World teetering on the brink?

(I am experiencing anxiety related to knowing I am in the process of changing my whole life, job and all, to accommodate me finishing my book in the next six weeks. the heartburn problem I had on my birthday returned just today at work although it was much more manageable. At least I'm back on the board with this new post and will have another one for certain tomorrow evening. They have me working six days in a row this week at my job and so here I go in again tomorrow morning . . . hoping there's no more heartburn)

At our church's annual Sunday School graduation ceremony last week, Pastor Richard Jordan ended the awards presentation with, "I was thinking last night that 82 years ago yesterday, June 6, 1944, the Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy to liberate Europe from tyranny. These young people frankly are going to face a far more deadly spiritual battle in the days ahead and we want them to be equipped with the whole armor of God."

The Economist magazine's "World Ahead in 2026" edition shows a soccer player kicking off a big soccer ball (meant to represent the earth) with all kinds of chaos depicted in drawings inside the circle. (Go to end of this post for more information.)

YouTubers are busy commenting about the FIFA World Cup's opening ceremonies over the past few days. One said: "When you look at their map of the U.S. shown during the opening ceremony in Los Angeles (June 12), it actually looks almost identical to the American solar eclipse map (2017-2024).

"C'mon, that is too much of a coincidence right there. There's something more to all of this. Everything surrounding the World Cup 2026 has been off. All of these opening ceremonies (Olympics, etc.) have been very bizarre. You can't deny it. The question is what do they have planned?

"They showcase the Hollywood sign being split in half, so this is more puzzling imagery. Something else, they have all these skyscrapers collapsing on the left and right side."

Here's another YouTuber: "Yo, did you see this FIFA World Cup Satanic ritual?! This was wild. The opening ceremony in Mexico City (June 11) showed an image of Tonatiuh, the Aztec sun god. That goes with the actual FIFA symbol; a clawed hand gripping a human heart!

He showed a summary from an art history website about this exact same image of Tonatiuh: "The face of Tonatiuh, the sun god (some scholars debate if it's the earth monster Tlaltecuhtli or a hybrid). The tongue is a sacrificial knife, and clawed hands grip human hearts. This represents the belief that human sacrifice was required to 'feed' the sun and keep it moving across the sky--otherwise the world would end."

*****

Here is a story from the website Mashable:

"A viral image circulating online has sparked a wave of reactions, with fans claiming that a World Cup stage setup looks eerily similar to a nuclear warning sign. The comparison has quickly taken over social media, turning a routine design moment into a full-blown internet debate. At first glance, the structure’s circular symmetry and bold geometric layout appear striking, but also strangely familiar. Many online users have pointed out that the design echoes the visual language of hazard symbols, particularly those associated with nuclear or biohazard warnings.

"While the resemblance might feel uncanny, there’s no official confirmation linking the stage design to any such symbolism. In fact, similar reactions have previously emerged when abstract visuals from major events accidentally mirror well-known icons.

"Adding to the chatter is the official branding of the 2026 tournament. The design prominently features the World Cup trophy layered over the number '26,' creating a bold, graphic look that leans heavily on geometry and contrast. For some viewers, this stylised approach may unintentionally resemble warning-style imagery, especially when seen from a distance or in certain lighting conditions."

*****

Here is an article I found online (ALOR website) written by Peter West:

"If one wants a window into the mindset of the global elite, few publications offer as clear a view as The Economist. For nearly two centuries, it has chronicled the interplay of finance, power, and geopolitics, often predicting trends before they fully materialise.

"Its annual 'World Ahead' issue is not mere speculation; it is a statement of intent, a coded signal of what those who shape global events believe will, or intend to, happen in the year to come. And the 2026 issue is perhaps the most ominous they have ever produced.

"The cover itself is a visual declaration of chaos. Twin red tanks face each other across the page, missiles loom above, and two swords cross in the centre, a universal emblem of conflict. Figures of global influence, Trump, Zelensky, Putin, Xi, Netanyahu, hover over the scene like puppeteers or pawns, depending on one's perspective.

"Beneath them, a chart of collapsing markets and a broken dollar sign hint at financial instability, while falling paper currency suggests a crisis that could touch every corner of the globe.

"Add to that the imagery of syringes and pills, floating like a threat in the air, and the message becomes clear: 2026 may be a year defined by war, economic collapse, pestilence, and civil unrest.

"War is the most immediate concern. From Ukraine to Israel and Iran, global hotspots are simmering, and The Economist seems to anticipate escalation. Even in the Americas, the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, Mexico, or Colombia, suggested by Trump's recent comments, illustrates that conflict is not confined to distant continents.

"These flashpoints could stretch military capacities and inflame international tensions, placing ordinary citizens at the mercy of decisions made in corridors of power.

"Economically, the magazine's imagery suggests a world teetering on the brink. Falling currencies, broken financial symbols, and scattered money indicate instability that is already visible in inflation, debt crises, and volatile markets.

"If elite projections are accurate, 2026 may not simply be a year of slow growth or market corrections, it may be the moment when accumulated systemic vulnerabilities manifest in tangible disruption for billions.

"Health crises also loom. The inclusion of syringes and pills on the cover evokes memories of recent pandemics, and the outbreak of the Marburg virus in Ethiopia underscores the ever-present risk of zoonotic disease spreading rapidly in a globally interconnected world.

"For those paying attention, it is a reminder that even in a modern civilisation, pestilence can reshape society, overwhelm healthcare systems, and exacerbate political and economic instability.

"But perhaps most unsettling is the symbol of the raised fist, hovering above the American flag. It is a declaration of dissent, resistance, and the intent to challenge established authority. When coupled with the magazine's broader themes, it suggests that civil unrest, mass protests, street violence, political instability, is no longer hypothetical.

"Far from being isolated events, such unrest could form part of a coordinated or at least highly visible global disruption, fuelled by elites who benefit from chaos, or who see it as a necessary pressure valve in a world teetering on the edge.

"Reading The Economist's 2026 forecast feels like witnessing the inversion of a familiar Beatles lyric: instead of 'the world getting better all the time,' it is getting worse, all the time. Wars multiply, economies wobble, disease spreads, and societies fracture.

"What is striking is not just the pessimism, it is the precision and symmetry of the warning. Every element of chaos, military, financial, health, civil, is visualised and symbolically connected.

"The message is unavoidable: the global elite are anticipating a year of immense instability, and by the very nature of their influence, much of what they anticipate may well come to pass.

"Yet for all their foresight, there is one variable they cannot control: human unpredictability. While The Economist's elite readership may plan for war, financial collapse, and pandemics, the actions of ordinary people, how populations respond to crises, resist chaos, or embrace reform, remain outside their grasp.

"In a way, this is the paradox of elite foresight: they can anticipate outcomes with alarming accuracy, but cannot fully control the chaos they foresee.

"2026, according to the magazine, is poised to be a year where the fragile structures of global stability are tested. Civilisations may be challenged, governments may falter, and the everyday lives of billions will be touched by forces beyond their control.

"Yet it also reminds us that preparation, awareness, and the will of people remain the only counterweight to the storms the elite predict. The world may be heading toward chaos, but chaos is never absolute; it can always be shaped by those who refuse to let it dominate.

"In the end, The Economist's vision is both warning and mirror. It reflects the fears and ambitions of the powerful, and it warns that 2026 may be the year when the inverse of progress, the unravelling of order, prosperity, and safety, arrives with a force that cannot be ignored.

"For those willing to read the signs, it is a call not to panic, but to prepare, to observe, and to act in ways that protect both personal and societal resilience in a world the elite already seem to expect will go very, very wrong."