Right-Wing Crises and Setbacks within Europe

Poland continues to struggle with Brussels and the conflict is reaching a point of crisis. Neither side is willing to back down.

https://euobserver.com/institutional/136365

https://www.euractiv.com/section/justice-home-affairs/news/poland-rejects-eu-warning-on-constitutional-court-crisis/

The Right-wing PiS currently controls the Polish parliament (Sejm) and has come into conflict with the EU over its politicisation of judicial appointments and its moves toward censorship and restrictive pro-Catholic social policies.

Underground Catholics in China

The Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA) is Beijing's answer to Papal authority and its parallel to the Protestant Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM). These are the state-sanctioned organisations that govern both the Roman Catholic and Protestant denominations within the People's Republic of China.

The Underground Church rejects Beijing's jurisdiction and forms what the government considers to be illegal worship cells. Usually the news if it focuses on the Underground Church tends to report on the Protestant side of things.

UN Sanctions and Israeli Settlements

Obama finally did it. He stood up to Israel's Likud Party.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/23/world/middleeast/israel-settlements-un-vote.html?_r=0

Nothing has happened as of yet. The UN condemnation is symbolic at this point but you can be sure Netanyahu and the Israeli Establishment are somewhat shocked and certainly livid.

Obama, frustrated and angered by his dealings with Netanyahu fired something of a Parthian shot as his administration fades into the sunset.

He didn't 'do' anything. It's what he didn't do.

Geopolitical Chess: The Language of War

I have sometimes referred to as the 1991 Gulf War as something of a 'signal' to other nations. The timing of both the 1989 Panama Invasion and the 1990-1991 Gulf War are essential to understanding the 'meaning' they communicated in geopolitical terms. One might even speak of a geopolitical language.

Protestant Rosaries are Next

http://www.fln.org/news/features/detail/inside-out-celebrate-all-of-christmas/

How do you beat the post-Christmas blues? Recover the ancient tradition of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Of course the author neglected to mention that they culminate in Epiphany. That might be a little too much for some Evangelicals.

But I don't know why? At this point they've embraced Advent and many have also embraced Lent. Why not embrace it all then?

Real World Elements in Jason Bourne (2016)

For those already initiated into the world of Jason Bourne and the re-booted movies of the 2000's, the story elements reflecting the MK-ULTRA revelations and many other aspects of the US Deep State are nothing new.

However I noticed several elements woven into the plot of the 2016 Jason Bourne film that were of interest and thus far I have not detected a great deal of online comment with regard to these points.

These themes grabbed my attention even though I must confess the movie was something of a disappointment. It had a lot of potential but failed to deliver in several areas. My intention here is not to write a review but simply highlight a few points that were of particular interest to me and my readers.

For those interested in the film, consider the following...

The Russian Hack or Leak... and Why it Matters

These articles are must reads for anyone who is wrestling with the Russian Hack narrative promoted by the Mainstream Media. This line is being utilised to promote a new wave of legislation, possible censorship, a culture of Red Baiting and possibly an escalation in US foreign policy aggression toward Russia.

Federalist Author's Lies about Santa Claus Facilitated by LPR's Issues Etc.

http://issuesetc.org/2016/12/06/3415-incorporating-the-real-santa-claus-into-the-celebration-of-christs-birth-holly-scheer-12616/

This 14 minute piece was completely misleading on multiple fronts. Contrary to Scheer, Santa Claus is not merely a secularised version of the Roman Catholic St. Nicholas and thus in today's context a bankrupt and hollow form of virtue-appeal minus the theological substance. It's a convenient narrative but one that is less than accurate.

Wikileaks: Greenwald v. Klein

I listened to this friendly debate when it was first released back in October. The argument is essentially between the Naomi Klein approach to activist journalism vs. the Julian Assange approach of what can be almost described as indiscriminate leaking of information.

Inbox: How do you protect yourself from Fake News?

or: How to respond to the Fake News hysteria and protect yourself from being brainwashed by the Establishment or manipulated by activists or those with other than truth-seeking agendas?

I hope to offer some practical points. I'm not going to shroud this discussion in the facade of so-called Christian Worldview which all too often promotes false understandings of both the news and history.

Balaam Comes to Langley

https://theintercept.com/2016/11/23/mike-pompeo-religious-war/

Evangelicals have cause to celebrate. Pompeo is just the sort of man they want to see in power and especially at the head of an organisation like the Central Intelligence Agency.

Fake News out of Aleppo

The Western Mainstream media continues to rely on the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the White Helmets as primary sources for news coming out of Syria and Aleppo in particular.

Western Media Clampdown and the Cyber-Power Grab

https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/german-spy-agency-warns-of-rise-in-russian-propaganda-and-cyber-attacks/

The media is filled with calls for investigations into Russian hacking but no evidence is produced. Instead we're provided with 'secret assessments' and calls to trust the intelligence apparatus, despite the fact they have a long and proven track record of lying and attempting to manipulate the public.

Like the many narratives strung together in the wake of 9/11, this present attempt at spin is false and patently so on many levels.

The CIA and Ivory Coast

This Wikileaks file dates from 2012 but it's instructive with regard to Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). What is sometimes referred to as the 2^nd Civil War took place only the year before in 2011. France was the official backer of current president Alassane Ouattara and helped to track down and capture former president Laurent Gbagbo who is now being held by the ICC.

Even a cursory glance at this file makes it pretty clear that Ouattara is a creature of Washington. His biography reveals significant Western connections (Ivy League and IMF) and it's clear that both France and the United States wanted Gbagbo out of office. His time of usefulness had come to an end and from the West's perspective, a leader looking West rather than toward China was desirable.

R Scott Clark's Obfuscations and Westminster West's GOP-friendly Two Kingdom Theology

https://heidelblog.net/2016/11/the-media-flyover-country-betsy-devos-the-new-yorker-and-the-truth/

There are two reasons I wish to respond to this piece by R Scott Clark. One is I think it provides an example of Westminster West's Two Kingdom Theology in action and demonstrates that its views (especially in application) are a far cry from 'radical' or 'Anabaptist'. This is to correct the false assertions of both Lutheran and Theonomist theologians.

Second, I think his piece is misleading on several points and deserves a response.

Italy: Shaken by Earthquakes both geological and political

2016: It's a year of earthquakes in Italy. Earlier this year, several villages crumbled into the dust, broken by the force of the earth. Today, Italy's political order has been shaken and its Establishment finds itself under a cloud of uncertainty and threat.

Inbox: How will Trump's presidency affect the progress of Dominionism within the American Church?

A good question.

As of December 2016, I don't really know. On the one hand the Christian Right turning to Trump seems like a defeat of their principles and thus to some extent a self-inflicted death-wound to their movement.

European Nationalism and NATO

https://www.euractiv.com/section/security/news/divided-austria-unites-in-opposition-to-eu-army/

The issue of creating an EU Army command is dividing the nationalists of Europe. On the one hand it affords an opportunity to break free of NATO and US dominance, or more properly can initiate a process toward that end. No one is suggesting that NATO is going to just go away. It is already becoming apparent through the Trump's cabinet picks that an Anti-NATO or Anti-Atlanticist doctrine is not going to govern his administration.

The Sacralist Two Kingdom Theology of Westminster West (Escondido)

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=1131692171

I include this as a supplement to the Lutheran Two Kingdom piece which extensively referenced and interacted with the Two Kingdom theology advocated by Westminster Theological Seminary (West) in Escondido California.

http://proto-protestantism.blogspot.com/2016/11/a-lutheran-interpretation-of-reformed.html

I rather enjoyed this 45 minute talk. Though I did not agree with everything said, I appreciated the reflections and found it worthwhile.

Sabbath Lawsuits: Glorying in their Shame

http://www.adventistreview.org/church-news/story4356-us-cement-maker-pays-42500-in-sabbath-lawsuit

These stories are far too common. Celebrated by the political activists who dominate Evangelicalism, they are in all actuality a mark of shame.

The Re-Alignment of India

India's geopolitical shift involves a complicated dance in order to maintain a network of relationships. On the one hand India has moved toward a military alliance with the United States and the establishment of closer economic ties with the West. At the same time India is still entangled in historic alliances with Russia which involve joint military projects as well as a commitment to BRICS, the international banking order meant to counter and check the dominance of Western organisations such as the World Bank and IMF.

The Latest on Cold War II in the Balkans and Caucasus

The series of proxy battles and posturing continues. One thing is clear the lines are becoming more distinct and increasingly turning to battle lines.

Pivot Collapse: Thailand's Junta Moves Toward Moscow and Beijing

There are so many aspects of the US election that have been covered and yet American mainstream media has largely failed to report on the international effects.

The collapse of TPP and the movement of the EU toward autonomy in light of Brexit are perhaps somewhat known but there have also been some interesting developments in Asia. While the Philippine's Duterte has made the news for cursing Obama and cozying up to Beijing there are other stories that point to the American 'Pivot' being in jeopardy.

Parenting, Values and Culture

http://www.rosemond.com/September-2016.html

I don't really know much about the author but his columns often appear in the local newspaper. Sometimes the advice is good and I admit this despite my general hostility to the theological and philosophical underpinnings of psychology and much of the counseling movement.

Elections and Establishment: The 2016 US Presidential Drama and the French Centre-Right Primaries

The numbers aren't fully in yet but it would appear that Francois Fillon has won the first round of the French Centre-Right primary and will face Alain Juppe in the second round. Juppe will likely win the primaries and has a very good chance of being the next president of France. This represents a stunning defeat of former president Nicholas Sarkozy. Sarkozy was the obvious favourite of the US Establishment and his defeat will be disappointing to some within the US power structure. This isn't to say they can't work with Juppe as well, but Sarkozy in particular was beloved in Washington for moving Paris solidly into the US and NATO orbit.

Finance Capital and the Shopping Mall

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-property-cmbs-idUSKCN12L0XB

The destructive and wasteful nature of Finance Capitalism is on display. Profit margins must always increase and this imperative produces its much celebrated dynamism.

But how destructive it is! Resources are wasted, communities are in constant upheaval and what is the price that is paid by individuals and families as this system generates, nay is founded on a constant game of instability?

Rwandan Secrets and the Ethics of Dominion

Rwanda's Paul Kagame has been in the news recently as questions have re-emerged regarding his possible role in the shoot-down of President Habyarimana's plane in 1994, the event which triggered the Rwandan Genocide. The slaughter perpetrated by Hutu Interahamwe militias was ended when Kagame and his Tutsi fighters, backed by Uganda and the United States entered Rwanda and drove the Hutu militias into Zaire/Congo. This later contributed to the breakup of Zaire and the subsequent Congo Wars.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-37613315

Kagame has always denied playing any part in the shoot-down and he has counter-charged France with complicity in the genocide through aiding the Hutu government and providing training and assistance to those who committed the genocide. France had been backing the Hutu government and had opposed Kagame as a tool of American imperialism.

An EU Military Union in the Works?

https://euobserver.com/foreign/135877

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-defence-idUSKBN1322GH

As mentioned in previous articles, the Brexit kicked open the door for France and Germany to pursue a degree of autonomy and begin to establish themselves as the permanent leaders of the EU. Through various mechanisms Europe has been largely controlled by the United States since the end of World War II. The EU project while ostensibly designed to balance power and common interests, it has instead consolidated them in the hands of the most powerful factions. The British exit has further concentrated the power in Paris and Berlin and now there is a strong push for the creation of a unified European military command that would operate outside US control.

Providence at Work in the European Immigrant Crisis

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/thousands.of.muslim.refugees.in.switzerland.germany.converting.to.christianity.amid.disillusionment/94634.htm

Amidst the horrors of war and social collapse, God's Providence works in mysterious ways. Immigrants fleeing for their lives and hoping for a better tomorrow are in some cases finding not just a new life in Europe but a new life in Christ.

A New Black Sea Front within Cold War II

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-nato-russia-idUSKCN12P31W

The tension increases as both sides continue a process of escalation. This build-up is reminiscent of what occurred in 1983 as US exercises, rhetoric and posturing pushed the USSR to a point of paranoid frenzy. This culminated with the shoot-down of Korean Air Lines flight 007 near Sakhalin.

The Domestic Consequences of German Militarism (Part 2)

Once again German militarism comes with a cost to domestic society, privacy and free speech. Don't think for a moment this won't affect the press and a host of other issues.

Militarism drives the state into the mode of fear... fear of enemies and fear as a tool to keep the populace in line.

https://www.euractiv.com/section/justice-home-affairs/news/germanys-intelligence-service-reform-stokes-controversy/

Notice the quote... the BND must be active in detecting 'early threats to the domestic and external security of Germany'.

Homeschooled Stormtroopers

Homeschooled young men joining the military...

It seems like it's been happening a lot lately and it grieves me to no end.

I have witnessed several incidents of homeschooling families who have laboured for years to raise their children 'different' who have separated from family, churches and friends in order to maintain the standards and ideals they believed were right...

Only to hand over their sons to the US military.

The Silver Lining of the Trump Fiasco

Maybe there's a silver lining to this whole Trump episode. The Libertarian-Tea Party wing and now the Trumpites have smashed the GOP both in terms of a consensus and as a unified institution.

We don't know yet what the fallout will be after November 2016. If the movement perpetuates, the GOP will probably fail to recover. This may be the effectual end of the Two-Party duopoly.

Culture Warriors: Form Without Substance

Recently I was poking around on Facebook and encountered someone I knew from a couple of years ago. I've thought about this guy quite often. He grew up in Reformed circles but admitted that he knew very little in the way of doctrine. This came up during a conversation after services in which I tried to engage him a bit on some issues that had come up in the sermon. He didn't have the vocabulary, familiarity with the doctrine... or with the text for that matter.

What did his parents teach him?

Trump and the Semblance of Dignity

I've mentioned this before but I wanted to put it into a brief post.

In the 1990s so many lamented the lack of dignity and gravitas that the Clintons brought to the White House. Many, myself included, all but wretched watching the Clinton's dance to Fleetwood Mac on Inauguration night. The bearing and sobriety of the World War II generation was gone and it was clear that the Boomers had arrived.

Halloween Compromise

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/christians-this-is-our-night

This article is making the rounds. It's the same argument Evangelicals have been making for years.

Evangelicalism and its 'desire' to be relevant is a creature and vehicle of worldly compromise. This article represents scripture manipulation at its finest but somehow manages to ignore the point... what is the argument against Halloween? The article never bothers to interact with the notion. It instead assumes the Dominionist line about conquering and redeeming the culture and it hides its cowardly compromise by pretending to have a robust theology.

The Citibank Revelation

For all the coverage the Clinton email leaks are receiving 'the' story is not getting that much attention.

The real revelation came with the Citibank emails. This wasn't even so much about the corruptions of the Clintons as it was the compromised nature of the system itself.

Bearing the Cross in Southern Chile

http://evangelicalfocus.com/blogs/1705/Why_are_churches_burning_in_Chile

This article is interesting for many reasons but I post it here because of a line near the end...

Christianity, they argue, has brought many to leave the defence of their social rights.

The Mapuche people are angry because of their social situation and view Evangelical converts as traitors.

The Cambridge Spy Ring: Unfinished Tales

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/name-of-seventh-cambridge-spy-cannot-be-revealed-says-judge/story-29733173-detail/story.html

For anyone who is an espionage buff, this article references a still unfinished chapter from one of the great stories of the Cold War. The story contains so many layers it's hard to take it all in.

Mainstream Media, the Yemen Conflict and Social Consensus

This article provides an excellent summation (with numerous examples) of how the Mainstream media protects the Establishment. The Right-Left divide is largely fictitious. The differences are located within the pro-Wall Street, pro-Pentagon, pro-Imperial consensus. This is true from FOX to MSNBC and everything else in-between.

Also exposed is the rank hypocrisy on the part of US media and US officials regarding civilian casualties, weaponisation of conflicts etc...

Russian State Persecution, Western Money and the Heritage Foundation

There are a growing number of reports regarding Russian state harassment of Evangelical groups. They're being bullied about property, registration and in some cases fund raising. The state is making it clear that they're not particularly welcome and they're being watched.

These actions are starting to garner attention from Evangelical leaders and ministries. Of course this also dovetails nicely with the US Establishment's propaganda campaign directed at Moscow and the march to war.

John McCain's Concern for the Indiscriminate Bombing of Civilians

John McCain was recently in the news again calling for US intervention in Syria. Never one to shy away from warmongering and ever the champion of American militarism, McCain decried Assad's 'indiscriminate bombing' of civilians and blamed him for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Syrians.

I was left spluttering.

The Investiture Controversy in China

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-vatican-china-deal-idUSKCN12L031

I have no stake or real interest in Catholic ecclesiology or geopolitics but this move by Francis should rightly be decried as a sell-out. In seeking peace for Roman Catholics in China he has all but capitulated to Beijing's demands. This will not earn him many friends among Catholics in China and certainly not among them in the United States.

A Candid Admission Regarding the Christian Right

http://www.christianpost.com/news/trump-meeting-evangelical-leaders-end-of-the-christian-right-165473/

I'm not an admirer of Michael Farris, HSLDA or Patrick Henry College but this short article is worth a few minutes of your time. It contains a very candid and compelling admission. While I reject much of what Farris stands and fights for I appreciate his honesty on this point and his admission that the Christian Right has lost its way.

Homeschooling Extremes

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/oct/11/unschool-children-monitor-home-schooling-education

As negative as this piece might seem to be, it's actually fairly upbeat regarding the Unschooled. I've seen some real disasters result from this method.

Trump and Taking Social Stability for Granted

The media is suddenly making a big deal about Trump's refusal to commit to the election results. This is a surprise? He's indicated this all along, but suddenly they seem to be paying attention.

Ecuador Under Pressure and Hillary's Desire to Drone

Ecuador has cut Julian Assange's internet access. What's going on here? Is Ecuador under serious pressure from the United States? We know that's the case, but it has been for some time. So why now?

Right-Wing Terror and Sovereign Citizens

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/10/15/it-will-be-a-bloodbath-inside-the-kansas-militia-plot-to-ignite-a-religious-war/?utm_term=.ab97d31308ed

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/militia-terror-plot-fbi-kansas_us_58014995e4b0162c043c1e90

This case breaks with the all too common FBI provocateur urging on and entrapping some misguided fool. These men look to be the real thing.

There's actually a lot of this type of Right-wing terror going on but the media (generally speaking) is not making a great deal of noise about it.

Switzerland's Loss of Neutrality

https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/26/swiss-public-back-law-expanding-surveillance-powers/

http://lenews.ch/2016/09/25/25-september-2016-swiss-referenda-results/

Terrorism is being used as justification to break Swiss neutrality. The All-Seeing Eye wants access to every secret, every byte and bit of data. Switzerland is autonomous but dependent, reliant on a symbiotic relationship with global finance.

The Intercept's Clinton Email Coverage

The Intercept has been doing a tremendous job reporting on the Clinton email leaks. I've provided numerous links here. Right now they're easy to locate on the site but in another week or two it will take a lot of scrolling or searching to locate them. This list is for those who want to look into this issue at a later date... assuming the links stay active.

The Montenegrin Microcosm

There were reports that numerous websites associated Montenegrin politics were hacked today and the suggestion was that Russia was probably behind it. Montenegro is yet another Balkan country caught in the middle of Cold War II. It's a battlefield in miniature. Historically and culturally the Eastern Orthodox Slavic peoples of the region have looked toward Russia but post-1991 NATO and the EU have been determined to 'scoop up' every last nation of the former Warsaw Pact into their orbit.

The Costs and Dangers of Militarism

There is an ongoing debate in ruling class circles over the question of conscription. In recent years the Neo-Conservative wing led by figures like Donald Rumsfeld wanted a light and flexible volunteer force highly reliant on technology and sophisticated weaponry.

Sadly (for them) this was also combined with a commitment to unilateralist thinking leading to an over-taxing of US military resources. By the end of the Bush administration the US military was almost broken.

The Syria Swindle and its Dangers

Led by the State Department, elements within the US Establishment are clamouring for greater involvement within the Syria War. Putin and Assad are being accused of war crimes and the media is doing all it can to escalate the tension.

The truth is the US has been behind the Syrian 'uprising' since the beginning. It's been a mostly bogus proxy war and was instigated by the United States and key NATO allies. They have flooded the conflict with weapons, money and fighters.

And yet, it's near collapse. Their Islamist (often al Qaeda affiliated) militias are near collapse. These are the fighters (arranged under multiple structures) that have beheaded children, terrorised and murdered civilians and engaged in other deeds equally worthy of the 'war crimes' label.

Spurgeon on the Unrighteousness of War

A great quote from Charles Spurgeon. Isn't it interesting how when Bible-based Christians are not wielding political power, as indeed Non-conformists in 19^th century Great Britain certainly were not, there is no zeal for empire, for conquest, for the 'glory' of the nation. Establishment Christianity whether formal or simply the result of a contrived theological narrative is a poison to the Christian soul. How quickly does it invert the ethics of the Christian Church!

Missiles in Kaliningrad

Overshadowed by other media events regarding Donald Trump and the presidential debate (sic), reports emerged that Russia has moved missiles into Kaliningrad, a small enclave about the size of Connecticut located on the Baltic between Poland and Lithuania. Kaliningrad (formerly the Prussian city of Königsberg), was captured by the Soviets in the latter stages of WWII. During Soviet times the city and its surrounding area was contiguous with the rest of the nation as Lithuania was also part of the Soviet Union. When the USSR broke up, it became an isolated exclave, a legacy of World War II and the defunct German state of Prussia which was completely dismantled in 1947.

October Surprises: The DNC, Putin and Assange

It has been well known for some time that Wikileaks' Julian Assange was planning an 'October Surprise' for Hillary Clinton and at last it has come in the form of leaked speech transcripts. At last we have some information regarding Hillary Clinton's rather highly paid and controversial speeches to Goldman Sachs.

https://theintercept.com/2016/10/07/excerpts-of-hillary-clintons-paid-speeches-to-goldman-sachs-finally-leaked/

The analysis is hardly complete but already they reveal an 'unveiled' Hillary Clinton and more or less confirm what many already thought. She's an Establishment figure and has no qualms about taking public positions that can be contrasted with her real 'private' feelings and the policies she will pursue. Like most politicians, she's a phony.

A Note on the Constitution Party's Nativism

The anti-globalist and Nativist forces in the United States continue to fail in their understanding of how US power works. Just recently I perused a Constitution Party pamphlet left on a retail counter by a disgruntled Christian-Right Cruz supporter who refuses to back Trump.

Demonising Salva Kiir and the China Factor in South Sudan

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2016/0819/South-Sudan-government-recruited-child-soldiers-UN-says

At one time Salva Kiir was a hero in US foreign policy circles. He was the face of the South Sudan project, a long US-backed effort to wrest the southern portions of Sudan and its oil away from the control of Khartoum in the north. The new nation's genesis was a blow both to the Khartoum regime, a regional nemesis of Washington's interests and Beijing which had been heavily invested in the Sudanese oil sector.

The creation of a new state with its capital in Juba was a diplomatic and geostrategic success, a double victory that achieved both regional and global aims.

Mainstream Media's Anti-Russian Campaign

http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2016/08/30/491898040/the-curious-deaths-of-kremlin-critics

This piece ran about a month ago on NPR and yet it is but one example among many. The US Establishment is seeking to reconstitute the Cold War and while China is one villain, the chief antagonist is Russia under Vladimir Putin.

The lies grow wearisome. Putin is hardly a virtuous character but US accusations are disingenuous, rooted in arrogance and extremely hypocritical.

The fact that the Mainstream media has embraced conspiracy theories regarding Russia tells us a great deal about their role.

Economic and Political Intrigue Surrounding Deutsche Bank, Apple and the European Union

In a previous piece, we mentioned the German-French project to form a new military command which has frustrated and angered Washington. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gave tepid support to a new Brussels command in a public statement but it's clear this is a move on the part of Berlin to consolidate power in a moment of US weakness.