Right-wing Christianity and Foreign Policy

Christianity  is the name of a movement that follows the teachings of a man named Jesus Christ. This man became famous for several reasons, but among them was his teachings for forgiveness, and treating others with the same respect you'd want to have yourself.

The right-wing branch of Christianity as espoused by the Republican Party in the U.S. today is nowhere close to these teachings. If anything, its at the polar opposite of  universal love and peace. Instead, it consistently embraces people like Bill O'Reillly, Rush Limbaugh, and Sarah Palin to preach hateful and damaging messages. Instead of sharing a message of peace, they call for unnecessary violence in the name of god, and 'American patriotism'.

There's been a lot of noise recently about bombing Iran before that country supposedly gets the bomb. Yet it was due to the combined efforts between Standard Oil of Britain (now BP) and elements in the U.S. that conspired to get rid of a democratically elected president Mohammad Mossadegh in Iran in 1953, and instead installed Shah Reza Pahlevi as king of Iran.

Shah Reza Pahlevi  was installed as a puppet dictator for the west since he agreed to give away Iran's oil for personal wealth and profit along with military arms. This further impoverished the rest of Iran for decades until its people had enough and finally revolted. The Shah left for exile in 1979.

 So, the West was instrumental in impoverishing Iran. The West knowingly created misery in Iran which eventually led to a power vacuum that ushered in extreme religious fundamentalists, and which wouldn't exist today in Iran if we never screwed their country over in the first place.

Currently, world oil usage is on a sharp rise, while oil stocks are beginning to deplete elsewhere. The current Iranian government continues to refuse to be a western puppet, and once again impoverish their nation. In the U.S. right-wing Christians at places such as Fox News are calling to bomb the women and children in Iran. The nuclear threat of course is only one part of the equation. Once again it's about oil, other natural resource extraction, and Geo-politically crippling another sovereign state in order to further destabilize their currency designed for advantageous financial gain.

In Christianity, the Bible's ten commandments include' "Thou Shall Not Steal". Yet this is exactly what militant right-wing Christians think they ought to do in regards to Iran and Iranian oil. Call it what they will.

Who's the aggressor?  Who's the bad guy here?

Why are normal Christians not speaking out?

First of all, I don't wish to identify with anyone particular group. If anything, I lean towards universal ideals that humanists hold dear: Everyone should prosper equally.

I recently stumbled across someone's attempted interview with GOP nomination candidate Rick Santorum, and it occurred to me just how very wrong he is for the position.

How is it that I see little if any organized effort by normal church organizations to distance themselves from their brethren Christians elsewhere who willingly call for war without just cause?


The war-mongering political drivel of right-wing neo-conservatives  is just that. Drivel. It doesn't make any sense. Why are  so-called god-fearing voters  casting their ballots to enable bigotry? Many of the politicians they vote in have a very callous, if not hateful view towards other nations.

 If you think I'm being overly liberal in my views, fear not. I think, we reap what we sow. And we should take responsibility for the political undermining we embark on in dealing with those we see as a supposed threat.

But, I'm  thinking of the standard unholy alliance of god, guts, and glory, with a dash  blind patriotism, and American-apple-pie thrown in. The standard formula. You're either with us, or you're against us mentality.

Am I wrong on this point, or are there concrete examples of such registered opposition among the religious, and I have just not been paying attention? But here's the problem; I think I do pay attention and I just don't see any opposing views being widely expressed.

Granted the current Obama administration is relatively the same as the Bush administration as far as saber rattling goes. Obama is better spoken, but I think it’s the only real difference. There’s some window dressing as in health care reform and it appears its meant for distraction. There was, and still is -  no hope and change delivered.  

I also understand all too well, we live under a series of corporate oligarchies that control media messaging. This goes without saying, and is obvious.

An astute,  political/socially conscious individual need only read any mainstream newspaper and at once they understand instinctively what is not being published. The editorials are often far from being luminary in their views. After all, the status-quo has been benefiting them for years, why change it?

From a humanistic point of view, we as a society are failing miserably on so many fronts.

This being said, I don’t understand as I’ve mentioned, why I don’t see a large organized opposition mounted from  Christians who profess love and peace, against those ‘Christians’ who would vote for the likes of a Sarah Palin, or a Rick Santorum who has publicly said he would use Just War Theory in a premeditated attack against Iran and against its hundreds of thousands if not millions of innocent potential victims.  

Remember the stolen 1953 Iranian elections? The one that would’ve seen a democratically elected president who did not want to be a puppet to Standard oil of Britain? We did that. The West did it.  Britain and the U.S.

People who have humanistic intentions are beginning to organize, but it sure would be nice to see commonplace in mainstream news that ‘other’ official church groups who are already organized, begin opposing today’s media messaging, and the seemingly entrenched mindsets bent on war and destruction, etc.

In Canada, Harper is the same. He’s ready to go to war and spend untold billions of non-existent dollars at the drop of a hat. Yet he comes from a right-wing ‘Christian’ tradition. Harper is in a good position ( if you want to put it that way) with the tar sands of Alberta.  Canada does not have to be blackmailed by U.S. trade if it does not wish to join in unnecessary wars with the U.S.

So, I’ll reiterate my original question.

 How is it that I see little if any organized effort by other church organizations to distance themselves from the war-mongering political drivel of right-wing neo-conservative fascists who are enabled by their religious voters?

Am I wrong on this point, or are there concrete examples of such registered, mainstream opposition and I have just not been paying attention?

I think I've been paying attention, and it sure doesn't appear to be commonplace knowledge...

'Peak Intelligence', 'Just War Theory', and Canada's Election Fraud

Why oh why does the GOP, and our own Conservative Party of Canada act like they're already past their climax of  Peak Intelligence?

The Grand Old Party, or the Republicans Party they're otherwise known as,  wish to go to war with Iran invoking 'Just War Theory."  But, it seems like Canada's Conservative prime minister Harper would do so at the drop of a hat too.

While it's coming to light the Conservative Party of Canada is potentially guilty of  an illegal voting fraud in the last election which might have grave consequences if an actual investigation was held. But don't hold your breath...  don't hold your breath that is, about having an actual investigation...

We Like War and We Want War with Iran

Back in the mid-80's I worked for two Iranian brothers in Montreal who told me a harrowing story of how they came to be in Canada.

As Iranian army conscripts they were making a typical truck trip to fetch water and other supplies for a forward operating post they were stationed at. As they were returning sometime later, they discovered their post had been overrun by Iraqi forces.

The Iraqis were gone but had left extreme atrocities at the post. All their former friends and comrades were dead, or worse. The Iranian brothers decided right then and there they'd had enough of a life filled with this kind of bullshit and human misery and left Iran and escaped to the west before they could be stationed at another forward post.

However, I'll never forget what the Iranian brothers told me. They blamed Britain, the U.S., and Israel for creating situations that pitted the Persian countries to wage battle against each other. They cited the stolen democratic election in Iran of 1953 that ushered in a puppet dictator for oil hungry Britain and the west that began the modern problems for their country and neighboring hostilities. Instead of democracy, the brothers said they got perpetual war.

Shale Gas Not Very Feasible

I revisited an Allan Gregg clip with guest Jeff Rubin. It's from 2009 though I never commented on it at the time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhsMr49AKM8

Rubin was touring his book "Oil and the End of Globalization".  If you haven't heard about it or read it....Wait. It's not all bad news. Rubin is actually optimistic the end of cheap oil does not mean the end of society. Not by a long shot. Though things will change.

 Here's a quick synopsis: Much higher oil prices along with possible carbon taxes may force the end of  shipping many manufactured goods around the world. It's cheap to do it at the moment because of current low fuel prices.

So what does this mean? Not to worry though. This simply could mean we'll actually start getting serious as a society to do what we know we need to do; such as revisiting quality mass transit; localized manufacturing again which of course means jobs and skills, and an emphasis on sustainable energy and sustainable everything else.

Think of a 1950's lifestyle combining a smaller carbon footprint, but with a futuristic edge, and (maybe less cars, unless we can get all electric cars to run on and store solar energy, etc.)

Also, as an economist he explains a direct correlation between high oil prices and how it effectively creates slow growth in the marketplace. In order to have a sustainable market without dips (recessions), we need to get away from using oil as a mode of transportation. 

This is why using oil to access natural gas as in shale gas fracking (once all external costs are accounted for including the cost of maintaining roadway infrastructures for trucking, carbon emission allocations for venting  ((off-gassing) which there is none at the moment), replacing and trucking contaminated well water, site clean-up, natural habitat destruction, increased air pollution and ground water toxicities and accompanying medical costs for local citizens, etc)  then we begin an honest cost analysis of natural gas extraction and understand this is a non-feasible way of doing business.

It's all them terrorists that live over there...

Of course the rest of us know what will happen to oil prices on the open market if Israel and the U.S. decide to go to war with Iran; gas prices will rise sharply... besides of course  the thousands (thousands! or likely hundreds-of-thousands!) of women and children that will die or be maimed for life...

But, the following is why Republicans and the rest of the right-wing conservatives everywhere  want to go to war with Iran:
 

"Besides them getting nukes, it's all them terrorists that live over there in Iran that's making gas prices go up too. That's why we have to send our troops in there an' whup their asses...'cause I just bought me a new Chevy truck an' I want to afford to drive it..."

 

Don Forgeron: President & CEO, Insurance Bureau of Canada says Payouts from Increasing Climate Change is Real and Costly

I've spoken to a few individuals who don't believe in the science of climate change. That' to be expected. They tend to think it's a grand conspiracy theory designed to get carbon emission taxes out of us. I don't believe in carbon emission trading either since it is simply a charade something is being done when in effect the overall amount of pollution increases. And they're probably right that it is another tax or money grab from citizen's pockets. It's an easily transparent smokescreen.

But when a major player such as the insurance industry in the economy is saying they have proof of severe and increasing damages caused by storm events, then the rest of the media and private individuals should start paying attention.

If nothing else, if this information is still to be mistrusted by some, then forget about whether humanity's carbon footprint is responsible for these weather events...but consider the increasing amount of needless toxicities in our shared environment overall. Look at the cancer rates for a start...

Why the Republican Party continues to be Irrelevant to Sane people in 2012

I'm all for allowing everyone to have their fair shot at politics, but here's another prime example of why  the ultra conservative Republican party continues to be irrelevant in 2012.

To be considered as a potential Presidential nominee by serious people, you ought to be seen as  being a serious contender yourself. But then again, the Republican party can't be very serious if they continue to promote silly-speaking adults. So, here we go again. Before you have a chance to say, "Whew! I sure am glad Sarah Palin didn't get a chance to get any closer to the power of the Oval office in the last U.S. election", well look out, here comes another prime knuckledragger!

  Rick Santorum sounds exactly like he wants to follow up where the history-challenged Sarah Palin left off;  and that's to drag the country and most likely the rest of the world back to the sanctimoniously prescribed laws of the 15th century.

...and as if the our already long beleaguered environment needs someone like Santorum...watch the video, you'll understand...Santorum  is obviously using his extreme right-wing Christian heritage in employing doublethnk in his belief  'man has dominion over the Earth and its resources, though man should still be a good steward'...

Huh? Sure Rick. We're all sure what that means. As usual, this is neo-Christian-fascist-code for extracting  profit driven resources from the Earth until the environment is pushed past its brink. But, Oh! Don't worry! The Lord above will swoop down in the 'End Days' and save the righteous when the air is no longer breathable and water is no longer drinkable.

All I can say is...God help the environment.

BTW, 15th century bloodletting anyone?

Former shale gas worker from New Brunswick speaking out on how toxic the business is

 

You can also read the article here: 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2011/12/01/nb-daigle-shale-gas-concern-913.html