AT THE APEX OF ABSURDITY
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Isaiah 5:20
This week the United Nations organization that is responsible for education, science and culture (UNESCO) voted to rewrite history exchanging truth for a lie. With this, it seems the world has reached the very apex of absurdity. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
The draft proposal, which is entitled "Occupied Palestine", was submitted by Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar and Sudan on behalf of the Palestinians, was approved at the committee stage by 24 votes to 6, with 26 abstentions in Paris on October 13 (the day after Yom Kippur no less!). The resolution will go before UNESCO's Executive Board, which is made up of these same nations, for adoption next week.
Twenty-four countries voted in favor of the proposal: Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chad, China, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan and Vietnam.
Six countries voted against it: Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, The Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States.
While 26 countries abstained from the vote: Albania, Argentina, Cameroon, El Salvador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Haiti, India, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kenya, Nepal, Paraguay, Saint Vincent and Nevis, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and Ukraine.
Serbia and Turkmenistan were absent from the vote.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4866113,00.html
The proposal affirms the importance of the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls for the three monotheistic religions, but then goes on to list a great many accusations against Israel, which it refers to as the "Occupying Power". Many of these are gross exaggerations or simply factually erroneous. Israel's rightful claim to her holy sites of worship and her historical connection to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall is ignored while Palestinian claims are emphasized. Israeli grievances are not mentioned. The full text of the proposal can be seen on this website - it makes for interesting reading:
http://www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-of-new-unesco-resolution-on-occupied-palestine/
Although the document does not blatantly state that Israel has no connection to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall it strongly implies this by omission. The Temple Mount and the Western Wall are referred to only by their Muslim names.
Reaction in Israel has been strong. Prime Minister Netanyahu said this."
The proposal affirms the importance of the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls for the three monotheistic religions, but then goes on to list a great many accusations against Israel, which it refers to as the "Occupying Power". Many of these are gross exaggerations or simply factually erroneous. Israel's rightful claim to her holy sites of worship and her historical connection to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall is ignored while Palestinian claims are emphasized. Israeli grievances are not mentioned. The full text of the proposal can be seen on this website - it makes for interesting reading:
http://www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-of-new-unesco-resolution-on-occupied-palestine/
Although the document does not blatantly state that Israel has no connection to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall it strongly implies this by omission. The Temple Mount and the Western Wall are referred to only by their Muslim names.
Reaction in Israel has been strong. Prime Minister Netanyahu said this."
“To say that Israel has no connection to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall is like saying that China has no connection to the Great Wall of China or that Egypt has no connection to the pyramids... By this absurd decision, UNESCO has lost what little legitimacy it had left.”
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| The Temple Mount and the Western Wall. The Temple Mount, known to Muslims as el-Harem al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary) with it's golden Dome of the Rock Islamic shrine and lead-domed al-Aqsa mosque, dominates this aerial view of the Old City of Jerusalem, 2 October, 2007 David Silverman/Getty Image http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israel-jerusalem-unesco-motion-jewish-ties-temple-mount-noble-sanctuary-el-harem-al-sharif-a7360776.html |
And on his facebook page Netanyahu said: "Is it any wonder the UN has become a moral farce when Unesco, the UN body tasked with preserving history, denies and distorts history?"
The President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, commented:
“No forum or body in the world can come and deny the connection between the Jewish people, the Land of Israel and Jerusalem – and any such body that does so simply embarrasses itself. We can understand criticism, but you cannot change history.”
And the opposition leader Isaac Herzog said UNESCO is giving a “bad name to diplomacy.”
“Whoever wants to rewrite history, to distort fact, and to completely invent the fantasy that the Western Wall and Temple Mount have no connection to the Jewish people, is telling a terrible lie that only serves to increase hatred...On this matter there is no disagreement among the people of Israel, and I urge UNESCO to withdraw this bizarre resolution and to engage in protecting, not distorting, human history.”
Even the Director General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, has spoken out against this proposed resolution, saying,
"Jerusalem is the sacred city of the three monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
“To deny, conceal or erase any of the Jewish, Christian or Muslim traditions undermines the integrity of the site, and runs counter to the reasons that justified its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list [in 1981]."
Until now all previous resolutions have referred to the area using both the Jewish/Christian term the Temple Mount and the Muslim name Al-Haram Al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary). Over the past year however the Palestinians have submitted a number of resolutions that have referred to the Temple Mount area only as Al-Haram Al-Sharif and the Western Wall only by its Muslim name of Buraq Plaza.
Bokova has consistently fought against this trend, and she said that Jerusalem is
a “microcosm of humanity’s spiritual diversity” and is a place where “different peoples worship the same places, sometimes under different names... The recognition, use of and respect for these names is paramount. The Al Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram al-Sharif, the sacred shrine of Muslims, is also the Har HaBayit – or Temple Mount – whose Western Wall is the holiest place in Judaism, a few steps away from the Saint Sepulcher and the Mount of Olives trees revered by Christians.”
While this all might seem a trivial matter of semantics, it is no such thing. It is a subtle and pervasive effort to undermine and deny Israel's right to exist and the right of both Jews and Christians to worship in their holy places. It is shocking that so many nations and individuals are buying into the Lie. Only 6 of the 56 nations represented in the UNESCO committee had the insight and courage to vote against this proposal. They were Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, The Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States. How many will vote against it when it comes up for approval at the Executive Board next week. How will your country vote? Pray for your leaders that they will have the wisdom, understanding and courage to stand up and be counted amongst those who stand with God and His Holy Chosen People. I fear for those nations who do not stand with Israel in these times. God will judge those nations, for he has never revoked the blessing on Israel:
I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And I will curse him who curses you;
Genesis 12:3
We know that there will be a time of deception in the end times, during which many, even from the elect, will be deceived into believing a Satanic Lie, and Jesus himself prophesied,
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin[ is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
II Thessalonians 2
However we also know that the Lord has chosen Zion and one day will establish His Kingdom centered on the Holy Mountain. He will not be mocked.
Again the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘I am zealous for Zion with great zeal;
With great fervor I am zealous for her.’
With great fervor I am zealous for her.’
3 “Thus says the Lord:
‘I will return to Zion,
And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth,
The Mountain of the Lord of hosts,
The Holy Mountain.’
Zechariah 8: 1-3
And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth,
The Mountain of the Lord of hosts,
The Holy Mountain.’
Zechariah 8: 1-3
To live in such times as these we who call on the name of God must determine to walk in truth, to take courage and above all stand up and be counted.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Ephesians 6: 10-13.
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