CM/FM 3445a 3/03

Editor: This special edition of the END is devoted to the calamity which befell space shuttle Columbia. When we asked the Lord what had happened and why it had happened, He and Dad answered marvelously. Following are their insights into the disaster, accompanied by some relevant news articles and commentary.

This issue of the END is classified CM/FM, but may be shared with Active members and friends at your discretion.

Disintegration on Reentry

Compiled from AP, Reuters, and other newswires

On January 16, space shuttle Columbia hurtled into orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a 16–day mission. In the last 16 minutes of that mission as the spaceship reentered the atmosphere, it disintegrated, killing all seven astronauts aboard and spraying wreckage over hundreds of miles of Texas countryside.

The catastrophe occurred 39 miles above the Earth, almost exactly 17 years after the shuttle Challenger exploded.

"The Columbia is lost," said President Bush, after he telephoned the families of the astronauts to console them. "The same Creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today," Bush said. "The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth‚ but we can pray they are safely home."

Authorities said there was no indication of terrorism; at 207‚135 feet, the shuttle was out of range of any surface-to-air missile. Security had been extraordinarily tight on this mission because Israeli air force Colonel Ilan Ramon, Israel's first astronaut, was among the crew members.

The 48-year-old Israeli astronaut was a fighter pilot in the Israeli air force. He was the youngest pilot in a team that bombed Iraq's nuclear reactor in 1981.

Also on board was an Indian-born civilian engineer.

Spiritual Warfare in Space

Editor: Following is one of the messages the Lord gave us when we asked Him what had happened, and why.

(Jesus speaking:) Those who travel into space are vulnerable to the unknown. They're going not only through space, but through areas that are open battlegrounds in the spirit, and on this occasion they ran right through a spiritual warfare in progress. The Enemy's demons and evil spirits were battling My angels and good spirits there on the verge of Earth's atmosphere, on the border of your physical world, and the warfare was manifested in the physical as well.

The shuttle Columbia, passing through this battleground, was destroyed and lives were lost. This was a sad loss for the families of those on board, but I allowed it to happen for a greater good. For one thing, it has given a wake-up call to the world‚ especially the U.S., which has been strutting its dominance and invincibility. The message is this, which I have tried to convey to the U.S. in many ways, through various setbacks: Man proposes‚ but I am the one who disposes. This is a message that I'm giving the world, and in particular the U.S. Let those who think they stand take heed lest they fall, and let those who would wage war upon the innocent consider the consequences, for proud looks and hands that shed innocent blood are both an abomination to Me.

The loss of life of these astronauts was small compared to the loss of life should the U.S. go to war. I want to remind man how easily a life can be snuffed out even when all the safeguards are in place and all the great minds are at work, and how much greater the loss would be in war. The American public is humbled now, their government is humbled, their space program is humbled. America has been humbled in the eyes of the world. This will help to slow down the American government in its desire to smash Iraq for its defiance of the U.S., for its unwillingness to give in, even after all the punishments inflicted—sanctions, reparations and inspections. It's helped to slow the process of revenge and war so that I can work behind the scenes and bring about other events that will delay things further.

Space is not only a physical realm‚ but it is a realm in which spiritual beings operate more freely and openly than they do on Earth. This is reflected throughout My Word. I Myself am called "the bright and morning star." The Enemy is also likened unto a star‚ one who wanted to exalt his throne above the stars of God, and with his tail he will draw others like him from Heaven when he is cast out. Thus My prophet John spoke of a third of the stars, the angels, being cast to the Earth. The church, My bride‚ is pictured as being clothed with the sun, having the moon beneath her feet, and wearing a crown of stars. There are many other analogies between the "heavens" of space and the spiritual realm.

So those who travel through space, like those who travel through the spiritual realm, must have protection from the spiritual forces that would seek to destroy them. This protection is spiritual, not merely physical. Yes, men must have physical protection to reach out into space, since they are yet in physical form, but they also require My protection. In this case, My protection was lifted to allow this accident.

You can't see all I'm doing behind the scenes to prevent full–scale war, but trust Me that I'm working to minimize the risk. A great battle is being waged in the spirit world to hold back the forces of evil that desire war. Pray for the peace of these lands and pray against the forces that compel America to lash out with such anger and violence. (End of message from Jesus.)

More on the Spiritual Warfare and the Lord's Protective Force Field

(Channel prays:) Dear Love, there's so much we don't understand about the spirit realm. Maybe I should say there's so little we do understand. Please, could You explain more about the battle that was going on in the spirit and how it affected this situation?

(Jesus speaking:) What happens in the realm of the flesh is often a reflection or manifestation of what is happening in the realm of the spirit. Even battles which take place in the physical realm often reflect battles in the spiritual realm‚ and vice versa. But those of the flesh cannot always understand this, because they only see a small portion of the picture and the battles which rage.

Some battles even take place between the princes of the principalities which have been given over to the Enemy‚ between two demon principalities. These demons not only try to fight the forces of good, but they cannot even remain at peace with each other for long, because their hearts are so filled with greed and wickedness that they seek to destroy each other to gain more power.

So not all battles you see on Earth are between the forces of good and evil. There are many times when both sides are evil. This is why I have so often told My children to stay out of the politics of the world and avoid taking sides in situations unless I specifically tell them to do so, lest you find yourselves caught between the forces of evil and evil‚ getting involved where you have no place, and where to stand up for either side would be to stand up for something which is evil.

Regarding the shuttle Columbia, man will eventually come up with some excuse which sounds plausible and acceptable, and which will provide an excuse or a scapegoat for the accident. But I allowed the destruction of Columbia. In traveling through this spiritual war zone, it was as if Columbia was a toddler with a cap gun which had wandered into a battleground where both sides were using tactical nuclear weapons.

This is one reason‚ in My mercy, I have not allowed man to wander far from his protected sphere. In the beginning I created the Earth with a protective shield surrounding it. This shield was manifested in the physical, in the "waters above the firmament," which kept out harmful rays, and it was present in the spiritual as well, keeping out evil and destructive spirits. Life was perfect, and Earth was clean and safe.

But when man chose Satan's words over Mine in the Garden, he created a crack in this force field of protection‚ through which seeped more and more of the Enemy's lies and poison and evil. As the years passed‚ man became corrupt, so filled with violence and Satan's vileness, that he brought about his own destruction. The spiritual force field which I had placed around him collapsed, bringing with it the collapse of the water belt in the physical.

The windows of heaven were opened, as were the fountains of the great deep, as a manifestation of what was happening in the spirit. The Earth had been filled with violence and evil, and now it was filled with water, even to the tops of the mountains. Mankind was drowned and the Earth was cleansed of all evil, except for righteous Noah, his family‚ and the animals which I allowed him to rescue. The ark was a manifestation of the spiritual shelter and protection which I, with Noah's cooperation, was able to build around him so that even as the world drowned in its own wickedness, he was safe and untouched.

I established a covenant with Noah, that I would never destroy the Earth by means of a flood again‚ but that was not the end of evil nor of spiritual battles. Spiritual battles have continued to this day, and there is a huge battle raging on many fronts at this time. The Enemy is attempting to gain full control of the Earth, its governments and peoples.

My archangel Michael and his forces have been holding back the forces of evil and preventing their spread, for it was not the appointed time. Now, however, I am beginning to let them have their way, for it is My way, so that My plan for the Last Days may be fulfilled, so that the Man of Sin and his one world government may arise, as My Word predicts. The Enemy has thus been allowed more leeway and control. Satan, given an inch, will always try to launch an attack to grab more than I have allowed him‚ and must be driven back to the line which I permit. Such a battle was raging at the time when the shuttle wandered onto the scene‚ oblivious to the danger surrounding it.

If the things of the flesh enter outer space without My protection, they are vulnerable to attack and destruction. I normally grant My protection because those men who travel through space have prayed, or because others are praying for them—their families, their friends‚ and others of My children. This is why there have been relatively few deaths in space in comparison to what could have happened without My protection. Look at the far greater failures of unmanned probes and even satellites, which do not normally have My protection‚ and you will see how I have protected men for the most part.

In an unprotected state, men would be much more open to the manifestations of the spiritual battles and weaponry around them than when they were still within the relative safety of what little is left of the protective shield which surrounds the Earth at the moment.

As man continues to reject Me and turn to the Evil One, less and less of My protective shield around Earth remains. This is manifest in the physical as well, as more and more cosmic rays and ultraviolet rays are reaching Earth and causing destruction. As time goes on and more of these rays flood into the Earth's atmosphere, you will see more and more extremes of weather, climate shifts, and the resulting catastrophic events. There will be havoc in the physical realm to match that in the spiritual. Things will continue to get worse and worse as man continues to reject My Spirit more and more, hence removing more and more of My protection, until he is finally faced with the results of his rebellion in the wrath which shall come upon him. Even this he brings on himself.

So yes, there was a battle in space. The forces of Satan were raging to overcome the forces of good which still remained, holding the U.S. back from total rampaging greed and war. But because the hearts of many in that country have waxed cold and uncaring about the suffering and pain which they inflict on others in their love for riches, they have invited in the demons of war and death, and have heeded their promises of yet greater wealth and power.

Therefore I have allowed these demons to hold greater sway in that land as a result. But I also allowed this destruction of the shuttle to forewarn and foreshadow the destruction which shall follow as America yields herself to these things. She has indeed become the mother of harlots and abominations‚ and shall taste of the fruit of her whoredoms.

Had America been seeking Me and My will and plan rather than choosing to plan for more evil and aggression for the sake of greed and self-glorification‚ had America been truly seeking to do good and seek peace, the protective shield of My Spirit could easily have covered the shuttle, and they would have come through intact.

But because they have chosen to trust in their own arm and to refuse to turn to Me, because they know in their hearts that I would not agree with their attempts to rule the world for their own gain, therefore they shall suffer for their sins. Had they used their position and power for good rather than greed‚ I would have spared them this humiliation.

They will never fully understand what happened. All they will see is that something, they know not what, caused a hole in the wing of the shuttle, shattering it and sending it spiraling down to its destruction. Those who fully grasp the magnitude of what it would have taken to do this will quake in fear as they try to imagine what could have had such power and force. They shall cover the truth lest others see that it could only have been something far greater than anything puny man could possibly contrive.

My beings of the spiritual realm who are under My protection have no fear of such things, for My shield of protection is impervious to the puny weapons of the evil ones. But these weapons have terrible, destructive power when allowed to enter the realm of the flesh‚ and but for My shield of protection, the Earth would soon look like the pictures of the other planets which I have allowed man to see, scarred and void of life.

Quote in box:

"In the spirit world they're in conflict with each other just like we in the physical world have wars, and physical, mortal, human beings in violent war with each other can affect each other physically. So in the spirit world there is also a war going on—a spiritual war where they're really affecting each other with what you might call physical force or violence! I got something the other day when watching a documentary on Venus where they were showing the deep craters the entire surface is pockmarked with—that this was as a result of a fierce battle between good and bad angels" (ML #2075:19, Vol.16).

End of quote.

So yes, there was a battle, as there often is in the spirit, and yes, these ones perished through its physical manifestations. But it was the result of man's wickedness, and especially the turning away of those who have had the light but have turned back to the darkness. I allowed it to show them where they are heading, but will they heed?

I speak to them as I did to Israel of old‚ "How oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathers her chicks, but you would not." They shall go forth to their own destruction as she did. But I will keep and protect My children who love and obey Me, those whose hearts are right with Me and who do not just say, "Lord‚ Lord," while they do not do the things I ask and their hearts are far from Me. Though My faithful and obedient ones shall see a thousand fall at their side and ten thousand at their right hand, they shall also see My shield of protection hallowing them about that they may walk through the fire and the storm and come out without even the smell of smoke. (End of message from Jesus.)

NASA probes energy discharges in space

By Joe Kovacs, WorldNetDaily; San Francisco Chronicle

Editor: In researching the causes of the Columbia disaster, we came across some news articles which appear to confirm that Columbia passed through a battle in space—and that such spiritual battles in space take place on a regular basis!

"Wow." That was astronaut Tammy Jernigan's stunned reaction when she viewed a photo of what appears to be space shuttle Columbia getting zapped by a purplish electrical bolt shortly before it disintegrated.

The photo was one of five captured by an amateur astronomer in San Francisco who routinely snaps pictures of shuttles when they pass over the Bay area. The pictures were taken just seven minutes before Columbia's fatal demise.

"[The photos] clearly record an electrical discharge like a lightning bolt flashing past, and I was snapping the pictures almost exactly ... when the Columbia may have begun breaking up during reentry‚" the photographer told the San Francisco Chronicle.

"In the critical shot," states the Chronicle, "a glowing purple rope of light corkscrews down toward the plasma trail, appears to pass behind it, then cuts sharply toward it from below. As it merges with the plasma trail, the streak itself brightens for a distance, then fades."

"I couldn't see the discharge with my own eyes, but it showed up clear and bright on the film when I developed it," the photographer said. "But I'm not going to speculate about what it might be."

As NASA continues its probe into the precise cause of the space shuttle Columbia disaster, government researchers are confirming the recording of explosions as the orbiter broke apart during its fatal descent.

According to a report in the Toledo Blade, some scientists believe the recordings could shed light on the theory that an electrical phenomenon called a "blue jet" knocked the shuttle out of the sky.

"We have detected sounds from shuttle reentries in the past," Dr. Alfred Bedard Jr. of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said when asked about the content of infrasound recordings from Columbia. "But we've been asked not to discuss the results publicly, and we will honor that request."

Bedard, part of a panel of scientists who reported on infrasound research at the national meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Denver, has used infrasound sensor arrays stationed in Colorado to listen for mysterious electrical discharges in the upper atmosphere.

The Blade reports pilots and amateur astronomers have reported glimpsing the phenomenon for years, but the lack of scientific confirmation led to terms such as "elves," "sprites," "sprite halos," "blue jets," and even "trolls."

Such discharges have since been verified, and are now known as Transient Luminous Events, taking place above thunderstorms and lightning strikes.

Signs in the Sky, and a Warning of Things to Come on Earth

(Jesus speaking:) I place signs and warnings before My children. Those who are looking to Me, watching and listening, can catch them. This is one such significant warning‚ which is a foreshadowing of the events to come in the years ahead. It is a foreshadowing of America's fall from power and the rise of another power, the final world power before My return. It heralds the rise of the King of the North, the revival of his land from seeming death and defeat, and the revival of the Roman Empire of old in his new one world empire. The brutality of American policy against any who oppose her rule has filled America's cup to the full, and the handwriting of her fall is upon the wall.

The cries of both the downtrodden and those of My children who see the horrors being done, supposedly in My name, have brought the times of judgment to the fore. This war with Iraq which the American government is hell-bent on precipitating is going to be the beginning of the end of its world domination. It will take time for its total collapse and final destruction in one calamitous hour, but the gears of the End have begun to turn, and this sign of the Columbia disaster is a foreshadowing of the defeats and fall of America herself, events which have already taken place in the spirit.

There is much more significance behind the many details of this accident than meets the eye. The Americans and the Israelis joined hands to reach for the stars in Columbia‚ just as they have joined hands on Earth to seek power and glory, and to brutally suppress any who would dare to stand up against them. But the very forces which they think they have overcome will be their undoing.

They thought they had overcome the forces of nature in being able to pass through the atmosphere unhindered and to share this glory. For the first time the Americans and the Israelis teamed up on this mission‚ hand joined in hand, to conquer space. But as I lifted My hand of protection, their glory came to a fiery end. Their pride and arrogance have been humbled, but this is only the beginning of their humiliation at My hand. They exalted themselves to the heavens, but I brought them down to the dust.

I do not need the hands of man to turn their hypocrisy back upon their own heads, for I recompense in My time and way. If they would see their wrongs and submit to My chastening, I would forgive, but as with Israel of old in Jeremiah's time‚ their pride and arrogance will eventually bring them to their destruction.

Things are going to heat up considerably in the months ahead, and though there will still be openness and freedom in some places, there will be less of a chance to reach the lost in others. Many doors will begin closing in places which are now open, but if you look to Me I will always open another door to you when one closes.

The skies are growing dark as night approaches and as storms draw near. It is a time of great storms, with lightning flashing and thunder booming. It will be a time of great trouble, though there is still time before the darkness overwhelms the earth.

Yet, for many people this time before the storms break will be their last chance. So I call you to feed My sheep and feed yourselves while you can, while the supplies are abundant and time is available. For there is precious little of this time of peace left. You may measure the time in months and weeks and days, as the last grains of sand fall through the hourglass and the confusion begins to build all around. (End of message from Jesus.)

The Great Confusion Is Coming

(Dad speaking: ) The Endtime is here, bringing with it all the many details we've talked about for years—things that the Lord predicted in His Word thousands of years ago, for that matter—the rise of the Antichrist, the Crash, the wars, with nation rising against nation, and the Covenant and the Temple. I taught you about these things in class after class and Letter after Letter, and now we've reached that time‚ the period that Grandmother called the Great Confusion. Of course‚ when I was there on Earth I thought this time was going to hit sooner. But since coming here, I've seen how many factors were involved and connected, and how certain events were held up‚ which held up others.

Now don't go running off proclaiming the great Tribulation is beginning tomorrow, or the last Seven Years. That's not what the Lord said, nor what I'm saying. We're talking about the Great Confusion. Like I told you years ago‚ the U.S. has slowly been sinking for a long time. Its economy has made little comebacks, but after each rise they sink further than they come back to, and it's about to take a dive like you've never seen before. It's going to pull down a lot more than just itself and a few neighbors.

The U.S. financial system and economy will rise a bit at first when they really try to get into full swing with this war‚ but it's going to be very short–lived, as America finds that it's fighting not only little Iraq, but God Himself. When I saw that shuttle explosion, that sign from the Lord, I knew it was significant. It was a sign in the sky, not just an accident or some technical mishap, and when the Lord does things like that, it means it's time for action!

We're about to see some very significant personages come on the scene and definite movements as the End comes closer. It's not that it hasn't been moving‚ but it's like watching a car coming toward you. From a distance, it looks like the car isn't even moving. Then, once it reaches a certain point, you're able to see the movement. The closer it gets, the more aware of its speed you become. We've been watching this one coming for a long time, and some people have gotten bored and walked away, deciding it wasn't really moving after all. But we're at the point where the movement is going to be seen more clearly, and it won't be long till you see it racing right at you at great speed!

So you'd better get busy stocking up the grain in your hearts for those times ahead when it won't be flowing as abundantly, at least not in the form it's in now. Are you beginning to get the picture of why the Lord called for a Word revolution in each of your lives this year? It couldn't wait any longer. Like they say, "make hay while the sun shines," because there's quite a storm on the horizon and you'd better brace yourselves and tie things down. By the time you start to feel the rain‚ it's going to be too late to start preparing. (End of message from Dad.)

Columbia and historic omens

By Martin Sieff, The Globalist

Editor: The Lord said that the destruction of Columbia was a sign, a warning—a foreshadowing of things to come. In the Bible, He Himself used such signs‚ and even advised His followers to look for them. "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things‚ know that it is near, even at the doors. … Watch therefore" (Matthew 24:32‚33,42).

Prophetic signs have occurred in more recent times too, and the following news article lists a few of them.

"When beggars die, there are no comets seen. [But] the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes." William Shakespeare's famous words in his classic play "Julius Caesar" bear tribute to one of the oldest, most widely and deeply held superstitions of the human race.

That is, dramatic omens and extraordinary acts of fate—both wonderful and horrendous—are supposed to foreshadow dramatic changes in the human order of things as well.

What is truly remarkable is how often this apparently irrational belief is subsequently justified by the course of events.

The sinking of the White Star luxury liner Titanic in April 1912 later came to be seen as an eerie foreshadowing of the end of an age of fabled peace and privilege with the outbreak of World War I, which occurred less than two and a half years later.

The arrogance and hate-filled racist ideology of Nazi Germany suffered a humiliating setback when the great black athlete Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games the Nazis hosted in Berlin.

And when Reactor Number Four at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the western Ukraine went into critical meltdown after a bungled safety test went wrong in April 1986, the worst nuclear accident in history that followed did much more than claim thousands of lives. It also signaled the start of the decline and fall of the hitherto mighty Soviet Union.

With all these previous lessons in intimations of mortality on the grand scale, one would have to be blinder than a bat to deny the awesome, awful symbolism that surrounded the crash and destruction of the U.S. space shuttle Columbia on Saturday morning, February 1, 2003.

It is always stunning when a great ship or aircraft named to symbolize an entire nation or cause is suddenly and dramatically destroyed, especially if the cause is Act of God rather than act of man.

What then can—or should—be said about the catastrophic loss of a spaceship carrying the symbolic name attributed to America itself?

Is it an omen of bad things to come in the near future for the District of Columbia, the U.S. capital district? And what about the fact that the shuttle disintegrated, a blazing star, over the Lone Star State of Texas, home of the current 43rd President of the United States? Or the fact that the disaster occurred only weeks before Mr. Bush was expected to launch a war against Iraq?

That event is one about which many people within the United States as well as around the world already have grave misgivings well before it starts.

There is certainly grim irony—to put it mildly—in the reports that Colonel Ilan Ramon, the first ever Israeli astronaut, who perished on the Columbia is one of the ace pilots who derailed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's nuclear ambitions by destroying his Osirak nuclear reactor in 1981.

And, for that matter‚ Colonel Ramon and the rest of the Columbia crew died when the shuttle disintegrated over, among other places, the small city of Palestine, Texas.

In the years to come, these coincidences—if they are coincidences—may come to be dismissed with a shrug. Or they may be remembered as eerily prescient.

The great writer Arthur Koestler once wrote a book entitled The Roots of Coincidence. In it, he explored precisely this kind of strange synchronicity which in fact occurs in both historical records and in the experience of many people far more often than is usually realized.

Shakespeare had a sensible and eloquent way of expressing the need to keep an open mind on such matters. He had Hamlet, Prince of Denmark‚ tell his friend‚ "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

What lessons should we therefore take from the eerie symbolism that suggests itself so naturally from the Columbia tragedy?

Perhaps another great English poet, Rudyard Kipling, provided the answer in his 1914 poem "The Covenant."

In it, he warned another all–conquering and world spanning hyper-power—his own—that all its unprecedented wealth and power, military might and groundbreaking, unequaled technology could not hope to defy the workings of fate or rashly claim the eternal and unconditional favor and protection of God.

"We thought we ranked above the chance of ill. Others might fall‚ not we, for we were wise—Merchants in freedom. Neither God's judgment nor man's heart was turned."

Tragedies, Judgments and Vengeance

(Dad speaking:) This sort of thing has to happen from time to time to humble men and to knock man's technology off of its high-falutin' pedestal and help bring them back to the Lord. I sympathize with the families and relatives of the astronauts, of course. Lord help those poor folks—and He wants to and will. As they turn to our dear Savior, He'll comfort them and soothe their aching hearts, and help them through this time of sorrow. Well, there's no need to mourn for many of the astronauts, as they're home in Heaven, freed from pain and suffering and the flesh forevermore! Hallelujah!

The Lord let this disaster happen for a number of reasons. For one thing, this mission was being touted as an unprecedented cooperation of the U.S. and Israel in space travel. Imagine, while Israel is in the midst of persecuting and oppressing the Palestinians, defying Security Council resolutions itself and possessing all sorts of weapons of mass destruction—the very thing the U.S. is about to attack Iraq for—the U.S. still decides to honor Israel by sending the first Israeli astronaut into space! They were asking for trouble, and they got it. The Lord also intended it as a humbling of the Israeli people, who have been so cruel, heartless and evil in their mistreatment of the poor Palestinians.

Do any of you doubt that the Lord will take just vengeance? Just watch what's coming. Things are going to go terribly wrong for the Israelis because they have rejected God and His people, they have persecuted the poor, they have shed innocent blood, and He is about to give them their just rewards. This is only the beginning of sorrows for the Israelis.

This was part of God's judgment upon them. Some of you may feel bad that the Lord had to do this to get their attention, but just remember what they are doing on a daily basis. They are murderers of innocents, killers of children, decriers of the poor and needy. The Lord will not stand for that, and this is part of His judgment on them.

Of course, the Palestinians aren't without guilt themselves. Some of them have also shed innocent blood. They've sent suicide bombers to kill dozens of poor men, women and children who were doing nothing to harm them nor their cause, who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Lord hates violence, bloodshed, slaughter, and the death of the innocent no matter who causes it! He's no respecter of persons, and all will eventually reap what they've sown, Israelis and Palestinians alike.

The reason I'm majoring on the Israelis here is because they're the ones who have sown so much death, injury, destruction and oppression on the Palestinians through the occupation of their lands for decades now. They're an occupying power‚ in defiance of many international laws and God Himself, and they even blame the Palestinians for resisting their occupation!

"Why did this happen?" is what all the scientists and mission experts are asking themselves. Sadly‚ they do not see the real answer. God is not pleased with America or Israel, and God will not be mocked. They have been defying God, rebelling against God, in persecuting and oppressing and attacking the poor of other nations, despite the warnings of His prophets, their own religious leaders, the people of their own country, the people of other countries‚ and God Himself! But did they listen? No, they could not even blush‚ as the Bible says, so the Lord had to let this tragedy happen.

But let's look at a greater tragedy. Look at how America has ruined Afghanistan, and Iraq in the first Gulf War and for 12 years since then, and Vietnam and many other little nations. Look how the Israelis have ruined what poor little parcels of land make up Palestine, which is more like a prison camp. Look at their atrocities and bloodshed in Lebanon before that. Look at the bigger picture. While the Americans mourn the loss of 7 people‚ the world and the heavenlies mourn the loss of many more, thousands who never heard about Jesus but were brutally killed by American and Israeli aggression.

The Lord allowed this to humble the American people and to try to wake them up, but for the most part, they have not heeded. Their ears are dull and hard of hearing when it comes to the Lord's messages. In fact, they've even had the audacity to wonder how God could do this, how He could let this happen to them‚ such a righteous and godly people. Some have even gone so far in their frustration, outrage and lack of faith that curses have been on their lips toward God. They have not seen nor heard, and now‚ sadly, they harden their hearts even more against the God of love and they turn to the god of hate, the god of this world, the Devil.

The Lord meant this as a warning, as a call to repentance and humility, a call to return to Him and to acknowledge Him in all their ways. Instead‚ they immediately searched for some man or some mistake to blame, some technological fault or failing, not acknowledging God at all. And for some of those who did acknowledge God's role, it was only to wonder why He'd permit such evil, and to accuse Him of abuse. Oh foolish man‚ foolish USA‚ foolish Israel, to think they can fight against God! God will not be mocked, and their time will come. He will not forsake His Own‚ and He will put an end to the evils that these two nations have perpetrated on the Earth.

I feel for the poor people who lost loved ones and whose hearts are broken, but for the rest of these nations' occupants I feel anger. I am enraged at the hardness of their hearts‚ these oppressors of the poor. They walk in their pride, saying, "Who is there that will challenge our great might?" But it's a dangerous path to walk, because when you begin to shake your fist in God's face in angry defiance, He lets His judgments fall, and then there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.

It's a good time for the Family to witness about these matters‚ because you can get through to those whose hearts are convicted‚ though they are few, and your witness can work in the hearts of those whom the Lord is working on and trying to get to turn to Him. Thereby perhaps many will turn to the Lord. But if these people don't turn to the Lord, great will be their suffering, because the Lord will not tolerate their arrogance much longer. He will come with wrath in His hand and pour out His judgments on those who have so forgotten His way that they think they do God a service in this violence they perpetrate.

Witness to as many as you can, but know that many have turned from God and hardened their hearts and will not be receptive. The End is nearly upon you, and even now approaches like a storm's dark clouds and thunder in the distance. It is coming, and none shall escape that time. But for now, expect to see greater evil, greater pride, and greater arrogance from these nations, till the Lord returns to mete out to them their just rewards. God's will be done!

Arrogance: What Is It Good For? Absolute Disasters!

By Dr. Bernard Weiner‚ The Crisis Papers

There is a direct connection between the Columbia shuttle disaster, the U.S. reaction to the Twin Towers/Pentagon attacks, and the coming war with Iraq: the arrogance of power.

The Bush Administration believes it has a lock on all wisdom, it knows what is best for us Americans, and for everyone else in the world—because, as Bush told us in his State of the Union address, America acts in the world under God's divine protection, and he, Bush‚ is the representative of the nation and thus, we are led to believe, operates under God's [support or protection] as well.

Given this arrogant, we-know-it-all attitude, there was no reason, then, for Bush and his subordinates to listen to the technical experts who warned early last year, and even as recent as last August, about the disaster-in-the-making for the space shuttle and its crews unless certain procedures and processes were fixed. These NASA experts were ignored by Bush and his advisors, and removed from their positions.

And, given this same arrogant tone, there is no reason to listen to the millions of Americans‚ and to most of our allies abroad, who tell Bush and his war-bent cronies that attacking Iraq at this moment, more or less unilaterally with no U.N-authorized international coalition at our side, is the height of folly, and will bring ruin and chaos not only to Iraq but to the United States as well.

As with everyone else, I'm appalled too by the tragedy of the Columbia explosion. But let's put things in perspective here. This is a tragedy‚ to be sure, but it pales in comparison to what's about to go down in the Persian Gulf.

NASA's Military Research

By Yoichi Clark Shimatsu, Pacific News Service

NASA is not simply a civilian space agency devoted to the high-minded cause of scientific discovery. The agency that originated as an extension of the Air Force has persisted in its often-disguised mission of military research. Columbia's tragic last mission was no exception.

Columbia's countdown to launch saw unprecedented security measures that included machine gun-toting guards eyeballing and body–searching NASA engineers and visiting dignitaries. NASA acknowledged that such measures were more than post-9/11 caution and were due to the presence of astronaut and Israeli Air Force pilot Col. Ilan Ramon.

Ramon was a living symbol of Israeli-American aerospace cooperation, which has included the Arrow interception technology incorporated into Patriot missiles (used in the Gulf War) and the sale of U.S.–built F-16s and helicopter gunships sent by the Ariel Sharon government to attack Palestinian villages in the West Bank.

Ramon was no bystander in the Mideast conflict. He received flight training at a U.S. Air Force base in Utah in the 1970s, became a pilot in the Israeli Air Force and was part of an Israeli bombing mission that destroyed an Iraqi nuclear power plant in 1981.

His military role aboard Columbia went beyond symbolic value. Ramon's mission involved an Israeli-built all–weather camera which is a key technology for military spy satellites and unmanned drones searching for targets obscured by dust, smoke and clouds. These murky atmospheric conditions exactly fit the scenario of the looming war against Iraq.

Israel is midway through a drive to establish a space program, much of it devoted to military purposes. So is India, the birthplace of the other "international" astronaut‚ Kalpana Chawla. Her research background in robotics and aerodynamics was also of interest to weapons designers. Her notable achievement was to design systems to control air turbulence during landing, a serious problem for vertical-landing aircraft such as the Harrier fighter or the accident-prone Osprey hybrid helicopter.

God and shuttles

By Manny Fernandez and Robert E. Pierre, Washington Post

Astronaut Rick D. Husband [the commander of the Columbia, who died in the accident] returned from his first trip to outer space in the summer of 1999 with a striking message.

Being an astronaut "was not the absolute culmination of everything there is to life on Earth," he told the packed sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church in his hometown of Amarillo, Texas. "As exciting as a ride on the space shuttle may seem, I have to say that it's not as important as my relationship with Jesus. If it came to a point where I had to choose one or the other, I'd give up the shuttle ride in a minute."

Husband, 45, made two trips to the stars and flew more than 40 types of aircraft as a decorated pilot for the Air Force. But those who knew him say his greatest accomplishment was balancing a lifelong pursuit to become an astronaut with a steadfast devotion to his family and his Lord.

When he gave autographs‚ he scrawled two numbers after his name—STS-96, his first mission as part of a NASA crew that docked with the international space station, and Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."

After failing three times to become an astronaut candidate, he said, he prayed on his fourth attempt to help him pass a crucial eye exam with his troublesome 20/50 left eye. His wife, Evelyn, fasted and alerted the prayer chain at their church. He passed, and was finally on his way to Houston.

He once said, "There is no way that you can look at the stars, at the Earth, at the moon, and not come to realize that there is a God out there who has a plan and who laid out the universe."

(Jesus speaking: ) This man sought a chance to tell his crew members about Me, and he got it in the few moments before the shuttle broke apart, when he was able to utter a prayer and acknowledge Me, committing himself to Me and My care once again. And now he and many of his crew are here with Me, free of both the bonds of Earth and the encumbrances of the flesh!

How proud I am of those who are willing to stand up for Me in the midst of skeptics and unbelievers, to face the opposition of science falsely so-called or the doubts and criticism of those who have little faith, and to say they believe in Me no matter what! In the midst of a scientific, materialistic environment, they still cling to Me as Creator and Savior.

They have not been ashamed of Me and I am not ashamed of them, but greet them with joy and confess before My Father and all the angels, "These are My beloved who enter into My joy. Great is their reward in Heaven!" (End of message from Jesus.)

By Bonnie Pritchett, Baptist Press

Those most intimately involved in the space shuttle program know there may never be a definitive answer to why the orbiter broke apart Feb. 1 upon reentry into the earth's atmosphere. But those who know shuttles and the Lord know the ultimate answer to all the questions of "Why?" can only be found in the sovereignty of the one true God.

"We are dealing with a God who is in control," said Mike Red‚ who has worked for the NASA engineering directorate at Johnson Space Center since 1986. "God takes tragedy and turns it to triumph. I believe that."

Recognizing the sovereignty of God keeps things in perspective for David Leestma. Having served as mission specialist on three shuttle flights, he is well–acquainted with the potential risk every astronaut takes when he suits up for a mission. "Christians know," he said, "that life here is a vapor."

But those who do not know Jesus as Savior, Leestma said, tend to respond to these tragedies with a sense of outrage because they have no hope. But Christians, he added, can use this tragedy as an opportunity to minister to those who are grieving.

(Jesus speaking:) Blessed are you‚ My dear loves, who comfort others and minister to others, and I will comfort you and minister to you in your times of need. As you have sown, so will you reap.

Use this incident to sow even more and reap even more, for it is a reminder to men that they know not what shall be on the morrow. Their life is but a vapor that appears for just a little time and then vanishes away, unless it is merged with Me.

No amount of technology can preserve them when that time comes; only I can keep them as they come to know Me. And they can carry no amount of gold or silver or precious things with them—only the love and goodness they themselves have sown on Earth, or the deeds they have done for Me. These are the true values of life‚ and they endure forever! (End of message from Jesus.)

Tidbits

Facts on Shuttle Columbia. (Peter Pae and Ralph Vartabedian, Los Angeles Times) Columbia was called the "first true spaceship," a winged rocket that would revolutionize space travel. Its major components were built by more than 11,000 workers.

First launched in 1981—the same year fax machines were introduced—Columbia was the oldest shuttle in the fleet.

Columbia was launched 28 times in the years that followed, but more than 70% of the time it was delayed at least once because of technical problems, and in some cases the orbiter was hampered by repeated aborts for weeks at a time, according to NASA reports.

The 181,000-pound Columbia was about the size of a Boeing 737, had 2.5 million parts, 230 miles of wiring, and 1,060 pumping valves. Each launch cost more than $400 million.

Dad on Space Waste. "Think of the billions being spent on space exploration, when people around the world are suffering so much! With all of the Earth's problems, to be going off playing in space is ridiculous! Billions of dollars being spent on nothing—literally nothing, space—when people are dying in wars‚ and people are suffering! It's ridiculous! You can hardly believe the gall they have to say that all those shuttle flights have done a lot of good for the U.S.! What good has it done for them? They've just wasted billions on space, billions on nothing, when people on Earth are suffering from recession, disease, war and natural disasters! … The trouble is, they do make some sort of non-essential discovery once in a while, and it allows them to keep wasting the money" (ML #2887:11, Lifelines 21).

Picture captions in text:

Page 1:

The Columbia blasting off.

Debris from Columbia burning up upon reentry after the shuttle broke apart

Page 2:

Columbia gliding in to a past landing—how things should have gone

Page 4:

A "blue jet" filmed over Puerto Rico. Blue jets can extend 70 km into the atmosphere

Image from a NASA video recovered from the shuttle wreckage showing the flight deck of Columbia as it passed over the central Pacific Ocean on Feb. 1‚ 2003. Commander Rick Husband is on the left and pilot Willie McCool is on the right.

Page 5:

Ilan Ramon, then 27 years old, talks of the danger of flying after bombing a nuclear reactor in Iraq during a 1981 interview broadcast in Israel for the first time after the Columbia space shuttle disaster.

Page 7:

Columbia's crew (L-R): Mission Commander Rick Husband, Pilot William McCool, Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon (the first Israeli astronaut), Mission Specialist David Brown, Payload Commander Michael Anderson, Mission Specialist Laurel Clark and Kalpana Chawla

Page 8:

A portrait of space shuttle Columbia commander Rick Husband sits in front of his empty choir seat before the start of a memorial service for Husband and crew member Michael Anderson at the church that they both attended in Houston.

The shuttle making a nighttime landing in years past

President Bush, center‚ and the first lady, left, join Evelyn Husband, wife of Col. Rick Husband, during a memorial service for the astronauts of the shuttle Columbia at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

End of File