As a student of history, I am always inclined to analyze current events as a “historian of the future”. Please do not be deterred by the “grandiosity” of the title; my goal is more to list the questions in front of us and to identify topics of discussion, than to make early predictions. But predicting the near future is the name of the game and I am not someone to shy away from such a temptation… The quest to find out “what lies ahead” has already started and a flood of analyses have appeared…
The end of globalism. Worldwide “lockdowns”, country-wide and regional, have finally demolished the “open borders” agenda of the globalists. Some of them (please see here the anemic effort by the German establishment megaphone “Der Spiegel”) will temporarily insist that “a global crisis demands a global response”. But have no doubt – globalism is all but dead. Below we list the side-effects of this major fact.
China is now the enemy. Despite its late effort to show solidarity by delivering a few planeloads of health necessities to Italy and other suffering European nations (Greece, Serbia, France, Chech Republic, Poland, Spain, Belgium, The Netherlands), the West and the whole world will never forget that coronavirus spread because of communist China’s delayed response, authoritarian secretiveness and ideological fixation. This fact adds to the already established view that China for decades was stealing US strategic technological and military secrets and will certainly overload the on-going trade negotiations with her.
Manufacturing of essential and strategic products will leave China for good. This basic tenet of President Trump’s 2016 campaign proved to be quite prophetic, in view of the short supply of basic protection materials in the health industry (PPEs – such as masks, gloves, aprons, respirators). In a matter of days, American and western industry will start churning out these products in massive quantities and robotics will make the production (minus the shipping costs) very efficient. Having some business background in imports from China, I can assure you that the quality and speed of delivery of these goods will amaze the public and will put the Chinese “manufacturing myth” to the grave.
Post-Coronavirus boom – New American Century. The “new age of American manufacturing” will inaugurate the new American “post-coronavirus boom”. Manufacturing will soon launch a new golden age in the US, with several sectors (defense/aerospace, technology, pharmaceutical, health) achieving extraordinary growth. At the same time, the communist regime in China, unable to give work to its 1.2 billion subjects, and having to deal with eroding financial means, will have the same fate as the former Soviet Union. This may temporarily increase the risk of war, but a US-Russia rapprochement (see below) will mitigate this risk factor… But this “boom” will be much different than the post-WWII boom. This time the US has already achieved energy independence, the most essential foundation of any solid economic growth. As a result, the US will not be as affected in its decisions by any authoritarian Middle Eastern monarchs. Soon after the “peak” of the famous “coronavirus curve”, in a matter of months or, hopefully, weeks, the panic will subside and the economy will start coming back to normal. The plentiful and cheap energy and the manufacturing explosion will likely drive US economic growth to new heights by the second “anniversary” of the COVID-19 outbreak.
US-Russia rapprochement. This financial boom will be matched by increased geopolitical power: Post-Brexit and with the death of the EU (see below), the Trump administration will need simply to bring to the front the 2016 campaign goal of signing a pact with Russia in order to be able to restrict the expansion of China and become once again the undisputed global leader. The seeds of such a US-Russia pact have already been sown behind the scenes (please ask Henry Kissinger…); the final steps, given Putin’s ascension to the status of “Czar”, are only a matter of time. (Note to our “Orthodox” hierarchs/business leaders: time to reshape Ukraine “ecclesiastical” policy, you are on the losing side of history. Ukraine will never leave completely the Russian sphere of influence. And Russia will never abandon to Bartholomew 70% of Ukraine’s Orthodox faithful. It’s essential that you and your misguided friends at the State Dept. read some history asap. Please call me. History lessons … will cost you much less than the bribes you allegedly had to dish out to achieve the Schism in Orthodoxy and the loss of your “Ecumenical” status…)
The end of the European Union. The widely spread news that Germany, a global manufacturing giant, did not allow necessary health materials (masks, aprons, gloves respirators, etc.) to be sent to suffering Italy was not only a leadership vacuum and the latest manifestation of renown German (lack of) “character”, but also the death certificate of the European Union. This author has repeatedly discussed the historical necessity of US foreign policy, i.e. the affiliation/control of all the “ocean bordering” nations of Europe, from Norway to Britain to Spain, Italy and Greece). We are a “sea power” globally and we cannot function as such a global power without the alliance of these “ocean bordering” nations – which limit the expansion of the traditional “land powers” (Germany, Russia, China). We are already in the “post-Brexit era” and Germany’s actions (the energy alliance/dependence on Russia and the “blood sucking” policies during the Greek crisis and the coronavirus pandemic) have made this alliance with the US a one-way street: A few plane loads of health supplies from China will not alter this course. Especially because it will be soon clear that at the epicenter of “coronavirus”, Milan, Italy, it was a fashion show directly connected to the Chinese “Belt and Road” (BRI) initiative which caused the catastrophe… Coronavirus followed very much he same “silk road” that the “Black Death” had followed seven centuries ago…
https://www.helleniscope.com/2020/03/22/the-global-strategic-effects-of-coronavirus/
I truly, truly hope that all of this is true and it comes to fruition
Two additional things that I will add will come from this IMHO (I’m not infallible so please feel free to critique me!)
1) Secular: I think the recent events with the blocking of the COVID stimulus by the Democrats, specifically Nancy Pelosi, are the nail in the coffin for the Democrat party. This blocking is bipartisan and directly affects every person in the U.S and the last thing you do is mess with peoples livelihoods/money. I really believe that this may truly be the end of the Democrat Party in any meaningful sense of being a mainstream party.
2) Orthodoxy: Given how fast the bishops caved on closing parishes, and trust me I understand why it was done, is going to show who is faithful to historical Orthodox. For example, in my city there are 3 Orthodox parishes, only 1 is open and doing liturgy, a ROCOR mission. I spoke with a Serbian priest and said they have no intention of closing. Both of these parishes are taking precautions as they should, but all the faithful are still encouraged to come and commune. In wider world Orthodoxy, Serbia, Romania, Georgia, Russia has remained steadfast (unless something has changed). And when we come out on the other side of this that will be broadcast for the world to see when even the Vatican shut down! I myself am considering switching over to ROCOR after this.
The faithful know that closing the churches carte blanch was wrong. I listened to the recent AFR podcast with Metropolitan Tikhon and this was the impression I got from the people who called in. When you feel abandoned you are going to go to strong leaders in times of crisis and when our hierarchs should have come to the rescue, they abandoned us, that is painfully clear.
Those are my thoughts/predictions. Please feel free to correct me!
Menas, I think you are spot on.
Gail…Sheppard and/or Michalopulos?
You got it!
: )
I completely agree with you Menas. I was attending an OCA parish after the local ROCOR mission was not able to stay open. Now I will attend a Serbian parish with my family (there is an option to attend a ROC parish but it is a four hour round trip. I am not certain that I can return to an OCA parish knowing that the hierarchs abandoned their flock. The GOA jumped ship long ago.
Our ROCOR parish is open and allowing us to come in daily, venerate the Cross, have confession and receive the Presanctified Gifts. Please see our priest’s take on it and the response of our ROCOR parish to the Coronapocalypse.
Taken directly from the website:
Due to the latest COVID-19 pandemic and the government enforced closure of all social gatherings, St. ___ will need to close its doors for any group gatherings.
Divine Liturgy will continue to be held and attended only by the priest and a reader early Sunday morning with doors remaining locked. Saturday night vigils will be read by parishioners at home.
Those who wish to partake of the Eucharist may do so by contacting one of the priests, fasting as usual, and setting up a day and time so that the priest may meet you in church to hear your confession and serve you from the Presanctified Gifts. This is not just for Sunday but for any day of the week.
3/22: Sunday of the Veneration of the Precious Cross. Please come by during the day between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to venerate the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The church will be open during this time period for both veneration of the Cross and for those who wish to receive the Eucharist of our Savior’s Body and Blood. For those who wish to commune, please be sure you are observing the fast and come prepared for confession. Please no more than ten people at one time in the church.
For every Sunday while we are under California restrictions to help mitigate the effects of COVID-19, we will have our church open between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. for veneration of the Cross, confession, and communion.
Stop right there! Are you telling me that your ROCOR priest is the same one who blessed you to participate in Jewish services? Because, if so, he is wrong , he is dead wrong. If he is right, why on earth do we bash Patriarch Bartholomew for his violation of the canons? I am to the point where I wish George would ban me. Because then it would free me from temptation. Other than that, I won’t shut up, Lent or no Lent. If you want to take away something positive from the Old Testament, know that many times the Old Israel. had to repent before God. You don’t like my response, ask George to delete it and/or ban me. I am way beyond caring at this point m
Bless you, Estonian Slovak. Bless you.
ES, why should I ban you? Not only do I agree with a lot of what you say but even if I didn’t, I’m a free speech advocate.
We all know the drill: write what you want as long as it’s not defamatory and/or actionable. Preferably address the topic and VERY preferably, keep the argument as general as possible. None of this “so’s your mother!” type of argumentation.
Because, George, in my sinfulness, I can’t seem to avoid hurting people, even when speaking the truth. We hear talk of bishops and priests being derelict in their duty regarding closed churches due to the virus. If any of the fathers who speak so eloquently on this site had responded to the lady in question, my own response would have been unnecessary.
ES, you overestimate your hurtfulness to other people. Solzhenitsyn said that “one word spoken in truth can move the world”.
Funny you should mention Solzhenitsyn. I’m just reading the Red Circle trilogy now. I had read the first one back in the 70′ s. I recall that Solzhenitsyn quoted Patriarch Tikhon during the churchmen trials. The Patriarch was asked, “Do you consider the laws of the Soviet Union obligatory to yourself?” The Patriarch answered,”Yes, to the extent that they do not contradict the laws of piety.” Solzhenitsyn’s comment was that if only everyone had answered in this way, how different our history would have been!”
To clarify, that quote was in Gulag Archipelago.
Thank you for the story. For the record, Solzhenitsyn will be remembered as the great prophet of the 20th century. The book-end to Dostoyevsky, the other great prophet of the modern age.
Nah. Not right. In Antiochian parishes the Divine Lirurgy was celebrated with a skeleton crew. They all live streamed even the tiny mission parish.
Having been required to be away from the Cup for a significant time not long ago I learned that I am still quite free to repent, give alms, forgive those who despitefully use me, commune in prayer with the saints and angels. Go to confession by appointment. I can use the Typika as a stand alone prayer practice or as kind of a personal Orthros before listening and singing along with the live stream of which ever parish I want to.
Frankly, the complaints sound snowflake like. The only person who has betrayed anyone is me when I refuse to “up my game” out of laziness, snootiness or self-righteousness.
Folks hiding in fear is what to expect.
All the jurisdictions need to move national headquarters inland in any case. Anywhere away from NY, CA, Illinois.
The blocking of the bill was partisan, not bipartisan. It was strictly Schumer, Pelosi and the Dems who stood in the way.
Correct. I don’t know why intelligent men in the Democrat Party are scared so witless by Pelosi but they are. They’re letting their party’s image be tarred and feathered by her for reasons I can’t fathom. It’s bad enough that she lives in a bubble of her own imagining but the party elders aren’t as deluded.
Sry Fr., that’s what I meant *partisan
1 – Schumer and Pelosi did obviously block the coronavirus bailout bill for partisan reasons – but the bill is horrible all around. So you get a $1200 check? A lot of governors and mayors want the economy shut down for months, so that one-off (actually written in the bill as an advance tax credit) won’t go far. But you are overlooking the fact that the bill is a giant wealth transfer. Free money is given out to big business with almost no strings attached. A little money is given out to small business with many strings attached. In the meantime, big stores are open and little ones are forcibly shut. This is TARP times five. The Senate GOP and Trump admin are as bad on this as Pelosi and Schumer.2. On the Church, I have to agree. Is there any intell on whether Greek and Antiochian churches will open for Easter? Otherwise, I need to plan a weekend holiday to a ROCOR parish.
Some more out-of-the-box thinking by those in Great Britain who refuse to behave like sheep:
https://www.spiked-online.com/2020/03/17/the-luxury-of-apocalypticism/
Since I can’t go to my Orthodox Church right now I’m gonna head out and hit the local bikini barista for some coffee, grab a little weed from the pot shop, pick up some booze from the liquor store, wait in line to be let in at Costco, and take my lady in for an Abortion. You know, essential stuff and all “legal” per our civic authorities here in Washington State. So glad that the Bishops are not calling out the disparity and meekly complying. History has shown that this sort of quiet acquiescence always engenders the respect and conversion of the multitudes. The elites can cancel the tanks. All they need are a few leaf blowers to take out American Orthodoxy.
What disgusts me the most is how the left wing media continues to push a paper thin false narative through sensationalized misquotes. They seem like they would rather the country goes down in flames rather then report the truth. Trump worked the stimulus package masterfully and the Democrats couldn’t help themselves. With their “…let no good crisis go unwasted…” ideology they once again showed their true colors as enemies of the american people.
Nick, as a student of history myself, I think your projections are optimistic–too long term. IMO, the power and money will rule. I don’t think your typical American fascist oligarch will long resist doing business with his buddies in China. Even the non-fascist entrepreneurs. Ki have a friend who invented and sold one of the first electronic speakers that musicians use to hear themselves while performing. He used to do all the manufacturing right here in Wichita. Then he moved the manufacturing to China which included several trips over there every year. Go figure.
The Siren Song is strong. Tell me a significant consumer electronic item not made in China? We are all compromised.
This is despite the fact that local is much better economically and environmentally.
Greetings all,
I am more in agreement with Michael Bauman’s comments above.
As much as I have enjoyed Nick Stamatakis’ reporting on GOA doings over the last couple of months, I think he’s a better reporter than prognosticator. I appreciate the strident tone in his reporting, not so much in his predictions. There’s a sense of too much glee, a sense of triumphalism, in some kind of victorious personal agenda.
I GTranslated his bio and did a brief search at three previous sites he lists as having written for. I didn’t see his by-line in English. It’s not conclusive by any means, just curious.
But again, I’ve appreciated his reporting at Helleniscope.
Point by point:
The end of globalism. Far from it. The emergence of a multipolar globalism will more likely lead to more economic blocs interacting, not less. Digital currencies will still fly around seeking yield in a flash. More stringent border controls will probably be established, but it’s not likely the pendulum will swing back to more autarkic nation-state models.
China is now the enemy. Of the US maybe, but most (sane) countries and people don’t want war. It’s plain it’s the US is attempting to ‘contain’ China (like Russia and Iran) and is less interested and perhaps less capable of making better deals. The pandemic has shown China isn’t perfect, but industrial espionage is practiced by every nation. The fact that China has supposedly done it better than most? Sour grapes.
Manufacturing of essential and strategic products will leave China for good. Hardly. It’s still the manufacturing powerhouse it was before the pandemic. Oil will be cheap for awhile, and it’s China that is still in the best position to fill the bottomless worldwide demand for cheap goods. Sure, countries may have more sensitivity to reliance on China for strategic and critical goods, and some adjustment will occur, but worldwide loss of trust is wishful thinking.
Post-Coronavirus boom – New American Century. There may be an uptick in domestic manufacturing in the US and other countries, but our debt load is already so heavy (basically unpayable) and our infrastructure so decrepit, we would need something along the lines of decade-long deficit spending to get us in a position to compete. Our industries now hardly plan past the next quarter as it is. Our status as the world’s major reserve currency is our only ace. Nobody thinks that’s going to continue. There’s been forces growing against the dollar for years now, and they’re succeeding. We’ve abused the reserve-currency privilege countless times.
US-Russia rapprochement. If there’s anything the Russians have learned about us since their collapse, it’s that we’re an unstable and unreliable partner. Things may thaw a little, sure; but to imagine some great realignment of US/Russia versus China is pure fantasy. This isn’t 1970. Russia’s vast resources and China’s vast manufacturing capacity right next door is a long-term feature of the future. Both their economies are now oriented towards domestic consumption. OBOR will continue.
As to Orthodoxy, it should be clear by now that the US will not accept anything but an EP-oriented Orthodoxy in America. The EP can be controlled and influenced by the US, the MP cannot. Orthodox Americans have a decision to make.
The end of the European Union. Ambrose Evans-Pritchard famously said many years ago that the EU would last all the way up to it’s first great crisis. With Greece, Spain and Italy being treated like stepchildren to be exploited, with Brexit, and with the Visegrad Group conflict, this is the only area I think Stamatakis and I generally agree. I don’t think it will be anywhere near soon or sudden. It’s more likely to remain in some rump form well into the future. Perhaps once freed of a domineering US, the wise EU member states may finally be able to see greater cooperation with the Russia/China bloc as the key to long-term prosperity.
Sincerely,
E M Cimmins
“The king is naked”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=p_AyuhbnPOI&feature=emb_logo
With regard to…
“In a matter of days, American and western industry will start churning out these products in massive quantities and robotics will make the production (minus the shipping costs) very efficient. Having some business background in imports from China, I can assure you that the quality and speed of delivery of these goods will amaze the public and will put the Chinese “manufacturing myth” to the grave.”
I would like to believe this is true, but I know this industry (the medical supplies part of it) inside and out, and I assure you that when this crisis is over (though there may indeed be some more manufacturing in the U.S.) the market will quickly return to whomever can produce them at the absolute minimum cost. Right now, that is China, and it isn’t likely to change. You know those N95 Masks everyone is talking about? Guess where 3M (the largest producer by far) manufactures nearly 90% of them. And that’s just N95 masks. All sorts of medical supplies, as well as drugs, are produced in China, and there are currently shortages of literally thousands of products, both related and unrelated to the COVID-19 situation.
Sure. Right now the market will pay a bit extra due to the demand (which on PPE now exceeds the supply by a factor of at least 100x), but when the dust settles, this market is no different than you or me. If one gasoline station sells for $2.15 per gallon, and another has it for $1.95, we will go to next block in order to pay less.
Here is just one story among many…
https://www.wired.com/story/surreal-frenzy-inside-us-biggest-mask-maker/
Speaking for myself, what caught my eye in Mr Stamatakis’ piece was the fact that for the first time in my lifetime, the US is now a net exporter of energy, i.e. no longer dependent on foreign sources. (Neither is Russia for that matter.)
Thus, Stamatakis’ analysis “rings true” because if we weren’t a net exporter, then we’d really be up a creek without a paddle. Everything hinges on energy.
This article took the long view (which as a student of history I myself appreciate). It’s most likely that the Russia/bad narrative will fail mainly because China has stepped in its place. Believe me, I can easily swallow the black pill and say that as far as America is concerned “all is lost” but as far as the globalists are concerned, there are only three games in town: the US, Russia and China. Only these three countries have the necessary naval tonnage to keep the sea lanes open (in the ideal).
Russia has three fleets, the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Pacific but because it’s geography is latitudinal, it can’t project its power into the Atlantic, the Mediterranean or the Pacific easily. In each case, it must pass through choke-points which can be closed off.
China can only project into the Pacific but because it has pissed off every one of its neighbors (Japan, Taiwan, Australia, the Philipines, India and Vietnam), it has to contend with potential enemies either acting alone or in concert. (Australia and India have substantial navies and the Japanese can get one up and running in short order.) That’s also why it’s building manmade islands throughout the South China Sea so that it can claim more territory for itself.
This leaves the US as the only naval power that can project itself anywhere in the world while not being subject to geographic obstacles. Presently, our enemies are negligible, as we are fighting asymmetric warfare against non-state actors (ISIS, Taliban, jihadists).
Yes, I believe that once this is over, the temptation to fall back into the same-old/same-old vis-à-vis China will be great for some but if Trump wins reelection (which I think is highly likely) then he’ll keep us in quasi-permanent state of rivalry with China. In fact, China has to completely tank our economy because as things are going now for them, they won’t be able to recover from a Trump reelection.
This is why I believe that they used (note: I did not say caused, although nothing surprises me anymore) the corona virus as an opportunity to derail the trade deal that Trump forced down their throats in the hope that once their boy Joe Demento is POTUS, things will go back to normal and they can continue to bend us over the barrel while they screw us.
I agree with you, but I have little hope that this statement will ever come to fruition:
“It’s most likely that the Russia/bad narrative will fail mainly because China has stepped in its place.”
That narrative has become so firmly entrenched in the collective American mind that nothing short of reëducation in the style of 20th century “social engineering” campaigns will have a chance of purging it. The average Joe is brainwashed.
Perhaps the only active solution is to become like the enemy—in terms of logistics and strategy.
We’ll certainly see, but the Sinophobia is real because it’s based on a real thing. Russophobia was memed into existence by the Dems to account for Hillary’s loss in 2016.
At the end of the day, when most people are confronted with two threats, they make up their minds based on the more real threat. People dying because of lack of ventilators trumps people’s suspicions about the possible jiggering of voting machines.
Easy way to increase election security: Paper ballots that require people to actually physically write (not punch) by checking box. Then all you have watch for is that the collection of the physical ballots is done in a legitimate way and that a few full of dead people’s ballots don’t show up all of a sudden.
Real democrat heresy to follow: restrict suffrage to U.S citizens over the age of 21 (unless actively serving in the military or honorable discharged). I’d really like it to be age 25 but that is too much of a push.
Also I would add that only those adults who are not on the dole should be allowed to vote.
Sinophobia will be beaten out of existence by the religion of political correctness, the ideology that anything that could even be remotely construed as having a racist origin is a heinous crime that outranks all others. Being of half Asian extraction–of which not an insignificant portion is Chinese–the leftist pandering to our community and subsequent rush to jump on the victim/identity-politicking bandwagon is really pissing me off. It *is* the Wuhan virus and I’m tired of this consistent and predictable butthurt that trumps reasonable policymaking and decisive action.
Russophobia has existed at least since the secular Union of Lublin in 1569, which preceded the various ecclesial unions of succeeding decades. There have been numerous flareups throughout history, and the last five years are merely a continuation of–and rooted in–that legacy. The other part of my background comes from those troubled areas of western Rus’ and knowing the history of our very real trials and victimization at the hands of Catholic and Western principalities and the subsequent refusal of anyone with half a voice to acknowledge it is another thing that pisses me off.
Johann, russophobia existed in the US until 1941, then Stalin became “Uncle Joe”.
shades of 1984.
One of the reason for the cost differential in favor of China is the shipping subsidies provided to Chinese manufactures by the US taxpayer. I saw the actual figures on it a couple of years ago and it is both shameful and large. If Trump stops that alone, it will repatriate some businesses.
I cannot forget what I consider the treasonous transfer of military tech to China by Uncle Billy and his wife as repayment for campaign assistance.
Lest we forget Sen DiFi who had a Chinese spy as her “chauffeur” (read: handler) for 20 years.
Wow! Some people are being accused of “snowflake like” complaints because they yearn for their beloved Divine Liturgy and Holy Communion. Lord have mercy!
Mikhail, the yearning is not the problem. Yearn away, long, even pine away increasing your hunger for it in repentance and mercy. Nothing snowflake about that at all. Just don’t willy-nilly accuse the bishops of “betrayal” because you can’t get what you want when you want it. To me that just stinks.
we can’t get what we need when we need it
Fixed that for you. The bishops are not above criticism and, in this case, they have failed us. Protestants are still packing out their mega churches (see above) and the Jews are still going to their synagogues, as I read the other day. They failed us.
I am able to attend any service including Presanctified and Sunday Liturgy…thank God. Not only do I need repentance and mercy…I need access to the holy Mysteries because of my sin. People have free will to stay at home if they wish. Those who need the services (in person and 3-D) should also have the option to attend. Many of the bishops have removed that option willy-nilly. I will continue to hold them accountable (regardless of what you say Mr. Bauman). But in the end, they will answer to God.
Dear Mikhail,
I so concur. I personally need Holy Communion and the Divine Liturgies. They are essential to my health spiritually and physically. So sad they are not deemed as essential as the grocery store or an attorney or a shipping service which in my state are allowed to stay open and let many congregate though 10 feet apart. I am concerned some of the directives imply we are not deprived of anything important. To me both are filled with Grace and Holy Communion May only heal. Likely I am just weaker than most but I don’t breathe or live well without my spiritual oxygen so it is a deprivation for me not to be allowed in. I appreciate the obedience to their bishops which clergy show. I am sad to see some of them not understand how vital these are to my spirit and well-being and perhaps to others.
Amen, Nicole! You touched on an important point. Many of the priests did not want to close down the Church. They are being obedient to the Bishop. This is on the shoulders of the Bishops.
Mikhail,
“They are being obedient to the Bishop” rather than obedient to God.
Why?
What can be done about it?
Should the Bishops be instructed?
Should the Priests be instructed?
By whom?
These are all good questions, Ioannis. If I were a priest, I would not know what to do! Chances are, my Bishop would be demanding that I shut down. But knowing that the Holy Church is a hospital for sinners and the Holy Communion is for the healing of both soul and body, I would feel compelled to disobey my Bishop…in which case I would probably be censured and/or defrocked. Lord have mercy. We must pray for the bishops and the priests.
St Nikephoros the Leper pray for us!
There are a lot of Americans who admire Putin and he and the ROC have made some inroads with American evangelicals like Franklin Graham.
It is ironic. The left hates Russia bc they abandoned socialism. The conservatives are wary of Russia bc they haven’t really done the math on the end of the cold war; ie, with conservatives, it is really ignorance which is the problem, that and democratolatry. But the latter is irrational given our other alliances and Russian history.
The real story, the real dynamic, is three forces: Totalitarian Humanism led by the West and China, Christianity led by Russia and American Evangelicals, and Islam. These are the players in the game to impose a global worldview. Unfortunately, it is zero sum. Nature abhors a vacuum.
Despite the Trump presidency, the West is still in the TH camp. However there are positive signs. But China and the Liberal/Progressives are natural allies of almost identical ideology save for some of the more silly identity and sex stuff. Both are decidedly totalitarian/atheist and quasi socialist. More to the point, they sense a common enemy in religion, whether Christian or Islamic.
There are a lot of Americans who admire Putin and he and the ROC have made some inroads with American evangelicals like Franklin Graham.
It is ironic. The left hates Russia bc they abandoned socialism. The conservatives are wary of Russia bc they haven’t really done the math on the end of the cold war; ie, with conservatives, it is really ignorance which is the problem, that and democratolatry. But the latter is irrational given our other alliances and Russian history.
The real story, the real dynamic, is three forces: Totalitarian Humanism led by the West and China, Christianity led by Russia and American Evangelicals, and Islam. These are the players in the game to impose a global worldview. Unfortunately, it is zero sum. Nature abhors a vacuum.
Despite the Trump presidency, the West is still in the TH camp. However there are positive signs. But China and the Liberal/Progressives are natural allies of almost identical ideology save for some of the more silly identity and sex stuff. Both are decidedly totalitarian/atheist and quasi socialist.
Bear in mind, Trump can go full frontal Russophile the day after he’s elected if he wants. What can they do to him that they haven’t tried and failed to do already?
I’ll say that it’s Totalitarian ANTI-Humanism. There’s nothing human about either of those systems.
The Left hates Russia because the Left isn’t about socialism but left-liberalism. Russia is very much not a socialist country but culturally it still celebrates much of the USSR and the people bear certain anti-capitalist prejudices. What the Left hates is that Russia is a bulwark against Globohomo.
Once KGB, always KGB.
How do you know he hasn’t repented? I’m not in love with him, but who knows? St. Paul was also Saul, if you recall. We have a lady here who said she participated in Jewish services. One hopes she has repented. When I was a new convert in the 70′ s, I went to a synagogue with my Jewish friends. I didn’t know that was wrong. Likewise, I took communion in Catholic churches. When I realized that was wrong, I went to an OCA priestmonk for confession. He said, ” You have to be either Orthodox or Roman Catholic, you can’t be both ” Are you going to hold my past mistakes against me?
And the CIA is better?
No such thing as repentance?
Bear in mind that, by the end of Khrushchev’s time as premier, agencies like the KGB and the military hierarchy weren’t really packed out with ideological communists, but patriots serving their country in the best way they could, which is why we have guys like VV Putin doing a good job pushing back the forces of globalism and saving Christians in places like Syria.
But, of course, muh KGB.
Like you, Basil, I’m tired of this “once KGB always KGB” meme.
It’s just a rhetorical trick that allows neocons to continue to wallow around in the muck of their ignorance.
In other words, it beats thinking.
We’ve all been exposed.Not necessarily to the virus(maybe…who even knows??♀️).We’ve all been exposed BY the virus.Corona is exposing us.Exposing our weak sides.Exposing our dark sides.Exposing what normally lays far beneath the surface of our souls,hidden by the invisible masks we wear.Now exposed by the paper masks we can’t hide far enough behind.Corona is exposing our addiction to comfort.Our obsession with control.Our compulsion to hoard.Our protection of self.Corona is peeling back our layers.Tearing down our walls.Revealing our illusions.Leveling our best-laid plans.Corona is exposing the gods we worship:Our healthOur hurryOur sense of security.Our favorite liesOur secret lustsOur misplaced trust.Corona is calling everything into question:What is the church without a building?What is my worth without an income?How do we plan without certainty?How do we love despite risk?Corona is exposing me.My mindless numbingMy endless scrollingMy careless wordsMy fragile nerves.We’ve all been exposed.Our junk laid bare.Our fears made known.The band-aid torn.The masquerade done.So what now? What’s left?Clean handsClear eyesTender hearts.What Corona reveals, God can heal.Come Lord Jesus.Have mercy on us.As many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.
Author unknown, at least by me. frd+
George, do you if it is confirmed that Patriarch Bartholomew does indeed have Leukemia? Other than the person mentioning it on the other post I have seen no other news of it. It would seem that that would be a big deal in the Orthodox world and there would be stories of it?
Menas, I first heard rumors that he had cancer around the time Bartholomew was supposed to be here last year, July 2019. He’s traveled quite a bit since then so I had hoped it was under control.
On another, more hopeful, evangelistic and pastoral note, the Christian ministry of a true apostle, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphriy of Ukraine (the real Metropolitan of Ukraine):
https://orthochristian.com/129705.html
Menas,
I’m befuddled Why NY Archdiocese has Not yet sent any communique on Bartholomew’s illness… I heard it through a Metropolitan.
Plus there’s no way a huge gathering of people scheduled for luncheon with His Eminence on May 10th are coming anymore…
Thanks be to God we’ve Livestream Orthodox churches to comfort us in this Apocalypse!
Stay safe everyone.?
If he does have leukemia, I’m wondering if it is chronic lymphocytic leukemia. You can live with it for a very long time. In other words, it wouldn’t be something that would require a formal announcement. My dad had it for decades. – I do think that because so many were counting on his visit, Bartholomew should have made some kind of personal announcement. Failing that, we should have heard something from Elpi. He wouldn’t have to divulge anything if he didn’t want to. He could just say that he is unable to come at this time. The point is, it should have come from him.
Either it’s not a big deal (hopefully), or, maybe he is afraid it will show weakness?
That could be why the hierarchy seemed to “wait it out” vis-a-vis the Ukrainian Issue. Maybe they just assumed that he would either step down or, God forbid, repose because of the disease. This could also be why he moved so fast on granting autocephaly to the schismatics, he and the state department may know he is on borrowed time
Menas,
I’m befuddled just why NY Archdiocese has yet to send communique on Patriarch Bartholomew’s illness & cancellation trip to NY in May…
I heard it from a Metropolitan… cannot understand why the secrecy.
Thank God at this time of Apocalypse we’ve got Orthodox Livestream to console us. Everyone stay safe.?
All quite interesting, but a question lingers …The author describes how economic growth will zoom out of the mini-depression on the back of a manufacturing renaissance powered by “robotics” which will make production “very efficient”. At the same time, people across many sectors will have been laid off by then. Robotics and mechanised production means fewer humans in the supply chain.Given that, and given the bailout that Congress is passing that will permit big business to eat up small businesses, how and when does this mechanised renaissance help Americans get employed and get paid?
Initially, when we received this column from Mr Stamatakis, Gail and I were intrigued but in one instance, on opposite sides about whether this will help or hurt Globalism. My initial response coincided in almost all respects with Stamatakis’ view: that COVID-19 is a net negative for the Globalist project.
Gail insisted that in one particular instance he (and by extension) was incorrect: that the closing down of churches is in accord with the anti-Christ plan of globalism. To be honest, that escaped me. However, in retrospect, I don’t believe that the anti-Christ system will want churches closed; far from it. If anything, he will want pliant, successful mega-churches to exist, all of which will preach heresy.
The mistake that Satan made when he created Communism was to try and destroy the Christian Church wholesale in the former Russian Empire. However, Hitler’s invasion of the USSR caused him to modify his plans and to try to suborn the Church. Now that the Iron Curtain has been destroyed and Christianity is resurgent in the former Orthodox countries, his goal has been to seduce Christianity in the West. He has largely succeeded in that Christianity (admittedly Western Christianity) is an insipid shadow of its former self.
Part and parcel of this plan is to cause a schism in Orthodoxy, with the “universal patriarchate” being the loadstar, the “tolerant” Orthodoxy that is more in line with the Globalist agenda. Hence, my belief that, while the closing of churches in the West is regrettable, it’s beside the point. Yes, authentic traditionalist churches will be closed but the more worldly, secular churches will remain open. These latter ones will continue to receive their tax breaks.
Another reason why Stamatakis is right:
https://vdare.com/articles/patrick-j-buchanan-can-this-pandemic-usher-in-a-new-era
Yet another reason why I subscribe to the Stamatakis/Buchanan view that COVID-19 will deal a death-blow to Globalism:
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/03/29/coronavirus-globalization-historian/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-8163587/PETER-HITCHENS-Great-Panic-foolish-freedom-broken-economy-crippled.html
Hitchens gets the point I alluded to elsewhere: This is so big a wilful and malicious error that it will not be tolerated by those paying the bills and, therefore, can’t help but be transformative. But we shall have to wait for the sheer terror to subside so that sane heads can eliminate the causes of this travesty.
“But we shall have to wait for the sheer terror to subside so that sane heads can eliminate the causes of this travesty.”
We may have to wait a while. We all have emotional brains and rational brains. In the emotionally healthy person, these two sides of the brain are synched up and communicate with each other. But in traumatic times, often the emotional brain takes over and gets cut off from the rational brain.
These days – particularly all over the MSM and on social media – those with emotional brains on overdrive and in panic are running the show and setting the tone. Their emotional brains are simply closed off from receiving or processing new data coming in.
We often see this in trauma responses, like a child abused by his dad or a woman who has been raped. The child is forever fearful of older men and the woman is forever fearful of men in general, until they go through trauma recovery and healing. Trying to convince the woman, for example, that this other guy is great, kind, and won’t hurt her simply won’t work – her brain is not ready to receive or process that kind of information. Likewise the child forever has problems trusting older men until he gets help and healing.
People who are now operating from frameworks of “sheer terror,” “panic,” or “hysteria” are often tragically stuck there. This calls for much love and patience in giving them space and time to heal; hopefully they want to heal.
This is why one of the hallmarks of a strong leader is someone whose emotional and rational brains are well connected and communicate with each other. We don’t seem to have many of these kinds of leaders nowadays.
Below please find the address of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros from March 28th, to the Metropolitans of the Holy Synod of America, as well as to the Archdiocese Presbyters Council.
ARCHBISHOP >> MESSAGES >>
Address of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros to the Archdiocese Presbyters Council Virtual Town Hall
March 28, 2020
Archdiocese Headquarters
New York, New York
https://www.goarch.org/-/address-apc-virtual-town-hall-2020-03-28
Below please find a Press Release from yesterday on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website.
NEWS >> OFFICIAL NEWS >> 2020
Communique of the Holy Eparchial Synod
Information: Press Office
Tel: (212) 570-3530
pressoffice@goarch.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
PRESS RELEASE
https://www.goarch.org/-/communique-holy-eparchial-synod-2020-03-31
Below please find an article from yesterday in The National Herald.
The Metropolitans offer 20% of their salaries
By TNH Staff
March 31, 2020
https://www.thenationalherald.com/295323/the-metropolitans-offer-20-of-their-salaries/
Below please find an article from today in The National Herald.
Hellenic College Holy Cross to Hold Commencement Online
By TNH Staff
April 1, 2020
https://www.thenationalherald.com/295520/hellenic-college-holy-cross-to-hold-commencement-online/
Below please find another article from today in The National Herald.
Network of Ecumenical Patriarchate for Pastoral Health Care Creates Pandemic Prayer
By TNH Staff
April 1, 2020
https://www.thenationalherald.com/295518/network-of-ecumenical-patriarchate-for-pastoral-health-care-creates-pandemic-prayer/
Below please find yet another article from today in The National Herald.
Archbishop Sotirios of Canada Appeal COVID-19 and Personal Protective Equipment
April 1, 2020
https://www.thenationalherald.com/295412/archbishop-sotirios-of-canada-appeal-covid-19-and-personal-protective-equipment/
Hi George,
I have been curious for a number of days why there had been no comments to my response to Stamatakis’ article above. When further commentary offered in this thread seemed oblique, I went back (as is my habit) to recheck my facts regarding globalism. Lo and behold, I discover Conservapedia‘s definition, which was new to me.
As I had always understood globalism to be an event/process, and globalization to be the measurement of that event/process, it’s clear now we were commenting past one another. Whereas one is an ideology, the other is an event/process that is examined using a metric. I had a rather eerie sense there was an important part of the backstory, of the narrative, that I just wasn’t getting, so I’ve learned something here.
Looking back and carefully reviewing what I wrote, I believe the practical specifics I put forth to Stamatakis’ points will stand the test of time. What concerns me however, is this failure on both our parts to put forward what definition of globalism we were using. I admit to being ignorant of Conservapedia‘s, and I must confess had I known about this particular use of the term, wouldn’t have responded. This definition, and the ideology which created it, would have required too much unpacking and discussion beforehand.
And confronted as I have been with this whole ideology, of which Conservapedia‘s definition of globalism is just a part, I suspect I can no longer consider myself a conservative if this is the tone and the worldview of the majority. The ground everywhere shifts beneath my feet.
I find myself rejecting this wholesale redefining of previously foundational ideas, and of the irresponsible introduction of new definitions out of whole cloth, regardless of who is doing it. I suppose my age is showing. There is so much to protect from all these redefinitionists going forward! I have become a Preservative I guess, a party of one.
Respectfully,
E M Cimmins
E M, I agree that “conservatism” needs to be (re?)defined. In the 1990s, the old-guard in the former USSR were incessantly called “conservatives” by our corporate media, probably to confuse normies that there was no difference between Jesse Helms, Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater with Leonid Brezhnev, Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin.
It was a dishonest tactic. (I know, I’m shocked, shocked! I tell you that we have the most crapulent, dishonest, treasonous media to ever put pen to paper. But there you go and I stand by every word of my contemptuous description.)
For my money, I accept C S Lewis’ appraisal of conservatism, that it is the ideology of reality, not of wishful thinking. In this sense, a Jeffersonian liberal, i.e. a classic liberal can be a conservative to the extent that he believes in natural law, constitutional governance, the honoring of tradition and custom, and a willingness to abide by majority rule.
I guess what I am describing is the philosophy of Edmund Burke.
George Michalopulos: ““conservatism” needs to be (re?)defined”
Perhaps, I would define “conservatism” as respect to the tradition and preservation of what was good in the past. Also I would redefine “the left” as striving for social justice and looking toward the future. Both positions are needed and a healthy balance between them.
If you mention British like Burke and C.S. Lewis, I would say that Bristish monarchy needs to be preserved and maybe made stronger, on the other hand public health services should be expanded and available to all.
I myself, I tend to be on the right on moral/cultural issues and on the left on economic fairness.
Martin, I agree with you. For what it’s worth, Tsar Nicholas II tried to govern in pretty much the same fashion. His father had set up communal banks in the country to give the newly-emancipated serfs the necessary start-up capital to buy and sustain their farms.
Nicholas continued this process as well. The reason he was resistant to a constituent assembly was because he feared that the aristocrats would use it for their own purposes and keep the wealth —legally–concentrated in their hands.
“a Jeffersonian liberal, i.e. a classic liberal can be a conservative to the extent that he believes in natural law, constitutional governance, the honoring of tradition and custom, and a willingness to abide by majority rule. ”
A perfect proposition for the agricultural society, where majority of citizens are independent farmers. Plus abolition of slavery combined with generous land and equipment grants to the freed.
Yes, absolutely.
Conservatism is a disease. It can only be described, in my point of view, as “liberalism twenty years ago.” So-called conservatives have backed down on nearly every social and moral issue for decades now, with the exception of abortion. We now have degenerates like Milo and “Lady MAGA” putting themselves forward as conservatives, or conservative commentators praising Trump’s role in forcing the legalization of sodomy in African countries.
We need TRADITIONALISM, an unwavering determination to stand fast in the faith and ways of our forefathers, not this petulant ten-steps-behind-the-liberal-vanguard pseudo-conservatism that we have now.
Basil, we can’t have that though until we rediscover hierarchy and virtue.
Therefore, we are stuck “with the army we’ve got”. I’ll take a degenerate like Milo over a traditional housewife like Nancy Pelosi any day of the week. I would have preferred C S Lewis or Barry Goldwater but they’re dead and this is trench warfare and we don’t have that luxury.
Milo wants to help save the world, but not for himself or for his children. There is something admirable in this.
I strongly urge everyone to read this analysis.
Why? Because yesterday, the acting Secy of the Navy relieved the captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt of his command. The details are intricate but what he did was leak out an email outside the chain of command.
The upshot is that he telegraphed to the entire world –and specifically the Chinese–that the Roosevelt is out of commission for the time being. Not good.
Therefore I ask that you realize what is at stake:
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/04/china_is_preparing_to_start_a_war_with_america.html
The upshot is that China does not have the luxury of time: like Japan in 1941, it has to strike immediately.
Japan had no illusions about defeating the US but by decisively defeating the US Pacific Fleet, it could buy some time in order to sue for peace and keep its oversees empire somewhat intact. During this interim, it would slowly withdraw its forces from the Asian mainland.
George Michalopulos: “https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/04/china_is_preparing_to_start_a_war_with_america.html
The upshot is that China does not have the luxury of time: like Japan in 1941, it has to strike immediately.”
I did not like this article and comments underneath. I find it paranoid.
Time works for China, war will not.
Agreed, Martin.
War is not in China’s interest. War is in no one’s interest save those who “rage about, seeking to consume and to destroy”, who lust after military glory atop a mountain of dead, and those who will profit handsomely by it.
And all it does is demonstrate that tinfoil-hatters also read The Wall Street Journal. What this article is doing on Monomakhos is beyond me.
Sincerely,
E M Cimmins
Yet more reason that Stamatakis’ assessment of the death of globalism is correct:
https://vdare.com/articles/patrick-j-buchanan-when-it-s-over-will-we-be-the-same-america?scroll_to_paragraph=8
More good info from Stamatakis about how Greece contained the novel corona virus:
https://www.helleniscope.com/2020/04/10/how-did-greece-manage-so-well-the-covid-19-crisis/
Read it all. It’s a warts-and-all perspective. The last paragraph is pure Buchananism. Yet another indication that this globalist overreach will likely fail.