The following articles are compiled by:

Leo Wong

Leo@WatchmenWatching.com

 

 

 

 

Mideast allies and enemies jockey for position

Source: www.winnipegfreepress.com

 

August 8, 2007 -- The importance of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's meeting Monday with the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, is not because of its results, which were meagre; rather it lies in the American effort to consolidate a strong anti-Iranian front in the Arab world and in the Persian Gulf.

 

The parameters of the Olmert-Abbas meeting were known even before it was held. Both have agreed to draft a "declaration of principles" in advance of the proposed international conference in Washington, which has now been delayed until mid-November. They also agreed that such a declaration should deal with the "core issues" of final borders, Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees.

 

Their agreement, however, ends there. Olmert wants a vague declaration with no binding dates for execution. Abbas wants a detailed agreement in principle on final borders, Jerusalem and refugees. The implementation could take longer, but the principles should be agreed upon before the conference is convened. Thus, despite the excellent optics, there were no concrete and immediate results.

 

All these developments make it extremely difficult to predict the outcome of the future international peace conference proposed by Rice and supported in different degrees by the various moderate pro-western Arab countries. Whether tactically or genuinely, Egypt and Saudi Arabia want the conference to include Syria and Lebanon.

 

The two countries maintain that both Syria and Lebanon have accepted the 2002 Saudi peace plan that calls for total Israeli withdrawal in return for "normal relations" with all the 22 Arab countries.

 

Can Israel deal simultaneously with the Palestinian issue and a possible withdrawal from the Golan Heights? Despite the nine-month constitutional crisis in Lebanon, Prime Minister Siniora wants his country to be included in the Washington conference next November. Could he do that, even if a new Lebanese president is not elected in September and in spite of Hezbollah's opposition and Syrian subversion?

 

No less doubtful is the Palestinian representation. Mahmoud Abbas said that he will call "very soon" for new parliamentary elections in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Hamas is in full control in Gaza and its strength in the West Bank is unknown. Could Abbas ignore Hamas, when even Saudi Arabia calls for Palestinian reconciliation according to the Mecca Accord?

 

Comments:  It was due to the looming Iranian threat that the Arab League of nations bandied together to appeal to Israel to make a comprehensive peace soon.  They want Israel’s protection ala nukes if needed.  The Iranians (and their nuke technology supplier Russia) unwittingly did what Islam vowed never to do, i.e. forge peace with “infidel” Israel.  But, students of the Koran know that it isn’t peace that Islam’s Arabs are really after.  It’s a temporary truce until such time Islam feels it can destroy the Jewish state.  But, Israel’s blind leaders and the American White House tall foreheads keep hearing and reading the word “peace” and accept the Webster’s dictionary’s definition as gospel truth.

 

The Saudis and their lackeys sure would like the Golan Heights returned to Syria and the Lebanese situation resolved at the same November 2007 peace conference.  It’s OK to have a Palestinian state established, but “comprehensive” peace means all of the Arab League’s concerns must be dealt with by Israel to the Arabs’ satisfaction.  That’s a yeoman’s task of immense proportions for sure. Call me a pessimist if you wish, but I don’t see any big deals coming out of this Fall’s conference, but a declaration of war against Israel.

 

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Proposed land swap sparks furor: Shimon Peres makes offer as part of peace process

Source: www.winnipegfreepress.com

 

August 8, 2007 -- As part of the Middle East peace process that is being revived with a strong push from the Bush White House, Israeli President Shimon Peres has proposed a land swap in which the Jewish state would keep about five per cent of the West Bank and the Palestinians would get the same amount of land in Israel.

 

Peres's plan, which was floated in a lead article by the Haaretz newspaper on Tuesday, sparked an immediate furor, as does almost any mention of who might get what land, one of the most sensitive issues that has prevented Israelis and Palestinians from agreeing to a two-state solution.

 

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office issued a statement vehemently denying it had received such suggestions. Peres's office said such a proposal had been made, Haaretz said, but quarrelled with a suggestion by the newspaper that some land belonging to so-called Arab-Israelis might be included in the exchange if those owning it approved.

 

It would not be the first time Israel has put a land swap on the table that would see it give up some of its West Bank settlements while keeping others in three distinct blocs near Jerusalem.

 

The question of who gets what land will be one of the most difficult subjects, if it is discussed at a U.S.-sponsored Middle East peace summit in the fall.

 

The other controversial subjects are the future of Jerusalem, which both sides claim as their capital, and whether Palestinian refugees who left what became Israel in 1948 should be allowed to return.

 

Comments:  Jeremiah 4:[22] For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.  Swapping land that rightfully belongs to Israel for other tracts of real estate within Israel?  Has Shimon Peres lost the remaining marbles inside his head?   This dude has dementia due to his advance years and decades of raising peace doves as a hobby.  Yes, he’s the president of Israel and yes, PM Ehud Olmert views this crusty curmudgeon as a trusted advisor, but this man is leading Israel into a possible civil war.  There is no way Israeli Jews living in the West Bank are going to allow their properties to be seized and bulldozed in favour of some Palestinians without putting up a fight.  After all, this isn’t a Habitat for Humanity project in some rundown West Bank neighbourhood replete with crack dealers, pimps and prostitutes.  These are well kept Jewish settlers’ homes in Judea and Samaria.  They shouldn’t be forced to relocate to some undesirable tract of land not to their own choosing.

 

Shimon Peres is leading Israel down the garden path of thorn grown bushes.  He’s bent and determined to make peace with Israel’s ravenous enemies no matter what the cost.  He’s had a long but arguably successful career as a consummate political big wig.  At the sunset of his life, he would like nothing better than to win another Nobel Peace Prize.  Such self-centeredness and obscured tunnel vision will lead Israel into a false peace brokered by the Antichrist, Israel greatest persecutor since Adolph Hitler.

 

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Most Americans not concerned about their spiritual condition

Source: www.churchexecutive.com 

 

August 7, 2007 -- Most Americans value their faith and regularly engage in faith practices, surprisingly few say they have specific challenges related to the development of their faith. A national survey of Christian parents commissioned by Good News Holdings and conducted by The Barna Group discovered that four out of every ten Christian parents of children between the ages of 3 and 18 said they do not face any spiritual challenges in their life. Among those who identified the presence of any spiritual challenges, the most common issues related to the spiritual development of their children.

 

When asked to identify their biggest personal challenges related to faith or spirituality, the most common response related to raising moral children or youngsters with a strong faith. In total, one out of every seven parents (14%) who identified themselves as Christian listed this as their spiritual challenge.

 

Comments:  Revelation 3:14] And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; [15] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. [16] So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. [17] Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.  We’re indeed living in the Laodicean church timeframe of the Church Age.  Neither hot nor cold, but lukewarmness toward the Lord Jesus Christ defines the sad state of Christendom.  They have a name but deny the power thereof.  Living in comfort and not experiencing the roaring lion persecution of the Devil like fellow believers in China, Afghanistan and elsewhere,  American Christians are being lulled into a state of complacency, fatness of the land, and apathy.  Not witnessing to the lost and perishing and just fixated on nurturing their careers, they’re into tearing down old barns and erecting newer and bigger barns because they plan on staying here for a long time.  Their kids are also fine even though if they only knew what kind of mischief they’re planning on doing with their young friends.  Hey, they haven’t killed anyone and besides, what Christian kids do you know are following Jesus 100%?  Christian children mirror their parents’ faith.  If the parents are lackadaisical about their faith, can their offsprings fare any better?  If you’re not facing spiritual challenges, then you’re not being targeted by the Devil who simply leaves you alone because you are not storming the gates of Hell trying to liberate the Devil’s shackled slaves.  Just blend in with the world which will burned up eventually.

 

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World Council of Churches and the Vatican move towards common code of conduct on winning converts 

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

 

August 7, 2007 -- Christian churches are moving closer to a common code of conduct on how they go about winning converts among themselves and from other religions, the World Council of Churches (WCC) said on Monday.

 

The Geneva-based WCC, working with the Vatican on the issue, said a meeting in Toulouse later this week should bring the year-long process of agreeing a conversion rule-book nearer to completion by its target date of 2009.

 

"Evangelical and Pentecostal representatives will be taking part in the dialogue for the first time, and we see this as a good sign for the eventual success of this project," said WCC spokesman Juan Michel.

 

The two strongly proselytizing sects, which have made heavy inroads into membership of other Christian groupings especially in Latin America, Africa and Asia, stood aloof when the effort was launched at a meeting near Rome in May last year.

 

But this time senior figures from both -- German-based philosopher Thomas Schirrmacher of a group called WEA and Bishop Tony Richie of the Church of God in the United States -- will attend, although in their personal rather than institutional capacity.

 

The first meeting was attended -- alongside the Christians -- by representatives of the Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish and Yoruba faiths. They issued a joint statement saying freedom of religion was "a non-negotiable right of every human being."

 

The Toulouse gathering, from August 8 to 12 at the city's Catholic Institute, will bring together some 30 Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and other theologians and church representatives, said the WCC.

 

"Conversion is a controversial issue not only in inter-religious relations, but in intra-Christian relations as well," said Hans Ucko, the WCC's main official for dialogue between faiths.

 

"In Latin America, it is a source of tension between the Roman Catholic Church and the Pentecostal movement, while in other regions Orthodox churches often feel 'targeted' by some Protestant missionary groups," added Ucko.

 

WCC officials say the code should help ease relations with other faiths, especially with Islamic leaders who regard individual Muslims who convert as apostates. In some countries, these face the death penalty if they do not recant.

 

Comments:  When the Lord Jesus commanded His disciples to go out into all the world and preach the Gospel and make disciples of them, he didn’t convene a prior meeting with believers and “professors” to agree on a common code on winning converts.  No, He only cared that people would confess their sins to God, place their faith in Jesus as their Saviour and then obey His Holy Words to live a life that’s pleasing to Him.  There were no Christian denominations way back then and Islam didn’t exist yet.  As for the pagans and heathens surrounding the Holy Land, they were to preach the sole Gospel of God to them.

 

Today, the WCC (the Satanic organization that portrays itself as Christian yet makes no mention of God, Jesus and the Bible on its website) and the equally unholy Vatican want real Christians to stop winning converts to Jesus Christ.  People who see the Roman Catholic Church and the WCC for what they are will leave in droves to Protestant denominations that are on fire for the Lord and are feeding God’s little flock with the milk of the Word.  Denominations mean nothing to God and to true believers in Jesus Christ.  The WCC’s effort will set stringent guidelines for Christendom’s professing believers to follow when they encounter other faiths and religions.  They are to be very tolerant of others and not shove their messages down people’s throats.  There’s commonality in diversity.  Muslims and Hindus need not fear Catholics and liberal Protestants.  The message will be according to Oprah Winfrey:  All faiths and religions eventually lead to Heaven.

 

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Keep watching (Matt 24:42)!

 

Until next time,

Shalom!

 

 

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