Money and the Hong Kong Protests

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Hong-Kong-police-seizes-70-million-dollars-in-donations-for-democratic-movement-48868.html

This is the other side of the story when it comes to the Hong Kong protests. When you realise how much money flows into some of these protest movements one must legitimately question their democratic and 'grass roots' nature.

The Polish Judiciary, the EU and the Threat of Polexit

https://www.euractiv.com/section/justice-home-affairs/news/poland-could-end-up-leaving-the-eu-supreme-court-warns/

https://www.dw.com/en/poland-thousands-protest-government-proposal-to-punish-judges/a-51728646

https://www.euractiv.com/section/all/short_news/warsaw-polexit/

(Both outlets (DW and Euractiv) can safely be described as pro-EU)

Free courts are the issue that has Poland in a state of turmoil. Free in the sense of free from political influence and the potential control of the Law and Justice Party (PiS)? Or free in the sense of Polish jurisdiction, precedent and custom being respected and not subjected to the international judicial dictates of the European Union?

NPR's Reporting on the Space Force

https://www.npr.org/2019/12/26/791414989/the-reasons-for-a-space-force

I don't listen to NPR a lot these days but I did catch this report the other morning and in some ways it typifies just why I've more or less abandoned NPR as a news source.

The story is on the newly created Space Force, a Sixth Branch of the US military. The congressional approval for the Space Force, along with increased defense spending, provisions made for the border wall and an invite to give the State of the Union address are all political victories for the president. A strange thing considering he was just impeached. Why is the Democratically controlled congress helping and empowering the president?

Inbox: What can the Uighurs do?

Given the magnitude of the Chinese clampdown in the Xinjiang region, the Uighur people face unimaginable pressure to abandon their culture and embrace a Han Chinese identity. Beijing's campaign will within a generation all but eliminate Uighur culture. While they are a Muslim population, from a Christian perspective the ethics of resistance are worth exploration. This is all the more true when we apply the same categories to the Church in the People's Republic and even (to some degree) the events taking place in Hong Kong.

As Christians, how can we analyse such situations and how would we respond in accord with the ethics of the New Testament?

Anti-Sodomite Vigilantism in Brazil

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-brazil-violence-christmas/brazilian-comedy-group-hit-by-molotov-cocktails-after-film-on-gay-jesus-idUKKBN1YT0KJ

Though few leaders are going to come out and openly support it, I believe many American Evangelicals support this type of Christian-on-Pagan violence, or would if given the chance. They're frustrated, they've had it and they want to lash out. Frankly the theology and culture promoted by Evangelicalism leads to this. It fosters vengeance. From the lawsuit and politics to the gun and the glorification of the military, Evangelicalism has embraced violence and power and has chosen to completely ignore if not negate the ethics of the New Testament.

With regard to Brazil, at this point we're not sure the fire was started by 'Christian' vigilantes but there's every reason to believe that it was.

Trump +1069: Impeachment and the Christianity Today Editorial (Part 2)

The state of things in the Evangelical world was already confusing and the events surrounding 2016 has only amplified this reality. Once nearly tangible blocs and affiliations have been shattered and the proliferation of Far Right news-sites, blogs and podcasts has only amplified the problem. Throw in websites like Pulpit and Pen and you discover an active disinformation campaign.

Trump +1069: Impeachment and the Christianity Today Editorial (Part 1)

It was something of a bombshell when news broke that Christianity Today, long the flagship magazine of the Evangelical movement proclaimed that Trump should be impeached. Since then the magazine has been denounced by Evangelical leaders as 'leftist', 'Marxist' and no longer faithful to the Scriptures.

Besides being absurd accusations, all we can really say is... what a mess. If things weren't already confusing enough, now this. 

Libya and the Escalating Mediterranean Conflict

https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/turkey-raises-prospect-to-send-troops-to-libya/

The rift continues to deepen between Turkey and Libya and the story is further complicated by frankly dishonest Western reporting regarding the status of Khalifa Haftar and his backers.

Nord Stream 2 Sanctions

The US has introduced sanctions on companies involved in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project which brings gas from Russia directly into Germany via the Baltic Sea. It's no accident the sanctions were passed as part of the large defense (military) bill passed by the US Congress.

CTE, the Ecumenical Movement and the Sodomite Breaking Point

https://www.christiantoday.com/article/churches-together-in-england-rejects-gay-president-nomination/133643.htm

Churches Together in England or CTE is an ecumenical body that seeks to bring together the various strands of Christianity within England. It's part of a larger network of similar bodies that seeks to tie together all ecclesiastical organisations with the British Isles. It's open to Catholics, Liberals, Pentecostals, Evangelicals and more and yet the organisation has recently fallen under some scrutiny over a controversy that developed over one of its six presidencies.

Reflections on the Hallmark Channel Controversy

https://www.kpbs.org/news/2019/dec/15/hallmark-channel-embroiled-in-controversy-after/

In the end, it's all about the money. If Hallmark refuses to air the 'gay' television ads, then the advertisers who run their commercials on Hallmark will catch flak and so to avoid it, they'll start pulling their adverts from the channel.

Movement and Summits in Central Asia: The EU Alternative

https://www.euractiv.com/section/central-asia/news/central-asia-leaders-meet-again-in-sign-of-increased-regional-cooperation/

These recent summits mark a change in the global order and perhaps for the first time since 1991 the Central Asian nations are demonstrating a serious willingness to cooperate and perhaps even a desire to function with a degree of autonomy. At last after almost thirty years it would seem that (some of them at least) have realised this goal might actually be workable if they agree to function as a bloc.

Dominionist-Fueled Violence in Brazil

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/soldiers-of-jesus-armed-neo-pentecostals-torment-brazils-religious-minorities/2019/12/08/fd74de6e-fff0-11e9-8501-2a7123a38c58_story.html

Evangelical activism can take a different turn in countries that don't have a stable democracy or a long tradition of liberal values rooted in established social institutions. In Latin America, in Africa and certainly in parts of Asia these things are lacking and so it shouldn't surprise us that such religious extremism (one hesitates to call it Christian) is able to take root.

The NATO Summit, Energy Policy and TANAP

https://www.euractiv.com/section/azerbaijan/news/turkey-and-azerbaijan-mark-completion-of-tanap-pipeline-to-take-gas-to-europe/

The Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) has been completed. At one time this would have been reckoned a victory for US foreign policy but now given that Ankara has pivoted toward Moscow and Baku is not as solidly in the US column... there's nothing to celebrate.

Paul Washer's Shocking Sermon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuabITeO4l8

https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=52906154239

I believe Paul Washer to be a gift to the modern church. His passion is compelling. I'm not a Baptist and thus I don't agree with him on every point. At times I'm baffled by his associations. I wonder if he's one of those men that is willing to appear in any venue in order to get the message out. If he's not invited back, clearly he doesn't really care.

Lausanne and the Evangelical Undermining of Sola Scriptura: Watering Down the Word

http://evangelicalfocus.com/magazine/4929/Bezalel_and_Oholiab_Artists_and_craftsmen

This article is not unique. In fact there are dozens just like it produced on a daily basis. I've repeatedly addressed these issues in my writings and yet since there are so few who seem willing or able to provide the necessary critique I feel compelled to keep doing so, hoping that someone will stumble upon it, or that this time it will 'click' with someone.

The Malta Scandal, Energy Deals and Azerbaijan

One aspect to the scandal surrounding the car-bombing death of journalist Daphne Galizia that has not been focused on, at least not so far, is the connection to Azerbaijan and the politics of the Caucasus.

The NHS and US-UK Trade: Spinning the Revelations

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50699168

On the one hand I'm a little baffled by the 'breaking' nature of this story because there were hints of this a couple of years ago. The Brexit vote was in June of 2016 and Trump of course won the election in November of that year. There were rumours of NHS privatisation in the air coming from Tory circles, even during Cameron's tenure, and then it seems to me about 2018 there was a kerfuffle over Trump suggesting that a US-UK trade deal would require opening up the NHS to US investment and a degree of privatisation.

Well, apparently due to Corbyn's utilisation of these leaks, it's a big story again. But what's interesting is the media response.

The Ethos of New Calvinism and Christmas

https://www.challies.com/visual-theology/a-visual-theology-advent-reading-calendar-for-your-family/

The celebration of Advent used to raise eyebrows in Evangelical circles.

Trump Messianism and Slippery Speech

https://www.christianpost.com/news/franklin-graham-labels-trump-opposition-demonic-rick-perry-labels-trump-chosen-one.html

I seem to recall great concern being expressed back in 2008-2009 over Obama's perceived messianism, the fact that his followers spoke of him in almost devotional terms as something of a saviour.

German Militarism and the Rise of Von der Leyen

https://thedefensepost.com/2019/11/27/germany-new-runway-niamey-niger-c-160/

I'm afraid the picture for this article caught my eye. I remember on a few occasions working with the German Budeswehr loading and unloading C-160's. They're like a miniaturised two-engine version of the Lockheed C-130. Our base normally hosted Spanish and British air units (F-18's and AWACS) but the Germans would show up on occasion in connection to some transport mission.

The Spirit of Capitulation in Evangelicalism With Regard to Sunday

https://www.christianpost.com/voice/the-biggest-demographic-churches-are-missing.html

Evangelical leaders continue to produce theology which ratifies the cultural status quo. From divorce and psychology, to work, finances, lawsuits, politics and how we order our time, the Evangelical leadership does not disappoint in this regard. If there's a way to baptise the cultural norms, you can count on them. Motivated primarily by a fear of losing numbers, money and ultimately cultural influence they seem to spend an inordinate amount of time teaching about the culture... but in reality they endlessly explore ways to push the church to the edge of the cultural cliff and then hope that they won't fall off.

Multi-Generational Nightmare Weapons

https://theintercept.com/2019/11/25/iraq-children-birth-defects-military/

Though largely discredited in my eyes, I still glance at The Intercept from time to time. There are still some good reporters attempting to produce decent journalism and while the original goals of the outlet have clearly been subverted, the mechanisms of control are not absolute.

Georgian Orthodoxy and Cold War II

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Tbilisi,-scandals-and-divisions-in-the-Church-and-between-parties-48570.html

Georgia's Orthodox Patriarch Ilia II has skeletons in his closet which his enemies are attempting to exploit. Formerly a leader within the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ilia is being accused of being a pro-Moscow puppet. Sadly (for him) his former WCC affiliations will (for some) give credence to that charge. It's well known the functionally apostate WCC was infiltrated by the Soviets during the Cold War.

ISIS Scatters to the Four Winds... And to Central Asia

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Seventeen-die-in-Islamic-State-attack-on-border-checkpoint-48474.html

This has long been the fear, that in the aftermath of its Syrian defeat and the death of its leader, the surviving elements of ISIS would return to their home countries and bring their violent forms of Salafism with them. Al Qaeda it would seem is on the wane and the more extreme, apocalyptic and (despite its attempted caliphate) even de-centralised forms of Salafi violence represented by ISIS are growing in popularity. The same frustrations that are driving people on to the streets across much of the world are in the Islamic context driving some youth into radicalism.

A Moment of Cultural Examination in Italy

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/business/2019/11/18/only-57-of-italian-mums-work-istat_6095acfc-0148-4de5-8310-b388510a8208.html

The ANSA news service seems to be lamenting the fact that only 57% of Italian mothers work outside the home. If there's something to lament it's that 57% of Italian mothers work outside the home. Ideally the number would be zero.

Frontline's In the Age of AI

I recently watched the PBS Frontline documentary on AI or Artificial Intelligence. I recommend it but with qualification. It was both interesting and disturbing but it was also misleading. There were some interesting discussions to be sure. From the future of jobs to some rather questionable uses in medicine to social media and surveillance, the documentary raises numerous salient questions.

Logic on Fire: The Life and Legacy of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

I had been waiting with some anticipation for a few years to view the Lloyd-Jones film Logic on Fire and after viewing it I must say I was quite disappointed.

Macron, Aachen and the Ghost of de Gaulle

https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence-and-security/news/frances-macron-decries-nato-brain-death-ahead-of-anniversary/

Already there are cracks appearing in the 2019 Aachen Treaty which was signed by France and Germany in the former Carolingian capital.

Buying Czech Loyalty: Rewarding the V4

https://thedefensepost.com/2019/11/12/czech-republic-purchase-uh-1y-ah-1z-helicopters-textron/

It is with veritable glee that the American and European publics mark the thirty year anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. And yet military contractors perhaps find a greater reason to rejoice in marking the nearly 29 years since the Warsaw Pact collapsed. After almost three decades it can be safely said that most former Eastern Bloc hardware is becoming obsolete.

Hungary, the UK and the Politics of Huawei

https://www.euractiv.com/section/5g/news/hungarys-emergency-infrastructure-hardware-built-by-huawei/

Washington is not pleased that Budapest is collaborating with Beijing when it comes to its 5G infrastructure. This is part of a larger struggle with China over technology and global 'tech' infrastructure. Despite US machinations and even threats, China continues to make inroads into Europe.

AFR: Blind Guides of the American Evangelical Movement

A couple of weeks ago I was driving about an hour south of where I live and picked up American Family Radio (AFR). As bad as the Family Life Network is, I must say AFR is perhaps worse, or at least more overtly political. Every time I've tuned in, its airwaves propagate Scriptural error and bad politics rooted in the network's bad theology.  

Pompeo's Sacrilege

https://www.christianpost.com/news/pompeo-faces-criticism-for-giving-speech-being-christian-leader.html

Pompeo should fill all Christians with righteous indignation. His statements should fill us with dread.

Mayer's Credibility on the Line

https://consortiumnews.com/2019/10/08/the-new-yorkers-partisan-attempt-to-refute-its-claim-of-partisan-disinformation-on-biden-and-ukraine/

Mayer became a familiar face to me when she appeared on Frontline's series about the Iraq War near the end of the Bush presidency. Since then she's appeared in other Frontline documentaries and I've heard her interviewed on NPR. Though I haven't personally read her pieces in The New Yorker I did read 'Dark Money', her 2017 expose which proved very informative. Overall I've found her to be a pretty solid journalist... pretty much within the Establishment consensus but intelligent and probing.

Training the Satraps

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2019/10/14/Singapore-air-force-celebrates-10-years-of-training-at-Idaho-air-base/4981571077607/?sl=9

Few realise just how common this sort of this is and what an important role it plays for the US empire.

Hidden behind euphemisms of partnership, friendship and alliance the reality is these nations are beholden to the United States.

Self-Affirmation Confused With the Will of God

https://www.christianpost.com/news/in-n-out-billionaire-lynsi-snyder-on-spiritual-warfare-desire-to-be-plugged-in-to-gods-plan.html

But she's not plugged in to God's plan. This is a case of self-affirmation being confused with the will of God or God's Plan.

We may speak of God's decretive will or Providence in which His will is indeed accomplished regardless of the outcome or means. And yet we live by His Revealed Will which we can point to as a sure guide.

European Drama: Aachen versus Brussels?

https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/france-halts-eu-enlargement/

France has halted the process to enlarge the EU even as Balkan states form what amount to a 'Mini-Schengen' zone of custom free borders.

IOR Obstruction

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2019/10/02/five-vatican-officials-suspended-over-finance-probe_04a93a47-8048-4861-899a-d8636bb79436.html

As mentioned in the January 2019 piece (linked below) there will be continued resistance to reforming the IOR/Vatican Bank.

The question is... just who are these five officials? I'm not referring to their names, rather what faction do they represent? Are these people resisting reform with other connections to the hierarchy? Are these people acting in the interest of outside parties? Are their suspensions a protective measure, a tactical move on the part of one faction or the other?

The Lausanne Legacy: Danish Evangelicals Seek Political Influence

http://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/4821/God_is_at_work_with_politicians_and_culturally_engaged_people

This is yet another example of the Lausanne mindset on display. Somehow getting legislators into church on Sunday morning is deemed a great victory or accomplishment.

Poland's PiS Rewarded

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2019/10/11/Poland-US-celebrate-new-US-Army-division-headquarters-in-Poland/3401570811620/?sl=17

As Poland continues to stand with the United States, this is their reward... and yet the people of Poland should beware.

For some they will see the US establishment of a divisional headquarters as a surety, a guarantee of security against the threat of Moscow. Additionally it is all but a guarantee of further economic growth through the military apparatus. The Americans build bases and they spend lots of money and the infrastructure, logistics and maintenance will generate jobs and stimulate the local economy. Poland's defense sector will certainly benefit.

Trump +1006: Developments in Northeast Syria

The timing of Trump's Syria withdrawal is interesting in light of the impeachment probe. Again I wonder if he truly blundered into this or if he isn't being set up? One can hardly pity him but the policy is even turning many Republicans against him.

CNN: Not Left-wing but Establishment Safe

https://thegrayzone.com/2019/09/06/embassy-insider-exposes-cnn-lies-about-julian-assange/#more-14399

The fact that CNN is once again exposed as a propaganda outlet for the US Establishment should come as a surprise to no one. I suppose when the outlet first appeared in the 1980's, around-the-clock news and the level of international reporting was novel and thus we were all fascinated. That said, even the mainstream outlets had extensive international bureaus at that time and while the coverage was certainly slanted, nothing compares to what's happening today.

The Syria Blacklist

https://www.mintpressnews.com/using-forged-emails-progressive-journalists-smear-challenging-syria-groupthink/261972/

This article provides a good summary for the case that Syria coverage has been manipulated and often fabricated. Given the longevity and complexity of the conflict the number of articles dealing with these questions is voluminous, even daunting for someone who hasn't been following things closely.

And thus this article plays a helpful role in providing the 'big picture' in terms of this question.

Rolling Back the Pink Tide: A Scandal in Colombia, the Anti-Venezuela Media Campaign and the IMF Motivated Protests in Ecuador

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/01/colombia-spy-chief-quits-dossier-venezuela-oswaldo-pena

Duque working in concert with American Imperialism and its regime change operation in Venezuela has been called out and exposed. The report appears in The Guardian, a publication largely in alliance with the Atlantic Establishment. And yet when it comes to Latin America their editors are clearly comfortable pursuing stories that American media are less likely to emphasise.

Medicaid and Christian Ethics

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/10/when-medicaid-takes-everything-you-own/596671/

This reality is already known to many and yet I am often startled by how many people do not seem to understand how the world of medical coverage functions. I suppose if you've had a long-term steady job that provided health coverage then you would have little reason to look into the realities that many people face.

Washington, the PiS and EU Climate Targets

https://www.politico.eu/article/new-yorks-lackluster-climate-summit/

Leaving aside all the silliness surrounding the deranged Swedish teenage activist and her 'glaring' at Trump, the real story in this article pertains to French president Macron's condemnation of Poland's PiS government for inhibiting the EU's climate goals.

Falwell and the Politico Whistleblowers

https://www.npr.org/2019/09/15/761046389/liberty-university-students-react-to-falwell-scandal

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/09/09/jerry-falwell-liberty-university-loans-227914

By now many are familiar with the Politico article about the whistleblowers at Liberty University who have sought to expose Jerry Falwell Jr. as a hypocrite and something of a tyrant.

Another HSLDA Travesty: Trump's UN Speech

https://hslda.org/content/hs/international/20190925-trumps-historic-un-speech-should-help-persecuted-homeschoolers.aspx

The twists and turns of history. Public education is largely a result of the sacral state and in the United States its genesis was championed by dyed in the wool Protestants that wanted to bring about social conformity and cultural unity especially in the face of massive immigration.

Elizabeth Warren's Wall Street Socialism

https://www.aol.com/article/finance/2019/09/24/senator-elizabeth-warrens-net-worth-2020-presidential-election/23818922/

The Right continues to taut the 'Socialism' of millionaires like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. These politicians advocate a form of social democracy which actually falls within Centrist orbits in the rest of the world. They are advocates of the market and finance capital. What they're arguing for is that the state as an organising principle should pool some of society's excess profits and redistribute them to the poorest elements of society.

Ritter on Smolenkov and Some Thoughts on Christian Discernment

https://consortiumnews.com/2019/09/14/the-spy-who-walked-away/

Ritter will be remembered by some as the patriotic American ex- UN weapons inspector who refused to accept the Bush administration's line on Iraq. He exposed the administration as dishonest and challenged the WMD narrative.

South Tyrol: A Chink in the EU's Armour

https://www.thelocal.it/20181018/italy-and-austria-at-odds-over-south-tyrol-dual-citizenship

The region of South Tyrol doesn't normally make it into the news. An alpine wonderland, for most it's just part of northern Italy and yet its story is far more complicated. It's actually one of the dozens of potential 'trouble spots' within Europe that retain the possibility of future political turmoil and unrest. South Tyrol isn't a 'hot spot' like Kosovo or even as contentious as Transylvania, Ulster or Catalonia but it still has the potential to generate trouble. The EU was supposed to eliminate these tensions, to bring these cycles of history to an end and yet history just won't go away. And as Brussels weakens, history is rearing its head.

Patriotic Idolatry in China

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Official-churches-and-religions-celebrate-the-70th-anniversary-of-the-Chinese-communist-regime-(Video)-48071.html

Of course this is done voluntarily on the part of many American Churches. These idolatrous celebrations are more or less repeated in the United States. Of course they're not mandated but represent willing offerings on the part of American Christians to the deified holy state.

Were an American president of the right political stripe to suggest and encourage such ceremonies I am confident American Christians would comply. These sorts of idolatrous displays have become almost routine since 9/11.

Indian Christians Betrayed

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/sep/23/trump-modi-mainstream-faces-global-far-right

The American Evangelical hero-president stands on stage with the persecutor of India's Christians. Modi's Hindutva regime has subjected Christians to mob violence and terror. And yet he's welcomed in the United States, the nation that purports to stand for human rights and religious freedoms.

Kosovo: To the Victors Go the Spoils

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/12/world/europe/americans-who-helped-free-kosovo-return-as-entrepreneurs.html

This is a link to a 2012 article. It made it into the New York Times which grants it a level of significance and yet the story should have been bigger. It should have made headlines and if people really understood its significance they would be angry. The warmongers cashed in. This is how loot and pillage works in the 21^st century.

The West's Attempt to Win Over Trans-Caucasia

https://www.euractiv.com/section/azerbaijan/news/juncker-commission-still-hopes-to-finalise-agreement-with-azerbaijan/

This is part of an ongoing project by the members of the Atlantic Establishment. Washington and the EU are making a joint effort to secure the region of Transcaucasia and establish it as a beachhead against Moscow.

Vigano in Hiding

https://catholicherald.co.uk/magazine/the-vigano-affair-has-revealed-the-depth-of-the-churchs-crisis/

Archbishop Vigano is in hiding. A cleric on the run is an intriguing if familiar chapter from Roman Catholic history. The fact that a high-ranking figure has gone underground in 2019 is particularly interesting. Scandal and intrigue swirl around the Vatican. This is hardly new but the Francis papacy has stirred the pot. Old scandals live on and while Francis has upset some of the traditionalists, the Vigano accusations in many respects reveal Francis to be (at least in part) a defender of the status quo.

Samantha Power: A Right-wing Democrat

https://theintercept.com/2019/09/11/a-memoir-from-hell-samantha-power-will-do-anything-for-human-rights-unless-it-hurts-her-career/

The review provides some interesting insight into one such as Power. During her tenure she was viewed by the Right as a Leftist, part of a Far-Left administration. As I and others continue to insist, today's DNC is not really a Left-wing political entity. There's a Left-wing within its ranks, one that duplicitous figures like Sanders and Warren are labouring to keep within its larger sphere. And yet there are also Centrists and then there are those that could be called Democratic Right. And they're not a small faction. In fact they dominate the party.*

T4G: Together For the Gold

The numbers are pretty staggering in every respect. To attend Together for the Gospel's 2020 conference in Louisville Kentucky will cost over $200 just to get in. The total costs of attendance, travel, lodging and meals mean that it's out of reach for a lot of people. I would struggle to even be able to come up with the ticket money. I can't afford their gospel. The conference gives away a pretty hefty stack of books but when you look at the thousands of attendees and start to do the math you realise these conferences bring in some serious money... millions of dollars.

Tungsten, the A-10 and Vietnam

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2019/08/22/Boeing-awarded-999M-contract-for-A-10-Warthog-wing-replacements/2891566482184/?sl=7

https://www.military.com/dodbuzz/2018/05/14/air-force-debates-replacing-depleted-uranium-rounds-10.html

On one level this exemplifies how the military-industrial complex works. The military ends up stuck with programmes they don't want and wish to cancel. Congress argues they want to keep the A-10 because of its tactical importance. For those in the know it is the supreme tank-killer and has a stellar reputation as a tough almost indestructible killing machine. A strange plane, it's relatively slow and quiet and yet its sound is unique, its engines sound like nothing else. During my days of shame when I wore the uniform of the legions and participated in its murderous policies, I was around them on a daily basis. I knew it by sound as much as by sight.

Trump Disappoints the PiS

https://www.politico.eu/article/warsaw-welcome-awaits-trump

Time and again Trump proves that he is no faithful ally. Poland's Law and Justice Party (PiS) along with its V4 allies has become a near pariah state in the EU. Warsaw has thrown in with Washington and has opened up its borders to NATO expansion and now NATO staging. Under the PiS, Poland has become a frontline state in Washington's new Cold War with Moscow.

Chimeras: Contra Naturam

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/aug/03/first-human-monkey-chimera-raises-concern-among-scientists

Science is on the cusp of great change. There are social forces holding it back but given they have no ethical foundations or anchors, the flood that is coming will prove overwhelming. All it will take is for someone to poke a hole in the dyke and it will quickly collapse. This was proven true with regard to the ethics of sexuality. Science isn't any different.

Cinque Stella (M5S) is Exposed as a Party That's Less Than Stellar

In a political twist, the populist anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S/Cinque Stella) has moved to form a coalition government with Italy's Democratic Party (PD).

This is particularly ironic given that the PD was an object of so much of Five Star's scorn and ire. Why have they done this? For one reason... to counter Matteo Salvini and his parliamentary maneuvers. Salvini has attempted to force elections and take over as Italian prime minister with his League Party in power... and M5S forced into opposition.

Terror and Intelligence Agencies: Keystone Cops or Coordinators?

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/spanish-intelligence-knew-of-terror-cell-ahead-of-barcelona-attack-say-reports-1.3959554

It reminds one of a broken record. Time and again we learn that the terrorists were known to the authorities and in many cases contained elements directly working with the intelligence agencies.

The Endless Battle for the Balkans

https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/west-urges-kosovo-serbia-to-restart-talks-with-urgency/

The Atlanticist project to consolidate Europe in the wake of 1989 has hit a brick wall in the Balkans. While nations like Albania, Romania and Bulgaria were quick to join the NATO/EU axis, the break-up of Yugoslavia proved more difficult.

Suspicious Suicides

Was Epstein murdered or perhaps allowed to commit suicide? There's a great deal of circumstantial evidence to suggest either of these scenarios. The media has waged a very aggressive campaign to shut down any such notion and interestingly the many popular conspiracy sites seem to have taken the discussion into a rather bizarre direction suggesting that Epstein is in fact still alive. The waters are muddied and one is left wondering if some of them don't exist for that very purpose.

Wal-Mart and Facial Recognition

https://www.forbes.com/sites/retailwire/2017/07/27/walmarts-facial-recognition-tech-would-overstep-boundaries/#2aa099c945f8

Recently while out with family members I found myself once again in the great temple of consumption also known as Wal-Mart. As indicated in previous writings I find a particular fascination with what's happening up at the check-out area and while standing there and observing, I noticed large CCTV monitors taking in the transaction area as well as the areas in which people queue up or stand in line.

Facial Recognition and the March Toward Dystopia

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/07/07/fbi-ice-find-state-drivers-license-photos-are-gold-mine-facial-recognition-searches/

Law enforcement is just helping itself to our personal data. And they're not collecting it and sifting it because they suspected you did something. They're just running your data through their filters and algorithms... because they can.

American Style Evangelicalism in France

https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=XOHbYDfxmew

Expressing the spirit of the modern, these congregations are hip, entertaining and impressive. Putting on high budget productions and appealing to contemporary values and norms, the American Church Growth model is flourishing in Europe.

Dallas (DTS) Continues its Fall into Worldliness

https://www.christianpost.com/sponsored/4-trends-in-full-time-vocational-christian-ministry.html

Founded during the Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy, Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) was once a school associated with Fundamentalism, however it abandoned that course long ago. Retaining something of its Dispensational theology, the school now represents mainstream Evangelicalism and the Dominionist Theology that undergirds it.

Wal-Mart and the Self-Checkout Swindle

Recently I have found myself in Wal-Mart on a couple of occasions. We quit shopping there in 2011 but every once in awhile I go in and walk around and observe.

The Chemical and Radioactive Legacy of the US War Machine

https://www.spiegel.de/international/globalsocieties/vietnam-s-ongoing-fight-against-agent-orange-a-1268396.html

It's right that the United States is pledging more aid but of course this must be understood in light of Vietnam's position vis-à-vis China. Washington has a new ally in Hanoi, one it could have had back in the days following World War II but that wasn't meant to be.

Capitalism, Privacy and Medical Records

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2019/06/ron-paul/medical-ids-enemy-of-privacy-liberty-and-health/

I agree with Ron Paul that a universal medical ID is a bad idea and potentially spells trouble. And yet the question of medical records has been an ongoing problem and all acknowledge the current system slows down the health care process and increases costs.

The Ukraine Conflict: Orthodoxy, Militias and Arms Smuggling

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/-Orthodox-celebrations-for-the-baptism-of-Kievan-Rus-are-at-risk-47570.html

All acknowledged that the recent creation of an autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church would heighten tensions between Kiev and Moscow and amplify the growing rift between the Moscow Patriarchate and that of Constantinople.

These conflicts are playing out on multiple fronts. The AsiaNews link explores some of the difficulties in Ukraine as its symbols, shrines, relics and properties remain divided. Small seemingly innocuous moves can mean a lot.

Additionally, a story broke this week about a weapons cache found among some Neo-Nazis in Italy. The weapons were reported as bound for the Pro-Russian and Moscow supported separatists in Eastern Ukraine's Donbass. Much has been made of this story.

Sloppy Religious Reporting From The Intercept

https://theintercept.com/2019/03/30/domestic-terrorism-donald-trump/

The Intercept has at times produced praiseworthy work but overall the news magazine continues to exhibit would I would consider a downward slide. What was once insightful and somewhat adversarial journalism has (with a few exceptions) slipped into the mainstream of the American Left and at times all but echoes the narratives of the less-than-left wing Democratic Party.

The Guaido Collapse and Perceptions of American Power

Juan Guaido's attempted overthrow of the Maduro government is rapidly losing steam. His May 2019 overreach has taken the wind out of his sails and left him looking weak and vulnerable. There's little doubt that the forces in Washington that backed him and both disappointed and even angry.

Terrorist Timing in Turkey and Sri Lanka

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-turkey-security/erdogan-says-car-explosion-in-turkey-kills-three-may-be-terrorism-related-idUKKCN1U014D

After weeks of tension the Erdogan government is going ahead and taking delivery of the Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile system. NATO and in particular the United States don't want to see this happen.

This will begin to detach Turkey from the NATO command structure and throw up barriers in terms of its larger strategies and even battlefield tactics.

VOM and Colombian Half-Truths

https://www.persecution.com/2019-03-colombia/?_source_code=EM1903CL2

The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) can at times be excellent and their reports moving. They are to be commended for their understanding of suffering and persecution as not being incidental or occasional aspects of the Christian life, but rather essential components of our calling.

There are times when I listen to their podcast, watch videos or read their materials and I want to empty my bank account in order to help them.

And then there are the other times when their predilection for Charismatic theology comes to the fore and I reconsider. It's really a continuation of my first encounter with Richard Wurmbrand's work Tortured for Christ which I first read in the 1990's. On the one hand it was deeply moving but on the other hand the theology was such a disastrous mess it was hard to know what to think.

Confronting War Mythology

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2019/06/laurence-m-vance/the-greatest-generation-of-whoremongers/

Reading this also reminded me of Keith Lowe's Savage Continent: Europe in the Aftermath of World War II. It can be safely said that war foments and breeds evil. It is a case of Providential restraint being withdrawn and depravity is put on display, even unleashed.

Haftar and Libyan Ports

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-libya-economy-port-idUSKCN1U02CH

This development represents further US subversion of the UN recognised regime in Tripoli.

In addition to further support for Khalifa Haftar... who interestingly has threatened Turkish interests... the move ensures that China won't be able to move in and connect Libya to its larger OBOR project.

Christian Media Schizophrenia on Display

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/moms-expose-librarys-shocking-lgbt-youth-pride-event-homosexuality-transgenderism-drag-queens

https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/trumps-4th-of-july-celebration-highlighted-everything-liberals-hate-about-america

On the one hand LifeSite, an Evangelical-style Catholic news outlet has done us a service in revealing the repugnant horrors of homosexual recruitment at work in connection with libraries and other public institutions. It truly was disturbing to read just how debauched and depraved these people are and how blatantly they are attempting to recruit the young into their evil sphere.

Guatemala: Evangelicals and Smugglers Together

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/27/journey-of-faith-the-guatemalan-pastors-helping-smuggle-people-into-the-us

This was a sad and unfortunate read. And what's even more disheartening is that the report should have been broken by Christian reporters but instead it takes a pro-Sodomite Anti-Christian publication like The Guardian to get the story out.

Kagame and Warren

https://www.christianpost.com/news/rick-warren-criticized-for-hosting-rwanda-president-at-saddleback-church.html

Kagame is praised by the West and his legitimacy has been granted through the narrative created about him and his movement and the events surrounding the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. Kagame's subsequent warmongering and brutality are largely ignored.

Palantir: The Electric Eye in the Skynet

https://theintercept.com/2019/05/02/peter-thiels-palantir-was-used-to-bust-hundreds-of-relatives-of-migrant-children-new-documents-show/

The apostate and sodomite Peter Thiel has big plans for the future. He wants to be part of the state surveillance apparatus which in the end will spy on all of us. At this point it's clear Thiel has Deep State connections. Just how embedded he is within the larger machine and circles of power is anyone's guess.

The Asian Underground Railroad

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-northkorea-china-defectors-feature/chinese-raids-hit-north-korean-defectors-underground-railroad-idUKKCN1TH0VH

Beijing fears a massive influx of North Korean refugees. Despite the perceptions of some, the situation with regard to Pyongyang has not stabilised. Xi Jinping's recent visit to the DPRK was an attempt to shore up Kim Jong Un and indeed from his standpoint Xi's visit was a substantial feather in his cap.

There is no love lost between Beijing and Pyongyang and yet the Chinese government (CCP) fears a collapse and the flood of refugees that would result from it. And so they begrudgingly support the Kim regime. Additionally they do not want the Americans or their proxies (like the ROK) deciding the course of events right on their borders. This was in no small part the reason why Mao intervened in the autumn of 1950.

French Arms in the Era of Trump

https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence-and-security/news/frances-weapons-exports-see-sharp-increase-on-european-market/

Nervousness surrounding US commitments to NATO continue to drive the EU to look inward. From the Franco-German Aachen Treaty signed in January 2019, to talk of creating a European Army, many of the nations within Europe are re-thinking security and strategy.

France and Germany have an increased standing in light of Brexit and France which has long served as a Western 'alternative' when it comes to arms is profiting handsomely as a result.

Kurds Reject the White Helmets

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/15b19407-31f2-4709-ab99-580b6a66dc72

Though outlets like Netflix and the Western media in general continue to tout the Syrian White Helmets, not a few in the West are on to them and continue to challenge their origin, actions and narratives. Along with the UK based (and largely fraudulent) Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) the White Helmets have played a major role in the Western shaping of the Syrian War narrative.

Haftar: Made in the USA

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190614-sisi-egypt-will-always-suppor

Contrary to the official narrative and policy I would argue that the United States has been supporting Haftar since his return to Libya in 2011.

Few would doubt that his part in the 2011 so-called Libyan Revolution was sponsored by Washington. But the official narrative posits that he fell out of favour during the subsequent and ongoing civil war which many date to 2014.

Suspicious Timing and Media Collaboration

In July 2018, just as Trump is set to meet with Putin in Helsinki, suddenly Maria Butina is arrested in the United States. The story was a sensation as Butina was painted as a 'Red Sparrow' in reference to the movie that had been released just months before in which a Russian spy uses seduction as a means of gaining intelligence. Western media reported that Butina was just such an agent and in light of the movie and television shows like 'The Americans', the story caused a sensation.

Tajikistan Persecution

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Jehovah's-Witness-jailed-for-four-months-for-reading-banned-Bible-47230.html

This is a real shame. Again, it is not my intent to defend the Watchtower Society and yet their persecution resonates with me in a particular way because of their apolitical stance.

Why do they face such ire? Well, in Russia and the former Soviet Union there is a hostility to 'sects' which are viewed as both Western and detrimental to traditional values and social stability.

The North Korean Embassy Raid

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spain-northkorea-usa/us-arrests-former-marine-connected-to-north-korea-embassy-raid-in-spain-idUSKCN1RV1AJ

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-authorities-make-first-arrest-in-mysterious-raid-of-north-koreas-embassy-in-spain/2019/04/19/bfee15e2-d984-4600-9b63-14270f9b0bb3_story.html?utm_term=.8c6ecd3a93e4

I've been watching the news since this story broke back in February but the story seems to have faded away. Why did a North Korean embassy in Spain become subject to a raid? What was this episode about? The basic questions are still largely unanswered.

Franco's Legacy: The War Continues

https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/04/26/inenglish/1556272970_468527.html

Franco has been in the news a lot lately. From the plans to move his tomb, which many view as an affront to his opponents in the Civil War and the victims of his regime, to the return of the Spanish Far Right for the first time since his death in the 1970's, the Spanish people are revisiting the period.

Trump's Economy and its Evangelical Apologists

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-untold-story-of-trumps-booming-economy/

There are different ways to read such articles. On the one hand one could read it with a sense of outrage and great umbrage at the crimes of the wealthy.

Others will read it and get angry and defend the status quo. Employing a multitude of Right-wing and Neoliberal arguments they will quash all complaints and morally denounce those who would dare to question economic and market orthodoxy.

But there's another way to read it. First, I reject the assumption of middle class norms. I don't judge the right or wrong of it for workers by the standards of the middle class. I realise the average worker expects vacation days, sick days, a pension and all the rest. I don't and I don't have any of those things... and I don't really care.

So do I disagree with the author of the piece?

Corrosive and Compromised Dominionism

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/faith-work-capitol-hill/

This article typifies what I think of when it comes to New Calvinism applied. This piece is run of the mill on The Gospel Coalition website and for them it's something to celebrate. For me, it's a cause for depression and it serves as a warning.

You will not understand the impulses behind their movement or my criticism of it unless you understand the key tenets of Dominionism which now is the dominant paradigm within Evangelicalism. The New Calvinism is some ways represents a super-charged intellectually robust expression of this and given the cultural angst within the Christian Right, perhaps it's no surprise that this Evangelical-friendly form of Calvinism is rapidly becoming a dominating force.

Chiapas Troubles

http://evangelicalfocus.com/world/4410/mexico_Chiapas_Evangelicals_held_after_refusing_to_organize_a_Catholic_festival

For all the ecumenical bridges that have been built in the developed world between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism, it's interesting that in Latin America the old animosity remains.

Bolsonaro and the American Evangelicals

https://www.christianpost.com/news/us-evangelical-leaders-met-prayed-with-brazils-conservative-president-bolsonaro.html

It was hardly surprising to read that Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell Jr. were part of this group that acknowledged and paid homage to Bolsonaro during his March visit.

Authoritarianism and Exploitation: News when it comes to China, ignored in the West

https://www.euractiv.com/section/cybersecurity/news/huawei-admit-chinese-law-obliges-companies-to-work-with-government/

The Chinese government and the ruling CCP are deplorable. There's no need to mince words. They are enemies of Christ and Beijing represents a bestial power vying for its place on the world stage.

Tajikistan Troubles and Evangelical Reporting

https://www.mnnonline.org/news/in-tajikistan-christians-are-government-targets/

https://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/2019/02/tajikistan-children-barred-from-attending-church-5000-christian-calendars-burned/

Caught between East and West, and embroiled in the New Great Game, Tajikistan continues to exist as an authoritarian state which while mostly secular, panders to Islam in an attempt to counter the narratives of extremist groups like al Qaeda, ISIS, and even the Taliban.

The Knights of Malta Controversy and Wikileaks

https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2019/01/31/wikileaks-releases-documents-on-knights-of-malta-controversy/

This is in reference to an ongoing scandal within the SMOM or Knights of Malta, a famous if secretive lay Catholic religious order that ostensibly is involved in charity work but has always been suspected to have a wider agenda. From its ties to the old Catholic nobility to its many members involved in power politics, the Establishment and often the 'Deep State', the Knights along with Opus Dei and other Vatican entities have elicited no small degree of inquiry and fascination.

NATO, the Military-Industrial Complex and Trumpism

https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence-and-security/news/french-defence-minister-its-called-article-5-not-article-f-35/

One aspect of the US push for an increase in military budgets on the part of its NATO partners is closely wed to the fact that such spending all but demands large purchases from US military contractors. The Europeans know this and yet they are torn.

Butina Addendum

A follow up to my December 2018 piece on the Butina case:

https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2018/12/butina-mainstream-media-hype-and.html

Maria Butina has been sentenced to 18 months in prison and then faces deportation.

Le Feu: Notre Dame de Paris

In light of the fire at Notre Dame, I thought another perspective was in order so I decided to link this short piece from 2010.

Orlandi and the Vatican Scandals of the 1970's and 1980's

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/10/vatican-to-investigate-1983-disappearance-of-teenage-girl

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2019/04/10/vatican-opens-probe-into-emanuela-orlandi_da1a1c1f-4f6d-4838-9672-0ca7d972a2b4.html

I think it unlikely that the true story will ever be told. This notorious case has been overshadowed by one salient fact... the Vatican itself has been the chief force of obstruction to the investigation. These articles contain some valid information but as usual the real meat is found in what is left out.

The Evangelical Blitzkrieg Against the Kingdom of Christ

http://religiondispatches.org/project-blitz-seeks-to-do-for-christian-nationalism-what-alec-does-for-big-business/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/04/project-blitz-the-legislative-assault-by-christian-nationalists-to-reshape-america

They think they're doing God service but in fact they're waging war on the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. They have confused power, wealth, prestige and pride with the ethics of the Kingdom. Rejecting the cross they have taken up the sword. They have also taken up the trowel but it's not Jerusalem's walls they seek to rebuild. Instead they're building a new Babel or perhaps they're repairing the breaches of an old one. It's a Babel crowned by a cross of gold, a cross antithetical to the splintered blood stained tool of execution and shame that we're called to bear.