This writer’s secular career has been influenced by the Austrian School of Economics. One of the best and most known scholars from this school was Ludwig von Mises. (He was one of its main founders.) Particularly influential was his work Human Action: A Treatise on Economics (first published in 1940).

Economists are sometimes venerated, but of course, no economist—good or bad—can predict the future with any durable accuracy. But economic clairvoyance is not why we reference the Austrian School. We are more interested in theory … the questions that explain the impact that human actions have on economies and world trends.

An esteemed friend and mentor—the late Dr. Kurt Richebächer, one of the first jet-setting “global market economists”—taught this analyst about the necessity to understand economic theory. He was a devotee of the Austrian School. Rather than relying solely upon quantitative modeling, his reasoning was that if you cannot explain the causality behind the statistic—in other words, the theory—then it can be very dangerous to rely on that economic statistic.

Most other economics schools do not bother much with such theory, but rather focus on the surface mathematics. Yes, math is useful, but the motivations of mankind cannot be modeled with numbers and formulas. Why? The human is much too complex and inconsistent. As Dr. Mises emphasized, human action is the outcome of values, beliefs, expectations, and their changes. There need be no rhyme or logical reason. Humans can change their minds on a dime … capriciously and quixotically.

In fact, humans are perpetually prone to change their minds about beliefs and values (and anything else, for that matter). This is a key characteristic that distinguishes God from man. Says the Bible: “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19; cf. 1 Samuel 15:29; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17). God does not change; humans do.

And lately, humanity has been collectively changing values and views on an epic scale as never before. Mankind has been radically changing his mind with respect to his values and beliefs (the existence of God, families, morals …etc.). In our view, such changes have been quite sudden. It is just as this popular saying implies: “Make your own reality.” Changes in views can be driven by nothing more than whimsy … having no foundation. Yet, in turn, this drives human actions.

Some observers today make the case that mankind has entered the Anthropocene Age, where human actions are thought to actually impact the universe itself. That claim may be overreaching, but not so the changes in human beliefs. They, indeed, have become overarching.

We will discuss three such changes in values and show their impact on “human actions.”

1. Global Financial Fascism (Global Climate Change Actions)

Readers will recognize that concerns about global warming have struck fear into the hearts of many people. It is a concern that has swept the world in recent decades. According to a Pew Research Center survey, climate change is the top global threat in the public’s mind across 19 developed countries.

There have been world-sweeping initiatives to convince all people on earth that they are witnessing an unfolding global “climate change” crisis. This growing human belief—also considered an agenda, correct or not—is powerfully driving huge “human actions.”

But why would this be considered a change of views or values? For several reasons.

For one, it is partly a “manufactured” viewpoint that has emerged relatively recently … only several decades ago or so. Yet to date, there is no scientific proof as to the impact of rising emissions, nor the assurance that all anti-carbon initiatives being proposed today will actually make a difference in the future. There is no proven theory. And, even while there are no such proofs, it is claimed that a “scientific consensus” exists on these issues by those who promote fears of climate change. It goes without saying that those who disagree are, therefore, not allowed to be part of the consensus. Instead, they are ostracized … just as is the case with Creationists.

However, to be truthful, the world’s response to theories of climate change remains unsettled. Globally, emissions (mainly CO2 and methane) in the atmosphere are indeed rising.

Yet, global warming advocates continue to push their agenda very aggressively. This should not be a surprise, as “climate change” is potentially lucrative … at many levels. Also, it must not be overlooked that “global warming” actions give rise to oppressive controls, both domestically and globally.

Also, it would be true to say that the “global warming” proponents are not above brutal tactics in shutting down any opposition to their initiatives, scientific or otherwise. These measures, in many cases, border on financial fascism.

That said, some backlash is emerging. Certain major corporations and banks are protesting the massive “anti-carbon” regulations being introduced.

We come back to our main point. Virtually the entire world has changed its view to align with a global warming crisis … and all its threatening attendant impacts. Yet, it is not a proven matter.

2. Change in Familialism: Declining Fertility

It is an earth-shaking development … a fast-emerging post-familial world. It reflects a massive change in human values that will have an alarming world impact in the future. In fact, that future is already here.

Just what is unfolding today that demographic trends reveal? In short, there are two main contributing trends—one good, the other bad. First, human longevity (length of life) has continued to increase for much of the world … to the continued surprise of actuaries. This trend is largely the outcome of advancing medical technology and prosperity. Its main impact is revealed in the aging of the population.

Traditionally, lengthening longevity has been considered a beneficial development. People are living longer than ever before. A “good old age” was once considered a blessing, according to the Bible. But sadly, today, a long life has begun to be regarded as a curse. To understand this, we must also connect another demographic trend—plunging fertility. It is a highly malignant factor that will continue to accelerate worldwide.

It boils down to this: Humanity has made an about-face and simply changed its mind on having offspring. Children are no longer considered to be a blessing from the Lord (see Psalm 127:3).

Increasingly, households are deciding not to have children—let alone starting up households at all. This is partly attributable to post- or anti-familialism. More and more, people are choosing not to marry or have children. Families are under siege.

Shockingly, not only are female fertility rates at new lows, but also male fertility is decaying rapidly. In the case of males, we must point out that the decline in fertility is not entirely the result of human choice. For some (still unexplained) reason, sperm counts have declined at a steep pace over recent decades.

Lengthening longevity and post-familialism are the major cause of the aging of the world’s population. Critically, these factors are accelerating. Today, the future has arrived … the chickens having come home to roost.

And so, the time has come where the human values shift (declining households with children) has caused alarming demographic trends. This has unleashed desperate responses … these also an extension of the endtime maelstrom of changes.

People are clamoring to save for their retirement years and to find sufficient future financial income. A very large cohort of older people will experience difficult retirement years. They will not be able to afford a comfortable retirement as they may once have anticipated.

3. End of a Unipolar World

A recent G20 meeting shows that the world is no longer cow-towing to the US and other high-income countries. Even Vladimir Putin had been invited to attend.

Major countries openly refuse to align their policies with that of the US. The world is therefore bifurcating into two competing orbs. Included here are China, India, and others.

It is key to understand that this is a raw rift which will likely become much more protracted in the future. The world is becoming more polarized, broadly, into two factions—America plus EU (Anglo-Saxon) versus Rest-of-World. (The former group is essentially all of Roman influence or Roman offshoots.)

Consider the sweeping sanctions that the US and Europe have imposed on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine, which have triggered countermeasures. A form of financial fascism (weaponizing) appears to have taken place.

In the cause of fighting Russia’s actions (whether right or wrong), everything became allowable. Centralized world trade and financial systems were marshaled to shut down an entire country. We can now count on the rest of the world to never allow themselves to be held hostage by the Western Bloc of nations. If Russia can be singled out for sanctions (deserved or not), then why not any other country?

The bottom line? It is a new world. Values have changed. The Roman-type countries are to be deposed as de facto world rulers. From this point forward, the globe must be seen as two opposing factions … shifting into global rivalry between two orbs. This ushers in major change and volatility ahead. Again, such monumental shifts of global scale align with endtime agendas.

Thoughts to Ponder

Changes in human actions have had explosive impacts upon political economy and financial trends in recent decades. Changes of this type have truly been monumental … indeed, unprecedented in recent decades.

Where is this all leading? What definitely can be concluded is that changes in views and values of epic scale are unfolding in these days. It is key to see that these massive changes in views are of human nature … matters of the heart and mind.

We have no reason to expect that these changes in “human views” will lead to a better world. Quite the opposite. The Bible says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). We expect the opposite and see these changes as being emblematic of an endtime world. According to the Bible, changes are to come in as a flood (Daniel 9:26). It would not be unreasonable to identify the values and moral changes that we see today as a defining part of this endtime maelstrom.

“The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5). The world today is again at a similar nexus point.

…

Wilfred J. Hahn is a global economist/strategist. Formerly a top-ranked global analyst, research director for a major Wall Street investment bank, and head of Canada’s largest global investment operation, his writings focus on the endtime roles of money, economics and globalization. He has been quoted around the world and his writings reproduced in numerous other publications and languages. His 2002 book The Endtime Money Snare: How to live free accurately anticipated and prepared its readers for the Global Financial Crisis. A following book, Global Financial Apocalypse Prophesied: Preserving true riches in an age of deception and trouble, looks further into the prophetic future.

Contact Wilfred at: staff@eternalvalue.com

 

Christians Using Science Badly: Part 2 :: By Wilfred Hahn

Reviewing the “facts” that we cited in Part 1, we noted the hyperbole and downright dishonesty in some instances to support global warming claims. Why is there such bias?

Money Precedes Truth

Global warming has become big business. Armies of global consultants are peddling false information because it is profitable to do so. Many claimed urgencies are exaggerated by factors of 10X … indeed, 200X in some instances and more. Governments are particularly susceptible to this hype, promising infrastructure programs estimated to cost upwards of trillions of dollars.

According to a new report,¹ an estimated $3.4 trillion will be invested in renewable energy during the next decade, including $2.72 trillion in wind and solar. By 2030, 54.1% of installed capacity will be renewable (including hydropower), and 37.9% will be a combination of solar and wind.

This is big business. As such, the dog will not easily give up his bone.

In recent decades, much corruption has come to the surface in the field of science. Scientists do work under many pressures. For example, they must continue to attract funding for their research projects. Moreover, the field of science is very competitive.

We must give credit to the many scholars who do strive for valid and honest conclusions in their research. However, it must be admitted that people wearing white frocks are no more virtuous than anyone else. They are just as subject to the temptations of greed and ambition.

Out of Doom: Is Good News Possible?

To this point, our focus has been on alarmism and the predictions of certain doom for earth. To be balanced, however, we should at least briefly identify some offsetting positives. We list six such trends—out of many more that we could cite. (Again, page references to Dr. Koonin’s observations are shown in parenthesis.)

Good News #1: “[…] Since 1961 […] the per capita supply of vegetable oils and meat has more than doubled, and the supply of food calories per capita has increased by about one-third” (p. 172).

Good News #2: “[…] Deaths due to famine have averaged about two to four per 100,000 since 1980; the rate was ten to twenty times larger in the first half of the twentieth century” (p. 172).

Good News #3: “[…] In the fifty years from 1961 to 2011, global yields of wheat, rice, and maize (corn) have each more than doubled, and US corn yields have more than tripled” (p. 173).

Good News #4: “[…] The increasing concentration of carbon dioxide has been a significant factor in yield improvements, as it boosts the rate of photosynthesis and alters plant physiology to use water more efficiently” (p. 173).

Good News #5: According to the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), “weather-related death rates fell dramatically during the past one hundred years as the globe warmed 1.2° C (2.2° F); they’re about 80 times less frequent today than they were a century ago” (p. 169).

Good News #6: “Increasing CO2 [carbon dioxide] in the atmosphere had also fertilized the natural world […] during the past four decades; the Leaf Area Index (the fractional area [of earth] covered by leaves) observed by satellites has increased markedly (‘greened’) over 25-50 percent of the vegetated areas of [the] globe, while it has decreased (‘browned’) over less than 4 percent of the globe” (pp. 173-174).

Reviewing the above-cited “good news,” readers will agree that conditions today are not as bad as they may seem. That’s not to say that the world is problem-free.

Interpreting & Fitting Eschatological Facts

In Part 1, we first castigated Christians for misappropriating prophetic “signs of the times” (occurrences mentioned in the Bible but misinterpreted or chronologically misplaced), though there is no biblical evidence at all.

To illustrate, earthquakes are a biblically legitimate end-time trend but misplaced chronologically.

Earthquakes are indeed mentioned in the Bible, with prophetic applications of several kinds. The most well-known reference is found in the Olivet Discourse. All three accounts of the Olivet Discourse or portions thereof (found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21) confirm the future occurrence of earthquakes.

The Olivet prophecies mention other end-time phenomena occurring besides earthquakes. When the disciples asked Christ, “When shall these things be?” He said the following: “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:6-8, KJV).

Definitely, the Bible states that an increase in the frequency of earthquakes yet lies ahead for the world. Actually, there are two distinct groups of earthquakes that are yet to occur. First, there is the heightened earthquake activity that unfolds in the first half of the Tribulation period … namely, the time before the “beginning of sorrows,” but after “the end” has started. This contrasts with the trends before “the end is not yet” … which, for example, applies to increasing rumors.

The second period of earthquakes is comprised of five separate occurrences that are mentioned in the Book of Revelation. All of these follow the fifth seal, therefore falling into the Great Tribulation period (namely, the latter 42 months of the 7-year Tribulation). Among this latter group, the biggest earthquake of all time is mentioned (see Revelation 16:18).

Despite this being very clear, some prophecy interpreters insist that an increase in earthquakes is already occurring today. This cannot be, as Christ’s statement places the surge in earthquakes in the first half of the Tribulation. (There are intense debates about this topic.) Many overlook Scripture on this point and make their case on evidence of rising earthquake activity today. However, the facts say no.

The U.S. Geological Survey provides information on earthquake activity worldwide.² As we had noted in earlier examinations of its data, the frequency of large earthquakes is not increasing today. No statistically valid case can be made to support the conclusion that the number of big earthquakes is rising … yet.

Hot Winds?

Returning to our examination of the “global warming” trend today, the penultimate question that begs an answer is this: Are human beings causing climate changes … and do any of these changes lead to “global warming” or other related manifestations? The honest answer from scientists must be this: Nobody knows for sure.

Christians must be similarly careful in their debates with “climate change” advocates. For one, we should be sure of our facts and Scripture. An example is this statement by Dr. Koonin: “Without a doubt, carbon emissions are indeed rising [carbon dioxide and methane mainly] and continue to do so. This cannot be denied.”

Many Christian opponents simply choose to deny this fact … unnecessarily losing credibility. Yet the great debate remains: Do these emissions, which are floating around in the earth’s atmosphere, actually contribute to “global warming”? As mentioned, no one has a sure answer. The facts are inconclusive.

But these facts we can know: There indeed are trends that, if they should continue another 100 years or more, would be disconcerting. Yet, it is also obvious that global warming predictions have been shamelessly exaggerated.

For the time being, there is no global warming crisis.

The second fact we can know with certainty is this: The potential for the earth’s destruction due to climate changes was apparently not deemed important enough to merit a place in the body of Bible prophecy.

Thus, is it logical for the entire world to be moribund with fear about a development that was not first told to the prophets? “Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).

Thoughts to Ponder

Can it really be that the multiplicity of stakeholders in climate matters—scientists, scientific institutions, activists and NGOs, the media, politicians—are all contributing to misinformation in the matter of climate change? Yes, this is clearly possible.

To say otherwise assumes that one can present a case that mankind caused “global warming.” As the case may be, secular scientists to date have not been able to prove that just such a relationship exists. Yes, emissions continue to rise (as already mentioned), and the earth has warmed a very modest amount over the last century. But no linkages to warming can be proven.

What, then, does the Bible say about global warming? This writer believes the answer is “nothing,” simply for the reason that it is not mentioned in the Bible.

Many prophecy teachers have mistakenly become caught up in “global warming” exaggerations and untruths. They attribute what they see as “climate change” to be an end-time development. This is wrong …. in fact, twice over. First, they, in effect, agree with the contrived allegations and conclusions of “extremist” global warming advocates. Second, they incorrectly identify “signs of the times” and force them into their own alarmist and prophetic timelines. And, practically, if it were not for the effects of higher emissions of CO2 over the past decades, just how many more people would have died from famines due to lower crop yields?

—

Wilfred J. Hahn is a global economist/strategist. Formerly a top-ranked global analyst, research director for a major Wall Street investment bank, and head of Canada’s largest global investment operation, his writings focus on the endtime roles of money, economics and globalization. He has been quoted around the world and his writings reproduced in numerous other publications and languages. His 2002 book The Endtime Money Snare: How to live free accurately anticipated and prepared its readers for the Global Financial Crisis. A following book, Global Financial Apocalypse Prophesied: Preserving true riches in an age of deception and trouble, looks further into the prophetic future.

Contact Wilfred at: staff@eternalvalue.com

1 Frost & Sullivan, “Growth Opportunities from Decarbonization in the Global Power Market,” 2019—2030

2 https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/earthquakes