European Commission should be EU government
The European Union needs to become more integrated with a common finance policy and a central government, German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble said Wednesday (16 May). – Source: http://euobserver.com/19/116300
Mr Schäuble received the Charlemagne prize for 2012.
Quote:
“I would be for the further development of the European Commission into a government. I am for the election of a European president, he said at an event in Aachen, reports Reuters…
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EU commission to outline plans for political union – Source: http://euobserver.com/19/116336 – 22.05. 2012
Quote:
The European Commission has said it will soon bring forward plans for an economic and political union it says is necessary for the creation of debt-mutualising eurobonds – one of the most controversial proposed solutions to the current eurozone crisis.
“We need to reflect what kind of European union would be required to deepen economic and political integration, for instance so that joint issuance of debt would make sense for all member states sharing the single currency,” economics commissioner Olli Rehn told MEPs on Tuesday (22 May)…
…Britain, outside the euro and one of its more sceptical members, has also started making public statements about the need for fiscal and political union, with many arguing that the eurozone’s woes have been exacerbated by the fact that the EU lacked the tools – such as a central transfer system – to effectively deal with it.
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The Charlemagne Prize is presented annually to recognize outstanding contributions to European unity and previous winners include Jean-Claude Trichet (2011), Chancellor Angela Merkel (2008), Javier Solana (2007), Jean-Claude Juncker (2006), Pope John Paul II (2004), U.S. President Bill Clinton (2000), former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. (1999),
(A little glitch appeared in first posting – the 1999 award went to Tony Blair and not Pope John Paul II – as was originally posted – apologies for the error)
The prize is presented every year in Aachen Cathedral, the burial place of Charlemagne (768-814 A.D.) and the capital of his medieval European empire. He is considered one of the most renowned and powerful emperors in the history of the Holy Roman Empire.
Rumour would have it that former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is planning a comeback to British politics. What his future role in the opposition labour party would be is open to speculation. On leaving office in 2007 he accepted the offer of Middle East envoy for the United Nations, European Union, United States, and Russia. Claiming an affinity for Jerusalem(hardly surprising considering his Catholic conversion the same year) his peace efforts have borne little fruit.
Will Mr. Blair’s rumoured return to British politics (after recently advising Barack Obama on his presidential election campaign) be an attempt to right his mis-management and devolution of a United Kingdom while he was Prime Minister, or, will he be working alongside his European accomplices in the ‘spirit’ of Charlemagne to complete the destruction of the thorn in the side of Europe? - TIME will tell.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Blair
What do all the recipients of the Charlemagne prize have in common? An overpowering ambition to bring about a Europe (and beyond) driven – not democratically governed – in the ‘spirit’ of Charlemagne and Rome.
For those of you who have no prior knowledge of Charlemagne’s methods of uniting Europe, then a good start is with a WIKI link – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlemagne
World Empires or Kingdoms
Prophetic revelations in the Holy Bible give us information on empires that, historically, have ruled over large areas of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
The books of Daniel and Revelation go into some detail regarding the identity of these empires. Daniel 2 gives a description of an image that represents the successive empires or kingdoms of this world. It should also be noted that the description of the parts of the image become progressively inferior in quality of materials used.
Dan.2:28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
Dan.2:32 This image’s head [was] of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet [that were] of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
The four kingdoms that are generally accepted as being represented by the image are:
- Head – Chaldean (Babylonian and Assyrian)
- Breast and arms – Persian/Medes
- Belly and thighs – Greece/Macedonian
- Legs and feet –Roman Empire
Now, the decline and fall of the western leg of the Roman Empire occurred in ca. AD 476, but the eastern leg continued until the fall of Constantinople in AD 1453. However, the empire has resurrected itself a number of times in different guises and is prophesied to continue to rule until the return of the ‘stone cut out without hands’.
The Biblical revelations regarding the events prophesied to occur are long, complex, and not easily interpreted. The Bible does truly interpret the events, particularly through a study of Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 and 17, and other texts related to them.
I will leave the interested reader to further self-study on this topic, as this posting is more concerned with another empire.
Roman Christianity
The above named kingdoms were all Gentile kingdoms, despite the historical significance of Rome recognizing its own brand of Christianity when the Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity throughout the Roman Empire– Edict of Milan (AD 313). In 380, the Flavius Theodosius made Catholic Christianity the official religion of Rome in the Edict of Thessalonica. This ‘Universal’ religion is with us to this day.
The British Empire
Britain controlled about one-fourth of the Earth’s land surface and one-fifth of the world’s population in 1939. Fifty years later, and up to the present day, its holdings outside the British Isles have become trivial in comparison to the time when ‘the sun never set on the empire’.
Britain still recognizes a fragile alliance of Commonwealth countries that continues to maintain their somewhat tenuous allegiance to the CROWN.
The main question I wish to raise in this posting is why a relatively small and insignificant island race of peoples should become so successful and powerful on the world stage. Indeed, so successful that they ruled over the largest Empire known to man. However, they lost that Empire and their power base on the world scene in much less TIME than that used to gain it.
It would seem strange that although the Bible mentions the above mentioned prophetic kingdoms as related in Daniel, that it should not make some reference to the largest Empire of them all – Perhaps it does so?
We should perhaps bear in mind that the Bible, from the time of Abraham at least, mainly only mentions kingdoms and nations that have an association with His own people. It is mainly concerned with the history of His people and not the history of other nations.
Deut.32:8 When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. 9 For the LORD’S portion [is] his people; Jacob [is] the lot of his inheritance.
The above two verses could lead us on to ask ourselves a question: If the LORD’S portion is His people (Jacob or subsequently Israel) then who was/are other nations apportioned too?
The most High divided the nations and the LORD’S portion is Israel. Psalm 82:1[[A Psalm of Asaph.]] God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
This topic is outside the parameters of this posting but perhaps worth some consideration for a future posting?
To Continue:
Now, Jacob’s name was changed to Israel after his all-night wrestling match – WITH WHOM? (Gen. 32:24-30)
Here is related another interesting biblical event that I will not dwell on here as it is another topic that is outside the parameters of this posting. However, it is related in Gen.32:24 that Jacob wrestled A MAN (AKJV). The Hebrew word: Strong’s H376 – ‘iysh’ – man, male (in contrast to woman, female) – human being, person (in contrast to God)
Who was this man that Jacob wrestled with?
Jacob – Strong’s H3290 – Ya`aqob – “heel holder” or “supplanter”
Israel - Strong’s G2474 – Israēl - “he shall be a prince of God” (Jacob) – Note: is not a prince as yet
Gen.32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.27 And he said unto him, What [is] thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 29 And Jacob asked [him], and said; Tell [me], I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore [is] it [that] thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. 30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved.
Peniel – meaning ‘face of God’
There are a number of questions that come to mind, for the interested reader, that need to be addressed when studying the above verses – but will leave them for a future posting.
Who was the MAN? – Read Gen.48:16 below.
To Continue:
Israel - The name used and given to the northern kingdom consisting of the 10 tribes under Jeroboam; only the southern kingdom was known as Judah
It can become confusing, especially when studying biblical prophecy, to differentiate between the names given to God’s own people. Examples: ‘children of Israel’, ‘house of Israel’, ‘house of Judah’, Jacob, Israel, Ephraim, Manasseh, Joseph.
It is important when attempting to understand future prophecy that the various names used for God’s people are applied, and that we do not confuse the peoples of Judah and Israel with one another. The modern day nation called Israel, for example, is actually Judah (Jews) – These people are NOT Israel– although they do belong and are an integral tribe of the ‘children of Israel’ (Jacob).
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were not Jews – only the descendants of Judah, son of Jacob, can be called Jews, along with those of the tribes of Benjamin and Levi that joined themselves to the nation Judah.
Ephraim and Manasseh became the leader(s) of Israel
Further in Genesis 48:15, 16 – Jacob (Israel) blessed Joseph and his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, and gave them his name– Israel.
Gen.48:16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
So here is revealed that the name Israel was passed on to Joseph and his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh, and to no other descendant of Jacob. Judah is NOT Israel and has never been.
Gen.48:17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head. 18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head 19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
Two brothers with a ‘special relationship’ – Manasseh prophesied to become a single GREAT nation, whereas the descendants of the younger Ephraim were prophesied to become greater and to become a MULTITUDE of nations. This was to be the future peoples of Israel – Not Judah. Judah was prophesied an entirely different future.
Where in world history do we find that ‘special relationship‘? Not an original concept, but one worth considering.
However, although the descendants of the two brothers (Israel) were prophesied to become great and powerful, they would appear to have forgotten along the way the God that ordained it so (the mouth sings praises, but the heart beats on another frequency), and the way He expects His people to live their lives?
The prophet Hosea gave a warning – for God does nothing without first warning
Hosea 5:3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, [and] Israel is defiled.
v.5 And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.
Israel and Judah did not fall TOGETHER anciently. This is therefore unfulfilled prophecy.
v.9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.
‘Among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be’, – that which is true or certain, so the Word is. Note: It is the privilege of the tribes of Israel that, as they are told their duty, so they are told their danger, by the oracles of God committed to them.
I think we will finish our journey here, for the time being, although it is far from being complete.
John
The Middle East and Europe
Middle East
There have been a number of interesting developments in the Middle East of late.
1. On May 7-8, 2012, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shocked his country by bringing the main opposition party, Kadima, into a national unity government. Shocking because just hours earlier, the Knesset was expediting a bill to call early elections in September.
It was an election that Netanyahu was expected to win easily, so why forfeit elections that would have given him four more years in power. He chose instead to form a national coalition that guarantees 18 months of stability — 18 months during which, if the world does not act (whether by diplomacy or otherwise) to stop Iran- then Israel is probably planning to do it alone?
By creating the largest coalition in nearly three decades, Netanyahu is establishing the political premise for a pre-emptive strike, should it come to that. The new government commands an astonishing 94 Knesset seats out of 120, described by one Israeli columnist as a “hundred tons of solid concrete.”
(Source: http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/krauthammer051012.php3)
2. In March of this year, Iran held parliamentary elections. The results of which have led to a more hard line ruling theocracy rather than the previous mix of democratic and theocratic principles of government.
All electoral candidates were vetted for their loyalty to Islamic principles and leading reformist groups were banned from running in the elections.
Seventy five percent of the 290 seat parliament was secured by those loyal to Ayatollah Khamenei. President Ahmadinejad has lost a good deal of power in parliament as a result. Although the Ayatollah has always been the ultimate authority in Iran, the aforementioned mixture of democratic and theocratic principles of parliamentary government has often hindered the Ayatollah from exerting his will upon government policies. That hinder has now been more or less removed – paving the way for a more authoritarian system of government; one which will become even more anti-western and especially anti-Zionist.
The so-called Arab spring has done absolutely nothing to ensure a peaceful transition to democratic government in the countries concerned, and has indeed increased Iran’s influence in the Middle East – Especially in Egypt, Libya, Iraq, Syria and the Palestinian areas of influence. Outside of the Middle East it has stronger ties with Pakistan and Afghanistan– Western influence is becoming weaker as these countries succumb to stronger Islamic principles of government.
Outside the Middle East, Iran has made attempts to influence Latin American countries, primarily through its alliance with President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela.
Check-out: http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/the-fraying-iran-venezuela-alliance-6603
3. During the presidencies of Anwar Sadat and subsequently that of Hosni Mubarak; Egypt acted as a stabilizing influence on Middle Eastern affairs – especially with regard to Israel. This influence has now become an unstable one as the Muslim Brotherhood begins to take control of the Egyptian parliament. The Brotherhood now control 58% of the seats of the upper chamber (Shura council), and 47% of the seats in the lower house.
Candidates from Islamist parties—the Brotherhoods Freedom and Justice and Al-Nour took two-thirds of the 478 seats (Al-Nour is a Salafi political party founded after the January 2011 uprising), which means they will have a large say in determining the country’s new constitution. Revolutionary groups led by those who played a pivotal role in toppling Hosni Mubarak took only seven seats.
Altogether, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party together with the Al- Nour party won 70% of the seats in the Egyptian election for the lower house of parliament. The Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party won 235 seats and the conservative (Al Nour) gained 121 seats in the People’s Assembly, according to final results.
The assembly consists of 498 elected members. Ten others are chosen by the country’s military rulers, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
The full parliament must appoint a 100-member panel to write a new Egyptian constitution. Presidential elections are set for end of May 2012.
The lower house has already voted on motions that outline its intended foreign policy, although it does not yet have the authority to enact these intentions.
One of the first was a motion, made in early March, to expel Israel’s Ambassador to Egypt. Due to numerous provocations, not least the attack on Israel’s Embassy in September 2011, the Ambassador left the country in late March of this year. Parliament has also called for gas exports to Israel to be stopped and for Egypt to establish its own nuclear program.
Israel is to be viewed as the nation’s “number one enemy” and endorsed what it called Palestinian resistance “in all its kinds and forms” against Israel’s “aggressive policies.”
Iran, of course, whole heartedly endorsed the Egyptian parliament’s intended future policies.
So, the pot is being stirred in the Middle East and the ‘King of the South’, is ‘PUSHING’.
4. Bahrain is in an unstable situation, where the ruling minority Sunnis dominate Bahrain’s political life and government sectors. Government and societal discrimination against the Shia population is also persistent, since Sunnis received preference for employment, housing and infrastructure. Shiite Muslims are also blocked from serving in important political and military posts.
Shiite Muslims comprise the majority of the citizen population of Bahrain and Iran.
Bahrain hosts the United States Naval Support Activity Bahrain, the home of the US Fifth Fleet; the US Department of Defence considers the location critical to its attempts to counter Iranian military power in the region. The Saudi Arabian government and other Gulf region governments strongly support the King of Bahrain. Some Arab intelligence officials claim Iran exerts influence on the protesters. Bahraini opposition parties, however, deny any Iranian role in the uprising. The government-commissioned Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) found no evidence that Iran had any role in the protests. Iran has historically claimed Bahrain as a province. Bahrain has been described as a geopolitical battlefield where the interests of Saudi Arabia and Iran converge.
Europe
Meanwhile, as Iran defies sanctions imposed upon it by western nations and continues developing its nuclear program, Britain is urging Germany to ‘beef up its contribution to European defence and security, in line with its economic might, as the United States focuses increasingly on the Asia-Pacific region’. (Daily Telegraph May 2, 2012)
British Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said he did not expect Germany, Europe’s largest economy, to spend more money in a time of general belt-tightening but said there was ample scope to improve the effectiveness of its forces.
Yet another example of a generation of politicians (there appears to be quite a number of them) who dropped history at school and has learned little or nothing about the thoroughness of the German mind-set. Germany has currently avoided using arms in its latest attempt to unify Europe – if we disregard the Balkans conflict, for which Germany cleverly engaged NATO forces to do its dirty work, and to pay for it to boot – See:
http://obsfotrans.wordpress.com/2011/09/24/the-balkans-conflict-–-an-expanding-europe/
http://obsfotrans.wordpress.com/2011/09/29/european-influence-growing-despite-the-divisions/
Economic issues appear to be doing the work that two previous and violent attempts during the 20th century failed to do – subjugate a goodly number of EU member states, and bring them into line with German thinking –Greece is the prime example at present.
However, Germany is not alone in dictating to member states of the EU. Take a look at the following URL from CNN.com: HERE
Quote.
‘Portugal is eliminating four holidays to try to boost its economy, the government announced – but only after getting the agreement of the Vatican.
Portugal and the Vatican will re-evaluate the agreement in five years, the government said’.
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This is just one recent example of a democratically elected government of a sovereign country requiring the consent of the Vatican before making democratic changes within its own borders. Not only was Vatican consent required, but the Vatican will re-evaluate its decision in five years.
Is Portugal(and a number of other European countries that could be mentioned) governed on apparent democratic principles, or, like Iran, subject to a theocratic assessment of proposed legislature?
None of the above should surprise the reader who possesses a reasonable knowledge of European history. Germany and the Vatican have a long history of alliance, and the ‘spirit’ of Charlemagne appears to be alive and well in today’s ‘Europa’ – but often invisible to the majority of its citizens – Interesting read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_(mythology)
A number of senior positions within the EU are now held by Jesuit educated incumbents.
Examples: Mariano Rajoy Brey – Prime Minister of Spain,
Mario Draghi – President of European Central Bank
Herman Van Rompuy – President of the European Council
Mario Monti – Prime Minister of Italy
Historically, Europe and the Middle East have clashed with each other – Catholicism and Islam have no love for one another, despite rhetoric to the contrary from populist politicians.
If the reader delves a little into the history books it will be found that the Book of Daniel Chpt.11 reveals a dual prophecy, one part has been fulfilled – as is recorded in secular history. The second part has yet to be fulfilled – The interested reader may find it worth a study in the light of current world events, and especially events occurring in Europe and the Middle East
UK ordinariate thanks Pope Benedict
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/uk-ordinariate-thanks-pope-benedict-for-financial-generosity/
Vatican City, May 1, 2012 / 08:01 pm (CNA/EWTN News).
Quote:
England’s Catholic jurisdiction for former Anglicans has received a $250,000 donation from Pope Benedict XVI, prompting an expression of thanks from its top cleric.
Monsignor Keith Newton, himself a former Anglican bishop turned Catholic priest, said the Pope’s gift was “a great help and encouragement as we continue to grow and develop our distinctive ecclesial life, whilst seeking to contribute to the wider work of evangelization in England and Wales.”
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Comments:
There’s a long-held tradition in traditional Catholic circles that England is “Mary’s dowry.” The tradition holds that the Godhead gave England to Mary, the mother of Jesus, as a gift in all perpetuity as the mother of the church. Based on that tradition, the Vatican has sought to reclaim the dowry since King Henry VIII severed the relationship between the church in England and the Church of Rome in 1536.
The Vatican is also most determined that Europe should return to its historical Christian (read Catholic and Universal) roots. Anyone with a reasonable knowledge of European history will appreciate how those roots were ‘forced’ to grow, and were nourished with copious amounts of the blood of innocents.
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Other stories that have made the headlines in recent days may well have some bearing on the Vatican’s aspirations.
Now that German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s long time EU ally, the former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, has lost his power base in recent elections, she appears to be turning toward another historical German ally – Italy.
German government’s spokesman Steffen Seibert has revealed that Merkel and Monti’s staff have already met to plan a series of joint German-Italian initiatives to promote economic stimulus measures to be discussed at the European council in June, La Stampa reports.
It would appear that it may well be a Berlin and Rome (and not Paris) leadership that will now be resurrected to dominate EU thinking. History beginning to repeat itself perhaps?http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005177
The ‘Berlin Group’ of EU foreign Ministers are also discussing ways to create a super-powerful EU president. See: http://euobserver.com/18/115965 and
http://obsfotrans.wordpress.com/2012/05/04/eu-plot-to-scrap-britain/
Interesting TIMES indeed!
History of Chinese Creation – In Pictographs?
Came across an interesting piece of information regarding what appears to be creational knowledge that has been embedded in the ancient Chinese language. I am no expert on Chinese characters, so cannot vouch for the authenticity of the following – but interesting nonetheless.
The Biblical identity of the Chinese peoples would primarily appear to be descendants of Noah’s son Japheth, through his second son Magog (Gen.10:2)
The ethnic Han comprise more than 90 percent of approx. 1.35 billion people living in China.
The Jewish historian Josephus made mention of Magog’s descendants – “Magog founded those that from him were named Magogites, but who are by the Greeks called Scythians” (The Complete Works of Josephus).
Ezekiel 38 lists numerous nations and peoples associated with or dwelling “in the land of Magog.” The people who most prominently settled this land are typically identified as Mongolic and Turkic. The name Mongol is even derived from the name Magog.
Without delving into the long and intricate past history of far eastern peoples, let us have a look at some of the Chinese characters that are used as communication tools – enabling the passing of ancient creational knowledge to all future generations.
More information can be obtained in the book ‘The Discovery of Genesis – C.H. Kang and Ethel Nelson – Concordia Pub. House,
Leave it to the reader to decide if the authors claims are valid.
