Current News & Events

Current News Of Wars And Rumors Of Wars

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Here is Jesus, in Matthew 24:6-7, teaching his disciples about the end times. But also encouraging them to ‘see that ye be not troubled’.

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” (KJV)

Much of what our Lord was prophesying here had to do with the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple, which would happen within 40 years or so of this prophesy and his imminent death and resurrection.

However there is no reason not to consider that he was also making a double prophecy, which is fairly common in the Bible, extending the meaning here to also warn of the time immediately preceding the Final Judgement, which is still future as of this blog post.

Let’s remember though, that people and nations in all times and places have experienced wars, famine, earthquakes, and pestilence. This prophecy is referring to a specific people in a specific place and time(s)- the people are those disciples living in the place, Jerusalem and Judea, at the time preceding the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD and also in some future time right before The End.

Even so, as watchdogs living in this time and place we should always keep our ears tuned ‘rumors of wars’ and be aware of the seasons of God’s plans and purposes.

So here is a brief recap of some of the international war news happening right now.

Ukraine-Russia War

Russian drones targeted Kharkiv, but Ukrainian air defenses intercepted a Shahed drone during the attack. Additionally, Ukrainian forces claimed to have killed 21 North Korean soldiers supporting Russian troops in a standoff in Russia’s Kursk region: Sky News

Gaza Conflict

Tens of thousands of Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza for the first time since the early weeks of the war with Hamas. The ceasefire remains fragile as both sides trade blame over deal violations: AP News

Democratic Republic of Congo

Rebels have moved into the key city of Goma, leading to thousands fleeing the fighting as the situation continues to escalate: AP News

Sudan’s Darfur Region

About 70 people were killed in an attack on a hospital in Sudan’s Darfur region, according to the WHO chief. The ongoing conflict in Darfur continues to cause significant humanitarian crises: Associated Press

Bishop Budde’s Misplaced Sermon

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Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde is getting both criticism and praise for the political lecture, disguised as a sermon, that she aimed at President Trump, Vice President Vance, and both of their families during the National Prayer Service at the Washington National Cathedral the day after Trump’s inauguration.

Was that really an appropriate time and place for a minister to deliver a political speech designed to publicly criticize a newly inaugurated POTUS?

Some say that the pulpit is a perfectly appropriate platform from which to speak truth to power, you know, like Jesus did, right?

But to whom did Jesus direct his most withering truth bombs? To the Roman government officials occupying Judea? To Caesar, mighty Emperor of the known civilized world?

Nope. Jesus spoke truth to the power of the religious leaders of his people, because they were the corrupt and wicked ones, whom Jesus called children of Satan.

Maybe Bishop Budde should focus on speaking truth to the high powers of the Episcopal Church who have presided over several sexual abuse and other scandals involving staff and clergy over the years. Just Google “Episcopal church scandals”.

Or maybe her time would be better spent exploring the reasons why the Episcopal Church continues to lose members and adherents. She could then speak truth to the power of the causes of a dying, empty church with no answers for spiritual hungry people.

Here’s a truth that Jesus spoke and which is relevant to us all, including those like Bishop Budde who treat the pulpit as a self-serving political tool, rather than a moral and spiritual responsibility – “Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”

Churchianity’s Abuse And Division

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Methodist Violence Over LGBTQ Schism

A headline from the Associated Press last month reads, ‘Deadly violence in Nigeria linked to breakup of United Methodist Church over LGBTQ policies’.

The article goes on to say, “A religious schism has turned deadly in Nigeria, with a church member fatally shot and two young children killed as homes were set ablaze, according to United Methodist News Service. The news service said the reported violence on Sunday stemmed from a schism in the worldwide United Methodist Church over its decision to repeal LGBTQ bans — and the ensuing formation of the new Global Methodist Church by breakaway conservative churches.”

Catholic Movement Dissolved Over Abuses

Also from the AP, Dissolution of Sodalitium Christianae Vitae: Pope Francis has dissolved the Peru-based conservative Catholic movement, Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, following a comprehensive investigation that uncovered extensive sexual, financial, and spiritual abuses by its founder and leaders. This action reflects the Vatican’s ongoing efforts to address and rectify abuses within Church-affiliated organizations.

Across The Pond: Archbishop of Canterbury Resigns in Wake of Abuse Scandal

From The Times – It is right that Justin Welby resigned after the publication of the Makin review into the Church of England’s most prolific abuser, John Smyth. If the former Archbishop of Canterbury, and others, had acted with more resolution when they were made aware of the scale of Smyth’s offending then some boys he victimized might have been spared.

What’s Going On?

Do you notice a pattern in these three stories? I do – abuse and division. No wonder folks are fleeing religion in droves.

The words of Jesus come to mind.
Abuse: “It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.” Luke 17:2
Division: “And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” Mark 3:25

And no wonder the chief enemies of Jesus were the religious leaders of the time. He exposed them.

What are we as followers of Jesus doing to expose the ‘whited sepulchers’ of our day and time?

Did God Spare Donald Trump?

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On July 13, 2024, during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt when one of the the killer’s bullets barely missed blowing his head off. Tragically, one of the bullets killed rally attendee Corey Comperatore.

So, why was Corey Comperatore killed, but Trump ‘spared’? Did God intervene for Trump, but not for Corey?

It brings to mind a conversation I once had with a friend, who is now deceased, that went something went like this:

Me: Everyone has a purpose in life.

Friend: Well, what scares the shit out of me is that maybe I’ve already fulfilled my purpose and I didn’t know what it was.

Does God intervene randomly in order to ensure that some greater purpose comes to pass?

Consider this; in order for there to be a level playing field where human beings are able to exercise actual free will, the conditions that create the possibility for failure, tragedy, and death must exist. Free agency is meaningless if there are no negative consequences as a result of bad choices.

Let me repeat, “In order for there to be a level playing field where human beings are able to exercise actual free will, the conditions that create the possibility for failure, tragedy, and death must exist.”

Matthew 5:45 – “For He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.“

God allows bad things to happen to good people and good things to happen to bad people – but only for a season. God is entirely just, and He has committed Himself to abiding by the conditions which allow free agency to operate in our physical world and in our current time.

God doesn’t break His own rules, and He absolutely has a grand purpose in mind which he will bring to pass by His own power and in His own time.

Yes, God intervenes in human affairs. No, not randomly. In His grace and wisdom He has provided a way in which He can justly and perfectly intervene and intercede in the here and now – and that is prayer.

Not any old prayer, though. Prayer offered and spoken in faith and in line with Gods purpose and will.

So did prayer for Donald Trump save him from the assassin’s bullet so that as President he could help bring about something of God’s purpose and will for America and the world? Maybe. I believe only God knows the truth of it at this time.

But as the next months and years unfold we will have a better understanding because, “…by their fruits you will know them.” Retrospection can be very important and revealing when it comes to understanding the things of God.

For now, we should pray for our country and for our President. And for comfort for Corey Comperatore’s family.

Hegseth’s Jerusalem Cross Tattoo

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Pete Hegseth has been the target of a lot of criticism and outright smears recently because he’s Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense.

One of the smears against Hegseth is that he has a tattoo that is a ‘white supremacist’ or ‘Nazi’ symbol. I call ‘bullshit’.

The Jerusalem Cross is a historic Christian symbol understood as representing the spread of Christianity to the four corners of the world or the Five Wounds of Christ.

The tattoo holds personal and spiritual significance for Hegseth, reflecting his Christian faith and connection to biblical history. It is also tied to his experiences, including his travels to Israel.

Here’s what Hegseth said about the tattoo as reported by the New York Post:
“These symbols are deeply rooted in Christian history and represent my faith and commitment to our nation’s values. The attacks on my character based on these tattoos are unfounded and represent a broader assault on religious expression.”

Interestingly, the program for former President Jimmy Carter’s memorial service had the Jerusalem Cross printed on the front.

So, was Jimmy a Nazi white supremacist too? Or is this just another glaring example of the double standard applied by the media and the left wing in American politics?

Here’s Hegseth, again in his own words, in an interview with Nashville Christian Family in 2023:
“To me, patriotism is not about love of government. It’s about love of our founding ideals that have pursued a more perfect union from the very beginning. It goes back to basics for me as a Christian: love of God and an understanding that my freedoms come from God—not from government—and that this nation was created as an experiment in self-governance and human freedom that every generation must perpetuate. Being patriotic doesn’t just mean waving the flag or cheering for Team USA. It requires teaching, instructing, and celebrating. In the most difficult times, the best thing we can do is go back to basics: faith, family, freedom—shining a light on those values—what this nation was founded on. If not America, then who? then where?”

“Godlessness ends great nations. The one thing we can all do is get on our knees and pray.”

In my opinion, Hegseth is exactly the kind of human being, grounded in faith, that we need more of in Babylon D.C. I hope he’s confirmed as Secretary of Defense, ASAP.


Unsatisfactory Answers From Churchianity

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It’s been pretty widely reported for some time now that Christian church attendance in America is on the decline while more and more folks are identifying as non-denominational or non-religious.

Here are a few links with some interesting information and insight on this topic:

From Gallup, March 2024: The decline in formal church membership has largely been driven by younger generations of Americans. Slightly more than one-third of U.S. young adults have no religious affiliation. Further, many young adults who do identify with a religion do not belong to a church. But even older adults who have a religious preference are less likely to belong to a church today than in the past.
https://news.gallup.com/poll/358364/religious-americans.aspx

From churchanswers.com:

5 Reasons Why Non-Denominational Churches Are Growing

From Pew Research: The decline of Christianity and the rise of the “nones” may have complex causes and far-reaching consequences for politics, family life and civil society...
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/09/13/modeling-the-future-of-religion-in-america

There’s a lot of speculation and research as to why Americans are becoming more disillusioned with traditional Christianity, but I think the core reason is simple: too many of the answers provided by churchianity to normal people’s questions about God, the Bible, and our purpose are unsatisfactory.

Check out our Creed of the Nons here.

I’ll have much, much, more to say on this topic in upcoming blog posts so stay tuned.

Are The L.A. Fires ‘The Wrath of God’

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No doubt there are going to be those who claim that the current devastating wildfires in Los Angeles are God’s wrath being poured out on a sinful and wicked city and state.

And sadly, this kind of ‘hellfire and brimstone’ nonsense will be preached by so-called ‘Christians’ as it has been countless times when death and tragedy strikes a particular community or geographical area. No wonder people are abandoning traditional and Evangelical Christian churches in droves.

Let’s look at the answer Jesus gave to his questioners in Luke 13:1-5 when they asked him about Pilate slaughtering a group of Galileans:

“There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.“

Our Lord could not be more clear. Disaster, suffering, and death, natural or man-caused, are not meted out according to the level of sinfulness present in an area. Bad things don’t happen to bad people exclusively, and tragedy is NOT a sign of God’s judgement in this present age.

However, there is a time coming when God’s judgement and restoration will fall on the entire creation. The Apocalypse is real, but it is reserved for a future time, and those who have already accepted and covered themselves in the sacrifice of the Lamb are spared from that great and terrible day.

Watchdog Alert: British Rape Gangs

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image from Korhan Erdol pexels.com

The rape gang scandal has been making big news in Great Britain recently and has been hammered on by Elon Musk on his Twitter platform in recent days. I was not aware of the issue until recently and did a little bit of digging for a better understanding. Here’s a very brief summary of the problem:

From Wikipedia – The Huddersfield child sex abuse ring is one of the most notorious cases in the UK. A group of men were convicted of sexual offences against girls in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. The offences took place between 2004 and 2011, and the men were charged following the Operation Tendersea inquiry. The trials began in April 2017, and 20 men were convicted in 2018 in three separate trials. By August 2021, a total of 41 perpetrators had been convicted.

From BBC News – Recently, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called for a full national public inquiry into the UK’s “rape gangs scandal”. This comes after Home Office minister Jess Phillips rejected Oldham Council’s request for a government-led inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation.

From Times of India – The debate has intensified on social media, with public figures like Elon Musk and JK Rowling demanding accountability over the UK’s handling of child sexual abuse cases.

It’s a deeply troubling issue that has sparked significant public outcry and calls for justice, because what we’re talking about here is basically child sexual exploitation.

And justice will come one way or another for such evil, as Jesus reminded his disciples in Luke 17:2 – “It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.” (KJV)

Watchdog Alert: Jabbar The Killer

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Shamsud-Din Jabbar was a monster. He intentionally plowed a truck into a bunch of innocent folks in New Orleans celebrating the New Year, killing at least 14 and injuring at least 37.

It is being reported that the killer was shot and killed by police at the scene and that the pickup truck he used to slaughter his victims had a black ISIS flag inside.

The name ‘Jabbar’ has special meaning in Arabic. According to the website myislam.org, “…there are several accepted meanings to this name. The most often quoted is The Compeller. He implements His decree without any opposition. There is no one that prevails over Him. The other interpretation is the repairer. He restores all of creation. He heals the broken-hearted, binds their wounds, and brings comfort to the weak. He compels each and everything to His divine will but is never Himself compelled.”

Right.

A more apt description for Shamsud-Din Jabbar and his hideous crime can be found in 1 Peter 5:8 – Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. (KJV)

What a horrible and tragic way to start 2025. My heart breaks for the victims of this evil madness and their families.

Be sober. Be vigilant. Remember, we are watchdogs.