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.                

DOOMSDAY .......

It's only been eight days since Pres. Trump took office , and we've already seen enough executive orders indicating how dangerous it could get . But the physicists, politicians and the board , which include 16 Nobel laureates of the hypothetical doomsday clock , which was established back 1947, with a 7 minutes to midnight, had a purpose to caution and bring awareness to nuclear disarmament, climate change , energy and other technology issues that can help save the earth .

The yearly bulletin of the scientists behind the doomsday clock pushed it only once to 17 minutes to midnight back in 1991, that was the year the cold war ended , and the world thought optimistically .  In 1953 when Pres. Harry  Truman announced ; the U.S. has developed the hydrogen bomb,  threatening a thermonuclear war , the same clock was pushed to 2 minutes to midnight .

The Chicago based bulletin of the atomic scientists , a science journal which sets and oversees the clock said ; recent events, including the Trump election, and his various slogans ranging from the U.S. nuclear arsenal , and his statement of "Military more important at this time than balanced budget", to his views on climate change , and his open stance toward many countries across the world and neighboring us , and antagonizing most of the free world and the UN , with his blind support to Israeli aggression and theft .

It all, drove the group of scientists to readjust the clock's  hands to two and a half minutes to midnight, after it being stable at three minutes to midnight for some years now . The clock is revised annually, but it took 6 days of Mr. Trump's presidency to convince everyone to push the hands of this metaphorical doomsday clock. It is the closest it has been to midnight since the cold war of the fifties.

The warning of the remaining time , 2 minutes and 30 seconds to the time when a full catastrophe  that could annihilate the world and its inhabitants. The crazy rise all over the world , of vulgar and cheap nationalism, including the U.S. Europe , Russia, theocratic entities encouraging phony nationalism through religious ideologies, as in all or most Islamic countries, Israel and its blind Jewish notions, all with very manipulative leaders reminding the world of Adolph Hitler and worse.

The total disregard for any scientific data and facts , about most human issues , could entirely derail the little margins of safety remaining to safeguard the globe .  Six  days into the new administration, the group sent a clear message ;  " things are not going in the right direction."


My as always, many thanks for reading and bringing the issues into our reflections and discussions .
 

       

INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS .....

It is becoming fashionable in many cultural quarters to put down human beings, although most of us, when honest , would agree that Sapiens are a pretty special and amazing species .  In our times, it is far more important to protect and maintain our lives collectively, to consider what we ought to do, and not just what we in fact do .

To keep striving to show compassion and maintain a sense of fairness and correct reciprocity, in other words how ought I live, shouldn't conflict with ; how ought we all live together, instead of the more common words of  " What's true and fair for us may not, and isn't true and fair for them. "

The philosopher Charles Taylor , said ;"There is a certain way of being that is my way, I'm called to live my life in this way, and not in imitation of anyone else's ... if  I am not , I miss the point of my life, I miss what being human is for me ." It is very true, only if understood correctly .

Moral rule and authority is not found in our times any longer in external causes and affairs, ideologies, in dominating religions, in politics, in collective social behavior of supremacy, hegemony, apartheid and arrogance, it is only found in each person's unique self, what is right and what is wrong emanates from our own individual self harmonious inside, from our personal feelings, from our created self moral conducts we administer to our lives, and not to collective religious , ethnic, national or clan partisanship , not to right or left stand in life .

It is external structures of society , of religions, of political and social parties, and pressure groups, that gives us this false sense of power, that influence most people into racism, inequality, cruelty and oppression,  changing what most of us individuals feel or find in themselves . The right path is generally speaking inside us, we  only have to find it and listen to it .

Historically, morality more often than less was left behind, even replaced in many instances with barbarism, cruelty, hegemony , imperialism, colonialism and apartheid . But somehow the passage of time mellowed these extreme traits and anomalies from human behavior. Today examples of Syria, Israel, Brexit U.K. and Trump's America, even places like Putin's Russia  and Erdogan Turkey revive our leaving behind of even the basest of our better feelings, mature civilized behaviors, and moral realism and righteousness , it is probably very necessary for humanity collectively, to rethink and revive and follow what we intentionally and stupidly left behind .

On another note , today is the swearing-in and inauguration of the newly elected President Trump, his administration and family. I believe I've mentioned it before , but I reiterate and restate that I only hope Mr. Trump will get this country in 4 or more years exactly in the good shape he got it , or possibly better, history as are many Americans and international observers, are keeping a sharp eye on American politics, societal, economic, and foreign affairs and its leaders as never before, and history will not be easy-going nor very tolerant to what might be , meanwhile, good luck Mr. Trump with it all .

Thank you all , the greatest compliment you can give me and or the blog, is a recommendation to your friends and colleagues, please feel free to share the piece with anyone you think would enjoy it .

               

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE .....

Mr. Trump lately, has repeatedly cast doubts over reports and investigations by American intelligence agencies, about Russian interference in the latest U.S. election with the aim of helping him win by damaging his opponent .

The divide between the president elect and the U.S. intelligence community, their officials  and their agencies, has grown so wide that it's now threatening the future stability and governance of the new presidency and its administration .

Already new reports mentioning and alluding to older Trump/Russian ties, and maybe Russian pressuring and possibly black-mailing material in hands , plus financial deals dating back to possibly 5 years ago .

Mr  Trump has too frequently praised Putin's leadership , personal achievements and persona . Crowning it all with a very controversial appointment for Secretary of State , the Exxon Mobil CEO, Rex  Tillerson . Who is himself a known Putin friend and admirer, with big business ties for Exxon in Russia , while Mr. Putin himself has made it a priority to undermine world and American oil shale production , to maintain Russia's oil production and supremacy , all through RT, or Russian TV as it's called.

No one politician in the world denies that : " Russia is back in the world as a revisionist power , pursuing a 19th century agenda with 21st century tactics and methods." To quote a letter signed by dozens of Central and East European politicians and leaders . A letter urging the U.S. not to trust Putin or his ambitions .

While Mr. Trump and his various appointees keep denying any trace of authenticity to any of these reports , with a doubtful insistence and obstinacy , the immediate question that comes to mind is : WHY !!!  It is no more a role of ideology or a certain policy vision , it is no more in line with a future strategic safe-guarding of American interests and profits , it is not in any way in line with all of our European and international partners and allies, except possibly Israel , and maybe Turkey who might be shaping and forging a different Russian future agenda .

So why this insistence and obstinacy in defending Putin from day one ?? While being skeptical to say the least , about considering or accepting any alleged Russian role in interfering in American elections , affairs or others.

The U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA, have clearly concluded and stated with high levels of confidence , that Russian official hackers, under direct supervision and orders leading all the way to Mr. Putin, were personally involved in the cyber attacks and the covert campaign . Mr Putin and his apparatus insistently deny these reports , while Mr. Trump here, and his spokesmen , keep insistently and repeatedly praising and exonerating Mr. Putin . Something is fishy to say the least .


My full gratitude for all my readers all over the world for their time and help spreading the blog .      

ANOTHER YEAR OF THE ACTUAL MIDDLE EAST QUAGMIRE .....

The Western world in general, and possibly the whole modern world, which for the past few years have  managed only at popular and common levels to criminalize financial support of extremist jihadi groups and mostly Musslem fanaticism and extremism, have now diminished their relations and influence with both sponsors and the groups themselves . Politics put aside , everyone or almost, are realizing the future dangers of such groups demagogy, and their influence on world  terrorism and blind brutality .

Sunni Saudi Arabia , and its Gulf neighbors with a clear backup from their own and international Musslem  sentiments all over, kept and still do fueling this crazy phenomenon . Shiite Iran and its proxies have been at the very heart of the problem as well, by fueling and sparking proxy struggles that inflame sectarian struggles throughout the Middle-East, every party hiding behind ideologies and theological beliefs, but serving strategic political and hegemonic ambitions, All mixing and engulfing others in their wicked dreams of hegemony like Israeli Jews, local minorities and Western Christian Ultra right nostalgia and will .

These conflicts only feed young extremists and jihadi-like brainwashed youths from all parties and denominations . ISIS and Al Qaida, the settler's brutality and organized militias of Israel, and most ultra right groups, whether part of organized movements throughout the area or independent individuals throughout the world. Unfortunately the few hundreds boots from wherever they come are not an answer to eliminate or even reduce their numbers. As is the maintaining of a political status quo on most situations of total injustice and double standards, they are not going to solve anything.

The old order of the known Middle-East is collapsing as quickly and surely as the situation in Syria and Iraq and the borders of every state of the M-E. The entire world, and more so the Western world need to decide how much of their moneys , forces and resolve are they willing to invest in forging a new regional balance of power. The politics and cheap ruses of a Mr Trump or a Theresa May toward hiding the real conflicts with right wing and neo-cons rhetoric, isn't going to solve it either.

Tsarist Russia,Persian Iran,Ottoman Turkey, Biblical Jewish Israel and blind Wahhabi Arabs, will not fulfill local aspirations to peace and stability, needed to get the youth off the extremist path, on the contrary, they will turn around and forge new alliances any time it suits their immediate tactical interests, where many players states are still reasonably sheltered from refugees and religious terror, giving them a feeling of immunity and superiority .

Winning the peace in Iraq, Syria and the entirety of the M-E. including Yemen, Israel and Libya , plus all other dormant areas and spots, depends on huge political efforts, involving for sure Russia and Iran, but essentially the Western powers, to help restore a local belief in a future , in a system of governance that gives the local populace some sense of dignity, stability and future security.

Bickering for political benefits among leaders of the past and coming newer administrations about Israel or the actual borders of whatever is left is surely not helping any stability, and it's threatening our combined futures. Entrusting the whole matter to Russians , Iranians ,Israelis and fanatics and all their proxies to solve and create a durable reality, is a big gamble with our combined futures.

The sons of religious fervor from the Sunni side, the Shiite side, the Jewish side and even the Christian side will rise from the rubles of Mosul, Aleppo, Jerusalem and plague our new brave world, for many years and generations to come. If the situation of millions of Musslem Arabs, Jews, and the many minorities around the M-E. can not be settled and turned into some type of freely voting democracies, accommodating everyone, they will invariably turn into apartheid states, ethnically hating each other using religions to destroy themselves and others . endangering the stability and progress of the whole world .

Sovereignty, independence, and a restoration of national identity, are essentials for preventing every youths in the M-E. from turning into a psychopath suicidal jihadi, a non state actor, for now only some segments of Islam and crazy Islamists have vowed for an undeclared war against the world and mostly the Western world, let's hope we are intelligent enough not to turn the whole area into crazy zombies.  

If a Mr. Trump, or Mrs. May, a Mr Putin , Erdogan or Netanyahu, the Saudi kingdom or the Iranian Mullahs ,  are put in charge of the M-E. situation and its future geopolitical map, including that of a Palestinian state, the world will surely envision a tragic future, one in which the entire M-E. and Israel are likely to never have peace and security that their people deserve.

My as always many thanks for your time and help propagating the blog .