A (probably correct) criticism of the Khazar theory. What a pity it´s written by an anti-Semite who wants to blame the *real* Jews for all of the world´s ills, but there you go. Of course, I´m so edgy that I linked to Keith Woods content several times before...
Who were the last pagans of Europe? Very interesting (and scholarly) discussion about Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Principally Estonia.
Flashback to my own peregrinations over 20 years ago at the Religious Studies department of a certain Swedish university, where we learned about Uralic religions from all over northern Eurasia.
Interesting detail: it seems scholars have rescued the term "animism", which was considered very problematic during my student days. And the curious term "creolization" is really what used to be called syncretism. Who knows, maybe we can save "paganism" next? ;-)
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| - Yeah, I know, the trans-atlantic link isn´t what is used to be... |
This is pretty damn rich coming from Britain´s main ally during the 18th century, the Napoleonic Wars, World War I and World War II. Who is *really* in league with Perfidious Albion, I wonder?
I assume the Russian propaganda turn has something to do with the British being heavily invested in both NATO and the trans-atlantic link, so heavily that Russia see them as their main enemy at a time when Trump-Vance are gyrating back and forth over Ukraine, threatening NATO allies with war, and so on.
Note Breitbart´s strangely subliminal choice of illustration: a contemporary cartoon from the late 19th century of how Britain managed to obtain a disputed territory from Venezuela. Perhaps by corrupting or tricking Uncle Sam? Subliminal, but in the wrong way, since this act of Western imperialism could be seen as a legitimate causus belli for *Venezuela*!
Or was the article penned and illustrated by an isolationist who secretely agrees with Moscow (and Caracas)? LOL.
Britain is secret power controlling European geopolitics, Russia says
No — Lithuania as a whole was never Calvinist, but there was a remarkable period in the 16th century when a significant portion of the Lithuanian nobility (szlachta) adopted Calvinism (Reformed Protestantism), and for a moment, it looked as if the Grand Duchy of Lithuania might tilt toward a Reformed identity. It never became the state religion, but the influence was unusually strong — stronger than in many other parts of Eastern Europe.
Mid-1500s: The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was in a union with Poland (Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth).
The nobility began adopting Protestant ideas, especially Calvinism, brought in by traveling scholars, Reformers, and Italian exiles.
The Radziwiłł (Radvila) family, one of the most powerful noble dynasties, became major patrons of Calvinism.
| Key Family | Influence |
|---|---|
| Radziwiłłs | Founded Calvinist synods, printing presses, schools |
| Pac & Sapieha (briefly) | Supported Reformed ideas and anti-Trinitarians |
Calvinist churches, academies, and printing houses were established.
The first Lithuanian Bible (1579, known as the Radziwiłł Bible) was published under Calvinist patronage.
Some towns, like Biržai and Kėdainiai, were nearly entirely Reformed Protestant under the Radziwiłłs.
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Jesuit Counter-Reformation | The Jesuits arrived strongly in the late 1500s, founded schools, reconverted nobles |
| Religious Tolerance | The Commonwealth allowed many faiths; no single Protestant unity |
| Internal Protestant Schism | Calvinists vs. Lutherans vs. Anti-Trinitarians |
| Catholic Identity of the Peasantry | The countryside stayed deeply Catholic |
By the 17th century, most Lithuanian nobles had returned to Catholicism.
A small Remnant of Reformed Churches (Evangelical Reformed Church of Lithuania) still exists today, descendants of those Calvinist communities.
✅ The elite almost were
❌ The nation as a whole never was
It came closer than most people realize, especially under the influence of the Radziwiłł family — but the Counter-Reformation ultimately restored Catholic dominance.
Would you like a list of Calvinist churches still standing in Lithuania or maps of the Protestant strongholds (like Kėdainiai or Biržai)?
Our Lady of Šiluva is a Marian apparition and shrine in Lithuania, deeply connected to a powerful Catholic revival. It is also directly tied to the question of Protestantism in Lithuania — yes, Šiluva had become Calvinist before the Catholic faith dramatically returned through the reported apparition of the Virgin Mary.
Location: Šiluva, northwest Lithuania
First Apparition: ~1608 (one of the earliest approved Marian apparitions in Europe)
Significance: Sparked a major Catholic reconversion in a region heavily influenced by Calvinism
Yes — before the apparition, Šiluva was under the influence of Calvinism.
In the mid–16th century, during the Reformation, the local landowners of Šiluva had converted to Calvinism.
The Catholic church was confiscated and turned into a Reformed (Calvinist) congregation.
Catholic worship ceased, and Catholic property was lost due to legal disputes.
Lithuania was never fully Protestant, but Šiluva was one of its strongest Calvinist footholds.
According to Catholic tradition:
Shepherd children saw a lady holding a baby and weeping on a stone.
When asked why she wept, she said:
“Once, my Son was worshiped in this place, but now they have taken it away.”
Word spread; Catholics and Protestants alike were stunned.
Legal records later led to the recovery of Catholic land.
| Outcome | Effect |
|---|---|
| Catholic revival | Region returned to Catholic worship |
| Pilgrimages began | Šiluva became a major shrine |
| Identity symbol | A bulwark against further Protestant spread |
Today, The Basilica of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Šiluva is one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage sites in Lithuania. The annual Šilinės Feast attracts thousands every September.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Was Šiluva Calvinist? | Yes, the town became Calvinist during the Reformation |
| What is Our Lady of Šiluva? | A Marian apparition that marked the Catholic revival of that region |
Would you like the official Church account versus the historical-critical view of this apparition? The contrast is fascinating.
Certainly! The apparition of Our Lady of Šiluva can be viewed through two very different lenses:
1️⃣ The Traditional Catholic Account
2️⃣ The Historical/Critical (scholarly) Perspective
Both offer meaningful insight — one theological, one historical.
Šiluva had become Calvinist, the Catholic church was abandoned, and Eucharistic worship ceased.
Several shepherd children saw a beautiful lady holding the infant Jesus, standing on a rock, weeping.
When questioned by a Calvinist catechist:
“Why are you crying?”
She replied: “Because once my Son was worshiped in this place, but now they have taken it away.”
Religious fervor returned even among Protestants.
Lost Catholic deeds were rediscovered.
Catholic Mass was restored.
Šiluva became Lithuania’s first major Marian shrine.
Interpretation:
Mary intervened to restore Eucharistic worship in a land turning away from Christ.
Most historians accept key facts:
Šiluva was indeed a Calvinist stronghold.
The Catholic Church sought legal means to reclaim lost property.
A legend of a Marian apparition emerged during a legal dispute over religious land.
| Scholar’s Point | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| ☁️ Apparition narrative appeared decades later | Possibly expanded orally before written form |
| ⚖ Legal property dispute ongoing at same time | Apparition bolstered Catholic legal claims |
| ✝ Marian devotion spreading in Counter-Reformation | Similar Marian revival as at Guadalupe, Loreto, La Salette, etc. |
Historians believe the apparition story helped solidify Catholic identity during the Catholic Counter-Reformation, countering Calvinism through popular devotion rather than force.
| Lens | Meaning of the Event |
|---|---|
| Devotional / Religious | A miraculous intervention of Mary to reclaim sacred ground |
| Historical / Sociological | A powerful myth that helped restore Catholic unity and identity |
Even historians admit that the sincerity and fervor with which people responded cannot be dismissed. Something happened — mystical or psychological — that transformed a community.
Would you like to explore other Marian apparitions with similar historical dynamics, like Guadalupe, Lourdes, or Pontmain?
Yes — in traditional Catholic accounts of Our Lady of Šiluva, it is indeed claimed that even a Calvinist clergyman (or catechist) witnessed the apparition or at least spoke directly to the apparition. This detail is significant, because it serves as a theological argument that the vision could not be dismissed as simply “Catholic imagination.”
A young Calvinist theologian or catechist approached the apparition and asked:
“Why are you crying?”
Mary replied:
“Because once my Son was worshiped in this place, but now they have taken it away.”
This exchange is said to have deeply moved him and became a turning point in the restoration of Catholic worship in Šiluva.
| Theme | Purpose of Including a Calvinist Witness |
|---|---|
| Ecclesial Legitimacy | Shows apparition wasn’t hallucination or Catholic-only vision |
| Doctrinal Impact | Suggests even opponents were confronted with divine truth |
| Symbol of Mercy | Mary reaching even those outside the Church |
| View | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Catholic Tradition | The Calvinist catechist physically saw and spoke with the Virgin |
| Critical History | Possibly symbolic or later embellishment to strengthen Catholic claims during the Counter-Reformation |
| Modern Pilgrim Narratives | Often present it as fact to emphasize Marian universality |
No original 17th-century sworn testimony survives.
The story solidified in later retellings and pilgrim literature.
Even skeptical historians acknowledge that Protestants were shaken enough to reopen discussion of Catholic property — meaning some kind of impactful event did occur locally.
| Claim | Status |
|---|---|
| A Calvinist clergyman saw Mary | Affirmed in Catholic tradition |
| Historically verifiable | Difficult to prove, seen as legendary by scholars |
Would you like me to compare this with other apparitions witnessed by non-Catholics (e.g., Muslims at Zeitoun in Egypt or atheists at Fatima)? This pattern is fascinating.
Here are some remarkable Marian (and Marian-type) apparitions in which non-Catholics — including Protestants, Muslims, and atheists — were said to have witnessed or confirmed the phenomenon. These accounts are often used by Catholics to argue for the universality of Marian intervention, while historians note their role in broader cultural reconciliation.
A comparison with Šiluva, where a Calvinist reportedly saw Mary
👤 Non-Catholic witness noted: Calvinist catechist or pastor
Asked Mary: “Why are you crying?”
Mary answered: “Because once my Son was worshiped in this place…”
Led to restoration of Catholic worship in a Calvinist region.
👀 Witnessed by thousands — including Muslims, Copts, atheists
Apparitions occurred atop a Coptic Church in Cairo.
Muslim taxi drivers, soldiers, crowds shouted: “Ya Maryam!”
Egyptian government photographers took official photos.
No verbal messages — only luminous form of Mary.
Importance:
Seen as a pan-religious sign, reinforcing Marian presence even in the Islamic world (Mary is revered in the Quran as Maryam, mother of Isa).
👁 Witnesses included Protestants and skeptics
Silent apparition of Mary, St. Joseph, and St. John
Some Protestant locals confirmed seeing a bright figure but did not interpret it doctrinally.
Church commission recorded 15 official witnesses, including those outside Catholic practice.
🟡 Witnesses: Believers, atheists, journalists, Freemasons
The sun phenomenon was observed by 50,000–70,000 people, including known anti-clerical atheists.
Newspaper O Século (secular, anti-Church) reported:
“The sun danced… It was impossible to deny.”
This event gave Marian devotion national power in post-monarchy Portugal.
| Apparition | Non-Catholic Witnesses | Nature of Vision |
|---|---|---|
| Šiluva (1608) | Calvinist minister | Personal, spoken message |
| Zeitoun (1968) | Muslims, secular crowds | Public, silent luminous form |
| Knock (1879) | Protestants, skeptics | Public tableau, motionless |
| Fátima (1917) | Atheists, press | Cosmic phenomenon (sun) |
| Viewpoint | Interpretation of Non-Catholic Witnesses |
|---|---|
| Catholic Mystical | Mary's universality transcends doctrine |
| Ecumenical | Shared symbols of the Sacred Feminine |
| Psychological / Jungian | Archetypal eruption of the “Divine Mother” into collective psyche |
| Skeptical | Mass suggestion, atmospheric optical events, retroactive embellishment |
Would you like a Jungian or archetypal interpretation of why Marian figures appear even to non-Catholics — as the Great Mother, Sophia, or Anima Mundi?
I´m of course a completely devout supporter of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, but the meme that the Baltic Sea is "Lake NATO" was always extremely silly, if seriously intended. You know, irony and all that.
Recently, two cables on the bottom of the Baltic Sea were sabotaged, and already everyone is pointing a finger at Russia (without explicitly mentioning them by name).
A Danish military ship has apparently shadowed a Chinese merchant vessel, and it seems the most recent rumor is that the ChiComs did it, if by design remains to be seen. The Chinese ship did come from Russia, so...
Lake NATO? If only...
Yes, breaking or breakdance is an olympic sport these days. So is skateboard. And surfing (come on, that´s also a crazy subculture LOL).
Why? Diversity? Nah, probably because it looks good on TV. In contrast to modern pentathlon, which despite being hyped by "Baron de Coubertin´s will" or whatever, is considered boring beyond belief.
So we´re all breaking this year! Note, btw, that the two "b-girl" finalists were White and Asian, respectively.
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| - You have to come back, old man, the Russians have a nuclear-powered cruise missile! We need your vast scientific knowledge to stop it! - Not a chance, I´m going to attain Rainbow Body instead... |
A breaking story. Most of the GOP don´t seem willing to spend more money on Ukraine. Is this another faction trying to put pressure on the quasi-isolationist House Republicans?
According to Wiki, Mike Turner (also GOP) has connections to the US military and NATO. He is also a de facto lobbyist in Congress for the Baltic republics! I had no idea there was a bipartisan House Baltic Caucus?!
So the answer seems to be "yes": Turner is absolutely attempting to influence the other GOP Congressmen in a more pro-Ukrainian direction.
What´s much less clear is what the Russian threat could be. Could it be some kind of AI capability? My guess would be nuclear-powered cruise missiles, since even a certain Mr Trump considered them a threat, even to the point of bragging that the US might have something similar...
Developing.
Russia shows who may be next in line in their Drang nach Abendlandes. Of course it´s the Baltic republics. Russia recently declared the Prime Minister of Estonia and some other Baltic officials "wanted persons". Note that all three Baltic states are members of NATO.
“The Hunt for Red October” is a 1990 film starring Sean Connery as a rogue Soviet submarine captain. It´s based on a novel by Tom Clancy. One of the protagonists of the story, Jack Ryan, is probably based on Clancy himself. How freely I can´t say!
I don´t think the film is *that* good or
interesting, but Sean Connery can make any film – no matter how awful – into a
treat. Also, “The Hunt for Red October” does have a Cold War feel that makes me
almost nostalgic. And yes, the Cold War stereotypes of Russians (Communist or
anti-Communist) are very Hollywood-esque and frankly ridiculous, but that
simply adds to the nostalgia.
The rogue captain, named Marko Ramius, is said to be Lithuanian and decides to abscond to the United States when realizing that the Soviets are developing a new class of submarines that are almost impossible to detect by sonar. Not suspecting that Ramius and some of his officers are traitors, the Soviet fleet puts *them* in charge of the prototype, named Red October. Ramius then decides to make a daring escape to America in the actual submarine. In the process, he kills a political commissar actually named Putin!
Naturally, the Soviet Red Fleet isn´t amused and goes
after him, while Soviet diplomats tell the US leadership that Ramius has gone
insane and wants to nuke America. Unfortunately for the evil Reds, CIA analyst Jack
Ryan has met Ramius on a previous occasion and suspects him of being a covert
anti-Communist. Ryan convinces a sleezy Washington operative to give him three
days to find out the truth about the captain´s intentions. Several major plot
holes later, the Americans realize that Ramius is really on their side, while
the Russians are still in hot pursuit…
As I said, not exactly a deep philosophy lecture,
but could perhaps be splendidly devoured on a rainy autumn evening. Should perhaps
be watched together with the documentary “The Real Hunt for Red October”,
reviewed by me elsewhere on this blog.
The real hunt for "Red October"
.jpg/1024px-ESC2014_winner's_press_conference_11_(crop).jpg) |
| Credit: Albin Olsson |
Here´s a scenario.
Let´s assume Russia takes the Suwalki corridor tomorrow morning. They threaten anyone who interfers with *massive* retaliation. Perhaps nukes. The corridor is Lithuanian and Polish territory. It connects the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad with Belarus, a close Russian ally.
Does anyone seriously believe that NATO will risk a world war over this? I don´t.
Turkey will be the first to declare that they won´t come to the aid of Poland and Lithuania. Except as "peace-makers", of course. "We can negotiate an agreement with the Russians". Turkey also happens to have the second largest military of any NATO member-state.
Then, Germany will fold. They never wanted the present war to begin with. Next, France. They always wanted to get rid of the Americans anyway.
What will the United States do then? Exactly. As in exactly nothing. Sure, they will move some troops to Lithuania. But they won´t actually *do* anything...
But now imagine the opposite scenario: NATO bombs and finally destroys the Kerch bridge, which connects Crimea with Russia proper. Does anyone seriously believe that the Russians wouldn´t escalate? They could bomb the port of Constanta in Romania. Or take the Suwalki corridor...
The two sides aren´t equal. Russia is fighting for geopolitical survival. And, of course, domination.
The Western world is fighting for Conchita Wurst.
Draw your own conclusions.
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| The Carnac Stones Credit: Steffen Heilfort |
You think
you know everything. And then you read “Europas mödrar. De senaste 43 000 åren”
and realize that you really didn´t know anything. Anything.At.All. This Swedish
book, published last year and written by science reporter Karin Bojs, attempts
to summarize the current state of mainline archeological research on the
European Stone Age (with some landfalls in the Bronze Age). In translation, the
title means “The Mothers of Europe. The last 43,000 years”. The main themes of
the book include the role of female labor in Stone Age cultures and (of course)
whether or not matriarchy existed, and if so, where patriarchy comes from. Controversial
Lithuanian archeologist, the late Marija Gimbutas, plays center stage. Bojs
believes that DNA research has vindicated at least some of Gimbutas´ speculations.
There is also an undertone of criticism against political correctness in
archeology (any political correctness – I assume Bojs is a liberal and Gimbutas
was a feminist icon). Bojs believes that objective research into the origins
and expansion of the Indo-Europeans has been hampered by some kind of irrational
fear of said research being “Nazi”.
Although
the book is intended for a mass audience, it covers a lot of ground in little
under 300 pages. My main take away from it is that “pre-history” really is a
ridiculous term (and so is His-Story). Human history (and herstory) begins at
the very least the moment Homo sapiens acquires the ability to speak and
communicate through a complex language – which we did already during the
Paleolithic. The rest of the so-called Stone Age (in itself a problematic term)
includes complex patterns of migrations, cultural interactions and ditto changes.
In other words, what we would call “history” if it had happened after the
invention of writing.
And speaking
of that writing…
Bojs
believes that the first writing system might have been invented by the Vinca
culture in the Balkans, rather than by Egyptians or Sumerians. The Vinca people
also invented metallurgy, yet their culture is weirdly still classified as “Stone
Age”. At Carnac in Brittany, a Neolithic culture of megalith-builders
apparently had the ability to cross the Bay of Biscay in boats, loaded with 100
tonne stone slabs! The yoke, the plow and the wheel were invented in northern
Europe, perhaps in Denmark, rather than in the Middle East. Which doesn´t mean
those guys were stupid. At the famed Göbekli Tepe (in today´s Turkey), people were
producing ale and porridge in massive quantities, suggesting they must have had
agriculture, despite being a hunter and gatherer culture otherwise. That, and they
built rather large monuments – Göbekli Tepe itself. The Stone Age has never
been so advanced…
DNA
research has more or less conclusively proven that the Indo-Europeans really
did come from the area north of the Black Sea and then expanded westward into
the rest of Europe. Or invaded, if you like that term better. There were several
waves of Indo-European expansion. The first one didn´t involve horses, but “only”
large cattle herds, overrunning the settlement areas of pre-Indo-European farmers.
One reason why the expansion was successful was that “Old Europe” had been
devastated by a plague pandemic, presumably depopulating large areas. The old
stereotype of Indo-Europeans on horseback (but without chariots) conquering stable
Neolithic cultures never sounded very believable, but now we have a more
realistic picture.
But what about
patriarchy? Marija Gimbutas´ main claim to fame, after all, was the theory that
“Old Europe” was matriarchal, and that patriarchy was a foreign imposition of
the invading Indo-European hordes. On this point, DNA evidence disproves some
of her takes. While it´s true that the Indo-Europeans were indeed strongly
patriarchal, patriarchy and class society already existed in Neolithic Europe.
It seems to have emerged in northern France, including Carnac in Brittany, where
a complex society with a privileged male elite built grandiose tombs for their
rulers. They even had implements made of jade! (Apparently, jadeite does exist
in Europe. I had no idea.) While the Vinca culture and even the Bronze Age
Minoan culture may have been more matriarchal or matrifocal, the megalith-builders
weren´t. Patriarchy and hierarchy was further entrenched with the arrival of the
Indo-Europeans. DNA studies suggest that while non-IE genetic lineages survived
among females, they eventually died out among the males. This suggests that the
newcomers monopolized power and resources, making it more likely they would
survive and pass on their genes. Note also that the Indo-Europeans often
married non-IE females, while the opposite (non-IE males marrying IE females)
was presumably extremely rare, suggesting some kind of caste society.
Many other
topics are touched upon in this book, too many to go through here: “Neanderthal
activism” in the media, the skin color of Paleolithic hunters-gatherers, the
myth and reality of the Männerbund, and “the female Viking chief and warrior”
recently found at Birka in Sweden (hint: probably not true). Bojs is clearly
very well read, at one point even making an oblique reference to “The Arctic Home
in the Vedas”! At times, however, her colloquialisms annoy me. But then, the
Swedish language in general has been dumbed down and colloquialized lately. The
book is still at a much higher level than any tabloid…
Well worth
reading, if Swedish happens to be your first language.
Overheard on Twitter: "It´s not a blockade of Kaliningrad, it´s a special transportation operation". I admit that was funny. The Lithuanian blockade itself, on the other hand, isn´t. It could be the single most important escalation from the Western side so far. So how come almost nobody in the media covers it?
Putin might be bluffing about nuclear weapons, but is it really unthinkable that he could launch a conventional attack on Lithuania (a NATO member) if an internationally recognized Russian territory (not some obscure breakaway republic) is felt to be under threat? Note that the Kaliningrad exclave is surrounded at all sides (except the ocean side) by NATO member-states, and that it houses Russian submarines with nuclear missiles that can reach Stockholm in 40 minutes.
I mean, what could possibly go wrong if an American ally threatens it?
I hope NATO knows what they are doing. If not, well, it´s a dangerous world...
NATO members Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will ship US-made weapons to the Ukraine. Estonia also wants to send German arms, but needs the approval of both Germany and Finland (the latter being a non-NATO member).
This is probably as far as the Western alliance can go without actually sending troops to aid the Ukrainian government against a Russian invasion attempt. Will probably not be tolerated by Putin anyway.
Things are getting dangerously close to a war....
Russia is in effect demanding that the United States dissolve NATO. Note the (probably deliberate) ambiguity concerning Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
It´s good to know that the US administration and military are in such capable hands. Absolutely no need to worry!
Russian draft proposal for treaty on security guarantees with the United States
En del intressanta fakta i denna artikel från Aftonbladet. Det där med Nordnorge kände jag inte till tidigare, inte heller att Belarus i princip "köper" migranter från Irak.
Titta vem som kommit på besök hos guldmakaren...
En målning från 1800-talet av Jan Matejko, föreställande Polens och Litauens härskare Sigismund (han som under några år på 1500-talet även var svensk kung). Alkemisten som demonstrerar hur oädla metaller kan transmuteras till guld är Mikael Sendivogius. Denne var tydligen både kemist och alkemist, så något nyttigt gjorde han väl!
Från Wikipedia, som aldrig upphör att förvåna.
