Deus Misereatur

 They're persistent, and crop up in surprising places: at that family gathering, at the Bible study, in Christian books and videos, rally speeches, etc. I have my own history with them. From 1990 to around 1995, I was engaged with various conspiracy theories, even (for a short time) leading a chapter of fellow travelers who thought the Communists/Trilateral Commission/Council on Foreign Relations/etc. were The Conspirators. In that season I came into close contact with White Supremacists who thought the same and touted the idea that "The Jews" were behind it all. But since leaving that all behind, I have reflected often on what made the conspiracy theories so attractive, and still makes them attractive. I have five perceptions listed below: 1 - "Conspiracy" is an easy way to explain the baffling, confusing, unsettling troubles afflicting us, or our nation, or our tribe. "Conspiracy" gives us a simple, unifying answer to what is disturbing and disorient...

  Since there are already loads of healthy reviews out there, this will be short. Zeihan's new, pre-COVID 19 volume "Disunited Nations: The Scramble for Power in an Ungoverned World" is an updating of his last two works, bringing his thesis up to 2020 and beyond. Most of the underlying ideas are still here, but maturing. Many of the author's predictions are based on geography, demographics, past actions, economics, etc. It's a very readable work, requiring no professional training to grasp. Zeihan continues to show how the Breton Woods agreement benefited the nations of the world by opening up trade, undoing colonialism, providing national and international stability, and so forth. He doesn't necessarily praise the agreement, but reports in a matter-of-fact way what it did. And now that it is unwinding, so will many of it's global benefits. Therefore, much of the book is a sketch of what the world will begin looking like as things continue to unravel and w...

  Father, because of your Son, Jesus the Messiah; because of your Holy Spirit by whom your love is poured into our hearts; and because of your strongly guaranteed promise, we make bold to pray to you. Bring the unruliness and agitation of all the nations of this world to a place of peace, orderliness, and the rule of just law so that peaceful and healthy prosperity might prevail, your church may live quietly and safely in all places, and your Gospel run swiftly and unhindered. This brings us to pray for those who lead the various nations, to include our own President, Governor, and Mayor. Surround them with those who will boldly and wisely counsel them to do right, defend the right, and lead their people to that which is right. Guide each to recognize that their office is not theirs to dispose of as they chose, but rather is given by you and accountable to you. Bring them to recognize that they – even Supreme Court Justices – will stand before you, the Judge of the living and t...