News: Obama Time's Person of Year; Israel/Jordan/Egypt elections; Syria's Chemical Weapons

Here is some news for this bright Christmas Eve Eve...

Did you know that lawmakers in Germany have been working hard to ban the ancient Jewish practice of circumcision? The measure failed last week. There are lots of ways to oppress Jews and Christians. One way is excessive bureaucratic interference and laws.

Germans overwhelmingly oppose making circumcision illegal
Germany's parliament approved a bill to keep male circumcision legal, after a court ruling earlier this year put the practice into question. Discussions focussed on child welfare versus religious freedom. This follows months of debate. In May 2012, a Cologne court ruled that the circumcision of a young boy on religious grounds amounted to grievous bodily harm, and was therefore illegal. The decision prompted many Jews and Muslims to question their acceptance and sense of feeling spiritually at home in Germany. Months of debate on the cultural and religious tradition of infant male circumcision in Germany followed. Nowhere else in the entire world has this debate been held "with such acrimony, frostiness and at times brutal intolerance," Dieter Graumann, head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said at the time."

Satan has gone after God's chosen people since the very beginning. Genesis records him attacking Eve and Adam in the garden, (Genesis 3), and Revelation records that he will go after them in the end. (Revelation 12:17). The day that he is thrown into the Lake of Fire will be the day when all of God's children will finally be safe. (Revelation 20:10).

So what is going on with those chemical weapons in Syria? "Israel frets chemicals weapons could fall into wrong hands":

"Syria's chemical weapons are still secure despite the fact that President Bashar al-Assad has lost control of parts of the country, a senior Israeli defence official said today. ... "Suppose he (Assad) does leave, there could be chaos ... in the Middle East you never know who will come instead..."

That is true. Ask Egypt if they feel they made a good swap of Mubarak for Muslim Brotherhood...

Egypt constitutional vote: 'Things are definitely worse than under the old regime':
"...second half of the referendum on the draft constitution, which was drawn up by an Islamist-dominated panel from which Christians and liberals had withdrawn in protest. Among the many charges levelled against the constitution by both human rights groups, secular and liberal activists, and the Coptic Christian minority, is that its defence of basic freedoms is heavily curtailed when it comes to religion and politics. Specifically, it will forbid any law that would permit anything deemed insulting either of people or of religion, the Prophet Mohammed or the other figures considered by Islam to be God's messengers. Such a clause could clearly have a chilling effect on free thinking and speech."

That referendum on the new Egyptian (Muslim Brotherhood) Constitution was voted on this week and it passed, Reuters reports:

"The Muslim Brotherhood, which propelled President Mohamed Mursi to power in a June election, said an unofficial tally showed 64 percent of voters backed the charter after two rounds of voting that ended with a final ballot on Saturday."

Read Isaiah 19 for a look ahead for what is going to happen to Egypt. It is pretty dark for a while but then thanks to God's grace Egypt is restored. The people come to saving knowledge of the Lord and they are blessed. Knowing the end makes reading about what is happening to Egypt now a bit easier. A bit.

Elections in the Middle East:

I just reported on Egypt's big voting event, the Constitution. Jordan has an election coming up on January 23 to vote in a new Parliament. King Abdullah is still the King, of course. Prior to the elections a new electoral law was passed, allowing voters to cast two ballots; one for a candidate in their constituency and one for party lists elected by proportional representation at the national level. In addition, The number of seats reserved for candidates of political parties was raised from 17 to 27 out of the 140 seats in the House of Representatives." (Wiki)

Israel is holding elections too. They will be held on January 22 for representatives to their Parliament, called the Knesset. "Next month Israel will see another parliamentary election – an event that takes place almost every two years, which is considered by some Israelis as far too often. The country has swapped more than thirty governments in 64 years. 20 Israeli interior ministers, 14 foreign ministers and 15 justice ministers have been and gone in the last twenty years."

Obama was selected (again) by Time Magazine as Person of the Year.

Another cover is making the rounds that I much prefer:

And there was a bit of news for you as we go forward on this Christmas Eve Eve. Here is a Good Thought brought to you from the Creator of the Universe, the Savior of the World and the Comforter of the People:

"For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3if indeed by putting it ona we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 5:1-5)