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STRANGE DAYS
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Dec 28 / 99 IS Y2K THE BEGINNING OF THE END? Well here we are, just days away from the year 2000. Get ready for the disappointment, the relief, the "I told you so's" or the "Wait 'till next year's", depending on which millennial bandwagon you've been riding on lately. Or if you're one of the few who has no opinion on the significance of Y2K, then sit back and wait for the finger pointing, the arguments and the retractions. Whether New Years Day ends in chaos or calm, it WILL turn out to be a pivotal point in human history. I believe it will also be (in time) a black day for Christianity, at least in the world's view. It is astounding to me how pervasive the notion is, to the secular population, that Y2K is linked with the timing of the Christian dogma of the apocalypse. Even some Christians believe this. I recall a conversation I had with one young man who, knowing that I'm a Christian, asked me if I thought the world would end in 2000. I said no. He was puzzled and replied, "Then why does the Bible say it will?" Now, I know this young man well enough to assume that he has never cracked open a Bible in his life, so to anyone reading this who likewise is unfamiliar with God's Word, I'll tell you the same as I told him. The Bible says no such thing! The apocalypse is coming, for sure, and as this website's title suggests, we believe it will be soon, but the Bible makes no mention of a specific date. If it had, Christianity would have died not long after it's founder did on the cross, whether He was resurrected or not. For the sake of discussion, let's say that the Bible did pinpoint the occurance of the apocalypse at the year 2000. Would the Christians of the first century have lived their lives as if each day might be their last? Would there have been any sense of urgency to spread the gospel to every nation, race, kindred or tongue? Would anyone have prepared for the Lord's return? The answer is an overwhelming "No!" to all three. Even their great, great, great, great grandchildren would have no cause for concern. While it is not impossible for the apocalypse to start in the next year, it is highly improbable. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 The King James Version describes "the rebellion" as "a falling away" (from the faith). Many things have chipped away at the popularity of Christianity over the years, the industrial revolution, the theory of evolution, two world wars and medical breakthroughs to name a few. Yet the church still grows, though at a snail's pace compared to earlier eras. So this rebellion will cause significantly more damage to the church than the aforementioned events. What might trigger such a rebellion? Already all of organized religion is feeling the pressure of the New Age Movement. People are increasingly opting for a more personally suited "as I see it" spirituality. And when we survive whatever Y2K brings our way and Jesus is still nowhere to be found, I believe the secular population which I described above, will become increasingly despondent and intolerant towards Christians. Persecution will intensify, even in North America and parts of Europe where the church has always enjoyed a relatively stress free existence for centuries. This will cause many "marginal" Christians to renounce their faith, and prevent many others from accepting Christ who might have done so otherwise. Mankind is already giving up on heaven and looking instead to institute a utopian Earth in which it makes the rules and calls the shots. And anyone who does not conform will be expendable. "Fundamental, Bible-believing people do not have the right to indoctrinate their children in their religious beliefs because we, the state, are preparing them for the year 2000 when America will be part of a one-world global society, and their children will not fit in." The world will grow weary of prophecies, predictions and oracles which place it at the mercy of some faceless god because they seemingly never pan out anyway. In researching this article, I came across a website which lists 115 predictions which never came true. You can view the entire list at http://www.religioustolerance.org/end_wrl2.htm This is not a Christian website and ApocalypseSoon does not endorse this site, or it's content, but it makes for interesting reading. For now I've listed the first several items: About 30 AD: The Christian Gospels record many predictions by Jesus of Nazareth that God's Kingdom would arrive within a very short period, or was actually in the process of arriving. Jesus is recorded as saying in Matthew 16:28: "...there shall be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." Since the life expectancy in those days was little over 30 years, Jesus predicted his second coming sometime during the 1st century AD. It didn't happen. Most skeptics would not have gotten past the first prediction without thinking, "Hey, doesn't this prove that Jesus was a hoax? It just goes to show that a 'little' bit of knowledge can cause a 'lot' of confusion. Indeed Jesus did not return before His disciples died as they had expected, which means one of two things. Either Jesus was false, or the disciples expectations were false, the latter of which preserves the integrity of God's word. If the author of this list had read on in Matthew 17 (also in Mark 9 and Luke 9) that just one week after Jesus made this comment, He did in fact appear to some of them (Peter, James and John) in His kingdom and in glory. Luke 9:28-36 This "Transfiguration" event as it is known, served as an attestation of His Messiahship and an emblem of glorified humanity. Both Moses, long since dead, and Elijah, swept up in a whirlwind, who did not die, are in heaven (God's kingdom) and were shown to the three disciples in glory, as every Old Testament saint and true Christian someday will be. Jesus did not actually have to take them (disciples) to heaven in order to show them heaven. This fulfilled Jesus' prediction, yet Jesus left them thinking He was speaking of His second coming so they would always be prepared and keep watch for His return. And they weren't discouraged when it became apparent to them that Jesus would not return in their lifetime. Instead they rejoiced in the fact that the longer Jesus was gone, the more time there was for people to be saved: 2 Peter 1:13-17 This is all clear as mud, right? Why isn't the Bible more precisely descriptive? Why did God leave so much room for doubt? I asked my pastor that once and he flipped it around and asked me, "Why did God leave so much room for faith? Now, that which frustrates me most about the Bible is also what I love most about it. You've probably heard the Bible described as a love story, and it is, God's love for humanity. You know it to be a guide to life, and it is, it contains everything needed for righteous living. But have you ever thought of it as a suspense thriller? It is. Like an expertly written mystery novel, if you let your mind live the story, it will keep you on the edge of your seat until you've solved it. What convinces me most about the Bible's claim to divine inspiration is the fact that it is a timeless literary masterpiece. Over 1900 years after it's final edition, the Author still delivers what He promises, and it still brings people to the edge of their seats. It needed to be written in such a way, that it would be just as relevant and awesome to Roger Schneider in 1999 A.D. as it was for the apostle John in 96 A.D. The Bible still changes lives because it was given power and made alive by the one true, powerful, living God. Y2K, HOW ABOUT CMK? In a few more days, ground zero for Y2K will come and go. There may or may not be computer failures, utility system shutdowns and such, but when all this millennial madness has subsided, there will still be one more millennium project we should focus on. One in which we know not when it starts, we cannot expedite it, we cannot delay it and we cannot avoid it. That would be Christ's Millennial Kingdom, His 1000 year reign of peace following the Great Tribulation. Making it that far is where your concern should lie. If you are a Christian, if you have genuinely asked Jesus into your heart, to take Lordship over your life because you've realized that He knows a better way, then you are CMK compliant, and you should focus your attention on correcting the code in your families, friends and neighbors. If you are not a Christian, then I hope your New Years resolution would be to investigate Christianity, study the Bible, ask questions, ask God questions and above all, make a choice to follow Jesus Christ! HAPPY NEW YEAR from APOCALYPSE SOON
Dec 21 / 99 I want to thank all our friends who were so fast in reporting to us the latest development in the Mark of the Beast saga. Wow, I am certainly pleasantly surprised to see that many of you have your spiritual antennas raised and functioning. The report concerns the latest advancement toward the fatal Mark and it involves a US company APPLIED DIGITAL SOLUTIONS has just patented the latest microchip to be inserted on a human body, overcominc the shortcomings of previous sub-cutaneous implants. Yes, Virginia, there is a Beast on the horizon! We are very privileged in seeing Biblical prophecy come to pass before our eyes. One would think that showing non-believers these facts, they would surrender before the evidence of the truth. Not so, alas! It seems that most people prefer to go their merry way, without a moment to meditate upon these portentous happenings. They are too caught up into their dreamworld to be able to discern the truth. But we thank God that some are responding. This latest microchip is called "Digital Angel," wouldn't you believe? However it is not my kind of angel. Its features include providing a tamper-proof means of identification for enhanced e-business security, locating lost or missing individuals, tracking the location of valuable property and monitoring the medical conditions of at-risk patients. Sooner or later, the powers-that-be will suggest that we should all get the little chip under our skin. It kind of gives a new dimension to the old song "I've got you under my skin" and we will see ads that will show us how GREAT the little wonder bug is and the miracles it will do for our everyday life. This is the place where to go and read all about it, folks: Since tomorrow is December 22, I wanted to bring to your attention the following item, while remembering the Words of The Lord Jesus Christ about signs and wonders in the sky. Once-In-A-Lifetime-Moon On December 21st. 1866 the Dakota Sioux took advantage of this combination of occurrences and staged a devastating retaliatory ambush on soldiers in the Wyoming Territory. Dont hold your breath for the next sighting, I say. Bobby was getting cold sitting out in his back yard in the snow. Bobby didn't wear boots; he didn't like them and anyway he didn't own any. The thin sneakers he wore had a few holes in them and they did a poor job of keeping out the cold. Bobby had been in his backyard for about an hour already. And, try as he might, he could not come up with an idea for his mother's Christmas gift. He shook his head as he thought, "This is useless, even if I do come up with an idea, I don't have any money to spend." Ever since his father had passed away three years ago, the family of five had struggled. It wasn't because his mother didn't care, or try, there just never seemed to be enough. She worked nights at the hospital, but the small wage that she was earning could only be stretched so far. What the family lacked in money and material things, they more than made up for in love and family unity. Bobby had two older and one younger sister, who ran the house hold in their mother's absence. All three of his sisters had already made beautiful gifts for their mother. Somehow it just wasn't fair. Here it was Christmas Eve already, and he had nothing. Wiping a tear from his eye, Bobby kicked the snow and started to walk down to the street where the shops and stores were. It wasn't easy being six without a father, especially when he needed a man to talk to. Bobby walked from shop to shop, looking into each decorated window. Everything seemed so beautiful and so out of reach. It was starting to get dark and Bobby reluctantly turned to walk home when suddenly his eyes caught the glimmer of the setting sun's rays reflecting off of something along the curb. He reached down and discovered a shiny dime. Never before has anyone felt so wealthy as Bobby felt at that moment. As he held his new found treasure, a warmth spread throughout his entire body and he walked into the first store he saw. His excitement quickly turned cold when the salesperson told him that he couldn't buy anything with only a dime. He saw a flower shop and went inside to wait in line. When the shop owner asked if he could help him, Bobby presented the dime and asked if he could buy one flower for his mother's Christmas gift. The shop owner looked at Bobby and his ten cent offering. Then he put his hand on Bobby's shoulder and said to him, "You just wait here and I'll see what I can do for you." As Bobby waited he looked at the beautiful flowers and even though he was a boy, he could see why mothers and girls liked flowers. The sound of the door closing as the last customer left, jolted Bobby back to reality. All alone in the shop, Bobby began to feel alone and afraid. Suddenly the shop owner came out and moved to the counter. There, before Bobby's eyes, lay twelve long stem, red roses, with leaves of green and tiny white flowers all tied together with a big silver bow. Bobby's heart sank as the owner picked them up and placed them gently into a long white box. "That will be ten cents young man." the shop owner said reaching out his hand for the dime. Slowly, Bobby moved his hand to give the man his dime. Could this be true? No one else would give him a thing for his dime! Staring out the window, and blinking the tears from his own eyes, he replied, "A strange thing happened to me this morning. While I was setting up things to open the shop, I thought I heard a voice telling me to set aside a dozen of my best roses for a special gift. I wasn't sure at the time whether I had lost my mind or what, but I set them aside anyway. Then just a few minutes ago, a little boy came into the shop and wanted to buy a flower for his mother with one small dime. "When I looked at him, I saw myself, many years ago. I too, was a poor boy with nothing to buy my mother a Christmas gift. A bearded man, whom I never knew, stopped me on the street and told me that he wanted to give me ten dollars. "When I saw that little boy tonight, I knew who that voice was, and I put together a dozen of my very best roses." The shop owner and his wife hugged each other tightly, and as they stepped out into the bitter cold air, they somehow didn't feel cold at all. May this story instill the spirit of CHRISTmas in you enough to pass this act along.
Dec 14 / 99 Among all the trends to be kept under observation by Bible prophecy students, one of the most important, if not the most important of the lot, is the shifting world's attitude towards Israel and the Jews in general, in whatever country they may reside. Recent statistics reveal that there is an increasing malevolent trend towards the Jews in just about any country in the world. Attacks to Jewish cemeteries with the overturning of tomb's memorials, the spraying of svastikas over synagogues and other Jewish points of reference, the resentful and antisemitic letters-to-the-editor sent to various newspapers and other media, physical attacks, bombs and assorted violent acts ... these should make anybody wander what's coming next. Too bad that the Jews don't seem to understand or want to. One would think that, with a past history as theirs, the Jews would be alert in spotting these signals, but with some minor exception, they seem oblivious to the changing attitude of public opinion. Not that public opinion has ever been too well-disposed towards them, but it must be said that after HItler's holocaust, a semblance of piety had replaced the flint-faced attitude of most governments and people. Alas, that did not last too long. Israel and the Jews remain the top favourite scapegoats of whatever nation's troubles. They get blamed for Indonesia's financial troubles, and they get blamed for poisoning the Palestinians (pretty smart, anyways, since their poison does not work on the Jews living in the same territories as the Palestinians). The get blamed for being the foremost ruthless exponents of capitalism, and for financing the Communist Revolution. They are made responsible for everything and its opposite. Obviously, this cannot be true, even by stretching reality from here to the moon. While it is without doubt that the Jews are an influencial people in rapport to their smallish number, it is totally stupid to believe that they pull the strings of the world. If it were so, they would not have so much opposition as they do today, and this should be self-evident. Let's face it, (most) Jews do not make it easy to like them or even to approach them. It could be the ingrained survival reflex they inherit from their DNA, but their aloofness plays against them. What really bothers me, though, is the total lack of sensibility that the Jews demonstrate in discerning who their REAL friends and enemies are. It goes without saying that the only group of people who backs Israel and the Jews regularly and consistently are the Evangelical Christians, who have a special love for Israel and Her people because of the Word of God. So, it is particularly damning to see the Jewish community arise against the Baptist Church, guilty of having published a tract deemed offensive for targeting them to evangelization. Or that Jewish religious leaders campaign violently against the Messianic movement that (thanks to God) has been making incredible inroads within their community. Sure, they feel threatened, but that is not an excuse for not discerning who your friends are, and it's not fair at all. Instead, they crave continuously the approval of their enemies. Truly, when one is blind, he is TRULY blind, as the Bible puts it. And Her enemies are up to the game. Case in point, the Vatican. That the Catholic Church has been anti-semitic through most of its existence is a matter of fact and history, and something that the present Pope has confessed a number of times, thereby drawing the muted applause from many a Jewish personality, who should know better. It is not some sort of late I-am-sorry's that defines a matter, and I am not delving into the sincerity of a particular excusant. The fact is that the Catholic Church remains an enemy of Israel, and possibly the most formidable one. Muslim fundamentalists like the Hamas and the Hizbullahs take a distant second seat to the patient, behind the scenes, skillful cat-and-mouse game that the Catholic Church is engaged in. And let me restate here that I am not including the Catholic individual believers into this, who, to a majority extent, know not what their Vatican leaders are up to. In these last few weeks, there has been a heated debate whether former Pope Pius XII should be named "saint" by the Catholic Church. As a matter of fact, the acts regarding this procedure have already been set into motion. To become a "saint" in the Catholic Church is quite a lenghty and laborious process which can go on for years. Thank God that with Him things are not so complicated and much much quicker. But we are digressing. It has long been claimed that Pope Pius did not do enough to stop the slaughter of the Jews, even knowing what was happening. Catholic apologists replies vary: some say that the Pope did not know at all, as none of the big powers did know the real extent of the holocaust. This has been proved false, since it was clear from a very early stage that something extraordinarily terrible was going on. Others try to justify Pope Pius saying that his involvement would have been disastrous to the Christian (Catholic) church, since a crazed person like Hitler, would have not stopped at attacking both the Catholics and the Vatican itself. Napoleon had done it before, so maintaining a low profile helped save the day for a lot of other people. While I may see the logic of this position, I do not see the morality of it. Pope Pius should have taken example from the Lord he claimed to represent. But we are digressing again. Well, wouldn't you know, but right into this debate pops up a letter, written by Pope Pius to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and concerning the Jews. Ah, the timing of Providence! PIUS XII'S 1943 LETTER AGAINST JEWISH STATEHOOD REVEALED So it turns that Pope Pius (a misnomer, at best) knew fully well what was going on. But this is certainly no surprise to some, who know about Rome's penchant on secular power and authority, lost at a visible level, but never relinquished in fact. I will not bother you with the proven facts that the Vatican helped many fleeing Nazis to hide (in Catholic convents) from justice and to flee to several South American countries providing them with forged passports and finances. These are FACTS, about which much research has been done by competent people and for which there exist ample documentation. So, going back to our opening question, it is evident that the Jews STILL are not understanding who their friends or their enemies are, and consequently, they will be once again totally unprepared for their upcoming future.
Dec 7 / 99 A few weeks ago we posted a story which was sent to us by a visitor to our site. We were unable to check on the sources, and since we wanted to share it, we posted it anonymously. Now it happens that this story has been going around quite a bit and someone wrote us to inform us about its author. So, we are reposting it, with the correct title and with the authorship credits, while at the same time removing from our site the previous version. THE ROOMIn that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endlessly in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read "People I Have Liked". I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching. A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I Have Betrayed". The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. "Books I Have Read", "Lies I Have Told", "Comfort I Have Given", "Jokes I Have Laughed At". Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I have Yelled at My Brothers." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in My Anger", "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents". I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had taken the time in my years to write each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature. When I pulled out the file marked "Songs I Have Listened To", I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file represented. When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts", I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: "No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!" In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards! But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when tried to tear it. Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel With". The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand. And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that the hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwheming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears... I saw Him. No! Please not Him! Not here! Oh, anyone but Jesus! I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me. Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card. "No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him. His Name shouldn't be on these cards! But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood. He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished." I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written. Written by Joshua Harris 1995
Nov 30 / 99
CANADA TAKES THE "IF YOU CAN'T BEAT EM..." APPROACH TO MORALITYby assistant editor Roger Schneider ?For many people around the world, thoughts of Canada conjure up images of beautiful scenery, vast wilderness, red-coated Mounties and ice hockey. Thoughts of social issues such as moral, ethical and legal decay are usually reserved for her neighbor to the south-the U.S.A. Canada though, has never been immune to, or innocent in such matters. Canadians love to blame the American mass media and entertainment industry for polluting Canadian culture, but the fact is, they couldn't sell it if nobody wanted to buy it. Nations, as with individuals, must bear their own responsibility in resisting the temptuious influences of others. God warned the Israelites repeatedly of the dangers in taking a laxed approach to foreign relations, and both biblical and secular history is littered with examples of the consequences. ?Sexual immorality has been the downfall of many an empire, both great and small. In the past, the Canadian media, particularly the state owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), ever fearful of American influence and lacking the resources to produce enough "quality" programming to fill their broadcast schedules, imported lots of European programming. While European producers do not delve into violence on the same scale as the Americans, they are far more liberal when it comes to sex and the portrayal of homosexuality, pedophilia and other sexual fetishes's. ?In no way do I intend to imply that the immorality of an entire society can be blamed on one cause, but it is obvious that the facilitators which have the greatest reach, such as the media, must be placed at the top of the list. Now it appears conservative Canadians are paying for their tolerance of the libertarian threat. Two landmark court cases in 1999 have set in motion the proverbial wrecking ball, which seeks to thrash the moral fabric of the nation. WOE TO YOU, BLIND GUIDES ?The first case involves possession of child pornography. ? B.C. COURT CHILD PORN RULING UNDER FIRE VANCOUVER - The government in British Columbia is facing heavy pressure over a controversial ruling on child pornography. On Friday, a justice of the British Columbia Supreme Court struck down several sections of the Criminal Code covering child pornography. Groups working with victims of child pornography are outraged. John Sharpe was charged after police raided his home, in Surrey, in 1995. They seized CDs, pictures and writings about child pornography. Sharpe defended himself in the case. He argued the sections of the code dealing with the possession of pornography violate his rights of privacy and freedom. Justice Duncan Shaw agreed. He ruled that possessing child pornography for private use and not for distribution was constitutional. Shaw said the charges represented a threat to privacy and freedom of expression. The ruling is not binding in other cases until it has been upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada. However, it may be considered by other courts hearing similar cases. B.C. Attorney General Ujjal Dosanjh says his province has not decided yet whether to appeal the court ruling. Dosanjh says his office will wait and makes its decision sometime next week. ?This case is currently being appealed and while it is a no brain-er that it should be overturned, it is not that easy to do. The problem is that this law is contradictory to many other laws, which will have to be changed or exempted. Probably the most unnerving of these is the age of consent. In Canada, the age of consentual sex is 14, however, the legal age for participation in sex for pornographic purposes is 18. John Sharpe also argued that it makes no sense that he can legally have sex with a 14 year old girl, but taking pictures of her nude body is a crime. Morally, his argument is despicable - legally, he makes a valid point. ?So what does this have to do with the End Times? In Matthew 24:12 we find Jesus telling us that "the love of most will grow cold" because of the increase of wickedness in the last days. 2 Timothy 3 begins with this warning of the ill state of morality in which the world now finds itself: 1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- (NIV) ?This portion of scripture clearly and perhaps understatedly describes many of today's youth. Juvenile crime is rising at an alarming rate, and the rash of school shootings in the United States and Canada over the last several years are a mere warm up compared to the treachery which is yet to come. Children of this generation are out of control, filled with hate and quick to anger. Is it any wonder why? The family unit has disintegrated, we've passed responsibility for raising our kids over to the education system and government. We no longer make time for them, or give them godly instruction, and the result is ungodly conduct. This court case evidently proves that we are even losing interest in protecting our children from the derelicts of society. Although they may not understand the how's and why's, children know when they're getting a raw deal, and their rebellion is a natural response to a supernatural problem. ?Even more alarming than the B.C. court's decision, is one prominent lobbyist group's solution to the problem: OTTAWA ASKED TO DECRIMINALIZE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY EDMONTON - A group pressing for a change in the child pornography law, presented its recommendations to the federal justice minister Tuesday. The Civil Liberties Association wants obscenity and child pornography decriminalized. Members met with Anne McLellan at her office in Edmonton. The organization claims the current laws are creating too much controversy and need to be changed. Director Alan Borovoy says Canada's child porn laws deny artists their right to freedom of expression. Borovoy stresses he's not a supporter of any materials that involve abusing children. McLellan listened to his point of view, but her response was disappointing, Borovoy told CBC News. The justice minister refuses to act until the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled on the case. The law was recently overturned by a B.C. court. ?I will not even dignify the wishes of the Civil Liberties Association with a response. THE GAY PLAGUE ?The second landmark case was a ruling on an issue that has sparked heated debate and controversy worldwide for years, that being gay rights, and more specifically, gay marriages/partnerships: ? SUPREME COURT RULING REDEFINES FAMILY OTTAWA - A ground-breaking ruling handed down by the Supreme Court of Canada has radically altered the way family is defined in Canada -- "spouse" now includes same-sex partners. The Supreme Court's decision to strike down a key section of Ontario's family law on the grounds that it is unconstitutional is seen as a major victory for gays and lesbians. The Court gave Ontario six months to amend it's laws, recognizing same sex couples. Canada's top court was asked to review the definition of "spouse" in terms of whether support payments could apply to same sex couples. The ruling centered on a case involving the breakup of two Toronto women. A woman to whom the court refers as "M" wanted her lesbian partner to pay her support after their 12-year relationship ended in 1989. Ontario family law defines a spouse as someone of the opposite sex. McMillan Binch, the law firm which represents "M" called the 8-1 majority ruling "historic." It could force Ontario to rewrite hundreds of laws governing family relationships. Moreover, it could force governments across Canada to rewrite laws that recognize only heterosexual relationships. Before the ruling Toronto lawyer Martha McCarthy, who represents "M" in court documents said: "At stake is whether the doors of the family law courts should be open to gays and lesbians as they are for other unmarried couples." The lower courts have all agreed with McCarthy's argument that drawing a distinction based on sexual orientation offends the equality guarantees of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Ontario government's argument was that the original legislation was designed to protect only those in heterosexual relationships. Ontario is not alone in its stand. So far, only British Columbia has rewritten its laws to ensure all couples, regardless of sexual orientation, are treated the same. Judging by statements made by the justice minister, Ottawa seems ready for a ruling that extends the rights of homosexuals. Said Anne McLellan: "Obviously, the overwhelming majority of Canadians want to ensure that people are not unfairly discriminated against." A tide of change could begin with the court's decision. ?A tide of change indeed! Legal recognition of homosexual equality will have huge implications for the church and other family traditionalists. Such legislation leaves anyone who teaches that homosexuality is wrong, liable to charges of promoting hatred. Christians may have a defensive leg to stand on, in that Jesus teaches us to "love the sinner, hate the sin", but will the courts care? The preamble of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms "recognizes the supremacy of God". But who's god? To say only the god of the Bible would be a violation of a nonbeliever's freedom of religion. In any case, the church can expect an uneasy existence from now until the Lord's return. ?Another way in which widespread acceptance of homosexuality falls in line with Bible prophecy, is in the little understood probability that Antichrist himself will likely be a homosexual: Daniel 11:37 (KJV) 37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. ?Some Bible translations do not convey this point in their wording of this verse quite as clearly as the King James Version does, but due to it's longevity, I personally trust the KJV more than any other English translation. I urge people to consider the disclaimers on this site which state that, "only God has complete and perfect knowledge", and not take this point dogmatically. Still, it deserves prayerful consideration and does make sense, since Antichrist will be everything which God despises, and He despises homosexuality. ?It is also very interesting to find that Antichrist will not "regard the God of his fathers". Does this mean that he'll be a Jew by lineage? Raised in a Christian home? Or both? (child of Messianic Jews) If any of these scenarios are true, then it should come as a shock to no one. Antichrist is to be Satan's counterfeit messiah, and in order to produce a passable copy, one requires vast knowledge of the original. Antichrist will not become so by accident, he will know the truth just as Satan does, but like Satan, he'll reject it.
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Have a Joyous and Peace-filled season