DUAL DECEPTION ...... FAILED ASPIRATIONS......

The Arab world in its majority is living nowadays another huge deception, and a very big loss of pride and self esteem . It's not obviously the first one in its long history, many previous defeats and derogatory instances took place in the last centuries, be it at the hands of Mongols, Turkic Ottoman rule and European colonialism, to end it all with the implantation of the state of Israel and its biased protectors.

What I'm focusing on today are the latest two major blows , the first was in 1967 when Arabism and Arab sentiments and unity was at its highest with Nasser of Egypt at the top, and an Arab feeling of power and indestructibility unparalleled for many centuries, against Israel and the whole world, mostly the Western world. Although a repeat of the huge defeat of 1948 war against Israel and its humiliating consequences .

67 was different with rhetoric of self reliance and absolute faith in a pan Arab force, backed by a Musslem undefeatable pride and confidence. They lost big time, Nasser died soon after, and Arabs mostly Musslems were in disarray , left to the mercy of adventurers and political profiteer novices .

Years later, the feelings of pride and superiority started rebuilding at the hands of Islamists, at the expenses of all pan Arab slogans of all leaders,  ie;"An Arab nation united with an eternal glorious message." , "From the ocean to the Golf " was fading and giving place to "Allahou akbar", his Prophet and a strict literal interpretation of the holly book. Again the feeling of pride and indestructibility was gaining ground albeit under religious slogans .

 Pseudo intifadas started in many Arab corners, culminating in what is called the Arab spring, socio-economic reasons were responsible at the start, camouflaged by religious fervor and religious pride. How can we loose with Allahou Akbar and the Prophet backing us ??? We are after all the greatest nation produced to the world !!!

Hard core Islamists quickly took over, backed by organized fanaticism , fervor , and political special interests, North Africa, Egypt, Syria and Iraq and elsewhere got again the resolve and pride of the original Musslem wars, always with the help and guidance of Allahou Akbar . Only a few years down the line , the Arab and Musslem world are facing again a humiliating defeat , and are being crushed in every feature of their dreams .

Few serious efforts are under way for rational explanations, and whether Islam and Arabism are necessarily compatible, complimentary or even helpful to each other. Who's more responsible for the present situation, Arabism under all its forms, or Islam under its literalism and archaic doctrines and laws. Some serious questions facing the Arab Musslems all over, questions that have to be answered within a generation if survival of the peoples speaking Arabic is contemplated .

Well !! what can one say, maybe Allahou Akbar gave up on his people, or maybe he's not as omnipotent as he once was, maybe it's high time for Arabs and Musslems to rethink the whole approach and strategy like many other people before them did all over the world. Islam like any and all other religions in the world share the strong tendencies of invigorating its adherents, giving them the feelings of invincibility and overblown pride, often leading to imploding and destroying themselves . Musslem Arabs in their majority are starting to feel and realize it .

All my ,as always, thanks for your patience , time and help propagating the blog .          

POLITICAL ANOMALIES .......

It is important, even essential to keep bringing up, analyzing, critisizing and talking about some events in our planet's modern life. Some political scenes, some anomalies, some injustices,  major injustices, some very threatening emerging political trends and phenomenons, like the birth of a dictatorship or a fascist regime, Nazi Germany comes immediately to mind, and many replicas of it in our actual era .

Yes, there is a continual need to keep talking and criticizing these rogue politicians, and irresponsible regimes. Whether they are in Russia, Ukraine, U.K. the U.S. or any rogue regime holding its country captive ; Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and behind them Saudi , Iran, and Israel with their creations and definitions of apartheid, occupation and colonialism.

We need to keep questioning what's happening and what's taking place on the ground in all of these entities and regimes, more so in influential and dominant countries like Russia, the U.S. and Israel, and lately Saudi Arabia and Iran, the rest are minor second and third degree players .

A good deal of responsibility for the Middle-East chaos, falls on Saudi Arabia and Iran, the planning and execution of plans dating some years now , always with the help of regional and international superior powers, proves continually that both sides are the exact two sides of the same coin. The Shiite and Sunni, the Wahhabis and the Mullahs, their fighters and their patrons, from all countries carry all exactly the same, even identical tactical agendas and goals.

Unfortunately we're only to sit and watch the new geopolitical mapping and divisions take place, and the new Middle-East reshape itself and reemerge based on new ethnic borders and patronage, including seemingly peaceful entities like Lebanon, Israel and north African countries. A sad ending for an area many cherished and believed in .

It is not enough that America and most American politicians, till now keep pretending that America has never done anything wrong to others, to Arabs, to Palestinians, to Latin Americans and Vietnamese and most of there neighbors, we are nowadays experiencing a new combination of American//Israeli politics and hegemony, that intensify and amplify the old masked policies, and dwarf everything we have done so far. What a show !!!!

Many of our present leaders in the world, and just to name a few, I'll mention Mr. Trump, Putin, Netanyahu, Assad, Erdogan, the Ayatollahs and the Saudi leadership, plus of course all the new self appointed Islamist chieftains and the European extreme right aspiring young politicians, are all without exception using hate, fear, and false extreme nationalistic and religious tactics, and not once a moralistic, civilized, globalized approach .

All sensible and intelligent people of the world should rise and fight these trends, and prove them backward , stupid, and ineffectual in our modern times, on the contrary, very dangerous to worlds stability, prosperity and a future vulnerable survivability . Turning American or Philippino or north Korean presidencies and politics into a comedy-show could turn frighteningly dangerous. Meanwhile unfortunately the show goes on .

As always , my sincere thanks to all , for reading , mentioning and spreading the blog .             

JUSTICE IS THE CROWN .......

In modern times, narrow faith is returning to many spots of the world, in different shapes and headings, eclipsing morality and civility.  Faith and morals are quite different things, as men of different faiths can live together in peace, provided they agree on some standards of behavior. And without moral agreement men can not and will not live together in peace.

Surely no faith can claim higher morality or betterness than other rivals. Throughout the Middle-East, Israel and now the new waves of Islamism and Islamists , and fascist dictators in the world prove that less faith and better morality and civility is what's needed .

One of the few conceptions of justice, coming from old religious dogmas, in this case from Moses, and still considered as a great advancement to modern humanity and civility says; " You shall have one law for the stranger and for the native." Unfortunately our modern descendents of Moses whether in America, in Israel or in many spots of the Middle-East are all totally writing it off, and behaving exactly in opposite ways , while segregation and apartheid are flourishing everywhere.

Through various Islamic waves, in established countries and in war torn countries, and the Israeli colonialism, apartheid and theft, and American recent elected political inclinations, Europe's , Russia's and Turkey's rising blind ultra right and oligarchies , all fit the same paradigm . How much hypocrisy , self deception , irrationality and dishonesty would it take to apply and conduct one's life in accordance with segregation and apartheid .  To live together peaceably, men need rules, and these rules may even have to be enforced .

Historically it was always more factual and true to call a Judeo-Islamic trend and culture, and not Judeo-Christian tradition, the early Christians in the Greco/Roman world were heavily confronted with all Jewish laws, philosophies and rules of conduct, and Jews never accepted the whole Christian story nor Jesus, while Jewish dogmas survived well with initial Musslem expansion under Muhammad, and even later with califs and communities in different continents, and there's no denying of the too many resemblances and influences of Jewish laws over Islamic rituals and laws.

As a mater of fact, the coining and origination of the  Judeo-Christian concept, coming from the idea that the Christian covenant supersedes and eliminates the Jewish one, the words have been around and in use for  a century more or less, I have in a previous blog talked about it at length. Even Eastern Orthodox churches are less reliant and less accepting of the modern partnership and the very convenient to Zionism  Judeo-Christian misunderstood concept.

While both Judaism and Islam insist on a set of rules, laws and practices affecting every aspect of life. It has gotten to a degree in our times where both religions are practically reduced to a set of rituals devoid of spirituality and morality, civility and justice , and both share a total accepted will of non critical study of their respective religions.


My usual many thanks for everyone's time and help spreading the blog and increasing our readership.    

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.