‘Temple of Baal’ goes up in New York, London
March 20, 2016: WND reported visitors in April to Times Square in New York or Leicester Square in London were in for a culture shock – a life-size reproduction of the Temple of Baal.
Needless to say, the exhibition of a symbol of paganism, child sacrifice and ritual prostitution – well-known to readers of the Bible – raised concerns.
The display, however, was part of World Heritage Week and was meant by organizers from the Institute of Digital Archaeology as a statement of “defiance” against ISIS, the Islamic terror group, that destroyed the Temple of Baal in Palmyra, Syria, in August 2015.
The original structure, dedicated to the god Bel, or Baal, in A.D. 32 – approximately the time of the crucifixion of Jesus – stood nearly 2,000 years before ISIS leveled the site along with many others. Prior to the current war in Syria, the ancient site had over 150,000 visitors a year.
Using a database of thousands of images, the Institute for Digital Archaeology created a full-sized, 50-foot tall, 3D-printed replica of the entrance arch to the temple. The work was done in China. Only the replica of the arch was displayed.
The Bible’s Old Testament frequently condemns the worship of false idols, with Baal – which means “Lord” – most often singled out. Baal worship, common in the biblical Levant, spread across the Mediterranean, becoming dominant in North Africa’s Carthage, where archaeologists have excavated an extensive cemetery with remains of sacrificed children. The name of the famous Carthaginian leader, Hannibal, is made up in part of the name “Baal.”
Michael Snyder, writing on the blog “End of the American Dream,” alerted his readers to the shocking idea of a pagan temple being erected in Times Square, saying “Most non-religious Americans don’t understand who Baal was, nor do they really care. But the truth is that many of the elements of ancient Baal worship are being mirrored in our society in 2016.
“So considering the child sacrifice and sexual immorality that we are engaged in today, perhaps it is only natural for us to have a Temple of Baal in Times Square.
6th-grader targeted for pro-gun remarks
March 30, 2000:Â It seemed simple enough. Model student Derek Loutzenheiser was asked to participate in a classroom discussion about “school shootings and safety,” so the 12-year-old who had been recommended to take the popular standardized pre-college performance test by his teachers thought his social studies teacher wanted his opinion.
She didn’t. The young constitutional scholars statement that he would feel safer on campus if “some of the adults at the school were trained and allowed to carry firearms” got Derek put on a watch list for potentially violent students and his parents called to a meeting with the middle school’s “Hazard and Risk Assessment Team.”
When mom and dad showed up for the meeting armed with a tape recorder and announcing they had obtained legal counsel, things changed, said Derek’s father. “My wife and I both saw a transformation from ‘smugness’ … to looks of great concern on some of their faces,” he said.
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