The German automobile
manufacturer Volkswagen has sunk into its most serious criminal charge of
‘aggravated deception’. Lawsuits are being raised in a number of countries such
as America, Canada, Italy and France for the mal-practice of tinkering with
their cars and vans computer. Computers in certain makes and models were
adapted to cheat an exhaust emission test reading when being tested on a
rolling road. When the vehicle returned to normal road use the computer flicked
a component that permitted nitrogen oxide to pollute the atmosphere up to 40
times above the legal limit. This was done to give higher fuel economy and
alleged cleaner emissions to enhance car popularity and increase sales. 11
Million cars worldwide are affected.
Repercussions from these
revelations have caused the company boardroom to be shaken up and their CEO
Martin Winterkorn to resign, and German Prosecutors have opened an
investigation against him.
BBC News reported
that German chancellor Mrs Merkel said on Sunday that the carmaker now needed
to provide the "necessary transparency". "It is of course a
dramatic event which is not good….But I think the reputation of German
industry... is not so shaken that we are no longer considered a good place to
do business."
VW’s stock value
has dropped 40% in the past week and bankruptcy is a real threat. This would
send shock waves through the German economy and World Stock markets.
The polluting of
the atmosphere has more serious consequences than loss of money, it causes loss
of life! ‘To lose one’s wealth is
much! To lose one’s health is more! To lose one’s soul in Hell is something no
one can restore!’
The Detroit News in their
Business Section wrote ‘Volkswagen’s pollution-control chicanery has not just
been victimless tinkering, killing between five and 20 people in the United
States annually in recent years, according to an Associated Press statistical
and computer analysis.’
He said the
people who allowed the deception to happen or who installed the software that
allowed certain models to give false emissions readings must take personal
responsibility.
He also said
the board only found out about the problems at the last meeting.
About 11
million diesel engine cars are affected by the problem.
Mr Lies told
the BBC: "Those people who allowed this to happen, or who made the
decision to install this software - they acted criminally. They must take
personal responsibility."
He said:
"We only found out about the problems in the last board meeting, shortly
before the media did. I want to be quite open. So we need to find out why the
board wasn't informed earlier about the problems when they were known about
over a year ago in the United States."
This VW Board member has an unfortunate
surname in attempting to exonerate the Board and implicate others.
I learn from Matthew’s Gospel (ch.28:12 to
15) that large money can produce large lies, “And when they were assembled with
the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the
soldiers, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while
we slept. And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and
secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this
saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.”
The Jews who crucified Christ did not want the
truth to come out that He had risen from the dead and was no longer in the
tomb.
The Devil (Diabolus: – Deceiver, slanderer) was
busy in the Garden of Eden. 1Tim.2:13 reads, “For Adam was first formed,
then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the
transgression.” Eve was duped by
the devil to disobey God, which Adam did also and sin came into the world. “Wherefore,
as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed
upon all men, for that all have sinned.” (Rom.5:12)
There are numerous
recordings in the Bible of people deceiving others and those who were deceived.
Jacob is a prime example of a person who practised deception. He deceived his
father Isaac to obtain the firstborn’s blessing. Thousands since have deceived
their parents, they have lied to them to achieve their own will without thought
of the consequences. Jacob’s deception affected his brother Esau who swore that
he would kill Jacob and their mother Rebecca was implicated in sending Jacob
away to her family in Syria. While in Haran in Syria, he married Laban’s
daughters. He served Laban for Seven years in order to marry Rachel but when
the time came for her to be given to him, Laban decived him and gave him Leah.
He served Laban another seven years for Rachel. Laban deceived Jacob, Jacob
deceived Laban, Rachel deceived her father. What a web of deception that family
wove and the issues are stll running between Arab and Jew. Thankfully God
changed Jacob’s character at Jabok when he beame ‘Israel’, not only a name
change but his life changed for the better and the future blessing of that
nation in a coming day.
Galatians
6:7 is a timely warning, “Be not deceived; God is
not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” We
might think that we can deceive others and possibly deceive ourselves but we
cannot deceive God, the concequences of our sin we shal answer to God for, and
where shall we stand in that day?
When a
person trusts Jesus Christ to be their Saviour all the guilt of past sin is
dealt with through the death of Christ on the cross. 1John1:7 says, “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all
sin.” Are you
a believer or are you deceived?
God
bless.
Written by a guest blogger
1 comment
Thank you for this. Please keep writing these.
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