Bob Thiel's Blog, page 1022

BBC: ‘Could the European Union fall apart?’

COGwriter The BBC posted the following: Could the European Union fall apart? 6 December 2016 It has been a dreadful year for the European Union. It has just got a lot worse. Next year could transform a looming existential threat into a terminal reality. … The Italian vote means, as here, a populist, anti-establishment surge [...]

What is the truth about ‘St. Nicholas’?

Russian Iconic Portrayal of Nicholas of Myra COGwriter Who was the real Catholic and Orthodox saint called Nicholas? Here are some answers from a Catholic monsignor priest: The Real St. Nicholas – Not Fat and Not Very Jolly Either. (Dec 6) is the Feast of St. Nicholas. The real St. Nicholas was nothing close to [...]

Secular radio and Bible News Prophecy online radio

COGwriter As long-term readers are aware, I, Dr. Bob Thiel, AKA COGwriter have frequently been a radio guest. However, since many times the interviews are last minute, they are usually not announced here. However, there are two radio interviews currently scheduled for this week, so I thought I would announce them. For the first,  on [...]

Italy and Austria have voted–what’s next?

No on Italian Constitution Change committee logo COGwriter The results of yesterday’s elections in Italy and Austria mean leadership changes in both of those countries. First notice a report related to Italy: 5 December 2016 “My government ends today,” said Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi just after midnight on Monday, in a televised address from [...]

The Tannebaum Religion

COGwriter The Wall Street Journal ran an article before that contained the following: The Stranger in the House Christmas trees arrived in England and America only in the mid-19th century… The Tannenbaum (which simply means “fir tree”) came to be associated, apocryphally or not, with Martin Luther. Because of that, many Catholics in Germany once [...]

Austria vote may turn to the ‘right’

Norbert Hofer (© Bwag/Wikimedia) COGwriter Austrians went to the polls Sunday: December 4, 2016 VIENNA —Austrians went to the polls Sunday in a re-run election that could see front-runner Norbert Hofer elected, making him Austria’s first far-right president since World War II. Voters are driven largely by anti-establishment sentiments and anger over issues of immigration, [...]

Donald tweets and Boris speaks on tariffs

Donald Trump and Boris Johnson COGwriter Donald Trump sent out tariff threats over his Twitter account: December 4, 2016 President-elect Donald Trump fired off Sunday morning with a Tweetstorm (after again complaining about the “totally biased, not funny ” Saturday Night Live), and in a series of six tweets threatened heavy taxes as “retribution” for [...]

BibleNewsProphecy: The Panama Canal and its Impact on Biblical Prophecy

COGwriter The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel: 8:59 The Panama Canal and its Impact on Biblical Prophecy Do you know much of the history of the Panama Canal? Is there anything in the Bible to support the idea that the USA could [...]

Italy has a referendum–will it be part of a unified Europe?

No on Constitution Change committee logo COGwriter Italians have a major vote on December 4, 2016: December 3, 2016 ROME — With his career on the line, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi made a final appeal to Italians on Friday to support a crucial referendum to change the constitution, saying Italy could become Europe’s strongest nation [...]

Zephaniah: Gather together

Imagined Depiction of Zephaniah (center) Speaking COGwriter December 3rd had traditionally been a date some have honored the prophet Zephaniah, who Catholics tend to call Sophonias (a Latinized form of his name). “The prophet Zephaniah lived and wrote about 630 B.C.” (Armstrong HW. The Proof of the Bible, 1958). The Catholic Encyclopedia notes: The date [...]