Freedom for whom?

 

East of Eden

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to drag on, one thing is emminently clear to politicians, scientisits, business leaders and the public at large: mass vaccination is the only way out of the pandemic, and thus the only way out of the cycle of restrictions that have been imposed on our lives. Most people can see this, and thus most people in Britain have already gotten vaccinated at this point. But of course, not every country is as fortunate to have vaccination rates as high as ours.

In Austria, which has among the lowest vaccination rates in Europe at 42%, has recently become the first country in Europe to make it mandatory for all eligible citizens to recieve the Covid vaccine. In the US, only about 59% of the population has been vaccinated, which sounds fine until you remember that a large and vocal part of the population resists the idea…

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Can China Become A Super-Power

 

Political And Developmental Thoughts

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A Chinese soldier in Beijing [Photo by Brian Matangelo on Unsplash]

Throughout history, many superpowers that dominated the world politically and economically came and left, the Roman empire, the Byzantine empire, the Umayyad empire, the Abbasid empire, the Mongol empire, the British empire. In today’s world, the hegemon that can be said is the world power that dominates the world not only politically and economically, but also culturally such as by movies, media, music and literature is the United States. 

The United States became the new superpower after world war 1 when the British Empire lost that position due to the economic and political damage the war had cost. The Americans filled that space by entering and ending the war, helping Europe recover by financing projects to rebuild war-torn Europe, and spreading its muscle around the world.

Today many believe that in the 21st century the world will experience another…

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Africa’s human existence and development under threat from the adverse impacts of climate change

– “Africa’s human existence and development is under threat from the adverse impacts of climate change – its population, ecosystems and unique biodiversity will all be the major victims of global climate change.”

The continent of 54 countries with a combined population of over 1,200 billion inhabitants will be struck more severely by the mpacts of climate change as any other continent.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, extreme weather will cause dry areas to become drier and wet areas wetter; agriculture yields will suffer from crop failures; and diseases will spread to new altitudes, say the World Bank experts, while alerting that by 2030 it is expected that 90 million more people in Africa will be exposed to malaria, “already the biggest killer in Sub-Saharan Africa.”

These and other dramatic conclusions are not new to the World Bank specialists. In fact, they alerted five years ago that the African continent has warmed about half a degree over the last century and the average annual temperature is likely to rise an average of 1.5-4°C by 2099, according to the most recent estimates from the IPCC.

— By 2020, between 75 and 250 million people in Africa are projected to be exposed to increased water stress due to climate change.

— By 2020, in some countries, yields from rain-fed agriculture could be reduced by up to 50%.

— Agricultural production, including access to food, in many African countries is projected to be severely compromised. This would further adversely affect food security and exacerbate malnutrition.

— Towards the end of the 21st century, projected sea level rise will affect low-lying coastal areas with large populations.

— By 2080, an increase of 5 to 8 per cent of arid and semi-arid land in Africa is projected under a range of climate scenarios,

— The cost of adaptation could amount to at least 5 to 10% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

It is estimated that, by the 2080s, the proportion of arid and semi-arid lands in Africa is likely to increase by 5-8 per cent. Ecosystems are critical in Africa, contributing significantly to biodiversity and human well-being.

A Zimbabwean subsistence farmer holds a stunted maize cob in his field outside Harare. Credit: FAO

By 2080, an increase of 5 to 8 per cent of arid and semi-arid land in Africa is projected under a range of climate scenarios. Droughts have become more common, especially in the tropics and subtropics, since the 1970s.

Human health, already compromised by a range of factors, could be further negatively impacted by climate change and climate variability, e.g., malaria in southern Africa and the East African highlands.

By 2020, a population of between 75 and 250 million and 350-600 million by 2050, are projected to be exposed to increased water stress due to climate change. Climate change and variability are likely to impose additional pressures on water availability, water accessibility and water demand in Africa.

Destinations need to think out of the box

Travelling Mystery Guest (Pty) Ltd is aware that whether you are a tourist or a traveller, you want your visit to a tourism establishment to be perfect. Still we cannot ignore that many establishments struggle to meet their guests’ needs whilst individual and private organisations try to play with the new and ongoing trends.

Travelling Mystery Guest (Pty) Ltd (TMG) has been registered as a company in October 2012 and offers tourist destinations a variety of services, including workshops and sending a mystery guest to establishments to assess their quality of service.

Business trip to Switzerland (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

TMG wants to assist tourism establishments to identify their market advantages to be able to walk the talk and can perhaps also help those who have plans for making an interesting holiday. All may find their website where lots of information is shared.

Hopefully or probably they are aware that the European travellers are not so pleased the last few years or got some nasty experiences with hotels, guesthouses and other travel destinations, in the southern continent of this globe. Internet created a new avenue for business travellers to plan their trip in advance and to check the venues where they are planning to stay. Professional travellers, if you may call them so, also got a little-bit bored by the cool ‘standard business hotels’ and we may find also some business travellers who love some places which stay ahead of the trends, so they also have something to tell about them when they return home

Our guestspeaker remarks:

The new business traveller’s needs have evolved; they are now looking for a temporary home-away-from-home paired with a fast, efficient and seamless experience that will enable them to work on-the-go. {The changing business traveller}

And shows us how this new trend goes hand in hand with certain needs.

Frequent business travellers will generally all agree that the average business trip is no fun. Business travel has little, if anything, in common with the typical holiday and, more often than not, business trips leave the traveller feeling exhausted and stressed out. Most corporate folk who regularly travel for work end up not even using all of their vacation days. There is, however, a solution to this predicament: Bleisure travel. {Bleisure – Combining Business with Leisure}

This is an ongoing trend that business travellers want again, like we saw this in the 1920ies, a lovely time when doing their job, and as such wanting some “Bleisure travel”.

This buzzword was created from the words “business” and “leisure” and refers to a business traveller who fits in some leisure time during a business trip. This is hardly a new thing, but it has only recently become newsworthy. In fact, for long there has been a segment of business travellers who have had the monetary means, as well as the professional flexibility, to include a few extra leisure days in their scheduled business trips. {Bleisure – Combining Business with Leisure}

To have some good climate to fulfil the business-talks assures a more successful business trip.

Not only the business manager is looking for resource optimisation. Today we also find people we cannot stay neutral in what happens in the world. They find we should play more an active role in the negative events of this world.

Digital photograph of Caminhos de Ferro de Mocambique, Railway Station in Maputo, Mozambique. Taken by myself, Justin K G Dumpleton, during business travel 12 March 2005. This is my own work and I release this image into the public domain. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

More and more we hear about people who want to go on vacation and at the same time want to do something positive or good for the local people. African voyages have become very popular in Belgium as well as the trips to the Greece islands to help the many refugees.

In Greece this may be working and not many locals are making mis-use of this situation. Differently in Africa we can see it has become a blooming business. Several Western organisations smelled money and are organising so called benevoluentary trips.

In any case certain people have become more aware of their possibility to enrich spiritually others at the same time as themselves and contributing economically to the needy population. Educational tourism or voluntourism are clearly in the lift and have a good future.

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Travelling Mystery

Highlight what makes you unique and tap into travellers’ expectations.

We recently wrote about business travellers and the growing trend of them looking for destinations that are unconventional and adventurous. Yes, the standard hotel room is still number one on the list for business travellers, but this is mainly because they know they will get what they expect. Hotel groups normally also make this easier, as they have a standard room types, which provide guests with exactly the same whether it is in South Africa or London.

With the bleisure travel trend becoming more and more popular, the demand for more adventurous and unique accommodation options will also increase. This means that destinations will need to start thinking out of the box and tap into travellers’ expectations, which is ever changing and could be quite challenging, yet very exciting!

Out of the box thinking. (Image from: writerswin.com)

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The Catholic synod on the family and abortion

In the United States Catholic bishops hire public-relations firms to discourage abortion and the last few months also evangelical groups join hands with conservative Catholics and Muslims.

In certain countries there have been lots of teenage mothers. For them certain groups advised them to consider abortion. But this is not an option for those who want to turn to pleasing God, as the Bible makes it clear that abortion is against God’s law. (Exodus 20:13; 21:22, 23; Psalm 139:14-16) In God’s eyes the life of any embryo — including one conceived out of wedlock — is precious.

Those situations were also subject of the talks at the Vatican, were in continuation of the previous meetings the Synod on marriage and family spend only a little bit of time for the women in need of advice and pregnancy support.

Last year there were already surprised looks at the request of Pope Francis I to absolve from the censure that is incurred by the crime (not just sin) of successfully procuring an abortion, as part of the Year of Mercy.

On Saturday evening the Synod of Bishops on the Family came to a close when Synod Fathers voted paragraph by paragraph on the final text. At the end of the vote the text was presented to the Holy Father. All 94 points received the required two-thirds majority vote. For the pope the Synod was not about settling issues but attempting to see them in the light of the Gospel and the Church’s tradition and two thousand year history. The Pope said it was about interpreting reality through God’s eyes.

The Holy Father said it was about making clear that the Church is a Church of the poor in spirit and of sinners seeking forgiveness.

Than we may ask what the Catholic Church is going to do about the sex offenders in their clergy and how they are going to treat the young girls who were molested by priests and got pregnant. At the same time we want to question the Catholic Church fathers how they are going to treat those girls who decided to have an abortion.

Quoting Benedict XVI, Pope Francis said

“Mercy is indeed the central nucleus of the Gospel message“.

The Holy Father said that many of the delegates felt the working of the Holy Spirit who is

“the real protagonist and guide of the Synod.”

To conclude the Synod, he said, is to

“return to our true ‘journeying together’ in bringing to every part of the world, every diocese, to every community and every situation, the light of the Gospel, the embrace of the Church and the support of God’s mercy!

But when we look at the results we can not see that there is much progress made in handling the gender issues and in coping with matrimonial and out of marriage family formation.

Did those bishops really listened to and made heard

“the voices of the families and the Church’s pastors, who came to Rome bearing on their shoulders the burdens and the hopes, the riches and the challenges of families throughout the world.” ?

There was a “disparity in the voting” on the subjects of pastoral care for divorced and remarried persons. While preserving the Church’s teaching and current pastoral practice on dealing with divorced and remarried couples, the synod urged the bishops to treat these couples as baptised persons who must be

“more integrated into the Christian community“

while

“avoiding every occasion of scandal.”

For sure the Catholic Church itself had to endure enough scandals the last ten years and strangely enough those homosexual priests did not want to have an ear to be more lenient to the homosexual and transgender civilians. Now they had an opportunity to show their comprehension for people with such feelings, but they mist that chance.

The bishops called the homosexual ideological colonisation

“unacceptable in every case.”

They also rejected the pressure exerted on local churches by those who are pushing for the acceptance of gay “marriage.”

Perhaps those pushing the Church to adopt a more welcoming and tolerant stance towards the LGBT community might ask themselves what stern opposition to that position was all about during the synods of 2014 and 2015.

They might realize, for instance, that for many African Catholics, such demands come off as another chapter in what Pope Francis has described as “ideological colonization,” meaning efforts by the West to force its values on the rest of the world. (The final document acknowledges the legitimacy of those concerns.) {After the synod, can Catholics put Humpty Dumpty together again?}

DignityUSA is deeply disappointed in the final report out of the Synod on the family.

“The respectful language of the midterm report is gone,”

said Marianne Duddy-Burke, DignityUSA’s Executive Director.

“A return to what we’ve heard for decades will dishearten LGBT people, same-sex couples, and our families.”

“What we saw through the Synod process is that there are deep divisions in what the Catholics bishops think about LGBT people, even at the highest levels of leadership. Unfortunately, today, doctrine won out over pastoral need. It is disappointing that those who recognized the need for a more inclusive Church were defeated,” {LGBT Catholics Disappointed by Final Synod Report}

Duddy-Burke continued.

We may not underestimate the importance of what the Vatican decrees and sends into the world. those words are not only used by the 1.2 billion Catholics of which more than 40% live in Latin America (483 million Catholics) – but Africa has seen the biggest growth in Catholic congregations in recent years. Since 1970, Catholicism has seen a global shift southwards – the proportion of Catholics living in Europe has declined, while Africa has seen a growth in the number of Catholics – from 45 million in 1970 to 176 million in 2012. Asia has also seen a growth in Catholicism and now represents almost 12% of the total Catholic population in the world, or 137 million people.

The people in Europe do not mind to have their own Catholicism for their own region and perhaps this is going to show up even more after this missed change for this church which according to some bishops prefers to stay in the world of 2000 years ago.

 

In a final speech to the synod, Francis took some clear swipes at the conservatives who hold up church doctrine above all else, saying the church’s primary duty isn’t to condemn or judge but to proclaim God’s mercy and save souls.

That condemnation we can see a lot in the Catholic denominations and in several evangelical and Pentecostal churches. On that part we can find certain organisations which are doing more damage to the unity of people and formation of Bible readers and followers.

The bishops were willing to take Francis I his direction, finding “positive elements” in couples who live together even though they are not married. Rather than condemning these couples for living in sin, the document says pastors should look at their commitment constructively and encourage them to transform their union in a sacramental marriage.

The Pope already gave several examples how to show respect and love for others and asks his pastors also to show respect for those who are not like the majority. He even demands that particular pastoral care shall be given to families with gay members. though the Church can not accept such a declination. Gay marriage and “gender theory” are strongly rejected by the document which omits references to church teaching that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.”

The final synod document also supported Church teachings on life issues such as abortion and contraception.

It reiterated that all human life

“is sacred because, since its beginning, it involves the creative action of God.”

The document rejected the “biotechnical revolution in the field of human procreation” which

“has introduced the ability to manipulate the generative act, rendering it independent of the sexual relationship between a man and woman.”

The document gives notice that only God

“is the Lord of life from its beginning to its end,”

and that no one, under any circumstance, can claim for themselves the right to directly destroy an innocent human being. But they did not go deeper into different conditions or certain necessities.

The document focused on the beauty of marriage and the family, emphasising the indissolubility of marriage from beginning to end.

It quoted Pope Francis’ Oct. 4 homily during the opening of the synod where he said, “God didn’t create the human being to live in sadness or to be alone, but for happiness, to share his path with another person that is complimentary.”

The document said, “God united the hearts of man and woman who love each other and unites them in unity and indissolubility. This means that the goal of married life is not only to live together forever, but to love each other forever!”

Gregorio III Laham, Patriarch of Antioch said

“In a way, we experienced the Pentecost here. We held a Synod here in the Vatican hall, under closed doors, just as the apostles did in Jerusalem. Now it’s time to reach out to the world, through our local dioceses with the message of the Synod.”

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Preceding articles:

1. Fruitage of the womb
2. Abortion: The expulsion of an embryo or foetus before it can live on its own
3. The Risk Factors Associated with Abortions
4. Should I Have An Abortion
5. My Choice (by Jezabel Jonson)
6. The Real ‘Choice’
7. “They Told Me What I Wanted To Hear” – Real Abortion Stories
8. The Things We Carry, by Penny
9. Not an easy decision to make
10. Whoopi Goldberg commandments and abortion
11. Stop Burning Rape Survivors at the Stake
12. How to heal after childhood sexual abuse
13. “Til It Happens To You” by Lady Gaga
14. Abortion — Not a Trouble-Free Solution
15. About a human being or not and life

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Additional reading:

1. Two synods and life in the church community
2. A synod not leading to doctrinal changes because it is about pastoral attention
3. Youngsters, parents and the search to root in life
4. Conclusion of the synod of bishops for seeing the family in the light of the Gospel and church tradition
5. What’s church for, anyway?
6. Human relations 2013
7. About lions and babies
8. Westboro Baptist Church and Catholic Truth against Nelson Mandela
9. Always a choice
10. A philosophical error which rejects the body as part of the human person
11. Need to Embrace People Where They Are
12. Tony Campolo Calls for Full Inclusion of LGBT Into the Church
13. Same sex realtionships and Open attitude mirroring Jesus
14. Belonging to or being judged by
15. 2014 Religion
16. Different assessment criteria and a new language to be found for communicating the faith
17. History of Christianity

Pope Francis had pointed words for conservative bishops after the meeting

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 Further reading:

1. How many Roman Catholics are there in the world?
2. Catholic bishops end divisive synod on family
3. Final report to be a general guide, not hard answers, says cardinal
4. Ask Father: Why were non-bishops voting at Synod of Bishops?
5. Catholic bishops at synod call for a more welcoming church
6. Explaining the Year of Mercy “abortion forgiveness faculty”
7. Deafening Silence on Abortion at Synod
8. What’s Behind the UN Attack on the Church? | Crisis Magazine
9. 50 million babies a year? What’s that got to do with anything?
10. Bishop Mark Davies: Assisted Suicide Bill Will Put Lives of Many Vulnerable People at Risk
11. Ed Peters on the ‘sin’ of abortion, the ‘crime’ of abortion, and excommunication
12. Clergy defending Big Business Abortion
13. Nancy “The Theologian” Pelosi tears the throat out of a reporter asking about big-business abortion
14. Damien Hirst’s latest work praised by pro-life workers
15. Her heart spoke volumes
16. 9 Months
17. It May Be A Legal Right, But it Seems Wrong, Doesn’t it?
18. Katie Revisits Pain and Purpose–or, She’s Back in Black
19. Forget Your Perfect Offering – 10/23/15
20. The empty cradle in her heart. My story and tribute.
21. A Flower for a Friend
22. A little bundle of God’s Awesomeness
23. The next, and likely even more aggressive, wave of persecution
24. Bishop Swain speaks out after Catholic insurance co. adds contraceptive coverage
25. Is NCAN a “front group” for LCWR?
26. The Child Who Never Was
27. Why There Should Be No Issue With Jenner Being Woman of the Year
28. Court Sides With Transgender Widow In Fight Over Texas Estate
29. Share Your Story : Nat
30. Glamour’s First Man of the Year
31. Living Outside Society’s Shit
32. Reason 46: Because Having Your Children Retreat Is Good When The War Is Lost
33. Semi-Closeted TGirl Problems 2
34. Day Zero
35. Falling Leaves and Family Love.
36. Entitlement and Free Speech….
37. Germaine Greer: Transgender women are ‘not women’
38. In defence of Germaine
39. Germaine Greer Slams Caitlyn Jenner: ‘Our… – Stephanie Soteriou
40. Germaine Greer – The Feminist Who Won’t Back Down (Nor Should She)
41. Violence against trans women increase following the decision by the Federal Court
42. Gender.
43. The power of words
44. Incomplete Transaction
45. A Difficult Decision
46. The Subject Of Debate
47. To My Trans-national Friends!
48. The real transparent experience
49. New York Legally Safer for the Transgendered
50. Trangender University student interview [ part one]
51. Transgender University student interview [part two]
52. Transgender university student interview [ part 3 ]
53. Transgender University student interview [part 4]
54. It feels just like I’m falling for the first time.
55. Stephanie Rose declared her hate for God
56. US: NY Gov Cuomo Extends Protection To Transgender New Yorkers
57. Who Is a ‘Transphobe’?
58. Spotlight of the month – Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family by Amy Ellis Nutt
59. How bad is the epidemic of violence against transgender women? It’s hard to know. – Vox
60. The strangest thing about being transgender….A.K.A My passive aggressive post about being transgender
61. The Irony of my GID diagnosis..
62. Falling Into Place
63. All together boys and girls…. Part 1
64. Planned Parenthood: Profiting from Infanticide
65. The miracle of life: art in service of truth
66. “No success can compensate for failure in the home“
67. Guest post on March for Life UK’s blog
68. Erroneous thinking
69. Every Unborn Child Has the Face of the Lord: Pope Francis addresses medical professionals.
70. Of Kings, and Popes, and Abortions, and the Environment
71. Recreation?
72. Reformed Church Statements on abortion
73. Christian Reformed Church its official stand on abortion
74. Abortion from the Religious and Moral Perspective: An Annotated Bibliography

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Related articles

• Pope in US: Gay and Conservative Catholics battle for Francis’ attention
• Pope Francis answers Charlie Rangel
• Female Priests Persevere Despite Being Banned From Catholic Church
• A Moral Challenge for Pope Francis
• Catholic Church ‘out of touch’ on marriage and families, say English Catholics | Christian Today
• As Francis arrives in the U.S., Benedict’s converts share their feelings on the “Surprise Pope”…
• This Graphic Shows the Enormous Global Reach of the Catholic Church
• Considerations in light of the Pope’s historic visit to Harlem
• Live blog and video of Pope Francis’ address to Congress
• Female Priests Persevere Despite Being Banned From Catholic Church

Stop Burning Rape Survivors at the Stake

Often when an awful trauma comes over a young female person, when the ‘person’ is taken away from her, she does not only feel a prey but becomes also the hunted by society who points with a damning finger when she wants to make an end to that what the intruder placed in her body.

In certain countries, like India and in Africa, sexually assaulted girls become cast out by their beloved ones and by the community. They have to carry the wounds of the awful event with them for their all life.

Those who say they can not stop the childbearing have to wonder themselves what they would do in such a situation and should better listen to some people who experienced the trauma of their life.

For all the anti-abortion groups and people who condemn those girls who decided to undergo an abortion it is best to listen also to the voices of those victims.
Witnessing for this reason is very important. If there can be no empathy on the part of the anti-abortionist leagues communication and understanding on both parts will stay difficult.

For sure too often the victim is blamed for what went wrong and often the rapist can go without punishments and even gets some encouragement from others.

What rape victims need is a comprehending ear and people who can understand why and how they feel and why they want to take certain decisions.

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To remember:

• eviscerated rape survivors > over how they deal with their rapes
• consent activists come down on a survivor for saying her rape was less traumatic than most
• incredible pressure on victims to ‘tell the police or shut the fuck up.’

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• Rape is not drama (overreaction) + play for attention, a performance < This is a total wrong attitude and wrong thinking; Those rape victims are not at all wanting to get more attention. Many of them would prefer to go in a little corner and often feel a nobody
• When telling a survivor that they’re attention-seeking =  you’re saying =  “Rape is not so bad. Shut the fuck up and get over it.”
• impossible to overreact to rape = can’t think of a damn thing in this life that is harder to cope with
• Dealing with rape = one of the most gut-wrenching, confusing things this life has to throw at a person
• responses not always going to look elegant, selfless, and wise => no perfect response to rape
• rape survivor responding normally to an abnormal situation
• Judging rape survivor’s responding =  like judging a tree for moving when the wind blows = requiring someone who is going through hell to fulfil your expectations as a casual observer
• needs + expectations rape victim = about them
• victims not psychologically well enough to get through a case
• sometimes there is no evidence = spent months, or often years, agonising over their options in terms of a case

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Preceding articles:

Fear, struggles, sadness, bad feelings and depression

It continues to be a never ending, exhausting battle for survival.

Whoopi Goldberg commandments and abortion

My Choice (by Jezabel Jonson)

The Real ‘Choice’

“They Told Me What I Wanted To Hear” – Real Abortion Stories

The Things We Carry, by Penny

Hillary Clinton Says Religious Beliefs About Abortion Have to be Changed

Freedom and amendments, firearms and abortions

If the baby is part of the woman’s body…

Not an easy decision to make

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Find also to read:

1. Subcutaneous power for humanity 2 1950-2010 Post war generations
2. Stronger than anything that wants to destroy

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Further reading:

1. Society is the problem and the disease… forcing sexual abuse & child sexual abuse survivors, to suffer more.
2. No, I don’t want paedophiles, rapists, sex offenders etc, to be beaten up, abused back.
3. It continues to be a never ending, exhausting battle for survival.
4. Numbing…..helps me cope, with the severity of all the heinous abuse, I have endured.
5. Too many people, have touched my soul, with their dirty hands.
6. Ignore the troll on my facebook page – Nefertari/Abortion page admin/LisaMarie
7. Using Charlotte Dawson’s abortion ‘only’, by Fred Nile for his own agenda, is digusting.
8. I knew some Christians would ‘need’ to talk about abortion, in relation to Charlotte Dawson’s death.
9. Where do Abused Children turn for Help?
10. You can Not Stop Abuse…(Or how I slid off the Bell-Shaped Curve of Sane decisions)
11. This is Your Brain…This is Your Brain on Abuse
12. Why Abuse Victims often feel they are Swimming Upstream
13. Ultimate Recovery from Abuse
14. A child, who is abused, is a child no more

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Related articles

• Women’s Equality Day
• The 10 Biggest Misconceptions Of Date Rape And Rape Culture
• Gatestone Institute: Germany’s Migrant Rape Epidemic . Muslim Male Rape Epidemic in Germany
• Should Rapists Write Memoirs?
• In Thrall to Barbarity
• Reinvestigating Rape: Old Evidence, New Answers
• Punish Person who Tampered with Rape Kit in Case Against NHL Star
• Man gets life in prison for sexual assaults in Houston
• The hidden financial cost of being raped is exposed in startling PSA
• Report finds more than 3,000 untested rape kits in Kentucky

The World Wide Refugee and Migrant Crisis and a possible solution for it

After Word War II the world got to face an unseen crisis of ongoing wars and people migrating, looking for a safer place, trying to escape the violence.

Greater Middle East (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In case the capitalist and so called civilised countries would have taken action soon enough West Europe would not have to face such an immigration of asylum seekers.
The superpowers waited much to long before to intervene with what was going on in Syria and Iraq.

The West has also too many people who think Islam is the cause of the problem, but they forget that those who misuse the name of Allah are not real Muslims and are not living according to the teachings of the Koran.

Also the Muslims in the Western countries are at fault that most citizens in the West got a wrong perception, because they have waited too long before giving a severe reaction against the rebels and so called Islamic fundamentalists.

First of all the war-zones should have to become stabilised again and all effort should be put in education, giving attention to the most important human values.

Everywhere in the world should be made an effort to get away from the materialistic attitude.

Hard work has to be done to get away from the most widespread and destructive mental disease on earth today and the root cause of most man-made destruction: Greed.

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To remember:

• Worldwide approximately 60 million people on the move today, for economical or political reasons > basically from 3rd world countries
• trying to reach 1st world countries in the west
• numbers too much to handle in the West on this scale.
• 2 main areas of origin of this problem : the Middle East and Africa.
• Syrian conflict= mayor source of Middle Eastern refugees/migrants
• if the war would be finished, all the Syrians, Iraqis etc could go home instead of going to a for them alien country with alien cultures (non muslim cultures ).
• main problem = Assad regime + IS > both will have to go
• the middle east will have to find their own equilibrium
• EU would probably be willing to pump enough money into those Albania and Kosovo to accommodate Syrian refugees = a lot cheaper and better than to bring all those people to non-Moslem countries = No assimilation problems
• Most African countries pretty rich, plenty of resources : oil , diamonds, minerals, metals etc. > biggest problems = corruption greed + cronyism
• mental developement aid => go a long way
• real change has to come from within the governments and people living there
• resettling large numbers of people else where => spread the problem <= they bring their mentality with them.
• a lot cheaper and easier to pick one African country that has some potential and send them all there and then train them up to a reasonable standard with aid money; the emphasis being on mental development and skills that enable them to have a reasonable existence.
• most of man-made problems boil down to the same old root cause = way of thinking, namely greed for power and money => responsible for  current conflicts and mass migration the world over ===> unless we tackle this way of thinking, nothing will change.
• Without greed for power by somebody = no armed conflicts +> power sharing = >  chance to achieve a reasonable existence and life style
• greed = only learned behaviour => change of thinking = education
• declare greed for what it is = largest and most widespread and destructive mental disease on earth today and the
  root cause of most man-made destruction.
• replace greed with mindfull thinking = some consideration for others and our life support system and with that sustainability.

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Preceding article

Poster: Please Help The Refugees

 

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Additional articles of interest:

1. A world with or without religion
2. Ian Barbour connecting science and religion
3. Being Religious and Spiritual 1 Immateriality and Spiritual experience
4. Exceptionalism and Restricting Laws
5. Patriarch Abraham, Muslims, Christians and the son of God
6. Prophets making excuses
7. Sharing a common security and a common set of values
8. Quran versus older Holy Writings of Divine Creator
9. Islam says it admires faith based on logic, what about the others
10. Not true or True Catholicism and True Islam
11. Why is it that Christians don’t understand Muslims and Muslims do not understand Christians?
12. Christian fundamentalism as dangerous as Muslim fundamentalism
13. Fear of God reason to return to Holy Scriptures
14. Muslims should also Fear God
15. Cognizance at the doorstep or at the internet socket
16. Faith related boycotts
17. Mocking, Agitation and Religious Persecution
18. Economic crisis danger for the rise of political extremism
19. Migrants to the West #1
20. Migrants to the West #2
21. Migrants to the West #3
22. Migrants to the West #4
23. Migrants to the West #5
24. Migrants to the West #6
25. Migrants to the West #8 Welbeing
26. Migrants to the West #10 Religious freedom
27. Americans wrongly informed about situation in Europe
28. 2014 Religion
29. Islamic State forcing the West to provide means for Kurdistan
30. ISIL will find no safe haven
31. Funding of ISIS
32. ISIS cannot be presenters of the real Islam
33. Rampaging, demolishing sacred sites and cultural heritage
34. Shariah and child abuse – Is there a connection?
35. Fitting the bill in the North and in the East
36. French Muslims under attack
37. Continues Syrian conflict needing not only dialogue
38. Can We Pay The Price To Free Humanity?
39. Are people willing to take the responsibility for others
40. If Europe fails on the question of refugees, then it won’t be the Europe we wished for
41. State of Europe 2015 – Addressing Europe’s crises
42. Schengen area and Freedom for Europeans being put to the test as never before
43. Europe’s refugees just follow the ancient routes for the peopling of Europe in the Neolithic
44. Why Russia backs Assad: a view from Russia’s anti-imperialist left
45. Meeting to focus on humanitarian issues for Syria
46. Propaganda war and ISIS

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Related articles

• Imam to Muslim Migrants: Breed With Europeans To ‘Conquer Their Countries’
• ISIS video on 9/11 anniversary sees extremists threaten new attacks on US
• Koran Discovery: Western Science vs. Muslim Fanaticism
• Confronting Islamic Jihad
• The Myth that President Barack Hussein Obama is a Closet Muslim
• Koran Discovery Only Strengthens Islam
• White British Woman Married to Toyboy Jihadist Mourns His Death in Drone Strike
• TRANSLATING ISLAM: Why Western Nations Should Only Accept Christian Refugees By RAYMOND IBRAHIM
• Michigan Becoming “Michiganstan”, Muslims First U.S. State
• Muslims worship a black stone

Helping each other with prayer to start the new academic year

It is a tragedy, as we will read tomorrow, that

“the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel …” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

We have no other choice than to live in this world where so many are blinded. We also do have to do with the many pains we may have to endure. Though we should know many pains and discomforts could be helped to be lessened or being softened by others.
Each of us is here in this world to help the other. Though not many are interested in doing that.

2014 – 2015 school year opening ceremony at Hanoi – Amsterdam High School

Once again a new academic year has started and we are off again on the roads, having the children back to school, having the parents back to work after their Summer holiday.

How many of them can see which wondrous blessings we have that

“God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’,

has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ? (verse 6).

2 Corinthians 4:5-10 UKJV  (5)  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.  (6)  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  (7)  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.  (8)  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;  (9)  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;  (10)  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Our world was created out of the void when there was only darkness, but God called for light. That ‘light’ shone physically as creation began so long ago, but the wondrous fact for us is, as we will read in chapter 5,

“if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (verse 17).

The apostle Paul in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians makes so many points which also requires our attention in this 21st century. He shows the interaction of events and the great value of prayers in all the difficulties they and he are experiencing.

All the kids who went back, or for the first time to a ‘new’ school’ shall have to learn to face different situations which are not always pleasant. Even for those who became a Christian there is no escape, they too shall have to share abundantly in Christ’s suffering. But we can give our kids some hope because we also do know that through Christ, we share abundantly in comfort too.

2 Corinthians 1:2-5 UKJV  (2)  Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.  (3)  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;  (4)  Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.  (5)  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ.

It is, writes Paul,

“the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction …” (verses 3,4).

This is a comfort we have a responsibility to pass on to others.

This passing on to others is too much and too often forgotten. Many do want to have the blessings, but do not want to do anything in return. They want the grace but do not ask them to tell others about it.

To find people who are willing to preach is very difficult. To find people who are willing to share their knowledge about certain things of this world, like geography, history, ways of constructing a house, or how to keep a healthy family seems to be very difficult. For some time we have been looking for some extra writers on this website, though nobody seems to be interested to join us and to share his or her knowledge for free.

Let us meditate and reflect on the interaction of events we have personally experienced. It seems when we start talking about God and about his son and show others our love for them, we seem to get a negative response and to be kept aside. Suddenly co-operation or interest seems to stop at all sides.
The more we have been active in the service of Christ, the more clearly we will perceive this.

In Paul, the Corinthians saw the most outstanding example of service.

“The afflictions we experienced”,

writes Paul, was such that they were so utterly burdened beyond their strength that they despaired of life itself. We in our regions do not have to be worried so much about that, but several people in several countries, like Syria, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and many African countries are facing prosecution. We may not be unaware of the affliction many experienced in Asia and Africa.

2 Corinthians 1:6-8 UKJV  (6)  And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.  (7)  And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as all of you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall all of you be also of the consolation.  (8)  For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

We, in our safer regions also have to undergo problems, shunning and are not always facing a nice life. But we have set our hope that Jesus will return and that he and his God, Who is also our God (the God of Abraham), will deliver us again. Though we have to remember that like at the time of the apostles,  they had to be helped by prayer, so that many will give thanks on their behalf for the blessing granted them through the prayers of many, we too need such help.

2 Corinthians 1:9-10 UKJV  (9)  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raises the dead:  (10)  Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

We cannot just rely on people. We like Paul have to realize that we must rely not on ourselves but on God (verse 9).

2 Corinthians 1:9-11 UKJV  (9)  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raises the dead:  (10)  Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;  (11)  All of you also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

Having set our hope that he will deliver us again, (verse 10), does not mean that we do not need each other, and that we should not help each other. We still have to be loving for each other and helping each other.

Paul makes an appeal that we should specially take notice of. He tells the Corinthians,

2 Corinthians 1:11-12 UKJV  (11)  All of you also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.  (12)  For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

Other apostles came with similar requests to their flock.

Romans 15:30-32 UKJV  Now I plead to you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love (o. agape) of the Spirit, (o. pneuma) that all of you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;  (31)  That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;  (32)  That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

As in the early centuries of this common era there was a need of preaching, the apostles going around in the region to tell the Good News, we too today need some people full of hope who are willing to go into the ‘fields’ and to let others know about that Good News. We do want to tell others the Gospel of the Good News, but we too need help from others. We can use some backing.
Not only could we use some additional authors willing to share writings with people from all over the world. We, like the apostles need also your help with prayer.

As the apostles asked for help we also dare to say like the apostle Paul did:

“You also must help us by prayer so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us by the prayers of many” (verse 11).

Many are aware today through the almost instant communication the internet provides of the desperate situations some Iranian believers have experienced. There are also Pakistani believers who are experiencing persecution, and a few truth seekers who have felt it wise to return to Afghanistan. Let us help them by prayer.

Also, may we, as Paul writes in chapter 2, spread

“the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved …” (verses 14,15).

We may be unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish, but should we also not show that we are willing to step in the footsteps of that masterful rabbi?

As of God, in the sight of God we should not hesitate to speak in Christ and to show others the Way to God.

It is not because we can see so much tragedy, having so many people living in a way God would turn His eyes away, that we can not live according to His ordinances and want to show others there is a different way than the way this world has chosen.

On this platform we do want to show others this different way. To do it just on our own is not so easy. We could do with some extra hands.

Everybody has some field in which he or she is good. So everybody should be able to find something to write about which could be enlightening and educating for the others.

Having a new academic year, would this not be a good start to provide your input?

From your professionalism is there nothing you can contribute to our community and to bring some more knowledge to others, believers and non-believers in God?

Is the time not ripe to take up the pen and to join those who believe we should share more with others? It is out of love that we should share more with others. And believe it, there is lots to share about, and it has not all to do with religion.

In case you are not good at writing, you too can help, by praying for us and by letting others know our site. Promotion is always something that can help as well and motivate to continue our work. (Be sure it does not harm to motivate others now and a while.)

We do hope we can go into a fruitful new academic year in which we shall find some interested souls to join us and to share with us the love for this globe where we may reside in peace.

Please do pray for all those in need and also pray for our work, that we also may reach people in need and help them.

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You may find about prayer:

Praying and thinking positively

Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything

God, my father, my closest friend

Laboring in the Vineyard or Sitting on the Hillside with Jonah?

What moves mountains?

 Trust!

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Additional readings:

1. Walking alone?7000 to 20000 words spoken each day
2. Natural inclinations and Praying and asking
3. Praying and acts of meditation without ceasing
4. Praying is surrendering in all circumstances
5. Be sound in mind and be vigilant with a view to prayers
6. Be vigilant with a view to prayers
7. Looking for True Spirituality 6 Spirituality and Prayer
8. Being Religious and Spiritual 8 Spiritual, Mystic and not or well religious
9. Do You Expect God’s Answer
10. Being sure of their deliverance
11. Old Man of Prayer
12. Biblical Prayer at Tabernacle Site Shilo
13. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #15 Exposition before the Creator
14. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #16 Benefits of praying
15. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #17 Sorts of prayers
16. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #18 Fulfilment
17. Praise Jehovah
18. Always rejoicing
19. Praying constantly Giving thanks for everything

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Further reading of interest:

• School’s out for summer
• ::Summer’s Over & The “Routine” is Back::
• Twas the night before school starts…
• Keeping Things on Track: Organize for Success
• New leaf
• Keep Your Momentum
• Back to School
• Already, school year?
• School’s back…Here’s some tips for this year!
• Bring on the Bouquets of Sharpened Pencils!
• What is the most effective way of preparing young children for primary school and beyond?
• And So It Begins, Again
• Another Beginning
• On top of things …
• It’s Time for College: How to Make the Grade You Want
• Some Minnesota Students Head Back To School
• Should Wilmington Start School Before or After Labor Day?
• Opening academic year Wageningen University
• Upon Graduating: When the World Goes Back to School (and I Don’t)
• #Sameface-Much More Than Just a Game
• #10Highlights as a Deputy Headteacher by @TeacherToolkit
• How to improve your grade in your least favourite subject
• Keep the High Road and Say Good Bye!
• Charging Up in June? Say It’s Not So!
• The Road to 65, Miles 173 and 174: Preparations
• It’s that time of the year …
• Happiness in the Midst of Falling
• Love At First Site 27 – From blue to red
• Winter Break!
• Autumn days when the grass is jewelled…
• NWCCI 2014-2015: Highs, Lows, and New Beginnings
• Do You Know Which New Parents will become Great Prospects?
• Kindergarten Quips
• There Will Always Be Lions…
• Standards and Values
• Proclaim Jesus with Loving Hearts this School Year #CISVA
• A Bright Journey – on the First Day of School
• Best-Laid Plans for This School Year: Only Slightly Awry (So Far)
• What this is all about, or my journal and I
• Have A “Wand”erfully Magical Year!
• Our First “School Year” at Daycare!
• Back-to-School Tips for Parents!
• Driving in America
• Teaching: Year Two
• I Want More Time
• 15 Ways to Get and Keep Your Life Together
• Our Year-Round Homeschool Plan
• Small Groups to Kick-Off in September
• School districts get jump on school year

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• What’s So Amazing About Grace? (lifevesting.com)
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• The Truth And Nothing But The Truth… (thetruelight2014.wordpress.com)
• Beware September 2015! A Great Deception is Brewing! I Know What is Going to Happen and it is Not What You Think! (libertybalance2014.blogspot.com)
• Wednesday, 2 September 2015 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading) (petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com)
• The Daily Gospel and Readings 2 September 2015 (prayersandmeditations.com)
• P2R | 1 Peter 1:1-5 (Week 1) (timmybrister.com)