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Prophe-Zine Issue 036
PropheZine # 36
March 2, 1997
Ray Gano...Welcome To PropheZine #36
PropheZine's Interview With Grant Jeffrey
Lori Fiechter.......Are We Not Warning?
Lori Fiechter.....Deception in the Press--Another Gospel
Berit Kjos.....UN Reforms -Fact or Farce?
Gene Cunningham .....The Coming Persecution of the New World Order
Thomas S. McCall, Th.D....Where is the Ark of the Covenant?
Karen McDaniel..... Where Do We Stand?
PropheZine NewsBytes
* Lee Underwood..................F.Y.I. - Israel In The News
*Leiah and Jason Elbaum... US Congress Reports that Syria, Iran, Iraq and PLO preparing for war with Israel
*Bio-Chip Update................Major Organizations Are Experimenting With Computer Chip Implants in Humans
*BioChip Update #2 ..........Chip implants: weird science with a noble purpose
By Larry Lange
*Jan Farmer.......................Preparedness Expo '97
* Arutz Sheva News Service... Temple Feast
* Smartcard Update.............Redwood condemns calls for European smartcard
* Nick Ivanovich ...........Who Controls U.S. National Parks?
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Welcome To PropheZine #36
Hello all,
Well I have some sad news for you. My Asst. Editor, Chris Jewett has been forced to give up the PZ ministry. Chris is involved with his church and the youth of his area. With his job and his church responsibilities, his plate was getting pretty full. He had to make a cut somewhere and PZ was it. We discussed it and I agreed with him. SO...I am looking for a person to fill Chris's shoes and lend me a hand in putting PZ together.
Requirements for the PZ Asst. Editor...
* Must have a stable foundation in our Lord. Very well grounded in the word and in your
Christian walk.
* A good relationship with your Wife / Husband and family (you will come under MAJOR enemy
attack they must understand this)
* Must attend and be part of a good church (again you will need your fellow church members
keeping you in prayer)
* A good knowledge of Bible Prophecy and Current Events
* Willing to give a 6 month commitment (Important for 1997)
* Be able to represent the PZ ministry in a positive light and make contact with many of the
news makers and authors in the prophecy circles
* If need be, be able to take over the PZ publication part of the PZ ministry
* Have a nose for news
* Positive motivation and a people person
* Good writing and editing skills (be able to read my stuff and fix it for me..I am horrible when
it comes to spelling and grammar!!!)
* A servants heart and be able to take orders and run with them without being managed
* A 6 month commitment to the internet / VERY stable email address. (A MUST)
* Well versed with your computer and with the internet
* Must have MS Word, Clairis Works,or Word Perfect.
* HTML is a PLUS.
Also I am looking for a News Editor. I am getting ready to offer daily news via "push technology"(Intermind / Pointcast). In this, we will be able to take PZ to millions of people all over the world, thus truly applying Matthew 28:19-20. I am looking for a highly motivated person who knows news when he/she sees it. I need a VERY SERIOUS commitment from this position!!! I would like a 6 month to 1 year commitment from this person. Once started, we can not afford to have someone quit 3 months down the line in this ministry. This will be a VERY serious part of the PZ ministry and this is where the PZ ministry is heading too. If you even have the slightest doubt that you might not be able to fulfill this major requirement, then I ask that you do not apply for this position. This will be a very visible and a "front man" position.
Requirements for PZ Daily News Editor
* Must get a program called Pagemill 2.0 ($99.00) and understand HTML. I do not require
experts in this, but a good foundation in HTML will help.
* Must have internet access 24 hrs a day via dial up or ISDN access +.
* Must be able to FTP/upload files at all times of the day, at work or at home 24 hrs a day.
* Must have a stable foundation in our Lord. Very well grounded in the word and in your
Christian walk.
* A good relationship with your Wife/Husband and family (you will come under MAJOR enemy
attack)
* Must attend and be part of a good church (again you will need your fellow church members
keeping you in prayer)
* Great writing and editing skills.
* Be able to manage a team of reporters and pick up slack where need be.
* Be able to be self supporting no matter what. The news must get out.
* Be able to make command decisions.
* Have a good nose for news.
* A good knowledge of Bible Prophecy and world events.
* Be able to represent the PZ ministry in a positive light and make contact with many of the
news makers and authors in the prophecy circles.
I am looking also for people to be PZ news reporters. The requirements are much like the editors but a little more lax in responsibility.
Warning to all that apply. Once you become a member of the PZ ministry, you WILL come under a great amount of the enemies attack. You might loose your job, loose money, cars break down, every problem you can think of, it might happen. So be forewarned. You can contact one of the current PZ staff members to verify this....grin.
One final warning, I am a dictator when it comes to the PZ ministry. I stand on James 3:1 when dealing with PZ. It will be me, Ray Gano who stands before the Lord to answer for the PZ ministry, so I need people with a good head on their shoulders and a wise mind. I need my staff to point mistakes and why they think I might be wrong or going in a wrong direction, but remember that in all things it is our Lord who opens and closes the doors and it is my decision based on many hours of prayer after that, I must go in the direction that I feel the Lord is leading PZ.
If any of these positions appeal to you, please send me a letter introducing yourself, what position you are applying for and a resume of sorts. I also want your telephone #. I ask that Asst. Editor and The Daily News Editor live in the USA. I need and I would REALLY like reporters from all over the world. I also ask that you take this to SERIOUS prayer before you apply. Seek the Lords will in this and REALLY see if the PZ ministry is for you.
I and the rest of the staff have been very blessed in serving our Lord via PZ. It is very fun and exciting. It has also been very costly when viewed from the worlds point of view. (loss of jobs, money, homes, etc.) but the blessing have been better!!!
So please send your application to ray@prophezine.com and I will be in contact with you via email and possibly with a follow-up phone call.
Now for this issue of PZ. I am very excited to continue sharing the interviews from the FL Prophecy Conference. In this issue we talk with Grant Jeffrey, best selling author and teacher. I am also thrilled to have Gene Cunningham join us in this issue of PZ. His article "The Coming Persecution of the New World Order" expands on my message to the church in the last issue of PZ. I am proud to introduce Lori Fiechter in her first article for PZ, "Deception in the Press--Another Gospel." Lori has writing poetry for PZ for a while now and I am glad to see her put her pen to writing articles as well. Berit Kjos joins us once again with a VERY EYE OPENING article "UN Reforms -Fact or Farce?" This is a must read and also good introduction to what she has to offer in her book " Brave New Schools." In fact if you go the PZ alliance area on the PropheZine www site, you can find out how to order her book at reduced rate plus she will autograph it for you as well. If you have kids and they are in school, YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!!!
Well there is so much to cover but so little space. I try to keep it under 40 pages when you print the issue out (using a Aerial font, 10 point with 1" margins all around) and I have once again gone over. So enjoy this issue of PZ, like all the other issues, it is a pleasure giving this to you.
In His service,
Ray Gano
Sr.Editor
PropheZine
ray@prophezine.com
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An Interview With Grant Jeffrey
While I was at Ray Brubaker's International Bible Prophecy Conference in Florida, I had a chance to meet up with Grant Jeffrey. This was special to me because it was Grant's book "Prince of Darkness" that woke me up as to how short the time really is. If you have not read this book, I HIGHLY advise you to do so. This is a VERY eye opening book!
While at the conference Grant and I had scheduled some time for me to interview him for PZ, but because of a prior engagement at a TV station, we were unable to meet. So Grant offered to do a Email interview. So I am proud to present a interview with Grant Jeffrey, author of the best selling book "Signature of God."
PZ: So many Christians seem to be disinterested in prophecy and where we are in the prophetic clock. Yet the bibles tells us to watch and be aware for the signs of the times. What do you think is the reason for the lack of interest what do you think can help to awaken sleeping Christians?
Grant: We are living in the most materialistic generation in the history of Christianity. As the Apostle Paul warned: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:1-4). As a result, many Christians have lost sight of both Heaven and the return of Christ to set up His kingdom on earth. In fact, many Christians, if they were totally honest, would admit that they have no longing for His return. They see the Second Coming as the "end of all good things" not as the most glorious occurrence in human history. We live today in the world's first generation of "rich young rulers" where most people in America are living in wealth, health and personal security that surpasses the experience of any other generation in history. Most people throughout history have lived lives that are "short and brutal." Naturally, Christians in past generations and those living today in poverty or persecution long for the return of Jesus Christ to replace their miseries with the triumph of righteousness, justice and peace under Christ. However, like the "rich, young ruler" in Christ's day, those who are comfortable have little desire to "follow Jesus."
Tragically, many Christians in our generation have little interest in prophecy and the return of our Lord. Perhaps this is why the Lord promised a special reward, a crown of rejoicing, for those who do love His second coming. Paul declared: "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8 ). Why would God promise a crown of righteousness for "all them also that love his appearing"? Obviously, because He knew that many Christians in these last days would be so deceived that they would abandon their hope in the prophecies of Christ's glorious return.
PZ: The most popular cop out for people not wanting to face prophecy will be to rationalize that this sort of hysteria happens every time a new decade or millennium begins. Although there is some truth to this, how is this new millennium different?
Grant: According to my analysis, after thirty years of intense Bible study and observation of political, military and technological events, that our generation has experienced the fulfillment of over twenty-five specific prophecies that point to the soon return of Jesus Christ. No other generation in history has witnessed even a small fraction of these prophetic fulfillment's. In addition, it is clear that many of these specific predictions, including the rebirth of the nation of Israel and the revival of the language of Hebrew, by their unique nature, cannot be fulfilled again. For example, if this is not the generation of Christ's return, then Israel must cease to be a nation again, be thrown into captivity and return to Palestine once more centuries from now. In addition, how can we explain Zeph. 3:9's fulfilled prophecy about the restoration of the language of Hebrew, fulfilled in our lifetime. If this is not the time, then Israel will have to lose its spoken language of Hebrew over a number of centuries of exile, and then recover its dead language at some distant point of time in the future.
While we can never be dogmatic about prophetic times, and we are forbidden to speculate about the precise "day or hour" of His return, we must also be obedient to the clear command of our Savior: " And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh" (Luke 21:28). The Lord's call to attention "when these things begin to come to pass" is not a call to date setting or extremism; rather, His clear announcement of prophetic signs of His return is intended to direct the heart of followers of Jesus to sanctify their daily walk by surrendering to God's Holy Spirit as commanded in 1 John 3:2,2: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." If we live each day in the expectation of His return we will walk in holiness. However, His command to vigilant watchfulness is balanced by His equally clear command that we "Occupy till I come" (Luke 19:13). That expression means "doing God's business." In other words, the Christian living in the final generation when the prophecies are beginning to point toward His imminent return must live in a dynamic spiritual tension. We are commanded to witness to our friends and live in holiness as though He will return tonight in Christ's command: "Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning" (Mark 13:35). However, we must also "Occupy till I come" by planning and working for the Kingdom of Heaven as though He might delay His return for a century. Whenever Christians have ignored the message of Christ's return the Church has tragically made peace with the principles of this world. Whenever Christians have become unbalanced in exclusively looking for His return and failed to "occupy till I come" they have been disobedient to the "whole counsel of God." The correct spiritual response is to achieve balance in your life between watchfulness and doing God's business until He comes.
PZ: What proof do you have that the codes are of God?
Grant: Since these codes do exist (as anyone who will examine a Hebrew - English Interlinear Bible will confirm) the only question for a believer is, "What do they mean?" Jesus Himself confirmed that the detailed spelling and grammar of the Bible was inspired by God. "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matthew 5:18). Therefore, these codes were placed there by God. The Apostle Paul confirmed that, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). For the last ten years some of the most intelligent mathematical minds on earth have examined these codes. The British Royal Statistical Journal, the American Statistical Science Journal, and the respected (agnostic) scholarly journal Bible Review have published articles examining this phenomenon. Over one hundred newspaper articles and ten major books (Hebrew and English) have written about these discoveries. To date, no one has found any other Hebrew writing, (the Talmud, Mishneh Torah, War and Peace translated into Hebrew, Tobit, 1st and 2nd Maccabbees, etc.) that displays this phenomenon. Despite the natural questions that any skeptic might ask, after ten years of personal study, and five years of work using the computer programs, I am convinced that these codes exist and that no human could have produced them unless God inspired him to record the precise letters and words as found in the Scriptures. Thousands of codes have been discovered and more are being found every day, proving the incredible inspiration of the Scriptures. My next book, The Handwriting of God, will share additional code discoveries, together with answers to the many questions that readers have asked as a result of reading The Signature of God.
PZ: How do you distinguish the Gematria that Yacov uses from Numerology?
Grant: The ancient Hebrew did not have Arabic numerals (1,2,3,4,5, etc.) and therefore used Hebrew letters to stand for numbers in their language and writing. Therefore, someone can add up the numeric value of the individual letters in a particular word or verse and compare that to the numeric value of another significant word or verse. While there may be some significance to this information, I believe that it does not lead us to any information that is objective and certain. Therefore, I have only dealt with the Equidistant Letter Sequence Codes that clearly reveal names that are objective and verifiable by any reader with access to a Hebrew Bible. However, Numerology is quite different. Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines numerology as follows: "the study of the occult significance of numbers." There is no "occult significance" in the Hebrew Codes as discussed by Yacov Rambsel or myself.
PZ: Is what you are using Numerology?
Grant: As I mentioned earlier Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines numerology as follows: "the study of the occult significance of numbers." The phenomenon of the Hidden Hebrew Codes that I have researched has nothing to do with Numerology or "the occult significance of numbers." I, together with almost all other Bible scholars, absolutely reject numerology as subjective, arbitrary and without any support from Scripture or the historic theology of the Church. There are no secret theological messages to be found beneath the text of the Scriptures. God's message to man can be read by any six year old child. These codes do not reveal sentences or messages. Rather, the codes reveal the "signature of God."
Perhaps an analogy would help. The brilliant Cannon color copier is so sophisticated that it can perfectly reproduce a hundred dollar bill or a gov. check. The counterfeiters were delighted because they could reproduce documents with awesome accuracy. The Treasury Dept. requested that the Cannon engineers modify the computer program in their machine to produce a unique alphanumeric code that would be invisible to the naked eye, but could be detected with a special magnifying glass. When you buy one of these incredibly accurate copying machines they register you with a unique code including letters and numbers such as "HKRE5298." Every document produced from that copier, even a photocopy of a photo of your child, will contain this unique "HKRE5298" code that can only be seen with the special magnifier. A gov. agent can examine any photocopy and instantly know whether that copy came from your machine. This special code is not a message; it is a unique "signature" identifying that your machine made the copy. In an analogous manner, I believe that the discovery of these incredibly complex codes spelling out in Hebrew at equidistant letter sequence (say every 22 letters) provides a unique evidence and "signature of God" proving to any who will carefully examine the evidence, that only God could have produced this phenomenon in this book written thousands of years ago.
In fact, my position is a minimalist position regarding the codes. The phenomenon of the awesome complexity of these codes that reveals the Hebrew names of 25 trees in Genesis 2 with each name of the tree spelled out 21 letters apart is something that suggests that only God could have inspired the writer of Genesis to include this information. Secondly, the inclusion of names of future people, nations and events encoded in biblical passages also points clearly to the Divine inspiration of the Scriptures. Period. Unless someone can convince themselves and me that a human could have placed this complex information in an ancient text written thousands of years ago, I believe this information will assist them in coming to a conclusion that the Bible truly is the supernaturally inspired Word of God.
PZ: As you well know there are prominent men of God claiming that you have "been mislead" and have ventured down a wrong path because you are into numerology. We are also starting to see a division here in regards to the Torah Codes.
PZ: What is your response to these people who make those claims?
Grant: I do not yet know of a single knowledgeable person who has examined the evidence, and then talked to me about their questions, who still rejects the fact that these codes exist. There are some such as Hank Hannegraaff, who have never communicated with me, and have never studied the research, but they have attacked the Hebrew Codes. This is natural. I understand their natural reluctance to accept something so incredible without carefully examining the research. This phenomenon is so incredible that I studied it for ten years before I was willing to share it with an audience. I needed to assure myself through detailed research on the computer program and examining the Hebrew-English Interlinear Bible to confirm the presence of these codes before I chose to write about them. I understand the natural caution of those who hear about this incredible phenomenon second hand. However, for those who will take the time to study the scholarly journals, including the British Royal Statistical Journal, the American Statistical Journal and the Bible Review article together with the books The Signature of God and the book Yeshua by Yacov Rambsel, they will discover that this phenomenon is real. The codes exist. Even those who question the meaning of the phenomenon, such as Dr. Randall Price, admitted in the scholarly seminar in Dallas during January 1997 that "the codes exist." However, he questioned their significance and meaning. That is fair. But for anyone to deny that these codes exist is to deny something that can be verified by anyone who has the Torah Codes computer program or access to the Hebrew-English Interlinear Bible.
I have presented this material to over 270,000 readers since August 1996 through my book, The Signature of God. In addition, I have presented it to many Hebrew professors and Liberty University when I addressed 4,500 students and faculty together with a scholarly conference at Tyndale Seminary in January. Professors from Hebrew University, the Jerusalem College of Technology and Harvard University's mathematics dept. chairman Dr. David Kazhdan have confirmed the reality of the codes. Dr. David Kazhdan declared: "The phenomenon is real. What conclusion you reach from this is up to the individual."
PZ: What do you think should be done in regards to the division?
Grant: While I understand the natural reluctance of many to accept the reality of this phenomenon I assure them, that if they will devote a few hours to read my book, research the articles and compare the data with a Hebrew-English Interlinear Bible, they will conclude that these codes are real and that they reveal the names of Hitler, Rabin and, most importantly, Jesus. To my mind, the presence of the name "Yeshua-Jesus" in every major messianic prophetic passage found in the Old Testament is God's "seal of approval" on the phenomenon of the Hebrew Codes. We have received numerous communications by phone and letter confirming that many have accepted Christ as their personal Saviour as a result of the information presented in The Signature of God. In addition, many reports indicate that backsliders have returned to faith in our Lord as a result of the information in our book that confirmed that the Bible is truly inspired by God.
My personal belief is that the continued study of the phenomenon of the Hebrew Codes by thousands of Christians and Jews will eventually produce a widespread acceptance of the validity and authenticity of these codes over the next few years. I expect that the codes will ultimately be as well known and accepted as the Dead Sea Scrolls (which were widely rejected when initially discovered).
Those who have studied the codes and appreciate the incredible proof of the supernatural inspiration of the Scriptures provided by the codes will continue to share this information with others. For those who remain skeptical, I recommend that they take the time to embark on a detailed study of the phenomenon. They will ultimately be thrilled with the overwhelming evidence of the supernatural origin of the Word of God and the revelation of Yeshua-Jesus throughout the Scriptures. Thousands of Jews worldwide are being introduced to the reality of Yeshua through the proof from their own Hebrew Bible that His Name is found in every messianic passage.
PZ: While hearing you speak at the International Prophecy Conference in Florida, you gave some "rules" to the Torah Codes as to what they are and how / how not to use them. Can you repeat those for us here and give the reasons behind these rules? (i.e. Torah Codes are not to be used to foretell the future)
Grant: There are three basic cautions that I always mention when I discuss or teach about the Hidden Hebrew Codes.
1) These codes are only found in the original Hebrew text of the Old Testament. The text which reveals the codes is the authorized Masoretic text used by the Orthodox Jews. While the text found in the Dead Sea Scrolls differs slightly from the Masoretic text, it differs in only 169 letters out of more than 305,000 Hebrew letters used in the Torah. That is less than one letter in 1,800 that differs. Furthermore, the differences are primarily in different spellings of particular words, not changes in the wording. The codes do not exist in any translation of the original language of the Bible, such as English, etc. It is noteworthy that similar codes have been found in the Greek of the New Testament. However, there are no books or computer programs that exist for the Greek text at this time.
2) The phenomenon of the Hebrew Codes is not Numerology. The study of Numerology is a subjective, arbitrary subject, without any support from Scripture or the historic theology of the Church. Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines numerology as follows: "the study of the occult significance of numbers." Ancient mystical rabbis would add up the numerical value of the Hebrew letters in a particular verse and compare it with another verse that added up to the same number. Then, they would claim that there was some secret message hidden in these numbers. I reject this. You can play with letters and numbers and come up with millions of combinations. However, it is meaningless!
There is no numerology or "occult significance" in the Hebrew Codes as discussed by Yacov Rambsel or myself. The Hebrew Codes reveal no secret theological messages found beneath the text of the Scriptures. God's message to man is to be read by anyone in the surface text of the inspired Word of God. These Hebrew Codes do not reveal sentences or theological messages. Rather, the discovery of the Hebrew Codes reveals something that no human could have created, the "signature of God," a wonderful proof that God alone is the author the Word of God.
I have only written about the Hebrew Codes, the Equidistant Letter Sequence Codes, that clearly reveal names in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament at equally spaced letter sequences. These names are objective and verifiable by any reader with access to a Hebrew Bible.
3) Lastly, I warn that no one can use this phenomenon to discover knowledge about future event. God forbids fortune telling. The presence of these Hebrew Codes proves the Divine nature of the Word of God. Period. Until an event has happened, we cannot look for it in the codes. An event must have occurred. Then we could ask the computer to find the name of Yitzchak Rabin and the fact that he was to be assassinated. Until the event occurred no one would have known what to ask the computer to look for, nor could we have know what the words meant until after the event occurred. For example, could you have found out about Adolph Hitler back in 1920 if you had possessed the knowledge that these codes existed and had a computer. The answer is NO!! Back in 1920, you could not have found the name "Hitler" because Adolph's name was not "Hitler." He had not yet changed his name to "Hitler." Nor could you have found Auschwitz because it was an obscure, unknown Polish village. Even the word "Holocaust" was unknown. It is only after an event has occurred that we can ask the computer program to look for a key word and discover whether or not God has secretly encoded those words thousands of years ago in the Hebrew Scriptures.
I believe that the purpose of these marvelous Hebrew Codes is to confirm to a generation of skeptics that the Bible is truly the inspired and supernatural Word of God. Furthermore, these codes glorify the Name of the Lord because they demonstrate the supernatural nature of His revelation while revealing the name of His Messiah, Jesus Christ.
For those who wish to study this phenomenal discovery for themselves, they may obtain the book The Signature of God from most Christian bookstores. It is listed as the best-selling religious book at the moment. However, if you cannot easily obtain the book in your local bookstore you may obtain a copy by calling Grant's toll free phone and mail order company at: 1 - 800 -883 -1812. In addition, you can order the books and videos as well as obtain additional information by checking out Grant Jeffrey's web site at Grant Jeffrey Ministries. http://www.grantjeffrey.com
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Are We Not Warning?
Are we not watching?
Are we not waiting?
Are we not warning--
At least those who would hear?
Open up your eyes and lift them to the skies; It could be soon that Jesus will appear!
What is it that you're waiting for before you will believe? Be careful--if you're left behind, you'll be easy to deceive! Don't let your heart become so hard that you no longer care; But come now--lest that day will come upon you unawares!
*So let's be watching
And let's be waiting;
And keep on warning--at least those who will hear! We open up our eyes and lift them to the skies For someday soon, Christ Jesus could appear!
(We open up our eyes and lift them to the skies Perhaps today, Y'shua will appear!)
1-30-97
lori fiechter
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Deception in the Press--Another Gospel
By: Lori Fiechter
This topic has been bothering me for the past year. I have noticed that the secular press has become increasingly hostile toward Biblical Christianity while at the same time, the views of the "Religious Left" have been lauded. Something strange is going on; I feel like shouting, "Will the real Christianity please stand up?" I don't yet have a handle on this; I will just present my thoughts on the subject. I hope this will be a springboard for someone else to write a more in-depth article.
I see a lot of confusion in the press over what constitutes Christianity. The message that we are all lost sinners in need of a Savior is not popular. Instead, we are told that people aren't really so bad; they just need our help and understanding. We need to realize that this deception is coming from the "father of lies" himself. Until he can have his one-world demonic religion, Satan will make do with a watered-down, counterfeit Christianity: something more palatable
for the masses. In this brand of Christianity, Jesus Christ is just a "good man", a humanitarian. If you will, He is a male version of Mother Teresa: helping the sick and needy; accepting of all. The only people who anger this Jesus are those who consider themselves religious. The only sins He speaks against are hypocrisy and greed. This Jesus would never return in wrath against "the children of disobedience".
You see the deception: some truth, but a lot left unsaid. A good deception will always have the illusion of reality or else no one would believe it. It is the old "ravening wolves in sheep's clothing" trick. Our American society is so far removed from the foundational truths of Scripture that we are ripe for such a deception. Absolute truth is like a set of old, out-of-style clothes which we have exchanged for the more fashionable relativism. We have become so "enlightened" that we are now able to decide truth for ourselves!
Not only has the gospel been twisted or misrepresented, but true believers have been demonized in the press. Bible-believing Christians are not simply wrong, but evil and dangerous. It is a clever ruse: mischaracterize Christians so that their message will be rendered ineffective. Also, remember that before a group can be persecuted, they must first be vilified. True Christians are fast on their way to being considered misfits: anachronisms in our "progressive" society. We've gone from mere oddball nuisances to wild-eyed reactionaries. Not to mention that we are all a bunch of hypocrites!
There seem to be three main areas that the liberal press uses to rail against conservative Christians:
1. wealth (anything over the poverty line)
2. lack of compassion (any disagreement with gov't social programs)
3. intolerance (trying to force their views on others)
Now, I am certainly not going to condone materialism. It is the cause of much apathy in our "Laodicean"- type churches. When we Christians are just as greedy for gain as the world, we lose our witness. I think we have forgotten the verse to "lay up treasures in heaven". However, I am uneasy when the left refers to an honest day's wages as "spoils" or plunder. I get the impression that if Christians won't volunteer to live in poverty, perhaps it should be enforced on them. (For the good of society as a whole, of course).
Compassion is actually the whole of the left's gospel. They sometimes refer to it as "social justice". It is a gospel of works. Here again, we have to be careful. We are admonished many times in the Word to give to the poor and to help those in need. However, we shouldn't allow ourselves to be bullied into the position that if we don't subscribe to the government's definition of compassion, then we are being mean-spirited and stingy.
The last area, "intolerance", is where the liberal press becomes very agitated. In fact, they might overlook the other two areas, but this is the area where Biblical truth makes them very uncomfortable. The same people who blithely spout "we love everyone, we judge no one" become apoplectic when confronted with Christians who believe in the absolute authority and truth of Scripture. This is where you will find heated discussions on Evolution vs. Creation, gay rights, immorality, abortion, multi-culturalism in the schools, etc. Christians are called to be "watchmen"; to warn about sin and error. But when they do this, they are blasted as narrow-minded, hate-mongering bigots. One gets the impression that these Christians must be very dangerous indeed to get these nice, reasonable, New-Age types all worked up in a froth.
So what can we do? It looks as though we are going to be swimming against an ever stronger tide. Make sure that you yourself are living a life that is above reproach. Get in the Word and find out God's truth. Don't be among the simple whose hearts can be deceived by "good words and fair speeches". "Trythe spirits whether they are of God". "Put on the whole armor of God". And remember Luke 6:26: Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
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The following report is linked to education, since the public in each country must be persuaded - through schools, media, community education, etc. - that the loss of freedom and sovereignty is compensated by a gain in peace and security. It's up to the international education system to prepare and persuade the people, starting with the children.
UN Reforms -Fact or Farce?
Berit Kjos
February 1997
Kofi Annan. President Clinton praised him as "a man committed to a revitalized United Nations." Senator Jesse Helms who guards the purse strings pledged to work with him. Congress expressed its confidence in him. Who is this new leader of the United Nations? Will he indeed downsize the massive, inefficient and corrupt UN bureaucracy in order to gain over a billion dollars "owed" by the US?
In spite of his warm US reception, Secretary-General Kofi Annan from Ghana has not promised to trim the bureaucracy. But he has promised to reshape the UN to reflect the changes in the world. "If we do not change," he says, "we may lose our relevance."1
What kind of change is on his mind?
First clue: Annan chose the Canadian business man, and veteran UN policy-maker, Maurice Strong, to "coordinate the effort to redesign the world organization for the future...."2
This fact brings little comfort to those who remember Strong's occult and environmental ties, globalist ambitions, and corrupt leadership. He led the 1992 "Earth Summit" in Rio de Janeiro (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development), which produced the controversial Biodiversity Treaty and Agenda 21-the plan for reorganizing the world along environmental guidelines.
He also heads the Earth Council, which works with the UN to implement an Earth Charter-a global code of conduct based on occult beliefs and globalist values. His publication, Earth Ethics, suggests that apes, our "fellow animals", should be treated as "full members of the community of equals."3
Second clue: Maurice Strong's plan for UN reform is documented in Our Global Neighborhood, the report of the UN Commission on Global Governance on which Strong served. This report not only echoes Strong's call for common values that oppose Biblical values, it also calls for a volunteer UN army under UN command, with UN police stationed in every region of the world:
"Governments are understandably reluctant to commit troops rapidly for UN action, particularly in civil wars and internal conflicts....
"In many of today's crises, it is clear than an early intervention could have prevented later negative developments.... This underlines the need for a highly trained UN Volunteer Force that is willing, if necessary, to take combat risks....This would be particularly useful in low-level but dangerous conflicts.
"Such an international Volunteer Force would be under the exclusive authority of the Security Council...." 4
What if the US Congress disagrees with UN decisions. Could it simply press for a US veto on the Security Council?
Not if Strong implements his vision of reform. The United States, which is billed 25% of the huge UN budget, would be dismissed from the Security Council:
"We recommend that a new class of 'standing ' members be established.... Of these new members, two should be drawn from industrial countries and three from among the larger developing countries. Of the two from industrial countries, presumably one will be from Asia and one from Europe. Of the three from developing countries, we would expect one each to be drawn from Asia, Africa, and Latin America....
"The new standing members will not possess a veto, and we believe the aim should be for the power of the veto to be phased out." 5
Third clue: In 1995, the Canadian Government published another UN report titled Toward A Rapid Reaction Capability for the United Nations. It states: "In order to help the Government of Canada in the preparation of its report, an International consultative Group was created, chaired by Sir Brian Urquhart of the Ford Foundation and Dr. John. C. Polanyi, Nobel Laureate of the University of Toronto, and consisting of experts drawn from governments, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations" - includes Dr. Jessica Mathews, Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations.
The following excerpts from the report open a window into the vast bureaucracies, monstrous power, and arrogant ambitions that drive the UN agenda and its worldwide network of disciples every closer to Maurice Strong's vision of "global governance". To speed the process, United States is expected to contribute people as well as its expertise in surveillance and reconnaissance technology. American taxes would fund and arm a system determined to destroy Christianity, Western culture, capitalism, and the US Constitution.
(The numbers at the end of the paragraphs below indicate the page number in the UN report on Rapid Reaction Capability.)
Executive Summary
"... This study's central objective is to recommend changes at all levels of the UN system which would give the UN an enhanced capability to respond rapidly to crisis situations..." (p. iv)
"Four separate issues are addressed:
[1] the need to harness advanced technologies.... [2] creation of a permanent group of civilian police... [3] creation of a UN Standing Emergency Group... [4] an independent source of revenue...." (vi)
Chapter Five: A PRACTICAL AGENDA FOR REFORM "....The problem has been to find the capacity to deploy credible and effective forces at an early stage in a crisis and at short notice." Our Global Neighborhood, The Report of the Commission on Global Governance [including Maurice Strong] Nothing can tie the hands of the Security Council in making decisions." (44)
"Member States should be encouraged to ratify [the Convention on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel] and bring it into force as soon as possible.... "(52)
"...the UN would need to create a database which could capture information provided by national authorities." (53)
"To enhance rapid reaction, the UN and Member States need to address the nature of training to be conducted and the management systems which should be put into place to ensure that national training programs are responsive to the UN's requirements." (54)
Chapter six: A VISION OF THE FUTURE. (55)
"The fact that the theoretically best solution is not at present politically feasible does not mean that the system must simply muddle on indefinitely in its present condition. A great deal can be achieved without constitutional change, by changes in such salient features as geography, legal mandates and behavior." Sir Brian Urquhart and Esrskine Childers
"Advanced Technologies
"The types of technologies which could play a greater role in peacekeeping operations are: surveillance technologies, communications equipment and enhanced information management systems...." (56)
"An attractive technology for a variety of peace operations is aerial reconnaissance of ground activity. Access to satellite capability... may have great strategic potential." (56)
"The ability to locate, identify and monitor virtually all vehicular movement... has obvious applicability to monitoring, surveillance and control missions."
"Command, Control, Communications, Computer and Intelligence systems would incorporate the full range of strategic and tactical communications networks, together with data processing capabilities and real-time information transfer...." (56) .
"...surveillance technologies and information management systems could be integrated into an organization-wide system to enhance contingency planning.... " (57)
"The most problematic area in past peace operations has been civilian police.... Although the UN currently has more than 1,800 civilian police deployed... it has never been able to secure the numbers of high-quality civilian police personnel required for peace operations. This persistent problem can only be remedied over the long-term through the development and training of the UN's own civilian police units, building a corps of international civilian police...." (59)
"The most obvious advantage of a permanent, standing UN civilian police unit is reliability. The UN would not have to seek national contributions to peace operations.... It would not have to await the lengthy domestic processes of each Member State before a critical mass of police forces is assembled.... a permanent force could be trained to the high standards which the UN should demand."
"The Vanguard Concept ... is based on standby arrangements for nationally-based units linked to a UN operational headquarters. ... The presence of regional headquarters would provide for greater flexibility and reduce the time required for deployment.... "
"Governments are sometimes reluctant to release their forces for duty.... Even when Governments are disposed to concur... the process of seeking authorization is often slow....
"Ultimately, however, a UN rapid-reaction capability can be truly reliable only if it no longer depends on Member States of the UN for the supply of personnel.... If the UN is to build a rapid-reaction capability which is fully reliable, the challenge in years ahead will be to develop its own personnel, independent of state authority...." (60)
"Once a functioning base had been established, military and civilian units from participating UN member states could be assigned to the UN base for a period of about two years. Although these units would remain under national authority.... they would train collectively under the direction of the Secretary-General." (61)
"As they would remain under national command, national authorities would retain primary responsibility for their administration, pay and benefits." .
"...there would need to be considerable redundancy of capabilities. This would provide the UN with options for the selection of national contingents to serve in regions having particular political, ethnic, cultural or religious sensitivities." (61)
"As professional volunteers develop into a cohesive UN force, they can assume responsibility for some of the riskier operations mandated by the Council but for which troop contributors have been hesitant to contribute.... Without the need to consult national authorities, the UN could cut response time significantly... As the 1995 Commission on Global Governance noted, "The very existence of an immediately available and effective UN Volunteer Force could be a deterrent. It is high time that this idea-a United Nations Volunteer Force-was made a realty." (62)
* * *
Note: If the UN stations among us its "highly trained" Volunteer Force armed with America's latest surveillance and reconnaissance technology-and if, in our land, it commands the "riskier operations" which our Congress would forbid-there will be no earthly place to hide from tyrannical leaders. But our God has provided a better peace and a more lasting shelter in Himself. It's "high time" to seek His wisdom, follow His ways, and prepare for persecution-even as we continue to fight the battle for truth, liberty, and godly children in this land.
* * *
"Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:10-13)
To understand how our international education system is being used to produce compliant world citizens-and to equip our children with God's truth and armor -- read Brave New Schools (Harvest House Publishers. Available through Christian Bookstores or call (800) 829-5646.
Endnotes:
1 Steven Lee Myers, "New UN Chief in Washington, Finds the Climate Much Warmer, New York Times, 24 January 1997. 2 Betsy Pisik, The U.N. Report, The Washington Times, 1-20-97. 3 Cliff Kincaid, "Reform farce at the UN starring Annan," The Washington Times, 1-31-97. 4 Our Global Neighborhood, The Commission on Global Governance (Oxford University Press, 1995), 110,111. 5 Ibid., 240 241.
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The Coming Persecution of the New World Order
By: Gene Cunningham
It's six a.m. The alarm goes off, producing a sudden jolt into half awareness and a string of sensations; confusion (Where is that noisy clock?)Édisbelief (Is it morning already?)Éand irritation (Do I have to get up and face this day with all its problems?)
We've all experienced similar reactions to the early morning jangle of an alarm clock. And we all know how waking up can be painful if the night has been too short, or if the upcoming day offers only problems and difficulties. In many ways, this illustrates where Christians today find themselves. A shrieking alarm is telling us that we are living in the last period of Church history, but most believers are resisting the wake-up call because it's too painful or frightening. They are failing to heed Paul's warning in 1 Thessalonians 5:6: "So then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober."
Across this land and around the world, Christian watchmen are sounding an alarm by questioning some rapid changes in politics, society, religion, and the economy:
+ What is this "New World Order" that world leaders are talking about?
+ Are the multitude of laws being rapidly pushed through our national and state legislatures designed to enslave us?
+ Why do we need a "national police force" of 100,000 men?
+ Are U. N. forces already training on U. S. soil?
+ Are the reports of over 40 detention centers located around this country true? Who is supposed to occupy them?
+ Why does the news and entertainment media portray Christianity (and Christians) in such negative terms, while positively presenting other religions like Islam and the New Age Movement?
+ Why is anti-Semitism on the rise around the world?
+ Why is interest in the occult (i.e. psychics, channelers, astrologers) increasing?
+ Are we moving toward a cashless economic system? Why is this dangerous?
Credible spokesmen are providing specific answers to these and other disturbing questions about the times in which we live. And all their answers point to one conclusion: the world is being prepared for the rule of the Anti-Christ during the seven-year period of history called the Tribulation.
The Tribulation occurs during the last seven years of the Age of Israel, which was interrupted at Pentecost when the Church Age began. During the Tribulation, Satan will try to establish a one-world government under his rule; he will persecute the Jews as never before in history in an attempt to destroy them and prevent the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. But before the Tribulation begins, the Church Age must end.
Specifically, the Church Age will end with the Rapture of the Church (1 Thess. 4:15-17; 5:9). While "no man knows the hour or the day" (Matt. 24:36; Mark 13:32) when the Rapture will occur, there are numerous signs that point to the fact that we are nowliving in the "eleventh hour" of the Church Age; and as thes age closes, Christians will face an hour of testing that will both refine their faith and give maximum opportunity to be witnesses for Jesus Christ.
THE HOUR OF TESTING
"ÉBehold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My Word, and have not denied My nameÉ Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth. I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, in order that no one take your crown." (Rev. 3:8-11)
This passage is part of a message directed to the "angel [pastor] of the church in Philadelphia," a church characterized by its love for the Word of God and its missionary zeal. Although this passage tells us that they had only "a little power," the Philadelphian believers were faithful to their witness for Jesus Christ. As a result, Christ promised that He would "keep [them] from the hour of testing" while opening the doors of evangelistic opportunity that no one would be able to close.
The importance of this passage for the Church today has largely been overlooked. Many pastors believe that-prophetically-the hour of testing refers to the Tribulation period when the Church is no longer on earth. But this interpretation ignores who the promise is given to and what the Greek grammar reveals. First, the context makes it clear that this promise is given to Christians. Since the entire body of Christ will be taken to heaven at the Rapture of the Church (1 Thess. 1:10; 4:13-15; 5:1-10; 1 Cor. 15:51-52); there won't be any Christians in the Tribulation to receive this promise. Thus, the hour of testing must occur before Christians are taken up to heaven.
Second, the promise is NOT "I will keep you away from the hour o testing"-which would require the Greek preposition apo. Instead, Christ uses the preposition ek, which means "out of the midst of." Apo would mean that these believers could expect deliverance BEFORE the hour of testing; ek means that they can expect deliverance DURING the hour of testing.
Third, the same Greek word for "keep" (tereo) is used in both the phrase "because you have kept the word of My perseverance" and the phrase "I also will keep you from the hour of testing." Tereo means "to gaurd or protect in the presence of danger." So, again, the Greek makes it clear that these faithful Christians can expect to be delivered through, not from, the hour of testing. Consequently, I believe that the hour of testing is an indeterminate period of time preceding the Raprue and Tribulation, a period of great relevance to Christians because they will face the greatest period of persecution in Church history.
In Rev. 3:10-11, Jesus says that this hour is "about to come upon the shole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth," and He commands believers to "hold fast what you have, in order that no one take your crown." These statements show both the scope and purpose of this hour of testing: all over the world those who follow Jesus Christ will be persecuted for their fatih. Yet Revelation 3:8 makes it clear that in this hour, Christ will open wide the door of mission opportunity so believers-as never before-can fulfill the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:21, 3:16). Though fatihful Christtians will face great opposition (1 Cor. 16:9), they will have the opportunity to win an eternal crown, possibly the Crown of Joy (or soul-winner's crown) spoken of in Phillippians 4:1 and 1 Thessalonians 1:29.
Prophetically, the Philadelphian church represents the remnant of evangelistic, mission-minded believers living at the end of the Church Age who will bodily proclaim Jesus Christ ro an increasingly hostile world. They are motivated to be faithful witnesses because they know who the real enemy is (Satan); they know what the real mission of the spiritual conflict is (to bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ); and they know the only true grounds of victory (our position in Christ and our reliance on His power to deliver us).
These Philadelphian believers stand in sharp contrast to their spiritually apathetic "Laodicean" brethren (Rev. 3:14-22) who say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,"É [not knowing] that [they} are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked" (vs. 17). In our day, the Laodicean church represents the wealthy Western church, a church more concerned with tending to its comfort than in reaching the world for Christ. Unlike churches in Africa, India, Russia, and the Far East, the Western has been largely spared from persecution; in fact, many of it's save, contented members have deluded themselves by thinking that "it will never happen here." They will be the first spiritual casualties - even traitors - when persecution hits!
The tragedy of the time in which we live is that most Christians have lost sight of the real objectives in the Christian life. Though well-meaning, many believers are distracted by social and political problems. For instance, politically conservative Christians spend their energies fighting for the Constitution, for the Bill of Rights, against abortion, or against pornography. Liberal believers, on the other hand, are consumes with cleaning up the environment, fighting big business, instituting various social reforms, and fighting for women's rights, gay rights, animal rights, etc.
But we need to remember this: Satan doesn't care whether Christians are politically conservative or liberal. As long as he can get their eyes off of Jesus Christ as a solution to their problems, he has neutralized them in the conflict! So in the hour of testing, it is imperative that Christians keep their focus on Christ and not be side-tracked by attempts to "clean up the devil's world." We are here to be witnesses for Jesus Christ, not crusaders caught up in the affairs of this world. As the Apostle Paul reminded Timothy, "No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier" (2 Tim. 2:4).
What is most significant about his hour of testing is that it has already begun. During the Gulf War, world politicians spoke openly about a "New World Order" - a term which has come to mean a new era of international cooperation in solving problems - whether military aggression from tyrants like Saddam Hussein, civil war in Bosnia, or famine and disease in Third World countries. This "New World Order" offers utopian vision for a peaceful prosperous world; but in reality it means the break down of the sovereignty of individual nations, a break down which must be accomplished for the Anti-Christ to establish his one world government.
This proclamation of the New World Order is not something to fear; it is, instead, a call to battle for Christians committed to the cause and commissioned of Jesus Christ! True to His word, in these last days God is opening the doors of evangelistic opportunity and miraculous. Areas of the globe long closed to the gospel message are now accessible, as we see in Russia and Eastern Europe. The question for Christians is whether we will go through those doors:
+ Will we exploit the opportunities at all cost?
+ Will we reach out to the world with the soul saving message of Jesus Christ- expending our time, energy, and resources without measure?
+ Will we, as "Philadelphian commandos," be prepared for the persecution to come?
In order to answer "Yes" to these questions, Christians must understand a number of biblical principles related to God's plan for history, what He has commanded us to do, and His purpose behind persecution. Understanding these principles will help us prepare for the coming persecution and live our lives NOW as more effective witnesses for Jesus Christ.
One important note as you begin this study: When Jesus Christ spoke to His disciples about the "end times," He told them that He was teaching them these truths so that they wouldn't be surprised and wouldn't be afraid (Matt. 24:6). This is the attitude we need to adopt; don't fear what is on the horizon. Instead, have confidence in God's sovereign control of human history and His plans to bless your individual life! Remember Romans 8:28: "and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose."
EDITOR NOTE: Gene and Bible Basic Training is joining the PropheZine Prophecy Alliance. If you have not been to Bible Basic Train www site yet, you can get there from the "Christian Links" page at PropheZine's www site. We are also going to be featuring more of Gene's articles int the future.
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Where is the Ark of the Covenant?
By Thomas S. McCall, Th.D.
This article first appeared in Zola Levit's January 1997 Newsletter " The Levit Letter"
The Ark of the Covenant disappeared off of the pages of history by the time of the Babylonian Captivity. Nothing in the Bible is said about the Ark in the Old Testament after the return from Babylon, but the Apocrypha states that the Ark could not be found when the Jewish people rebuilt the Temple at the time of Ezra and Zechariah. The explanation in the Apocrypha was that Jeremiah hid the Ark in a cave in Mt. Nebo before the Babylonian invasion, and that its location would not be revealed until God was ready for it to be found.
No Ark in the Second Temple
Thus, the Holy of Holies in the Second Temple was an empty chamber, without the Ark of the Covenant. When the Roman General Pompey conquered Jerusalem around 63 B.C., he demanded the privilege of entering the Holy of Holies. When he did, he came out saying that he could not understand what all the interest was about the sanctuary, when it was only an empty room.
The fact that the Ark of the Covenant was not used in the Second Temple has led to the speculation of where the Ark is, or if it still exists on the earth. The Ark was so important in Israel from the time of Moses through the Judges and the First Temple era, that it seems remarkable that nothing is said of it in the Bible after the Babylonian Captivity, until the Letter to the Hebrews and the Book of Revelation in the New Testament. In Hebrews it is described as it was in the original Tabernacle made by Moses; and in Revelation, the Ark is seen by John in heaven. In neither case is the Ark mentioned as something that remains on the earth now.
Is the Ark Needed for the Tribulation Temple?
One question that arises is, can the Temple be rebuilt if it does not contain the Ark? The Scriptures indicate that the Temple will be rebuilt and standing during the Tribulation period, and that the Tribulation Temple will be desecrated by the Antichrist. How can the worship of Yahweh be resumed as it was in ancient times if there is no Ark in the Holy of Holies? We have already seen, though, that the absence of the Ark of the Covenant did not keep the Temple from being rebuilt at the conclusion of the Babylonian Captivity.
The Second Temple stood for over 500 years without containing an Ark, and it was fully recognized as a valid house of worship for the Lord. Christ Himself declared the Temple to be His Father's House. So it would not be unthinkable to build the Tribulation Temple, even if the Ark is not discovered. If the Ark does still exist, however, and it were somehow discovered, it would certainly give rise to a strong movement in Israel and around the world to rebuild the Temple to house the Ark properly.
Is the Ark Hidden in the Temple Mount?
There persists a legend that the Ark does exist on earth, but is hidden. A recently published book by Randall Price, entitled In Search of Temple Treasures, presents the various views on what has happened t
o the Ark. Some of the traditions place the Ark outside of Israel, such as at Mt. Nebo, Egypt and even far-off Ethiopia. But all of these traditions have problems and seem unlikely, since there is a lack of any scriptural evidence for them.
A view that has predominated in rabbinic circles is that the Ark was hidden in a cave beneath the Temple Mount in the very heart of Israel. The theory goes that the priests hid the Ark beneath the Temple Mount, perhaps as early as during the time of King Josiah, since the coming prophesied invasion by the Babylonians was only a matter of time. By hiding the Ark and other Temple treasures, the priests felt that the priceless sacred articles could be protected from desecration by the pagan invaders.
Why Didn't Israel Use the Ark in the Second Temple?
As it turned out, the Babylonians did invade Jerusalem. They destroyed the Temple and carried away many of the vessels and implements to their capital city a thousand miles away. No mention is made in the Scriptures of the Babylonians taking the Ark, the Menorah, or other key Temple items. If the Ark and the other implements were hidden under the Temple, why weren't they recovered and used after the Captivity? It's hard to imagine that the priests would have knowingly left the Ark out of the Holy of Holies if they could have utilized it during the 500 years of the Second Temple.
The explanation offered is that they felt that as long as Jerusalem was subject to domination by the succeeding powers of Babylonia, Persia, Greece, and Rome, the Ark and other treasures could be desecrated and captured by the Gentile armies. Thus, the sacred items would remain in seclusion until it was considered safe to bring them out to be placed in the Temple.
The Rabbinical Attempt to Find the Ark
At any rate, Rabbi Shlomo Goren and Rabbi Yehuda Getz, the rabbis in charge of the Western Wall area, are convinced that the Ark has been hidden in a cave in the Temple Mount directly under the site of the Holy of Holies, since the time of King Josiah. They probably represent the majority of Orthodox rabbis in their views. They have a concept of vertical air space, by which the space of the Holy of Holies sanctifies the ground directly below it. Thus, the ancient priests would have been careful to locate the cave repository for the Ark in the sanctified area below the Holy of Holies. The evidence for all of these suppositions about the location of the Ark, as Rabbi Getz concedes, comes more from the Talmud than the Scriptures. Nevertheless, there is a large and growing group of Orthodox Jewish adherents who believe that the Ark is in this cave below the Holy of Holies, and awaits the right time to be found.
Rabbi Getz believes that in 1982 he was very close, within 40 feet, to finding the cave in which the Ark resides. He was conducting a search in an old tunnel that had been filled with the debris of centuries, which runs perpendicular to the Western Wall and under the Temple Mount. However, when the Moslems discovered that there were diggings being conducted under the Dome of the Rock, they threatened a general riot and the diggings werestopped. The rabbi explains that, for the sake of maintaining peace with their Moslem neighbors, the Israelis had to reseal the entrance to the tunnel, and it remains blocked up to this day.
Temple Interest an Indication of the Imminent Rapture
The Scriptures are not clear as to whether the Ark of the Covenant still exists on the earth, but they are clear that the Temple will be rebuilt and standing during the Tribulation. There is no question that if the Ark were found, it would give enormous impetus to the rebuilding of the Temple to house it. Bible-believing Christians should keep a sharp eye out for any developments surrounding the Temple Mount, realizing that it is a key element leading to the Tribulation era. The closer we get to the Tribulation, the closer we are to the imminent Rapture of the Church, which, we believe the Scriptures teach, will precede the Tribulation. Even so, come
quickly, Lord Jesus.
EDITOR'S NOTE: I have been a big supporter of Zola Levitt's ministry for a whiel now. It is because of Zola's teaching that I have DEVELOPED a great love for the state of Israel and her people. Zola'a insight and reporting on news in regards to Israel are the best.
To get zola Levit's newsletter you can write to:
Zola Levitt Ministries, Inc.
Box 12268
Dallas,TX 75225-0268
Or you can go to his www site at:
http://www.levitt.metronet.com/
Tell them you heard about it in PropheZine!!!
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Where Do We Stand?
By: Karen McDaniel
Recent legislation has now elevated Nature Worship to the status of the recognized religion of our country. Our nation, which was founded under the principles of "In God We Trust", has now been conformed to one which worships the creation He created. Few today, however, see the link between such a departure from the faith and the "gay" lifestyle that has become so common in this country. A bit of investigation in God's Word will help us uncover this link. Romans 1:18-2:3 tells us all about it. The latter is a Biblical consequence of the former. Because they changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, God gave them up unto such vile affections. Are we seeing judgment upon a nation which is rapidly departing from the faith? Note that verses 29-31 list other notable characteristics of humanity today: being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debat, deceit, malignity; whispers, backbiters haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without
understanding, covenantbreakers without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful. Are we not in the midst of God's judgment today? No, this is not the Tribulation, but certainly that is upon our very coattails. Matthew 24:37 reminds us that the coming of the Son of man will be in days that are as the days of Noah, and II Peter 2:5-6 reminds us that Sodom and Gomorrah were a part of the days of Noah. Here and in Jude 7 we see further links to this departure from God's intentions, and the judgment to come.
Has the master of deception been satisfied with the lust of man for man and woman for woman? No, indeed we see further development into depravity. Now man lusts after children. Our society has become so perverted that we adorn our babies with lipstick and eyeliner, pierce their ears, dress them in sexually alluring clothing, and teach them to "strut their stuff" for the judges in beauty contests. Such publicity coupled with pornographic displays of child nudity has prompted an unparalleled lust for the "child woman". Children of both sexes are abused daily in our culture, even infants under one year of age are sexually assaulted, but we fail to learn from the horrors before us.
Those who stand for the Biblical authority in opposition to sexual perversion of any nature, are often deemed to be hate-mongers, and are legally subject to stiff fines and/or imprisonment, even now. When our government begins to en force these legal restrictions upon those who uphold the Word of God, they will be turning their backs upon the very book they profess to believe in, yet such a time is upon us. Reference to these Biblical teaching as hate crimes implies that God teaches hate - that the very One who shed His blood for the remission of our sins hates those who are involved in these iniquities. What could possibly be more hypocritical than such implication? God doesn't hate mankind! His hatred is toward the sin embraced by us, not toward us. The person's (or nation's) consequence of sin is judgment by a Holy God. His natural reaction to the deception of Satan, however, is to convict our spirits, to help us recall what the Bible says has been written by Him upon our hearts. It is only after repeated attempts to turn mankind from the flagrant disregard for His Word that He imparts judgment, abandoning His attempts to reach us, giving us over unto our vile affections, and allowing us to proceed in our destined depravity. He doesn't hate the person who falls into deceit, seduced by the world around him into the bondage of sexual perversion or any other sin. His heart still yearns for that one to see the need for Him and to turn back to Him.
How then should the Christian treat those who have rejected or departed from the faith and fallen under the bondage of sin? We must remember to embrace the true spirit of God here; to hate the sin, but love the sinner. We must remember that He came to set the captive free. It is our Christian duty to stand in opposition to anything deemed to be contrary to God's teaching, but to do so in love. We must reach out to that one who is trapped in the cycle of sin, and tell him of the saving power of our God over ANY and EVERY bondage he faces. (A most excellent book by Neil T. Anderson called "The Bondage Breaker" would be very helpful to anyone who seeks freedom from such bondage. It is one of a series designed to redirect the one who has become a slave to addictions of the flesh.) God's Word tells us in I Corinthians 10:13 that God offers a way of escape for every temptation. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, God gives us the power to becomes the sons of God. Note here, that even as Christians, we are not automatically made to be sons of God. Though we are given power to become the sons of God, it is up to us to decide whether or not to use the power He has given us; whether to become the sons of God, or fall back into sin and become the sons of perdition. While our salvation unto the eternal kingdom of God the Father is never jeopardized, by a return to the sins of the flesh, II Peter 2:18-22 begins to hint that the consequences for the dog who returns to his vomit may be severe.
Many will say that mankind has no power over genetic traits. That is why there have been such pain-staking efforts to prove that homosexuality has genetic roots. Numbers 14:18 does say that the iniquity of the fathers may be visited upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. Indeed, this may be genetic. Whereas it must be acknowledged that an individual has no direct control over physical genetic characteristics, genetic traits pertaining to emotions rarely fit into this category. They undoubtedly prompt a tendency toward a particular choice, but it is still a choice. Just as God enables the one with genetically inherent alcoholic traits to overcome the addiction of alcoholism, the person who has homosexual traits IS able by the power of God to overcome this desire and live by the standards He intends for us to heed. It is a matter of the breaking of the will to override the inherent desires of the flesh, and live by the new spirit He gives us when we receive Him as our Savior. Through His power we are all able to live the resurrected life of Christ. That is what is meant by being crucified with Him (Galations 2:20) and taking up our cross daily to follow Him (Luke 9:23). We must train our minds to submit to Him rather than to indulge the cravings of the flesh. Regardless of how powerful these desires of the flesh may seem, we must remember that the power He gives us when we receive Him isgreater! (For more information on this matter, the author has written "What is Mastery of the Mind?".)
As Christians, it is imperative that we acknowledge the true of God's Word, We must remember that when choice is involved, the problem is almost always spiritual in nature. Medical help is occasionally needed for physiological and neurological disorders, but the typical cause is rooted in spiritual deception and enslavement to desires of the flesh. We must not "judge"; it simply is not our place. If, however, we see the obvious fruit that results from spiritual decay, it is our duty to set aside any revulsion for the acts such a one commits, and reach out to that one with love, drawing him to (or back to) the power that can free him from the captivity he suffers. Contrary to the "politically correct" interpretation of hate, to try to help one see his need for Christ so he can be freed of the slavery of addiction is the exact opposite of hate. To reach out to such a one with hope of relief is love, whereas to ignore the problem, and leave that one under the bondage of sin without trying to help him is akin to hate. Apathy has no place in the eyes of the holiness of God. It is better in His eyes to be cold than to be lukewarm (Revelation 3:16). As Christians have we become sofearful to stand up for His Truth that we have become apathetic, and lukewarm? Are we subject to being "spewed out" of the mouth of God? Please note that it was Christians He was speaking to here. There are consequences to be paid by the Christian who becomes apathetic. We were bought with aprice per I Corinthians 6:20, Isn't it about time we get about His business? We won't have much longer to reach the many who need our help.
May God speak to each of our hearts as we examine them to see where we stand before Him in our willingness to be used of Him in these end days.
About the Author:
The author's credentials are simple: "God has sent me." You see, Karen M. McDaniel is not formally trained in semenaries, does not have doctorates, nor does she have a statistical string of achievements. She is simply sent of God. She does riot claim to be prophetic, nor evangelistic, nor a teacher of God's Word. Her gifts are simply exhortation, and giving (or impartation). She simply shares with others through multi-media speaking engagements, audio tapes, and written materials the Biblical enlightenments she has been blessed to receive as the result of innumerable hours of prayerful study of the Word of God in correlation with the current events of these end days. She has not been entrenched into any "Theologically Correct" interpretations, but has been blessed with fresh insight into the deeper Truth of God's word, and wishes to shed light in this rapidly darkening world. Her work is never intended to be a statement of reality, but rather a springboard for the ardent believer to use for research in order to discover the deeper Truth our Lord intended for us to find. Please use any of the author's work in such manner, seeking for yourself His Truth in His Word.
Karen recognizes God's Word to be our ultimate source of authority today. She believes the original text to be the inerrant and inspired Word of God (His total Truth as revealed to mankind), that it must be in harmony throughout the text, and that we must align each passage with the entirety of His Word in order to establish this total Truth as He taught us to do in Isaiah 28:9-10. It is this effort Karen undertakes with all diligence in order to sort out preconceived partial truths, and realign God's Word to attain his entire Truth. Karen is called to be a watchman on the wall in these end days, and does not take lightly the responsibility to share with others those things she has been blessed to find.
This work is copyrighted strictly for precautionary purposes. Permission to reproduce this work at no charge is hereby granted, but limited exclusively to non-profit purposes. Karen trusts in the higher provision of God Almighty through the hearts of His children rather than on royalties per man's economic system. if you should feel led to help meet the author's expenses, this can be done by sending non-tax-deductible contributions to the following address. All such donations are greatly appreciated, and discreetly used to further God's work. May God richly bless you as you consider these writings, and may you grow in Him!
Master mind Ministries
P. 0. Box 576
Bowling Green, FL 33834-0576
Copyright @ 1995 by Master Mind Ministries.
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PropheZine's NewsBytes
F.Y.I. - Israel In The News
By: Lee Underwood
Week Ending: March 1, 1997/22 Adar I, 5757
"'No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that rises against you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me', declares the Lord." Isaiah 54.17
HAR HOMA BUILDING APPROVED: The Ministerial Committee on Jerusalem Affairs decided Wednesday, unanimously, to approve construction of the Har Homa neighborhood, and also decided to approve construction for the Arab population in Jerusalem, subject to the directives and procedures required by law. The Har Homa neighborhood is to encompass some 6,500 housing units, with 2,500 to be built in the first stage. The first stage of building for the Arab population will comprise about 3,000 housing units in ten Jerusalem neighborhoods. On Friday, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Eli Yishai signed the order permitting the start of construction on the new neighborhood. Friday, the Supreme Court rejected a request by Shinui Party Mks Avraham Poraz and Chaim Oron to issue a restraining order barring the construction on Har Homa until Arab housing is built in East Jerusalem. The area is located south-east of Jerusalem's center, opposite the Gilo Junction, entrance to the city. To the north-east is the small Arab village of Tzur Baher; to the north, Ramat Rachel; and to the south, Beit Lechem (Bethlehem) and Beit Sachur. There is no basis to the Palestinian claims that the planning construction constitutes a violation of the agreements between Israel and the Palestinians. These agreements do not place any restrictions on Israeli building in areas under Israeli control. Both the Declaration of Principles (1993) and the Interim Agreement (1995) state that the issue of Jerusalem will be discussed in the framework of the permanent status negotiations, and that the Palestinian side has no authority in Jerusalem during the interim period. Under these agreements, the Palestinians have no standing to demand that Israel coordinate building in Jerusalem with them.
Meanwhile, world reaction was as expected. PLO leader Yasser Arafat on Saturday in a speech to an emergency meeting of the Arab League, said new Israeli settlements were ruining the prospects for peace in the Middle East and urged Arab governments to support his efforts to get them stopped. "Thousands of houses are being built ... in holyJerusalem [Jerusalem is not mentioned once in the Koran.-ed], which they call east Jerusalem," Arafat said. "We say that east Jerusalem is an Arab land occupied in 1967. ... If I declared today, in front
the Arab League, the creation of a Palestinian state, what will the world and his [Netanyahu's] position be?" Arafat asked. Questioned by reporters later if he was declaring an independent, Arafat said that statehood had been declared by the Palestine National Council, or parliament in exile, in 1988. Visiting the Israeli parliament as a guest of Labor Party members, Palestinian Authority (PA) Minister for Jerusalem Affairs Faisal Husseini, said: "I don't know anything specific, and I don't know who will start it, but I smell something in the air, something similar to the situation before the intifada ..." Condemnation of Israel's decision to build has come from the US, UN, European Union (including individual responses from Sweden and Britain, among other members), the Arab League and individual Arab states. Arab ambassadors to the UN will ask the security council to pressure Israel to rescind the Har Homa decision. [Further information and statements may be found at our web site: http://www.inet- images.com/fellowship/fyi-ed] (SNS, Israeli Foreign Ministry, AP, Kol Yisrael, MED)
FIRST PHASE OF REDEPLOYMENT TO BE DISCUSSED: The Cabinet will convene next week to discuss the first phase of Israel Defense Force (IDF) redeployment in the Judea and Samaria, scheduled to be implemented by Friday, March 7, Kol Yisrael reported. According to the newspaper, the next phase of redeployment will include a shift of some territory from Area C, the area where the Palestinians have neither civil nor security responsibilities, to Area B, where the Palestinians assume only civil responsibilities. Also, a portion of Area B will then be redefined as Area A, the territory where the Palestinians assume both civil and security responsibilities. (Israel Line)
ON THE NORTHERN FRONT: An IDF soldier was killed Friday morning in heavy fighting in southern Lebanon, and another soldier was seriously injured. The casualties occurred when a Hizb'Allah rocket hit an Israeli tank, after which IDF artillery and aircraft heavily attacked terrorist targets in the vicinity of Nabatiye. Two Arab guerrillas were killed on Thursday night when Israeli helicopters andartillery gunners fired at a group of fighters trying to infiltrate the zone, security sources said. Earlier in the day, Hizb'Allah terrorists fired mortars at South Lebanese Army (SLA) positions in the area of Beit Yahoun. IDF and SLA troops killed a guerrilla when he tried to infiltrate an Israeli-occupied enclave in southern Lebanon, the SLA said Wednesday. Hizb'Allah guerrillas raked themilitia outpost in Beit Yahoun with rocket and machine-gun fire, but no casualties were reported.
In another story, according to information appearing in Wednesday's New York Times, Hizb'Allah terrorists continue to enjoy the assistance and training of members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, who train them in the Bekaa region of Lebanon. According to Beirut-based diplomats, Iran has funneled tens of millions of dollars to displaced civilians in the Security Zone, through Hizb'Allah. The civilians were said to have been displaced by Israeli military offensives. (MED, Reuters, UPI, Arutz Sheva, SNS)
GRAPES OF WRATH MONITORING COMMITTEE REJECTS LEBANON'S CLAIMS: On Friday (02-21-97), the Monitoring Group for the Implementation of the "Grapes of Wrath" Understandings completed its deliberations concerning the complaints lodged by Lebanon. The Monitoring Group categorically rejected Lebanon's claim that Israel was responsible for the death of a Lebanese citizen last Thursday resulting from an explosion in an open area north of the Security Zone, and absolvedIsrael of any responsibility in the matter. The Lebanese delegateshad presented supposed evidence that the explosive devices containedcomponents manufactured in Israel. However, the Israeli delegates proved that the shells are not used by IDF or SLA forces, and the Monitoring Group accepted Israel's position. (SNS)
GOVERNMENT NEVER FORBADE TEMPLE MOUNT PRAYER: A document that was presented to the Jerusalem District Court this week shows that the Government of Israel never made an official decision to forbid Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount. The document, which was presented by the defense lawyers in the trial of Chai V'Kayam members, was prepared by the Cabinet Assistant Secretary in 1986. The implications of the document are that the Supreme Court justices were repeatedly deceived when they were told that the government had forbidden Jewish prayer. The government did make one decision on this issue: a one-time ban on Jewish prayer on the Mount, some two months after the Six-Day War. Yehuda Etzion, leader of Chai V'Kayam, told Arutz Sheva that the proof that the decision was not meant to be binding is found in a protocol of a government meeting that was held some weeks later. According to the protocol, one minister attempted to cite the decision as grounds for forbidding prayer on the Mount, and then-Minister Menachem Begin protested, "I was the one who suggestedthe original proposal then, and the decision applied only to that specific case. We never made a decision to forbid Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount." (Arutz Sheva)
NETANYAHU LESS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS WITH SYRIA: In an address to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Wednesday, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that optimism about the renewal of negotiations with Syria has decreased, Ha'Aretz reported. Netanyahu briefed the committee on his recent visit to the United States, adding that negotiations with the Palestinians and the renewal of negotiations with Syria were the two main issues discussed. The Prime Minister told the committee that, along with senior IDF officers, he presented US President Bill Clinton with Israel's security needs, including the need for continued Israeli control of Mount Hermon. (Israel Line)
WARSAW SYNAGOGUE TORCHED: A fire, which is suspected to have been arson, caused extensive damage to Warsaw's only synagogue on Wednesday morning. The Jewish residents of the city were extremely alarmed, most having survived Hitler's death camps. They stated they have seen houses of worship set ablaze in the past. Warsaw police are investigating the suspicious blaze, which they believe was set intentionally. According to police, a bomb threat was received at the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation (a Jewish charity in the area) two days before the blast. The caller stated a bomb has been placed or will be in the near future.
Meanwhile, a firebomb was thrown at a building adjacent to the Jewish hospital in Rome, on Friday morning. The building was lightly damaged but it was unoccupied at the time of the attack. The building is used as a meeting place for Jewish youth. No organization has taken credit for the attack and no anti-Semitic graffiti was found at the scene. Local police are checking know right-wing extremists. The attack was the second on the building in two weeks.
In another story, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry revealed that it had received 299 reports of anti-Jewish violence, vandalism and harassment in 1996, up from 243 in 1995 which had previously been the highest total. While South Australia and Victoria reported decreases on 1995 totals, all other regions reported their largest ever tallies. In the USA, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reports a 7% fall in anti-Semitic incidents, including a 30% fall in California. The report noted that anti- Semitic abuse has not been quantified for the Internet and e-mail, where ADL regional director described anti-Semites as 'having a field day.' (SNS, MED, UPI)
ARAFAT FEARS ABU MARZOUQ: Regarding Abu Marzouq, the terrorist mastermind whose extradition from the United States has been requested by Israel: The Islamic press, including the Teheran Times and Ruz al- Yussuf, has reported that Arafat has asked PM Netanyahu not to have him extradited to Israel. Arafat reportedly fears thatAbu Marzouq, who enjoys widespread and strong support throughout theterritories, could become an alternative leader to himself. We can now understand, reports radio station Arutz Sheva, why Israel has, of late, begun to reconsider its extradition request. Jordan, too, is not interested in having Abu Marzouq in its territory. From Arafat's point of view, Abu Marzouq is simply a time bomb waiting to go off, sending further shock waves to Arafat's control. (MED)
RECONCILIATION AMONG PLO FACTIONS: Two Syrian-based factions of the Palestine Liberation Organization responded to a call by PLO head Arafat for reconciliation talks earlier this week. George Habash's Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Naif Hawatmeh's Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) are member organizations of the PLO. Both reject Israel's right toexist and oppose the Oslo Accords. The PFLP and DFLP had been membersof a 10-strong Damascus-based alliance of Palestinian organizationsopposed to the Israel-PLO agreements. They still oppose the accords, they say, but they want to join Arafat to defend "Palestinian rights", including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, during the upcoming "final status" talks between Israel and the PLO. As has the PLO, the PFLP and DFLP have been involved in many bloody terrorist and military assaults against Israeli and Jewish targets. The Islamic group Hamas has also agreed to join the reconciliation talks with Arafat, but Hamas spokesman Mahmoud Zahar has made it clear his organization would not change its stance onIsrael's right to exist. "The Hamas position is known that from the[Mediterranean] sea to the [Jordan] river is Islamic wakf property." Zahar said. (BBC, IRIS, Israeli & Global News, ICEJ)
ONE YEAR AGO . . .: On February 25th, at 6:40 am, a suicide terrorist blew up the Number 18 Bus in Jerusalem, on Jaffa Road andSarei Yisrael Street. Then, at 7:35 am, another terrorist blast is detonated at an IDF hitchhiking post in Ashkelon. Twenty-five were killed and over eighty wounded in the two attacks. The next day, atabout 3:00 pm, an Arab terrorist intentionally drove his car into a crowd at a French Hill (Jerusalem) hitchhiking stop. One woman was killed and 12 were injured. (SNS)
SADDAM STOCKPILING DEADLY NERVE GAS: UN investigators are warning of an Iraqi missile and nerve gas program much more extensive than previously assumed. The UN investigators are also concerned about Iraq's efforts to extend the strike range of its SCUD missiles to 3000 km (1,800 miles), giving them the capability of reaching Moscow, Paris or London. At present, the UN team says it believes the production line for such missiles has been shut down, but the team's head Rolf Ekeus said that he is concerned that all the elements for production are still in place in Iraq. (MED, BBC)
SWISS APPROVES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL FUND: The Swiss government gavefinal approval on Wednesday to a Holocaust memorial fund that gives the world's Jewish groups a big say in how to distribute million of dollars in humanitarian aid to Hitler's victims. Foreign Minister Flavio Cotti told reporters the Federal Council, or Cabinet, approved a decree that sets up the fund on March 1 after agreeing how to administer the pool of cash at talks on Monday and Tuesday, with theWJC.
Meanwhile, Brazil will investigate whether the country received shipments of Nazi gold confiscated from Jewish holocaust victims,Justice Minister Nelson Jobim said. Brazil's Central Bank will provide records from its precursor, Sumo, which oversaw financial institutions in the post-war period, the Justice Ministry said in a statement. Also, under pressure from the United States, Portugal'scentral bank promised Friday to soon release the first findings of its investigation into its alleged handling of Nazi gold shipments. The Bank of Portugal refused to comment on the progress of theresearch begun late last year, saying it will publish a preliminaryreport in October. But it offered to release at least some raw figures by the end of April.
In a related story, the Simon Wiesenthal Center - an international center for Holocaust remembrance headquartered in Los Angeles - hasannounced the formation of a special web page(http://www.wiesenthal.com) to publicize the names of owners of over 1,500 accounts in Swiss banks frozen during World War II. The founder of the Center said he hoped putting the names on the internetwould lead to the heirs of the depositors, and even the depositors themselves, lodging claims against Swiss Bank Corp. (SNS, Arutz Sheva)
TERROR NEAR HEVRON: Israel has registered a protest with the Palestinian Authority over a serious violation of the agreements Monday night outside Hevron. Some 20 Arabs surrounded an Israeli vehicle, occupied by Noam Federman and Baruch Merzel, at the Zechuchit Junction. The Arabs loaded their weapons, attempted to break into the car, and refused to contact the commander of the area DCO, who, according to the accords, must be notified in the event of any extraordinary occurrence. Baruch Merzel told Arutz Sheva Tuesday, "By chance, the joint Israeli-Palestinian patrol happened to pass by a half- hour later, and it still took another hour before we were allowed to leave the site." The Hevron Jewish Community released a strong statement, saying, "The Israeli government still possesses the power to halt this lawless terrorism, [but if it does not useit,] the immediate future is bleak ... It is only a question of time before a pointed weapon explodes, and it is the responsibility of the Israeli government to insure that this explosion is prevented. If a vehicle can be stopped and held for over an hour by a terrorist force posing as 'police', and the Defense Ministry does not reply harshly and immediately, what is the purpose [of the agreements]?" (Arutz Sheva)
HEAVY RAINS FLOOD CAUSE HEAVY DAMAGE: The stormy weather has caused damage in many parts of the country. One of the worst hit is the village of Kalansuwa in the Triangle are of the Galilee where hundreds of people had to be evacuated as over 500 homes were flooded when rivers overflowed. Soldiers from the Home Front Command, as well as police and navy, also helped in the rescue operations. Following the rainfall over the weekend, the water level of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), the national water supply, has risen 22 centimeters (8.6 inches). Officials from Mekorot, Israel's water supplier, are optimistic that if the rainfall continues, Israel may approach normal water levels soon. (SNS, MED, Jerusalem Post, Channel 2 TV)
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FYI - Israel In The News
"For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,and for Jerusalem's sake I will not keep quiet" Isaiah 62:1
Send comments and subscription requests to Lee Underwood at:
fellowship@inet-images.com
Web site: http://www.inet-images.com/fellowship/fyi.htm
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US Congress Reports that Syria, Iran, Iraq and PLO preparing for war with Israel
By: Leiah and Jason Elbaum
IRIS
http://www.netaxs.com/~iris
The London-based Daily Telegraph reports (20 January) on the comments of Hebronite Arabs expressing the desire to violently drive out the city's Jewish residents. Kifha, a teacher, said, "More than 20 percent of Hebron is still with the Jews. In the future, we will have to fight them if they do not leave." A student, Iman Telati, from a nearby village still under Israeli jurisdiction, criticized Arafat, saying, "We need to get the Jews out by rock or by gun."
Meanwhile, Rabbi Moshe Levinger, among the founders of the current Hebron Jewish community, noted, "When the Palestinian leadership wants to murder us, that influences the settlers. They know that this is what awaits them. The [Israeli] government made some grave, injurious decisions, but we will continue to live our lives here." He said the Jews hope to enlarge their community in Hebron.
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The following item was reported by Israeli private radio station Arutz-7 (21 January, info7@virtual.co.il):
A U.S. Congressional Task Force report warns that Syria, Iran, Iraq, and the Palestinian Authority are cooperating in preparation for war with Israel. Syrian President Assad and Saddam Hussein of Iraq met secretly to this end in the spring of 1996. Other secret meetings have been held between the Syrian government and the Palestinian Authority, including agreements that the Palestinian police and other "armed elements" will cause "flare-ups in the Israeli interior in case of an escalation in the north." This is the first media revelation of the report, although it was released last month.
In an exclusive interview with Arutz-7 correspondent Yedidya Atlas, U.S. Congressman Jim Saxton (R, N.J.), who heads the Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, said that the American administration is making a mistake in not relating to the possibility of a break-out of war in the Middle East with more seriousness. Saxton said, "Because the American people want to hear that the peace process is succeeding, it becomes less difficult for the administration to brush aside possible threats to Israel, rather than deal with them directly.... According to this report, there is a clear and present danger to Israel and the Israeli people. By watching the policies of the former Israeli government and the current policies of the U.S. Government, one would think that things are just wonderful and that we have nothing to worry about in the Middle East, and all we have to do is make agreements like Hebron and everything will work out fine. But those of us in this Congressional Task Force believe the facts that are presented in this report... and that the [Clinton Administration] should recognize that the reality may not be the same as it would prefer to see..."
Excerpts from the Congressional Task Force report:
"Approaching the end of 1996, the Middle East may well be on the verge of a major regional war. Numerous sources in the region report that the supreme leaders -- both civilians and military -- in most Arab states, as well as in Iran and Pakistan are convinced that the present vulnerability of Israel is so great that there is a unique opportunity to, at the very least, begin the process leading to the destruction of Israel. These circumstances are considered to be a historic window of opportunity the Muslim World should not miss. Toward this end, several Arab states, as well as Iran and Pakistan, have been engaged in a frantic military build-up and active preparations in the last few months."
"In late May 1996, Teheran demonstrated how seriously Iran takes the possibility of dispatching forces to the Israeli front. Iran conducted its largest military exercise ever -- Velayat. The essence of Velayat was a multiple corps deep offensive in the aftermath of a long range advance identical to the distance between Iran and Israel. The objective of Velayat was to confirm Iran's ability to send a strategically effective expeditionary force -- the Velayat Force -- to contribute to a regional war against high-quality armies. The primary intended objective of the exercise is Israel."
"In mid-June, Iran and Syria signed a major agreement specifically for the codification of their military cooperation against Israel. By mid-August, Iraq was brought into this framework with the establishment of a tripartite "joint command" specifically aimed to expedite the preparations for, and conduct of, "a major war against Israel..." In late September, the Palestinian factor was added to the joint preparations when the Palestinian Authority (PA) entered into a major military agreement with Syria. Significantly, this agreement is between the PA, and not the PLO, and Syria, thus explicitly committing the Palestinian forces in the territories. The essence of the agreement is for the Palestinian "police" forces and other armed elements (terrorist organizations) to flare-up the Israeli interior in case of an escalation in the north.... In return, Syria will provide weapons and advanced training to PLO units in the refugees camps in southern Lebanon, units disarmed as part of the Israeli-Lebanese agreements. Meanwhile, the PLO's preparations for an imminent war are evident. In Gaza, Arafat ordered the marked acceleration of the building of a personal command bunker, four stories deep. Moreover, the PLO is rapidly building all over Gaza a chain of command centers, ammunition and weapons-storage areas -- all of them underground and well fortified to even withstand Israeli bombing and shelling. The PA's security services are also accumulating large stockpiles of anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, including missiles, even though they are forbidden by the Oslo Accords."
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PZ EDITORS NOTE: Normally I do not republished articles such as this because of copyright reasons, but because I feel the information is SO important I waved that rule in these next 2 articles and present them in all fairness in their complete format. I wanted to present these 2 articles in the "purest form" so that rumors and gossip do not start up. PLEASE Read these following article "VERY CAREFULLY" and "VERY SLOWLY" allowing ALL the information to be presented and that you the reader so not present half the facts when telling others. DO NOT SENSATIONALIZE THESE ARTICLES. Keep them in their pure form and allow them to speak for themselves...Ray PZ.
Bio-Chip Update
Major Organizations Are Experimenting With Computer Chip Implants in Humans, According to EE Times Special Report
Tuesday February 4 8:28 AM EDT
The Science Fiction of "Total Recall" is a Reality Thanks to a Mix of Electrical Engineering and Medical Technology
MANHASSET, N.Y., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The implantation of computer chips into humans and animals is now actively being funded, researched and experimented by major institutions such as Stanford University, British Telecom, the National Institute of Health (NIH) and major corporations, according to the first of a two-part special report published by CMP's EE Times (http://www.eet.com). Although the work is drawing fire from civil libertarians and conspiracy theorists, among others, many scientists and physicians defend the work for its potential to ease suffering.
"It's 'Total Recall' come true! Our in-depth look into this state-of-the- art research reveals that the mix of electrical engineering and medical technologies to surgically implant computer chip-driven devices is here today -- a micro chip implant is simply one step beyond a pacemaker," said EE Times Internet Editor Larry Lange.
According to the EE Times report, Mitsubishi Electric Corp. (Tokyo) recently developed a low-cost input device that can recognize human movement and convert it to commands for use in software applications. This device is expected to find its way into tools used by people with disabilities. On other fronts, the semiconductor research lab at Motorola Inc. is working on body-embedded electronic blood-sensors that may one day allow diabetics to measure their blood sugar levels without ever drawing a drop of blood.
The special report, appearing in next week issue in print and online, looks at additional areas of research and the differing reactions to it.
EE Times, published by CMP Media Inc., is the leading publication covering the high tech OEM industry. The well-respected weekly is the only source that delivers news of both business and technology to engineers and technical/corporate managers at electronics and computer systems manufacturers in the United States.
CMP Media Inc., now in its 26th year of uninterrupted growth, is the only provider of publishing, marketing and information services to reach the entire spectrum of the high-technology market -- the builders, sellers and users of technology. With sales of $418 million in 1996, CMP marked a quarter century of success with an average annual growth of 20 percent. All of CMP's publications and a series of innovative news and interactive services are available on the World Wide Web through CMP's TechWeb(R), http://www.techweb.com, the industry's first free daily technology news and interactive services super site. CMP Media is also the creator of NetGuide Live (http://www.netguide.com), the first comprehensive daily listing of live events on the Internet and commercial online services, and First-TV (http://www.first-tv.com), the Internet's first 24-hour TV/video network.
NOTE: All of CMP's press releases are available on the Web at http://techweb.cmp.com/corporate. Journalists and reporters may also set up interviews with CMP's high technology experts through the site by e-mail. SOURCE CMP Media Inc.
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BioChip Update #2
Chip implants: weird science with a noble purpose
EETIMES
February 10, 1997, Issue: 940 Second of two parts
By Larry Lange
STANFORD, Calif. -- In the emerging battlefront where medicine and technology meet, Greg Kovacs is a triple threat. An assistant professor at the Stanford University Center for Integrated Systems, Kovacs holds an MS in bioengineering, a PhD in electrical engineering and an MD.
Kovacs and researchers like him are among an elite group of scientists who are walking the finer and finer line between man and machine, forcing, in the process, a new definition of what is human and what is artificial. The Stanford facility's lab is a hotbed of experiment in advanced neural-meets-silicon technology: brain implants, to the uninitiated.
Kovacs and his team are developing needle cortical probes for continuous monitoring and mapping of electrochemical brain activity. So far they are working only with rodents, and they have not achieved the "continuous" part yet. Still, projects like this one in the United States and abroad raise vexing questions for biomedical ethicists, civil libertarians, conspiracy theorists and religious fundamentalists -- not to mention what Kovacs calls "many wackos out there who believe they are [already] controlled by chips. I've talked to them, and they're scary."
While Kovacs pronounces himself encouraged by the center's work so far, he downplayed its implications in a conversation with EE Times. "We're still essentially clueless about how to put an image into someone's head, or read what someone is thinking," he said. "We're not interfacing with the mind, but with brain cells."
Indeed, Kovacs believes "the only embodiment of implants we're going see in the near future is in pacemakers and hearing aids. The work is still way out there, in terms of actually doing something practical."
Proof's in the peroneal nerve
Yet the lab recently submitted a report to the IEEE journal Transactions on Biomedical Engineering noting that "a microelectrode array capable of recording from and stimulating peripheral nerves at prolonged intervals after surgical implantation has been demonstrated." These tiny silicon-based arrays were implanted into the peroneal nerves of rats and remained operative for more than a year.
The microchips used in the experiment were perforated with microscopic conductor-site holes, into which nerve tissue can grow and bond to form what Kovacs calls "electric petri dishes." These are flat silicon plates covered with sensor arrays, upon which neurons can be grown with the eventual goal of developing customized neural-network structures and neurotoxin sensors.
Kovacs said that government bodies in other countries are conducting similar research, some of which was presented at a German Science Ministries Neuro-Implant conference he attended not long ago. He also said that the National Institutes of Health in the United States has a 25-year history with such research.
"NIH has had a neural prosthesis program since 1971, and they were the ones who originated this whole brain-probe idea," said Kovacs. "They are the only legitimate body funding this kind of work other than the National Science Foundation. Anybody else would have to be privately funded."
Kovacs reports "tremendous breakthroughs made in the probes themselves, and with the electronics of the probe," in both his own work and that taking place at the NIH. However, "simple things like packaging and wiring for implants have really slowed it down."
With these probes, "we can only talk to a tiny cylindrical volume of brain tissue, maybe 100 neurons at best," Kovacs said. "When we're talking about a total population of 30 or 40 billion neurons overall, we're really only looking at one dot on a television screen at a time." Still, Kovacs's team seems to have a grasp of the problems of making neural implants work in a human brain, and solutions will arrive. "I'm not saying it's notfeasible," he said.
NIH is mum
While Kovacs discussed the NIH's work openly, that federal agency isn't talking. EE Times was refused an interview with Terry Hambrecht, longtime head of the Neural Prosthesis program at the NIH, and a request for in-depth background material on NIH's work with neural implants was denied.
This much is known, however: Hambrecht and fellow researchers implanted a 38-electrode array into the visual cortex of a blind woman's brain. Afterwards, the woman was able to see simple light patterns and to make out crude letters when the electrodes were stimulated. The NIH is also researching cochlear (inner ear) implants for people with severe hearing loss.
Much of the work taking place at the NIH, Stanford and elsewhere is built on research done in the 1950s, notably that of Yale physiologist Jose Delgado, who implanted electrodes in animal brains and attached them to a "stimoceiver" under the skull. This device transmitted radio signals through the electrodes in a technique called electronic stimulation of the brain, or ESB, and culminated in a now-legendary photograph, in the early 1960s, of Delgado controlling a live bull with an electronic monitor.
It's understandable, in a way, why NIH prefers not to broadcast its work on implants. Often, press reports about research of this nature set off an uproar -- sometimes enough to intimidate researchers, rouse irate Congressmen, spark "Frankenstein" editorials and jeopardize funding.
Mad scientists?
"One of the greatest disservices being done to us are these Hollywood movies and Saturday morning cartoons, which present a depiction of us as mad scientists and engineers, always in white coats, cackling madly and trying to take over the world," said Peter Cochrane, head of research at British Telecom Labs (Ipswich, England), which is also working on chip-implant technology.
Stanford's Kovacs agrees:"Real scientists have not done a good job of explaining this complicated work to the lay population," he said, especially the research in brain implants, which may strike the general public as a little too close to The Manchurian Candidate.
Not to mention what it does to the conspiracy-minded. Consider this Usenet posting from an engineer at a major software firm: "When a transponder chip with your citizen ID is inserted in your body, all transactions will be authenticated via the government's 'public key.' If everything goes properly, you'll pass, otherwise you'll be arrested, thrown into a concentration camp or executed." The posting adds: "When it comes time that the Anti-Christ is inserting all the peoples of the world with such a chip, to receive it will eternally damn one's soul."
The engineer is talking about the Book of Revelations, and a popular interpretation that asserts chip implants are a modern-day equivalent of the "Mark of the Beast."
"There are people who refuse blood transfusions, and cults who refuse to let technology into their cultures," said BT's Cochrane. "All you can say is 'so be it.' "
He sums up: "It is very curious that all of these religious sects are the 'true and only way.' I don't feel so certain about things. I'm here just kind of experimenting, playing with a mix of technologies that I believe will benefit humankind."
Copyright ® 1997 CMP Media Inc.
NOTE: All of CMP's press releases are available on the Web at http://techweb.cmp.com/corporate. Journalists and reporters may also set up interviews with CMP's high technology experts through the site by e-mail. SOURCE CMP Media Inc.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Terry Cook and BSN Joyce Riley are going to be speaking at these conferences, I have not been to these conferences so I can not officially promote it, but I wanted to let you all know about these conferences to help support Terry and Joyce.
PREPAREDNESS EXPO '97
by Jan Farmer (jfarmer@startext.net)
Emergency preparedness, self-reliant living, health & wellness, alternative energy, security & protections, camping & wilderness, food storage & preparation, investment strategies and much much more......
Over 100 Exhibitors and over 30 Guest Speakers and hourly free lectures.
As the world has been rapidly changing, so too have consumer interests, sparking a phenomenal growth in the preparedness related industries. Now, more than ever, consumers are seeking products and information that will assist them in living a healthier, safer and more self-sufficient lifestyle.
For the past eight years, Preparedness Expo has been the premier consumer show of its kind in the country dedicated to educating and preparing people for the future possibilities that may lie ahead: economic instabilities, natural disasters, social unrest, threats to our environment, personal health & well-being.
Now in its 9th year, the Preparedness Expo has perfected a winning combination featuring the country?s largest selection of preparedness related products and services along with nationally known speakers who are guaranteed to challenge, stimulate and inform.
Approximately 5 to 7 thousand people attend each Preparedness Expo. Our surveys reveal these people to be affluent, well-educated, professional and highly motivated to become better prepared and more self-reliant.
Don?t miss this unique opportunity to promote your products and services to thousands of concerned consumers, eager to invest in their future well-being.
SAN DIEGO - Del Mar Fairgrounds - FEBRUARY 28, MARCH 1 & 2
DALLAS - Big Town Expo Hall - APRIL 11, 12, & 13
ORLANDO - Central Florida Fairgrounds - JUNE 13, 14 & 15
PORTLAND - Portland Expo Center - AUGUST 8, 9 & 10
INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana State Fairgrounds - OCTOBER 10, 11 & 12
DENVER - Denver Merchandise Mart - NOVEMBER 14,15 & 16
Some of the speakers are:
Dr. Nick Begich, Col.Bo Gritz, Terry Reed, RN, BSN Joyce Riley, John Trochman of MOM, Terry Cook, Ret.Officer Jack McLamb..... too many to list here.
General Admission $6.00 per day; Select Seminars $5.00 each; Children 13 & under FREE! Hours Friday: Noon - 9 pm, Saturday: 10 am-9 pm, Sunday 10 am-7 pm
To receive a free program, or more information on upcoming shows, or becoming an exhibitor, please call or write to:
801-265-8828 or mail to:
Preparedness Shows-
PO Box 758,
Midvale, UT 84047
(Regarding this flyer: J. Kimball - Ph: 909-685-4023 & Fax: 909-360-9350)
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Temple Feast
From: Arutz Sheva News Service
Tuesday, February 18, 1997 / Adar Aleph 11, 5757
Nearly 1000 people participated in a unique dinner last night in honor of the Jerusalem Temple and Jewish presence on the Temple Mount. Samples of music and instruments that may have been sounded by the Levites in the Temple were played, and speakers described how Jews would ascend to the Temple with their sacrifices. Rabbi Dov Lior explained that many rabbis permit the ascent to the Temple Mount even now, after proper halakhic preparations have been made (ritual immersion, knowing the permitted locations, etc.). MK Rabbi Benny Elon bemoaned the fact that the Temple Mount is effectively not under our control. He said, "How can we not cry we hear the police cheerfully report on the Moslem Ramadan prayers at the site of our Holy Temple?"
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Smartcard Update
Redwood condemns calls for European smartcard
Reported By: Trevor
http://www.info.FT.com/media/nr_2.htm
John Redwood, the leading Conservative Euro-skeptic MP who unsuccessfully challenged John Major for the party leadership, has condemned proposals for a European smartcard that would act as a driving licence, identity document and electronic purse. The card has been proposed by MEPs and supported by the European Commission along with several member states. It has even been suggested the card could be introduced alongside a single currency, and could act as a passport.
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WHO CONTROLS U.S. NATIONAL PARKS?
by Nick Ivanovich (nssc@inlink.com)
National State Sovereignty Coalition [NSSC Doc. 127]
When does a national park cease to become national property?
Yellowstone and other national parks have been designated as United Nations "World Heritage Sites" and "Biosphere Reserves." Rep. Don Young was angry that congress has been left out of the loop. His solution, the "American Land
Sovereignty Act," designed to outlaw the international designations without Congresses authorization, was debated in the House Sept. 26th '96. You would think such a bill would be sure to get unanimous support, Think Again! --
[From the Congressional Record h11276, 9/26/1996.]
"Bill Richardson Must NOT be the Next UN Ambassador."
Sponsor Rep. Don YOUNG R-AK --"Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3752..., asserts the power of Congress under article IV, section 3 of the United States Constitution over management and use of lands belonging to the United States. So that everyone understands, the concern here is the U.S. Congress--and therefore, the people of the United States--are left out of the domestic process to designate `World Heritage Sites and Biosphere Reserves.'... Within the last 25 years, more an more of our Nation's land has become subject to international land-use restrictions. A total of 67 sites in the United States have been designated as `UN Biosphere Reserves or World Heritage Sites.' These land designations under the World Heritage and Biosphere Reserve programs have been created with virtually no congressional oversight and no congressional hearings...In the case of Biosphere Reserves, the program is not even authorized by a single U.S. law or even an international treaty
Opposition Floor Leader Rep. Bill RICHARDSON D-NM [Clinton Administration nominee for Ambassador to the UN] -- Mr. Speaker,... This legislation is not going anywhere... The President is never going to sign it into law. He has already said he is going to veto it even if we are going to take it up... If H.R. 3752 were presented to the President, the Department of the Interior would recommend that the bill be vetoed. The Administration strongly opposes H.R. 3752, which would impose unnecessary restrictions on the existing legal and administrative framework that implements U.S. commitments to international environmental cooperative efforts.
Rep. YOUNG -- Mr. Speaker, ...I want the people on record, being recorded they are against the people of the United States being involved in land decisions... I want to see who has the guts to vote against the American people. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Idaho,
Rep. CHENOWETH -- Mr. Speaker... We are debating about this issue, which is, who should control the land mass in the United States? Should not the Congress have a say in whether the U.N. comes in in certain instances and controls certain areas? That is the simple question... H.R. 3752 will establish a simple process of due process, and will reestablish the role of Congress where it should be in the first place, as the ultimate decision-maker who manages the lands of the United States and who should maintain sovereign control of the lands in the United States of America.
There are two types of land designations of international status by the United Nations currently taking place with no congressional approval... There are biosphere reserves carried out by the United Nations environmental, sociological and cultural organizations, and World Heritage sites which are sponsored by the U.N.-backed World Heritage Committee. Mr. Speaker, more than 51 million acres in this country has already been designated by the U.N., with the agency's consent, without congressional consent, as either World Heritage sites or biosphere reserves... an area nearly the size [o]f the whole State of Colorado, that the U.N. has taken control of without congressional involvement and legitimate public participation. A biosphere reserve is a federally zoned and coordinated region consisting of three areas or zones that meet certain minimum requirements established by the United Nations. The inner or most protected area, the core zone, are usually Federal lands, whereas the outer zones are not-Federal lands. That is either private property or State property... This is occurring despite the fact that the United States withdrew their participation from UNESCO in 1984 because of gross financial mis- management, and Congress has never, not once, ratified the Biodiversity Treaty which calls for these biosphere reserve designations. Mr. Speaker, when laws and processes established by the Congress to manage our resources are bypassed by the agencies and by the executive, not only does this create an atmosphere of secrecy and confusion, but it violates our very sovereignty.
Rep. RICHARDSON -- Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished ranking member from California,
Rep. MILLER -- Mr. Speaker, The gentlewoman from Idaho talked about the outer zones and the inner zones in these Heritage areas. What she did not talk about was the twilight zone, where the support for this legislation comes from. It comes from those individuals who believe that there is some worldwide conspiracy of the U.N. to take over U.S. lands... People travel from all over the world to see these, whether it is the Everglades or whether it is Yellowstone, or the other assets within the United States... That is, we control the management of the parks, we control the management of the public lands, we design the reviews, we design the management plans. That is how those parks, that is how those assets are run, not by some group of people from the U.N. in black helicopters who hide these areas and then spring forth on our community. Absolute fantasy, absolutely from the twilight zone.
Rep. YOUNG -- Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Oregon
Rep. Mr. COOLEY -- The United States has a long and proud record of preserving areas which we consider of national importance... However, the same cannot be said of other countries around the world. Former Socialist and Communist countries have endured some of the worst environmental damage of all. Why? Because the people of those countries were not in charge of their land management. Instead, environmental and land use decisions were left to a central bureaucracy that was more interested in power and not in the wishes of the people. Fortunately, communism and socialism have been discredited around the world, but their central principles live on in the United Nations. Back in the 1970s, as stated, this body made a mistake. They entered into a treaty with the U.N. to establish a body called the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.[UNESCO] In this treaty we gave the U.N. the ability to designate World Heritage Sites in the U.S. without seeking approval of Congress. This was wrong. H.R. 3752 will correct this mistake by requiring any new designations to be cleared by Congress
Rep. RICHARDSON -- Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts,
Rep. MARKEY -- Mr. Speaker, Most Americans would be surprised to learn that America's sovereignty over its lands is at risk here this afternoon and in need of protection. It would have been leading every news story in America for the past week, because it is 130 years since the end of the Civil War, the last time our national sovereignty was directly threatened...Are we afraid that the World Heritage List, once it is constructed, will have U.N. Secretary Boutros Boutros- Ghali in our districts, which is what the Republicans have been handing out here on the floor? Mr. Speaker, I can understand the threat because I have been listening to the Republicans over the last year, because we very well might have blue-helmeted U.N. troops sweeping in in black helicopters, driving out our poor Smoky the Bear-hatted park rangers in a triumphant victory of the new world order of sinister forces.
Rep. YOUNG -- We had a hearing on this, Mr. Speaker... We had 10 witnesses all testify in favor of the bill but one. That is this administration. We had no participation from the other side [Democrats]. Not one show
ed up to listen to those private citizens, those landholders that have been abused by previous administrations and this administration because of the biospheres and heritage areas. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York,
Rep. SOLOMON -- Mr. Speaker... This bill sends one overall message, and let me say this loud and clear, only Americans in America have sovereignty over U.S. lands. That may be a hard concept for some people in the United States to grasp, in the United Nations, but that is the law we are laying down here today. Frankly, it is rather sad that we even have to do this, but considering the willingness of some Federal and State officials in the country to rubberstamp
U.N. designs for American land use, this bill is absolutely imperative. They snuck this thing into the Adirondack Mountains before we even knew about it. They tried to do this in the Catskill Mountains, and we caught them. We stopped them dead in their tracks...Back in 1986, UNESCO, that arm of the United Nations that has always been a hotbed of extreme leftwing internationalism, decided that our Adirondacks would become a U.N. Biosphere Reserve. Thus, the Adirondackers were subject to the double indignity of having their land designated for varying degrees of preservation, not only by an unelected international body but one from which the United States had withdrawn in 1984. What an outrage, Mr. Speaker
Rep. RICHARDSON -- Mr. Speaker, I yield.. to the gentleman from Minnesota,
Rep. VENTO -- Mr. Speaker,... This is an issue where the United States had taken the lead, with some credit to the American people and the American ideas in terms of conservation, in terms of preservation and restoration of landscapes, as being one of the best ideas that our people have ever had... It seems like some of my colleagues, my G.O.P. colleagues want to stop the world and get off. One Member got up here and said that this bill really did not do anything with existing sites. That is incorrect... Some 47 different Biosphere Reserves that are recognized on a voluntary basis in the U.S. by Republican and Democratic administrations over the last 30 years, or 25 years, would be terminated under this bill.
Rep.YOUNG -- urge the people that are watching this debate to consider the people's involvement. There is nothing in this bill that repeals any existing heritage sites or biosphere sites..., let the Congress play a role in making these designations. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California...
Rep. HERGER -- Mr. Speaker,..This bill champions the rights of local governments; it champions the constitutional role of the United States in making federal land policy; and it champions the self-determination and absolute sovereignty of the United States within the world community of nations. Mr. Speaker, the past 25 year has seen an explosion of global treaties and programs about which U.S. citizens have had little or no say. Among the most troubling of these has been a 1971 United Nations agreement to establish so-called `biosphere reserves' around the world each surrounded by enormous buffer zones encompassing both public and private property within which human activity is significantly restricted. Quietly, over the last 25 years, without the arrogant election-year fanfare that we recently saw in Utah, faceless federal bureaucrats have classified a total area larger than the entire state of Colorado as biosphere reserves. Local communities did not consent to these designations. Neither did State governments. Even Congress was not allowed to participate in the designation process... Mr. Speaker, it is time to bring our communities, our States and the United States Congress back into the process of governing our public lands.
Mr. RICHARDSON -- Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Los Angeles, CA,
Mr. TORRES -- Mr. Speaker, let us really understand here what we are talking about when we say biosphere reserve... Areas are nominated and recognized on the basis of their significance for research and the study of representative biological regions of the world. The United States has 47 such reserve regions. It is part of a worldwide network of 324 biosphere reserves in 82 countries in the globe. Mr. Speaker, I know the process. I represented the United Statesas its Ambassador before UNESCO... it was not the U.N. that designated the park in Utah so that it would not be a big coal mine and exploit that park; it was the President of the United States. And Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali and nobody else, UNESCO or nobody else had anything to say to that except the President of the United States.
Rep. YOUNG -- Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California,
Rep. BONO -- Mr. Speaker, the United Nations is a useless waste of billions of dollars, and frankly I wish this bill was for the abolishment of the United Nations. It is another bureaucracy that does not do anything but eat dollars that we could easily control and handle much better ourselves... Can Congress not, and can the President not handle things... I find it disgusting that bureaucrats continue to inhabit this marvelous building and try to install more bureaucracy, and more bureaucracy, and more Government, and more dollars. We can handle it. We can handle it fine.
Rep. RICHARDSON -- Mr. Speaker, just to summarize, this is a bad bill, the bill has been called a Black Helicopters Prevention Act, the Boutros-Ghali/Babbitt bill. Whatever it is, this is a bad bill... World heritage designation is not a threat. It is an honor. The United States has total control. International agreements such as these do not give the United Nations any authority. Congress has delegated this authority to our national parks. These are professional American men and women that work for the Government that do a good job.
Rep. YOUNG -- Let this Congress participate in this process. This is the people's house. Let the people have the decision to make. That is crucially important, to continue the process... For those that are afraid of letting this Congress participate, you should not be in Congress. It is that simple. What is wrong with us being involved? Why should we let the executive branch and the U.N. make decisions about my private property rights? I urge the passage of this legislation."
The VOTE -- The motion offered by Rep Young, that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3752, Failed.... TWO-THIRDS not having voted in favor thereof, the motion was REJECTED as follows: Yeas 246, Nays 178, not voting 9, YEAS [MEMBERS SUPPORTING THE BILL] -246 Allard, Archer, Armey, Bachus, Baker (CA), Baker (LA), Ballenger, Barcia, Barr, Bartlett, Barton, Bass, Bateman, Bilbray, Bilirakis, Bishop, Bliley, Blute, Boehlert, Boehner, Bonilla, Bono, Brewster, Browder, Brownback, Bryant (TN), Bunn, Bunning, Burr, Burton, Buyer, Callahan, Calvert, Camp, Campbell, Canady, Chabot, Chambliss, Chenoweth, Christensen, Chrysler, Coble, Coburn, Collins (GA), Combest, Condit, Cooley, Costello, Cox, Cramer, Crane, Crapo, Cremeans, Cubin, Cunningham, Danner, de la Garza, Deal, DeLay, Diaz-Balart, Dickey, Doolittle, Dornan, Dreier, Duncan, Dunn, Edwards, Ehlers, Ehrlich, English, Ensign, Everett, Ewing, Fawell, Fields (TX), Flanagan, Foley, Forbes, Fowler, Fox, Franks (CT), Franks (NJ), Frisa, Funderburk, Gallegly, Ganske, Gekas, Geren, Gilchrest, Gillmor, Gonzalez, Goodlatte, Goodling, Gordon, Goss, Graham, Green (TX), Greene (UT), Greenwood, Gunderson, Gutknecht, Hall (TX), Hamilton, Hancock, Hansen, Hastert, Hastings (WA), Hayworth, Hefley, Herger, Hilleary, Hobson, Hoekstra, Hoke, Horn, Hostettler, Houghton, Hunter, Hutchinson, Hyde, Inglis, Istook, Jacobs, Johnson, Sam, Jones, Kasich, Kim, King, Kingston, Klug, Knollenberg, Kolbe, LaHood, Largent, Latham, LaTourette, Laughlin, Lazio, Lewis (CA), Lewis (KY), Lightfoot, Lincoln, Linder, Lipinski, Livingston, LoBiondo, Longley, Lucas, Manzullo, Martini, McCollum, McCrery, McDade, McHugh, McInnis, McIntosh, McKeon, Metcalf, Mica, Miller (FL), Molinari, Moorhead, Myers, Myrick, Neumann, Ney, Norwood, Nussle, Ortiz, Orton, Oxley, Packard, Parker, Paxon, Peterson (MN), Petri, Pickett, Pombo, Pomeroy, Porter, Portman, Poshard, Pryce, Quillen, Quinn, Radanovich, Ramstad, Regula, Riggs, Roberts, Roemer, Rogers, Rohrabacher, Ros-Lehtinen, Roth, Royce, Salmon, Sanford, Saxton, Scarborough, Schaefer, Schiff, Seastrand, Sensenbrenner, Shadegg, Shaw, Shays, Shuster, Sisisky, Skeen, Skelton, Smith (MI), Smith (TX), Smith (WA), Solomon, Souder, Spence, Stearns, Stenholm, Stockman, Stump, Stupak, Talent, Tate, Tauzin, Taylor (MS), Taylor (NC), Tejeda, Thomas, Thornberry, Tiahrt, Traficant, Upton, Vucanovich, Walker, Walsh, Watts (OK), Weldon (FL), Weldon (PA), Weller, White, Wicker, Wolf, Young (AK), Young
(FL), Zeliff
NAYS -- 178, 9 NOT VOTING -- Clinger, Hayes, Heineman, Manton, Montgomery, Nethercutt, Peterson (FL), Wamp, Zimmer. Mr. BROWDER changed his vote from `nay' to `yea.'
This first appeared in : STOP ALL FEDERAL ABUSES NOW! S.A.F.A.N. Internet Newsletter, NO. 274, February 1, 1997
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Thank you for reading PropheZine. Remember to tell others about it. Vist the site also at: www.prophezine.com. ...Ray Gano ...Romans 8:28
