Handwritings on the Wall

“Democrats will also increase oversight of private election vendors to ensure voting systems are secure and worthy of voters’ trust. We will not tolerate election interference and will protect the integrity of our elections from all enemies, foreign and domestic.”

Democrat Party Platform

I find that laughable. It’s hard to imagine how the Democrats can include those statements in their official platform when they are the party that committed voter fraud on an unprecedented scale during the 2020 presidential election. If you don’t believe me, watch Dinesh D’Souza’s latest documentary film 2000 Mules. He makes a persuasive case that the election was thoroughly corrupt. Using terabytes of computer data tracking, he demonstrates that “mules” were paid to carry ballots to insert into drop boxes to tip the election in Joe Biden’s favor. D’Souza shows videographic proof that ballot drop boxes were literally stuffed with mail-in ballots in the wee hours of the morning. That puts the lie to the claim that the Democrats “will not tolerate election interference.”

Joe Biden may be the embodiment of God’s judgement on the United States of America. Everything that our current occupant has touched has, with the reverse-Midas touch, turned to lead. Lead is that heavy metal, i.e. the “anti-gold”. Inflation has quadrupled since that man took office. Food and gasoline are truly expensive. The stock market has tanked. Pension funds have lost a large share of their value. The poor people are only getting poorer, and that thanks to the party that supposedly represents the poor. What a downright lie!

And that is only the economic side of things. Crime rates have skyrocketed, especially in the inner city. The Mexican border is no longer a border with any meaning as tens of thousands of invaders have swum the Rio Grande to find easy asylum in our country. Lethal drugs like fentanyl have crossed that border and flooded our streets while Biden’s puppet, Alejandro Mayorkas, has done nothing to protect our homeland. He ought to be removed from office forthwith and prosecuted.

Biden’s shameful withdrawal from Afghanistan was an absolute catastrophe. Veterans of that endless conflict, my own son included, are justified in their anger toward a regime that just threw away the ground that our soldiers had gained in blood. Biden left behind hundreds of Americans and billions of dollars worth of materiel. Shame!

Biden now has his proxy war with Russia via Ukraine, the country that he and his son, Hunter, have raped for millions of dollars in kick-backs. God help us if Biden gets his wish for a direct shooting war with Russia. More than anyone else, the Ukrainian people, millions of whom have fled the country, will be the victims of this war instigated by the U.S. and NATO.

Biden’s agenda of sexual perversion has run ahead of the old man. His promotion of transgenderism is absolutely sickening to any rational American, to say nothing of those with a religious conscience. This isn’t a remote issue, folks. I live in a condo in a medium-sized city and I see examples of this perversion every day. This is the Democrat Party and its president. Any Orthodox Christian who stubbornly clings to his allegiance to that political party despite its evil effect on our body politic is complicit with it. He shares in their responsibility for the destruction of our society.

The furniture assembler came into the living room. He asked whom the new desk was for and the mother said it was for her daughter. The young twenty-something on the sofa appeared to be she, so he asked, “Are you the daughter?” “No, I’m the son.” she said. “My name is Zach.” That must be Zach for Zachary, he thought. Zechariah was one of the minor biblical prophets. That’s where we got the English boy’s name. But wait a cotton-pickin’ minute. “Zach” has a soprano voice, soft skin and pectoral protrusions. He must be a girl.

Sex is now a choice, is it?. I’m not speaking of the act, but rather of the essence. Mankind’s never-ending endeavor to overrule the laws of nature is making its final assault on sexual identity itself. The arrogance of it is not so subtle when men decide they’re women. The results are usually too grotesque to speak of. A man puts on a tight black minidress and a jeans jacket and flaunts himself around the evening streets in the center of town.

On the other hand, when a woman arbitrarily decides that she is a man or will become a man, the visual effect is less frightening. Perhaps less frightening, but not more convincing. American men have been emasculated in our lifetimes. Now, your run-of-the-mill manly man is criticized for his “toxic masculinity”. The matrons of our society are relentless in their nagging, some literally driving real men out of the house to search for some peace and quiet.

Half a century ago, men were men and women were women. And that was that. Everyone took it for granted. It would have been preposterous for a girl like “Zach” to try and pass herself off as a boy. But now a girl like “Zach”perceives some androgynous elements to her innermost being and decides that she is a boy. And, when she names herself “Zach”, and calls herself “the son”, the people around her are supposed to keep a straight face. It’s profoundly disturbing. Since the mother in this case was his customer, the assembler knew that he had to maintain decorum. She didn’t bat an eyelash at “Zach’s” proclamation, so he couldn’t just laugh in Zach’s face. He wasn’t there to conduct a counseling session; he was there simply to assemble the desk.

But, the disturbance of the queer moment has not left him. Why was it so strange? In a word it was the nonchalance. No one took exception to the outlandish claim that a young woman could declare herself a man and expect the people around her to just blithely accept it. The silence wasn’t exactly deafening, but it certainly sounded funny. When the assembler was done and left the customer’s home, he wasn’t laughing. He wasn’t crying, either. He was just baffled.

So, now that “Zach” has decided that she’s a boy, does that mean that everyone within her sphere of influence has to play along with her charade? Will she take offense when some kid looks up at her, sees the obvious sexual characteristics and says, “You’re not a boy!” Does his ignorance of goofy adult decision-making turn the innocent kid into a bigot?

The photograph that you see above is from the Facebook page of the American Embassy in Tokyo. You can see the happy first recipient of a “non-binary” U. S. Passport. If you ask me, she looks somewhat like a woman; Ask her and she may say she’s a man or something else on the ever-broadening spectrum of human sexuality. Who knows? Are we supposed to care? Tokyo’s is a major American embassy, commanded by none other than Ambassador Rahm Emmanuel himself. He’s the one who told us to never let a good crisis go to waste. Old Rahm seems to be taking advantage of the current sexual dysphoria. If his embassy Facebook page puts that up, it’s something worth noticing. It’s obvious when officialdom swallows this swill, we’re in the midst of a sexual crisis.

Now that it’s Pride Month, here’s the first June entry to the same embassy’s page:

Girls can decide they are boys and people aren’t supposed to object. Homosexuals can decide they are married and get equal benefits in this brave new world. You know that this isn’t over, folks. There will be new forms of mind-blowing queerness to come. The robe is off the emperor but he will damned well gallivant about town in his new birthday suit for all to see. And, we are supposed to just accept the lies out of respect until we’re too weary or confused to deal with the cognitive dissonance that this creates.

Astounding, isn’t it, how far we have fallen within the lifetimes of some of us who remember when the basic rules of sexual nature were never challenged. The occasional anomalies were treated as such and mostly ignored. Now, the lies are so in-your-face that we can’t just ignore them. However, if we don’t play along, then we are the ones who will be ostracized by this outlandish world. It’s time to speak forth or forever hold our peace, the consequences be damned.

It’s sad to know that it is the very subjects of this deception, i.e., the “Zachs” of this world, who are living the lie. They will never know the simple truth of creation until they come to themselves and realize that God meant them to be content within the bodies of their birth. God made man and woman in his own image at the very pinnacle of his creation. The psalmist spoke of God and said, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” (Psalm 139:14) Oh, that all could just accept their God-given sexual identity and quietly thank Him for it.

At this point I wouldn’t put anything past the scoundrels in the bowels of power. I’ve felt like a deer caught in the headlights for the past two years. It’s all that I can do to try to keep up with the Machiavellian manipulations. Never in my 68 years have I been so consistently distraught by the developments in world politics. I no longer trust the authorities to which I should owe obedience. The stress has been overwhelming at times, and the anger can eat at one from the inside out. Thank God for the mystery of confession and absolution. Last night, I took rare comfort in Psalm 37, (or Ps. 36, depending on how you count), which I quote in its entirety:

37 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.

10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.

15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous.

18 The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

28 For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.

30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.

31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.

33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

34 Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

“Both China and Russia perceive that the United States is a nation in decline and use that view as a pretext for advancing their authoritarian models and executing their global ambitions,” Berrier said. (See the link below.)

It is likely that Communist China is preparing for an invasion of Taiwan at the opportune moment. Why? They have already coöpted Hong Kong, betraying the assurances that they gave that colony when it was repatriated in 1997. The United States under Pres. Trump and now Pres. Biden has not been able to forestall that effort. Now, all eyes are on Ukraine. It is clear to all observers who can think objectively that the strategic areas of Ukraine, i.e., the Donbas and the Black Sea Coast, will fall to the Russians. Perhaps the whole country will fall into Russian hands. That is despite the fact that the United States is throwing wads of created cash at Ukraine’s defense. The United States will lose, and Ukraine will lose big, and all of our government’s efforts will be for nought.

Chairman Xi and his junta are not stupid. They see that the dominant power, Russia, will advance and win in Ukraine, even though the Great United States is backing the home team. Encouraged by the gains of the new ally, it’s only a matter of time before China advances on the island nation of Taiwan to force it into subservience to their autocratic grasp. In the face of this, our senile stuffed shirt of a president has promised that the United States will defend Taiwan if it is attacked by China. Swell. I predict that this will be the third great defeat of the doomed Biden regime. First was Afghanistan. Second will be Ukraine. Third may be Taiwan. God help the democrats of that island! Would to God that that man’s election had never been certified. The world would be a safer place under Pres. Trump. We will have to admit that he would have been more effective in defending Taiwan. God, help the world.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/acute-threat-of-chinese-invasion-of-taiwan-between-now-and-2030-us-intelligence-chief_4457662.html?utm_source=ai_recommender

The Church lives in a time unsettled by the ultra vires actions of that rascal Bartholomew of Constantinople and by the Russian incursion into Ukraine. Recently, a former Catholic seminarian has converted to Orthodoxy and has some specific questions about the validity of the sacraments performed by a priest who finds himself a member of a local Church which has fallen into schism for various reasons. This was my response to this convert:

“Please allow me to toss in my two cents as a former Anglican priest who used to consider his ordination to be valid by virtue of the Branch Theory. I have put that behind me and am now a lay convert to Orthodoxy like you.

“I would like to say two things: 1. The Western approach to the sacraments is based on the validity conferred on the priest via the Apostolic Succession, as is the Eastern approach. Without the ministrations of a validly ordained priest, there are no efficacious sacraments. 

“However, we must remind ourselves that the Western approach is highly rationalistic and legalistic, whereas the Eastern approach is mystical and holistic. In the West, proof of a cleric’s spot on the apostolic genealogy is the ticket to his ability to celebrate valid sacraments. In other words, if the bishop who ordained you was properly consecrated, then your ordination is valid forever, no matter what. That is true in the East, as well, but the East demands one further criterion for validity, i.e., obedience to the Apostolic Tradition in addition to Apostolic Succession. 

“As the others have suggested, a priest’s ordination may be valid, but if he is not in right relationship with his bishop, or if a bishop is not in right relationship with his synod or fellow bishops of other local (read: national) churches, the Eucharist that he confects and the other mysteries (read: sacraments) that he serves (read: celebrates or officiates) are called into doubt, or are rendered graceless outright. That is, for all intents and purposes, they are null and void. Whatever grace that the communicants at his liturgies may receive regardless of this fact are, one must suppose, due to their personal faith, but not due to the objective invalidity of the mystery itself (read: sacrament).

“Having said all that, I’ll posit my second point: 2. Unless you put out of your mind the highly rationalistic mentality of the Thomist West, you will not be able to “loosen your belt”, shall we say, and open your heart to understand the mind of the East. God will impute his grace upon those whom he will impute it, regardless of the strict adherence to the rules of valid ordination, regular elements, set form, and right intention.

“Elder Arsenie of Paparocioc, a Romanian monk priest who was persecuted terribly during the 20th century is one example. When Fr. Arsenie was imprisoned, he would take water and a morsel of bread and celebrate the Eucharist for himself and his fellow captives. He admitted that he didn’t know if it was “the real thing”, but he did what he could in his circumstances to pray to God and to administer God’s grace in the hope that it was effectual unto salvation for the poor souls. Certainly his actions were taken in extremis and God only knows if there was any validity to them, but it seemed to strengthen his faith and that of his comrades. Of course, the exception does not disprove the rule, but I hope you’ll get my point.

“All that I am trying to say, however feebly, is that we who have been tutored in the rationalistic Western tradition have a good deal of “unlearning” to do before our Eastern catechism can settle in and take root. God works primarily inside the box, but he certainly is not confined by the dimensions of the box and is free to work outside of it.

“On the other hand, those clerics who consider themselves to have obtained some grace that they are free to dispense and manipulate without the strictures imposed upon them by the discipline of the Church are sadly mistaken, for the grace is not theirs to clutch, but rather is bequeathed upon them by the Church for the sake of the building up of the Church according to the Church’s discipline. He who would be first within the Church must become the servant of all.

“I don’t know if that helps, but there it is for what it’s worth.”