First there was the failed summit in Los Angeles. This was the Ninth such meeting for the Organization of American States (OAS) which has long been a tool for US imperialism in the region. More than once it has given cover to US policies and machinations.
A friend and I frequently exchange notes regarding the text
of the New Testament and some of the controversies surrounding it. We're both
committed to the now minority position regarding the so-called Byzantine Text
and the Textus Receptus and we both reject the Critical Text which has been
widely embraced even by many who would otherwise claim to be conservatives
and/or Confessionalists.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2022/05/30/memorial-day-salute-to-a-repentant-ex-marine/
The article cites the new book – Gangsters
of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, The Marines, and the Making and Breaking of
America’s Empire
by Jonathan Katz (St. Martin's Press 2022).
This is a book that I want to read. Butler is a fascinating
character and one soldier that I too would salute. He was a true hero, not for
his soldiering but for his courage and willingness to tell the truth about it –
something that actually took more courage and exacted a heavier price than all his
battlefield exploits.
https://www.christianpost.com/news/usps-can-require-christian-to-work-on-sundays-court-rules.html
This is a case of worldly thinking
being passed off as Christianity applied. It's more rights-based ethics – file
a lawsuit and call on the state to compel your employer to give you what you
want. It's an abnegation of gospel testimony, an attempt to wed Christianity to
the power of the state. And this thinking is the result of Dominionism, the
utter confusion of the True Kingdom that calls us to take up the cross with a counterfeit
kingdom that seeks to sanctify the world and its hallmarks – the sword and the
coin. Bow to its ethic and its fallen prince will grant you the kingdoms of the
earth. This is how far removed from the New Testament this doctrinal and
ethical system is.
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/5/22/george-w-bush-is-not-funny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEg6Ht2pNH0
For
several years – but certainly for the past few months we have been subjected to
media expressions of moral outrage and disgust over Putin's actions and his invasion
of Ukraine. And it goes beyond the media – celebrities, the public sector,
corporations and the like have all jumped on this bandwagon. Even a regional
Russian Festival was canceled as it was deemed inappropriate to celebrate
Russian culture at this time – which ironically it must be noted that about
half of the music and dances in the event were... you guessed it, Ukrainian.
https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/sri-lanka-is-open-buying-russian-oil-pm-tells-ap-2022-06-12/
As a country in a state of turmoil and caught between
political and financial forces based both in China and the West, Colombo is
looking for other options. And for obvious reasons Moscow is also looking for
new markets. While the Russian oil industry has jumped through numerous hoops
and played games with pricing to keep their markets open, the possibility of
new markets must be appealing for those in Russia.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61488976
This story sure caught my eye. I don't believe such a
narrative would fly in Western coverage. Whether the story is true or not, the
propaganda campaign against China has reached a point that any and every story
that can be used or spun is posted – anything to cast a shadow over the
character of the Chinese people and state.
https://www.news10.com/news/rensselaer-county/police-deescalate-hostage-situation-at-troy-stewarts/
You don't read about mass killings by knife too often do you?
I've written about this before, as have many others. Here's another recent
case, pertinent in light of the recent wave of mass shootings in the United
States.
We already knew Jordan 'JD' Hall was far afield in terms of New Testament Christianity. For him Christianity is a confused construct of America, guns, and some kind of truncated cowboy cheap-grace gospel. To practice one's piety you spread spin and lies and do so by means of creating a click-bait factory. When I see the posters promoting filth like 'God, Guns, and Trump', I think of JD Hall and the poor lost souls that follow him.
https://www.npr.org/2022/05/21/1100533342/australia-scott-morrison-concedes-election
I wanted to comment on this a couple of weeks ago but like
many readers I'm getting pretty beat up right now financially and work is consuming
a lot of my time. At present a forecast of rain means a loss of income for the
day but it gives me some time write and catch up on things.
Evangelicals were thrilled when several Tampa Bay baseball players refused to wear the 'rainbow' patches on their uniform for some kind of Sodomite pride day – something their team wishes to promote. As Sodomy is all the rage we are subjected to rainbow-washing in all sectors of society. Not saying something is to say something and so many companies and institutions that probably don't care all that much about the issue are keen to make a statement even if it's just a token one.
https://www.npr.org/2022/04/23/1094444837/opinion-the-failed-promise-of-never-again
I've been listening to
NPR on and off for a long time, although much less so in recent years. The
network has changed and I increasingly find it to be a waste of time.
Thankfully my regional public radio station (WPSU) has some other programming that's
worth while and so I still tune in from time to time.
I already knew that I disagreed with the premise of the show.
I don't believe that academia is something that can be recaptured because I
don't believe it was ever the province of the Church to begin with.
The Great Replacement theory appears in various forms and has undergone numerous permutations. For some it's about race, for others it's race on one level, but primarily it's a question of culture.
https://afr.net/podcasts/it-s-my-turn/2022/may/to-be-a-visionary/
In some respects I grow weary of writing these critiques and
yet will no one call these people out? Will no one expose their false teachings
and blatant deceit?
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/3/russia-says-israel-supports-neo-nazis-in-row-over-ukraine
I'm not sure why this is a controversy. Israel has a long
history of collaborating with fascistic elements – especially when its own
fascist party 'Likud' entered mainstream politics. Likud forged close ties with
Apartheid South Africa and the nations found a kind of camaraderie in their
pariah status, alliance with the United States, and their racial problems and
perspectives.
https://justandsinner.libsyn.com/a-response-to-an-sspx-priest-on-luther
In this podcast Cooper provides a capable defense of Luther
and his legacy and offers some helpful critiques of Roman Catholicism and the
Protestant Reformation's opposition to it.
Some coverage was given to Laurie's recent evangelical crusade in Idaho. It is claimed that over 3,000 people were saved. Laurie, a court Evangelical within Trumpite circles utilises the 'Invitation System' methodology popularised in the twentieth century by Billy Graham. It was built upon earlier models developed by the likes of Moody and Finney.
https://www.mnnonline.org/news/why-military-and-missions-make-a-good-match/
The editorial at Mission Network News argues that military
and missions make a good match. The author is sadly mistaken. Apart from being
accustomed to a life overseas, they have nothing in common.
https://www.politico.eu/article/blame-germany-russia-policy/
This represents an attack serving the interests of two factions.
On the one hand it's a hit piece targeting elements within the German political
spectrum that oppose Atlanticism and have (in some cases for years) pursued an
independent agenda. First of all, it must be remembered that Politico is owned
by Axel Springer SE – a company formally committed to Capitalism and the EU and
will not allow even its employees to dissent on these points. In other words
Politico is wed to the Atlanticist and EU Establishments, as well as long being
rumoured of having ties to US intelligence.
For months the media gave voice to Western governments and
health authorities as they decried the social resistance and the lackluster
measures being taken to curtail the spread of Covid. The rules and protocols
were flouted and the disease was spreading. And yet even during the period of
lockdowns, it was apparent there was always a less than fully committed element
to Western intervention. From the beginning until the present, the primary
concern for many has been economic. Large segments of society have been more
than happy for people die in order for profits to be maintained.
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.
Hydrogen is in the news again. This in itself is an
interesting development as two major world economies are pledging to work
together. As the infrastructure is in the early stages, such agreements are
going to generate a boom in shipping, ports, and possibly pipelines. The
hydrogen can be transported by being converted and there are various options
for this. These new technologies are opening up a new energy economy – and if
it develops it's going to change the world and the world order.
https://www.politico.eu/article/pope-francis-nato-cause-ukraine-invasion-russia/
The comments of Pope Francis on Ukraine are certain to raise
eyebrows. He's not following the dominant (and in many cases mandatory)
narrative that the Western Establishment continues to promote. Initially a darling of the Left, the tenure of
Francis has proven to be complicated and he has alienated many. One wonders if
his ambiguity on the question of Ukraine and his tacit condemnation of US-led
NATO machinations in the region will not turn more of his former allies against
him.
https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-to-travel-to-belfast-amid-brexit-protocol-crisis/
It's the nightmare scenario the Ulster Unionists long feared.
With the recent Sinn Fein victory in the Northern Ireland elections, the
unionists face the real prospect of a vote for Irish Reunification. Long feared
but a distant prospect, the campaign has picked up momentum in light of the 2016
Brexit vote and now seems within the realm of possibility.
https://calthomas.com/2022/02/bad-state-of-the-union/
John Calvin Thomas turns eighty later this year. Thankfully our
regional Evangelical radio station dropped his commentaries some years ago.
They had taken on a kind of deranged character that I think went too far for
the erstwhile moderate posture of the network. Since then the radio station has
changed. I almost expect that they would pick him up again but in their case
the pendulum has swung so hard to the Right, that for the Trump era – Thomas is
probably a little on the tepid side.
https://www.newsweek.com/oligarchs-murder-suicide-1699766
These could have been Putin ordered hits but the larger story
is one of a smashed machine – of fissures become chasms. The sanctions regime
is pushing the Russian economy to the limits and while fortunes are made in
some cases and lost in others, many actors are forced to make rash decisions.
Debts are called in – sometimes they can't be paid because money was lost,
squandered, or used for other means. Such trying times expose these realities
and powerful men are quickly toppled.
https://www.thedefensepost.com/2022/04/10/indonesia-us-war-games/
Even as the War in Ukraine rages on and the eye of the world
is focused on the NATO frontier, there are storm clouds forming over Asia and
signs that US militarism is preparing to assert itself on the Chinese frontier
as well. Far from being passive, the Biden administration has been at the
forefront of the re-assertion of the US Empire.
This represents the latest
installment of blind Evangelical leaders leading the blind. It was reposted at The
Aquila Report whose editors apparently thought it profound. And yet it
represents the kind of fatally flawed thinking that is not just misleading but
is becoming destructive.
Some people embrace these
new technologies and some don't. Some are concerned with the role they're
playing in our lives and are afraid of what they're doing to society. Others
are optimistic and filled with hope and even revel in their potential.
One has to chuckle when one considers that the author of this
G3 article considers himself to be a 'hardcore' or die-hard Calvinist – a real
old school type.
And yet as the article makes clear his thinking is in fact
terribly divorced from Church history and the historical theology surrounding
the larger Calvinist movement and in particular its views on the issues of
worship.
https://www.christianpost.com/voices/is-the-spirit-of-1776-imperiled.html
In this editorial from
The Christian Post, the reprobate militarist and Southern Baptist leader Richard
Land continues to beat the drums of war. Land has produced many truly terrible
and anti-Christian commentaries over the years. This ranks among the worst. I'm
not sure what counterfeit Zion he inhabits but in his idolatrous pseudo-kingdom,
the great Christian concern of the hour is whether or not enough young people
are going to be willing to take up weapons and kill for the state.
By demanding Russian rubles as the means of payment, Putin is attempting to 'blackmail' the European nations that still rely upon Russian gas. At least this is the argument we've been presented with by the mainstream media in the West. This is not only an unfair charge, it's incoherent.
https://julieroys.com/james-dobson-calls-for-assassination-vladimir-putin/
Some of us have long known James Dobson to be something of a
fool, a would-be politico who envisions himself as not only the Christian
Right's stalwart and wise leader, but the great moral discerner of our times – even
the Evangelical elder statesman, their version of Winston Churchill. And yet at
times the real evil and rot of his heart comes to the surface. This was seen
with his recent call for the assassination of Vladimir Putin.
https://www.thedefensepost.com/2022/03/22/us-soviet-air-defense-ukraine/
Though largely unknown to most of the American public, the US
began to purchase large quantities of Warsaw Pact weaponry in the 1970's and
would continue to do so until the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the
Soviet alliance. It is therefore not too surprising that some of the weapons
are now being funneled into Ukraine where they will be able to integrate easily
enough with the extant arms in Kyiv's possession.
Universally praised by the Western Establishment and viewed as a vigilant defender of the weak in the face of authoritarian regimes, the narrative concerning Madeleine Albright is little more than a packaged lie.
With Biden's open call for regime change in Russia, he has played his hand. Though framed as 'controversial' by the media, Biden was simply expressing what has been US policy for almost twenty years.
https://hslda.org/post/as-homeschooling-grows-in-romania-government-cracks-down
As mentioned in previous posts, I'm not a fan of HSLDA and
its Dominionist approach to homeschooling and larger questions concerning the
law. Confusing Christianity (its doctrines and ethics) with the Western (and
more often the American) cultural tradition, their overall approach theology,
ethics, and jurisprudence are (to me) seriously misguided.
As many readers will already know Paivi Rasanen is the
Finnish MP who has been brought up on charges regarding her anti-homosexual stand
and public statements she has made to that end. Her trial is complete and if
found guilty she faces jail time. It signals a real warning to Christians in
the West that the Sodomite factions that have come to dominate large sections
of Western capitalist society intend to prosecute dissidents.
It's evident to all in the West that Russian media twists and distorts the Ukraine War narrative. The state obfuscates the extent of the war, downplays its intensity, ignores and spins civilian deaths and in general misleads its public as to the nature, cause, and goals of its policies.
In addition to this and to the outrage of many, Vladimir
Putin the Russian president quotes Scripture and draws parallels, even
blasphemous comparisons between the 'sacrifices' made by Russian soldiers and
the death of Christ. He presents a picture in which the Russian public is led
to believe that God is with them and their cause. He stands by their troops and
their cause is just and righteous.
Indeed it is sickening and could even be described as evil.
https://www.breakpoint.org/is-it-biblical-to-honor-our-nation/
Evoking the memory of the apostate Richard John Neuhaus, BreakPoint commentator and Colson protégé John Stonestreet attempts to address the dangers of idolatry regarding nationalism, and yet in keeping with patterns often seen in his commentaries he misses the central point and falls into error.
Rather than seriously seek to limit or warn concerning the
dangers of nationalism, he in fact encourages it and blurs the lines that
already cloud contemporary Evangelical thought.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been placed into a difficult position by recent events and yet he hardly deserves sympathy. As he has specifically sought to exploit Turkey's Eurasian identity and potential role as a kind mediating power – then he should have expected this, being in a situation where he has the power to deal but few friends. His recent diplomatic attempt to bring the forces of the Ukraine War together has been interesting. It was also noteworthy that his recent summit attempt had little support from the United States which clearly (and despite its official rhetoric) doesn't want the war to end.
Energy Independence. The words are inescapable if you turn the news on. It has become a battle-cry for the Right in 2022. Representing the interests of the petroleum industry they have used the present crisis as a means to bolster the interests of that economic sector and yet at a most basic level it's misleading.
https://www.mnnonline.org/news/russian-invasion-brings-threat-of-persecution-to-ukraine/
The warning that a Russian occupation of Ukraine will
potentially invite forms of persecution is true enough but at the same time it
must be noted that Voice of the Martyrs (VOM), Mission Network News (MNN), and
many other missions and Evangelical organisations like Door of Hope
International (DOHI) are not to be fully trusted. Some radio programs spread
more false information than anything else especially when it comes to politics
and certainly international relations.
https://biblebased.wordpress.com/2022/03/07/should-reformed-christians-be-supporting-putin/
In this essay Andrew Webb continually begs the question. He
falsely assumes that Christians should be 'supporting' either side. Christians
certainly should not support Vladimir Putin. Some have been captivated by a
very misguided narrative that he somehow supports a re-establishment of
Christendom or that he stands for anti-liberalism (itself a confused term and
concept). Rather than muddy the waters as to whether or not Russia is a
'Christian' country, the concept itself needs to be exposed as intrinsically
false. The entire framework for the discussion needs to be re-tooled.
https://www.thedefensepost.com/2022/03/09/lockheed-military-manufacturing-saudi/
Biden and others in the American
Establishment have sought to cast the new Cold War in terms of the Liberal
Democracies versus the Authoritarian States. This claim is as farcical as the
Capitalist Free World versus the Communist Bloc of the first Cold War. The
truth is always far more complicated.
In something of a cultural watershed the US government is openly allowing for and promoting crowd-funding for the Ukrainian army. Viewed as a just cause, once again it's clear Washington has no desire for this conflict to end in the near term.
For Christians there should be no doubt about books like
Harry Potter and the Twilight series. They're rubbish and they're not the type
of books I would encourage my children to read.
That said, burning the books is little more than a political
stunt. It would be one thing if there was a genuine Spirit-wrought outpouring
and people did this as a form of repentance and renunciation (as seen in
Ephesus) but that's not what's happening here.
I wish to extend a 'thank you' to Terry Mattingly for
publishing this. I don't always agree with him but I appreciate his
thoughtfulness and in this case he's one of the few voices that's pleading for
a bit of reflection – perhaps before some very terrible lines are crossed.
Putin fell for a geopolitical trap in the invasion of Ukraine, and US president Joe Biden has fallen for a series of traps set by his domestic political opposition.
The US wanted to send fighter aircraft to Ukraine but finally someone realised that Ukrainian pilots are trained on Soviet and Russian models – Sukhoi's and MiG's. And so sending them F-16's and the like will do little good. I'm sure they could fly them but they won't be proficient without training.
The NPR story – but one of an endless stream – attacks Russia
for its alleged use of cluster bombs. The weapon has long been condemned
because of the high percentage of 'bomblets' that don't actually explode and left
exposed on the ground, they lead to future injuries in the months and years
following the conclusion of the war. People are maimed and killed long after
the fighting has stopped.
Listening to the chants on the radio of 'USA Help Ukraine', I wondered if it ever occurred to any of these people that it was America's 'help', its meddling in Eastern Europe and Ukraine in particular that led to the current crisis? Had the United States remained in its own hemisphere, and had Washington avoided sponsoring a militaristic eastern expansion on the part of NATO, then perhaps the world wouldn't face this crisis. Are they aware of America's 'help' for Ukraine in the 2004 and 2014?
After several vicious rounds of advance and retreat, it would
seem the Tigray War may be stabilising. At present there is a cease fire and we
can hope that it holds. Everyone is tired of fighting and both sides have
suffered considerably – not to mention the vast number of civilians who have
been brutalised.
While there's a ceasefire, the situation is by no means
resolved. The Tigray region is basically (at this point) autonomous and they've
proven that they can hold their own against the Abiy government in Addis Ababa
– which is now a government in crisis.
As the military campaign rages, the lies continue to multiply on all sides as do the dangers. It is evident that Ukraine presented no security threat to Moscow in itself. That's not why Russia invaded. This conflict is over Ukraine's use as a staging point and its symbolism in the larger NATO-Moscow struggle. For the unfortunate people of Ukraine, their land is once again a battlefield – it's been a recurring motif for the peoples of Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, and Western and Southern Russia throughout their histories – a region Timothy Snyder referred to as the Bloodlands.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/04/opinion/evangelicalism-division-renewal.html
David Brooks is not a Christian and I know of Right-wing folk
who laugh at the notion that he's a conservative. This represents part of the
divide that I've been highlighting for years – the difference between elements
of the now almost defunct American Conservatism and the Right-wing Libertarian movement
that has largely supplanted it. There's overlap to be sure and people don't fit
into neat boxes but there's an ethos about the New Right and now Trumpism that's
remarkably different from what American Conservatism was a generation ago.
I often disagree with Brooks and sometimes strongly so, but I
will at least listen to what he has to say. Disagreement does not mean that his
commentary is utterly lacking any value.
An old friend (from my shameful Air Force days) shared a link with me:
https://unherd.com/2022/02/putins-spiritual-destiny/
It's a problematic
article on many levels and in terms of theology it's highly dubious. But it
touches on a lot of things I've been writing about on these sites for the past
twelve years.
I wrote to my friend
the following (slightly edited) as a response:
Without a doubt the US Energy sector (as a component of Wall
Street) is one of the driving factors in the US attempt to pull Russia into a
war with Ukraine. The US has been sabre rattling for months though this has
been ignored by Western media. It's clear the US wanted to break Nordstream 2,
and at this point it would seem they've been successful.
Recently I've had the opportunity at work to listen to the radio during the noon hour, something that has largely eluded me for the past year. The Family Life Network (FLN) based in Bath NY continues to expand its listening area and unfortunately this includes the region of Pennsylvania where I live. A typically Evangelical organisation, its theology is light and is mostly geared toward therapy and entertainment-based 'ministries' complimented with copious amounts of trite and terrible Christian pop music.
Usually the only thing I bother with is their news show. And yet having listened very little over the past year (I only occasionally listen to their teaching programmes and I cannot stomach the music), I was struck by how much the organisation has shifted to the Right.
Both sides of the political aisle attempt to manipulate crime statistics. When the Democrats are in power and making noise about gun violence, the Right will downplay it. And yet more typically the Right will scream about law and order and the Democrat's inability to rein in the chaos.
