Christian Celebrities and their Fraudulent Testimonies

Why do I have to keep hearing about Kathy Ireland? Why are these people celebrated for their supposed faith? The woman became famous in the 1980's for taking her clothes off. Tame by today's standards, this was a more innocent time and a publication like the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition was a big deal for teenage boys and young men – that was a lot of skin to lust over. It wouldn't even grab anyone's attention today but for years that magazine's annual release was a cultural moment and viewed as scandalous by anyone with a moral compass.

Lukoil and Italy

https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/russias-lukoil-reaches-deal-to-sell-italian-refinery/

It's surprising to me that this transaction wouldn't be considered in violation of sanctions as it is effectively a business transaction with a Russian company. Lukoil may not be directly targeted but the spectrum of sanctions is sweeping enough that I'm sure regulatory officials and prosecutors could make a case to block this sale if they wanted to.

Exposing Bolton

https://daniellarison.substack.com/p/boltons-big-error-on-china-and-north

Larison states what should be obvious to all – John Bolton is not qualified to speak on this topic. His record as a warmonger and miscalculator is well-established.

The Drug War: Corruption and Cover-up at the Highest Levels

*Updated 16 October 2024

https://www.reuters.com/legal/former-mexican-drug-czar-heads-trial-accused-aiding-el-chapo-2023-01-23/

https://theintercept.com/2023/01/18/genaro-garcia-luna-trial/

Ten days after winning the Mexican presidency in 2006, and encouraged by the Bush administration, Felipe Calderon launched the Mexican Drug War. Less than two decades later over 500,000 are dead and even these figures are misleading as they don't include all of the tangential deaths involved in connection to drugs – nor do mere numbers explain what the war has meant for the industry, its markets, and societies ranging from South America to the Canadian border.

The Nordstream Sabotage and the Ukraine War Narrative

https://www.maritime-executive.com/editorials/claims-of-u-s-involvement-in-nord-stream-attack-draw-scrutiny

Mainstream media has all but ignored Seymour Hersh's latest Substack piece in which he states emphatically something that many of us have suspected all along – that the Nordstream Pipelines were sabotaged by the US Navy.

Contextualising US Hypocrisy and Why China has Nothing to Lose in Arming Russia

The hypocrisy of the United States knows no boundaries. We've seen this time and again, but it's still shocking to behold.

The latest episode is with regard to Ukraine. The US is threatening that China would be crossing a red line if it provides lethal arms and other weaponry to Russia. It would be unacceptable.

Beck the Ecumenical Puppet Master

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUxZeEaa7BI

I had not realized to just what extent Glenn Beck was reaching out and engaged in a kind of functional if informal ecumenism. I knew he had made tremendous inroads into the Evangelical sphere deceiving many people into thinking him a Christian. And now apparently he's even gaining traction among Roman Catholics.

Germany: Anti-Nazi Laws Turned Against Those Opposing Fascism

https://unac.notowar.net/2023/02/05/peace-activist-sentenced-for-criticizing-german-war-policy-in-ukraine/

This story makes one's head spin. Peace activists opposing German policy and state support for Ukraine (especially in light of Germany's history with Russia) are now being punished by laws that ostensibly would have been drafted to silence Nazis and Neo-Fascists in the post-war setting.

Putting Pressure on Türkiye

https://thecradle.co/article-view/20848/us-treasury-official-issues-warning-to-turkiye-uae-regarding-evasion-of-sanctions

These are stressful times for the AKP leadership in Ankara and many wonder if its long tenure is nearing its end. Erdogan has been on the West's blacklist for years but his recent moves to block Sweden from joining NATO have earned him a new set of enemies and with elections in the spring, the pressure is starting to mount. These moves by the US Treasury Department are only going to pour fuel on an already intensely burning fire.

The Christian Post on Super Bowl Athletes and Newsmax

Two headlines at The Christian Post recently caught my eye. As expected the Evangelical outlet wants to praise the Christian football players involved in the Super Bowl.

Assessing Musharraf's Tenure 1999-2008

Here we go, I thought as I heard the BBC lead-in on the death of Pervez Musharraf. As expected the story was for the most part an exercise in spin and disingenuous reflection.

Libyan Gas and Italian Finance

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/italy-and-libya-reach-8b-deal-on-offshore-gas-development

Money is moving all around and when you take a moment and squint through the fog you realize that in the deal, Italy is getting more military cooperation to block migrants – Libya being one of the primary hubs for the refugee trails coming out of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Spinning Myanmar

BBC's Newshour recently ran a story on Myanmar and the forgotten internal war that country faces, a conflict exacerbated by the February 2021 coup and takeover by the military. Two years later, the news outlet wanted to revisit the story – or so it seemed.

A Ukraine Miscellany XVII: Orwell's Ghost and Western Double-Speak

The Orwellian nature and blatant contradictions of the Western narratives surrounding The Ukraine War continue to become more pronounced – sometimes to the point of being comic.

South Africa, BRICS, and Ukraine

South Africa has been catching quite a bit of flak as of late from the Western media. The ruling ANC has refused to openly condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and worse, they are planning to participate in military exercises in February with both China and Russia.

Utilitarianism and the So-Called Culture of Life

I was disappointed but hardly surprised to find that a local 'Bible-believing' church leader posted anti-Covid material on Facebook.

In this case he couldn't believe the 'libtards' made such a big deal about a virus that only had a .004% death rate.

The Ukraine War: A Double Windfall for Western Capitalism

https://www.france24.com/en/france/20230109-macron-s-pension-reform-necessary-changes-to-an-unsustainable-system

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50670613

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/macron-boosts-french-military-spending-by-over-a-third-to-transform-army/ar-AA16z12S

This double windfall for capitalism is most clearly demonstrated by recent events in France. President Macron has announced pension reform. He argues (contrary to the numbers) that the present system is unsustainable and as such he wants to raise the minimum retirement age and expand the contribution requirement resulting in lower payouts for some. The money just isn't there, he argues.

The Wagner Group, Africa, and Western Media

Russia's Wagner Group has been in the news a lot lately. It's painted as the ultimate evil – indeed all mercenary groups fall under that label. And interestingly many of the charges levied at Wagner could also be brought against organisations such as Blackwater (or whatever name it goes by these days), as well as DynCorp, Aegis, Paladin, and many others. Western media is particularly determined to paint Wagner with the darkest of hues and I don't doubt they're a nasty bunch. Whether some have prison records or not makes little difference. There are myriad American soldiers and veterans that are criminals whether or not they've ever been convicted by a court of law.

A Ukraine Miscellany XVI: Covering up Ukrainian Corruption and the Black Market Boom

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2022/12/9/russia-ukraine-live-news-west-is-exploiting-ukraine-putin

https://www.euractiv.com/section/all/short_news/weapons-sent-to-ukraine-may-have-ended-up-in-finnish-underground/

https://www.msn.com/en-xl/africa/other/russia-ukraine-war-weapons-coming-into-lake-chad-buhari/ar-AA14IU3y

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/weapons-delivered-to-ukraine-beginning-to-filter-to-africa:

As is often the case, the real story is found in the lack of media coverage. With a few paltry exceptions, Western media continues to ignore reports of weapons bound for Ukraine ending up elsewhere.

Smoke and Mirrors: Drug Cartels and the State

https://www.democracynow.org/2022/10/12/mexico_military_drug_cartels_ayotzinapa_ministry

The GOP is screaming once again about the border. Biden visited El Paso on his way to a North American Summit meeting in Mexico City. The Right has been howling for months about his failure to visit the actual border. So then when he shows up they go on the attack.

'How dare he!'

'It was a mere photo-op!'

Undoubtedly this is the case. This is what politicians do. Here's the question. If Biden had showed up and took a list of demands made by the governors of Florida and Texas and agreed to meet all their demands, what would they say?

The Coup Plotters in Power: The Scandal That Wasn't

There's another missed story the media seems unwilling to focus on. The January 6 Committee (working parallel to the Department of Justice) largely focused on the foot soldiers and militia thugs who participated in the event. Consequently the committee provided a degree of cover for the high-level architects and congressional collaborators who participated in the attempted coup. Trump was certainly cast under a shadow but his allies in the congress, his cabinet, the Supreme Court, and even in law enforcement and the military were all effectively given a pass.

The Age of Midgets and Little Men

In the past when leaders made bold or revolutionary political moves, they either believed in their cause, or at the very least in themselves. They put it all on the line and risked all in order to grasp the power they coveted. Some were even willing to risk their lives.

Bandera's Birthday Celebrations and the Polish and Israeli Response

https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/europe/2022-07-01/ty-article/ukraines-berlin-envoy-draws-israeli-polish-ire-with-comments-on-wwii-leader/00000181-baff-da42-abdd-bfffdbc10000

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/poland-pm-to-remind-ukraine-that-glorifying-bandera-unaccept

Even as Polish support for The Ukraine War has led to tensions with fellow V4-member Hungary, Warsaw is not entirely happy with the Zelenskiy government. 1 January marked the birthday of Stepan Bandera, the fascist OUN-B leader and Nazi collaborator whose paramilitaries (such as the UPA) were responsible for tens of thousands of Polish and Jewish deaths during the World War II.

Ukraine and Tensions Within the V4

https://www.politico.eu/article/moment-of-truth-for-polish-hungarian-toxic-relationship-approaches/

As regular readers will know, I have been keen for some time to follow the Visegrad Four or V4 group, a faction within the EU. The loose alliance came together as three nations in the early 1990's, and then became four with the Czech-Slovak split. All four nations joined the EU in 2004 – certainly with some mixed feelings. While the four countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary) have never been fully unified, the bloc was established to preserve common interests among these nations of Central (and once 'Eastern') Europe.

Christmas and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

There have been on again off again discussion for the past month or so over Christmas in Ukraine. And once again this has come up in the news cycle as a result of Putin's suggestion of temporary ceasefire for the Orthodox holiday.

CPAC and the Right-Wing International

https://www.counterpunch.org/2022/11/25/the-world-according-to-cpac/

This article caught my eye because of the growing sense of a Right-wing International. And it's one that certainly incorporates the Evangelical community but is not exclusive to them.

The Acculturation and Moral Bankruptcy of Modern Evangelical Commentators

https://www.christianpost.com/voices/lessons-to-learn-from-great-britains-declining-christianity.html

Articles like this make you throw up your hands into the air. Christian influence on society has declined and as a result society has become morally ambiguous.

A New Phase for the Homeschooling Movement

https://julieroys.com/how-battle-christian-nationalism-often-starts-with-homeschooling/

This is the kind of frustrating article that has almost become the norm. Everything about it is off. We are thankful that our kids are all past the time of schooling but some of the anxieties and fears being raised today were with us twenty years ago when we started. These tensions are not new. They've just gotten worse.

Moral Character and Public Officials

In 1998, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) released a statement on moral character and public officials. Many will recall this was at the height of tensions between the Clinton administration and the GOP. The Culture Wars were raging and many Evangelicals were in a state of apoplectic rage, convinced that Clinton was a communist determined to bring America down. They and their allies were doing all they could to combat his administration.

A Ukraine Miscellany XV: Cordesman and Infrastructure

Anthony Cordesman has received some unsought coverage lately for comments he made on the war in Ukraine. This along with a thirty year old paper I discovered, provide substantial and significant reasons to question key points of the media narrative surrounding the war.

Building on the Foundation of the Christo-MAGA Shift

https://religiondispatches.org/inside-natcon-the-elite-movement-laying-the-foundation-for-a-maga-that-will-outlast-trump-and-remake-america-part-i/

This article doesn't reveal anything that I haven't already read in numerous books and articles that have appeared over the past twenty years. Every few years reports emerge of some new conference or gathering that reveals the direction that these political movements are headed. They represent the nexus of Christian-Right activism, academia, and the political order. It's always changing but always the same.

There are a few noteworthy exceptions and points worth highlighting in the case of this article.

Lausanne-Style Evangelicalism in Northern Italy

https://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/19502/noi-churches-in-northern-italy-united-for-largest-evangelistic-event

In contrast to the claims made in the article, one could wish that anything associated with Billy Graham and his legacy actually involved a clear gospel presentation. Instead, what the audience received was undoubtedly the Finneyite Altar Call message – the cheap grace gospel of the Evangelical movement and it's affirmation of worldliness in the form of watered down faith, tepid repentance, and its Dominionist imperative.

Croatia Rewarded: LNG Deals and Schengen Membership

https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/austria-croatia-bavaria-team-up-for-adriatic-lng-project/

Croatia was quick to sign up to America's suggestion of creating an LNG infrastructure, and now in this new deal with Austria and Bavaria, that capacity is set to double. Croatia is set to become an energy hub for southern and central Europe as LNG can be brought in via the Adriatic.

The Shifting Sands of the China-Covid Narrative

Have you noticed the shift in coverage regarding China? For months Western media outlets have voiced criticism regarding Beijing's Zero-Covid policy. They referred to it as draconian and despite the fact that only a few thousand people have died within a country over a billion people – as ineffective.

The Drone Wars are Here

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/u-s-conducts-exercise-preparing-for-first-unmanned-surface-fleet

It seems that about every other military and weapons story is related to drone development. As many things in the world are changing, so is the way of waging war.

Cover Up and Exposure: The Self Serving Nature of Establishment Media and the Right's Embrace of Fantasy

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/08/1121525125/heres-why-conspiracy-theories-about-jeffrey-epstein-keep-flourishing

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/08/1121648290/a-publisher-abruptly-recalled-the-2-000-mules-election-denial-book-npr-got-a-cop

And a follow-up:

https://www.npr.org/2022/10/25/1131077739/heres-what-changed-in-dinesh-dsouzas-2-000-mules-book-after-it-was-recalled

I've had these links in my backlog for a few months now. The stories appeared on the same day. The combined reporting could be described as both lies and attacking liars – covering up and exposing at the same time. It's enough to make your head spin.

New LNG Infrastructure Coming On Line

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/finland-and-germany-starting-lng-imports

It has been nothing less than impressive to witness the rapid development of this new LNG infrastructure. No doubt everything has been categorized as a 'rush order'. And even with the red hot production time-tables, their coming 'on line' isn't soon enough as ships are already piling up in the Atlantic and we read of other nations eager to export LNG – and get a piece of the lucrative European market and its high demand.

December Update

God be praised, we've made more progress. After just about fifteen weeks in a brace, my son is finally getting to take it off. Not all at once of course, but we've started the process of weaning him from it. He has a new lease on life. He's able to lie on his side in bed and yes, take a shower. Needless to say he's in good spirits.

Refusing to be Distracted

https://julieroys.com/ohio-church-refuses-embrace-partisan-politics-shrinks/

The article was good and even refreshing to a degree, but it was not elaborated enough. It felt like there should have been a lot more explanation as to why these positions (what some take to be non-positions) are taken.

The confusion is demonstrated in the comments after the article.

The Drums of War in the Asia-Pacific

https://www.maritime-executive.com/editorials/report-china-is-on-course-to-overtake-america-s-naval-capabilities

If you read the article carefully, the argument can be made that the headline is guilty of sensationalism. America is clearly in the position of supremacy but that margin of domination is not what it was thirty years ago. This I think is probably self-evident and hardly surprising to anyone.

The Failure of New Calvinist Apologetics

https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=107221718125272

Matt Slick antedates the rise of New Calvinism – I remember him from the 1990's, but in many respects he's one of several figures that anticipated the movement and even now can and should be identified as a member of that camp.

The Danger of Pronoun Confusion

https://familyliferadio.blubrry.net/2022/11/02/22-1102_inside-out_-humility-in-an-age-of-disagreement/

I'm not referring to gender confusion but to the conflation of pronouns when it comes to the Church and the world. All things considered, it's far more concerning than the sodomite rot that now dominates mainstream airwaves.

Democracy as a Worldview

https://breakpoint.org/no-mr-president-democracy-isnt-a-worldview-politics-cant-answer-our-deepest-questions/

I am fully aware that many consider John Stonestreet to be something of a lightweight and yet, when I find his commentaries appearing on Calvinistic websites like The Aquila Report, it indicates a growing appreciation for him. As such, I feel compelled to respond, since no one else seems willing to do so. There is much to be learned from his Evangelical-Kuyperian (or Colsonite) errors and the convoluted thinking his commentaries represent.

I'm not sure what that says about the likes of The Aquila Report.

A Ukraine Miscellany XIV: No Truth to be Found

As missiles fall on Poland, and there are talks of escalation and retaliation, it's a good moment pause.

AFR: Glorying Once More in its Shame

Recently, I received a message from AFR. Their longtime morning host is retiring – yet another Right-wing liar and deceiver who promotes mammon, war, and nationalism.

But who is replacing her? Another Christian feminist of an even worse stripe: Jenna Ellis

Mendacity and Distortion: Another Mark Tooley Commentary

https://www.christianpost.com/voices/the-death-of-christian-pacifism.html

Tooley's powers of perception must immediately be questioned when he asserts that Neo-Anabaptist Christian Pacifism was so prevalent in 2015. The position has always been (since the fourth century) an almost inconsequential minority at best.

A Hero of the Christian Right Opposed to Homeschooling

Lately I've been encountering some articles concerning homeschooling in Hungary. To the surprise of many in the American Right and within the Christian Right – Viktor Orban of Hungary and his government have actually moved to restrict homeschooling.

Accounts of a Local Veterans Day Assembly

Aside from the numerous articles and testimonials in local newspapers, I happened to overhear a conversation in which two grandparents were discussing the Veterans Day assembly at the local school. As to be expected they were quite proud of their grandchild's participation in it.

More Evangelical Error and Corruption

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/27/life-surge-conference-evangelical-money-finance

American Evangelicalism has created a fusion of capitalism and Christian piety. Sacralism and Evangelical Dominionism place great stock in power and status, the middle class values of respectability and security. Those that understand this are not surprised by the so-called Prosperity Gospel. It is but an exaggerated expression of an impulse that already exists. It may be tacky, working class, philistine, and grossly overdone which certain cultural contexts tend to fuel – but in the end it's the same Cultural Christianity that produced ostentatious palaces, cathedrals in one generation and capitalist empires in another.

American Evangelicals Red Baiting the Chinese Government

I've touched before on how many American based missions organisations cannot be fully trusted when it comes to reporting the news. They often echo US State Department lines and when it comes to certain countries (such as China) there is a tendency to utilise talking points and narratives provided by the American Right.

The Mastriano Campaign: From Sacrilege to Blasphemy

An Associated Press story ran in Friday's paper on 'Contrasts in faith' in the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race. The article echoed a point that many others have already made – that Doug Mastriano's political rallies are being blended with what must be described as an Evangelical-style worship service.

The Death of an Arch-Hypocrite and False Christian

Ken Starr has died and while his name will be forever associated with the Clinton-Lewinsky affair, he remained a well-known and active figure in Right-wing circles, even into the Trump era.

Demographic Changes in Northern Ireland

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-62980394

https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2022/05/the-unionist-nightmare-in-ulster.html

This represents a rather noteworthy change in the demographics of Northern Ireland – and at a particularly interesting time. Sinn Fein now holds power which in some respects is the outward expression of this now verified demographic reality.

AFR: The Deceit Factory and the Deceived Deceivers that Run It

I had to drive down into AFR world today – that is I had to drive within range of the American Family Radio signal. This station, considered a titan in the Evangelical world is to put it simply a disgrace. Every time I listen to it I have to shake my head in disbelief. The programming is appalling. Clearly the Wildmon clan exist to serve the interests of the GOP and the various monied interests of the American Right.

Hints and Lessons Regarding German Militarisation

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2022/09/16/germany-military-best-equipped/

This story appeared last month. To be honest, I'm surprised it didn't get more attention. Scholz's statements are a more than subtle indicator regarding German militarisation and its true goals. This isn't about Ukraine, this about German leadership in Europe and it tacitly suggests that Berlin is thinking in terms beyond NATO.

A Ukraine Miscellany XIII: War and the Destruction of Civilian Infrastructure

In light of battlefield defeats, the Putin regime has turned to punitive attacks, and a form of total warfare. Using airstrikes and drones, he's now targeting Ukrainian infrastructure, primarily hitting water and power stations. The goal is to generate suffering, break morale, and degrade Ukrainian society's will and ability to continue the war. He wants to force them to the negotiating table – all the more as Putin is desperate for a way out of the conflict. NATO can keep pouring weapons into the country but if Ukrainian society is falling apart the will to continue will fail.

Turkey, NATO, and the SCO

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/9/21/turkey-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-membership-nato-west-alternative

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/8/9/turkey-resumes-gas-exploration-in-the-eastern-mediterranean

Under Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey continues to carve out what can only be described as an independent geopolitical course. Long viewed as an essential member of NATO, due to its unique cultural and geographical position, under Erdogan's AKP the Eurasian nation continues to anger its longtime allies and sponsors by reaching out to Western rivals and adversaries and in pursuing policies that the EU and NATO would describe as reckless, defiant, and even treacherous.

Kidnapped: The Poison of Russian Sacralism and the Twin Dangers of Persecution and Seduction

https://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/19077/pastor-and-wife-in-mariupol-kidnapped-after-refusing-to-open-premises-for-annexation-referendum

It's very sad to read of this couple that has been seemingly kidnapped by Russian soldiers. Being in Eastern Ukraine, their congregation has undoubtedly suffered from schism, the horrors and violence of war – and now this.

The Trump Justice Department, Integrity and Policing Wall Street

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/20/1124043768/how-trumps-doj-pressured-the-southern-district-of-ny-to-aid-the-white-house

This episode of Fresh Air encouraged a deluge of thoughts and considerations. Listening to the account by the former US Attorney and his reports of the corruption in the Trump administration and specifically of former Attorney General Bill Barr, I could not help but immediately think of LPR's Issues Etc.

A Ukraine Miscellany XII: Thank You USA (II)

The US for its part is returning to the George Bush posture of post 9/11 – you're either with us or against us. In other words if you're not on board with Washington's global design, you're being relegated to the enemy column. And yet the Bush threat of 2001 carried more weight than it does under Biden in 2022. This is not because Biden is weak per se, but rather he presides over a nation that is undergoing social disintegration and even while it flexes its international muscle – domestically it faces deep systemic problems and is even now living under the shadow of civil conflict. And as things presently stand it looks like there's a good chance Trump could be president again in a couple of years which will effectively dash America's standing on the world stage.