On this year's Paschal episode of Come Receive the Light, Fr. Timothy Chrapko, associate pastor at St. Volodymyr's Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Alberta, Canada, joins us to talk about the Paschal liturgy. And we'll also hear from Dr. Vladimir Morosan, the founder and president of Musica Russica, the largest publisher of Russian choral music outside of Russia. He and his wife are also the and Program Directors for OCN's online radio station The Rudder and the producers of OCN's "Icons in Sound" podcast. Vlad will tell us a little about Musica Russica's CD entitled Lamenations, which features the music of Holy Week from a wide range of Orthodox Traditions and is a fantastic CD to play in your homes during the Lenten and Paschal seasons.
Listen to the Liturgy here.
Also, consider a monetary gift to support this ministry.
Thinking about ethics and current events (Began 1 April 2008)
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Highway Construction Threatens Moenjodaro
KARACHI: A new four-lane expressway is being built in Moenjodaro on a piece of land protected under the Antiquities Act, reliable sources told Dawn on Saturday.
The Federal Archeology department’s pleas to the National Highway Authority (NHA) to suspend the construction and discuss the issue with it have fallen on deaf ears and the construction is going full steam ahead.
The Antiquities Act of 1975 restricts any kind of construction or development on the archeology department’s land.
A buffer of 200 feet around the archeological site has also been designated as protected under the act, meaning such activities cannot be undertaken.
A no-objection certificate from the director general of the archeology department has to be obtained for undertaking any such activity.
The expressway is being constructed to connect Larkana town with the airport.
According to highly placed sources, the two government organisations have so far refused to budge from their positions, one of them insisting that construction was being done on protected land while the other maintaining that it was outside the protected zone.
The Moenjodaro curator told Dawn that the soil and sand for road construction were also being extracted from near a protective embankment, which had been constructed with financial assistance of Unesco. The embankment had been constructed between the Indus river and the ruins to protect them from flooding.
Read it all here.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Obama's Resume Reviewed
As investigators delve further into the background of Barack Obama, a disturbing picture is emerging of a man who is not who he claims to be. The information the public has been told concerning Obama is turning out to be false--fabrications and inventions of a man and an unseen force behind him that had clear ulterior motives for seeking the highest office in the land.
According to a special report issued by 'the Blogging Professor,' the Chicago Law School faculty hated Obama. The report states that Obama was unqualified, that he was never a 'constitutional professor and scholar,' and that he never served as editor of the Harvard Law Review while a student at the school.
The real truth is that Barack Obama was merely an 'instructor' at Chicago Law School, not a professor. Commonly, instructors are non-tenure-track teachers hired by colleges and universities to teach certain courses for a salary that is well below that of Associate Professors or full Professors.
Read it all here.
According to a special report issued by 'the Blogging Professor,' the Chicago Law School faculty hated Obama. The report states that Obama was unqualified, that he was never a 'constitutional professor and scholar,' and that he never served as editor of the Harvard Law Review while a student at the school.
The real truth is that Barack Obama was merely an 'instructor' at Chicago Law School, not a professor. Commonly, instructors are non-tenure-track teachers hired by colleges and universities to teach certain courses for a salary that is well below that of Associate Professors or full Professors.
Read it all here.
Glaring Hypocrisy of Rowan Williams
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, commenting on the paedophile scandal in the Roman Catholic Church told the BBC, "I was speaking to an Irish friend recently who was saying that it's quite difficult in some parts of Ireland to go down the street wearing a clerical collar now."
The same could be said about Wales, where Williams comes from, and where he tolerates homosex and pedophiles.
The same could be said for the US Episcopal Church which, with Williams benignly looking on, condones homosex and consecrates gay and lesbian bishops. Earlier this year an Episcopal church removed the name of one of their vestry members from the parish website because he was facing child porn charges and had just been charged with offering his 5-year adopted son for sex. Frank Lombard's abuses should have drawn strong words from the church hierarchy, but instead it buried the news.
Where was Rowan Williams when this happened? Probably supping with his gay comrades. Evidently, they are the ones who have his ear and I imagine that it is they who have encouraged this hypocritical attack on Rome. And what motivates them and their Canterbury friend? Hatred of all churches that refuse to ordain women and homosexuals and who uphold order and discipline.
The leftist media elites should be embarrased for putting a microphone in front of Rowan Williams. They praise the Episcopal Church leadership for being "progressive" and ignore or malign the orthodox. They didn't give the Frank Lombard story much coverage. Granted he wasn't a priest, just a member of the parish council of an Episcopal church. I'd be willing to wager that if Lombard had been Roman Catholic or Orthodox, the media would have had a field day.
The thing about hypocrisy is that while others can see it, we can't see it in ourselves. That's a sure sign of spiritual blindness.
The same could be said about Wales, where Williams comes from, and where he tolerates homosex and pedophiles.
The same could be said for the US Episcopal Church which, with Williams benignly looking on, condones homosex and consecrates gay and lesbian bishops. Earlier this year an Episcopal church removed the name of one of their vestry members from the parish website because he was facing child porn charges and had just been charged with offering his 5-year adopted son for sex. Frank Lombard's abuses should have drawn strong words from the church hierarchy, but instead it buried the news.
Where was Rowan Williams when this happened? Probably supping with his gay comrades. Evidently, they are the ones who have his ear and I imagine that it is they who have encouraged this hypocritical attack on Rome. And what motivates them and their Canterbury friend? Hatred of all churches that refuse to ordain women and homosexuals and who uphold order and discipline.
The leftist media elites should be embarrased for putting a microphone in front of Rowan Williams. They praise the Episcopal Church leadership for being "progressive" and ignore or malign the orthodox. They didn't give the Frank Lombard story much coverage. Granted he wasn't a priest, just a member of the parish council of an Episcopal church. I'd be willing to wager that if Lombard had been Roman Catholic or Orthodox, the media would have had a field day.
The thing about hypocrisy is that while others can see it, we can't see it in ourselves. That's a sure sign of spiritual blindness.
First Family "Marks" Resurrection of Jesus Christ
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's Easter address calls on people of all faiths, as well as nonbelievers, to embrace their common aspirations and "shared spirit of humanity."
Obama used his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday to touch lightly on some of his administration's priorities: expanding health coverage, creating jobs and improving education. But his comments were more spiritual than political in tone.
"On this Easter weekend," he said, "let us hold fast to those aspirations we hold in common as brothers and sisters, as members of the same family - the family of man."
Obama noted that Jewish families recently celebrated Passover, and on Sunday, "my family will join other Christians all over the world in marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
From here.
Obama used his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday to touch lightly on some of his administration's priorities: expanding health coverage, creating jobs and improving education. But his comments were more spiritual than political in tone.
"On this Easter weekend," he said, "let us hold fast to those aspirations we hold in common as brothers and sisters, as members of the same family - the family of man."
Obama noted that Jewish families recently celebrated Passover, and on Sunday, "my family will join other Christians all over the world in marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
From here.
Friday, April 2, 2010
US Pressures Pakistan over Iran Pipeline
WASHINGTON: The United States urged Pakistan on Thursday to reconsider its deal with Iran for building a multi-billion-dollar pipeline intended to bring the much-needed natural gas to the energy starved country.
“We do not think it is the right time for doing this kind of transaction with Iran,” US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake told a briefing in Washington.
Mr Blake, who looks after South and Central Asian affairs at the State Department, returned this week from a trip to India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Belgium where he discussed the current situation in South Asia with his European colleagues as well. The US official told reporters at a briefing in Washington that the issue of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline was raised in his meetings in Pakistan, particularly in public discussions.
“We have advised Pakistan to seek other alternatives,” he added, explaining that because of Iran’s dispute with the international community over its nuclear programme, the US opposed large investments in any Iranian project.
Pakistan and Iran signed an operational agreement for the proposed pipeline on March 16, a month after the signing was delayed because Islamabad was unable to arrange funds for the project.
The pipeline was initially mooted to carry gas from Iran to Pakistan and on to India. India withdrew from negotiations last year after signing a nuclear deal with the United States, but has kept open the option of rejoining the project at a later stage.
On Thursday, Pakistan said it would provide India with security guarantees for the pipeline from the South Pars gas complex in Iran as an incentive to join the project.
Referring to these problems, Mr Blake said the project still faced “many challenges.”
When a reporter asked if the US would also advise India not to join the pipeline project, Mr Blake said: “This is a very sensitive time in relations with Iran and we prefer that all countries avoid such transactions with Iran.”
Water Crisis
At the briefing, Pakistani journalists were particularly concerned about a potentially explosive dispute between India and Pakistan over water and they put several questions to the US official on this issue.
Mr Blake said the US would not get involved “in bilateral issues” between India and Pakistan. “We think the World Bank is the right place” for resolving such disputes.
The United States, however, will help both countries in developing their water resources.
On Thursday, an influential US newspaper — Wall Street Journal — reported that the water feud between India and Pakistan was threatening to derail peace talks between the two neighbours.
The countries have harmoniously shared the waters of the Indus River for decades. A 50-year-old treaty regulating access to water from the river and its tributaries has been viewed as a bright spot for India and Pakistan.
Now, Pakistan complains that India is hogging water upstream, which is hurting Pakistani farmers downstream. Pakistani officials say they will soon begin formal arbitration over a proposed Indian dam.
At a meeting that started on Sunday, Pakistan raised objections to new Indian dam projects on the Indus River and asked for satellite monitoring of river flows.
India denies it is violating the treaty. New Delhi blames Pakistan’s water shortage on changing weather patterns and the country’s poor water management.
The latest dispute revolves around India’s plans to build a 330-megawatt hydroelectric power project on the Kishenganga River, a tributary of the Indus. India says it is well within its rights to build the dam.
Pakistan says New Delhi’s plans to divert the course of the river will reduce its flow by a third in the winter. That would make it unfeasible for Pakistan to move ahead with its own plans for a hydroelectric dam downstream.
Pakistan wants to put the Kishenganga project before an arbitration panel—the first time that mechanism of the treaty will have been used.
Mr Blake also referred to this panel, set up under the Indus Water Treaty, and hoped that they would be able to resolve this dispute through arbitration as they did in the past.
He told the briefing that the water dispute came up at every meeting he had in Pakistan.
Mr Blake said that both India and Pakistan were facing acute water shortages because of their rapidly increasing populations and expanding economies.
“So the water issue is a real challenge for both.”
Pakistan, he said, needed to change it irrigation practices and offered US assistance to help overcome the problem.
Anti-India Militant Groups:
Mr Blake called on Pakistan to curb anti-India militants, praising Islamabad’s recent efforts against extremism but saying it could do more to improve ties with New Delhi, adds AFP
Blake hailed the “enormous” progress in Pakistan in fighting Muslim extremists, pointing to its offensives against Taliban in its restive northwest and recent arrests of militant leaders.
“I think one can argue there is a lot of important progress that has been made but we think there also needs to be progress against these Punjab-based groups,” Blake told reporters.
He was referring to groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Moham-med.
Blake said that Punjab-based militants “are targeting Pakistan as well,” pointing to attacks in Lahore including a deadly 2009 ambush on Sri Lanka’s visiting cricket team.
Blake said he also relayed to Pakistan the concerns of New Delhi that militants were infiltrating India to carry out attacks.
“I reminded them that from 2004 to 2007 both of those countries made quite important progress in their bilateral relations, and that progress was made possible in part by the significant efforts the government of Pakistan made at the time to stop cross-border infiltration,” he said.
From here.
“We do not think it is the right time for doing this kind of transaction with Iran,” US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake told a briefing in Washington.
Mr Blake, who looks after South and Central Asian affairs at the State Department, returned this week from a trip to India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Belgium where he discussed the current situation in South Asia with his European colleagues as well. The US official told reporters at a briefing in Washington that the issue of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline was raised in his meetings in Pakistan, particularly in public discussions.
“We have advised Pakistan to seek other alternatives,” he added, explaining that because of Iran’s dispute with the international community over its nuclear programme, the US opposed large investments in any Iranian project.
Pakistan and Iran signed an operational agreement for the proposed pipeline on March 16, a month after the signing was delayed because Islamabad was unable to arrange funds for the project.
The pipeline was initially mooted to carry gas from Iran to Pakistan and on to India. India withdrew from negotiations last year after signing a nuclear deal with the United States, but has kept open the option of rejoining the project at a later stage.
On Thursday, Pakistan said it would provide India with security guarantees for the pipeline from the South Pars gas complex in Iran as an incentive to join the project.
Referring to these problems, Mr Blake said the project still faced “many challenges.”
When a reporter asked if the US would also advise India not to join the pipeline project, Mr Blake said: “This is a very sensitive time in relations with Iran and we prefer that all countries avoid such transactions with Iran.”
Water Crisis
At the briefing, Pakistani journalists were particularly concerned about a potentially explosive dispute between India and Pakistan over water and they put several questions to the US official on this issue.
Mr Blake said the US would not get involved “in bilateral issues” between India and Pakistan. “We think the World Bank is the right place” for resolving such disputes.
The United States, however, will help both countries in developing their water resources.
On Thursday, an influential US newspaper — Wall Street Journal — reported that the water feud between India and Pakistan was threatening to derail peace talks between the two neighbours.
The countries have harmoniously shared the waters of the Indus River for decades. A 50-year-old treaty regulating access to water from the river and its tributaries has been viewed as a bright spot for India and Pakistan.
Now, Pakistan complains that India is hogging water upstream, which is hurting Pakistani farmers downstream. Pakistani officials say they will soon begin formal arbitration over a proposed Indian dam.
At a meeting that started on Sunday, Pakistan raised objections to new Indian dam projects on the Indus River and asked for satellite monitoring of river flows.
India denies it is violating the treaty. New Delhi blames Pakistan’s water shortage on changing weather patterns and the country’s poor water management.
The latest dispute revolves around India’s plans to build a 330-megawatt hydroelectric power project on the Kishenganga River, a tributary of the Indus. India says it is well within its rights to build the dam.
Pakistan says New Delhi’s plans to divert the course of the river will reduce its flow by a third in the winter. That would make it unfeasible for Pakistan to move ahead with its own plans for a hydroelectric dam downstream.
Pakistan wants to put the Kishenganga project before an arbitration panel—the first time that mechanism of the treaty will have been used.
Mr Blake also referred to this panel, set up under the Indus Water Treaty, and hoped that they would be able to resolve this dispute through arbitration as they did in the past.
He told the briefing that the water dispute came up at every meeting he had in Pakistan.
Mr Blake said that both India and Pakistan were facing acute water shortages because of their rapidly increasing populations and expanding economies.
“So the water issue is a real challenge for both.”
Pakistan, he said, needed to change it irrigation practices and offered US assistance to help overcome the problem.
Anti-India Militant Groups:
Mr Blake called on Pakistan to curb anti-India militants, praising Islamabad’s recent efforts against extremism but saying it could do more to improve ties with New Delhi, adds AFP
Blake hailed the “enormous” progress in Pakistan in fighting Muslim extremists, pointing to its offensives against Taliban in its restive northwest and recent arrests of militant leaders.
“I think one can argue there is a lot of important progress that has been made but we think there also needs to be progress against these Punjab-based groups,” Blake told reporters.
He was referring to groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Moham-med.
Blake said that Punjab-based militants “are targeting Pakistan as well,” pointing to attacks in Lahore including a deadly 2009 ambush on Sri Lanka’s visiting cricket team.
Blake said he also relayed to Pakistan the concerns of New Delhi that militants were infiltrating India to carry out attacks.
“I reminded them that from 2004 to 2007 both of those countries made quite important progress in their bilateral relations, and that progress was made possible in part by the significant efforts the government of Pakistan made at the time to stop cross-border infiltration,” he said.
From here.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
ACORN and Moral Corruption
Investigative journalist James O’Keefe III is a key player in exposing corrupt practices within Planned Parenthood and in the demise of the community-organizing group Acorn.
Acorn, the scandal-ridden Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, plans to close April 1. Political observers like Glenn Beck of Fox News call this move a “shell game” and charge that the same players are regrouping under new names.
In any case, Acorn’s funding dried up in September 2009 — shortly after O’Keefe’s hidden-camera videos surfaced online.
The videos show community activists advising O’Keefe, who posed as a pimp, and his 20-year-old associate Hanna Giles, who posed as a prostitute, on how to set up an international under-age prostitution scheme.
Although most major media outlets tried to ignore the 25-year-old filmmaker’s work, Acorn came under increasing public scrutiny as O’Keefe’s videos went viral on the Internet. Congress soon voted to defund the organization, which was already under investigation for voter registration fraud.
Read it all here.
Acorn, the scandal-ridden Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, plans to close April 1. Political observers like Glenn Beck of Fox News call this move a “shell game” and charge that the same players are regrouping under new names.
In any case, Acorn’s funding dried up in September 2009 — shortly after O’Keefe’s hidden-camera videos surfaced online.
The videos show community activists advising O’Keefe, who posed as a pimp, and his 20-year-old associate Hanna Giles, who posed as a prostitute, on how to set up an international under-age prostitution scheme.
Although most major media outlets tried to ignore the 25-year-old filmmaker’s work, Acorn came under increasing public scrutiny as O’Keefe’s videos went viral on the Internet. Congress soon voted to defund the organization, which was already under investigation for voter registration fraud.
Read it all here.
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