The Real Poison Comes From Palestinian Rhetoric

The propaganda drums pound relentlessly from the Palestinian occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip; more so from the “moderate” Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, rather than from his heated rival, radical Hamas. Yes, you read that right. It is the Palestinians who are the occupiers, not the Israelis, as documented in a few previous Eye of Prophecy articles with the real history, Scriptural and secular, of the Middle East.

Mahmoud Abbas has stooped to new lows in his increasingly desperate attempts to convince the entire world that the Israelis are exclusively responsible for the plight of the Palestinians in Israel. Several years ago he was more subtle and less aggressive in his rhetoric, with his strategy of persuading Western nations, especially European, that the Palestinians are the “good guys” and the Israelis the “bad guys.” Even then, most of what he said was pure propaganda based on lies or half-truths.

Webster’s Dictionary defines propaganda as: “the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person. Also, “ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one’s cause or to damage an opposing cause.”

Thus, some propaganda can be positive and constructive. However, you can be sure that there are precious few facts and a severe shortage of accurate information presented by Mahmoud Abbas. Nowadays, when he speaks, the negative connotation of propaganda is all too evident. We hear nothing but rumors, allegations, and an abundant supply of outright lies from him.

Here is an excerpt (in italics) from the Eye of Prophecy article entitled, If You Tell a Big Lie Long Enough… (Posted 10-10-15):

Muslims in general, Palestinian Arabs in particular, and entirely too many nations and news sources have become increasingly confident of global impunity to and world-wide acceptance of what they say; to the extent that no matter how big the lie or omission, nations and peoples will now or one day soon believe them.

Moreover, it’s abundantly clear that the growing deadly attacks on Israeli civilians is a result of incitement directly from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas; who is himself becoming progressively and intensely bolder in his proliferation of big lies about Israel and the Jews. As epitomized in his recent speech of September 30^th to the United Nations General Assembly, he is overtly implementing the Muslim strategy of distorting events and facts to the point of literally rewriting history. Middle East history as found in the Palestinian education system and textbooks and journalism and maps is markedly different from the real history of Israel’s existence, especially since 1948.

(Palestinian Map of Israel)

In that article, I also quoted several parts of Abbas’ inflammatory and mendacity-laced speech to the United Nations.

In a subsequent Eye of Prophecy article, More Palestinian Lies (posted 2-20-16)), primarily on the topic of the “lone-wolf” attacks that began in October, 2015, mostly by young Palestinians, I wrote:

Just when you think that PA President, Mahmoud Abbas couldn’t possibly tell more and bigger lies, he does just that. It’s one thing for his own people to be deceived by this bombast that is designed to incite them to even more vicious attacks on innocent Israelis; it’s quite another for dignitaries all over the world to turn their collective heads away from what is really happening in Israel and stick those same uninformed heads in Arabic quick sand. Either through ignorance or deliberate distortion of the facts, even our U.S. President doesn’t truly understand the real reasons for Palestinian violence in Israel, or Muslim atrocities in the rest of the world. Mainly because he doesn’t really grasp the significance of Islamic goals of world domination, fostered by uprisings and isolated but incessant attacks on the “infidels.” Summed up in one word: Jihad.

PA President Abbas went on to say that the Palestinians were simply employing, “…all peaceful means” to “resist Israeli occupation.” This noble pursuit of a “peaceful” strategy to resist an Israeli occupation that doesn’t exist in the first place has resulted in the deaths of 30+ Israeli Jews with dozens more injured; as well as some 170 Palestinians—many of them children—who have launched these “lone-wolf” attacks to carry out the abhorrent self-fulfilling prophecy of the politically corrupt and morally bankrupt Palestinian Authority.

A Ridiculous Hoax, Yet Horrendous “Anti-Semitic Blood Libel”

PA President Abbas recently condescended to an even lower (lowest … worst) level of lies about and libel against Israel with his speech to the European Parliament on June 23, 2016; ostensibly to tell the European lawmakers that the Palestinians are still very much interested in a two-state solution in Israel.

He pleaded with EU leaders to save Palestinians from “Israeli provocations.” With one of these provocations a plot described by Abbas as, “…a number of rabbis in Israel announced, and made a clear announcement, demanding that their government poison the water to kill the Palestinians.”

In the same context of this deliberate hoax (lie), Abbas also said that he and the Palestinians, “…are against terrorism in whatever form it may take, and whoever carries it out.”

More on his “against terrorism” comment later in today’s article. For now we only need to see that he was deceitfully diverting attention away from the ongoing Palestinian acts of terrorism against the Jews by suggesting that the Israelis were, themselves, guilty of terrorist acts of violence (plotting to poison Palestinian wells).

He went on to say, “Once the occupation (meaning what he and much of the world thinks is Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories) ends, terrorism will disappear, there will be no more terrorism in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world.”

*Note: At the very least that may be the most naïve, uninformed (stupid) statement ever made, and to a group of national leaders and lawmakers, no less. At the very worst, it is a flagrantly false, malicious indictment against Israel; that, in no uncertain terms, accuses Israel of being the sole reason that terrorism (of all kinds, from all sources) exists in the world, i.e. because the Jews “occupy” so-called Palestinian territories. In case someone thinks my use of the word, stupid, is inappropriate and/or too harsh, read with me the words of the Psalmist:

“Arrogant people smear me with lies … Their hearts are dull and stupid, but I delight in your instructions” (Psalm 119:69-70).

During his insidious speech, Abbas received standing ovations from members of the European Parliament. These are supposed to be intelligent, informed lawmakers—similar in role and stature to the United States Senate and House of Representatives. The last I heard, standing ovations were reserved for speakers who are believed and revered by their audience. It’s the “believed” part that should scare us the most.

(European Parliament Standing Ovation for Mahmoud Abbas)

It no longer matters to Mahmoud Abbas and his Palestinian Authority, or to Hamas, or to Hezbollah, or to Iran, or to most Muslim nations how many fabrications they foist on both uninformed and informed listeners; or how belligerent they are toward Israel. Their twisted tactics have become pathetically plain. The more lies they tell and the bigger those lies, the more likely it is that some people will believe most or all of them; and a lot of people will believe some of them. With their warped objective accomplished: If enough people in Europe and Russia and the United States and other less powerful nations all over the globe believe that Israel is doing just a few of the things that they are falsely accused of, they will continue or begin to support the Palestinian narrative no matter the real history of Israel and no matter the truth of what is taking place there.

It was also an increase in the severity of inflammatory lies spread by Abbas that incited his people to begin the lone wolf attacks last year—a falsehood that the Jews were desecrating Temple Mount.

Reaction to the Blatantly False Accusation of Israel Poisoning Palestinian Water Supplies

As expected, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promptly rebuffed Abbas’ absurd accusations. Said Netanyahu:

“I think that Abu Mazen (Netanyahu often refers to Abbas by his given or original name), last week, again proved to the entire world that he is not interested in direct negotiations with Israel. Worse, he also spread abhorrent lies about the State of Israel and Judaism.”

Netanyahu was referring to two things in his rebuttal: (1) Mahmoud Abbas had just a couple of days earlier refused to meet with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin (also in Europe at the same time as Abbas) who had invited Abbas to renew preliminary discussions of a two-state solution. Which is what Benjamin meant by Abbas not being interested in direct negotiations with Israel … which Abbas is not.

Instead, Mahmoud Abbas wants the international community to sanction Israel and force the Israelis to adopt previous roadmaps for peace, including pre-1967 territory lines that would leave the Jews virtually defenseless for much of north central and northeast Israel, not the least of which is the strategic Golan Heights.

As I’ve said periodically in Eye of Prophecy articles and by others who know what’s really going on in Israel: The Palestinians don’t actually want a state of their own. If they did, they would have had one by now … actually as long ago as 1948. What they really want is for Jews to no longer be a nation … for Israel to cease to exist as a sovereign state. Which is why, to this day, the Palestinians (and all but two Muslim nations … Egypt and Jordan) do not recognize Israel as a Jewish State.

(2) The second part of Netanyahu’s response was, of course, reference to the “abhorrent lies” about rabbis (Judaism) and the Israeli government plotting to poison Palestinian water supplies.

(Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Press Conference in Reaction to Mahmoud Abbas’ False Allegations of Poisoning Palestinian Water)

Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren, a respected and recognized historian, had harsher words for these preposterous charges. Comparing it to the blood libels against the Jews during the Black Plague of the middle Ages, current Knesset Member Oren replied:

“…objectively, empirically, and historically it was a blood libel. Tens of thousands of Jews lost their lives because of these rumors. It’s not just any anti-Semitic comment. It is an anti-Semitic comment that has deep and horrific reverberations for Europe and Europe’s history.”

*Note: Not only during and after the 14^th century Black Plague that Jews were accused of starting (you guessed it … by allegedly poisoning the water in many wells), but also these same kind of lies and libels were believed by many Germans before and during World War II. Which allowed Hitler and the Third Reich to round up, impound all their property, imprison, haul off to ghettos, and exterminate six millions Jews during the Holocaust.

But some might say: “We’ve come a long way. We’re way past doing or condoning such barbaric acts.” Really? Why then is anti-Semitism slowly but surely reaching alarming proportions throughout Europe and even in the United States, especially on university campuses?

The Palestinian Authority Retraction

Fortunately, Abbas’ outrageous (poisonous) rhetoric that accused Israel and many of its rabbis of the plot to poison Palestinian water was ludicrous enough that—with exception of many of the European Parliamentary members present during the speech—there was an international outcry.

So much so that, just two days later, President Abbas retracted his appalling allegation. Actually it wasn’t Abbas himself; rather it was a statement issued by the Palestinian Authority on his behalf.

The announcement went as follows:

“After it became evident that the alleged statements by a rabbi on poisoning Palestinian wells, reported by various media outlets, are baseless, President Abbas has affirmed that he didn’t intend to harm Judaism or to offend Jewish people around the world. This is rooted in the President’s deep respect for all religions including Judaism.”

Anyone can see through this half-hearted “apology.” Of course the allegation was baseless because it was a flat-out lie. But the Palestinian Authority didn’t call it a lie or even a hoax; they called it baseless which was a euphemism implying it was merely an unsupported rumor. The reason they called it that is because it was so outrageous that many people the world over this time sided with Jews (for a brief shining moment!) and/or realized that it was sheer propaganda.

(FYI, on reliable authority from a few Muslim Imams, President Mahmoud Abbas owns a beautiful green oasis in Antarctica that he will sell you at half-price if you buy it sight unseen! Not to worry. If this alleged statement proves not to be true, I’ll ask the Palestinian Authority to print a retraction on my behalf. On second thought, for me, they may use the term, scandalous lie instead of baseless; and that I intended to harm Islam and the Muslim people).

Back to (sometimes repulsive) reality!

The retraction didn’t say that Abbas was sorry that he had broadcast such a slanderous story to (because of media coverage of his speech) the whole world. Rather, the communique simply said that it wasn’t Abbas’ intent to harm Judaism or Jewish people! Once again, anyone with even the slightest degree of awareness of what’s taking place in Israel knows that both Abbas and many of the Palestinian people have done and will continue to do everything they can to “harm the Jewish people.” Including murder.

Yet, even murder is not enough. If a Palestinian terrorist succeeds in his/her diabolical mission, they are eulogized to the extent of a monthly stipend to their family, posters of their picture throughout the West Bank and Gaza, and streets named after them. Is there any street in America named, Lee Harvey Oswald?

Regarding Abbas’ purported respect for “all religions including Judaism,” I could provide dozens of examples to the contrary if time/space permitted in this article. As it is, I will mention only one: If, indeed, Abbas harbors “respect” (which supposedly would include the modern-day emphasis on tolerance and diversity) for all religions including Judaism; then why doesn’t he allow Jews or Christians to worship, pray, or so much as do anything that looks like prayer, on Temple Mount? Why to Palestinian Arabs constantly harass Jews when they ascend to Temple Mount? Why is the presence of police even necessary on Temple Mount, if President Abbas and his Palestinian Authority “respect” Judaism and the Jewish people?

Those questions are as rhetorical as any question can be.

(Palestinians Picking Up Rocks to Throw at Jews on Temple Mount)

The only positive thing about this retraction is the extremely rare use of the words Judaism and Jewish people (Jews). Seldom do Palestinians (Muslims in general) speak the words Jew or Judaism or even Israel, unless it’s something to the effect of “death to the Jews … death to Israel.” Normally they call Jews: settlers, occupiers, usurpers, Zionists, or the more ugly denigration of pigs and apes.

Mahmoud Abbas’ Hypocritical Remarks on Terrorism and Occupation

Once again, a reminder that the European Parliament gave Abbas a standing ovation. For what? We’ve already discussed the laughable but also hideous hoax that Israel was on the verge of poisoning Palestinian wells; a flagrant fabrication that the Palestinian Authority retracted just two days later. Wouldn’t it, therefore, have been appropriate for the European Parliament to have rescinded their standing ovation for Abbas? To have made a “retraction” video showing them booing instead of applauding! Not likely, if for no other reason than most European leaders prefer to believe the Palestinian propaganda machine that churns out lies as fast as the Swiss churn out cheese. European heads of state that appear to support Israel do so mostly out of left-over guilt from the Holocaust. Of course, there are a few exceptions, like the new British Prime Minister, Theresa May. Praise the Lord for that!

The European Parliament enthusiastically extended their applause for two other core statements made by Mahmoud Abbas, as quoted earlier in today’s article. As follows:

Against Terrorism?

Mahmoud Abbas’ statement that, “Palestinians are against terrorism in whatever form it may take, and whoever carries it out,” is as two-faced and double-tongued as any assertion could be.

Read again what Abbas said. He didn’t limit terrorism to just ISIS or even Hamas, which is Abbas’ chief (bitter) rival for authority among the Palestinians. No, he said, whatever form terrorism takes and whoever carries it out. What would anyone, with any trace of objectivity and with any tidbit of knowledge of what’s taking place in Israel, call the hideous slaughter of dozens of Israelis by Palestinian “lone-wolf” assassins?

Because of Mahmoud Abbas’ hatred of Israel, he has deluded himself to the point that any and all Palestinian atrocities against innocent Israelis is what he has called, “justified popular unrest.” To a large extent that is expected of him, as are the lies that he tells to support that premise. What is or should be unequivocally unexpected and immensely inappropriate are many Western nations buying into that logic as being (even half way) reasonable and justified. But that is exactly what is taking place. There is a world-wide effort to selectively pick and choose who are terrorists and what is terrorism; including but not limited to distinguishing between what is commonly called “radical Islam” versus “mainstream Islam.”

Anyone (especially Muslims themselves) who know anything about Islam and the Koran fully realize that those who are classified as radical are doing nothing more than what the god of Islam (Allah) commands. Which is: convert the infidel through coercion, and kill them if they refuse to convert or even get in the way of Islam’s ultimate objective to force all peoples and nations under the Muslim mantle.

Which is why Abbas refused to condemn the hideous murder of 13-year old Hallel Yaffa Ariel by a Palestinian youth, while Hallel slept in her bed at home. This occurred on June 30^th, just one week after Abbas’ address to the European Parliament. Nor did he respond in any way to subsequent media and international inquiries as to what his reply would be to the murder of Rabbi Miki Mark, the father of ten children, killed the following day. Abbas refused even to return phone calls from media sources. Furthermore, he ordered his West Bank organization Fatah to suppress news of any Palestinian attacks against Israelis.

The following are (italicized) excerpts from the Eye of Prophecy article, Can A Murderer Be A Martyr? (Posted on 1-30-16); to further emphasize that there is no difference whatsoever between a Palestinian murdering an Israeli and a muslim member or devotee of ISIS or other terrorist cells (mass) murdering innocent people in Syria, Iraq, France, Germany, Spain, Great Britain, and the United States.

Although these murderous Palestinian assaults on Israelis are perpetrated by individuals (as opposed to known terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas), in my opinion they can no longer be classified as “lone-wolf” attacks. If for no other reason than there have been nearly 300 such incidents just in the past four months or so, resulting in the death of 30 Jews and wounding of dozens more. In other words, the sheer number of the attackers can now be classified as a concerted group of individuals in a cruel combined effort to instill terror among Jewish communities, no different than a terrorist group or grouping of terrorists with a collaborative mindset and a callous communal cause of killing Jews.

As such, this makes them vastly different from the “ordinary” murderer in the United States or anywhere in the world who kills someone for any number of different reasons, but certainly not just because their victims are Jews (or Christians). Surely the parents, families, national leaders, and fellow citizens don’t glorify the murderer in these kind of killings. Conversely, they are appalled.

Not so with the Palestinians. If they, in turn, are killed in the commission of their hideous crimes, their own people (including parents and leaders) and religion can call them martyrs to their heart’s content. But by all the universal laws of morality, of right and wrong, of good and evil, there’s no way that a murderer or would-be murderer (in case they don’t succeed) can be considered a martyr for a cause that is anything but righteous or a religion that is anything but peaceful.

Which is another compelling argument that there must be (and is) a universal standard of law and truth that can objectively define right and wrong. Moreover, these universal truths have, in fact, been given to us by the true and living God through the Bible.

Otherwise, we are left with the moral and spiritual dilemma that a murderer is actually someone’s martyr. That a terrorist is another one’s activist. If that were true then all Nazis (participating in Jewish genocide) who were killed during the Second World War or who were tried and executed for war crimes after the war could be designated as martyrs “for their cause.”

Thus, when our own President and most of his staff ignore the true history of Israel, and the acrimonious (no longer hidden) agenda of the Arab Muslims living in Israel, they also apathetically disregard the insidious (but no longer subtle) and all too real objective of Arab Palestinians and Muslims the world over: To eliminate Israel as a State and the Jews as a race. All the while, taking out as many Christians as they can.

Occupation?

Mahmoud Abbas also said:

“Once the occupation (meaning what he and much of the world thinks is Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories) ends, terrorism will disappear, there will be no more terrorism in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world.”

The so-called Israeli occupation of a small portion of the “West Bank” by alleged “Israeli settlers” continues to be the biggest lie foisted by the Palestinians and the greatest misunderstanding by many Western nations, not the least of which is the United States of America, especially the current Administration. In several Eye of Prophecy articles, I’ve provided historical and contemporary documented details to demonstrate that all of Israel belongs to the Jews. Which effectively makes the Palestinians the occupiers and settlers.

In today’s article, we’ll confine our examination to Mahmoud Abbas’s senseless conclusion (I would like to use the description of “stupid” again, which is a synonym of senseless, but I won’t): That the end of (so-called) Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories will eliminate terrorism not just in the Middle East but throughout the entire world.

Poof! Just like that, there will be no more terrorism!

First, you don’t need to go beyond Israel itself to realize that elimination of Israeli housing divisions in the West Bank would have absolutely no effect on President Abbas’ chief rival (for Palestinian supremacy) which is Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In fact, the Israeli government completely removed all Israelis (sadly, some by force) from the Gaza Strip in 2005.

And what did the Palestinians promptly do? They tore down buildings and greenhouses built by the Jews that could have provided instant housing, agricultural, and commercial enterprises for them. Followed soon by several episodes of Palestinian missiles and mortars lobbed into Israel from Gaza. Followed by the obviously justified need for the IDF to intervene and protect Israeli citizens.

What planet does Abbas live on? Does he seriously think that the daily terrorism against civilians in Syria and Iraq and Muslim lone-wolf attacks throughout Europe and the United States will stop overnight just because a few Israeli settlements were disbanded in the West Bank?

The glaring fact is this: The vast majority of militant Muslim Arabs and non-Arabs (such as Iran), couldn’t care less about Jewish settlements in the West Bank. That is also true with the majority of “mainstream, moderate Muslims.” Most of them didn’t blink an eye when Israel vacated the Gaza Strip. But they danced in the streets when the Twin Towers fell. And they hand out gifts and sweets when Israeli Jews are hacked, stabbed, shot, and beaten to death throughout Israel. Excuse me, I forgot to include death by high-speed vehicles used as weapons.

In an article by one of my favorite Israeli columnists, Ruthie Blum, reprinted in Israel Hayom and also Prophecy News Watch, she cites and comments on a recent publication by ISIS in their on-line news source, Dabiq. (Yes, ISIS has their own media). ISIS gives six reasons why, “We hate you and want to fight you.” That article was given the title, Break the Cross, and was directed primarily toward Christians. Yet it’s clear: The post also includes anyone and everyone who opposes the right of ISIS to be the supreme Islamic Caliphate in the Middle East and Islam’s right to govern the globe through Sharia Law.

(Writer Ruthie Blum Also Appears on Israeli Television)

Space in today’s article does not permit quotation of the six reasons. However, rest assured that the article says nothing at all about withdrawal of Jewish settlements (occupation); or that ISIS would cease and desist from all terrorist attacks if Israel complied with Palestinian demands as Mahmoud Abbas so arrogantly and foolishly claims.

Nonetheless, I will quote the final overriding reason given by ISIS explaining why they will continue their barbaric torture, mutilation, and murder of innocent people the world over.

Here it is, ISIS talking:

“What’s important to understand here is that although some might argue that your foreign policies are the extent of what drives our hatred, this particular reason for hating you is secondary … The fact is, even if you were to stop bombing us, imprisoning us, torturing us, vilifying us, and usurping our lands, we would continue to hate you because our primary reason for hating you will not cease to exist until you embrace Islam” (italics for emphasis).

The “usurping our lands” could be stretched to include Palestinian territory in Israel, but the larger context includes all Middle East, European, and African nations/territory that were at one time partially or fully controlled by Muslims, including the Ottoman Turk Empire defeated by British and allies during World War I.

Rather than summarizing with my own editorial comments, some of which I’ve already submitted in today’s article (as also found in a few prior Eye of Prophecy articles on this subject), I’ll defer to Ruthie Blum’s observations, as they track closely with mine and several others who are ardent students of Scripture and/or Middle East events, both historical and contemporary.

She states: “But it is the response of the West, which has been suffering increasingly bloody attacks on its shores, that is both baffling and worrisome. On the one hand, Americans and Europeans view Islamic State as the world’s ultimate bogeyman—one worth defeating, even on the battlefield. On the other hand, the very same leaders and pundits who have reached a consensus on the evil nature of Islamic State remain in denial about the many other Islamist organizations and “lone wolves” who commit atrocities on their behalf.

“What those leaders and pundits choose not to see is that though Islamic State terrorists may be a bit more theatrical than competing killers, they are not worse than members of Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, al-Qaida or Boko Haram. Indeed, though their PR machine is as well-oiled as their literature is articulate, they are not more deserving of eradication than the others. Indeed, every point on Islamic State’s list could have been and is made by all jihadis.”

*Note: The “Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine” (PLO) was reconfigured to become today’s Palestinian Authority currently led by the “featured guest of today’s article” President Mahmoud Abbas; who took over for Yasser Arafat, the founder of Fatah (military wing of the PLO and now the Palestinian Authority).

Ruthie Blum continues and then concludes: “Instead of separating Palestinian terrorists into a different category—of terrorists with a legitimate gripe that can be resolved with Israeli concessions—the West needs to wake up to reality… Islamic State is merely one strain of the deadly disease of jihad. An urgent antidote is needed to combat all of its manifestations and mutations…”

Summary (Shame on Our State Department)

Just a few days ago, the United States State Department issued more defamatory and inflammatory remarks against Israel, pertaining to the possibility of more settlement construction in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria by its rightful name … part of Israel proper).

In response to what he termed the State’s Department, “remarkable assault on Israel … both in tone and content, marks a new hostility and plenty of sheer ignorance,” Elliot Abrams (former deputy national security advisor to President George W. Bush) also noted that the State Department’s, “…obsession with housing construction by Israeli Jews is certainly not shared by any Arab government…”

(Photo of Elliot Abrams)

With his reaction, Elliot Abrams seriously challenged the current Presidential Staff’s hostile disposition toward Israel and its aforementioned fixation on housing construction as specifically articulated by State Department spokesman, John Kirby.

Said Kirby (which he has said before as noted in a previous Eye of Prophecy article) in denouncement of the Israeli government that they were, “…systematically undermining the prospects for a two-state solution by engaging in settlement activity, which is corrosive to the cause of peace.”

Others joined in with Abrams, including Alan Baker, former Israeli ambassador to Canada, who said:

“Reading the statement (Kirby’s statement) … An average reader having landed from space, would only conclude that Israel’s settlement activity is the source of all evil in the world, and the United States is waging a massive war of Armageddon against this evil. No international terror, no ISIS, no Iranian nuclear threat, no Syria, no Hezbollah, no Hamas, no hunger, no global warming. Only Israel’s settlements!”

Things to Ponder

As terrible as it can be, it is not terrorism. As calamitous as it might seem, it is not political corruption or economic collapse. As woeful as it is, it is not war. As horrendous as it might get, it is not … well, you fill in the blanks. These are but symptoms of what has plagued the human race from time immemorial … sin.

There is no doubt: It is the debilitating and disastrous effect of sin that produces pride, greed, lust for power and pleasure, selfishness, cruelty, hatred, disobedience, lawlessness, ingratitude, and eventually death—both physical and spiritual.

The true threat, the real risk, the actual angst, and the ferocious fight facing this tumultuous world of ours—specifically for believers, but also in general extended to those searching for truth and peace—is summarized succinctly in Scripture.

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

The real battle is spiritual. The real enemy is the false belief system of those who distort, deny, and replace the universal truth of The Bible—both Old and New Testaments. The spiritual becomes physical, the mind becomes matter, and what’s in the human heart turns into action—either for good or evil.

The ultimate fight is not against Muslim terrorists and certainly not against those Muslims who do not support torture and killing of Jews and Christians as the only way to advance Islam. Rather it is against the creeds of a religion (any man-made religion) that claims good works and self-righteousness as the only way to please the god of that religion. It is also against secular humanistic belief systems that seek to silence those who believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and especially those who believe in the truth of God’s salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. For the activists among such religious and secular ideologies, silencing can include actual elimination of anyone who opposes their twisted ideas.

But, there is powerful protection and profound peace against these wicked spiritual forces and mighty powers in this dark world and the billions of people who have been influenced by this evil. It is God’s protective covering given to all those who have believed and received the Prince of Peace, Messiah Jesus.

It is the belt of Biblical truth. It is the full body armor of God’s righteousness, not self-righteousness. It is the Gospel shoes shod with true peace with God and with each other. It is the shield of faith to stop Satan’s weapons from defeating us. It is the helmet of Biblical salvation freely given through the grace of God to all who believe and receive Messiah Jesus. And it is the sword of the Holy Spirit enabling us to understand and trust the Word of God that will sustain us through this wicked and weary world we live in. (Ephesians 6:14-17, paraphrasing).

“…His faithful promises are your armor and protection” (Psalm 91:4b).

“May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 6:24