Unsettled Christianity

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April 24th, 2013

@MarginaliaROB – Syria under Assad: A Heritage in Peril

T. Michael Law is a visionary when it comes to what the scholarly community can do to change reception, perception, and interception. This event today is just another benefit of M-ROB.

Tags: Syria, T. Michael Law, The Marginalia Review
Posted in Religion and Politics | No Comments »

June 19th, 2012

U.K. stops ship laden with Russian weapons headed for Syria

The MV Alaed had its insurance withdrawn by The Standard Club in London while it was about 50 miles (80.4km) off Scotland’s north coast.

The insurer said it had sought more information on the boat’s cargo.

Withdrawal of insurance prevents the MV Alaed from sailing until its owner can secure new cover.

It was thought that the vessel had stopped off the Western Isles.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said it was unclear where the vessel would now go.

The Russian embassy in London has not yet commented.

via BBC News – Ship ‘carrying Russian attack helicopters to Syria’ halted off Scotland.

An attack in Syria is an attack against Iran, and now it seems, perhaps Russia.

I am not sure what should be done, considering that many more lives than just the Syrians are at stake, but some part of my suggests that we do something while the sane part of me says that anything we do is likely to cause a severe escalation of tensions in the region that will lead to major problems for allies and pseudo-allies in the Middle East, if not Europe.

Tags: russia, Syria
Posted in Religion and Politics | No Comments »

June 8th, 2012

No, al-Assad is not the Antichrist and Joel is not a theologian

Joel Richardson has a new theory out… That the leader of Syria is the Antichrist:

Far too many prophecy teachers today have missed the fact that throughout Isaiah, the Antichrist is referred to as “the Assyrian.” Because of the Euro-centric perspective of many modern prophecy teachers, the belief that the Antichrist was known as “the Assyrian” throughout the early church has all been but forgotten.

Wonderful…. Just another way to get Americans all fired up about going into Syria

Tags: Bashar al-Assad, Joel Richardson, Prophecy, Syria
Posted in Debate/Discussion, Religion and Politics | 10 Comments »

September 15th, 2011

Mari, Nineveh… Casualties of War

Image via Wikipedia

Last month we reported that the Biblical city of Nineveh is falling apart due to the ongoing war in Iraq. Now it turns out another ancient Mesopotamian city is in danger of being lost.

Mari, in Syria, was one of the great cities of Mesopotamia. It was a trading center on the Euphrates River and was founded some 7,000 years ago. Archaeologists have discovered the giant palace of a Sumerian ruler, a temple to Ishtar, and a huge library with more than 25,000 clay tablets written in Akkadian cuneiform.

Now Popular Archaeology magazine reports that erosion and neglect are returning the city to the earth. The people of Mari built with fired mud brick, using clay that was cheap and plentiful along the banks of the Euphrates. Wind and rain have been picking away at the bricks for thousands of years, and it doesn’t help that more walls have been exposed by archaeologists. Dust to dust. (here)

Shame, really…

Tags: Arab Spring, Mari, Syria
Posted in Archaeology | 1 Comment »

March 28th, 2011

And Syria, Mr. President, and Bahrain, Mr. President, and Saudi Arabia?

Image via Wikipedia

“I refused to wait for the images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action”

We have those tales and images from our ‘allies’, Mr. President, in Bahrain – from the Saudi’s. And what of Yemen and Syria? Or the Ivory Coast? Or the darkest places in Africa? What about them, Mr. President?

You can read the transcript here.

In a nationally televised address, Obama — accused by many lawmakers of failing to explain the U.S. role in the Western air campaign against Gaddafi’s loyalists — made the case for his decision to intervene militarily in the Libya conflict.

But he also underscored the limits of U.S. military action as he sought to counter criticism that he lacked clear objectives and a credible exit strategy in the conflict.

“I can report that we have stopped Gaddafi’s deadly advance,” Obama told military officers at the National Defense University in Washington, 10 days after ordering U.S. participation in Western-led air strikes.

“We will deny the regime arms, cut off its supply of cash, assist the opposition, and work with other nations to hasten the day when Gaddafi leaves power,” Obama said.

But he added that “it may not happen overnight” and acknowledged that Gaddafi may be able to cling to power. “Broadening our military mission to include regime change would be a mistake,” he said.

Obama seeks to define Libya goals and exit plan | Reuters.

And yes, I support the men and woman in uniform and pray for their safety. May God protect them, in every land, and in every duty.

“(In private,) STATE & DoD officials: “We don’t want Libya to distract us from more important challenges in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain & Yemen…”" and related posts (friday-lunch-club.blogspot.com)
Is Washington more obsessed with Iran rising than Libyans dying? (promoteliberty.wordpress.com)
The West’s Selectively Policing the World, but That’s O.K. (time.com)
Arab Spring: Saudi Arabia and Syria (spinelessliberal.wordpress.com)
The birth of an Obama doctrine (economist.com)
Will Obama lose Saudi Arabia? (hotair.com)
Western double standards over Libya will help Islamists (cnn.com)
Why is US backing force in Libya but not Bahrain, Yemen? (worldtruthtoday.com)

Tags: africa, Bahrain, barack obama, Libya, Muammar al-Gaddafi, saudi arabia, Syria, Yemen
Posted in Other Posts | 7 Comments »

December 30th, 2010

Ancient church unearthed in Syria

As Aaron pointed out… no such thing as a Christian church B.C…. poor English translation, I’d say…

Syrian archeologists have discovered church remains dating back to the 5th century B.C., in Daraa province, south of the capital Damascus, Syrian official SANA news agency reported Wednesday.

The archeologists found foundations of a church’s wall near the southern side of a Roman Temple site in Daraa province, the report said.

Mohammed Nasrallah, from Damascus University’s Archeology Department said the church, based on the unearthed pottery fragments, was built in Basilica style and was 15 meters long and 7.5 meters wide.

The area around Darra, once a Roman era trading center, is rich in archaeological treasures.

via Ancient church unearthed in Syria.

Pretty awesome.