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Written Feb. 27, 2007
For the Standard Today,
March 01 issue
Despite the daily carnage on the streets of Baghdad and other Iraqi towns and cities, despite worldwide and nationwide public exhaustion with the war - which has degenerated into a civil war between two warring Islamic factions – despite the defeat of his Republican Party in the midterm elections last November as a result of the US public’s disenchantment with the war, President George W. Bush continues to enjoy the support of some 35% of the American adult population of 209 million.
That translates into 73 million adult Americans who are unwavering Bush supporters. Not by coincidence, that number is only slightly higher than the 70 million voters whom Christian Fundamentalists, under the leadership of TV Evangelists Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, have claimed as members.
Christian Fundamentalists have been Bush’s biggest single base of political support since the 2000 presidential elections, and their continued endorsement of Bush is likely to remain steadfast, and even increase, as the Bush War Party in Washington prepares to attack Iran.
That is because Christian Fundamentalists believe that the state of Israel is a creation of God and has a key role to play in the Final Battle between Good and Evil, as foretold in the Book Revelations in the Bible.
They believe that this Final Battle – which may have already begun – will reach its zenith in the hills around the valley of Megido (from which the word ‘Armageddon’ is derived) and as a result, “the valley from Galilee to Eilat will flow with blood” and 144,000 male, virgin Jews will convert to Christianity, and this will be the signal for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. (Some American Christian Fundamentalists believe the Second Coming will occur in midtown Manhattan .)
So Israel has to be defended at all cost because it has a special role to play in their apocalyptic vision of the End Days, even if most of the Jews will supposedly be wiped out. (See my article Understanding Bush, Oct. 15, 2003 ).
And just in case the End Days extend beyond the Bush presidency, which ends in 2008, the Christian Fundamentalists are nurturing a connection with the 2008 presidential candidate whom they think will succeed Bush: Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona .
In a Feb. 23, 2007 posting in www.alternet.org, Bruce Wilson wrote: “A few weeks ago, to little notice, Texas megachurch pastor John Hagee, founder of the new “Apocalypse Now!” national lobbying group CUFI (Christians United for Israel) met with Presidential candidate and US Senator John McCain and, over breakfast, discussed Israel and ‘other matters.’
“Pastor Hagee declined to detail in the email he sent out to members of the CUFI mailing list because “this newsflash goes to the ends of the earth and I don’t want to read it in the media tomorrow.’
“But at the July 19, 2006 Washington DC inaugural event for CUFI, after recorded greetings from George W. Bush, with four US Senators and the Israeli ambassador to the US in attendance, Pastor John Hagee stated:
“’The United States must join Israel in a pre-emptive military strike against Iran to fulfill God’s plan for both Israel and the West…..a biblically prophesied end-time confrontation with Iran, which will lead to the Rapture, Tribulation and the Second Coming of Christ.”
On the other hand, there is a sub-sect in Shia Islam that has a similar apocalyptic vision. Shia Muslims trace their doctrinal roots to Imam Hussein, a prophet and martyr and direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammed, who was killed by the Sunnis in 680 AD in the holy city of Kerbala in what is now Iraq . This Shia sub-sect also believes in a Muslim version of the End Days, including the Second Coming of Imam Hussein
A Malaysian fundamentalist sect, the al-Arqham, which became very popular in the 1990s but was outlawed and dispersed in 1995 by then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, taught its hundreds of thousands of believers that a Great Leader would soon emerge in Uzbekistan to lead the Muslims of the world in a Final Battle with the infidels, meaning the Christians. And he will be easily identified by true believers because he will be wearing a blue turban.
For a while, al-Arqham watchers even before 9/11 were convinced that this was none other than Osama bin Laden, who later holed up in Afghanistan which is right next to Uzbekistan. But so far, Osama has chosen to hide in the tribal border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan . But, who knows, he may yet move his forwarding address to Uzbekistan , and he may yet adopt a blue turban as his signature fashion accessory.
A blue turban is only a shade different from the green turban assigned by Nostradamus (1503-1566), the French astrologer-physician, to the Third Anti-Christ. In Nostradamus’ quatrains, the First Anti-Christ was someone who fitted the description of Napoleon Bonaparte. The Second Anti-Christ was someone named Hister, which is usually interpreted as referring to Adolf Hitler.
In the 1980s, there was speculation that the Third Anti-Christ was none other than the Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi, who surrounded himself with female bodyguards wearing green turbans. But sometime in the 1990s, after the Americans bombed his desert tent and killed one daughter, Gaddafi seems to have retired from the apocalypse business and has hung up his green turban, if he ever owned one.
But Apocalypse Soon refuses to die in Christian culture. When Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger was elected pope in 2005, the predictions of an Irish bishop, Saint Malachy, were resurrected by media.
Bishop Malachy is said to have visited Rome in 1139. While there, he is said to have had visions of the long list of Popes “who were to rule till the end of time,” which ominously stopped at pontiff no. 268, who would be the pope who succeeds the incumbent Benedict XVI.
As the Associated Press tells it, Malachy’s predictions included short sketches of pontiffs nos. 240 to 268, some of which had striking details that uncannily coincided with historical and geographical minutiae. (See my article The Last Popes, April 20, 2005 ).
Wrote Malachy of Pontiff no. 268, the Last Pope: “(Under) extreme persecution, the seat of the Holy Roman Empire will be occupied by Peter the Roman, who will lead the sheep through many tribulations. In the end, the City of Seven Hills will be destroyed and the Formidable Judge will judge his people. The End.”
In that April 2005 article, I wrote: “This suggests that the pope after Benedict XVI will choose the papal name Peter, which current Church tradition does not allow.
“As for Rome being destroyed in the next 20 or so years, given the actuarial odds on the (80)-yr old Benedict XVI, this is not a total impossibility in the event Armageddon does break out as foretold (in) the Bible, and some crazy fires a nuclear-tipped missile westward from somewhere in the Israel-Iraq-Iran cauldron, a mere 2,500 to 3,000 kms from Rome, which could be someone’s idea of ultimate revenge against the Crusaders.”
The ironic thing about this Apocalypse Soon scenario is that it is not being pushed along in the corridors of power by gibbering Christian Fundamentalists, but by the very secular Vice-President and Oilman Dick Cheney and a neo-conservative cabal of mostly Jewish (and secular) intellectuals who are motivated, not by the Second Coming of Christ, but by the imperative to establish American control over the Middle East and its precious oil.
In the past two months, the Americans have been fishing for evidence of Iranian meddling in Iraq to justify an American attack on Iran . Iranian diplomats in Iran have been arrested and detained. Much has been made of a deadly new weapon used by Iraqi insurgents and Iranian-armed Shia militias, the Explosively Formed Projectiles or EFP, that can penetrate armored Humvees and even Abrams tanks, said to have been developed by the Iranian-armed Hezbollah in Lebanon. In a four-week period starting Jan. 20, the Americans have also lost an unprecedented eight helicopters to enemy ground fire, suggesting that the insurgents and Shia militias have acquired new surface-to-air missiles from, where else, Iran .
While the US denies that it intends to attack Iran, US contingency plans for such an attack have been leaked to media – without doubt, deliberately – to pressure Iran into dropping its ambitions (consistently denied by Iran) to develop nuclear weapons. The latest media leak is that Israel has asked US permission for Israeli bombers to fly through Iraqi air space on their way to and from their bombing runs on Iran . In the meantime, two carrier battle groups are on station in the Persian Gulf , and a third is said to be preparing to sail. And air bases in Bulgaria and Romania are said to be readied for US aircraft that will take part in the bombing of Iran .
The Iranians have responded that they are ready to stop enriching uranium, as demanded by the UN Security Council and others, if other countries (such as the US , UK and Israel ) will do the same. Meaning, never. VP Dick Cheney has repeated the warning that Iran will not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, with the blunt threat that all options, including pre-emptive attacks on Iran , “remain on the table.”
So if these threats and counter-threats are to be taken seriously, Apocalypse Soon remains a distinct possibility, with the Second Coming of either Jesus Christ or Imam Hussein, or both, in a Spectacular Finale, as the price of oil crashes through the roof to an estimated (by George Soros last week) $262 per barrel. There goes……whatever. *****
Reactions to acabaya@zpdee.net.Other articles since 2001 in www.tapatt.org.
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Reactions to “Apocalypse Soon?”
Dear Mr. Abaya, Your article "Apocalypse soon?" appearing in today's issue of the Manila Standard Today ( March 1, 2007 ) confirms my long held conviction that religion has been the most virulent idea ever conceived in the mind of man. History confirms, without doubt, that religion has shed enough blood to float the entire U. S. Navy. Yours truly,
Carlos Esteban, Jr., (by email), March 01, 2007
Philippine Society of Rational Humanists
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Dear Antonio, A very thoughtful and comprehensive article which maintains your very high standards. The question remains, though, what can the "Squealing Masa" do to lessen the threat of the total destruction of the world? (Nothing. ACA) Warm regards,
Doug John Adam, (by email), March 02, 2007
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Dear Antonio, It's with bated breath that I await your latest articles to be delivered to me by Simo. Love em, you’re great and you always hit the spot for me.....keep churning them out ! Anyway, any chance of getting into your distribution list? That way I get to read your stuff without relying on Simo ?? Cheers,
Keith Harris, (by email), Nokia Philippines Inc., March 02, 2007
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Sir, The doomsday scenario you are painting is an eventuality, because the Bible teaches so. But I still believe that no matter how hard man will do to hasten it, only God knows the final hour. Even Jesus, while he was on earth, admitted that he was not privy to that.
I’ll share with you the lyrics of the song “Whole World”, written by Bob Hartman of the Christian rock band Petra, considered to be the most influential Christian rock band in the world. Incidentally, this song was written in 1983.
“Humanistic lies lament, the holocaust is imminent
Doomsday prophets in the news, predicting who will light the fuse
The fate of His creation, isn’t subjected to man
The final confirmation is according to His plan….
. . . And He’s still got the whole world in His hands
And only He knows where the sparrow lands.
And nothing in this world can stop His plans.
‘Coz He’s still got the whole world in His hands”
Anyway, thanks for the article. It will make our Sunday School more interesting. More power!!! Thanks a lot and best regards,
Bong L. Alba, (by email), March 02, 2007
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Dear Tony, Found this multi-layered article utterly fascinating! My Iranian
friends in the know are not very comfortable these days, obviously.
Wait until Condoleeza calls the March 10th tea party a failure!!
Alan Klaum, (by email), San Francisco CA , March 02, 2007
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Tony, A timely and revealing article. Fundamentalists are all identical under the skin. Regardless of what flag they wave, they suffer from the exact same virus. They alone hold the key to paradise. Everyone else is wrong and will go to hell. Unfortunately the madness doesn't stop there. Not only does it warp the mind, it hates, kills and destroys nations, all in the name of God and truth.
Jack Sherman , (by email), Quezon City , March 02, 2007
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Dear Tony: The Apocalypse is one biblical prediction that is not going to take place anytime soon. Many Christians and Jews who believe in it passionately--numbering in the tens of millions in the U.S. alone--are bound to be terribly disappointed!
It will not occur because President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and their cabal of Republican neo-cons have already obviously come to their senses and have begrudgingly expressed their willingness to engage in talks with a member of the "axis of evil," Iran, in a meeting arranged by the puppet Iraqi government of Nouri Kamal al-Maliki.
The U.S. position used to be that the U.S. would agree to direct talks with Iran only on condition that Iran first stops its efforts to enrich uranium which is allegedly part of its program to develop nuclear weapons. Through its president, Iran has staunchly refused to accept this U.S.-imposed precondition. On the other hand, Iran has not closed the door to engaging in direct talks with the U.S.
It is worth noting that James Baker III, Republican co-chairman of the Iraq Study Group and a pragmatic diplomat, has time and time again expressed the view that there is nothing wrong with talking to one's enemies--in effect telling President Bush & Co. that it was time for the U.S. to talk with Iran .
With the U.S. tragically bogged down in Iraq, with the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives taking the position that it would not support the "surge" of 21,000 U.S. troops to Baghdad, and with top U.S. generals candidly admitting that the U.S. military is already overcommitted and overstressed, President Bush & Co. apparently have come to the conclusion that the U.S. was not now in a position to attack Iran preemptively and unilaterally.
Probably and obviously as a face-saving maneuver, the U.S. has asked the puppet government of Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki to sponsor a summit meeting to be attended by representatives of Iraq, Syria, Iran, and the U.S. The objective of the meeting is to find ways of securing and stabilizing Iraq .
It is too soon to predict what the outcome of this summit meeting will be in terms of its objective. One thing is clear: Now the U.S. will be talking with its "enemies." And when enemies sit down and talk to each other, it is just possible that they will come to their senses and, coming to their senses, avoid the apocalypse so dreaded by Christian evangelists as inevitable..
Mariano Patalinjug, (by email), Yonkers NY , March 03, 2007
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Events unfolding lately will have to mean a postponement of Armageddon, i.e. crude prices going down as winter demand paer off and the OPEC guys are increasing production. But more importantly, the rapprochement on Iran/ISyria and Iraq and then North Korea . I think Bush is more pre-occupied in improving on his presidential legacy as witness the dramatic to diplomacy and the sudden concern for the Katrina rehabilitation. This is as good a reason to postpone the end of world. However, following your historical account of World War II, it might be prudent to look for a suitable sanctuary in Laguna, just in case.
Ben Lim, (by email), Makati City , March 03, 2007
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Many thanks, we appreciate that, and please let your friends know about www.spiritdaily.com. God bless,
Michael H. Brown, (by email), March 03, 2007
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Enjoyed your article, but I believe that Nostradamus referred to a
blue turban.
Check this site as well as others: http://boisdarc.tamu-commerce.edu/
www/w/willmc/nostra.htm
Clay Rossi, claytr@earthlink.net, , March 03, 2007
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CONSIDERING THAT JESUS CHRIST TOLD PETER TO PUT AWAY HIS SWORD, SAYING THAT THOSE WHO LIVE BY THE SWORD DIE BY THE SWORD.AND CONSIDERING THAT HE HAD THE POWER OF GOD TO WIPE EVERYONE OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH WITH A MERE WORD AND USED RESTRAINT. I THINK THE SCENERIO BEING PLAYED OUT HERE IS A GOOD CASE OF MANS FREE WILL AND A GOOD CASE OF DELUDED HOLLYWOOD MENTALITY THAT SAYS IT LOOKS JUST LIKE A MOVIE.
WASHINGTON POLICY MARKERS ARE A VERY RICH INSULATED GROUP, OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE COMMON SUFFERINGS OF MANKIND,WHEN THEY FIGHT WARS, THEY DO IT BY COMPUTER SCREENS AND BELEIVE ME THEY ARE THE FIRST TO RUN FOR COVER BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO THE BIGGEST COWARDS.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT JESUS ALSO SAID MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS EARTH,WHICH MEANS IT IS SPIRITUAL.WE ARE ALL GOING TO PASS THROUGH THE PROCESS OF DEATH INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.BUT GOD IS MERCY AND LOVE . EVIL IS NOT EQUAL TO GOD,IT IS THE NEGATION OF GOODNESS.THE BATTLE WAS FOUGHT AND WON AT CALVARY AND WE ARE BEING BORN INTO CHRIST .WE GO THROUGH THE FIRE OF HIS PASSION.BUT IT IS WAY BEYOND WHAT WE SEE BEING PLAYED OUT IN THE THEATRE OF WAR IN WASHINGTON. HAVE A GOOD DAY.
Charlene Kalena, charlekalena@aol.com, , New York City, March 03, 2007
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It's amazing that your whole article points to the "fear" of the Bush administration preemptive strikes on Iran. When the very same administration announced its preemptive strike on Iraq in 2003, the liberal thinking across the board was why Iraq? Shouldn't we should be going into Iran? How convenient to forget those very words printed (any media outlet will confirm) in history, especially when it goes against anything Bush.
The hypocrisy behind the "Bush/Cheney wanting control of oil" is another blinded attempt of the reality that we as a nation are dead in the water without it, especially since we've cut ourselves off from our own resources.
Those are just a few of my definitions of an "inconvenient truth"
Rosebysea@aol.com, March 04, 2007
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Never before in human history has the time been so ripe for the Prophesy of Garabandal to happen; this event will expose man’s conscience insofar as his or her soul appears to the sight of God. At that time mankind will be given the opportunity to repent. And one year later, Jesus will appear to mankind and then, then, they will have the option to accept or reject God
I say this because of the multitude of Muslims in the world: then they will be exposed to the truth of God and His Son Jesus, who was crucified and rose from the dead in the Resurrection; later sending the Spirit of the father and Son so as to be omnipresent in all people till the end of time.
Leo Richard, rosalee1@cox.net, March 04, 2007
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Imagine there's no country
It isn't hard to do.
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too.
Imagine all the people
Living life in PEACE...
John Lennon, where are you? Dreamers of the world, unite!!!
Lucita Luciani, (by email), Los Angeles CA, March 04, 2007
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Dear AA: I am a forty-something former Liberal-Democrat gone Libertarian.
I grew up, how about you? That childlish gibberish named Apocalypse
Soon? passes for read-worthy material in your book? Small wonder
this country is going to hell-in-a-handbasket. I guess the only plus in
this whole thing is that you people are too self-centered to procreate.
My oldest son is looking to vote this next time out. Believe-you-me, he
won't be voting on your ticket and neither will the ten or eleven kids he
plans on having.. If this country can survive another 6-8 years
after all the hippy-dips start to die off, (your LSD and Pot fried brains
will give away sooner, you realize), we'll be okay.
By the way, by the time you are old, we will be bankrupt from taking care of the drug-addicted, STD-riddled leeches on society you've helped to create. Especially after the economy crashes from all the "fixes" those "progressives" want to put onto us. Don't know where you will be, but, I'm sure you won't have any kids mentally strong enough, or with the will enough to take the responsibility. Come to think of it, the only people capable of doing it will be those Christian people you abhor so deeply. I suppose they will feel obligated to carry your load? Naaa...I don't think so. It's okay, though. You progressives are giving me my Purgatory right here and now. Better here than there, as they say.
Eduardo Fernandez, lwfernandez@juno.com, March 04, 2007
MY REPLY. You are choking on garbage of your own making. I do not take, and have never taken, LSD or pot. And I do not have, and have never had, any sexually-transmitted disease. And neither have any of my three grown children. Your oldest son need not avoid voting for me or “your ticket”, since I am not a candidate for any office and do not support any of the idiots running for senator. I do not consider myself a “progressive”. The only ones who have the gall to call themselves “progressive” are the Communists, and I abhor them as much as I do religious nuts.
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= + =
WAR NO MORE. -------------> "THOU SHALT NOT KILL" <-------------
Who would JESUS bomb?
IMPEACH-INDICT BUSH-CHENEY FOR WAR CRIMES.
Support: http://Antiwar.com & http://Space4Peace.org (NO SPACE WAR)
Investigate 9/11 World Trade Ctr. "attacks": http://911blogger.com
"Blessed are the peacemakers." (Matthew 5:9)
"Love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:12)
"LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44)
Kev Hall, kevcross2@yahoo.com, March 04, 2007
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Sir, This is to forward to you a reaction from one person to whom I forwarded your Apocalypse Soon.
By the way, as soon as I receive your articles I send them to Bibaknets which is the emailing group of Igorots worldwide. Other articles in the past generated several reactions. In the future, I promise to forward them all to you. Keep sending.
Cheryl Daytec, (by email), March 04, 2007
PS. By the way, Sir, I am also interested in your analysis of the nursing mess. I was the lawyer of the group that exposed the leakage. That aside, will you please delve into that issue?
(Congratulations for exposing the leakage. I think the American organization that screens foreign nurses has the best solution: Filipino nurses who passed the exams in 2006 and who wish to seek employment in the US should retake the disputed parts of the 2006 exams. The Philippine government has offered to subsidize the retake. This is the most equitable solution. I hope you are also supporting this. ACA)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: moses lacaden
Date: Mar 1, 2007 7:52 PM
Subject: Re: [bibaknets] Fwd: Apocalypse Soon?
To: bibaknets@yahoogroups.com
Cheryl,
The book of Revelation in the Bible does not specify the state of
Israel as the key role. The final battle referred to is the battle between
good and evil and what is termed the Armaggedon. It is not a battle
between nations.
prophecies in Revelation.
Moss
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Interesting you deny the nuclear development of Iran…..nothing like putting your head in the sand…in this case the Middle Eastern sand.
L. Lee, lee1004@hawaii.rr.com, Hawaii , March 04, 2007
MY REPLY. My article said “ US contingency plans have been leaked to media…to pressure Iran into dropping its ambitions…to develop nuclear arms.” I have never doubted that Iran is intent on developing nuclear weapons. It is the Iranian president who denies it.
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Hi. Not liking what I read about the final battle. Especially don't like the likes of Dick Cheney who tries to mastermind our nation into another war. Let Iran have the bomb. Once they own it, it has no more value. They can't use it unless they want to end their own lives. I don't think so
Joe Wagner, recordswagner@msn.com, March 04, 2007
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I am a Jewish convert to Catholicism, and feel Israel has to be protected at all costs. This does not have anything to do with end time prophesies, but the fact that Israel was given to the chosen people by God himself. Scripture deems that God will gather back his people into the land promised them. This happened in 1948. That itself was a miracle. Are we for God, or against him? He will prevail irregardless. Whose
side are we on?
Benjamin Tyminski, redrumben@yahoo.com, March 04, 2007
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Please recall that all scripture must/will be fulfilled before the end. I
suggest that indeed we are in that period of "The Anti-Christ" and are
witnessing a great battle being waged between good and evil. Many people
will die by various causes during this period in the history of mankind.
The degree of devastation will depend on prayer and how mankind responds to
the deepening crisis.
However, the world and mankind will be granted an unprecedented period of
peace before the final battle between good and evil when Satan himself will
become the final Anti-Christ. How long will the Period of Peace last?
Scripture says 1000 years which some Christians take literally. It means a
period of time and I suggest that in this instance it depends on mankind
and the use of one of our greatest gifts from God, our free wills to love
God and to love one another! Respectfully,
Joseph Pesek, jfpesek@seidata.com, March 05, 2007
One of the Lord's nothings
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Buenas Dias, Tony. I liked your analysis of the situation in the Middle East and think that the views of those like Pastor Hagee are fuelling much hatred among Islamic groups and possibly their religious leaders include all Christians as holding his view. As a committed Catholic to Jesus Christ in unity with Peter’s successor Pope Benedict, our church holds the belief that these end time events are known only to the Father of Jesus regardless of the views of those like Haggee , those like Chaney who may use the events in the Middle East for their own gain, regardless of what the negative outcome will be.
……….
My wife is from Narvacan , Ilocos Sur ,Barrio Nagsabaran , the former Dionisia Camello who worked for Catholic Charities under Cardinal Sin (after graduating from Centro Escolar Univeristy in Manila) before immigrating to Canada in 1965..
We are both involved in the Filipino Community since the mid 60’s in Windsor Ontario, with my wife as Executive Director of the Filipino Windsor Cultural Productions in recent years and the Filipino Federation of Windsor.
We visited the Philippines in 1967 together and my wife alone two years ago with our son Jeremy (who was teaching ESL in Japan) and currently completing a degree at the Faculty of Education in Christchurch, New Zealand. My wife had been with him since January and right now is somewhere over the Pacific flying to Los Angles, and onto Detroit and home in Windsor Monday evening March 5 .
………
I am a retired Catholic teacher, (first Canadian non-Filipino Knight of Rizal) but now volunteering full time with Knights of Columbus as President of Canadian Catholic Radio, Media Apostolate based in Windsor across from Detroit. I will look into some of your other articles. Regards,
John Renaud, Windsor, Ont. Canada, March 05, 2007
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Hi Last time I checked, 35% is not the majority. Bush will be defeated one way or another. I suspect that bankrupting the USA is his only way to victory as it would for sure usher in some form of martial law.
Brian J. Scrocca, vespaciao@verizon.net, March 05, 2007
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Dear Tony, Oh how I would love to hear what our dishonorable largesse-seeking candidates think about issues of this magnitude and importance! Sadly, while the Filipino nation is inwardly and idiotically concerned about the coming May elections, world geopolitics is in danger of boiling over.
China is sharpening its sword in a very audacious show of force by testing its anti-satellite capability. Should the tension in the Middle East boil over in the coming months and spill to our region, I hope the Chinese isn't training its scope on us, especially that recent reports point to a Chinese war plan of using massive air and missile assault against countries with military ties to the United States . Or perhaps, what this nation needs is a WAR to galvanize a truly national identity and solidify its interest as a nation with pride and capacity to defend itself. For national pride springs first and foremost from a sense of national trauma before being transformed into a fount of national renewal. A scary thought, but its worth the think.
Ibn Khaldun, (by email), March 05, 2007
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Greetings from America . Your article was very interesting and there is no doubt that tensions seem to be building each day. Isn't it strange that the world seems to have lost sight of the horrors and suffering of WWII, Korea , Vietnam , Kosovo , Iraq and scores of other bloody conflicts. The major powers seem to think they are immune from catastrophe and Islam seems oblivious as well. Oil does seem to be the magnet that is the proximate cause of competing national " interests." I would gladly pay someone to destroy all the oil wells in the world. That would cool things down for awhile.
But since that will not happen, I think the U.S should withdraw from the Middle East all together, if for no other reason than our continued presence there promises to precipitate WW III. Personally I'm sick and tired of the world in general and I think the U.S. should recall all it's forces to mainland America, deport all Muslims, cancel all trade with China, Russia, and Islamic states, seal its boarders tight, live on its own resources, such as they are, and tell the world to go to hell.!!! I'm sick to death of the world. The world seems to want the U.S. to go away. Fine, I think that is a wonderful idea. Just don't call us when China , or Korea , or Iran , or Russia , or Indonesia decides to take you over.
From Island America .
Edward Reinhart, Jr., e63l63r@sbcglobal.net, March 05, 2007
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Hi, Tony. I believe we are indeed seeing the sign of the end times. I honestly believe the wars in the Middle East will lead to the third world war. God will allow this to happen in the same manner He allowed WWII to happen as a punishment for the sins of man. And the sins of man during these times are a lot greater than they were in the 1940's.
That's why we should continuously pray for the conversion of sinners, particularly those involved in abortion. It is our duty to do so, and if we are remiss of our duty, we will be held accountable for that sin of omission. Several souls go to hell, because no one prays for them.
However at the same time, we should not spend so much time worrying about when the end of the world would come. Because, our own world may end before that time comes.
(I’m not worried about either Ends. ACA)
I am not writing this to you, knowing fully well, you will not agree with me. But I am writing this knowing you will be publishing it in your web site and hopefully the readers will be moved. God bless!
Bobby Tordesillas, (by email), March 06, 2007
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Your article was excellent.(by email), I found it to be factual, interesting, timely and helpful
I am not frightened by the apocalyptic things which are coming as I watch continually.
Here are some of my articles which you might enjoy; I used to write a blog but got so much criticism that I turned it off.
The Beast Of Revelation Chapter 13 Verses 1 and 2
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dqr45tx_58dnz2tz
Chinese Stock Sell Off Begins Bear Market Downturn
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dqr45tx_64hpxv4k
The Luke 21:36 Watch: Watch And Pray Always That You Might Be Accounted Worthy To Escape
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dqr45tx_66d3fqcw
Respectfully and best regards,
Jan Allen, prosperingbear@yahoo.com, March 07, 2007
Apocalyptic Thinker
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Reactions to “Post Office Thievery” ( Dec. 07, 2006 )
I cannot agree more, someone in the post office in the Philippines who obviousely have an access. It seems like they're targeting the mail from abroad, assuming there's money. I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience and to others which have the same problem that involves money or check. For mine, it's just letters, that never reached their destinations. It's very frustrating because my family thought I never responded to their letters. That is why I wrote a letter to our main post office in the Philippines but I don't have their address nor website. If you do please share it to me. Thanks! Hoping to hear from you.
Elisa Jeter, (by email), Feb. 26, 2007
MY REPLY: Your letters do not reach your relatives because some corrupt postal employees intercept them, thinking there are checks or dollar cash inside. It is best to look for some other means to communicate with your relatives, such as by email.
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Dear Tony: Thank you also for the Postal Thievery article which resulted in my hearing from the Deutsche Banks' Country CEO and Operating Officers. It also got the attention of Senator Lim through my UP classmate and another reader of yours, Glicer Sicat. I then wrote and got responses from the Governor of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and Bank of the Philippine Islands..
To make a long story short, Deutsche Bank and Bank PI looked into the matter and the finding was that my stolen check and those of the Nepomucenos, who responded to your article, were deposited by a client of Bank PI at their Rosales, Pangasinan branch. This client is in the foreign exchange business.
Bank of PI President Aurelio Montinola III had his Vice President Maria Rosa Gayos write me that their client will reimburse me the $100.00 if I filed the complaint and necessary paper work through the proper channels which involved more than 10 steps. She also indicated that they are reviewing their policies and procedures in dealing with third party encashment of foreign denominated checks; and alerting their area director of bank operations in charge of the Rosales branch. I did not bother getting back my $100 since I indicated in the beginning that I did not go through this exercise for the money, but to make people who are in power to do something about this if they wanted to, aware of what is going on. I believe Bank PI did.
I also wrote to GMA, Senators Magsaysay, Drilon, Arroyo, Lim and a few others, Postmaster General Hector Villanueva and Deputy Post Master Jun Legaspi who is an x-IBMer like me. GMA announced that the PHP 5.7 billion postal modernization project will be overseen by Mon Sales, the Commissioner of the Information and Communications Technology Commission. Mon is also heading the technical consulting committee of the COMELEC modernization project. I am proud to tell you that Mon was one of my Systems Engineers at IBM Philippines when I was SE Manager there in 1966-68. Sincerely,
Bert Peronilla (an avid reader) (by email), March 03, 2007
MY REPLY. Glad to hear that my article got the wheels of government moving. You may not know it, but after my article came out, at least two more persons complained about postal theft in the Letters section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and both of them pointed to the Carmen, Rosales, Pangasinan branch of BPI as the bank where their stolen dollar checks were cashed. If I were doing the investigation, I would include the depositor there (who is supposedly in the foreign exchange business) as a prime suspect in cahoots with corrupt postal employees in the theft and encashment of dollar checks.
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