Beacon2Light

Ever Heard of "The Chicken Kiev" Speech ? It presents an interesting historical context to the present conflict in Ukraine The Slavic Gospel Association gives you several points of prayer and the perspective of the Ukrainian Church in the midst of the crisis:   Prayer Update: Heartbreaking Violence in Odessa Prayer requests excerpted from the article:  Odessa Theological Seminary, pic courtesy of SGA Odessa is home to the Slavic Gospel Association-sponsored Odessa Theological Seminary , as well as SGA missionaries According to Pastor Pavel . . . Odessa’s Christians are mourning. They have united in prayer for peace and stability, calling people to forgive and love like Jesus Christ, and they ask fellow believers around the world to pray for the country. In addition, Pastor Valery Antonyuk (first vice president of the Ukrainian UECB and a graduate of the SGA-sponsored Irpen Biblical Seminary ) wrote to me to share several needs experienced by missiona...

Update:  May 5, 2014:  Russia's Putin outlaws denial of Nazi crimes BY ALEXEI ANISHCHUK MOSCOW Mon May 5, 2014 12:14pm EDT Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Monday making the denial of Nazi crimes and distortion of the Soviet Union's role in the World War Two a criminal offence punishable by up to five years in jail. The law, described by critics as an attempt to curb freedom of expression to appease conservative Russians, the ex-KGB spy's main support base, also criminalizes the public desecration of war memorials. It has become increasingly risky for Russians to dispute an official line that glorifies the wartime achievements of the Soviet leadership and plays down its errors. The new law would ban "wittingly spreading false information about the activity of the USSR during the years of World War Two" [emphasis mine]. See  http://beacon2light.blogspot.com/2014/04/russian-invasion-appears-imminent.html  for links concerning other Russia...

pic's source Update 04/19: More walking on egg shells foreign policy. Yeah, that should be as effective as it is in human relationships in general How is a company or two going to convince Russia or our Eastern-flank of allies that we are serious? You would think a community organizer could organize a more significant response, especially one who is the United States commander in chief and can just call it into being. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/19/world/europe/us-plans-military-drills-in-eastern-europe.html?hp Update 04/18:  What a shock! (sarcasm in full swing) Pro-Russian "activists" or "protesters" reject Geneva deal. Really, you are surprised? Why? Mr. Putin is one clever comrade. Perhaps you would agree with me that he is likely behind this charade so that he can say, "See, we don't control them." The Geneva Deal The Pro-Russian Militants React Yet another parallel with Hitler's Germany and World War II: ...

Update:  3/18/14:   Putin says he has no interest in the rest of Ukraine but stays defiant on Crimea My thought:  Let's hope he's telling the truth.  However, the damage may be done to the world.  Not only is Crimea lost to Russia (the annexation is nearly complete) but China may now be emboldened to go after disputed islands with Taiwan, North Korea with disputed islands with South Korea and on and on.  In a related matter,  Israel's defense chief says U.S. projecting weakness "We had thought it would be the United States that would lead the campaign against Iran," said Yaalon, who pointed to the Ukraine crisis as an example of Washington "showing weakness".  Yaalon said that although "people know Iran cheats", the United States and other nations chose to negotiate with Tehran on restricting activities they fear are aimed at developing atomic arms. "Therefore, on this matter, we have to behave as though we have nobody to look out...