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Muslim Brotherhood

Is the Middle-East coming to the boil?

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Copy of email circulated yesterday and today about Israel, Iran and Jordan:

YESTERDAY (Monday)

Friends, to keep you in the frame, this update focuses [first] upon Israel and Iran.:

I was amazed this morning to learn that my merely passing thoughts at the foot of this thread, just after my quoting Mike Evans, could have been accurate! [See blog version of Thursday’s email for that reference.]  Btw, he’s said to be the only Christian to have confronted Iranian pres. Amadmanjihad last year in New York, where the Lord helped him get through high-security guards. He intends to do so again this week whilst the Iranian’s attending the UN General Assembly. [US House of Representatives passed motion requesting UN not allow him to speak on holy day of Yom Kippur!]

Breaking news today from New York quotes the Iranian president’s lying threat,

 “Iran has been around for the last seven, 10 thousand years. (Israelis) have been occupying those territories for the last 60 to 70 years, with the support and force of the Westerners. They have no roots there in history.

“We don’t even count them as any part of any equation for Iran…During a historical phase, (the Israelis) represent minimal disturbances that come into the picture and are then eliminated.”  (Reuters’ 1st report; my emphases)

The weekend before last I’d been mulling over media quietness during Rosh Hashanah holy days as perhaps the ‘still before the storm’, and praying there would be no surprise attacks upon Israel.

Thus, my remarks at the close of previous email were merely meant as an observation about Israel ’obviously taking precautions against being caught napping’. Yet little did I know it was the very same afternoon when newly released papers revealed a massive intelligence failure at the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War of 1973, as Joel Rosenberg reports:

Thirty-nine years ago this month, Israel was surrounded by enemies threatening to annihilate her. But Israeli leaders did not take the threats seriously enough, and did not order a pre-emptive strike to neutralize the enemy’s military capabilities. [Read The Times of Israel article on this severe lesson.]

Last weekend’s news:

Yesterday [Sunday], Reuters reported a Brigadier-General in the Republican Guards as stating on Iranian TV that:

Iran could launch a pre-emptive strike on Israel if it was sure the Jewish state was preparing to attack it…we can not imagine the Zionist regime starting a war without America’s support. Therefore, in case of a war, we will get into a war with both of them and we will certainly get into a conflict with American bases.

Also, the station paraphrased him as saying:

“Iran will not start any war but it could launch a pre-emptive attack if it was sure that the enemies are putting the final touches to attack it.”

Furthermore, Rosenberg advises that, for the first time, Iran’s highest-ranking military official (minister of defence) has tied the forthcoming confrontation into ‘the era of The Coming’ of the Hidden 12th Imam, or Mahdi. Thus, Iran’s leaders are expecting a highly significant war to facilitate that event and thereby introduce a global Islamic caliphate.  (See Joel’s post here and my previous overview.)

BUT JUST AS OMINOUSLY, the general alluded to various means of response which would implicitly include last week’s ‘binding commitment’ by Hamas leaders in Gaza to join Iran, Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon in military action against Israel.

Debka’s exclusive military sources (here) disclose the agreement’s detailed and precise directives would make Palestinian Hamas defer to Tehran and not to Cairo’s Muslim Brotherhood, of which Hamas is an offshoot, and instructs them to stop obstructing Iran’s proxy in the Gaza strip.

Thus, we can see Iran’s influence is extending westward like a demonic talon through Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Gaza around Israel, whose only trouble-free border is with Jordan. This development will doubtless affect the Egypt-Israel relationship and their counter-terror operations in Sinai, the border of which was breached during Friday’s shootout. Egypt’s new rulers are unable to control or contain Islamist terrorism in Sinai. Therefore, Israel’s latest massive exercise should be regarded in this light, and which left two battalions on the Syrian border!

America’s lack of influence/interest continues to be demonstrated by president Obama’s latest, and as some infer, unhelpful remarks towards Israel, as Debka reports here.

Thank the Lord what’s going in the world doesn’t hinder us from keeping our eyes on Him, and looking to His return – maranatha!

TODAY (Tuesday)


Further to yesterday’s update, this morning’s on-line headline corrects my reference to Israel’s only ‘trouble-free border’, viz :

Jordan on the brink: Muslim brothers mobilize for King Abdullah’s overthrow

Another ‘exclusive’ from Debka reports:

For Israel, an upheaval in Jordan bodes the tightening of the Islamist noose around its borders – Egypt and Libya to the south and Syria to the north, with unpredictable consequences with regard to Jordan’s Pales-tinian population.

Saudi Arabia, already threatened by Iranian aggression, fears the oil kingdom may be next in line if its northern neighbor is crushed under the marching feet of the “Arab Spring.”

The Debka report goes on to analyse the monarch’s plight and his three options, refers to the knock-on effect upon Saudi Arabia and succinctly surmises Obama’s quandary – will he stab yet another staunch ally in the back for the sake of the lynchpin to his outreach to the Muslim world, their Cairo-based brotherhood?

You may recall my reference in Jan 2011 (‘Talks leaks’ aka ‘Palestinian papers’) to:

calls for the overthrow of Jordan’s government (Egypt next?) …Perhaps, therefore, we may soon see whether or not Christian commentators upon the prophesied Psalm 83 Middle-Eastern war and fulfilment of Obadiah 15 are proved correct??’

Psalm 83 (click to read psalm)

In Bible Prophecy Blog of April 1st 2012, Bill Salus refers to the increasing interest in Psalm 83, which he describes as “a prophecy in progress”. His article notes and lists the six primary requirements stated in the psalm that need to be in place before all the nations surrounding Israel ‘wipe out its people…that the name of Israel be remembered no more’ (vv2-4). Six months ago he observed that ‘all six of these prerequisites are in place’ and foresaw with precise perspicuity that:

Apart from fragile peace treaties between Israel and Egypt, and Israel and Jordan, the Psalm prophecy essentially appears to be on the verge of fulfilment.

Many pundits believe that the new majority Islamic fundamentalist parliament of Egypt will soon abrogate the 33 year old peace agreement with Israel. Should Egypt break peace with Israel, there are few that believe Jordan will covet the lone-wolf position of being the only remaining Arab state that possesses a peace accord with Israel. The legitimate concern is reflected in the adage; “As goes Egypt, so goes the rest of the Middle East.”

What Bill describes has indeed started to happen, as is clearly evident from Egypt’s new, Muslim Brotherhood president Morsi’s attitude towards the peace treaty. With today’s exclusive news, we can now expect radical changes in Jordan this year…

To gain a good insight into the Biblical significance of what’s happening read Bill’s lucid, 4-page exposition Psalm 83 – A Prophecy in Progress. (His blog: prophecydepot.com)

The Lord bless you and keep you.

See also:

> John McTernan’s Daily Digest commentary of Sept 25th and his several news links.

> Nick Gray in The Commentator on the effect of Morsi’s attitude on the peace treaty. (He writes for Christian Middle-East Watch, a voice coming from the Church in Britain, aiming to bring balance and truth to debates and issues concerning the Middle-East.)

Update 14th Oct: Robert Spencer; Egyptian Copts overwhelmed by “anxiety and fear”, see Muslim Brotherhood government as “worst in memory”.

Clarification of crucifixion reports

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Crucifixions have been reported in some Islamic nations, all of which requires a  sensitivity in handling source materials, as may be inferred from my early post Not on the 10 o’clock News.  However, lack of such expertise – and of a grasp of spiritual dynamics – generated a great deal of verbiage, misunderstanding and  false conclusions, as outlined below:

A fortnight ago I noted Stuart James’ question on his popular blog-forum eChurch:   “Are Christians being crucified by the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt?   Important blog post by my friend Gordon looking at the veracity of the Christian crucifiction(sic) claims in Egypt, that have spread like wildfire online and created widespread anger amongst Christians.”

Gordon Hudson’s blog examines various reports and commentaries of this event in some depth. (It is claimed to have taken place in front of the presidential palace.)  He endorses Canadian editor and columnist Jonathan Kay’s National Post article entitled Egypt’s ‘crucifixion’ hoax becomes an instant Internet myth, wherein he pronounces at the very outset:

It’s a story worth dissecting — not because it’s true (it isn’t), but because it is a textbook example of how the Internet… has been co-opted by culture warriors as a weapon to fire up the naïve masses with lies and urban legends.

In concluding his ‘investigation’ of this particular case, he refers to a dated report (ie. three years old!) that repudiated false reports of crucifixions and thus wrote:

The people reporting this false story were not deliberately lying.  As I noted in my original post, they have simply become so wrapped up in the idea that we are fighting an existential war against militant Islam, that they are willing to believe any nonsense story they come across without checking it. If it sounds like it could be true, then it must be. The first casualty of war, as always, is truth.

Stuart’s friend puts it, “It shows how stories can change as they are spread. Especially where indignation is involved and there is an information vacuum.” Both these writers  dug around a lot and have taken the trouble of posting updates, all of which may be read via the above links. It’s too easy, however, to pontificate from the comfort of one’s cosy corner…

Within hours I received an email update from the original Western reporter.

As far as I can find, critics haven’t refered to the original report, its publication date or the identity of the man who’d broken the story to the West!  The account first appeared in a ‘guest column’ of The Investigative Project on Terrorism on 15th August under the title Muslim Brotherhood ‘Crucifies’ Opponents, Attacks Secular Media, by Raymond Ibrahim.

Unlike his critics, Raymond is not only fluent in Arabic but also a specialist in Islam who explores “the pivotal but ignored point where Islam and Christianity intersect, translating pertinent Arabic news that never reaches the West”.  Born of Egyptian Coptic parents, Raymond discovered, translated and published original Al-Qaeda treatises (earlier post refers: Muslim Persecution of Christians).

In response to the deluge of media speculation Raymond has reconsidered his report and answers Jonathan Kay point by point. He takes up Kay’s above opening shot with,

Alternatively, dissecting Kay’s claims is useful as it is a textbook example of how the Western mindset tries to rationalize away whatever does not fit its intellectual boundaries.

He doesn’t so much dissect as dismembers Kay’s argument. His rebuttal Crucifixion, Not Fictions should be read by all who are concerned about these severe issues. In point of fact he noticed, ahead of Kay, that the original Sky News report he’d seen and written about had been withdrawn!  In reviewing the facts he writes on 4th Sept:

 I did not have to make this point, or mention Sky News at all, since other reports—including El Balad, a much higher trafficked Arabic website which I also quoted—independently mentions the crucifixions in original language and further adds that two people died. And that report, as of now, is still up.

Raymond proceeds to answer Kay’s claims by referring to actual facts of life in Egypt, including the Maspero Massacre, and especially as regards media subjugation under the Muslim Brotherhood’s president Morsi. This had also been reported by renowned Caroline Glick in her long analysis published 17th August, Who lost Egypt?

On Sunday, new President Mohamed Morsy (sic) completed Egypt’s transformation into an Islamist state. In the space of one week, Morsy sacked the commanders of the Egyptian military and replaced them with Muslim Brotherhood loyalists, and fired all the editors of the state-owned media and replaced them with Muslim Brotherhood loyalists.

He also implemented a policy of intimidation, censorship and closure of independently owned media organizations that dare to publish criticism of him. (my emphasis)

Raymond Ibrahim concludes his firm rebuttal as follows:

All this leads to the most important point. Whereas Kay appears intent on proving that the crucifixions never happened, a close read of my article shows that I never said they did happen. As always, I merely reported and translated what was on the Arabic media; noted that Sky News took its story down; and then offered my own interpretation—including the fact that Muslims have been known to crucify their opponents in the modern era, crucifixions are prescribed by the Koran and Sharia, and an Egyptian parliamentarian recently called for crucifixions to be legalized.

In light of all the above, I reiterate my original conclusion: “there is little reason to doubt this crucifixion story.” (my emphasis)

Indeed, soon after this crucifixion story appeared in the Egyptian media, a disturbing video surfaced from Yemen, of a mutilated man, crucified.

How long before the usual naysayers try to portray even this video as a “hoax”?

If you wish to query Raymond’s argument, I’d direct you to this article in response to the decapitation of a Christian in Tunisia, and in which he lists several pertinent facts about the Arabic media and blogo-sphere that Western self-styled pundits miss.

The crucifixion video which he provides a link to is gruesome – it can be viewed only by turning safety button off!  It thrusts a grim reality into one’s face.  AND, amputation as punishment is common, the latest occurrence of which is in Mali (AP report here). I’ll desist from commenting about medieval religious mindsets that attempt to justify and promote outrageous barbarity. It brings a vivid portrayal of what would have happened to Jesus Christ, which Paul Priest portrays in The reality of the Crucifixion, [not for the squeamish].

By the way, there’s also ongoing persecution in Israel of Christians and Messianic Jews from ultra-orthodox Jews, of which the latest vandalism at a monastery is a minor episode (see World News – thanks Stuart).

So is someone, or something, masterminding a ‘crusade’ against Christians? And why?

Answers please on a postcard…

UPDATE: May 2013

For another well-informed and fuller, historical consideration see the Orthodox Christian Robert Sidway’s Crucifixion in Islam: Christians ascend their Golgotha

 

Muslim persecution of Christians

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COPY of pre-blog email (as in ‘About’).:

I’m circulating to draw attention, as does Barnabas Fund, not only to the criminal massacre of our brethren in Egypt but also and especially to the author’s early paragraph:

Meanwhile, not only are Western governments apathetic, but it was revealed that “Obama’s top Muslim advisor blocks Middle Eastern Christians’ access to White House.” Newt Gingrich asserted that Obama’s “strategy in the Middle East is such a total grotesque failure” and likened the “Arab spring” to an “anti-Christian spring.”Ann Widdecombe accused the British government of “double standards in its threats to cut aid to countries which persecute gay people while turning a blind eye to persecution against Christians.”

You may recall my grave concerns in June 2009 over President Obama’s Cairo Address. This indicated its claims to his being a historian and Christian were quite shallow, if not hollow. [ALSO see latest against his stance in MEF Aug’12 below.]

Many analysts, too, were deeply concerned, especially in his development of connections with the Muslim Brotherhood and the worrying direction his administration has taken the USA – even concluding that ‘POTUS’ (President of the United States) may be a crypto-Muslim.  Subsequent events served to confirm the validity of their well-reasoned reservations.

If latest reports are true, clear indications of what many regard as a subversive, anti-Christian agenda have now surfaced, viz:

Beirut Arab news agency al Nashra reported on Saturday November 22, that [White House Muslim envoy] Dalia Mogahed has succeeded in cancelling a meeting between the Maronite Patriarch of Lebanon and President Barack Obama. Writing in al Nashra, the reporter said “an unnamed US source told the news agency, that those who sought cancelling a visit of (the spiritual head of the Maronite Church) Patriarch Beshara Rahi to the White House are Dalia Mujahid (Mogahed), the highest adviser on Arab and Islamic Affairs in the State Department, who is from Egyptian origins. And that,” according to al Nashra, “heeding a request by the higher leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, who consider that US Administration must support the Islamist Sunni current facing the Iranian current in the region.”

The author of the MEF item below, Raymond Ibrahim, born of Egyptian Coptic parents, is a specialist in Islam exploring “the pivotal but ignored point where Islam and Christianity intersect…translating pertinent Arabic news that never reaches the West”. Biographical notes read:

Immediately after 9/11, Raymond—then a student of history and theology, not politics and current events—began reading up on al-Qaeda and other Islamist organizations; he began watching Al Jazeera.  He was immediately struck by the continuity evident between the words, deeds, and goals of the 7th century mujahidin (“jihadists”), whom he had been studying for years, and the near verbatim words, deeds, and goals of 21st century jihadists. Since then, he has maintained that to truly understand contemporary Islam, one must first understand Islamic history, doctrine, and epistemology

He discovered, translated and published original Al-Qaeda treatises, from which he concluded:

Based solely on al-Qaeda’s own words, this collection of translations, “proves once and for all that, despite the propaganda of al-Qaeda and its sympathizers, radical Islam’s war with the West is not finite and limited to political grievances—real or imagined—but is existential, transcending time and space and deeply rooted in faith.”

Please visit Middle East Forum for his October’11 and subsequent monthly updates.

LATEST  INDICTMENT: Obama Administration’s War on Persecuted Christians.

Stand today and next week re. Israel

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COPY of pre-blog email (as in ‘About’).:

Dear Friends,
.
Am catching up with my in-box and, if you’re as yet unaware, I’d draw your attention to the following ICEJ call for prayer back-up – please note the reminder about next week’s UN activity.
.
I’d hoped to have given a brief outline of the importance of this month to bring you up to speed but this revamped pc is so excruciatingly slow whilst I await repaired motherboard.  (Albeit optimized and tuned, it’s only 15% power of faulty pc, with processor too often at 100% capacity and struggling to multi-tab in browser!)
.
Hopefully, you may have kept tuned to what’s going on and I herewith insert some pertinent points that open John McTernan’s posting of early this morning:
“As the United Nations vote on a Palestinian state grows closer, the talk of war is accelerating. It seems that each day the war drums are getting louder and louder. Turkey and Egypt are now in a race to see who will be the first at war with Israel.  It is now a full-time job to watch the coming Psalm 83/Obadiah war. I still believe the war is going to focus on Jerusalem.  The Palestinians now are using Obama’s words against (him) in that he promised them a state!  This has a life of its own and is careening towards war…. “
.
LATEST NEWS:
.
– Turkey’s bellicose attitude, on top of expulsion of Israeli Ambassador and ‘corralling’ Israeli airline passengers, is becoming serious now its frigates are instructed to disable weapons of any Israeli ships outside territorial waters! (DebkaFile – unable to copy link) – all to avert attention away from growing domestic ills?  Time to kick Turkey out of Nato!
.
– last weekend’s storming of Israel’s Cairo embassy by founding branch of Al Qaeda and Muslim Brotherhood activists required urgent intervention of USA’s Obama and Clinton before Egyptian authorities protected the besieged staff from an extremely grave situation (DebkaFile – unable to copy link) – all on top of Iranian machinations in Gaza and Lebanon. 
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Just perhaps all this is one way the Lord may change Barack Obama’s deep anti-Israel stance?
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Let’s keep looking to our Lord Jesus
.
===========================
From: ICEJ UK
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2011 12:15 PM
Subject: Update re The Stand
You are still encouraged to attend ‘The Stand’ tomorrow outside Parliament between 3-5pm.  Tim Gutmann of Mordecai Voice writes: “Please, for a final push spread the word and pray with us that a great number of Bible believing Christians will come on Tuesday at Old Palace Yard (immediately to the West of the Houses of Parliament) 3pm-5pm. Please invite as many as you can and ask folk to RSVP at this email address or mordecaivoice@hotmail.co.uk.   I believe for a great turnout of love, support and a standing with Israel at this key time.”Pray for the Parliamentary seminar that will take place at the same time (3-5pm) inside the Houses of Parliament, which has been organised by Christian Middle East Watch with involvement by ICEJ UK and with the title Are the Palestinians ready for statehood?”   Pray that a large number of MP’s and peers will attend (If you would like a PDF of the invitation to the seminar, to pass to your MP, please request it:   info@icejuk.orgJust a week away now, the Palestinians will demand international recognition for statehood at the United Nations in New York. Download a guide to the unilateral Palestinian Declaration of Statehood (pdf)   It comes nearly 37 years after Yasser Arafat first entered the UN General Assembly, a gun holster strapped to his side, and legitimized a lifetime of terrorism against the Jewish people. “I have come bearing an olive branch and a freedom fighter’s gun,” he declared. “Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand.”  Arafat’s chilling threat still hangs over the UN chamber in New York as the Palestinians openly warn of another ‘intifada’ against the Jewish people if the world refuses to give them what they want:  the city of Jerusalem.Then, on September 22nd the UN’s Durban III conference will take place in New York City. This ‘anti-racism’ conference has always targetted Israel and given a platform to anti-semitic abuse from her enemies.However, as Tim Gutmann writes, ‘We are  excited because we stand with truth, with the gospel of peace, with Jesus and we stand with Israel in these dark days…. We are excited to publicly proclaim this, to publicly pray, to publicly declare scriptural truth regarding Israel and His people, the Jews. We look forward to raising a public voice of love and support for Israel in a time of increasing isolation and hatred. We are looking forward to standing together in unity with you as we declare that; not only do we not believe the lies of the delegitimization efforts against Israel, but more than that! We believe Israel is covenanted with God forever, that His land has been promised to the Jewish people and their inhabiting is the fulfilment of prophecy from thousands of years.”
ICEJ UK
From ICEJ UK
12 September 2011
The Stand – Westminster – 13th September 2011

Deep US-Saudi rift emerges

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Part 1 of pre-blog email (as in ‘About’).:

Today’s news: ‘Deep US-Saudi Rift’

Dear Friends – did you spot the prophetic parenthesis in my previous ‘news flash’? 

Actually, I’d added the short comment shown below only as an aside to a notification about the Guardian’s ‘Talks Leaks’.  Little did I know the next day everything would start unravelling in Egypt!  Apparently, it was a few days after Mubarak had refused to protect Christians from persecution!  Mind you, the Muslim Brotherhood (the originators of Hamas & Al Quaida) had already stated it would emulate the uprising in Tunisia if its demands were not met.

You may have followed developments in the main media news but missed the concerns over America’s subversive efforts in Egypt and over Obama’s demand that an ally caves in to an uprising despite his hush over Iran’s suppression of democratic dissent.  (In my opinion that’s no surprise in view of the ways he stabbed the only democratic ally in the Mid-East in the back; eg. the offensive way he treated Israel’s PM Netanyahu.)   But more emphatic was the deep consternation of professional commentators over the Obama administration’s seesaw ambivalence.

So, this morning the rebuking of Obama was announced in the Times’ exclusive, front-page headline – ‘Saudis told Obama not to humiliate Mubarak’.  The article suggests the exchange between leaders was more than a slap on the wrist from King Abdullah.  Details revealed by Debka indicate it was more a big cuff behind the ear (http://www.debka.com/article/20650/).

Even so, if Mubarak does step down let’s hope his vice-president Omar Suleiman holds the reins for he’s played an extremely important intelligence and diplomatic role with Israel.  The dangers are in a secret alliance between the Sunni and Shiite extremists manipulating Egypt into a war against Israel. (25 yrs ago, at the height of the Iraq-Iran war, I saw a TV report on their elite forces uniting to rehearse an attack upon Jerusalem!)

[Update: see Robert Spencer; Egyptian Copts overwhelmed by “anxiety and fear”, see Muslim Brotherhood government as “worst in memory” – 14 Oct 2012] 

However as regards these events…(click here to read Part 2 The Lord’s Perspective:, after email below).

Praise our Almighty God and Father of Lord Jesus

Richard

From:
Richard Barker

Sent: Monday, January 24, 2011 1:31 PM
To: Undisclosed Recipients
Subject: TODAY’S NEWS – ‘Talks Leaks’ a.k.a. ‘Palestinian Papers’
….

As January has seen riots in Tunisia, severe internal tensions in Lebanon, calls for the overthrow of Jordan’s government (Egypt next?), then let’s not be surprised if these leaks lead to a major shaking of Palestinian leadership, if not their complete overturn, in February!

Perhaps, therefore, we may soon see whether or not Christian commentators upon the prophesied Psalm 83 Middle-Eastern war and fulfilment of Obadiah 15 are proved correct??

Let’s keep our gaze upon our awesome Lord Jesus

Richard

Is Egyptians’ attitude better than British one?

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COPY of pre-blog email, with my emphases .:

Friends,
At a ladies’ regular house gathering in a village near Guildford, guest speaker ‘H’ was eloquently forthright about the situation here in comparison with her homeland of Egypt.  There ordinary Muslims would expect Christians to be as fervent as they are in their faith.

 [I’m only too aware of the current persecution of our Coptic brethren, possibly because that’s where the Muslim Brotherhood took root and which is pressing for political power in the event of President Mubarak’s demise. One of its martyred leaders is regarded as the founding father of modern jihad and its deeply doctrinaire targeting on all fronts of America and Europe.

[Update: see Robert Spencer; Egyptian Copts overwhelmed by “anxiety and fear”, see Muslim Brotherhood government as “worst in memory” – 14 Oct 2012] 

You may recall my having quoted Miracles Among Muslims by Christine Darg. So, it was good to hear ‘H’ say over a million Egyptian Muslims secretly believe in Jesus and that Middle Eastern believers are migrating to the relatively more tolerant Egypt. [NB: 2 years ago!]

‘H’ mentioned the Lord had advised her not to regard outward events as being of His will but to look for His redemptive plan for nations.  Thus, she gained insight into the Isaiah 19 prophecy regarding Egypt, Israel and Assyria (ie Iraq) – which is also a  pillar for Canon Andrew White’s reconciliation work in Baghdad, Jerusalem and Cairo!!  [See previous post.]

Perhaps the serendipitous references to this scripture came in answer to my thoughts upon Acts 1:6-7?  When answering the disciples’ query on restoring the kingdom to Israel, could Jesus have had in mind Father’s strategy to fulfil that prophecy??  What do you think, my friend?  Some teach that Jesus rebuked them because they were mistaken about God’s purposes. But surely Jesus would have explicitly said so? 

Let’s remember when He upset them by saying He was going away to prepare a place for them in Father’s house, He explained: “Were it not so I would have told you” (John 14.2).  Surely, Jesus would have applied that same teaching principle when answering their question about Israel’s future, wouldn’t He?  

Jesus’ answer was not an emphatic “No” but rather a “Not yet and it’s not for me to say – I have a something else for you”.

Meanwhile, let’s take our stand…

Richard

Obama’s Cairo speech

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COPY of pre-blog email (as in ‘About’) – The main points covered therein are.:

> Jesus said, “Take heed that you be not deceived … (Luke 21:7-8).

> President Obama’s Cairo speech to Muslim world included delegates from the banned Muslim Brotherhood who were invited at Obama’s specific request. This Islamist group is banned by the Egyptian government because of its teachings and violence against all authorities that do not fully implement Islam’s sharia law.

> My reservations about the accuracy of his claims as a Christian and historian. In fact, Obama negated known actual facts to present a fully Arabic and Palestinian narrative.

The link to Rick Joyner’s paper is defunct but is open here: Discerning the Times pt34

Update 1: Elliott Abrams, Fellow of the Council of Foreign Relations, on 25 Sept 2012 briefly remarks on this in Pressure Points – Obama, Judaism and the Holocaust:

As Ronald Reagan once said, there he goes again. Islam has a prophet; Christianity has a savior, but Judaism has…. the Holocaust. The problem Jews and especially Israelis face, with apologies for having to spell it out, is not so much Holocaust denial as it the slander of the Jewish religion as a whole and the desire to eliminate the Jewish state.

Mr. Obama and his speechwriters should get over their equation of Judaism and Israel with the Holocaust. It is dispiriting to see the 2009 error repeated again three years later.

Update 2: Raymond Stock provides an excellent overview of the situation in the Foreign Policy Research Institute E-Note, On Mistaking Mohamed Mursi for His Mask (Feb ’13).  For introductory post, see Lunch with Raymond Stock.

Dear Readers,

Doctor Luke quotes Jesus on the signs of the times; ‘…And He said, “Take heed that you be not deceived…”(NKJV).

What are your thoughts and reactions to President Obama’s exceptional speech to Muslims last Thursday in Cairo?

To check it for yourself click  http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-Cairo-University-6-04-09/

The widely welcomed speech brought a good response in Lebanon’s election with the defeat of Hizbollah-controlled coalition – but watch out Beirut! And SURPRISE, SURPRISE, in false-anticipation of a Hizbollah victory, Iranian/Syrian-proxy Palestinian terrorists responded in combined Hamas/Fatah/Al-Quada assaults upon Israel’s border, all of which failed.

According to an exclusive report based upon military and security sources, those attacks were only one outcome of Egypt’s intelligence minister meeting with Hamas’ politburo chief, who rejected Obama’s call and refused to call off terror campaign against fellow Palestinians. Also, soon after that meeting came the first ever missile strike from Gaza upon Egyptian security forces.

Book of Daniel

Far more importantly, it will be well-worth watching how Obama’s plans will connect into the EU’s European Neighbourhood Policy – which, some surmise, is part of the ’70th week’ of Daniel (chpt 9:20-27) that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24:15. Should you need any proof, read this letter of intent:http://www.fulfilledprophecy.com/workspace/solana_remarks_obama_speech_cairo.pdf

A FlawedSpeech?

May I submit to you that were Obama’s proposals for the seven issues he addressed put on a 3-legged stool, they’d probably collapse.

Why? Like legs upon which his argument was based, three connected claims in his opening remarks are flawed. Hence, the speech has some deceptive inaccuracies and dangerous nuances – even a clear implication of the New World Order’s agenda of multi-faith projects through the Alliance of Civilisations (and the Blair Foundation? – remember his strong connection to the Clinton’s and Hilary’s rebutted/denied previous Bush Admin’s agreement with Israel!).

First, it was sensible to slant a speech towards the mindsets of the Mulsim audience – like St Paul did with the Athenians. But after quoting ‘Be conscious of God and speak always the truth’ from the Koran, Obama said “I will try…to speak the truth…” and closely followed with “I’m a Christian”. IF he really were a believer, wouldn’t he have referred to what Jesus taught about how the truth makes one free?

IF Obama really were aChristian, he would not have firmly declared, as US President in his inaugural address and consequent trip to Europe, that America is no longer and never has been a Christian nation!! The national intercessor and teacher Dutch Sheets said that’s like the stronghold of Goliath mocking God’s people – so maybe there’s a warning here? We believers know God is not mocked!

IF he really were aChristian would he have spoken, as do Muslims, of Jesus as being equivalent to Mohammed??

IF he really were aChristian, then why are many Church leaders gravely concerned?

Rick Joyner writes,“…This new unity in the church is being driven because of foreboding created by the demeanor and laws being passed by the Obama Administration, which seem to be specifically designed to open doors for persecuting the church.”

To read his report Discerning The Times, Part 34  clickhttp://www.morningstarministries.org/Publisher/Article.aspx?ID=1000051215

“As a student of history…”.If Obama really were a well-informed Christian and student of history then he would have told the truth about the founding of Israel, not only in 1948 but also despite fierce Arab riots and attacks against Jewish settlers since 1916, and about the reasons and origins of Arab and Jewish refugees within the Palestine region.

IF he really were a Christian and familiar with history, he would NOT have claimed the foundation of America and its universities were not influenced by God’s word and Christian principles. Whilst on-air, the renowned intercessor Dutch Sheets took great exception to Obama’s gross mistake and quoted from historical records to disprove the President’s claims that America is not and never has been a Christian nation.

Hence, Obama started out from a fundamentally flawed position and those errors affected the whole speech – like a little leaven. What do you think?

If you’d like further details on these important matters please do ask me to clarify or explain. Or, you could read these excellent articles from the Washington-based Centre for Security Policy:

May you be blessed mightily
Richard
For more on this read Middle-East Update – July 2009.