Looking at a “Man from the North” endangering the world

From poetry and philosophy to political points of views. Pretty Much almost anything that can be blogged about will be eventually blogged about {About One Lifetime Blog}

at the One Lifetime Blog of Ray Barbier. Like us he claims

not to be anything but fools in search of wisdom with the hope of eventually being less foolish and a bit more wise before our time is up on this blue planet. {About One Lifetime Blog}

and looks at matters we are confronted with regularly. For him it

Seems the world is full of anger, fear and distrust now days, Hard to know where to turn for the facts and truth. We have such a vast array of sources of information but unfortunately very few are reliable and the majority is opinion based far more than fact. {Random Thoughts 1-5-2022}

In this world of information overload but also disinformation, one of the difficulties is to distinguish truth from misinformation. There are certain people who are very adept at sending misinformation out into the world as true facts. Some years already, certain people leading a nation were not afraid to call others liars whilst they themselves did nothing more than sending one false message after the other and denying what others said about them. The term “Fake News” seemed to have become the new fashion word.

In the last few years, we could find political chaos happening across the globe. There were not only political unrest and disagreements that ran high; we in many countries could find the politicisation of almost every issue involved with the pandemic. In states where many are proud of the “freedom” racial tensions and all the conspiracy theories floating around caused nothing but trouble in a time when their president instead of uniting the country created more division than ever before.

 On top of all that you have the major super powers playing sabre rattling games on top of it, seems to be times of uncertainty to say the least. {Random Thoughts 1-5-2022}

We first had a health problem disturbing the world order.

The pandemic has had many side effects when dealing with society, it has caused much distrust in science, governments and amplified the social problems we were already facing in the world. Watching people argue over mask wearing, vaccinations, political policies and social values is very disappointing during a time we should come together to face the challenges before us as a world. {Random Thoughts 9-06-2021}

When that virus seemed to run on its last legs, we came to face an even more dangerous virus.

The virus of selfishness and lust for power {Marcus Ampe}

You would think that

Most of us take big and small risks in our lives every day. But COVID-19 has made us more aware of how we think about taking risks. {An ancient Greek approach to risk and the lessons it can offer the modern world}

But out of the North seems regularly to come certain danger. Marcus Ampe a few years ago had to suffer the consequences of such a “man from the North” and his organisation, who attacked his church community from the North. He spoke of the “Man from the North” at that time, not referring to the same “Man of the North” he refers to today. The one he refers to today is much much more dangerous than the previous one. This time it is also someone who might not be so clear in his head but bringing not only his nation and its neighbour land in danger but the whole world. By this man, like the other one from the North, it is also a problem of not being satisfied with the power he has. The ‘Aim for Power’ is a serious cancer that can spread very fast.

Watching a Superpower such as Russia invading their neighbor Ukraine seems like a high school fight between the Quarterback on the football team and the average-sized kid who doesn’t play sports. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Ray Barbier, like us, could

not see what Russia would have to fear {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

because it would have taken many years of debate and preparation for

“possibly joining N.A.T.O. or possibly the EU“. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

We can only hope that all the parties involved know the danger that looms behind the corner and how a person with a deranged mind could suddenly reach out unexpectedly.

Considering Russia’s Military strength and nuclear arsenal Mr. Barbier thinks that

Even if the U.S. were to go to war with them the use of nuclear weapons would be off the table (I would pray). Since there are no winners in a Nuclear war. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Two power stations at Enerhodar, about 50 km from Zaporozhye in Ukraine, viewed from across the Kakhovka Reservoir on the river Dnieper. Photo taken from the “Nikopol” shore. The nearer power station is Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the biggest nuclear power station in Europe, consisting of two cooling towers (one largely obscured by the other) at the left and 6 VVER reactor buildings. The large building between the cooling towers and the reactors, and the two tall smokestacks, are at the Zaporizhzhia thermal power station about 3 km beyond the nuclear plant.

But it would be foolhardy as well as unwise to resign oneself to the fact that this “Man of the North” would not (mis)use his power to press the red button and start a nuclear conflict. That he is not even afraid of exposing his own people to atomic radiation he proved last week with the attack on two important nuclear power plants, the one in Chernobyl and on the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, in southern Ukraine’s city of Enerhodar, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

We got to see pictures of those attacks, but also stories from the other side, twisting the facts. At the same time, we should think:

What kind of things do they want you to think about what kind of people as a result of them telling you this??

What is their reason for sharing the story?” {Ask yourself why they’re telling you the story.}

From all sides, certain groups want to bombard the West with messages of doubtful content, by which they aim that bloggers and vloggers would use those messages to increase their attention and likes and as such spread fake news, but also would come to set up people against eachother.

All that disinformation is not helping at all. The other way around, it can help to give others reasons to attack other countries and to enter Europe in a new world war.

Barbier does believe though,

the 3 superpower nations and most nations, in general, do not desire a world war or the destruction of the planet we live on along with all life. Only if world leaders could put aside their differences long enough to work together on the things they all agree on, could you imagine how much as a species humankind could achieve? {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

He definitely dislikes war and does believe

there is always an alternative to war, though the parties involved would be required to be more understanding and be willing to find a compromise that is fair and balanced. The War or Military exercise as it’s been called by one side is decimating the poor civilians of Ukraine, be it intentional or unintentional they are getting caught in the crossfire. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

We can see how many beautiful buildings and art pieces are destroyed. Many artefacts gone for ever, only to be in our memories by pictures we have of them. However, that loss of artefacts does not outweigh the loss of human life.

Regardless of which side you are on or support, the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and the loss of lives on both sides militarily should be enough of an incentive to find a peaceful solution to this conflict. Human Lives are a cost that is permanent, buildings, infrastructure, etc can be replaced and rebuilt but once a person dies it is gone. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Before this awkward affair with Russia and Ukraine completely degenerates, we hope that common sense will prevail, and that diplomacy will be able to steer everything in the right direction in time to bring everything back to a peaceful situation.

But Putin with his language of war does not make it easy. He is saying that Western sanctions are equivalent to war, adding that he wants a neutral, “demilitarised” and “denasified” Ukraine, adding:

“These sanctions that are being imposed are akin to a declaration of war but thank God it has not come to that.”

It is to God that we may pray to ask Him to talk sense into those heads of world leaders.

Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

“The world is too big for Europe and America to isolate a country, and even more so a country as big as Russia. There are many more countries in the world.”

We can only hope those countries shall also point their finger at Russia, demanding it to be careful before taking actions that can not be turned back.

With Ray Barbier we

pray for peace, world stability, and the return to some form of normalcy. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Like him, we are sure, that many

desire the peaceful, harmonious, and happy co-existence of all people on earth. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Together we should be united to aim for peace and brotherhood

Be Blessed, Be Safe and may you all find happiness and show compassion to one another {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Photo by Katie Godowski on Pexels.com

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Preceding

US bolsters Europe with 3,000 extra troops

Make Ukraine A Buffer State Between Russia & the EU

The biggest ground offensive in Europe since World War II

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Additional reading

1. Putin plays dangerous poker game
2. A useless but very dangerous challenge game
3. Ukraine and Estonia taking further steps to intensify bilateral cooperation
4. Russian bombers fly over Belarus as border crisis deepens
5. Restrictions in Russia because of sanctions from the West for peace mission in Ukraine.
6. Will Ukraine Escape Russian Domination?
7. Will the Russian War in Ukraine reset World diplomacy?
8. Ukraine keeps standing strong despite Russian predictions
9. Russian forces fired at Europe’s largest Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
10. Peace Takes You

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Related

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3. WATCH: Rubio Reveals the One Thing That Could Trigger World War III Amid Worsening Russia-Ukraine War
4. The world is too big for Europe and America to isolate Russia – Peskov
5. Propaganda of War… Czekmate
6. Re-reading “Foucault’s Pendulum” in the Age of Q-Anon: Pt. 2 – Ur-Fascism and the Russia-Ukraine Connection
7. The First Great Information War 
8. Ukraine crisis: How to spot misleading information online | CBBC Newsround
9. Misinformation
10. Misinformation & Infographics
11. Misinformation madness
12. Debunking Misinformation: Images
13. Debunking information on Ukraine’s war – An analysis of Russia’s false narratives
14. Lies for Likes
15. Unblurring the truth
16. Audrey Watters on the technology of wellness and mis/disinformation
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18. TikTok Suspended Live Streaming in Russia Due to its Fake News Law
19. TikTok Never Signed Up To Be War Propaganda
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21. Twitter Expands Birdwatch Pilot Program to US Users For Testing
22. Twitter Banned Over 100 Accounts Spreading Pro-Russian Content
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29. Stop fake news: fake news destroys
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31. Fighting misinformation in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – BBC News
32. Resiliency Through Strength
33. Teaching Students When to Believe What They Read on the Internet
34. Ads join the resistance
35. Watching War
36. The ‘West’ as a whole suffers from a lack of credibility even as they unite in their opposition to war.
37. Ukraine Crisis Shows Fault Lines of Multipolar World
38. Communicators must sever ties with Russia
39. Mental Health On Demand
40. BBC Radio WM interview on social media and’fake news’ during Ukrainian conflict   
41. Putin thinks he’s shooting fish in a barrel
42. What is Putin Afraid Of?
43. Backdoor Diplomacy: Russia’s Pivot to China and its Consequences for the Future
44. Sanctioned Con Men
45. Understanding India’s neutrality on Russia and Ukraine
46. Ukraine war ǀ China feels uncomfortable with Putin’s methods — Friday
47. Our So-Called Foreign Policy: Utterly Incoherent Polling on Ukraine
48. The Screws Tighten on Russia. Might It Accept a Diplomatic Solution to Ukraine Crisis?
49. Ukraine’s foreign minister confirms meeting with Lavrov – Politics –
50. UK plots attack on Putin and Russian oligarchs
51. Anti-NATO Activism: Is Now The Time?
52. All the wars of the world…
53. To Paraphrase President Kennedy: ”I am from Kyiv.”

He who knows himself, is kind to others

Do we know our dark side?
‘The Legend of King Ape’ talks about a Buddhist monk who undertakes a dangerous voyage with valuable manuscripts on his back. His fellow travellers were ‘a monkey, a pig and quicksand’ , which symbolise evil powers , our dark side. Dark is what is described as bad, where there is no light.

It is a tremendous undertaking to carry the burden safely across the mountains. Continuously they are confronted with dangerous situations. It comes as a surprise that during this adventure the negative forces undergo a change. They come to a new insight , they convert and in the end even become positive forces that ultimately save the monk. This is not brought about by the holy scriptures on his back or their content, but …

‘The desert the monk crossed’
Each one of us, sooner or later, is confronted with difficulties that can be severe and lead to despair.
We are on ‘quicksand’ , call out and shout and discover that our belief is not enough , it is too weak. What remains is agony of doubt,  desperation, a loud scream. Dark times leave their mark, but also lead to insight, because …

He who went through his own hell… stops with something.
He no longer ‘prescribes’ for someone else. He no longer judges anyone by whom and what he is. He does not construct walls anymore of ‘my values’ that divide, he is no longer caught in a bastion of ‘my norms, standards and criteria’ that call for defence. In short, he no longer ‘stipulates’ what the norm is, because he has experienced, while going through his own hell, that he is accepted for what he is. Unconditionally. Because , notwithstanding his ‘fellow-travellers’, he was not condemned, but rather sustained and forgiven. Or how compassion fell to him. The person who has been allowed to experience this, also becomes compassionate and forgiving to others, it cannot be otherwise, because … he who knows himself, is kind to others.

– Translation from the Bond Zonder Name or Movement Without a Name thought of the month

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Dutch version / Nederlandse versie: Wie zichzelf kent, is mild voor een ander

Bhikkhu Vivekananda, a buddhist monk from Germany and a Vipassana-Teacher, walking on the street or being on his way (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Find to read:

1. May we have doubts
2. Dealing with worries in our lives
3. A Glory followed by Despair
4. Within despair
5. The Person Who Cannot Despair
6. Old age
7. Companionship
8. Watch out
9. Fear, struggles, sadness, bad feelings and depression
10. Are you right down in the dumps? Stop digging!
11. Obstacles to your goal
12. Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair
13. The soul has no rainbow if the eyes have no tears
14. Frank risks taking
15. A small trouble is like a pebble
16. Have a little talk with the Potter
17. A great man does not lose his self-possession when he is afflicted
18. Be happy that the thorn bush has roses
19. Your struggles develop your strengths
20. Remind yourself that difficulties and delays quite impossible to foresee are ahead
21. Crying and trusting ones do not get disappointed
22. Remember there’s a light in the next day
23. Philippians 4:4–7 – Do Not Be Anxious
24. Is God behind all suffering here on earth
25. To Live Gratitude
26. Seeing or not seeing and willingness to find God
27. Looking at three “I am” s
28. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #10 Prayer #8 Condition
29. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #15 Exposition before the Creator
30. If your difficulties are longstanding, try kneeling
31. A Living Faith #4 Effort
32. In Defense of the truth
33. Some one or something to fear #6 Faith in the Most High

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