Month: July 2022

Categories
political

Fauci Continues To Infuriate

Medical dictator for life Anthony Fauci has said there should have been more stringent restrictions during the lock down. As if the lock down was not brutal enough as it was and did not make life as miserable as possible for the entire world. Fauci is a tyrant who has no empathy for ordinary citizens.

Everyone made enormous sacrifices during the lock downs. People could not go to work, Church, or eat in restaurants. People became depressed and suffered from depression. Thankfully, the lockdowns ended two years ago.

Fauci did not have to make these statements. If he were a real human being he would not have made them. He is a narcissist who secretly ordered the funding of the lab in Wuhan in 2017 without consulting with the President or the Secretary of Human Services. This power hungry man has no empathy for ordinary men and woman.

Consider another recent remark. He stated he would retire if Donald Trump were reelected. A serious Doctor would not be making partisan statements such as that. Testifying before the Senate months ago, Fauci attacked Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.

Fauci is an unpleasant person and a fraud. He must be removed. Despite boasting about quitting if Trump is reelected, Fauci will not keep his vow. Fauci loves power and the spotlight and will never willingly resign.

All the more reason for the Republicans to take both houses of Congress in November. Out with Fauci the medical Stalinist!

Categories
political

Nancy Pelosi And China

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is intent on taking a trip to Taiwan which has infuriated the government in Beijing. The Chinese government is most certainly an evil one. Taiwan is a democracy while China is a totalitarian state.

Reality has to intrude here. Nancy Pelosi is a politician and more than likely is attempting to play politics on a very delicate issue. The stupidity of the Democrats and their ignorance of foreign affairs has the potential to do enormous damage to international peace and stability.

Should China invade Taiwan it will be impossible to remove Chinese forces. War with China is unthinkable based on reality. The hawkish statements coming from both parties indicated they have not learned from the mistakes in Ukraine. The Democrats (but also the neocons) played politics with Russia and Ukraine. Their demand that Ukraine become a member of NATO led to the Russian invasion.

Taiwan is not the only problem with China. America’s biggest problem with China is the lab leak in Wuhan which led to the pandemic. House Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats should stop the political posturing. If they want to challenge China’s nefarious influence they should begin investigating China’s stooges in Washington.

Shut down the January 6 investigations and join the Republicans in investigating the origins of the Wuhan lab leak. Anthony Fauci is complicit with the Chinese government and military. Fauci authorized funding for gain of function research in Wuhan and cared nothing about the involvement of the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Liberation Army with said research.

Crack down on Americans involved with China. This includes Fauci and Eco Health Alliance which funded the Wuhan Labs. We should also remember that the World Health Organization is complicit with the Chinese coverup in Wuhan. That organization’s Director General has longstanding ties with Beijing and accepted at face value Chinese assurances that covid could not be spread from person to person.

The Trump administration cut off aid to the World Health Organization when it refused to reform itself by cutting off Chinese influence. Nancy Pelosi is a fraud and an incompetent politician playing politics over Taiwan. The Biden administration resumed funding to the World Health Organization. There are also the ties between Beijing and Hunter Biden.

It is well known that the Ughyurs in China are the victims of genocide. Over one million of these Muslims are held in concentration camps. It would be more helpful if Pelosi went to the Chinese mainland to discuss the Ughyurs and the Wuhan lab along with Taiwan. Visits to Taiwan should be made by professional diplomats at the State Department.

Considering the Democrats responsibility for the war in Ukraine, it is impossible to take them seriously on foreign policy. Yes, China is a totalitarian government but also a major power. Tensions should be defused and the status quo on Taiwan should be maintained.

Pelosi and the Democrats have taken hawkish stands on Ukraine and Taiwan. This despite the American failures in Iraq and Afghanistan. Do they really want to risk conflict with China? We know they are willing to risk conflict with Russia.

Once again we see the difference between conventional politicians in both parties and Donald Trump. Both parties believe in participating in wars in order to promote their ideas of “democracy”. Trump to his credit did not believe in this bullshit and succeeded in not starting any wars for four years.

Taiwan deserves independence but the Unites States cannot guarantee that independence. Caution and deescalation should dictate how to proceed with China. A free and democratic China should be the long term goal which will benefit Taiwan in the long term.

The process of democratizing China can begin by addressing the Wuhan lab leak and the Ughyurs first and foremost. Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats have a nerve. They have stayed quiet on the matter of Chinese responsibility for Covid. Everything they do is about politics and that is what Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is about.

Categories
political

The Return Of Greek American Glory?

A Congressional Amendment sponsored by Chris Pappas (D) of New Hampshire has passed. This Amendment would prevent the Biden administration from selling F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. The Biden administration can still get around this by suggesting that the sales to Turkey are in the interests of American national security.

As imperfect as this Amendment is it is still a sign of success and an indication that Greek American influence may be returning. The way to build on this success is for the Greek American leadership to turn its back on the Biden administration. It is clear that Biden is no friend to Greece and Cyprus.

The foreign policy establishment has demonstrated it has no real grasp of realities in the contemporary world. Biden is getting his instructions from Anthony Blinken and others at the State Department. Blinken and the others are unimpressive in terms of their diplomatic abilities and understanding of what is transpiring.

The commitment to Turkey by this administration is out of date by decades. The old Kemalist regime (itself far from compatible with American interests) is gone and will not be returning. The Trump administration while not perfect in regards to Turkey showed signs of breaking with the pro Turkish past. The Greece-Cyprus-Israel agreement to import gas to Europe was supported by the Trump administration.

Biden and his advisors (mostly Victoria Nuland) destroyed that agreement. Biden and his administration only see the world through their anti Russian hatred. They do not see the ugly reality that Turkey is.

The success of this Amendment looks promising for further successes. Aside from the fact that Biden will not be seeking a second term (or if he does he will lose to another Democrat), Biden has stabbed Greece and Cyprus in the back. The Greek organizations should completely ignore his administration and work with those members of Congress, the think tanks, and careerists in the foreign policy establishment to cut off all aid to Turkey.

Greece and Cyprus have not had a major success in America since the Congressional Arms embargo on Turkey after the invasion of Cyprus. Hopefully, those glory days of Greek America will return.

Categories
political

Remembering Cyprus

Today in 1974, Turkey launched its first of two invasions of Cyprus. Supposedly, the invasion was carried out to prevent the union of Cyprus with Greece. On July 15, Greek dictator Dimtrios Ioannides ordered the assassination of Cypriot Makarios and installed fascist Nikos Sampson as President.

The Turkish government had originally renounced all claims to Cyprus at the Lausanne Conference in 1923. In 1955, Turkey claimed Cyprus despite the fact that eighty percent of Cypriots were Greek and that Ankara had renounced claims to Cyprus. The Turkish invasion of Cyprus was always about expansionism and colonialism.

The Democratic Party in 1974 (an entirely different party from the one today) understood what had happened in Cyprus and succeeded in imposing an embargo on Turkey. Turkey had invaded Cyprus a second time on August 14 long after the Ioannides government had been removed in Athens. Cyprus was about occupation and expansionism nothing else.

It is to the discredit of America, Europe, NATO, and the United Nations that Cyprus remains under Turkish occupation. Nothing calls out the hypocrisy of the “free” world than the occupation of Cyprus. The Biden administration hypocritically seeks to sell Turkey F16 fighter planes. The Democrats of 1974 were more principled.

The major villain in America was then Secretary of State Henry Kissinger who worked to ensure the Turkish invasion would not be opposed. Today, it is Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland who harms Cyprus and Greece. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party seem to have changed places.

Today, it is the Democrats who advocate a hawkish foreign policy against Russia which is to the benefit of Turkey. Five decades ago, it was the anti Soviet Republicans who promoted policies that benefitted Turkey. Hypocrisy abounds in Washington as Turkey continues to receive American support.

Turkey has always been a sick country. Turkey is sicker under Erdogan but this has made no difference in Washington. The struggle for Cyprus is not over and all Greeks everywhere should consider Cyprus the most important issue for Hellenism.

Categories
political

Graham, Biden, And The Neocons

Neoconservative Senator Lindsey Graham has stated he supports the Biden administration’s decision to sell F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. The pro war elements in America remain pro Turkish. Graham is proof that there is no substantive difference in foreign policy between the Democrats and the neoconservative faction of the Republican Party.

Graham visited Turkey and proved how stupid many elected officials really are. A politician visits a country and is easily charmed. This speaks poorly of the Senator’s intellect and understanding of history and world affairs. According to Ekathemerini, Graham says the US and Turkey have had a “problematic relationship at times”.

Graham and Biden are united by the fact that they are both warmongers and believe the propaganda of the neocons. Trump was less than perfect on Greek issues, but a major improvement over all his predecessors Republicans and Democrats. He was certainly better for Greece than Biden has been.

Donald Trump and Mike Pompeo supported the Greece-Cyprus-Israel pipeline agreement that Biden and Victoria Nuland torpedoed. Two years ago, Greece successfully chased a Turkish ship away from the island of Castellorizo. Trump’s refusal to intervene was beneficial to Greece.

With the Biden administration backing Turkey, it is noticeable that Greece has been having a more difficult time with Ankara as the Turks openly claim the Greek islands. Graham is a neoconservative just like Victoria Nuland. These are shady and unscrupulous people. It says something about Biden that he is working with such people.

Categories
faith

The Scandal Widens

The Washington Post and Forbes magazine ran news items on the “gay” baptisms that have triggered so much anger in the greater Orthodox world. In addition, the story was posted on the website for ABC News. This incident easily eclipses any other controversy involving Archbishop Elpidophoros and that is saying a good deal about how bad this is.

Archbishop Elpidophoros appears to have acted unilaterally. This is in contrast to Metropolitan Antonios of Glyfada who upon learning that the “parents” of the children that had been baptized were both men stated that he would have asked for the holy synod of the Church of Greece to convene in order to rule on the matter before proceeding with the baptisms. It is beyond doubt that the Archbishop misled Metropolitan Antonios.

So far the aforementioned news reports have reported what has happened and have made no commentary on the matter. It would not be surprising if the secular media began making judgements against the Orthodox Church as it is very clear the media is very supportive of the LGBT agenda. On the one hand, the Orthodox Church could take the opportunity to be in the spotlight in order to proclaim the truth of the gospel and to teach America why LGBT is sinful.

On the other hand, the Orthodox Church could become a target of never ending hostility and hatred like the Roman Catholics and Evangelicals have. Whatever the case, this entire affair has been horribly mishandled. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese has been plagued by scandals for many years and is clearly not up to the task of preaching the gospel to Americans.

Archbishop Elpidophoros has not only brought the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and the Ecumenical Patriarchate further disgrace, he has dragged the Church of Greece into this mess. Not a single word of apology or explanation from Archbishop Elpidophoros to Metropolitan Antonios of Glyfada or the holy synod of the Church of Greece.

In addition, there are the two children who received holy baptism. None of this is their fault. It is most lamentable that their baptisms are going to be associated with the nefarious actions of both the Archbishop and the “family” and other adults involved in this matter.

Regarding the adults involved in this matter. They deserve a certain degree of sympathy for the humiliation they may feel, but not for the choices they have made. It is clear these people are unchurched otherwise how could any of them have gone on social media to celebrate a Greek Orthodox “gay baptism”? Archbishop Elpidophoros is to blame for all hurt feelings and embarrassment in this matter and should have made it clear the Orthodox Church does not permit same sex marriages. The issue of the surrogate mother is further evidence of the Archbishop’s failure to provide moral and spiritual guidance.

The first step in cleaning up this mess is to depose Archbishop Elpidophoros. The opportunity is at hand for the Ecumenical Patriarch to be a spiritual leader by removing the Archbishop and to clarify for good measure before the whole world what the Orthodox Church actually teaches. The Ecumenical Patriarch must clean house.

There is still Ukraine and the schism, but for now all Orthodox Churches are watching to see what Patriarch Bartholomew and the holy synod of Constantinople are going to do in the aftermath of the scandalous behavior of Archbishop Elpidophoros.

Categories
political

Greece Gets Support

As Turkey continues to provoke Greece, there is some support for Athens. The State Department and even Germany are condemning Turkey. Granted, this does not mean that real support will be coming but for diplomatic purposes these displays of support are helpful.

The most promising support comes from the Jewish lobby in America. The Jewish lobby opposes the Biden administration’s intention to sell F-16 fighter planes to Turkey. This is the support that could be most helpful to Greece.

A partnership between Greece and Israel is most welcome. The Israelis are more enlightened than the Americans or the Europeans. There support for Greece and Cyprus seems more sincere. The Israelis know that Turkey cannot be trusted.

On the other hand, Israel is an ally of Azerbaijan. Israel needs to cut off Azerbaijan which is Turkey’s puppet and is committing crimes against humanity against Armenians. For Turkey to be defeated, Azerbaijan must be cut off by Israel.

Categories
faith

Stopped He Must Be

Syriza leader (and former Greek Prime Minister) Alexis Tsipras has praised the baptisms of the two children of a homosexual couple by Archbishop Elpidophoros. Tsipras is an atheist and that is his business and his right. There is something irritating in Tsipras calling critics of the Archbishop “right wing”.

What secularists do not understand is that this is not a political issue. It is a spiritual issue with serious repercussions for the future. Saint Paul considered same sex relationships sinful as can be seen by his Epistle to the Romans. The law of Moses in the Old Testament likewise criticizes homosexuality.

The Orthodox Church is not a political party or a club. It’s leader is Jesus Christ. Its moral teachings are not reversible. This is the point that Tsipras and the attendees of the aforementioned baptism do not understand. God is real and protects the Church from persecution and keeps it on track despite the fact that it is filled with sinners (both heterosexual and homosexual) and some terrible bishops and priests.

What has created anger are the expressed views of family and others at the baptism that the first “gay Greek Orthodox baptism” took place. These people do not understand the Orthodox Church. It is well provocative for them to push this agenda on the Church.

Alexis Tsipras is way out of order in commenting on Church matters. Tsipras is not only not Orthodox, he is not even a real Greek. He is a Marxist and an internationalist and his tenure as Prime Minister was a disaster for Greece. No one wants to hear from him.

Archbishop Elpidophoros is of course to blame for this whole matter. Tsipras and the others are ignorant. The Archbishop has no excuse for his deplorable actions. This is a sorry situation created by a narcissistic man who happens to be an Archbishop.

The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece will be meeting on Monday to discuss the matter. Criticism of the baptism and the family should be tempered by Christian mercy. Same sex relationships can never be recognized but the Church should make an effort to explain its teachings (which Archbishop Elpidophoros neglected to do) in a gentle manner to all those involved.

The Synod should also impose a lifetime ban on Archbishop Elpidophoros. The Archbishop should be barred from ever serving within the Church of Greece again. The Greek Churches have a special responsibility for stopping Archbishop Elpidophoros. Stopped he must be.

On the bright side, there are two babies who were baptized and are members of the Orthodox Church. This itself should be a source of rejoicing despite the sinister things done before and after the baptism.

Categories
Analysis

The Church Is A Hospital For Sinners But Cannot Change

Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese needs to be deposed. For years, he has been a controversial and polarizing figure. He is indifferent to the controversy and division that he has left in his wake. His contribution to the schism in Ukraine as a result of his distortion of Orthodox ecclesiology is the most notorious example.

Metropolitan Antonios of the Metropolis of Glyfada in the Church of Greece has given new information regarding the baptismal ceremony that has caused such an uproar in Orthodoxy. The American Archbishop asked permission from the Metropolitan to preside over a baptism of two babies in a parish in Glyfada. The American hierarch told the Metropolitan it was a family baptism without pointing out the “parents” were gay.

His eminence Metropolitan Antonios has stated flat out he was deceived. It is clear that Archbishop Elpidophoros was dishonest. The Archbishop has NOT communicated with the Metropolitan ever since despite the uproar and division that has ensued. The Archbishop must be removed at this point as he has demonstrated his unfitness to lead the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.

His eminence Metropolitan Antonios has expressed sympathy for the babies. This was clearly a delicate situation. The Orthodox Church does not recognize or permit same sex unions. There is a view that says the children should have been baptized despite the status of the “parents”. The Metropolitan has said that if he knew the status of the family he would raised the issue with the holy synod which would have collectively made a decision as to whether the baptism should proceed.

Indeed, some voices within the Church of Greece suggest the baptisms should have proceeded. If Archbishop Elpidophoros had been honest this entire controversy could have been avoided. While the majority of the blame lies with the Archbishop the family and the guests contributed to the anger of scandalized Orthodox faithful by their insensitive comments.

The guests did not celebrate the entry of two beautiful children of God into the holy Church. They seemed to celebrate the imposition of homosexual relationships on the Orthodox Church as if the Church were a secular institution susceptible to modernization and evolving standards of social morality. They hurt themselves by their apathy toward the sacred teachings of Orthodoxy which emanate from revelation and holy tradition. Proudly referencing the “first gay baptism” in the Orthodox Church was a provocation against the Church and her faithful.

It is sad to see that people have been embarrassed and hurt. The Church in the end has an obligation to her founder Jesus Christ and to adhere to holy scripture and sacred tradition. Archbishop Elpidophoros put everyone in an awkward position by failing to adequately convey the moral teachings of the Orthodox Church.

None of this should have happened. This case does create the need for the Orthodox Church to adopt a firm stance regarding the issue of baptism when the parents of a child do not adhere to Orthodox teaching. Sexuality is not the only instance in which something like this could happen. What if the parents are white supremacists or adhere to other anti Christian ideas and philosophies?

This should be a wake up call to the Greek speaking Churches. For nearly three years, the Ecumenical Patriarchate has dominated the Church of Greece. This case illustrates why the Church of Greece must be removed from the domineering influence of Constantinople and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.

Archbishop Elpidophoros had very little experience as pastor or bishop when he was elected Archbishop. The bishops in Greece are very experienced and have real flocks unlike the Archbishop in his former see at Proussa. This should be the time for the Church of Greece to reclaim its autocephaly and to tell the Archbishop that he will never again be permitted to serve in Greece.

If the Ecumenical Patriarchate wants to recover the credibility it has lost mostly because of Ukraine (and other issues) it will depose the Archbishop and rule out the possibility of assigning him elsewhere. The Patriarchate should repent for Ukraine but that is another story. The Orthodox Church is a hospital for sinners that does not seek to turn people away. But it can never change what Christ has given through the scriptures, the apostles, the fathers, and holy tradition.

Categories
faith

Betraying The Orthodox Church

Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has baptized the children of a Greek homosexual couple in Greece. Many people would argue that the children being baptized is good despite the life styles of the “parents”. That sentiment is well intended but misguided.

The problem lies with the fact that the “couple” do not intend to live a Christian lifestyle and the children are going to be exposed to a life (and more accurately a political movement) that is anti Christian. That makes the decision of the Archbishop to proceed with these baptisms deplorable. The “parents”, godparents, and others who attended the baptisms (wealthy Greeks the type who I suspect support the Greek left) did not celebrate the reception of these boys into the Church.

They celebrated the idea that the Greek Orthodox Church is becoming “modern” and adapting to the new pagan social agenda. The holy sacrament of baptism seems to have been overshadowed by the celebration of LGBT ideology. It is interesting to see that these baptisms did not occur under the auspices of a bishop of the Church of Greece. Greek Bishops remain traditionalist despite the heavy pressure and bullying that they have endured from the Ecumenical Patriarchate in recent years.

Archbishop Elpidophoros has a disregard for Orthodoxy. Upon being elected Archbishop in 2019 he had a poor reputation owing to his view that the Ecumenical Patriarch was “first without equals”. His views on Orthodox ecclesiology advocate the overthrow of the conciliar tradition which holds that only an ecumenical council in which ALL Orthodox Churches participate has authority in Orthodoxy. He has made horrendous blunders such as marching with the Marxist black lives matter whose members burned Bibles and advocate the defunding of the Police.

He also attended the Turkish gala at the Turkish consulate last year in which the leader of the Turkish occupation of Cyprus was present. It is clear that this man has no business being either an Archbishop or serving in the priesthood. His betrayals of Orthodoxy continue unabated.

He must be deposed.