Burnings

I noticed a one-paragraph story in this morning’s paper, one of those world news blurbs from the A.P. presumably used by an editor to fill up the page with interesting tidbits. The tiny story had a big headline: “After Quran Burnings, U.N. Calls for Countries to Fight Religious Hate.” The single paragraph that follows doesn’t tell us much, only that “The U.N.’s top human rights body overwhelmingly approved a measure calling on countries to do more to prevent religious hatred in the wake of Quran burnings in Europe.” It seems the “overwhelming” vote was 28 to 12 in favor of the measure, although we’re told very little about the actual content of the measure or who voted yea or nay. The only other piece of information shared with us is that the measure passed “despite objections from Western countries who fear tougher steps by governments could trample freedom of expression.” That’s it.

Anyway, the story piqued my curiosity, so I did a little online research. According to the U.N.’s website, the measure brought about an urgent debate to “discuss the alarming rise in premeditated and public acts of religious hatred as manifested by recurrent desecration of the Holy Quran in some European and other countries.” These desecrations of the Quran were apparently the catalyst that led the U.N. Human Rights Council to address the issue of religious hatred. It would seem, then, for those 28 countries who voted “Yes”, Quran burning is the ultimate act of religious hatred. 

This led me to ask, “Who voted Yea and who voted Nay?” And I found the answer quickly thanks to Al Jazeera, the Islamic news agency that never misses a chance to attack the West. Their coverage included a complete breakdown of the vote. Once again, keep in mind these nations are the members of the U.N.’s Human Rights Council, what the A.P. called it’s “top human rights body”. We should, then assume they are all in favor of human rights…right? Here’s the vote:

Glancing through the list of Yes votes, it’s hard not to notice that many of them are totalitarian, or authoritarian, or theocratic, or just plain old dictatorships. Since the measure was precipitated by the most recent Quran burning in Sweden, we can rightly assume the Islamic nations voted for the measure. Of course, their concept of human rights is somewhat restrained, and generally relates only to what they consider Islamophobia. Sadly, within their own nations, most deprive the Kafir (the non-Muslim) of basic human rights, particularly religious rights. And the extremists among them, the Jihadists, simply kill non-Muslims which they believe to be a religious duty. We recall the many executions based solely on religion, like the beheadings of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians by ISIS in 2015 (see below):

I will gladly admit, I am strongly against Quran burning, or Bible burning, although I don’t believe it should be criminalized. But such actions, although obvious examples of religious hatred, do not compare to the far more vile crimes being committed against the world's most persecuted religion, Christianity.

Speaking of burning, in Egypt hundreds of Christian churches have been destroyed, often burned, by Muslims. And, perhaps surprisingly to most people, the same has been happening in parts of India (another Yes voter) but perpetrated by radical Hindus who want to eliminate all Christian communities. In both nations (and many others) the seeming indifference of local and national police agencies is telling. I find it interesting that such persecution of Christian minorities is taking place in India, often described as “the world's largest democracy”. This is another reason why unchecked democracy, which leads to the dictatorship of the majority, is really no different from any other form of totalitarianism. We should thank God every day for the wisdom of our Founding Fathers who, because they recognized the perils and historic evils of pure democracy, left us a lasting (we hope) legacy of a constitutional republic.

One parting comment: Because the United Nations has staffed its Human Rights Council with so many nations who openly despise human rights, I see no reason to pay much attention to anything that flows out of that building into the East River.

Pray for those who persecute us.

U.N. Head Needs His Examined

I just read that the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, a Portuguese socialist, is all aflutter about what he sees as an imminent climate apocalypse. In a doomsday address to the Security Council, he warned that rising sea levels will completely destroy many coastal nations. In his words, “Low-level communities and entire countries could disappear forever...We would witness a mass exodus of entire populations on a biblical scale." According to Guterres, such an inundation could wipe out a tenth of the world’s population. He continued, getting more specific with his fearful predictions: “Under any scenario, countries like Bangladesh, China, India and the Netherlands are all at risk…. Mega-cities on every continent will face serious impacts including Lagos, Maputo, Bangkok, Dhaka, Jakarta, Mumbai, Shanghai, Copenhagen, London, Los Angeles, New York, Buenos Aires and Santiago.” I’ve been to many of these cities and am trying to decide which ones I would miss. 

How to avoid the coming catastrophe? Guterres has the answer: get rid of fossil fuels, or as he describes it, “break the global addiction” to these nasty forms of energy. For Guterres they’re the real cause of everything wrong in the world. Last month he whined about his frustration with world leaders who simply did not give “the climate emergency the action and investment it requires.” He then lectured them on their lack of enthusiasm: “Words are not enough. Without climate action, climate catastrophe is coming for all of us.” And what a catastrophe it will be for folks like Barack Obama, Al Gore, and Joe Biden who own multi-million dollar waterfront homes. If they really believed this garbage, one would think they’d have already sold these homes and moved to Colorado.

I think, however, we can dismiss the Secretary General’s apocalyptic scenario simply because he’s a socialist. To buy into the socialist lie is to be irredeemably stupid. After all, socialism has failed wherever it’s been tried. But, you might argue, “How can he be stupid? He’s the Secretary General of the United Nations.” Allow me to don my conspiracy theorist hat and answer by suggesting that Guterres is just the sort of person those who strive to wield earthly power would want in the position of U.N. Secretary General. After all, it’s one of those all-talk, no action jobs, and he’ll willingly spew the party line. Were Teddy Roosevelt with us today, he'd probably say, “The Secretary General has a bully pulpit, but lacks the big stick.” Guterres can say a lot, probably far too much, but what can he really do? Indeed, most of what he has to say is just preachin’ to the choir of globalists. He won’t convince those of us who disagree with him because we must live with the consequences of globalist, socialist policies. Believe me, folks, Guterres won’t convert those who actually know what’s happening in the world. And he certainly won’t turn them into climate warriors.

Interestingly, in a speech at the World Government Summit last week, World Economic Forum Chairman Klaus Schwab predicted that those who control emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and "synthetic biology" will ultimately rule the planet. In his words, “Our life 10 years from now will be completely different, very much affected, and who masters these technologies, in some way, will be the masters of the world.” He also predicted the flourishing of transhumanism, "a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres." Sounds like a not-so-brave new world, doesn't it?  Schwab, of course, is hoping he and his world government cronies will become masters of this new world. Of course, they need help and Schwab is just the kind of person to manipulate the strings controlling “useful idiots” like the Secretary General. (I just saw today’s “Dilbert” comic strip and thought it particularly relevant…and good for a needed laugh. Here’s the link: Dilbert)

Klaus Schwab - Master of the World

The Secretary General — Don’t you just love that title, so typical of UN-speak? Is he a secretary or a general? Is there even a difference today? — anyway, he and so many others openly claim climate as the driving force causing several million people from over 100 countries to cross our southern border illegally. This is so wrong it’s ludicrous. People come to this country for several reasons, none of them climate related. For many it’s an economic decision. They come because they can’t feed or house a family in poverty, or educate their children, or even hope to advance in a corrupt, socialist society. And that, friends, is the overriding reason: corruption. Corruption is what drives so many people to leave their homes, travel hundreds, even thousands, of miles, and cross our borders. The elite — the nomenklatura, as they were called in the Soviet Union — run every aspect of socialist societies. They have the power and the money (and the guns) to keep the peasants in line and in poverty. And so, the poor, the forgotten in their own countries, do whatever is necessary to get here, even signing up with the some of the most vicious, murderous people on earth, the Mexican drug cartels. These poor people are used to dealing with nasty folks and are willing to risk the consequences. Some become forced victims of human or drug trafficking. And sadly, it could all have been avoided had our government only secured our southern border, something sovereign nations do.

The ultimate question, though, the question no socialist wants to hear is the question no one seems to ask either the globalists or our socialist-leaning political leadership: If our free-market economy and our constitutional representative republic is so evil and destructive of the poor and minorities, how come so many poor and minorities are pouring across our borders?

Pray for our nation and the world.

The Bad, the Ugly, and the Stupid

Reading the news these days has become like a visit to one of those Ripley’s Believe it or Not “museums” where one is confronted by the outlandish, the truly weird, and the absolutely screwy. Things are happening in our nation and in the world, unexpected odd things, irrational things, that make us question the very sanity of many of our human race’s most esteemed members. Let me just toss a few recent headlines your way and perhaps add a word or two of explanation where explanation is even possible.

U.S. Threatens Taliban with Isolation if Kabul Falls. Not only did the U.S. threaten the Taliban with the horror of isolation, but they were joined in this threat by even more forceful words from both the European Union and the United Nations who also threatened global isolation. Let’s see, the Taliban are a vicious, sadistic, self-isolated collection of radical Islamists who could not care less about being isolated by a world they despise. The U.S, the E.U., and the U.N. Represent everything they hate, everything they want to destroy. I can think of nothing they fear less than global isolation. 

“Come get us,” they will cry to the world once they take control of the entire Afghan nation. “Come get us,” just as so many in the past have tried to conquer the Afghan people. They all failed. Who does the E.U. and the U.N. plan to send? Belgian and Norwegian military police, U.N. Peacekeepers, or perhaps a judge from the European Court of Human Rights? That’ll work.

Perhaps we have finally learned — although I doubt it — that we cannot turn an Islamic nation with an ingrained, millennial-long, militaristic, tribal, misogynistic mindset into the mirror image of a modern European parliamentary republic by telling Afghans about the glories of the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, and the works of Thomas Paine, which most couldn’t read even in translation. 

Scotland: 4-year-olds Can Change Gender Without Parental Consent. Yes, indeed, the Scots, who once stood tall and even fought vigorously for the clan, now cede parental authority to the state. It’s all about the government’s new LGBT inclusivity guidelines, which among other things, allow young children to change their genders and names without parental consent. London’s Daily Telegraph reported that the guidelines claim students of any age can change genders. Schools must also design gender-neutral uniforms and use recommended reading lists promoting transgender inclusivity. Do you think, perhaps, any citizen who voices opposition will likely be accused of a hate crime?

We’re not Scotland, you might say, and you’re right. But, believe me, we’re not that far behind. And if you listen to our modern movers and shakers, they’re already talking about doing exactly what the Scots have done. Just a guess, but I suspect Scotland doesn’t permit home schooling.

Dr. Anthony Fauci Says Criticism of Him Is “Inexplicable”. That’s right, the ubiquitous immunologist and “live-shot” TV star, has expressed concern that some of his viewers have been criticizing him, and doing so openly, in public. This man, the highest paid federal employee, finds such criticism “inexplicable” and says everyone should realize the virus, not he, is the enemy. He said this and much more in an MSNBC interview with Joy Reid who, of course, absolutely loves the doctor. Not discussed was Dr. Fauci’s increased politicization of the “science,” all too apparent by his frequent flip-flops on almost every aspect of how we mere peasants must deal with the pesky virus. Does anyone who really matters still listen to this man? I certainly don’t, although admittedly I probably don’t matter very much. 

Here’s one more, a very sad story that should put all Americans on guard when we hear the left waxing eloquently about the glories of government-run healthcare. 

UK Government to End Life of Two-Year-Old Jewish Girl. I won’t provide a detailed report since you can read the entire story yourself, but here are the basics. This little girl, Alta Fixsler, whose parents are Israeli citizens (The father is also a U.S. citizen.), must not be kept alive by the UK’s medical authorities. This decision by the ironically named European Court of Human Rights declared her parents do not have the right to keep her alive even though treatment is available elsewhere, specifically in the U.S. and Israel. To show how the state has completely usurped the rights and authority of parents, the court stated, “Alta is not of an age, nor in a condition to have knowledge of and adopt her parents’ values.” The parents, of course, are believing, practicing Jews and want to take their child to Israel, but even this is prohibited. 

The Israeli president wrote to Prince Charles in June requesting his help for little Alta. According to Yeshiva News his letter included the following plea:

“It is the fervent wish of her parents, who are devoutly religious Jews and Israeli citizens, that their daughter be brought to Israel. Their religious beliefs directly oppose ceasing medical treatment that could extend her life and have made arrangements for her safe transfer and continued treatment in Israel. 

“I know that representations have been made to HM [Her Majesty’s] Government on this matter, but I feel that the unique circumstances warrant a personal intervention on my part to you. It would be a tragedy if these parents’ wishes could not be accommodated in a way that respects both the law and their religious beliefs.”

Back in June a large number of Republican U.S. senators requested that President Biden ask Prime Minister Johnson to help this little girl. And just last week a group of Democrat senators asked the UK ambassador to “facilitate the travel of Alta Fixsler from the UK to the United Staes, where care for her is waiting.” Senator Schumer even obtained a visa for the little girl’s travel. Wow! It looks as if little Alta Fixsler might actually have led the Senate to some form of bi-partisan agreement.

I pray for this little girl and her family, and ask the Holy Spirit, the “Lord and Giver of life” to move the hearts of those who have become so seduced by the world’s culture of death. I also pray to Blessed Margaret of Castello (if you don’t know of her, look her up) that she intercede for the sake of Alta’s life.

The United Nations Human Rights Council

Did you catch the latest? I expect you did. Anthony Blinken, the Secretary of State — yes, that’s our Secretary of State — has asked the United Nations Human Rights Council to visit the good ol’ systemic racist USA and investigate how badly we treat minorities, in particular our black Americans.

Yes, indeed, the nation that twice elected a black American as president, that currently has a black American vice president, that offers black Americans the highest standard of living in the world for people of their race, is considered by some the most racist nation on the planet. And, of course, we would hope the United Nations, the most corrupt global organization that has ever existed, will pass a fair and public judgment on us. I’m sure the Secretary of State is especially pleased that the membership of the UN Human Rights Council includes such human rights stalwarts as Communist China, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, Pakistan, and so many other nations that imprison and slaughter the less desirable elements of their populations; i.e., those who disagree with their governments.

Encouraging our Secretary of State is the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet (of Chile), who has called on the United States to reform our nation’s criminal justice system and give reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans. In her words, "I am calling on all States to stop denying, and start dismantling, racism; to end impunity and build trust; to listen to the voices of people of African descent; and to confront past legacies and deliver redress," Gee, I thought we kinda did that in the Civil War in which over 600,000 Americans died in the midst of this effort to end the evil of slavery. 

Bachelet wasn’t finished, though, and added the following: "Systemic racism  needs a systemic response. There needs to be a comprehensive rather than a piecemeal approach to dismantling systems entrenched in centuries of discrimination and violence. We need a transformative approach that tackles the interconnected areas that drive racism, and lead to repeated, wholly avoidable tragedies like the death of George Floyd."

And then, in support of Black Lives Matter, the black supremacist, Marxist, terrorist organization, she added: "The Black Live Matter movement and other civil society groups led by people of African descent have provided grassroots leadership through listening communities. They are also providing people with the necessary agency and empowerment that enables them to claim their human rights. Such efforts should receive funding, public recognition and support."

BLM a "listening community?" I have to hand it to them because it must be hard to listen when you're burning down a city and looting a Walmart. And don’t you just love to hear corrupt U.N. bureaucrats tell us how evil we are? Oh, then she has the chutzpah to order us to support these domestic terrorist organizations with taxpayer funds! Not surprisingly, our Secretary of State, and presumably his boss, President Biden, agree with her. As Blinken tweeted: “Responsible nations must not shrink from scrutiny of their human rights record. Rather, they should be transparent with the intent to grow and do better. That is why I'm announcing a formal invitation for @UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism to visit the U.S.”

I don’t know about you, but I can hardly wait to hear what the communist and Islamist murderers and slavers have to say about the flaws inherent in our constitutional, representative republic. In the meantime the communist government of China is committing genocide against the Uyghar Muslims and the communist government of Cuba is arresting, beating, and killing Cubans who dare to protest the slavery under which they must live. Maybe their members on the Human Rights Council will be too busy handling matters at home.

One can only believe that Mr. Blinken and his boss are either fools or traitors. We'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they're just being a bit foolish. This, sadly, is the kindest thing we can say about them.

Tragedy and Joy

Down Syndrome is a genetic condition typified by the presence of an extra (third) chromosome 21 in the body's cells. Its cause is still unknown. It is usually not an inherited condition and occurs among all races, nationalities, and socio-economic groups. Although the chances of having a Down Syndrome baby increase with the age of the mother, younger mothers still give birth to the majority of Down Syndrome babies.

I suspect most of you reading these words know someone with Down Syndrome. I have known many in my life, and each has been a blessing to me and many others.

Sadly, though, because these children require additional care -- a euphemism for sacrifice -- the enlightened of our increasingly self-centered society believe Down Syndrome children are too inconvenient to live. They want all parents to enjoy the "good life" to the fullest. How can they do this if they must care for a child with special needs? And, of course, we cannot ignore the additional costs that must be borne by society. Wouldn't it be better and cheaper if these children were never born?

For example, Iceland, that small island nation in the North Atlantic with a population of only about 350,000 people, is very proud of the fact that it has eliminated Down Syndrome. That's right. According to the Icelandic government, no Down Syndrome babies are now born in Iceland.

How did they accomplish this? Simple. They killed them all before they were born by aborting them. And for this Iceland celebrates.

But there's more to the story. The people of Iceland celebrate these abortions with prayer cards. Yes indeed, according to an Icelandic pro-abortion, prenatal counselor, she gives parents "a prayer card with the footprints of an aborted baby. Parents can keep these footprints and prayer cards as a memento of their aborted child." This is so repugnant it is beyond comment and speaks for the depravity, the decadence of our modern Western Civilization. How far we have fallen since the days of Christendom. (For more, see this report: Iceland Kills 100% of Babies with Down Syndrome.)

Iceland is not alone. Most of Western Europe is following the same path. In Germany the growing abortion rate for Down Syndrome babies is causing some to make parallels with the Nazi policies of the past. (Read about it here.)

Sadly, we see similar policies in the United States where far too many Down Syndrome children meet their deaths through abortion. Pro-life political solutions are increasingly difficult to implement because the courts at all levels are so infected with a pro-death bias. Just last December the Ohio state legislature, in a rare act of political courage, passed a law, which Governor John Kasich signed, prohibiting the abortion of Down Syndrome babies.

Pro-Abortion Protestors in the Ohio Senate Chamber

The ACLU -- an organization dedicated to supporting the civil liberties of everyone except the unborn and Christians -- sued, claiming the law was unconstitutional. (Read more here.) The ACLU and its fellow travelers simply couldn't stand the idea that one of these little ones might actually be born. And, then, like a true member of the pro-death hive, U. S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Black agreed with the ACLU and blocked the law, calling it an invasion of privacy. Imagine that! To save the life of the most innocent among us has become an invasion of privacy.

Fortunately -- although I suspect too few will notice -- the Holy See has spoken explicitly about the attempts to eliminate Down Syndrome children through abortion, referring to it as a "great hate crime." (Read more here.)

Pope Francis and a Down Syndrome girl

That so many in our so-called civilized world wish that these children of God cease to exist is more than troubling. It is nothing less than a return to barbarism. Actually, barbarism is probably too kind a word since most barbarians would probably choose to cherish and not dispose of these beautiful souls.

Let me write briefly about one young man. I met Michael several years ago when he became one of our parish altar servers. But Diane and I really came to know Michael well when he and his mom, Judie, joined our Thursday team at the Wildwood Soup Kitchen. Michael's dad, Glenn, also joined this ministry when we needed someone to sweep and mop the floors at the end of the day, and Glenn volunteered. It became a true family affair. Dear Glenn returned to the Father just a few months ago, and we miss him dearly. But Michael's strong faith, the same childlike faith Jesus asks of all of us, gives him the assurance that his dad is now with his God interceding for his family. 

My good friend, Michael

I cannot imagine life without Michael. He is our source of joy at the Soup Kitchen. When he arrives with his mom for our second shift, he always seeks me out with a "Hi, Deacon!" followed by a welcome hug -- the very best medicine to relieve my occasional grumpiness.

Everyone at the Soup Kitchen, volunteers and guests, love Michael. How could we do otherwise? His ever-present smile, his cheerfulness, and his willingness to do anything asked of him has turned Thursday mornings into a special time for all of us.

I have come to realize that Michael's greatest gift is his ability to teach the rest of us. One morning, shortly after he and Judie joined our Thursday team, I asked Michael if he were having a good day. Of course he replied with an enthusiastic, "Yes!" And then Judie laughed and added, "For Michael, every day is a good day. He never has a bad one." Indeed, Michael views the world as a blessing and teaches us to strive to do the same.

I have always believed that the cultural war we are waging for life will not be won through political action. We may win the occasional skirmish in legislatures and courts, but because it is a spiritual war, ultimately it will be won only through the action of the Holy Spirit, "the Lord and giver of life." We must, therefore, pray constantly that God will enter and change the hearts of those who have embraced the culture of death.

Perhaps people like Frank Stephens, a man with Down Syndrome, can help the Spirit change those hearts. Take just a few minutes to watch the following video of his testimony before Congress:

And then there's Charlotte "Charlie" Fien, a 21-year-old British woman with Down Syndrome and autism, who recently delivered an impassioned plea to a United Nations group. A U.N. "expert" had just argued for the prenatal eradication of disabled children. The following video is Charlotte's moving response:

Thank you Frank; thank you, Charlotte; and thank you, Michael for showing us the way to the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Pray for life!

News from Israel: Old and New

I thought it might be interesting to share a few recent news items out of Israel -- some relate to current events while others touch on the nation's ancient roots. The first item says much about the attitude of the United Nations with regard to the state of Israel.

UNRWA School in Gaza

UN Schools Teach Palestinian Children to Hate Israel and Jews. In the West Bank and Gaza the United Nations operates a number of schools attended mainly by Palestinian children. These schools, which receive funding from the United Nations' Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), use textbooks provided by the Palestinian Ministry of Education. As you might imagine, these textbooks are strongly anti-Israel. They purposely do not recognize the existence of Israel, even excluding the country from maps of the region. Equally disturbing, the books claim that the holy sites in Israel are exclusively Muslim sites, fail to mention their Jewish origins, and even accuse the Jews of trying to control them illegally. The books also contain no historical reference to the Jews or the Hebrew language. In effect these UN schools simply continue the racism and antisemitism that typify the official Palestinian position. Is it any wonder that peace between Israel and the Palestinians is so illusive since one side refuses to accept the existence of the other? It also explains the recent anti-Israel resolution passed by the UN, a resolution which the Obama administration supported by its refusal to exercise its veto.

Gaza-based Jihadist: Ban Christmas. If you're a Jihadist (aka, a terrorist) a good place to hang out is in Gaza where you will be well protected by the Palestinian authorities. You'll also have access to some cool textbooks. Anyway, one of these jokers, who's been given the label of "Senior Islamic State Jihadist," goes by the name of Abu Omar Almaqdesi. (Let's just call him Abe.) It seems Abe has been very vocal of late. Discussing recent terrorism in Turkey, Germany, and Jordan, he announced that such attacks are "the price these states must pay for positioning themselves as part of the Crusader Coalition of infidel countries fighting against Islam." Just a thought, but I suspect the German. Turkish, and Jordanian governments (or, for that matter, the US government) do not consider themselves as part of a Crusader Coalition. Too bad. If they did we might actually get somewhere in our misnamed war on terror. 

Abe also added a few seasonal comments relating to Christmas: "If somewhere there are Christians who insist on celebrating Christmas with the support of the heretic authorities, one must unleash upon them all one's might and deploy all the available means." He went on to explain that "all methods are admissible when it comes to preventing blasphemy against Allah and his commandments. Yes, including killing and blowing up." Then, apparently getting into the Christmas spirit, Abe added, "But...we believe that first you should act politely and explain that living in Islamic countries is conditioned on accepting Sharia and refrain from openly practicing rituals other than Islam." I guess after you've been polite, you can go ahead and blow them up. Don't you just love these guys? Abe sounds like a prime candidate for an extended vacation at Gitmo.

Having been promised by God to Abraham about 4,000 years ago, the Holy Land is a remarkable treasure trove for archaeologists. Like much of the Middle East, modern day Israel has lots of interesting stuff beneath its surface just waiting to be uncovered. Here are a couple of cool stories I found particularly interesting.

Egyptian Slab -- Ancient Hebrew? Inscriptions

Hebrew is #1. A Canadian archaeologist, Douglas Petrovich, has generated a whole lot of controversy among his colleagues by claiming that the Hebrew alphabet might just be the world's oldest. One can only assume his claims will not be well-received in Gaza. Petrovich believes that the Hebrews, when they were in Egypt, converted the local hieroglyphics into their own alphabet so they could express their Hebrew language in written form. He dates this alphabet to almost 4,000 years ago. He also claims to have found specific Biblical references from Genesis and Exodus -- to Moses, Ahisamach and Asenath -- as he translated various inscriptions. He's taking a lot of heat from the skeptics, but who knows? He might be right. After all, we know God was partial to Hebrew.

One of the many Temple Floor Tiles recovered

Second Temple Floor Tiles Discovered. Jerusalem's
second Temple, the one started by Herod and destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D., is now covered by a Muslim shrine. This makes excavations a bit tense since the Muslims do not want Jewish access to this holy site. The second Temple is also the Temple of the Gospels at which Jesus and his disciples worshiped. As a result of excavations that began in 2005, over 600 of the Temple's floor tiles have been found and many have been restored. These are the only known physical elements of the Temple so they are considered extremely important. They are also of interest to Christians since Jesus quite possibly walked on many of these floor tiles.

I find it amazing that today, thousands of years after these events, we continue to discover such wondrous things. And so often these finds support the Biblical narrative that so many have considered unreliable at best. It would seem that God delights in leading us to that which magnifies His Word.

Greek Orthodox Priest Addresses UN on the Persecution of Christians

In September Father Gabriel Naddaf, a Greek Orthodox priest from Nazareth spoke  to the United Nations Human Rights Council about the persecution of Christians in the Middle east. I've included a video (below) of his comments.

Here is a transcript of Father Naddaf's comments:

Mr. President, I am speaking to you on behalf of UN Watch.

Standing before you is Father Gabriel Naddaf, a Christian citizen from Nazareth, the city in which Christ was raised and where he proselytized.

Dear Sirs, while I stand before you today, the earth of the Middle East is soaked with the blood of Christians being killed daily.

Do you know that at the start of the 20^th century, Christians comprised 20% of the population of the Middle East?

Today they comprise only 4%.

Do you know that over the past years some 100,000 Christians have been killed annually? And why? Not for a crime they’ve committed, but only for believing in Christ.

In Iraq alone, more than 77% of the Christians have fled during the year 2000, in addition to thousands killed and expelled.

Some 2 million Christians lived in Syria, but today, they are less than 250,000.

Christians in these countries are treated as second-class citizens; facing racial, religious, economic and social discrimination.

Why is this happening? Only due to their religion, a religion that advocates love and peace between mankind.

Christians in the Middle East are marginalized; their rights denied, their property stolen, their honor violated, their men killed, and their children displaced.

Where will they go? Who will defend them? And who will guard their property?

If we look at the Middle East, Mr. President, we realize there’s only one safe place where Christians are not persecuted.

One place where they are protected, enjoying freedom of worship and expression, living in peace and not subjected to killing and genocide.

It is Israel, the country I live in. The Jewish state is the only safe place where the Christians of the Holy Land live in safety.

Christians and Jews live in Israel not only because Christ was originally Jewish, born in Jewish Bethlehem, but because they share a common destiny, and a true hope to coexist in peace.

Does the world acknowledge Israel for protecting its Christians? Many in the international community have chosen to criticize Israel.

This, in my mind, is a double crime: because by doing so, the international community helps those striving to annihilate the Jews, the Christians, the Druze and the Yazidis for political ends.

By doing so, the international community unfortunately contributes to exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East.

It causes Christians to leave the land of Christ searching for a safe haven across the world.

It is time for the world to awaken and realize the truth of those striving to destroy the Jewish state.

They are hastening the death sentence of Christians in the Middle East and the Holy Land, the land which witnessed the birth and life of our Lord Jesus Christ. If they leave, who will remain in it?

I, Father Gabreal Naddaf of Nazareth, stand before you and plead: O world leaders and supporters of peace, stop those who want to destroy the only free Jewish state in the region.

It is the only refuge welcoming and protecting all of its citizens. It is the only place that does not attempt to push out Christians, forcing them to leave their land in search of security.

I implore you from the bottom of my heart to hear the cry of the Christians of the Middle East before it is too late, and you may read about them only in the history books.

Thank you, Mr. President.