The cooperative nobody voted for by Virginia Robertson

There is an irony hiding in plain sight every July 4. While Americans celebrate Independence Day with fireworks, parades and speeches about liberty, the same date is also observed internationally as the International Day of Cooperatives. The coincidence is amusing at first glance. But viewed through the lens of modern American politics, it becomes something far more thought-provoking.

The United States often presents itself as the world's great experiment in representative democracy, a nation founded on the revolutionary idea that government derives its legitimacy from the consent of the governed. Yet over recent decades, that ideal has increasingly collided with another reality: the growing perception that the country's most consistent priority is not its citizens but its largest corporate interests and wealthiest shareholders.

That criticism did not begin with Donald Trump, nor will it end with him. Corporate influence has steadily expanded under presidents from both major parties. Lobbyists write legislation, campaign donors shape priorities, and billion-dollar industries enjoy access that ordinary citizens can scarcely imagine. But Trump's two administrations became, for many critics, the most unapologetic expression of that relationship. His rhetoric celebrated ordinary Americans, yet his governing philosophy often emphasized deregulation, tax reductions for corporations, and the language of business efficiency over public institutions.

It is tempting to think of America today not simply as a republic but as a peculiar kind of cooperative, not the democratic, community-based cooperative envisioned by the international movement, where every member has a meaningful voice, but one whose premium shareholders hold disproportionate voting power. In this version, influence scales with wealth, access, and market value rather than citizenship.

The metaphor is imperfect, but revealing. In a traditional cooperative, members share both responsibility and benefit. In today's America, many citizens increasingly feel they carry responsibility without sharing equally in the rewards. Productivity rises while wages stagnate. Corporate profits break records while housing becomes unattainable for younger generations. Stock markets flourish even as millions worry about healthcare costs, education debt, and economic insecurity. Success is measured by quarterly earnings reports rather than the long-term health of communities.

This transformation has altered not only policy but political language itself. Voters are frequently described as consumers. Public services become products. Universities become brands. Hospitals become revenue centers. Even citizenship increasingly resembles a market transaction in which one's value depends on purchasing power rather than democratic participation.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of this shift is how ordinary it now seems. Political debates revolve around reassuring financial markets almost as much as reassuring families. Every major policy announcement is immediately evaluated through the question: "How will Wall Street react?" Far less frequently does the first question become: "How will working people experience this?"

None of this means capitalism itself is the enemy. Markets have generated extraordinary innovation, prosperity, and opportunity. Businesses create jobs, develop technology, and improve living standards. The problem arises when markets cease being tools that serve society and instead become the society that government primarily serves.

America's founders certainly understood commerce. They were merchants, farmers, lawyers, and entrepreneurs. But they also feared concentrations of unchecked power. Their revolution was, above all, about preventing authority from becoming too distant from the people. Whether that authority wears the uniform of a king or the tailored suit of a multinational executive is ultimately beside the point.

So perhaps the shared date between Independence Day and the International Day of Cooperatives offers an unintended reminder. Independence is not merely freedom from outside rule. It also requires vigilance against internal systems that gradually shift political influence toward those with the deepest pockets.

Fireworks celebrate a declaration made in 1776. The harder question, nearly two and a half centuries later, is whether political independence still belongs equally to every citizen or whether the nation's most influential cooperative has quietly become one where the premium shareholders set the agenda while everyone else simply owns symbolic membership.

The curated exotic by Zarah Rivera

Walk through enough major Western galleries and museums, and a pattern begins to emerge. Contemporary artists from the Middle East and Asia are celebrated, exhibited and enthusiastically discussed but often through a carefully filtered lens that makes them more digestible for Western audiences. The result is a polished version of diversity that too often resembles an updated form of Orientalism rather than its rejection. The imagery has changed. The mechanisms have not.

The contemporary art world prides itself on global inclusion. Curators speak the language of dialogue, representation, and cultural exchange. Yet the market quietly rewards artists whose work confirms familiar expectations. Political trauma sells. Religious symbolism sells. Female resistance sells. Refugee narratives sell. Dictatorships, wars, veils, surveillance, and colonial scars become recurring motifs because they fit an established narrative that Western institutions already understand. Art that refuses these categories risks becoming invisible.

This is not to dismiss artists who genuinely explore conflict or identity. Many create profoundly moving work rooted in lived experience. The problem arises when these subjects become unofficial entry requirements for international recognition. A Japanese artist exploring suburban boredom or an Iranian painter fascinated by geometry may struggle to attract the same attention as peers whose work can be framed within stories of oppression, exile, or resistance. Complexity gives way to branding.

Western galleries rarely admit that they participate in cultural packaging. Instead, they present exhibitions as acts of discovery, introducing audiences to distant voices while subtly controlling how those voices are interpreted. Labels and catalog essays frequently become as important as the artworks themselves, steering visitors toward predetermined conclusions. The artist is transformed into both creator and cultural ambassador, expected to explain an entire civilization through a handful of installations.

Ironically, the global art market often rewards authenticity by demanding performance. Artists learn which themes resonate with collectors, institutions, and biennales. Some naturally revisit those themes because they remain meaningful. Others inevitably recognize that certain narratives travel better than others. Markets shape production. Galleries shape markets. The cycle reinforces itself until audiences begin to mistake repetition for cultural truth.

Meanwhile, countless artists producing abstract painting, conceptual sculpture, digital experimentation, or playful visual language remain overlooked simply because their work refuses to satisfy geopolitical curiosity. Their art is treated as insufficiently representative, as though artists from Cairo, Seoul, or Karachi carry an obligation to educate Western viewers before they are permitted to simply create.

Neo-Orientalism thrives precisely because it appears progressive. Unlike the colonial exhibitions of the past, today's galleries rarely present overt stereotypes. Instead, they curate carefully nuanced narratives that still revolve around difference, otherness, and cultural translation. The gaze has become more sophisticated, but it remains a gaze directed from the same centers of institutional power.

Perhaps the most radical exhibition a Western museum could organize would be one that refuses to explain non-Western artists through politics or identity alone. Imagine encountering their work without expecting it to represent a nation, a religion, or a historical wound. Imagine allowing artists from the Middle East and Asia the same creative freedom routinely granted to their Western counterparts, the freedom to be contradictory, mundane, humorous, abstract, or simply impossible to categorize.

That would not merely diversify museum walls. It would finally begin dismantling the invisible frame surrounding them.

Cocktails without consequences by Polly Hobbs

There was a time when declining a drink at a party required an explanation. Pregnancy, early meetings, antibiotics, marathon training, society seemed to demand a reason for sobriety, as though refusing alcohol was a breach of etiquette. Today, that quiet social contract is beginning to unravel, and surprisingly, it is not being dismantled by lectures about health or morality. It is being undone by bartenders.

The rise of sophisticated zero-proof cocktail bars represents something far more interesting than another wellness trend. It signals a cultural shift in how adults define pleasure, sophistication, and social connection. The best non-alcoholic drinks are no longer sugary stand-ins for the "real thing." They are intricate botanical creations layered with herbs, spices, fermented ingredients, rare teas, and house-made bitters that demand the same craftsmanship as any premium cocktail.

Ironically, removing alcohol has forced bartenders to become even more creative. Without ethanol masking flaws or providing warmth, every ingredient must justify its place in the glass. The result is often more complex than the gin or whiskey cocktails they replace.

Perhaps the greatest innovation, however, isn't found in the drink itself but in the atmosphere it creates.

Alcohol has long monopolized adulthood. Promotions, weddings, first dates, business deals, reunions even funerals have revolved around the expectation that shared intoxication deepens human connection. Yet anyone who has endured a loud bar conversation with someone three drinks ahead knows alcohol can just as easily diminish communication as enrich it.

Zero-proof bars challenge that assumption. Conversations last longer because memories survive the evening. People leave with clear minds rather than fuzzy recollections. Nobody calculates whether they are safe to drive home or debates ordering "just one more." The night ends on its own terms instead of being dictated by blood alcohol content.

Critics inevitably dismiss the movement as expensive theater. Why pay premium prices for a drink without liquor? But that criticism misunderstands what people are purchasing. They are not buying ethanol; they are buying craftsmanship, ambiance, ritual, and participation. Fine dining never justified itself solely by calories and premium coffee is not valued because caffeine is scarce. Experience has always commanded a price.

There is also something quietly democratic about the movement. The designated driver is no longer condemned to nursing flat cola all evening. Someone avoiding alcohol for religious, medical, or personal reasons no longer feels excluded from the shared ritual of raising an elegant glass. Nobody has to announce why they are abstaining because the menu itself assumes that choice is perfectly ordinary.

Will alcohol disappear? Of course not. Wine, beer, and spirits are woven too deeply into culture and history to vanish because rosemary infusions have become fashionable. But they are losing their monopoly on celebration.

That may be the true revolution hidden inside these crystal-clear glasses. For generations, adulthood was measured by one's ability to drink. Increasingly, it may be measured by something else entirely: the freedom to choose what belongs in your glass without feeling the need to explain yourself the next morning or to recover from the night before.

Ghostin’ #131 #Cartoon by Thanos Kalamidas

 

They are like neighbours we are aware of,
except we are NOT aware of and
they have absolutely nothing to do with Halloween.

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The day after the vote by Markus Gibbons

The most important question about the 2026 midterm elections is not simply who wins or loses. It is whether Americans will still accept elections as legitimate when the results disappoint them. That is the challenge hanging over the country, and it is impossible to ignore.

Donald Trump has transformed the Republican Party into a movement that often treats electoral defeat not as a normal feature of democracy but as evidence that something must have gone wrong. Whether that means alleging fraud, attacking election officials or insisting that unfavorable outcomes are inherently suspect, the political incentive has become clear: doubt can be more useful than concession.

The greater concern is not whether claims of misconduct will emerge, they almost certainly will from one side or another, as they often do in modern politics. The deeper concern is what happens if efforts are made to undermine confidence in legitimate election outcomes through misinformation, political pressure or attempts to overturn certified results. American democracy has survived fierce disagreements before, but it depends on a shared understanding that elections ultimately settle political disputes.

If Republicans perform poorly in 2026, will party leaders encourage acceptance of the verdict? Or will familiar narratives about stolen elections once again dominate headlines and fundraising appeals? Recent history gives many observers reason to worry. Once allegations become political currency, disproving them rarely restores public trust. Suspicion lingers long after court rulings, recounts and certifications have spoken.

But speculation about what politicians might do is only half the story. The more revealing question is how Americans would react if they believed democratic norms were being deliberately challenged. Public patience has limits. Election workers, judges, state officials, and local administrators have already endured years of threats and relentless scrutiny. Another cycle of widespread attempts to delegitimize certified results could provoke an even stronger institutional and civic response.

That response would not necessarily take the dramatic form imagined by political thrillers. Democracies rarely collapse or recover in cinematic fashion. Instead, they harden through ordinary acts: judges enforcing the law, governors resisting improper pressure, journalists separating evidence from rumor and citizens refusing to surrender their faith in constitutional processes. The quieter these defenses appear, the stronger they often prove to be.

Ironically, the greatest danger to democracy may not be a single disputed election but the gradual normalization of permanent distrust. A republic cannot function indefinitely if millions of voters conclude before ballots are even counted that only one outcome could possibly be legitimate. At that point, elections cease to resolve conflicts; they merely postpone them until the next accusation.

This is not a challenge unique to Republicans. Every political movement faces the temptation to question outcomes that disappoint its supporters. But because Donald Trump remains the dominant figure within today's Republican Party, the burden of demonstrating respect for democratic institutions falls especially heavily on the movement he leads. Leadership is measured not only by how victory is celebrated but by how defeat is accepted.

The 2026 midterms may therefore become something larger than a contest for congressional seats. They could become another referendum on whether the United States still possesses the civic habits necessary for constitutional democracy. The ballots themselves are only pieces of paper. What gives them power is the willingness of winners and losers alike to recognize their authority.

That willingness, more than any campaign slogan or electoral strategy, will determine whether America's democratic institutions emerge stronger or merely more exhausted, from another fiercely contested election.

Oviri (The Savage) #Poem by Strider Marcus Jones

 

woman,
wearing the conscience of the world-
you make me want
less civilisation
and more meaning.
drinking absinthe together,
hand rolling and smoking cigars-
being is, what it really is-
fucking on palm leaves
under tropical rain.
beauty and syphilis happily cohabit,
painting your colours
on a parallel canvas
to exhibit in Paris
the paradox of you.
somewhere in your arms-
i forget my savage self,
inseminating womb
selected by pheromones
at the pace of evolution.
later. I vomited arsenic on the mountain and returned
to sup morphine. spread ointments on the sores, and ask:
where do we come from.
what are we.
where are we going.

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Strider Marcus Jones – is a poet, law graduate and former civil servant from Salford, England with proud Celtic roots in Ireland and Wales. He is the editor and publisher of Lothlorien Poetry Journal https://lothlorienpoetryjournal.blogspot.com/. A member of The Poetry Society, nominated for the Pushcart Prize x4 and Best of the Net x3, his five published books of poetry https://stridermarcusjonespoetry.wordpress.com/ reveal a maverick, moving between cities, playing his saxophone in smoky rooms.

#eBook: Mogadishu's dust by Lucas Durand

 

Mogadishu had fallen silent for only a moment. A brief, unnatural calm in the air, before the whole city erupted again. The sun had set, but the night was no quieter.

Instead, it was alive with the shriek of mortar shells and the sharp staccato of gunfire. Every corner of the city seemed to pulse with tension, the smell of smoke and burning debris thick in the air. “Move, move!”

The order cut through the darkness like a knife. Hassan, barely sixteen, his young face streaked with dirt, clenched his teeth. His heart pounded in his chest, a deafening rhythm that drowned out everything else.

The heat was unbearable, the air thick with the stench of blood, oil, and gunpowder. He wiped the sweat from his eyes as he crouched behind a burnt-out car with the rest of the rebels. The streets were alive with death, the city they once called home reduced to a battle zone.

Historical Novel

Lucas Durand is a history enthusiast whose passion for the past fuels his work as a columnist and author. He delves into the rich tapestry of human events, exploring the triumphs and tragedies that have shaped our world. Lucas concentrates in the WWI era and loves bringing history and events vividly to life.

Ovi eBook Publishing 2026

Mogadishu's dust

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Screws & Chips #128 #Cartoon by Thanos Kalamidas

 

In a galaxy far, far away, intelligence demonstrated by screws and chips,
boldly gone where no robot has gone before!

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A Temple Built on Turmoil Faces a New Crisis of Trust By Habib Siddiqui

Few religious sites in contemporary India carry the political, cultural, and emotional weight of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. It stands on the ruins of the historic Babri Masjid, demolished in 1992 by Hindu nationalist groups, including affiliates of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP). That demolition triggered nationwide riots that claimed nearly 2,000 lives, most of them Muslim. The long and turbulent history behind the temple continues to shape its meaning today. Readers interested in a fuller account of this transformation may consult my recent book, Modi‑fied India: The Transformation of a Nation (Peter Lang, June 2026).

The Ram Mandir has long served as a potent symbol of Hindu majoritarian politics and the BJP broader ideological project of Hindutva. The Supreme Court’s 2019 verdict awarding the disputed land to Hindu litigants cleared the way for construction, ending decades of legal and political contention. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the temple in January 2024, the event was framed as the culmination of a civilizational struggle — a triumph of faith, cultural identity, and national pride. Funded entirely through public donations estimated at roughly US$240 million, it became one of the largest religious crowdfunding efforts in India’s history.

Yet barely two years after its consecration by Modi, the Ram Mandir finds itself engulfed in a corruption scandal that has shaken public trust, triggered arrests, forced resignations, and ignited a political storm. Allegations of theft, embezzlement, mismanagement, and irregularities in donation handling have cast a long shadow over what was meant to be a sacred national monument.

This essay examines the scandal in depth — its origins, the allegations, the political implications, the institutional failures, and what it reveals about governance, accountability, and the weaponization of faith in contemporary ‘Modi-fied’ India.

The significance of this corruption scandal is profound, operating simultaneously on administrative, political, and moral levels.

Administratively, the Ram Mandir is not just a religious site; it is one of the richest and most visible religious institutions in India. The temple attracts nearly 50 million visitors annually, with 70,000–80,000 daily visitors — a number that triples on weekends and festivals. Offerings are placed in 35 donation boxes, generating an annual income of ₹3.27 billion (US$35 million) in 2024–25. This makes the Ram Mandir one of the wealthiest religious institutions in the country, yet it operates outside direct government oversight. It is managed instead by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, an independent body with deep political connections. The scale of donations demands robust financial governance; any irregularity therefore signals serious systemic weaknesses.

Politically, the Ram Mandir has been central to the ideological project of the ruling establishment. For more than three decades, it has shaped electoral narratives, mobilized voters, and served as a cornerstone of the BJP’s Hindutva agenda. It is not merely a temple but a powerful symbol of Hindu nationalism and political identity. Because of this deep political investment, any scandal associated with the temple inevitably carries political consequences. Allegations of mismanagement strike at the heart of a symbol that has been used to project moral authority and cultural triumph.

Morally, the impact is perhaps the most profound. Millions of ordinary devotees — farmers, street vendors, taxi drivers — contributed their hard‑earned money believing they were participating in a sacred national cause. When allegations arise that donations may have been siphoned off, it is not just financial misconduct; it is a betrayal of devotion. Religious institutions depend fundamentally on trust. Once that trust is shaken, it affects not only the reputation of the Ram Mandir Trust but also the broader credibility of temple administration across India.

The Corruption Allegations: What Happened?

The scandal broke when Mahipal Singh, a former supervisor in the trust’s accounting team, publicly alleged serious irregularities in the handling of donations. His claims prompted scrutiny of how cash, gold, silver, and jewelry offerings were counted, stored, and recorded.

Police investigations escalated quickly.

• Eight individuals, including temple employees, were arrested for theft and misappropriation.
• An FIR named nine employees for systemic embezzlement of donation funds.
• Police recovered ₹80 lakh from the homes of the accused.

Those arrested were directly involved in counting and managing offerings from devotees.

The government has not disclosed the full scale of the losses. Estimates vary widely: some opposition leaders and media outlets suggest more than US$20 million may be missing; other reports point to ₹7–7.5 crore (about US$1 million); and one former legislator alleged ₹70 million (US$739,550) in unaccounted funds. The wide range reflects the opacity of the trust’s financial operations.

Two senior trust members resigned: General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra. Rai said he stepped down to “ensure a free and fair probe” and “protect the sanctity of Lord Ram,” while denying any wrongdoing.

On June 14, 2026, the Uttar Pradesh government under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath — often referred to as “Bulldozer Yogi” for his administration’s use of demolition drives that critics say disproportionately targeted Muslim homes, shops, and religious sites — formed a three‑member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged scam. The SIT was instructed to submit a preliminary report within seven days and a final report within fifteen. It delivered its preliminary findings on June 23, flagging serious lapses in donation handling, weak CCTV surveillance, failures in employee verification, irregular fund transfers, and the need for structural reforms, including appointing a CEO.

Following the report, police filed FIRs naming eight accused, and arrests followed immediately.

Despite these actions, major questions remain: What is the actual value of missing donations? Were accounts properly audited? Is there CCTV or paper‑trail evidence? And could lower‑level employees have executed such a large‑scale operation without higher‑level complicity?

The absence of publicly available information has only deepened public suspicion.

Political Fallout: A Temple at the Center of India’s Culture Wars

Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, have accused the BJP of politicizing the Ram Mandir and enabling an environment in which corruption could flourish. Congress leader Jayvardhan Singh has called for temple management to be handed over to traditional Ayodhya saints, arguing that mismanagement is a direct consequence of political interference.

The BJP, meanwhile, has attempted to frame the scandal as a limited issue involving lower‑level employees, insisting that the government is acting swiftly and professionally. Party leaders have also accused the opposition of exploiting the controversy to tarnish Hindu faith and undermine a national symbol. However, the resignations of senior trust members complicate this narrative and raise questions about oversight at the highest levels.

The scandal comes just months before crucial state elections in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state. The Ram Mandir has been central to the BJP’s political messaging, symbolizing Hindutva, cultural nationalism and Hindu pride. Allegations of theft from the temple’s donation boxes threaten to erode that carefully cultivated narrative and provide ammunition to political rivals.

The controversy also underscores the urgent need for modern, transparent governance systems in religious institutions. The goal is not to interfere with religious autonomy but to ensure that sacred spaces are protected by strong financial safeguards. Several reforms are essential.

First, independent audits should be mandatory. Many temples rely on informal accounting practices; annual audits by accredited external firms would create a clear financial trail and reduce opportunities for misappropriation.

Second, digital donation systems must be expanded. Heavy reliance on cash increases vulnerability. Online payments, QR‑code donations, and electronic receipts would significantly reduce leakage.

Third, secure counting rooms with CCTV monitoring and dual‑control procedures should be standard. Cash and valuables should be counted in controlled environments with continuous video recording and at least two authorized individuals present — similar to banking protocols.

Fourth, governance structures need clearer separation of roles. Many religious trusts operate with overlapping responsibilities and informal hierarchies. Defining accountability, establishing ethics committees, and separating financial oversight from religious functions would strengthen integrity.

Finally, public reporting mechanisms — such as quarterly financial summaries posted on official websites — would build trust. Devotees give out of faith; transparency reassures them that their offerings are being used responsibly.

These reforms are not about questioning devotion. They are about protecting it. Strong financial safeguards enhance both institutional credibility and the confidence of millions of devotees.

Conclusion: A Scandal That Strikes at the Heart of Faith and Politics

The Ram Mandir corruption scandal is not simply about missing funds — it is about the breach of public trust, the politicization of a sacred institution, and the failure of systems meant to safeguard places of worship. A temple that was meant to embody righteousness, justice, and national unity has instead become a case study in how unchecked power and opaque financial practices can corrode even the holiest of sites.

As the investigation unfolds, one principle stands out: faith requires transparency, and devotion demands accountability. The millions who contributed in good faith deserve clear answers — not silence, not deflection, and certainly not political spin.

The scandal is a stark reminder that when religion and politics intertwine without oversight, corruption is not an anomaly; it becomes inevitable.

My hope is that this investigation delivers full clarity and helps restore public confidence. Devotees gave out of devotion, and they deserve complete transparency. Protecting the sanctity of the Ram Mandir now requires strong systems, honest leadership, and an unwavering commitment to accountability.

[This essay is based on the author’s interview with Asia One News TV on June 30, 2026.]

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Dr. Habib Siddiqui is the author of several books, including Us and Them: State Power and Minority Lives in India and Bangladesh: The Politics of Protection, Exclusion, and Belonging in South Asia (Amazon, 2026).

Conversion is more than a label by Howard Morton

There is a significant difference between converting to a faith and convincing others that you understand its deepest demands. That distinction has become increasingly apparent in the public discussion surrounding JD Vance's embrace of Catholicism. His book describing his spiritual journey undoubtedly attracted attention but it was the interviews promoting it that raised more questions than they answered. Books can be carefully edited. Interviews reveal instincts.

The issue is not whether someone is a "good enough" Catholic. No public figure should be subjected to a theological purity test. Faith is personal, complicated and often imperfectly lived. Christianity itself is a religion built on flawed people seeking grace. The concern arises when someone presents himself as speaking from a Christian worldview while appearing to reduce that worldview into little more than a convenient political framework.

Catholicism is not simply another tribal identity to be adopted because it aligns with cultural conservatism. It is a demanding moral tradition stretching back two thousand years. It asks believers to wrestle with mercy as much as justice, humility as much as certainty and compassion as much as conviction. It consistently challenges its followers rather than merely affirming their political preferences.

That is why some of Vance's public explanations of his faith have struck many listeners as oddly incomplete. They often sound less like reflections on the Gospel and more like arguments constructed to justify existing political commitments. Christianity, however, is supposed to disrupt our certainties, not simply decorate them.

The teachings of Christ are remarkably inconvenient. Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. Care for the stranger. Forgive seventy times seven. Judge yourself before judging others. These are not slogans that fit neatly into partisan talking points. They demand sacrifice, self-examination, and a willingness to place conscience above ideology.

Too often, contemporary political Christianity seems to invert that relationship. Politics becomes the foundation; religion becomes the supporting evidence. Scripture is mined selectively for passages that reinforce existing views while its more uncomfortable teachings quietly disappear from the conversation. When that happens, faith ceases to shape politics. Politics reshapes faith.

This is hardly a problem unique to JD Vance. American public life is crowded with politicians who invoke Christianity while displaying little interest in its central ethic of humility. The temptation is understandable. Religious identity remains politically powerful. Genuine discipleship is considerably harder.

Perhaps that is why interviews matter so much. They expose whether faith has become a living moral compass or merely an attractive biography. A polished memoir can narrate a conversion story. An unscripted conversation reveals the assumptions that truly guide a person.

None of this means anyone should question the sincerity of another person's conversion. Only God, according to Christian teaching, knows the human heart. But voters are entirely justified in evaluating how public officials explain the beliefs they claim inspire their leadership.

If Christianity becomes little more than a vocabulary for defending power, it loses the very qualities that made it transformative. The Gospel was never intended to be politically convenient. It was intended to be morally demanding. That remains the true test, not whether someone can claim the Christian label, but whether the label has genuinely changed the person wearing it.

Ovi History #eMagazine #21: Amelia Earhart disappearance

 

On July 2, 1937, Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, disappeared over the Pacific Ocean during their ambitious attempt to circumnavigate the globe.

They had departed Lae, New Guinea, earlier that day, heading for the tiny Howland Island, over 2,500 miles away. The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Itasca, stationed near Howland to guide them, received radio transmissions from Earhart as the flight neared its destination.

The messages indicated she was unsure of their position and that fuel was running low. Her final, fragmented transmissions included the cryptic phrase, "We are on the line 157 337… we are running on line north and south". This indicated she was following a navigational line that passed through Howland. No further contact was made, and the pair was never found, sparking a mystery that persists to this day.

For this issue of Ovi History, a historical fiction short story from Leni Korhonen and a new review.

So, turn the pages and ...take cover.

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Thanos Kalamidas