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Wake Up to Events in Europe!As the world currently focuses on Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Israel—not to mention a biting recession—it's easy to overlook important European events. Yet the European Union (EU) stands once again perched on the brink of approving the Lisbon Treaty (really the renamed EU Constitution), which is designed to drastically increase the structure, power and influence of this transnational governmental body. What will happen to Europe in the long run?by John Ross SchroederFor the last several years, the world's media has been rife with predictions concerning the potential collapse of the EU. For instance, Mark Steyn wrote in the The National Post in Canada, "To the list of polities destined to slip down the Eurinal of history, we must add the European Union and France's Fifth Republic. The only question is how messy their disintegration will be" (May 1, 2002). Adding to many Internet blogs and newspaper and magazine articles, several books have been written about the so-called coming demise of the European Union. According to Bible prophecy, any eventual demise of the present 27-nation EU could quickly be followed by a new grouping of European nations at the core of a powerful combine described in the book of Revelation. While it is certainly true that there are severe social and economic problems in England and on the European continent, contemporary history shows us that incredibly powerful dictatorial regimes have emerged out of severe economic conditions. A deep depression and hyperinflation were major factors in bringing Hitler to power in Germany, for example. Why the far right is reemerging in EuropeThe current economic recession has produced a growth in extremist, right-wing parties in many corners of Europe. Some are even beginning to influence European legislation. The loss of trust in mainstream political parties also looms large in this growth of extremism. The British National Party (BNP) is a case in point. The fallout from the scandalous behavior of many British members of Parliament (MPs) has advanced the cause and influence of this right-wing party whose perceived racist policies are regarded as unacceptable by many mainstream commentators. In fact, Britain stands in the midst of one of the nation's worst political crises in its long history, prompted largely by revelations of abuse of public funds. Columnist Max Hastings commented, "All governments end in failure. But never in modern British political history has there been a collapse as startling and dramatic as that which is taking place at Westminster this week" ("Indignity and Chaos Rule: Who Will Put This Exhausted, Discredited and Ridiculous Regime Out of Its Misery?" Daily Mail, June 7, 2009). A recent editorial in The Spectator reveals how citizens are reacting. "British democracy is at a low ebb. Polling data shows that more than 80% of voters think that MPs put their own and their parties' interest ahead of those of the country; that three quarters do not trust MPs to tell the truth" ("Enough, Already," June 6, 2009). (Of course, the popular standing of the American Congress is not much better.) Daily Mail columnist Stephen Glover summed up this sad state of affairs from an overall perspective: "We will continue to be poorly governed, no matter which party is in power. The root problem underlying all other problems is the low quality of our political class. Most MPs have little or no useful experience outside politics. Some of them are too young. Not many of them are intellectually distinguished... "Nonetheless these people rule us. They attempt to govern us. They spend, or misspend, billions of pounds of our money. They take us to war. They make huge decisions about our lives. And they often make a muck of things" ("The Sad Truth Is Our MPs Are Second Rate," June 4, 2009, emphasis added throughout). The New Statesman magazine observed, "The country is in the midst of the worst parliamentary crisis in living memory as well as the worst recession; and the Parliamentary Labour Party is in disarray" ("Comrade Turns on Comrade in the Dying Days of New Labour," June 4, 2009). Earlier this year, Daily Telegraph columnist Christopher Booker stated that "the standing of Parliament last week fell to the lowest level in its 800-year history" ("They Fiddle While Brussels Rules," The Sunday Telegraph, May 17, 2009). Fear of future rule from Brussels dominates the concerns of many members of the Conservative Party. They see a coming European superpower whose power and influence would seriously challenge the United States and further dwarf Britain's already declining role in the world. A European superpower in the makingMany in Britain view the possibility of a federal Europe with a jaundiced eye. Conservative Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague is very concerned about "the creation of a new EU president, an EU foreign minister...[and] a legally binding Charter of Fundamental Rights, the significant expansion of EU powers over areas such as criminal justice and more [that] has led the President of the European Commission to proclaim that the Treaty gave the EU 'the dimension of empire'" ("Labour Has Left Britain on the Fringes of Europe," The Spectator, May 30, 2009). Yet as things stand now, the British people will have virtually no say on the contents of this treaty, having been denied a previously promised referendum. The Lisbon Treaty will be imposed on the citizens of the United Kingdom without their democratic consent. Mr. Hague went on to write, "The Treaty is almost identical to its predecessor, the EU Constitution [previously rejected by both France and the Netherlands], to whose text the [British] government sought 275 amendments, of which only 27 were accepted." The implications of Britain saddled to a more powerful and influential European Union frighten those who truly understand European history. Yet a Daily Mail feature article tells us: "Britain is willing to provide all our Armed Forces to fight under the EU flag in future wars, a minister has revealed. Europe Minister Caroline Flint said that every operational unit of the British Army, the Royal Navy and RAF will be on offer as part of an EU 'force catalogue.' This would help form a 60,000-strong joint EU military reaction force to police the world's trouble-spots" (Matthew Hickley and James Slack, "Now All of Our Forces Are on Offer as Part of an EU 'Catalogue,'" April 3, 2009). The basic EU currency, the euro, bears watching as well. "Officially launched as a theoretical accounting unit for 11 EU nations in 1999... [the euro] has become, by default, the second most important international reserve currency after the U.S. dollar" (Joseph Harriss, "Funny Money," The American Spectator, May 2009). A report by the private intelligence company Stratfor warns of a potential long-term threat for America: "While the European Union is nowhere near becoming a federated state, it has the potential to become a major power one day that could become hostile to U.S. interests. Obviously this is not a near-term threat, but we need not look back even a century to see how rapidly and thoroughly allies can become enemies" ("Geopolitical Diary: Courting Turkey," April 7, 2009). Think about how almost overnight the Berlin Wall fell, followed by the shattering of the Soviet Union and the return of capitalism to Eastern Europe. Nations can also form military alliances much sooner than expected. To understand the awesome implications of a potentially aggressive and powerful United States of Europe, request our free booklets The overlooked prophetic dimensionThe growth and influence of godless secularism has severely reduced the role and influence of the Bible in the Western world—particularly in Western Europe. Many men and women have already rejected the God who could help them cope with coming events far worse than 9/11. Yet only God's Word can tell us what's really going to happen—and how to respond. Bible prophecy will not be denied. "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11). God is the real mover and shaker—the unseen Hand in all of history. He is still very much on His throne and remains in complete control of world events. Yet as long as humanity believes we can solve our problems without the help and guidance of our Creator, God will continue to give us plenty of rope. Made in His image, we are creatures of free choice, and God allows us to get into serious troubles, big time. Yet our turnaround, nationally and personally, can only come when we repent of our own way of living and submit to God's plan and purpose for humankind. In the New Testament the apostle Paul tells us about the Creator's decisive role in geography, history and even in influencing power politics behind the scenes. "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings [habitation, King James Version]" (Acts 17:26). Yet Paul was only paraphrasing what Moses had previously stated some 1,500 years before in the Old Testament. "Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you...: When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples" (Deuteronomy 32:7-8). The table of nations in Genesis chapter 10 tells its own story. The concluding passage states, "These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood" (verse 32). Jesus Christ said: "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes" (Matthew 11:25). God the Father has the ultimate authority and the ultimate power to make things happen in this world. He is well able to intervene in the affairs of nations and in all our lives. If we truly submit ourselves to Him, He will reveal marvelous truths to us that heads of nations simply do not comprehend and understand. "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3). To understand much more about God's overall plan and purpose and also what He requires of you spiritually, request or download our free booklets WNP
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Keywords: European constitution Britain and Brussels Lisbon Treaty
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