Saturday, July 24, 2021

Religion, Nations, and Geopolitical Review: SATURDAY, JULY 24

by A. Joseph Lynch

I. POPE FRANCIS AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

HOMOSEXUAL CLERIC STEPS DOWN: Yet another scandal within the Church has emerged as Monsignor Jeffrey Burrill, the general secretary of the U.S. bishops’ conference, was forced to resign over what appears his active homosexuality. A brilliant investigation from The Pillar revealed Burrill used a location-based phone app often used by homosexuals. Location data signals from the app further revealed that Burrill frequented gay bars and private residences. Burrill is a priest from the Diocese of La Crosse, the same diocese as the sacked Fr. Altman. Will this apparent active homosexual also be removed by his bishop and placed in permanent limbo? Meanwhile Steven P. Millies, associate professor of public theology and director of The Bernardin Center at the Catholic Theological Union, was given space in The Washington Post to defend Burrill. All of a sudden the paper finds cause to decry cancel culture, invoke "journalistic ethics", and quote the Catechism on detraction. Not only is the hypocrisy blatantly clear, but it's also further proof of corruption within the upper ranks of the American hierarchy.

VENERABLE ROBERT SCHUMAN? The "founding father" of the European Union has been declared venerable by Pope Francis, thus placing him on the path towards canonization as a saint. Schuman may have been a devout Catholic, but questions remain as to why he was selected for this honor beyond his work with what would become the European Union - perhaps the greatest disaster for Europe since World War II. What's more, it's much, much more likely that American military personnel and the advent of nuclear deterrence that kept Europe in peace since 1945.

TRADITIONIS CUSTODES REVOLT: Be on the lookout for a video from the Religion, Sex, and Politics YouTube channel regarding Francis' newest motu proprio. As bishops respond about Traditionis Custodes, it's becoming apparent how divisive the rollback on the Latin Mass has become. As the German clergy revolted against Francis on blessing gay couples, so many moderate and conservative bishops are doing in regards to the Latin Mass. Each case reveals a weakening of both papal authority and also Francis pontificate. Francis was well within his right and historical precedent to make his decision regarding the Latin Mass, but the rollout and time were ill-conceived and poorly enacted. 

BLASTING BISHOP TAYLOR: Meanwhile Church Militant's Headlines this week lambasted the bishop of Little Rock, Arkansas for doing exactly what Francis asked. He didn't ban the Latin Mass led by dedicated priests from Latin Mass groups such as the FSSP or Christ the King. Those Masses continue to this day. What Church Militant failed to mention was this nugget from his episcopal statement: "The 'Novus Ordo' Mass can be celebrated by any priest in any language, including Latin, and Latin service music can always be used, but elements of the traditional Latin Mass are not to be grafted onto the 'Novus Ordo' Mass, regardless of whether it is celebrated in Latin or the vernacular." The real issue regards what he means by "elements" from the Latin Mass. If he means ad orientam prayer and communion rails, then this is real scandal. While traditionalists cling to Latin - which this bishop is willing to permit in all Masses - what we need are many of the "elements" that induce pious divine worship among the faithful. In all the talk about Latin, Latin, Latin, we've forgotten to talk about how to direct people towards an encounter with the Living God through authentic worship.


II. AMERICAN POLITICS

THE FBI, WHITMER, AND JAN. 6: It turns out that the FBI was involved in almost every step of the kidnapping plot of Michigan's Governor Whitmer and the men accused now have a strong case for government entrapment. Could the FBI have been involved in a similar way on January 6? As the former head of the Capitol Police says he was denied six times when he asked for help from the National Guard. Kash Patel, at the time the chief of staff for the acting Secretary of Defenses, tells reporters that the Trump Administration was rebuffed by Democrats each time it offered assistance from the National Guard. Given that there are upwards of 20 unindicted co-conspirators in the January 6 "insurrection" how possible is that the FBI was doing something similar, using upwards of 20 FBI agents to induce people into the Capitol? Considering that the Democrats used January 6 to falsely accuse and impeach President Trump of inciting insurrection, blow half a billion dollars locking down the capital for months, fear-mongering American citizens, expanding the Capitol Police across the country, and locking away American citizens without trial or even charging them with insurrection, we think it highly likely that deep state actors colluded with swamp monster Democrats (and many Republicans) to coordinate for mutual benefit. Does anyone believe that a sized Lego set of the US Capitol is really evidence of insurrection?

DEMOCRAT SUPERSPREADERS? In order to avoid doing their constitutional duties, Texas Democrats crowded into a private jet and flew to Washington DC to visit their leftwing allies and leaders of the party. Though they claim everyone should take COVID precautions, selfies from the plane revealed everyone's maskless faces. Now at least six of them have the coronavirus and spread the disease to Congress and the White House. Democrats are refusing to update us on how many new cases of the coronavirus have struck the Texas Democrats while Jen Psaki won't tell America how many breakthrough cases of COVID are affecting vaccinated members of the White House staff. So much for safety and transparency.

BREAKING CHAIN OF COMMAND: Biden now supports taking investigations of sexual assault allegations by military personnel away from military officials. We've argued before that this breaks the military chain of command and thus weakens the military and it's authority to enforce its own strict rules. The move would come after a long line of victories for the woke Left in the military and is unsurprising as Democrats move to force more women into the military, thus placing more women at greater risk of assault.

BAD 2020 POLLS: Surprise, surprise. A new study reveals how - once more - the polls in the 2020 election were abysmal. The study found "a systematic error" that favored Democrats across the nation. While for some the election results are still in doubt - indeed audits continue even now - one has to wonder how many stayed home or cast their vote one way due to the false polls pushed by the liberal media.

KAVANAUGH WITCHHUNT CONTINUES: We at AoA haven't been big fans of the decisions by Brett Kavanaugh (or Amy Coney Barrett), but we detest the latest move by Democrats to influence the courts by effectively re-investigating Kavanaugh anew. Don't think for a moment that Democrats wouldn't seek to remove him and replace him with another Ginsburg.


III. THE NATIONS

HUNGARY LGBT REFERENDUM: As the EU attempts to bully Hungary into LGBT acceptance, Hungarian leader, Viktor Orban, has announced the nation will hold a referendum on national laws protecting minors from the LGBT agenda. The five question referendum, similar to an earlier national referendum on immigration, will give Orban the democratic firepower to resist pressure from the bullies in Brussels. Meanwhile EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is attacking Hungary's law, demanding that "EU citizens" be ensured their full set of "rights". Of course the EU leader refuse to base morality and "rights" in the natural law and she confuses Hungarian citizens for "EU" citizens. Let Hungarians live according to the natural law. Let the nation decide for itself what laws it wishes to enact.

TALIBAN IN AFGHANISTAN: As the Taliban begins regaining control of Afghanistan, a group of Taliban representatives met with Russia - the dominant non-Islamic nation in the region with a history in Afghanistan - that the Taliban would prevent Islamic terrorists from operating in Afghanistan while also working to eliminate the nation's illicit drug industry. As America finally withdraws, perhaps it's time for Russia to help win peace for the landlocked nation.

FOOD AND NATIONALISM: An interesting poll in India concerning religion, food, and nationalism


IV. CULTURE OF LIFE, CULTURE OF PROTECTION

KIDS AND KINK: Lauren Rowello at the Washington Post wrote, "Yes, kink belongs at Pride. And I want my kids to see it." Exposing children to disgusting sex acts would usually end in the removal of said kids from the home, but having captured virtually every cultural, religious, and political institution in the nation, this is the direction the sexual revolutionaries want to take America and our children. The San Francisco gay men's choir was right, they are coming for your children.

SCOTUS UPHOLDS TRANS BATHROOMS: In a further sign that the "conservative" Supreme Court is no bastion of sexual order as the court refused to strike down a lower court ruling that allowed a biological female to use the boy's bathroom. Again, they - conservatives and liberals - are coming for your children.

CHINA CRACKS DOWN ON LGBT: In China the cultural revolution was a disaster. It went far farther than anything we've seen in America thus far but China was able to come back from the brink. In a further step in the right direction, the Chinese social media giant WeChat has shut down LGBT accounts

DRAFTING WOMEN: Democrats are pushing ahead to force women into the draft, placing America's would-be wives and mothers in grave danger. Democrats in the Senate Armed Services committee have successfully voted to add language to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that forces women aged 18-25 into the draft. Will the USCCB speak up in protest about this or will they sit quietly as they did with the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and allowing women in combat? An amazing 1903 article from The Atlantic - written by a woman - presents an argument against women's suffrage in part because suffrage comes will the willingness to die in combat: 
"The question, 'Shall woman vote?' is really in the last analysis, the question, 'Ought woman to assume the responsibility for protecting person and property which has in the past been assumed by man as his duty alone?' It is because women see... that the first and fundamental function of government is the protection of person and property, and because women do not think that they ought to assume this duty any more than they ought to assume that police and militia service which is involved in every act of legislature, that they do not wish to have the ballot thrust upon them."
"...it is not woman's function to fight against human foes who threaten the home. She is not called to be a soldier. She is not to be welcomed with the volunteers nor coerced into military service by the draft. It is in vain to recite the story of Joan of Arc; it is in vain to narrate the efforts of the Amazons. The instinct of humanity revolts against the employment of woman as a soldier on the battlefield. No civilized man would wish to lay this duty upon her; no civilized woman would wish to assume it. This is not to say that her courage is not as great as his. Greater is it in some sense,—but it is different. For the Spartan mother to arm her son and send him forth with the injunction to come home bringing his shield or borne upon it, and then wait during the long and weary days to know which way he is to come,—this requires, surely, a heroism not less than his: but it is not the same heroism; higher in some sense it is—but it is not the same. In his courage are pride and combativeness and animal passion, sometimes well-nigh devilish passion; a strange joy in giving and receiving wounds, a music that grows inspiring in the singing of the bullets, an almost brutal indifference to the wounded and the dying all about him, which she could never get and remain woman."
Swedish Major, Eric Bonde, smokes a cigarette after being shot twice in battle

Saturday, July 17, 2021

Religion, Nations, and Geopolitical Review: SATURDAY, JULY 17

by A. Joseph Lynch

I. POPE FRANCIS AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

TRADITIONIS CUSTODES: Pope Francis has issued a motu proprio that all but eliminated Benedict XVI's Summorum Pontificum. The document, Traditionis Custodes, places regulation of the Latin Mass back into the hands of the bishops. For more context we recommend reading the papal letter that was attached to the new document. Expect a video coming soon on the topic, but if you're interested in history, we suggesting reading John Paul II's 1984 indult, Quattuor Abhinc Annos, which allowed some limited use of the Latin Mass - indeed Taditionis Custodes reads very similarly to the 1984 indult. You might also examine John Paul II's motu proprio entitled Ecclesia Dei, which led to a renewal of the Latin Mass as means of dialogue with the schismatic SSPX. We cannot fully understand Francis without knowing something of John Paul II and Benedict XVI concerning the Latin Mass.

CARDINAL DOLAN EXPOSED: A must-watch Church Militant expose on Cardinal Dolan and the corruption in the New York Archdiocese surrounding the "Father" Peter Miqueli (second YouTube link). The Archdiocese of New York is also being sued in another case of negligence by a man claiming to have been raped by Covenant House founder, "Father" Bruce Ritter. If true, the Covenant House - which was built to help wayward youth off the streets - was used to take advantage of at least one child it was supposed to protect.

BUFFALO BISHOP INVESTIGATED: Buffalo's auxiliary bishop, Edward Grosz, stepped down while he's under investigation for homosexual predation on a 15 year old boy. While we await the findings of the investigation, repeated findings of homosexual predation on sexually mature, underage males reveals the fact that the Church doesn't have a pedophile problem (as pedophiles prey on prepubescent children), it has a homosexual pederast problem (pederasts prey on sexually mature, underage children). 

LEO XIII AND SATAN: There's a tradition that asserts Pope Leo XIII had a vision of the Devil and God speaking on Satan's plans for the 20th century, after which the pope wrote the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel for protection in the dark years ahead. What's the history of this vision? Taylor Marshall explains.

BORIS JOHNSON - CATHOLIC: It appears the fallen away Catholics has returned to his roots, recently married in the Catholic Church and raising his new child Catholic. Tony Blair converted to Catholicism after he left office, but Johnson's "reversion" to Catholicism while in office his historic.


II. AMERICAN POLITICS

TRUMP DOMINATES CPAC: CPAC recently conducted a couple of straw polls regarding the GOP 2024 presidential nominees. It came as no surprise that President Trump polled at 70% and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis came in second at 21%. Everyone else polled at 1% or lower. Mike Pence, for example, unsurprisingly earned 0%. In a poll without Trump running for office, however, DeSantis jumped to 68% with all other contenders polling at 5% or less. Clearly these two men should ally in 2024. The only problem is that the US Constitution would require that they give Florida's electoral votes as both men would hail from the same state. If Trump ever were to move, it's a likely sign he's looking at a Trump DeSantis dream ticket.

DEATH OF RUMSFELD: The man who helped put America into Mideast quagmires is dead.  Rumsfeld should also be remembered for leading the company Searle from 1977-85. Searle is the company that gave us the birth control pill. What a legacy Rumsfeld leaves.   

AUDITS IN PA, GA, AZ: If it is discovered these states really voted for President Trump, then Trump won the race with 279 electoral votes (nine more than necessary). Tucker Carlson reported on voter fraud in Fulton County, Georgia (video). You can also read about his reporting. As the audit in Arizona's Maricopa County winds down and a forensic audit in Pennsylvania is about to begin, we are very interested to see the results.

SPYING ON TUCKER: Tucker Calson was also in the news regarding a whistleblower reporting the NSA spying on him. The NSA issued a non-denial denial while the media accused him of lying. It turns out he had requested an interview with Vladimir Putin and the NSA "incidentally" picked that up and began looking into his communications. The media went from calling Carlson a liar to calling Carlson a traitor (for nothing more than being a good journalist). It is totally abhorrent and highly likely that he, like General Michael Flynn, was unmasked and targeted by people in the White House.

CAPITOL POLICE NATIONWIDE: The Capitol Police are not to be confused with the DC Metro Police. The Capitol Police are a security force given the sole task of guarding the US Capitol building and the congressional office building. They, however, are the only federal law enforcement group operating outside the authority of the Executive branch. They report to Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. Now the Capitol Police are expanding field offices across the country in order to "investigate" the January 6 riots. We should all be concerned.


III. THE NATIONS

CUBAN PROTESTS: Anti-communist protests have broken out in Cuba and the government has already opened fire on the peaceful protestors. Of course, the Biden team refused to condemn the communism that has kept the island nation prisoner for decades. And in no surprise, Black Lives Matter has come out in support... of the communist dictatorship (BLM had previously praised Fidel Castro).

SOUTH AFRICAN RIOTS: South Africa teeters on the edge amid riots and unrest. In order to better understand the situation we invite our readers to look at this Twitter thread from South Africa's Jonathan Witt. He does a good job of pointing to the wokism that helped divide the nation and cover the corruption of many South African officials.

HUNGARY BANS LGBT CHILD PROPAGANDA: Hungary has taken another step in the right direction by protecting its youth from LGBTQIA+ propaganda by ensuring parents - not activists - educate their children in this regard. It's a common sense move, yet the sexual revolutionary atheists across western Europe (i.e. "the West") are freaking out. More from Pat Buchanan.

HATI ASSASINATION: Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise was recently assassinated in his home by a death squad of twenty-six Columbians and two Haitian Americans. Surprise, surprise, some of the assassins were trained by the US military. It reminds us of the Saudi death squad that murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Members of that squad were trained by the US military, too. Why is it that international assassins keep getting trained by the US military?


IV. CULTURE OF LIFE, CULTURE OF PROTECTION

COMING AFTER YOUR KIDS: SF Gay men's choir are coming for your children. As Church Militant reported, one of the singers served time in prison for quite literally coming after someone's child.

CAVING TO GAY "MARRIAGE": The Methodist church is following the other mainline Protestant denominations (like the Lutherans with their first transgendered bishop) into collapse and will soon hold "marriage" services for homosexuals.

FACTION VS. FACTION: Boston Pride - an organization for LGBT's - has dissolved for not being pro-black enough. It's amazing how name-calling everyone and everything "racist" is so impactful. It's nice to see it used to gobble up their allies in their revolution.

"PROTESTING" WWII VET: Two members of the US women's soccer team "protested" the national anthem as it was performed by a harmonica playing 98-year old World War II veteran. The sad reality is that American youth are not raised to understand American history, the sacrifices of our soldiers (especially those of the greatest generation), and the unifying loyalties of patriotism and religion. Not only do these two women not have any shame, they also just don't "get it".

"WOKE" NAVY IN SHAMBLES: A report issued by retired Marine Lt. Gen. Robert Schmidle and Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery asserts that recent accidents involving naval warships (like the burning of the USS Bonhomme Richard are the result of too much time teaching sailors diversity and not enough on keeping ships afloat. What's the point of having the world's most powerful navy when we are abandoning the sailing tradition and culture necessary to keep a navy operating?

TURN OFF THE NFL: The NFL continues to double and triple down on wokism. After recently declaring "football is gay" (well, football isn't but the NFL certainly is), it now plans to play the Black National Anthem before the (only) National Anthem at every game. It's clearly time to turn off the NFL if you haven't done so already.

Friday, July 9, 2021

Religion, Nations, and Geopolitical Review: SATURDAY, JULY 10

Religion, Nations, and Geopolitical Review will return to our weekly posts next Saturday, July 17. God bless and see you next weekend!