RUSSIAN ROULETTE ......

Russia and more specifically Mr. Putin has already a strong and unbeatable hand, a black-mailing leverage, and a direct threat to the U.S. and to the Trump present administration. Regardless of whatever legislators , security people or investigators do .

Let me explain myself, if next month Mr. Putin gets into a serious disagreement with the actual U.S.  president and or his foreign policy makers, he could then as a means of revenge or retaliation play the following easy scenario ; In Russia they will stage a quick and loud investigation against some obscure second rate group of politicians or bureaucrats, even something linked to their tech KGB, with the broad heading that they did organize and conducted an illegal and unauthorized cyber attack,  by hacking many institutions in the U.S. to insure Democratic loss and the Trump election campaign getting a clear advantage and win .

Of course it's all for the sake of transparency and correctness from the Russian side, and its president. And Mr. Putin personally, as the head of the country, will admit Russian illegal and independent act, condemn in the harshest words and apologize for these criminal wrong doings. Probably make few minor players pay for their independent breach of international conduct, and interfering with the sovereignty of other countries .

The Russian side through small independent intelligence players, tilted the American presidential election to one side, and is apologizing for the act, condemning it and taking harsh measures against the perpetrators and any future similar unauthorized acts. Case closed .

 But what will happen in America ?? Or how might the majority of voters, already exceeding the 50% mark , look at their actual not too popular administration ?? Many could take the whole matter to courts and all the way to SCOTUS , or openly boycott the administration as an illegal one , being installed by a foreign hostile power, It will create havoc and put an end to democracy as we know it in this country , and probably totally destroy the little remaining trust of the American people toward their pseudo-elected administrations .

It does not need to be genuine, factual or even true. It could all be smartly staged, but the results are clear, losers and winners are even clearer, what would the biggest losers pay to avoid such a simple and very dirty scenario ?? I'm not sure anyone knows nor can estimate exactly.  As Rep. Swalwell of California said ; "The American public will want to know if the president had personal or financial ties to the Russian Gov." Well !!  all ties seem to be in Mr. Putin's hands now .

While we are only flexing our nuclear mussels and showing our maritime capabilities, others are becoming smarter at different games, more effective futuristic and dangerously damaging games . And let's not put ourselves in any doubt of it all happening, if and when it suits Mr' Putin's interests, as the whole Russian historical account, is full of names and dates of similar plots, even more daring ones, a Mr. Putin is only the latest master of such tactics, almost identical and comparable , possibly better than our side .

There's no doubt, this is a critical moment, and it could easily turn into a nightmare. Mr. Trump and Republican politicians are working hard trying to bury this story, but it's established that members of the Trump's 2016 presidential campaign had repeated contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials, and his just appointed commerce secretary W. Ross is a literally ticking bomb all by himself. Let's hope that it doesn't develop and spill into a cover-up , or a get-out affair .

My total appreciation for your time and help spreading the blog all over .             

THEOLOGY AND THEOLOGIANS .......

No doubt that historically and even lately in our modern times, theology has taken over, even eclipsed most original texts of all religious dogmas, especially within the three main monotheistic religions, Christianity in all its various denominations, Islam with its two major ones, and to a certain extent Judaism in its multi  politico/religious theological influences and various rabbis schools .

Moreover, theological approaches, be it at the levels of schools, madrassas, churches, synagogues or mosks, Universities, big live religious shows or TV talk shows, are all denominational and openly calling for the doctrines of justification rigidly by faith alone, and not reflecting in any way the original religious figures or doctrines.

Theologians historically and today, have allotted themselves a sort of monopoly on reading original texts and interpreting their meanings strictly according to certain very narrow views, reflecting old ages and archaic times. They became the mother-tongue of any religion including its various denominations .

Believers from all religions may choose to reject a certain theology and its implications, but in most cases he or she won't be accepted in her capacity of a good believer or member of her religion or denomination. Refusing to think blindly about one's religion, being simply just good, tolerant, truthful and loving, if one only does that, does one still belong ?? Would our respective god or prophets or theologians still accept us ?? Some considered bad or poor Christians, Buddhists, Jews, Confucians, Musslems and atheists are surely better than most strict adherents playing under the spell of their time's self appointed theologians.

Most people follow their traditions and their upbringings, as it is mostly geographical and their social status that drives them into a theological area and denomination. Theology moves no mountains, it rarely in fact moves people, mostly people put up with it for social reasons.

Most prophets originally said things like ; Isaiah " Bring no more vain offerings, incense is an abomination to me. Cease to do evil, learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow"  And Micah ; " What does the lord require of you but to do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your god." Love, justice, tolerance and humility appear to be all that is asked of man .

In all religions with no exceptions, its theologians have become at the other end of what religions originally started and demanded. That believers should be loving and tolerant in matters of religious applications and truths. That believers should not consider their religion the only one right and other religions wrong. And that all religions are mutually compatible . But all theologians nowadays as in the past considered their religions superior to all others .

No religion today, whether godly spoken, inspired or formulated by prophets is a more favorable light, or more of a beacon to show its believers the true pass to heaven or the afterlife. To add a little note here, consider the arbitrariness of theological methods and ways, consider that on the basis of the same body of scriptures in all religions, led the religious world to a great multitude of different and sometimes hating and killing denominations.

Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Anglican, Calvinists, Greek Orthodox, and Unitarians, not to mention the dozens Hebraic theological schools, and the famous Musslem divide between Shiia and Sunnis, plus some other half a dozen minor theological denominations .

There is no doubt, of the comprehensive, rigorous, stubborn refusal of all theological systems to be fair, it never practically attempts acceptance , nor tolerance, theology is based on a devout commitment to a double standard . And it's taking so many forms and influences, in all of our increasingly religiously influenced and run world .

As always , my thanks to you all , for taking the time and helping spread the blog .              

THE FAITH OF A PRESIDENT .......

Normally I wouldn't question any person's faith, certainly not politicians or even presidents, as I'm at the other end of any theological faith, but in our case with Mr. Trump who partly won his presidency by accusing and shaming his predecessor of being a Musslem, and relying almost entirely on strict Christian voters, mostly white Protestant believers, this blog sort of addresses itself to them .

A North Carolina pastor, John Pavlovitz kept insisting while preaching to his constituency ; "Stop calling Trump a Christian, he's everything Jesus stood against." While reminding us all, that Jesus lived and preached; Humility, generosity, respect,empathy, kindness, peace and sincerity, neither Mr. Trump, his family, or his appointees  and advisers share any of the above .

In fact, looking at his immediate family , his daughter Ivanka switched and became Jewish and married a Jew, who serves and advises the president directly, making their kids or Mr. Trump's grand children Jewish. Both his sons are either dating or engaged to Jewish girls, and their kids as well will not be baptized or Christians.

We know by now that Trump is surely not a Musslem, as all his acts and words prove it, unless economic necessity and Wahhabi influence changes his mind, he surely during his campaign assured us all of his very favorable opinions and extreme pride about his descendents being Jews, I sincerely as well as the pastor, wonder why do we insist on calling the man a Christian . Maybe his latest wife is , coming from an ex communist country, with both Eastern Orthodox and Catholic origins, but her father was a staunch Marxist. And other than her no one else has shown any Christian religiosity or behavior .

Pastor Pavlovitz reminds us all how hypocrisy is when condemning: LGBTQ communities, women, Latinos, Musslems, entertainers, media people, adversaries, poorer casts and invalids, atheists, Democrats, where all somehow were never in play over the eight years many people spent crucifying Obama on a daily basis, but perhaps the issue was not one of religion.While most modern Christian denominations are trying their utmost to reconcile with most social transformations , and wide range socio/economical inequalities.

"Watch out for false prophets, they come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves, by their fruit you will recognize them." Words of Jesus cited by Pavlovitz from a passage from Matthew 5.  

The North Carolina pastor calls on all of Trump's recent acts; fruit putrid and rotten and calls out to all Christians : "You can continue to support this man, but don't say you're doing it because he is a man of God, a follower of Jesus, someone striving for Christlikeness." He reminds Christians to read "Sermon on the mount." and then suggest they spend some time in reflection and prayer, before backing the man and his actions .

Funny ! but only ultra-right around the world, and Orthodox religious Israelis have openly and publicly stood up with Mr. Trump,  and showed their support to all his acts of support by not even condemning their flagrant theft of private lands under their occupation, but clearing the path to further apartheid and colonial annexations .

Many Americans if not most, think nowadays in terms like ; We're damned if he is, and damned if he isn't." If Mr. Trump's inspiration into Christianity is in the hands of his senior advisor Steve Bannon and his master Evola, then the country should seriously question the force and its influence .

My usual many thanks for your time and help spreading the blog, we have many international readers from all continents , thank you all .        

A SWEET BITTER REALITY ......

This blog is not mine, I'm re-blogging it in its entirety, verbatim, unfortunately with no name of author to acknowledge,  as I got it from a friend as an e-mail. unsigned, Here are the major excerpts of his blog.

Over the past few days, I watched Americans, old and young protest against their president's travel ban . It was a sight to behold, those people who were taught all their lives to fear Arabs, Muslims and to have all kinds of negative connotations with them, were standing up for human decency .

The protests haven't been exclusive to the U.S. , London and other European cities have had their own share. Culminating in a fiery discussion between British PMs about Trump and his policies.

Not a single Arab country had anything to say about the ban, they couldn't even muster the guts to stand up with their own. I guess that whole "Arabism" theme is only nice when used from Arab Idol and voice podiums. What some countries did was the exact opposite, Kuwait fortified travel bans against 5 Muslim countries, including Syria. The top Emirati diplomat came out in support of the the travel ban, and these moves are not without context.

The two Arab countries that have taken the most refugees are Jordan and Lebanon, with 1 million and 1.5 millions officially registered refugees respectively. Gulf countries, all of which are not affected by Trump's ban despite them being the biggest exporters of Islamic terrorism have taken in a total of zero refugees.

As a side note, that is also the exact same number of Americans that have been killed by terrorist attacks from the countries Trump has banned. While the number is 3000+ from the Gulf countries that he has not banned and who haven't taken any refugees.

In fact , Gulf countries have made their visas requirements for other Arabs so disgusting, that no one dares speak up against it. I personally have no intention to ever work or live there , so I suppose I can speak up. The Kingdom of S.A. has increased its visa prices to 1200$ for Lebanese nationals in an attempt to curb the number of Lebanese coming in for work. And as a political retaliation at the country not giving it the blowjobs it always needs.

The U.A.E. has made it near impossible to obtain work visas for it as well, and depending on the Emirate you're applying to work in, you could be rejected entirely despite having proper paper-work, moreover the UAE has made it near impossible for Syrians whose families are in the country to get visas to visit . Case in point ; A Syrian friend of mine, who was born and raised there, couldn't go see her family since moving to Lebanon for university studies. But was able to get a 2 years U.S visa (prior to the ban).

The UAE's situation doesn't stop there. They've been systematically targeting people for deportation based on their religious affiliation. If the Lebanese State has any decency, they'd publish the list of Shiite nationals who were deported just for being Shiites. As mentioned above, Kuwait has enforced a visa ban on 5 Muslim countries, including Syria, but this isn't new for Kuwait , in fact, the country is known for its derision of foreigners coming in, whoever they are, except if they are Westerners of course.

Do Lebanese dare to speak up against the rules the Emirati gov. humiliated them with ?? or Saudi visas?? or any Arab visa?? Do we even stand up for minorities in Arab countries?? When was the last time we had protests for some parts of our societies that were oppressed ?? When did Muslims have mass protests for the persecuted Christian in some Arab countries?? When did we have mass protests for women's rights ?? LGBT rights?? KSA has Muslim only roads, as it is in Israel for Jews, just saying. (last comparison with Israel is mine).

Yes , Trump's ban is all kind of messed up, but then again, aren't we all kinds of messed up too ?? Let's take a hard look in the mirror at how we treat each other before panicking about how others are treating us, because the fact of the matter is ; We treat other Arabs worse than Trump could ever do .

So thanks to the Americans protesting for us, you're greater than even I thought you were .

Again I reiterate my thanks to the unknown to me author, and my apologies for re-blogging his piece without his explicit permission, and thanks to all my readers for their time and help.