https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-admin-threatens-withhold-hiv-192256406.html
The US acts as if its AIDS treatment and prevention programmes are rooted in altruism. That's never been the case. These were opportunities for the Empire to exercise soft power, make contacts, lay foundations for future business investment, and establish relationships with political leaders. It's always been about the fact that if the US doesn't do this, then some other powerful nation will.
Immanuel offers some astute comments and helpful analysis with regard to the Brethren, their doctrines, ecclesiology, and soteriology. As I said to him, I am always torn by these groups. On the one hand there's so much that I appreciate about them or want to, and yet at the same time there are some glaring errors that seem to end up characterizing and dominating them, and one's experience among them.
https://wng.org/opinions/clean-words-and-clean-witness-in-the-white-house-1764033683
There are so many astonishing articles being written these days - it's impossible to keep up.
This World Magazine article from back in November 2025 continues to amaze me.
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/3/18/ai_warfare
Everyone is talking about AI right now and unless you've had your head in the sand, you're aware of the discussions regarding the Pentagon's use of the technology and suspicions and claims that it was AI targeting that resulted in the hit on the girl's school in Minab, Iran. Over 175 were killed as a result and while Anthropic has protested and subsequently been blacklisted by the Pentagon, reports suggest that Palantir and other platforms still make use of Anthropic AI.
For years there were discussions about the ethics of robots in battle. Well, the use of AI has circumvented this debate and now computers are actively involved in targeting. The sheer speed of operations means the human element is minimal and unable to keep up.
The death of Chuck Norris (1940-2026) has garnered significant media attention within Right-wing and Evangelical circles. He was a hero to these factions. As they are desperate to have some Hollywood celebrities on their side, any defection from the mainstream to the Right will earn instant support. There are many B and C-list actors and actresses that have boosted their otherwise ailing careers by associating with the Evangelical movement.
Personally I couldn't care less about Norris but a host of Christian leaders praised the man both in life and now in his death. We are told to esteem his witness. So it is fitting for us to consider it.
The Transportation Security Administration or TSA was founded in the aftermath of 9/11 and though it would seem people have forgotten, it was quite controversial. It began a period of dehumanised public interaction with the state, and the degradation and humiliation of travellers. It was connected to the Patriot Act and the decimation of basic Constitutional rights. In other words if I was a patriot (which I am not) I would view TSA workers as traitors, enemies of the republic established by the US Constitution. I'm glad they're not being paid. They should go get real jobs and actually earn some honest money.
https://www.politico.eu/article/serbia-bor-mine-china-zijin-mining-group-health/
Serbia continues to be a problem for the Atlanticist Empire. The US led two wars connected to Serbia in the 1990's and while it defeated the Serbs and wrested Kosovo away from Belgrade - the problem was never resolved. Serbia remains a thorn in the side of both Washington and Brussels, a beach-head for Moscow's interests and influence in the Balkans.
This is one of those extremely frustrating articles to read.
Newsweek's Sarah Stankorb is of course a secular feminist that doesn't understand Christianity and misinterprets the causes and actions of various groups.
Keir Starmer has tried to distance himself from America's war and yet Britain is certainly the junior and subservient partner in the Atlanticist Anglo-American Empire. His government is struggling and he didn't want to risk alienating more Labour voters by supporting the Trump-Netanyahu war and so he tried to side-step the issue by suggesting that UK bases would only be used for 'defensive' purposes.
https://www.euractiv.com/news/kyrgyzstan-in-eu-crosshairs-over-russia-sanctions-circumvention/
The EU has been trying to establish better ties with Central Asia, but all of this has been sidetracked by the Ukraine War and the West's anti-Moscow posture. The nations of Central Asia deal with both Russia and China which are their neighbours with some nations leaning toward Beijing and others toward Moscow.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/lots-misconceptions-home-education-062055678.html
Starmer's government is in trouble and so like many politicians in his position he looks to distract, to channel fear and anger, and to utilize scapegoats. As such, he's decided (among other things) to go after homeschooling.
https://thegrayzone.substack.com/p/iran-war-described-as-biggest-opportunity
This article is based on a January 2026 summit held in Washington DC - just weeks after Maduro's kidnapping and before the latest Iran War.
https://www.politico.eu/article/france-germany-next-generation-fighter-jet-project-collapse/
In the grand scheme of things this is a minor story but it points to some of the internal struggles within Europe, which in turn plays out within the larger political spectrum. With the departure of Angela Merkel and in light of Franco-German relations (such as the 2019 Aachen Treaty), Macron stood at the pinnacle of European politics. France was set to re-assert the leadership it believes itself entitled to.
https://thegrayzone.substack.com/p/meet-the-former-fashion-blogger-and
The reporting surrounding the protests and death tolls in Iran have played a part in the media campaign justifying US action and in particular the assassination of Ali Khamenei.
https://breakpoint.org/just-war-in-iran/
Both Stonestreet and his mentor the late Charles Colson provide ample evidence as to why Just War Theory is a malleable self-serving fiction. If the war is launched by a Republican president, they support it and provide (by means of sophistry) a theological and ethical justification.
https://www.dw.com/en/peru-ousts-interim-president/a-76013641
There is nothing too earth-shattering here other than to note how Peru's instability continues and how the nation is caught in a tug-of-war. It's one of the key fronts in Cold War II and the contest being Washington and Beijing.
When crimes of robbery or kidnapping are committed, the getaway driver is often found to be of equal fault and culpability. Their participation in and facilitation of the crime marks them as guilty of the same larger crime. They are part of the violence and criminality.
Interestingly when Nicolas Maduro and his wife were kidnapped in January 2026, because it was a military operation - it's deemed legitimate. Because the soldiers involved wear the American uniform their actions are moral and justified to most of the public - and sadly most of the Church.
I won't pretend the Latin, Orthodox, and other Eastern Patriarchs have some of kind of great standing with me. It's not as if I respect their Christian opinions or ethical stands on the issues of the day.
https://www.vcy.org/crosstalk/2026/02/16/presidents-politics-prophecy/
Sometimes I can't help myself. Given my background and upbringing in Fundamentalist and Dispensational circles, I do like to 'check in' every once in awhile and see what's being talked about and how the issues are framed.
This is a story unlikely to get any attention in US media but it has American fingerprints all over it.
https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/we-need-more-seymour-hershes
https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2026/02/ritter-russia-and-hersh.html
This post is simply a follow-up or supplement to my recent piece on Scott Ritter and Seymour Hersh. This article provides some additional commentary on the Cover-Up documentary and the importance of Hersh's reporting on My Lai.
Some might be excused for thinking I do nothing more than read bad articles and listen to egregious podcasts and radio shows. What's the point, someone might ask me?
It gives me no joy I can assure you but I am consistently astonished by what is taking place in the Church today - the bad teaching, the twisted ethics, the flawed reasoning, and the corrupt leadership. I encounter people that just drink this stuff in without stopping and thinking - and realizing that what they're being told doesn't add up, isn't Scriptural (despite the claims), and is ultimately misleading. At that point we have to ask 'why'? What is happening?
https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/p0mx8ffc
I've been writing about the situation in Nigeria for some time and remain concerned over the way the situation is covered in Christian media.
Today on the Family Life Network (FLN), radio personality Robbie Price reported that despite US efforts, the Iranians are just not interested in trying to come to a peaceful solution. This is evidenced by the military drills conducted in the Strait of Hormuz.
Price just left it there and moved on to the next story.
https://consortiumnews.com/2026/01/23/scott-ritter-getting-it-wrong-on-russia/
Seymour Hersh has been on my mind as of late. I was able to watch the 2025 documentary Cover-Up, directed by Laura Poitras. It traced and highlighted aspects of career and offered some interesting and candid moments.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4p42kydx9o
Now that the BBC has put up a paywall, it's hit or miss as to whether or not you'll be able to read this - that is unless you have an account. I don't and as such my BBC reading and website visits has plummeted. I still utilise their podcasts but I wonder how long they will remain available without a subscription?
This article displays in very clear terms how some forms of revivalism have nothing to do with the gospel or the Holy Spirit but are instead tied to culture war and politics. Now I know men like John Stonestreet will argue this is nevertheless a good thing because it gets these people into churches where they will hear the gospel - that is assuming that they will in fact hear the Scriptures preached. I wouldn't count it - even in many so-called conservative churches.
Lately I've heard repeated references to how things are looking up and how we as Christians are obviously thankful for all the wonderful things that have taken place with Trump in office.
This article does not affirm what many of us intuitively already know - the US arms industry is experiencing something of a golden age. From sales to the EU (for Ukraine), to client states across Asia and the Middle East, to Latin America - there's a lot of money being made. And as I'm often keen to note - a lot of this blood money flows into the coffers of Christians by means of investment, particularly in mutual funds and 401k portfolios.
But there's another aspect to the arms industry that also constitutes big business.
https://www.asianews.it/news-en/New-arrests-of-house-church-members-in-China-64608.html
There are some serious problems with this article - with the reporting as well as the underlying assumptions.
Imagine if a US-based pastor went over to China, met with the most militant members of the People's Congress and CCP, men that openly speak of war with the United States and the threat it represents.
Further, he aligns himself with monied interests in China, receives awards, and then returns to the United States and agitates - flouts the laws, tax and building codes, and speaks openly of transforming US culture into something conformable to China.
How would US authorities likely respond?
There are Chinatowns in most large cities. Growing up I visited the famous district in San Francisco which is certainly impressive. But I was really struck by the Chinatown in Lower Manhattan - so proximate to the old Five Points, the various courthouses, and even Ground Zero, and how it all but overlaps with Little Italy. It caused me to reflect on the nature of these ethnic enclaves and the immigrant experience.
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/1/20/minneapolis_minnesota_ice
One need not agree with all that Democracy Now stands for and certainly figures like Al Sharpton rightfully elicit scorn. We need not align ourselves with Renee Good or even the protesters who stormed a Southern Baptist congregation in protest of its ICE pastor. Nevertheless the reporting is pretty stark and damning when it comes to the character and conduct of ICE. I was particularly struck by the exchanges between ICE agents and an Native America/Indian woman with her nephew - harassed for having darker skin. The sheer terror in the woman's voice is disturbing - she's rightly in distress, fearing the ICE agents will kill her nephew.
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/nord-stream-sabotage-suspect-remains-in-custody-1768528278.html
In addition to Kuznetsov who was arrested and extradited from Italy, there is also news of another Ukrainian arrested in Poland who is accused of being part of the Nordstream sabotage.
https://evangelicalfocus.com/world/33581/baptist-church-raided-twice-in-kazakhstan
My heart goes out to Christians being put under pressure by wicked governments and we should be in prayer for the Church in Kazakhstan and throughout all of Central Asia.
That said, there are some problems with this story.
When Anti-ICE protesters disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota it was indeed sacrilege and every Christian should be offended.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/freeland-ukraine-economic-advisor-9.7033382
Toronto-area MP Chrystia Freeland is in the news once again. Her most recent high profile position was as Trudeau's deputy and she was viewed by many as the 'minister of everything' and almost the de facto prime minister. Having previously served as foreign secretary, and finance minister, her star has been rising for some time. In a sudden move that sent shock-waves throughout Ottawa and beyond, she resigned the cabinet at the end of 2024 - a move which helped to ultimately bring down Justin Trudeau's government the following month.
https://richbitterman.com/2025/11/14/why-60-percent-of-young-americans-prefer-socialism/
Bitterman laments the trend toward socialism among the youth. For the record, I contend America's contemporary decadent and consumerist youth are not in fact looking for socialism at all, but social democracy along the lines of what we see in Northern Europe. While those models may have socialist characteristics they are still capitalist and market driven societies with class distinctions and private ownership - and therefore dismissed by actual and ideological socialists.
https://christianconcern.com/comment/the-mission-of-god-includes-politics/
Reading the summaries of this conference, I'm left shaking my head - more distractions, more confusion. The New Testament knows nothing of what they're talking about. They are cherry picking a few texts and reading a lot of assumptions into them.
https://europeanconservative.com/articles/commentary/the-bbc-is-the-voice-of-western-self-loathing/
The BBC was guilty of misrepresenting Trump's speech but Hume is also distorting the facts. Trump absolutely incited the riot and numerous people connected to him also played a part.
Given that we now have calls for a 'Protestant Franco', this book should interest all readers. At present I can't seem to locate the book in English, and so that may be forthcoming. At least we'll hope so.
I must say Europe's hypocrisy regarding the Venezuela raid is pretty staggering. Apart from some tepid appeals to the integrity of international law, the leaders of the EU have more or less acquiesced to American banditry and naked aggression - and its public proclamation of colonial-style expropriation of resources.
The powers that be are ordained by God and clearly in God's Providence, it was time for Maduro of Venezuela to go. That said, the Old Testament clearly demonstrates that the nation that removed him can be (on another level) outside of God's will and motivated by its own wicked desires. One thinks of Assyria and Babylon - God's servants in the punishing of Israel and Judah. They were agents of Providence but wicked in their motivation. This paradox is also seen in the commentary offered in Matthew 26.24 by Christ concerning Judas Iscariot. What is written must be fulfilled but woe to that man who actually conducts the betrayal.
So it is with Trump and the American Empire.
Regardless of whether or not Juneteenth of Martin Luther King Day are perceived as Left-leaning, the bottom line is this - Trump repeatedly and consistently exhibits a hostility to non-White people. This is not to say there aren't Black and Latino fans of Trump. This is not to say he doesn't bring some minorities into his administration. He tolerates them as does the larger GOP.
I've read so many essays like this in recent years, well meant, making many excellent points but always out of focus, off, and ultimately as problematic as what as being critiqued.
https://petehurst.com/wealth-is-not-the-problem/
I was sorry to see (but not terribly surprised) the confused publishers of The Aquila Report endorsed this article by republishing it.
Hurst is a former PCA pastor who still speaks in PCA/OPC circles. He retired from the ministry and decided to get into real estate and get rich. He justifies this by means of Kuyperian argument. He is unapologetic in his celebration of wealth and the 'good life'.
The call for women in leadership is cast in somewhat nebulous terms. How do they mean this? In ministry? Society? Business? Government? It's unclear.
Regardless, all of these options are problematic and cast womanhood in other than Biblical terms. Once again this is feminism on full display within Evangelicalism. By moving the goalposts they can insist they are 'conservative' feminists countering radical feminism - even though only a generation ago these same women would have been considered radical feminists.
https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Romanian-and-Moldovan-Orthodox-Christians-in-conflict-64314.html
I have previously reported on the contest within Eastern Orthodoxy over the question of Moldova - an episode that somewhat parallels events in Ukraine.
The Reformers were divided on the question of Christmas celebration.
The Church historian in question suggests we split the difference. Luther was for the celebration of Christmas and all of other traditions that he deemed did not specifically undermine or contradict the gospel. The Reformed wing of the Magisterial Reformation tended to argue that ecclesiology is also regulated by Scripture and therefore Christmas was suspect.
Davis dodges the theological issue and tries to create a binary dilemma between sacred and secular elements of the Christmas celebration - enjoy it, but be careful.
But that's not the issue if we're talking about the divide between the Reformers. This is to miss the point entirely.
Challies is a popular figure within New Calvinist/Evangelical circles. He rightly denounces the counterfeit mysteries that seem to be so popular in Evangelical and Charismatic circles - the Bible code books, visions of heaven and hell, hidden prophecies tied to contemporary politics, or perhaps the latest 'key' to understanding the Dispensational End Times scheme. There are plenty of examples we could point to and Challies rightly denounces this tendency.
But then he said a few things that I found to be troubling.
Leo XIV has now followed Francis in his betrayal of Chinese Catholics. The underground bishop Zhang Weizhu was effectively thrown under the bus in favour of the Beijing approved prelate Li Jainlin, now bishop of Xinxiang. Further, the ruling CCP intends to enforce it's ban on under 18-year olds - an affront that the Vatican seems willing to kow-tow to.
Why would the CCP ban under 18's apart from a hope to indoctrinate them - in the hope that they will abandon Catholicism?
Why would the Pope agree to this?
When I saw that Chris Arnzen was going to cover the topic of Why America Hates Biblical Christianity, I decided to listen. I wondered if his guest would peel back all the layers of ideology, history, and obfuscation and touch on some of the core and foundational problems with the American mindset. Well, that just turned out to be wishful thinking.
https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-end-of-road-for-bolsonaro.html
As a follow-up to the recent piece I wrote concerning Bolsonaro, I decided to temporarily subscribe to Netflix - basically so I could watch a couple of documentaries, at which point I'll dump the otherwise worthless subscription. Netflix was helpful back in the day when I could receive all manner of foreign and obscure films via their DVD in the mail service. The rise of other subscription services led to a decline in the Netflix library and over time I found the platform to be of decreasing value. Once every couple of years I'll turn it on for a month, get caught up on some documentaries and then shut it off again.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/28/support-dissolves-as-jair-bolsonaro-starts-jail-term
It would seem Jair Bolsonaro grew desperate and attempted to remove his tracking anklet which resulted in the judge insisting that (since his appeals were exhausted), he immediately begin serving his 27 year jail sentence.
Putin is a thug and murderer and thus he's cut from the same cloth as many US leaders and their proxies. I'm not a fan of him or his policies and yet it's striking to me just how frequently Western media spins coverage of him, his statements, and his actions.
https://www.972mag.com/gaza-human-shield-mosquito/
https://www.democracynow.org/2025/5/29/israeli_soldiers_using_palestinians_human_shields
This story broke wide open back in May and since then I've watched and waited. Would any Christian outlets cover this story? Would any self-described Evangelical 'news hounds' like FLN's Bobby Price dare to report on this?
The answer is no.
https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2024/06/dictators-and-drug-dealers-americas.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1kpm0rvxepo
The Mainstream Media is actually giving this latest Trump pardon story some attention - even while it all but ignored Orlando Hernandez's conviction and sentencing last year.
The concept of Anti-Semitism has become confused in our day. There is a kind of three-fold debate over race-based Anti-Semitism associated with Right-wing ideology, Anti-Zionism opposed to the state of Israel and its policies vis-à-vis the Palestinians, and even some other forms of Anti-Semitism which often defy the Left/Right divide, focusing on the corrupt nature of Western Capitalist (or for some Globalist) society and the role Jews play in the banking, academic, and political world - and of course the Hollywood and media-entertainment complexes.
The article only mentions it in passing but there's a suspicion connected to the 'conflict free' minerals coming out of Rwanda. Under Paul Kagame, Rwanda has long involved itself in the affairs and ongoing wars of Eastern Congo - primarily in their support of the M23 militia. Time will tell if the present peace does in fact hold.
Last year Frontline ran a documentary on the Alternative for Germany (AfD) which I made a point of watching. Generally I find that PBS does a decent job covering domestic issues and yet like so much of US media is sub-par when it comes to foreign issues. And I remember being less than impressed with the previous coverage of German politics.
After all the efforts to cover up Trump's connections to Jeffrey Epstein, the GOP base and now the White House have capitulated. What has already been revealed is telling and yet not in the least surprising. We already knew what Trump was.
And we'll see whether or not Pam Bondi intervenes and withholds documents due to 'pending or ongoing investigations'. It was no accident that Trump ordered to start investigating Clinton and others in conjunction with his seeming capitulation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I734EZXvHqM
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2025/10/2/no-bill-maher-there-is-no-christian-genocide-in-nigeria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoywuyiRY_w
https://africa.thegospelcoalition.org/article/is-there-a-christian-genocide-happening-in-nigeria/
https://www.africanews.com/2025/10/17/nigeria-denies-ted-cruzs-christian-genocide-claims//
The first link is to a recent episode of Al Jazeera's Inside Story. One of the panelists is from the Right-wing Hudson Institute. Despite the fact these panelists argue that to simply call what is going on in Nigeria 'a Christian genocide' is misleading and an oversimplification, there are those who will continue to insist this is what is taking place. There are even Christian leaders in Nigeria protesting this representation by the American Right.
