MidnightCall Magazine
In this issue:
- Hear theWord of the Lord — By Thomas Lieth
- FirstThessalonians 3 and the Rapture — By Dr. Ron J. Bigalke Jr.
- Popular Prophecy:CheckingDogmaTwice — By Wilfred Hahn
News From Israel MagazineIn this issue:
- Why Jerusalem is Jewish — By Arno Froese
- ON THE HORIZON:
- Analysis: Birthright Needs to Transform on Larger Scale
- Israel Praises Turkish Authority for Preventing Hezbollah Attack
- Relationship with American Jews Is Changing
- A Festival of Discrimination—Funded by the EU
- The Cyrus Cylinder
Citizens Call For ‘More Europe’ in Brussels
EU-wide action against global warming, common healthcare and education systems and a more transparent and accountable union topped a list of 15 recommendations for the “economic and social future of Europe,” put forward by ordinary people from across Europe in Brussels 11 May.
“The EU should aim to reduce global warming and phase-out fossil fuels by promoting renewable energy from water, solar, wind, hydrogen, waste and residues from industry,” reads the number one recommendation from the two-day “European Citizens’ Summit.”
The participants said the EU should “intensify its efforts towards establishing a common health-care system” and “create the same working conditions and rules for all EU citizens based on a harmonized Labor Code.”
A harmonized European educational system came fourth, followed by the need to “create incentives to prevent production entities from moving to countries with lower wages,” and to put in place measures promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
The event was organized by a group of independent foundations, universities and think-tanks from all EU member states, led by the Belgian King Baudouin Foundation, and co-financed by the European Commission.
It was preceded by the opening of a pan-European online debate in December, where some 250,000 people took part. In March, 1,605 randomly selected citizens from all 27 member states participated in national consultations to draft the recommendations.
Stricter financial regulation, boosted social protection and a higher level of “transparency and accountability of [EU] politicians and civil servants” were also among the main concerns.
“One thing that strikes me very clearly is that most of you want more Europe, not less Europe ... There’s an understanding that Europe has to do more,” European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said.
http://www.euobserver.com, 12 May 2009
Contrary to the often-reported disunity among Europeans, this poll reveals that Europeans desire a more united Europe.
For Bible students, this is not surprising. Europe is the leading continent with the largest economy, the biggest exporter and importer, headquarters of the world’s most powerful religion, and most importantly, Europe is the most diverse continent.
Each nation can search its history and find the tremendous change that has taken place over the two millennia. Borders have shifted dramatically. Innumerable wars have been fought, and many millions have died on the battlefields. Now something extraordinary is happening, “no more war.” Actually, borders that have separated nations for hundreds, even thousands of years are being invalidated. They simply can be ignored. Suddenly Europe, the most diverse and most aggressive continent has become the world’s leader of freedom, prosperity and security. This model is now available to the world.
This is the process which has gone on for 2,600 years, but is climaxing in our days, just as is written in the prophecies of old: “Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces” (Daniel 7:23).