Church of God News

COGwriter

A new report came out warning about the growing risk of dementia in the United Kingdom:

September 21, 2015

One in three people born in the UK this year is projected to develop dementia in their lifetimes, according to Alzheimer’s Research UK.

The charity described the forecast as a “looming national health crisis”.

The figures were based on current life expectancies and the risk of people developing dementia as they age.

However, there is acknowledgement that the figures – projecting what could be happening 100 years in the future – are only an estimate.

More than 800,000 people in the country are already affected by the disease, which is caused by the destruction of brain cells.

Age is the biggest risk factor for dementia and rising life expectancies could increase the number of people living with the condition. Heart disease, diabetes, smoking and a lack of exercise are also linked to the condition.

The charity commissioned the Office of Health Economics to make the projections.

It predicted that:

• 32% of people born in the UK in 2015 will get dementia in their lifetime
• 27% of men would get the condition
• and 37% of women

Dr Matthew Norton, from Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “These figures underline a stark reality – as people are living longer, more and more people will develop dementia in the future if action is not taken now to tackle the condition.  http://www.bbc.com/news/health-34313127

The USA and other places are also at major risk.  A study came out a couple of years ago discussing the financial costs for dementia in the USA (see Dementia in USA).  I would add that the personal costs to one’s life and how dementia affects a family are higher than the staggering financial cost. As far as the financial cost, it looks like one more burden that will contribute to the increased debt of the UK and USA.

Here is how one dictionary defines dementia:

de·men·tia (d-mnsh)n.

1. Deterioration of intellectual faculties, such as memory, concentration, and judgment, resulting from an organic disease or a disorder of the brain. It is sometimes accompanied by emotional disturbance and personality changes.

2. Madness; insanity.

According to dictionary.com the word dementia comes from a Latin word meaning madness:

Origin:
1800–10; < Latin dēmentia madness, equivalent to dēment- out of one’s mind (see dement) + -ia noun suffix.

While sports such as American tackle football contribute to dementia (see, for example, NFL admits nearly 1 in 3 players will develop cognitive problems), diet does as well.

While age is a factor, over consumption of processed carbohydrates and sweets and possibly protein seem to be a factor.  Genetics are also a factor.  An accumulation of advanced protein-glycation end products contributes to Alzheimer’s.

I co-wrote a scientific paper related to cognitive deterioration and nutrition that was published in a major medical journal about a decade ago.  Here is the ‘Abstract’ from that paper:

Individuals with Down syndrome have signs of possible brain damage prior to birth. In addition to slowed and reduced mental development, they are much more likely to have cognitive deterioration and develop dementia at an earlier age than individuals without Down syndrome. Some of the cognitive impairments are likely due to post-natal hydrogen peroxide-mediated oxidative stress caused by overexpression of the superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) gene, which is located on the triplicated 21 st chromosome and known to be 50% overexpressed. However, some of this disability may also be due to early accumulation of advanced protein glycation end-products, which may play an adverse role in prenatal and postnatal brain development. This paper suggests that essential nutrients such as folate, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and zinc, as well as alpha-lipoic acid and carnosine may possibly be partially preventive. Acetyl-L-carnitine, aminoguanidine, cysteine, and N-acetylcysteine are also discussed, but have possible safety concerns for this population. This paper hypothesizes that nutritional factors begun prenatally, in early infancy, or later may prevent or delay the onset of dementia in the Down syndrome population. Further examination of this data may provide insights into nutritional, metabolic and pharmacological treatments for dementias of many kinds. As the Down syndrome population may be the largest identifiable group at increased risk for developing dementia, clinical research to verify the possible validity of the prophylactic use of anti-glycation nutrients should be performed. Such research might also help those with glycation complications associated with diabetes or Alzheimer’s. (Can Cognitive Deterioration Associated with Down Syndrome be Reduced? Medical Hypotheses, 2005; 64(3):524-532)

Despite that paper being published, relatively few will utilize proper nutrition, and most who consider nutritional interventions use synthetic substitutes, which are not proven to be effective.  The field of nutrition reminds me of religion in the sense that most are satisfied with false religion that does not lead to eternal life as opposed to the true religion that does.

Anyway, as far as dementia goes, it seems to be a prophesied curse from a biblical perspective:

15 “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

16 “Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country…

28 The Lord will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of heart. (Deuteronomy 28:15-16, 28)

Note: I am not saying that all who get dementia have intentionally violated God’s laws, etc. But what I am trying to say is that dementia and costs associated with it are consistent with curses against a society that should know God’s laws but refuses to obey God.  And we are seeing increases in dementia.

With the Day of Atonement coming up this week, I would also add that I believe that proper fasting can also be a factor in slowing down the development of dementia.

Some items of related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught? For a more detailed discussion of the first four commandments, please see the video The Ten Commandments: Loving God. For a more detailed discussion of the last six commandments, please see: The Ten Commandments: Loving Your Neighbor. Here is a link to a related article in Mandarin Chinese 十条诫命显示爱，违反诫命的就是邪恶的
Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command? Some have stated that John’s writings teach this, but is that what the Bible really says?
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings. A related sermon is titled: Christians and the Ten Commandments.
The Day of Atonement–Its Christian Significance The Jews call it Yom Kippur, Christians “The Day of Atonement.” Does it have any relevance for Christians today? What are some of the healthful benefits of fasting? What is the Jubilee? A sermon of related interest may be Day of Atonement: How Jesus fulfilled His part for the Atonement.
Importance of Fasting An old article by Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject. Here is a link to it in Mandarin Chinese 禁食的重要性.
COGwriter Position on Other Churches and Religions What is the fate of those who do not know Christ? What about those who profess Christ outside the Church of God?
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?

People Fasting in New Zealand

COGwriter

From from sunset the 22nd of September through sunset the 23rd, is the Day of Atonement for 2015.

On the Day of Atonement, the Bible says to “afflict your souls” (Leviticus 23:32).

In Isaiah 58:5 the Bible teaches that a fasting day is a day to afflict one’s soul. Furthermore, notice something else from Isaiah:

12 And in that day the Lord God of hosts
Called for weeping and for mourning,
For baldness and for girding with sackcloth.
13 But instead, joy and gladness,
Slaying oxen and killing sheep,
Eating meat and drinking wine:
“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

14 Then it was revealed in my hearing by the Lord of hosts,
“Surely for this iniquity there will be no atonement for you,
Even to your death,” says the Lord God of hosts. (Isaiah 22:12-14)

Notice that not avoiding food when told to is equated to having no atonement. And while the word translated as atonement in Isaiah 22:14 is not the identical Hebrew word in Leviticus 23, it is similar and apparently has similar connotations.

The Day of Atonement was called “the Fast” in Acts 27:9.

Thus, those in the Church of God who are faithful and able fast on the Day of Atonement. That is, they avoid all food and drink for the entire 24 hours of that day.

Are there any benefits associated with that?

First notice what the Bible teaches:

5 Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the Lord?
6 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

“If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday. 11 The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. 12 Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. (Isaiah 58:5-12)

So, the Bible teaches both physical and spiritual benefits and responsibilities from fasting.

Here are some comments from Herbert W. Armstrong about fasting:

FASTING AND PRAYER: There is . . . NOTHING like fasting and prayer for drawing close to God, re-establishing contact, being filled with His Spirit. For this purpose it is better to fast completely — no fruit-juice of any kind. In Bible times they sometimes fasted without even water, but sometimes water was used. Personally I think results will be obtained if one drinks water, but nothing else.

For purely spiritual purposes a fast of from one to three days is usually sufficient. You may expect headaches, and a very thick-headed feeling the first few days. It is not pleasant. It is, in Bible language, AFFLICTING THE SOUL. It takes courage and will-power, and self-denial. I recommend, for this purpose, dividing your time three ways: about one third in studying the subject of fasting in the Bible, and other Bible study. Use a good concordance, and your marginal references if your Bible has them. If not you should get one which has. Look up all you can find under fasting. Then about a third of your time in meditation — turning over in your own mind by yourself WHY you have not been closer to God, thinking out just HOW you have been letting the worldly things creep in, meditating on what you have read in the Bible, applying it to yourself and your spiritual condition. Then, spend one full third of your time in earnest PRAYER.

Did you ever spend one solid HOUR in prayer, alone with God in some private room, on your knees? Very few ever have. If you haven’t, the first time you do it you’ll find it will take as much will-power and self-denial as forcing yourself to stay on a fast and resisting that gnawing hunger feeling. In five or ten minutes, or less, every excuse in the world will come into your mind. You aren’t in the mood now — why not do it later? You just think of something that ought to be done, and you think you must go do it right now. Yes, I know what will come to your mind, for I have done it and I know by experience. But if you will resist every temptation, and STAY on your knees, even though you think your prayer isn’t going as high as the ceiling, in at least 30 or 40 minutes the devil will probably give up and let you alone and you’ll find you are establishing contact with God, and you’ll find you are beginning to really ENJOY talking to Him — just pouring out your soul to Him — telling him all about it. Pause, once awhile, and meditate, and let God talk to you. (Armstrong HW. Importance of Fasting. July 7, 1948)

In addition to humbling ourselves and helping us to realize how much we need to rely on God and drawing closer to him, fasting is considered to have certain physical benefits. Some, though sadly not yet most, in the medical world are realizing that there seem to be health benefits from fasting:

The power of intermittent fasting

August 4, 2012

Scientists are uncovering evidence that short periods of fasting, if properly controlled, could achieve a number of health benefits, as well as potentially helping the overweight, as Michael Mosley discovered…

Calorie restriction, eating well but not much, is one of the few things that has been shown to extend life expectancy, at least in animals. We’ve known since the 1930s that mice put on a low-calorie, nutrient-rich diet live far longer. There is mounting evidence that the same is true in monkeys…

IGF-1 levels can be lowered by fasting. The reason seems to be that when our bodies no longer have access to food they switch from “growth mode” to “repair mode”.

As levels of the IGF-1 hormone drop, a number of repair genes appear to get switched on according to ongoing research by Professor Valter Longo of the University of Southern California…

Current medical opinion is that the benefits of fasting are unproven and until there are more human studies it’s better to eat at least 2000 calories a day. If you really want to fast then you should do it in a proper clinic or under medical supervision, because there are many people, such as pregnant women or diabetics on medication, for whom it could be dangerous. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19112549

Fasting Reduces Risk of Heart Disease.

In a study of more than 4,500 Mormons in Utah, researchers examined behaviors that were associated with lower risk of coronary artery disease—heart disease. After accounting for other factors (smoking, alcohol use, coffee and tea ingestion), researchers discovered that those who fasted routinely (without food or drink) were at lower risk for heart disease than those who did not fast. Fasting was also associated with lower diabetes risk (The American Journal of Cardiology, October 1, 2008)-WA Update.

Fasting twice a year rebuilds Immune System

A New Study Has Suggested That Fasting Could Help The Body To Fight Off Disease By Regenerating The Immune System. The Study Added That Fasting For Two Days Can Regenerate The Immune System.

June 8, 2014

For the study, the effects of fasting for two to four day periods for six months on both mice and humans were tested by the researchers. In both cases, it was found that long periods of not eating significantly lowered white blood cell counts.

And in mice, each cycle of fasting then ‘flipped a regenerative switch’ that led to the regeneration of new white blood cells, which in turn renews the defence system of the body.

Valter Longo, Professor of Gerontology and the Biological Sciences at the University of Southern California, said: “It gives the OK for stem cells to go ahead and begin proliferating and rebuild the entire system. And the good news is that the body got rid of the parts of the system that might be damaged or old, the inefficient parts, during the fasting.”

He added that a system heavily damaged by chemotherapy or aging, fasting cycles can generate, literally, a new immune system.

The study also revealed that levels of the enzyme PKA, reduces as a result of fasting. This increases longevity in simple organisms, as well as levels of the hormone IGF-1, which has been linked to ageing, tumour progression and cancer risk. http://www.delhidailynews.com/news/Fasting-regenerates-immune-system-1402181003/

Fasting is a health booster for many and also seems to increase longevity.

Of course, those who risk death or major health problems should not fast. But for others, it can be a healthy thing to do from a physical, as well as spiritual, perspective.

Some people, especially those who consume caffeine regularly, find fasting difficult. Those who wean down off of caffeine sometimes find fasting easier than they would have otherwise.

Here are some Jewish tips to prepare for fasting:

Tips for Easier Fasting

Tips to prepare for the fast include: drinking at least two liters of water a day (10 cups) on the days before the fast, and eating whole grains and vegetables on the day before, while avoiding sugar,spicy, fried and salty foods that cause thirst.

Those who drink significant amounts of beverages containing caffeine daily (coffee, non-herb teas, colas) are advised to reduce the amount gradually, starting several days before the fast to prevent caffeine addiction symptoms which can include headaches and nausea.

The last meal before the fast, known as the seudah hamafseket, should not include unfamiliar, spicy, or fried foods, and should omit vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli.

After the fast, those who have abstained from drinking and eating are advised to rehydrate slowly, with a sweet drink, and begin eating with a snack, followed approximately one hour later by a light meal. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/148579

In my own case, I tend to drink more water the day before fasting and avoid saltier foods. Also, those who fast more regularly throughout the year tend to have less difficulties fasting than those that do not (people with hypoglycemia, etc. excepted).

The Christian Day of Atonement, comes after the Feast of Trumpets (also known as Rosh Hoshana or Rosh Hashanah) and is considered to be part of God’s plan of salvation as shown in the biblical (though often called ‘Jewish’) holy days.

In its Statement of Beliefs , the Continuing Church of God states:

The Day of Atonement, called “the Fast” in the New Testament (Acts 27:9), helps show our own weaknesses and need to be closer to God (Isaiah 58:5,11). It also helps picture that Satan has a role in the sins of humankind and that he will be bound for one-thousand years (Revelation 20:1-3; cf. Leviticus 16:20-26; Isaiah 14:12-16).

Thus, because of its New Testament references, the Day of Atonement is something that should be highly relevant for Christians.

Those the Continuing Church of God tend to fast annually on the Day of Atonement as well as periodically throughout the year.

In 2015, the Day of Atonement begins at sunset September 22 and continues through sunset September 23.

Several items of possibly related interest include:

The Day of Atonement–Its Christian Significance The Jews call it Yom Kippur, Christians “The Day of Atonement.” Does it have any relevance for Christians today? What are some of the healthful benefits of fasting? What is the Jubilee? A sermon of related interest may be Day of Atonement: How Jesus fulfilled His part for the Atonement.
Importance of Fasting An old article by Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject. Here is a link to it in Mandarin Chinese 禁食的重要性.
Does God Heal Today? This historical article is by Herbert Armstrong and provides his views on healing circa 1952, which he seemed to later modify, at least to some degree.
Living as a Christian: How and Why? In what ways do Christians live differently than others. What about praying, fasting, tithing, holy days, and the world? There is also a YouTube video related to that also called: Living as a Christian: How and Why?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by the Tkach WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days. (Here is a related link in Spanish/español: Calendario Anual de Adoración –Una crítica basada en la Biblia y en la Historia: ¿Hay un Calendario Anual de Adoración en la Biblia?
Did Early Christians Observe the Fall Holy Days? The ‘Fall’ Holy Days come every year in September and/or October on the Roman calendar. Some call them Jewish holidays, but they were kept by Jesus, the apostles, and their early faithful followers. Should you keep them? What does the Bible teach? What do records of church history teach? What does the Bible teach about the Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles, and the Last Great Day? Here is a link to a related sermon: Should you keep the Fall Holy Days?
Holy Day Calendar This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2024, with their Roman calendar dates. They are really hard to observe if you do not know when they occur 🙂 In the Spanish/Español/Castellano language: Calendario de los Días Santos. In Mandarin Chinese: 何日是神的圣日？ 这里是一份神的圣日日历从2013年至2024年。.
Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God.

US Secretary of State John Kerry

COGwriter

In the past few weeks the migrant crisis in Europe has accelerated. Today, the USA pledged to take more migrants:

September 20, 2015

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the Obama administration will increase the number of refugees allowed to enter the United States to 100,000 annually in 2017, as Europe grapples with its largest influx of migrants since the end of World War II.

Speaking Sunday in Berlin, Kerry called the U.S. decision a “step in keeping with America’s best tradition as a land of second chances and a beacon of hope.”

Under the new plan, the U.S. limit on refugee visas — currently capped at 70,000 annually — would jump to 85,000 in fiscal 2016 and then rise to 100,000 the following year.

Kerry also said Washington would explore ways to boost the limit beyond the 100,000 ceiling in future years.

Kerry did not say how many of the additional refugees would be from Syria but pledged that the U.S. was ready to help.  http://www.voanews.com/content/austria-hungary-croatia-european-migrant-crisis/2971094.html

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? A related video is Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
Obama Administration Pushing for an Islamic Empire? Because of the rise of groups such as the Islamic State, the Obama Administration and others are pushing for a coalition of Arab nations along with Turkey. Does this resemble the final King of the South of Bible prophecy? Is there an Islamic antichrist? Does the Bible teach that terrorism and the sword will affect the USA and some of its allies? What does the Bible teach in Ezekiel about a confederation involving Egypt? Will an Arabic confederation end in destruction for those who strongly support it? Are the 10 nations in the Arab coalition the ten kings of Revelation 17:12-13? Are the 10 nations including the USA and Turkey the ten nations of Revelation 17:12-13? Who is? Was the pushing of the Obama Administration to do this predicted by in 2009 in a writing by Dr. Thiel? What does the Bible show?
Differences Between Islam and the Continuing Church of God What are some of the main differences? Are there any similarities? A video of related interest is titled: Islam: Any Christian Concerns or Similarities?
Iraq, the King of the South, Armageddon, and Prophecy What will happen to Iraq? Is it the prophesied Mystery Babylon? What is Armageddon and how does that have to do with Iraq? Here is a related video Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy.
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? Here is a link to a related video: Middle East Peace? When?
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the former German Defense Minister (who is also the former German Minister for Economics and Technology) one to watch? What do Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest?
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
Germany in Biblical Prophecy Does Assyria in the Bible equate to an end time power inhabiting the area of the old Roman Empire? What does prophecy say Germany will do and what does it say will happen to most of the German people? Here are links to two sermon videos Germany in Bible Prophecy and The Rise of the Germanic Beast Power of Prophecy.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.

Plaza de la Revolution, Havana, Cuba (Photo by Vgenecr)

COGwriter

Pope Francis is in Cuba and went to the Plaza de la Revolution:

September 20, 2015

Pope Francis is celebrating Mass in front of tens of thousands of people in the Cuban capital Havana, on his first visit to the Communist-ruled island.

President Raul Castro, a non-Catholic, is attending the event in city’s iconic Revolution Square.

The Pope may also meet the leader’s brother and predecessor, Fidel Castro.

Pope Francis, who is at the start of his Cuba and US trip, has been credited with helping the recent thaw in diplomatic ties between both countries.

After his arrival on Saturday, he hailed improving ties between the two countries as “an example of reconciliation for the whole world”.

But he also urged both Cuba and the US to “persevere on the path” of detente.  http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-34307121

September 20, 2015

Pope Francis has begun his first full day in Cuba, holding Sunday Mass in Havana’s historic Revolutionary Square.

Hundreds of thousands have gathered to see the pontiff speak near a massive image of Cuba’s revolutionary leader Che Guevara.

The pope, speaking to thousands of Cubans gathered Sunday for his first Mass in Havana’s Revolution Plaza, urged Cubans to look out for one another and not just judge others on what they are or are not doing.

He said Cubans should avoid “judgmental looks.”

“All of us are asked, indeed urged, by Jesus to care for one another out of love. … Without looking to one side or the other to see what our neighbor is doing or not doing,” Francis said, according to The Associated Press.

It wasn’t immediately clear what the pontiff was referring to.  http://www.voanews.com/content/pope-to-celebrate-mass-in-havanas-communist-inspired-shrine/2971107.html

Pope Francis wants to open up more acceptance of his version of his church in Cuba and elsewhere.  He seems to want a type of revolution of his own–one that will install a world order that the Bible warns against (cf. Revelation 18:4-8).

When Cuba’s President Raul Castro was at the Vatican in May of this year, he stated that even he might convert back to Roman Catholicism (see Cuba’s president says he may convert back to Catholicism).  An astounding statement from the leader of an officially atheistic nation.

Pope Francis is attempting to make many political alliances, which reminds me of Revelation 17:1-2, “the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

In other words the Bible is warning against a compromised religious cooperation (called ‘fornication’ above).  And how does any of that tie with the Church of Rome?

Notice the following passages:

9 Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.  (Revelation 17:9)

18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.  (Revelation 17:18)

Even Roman Catholic scholars realize that these passages are referring to Rome (see also ):

9. The seven heads are the seven hills, on which the woman sits. That is, the city of Rome. (Victorinus. Commentary on the Apocalypse, from the seventh chapter. Translated by Robert Ernest Wallis. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 7. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0712.htm>)

The woman sits on a scarlet beast, which is full of blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns (illustrating the close relationship between the historical city of Rome and the beast, the symbol of the Roman Empire, see Revelation 17:3). This woman (Rome) has been called Babylon the great and is drunk with the blood the saints and martyrs (see 17:5-6)…Another code for the symbols of the beast is announced in Revelation 17:9: “This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven mountains on which the woman is seated” (an obvious reference to the city of Rome built on seven hills).(Kurz, W. What Does the Bible Say About the End Times? A Catholic View. Servant Books, Cincinnati. Nihil Obstat: Kistner H., Schehr T.P. Imprimi Potest: Link F., Paul J.M. Imprimatur: Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxillary Bishop, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July 19, 2004, pp. 165,166)

Later this month, Pope Francis is scheduled to address the Congress of the USA and also the United Nations to push his ecumenical, interfaith, environmental, and economic agendas.

As far as Cuba goes, the improperly named Philadelphia Church of God (PCG) put the following writing from Gerald Flurry back up on its home page, presumably to tie in with Pope Francis’ visit to Cuba:

Cuba and the Holy Roman Empire

The Catholic Church’s history with Cuba dates back hundreds of years. In 1492, Christopher Columbus was the one who claimed the Caribbean islands, including Cuba, for Spain, the champion of Catholicism. Spain was ruled by Ferdinand ii, the king who expelled or forcefully converted Jews and Muslims and who established the Spanish Inquisition—which is why you find almost no Protestants in Spain today! Just one year later, Pope Alexander vi commanded Spain to conquer, colonize and catholicize the “pagans” of Cuba and the rest of the New World.

Meanwhile, Europe’s Habsburg dynasty was becoming very powerful. Through marriage and inheritance, the Habsburg Empire extended into Spain in 1516. Soon, Spain was integrated into the empire. In the early 1500s, Charles v gained power over the Netherlands, Spain and Germany. In Rome in 1530, the pope crowned him emperor. He headed the fourth resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire.

Charles continued to work closely with the popes, and the Roman church steered his empire. By the end of the 1500s, Spain had become the richest country in the world.

Much of this wealth and power came from Spain’s conquest of the New World. Fleets of ships laden with billions of dollars in gold and silver crossed the Atlantic. And Cuba played a vital role in its wealth. Havana, Cuba, was the primary port for shipping all the treasure Spain was confiscating and mining in the New World. …

Who Does the U.S.-Cuba Thaw Benefit?

Where does the Vatican factor into all of this? One thing this Cuba deal has accomplished is that it has displayed to the world the kind of power Pope Francis has.

“Francis is a master of blending the spiritual with the political,” wrote National Public Radio’s Rome-based senior Europe correspondent, Sylvia Poggioli. “[He] has embraced the bully pulpit of the papacy, emerging as a daring, independent broker on the global stage” (Dec. 25, 2014). …

Jeremiah 30 prophesies about God bringing the Great Tribulation on end-time Israel, which is modern-day America and Britain and other countries. …

The Bible shows that this will all happen quickly. And we are getting so close to this time!

The seventh resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire is apt to burst on the world scene in 2015 or 2016. It will have similar ambitions to what Charles v and the fourth resurrection had, and all its other resurrections. And that includes the sixth one under the political rule of Adolf Hitler!

The seventh head will cause many problems in this world. (Flurry G. Philadelphia Trumpet, March 2015)

We are years away from the” time of Jacob’s trouble” mentioned in Jeremiah 30:7 (which is the passage that Gerald Flurry was alluding to), also known as the “Great Tribulation” (Matthew 24:21).  Gerald Flurry’s prediction is in error.

While using the term ‘apt’ will make it so that this is an opinion from Gerald Flurry, it is a false and impossible prediction.

His position is also in conflict with one put forth by the late Herbert W. Armstrong who wrote:

And the abomination that maketh desolate set up.” What is this abomination? This refers to Daniel 11:31 and Matthew 24:15…From this time (Daniel 12:11) to Christ’s coming will be 1290 days. Now, verse 12, “Blessed is he that waiteth, and comes to the 1335 days.” Never before have we understood these periods of 1260, 1290. and 1335 days. But it seems evident, now, a blessing is pronounced on us–GOD”S CHURCH–who wait and endure until the 1335 days–approximately 1335 days prior to Christ’s coming. But since no one can know the day or hour of His coming, we probably shall not be able to know the exact day this 1335 days begins… That will be a time when the UNITED Europe shall appear–the revival of the medieval “Holy Roman Empire (Armstrong HW. Personal, The Time We are In, Now. Good News magazine January 1980).

While the final rise of the final ‘Holy Roman Empire’ may or may not be as late as Herbert W. Armstrong wrote, since Gerald Flurry claims “PCG is the only Church that holds onto ALL of what Christ established through Mr. Armstrong” (Flurry, Gerald and Leap, Dennis. Ezra and Nehemiah: Building God’s Temple. Booklet. 1997. p.29), this is one more area that it is in disagreement with Herbert Armstrong.

But irrespective of Herbert Armstrong, Gerald Flurry’s apt prediction is in error. Notice some of writings from Gerald Flurry:

The EU is now comprised of 27 nations. But your Bible says it will have 10 kings. That means this political-religious union is about to be radically reduced. (Flurry G. The Holy Roman Empire Is Back! Philadelphia Trumpet. February 2010, p. 1)

“Ten kings” are going to arise—and the 28 nations currently comprising the European Union are going to be pared down to 10. (Flurry G. The Crimean Crisis Is Reshaping Europe! Philadelphia Trumpet. May-June 2014)

July 31, 2015

One of the greatest prophecies in all the Bible is about the union of European nations. More specifically, it’s about the political union of 10 European nations.For decades, people in Europe have tried to forge a cohesive political union. To that end, they have created the present, loosely hinged 28-nation European Union. Yet Revelation 17 says there are going to be 10 kings there that are going to unite politically and form a real superpower: a modern-day Holy Roman Empire.

Bible prophecy also reveals that this European superpower will be led by a strong German leader who will essentially hijack the European Union.

The prophesied political union of 10 nations in Europe is being fulfilled before your eyes. And the United States is playing a key role in that union—in a negative way.

It is happening in a way that was predicted three decades ago by Herbert W. Armstrong! …

This is the last head of that Holy Roman Empire, and it’s going to have 10 kings. It won’t have 28 kings—it will have 10, and that is what this financial crisis is going to trigger and promote in a powerful way.  (Flurry G. July 31, 2015)

Notice that Gerald Flurry claims that the final Holy Roman Empire will have 10 nations. Therefore, he seems to be claiming that a reduction of the European Union from 28 to 10 nations is expected to happen in 2015 or 2015 and that then it will “burst on the world scene” by the end of 2016.

While Europe is having problems, that was predicted (Daniel 2:41-43).  And it is predicted to reorganize (Revelation 17:12-13) and Herbert W. Armstrong did NOT teach that it needed to pare down to ten nations: see Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?.

But for Gerald Flurry to claim that Europe will pare down to 10 nations by the end of 2016 AND burst on the world scene as the final Holy Roman Empire AND that it is as Herbert Armstrong predicted it is in ERROR.

Herbert Armstrong, right or wrong, claimed that the final European Empire would basically burst on the world scene just months before the start of the Great Tribulation.  The ” time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), also known as the “Great Tribulation” (Matthew 24:21), cannot happen for several years.  Thus Gerald Flurry attempting to say that his version of prophecy related to the final resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire is the same as Herbert W. Armstrong’s version is in error.

That being said, Pope Francis has a broad and encompassing ‘universal’ agenda that he shares with the United Nations (watch also UN’s ‘New Universal Agenda’ is a False Gospel!).  Parts of this agenda are leading to the fulfillment of biblical prophecies.  Many are falling for his false agenda, including those caught up by the emotion of his visits.  The excitement in Cuba will likely be matched by some in the USA later this month presuming the pontiff keeps his schedule.  But look for the pontiff to also offend some in the USA if he speaks as planned.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Europa, the Beast, and the Book of Revelation discusses the largest church since the second/third century, which in a real sense is the eighth church mentioned in the Book of Revelation (it also endorses “eighth day” worship). What church would support the Beast? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy? Pope Francis has taken many steps to turn people more towards his version of ‘Mary.’ Could this be consistent with biblical and Catholic prophecies? This article documents what has been happening. There is also a video version titled Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Continuing Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions. [Português: Qual é fiel: A igreja católica romana ou a igreja do deus?]
Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox? Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? Is doctrinal compromise good? Here is a link to a related video Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement?
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against? A video sermon of related interest is: Will the Interfaith Movement lead to World War III? and a video sermon is also available: Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?
Beware: Protestants Going Towards Ecumenical Destruction! What is going on in the Protestant world? Are Protestants turning back to their ‘mother church’ in Rome? Does the Bible warn about this? What are Catholic plans and prophecies related to this? Is Protestantism doomed? See also World Council of Churches Peace Plan.
Iraq, the King of the South, Armageddon, and Prophecy What will happen to Iraq? What about the Islamic State? Is Iraq the prophesied Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation. United Nations: Humankind’s Last Hope or New World Order? Is the UN the last hope for humanity? Or might its goals end up with sinister results? Two related videos include UN’s ‘New Universal Agenda’ is a False Gospel! and United Nations and Vatican Are Planning the New World Order.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? Here is a link to a related video: Middle East Peace? When?
Could Pope Francis be the Last Pope and Antichrist? Former Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio is now Pope Francis. According to some interpretations of the prophecies of the popes by the Catholic saint and Bishop Malachy, Pope Francis is in the position of “Peter the Roman,” the pontiff who reigns during tribulations until around the time of the destruction of Rome. Do biblical prophecies warn of someone that sounds like Peter the Roman? Could Francis be the heretical antipope of Catholic private prophecies and the final Antichrist of Bible prophecy? Could a Jesuit be “the black pope”?
Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy? Pope Francis has taken many steps to turn people more towards his version of ‘Mary.’ Could this be consistent with biblical and Catholic prophecies? This article documents what has been happening. There is also a video version titled Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy?
Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century.
Fatima Shock! What the Vatican Does Not Want You to Know About Fatima, Dogmas of Mary, and Future Apparitions. Whether or not you believe anything happened at Fatima, if you live long enough, you will be affected by its ramifications (cf. Isaiah 47; Revelation 17). Fatima Shock! provides concerned Christians with enough Catholic-documented facts to effectively counter every false Marian argument. In addition to the print version, there is a Kindle version of Fatima Shock! which you can acquire in seconds.
The Last Pope Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Why might Pope Francis be the last pope? What happens if he is? Biblical and other prophecies help explain what to expect.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Amazon Book What does the Bible say about a pope near this time? Is the final pope to be an antipope and antichrist? Does Catholic prophecy point to Pope Francis as being the dreaded “Peter the Roman”? This 186 page book provides information and answers.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle This electronic version of the printed book which is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle.

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce the following video on our Bible New Prophecy YouTube channel:

15:54

Barack Obama (Official Whitehouse Photograph)

COGwriter

US President Barack Obama told Congress in general, and  Republicans specifically, to fund Planned Parenthood:

September 19, 2015

As Congress debates a spending bill that would strip away federal money from Planned Parenthood and could trigger a government shutdown, President Obama is weighing in on the funding battle.

“If Republicans want to help, they can choose, right now, to pass a budget that helps us grow our economy even faster, create jobs even faster, lift people’s incomes and prospects even faster,” Mr. Obama said in a video released Saturday. “But they’ve only got until the end of the month to do it – or they’ll shut down our government for the second time in two years.”

The president urged discussion on a spending bill but said that the real issues to focus on included education, job training and infrastructure problems — not, he said, “unrelated ideological issues like Planned Parenthood.”

“We need to set our sights higher than that,” Mr. Obama added.

The House voted Friday to block funds for the women’s health organization for one year, but it’s a bill that doesn’t have many legs to stand on in the Senate.  http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-to-congress-pass-a-budget-leave-planned-parenthood-alone/

I watched the short video.  Barack Obama was basically saying that Republicans should adopt his spending agenda, which includes funding Planned Parenthood.  He indicated that it will be the Republican party’s fault if the spending bill is not approved.

Perhaps I should add that in today’s video, Barack Obama touted his economic policies for various economic improvements in the USA economy–yet he failed to mention how greatly his Administration has added to the debt of the USA–an amount so high that it will contribute to the fall of the USA.  Note: The USA was a net creditor before its states started to ‘legalize’ abortion, and now the USA is the largest debtor nation in the history of humanity–this will end in disaster per Habakkuk 2:6-8.

Planned Parenthood is in the baby killing business. Most abortions performed in the USA are at Planned Parenthood clinics.  Despite accounting methods that act like the US government is not directly funding abortion, providing any funding to Planned Parenthood supports its murderous agenda.

Some Republicans have hoped the horrors of Planned Parenthood being involved in the sale of baby parts would be enough to get Planned Parenthood defunded.

As one who lives in the USA, I believe that Planned Parenthood should not receive government funding.

Notice that again that Barack Obama said, “We need to set our sights higher than that,” with ‘that’ being defunding Planned Parenthood.

Well, funding the US government to support a baby-killing organization is not a ‘higher’ purpose.

The Bible repeatedly warns against shedding innocent blood:

19 So you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you when you do what is right in the sight of the LORD (Deuteronomy 21:9).

16 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren (Proverbs 6:16-19).

7 Their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; Wasting and destruction are in their paths. 8 The way of peace they have not known, And there is no justice in their ways; They have made themselves crooked paths; Whoever takes that way shall not know peace (Isaiah 59:7-8).

3 Thus says the LORD: “Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place (Jeremiah 22:3).

17 “Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but your covetousness, For shedding innocent blood, And practicing oppression and violence” (Jeremiah 22:17).

Babies are innocent. Killing them is the shedding of innocent blood. It perhaps should be mentioned that American politicians like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have regularly defended Planned Parenthood.  Here is a statement from former Obama Administration Secretary of State, now presidential candidate Hillary Clinton:

September 19, 2015

After today’s House vote to de-fund the Planned Parenthood abortion business, Hillary Clinton took to twitter to adamantly defend taxpayer funding for the abortion company. As is typical, Clinton couched the support for Planned Parenthood in terms of women’s health, ignoring completely how it is the nation’s biggest abortion business. {Hillary Clinton ‘tweeted}:

Hillary Clinton ✔ @HillaryClinton

Cutting off Americans from lifesaving health care at Planned Parenthood is wrong. #standwithPP

11:24 AM – 18 Sep 2015

Clinton, on Thursday, criticized Republican presidential candidates for their comments regarding Planned Parenthood in last night’s GOP debate. She said, “What this is about is that some of the Planned Parenthood facilities perform abortions, which is legal under the law. I think we ought to be very clear that Planned Parenthood has served to provide necessary healthcare for millions of women, and I think it deserves not only our support, but continuing funding from the federal government.” http://www.lifenews.com/2015/09/18/hillary-clinton-adamantly-defends-planned-parenthood-funding-after-house-votes-to-de-fund-it/

Planned Parenthood is NOT in the lifesaving business, but the baby killing business.  More than ‘some’ Planned Parenthood clinics perform abortions, and those that don’t normally have an arrangement to point women to other facilities that do perform abortions.

Notice the following from the Bible:

15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord. (Proverbs 17:15)

20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:20-21)

Killing babies through abortion is evil.  Notice some warnings from the Bible about leaders who advocate wrong:

43 The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower (Deuteronomy 28:43).

12 As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths.” (Isaiah 3:12)

16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed (Isaiah 9:16).

President Obama and Mrs. Clinton needs our prayers.  The Apostle Paul wrote:

1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Without national repentance, the United States is doomed for destruction–and it may now be too late for that.  The focus needs to be on turning to the God of the Bible and not simply on the hope that President Obama (or his replacement) will somehow stave off economic disaster for any number of years while ignoring the nation’s sins.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Abortion, the Bible, and a Woman’s Right to Choose Do you know what the Bible teaches on this? Has the Roman Catholic Church allowed abortions? What about the real Church of God? Some may also, or instead, wish to view the YouTube video Abortion, the Bible, and US Debt.
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
When You Sin: Do You Really Repent? This is an article by Charles F. Hunting.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
Hillary Clinton in Prophecy  Prophecy, Hillary Clinton? Are there prophecies that Hillary Clinton may fulfill?  Are there any prophecies that she has already helped fulfill?  Could Hillary Clinton be apocalyptic?  Could Hillary Clinton be the final Antichrist? A video of related interest is titled Hillary Clinton and Bible Prophecy.
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies. Watch also the YouTube Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.

Islamic Migrants Heading to Germany (photo by Bwag)

COGwriter

As predicted here, more and more within Europe are pushing back against accepting all the Islamic refugees:

Tipping Points on the Road to Europe’s Refugee Crisis

September 19, 2015

On Friday, Croatia sent at least 1,000 migrants to Hungary by train and bus Friday after saying Croatia can no longer register or accommodate the new arrivals.

Europe is only now being forced to take seriously the refugee crisis that’s been roiling the Mideast and North Africa since civil conflict gathered pace with the Arab Spring fall of despots and the bid to topple others, like Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, who decided to hang on.

For years, Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan have been struggling to cope with a huge refugee influx that’s been straining their resources — and complaining vociferously about the insufficiency of aid from outside the region and about what they saw as an-out-of-sight-out-of-mind attitude by Western governments.

Wave was coming

Weeks before photographs of a Syrian toddler drowned at sea prompted a political and media firestorm in the West, Turkish officials warned they were unable to cope with another major influx of refugees.

“Turkey has reached its total capacity for refugees. Now, there is talk that a new wave of refugees may emerge … and it would put the EU face to face with more migrants,” Turkey’s European Union Affairs minister, Volkan Bozkir, cautioned.

Now the problem is in plain sight for Europeans and one they can’t ignore. The continent has not seen such a dramatic movement of people since the ruinous Second World War.

More than 500,000 refugees from the Mideast, the Horn of Africa and Afghanistan, along with mainly economic migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, were detected at the EU’s borders between January and September this year, a twofold rise from all of 2014.

More than half — 53 percent — of the people who have arrived in Europe since January are from Syria, the United Nations reported Wednesday.

The overall numbers could be much higher, according to officials with the International Office of Migration — many escaping war or poverty slip into Europe unnoticed and avoid contact with authorities. How many is just conjecture, officials admit.

There isn’t much sympathy for Europe in Syria’s near neighbors — they feel vindicated with their warnings as each tipping point approached in the slowly unfolding tragedy that has set European governments squabbling and evoked for some memories of dark passages in the continent’s near history.

Far-right groups are inflaming nativist sentiment with their talk of a “Muslim invasion” — and there are reports from several European countries of a rise in anti-immigrant attacks and firebombings of migrant shelters.   …

“Syria is no more. The life that was there is finished,” said Mohammed, a 22-year-old Syrian student now in the southern Turkish town of Gaziantep. He, too, is planning to go to Europe.

He pointed to the rise of the Islamic State terror group as another factor encouraging a Syrian diaspora. http://www.voanews.com/content/tipping-points-on-the-road-to-europes-refugee-crisis/2969873.html

September 19, 2015

More than 500 people with Finnish flags have formed a symbolic human wall across a road in the border town Tornio in northern Finland to protest against the arrival of migrants from Sweden.

Local police said Saturday the demonstration in Tornio, which is the sole entry point for migrants arriving from Sweden, had been peaceful. …

Hungary’s military says it is calling up 500 army reservists as it struggles to reinforce its borders against huge numbers of migrants pushing into Europe.

The Defense Ministry said in a statement Saturday that Defense Minister Istvan Simicsko ordered the reservists to report “due to the state of crisis caused by the illegal migrants. …

Croatian police say 20,737 migrants have entered the country since Wednesday on their journey toward the rich nations of Western Europe.

Police said Saturday more people are coming in from Serbia, mostly near the eastern border town of Tovarnik, where there are already 2,500 people waiting for transport.

The Croatian government said Friday it was overwhelmed by the influx and would be sending people toward Slovenia and Hungary. Migrants are being transported by trains and buses toward the borders with the two neighboring countries. …

Right-wing rioters have protested in front of a new asylum shelter in the eastern German town of Bischofswerda, throwing a bottle at a bus arriving with refugees and shouting racist slurs at them.

The German news agency dpa reported Saturday that around 100 rioters tried to block the road to the asylum shelter and that police had to protect the refugees from them as they entered the building late Friday.It was the second night in a row that Bischofswerda, east of Dresden, witnessed protests against the asylum center. …

In an interview with The Associated Press early Saturday, President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic said that the country of 4.2 million people needs to be realistic about what it can do about the thousands fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East and Africa. … “We need to stop the flow, we need reassurances from European Union what happens to these people who are already in Croatia, and those who still want to transit through Croatia further,” she said.  http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/09/19/world/europe/ap-eu-europe-migrants-the-latest.html

 September 19, 2015

Hungary accused Croatia of letting it and the European Union down by failing to stem the flow of migrants entering the bloc amid deepening discord in Europe over the biggest westwards migration in decades.

The two countries are struggling to contain a swelling flow of migrants fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and elsewhere, hundreds of thousands of whom are crossing their region on their way to western Europe.  http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/19/us-europe-migrants-hungary-croatia-idUSKCN0RJ0GC20150919

Many countries in Europe are opposed to taking more Islamic refugees.

While many refugees truly need help, some people are not grateful for the help they get, and some people become hostile to nations that take them in.

As I have mentioned before, the Obama Administration’s departure out of Iraq and actions and inactions related to Syria helped lead to the rise of the Islamic State which has sent refugees fleeing in multiple directions.  And some of those ‘refugees’ include people who are terrorists or at least have ties to terrorists.

Bringing in people from areas filled with terrorists could be a factor in fulfilling prophecies related to terrorism in the Bible (e.g. Leviticus 26:14-17; Deuteronomy 32:25; Ezekiel 21:12; Psalms 73:12,19; Proverbs 1:25-27; Ecclesiastes 12:5).

Will the refugee problem break apart Europe?

Well, it is likely to be a factor that will result in the UK splitting from the continental Europeans.

But what about the continental Europeans, will they split up or unite closer?

Well, although the Bible states that they will have unification problems (Daniel 2:41-43), it also shows that they will reorganize and put in a dictator, the Beast of Revelation (Revelation 17:12-13; see also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?). A Europe will arise with a powerful militaristic leader (Revelation 13:4; see also Europa, the Beast, and Revelation) who will enter with peaceful sounding words (Daniel 8:25; 9:27; 11:21-24; see also The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27), yet he will be the prophesied King of the North.

This is not a new position from me.  Here is some items I posted about this back in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012:

The reality is that the Muslims will force Europe to wake-up and re-establish themselves. Historically, when Europe has been strongly opposed to Islam it has had greater ties to the Vatican.

This is what will occur. The Bible shows that a European military leader will line up with a religious leader from the city of seven hills (Rome) and ultimately defeat the forces of Islam. (Thiel B. Muslims: European Wake-Up Call. COGwriter, August 9, 2009)

The reality is that the Muslims will be a major factor to get Europe to wake-up and re-establish itself. Historically, when Europe has been strongly opposed to Islam it has had greater ties to the Vatican.

This is what will occur. The Bible shows that a European military leader will line up with a religious leader from the city of seven hills (Rome) and ultimately defeat the forces of Islam. (Thiel B. Anti-Islamic PVV Gaining in the Netherlands. COGwriter, March 4, 2010)

A divide between Islam and the nominally-Christian Europe is going to become more and more real. Though there will be apparent cooperation (cf. Psalm 83; Daniel 11:27), the two will turn against each other (Daniel 11:40-43). (Thiel B. France Begins Burqa Ban. COGwriter, April 11, 2011)

Yet, there are changes happening in Europe. And according to the Bible, more economic (Revelation 13: 14-17) and political ones must come to pass (Revelation 17:12-13). A currency change from the Euro is a possible, but not biblically-required, change.

As far as the anti-Islamists go, the Bible shows that a European military leader will line up with a religious leader from the city of seven hills (Revelation 17) and ultimately defeat the forces of Islam (Daniel 11:40-43), despite having earlier made one of more deals with the Islamists (cf. Psalm 83:3-8; Daniel 9:27; Daniel 11:27).

Irrespective of one or more temporary political deals with those of the Islamic faith, the anti-Islamic sentiment that Geert Wilders and others have tapped into in Europe is real. And according to the Bible, it will be resolved in ways differently than Geert Wilders and others like him publicly state (Daniel 11:40-42). (Thiel B. Political Turmoil in the Netherlands. COGwriter, April 23, 2012)

COGwriter

Eastern Orthodox portrayal of the Apocalypse

COGwriter

World News Daily (WND) is reporting that one or more sources in Israel consider that some version of an Apocalypse hit Israel on the Feast of Trumpets earlier this week:

It’s apocalypse now in Israel

Nation pummeled by weather oddities on Jewish New Year

An Israeli National Parks worker says a number of strange and frightening weather events, including one that came just as the nation was celebrating the Jewish New Year, have caused alarm.

Extreme heat, sandstorms and floods all have been reported.

“It felt like the apocalypse, the rain has been torrential, there were about 10 lighting strikes in seconds, and even with your windshield wipers on high, it was impossible to see anything.”

That report in the Times of Israel from Mark Katz described just one of the recent developments: flash flooding and hail that hit earlier this week just as the nation was celebrating the new year. …

The weekend events arrived just as the Shemitah year was drawing to a conclusion.A report over the weekend said the “worst dust storm in Israeli history” had hit.

From bugs to earthquakes to fires to winds to rain to smoke to heat, there are reports of extremes around the globe, too.

Breaking Israel News reported that there now are forecasts of “a second ice age within 15 years,” and the “End of Times blogger known as Tomer Devorah lists close to 20 biblical sources of dramatic changes in the earth that have been prophesied since ancient times.”

The report said Rabbi Nir Ben Artzi, a mystical rabbi from southern Israel who publishes a weekly column about world events and teaches the final Apocalypse will happen only outside Israel, “connects all these news stories about extreme weather to the coming redemption.”

“In nearly every weekly message, he warns that God is demonstrating His mastery over nature.”

Artzi wrote: “The forces of nature: every place with evil will go up in flames; there will be earthquakes, floods, winds, storms and volcanic eruptions. God is thinning out the impurities in the world and burning them.”http://www.wnd.com/2015/09/its-apocalypse-now-in-israel/#1S5hyks6Z9SA1FGt.99

It may be that WND reported this because it had an article a week ago indicating that the ‘Tribulation’ could happen on the Feast of Trumpets, which they have often tended to consider was the end of a claimed Shemitah year:

Is 7-year biblical ‘Tribulation’ about to start?

Shemitah cycle could be key

Millions of investors concerned about the Shemitah cycle are watching stock markets and economies in these dark days of September.

Will the Dow crash, they wonder, like it did in the past two Shemitah years, 2001 and 2008, or will the dollar collapse and take the U.S. economy down with it?

Not Mark Biltz.

The founder and pastor of El Shaddai Ministries is watching for something much bigger.

The start of the Tribulation.

Biltz, author of “Blood Moons: Decoding the Imminent Heavenly Signs,” is not predicting that the Tribulation will start with the beginning of a new seven-year cycle at sundown on Sunday, Sept. 13. But if it doesn’t start, then he says it likely won’t for at least another seven years. …

Biltz believes the prophet Daniel’s “70 weeks” prophecy was based on the Shemitah cycle.

The one remaining “week,” which is seven years according to Daniel’s prophecy, is that period Christians refer to as the Tribulation, and Biltz believes it will be a Shemitah week.

“Therefore the Tribulation week has to begin at the beginning of a Shemitah cycle. The seven-year Tribulation cannot begin just anywhere. It will not begin in just a random year on our pagan calendar,” Biltz said.

The Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah, which starts at sundown Sunday, Sept. 13, begins a new seven-year cycle.

“If the Tribulation does not start this fall, then it cannot start for (at least) seven more years,” Biltz said. “May the Lord give us at least one more Shemitah week or seven more years for the body of believers worldwide to come into this understanding of participating in the feasts that they may be ready.” …

Author Jonathan Cahn posited in his best-selling book, “The Mystery of the Shemitah,” that the seven-year pattern has produced major turning points in history. http://www.wnd.com/2015/09/is-7-year-biblical-tribulation-about-to-start/#PTTV0y3hcwrEXwcu.99

Did the ‘Tribulation’ and something fulfilling Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy begin on the Feast of Trumpets this year.

No.

What, at most, are we seeing these days?

Something Jesus called the ‘beginning of sorrows’:

4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.  5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.  6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:4-8)

The ‘beginning of sorrows’ is NOT the end.

Sadly, many have been deceived by hype and non-biblical predictions, but the prophesied Tribulation is not here.

Jesus laid out a variety of signs which have not happened (cf. Matthew 24:9-20). Jesus said nothing about the ‘Shemitah’ being an important factor.

Here is, however, some of what Jesus taught what would be the final sign that would lead to the Great Tribulation:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:15-21)

We have NOT seen the abomination of desolation spoken of by the Prophet Daniel standing in the Holy Place–and the weather items in Israel did NOT fulfill this. Thus, no, the Great Tribulation DID NOT start. It will not start for years.

Neither the end of a particular Shemitah year nor blood moons were items that Jesus said would happen just prior to the start of the Great Tribulation. Mark Biltz’s position that the tribulation begins immediately after the end of a Shemitah is not biblical defensible–and even if it were, Mark Biltz (along with many others) had the wrong year for the Shemitah.

As mentioned before, the so-called end of the Shemitah year was popularized by the Messianic Jew Jonathan Cahn, who is perhaps best known for his book The Harbinger. (Some specifics on calculations related to the ‘Shemitah year’ are in the article The Day of Atonement–Its Christian Significance.)

Jonathan Cahn made a pseudo-prediction for last Sunday:

I can tell you now that if Almighty God continues His pattern of judgment on the USA, the financial collapse of the US dollar, will happen on Sunday, the 13th of September 2015. http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?73382-MARKET-CRASH-DATE-PREDICTED-In-line-with-Christine-Legarde-s–Luck-7s-..

Sometime back, I saw an interview on CBN by Pat Robertson of Jonathan Cahn that was first broadcast 02/05/2013. The interview screen at one point showed something that resembled two Power Point slides, apparently from Jonathan Cahn or one of his books. The first slide had the following information:

PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE 2015 Sep 13

ELLUL 29 SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

GLOBAL COLLAPSE?

So, the above was a prediction of a possible global collapse at the end of a year that I claim was NOT the Shemitah year. The global markets did not collapse last Sunday.

The other thing that Mark Biltz and Jonathan Cahn have hyped is the idea that the four blood moons of 2014 and 2015 were of massive prophetic significance.  The first three were not and the final one expected is not either.  These blood moons are NOT some supernatural sign.  Notice a secular view about the next one:

September 17, 2015

This month’s highly anticipated “supermoon eclipse” may be a magical treat for skywatchers, but there’s nothing supernatural about the event.

On Sept. 27, skywatchers throughout North and South America, Europe, Africa, western Asia and the eastern Pacific Ocean region will witness a total eclipse that happens to occur when the moon looks abnormally large and bright in Earth’s sky. It will be the first supermoon eclipse since 1982, and the last until 2033.

This rare celestial phenomenon has its roots in the moon’s elliptical orbit around Earth. …

“There’s no physical difference in the moon,” Petro said. “It just appears slightly bigger in the sky. It’s not dramatic, but it does look larger.” …

“It’s just planetary dynamics. The orbit of the moon around Earth is inclined to the axis of Earth, and the orbital plane of all these things just falls into place every once in a while,” Petro said. “When the rhythms line up, you might get three to four eclipses in a row, or a supermoon and an eclipse happening.”

The supermoon will begin to dim slightly at 8:11 p.m. EDT on Sept. 27 (0011 GMT on Sept. 28), NASA officials said. The total eclipse will start at 10:11 p.m. EDT (0211 GMT), and it will last 72 minutes.  http://news.discovery.com/space/astronomy/stunning-supermoon-eclipse-is-coming-150918.htm

I do not believe the next blood moon is of massive prophetic importance (though there is a chance that something of prophetic significance will occur on that day, and we see prophetic matters pretty much daily now).

COGwriter

Voice of America (VOA) reported the following:

Trump Under Fire After Supporter Calls Obama a Muslim Foreigner

September 18, 2015

U.S. Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump is causing controversy yet again, this time for failing to correct a supporter who called President Barack Obama a Muslim and a foreigner.

The exchange came during a question-and-answer session late Thursday at a campaign rally in Rochester, New Hampshire.

“We have a problem in this country: it’s called Muslims,” said a man wearing a Trump T-shirt. “We know our current president is one. You know he’s not even American.”

“We need this question,” replied a smiling Trump, one of the highest-profile supporters of the so-called birther movement, which alleges – incorrectly – that Obama was born in Kenya and is therefore not an American citizen.

The Trump supporter continued: “We have training camps growing where they [Muslims] want to kill us. That’s my question: When can we get rid of them?”

“We’re going to be looking at a lot of different things,” said Trump. “You know, a lot of people are saying that and a lot of people are saying that bad things are happening out there.” …

Trump campaign officials later told several media outlets that the candidate did not hear the man’s question about Obama being a Muslim, and that his answer was in response to the part about the extremist training camps. …

Obama is a Christian who was born in Hawaii to an American mother and Kenyan father. Nonetheless, he has faced persistent skepticism by many on the right who say that he is a Muslim and was born in Kenya.  http://www.voanews.com/content/trump-does-not-object-as-supporter-calls-obama-a-muslim-foreigner/2968927.html

It is a fact that Barack Obama is at least a Muslim sympathizer and he most certainly is not a true Christian.

Jesus warned:

46 But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? (Luke 6:46)

As far as Barack Obama’s faith and Muslim sympathies, etc. go, notice what is included in my book Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term:

Is Barack Obama Muslim, a Real Christian, or?

Many have wondered, “Is Barack Obama Muslim?“

No, not if one needs to proclaim Islam to be one.  Barack Obama’s personal religion is not Islam.

Here is what his Fight the Smears website claimed:

The Truth About Barack’s Faith

Barack Obama is a committed Christian. He was sworn into the Senate on his family Bible. He has regularly attended church with his wife and daughters for years.

But shameful, shadowy attackers have been lying about Barack’s religion, claiming he is a Muslim instead of a committed Christian. (Fight the Smears.  http://fightthesmears.com/articles/3/baracksfaith viewed 11/29/08)

Barack Obama says he is not a secret Muslim.  Presuming that is true, in that sense he will not fit prophecies that indicate that a committed Muslim will do anything.

Yet, some have argued that because his father (or at least grandfather) was considered a Muslim, that Barack Obama is considered to be one also by birth, even if he has never embraced Islam.  Thus, in that sense, some may consider him to be a Muslim.

Barack Obama, himself, claims Christ, although he does not seem to be highly involved with religion.  For example, in the first few weeks after the election, he did not attend any church service, according to new reports 9Martin J, Lee C. Obama skips church, heads to gym.  Politico, 11/23/08) and rarely has done so since.

However, because he does not seem to have much focus on end-time biblical prophecies (though that could change), Barack Obama does not seem to understand many end-time biblical events.  This has lead him to be more accommodating to the rise of the Beast and King of the South powers than one who understands end-time prophecy would likely be.

Here are a dozen reasons that some have challenged Barack Obama’s repeated claims about really being a Christian:

1. He stopped regularly attending outside church services after becoming elected President of the United States (except for some public events; cf. Matthew 23:6-7)–so his sincerity is doubted.
2. He has repeatedly pushed the homosexual agenda (cf. Romans 1:18-32).
3. One of his first acts after taking office was to increase international funding for abortions. He has made numerous public statements supporting abortion (Stafford, Cardinal James Francis. Cardinal’s Address to Catholic University of America, November 13, 2008.  Catholic News Agency.  http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/document.php?n=780 viewed 03/01/09).
4. On an international trip, he referred to the Muslim book as “the Holy Quran” (Moussly M. Obama cites Quran to reach Muslims from Egypt. Al Arabiya News, June 4, 2009). Real Christians do not consider the Quran as holy.
5. While in office, he attended the first “feeding” for Ramadan multiple times.  Christians are not supposed to observe holy days of other religions.
6. He has been found to carry a Hindu monkey god (he showed this publicly in June 2008 and said this was one of the things that helped keep him grounded: Mosk M. Indian Americans Take Note of Obama Because of Hanuman.  Washington Post, June 27, 2008). No Christian intentionally carries around pagan idols or relies on them.
7. His U.S. Supreme Court appointees are believed to be supporters of on-demand abortion.
8. He seems more to support “freedom of worship” than “freedom of religion.”  This has carried forward in his stance on forcing the paying for various forms of contraception, including abortive pills, as he seems to feel that his form of morality should trump those who have religious beliefs to the contrary(Nakamura D, Boorstein M.  At prayer breakfast and with birth-control decision Obama riles religious conservatives. Washington Post, February 2, 2012). Barack Obama has often crossed a line that should concern all who profess Christ.
9. He seems to claim that political forms of covetousness are consistent with his “Christian Faith” values (cf. Exodus 20:17; Nakamura D, Boorstein M.  At prayer breakfast and with birth-control decision Obama riles religious conservatives. Washington Post, February 2, 2012).
10. He regularly seems to advocate class warfare (cf. Exodus 23:2-3; e.g. Obama B. Transcript: President Obama delivers State of the Union speech. CNN, January 24, 2012).
11. He has increased the regulatory burden on some Americans excessively (cf. Jesus’ warnings Matthew 23:4-5) and will do more of that.  Some of that burden, in certain fields, is also a type of censorship.  Government censorship, of religious and other ideas that used to be considered protected speech in the U.S.A., will increase (Amos 8:11)—and ultimately even the internet will be affected.

He and all others should open their Bibles and practice genuine Christianity, before they are subject to being misled by the modified, ecumenical religion that will come upon the whole world (cf. Revelation 13:3-4).

Is Barack Obama a Muslim Sympathizer?

Many have wondered if Barack Obama is a Muslim sympathizer.  The answer to that question seems to be yes. He did grow up in Muslim Indonesia, however, and has had more early Muslim contacts than has anyone else ever elected as President of the United States.  Therefore, he would probably have more reasons than most U.S. presidents to have sympathy for certain Muslim perspectives.

Here is some of what Barack Obama’s Fight the Smears website quoted about this:

Newsweek:  Obama’s only personal contact with Islam came as a boy when he moved to Jakarta, Indonesia, with a stepfather who mixed his Islam with Hindu and Animist traditions…

Boston Globe:  His Kenyan paternal grandfather and Indonesian stepfather were Muslim…

Thus, while the selected quotes seem to have been intended by the Obama campaign to minimize his ties to Islam, Barack Obama has more early ties to Islam than has any President of the United States in history.

Interestingly, in 2012 Newsweek referred to Barack Obama as “The First Gay President“ (WHISTLEBLOWER MAGAZINE: THE FIRST MUSLIM PRESIDENT The 1 honorary title Barack Obama doesn’t want – but definitely deserves. World News Daily, January 3, 2013) which would not be appropriate if he was truly Muslim or a real Christian.

Oddly, years ago, Barack Obama told Charles Bolden, the head of the National Aeronautic Space Administration (NASA), to set as one of his top priorities trying to make Muslims feel good about their historic contributions to science (Harnden T.  Barack Obama: Nasa must try to make Muslims ‘fee good.’  The Telegraph, July 6, 2010). This is an unusual top priority for NASA (space exploration and U.S. interests always presumably had been its historic top priorities).

Interestingly, notice a report concerning Barack Obama and  his long-term pastor, Jeremiah Wright:

According to Mr. Klein, Mr. Wright directly contradicts Mr. Obama’s narrative of having little contact with Trinity United Church. Instead, Mr. Wright alleges that he was Mr. Obama’s close spiritual and political adviser, someone who for more than 20 years shaped the future president’s worldview. In fact, the pastor claims that he was like “a second father” to Mr. Obama.

Furthermore, Mr. Wright says Mr. Obama possessed an “Islamic background” and despite his conversion to Christianity has never abandoned his Muslim roots. (Kuhner JT.  Jonathan Wright can sink Obama. The Washington Times online, May 17, 2012)

The fact that Barack Obama was influenced by Jeremiah Wright seems confirmed by many matters, including the fact that Barack Obama wrote a book in 2008, The Audacity of Hope, which had the same title as an earlier sermon he reported that he heard Jeremiah Wright give (Obama B.  Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance.  Crown, 2007, p. 292).

As far as influence from Islam, like he had done before, on August 10, 2012, Barack Obama hosted an Iftar dinner related to the Islamic observance of Ramadan (President Obama’s Remarks at the White Houser Iftar Dinner. Huffington Post online, May 17, 2012).  So, there are apparent ties to that faith.

Some have suggested that Barack Obama is actually Muslim and is under a taqiyya arrangement with Islam (a provision that supposedly authorizes deception) in order to deceive non-Muslims so he can advance Islam and groups likes the Muslim Brotherhood (Klein J. Muslim Brotherhood and Obama: Partners in Taqiyya. FrontPageMag.com  January 24, 2012).  This author cannot look into Barack Obama’s heart, so how deeply involved theologically he is with Islam is a question that only he and God can answer (cf. 1 Samuel 16:7).  Barack Obama, himself, publicly claims as his religion his version of Christianity.

The front cover of the January 2013 edition of the magazine whistleblower calls Barack Obama “THE FIRST MUSLIM PRESIDENT” essentially because of how he was raised and how his Administration has handled various matters (WHISTLEBLOWER MAGAZINE: THE FIRST MUSLIM PRESIDENT The 1 honorary title Barack Obama doesn’t want – but definitely deserves. World News Daily, January 3, 2013)—not necessarily because they believe that he is somehow a “secret Muslim.”

Yet, irrespective of any tie Barack Obama may have to Islam or Christianity, it seems that his policies may lead to greater cooperation between the Arabic and non-Arabic Muslim nations (even if Barack Obama decides he has to intervene in Iran), which at some point, must end up with a leader (whom the Shi’ites tend to call a Mahdi and the Sunnis more likely to call a Caliph) whom the Bible warns will be the Future King of the South. (Thiel B. Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term. Nazarene Books, 2013,  pp. 29-35)

Yesterday, in my regular Bible study, I read the following:

15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord. (Proverbs 17:15)

Barack Obama justifies abortion, the homosexual agenda, soft pornography, and other actions that are clearly condemned by the Bible, while vilifying those who differ from him as ‘extremists,’ ‘out-of-touch,’ etc.  Sadly, he is among many this century that Proverbs 17:15 is referring to.

Perhaps I should add that Donald Trump has not demonstrated that he is a real Christians (James 2:18-25).  But he certainly does not come across as a Muslim nor Muslim sympathizer.  And no, I am not a fan of Donald Trump as he has made many statements that are contrary to scripture throughout the years, though he sometimes has also made some astute political observations.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Abortion, the Bible, and a Woman’s Right to Choose Do you know what the Bible teaches on this? Has the Roman Catholic Church allowed abortions? What about the real Church of God? Some may also, or instead, wish to view the YouTube video Abortion, the Bible, and US Debt.
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
Cross-dressing and other assaults against your children.  What should you do? Is there an agenda to turn your children and/or grandchildren away from biblical morality and towards practices promoted by homosexuals? What does the Bible teach about cross-dressing? What should parents do? If there is an agenda, what has been going on?  There is also a YouTube video on this, titled Cross dressing and Other Assaults Against Your Children.
The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality?  Can homosexuals change? A related video sermon is titled What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?
Pornography: A scourge on society Is pornography harmless fun? Does the Bible teach anything about it? What are the views of some involved with it? Here is a link to a YouTube video Pornography: Harmless Fun or a Scourge on Society?
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version of the 188 page print edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon Kindle edition.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.