JANUARY 2005 WORLD NEWS

JANUARY 2005 WORLD NEWS

January 19, 2005

GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS MONITOR THE MASSES

It's late and your teenage daughter is not home yet. You call her phone, but she does not pick up. A little concerned, you sit down at the computer and look her up through an online tracking service. Her car is fitted with a GPS tracking device and sure enough, the satellite system shows that she's still parked at the library. Just to make sure, though, you look up her cell phone - also fitted with a GPS tracking device. The cell phone shows up across the street from the library. You look up the address. Ah, Starbucks. Suddenly your cell phone rings. "Hey Mom," you hear. "You want me to bring you home a decaf mocha?"

The Global Positioning Satellite system operated by the United States Department of Defense is no longer being used only to track the enemy. GPS receivers use signals from satellites to track their own locations and can be attached to just about anything. The technology costs have dropped dramatically in recent years, making these devices affordable to just about anybody. GPS vehicle-tracking services like OnStar are growing in popularity and by the end of 2005, most cell phones will include a GPS receiver for enhanced 911 service. One company, Wherify Wireless Inc. is planning to have a GPS tracker available at Wal-Mart stores within a few months.

Vehicle tracking is one of the fastest growing uses of GPS technology. Last week, NowAuto, Inc. announced that it had started shipping Navicom GPS tracking units to distributors and retailers all over the United States. Navicom's Internet satellite maps offer subscribers the ability to track their vehicles with a location accuracy of five feet, offering latitude and longitude, date and time, address, and even the direction and speed at which a vehicle is traveling.

Large companies have also taken advantage of GPS technology to keep track of their fleets. Utility truck fleets, fire departments, transit agencies recognize the benefits of Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) technology to keep track of where their trucks are at any given time. Parents in Washington D.C. used to complain that the busses were too often late picking up their children for school and sometimes would not show up at all. In response, the D.C. public school system has spent $6 million putting together a system that will keep track of all their school busses. The system is providing accountability for the bus drivers and will also offer a quick indication if a bus should get hijacked with a bunch of school children onboard. Parents say that their children are finally getting picked up on time.

By the end of the year, the busses for special needs children will also include ID card readers to keep track of every child that gets on the busses, with additional information such as allergies, specific disabilities and contact information.

Along with the spread of GPS technology come the privacy concerns. Stalkers have already been arrested for abusing tracking technology. Satellite Security Systems Inc. (S3), the security company that keeps track of the D.C. school busses, recently helped authorities gather evidence against a customer who had been using their system to stalk a female acquaintance. The stalker placed a tracking device on the woman's car and would call S3 to find out where she was located so he could follow her in a low flying aircraft.

However, a federal court ruling in New York this month gave police the freedom to put GPS tracking devices on suspects' cars without first obtaining a warrant. Rather than having to physically follow a car during a criminal investigation, police can avoid the hassle and simply stick a locator on a car and watch it via computer. If a car is on a public roadway, the court ruled, its driver has no legal expectation of privacy. While this increases the efficiency of police investigations and greatly helps law enforcement officials in doing their jobs, it also has concerning Big Brother implications.

GPS tracking technology offers a large array of helpful services to improve the safety and efficiency of those who are willing to be tracked, but it also opens the door for unethical people to keep track of those they might have no business watching.

STRATEGIC TRENDS: YEAR IN REVIEW

Society today has access to seemingly limitless amounts of information. Technology continues to progress to where we can process data at incredible speeds and store vast amounts of information in a minuscule amount of space. With the help of satellite technology we can watch the news as it happens on the other side of the globe. Yet even with the overabundance and availability of information it seems we often have a difficult time assimilating what we hear and separating the truth from the fiction.

For many years Koinonia House has monitored 10 global, social, political, and economic trends that we feel are significant, not only to our nation, but also to the Body of Christ. Today we will be looking at those 10 Strategic Trends, which when examined as a whole are consistent with what the Bible says will take place prior to the last days. We have been following these trends on our website and in our various publications, but with this year drawing to a close we would like to take a moment to review some of the major developments that have taken place in previous months.

Weapons Proliferation

The war in Iraq, and the seemingly unsuccessful search for evidence of Saddam's weapons program, has brought the issue of weapons proliferation into the spotlight. While Coalition forces in Iraq have accomplished much, there are still many challenges to overcome. Insurgents remain a threat to the nation's stability and disagreement among religious and political leaders could be a stumbling block to further democratic reform.

The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, estimated that there are currently more than 40 countries with peaceful nuclear programs that could modify their technology to create nuclear weapons. Over the last year international attention has been primarily focused on the security threat posed by North Korea and Iran.

The world has watched closely as Iran openly announced plans to resume its nuclear program and convert 40 tons of raw uranium into fuel for nuclear centrifuges, enough material to create five nuclear weapons. Iran has said that it will continue its nuclear program "at any price." Efforts by the IAEA and the EU to negotiate with Iran have failed to produce any real results.

Over the last year North Korea has continued to build its military arsenal. There is ongoing concern that North Korea could attempt to sell or trade nuclear weapons, supplies, and technology in order to meet its needs. A report released by the US government estimates that North Korea currently possesses as many as eight nuclear weapons. North Korea also possesses stockpiles of chemical weapons and ballistic missiles and is already a major supplier of ballistic missile-related equipment, components, materials, and technical expertise to the Middle East, South Asia, and North Africa. The sale of ballistic missile technology has provided North Korea with a major source of hard currency, giving it the ability to maintain its weapons program. Many fear that if the situation continues to deteriorate a North Korean nuclear weapon could end up in the hands of terrorists.

The Struggle for Jerusalem

The Israeli plan to abandon its settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip has left the Palestinian leadership deadlocked in a massive power struggle, with various groups and factions battling for control. The question also remains as to who will lead the Palestinian Authority now that Arafat is dead. Elections are scheduled for early January, however Mahmoud Abbas appears to be the frontrunner. While Abbas has publicly called for an end to the violence he has also pledged to continue in Arafat’s footsteps, making the prospects for peace in Israel seem grim.

Meanwhile Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon faces his own set of challenges. Sharon’s controversial decision to dismantle Israeli settlements under the "Road Map" peace plan has drawn widespread criticism. Under pressure from the international community he agreed to the removal all 21 settlements in Gaza and four of the 120 settlements in the West Bank by the end of 2005. Sharon’s plan to dismantle the settlements has angered settlers and conservatives and there has even been talk of civil war.

Over the last year Israel has waged an aggressive military campaign against terrorism. Their efforts have been highlighted by the assassination of Hamas founder and spiritual leader Ahmed Yassin and his replacement Abdel Aziz Rantisi earlier this year, and also by the construction of the controversial West Bank barrier wall.

America's Challenge

The ongoing struggle between secular and religious moral values in America has been brought to the forefront of national politics during the last year, in large part due to the recent elections. A majority of voters cited "moral values" as the "most important issue" in determining how they cast their ballot, more important than the economy, national security, or healthcare.

Perhaps one of the more interesting aspects of this election has been the mainstream media's reaction to President Bush's victory. The network anchors appeared noticeably stunned and even dumbfounded by the outcome, especially after early exit polls indicated a Democratic lead. The mainstream media's coverage of the elections, as well as incidents such as Dan Rather's use of forged documents to try to prove Bush avoided National Guard service and the Halperin memo, have helped to expose a growing liberal bias in the media.

Controversial moral topics such as same-sex marriage, embryonic stem cell research, religion in schools, the display of religious symbols on public property, and abortion have all taken center stage. Gay marriage became the focus of national attention after the mayor of San Francisco ordered clerks to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The incident in San Francisco caused several other cities and counties to follow their example and triggered numerous lawsuits challenging marriage laws around the country. In response to which, conservative lawmakers have pushed for the adoption of a Federal Marriage Amendment that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman. In addition to suits challenging our marriage laws, liberal organizations such as the ACLU have waged an aggressive legal campaign against virtually any and every form of religious expression in public. Controversy over the Partial Birth Abortion Ban, excessive media attention to the Laci Peterson murder case, and the long-awaited passage of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, has caused many to reexamine the rights of the unborn.

Rise of the European Superstate

Over the last few years we have watched closely as the European Union has emerged as a growing world power. The value of the Euro has surpassed that of the dollar, and in May the EU welcomed 10 new members increasing its influence in the UN and expanding its potential for economic growth. Bulgaria and Romania are set to join the EU in January of 2007, and both Croatia and Turkey are scheduled to begin negotiations next year.

The EU has begun to challenge the US in an effort to increase its influence in international politics. The bitter debate over Iraq between the United States, Germany, and France has been seen by many as a foreshadow of what is to come. A battle in which the EU, lead by France and Germany, is positioning itself to surpass the United States as the dominant world power.

Global Government

Often seen as the future embodiment of global government, the UN has been the subject of increased scrutiny. While the investigation into the Oil-for-Food scandal is at its height, the UN has been bombarded by accusations of corruption and mismanagement. The Oil-for-Food Scandal is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. As evidence is uncovered, the more apparent it becomes that UN lacks accountability.

It should come as no surprise that amidst the scandal the UN has announced plans for a massive overhaul. The huge reforms will be unlike any changes made since the organization was founded in 1945. Historically, government never downsizes voluntarily; it always increases its power and minimizes accountability to its citizens. Government reinvention is frequently an effort to avoid the consequences of failed policies in the past, or to justify a government's continued expansion by posing solutions to the problems it has created. Over the last decade, the United Nations has unabashedly pushed for what it calls "global governance." A recent thrust for support of the International Criminal Court is just one example of how the UN is positioning itself for global power. It has become very clear that they will use the scandal and the ensuing "reforms" to advance closer to that goal.

The Rise of Islam

The Muslim faith is becoming an increasingly volatile catalyst in today's international scene. With the continuing threat of terrorist attacks in the United States, it has become of paramount importance to understand the origin, nature, and agenda of Islam.

Many Americans believe that Islam is a religion of peace and that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. In public schools we teach our children a doctrine of tolerance, and in some schools students are even required to memorize passages of the Koran. While in comparison Islamic children are taught that America is the Infidel. We are the enemy. When the towers came crashing down on September 11, 2001 and thousands of innocent people were killed, Muslims all over the world danced in the streets and praised the hijackers. A survey taken in Saudi Arabia shortly after the September 11 attacks reported that 95 percent of educated Saudi men between the ages of 25 and 41 backed bin Laden’s cause. Islamic terrorists are referred to in the West as radicals and extremists, while in the mid-east they are heralded by fundamentalists as martyrs and heroes, and the families of suicide bombers are rewarded monetary pensions. The disparity between the two perspectives is staggering.

To say that Islam is a peaceful religion requires turning a blind eye to the various conflicts in Northern Africa including the growing humanitarian crisis in Darfur, the bloodshed in Chechnya, the Madrid railway bombing, and the ethnic conflicts in China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Pakistan and India – not to mention the ongoing violence throughout the Middle East.

The Magog Invasion

This year Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans to restructure the Russian political system, in the process of which he has dramatically increased his executive power while stifling the opposition.

Since Putin took power in 1999 he has established unrivaled dominance of both houses of parliament, reasserted control over the country's huge energy industry, forced the closure of the last independent national television network, strengthened Russia’s ties to its former communist allies, and employed what he calls "managed democracy". Putin has manipulated elections, silenced critics, and gradually tightened his grip on the nation. He is a former KGB officer and reports estimate that one in every four of Putin's government has a background in the military or security services.

Democratic ideals, such as the freedom of speech, are rapidly eroding under Vladimir Putin's autocratic leadership. During the first US presidential debate both candidates criticized Putin for the proposed reforms, but when the debate aired on Russian national television their comments were edited out. This latest incident is only a shadow of what is to come. Once thought to be a growing capitalist ally, Russia is returning to its Soviet roots. This change may eventually pave the way for the Magog Invasion to take place.

The Rise of the Far East

China has quickly become a global power. In recent years, China has bought, borrowed, or stolen technology, which has catapulted its military capabilities into the modern high-tech arena. In the last year China has announced plans to launch 100 surveillance satellites, and has unveiled its new class of ballistic missile submarines. These submarines will be China’s first truly intercontinental strategic nuclear delivery system. The Chinese military is preparing for a war with the United States, a war which its commanders believe is inevitable.

Over the last few years China has strengthened its ties with the Middle East. It is already one of the biggest suppliers of weapons and military technology to Arab nations. Next month China and the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council will begin a first round of negotiations over setting up a free trade agreement. The GCC includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. A Free Trade Agreement between China and the GCC, which holds 45 percent of the world's oil reserves and accounts for 20 percent of oil production, would help shore up China's energy supplies. China is increasingly importing oil due to strong domestic demand, stemming from its fast growing economy.

Biotech and Global Pestilence

According to the National Institute of Health infectious diseases remain the leading cause of death worldwide, and the third leading cause of death in the United States. Diseases thought to be obsolete have once again become a global threat, and in recent years new pathogens have emerged, some of which carry antibiotic-resistant genes or mutations enabling them to move across different species.

World Health Organization officials recently warned that the avian influenza (also known as the Bird Flu) could become a global epidemic if a new virulent strain of the virus emerges that can jump readily from human to human. If that happens WHO officials estimate that it would spread rapidly and could kill anywhere from 2 million to 50 million people.

In the last year there have been a number of developments in biotechnology. Perhaps the most controversial has been the growing field of embryonic stem cell research. One disappointing outcome of the election was the passage of proposition 71 on the California ballot. The California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, as it is called, will authorize the issuance of billions of dollars worth of bonds to fund embryonic stem cell research. Proposition 71 will cost California taxpayers $6 billion dollars over a period of 30 years ($3 billion to pay off the principle and another $3 billion in interest).

Media attention has been primarily focused on embryonic stem cell research, even though expiriments using ebryonic cells have only produced limited results. Unlike embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells have been sucessfully used to restore sight, treat spinal cord injuries, diabetes, heart disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, cancer, and nearly 100 other disorders. Unfortunately the media often does not differentate between the two and the medical miracles accomplished using adult stem cells are often attributed to embryonic research.

Global Religion

It may seem difficult to imagine the world united under one ruler and one religion, especially with the bloody ethnic battles taking place in the world today. However, the violence caused by religious and cultural conflicts could in fact be the catalyst that brings about drastic change. The desire for world peace, the deterioration of moral values in the Western world, the restriction of religious freedom in America, and the continued persecution of Christians in other parts of the world could all pave the way for the emergence of a global religion.

Our mission as a ministry is to facilitate and encourage serious study of the Bible as the inherent Word of God. We believe the Bible is as relevant and accurate today as it was two thousand years ago when Jesus Christ walked on the shores of Galilee, and that the prophecies and teachings contained therein not only authenticate the Bible as the inspired Word of God, but are also designed to help us understand God's plan for mankind. We sincerely hope our efforts have helped you gain a better understanding of the times in which we live, as well as a renewed sense of urgency and determination in pursuing God's plan for your life.

CREATION OR EVOLUTION: THE ORIGINS BATTLE RAGES ON

A $25 million dollar museum dedicated to promoting Biblical creation is being finished in northern Kentucky. Teachers in Pennsylvania are refusing to read a statement about Intelligent Design in their science classrooms, and pastors in Wisconsin are criticizing a school district for seeking to teach their students the weaknesses of evolutionary theory. The battle over origins education has continued in America and shows no signs of dying out any time soon.

Kentucky
This spring, the Museum of Creation will be opening 10 miles outside of Cincinnati on the border of Kentucky and Ohio, filled with full-sized dinosaurs and reconstructions of such things as the inside of Noah's Ark and the Grand Canyon. Ken Ham, whose ministry Answers in Genesis has been using science for decades to point people to the Bible as God's Word, is finally realizing his dream of a professional museum full of displays that promote the belief that God created the world. The main building of the museum was finished recently and work started on the entrance exhibits the first week of January. The first phase of exhibits will be open to the public in a few months.

Pennsylvania
Several teachers in the Dover Area School District have refused to read a statement on Intelligent Design as required by a new district policy. Intelligent Design theorists argue that evolution is not a sufficient explanation for the complex organization of living systems, and maintain that living things show great evidence of having been designed. According to the language of the curriculum, biology students in the Dover area must be "made aware of gaps/problems in Darwin's theory and other theories of evolution, including but not limited to intelligent design." A federal lawsuit has been filed over the policy, and the school district has agreed to allow teachers to opt out of reading the statement. However, administration officials will read the statement to the biology students whose teachers opt out.

The Seattle-based Discovery Institute, an Intelligent Design think tank, has commended the Dover School District for working to make sure that alternatives to evolution are taught. However, it recommends that the Dover School District reword its new policy to make it more legally defensible. "There are constitutional ways of doing this," says Dr. John West of the Discovery Institute, "and we're happy to advise districts. One of our biggest frustrations is when school districts go and do policies without consulting with the experts and others who are actually working on theories like the theory of intelligent design. They can end up doing more harm than good by having a poorly framed policy." The Discovery Institute is encouraging the school district to rewrite its policy to allow Intelligent Design to be taught without mandating it.

Wisconsin
The fight in the town of Grantsburg, Wisconsin (population 1,008) continues over the School Board's decision to encourage the critical evaluation of evolutionary theory in the science classroom. While the new policy rules out explicitly teaching creationism or Intelligent Design theory, it does seek to have students understand both the strengths and weaknesses of evolutionary theory. The school board has been flooded with letters, including one signed by 188 pastors arguing "that the theory of evolution is a foundational scientific truth" and that to question evolutionary theory is "to deliberately embrace scientific ignorance and transmit such ignorance to our children."

Joni Burgin, superintendent in Grantsburg, responded to the letters by saying, "The amount of letters and the number of signatures does not matter... The school board feels that they must do what is right for Grantsburg students and the Grantsburg community."

For more information on the scientific arguments involved in the origins debate, see the links below.

January 12, 2005

• Michigan Schools Won't Offer Bible Class - January 11, 2005
A rural school district will not offer a religious group's Bible class as an elective high school course, ending a yearlong debate.

• US Says Anti-Semitism on the Rise in Europe - January 11, 2005
The US State Department has released its first ever report on anti-Semitism worldwide, which indicates there has been a notable rise in anti-Semitism in Europe.

• Another Victory for Same-Sex Adoption Ban - January 11, 2005
Florida's ban on same-sex adoption was maintained today after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal in a case challenging the law's constitutionality.

• Anti-Pledge Atheist Files New Suit - January 06, 2005
An atheist who sued because he did not want his young daughter exposed to the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance has filed another lawsuit — this time with other parents.

• Rights Group Accuses Vietnam of Persecuting Christians - January 11, 2005
Human Rights Watch accused Vietnam of carrying out mass arrests, persecution and torture of ethnic minority Christians in the troubled Central Highlands, a hotbed of anti-government unrest.

• Bible Removed from Texas Courthouse Monument - January 11, 2005
A Bible was removed from a monument outside a downtown courthouse Monday while local officials appeal a federal judge's ruling that the display is unconstitutional.