Pres. Obama has made Putin Leader of the Free World

Sometimes it seems that I am living in a Salvador Dali landscape: clocks melting of tables and all that.

Even as I hear about unions turning on the First Gay President over Obamacare, I find an op-ed in today’s Hell’s Bible (aka NY Times) by former KGB colonel and present Leader of the Free World, Vladimir Putin.

I read the op-ed against the backdrop of Syrian dictator Assad, in a politically deft move, saying right on schedule that it was not the Pres. Obama’s resolve for a military solution that moved Charlie Brown’s football down the field, but rather Putin’s and Russia’s involvement. Well-coordinated. Sly.

Here are a couple points from Putin’s op-ed.

A Plea for Caution From Russia
What Putin Has to Say to Americans About Syria

[…]

The potential strike by the United States against Syria, despite strong opposition from many countries and major political and religious leaders, including the pope, … [!]

[…]

My working and personal relationship with President Obama is marked by growing trust. I appreciate this. I carefully studied his address to the nation on Tuesday. And I would rather disagree with a case he made on American exceptionalism, stating that the United States’ policy is “what makes America different. It’s what makes us exceptional.” It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation. There are big countries and small countries, rich and poor, those with long democratic traditions and those still finding their way to democracy. [He’s is talking to Obama’s liberal dem base!  But a KGB officer would know how to do that.] Their policies differ, too. We are all different, but when we ask for the Lord’s blessings, we must not forget that God created us equal.

You don’t get to be on the top of the pile in Russia by being either stupid or a nice guy. This was pretty slick.

Putin invokes the Pope.

Putin affirms Obama’s determination to undermine American exceptionalism.

Putin invokes our creator, who “created us equal”, which point Obama has been systematically excluding from his references to the Declaration of Independence.

Pres. Obama has made Putin Leader of the Free World.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
This entry was posted in Dogs and Fleas, Francis, Liberals, Pò sì jiù, The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices, You must be joking! and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

48 Comments

  1. Facta Non Verba says:

    This is embarrassing. At least when Jimmy Carter’s pathetic leadership brought humiliation to the U.S. in 1979, we had President Reagan to rescue us in just a little over a year later. Sadly, we are stuck with President Obama for another 3 years. I worry about how much worse it can get, and I don’t know if we have another Reagan-like leader waiting in wings.

  2. Tradster says:

    I have to respect Putin for the deft way he outplayed Obama even though it was not much of a match against the Community Organizer-in-Chief. That said, I deeply regret that Putin saved Obama’s bacon. His gain was our nation’s loss regarding the new socialized medicine and other programs, as admitted by even the most committed liberals in the media:
    http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2013/09/11/cokie-roberts-obamacare-would-have-been-defunded-if-obama-lost-syria

  3. Priam1184 says:

    Yeah Father that was pretty much my analysis last night too. A shrewd KGB officer (I don’t even feel like attaching ‘former’ to that description) pressing all the right buttons to help further division in this already hyper polarized society. Invoking the Creator was classic. @Facta Non Verba: this is all the just judgement on a society where mothers kill children in their wombs at a rate unseen in human history and men ‘marry’ men and women ‘marry’ women; don’t expect the Almighty to send us some great leader when we don’t seem at all interested in saving ourselves.

  4. teomatteo says:

    I can see the next headline for the NYT: ” Putin embraces St. Bernard.”

  5. Supertradmum says:

    Well, for weeks in Europe, Putin has looked stronger, smarter and more politically savvy than POTUS, but then so would Bugs Bunny at this point. [At the end of the cartoons Bugs usually comes out on top. Perhaps, in this case, Marvin the Martian, threatening military intervention from afar? On the other hand, Marvin’s intervention, involving the destruction of the planet, was not “unbelievable small”.] Obama has given Putin a blank check as I wrote yesterday, to take over the Middle East. Now, MachoMan can say to those in the Middle East, “Hey, I shall take care of you and protect you against the big, bad US of A.” We have no credibility in Europe or the Middle East. And some pundits on this side of the globe are writing about BBB– Bankrupt Big Brother Europe as behind the war cries. Sure, why not? Europe needs gas, needs the planned Saudi pipeline which NO one in America is talking about and is bankrupt. Would not a war take care of all these things?

  6. RafqasRoad says:

    Dear Fr. Zuhlsdorf,

    Indeed, this world of ours today is not the one into which I was born, certainly not!! And on the end of a fairly miserable day spiritually for me…Salvador Dali universe just about sums it up.

    I’m tempted to start digging a rabbit hole re the consecration of Russia, but that would go down like a lead balloon I fear so I’ll put it to one side. More seriously though, for all his significant shortcomings (for want of a better term), could Putin be our naman, our Darius? Just a thought…

    A needed apology from me to a fellow commenter on your blog, Supertrad Mum, onto whose own blog a rather pained comment of mine that had to be split in two didn’t quite work out hence the neglect of a name and location at its conclusion. Word to the wise in the Weblog universe; WordPress is far more accessible a blogging format for the use of those with vision impairment than blogger; remember audio option for word verification DOESN”T work (despite their claims – its garbage pure and simple but this has already been taken up with ‘Blogger’ by senior persons in the vision impaired world better at dealing with them than I) so need sighted assistance to utilise this function; don’t get me started about the Internet provider timing out and eating comments as it goes…but thank you Fr. Z., for a usable platform that can be navigated independently with text to speech/Braille software once initial sighted assistance has been sought when setting up a user profile. And thank you for a blog layout that is far neater to be navigated with text to speech/Braille than some webpages that are well-meaning but a trial of fire to read and comment upon.

    Love and God’s blessings,

    Soon to be South Coast Catholic – this Advent!!! (YAY), Aussie Maronite.
    PS: myself and at least two other God-fearing friends of mine have been truly hit by satan this past week with barbs from family, associates and others re the way we comport ourselves in this world (catastole and catacalupto matters) plus barbs about our Catholic or ‘Anglo’ Catholic faith from pentacostal types…prayers would be very much coveted at this point in time. I brought you before our Lord during adoration at our university chapel this afternoon as I do whenever I attend Adoration (try for once a week). I remember you on all my rosaries also (this works out to between every five or six out of seven days; trying for daily).

    PPS: an article on how to resist satan’s barbs, torments and button pushing as we converts from Protestantism or no faith to Catholic Christianity strive in our faith would be very good and appreciated when and if time allows. Also, helps in how to truly grow a thick skin and offer up all insults and barbs atheist family and friends throw at us as they see us changing from the worldly to more Catholic-Christian influenced ways of everyday life in behaviours, comportment and the like would be of great support – even though we never cross swords with them or treat them harshly but with all love and caritas…is God trying to toughen us up so we’ll better withstand the storm to come?

    Feel free to publish, convey, pass on or keep private as much of this comment as you see fit; on more than one occasion, your judicious blog administrator editing has probably stepped in to prudently save me from making an ass of myself and for that I am truly thankful.

  7. HeatherPA says:

    Putin “to the rescue” is not good for the USA. It is embarrassing and defeating. Obama’s seeming desire to put the USA off road and into the ditch is going better than his wildest dreams, it appears.
    I truly am really worried about these latest developments and what they mean to America.
    And no, there is no Reaganeque figure. The “conservatives” in this country are a sad joke.

  8. Supertradmum says:

    Father Z., I stand corrected on Bugs Bunny–you are, as always, spot on. Marvin the Martian is, as an alien, harder to understand in light of the EU/Middle East/Eurasia conflicts. I have to admit a soft-spot in my heart for Marvin….hmmm, thinking….. [Don’t let his mellifluous rhetoric fool you.]

  9. Supertradmum says:

    RafqasRoad, if I stayed in one place, on one computer, on one server long enough, I would switch to WordPress, but under the circumstances, I cannot. Do not worry about mix-ups. I cannot, with increasing serious eye problems, always see the numbers and captchas, etc.

  10. Supertradmum says:

    Where’s the kaboom? There was supposed to be an earth-shattering kaboom!
    Fr. Z, no, it is the helmet–(movie reference joke)! lol

  11. RafqasRoad says:

    Dear Supertrad Mum,

    Sighted assistance around here takes care of the visual verification as I’m definitely on the wrong side of the print divide, as it were (hence the need for text to speech/Braille screenreading software) and as with you, even the sighted assistance struggles with blogger’s visual verification. Their audio option is no option (unless they’ve cleaned up their act in the last 24-48 hours). Thank you for your patience and prayers, and thanks to all else here who pray for the ‘Fr. Z. community’ regularly.

    Blessings,

    Nearly South Coast Catholic (Aussie Maronite).
    PS: Please pray that the little ‘Sacred Heart’ RC Church 150 metres walk from my new home that currently only has one Sunday mass can become enlivened, that more priests can be ordained and posted so said little church can vibrant up a bit with Bible study and Adoration to start with, then perhaps a rosary prayer meeting, then perhaps a ‘first Friday and ‘First Saturday’ service and so on. I’ll have the time on my hands to work with the Fr. who takes care of this little church to open up during the week and pray; even if its just me to start with…then one’s and two’s and perhaps three’s to gather, God willing, then enliven even more. there are many disabled and elderly who live in the new regional neighbourhood who will be sorely hurt if this little church is wound down in the future (not that its slated for closure or anything, but with priests retiring and not as many young fellows coming through the seminary, these little parishes will become an endangered species, hurting the elderly and the disabled in the local neighbourhoods the most as it is us who have the most difficulty travelling to bigger parishes. Pray that we can get a local confession started at this little church also.

    PPS: People, love your little churches, and love the hard working priests who burn themselves up daily in service to Christ and His kingdom.

  12. Andy Lucy says:

    Putin is extremely adept at handling people. After a brief stint in the KGB’s Second Chief Directorate ( which was responsible for counter-intelligence activities), he transferred to the First Chief Directorate. There, he was responsible for running agents in East Germany for a period of about six years. One does not become adept at handling HUMINT assets and then just forget those skills.

    And, let us not forget, that in 1998, Boris Yeltsin made Putin the Director of the FSB, which was the primary successor to the Soviet-era KGB. They are still a world-class intelligence agency, every bit the equal of the CIA. He held that post for a little over a year, before he stepped up into the political arena, becoming a First Deputy Prime Minister.

    So, no, it comes as no surprise to me that Putin handles both Obama and the Progressives so well. I called it in 1992… everyone was crowing about the collapse of the Soviet Union, but I said… wait 15-20 years, and Russia will be back and powerful… possibly even more powerful, as she will have a capitalist based economy. She has the natural resources to back her economy and Putin is not afraid to flex Russia’s muscles.

  13. Supertradmum says:

    Fr Z. yes we cannot get enamored with the messenger, of course. Machoman managed to manipulate Potus because Machoman is thinking realpolitik, whereas Obama is so stuck on himself and his own agenda, he cannot see the realities of Middle East politics. I also disagree that a Reagan could deal with this. This situation is not about war, but about a strong, consistent policy concerning the real enemies of the USA and the need for protecting our interests. There is only one interest we have in that area of the world and that is OIL. I would rather see a Buchanan than a Reagan deal with this.

  14. Kathleen10 says:

    Geez Louise, what next. Now a KGB agent lecturing us about exceptionalism. That will translate nicely into sound bites for American social studies teachers warning our students to see America not as what she is, a benevolent giant, but what they see her as, the evil empire. The US is exceptional, and I doubt very much if Russians do not see Russia as exceptional, and other countries likewise. What crust! Clean up your own house first. Russia has problems.
    But, we have an obviously inept president, and a confused domestic and foreign policy, so the door is open and the mike is on…for others to pontificate about what is “wrong” in America. Next we’ll hear from the North Korean nut on freedom and liberty.
    Supertradmum, I am with you, if you are speaking about Pat Buchanan. This is the type of politician we need, but may not deserve. Strong, knowledgeable, decisive, seasoned. And decidedly, pro-American, which once was an important factor for voters, and not “looking like a nice guy”, giveaways, or being of a particular race. America has the politicians we deserve, not properly vetted by voters or the abetting media.
    Three years does seem an interminable time.

  15. Andy Lucy says:

    And, in addition to oil, Syria has recently made a discovery of a natural gas field that is producing on the order of 400,000 m³ per day. Add in Syria’s strategic location for oil and gas pipelines, especially to Europe, and it is easy to see why certain Middle Eastern countries have volunteered to pay for any US military action against the Assad regime. There are megabucks involved here, if not gigabucks, and yes, wars have been started over much less. I have the feeling that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and even Turkey would gladly pay for a new Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator for Marvin, er, I mean, Obama to use on Assad.

  16. av8er says:

    I imagine a scene of a soaring blad eagle with sharp eyes looking out. Mount Rushmore in the background. The scene morphs into a flightless bird stuck behind chicken wire that gets its food tossed at it by others.

  17. av8er says:

    Dang! Bald eagle.

  18. Jean Marie says:

    While Putin’s trying to make himself look like the second coming of Constantine, none of us should be deceived. Read the prophecies of Blessed Elena Aiello. This is what may happen in the near future. http://unveilingtheapocalypse.blogspot.com/2012/04/prophecies-of-blessed-elena-aiello.html. Obama has done his part in “cutting Samson’s hair”. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!

  19. mplangley says:

    I think some of you are being too hard on Putin for being ex KGB. Whats worse, being a ex KGB or a democrat (where democrat = the vessel of all that is rotten). Think about it!

  20. Geoffrey says:

    “It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation. There are big countries and small countries, rich and poor, those with long democratic traditions and those still finding their way to democracy. Their policies differ, too. We are all different, but when we ask for the Lord’s blessings, we must not forget that God created us equal.”

    Sometimes the truth hurts.

  21. Johnno says:

    God saw potential in Russua, which is why He called for the Pope and bishops to consecrate Russia to His mother’s Immaculate Heart. But the point was that Russia’s role would be conditional.

    Russia would either be a blessing or a curse upon the world. Its past errors have already spread and it is too late to undo it, but the miraculous conversion of its people could still stop the world in its tracks and demonstrate that God exists and that He has invested the Catholic Church, its Vicar and its bishops with this power to intercede.

    When Israel in Biblical times went astray, God would use another nation, the Babylonians, etc. to punish His people, devastate them and send them into exile. Russia could very likely be setting itself up to play that role. Whether it is in the right or the wrong is irrelevant when the entire world revels in sin.

    Thus far Russia is working with the Russian Orthodox Church to stem abortion and homosexuality, but abortion is not outlawed, homosexuality is still tolerated and the Catholic presence in Russia is very minimal. It is still a nation wrecked with problems of rampant abortion, alcoholism and pornography. Recent news out of Russia is encouraging, but it is not a holy nation, and its certainly not hard to look good when America has reduced itself to the state that it has. Americanism, or American Exceptionalism is a heresy condemned by the Catholic Church. And America is guilty of many trespasses around the world to put it lightly. It is no longer a beacon of morality or hope. Perhaps God intended for things to be this way so that mankind will stop worshipping democracy as the god of blessings and peace.

  22. Angie Mcs says:

    Putin has long been the darling of Russian women, as he rides around on horseback and does ” man’s work” without his shirt on. They think he is THE example of Russian manliness- good grief. And I’m sure many men would like to be like him. Now he has been handed the opportunity to turn the tables on Obama, and has indeed become a force to be reckoned with. This latest situation has finally put Obama in his place, unfortunately to the detriment of our country, which he has been dragging down for years. He is known to be personally arrogant and to think highly of himself ( as does Putin) and I’m concerned he will do something ill advised in order to bolster his ego. These two men are not Reagan and Gorbachev, who I believe both had the world’s interest at heart, despite being realists.

    I’m still waiting for some answers to Benghazi. Hillary’s comment during her interrogation of ” what difference does it make?” stunned me, and I hope she and that administration don’t get away with it- will the MSM finally begin to open their eyes, so that the American people can get the answers they deserve on several issues? The actor, Ed Asner,an Obama supporter, said that these Hollywood people, who so loudly supported POTUS and are now keeping silent out of fear of losing their White House invitations, need to speak up in disagreement. The Emperors New Clothes are beginning to unravel. I hope his need to look good takes a back seat to the good of the country, yet I fear he is out of his league and is surrounded by more of the same. We DO have the politicians we deserve, as Kathleen 10 pointed out.

  23. StJude says:

    Wow. We live in a world where Putin… PUTIN!… appears to be the sane sensible leader doing what he can to stop Prezzie Peace Prize from bombing Syria and arming Al Qaeda.
    Obama is not only inept………he is dangerous. God help us.

  24. cajuncath says:

    Seems that we have the facts shifted around here. I fail to see where President Obama is undermining American exceptionalism. And that is what we should be complaining about. Since when does any modern liberal-oriented state have any rightful claim to exceptionalism in light of our faith?

  25. Fr_Sotelo says:

    Putin’s explicit mention of the Lord and His gifts is shaming for a nation whose exceptionalism was based once upon a time on its God fearing spirit. Russia has become, with its powerful Orthodox Church in ascendancy, the shining city on a hill we used to be. Putin empowers and protects the religion he loves, as head of state, while our head of state weakens and humiliates the churches which were the backbone of our former exceptionalism.

  26. eremitaosppe says:

    Long live tsar Putin…. Maybe in some way, the conversion of Russia our lady asked us to pray for is coming about!!! Sure Russia is still trying to get over communism, but they are defs. Showing up the US in this Syria debate/ crisis.

  27. Sad to say I trust Putin more than Obama…

  28. Venerator Sti Lot says:

    But, but, but… which one is Felsenburgh?

  29. Venerator Sti Lot says:

    Is it a team act, like ‘nasty cop, nice cop’, or is “my friend, Vladimir” simply running rings around The Smartest Man with His Feet on Resolute Desk?

    Fr_Sotelo,

    When I see him with his shirt off and his cross bouncing, I wonder if he is pitching an appeal to the sweetly innocent venerators of St. Basil.

  30. Venerator Sti Lot says:

    I wondered if this knowledgeable Evelyn Waugh fan would have anything interesting to say, and was not disappointed:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5mTRt52xy0

  31. Longinus says:

    Putin mentions the Creator and here is good Catholic Nancy Pelosi’s response:
    “He said we are all God’s children; I hope it applies to gays and lesbians in Russia as well,” Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters on Thursday.

    Nothing like keeping what’s important on the table!

  32. Supertradmum says:

    Venerator Sti Lot, Fascinating. I have the Lord of the World referenced on my blog with the long quotation from Machoman.

    I thought of Felsenburgh as well.

  33. Supertradmum says:

    I also had this thought which I put on the blog, which is a bit scary but could be a real scenario.

    What IF, Russian and China, who want global power, use the Muslims, who want global power, to break the back of America and Europe?

    China from the East, Russia from the north, Muslims from the Middle East…I first thought of this in 2008, really, truly. I even saw a map in my mind of this pincer movement, and I connected it with the election of Obama. But, he is just a pawn.

    We are so morally weak and Europe so bankrupt, this could happen. Total WWIII or, Mr. Machoman, as both Venerator and I thought earlier, could come riding up on his white horse and stop all, becoming Emperor Machoman. I do not think Obama has the charism or the brains to do this….

  34. Jean Marie says:

    We’re being played folks. Some people have really short memories. Remember last year when many Russian’s were protesting that Putin stole the election:
    http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/05/world/la-fg-russia-protests-20120306
    Or this: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/9167332/Barack-Obama-microphone-gaffe-Ill-have-more-flexibility-after-election.html
    Russia has NOT converted. She’s not Catholic and is still hostile to the Church. She’s rebuilt her military and is becoming very aggressive. Putin talks a good game about being against the homosexual agenda, but abortion is still rampant, as is alcoholism, and corruption exists from top to bottom. Pray that Pope Francis will finally do the Consecration as Our Lady of Fatima requested.

  35. Supertradmum says:

    Jean Marie, arguments on the consecration to Mary end rational discussion. Even Rorate Caeli will not tolerate back and forth on this. Talk against Putin if you want to, but do not bring up something which is not only a rabbit hole, but horribly contentious.

  36. Supertradmum says:

    Jean Marie, arguments on the consecration to Mary end rational discussion. Even Rorate Caeli will not tolerate back and forth on this. Talk against Putin if you want to, but do not bring up something which is not only a rabbit hole, but horribly contentious.

  37. Jean Marie says:

    Supertradmum – I respectfully disagree and let’s leave it at that.

  38. RJHighland says:

    As a service man during the cold war it is shocking to me that I am looking to the new Russia with admiration and a bit of jealousy. President Putin has established the Russian Orthodox Church as the Church of Russia, the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church prays at the beginning of every legislative session in Russia to invoke God’s will, President Putin as established that the Russian Orthodox Church will be involved directly in the education of the youth of Russia in its public school system. President Putin stands against homosexuality in Russian Society even against international pressure. President Putin seams like the only world leader that has a desire to stand up for Christians in the Middle East against the Muslim extermination of Christians and destruction of Churches through-out the region. Russia not the US or Europe appear to be heading in the right direction. As a youth I thought I lived in a Christian nation, as an adult I sadly find myself in Sodom. We need to prayer for the Consecration of the United States and Europe to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, it seems to have worked for Russia. As a Church maybe we need to look at the unchanged tradition of Orthodoxy as its strength comparied to the every changing orthodoxy of the Roman Church. Vatican II has made us a joke in their eyes we have just a little more credibility than the Anglicans. The Vatican chastises tradition and lets false teachers run the bishoprics. What an upside down world we live in.

  39. Venerator Sti Lot says:

    In his 1910 article, ” Jerusalem (After 1291)”, in the Catholic Encyclopedia, Adrian Fortescue wrote, “The autocephalous Russian Church is represented in Palestine by a great number of large colonies and institutions altogether separate from those of the Patriarchate. The first Russian archimandrite arrived in 1844; the consulate dates from 1858. The Russian Palestine Society builds churches, in which the liturgy is celebrated in Slavonic, and hospices for Russian pilgrims all over the country to the great annoyance of the Greek patriarchal element. It is because Russia has taken up the cause of the native Arabs that they can no longer be ignored as obscure revolutionaries of the lower classes. […] The chief Russian establishments at Jerusalem are the enormous group of buildings outside the city on the Jaffa road. These contain a large and very handsome church where the Russian archimandrite officiates, huge hospices for pilgrims, a hospital and other buildings, all close to the Russian consulate. Then they have a gorgeous church in Gethsemane, and another one with a high tower, a convent of nuns, and other buildings on the top of the Mount of Olives (the place of the Ascension in their tradition). There are also another Russian hospice in the Muristan, a lunatic asylum, and schools.”

    That was under Czar Nicholas II, and surely had its geopolitical aspects. How willing Mr. Putin and the current Russian government may be to take a sort of general paternal interest in Christians under Moslem rule, I do not know. But I think the Orthodox in Russia need to be very wary in their relations with both the Russian state and Mr. Putin.

    Meanwhile, Affaq Ahmad, a Syrian Air Force intelligence aide who has defected is contending that the Syrian “regime accepted the killings of minorities including Assad’s own Alawite sect ‘in order to use that to convince these minorities to rally around the regime and hold on to it.’ ”

    If true, how likely is Mr. Putin going to be to interfere in favor of the minorities, including the Christians?

    See further

    http://pjmedia.com/blog/game-changer-signs-of-the-al-qaeda-assad-alliance/

  40. RafqasRoad says:

    Super Trad Mum, around comment #32,

    You’re not alone there. A few interesting facts to think about (arguments aside about the underground Catholic Church for the moment), but I distinctly remember this sort of thing being discussed in my catechism class back in 2011 when I was preparing to be received into Maronite Catholic Christianity from my dual SDA and Evangelical Anglican faith background; the number of Christians who practice their faith in China is now estimated at about 120 million. they also have the largest bible printing house in the world and Christians who are serious about their faith are beginning to filter into the ranks of government (all this from both my catechetical instructor and from a talk given by a fellow from the Bible Society whom I had the chance to listen to prior to my catechesis commencement). All this to say, imagine a Christian China, imagine a China that takes its faith seriously because people remember the cultural revolution, people remember that one cannot be a pew-sitter in China if one wishes to be Evangelical or (for want of a better term, ‘Genuinely Catholic’), because even now, depending upon the fickle attitude of local governors, church A might remain unmolested and even be encouraged while the identical Church B the next district over might be closed down, have its members harassed or even jailed or worse and said church shut down because the governor of district B deigns to do so…but step back and imagine for one moment the possibility that God may be raising up His own within both Russia and China who fear Christ jesus and His word as both a chastisement and instrument of correction upon dead Europe and the Western hemisphere? Remember the usual modus operandi used by god to correct the Israelite political and religious hierarchy, plus the broader population in OT times…Just a few thoughts.

    Another observation, China (among other nations) is buying up vast tracts of arable land in Africa and my nation, Australia. China also provides not insignificant aid to the developing world. Neocolonialism or wise international shoring up of its security???

    The chinese diaspora is one of the most numerous globally. Wherever they set foot, they bring endeavour and an entrepreneurial spirit with them. Increasingly (as with Africa) they are sending out missionaries into their diaspora and wider host communities in my nation and probably others.

    think of the powerhouse that a united Christian China and Russia could be.

    We in the West have largely sold our souls to the gods of hedonism and sensuality coupled with their allies of atheism and moral relativism/secular humanism and we expect to be blessed as nations??? Hmm…

    Blessings,

    Soon to be South Coast Catholic (Aussie Maronite).

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  42. cajuncath says:

    Whatever Obama’s faults are, let’s not start over-idolizing Putin.

  43. RJHighland says:

    Venerator Sti Lot,
    Oh trust me I view President Putin with scepticism and am in a very trust but veryfy mode. What I am looking at is not words but actions. His actions in his country comparied to President Obamas in view of Christianity and Christian values are 180 degrees off of each other and President Putan’s action against homosexuality and introducing Christian education into the public school system are completely opposite of what has been going on in our public schools since the 60’s. Right now I trust him more than I trust Obama or just about any liberal progressive in America and most RINOs, that is not saying much because I don’t trust liberal progressives at all. All I am really saying is that it seams like Russia is moving in the right direction and we continue to spiral downward out of Control. Our Western Embassy in Afganistan was just attacked yesterday to boot. No US casualties thank God. Domestically and internationally this President and the socialists, pagan and “Christian,” in this country have destroyed the America I thought I grew up in. I no longer feel we are one nation under God, we are more like two nations one seeking to service the one true God and one serving the one who thought he could be God. Nearly the same can be said of the Catholic Church there are two completely different forms of worship and belief under one roof. In the Church it would interesting to see where the center is because it keeps shifting. The thing with the Church though is that there is absolute truth and everything else is error so there is no real center there is only truth and error.

  44. Suburbanbanshee says:

    1. Yes, KGB are worse than Democrats. Members of the Communist Party aren’t as bad as the bullyboys who ran the State and killed people as training. Duh.

    2. Yes, Putin likes to talk Christianity, but he sees the Russian Orthodox Church as a useful appurtenance to imperial rulership, not as Christ ruling over Putin and Russia.

    3. That man would backstab or frontstab you as soon as look at you. The difference is that he’s a trained professional about it. Obama, OTOH, doesn’t really live his life to betray people; he does it purely as a sideline, to those who happen to become inconvenient to him.

  45. Venerator Sti Lot says:

    RJHighland,
    I have an impression much like yours about signs of “right direction” contrasting with continuing “to spiral downward out of Control” – and the latter with respect to both much (most?) of the ‘English-speaking world’ and the ‘Western world’ (including prominent South African Anglicans, and so on), as well. Even if there is a lot of cynical calculation in high places with respect to things being ‘permitted’ – and indeed promoted – in Russia, who knows what future good may come of it, as well, even if it prove as ‘temporary’ as Stalin’s improved treatment of Christians during WW II? And I certainly do not know how divided the counsels are in Russian high places, with what weight and prospects for the sanest. (Hence, my Alexander Boot link.) May be the “right direction” has a good likelihood of prospering indeed.

    And when, for instance, I read things by Metropolitan Hilarion today and compare them with what I recall of the repulsive toadying articles I read in The Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate in the early 1980s, there is obviously an enormous difference. I am glad to see Russian Christians able to use their freedom, and apparently not otherwise inhibited from doing so, though I do not have enough of a sense of things to know on what topics they may be walking on eggshells or indeed successfully inhibited. And I still fear for them being compromised by their relations with the state.

  46. mplangley says:

    @Suburbanbanshee ” Yes, KGB are worse than Democrats. Members of the Communist Party aren’t as bad as the bullyboys who ran the State and killed people as training. Duh.”

    Firstly I was comparing ex KGB to current democrat. If Obama were ex Democrat perhaps your point would be more relevant.

    Secondly, even though perhaps some KGB officers killed innocent people as a matter of practice (I doubt it) the probably did not do so as a matter of principle. But even Democrats endorse the killing of children, the destruction of marriage, the family and civilization for that matter, both as a matter of principle (see the Democrat party platform) and as a matter of practice. I am not sure you can find any evidence that Putin is both wicked as a matter of principle and as a matter or practice. With Obama the evidence is there as a matter of public record. He voted over and over again as a stage senator for infanticide – and that is just the beginning of his record!

    As to your points #2 and #3 – perhaps you have insider information about Putin but it sounds like pure conjecture to me.

    One problem we have here in America is that our citizenry easily gets distracted fighting bogey men overseas and thus fail to see the dragon in our back yard. So while we are all worrying about Al-Qaeda, Iran, Iraq and now Syria, the Democrat party here in america, the very manifestation of the dragon, the vessel of all wrongheaded philosophies, wreaks havoc here at home.

    This may come as a hard fact to some americans with historical roots in the democrat party but the fact is clear as day if you’ll only look- duh!

  47. av8er says:

    I wouldn’t trust Putin As far as I could throw him but he is playing hardball while Obama plays softball. P

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