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Giving the trumpet a certain sound

March 2007

Ten Commandments Commission and NATO

With a lead-in statement that "World leaders have already recognized the power behind the TCC," the sponsors of the Ten Commandments Day on one of their web pages mentioned a meeting with the former president of Spain:

Dr. Wexler and President Aznar agreed on full cooperation on several issues including an agreement to formulate a U.S-European think tank regarding global threats. This is where the Ten Commandments Commission – Watchman On The Wall will play a vital role, as we were founded as an 'Action Alert Commission' and voice to keep cultural, religious, and governmental decision makers apprised of these types of important developments.

Both leaders agreed to meet again in the near future to discuss a proposal regarding the re-structuring of NATO based upon the principles of democracy, tolerance, individual liberties, and the rule of law. ("www.tencommandmentsday.com (Ten CC Commission, Who We Are) on Feb. 14, 2007)

Dr. Wexler is probably referring to moral threats to society. In a news release he mentioned:

"removal of public prayers from our [USA] educational system, the removal of the public display of the Ten Commandments from public facilities, the devaluation of the sanctity of human life and the attempt to remove all reference to the Judeo-Christian faith in all official activities." ("A wake up call before November 7," Ron Wexler, Commentary, www.tencommandmentsday.com, on Feb. 14, 2007)

May 6, 2007 has been chosen by the Ten Commandments Commission as Ten Commandments Day for this year.

Inspired Commentary

The efforts to call for more societal morality have their positive points for Bible believers. However students of Bible prophecy might have a little reluctance to link up with society morality movements because of Bible indications as to where those movements might end up.

The dignitaries of church and state will unite to bribe, persuade, or compel all classes to honor the Sunday. The lack of divine authority will be supplied by oppressive enactments. Political corruption is destroying love of justice and regard for truth; and even in free America, rulers and legislators, in order to secure public favor, will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance. Liberty of conscience, which has cost so great a sacrifice, will no longer be respected. (The Great Controversy, p. 592)

Canadian Political Scientist on Churches

A Canadian political scientist has written about how to relate to conflicts between religious and state values and church tax exemption:

TORONTO, February 1, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A political scientist at the University of Toronto has argued that as Canadian "Charter values" and Christian values drift further apart, churches should either adhere to and promote the state ideology, or lose the financial support they enjoy through their tax-free status.

In her article, "Living Better Multiculturally: Whose values should prevail?" published in the Fall 2006 edition of the Literary Review of Canada, Janice Gross Stein equates "Canadian values" with "Charter values," in other words, those formulated and championed by the Liberal party of Canada after Pierre Trudeau's leftist revolution. ... ("Religions Must Conform to Canadian 'Charter Values' or Lose Charitable Status says Influential Prof," LifeSiteNews.com, Feb. 1, 2007)

While the above is but one voice in Canadian society, one writer mentioned in the article that Stein's line of thought was "troubling" and that "this is the first time a public intellectual has openly advocated forcing religious bodies to conform their inner principles to the ideology of the state." (ibid.)

Inspired Commentary

Inspiration predicts that a time will come even in the United States when persecution more severe than losing tax-exempt status will come to those who values are at variance with society:

As the Protestant churches reject the clear, Scriptural arguments in defense of God's law, they will long to silence those whose faith they cannot overthrow by the Bible. Though they blind their own eyes to the fact, they are now adopting a course which will lead to the persecution of those who conscientiously refuse to do what the rest of the Christian world are doing, and acknowledge the claims of the papal sabbath. (The Great Controversy, p. 592)

Bird Flu found in England

The potential flu pandemic has not occurred, but the disease has been spreading in birds nonetheless:

LONDON, Feb. 3 -- The deadly H5N1 Asian strain of bird flu, which has killed 165 people since 2003, has been confirmed on a commercial turkey farm in eastern England, health authorities said Saturday.

Officials said the disease had killed 2,600 turkeys on the Bernard Matthews company turkey farm in Suffolk county, northeast of London. All 159,000 turkeys at Bernard Matthews, one of Europe's leading producers, were being slaughtered as a precaution,..." (Bird Flu Detected on Turkey Farm in England," washingtonpost.com, Feb. 4, 2007)

The article also noted:

Health officials around the world have been closely monitoring the potential spread of infected birds, and some have warned of the potential for a deadly pandemic.

Defra officials said the H5N1 strain has been confirmed in birds in at least 45 countries. ...

"I think people understand this is first and foremost a problem for poultry, not for people," he [British Poultry Council spokesman] said. "I am hoping we will not see any particular change in buying habits." (ibid.)

Inspired Commentary

Disease in animals is increasing in proportion to the increase of wickedness among men. The time is near when, because of the iniquity of the fallen race, the whole animal creation will groan under the diseases that curse our earth. (Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 366).

Florida Tornado

A tornado that struck on February 2 at between 3 and 4 a.m. took 20 lives, 14 of them in a two-minute period.

LADY LAKE, Florida (CNN) -- Stunned residents, working in the rain Saturday, poked through debris for pieces of their lives deposited the day before by central Florida storms and a tornado whose winds reached 160-165 mph. ("Floridians staggered by 160-mph wind," cnn.com, Feb. 3, 2007)

Inspired Commentary

The day of test and purification is just upon us. Signs of a most startling character appear, in floods, in hurricanes, in tornadoes, in cloud-bursts, in casualties by land and by sea, that proclaim the approach of the end of all things. (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, November 8, 1892).