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Well, unless you've been secluded somewhere in the Himalayas today, you've probably already heard the news.
President Obama is backing a Mideast peace plan based on pre-1967 borders.
He said, "The dream of a Jewish and democratic state cannot be fulfilled with permanent occupation." According to his vision of the Middle East, any future solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "must embody two sovereign states based on pre-1967 borders" (NY Times).
This is a shame on multiple levels. Not only does it place US foreign policy solidly in alignment with the Palestinian position, but it also constitutes a betrayal of our closest ally in that part of the world--the State of Israel.
We're still digesting all of this. Keep your televisions tuned to the news.
More later.
Tomorrow (Thursday, May 19), the President will deliver a major foreign policy address focusing specifically on US policy in the Middle East.
Today, as a prelude to that speech, the White House unveiled a $2 billion aid package for Egypt (click here for details).
This is Mr. Obama's first attempt to codify US Mideast policy in a way that integrates his administration's view of the entire region against the backdrop of US vital interests.
It's a tall order, especially as it relates to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Fatah and Hamas recently signed an accord which has the net effect of moving the entire Arab Palestinian movement in the direction of Hamas, a notorious terrorist organization.
This effort is made even more complicated by all the instability in the Arab world right now. Dictators and kings have fallen and there may be more before long.
There are high expectations for the President's speech.
We'll see what he has to say.
Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, has weighed in on the killing of terrorist and al Qaida chief Osama bin Laden.
Click here for Williams' perspective--along with a brief analysis by NRB President Frank Wright.
Note especially Dr. Wright's observations about the implementation of Sharia law in the UK.
We would do well to glean some helpful lessons from the UK's approach to the issue of Islamic culture and its demands.
May the Lord give us wisdom here in the US and Canada as we face increasing pressures to follow the UK's example.
Osama bin Laden had been hailed by some as the Jihadic messiah of worldwide militant Islam.
But one important fact calls into question his messianic credentials: he's still dead.
In fact, his body was buried at sea within 24 hours of his death.
Unlike the true Messiah, Yeshua of Nazareth, who arose on the third day, bin Laden isn't coming back.
According to early reports, the Navy Seals who conducted the operation reported that, in his final moments, bin Laden was using one of his wives as a shield—and she was killed along with him.
If that turns out to be true, it only confirms that bin Laden and his ilk are sniveling little cowards.
And what a contrast. When Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in Tucson on January 8, a Christian man, Dorwan Stoddard, threw himself over his wife to protect her: click here for story. He was killed; she was unhurt.
Bin Laden, on the other hand, may have used one of his several wives to shield himself from the hail of bullets coming his way. What a sad, pathetic, disgusting excuse for a human being. What does this say about his character—and that of his followers?
But it shouldn't surprise anyone. It doesn't require courage to sit in a tent in a tribal area of Afghanistan and order an attack on innocent civilians 7,000 miles away like bin Laden did on 9/11. He never looked those people in the eye. He didn't even know their names. That is the worst kind of cowardice.
And just think: this guy was the "George Washington" of the Jihadic movement, their much-revered leader.
He was the best they had to offer. Turns out, that wasn't much.
It's been gratifying to hear some Islamic leaders speaking out in support of the execution of bin Laden. It's tempting to ask, "Where were you guys six months or six years ago? Why wait until now?"
But like they say, better late than never, I suppose.
Georgia Heisler, our staff writer here at CJF Ministries, sent me this thought-provoking article from the Christian Science Monitor: click here
In some ways, it seems like taking a bullet between the eyes was an easy way for bin Laden to go. Too easy, in fact.
But remember, God isn't finished with him yet.
I'm sure there's a special, hotter, more unspeakably horrible sector of Hell reserved for evil monsters like Nero, Hitler, and Stalin.
Welcome to the neighborhood, bin Laden.
Update: The White House is now backing off its earlier account of the killing of bin Laden: click here
I apologize in advance if it turns out that my reporting above included inaccuracies due to fluctuations in certain source accounts (like the ones coming out of the White House press office).
But I stand by my assessment that the man was a coward and an evil monster. Killing him was the humane thing to do—not unlike putting down a rabid dog. Whether or not he was armed at the time, and whether or not he was using one of his wives as a human shield, is really immaterial to that ultimate conclusion.
We'll keep you posted as further developments may warrant.
President Obama just made it official in a late-night announcement from the White House.
Usama bin Laden, mastermind and financier of the 9/11 World Trade Center attack, has been shot dead in a firefight with US special forces personnel in Pakistan.
Several other enemy personnel were killed in the attack. No Americans were injured.
Bin Laden was reportedly living in a mansion-like fortress north of Islamabad, surrounded by high walls and multiple layers of security.
Here are some of the headlines coming across the news wires right now:
For CNN, click here
For Fox News, click here
For the New York Times, click here
The US State Department is warning American citizens who may be traveling overseas at this time to be especially cautious. There are concerns that bin Laden's terrorist network may attempt an attack against American targets in retaliation for their leader's killing.
The war on terror is far from over. We'd better not let our guard down—more tough times and more threats lie ahead.
We can count on that.
The killing of bin Laden is largely symbolic, especially given his declining health in recent years; he was reportedly on dialysis due to acute kidney failure.
But it's a symbol we're grateful for, nonetheless.
Let's continue praying for our brave troops who are overseas on the front lines of the war on terror.
God bless each and every one of them; and may God bless the United States of America.
We just received news that David Wilkerson, legendary preacher and author of The Cross and the Switchblade, was killed in a head-on collision with a truck earlier today (Wednesday).Here's the news alert from Christianity Today: click here
Let's be in prayer for the Wilkerson family, for the church family at Times Square Church in NYC, and for the people who work for the numerous ministries David founded (like Teen Challenge).
There's been a new and tragic development in Gaza that underscores something we've been saying for years: The proposed "two-state solution" won't work in the Middle East.
Nobody's been listening, though, because it's assumed now by virtually everyone that it's the only workable path to Mideast peace.
Israel and "Palestine" (another Arab state in the midst of a vast Middle Eastern sea of Arab states) will live, side-by-side, happily ever after.
At least, that's the plan.
It's been endorsed by the Quartet—the United States, the European Union, the United Nations, and Russia.
Maybe it looks good on paper, but like I said, it won't work.
The main reason it's not workable is that the Palestinians cannot govern themselves.
Please don't misunderstand me. I have Palestinian friends. Back in the 1990s, when we could still take our tour groups to Jericho, Bethlehem, and other places in the West Bank, we did a lot of business with Palestinian shop owners. Our tour groups would sit in restaurants, having lunch, with Palestinian people sitting all around us. Our people loved getting their photos taken with the PA soldiers—and the soldiers loved it, too.
Jericho_Bethlehem1999
All of that having been said, however, the fact is that the Palestinians, as a group, aren't anywhere close to being ready to govern themselves. They probably never will be. I understand the risks of stereotyping an entire ethnic group; but in this instance, I'll chance it: Too many of the Palestinians are uncivilized, impulsive, and devoid of any guiding principle other than the dictum that says they must destroy the Jews at any cost.
In Genesis 16:12, the Angel of the LORD told Hagar that her son, Ishmael, would be "... a wild man; His hand [shall be] against every man, And every man's hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."
Literally, that first phrase should be translated "a wild (donkey of a) man." The New Topical Textbook says this phrase encompasses several nuances of meaning:
- To be wild and savage
- To be warlike and predatory
- To be independent
"Independent," of course, can mean not subject to authority.
In the parlance of parenting, we might say, "Does not play well with others."
Again, saying that all Palestinians (including some very wonderful Palestinian believers in Jesus) are evil or bad is problematic; however, there are certain characteristics that tend to be true of them collectively (i.e., as a people).
If you put a rat in a cage with a boa constrictor, you know what's going to happen. it's a matter of chemistry—and it's extremely predictable. What it boils down to is that the rat is going to do what rats do and the snake is going to do what snakes do. And only one of them will come out of it alive. It's as simple as that.
If you put a Palestinian State next door to a Jewish State, the ultimate outcome is equally predictable.
The recent development in Gaza is that Hamas is turning against itself.
Hamas, you will recall, wrestled control of Gaza away from the Palestinian Authority (Fatah) in a bitter 2007 war.
Hamas operatives (evidently a splinter group of some sort) just murdered an Italian journalist, Vittorio Arrigoni, who was an outspoken supporter of the Palestinian cause.
Here's the story: click here
Mr. Arrigoni was the last person on earth Hamas should have wanted dead. He was one of their most outspoken and high profile supporters in Europe.
But they killed him anyway.
This poor man learned the hard way that when you play with a venomous snake, it will eventually bite you.
Our sympathies, of course, go out to his loved ones.
Meanwhile, Hamas sympathizers are blaming—guess who? That's right: the Israelis.
Some things never change.
In late December of 2008, the Israelis invaded the Gaza Strip. Hamas terrorists had been firing rockets into Israel from Gaza, killing and maiming Israeli civilians. There had been dozens of such attacks. The Israelis couldn't simply fire back because Hamas used schools and hospitals as shields.
So the Israelis invaded. They leveled entire neighborhoods which their intelligence (the best in the world, by the way) indicated had become centers of terrorist activity. Hamas commanders took refuge in hospital basements because they knew the Israelis would not destroy hospitals. In a twisted sort of way, this enabled Hamas to use the Israelis' humanitarian instincts against them.
In the end, however, an estimated 709 "terrorist operatives" were killed during the IDF's "Operation Cast Lead." The term "cast lead" refers to the making of bullets (by pouring molten lead into casts); hence, the purpose of the op was to strike at Hamas' offensive capacity in Gaza.
At the time, the IDF claimed that they were taking great care to minimize civilian casualties; nonetheless, the United Nations denounced the invasion (surprise, surprise!) and accused the Israelis of crimes against humanity.
After the invasion, the United Nations Human Rights Council asked a Jewish man named Richard Goldstone (a judge from South Africa) to head up a panel to investigate possible human rights violations by the IDF in Gaza.
The forthcoming Goldstone Report was scathing. Among other things, it concluded that the Israeli Army, as a matter of policy, targeted and killed civilians during the Gaza military op. Anti-Zionist groups the world over seized on this report, citing it as evidence that the Israelis indiscriminately murdered Palestinian civilians.
Now, however, there's been an interesting twist in the plot. Judge Goldstone says that subsequent investigations have confirmed the Israeli version of events on numerous key counts and that if his report were republished today, knowing what he knows now, it would be "a different document." Here's the report from the New York Times: click here
Now we'll wait and see if the UN Human Rights Council issues an apology for its careless and baseless accusations.
I'm not holding my breath.
Update (April 6, 2011): Wow, this judge from South Africa is a real piece of work. Now he's saying that there's no reason to retract the original report, even though its central theme (i.e., that the Israelis intentionally targeted innocent civilians in the Gaza operation) has been shown to be unsupported by the facts: click here
Please Note: Some of the hyperlinks below will take you to YouTube or other secular sites where you may see profanity or other objectionable content. We recommend that children not be allowed to click on these links without adult supervision.
Last week, we told you about the vessel that was stopped by the Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza Strip (click here).
The Israelis found that it was carrying a large cache of offensive weaponry, including rockets and other explosives.
Here's an interesting video from the IDF channel on YouTube: click here
Rumors are circulating that YouTube is about the pull the video (ostensibly because it's politically incorrect); however, we have been unable to confirm this from any independent source.
But just in case, I wouldn't wait too long to click on the link if I were you.
Note how cooperative the captain of the Victoria was. He knew his goose was cooked!
And just this morning, in case there's anyone left on earth who wonders why the Palestinians want these types of weapons, there's more news about missiles being fired from Gaza into Israel: click here.
The saga continues—so as always, stay tuned ...
Many people are wanting to know what's being done to help the victims of Japan's recent tragedy.
Here's what's currently coming across the news wires: click here for CNN or click here for Fox News
CJF Ministries doesn't have a presence in Japan because our resources and personnel are concentrated in areas of the world where there's a significant Jewish population. Japan's Jewish community is very small.
if you want to help, there are ways to do it—but please be careful. Scams are already being reported. Con artists are always quick to take advantage of tragedies like this one. They profit from the heartache and pain of others. It's what they do.
However, I'm pleased to report that a number of reputable Christian relief organizations are on the ground right now in Japan and doing what they can to help.
For instance, we just received this report from our friends at NRB (National Religious Broadcasters): click here.
World Vision is also appealing for funds for Japan. These folks have been around for a long time and have a good reputation for financial integrity. Click here.
As many of you know, we also have a longstanding relationship with IFCA International, one of the oldest Bible-believing church-staff fellowships in North America. You can click here for information on how you can provide financial assistance through IFCA-related missionaries in Japan (highly recommended). This is probably the best way to help in terms of (1) making sure the highest percent of your dollars actually make it to the front lines in Japan, and (2) ensuring that the funds are disbursed in Jesus' Name via a ministry that is aligned with us doctrinally.
The ruptures at the nuclear plants are particularly troubling. Now, in addition to cleaning up after the devastation of a record-breaking series of earthquakes and resulting tsunami, the Japanese authorities have to deal with an unfolding nuclear disaster. There are disturbing discrepancies between what the Japanese government is saying and what other experts are reporting. Fallout could be carried by wind currents to virtually anywhere in the world, including the USA (although experts say the radiation levels would be very low). Bloomberg is already reporting that passengers arriving in the US from Tokyo are setting off radiation detectors in our airports: click here. It's all very troubling.
Here are some amazing before and after shots of the tsunami devastation in Japan. Just move your mouse cursor over the photos and it'll show the contrast. Unbelievable.
They say that after World War 2, Douglas MacArthur put out the call for missionaries to descend en masse on Japan and inundate the island nation with the Gospel. One online article recalls:
After Japan surrendered in 1945, General Douglas MacArthur became Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in charge of rebuilding the Japanese government. To a visiting group of evangelicals, MacArthur said: "Japan is a spiritual vacuum. If you do not fill it with Christianity, it will be filled with Communism. Send me 1,000 missionaries." He asked U.S. missionary societies to send "Bibles, Bibles and more Bibles."
However, only a few responded to the call and Japan was not evangelized.
Now maybe we have another chance. Let's pray that the LORD will use this tragedy to impress on the Japanese people their need for Him. May this be an opportunity for Gospel-proclaiming ministries to drive home the truth that man's technology is limited (and sometimes dangerous) and we need the Lord's wisdom and help. It all begins with a personal relationship with His Son, Jesus the Messiah! This is the message that needs to go forth in power during this dark and troubling time.
The Lord talked about natural disasters as a prophetic sign of the times. He said, "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near" (Luke 21:28). May He come soon!
In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the people of Japan.
03/17/2011 UPDATE FROM HAMADERA BIBLE CHURCH, JAPAN:
Japan Report #2 IFCA International Earthquake & Tsunami Benevolence
Dear Praying Folks of IFCA International,
I was finally able to speak with Pastor Shuji Kondo by telephone last night. He and his family are safe outside of Osaka, just south of Tokyo. By God’s providence, they live over 350 miles from Sendai, the city closest to the epicenter of the earthquake. But Shuji has connections with pastors and churches all across Japan and has been communicating with them. Shuji is supremely comforted knowing that all of us are standing behind him and are praying for his country. He is touched by our expressions of solidarity and prayerful support. I told Shuji that after the first-responder phase, many opportunities to use the IFCA funds will become quite apparent. And at that time, plans will come together by Shuji and his trustworthy people in Japan. The IFCA Benevolence Committee will work with them in overseeing those plans and the disbursement of the funds with an emphasis on ways to further evangelistic opportunities. But we’re not there yet. They’re still trying to survive the crisis and need our prayers. Go here for information on how to give toward this emergency in Japan
Below is Shuji’s email from this morning.
Dr. Les Lofquist
IFCA International Executive Director
Les,
It was so good to speak with you. Thank you for your prayers.
The true conditions in those areas of northeast Japan are far more worse than I imagined. The latest report tells us that the death toll is close to 5,700 with more than 9,500 people and up to 15,000 still missing. We are acquainted with some Christians who were visiting that area and are missing, they are among those presumed dead.
We found some churches near the damaged nuclear plant. They may not able to use their church 
building again. I will continue my efforts to locate more opportunities to help in the name of Christ.
I feel guilty for staying in my warm house and sleeping on the comfortable bed. Most of them who were forced to evacuate live in freezing cold gyms.
Fifteen people who were evacuated from a hospital to one gym died this afternoon.
There are countless tragic stories.
Shuji
Photo of Pastor Shuji Kondo and Family
Senior Pastor, Hamadera Bible Church
