To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - New Jerusalem, Mexico
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 15 Dec 1999 12:29:22 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

The News-Press (Ft. Myers, FL) 9/26/99:

It could be a scene from the 16th century--monks in brown robes
and nuns in blue ones watching over barefoot children playing
happily in the shadow of a fortress-like church on a hill.

But this is Mexico at the turn of the millennium. And the town of
Nuevo Jerusalem--New Jerusalem--is locked in a fervent battle to
stave off the apocalypse by keeping the modern world at bay.

There are no babies here, no school beyond fifth grade. There is no
need for such things. Because the world is about to end in a fiery
apocalypse at the end of the millennium, townspeople believe. And,
they add, only those living in the "holy land" of this verdant western
Mexican valley will be spared, by a Virgin Mary who will point the
direction to a new phase of existence.

The hierarchy of "priests," "bishops" and "cardinals" who run the
town according to their own peculiar brand of Catholicism--and who
commanded the town be built upon what were once cornfields--
enforce special rules to ensure that only the purest can enjoy their
version of paradise.

Dozens of people have been expelled for waking up late, missing
Mass, wearing makeup--but most of them have settled just outside
the town's limits, hoping salvation at least will be near.

A chain stretches across the only access road, manned around
the clock by guards. A carefully lettered sign lays out the rules for
residents, known as "vivientes," or "living ones." No dating among
residents--No drugs or alcohol--No cars or bicycles--No makeup.
There are other strictures: Televisions and radios are forbidden. All
residents must attend every religious service--as many as four a
day, beginning at 4 a.m. All must perform a day of communal work
each week. All must apply for permission to travel to the Outside.

Men are forbidden to wear their hair long. Women must cover their
heads with pastel shawls--whose colors, ranging from sky blue to
purple, reflect their place in the town's religious hierarchy, from
"pilgrims" to "Juanitas" to "courtesans" to "nuns." They also wear
ankle-length costumes that are a cross between traditional Indian
dress and medieval garb.

The priests preside over near-daily costume parties evoking past
eras, the fairy-tale aspect of the cult that inspired filmmaker Arturo
Ripstein to base his 1998 movie "Evangelio de las Marvilla" on
Nuevo Jerusalem.

"On the verge of the new millennium, those without hope have
made the will of God their own: absurd, illogical, compelling, tinged
with the color of infantile dreams," Ripstein wrote.

Nuevo Jerusalem began in 1973, when "Papa Nabor," a defrocked
parish priest, split from what he saw as the failings of modern
Roman Catholicism and founded a religion based on messages
from the Virgin Mary relayed by an illiterate old woman.

The Berean Call
December 1999
http://www.thebereancall.org

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========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Arutz-7 News items (12/15/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 15 Dec 1999 12:42:24 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

ZO ARTZEINU RE-STARTS IN JERUSALEM

A group of ten people, including an archaeologist, were stopped
this morning by the police from examining the hill of dirt and
archaeological remains that the Waqf "formed" in the Kidron Valley
three nights ago. Yehuda Etzion of the Temple Mount Faithful, one
of the leaders of the group, told Arutz-7 with amazement that he is
being accused of "robbing archaeological findings." "This is
unbelievable," he said. "The police allowed the Waqf to remove
these 100 truckloads of dirt, containing these holy stones that are
of primary importance to the Jewish People, and yet we - who are
trying to sift through it in order to salvage some of the knowledge
that is going down the drain here - are being accused of robbery?!"
Etzion said that already, "pieces of pottery anywhere from one
centimeter to 20 centimeters (8 inches) in size have been found
here."

Moshe Feiglin, speaking with Arutz-7 from the site, made a
startling announcement: "The association that passes though my
mind here is of an Israeli Kristallnacht - when the Germans
destroyed synagogues and scattered and burnt the holy books of
the Jewish people on the streets, the world was aghast - but now,
when the Waqf scatters to the dust the very foundation of our
national identity and our people, and when we try to save them, the
Antiquities Authority tries to stop us. I can simply no longer
tolerate this, and I hereby announce here and now that I am re-
establishing the Zo Artzeinu (This is Our Land) Movement, in full
force, and the struggle will begin here." Zo Artzeinu was
instrumental in leading the public protests against the Oslo
Agreements some years ago.

Later in the afternoon, Yehuda Etzion informed Arutz-7 that a
compromise of sorts had been reached with the Antiquities
Authority, and that his group had been allowed to sift through the
dirt mountain for a "sampling" of finds. He said that among other
finds were a number of First Temple porcelain and pottery pieces,
many such pieces from the Second Temple period, and several
from later periods.

Etzion also informed Arutz-7 during the course of the interview that
he had just been informed that a judge had responded positively to
a suit by the Temple Mount Faithful regarding the Waqf's illegal
construction activities. The suit demands Israeli supervision over
the refuse that is being discarded by the Waqf in the course of their
illegal construction on and beneath the Temple Mount. The court
ordered the Antiquities Authority to respond to the suit by 2:30 PM
tomorrow.

BARAK AND A-SHARA IN WASHINGTON

Farouk A-Shara, Foreign Minister of Syria, refuses to shake hands
with Prime Minister Ehud Barak. This development has put a
damper on the preparations for their official meeting in Washington
today, but the State Department said that the U.S. "would not deal
with the procedural matters, but rather with the content." The
meeting between Barak and A-Shara is scheduled for 10 AM this
morning - 5 PM Israel time.

Barak met with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright last
night upon his arrival in the U.S. The Israeli reporters were told that
there will be a news-blackout during the Syrian-Israeli talks, at the
request of the Americans. Itim correspondent Yoram Levy told
Arutz-7, however, that a top Barak-aide did inform them what
Barak's basic message to A-Shara would be. Barak, according to
the aide, will attempt to impress upon A-Shara how important it is
not to miss this opportunity for peace, and that if they do not
succeed, the situation may worsen.

PUBLIC DOESN'T BELIEVE BARAK

A poll carried out by the Geocartographic Institute finds that 65.2%
of the public does not believe Ehud Barak's assurances that he did
not promise anything to the Syrians. Only 18.6% of the public,
according to the poll, believes Barak.

Pro-Golan protestors, undaunted by yesterday's attempt to silence
them -- police prevented a busload of peaceful demonstrators from
holding a rally at Ben Gurion Airport yesterday -- are expanding
their activities. The Betar movement is erecting a protest tent
outside the Prime Minister's home, and is planning to dispatch its
members house-to-house in an attempt to increase public support
for retaining the Golan. Another protest tent was set up at Kfar
Haruv in the western Golan earlier this week.

NRP head Rabbi Yitzchak Levy met with Yisrael B'Aliyah leader
Natan Sharansky this morning, and the two pledged to work
together to thwart the intention to withdraw from the Golan. "There
will most definitely be cooperation among all those opposed to
such a withdrawal," Rabbi Levy said, "and Barak knows that the
NRP will play a leading role in these efforts." Both government
ministers intimated that their respective parties would have trouble
remaining in the coalition if Barak signs an agreement to abandon
the Golan. MK Yuli Edelstein of Yisrael B'Aliyah said more
specifically that his party would leave the government in such a
case.

The dispute about "what Netanyahu would have given the Syrians"
continues. The former Prime Minister said today that the reason he
did not come to an agreement with Syria is because he refused to
withdraw from the entire Golan. Ehud Barak said, however, that if
the protocols of secret talks between Netanyahu and Syria are
published, a "microscope will be needed to find the differences
between the positions of Netanyahu and those of Rabin and
Peres."

GOOD RAIN

The rains of the past two days have showered some 35 millimeters
on Jerusalem (1.4 inches), 40 in Tel Aviv, 45 in the Golan, and 58
in the area of Tsfat. The Kineret has risen by three centimeters,
and the rain will stop by this afternoon.

Arutz Sheva News Service
  <http://www.arutzsheva.org>
Wednesday, December 15, 1999 / Tevet 6, 5760

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Infobeat News items (12/15/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 15 Dec 1999 12:53:02 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

*** Boy threatens class with guns

MIAMI (AP) - A 14-year-old boy returned from his locker Tuesday
with two guns, told his biology class "This is how we're going to do
things" and pointed the loaded weapons in the air. He put the guns
down five minutes later, apologized and said he only wanted an end
to others picking on him. No one was hurt. The student, Richard
Dalco, Jr. was excused from class at Archbishop Curley-Notre
Dame High School to go to his locker. He returned with a 9mm
semiautomatic handgun and a black gym bag with a .25-caliber
pistol and ammunition, said Miami Police Lt. Bill Schwartz. He
pointed both loaded guns in the air and ordered teacher Heather
Gillingham out of the room. Gillingham initiated an emergency plan,
where a secret code went out over the intercom system and a fire
alarm went off. While three teachers went to the classroom to talk
with Dalco, the school's 500 students were evacuated to the gym
where they prayed. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2562626324-864

*** Britain delays UN Iraq vote; Russia holds key

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Britain again delayed a vote Tuesday on
a Security Council resolution that would return U.N. weapons
inspectors to Iraq after France said it still wasn't satisfied and
wanted more time to negotiate. The delay was announced after
Britain amended the resolution to address Russian and Chinese
concerns about the level of Iraqi cooperation with the inspectors
that would be required before U.N. sanctions could be suspended.
British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock, the current council
president, said he welcomed the postponement if it meant there
would be more positive votes when the text eventually goes before
the full 15-member council. "We don't want to close a window if
there is the slightest possibility of maximum consensus,"
Greenstock said in announcing the delay. But diplomats said if
there is no veto, there will probably be four abstentions - Russia,
China, France and Malaysia. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2562623332-64a

*** U.S., Turkish, Israeli warships gather

ABOARD THE USS UNDERWOOD (AP) - Turkish and Israeli
warships are gathering for exercises that highlight the growing
relationship between the two countries, a bond that may have
helped nudge Syria to the negotiating table with Israel. A U.S.
warship, the USS Underwood, was also participating in the Reliant
Mermaid-99 exercises Wednesday, underscoring the importance
the U.S. attaches to the Israel-Turkey relationship. Ties between
the Middle Eastern countries are flourishing. Trade has grown
sharply over the past few years, reaching some $850 million a
year. Israel rushed a field hospital to Turkey after a devastating
August earthquake leveled tens of thousands of buildings, earning
the admiration of many Turks. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2562625473-93c

*** Experts: Killer virus will return

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (AP) - Unable to agree whether the West Nile-
like encephalitis that killed seven people was a serious threat,
experts told a Senate panel Tuesday that one thing is certain: the
disease will be back. "We can't treat this as if it were a fluke, like
it's not going to happen again," said Jane Stahl, deputy
commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Environmental
Protection. More research and testing is needed to fight the
mosquito-borne virus, which was unknown in the Western
Hemisphere until it appeared in Connecticut, New York and New
Jersey last summer, experts told the Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works, hosted by Sen. Joseph Lieberman,
D-Conn. A Yale University professor called the virus "a public
health threat unprecedented in modern times." See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2562619532-c2b

*** Clinton: Gov't computers Y2K-ready

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Clinton said Tuesday all but a
handful of the government's most important computer systems are
prepared for the New Year's date change. "We have done our job,"
he said. In its final report, the administration said only eight of the
government's 6,167 most important systems are not prepared for
the Y2K rollover, and those others will be ready later this month.
The government said it will have spent $8.38 billion on the massive
project, a $37 million increase from September's estimate, which it
attributed to higher last-minute testing costs. "We have met the
deadline, and we have done so well below cost projections,"
Clinton said. He cautioned "no amount of preparation can prevent
us from glitches" but assured Americans that backup plans are
ready. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2562618557-e81

*** Amtrak plans to pause trains on Y2K

WASHINGTON (AP) - Amtrak will pull its trains into stations briefly
on New Year's Eve to ensure that Year 2000 computer problem
doesn't affect tracks, railroad crossings or safety equipment. To
compensate for the delays, the national passenger railroad plans to
hold onboard celebrations and give riders commemorative train
whistles inscribed, "I rode Amtrak into the new millennium." "We
believe we are Y2K compliant. This is just a precaution," Amtrak
spokesman John Wolf said Tuesday. France and Italy have
announced similar decisions, and other railroads in Europe and
Asia are expected to follow suit. Subway systems in Chicago and
Washington also plan the safety pause. There is uncertainty about
how computers and computer-controlled equipment will function as
1999 rolls over to 2000. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2562617395-455

*** Water supply out in S. Calif.

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. (AP) - A major water pipeline break left
nearly 800,000 Southern Californians with short supplies Tuesday
and residents were asked to stop filling pools, watering lawns and
washing clothes for at least a week. "This isn't a joke. This really is
a crisis," said Dave Seymour of the Rancho Santa Margarita Water
District. "People are taking it very seriously. We've had people
calling to tell us their neighbors are watering the lawns and
washing their cars." The main rupture late Monday afternoon cut all
or part of water supplies to 14 communities in south Orange
County, including some of its wealthiest areas. Calling the break "a
catastrophic failure," officials shut off water to 80 construction sites
to conserve supplies, bringing housing development to a standstill.
See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2562620025-
556

*** London hopes to wow world with dome

LONDON (AP) - It's been the butt of jokes, a source of endless
media speculation and a political headache for Prime Minister Tony
Blair's Labor Party. There are those who desperately want it to
succeed, and those predicting a colossal failure. Soon, the $1.2
billion Millennium Dome will face the critics who really matter -
members of the paying public - who will decide whether the project
is, as the government has promised, "the most exciting thing to
happen anywhere in the world in 2000." Resembling a squashed
mushroom sprouting along the Thames in the southeast London
borough of Greenwich, the dome - at 1,050 feet in diameter and
165-feet high at its center - is Britain's attempt to outshine the rest
of the world with a super-sized, yearlong millennium celebration.
See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2562615744-
813

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