Drastic Measures

Volume 43 Issue Five May 2024

Last Trumpet Ministries · PO Box 806 · Beaver Dam, WI 53916

Phone: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org

“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” I Cor. 14:8


Drastic Measures


“But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?”   -Jonah 3:8-9


The American people have many concerns in this modern age. In recent years, the cost of living has skyrocketed, inflation refuses to go away, the housing market is unaffordable, the national debt is soaring, a contentious election looms, there are wars in Europe and the Middle East, and bird flu is not only sickening birds but also cattle and other animals. However, if you read the news, it quickly becomes evident that the media, scientists, politicians, world leaders, and even religious figures such as Pope Francis believe the biggest concern on everyone’s mind should be climate change.

For his part, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church lashed out against climate skeptics in a recent television interview. “There are people who are foolish and foolish even if you show them research, they don’t believe it. Why? They don’t understand the situation or because of their interest, but climate change exists,” Pope Francis told CBS News. (1) On April 22, 2024, which was celebrated as Earth Day, the Pope doubled down on his message when he posted on X, “Our generation has bequeathed many riches, but we have failed to protect the planet and we are not safeguarding peace. We are called to become artisans and caretakers of our common home, the Earth which is ‘falling into ruin.’” (2)

In March 2024, after it had been reported that 2023 was the hottest year on record, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres proclaimed, “Earth’s issuing a distress call. Fossil fuel pollution is sending climate chaos off the charts.” He then insisted, “Changes are speeding up.” (3) Celeste Saulo, who is the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, also expressed her displeasure when she said, “I am now sounding the red alert about the state of the climate. 2023 set new records for every single climate indicator.” (4)

 
A report from October 2023 indicates there is a growing alarm that borders on panic amongst scientists. In an article published by Biosciences, a coalition of scientists from North America, Europe, and Asia wrote, “We are afraid of the uncharted territory that we have now entered.” The scientists then wrote, “As scientists, we are increasingly being asked to tell the public the truth about the crises we face in simple and direct terms. The truth is that we are shocked by the ferocity of the extreme weather events of 2023.” (5) William Ripple, who is a professor of ecology at Oregon State University and lead author of the report, was quoted as saying, “Life on our planet is clearly under siege. The statistical trends show deeply alarming patterns of climate-related variables and disasters. We also found little progress to report so far as humanity combating climate change.” (6)

Considering the dramatic words we see and hear in these reports, it is more than likely that drastic efforts will be made to alter how human beings live their lives. For example, the above-mentioned report outlines four steps that must be immediately taken to curb climate change. If implemented, these steps would have sweeping ramifications for everyday life. The first guideline calls for “The implementation of policies that help reduce resource consumption by reducing, reusing, and recycling waste.” The second guideline calls for “A global collaborative effort to ensure climate justice, entailing the fair distribution of the costs and benefits of climate action across less wealthy and more vulnerable parts of the world.” The third guideline calls for “The reorienting of economic measures to prioritize human well-being over growth.” The fourth guideline calls for “Supporting women and girls’ education and rights that will lead to stabilization of the human population.” (7)

Scholarly papers are often written in a manner that is not easy to comprehend. What, then, do they actually mean in these guidelines if we read between the lines? When they say “reduce resource consumption,” they likely mean steps like converting the masses to a plant-based diet and eliminating gasoline-powered vehicles. A “global collaborative effort” and the “fair distribution of the costs and benefits of climate action” suggests a redistribution of wealth on a global scale. “The reorienting of economic measures” suggests a new economic system that I suspect would be more akin to communism than anything else. “Supporting women and girls’ education and rights” sounds admirable on the surface. However, the term “women’s rights” is often used as a euphemism for access to abortion, and I strongly suspect this is the case here, too, especially since this step would supposedly cause the “stabilization of the human population.”

To be sure, the ideas proffered by scientists in their recent report are nothing new. The guidelines above are reminiscent of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development published by the United Nations in 2015. (8) There are also echoes of the 2015 papal encyclical entitled Laudato Si, in which Pope Francis called for establishing a “world political authority” to enforce the climate change agenda. “Given this situation, it is essential to devise stronger and more efficiently organized international institutions, with functionaries who are appointed fairly by agreement among national governments, and empowered to impose sanctions,” the Pope wrote in the encyclical. He also quoted his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who had said, “To manage the global economy; to revive economies hit by the crisis; to avoid any deterioration of the present crisis and the greater imbalances that would result; to bring about integral and timely disarmament, food security and peace; to guarantee the protection of the environment and to regulate migration: for all this, there is urgent need of a true world political authority.” (9)

Thus we see there is a definite sentiment amongst those who are fearful of climate change. It is quite obvious that you will never get enough of the so-called common people to voluntarily take the burdensome steps deemed necessary to fight climate change. Instead, new rules will be imposed to coerce the masses into adopting restrictions that would otherwise be rejected. Interestingly enough, Bloomberg News reported on April 17, 2024, that the current President of the United States, Joe Biden, is considering declaring a “climate emergency.” According to the report, such a declaration could “enable the president to halt or limit crude exports for at least a year at a time, suspend off-shore drilling, and throttle the movement of oil and gas pipelines, ships and trains.” (10) There is no question that these measures would hamper the shipping industry and cause the price of fuel to skyrocket. As such, the cost of goods and services would rise exponentially and worsen inflation. There is no indication that Biden intends to make an emergency declaration any time soon, but he is facing mounting pressure to do so. Aru Shiney-Ajay, who is the executive director of the Sunrise Movement, said Biden must “Use every tool at his disposal to tackle the climate crisis and prepare our communities to weather the storm. If Biden wants to win the youth vote, he needs to take forceful action on climate change.” (11) This raises the question: What exactly might “forceful action” entail? What drastic measures could be implemented in the months and years to come?

Ready Or Not: Electric Vehicles Are Coming

According to climate scientists, there is an urgent need to phase out the use of fossil fuels such as diesel and gasoline. Of course, transportation is the lifeblood of the United States, and if people and companies do not have vehicles, people cannot get to work, and goods cannot be transported between regions. Since there will always be a need for cars and trucks on our roads, the solution being offered as an alternative to gasoline and diesel-powered engines is the electric vehicle, or EV. To be sure, some aspects of electric vehicles sound nice. After all, wouldn’t it be wonderful not to have to pump gas or take your car in for oil changes? Why, then, is there so much resistance to EVs?

For many Americans, electric vehicles are simply out of their price range. According to a Kelley Blue Book report, an electric car's average cost in July 2023 was $53,469. (12) To entice American drivers to consider electric vehicles, the Biden Administration included a $7,500 tax credit towards the purchase of qualifying EVs in its 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. However, just as the law was being passed, car manufacturers began raising their prices on electric models. For example, Ford raised the price of its Ford F-150 Lightning pickup truck by $7000. General Motors hiked the price of its all-electric Hummer by $6,250. (13)

For those who did buy electric cars, some have found there are significant hurdles to overcome in their everyday use. When Ford CEO Jim Farley embarked on a 2023 road trip across Route 66 in the United States, he often found it difficult to charge his Ford F-150 Lightning. “Charging has been pretty challenging,” Farley admitted. “It was a really good reality check of the challenges of what our customers go through and the importance of fast charging and what we’re going to have to do to improve the charging experience.” (14)

Owning an electric vehicle can quickly become a nightmare for those who drive in harsher climates. This reality hit home for EV operators in Chicago, Illinois, last winter when temperatures plummeted below zero in January 2024. One driver in a Chevy Bolt was dismayed to find that despite having 30 miles left on the battery, the car died within minutes. “When I finally plugged it in, it wasn’t getting any charge,” he recounted. He then spent the next five hours charging his battery in the cold. (15) In another incident, a Tesla driver was dismayed to find that a third of the battery in her car drained overnight just because it was cold outside. She drove to a packed-out charging station in Chicago where frustrated drivers desperately tried to charge their cars. “If you’re waiting in that line and you only have 50 miles, you’re not going to make it,” she lamented. Later, she was quoted by the New York Times as saying, “It’s kind of like I don’t really want a Tesla.” (16)

Given the bad press surrounding electric vehicles in recent months, it is not surprising that sales of such vehicles are now slumping. Only 269,000 EVs were sold in the first three months of 2024, which was a 7.3 percent decrease compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. (17) In response to the lower-than-expected demand, Ford Motor Company announced it would be scaling back production of electric vehicles. The EV division at Ford lost a whopping 4.7 billion dollars in 2023. By comparison, their gasoline and hybrid vehicles earned 7.5 billion dollars in profit during the same period. “Many companies rushed in too fast with EVs that were too expensive and there was not as much of a market for them as they thought. That’s made it a lot tougher to sell those vehicles,” commented Sam Abuelsamid, an analyst at the research firm Guidehouse Insights. (18)

If the masses are convinced or forced to buy electric vehicles, the demand for electricity will increase significantly. According to a report by CNBC published in July 2023, the power grid in the United States is not ready for this surge in demand. Unless substantial upgrades are made, widespread adoption of electric cars could destabilize the entire power infrastructure of the country. “I think right now people have an overly simplistic view of what electrification of transportation means. If done right, it will be phenomenal; if mismanaged, there are going to be a lot of upset people, and that’s a real risk,” opined Aram Shumavon, the CEO of the grid analysis firm Kevala. He further warned that an overtaxed power grid would necessitate restrictions on the time of day when owners can charge their vehicles and could cause power outages and blackouts. (19)

I’m sure some drivers love their electric cars. If someone wants one and decides to buy one, that is a personal choice. However, I take issue with governments forcing consumers to make the transition to EVs against their will. Nevertheless, new regulations are set to begin in 2026 that will gradually phase out the sale of new gasoline-powered cars in nine states. By the year 2035, it will no longer be possible to buy a new conventional automobile in California, Washington, Oregon, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Delaware, or Maryland. (20)

On a national level, the Biden Administration announced stricter standards for car emissions in March 2024. While these new standards do not technically ban the sale of gasoline-powered cars, most carmakers will be compelled to manufacture electric and hybrid vehicles to comply with the regulations. As a result, it is estimated that by 2032, the majority of new vehicles in the United States will be hybrids or EVs. (21) Ready or not, electric vehicles are coming.

From Lab To Plate

Alarm over climate change could potentially change many aspects of the human experience, including the food we put on our dinner plates. Various groups are urging the general public to move away from meat consumption and instead embrace a plant-based diet. For example, the website for the Rainforest Alliance advises that switching to a plant-based diet is one of the most impactful things you can do to stop climate change. “Going plant-based (or mostly plant-based) is one of the most impactful actions you can take as an individual, and it’s also an approach that has huge potential if the masses follow suit.” (22) In a similar fashion, the United Nations urges consumers to move away from meat consumption on its website. “Animal-based diets have a high impact on our planet. Population growth and an increasing demand for meat and dairy results in the need to clear land and deforestation in order to make room for animal farms and growing animal feed. This results in loss of biodiversity, greater strain on resources like water and energy, among other adverse impacts.” (23)

On December 31, 2023, USA Today reported that a group known as the Plant-Based Treaty is urging humanity to ditch meat and dairy for good. Climate scientist Peter Kalmus, who is a proponent of the treaty, was quoted as saying, “Rapidly reducing animal agriculture and shifting humanity to a plant-based diet is one of the best, easiest, and fastest things we can do to save the planet. It will also buffer food security in a time of increasing crop failures due to global heating. The world needs a Plant-Based Treaty.” (24) While many bristle at the thought of embracing a plant-based diet, the treaty has garnered significant support since its inception in 2021. “Since our September 2021 launch, we have had 120,556 individuals, 1,294 organizations, and 1,604 businesses endorse the treaty. Twenty-two cities have endorsed, including Los Angeles, Boynton Beach in Florida, and the Scottish capital of Edinburgh,” boasted campaign coordinator Anita Kranjc. (25)

Meat and dairy consumption is firmly engrained in American culture. How, then, can you compel people to reduce their consumption of animal products? According to some climate scientists, the solution is a meat tax. In a piece published by The Conversation on August 10, 2022, Cameron Hepburn, professor of Environmental Economics at Oxford University, and Franziska Funke, a researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, argue that “a meat tax is probably inevitable.” Regarding meat consumption, the authors wrote, “The environmental consequences are so profound that the world cannot meet climate goals and keep ecosystems intact without rich countries reducing their consumption of beef, pork, and chicken.” The report later says, “Our calculations suggest that the average retail price for meat in high-income countries would need to increase by 35%-56% for beef, 25% for poultry, and 19% for lamb and pork to reflect the environmental costs of their production.” (26)

To facilitate a move away from animal products, companies such as Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat are selling so-called “plant-based meat.” These highly processed products are carefully formulated in food laboratories to mimic the taste and texture of real meat. The Impossible Burger even uses a substance known as heme, which is made from genetically modified yeast and used to make the burgers appear to bleed when they are prepared. (27)

However, if plant-based meat does not appeal to you, never fear; in the coming years, you’ll have the option to purchase lab-grown meat. While it sounds like science fiction, several companies already make meat from animal stem cells in their laboratories. One such company, known as Meatable, recently hosted a sausage taste test with a reporter from The Guardian at its facility in the Netherlands. In describing the production process, the reporter wrote, “Cultivated from cells plucked from a fertilized pig egg and grown inside steel fermentation vessels like those used to make beer, these slaughter-free sausages are being touted as the future of sustainable and ethical meat production.” So, what’s the verdict? According to the reporter, “The texture is meaty, and the taste is, well, sausagey. It feels somewhat underwhelming because it tastes and feels like eating a regular sausage.” (28) Meatable hopes to launch its products on supermarket shelves in Singapore later this year. (29)

Geoengineering

It was once a rare thing to hear about geoengineering, but lately, it is all over the news. For example, the New York Times published an article on March 31, 2024, with the headline, “Can We Engineer Our Way Out of the Climate Crisis?” (30) The Atlantic also got in on the action with a story from April 18, 2024, entitled “Playing God With the Atmosphere.” (31) In another story, USA Today disclosed that scientists are considering an attempt to artificially manipulate the clouds by making them brighter and thicker. To do this, a large fleet of ships would traverse the oceans and shoot massive amounts of seawater into the sky. In theory, the salt particles from the water would create cloud droplets that would reflect sunlight away from Earth and back out into space, thus cooling the planet. (32) This technique is just one of many proposed forms of geoengineering that would artificially manipulate the environment under the guise of curtailing climate change.

According to an article published by The Conversation on August 21, 2023, another option being considered is “stratospheric aerosol injection,” which would “seed the upper atmosphere with billions of tiny particles that reflect sunlight directly out to space.” (33) The article also discusses the possibility of deploying space mirrors between the sun and the earth in an attempt to “block 2% of incoming solar radiation and stabilize global temperature.” However, the piece also warns that “the technology is at least 20 years away from implementation and would cost trillions of dollars.” (34)

The proponents of such plans are clearly desperate and willing to go to great lengths in an attempt to save the planet. However, manipulating the environment could have unintended consequences which could cause great harm to the world. Riley Duren, who is an engineer at NASA, was quoted as saying, “Geoengineering is not a cure. At best, it’s a Band-Aid or tourniquet; at worst, it could be a self-inflicted wound.” (35)

Is it just a coincidence that scientists are talking about partially blocking the sun and Jesus Christ warned that the sun would be darkened in the last days? In Matthew 24:29-30, Jesus warns, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

The truth is that none of the drastic measures proposed by climate scientists will save the planet. What would really make a difference? Something remarkable happened when God sent the prophet Jonah to preach in the city of Nineveh. The city's entire population, including the king, repented in sackcloth and ashes. In Jonah 3:8-9, the King of Nineveh declared, “But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?” Remarkably, God saw their repentance and mercifully spared the entire city. A similar repentance campaign would no doubt do wonders for the United States of America. Without repentance, the Scriptures tell us what will happen. Revelation 16:8-9 warns that the planet will get hotter and hotter in the last days. These verses declare, “And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.” If you have not yet repented of your sins and dedicated your life to God, I urge you to do so now. For those who belong to God, we have the promise of eternal life, and because of that, we have nothing to fear in life or death – not even climate change.

Thank you all for your continued support of this ministry. Please do not hesitate to send us your requests if you have any prayer needs. Each request is always given individual attention by our team of intercessors. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Samuel David Meyer

This newsletter is made possible by the kind donations of our supporters. If you would like to help us, you may send your contribution to our postal address or donate online at http://lasttrumpetnewsletter.org/donate.

Acknowledgments

01. Euronews, April 25, 2024, By Euronews Green, euronews.com.

02. Ibid.

03. The Times of Israel, March 19, 2024, By Nina Larson, timesofisrael.com.

04. Ibid.

05. Forbes, October 24, 2023, By David Vetter, forbes.com.

06. Ibid.

07. Ibid.

08. The United Nations, un.org.

09. The Vatican Press, Laudato Si, May 24, 2015, By Pope Francis, vatican.va.

10. Bloomberg News, April 17, 2024, By Jennifer A. Dlouhy and Jennifer Jacobs, bloomberg.com.

11. Ibid.

12. Kelley Blue Book, July 10, 2023, By Renee Valdes, kbb.com.

13. KATV News, August 15, 2022, By Alec Schemmel, katv.com.

14. Fox Business News, August 18, 2023, By Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, foxbusiness.com.

15. The New York Times, January 17, 2024, By Emily Schmall and Jenny Gross, nytimes.com.

16. Ibid.

17. The New York Times, April 15, 2024, By J. Edward Moreno and Karll Russell, nytimes.com.

18. The New York Times, April 4, 2024, By Neal E. Boudette, nytimes.com.

19. CNBC, July 1, 2023, By Katie Brigham, cnbc.com.

20. Fox Business News, March 28, 2024, By Stephen Sorace, foxbusiness.com.

21. The New York Times, March 20, 2024, By Coral Davenport, nytimes.com.

22. The Rainforest Alliance, June 1, 2021, rainforest-alliance.org.

23. The United Nations, un.org.

24. USA Today, December 31, 2023, By Doyle Rice, usatoday.com.

25. Ibid.

26. The Conversation, August 10, 2022, By Cameron Hepburn and Franziska Funke, theconversation.com.

27. The New York Post, August 11, 2023, By Steve Cuozzo, nypost.com.

28. The Guardian, April 17, 2024, By Linda Geddes, theguardian.com.

29. Ibid.

30. The New York Times, March 31, 2024, Updated April 4, 2024, By David Gelles, nytimes.com.

31. The Atlantic, April 18, 2024, By Marina Koren, theatlantic.com.

32. USA Today, March 20, 2024, By Doyle Rice, usatoday.com.

33. The Conversation, August 21, 2023, By David Kitchen, theconversation.com.

34. Ibid.

35. Ibid.

Source