Compass Point

As I have been reading a great deal of lat about the "new atheism" I am really stunned at the casual denial of proof offered by our universe and its intricate design. Life could not be sustained on this earth if the distance from the sun were altered by very small distances. If the tilt of the earth on its axis was changed even a small degree we would burn up or freeze in the temperate zones. Astronomers have not found any other planet or solar system with the right conditions to sustain life as we know it. Yet scoffers and fools dismiss this proof.

Reading in Proverbs 3:19-20 this morning it says, "The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; By His knowledge the depths were broken up and clouds drop down the dew".

God's wisdom, knowledge and understanding formed this earth and shaped all life upon it for His grand purpose and design. I find it is far better to contemplate this truth as a part of daily life. It produces peace of mind rather than anger, which I find a staple among atheists.

Civil War in Europe?

Robert Spencer, an expert on Islam speculates that the growing threat from Islam could spark armed conflict in Europe.
 

"There will be civil war in Europe," he says. "The European citizenry, for the most part, are not ready to accept Islamic law and there will be armed conflicts. Across Europe there seems to be one opinion among the elite and one among the people; the mainstream political parties are going to have to start representing this, otherwise they're going to be shunted aside by the neo-fascists."

Another reason to gather a number of views on Europe and match them to what Bible prophecy tells us will arise from that region.

Pakistan Without Musharraf

We have not been saying much about the simmering crisis in Pakistan but significant developments have been brewing there since President Pervez Musharaff dismissed the chief justice and stirred reaction against his military rule.

On Tuesday a suicide bomber killed dozens at a rally for the deposed justice. The incident highlights the fact that Musharaff is losing control. According to Stratfor, Musharaff faces two problems:

Politically, Musharraf's dismissal of Chaudhry set off a cavalcade of anger that has shattered hiscredibility as anything other than a military dictator -- which, of course,
is more or less what he is. Ever since he seized power in a 1999 coup,Musharraf's position as military chief has been the center of his supportbase. Unfortunately for Musharraf, the military probably lacks the power (and quite certainly the stomach) to institute martial law to defend its leader's
parking space.

That leaves Musharraf forced to negotiate with the
country's fractured political opposition. And since the precondition for any deal requires him to step down as military chief, Musharraf knows he must resign now or be forced to resign later.

The one thing that could rebuild his credibility is more raids like those he carried out against Muslim extremists holed up in the Red Mosque in early July. Many within Pakistan -- even among the political opposition -- applauded Musharraf's tough stance against radical Islamists who defied the power of the state. But the problem with replicating this event is at the core of Musharraf's second hurdle.

Such military operations will continue in Pakistan, since Musharraf sees them as the only way to extend his time in office. But that does not mean they will succeed. Much of the Pakistani system -- most notably, the military and the
Inter-Services Intelligence agency -- is sprinkled with Islamist-minded personnel whose presence has regularly hindered operations against Muslim militants in the country's northwest.

Intelligence agencies only operate well when they excel at covert action and keeping secrets. Hence, if even 1 percent of personnel are willing to leak information to potential
targets, the entire intelligence infrastructure becomes useless. The Red Mosque operation was possible only because the mosque leaders were helpful enough to lock themselves inside and broadcast their defiance to the world. Stratfor's feeling is that other extremist groups in Pakistan -- al Qaeda
comes to mind -- will not be quite so helpful or stationary in the
 uture.

Without such intelligence, a military crackdown against
extremists is almost guaranteed to fail in reality, and it will be even more unsuccessful in the minds of the already disenchanted Pakistani public. This means the world needs to start thinking about what Pakistan will look like without Musharraf.

First, the U.S.-NATO operation in Afghanistan
would be impossible without the supply lines that pass through Pakistan -- lines that only exist because of an understanding established between Musharraf and the White House hours after the 9/11 attacks.

Second, India has fought three major wars with Pakistan since the partition of British India. If the Pakistani military cannot guarantee security and the country's political leadership unravels, issues such as Kashmir could go from
the back burner to boiling very quickly.

And, of course, there is still the little issue of Pakistan possessing nuclear weapons ...

The last thing America, or India, wants to see is Pakistan's nuclear weapons falling into the hands of the unknown.

Christian Fantasy Builds Audience


Many await new this weekend of the fate of Harry Potter. The last of the fabulously successful novels featuring the world's best known sorcerer hits the shelves at midnight on July 21st. Harry's eternal fate will then be known as this is to be the final installment in the series.

This article in the Washington Post highlights the growing list of books dealing with fantasy fiction with Christian themes. These successors to Tolkein and Lewis have created a successful market for their stories of kings, commoners and evil characters who do battle along the age long themes of the Bible.

The Potter series is a sad commentary on modern society. 325 million of the books have been sold in 66 languages making the author, J. K. Rowling,  the world's richest woman. Potters world of witches, sorcery, and ghosts seem benign and good. Divination is made to seem harmless. That Harry is a "good" witch, loyal to his friends and an all around nice guy hides the sinister elements of his make believe world.

But that's just it. His world is not fantasy. There is a very real spirit world inhabited by demons  who want us all to think they are fantasy and don't exist. The Bible tells us how this world came to be and  how it works. We are warned not to dabble with it rather we should resist it and flee from any association with its works. Deuteronomy 18:9-14 warns to stay away from it.

Joann Rowling has more in common with modern day atheists than she does with any Christian author. And that is sad. The Potter books and several atheist tomes are on the best seller lists.  That says something about our age.