Sacralism, Smartphone Technology, and a PBS Report on Chinese Underground Christians

https://www.pbs.org/video/crackdown-on-christians-1761415813/

Sadly this reporting reveals a direct correlation between American geopolitical and economic pressure on China and Xi's decision to persecute Christians.

Finneyite Conversionism: Crossing Sea and Land to Bring Cheap Grace to Belarus

https://www.christiandaily.com/news/thousands-respond-to-franklin-graham-s-gospel-message-at-historic-belarus-evangelical-festival

Some will find this report exciting - the fact that Franklin Graham (fresh from the Nationalist celebration on the National Mall in Washington) arrived in Belarus to launch an 'Evangelical' crusade akin to the type of events held by his father Billy during the second half of the 20th century.

Chang on the Xi-Trump Summit

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

There have been numerous commentaries regarding the recent Trump-Xi meetings in Beijing. Some insist that Trump arrived in a position of strength and came away scoring significant victories in terms of geo-strategic commitments and trade deals. Unsurprisingly, such interpretations are found among Trump supporters.

Let the TSA Collapse

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.

Kyrgyzstan, Russian Sanctions, and Brussels

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.

New Developments Regarding Wang Yi's Congregation in Chengdu and the Arrests in Zhejiang Province

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?

Trouble in Kazakhstan

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.

The Latest Vatican Betrayal of Chinese Catholics

https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Henan-gets-a-new-bishop-while-churches-remain-off-limits-to-under-18-64424.html

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?

Backing Zelenskiy's Corrupt Regime

https://www.politico.eu/article/dark-side-zelenskyy-rule-ukraine/

When Politico is reporting this, it suggests it might be just the tip of the iceberg. It's more than a little ironic that Zelenskiy, the darling of NATO is in fact turning into a Putin-like ruler - crushing his opposition, using the courts to silence and imprison them, and in many ways erecting a regime of fear.

A CREC Theonomist Cheerleading the Secretary of War

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/22/pastor-joshua-haymes-pete-hegseth

As these so-called Christians bring disgrace on the Church and sow confusion as to its testimony, we are forced to navigate these pestilential waters, decrying the errors of the heretics and the misunderstandings of the lost who in some cases criticise things they do not understand.

Freedom by Means of Authoritarianism

https://justandsinner.libsyn.com/how-the-modern-world-misunderstands-freedom-a-conversation-with-brad-littlejohn

Littlejohn of The Davenant Institute is an avowed disciple of the Doug Wilson sect and offers his appreciation to not only Wilson and Douglas Jones, but Peter Leithart. This reveals a great deal in terms of his formation.

A Dangerous Precedent Regarding Speech

https://consortiumnews.com/2025/02/07/medhurst-detained-by-austrian-police-accused-of-being-hamas-member-uk-investigation-against-him-extended/

Though this story dates from February it is still relevant and still a source of concern. Increasingly Western governments are equating anti-Israel and anti-Zionist speech with being pro-Hamas and tantamount to expressing support for that democratically elected political organisation.

Meloni and the Judges

https://www.politico.eu/article/giorgia-melonis-italy-judges-viktor-orban-hungary-albania-rome-court-russia-war-ukraine/

Meloni's policy has mostly been to tack toward the centre, which has given her great credibility and standing within the EU Establishment. But as the article points out, there's still a very ugly Right-wing side to her domestic policy. Politically it's brilliant as it doesn't allow domestic rivals like Matteo Salvini to outflank her, but I think it's also indicative of her true colours and the nature of her political pedigree.

Wikileaks, Internews, and USAID

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/wikileaks-reveals-us-spent-4726m-to-promote-covert-censorship-media-control-through-ngo/3476741

This linked article comes from a Turkish news source. As expected this Wikileaks revelation isn't getting a lot of coverage in the West.

Some are happy to see USAID collapse because of it ties to US intelligence operations. The article (in the AKP-aligned news outlet) mentions Soros and yet a closer read of the historical record reveals that far from being some agent of Internationalist Globalism or Socialism, George Soros was one of the American Empire's 'point' men in the 1980's and 1990's in Eastern Europe. As soon as the Berlin Wall came down, the US sought to consolidate power in Eastern Europe and worked with Soros and many others to subvert politics, create political parties, and spread money around to quickly shift the former Warsaw Pact nations into the EU and NATO. It was highly successful and played no small role in today's tensions with Moscow.

Gabbard Sells Out on FISA

https://consortiumnews.com/2025/01/15/patrick-lawrence-the-predictable-capitulation-of-tulsi-gabbard/

Gabbard was one of those interesting people that captured a lot of attention from the Left and within Alternative Media circles for her opposition to the war in Syria and her general scepticism regarding US foreign policy at the time. It was the second or late phase of the War on Terror - the fallout from the Arab Spring, the campaigns in Syria and Libya, and the war against ISIS. She was a backer of Bernie Sanders and generally speaking had become a pariah to the DNC Establishment. The GOP viewed her as something akin to a traitor.

New Religious Legislation in Kyrgyzstan

https://eurasianet.org/kyrgyzstan-authorities-seek-expanded-powers-to-regulate-religious-affairs

This new set of laws is in keeping with everything we've come to expect with the authoritarian states of Central Asia which emerged with the fall of the Soviet Union. The Eurasianet article is incorrect. Kyrgyzstan is not a secular society at all, but rather one in which Islam is the officially favoured religion with other traditional groups (such as Eastern Orthodoxy) tolerated.

Syria and Gaza: Creeping Authoritarianism in the UK and the War on Adversarial Journalism

https://consortiumnews.com/2024/10/18/police-escalate-britians-war-on-independent-journalism/

The recent Israel-Gaza War has been eye-opening. We're literally witnessing the normalizing of a genocide. I feel it's something of a watershed. This sort of butchery has taken place before - in Vietnam for example. And while everyone talks about the media's role in reporting that war and supposedly undermining it, the truth is they barely scratched the surface. The fact that their on-the-ground reporting was (and is) considered controversial by some is a testimony to how well conditioned the public was up to that point. It was not adversarial (by my estimations) but just the reporting and the footage was enough to upset the public and lead to a questioning.

Europe's New Black Nobility and America's Christian Right

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/13/alito-supreme-court-far-right-ties

If you follow Right-wing politics in Europe or even Traditionalist Catholic politics then you're sure to encounter Gloria von Thurn und Taxis. The Guardian article in question provides a quick overview of the circles she inhabits which overlap with those of Samuel Alito. Her activities are not illegal - the article is focusing primarily on the corruption within the US Supreme Court and the ever expanding circles of Right-wing Catholicism.

Democracy in Crisis

https://theworld.org/segments/2024/09/18/democracy-is-under-strain-across-the-globe

Advocates for democracy are concerned. The once seemingly inevitable and unstoppable 'progress' of their system seems to be struggling. Some would say it's under strain, others would put in more stringent terms and simply say that democracy is in a state of crisis. They would point not just to the rise of authoritarian regimes but the strain on democracy within Europe and the evident fragility of the American system - supposedly the very nexus of modern democracy, the nation upon which the narrative depends.

Homosexuality in Woke Communist China

https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/article/3272119/chinas-cctv-stunned-silence-lgbtq-scene-paris-olympics-opening-ceremony

I used to enjoy watching the Olympics. Some years we'd even have cable turned on for a month so we could watch them. But at some point the debauchery (and the sundry base and vulgar ads) became too unbearable and so we gave up. I wasn't at all surprised to hear about all the filth in the opening ceremony - I did not watch it.