EU and the US: strange bedfellows - perceptions and reality - by RM

When asking this question it might be a good idea to look at what unites and divides these two Atlantic Alliance partners.  

Historical ties: US and Europe  respect many common democratic ideals and through-out the years always jointly stood up for these ideals on many occasions, including-fighting wars and conflicts over these ideals against adversaries together .

Economics: both the EU and the US adhere, certainly if we look at these ideals in the past, to supporting and promoting free and open global trade,

This common purpose has, however, eroded  rapidly over the past 5 - 10 years.

Comparing US and EU austerity programs following the 2008 economic crises, it seems that when you put EU austerity programs under a magnifying glass they are in effect quite realistic, and even though they are so far not showing spectacular results, these measures seem to be working.

The US, on the other hand, seems to be doing economics by "magic wand" and in the process has rung up the world's biggest deficit.

The so-called  quantitative easing {QE) developed by the US Fed in fact means just printing more money and putting their head in the sand. QE is only pushing the day of reckoning further away. Unfortunately, this kind of economic policy will come and haunt the US in a big way one day.

In the past the US had a thriving industrial base on which it could fall back. It does not have that today.

As to Europe and the ECB, chaired by Mario Draghi, a former Goldman Sachs employee, it seems the ECB is also expected to take the plunge into quantitative easing, mainly as a result of constant Wall Street Pressure.

The results, in the long run, will like with the US program, eventually not be what was expected.     

Facts and figures: European economic data is usually very accurate. In contrast, US economic data including labor data is not always accurate, making it necessary for the US Government to release several updates and revisions which make it quite confusing for economic analysts.

Freedom of the Press: there does not seem to be any apparent censorship of the Press in either the EU or the US

Watching the news in America outsiders are constantly amazed by the uniformity and sensationalist news coverage projected by the corporate owned networks to the majority of US viewers,

Two US exceptions as to the above observation are "link TV" and "PBS".

Aljazeera America and BBC America are also considered good alternatives for news "without a slant" one can watch in America.

For more international news, another possibility is "streaming" news from France24 on your computer. .

For Europeans in America interested to keep up-to-date with their home news they will find most local European TV stations have internet links which you can watch anywhere in the world..

Miscellaneous observations Some other general observations about American and European differences

Like the EU, the US is a magnet for immigrants and refugees from economically, democratically, and war ravaged countries.

The US population in general is obese, consumer driven, under-educated and not very savvy when it comes to world affairs or in speaking foreign languages.

The EU population is nationalistically and  negatively inclined at what they consider as foreign, be it immigrants or religious beliefs..

Europeans in general are far better educated than Americans, many speak at least 2 to 3 languages and are aware of what is going on around the world.

Corporations: Corporate America: has basically taken over political America and regardless of the fact that they are perceived in both the US and the EU as corrupt and too powerful, are nevertheless continuing their practices as usual and are practically unopposed by governments on both sides of the Atlantic

Corporations and their lobbyists are getting an ever stronger foothold in the European parliament.

Racial Divide: There is still a huge, often hidden, racial divide between black and white in America.

Middle East: The strong Jewish influence and political lobby by Israel in relation to US policies in the Middle East has certainly contributed to the present chaotic situation in that area.

The situation becomes even more muddled if one includes in that picture the US close ties with Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

One could also say that this situation  is reminiscent of the former British Empire "divide and conquer" policies which eventually ended in disaster.

The EU has a different vision about relations with Middle Eastern countries and has close ties with the Palestinians and their leader Abbas .

The EU has also strongly objected against the destructive Israeli attacks against Gaza and the unauthorized expansion of Israel on the West bank.

NATO: EU states are usually forced to go along with the US on their military adventures in the Middle East and elsewhere as a result of their membership in NATO.

Research and polls show that 68 % of the EU 500 million plus population would vote in favor of getting out of the NATO if a referendum were held today

The Environment: On the issues of global warming, GMO, and alternative energy, the population of the US is held mainly in the dark by the corporate controlled press and government.

Consequently, they are not totally aware of the dangers lurking around the corner if no action is taken.

Future outlook: A positive development for future change is that the "below 30" of the US population have no appetite for any global military adventures, and little or no confidence in their present political representatives. and  believe transparency of Government actions are compromised.

This positive outlook is also apparent in Europe

It certainly is a hopeful sign that the change which is coming will probably also result in the US and the EU becoming more equal and independent partners within the Atlantic Alliance than they are today.

EU-Digest

Poll: 80% of EU-Digest readers consider torture unacceptable to extract information from prisioners

An EU-Digest poll held from last year December 15 to January 16 of this year found that 80% of EU-Digest consider torture an unacceptable method of interrogation of prisoners.

Our new poll which will run through February 16, 2015 asks the question: "What should be done to EU citizen Jihadists returning home from serving in foreign military activities."

EU-Digest

Netherlands has between 39,000 and 75,000 expats according to the National Statistics Office

The Netherlands has between 39,000 and 75,000 expats, according to new research by the national statistics office CBS.

The researchers define an expat as someone who was born outside the Netherlands and does not have Dutch nationality, who is aged 18 to 75 and earns a salary at the upper end of the norm in their sector.

The CBS research shows one in four ‘foreign employees’ with a high wage comes from England or Germany. Indians account for the third largest group of men and while Poland is third on the women’s list.

Most expats, according to the CBS, are aged 18 to 40 and one third are single.

The four big cities and their surrounding areas are home to most expats, while university cities also host a significant number, the CBS says.

The report also shows the business services, healthcare, academia, trade and the hospitality industries are most likely to employ expat staff.

Almere-Digest

Christianity needs to go back to basics - it's not about behavioral modification or performance - by RM

''whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst".

The Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary estimated there were 34,000 Christian denominations in 2000, rising to an an estimated 43,000 in 2012. These numbers have exploded from 1,600 in the year 1900.

Of over 2 billion Christians in the world, less than 30% say they ever read through the entire Bible. The fact is over 82% of Christian Americans only read part of their Bibles on Sundays while in church. In recent studies, the Pew research also indicated that only 25% of Americans who cal themselves Christian now attend church on any given Sunday, significantly down from 47% in 1990.

Obviously the above figures also reflect two things, One, that Christians are struggling among themselves to create a culture that mirrors the values of God as described in the Bible and two, that many Christian Pastors are generally doing a poor job in bringing the truth of the Gospel ---God’s astonishing purpose for mankind,  to their congregations.

Another question which comes up a lot by many non-Christians and even some Christians, especially during the past weeks terrorist attacks  is: "what about the Crusades from 1095-1291, wasn't that similar to what the radical Muslims are doing today" ?

The answer to this question, unfortunately, has either been avoided or never been told with any clarity by the Christian hierarchy or local Pastors. The answer is double sided  - Yes and No.

Barbaric killings took place during the Crusades, even in far greater numbers than in all the recent terrorist killings put together. The difference, however, between today's radical Muslim terrorists and the crusaders is that the crusades were considered national state organized military campaigns, supported by the Vatican and the nations around Europe they controlled.

Today's terrorists groups on the other hand, including al-Qaida and ISIS are not supported by any national state or even traditional Islamic states, at least not officially.

The other question that Christians are struggling with is the difference between Christianity and Catholicism – this also has never been quite clear to most average church goers and often "hush-hushed" by local  Pastors as a "non-question". Sometimes, also, because they themselves were not quite comfortable about the issue.

The fact is that Martin Luther back in the 1500's broke away from the Vatican controlled Catholic Church and initiated the Reformation, the basis of today’s non-violent-Bible based global Christian movement. It is a reality which needs to be made crystal clear to Protestant Christians and all the other Christian denominations that are a result of that movement. 

It must also be made clear to the world at large that the Pope is not the spokes-person for Christian around the world.

Catholics might call themselves Christian, but there are seven key issues which continue to distinguish their beliefs and practices, making their doctrine not compatible with the Reformation.

These are: 1) the Magisterium which refers to the official teaching body of the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope being the representative of God on earth - Protestants do not accept this. 2) Tradition, While Protestants don’t view tradition as equal in authority with the Scriptures (Bible), the Roman Catholic Church has a different perspective—one which clearly distinguishes itself from Protestant churches. 3) Salvation and Grace, Protestants often express the idea that salvation is by faith alone, through grace alone, in Christ alone.

The Roman Catholic Church views justification as a process, dependent on the grace you receive by participating in the Church---which is seen as a repository of saving grace. 4)The Eucharist, When it comes to the Eucharist, which most Protestants call ‘The Lord’s Supper,” or “Communion,” the Roman Catholic Church in this holds to the doctrine of transubstantiation—the idea that the edible ritual elements used during the mass literally become the body and blood of Christ.5) Justification, protestants view justification as the moment God declares that a guilty person is righteous because of the sacrifice Christ has done on the Cross for that person.. 

Catholic doctrine does not believe this and looks at man's redemption as a life-long process. 6) Priesthood of All Believers: Protestants see the church as having a horizontal structure, whereby everyone is equal in the eyes of God, while the Catholics see the Church as a vertical structure ( much like today's corporations)..7) Veneration of the Saints and the Virgin Mary, Roman Catholics see veneration, not as praying to the Saints and the Virgin Mary, but as praying through them. As is commanded in the Bible, Protestants do not pray facing statues or other objects jnstead either pray in solitude or ask a brother or sister in Christ to pray for them or with them..

Indeed, there is a lot most Christians don't know about their own religion, but should know.

As Pastor William Graham Tullian Tchividjian said from the pulpit of the Fort Lauderdale Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church on Sunday January 11, "Christianity has a major PR problem".

Yes indeed.

EU-Digest

Global Economy: Grim global growth outlook says World Bank

The World Bank has cut its global growth forecast. In its bi-annual report, the predicted global growth will be 3 percent for this year and 3.3 for 2016.

The report emphasises that  the economy is “running on a single engine. The American one. This does not make for a rosy outlook.”

In June last year the World Bank stated growth would reach 3.4 percent for 2015 and 3.5 percent next year.

The Bank adds that the low oil prices may help importing countries such as India, which is expected to grow by some 7 percent next year.

On the other hand oil producers like Russia look set to loose out. The Russian economy is on course to contract by 2.9 percent this year.
The recovery, says the report, is at best “sputtering” along in the eurozone and Japan.

 Read more: Grim global growth outlook says World Bank | euronews, economy

Anti-Terrorism March: Absence of top U.S. official at Paris march disappoint European allies - should US Ambassador France be recalled?

More than 1 million people demonstrate in Paris

As world leaders linked arms and marched in defiance of terror attacks in Paris, there was one glaring absence: a high-level representative from the United States.

President Barack Obama spent the weekend at the White House. Vice President Joe Biden was in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware. Secretary of State John Kerry was on a long-planned trip to India. Attorney General Eric Holder was in Paris attending a security summit, but did not make an appearance at the march on Sunday.

The Obama administration was instead represented by U.S. ambassador to France Jane Hartley.
That decision sparked criticism of the administration, including from Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who called it a mistake for the U.S. to not have higher level representation at a rally supporting the nation’s oldest ally.

More than a million people walked the boulevards of Paris Sunday in what French officials called the largest demonstration in their country’s history.

The rally was aimed at showing unity following terror attacks by Islamic militants that left 17 people dead.

The procession was led by some 50 world leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, British Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The White House has yet to explain why it decided to forgo high-level representation at the march. The president’s overseas travel is usually planned well in advance given the enormous security apparatus that accompanies him. The vice president has a lighter security footprint and can sometimes travel overseas more quickly.

Asked about the criticism, Kerry said, “I really think that this is sort of quibbling a little bit.” Still, the State Department announced that Kerry would be traveling to Paris this week to show solidarity with the French people.

A European parliamentarian when asked about this obvious Faux-Pas by the US State department: said: "European are very disappointed that a top US official did not attend the solidarity demonstration against global terrorism in Paris, This is not expected from a country considered by many as the " leader of the Western World and one of the closets friends and allies of  Europe."

"Shouldn't US Ambassador in France be recalled ?"

EU-Digest

Paris Terrorist Attack – Muslims need to find their own Martin Luther – by RM

Islam needs a Martin Luther

Several observations can be made following the latest Paris terrorist attack. a

a) There is a struggle going on for power in the Islamic community between three major radical groups, including: Al-Qaeda , ISIS, Boco Haram, and these terrorist attacks are now mainly “side shows” by these different factions to demonstrate the capabilities of their organizations around the world. In essence all these factions want to turn back the clock to feudal times where there was Sharia law, women had no rights what-so-ever, and corporal punishment, including beheadings, was the rule of the day

b) Muslims living in Western Communities at large, of which more than 80% have never read the Qur'an, are getting more and more frustrated being labeled Muslim and associated with terrorism, consequently they are leaving the Islam religion in droves.

More and more intellectual and Western educated Muslims are calling for a Muslim version of Martin Luther, whose 16th-century movement in Christianity, known as the Protestant Reformation rejected several teachings and practices of the Catholic Church, which were very similar to present day Muslim Sharia laws.

The Catholic doctrine at that time also called for nations to be Catholic theocracies.

Martin Luther in his writings denounced that the Pope was in fact the de-facto representative of God on earth and also noted that celabacy requirements for priests and nuns were unnatural and even married a nun, Katharina von Bora on June 13, 1525

His refusal to retract all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521 resulted in his excommunication and condemnation as an an outlaw by the Roman Emperor who put a price on his life – dead or alive.

An interesting side-note about Martin Luther's life is that during the wars between the Ottoman Empire and (Habsburg) later the Austrian Empire Martin Luther was actively urging Emperor Charles V and the German people to fight a secular war against the Turks at the battle of Vienna in 1529. He made clear, however, that the spiritual war against an alien faith was separate, to be waged through prayer and repentance and not by bloodshed.

In 1542, Luther read a Latin translation of the Qur'an He went on to produce several critical pamphlets on Islam, which he called "Mohammedanism" or "the Turk". Though Luther saw the Muslim faith as a tool of the devil, he was indifferent to its practice: "Let the Turk believe and live as he will, just as one lets the papacy and other false Christians live." He also opposed banning the publication of the Qur'an, wanting it exposed to scrutiny instead.

Martin Luther died on 18 February 1546 (aged 62) of a stroke in Eisleben, Saxony, the present Germany.

The Catholics are still around, and so is the Pope, but they have lost most of the iron grip they once held over Governments and peoples lives back in the 16^th century. thanks to revolutionary theologians like Martin Luther, and other Protestant Christians.

The Catholic Church. which during the past ten years has been losing members in large numbers recently elected a more “PR” oriented Pope at the helm of their Church.

And it must be said that since coming to power Pope Francis has been doing his best to project a more friendly and benevolent face of the Vatican.

Unfortunately, regardless of all the crowd pleasing statements made by Pope Francis, the Catholic church still remains a closed secret cult, with little transparency and continued global aspirations of power.

D) Concluding, however, one should be optimistic and note that despite the increased violence and unrest around the world - with “fanaticism, religious tensions, terrorism, extremism, corporate greed” - being the headlines of the day, something very positive is happening. One can only call this “united people spiritual power ”. Yes indeed a people's revolution is in the making.

People are not accepting everything and anything they are told at face value anymore, be it from Government, religious leaders, political leaders, pundits, the press. Instead, they are relying on one of our greatest human assets, the inner spiritual soul, which tells us what is right and wrong, and acting on this accordingly, without fear of reprisals.

We can see this movement slowly taking hold at demonstrations around the world. Specially following horrific events involving accidents, acts of terrorism. political and economic unrest and natural calamities.

People, no matter what their color, creed or faith, are coming together as one in expressing grief and best of all solidarity.

Yes indeed behind every cloud there is a silver lining and the best is still to come.

EU-Digest editorial