Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

The Clash Between Faith & Politics in the West
Nov 8th, 2019
CommentaryMELANIE PHILLIPS/JNS
Categories: Contemporary Issues

In the never-ending uproar over U.S. President Donald Trump, his administration's recent move to lift a ban on traditional Christian adoption agencies went relatively unremarked.

Under President Barack Obama, child-welfare agencies were refused federal grants if they wouldn't place children for adoption with same-sex couples. Last week, the White House reversed that ruling on the grounds that such agencies would no longer be forced "to choose between helping children and their faith."

This followed a notable speech last month at the University of Notre Dame law school by U.S. Attorney General William Barr, in which he discussed his Catholic faith and passionately denounced secular intolerance.

The Trump adoption reform was condemned by human rights campaigners as "horrific," "unconscionable" and "discriminatory" against LGBTQ people.

Barr, whose speech provoked a furor, was accused of "toxic Christian nationalism" and of violating his oath to defend religious liberty for all Americans. Liberal Catholics said his positions were "fire and brimstone" and a "threat to American democracy" because they "demolish the wall between church and state."

Yet the new policy on adoption undid discrimination against Christian agencies. And Barr's speech was a plea for religious freedom against secular intolerance and a well-founded statement of the Christian roots of American culture.

The significance of all this should not be underestimated--not just for Christians, but for Jews and Western culture in general.

Throughout the West, we are living through an eruption of intense political and social turmoil.

This is far more deeply rooted than the controversies of the day over Trump's character or Brexit. It's a civilizational struggle based at root on an onslaught on the Christian foundations of the West and the moral precepts of the Hebrew Bible that underpin them.

The attack on the West has been driven by the combined forces of secularism and Marxist beliefs posing as liberalism, with the aim of creating a new world order in which God is dethroned by mankind, biblical morality is replaced by secular ideology, and truth is subordinated to power.

Moral and cultural relativism have accordingly replaced "what is right or true" by "what is right or true for me." The template of the family as based on marriage between a man and woman has been replaced by "lifestyle choice."

The belief that humans are the pinnacle of creation and have a duty to steward the natural world has been replaced by the pagan belief in the superiority of the natural world over mankind.

The principle that every individual merits equal respect because all are made in the image of God has been replaced by the doctrine that everyone is entitled to the same outcomes as everyone else, regardless of behavior, thus negating moral responsibility for one's own actions. We are even questioning the very basis of what it is to be human.

The erosion of this core cultural identity has given rise to identity politics and a grievance culture in which warring groups fight each other for power and supremacy.

All of these principles under attack are Christian and Jewish ones. The sharpest attacks have arisen from the collision in the public sphere between gay rights and conservative Christian or Orthodox Jewish attitudes.

In both the United States and Britain, Christians have been discriminated against over their opposition to gay adoption or gay marriage. Christian adoption agencies that only place children with an adoptive mother and father have been forced to close, depriving countless children of a loving and stable home.

In Britain, ultra-Orthodox Jewish schools whose religious beliefs mean they never teach sexuality in the classroom are being harassed by education inspectors enforcing laws that require such schools to teach children about gay lifestyles.

In his speech, Barr warned that Catholicism and other mainstream religions were the target of "organized destruction" by "secularists and their allies among progressives who have marshalled all the force of mass communications, popular culture, the entertainment industry and academia."

This secular onslaught, he said, was laying siege to "the traditional Judeo-Christian moral system" of the United States and was responsible for every kind of "social pathology," including drug abuse, rising suicide rates and illegitimacy.

While religion tackled social challenges by stressing personal responsibility, the state merely tried to alleviate "bad consequences."

"So the reaction to growing illegitimacy is not sexual responsibility, but abortion," he said. "The reaction to drug addiction is safe injection sites. The solution to the breakdown of the family is for the state to set itself up as an ersatz husband for the single mother and an ersatz father for the children. The call comes for more and more social programs to deal with this wreckage--and while we think we're solving problems, we are underwriting them."

New York Times columnist Paul Krugman accused Barr of "religious bigotry" and described his words as a "pogrom-type speech." Such critics merely made Barr's point for him about secular intolerance.

Barr was sounding the alarm about a civilization in existential danger. As he stated, biblical precepts are the foundation stones of the West--and they're being knocked away.

The U.S. constitution is self-consciously based on Jewish ideals and the example of the ancient kingdom of Israel. This is why traditional, biblically faithful American Christians stand shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish people and are among the strongest supporters of the State of Israel in the world--more so even than many Jews.

Nevertheless, with some honorable exceptions, Jews tend to downplay this support from Christians.

In part, this is because they suspect that the underlying aim of such Christians is to convert Jews to Christianity. While this is true for some, others merely acknowledge that Jesus was a Jew and support the Jews as a blessed people whose land of Israel was divinely promised to them.

There is, however, another reason why so many American Jews disdain Christian support. This is that they themselves have heavily bought into the secular approach to the world, which has replaced religion by mankind-centered ideologies.

This is particularly unfortunate since these universalist ideologies are inimical to Jewish principles, though many American Jews mistakenly think they embody the Jewish concept of tikkun olam, or the "repair of the world."

They don't realize, therefore, why intersectionality--the doctrine that links groups that consider themselves victims of the so-called white hetero-normative capitalist patriarchy--has made such an enemy of Israel and the Jewish people.

They don't realize that through its animus against Jewish religious principles, seen as the basis of the oppressive power structure known as Western civilization, and against Zionism, seen as the ultimate ethnic colonialist enterprise of that civilization, secular liberal universalism entails a fundamental illiberalism, in addition to a deep intolerance towards biblically faithful Jews and Christians.

They don't realize that this universalist creed they have made into a secular religion is taking an axe to the cultural virtues they themselves take for granted.

In this crisis for Western civilization, the tragedy for these Jews who don't realize the importance of their own culture to that civilization is that they're on the wrong side.

Let the Headlines Speak
Nov 8th, 2019
Daily NewsFrom the Internet
Categories: Today's Headlines

Under Watchful Eye of Vatican: Canaanite Idol ‘Moloch’ Put on Display in Rome
The pagan Canaanite idol who required child sacrifice was displayed at the entrance of the Colosseum in Rome as part of a secular historical exhibition reports LifeSiteNews. The statue’s presence comes just over a week following a video that emerged in what appears to be Pope Francis blessing a Pachama Goddess statue. It is well known that the Vatican is currently hoarding Israel’s stolen treasures from the second Temple.

Major Rabbis Unite in Decisive Call For All Jews To Return From Exile: “It’s Time”
In a rare consensus, an impressive array of some of the most prominent rabbis of this generation came together in a declaration saying that there are no longer any valid excuses: Jews must act on the Torah commandment to move to Israel.

South Korean National Assembly introduces resolution to declare end of Korean War
Sponsored by Rep. Kim Kyung-hyup of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, the motion calls on the two Koreas, US and China to declare a formal end of the Korean War and to start discussing signing a peace treaty. “Now, beyond the denuclearization talks between US and North Korea, we need to see that the declaration will help to usher in peace on the Korean Peninsula,” said Kim, the head of the parliament’s Special Committee on Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation.

Nationalist Rabbis: We No Longer Have Faith in Israel’s Judges
In their letter, the rabbis noted that the barrage of leaks from Prime Minister Netanyahu’s files to the press has convinced people that there is no attempt to pursue justice, but that there is an ongoing campaign of political persecution against the prime minister.

Mexican cartel massacre: Suspect with 2 hostages, assault rifles, bulletproof SUV arrested in border town
A suspect was arrested near the Arizona border with Mexico in connection with the deaths of nine U.S. citizens – six children and three women …the suspect was found in the town of Agua Prieta, right across the border from Douglas, Arizona. The suspect was holding two hostages who were bound and gagged inside a vehicle. Investigators found four assault rifles and a bulletproof SUV.

45 Population Control Quotes That Show The Elite Are Quite Eager To Reduce The Number Of People On The Planet
At one time, the elite at least attempted to conceal their boundless enthusiasm for population control from the general public, but now they aren’t even trying to hide it anymore. On Tuesday, an alarming new study that advocates global population control as one of the solutions to the “climate emergency” that we are facing was published in the journal BioScience. This document has already been signed by 11,258 scientists from 153 different countries, and it openly calls for a reduction in the human population of our planet. This has always been the endgame for the climate change cult, but now a big push is being made to make the public believe that there is a “scientific consensus” that this is necessary.

Israel inches closer to 3rd election – How did we get here?
With Israel facing the possibility of a third election in less than 12 months following a six-month stalemate between Likud and the Blue and White Party, it might be wise for us to pause and try and understand how did we get here? Why is this war of political attrition continuing and who are the main players?

Iranian students: It feels good to ‘punch America in the mouth’
On the 40th anniversary of the 1979 takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iranian schoolgirls demonstrated saying “Death to America! Death to Israel!” According to a video translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). On November 4, 1979, several hundred students gathered outside the United States Embassy in Tehran, intent on occupying the premises and seizing its staff as hostages.

Why China’s rise exposes Australian vulnerabilities
Australia and China continue to trade accusations and placations in an escalating row with far-reaching consequences. But amid criticisms of Beijing, Australia has long failed to properly scrutinise itself, writes China-Australia expert Kerry Brown. Mao Zedong, founder of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), reportedly called Australia the “lonely continent”.

Europe migrant crisis: French police clear Paris ring road camps
French police have evacuated about 1,600 migrants from two camps in northern Paris, in one of the biggest clearance operations in years. Some 600 police officers escorted the migrants to coaches to take them to reception centres in the Paris area. The move comes a day after the government unveiled a series of measures to curb immigration.

Iran cancels accreditation of IAEA nuclear inspector
Iran has cancelled the accreditation of an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspector who was prevented from entering a nuclear facility last week. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) said screening equipment sounded an alarm when the woman tried to enter the Natanz uranium enrichment facility. Officials feared she was carrying “suspicious material”, it added.

North Korea Threatens to Upend Nuclear Talks Due to U.S. ‘Reckless Military Frenzy’
North Korea threatened Wednesday to walk away from upcoming talks with the U.S. if it doesn’t further curtail planned military exercises with South Korea in December. In a statement…Kwon Jong Gun with North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said upcoming air force exercises between the allies amounts “to a declaration of confrontation with the DPRK,” using the country’s preferred acronym for itself.

This Is How the U.S. Military’s Massive Facial Recognition System Works
)ver the last 15 years, the United States military has developed a new addition to its arsenal. The weapon is deployed around the world, largely invisible, and grows more powerful by the day. That weapon is a vast database, packed with millions of images of faces, irises, fingerprints, and DNA data — a biometric dragnet of anyone who has come in contact with the U.S. military abroad.

UNRWA chief resigns due to corruption probe
The report paints a picture of a small number of mostly foreign senior leaders centralizing power and influence while disregarding UN checks and balances. Krahenbuhl himself is alleged to have been romantically involved with a colleague who was appointed in 2015 to a newly created role of senior advisor to the commissioner-general after an “extreme fast-track” process, the report says.

Super typhoon Halong among strongest storms ever seen on Earth
Tuesday, November 5th 2019, 6:45 pm – Halong is one of strongest storms on record in any ocean basin on Earth since the Dvorak technique entered use in the 1970s

Trump Has TEMPORARILY Saved America From Total Destruction
President Trump has lived to his reputation as the master of the art of the deal. He has lessened the threat posed on our southern borders by a so-called Red Dawn force. Domestically, the President continues to negate the communist agenda set forth by Obama and the Democratic Party.

The Pope Sides With Muslims Over Israel’s Claim to Jerusalem
Never one to miss an opportunity to take a side against the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the Pope has once again weighed in on a political hot button topic. Just one day after President Trump boldly declared the United States would recognize Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel, the Pope jumped into the debate to say he was “worried” about Trump’s plan:

Brutal tornado captured ripping through a factory in Kalamata, Greece
A short but devastating tornado struck a factory in Kalamata, southern Peloponnese, Greece around 13:05 LT on November 4, 2019. The destruction was caught by security cameras.

Somali Wins Municipal Election in Maine After Obama, Bush Flooded US with More Than 100,000 Somali ‘Refugees’
Lewiston, the second largest city in Maine which is home to thousands of African migrants after 8 years of Barack Obama’s reckless refugee policy, elected a Somali to its city council. 23-year-old hijab-clad (Sharia compliant), Somali-born Safiya Khalid defeated another Democrat Tuesday night and won a seat on the Lewiston City Council.

Colorado voters shut down Democratic effort to keep taxpayer refunds
Colorado voters made it clear Tuesday that they want their refunds, defeating a Democrat-backed measure that would have allowed the state to keep the taxpayer rebates.

“Papers, Please”: Government Creates Internal Passports – Effective No Later Than October 2020
So you were worried about a national ID card, but forgot that basically you have that in a Social Security card, albeit a little outdated?  Well, not to fear, Big Brother is here and beginning next year, the feds are going to be requiring you to have your papers ready to board a plane or enter a Federal government facility.

Police: Satan-Worshiping Schoolgirls Plotted to Kill 15 Students, Drink Their Blood
Two middle school students in Florida were arrested Tuesday after they concocted a “plot to kill students” via a variety of weapons, including a pizza cutter, police said

He Touched the Hollow of His Thigh - Genesis 32:25
Nov 8th, 2019
Morning MeditationF. B. Meyer
Categories: Meditation;Inspirational;Book Study

Our greatest victories are wrought out through pain, and purchased at the cost of the humbling of the flesh. Jacob learned that the secret of prevailing with God and man was not in the strength, but in the weakness and suffering of the flesh. It must ever be so. The victor Lamb bears still the scars of Calvary, and appears as one who had been slain.

Had Laban met Jacob that morning, he would have pointed to that limp as an indication of God's wrath and displeasure; but if he had looked into his face, he would have seen all its hardness and cunning gone, and would have been arrested by the unwonted tenderness in his voice.

The shrunken sinew counteracts pride. - So high a spiritual achievement as to prevail with God might have tempted Jacob to arrogance and self-esteem. But God anticipated the possible temptation by this physical infirmity, which was constantly present to Jacob's consciousness.

The shrunken sinew was the secret of victory. - Had it not been shrivelled by the angel's touch, Jacob would have continued to resist in the pride of his strength, and would never have clung convulsively to the angel, crying, "I will not let thee go." It was only in that act that he became Israel, the Prince.

The shrunken sinew makes us think little of this world and much of the next. - From this moment Jacob takes up more of the pilgrim attitude. He finds that for him, at least, the pace will have to be slower; but it is well, for he relaxes his hold on the seen to entwine more tenaciously about the unseen. "The days of the years of my pilgrimage " - such is his epitome of his life.

Britons No Longer See Euthanasia, Pornography, Drugs As "immoral"
Nov 8th, 2019
CommentaryEVANGELICAL FOCUS
Categories: Moral Decline

Abortion, pornography, drugs, homosexual relationships - these are some of the issues which most British people no longer consider to be "immoral". 

Kings' College in London compared figures of 1989 with opinion polls conducted this year on a range of moral issues. 

In the last 30 years, there has been a significant fall in the number of people who see gay relationships as morally wrong, down from 40% then to 13% today.

The percentage of citizens who believe having children outside marriage is not moral is now 13%, down from 24% in 1989. 

On the issue of pornography, adult sex magazines were seen as immoral by 38% of the population 30 years ago, a figure that falls down to 22% (the biggest shift happening in the female population). 

The number of people who perceive taking soft drugs such as cannabis as morally wrong has also collapsed. In 1989, it was 60%, now it is 29%. 

Even the consumption of heroin is now seen as acceptable by 33% of the population. 

Abortion is only seen as immoral by 18% of the population in UK today, compared to 35% in 1989. 

The opinion about euthanasia has also changed: 22% saw it as immoral 30 ago, now 17%. 

The only issue that has remain unchanged, are the views on unfaithfulness. 55% see it as immoral now, compared to 49% thirty years ago.   

THE DEFINITION OF "MORALITY" Bobby Duffy, Director of the Policy Institute at King's College London, said: "These findings show Britain has become decisively more liberal on a range of moral issues in the last 30 years". "On all sorts of issues, from full frontal male nudity and violence on TV, to drug use and abortion, we are much more relaxed as a nation", he said. 

Another element that could explain this change in attitudes is the evolution in British culture of the term "morality" and what are the worldviews which define what is moral and what not.