“The European Union is the world’s rising superpower, poised to overtake both the United States and Japan as the biggest trade and investment force in China, according to a strategic policy paper published by Beijing…

The Chinese government said the European Union is transforming the global landscape with its successful new currency and strides toward a joint foreign policy and a defense and judicial union.

Describing EU integration as ‘irreversible’ in the paper…Beijing marveled at Europe’s 25 percent to 35 percent share of the global economy and its projected 450 million population once it expands into the former communist bloc next year…

France and Germany have been pushing hardest for closer ties with China, hoping to cash in on a lucrative market but also to develop a strategic alliance as a counterweight to American power after the diplomatic trauma of the Iraq war. ” London Daily Telegraph

“Bypass Constitution?—Justice Sandra Day O’Connor predicts that the U.S. Supreme Court will increasingly base its decisions on international law rather than the U.S. Constitution, according to an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

By doing so, the court will make a good impression among people from other countries, she said…

On the whole, the U.S. judicial system leaves a favorable impression around the world, she said ‘but when it comes to the impression created by the treatment of foreign and international law and the United States court, the jury is still out’…

‘I suspect,’ Justice O’Connor said, ‘that over time we will rely increasingly—or take notice, at least—increasingly on international and foreign courts in examining domestic issues.’” Greg Pierce, The Washington Times

“Christians Trim Back On Tithing—One of the most fundamental duties of Christian living—tithing, or giving a tenth of one’s income to the church—appears to be increasingly ignored in many churches.

The Barna Research Group, a polling firm that focuses on trends within the Christian community in the U. S., recently reported that tithing declined by about 62% last year.

Thom Rainer of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth said he believed the drop in giving indicated that churches are beginning to pay the price for catering to a generation that focuses more on what a church can do for them rather than what they can do for God through their church. ” AFA Journal

“The Most Striking cleavage [in American life] is the God Gulf,” according to Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times Columnist. In commenting on a Pew [Research Center] survey, Kristof writes, “Put simply, liberals are becoming more secular at a time when America is becoming increasingly religious, the consequence of a new Great Awakening,” according to Kristof. “Americans, for example are significantly more likely now than in 1987 to say they ‘completely agree’ that ‘prayer is an important part of my daily life’ and that ‘we all will be called before God on Judgment Day to answer for our sins.’” Greg Pierce, The Washington Times

“An International Organization representing people who take pride in publicly parading perverse sexual life-styles has set its sights on the streets of Jerusalem…

According to the local sponsors of ‘Jerusalem WorldPride 2005,’ the event will bring ‘a new focus to an ancient city through a massive demonstration of … boundary-crossing celebration’…

CNS News found last week that ‘Jerusalem’s religious communities are opposed to the idea… but most say they will lay low rather than protest the event.’” International Christian Zionist Center

Dave Breese completed a 2-part study on the Olivet Discourse, in which our Lord taught about His imminent return. The study is contained in two booklets, Signs of Christ’s Return and Preparing for Christ’s Return. Learn what to look for and what to do until Jesus comes! We are offering these two booklets for any contribution to the ministry of Christian Destiny.