"THE WAR ON ERROR"
Benedict XVI spoke of the desire for closer ties with the Greek Orthodox Church when he gave an audience to the Catholic bishops of Greece. "The desire is great in all to take part together in the one altar on which is offered under the veil of the Sacrament the one Sacrifice of Christ."
The Holy See told a U.N. committee that religion is a vital force for peace and understanding among peoples in an age of globalization. "In our diverse and ever-changing world, religion is more than an internal matter of thought and conscience. It has the potential to bind us together as equal and valuable members of the human family."
I witnessed the subsequent battle over what language to use at Mass, not realizing it was a replay of an earlier battle over what language to read the Bible in. Reactionaries have never stopped campaigning for the restoration of Latin, understanding its twin significance as symbol and pillar of the old order. Unsurprisingly, that campaign has been reinvigorated lately, with a blessing from Pope Benedict - a futile shoring up of a rapidly collapsing clericalism.
Knowledge of Latin may be in decline, but novels, films and documentaries about the Romans have never been more popular. We are still dimly, unconsciously, aware that our culture grew out of classical civilisation.
Less than a week after he urged the German Army to play a more active role in resolving regional conflicts and fighting terrorism, Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung said Germany would begin as early as December to withdraw troops from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Germany and Poland have a long list of grievances; the longest running being the quest for compensation by Germans expelled from Poland after 1945. But is the topic just political ammunition for a nationalist agenda?
Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski repeated his country's demand for an agreement which would put an end to either side seeking war reparations. Merkel's 'no' merely underlined the countries' strained relations.
It started so well. But now, questions surround Germany's mission to Lebanon. Not only have Israeli planes buzzed German ships, but the naval mission has fewer rights than at first promised. The German parliament is demanding answers.
German press on...
Two incidents involving the Israeli air force and the German navy off the coast of Lebanon have raised fresh concerns about the Bundeswehr's mandate in the region. In Germany, many see two recalcitrant sides in the conflict.
Germany's contribution to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon has come under heavy fire after an incident with Israeli jet planes and insecurities over the mission's rules of engagement.
Europe's plight should be a cautionary tale for America, but unfortunately her leaders seem just as unwilling to confront the true nature of Islam. Somebody needs to point out to them that wishing that Islam is "a religion of peace," however earnestly, does not make it so.
The United States set out an ambitious agenda on Monday for transforming NATO into a global security organization at a summit next month but acknowledged that some European allies have misgivings.
The average shopper at Karstadt, Metro and Lidl is a downright globalization fanatic. He compares price and service and always goes for what's cheapest. In doing so, he destroys massive numbers of jobs in Europe - including, eventually, his own. Many who considered the social market economy to be the final stage of history are now being forced to admit they made a colossal error.
What is happening to Central Europe? Many of Europe's newest democracies are struggling with weak governments and polarized societies and worrying their Western neighbors that they may become the problem children of the European Union.
Israel's ultra-nationalist party leader Avigdor Lieberman was sworn into government as the nation's first-ever minister for strategic affairs - marking a sharp shift to the right in the Jewish state's leadership.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Monday expanded his coalition by co-opting the hawkish nationalist Israel Beitenu party.
World Jewish groups began a global campaign on Sunday calling for recognition of Jews from Arab countries as refugees in the Middle East conflict. Jewish communities in the Middle East stretch back over 2,500 years.
[WAR: Again, how do we really know "Who is a Jew"? Are the Sephardi Jews the "real" ones, and the AshkeNAZI Jews the Canaanites descended from Shelah? Who knows the answer to this dilemma? Did Herman Hoeh ever address this issue?]
In this biography, Spencer tells the story of the founder of Islam -- a story that many Muslims themselves apparently either do not know about or do not want non-Muslims to hear.
A model would be the fragmented Holy Roman Empire (Germany) after the 1648 Peace of Westphalia. Some German states gravitated toward France, others toward its competitors. The system did break down on those occasions when Louis XIV and later Napoleon attempted to subjugate the German states. But in general, the fragmentation of Germany that lasted until 1871 reassured the great powers, and indeed they took pains to preserve it.
Somalia's powerful Islamist movement Monday accused neighboring Ethiopia of "declaring war" on them, as they awaited the delayed resumption of peace talks here with the country's weak government. "Ethiopia has declared war on Somalia and has already made a large military incursion deep into Somali territory."
Ethiopia and Eritrea must not interfere in the conflict in neighboring Somalia, the U.S. said, after concerns the Somali government's dispute with Islamist fighters may escalate into a regional war.
Twenty five nations took part in a U.S.-led naval exercise on Monday in waters not far from Iran aimed at training forces to block the transport of weapons of mass destruction and related equipment.
Majlis Foreign Policy and National Security Committee Chairman Alaeddin Borujerdi told a German parliamentary delegation here on Sunday that constructive talks on Iran’s nuclear issue can continue in an atmosphere based on mutual trust.
A meeting of six major UN powers on proposed Security Council sanctions against Iran over its failure to halt uranium enrichment was unlikely to take place before Friday at the earliest, diplomats said.
Iran's firebrand president warned on Monday that his country would respond with an "appropriate and firm response" to any U.N. sanction over its nuclear program. "The Iranian nation will respond to restrictive activities with an appropriate and firm response."
Bush's "mission", whatever that means, was far from being "accomplished" and he was stubbornly digging deeper into the hole of a bloody illegal occupation of a foreign country. This reminds one of the captain of the Titanic yelling "full speed ahead" with his ship caught in the middle of a field of icebergs. A captain who does not change course in the presence of insurmountable obstacles is not 'resolute', he is showing myopic stupidity. More appropriately perhaps, the world is witnessing an "imperialistic" spirit, using words like "democracy" and "freedom" to mascarade a more sinister program. It is because Bush and his neocon advisers are too deeply engaged in the imperial project that they cannot consider changing their disastrous policy in the Middle East.
If America ever goes to war with China, Chinese military doctrine suggests the US should expect attacks on a number of key points where it is particularly vulnerable - where a single jab would paralyze the entire nation.
Ron Paul on...
The real issue is national sovereignty. Once again, decisions that affect millions of Americans are not being made by those Americans themselves, or even by their elected representatives in Congress. Instead, a handful of elites use their government connections to bypass national legislatures and ignore our Constitution – which expressly grants Congress the sole authority to regulate international trade.
In a key race that could determine control of the Senate, Democrat Harold Ford Jr. appealed to Tennessee's traditional-values voters in a campaign speech, declaring his party has the upper hand when it comes to faith in God.
Bush's first use of the word "crusade" was five days after 9/11 and divulged his Christian Zionist mentality. With continuous support from distinctive Christian theocons, Bush professes that the Iraqi quagmire is a "good versus evil" crusade and that he is on God's errand.
Ambrose Evans-Pritchard on...
Judging by their body language, the US authorities believe the roaring bull market this autumn is just a suckers' rally before the inevitable storm hits. Hank Paulson, the market-wise Treasury Secretary who built a $700m fortune at Goldman Sachs, is re-activating the 'plunge protection team' (PPT), a shadowy body with powers to support stock index, currency, and credit futures in a crash.
Clueless Catholics Causing Confusion...
There are mysteries about Halloween. Why is it like it is? Is there really an occult underpinning? Does it have any supernatural ramifications?
Pastors who believe Halloween is a pagan tradition are urging children to trade pumpkin-carving and scary costumes for hayrides, contests for best saint costumes and prayers.
Hundreds of Pagans serving prison sentences are to be given the day off work for Halloween out of respect for their religious beliefs.
[WAR: Hey, if the deceitful and hypocritical Xianized Pagans can have their pagan days off, then why can't the upfront and honest true pagans have theirs?]
A German woman won a lawsuit against a "love witch" who failed to induce her ex-boyfriend to come back with rituals under the full moon designed to cast a spell over him, a Munich court said yesterday.
Halloween is a date of astronomical interest: it's a cross-quarter date, midway between an equinox and a solstice. There are four cross-quarter dates throughout the year, and each is a minor holiday.
[WAR: Yes, these days (equinoxes, solstices, and cross-quarters) matter to pagans, since all their holidays revolve around them - with the vernal equinox being the key foundation and starting-point. So should the COG also be using them to determine when the appointed times are?)
Most commonly, these outbreaks traced to accidental drug exposures. But some physicians worry that children are at higher risk of early puberty due to the increasing availability of classes of drugs, cosmetics and environmental contaminants called endocrine disruptors.
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