News and Prophecy Staff

On May 6, 2012 France elected François Hollande as the new president, ousting Nicolas Sarkozy.  Mr. Hollande, a socialist, has pledged to reverse the course set by Mr. Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (BBC News, May 7, 2012).   France is a leading nation in Europe, but its fluctuating governmental policies may force Germany to assume a more dominant role in Europe.

Today, it is popular to believe that living together before marriage increases the likelihood of success in a future marriage.  In the USA, “the majority of young adults in their 20’s will live with a romantic partner at least once, and more than half of all marriages will be preceded by cohabitation.”  However scientific research points to just the opposite!  Studies show, “Couples who cohabit before marriage (and especially before an engagement or an otherwise clear commitment) tend to be less satisfied with their marriage—and more

In the United States,atheism is growing faster than any religious group.  Nearly 20% of Americans now avoid “organized religion in favor of a non-defined skepticism about faith.”  Many are leaving organized religion as American society becomes more secular.  These church dropouts are turned off by the increasingly political nature of organized religion and by “Old Testament condemnations of homosexuals, premarital sex, contraception and abortion.

In Sweden, “gender equality” begins in preschool. Sweden’s national preschool curriculum states, “Preschools should counteract traditional gender patterns and gender roles. In preschools, girls and boys should have the same opportunities to test and develop abilities and interests without being limited by stereotypical gender roles.”

Last week, North Korea celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of the nation’s founding president, Kim Il-Sung. The centerpiece of the celebrations was a rocket launch to put a satellite into orbit.  However, the rocket disintegrated a few minutes after lift-off.  South Korean president Lee criticized the launch, and “said the estimated $850 million cost of a rocket launch… could have bought 2.5 million tons of corn” for the starving, food-aid dependent nation. The South also unveiled a “new cruise missile said to be able to reach any target in the North.”