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A Blasphemous Triad of Betrayal By Mike Gendron Blasphemy often occurs when people fail to…
Buddhism vs. Christianity
Buddhism vs. Christianity
By Evidence to Believe
Examining the Fundamental Differences of Buddhism vs. Christianity
The popular appeal of Buddhism today is one of "coolness", "tolerance", and non-dissention. It's a belief system that many feel can help them "detach", maintain neutrality, and find peace in a world of injustice and suffering. Some even say that Buddhist teachings and Christianity are compatible, and that one can be a Christian and at the same time adopt Buddhist teachings.
The truth is, although one can find many truths in Buddhist teachings, Buddhism is in many points incompatible with Christianity. Upon examination of fundamental Buddhist and Christian beliefs, it quickly becomes obvious that there is a clear contrast between the teachings of Buddhism and those of Christianity. Although you may hear some Buddhists claim that "we believe the same things; there are many paths to God", many fundamental Buddhist teachings are in fact diametrically opposed to those of the Biblical Christianity.
Examining Buddhist Beliefs
The following is a list of "Basic Beliefs of Buddhism", along with an answer for each from a Christian point of view. The list is of Basic Buddhist Beliefs is taken from "Buddhanet". Please note that this is a response to these published Buddhist position statements, based on what the Bible says, and my own experience as a Christian.
Let's take a look at each of these Buddhist assertions which I have listed from the above Buddhist web site, and consider how they compare or contrast with what the Bible, and Christians believe. Then examine the evidence yourself – pick up a Bible and read the passages I refer to. Look at the scientific and other evidence I refer to. Research and see what Buddhism teaches. And ask God to lead you, for as it says, "the Lord is found of those who diligently seek Him."
1. "There is no almighty God in Buddhism. There is no one to hand out rewards or punishments on a supposedly Judgment Day."
In contrast to this Buddhist assertion, the Bible asserts, and modern science supports, that there is indeed an "almighty Creator".
According to modern physics the Universe did not always exist, but had a definite beginning of space, time, and all matter (14.5 billion years ago). Popularly known as "the big bang", this theory is the most widely accepted, and best attested to theory in science. That "first Cause" indeed had to have been "almighty" to have created everything – all matter, space and time – out of nothing, in an instant, in order to have what we have today in this marvelous finely tuned, highly complex creation we live in.
Consistent with modern scientific evidence, the Bible also asserts that there was a First Cause to all things, that "in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Gen 1:1). Indeed, the Bible proclaims we have an "awesome God". Science now proclaims we have an expanding universe, but the Bible revealed long ago that He stretches forth the heavens like a curtain (Psalm 104:2). Time and ago God has shown that "there is nothing too hard for Me", if we will only believe and place our trust in Him.
Rewards and punishments have to do with judgment and accountability, and the Bible does assert that each must give an account to God one day for their actions. God is a loving Creator, and that's absolutely true. But He is also just, and must punish sin. And we have all sinned, and missed the mark – as the Bible says, "All have sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). The good news is that those that put their faith in Jesus are not condemned – because they have put their trust in Him – God Himself, who came to earth in the form of man to pay the ultimate penalty for all sine, and rescue His creatures. "For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God – not of works lest any many should boast." (Ephesians 2:8)
Yes, good works are vital, but they are like the fruit of a good tree that is firmly planted. Faith naturally produces good works, or fruit of the Spirit of God guiding us along His path each day. As a result, we reap rewards in this life by helping others, and we grow in character to be more like Christ. Those outside of Christ must give an account one day to God apart from Christ's saving work on the cross – and can their works save them? Can Buddha's eight fold path of guidance save? The Bible says no, because the stain of "sin" still remains. "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12) – and that name is Jesus.
2. "Buddhism is strictly not a religion in the context of being a faith and worship owing allegiance to a supernatural being."
While it may not recognize a "supernatural being", Buddhism is still nevertheless a religion. Practitioners follow a set of rules "religiously", and pay homage to a "natural being" – Buddha. Statues are erected to Buddha, and followers revere his legacy and teachings. In contrast to Christians, who based their salvation on faith in God and His finished work of redemption, Buddhists practice good works and "detachment" with the world to hopefully alleviate suffering – and to one day, through a cycle of re-birth, attain "enlightenment".
Buddhism stresses that each individual must on their own behalf work to attain perfection, as one works through countless re-births to one day eventually achieve "enlightenment". Essentially it is a faith that "worships the creation [the self] rather than the Creator." The problem is, there is no evidence for "re-birth". Death is still the barrier we all must face before the great beyond. In contrast to Buddhism, the Bible says that humans are appointed to live just one time on this earth, and that this is a "testing ground" for an eternity to come.
The second issue with Buddhism is that, in emphasizing "the potential for perfection within", it is in fact promoting worship of the creation, rather that the Creator. It is essentially saying that through mediation, good works, and following the Buddhist teaching, you can save yourself. The Bible on the other hand says the Jesus is the only way of salvation, enlightenment, and fulfillment: "For there is NO other name under Heaven by which we must be saved."
In contrast to Buddhist teachings, the Bible states that there IS an all-powerful, all-knowing Creator God, and that the human condition is in a fallen state – inherently sinful, lost, and in need of a Savior. This is the message in both the Old and New Testaments – that "the heart is deceitful, and desperately wicked, who can know it?". And again, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God". The Bible says that all have been stained with sin since the Fall of the first two humans – Adam and Eve. And what have we seen since history began but continual rebellion against God and each other – all due to this inherent sinful nature passed on to each of us.
That rebellion has led mankind to be separated from His Creator, in need of a Redeemer. Buddhism in effect teaches you can save yourself by following the Eight fold path, and enduring through a cycle of re-births to eventually reach nirvana. Christianity say no, we cannot possible save ourselves – we are all lost, and in need of a Savior. Paul the Apostle writes "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death! I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Rom 7:24-25) That Redeemer is Jesus Christ, who paid the ultimate price for mankind's sin "once and for all", bringing all that receive Him back into a right relationship with the Creator through His saving grace (unmerited favor).
3. "No savior concept in Buddhism. A Buddha is not a savior who saves others by his personal salvation. Although a Buddhist seeks refuge in the Buddha as his incomparable guide who indicates the path of purity, he makes no servile surrender. A Buddhist does not think that he can gain purity merely by seeking refuge in the Buddha or by mere faith in Him. It is not within the power of a Buddha to wash away the impurities of others."
There is no savior in Buddhism because there is no recognition of "sin" in Buddhism; so naturally there is no need for a savior or salvation. The implication is that one can save oneself, and eventually through multiple lifetimes finally enter "nirvana". In contrast, the Bible says that "all have sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God." All are in need of a Savior. In the Old Testament God proclaims Himself as Savior of His people: "I, [even] I, [am] the LORD; and beside me [there is] no Savior" (Isa 43:11); In the New Testament, it is clear that this Savior has come in the form of the Lord Jesus: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11).
But can a person reach communion with God by following the Eight Fold path? Christianity says no – you have the indelible stain of sin on your being, and the only way of salvation is by accepting Jesus Christ into your heart and trusting in Him for your salvation. If there was some other way, God Himself would have seized it. But there was no other way. God needed to remain just, but also act as the justifier for His fallen creatures. Only God Himself, coming to earth in the form of a Man – Jesus of Nazareth – could live a sinless life, then lay His life down willingly and pay the ultimate price of redemption for all of mankind.
Buddha, although a very wise teacher, was still a fallen creature like everyone else, and he died. He left some very wise teaching that many follow to improve themselves – but Jesus did the same, and much more. Not only did Jesus give us some of the wisest teachings ever -not only did He point the way – He WAS "the way, the truth and the life". Only Jesus was the sinless Lamb of God who came in the form of flesh, lived a perfect life, died for us, and then rose again from the dead! Buddha remains in the grave. Only Jesus rose again – God in human flesh – and paid the price once for the sin of all mankind, so that we could all be made righteous to God. Are their many paths to "get back to the garden"? Not according to the Bible. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6).
"God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes (trusts) in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
But a gift is not a gift unless it is received. Each of us remains a free creation, and God will not force His way into our life. We must each choose Him, and receive Him into our heart. Then we are "born again". We become "new creatures" in Christ, and daily take up the cross and follow Him. We live out our lives in surrender to His Spirit, who lives within our hearts. And He perfects us day-by-day as we yield to Him and seek His perfect path for our lives.
4. "A Buddha is not an incarnation of a god/God (as claimed by some Hindu followers). The relationship between a Buddha and his disciples and followers is that of a teacher and student."
Buddha is a teacher, and his followers are students. To Christians, Jesus is also a great Teacher. But He is ever so much more. "Jesus is Lord" (Phil 3:20) proclaims the Bible in numerous places, and in fact this was a common pronouncement among early Christians. The Bible says that Jesus is the eternal Word of God made flesh (see John chapter 1).
The truth is, no matter how much you learn, how much you meditate, how much you give up worldly goods, or how much you try – you cannot save yourself. Only Jesus can save us from sin because only He bridged the huge chasm that was created as a result of the fall. He is our "Way" back to the Father; the "Bread of Life"; the "Door of the Sheepfold"; the "Resurrection and the Life". He saves us from sin through faith in Him – a resurrected, LIVING Lord. As a result, we know we have eternal life. And He empowers the Christian who relies on Him to walk that exciting, fulfilling life on a daily basis by the power of His Spirit.
The Bible makes it clear that our own good works will not suffice. As Jesus said, "unless you believe that I AM, you will die in your sins." (John 8:24). Believe and receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior – you have nothing to lose, and everything in this life, and in the world to come, to gain!
5. "The liberation of self is the responsibility of one's own self. Buddhism does not call for an unquestionable blind faith by all Buddhist followers. It places heavy emphasis on self-reliance, self discipline and individual striving."
Buddhism emphasizes the need for one to take personal responsibility to "liberate oneself" – to rely on one's own abilities, self-discipline and "striving" to improve. The problem, from the Christian point of view, is that the "sin thing" will keep getting in the way. Read Paul the Apostle's passage about his struggles to be led of the Spirit while in this fleshly body:
"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but [how] to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will [to do], I do not do; but the evil I will not [to do], that I practice." (Rom 7:18-19)
Paul goes on to proclaim who will deliver him, and enable his victory so that he can have the power to perform the good and deny the evil: "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God–through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Rom 7:24-25)
Christianity recognizes the need for individuals to be accountable for all of the actions done while on this earth, and to practice self-control. But here is the key difference. Self-control, kindness, patience, these are all "fruits" of the Spirit who dwells within each born-again believer: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (Gal 5:22).
Good works are expected of a Christian (read James) – but it is not "works" that justifies one before God – only by faith is one justified, and that faith has to be placed in His Son, Jesus, as your Lord and Savior. A living, active faith in the Lord produces good works, just as a tree firmly planted produces good fruit. Healthy trees don't "strive" to produce fruit. They do it naturally.
Bottom line – Buddhism does not recognize the reality of the "sin" defect in every human being, while Christianity does recognize the sin reality and the fallen disposition of human kind. Buddhism proposes that one rely on one's own abilities for continual improvement, whereas Christianity states that without the indwelling power of the Spirit, this will be a loosing battle – doomed to failure.
Christianity proclaims that we can "do all things through Christ who strengthens us". It is not a blind faith, but an informed faith in an all powerful Creator who reached out and saved us. Christians recognize that they are in need of a Savior, and they are to "walk" in the power of the Spirit, rather than live under the power of the flesh. Christians who walk in the Spirit rely on the Spirit of Christ, and allow God to accomplish His purposes in their lives.
6. "Taking refuge in The Triple Gems i.e. the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha; does not mean self-surrender or total reliance on an external force or third party for help or salvation."
While Buddhism is not self-surrender or total reliance on an 'external force' or third party for help or salvation, Christianity takes the opposite position.
The Bible teaches that you must indeed surrender your self, your desires, and your will to the Lord God Almighty. Recognizing that He is God, and you are not. This is fundamental to Christianity, and it starts with "repentance" – acknowledging that you are a sinner, and in need of a Savior. Giving your life to Jesus, relying totally on Him, and inviting Him into your heart to live and reign on the throne of your life. That is why Jesus said "what is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.. you must be born again".
It is then that you become a "new creation" in Christ – and He begins to rework you from the inside out, as you "rely" on His indwelling Spirit by prayer and seeking His will for your life. Daily he is making you a member of God's family, day by day He works out the old fallen nature, and works in with a new Christ-like nature.
7. "Dharma (the teachings in Buddhism) exists regardless whether there is a Buddha. Sakyamuni Buddha (as the historical Buddha) discovered and shared the teachings/ universal truths with all sentient beings. He is neither the creator of such teachings nor the prophet of an almighty God to transmit such teachings to others."
There is a bit of truth in many of the world's religions. There are also many good secular teachings that are profitable for self-control, self development, etc. But that does not means these paths are the way to salvation, and eternal life.
Christianity teaches that there is a God in Heaven, and that He is also all around us. That He is eternal, all powerful, all mighty, and all knowing. It also proclaims that HE is the source of ALL truth, knowledge and Wisdom. The Bible, God's written word, wasn't "discovered" – it was transmitted on purpose by God to selected individuals, as they were "moved" by His Spirit to write His pronouncements (the meaning of "inspired"). "Thus says the Lord" is a common refrain throughout the Bible.
The Bible states that "there is a way that seems right to a man, but the way thereof is the way of death". It further proclaims that "there is no other name under Heaven by which man can be saved" – the Lord Jesus Christ. Teachings alone cannot save. They cannot provide a right standing before the almighty Creator. Only faith and trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior can do that.
8. "Especially emphasized in Mahayana Buddhism, all sentient beings have Buddha Nature/ Essence. One can become a Buddha (a supreme enlightened being) in due course if one practices diligently and attains purity of mind (ie absolutely no delusions or afflictions)."
While Buddhism teaches that you can in effect "work your way to heaven" in due course by practicing diligently and attaining purity of mind, Christianity emphatically teaches the opposite: that no amount of "good works" are going to result in one's "enlightenment", and attainment of perfection. Why? Because those works are the product of a fallen nature
Christianity is about listening and following after His indwelling presence – and the result, any 'good works', are the "fruit of the Spirit" – not the striving of the flesh. The Spirit dwelling in each Christian has made their spirit "alive" unto God, enabling them to walk with Him daily, taking advantage of and practicing the "good works that He lays before them in advance."
For it is "By grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is it gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast." No one is getting to Heaven, Nirvana, or Paradise through their own efforts. The Bible states that our works are "as filthy rags". Only Jesus is able to save us. He is our only hope, He is "the resurrection and the life". Works are a fruit of our spiritual walk with the Lord; not a justification for right standing with a holy God. The only works that will endure are those that are born out of a pure heart following after God's will.
Finally, the Bible states that in Jesus dwells "all the fullness of the God-head in bodily form". And "in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge". Furthermore, "by His stripes we are healed". So, in point of fact, accepting Christ as Savior and Lord, and getting to know Him better each day is the best way of getting rid of those delusions and afflictions.
9. "In Buddhism, the ultimate objective of followers/practitioners is enlightenment and/or liberation from Samsara; rather than to go to a Heaven (or a deva realm in the context of Buddhist cosmology)."
According to Wilipedia, Samsāra (Sanskrit: संसार), (in Tibetan called "khorwa")[1], literally means "continuous flow", and is the cycle of birth, life, death, rebirth or reincarnation. So according to point 9 above, the ultimate goal of Buddhism is to free oneself from this continuous cycle of re-birth. In a modern vernacular context, particularly in the Himalayas, samsara is also a word used to describe the how life is full of attachments and comings-and-goings, a subtle state of suffering. So practicing Buddhism is more immediately about freeing oneself from "attachments", and any state where there might be some "suffering" involved.
Christians don't try to liberate themselves from or disconnect from the world, as Buddhism teaches. Jesus taught a parable of the 'good Samaritan', to illustrate how important it was to not only love God, but also love your "neighbor" by doing real, self-sacrificing actions. Christianity teaches engagement, not detachment.
Christians are commanded to work to change the world for the better – to reflect Christ into the world. As a result we have seen thousands of Christian hospitals, orphanages, universities, and outreaches established. Jesus set an example of servant hood and helping others, and those who would follow after Christ are encouraged to emulate that.
10. "Karma and Karma Force are cornerstones in Buddhist doctrines. They are expounded very thoroughly in Buddhism. Karma refers to an important metaphysical concept concerned with action and its consequences. This law of karma explains the problem of sufferings, the mystery of the so-called fate and predestination of some religions, and above all the apparent inequality of mankind."
Karma is essentially cause and effect, past and present. That your past genetic inheritance, plus previous experiences, along with current experiences and choice, explain what and where you are today. Your "Karma".
Of course there is cause and effect, and we have genetic inheritance, and choice. In fact, the Bible teaches "God is not mocked – whatsoever you sow that shall you reap also." Suffering is a reality comprehensible for Christians, explained by the fact of sin in the world and a fallen creation. Inequality is the result of greed, selfishness, and people preying on one another. Factor this up a notch and you have the cause of most wars. All the result of sin "warring in our members", as the book of James discusses.
And although there are disasters that occur in this creation that has gone awry, much suffering is brought on by mankind's own injustice to one another. Christians understand that, so its not a mystery. We also realize that many times suffering brings us closer to the Lord, as we rely on Him through trials to grow our character (see also James 1).
But rather than blaming our past, present, and trusting our future to some mysterious "Karma", the Bible teaches that God planned you – that He knew you while you were still in your mother's womb (Psalm 139:13). In fact, in contrast to the notion of Karma being responsible for your past and present state, Christianity teaches that you are here today because God has a plan and a purpose for you life – now, and in the life to come. You are absolutely unique, and only you can fulfill the mission He has put you here for!
11. "Rebirth is another key doctrine in Buddhism and it goes hand in hand with karma. There is a subtle difference between rebirth and reincarnation as expounded in Hinduism. Buddhism rejects the theory of a transmigrating permanent soul, whether created by a god or emanating from a divine essence."
Another fundamental difference between Buddhism and Christianity. While Buddhism teaches that if you are not "enlightened" in this life, you are up for a re-birth, the Bible says "man is appointed to live once, and then comes judgment." There is no re-birth, or re-incarnation in Christianity. Period.
What scientific evidence is there for "rebirth" into a second life? None as far as I can tell. This is all just wishful thinking, in my opinion.
Whereas Buddhism rejects the notion of a "soul" being the essence of a human, the Bible teaches that each person has an eternal "soul" – and that soul is you, your identity. You do not "have a soul – you ARE a soul. You have a body" (C.S. Lewis). Many philosophers have subscribed to the existence of an eternal soul – Plato, to name one. Jesus taught that your soul is eternal, and that we pass from this life into eternity. He also said that "you must be born again", and unless you were you cannot see the kingdom of God.
This is an important question – are you just a physical organism, or something more? Are you a soul, or just firing synapses in a chunk of grey matter? The Bible teaches that you were created by God for a purpose, and that He has a plan for your life. Consider this carefully, and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. He wants to make you a part of His kingdom.
You are to be with the Lord forever, or apart from Him – depending on the choices you make in this life.
12. "Maitri or Metta in Pali (Loving Kindness) and Karuna (Compassion) to all living beings including animals. Buddhism strictly forbids animal sacrifice for whatever reason. Vegetarianism is recommended but not compulsory."
Christianity teaches that originally Humans were created as the peak of God's creation, and that at that time, all God's creatures lived in harmony.
But then humans rebelled, and "sin" entered the human race and all of creation. All of creation since is in a fallen state, which is why there is sin, why mankind wars against itself, and why even creation displays a fallen state.
Christians are taught that all God's creatures were created "good", and that they all reflect His handiwork. But we are not to worship animals. We are to treat them well, as living beings which have a place in God's wonderful creation. Christians do not sacrifice animals, as was done by the Hebrews at one time. We are to give sacrifices of obedience, praise and thanksgiving to God.
As far as eating goes, the Bible teaches that Christians should not eat food sacrificed to idols, and that a blessing of thanksgiving should be said before partaking of food.
13. "The importance of Non-attachment. Buddhism goes beyond doing good and being good. One must not be attached to good deeds or the idea of doing good; otherwise it is just another form of craving."
The importance of "non-attachment" is about not being attached to anything. So Buddhists are not to be influenced by the bad – but not to be too interested in doing good either! The goal is not to do good, or do bad. Just to do nothing. Non-attachment.
In contrast, Jesus commanded us to follow after Him, and proactively do good to others. Put your faith in action. In fact, in James it says "faith without works (good works) is dead". In Romans 12 Paul writes:
"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality."
This is not an attitude of detachment, but of engagement.
As a result, Christianity has done far more good in the world that Buddhism or other religions. More hospitals to heal people. More schools to educate. More giving of time and money and effort.
14. "In Buddhism, there is consideration for all sentient beings (versus human beings, as in other religions). Buddhists acknowledge/accept the existence of animals and beings in other realms in Samsara."
According to Wikipedia, Sentience in Buddhism is the state of having senses (sat + ta in Pali, or sat + tva in Sanskrit). In Buddhism, the senses are six in number, the sixth being the subjective experience of the mind. Sentience is simply awareness prior to the arising of Skandha. Thus, an animal qualifies as a sentient being.
While the Bible teaches that God created all living and non-living things, and that was considered by Him to be "good", Humans are represented as the pinnacle of God's creation – formed "on the 6th day of creation", or as one of the final acts of God's creative work (animals having been created earlier). Christianity teaches that we should take care of animals and other aspects of creation, as good stewards of His creation – but does teach that we should revere animals as "sentient beings".
In fact, animals are worlds apart from humans in terms of demonstrations of self-awareness and higher thought. While they are amazing elements of God's creation, they do not demonstrate the capacity to worship the Lord as humans do. Animals do no build churches, or temples. They do not build laboratories, or explore the solar system. Very simply, Christianity teaches that human beings are God's special creation, created "in His image" – and that the animal and plant kingdom are a subsidiary part of God's creation.
15. "No holy war concept in Buddhism. Killing is breaking a key moral precept in Buddhism. One is strictly forbidden to kill another person in the name of religion, a religious leader or whatsoever religious pretext or worldly excuse."
There is no "holy war" concept in Christianity either. Christians are commanded "Thou shalt not kill." However, wars are a reality in this fallen world. The Bible teaches that war happens because "you want, and have not" (James). Its based on the sin nature in man, which is why it's a reality in this fallen world.
So Buddhism having no concept of war doesn't prevent them from happening. Wars exist because of the fallen state of mankind, and the root cause of sin. The solution is the saving grace that is available in the person of Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches that there will be a "final war", and to conclude that will be the coming of God's Holy One, the Messiah – Jesus Christ. He will one day finally bring in the peace that we all so desire.
16. "Suffering is another cornerstone in Buddhism. It is the first of the Four Noble Truths. Sufferings are very well analyzed and explained in Buddhism."
Suffering is a reality in this world, as Jesus said "in the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."
Lets look at how Christianity vs. Buddhism treat the reality of suffering. How many hospitals around the world has Buddhism founded? How many has Christianity founded? Countless.
Christianity recognizes that there is suffering in the world, but that God often uses suffering to teach us and to refine us. In fact, for Christians God can and does in fact use evil to work good – as it says "all things work together for good to those that love God, and are called according to His purpose."
God can use the evil some intend to work for His good purposes. The Bible teaches that we shouldn't "run away" from or try to detach ourselves from suffering. In fact, it says in James that we ought to "count it all joy" when we enter into trials and tribulation – knowing that God is doing a work to perfect our character to make us more like Him.
17. "The idea of sin or original sin has no place in Buddhism. Also, sin should not be equated to suffering."
Another key difference between Buddhism and Christianity is the recognition of "sin". Biblical Christianity teaches that a "sin nature" has been passed on to humans, as the result of the fall of the first humans. "Sin" is a defect in the nature of humans – it is the rebellious nature in the very heart of every human. Literally it means "missing the mark".
Our own experience bears witness to this truth. For example, you don't have to teach children to disobey, to rebel – they do it "naturally". Paul wrote about the sin nature in Romans, when he described the war between the Spirit and the flesh that was warring in his members.
Buddhism denies the existence of sin and instead teaches that you are fundamentally good, and that if you "strive" hard enough, in some future lifetime you might make it to "nirvana". Christianity states that we are all flawed, all stained by a sin nature. No amount of our own own effort will perfect us – only a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let's also look at its relationship to suffering. Is there a connection? Sometimes yes, and sometimes no. For example: sometimes when we sin, we bring on sufferings because of our actions. In other cases, suffering has no cause in sin. Its an effect of a fallen creation – we suffer due to wars, natural disasters, and so forth.
18. "Buddhist teachings expound no beginning and no end to one's existence or life. There is virtually no recognition of a first cause — e.g. how does human existence first come about?"
Another fundamental difference between Buddhism and Christianity is this idea of "no recognition of a first cause". This is a direct opposition to established scientific fact, and the teaching of the Bible.
One of the most proven facts of science is that a "big bang" occurred about 14 billion years ago – that there was a "first cause" to all matter, time and space. That all things have NOT been continuing on forever. There was a start to all things.
The Bible, in Genesis 1:1, is consistent with the notion that the known universe started with an initial singularity: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." The word created in Hebrew is "bara", which means "to create out of nothing". So science and the Bible concur – there was a first cause that was the start of all matter, space and time – what he Bible calls "heavens and the earth". Buddhism, on the other hand, apparently takes no position on this. The Bible, however, gives glory over and over to the Lord of all Creation. In fact, it says "the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork".
19. "The Dharma provides a very detailed explanation of the doctrine of anatman {anatta in Pali} or soullessness , i.e. there is no soul entity (whether in one life of many lives)."
Another fundamental difference between Buddhism and Christianity – Buddhism teaches "there is no soul", while the Bible teaches that we each are an eternal soul: "But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find [Him] if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Due 4:29).
Jesus said: "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matt 16:26)
The Bible teaches that you ARE an eternal soul (you just have a body). And that the choices you make in life determine the eternal destiny of your soul.
In fact, the Bible teaches that humans – in contrast to other creatures – are a tri-part life form: spirit, soul and body. In Genesis we are informed that God formed humankind from the dust of the Earth (thus the body), and that He breathed into the human His 'breath of life' (spirit), and man became a living 'soul'.
20. "The Buddha is omniscient but he is not omnipotent. He is capable of innumerable feats but there are three things he cannot do. Also, a Buddha does not claim to be a creator of lives or the Universe."
According to the dictionary, omniscience is "the capacity to know everything". Point 20 above states that the Buddha is omniscient – that he knows everything (but he is not omnipotent, or "all powerful").
In contrast, the Bible teaches that ONLY God, the Lord, the Creator, "knows everything" – or is all knowing. Christianity teaches that there is only ONE all-knowing, all mighty, ever present God of Creation, and that He exists in three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Hold Spirit.
Its either Buddha, or the Creator, that is all knowing – not both. There can be only ONE all knowing, all powerful, in all points present Being. Not two. Logically that rules Buddha out.
21. "Prajna [Panna in Pali] or Transcendent Wisdom occupies a paramount position in Buddhist teachings. Sakyamuni Buddha expounded Prajna concepts for some 20 years of his ministry. One is taught to balance compassion with prajna i.e.emotion (faith) with rationale (right understanding / truth / logic)."
The Bible teaches that in Christ are "hidden all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge". By growing in our relationship with Jesus Christ, who is the Wisdom of God, Christianity teaches we will likewise grow in understanding, knowledge of the truth, and in the application of these truths to all the facets of life – in this life, and in the life to come.
The Bible does teach that we should use all of the gifts that God has given us – our reason, as well as our compassion and emotional understanding. In fact, it says "come, let us reason together". The Bible encourages us to "get Wisdom, get understanding".
22. "The tradition and practice of meditation in Buddhism are relatively important and strong. While all religions teach some forms or variations of stabilising/single-pointedness meditation, only Buddhism emphazises Vipassana (Insight) meditation as a powerful tool to assist one in seeking liberation/enlightenment."
This is a reference to meditation, which is healthful for mind-body coordination and popular in today's 21st century culture. It can calm your mental faculties, and your bodily state. While extensive meditation may result in detachment or "liberation" from reality and the world, it is not going to bring you "enlightenment" with the source of all knowledge and wisdom.
The Bible teaches prayer, in addition to meditation. While meditation is helpful, it does not connect you with the Creator. That is what prayer does. While meditation may be calming and helpful, it is not a substitute for prayer. Only prayer can connect a believer with their Creator, through the Spirit that is within each child of God.
23. "The doctrine of Sunyata or Emptiness is unique to Buddhism and its many aspects are well expounded in advanced Buddhist teachings. Briefly, this doctrine asserts the transcendental nature of Ultimate Reality. It declares the phenomenal world to be void of all limitations of particularization and that all concepts of dualism are abolished."
The concept of Emptiness in Buddhism is in stark contrast to that of Christianity, where Jesus said "I am come that you might have life (Zoe), and that more abundantly." Zoe, or life, is God's life within you.
While apart from Christ, a life that is lived in this world might seem quite "empty" – Christianity teaches that God wants to fill us with His life, His "Zoe" – not empty us! Jesus said "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water!
The Bible teaches that we are "born again" into God's family, we should empty ourselves of the old creation, so we can be renewed day by day as a new creature in Christ. He will then fill us with His abundant life, and His joy!
24. "Conditioned Arising [Paticcasamuppada in Pali] or Dependent Origination is another key doctrine in Buddhism. This doctrine explains that all psychological and physical phenomena constituting individual existence are interdependent and mutually condition each other; this at the same time describes what entangles sentient beings in samsara."
The Bible also teaches that we need to pay attention to what we fill our minds with, and how we treat our physical bodies.
In Galations it states that our bodies are "the temple of God", and that we ought to treat and care for our temples wisely and reverently.
In another part of Scripture it states that we ought to "be transformed by the renewing of our minds". And again, "whatsoever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things." (Phil 4:8).
Bottom line, Christianity teaches that we ought to care for our body, our minds, and especially our spiritual life. Because they are all important, and interdependent. But what is most important, according to the Bible, is that your spirit be "made alive" – that it be quickened, and that you have a "new birth". Once "born again" you enter into a new spiritual life, and relationship with the Lord. And God begins a work in you from the inside out, making you a "new creature in Christ". Slowly but surely, your mind is renewed day by day, and the body falls in line and is subservient.
25. "The concept of Hell(s) in Buddhism is very different from that of other religions. It is not a place for eternal damnation as viewed by 'almighty creator' religions. In Buddhism, it is just one of the six realms in Samsara [i.e. the worst of three undesirable realms]. Also, there are virtually unlimited number of hells in the Buddhist cosmology as there are infinite number of Buddha worlds."
If we were inventing a religion, as C.S. Lewis once remarked, we could get really creative and imagine all sorts of fanciful places or realms, with any number of levels.
Christianity teaches very simply that you are either alive spiritually, or not ("he that has the Son has life, he that has not the Son has not life"). To know Jesus, the eternal Son of God, is to know the Father, and to have life.
To have life in the Son is to have eternal life, and pass one day from this existence into an eternity with the Lord ("heaven"). We don't know precisely, but the Bible gives us some idea of what heaven will be like.
The Bible teaches that there is punishment for evil, just as there are rewards for good. Hell is horrible because it is eternal separation from God. Hell was not designed for humans, but for evil spirits who have rebelled against the Creator – who want no part of Him. Eternal separation from the Creator is what some humans will also have, not because God wishes it upon them, but because they wish it upon themselves, and will have no part in Him. "God is not willing that any [of His humans] should perish" in this place, which is why He himself came down in the form of flesh (Jesus) to save us. (John 3:16).
26. "The Buddhist cosmology (or universe) is distinctly different from that of other religions which usually recognize only this solar system (Earth) as the centre of the Universe and the only planet with living beings. The Buddhist viewpoint of a Buddha world (also known as Three Thousand-Fold World System) is that of one billion solar systems. Besides, the Mahayana Buddhist doctrines expound that there are other contemporary Buddha worlds like Amitabha's Pure Land and Bhaisajyaguru's world system."
The Bible does not discount the idea that there may be other worlds, with intelligent life. The Bible, and Christianity, are focused on God's creation here on earth, and His redemptive plan for His human creatures (an indeed all of creation).
According to modern science, there are countless galaxies and stars, and any number of planets. But so far, there is no proof for other planets that support highly intelligent life. Any planets that have been discovered have been done so by inference, and are usually found not to have even the conditions to support life.
The Bible's cosmology is more in agreement with science than Buddhism – that there is an all powerful, creator of the universe (ref the "big bang"); and that we are living on a special planet that has been amazingly engineered and fine tuned to support life.
Christianity doesn't preclude other worlds, but neither does it assert it. God may have created other worlds with other beings. And if He has done so, no doubt He has a plan for His creatures on those worlds. But so far, it doesn't appear that worlds like the earth are plentiful throughout the universe. In fact, the earth appears to be extremely "rare" and unique in the universe – reference the following books to check this out: "Rare Earth", and "The Privileged Planet".
27. "Samsara is a fundamental concept in Buddhism and it is simply the 'perpetual cycles of existence' or endless rounds of rebirth among the six realms of existence. This cyclical rebirth pattern will only end when a sentient being attains Nirvana, i.e. virtual exhaustion of karma, habitual traces, defilements and delusions. All other religions preach one heaven, one earth and one hell, but this perspective is very limited compared with Buddhist samsara where heaven is just one of the six realms of existence and it has 28 levels/planes."
The truth is, there is no proof for endless rounds of rebirth. Endless cycles of existence. From the Christian viewpoint this is a dangerous deception – because it implies an endless series of "second chances" at getting it right. While Buddhism teaches endless "second chances", Christianity teaches the opposite – "man is appointed to live once", and then comes judgment.
Most scientists support the Christian position – that there is one universe ("one heaven and one earth"). While it is possible that there could be multiple universes (a multi-verse), we have no hard evidence for this – just theory. It is possible, but not probable.
What ever the case, the Bible says that God seeks a relationship with every single one of His human creatures – He may be speaking to you right now, asking you to give Him a chance in your life. Will you consider turning your life over to Jesus, and asking Him to come in and enable you to be all that you can be?
Buddhism vs. Christ? The Eight-Fold Path, or a Relationship with the Risen Lord- What Will it Be?
So which is it? The way of the Buddha, or a relationship with the living Lord of Creation?
The truth is that we are all sinners, created to be in relationship with our maker. We all have a "God-sized" hole in our hearts – a hole that we try to fill with all sorts of things – possessions, success, money, sex, etc. But in the end none of this truly satisfies. No other religious figure – including Buddha – can bring you into a personal relationship with the LORD – because as it is written, "there is no other name given among men by which we must be saved", and that name is JESUS.
Only the Lord Jesus Christ bridges the gap between Man and Maker.
Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus? If you do, then you have everything to look forward to – in this life, and in the life to come. Peace with God, joy in your daily life, fulfillment of God's purpose while here on earth, and life eternal. You were made for a purpose, and your daily walk with Jesus will help you come to realize His purpose in your life and fulfill it. If you don't have a relationship with your Creator, you can! Give Jesus a chance! Don't put it off. Allow Him to come into your life and make you "a new creation"! You have nothing to loose everything to gain. Here is a link to Billy Graham's web site that can show you how you can invite Jesus into your life and be the creation He has always intended you to be …


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I keep a lot of my dry goods vacuum sealed in jars on a shelf in my cookbook bookcase in the kitchen. I should probably keep them in the pantry like every other cook does but my pantry is overflowing and it's probably time we started using up all the food we already have.
Every time I walked by the bookcase yesterday I saw the jar of moghrabieh, also called pearl couscous or Lebanese couscous, it called me. The last time I used it in a salad, John wasn't fond of it so it's been sitting in the jar for months and time to use it or toss it out. Yes, Charlie's photo is a bit crooked. Woops! The jar on the middle shelf is dog treats. You never know when you'll need one in an emergency. Mostly it's "Good come, Charlie" when he's outside woofing at pelicans.
Tossing it out wasn't an option because that's just wasteful. Last month I planted some coriander (cilantro) and parsley along with a few other herbs and the pots are exploding. (need a mountain of dill, anyone?) I also found half a red onion in the fridge. I was getting somewhere.
I poured through the pantry and saw a tin of baby beetroot (beets) and wondered if you could drain them and roast them a bit to dry enough to use in a salad. Well, you can. They're a lot softer than roasted fresh beetroot but good golly it worked.
When I was moving things around in the refrigerator (for inspiration) I saw a jar of marinated feta that I'd used some of in another dish – it was going in the salad too.
I opened the freezer and found pine nuts, sliced almonds and pepitas and tossed them in a dry skillet to toast. All I needed was a dressing but I remembered seeing the little bottle of pomegranate molasses in the pantry that I have *never* used. It was in as well, along with the last lemon in the fruit bowl and some olive oil.
Finally, and this is the last bit, I promise, I found half a container of Greek yogurt in the fridge that needed to be used or tossed in the next week or so. This is a middle eastern-ish salad so I chopped some of the mint that was taking over the pot shelf outside and some cumin and it made a lovely dollop to go on top of the salad.
Remember when I said John didn't like moghrabieh the last time I served it to him? I sat myself down in front of the tv and turned on the lunchtime news and then thought, "That's not a nice person, you should at least ask him, you'll get points for that."
I yelled up the stairs, "I've made a salad, want some?"
He came down, had a look and said, "No, I'll just take a bite."
One bite. Two bites. Three bites. Then he got up and went into the kitchen. I figured he was getting something else or going to wash his fingers. No, he came back with a packet of rice crackers and dipped this salad until there was one single piece of moghrabieh left in the bowl. He used his crackers to empty the yogurt dish too. Then, while patting his stomach, he said, "This was really good, we should have this again."
Go figure. The salad WAS that good.
- 200 grams moghrabieh (pearl couscous/lebanese couscous)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (any kind you have)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 4 beetroot(I used tinned whole baby beetroot and it worked just fine)
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- pinch of salt
- ½ small red onion, finely sliced
- marinated feta (about a dozen cubes or as much as you like)
- 2 tablespoons toasted sliced (or slivered) almonds (reserve a teaspoon of the almonds, pine nuts and pepitas for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon toasted pepitas
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar (you can leave this out, it was too tart for me)
- ¼ cup chopped mint
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin (you could use whole seeds and pound in a mortar and pestle)
- 1 cup yogurt
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F
- Scrub the beetroot, place on a baking tray and drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Cover with foil and place in the oven for an hour.
- When cooked and soft, allow to cool, peel and slice into wedges.
- Boil a pot of water and toss in moghrabieh and cook at a slow boil for 15 minutes. Drain and place on a baking tray to cool.
- Chop the coriander (cilantro) and parsley and place in a large bowl.
- Slice the onion and add to the bowl
- Add moghrabieh and toss with your fingers.
- Add beetroot and marinated feta and toss lightly.
- Drizzle with dressing and serve with mint and cumin yogurt.
- Whisk all ingredients together until the oil disappears.
- Whisk all together.

subset: commoncrawl


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Report: CIA 'officials' behind Benghazi talking points
- White House insisted the 9/11 attack arose from a protest against an anti-Islam film
- CIA changed its attack assessment after a station chief insisted there was no protest
- A published report says intel officials were "surprised" by Ambassador Rice's comments
A Republican lawmaker says a new report that details how references to al-Qaeda were removed from White House talking points on the U.S. Consulate attack in Benghazi is further evidence the Obama administration tried to mislead the public about what happened.
"There appears to be a concerted effort to mislead the American people," says Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah. "At this point the Obama administration has been elusive at best and misleading at worse."
Chaffetz was responding to a report in Tuesday's Wall Street Journal that CIA "officials" wanted the terrorist origins of the attack kept from the public because the spy agency did not want certain al-Qaeda operatives to know it was monitoring its communications.
The report cites "sources from a cross section of agencies" with knowledge of the investigation, and it comes as House Republicans introduced a resolution Tuesday to set up a Watergate-style investigative committee to probe the attack and the way it was handled by the Obama administration.
The White House insisted for days after the Sept. 11 attack that it arose from a protest against an anti-Islam film made in the U.S. On Sept. 16, Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, appeared on five Sunday news shows to say that the assault was a "spontaneous protest" prompted by a "hateful video," not a terror attack.
"Our current best assessment, based on the information that we have at present, is that, in fact, what this began as, it was a spontaneous — not a premeditated — response to what had transpired in Cairo," Rice told ABC.
Shawn Turner, director of public affairs for the Office of National Intelligence, told USA TODAY Tuesday: "Ambassador Rice was speaking based on unclassified talking points provided by the intelligence community."
The Journal said that military and intelligence officials who were familiar with the classified intelligence but weren't involved in the talking-points debate were "surprised" by Rice's comments.
"They questioned why officials like her didn't state the clear belief within intelligence circles that al-Qaeda's North African affiliate was involved in the attack, and they saw the administration's decision not to point to al-Qaeda as a reluctance to talk about the attack as terrorism," the Journal said.
The White House through a spokeswoman at the State Department, Erin Pelton, said Rice's comments "were consistent with the intelligence community's assessment at the time."
But congressional officials told the Journal that Rice told lawmakers that she didn't "freelance" and mention al-Qaeda by name during her television appearances because doing so would have ventured into information that was still classified.
"I think it was pretty clear that night al-Qaeda was involved," Chaffetz said.
On Nov. 27, when Rice met with senators on Capitol Hill to smooth things over, she told them the Obama administration relayed to the public what it knew of the attack as intelligence evolved, the Journal said.
However, the CIA officially changed its assessment of the Benghazi attack on Sept. 20, the day after the CIA station chief in Tripoli insisted that no protest happened. Yet it was not until Oct. 11 that the Obama administration went public with the accurate assessment, four weeks after the attack.
The new report also raised questions about the role of former CIA chief David Petraeus.
Rep. Peter King said Petraeus testified Nov. 16 that he knew the day after the attack al-Qaeda was involved and that he approved a report to be sent to the White House stating that viewpoint. Petraeus said he didn't know who removed that from the assessment or why.
"These stories are inconsistent at best," Chaffetz said.
Acting CIA Director Michael Morell also appeared not to know who edited out the reference to terrorists. He met with the senators along with Rice on Nov. 27 and said the FBI had asked that the reference to terrorists be removed from the White House talking points. The CIA stated hours later that Morell "misspoke."
Rice's statements on Sept. 16 were "inexcusable" because she knew they were untrue, says Marc Thiessen, an analyst at the American Enterprise Institute.
"Having access to classified information doesn't give you the right to lie," said Thiessen, a speechwriter to former president George W. Bush. "If the classified brief said no protest and the talking points said there was, then she lied."
Administration officials' contention in Tuesday's report that they didn't want to tip off terrorists that they were being monitored doesn't makes sense because there's been no U.S. retaliation for the attack, Thiessen said.
"It sends a signal of weakness, that you can attack and kill an American ambassador and pay no price," he said.
House Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., introduced the resolution that would create a "select committee" to investigate the attack and the administration's response. The resolution has 14 co-sponsors.


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Increase Your Back's Flexibility with This Rotation
Use this lower back rotation exercise to strengthen your back muscles and improve your spine's flexibility.
Follow these steps:
Lie flat on the floor. Bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor.
Allow yourself to relax and become comfortable in this position.
Let both knees drop to one side, getting them as close to the floor as possible without forcing them. Only go as far as you are comfortable. Turn your head in the opposite direction as your knees. Try to keep your arms and shoulders flat on the floor.
Hold this position for 10 to 30 seconds, and then switch sides. Repeat the exercise for at least 3 to 5 times on each side.


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Latinos take on bigger role in Obama inauguration
WASHINGTON (AP) — Latinos are taking a more prominent role in President Barack Obama's second inauguration, from the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice swearing in the vice president to a star-studded celebration of Latino culture.
Eva Longoria, a co-chairwoman for Obama's campaign, is hosting a salute to the president Sunday evening. Antonio Banderas, Rosario Dawson, Marc Anthony and other entertainers are scheduled to appear at the event, called the "Latino Inaugural 2013: In Performance at the Kennedy Center." San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro will address the audience.
Meanwhile, Justice Sonia Sotomayor administered the oath of office Sunday morning to Vice President Joe Biden.
Longoria says this is her first time attending an inauguration. She told ABC's "This Week" she will advocate on public policy and that everyone should be civically engaged.


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National View: On Syria, reality check time
The Syrian border is just a few miles north of this processing station for refugees. Syrian rebel commanders had invited me to travel with them inside their country, entering through a crossing point near here, but the Jordanian government emphatically said no. So this account is based on interviews with Syrians I met in Jordan or talked with inside Syria by phone.
My Syrian contacts described a bitter stalemate: President Bashar al-Assad holds on to power, but he has lost control of major parts of the country. The rebels fight bravely, but they lack the organization and heavy weapons to protect the areas they have liberated. Meanwhile, al-Qaida extremists fester in the shadows. The opposition remains so fragmented that some rebels frankly admit they aren't ready to govern, even if Assad should fall.
"We still need to find a leader," concedes one rebel commander. "We are headless inside the country."
Rebel fighters spoke honestly about three key issues: First, their military wing remains diffuse and disorganized; the southern front has more than 55 brigades but lacks a unified command-and-control structure. Second, Muslim extremists are gaining a foothold in the south, just as they did two years ago in northern Syria. Jabhat al-Nusra, linked with al-Qaida, has set up checkpoints on some roads just north of the Jordan border. Finally, Assad's forces have regained control of many Damascus suburbs, essentially by starving the residents into submission.
With Ahmad al-Jarba, the political leader of the Syrian opposition, visiting Washington next week for meetings with U.S. officials, it's reality-check time. The current American approach is contributing to the grinding, slow-motion death of Syria. What should be changed? There are two obvious possibilities, but each has problems:
Strengthen the opposition: Saudi Arabia wants the U.S. to expand its covert training program to create a real rebel army, armed with anti-aircraft missiles. Such a force could hold off Assad and protect rebel-held areas. But the rebels would be fighting for a draw and an eventual political settlement. They are too fractured politically to triumph and rule.
Negotiate with Assad to create a successor regime: Some in Jordan and Washington argue that for the sake of stability, the friends of Syria should open back-channel contacts with Assad. "We might have to eat some hard crow," argued Ryan Crocker, the widely respected former U.S. ambassador to Syria and Iraq, at a think-tank gathering in Washington on Thursday. "As bad as the regime is, there is something worse — which is extreme elements of the opposition."
But cutting a deal with Assad's regime strikes me as an unrealistic strategy, in addition to being an amoral one: Assad has so angered many Syrian citizens that he has probably lost any chance of rebuilding a unified country. As one U.S. official notes, "It's like asking Humpty Dumpty to put himself back together."
The U.S. needs a strategy for a long fight. If the goal is an eventual political balance in Syria, the opposition will need training and military assistance to stabilize the areas it controls. In return for help, the moderate opposition will have to break with al-Nusra, just as it has done with the even more extreme group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
A fighter from the Daraa region explains the simple reason his forces cooperate with al-Nusra: "They have a lot of support." This opportunistic alliance has to change; otherwise, the moderates are doomed.
In framing a sustainable strategy, the Obama administration should listen to Jordanians when they complain that they have a powder keg next door. Jordan is nominally part of a covert plan to assist the rebels made by intelligence chiefs from the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Turkey and other key countries. But this pact masks a deep uneasiness.
Even some rebel leaders know Jordan's tight border is better than Turkey's porous frontier. "The smugglers and kidnappers can't operate along the Jordan border. The extremists can't enter. We feel safe at our backs," says a fighter with the Yarmouk Brigade in southern Syria.
The victims in this war are paying a terrible cost. A man shows you the wounds of torture — the stump of a finger chopped off and a red welt of stitch marks where his leg was broken. A delicately beautiful young woman walks with a severe limp because her leg was snapped by prison guards.
Syria policy should be made with a cool head, but it can't be heartless to such human suffering.


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3 comments
"genuine and cooperative relationships"……??????
Are you Serious?
Your whole posting points to the current state of play between companies and folks on the web. There is no 'genuine' here, as tracking by first and third parties has happened without notice or consent. What notice and consent is available is riddled with exclusions and liability denials pointing to third parties whose motives and handling of information is suspect in the best case and is packaged and sold in the worst case.
The only 'cooperative' is on the back end out of sight as these companies slice, dice and sell this information to each other without notice or consent.
This entire tracking and profiling lunacy is packaged and sold to companies who want to sell you stuff by companies that have created a market by banging the targeted market drum. So if you want to level the field, we have to make the value of this information zero.
Technologies like Ad Blocker and Do Not Track may slow the flow of information but do not stop it. Ad Blocker may stop the display of advertisements but information still is relayed. The Do Not Track initiative is flawed as it still requires a cookie to be set.
If you really want to balance the equation, you will need to eliminate the value of cookies as an information vector. The 'r' button concept is cute but still flawed as cookies are still allowed.
Since 'apps' and 'plugins' are are the new darlings of the browser and smart phone set, get your folks to build the 'n' button.
Once the money is gone, perhaps companies will decide to be transparent and open with their offerings and we can get back to a web where cooperation rather than confrontation is possible.
Pingback from Marc's Voice » Beginning of March '12 blogging on March 2, 2012 at 7:50 pm
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Bearing a striking resemblance to a garment Mass Effect's Shepherd might wear to keep his ears from getting nippy, the Sony DR-GA200 gaming headset certainly makes a visual statement.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but we're pretty taken with the visual design. It's a design we've seen before in the more expensive DR-GA500 package. In fact, it's the exact same headset as far as we can tell.
The GA500 costs more because it comes with a sleek black box that allows Dolby Pro Logic setups for console users, and compresses audio feeds like the passive aggressive tones of American Team Fortress 2 players, which is extremely welcome.
So the GA200 is just the headset, sans sleek black box, or 'digital surround processor' in Sony's parlance. On paper, a good idea. We thought the GA500 was a bit overpriced, and didn't cater for gamer's needs as well as its competitors.
Hard to justify
We also thought the headset was rather uncomfortable. Yes, the same headset we're talking about in this £50 package. It's fairly light but the discomfort comes down to the earphone material. It feels not unlike having your ears gently rubbed by a dry sponge. A softer fabric or even leatherette finish would help.
Mic quality is acceptable but the mic arm adjustments are limited on account of it being so tiny. The cheaper DR-GA100, priced at £30, has a more adjustable mic arm and its simple design makes for a more comfortable experience.
Not that you'll suffer any notable cranial malady; Sony simply made such a strong product with the DR-GA100 that this pricier model has a tough time justifying itself.
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[Verse 1]
Bright lights, big city
Was quite extraordinary
The drive was pretty
I was in perfect company
The love of a lifetime
Since we were elementary friends
The one with the bright eyes
[Verse 2]
Why can't I be optimistic?
I tried to find the logic logically
I had a dream and I could not shake it
I was standing up there naked
[Verse 3]
There's fear in the truth at hand, frozen I forgot to understand
The live keep living; growing older more into a man
And I let her grow away from me
[Verse 4]
Love. Love is not pretending
Time. Time was meant for mending
Memories into all is satisfactory
Healthy smiles fill the page the day we spent in miles
And I let her drive away from me
[Verse 5]
The one with the bright eyes
Laughed her way inside this music box;
Stored away in the corner of my heart
And I let her get away from me
But I'll never take that day away from me


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As with many things that were once seen as underground and "uncool" for anyone not in the nerd culture, Dungeons & Dragons has seemingly come out of nowhere to be a mainstream thing all of the sudden. I recall an episode of Community that heavily featured the game, as well as a recent episode of iZombie that lovingly poked fun at the venerable past-time. And let's not forget Stranger Things, and its group of D&D heroes fighting a real-life monster. Gone are the days of the inane "Satanic Panic" outrage over the game and questionable films like Mazes and Monsters helping to stir the pot. Even Vin Deiesel had a movie made that was entirely based on his own personal D&D character – it's weird time indeed. This was the perfect climate for something amazing to pop up on the internet.
For a lot of my friends, especially those into stand-up comedy, there was a different entry-point into the game – a podcast, formerly on Earwolf and now on Patreon, Called Nerd Poker. Starring stand-up comedian Brian Posehn, Nerd Poker was a great look at what many D&D games turn into – a DM frantically trying cling to order while a bunch of silly people make dumb characters and waste time instead of doing what was planned-out. What ensued was pure comedy gold most of the time, and it wasn't a forced product like it could have been.
At the height of the show's popularity, I even went as far as to donate some cash to Gerry Duggan at a local comic convention as well as a condolences card for his most notorious character, Sir Richard, who had died in a blaze of glory recently. We talked for well over a half hour about gaming, and was able to get a Nerd Poker related autograph in the binding of my Deadpool book.
Hearing my name in the following episode was amazing and really helped me feel like a part of a small community of fans that had sprung up. I started playing the game again with some buddies, and eventually bought a bunch of 5th edition books. While talking to Gerry Duggan I asked if they realized how important their show was to gaming as a whole, and he seemed surprised. I'm still not certain why the company that owns D&D never sponsored the show or anything, because Brain and Co. basically advertised their product better than they did themselves for years.
For the first 75 or so episodes – Nerd poker was one of my favorite things to help me pass time at my boring office job. Their DM, an internet personality named Sark, wove a tale of a rag-tag group of heroes battling an evil organization referred to as The Collectors that seemed to be "collecting" people from other worlds for some dire purpose. Sadly we never really got closure for this story, as a number of the cast members including Sark had to bail on the show at one point. Blaine Capatch took over as the DM and the show basically meandered for another 75 or so episodes until it's untimely death about a year ago. Nobody's really sure what went down, but it seems like Earwolf, the podcast network the show was on, screwed them over regarding a cancer benefit for one of the players. Everyone assumed the show was gone and buried until just a few months ago – Nerd Poker is BACK!
Now DM'd by Dan Telfer, most of the cast has returned for a creator-run version of the show with Patreon subscribers providing the funding. In return for donations, Brian and Co. have been releasing special episodes with guest stars and other fun bits. Now existing as a fan run product, there is a whole new charm to the show as things that would normally be insanely annoying such as Ken Daly accidentally eating pizza directly into his microphone somehow come off as hilarious. And when Vin Diesel ignored their not-so-serious requests to be in the show, they did one better by creating a version of him as a character in the game. It seems like the old magic is back, and part of my work routine that sadly was taken away has returned!
If you're a lapsed fan, head on over to Patreon and throw some cash over there – if you're like me, you want the show to last for a LOOOOONG time.
Like what you're seeing? If you want to help support this site, why not consider becoming a patron!


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We took our usual place at the Birdfair last week – only we doubled the space and had a bigger stand. It was a huge amount of work to design and organize it all, but we wanted it to go well and to make a splash out of the expansion of our sister company, "Birding in Portugal" and our new website – and all the work paid off when we won 3rd prize out of the whole Fair for it! Well choughed!
We also ran our annual raffle for a week's free accommodation here at the Quinta and the winner this year is Andy Davis.
Congratulations! we look forward to welcoming you here next year.


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South Africa's ANC Lurches Into Anti-Semitism
In October, the African National Congress dropped all pretense and announced its support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel. The declaration came at the third International Solidarity Conference, a conclave of left-wing groups that was hosted by the ANC in Pretoria and overwhelmingly endorsed the call. Baleka Mbete, ANC chairperson and former deputy president, stated that Israel is "far worse than apartheid South Africa." The move comes shortly after the South African government promulgated a policy mandating that goods originating from Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem be labeled as having been produced in "Israeli Occupied Territories."
South Africa's ruling party has always been predisposed to the Arab side of the Middle Eastern conflict, seeing the Palestinian cause as identical to its own erstwhile struggle against white minority rule. But, at least while under the tutelage of former president Nelson Mandela, the ANC had attempted to adopt a neutral face, supporting the international consensus of a two-state solution based on the proposition of "land for peace." Such gestures of impartiality are now moot.
The official shift comes after the culmination of years' worth of anti-Israel agitation by ANC and other former anti-apartheid figures. In August, South African Deputy Foreign Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim called upon South African citizens to refrain from visiting Israel. In May, Archbishop Desmond Tutu penned an open letter to the United Methodist Church urging it to boycott Israel, alleging that the Palestinians "are being oppressed more than the apartheid ideologues could ever dream about in South Africa." (Tutu also suggested that the extermination of European Jewry was actually to Jews' benefit, writing that "the Jewish Holocaust, engineered and implemented primarily by Europeans, gave some ideologues within the Jewish and Christian community an excuse to implement plans that were in the making for at least 50 years, under the rubric of exceptional Jewish security.") In 2009, the ANC's deputy foreign minister alleged, "The control of America, just like the control of most Western countries, is in the hands of Jewish money."
Absent from this debate has been any consideration of the ideas or temperament of the greatest figure to grace not just the ANC, but also South Africa: Mandela. The former president, who is 94 years old, rarely makes public appearances or comments on important matters. But it is not merely Mandela's voice that is sorely missing from the country's arguments over the Middle East — it's his legacy.
To be sure, Mandela was critical of Israel throughout his political career, and he defended fellow Third World liberation leaders like the late Moammar Qaddafi and Yasser Arafat. Yet Mandela also had a deep appreciation for Judaism, his feelings influenced by the countless South African Jews who supported him in his resistance to apartheid and then during his term as the country's first democratically elected president. With their virulent attacks on Israel and aspersions cast on their Jewish countrymen as disloyal, Mandela's political heirs are tarnishing the values of reconciliation and democracy for which their hero stood. And with Mandela in his twilight, the situation will only get worse.
The deep and abiding extent to which Mandela was influenced by Jews is told in "Jewish Memories of Mandela," a richly illustrated volume published late last year by the South African Jewish Board of Deputies and written by David Saks, the organization's associate director. One is almost overwhelmed by the number of Jews who played prominent roles in Mandela's life and in the broader anti-apartheid movement, far exceeding their minuscule proportion of the South African population. For instance, Saks reports that in the 1950s, more than half of the white anti-apartheid activists in Johannesburg were Jews. Mandela's first job as a young law clerk came at the behest of Jewish attorney Lazar Sidelsky, who, Mandela wrote, was "the first white man who treated me as a human being." Working with Sidelsky was but the beginning of a life filled with relationships, leading Mandela to conclude, in his 1994 autobiography, "Long Walk to Freedom," that "I have found Jews to be more broad-minded than most whites on issues of race and politics, perhaps because they themselves have historically been victims of prejudice."
Every one of the whites arrested in a 1963 police raid of an ANC hideout — which would later lead to the trial in which Mandela was sentenced to life in prison — was Jewish. The defense counsel in the case who saved Mandela from a death sentence, Israel Maisels, was Jewish, as too, however, was the prosecutor, the first Jewish South African attorney general, Percy Yutar. The latter's role underscores how the personal involvement of so many Jewish individuals in anti-apartheid politics should not be mistaken for widespread, organized Jewish opposition to white minority rule. "Regretfully," Saks writes, "the Jewish association with Mandela and the anti-apartheid struggle as a whole prior to 1990 did not extend to the mainstream Jewish leadership, which controversially chose instead to adopt a position of strict non-involvement in political affairs."
Mandela's experience in negotiating a relatively peaceful transition with the men who jailed him for 27 years led him to think that Israel's enemies could be handled in a similar fashion. "Time and again, he would tell me, 'Let me mediate in the Middle East,'" Sally Krok, a Jewish philanthropist who befriended Mandela in the post-apartheid period, told Saks. "There is no reason why I should not be friends with your enemies." Mandela did not visit Israel until 1999, after he left office, having rejected four official invitations during his presidency. There, he said that he understood Israel's need "for Arab recognition of its existence within secure boundaries," and that disarmament prior to such recognition would be "foolhardy."
Mandela's chumminess with various autocrats ("I did not save your life at the Treason Trial so that you could associate with Israel's enemies," Maisels once told Mandela, scolding him after his release from prison) and his occasionally unfair criticisms of Israel are lamentable. But they are tepid in comparison with the bile emitted by today's ANC. Perhaps Mandela's views on the Middle East were situational; his entire presidential tenure coincided with the Oslo process, which, in Saks's words, "did much to soften the ANC's traditionally hostile stance towards Israel." But the ANC's anti-Semitic rhetoric and legitimization of an organization like Hamas are simply beneath the man. Never in his long career did Mandela ever descend to anything like the anti-Semitism of his colleague Desmond Tutu. On the contrary. "I owe a debt of honor to the Jews, even if sometimes I have made restrained remarks about Israel," Mandela said in 1999.
Attempts to appraise the anti-apartheid and Palestinian national movements as morally equivalent are self-discrediting. The Hamas Covenant, the terror organization's 1988 founding document, is not the Freedom Charter, the ANC's 1955 manifesto. "Our struggle against the Jews is very great and very serious" is not "South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white." Yasser Arafat was not Nelson Mandela. The last is a particularly abominable comparison, and to even suggest it does nothing but dishonor the world's most admired man.
James Kirchick, a fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, is a contributing editor for The New Republic and has reported from South Africa.


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Cooke, Jay
Cooke, Jay, 1821–1905, American financier, b. Sandusky, Ohio. He founded Jay Cooke & Company, which marketed the huge Civil War loans of the federal government. He later turned to railroad bonds and in 1870 undertook to raise $100 million for the Northern Pacific and financed construction to Bismarck, N.Dak. The burden proved to be too great and continuing the financing became impossible. In 1873, Cooke's New York branch closed its doors and helped to precipitate the Panic of 1873.
See biographies by E. P. Oberholtzer (1907, repr. 1968) and H. M. Larson (1936, repr. 1968); M. Minnigerode, Certain Rich Men (1927, repr. 1970).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Business Leaders


text: This is an exclusive business profile of Cooltech point located in New Town, Kolkata. From this Page, you can directly contact Cooltech point from the enquiry form provided on the right. On the left you can get the Verified Mobile Number of Cooltech point – feel free to call us to know more about our products & services. We will soon update our Catalog which you can download to get latest information about all our products & services and latest deals & offers by Cooltech point. Do check out our Job Openings section to know about all the vacancies in Cooltech point. You can also check out our Photo Gallery section to see latest photos of Cooltech point. Before leaving, do not forget to give us your review and rating if you have been a customer of Cooltech point in the past.


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For more than a century, one East Elmhurst family has been helping their neighborhood bloom.
Donhauser Florist, located at 71-01 Astoria Blvd., was established in 1889 by Hans Donhauser, a German florist who immigrated to the United States. While working at a Brooklyn cemetery he heard that St. Michael's Cemetery in Queens was in need of a florist.
He then moved to East Elmhurst and built a greenhouse on 71st Street and Astoria Boulevard. After a few years, 12 more greenhouses were added and a flower shop was built on 49th Street and Astoria Boulevard.
Donhauser's family worked at the shop, including his sons, daughters and even his great granddaughter Gladys.
"When your parents are in the business, you're in the business," said Gladys about working at the shop since she was 12 years old. "It's all I've known."
Donhauser Florist moved to 71-01 Astoria Blvd. and replaced one existing greenhouse, while the other 12 were later sold to become the Westway Motor Inn.
Gladys, who grew up at the house currently still standing next to the shop, has owned the store since 1977 together with her husband William Gray, who initially started working at the 49th Street shop.
Since then the Grays have been providing flower arrangements for their neighbors, some of whom they have shared first communions with and years later, weddings. William even arranged all the flowers for his own wedding.
The shop provides flowers for visitors to St. Michael's Cemetery, located across the Grand Central Parkway, first communions, weddings and other special occasions.
However, the Grays, who have been married for 60 years, say business has been up and down ever since the city's Department of Homeless Services decided to first use the Westway Motor Inn, located right next door, as a temporary homeless shelter.
"It was once an exquisite hotel with beautiful rooms and a pool," Gladys said. "Since about a decade ago we started to have problems with it. People were afraid to come around the shop."
Two weeks ago, the city approved converting the motel into a permanent homeless shelter housing more than 120 families.
Although they are nervous on how the permanent shelter will affect the community and their business, the couple continues to welcome customers with smiles on their faces.
"I hope it stays for 125 more years," Gladys said.
- Queens natives start 'non-touristy' food tour of borough
- Influx of hipsters revives 90-year-old Ridgewood German bar
- City accepting proposals to develop 200-unit building on Flushing parking lot


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West Coast Native News – by Derrick
Last month, Nestlé tried to patent a flower used by billions of people as a natural remedy and a video was widely shared with Nestle's chairman saying that water is a commodity and not a human right. And now, we have discovered that Nestlé is sucking a Canadian community dry during drought conditions — just to sell bottled water.
Nestlé has won a permit to drain the local aquifer dry at any time, while the community of Hillsburg, Ontario has to restrict its water use during dry conditions every summer. This just isn't right, and Maude Barlow, Council of Canadians, and Ecojustice are fighting back, taking Nestlé and Ontario Ministry of the Environment to court. However, it shouldn't take a lawsuit for Nestlé to do the right thing. Lets tell Nestlé that community water access is more important than its profits. Demand Nestle to stop draining Hillsburgh's water source during dry conditions for the sake of profits.
Tell Nestlé: stop draining Ontario's water source during drought conditions to sell bottled water.
Currently, Nestlé has a permit through 2017 to take about 1.1 million litres of water per day from Hillsburgh for its bottling operations in Aberfoyle, even during drought conditions when households are put on water restrictions. A number of groups are fighting back. "Ontario must prioritize communities' right to water above a private company's thirst for profit," says Maude Barlow, National Chairperson for the Council of Canadians.
Nestlé has been in the news a lot lately for attempting to profit from our natural resources. Last month, over220,000 SumOfUs supporters have signed our petition against Nestlé's greedy grab to patent fennel flower, a cure-all remedy for over a thousand years for billions of people in impoverished communities across the Middle East and Asia. Several days after we send out our petition, a video emerged showed Nestlé's chairperson claiming that the idea water is a human right comes from "extremist" NGOs and that water is a foodstuff that should have a market value. So it's no surprise that Nestlé is now trying to drain water from an Ontario town for the sake of profit.
Nestlé's appetite to commodify water and flowers is a recurring strategy by a corporation with a pattern of seeking to privatize and profit from traditional knowledge and our natural resources. By speaking out against the draining of our watersheds, you will be taking a stand against Nestlé's evil strategy to commodifying everything in nature in the name of profit.
Demand that Nestlé stop commodifying everything in nature. Stop draining Ontario's watersheds to bottle water.


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Big Bend Ranch State Park trail designated an "Epic" Ride
Nov. 15, 2010
Media Contact: TPWD News, Business Hours, 512-389-8030
Note: This item is more than 12 years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.
PRESIDIO – The International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) has designated the Fresno – Sauceda Loop Trail at Big Bend Ranch State Park an "Epic" ride.
IMBA has designated fewer than 50 Epic rides in the U.S. and Canada in the history of the organization. The Big Bend Ranch SP ride is the only mountain-bike ride designated as Epic in the state of Texas, and only one of two in the southwestern U.S.
Epics are selected by IMBA staff, including regional directors, who decide which trails in their territories are having the largest influence on riders, land managers, and decision makers. Epic rides showcase the possibilities for trail recreation on public lands, according to the IMBA website at http://www.imba.com/epics.
IMBA board member and Mountain Bike Hall of fame inductee Hill Abell describes the Fresno Saucedo trail as "a huge day in the saddle and super challenging."
The Fresno – Sauceda Loop Trail offers a blend of single-track and double-track 4x4 roads, and it winds through recently opened Fresno Canyon with frequent climbs and often steep descents. Significant geological, natural, archeological, and historical sites and resources are scattered along the route, including abandoned cinnabar mines, desert springs, wildlife, turn-of-the-century ranch house ruins, deserted homesteads, and Native American pictographs.
Jeff Renfrow of the Big Bend Trails Alliance submitted the nomination for the Epic designation. He works with Terlingua-based commercial outfitter Desert Sports. Desert Sports' Mike Long and his staff frequently lead rides in BBRSP and the surrounding areas. The Big Bend Trails Alliance has assisted the park with trail-building and maintenance.
"The Fresno – Sauceda 'Dream Ride' is the quintessential Epic ride," said Texas Parks and Wildlife staff writer Karen Hoffman Blizzard, who wrote of her experience in the November 2009 issue of Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine. "It takes you out of the ordinary and into the Zone."
The West Texas park includes over 200 miles of single-track, double-track, and old 4x4 ranch roads, including the ride to "The Other Side of Nowhere," with steep graded climbs and some wild downhill runs. While Big Bend Ranch State Park has something for everyone interested in the outdoors, it has been described by many as "a pure paradise for mountain-bikers who like remote areas and physical challenges."
Driving directions: Travel west on Highway 170 from Terlingua, Texas. The trailhead is on the right just before you arrive at the Barton Warnock Visitor Center (State Park Headquarters) and the village of Lajitas. All visitors are required to obtain a park entry permit and the latest trail information at the Visitor Center. After getting a permit ride from the Visitor Center or go across the road and park at the Contrabando Trailead.
Length of route: There are a number of variations for the designated EPIC ride, ranging from 52 to 70 miles, with multiple options for shorter or longer rides.
The IMBA ride description: http://www.imba.com/epics/fresno-sauceda-loop
The TPW magazine article that describes the EPIC ride: http://www.tpwmagazine.com/archive/2009/nov/ed_1/
The Big Bend Ranch Biking Guide (the EPIC ride is a variation of #23): http://tpwd.texas.gov/spdest/findadest/parks/big_bend_ranch/media/publications/pwd_bk_p4501_0152k_RoadsToNowhere.pdf


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SAP Trust Center
SAP Converged Cloud SOC 2 (ISAE 3000) Audit Report 2020 H2
The scope of this SOC report includes the SAP Converged Cloud solutions as offered for the live productive customer systems that are hosted in SAP SE's data centers Colorado Springs (USA), St. Leon–Rot (Germany), Newtown Square (USA), and Walldorf (Germany) as well as in the co-location Amsterdam (Netherlands), Ashburn (USA), Chandler (USA), Dubai (UAE), Frankfurt (Germany), Moscow (Russia), Osaka (Japan), Riyadh (KSA), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Shanghai (China), Sterling (USA), Sydney (Australia), Tokyo (Japan) and Toronto (Canada).
Converged Cloud is SAP's standardized Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offering to support all of SAP's cloud business on a global scale. It provides a vendor agnostic and harmonized Hardware Infrastructure architecture as well as an infrastructure orchestration and automation layer in all major SAP data centers. With Converged Cloud it is possible to deploy applications into data centers without the need to deploy a solution specific infrastructure stack before it can be deployed.
IaaS used for general purpose solutions using no distro for OpenStack and VMware as hypervisor technology. Distro is short term for Linux distribution, which is an operating system made from a software collection, which is based upon Linux kernel and often packaged as management system.
SOC 2 reports fulfill various information and assurance needs of customers and aim to place trust in SAPs service organization systems, processes and controls. These narratives are related to the trust principles Security, Availability, Confidentiality Processing Integrity or Privacy which must be met to demonstrate a well-designed system. SOC 2 also contains details on performed tests and their results. SOC 2 Type 1 covers management's description of a service organization's system and the suitability of the design of controls at a specific point in time, whereas a SOC 2 Type 2 also includes the operating effectiveness of controls for a dedicated period of time.
SAP Converged Cloud has prepared SOC 2 Type 2 audit report by an independent 3rd party accountant. This version of the report covers the audit period 1. May 2020 to 31. October 2020 and the trust principles Security, Availability and Confidentiality.
The use of these reports is restricted. A copy of this report is available for all SAP customers and prospects with non-disclosure agreement in place.


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Who Controls the Media?
What a person sees, hears and believes becomes reality to them. Whoever controls the information entering the minds of people, can control what people perceive as reality. Who controls the media? Most people would be surprised to know. An unbiased media reporting only truth and facts is a myth. This is even more evident from the following information: "In February 2003, a Florida Court of Appeals unanimously agreed with an assertion by FOX News that there is no rule against distorting or falsifying the news in the United States...FOX asserted that there are no written rules against distorting news in the media. They argued that, under the First Amendment, broadcasters have the right to lie or deliberately distort news reports on public airwaves..." This was hailed as a great victory for all media outlets. In no uncertain terms the responsibility for discerning truth from stories reported in the media is in the hands of you and me the consumers. The media has no legal responsibility to tell us the truth. So who controls the media? This section will present numerous articles answering that question.
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