Categories
political

The Election Results

At this point it is clear that Joe Biden won the elections of 2020. President Trump should be more gracious than the Democrats were four years ago when he was elected President. The President should congratulate the President elect and move on.

It it is true that their was fraud in the elections, it would not be the first time. Richard Nixon was aware of the fact that JFK stole the elections of 1960 but accepted the results anyway for the good of the country. President elect Biden spoke well as did Vice President elect Harris. But then again politicians speak well and they read speeches written by others. Let us wait and see if they put their nice words into practice.

President Donald Trump was a President of substance and not empty rhetoric. We shall not see another President like this in our life time. An outsider who spent his life in the private sector who went straight to the Presidency rather than being a career politician. Trump was not particularly articulate but he governed well and was effective in the formulation of policy.

As the Trump administration exits, so does this bloggers purpose for voting. Even if Donald Trump has won the election this would have been the farewell vote for this blogger. With the exit of Donald Trump, a genuine independent, the Republican party will likely be retaken by the neoconservatives

Therefore, there is no reason to support either party in the future. This blog has criticized the Democrats and will criticize the pre and post Trump Republican Party. Before Donald Trump, the Republican Party was the party of the war criminals George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, John McCain, and Mitt Romney. I expect the parasitical neoconservatives to reclaim the Republican Party.

Greek American organizations endorsed Joe Biden. It should be remembered that American foreign policy began tilting away from Turkey toward Greece under the Trump administration. Greece found new life and assertiveness under Prime Minister Mitsotakis and credit should be given to the Presidency of Donald Trump. All previous administrations of both parties have supported Turkey and always bullied Greece.

The Trump administration never exerted pressure on Greece to appease Turkey and this has shown itself as Athens has stood up to Turkish bullying. The Trump administration adopted a sane policy toward Russia and removed the United States from Syria. There was the danger of instigating war with Iran but the Trump administration reversed itself after the mistake in killing Iranian General Soleimani.

We have now an incoming administration talking about “science”. Both the President and Vice President elect mentioned science in their speeches. Do they think that the idea that a man can get pregnant is scientific? Do they think that there are sixty three genders? We shall see what kind of social agenda they pursue.

Hopefully, the election of an African American Vice President will contribute to easing tensions in America. This should contribute to killing the idea that America is racist. It should not be forgotten that the elections of 2020 were conducted under the threat of civil unrest and political violence mainly from the Democratic side.

In any case, it is time to wait and see. In the Orthodox Church, it is customary to pray during the divine liturgy and in private prayers for the head of country. Throughout history, the Church has prayed for Christian and non Christian rulers alike. For Byzantine Emperors and Ottoman Sultans. For Russian Tsars and Communist leaders.

The President elect and the Democratic Party cannot be considered Christian. But they are not the Ottomans and Communists either. We will pray for them in our Orthodox prayers as we have for all previous Presidents. Let us hope that they will be enlightened and respectful of the right of Christians and others to profess their faith and dissent from the new radicalism that the Democratic Party embraces.

Categories
political

The Coup of the Media

For four years, the Democrats and their media (CNN, MSCNBC, The New York Times, and all the rest) declared war on democracy. They did not like the outcome of the 2016 elections and so they dragged a foreign country (Russia) into American domestic politics. The Russians were to blame. It could not possibly be that the American voter did not want Queen Hillary for President.

From the get go, the Democrats showed how incapable of rational thought they were. In 2017, Democratic Party official and former Bill Clinton advisor Paul Begala openly called for the bombing of Russia. Think of this, a prominent Democrat called for the bombing of a nuclear armed country and the media did not think this was worthy of universal condemnation.

Many Americans are unaware of the Begala comments because the media has not publicized them. Americans are also not aware of the scandals involving Joe Biden and his son Hunter which the media ignored. The media is an active participant in the political process not an objective critic and observer.

The farce that is now playing out in America in the aftermath of the elections began in 2016 when the Democrats and the media refused to accept Donald Trump’s victory. We are being lectured on Covid-19 but it has been forgotten that when this disease was coming to America and spreading the Democrats distracted the country with their attempted Coup against the President. The month of February where time should have been used to protect the country from Covid 19 was wasted because the Democrats sought to impeach the President for something that Joe Biden did!

That’s right, they tried to impeach the President for something that Joe Biden did. Joe Biden can be found on Youtube openly admitting that as Vice President he threatened to kill a $100 billion aid package to Ukraine if that government did not fire the prosecutor that was investigating the gas company that Hunter Biden was on the board of. All Donald Trump did was congratulate Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on his election victory and merely asked if his government could supply evidence of wrongdoing by Hunter Biden.

The impeachment was garbage and was simply an attempt by the Democrats to reverse the outcome of the 2016 elections. Democrats and their media friends should not be surprised that the President has his suspicions regarding the electoral process. They have been trying to bring him down for four years.

It is the story of the boy who cried wolf. Tell too many lies and no one believes you. The Democrats and the media have whipped up anti Trump hysteria to such an extent who can now take them seriously?

Let us look at where we are at the present time. We are enduring the repressive conditions created by Covid 19. Exactly how are the Democrats going to make things better? The Democrats and their followers are more concerned about abortions for pregnant men (Julian Castro), supporting the murder of live babies (Governor Ralph Nordham), and promoting sex changes for children.

Yeah, let’s have a political party whose supporters believe there are sixty three genders have a shot at ruling America. The Democrats who have maligned Russia repeatedly because the Russians objected to the LGBTQ agenda being taught in their schools. China runs concentration camps that have incarcerated over one million Ughyur Muslims and not a word about China. Nor is there any condemnation of China’s attack on Hong Kong democracy.

It appears as of this writing that Trump has lost the elections. In that case, Trump should be gracious and step aside. On the other hand, it is entirely understandable why Trump is fighting considering four years of unceasing attempts to discredit and undermine his administration. It is time to move on and get on with the business of finding a vaccine and moving as quickly as possible to restore normal living conditions to the entire world.

Categories
political

Greece and the US Get closer

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has written a letter to Greek Foreign Minister Dendias expressing support for Greece’s stances in the Aegean. It is abundantly clear that relations between Turkey and the United States continue to deteriorate. There is no question that Greek and American future relations look good at this point.

Erdogan under Turkey is an Islamic dictatorship becoming ever increasingly authoritarian domestically and aggressive externally. The Secretary of State however is undoing his pro Greek stance by the actions he has taken toward the Orthodox Church and must still be removed owing to these actions. Greece and Cyprus need national unity at this point in time and as a result of the Ukrainian Church situation serious religious divisions exist in the Greek Churches.

The prospects for Greece and Cyprus look good. They would look even better without the Church schisms that appear to be escalating. The Russian Embassy in Athens has been putting forward pro Greek positions and support Greece’s right to extend its territory to twelve nautical miles. Greek-Russian relations could be put at risk owing to the Church dispute.

On top of this, American elections could complicate matters much more. It is at best unclear how a Biden administration will approach Greece and Turkey. Despite the image of Biden as a friend of Hellenism, the reality is he has never done much for Greece and Cyprus. Things are moving in the right direction for Greece and so the maintenance of the status quo (minus Pompeo) would seem to be best for Greece and Cyprus.

Categories
cinema

The Great Horror Films of all time (Special Halloween Entry)

Reviews for individual films may be done at a later time. For Halloween, my list as cinephile and horror fan of the greatest horror films of all time. A brief summation will follow the list.

1) The Exorcist (1973)

2) Night of the Living Dead (1968)

3) The Evil Dead (1982)

4) The Haunting (1963)

5) Frankenstein (1931)

6) Dracula (1931)

7) Horror of Dracula (1958)

8) Jaws (1975)

9) An American Werewolf in London (1981)

10) Hereditary (2018)

11) Dawn of the Dead (1979)

12) The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

13) Psycho (1960)

14) Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

15)The Wicker Man (1973)

16) The Conjuring (2013)

17) The Wolf Man (1941)

18) Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

19) The Blair Witch Project (1999)

20) The Old Dark House (1932)

21) Demons (1985)

22) Creepshow (1982)

23) The Last Exorcism (2010)

24) The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

25) Drag me to hell (2009)

26) Evil Dead 2 Dead by Dawn (1987)

27) 28 Days Later (2003)

28) The Woman in Black (2012)

29) Suspiria (1977)

30) Insidious (2011)

31) Son of Frankenstein (1939)

32) Silence of the lambs (1991)

33) Sleepy Hollow (1999)

34) Halloween (1978)

35) House of 1,000 Corpses (2003)

36) Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969)

37) Return of the Living Dead (1985)

38) Salem’s Lot (1979)

39) The Raven (1935)

40) Nosferatu (1922)

41) Dracula Prince of Darkness (1966)

42) The Blob (1958)

43) Nosferatu (1979)

44) The Others (2001)

45) Pet Semetary (1989)

46) Abott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

47) The Last Man on Earth (1964)

48) 1408 (2007)

49) The Black Cat (1933)

50) Requiem (2006)

51) Army of Darkness (1993)

52) The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)

53) Carrie (1976)

54) House on Haunted Hill (1958)

55) Martin (1978)

56) Vampyr (1932)

57) The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

58) The Mummy (1932)

59) House of Frankenstein (1944)

60) Dracula has risen from the grave (1968)

61) House of Wax (1953)

62) The Mist (2007)

63) Signs (2002)

64) The Brides of Dracula (1961)

65) Fright Night (1985)

66) From Dusk Till Dawn (1995)

67) Island of lost souls (1933)

68) Damien Omen 2 (1978)

69) Young Frankenstein (1974)

70) The Mummy (1999)

71) Planet Terror (2007)

72) Plague of the Zombies (1966)

73) Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943)

74) Count Dracula (BBC Film) (1977)

75) The Devil Rides Out (1968)

76) Shaun of the Dead (2004)

77) The Conjuring 2 (2016)

78) The Devil’s Advocate (1997)

79) Taste the Blood of Dracula (1969)

80) Dark Shadows (2012)

81) Diary of the Dead (2008)

82) The Ninth Gate (2000)

83) The Phantom of the Opera (1925)

84) The Invisible Man (1933)

85) Stephen King’s IT (1990)

86) Isle of the Dead (1945)

87) Day of the Dead (1985)

88) The Devil’s Rejects (2005)

89) Dracula (1979)

90) Dawn of the Dead (2004)

91) The Mummy (1959)

92) Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932)

93) Interview with the Vampire (1994)

94) Misery (1990)

95) Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

96) Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

97) Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)

98) Zombieland (2009)

99) Night of the Living Dead (1990)

100) The Wolfman (2010)

Summarization of my horror list

Horror films vary from scary and terrifying (The Exorcist, Hereditary) to films that are more lighthearted (Evil Dead 2 Dead By Dawn). There are only a handful of serial killer films (slasher films) on this list. These include classics and masterpieces such as “Psycho”, “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, “Halloween”, and “Silence of the the Lambs” that stand out because of their sophistication and intelligence.

Slasher films are usually garbage but these handful of films are exceptions. Many of the films on this list are from the golden age of horror of the 1930’s and 1940’s produced by Universal Studios. Some are from Hammer Film Studios, the British studio that remade Frankenstein and Dracula.

Some films that would be near the top of most horror film lists such as the “Shining” and the “Omen” do not appear on this list. “The Sixth Sense” does not appear on this list either. These are three very overrated films.

“The Shining” is probably the most overrated film in horror history. Two and a half hours of a film that has only three main characters. It is never clear if one has not read the novel whether Jack Torrence (played by Jack Nicholson) is losing his mind or if the ghosts he sees are real. A tremendously overrated film with too much overacting. Jack Nicholson is good in the film but he is less scary than he is unintentionally funny. In addition, I simply do not care for Director Stanley Kubrick whose films in general are depressing and undermine the pleasures involved in going to the movies.

The best horror film in recent years is “Hereditary” which is one of the scariest movies made in a long time. The story about a dysfunctional family and a grandmother who was active in the occult is one of the best horror films ever made. Other great films in recent years include “The Blair Witch Project” which was a tremendously scary film when it was released in 1999.

“The Exorcist” remains the greatest horror film of all time. a truly theological film with great drama and suspense. “Night of the Living Dead” is the follow up at number two. A classic filmed in black and white and the film that came to define the zombie genre the story has much to say about man’s nature in times of crisis. The film can be seen in many ways as a metaphor for the expulsion of man from paradise.

A happy and safe Halloween to all!

Categories
Letters

Letter to My Senator

Dear Senator,

I am writing to inform you of the blatant violation of my right to freedom of religion as a result of the policies of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and American Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt. I will try to be as brief as possible. The State Department has meddled in the internal affairs of Eastern Orthodox Churches in Constantinople (Istanbul) and Greece. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for the past two years has asked the hierarchy of these two Orthodox Churches to recognize a schismatic faction of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the country of Ukraine.


There is an ecclesiastical schism in Ukraine which is strictly an internal religious matter for the Orthodox Church to deal with. Unfortunately, the Secretary of State lobbied Orthodox hierarchs in the above mentioned Churches to extend recognition to the Ukrainian schismatics. The Secretary of State had no business intervening in religious matters and had no business lobbying any Orthodox hierarchs on matters that were strictly religious. I am certain that the Secretary of State and the American Ambassador to Greece have violated theAmerican constitution and American law by in effect pronouncing on the validity of religious beliefs and doctrines as they have made a mockery of the Orthodox Church’s traditional teachings on priestly ordinations and the consecration of Bishops. 


 The Eastern Orthodox Church holds that the schismatic faction in Ukraine is invalid under its canon laws which regulate and govern the spiritual life of Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide. By intervening in these internal matters the Secretary of State and the American Ambassador are completely out of order and deserve to be reprimanded and/or possibly removed from their present positions as a result of their highly unethical and inappropriate actions. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the country of Ukraine which is considered the legitimate Church by Eastern Orthodoxy has been fiercely persecuted by the Ukrainian government which grants favoritism and support to the schismatic entity whose followers engage in violence and the forcible seizure of Churches from the legitimate Church which meets the criteria under Orthodox Canon law to be considered canonical.


 The intervention of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in these internal religious matters has played havoc with the spiritual life of Orthodox Christians throughout the world. This includes myself as your constituent. I have a parish that I especially like but as a result of the schism in Eastern Orthodoxy that is growing I may have to go to another Orthodox jurisdiction in order to maintain my status as an Orthodox Christian in good standing with the universal Orthodox Church. Presently, I am under the Ecumenical Patriarchate which resides in Constantinople (Istanbul). The present Patriarch altered the traditional stance of his Patriarchate in 2018 and extended recognition to the breakaway faction of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church at the behest of American officials at the State Department.


 During the fall of 2019, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo travelled to Athens and lobbied the Orthodox Archbishop of Athens to extend recognition to the break away faction of the Ukrainian Church. He had no business asking the Archbishop of Athens to do this. Furthermore, the American Ambassador to Athens Geoffrey Pyatt in a speech in Athens last November openly endorsed the subsequent change of stance on the aforementioned religious issue by the Archbishop of Athens. The Ambassador had no business commenting on Church matters and no business interfering in them.
 

In recent days, it appears the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Cyprus has now followed the actions of the Ecumenical Patriarch and Archbishop of Athens and has extended recognition to the schismatic Ukrainian entity. News reports suggest this decision was made not long after the visit to Cyprus of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. I am sorry to bother you with matters of religion but the fact of the matter is that Secretary Pompeo, Ambassador Pyatt, and others within the State Department are violating the right to freedom of religion and freedom of conscience. These matters impact me personally as the actions of these officials may eventually force me to find another Eastern Orthodox jurisdiction in America. 


 Thank you for your time. My thoughts and prayers for you and your staff, and for all the members of the United States Senate during these very difficult times.


Theodore G. Karakostas 

Categories
history

OHI DAY!!!!

Today in history the treacherous forces of Mussolini’s Italy invaded Greece. Mussolini believed that Greece would be an easy conquest. As Hitler had conquered country after country in Europe without consulting his ally Mussolini, the “Duce” decided he would show Hitler by taking Greece. It was a miscalculation and Prime Minister Metaxas responded with the defiant “OHI” when the Italians requested free passage of their troops in Greece.

In only ten days, the Greeks crushed the Italians and pushed them back into Albania. Hitler had not been interested in Greece and had Mussolini not ordered the invasion of Greece, it is possible Greece would have sat out the war unscathed. Hitler ordered the invasion of Greece to bail out his Italian allies.

The significance of the Greek victory cannot be understated. The decisive victory over the the Italians and the German invasion of Greece delayed the Nazi invasion of Russia which allowed the Russian winter late in 1941 to have its effects on the Germans. This was the restoration of Hellenic glory.

The Germans forced the Greeks to surrender to the Italians despite the fact that Greece had decisively crushed them. Greece was subsequently occupied by Germany, Italy, and Bulgaria. Greece endured three and a half years of brutal occupation accompanied by famine and horrific massacres.

In addition, the Jews of Greece became subject to humiliation and subsequent deportations to Auschwitz where the vast majority were murdered. Most of the Jews of Northern Greece were deported under the zone of the Bulgarian occupation. The Greek Orthodox Church made maximum efforts to protect the Jewish population.

Archbishop Damaskinos of Athens protested and condemned the efforts to deport the Jews of Athens. Other Bishops such Gennadios of Thessaloniki, Chrysostom of Zakynthos, and Ioacheim of Volos assisted Greek Jews and have been recognized as “righteous among the nations” by the Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. In Northern Greece, Greek Bishops had been expelled and replaced by Bulgarian Bishops and this was a contributing factor to the high death rate of Greek Jews.

The war had a devastating impact on Greek society. Nevertheless, the Greeks fought with bravery and honor from the initial invasion by the Italians to the end when the Germans and their Bulgarian allies were forced to withdraw from Greek soil. The Greeks fought hard and bravely.

As a result of the Greek participation in the war and Turkey’s neutrality, the Dodecanese islands were ceded to Greece by the Italians as compensation for the invasion. Greek bravery led to the liberation of the Dodecanese! These same islands that are today claimed by Turkey.

The Greeks have always been valiant fighters. They will fight again in defense of Greek territory today if Turkish aggression were to manifest itself against Greek territory. May the Greek nation never forget the heroes who fought in defense of Greece against the Italians, Germans, and Bulgarians.

Categories
political

The Statesmanship of Mitsotakis

Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis continues performing well in his duties as an international statesman. The Prime Minister hosted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Greece. The two agreed that Greek membership in NATO and the European Union would not be an obstacle to Greek-Russian relations.

Foreign Minister Lavrov affirmed Russian support for Greece’s right under international law to extend its territory in the Aegean Sea to twelve nautical miles. Russia is coming down firmly on Greece’s side against Turkey. This is welcome as Greece is also gaining the support of the United States. In addition, Turkish President Erdogan has mocked the Trump administration by daring Washington to impose sanctions on Turkey.

Greece faces a challenge in attempting to win over both Washington and Moscow. Washington seeks to impose sanctions on Turkey because it purchased an s-400 defensive system from Russia. It is true that America is very staunchly anti Russian at this point.

However, American and Russian interests may conceivably merge with regard to Turkey. For centuries, Great Britain and France loathed the Russians and their foreign policies were directed againt the Russian Empire. Despite this traditional hostility both London and Paris made common cause with Russia during the First World War against Germany.

During the Second World War, London and Washington made common cause with Stalin against Hitler’s Germany. It is not inconceivable that Washington and Moscow could come to see Turkey as a common threat. For this reason, it is better for Donald Trump to be reelected President than for Joe Biden to be elected President.

The Russians and the Turks are on opposite sides in Libya as they were in Syria. Turkey is sponsoring Syrian jihadists in Azerbaijan and Libya, the same elements that fought Russia and the Asaad government in Syria. There can be no question that over the long term Russian and Turkish interests are completely incompatible.

The Trump administration’s friendly attitude to Russia is welcome on the grounds that in the event of a Russian-Turkish conflict (as nearly occurred in 2015), Washington will stay out of it. Joe Biden and the Democrats have become so anti Russian that they will not be able to be responsible in the event of a Russian and Turkish clash in the future. Greek interests necessitate depriving Turkey of both American and Russian support.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis is doing very well in defending Greek national interests. He is keeping all options open by maintaining friendly ties to both Washington and Moscow. The Erdogan government in Turkey is bound at some point to trigger a confrontation with with either one or both of these countries.

With some serious diplomatic activity, Greece can win the support of both America and Russia. The fact that American and Russian diplomatic officials have been visiting Athens lately demonstrates that Greece is rising as an important regional player. The opportunities are endless.

Categories
faith

Ukrainian Schism engulfs Church of Cyprus

Four Bishops of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus have angrily responded to the commemoration in the divine liturgy by Archbishop Chrysostom II of Epiphanios Dimenko, the “bishop” of the schismatic entity in Ukraine. The Archbishop’s commemoration of a man who has no priestly ordination or bishop’s consecration and is therefore not the head of an autocephalous Church is a serious violation of the canonical order of the Orthodox Church. This threatens to lead to a rupture of communion between the Orthodox Church of Cyprus and the Russian Orthodox Church of which the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church is an autonomous part of.

It is quite probable that the Archbishop has succumbed to pressure from the Ecumenical Patriarch and his powerful friends in the American government. The Members of the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus are rightfully furious with the Archbishop for making a decision that could destroy relations with the Russian Church and affect its relations with the rest of the Orthodox Church unilaterally.

Archbishop Chrysostomos II is only the latest Greek hierarch to disregard the holy and sacred canons of the Orthodox Church and to recognize the fake entity in Ukraine. Originally, the Bishops of the Church of Greece entered into communion with the fake “church” of Ukraine. Some of the Greek Monasteries on Mount Athos concelebrated the divine liturgy with some of the fake “bishops” of Ukraine. Like Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria, Archbishop Chrysostom had stated that he recognized only the canonical Ukrainian Church but then turned around and recognized the schismatics.

This action on the part of the Archbishop of Cyprus has now engulfed the last of the Greek speaking Churches in Orthodoxy. The Patriarchate of Jerusalem has refused to recognize the Ukrainian schismatics but while the Patriarch and most of his Bishops are Greek, the Patriarch’s flock is Arab. Jerusalem is therefore both an Arab and a Greek Church.

It cannot be stressed enough that Patriarch Bartholomew is provoking a schism in Orthodoxy that widens each time an autocephalous Church enters into communion with the schismatics. As all the Churches to have recognized the schismatics are Greek, this will leave the Greek Orthodox world estranged and cut off from the whole of Orthodoxy. Since the Ecumenical Patriarch invaded the Russian Church’s territory in Ukraine we have seen the following,

1) The persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church by the Ukrainian authorities.

2) The cessation of communion between the Russian Church and the Churches of Constantinople and Alexandria.

3) The cessation of communion between the Russian Church and some Metropolises of the Church of Greece.

4) The division and estrangement between the upper ranks of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and the native African Bishops that resulted when African Bishops protested the Patriarch’s decision to establish communion with the Ukrainian schismatics.

5) A division within the Church of Greece between twelve principled Bishops who refuse to violate the canons of the Church, priests, monastics, theologians, and faithful on the one side and the Archbishop of Athens and a vast majority of Bishops on the other side who endorsed entering into communion with the Ukrainian schismatics.

At a time when Greece and Cyprus face increasing encroachments on their territorial rights from Turkey, this latest development in the two year crisis within the Orthodox Church is especially unwelcome. Over the past two years, Patriarch Bartholomew has sought to portray himself as a Greek nationalist. His infamous chauvinistic comments about the Russians needing to recognize “our people” at the head of Orthodoxy comes to mind.

Patriarch Bartholomew has failed to recognize the damage he has done to Orthodoxy. From the outset, the Ecumenical Patriarchate made itself an accomplice in the fierce persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. By colluding with American officials in Washington and Athens to pressure the Church of Greece (and later the Patriarchate of Alexandria) to establish communion with schismatics, the Ecumenical Patriarchate made their synods complicit in the persecution of Ukrainian Orthodoxy.

In recent days, Russia has released statements supporting Greece’s territorial rights in the Aegean against Turkey. Russia has released a statement reminding Turkey of the Russian bombardment of the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Navarino in 1828. Very crucially, the Russian government has condemned the Turkish decision to reopen the town of Varosha in the Turkish occupied territories of Cyprus.

The decision of Archbishop Chrysostom to commemorate the fraudster Dimenko is despicable first and foremost for violating the canons of the Orthodox Church. It is also inherently stupid for alienating the Russians at a time when Russian diplomacy has been stepping up for Cyprus and Greece. The violation of canon laws by the Greek speaking Churches and the appalling treachery and cowardice by Greek hierarchs in four Churches demonstrate that the Greek Orthodox world has reached its greatest spiritual crisis in at least two centuries.

All this can be blamed on the Ecumenical Patriarch, the so called Greek “ethnarch”. Many Greeks scattered throughout the world have remained fervently loyal to Patriarch Bartholomew. This misguided loyalty has not been returned by the Ecumenical Patriarch.

If Patriarch Bartholomew cared for the Greeks and the Greek speaking Churches he would not have sought to divide them from their sister Churches in the communion of Orthodox Churches. Nor would he have destabilized them by creating one crisis after another in Greece, Alexandria, and now Cyprus. Greeks who continue to support Patriarch Bartholomew should ask one question.

If the Ecumenical Patriarch cared about Greece and Cyprus would he be creating divisions and conflicts not only between the Greek Churches and the Russian Church, but divisions among Greeks themselves?

Categories
political

The Right Vote Intellectually, Morally, and Spiritually

Putting aside previous reservations I have cast my vote by mail. It was the right choice and was formulated as a result of great spiritual, intellectual, and moral considerations. There really was only one choice to be made. It could not have gone any other way!

The name of this blog originates from the banner of the Byzantine Empire. The successor to that Great Empire which was once centered on Constantinople is Russia. It was simply unthinkable to choose a candidate from a political party that has spent the last four years bashing what is today the center of Orthodox Christianity! Unthinkable and intolerable!

Well educated people who prefer the intellect and learning understand that Russia is the country that smashed Napolean and Hitler. Wise statesman seek friendship and not confrontation with Russia. The historically illiterate party whom I voted against would exacerbate tensions with a nuclear armed country.

There are too many wars that the United States has waged in recent decades. The destruction of Orthodox Serbia, the invasion of Iraq, the overthrow of the Libyan government in 2011, and the attempt to overthrow the Syrian government were miserable failures that produced human misery and opened up the door for genocide and slavery under the Islamic State.

I voted for the anti war candidate whose policies were a reversal of the traditional foreign policy of both parties. Desiring reconciliation with Russia is something to brag about, not to be condemned as it is by the historically illiterate candidate. The candidate that I voted for worked with Russia to destroy the Islamic State that resulted in the stabilization of Syria. The destruction of the Islamic State resulted in the end of the slave trade and genocide of Yazidis, Christians, and Shiite Muslims.

I voted for the candidate who opposes infanticide. The political party of the other candidate has become notorious for its open support of nine month abortions. The Governor of Virginia who belongs to the party of the candidate I voted against not only supports abortion up to the time of birth but has openly said that in the event an infant survives an abortion at that stage that it would be permissible to permit a living baby to die!

I voted for the candidate who opposes the mutilation of children. The party I voted against is the party of the rainbow flag. The party whose base of political supporters believe it should be permissible to support the “transition” of boys to girls and vice versa. There is presently a case involving an eight year old boy in Texas whose mother (a Greek woman at that!!!!) won permission from a court to “transition” him into a girl!

I voted for the candidate that opposes drag queen story hour and child drag queens. Drag Queen Story hour (I have witnessed this first hand) consists of men in drag reading books to toddlers. There is also the sickening appearance of eleven year old boys who are drag queens.

The candidate I voted against has criticized the candidate I support for his relationship with North Korea. The candidate I voted for has demonstrated skills and abilities in international diplomacy. He has brought the North Koreans to the negotiating table something that three previous Presidents were unable to do.

Voting for Donald Trump was the right way to vote intellectually, spiritually, and morally. Intellectually it is because the President understands the world from Russia to the Middle East much better than the pack of historically illiterate pagans in the Democratic Party. Spiritually because the Democrats have declared themselves the enemies of Christianity, and morally because, well, the President does not support killing live babies and mutilating children.

Four years ago, an ancient people called the Yazidis were being mercilessly slaughtered in a planned genocide by Islamic State. Yazidi women were sold in slave markets by the barbarians of Islamic State. The President wanted to go after Islamic State (which he did through his successful policies in Iraq and Syria) while the Democrats wanted to go after Russia. The President stopped the abuse and enslavement of women under ISIS while the Democrats ensured that men would have absolute access to the ladies room!

From a moral and logical standpoint, my vote speaks for itself.

Categories
political

Greece, Italy, and Russia

An interview with an Italian Admiral (comments further down) at this link with full interview

https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/10/21/italian-admiral-greece-turkey/

Russian warning to the Turks at this link

https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/10/21/russia-turkey-greece-navarino/

“There is no doubt that in the absence of an agreement, such measures will have to be taken. The only thing that is holding back Europe right now is Greece’s unwillingness to find honorable compromises. As long as Athens remains on intractable positions, the EU will have difficulty in supporting it.”

Italian Admiral on Greece

Regarding the comments from this Italian Admiral. The mind of any Greek is not far from the treachery that was perpetrated by the Italians, French, British, Americans, and Soviet Communists in 1922. It can be said that Greeks should not be prisoners of the past and we should see things within the context of today’s realities. This is true, but at the same time we should be cognizant of past wrongs and injustices.

These insulting comments from the Admiral bring to mind the Italian arming of the Turks in Asia Minor from 1919 to 1922. It also recalls the Italian support for Albania and the undermining of the Greek effort to liberate Northern Epirus. We can also go back to the Fourth Crusade in 1204 when the Italians and the French invaded and destroyed Constantinople.

Hopefully, this Admiral speaks for himself and and his stance is not that of the Italian Government. At this time, Greece has allies and supporters in France and Austria. For now there is no reason to doubt their sincerity. However, Greece should be careful in the event of a potential betrayal by her allies as has happened many times in history.

The Russians have reminded the Turks of the Battle of Navarino (see second link above) in 1828 which consolidated the liberation of Greece. The Russians have also affirmed Greece’s territorial rights that are being infringed upon by the Turks. Greece is presently conducting a strong foreign policy but Athens should be careful to maintain warm ties with Russia as well as America.

Russian and Turkish proxies are fighting on opposite sides in Libya. Syrian jihadists sponsored by Turkey are fighting in Libya and against the Armenians in the Caucuses. The same jihadists the Russians helped the Syrian government defeat. The new pro Greek statements coming from Russia could very well indicate that the Russians anticipate that Turkey is going to be an enemy.

Athens needs to act wisely and prudently and act according to Greek national interests which are based on the right of self defense against Turkish aggression. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that Washington and Moscow could both come to view Turkey as a jihadist threat. This would be the best case scenario for Greece.

Greece must act wisely and avoid being entangled in the tensions between Washington and Moscow. Athens should maintain friendly relations with both as they both seem to be moving away from Turkey. Time will tell what will happen as Greece faces potential dangers as well as great opportunities.