Arauna

Thanks - a helpful article

I have an Iraqi/Kurdish study - the men in the Middle East control the women to an extreme degree. They are belongings to sell.   After my study's divorce (she was granted a divorce on account of her husband's violence toward her),  her husband left US to go back to Iraq because he did not want to pay child support.  (He had previously threatened to kill her with a gun and the children called the police.... ) 

Back in Iraq he wanted his ex-wife dead.  So he tried to hire friends here in America to kill his ex-wife because he wanted to abduct the eldest daughter.  He needed money and wanted to "sell" her to someone so that he could get the bride-price..... The daughter was not yet 12 years old.  Somehow the police found out about this and came to see her.  She showed me a copy of the police report. 

Her brothers in Germany at present want her to come to Germany so they can control her.  They do not want her to live in America in freedom.  She has cut off all contact with them.

She herself was a very young bride.  Her father needed money for her brother who was in trouble and "sold" her as a bride - she does not know how young she was because she was a child.  She had already had 4 children by the age of 17.  She now has four more children which she is raising by herself.   She thinks she was nine or 10 when she was married.  She had to raise the children, work the land planting melons, do bee-keeping and fetch all her water from a well.   She never learnt to read or went to school. She came here as a refugee.

I am glad to report she learnt to drive and is managing her affairs well.  The eldest daughter has just turned 18 and the children are studying the bible. 

Nationalism is at an all-time high in Russia with a cult-like following of Putin.  The government there can only be described as a thugocracy.

BBC video -

in 3 minutes: understand the Syrian war as a war between 2 brands of Islam

Thanks for sharing! So cute!

Hate speech incites violence.  The mental training was received at this specific Mosque.  Many Imams that come from Saudi Arabia  preach hate against "unbelieves" and preach superiority and consequent death to those who leave Islam or adulterers.

I read about this a while back. It is MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction).  Just looking at the Middle East (excluding Russia and China's moves to claim land and sea that does not belong to them), I notice that Sunni and Shia blocks are forming in the Middle East.  Iran (Shia Islam) sees itself as a major player in the time of the end Islamic Prophesy (they want to invade Arabia....and also fight Israel) while Turkey (Sunni Islam - majority) and Saudi Arabia (Sunni) want to come out tops to declare a caliphate. Arabia is indiscriminately bombing Houthis (Shia Islam) in Yemen (it is a war going on). Turkey wants to turn back the time when they had the glorious caliphate.  (Russia is fighting with Assad because they have access to a port there - it is a strategic move for power in the area.)

Turkey's government  has become very totalitarian and force all children in school to learn Islam.  The freedom of religion (separation of state and religion) it previously had, is being eroded.  Turkey is secretly supporting the Sunni (ISIS) in the hope that this ideology can take over eventually (Russia has claimed this as well as the Kurdish fighters that are fighting ISIS - Islamic State).  Turkey is bombing Kurds indiscriminately because they want to hold onto this territory which the Kurds lost after the first world war.

Arabia (when it had all the 'oil' money) was so rich it was funding and exporting extremist Wahhabi /Salafi ideas throughout the world - Sunni fundamentalism which is the ISIS ideology. While they were partners with America this was going on.  So yes - we are definitely going see more problems in the Middles East. Pakistan is also very extremist regarding its brand of Islam and hates India.  In Cashmere there has already been several cross-border clashes.

In India a new brand of Hinduism is rising.  Politicized or Nationalistic Hinduism. The clashes we see now is due to the historical Hindu discrimination against the "untouchables" which is part of the caste system. Other lowly casts are unhappy about the affirmative action they are missing out on. Al Qaeda is also active in India.

So all in all - I see a picture of militant religion rising and great problems in the various religions as each religion will be identified by its intensely bad fruits.  They will be exposed as unjust, false, ungodly, racist, beastly and lovers of violence among many other nasty things.  The ideologies of these religions are unfit for building an equitable society where each human is respected for who they are in peace and unity.  I suspect that many Christians (American and Europeans) are also going to start spewing the same rhetoric as Trump and they will become more militant. I  do see the realities of an immense threat from Islam (and other militant religions) - but we will leave it in God's hands to resolve this problem when His time for it arrives. I just try to expose it whenever I can.

JWs know from prophesy that all religion (Babylon) will be hated by the political systems - they will turn against religion.  Most probably due to acts of violence as a direct result of their religion.  So all we can do is stay informed and stay neutral.  Of course we can use our field service to expose these religions as false and all the ideologies that are direct from Satan.... but unlike other religions - we trust in the only true God, Jehovah, to do judge and do our fighting when the time comes. We will not stand up against any government or join organizations which stand up against religion or injustice.  Our commission is to do the preaching work. How will they know it is Jehovah who is bringing the destruction on them if we did not do the job of telling them that it is Jehovah who is bringing it upon them?

It is interesting to see how Satan is being drawn out as if he has hooks in his jaw.... Despite themselves - these militant religious people say they want peace but their extremist ideas is leading them to Armageddon.   And it is their propaganda (like the 3 frogs mentioned in Revelation) that is leading them to it.     

http://www.ted.com/talks/celeste_headlee_10_ways_to_have_a_better_conversation?utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_content=button__2016-02-16

A wonderful TED talk on how to have a better conversation with anyone.   Get some excellent tips for field service!

Politicized religion as spoken of in Revelation.  How absolutely true Jehovah's prophesies have turned out to be!  I see the far right in India has also declared the Hindi "culture" to be the culture of the country and children are learning to "defend" their religion.  It has sparked renewed opposition by politicized Islam - al-Qaeda.

I work in the Arabic field.  I love all Arabic speaking people because of their warmth and hospitality.  I do not like false religion (Christian or Islam)  but work amongst those who regard me as an enemy with self-sacrificing love (cautious as a dove because we are sent in amongst the wolves) - as Jesus indicated.

However, whenever it is possible I expose false religion and here are a few quotes which prove that Satan is blinding the eyes of the world and their leaders:

Surah 2:191-193: “And slay them wherever you come upon them, and expel them from where they expelled you; persecution is more grievous than slaying. But fight them not by the Holy Mosque until they should fight you there; then, if they fight you, slay them — such is the recompense of unbelievers, but if they give over, surely Allah is All-forgiving, All-compassionate. Fight them, till there is no persecution and the religion is Allah’s; then if they give over, there shall be no enmity save for evildoers.”

They wish that you should disbelieve as they disbelieve, and then you would be equal; therefore take not to yourselves friends of them, until they emigrate in the way of Allah; then, if they turn back, take them, and slay them wherever you find them; take not to yourselves any one of them as friend or helper. (Quran 4:89)

Fight those who believe not in Allah and the Last Day and do not forbid what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden — such men as practice not the religion of truth, being of those who have been given the Book — until they pay the tribute out of hand and have been humbled. (Quran 9:29)

Quran (2:244) - "Then fight in the cause of Allah, and know that Allah Heareth and knoweth all things."

Quran (2:216) - "Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not."

And the list goes on and on...

I serve in the Arabic field and have studied the "final days" prophesies of Islam (and still need to do more). There is a difference between Shia branch and Sunni.   Iran (Shia) believe that they must invade Arabia because one of the final days battles will take place not far from Mecca. After this they will launch a major battle against Israel because the Dajjal (anti-Christ) will be a Jew.  This is leading to the wars and conflicts you see in the middle east between the various branches of Islam....(and the hate rhetoric between Iran and Israel). I have a suspicion it may escalate as we know that militarized/politicized religion is part of the sign of the end right before the destruction of false religion.   I see a lot of nasty war rhetoric coming from Iran as to how they want to annihilate Israel... this is all due to the final days prophesies of Shia Islam. 

The black flags and the calling of a caliphate in Iraq by IS - is part of final days prophesies of fundamental Sunni Islam.  Many who start being devout Muslims are taken in by this and want to go and fight there because they see it as a fulfillment of prophesy.  Doctors, lawyers etc go and fight for IS because of the prophesies.... It is not just the poor and disenfranchised who go and fight in Iraq for IS as touted by the media.

Additionally, most of these far-right crazy websites contribute to the confusion by further spreading exagerated reports BUT we know that the world will get embroiled in many conflicts (most religious by nature) before the final end. As long as we stay neutral in all of this and only trust in the salvation of Jehovah. 

I speak German and a form of Dutch.  Most Germans and Dutch persons are multi-linguists... so I think it is better to learn one of the more rare languages so that one can assist those with little access to our literature.  I am meeting many Kurds in the field (which is a very distant cousin of Persian).   I discovered there is only one translation of the new testament in Kurdish and it is not a very good one.... so I have been looking forward to getting one from our organization.  

Cold war has been back for a long time!   Journalists, human rights workers, human rights lawyers and oligarchs are jailed and some disappear.... Same situation in China.... This has been going on for about 11 years..... Many of our brothers are suffering...