This description of the Revelations shows an apocalyptic state. In order to understand the Christian apocalyptics one should know the Jewish apocalyptic world.

Without digging too deep into the problem of apocalyptics - a most complicated theme, anyhow - let us see, here and now, only some of its most important characteristics. The main theme of the Jewish apocalyptics is the discovery of the utter times heavenly mysteries. But it is also very much interested in the ultimate questions of human life and history. It is vaticina ex eventum, that means telling events that already happened in the past - as a prophecy. The mutual characteristic of the apocalyptics and prophecy is that both are interested in the history. The Jewish apocalypse contains a certain kind of dualism: it shows a continuous fight between Satan and God's angels. It is nationalist in its aspect of contrasting the faithful Israel with the other nations, but, at the same time, it is universal, as it does not bar the other nations from the eschatological heavenly goods. The Christian apocalyptics have further developed the eschatological message of the Old Testament, underlining the approach of the Kingdom of God and resurrection.

And now let us examine the meaning of the biblical paragraph we have read. In the events that follow the first four signals of trumpet, a repetition of the strokes that took place in Egypt can be noticed. The difference is that they have not only earthly effects any more, they are reflected in the universe this time. The element of catastrophe is much increased. The first judgment includes everything: the earth, the seas, the flowing waters and the planets.

When the first angel blows his trumpet the seven strokes of Egypt are repeated. "Hail and fire, mixed with blood" is destroying a third of the trees, and "every blade of green grass". Accordingly, the means that give food to the human being decreases a third. The earth, that has been cultivated by the people as a big garden, becomes just burnt-down ground.

When the second angel blows his trumpet "something that looked like a huge mountain on fire" is thrown into the sea and turns its third into blood. This is not a new phenomenon in the Bible and the eruption of the Mount Vesuvius in 79 a.d. could have served only as background for the image and cannot be its description. The death of the living creatures in the seas as well as the destruction of the ships - together with that of the people who were on board - show that nature becomes the enemy of the human being.

The vision of the third angel trumpet sound effect has no connection with the Egyptian strokes any more. This time the stroke comes from heaven showing that it is God's judgment. The name of the star dropping from the sky is ASPINTOS. It is a freely chosen name, reflecting its effect. "The name of the star is Bitterness" - reminding the bitter extract of the plant ARTHEMISA ASPINTHIUM, otherwise a not poisonous element. Still, from the point of view of religious symbol it is poison. This time it means a break with God, it means pain and judgment and bitterness.

Why did I chose this specific apocalyptical background for today's ministry? Because I wanted to introduce by it something that we already have known for weeks: we have encountered the "bitterness" of the waters through the cyan - one of the most powerful poisons. It seemed to be coming from nowhere - but it was not, it was coming from somewhere else. It came as a falling star and stroke the innocent land living its normal, everyday life.

And this stream of cyan was as an eruption of hatred. It was produced by technology; technology always behaves as if it knew nothing about the effects of its activity. What does the Biblical text say? "Then the third angel blew his trumpet. A large star, burning like a torch, dropped from the sky and fell on the third of the rivers and on the springs of water. (The name of the star is Bitterness.) A third of the water turned bitter, and many people died from drinking the water, because it had turned bitter." Only fish and shells and snails and eagles and deer and together with them every microscopic being have died. (There is a special species of eagles, living only in this part of the world and there have been only a few pairs of them.) And - unfortunately - all this is not only a metaphor now: it has literally happened.

The concentration in which the cyan was coming down the river and we had to encounter it, is hatred itself.

For weeks, our neighbors and those working there as representatives of the Australian company are trying to explain that the methodology used by them is actually good, only that unpredictable human and natural circumstances have produced the catastrophe.

Lately, I kept wondering of how long are they still going to keep explaining this to us and how long are we to accept it? Until the earth becomes deserted again?

The fact is, that everybody should recognize for good and ever that in those places, where they develop mires of cyan - as they do at Baia Mare/Nagybánya at the "Aurul" company and "Esmeralda" corporation (mixed Romanian-Australian company) - there seas of hatred are grown, as well.

And even not innocently.

Do not misunderstand me: I do not state that those who did that really meant to kill the river Tisza or that they were lead by a hatred of the earth. No. I only mention the whole thing because things like that keep happening in spite of the very scientific development of humankind.

Everybody should admit that the earth is a special place. God wanted to exist in our solar system a planet with life on it. Life, with a higher level than on the other planets. Because it so pleased God, because that is how it existed in His plan and will.

And I do not want anybody to prove me, that the earth is no different than the other planets. I know that these are the persons who will find no peace until they make the surface of the earth similar to that of the moon or Mars.

For days, we have seen on TV and hear from the radio that in the mud at the bottom of Tisza they have found traces of life. Very cheerful: it reminds me of the period when they thought that they had found traces of life on Mars.

And let's utter the not so rhetorical question: who was poisoning who? A Romanian mine and the above mentioned Australian company. How did the later come here? First, the Romanian authorities did not want to give them the working authorization for cyanosis. But suddenly Mr. Virgil Magureanu appeared, the former chief of the Romanian Service of Information, and the authorization appeared with him, as well. And they had production and produced a stream of poison on the waters: first on a small rivulet, then on Zazar, then on Lápos, then on Szamos and finally on Tisza. And then nothing was important any more, only "aura sacra fames" - the damned want for money. A whole biological chain was in danger, and even human lives.

You can hear a lot in theological circles that "philosophy is the server of theology". I think that science should be the server of life, and not the server of a late life but that of the earthly life created by power of God in millions of human years. It would require courage and tiresome work, if we don't want the above cited part of the Bible to become true.

There is an Indian saying, which we should keep in mind, I think: After shooting the last bull from the fields and the last bird from the sky, and after taking off the last fish from the waters you can eat all your money. Amen.

The cyanic pollution took place at the end of January and I held this speech on February 27. On Mars 10, an amount of 40 000 tons of heavy metal entered the country on the river Tisza, which was followed by another one. As a result, on Mars 15 - which is the anniversary of Hungarian revolution of independence - two big black spots were floating downstream the river on Hungary's territory. And there are two other waste marshes menacing to brake the dam upstream the rivers, in Romania. What can be said after all these?

József Kászoni
minister