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Rumors of the beginning of World War III have swirled for weeks, but with France retaliating against the Islamic State, could this be it?
French President Francois Hollande called the attacks on Paris an "act of war," before responding with bombs of their own against the Islamic State, which has claimed responsibility for the violence, according to multiple reports.
"It is an act of war that was committed by a terrorist army, a jihadist army, Daesh, against France," Hollande said, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. "It is an act of war that was prepared, organized and planned from abroad, with complicity from the inside, which the investigation will help establish."
Some, like Pope Francis, are calling the attacks and rebuttal "piecemeal World War III," according to Catholic News Agency.
The violence is indeed the worst the French capital has seen since World War II, with 129 dead and hundreds of others injured.
And while there have been calls for prayer, people like Charlie Hebdo cartoonist Joann Sfar asks people to not #PrayForParis.
"Friends from the whole world, thank you for #prayforparis, but we don't need more religion," Sfar, said. "Our faith goes to music! Kisses! Life! Champagne and Joy! #Parissaboutlife."
The disinterest in faith, combined with the violence and natural disasters the world's experienced in recent weeks, are all part of Jesus' "beginning of sorrows" prophecies in Matthew 24:6-8:
"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled. For all these things must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines, epidemics, and earthquakes in various places. All these things are the beginning of sorrows," Jesus said.
He continued: "Then they will hand you over to be persecuted and will kill you. And you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. Then many will fall away, and betray one another, and hate one another. And many false prophets will rise and will deceive many. Because iniquity will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come" (Matt. 24:9-14).
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