It’s Game On!

(Written January 14, 2020)

By Gary H. Kah

Talk about starting the new year with a bang…the dangerous events of the Middle East have done just that – quite literally! As 2020 unfolds, we must also reckon with the continuing showdown in the US Congress which is growing uglier by the day.

There are three possible ways, in my estimation, that Donald Trump could be defeated in this fall’s presidential election. He could be ousted if there are 1) new, unforeseen revelations in the impeachment hearings that are truly damaging; 2) if there is a sudden severe economic downturn/market collapse; or 3) by being drawn into another Mideast conflict.

Any significant loss in popularity due to unfavorable developments in one or more of these areas could spell doom for the president. His adversaries – both foreign and domestic – understand this well, which explains why they are working all three fronts at the same time.

The Mullahs of Iran, for example, despise Trump because he has stood up to them – implementing strict sanctions intended to limit their ability to fund terrorism and their nuclear program. They struck back. Trump, in turn, hit them harder. So, they attacked our embassy in Baghdad. The administration responded by taking out Iran’s top military general. Only God knows what will happen next!

The death of Qassem Soleimani struck at the heart of radical Islam

Iran’s leaders are playing with fire. They know that Trump plays hardball; yet, they have been willing to take the risk. Why? Could it be they believe that drawing the US into war might result in Donald Trump’s defeat a few short months from now, thereby eliminating the threat to their terrorist regime?

Also, a Mideast war could unite radical Islamic elements behind Iran and unleash more acts of terror against the United States (and allies such as Israel). This in turn would put significant downward pressure on our economy and financial markets, which have been the backbone of success for the Trump administration. If one combines such a possible scenario with the constant drip of impeachment hearings, the establishment’s hope is for the public to decidedly turn against the president. For this reason, he must exercise exceptional wisdom the rest of the way.

I personally believe that globalist insiders in Europe, the United States, and elsewhere – while publicly denouncing war – are privately egging Iran on. They are desperate to remove Trump. They’ll continue their one, two, three punch – even if it leads to massive casualties, not to mention the potentially devastating economic and political fallout. The worse the crisis, the better it is for the global establishment. Not only might it put Trump out of office, it could help them usher in their long-awaited new world order. This is how they think!

A genuine military/economic crisis would likely cause America’s growing snowflake population to wilt under pressure. Any proposed arrangement that promises world peace and security – and unlimited government handouts – would be received with open arms by the new generation of socialist Millennials.

A recent poll conducted by The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (cited by Fox News on January 1st) asked Millennials the simple question, “Do you approve of Communism?” The results were shocking; 36 percent responded “yes.” This was up from 28 percent in 2018. In less than two years, the number of Millennials trending toward Communism had increased by 8 percent. In the same poll, 70 percent indicated they will likely vote for a socialist candidate.

One’s initial response might be, “Yes, but those same figures are not reflected in the rest of the population.” While this is true, are you aware that young people between the ages of 20 and 40 (Millennials), will outnumber voters over the age of 65 in this year’s national election? My research over the past decade has shown that far-left Liberals with a socialist bent are gaining nationally at a rate of more than one percent per year. The fact is, the older more conservative generation is gradually dying off, while the younger millennial generation – indoctrinated by radical left-leaning university professors – is steadily gaining influence. These very misled young people, like it or not, are the future of America. Even with the prosperity we’ve enjoyed under the current administration, the total number of Americans identifying themselves as Socialists has grown by more than three percent since the president took office.

So, what happens when the next economic crisis hits? If socialism and communism are gaining this kind of momentum during good times, what will happen when more difficult times set in? What does common sense tell us?

As the world becomes less stable, global socialism will become more acceptable; it will be presented as the “only” solution. The conditioned masses will gladly embrace a new world order promising peace, prosperity, and protection for the environment. (To most Millennials, celebrating Mother Earth is unfortunately more desirable than worshiping our God – the Creator who made this beautiful world.)

This shift from a world order based on a competitive, predominately free-enterprise system of nation states, to a new world order built on socialism and the ideal of global unification via a system of world government, can only be achieved with the support of religious leaders. Unless the leading voices of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and Christianity chime in with their support, the new order cannot come to full fruition. This is why global elites have poured billions of dollars into religious propaganda – beginning with ecumenical/interfaith groups like the World Council of Churches – while targeting the seminaries of denominational colleges and universities initially founded by genuine Christians. 

If you doubt the far-reaching impact of interfaith globalists through the institutions they have either penetrated or recently established, please read the next few articles along with the Globalist Calendar of Events near the back of this issue. They will provide you with a clearer picture of where things really stand. But for now, let’s consider the recent actions and pronouncements of the world’s most recognized religious leader.

Pope Francis

Global elites have long understood that in order to achieve their socialist world government, a pope who shares their vision would be required. As I’ve stated before, a system of world government would be virtually impossible to accomplish without the blessing and support of the Church of Rome – which represents over one billion Catholics worldwide. So, it should come as no surprise that Pope Francis has become the planet’s most visible and determined voice for globalism.

Francis – “The Great Unifier”

Francis is supportive of the new world order on every level – government, economics, environment, education, religion, etc. He has made his positions clear in many public statements during his reign at the Vatican. However, during the past 12 months, he has noticeably intensified his efforts. Let’s take a look at what he’s been up to.

In early February 2019, Pope Francis met with the world’s best known Muslim cleric, the Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayyeb of Egypt. Together, they proposed a United Nations World Day of Fraternity to the UN secretary-general. The pope and the imam also proposed a UN-hosted World Summit on Human Fraternity. The goal of these events is to promote the ideas laid out in their joint document titled “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.” This document and the pope’s speech at the Fraternity Conference last February in the United Arab Emirates are quite revealing.

While we would all agree with parts of the document – such as those sections denouncing terrorism and stressing the sanctity of human life – the underlying premise of this declaration of Pope Francis and Al-Tayyeb is that all religions are good and come from God. When the word “believers” is used, it is a reference to all people who believe in the existence of a god, no matter what their concept of that god might be. It presents the false notion of universal religious unity – the idea that all religions are pathways to God, which is a dangerous lie. Similarly, the document repeatedly uses the term “Human Fraternity,” which is merely the latest catch phrase used by this pope to convey “global interfaith unity.” (You can read excerpts from this document at the end of this article. You may access the full text of the document as well as the pope’s speech by using the links shown in endnotes 2 & 3.)

During their time together the pope warmly embraced Al-Tayyeb, who has previously stated that Muslims who convert to Christianity should be executed. This same Muslim leader has dismissed the idea of human rights as “ticking time-bombs,” while endorsing Jihad suicide attacks against Jewish men, women and children.

A few days after their meeting, Pope Francis addressed the World Government Summit in Dubai, UAE which convened on February 10-12. His speech was delivered via teleconference as world leaders looked on. The whole purpose of this summit, as the name suggests, was to promote the establishing of a world government. The pope is not hiding his intentions much these days.

After numerous other encounters with world religious leaders throughout the spring and summer, on September 12th Francis unveiled his latest initiative – a “Global Compact on Education.” His announcement came during his visit to the Astalli Centre, the Jesuit Refugee Service in Rome. This “Compact” will officially be launched from the Vatican as part of a global event to take place on May 14, 2020. Its ultimate purpose: To pave the way for “major global changes” through education. The following is an excerpt from his announcement introducing the Compact. 

Every change calls for an educational process that involves everyone. There is thus a need to create an “educational village”, in which all people, according to their respective roles, share the task of forming a network of open, human relationships. According to an African proverb, “it takes a whole village to educate a child.” We have to create such a village before we can educate. In the first place, the ground must be cleared of discrimination and fraternity must be allowed to flourish, as I stated in the Document that I signed with the Grand Imam of Al-Ahzar [Al-Tayyeb] on 4 February this year in Abu Dhabi.

Continuing his emphasis on the importance of education in promoting a “fraternity of religions,” on November 18th the pope met with members of Argentina’s Institute of Interreligious Dialogue (Instituto para el Dialogo Interreligioso – Argentina). The main purpose: To discuss his document “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.” Then, just a few days later, Francis traveled to Bangkok, Thailand to address 18 leaders of various religions – again emphasizing his pursuit of a fraternity of religions.

When the pope was not traveling to other nations, he was hosting world leaders at the Vatican. On December 19th, for example, he met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Rome. During this meeting, the pope subtly promoted world government and unity of the world’s religions in his statements endorsing the United Nations. Among other things, he declared that:

Trust and dialogue between people and between nations, in multilateralism, in the role of international organizations, and in diplomacy as an instrument for appreciation and understanding, is indispensable for building a peaceful world.

Guterres responded to the pope’s message with the following words of admiration:

Your clear moral voice shines through – whether you are speaking out on the plight of the most vulnerable, including refugees and migrants…confronting poverty and inequalities…appealing for disarmament…building bridges between communities…and, of course, highlighting the climate emergency through your historic encyclical, “Laudato Si”, and so many other vital efforts.

The Pope with Guterres

The “Laudato Si,” referred to by Guterres, was the encyclical letter issued by Francis in 2015. In it he called for a world government to solve the alleged global warming crisis. In that letter he stated:

Climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods. It represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day.

Francis continued:

Enforceable international agreements are urgently needed, since local authorities are not always capable of effective intervention…International and regional conventions do exist, but fragmentation and the lack of strict mechanisms of regulation, control and penalization end up undermining these efforts…What is needed, in effect, is an agreement on systems of governance for the whole range of so-called “global commons.”

But this pope isn’t merely seeking to influence the direction of global politics and religion through his environmental agenda, he is attempting to alter the actual gospel of Jesus. Christian researcher Michael Snyder wrote the following on December 25th:

Pope Francis has certainly said a lot of controversial things over the years, but what he just told a group of Christian high school students is the most controversial of all. I know that may be hard to believe, because some of the statements that Pope Francis has made in recent years have definitely been extremely bizarre. For example, he has said that “Muslim terrorism does not exist”, he told a gay man that “God made you that way”, and he has referred to Christian fundamentalists as “a scourge”. But what he has just said tops all of those previous statements. According to Breitbart, Pope Francis told a group of high school students that he was visiting with that they should never try to convert others to Christianity…

“Pope Francis told Christian high school students this weekend they should respect people of other faiths and not attempt to convert them to Christianity, insisting ‘we are not living in the times of the crusades.’… Asked by one of the students Friday how a Christian should treat people of other faiths or no faith, the pope said that ‘we are all the same, all children of God’ and that true disciples of Jesus do not proselytize.”

In fact, the pope went on to say that if someone comes to you and is trying to share the gospel, that individual “is not a disciple of Jesus”…

“But listen, the gospel is never, ever advanced through proselytism,” he continued. “If someone says he is a disciple of Jesus and comes to you with proselytism, he is not a disciple of Jesus. Proselytism is not the way; the Church does not grow by proselytism.”

Seriously? And in case there were some students that were confused about what he had just said, Pope Francis made the exact same point one more time…

“Football teams proselytize, this can be done. Political parties, can be done there. But with faith there is no proselytism.”

The pope is intentionally ignoring the Scriptures which call on the followers of Jesus to proclaim the gospel – the only hope for salvation. (Matt 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 1:8; John 14:6; Acts 4:12) Francis is definitely not proselytizing the teachings of Jesus. He is proselytizing the mandates and teachings of the New World Order!

Here’s another example. In December, a friend of mine forwarded to me a short video clip that includes a one-minute advertisement the pope has been running via television/social media in which he advocates global religious unity – in effect a new world religion. It is a strong interfaith message in which he claims that people of other religions are all worshipping the same God, but are merely doing so in different ways. You can view this ad in Italian (with English captions) at: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=VRxsd7S0QgE&fbclid=IwAR2IyEjWeUfiTaMj_gLnoFUmSDpDUqzv4Tugz9BBIOFzO9ZWHcGaNdODISc&app=desktop

If these ideas and actions coming from the pope aren’t troubling enough, I was recently astonished to learn of an almost unbelievable move by the Vatican. Last fall (on September 27), a massive statue of the demon god Molech was set in place at the entry way to the Colosseum in Rome. This pagan idol is the centerpiece of a special exhibit that will be on display at the famous Colosseum until March 29, 2020. What is most significant about this demonic exhibit is that the Colosseum is actually controlled and overseen by the Vatican. Breaking Israel News states the following:

A source close to the matter told Breaking Israel News that: “There is no way that such a thing could be done without direct permission from the highest levels of the Vatican. The Colosseum of Rome is owned by the Vatican, and specifically the Diocese of Rome, also called the Holy See. If anyone wants to do anything there, they must get permissions from the office of the Diocese of Rome. This exhibition, called ‘Carthago: the immortal myth’ could not be held there at all unless permissions were granted at high levels.”

The ancient demon-god Molech

One woman who recently visited Rome told LifeSiteNews what she witnessed:

“We were so excited the day we decided to go to the Colosseum,” Alexandra Clark told LifeSiteNews via email. She and her sister Tiffany were looking forward to visiting the site of Christian martyrdom. “But the moment we got there the sight that greeted us was horrifying! Standing guard over the entrance was the colossal pagan statue of Moloch. It was placed in that prime spot so that everyone that entered into the Colosseum had to pass it,” she continued.

Michael Snyder explains:

This isn’t just some random ancient deity. In Leviticus 18:21, the people of Israel are specifically warned against sacrificing their children to this monstrous idol… “And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.” And in Jeremiah 32:35, we are told that this is precisely what many of the people of Israel ended up doing as they fell away from the Lord… “And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.”

According to the Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry, the way that these babies would be killed was truly horrific:

The ancients would heat this idol up with fire until it was glowing, then they would take their newborn babies, place them on the arms of the idol, and watch them burn to death. I can’t help but compare today’s abortion massacre to the sacrifice of children by these ancient pagans. In both, innocent life is destroyed for the gain of the parent.

Erecting this gigantic idol of Molech at the entrance of Rome’s Colosseum where so many Christians were brutally slaughtered is nothing short of an abomination. And, to do so realizing that the worship of Molech involved child sacrifice – when the Vatican is supposedly adamantly opposed to abortion – is unthinkable. Given this latest move, one can only wonder what other abominations this pope, and those behind him, are capable of!

A False Prophet

Pope Francis is more than a clever spiritual leader. He has been at the forefront of a dark political agenda for decades. Possessing natural charisma and savvy political instincts, he began his climb to the top shortly after becoming a priest in the Jesuit order. His actual name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He was born on December 17, 1936, was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969, and served in Argentina from 1973 to 1979 as a Provincial Superior in the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). What is unclear, and controversial, was his level of involvement in Argentina’s Dirty War. At the time of the civil arrests and terror, Bergoglio was the highest Jesuit in the country.

Conservative Catholics have long been suspect of the Jesuit order; some have even referred to its leader as the Black Pope because of their belief that he is the one really calling the shots behind the scenes at the Vatican. Whether this is actually the case or not, what is indisputable is the fact that the Jesuits are very powerful and were successful in getting “Francis” into power. He is the first overtly Jesuit pope.

Francis is widely viewed among the world’s religious leaders – as well as the media establishment – as the kingpin of the global interfaith hierarchy. This fact is not so subtly heralded in most of the pictures taken of the pope with other religious leaders. He is virtually always in the center, and the only one dressed in white.

Bergoglio with some of his followers

The pope is portrayed as an angel of light but is in reality a messenger of darkness – a true wolf in sheep’s clothing. Despite his initiatives advancing global government and advocating a new world religion, most spiritual leaders (including many Protestants) have thrown discernment to the wind. They are attracted to this pope like bees to honey.

As the pope’s role in ushering in the new world order becomes increasingly obvious through his statements and actions, I am curious how conservatives in the media will respond. Bret Baier, Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity, and a number of other conservatives at Fox News are staunch Catholics. Will they finally expose Pope Francis for the dangerous man that he really is, or will they merely dance around the edges and fall in line as “good Catholics?” The clock is ticking, and Christians need to be warned. I am praying that they will do the right thing!

Regardless of what the conservative media does, those of us seeking to remain faithful and obedient to the Lord need to be strong and courageous while walking in humility in a way that honors Christ.

Dangerous Times

It is difficult to know what will happen next. As Christians, we have to be spiritually prepared for whatever comes our way. Jesus warned us that times would become increasingly deceptive and dangerous leading up to His return (read Matthew 24). So, nothing should surprise us – including the fact that some who we’ve respected will abandon the faith, betraying the Lord Jesus and those who remain true to Him.

As far as other developments are concerned, we should expect political tensions in Washington, and throughout our land, to remain high. The Far Left and those inside the deep state establishment will continue their one, two, three punch to keep Trump from getting re-elected. Any creative chaos that Iran can unleash along the way would be helpful to their cause. Along with Iran’s terrorist proxies in the Middle East, they are certain to have Hezbollah-affiliated terror cells already inside the US.

But even without the support of organized terror, it is readily apparent that Satan’s agenda is on the move. Open hostility toward conservative Jews and Christians is on the rise. In some parts of the country it has become fashionable to harass and attack (persecute) Christians and Jews. While some of these actions are Islamist in origin, others are inspired by the increasingly radical and militant Far Left.

In New York alone, there has been an anti-Jewish assault almost every day since December 20th. In the US, as a whole, there have been over 1300 attacks on Jews in the last twelve months. Meanwhile, churches are having to arm themselves to defend against hostile intruders, as the number of church shootings grow. The handwriting is on the wall. All of this increased tension produced by the demonic realm has a purpose.

In order for Satan to accomplish his objective – bringing us to the point where humankind will embrace the Antichrist – he and his minions have to facilitate chaos in every area of life. Most people will never accept a new and completely different world order (political, economic, and religious system of governing) unless they feel it is the only way forward. This coming “solution” must therefore appear to be absolutely necessary for saving the planet. Recognizing this deceptive strategy of the devil is of paramount importance for us to be discerning followers of Jesus in the days ahead.

A Final Word

As a father of four and grandfather of seven, I admittedly have moments when I just want to escape the reality of what is happening in the world around us. But after a brief respite, the Holy Spirit gently nudges me to keep moving forward – standing for the truth, warning people of the unfolding deception and calling them to repentance and holy living before our Creator. Meanwhile, I live with the understanding that our gracious and loving God wants us to enjoy and be thankful for the wonderful life He has given us on this special planet. And, we need not fear the future. Afterall, if God is for us, who can be against us? If we have surrendered our hearts to Jesus, and cling to Him as our Savior, our eternity is secure. No matter how difficult things become for us as believers on this earth, we have an incredible hope that overrides everything. Whenever we as servants of Christ grow tired and weary, we need to remind ourselves of this eternal truth.

Therefore, serve God faithfully, love Him wholeheartedly, and practice discernment in the year ahead. Have a productive, meaningful and blessed 2020! ■

“Pope and Grand Imam propose a World Day of Fraternity to the UN,” Vatican News, www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2019-12/pope-and-grand-imam-propose-a-world-day-of-fraternity-to-the-un.html.

2 The full text of this short document may be found here: www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/travels/2019/outside/documents/papa-francesco_20190204_documento-fratellanza-umana.html.  For more on who met, see the Vatican News release here: www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-11/pope-francis-grand-imam-alazhar-audience.html.

3 www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-02/pope-francis-uae-global-conference-human-fraternity-full-text.html.  Some other info on the event: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-02/pope-francis-uae-interreligious-meeting-dialogue-peace.html

4 Pope Francis, Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the Launch of the Global Compact on Education, Vatican City, September 12, 2019.

5 “Pope meets with Argentine Interreligious Dialogue Institute,” Vatican News, www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-11/pope-argentine-interreligious-dialogue-institute.html.

6 “Pope’s meeting with religious leaders in Thailand,” Vatican News, www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-11/pope-francis-meeting-religious-leaders-thailand-news-video.html.

7 Shane Trejo, “Pope Francis Unveils Globalist New World Religion at Summit with United Nations Leader: The Pope wants globalism to replace traditional religion,” December 26, 2019, https://bigleaguepolitics.com/pope-francis-unveils-globalist-new-world-religion-at-summit-with-united-nations-leader/.

8 Ibid.

9 Pope Francis, Encyclical Letter, Laudato Si’: On Care for our Common Home, Vatican City, May 24, 2015.

10 Ibid.

11 Michael Snyder, “Upside Down Kingdom: Kanye West is Preaching the Gospel, but Pope Francis is Telling People Not to Evangelize,” December 25, 2019, Themostimportantnews.com/archives/upside-down-kingdom-kanye-west-is-preaching-the-gospel-but-pope-francis-is-telling-people-not-to-evangelize. 

12 Michael Snyder, “A Giant Statue of Molech Has Been Put Up Right at the Entrance to the Colosseum in Rome,” November 7, 2019, Themostimportantnews.com/archives/a-giant-statue-of-molech-has-been-put-up-right-at-the-entrance-to-the-colosseum-in-rome.

13 Ibid.

14 Ibid.

15 Ibid.

16 Lee Anderson, “Pope Francis and the Dirty War,” The New Yorker, March 14, 2013, www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/pope-francis-and-the-dirty-war. See also, Andrew Brown, “Pope’s psychoanalyst visits show his struggle in Argentina’s dirty war,” The Guardian, September 1, 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/01/pope-francis-psychoanalyst-visits-struggle-argentina-dirty-war. Finally, see Juan Ignacio Irigaray, “El número uno de la Iglesia argentina, sospechoso de colaborar con la dictadura,” El Mundo.es, 08/11/2010, www.elmundo.es/america/2010/11/08/argentina/1289232137.html (Note: a translation website to change the Spanish to English is https://translate.yandex.com).

17 Fox News, December 30, 2019.

 

 

 

Excerpts From:

 

Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Pope Francis

To the United Arab Emirates

(3-5 February 2019)

 

A Document on

Human Fraternity

For World Peace and Living Together

 

INTRODUCTION

… From our fraternal and open discussions, and from the meeting that expressed profound hope in a bright future for all human beings, the idea of this Document on Human Fraternity was conceived. It is a text that has been given honest and serious thought so as to be a joint declaration of good and heartfelt aspirations. It is a document that invites all persons who have faith in God and faith in human fraternity to unite and work together so that it may serve as a guide for future generations to advance a culture of mutual respect in the awareness of the great divine grace that makes all human beings brothers and sisters.

DOCUMENT

… In the name of human fraternity that embraces all human beings, unites them and renders them equal;

In the name of this fraternity torn apart by policies of extremism and division, by systems of unrestrained profit or by hateful ideological tendencies that manipulate the actions and the future of men and women;…

In the name of all persons of good will present in every part of the world;

In the name of God and of everything stated thus far; Al-Azhar al-Sharif and the Muslims of the East and West, together with the Catholic Church and the Catholics of the East and West, declare the adoption of a culture of dialogue as the path; mutual cooperation as the code of conduct; reciprocal understanding as the method and standard.

We, who believe in God and in the final meeting with Him and His judgment, on the basis of our religious and moral responsibility, and through this Document, call upon ourselves, upon the leaders of the world as well as the architects of international policy and world economy, to work strenuously to spread the culture of tolerance and of living together in peace; to intervene at the earliest opportunity to stop the shedding of innocent blood and bring an end to wars, conflicts, environmental decay and the moral and cultural decline that the world is presently experiencing.

We call upon intellectuals, philosophers, religious figures, artists, media professionals and men and women of culture in every part of the world, to rediscover the values of peace, justice, goodness, beauty, human fraternity and coexistence in order to confirm the importance of these values as anchors of salvation for all, and to promote them everywhere…

This Document, in accordance with previous International Documents that have emphasized the importance of the role of religions in the construction of world peace, upholds the following:

– The firm conviction that authentic teachings of religions invite us to remain rooted in the values of peace; to defend the values of mutual understanding, human fraternity and harmonious coexistence; to re-establish wisdom, justice and love; and to reawaken religious awareness among young people so that future generations may be protected from the realm of materialistic thinking and from dangerous policies of unbridled greed and indifference that are based on the law of force and not on the force of law;…

– Dialogue, understanding and the widespread promotion of a culture of tolerance, acceptance of others and of living together peacefully would contribute significantly to reducing many economic, social, political and environmental problems that weigh so heavily on a large part of humanity;

– Dialogue among believers means coming together in the vast space of spiritual, human and shared social values and, from here, transmitting the highest moral virtues that religions aim for. It also means avoiding unpro- ductive discussions;…

– Good relations between East and West are indisputably necessary for both. They must not be neglected, so that each can be enriched by the other’s culture through fruitful exchange and dialogue. The West can discover in the East remedies for those spiritual and religious maladies that are caused by a prevailing materialism. And the East can find in the West many elements that can help free it from weakness, division, conflict and scientific, technical and cultural decline. It is important to pay attention to religious, cultural and historical differences that are a vital component in shaping the character, culture and civilization of the East. It is likewise important to reinforce the bond of fundamental human rights in order to help ensure a dignified life for all the men and women of East and West, avoiding the politics of double standards;…

To this end, by mutual cooperation, the Catholic Church and Al-Azhar announce and pledge to convey this Document to authorities, influential leaders, persons of religion all over the world, appropriate regional and international organizations, organizations within civil society, religious institutions and leading thinkers. They further pledge to make known the principles contained in this Declaration at all regional and international levels, while requesting that these principles be translated into policies, decisions, legislative texts, courses of study and materials to be circulated.

Al-Azhar and the Catholic Church ask that this Document become the object of research and reflection in all schools, universities and institutes of formation, thus helping to educate new generations to bring goodness and peace to others, and to be defenders everywhere of the rights of the oppressed and of the least of our brothers and sisters.

In conclusion, our aspiration is that:

this Declaration may constitute an invitation to reconciliation and fraternity among all believers, indeed among believers and non-believers, and among all people of good will;

this Declaration may be an appeal to every upright conscience that rejects deplorable violence and blind extremism; an appeal to those who cherish the values of tolerance and fraternity that are promoted and encouraged by religions;

this Declaration may be a witness to the greatness of faith in God that unites divided hearts and elevates the human soul;

this Declaration may be a sign of the closeness between East and West, between North and South, and between all who believe that God has creat- ed us to understand one another, cooperate with one another and live as brothers and sisters who love one another.

This is what we hope and seek to achieve with the aim of finding a universal peace that all can enjoy in this life.

 

Abu Dhabi, 4 February 2019

 

His Holiness Pope Francis                         The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmad Al-Tayyeb

 

 

 

 

An Alliance of Religions for World Order

By Alex Newman

About a thousand representatives of world religions and other organizations gathered in Germany in late August, 2019, to advance globalism and a planetary uniting of religions, and to promote the United Nations’ so- called masterplan for humanity known as UN Agenda 2030. Critics expressed alarm that self-proclaimed religious leaders were embracing dangerous “world order” ideas totally at odds with liberty and Christianity. The implications are mas- sive.

The controversial 10th World Assembly of Religions for Peace, backed by George Soros and the globalist-controlled German government and other powerful forces, aimed to unify the world’s religious organizations behind key elements of the establishment’s agenda – including a UN-guided “modern order.”

Operating in almost 100 nations, the host organization, Religions for Peace, claims to be “the world’s largest and most representative coalition of religious and indigenous communities.” It is funded by Soros, the Rockefellers, the Ford Foundation, the UN Foundation, various UN agencies, U.S. taxpayers via the State Department, and more.

Among other decisions, the coalition vowed to increase cooperation among their religious sects under the guise of caring for “the earth,” the “entire web of life,” and what participants described as the “common good.” The common good includes “earth with its air, water, soil, and web of life.” Central to it all, by their own admis- sion, is the totalitarian UN Agenda 2030 and the increasingly discredited man-made global-warm- ing hypothesis claiming CO2 is pollution.

In the speeches and in the final declaration, it became abundantly clear that these self-styled religious leaders have been at the very least co-opted, or duped, into advancing globalism, socialism, and other ideologies and theologies deeply at odds with traditional Americanism and biblical Christianity. The God of the Bible said “thou shalt not steal,” for instance, while the attendees advocated for global socialism, essentially the institutionalization of thievery.

The primary focus of the gathering appeared to be promoting the UN as the solution to virtually all human problems. In particular, the UN Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), described by top UN leaders as the “masterplan for humanity,” and the global “declaration of interdependence,” are at the heart of the effort to save what the document refers to as “Mother Earth.” And, claiming that the modern world order is underpinned by the UN, the religious leaders were not shy about admitting it.

For instance, in the Call to Action, signatories agreed to “urge religious communities to invest their resources in alignment with achieving the SDGs.” The declaration also states explicitly that the UN’s controversial vision, rather than the Bible or other religious texts, should guide human development – an extraordinary statement coming from religious leaders, some of whom identify as Christian. “We commit to human development as set forth in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” the agreement declares.

Examining the UN Agenda 2030 in detail highlights the enormous implications of the statement. For instance, Goal 10 of the SDGs demands that governments and the UN “reduce inequality with-in and among countries.” To do that, the agreement continues, will “only be possible if wealth is shared and income inequality is addressed.”

In other words, national and international socialism; an anti-biblical “ideology” that has produced untold misery, death, and destruction everywhere it has been imposed. The UN plan also demands that governments take control of production and consumption, another key element of totalitarianism, technocracy, and socialism. And it promotes indoctrination of children, population control, and much more.

It is especially bizarre that Agenda 2030 is embraced by so many religious leaders. Consider, among other red flags, that the mass-murdering and enslaving Communist China

boasted openly that it played a “crucial role” in developing the UN agenda. Then consider that the godless Chinese regime ruthlessly persecutes Christians, Muslims, Falun Gong practitioners, and others, and has since its inception. Mass-murdering dictators such as Marxist Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe could barely contain their glee over the UN scheme.

But of course, as with the UN Agenda 2030, much of the “religious” declaration adopted at the conference in Lindau, Germany revolves around the supposed “cataclysmic heating of the earth,” which is claimed to be caused by human emissions of CO2. And so, to save humanity from this alleged scourge – an essential gas that is exhaled by humans and used by plants in photosynthesis – globalism and government controls over the economy are claimed to be crucial. No mention was made of the fact that human emissions of CO2 makes up a fraction of one-percent of all the greenhouse gases present, naturally, in the atmosphere.

“We will foster sustainable and integral human development by promoting the justice, inclusive citizenship, and equal opportunities interwoven through the [UN] SDGs,” the declaration said. “We will champion personal accountability for sustain- able consumption, the dignity of labor, and equi- table distribution of wealth. We will honor the insights of science and steward progress in digital technology toward the good of all. We will advance universal access to education. We will continue to promote the role of women and youth in society and their leadership in institutions at the local, national, regional, and global levels.”

The declaration’s signatories also vowed to “advocate for government policies to protect rain-forests, defend the rights of Indigenous peoples, and fulfill their pledges to the Paris Agreement on climate change.” Of course, President Trump announced that the U.S. government would withdraw from the UN Paris Agreement, so the “religious leaders” were placing themselves squarely in opposition to Trump and his support- ers, many of whom are Christian. These leaders pledged to mobilize their congregations to “pro- tect the earth,” and even to establish “green congregations.”

The document also promotes mass migration, all under the guise of aiding refugees. Indeed, the declaration seeks to portray advocates of the Islamic influx into what was once known as Christendom as genuine humanitarians, while opponents are painted as hateful and bigoted. No reference is made about the role of Deep State globalists at the UN and in governments world- wide in engineering the massive movement of humans into the West using illegal wars. The goal of mass migration, put simply, is to erode the nation state and Christian civilization, as propo- nents themselves have acknowledged.

Another central element of the agenda is advancing the UN’s [deeply flawed version] of “human rights.” The UN view is that governments and international agreements confer revocable privileges on people. And with all its talk of human rights, the UN has literally put mass-murdering dictators, communists, Islamists, and other human rights violators – people such as the late Muammar Gadhafi, for example – in charge of its “human rights” bureaucracies!

This perverse UN understanding of rights is essentially the opposite of America’s traditional view of human rights. Indeed, the United States was founded on the “self-evident” truth that God endowed individuals with inalienable rights, and that governments are established to protect those rights. These God-given rights were enshrined by America’s Christian founders in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, which are the foundation of the nation’s government.

Granted, there are some traditional Christian notions in the platitudes expressed at the Religions for Peace conference, such as promot- ing forgiveness. But despite the presence of self-proclaimed evangelical and Protestant Christians, Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics, the final declaration adopted in Germany is filled with unbiblical and even anti-biblical extremism that would be instantly recognizable to informed Christians. Indeed, from a Christian perspective, the whole premise of the effort is flawed, with the Bible repeatedly instructing God’s people not to be bound together with unbelievers.

For instance, 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 is among the many verses that make this perfectly clear,

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agree- ment hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord.

A brief perusal of the website, meanwhile, reveals that Religions for Peace includes Muslim Brotherhood linked Islamists, hardcore Hindus who worship numerous gods, Buddhists, Shinto adherents, proud spirit worshipers, and all manner of other pagan and heathen leaders. And yet, the declaration drafted and signed by attendees commits them to creating an “Alliance of Virtue” whereby all religions join forces with each other on “virtues shared widely across religious traditions and other virtue heritages.” It also vows to promote “religious literacy education” for everyone focusing on “shared civic virtues” and “social diversity.”

Even more troubling for Christians, perhaps, is that the declaration commits signatories to “advancing peace education – from early childhood to adults across our religious communities.” That sounds harmless enough. But even a rudi- mentary understanding of “peace education” – a crucial element of UN Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization’s mission – reveals a much more sinister agenda. Leading “peace education” authority James Page of Australia, for instance, who has worked closely with UNESCO, explained that “peace education” means, among other things, promoting unbiblical notions of “social justice” and “encouraging the student to love the world.”

Compare that to what the Bible teaches in James 4:4, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

In 1 John 2:15 we read: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” And yet, an array of self-styled Christians participated in the creation of the Religions for Peace declaration, and signed it!

The declaration went on to call for total disarmament of all people and governments, a longtime goal of globalists hoping to centralize all weaponry (and coercive power) in the hands of the UN and its Orwellian-sounding “peace” troops: “We also call for immediate steps toward general dis- armament including all weapons of destruction – conventional, nuclear, chemical, biological, and those newly emerging,” the “religious” declaration stated, with conventional weapons including firearms.

Religions for Peace has been a front for global- ism since its inception, and that continues to this day. The outgoing Secretary-General of the World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP) is Dr. William Fray Vendley, a member of the global government-promoting Council on Foreign Relations. According to U.S. Admiral Chester Ward, who defected from the Deep State CFR after 16 years as a member, most CFR members are dedicated to submerging the once-independent United States into an “all-powerful one-world government.” Vendley is also linked to the Clintons, serving as an advisor to the scandal-plagued Clinton Global Initiative and its Religion Forum.

Replacing Vendley, whose term ended amid the conference in Germany, is another left-wing globalist, Dr. Azza Karam. Among other notable highlights on her resume is a senior position with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the primary UN agency in charge of reducing the number of people on the planet. This outfit was exposed in congressional testimony for aiding in Communist China’s forced-abortion program, part of the mass-murdering dictatorship’s “one-child” policy (since replaced by a two-child regime). Karam has also received funding from the globalist Ford Foundation.

The Religions for Peace Pledge of Commitment reads,

Guided by the principles of my own religious tradition, and respectful of religious differences, I commit myself to principled multi-religious cooperation for peace… I will work as a partner with sincere believers of other religions and men and women of goodwill on matters of deeply held and widely shared moral concerns.

Speakers at the summit echoed those views. Miguel Ángel Moratinos Cuyaubé, the “high representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations,” argued that bringing religious leaders on board at meetings such as this one was important in finding “solutions” to “global challenges.”

“In the 21st century we can say that religion is relevant once again, and this is very important,” he said. “There is a consensus in the world that we must all take steps to save the planet from climate change or conflict. But if we succeed in saving the planet, how will we assure we also save ourselves?”

Of course, Christians would never speak of saving ourselves, as they believe only Christ can save a person.

But the UN has long been promoting a sort of New Age paganism. The Preamble to the UN Earth Charter, which was filled with religious and spiritual overtones, sounds very similar to the Religions for Peace agreement. “We are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny,” the charter states. “We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature… Towards this end, it is imperative that we, the peoples of Earth, declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life, and to future generations.” The ceremonies surrounding the adoption were filled with pagan religious symbolism and ritual, as documented by The New American. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who opened the Religions for Peace summit, painted religion as a source of conflict, without even attempting to differentiate between true biblical Christianity – which produces peace – and other “religions” that promote holy war, child sacrifice, and more. “We must be united in our shared belief that religion must never again be cited as a justification for hatred or violence,” Steinmeier said. “No war must ever again be waged in the name of religion.”

A Muslim leader at the summit, Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah, who is with the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies, told a parable involving a two-level ship with drinking water on the top that was apparently aimed at promoting global socialism. “The people on the bottom level needed water to drink and so they started to drill a hole in the side of the ship to get the water from the outside,” Bin Bayyah said. “If those on the top level would share their water then everyone would survive. But if they don’t, the ones on the bottom will drill the hole and soon the entire ship will sink and everyone will perish. It is the same for everyone here. We must work together or we will all fail.”

Much of the rhetoric and policy coming out of this conference can be clearly traced back to the efforts of Pope Francis, who has been openly promoting globalism, Agenda 2030, mass migration, and more under the guise of Christianity. His recent agreement with a leading Sunni Muslim drew global scrutiny, as did his formal blessing on the work of the deeply controversial “World Government Summit” in the United Arab Emirates. However, his growing attacks on traditional Christian doctrines have shocked even Catholic theologians, spurring growing and potentially unprecedented divisions within the Catholic Church.

Meanwhile, the UN has long been seeking to unite [the] world under its control; this includes a spiritual component. In fact, it has repeatedly demanded that “spirituality education” be incorpo- rated in schools worldwide. The author of

UNESCO’s World Core Curriculum, Robert Muller, admitted in the forward to the World Core Teachers’ Manual that his global education scheme was based on the teachings of Lucifer Publishing Company founder, Alice Bailey.

Totalitarianism, globalism, socialism, and other dangerous “isms” must be rejected in every form. And those deadly, anti-Christian ideologies should never be promoted under the guise of “religion,” especially Christianity. Christians involved in this effort should read their Bible and seriously reconsider their involvement. ■

(Alex Newman, a foreign correspondent for The New American, regularly attends UN and international summits. He can be reached at [email protected] or through Liberty Sentinel Media.)

 

 

 

Spiritual Politics:

A List of Interfaith Organizations

The global, interfaith movement is supported and energized by dozens of organizations dedicated to the misleading and dangerous ideals of inter-religious unity and world transformation. Here is a short list of some of the key agencies and groups; use this as a handy reference guide to know who’s who within the movement.

Elijah Interfaith Institute: Founded in 1997, this UNESCO-sponsored group “generates interfaith dialogue at the highest levels, bringing together world religious leaders and renowned scholars the world over.”

Fetzer Institute: Located in Kalamazoo, MI, the Fetzer Institute works to foster inter-spiritual unity for world peace. To propel its vision, Fetzer promotes spiritual formation studies and practices. The Clintons have been especially fond of this group.

G20 Interfaith Forum: The G20 Interfaith Forum is the interfaith parallel to the G20 political summit, providing policy guidance and inter-religious support for global governance.

Interfaith Alliance: This group was founded as opposition to the “religious right.” Its present focus is interfaith support for the LGBTQ agenda, and the creation of hate-speech policies at the national level.

International Association for Religious Freedom: Founded in 1900, the IARF is the “world’s first international inter-religious organization.” Today, the IARF supports interfaith projects in different parts of the world, and fosters inter-religious dialogues.

Interfaith Power and Light: IPL works with 20,000 congregations in 40 US states in promoting an interfaith response to climate change.

InterFaith Youth Core: Created by Eboo Patel – who was later tapped by President Obama to serve on the Faith Council – the IFYC is a national organization working on college campuses to foster interfaith action for social justice. In the past, the IFYC has worked with the Clinton Global Initiative and the Tony Blair Faith Foundation.

KAICIID: The King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue is an inter-governmental, higher level, interfaith agency formed in cooperation with the governments of Saudi Arabia, Spain and Austria, and the Vatican.

North American Interfaith Network: NAIN is a prominent, North American-based umbrella organization linking like-minded individuals, congregations, and agencies in promoting interfaith partnerships and projects.

Parliament of the World’s Religions: The Parliament is one of the most influential interfaith gatherings in the world, attended by spiritual leaders from a multitude of faiths, scores of religious-political activists, members of the United Nations and national governments, and notable personalities. It is held every three to five years, and the organization behind it engages in year-round interfaith promotion, climate activism, and support of global ideals. The Parliament has been likened to the moral voice of the international community.

Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue: The Pontifical Council is the arm of the Vatican that officially interacts with non-Christian religions, promoting inter-religious dialogues and high-level meetings of faith leaders.

Religions for Peace: Religions for Peace is a multi-religious, global coalition of faiths whose leaders jointly endeavor for world peace and support principles of global governance. Official partners include the US State Department, the United Nations Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Open Society, and the Fetzer Institute.

Temple of Understanding: The Temple isn’t a building, but an organization promoting the unity of religions in support of “one world.” Started in 1960 and located in New York City, the Temple advances an inter-religious voice of global progressivism into the United Nations community.

United Religions Initiative: Birthed out of the United Nations 50th anniversary, the original hope of the URI was to see the creation a United Nations of Religions. Today the URI is a global network, collaborating with groups like the Parliament of the World’s Religions, and acting as a significant player within the interfaith movement.

Universal Peace Federation: This is a branch of the Unification Church, founded by Sun Myung Moon. It is dedicated to interfaith peace work, and offers support to the United Nations as a UN accredited entity.

World Congress of Faiths: Located in the United Kingdom, and one of the oldest interfaith bodies in the world, the WCF works with other interfaith groups to promote religious harmony. It also partners with seminaries and other educational institutions to develop programming, conduct training, and to seek “common action on issues such as peace, justice and ecology.”

World Council of Churches: Although the World Council of Churches is primarily known for its ecumenical approach within the Christian community, the WCC also engages in interfaith activities. Having received financial backing from the globalist Rockefeller Foundation, it is one of the oldest and best-funded religious organizations promoting global unity. ■

 

 

 

Quotable Quotes on “World Unity”

1. “…the spirituality of the secular age takes the form of the great coming together of all peoples on a global scale… unity and harmony among individuals, unity and harmony among the nations, unity and harmony with all forms of life, unity and harmony with the planet.”

– Lloyd Geering, Coming Back to Earth: From gods, to God, to Gaia (Polebridge Press, 2009), p.202.

2. “We call for a widening circle of dialogue and efforts, involving world religions working together constructively with trends toward the ideals of world governance, so that the unity of humankind can be brought to a new level of world reality…”

Draft Summary Statement, The Search for World Peace and Justice (World Federalist Association), November 13, 1999.

3. “Our conscious evolution is purposeful, and has been leading us closer and closer to this understanding of the oneness that is indivisible. It has taken us through stages, from family to tribe to city-state to national unity; now we are on the verge of realizing world unity as one human family.”

– Robert Atkinson, The Story of Our Time: From Duality to Interconnectedness to Oneness (Sacred Stories Publishing, 2017), p.75.

4. “The supreme unity of the human family, universal and interdependent, as seen by all great religions must now become a political reality; the hour has struck for the implementation of a spiritual vision of world affairs.”

– Robert Muller, New Genesis: Shaping a Global Spirituality (World Happiness and Cooperation, 1982), p.184.

5. “The United People of the World, recognizing our sacred origin… Have Resolved to Combine Our Efforts, form a movement to unite the people of the world, elect delegates to a world assembly, and establish world institutions…”Declaration of Interdependence, July 25, 1975.

6. “We are driving headlong towards world unity.”

– Hugh J. Schonfield, “Introduction,” Birth of a World People (Denis Dobson, 1956), p.26.

 

 

 

 

Fast Facts on World Change

World Citizens’ Initiative

On November 14, 2019, a new campaign for a people’s world order was announced by a group of global-minded civil society organizations. Democracy Without Borders, CIVICUS, and Democracy International jointly launched their Campaign for a United Nations World Citizens’ Initiative (WCI).

The campaign essentially calls for the creation of a people’s world parliament – a direct and elected voice to the United Nations. A WCI report was published to highlight the project, providing a roadmap for how to organize this ambitious scheme with global and regional members. Its backers are pursuing the development of a Global Voting Platform, the registration of world citizens, a database on issues for debate and discussion, and a mechanism to deliver the “people’s decisions” to the United Nations.

The organizations promoting the WCI are hoping to use the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, in 2020, as a springboard to bring global awareness.

Some of the other groups officially supporting the World Citizens’ Initiative are: United Nations Association of the UK, World Federalist Movement, Asia Development Alliance, Global Justice Now, Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, the United Nations Association of Germany, and the Young European Federalists.

Will You Be Chipped?

“Microchips could be our society’s gamechanger – the only question is: are we ready for that kind of change?” This was asked by Alma Fabiani, the managing editor of Screenshot Magazine; and it’s a big question.

Already some corporations are requiring workers to wear external devices, like Apple watches and similar technologies, to monitor and track workplace performance. Micro-chipping, however, takes the potential of personal surveillance to a new level. Alma Fabiani writes about the concerns and challenges that surround this growing issue:

The implications that microchipping technology brings with itself are exactly what stops us from getting them. Having a chip under our skin equals increased worker surveillance for most. And, more recently, it could also mean that data collection methods could go up a notch – something that we clearly don’t need while Facebook is still around. After all, microchips could surveil us non-stop, and monitor us wherever we go. Remember the nightmare that was Snapchat Map, when all your Snapchat contacts could see where you were at any time of the day? Imagine this with microchips, only this time we won’t be able to turn its signal off.

The same kind of concerns have recently been raised by lawmakers in the US. The states of Arkansas, New Jersey and Tennessee have started drafting new bills to make involuntary microchipping illegal, while Nevada has already passed its own version of the bill. The message is: feel free to microchip yourself if you want, but don’t force anyone to do the same, especially not if they’re your employees. And yet, surveillance tech still is a big issue in the US, with companies forcing their employees to wear an Apple watch constantly to monitor their health. There doesn’t seem to be that much difference between this and microchips.

Linking Minds to Machines

Do you want to link your mind to an Artificial Intelligence, connect your brain to a computer or to the digital cloud?

Brain-computer-interfacing (BCI) is not the stuff of science fiction; it is a real technology. The problem, however, from a technical and marketing point of view is this: Can the technology move beyond the clumsy wires and headsets now associated with BCI, and can it be priced for mass adoption?

Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, is hoping to overcome the challenges of seamless BCI by developing an implantable brain-computer interface that’s wireless. Excited by the prospects of such a development, Peter Diamandis – chairman of the X Prize and cofounder of Singularity University – recently gushed about the Neuralink’s BCI project:

In the coming decade, we may soon begin connecting our brains to an AI. Elon Musk’s company Neuralink just announced groundbreaking progress on its Brain-Computer Interface technology, striving towards a 2 gigabit-per-second wireless connection between a patient’s brain and the cloud in the next few years.

Initial human trials are expected by the end of 2020. Long-term, Elon expects BCI installation to be as painless and simple as LASIK surgery (a thirty-minute visit, no stitches or general anesthesia required).

Over a decade ago, my friend and mentor Ray Kurzweil [Director of Engineering at Google] predicted that our brains would seamlessly connect to the cloud by 2035. Even considering his 86% prediction accuracy rate, this prediction seemed somewhat ambitious. But Neuralink’s recent announcement adds significant credence to Ray’s prediction and timeline.

In the long-term, the implications of high-bandwidth BCI are extraordinary.

Digital Euro

Our world is becoming more digitalized, more technologically interconnected – and currencies are no exception.

In the last quarter of 2019, the European Central Bank (ECB) confirmed that it’s officially exploring options to create its own digital monetary asset, a euro-zone cryptocurrency or “digital euro.” An article released by the Global Government Forum on November 21, 2019, stated that,

The ECB’s research into the feasibility of what has been dubbed a “digital euro” comes as both nation states and the world’s largest tech corporations ramp up preparations for their own digital currencies…

Under the most ambitious plan, users of the new digital coin could open bank accounts directly at the ECB. Alternatively, banks could be given electronic cash or tokens by the ECB that they could then distribute to their customers. The debate is at this stage focused on whether a public cryptocurrency is feasible or desirable…

Global Climate Security

International relations professor, Ole Weaver, recently commented on Australia’s Late Night Live that climate change will likely be “securitized.” What did he mean? That the issue of climate will probably be normalized as a global security concern.

 “The United Nations Security Council could, in principle, tomorrow decide that climate change is a threat to international peace and security,” he explained. “And then it’s within their competencies to decide, ‘and you are doing this, you are doing this, you are doing this, [and] this is how we deal with it’.”

Weaver added this explanation:

If there was something that was decided internationally by some more centralized procedure and every country was told “this is your emission target, it’s not negotiable, we can actually take military measures if you don’t fulfill it,” then you would basically have to get that down the throat of your population, whether they like it or not… A bit like what we saw in southern Europe with countries like Greece and the debt crisis, and so on. There were decisions that were made for them, and then they just had to have a more or less technocratic government and get it through.

Going to Church for Buddhism

“Join us as we explore and practise Buddha’s teachings every Sunday from 1:30-3:15 p.m. at Knox United Church.” This was a line from a community newspaper event listing in Manitoba, Canada.

For evangelical Christians in Canada, seeing something like this isn’t shocking; after all, the United Church is nationally recognized for its internationalist political leanings, its social/sexual-gender progressivism, its advocacy on climate change policies, and its interfaith engagement. The denomination’s hymnbook, More Voices, has songs of praise to Mother Earth and Gaia.

For many conservative/evangelical Christians in Canada, the tendency is to roll eyes at the United Church. This is a mistake, because the history of this church is rooted in a decidedly Biblical context; and that’s what makes its turn noteworthy. More sobering is that today, congregations and Christian institutions of many denominational stripes are following a path similar to that of the United Church.

In May 2011, the National Post reported on the historical shift within the United Church. This sentence from the article is telling: “In the 1960s and ’70s we became embarrassed about Jesus. And so we distanced ourselves from Jesus, and the point is without Jesus there’s no point in having a church.” ■

Canadian church newspaper ad