Family Camp, Smelly Dripping Fish-People, and Turkish Nukes

Submitted by Michael S (United States), Aug 18, 2016 at 16:58

Hello, Daniel. Thank you for responding with:

"Daniel Pipes replies: Irrelevant? You want to put the Executive Branch in the hands of an ignorant narcissist and dismiss any criticisms as irrelevant? I worry about American politics."

I'm sorry that you worry about American politics. When I wrote that post, I had just returned from "Family Camp" with the church I have recently joined. It was a pleasant experience, in which we avoided all talk of politics and had nothing to do with radio, TV, newspapers and social media. Just people, really wonderful people. When I got back home, and surfed through all the garbage that passes as "news", I realized two things:

(1) The "world" of news, blogs and suchlike (Your own blog excluded, of course) is absolutely sick. Thank God, it has little connection with the real world, and

(2) Absolutely nothing of importance changed in the world, in a week's time.

Concerning worry, you are Jewish and I am Christian. We have differing understandings about the world and our role in it; but both of us understand that this life is fleeting; and that a Just God has prepared something much better for us in eternity. When he suffered under much adversity from fellow Jews and Pagans alike during the reigns of Claudius and Nero, the Apostle Paul described it all as "momentary light affliction". That included beatings, false accusations, imprisonments and shipwrecks. We live in far better times. It is true, that the world as we know it will likely end in perhaps 10-15 years; but (1) this will not be because of "politics", and (2) 10-15 years is still a long time from now. I don't worry about these things; I just pray.

Is Donald Trump really an "ignorant narcissist"? You must know something about him that I don't. I have watched and heard him several times during the campaign, and do not see this in him at all. I have also watched Hillary Clinton in action, and she makes my flesh creep. In the spirit, she looks something like a rotting-yet-alive, slime-dripping fish sort of creature that walks on its tail.

By the way, have you seen the latest about our nuclear weapons in Turkey?

http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/us-moves-nuclear-weapons-from-turkey-to-romania/

It turns out, that Turkey was not only preventing US flights in and out of Incilrik in the aftermath of the coup (where perhaps 60 nukes are stored); but Erdogan was insisting the the US turn over control of the weapons to him. You have been concerned about Iran developing primitive nukes. Can you imagine the Turkish Sultan having control of fully functional and tested tactical nukes? THAT is something one might justly worry about -- especially since Erdogan is courting Iran and Russia at the same time that he's putting pressure on NATO. I will sleep better, when all the nukes are safely removed to Romania.

Whoever wins in November, God bless and keep you.

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