BPR Mailing List Digest: 04/19/00

Philologos
BPR Mailing List Digest
April 19, 2000

Digest Home | 2000 | April, 2000

To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Mexico declares state of emergency for nine drought-stricken states
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Shophar_Sho_Good")
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 07:55:52 -0500

Mexico declares state of emergency for nine drought-stricken states

April 17, 2000

http://cnn.com/2000/WORLD/americas/04/17/bc.mexico.drought.ap/index.ht
ml

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Mexico's interior secretary has
declared nine drought-stricken states disaster areas,
clearing the way for federal aid, the government news
agency Notimex reported Monday. States across northern
Mexico have been suffering from prolonged droughts and have
experienced less than half of the average rainfall,
according to Notimex reports.

The declaration was for the states of Aguascalientes,
Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Guanajuato, Nuevo Leon, San
Luis Potosi, Sinaloa y Zacatecas. Last week, Sonora was
also declared a disaster area.

Similar drought conditions spread across the region last
year, killing cattle, parching crops and forcing some
communities to truck in drinking water.

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - The God of Fortified Places
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Shophar_Sho_Good")
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 07:57:23 -0500

-----Original Message-----
From: "Rapture Watch" [mailto:rls1@pcisys.net]
Sent: Tuesday, April 18, 2000 12:25 PM
To: Rapture Watch
Subject: The God of Fortified Places

Rapture Watch

The God of Fortified Places

We recently received the following question:

"In Daniel 11:36-38, Daniel mentions the Anti-Christ as giving
honor to the god of forces. Do you have any
thoughts on what this means since right before that it says he
honors only himself? Is it that he just rules with such
force as to make people bend to his will?"

Our study on this subject begins in Daniel 9:26-27. In verse
26, we are told that the Anti-Christ will be a prince that
is to come forth in these lasts days from the people who
comprised the ancient Roman Empire at the time of the
destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the Temple. Verse 27
of Daniel Chapter 9, then emphasizes the tremendous
authority this last day's prince will have in his power when we
are told that it is "he [who] shall confirm (strengthen)
a covenant (treaty) with many [in the Middle East] for one week
(seven years);..." and that it is "He [who] shall bring
an end to sacrifice and offering [in the soon to be rebuilt
Temple in Jerusalem halfway through the seven year
treaty]."

Looking to Daniel 11:21-22, we are told about his being rejected
in the role of royalty which he desires. We quote,
"And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will
not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in
peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. With the force of
a flood they [those who deny him his royalty] shall
be swept away from before him and be broken, and also the prince
of the covenant [that is: this Anti-Christ who
confirmed the seven year Middle East treaty]."

The important insight concerning this rejection of the
Anti-Christ's aspiration to be honored as royalty is once more
found in Revelation 6:2. In this verse, we find the Anti-Christ
wearing a crown when he is permitted by the Lord
Jesus Christ to go forth as a conqueror at the start of the
seven year covenant (as is confirmed by Daniel 11:23). This
crown, he is shown wearing, is significant when considering his
appearing like a king. In the original Greek language,
the word for a crown which represents a recognized imperial
dignitary is the word "diadema". This is not the word
used for the Anti-Christ's crown in Revelation 6:2, but instead,
we find the crown called "stephands" which is only a
symbol of triumph in a contest or a token of public honor such
as for military prowess. The Anti-Christ will be a
man who craves adoration but will have to resort to force to
receive the respect he demands.

By the two Scriptures found in Daniel 11:21 and Revelation 6:2,
it would appear that the Anti-Christ's rejected claim
to royalty will be evident not only in Israel but also elsewhere
in the world. Israel's rejection would suggest that the
Anti-Christ will make a claim to royalty through the House of
David. For a classic example, in our message 'The
Pope Prepares Jerusalem for the Anti-Christ' at:
http://www.rapturewatch.com/popprepjerfo.html we shared how
HRH Prince Michael of Albany who authored the book 'The
Forgotten Monarchy of Scotland' made mention of his
belief that Scotland's Royal House of Stewart of which he claims
headship has "roots [that] can be traced back to
the Jewish kings of Judah."

Looking now at the original passage of Scriptures presented in
the opening question, we begin at Daniel 11:36. The
time placement of this Scripture is no longer at the start of
the seven year treaty but is then well into the final seven
years of tribulation. The Anti-Christ is no longer seen as
peaceable, as was shown in Daniel 11:21, when his quest
for royalty was rejected. Instead, we find him in his full
regalia as a willful, blasphemous king who is appointed to
fulfill his dark destiny and prosper during this time of God's
wrath.

Daniel 11:37 tells us that, "He shall regard neither the God of
his fathers...nor regard any god: for he shall magnify
himself above them all." The word "them" at the close of this
verse was added in to aid the sentence flow. Literally
it would say "...he shall magnify himself above all." The
reference to "the God of his fathers" could mean that this
man will have some true Jewish ancestry. The word "God" is the
word "Elohiym" in Hebrew and can be translated
as "gods" in the ordinary sense but is specifically used to
reveal the plural nature of the supreme God. The term is
also occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates
(Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Old Testament.)
With these facts available, we cannot be dogmatic that this
Scripture proves a Jewish ancestry for the Anti-Christ but
it is possible.

Daniel 11:38 is the verse of focus for this study. We are told,
"But in their place [all other gods] he shall honor a god
of ("mauz" - Hebrew); and a god which his fathers did not know
he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious
stones and pleasant things." The word "mauz" means a fortified
place or figuratively a defence: force, fort or
fortress, rock, strength or strong (hold). (Zodhiates, The
Complete Word Study Old Testament.)

With the scriptural insight given to us in Daniel 11:38, we know
the following facts regarding this focus of worship
which inspires the Anti-Christ.

1) He will honor a god of a fortified place. Possibly a force
or a strength.

2) He will honor it with great wealth and "pleasant things".

3) It is a god which his fathers did not know. Our final
insight to consider is that in Daniel 11:36-37, we are told that
he will not regard any god and exalts himself above all.

From these revelations, we believe this new god being spoken of
is found within the Anti-Christ himself. He appears
to worship the strength within himself and the power he welds.
We surmise that the Anti-Christ will be the ultimate
unholy representation produced y Satan to mimic the Holy Triune
found in God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son of
God and the Holy Spirit.

A critical point is made in Daniel 11:38, when the Scripture
states, "But in their place he shall honor a god..." In the
Hebrew the wording's order actually would mean "on the place".
This could very well mean in the Temple itself.
We believe this is supported in the New Testament in II
Thessalonians 2:4, where we are told that the Anti-Christ will
one day soon sit "...as God in the temple of God, showing
himself that he is God."

Turning to Revelation 13:2, we read that "...the dragon (that is
Satan) gave him his power, his throne, and great
authority." - Yet when reading verses 4, 8, and 12, we find that
the world worships the beastly Anti-Christ while
none (not even by the Anti-Christ) is directed separately to
Satan. The Scriptures reveal, that Satan is content with
this arrangement as the Anti-Christ's false prophet demands the
world to worship the beast and the living image of
this wicked king. (Revelation Chapter 13.)

The union between Satan's mind and the Anti-Christs' are so at
one that the Devil is in fact receiving the worship he
desires. When cross referencing Revelation 13:3 and 17:8, we
believe at the precise time that the beastly Anti-Christ
is entered and possessed by an evil facsimile of the Holy Spirit
can be pinpointed. The False Prophet described for
us in Revelation 13:11, as being "like a lamb" that will speak
"like a dragon", will complete the mockery with the
Devil's own counterfeit Elijah-like voice in the wilderness
preparing the way for the son of perdition.

We found it of interest, that one of the meanings for the Hebrew
word "mauz" in Daniel 11:38 can be "rock" while
Revelation 9:20 and 13:14-15 speaks of the terrible idol worship
that will be taking place during the time of the
Anti-Christ. Ironically, there is a true God of rock - the
living stone the builders rejected - the rock of our salvation
Jesus Christ. As the day Christ's resurrection approaches, when
the stone was rolled away from the tomb - it is time
for every aching soul to turn to the unmovable rock that is
higher than all.

When Jesus rose from the grave, He blessed every believer in Him
with the magnificent realization that they too now
have the reality of immortal glory forever in their grasp. They
too will feel the power of His resurrection if death
should take them soon or they will experience the supernatural
transformation of corrupt, mortal flesh into eternal
perfection in the twinkling of an eye (I Corinthians 15:51-54).
All sin must be paid for, according to God's Holiness.
The penalty for sin is death. Doing the good things in one's
life, which is expected, does not provide an atonement
for evil. A sinless man was the only way God could provide a
worthy vessel to appropriate these sins and then offer
them in a sacrificial death worthy of redemption.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish
but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

Some people are disturbed by the consideration that Jesus Christ
may suddenly come for His Church in the
immediate future, the reasons vary. Some feel the Church must
prepare for tribulation, others live in uncertainty of
which sin will disqualify them from the rapture/resurrection,
while others reject Jesus Christ entirely as the only way
of salvation. The truth of the matter is that all of these
thoughts are products of fear and disbelief.

There is no greater preparation for salvation, earthly trials or
the rapture/resurrection, than complete trust in the
atoning blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the cross. There
are no outstanding, unforgiven sins for the believer and
there is no greater hope than Christ's imminent return.

"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God
will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this
we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and
remain until the coming of the Lord will by no
means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of
an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in
Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the
Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the
Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words" (I
Thessalonians 4:14-18).

Your Brother and friend in Christ,
Jamma
April 18, 2000

If you would like to be placed on our mailing list to receive
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at: rls1@pcisys.net

Rapture Watch messages are available at: www.rapturewatch.com

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Fish are the latest hazard in the desert
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Shophar_Sho_Good")
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 07:59:51 -0500

Fish are the latest hazard in the desert

By Kathy Marks in Sydney
12 April 2000
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/World/Australasia/2000-04/fish120400
shtml

Drivers in the Australian outback are accustomed to the
sight of furry corpses littering the highways. Now, in the
middle of the Great Sandy Desert, some unexpected creatures
are adding to the death toll of possums and kangaroos: fish.

Record rains, brought by a spate of recent cyclones, have
created an inland sea that laps across the Great Northern
Highway, 4 inches deep, between Port Hedland and Broome in
Western Australia.

Schools of tiny silver and yellow fish, said by local
Aborigines to originate in underground water sources, have
congregated in deeper water that has accumulated on either
side of the road. At regular intervals they make a dash for
the other side, swimming against the flow of water in the
same way that salmon swim upstream. Many do not survive,
either crushed beneath the wheels of cars, camper vans and
trucks, or swooped upon by the birds that have flocked to
the area.

According to staff at the Sandfire roadhouse, 190 miles
south of Broome, the area could be under water for months.
They said the flooding was so extensive that it stretched
to the coastal tidal flats, which means that parts of the
inland sea are actually rising and falling with the tides
of the Indian Ocean.

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Religious leaders issue calls for biblical view of ecology
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Moza")
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 09:01:13 -0400

Religious leaders issue calls for biblical view of ecology

By Tom Strode

WASHINGTON (BP)--Religious leaders issued two documents April 17
rejecting radical environmentalism and supporting a biblical
approach to ecological stewardship.

The statements, released at a Washington news conference the same
week as the 30th anniversary of Earth Day, affirm God created
human beings uniquely in contrast with the rest of his creation
and has given them responsibility to care for and develop it. The
documents also assert the welfare of human beings is an important
factor in devising sound environmental policies.

In so doing, the documents refute some radical segments of
environmentalism that consider animals equal to human beings and
espouse worship of the earth.

"The Cornwall Declaration on Environmental Stewardship" has been
endorsed by more than 1,000 people, including Protestant,
Catholic and Jewish religious leaders, as well as academics. Nine
religious conservatives signed onto "A Faith Community Commitment
to the Environment and Our Children's Future."

Southern Baptist ethics agency head Richard Land, who signed both
documents, said he hopes they will help redress an "imbalance" in
the debate on the environment.

"The Bible is very clear that God owns the earth and that He has
made human beings the primary stewards of His creation," said
Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. "We
have been given a divine mandate (in Genesis 2:15) to 'till' the
earth and to 'keep' it. To 'keep' the earth is to guard it and to
protect its resources and to preserve them. 'Till' means to
develop the earth's resources and to cause it to give forth its
bounty for the benefit of humankind.

"So from the very beginning we have a mandate both to preserve
and to develop the earth as stewards of His creation,
understanding that we will give an account of our stewardship to
God himself.

"Unfortunately, there are many today who want to stress the
preservation mandate and ignore the development mandate," Land
said. "Such people, as the 'Cornwall Declaration' states,
'mistakenly view humans as principally consumers and polluters
rather than producers and stewards.' As the declaration
concludes, 'Consequently, they ignore our potential, as bearers
of God's image, to add to the earth's abundance.'"

Robert Sirico, president of the Action Institute, said at the
news conference introducing the Cornwall statement the "welfare
of people comes first ... there is a clear distinction between
the human race and all other living creatures.

"Reason and sound science are our concern, and this is what
should guide our policies, not emotions, not high-decibel-level
street theater or discredited predictions of global famine and
resource depletion."

Both statements call for development policies that not only
protect the environment but produce economic advancement.

The Cornwall document, named so because it was initiated in a
meeting at Cornwall, Conn., says the "tendency among some to
oppose economic progress in the name of environmental stewardship
is sadly self-defeating."

Thomas Coleman, an African-American pastor from Muskegon, Mich.,
said at the news conference, "While there is no consensus either
in the religious community or the scientific community, as to the
effects of global warming, there is a growing consensus among
minorities that this is just another scheme for government and
regulators to intrude upon and impair and impede the progress of
the poor."

While some concerns about the environment are valid, the Cornwall
statement says others are not, including "manmade global warming,
overpopulation and rampant species loss."

The "Faith Community" statement is more politically and
public-policy oriented in its approach. It calls for presidential
and congressional candidates to address the issues raised in the
statement. A list of several legislative initiatives consistent
with the statement accompanied the document.

The statement calls for improvement of the environment "through
the application of scientific and technological knowledge," the
encouragement of conservation based on private ownership rather
than government management, ecological policies that "expand
economic opportunities for all Americans" and policies that
protect the future, including job opportunities, for "our
children and grandchildren."

In addition to Land, others signing the "Faith Community"
statement included Jerry Falwell, Rabbi Daniel Lapin of Toward
Tradition and Lou Sheldon of Traditional Values Coalition.

Among those endorsing the Cornwall document in addition to Land
and Lapin were James Dobson, president of Focus on the Family;
Charles Colson, chairman of Prison Fellowship; Bill Bright,
president of Campus Crusade for Christ; Richard John Neuhaus,
president of Institute on Religion and Public Life, and Diane
Knippers, president of Institute on Religion and Democracy.

In conjunction with release of the Cornwall statement, the
formation of the Interfaith Council for Environmental Stewardship
was announced.

Baptist Press News
April 18, 2000
http://www.crosswalk.com

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Evangelists in rapture over Hague speech
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Shophar_Sho_Good")
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 08:04:34 -0500

Evangelists in rapture over Hague speech

http://www.the-times.co.uk/

BY RUTH GLEDHILL, RELIGION CORRESPONDENT

WILLIAM HAGUE was given a rapturous reception last night
as he outlined his views on the family to 8,000 evangelical
Christians.

The Conservative Party leader's address won him the kind
of applause more often reserved among his audience for
evangelical leaders such as Billy Graham.

His strict stance against the repeal of Section 28, which
bars local authorities from promoting homosexuality, was
among the most popular themes of his speech.

He gave his address after a modern worship song, You are
the Lord, during which the audience clapped and danced and
a young woman dancer performed backflips and cartwheels in
front of Mr Hague on the stage.

He was speaking at Spring Harvest, an annual three-week
Easter gathering of more than 50,000 Christians at Butlins
holiday camps in Minehead, Somerset, and in Skegness,
Lincolnshire. Tony Blair and Charles Kennedy, the Liberal
Democrat leader, were also invited, but did not accept.

Mr Hague arrived by helicopter with Sebastian Coe and
aides from the Conservative Christian Fellowship, which has
organised the Conservative Party's 18-month "Listening to
Britain's Churches" campaign.

Spring Harvest is part of Britain's growing evangelical
movement.

Mr Hague's success in capitalising on growing unease among
evangelicals about the Government's stance on issues such
as Section 28 and tax breaks for married couples surprised
even his own aides. He said: "It's a great honour to be
invited to address Spring Harvest - the biggest Christian
conference in Europe."

Mr Hague - who describes himself as a Christian, attends
church regularly and recently preached at North Allerton
Baptist Church in his own constituency - said the
impression among people that the church was dying was
wrong. "The evidence I have gained from Listening to
Britain's Churches is that the Church is very much alive
and advancing in many parts of this land."

He said the church was often the only organisation left in
a community after the banks, local shop, pub and police
station had closed.

"Christian people should never be pessimistic. We must be
active and courageous people who will always go that extra
mile for the love of our neighbour," he said.

He called for social concerns to be linked to moral
concerns. "People often divide into two camps - those who
focus on so-called personal moral issues and others who
campaign on so-called social morality. I think that
distinction is artificial. I do not believe that it is a
distinction that can be found in the teachings of any of
the great world religions. "Jesus called us to serve the
lonely as well as the hungry; the prisoner as well as the
homeless; and the orphan and widow as well as the sick."

He said the family was not changing but breaking down, and
pledged Conservative policies to promote marriage through
the tax system. "Mothers and fathers who choose to
prioritise time with their children should not feel that
government is pushing them into the workplace when their
children are still young."

Mr Hague added: "There is something in the strength of
family and community life in many developing countries that
we are in danger of losing."

He also pledged the right to national and digital
broadcasting licences for Christian broadcasters. "Our
country is a great country, which is built on Judaeo-
Christian foundations. In many walks of national life,
however, those foundations are under threat. I want to see
those foundations renewed." After his address, the audience
cheered and whistled and joined in a unified cry: "Pray for
him."

Conservative strategists believe that the evangelical vote
could be vital in a general election with a low turnout.

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - FW: Iraq/Russia/Yugoslavia
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Shophar_Sho_Good")
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 10:10:18 -0500

STRATFOR.COM Weekly Global Intelligence Update
19 April 2000

Baghdad, Belgrade and Moscow Collaborate Against Washington

SUMMARY

Russia has reportedly brokered a deal to upgrade Iraqi air defense
systems. The weapons upgrades Iraq could receive are of the same
type that may have downed an F-117 stealth plane over Serbia during
Operation Allied Force. After a visit to Belgrade, Iraq's defense
minister met his Russian counterpart in Moscow April 14. There is a
substantial history of military cooperation among the three
countries, and Iraq and Yugoslavia have recently indicated a
possible alliance. The possibility of such an alliance, tacitly
supported by Russia may be nearing reality and could threaten U.S.
policy.

ANALYSIS

Iraqi Defense Minister Col. Gen. Sultan Hashim Ahmad arrived in
Moscow April 14 and met with Russian Defense Minister Igor
Sergeyev, reported Interfax. Prior to his arrival in Moscow, Ahmad
was in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. The past military cooperation among
the three countries offers an explanation of Ahmad's travels. The
three may be cooperating to create simultaneous crises for U.S.
policy.

Prior to and during Operation Allied Force, Yugoslavia and Iraq
maintained close military cooperation. A Yugoslav military
delegation, headed by the deputy defense minister, visited Baghdad
just before commencement of the NATO bombing of Serbia, according
to a March 1999 Jerusalem Post report. Both nations, threatened by
U.S. warplanes, needed improved air defense systems. Serb
technicians regularly serviced Iraq's Soviet-made MiG-21s and
MiG-29s, according to the Jerusalem Post. The two nations also
reportedly worked out a deal. In return for Yugoslavia rebuilding
Iraqi air defenses, Baghdad would provide Belgrade with oil and
cash to sustain the war effort.

The Washington Times in March 1999 cited a U.S. intelligence
official who said that some of Iraq's integrated air-defense
system, including surface-to-air missiles (SAM), was of "Yugoslav
origin" and may have been sent from Russia via Yugoslavia. The
paper also claimed that there were reports of limited contacts
between Iraqi and Yugoslav air-defense officials several months
prior to Operation Allied Force.

During Operation Allied Force on March 27, 1999, a U.S. Air Force
F-117 stealth fighter-bomber went down over Yugoslavia. A U.S.
Pentagon official initially assessed that a Serb SAM hit the F-117,
reported The Washington Times. The official said the plane
apparently dropped below 20,000 feet, at which time the Serbs
optically spotted the plane and launched either an SA-3 or SA-6
SAM. The report also cited several unnamed U.S. sources, who
speculated that Russia had helped upgrade Serbia's air defenses.

The Times of London reported Oct. 7 that Russia, in violation of an
arms embargo, had actually supplied the Yugoslav army with new
warheads, fuses and sensors for its SA-6 missiles. The Pentagon has
still not officially disclosed its findings on what caused the
F-117 to go down.

Operation Allied Force stretched U.S. forces to their limits. When
the bombing campaign began in March 1999, the aircraft carrier USS
Theodore Roosevelt, stationed in the Persian Gulf, re-deployed to
assist the war effort. Another carrier, the USS Kitty Hawk re-
deployed from the Pacific region to cover the Persian Gulf -
leaving the entire Pacific region void of a U.S. carrier presence
for 86 days. Additionally, many U.S. warplanes stationed in Turkey
to enforce the northern no-fly zone in Iraq were used for missions
in Yugoslavia - leaving the northern no-fly zone under-patrolled.

Recently, Iraq and Yugoslavia have expressed renewed enthusiasm in
mutual cooperation. A Yugoslav delegation, headed by Deputy Prime
Minister Maja Gojkovic, was in Baghdad March 28 and met with Iraqi
Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan, who expressed Iraq's eagerness
to expand comprehensive cooperation with Yugoslavia.

Iraq now appears to be looking to Yugoslavia and Russia to upgrade
its air defenses. Interfax Russian News reported April 16, 2000,
that Iraqi Defense Minister Col. Gen. Sultan Hashim Ahmad arrived
in Moscow via Belgrade. In Moscow, Iraq's defense minister met with
Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev.

On the same day, the London-based Sunday Telegraph reported that
Russian military officials have brokered a deal with Belarus to
rebuild Iraq's air defenses. The report stated that the Belarussian
state-owned military hardware company, Beltechexport, agreed to
upgrade Iraqi air defense systems. Under the deal, Beltechexport
will upgrade Iraqi anti-aircraft guns as well as Iraq's SA-3 anti-
aircraft missiles. Also, Iraqi air defense crews will reportedly be
sent to Belarus for specialized training, where they will be
familiarized with the latest Russian electronic warfare systems.

If the report is true, it would not be the first time Iraq has
attempted to upgrade its air defenses to threaten U.S. and British
warplanes. In 1998, the CIA uncovered a plot by Iraqi agents to
secretly purchase Tamara - a special electronic warfare system made
in Czech Republic that can track radar-evading stealth planes like
the F-117 and B-2 and may have been involved in the F-117 stealth
shoot-down over Serbia.

Military and technological cooperation between Baghdad and Belgrade
poses potential simultaneous threats in two different arenas.
Milosevic may simply be helping Iraq to give himself some leeway
without launching his own crisis. However, if Iraq seriously
threatened U.S. warplanes while Milosevic simultaneously ignited a
crisis in Kosovo, the United States would have serious trouble
containing both crises. It is not certain that Saddam acting alone
would want to shoot down U.S. planes even if he could. There would
be severe repercussions, such as the extensive bombing of palaces
and military facilities. The real threat is dual-crises in Iraq and
Yugoslavia.

Russia is positioned to challenge U.S. policies and has criticized
the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia and the U.N. bombing of Iraq. The
downing of the F-117 in Serbia was linked to reports that Moscow
upgraded Yugoslav air defenses, and Russia is now reportedly behind
Iraqi attempts to upgrade its air defenses. The possibility of an
Iraqi-Yugoslav alliance tacitly supported by Russia is becoming
more of a reality. The ramifications of such an alliance could
result in simultaneous crises that threaten the safety of U.S.
forces and the maintenance of U.S. policy in each region.

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Philippine [Islamic] rebels behead two hostages
From: bpr-list@philologos.org
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 12:22:37 -0500

------- Forwarded message follows -------

4/19/2000 08:16:00 ET

Philippine rebels behead two hostages

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (Reuters) - Philippine Moslem rebels on
Wednesday beheaded two of 29 hostages they were holding because
demands for the release of Islamic militants held in the United States
were not met, the rebels and a government spokesman said.

A spokesman for the fundamentalist Abu Sayyaf group said the heads of
the two men - who he said were former soldiers - were "birthday
gifts" for Philippine President Joseph Estrada, who turned 63 on
Wednesday.

"There is independent confirmation of the fact the Abu Sayyaf beheaded
two of the hostages," Press Secretary Ricardo Puno later told Reuters.

He said he could not be specific about the nature of the confirmation
but added it came from sources which were normally reliable.

The Philippine armed forces warned of military reprisals if the report
was true.

"They have drawn the first blood and they have signed their death
warrant," military spokesman Colonel Rafael Romero said.

Puno added: "The government deplores this situation. We will continue
to act through the local crisis management committee but will examine
other options in light of the current situation."

MORE EXECUTIONS MAY FOLLOW

Guerrilla spokesman Abu Asmad Salayuddi said the executions were
carried out at 3:15 p.m. (0715 GMT) and more would follow possibly in
two days depending on how Estrada dealt with their demands.

"The president (Estrada) failed to comply with our demands... We have
no choice... We cut off their heads," Salayuddi said in various
interviews with reporters by cell phone from the rebels' hideout on
Basilan island, 900 km (560 miles) south of Manila.

Estrada earlier appealed to the Abu Sayyaf not to carry out their
announced threat to kill hostages and said he was willing to talk if
it was necessary to save lives. The rebels have also threatened to
kill American nationals.

The rebels have demanded that the United States release three Islamic
militants they said were being held in U.S. jails, including Youssef
Ramsy, believed to refer to Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, who has been convicted
of masterminding the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Centre in New
York.

The two other militants were also linked to extremist attacks in the
United States, Philippine officials said.

A SEPARATE ISLAMIC STATE

The Abu Sayyaf is one of two groups fighting for an Islamic state in
the south of this largely Roman Catholic country.

The Abu Sayyaf has been holding 29 people, mostly schoolchildren but
also including teachers and a Catholic priest whom they abducted on
March 20.

Salayuddi said the two hostages executed were both male adults and
were former soldiers who had gone into teaching. "For every negative
statement from Malacanang (the presidential palace), there will be an
execution," Salayuddi said, adding that all the guerrillas wanted from
Estrada was for him to pass on their demand to U.S. President Bill
Clinton.

Estrada had rejected the demands as "unreasonable."

Salayuddi said the Abu Sayyaf would not harm the estimated 22 children
in captivity or the women.

"What will probably happen to the children is that we won't send them
back to their homes again but keep them and take care of them ... We
will just keep the women as housemaids," he said.

Asked to show proof the two male hostages were really dead, Salayuddi
said the guerrillas had already buried them but were keeping their
heads.

He said the execution was recorded on camera.

Each of the men was blindfolded, and made to sit and bow his head.

"There was only one chop on the neck," Salayuddi added.

The U.S. Embassy, which had also rejected the demands, declined
comment on the execution report.

via: <hblondel@tampabay.rr.com>

------- End of forwarded message -------

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Science Textbook Controversy
From: bpr-list@philologos.org
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 12:53:22 -0500

via: Real World News (http://www.realworldnews.net)

MEDIA COVERAGE GROWS OVER SCIENCE TEXTBOOK CONTROVERSY
Media coverage intensified in West Virgina over the possible purchase
of
a science textbook that does not treat evolution as a fact --or even a
good theory. A science textbook committee in Kanawha County, composed
of
science teachers in that county's public schools, highly recommended
that the school board purchase a few reference copies of the book "Of
Pandas and People," but then withdrew its endorsement after intense
opposition by state education officials, the ACLU, and the secular
media. The text exposes the serious problems with evolution theory,
and
presents an alternative view of origins: "intelligent design." The
book
contains no religious doctrine and features excellent material on how
our world shows evidence of design.

http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs2/4280news4-18-2000.asp

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Hints & Tips on Urban Legends and Email Hoaxes
From: bpr-list@philologos.org
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 16:41:18 -0500

[ When you have time, check out the links below
for other useful information, as well as a list of
hoaxes and legends. ]

Recognize any of these:

Mike Hutchinson, Missionary in Peril -- Email rumor that a
Christian missionary in Africa is in danger of being
lynched is false.

Bananas Spread Flesh-Eating Disease -- Necrotizing
fasciitis, a rare and deadly disease, allegedly infects an
entire crop of Costa Rican fruit.

Antiperspirants Cause Breast Cancer -- This false rumor
has been thoroughly trounced by medical professionals.

Janet Reno Defines 'Cultist' -- This utterly bogus quote
attributed to Janet Reno several years ago is still
circulating.

---------

How to Identify an Urban Legend

http://urbanlegends.about.com/culture/urbanlegends/library/howto/hturbanlegend.htm

An urban legend may be a story you hear by word of mouth
or a text you receive by email or fax. All have certain
features in common which can aid in identifying them as
urban legends.

Here's How:

Consider the form of the information passed along to you.
Is it a story with a beginning, middle and end? Does it
have a "punch line" similar to a joke? If so, it may be an
urban legend.

Note whether the story was told as if true. Often the
teller of an urban legend will even begin with the
statement, "This is a true story..."

Look for statements like "This really happened to a friend
of a friend" (or "the wife of a co-worker," or "my
brother's housekeeper's son," etc.).

Have you heard the same story more than once from
different sources, with different characters and details?
It's probably an urban legend.

Consider whether there's evidence to indicate the story
you've heard is false and/or there are commonsense reasons
to disbelieve it.

Does the story seem too good to be true, too horrible or
too funny to be true? If so, it's likely an urban legend
and probably not true.

Check books and Websites about urban legends to see if the
story is listed there (see resources below).

Tips:

Contrary to popular belief, urban legends aren't always
false. The more important factor is that they are always
told as if they are true even though no supporting evidence
is offered (other than the word of "a friend of a friend").

Email versions of urban legends tend to lose some of their
story-like qualities, appearing in the form of warnings or
alerts, for example, rather than personal anecdotes.

------------

How to Identify an Email Hoax

http://urbanlegends.about.com/culture/urbanlegends/library/howto/hthoax.htm

Without researching the factual claims made in a forwarded
email there's no 100% sure way to tell it if it's a hoax,
but here you'll find common signs to watch for...

Here's How:

Note whether the text was actually written by the person
who sent it to you. If not, be skeptical.

Look for the telltale phrase, "Forward this to everyone
you know."

Look for statements like "This is not a hoax" or "This is
not an urban legend." They usually mean the opposite of
what they say.

Look for overly emphatic language, the frequent use of
UPPERCASE LETTERS and multiple exclamation points!!!!!!!

If the message seems geared more to persuade than to
inform, be suspicious.

If the message purports to give you extremely important
information that you've never heard of before or seen
elsewhere in legitimate sources, be suspicious.

Read carefully and think critically about what the message
says, looking for logical inconsistencies, violations of
common sense and obviously false claims.

Look for subtle or not-so-subtle jokes, indications that
the author is pulling your leg.

Check for references to outside information sources.
Hoaxes will not typically name any.

Check to see if the message has been debunked by Websites
that cover Internet hoaxes (see below).

Tips:

Virtually any chain email you receive (i.e., any message
forwarded multiple times) is more likely to be false than
true. Be skeptical.

Hoaxers usually try every means available to make their
lies believable -- e.g., mimicking a journalistic style,
attributing the text to a "legitimate" source, etc.

Be especially wary of health-related rumors. Most
importantly, never act on such rumors without first
verifying their accuracy with your doctor or other reliable
source.

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

Philologos | Bible Prophecy Research | Online Books | Reference Guide

Please be advised that this domain (Philologos.org) does not endorse 100 per cent any link contained herein. This forum is for the dissemination of pertinent information on an end-times biblical theme which includes many disturbing, unethical, immoral, etc. topics and should be viewed with a mature, discerning eye.