By Ameer Ali –
Dr. Ameer Ali
“America will be a manufacturing nation once again, and we have something that no other manufacturing nation will ever have, the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on earth, and we are going to use it” (Donald Trump in his inauguration speech in Capital Hill). This outburst has brought the news headline, “Drill Baby Drill”.
The second term of President Donald Trump, a convicted felon and a man of contradictions with fascist traits is proving to be a bonanza to American billionaires and corporate moguls and disaster to the working poor. Tech Mogul Elon Musk who is for all intents and purposes the second in command in the new regime should now be looking forward to contest US presidency after Trump. Like the proverbial bull in a China shop Trump is bent on demolishing whatever little comfort the poor enjoyed from the state under previous presidents. His merciless plan to cut around $5.6 trillion from federal programs mainly from Medicaid and Obamacare to fund $10 trillion tax cuts to the rich is only one part of his gift to the rich. His love for mercantilism is common knowledge. His decision to create an External Revenue Service to collect revenue from tariffs on imports put in jeopardy the future of nearly 88,000 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) staff who monitor to catch tax dodgers like Trump himself. He carries a personal vendetta against IRS. He has also withdrawn US from Paris Climate Agreement and WHO. These are some of his measures to Make America Great Again (MEGA), and his policy towards immigration and ending birthright citizenship will in addition make America whiter also. However, his decision to open Alaska’s wilderness to expanded gas drilling and plan to acquire Canada (from where nearly 35% of America’s oil is currently imported) as the 51st state of America is to increase domestic oil supply without subjecting Canada’s oil to his proposed 25% import tariff. It is also the motive of drilling for oil and gas and to grab rare earth that prompted him to set his eyes on Denmark’s Greenland.
In his quest for more and cheaper oil to run American industries Trump has approached Saudi Arabia to increase OPEC supply and bring down the price. If this materializes the global search for clean energy and environmental protection will certainly receive a setback.Trump is also urging Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman to invest around one trillion dollars in America. It is in this context of Trump’s voracious thirst for oil that one should place his latest declaration about Palestine. After destroying 66% of homes and killing 10% of population in Gaza, Trump now wants Arab countries and particularly Jordan and Egypt to take in 1.9 million Palestinians to “just clean out” Gaza and complete the ethnic cleansing resumed by Israel in October 2023 after seventy- five years. He finds no other way for Palestinians than to leave Gaza. He now says that he wants to “take over Gaza” and “own” it. In other word Trump is backing fully Benjamin Netanyahu’s call to end the two-state solution and allow Israel’s sovereignty to prevail from “the (Jordan) river to the (Mediterranean) sea”. However, with a fragile cease fire struggling to hold in Gaza for the moment a new theatre of war is opening in the West Bank where Hamas supporters have moved, and Israel has started a major counter-terrorism operation in Jenin. The West Bank will receive the same treatment of genocide from Netanyahu. In short, 2025 is promising to be another year of death and destruction for Palestinians.
Behind Trump’s unrelenting support to Israel is his drive to acquire access to the gas and oil reserves in Palestinian waters. In fact, long before Trump came into the picture, it was the American demand for petroleum that created the US-Arab military-oil nexus from the time of Frankling Roosvelt and King Abdul Aziz ibn Saud, and it was the demand for petroleum that compelled US to maintain its military and naval presence in the Middle East.
An UNCTAD study in 2019 revealed that in the Palestinian Occupied Territory of West Bank and the Mediterranean coast of Gaza strip there is a deposit of 122 trillion cubic feet of gas and an estimated 1.7 billion barrels of oil worth $522 billion. Palestinians have been denied access to this natural wealth. It is to acquire this resource under a joint venture with Israel and oil rich Arab states that Trump wanted Arab nations to normalise relations with Israel. Accordingly, during his first term as President, Trump brokered the so-called Abraham Accord (a post-1967 Six Day War ideology mixed with a political strategy) signed between Israel and Bahrain with Morocco and Sudan. His successor Joe Biden was about to bring in Saudi Arabia too into this clique before Hamas jeopardised the plan by starting the war.
Netanyahu’s Zionists will not rest until they clear Gaza and the West Bank of all Palestinians. The new map displayed by him recently does not have Palestine in it, because it is claimed as part of Eretz-Israel of the Old Testament. But will Palestine and Palestinians go away?
Joe Biden’s Secretary of State Antony Blinken admitted that Hamas is not going to disappear. “Indeed, we assume”, he said “that Hamas has recruited almost as many militants as it has lost”. When the cease fire started operating there were TV pictures showing not only the jubilation Palestinians returning to their destroyed homes but also their defiance and greater resolve to confront Israel and continue their fight to end Israel’s settler colonialism. Hidden in that voice of defiance was also a message to Trump’s America that Palestinian oil and gas cannot be touched until Palestine is freed from occupation. As Richard Wolff, a heterodox economist and author of Capitalism’s Crisis Deepens recently wrote, “For growing numbers of United States leaders, the risks and costs of its alliance with Israel are rising faster than the benefits. Many have been persuaded, including United States citizens, that providing Israel with funds and weapons rendered the United States complicit in a genocide and therefore isolated globally”. Donald Trump’s plan to take over Palestine forcefully is going to create a wider war in Middle East and the violence will certainly escalate outside the region. Will the Arab countries and the so called Organization of Islamic Congress continue to sleep?
Naman / February 5, 2025
In SL, the Sinhala Buddhists Supremacists/Fundamentalists has acted/is still acting as a bully suppressing the rights of the Minority Tamil Speaking citizens.The SBCs were able to divide the minorities and made themselves to kill each other!
The role taken by SBCs is what USA+Israel and it’s supporters are doing in Middle East and Ukraine etc etc. Why should the West support Taiwan and create troubles in that region too.
USAsurvives by making and selling weapons of mass destruction. Libya and Iraq were being run so effectively that the West had to create Chaos and mass killings. The World Media is totally BIASED
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Champa / February 6, 2025
Naman
List all actions and bullying by the “Sinhala Buddhists Supremacists/Fundamentalists” that suppressed the rights of the Minority Tamil Speaking citizens in Sri Lanka.
/
old codger / February 7, 2025
Champa,
“List all actions and bullying …….”
Every time you are given a list, you disappear without answering. Your memory is poor.
BTW, what did you think of the National Anthem in Tamil the other day? Did you have a heart attack?
/
Champa / February 8, 2025
old codger
Nobody has given me the list I have been asking for years. Instead they write nonsense. I can give you some examples. A commenter called “Jit” talked about Buddhist terrorism and provided a list of names. When I challenged him to provide evidence of them engaged in terrorism, he replied with irrelevant babble.
.
Sri Lanka’s Constitution does not allow singing a translated version of its National Anthem. Therefore, singing the National Anthem in Tamil is a violation of the Constitution. If you want to incorporate a Tamil version of the National Anthem into the Constitution, you need a Constitutional Amendment supported by 2/3 majority in Parliament and a Referendum.
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old codger / February 9, 2025
Champa,
“Nobody has given me the list I have been asking for years.”
https://www.police.lk/?page_id=1326
Please have a look at the above list and give me some rational reason why the 60 senior officers listed are apparently all Sinhala Buddhists, from a population which is only 68% SB?
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SJ / February 10, 2025
The National anthem was officially translated and sung on formal events without any racist fuss before it was tampered with to substitute “Sri Lanks matha” in place of Namo namo matha”, and even afterwards.
Where do the 1972 or 1978 constitutions declare that only the Sinhala version can be sung.
The FP and Tamil nationalists after them rejected the national anthem for all the wrong reasons.
It is among the most secular of national anthems, if not the most secular, and it is an insult to the anthem and its great composer to reject its Tamil version for racist motives.
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Mahila / February 8, 2025
No OC,
Case of unimpeded Diarrhoea!!
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leelagemalli / February 9, 2025
OC,
.
In the coming days – I think the people will gather to demand that Mr. Wickremesinghe take over the government again. The people are very fed up with the rising prices of rice and coconut. They have realized that RW’s government was able to provide essential commodities at reasonable prices.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxEFdoJK9dg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Qrvr7eA76Q
–
I accidentally saw some statements made by former Minister “Manusha Nannayakkara” last night. He said that the cyber forces of the current government took revenge on him and recently made him a refugee in European countries. However, today all the lies have been exposed to the nation. I think Wasantha Samarasinghe will have to commit suicide sooner or later.
.
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Lester / February 7, 2025
Champa,
It’s just propaganda to fool the gullible foreigners like our friend Scot here. You must be knowing that “human rights” is a multi-billion USD enterprise, despite many of these organisations claiming to be “non=profits.” Sooka and Darusman did not write their report for nill. Some of these reports are quite *creative*, that’s how they ensure the money comes in.
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old codger / February 9, 2025
“Champa, It’s just propaganda to fool the gullible foreigners”
.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
What desperation is this? It might be easier to resurrect Ruchira the pornographer. Except that he isn’t quite the right caste, apart from not being quite right in the head.
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leelagemalli / February 9, 2025
OC,
Today I heard that the power outages across the country were caused by monkeys. This is the first time that a government has been completely overthrown due to monkey activities. Is that true, and is the AKD currently led by monkeys?
That is what people expected by giving former savages a chance. I really don’t know what to say about the “new dawn” that our Badarawela man has promoted to this country. There are speculations that AKD’s legal wife is living off illegal funds that should have been cancelled long ago. Today everything is about to turn upside down. Now AKD is trying to say that there was no “bond scam”. Look, I think AKD is finally getting it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foTowAZqgYg
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SJ / February 10, 2025
To “list all actions and bullying by the “Sinhala Buddhists Supremacists/Fundamentalists” will not be feasible within the word limits of CT.
I suppose that recurrent communal violence is an expression of Buddhist kindness to some.
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Naman / February 5, 2025
Dr AA should write about the muslims who contributed towards economic/political/social instability in SL
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / February 5, 2025
No, the Arab countries are not sleeping. Their complicit leaders have been bought over with bribes, to keep their people oppressed. Iran is the only (non-Arab) regional exception other than resistance groups in Yemen. Trump trumpets that he will not allow Iran to get nuclear weapons; however, he helps Israel modify its own nuclear arsenal. The double standards have been staggering during the past sixteen months. Israeli expansion is an open secret now. They will take parts of Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, all of the West Bank and Gaza if they have their way. Crimes against humanity and genocide have to be punished in a way that the perpetrators acutely feel. For far too long, genocidal western settler colonial nations have escaped Scot free after annihilating entire indigenous populations in the Americas, Australia etc. Blame is only placed by historians in history books that no one will even read. Russia and China must understand that if Iran falls, they too will ultimately be made to fall. Now is the time for unity among countries of the Global South.
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hanchopancha / February 5, 2025
Dear Mr. Trump. Please take over Srilanka. You will be very welcome in this splendid island.
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Champa / February 6, 2025
hanchopancha
You don’t own Sri Lanka, idiot!!!!
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hanchopancha / February 7, 2025
Champa, Putting the hand under the saree is more awkward than under the mini skirt.
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davidthegood / February 7, 2025
hanchopanchya, better learn to be more decent than this talk
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Champa / February 8, 2025
hanchopancha
“A fool contributes nothing worth hearing and takes offence at everything.” – Aristotle
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old codger / February 7, 2025
Champa,
Don’t you want to be a US citizen like Ramona?
/
Native Vedda / February 8, 2025
old codger
–
“U.S. to Deport 3,065 Sri Lankans Among 1.45 Million Illegal Immigrants Under New Administration” – https://mawratanews.lk/.
–
Perhaps Champass is among the 3065 Sri Lankans.
We can see her on her arrival from the USA, on a US Airforce plane, Globemaster,
C-5 Galaxy, or Stargazer landing at secret Airfield near Hambantotta soon.
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SJ / February 8, 2025
oc
Like Ramona is a tall order.
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ramona therese fernando / February 5, 2025
Only hope and pray that Trump has a plan to use technology to remove CO2 and other toxic gases from the atmosphere and increase oxygen levels. I read this morning that China is creating photosynthesis in space without plants, and with Elon planing on 1-million people on Mars by 2050, guess they have a plan for artificially creating fresh new atmospheres most condusive for human life.
–
As per Gaza, Trumps plan is a brilliant one! Let’s hope that all those countries fueling Hamas, especially super-rich Saudi-Arabia, will giving the money ASAP for the Palastinian stake in the real estate that Trump intends to build on this Palastinian soil. Otherwise Arab world will have to forever live in shame of Israel buying the whole thing up.
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ramona therese fernando / February 6, 2025
….will give* the money ASAP……
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LankaScot / February 6, 2025
Hello Ramona,
Last November you said “”Trump will use his wisdom, rationality, and the kindly spirit that he possesses to help these people out”.
I would have thought that a Sri Lankan would be able to recognise Ethnic Cleansing and Theft when they see it.
Trump’s Plan has about as much hope as Elon Musk putting 1 Million People on Mars by 2050. I watched Neil Armstrong live on TV back in July 1969 “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. The last man to walk on the moon was in December 1972, that’s 53 years ago.
Dream on, and in the words of Pink Floyd from that Era “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun”.
Best regards
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leelagemalli / February 7, 2025
My Dear LS,
.
You have raised it while I was abou tto do so. Thank you
–
“Hello Ramona,
Last November you said “”Trump will use his wisdom, rationality, and the kindly spirit that he possesses to help these people out”.
–
If we want to focus on Trump and his unique behavior, I think we should define the term wisdom for Trump’s abuse of people.
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Nathan / February 5, 2025
… Will the Arab countries and the so called Organization of Islamic Congress continue to sleep?
Let me begin where Ameer Ali ended.
The Arab countries are not sleeping. The people who elected Trump, are lazy bumps!
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Nathan / February 5, 2025
I used bumps -instead of bums- intentionally.
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SJ / February 8, 2025
What sublime intention may I know.
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Lester / February 6, 2025
The author should ask, why don’t the Arab nations use oil as leverage to pressure Israel into a two-state solution? Where is the oil embargo that could bring the world economy to a standstill? These stupid Arab nations spend billions a year subsidizing jihad all over the world but do whatever the US tells them because they need foreigners (Westerners) to extract and refine oil. After 75 years, they haven’t figured out how to refine their own oil. But it’s not just energy. “In 2021, non-national employed workers in the private sector in KSA totaled approximately 6.17 million, accounting for about 76.4% of the workforce.” Every skyscraper, every car, even the metal spoon in one of these countries was built by a foreigner.
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LankaScot / February 6, 2025
Hello Lester,
Every week in Doha,Qatar I used to pass through Ras Laffan Industrial City, full of Oil and Gas Refineries. I attended meetings with QP (Qatar Petroleum) in Messaieed (full of Refined Oil Tanks) to arrange our PTW Certification and issuing of Passes.
Qatar exports Gas (LNG) and even Ethylene Polymers to the UK, So please don’t tell me that the Arabs are not capable of refining their own oil. Please don’t insult their Intelligence. I speak from actual experience.
Yes Qatar has a large South Asian Workforce. There are around 300,000 Qatari nationals out of a total population of around 3 Million. I met a few Western Specialists (mostly British with a few European) Offshore and on Halul Island, but I had met the same Specialists back on UK Rigs. In the early days in the UK the OIM (Offshore Installation Manager) was American. Not anymore; most in Qatar were Qatari
Don’t take Saudi Arabia as an example of all Arabic Countries. I spent a few years there back in the late 70s and early 80s. I knew the Saudi outlook back then and I doubt if it has changed much.
Best regards
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Lester / February 7, 2025
Scot,
Those refineries you passed through were built by foreigners. Just like the FiFa Football Stadium in Al Khor, that was built with the assistance of Webuild S.p.A. and Cimolai.
This is Doha in 1952: http://www.catnaps.org/islamic/islamimages/aerialsalata.jpg
By the way, I have given the solution to the Palestinian conflict. Rather than wax poetic about HR, unlike you, there are two methods. Team up with (Shia) Iran and use oil as leverage. But the Arabs will not do that because Iran is worse than Israel in their eyes.
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shankar / February 7, 2025
lester
” But the Arabs will not do that because Iran is worse than Israel in their eyes.”
yes,that is the biggest problem the muslims face against israel,the sunni shia divide.This dates back to centuries ago when the persian shias and the sunni arabs fought for their kingdoms.The persians lost and were forced to convert to islam but they did it with a caveat that hussein the brother inlaw of mohammed was the prophet.Hence they were called shia muslims and to reject the prophet is a serious matter at the heart of islam itself and the sunnis will never accept the shias as muslims,but the irony is that it is shia iran only that supports the sunni palestinians genuinely while the sunni saudis want to be friends with israel.
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shankar / February 7, 2025
lester
i believe that the solution to fight israel is for indonesia,the largest muslim country to take the lead to become the head of the muslim nations and tell israel and hamas that a two state solution is the only answer and to do it quickly.Indonesia taking the back seat and being quiet is not good for the muslims of the world.It is the natural leader of the muslims with 275 million muslims,not saudi and iran who are having 32 and 82 million respectively and are competing with each other to lead the muslim world.Also the milder form of the indonesian islam should be the one spreading in the islamic world and not the very strict and toxix brand of wahabi islam that the saudis are spreading around with their oil money.Indonesia has to assert itself as the leader.
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Lester / February 7, 2025
Shankar,
A better solution would be for the Arabs to unite behind a Turkish-Iranian alliance. Iran is able to build very sophisticated weapons, while Turkey is a member of NATO and has a very large, modern army. If Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel would back off very quickly.
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shankar / February 8, 2025
lester
do you think israel will ever allow iran to have a nuclear weapon.The moment they are in the final stages of developing it israel will bomb the shit out of it.
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SJ / February 10, 2025
Let Israel try!
*
The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is rapidly fadin’
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin’
(Bob Dylan)
/
ramona therese fernando / February 7, 2025
Lester,….i agree with you about the Arabs. It is too late for them to bind together and control global oil prices. No, they always preferred to indulge in an eye-for-an-eye and tooth-for-a-tooth and never had the necessary brains to secure their own people. This is where a sophisticated nation like the US will come in and take their chance to change things for their’s and America’s privilege.
–
No, it not theft by the US….that land had not a chance; no avenue at all. Trump’s investments scheme is a brilliant idea, where all parties can prosper (if the ghosts will allow it……the place must be quite haunted by the innocents who have given their lives for the place).
–
One could only hope the Arab nations will step up, do their duty, and secure the place for their Islamists, with grand mosques and minarets on every corner. Yes, it can even become an Islamic caliphate with the sea as its bountiful deliverer.
–
A global fund for donations can also be set up for the Palestinians to be relocated on their very own soil. The rest of the globe will contribute towards it, for everybody hated the idea of Israel taking over Palestinian lands. Indeed, with the assurance of funds and good faith in Trump, and with the rest of the Arab world helping them, the Palestinians can stay on their Gaza soil and help with the rebuilding. A great boon for all, especially America.
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Lester / February 7, 2025
Ramona Fernando,
There is no issue with Palestinians staying on their soil, except that they will not reject Hamas completely and accept the existence of Israel. The reality is, if you live with fascists, you may share their fate.
In my personal opinion, the US should not try to rebuild Gaza. It will be like another Afghanistan. Hamas will use whatever resources are available to attack Israel (more 7th Oct). Israel will have to take back Gaza completely at some point, for security reasons. That is the most likely outcome in my estimation.
Trump has proposed that Palestinians relocate to Arab countries. This is not a bad solution. They should be offered full citizenship. It is not a bad idea, as long as the relocation is voluntary. We live in a global world anyway, where people live all over. Once all these people stop fighting with Israel (which will be never) they could even return to Israel and live there as Palestinian/Israeli residents.
I also propose that 1/3 of Palestinians be offered residency in Aberdeen, Scotland and Dublin, as they seem to have many supporters there.
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shankar / February 8, 2025
theresa
“Yes, it can even become an Islamic caliphate with the sea as its bountiful deliverer.”
so trumps plan is to create a islamic caliphate.what a moron.dream on theresa
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LankaScot / February 7, 2025
Hello Lester,
Early days yet, but you must have missed this “HRH Crown Prince Meets with Iran’s President” Nov 11 2023 https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N1996012
Or this “The second meeting of the China-Saudi Arabia-Iran Trilateral Joint Committee was held in Riyadh on November 19, 2024” https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/xw/wjbxw/202411/t20241120_11529928.html
By the way what’s your 2nd method? Your first is joint oil leverage which you say will not happen, so that’s NOT a solution.
Best regards
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LankaScot / February 7, 2025
Hello Lester,
“they haven’t figured out how to refine their own oil”, is what you claimed. I met many Qatari Petroleum Engineers in Qatar. Qatar Skills Training Centre has many short Vocational Courses that concentrate on Specific Issues in the Petrochemical industries https://qatarskills.com.qa/course-category/oil-gas-and-petrochemicals-industries-ogp/
My HP Laptops were made in China, does that mean I don’t know how to use them? I can even fix them when they break down. It’s a Global Marketplace nowadays Lester and it gets up the MAGA noses of Trump and yourself.
Best regards
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old codger / February 7, 2025
LS,
“I can even fix them when they break down. “
You are talking to someone who thinks that changing a hard disk is a “component-level repair”.
/
Lester / February 8, 2025
Scot,
I hope you are enjoying the semantics here. Surely it’s not past your expertise to know that one can only refine oil after it has been extracted. Furthermore, before the oil is refined, the refinery must be built, since oil does not refine itself. Can you name a single company founded by Arabs that extracts oil or engages in the building of oil refineries on any large scale? Now you are going to say “Saudi Aramco” but that company was *bought* in its entirely from the Americans. This is not a bad business decision, actually. Why create the product yourself if you can buy the finished product wholesale? Culturally, however, it leads to decadence as I have explained here elsewhere. Why learn maths or physics if there are experts who know it in detail? If the Soviets had failed to master these subjects, Russia as we know it would have been overrun a long time ago. It would likely be the vacation spot of Zelensky and others from the 10% Gang.
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LankaScot / February 10, 2025
Hello Lester,
Yes Lester I am well aware of your use of “Semantics”. You said “they haven’t figured out how to refine their own oil”,
I answered the question that they had, so now you (as usual) move the goalposts. Do you now agree that the Qataris know how to refine their own oil?
The British North Sea Oil Exploration and Development was carried out by mostly American Companies. There are still American Companies operating there. So would you say that the British like the Arabic Countries cannot extract and refine their own Oil?
“QatarEnergy (Arabic: قطر للطاقة), formerly Qatar Petroleum (QP),[1] is a state owned petroleum company of Qatar. The company operates all oil and gas activities in Qatar, including exploration, production, refining, transport, and storage” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QatarEnergy
The Soviet Union is no more and Russia is still stuck in a War 3 years later that was supposed to be over in Days; Maths and Physics doesn’t seem to help them. Hamas is still flourishing in Gaza so the Israelis have started destroying the West Bank leaving Gaza for Trump to sort out with his Estate Agent Son in Law, Kushner.
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leelagemalli / February 7, 2025
LS, I always travel through Dubai or Doha, but I have no desire to visit those Arab countries. I have good friends in Dubai, and they always ask me to take a vacation. My wife wants to go there, but I always refuse. Maybe I prefer green nature to concrete jungles. I travel through these two places several times every year. I like to go to Africa (Kenya, Namibia and South Africa). Germans usually like to shop in Dubai. But thoughtful Germans like to visit Sri Lanka, Maldives and other countries in Asia. Now the trend is to go to Sri Lanka. Last year, even though the current government reaped the harvest, the former president’s cabinet ministers did a great job in promoting tourism. I still feel that the 2.5 years of RW did a great job by reviving the economy in the state by July 2022.
I heard that 50 or so European colleagues visited Sri Lanka last year. Most of them found it to be a great destination with good hotels, food, and lots of natural things to see.
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LankaScot / February 7, 2025
Hello Leelagemalli,
If DTG was right and Auld Nick (Satan) has the ear of people then the Twins MBS and MBZ have both already sold their Souls to him.
When 2 of my sisters visited Qatar for the first time they spent a couple of nights in Dubai, but weren’t impressed.
When they came back I took them to the Doha Museum of Islamic Arts (MIA) and the newly opened Qatar National Museum. We had a meal in the MIA and enjoyed the views over the Doha City Centre, West Bay. The Corniche and Dhow Harbour also impressed them.
I drove them over the Dunes to the Inland Sea in my Nissan XTerra. They still haven’t fully recovered. I gave them both (and my wife) a chance to drive a little in the Dunes. The XTerra is good in the Sand, Land Cruisers are better, but the best are Camels. When you know the Country there is a lot to see.
We still don’t see many Tourists here, but I saw mostly East Europeans when I took my Niece to Pinnawala in 2024.
Best regards
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Naman / February 7, 2025
As long as most of the countries USE US $ to do the TRADING, injustices WILL BE CONTINUING.
Hopefully, BRICS have its OWN currency for TRADING among themselves to counter the use of US $.
SL can join the BRICS.
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shankar / February 9, 2025
naman you are right.It is high time the brics had their own currency,but the problem is how to form a common currency without becoming something like the EU first.
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davidthegood / February 7, 2025
Lester, you say Iran is worse than Israel on Arab eyes. This proves that the bible is right in Zech.12,3 which says that nations coming against Jerusalem will be cut in pieces and Iran has false religion of false god Allah. Ezek.38,5 confirms that Persia is main nation against Israel and will be eliminated as Jesus has to come to an undivided Jerusalem as the Jewish Messiah and it is the city of God and not false Allah. Watch how Gog joins to sell weapons and gets misled and defeated.
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LankaScot / February 7, 2025
Hello DTG,
“Islam began in Mecca, Arabia in 610 CE when the Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation. The revelation came from the archangel Gabriel, who told Muhammad that Allah was the one and only God”.
So the Bible cannot have contained any mention of Allah (which means The God) or Islam.
Best regards
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davidthegood / February 8, 2025
LankaScot, How can Mohamed worship a false god Allah revealed by a fake Gabriel when the world had already been functioning under the real Creator God Jehovah. Unbelievable fantasy in idol worship.
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LankaScot / February 10, 2025
Hello DTG,
You said “in Zech.12,3 which says that nations coming against Jerusalem will be cut in pieces and Iran has false religion of false god Allah.
My question was how can the Bible mention anything about Islam when it didn’t exist until 610 AD (or CE take your pick)?
Ezekiel 38 4
“And I will turn thee back and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armor, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords”
Ezekiel 38 5
“Persia, Cush, and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet”
If a God could see the future, then surely he would know about Planes, Missiles and Tanks.
I doubt if Horses, Shields and Swords will be used by the Iranians, do you?
Best regards
/
davidthegood / February 10, 2025
LankaScot, the bible never mentions Islam.
Ezek.38 is mainly about Persia and its principality.
Horses are metaphoric, even in the return of Jesus
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davidthegood / February 10, 2025
LankaScot, did Mohamed go to heaven on a fake horse. What did he see there.
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ramona therese fernando / February 7, 2025
Well DavidtheGood,… if the Islamists don’t clean up their act and become civilized (including removing hand-chopping and women-stoning), and join together to buy out Gaza ASAP before the Israelis get it, then Israel has the full right to buy up the place and settle their 15-0% Jews there….only it might skew up your biblical predictions because the have too little of the blood of Judah. So, Trump will sit like King Solomon dangling the baby in front of them – the side that wants the land the most will bid for it the hardest.
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old codger / February 8, 2025
Ramona,
“Well DavidtheGood,… if the Islamists don’t clean up their act and become civilized (including removing hand-chopping and women-stoning),….”
The Bible itself has passages recommending stoning of women. Plus, Israel itself allows gay marriages.
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ramona therese fernando / February 9, 2025
Christians follow the New Testement of Jesus Christ, OC.
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leelagemalli / February 9, 2025
Ramona,
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How has it changed from the previous version? Why should DTG or the like be brainwashed forever while others enjoy their liberal thinking? Is it education or upbringing or both?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6_-sRGT7sA
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some fanatic mindset believe in order to conceive generating a fetus, there should be a god to help them out, totally ignoring biological truth between the man and woman. Those abusive priests make every effort to target the vulnerable. That is how they earn their living.
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Not only Sri Lanka, those Trump-slaves will not say a single word against biblical passages. Some others in the UK do the same. Germans respect their churches and are not willing to give up the open-mindedness of their elders who have been soaked in religious thought.
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LankaScot / February 9, 2025
Hello Ramona,
We were taught that the Bible was the word of God, both Testaments. That was Church of Scotland dogma. My Roman Catholic friends were taught the same.
Do you remember this – “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets,” Jesus said. “I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matt. 5:17).
Or this –
“These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
“Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures [the Old Testament]” (Luke 24:44–45).
Now I am not a Christian and even at School didn’t believe any of the superstitious “kunu”, however one of my sisters was taught by a Scripture Union Member.
This is what they say – “We believe that the Old and New Testament Scriptures are God-breathed, since their writers spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit; hence are fully trustworthy in all that they affirm; and are our highest authority for faith and life”.
Best regards
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Champa / February 8, 2025
ramona therese fernando
You say, “if the Islamists don’t clean up their act and become civilized (including removing hand-chopping and women-stoning…..”
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I am trying to figure out the difference between Islamists’ hand-chopping and women-stoning and White Christian Zionists’ dropping 2000-pound lethal bombs razing down hospitals, schools and refugee camps where women and children sought refuge. In the latter case too, the hands of people were blown off by bombs and women were killed with the stones of collapsed buildings. I am puzzled by your definition of civilized.
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ramona therese fernando / February 9, 2025
Champa,….Alas, very true what you say. But bad as it is, the West has always been trying to survive its cold miserable climate. Humans from cold places will always encroach warmer places and take control of resources. Will happen on any planet. Arab Islamists on the other hand are indulging in brutality within their own small circles. They are not doing it for resource getting but for sheer sadism towards their own innocent people touting all kinds of natural feelings as excuses. Therefore, those who see the bigger picture will have the advantage. Islamists could have had a huge advantage over the West. It needs to undergo a renaissance.
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LankaScot / February 9, 2025
Hello Ramona,
Modern People (Homo Sapiens) migrated from warmer lands to colder lands from about 90,000 years ago. At the end of the Ice Age around 12,000 years ago the UK began to be repopulated.
The word “Babble” comes from the Biblical story of the “Tower of Babel” of which you are very well versed.
Best regards
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Mallaiyuran / February 10, 2025
“I am trying to figure out the difference between Islamists’ hand-chopping and women-stoning and White Christian Zionists’ dropping 2000-pound lethal bombs razing down hospitals, schools and refugee camps where women and children sought refuge.”
Champawati, you are a Sinhala Buddhist Intellectual, if you could not understand something, it does not mean that issue is by any mean complicated. UN authorized Sinhala Buddhist Rapist Army to enter North East and use rape as a weapon to demolish North East. But Hamas attempted it and learned the lesson from Israel. Who allowed Hamas to White Van Israelis and take to tunnels? You can stone your woman or rape your women. But if you attempted to do that to another man’s women and children, and they are not Tamils, then crying they dropped 2000 pound bombs only makes you a chaff. Your Chemical bombs, Thermobaric bombs and cluster bombs have authority to destroy Tamils only, not Israelis.
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Champa / February 10, 2025
Mallaiyuran
If you spot the difference, please tell Ramona Terese Fernando.
You have been accusing the Sinhalese for years without supporting evidence. Even the UNHRC doesn’t have any evidence to prove their allegations against Sri Lanka. The State exercised its sovereign right to protect its citizens from LTTE terrorists which is in line with UN principles.
Your opinion about Hamas is wrong. Let me explain.
In the absence of a formal military in Palestine, a group of natives called Hamas took up arms in self defence against Israeli settler invaders to protect fellow citizens from mass atrocities of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. If the US didn’t maliciously veto Palestine’s applications to become a United Nations member state, “the Responsibility To Protect (R2P)” concept endorsed by the UN in 2005 could have been applied to Palestine. Israel’s intentional mass atrocities in Gaza and West Bank including settlements and abductions of Palestinian children and youth and keeping them as hostages in Israeli prisons are illegal under international law. The ICC have already issued an arrest warrant against Netanyahu and the ICJ mandated Israel to end its illegal occupation in Palestine.
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LankaScot / February 8, 2025
Hello Ramona,
I think you have misread the lesson of King Solomon. There were 2 Babies and 2 Mothers. One Baby was dead the other alive. The Mothers lived in the same house. One Mother had accidentally smothered her baby in the night. She swapped the Babies and claimed the live one as hers. Solomon threatened to cut the live baby in two and give each Mother half. The real mother said no give the Baby to the Other Woman. King Solomon decided that she was the real Mother.
Read you bible Ramona 1 Kings 3:16-28
Best regards
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ramona therese fernando / February 9, 2025
Expand on the analogy, LS. Jews in Europe killed their baby or others killed it. Then they tried to take the Palestinian baby. They have taken most of the baby, but the Palestinians want to cling onto a tiny part for that is all they can have to cling to for their love for the child. King Solomon might just secure it for them.
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LankaScot / February 9, 2025
Hello Ramona,
Did you know Wolfgang Pauli, he said “Das is nicht einmal falsch”.
I will paraphrase “this is so bad it’s not even wrong”.
Best regards
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davidthegood / February 8, 2025
rtf, vivid imagination of what will not take place.
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davidthegood / February 10, 2025
rtf, Gaza belonged to the tribe of Judah of Israel when they returned from Egyptian captivity with Moses. Moses died and Joshua led them in through the Jordan. Joshua 16,47-Gaza. Mediteranian coast 5 cities were robbed by philistines (Goliath brothers) and later Hamas terrorists who settled in Gaza. Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, Ekron, Gaza. So Israel was given Gaza and belongs there.
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shankar / February 10, 2025
david the godlike
david,land does not belong to any humans.humans cant own something that they cannot create,unlike cars,houses etc.Land was created by the supreme being and it is the supreme being who will decide who will live where.
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Lester / February 7, 2025
davidthegood,
Iranians are not originally Muslim. They are Zoroastrians who worshipped the Aryan god named “Ahura Mazda” as described in their holy book, “Zen Avesta.” Iran (Persia) is a very old country. Most of the Arab countries are fake states that did not exist until the fall of the Ottoman Empire. That is one reason for their instability. They don’t have a history to fall back on. Nothing to learn from. The people in most of these countries were nomads roaming the desert. One day they became wealthy after the Westerners built their petrochemical industries. But you cannot educate a beggar simply by giving him money. Education is a lifelong process that requires significant mental struggle.
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LankaScot / February 8, 2025
Hello Lester,
If they were all Bedouins roaming the Deserts, then what were the Caliphates?
What about Ibn Sina born in Uzbekistan, or Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi died in Baghdad. I would have thought a Mathematician would know more about the Islamic Golden Age from the around the 8th to the 13th or 14th Centuries. They even occupied Spain “Al-Andalus,” from around the 700s to around the time of Columbus.
Desert Nomads are not Beggars. The Iranians were not the only Scholars in the Middle East; read some History – see Pathfinders: The Golden Age Of Arabic Science by Jim Al Khalili and whilst I remember it is worthwhile for you to read his Ladybird book on Gravity and you will find that Gravity is “not really a ‘force’ at all but something altogether more profound” lest you have forgotten.
Best regards
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shankar / February 9, 2025
lanka scot
i am speechless at your knowledge on many topics.Are you a scholar or self taught?You are right there were arab empires.In fact two of them were in the first 10 largest in the world.The bedouins were the nomads.Even now you get them.
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LankaScot / February 9, 2025
Hello Shankar,
I lived for 11 or 12 years in Qatar and a few years in Saudi before that. My next door neighbour in Doha was Iranian. We used to talk about Omar Khayyam a Persian Poet and Philosopher who wrote “The moving Finger writes and having writ moves on”. Time only moves forwards enjoy the present.
I have been rescued a few times by Bedouins after getting stuck in the Desert Sands and found their attitudes to visitors very like the Scottish Clans. I’m no Lawrence of Arabia, but I have sat on mats in the Desert sharing a meal with them. After a couple of teacup (usually Glasses) refills, you can politely refuse more Tea. Many of the Scottish Mountains and Hills have small stone Cairns on top of them. I saw many similar mounds of stones in the desert in Qatar. I was told they were used for Navigation.
Best regards
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old codger / February 9, 2025
LS,
Lester has publicly claimed that Turkey is an Arab democracy. One does not need to take his views on Arabs seriously.
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LankaScot / February 9, 2025
Hello OC,
As I said before when I was in the Eastern Province I used to give lifts to some of the Arabs walking to work at the Ras Tanura Refineries. Some of them were Shia, some Sunni and occasionally Bedouin. Because of my Arabic (with a Scottish Accent) they mistook me for Lebanese or Syrian. Sometimes they would make jokes about their Bosses etc. On one occasion after some laughter, one Arab asked me which Country I came from. He was horrified when I said Scotland/UK. I had to promise not to tell anyone what they were speaking about. During Ramadan we had to smuggle our Lunches under the back seat through the Checkpoint. I still gave lifts to the Arabs and saw the smiles on their faces when they smelled the food. Nobody reported us.
Best regards
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leelagemalli / February 9, 2025
LS,
Below is what my good palastenian friend explained to me.
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Bedouin Influence in the Caliphates:
While the Caliphates became large, bureaucratic empires, the Bedouin influence never completely disappeared.
Bedouin tribes still played important roles in the military and in some political structures, especially in the early years of the Caliphates. The warrior spirit, the sense of tribal loyalty, and the values of hospitality, honor, and courage continued to shape the culture, even as the political structures became more complex.
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So, while the early Muslim society and the Prophet Muhammad himself had Bedouin roots, the Caliphates represented the transition from a nomadic, tribal society to large, centralized empires. These empires combined elements of Bedouin culture with the governance models of the empires they conquered, and over time, developed into sophisticated, multicultural entities with global influence. The Caliphates were the political and religious systems that followed Muhammad’s death, and they were crucial in shaping the future of the Islamic world.
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LankaScot / February 9, 2025
Hello Leelagemalli,
Excellent, that was my experience of them. See my reply to Shankar above. I once asked one of the Brigadiers that we worked with (In practice he was our Sponsor, in Theory it was the Crown Prince), what the Qataris would do when the Oil & Gas runs out. His answer was that they would be happy going back to a Nomadic Lifestyle. I actually met him one time, out in the Desert during his Vacation. He had a huge Traditional Tent (Black) attached to his Caravan/Motor Home. I sat in the Majlis and had a few teas with him before I continued towards the Inland Sea. If I remember correctly he was of the Bani Khalid Tribe. The Border Fence between Qatar and Saudi had a number of Gates to let the Bedouin and their Flocks of Goats and Camels through.
Best regards
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old codger / February 10, 2025
LS,
“His answer was that they would be happy going back to a Nomadic Lifestyle.”
Not all of the Gulf Arabs were nomadic. Many coastal residents (Shia?) were fishermen and pearl divers. They would come as far as Ceylon for the pearling season.
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Mallaiyuran / February 10, 2025
Bravo Lankascot, you are capable of touching many subjects.
There are four recognized fundamental forces: gravity, electromagnetic force, strong nuclear force, and weak nuclear force. The classification of dark energy remains unclear, as only these four forces are currently acknowledged. It is hypothesized that dark energy may represent an opposing force to gravity, analogous to the positive and negative charges in electromagnetism, as well as north and south magnetic poles. However, this concept has not been conclusively proven. Einstein described gravity as a curvature of space-time. Nonetheless, objects colliding due to gravitational attraction produce significant gravitational wave ripples. This raises the question of how such substantial events can occur within space-time without the presence of an active force.
(This is edited by Copilot, so the references cannot be linked. Anybody wishes to play, copy this and put it to Word to verify its contents.)
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davidthegood / February 8, 2025
Lester, whatever name the idols that are worshipped by unbelieving people groups, there is only one true Creator God of this universe and he alone deserves to be worshipped. Rest are mental dips
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shankar / February 9, 2025
david the god
god did not create the universe.The universe was created by the one and only supreme being.At the top of the hierarchy is the only one, the Supreme being and second in the hierarchy is hundreds of different gods starting with egyptian amun.
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davidthegood / February 9, 2025
shankar, you are right about the Supreme Creator God. His name is Jehovah, who has many additions depending on human need, like J. Rophe the Healer, J.Rohi the Shepherd. All other little idols of men are really demons wanting worship, deceiving humans to attack believers, who are strong in the Lord.
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shankar / February 10, 2025
david the godworshipper
david,jehovah you are talkin about is one of the hundreds of gods.Supreme being when creating humans has given them free will so they have the right to choose whatever gods they are comfortable with.Just like you, the muslims believe in allah(arabic for god)hindus believe in Lord Shiva and bhuddhists Lord Bhuddha.
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LankaScot / February 9, 2025
Hello Shankar,
Amun Ra was one of 8 Egyptian Gods and worshiped as King of the Gods. Gollum the Underdog (Sméagol) was a Stoor an early type of Hobbit.
There is as much evidence for Gollum’s real existence as there is for Amun Ra. They are both fictional Characters as are all the Gods, Fairies, Elves, Angels and the rest of the assortment of Supernatural Creatures.
Isn’t it strange, now that the majority of adults have access to Smart Phones, that we don’t see any visits by these Gods being recorded nowadays?
Best regards
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shankar / February 10, 2025
lanka scot
good that you brought this up.When i mentioned amun it was just because it was the first egyptian god 3500 years ago and not because i considered it non fictional. i only mentioned amun as an example for david the godman to make my point that starting with amun humans have worshipped numerous gods,not only davids present one,and just like david they would have said at that time that is the only god.I of course have a different view that there are many gods looking after this planet,and there objective is the same to manage the planet and regardless of which god you worship all roads lead to rome.
interesting that you mention angels,cos my view is that there are thousands of angels,they too looking after this planet.Mother theresa must be a angel now.
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davidthegood / February 10, 2025
Lester, it does not matter what Iran believes after rejecting the true Creator God, Jehovah
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Lester / February 10, 2025
davidthegood,
Einstein said, ““I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” If there is a nuclear war, it will be the end of civilization as we know it. That is why it is crucial to keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of Islamists. The fact that Pakistan has nuclear weapons is a greater threat to humans than global warming, but most people are unaware. Pervez Musharaff said the Islamists will never get their hands on the nuclear weapons, but we cannot be sure, unless such weapons are removed from Pakistan in the first place.
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Champa / February 8, 2025
Donald Trump’s verbal diarrhea since inauguration came to a boiling point this week. His latest comments on his plan to eliminate 2.2 million Palestinians from Gaza and turn it into a holiday resort for the pleasure of his billionaire friends shows that he has always had a deep-seated mean, vulturous spirit that can’t be extinguished.
On behalf of the civilized world, I demand that Donald Trump unconditionally apologize to Palestinians for his cruel and callous remarks and also to leave the Palestinians alone. He is already hated by his own citizens and the world while Palestinians get more support than before.
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shankar / February 9, 2025
champa
Donald Trump’s verbal diarrhea
you hit the nail on the head.He has been suffering from that for a long time. Just like normal diarrhea he will have to go to the ‘loo’ many times but in this case mental loo.
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davidthegood / February 9, 2025
Champa, demanding Trump. Really giddy.
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