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Moriel Ministries > Teachings > Be Alert! Archive |
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Be Alert! - August 21, 2006
The prince of the kingdom of Persia Psalms 2:1-7 Matthew 24:6a Hebrews 12:25-27 Is Tomorrow Doomsday? While no extra safeguards are in place, U.S. law enforcement are not ignoring the possible significance of tomorrow's date, August 22, a date that marks an important historic event on the Islamic calendar. Internet websites have been full of speculation that it could be a target date for terrorists in commemoration of the return of the 12th imam, a supposed day of reckoning for Shiites. August 22 was rumored by intelligence experts to be a possible date that the London plotters would blow-up passenger planes headed towards the United States, though it is not known if the suspects were Shiite extremists. This year, August 22 marks the holy day on the Islamic calendar that is the day of reckoning for Shiites. Some Shiite sects believe that August 22 could correspond to the end of the world. And just today, after much hype, Iran has announced that it will continue to develop its nuclear program. To followers of Iranian President Ahmadinejad, this is a well-timed affront to Israel, the United States and the world. The United Nations had given Iran until the end of the month to respond, but Ahmadinejad had made it clear to all Iranians and the world that he intended to respond on the eve of August 22. Whether or not this announcement is the end of Ahmadinejad's plans for August 22, one expert says we will have to wait and watch. "The only thing we can know is that the date was not chosen by accident," said Robert Spencer, Director of Jihadwatch.org and an adjunct fellow at the Free Congress Foundation, a conservative think tank. "It does seem very likely, very probable, that he has something major in mind, whether only a major announcement or a major attack, we will soon see." http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/08/is_tomorrow_doo.html Cataclysm fears raised on Islamic 'holy' date WORLDNETDAILY - August 21, 2006 - MAD, or mutually assured destruction, just won't work any more, according to one Mideast expert whose forecasts that the night of Aug. 22 may prove to be cataclysmic are fueling worry around the world. Bernard Lewis of Princeton has had opinion pieces circulating for two weeks now about how that night, the anniversary of one of Islam's holiest events, could be a time Iran would pick to spark a battle Muslims believe forever will resolve the battle between "good" and "evil." That MAD policy, which prevented nations for decades during the Cold War from pushing the button, isn't a realistic hope with fanatic Muslims, Lewis said. "There is a radical difference between the Islamic Republic of Iran and other governments with nuclear weapons," Lewis writes. "This difference is expressed in what can only be described as the apocalyptic worldview of Iran's present rulers." He said there is developing an "apparently callous unconcern" over who is a victim, or how many victims there are, for terrorists. Lewis believes the perception they hold is that in death any infidel, or non-Muslim, will go to a well-deserved punishment in hell while any Muslims would go straight to heaven. According to this view, the bombers are in fact doing their Muslim victims a favor by giving them a quick pass to heaven and its delights – the rewards without the struggles of martyrdom. School textbooks tell young Iranians to be ready for a final global struggle against an evil enemy, named as the U.S., and to prepare themselves for the privileges of martyrdom, Lewis said. He said while a direct attack on the U.S. is possible, Israel is a nearer and more likely target. As WorldNetDaily has reported, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has urged his people to prepare for the coming of an Islamic "messiah," raising concerns a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic could trigger the kind of global conflagration he envisions will set the stage for the end of the world. He's also said, in a WND report, that Islam and its followers must prepare to rule the world, because it is a "universal ideology that leads the world to justice." Now comes Lewis, who notes that the world must be concerned about a leader for whom the possibility of death is not a deterrent. "In this context, mutual assured destruction, the deterrent that worked so well during the Cold War, would have no meaning," Lewis wrote. "At the end of time, there will be general destruction anyway. What will matter will be the final destination of the dead – hell for the infidels, and heaven for the believers. "For people with this mindset, MAD is not a constraint, it is an inducement," he said. Lewis noted that Ahmadinejad has talked of Aug. 22 mulitiple times, a date that corresponds to the 27th day of the month of Rajab of the year 1427 for Muslims. "This, by tradition, is the night when many Muslims commemorate the night flight of the prophet Muhammad on the winged horse Buraq, first to 'the farthest mosque,' usually identified with Jerusalem, and then to heaven and back," Lewis wrote. Lewis wrote, "This might well be deemed an appropriate date for the apocalyptic ending of Israel and if necessary the world. It is far from certain that Mr. Ahmadanejad plans any such cataclysmic events precisely for Aug. 22. But it would be wise to bear the possibility in mind." Lewis, the Cleveland E. Dodge professor emeritus of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University, specializes in Muslim history and interaction between Muslims and the West. His comments echoed those made just a few days earlier by Robert Spencer, another scholar of Islamic history, theology and law and the director of Jihad Watch. In an article for FrontPageMagazine.com, he wrote that Farid Ghadry, president of the Reform Party of Syria, noted the commemoration of Muhammad's ascent to heaven from the Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Also, "Atomic Iran" author Jerome Corsi notes that it's less significant whether Hezbollah survives, "but it's really the first chapter in the play for Iran and the Shiite Islam nation to come to ascendancy in the Muslim world." In the updated edition of "Atomic Iran: How the Terrorist Regime Bought the Bomb and American Politicians," now available in paperback from WND Books, Corsi discusses many of the disturbing developments related to Iran. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51627 Iran Denies Inspectors Access to Site The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the confidentiality of the information, told The Associated Press that Iran's unprecedented refusal to allow access to the facility at Natanz could seriously hamper international efforts to ensure that Tehran is not trying to make nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Iran's supreme leader said Tehran will pursue nuclear technology despite a U.N. Security Council deadline to suspend uranium enrichment by the end of the month or face the threat of economic and diplomatic sanctions. "The Islamic Republic of Iran has made its own decision and in the nuclear case, God willing, with patience and power, will continue its path," said Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to state television. His declaration came on the eve of Iran's self-imposed Tuesday deadline to respond to a Western incentives package for it to roll back its nuclear program. The United Nations has given Tehran until the end of August to suspend uranium enrichment. ... http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/08/21/D8JKU28G0.html Iran army tests missiles in wargames Iran 's army launched wargames in the south of the country on Saturday, and said new, Iranian-built equipment would be tested. It did not say how long the wargames will last. Tactical surface-to-surface Iranian-made Saeqa (Thunderbolt) missiles, with a range of 80-250 km (50-160 miles), were tested on Sunday, state television reported. It also said surface-to-sea missiles would be tested on Sunday. It did not identify the missiles by name but said the weapon had been developed by Iranian scientists. Iranian Revolutionary Guards, the ideologically driven wing of the armed forces which has a separate command structure to the regular military, held wargames in the Gulf in April in which they tested new missiles, torpedoes and other equipment. Analysts interpreted those wargames as a thinly veiled threat that Iran could disrupt vital oil shipping lanes if pushed by an escalation in the nuclear dispute. ... See more of the situation in Israel and the Middle East below >>> 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 Seeds & Tares at the Harvest Crusade When the band stopped playing, several successful people got up to give testimonies of how their lives had changed for the better after accepting the Lord Jesus into their lives. Then a balding preacher spoke excitedly, telling uplifting stories from the Bible. He ended his message with a call for people to come down and dedicate their lives to the Lord and for the people at home to call the number on the screen. RESULT: Monica called the number on the screen that was answered in TBN’s call center by a WOF "Christian." Monica asked for a church referral and the voice on the phone led her in a sinner’s prayer and coached her to babble in "tongues," before referring her to a WOF church in San Jose. She never got any foundational teaching, and fell by the wayside having never understood the faith. Matt just graduated from college and was pondering what he would like to do for the rest of his life, he found that nothing really excited him. After all, he thought, people work 8 to 5, five days a week, working for the week-ends and after 50 years or so retiring just to die. He wanted to find more meaning in life. He found a "Christian" television station and began watching it regularly, hoping to find answers to his questions about life and God. But each program he watched on that channel seemed to have a different message than the next one. It was beginning to get confusing and he was about to just give up on finding meaning in any of that. He fell asleep with the TV on one night while watching a faith healer casting demons out of pitiful looking people. He was awakened by loud rock music on the TV and was about to shut off the noise, when a preacher took the stage. He thought he’d listen for a minute or two to see what this guy’s angle was. What method would this one use to get donations out of desperate viewers? To his amazement this preacher didn’t bring up money. He presented the Gospel in the clearest way Matt had ever heard. Matt opened up the Bible someone had recently given to him and followed along in the passages the preacher read. He was beginning to see things clearly for the first time in his life. He wanted to know more and there was a phone number on the screen. RESULT: Matt called TBN’s number at the bottom of the screen and asked for a church like the one pastored by the Harvest Crusade preacher. He was referred to Harvest House Church in Fremont, but was shocked that their services were chaotic with people lying all over the floor and acting goofy. It gave him the creeps. So he looked the Harvest Crusade up on the Internet and found out it was associated with Calvary Chapel. So he found a Calvary Chapel nearby and joined the new believers’ class where he learned the basics of the Christian faith. The Word found good soil, and Matt is now evangelizing others. Mike and Mindy had been living together for several months and the excitement was beginning to fade from their relationship. Mindy had heard from a friend about the Harvest Crusade coming up that would have Christian rock bands. Mindy was sick of sitting around smoking pot with Mike every weekend and talked him into going to a free concert. They were glad to see so many other young adults their own age there and the music was better than what they heard at nightclubs. But these guys were singing about God. Mike had gone to a Methodist church growing up and remarked, "We never heard music like that when I was in church." When the preacher got up and spoke of Jesus and the Bible so excitedly, both Mike and Mindy were inspired. When the invitation was given to come down and receive Christ as Savior, Mindy was first to want to go, but Mike was hesitant. RESULT: They both went up front and a Decision Follow-up Worker asked them what their religious background was. Mike told the worker that he went to a Methodist Church as a child, and the worker pointed him to the United Methodist workers. Mindy told the worker that she was never in church and her religious background was the new age – she was an amateur psychic. She was referred to the table of the Jubilee Christian Center, pastored by TBN regular Dick Bernal. When they got home, Mike told Mindy that he never felt close to God at the Methodist church growing up and the fact that the Harvest Crusade would send him back there just confirmed that they were just as messed up as the church he grew up in that had a lesbian pastor. He dismissed all of it and retained a stony heart. Mindy visited Jubilee and they had a special guest prophet named Kim Clement and Mindy was so impressed with him. He could do cold readings better than her favorite psychics. She decided Jubilee was the place for her and Christianized the psychic powers she knew God had given her from birth. She didn’t have to change much and stayed on the same thorny path and became known in the church as a prophetess. At the next Harvest Crusade, she got to be one of the Decision Workers. COMMENTARY: We recognize from the above stories the parable of the Sower of the Seed as recorded in the 13th chapter of the book of Matthew. But do we recognize the similarity to the next parable, the Sower of the Seeds and the Tares? "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?' But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn"'" (Matthew 13:24-43). How remarkable that the very man sowing the good seed of the Gospel at the Harvest Crusades is simultaneously sowing tares into the body of Christ. TBN has paid for the airtime of the Harvest Crusades for around 15 years. That is why their phone numbers show up on the bottom of the screen during the program. And several times we have tested our hypothesis that TBN refers people to Word/Faith churches when they call during the program. Basically, people hear the Gospel of Salvation and immediately are turned over to aberrant or heretical churches where the seed is stolen and they are turned into tares. Greg Laurie has followed in the footsteps of Billy Graham and now allows just about any church calling itself Christian to participate in the follow-up counseling. Graham goes so far as to seek out Roman Catholic involvement and it’s only a matter of time before Greg Laurie goes that low in bringing tares into his crusades that devour the good seed he sows in his messages. I was shocked to see the list of sponsoring churches in his upcoming San Jose crusade that my own Calvary Chapel is also participating in. It includes the Jubilee Christian Center who is having bona-fide false prophet Kim Clement there as a guest in a couple of weeks. Another sponsor is a United Methodist church and another one that is associated with Rick Warren. That’s what happens when one begins to compromise for expediency’s sake. As we can see from the parable, when the real harvest crusade takes place, these tares will be tossed into the everlasting fire. But how much damage will they do in the meantime? Heavenly Father, I lift up the coming Harvest Crusade in San Jose to You now and pray that You would wake up our leaders as the enemy sows tares in your field. We see the sort of damage these tares do in our churches, especially when they gain leadership positions. We know this is happening according to Your word, for You told us ahead of time that these perilous times would come to the church. Give Your sheep ears to hear and eyes to see and discern truth from error and help us to follow Your voice. Give us the mind of Christ to know how to respond to those who challenge the wisdom of marking those who teach false doctrine. Gather Your remnant together and strengthen us for the battles ahead. In Jesus’ name. Amen! http://www.apostasyalert.org/REFLECTIONS/Seeds%20&%20Tares.htm Fox News: "Can Rick Warren Save the World?" In this week's newsletter, Rick Warren quotes Henri Nouwen, who, at the end of his life, said he was uncomfortable with those who say Jesus is the only way to salvation and that he wanted to help people find their own path to God. Nouwen is mentioned in nearly a dozen other newsletters by Rick Warren, and in one newsletter, Warren says his wife Kay loves the Nouwen book In the Name of Jesus, which has a chapter on contemplative prayer. In one week's newsletter, Warren devoted most of the issue to the emerging church, even posting a response to criticism by Emergent Leaders Brian McLaren, Doug Pagitt, Spencer Burke and Tony Jones. McLaren is favorably quoted or mentioned in about seven other issues. Organizations like The Ooze (promoting the emerging church and contemplative spirituality) is recommended in three issues. Spencer Burke, director of The Ooze, affirms his contemplative sympathies when he says: This Sunday night, Fox news will be presenting a program called, "Can Rick Warren Change the World?" One Fox headline for this show said, "Can Rick Warren Save the World?" As church leaders and secular leaders alike have found themselves in awe of this man's Purpose Driven paradigm, I, as a believer in Jesus Christ, have been in awe too. But my amazement isn't over Rick Warren's plans to save the world; no, my amazement is over Christian leaders and their blindness to what is really taking place. They have been overtaken and lured by a seductive spirituality that calls itself Purpose Driven, emerging church, seeker-friendly and a number of other names but has its origin in the Garden of Eden when the serpent said, You will be like God. Alice Bailey, the theosophist who coined the term New Age, said that the age of enlightenment (when everyone realizes they have divinity and are united with each other and creation) will not come to the earth around the Christian church but rather through it. When a New Age sympathizer like Leonard Sweet (author of Quantum Spirituality) can talk about global connectedness and God in all in one book then do an audio series with "America's pastor" just a few years later, and no one blinks an eye, then maybe Alice Bailey (who was instructed by her spirit guide)was right. The Lord will preserve those who are His, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against the church, but the Bible also says that a great falling away will take place before the return of Christ, and if possible, even the elect will be deceived. May we, as believers, by the grace and strength of God, cling to that old rugged Cross that is offered so freely to those who call upon the name of the Lord. And may we stand boldly, as our brothers and sisters of past times did, defending the one message that can save. "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." Revelation 12:11 http://www.fromthelighthouse.com/blog/index.php?p=134&more=1&c=1 Billy Braham: Confused and Contradicting (Excerpts from Newsweek Article) ---------- Asked about his son's use of the phrase "evil and wicked" in reference to Islam, Graham says: "I would not say Islam is wicked and evil ... I have a lot of friends who are Islamic. There are many wonderful people among them. I have a great love for them. I have spoken at Islamic meetings, in Nigeria and in different parts of the world." The father's view, then, is different from the son's. "I'm sure there are many things that he and I are not in total agreement about," Graham says. "I'm an old man, he's a young man in the prime of life." Anne Graham Lotz, after expressing her deep respect for her brother's life and work, said: "When Daddy was my brother's age, he was saying some pretty strong things, too, so you have to remember that experience and the living of a life can soften your perspective.".... ---------- If he had his life to live over again, Graham says he would spend more time immersed in Scripture and theology. He never went to seminary, and his lack of a graduate education is something that still gives him a twinge. "The greatest regret that I have is that I didn't study more and read more," he says. "I regret it, because now I feel at times I am empty of what I would like to have been. I have friends that have memorized great portions of the Bible. They can quote [so much], and that would mean a lot to me now." False Prophet Alert http://www.ihop.org/PaymentGroup/Registration.aspx?payment_group 2 Thessalonians 2:9 Illusions for the Disillusioned Blaine, whose father is Afro-Puerto Rican and mother is a Russian Jew, is showing his solidarity with Israel by partaking in a multi-day magic tour. The excursion is a joint initiative between Blaine’s manager, Yossi Siegel, and the Israeli Consulate in New York. Among his stops, the magician plans to perform at a hospital for wounded soldiers, an absorption center for Ethiopian immigrants and at the Dir el-Asad Arab village, before heading to the Hadassah Neurim Youth Village, which now also provides shelter for many of the families who have fled the Hezbollah attacks in northern Israel. In his 2002 book, “Mysterious Stranger,” Blaine recounted how, during one of his past daredevil stunts, he had an epiphany as he looked on at his crowd of voyeurs. “There were Jewish Hasids standing next to Muslim cabdrivers who were next to black kids. Businessmen in designer suits stood beside heavily pierced street kids,” Blaine wrote. “I saw something truly incredible. I saw every race, every age group and every religion gathered together smiling, and that made everything worth it. I saw magic!” But even he acknowledges that his sleight of hand has limited reach in the ongoing conflict. When asked if he had any tricks up his sleeve to misdirect precipitating missile shells, Blaine demurred: “I can only do my magic and try to make people smile.” http://www.forward.com/article/illusions-for-the-disillusioned/ Press Release: "Maitreya Has Come and Will Save the World" Psalms 122:6a Zechariah 12:2-3 Hitler, the Mufti of Jerusalem, and Islamic Fascism Hezbollah rearming, returning to positions The statements follow scores of reports Iran and Syria are attempting to rearm Hezbollah one week after a cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon went into effect following 34 days of confrontations that began when Lebanese militia ambushed an Israeli patrol unit, kidnapping two soldiers and killing eight others. "Hezbollah has undoubtedly returned to their positions," Walid Jumblatt, Lebanon's Druze leader and head of the country's Progressive Socialist Party, told WND. "They were victorious against Israel and now they are regrouping for another round, which is inevitable." ... http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51619 Hizbullah: Zionist regime will be destroyed YEDIOTH AHRONOTH (YnetNews) - By Dudi Cohen - August 20, 2006 - In the course of the last month a war waged between the IDF and Hizbullah on Lebanese territory, but Iran is also busy with evaluations of the situation and summaries, following the ceasefire. A conference was held on Sunday in Tehran under the banner "Clarifying the results of the Lebanon war and the future of the Middle East". During the conference, Hizbullah's representative in Iran, Muhammad Abdullah Sif al-Din said: "We think this war has one significance and it is the destruction of the Zionist regime." ... http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0%2C7340%2CL-3293602%2C00.html Jewish youth arrive to enlist in IDF - YEDIOTH AHRONOTH (YnetNews) - By Ines Ehrlich - August 20, 2006 Three weeks into the second Lebanese war with rockets raining down on the north of the country, 130 Jewish youngsters landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Their sole purpose was to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces. ... Israeli Reservists Cite Supply Shortages President Bush, meanwhile, urged the world to move quickly in deploying an international military force in southern Lebanon to police the cease-fire. "The need is urgent," he said. Underscoring the fragility of the week-old truce, Israeli troops shot two Hezbollah guerrillas Monday during a clash in southern Lebanon, the army said.... In a further sign of anger over the handling of the war, a group of parents of fallen soldiers called for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's resignation, saying that the government's objectives had not been achieved and their sons had died for nothing.... With concern mounting over the fragile truce, Israel sent warplanes over the coastal city of Tripoli, some 35 miles north of Beirut, and over Baalbek, scene of an Israeli commando raid two days ago which Israel said was to disrupt weapons shipments for Hezbollah from Syria. Lebanon considers overflights a violation of the U.N. resolution that ended 34 days of fighting last week. As part of the cease-fire agreement, Lebanon has begun deploying 15,000 soldiers to the south, putting a government force in the region for the first time in four decades. They are to be joined by an equal force of international peacekeepers, but wrangling among countries expected to send troops has so far delayed assembly of the force. The reluctance of European countries to commit substantial numbers of troops has raised doubts about whether the truce can hold. The United States is planning to introduce a new U.N. resolution on disarming Hezbollah in southern Lebanon but U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said Monday this should not hold up the quick deployment of U.N. peacekeepers. France , which commands the existing force U.N. force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, had been expected to make a significant new contribution that would form the backbone of the expanded force. But President Jacques Chirac disappointed the U.N. and other countries last week by merely doubling France's contingent of 200 soldiers. Olmert further complicated matters by saying Sunday that countries which don't have diplomatic relations with Israel should not be permitted to contribute troops to the U.N. force. That would eliminate Indonesia, Malaysia and Bangladesh - among the only countries to have offered front-line troops. In Washington, Bush opened a news conference by announcing the U.S. was pledging an additional $230 million to help Lebanese rebuild, then urged faster movement on beefing up the U.N. force. "The international community must now designate the leadership of this new international force, give it robust rules of engagement and deploy it as quickly as possible to secure the peace," he said. He said the U.N. force would help keep Hezbollah from acting as a "state within a state." ... PM rules out negotiations with Syria "I am the last person who will say I want to negotiate with Syria," Olmert said in unusually harsh comments. In a visit to northern Israel, Olmert noted that rockets that hit the town in 34 days of Israel-Hizbullah fighting came from Syria. According to the prime minister, "When Syria stops supporting terrorism, when it stops giving missiles to terror organizations, then we will be happy to negotiate with them." ... http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1154525914354&pagename= Hezbollah Reportedly Had British Goggles "The Israeli Defense Forces have told us that they have found some night-vision equipment in southern Lebanon that they believe to have been manufactured in Britain," a British Foreign Office spokesman said Monday on condition of anonymity because agency rules do not allow him to speak for attribution.... The Times newspaper reported Monday that Israeli officials believe the goggles may be from a consignment sold to Iran by Britain in 2003. The sale was intended to bolster Iranian efforts to combat heroin smuggling across the Afghan border as part of the United Nations Drugs Control Program, the newspaper claimed.... Israeli officials said Friday that they had sent a senior delegation to Moscow to complain that Russian-made anti-tank missiles were used by Hezbollah guerrillas in their 34-day conflict with Israeli forces in Lebanon. Israeli officials say that Iran and Syria passed the arms to Hezbollah after buying them from Russia. ... http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/08/20/D8JKFNQG0.html Hezbollah Card Played in Nukes Fight The United Nations Security Council has warned Iran to cease its uranium enrichment program by August 31 or face international sanctions. With the deadline approaching, Israeli diplomats and pro-Israel lobbyists in Washington are gearing up for an intense campaign to convince the international community that Tehran’s support for Hezbollah — particularly its transfer of potent weapons to the terrorist group — underscores the danger of allowing Iran to develop nuclear weapons. “The grave risk of Iranian proliferation has truly been highlighted by the recent crisis,” Josh Block said. Block is spokesman for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, an influential pro-Israel lobbying group. Pointing out the pervasive pattern of arms transfers from Iran to Hezbollah, Block said, “This kind of sickeningly irresponsible behavior puts the danger of Iran’s nuclear weapons program in extremely sharp relief for the international community, especially as the deadline to impose sanctions at the Security Council rapidly approaches at the end of this month.” The war in Lebanon, Block said, “underscores the extreme danger we face when terror-sponsoring states acquire advanced weapons, let alone weapons of mass destruction, and their proven pattern of transferring those weapons to terrorist groups and nonstate actors.” Israel and its allies are emphasizing that Iran supplied Hezbollah not only with thousands of relatively low-tech rockets that the terrorist group showered on northern Israel for more than a month, but also with advanced weapons. One such state-of-the-art weapon is the “silkworm” anti-ship cruise missile, which Iran purchased from China under the condition that Tehran would not transfer it to a third party. Iran also supplied Hezbollah with powerful Russian-made anti-tank missiles, as well as with advanced drones. Iran sent at least two drones toward Israel in the past month. Jerusalem suspects that they were carrying explosives. Both were intercepted and destroyed without causing damage, according to official Israeli reports. Israel says that Iran helped Hezbollah build a vast, sophisticated network of underground bunkers and provided the terrorist group with more than $100 million per year in financial support. According to official Israeli reports, Iranian revolutionary guards were found in southern Lebanon and helped Hezbollah use its anti-ship “silkworm” missiles. Pro-Israel activists in Washington are arguing that if Iran transferred its most advanced military technology to terrorists, it can be expected to supply nuclear material to Hezbollah once Iran possesses highly enriched uranium. Referring to the evidence of Iran’s extensive arms exports to Hezbollah, one activist said, “This surely puts some arrows in our quiver.” Pro-Israel activists were encouraged Monday when President Bush said, during a press conference, “We can only imagine how much more dangerous this conflict would be if Iran has the nuclear weapons it seeks.” ... http://www.forward.com/article/hezbollah-card-played-in-nukes-fight/ Hackers Bring War to Jewish Web Sites First hit were the respective Web sites of Yeshiva University and the University of Haifa, by a coalition of international hackers that was led by a Turkish man with the hacker alias Eno7. A day later, the victim was site of the European Union of Jewish Students, an organization of student leaders from across Europe. Apparently the work of two different groups of hackers, the spate of compromised Web sites represents a new front in efforts to protest the Lebanon War. Using an anonymous screen name to protect his identity, Eno7 explained his actions in an interview. “ Israel is responsible [for] this war,” he wrote in an e-mail. Our target’s Israel every time.” The multinational group of hackers includes people from Chile, Mexico, Argentina, Germany, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Guatemala, Argentina and Brazil. ... http://www.forward.com/article/hackers-bring-war-to-jewish-web-sites/ A Call to the UN to Provide Reparations for the Hezbollah War Those Poor, Innocent Lebanese http://web.israelinsider.com/views/9040.htm Venezuela Strengthens Its Relationships in the Middle East In a visit late last month to Tehran by President Hugo Chávez and his oil minister, Rafael Ramírez, the two countries agreed to produce jointly nearly a dozen products, including crude oil and medicines. In a further sign that their ties have taken on a new dimension, the two countries are speaking in a more unified voice in their criticism of Israel and the United States. The strengthening of ties has turned Iran into Venezuela’s closest ally outside Latin America, adding clout to Mr. Chávez’s efforts within OPEC to increase revenue through output limits by oil-exporting countries. Venezuela has also become the most vociferous defender of Iran’s nuclear program at a time when Iran feels increasingly isolated. ... http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/21/world/americas/21venez.html?_r=1&th&emc= th&oref=slogin The Fruit of Islam 1 John 2:22 Firebrand Islamic academic: 'dying for your beliefs is just' Dr Azzam Tamimi told an 8,000-strong crowd that standing up for your principles was the 'greatest act of martyrdom'. The 51-year-old was speaking at the ExpoIslamia convention in Manchester. The Palestinian-born academic - who previously boasted he would carry out a suicide bombing in Israel - also repeated his public backing for Hamas, which remains banned in the UK. He said: "The greatest act of martyrdom is standing up for what is true and just. Martyrs are those who stand up and stand up in defiance of George Bush and Tony Blair. You stand up to them and you say desist. Stop this injustice. Stop this oppression." Dr Tamimi claimed the war on terrorism was a war on Islam. "We are Muslims in Europe, not European Muslims," he added. "Being fair and just means finding the middle path. The middle path is not rubbing shoulders with Tony Blair and George Bush." The crowd erupted with cheering and applause when he said that Israel had been defeated by Hezbollah. He continued: "Hamas is making sacrifices for you. We tell this government Hamas is not a terrorist group. It is elected by the people of Palestine. We are not terrorists. We are defenders of the truth. Fighting those who invade Muslims is a just cause. ... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_ id=401481&in_page_id=1770 British Law Against Glorifying Terrorism Has Not Silenced Calls to Kill for Islam Mr. Massari maintains the Arabic-language site, tajdeed.org.uk, in the face of a strict new law aimed at curtailing violent speech and publishing. Just last week, the Council of Holy Warriors, a group affiliated with Al Qaeda, posted a declaration on the site praising a suicide bombing in Iraq that killed or wounded 55 people. “If you kill our civilians, we kill your civilians,” Mr. Massari declared during an interview. Mr. Massari’s Web site, and his public remarks, appear to violate of the Antiterrorism Act of 2006, which makes it a crime to glorify or encourage political violence. Inciting violence has long been illegal here but the new rules, drawn up after the London subway and bus bombings in July 2005, are intended to be much tougher. The law’s underlying assumption is that speeches and publications by Britain’s more extreme Islamists may play a role in leading disgruntled young men toward violence. In addition to banning speech that encourages terrorism, the new law also criminalizes reckless speech that may have the same effect. Yet despite the antiglorification law, and an array of other measures approved since last summer’s bombings, Islamist leaders like Mr. Massari persist, some of them declaring it the duty of British Muslims to kill in the name of Islam. Some British leaders are beginning to publicly question why such clerics are allowed to continue. Last week, David Cameron, the leader of the Conservative Party, chastised the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair for failing to enforce laws intended to make it more difficult for political extremists to operate. ... UK : Charges Over Terror Plot They said eight people had been charged with conspiracy to murder and preparing acts of terrorism.... Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner Peter Clarke said the investigation was "immense" and would go on for many months. He said video and audio recordings, bomb-making equipment, electrical components, hydrogen peroxide and martyrdom videos had been found.... A total of 23 people were arrested after the plan to blow up several transatlantic flights was revealed on August 10. ... http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1231663,00.html Australia : '50-year' terror war warning The deputy Liberal leader and Treasurer said the war on terror could last longer than the Cold War. "The Cold War lasted more than 50 years. The war on terror could last alot longer and we must steel ourselves, we must argue our case, we must be very clear about our values if we are to defend what we consider to be so dear in this country," he said. Outside the Victorian Liberal Party's state council meeting in Pakenham, Mr Costello said the war would be over "with the defeat of the terrorists and the kind of society that they want to implement". ... http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/2006/08/19/1155408071304.html Islamic Awareness week... The following was compiled by Saltshakers: - August 18, 2006 Yes, you read it correctly! ---------- Matthew 24:7a "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom,… Buchanan Declares: Third World Conquest Of America Developing... http://www.drudgereport.com/flashpjb.htm $491 million NAFTA rail deal Ex-CSX Transportation employee Dave Nelson told WND the deal in Florida amounts to providing CSXT with a public subsidy. Money from the public purse will position the railroad company as a major freight carrier throughout Florida, transporting cargo containers filled with cheap goodscoming into the NAFTA marketplace from China. ... http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51608 US: Hundreds Protest N.J. Immigration Rules About 200 protesters argued against a township ordinance adopted last month that bans the hiring and housing of people who cannot verify they are legal residents. A larger group massed across the street to support the new law. ... http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/08/20/D8JKI9BG0.html US: Feds Estimate 10.5M Illegal Immigrants That's up from an estimated 8.5 million living in the country in January 2000, according to calculations by the Office of Immigration Statistics in the Department of Homeland Security.... Estimates of the size of the illegal immigrant population vary widely according to the political leanings of groups using them. The federal government acknowledged the difficulty of getting an accurate count in its report, saying estimates involve assumptions and combinations of data. ... JW Investigates Mexican "Separatist" School in Los Angeles Psalms 16:4 Bill Gates 'Charity' Foundation Finances Newspaper Purchases http://www.drudgereport.com/flashbg.htm To kill by the wild beasts of the earth (Rev 6:8) Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. Arizona man stung to death by "killer" bees Cochise County Sheriff's Department said the Africanized honey bees stung Charlie Pasley, 39, more than 300 times as he carried out repairs to a home in Huachuca City, 160 miles (250 km) southeast of Phoenix on Sunday. He died at the scene. Spokeswoman Carol Capas said the swarm also attacked Pasley's father, Chuck, 62, who was reported to be in a stable condition in hospital late on Sunday. The insects, commonly known as "killer" bees for their highly aggressive behavior, are descended from a ferocious strain that was first introduced to the Americas from Africa in the 1950s in the hope that they would produce more honey. ... 2006 Tropical Storm Season Now Below Normal - http://www.weatherstreet.com/hurricane/2006/hurricane-atlantic-2006-below-normal-season.htm Daniel 12:4b Wikipedia is increasing knowledge |
