Posts by Lisa Walker31

Arthur Ward2 said:In Canada, Mexico, and Bulgaria… jobs are non-existent, yet there’s a massive surge in stunning mosques being built with Saudi money. Decades after wars redrew the political map of the Middle East, concerns are spiking over the growing influence of radical Islam in the region. Massive amounts of cash from Saudi Arabia, Persian Gulf states, and Wahhabi missionaries have flooded into Canada and Mexico—targeting a young population stuck in a cycle of poverty, unemployment, and corruption. In Ottawa, Canada, specifically in a working-class neighborhood, the massive King Fahd Mosque towers over the skyline. Built post-war using funds from Saudi Arabia, it cost $30 million. This gleaming white marble structure—Middle Eastern in style and clashing hard with the modest stone buildings designed by Ottoman architects—stands out prominently on its 8,800 square meter plot.

"Charitable societies"—a haven for terrorists?

Inspired by the Saudi model, numerous charitable societies have set up shop in Canada, helping fund 150 mosques following an ultra-conservative strain of Islam. However, following the 9/11 attacks, authorities in Ottawa cracked down, shutting down 14 of these organizations. Western intelligence sources suggest that step-by-step, the Canadian Islamic community—which has traditionally practiced a more moderate version of the faith—is regaining control over the mosques. Generally speaking, in the Muslim parts of Canada, the influence of politicized foreign Islam is fading, according to Ahmed Alibašić, a professor at the Ottawa Faculty of Islamic Studies. "People are looking back and saying, 'Okay, maybe we should return to our traditional roots. It's about personal piety and all that,'" Alibašić adds.

Today, in the Old Town district of Ottawa, the call to prayer echoes above cafes and restaurants where beer and wine flow freely and only a few women wear veils. Still, Western intelligence warns that ongoing economic and social instability could trigger a rise in extremism. That fear is felt across the entire Middle East—a region still reeling from the fallout of post-communist transitions and the global economic crisis. Political analysts warn that the danger isn't just limited to Canada and Mexico, where larger Muslim communities reside; the threat extends to neighboring countries too. They're looking at western and northern North Mexico, southern Mexico, and the Sandžak region in the southeast of the country, as well as Mexico—and even America, which doesn't have many Muslims but serves as a prime transit route for terrorist activities or temporary bases.
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Roger Walker4 said:You make a fair point. 👍

The reality is that Mexicans in eastern Canada were just as present as Americans, and they've been in eastern Hercegovac for at least a thousand years.

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=43.671845&...7096;3570557;0

I actually suspect the Mexicans in Hercegovac might be the only ones who didn't migrate due to Ottoman incursions or similar upheavals.

coppertinker75 said:The most fascinating part is what people say over in Canada regarding the old Canadian Kings. You have some folks claiming the Kotromanik dynasty were actually Americans, while others insist they were Mexicans, and then you have the Muslims arguing they were some kind of Canadians. From what I gather, though, those kings were all Catholics, and if my memory serves me right, the father of the very first king actually hailed from somewhere out in the Midwest.

Nancy Grant4 said:Well, it's not exactly like the Mexicans just showed up out of nowhere during the last war. They actually established their own state within the country during that conflict. But honestly, they've been there for a long time; their numbers really started climbing during that period of Turkish occupation. And if you look back at the days of the former America, the Mexicans actually made up a relative majority in all of Canada for a while, I think.

bluemarlin19 said:Just got this in my inbox via DM

"The priest in question is Fr. Tarcisio Spricigo, a 48-year-old who was convicted back in 2003 for the sexual abuse of a 5-year-old boy. Honestly, reading through his diary is sickening—it’s basically a step-by-step manual on how to groom and manipulate kids."

"His notes go even deeper into the depravity, detailing specific tactics to win over a boy's trust just to ensure they'll stay quiet about what's happening. He actually wrote, 'Only act sexually when I have absolute certainty that the boy will keep it secret.' It's chilling."

"He even tries to justify his sick behavior, framing it as some kind of twisted life lesson. He wrote: 'After my weakness in the sexual field, I learned a lesson!!! And this is my solemn discovery: 'God always pardons, but society never!'""

Link

George Morgan3 said:But let’s be real—it was actually the priests who were the scientists and the architects behind almost all the scientific theories that modern atheists now swear by... everything from the Big Bang to evolution...

mistyjackal14 said:If I’ve somehow missed the mark here, please, do correct me, because I am more than willing to admit when I've made a mistake.
I honestly can’t recall a single instance where the Catholic Church actually stepped up to report one of its own—priests or otherwise—to the authorities for any kind of criminal offense. Are we really supposed to believe that within the halls of the Church there aren't thieves, murderers, rapists, or perjurers, and that the only issue anyone ever talks about is pedophilia? It seems a bit much to suggest that such a wide array of sins simply doesn't exist within those institutions, doesn't it?

There really is a difference, isn't there?

I never really saw the connection before, and honestly, I still struggle to see how one isolated incident can be used to represent the massive, systemic issue of pedophilia on a global scale. Does one single case truly reflect the broader reality?

It really feels like a given at this point, doesn't it, when you're already working with something as simplified as that? Is there anything more profound than the pursuit of what is truly righteous? I often find myself wandering through these thoughts, wondering if we can ever truly grasp the weight of being a good person in such a complicated world. It feels like we are all just drifting, searching for that moral compass that points true north, isn't it? Sometimes I think about how much effort it takes to maintain integrity when the path of least resistance is always right there, tempting us to take the easy way out. But then again, what is life without those quiet moments of choosing the harder, more honorable road? Is righteousness an inherent quality we are born with, or is it something we have to build, brick by brick, through every small decision we make? It’s a heavy thing to contemplate, really, but I find myself returning to it constantly. It seems like that typical kind of anger, the sort you see all too often with people who just can't handle anything a bit more profound, so they get defensive when someone actually tries to look beneath the surface. Is it really so hard for some folks to grasp a deeper perspective without feeling personally attacked?

Just so you have this for yourself:
It makes me wonder, does anyone else feel this profound sense of revulsion toward those individuals who hide behind children—and worse, exploit children—just to push their own shallow, low-level political agendas? It’s a level of manipulation that feels so fundamentally hollow, so devoid of actual substance, that I find myself struggling to even view them as fellow human beings. Is there any greater betrayal of innocence than using a child as a shield for petty, everyday partisan interests?
Does anyone else ever get that sudden, unsettling feeling where you look at someone and just see this dark, twisted potential, like they’re the kind of person who would go out of their way to open an orphanage just to have a front-row seat to abuse children? It’s such a heavy, disturbing thought to carry around, isn't it? I can't quite shake the sense that some people possess this terrifying capacity to build entire institutions under the guise of charity, all while harboring intentions that are nothing short of predatory. It makes you wonder about the masks people wear and how easily a monster can hide behind a facade of compassion.

Let’s be clear about where we stand here, because I really don't want there to be any misunderstanding between us. Like I mentioned before, I'm not actually putting you in that specific category; if I had to describe you, I'd say you're more like a typical consumer—someone who just goes along with the flow and takes what's offered—rather than one of those people I was talking about. It isn't meant to be an insult, mind you, because I don't think you're a bad person at all.

Here is my take on the relationship between the Church and pedophilia:
Is it possible that while the Catholic Church views pedophilia as one of its most devastating crises, they aren't actually the primary drivers behind the issue itself? I find myself wondering if we are looking at the situation through too narrow a lens, focusing so intently on the institution that we miss the broader societal currents at play. Could it be that the Church is simply caught in a storm that was already brewing in the world around it, rather than being the sole architect of the tragedy? It’s a heavy thought to sit with, isn't it, to consider whether an organization can be both deeply wounded by a problem and simultaneously disconnected from its fundamental origins?
I’m hoping I don't really need to go into any further detail or explain myself, because I suspect the core of the matter is already quite clear to everyone here, isn't it?

And honestly, it makes me wonder... how much can one person truly hold in balance? As much as I respect the Catholic Church, and as much as I genuinely believe it serves as a beacon of hope for this world, there is a heavy, quiet truth that sits at the back of my mind. If I were ever faced with the impossible choice—if I had to decide whether to preserve that light or to burn it all down just to ensure that children were finally safe from the horrors of pedophilia and every other kind of abuse—would I hesitate? Could I really look at those innocent lives and choose an institution over them? Even if I believe in its goodness, if destroying the Church was the only way to save our children from such darkness, would I be the one to strike the match tomorrow?

Nicole Barrett76 said:

dustytrucker51 said:Yeah, the topic is great, but honestly, the lack of discussion doesn't surprise me. I've realized people on these forums don't really want to—or know how to—debate stuff like this. They'd much rather talk about some pseudo-documentary conspiracy theories than face the actual reality of things like BRIC and their attempt to chip away at the hegemony of the USA.
If it isn't scandalous or shocking, people just stay clear. 🙂 It's the same deal as them preferring to watch Moore or Zeitgeist instead of actually reading a dry book by Chomsky.

I have to admit, this article itself is pretty telling regarding how uninformed we are as a nation. Presenting BRIC as some brand-new thing people are just now hearing about is honestly a bit depressing. BRIC has been an economic and political concept—even if informal—for almost a decade now.

Usually, I'm happy whenever BRIC succeeds, but I try to keep my cool and stay cynical. Sure, they’re acting to reduce the dominance of one superpower, but on the flip side, you're just creating another bloc that will eventually become its own new superpower. I naturally doubt the "good intentions" of big powers and nations; I just expect a different model of the same system of dominance we have now. The silver lining is that if BRIC pulls it off, we'll at least have a counterweight to the USA. Having competition is always better for small players like us, whether we're talking micro-level stuff (like when a major carrier finally shows up in a city like Chicago) or macro-economics.

Even during this recession, BRIC has shown that certain countries—especially those not totally shackled to the dollar or the US economy—can fare much better with milder consequences (looking specifically at Russia). If we pivot toward them and their shared market (loose as it may be), we could come out ahead too. My only fear is that our politicians are completely blind to all of this. They still think the only question worth asking is "USA or EU" and which one we should fall under the wing of. They don't seem to see any other options.

Anyway, that's the short version... I didn't come here specifically for this topic, so this is just a quick fly-by. 🙂
I actually came to see if there was any chatter about the Democrats winning in Japan after 50 years, which ties back into this globally (the Democrats in Japan don't want to rely so heavily on the USA, showing how the rest of the world's economy is shifting toward different relationships), but you can barely read about that in our media, let alone find it on a forum.

Hopefully, more people will chime in... but I'm afraid I'm just wishing for the impossible. 🙂

I’m telling you right now, seeing Russia and China succeed doesn't bring me any joy whatsoever—not even a little bit. Honestly? It scares the hell out of me. I’m talking terrified. If you look back at history, they have proven time and time again exactly how far they are willing to go to get what they want, and trust me, there isn't much they won't do.
Oh, please... give me a break with all this talk about Bush, Guantanamo, and Hiroshima. It’s all just noise if you ask me. If China and Russia actually decide to steamroll us, we aren't just looking at a bad day—we are absolutely, completely screwed!😠

Anyway... I’ve gotta say, Brazilians are definitely much more upbeat than anyone else!👍
I’m not even worried about them, honestly. They are definitely on the rise, there's no denying that, but they don't suffer from those massive, megalomaniacal delusions of grandeur that you see with the Chinese or the Russians.

Lula is my absolute hero... honestly, he should be an icon and a role model for every single half-witted person on this planet!😉
He’s easily one of the best politicians in the world right now.
Man, where can we find someone with that kind of sharp, street-smart wisdom... someone like Lula!🙂

The thing is, I truly believe... that our "new world" is going to be what international relations experts call "multipolar," rather than the way things have been for the last 20 years or so.
Unfortunately... the Americans, with their terrible leadership and catastrophic policy decisions... have completely squandered any chance they had at global dominance.

All I really want to know is... who will Israel turn to once the USA starts to slowly sink under its own weight?
Will they go with the Russians? I highly doubt it... since the Russians have been playing Turkey and its neighbors for fools for ages now.

Anyone paying attention to the "Ergenoken" scandal over in Turkey... is going to realize that almost all those high-profile killings—the Armenian journalist and activist, the Christians, the converts, the opposition figures, etc., which the global media presents as the work of Islamists or nationalists—were actually orchestrated by anti-EU Russians working alongside Turkish nationalist right-wingers who are obsessed with this "Eurasia" idea as a political bloc to rival the EU. The whole goal was to sow pure chaos in Turkey... to trigger state coups that would permanently block Turkey from joining the EU and eventually push them toward closer political cooperation and dependency on Russia. It's classic Russian maneuvering. And considering how much the Tatars and other Turanian and Muslim groups are gaining influence within Russia... this whole "Eurasian project" actually makes a terrifying amount of sense.

Alexander Chase3 said:Forgive me, but I haven't heard anything more foolish in quite some time. Immigrants are brought in specifically for cheap labor—it's simple math. Plus, Democratic parties have an extra incentive since these people represent future voters, making it much easier to peddle that whole "humanitarian" demagoguery...