Gulf Oil: The Other Holy Anointing Oil

You may be aware of how scented anointing oil is used to dedicate and to sanctify, to bless and to heal, as described in scripture. But you may not be aware of how Gulf oil, the other anointing oil, is being used to dedicate and bless the new century of political and religious globalism, to help usher in the sacred "New Paradigm." Even slicker than the oil itself, certain industries and individuals are poised to make millions off of the BP Gulf gusher, and documented facts imply this is not accidental. The depths of human greed and corruption implied in this incident are difficult to fathom, but this isn't just a doom and gloom article. I've found hope and inspiration in the writings of Alexander Solzhenitsyn, who became a beacon of hope during the repressive and corrupt Soviet regime. He offered a powerful example of how artists and writers can have a great impact on the world.

Have you Ever Fasted 40 Days?

Fasting isn't very popular. Once, I was fasting a few days and some Irish workers at the construction site where I was  working asked me “Are you on a hunger strike?” Though fairly rare and somewhat underrated by the Church today, it may be time for more Christians to look into the practice of fasting. There is a saying “desperate times call for desperate measures.” While Christ has given us His deep love, peace and joy, there are times and seasons in life when the Holy Spirit may lead Christians to fast from food and pray in earnest for one or more reasons.

Did Poland’s Plane Crash Signify the Death of Democracy?

In reviewing the events surrounding Poland’s tragic plane crash near Smolensk Russia, I have been mulling over the many aspects of the crash and what it means. As I have been studying the situation, the death of the Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his fellow Conservative Party dignitaries seems to have been much more meaningful than the mainstream media has implied. Poland has been an unsung hero and champion of democracy in Europe and as you study some of the history you can’t help but feel the gravity of the moment.


A recent interview with Lech Walesa, the “Father of Democracy in Poland,” offered some solemn words regarding the sorry state of democracy in the United States and what this means for the democratic free world. This coupled with the rise of socialistic globalism in the EU and the recent election of Viktor Yanukovych in Ukraine signify that a chapter in world history may very well be coming to an end.

New Info on Hidden Hazards of Genetically Modified Foods

There are many controversial questions surrounding the use of genetically modified crops and foods, also known as GM foods, GE foods, Nano-foods, Frankenfoods, etc. You may not agree with my opinions, but you should probably at least be informed of the issues.

Happy International Atheists’ Week!

When I first moved to Ukraine, I found out there was not a "Mother's Day" but an "International Women’s Day" that had been going on for quite some time. People were shocked that I didn’t know about it, after all, the Soviets told people for seventy years that the whole world celebrated this holiday. I guess news travels slowly there. For example, Time Magane reports it took two hours before the main Russian TV news stations aired news of the March 28 subway bombings, the worst terrorist bombings in Russia in five years, link here. That's another story and another issue.

Are Atheist Jellyfish Taking Over the World?

Recently, I decided to take a plunge into the atheist forum at About.com and test the waters regarding the New Atheism movement. I posted a new topic "Is New Atheism Justified?" and a link back to my article “New Atheism: New Excuses and New Abuses.” Of the first eighteen commentators not one had any problem with the idea of aggressive, unqualified religious intolerance and not one actually took the time to read through the article. Then I received a note from an irate atheist, IndyColtsFan, saying that Tatarize wrote a long response to my article and I need to go back and read it - then I need to change all the mistakes in my article.

After reading the notes, I had a certain appreciation for Tatarize because many atheists, such as Richard Dawkins, don’t take the time to address specific points in a rational manner, but digress directly into sarcasm and ridicule. That being said, I could not overlook the instances where Tatarize seemed a bit hypocritical. I believe Orwellian “new-speak” is a conscious trait of some atheists, such as Dawkins. But in the case of Tatarize, it was not clear if this was simply a result of years of living within the parameters of atheistic relativism. In any event, as I considered the responses by Tatarize, many parallels between atheists and jellyfish came to mind, and this article was the result.

New Atheism: New Excuses and New Abuses

The “New Atheism” movement is coming out of the closet with all the “reasoning” of the Godfather with a baseball bat. “Business is business” would be a most appropriate slogan for it. Even secular publications, from the beginning, have been critical of the movement, as noted at this link. 

The New Atheism agenda offers an “in your face” version of the more laid back Religious Humanism described in Humanist Manifesto 1 (1933)(1), which outlined the goal of controlling all the institutions of the world with the philosophy of atheistic humanism. It is not be confused with humanitarianism, which is a good thing. One would think that atheists would be satisfied, having gained complete control of both the public school system and higher education. No way José, they want the whole enchilada. They want to take away whatever rights and freedoms Christians and theists have left. The New Atheist website slogan, as you may verify at this link, promotes a “disregard for the tolerance of religion.” Can you say “hate speech?” I guess political correctness against "hate speech" applies to everyone except as to Christians and theists. Here is the New Atheism mission statement, or whatever it might be called: "Intolerance of ignorance, myth and superstition; disregard for the tolerance of religion. Indoctrination of logic, reason and the advancement of a naturalistic worldview."

An Open Challenge to Bible Critics

   
In responding to a previous article at Revelife, someone wrote, “If you can find a religious prophecy that matches a rational criterion, then I'll convert on a dime.” Your note, stating, “If you can find...,” reveals that you perhaps aren’t a very motivated seeker of truth. A key question you may wish to ask is, “If I do see proof that the scriptures are divinely inspired, am I willing to worship God as Creator and Lord of all? Am I willing to surrender my life to God?” Many people would not be willing to do these things and, thus, no amount of evidence would be able to convince them of the reality of God's existence, for all intents and purposes.

Are The Prophecies Important?

During the winter holiday season, Jewish people celebrate Hanukah December 11, Muslims celebrate New Year the 18th, New Agers celebrate the Winter Solstice as a religious event the 22nd, and Christians celebrate Christmas the 25th in the West and on January 7th in the East. As a Christian, I find it encouraging to know that my beliefs are based on hundreds of prophecies which were written hundreds of years before their fulfillment. This is especially true of the prophecies of Jesus Christ.

Wishing You a Thankful Heart

Today is the Thanksgiving Day Holiday, which George Washington originally recommended for all nations in his 1789 proclamation.

A thanful heart is a good thing. It gives health and happiness. The Apostle Paul said we can be thankful in all things at all times (Ephesians 5.20). How is this possible? It's possible when you realize God is in control of everything and uses all things for good (Romans 8.28). This is especially true for those who love Him and follow Him.

Some Shocking Facts Confirmed on the Flu Pandemic

According to a government report November 24th, Ukraine deaths from the flu stand at 397 and this wave seems to be leveling off. However, the government statistics have contradicted those of an independent laboratory that was recently shut down by the government. The fatality rate of the virus in the Ukraine has been estimated by some infectious disease experts to be between 0.5% to 0.7% and possibly growing.

Some Shocking Facts Confirmed

Just before the second strain of the H1N1 hit Ukraine, there were reports of low flying planes and helicopters spraying a dust-like substance over the regions that would become most infected by what doctors began labeling as "parainfluenza" with "collapsed lungs” while others noted burned out lungs and called it “the black lung plague.” I tried to verify the plane/helicopter story here in Ukraine and, sure enough, people I know and trust said they saw a TV news report showing home made videos of helicopters spraying a dust-like substance in the sky in Western Ukraine. This was before the media-blackout on the subject.

Open Letter to Hackers and Imposters

Last week someone hacked into my Facebook and weblog accounts. This week I found that someone has been posting comments in my name at different websites with links back to my blog, it seems, in an attempt to try and smear me. Though these are technically considered criminal acts, there is a bright side. For Christian believers there is always a bright side, according to Romans 8.28, as God uses all things for good. I can see at least three benefits and reasons to be thankful:

True Wisdom for Troubled Times

On top of the global financial crisis we now have a global pandemic and life is getting more complicated. For the average person, this present flu pandemic seems like a no-win situation. Either one can take his or her chances with an untested vaccine, with questionable ingredients, or one can take chances by facing a potentially deadly virus without a vaccine. There’s a need for wisdom and not all answers can be found in a Google search. The good news is that there is a true source of wisdom, much more reliable than the TV talking heads or political weblogs. That source is God. God gave Solomon incredible wisdom when He prayed for it and the same can be true for us today. Not only that, the same God who gives wisdom also gives inner peace and joy regardless of the circumstances.

Flu Vaccine Myths and Facts

This past Sunday, the head pastor for the Lutheran Churches in Crimea came to visit our meeting and said the German embassy in Kiev is telling its citizens the flu epidemic in Ukraine is nothing to be afraid of. According to available polls, 75 % of Finns do not want a H1N1 vaccine, the same for 73% percent of Hungarians, 62% of Americans and 54% of Chinese. The government of Poland has outright rejected the vaccine.

New Song: Shepherd of my Soul

These are lyrics for a new worship song inspired by Jesus as the Shepherd of my soul. For a rough audio recording of song, please see audio page at this link.

Ukraine's “High Attack Rate” of H1N1

I have been kind of alarmed by the speed at which H1N1 (or some kind of viral cousin) seems to be spreading in Ukraine. In the span of about a week 60 people died. As of today, it is believed a total of 67 people have died from infections related the virus and pneumonia, which may be a side effect of the flu. Lviv, in the West, is the worst hit city but the virus seems to be spreading quickly. This morning I read an article about the high attack rate of the virus in Romania and they compared it to the situation in Ukraine. "These high numbers raise concerns that the death rates in these countries will climb sharply in the upcoming days or weeks" experts stated.

Survival Worship

Recently, some churches have stopped meeting together due to a flu epidemic quarantine in Ukraine, which has taken the life of dozens of people so far in the country. It seems worshiping God can be a life and death issue. This is true in more ways than one. When people refuse to worship God and worship other things instead, God lets people have it their own way and a gradual process of death and decay sets in. This is true on a personal level and also in terms of society. Romans 1.21,24 shows "...when they knew God, they glorified him not as God...Wherefore God also gave them up..."

Radical Islam Comes to Crimea Ukraine

According to a recent press release, radical Islam has officially arrived in Crimea Ukraine.

My wife and I had been hearing more and more about radical Islamists operating in Crimea and now there are some documented facts. On Monday, Reuters published a story on Crimea based on news announced at a press meeting by Yuri Lutsenko, Ukraine’s interior minister: “Lutsenko said explosive materials, detonators, a Kalashnikov rifle and cartridges, firearms instruction manuals, and propaganda material propagating extreme Islam were found in seven places.” He stated that three suspects being held “were suspected of belonging to al-Takfir wal-Hijra, which originated in Egypt and is linked with activities in North Africa.” While technically they are still only "suspects," when you do the math what does it add up to? Weapons plus explosives plus radical Islamic propaganda equals what?