Semer

That idea that Tortuga mentioned appeared in Paradise Lost, by Milton. Also, here on JWTalk we have a speaking tortoise.

No offence, but I like Tortuga's version better.

The United Nations created the State of Israel after WW2, in 1948, as the Jewish national home. Approximately half of the territory of Palestine was given to Israel and the other half to Muslim Palestinians. Muslim countries rejected this decision, and immediately, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Iraq invaded the territory, starting a war. Israel won the war, and the Palestinian territory was reduced to half its original extension and divided in two territories: the Strip of Gaza and the West Bank. A Palestinian nationalistic group called Al-Fatah, began to launch different types of terrorist attacks in different parts of the world. In 1967 there was another war between Israel and an Arab coalition. Israel won and took Gaza and Sinai from Egypt (Sinai would be given back a few years later), the West Bank from Jordan (including Eastern Jerusalem) and the Golan Heights from Syria. I think the UN considers these as occupied territories, but Israel claims that they are vital for their own security. Then, in the 1990s a peace treatment was signed with Al-Fatah. They renounced to the use of terrorism and acknowledged the existence of the State of Israel; in exchange, they could create an independent Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Gaza, with a sort of democratic regime. In 2005, Israel withdrew all of its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip, but continues to control its access. In 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS (considered a terrorist group by some countries), won the election and took control of the Strip of Gaza, while the Palestinian Authority controls the West Bank. Israel is supported by the King of the South. The Palestinians are not openly supported by any countries nowadays, but they are somehow connected to the King of the North. This is very complicated and I might be wrong in some details, but in broad terms, this is the background of the conflict.

In the meantime, we can ask Araujo JW...

Well, Tim, I hope the only similarity is his left hand. 😁

Not really. The thing is that I looked for the pictures and post them and then realized that brother "Hinata" had just post them a second before me. I'm afraid my "d'oh!" wasn't very clear.

These are the brothers: D'oh!

It seems that drinking too much coke has three serious risks: one, you may lose your memory. And, uh, second, er, I think that something... What were we talking about again?

Sometimes there are interesting parallelisms in history. In the domains of the KotN, in 1933 (about 15 years after being defeated in WW1), a new leader emerged, who got the pride for their country back. The same year, a wave of persecution against God's people began, instigated by the clergy. The brothers appealed to the authorities, but it was worse, they began an open and systematic persecution. The international community did not care. In 1936, all the world made it to Berlin to the Olympic Games. Nobody decided to boicott the KotN. In 1938 the KotN decided that they were the protectors of German speaking people in the Sudetenland. After their pretence of diplomacy, they attacked the territory allegedly to free the population, while the other powers decided not to intervene. Now, a few years later: After being defeated in the Cold War, a new leader for the KotN emerged, who got the pride for their country back. About 15 years after that defeat, a wave of persecution against God's people began, instigated by the clergy. The appeal to the authorities was to no avail. In 2009 and 2010 two important courts in Russia decided that Jehovah's Witnesses are extremists. In 2017 the High Court banned God's people. Some mild protests by the international community. In 2014, all the world gathered for the Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. Nobody considered to boicott the KotN. In 2022 the KotN decided that they were protectors of Russian speaking people in Ukraine. They attacked the territory -at the same time they conducted a pretence of diplomacy-, allegedly to free the population, while the other powers decided not to intervene, at least directly. The paralellisms do not have to go on, but the next step was the invasion of Poland in 1939...

I haven't been able to keep abreast with all the messages, so perhaps someone has mentioned something about this. Anyway, today in the news they were interviewing a Spanish person who is in Ukraine right now and he said that they are not forcing people to combat because there are so many volunteers that they do not have enough weapons for all of them. I don't know if this situation only happens in that particular city or if it is generalized, but it seems like good news for our brothers there.

Going back to the topic, I am worried because of the question of neutrality. Ukraine is now under martial law, and they go door to door recruiting soldiers. It is undoubtedly a trial to our brothers, since in this situation, our position must be difficult to understand by non believers.

Human brain has a strong tendency to look for recognizable shapes, especially human faces, everywhere. Pareidolia in clouds is a classic:

Dog of Magog He can both get your slippers or invade Ukraine for you:

Annointed ones in heaven would not materialize on earth, would they? So, we can safely assume that the vandalism was not on brother Russell... Or, was it?