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SOTT Focus: The Truth Perspective: Churches Behaving Badly: How Religions Succeed or Fail to Prevent Pathocracy

Harrison Koehli, Elan Martin and Corey Schink
Sott.net
Sat, 03 Nov 2018 16:00 UTC
inquisition
Some critics of organized religions argue that religions are the root of all evils. Some of the faithful argue that atheism and secular ideologies like communism or capitalism produce the worst atrocities. But is either side correct? Or are they missing an important piece of the puzzle?

Today on the Truth Perspective we discuss a chapter in Andrew Lobaczewski's Political Ponerology on religion and pathocracy: how religious ideologies get infected with pathological material, which can remain semi-dormant for centuries; how religions can be hijacked by malevolent individuals and groups; how the same pathological influences produce secular systems that then attack the faithful; and how despite their errors, religions still offer the best defense against political and interpersonal evil.

Religion is both our greatest aid against evil, and also - because of its importance - one of the greatest portals for evil to manifest itself. Both sides of the debate are correct, in a sense. Ponerology fills in the holes of our understanding of spirituality and evil, bridging the gap between the two and pointing the way to a reconciliation between the scientific and religious domains, where each has an important role to play.

Running Time: 01:42:40

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SOTT Focus: The Health & Wellness Show: To Booze or Not to Booze?


Sott.net
Fri, 02 Nov 2018 15:00 UTC
old drink alcohol age
Alcohol consumption is one of humanity's most socially sanctioned drugs. Humans have been serving up the booze for tens of thousands of years and will surely continue to do so until the end of time with or without the blessing of the established health authorities. At this particular moment in history the medical establishment tends to lean toward advocating a moderate level (whatever that means) of alcohol consumption for its supposed heart healthy benefits. Other health professionals state that there is no safe level of consumption and alcohol's benefits are wildly exaggerated.

Whether you're a teetotaler, a fine wine aficionado or a straight up boozehound join us for this episode of The Health and Wellness Show where we'll discuss the world's favorite drug and if it has any place in the diet of a health conscious person.

Stay tuned, at the end of the show, for Zoya's Pet Health Segment where the topic will be language in animals.

Running Time: 01:39:23

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Stop

SOTT Focus: The Attack on Social Network Gab Proves That Free Speech Was Never Free

Tom Luongo
Gold, Goats 'n Guns
Mon, 29 Oct 2018 00:00 UTC
gab social media
"Who Runs Bartertown!?"
- Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome
The First Amendment protects your right to say whatever you want free from government prosecution. It does not protect you from saying hateful things on private properties or privately-owned forums without fear of repercussion.

That is the very definition of freedom of association.

Friday's attack by an unhinged, vile piece of human excrement on a Synagogue in Pittsburgh wasn't hours old before real world agendas pushed to the top of the news.
  • Twitter alternative Gab was immediately dropped by PayPal without specific reasons.
  • Then immediately, Gab's latest hosting service unilaterally gave the company a 48-hour termination notice of its contract.
  • This is the second time Gab has had to switch providers this year. They have been denied an app in the iOS store. Google will not allow their Android app to be in the Play Store.
Why is Gab targeted?
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SOTT Focus: NewsReal: Mail-Bombs, Migrants, Mass Shootings: US Midterm Election Madness


Sott.net
Sun, 28 Oct 2018 17:00 UTC
newsreal midterm elections
A series of dramatic incidents in the US recently have super-charged the run-up to this year's Midterm elections, significantly exacerbating the already-pronounced political polarization we've seen there since Trump's election in 2016. This week on NewsReal With Joe & Niall, your hosts discuss the a spate of 'mail-bomb attacks' targeting high-profile Trump critics, the mass murder just yesterday of 11 Jews in a Pittsburgh synagogue, and the migrant caravan making its way to the US border as Americans go to the polls.

As they say, 'nothing in politics happens by accident', so what on Earth is going on here?


Running Time: 01:20:20

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Sun

SOTT Focus: Historic Istanbul Summit Sees Germany, France, Turkey And Russia Agree Roadmap For Syria


RT
Sat, 27 Oct 2018 22:19 UTC

Comment: On the one hand, it's just another high-profile meeting in an era of non-stop high-profile meetings about world-changing events.

On the other hand, this meeting is particularly historic because it marks the first time - since about the early 18th century - that arguably THE top geopolitical issue du jour was discussed - and a plan formulated, or at least constated, for dealing with it - without the presence of either the British or the Americans.

This is, without doubt, THE biggest piece of news anyone should be hearing about. In the West, especially in the Anglosphere of course, it's completely drowned out by the cascading crises it finds itself immersed in, and the deafening sounds of its own media horns trumpeting (crises or no crises) how awesome and virtuous it is...


PutinMerkelErdoganMacron
© PutinMerkelErdoganMacron Global Look Press/Oliver WeikenHistory-makers: Russian President Putin • German Chancellor Merkel • Turkish President Erdogan • French President Macron
Despite years of disagreements on Syria, leaders of Turkey, France, Germany, and Russia have worked out a common vision of the steps to reconciliation in the war-torn country as they met in Istanbul. Here's the summary of it.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who hosted the talks, was joined by Russia's Vladimir Putin and France's Emmanuel Macron, as well as Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel. Following the summit, the four leaders held a joint press conference and released a communique, highlighting what common ground they had found during the four-way talks.
  • Only political solution for Syria: The leaders have "expressed their support for an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process that is facilitated by the United Nations."
  • Need to start work on constitution in Geneva: A committee set to draft a new constitution for Syria should begin its work as soon as possible, preferably before the end of this year.
  • No to division of Syria: Syria must continue to exist within its pre-war borders. Any separatist movements or desires of foreign powers to occupy parts of the country are therefore firmly rejected.
  • Keep ceasefire & defeat terrorists: The four countries have expressed their support for the Idlib ceasefire deal, brokered earlier by Russia and Turkey. At the same time, they emphasized the importance of fighting terrorism and condemned the usage of chemical weapons.
  • Boost humanitarian aid: The United Nations and other international organizations should bolster aid deliveries to the war-torn country. "Swift, safe and unhindered" flow of humanitarian aid will provide much needed relief to the sufferings of the Syrian people.
  • Help return of refugees: The four leaders stressed the importance of "safe and voluntary" return of refugees to Syria. To facilitate the process, appropriate housing and social care facilities must be constructed in the country.
  • Internationally-observed elections: The ultimate goal of the political settlement process is holding transparent, internationally-observed elections, the statement reads. All Syrians, including those who had to flee the country, must be able to participate.

Comment: The roadmap is, essentially, exactly what Russia has been calling for for the last 7 years.

First Putin got Syria and Iran onboard, then Turkey, and now the two major EU countries.

'Assad must go' is officially dead, and so is 'the Yinon plan' for partitioning Syria.

More from Vesti News:


More from RT
"The whole world is watching this meeting. I hope, that the hopes will be met," Erdogan said, while opening the summit.

The four leaders are also expected to be joined by UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura. The four-way summit is an entirely new format of talks on the war-torn country, which has endured years-long conflict.

The meeting is all about testing the waters and trying to bring about different formats of talks on Syria, as if the leaders were to "synchronize watches" rather than reach a breakthrough, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Similar opinion was expressed by Germany, with Foreign Minister Heiko Maas stating that the summit effectively brings different sides together for the very first time.
"There are Russians and Turks, who have been at the same format of talks with Iran. And on the other side, there are French and us, who partake in the so-called 'Friends of Syria' group," Maas said ahead of the event, adding that having a "joint conversation" was a viable idea.
Turkey, which is hosting the summit, appears to be a little bit more optimistic about the high-profile event. According to the spokesman for Turkey's President, Ibrahim Kalin, the leaders are expected to discuss prospects of political settlement in Syria, and might agree on some sort of reconciliation roadmap and the main ideas for the new Syrian Constitution.

10/27/2018 From RT:
Setting up the committee to draft a new Syrian constitution is a priority, but eliminating the remaining "radical elements" in the country remains an important objective, Russia's Vladimir Putin said at the Istanbul summit.
"While the degree of violence in Syria has been greatly reduced, elimination of all the radical elements is still an important task," President Vladimir Putin said, speaking after the four-way Syria summit with leaders of Turkey, France and Germany. "We cannot allow the battle-hardened bandits to carry on with their illicit activities, to create "sleeper cells" in our countries, recruit supporters and spread extremist ideology and terror."
Turkey is sticking to its commitments over the Idlib ceasefire deal, Putin said, but added that Ankara has not yet been able to force all the radicals in the region to comply with the agreement. Russia's leader expressed hopes that the ceasefire will be fully implemented in the future.

If the terrorists continue to launch attacks from Idlib, Moscow reserves the right to provide armed support to the Syrian government to clear the region by force, Putin stated.

While the Idlib agreement is very important, it still is a "temporary measure," he said. Lasting peace can be only brought through a political solution, the Russian president stressed, adding that the committee to draft a new Syrian constitution is expected to begin its work before the end of the year.

"The fate of the country must be ultimately decided by the Syrian people," he added.


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SOTT Focus: The Truth Perspective: Being As Communion: Why Information Theory Is Cooler Than You Think

Harrison Koehli, Adam Daniels and Elan Martin
Sott.net
Sat, 27 Oct 2018 16:00 UTC
information theory
Information is more than most people think. Sure, we get information from books, the news, gossip and google searches. Information is also the basis of computer programs and the DNA within our cells. But it's also much more than that. In fact, it may be a fundamental aspect of reality as we know it: from the particles and energy of physics to the shapes of our bodies and even the very acts of observation, thought and choice.

In his 2014 book Being As Communion, mathematician, philosopher, and intelligent design proponent William Dembski lays out what he calls a metaphysics of information, arguing that information and intelligence go to the very bottom and top of the cosmos. The ideas of information theory have strong resonances with the thought of Whitehead and Jordan Peterson, too.

Today on the Truth Perspective we discuss information theory, Dembski's book, and how information theory helps us not only to understand the nature of reality, but our place within it, and what our purpose might be.

Running Time: 01:35:09

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SOTT Focus: Republicans & Democrats May Bark And Bite, But The Migrant Caravan Moves on

Robert Bridge
RT
Sat, 27 Oct 2018 12:44 UTC
migrant caravan
'USA, here we come!'
On the eve of midterms, thousands of migrants are streaming towards the US through Mexico with dreams of entering America. The crisis has turned into a slippery political football in a coliseum called Washington.

For those of us living cozy, self-indulgent lives, complete with cappuccino mornings and cocktail sunsets, it is hard to imagine a level of economic deprivation so severe it could actually force people to pack their bags and trek thousands of miles in search of some semblance of happiness.

Yet that is exactly what is happening now as an estimated 10,000 poverty-stricken migrants, the majority from Honduras, have set off on a modern-day odyssey in the hope of reaching the 'Promised Land,' where potholes are filled with gold and cotton candy hangs heavy from trees. But what has made this march particularly sensational is that it is happening at the most pivotal moment as far as American politics is concerned.
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SOTT Focus: The Health & Wellness Show: Pill Poppers: Why are we taking all these supplements again?


Sott.net
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 15:00 UTC
vitamins
The FDA defines a supplement as any vitamin, enzyme, botanical, amino acid, or mineral that is not intended to cure or prevent a disease. It's estimated that 50 to 70% of Americans take a dietary supplement and we would venture to guess that most consumers purposely intend to cure or prevent a disease by taking supplements or, at the very least, correct a perceived or actual deficiency. Whether it is a genuine effort to enhance an already healthy lifestyle or a futile attempt to out-supplement a bad diet, the consumption -- or over-consumption in some cases -- of supplements begs the question: Are these pills as efficacious as their proponents would have you believe? Are people treating supplements like magic pills and popping them willy-nilly just because they're "natural"?

There are plenty of supplement haters out there who try to warn people away from supplementing citing their danger or uselessness. So what's a person to do? Join us for this episode of The Health and Wellness Show as we try to balance the anti-supplement hype with legitimate questions that every consumer should consider before randomly shoving pills down their throats.

Stay tuned for Zoya's Pet Health Segment where the topic will be Canine Stress Syndrome.

Running Time: 01:29:57

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Eagle

SOTT Focus: US Would Face no 'Threats' if it Kept Its Troops & War Machines Inside Its Own Borders

Finian Cunningham
RT
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 13:40 UTC
gorbachev Reagan
'Peace in our time!... Until we decide otherwise'
So the United States is pulling out of a key arms-control agreement, complaining it is the only party in compliance, and therefore it wants to have the right to deploy short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.

John Bolton, the national-security adviser to President Trump, was in Moscow this week meeting Russian leader Vladimir Putin and other senior Kremlin officials. Bolton huffed that the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty was obsolete from the US point of view.

"There's a new strategic reality out there," said the American official. The INF, signed in 1987, is "a bilateral treaty in a multipolar ballistic missile world."


Comment: Oh so the US prefers multi-lateral treaties all of a sudden?!


He was referring to countries like China, Iran and North Korea, which the US claims have built up arsenals of ballistic missiles prohibited by the INF. Those countries are not in violation of the said treaty because the INF was an agreement signed only by the US and the Soviet Union, later becoming the Russian Federation.

Comment: Here's some analysis of the missile treaties from a Russian perspective:



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Eagle

SOTT Focus: Just Imagine... The Response if Jamal Khashoggi Had Been Russian

Neil Clark
RT
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 13:11 UTC
jamal khashoggi
All we have to do to highlight the enormous hypocrisy and double standards which are the hallmark of domestic and international politics is to switch the names around.

Here are just a few examples...

Horror Consulate - but damn, it's our ally's!

Just imagine... if a Russian journalist, a vocal critic of President Putin and the Russian government, had walked into a Russian consulate in a NATO member state to obtain papers for his forthcoming marriage and never came out again alive. After Kremlin denials, and several changes of story, it transpired that he had indeed been killed while in the consulate, with claims made that he had been cut up while a 'look-a-like' left the building.

Well, that what's happened to the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi. And guess what, there have been no diplomatic expulsions of Saudi diplomats from the UK and US - as happened quite swiftly in the Skripal Case, despite Russian government involvement not being proved.

UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has not said that Saudi Arabia 'should go away, should shut up' as he said about Russia (see below). Or if he did, I've missed it.

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