News

A few hours ago, the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City were each struck by airplanes in obvious terrorist attacks against the United States! Then, we heard that a third plane crashed into the Pentagon—the seat of the entire United States defense establishment in Washington, DC. Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska commented: "This is the second Pearl Harbor!" But for us, in this brief commentary, we need to ask: "Why?" Why have these attacks taken place? What is the meaning behind all of these things?

A lot of upsets in the world are due to occur right around the turn of the MILLENIUM! What will things look like in about three to five years?

Are we nearing the end of the age? After NATO began its intense airstrikes against Yugoslavia, Russia quit its membership in NATO - and President Boris Yeltsin gave this warning: "I told NATO, the Americans, the Germans, don't push us toward military action. Otherwise there will be European war for sure and possibly world war."

The recent tornadoes in Oklahoma and Kansas caused death and terrible damage and disrupted thousands of lives. Our hearts go out to the victims of the great devastation. Already we know of 500 million dollars in property damage around Oklahoma City according to the Southwest Insurance Information Institute. And the damage is far more widespread than that coving parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and Tennessee. More than 12,000 cars have become twisted wrecks and several thousand homes have been damaged or destroyed. Some suggest that there will be more than one billion dollars in damages when the effects of these tornadoes—some in excess of 300 miles per hour—is fully known. But, do we understand WHY such tragedies happen? Can we learn something from the suffering and the pain they cause? Should we blame God or Satan or random chance?

On January 19, the President of the United States gave his annual State of the Union Address. He proclaimed that the nation is strong and prosperous. Indeed, some in the religious community expressed strong enthusiasm for the speech!

Yet, in all the rhetoric celebrating economic expansion and optimism for the future, there were two glaring omissions in the Address: First, the state of morality in our society; and Second, any major acknowledgment of the Source of our blessings along with our concomitant responsibilities to that Source!