Open Europe press summary: 3 December 2009

Europe
UK Government accused of caving in over proposals for single European financial regulator
EU finance ministers yesterday agreed to proposals for three new EU authorities with binding powers over national regulators to supervise the bloc's financial markets, amid growing fears that the new EU regulators will move key powers away from national supervisors and impinge on national fiscal sovereignty.
Several papers report that the UK Government gave in on some of the most controversial aspects of the proposal, including reversing the 'burden of proof' to justify actions in inevitable disputes over national sovereignty. Despite British objections, finance ministers agreed that in the event of a challenge over a decision made by the EU authorities, the complaining country must first get the support of a majority of Europe's 27 governments in order to block the EU's ruling, the Telegraph reports. The paper quotes an EU official saying, "The real concession is that burden of proof will rest with Britain, or the complainant country. It has to get a majority against the supervisor. It will not be a question of the supervisor having to get a majority to support it in a dispute with a national government. This tips the balance."
Qualified majority voting or simple majority voting will also apply along the decision-making chain, except following an appeal in cases where an 'emergency' has been called. However, this mechanism is only invoked when a crisis has been declared, meaning that in normal circumstances the European regulator can overrule national regulators. The existence of an emergency or a crisis will be decided by EU ministers through simple majority.
The Mail and This is Money quote Open Europe's Mats Persson saying, "The UK has lost out badly in the negotiations. The key thing is the UK can be outvoted at any time." Mark Hoban, the Conservatives' Shadow Treasury Minister is quoted in the Telegraph saying "Does the Government have a veto over any decisions made by the ESA [the new EU authorities] in an emergency that have a fiscal impact on Britain, or do they have to make an appeal against these decisions? This is another example of the Government failing to stick to its red lines." A lawyer at CMS Cameron McKenna is quoted in the FT saying, "We should not agree to more Europe until there is a fundamental change in the way regulatory policy is made and deployed in the EU."
Alistair Darling insisted that he had secured "safeguards" ensuring that Britain would be able to appeal measures that it regarded as "impinging on the fiscal responsibilities of member states." The French press quotes French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde saying, "It's been a laborious process, but I think that today Europe has made real progress in banking and finance matters... We are in the process of creating a real European supervisor." The proposal will now be considered by the European Parliament, which has to agree before the proposal can become law. Criticising yesterday's decision, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe leader Guy Verhofstadt MEP accused the Council of "trying to impose its own views and its own agenda" and said the proposal didn't go far enough, according to Euractiv.
Meanwhile, the 'war on words' between France and the City of London continues, following Sarkozy's comments last week that the British were "the big losers" in the new European Commission given the appointment of Michel Barnier as Internal Market Commissioner. Angela Knight, the Chief Executive of the British Bankers Association said yesterday that "Monsieur Sarkozy must surely recognise that he has undermined the EU with his statements and put a question mark over the impartiality of his nominated commissioner that will not be easily dispelled." An article in Le Figaro notes that Sarkozy's comments may have undermined Barnier's position, by casting doubt on the impartiality of his appointment. The Mail reports that Nicolas Sarkozy has cancelled a meeting with Gordon Brown, originally planned for tomorrow, while the FT says the meeting will go ahead.
Le Figaro Independent: O'Grady Independent International Herald Tribune Mail 2 Times Mail: Leader Mail: Oborne Guardian: Elliott Times: Letters Conservative Home: Lea Times: Fraser Economist: Charlemagne's notebook Euobserver BBC EurActiv European Voice Telegraph Telegraph-Warner Telegraph-Reece This is Money Europaportalen FT FT2 Guardian

EU social laws will cost £71 billion over next decade
The Mail reports on Open Europe's recent briefing which showed that EU social laws, including health and safety rules, will cost the UK economy £71 billion over the next ten years, even in the unlikely scenario that the EU will not introduce any extra social legislation over that time period. The cost comes on top of the estimated £37 billion cost of European social legislation over the previous ten years - representing 25% of the total cost of regulation in the UK over that time period.
The article notes that earlier this week Conservative leader David Cameron pledged to cure the 'national neurosis' caused by Labour's expansion of health and safety rules, and quotes Open Europe saying, "David Cameron is absolutely right to push for a more common sense approach to social and health and safety laws. However, any meaningful effort to tackle overly prescriptive rules must focus overwhelmingly at the EU level for the simple reason that a clear majority of our laws in this area now stem from Brussels, and without any change the cost of these laws will continue to go up. In addition to renegotiating existing EU rules which are deemed unnecessary, a Conservative government must also commit to stemming the steady flow of new regulations coming from Brussels every year which impose unnecessary burdens on frontline public sector workers and businesses."
Mail Open Europe research

EU outlines police exchange scheme to create "common culture" of policing
The BBC reports that the EU is planning "student-style exchanges" for European police and judges as part of its new five year justice and home affairs blueprint, known as the Stockholm Programme. EU leaders are expected to approve the Stockholm Programme at a summit in Brussels next week. The funding arrangements and other details are yet to be worked out.
In its policy brief on the Stockholm Programme, the European Commission said that the EU should aim "to train one third of European police officers and border guards in European affairs over the next five years." Meanwhile, an informal group of home affairs ministers, the so-called Future Group, whose recommendations laid the foundations for the Stockholm Programme, said the EU should create a "common culture" of policing.
BBC Open Europe press release Open Europe research

Ashton: EU Foreign Minister role is "brand new...I inherited a blank piece of paper";
Lord Mandelson reveals that he would have liked to be EU Foreign Minister
The EU's newly appointed Foreign Minister, Baroness Catherine Ashton, appeared before the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee yesterday for a question and answer session, before her official confirmation hearing in January. EUobserver reports that Lady Ashton often avoided giving any clear answers on foreign policy issues like the post-war situation in Georgia or the recognition of the newly elected president in Honduras. German Liberal MEP Alexander Graf Lambsdorff commented: "I do have to say we want more specific answers when you come back to us".
Lady Ashton said in her closing remarks: "This is brand new. I do not have an office, I do not have a Cabinet, I do not have a team. I inherited a blank piece of paper and at the moment I have written one or two small things on it." This is despite saying in the House of Lords, when she was responsible for guiding Lisbon through the House, that, "The proposal is that we have a high representative who becomes the vice-president of the Commission with very specific functions. That is a defined role within the treaty which is vested in one person."
Ashton added: "My office base will be in the Commission building. For two simple reasons: I know where the coffee is, and I know how that building functions, so I don't have to think about the logistics of that."
The Irish Times quotes her saying: "I won't pretend that I've got considered detailed views on everything because it was only last Thursday I discovered I was going to be doing this job and it's a day and a half in."
EurActiv reports that, when asked to comment by Lithuanian MEP Vytautas Landsbergis on the Nord Stream gas pipeline projected, Ashton left the impression that she was unaware of the fact that the pipeline was considered a pan-European project under the EU's 'Trans-European Networks' energy guidelines. Her performance caused an MEP from the Socialist grouping, Hannes Swoboda, to intervene and set the record straight.
A leader in Sueddeutsche Zeitung argues: "Ashton is still too weak to bolster EU foreign policy and to protect the EU external action service from going in the wrong direction."
Meanwhile, speaking to the BBC Today programme, Lord Mandelson revealed that he did want to become the EU's first Foreign Minister: "in other circumstances I would have liked to have done that job". He added that "it combines my interests in Europe and foreign affairs". He denied that President Sarkozy had blocked him from the job, adding: "Nobody blocked me, I'm afraid we didn't get to that happy stage."
EUobserver EurActiv International Herald Tribune Telegraph Guardian EP press release Irish Times FT Mail Times BBC Guardian Today programme OE blog


Javier Solana: EU External Action Service will have military as well as civilian personnel
In an interview with Le Monde, outgoing High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Javier Solana, defends the appointment of Herman Van Rompuy and Catherine Ashton. Asked whether the new EU External Action Service, which he has previously described as "the world's biggest diplomatic service", will be complicated by rivalries between the Commission, the Parliament and the member states, Solana replies: "The service will be a new institution situated between the Commission and the Council. It will be made up of civil and military personnel." Asked about the priorities of the service, he says it will be interested first and foremost in neighbouring regions, in the Mediterranean, the East and Russia. However he adds: "It must also have in mind global action. We are not only an economic or trade organisation. I want, I hope, to put forward a political will to play a role in international affairs."
Asked if there is a growing gap between Europe and America over Afghanistan, Solana says: "I don't think that one can talk of a big gap with the United Sates: there are 30,000 Europeans deployed over there under the NATO umbrella. It is unfair to say that Europe's involvement is too modest."
Le Monde

Barnier pledges to interfere in EU Agriculture Commissioner's job
Euractiv reports that French Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier has said he will keep a close watch on the work of his colleagues in the European Commission, citing in particular the new Agriculture Commissioner, Romania's Dacian Cioloş. Barnier said: "He will be independent but I will give him my opinion," insisting on the need to "preserve farm regulations because feeding people is not a service like any other". The appointment of Dacian Cioloş, a Romanian who has claimed France is his "adoptive country," is seen as a victory for Paris, which supported his nomination.
Euractiv

French PM tries to designate 2 MPs to become 'ghost' MEPs
On his blog, Jean Quatremer reports that French Prime Minister François Fillon has asked the leader of the National Assembly to choose one MP from the ruling UMP party and one from the opposition Socialists to become MEPs, given that the Lisbon Treaty increases the number of French MEPs from 72 to 74. Quatremer notes that "the public authorities 'forgot' to alert voters" to the fact that under Lisbon they would get two extra MEPs when they went to the polls for the European Parliament elections in June. He says that, unlike the majority of other countries, France did not work out a method for determining which French regions would benefit from the extra 2 MEPs, hence the decision to pluck two deputies from the National Assembly.
Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Deputy Leader of the Green group in the European Parliament, has attacked the decision as a "stitch-up" between the UMP and the Socialist Party, while British Lib Dem MEP Andrew Duff has said that the move is against the 1976 rules on the election of MEPs, which rule out designating MEPs from national parliaments. EurActiv reports that French Green MEP Sandrine Bélier criticised the plan saying, "It is a democratic aberration...How will these new MEPs be chosen? For their merit or because they are useless at the National Assembly?"
The Coulisses de Bruxelles blog notes that, because Germany stands to lose 3 MEPs under the Lisbon arrangements, and since it is difficult to 'deselect' MEPs that have already been elected, Germany will keep all its MEPs until June 2014, meaning the total number of MEPs will be 754 instead of the 751 envisaged by the Lisbon Treaty. Quatremer notes that, just to complicate things further, the decision to have more MEPs than envisaged by Lisbon requires a change to treaties and therefore must be ratified by all 27 member state parliaments. In December, EU leaders decided to add an ad hoc annex to the next accession Treaty, which will say that the new MPs cannot sit until 2012. In the meantime, the 'ghost' MEPs will have 'observer' status but will not be able to vote.
Meanwhile, EurActiv reports that the additional 'ghost' MEP for the UK has still not been decided, but sources indicate that the extra seat will go to the West Midlands region, meaning Conservative candidate Anthea McIntyre would be appointed. However, EP sources indicated yesterday that a row could still break out, because Scotland and London are seeking an exception to the existing rules so that their region would receive the new MEP.
Coulisses de Bruxelles EurActiv

Conservatives see donations surge from the City as concern grows over EU financial regulation
The FT reports that the Conservatives claim that the party has received a boost in donations following the Government's poor response to the slew of proposals for more regulation and supervision coming out of Brussels, which has been reinforced by the poor handling of the European Commission appointments. "There may have been from time to time issues [of Conservative policy] that some people felt uncomfortable about ... but the City is so appalled by the government now that they just want these people out," said Richard Spring, a Conservative MP, according to the FT.
FT

New report: EU's biofuels policy "borders on economic madness"
PA reports that a new report from the European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE) has found that the EU is subsidising the biofuels industry to the tune of €4bn. The report's author Fredrik Erixon said, "Europe's biofuels policy borders to economic madness. It is costly and protectionist. It is designed to support European farmers rather than to shift Europe's energy consumption away from fossil fuels".
ECIPE report Open Europe research

Tim Montgomerie: Cameron's rating fell after he announced his new Europe policy
A survey of UK voters for Politics Home shows that David Cameron's approval rating fell from +36 on 18 September to +21 on 27 November. On Conservative Home, Tim Montgomerie notes that the fall in Cameron's rating coincided with his announcement that a Conservative government would not hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
Conservative Home: Montgomerie Politics Home

Swedish unions ordered to pay damages after blockade against foreign EU workers
Swedish unions have been ordered to pay around €55,000 in damages to Latvian construction company Laval, a Swedish court has ruled, following a decision two years ago by the ECJ that the Swedish unions were breaking EU law when they engaged in a blockade against the Latvian firm which was refurbishing a school outside Stockholm, Sweden. The Swedish unions claimed that Laval undercut local wages, but the ECJ ruled that the unions' demands were arbitrary and the strike therefore illegal.
Europaportalen Open Europe research

Nato foreign ministers are meeting today in Brussels to discuss Afghanistan, amid calls for Nato allies to pledge more than 5,000 additional troops, following President Obama's commitment for 30,000 more troops next year. Several members, including France and Germany, are thought to be reluctant to do so.
EUobserver BBC Sun

The FT Deutschland has a leader with the title "Punish Greece!" arguing that "Greek governments have disregarded the EU stability pact for years and thereby endanger Monetary Union. Because of that, harder punishments are now needed."
FTD: Leader FT WSJ

In an interview with LabourList former Europe Minister Caroline Flint comments: "One thing I became really aware of when I became Europe minister is that we have had a constant change of ministers in that role; what are we up to now, 12, 13? We've had two even since I resigned. I don't think that constant change is helpful."
Labour List

After a 'conciliation' agreement between the European Council and the European Parliament, the total 2010 EU budget has been set at €141.453 billion in commitments and €122.937 billion in payments.
EP press release

European Voice reports that MEPs are split along party lines over the EU's Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive, with the Socialists and Greens pushing for tougher amendments and the Liberal and European Conservatives and Reformists groups saying they want to scale back some of the proposals in the report prepared by the EPs rapporteur Jean-Paul Gauzès.
European Voice Open Europe research

FT Deutschland reports that both Italy and France have expressed reservations about the reappointment of Luxembourg's PM Jean-Claude Juncker as Head of the Eurogroup.
Eurointelligence

EU import duties for shoes from Vietnam and China will remain in place despite fierce protest from Lord Mandelson and British shoe retailers. The tariffs usually add an extra £1.60 to the cost of an imported pair of shoes, with annual duties costing UK retailers £330m.
Independent Times

Euractiv notes that a report from the World Health Organisation has said that the Lisbon Treaty furthers the scope for EU action in health policy, for example by introducing legally-binding legislation where it identifies safety concerns in public health.
Euractiv

EurActiv reports that business groups have 'slammed' national parliaments for their failure to fully implement the EU's Small Business Act. They argued that the EU institutions must put more pressure on member states to comply.
EurActiv

The IHT reports that yesterday the French government won €700 million of EU support for farmers suffering from sharp price drops during the economic downturn. Farmers will be able to claim up to €15,000 each.
No link

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Open Europe is an independent think tank campaigning for radical reform of the EU. For information on our research, events and other activities, please visit our website: openeurope.org.uk or call us on 0207 197 2333.

Herbert Armstrong was not a false prophet!

DEUTERONOMY 18:20-22 DOES NOT MAKE MR ARMSTRONG A FALSE PROPHET!

Many in God’s church misunderstand Deuteronomy 18:15-19 and some misapply God’s warning to false prophets of verses 20-22, to accuse Mr Herbert W Armstrong of being a false prophet.

Immediately after God had given the Ten Commandments, the people rejected God with, “And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we

die.” (Exod 20:19).


In Deuteronomy 18:15-19 Moses reminded Israel of God’s reaction to that rejection with, “15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God …” Moses continued, “17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”


Moses then gave God’s warning to false prophets, “20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. 21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? 22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing
follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”

[I didn't post the part of his article that doesn't pertain to proving how Mr. Armstrong is not a false prophet, as it could be a distraction - DBA]...

Let us now concentrate on the warning God gave through Moses to false prophets presuming to speak in God’s name (Deut. 18:20-22) and recognize this does not apply to Mr Herbert W Armstrong.

A number of men have accused Mr Armstrong of being a false prophet because he warned Greater Israel at times too enthusiastically of dangers during the dark days before and during W.W.II and
again during the Cold War.

With the benefit of hindsight we can now see that Mr Armstrong got some of his predictions wrong during such dark times but as shown next these were not prophecies spoken in the name of God.

God told Moses He would send a Prophet, whom Peter identified was Jesus. Also that God would send His message through this Prophet to Israel despite Israel having declared not wishing to listen to God. We all recall how only Mr Armstrong taught that Jesus brought the Good News or Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God. Let no one forget that only Mr Armstrong and no other in our day brought us that message.

That therefore during his long ministry only Mr Armstrong spoke truly and faithfully concerning that Good News prophecy of the Kingdom of God, which Jesus brought from God the Father (Deut 18:15-19) and of which God the Father had warned that no prophet should speak falsely (Deut 18:20-22).

Therefore when we hear men accuse Mr Armstrong of being a false prophet by misapplying Deuteronomy 18:20-22 outside the Kingdom of God context of verses 15-19, then let us recognize that these men themselves are false teachers!

I recall one minister ridiculing Mr Armstrong throughout a sermon over predictions made during the dark days of W.W.II and the Cold War and which he claimed had not come true. He then claimed based on Deuteronomy 18:20-22, that Mr Armstrong was a false prophet.

One atheist web site lists over 200 alleged false predictions published in past PT's and other RCG / WCG publications but without giving precise references that allow us to investigate those claims. The few I could verify were questionable.

Even if some of Mr Armstrong’s past predictions did not come true but which he made to warn Greater Israel, we must see that this does not make him a false prophet because these alleged failed predictions were not false prophecies about the Kingdom of God. Therefore God’s warning to false prophets in verses 20-22 does not apply to Mr Armstrong.

Had any of us been in Mr Armstrong’s shoes during the dark days of W.W.II and the Cold War, and had we known about Israel Identity, then we too may have similarly warned Greater Israel without being false prophets. Let us therefore judge righteously but temper our judgment with mercy so that we too may be judged with mercy (James 2:13).

None of God’s servants were perfect. So let us not accuse Mr Armstrong of being a false prophet as has the secular world.

The reader may also like to read my paper P12, “Fresh Evidence Denies Mr Armstrong’s Accusers!” which addresses other accusations made against Mr Armstrong.

Readers may download from http://www.rightly-dividing.net/ the papers mentioned above or request these in

writing from:

Henk Jens,
 PO Box 121,
Belmore, 2192,
NSW, Australia.

http://home.zipworld.com.au/~hwj/NoFalseProphet-Jul08.pdf

World AIDS Day?

Scarlet Letter: A Christian With AIDS
The following is a actual letter I sent to a close Christian friend in 1999, immediately after I was diagnosed with HIV. Since then the HIV has progressed on into AIDS.

Does God Heal Today?
When I was first diagnosed with the HIV virus, I read innumerable articles on it and later suffered from an information overload and depressing confusion. One article would speak in favor of taking the highly toxic HIV/AIDS medicines, and then I'd read another one that spoke against it with just as convincing of an argument.

Europe's New Crusade

Europe agrees to recognize Palestinian state


Resolution to be voted on next week calls for full division of Jerusalem, approves of unilateral Palestinian declaration of independence more»
 
************
Divide and conquer. The German-Jesuit EU will occupy Jerusalem and brutally betray and slaughter both Arabs and Jews.

Europe's New Crusade
Warning Jews
Pope's Evil Eye on Jerusalem!
Christian-Zionist Response to Shimon Peres' AIPAC speech

Herbert Armstrong: He Was Right

Herbert Armstrong: He Was Right

From the June 2005 Trumpet Print Edition »

A look back at the prescient warnings of a lesser-known spiritual leader By Mark Jenkins

From the very start of his work, when the Church was called the Radio Church of God, Herbert W. Armstrong realized in his study of the Bible that he must warn about a coming religiously dominated European superpower just before the return of Jesus Christ to Earth.

In a July 24, 1983, letter he wrote, “The very first issue of the Plain Truth magazine appeared February 1934—just 50 years ago lacking about six months. The article starting on the cover page warned of a coming sudden appearance of a resurrected ‘Holy Roman Empire’ in Europe—a union of 10 nations in Europe under one government, with one united military force. For 50 years I have been crying out to the world the Bible prophecies of this coming ‘United States of Europe’—a new united superpower perhaps more powerful than either the Soviet Union or the United States!”

That warning continued, unabated, right up to Mr. Armstrong’s death in 1986.

Knowing that the Bible prophesied a final resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire, Mr. Armstrong took special care to watch those men who were critical to the planning and formation of the European Union. In the late 1970s, he identified a man we should watch carefully: John Paul II. The appointment of a Polish pope—the first non-Italian pope in over 400 years—was like an electric jolt to the entire world, Catholic and non-Catholic alike. It was clear to Mr. Armstrong that the return of Jesus Christ was drawing near and that this pope, more than any before him, was setting the stage for the most climactic time in history and preparing the Roman Catholic Church for its role in end-time events.

From our perspective, another man deserves careful scrutiny as well: Herbert Armstrong. The prophecies we often write about—the coming together of the European superpower, the growing alliance between Russia and China, the soon-coming return of Jesus Christ—were covered by him for over 50 years before the Trumpet even existed. Our prophetic understanding is grounded in his work. His instructions to watch the pope as we lead up to the return of Jesus Christ provided an education that far excels that of any news commentator.

Today, both John Paul and Herbert Armstrong are dead, but the actions they took have prepared the way for the prophetic fulfillment of the return of Christ. By reviewing these actions—and Mr. Armstrong’s comments on Bible prophecy during that critical period—we can see exactly how right Mr. Armstrong was to watch the pope.

John Paul II

Karol Wojtyla prepared the way for Europe’s unification, east with west. Read Mr. Armstrong’s comments on this pope’s first trip to Poland, in 1979, and the eventual outcome: “Many of … Pope John Paul II’s activities point to the fact that he can be the pope that will initiate this European reunion, in a ‘United States of Europe.’ As a matter of fact, his having come from Poland, and the effect of his visit there, indicate that instead of the coming ‘resurrected’ Holy Roman Empire including such nations of Israelitish ancestry as Holland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, the 10 nations to compose it may include such nations—now Russian satellites—as Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia. The latter two are long since, to a considerable degree, independent of the Kremlin. The Soviet Union may soon experience a breakaway of some of the Balkan satellite nations. It does seem that the nations of Israelitish ancestry, in western and northwestern Europe, would likely be excluded from the coming 10-nation ‘Roman Empire’” (co-worker letter, Sept. 20, 1979).

In 2004, just as Mr. Armstrong foretold, eight former Eastern bloc countries were admitted to the European Union—including Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia. Romania and Croatia are currently in the application process. As Mr. Armstrong stated, John Paul ii precipitated the unification of Eastern Europe with its western counterpart.

The pope also started Europe down the path to religious unification. Mr. Armstrong often talked about how a united Catholic Church would drive Europe, even over the objection of its political leadership. “Bible prophecy says this European unification will be also a union of church and state (Revelation 17). Many European political leaders do not want religious domination, or even participation. But they are coming to realize they cannot be welded together into one great European supernation without the unifying power of the Catholic Church” (member and coworker letter, Nov. 22, 1982).

John Paul II made a habit of being “the first pope ever” to visit certain areas, and his reasons were no secret. He wanted to heal the breach in Europe between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox churches—a split rooted in a dispute over the infallibility of the pope that goes all the way back to the ninth century. Mr. Armstrong made reference to this dispute: “The Catholic Church is divided between the Roman Catholic Church in the west and the Greek Orthodox Church in the east. The latter has strenuously objected to supremacy of the pope and to the doctrine of papal infallibility. But on this trip we learned in Athens that the Eastern Orthodox church at last is willing to give in on papal leadership, though not yet in agreement on infallibility. I feel sure some compromise or agreement will be reached very soon” (ibid.).

John Paul II spent the rest of his life trying to bring the daughter churches back into the fold. In a May 25, 1995, address, “That They May Be One,” he stated, “How can unity be restored after almost a thousand years? This is the great task which the Catholic Church must accomplish, a task equally incumbent on the Orthodox Church.” But while his life was spent working toward the unity of the Catholic Church, his death was the single greatest catalyst toward achieving that goal. Look at how John Paul’s funeral, the greatest media event in history, brought the world together. Mr. Armstrong’s statements on Catholic unity are right on the verge of coming to pass (see “Returning to the Fold” on page 18). Any actions Pope Benedict XVI will take toward further reconciliation with Protestant and Orthodox religions were made possible by John Paul II.

He Was Right

And yet, on occasion, someone will point out that Mr. Armstrong was not always correct in stating how quickly prophecy might unfold. Remember though, the Apostle Paul believed he would be caught up in the air at Christ’s return as one of “we which are alive” (1 Thessalonians 4:15). When the Apostle John said, “It is the last time [hour],” he truly believed that Jesus Christ was returning shortly. These men, obviously faithful servants of God, were off in their timing by almost 2,000 years.

When the Great Tribulation comes before the return of Jesus Christ, no one will think about the timing of Mr. Armstrong’s comments. They will remember that everything he said came to pass exactly as he said it would in 1934, as well as the words the apostles Paul and John penned so long ago.

How far away does a European superpower seem now? With a Europe-focused conservative new pope, a phenomenon the Trumpet has continually warned we should expect at this time, how probable does it seem that the European superpower will take its final form speedily?

This is not the time to say, as Christ warned against in Matthew 24:48, “My Lord delayeth His coming!”

Far from being wrong in his prophetic statements, Mr. Armstrong has been proven right again and again. He saw the formation of the European superpower on the horizon before anyone else did. He pointed out, decades in advance, that John Paul could be the pope to initiate the reunion of east and west in Europe. In the midst of the Cold War, the headline “Why Russia Will not Attack America!” only ran in one magazine: the Plain Truth. His analysis of world events was consistently decades ahead of those around him. For far more proof of this, please request a copy of our sample Trumpet edition titled “He Was Right,” which illustrates this fact in detail.

Before Jesus Christ came to Earth the first time, John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way. Now, a man in this modern age has prepared the way for Jesus Christ’s Second Coming, which will have a far more dramatic outcome for everyone alive—in fact, for everyone who has ever lived. The announcement given during Christ’s first coming of the good news of His coming Kingdom is about to be realized! And, just as prophesied in Malachi 4:5, the world has been prepared before the coming of that “great and dreadful day of the Lord.” •

Herbert Armstrong: He Was Right

Herbert W. Armstrong was ahead of his time!

I'm often accosted by some who mindlessly cut and paste a list of Herbert W. Armstrong's "failed prophecies."

I respond Herbert Armstrong was ahead of his time and served as an early warning system. What follows is one of these many exchanges:

...is it really enough to dismiss this written record as "being ahead of his time?"

Yes. Why don't you just be honest and admit you hate Herbert W. Armstrong because he spoke the plain truth that CANNOT be refuted? that your traditional Churchianity is merely baptized paganism the Bible condemns as part of Mystery Babylon? For exposing your SUNday as a pagan counterfeit of the biblical Sabbath; your pagan holidays you've sought with your replacement theology to replace the biblical festivals; that sheeple like you bleat they're born again and don't have a clue what they're talking about, since we're born again at the Resurrection only; that God is not the sadist traditional Christians make Him out to be; that the meek inherit the Earth -- not float off to Heaven; that you're not an immortal soul, eternal life is a gift from God; the wicked will be destroyed, ashes under our feet; we can become literal God-beings, members of the Kingdom-Family of God?

Why don't you just confess and forsake your sins of murderous hatred against HWA for slaughtering your "sacred cow" and exposing it as religious bull from Babylon?

Haven't I refuted Herbert Armstrong by showing his timing was off?

No. The apostle Paul also thought Christ would return in his lifetime. He was ahead of his time, as he, like Herbert W. Armstrong, later realized.

The enemies of God and Herbert W. Armstrong can't refute the plain truth of the Bible that anybody can read and see for themselves. That's why they have such a murderous hatred against Christ in him, just like the "religious" violently opposed Jesus for standing up for the TRUTH over their tradition.

May such misguided folks repent of their mob mentality against God's servants, and learn to go against popular error instead and start teaching the plain truth of the Bible (that contradicts their present idolatrous traditions). Otherwise they'll die in their sins and traditional darkness (John 15:22).

...by what criteria did he speak truth?

Mr. Armstrong spoke the plain truth by the criteria of the Bible that counterfeit Christianity has rejected for their own traditions. The Bereans were noble for checking out what Paul said compared to THE BIBLE - not compared to their traditions (Acts 17:11).

...are you denying he said the things I posted?

I said Herbert Armstrong was ahead of his time. The PRINCIPLES of prophecy he spoke of remain absolutely true: a final revival of the unholy Roman Empire is prophesied and the EU is forging ahead with that Frankenstein Monster now.

I'm stating categorically that what you've thrown up against Herbert Armstrong is a DIVERSIONARY TACTIC, a dishonest attempt to discredit him, since you can't refute the black and white of the Bible he taught on the plain points I've made and you know it. Who do you think you're fooling by such pretense? God? Man? Why play your foolish games?

Proof that you're offering lame excuses is because every one of your popular traditional ministers or groups have taught and said worse things that, unlike HWA, aren't even true according to biblical prophecy, such as Russia attacking America (when Mr. Armstrong alone warned it will ultimately be a German-led Europe that attacks us that even some Protestants now agree is true) and yet we never see you get all hot and bothered about them or post against them or call them false prophets. Why your glaring double standard? Perhaps you're too blind to see it yourself, but now that it's been brought to your attention, prayerfully think about it and see this is the plain truth.

"For exposing your SUNday as a pagan counterfeit of the biblical Sabbath; your pagan holidays you've sought with your replacement theology to replace the biblical festivals" --

I believe Judaizers were addressed by Paul, not by me.

According to your vain traditions and popular error, Paul would be a Judaizer since he kept and taught the biblical Sabbath and festivals, just like Jesus did and will command all nations to keep when He returns and reigns in Jerusalem.

Are you in denial of this plain truth? It says Christ will command both Jews, Israelites and Gentiles, all nations, to keep the Feast of Tabernacles -- not pagan Xmas or Easter (should tell you a lot right there!)- when He reigns from Jerusalem with the glorified Saints, then brilliant God-Beings. Is Jesus a Judaizer? Rather, your kind are Roman wolves in sheep's clothing with your replacement theology, seeking to demonically replace the Sabbath with pagan Sunday, the biblical festivals with your hollow days of pagan origins that GOD HATES, and you do many other similar things with your idolatrous and tinsel traditions.

"...that God is not the sadist traditional Christians make Him out to be; that the meek inherit the Earth - not float off to Heaven;" -- who said anything about floating off? I have specifically said our hope is in the new earth.

Thankfully, you're correct about the New Earth, but your traditional Churchianity teaches folks go to "heaven or hell" when they die, which is a RELIGIOUS LIE. And I see you still misrepresent God as a sadist rather than a loving God who puts the wicked out of their misery, who mercifully destroys them completely in the Lake of Fire and lets them return to dust while the rest become divine.

"that you're not an immortal soul, eternal life is a gift from God;" -- Yes, a gift already given to all.

Another RELIGIOUS LIE. Why don't you believe the clear teachings of the Scripture rather than Catholic-Babylonian doctrines of demons? Satan said, "You shall surely not die." In other words, you're an immortal soul! Yet God's Word says the soul that sins it shall die, and Revelation speaks of the second death (from which there is never a resurrection), and Jesus spoke about destroying both body and soul in "Hell fire." Why don't you believe Him? God isn't the sadist you counterfeit Christians with your serpentine ministers make Him out to be.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not PERISH (death), but (on the other hand) have everlasting life."

Life or death - those are the only two choices. Not life and life. And who would consider it a gift if they had eternal life in torment? You're not even being logical or biblical. "The wages of sin is DEATH, but the gift of God is eternal life" (Romans 6:23). Life or death, plain and simple. And "no murderer has eternal life dwelling in him" (1 John 3:15).

"the wicked will be destroyed, ashes under our feet; we can become literal God-beings, members of the Kingdom-Family of God? Why don't you just confess and forsake your sins of murderous hatred against HWA for slaughtering your "sacred cow" and exposing it as religious bull from Babylon?" --

I don't believe you ever answered as to why HWA was lying to you about the Greek language, his sole basis for his beliefs; that it does not concern you......

Why are you still wrestling dishonestly, desperately, with YOUR straw man? I've clearly shown how biblical it is to know and believe and teach we're to become literal God-Beings and I don't need to know Greek to read it in the Bible and believe the simplicity that is in Christ.

Why are you so dishonest and trying to squirm around clear statements like "flesh and blood does NOT inherit the Kingdom of God," and "we shall see Him as He is for we shall be like Him," and even as we've born the human image of Adam, so we'll bear the divine image of Christ, the FIRSTBORN OF MANY BRETHREN.

Why don't you believe those clear Scriptures that you're afraid to address and go off on your little tangents, dishonestly? Why don't you let the Truth set you free from your lying traditions? Why resist the Holy Spirit of truth? You should praise God for exposing such darkness to you and be glad to forsake the Babylon you're in enslaved within.

Regardless, it's your choice: you can become dust or divine, have eternal life or eternal death. But, like God, I encourage you to CHOOSE LIFE.

 

Herbert W. Armstrong Was Ahead of His Time!

Will the Third Temple be built next year?

From Israel Today:

According to a centuries-old rabbinical prophecy that appears to be coming true, on March 16, 2010, Israel will begin construction of the Third Temple in Jerusalem.

During the 18th century, the Vilna Gaon, a respected rabbinical authority, prophesied that the Hurva Synagoge in Jerusalem, which was built during his day, would be destroyed and rebuilt twice, and that when the Hurva was completed for the third time, construction on the Third Temple would begin.

The Hurva Synagogue was first destroyed shortly after its initial construction when Muslims demanding the return of loans tore it down. The synagogue was rebuilt a hundred years later and became the most important Jewish house of worship in the Holy Land, only be blown to pieces by Jordanian troops during Israel's 1948 War of Independence.

In 2001, Israel finally decided to rebuild the landmark, which today stands in the center of the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem's Old City. The building is scheduled to be completed and the Hurva Synagogue dedicated for the third time on March 15 of next year.

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=178&nid=20063