000+01:00

In the last edition of CA! we reported on a minutes of the meeting of an Islamic group, the Jama’atul Nasril Islam, which gave details of the decision to attack Christians near election time, to the extent that the government will have no choice but declare a state of emergency in Plateau state. It was clear that some desperate politicians who have threatened to make the country ungovernable have found the perfect tool to achieve their dastard plans. Thank God for His sovereign power in overruling these wicked plots.
However, it seems the concept of using Islamists to attack Christians and so create political upheavals is an appealing strategy in many places all over the world, not just in Nigeria alone. Apparently there is no local shortage of easily ignitable Islamists ready to spring forth murdering Christians at the minimum mobilization. In the latest of such incidents, faced by an imminent popular uprising, the government of Ethiopia has successfully incited moslems in Asendabo Jimna Zone and other western Ethiopian towns to attack Christians.
At the last count, the rioting Islamists have razed down 13 Churches, a bible school and over 150 houses belonging to Christians. The attacks, featuring about ten thousand muslims began after the Friday prayers on March 2, on the allegation that some Christians had desecrated the Qur’an. Federal security forces sent to quell the riot claimed they couldn’t stop the crowd. And so for now, the government of Meles Zenawi has gotten some reprieve, like Nero did centuries ago – at the expense of followers of Jesus Christ. Read details about the Ethiopian attacks as reported by local Ethiopians, citing the International Christian Concern at http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/32041

Cooperation and Tolerance gone too far

2011-03-28T19:34:00.000+01:00

While Islam continues its desperate concerted efforts to destroy Christians and Biblical Christianity, some so-called Christian leaders appear to be totally oblivious to the dangerous developments. Hence we reported in vol 9 no 6 how a retired German clergyman committed suicide seeing the foolish pandering to Islamic interests by the church in his country. A church in Germany actually, at one time, raised money from members to help build an imposing mosque in that country!
Unfortunately, such evident lack of discernment by Christian leaders continues to be displayed at deeper levels today. In the news recently is the Claremont School of Theology, located in Southern California, USA, which has announced that it will be partnering with Jewish and Islamic schools to offer clerical training to students of various faiths. According to the Seminary’s president, the Rev. Jerry Campbell, students will be trained in their own religious traditions as well as gain understanding of other faiths through shared classes with the Academy for Jewish Religion and the Islamic Center of Southern California. He said the program will eventually be expanded to include Hinduism and Buddhism, among others. All these, Rev Campbell believes, will “better prepare students for the multi-religious world they are living in.” Claremont is a Methodist Bible College established in 1885. John Wesley, as the saying goes, must be turning in his grave! (details at http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100611/methodist-seminary-is-abdicating-christianity-says-theologian/index.html)
Apart from a Bible College offering to train and produce Imams for the Moslem religion, another example of tolerance gone too far is the case at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, in Alexandria, Virginia which is currently allowing the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) to hold regular Friday prayers in its facility while their new mosque is under construction. [OneNewsNow (24th February)] – just like Heartsong Church near Memphis allowed members of the Memphis Islamic Center to hold Ramadan prayers in its building last September.
Alan Wisdom, of The Institute on Religion & Democracy (IRD), believes that while it is important for Christians to reach out and share the gospel with Muslims, God's house should not be used by those who do not accept Jesus. According to Wisdom: "Worship is a sacred thing. We dedicate our sanctuaries to the worship of Jesus Christ. It is not appropriate in a space that's dedicated to the worship of the Lord Jesus Christ to have prayers said based on the false prophecy of Mohammad," In closing, Wisdom contends. "And I would venture to say that I doubt that Muslims would allow us to pray in the name of Jesus Christ in a mosque that was dedicated to Islam." http://www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=1299800
Meanwhile, while undiscerning Church leaders are offering their facilities for the service of Islam, elsewhere Christian property are being confiscated and taken over by Islam. For instance, in Somalia, Islamists are right now busy confiscating land of Christians who dare attend Bible studies . According to the International Christian Concerns, eight farms have been confiscated since January 19. In another story from Somalia, a teenage girl, Nurta Mohamed Farah, who converted to Christianity from Islam was shot to death late last year. It was generally believed that the two unidentified men who shot her in the chest and head with a pistol were relatives or acting on relatives’ behest. For details please see http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/somalia/29407/

Commercial Bio-engineered fuel now feasible?

2011-03-28T19:33:00.000+01:00

A US biotechnology company, Joule Unlimited, says it has invented a genetically engineered organism that simply secretes diesel fuel or ethanol wherever it finds sunlight, water and carbon dioxide. The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company says it can manipulate the organism to produce the renewable fuels on demand at unprecedented rates, and can do it in facilities large and small at costs comparable to the cheapest fossil fuels.
What can it mean? “No less than ``energy independence'', Joule's website tells the world, even if the world's not quite convinced.
"If we're half right, this revolutionises the world's largest industry, which is the oil and gas industry." And if we're right, there's no reason why this technology can't change the world.''
Work to create fuel from solar energy has been done for decades, such as by making ethanol from corn or extracting fuel from algae. Philip Pienkos, scientist at National Renewable Energy Laboratory which is a competitor with Joules Unlimited, said Joule's technology is exciting but unproven, and their claims of efficiency are undercut by difficulties they could have just collecting the fuel their organism is producing. The reality will soon be demonstrated however as Joules breaks ground on a four-hectare demonstration facility this year. The company hopes to take off commercial operation within two years.[details at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110228/ap_on_re_us/us_growing_fuel]

Eastern mysticism creeps, settles, into the Church

2011-03-28T19:32:00.000+01:00

Not many children of God in Nigeria will be familiar with the terms “contemplative spirituality” or “spiritual formation”. Yet, increasingly many are being introduced into these concepts, without actually being aware of their origin, and quite importantly, their ultimate destination. A few others would have learnt “wonderful” aspects of these practices, after which they swallow the entire concept line, hook, and sinker – just as intended by the purveyors of these dangerous concepts. It is elementary that any deception worth its salt would be packaged within at least 90% innocuous and probably useful materials.
Christians of our generation owe the Lighthouse Trails Research (http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/) an immense gratitude for their painstaking efforts to clearly and patiently expose the great evil lurking behind the nice-sounding concepts of Contemplative spirituality. This massive and highly loaded site is set up specifically to alert the Church about the deadly threat creeping in into the Church from Eastern mysticism. As overall strategy, these new age gurus seek to draw Christians to occult practices rooted in Eastern mysticism under a veneer of Christian terminologies. The Bible talks about the devil turning himself to an angel of light in order to deceive! (2 Cor. 11:14)
What can be so dangerous about ‘meditation’? Of course the Bible encourages us to “meditate” on the word of God, and one doesn’t need a Gbile Akanni retreat to appreciate the spiritual value of ruminating over spiritual, and even every day, matters – as Isaac was reportedly doing while awaiting the arrival of Rebecca, as recorded in Genesis 24:63
The problem is that midway into such excursions into spiritual formation/contemplative spirituality, the definitions change! Furthermore, as people are encouraged to trust their “fresh experiences” more than “stale words of Scriptures”, key Christian doctrines become suddenly “non essentials” and disposable. The rest of the story is sadly all too common. We have cited several instances in previous editions of Church Arise! - with the key point being that this is the major route facilitating interfaithism and through which the predicted end-time apostasy is taking roots. Please try and meditate on this point!
Many Christians naively think that when folks from the Spiritual Formation movement speak of meditation, they are referring to the use of our minds to ruminate again and again over the gems in God’s infallible word. The truth of the matter however, is that new agers and mystics mean something quite opposite, teaching that meditation should involve shutting out the mind and entering a state called “the silence” – gateway to apparently limitless interaction with the spirit world. As explained by The Lighthouse, “the silence” is nothing other than the well-known “altered states of consciousness”. The Lighthouse further explains that “the premise of contemplative spirituality is pantheistic (God is all) and panentheistic (God is in all). Common terms used for this movement are "spiritual formation," "the silence," "the stillness," "ancient-wisdom," "spiritual disciplines," and many others.
The clear danger in entering altered states of consciousness (also achievable through many other means, including drugs, e.g. hallucinogenic “God’s tea” - see vol 8 No 1; or even microchip implant – see vol 13 no 5) has been discussed in previous editions of Church Arise!. Such a state effectively gives demonic entities opportunity to take over the mind of the deceived.[How these entities manifest depend on the background and expectations of the persons involved – as ufos/extra-terrestrial aliens, ‘angels of light’, counselors, spirit guides, ascended masters, dead relatives, etc – see vol 7 No 3]. Altered state of consciousness has attained an epidemic proportion in our generation and is on display in various situations – ranging from shamanism, various mediumistic possessions in ‘traditional’ religions (Sango, Osun, etc), through “spiritual churches” like Olumba’s Brotherhood of Star and Cross or TB Joshua’s Synagogue, etc; But evidently, the last bus stop this movement is headed for, is the Bible-believing Evangelical Church.
Hence, the need to sound again these rather unpalatable but very necessary alerts and warnings. Obviously, those that would be used by the devil to infiltrate the Church have to be respected and possibly idolized charismatic leaders. Otherwise, infiltration simply won’t work. However, infiltration and consequent apostasy in the Church during the end times, is a recurring theme not only in Bible prophecy (e.g. 2 Thess 2:3, 1 Jhn 2:18), but is a well-articulated strategy of the devil. The mystic and occult prophet Alice Bailey is considered the mother of the modern New Age Movement. She was the chief channeler for the demon Djwhal Khul, (the Tibetan Master), who dictated through her nearly 20 books. In the 1957 volume, The Externalisation of the Hierarchy. Djwhal Khul (through Alice Bailey) revealed the key strategies that the spiritual dark forces known as the “Hierarchy” hope to use to reveal or externalize themselves in the physical world.
One key strategy expressed is that the Christian Church would be infiltrated, and with its message modified, be transformed as an instrument for the Universal Religion of the 21st Century. According to Alice Bailey: “there will appear the Church Universal, and its definite outlines will appear towards the close of this century… the Christian church in its many branches can serve as a nucleus through which world illumination may be accomplished… the church as a teaching factor should take the great basic doctrines and (shattering the old forms in which they are expressed and held) show their true and inner spiritual significance. The prime work of the church is to teach, and teach ceaselessly, preserving the outer appearance in order to reach the many who are accustomed to church usages. Teachers must be trained; Bible knowledge must be spread; the sacraments must be mystically interpreted, and the power of the church to heal must be demonstrated.”(Alice Bailey, The Externalization of the Hierarchy, 1957, Lucis Publishing.) [Appendix A in One World Religion by Gary Kah]
All these we see unfolding all around us today, exactly as predicted!
In the United States (arguably still the spiritual capital of Biblical Christianity), the currently acknowledged most popular and most influential pastor is Rick Warren. Unfortunately, his utterances, associations, and deeds over the recent years (see past editions of CA!) fits perfectly the Pauline description of “seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” (2 Tim 3:13.)
John Lanagan of My Word Like Fire Ministries has recently compiled some key quotes from key leaders in Contemplative Prayers and Spiritual Formation; and he shows how these quotes and leaders are affirmed and endorsed unto the Evangelical Church.by Pastor Rick Warren We cite a few of these quotes:
First, Gary Thomas describes what exactly is meant by contemplative/centering prayer: “It is particularly difficult to describe this type of prayer in writing, as it is best taught in person. In general however, centering prayer works like this: Choose a word (Jesus or Father, for example) as a focus for contemplative prayer. Repeat the word silently in your mind for a set amount of time (say, twenty minutes) until your heart seems to be repeating the word by itself, just as naturally and involuntarily as breathing
Brennan Manning and Tricia Rhodes, other top notches, add some practical details. According to Manning in his best selling Ragamuffin Gospel: “[T]he first step in faith is to stop thinking about God at the time of prayer … simply return to listening to your sacred word. Gently return your mind to your sacred word.” (p. 212, 218)
And from Rhodes: “Take deep breaths, concentrating on relaxing your body. Establish a slow, rhythmic pattern. Breathe in God’s peace, and breathe out your stresses, distractions, and fears. Breathe in God’s love, forgiveness, and compassion, and breathe out your sins, failures, and frustrations. Make every effort to “stop the flow of talking going on within you—to slow it down until it comes to a halt.’” (emphasis added)
Contrasting these well-known age-long new age mystic practices with Biblical meditation, Lanagan explains: “In biblical meditation, a repetitive word or chant is never used, the mind never ceases being active, and there is never an altered state of consciousness. Thus, one does not enter what is known as the silence.” Check our previous link of eastern meditation to catholic and Islamic repetitive chants in Vol 9 No 3
Pastor Rick Warren obviously understands Biblical meditation, as he demonstrated in a recent attempt to blunt the growing criticism of his supports for eastern meditation. For example he said: “So when the Bible says meditate it’s not talking about zone-out in some psychic, New Age trance, or put your mind in neutral and contemplate your navel….” (see Lanagan’s article). But the problem is, even as Rick Warren is rightly describing biblical meditation with one side of his mouth, he also finds it necessary, due to a number of other considerations, to affirm and endorse those who spearhead new age meditation, with the other side of his mouth
For instance, of Gary Thomas (first cited above), Rick Warren states: “I think highly of his work … he tells them [readers] how they can make the most of their spiritual journeys. He places an emphasis on practical spiritual exercises.”. And concerning Tricia Rhodes book, Rick Warren writes: “This book is a quiet-time companion for those who hunger for a greater intimacy with God. It offers fresh insight into little understood aspects of prayer and introduces a step-by-step journey of learning contemplative prayer.” Manning’s Ragamuffin Gospel is listed on Rick Warren’s website, under “Must Read Books.” Lighthouse Trails points out that “It is this very book that reveals Manning’s true affinity with contemplative spirituality. In the back of the book Manning makes reference to Basil Pennington saying that Pennington’s methods will provide us with “a way of praying that leads to a deep living relationship with God.” However, Pennington doesn’t hide his believe that his prayer methods are based on Eastern mysticism. Advocating that Christians “should not hesitate to take the fruit of the age-old wisdom of the East and ‘capture’ it for Christ”, Pennington writes that “Indeed, those of us who are in ministry should make the necessary effort to acquaint ourselves with as many of these Eastern techniques as possible. Many Christians who take their prayer life seriously have been greatly helped by Yoga, Zen, TM and similar practices.( http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/pennington.htm).
And so, through such “a little-to-the-right, a little-to-the-left” panderings, Rick Warren manages to build fanatical supports on both sides of the divide. Especially from those who put “tolerance” and “unity” far above Truth and sound doctrine. This method is further demonstrated in recent weeks, by Rick Warren under his Daniel Plan. Here, to teach and mentor Christians on the supposedly secular subject of well living, Warren has engaged as resource persons, well known and outspoken New Age teachers who are guaranteed to bring in the subject of eastern mysticism into the business now and then in subtle or even not so subtle manner. It’s like asking Pastors William Kumuyi and Enoch Adeboye to come deliver a week-long mathematics seminar at a mosque; and pretending to believe the audience will somehow be left unexposed to Jesus Christ!
The dangers lurking behind Spiritual Formation, are best demonstrated by showing some of the “fruit” of Contemplative Prayer. As the Lord said, “By their fruits you shall know them”.
As shown by Lanagan, many of those who enter the silence frequently end up believing in pantheism or panentheism. (defined previously above) A prime example was Sue Monk Kidd who started off as a conservative Southern Baptist Sunday School teacher, but after being introduced to Thomas Merton, had her whole spiritual outlook changed. She eventually became a worshipper of the goddess Sophia, saying that God is even in excrement.”
Another famous example is contemplative spirituality practictioner, Miller who wrote in his book (Blue Like Jazz) “For me, the beginning of sharing my faith with people began by throwing out Christianity and embracing Christian spirituality, a nonpolitical mysterious system that can be experienced but not explained” (p. 115).
In his last book, father of spiritual formation, Henri Nouwen, writes: “Today I personally believe that while Jesus came to open the door to God’s house, all human beings can walk through that door, whether they know about Jesus or not. Today I see it as my call to help every person claim his or her own way to God.”—From Sabbatical Journey, page 51, 1998 Hardcover Edition
Leonard Sweet gives an apt summary of where the movement is headed for: “Mysticism, once cast to the sidelines of the Christian tradition, is now situated in postmodernist culture near the center.… In the words of one of the greatest theologians of the twentieth century, Jesuit philosopher of religion/dogmatist Karl Rahner, “The Christian of tomorrow will be a mystic, one who has experienced something, or he will be nothing.” [Mysticism] is metaphysics arrived at through mindbody experiences. Mysticism begins in experience; it ends in theology.” (Quantum Spirituality, p. 76).

PS: Most of these quotes above are taken from Ray Yungen’s book, A Time of Departing. and Faith Undone.by Roger Oakland These two books are highly recommended. They show clearly the destination anyone who delves into Spiritual Formation is headed for. The transformation won’t happen overnight, but the destination is sure.

LifeWay Stores Drops “Warning” Labels on Emergent Books –
Meanwhile according to a Christianity Today article, LifeWay Christian Stores (resource department for Southern Baptist Convention) has decided to discontinue its “Read with Discernment” labels program. In the program which began in 2007, readers are alerted that certain books they were about to buy may contain ideas, such as Spiritual Formation which are not mainstream Christianity. Lifeway now says the program ”have kind of become irrelevant”, but the truth is probably closer to the observation made by Lighthouse Trails. “We realize that for them to remove all contemplative aspects of their store, their shelves might be sparsely filled unless they turned to biblical publishers.” The problem with much of organized Christianity today is that the cost is too high and the loss financially too great to make these changes. But the eternal cost of NOT doing what is right is far greater, and the implications could be staggering (http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=5769)

EXHORTATION: A Tough Period Ahead - Jim Fletcher

2011-03-28T19:30:00.000+01:00

An Associated Press article the day Mubarak resigned under pressure quoted an Israeli official who said what everyone is thinking:
"We have a tough period ahead of us," Zvi Mazel, a former Israeli ambassador in Egypt, told Israel TV. "Iran and Turkey will consolidate positions against us. Forget about the former Egypt. Now it's a completely new reality, and it won't be easy."
It appears that Egypt will become an overt threat to Israel, with Iran and Turkey in the north providing same. The odds are good that other regimes in the region will fall, like Jordan. Suddenly, almost overnight, nightmare scenarios are falling into place.
But, my friends, we are not like the unbelievers. We know who is in control. In the literal end, we are going to God. He is the Master of the universe, and He is never surprised.
Let me be frank: I have problems just like you do, probably many of the same ones. I never remember seeing so much anxiety and almost crippling stress, both from people I know and just watching the news. Egypt’s disintegration certainly doesn’t help.
However…we must keep our eyes on the prize. What a magnificent time to be alive! I am watching the nefarious schemes of men who want to wrap the world in evil. Yet I am absolutely certain that our God is in complete control.
Israel is not going to disappear, you will not disappear, God’s word will never disappear. He has promised us over and over again….that He is the ultimate safety.
If he promised us individual peace and rest (Matthew 28 and elsewhere), and we see age-old prophecies being fulfilled now with the speed of a bullet train, can we make the decision to embrace joy? I am happy. As I see the dark shadows spread over the earth, I know that a bright and eternal morning is just ‘round the bend.
Let us pray for those poor souls in Egypt, who do not know truth. Let us pray for our leaders, that they also find discernment.
God is magnificent and majestic and in complete control. His word cannot and will not fail. We are going through a tough period, but it does have a period at the end of its sentence.
Jim Fletcher (jim@prophecymatters.com ) . http://www.raptureready.com/rap15.html

Executing the Chancellor’s Office

2011-02-07T10:06:00.000+01:00

A blind boy, named Thomas Drowry, suffered martyrdom at Gloucester. Dr Williams, then chancellor of Gloucester, ministered unto the boy such articles as are accustomed in such cases:
Chancellor: ‘Dost thou not believe that after the words of consecration spoken by the priest, there remaineth the very real body of Christ in the sacrament of the altar?’
To whom the blind boy answered, ‘No, that I do not.’
Chancellor: ‘Then thou art a heretic, and shalt be burned. But who hath taught thee this heresy?’
Thomas: ‘You, master chancellor’
Chancellor: ‘Where, I pray thee?’
Thomas: ‘Even in yonder place;’ pointing towards the pulpit.
Chancellor: ‘When did I teach thee so?’
Thomas: ‘When you preached a sermon to all men as well as to me upon the sacrament. You said, the sacrament was to be received spiritually by faith and not carnally and really, as the papists have heretofore taught.’
Chancellor: ‘Then do as I have done, and thou shalt live as I do, and escape burning.’
Thomas: ‘Though you can so easily dispense with yourself, and mock with God, the world, and your conscience, yet will I not so do.’
Chancellor: ‘Then God have mercy upon thee; for I will read the condemnation sentence against thee.
Thomas: ‘God’s will be fulfilled.’
The registrar being herewith somewhat moved, stood up, and said to the chancellor:
Registrar: ‘Fie for shame, man! Will you read the sentence against him, and condemn yourself? Away, away, and substitute some other to give sentence and judgment.’
Chancellor: ‘No, registrar, I will obey the law, and give sentence myself, according to mine office.’Gloucester, 1556.
From Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, by John Foxe. WhitakerHouse, (1981 edition) pg 400 – 401.

Advent of First Quantum Machine brings Teleportation closer

2011-02-07T10:05:00.000+01:00

For many folks, outside official science, teleportation – or cutting corners through space, is not really a strange phenomenon. Ranging from stories about holes in space around the famous Bermuda triangle; or first-hand stories about people who use some regulated technology to teleport themselves over long distances (known as Teleporter - Egbe in Yoruba language); or the experience of the evangelist Philip as recorded in the Bible (Acts 7:39-40), teleportation is a concept – accepted not just in the star war movies, but in real life.
The first steps (classified experiments excepted, that is), in making teleportation available scientifically seems to have been taken with the building of the first quantum machine by physicists at the University of California Santa Barbara. By putting their device, a tiny metal paddle into two different quantum states at the same time, Physicists Andrew Cleland and John Martinis together with other colleagues demonstrated what some interprete as the existence of a parallel universe. Which is just some model for explaining the space we live in.
"When you observe something in one state, one theory is it split the universe into two parts," Cleland told FoxNews.com at the time, trying to explain how there can be multiple universes and we can see only one of them.
News writer for Science magazine, Adrian Cho believes that the development opens up, on a practical level, “a variety of possibilities ranging from new experiments that meld quantum control over light, electrical currents and motion to, perhaps someday, tests of the bounds of quantum mechanics and our sense of reality." And, conceivably, we might be seeing the foundation of scientific use of teleportation and even time travel, someday. The Science magazine has labeled the development as the most significant scientific advance of 2010. http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/12/17/beam-teleportation-years-biggest-breakthrough/

Abracadabra: How global warming “explains” current coolings!

2011-02-07T10:03:00.002+01:00

With the spates of recent chilling weather, especially in Europe and North America, proponents of man-made global warming are conjuring up new bizarre explanations to prop up their pet and very expensive theory. The latest ace from their sleeves was launched at Christmas time from one of the major platforms pushing their false gospel – the New York time. The opinion-ed written by Dr Judah Cohen,(introduced as “ the director of seasonal forecasting at an atmospheric and environmental research firm”) took off by attempting to put as mere “feelings” all the undeniable record level cold weather being observed; and that in truth the earth continues to get warmer. In Dr Cohen’s words: “THE earth continues to get warmer, yet it’s feeling a lot colder outside. Over the past few weeks, subzero temperatures in Poland claimed 66 lives; snow arrived in Seattle well before the winter solstice, and fell heavily enough in Minneapolis to make the roof of the Metrodome collapse; and last week blizzards closed Europe’s busiest airports in London and Frankfurt for days, stranding holiday travelers. The snow and record cold have invaded the Eastern United States, with more bad weather predicted.” (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/opinion/26cohen.html?_r=3&ref=opinion#h[])

Yet, in the opinion of this supposedly learned environmental jauggernut, (who is also, an associate editor of a peer-review journal on climates), all these chills are actually due to global warming. He patiently tries to explain: “As global temperatures have warmed and as Arctic sea ice has melted over the past two and a half decades, more moisture has become available to fall as snow over the continents. So the snow cover across Siberia in the fall has steadily increased “
So the culprits is moisture generated as a result of heating of the planet by man’s action. However, as pointed out by FrontPageMagazine, it is interesting that global warming folks could be falling back to pronounce water as a major contributor to global warming, for they have always, and still do, deny that water has any substantial role to play in global warming issues. However, apparently to wriggle out of a desperate situation, it is allowed to cling at whatever straw is available, and now carbon-dioxide, even if temporarily, has another competitor in determining the ambient temperature on planet earth. (http://frontpagemag.com/2010/12/29/when-cooling-becomes-warming/)

With this latest abracadabra explanations from Dr cohen, it is clear that global warming alarmists can always explain any observation to suit their doctrine. But the real test of scientific models is not so much about explaining existing data, but making predictions that could be verified. The fact of the matter is that the current chilling climate is totally at variance with the predictions of a mild, unseasonably warm winter this year.by official government forecasters ( who base their predictions on the Nobel-prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change model).As mentioned by Dr Cohen in his article, the British government is actually demanding an explanation from the UK Meteorological Office on the situation, which failed to forewarn of the current situation of a winter close to being the chilliest in nearly 1,000 years . FrontPageMag, contrasted this abject failure of the global warming mafia with the bulls-eyes prediction by maverick British meteorologist, Piers Corbyn,who forewarned of a bone-chilling winter. Like most scientists not restrained by official muzzles, Dr Corbyn believes that solar activity, (and also moisture) is the most important climate driver of all.
Despite a nearly unanimous condemnation of global warming hysteria – as reflected by blog comments from all over the world; and the official documentation of the position of thousands of credential scientists who disagree with the principles used to prop up man-made global warming claims (see, eg. Vol 13 No 2), the official scientific position still remains that mankind is warming up the planet. And this forms the basis for policies by the UN and its agencies. These policies are very costly in their demands which seek, eventually, to subjugate the peoples of the world unto a central control – a control which could more easily facilitate the rise of an antichrist figure.

Because of the very high stakes involved, official scientists are expected to fall in line, and “rebels” are viciously dealt with. A latest example is the summary dismissal of Dr Gavriel Avital from his position as the Chief Scientist of Israel’s education ministry. In announcing the dismissal, Education Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, explained that Dr Avital was dismissed over his statements denying the “fundamental tenets of science”—evolution and anthropogenic global warming. Somewhere, Dr Avital had written: “..Part of my responsibility, in light of my position with the Education Ministry, is to examine textbooks and curricula. If they keep writing in textbooks that the Earth is growing warmer because of carbon dioxide emissions, I'll insist that isn't the case” . See http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/oct/06/israel-scientist-sacked-evolution-climate for details and other quotes by Dr Avital.

Cash and Currency in the end times

2011-02-07T09:59:00.002+01:00

A recent article, on The Economic Collapse blog has noted that the death of cash is indeed inevitable, as governments all over the world are creating more and more hurdles to render large cash transactions unattractive. (http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/the-death-of-cash-all-over-the-world-governments-are-banning-large-cash-transactions)
A visit to any Nigerian bank will show notices announcing financial regulations that make it mandatory that certain “qualifying transactions” be routinely reported to the Central Bank. Of course, it is such reporting that has helped tremendously in the work of the EFCC and other security agencies. For instance, the solid leads facilitating the current incarceration of Charles Okah with respect to the Independence-day Bomb Blast were made possible by the availability of fastidious records of movement of monies. Such records are made possible as cash transactions between individuals become more and more obsolete and people are forced to use the bank or some regulated means such as credit cards.
Nigeria is only just starting off, and is obviously being goaded along by countries like the USA. In America, unconfirmed sources have it that bank notes are no longer being printed in denominations higher than $100.00 - automatically limiting how much can be conveniently carried around. Moreover, as obvserved by Economic Collapse blog,, the US government has also “burdened large cash transactions with some heavy-duty reporting requirements.”
One of such requirements, not just for banks but for individuals, requires that any individual who receives over $10,000 in cash in a single business transaction, or related transactions within a 12-month period, MUST report the buyer to the Internal Revenue Service. Jeff Schnepper mentioned the case of one of his clients who got too busy to report a qualifying transaction, and actually (together with some of his children who work with him) did jail term for the negligence! That wasn’t just a one rare event though. As cited by Schnepper, “In fiscal 2004, the Internal Revenue Service initiated 1,789 criminal investigations. There were 1,304 indictments and 687 convictions -- and an 89.1% incarceration rate. The average sentence: 63 months.” (http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Taxes/P69839.asp).
More and more governments are actually putting limits on how much cash can be legally exchanged between individuals. In Greece, starting from January 1, 2011, all cash transactions “above 1,500 euros between natural persons” are no longer legal. According to Greek Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou , “Transactions will have to be done through debit or credit cards" (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE61824V20100209).
The bars are a little higher in Italy (5,000 euros) and Mexico ($7,700) where similar bans are being considered. In Mexico, violators of the specified limit for cash transactions (on real estate, vehicles, boats, airplanes and luxury goods) would face up to 15 years in prison. (http://www.zerohedge.com/article/italy-banning-cash-transactions-over-%E2%82%AC5000-latest-european-austerity-package-revealed, http://www.presstv.ir/detail/140267.html)
The ostensible reasons for these laws vary from country to country. The main reason (e.g Greece, and Italy) however is to ensure that all taxes are efficiently collected as part of new austerity measures to rescue the economy. Another important stated reason is the need to curtail mafias, drug cartels, and other money launderers. In the US, it is part of the war against terrorism; and has already mentioned, in Nigeria, such requirements are one major tool crime fighting agencies rely on.
However the big reason (or at least, inevitable result) is often left unstated: Control. It’s a matter of time that people accept the restrictions, and even the smallest transactions would have to be made cashless. By then the populace would have gotten used to the convenience of cashless transactions to complain too loudly about any inconveniences in privacy matters – or such little things as loss of the pleasure of physically counting out money to your child or ward, for small expenses! However, attending this development would be the reality that every transaction would be traced (with records of people involved, locations, time, spending patterns, etc being stored up in massive computer systems). Furthermore, e-transactions could be voided or blocked. This would facilitate absolute control of the world.
To further smoothen the operations of a cashless society, it is inevitable also that a common global currency be devised. This will ease e-transactions and solve the problem of fluctuations of exchange rates, among other benefits. It will further put an end to the current troublesome issue of some countries using devaluation of their currency to solve economic problems and creating problems for their trading partners. As pointed out by Brazilian Finance Minister in 2008, (AFP, Sept 28 2008) the world is in the grip of a currency "war", with leading nations using devaluation to solve economic problems. Examples include Japan, South Korea and Taiwan who had to pull down the value of their currencies to solve economic problems; and on-going tension between the United States and China over the value of the yuan (see http://topics.breitbart.com/ )
Concretizing this proposal is the International Monetary Fund in a report published on April 13, 2010, suggesting that the U.S. dollar be replaced by the "bancor" as the world's reserve currency (http://www.imf.org/external/np/pp/eng/2010/041310.pdf). The name "Bancor" was suggested by John Maynard Keynes, the British economist who headed the World Banking Commission that created the IMF during the Breton Woods negotiations, which preceded the United Nations. As is being proposed by the IMF, the bancor would be issued by a new global central bank that would have the authority to levy taxes for various infractions.
Henry Lamb expatiates on this blatant advocacy for global governance:
“The people who believe the world should be governed by a global authority have been working toward this goal for more than a century. They are relentless; they are driven; they are convinced that they know best how people should live. They believe that all nations and all societies should be controlled by an elite, benevolent intelligentsia that can ensure social justice by enforcing what has now become known as sustainable development. These people are closer to achieving their goal than at any previous time in history.” “http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.printable&pageId=193741
In conclusion, the prevailing socio-economic conditions in the world are literally compelling the move towards a cashless society and a centralized global economy. While many device means of stopping this inevitable development, we think it probably will be more profitable to appreciate exactly what this development portends and how best to respond to it. The important question is: how was it possible that a prophet could, two thousand years ago, accurately predict the situation we see emerging today. (Rev 13:15-17). The prophets call the season to be characterized by these developments as the end times. All these increased control of every segment of society will eventually pave way for an absolute dictator, benevolent to be sure at the beginning of his reign. The Bible describes him as the antichrist. Thank God, Bible makes clear how to prepare well for these inevitable developments, probably right upon us at this moment. (Dan. 11:32-33, Jhn 14:1ff)?

In the US, Murderous abortion doctor docked

2011-02-07T09:56:00.001+01:00

In the United States, a West Philadelphia abortion doctor, 69 years old Dr. Kermit Gosnell, has been charged with third degree murder for the death of 41-year-old Karnamaya Mongar who overdosed on anesthetics prescribed by Gosnell. The abortion doctor also faces murder charges for the deaths of seven babies who were killed with scissors after being born "viable and alive" during the sixth, seventh and eighth month of pregnancy. It is estimated that “uncounted hundreds more babies” have died in the clinic. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110123/ap_on_re_us/us_abortion_clinic_investigation)
Obviously the “new sexuality” apostles are not happy with such bad publicity and are working overtime to confuse the issues. For instance, Gosnell is a black doctor, but he operates a separate, better facility for white patients - who were more likely to file malpractice claims. Is it that claims by black women do not usually attract the headlines? Is this case, rather than pointing out the evil of non-medically indicated abortion, a call for government to pour more money into providing “safer” abortions for those who claim the right to do whatever they wished with their bodies? The District Attorney Seth Williams would not allow himself to be distracted however.
"I am aware that abortion is a hot-button topic," said Williams. "But as District Attorney, my job is to carry out the law. A doctor who knowingly and systematically mistreats female patients, to the point that one of them dies in his so-called care, commits murder under the law. A doctor who cuts into the necks severing the spinal cords of living, breathing babies, who would survive with proper medical attention, is committing murder under the law." http://www.christianforums.net/f15/w-phila-abortion-doc-killed-woman-7-infants-33665/)
The investigation began February 2010 when police received tips that Gosnell was illegally selling thousands of oxycontin prescriptions to "patients" he had never examined. This practice alone is estimated to have netter Gosnell, at least $1.8 million a year, much of it in cash. According to The Philadelphia Daily News, during a search in Dr Gosnell’s clinic, “FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration agents found abhorrent conditions, which included jars packed with severed baby feet lining the shelves; bags and bottles of aborted fetuses scattered throughout the office; bloodstained furniture and floors; and unlicensed employees who regularly injected sedatives into women having illegal, late-term abortions..” Does this make someone to wonder, if all these can happen in the United States, what conditions are likely to be in the numerous abortion clinics dotting the land in Nigeria?

When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the Earth?

2011-02-07T09:54:00.001+01:00

The answer to the above poser by the Lord (Luke 18:8) seems, increasingly, to be in the negative, at least in the UK. Not only are worldviews such as atheism, humanism, and paganism, gaining ascendancy in the country, the disintegrations in the official Church of England is continuing, seemingly unabated.
An example of the first situation is the recent elevation of Druidry to the level of an officially recognized religion in the country. By the concurrence of the Charity Commission that druids' worship of natural spirits could be seen as religious activity, the Druid Network now qualifies for a charitable status, entitled to tax breaks; and probably may soon be clamouring for public holidays – as witches and wiccans are already demanding in the United States.
The BBC explains that “Druidry's followers are not restricted to one god or creator, but worship the spirit they believe inhabits the earth and forces of nature such as thunder. Druids also worship the spirits of places, such as mountains and rivers, with rituals focused particularly on the turning of the seasons.” It further observed that “with concern for the environment growing and the influence of mainstream faiths waning, druidry is flourishing more now than at any time since the arrival of Christianity.” http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11457795.
As for the rest of the Church of England in the Church, disagreements over the issue of female Bishops is driving multitudes into Roman Catholicism, where the Pope has introduced a special structure, the Ordinariate to absorb defecting Anglican clergy. As reported by the London Daily Telegraph, (Nov 18, 2010) fifty Anglican clergy, including 5 Bishops, are to be formally received into Catholicism, early 2011. The Times religious affairs correspondent Ruth Gledhill told the BBC the announcement
could prompt "hundreds, possibly thousands" of lay ministers to follow the bishops' example. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11709148 .
Already, an Anglican parish in Southeast England, St Peter’s at Folkestone, has decided to leave en masse, the church of England and become Roman catholic. [http://www.pres-outlook.com/news-and-analysis/1/10570.html]
It is believed that the majority of “Anglo-Catholics” are waiting until 2012 to see whether or not the church will conclusively pass the legislation which will allow women to be consecrated. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/8131063/Catholic-Church-to-welcome-50-Anglican-clergy.html. A group of such “Anglo-Catholics” Forward in Faith, currently claims to have
at least 800 priests among its members [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11709148]
In the meantime, for the first time ever, representatives of secularist, atheist and masonic organisations in Europe had discussions with the leaders of the European Union's three main institutions on Friday 15th October, 2010. The summit with the "philosophical non-confessional organisations" was seen as a necessary secular counterpart to the summits the three institutions are now obliged by the Lisbon Treaty to regularly have with religious leaders. http://euobserver.com/843/31066

Turning God’s grace into lasciviousness - at Grace Cathedral

2011-02-07T09:53:00.000+01:00

Dr Jane Alison Shaw was installed the eighth dean of Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill, San Francisco, USA on Nov. 6. This appointment is historic not only by the fact that Jane Shaw became the first woman to lead the 161 years old cathedral, but she also became the cathedral's first openly gay dean. As observed by the bishop of the Diocese of California, The Rev. Marc Handley Andrus, the elevation of the openly-practicing lesbian to lead one of the denomination's most prominent churches is "a signal moment."
As usual, the justification for embracing the sinful enslaving practice of homosexuality has been “grace”, “tolerance”, and “love” As further explained by the bishop, "We seek to be a house of prayer for all people." http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/24/us/24bcjames.html

Anglican Church calls for justice on Cathedral sacked by Traditionalists in Ondo state.

2011-02-07T09:52:00.000+01:00

Four months after the Ebenezer Cathedral at Ilutitun-Osooro in Okitipupa Local government area of Ondo state was sacked by traditionalists celebrating the Iwo festival, the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, is requesting the intervention of both the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, and the Ondo State Government to investigate the incident. According to the Punch (29/11/2010), the Bishop of the Diocese of the Coast, Rt. Rev. Joshua Ogunele, wants government to investigate in particular, the role played by the Majuwa of Ilu-Titun, Oba Ernest Idepefo, in the incident which resulted in damages to the tune of N25m.
During the incident that happened on Saturday July 31, 2010, a church programme had coincided with the annual traditional worship of the Ominele deity. The problem is that the traditionalists ascribe to themselves the power to impose a stay-at-home order on all women and children – presumably to ensure the potency of their deals with the local slave-driver, the Ominele deity.
Irked by the Church’s decision to hold a parallel open activity on a day supposedly dedicated to Ominele, the traditionalists resorted to their trademark – physical violence. Rev Ogunele described the situation:
“Hell was let loose around 4.30pm when some fierce-looking youths numbering about 500, armed with machetes, guns, axes, used tyres, petrol and other dangerous weapons stormed the church premises while the service had barely started.”
“They destroyed the cathedral’s expensive tinted glasses , vandalised three cars, destroyed four residential buildings, removed the church’s valuable property and stole N98,000 in one of the residential quarters.”
Rev Ogunele said despite reporting the matter to the police and the state government, none of the perpetrators had been prosecuted.
The traditionalists neither denied the story nor showed any remorse. Rather, the head of the traditionalists, Chief Adedeji Iwere, attempted to justify the action by wondering why “…of the over 30 churches in Ilu-Titun only the Anglican Church defied the order that women and children should stay indoors during the festival.”
He sent his own appeal that the state should protect the local deities from “the ignorance of these Christians, who think they can teach us new ways of doing things.”
What a way to justify attacking people on their own property, for not subscribing to the instructions of a god they do not serve! If the government prefers to turn blind eyes to the problem, it should be aware that another July is just ahead, with the possibility of another showdown.

Pakistani Christian woman faces death for blasphemy

2011-02-07T09:50:00.001+01:00

In vol 13 no 3, we reported the cruel murder of a Pakistani Christian housewife Razia Jamshed and her four children on the allegation that they had blasphemed the Islamic prophet. In the same edition, we also reported another story, also from Pakistan, of two Christian evangelists also accused of blasphemy, who were shot dead by Islamic zealots, even while in police custody.
The gravity of the situation with Asia Bibi, another Pakistani Christian now sentenced to death by hanging under the same blasphemy laws, can then be imagined. Despite pleas by Asia’s husband that she was framed up only to settle old scores, and a government’s panel of inquiry apparently exonerating her of any wrong doing, she apparently is receiving little sympathy from her blood-thirsty compatriots.
International pressure has been tremendous, requesting the government of Pakistan to overturn the verdict and amend the country’s blasphemy laws; but it would require nothing short of divine intervention to secure Asia’s release. This is because hard-line Islamic groups are threatening fire and brimstone if she is released. This is no idle threat. There have been large-scale riots and demonstrations demanding that the blasphemy law must not be touched (http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/12/anti-human-rights-riots-in-pakistan-during-nationwide-strike-to-uphold-blasphemy-law.html); and on January 4 no less a personality than the governor of Punjab province, Salman Taseer, was machine-gunned dead by one of his own moslem security details – for his asking pardon for Asia Bibi, and for his comments which were deemed unfavourable to the existing blasphemy law! (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12111831)
One of the hardliners is Maulana Yousef Qureshi. This supposed holy man of God is insisting that the illiterate mother of four, Asia, must be killed by all means. Just in case the government upturns the death verdict, Qureshi is offering $6,000 to any person who kills Asia Bibi. "We expect her to be hanged and if she is not hanged then we will ask mujahideen and Taliban to kill her" Qureshi boasted.
Bibi’s husband, 48-year-old Ashiq Masih, has gone into hiding, along with his children, sheltered inside a Christian colony.

Churches raided, Pastor and members killed by Jihadists at Borno.

2011-02-07T09:49:00.000+01:00

Rev Bulus Marwa, and five members of his congregation at the Victory Baptist Church, Dala Alemderi, Maiduguri, were killed when the Church was attacked on Christmas eve by an Allahu akbar chanting mob of about 30. Despite clear advance information that Jihadists were set to attack churches in Maiduguri, in order to create the impression of an inter-religious fight (as part of making the nation ungovernable, apparently), the dastard act was still carried out. According to a survivor, the mob “hacked…two choir members using knives and petrol bomb before heading to the pastor’s residence, where he was killed.”
Also attacked was the Church of Christ in Nigeria in Sinimari, Maiduguri, where a sixty-year old security guard, Philip Sopso, was killed. All these happened around 7.30 pm on Christmas eve, even as the bombs were rocking Jos, decimating Christians.
In an interview with the Vanguard (December 26th) , Borno Police Commissioner, Mohammed Abubakar, said the armed sect members could have been arrested, if the Divisional Police Officers, DPOs had heeded his warnings on the planned attacks, and that the police divisions had enough patrol vehicles to have prevented the Christmas killings. Is the Police Commissioner admitting he can’t control the DPOs under him?
A bewildered governor Ali Modu Sheriff blurted out: “I have told the security services that they should do everything possible to secure all churches in Maiduguri….” With “everything possible” having failed to protect the lives of threatened law-abiding citizens, isn’t that an admission of failure by the Sharia-embracing government of Borno state? According to the governor, “I have given all that is necessary to see that my Christian brothers and sisters have a hitch-free Christmas but I don’t know what went wrong…” According to the plan of action personally supervised by the governor himself, following the inundation of the state with the plan by Bokos Haram to attack some Churches, more soldiers were deployed in the state and every church was supposed to be manned by security forces. Whatever happened to the soldiers deployed to the Victory Baptist Church!

End year Islamic rampage on Christians – Egypt, Indonesia, Nigeria

2011-02-07T09:47:00.004+01:00

It was not only in Nigeria that Islamic goons (whether working their own agenda, or as handy tools for others) set out to bring sorrow into the lives of many christian families.
Particularly attracting global attention was the massacre of Egyptian Coptic Christians at the Saints Church, Alexandria where 21 worshippers were instantly killed 30 minutes into the new year following a suicide bombing incident by Islamic hard-liners. The service had just ended, and the about 1,000 worshippers were felicitating with one another when the bomb went off, sending body parts in different directions and leaving blood spluttered on the walls.
When Christians staged demonstrations in at least three cities to protest what they see as the government's failure to protect their community, the police moved quickly to break up the gatherings. In Egypt, protesting against the government can be a very risky venture, no matter how good one’s course may be. Earlier in November, at least four people were killed when Egyptian state security forces unleashed volley of live ammunition on unarmed Coptic protesters, who were alleged to be converting illegally a warehouse into a worship center. They were later smoked out of that “illegal worship centre” by tear gas, leading to the suffocation of a four-year old.(http://article.wn.com/view/2011/01/27/Protester_shot_in_Egypt_protest_Extra/) Incidentally, live ammunition were also used by members of the Jos Joint Task Force on Security on protesting women who were insisting that the JTF was siding with moslems against Christians in the execution of their security mandate. At least six women were reportedly wounded by the action
Bombing of Christians began early in December with a series of bomb attacks on Christian places of worship in Indonesia. www.asianews.lt/news-en/Bomb-in-Central-Java,-Archbishop-calls-for-calm-20211.html. The attacks by muslim hard-liners featured grenades, home-made bombs, and letter bombs. The series of bomb explosions were followed by forced evictions of house churches – carried out by muslim mobs. Barnabas Aid (on 21 Dec. 2010) reported that more than 100 christians were forced to flee house church gatherings by a 200-strong mob of angry Muslim extremists in Java. The government in this country with the largest muslim population in the world, refuses to provide land for church buildings; and when muslim extremists take it upon themselves to evict Christian people praying in their private homes, the police say they can’t intervene. The rioters, police sa,y had official permit for their ‘protests’, whereas the Christians don’t have any authorization to be using their homes for worship. Case close! (http://barnabasfund.org/US/News/Archives/Indonesian-churches-under-attack.html).

Reactions from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)

2011-02-07T09:47:00.001+01:00

Expectedly, the Northern CAN was one of the first groups to lament the bomb blasts. The body called “on every Christian in the North never again to watch helplessly, while these agents of Satan expand their network of terror on innocent citizens.” In a statement signed by the Northern CAN Chairman, Reverend Peter Jatau, and Secretary-General Elder Saidu Dogo, the body urged that the government must muster the courage to arrest all individuals and groups who are suspected to be involved in the acts. (Nigerian Compass, 30th Dec. 2010).
Reacting in a similar manner, the national body of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) observed, as reported by the Guardian, that “the explosions came so soon at a time of throwing political invectives by the country’s political actors in bids for political power. “ In a statement credited to her Secretary-General in Kaduna State, Rev. Joseph Hayab, the CAN noted that “There is no smoke without fire and the cause and effect relationship between such comments must be investigated thoroughly.”
The CAN further observed that: “Common sense will dictate that with the heavy presence of both uniformed and plain security operatives in [Plateau] state such movement [of bomb materials] cannot go undetected. That it went ‘undetected’ means that there is some collusion between the security agents and the perpetrators….Security agencies must convince Nigerians that there is no security lapses or they are not shielding sacred cows.” Concluding, the CAN said: “And these explosions must be investigated and the culprits brought to book no matter how lowly or highly placed they may be.” (Guardian Dec 26)
In his personal statements, CAN national president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor called on the Christian community to remain calm to avoid playing into the hands of people who were out to destabilise the nation for their selfish designs. He spoke the obvious when “he alleged that certain powerful individuals in the society had perfected plans to destabilise the nation’s polity by provoking the Christian community to reaction and cause chaos and in the aftermath of the chaos make the country ungovernable.” Pastor Ayo said he was still making efforts to reach President Jonathan on how best to deal with the matter and assuage the victims of the bomb blasts by way of “adequate compensation.” Whatever that would mean!

NIGERIA: Travails of national re-birth

2011-02-07T09:45:00.000+01:00

Days after a prominent presidential aspirant threatened to make the country ungovernable, the nation rocked with a new series of bomb blasts, causing massive losses of innocent lives. Over a hundred lives were lost in the first set of multiple explosions in Jos, on Christmas eve, with the bombs strategically located in Christian areas or church precincts. Security operatives quickly determined that the bombing, though obviously directed at Christians, was completely different in execution from the previous methodologies used by Moslems to attack Christians in the region. (Compass Dec 27). Amidst the wailings and the tears, discerning Christian leaders also called for restraints from their followers. The Christian Association of Nigeria particularly urged Christians to be extra vigilant and be prepared to defend themselves, but warned against “reprisals”.
Perhaps the masterminds of the bombs were disappointed that the anticipated massive retaliatory attacks by Christians on Moslems (in the religious battleground that Jos had virtually been turned to), were not forthcoming as expected. They would not give in that easily though. More bombs were detonated a week later on the new year eve, at the Federal Capital, Abuja, causing more losses of lives. This time, it was the Nigerian military that the bomb blasters obviously sought to instigate into violence, as the major blasts targeted a “mammy market” adjacent to a military cantonment. Yet again, the conflagration the unpatriotic villains sought for, failed to materialize as an outraged nation nevertheless took the developments calmly. In utter desperation, the barbarians started to slaughter Igbo traders at Jos (http://www.republicreport.com/jos-killing-fields-a-descent-to-lawlessness-written-by-jude-owuamanam/), banking on the restive N’digbo spirit to retaliate. Again, by divine restraints, no such counter bloodshed of innocent Hausa lives as anticipated, occurred in the South East. And the enemy had come to their wit’s end.
We believe that Nigeria’s march into national re-birth is firmly on course; as indicated, ironically it may appear, by all these developments.
The chief threat-maker in question, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, had warned that by insisting on contesting the 2011 elections, President Goodluck Jonathan was making peaceful change of government impossible, and therefore making violent change inevitable. When accusing fingers were naturally pointed out at him following the spates of bombing, Alhaji Abubakar indignantly wondered why “eminent Nigerians” should be thought of capable of instigating such monstrous acts, which he eloquently condemned. His earlier threats apart, however, the question is, who else but “eminent Nigerians” could have the capacity for executing such actions?
Unlike the independence day bomb blast which was claimed by people operating on a socio-political platform, a previously unknown Islamic group going by the name Jama'atu ahlus-Sunnah Lidda'awati wal Jihad, quickly set up a website, claiming responsibility for the end-of-the-year blasts. It wasn’t long before minutes of a meeting by the Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI) held in Bauchi on 13th July 2010 came to the attention of security personnel.
Part of the minutes reads: "Sheikh Sani Yahaya JIBWIS on behalf of the JNI Chairman presented the challenges and the maltreatment against the religion of Allah by the Plateau State Government, the Berom Nation as well as the entire Christians.” And the resolutions? "Muslims in the state shall ensure that a few months before the general elections, Jihad will be declared in the state, which cannot be controlled even by security agencies, with great slaughter and massacre, which the Federal Government will have no option than to declare a State of Emergency in Plateau."
Clearly, the politicians who would make the country ungovernable have found ready tools in the jihadists. The wonder of it all is that, despite all the abundant clues to these no-brainer crimes, no one is yet being prosecuted! Even after some would-be bombers have been incapacitated by their own bombs and arrested, apparently they still can’t be arraigned. One of such incidents occurred at the Orientation Islamic Secondary School in Barakin Ladi, where an unidentified man was seriously injured and hospitalized while preparing bomb materials. Local residents had earlier reported to the police that some Islamic sect members were preparing bombs to attack them. At the scene, the police commissioner Mr. Abdulrahman Akano told newsmen: "We are investigating the man because his claims of mixing chemicals [for academic purpose] are not enough to explain what we saw." Later on however, (and as at the present time), the story seems to have changed; and oh, the unidentified Mallam could have indeed been just an innocent school teacher doing chemistry practicals! In another incident that offered clues on a platter of gold, as affirmed by Mr Bitus Kase, the member of the House of Representatives representing Jos East/Jos South Federal Constituency, the commissioner of police was transferred soon after a Fulani man was caught in Bassa Local Government Area with devices (The Sun, Dec 28, 2010). Bombs were not planted by ghosts, Mr Kase insisted.
We urge Mr President to resist the temptation and pressure to politicize these dastard crimes, for example by granting unofficial amnesty in exchange for political supports by any of the sponsors of these heinous acts. Nigeria’s march to true nationhood is on course, and these desperate evil bombers clearly have no glorious role assigned to them by the God of heaven in the matter. Goodluck Jonathan has assured Nigerians that the evil perpetrators would be fished out and punished. We pray that the Lord will grant the President’s prayer point he raised at the Redemption Camp during the last Holy Ghost Congress: for courage to do the right thing.

Website Review: The Star of Bethlehem (http://www.bethlehemstar.net/)

2011-02-07T09:42:00.001+01:00

On this very impressive site, Frederick A. Larson presents a convincing insight into the nature of heavenly bodies, and without necessarily quarreling with prevailing scientific explanations of their nature and purpose, shows irrefutably that the God of the Bible has a full control on their courses.
Harnessing the power of modern computers, plus the well-established detailed mathematics of Kepler, it is now possible to simulate how exactly the skies above a particular location on earth will look at any time, making possible accurate predictions of what future eclipses, comets tracks, and other interesting conjunctions will look like at a particular location at any given time. Well, the same tools can of course be used to re-enact how the skies looked like at some particular time (date, hour) in the past. This is exactly what Prof Larson has done and presented on his site, and an accompanying DVD.
What was the star the magi saw arising from the east, and how did it suggest to them that a Jewish king was being born? On the way from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, the magi saw the star again, and it actually seemed to hover at a particular time, helping to confirm the identity of the location of the baby Jesus. Incredibly, all these are exactly how the planet Jupiter, the moon, the star Regulus the constellations of Leo - among other heavenly bodies - are programmed to move in the year 2 -3 BC, confirming the incredible power and wisdom of God who has set the stars above as signs and for marking seasons (Gen 1:14). It is literally mind-blowing to imagine that from the precise moment that the Lord flung the planets and other heavenly bodies into space with their predetermined orbits and speeds, they have been determined to make (based strictly on their natural courses) the unique, peculiar moves seen in the middle Eastern skies in the year 2-3 BC, precisely marking the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Little surprising to find other clear evidences in the skies, of an intense total solar eclipse, and the moon turning blood red as the Lord Jesus yielded His spirit for mankind on third April 33 AD. Log on to
http://www.bethlehemstar.net/ for a journey that will give you a new view of Christmas, the physical universe, and the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. [Please note, we do not necessarily endorse every opinion expressed in external sites]

Jubilee on a Blast

2010-11-08T04:37:00.000+01:00

Amidst what is now being dubbed the “Independence Bomb Blast (IBB)”, the 50th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence was nevertheless celebrated on October 1!
Forces opposed to the celebrations had gotten so desperate that they sent warnings to the government, about a week to the event, demanding that the celebrations be cancelled else, hell would be let loose. The warnings, sent by email, in the name of MEND (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta) claimed the developmental issues in the Niger Delta have still not been addressed and therefore no celebrations would be allowed. Of course, it is most strange that such an issue would be pressed so strongly now that an indigene of the Niger Delta, by sheer divine arrangement, is in the saddle of the nation’s affairs – and is poised to remain in that position with the approaching elections.
In any case, President GEJ dared the faceless MEND and continued with the celebrations. Finding the security at the Eagle’s Square too tight, the bomb blasters detonated two or three bombs about a kilometer away, at the cars parked along the roadside. About a dozen innocent Nigerians, mostly security personnel, died in the blasts.
Matters have clearly now come to a head, and the bomb blasters have probably bitten more than they intended to chew. Apparently, their calculation was that, if there were to be any blasts at all (i.e if the celebrations were not curtailed), no lives would be lost and then, going by the response of Nigerians to recent past bomb explosions, the matter would simply die a natural death without any investigations. In this case however, they have gone too far. A number of people are currently standing trials, both in Nigeria and in South Africa. And they are not being treated as freedom fighters at all, but rather, as the common cheap criminals they certainly are.
Going by the arrests made so far, (and the responses elicited) It is becoming clear that this “MEND” has virtually no presence or sympathy in the Niger Delta but is mainly built around a few individuals within and outside Nigeria. In fact, the “MEND” had written that the blast was to be a one-time event – suggesting lack of resources for a sustained militant campaign, which the real MEND was known for. There are other glaring differences in the modus operandi of this new MEND and the original one whose leaders, save Henry Okah, have embraced the amnesty programme of the FG. For instance, the real MEND operated in the Niger Delta creeks, devastating oil installations; but the new MEND operates in Abuja and targets, according to latest sms threats, President Jonathan’s campaign rallies! Curiously also, with the arrest of Charles Okah, (Henry’s brother), the new MEND has abruptly written to say it was stopping the popular email interviews with its official spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo - giving credence to the widely-believed notion that the man behind that pseudoname is none else but Charles!
Most certainly, nobody is fooled by the amateurish script that attempts to claim that the Independence Bomb Blasters were acting in the interest of the Niger Delta. Their action is clearly designed only to ridicule the President and spoil his chances (or Niger Delta’s, if you like) at the coming elections. The President was caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Cancelling the Jubilee celebrations (spiritual implications aside), would have finished him off politically: for every other major event he plans would be sure to receive a “MEND” threat demanding a cancellation! Of course, going ahead with the celebrations despite the threat also brought its own criticisms and problems.
The President actually got an initial dose of the political barrage the blasts were meant to open him up for. Even as the clouds from the blasts still hung in the air, the campaign office of Ibrahim Babangida issued a press statement suggesting that their supposedly wise and tough candidate is what the times demand. This is of course an utter balderdash, considering that it was precisely during IBB’s unfortunate past rule that bomb blasts were first introduced into Nigeria’s polity. In any case, with the government’s decision to treat the blasts as the pure crime that it was, and the establishment of a link between IBB’s campaign chief and the people arrested for the crime, those who would politicize the bombing are realizing they are in far deeper waters than they bargained for!
Amazingly, the bomb blasts could not stop the Jubilee celebrations. Apart from the foreign heads of government who had to leave, the ceremonies proceeded calmly to conclusion! President GEJ declared this as unprecedented and interpreted it as confirming the emergence of a new Nigeria.
We agree with him that the cross-over into Nigeria’s spiritual Jubilee has succeeded, despite the devil’s desperate efforts to force an abortion. And in his desperation, the Enemy has revealed his hands, perhaps prematurely. Imagine, for instance, if the bombers had only been able to exercise restraints until election time before initiating their blasts – targeting, for instance, INEC’s headquarters a few days to distribution of electoral materials, etc, etc? Now thankfully, and hopefully, the security people have received a long-enough notice and would be able to prevent such more fundamental disasters in the future.
Now that the Jubilee celebrations and proclamations have finally, forcefully happened, according to Leviticus 25:10, what remains is restoration and recovery. The horses can now take their rest while the Nigerian eagle begins to soar (reference to our Coats of Arms!)
We however hasten to remind Christians of the situation in Daniel 9. After Daniel had understood through the Scriptures that the time of liberty for his people had come, he took action in serious waiting upon the LORD. And even when it appeared as if nothing was happening, he persisted until the devil’s desperate last-ditch ploy to block the already released answer was thoroughly thrashed and vanquished! May we not give up until we fully realize the promised blessings of our Jubilee, this season!
The next critical battle field is the coming elections. As counseled by that revered man of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, we must all be ready to get registered, to vote for our candidates of choice, and significantly, also to prepare to defend our votes. Our time is now. God bless Nigeria!

Human resource appreciates in Nigeria at Jubilee

2010-11-08T04:36:00.000+01:00

One of the solid evidences that Nigeria’s rising has indeed commenced at Jubilee is the remarkable appreciation of human resource in the country. Patriots like Oby Ezekwesili (while minister of education) had declared that Nigeria’s human resource, if well developed (through education), far exceeds all other resources – oil, solid minerals, etc all combined (see CA! Vol 10 No 1). To the glory of God this is beginning to become apparent. First, by divine providence, we have at the very top echelon, a President and Vice President with post graduate degrees – showing that such degrees can now compete favourably with the awesome military “psc” (pass staff college) which was the common denominator between (virtually) all our past rulers. Also, for the crucial assignment of conducting an extra-delicate election, it was again to the nation’s intelligentsia that the task was thrown. Apparently, the close rapport between the newly chosen INEC chair and the Nigerian academia (he was a sitting Vice Chancellor and an outstanding ex-president of the national academic staff union), weighed considerably in his being given the highly strategic job. Even if informally, there is currently a massive deployment of University people, former armchair critics, in the planning and execution of the unfolding political process. As for the field work, Nigerian graduate youths participating in the National Youth Service Corps scheme are being penciled for the onerous tasks.
The big deal about all this development is that human capital is at last rapidly gaining value in Nigeria. Such a spirit confirms that the gains of Jubilee are real and will endure.

Boko Haram Confirms Link With Al-Qaeda . Iranian weapons seized in Nigeria

2010-11-08T04:35:00.002+01:00

The Muslim Fundamentalist group, Boko Haram has confirmed that it is now operating under the umbrella of Al-Qaeda. In posters that flooded the city of Maiduguri, pasted on the evening of Thursday 21st October, the group threatened to continue with its serial killings in Borno and other adjoining states in the North. Significantly, the posters featured the logo of al-Qaeda in the North Africa – an open Quran, flanked on each side by Kalashnikov assault rifles and a flag in the middle.
According to the Saturday Tribune of October 23, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) had earlier in the month carried an interview with a spokesperson of Boko Haram in Maiduguri, where the group demanded they be granted amnesty, such as was accorded Niger-Delta militants.
Meanwhile, a cache of sophisticated weapons was intercepted by vigilant security at Lagos Port, late October. An international twist was introduced when Israeli security announced that the weapons, which originated from Iran, were actually meant for Gaza and were only being passed enroute Nigeria. Apparently the Iranians were still thinking of pre-Jubilee Nigeria where anything goes! In those days, it might not have taken more than a phone call from Arabia land to the Nigerian Presidency before the cache would have been cleared for re-export, as the people involved were reportedly trying to do.