Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

This is What Social Media is Doing to U.S.
Sep 18th, 2019
CommentaryMICHAEL SNYDER/ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG
Categories: Contemporary Issues

Scientific study after scientific study is showing that too much time on social media can be extremely harmful both mentally and physically.  But even though most of us know this, very few of us actually alter our behavior in a meaningful way.  

When Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and other major social media platforms first emerged, we welcomed them with open arms.  They were a lot of fun and they allowed us to interact with family, friends and society as a whole in ways that we had never been able to do before.  

But they were also extremely addictive, and they rapidly became transformed into dumping grounds for just about everything toxic, negative and malevolent that you can possibly imagine.  Today, many of us spend far more time on social media than we do with real people, and as you will see below, that has enormous implications for our future.

A growing body of scientific research clearly indicates that spending too much time on social media can be very bad for us.  For example, just consider what a long-term study that was conducted by Gallup over a period of two years ultimately concluded...

Holly Shakya, assistant professor at UC San Diego, and Yale professor Nicholas Christakis spent two years following 5,208 adults who are part of a Gallup long-term study. After asking permission, they monitored these subjects' Facebook use directly from Facebook, rather than asking subjects to report their own use. (People often don't realize how much time they spend on the social network.) 

And they checked in with subjects on their emotional and physical well-being, as well as their body-mass index (BMI), three times over the course of two years.

"Overall, our results showed that, while real-world social networks were positively associated with overall well-being, the use of Facebook was negatively associated with overall well-being," the researchers wrote in a Harvard Business Review article. "These results were particularly strong for mental health; most measures of Facebook use in one year predicted a decrease in mental health in a later year."

That doesn't sound good at all.

If you knew that something was going to consistently degrade both your mental and physical well-being, would you engage in that activity every single day?

And yet most of us simply cannot go 24 hours without checking our social media accounts.

One way that social media is affecting our mental health is that it is making all of us a whole lot more impatient.  Just check out what a survey of 2,000 British adults found...

Patience is a virtue, but it's becoming an exceedingly rare quality in modern society. According to a new survey of 2,000 British adults, all of the luxuries of modern life have made most people incredibly impatient -- across pretty much every aspect of their lives. Three quarters of those surveyed said they believe the dominance of digital technology, such as smartphones and on-demand TVs, are to blame for this ever growing lack of patience.

Respondents reported becoming frustrated after just 16 seconds of waiting for a web page to load, and after 25 seconds of waiting for a traffic light to change.

When I read those paragraphs, I found myself nodding my head in agreement.

These days, I have a hard time waiting for anything, and I always feel like I am in a hurry.

Can you identify with that?

I have a feeling that many of you can.

Another study that focused on teens found that "emotional investment in social media was strongly correlated with higher levels of anxiety"...

A study of more than 450 youth aged 11 to 17 found that 97 percent of participants indicated that they used social media. Thirty-five percent of participants were categorized as poor sleepers. 

Forty-seven percent of participants were identified as anxious. Also (and here's the kicker), higher emotional investment in social media was strongly correlated with higher levels of anxiety.

Do we really want our young people to be bundles of nerves?  Anxiety continues to be a growing problem in our society, and it appears that social media is playing a major role.

In addition, yet another study that was conducted not too long ago discovered a direct link between social media use and increased levels of depression and loneliness...

A new study concludes that there is in fact a causal link between the use of social media and negative effects on well-being, primarily depression and loneliness. The study was published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology.

"What we found overall is that if you use less social media, you are actually less depressed and less lonely, meaning that the decreased social media use is what causes that qualitative shift in your well-being," said Jordyn Young, a co-author of the paper and a senior at the University of Pennsylvania.

Today, Americans take more anti-depressants than anyone else on the entire planet.  "Deaths of despair" have hit an all-time record high in our nation, and all around us people seem so incredibly unhappy.

One of the biggest reasons for all of this unhappiness is the fact that we are all so isolated.  According to a recent YouGov poll, over 20% of American Millennials say "that they don't have a single friend"...

More than 20% of millennials surveyed in a YouGov poll released this week claimed that they don't have a single friend. And less than a third of millennials said they have double-digit friends, according to the data, culled online in early July.

Even if younger Americans are overstating their isolation, the jarring numbers reflect long-term rising trends in loneliness. Studies have indicated that loneliness has myriad negative mental and physical health effects.

Of course if we all weren't staring at screens all day long we would have much more time to make real friends in the real world.

But instead we find much more value in the online world that we have created, and at this point the average adult in the U.S. spends six hours and 43 minutes a day staring at a screen...

Perhaps it's no surprise then that Americans spend nearly half of their waking hours looking at screens, according to a survey of 2,000 adults.

More specifically, the survey found that 42% of the time Americans are awake, their eyes are fixated on a television, smartphone, computer, tablet, or other device. Supposing the average American slept eight hours a night (not even close to the case for most adults), the researchers calculated that people spend about six hours and 43 minutes a day staring at a screen. Over a typical lifespan, that's 7,956 days.

Another survey discovered that 45 percent of teens say that they are online "almost constantly".  We have decided that it is the online world that really matters, but that is not true at all.  Life is supposed to be an adventure, but we will never live life to the fullest if we are all staring at screens endlessly day after day.

Sadly, the truth is that social media is not going anywhere.  The big social media companies are going to just keep coming up with more ways to make their products addicting, and most of us will be sucked into the vortex without any resistance whatsoever.

But hopefully the awakening regarding the harmful effects of social media will continue to grow, and hopefully more Americans will start choosing to make healthier choices regarding how they use their time.

Presbyterian Church Goes Full Nazi With New Boycott
Sep 18th, 2019
CommentaryADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ/BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS
Categories: Contemporary Issues

At the Presbyterian Church's 223rd General Assembly in June 2018, commissioners passed an overture calling on Real Estate Maximums (REMAX), an American international real estate company, to end the sale and rental of homes and apartments in the all of Judea and Samaria.

Presbyterian Council Letter: Pure Racism

This initiative was finally acted upon when Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the Office of the General Assembly of the PC(USA), sent a letter to RE/MAX asking that the company stop operating in Judea, Samaria, and sections of eastern Jerusalem. The letter cited "reputational risks" the company would face should they continue to operate in these areas. 

The Jerusalemite Initiative, a nonprofit organization to empower Arabic speaking Israeli Jerusalemites Christians, wrote a letter Rev. Nelson, protesting the move, describing it as "a display of complete ignorance."

"I'm writing to you as an Arabic-speaking Israeli Christian from the Greek Orthodox Church. I was born and raised in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem and studied at Christian schools in Beit Jala and Bethlehem," Elias Zarina, the Christian Arab co-founder of the Jerusalemite Initiative, wrote. "As a non-Jewish Israeli, I can assure you that any call to boycott any company working in Israel affects and harms also Christians, Muslims and other minorities who live in Israel and are part of the economy, labor market and Israeli society.

Moreover, many Palestinians prefer to work in Israelis companies in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem due to the fact that wages are more than three times the average salary under the Palestinian Authority. Working in Israeli companies also provides all the social benefits which you can't find under the Palestinian Authority. All of this is exactly the same as with any Israeli-Jew, there is no discrimination.

"East Jerusalem", "settlements", and "West Bank" are political terms. The right biblical, historical term is simply Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria where the Jewish community and neighborhoods existed in ancient Jewish biblical sites. It is quite embarrassing for me to write to a Reverend and explain him simple biblical facts. 

One can not colonize a land he belongs too, a land where his roots are in, where his forefathers lived. Similarly to other Christians (of different denominations) born in the Holy Land, we are the descendants of indigenous Jews and Aramean tribes who lived in the area. We are the descendants of the first followers of Jesus and the first Christians who spread Christianity to the world. We are here to keep the cradle of Christianity.

We are strengthening the ties with our Jewish brothers and with the State of Israel who provided us with security, freedom of religion, worship and speech and equal democratic rights, all of which are possible because of Israel's existence as a Jewish state! Your step is anti-Christian and contradicts efforts that lead to coexistence, interfaith understanding, and good relationships. Your actions are harming all of us in Israel: Christians, Jews, Druze, Arabs, Muslims and others. Stop your ignorance and remove your hands from the Holy Land - Israel.

Amit Barak, the co-founder of the Jerusalemite Initiative, notes that this initiative from the Presbyterian Church is blatantly racist and serves no political purpose or benefit for Palestinians.

"Palestinians would not be using Remax to sell or rent property to Jews," Barak noted, citing a Palestinian Authority law that punishes such sales with torture and death. "This initiative calls for Remax to stop facilitating sales or rentals between two Jewish parties. The Presbyterian Church objects to Jews doing business even if it does not involve Palestinians or non-Jews."

Ironically, the Presbyterian Council's resolution last year also called for "support for all efforts to bring Palestinians and Israelis together peacefully" and for Israel to "stop discriminatory practices," things their initiative diametrically opposes. 

"This would also prevent Christians from buying or selling properties," Barak noted. "In some respects, the Presbyterian Church is not discriminating. They are preventing Jewish property owners from selling or renting to Palestinians. And this is certainly causing distress to the employees of Remax, whether they are Jewish, Christian, or Muslim. In their rush to be anti-Israel, the Presbyterian Church does not discriminate in who suffers from their actions."

BDS focuses on boycotting businesses in Judea, Samaria, eastern Jerusalem, and the Golan. As Barak correctly noted, the Presbyterian initiative goes beyond that, targeting businesses that deal with Jewish businesses in Israel and even working to prevent Jews from doing business with each other. In this respect, the Presbyterian initiative is similar to the Nuremberg Laws of Germany of 1933 which boycotted all Jewish-owned businesses. 

"The Presbyterian Church claims that their support of BDS is intended to bring Jews and Palestinians together, to bring a peaceful solution," Barak said. "But their actions clearly do not do so. They are working to prevent co-existence before it can even begin. They achieve this at the expense of Palestinian suffering."

Zarina objected to the Presbyterian initiative on religious grounds.

"This contradicts the Christian value of being kind to other men," Zarina told Breaking Israel News. "BDS is not a Christian value and certainly not something the Arab Christians want. BDS comes from outsiders, people who don't understand how it affects the actual people. Canceling out a man's trade is the worst thing you can do. Many of the Arabs work in construction and related industries. Coexistence comes from the ground up, from people working together and living together."

"This is even truer concerning BDS which targets Jews in Israel," Zarina said. "Christianity is based on Judaism and began in Israel."

"I object to any form of racism and this is racism, plain and simple," Zarina said. "Israel is the only country in the region that I can work and raise my family as a Christian."

Worse Than BDS

The Presbyterian commitment to BDS goes beyond simply boycotting companies from all areas of Israel (including large corporations within the "green line" like Elbit and Ahava). The Presbyterian Church also boycotts multinational companies that sell to Israel. In 2014, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA voted in favor of divesting from Caterpillar, Motorola, and Hewlett-Packard.

The anti-Israel movement within the Presbyterian Church is led by its Israel Palestine Mission Network (IPMN). It should be noted that NGO Monitor, a watchdog site for non-governmental organizations, uncovered overtly anti-semitic posts on IPMN social media, calling its Facebook page "a hate site operating under the protective wings of the Presbyterian Church." 

"None of the antisemitic postings were repudiated by the IPMN leadership or other members of this Facebook group," wrote Yitzhak Santis, NGO Monitor's Chief Programs Officer. "Several Presbyterian Church senior staff members are also members of this group, and they remained silent."

The Presbyterian Church has been accused of institutional anti-Semitism in the past. In 2014, they published "Zionism Unsettled: A Congregational Study Guide." The Anti-Defamation League released a statement saying the book "may be the most anti-Semitic document to come out of a mainline American church in recent memory."

Let the Headlines Speak
Sep 18th, 2019
Daily NewsFrom the Internet
Categories: Today's Headlines

Yemen’s Attack on Saudi Arabia Fulfills Isaiah’s Gog and Magog Prophecy
A catastrophic attack in Saudi Arabia by Iran-backed Yemenite Houthi rebels shook the world, destroying the facilities that produce five percent of the entire world’s oil. If the U.S. picks up the gauntlet thrown at their feet by the Iranians, the confrontation in Yemen predicted by Isaiah as preceding the pre-Messiah War of Gog and Magog may suddenly appear, as one rabbi said, “much sooner than anyone thinks.” “The war between Iran and America, which is the sons and daughters from far away, will begin in Yemen,” Rabbi Fish said. “This will be the first stage in the multi-national War of Gog and Magog.”

‘A Blessing For Our Entire City:’ D.C. Synagogue Celebrates Arrival Of New Torah
One of the most joyous and rare events for a Jewish community is the arrival of a new Torah, Judaism’s holiest text. After the monumental task of handwriting the scroll is complete, a congregation typically celebrates with prayer, a parade and a feast. Such was the scene on Sunday when members of Ohev Sholom, D.C.’s oldest Orthodox synagogue, inaugurated their new Torah. Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld believes it is the first to be written entirely in the District. It was probably also the first time a “Torah Truck” blasting Israeli techno music drove through the city, too.

US and Saudis considering joint military response on Iran after oil attacks
According to New York Times reporting on Monday, U.S. and Saudi Arabian officials confirmed that Iranian weapons were used in the strikes and did not originate from Yemen, as the Iranian backed Houthi rebels claimed after the attack. The missile and drone attacks forced the Saudi government to shut down their oil facilities at Abqaiq and Khurais, which process much of the crude oil supply for the Saudi kingdom, which in turn accounts for roughly one-tenth of the world’s supply.

Netanyahu’s Party Stops Soros Agents from Busing Arabs to Polls
The Central Elections Committee issued an injunction tonight (Sunday) against the left-wing NGO Zazim‘s initiative to bus 15,000 Arab voters to voting booths on election day, ruling that the initiative is in violation of the election laws. Zazim (movement) is an NGO that is backed by the New Israel Fund (NIF) which is backed by billionaire currency manipulator George Soros.

Netanyahu: Longest Levite Rule in Israel Since Hasmoneans
In a tweet, Hoffman noted that if Netanyahu does not continue as the prime minister, it will end the longest period of time that someone from the tribe of Levi has ruled over Isreal since the Hasmonean Dynasty ended in the First Century CE.

Hand-drawn swastika found in Department of Homeland Security headquarters
The Nazi symbol was discovered on the building’s third floor on Friday. Staff members were informed of the incident in an email from Brian Murphy, principal deputy undersecretary for the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, that was sent just after 5 p.m., Meehan also said that the situation was “immediately referred” to the Office of the Inspector General and “is currently being investigating to ensure that swift and corrective action is taken.”

Days before election, Cabinet approves new Jordan Valley settlement
At its weekly meeting on Sunday, held in the Jordan Valley, the Cabinet approved Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to officially recognize the community of Mevo’ot Yericho. Netanyahu also reiterated his pledge to annex the Jordan Valley if reelected.

Pope urges world leaders to sign ‘Global Pact’ for ‘new humanism
The Daily Wire reports on a plan in which the pope is inviting representatives of multiple religions, international groups and others to sign a “Global Pact of Education.” He wants to “Hand on to younger generations a united and fraternal common home.” There, he quotes Clinton in saying “It takes a village” to raise children. The Vatican said just days ago the pope confirmed, in a video message, “A global educational pact is needed to educate us in universal solidarity and a new humanism.”

San Diego State University Normalizes Pedophilia As A “Sexual Orientation”
It suggests that embracing pedophilia as an alternative sexual orientation could be part of the “acceptance of diverse sexual identities.” Conservatives have been warning for years that the ultimate endgame of every fetish, gender identity and sexuality being not merely tolerated but endorsed would eventually be the mainstreaming of pedophilia.

Explosion Hits Russia’s Largest Virus Lab Which Houses Plague, Smallpox, Ebola And Other Deadly Viruses
A sudden explosion at a Siberian virus research center on Monday reportedly left the facility engulfed in flames, according to several Russian news outlets. Firefighters and other emergency personnel were dispatched to the “Vector Institute” located several miles from Novosibirsk – an emergency which was upgraded “from an ordinary emergency to a major incident,” according to RT, due to the research center for virology and biotechnology housed in the facility – however the mayor of Koltsovo said there were no biologically dangerous substances in the area where the explosion occurred, and that the Vector laboratory was not in use at the time. The State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology Vector, also known as the Vector Institute, and which is located deep inside Siberia for a reason…

Yes, They Are Coming for Your Guns
At the Democratic-primary debate in Houston last night, Beto O’Rourke formally killed off one of the gun-control movement’s favorite taunts: The famous “Nobody is coming for your guns, wingnut.” Asked bluntly whether he was proposing confiscation, O’Rourke abandoned the disingenuous euphemisms that have hitherto marked his descent into extremism, and confirmed as plainly as can be that he was. “Hell yes,” he said, “we’re going to take your AR-15.”O’Rourke’s plan has been endorsed in full by Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, and is now insinuating its way into the manifestos of gun-control groups nationwide. Presumably, this was O’Rourke’s intention.

The U.S. Army’s Next Generation of Super Weapons Are Coming
Streamlining multiple targeting sensors to destroy long-range targets, arming forward- positioned robots to penetrate enemy defenses and receiving organized weather-specific terrain mapping from nearby drones – are all emerging combat dynamics increasingly made possible by AI-enabled weapons and technologies.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu casts his ballot: These are very close elections
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife cast their ballots in Jerusalem on Tuesday morning. “President [Donald] Trump said yesterday that these are close elections, I can reaffirm to you this morning that these are very close [elections],” said Netanyahu. “I call on all citizens of Israel to come and vote, like my wife and I have come and voted. Good luck.”

Supreme Court examines lawfulness of Parliament suspension
The Supreme Court is meeting to consider whether Boris Johnson acted lawfully in suspending Parliament. The 11 judges will hear two appeals relating to the PM’s decision to prorogue Parliament to mid-October. Edinburgh’s Court of Session found last week that the shutdown was unlawful and “of no effect” but London’s High Court said it was not a court matter.

Data on almost every Ecuadorean citizen leaked
Personal data about almost every Ecuadorean citizen has been found exposed online. Names, financial information and civil data about 17 million people, including 6.7 million children, was found by security company vpnMentor. The massive cache of data was found on an unsecured cloud server almost anyone could look at.

Oil prices soar after attacks on Saudi facilities
Oil prices ended nearly 15% higher on Monday, with the Brent benchmark seeing its biggest jump in about 30 years. The rise came after two attacks on Saudi Arabian facilities on Saturday knocked out about 5% of global supply. Brent crude initially surged 20% at the start of trading, but eased back to end at $69 a barrel, up 14.6%.

Saudi oil attacks: US says intelligence shows Iran involved
The United States has issued satellite images and cited intelligence to back its allegation Iran was behind attacks on major Saudi oil facilities. Iran denies involvement in Saturday’s air attacks, which were claimed by Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen. But unnamed US officials speaking to US and international media say the direction and extent of the attacks cast doubt on Houthi involvement.

Blackout hits 4 nations in Central America, affects millions
A failure in Central America’s electrical grid left millions of people without power for hours in at least four countries Monday. Honduras was the country hardest hit, with the entirety of its territory and its more than 9 million inhabitants affected. Traffic snarled as more than 600 stoplights went dark in the capital, Tegucigalpa.

ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi calls for more terror attacks on the West in rare audio four months after his last video message
“BADLY injured” ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has released a new message calling for more deadly attacks on the West – four months after he emerged from the shadows. The latest speech from the terror chief is titled “Do Deeds” and was released as an audio message, according to several reputable sources.

Divided Fed set to cut interest rates this week, but then what?
Deep disagreements within the Federal Reserve over the economic outlook and how the U.S. central bank should respond will not stop policymakers from cutting interest rates… While an oil price spike after attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities…added to the list of risks facing an economy already slowed…the deep divide…around the Fed’s policymaking table means further rate cuts could be far from a done deal.

The Latest: Report: Strikes on Iran-backed fighters in Syria
The Latest on tensions in the Persian Gulf and the fallout after weekend attack on major oil sites in Saudi Arabia…Syrian opposition activists say unknown aircraft have attacked posts of Iranian-backed fighters in an eastern town near the Iraqi border. The activists said the airstrike took place early Tuesday in Boukamal, in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour. There was no immediate word on casualties.

Russia, Iran, Turkey say Syrian constitution committee ready
The leaders of Turkey, Russia and Iran announced…that an agreement has been finally reached on the composition of a committee tasked with rewriting Syria’s constitution… Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told journalists at the end of the meeting…that differences on one last committee member has been overcome, paving the way for the committee to start working as soon as possible.

In Communist California, the Only Acceptable Excuse to Avoid Mercury/Aluminum-Laden Vaccines Is DEATH! CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IS THE ONLY SOLUTION!!!
In Communist California, the only acceptable excuse to avoid mercury/aluminum vaccines is DEATH! Mandatory vaccines is just the beginning of a new flavor of governmental tyranny! Gun confiscation is next and history speaks as to what will follow.

California state lawmakers pass bill requiring public universities to offer abortion pill on campus
The California State Assembly voted overwhelmingly to pass legislation to require public universities in the state to offer medication abortion at on-campus student health centers.

Buddhist Monk says all races and religions could live together if it weren’t for Muslims
In Myanmar, Muslims are killing Buddhists and trying to destroy Buddhism in order to create an Islamic State.

Porn Company up in Arms Over NZ Government’s Proposed Porn Bans Designed to Protect Kids
The world’s largest porn provider is strongly opposing moves by the New Zealand Government to protect children from the harmful effects of pornography.  With the average age of exposure to pornography being 11, many are recognizing a need to better restrict access to sexually explicit content.

6 dead, 300 000 ha (741 000 acres) of prime agricultural land destroyed after worst storm in 140 years hit Spain
At least six fatalities have now been confirmed from the harsh weather that has been affecting southeastern Spain since September 11, 2019. Authorities are describing it as the worst storm since 1879 when floodwaters killed over 1 000 in Murcia and Orihuela.

Strong explosion at Sakurajima volcano, Japan
A relatively strong explosion took place at Sakurajima volcano, Aira caldera, Japan at 22:46 UTC on September 15, 2019 (07:46 LT, September 16).

Sarah Silverman Proclaims This Teenager Is Jesus Christ. Someone Call God.
On Saturday, following an appearance on The Daily Show by teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg, supposed comedienne and genuine leftist Sarah Silverman decided that Thunberg was the reincarnation of someone from long ago:

George Soros is Backing ‘Climate activist’ Greta Thunberg
…”His sense is that she’s been programmed – manipulated no less – to give apocalyptic speeches in front of the great and good, and wonders if her autism is used as an excuse to shut her up at key moments.”

NO WHITES ALLOWED: The Newest Craze On College Campuses Is Barring White People From Having A Voice While Claiming To Be For ‘Diversity And Inclusion’
We live in a time where upside down is considered to be right side up, and Liberals are working hard to prove that statement seven days a week, 365 days per year. Take ANTIFA for example, they claim to be an ‘anti-fascist‘ group who are ‘fighting Nazis‘, yet in reality are themselves a fascist group who use violence, threats and intimidation, like the real Nazis did, to promote their ‘anti-fascist’ message. We see something similar popping up on college campuses all across America as Liberal universities claim to be ‘fighting racism’ by being racist. Welcome to the new idiocy in higher learning.

Hong Kong's Lesson for Beijing... and the West
Sep 18th, 2019
CommentaryJOHN STONESTREET/BREAKPOINT.ORG
Categories: Contemporary Issues

Last week, the government of Hong Kong finally withdrew a proposed extradition law that sparked mass protests which have rocked the territory and rattled Beijing for weeks.

However, if Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam thought that withdrawing the extradition law would end the protests, she was mistaken. Over the weekend, demonstrators continued to rally, march, and wave the U.S. flag, while chanting "Resist Beijing, Liberate Hong Kong!" and--get this--"Pray for us, U.S., pray for us!"

Their chants highlight not only a Christian dimension in their protests, but the potential impact they believe Christianity can have on the Communist Party's dictatorial rule, both in Hong Kong and throughout China.

While the protests were initially sparked by the extradition law, it's clear that deep dissatisfaction with life under Beijing is keeping the flames burning, especially as the Communist Party attempts to strengthen its grip over Hong Kong. 

One protester told the Los Angeles Times, "The whole system in Hong Kong is rotten, from top to bottom. We want to tear it down and start fresh."

In the midst of all this, Communist Party leaders know what many of the commentators and so-called experts in the West have long forgotten: That the ideas about justice and freedom that motivate many of the protesters in Hong Kong are rooted in Christianity.

How can we be sure Communist leaders know this? Because of a 2011 study by the state-run Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

As one Academy member put it, "...we were asked to look into what accounted for the success, in fact, the pre-eminence of the West all over the world."

After researchers studied everything from a "historical, political, economic, and cultural perspective," they "realised that the heart of [the West's] culture is [its] religion: Christianity . . . The Christian moral foundation of social and cultural life was what made possible the emergence of capitalism and then the successful transition to democratic politics."

That's quite a conclusion, to which an official of the Academy added, "We don't have any doubt about this."

Chuck Colson pointed out eight years ago that the connection between Christianity and the success of the West has created a conundrum for Beijing. As he put it back then, Communist Party officials know that "the industriousness and creativity of the West was born out of the Christian worldview, which sees every individual created in the image of God, desiring freedom, creative in nature, motivated by civic duty and love of neighbor."

At the same time, China's actions in Hong Kong and Mainland China reveal that the Communist Party sees all religions, and Christianity in particular, as dangerous rivals. If Jesus is Lord, then Xi Jinping is not.

As Chuck Colson also said, if Beijing "truly opened its doors to Christianity and unleashed the creative and spiritual potential of its people" the result would be even greater prosperity and "growing global and economic clout." But that prosperity and clout would come "at great cost to the power of the Communist dictatorship."

The crackdown across mainland China and the attempts to control Hong Kong suggests the Chinese government wants what it cannot have: To enjoy Western creativity and economic vitality while simultaneously suppressing Christianity--the historical source of this Western creativity and vitality.

And just as Beijing can't have it both ways, here's a note for all Western leaders: Neither can we.

As the people of Hong Kong sing their hymns and chant their slogans, they've made it clear they are not willing to trade their freedoms and loyalties, especially their religious freedoms and religious loyalties, for what Xi and company are offering.

God Did Send Me Before You - Genesis 45:5
Sep 18th, 2019
Morning MeditationF. B. Meyer
Categories: Meditation;Inspirational;Book Study

There was great delicacy in Joseph's command, "Cause every man to go out from me." He did not want to expose his brethren; yet he wanted to say words which could not be understood by the curious courtiers. Then he made himself known, and said, "Be not grieved, nor angry, for God did send me before you." This was not only a kind way of alleviating their remorse and sorrow, but was the standpoint from which Joseph was wont to review his life-course. It was his habit to trace the working-out of God's plan, and the interposition of His Providence amid and through the malevolence and treachery of men (Genesis 1:20).

This was also David's habit, who, in the cursing of Shimei and the revolt of Absalom, saw the evolution of God's permissive purposes.

Thus also Jesus spoke, when anticipating the coming of Judas to betray Him. "The Son of Man goeth, as it was written of Him." "The cup that My Father giveth Me to drink."

It is one of the inexplicable mysteries of Providence that bad men subserve God's purposes and unwittingly execute His plans. It is not for us to explain it, but to consider the perplexities and disaster which we suffer at the hands of evil men as being permitted by God for the furtherance of some Divine and hidden purpose. Paul's prayer that he might preach the Gospel at Rome was fulfilled through the hatred of the Jews; and he went to Rome at the Emperor's expense. We may comfort ourselves whenever the storm is high, that God is at the helm, and is making the wrath of man praise Him, whilst the remainder of it shall be restrained. Yes, Joseph, God is sending you through that pit and prison: but there is a way out into sunlight.

Drone Warfare/terrorism Only Just Beginning
Sep 18th, 2019
CommentaryPNW STAFF
Categories: Contemporary Issues

The vulnerability of infrastructure to drone terrorism was just laid bare this week as ten drones launched by Iran-backed militants sparked a huge fire at the world's largest oil processing facility and a major oilfield in Saudi Arabia where over 5 percent of the world's daily supply is produced.

Yemen's Houthi rebels, considered an Iranian proxy force in the region, have claimed responsibility for the attacks at Abqaiq in Buqayq, which contains the world's largest oil processing plant, and Khurais, which contains the country's second largest oilfield.  

The fires have now been brought under control but the disruption is still expected to have an impact on oil prices around the world as the flow of oil is disrupted with some estimates suggesting 50% of Saudi output could be temporarily affected. 

Last week Hamas militants used a drone to drop a bomb on the Israeli side of the Gaza-Israel perimeter fence hitting a military vehicle, marking the first time an attack occurred with a drone piloted from Gaza.

During the same time period Hezbollah shot down an Israeli drone performing reconnaissance over Lebanon and last month Iran shot down a US drone flying over the Strait of Hormuz, almost sparking a larger conflict.

Drone and anti-drone conflict is on the rise worldwide and many experts fear the use of weaponized drones by lone individuals or small groups--some acting as proxies of nation-states, on US soil is only a matter of time.

The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI have declared unmanned aerial systems, or drones, as one of the greatest national security threats to America -- rating it as severe a concern as cybersecurity hacks, critical infrastructure attacks, and terrorism.

Civilian drones pose a "steadily escalating threat," as the devices are likely to be used by terrorists, criminal groups or drug cartels to carry out attacks in the U.S., FBI Director Christopher Wray previously told a Senate committee.

"The FBI assesses that, given their retail availability, lack of verified identification requirement to procure, general ease of use, and prior use overseas," drones will be used in an attack in the U.S. including "a mass gathering," Wray said.

One nightmare scenario universally feared by law enforcement and security services is the use of a small drone to deliver chemical or biological agents in an attack. It is already well-established that al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups have long sought to engineer a spectacular attack in the West using weapons of mass destruction. 

The possibility that drones could be used to disperse deadly agents or viruses over public gatherings is a harrowing prospect. Even if a drone attack fails to result in large numbers of fatalities, the attempt could still achieve an attacker's goal of perpetuating the psychological dimension of terrorism.

Sporting events are undoubtedly one of the top targets for a drone attack. Upwards of 100,000 people attend college football games. Open air stadiums used for football, soccer, baseball and other events such as music concerts are more vulnerable than domed stadiums as the crowd, players and coaches are not protected by a shield above.

Drones are already used by transnational criminal syndicates and drug cartels. On the U.S.-Mexico border, drones are being used to spy on federal law enforcement operations and smuggle contraband through the sky. The first drug smuggling incident via drone was documented in Nov. 2015. Now, it's a daily occurrence in some regions of the southern border, but it's rarely reported because they are unable to seize the devices and arrests are rare.

Many countries are now using armed drones in combat--Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey have recently done so--the chances for sophisticated drone technology getting into the wrong hands increases exponentially. 

If a terrorist group can steal or purchase a drone from a rogue state or corrupt military or intelligence officials, then they could rely on the myriad online videos posted that essentially demonstrate how these unmanned systems could be used to conduct an attack.