https://rainforestjournalismfund.org/projects/army-jesus
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/democraciaabierta/rise-narco-militia-pentecostal-brazil-en/
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/10/cpac-argentina-milei-maga-trump-musk
This is disturbing but not at all surprising. And given that within a decade Brazil will likely have the largest Evangelical population on the planet - it's a moment for sober reflection.
One is left wondering if the decision by the White House to slack up a little on Venezuela sanctions is about foreign policy strategy or simply to help out Chevron – and thus the markets. It's probably a bit of both.
South Africa has been catching quite a bit of flak as of late from the Western media. The ruling ANC has refused to openly condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and worse, they are planning to participate in military exercises in February with both China and Russia.
In the past when leaders made bold or revolutionary political moves, they either believed in their cause, or at the very least in themselves. They put it all on the line and risked all in order to grasp the power they coveted. Some were even willing to risk their lives.
https://theworld.org/stories/2022-07-29/brazil-s-evangelicals-work-us-political-mission
https://theworld.org/stories/2022-07-29/brazil-s-evangelicals-stand-president-bolsonaro
I have visited this topic more than once but with today's
election in Brazil it once more comes to mind. The rise of Bolsonaro isn't that
surprising as we see Right-wing and fascistic movements waxing everywhere. But
it is the Evangelical support for Bolsonaro that is particularly of interest
and the fact that like Trump he has all but announced that if he loses the
election he will not accept the results – and has indicated he's willing to
entertain extreme measures to reverse the result.
It's a point that needs to be reiterated. By failing to provide any kind of context to the war, the reporting on Russia and the responses of Putin to the sanctions regime are effectively spin-jobs. His threats to cut off Eastern European gas are not cases of blackmail, but the result of him being painted into a corner. The sanctions are basically an attempt to blackmail Russia into bowing to NATO. Any resistance on his part is ironically couched as 'blackmail'.
Putin's threats regarding a
quick response to outside intervention are presented as menacing and aggressive
but once again he finds himself in a serious quandary. He's fighting a war
against NATO and losing. He has certainly lost the propaganda war in much of
the world. By means of proxy war, economic sanctions, and various other
measures his regime is under severe strain and increasingly isolated. They're
fighting him but he's not allowed to respond. In fact if Foreign Minister
Lavrov or anyone for that matter within the context of US politics or media
declares this to be a proxy war between the US/NATO and Russia, they're decried
and even mocked by the mainstream media.
And yet the US Secretary of
Defense has openly declared the US is in a fight with Russia and military aid
to Ukraine is meant to weaken Moscow's military might. That sounds like a proxy
war to me.
It is no great shock to find a platform such as LifeSite celebrating this sort of thing – Christ being promoted and defended by thugs such as Jair Bolsonaro.
LifeSite represents the Dominionist nexus – the new ecumenism
born of Evangelical Dominion theology and sections of traditionalist and
integralist Catholicism. These groups celebrate anything that smacks of
Christians (of almost any stripe) wielding and exercising cultural influence
and political power.
