Assessing Britain’s two-day heatwave

Showing respect in the Covid debate

How to pray in times of constitutional upheaval.

Searching for reality in a 'post-truth' age.

The famous words of Pilate at the fake trial of Jesus have echoed down the centuries – what is truth? These words have taken on new significance in the 21^st Century with the development of social media and the spread of ‘fake news’. Paul defines truth in very simple terms: as the good news of salvation (Eph 1:13). Jesus says that he himself is truth. He says “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). By this statement Jesus means that anyone who knows God, knows truth.

If truth is so central to the purposes of God, it is small wonder that it is under attack from the powers of darkness that are presently ruling the world. It is as though a huge blanket of cloud is covering humanity and preventing clear perception and rational thinking. The evidence of this can be seen in every part of the world.

In America, division over immigration has led to parts of Government being shut down because of President Trump’s dispute with Congress over the wall he wants to build between the USA and Mexico. Europe too is wracked by disagreement over immigration and the many other problems besetting the EU project: in Germany there is mounting fear over the failing economy and the future of the Euro. In France there are growing social problems, with millions taking to the streets before Christmas in populist demonstrations against the policies of President Macron.

These problems are not going away and there are similar tensions in other EU states. But, arguably, none have such potentially far-reaching consequences as the divisions over Brexit.

No Alternatives?

At the moment Brexit arguments in Britain have not spilled over into the streets, although there are plenty of noisy groups in Westminster demonstrating around Parliament day after day. The major upheavals are inside Parliament where confusion reigns supreme.

The Prime Minister insists that the deal she has negotiated with the EU is the only deal and there is no Plan B. But Parliament has voted to take back the initiative by insisting that if her deal is voted down by Parliament next week, she must come back to the House of Commons in three days with a further plan.

If truth is so central to the purposes of God, it is small wonder that it is under attack from the powers of darkness that are presently ruling the world.

Although there appears to be no valid alternative to Mrs May’s deal, there is probably a majority of MPs who want to ensure that Britain does not leave the EU with no deal at all. The EU fears a ‘No Deal’ more than Britain does, but our politicians appear blind to this. If the MPs make it impossible for ‘No Deal’ to happen, they strip the Prime Minister of the most powerful weapon in negotiations with Brussels.

The Netherlands alone say that they will lose more than £2 billion in trade if there is no deal between the EU and Britain. Germany is desperate to sell their cars in Britain, without which their economy would be in serious trouble; and the EU itself urgently needs the €39 billion promised in the divorce bill, without which the Euro currency is likely to fail. Many of our MPs seem completely unaware of the power they hold over the EU, which is part of the blindness afflicting leaders of our nation.

The Consequences of Rebellion

This blindness to truth is not simply a political, economic or social issue: it is fundamentally a spiritual problem resulting from Britain’s rejection of her biblical foundations. Though this rejection is not recognised, its consequences can be seen throughout the life of the nation.

One obvious example is that every week there are young people dying on the streets of London through a wave of knife crime, drugs, gangs and lawlessness that is spilling across to other cities. This is a national issue, but our politicians are too busy arguing over Brexit to notice what is happening on our streets.

But this wave of violence is directly linked to our rejection of God. We have rejected the biblical foundations of Britain’s value system, so we are no longer able to recognise truth. For 50 years we have allowed the nation to be driven by secular humanist activists who have deliberately undermined traditional family life, promoting divorce, cohabitation, sexual perversion, abortion-on-demand and more recently, transgenderism. These policies have all been based on a lie – the lie that all types of family are equal.

This blindness to truth is fundamentally a spiritual problem resulting from Britain’s rejection of her biblical foundations.

There have been scores of sociological research reports demonstrating that only faithful marriage as the Bible describes it produces happy, stable and successful family life for both adults and children. But this truth about families has been wilfully ignored or rejected by post-modernist agitators who have done untold harm to British children.

Every child who dies on the city streets of Britain is in some way a victim of the post-modern, secular humanist, pro-LGBTQ+ policies that have deliberately aimed at destroying family life in the nation in this ‘post-truth’ age.

Spiritual Blindness

The greatest crime in Britain today is the blindness of our leaders, in both Church and state, to recognise the sickness of the nation and the root of its problems.

I have been responsible for no less than eight sociological reports to Parliament on family life in Britain during the past 30 years. They have set out clearly the consequences of following policies based upon the false concept of ‘equality’. But successive Governments have been blind to TRUTH.

This blindness is a spiritual malady. It is not a lack of intellectual capacity. It is plain and simply a spiritual force of darkness, given a foothold through rebellion and rejection of God’s word, that makes it impossible to understand and accept TRUTH.

This is why our MPs are in such utter disarray over Brexit. There is no shared vision because they are blinded to TRUTH. The plain fact is: no political solutions to the nation’s problems can be found until there is repentance for what has been done to the nation; and new openness to the word of God. What will it take? Is it a matter of more prayer, or more truth-telling – or must more disaster be allowed to come upon Britain?

At this time, it is vital that the faithful remnant of God’s people seek to understand what he is doing and pray and act in line with his will. Elsewhere in this week’s issue of Prophecy Today UK is an article to this end, entitled ‘A Word for 2019’. Please do read this and bring it before the Lord in prayer, seeking how you might respond.

Middle East foreign policy contrast of ‘special relationship’ partners

Britain’s dithering contribution towards peace in the Middle East was well illustrated by last week’s Parliamentary debate on terrorist group Hezbollah.

While it was heartening that MPs on both sides of the House called for a complete ban on the organisation, it was hardly surprising that no action was promised as ministers resisted pressure to proscribe the organisation’s political wing.

Worse still, the advice to their MPs from the Labour leadership – Her Majesty’s official opposition – was as shameful as it was lame, explaining that outlawing Hezbollah in its entirety could hamper diplomatic efforts towards peace.

False Distinction

Britain applies a distinction between the organisation’s political and military wings, with the former effectively allowed to freely operate in the UK despite its declared intention to destroy Israel. Whereas the United States, France and even the Arab League apply a full ban, and the terror group itself does not accept this distinction.

The poorly-attended debate was secured by Labour Friends of Israel chair Joan Ryan who said Hezbollah was “driven by an anti-Semitic ideology that seeks the destruction of Israel” and that the UK distinction was “utterly bogus”.¹

But Security Minister Ben Wallace and his shadow, Nick Thomas-Symonds, defended the Government’s position.

Hezbollah’s ‘political’ wing is allowed to freely operate in the UK, despite it being designated a terrorist organisation by the US, France and most Arab League nations.

A Hiding Place for Terror

All this obfuscation comes amid increasing ignorance and denial of history, with the Polish parliament passing a Bill banning reference to their country’s involvement in the Holocaust.²

Labour MP Ian Austin criticised his leader Jeremy Corbyn for having referred to Hamas and Hezbollah as ‘friends’ back in 2009, adding that Mr Corbyn had later explained that he had used the term in a ‘collective way’. But Mr Austin said these groups had made it clear they had “absolutely no interest in the peace process”.³

Joan Ryan later told Jewish News: “It is deeply disappointing that the government has yet again refused to act decisively against Hezbollah.” She said such anti-Semitic terror groups should have no hiding place, yet the UK was continuing to provide them with one.

London’s ‘Hezbollah Problem’

It's worth pointing out that Hezbollah is backed by Iran – the world’s leading sponsor of terror organisations – who have fired 23 ballistic missiles (16 of them with nuclear capability) since signing the 2015 nuclear deal designed to maintain peace in the region.⁴

Meanwhile former Israeli Ambassador to the UK Ron Prosor said Hezbollah had been given freedom to operate in Europe and elsewhere by the alleged distinctive wings⁵ and Conservative MP Theresa Villiers said they posed “a serious threat to the citizens of the UK”, adding that a new poll revealed that 81% of Britons support a full ban and that the annual Al-Quds Day march through central London, during which anti-Israel protestors wave Hezbollah flags, was “a scandal” and “an embarrassment”.⁶

American counter-terrorism expert Dr Matthew Levitt has said that “London has a Hezbollah problem”, explaining that Britain’s partial ban was not working and had resulted in the organisation carrying out illegal activities including drug-running and fundraising for military campaigns.⁷

Britain’s partial ban is not working and has resulted in Hezbollah carrying out illegal activities including drug-running and military fundraising.

Jihad is Political and Military

CALL TO PRAY: U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence is proud to stand with Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Picture: Charles Gardner

I believe the debate was really about war and peace; the Hezbollah flag features a machine-gun and does not distinguish between its so-called armed and political wings. Not surprisingly, therefore, the organisation has no wish to discuss peace – they are, after all, engaged in jihad (holy war), as their flag demonstrates.

And on this and other points, the British Government is dithering. We can’t make up our mind whether to support war or peace in this instance and so we sit on the fence while Iran’s terrorist proxy builds up further weapons with which to bring murder and mayhem to the Jewish state.

It’s a bit like the dithering we demonstrated in the years during and after the Holocaust itself (as a television documentary screened on the More 4 channel on Sunday 28 January showed⁸), shelving promotion of a gruesome film, including particularly harrowing scenes, for fear it would demoralise the German people in the wake of their crushing defeat. The Americans at the time, under the direction of legendary Hollywood producer Alfred Hitchcock, went ahead with a condensed version incorporating some of the British army footage.

US Leading by Example

And what a contrast we see again today in the way the United States handles the Middle East diplomatic impasse head-on and with unusual clarity – by recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and announcing that the US Embassy will move there by the end of next year.

Vice-President Mike Pence, in making this announcement to an Israeli parliament (the Knesset) willing even to give up precious land for peace, littered his speech with biblical references as he spoke to a packed room, emphasising the Bible’s command to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

The British Government can’t make up its mind whether to support war or peace, so we sit on the fence while Iran’s terrorist proxy invests in murder and mayhem.

Paraphrasing Psalm 122:6f and Zechariah 3:10, he said: “The USA is proud to stand with Israel and her people, as allies and cherished friends. And so we will pray for the peace of Jerusalem, that those who love you will be secure, that there be peace within your walls and security in your citadels. And we will work and strive for that brighter future, so everyone who calls this ancient land home shall sit under their vine and fig tree, and none shall make them afraid.”⁹

What’s it to be? War or peace?

Notes

1 MPs clash over move to fully proscribe Hezbollah as a terror group. Jewish News, 26 January 2018.

2 Netanyahu slams Polish Holocaust bill, says ‘one cannot change history’. World Israel News, 28 January 2018

3 See note 1.

4 Edson, R. Iran has fired 23 ballistic missiles since start of 2015 nuclear deal, explosive report shows. Fox News, 25 January 2018.

5 Prosor, R. Hezbollah is a clearly a terror organisation. Parliament should treat it as one. The Telegraph, 25 January 2018.

6 See note 1.

7 Bentham, M. Hezbollah agents ‘run drugs on London streets’. Evening Standard, 25 January 2018.

8 Night Will Fall.

9 Full transcript of Pence's Knesset speech. Jerusalem Post, 22 January 2018.

Disaster awaits if we don’t stand with the Jewish nation.

The moral backbone of the UK Government is once more being tested – this time on the crucial issue of whether or not we will stand with Israel in her time of need.

Stalked by terror and threats on every side, the Jewish state is potentially in as great a peril now as its people were under the Nazis, with an estimated 120,000 missiles pointed at Israeli cities by the Iran-sponsored, Lebanese-based terror group Hezbollah.¹

And supporters of this vile enemy of democracy have been allowed to march through the streets of London waving an intimidating flag featuring an assault rifle, and calling for the destruction of Israel!

De Ja Vu in Parliament

In the wake of a petition signed by over 10,000 people calling upon the UK Government to ban Hezbollah which Home Secretary Amber Rudd has promised to consider, a House of Commons debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was called on Wednesday.

It was perhaps aptly summed up by the sense of de ja vu expressed by one participant as ‘two-state solution’ mantra once more echoed through the chamber.

But Israel clearly still has friends in the UK who understand their predicament. Conservative member John Howell made the point that no lasting peace was possible if Palestinians continue to be indoctrinated to hate Jews and Scottish Conservative Ross Thomson called for a full ban on Hezbollah, adding that Israel was “truly a beacon of democracy in a troubled region”.

Israel clearly still has friends in the UK who understand their predicament.

Fellow Conservative Theresa Villiers added that glorifying terrorists was part of the problem, mentioning how 25 Palestinian schools had been named after them, and quoting PA leader Mahmoud Abbas as saying, “We welcome every drop of blood spilled in Jerusalem.”

Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt commended Labour’s new MP for Peterborough, Fiona Onasanya, for blaming man’s frailties rather than religion for causing these problems after she had referred to the UK Parliament’s motto, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain” (Ps 127:1) – inscribed into the stone floor of the central lobby and written in Latin.

Unfortunately, the general misunderstanding of Israel being the ‘occupying power’ skews the narrative in favour of the Palestinians, whereas in truth the Jews are entitled to every square inch of Judea and Samaria – and much more – according to the terms of the international treaty signed at San Remo in Italy in 1920.²

Need to Ban Hezbollah

The aforesaid petition, launched by Christians United for Israel (CUFI), follows the 18 June Al-Quds march through central London during which anti-Israel protestors carried Hezbollah flags.

The terror organisation is banned throughout the world – including by the Arab League – but only its military wing is proscribed in the UK. This provided the legal loophole allowing marchers to show their support for its political wing. Yet, by its own admission, Hezbollah does not differentiate between its political and military wings.

The general misunderstanding of Israel being the ‘occupying power’ skews the narrative in favour of the Palestinians.

“If Britain is to genuinely say ‘no to terror’ then all terrorist organizations must be banned without compromise,” says CUFI UK executive director Des Starritt. “Following the Arab League and the United States in proscribing Hezbollah is one simple step that the UK Government can take in ensuring that extremism will not be tolerated in this country.”

Indeed, what is so complicated about that?

The organisation shamelessly calls for the destruction of Israel and now has “more missiles below ground in Lebanon than the European NATO allies have above ground,” according to Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon.³ “Hezbollah has placed these positions next to schools and other public institutions, putting innocent civilians in great danger,” he said.

In fact, Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot says “every third or fourth house” of southern Lebanon’s civilian population is being used as a human shield for terror activities.⁴

Meanwhile mortar shells have been fired across the Israeli border from the Tehran-backed Syrian army, increasing the prospect of global conflict, possibly also involving Russia.⁵ And Iran’s long-held aim of wiping Israel off the map was graphically demonstrated at the UN where a photo was shared showing their use of a Jewish ‘Star of David’ symbol as a target for a ballistic missile test.⁶

Our Fates Are Intertwined

It’s time our politicians faced up to the fact that the terror tactics we have recently witnessed in Manchester and London were first used on the streets of Israel. Now even Muslim London Mayor Sadiq Khan has reportedly sought help from Israel on security matters.⁷

The Bible says very clearly that if you bless the seed of Abraham, you will be blessed; but that cursing will bring judgment (Gen 12:3). In the days leading up to the Balfour Declaration of 1917, Britain ruled the waves and it was said that the sun never set on our empire. But in the last 100 years, during which we have repeatedly betrayed Israel, we have not only lost our empire, but have fallen into decadence and confusion.

Surely we are not suggesting that Israel deserves terror, but we don’t?

The terror tactics we have recently witnessed in Manchester and London were first used on the streets of Israel.

Speaking of the future glory of Zion, the Prophet Isaiah wrote: “For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined” (Isa 60:12).

And it’s also worth noting that former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar has urged support for Israel on the basis that “if it goes down, we all go down”.

He argues that the Jewish state is at the cutting edge in the battle between militant Islam and the West and, in a Times article, concludes: “Israel is a fundamental part of the West which is what it is thanks to its Judeo-Christian roots. If the Jewish element of those roots is upturned and Israel lost, then we are lost too. Whether we like it or not our fate is inextricably intertwined.”⁸

Notes

1 IDF: Hezbollah has forces in ‘every 3rd or 4th house’ in Lebanon. World Israel News, 22 June 2017.

2 See elsewhere on this site for details.

3 See note 1.

4 Ibid.

5 Avni, B. Why Iran and Israel may be on the verge of conflict – in Syria. New York Post, 27 June 2017.

6 Halon, E. The target for Iran’s recent missile test? A Star of David. Jerusalem Post, 28 June 2017.

7 E.g. See here and here.

8 Aznar, JM. Support Israel: if it goes down, we all go down. The Times, 17 June 2010.