Portland Oregon United Church of God Mini Study Index

World Perspectives

The world is a fascinating yet bewildering place in which to live. Goverments come into power and then tumble. Economies boom and bust. There are earthquakes and weather disasters. There are wars and civil disturbances. But where is peace? This series of studies help you make some sense of the world around us. Click on a title below...

A Contrast in Leadership: The contrast between the abuse of power that characterizes the rule of human despots like Saddam Hussein and the motive Jesus Christ said should define true leadership are as different as night and day.
A World in Perpetual Crisis: The world experiences great difficulties ranging from Holy Wars to financial problems. Why does it seem that man cannot figure out his problems?
America: Uninformed and Unaware: America seems bent on a unrestrained journey into decline. It seems oblivious to it's own problems. The media has done quite a bit to speed this process. How?
Are the Thousands Who Perished in the Tsunami Lost Forever?: What is the ultimate fate of the almost 300,000 men, women and children who lost their lives in the Indian Ocean tsunami? Many who died were Buddhists who accept neither God nor the Bible. The majority of those who perished were Muslims whose religion teaches that Jesus was a prophet, but explicitly denies that He is the Son of God and Savior of mankind.
Biblical Keys to Understanding World Events - Conclusion: We sum up the 4 points in this 4-part study with a concise conclusion on understanding world events.
Biblical Keys to Understanding World Events - Key #2: Jesus Christ spoke bluntly about the reality of politics and national leaders. The exercise of power may sometimes be subtle rather than overt?but it is still primarily based on self-interest and control. Sadly, few nations are able to exercise their power without abusing it.
Biblical Keys to Understanding World Events - Key #3: Nations generally have certain character traits that do not change over time. What is embedded in the national character of a people will continue through the centuries. The Chinese have not essentially changed their way or culture of doing things and neither have the British, Americans, French, Germans, Russians, Africans, Hispanics or Arabs.
Biblical Keys to Understanding World Events - Key #4: Nations generally have certain character traits that do not change over time. What is embedded in the national character of a people will continue through the centuries.
China: An Epidemic of Free Love: A recent survey by a Shanghai medical researcher showed that rates of sexually transmitted diseases are going through the roof in China, with HIV infections rapidly growing among your people. Such are the unpleasant, unwanted side effects of illicit sexual behavior.
Drug-Resistant Bubonic Plague: A case of bubonic plague was recently discovered in Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of Africa. This is not the first case of bubonic plague discovered in recent years. Rather, it is the first case identified that is resistant to multiple antibiotics, including the ones commonly given to treat the plague.
European Union Not Yet United: "The sky is clearing up" the thunderstorm clouds of the last year are slowly disappearing.? Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik told a news conference after two days of talks in Klosterneuburg abbey near Vienna over the weekend of May 27-28. The talks produced fresh consensus on the need for UR treaty changes to be agreed on at least before 2009.
Individual Rights vs Societal Rights: In the wake of the tragedy at Columbine High School, people naturally try to determine who is to blame in an effort to prevent future tragedies. After all, something went dreadfully wrong. At stake in the raging debate over culpability is the timeless question of individual freedoms vs. societal protection-concepts that divide entire nations.
International Trade: A Source of Solomons Wealth: Solomon built many merchant ships manned by both Israelite and Phoenician sailors. The wealth accumulated by this maritime traffic is astounding, even by modern standards.
Is It Anti-American to Criticize the Moral Conduct of the United States?: Today the United States is seriously neglecting obedience to God's Ten Commandments. Many, in fact, don't even know what they are! It is the duty of God's Church to call these moral failures to the attention of our peoples. It is not anti-American to see a nation traveling in a wrong direction and to urge a national course correction.
Natural Disasters: A Biblical Perspective: There are points we should keep in mind concerning the biblical perspective on tragedies, regardless of their scale or circumstances.
Relentless Push for a European Superpower: Noted feature writer Ambrose Evans-Pritchard recently raised the alarm again about the new European draft constitution. He wrote: "Valery Giscard d'Estaing bills his 263 draft constitution as a "great leap forward" in European integration".
Searching for a Mideast Peace: The Balfour Declaration (1917), the British document that formed the basis for an upsurge of Jewish immigration to Palestine, stated that nothing should be done with regard to a (potential) Jewish national home that might be detrimental to ethnic communities in the area.
South Africa's Killing Fields: According to a cover article in The Sunday Times Magazine, more than 1,700 white farmers in South Africa have been raped, tortured, mutilated and killed in the last 10 years. Journalist Brian Moynahan reported that the motive was "not theft, nor land grab as in Zimbabwe - but revenge fuelled by racism and envy."
The Four Components of Government: Government comprises four fundamental elements: a ruler, subjects, territory and laws. How do these fit into the Kingdom of God?
The Grim Dilemma of Human Government: Governments get into deep trouble when many things go wrong at once. Britain stands in the midst of one of the nation?s worst political crises in its long history, prompted largely by revelations of abuse of public funds. Editor and journalist Max Hastings commented: ?All governments end in failure. But never in modern British political history has there been a collapse as starting and dramatic as that which is taking place at Westminster this week.? What is happening to world governments? Read more...
The Last Days of the Atlantic Alliance?: In a later article published in the London Financial Times on Nov. 17, Dr Kupchan predicts that the NATA summit held later that week would not hide the reality that these are "The Last Days of the Atlantic Alliance," as the title of his article puts it.
The Quest for Control: This world is a controlling world. The world has seen many rulers interested in controlling their peoples. Jesus noted that gentile leaders "lord[ed] it over" their subjects and, not to be outdone, Jesus Christ's disciples wanted the same opportunity for control!
The State of Israel: Small but Significant: The state of Israel is tiny in comparison to most countries or even most states of the United States. Yet so much controversy and even wars have sprung from this place. Why?
The U.S. Supreme Court: Presidential Decisions Impact National Morality: As President George W. Bush begins his second term in office, many important issues lie before him. Of course, the issue that immediately jumps to the everyone's mind is national security-how to keep the country safe from terrorist attacks and what actions to take if any attacks succeed.
Wars: The Chief Man-made Disaster: Man-made catastrophes are a little easier to explain because we can identify the cause. Wars are the classic example of man-made disasters. If we want to compare what we have done to ourselves with what nature has done to us in recent centuries, we are going to find that we have been much more destructive to ourselves. In the 20th century the conservative estimate is that, with the two world wars, the ethnic and political purges of Stalin, Hitler and Pol Pot, the Chinese revolution and other conflicts in nations too numerous to mention, people killed 130 million of their fellow human beings.
Why Earthquakes?: The Bible tells us that in the end times, there will be earthquakes in various places (Matthew 24:7). Although earthquakes likely have shaken our planet as long as it has existed, it appears that more numerous intense earthquakes have happened over the past century.
Why Human Governments Don't and Won't Last: Why don't human governments last? They always run their course and leaders are replaced by other human beings. To understand governments, you must understand the God who allows them.
World Peace - Will It Ever Come?: Peace--worldwide permanent peace among all nations and peoples--has been a perpetual hope and dream of mankind. It's the stuff of countless stories, sermons and songs--and wishful thinking.


Navigation Home Page About Us Beliefs Mini Studies Publications Youth Interests Pastor's Notes Ask Us Search Now with expanded search capabilities! Enter a word or phrase (case sensitive) to search this category... Clear keyword box to view all studies in the category...	World Perspectives The world is a fascinating yet bewildering place in which to live. Goverments come into power and then tumble. Economies boom and bust. There are earthquakes and weather disasters. There are wars and civil disturbances. But where is peace? This series of studies help you make some sense of the world around us. Click on a title below... A Contrast in Leadership The contrast between the abuse of power that characterizes the rule of human despots like Saddam Hussein and the motive Jesus Christ said should define true leadership are as different as night and day. A World in Perpetual Crisis The world experiences great difficulties ranging from Holy Wars to financial problems. Why does it seem that man cannot figure out his problems? America: Uninformed and Unaware America seems bent on a unrestrained journey into decline. It seems oblivious to it's own problems. The media has done quite a bit to speed this process. How? Are the Thousands Who Perished in the Tsunami Lost Forever? What is the ultimate fate of the almost 300,000 men, women and children who lost their lives in the Indian Ocean tsunami? Many who died were Buddhists who accept neither God nor the Bible. The majority of those who perished were Muslims whose religion teaches that Jesus was a prophet, but explicitly denies that He is the Son of God and Savior of mankind. Biblical Keys to Understanding World Events - Conclusion We sum up the 4 points in this 4-part study with a concise conclusion on understanding world events. Biblical Keys to Understanding World Events - Key #2 Jesus Christ spoke bluntly about the reality of politics and national leaders. The exercise of power may sometimes be subtle rather than overt?but it is still primarily based on self-interest and control. Sadly, few nations are able to exercise their power without abusing it. Biblical Keys to Understanding World Events - Key #3 Nations generally have certain character traits that do not change over time. What is embedded in the national character of a people will continue through the centuries. The Chinese have not essentially changed their way or culture of doing things and neither have the British, Americans, French, Germans, Russians, Africans, Hispanics or Arabs. Biblical Keys to Understanding World Events - Key #4 Nations generally have certain character traits that do not change over time. What is embedded in the national character of a people will continue through the centuries. China: An Epidemic of Free Love A recent survey by a Shanghai medical researcher showed that rates of sexually transmitted diseases are going through the roof in China, with HIV infections rapidly growing among your people. Such are the unpleasant, unwanted side effects of illicit sexual behavior. Drug-Resistant Bubonic Plague A case of bubonic plague was recently discovered in Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of Africa. This is not the first case of bubonic plague discovered in recent years. Rather, it is the first case identified that is resistant to multiple antibiotics, including the ones commonly given to treat the plague. European Union Not Yet United "The sky is clearing up" the thunderstorm clouds of the last year are slowly disappearing.? Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik told a news conference after two days of talks in Klosterneuburg abbey near Vienna over the weekend of May 27-28. The talks produced fresh consensus on the need for UR treaty changes to be agreed on at least before 2009. Individual Rights vs Societal Rights In the wake of the tragedy at Columbine High School, people naturally try to determine who is to blame in an effort to prevent future tragedies. After all, something went dreadfully wrong. At stake in the raging debate over culpability is the timeless question of individual freedoms vs. societal protection-concepts that divide entire nations. International Trade: A Source of Solomons Wealth Solomon built many merchant ships manned by both Israelite and Phoenician sailors. The wealth accumulated by this maritime traffic is astounding, even by modern standards. Is It Anti-American to Criticize the Moral Conduct of the United States? Today the United States is seriously neglecting obedience to God's Ten Commandments. Many, in fact, don't even know what they are! It is the duty of God's Church to call these moral failures to the attention of our peoples. It is not anti-American to see a nation traveling in a wrong direction and to urge a national course correction. Natural Disasters: A Biblical Perspective There are points we should keep in mind concerning the biblical perspective on tragedies, regardless of their scale or circumstances. Relentless Push for a European Superpower Noted feature writer Ambrose Evans-Pritchard recently raised the alarm again about the new European draft constitution. He wrote: "Valery Giscard d'Estaing bills his 263 draft constitution as a "great leap forward" in European integration". Searching for a Mideast Peace The Balfour Declaration (1917), the British document that formed the basis for an upsurge of Jewish immigration to Palestine, stated that nothing should be done with regard to a (potential) Jewish national home that might be detrimental to ethnic communities in the area. South Africa's Killing Fields According to a cover article in The Sunday Times Magazine, more than 1,700 white farmers in South Africa have been raped, tortured, mutilated and killed in the last 10 years. Journalist Brian Moynahan reported that the motive was "not theft, nor land grab as in Zimbabwe - but revenge fuelled by racism and envy." The Four Components of Government Government comprises four fundamental elements: a ruler, subjects, territory and laws. How do these fit into the Kingdom of God? The Grim Dilemma of Human Government Governments get into deep trouble when many things go wrong at once. Britain stands in the midst of one of the nation?s worst political crises in its long history, prompted largely by revelations of abuse of public funds. Editor and journalist Max Hastings commented: ?All governments end in failure. But never in modern British political history has there been a collapse as starting and dramatic as that which is taking place at Westminster this week.? What is happening to world governments? Read more... The Last Days of the Atlantic Alliance? In a later article published in the London Financial Times on Nov. 17, Dr Kupchan predicts that the NATA summit held later that week would not hide the reality that these are "The Last Days of the Atlantic Alliance," as the title of his article puts it. The Quest for Control This world is a controlling world. The world has seen many rulers interested in controlling their peoples. Jesus noted that gentile leaders "lord[ed] it over" their subjects and, not to be outdone, Jesus Christ's disciples wanted the same opportunity for control! The State of Israel: Small but Significant The state of Israel is tiny in comparison to most countries or even most states of the United States. Yet so much controversy and even wars have sprung from this place. Why? The U.S. Supreme Court: Presidential Decisions Impact National Morality As President George W. Bush begins his second term in office, many important issues lie before him. Of course, the issue that immediately jumps to the everyone's mind is national security-how to keep the country safe from terrorist attacks and what actions to take if any attacks succeed. Wars: The Chief Man-made Disaster Man-made catastrophes are a little easier to explain because we can identify the cause. Wars are the classic example of man-made disasters. If we want to compare what we have done to ourselves with what nature has done to us in recent centuries, we are going to find that we have been much more destructive to ourselves. In the 20th century the conservative estimate is that, with the two world wars, the ethnic and political purges of Stalin, Hitler and Pol Pot, the Chinese revolution and other conflicts in nations too numerous to mention, people killed 130 million of their fellow human beings. Why Earthquakes? The Bible tells us that in the end times, there will be earthquakes in various places (Matthew 24:7). Although earthquakes likely have shaken our planet as long as it has existed, it appears that more numerous intense earthquakes have happened over the past century. Why Human Governments Don't and Won't Last Why don't human governments last? They always run their course and leaders are replaced by other human beings. To understand governments, you must understand the God who allows them. World Peace - Will It Ever Come? Peace--worldwide permanent peace among all nations and peoples--has been a perpetual hope and dream of mankind. It's the stuff of countless stories, sermons and songs--and wishful thinking.
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