|
Post by Warlord on Jul 8, 2007 4:32:30 GMT -5
Where is the U.S. in Bible Prophecy? Israel - God's Timepiece A Revived Roman Empire? The Gog/Magog War Apostate Christianity Increase in Knowledge & New Technologies Christian Worldview & Issues Other Events to Watch
|
|
|
Post by Warlord on Jul 8, 2007 4:32:53 GMT -5
Where is the U.S. in Bible Prophecy? Israel - God's Timepiece A Revived Roman Empire? The Gog/Magog War Apostate Christianity Increase in Knowledge & New Technologies Christian Worldview & Issues Other Events to Watch
|
|
|
Post by Warlord on Jul 8, 2007 4:33:17 GMT -5
Where is the U.S. in Bible Prophecy? Israel - God's Timepiece A Revived Roman Empire? The Gog/Magog War Increase in Knowledge & New Technologies Christian Worldview & Issues Other Events to Watch
|
|
|
Post by Warlord on Jul 8, 2007 4:33:47 GMT -5
Where is the U.S. in Bible Prophecy? Israel - God's Timepiece A Revived Roman Empire? The Gog/Magog War Apostate Christianity Increase in Knowledge & New Technologies Christian Worldview & Issues Other Events to Watch
|
|
|
Post by Warlord on Jul 8, 2007 4:34:10 GMT -5
Prophetic Trends & Headline News Click any of the stories to read the full article at our online edition 1. Where is the United States in Prophecy? Military planning for "domestic emergencies" revealed The United States military is being positioned to be put into action under presidential authority in any one of a dozen scenarios within the United States – including natural disasters, epidemics, terrorist attacks, insurrections, or domestic violence including conspiracies. U.S. signaling Gulf states it will withdraw from region by 2009 The Bush administration has hinted through diplomatic channels that the United States will leave Iraq and most of the Gulf region by 2009. Middle East diplomatic sources said U.S. envoys have repeatedly signaled that Washington plans to withdraw from Iraq and most of the Gulf region. Several U.S. envoys advised Gulf Cooperation Council and other states to prepare for this eventuality, they said. One Third of Americans Say Bible is Literal Word of God According to a new Gallup Poll, Protestants are the most likely to credit the Bible as the inerrent word of God. The rest of the population feels the Bible might be inspired by God, but not literally so. Do you believe the Bible is the literal word of God? Since 1991, Gallup has asked Americans that question, yet their answers remain remarkably unchanged. About 31% of people believe the Good Book is infallible. Frank Newport with Gallup says we still live in a country where God’s word is taken seriously China's long-range aim is to "revise the existing balance of power in the world In its annual report on Chinese military developments, the Pentagon said this week the People's Liberation Army is building a greater capacity to launch pre-emptive strikes. It cited as examples China's acquisition of long-endurance submarines, unmanned combat aircraft and additional precision-guided air-to-ground missiles. TB Case Stirs Concerns About Pandemic, Biological Attack The case of a man traveling overseas with a potentially lethal form of tuberculosis has raised several policy questions for how an avian influenza pandemic or international biological attack would be contained in the first hours and days. While protocols have been established between the departments of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security for limiting the travel of people with contagious diseases, lawmakers and health officials said the protocols were clearly flouted in this case. 2. Israel - God's Timepiece The Six Day War - A decisive moment in history Those who call the Six Day War a disaster or a Pyrrhic victory are grossly mistaken, because they overlook the fact that Israel wasn't destroyed, historian Michael Oren told The Jerusalem Post. In an interview on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the outbreak of war on June 5, 1967, Oren said his research of documents in Arab countries had revealed clearly that the Arabs had planned to destroy Israel. Gaza Kindergarten Kids Get 'A" for Jihad Palestinian Authority kindergarten children demonstrated in a graduation ceremony how well they had learned their lessons this year. A video clip of the ceremony, televised on Hamas’ Al-Aksa TV, shows little boys in the video march in formation and then drop to the floor, crawl on their bellies and vow to become terrorists when they grow up. “What is your path?” demands the leader. “Jihad!” they cry, in their little camouflage uniforms and black masks, brandishing toy guns and waving green Hamas flags. “What is your most lofty aspiration?” “Death for the sake of Allah!” 'Palestinians are on verge of civil war' Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas warned Tuesday that his people were on the verge of civil war and said the infighting was worse than living under Israeli military rule. The two parties have been governing in an uneasy coalition since March, after a year of Hamas-only rule, but another round of deadly gun battles erupted in May and a Hamas member of parliament speculated Tuesday that confrontations between Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip would begin again soon. Syrian MP confirms preparation for war with Israel this summer A member of the Syrian parliament, Muhammad Habash, confirmed on Tuesday that his country was actively preparing for war with Israel, expected to break out in the summer, Israel Radio reported. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Habash said it was no secret that the Syrian military was arming itself for the upcoming confrontation with the IDF. Israel to ready public for 'all-out war' With Iran racing toward nuclear power and IDF preparations for the possibility of a conflict with Syria and Hizbullah in high gear, the Home Front Command plans to launch a publicity campaign to prepare the public for war. Within a few weeks it intends to inform the public about what people need to do in the event of attack. 3. A Revived Roman Empire? <a href="http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/June6.htm#9" target="_blank">Brits warned Iran forming European network for strategic attacks </a>Iran is establishing a sleeper network to attack strategic facilities throughout Europe. The British Parliament was told that Teheran has been preparing to strike critical sites should the United States attack Iran's nuclear plants. A leading analyst said Iran has drawn up European targets, including nuclear power stations. "We have serious signals that something is under preparation in Europe," said Claude Moniquet, president of the European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center. "Iranian intelligence is working extremely hard to prepare its people and to prepare actions." <a href="http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/June6.htm#10" target="_blank">The new cold war: Russia's missiles to target Europe </a>President Vladimir Putin yesterday declared that a new arms race and cold war with the west had begun and announced that Russia would retaliate against US missile defence plans in Europe by pointing its missiles at European cities. <a href="http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/June6.htm#11" target="_blank">A United Europe - Rise or Fall in the coming weeks </a>With its 500 million people and the world's largest single market, Europe, even if not seen by the world as a real union, is still an economic giant. But politically it is a dwarf - and shrinking. Ours is a century of large states, and the further rise of China, India, the United States, and Japan will soon make the largest European powers look puny. Even today the three largest EU members barely manage to offset Europe's loss of political weight, much less to stem the tide. Without a strong EU, this development will only intensify. 4. The Gog/Magog War Putin is playing a dangerous game Last week, I found myself in Dom Knigi, the very largest of all the very large Moscow bookstores, staring at the history section. Spread out over an entire wall were books of a sort I've never seen in such quantities during 10 years of visits: endless glorifications of Soviet fighter pilots, Soviet war heroes, even Stalin himself. Stalin: the Author of the Great Victory was one title; others had cover illustrations featuring red stars, or hammers and sickles. I don't think this new publishing trend heralds a new period of Stalinism, or not exactly. But it does illustrate a growing Russian fascination - encouraged and manipulated by the Kremlin - with Russia's imperial past. Russia announces large joint military exercise with China, Shanghai Six Russia will hold a counterterrorism military exercise with China and other members of the "Shanghai Six" in August, the Ground Forces commander announced today. Officially, the 6 nations focus is on fighting drug and arms trafficking, terrorism and separatism but many believe the grouping is to counter U.S. and NATO influence in resource-rich Central Asia. The group has raised the prospect of SCO observers Pakistan and Iran participating in such exercises in the future. Ahmadinejad: Israel's Destruction Getting Close Iran's hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said this week the world would witness the destruction of Israel soon, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported. Ahmadinejad said last summer's war between Israel and Hezbollah showed for the first time that the "hegemony of the occupier regime [Israel] had collapsed, and the Lebanese nation pushed the button to begin counting the days until the destruction of the Zionist regime," IRNA quoted him as saying. 5. The Rise of Islam Poll: 2 of 3 U.S. Muslim Converts Left Christian Roots Two-thirds (67 percent) of all converts to Islam in the United States came from a Protestant background, according to the first nationwide survey to measure the demographics, attitudes, and experiences of Muslim Americans. The new survey by the Pew Research Center found that Muslim Americans, in comparison to the rest of the world, have the unique feature of consisting of a relatively large number of converts to the religion – nearly a quarter. Almost all conversions are native-born (91 percent) and almost three-fifths (59 percent) of converts to Islam are African American. Saudis arrest Christian for entering Mecca Saudi officials have arrested a man in Mecca for being a Christian, saying that the city, which Muslims consider to be holy, is off-limits to non-Muslims. Nirosh Kamanda, a Sri Lankan Christian, was detained by the Saudi Expatriates Monitoring Committee last week after he started to sell goods outside Mecca's Great Mosque. Similar restrictions apply to the Saudi city of Medina. In a section entitled, "Traveler's Information," the Web site of the Saudi Embassy in Washington states that, "Mecca and Medina hold special religious significance and only persons of the Islamic faith are allowed entry." Christian in Pakistan Sentenced to Death for Blasphemy Against Muhammad A Christian was sentenced to death for allegedly insulting Islam's Prophet Muhammed, and a human rights activist urged Pakistan's president to spare his life. Younis Masih, 29, was arrested after residents told police he made derogatory remarks against Islam and Muhammad. On Wednesday, a court sentenced Masih to death under Pakistan's harsh blasphemy laws, which rights groups say are often misused against Christians. Pakistan is an Islamic state where non-Muslims comprise just 3 percent of the 160 million population. Anyone accused of insulting Islam, Muhammed or the Quran can be sentenced to death. Does a Muslim have the right to leave Islam and follow Christ? - Not in Malaysia American Christian leaders called the recent ruling by Malaysia’s top civil court against a Christian convert seeking recognition a “set-back” that reveals the country’s “flawed” legal system. “We had hoped that the courts would give the people of Malaysia the right to choose and change their religion according to the dictates of their conscience,”. Lina Joy, 43, lost the court battle to change her religion from Islam to Christianity on Wednesday when the Federal Court ruled she should seek permission to officially change her religion from Islam to Christianity at Islamic Shariah courts which would convict her of apostasy. 'Alarming' rise of radical Islam in Caribbean In the wake of the foiling of an attempted plot to blow up John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, counter-terrorism officials say the rise of radical Islam in the Caribbean and Latin America is "alarming". All four suspects in the plot had ties to the region. Two were arrested in Trinidad and Tobago, including ex-Guyanese lawmaker Abdul Kadir. Senior U.S. counterterrorism officials confirmed fears that Islamists in Trinidad and Tobago could turn the nation "into another Mogadishu", referring to the Somali capital ruled until last year by Islamic fundamentalists with Al Qaeda ties. 6. Increase in Knowledge/New Technologies Baby robot that can walk, talk and feel It is not quite as sophisticated as C-3PO from Star Wars or Data from Star Trek, but earth engineers have managed to create a young android. Covered in a grey putty-like silicone skin the baby bot can roll around and 'speak'. It can even take a few steps if encouraged enough. It has 197 tactile sensors embedded in its outer layer and 51 compressed air-powered actuators, which allow it to react to touch. When CB2's shoulders are tapped, it blinks as if surprised, stops moving, and turns its gaze toward the person who touched it. It will also try and grab a toy dangled in front of it. Google Zooms In Too Close for Some For Mary Kalin-Casey, it was never about her cat. Ms. Kalin-Casey, who manages an apartment building here with her husband was a bit shaken when she tried a new feature in Google’s map service called Street View. She typed in her address and the screen showed a street-level view of her building. As she zoomed in, she could see Monty, her cat, sitting on a perch in the living room window of her second-floor apartment. “The issue that I have ultimately is about where you draw the line between taking public photos and zooming in on people’s lives,” Ms. Kalin-Casey said. “The next step might be seeing books on my shelf. If the government was doing this, people would be outraged.” New technology killing off cash Conrad Chase, British co-owner of the VIP Baja Beach Club in Barcelona, makes an unlikely human debit card. Mr Chase and almost 100 other clubbers have opted to have tiny data chips implanted surgically under their skin. When they want to buy a drink, they simply wave their techno-enabled arms across the counter. The chip, made by the VeriChip Corporation, is only the size of a grain of rice but can transmit an ID number to a scanner allowing money to be taken from clubbers’ bank accounts. Mr Chase may be an extreme example but he demonstrates a wider point: Britons are rapidly embracing the cashless society. The Association for Payment Clearing Services, the UK industry body, forecasts that in less than a decade fewer than half of all payments will be made by cash. 7. Christian Worldview/Issues Online Sermons a Big Hit in S. Korea More technologically savvy South Korean Christians are flocking to the internet rather than the pews these days to hear the Word of God. Online churchgoers list the advantage of being able to choose the time and sermon they prefer compared to attending a church service. At South Korea’s largest church, Yoido Full Gospel Church, some 135,000 people a day listen to sermons on the church’s website, reported Chosun. In comparison, only 40,000-50,000 people regularly attend its Sunday services. Porn Addiction Flooding Culture, Church In a culture where sexuality and porn is now a part of everyday life, porn addiction in the church is escalating, according to a new survey. In a poll of 1,000 respondents, 50 percent of Christian men and 20 percent of Christian women were found to be addicted to pornography. For the first time in history, the American culture has point-and-click pornography; porn stars have MySpace pages; and the Internet and reality TV have provided new platforms for young women to flaunt their sexuality. In April, more than a third of the U.S. Internet audience visited sites that fit into the online "adult" category, according to comScore Media Metrix. Latin American Catholic Bishops Vow to Stem Exodus to Evangelical Churches Roman Catholic bishops from Mexico to Chile pledged Wednesday to reach out to the faithful in a bid to stem the exodus in Latin America to evangelical churches, a main theme of Pope Benedict XVI's recent visit to the region. Closing a three-week meeting of Latin American bishops, Catholic leaders said their biggest mission is to hold on to church members as droves leave to become evangelical Protestants. Brazil's census shows the percentage of citizens characterizing themselves as Catholics plunged from 89 percent in 1980 to 74 percent in 2000, while those calling themselves evangelical Protestants rose from 7 percent to 15 percent. Rural Churches Struggle to Survive, Thrive It's an idyllic setting for Sunday worship: a small, white church on the slope of a gentle hill. Outside the sanctuary, two dogs lie in the shade. The only problem is there are just 20 worshippers inside, a situation that's become common in rural America as small churches struggle with dwindling memberships, aging congregations and less money to keep the lights on, let alone to pay full-time salary and benefits to a minister. Across the denominational spectrum, rural churches are trying a variety of approaches to the challenge. Some are focusing on recruiting full-time ministers to rural towns. Others are adopting the style of suburban megachurches to attract those who might not normally attend services. Some are holding fast to the traditions of their forebears.
|
|
|
Post by Warlord on Jul 8, 2007 4:34:38 GMT -5
1. Where is the United States in Prophecy? The wrath of 2007: America's great drought America is facing its worst summer drought since the Dust Bowl years of the Great Depression. Or perhaps worse still. From the mountains and desert of the West, now into an eighth consecutive dry year, to the wheat farms of Alabama, where crops are failing because of rainfall levels 12 inches lower than usual, to the vast soupy expanse of Lake Okeechobee in southern Florida, which has become so dry it actually caught fire a couple of weeks ago, a continent is crying out for water. Violent crime up again, more murders, robberies More murders and robberies in 2006 sent U.S. violent crimes higher for the second straight year, the FBI said on Monday, with the increase blamed on gangs, youth violence, gun crimes and fewer police on beats. US fears over China nuclear weapons The US is increasingly concerned about China’s deployment of mobile land and sea-based ballistic nuclear missiles that have the range to hit the US. The 2007 Pentagon China military power report highlights the surprising pace of development of a new Jin-class submarine equipped to carry a nuclear ballistic missile with a range of more than 5,000 miles. Washington is also concerned about the strategic implications of China’s preparations later this year to start deploying a new mobile, land-based DF-31A intercontinental ballistic missile that could target the whole US. 'Military plan against Iran is ready' Predicting that Iran will obtain a nuclear weapon within three years and claiming to have a strike plan in place, senior American military officers have told The Jerusalem Post they support President George W. Bush's stance to do everything necessary to stop the Islamic Republic's race for nuclear power. Report shows media undermining 'American values' A new survey commissioned by a media watchdog group claims the news and entertainment media are damaging the nation's moral values. At an event in Washington to unveil the report, CMI director Bob Knight argued the more a person watches television, the less likely he is to accept personal responsibility for his actions. "We believe that the figures show clearly that the more TV you watch, the more you want to depend on the government," Knight explained. The report also shows the more a person watches TV, the less likely he is to value religious principles and obedience to God. 2. Israel - God's Timepiece Israel's new spy satellite could see bottles on floor, will track Iran Israel believes its newly-orbited Ofeq-7 satellite can track people and weapons in any targeted country, including Iran. Israeli officials said Ofeq-7 contained a reconnaissance platform that could spot bottles on the floor. They said the camera payload could identify and send high-resolution images of items as small as 40 centimeters. Report: Tel Aviv within Hizbullah range Hizbullah has amassed an undisclosed number of Fatah-110 rockets, which could theoretically be fired at Tel Aviv. The projectile, an upgraded Chinese assault rocket, has a 500-lb warhead and a range of 200 kilometers. According to the report, close to the Israel-Lebanon border, under the noses of United Nations peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon, the guerrilla group has built a network of underground military bunkers that can withstand air strikes. Fears of war as Israel and Syria show army might Concern is growing that Israel and Syria may be heading towards war, with signs that both are preparing their armies. The preparations are being made across both sides of the ceasefire line in the Golan Heights area occupied by Israel since 1967. Syria has increased troop numbers and brought in rocket units similar to those used by Hezbollah against Israel in last summer's war in Lebanon, according to intelligence estimates. The Syrians have also brought in new anti-aircraft guns and tanks from Russia and recently conducted a frontline exercise of troops. Property developers and neglect threaten Jerusalem's ancient glory Jerusalem's glorious history is fading at an alarming pace, according to the National Academy of Sciences and Humanities. The Jerusalem-based academy hosted a conference this week on the progress of preserving ancient sites in the capital. Conference speakers were pessimistic about the chances of Jerusalem's heritage surviving for future generations. Israel to replace soldiers with machines Starting in August of this year, the border between southern Israel and the Gaza Strip will be guarded by machines, rather than live Israeli soldiers. Israel has developed a remote-controlled border surveillance system that will allow Israel to keep a close eye on the Gaza security fence without putting soldiers' lives in danger. The robotic surveillance towers are also equipped with automatic weapons to allow them to engage any terrorist threat. Hamas, Fatah face off in pitched Gaza fight Hamas gunmen overran the headquarters of a Fatah-allied security force in northern Gaza, killing at least 17 in a key victory in what is rapidly developing into a full-fledged civil war. 3. The Gog/Magog War Iran will trigger all-out regional war if attacked US weekly Defense News quotes a number of senior Iranian officials threatening to fire ballistic missiles in masses against targets in Arab Gulf states and Israel if US forces strike Tehran's nuclear facilities. “The objective would be to overwhelm US missile defense systems with dozens and maybe hundreds of missiles fired simultaneously at specific targets targets such as oil depots, refineries, power plants and desalination facilities". Report: Putin not ruling out 2012 run President Vladimir Putin, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term next year, left the door open for a return to the Kremlin in 2012, a Russian newspaper reported. "There is still a lot of time," the daily Kommersant quoted Putin as telling reporters when asked whether he would run in 2012. "Theoretically it's possible. The constitution does not forbid it. Iran Adding Attack Boats in Persian Gulf Iran is increasing its fleet of small attack boats capable of challenging warships and disrupting oil traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, the sea route for two-fifths of the world's daily supply of crude oil, the U.S. Navy says. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps already has more than 1,000 of the speedboats and continues to add boats armed with anti- ship cruise missile. Naval intelligence, in its latest report on threats, said an attack against U.S. forces and commercial tankers ``could include over 100 boats in coordinated groups of 20 to 30 approaching simultaneously from multiple axes.'' 4. Apostate Christianity Brazilian 'Apostle', 'Bishop' Admit Smuggling $56K A couple who leads one of Brazil's biggest evangelical churches pleaded guilty on Friday to smuggling tens of thousands of dollars into the U.S. in luggage, a backpack and a Bible. Estevam Hernandes Filho, 53, and Sonia Haddad Moraes Hernandes, 48, are also charged in Brazil with stealing millions of dollars from parishioners for luxuries such as mansions and horse farms. They will likely be deported home after their U.S. case is resolved. Hindu appointed to run Christian religion studies A college affiliated with a Christian denomination has appointed to head its religion department a practicing Hindu who believes that some forms of Christian ministry produce violence. Anantanand Rambachan, who has taught religion and philosophy at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., since 1985, now will become the first non-Christian to head the religion department in the school's 133-year history. 5. The Rise of Islam Muhammad is No 2 in boy's names Muhammad is now second only to Jack as the most popular name for baby boys in Britain and is likely to rise to No 1 by next year, a study by The Times has found. The name, if all 14 different spellings are included, was shared by 5,991 newborn boys last year, beating Thomas into third place, followed by Joshua and Oliver. Scholars said that the name’s rise up the league table was driven partly by the growing number of young Muslims having families, coupled with the desire to name their child in honour of the Prophet. Malaysia: 37 books that 'undermine Islam' banned Malaysia has banned 37 books and other publications on Islam, saying they contain "twisted facts" that could undermine Muslims' faith. 6. Increase in Knowledge/New Technologies Talking paper made by scientists Digital paper that can speak to you has been created by scientists. The end of the plug? Scientists invent wireless device that beams electricity through your home Scientists have sounded the death knell for the plug and power lead. In a breakthrough that sounds like something out of Star Trek, they have discovered a way of 'beaming' power across a room into a light bulb, mobile phone or laptop computer without wires or cables. In the first successful trial of its kind, the team was able to illuminate a 60-watt light bulb 7ft away. Big Brother's watching: The secret CCTV bunker that monitors our every move In a bunker beneath the bustling streets of central London, guards monitor a grid of closed-circuit television. Britain has more than 4 million closed-circuit security cameras, more than any other Western democracy. Police say the average Briton is on as many as 300 cameras every day, usually unaware. Flirting With Invisibility In the experiment, a beam of microwave light split in two as it flowed around a specially designed cylinder and then almost seamlessly merged back together on the other side. That meant that an object placed inside the cylinder was effectively invisible. No light waves bounced off the object, and someone looking at it would have seen only what was behind it. 7. Christian Worldview/Issues Declining Christian Population a Fact of Life in Arab Societies "There are 12 million Christians in the Middle East. If the current trend continues, there will be fewer than 6 million by 2025." Jesus-Driven Teens to Spread Gospel with Hi-Tech Bibles Teens heading off to summer mission trips across the globe this year will be equipped with Bibles more reflective of their digitally-savvy generation as they spread the Good News. The GoBible is perfect for globetrotters because it’s lightweight and packs easily, yet it contains the entire audio version of the Bible in a user-friendly format that simplifies the learning and sharing of the Scriptures. Reverse Missionaries Invade Europe For centuries, when Europe was the global center of Christianity, millions of European missionaries traveled to other continents to spread their faith by establishing schools and churches. Now, with European church attendance at all-time lows and a dearth of preachers in the pulpits, thousands of "reverse missionaries" are flocking back, migrating from poor countries to rich ones to preach the Gospel where it has fallen out of fashion. Why Are Megachurches So Popular? If all the people who are members of megachurches were combined, they would be the third largest religious group in the United States, researchers of a groundbreaking study stated. Megachurches together have the same number of attendees at weekly services (roughly 4.5 million) as the smallest 35 percent of churches in the country. Across the whole of Protestantism, the largest 20 percent of the churches have around 65 percent of the worshippers, finances and staff in America. Yet megachurches only make up one-half of 1 percent of all the religious congregations in the nation.
|
|
|
Post by Warlord on Jul 8, 2007 4:35:20 GMT -5
1. Where is the United States in Prophecy? U.S. to increase military aid to Israel in decade-long deal The United States will increase its military assistance to Israel and sign a new agreement securing American aid to the country for the next decade, President George W. Bush announced Tuesday following his meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Olmert told the president that an announcement on the increase in aid would be an expression of American support for Israel against the growing threats to its existence in the region. Suicide Bomb Teams Sent to U.S., Europe Large teams of newly trained suicide bombers are being sent to the United States and Europe, according to evidence contained on a new videotape obtained by the Blotter on ABCNews.com. Teams assigned to carry out attacks in the United States, Canada, Great Britain and Germany were introduced at an al Qaeda/Taliban training camp graduation ceremony held June 9. A Pakistani journalist was invited to attend and take pictures as some 300 recruits, including boys as young as 12, were supposedly sent off on their suicide missions. America prepares for 'cyber war' with China China is striving to overtake the United States as the dominant power in cyberspace, according to a senior American general, in what is emerging as a new theatre of conflict between nation states and a growing priority for the Pentagon. His remarks follow last month's annual report by the Pentagon on China's military power which said China regarded computer network operations as critical to achieving "electromagnetic dominance" early in a conflict. A third US carrier, the nuclear-powered USS Enterprise Strike Group is speeding towards the Persian Gulf According to DEBKAfile’s military sources, the US naval build-up off the shores of Iran marks rising military tensions in the region, accentuated by last week’s Hamas victory which has endowed Iran with a military foothold on Israel’s southwestern border. The USS Enterprise CVN 65-Big E Strike Group, the US Navy’s largest air carrier, will join the USS Stennis and the USS Nimitz carriers, building up the largest sea, air, marine concentration the United States has ever deployed opposite Iran. The real Jericho - making plans for day after the blast The probability of a nuclear weapon one day going off in an American city cannot be calculated, but it is higher than it was five years ago. Potential sources of bombs or the fissile materials to make them have proliferated in North Korea and Iran. Russia's arsenal remains poorly secured 15 years after the end of the Soviet Union. And Pakistan's nuclear technology, already put on the market once by Abdul Qadeer Khan, could go to terrorists if President Pervez Musharraf cannot control radicals in that country. 2. Israel - God's Timepiece Welcome to Hamastan - Gaza Christians warned to submit to Islam Gaza-based Muslim groups affiliated with Hamas and possibly Al Qaeda have warned local Christians that Hamas' military conquest of the volatile coastal strip means they must now fully submit to Islamic ritual law. Gaza's Muslims “expect our Christian neighbors to understand the new Hamas rule means real changes. They must be ready for Islamic rule if they want to live in peace in Gaza.” “Missionary activity” will no longer be tolerated, and those suspected of trying to covert local Muslims to Christianity will be “harshly punished,” said Abu Saqer. Additionally, the consumption of alcohol is now prohibited in Gaza, and all women must fully cover themselves in public. Israel is now boxed in between three pro-Iran entities The law of unintended consequences continues to throw up more consequences that were not intended. Israel is now boxed in between three pro-Iran entities (Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas) and two pro-al Qaeda terrorist groups — Hezbollah that is dominant in Lebanon to the north and Hamas that now controls Gaza, the size of Washington, D.C., to the south. 3. A Revived Roman Empire? EU conference expected to break Constitution deadlockA two-day summer European summit opens in Brussels Thursday, which is expected to break the deadlock in the process towards a European Union Constitution. According to European media, Germany, which holds the EU presidency, has developed proposals for the 27-member body to reach a consensus through a simplified version of the draft Constitution. So far 18 member states have ratified the treaty either at parliamentary level or by referendum. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the Constitution should be replaced with a simpler treaty, whose adoption would require nothing but parliament's approval. Bunkers in vogue as cold war fears rise It may sound a lot of money for an unsightly steel cube, but Germans are queuing up to pay £60,000 for the latest addition to the garden: a prefabricated nuclear bunker. With fears of terrorism, natural disasters and a cold war revival on the rise, a German company has tapped into the climate of insecurity and produced the continent's first ready-made fallout shelter. ABC Guard - its name a reference to the protection it is said to offer from atomic, biological and chemical warfare - invites potential customers to "rely on absolute security made in Germany" as it restores an industry thriving on fears that have not been felt in the country since the withdrawal of Russian troops from former East Germany. Report: Sarkozy wants Blair as European Union president A British newspaper says French President Nicolas Sarkozy proposes outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair become the European Union's first full-time president. The EU is considering establishing a permanent presidency to replace the current system, in which the post rotates among the 27 member states. The president would have few formal powers, but would give the EU strategic leadership and represent it on the world stage. 4. The Gog/Magog War Russian fighter planes sale to Syria alarms Israel Israel is concerned about reported Russian deliveries of advanced MiG-31 fighter planes to its enemy Syria as part of an armaments drive, the top-selling Hebrew daily reported on Tuesday. The MiG-31, considered one of the best fighters in the world, can carry guided missiles with a range of more than 200 kilometres (125 miles) and is capable of striking 24 different targets simultaneously, Yediot Aharonot said. "If Syria acquires the MiG-31 we can no longer rule out the idea that this country is preparing for war," said Steinitz, a former chairman of Israel's defence and foreign affairs parliamentary committee. Ahmadinejad: A strong Iran will help Russia "Iran's relations with Russia are strategically significant," Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the state-run IRNA news agency reported Wednesday. "We believe a strong Iran will be beneficial to Russia," IRNA quoted the president as saying. US warns Turkey not to do business with Iran The United States yesterday warned Turkey not to do business with U.S. arch foe Iran, a reaction that follows an agreement between the two neighbors on trading electricity. Iran, Libya adopt close stand on regional, international issues First Vice President Parviz Davoudi said on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic of Iran and Libya have common and close view points on regional and international issues. Speaking to reporters, prior to seeing off ceremony for Libyan Prime Minister al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi, he said the two sides exchanged views on current developments in the Middle East region and the entire world. He said that Tehran and Tripoli could adopt closer stand in dealing with regional developments. Iran says won't rule out using oil as a weapon Iran will not rule out using oil as a weapon if the United States resorts to military action against the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program, an Iranian oil official said in remarks published on Tuesday. Asked what would be the impact if Iran stopped its oil exports, Kazempour Ardebili said: "Definitely the market will be faced with a new shock and oil prices will increase strongly." He added that prices would climb above $100 a barrel. 5. Apostate Christianity Inclusion Run Amok: A Muslim/Episcopal Priest An Episcopal priest in Washington state recently announced that she is both a Christian and a Muslim. The Rev. Ann Holmes Redding of Seattle made her profession of faith in Islam in March 2006. Episcopal Church Center employees told the Seattle Times that a person of dual faiths can serve as Episcopal clergy at the diocesan bishop's discretion. The Rt. Rev. Vincent Warner, bishop of the Diocese of Olympia, reportedly accepts Redding's dual faiths; consequently, she remains a priest in good standing within the diocese. Large contingent of churches joins Pride celebration Surging crowds lining the parade route added to the enthusiasm of this year’s 32nd annual Pride festivities as thousands turned out for last weekend’s Capital Pride parade and festival. But in what organizers said appeared to be a new trend, a considerably larger contingent of mainline city churches and religious groups joined the parade this year, and thousands more spectators — both gay and straight — lined the streets to watch the parade. Many cheered, waved and snapped pictures with their digital cameras as the contingents moved past them. 6. The Rise of Islam Wahhabism replacing traditional Islam throughout Russia Ideas of Islamist extremism and intolerance towards other faiths are spreading today in many Russian regions, Islamic researcher Roman Silantyev maintains. There is a process of substituting Islam 'modernized' in the spirit Wahhabism for traditional Islam underway in Russia today. The present Islamic community in Russia, in his view, is 'in a state of the gravest crisis' and the ways out of it have not yet been found. 'The Wahhabis tried to use arms to impose their views but failed. Then they changed their tactics and established control over most of the Islamic mass media and a considerable number of publishing houses', Silantyev has reported. Indonesia Christian Teachers Say Imprisonment 'Worth It' Three Indonesian Sunday school teachers who were found guilty of “Christianization” reflected on their prison sentence and said it was worth it after being freed on Friday. On May 13, 2005, Zakaria, Ratna Bangun and Eti Pangesti were arrested for allegedly converting Muslim children to Christianity through their “Happy Sunday” program. The Sunday school program – which included Christian songs, games and Bible studies for children in the neighborhood – was popular among Muslim children. 7. Increase in Knowledge/New Technologies Engineering the 'perfect' offspring At this very moment thousands of people are surfing the Web looking for genetic material so their children will be nothing like me. They are looking through files at sperm bank sites with Jetson-like names such as Xytex, which have become the new eBays for offspring. These sites take sex and turn it into shopping. They allow you to browse through page after page of donor profiles, comparing weight, noses, personality and what one site calls “tannability.” Shoppers can use these sites and select much better genetic material than would be possessed by someone they could realistically lure into bed. And they can more efficiently engage in the national pastime — rigging our childrens' lives so they'll be turbocharged for success. Big Brother Wants To Watch You Take Your Exams The number of college students taking courses online is surging, creating a tough dilemma for educators who want to prevent cheating. Do you trust students to take an exam on their own computer from home or work, even though it may be easy to sneak a peek at the textbook? Or do you force them to trek to a proctored test center, detracting from the convenience that drew them to online classes in the first place? The dilemma is one reason many online programs do little testing at all. But some new technology that places a camera inside students' homes may be the way of the future -- as long as students don't find it too creepy. US military working on controversial "non-lethal technologies" Last week the Pentagon confirmed that it has considered developing a "gay bomb", an aphrodisiac pheromone designed to make enemy forces so attracted to one another that the US could just march in and take over. Other "non-lethal technologies" currently in covert development within military labs include "low-frequency infrasound" which "easily penetrates most buildings and vehicles" and creates "nausea, loss of bowel control, disorientation, vomiting, potential internal organ damage and death". Then there's the prophet hologram - "the projection of the image of an ancient god over an enemy capitol whose public communications have been seized and used against it in a massive psychological operation." Firm unveils GPS RFID tag A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag which uses global positioning system (GPS) technology to ascertain specific location data of an item has been unveiled. The tag uses satellite data with RFID technology to monitor its movement, potentially enabling complete identification of an asset's location. According to Peter Linke, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Identec, the system will provide "the most complete asset tracking solution possible".. 8. Christian Worldview/Issues Christianity Spreading in Iran via Multimedia Iranian Muslims in growing numbers are coming to know and accept Jesus Christ through satellite-TV, internet and other media outlet, reported Open Doors. “New media is becoming increasingly important in the future to strengthen the church,” according to Open Doors. Formerly, Muslims in restricted countries such as Iran usually only come to Christianity through miraculous experiences such as visions or dreams, noted the group; Christians are prohibited from evangelizing under Iranian laws. Ministry with a cheeseburger A simple idea inspired by a conversation with a homeless man exceeded expectation by winning a Minnesota college’s top social service prize of the year. Helping Hope, an outreach which offers cheeseburgers to homeless people, recently was named the best community service project in the “Light the Way” contest at Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minn. Late-Abortions Given so Women Could Go to Rock Concerts A Psychologist who has examined over thirty medical records subpoenaed from abortionist George R. Tiller, says women were given late-term abortions on viable babies so they would not have to miss rock concerts and sporting events. Dr. Paul McHugh revealed last week that he examined medical records that showed women who were 26 to 30 weeks into their pregnancies were being given abortions by Tiller for "trivial" birth control reasons under the guise of "mental health" concerns that could not be substantiated by the records. Papers show Isaac Newton's religious side Three-century-old manuscripts by Isaac Newton calculating the exact date of the apocalypse, detailing the precise dimensions of the ancient temple in Jerusalem and interpreting passages of the Bible -- exhibited this week for the first time -- lay bare the little-known religious intensity of a man many consider history's greatest scientist. Newton, who died 280 years ago, is known for laying much of the groundwork for modern physics, astronomy, math and optics. But in a new Jerusalem exhibit, he appears as a scholar of deep faith who also found time to write on judenish law and combing the Old Testament's Book of Daniel for clues about the world's end. In one document, Newton discussed the exact dimensions of the temple -- its plans mirrored the arrangement of the cosmos, he believed -- and sketched it.
|
|
|
Post by Warlord on Jul 8, 2007 4:37:28 GMT -5
1. Where is the United States in Prophecy? World oil supplies are set to run out faster than expected, warn scientists Scientists have criticised a major review of the world's remaining oil reserves, warning that the end of oil is coming sooner than governments and oil companies are prepared to admit. BP's Statistical Review of World Energy, published yesterday, appears to show that the world still has enough "proven" reserves to provide 40 years of consumption at current rates. The assessment, based on officially reported figures, has once again pushed back the estimate of when the world will run dry. However, scientists led by the London-based Oil Depletion Analysis Centre, say that global production of oil is set to peak in the next four years before entering a steepening decline which will have massive consequences for the world economy and the way that we live our lives. Untreatable TB threat 'apocalyptic scenario' The World Health Organization is appealing for billions of dollars in funding to avert the apocalypse en route if a virtually untreatable form of tuberculosis that already infects 30,000 people a year is left unchecked. The TB, called XDR-TB for extensively drug resistant, is virtually immune to currently available antibiotics, turning aside the effects of both front-line and secondary drugs, officials have said. Americans' Confidence in the Church Reaching All-Time Low Americans' confidence in organized religion and other institutions is down across the board compared to last year, a recent Gallup poll found. Only 46 percent of Americans have a "great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in church/organized religion which is one percentage point of being the lowest in Gallup's history since 1973. The largest drops in confidence between 2006 and 2007 are seen in ratings for banks (41 percent), the presidency (25 percent), television news (23 percent) and newspapers (22 percent). Americans show the least confidence in Congress with only 14 percent – the lowest in Gallup's history – expressing confidence. "These low ratings reflect the generally sour mood of the public at this time," stated the Gallup report. Distrust of US, Russia and China growing around world Unease with American foreign policy and President George Bush has intensified in countries that used to be the closest US allies, while Russia and China also face growing international wariness, a survey released on Wednesday said. Support for the US-led war in Iraq, the NATO military action in Afghanistan and worldwide American efforts against terrorism has dropped since 2002, according to an international survey by non-partisan Pew Research Centre. Views of the US in much of the Muslim world remain particularly negative, the poll discovered. In one instance of Bush’s unpopularity, the poll showed he is less trusted on foreign policy than Russian President Vladimir Putin by allies Britain, Germany and Canada, even though faith in Putin himself has also plummeted. About half in the US say they have little or no trust in either leader’s conduct of foreign affairs. However, the US is still seen favourable in most countries surveyed, including India, Japan, Italy, Israel and many African countries. 2. Israel - God's Timepiece Israel braces for July war with up to five enemies Israel is preparing for an imminent war with Iran, Syria and/or their non-state clients.Israeli military intelligence has projected that a major attack could come from any of five adversaries in the Middle East. Officials said such a strike could spark a war as early as July 2007. On Sunday, Israeli military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin told the Cabinet that the judenish state faces five adversaries in what could result in an imminent confrontation. Yadlin cited Iran, Syria, Hizbullah, Hamas and Al Qaida. "Each of these adversaries is capable of sparking a war in the summer," Yadlin was quoted as saying. Hamas: Thanks for arming us, America! Hamas has successfully transformed itself from a fringe terrorist group into a powerful military machine thanks largely to the generous financial aid the United States has given to the Palestinians, according to one of the group's co-founders. “Two years ago, one bullet in Gaza cost around $4 - now it would cost 35 cents. The American aid money has been translated into weapons. Thank you, America!” said former Palestinian Authority foreign minister Mahmoud al-Zahar in an interview with Germany's Der Spiegel. Report: IAF preparing for Iran strike The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has been training on long-range flights, including refueling in mid-flight, in preparation for potential strikes against Iranian nuclear targets. The training program has been taking place for some time but has only been released for publication today, the Ma'ariv daily reported. Intelligence assessments received by the defense establishment concur that once Iran passes the point of no return in its nuclear efforts, the entire Middle East will enter a frantic nuclear armament race. Egypt and Saudi Arabia are expected to take the lead should such a scenario become reality. 3. A Revived Roman Empire? A new road map for Europe The revamped treaty hammered out by European leaders at a marathon summit meeting here will rescue the bloc from its current existential crisis. But the "United States of Europe" envisioned by the EU's founding fathers is dead and Europe's ability to act as a unified power on the world stage remains in doubt. With a road map for its future in hand, a newly empowered union should be able to take a larger global leadership role and become a more equal partner with Washington on issues ranging from the Middle East, a newly assertive Russia and energy security. The creation of a more powerful EU foreign policy chief to represent the bloc internationally should also help Europe to better speak with one voice, making it clearer than ever whom Washington needs to call when, as Henry Kissinger once put it, it "wants to speak to Europe." Former Soviet Dissident Warns For EU Dictatorship Vladimir Bukovksy, the 63-year old former Soviet dissident, fears that the European Union is on its way to becoming another Soviet Union. II am referrring to structures, to certain ideologies being instilled, to the plans, the direction, the inevitable expansion, the obliteration of nations, which was the purpose of the Soviet Union. Most people do not understand this. They do not know it, but we do because we were raised in the Soviet Union where we had to study the Soviet ideology in school and at university. The ultimate purpose of the Soviet Union was to create a new historic entity, the Soviet people, all around the globe. The same is true in the EU today. They are trying to create a new people. They call this people “Europeans”.. According to Communist doctrine as well as to many forms of Socialist thinking, the state, the national state, is supposed to wither away. In Russia, however, the opposite happened. Instead of withering away the Soviet state became a very powerful state, but the nationalities were obliterated. But when the time of the Soviet collapse came these suppressed feelings of national identity came bouncing back and they nearly destroyed the country. Blair appointed Middle East envoy for Quartet Tony Blair is to become a Middle East envoy working on behalf of the US, Russia, the UN and the EU. He told MPs: "The absolute priority is to try to give effect to what is now the consensus across the international community - that the only way of bringing stability and peace to the Middle East is a two-state solution." Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has welcomed Mr Blair's appointment - which was delayed because of Russia's reservations. But the militant group Hamas said "it was not helpful in solving the conflict in the Middle East", arguing that Mr Blair's position mirrored those of the US and Israel. 4. The Gog/Magog War Military relations between Turkey and Russia have been growing as Turkish Air Forces Commander Gen. Faruk Cömert, in what is said to be the first visit by a Turkish Air Forces commander to this country since the establishment of diplomatic relations 87 years ago, returned home last Friday with the decision to set up a hot line between the two countries' air force commanders. Cömert was reciprocating the visit of the then Russian air force commander to Turkey in 2004. A joint Turkish-Russian Black Sea Harmony operation will also mark the first time that the navies of the two former foes, until the demise of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, will jointly operate against threats. Turkey: Ruling Islamic-Rooted Party Will Will Elections, Survey Shows Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) will score a clear victory in elections scheduled for 22 July, results of a poll published Monday suggest. However the survey conducted by the KONDA research agency, also indicated the AKP total number of seats in parliament would fall to 307 from 352, still handing it a strong majority to form a government in the 550 seat house. Strategic missile mass production begins in Russia Russia has begun mass production of the Topol-M strategic missile, First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Tuesday. "We are now moving on to a new and very important rearmament stage for both our nuclear strategic forces and our tactical complexes," he said The Topol-M is known to NATO as the SS-27 and is a three-stage intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of 10,000km which can be deployed on both stationary and mobile launch platforms. Russia is back in the Balkans, Black Sea: Putin President Vladimir Putin said that Russia, with its increasing power, was regaining its influence in the Balkans and the Black Sea region. "Everybody knows that the Balkans and the Black Sea region were of special interest to us," Putin told reporters at the end of a summit of the Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). "Russia, with its increasing potentials, is coming back to this region. This is an obvious fact," he said. "This is in the interest of Russia but also of our partners." The area the BSEC covers is the world's second-largest source of oil and natural gas after the Gulf and is a major transit corridor for energy supplies bound for Europe.
|
|
|
Post by Warlord on Jul 8, 2007 4:37:54 GMT -5
5. Apostate Christianity World Council of Churches to launch global initiative against Israel A Geneva-based church body said Monday it would launch a global initiative to have churches worldwide rally for an end to Israel's occupation of Arab lands seized in the 1967 Mideast war. The World Council of Churches said in a statement that it designated Jordan as a venue for its initiative, which would enlist support from religious groups worldwide. "The initiative aims at calling on all churches to work seriously for putting an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian and Arab lands," the statement said. The World Council of Churches, founded in 1948, groups 347 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing over 560 million Christians in more than 110 countries. Methodists 'bordering anti-Semitism' with anti-Israel policies The United Methodist Church's call to divest from companies linked to Israel "is bordering on anti-Semitism," Anti-Defamation League Director Abraham Foxman told Ynetnews on Wednesday. Foxman furiously condemned recommendations made by the New England branch of the Methodist Church for its members to divest "from twenty companies identified as supporting the Israeli occupation in Palestine." He added that in the past two years, "there has been a war perpetrated by Hizbullah, katyushas rockets, and terrorist acts. Now Hamas, that does not recognize Israel's right to exist and perpetrated violence, has gotten itself elected, and is in control of a million and a half Palestinians. And the Methodists are still there to teach Israel a lesson." Church of England Recruits Simpsons to Teach Theology, Boost Attendance The Church of England is getting help from the Simpsons to provide a more relevant way of teaching children about theology and to give a boost to dwindling congregations. Mixing it Up with the “Simpsons”, a book to be released by the Church of England’s publishing company, will be sent to youth advisers in every diocese across the country next week, the Sunday Telegraph reported, with the hope of showing how Christianity is relevant to life today through issues tackled in the popular U.S. TV cartoon series. Clergy will be urged to show episodes of “The Simpsons” that focus on Christian themes such as love and punishment. 6. The Rise of Islam Iran steps up persecution of Christians as Ahmadinejad prepares for the coming of the Islamic Mahdi Earlier this year WND reported on plans by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to "pave the path for the glorious reappearance of Imam Mahdi," and now confirmed reports from Voice of the Martyrs reveals that the persecution of Christians in Iran is intensifying. WND reported that Ahmadinejad is urging Iranians to prepare for the coming of the Mahdi by turning the country into a mighty and advanced Islamic society and by avoiding the corruption and excesses of the West. Shiites believe the 12th imam disappeared as a child in the year 941, but when he returns he will reign on earth for seven years, before bringing about a final judgment and the end of the world. "Clearly, Iran's government is alarmed at the growth of the Christian faith there," said Todd Nettleton, a spokesman for the ministry that serves persecuted Christians worldwide. Aussie Muslims unite against Israel Australia's Sunni Muslims have pushed aside ideological differences with their Shia counterparts to form a united front against Israel and declare their support for the Iranian-backed terrorist network Hezbollah. The unity among the two Muslim sects, which have been at war with each other for centuries, comes as the nation's judenish community accuses top Shia spiritual leader Kamal Mousselmani of creating hatred towards judens by calling Israel a "terrorist" state and expressing his allegiance to Hezbollah militants. Women pledge to army of Islamic vigilantes A 6,000-strong army of young women wielding bamboo sticks and covered from head to toe in black is vowing to enforce the Islamist moral vision of their teacher, Abdul Rashid Ghazi. For now, they are content to kidnap prostitutes — releasing them hours later after stern lectures on Islamic morality — and attack music video stalls and other targets. But Mr. Ghazi, who runs a madrassa, or Muslim seminary, attached to Islamabad's Red Mosque, warns that his female students will send suicide bombers into the fray if authorities lay a hand on them. 7. Increase in Knowledge/New Technologies New Technology Lets User Control Electronics With Brain Forget the clicker: A new technology in Japan could let you control electronic devices without lifting a finger simply by reading brain activity. The "brain-machine interface" developed by Hitachi Inc. analyzes slight changes in the brain's blood flow and translates brain motion into electric signals. Hitachi's scientists are set to develop a brain TV remote controller letting users turn a TV on and off or switch channels by only thinking. The technology could one day replace remote controls and keyboards and perhaps help disabled people operate electric wheelchairs, beds or artificial limbs. “Playing God” -Scientists in Final Stage of Creating Man-made Life Dr Craig Venter, who has led the private sector effort to sequence the human genome, has been working for years to create a man-made organism. He says his company Synthetic Genomics Inc, has nearly completed the journey to create the world’s first free-living artificial organism. According to Venter, it will only be a few more weeks before manmade life is unveiled in his very own laboratory. “It will be one of the bright milestones in human history, changing our conceptual view of life.” Said Venter. Others have a less “bright” view of Venter’s work—they say it could be potentially dangerous. It has been suggested that this type of technology could turn out to be the scary side of “playing God”, since it invariably suggests the chance that dangerous organisms could be inadvertently (or purposefully) unleashed on a world unprepared to deal with the consequences. Because there is no precedence, scientists don’t know for sure what kind of negative impact is possible. Pay By Touch Biometric Check Cashing West Texas National Bank today announced that it has adopted Pay By Touch's biometric check cashing service. Paycheck Secure(tm) powered by Pay By Touch lets consumers use a finger scan to quickly and securely identify themselves to cash a government or payroll check. Paycheck Secure powered by Pay By Touch is fast and easy to use. To enroll, customers visit West Texas National Bank, where a bank employee will check their government-issued ID, scan their fingerprint and take a digital photograph. The one-time enrollment takes only minutes, and thereafter the customer need only place his/her finger on a scanner at the branch location to safely and securely cash checks. GM crops: 'Point of no return in ten years' Europe will increase its genetically modified (GMO) crop area by 50,000-100,000 hectares a year over the next decade, US biotech giant Monsanto has said. "It will be slow but within ten years GMOs will have reached the point of no return," said Jean-Michel Duhamel, Monsanto's director for southern Europe. In France, the world's largest seed maker, GMO maize - the only biotech crop allowed in the country - was expected to be grown on 600,000 hectares in ten years, against 25,000 in 2007, despite fierce opposition to GMOs in the country. 8. Christian Worldview/Issues Religious Education by Parents is labeled "Child Abuse" Religious education is a form of child abuse and violates the rights of children, contends a thesis to be considered by secular humanists at the Center for Inquiry's congress in Beijing this October. The Center for Inquiry, an organisation recently awarded special consultative status as an NGO at the United Nations (UN) will consider the proposals of Innaiah Narisetti, the chairman of the Center for Inquiry's India chapter, that portend the next stage in the assault on the rights of parents to educate their children. Nasiretti called the influence of religion a "severe shortcoming in the global campaign to protect children" and a contributor to child abuse saying, "In one form or another, all religions violate the rights of children." Nasiretti's proposal would reject the long-recognized inherent rights of parents to educate and provide for their children's religious instruction in favor of regulating children's exposure to religious influence by world governments abiding by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Former Homosexuals Challenge The Gay Gospel Hundreds of men and women will be hearing from former homosexuals who found freedom through Jesus Christ when Exodus International opens its 32nd annual Freedom Conference in Irvine, Calif. There is a growing movement today to legitimize homosexuality not only in the eyes of the culture but also in the eyes of the church, according to Joe Dallas, a featured speaker at Exodus' Freedom Conference this week. Seeing a pro-gay theology or "the gay gospel" growing in prominence, Dallas released a book titled The Gay Gospel: How Pro-Gay Advocates Misread the Bible earlier this year to equip the average believer to be able to answer the claims of those who say they are gay and a Christian and believe that's fine with God. "There is, in essence, a new gospel being preached which teaches that homosexuality not only is legitimate but is even God-ordained, and that the church which believes homosexuality is wrong needs to change its position,". Part-Time Pastors Fill Churches' Needs For many of the millions of Americans who depend on their pastors, ministers and spiritual leaders, a full-time minister is becoming an out-of-reach luxury. To keep small churches open — and to provide individual care at big churches — religious groups are increasingly relying on part-time, or bivocational pastors. One expert says about a third of the pastors serving large Protestant denominations are part-time, with some — such as the Southern Baptist Convention — nearing 40 percent. "It's a growing form of ministry, and I believe it's going to grow even faster and larger". In many denominations, bivocational ministers were more common than full-timers up until the middle of the 20th century. Rising prosperity plus a push toward professionalism and seminary graduates meant more congregations employed full-time pastors, but that trend has crested. Many churches are discovering that multiplication is better than addition Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York was ranked the number one multiplying church in America. Based on a survey sponsored by Leadership Network, Outreach Magazine's 2007 list of "America's Top 25 Multiplying Churches" placed Redeemer on top, Mars Hill Church in Seattle second and NorthWood Church in Keller, Texas, third. All three churches have planted a total of 100 churches since their founding. Redeemer's Church Planting Center, established in 2000, has helped start more than 50 churches of various faith traditions and denominations in New York along with 17 Presbyterian churches. "Among churches today, the conversation – a long overdue one - is moving from church growth to Kingdom growth," wrote Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research.. "These churches ... are discovering that multiplication is better than addition, and exponential growth is more effective than self-expansion," wrote Stetzer.
|
|
|
Post by Warlord on Jul 8, 2007 4:38:57 GMT -5
1. Where is the United States in Prophecy? U.S. Fears Terror 'Spectacular' Planned A secret U.S. law enforcement report, prepared for the Department of Homeland Security, warns that al Qaeda is planning a terror "spectacular" this summer, according to a senior official with access to the document. "This is reminiscent of the warnings and intelligence we were getting in the summer of 2001," the official told ABCNews.com. Global survey shows rejection of U.S. idea of democracy Americans have historically held out democracy to the world as a value they cherish and a model of how to create a great nation. But now the world has sent back an unflattering message. Asked by the Pew Global Attitudes Survey whether they liked or disliked American ideas about democracy, respondents in many countries replied in the negative, sometimes overwhelmingly so. The result appeared to indicate that people in other nations are superimposing U.S. behavior abroad on the concept of democracy, tarnishing one of America's bedrock values, analysts said. Defense analyst: U.S. must not overlook Pakistani nuke threat A defense policy expert says there's very little the United States can do to prevent Iran and North Korea from becoming nuclear powers. He argues Pakistan poses a more dangerous security threat to the U.S. than do both of those countries. "The Musharraf regime is in a relatively fragile position, at least tacitly an ally in the war on terrorism; but Pervez Musharraf will not be around forever -- there've been several attempts on his life," Pena noted. "What are we going to do if a more radical Islamic regime takes over Pakistan and is sitting on top of live nukes?" 2. Israel - God's Timepiece Hamas's plans for Temple Mount foiled Hamas's attempts to take over control of the Temple Mount as well as spread its ideology and recruit new members in Jerusalem have been foiled by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), a senior security official announced Monday. According to officials, Hamas has invested millions of shekels in recent years in Jerusalem charities and religious institutions, as well as in construction on the Temple Mount, in an effort to recruit Israeli Arab residents of Jerusalem into its ranks, thus bolstering its presence in the capital. North American Aliyah Hits 25-Year High North American Aliyah (immigration to Israel) will reach a 25-year record high this year, with immigrants arriving on twelve flights this summer. The number of judens moving to Israel from North America has steadily climbed for the past five years, with 3,200 in 2006 and a 5-10% increase expected this year. Some 70 percent of North American immigrants are under age 35 (40% under 18). Palestinians are number one supporters of Iran nuclear weapons Of 37 populations around the world, Palestinians rank first in their level of support for a nuclear-armed Iran, a new poll has revealed. The survey, taken by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, found that 58 percent of the Palestinian public are in favor of Tehran acquiring atomic weapons, making Palestinians the only Middle Eastern population not opposed to an Iranian bomb. When it came to attitudes towards the US, Israel and the Palestinians were placed, unsurprisingly, on opposite ends of the spectrum. Only six percent of Palestinians expressed support for the US-led war on terror, the lowest of any population, while just 21 percent of Palestinians said they had positive feelings toward the American people, as opposed to American policies, the survey found. "America's closest ally in the region, Israel, continues to have overwhelmingly favorable views of the US. Nearly eight-in-ten Israelis (78 percent) give the US a positive rating," the research found. "It is equally troubling that 77 percent of Palestinians do not believe in coexistence with Israel. Instead, they appear to support Iranian President Ahmadinejad’s threat to ‘wipe Israel off the map.’ More Gaza Strip Infighting - Hamas vs Army of Islam "Hamas has a comprehensive plan to wipe out the phenomenon called the Army of Islam," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said on Tuesday. Barhoum condemned the organization, which has been holding BBC journalist Alan Johnston captive in Gaza for over three months, saying it harmed the image of the Palestinian people by kidnapping foreigners and Palestinians. Violence between Hamas and the Army of Islam has been developing in the Gaza Strip, as Hamas kidnapped Khitab al-Maqdasi, al-Qaeda's spokesman in the Strip, and the Army of Islam's spiritual leader Mumtaz Dughmush on Monday. The Army of Islam warned Hamas against any attempt to free the journalist by force, saying it would respond with force to any attempt to harm its men or forcibly enter the area where Hamas believes the British reporter is being held. 3. A Revived Roman Empire? EU faces Islamic backlash from Turkey The European Union is risking an Islamic backlash in Turkey, according to the EU's enlargement commissioner, Olli Rehn. A survey showed attitudes in the country souring towards the West. Mr Rehn told the European Voice weekly: "If you look at the current political situation in the Middle East, in Palestine, in Lebanon, not to speak of Iraq, we don't need another nationalist or Islamist problem in the neighbourhood of Europe." Just 27% of Turks have a favourable opinion of the European Union, compared to 58% in 2004, according to this year's annual global survey by the Pew Research Center. "The ongoing frustration in Turkey over its on-again, off-again membership negotiations with the EU are vividly reflected in these data," Pew said in the poll report. Secularist Europe Silences Pro-Lifers and Creationists Last week, a German court sentenced a 55-year old Lutheran pastor to one year in jail for “Volksverhetzung” (incitement of the people) because he compared the killing of the unborn in contemporary Germany to the holocaust. Next week, the Council of Europe is going to vote on a resolution imposing Darwinism as Europe’s official ideology. The European governments are asked to fight the expression of creationist opinions, such as young earth and intelligent design theories. According to the Council of Europe these theories are “undemocratic” and “a threat to human rights.” Turkey’s leaders plan Muslim Europe If you thought Turkey was no threat to the West, think again. A new generation of politicians is aiming to Islamise the state by stealth. The AKP - Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi, or Justice and Development Party - has a stranglehold on Turkey for the foreseeable future. Since coming to power, the AKP has done nothing revolutionary, but it does have a revolutionary agenda. For all their suavity, its leaders seek to transform the country into a Sunni Muslim republic. This collides with institutions and laws strictly limiting Islam's role in public life, and with a long-standing security alliance with Israel. ID cards 'to be UK institution' The identity card scheme will become a "great British institution" on a par with the railways in the 19th Century, Home Office minister Liam Byrne says. He said it was "time to get on with it" and predicted that the National Identity Scheme "will soon become part of the fabric of British life". But plans to "multiply the uses" of the ID scheme would mean there should be stronger accountability to Parliament. The Home Office intends to introduce biometric identification for foreign nationals in 2008, with the first ID cards for British citizens issued in 2009. 4. The Gog/Magog War Russian President Vladimir Putin is making an astonishing bid to grab a vast chunk of the Arctic - so he can tap its vast potential oil, gas and mineral wealth. His scientists claim an underwater ridge near the North Pole is really part of Russia's continental shelf. One newspaper printed a map of the "new addition", a triangle five times the size of Britain with twice as much oil as Saudi Arabia. The dramatic move provoked an international outcry. The U.S. and Canada expressed shock and environment campaigners said it would be a disaster. Observers say the move is typical of Putin's muscle-flexing as he tries to increase Russian power. "Putin wants a strong Russia, and Western dependence on it for oil and gas supplies is a key part of his strategy. He no longer cares if it upsets the West." Iran Establishes Missile Defense Shield in Syria Iran is deploying missiles in Syria in preparation for military action if it is attacked over its nuclear program, U.N. officials in the region said. Under a mutual defense pact signed between Damascus and Tehran in 2005, Syria agreed to the deployment of sophisticated weaponry on its territory. The Iranians have now decided to implement the agreement following a meeting last month of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. Iran is preparing to transfer dozens of medium-range Shahab-3 and Russian-made Scud-C missiles, together with Scud-B missiles. Most of the missiles can be fired from mobile launchers and are capable of hitting targets right across Israel." Iran is preparing itself for the possibility of military action over its nuclear program," a senior U.N. official in Lebanon said. 5. Apostate Christianity Christian Theologians: 'Episcopal Muslim' Faith is Illogical, Contradictory News of an Episcopal priest claiming to be simultaneously a Christian and a Muslim has Christian theologians shaking their head in dismay at the irreconcilable contradiction. While some call the statement heresy and others illogical, the theologians agreed that the Christian belief in the divine being and savior Jesus Christ is incompatible with Islamic teaching of Jesus as a prophet. The Rev. Ann Holmes Redding recently made headlines for claiming to be both a Christian and Muslim. She was formerly the director of faith formation at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle and has been a priest for more than 20 years. However, for the last 15 months she has also been a Muslim, according to The Seattle Times. Dr. Emir Caner, dean of The College at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, described Redding’s faith conviction as “an extraordinary illustration of what has become Postmodern Christianity in America. ”“Redding is simply an extreme example in the Episcopal Church,” concluded Colson in a commentary on Tuesday. “But sadly she represents the widespread, politically correct belief that all religions lead to the same place – a message which is not only dead wrong as a matter of logic, but one which denies Christ. “In short, it is the ultimate heresy.” Embracing sin and have calling it good - Christians march for Gay pride The president of a pro-family group in California says leaders of religious groups who are using the name of God to try and justify homosexuality are full-blown apostates. Last weekend, a number of liberal religious groups took part in New York City's annual LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) Pride Parade. Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, who was one of the parade's grand marshals, said those who were using religion to advocate "an anti-gay agenda" -- "right-wing religious bigots," she called them in a New York Post article -- were blaspheming God's name. Kleinbaum heads the world's largest predominantly homosexual synagogue. The rabbi's fellow grand marshal was Troy Newman, founder of the Metropolitan Community Church, a nationwide coalition of pro-homosexual churches.Phil Magnan, president of Biblical Family Advocates, says many religious leaders have total disregard for God's Word. "We've now entered into an era where we're in what I would call full-blown apostasy, where people have embraced sin and have called it good -- and Christ calls us to repentance and not to embrace sin," he says.
|
|
|
Post by Warlord on Jul 8, 2007 4:39:18 GMT -5
6. The Rise of Islam Study shows Australia home for radical Islam Australia has a bigger portion of Muslim youths at risk of turning to radical Islam than any other Western nation, with up to 3,000 in "ideological sleeper cells" in Sydney alone, a government-backed study said on Monday. Between 2,000 and 3,000 youths, or about 1 percent of Sydney's 200,000-strong Muslim population, had already been targeted by radical Islamic teachers, with some at risk of making the jump to militancy, the research said. "The radical teaching base here is relatively stronger than you might expect it to be in the UK, the Middle East or the U.S.,". "The youth community here is vulnerable and could be acted upon for recruitment and further radicalisation." Australia has around 340,000 Muslims, or around 1.6 percent of the 21 million population. But the percentage of radicalised Muslim youths was bigger than the United States or the UK, where the ideological pool was of similar size, but off a 1.6 million base, Kara-Ali said. Nigeria: Sultan - We Must Counter Christian Evangelization The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Saad III yesterday vowed to counter the upsurge of Christian evangelization in Nigeria with the message of Islam. But Governor Namadi Sambo of Kaduna State has cautioned that the "good intention" of the Islamic leader in Nigeria could be hijacked by religious extremists to destabilize the country.Speaking during a meeting of Northern Traditional rulers (Emirs) at Arewa House Kaduna State, Sadiq III lamented the increasing activities of Christian evangelical organizations and vowed to counter it with Islamic religion. The Sultan who is also the President General of the Jama'atu Nasil Islam (JNI) said the spread of Christianity has made it all more urgent that the message of Islam shall be heard loud and clear and the JNI must play a leading role in this endeavour". 7. Increase in Knowledge/New Technologies Replacing a genome boosts race to develop designer bugs Researchers have transformed one bacterial species into another by swapping their genomes, a move that will accelerate the race to develop custom-built synthetic bugs, a pioneer on genetics has said. Craig Venter, who had a hand in mapping the human genome, said that a team of his researchers had transplanted the entire genetic code of one bacterial organism into another closely related species. For decades, molecular biologists have genetically modified microbes and other kinds of cells by adding short DNA sequences, whole genes and even large pieces of chromosomes in their quest to fashion synthetic bugs that can make anti-malaria drugs or novel biofuels. But this is the first time that researchers have transplanted an entire genome into a living organism and shown that the cell can express the foreign DNA. "This is equivalent to changing a Macintosh computer to a PC by inserting a new piece of software," Venter said. Human-animal hybrid embryos have right to life says Bishops Human-animal hybrid embryos conceived in the laboratory - so-called “chimeras” - should be regarded as human and their mothers should be allowed to give birth to them, the Roman Catholic Church said yesterday. Under draft Government legislation to be debated by Parliament later this year, scientists will be given permission for the first time to create such embryos for research as long as they destroy them within two weeks. But the Catholic bishops of England and Wales, in a submission to the Parliamentary joint committee scrutinising the draft legislation, said that the genetic mothers of “chimeras” should be able to raise them as their own children if they wished. The bishops said that they did not see why these “interspecies” embryos should be treated any differently than others. Wear your chip or eat it Care to eat chips — not the potato ones in colourful packaging and different flavours but the digital ones, info rich variety! For starters, swallow this: If you happen to be among the select VIP members of the Baja Beach Club, one of Barcelona’s hottest night spots, you’ll not only be in the company of some very exclusive people, but also among the few with an implantable microchip. The chip was club owner Conrad Chase’s idea of offering a unique identity to the club’s VIP patrons. Slightly larger than a grain of rice, the chip is used to identify people when they enter and pay for drinks. It is injected by a nurse under a local anesthetic. It is an RFID tag — radio frequency identification. RFID tags are miniscule microchips which listen for a radio query and respond by transmitting their unique ID code. Most RFID tags have no batteries: They use the power from the initial radio signal to transmit their response. At the Baja Club if a special tag-reader is waved near the arm, a radio signal prompts the chip to transmit an identification number which is used to access information about the wearer from a database. Otherwise the chip is dormant. But its applications are much wider. Pentagon Pursuit: Laser-Guided Bullets American soldiers have been using laser scopes for a long time, to make their shots more accurate. But what if the bullets themselves were steered by lasers, and able to turn on a dime? That's the idea behind a new, $7.5 million Darpa initiative to be a "laser-guided bullet." The Pentagon's way-out research agency has been working hard, lately, to figure out ways to make already-deadly snipers even more lethal -- designing scopes that automatically compensate for the elements, for instance. At stake, of course, is more than just a few extra cases of ammo. It used to take a whole bunch of bombs -- causing a whole bunch of civilian casualties -- to knock out a single target. Then came the laser-guided munition. Aerial warfare became more precise. "Friendly fire" deaths and so-called "collateral damage" dropped, accordingly. Now, the Pentagon is looking to bring that kind of accuracy to all kinds of weapons, from artillery shells to mortars. Bullets could be the next step. 8. Christian Worldview/Issues Texas Supreme Court vindicates pastor who practiced church discipline A Texas pastor who was sued after exercising church discipline has been handed a victory by that state's supreme court. The lawsuit was brought by a church member who refused to repent following a divorce and remarriage. According to the lawsuit, Peggy Penley was a member of Crossland Community Bible Church in Fort Worth when she had a relationship with another man and desired to divorce her husband. In accordance with the church's disciplinary process, Crossland Community Pastor Buddy Westbrook eventually sent a letter to church members, informing them of Penley's unrepentant attitude and disassociating the congregation from Penley. She sued the church, the elders, and Pastor Westbrook, claiming the pastor violated confidentiality statutes. Hiram Sasser is with Liberty Legal Institute, which represented Westbrook before the Texas Supreme Court in Penley v. Westbrook. He says the court's unanimous decision in the pastor's favor sends a clear message. "This is a great victory for pastors all across Texas and all across the nation " Sasser says. "This is a very strong opinion saying that pastors who are engaging in Matthew 18 church disciplinary process are protected by the Constitution from lawsuits from people who don't like how that goes down." Decline of VBS causes alarm among Christian educators The importance of children in a marriage for making that relationship work is plummeting, and a children's organization says churches apparently are reflecting that change in priorities, with tens of thousands fewer congregations now offering vacation Bible school. A report from The Barna Group of Ventura, Calif., noted that between 1997 and 2005, there was a 15 percent decline in the percentage of churches offering vacation Bible schools, those usually week-long summer intensives of Bible lessons – and cookies and fruit drink – for children. The drop was from 81 percent of churches surveyed, to 69 percent. "That represents about 38,000 fewer churches offering VBS than eight years earlier," the report said. Home-based congregations catch on among church faithful As Time Magazine reported in 2006, house churches — also called "home churches" or "simple churches" — are attracting untold thousands of Christians across the country looking for a new worship experience. Although there are no official counts, religious pollster George Barna estimated last year that 20 million American adults attend a house church each week, and that up to 70 million have tried one out. The modern house-church model has its roots in the earliest Christian traditions dating back 2,000 years. House-church leaders point to the New Testament as the scriptural inspiration for their gatherings. The Book of Acts, for example, describes early Christians gathering in one another's homes for meals and worship. But over the centuries, as Christianity mainstreamed, that model faded. Now, some leaders feel they're being led by God to resurrect that ancient practice. 9. Other Events To Watch More than half of humanity will be living in cities by next year Some 3.3 billion people, more than half of humanity, will be living in cities by next year, according to a U.N. report released today. By 2030, cities will be home to close to 5 billion. Without proper planning, cities across the globe face the threat of overwhelming poverty, limited opportunities for youth, and religious extremism, U.N. Population Fund Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid said. If these smaller cities fail to meet the needs of migrant populations, they could face social unrest. World millionaires' club numbers 9.5 million The number of millionaires in the world increased by 8.3 percent in 2006, with about 9.5 million individuals now estimated to have more than a million dollars in financial assets, a report said this week.. The survey by financial services group Capgemini and US investment bank Merrill Lynch said strong global economic growth and gains on the stock market explained the expansion of the exclusive club of "High Net Worth Individuals".. The financial assets owned by the group totalled 37.2 trillion dollars (27.7 trillion euros), an increase of 11.4 percent from 2005, with Singapore, India, Indonesia and Russia producing the greatest number of new millionaires. "Global wealth continued to consolidate in 2006, a trend we have reported for the past 11 years," the report said. Global economy faces 'chaos' - World Economic Forum The international community faces a real risk of 'economic chaos' arising from major imbalances in the global financial system, the World Economic Forum on East Asia was told Sunday. Complacency has set in after years of uninterrupted global growth and there is no evidence to suggest a self-correcting mechanism is in place to avert a major shock to the global financial system, delegates to the two-day forum were told. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Singapore's Second Minister for Finance, warned the financial contagion will hit when it is least expected and bring about a 'vicious' aftermath. 'You can't predict when it's going to come. You can't predict the scale but there's a feeling that when it comes, it's going to be a pretty large impact and going to be very difficult to manage'.
|
|