A GOD CALLED JESUS ......

How do we know really , who was Jesus , the answer must be found in writings about him , mostly such writings if not exclusively are the Gospels , and the letters of Paul .


What Paul wrote was more interpretational  than first-hand knowledge , as he admits himself that he never knew Jesus in the flesh , John's Gospel was even further detached from describing the real Jesus , his life or personality .


So we are left with the other three Gospels , Matthew , Mark and Luke . We know very little about these authors , and about the circumstances  surrounding their writings , except the very general traits . The three Gospels are more or less identical , most scholars nowadays believe that Matthew and Luke copied extensively from Mark , this would strongly suggest that the two mentioned authors had no first-hand knowledge of Jesus . Even Mark's knowledge of Jesus personally is marginal and distant at best .


There is not any mention in Mark of the appearance or mannerism  , of the daily life and habits of Jesus , a bit strange if the man knew and lived around the very vivid and magical Jesus . He could only have known people of the same epoch who knew Jesus personally .


My guess is that Mark could have been a much younger contemporary , who influenced Matthew and Luke to write their books only a full generation or more later , and John nearly a full century down the line . So the immediate thought that comes to mind would be , how can we be so sure , so adamant in our judgment and considerations , when there is no real first hand information or writings.


Kierkegaard  put it this way, "God can lift humans to the level of God , or God has to accept the debasement of becoming human ."  According to him " the human mind is affronted ; as Jesus claim, or is made to be Christ/God is odiously offensive to human reason . It is an attack on human reason to expect that God would dream of becoming human , of coming to earth as a carpenter and dying on a cross as a common criminal at the hands of the marginal and insignificant people of his lands ."


The whole very disputed theory of Jesus/God was only imposed by high coercion and use of extensive force some 325 years later at Nicea , and only enforced and adopted  after 384 C.E. for theological and political purposes . We all have our minds and intellect , we need to be convinced rationally  and not blindly accept leaps of faith . It is alright for all of us to be intellectually interested in rational studies and interpretations of religions , all religions . They  still  do influence and govern most of our thinking and affairs in these sad and crazy times .




Again and as usual my many thanks for your time .       

FANATICAL OBSTINACY ......

THE  stubborn , intractable observance by all Hebraic tribes and most of their descendants , follows the original patterns of Israeli peoples scattered all through the Middle-East for more than a thousand years B.C. and most of Europe through the first millennium of the Christian era , one common trait dominating their lives would be ;  Isolationism .


Jews in general considered themselves intellectually and socially superior and more advanced to all other  neighboring people and kingdoms around them . Jewish tribes whether in Israel itself or in any neighboring lands i.e.  Egypt , Canaan , Melkite , Phoenicians , Assyrians or Persians , compared poorly in power wealth or commerce, they never possessed meaningful armies , nor very impressive castles and palaces , no major metropolis or anything of the sort that defined higher societies and kingdoms of the time .


These simple people were no match at all to , Greeks , the Persian empire , and later the Romans , even Arabs 600 years down the line of the Christian era , under the new leadership of Muhammad , his Islamic messages and his friends , who managed relatively in very short times , to build themselves powerful armies and strong hegemonic tendencies .


Jewish tribal isolationism and arrogance was self justified by the so called superiority of intellect , strict inherited social rules , and continued discussions and studies of Cabalistic notions , turned later to social and monetary applied philosophies and self governing doctrines , thus their historical refusal of any other cultural system and an obstinacy in continued resistance of mixing and melting with other cultures .


Greek philosophy , though by far greater than theirs , never could set a foot in tribal Jewish lands , Romans only difficultly and by force only could impose their superior rules of law , and were never really accepted . Their relations with the Arab Mohammad was based on somehow similar non-trust , devious and deceitful acts , leading their relatively powerful tribes in and around Medina  to reject and betray the aspiring Musslem forces . Labeling them among their rising Arab neighbors as eternal traitors and enemies of their own pledges and words .


History tells us that their leaders could never , 2000 years ago or in our modern times , accept one of their own sons i.e. Jesus , who did not really during his life advocate an independent state or different political establishment , only to rectify some of their rules and come up with different and more universal commandments , they ended up  betraying  and killing him , for fear of impurity , contamination and universality .


These same grandiose self beliefs of superiority and exclusivity , these beliefs of owning god and being absolutely under his grace , all bonded with special covenants led them to isolate themselves literally everywhere , from Arabia to Eastern and Western Europe , from antiquity to middle ages and further to modern times . Ghettos and walls were not in most cases imposed on them , but self installed by their community leaders . Mostly to preserve their purity , superiority and hidden arrogance vis a vis local populations around them .


This same refusal of melting or accepting , still living today in many Jewish communities around the world , and their isolationism felt more so in modern Israel through their very harsh brutality and apartheid treatment of every non Jewish person , be it him/her a citizen or not , even against their own black Jews , considered minor or lower cast Jews at best .


Trying to resemble them to other Arab Semites , whether Musslems or Christians , from their historic surroundings , gives them literally the shivers , they are continually trying to distance themselves from the same original Abrahamic cousins and neighbors , exactly as their later historical existence and behavior , led them to their isolationism and life of intrigue throughout the world .


My as always many thanks for patiently listening .
  

SENSE OF HUMOUR .....

In Italian senso dell'umorismo , and it's mizah duygusu in Turkish , while it turns to humorintagu in Finnish .  They all depict the same , the extent to which a person finds something humorous , depends on many factors and variables including , geographical locations , culture , maturity , levels of education , religiosity and intelligence .


Humour is the tendency to provoke laughter and provide amusement , the term derives from the ancient Greek humoral medicine , which taught that balance of fluids in the human body , known as humours , controlled human health and emotions . Those who enjoy a good sense of humour , not only see value in making others laugh , but they prioritize laughter themselves in most occasions , thus turning healthier , happier , even making aging a good- humored fact of life .


We all take it for granted that words like "sense of humour" are universally the same , depicting any person on this globe with a humoristic speech and a Witty mind . Most people though appreciate humour and a humorist person .


But I've found through my long years that humour and its applications , have different connotations , and different acceptances in different sides and cultures . In the Eastern Mediterranean , people would associate and describe a humorist person with the ability of catching a fly in the air , for quickness and wittiness , in many other parts humour is perceived differently , more reserved and conservative .


Protestants , Sunni Musslems , Hebraic and most religious people are not too appreciative of very open humour , they all share the firm belief that humour is against faith , and could damage and mock their theological beliefs and divine faith .


One thing the human race historically and up to our site in civilization , we all or at least most , share , cherish and appreciate good humour and a good laugh . Sense of humour is very strongly linked to liberalism , and in many instances one practically can not separate the two .


Indian humour is different from Chinese humour , and both are different from Japanese or Western humour , foreign representatives ought to be very careful joking or making humoristic allusions in other countries as it could be totally mal perceived . American humour is very different from British , Latin European , or even Canadian humour ,  Middle-Easterners differ from Turkish or Persian humour . Even Saudi Arabian and the Gulf Emirates have their own variations from Levant humour .


Arabs in general , with the exception of Egyptians have a limited appreciation of humour , Jordanians are notorious for their serious take on life and serious facial expressions , while Egyptians are known for their jovial approach to any situation, turning the most serious into a joking affair, clearly a pharaonic inheritance rather than a Musslem one , Iraqis are far more rigid than their Syrian , and more so Lebanese counterparts , while Tunisians have  a better developed sense of humour among their north African Arab neighbors .


To finish , life is so much easier with a sense of humour . Khalil Gebran once said "A sense of humour is a sense of proportion".  Looking at us on Earth and assuming it is a creation of God , then God has a fantastic sense of humour . As the old joke goes : "And God promised men that good and obedient wives would be found in all corners of the world , then he made earth round .... he laughed and laughed  and laughed ....


My usual thanks for your times and smiles .      

MIDDLE EASTERN FACTOIDS ......

__ It's a fact that the Lebanese Hezbollah and Iran vis-à-vis ISIS and all Sunni gangs , countries and individuals supporting them form the two sides of the same coin , momentarily showing less brutality and barbarism in their daily applications , but for both Hezbollah and Iran this is strictly tactical .They will become it and apply their very similar Islamic sharia laws and punishments as soon as in power .


__  Mr. Assad and his heinous regime and their terror affiliated gangs, are still the Major  culprits and responsible for the Syrian ongoing drama , and the Syrian populations disastrous fate . It's a total myth, that minorities like Christians and Druze were originally protected by the regime for their own sake , they would have all been sacrificed and butchered if even as little as 50 Christians stood against the regime or publicly denounced it, they would have all been in refugee tents , and they all know it, they have sold their destiny to the Assad regime .


__ The Bush/Cheney presidency, influenced big time by our local neo cons with the help and incitement of Israeli neo cons are the main responsible parties for the destruction of Iraq , its present situation and our trillions of $$ in losses . Now we are witnessing a clear incitement for a come-back to those policies  regarding the Iranian scene .


__ The Obama administration's total indecisiveness and lack of a clear vision , majorly helped create the Libyan chaos and practical division of the country, as well as prolonging the Assad  regime's life and carnage , the rise of Sunni crazy gang hordes , and now the division and civil ethnic war in Yemen , all with their subsequent millions of refugees .


__ Saudi Arabia , the Gulf states , and their affiliate Islamists hordes , all imbibed and totally under the spell of Ibn Taymmiyah , Ibn  Wahhab  and some other minor Sunni theologians , are the real culprits responsible for the destruction of Arab nationalism , unity and prosperity , short of calling it  " An Islamic invasion tragedy"  all backed up and whispered by Israeli and to a certain extend the U.S blind policy makers . Now they all have a new partner in hegemony , Shiite Iran .


__ The Turkish Islamist and Sunni caliphate dream revival , are in part , creators of the actual scenes of total brutal madness in the Levant , and equally responsible as their counter parts the Persian/Shiite revival and their policies of great hegemon , both aspire to become the new super powers of the new Middle East .


__ No observer can ignore the huge contradictions and games in Israeli politics toward the peace process with the Palestinian populations , whether citizens of Israel or under direct occupation and apartheid treatment, the apparent situation lately would incriminate the wright wing neo cons doves , while a more in depth analysis would clearly reveal that all major political sides and religious parties are exactly similar sides of the same coin regarding these crucial issues ,while ignoring , eradicating and destroying our long term and strategical interests in the region .


__ Finally , I wouldn't be at all surprised , to hear some time soon , of a Musslem jihadi terrorist act here in the U.S , with some hidden allied hands behind it , cruel and effective enough , a mini 9/11 if you will , just to keep American anti Islamic fervor and anger alive and burning , of course stupid Musslem jihadis will automatically oblige and gladly adopt such an operation even if it's only blindly executed by them , and masterminded  in some Mossadi stile agency or other .



You go and figure some sense and sanity in all this lunatic situation ,  my  usual many thanks for your patience and time .  

SAVING AMERICA FROM ITS ALLIES ....

We all ought to thank Senator McCain for declaring that the U.S. congress should reconsider funding for the United Nations , if the security council approves a resolution on Palestinian statehood . The Speaker of the House Mr.  Boehner , is planning a personal urgent trip to Israel to deliver similar messages , we truly should thank both politicians for safeguarding our security and the country's safety from the wrathful Israeli vengeance . Someone had to do it .


Sometimes ago in one of my older blogs , I cautioned Americans from what could happen if and when our policies and interests diverge from those of Israel or its political leadership's policies and visions , I even at the time used the expression " God help us", as I believed back then and still believe today that their reactions protecting what they consider their interests and dreams , could be extremely malignant and vengeful even toward their best and only ally .


Some Americans continue to believe in conspiracy theories , especially concerning the 9/11 tragedy , I still periodically receive different clips , documentations and detailed articles , some by serious bodies of professionals , explaining the how and why , the direct Mossad involvement , and the blind eyes of our investigative agencies , and their fixation on one side only . I have to stress that I personally do not adhere to this line of thought and never accepted those assumptions , but sometimes and in line of what is presented , and the aftermath of it all , one can not refrain from thinking .


Following this line , yes I believe that Israel will kill and bury 50 or more years of absolute alliance and loyalty , plus the many dozens of billions of our taxpayer Dollars in a glimpse and turn its ugly face to America and Americans when we're not so compliant and obliging . They will surely try to mess up and poison our political system willingly .


One quick and explicit example of divergence is the Israeli actual policy toward Russia and Ukraine , whereby trade between Israel and Russia has reached almost 5$ billion in 2014 , where Russian industries are quite interested in some Israeli military technologies unavailable to them from American sources and industries , thus Israel and against America and all Western wishes , has been neutral over Moscow's involvement in Ukraine and abstained from joining any Western imposed sanctions , or condemnation . On the contrary Israel have made known its objections to American and Western sanctions on Russia .


Israel is looking for Israel first , within the context of our partnership and alliance , isn't it high time for us here to start looking for America first ???     thank you all for your time .


       

WHAT A DESTINY .....

I want to describe today , what in my opinion the Arab world is turning into and where it is headed . At the cost of repeating myself ,  in the 40's , 50's and maybe the 60's of the last century, the Arab world and its populations was still capable , or still could have veered itself into some sort of enlightenment , an Arab Renaissance if you would .


Young people , in most Arab countries were offered and going through a fair degree of education at all levels , the youth were generally energized , optimistic , creative and hopeful for their own and their nation's future . They were the nucleus of a brighter future for a whole generation of young aspiring Arabs .


Of course , many reasons , rational and explanations were given as to the why and how , and to what contributed later to the decline and failure of this dream , mostly attributing the whole situation to  Western and Israeli  wars , interventions , exploitations and direct secret agencies manipulations .


There is no denying or belittling of those responsibilities  from the colonialism era to the forcefully imposed creation of Israel and its subsequent millions of Palestinian refugees , to the general present and actual chaos .


But , and to be fair to ourselves and to history , we'd have to admit and accept the responsibility of Arab populations themselves ,Arab leaders, Arab kingdoms and Emirates , death-dealing factions , assassinations , aggressions and defeat in wars,  Arab military coups d'etat , bringing to power brutal military dictators , there is no shortage here of listings .


Of course adding to it all is Islam !!  and its sure influence on the closing of the Arab mind , Arabs are as responsible as they are victims of the false pride in their historical past , secular and religious , imbibed with the inherited Hebraic notion of grandiose and superiority, of being God's chosen propagators and promulgators , translated through old applications of religious social , economic and political archaic ways , further separating them from modernity and civilized societies .


This pseudo marriage between dictatorship and Islam , always advocating sincere intentions and betterness , while imposing ruthlessly their doctrines and ideologies over the Ummah . From eccentric and lunatic Qaddafi , to sanguine and brutal Assad , to Utopian and merciless Saddam , or the eternal Saleh of Yemen , whether the living in some other times and sphere of reality Saudis , Bahrainis or Moroccans , the theological regime of Sudan or the military regime of Algeria , they all strongly contributed to the annihilation of the Ummah , its secularism and democracy , Islam and the dictators were the real enemies of the Arab dream of union .


Arabs missed having the illuminated American founding fathers , or some enlightened European thinkers , not even a Singapore type sincere and clean dictator , but !!!! Instead they had their fill of brutal dictators , corrupt administrators and theologians and theocracies leading them carefully and systematically to their sad present .


Lucky are Americans and Western peoples in general for their heritage , for their separation of state and religion , for their democracies , when not tempered with by the powerful ,  hoping people will not take lightly what was achieved  throughout  our history , and not succumb to childish and immature bickering or political and financial profiteering or blindly follow  Neocons adventurism , hegemony and false superiority , whether local or foreign .        Many thanks for listening .


  

COLOR BLINDNESS .......

Why do we keep making it one of our top controversies ? Blacks are surely an essential part of our structure and our fabrics , they've been in this country longer that many of us , two to three centuries at least , and still we mostly behave as if we have great difficulty accepting these facts , and still stigmatize , discredit and denounce their presence .


We in most cases love their athleticism , and consider some Black athletes inspirational in our sports . We love their  music , their songs , tunes and rhythms , some of these influenced our minds and music for ever . We have to admit that we Cherish their spirited minds and ways ,  so very lively and different from most of our Protestant  and Calvinistic rigidity and very focused lives .


We love their dancing skills , their military prowess and enthusiasm  in defending their country , yes we love most of these attributes and features , but we still don't like the people , let's accept it , many of us are still very biased , un-accepting and not liking , short of saying hating , why is that so ??


Are we living a color dislike ??  while in other instances we generally love the color black , we find it very easy to match to almost any other color, is it then an inherited preconceived stigma , a strong feeling that Blacks are not really us , believing that any or all colors  are not really us .


I  consider myself as mostly a "rosy white" , with a touch of brownish tan , enough generally to make me not very pure , coming from a Semitic Middle-Eastern original tribe , and somehow I sometimes for no good reasons harbor these feelings , fortunately I always get very quickly back to my senses .While for instance in Israel Black Jews are considered and treated as second or third class citizens , and Arabs do not even count .


Musslems and Arabs have little respect for colored people , in the Arabic language , consequently in the Arab world , the word slave or Ab'd  pronounced Abed in Arabic , has somehow a different connotation , as it is often given as a first name to males , always attached to God or one of his many attributes , Ab'dalla , the slave of God , or the slave of the generous , the merciful or the powerful . As well as the literal meaning of slave , it is hard and perplexing for many Arabs , when reminded to address Blacks as Black or African , it's practically always Abed .


But hey !! the same applies to other colors as well , any darker skin as in Indian or Srilankan , throughout the middle-East would put the person automatically into a house maid or driver category , the same goes for Israel . Here in America , the ill feelings and intolerance toward other colors takes many shapes and forms whether Latinos , Asians or Arabs . Europeans have similar problems but to a lesser degree , Israelis are notorious in the way they treat their own Black Jews and of course Arabs .


We have to admit in all honesty that these problems are not just police and law enforcement problems but are very obviously societal problems , the same as in many parts of the world , the European continent , Israel and the Arab and Musslem worlds all share the same mentality and problems .


So what is it to be done for our common future ? accept , live with the other or keep denying and resisting our social fabrics , turning our melting pot into a total myth . Both Whites and Blacks as well as any shade of color , race or religion in between , have to understand and get it clearly into our heads , that safeguarding our identities could not be preserved or reconstructed only and through the destruction of the antithetical other .


My usual many thanks for listening .