Igumen

[quote name='Winner12345' timestamp='1353269781' post='3054244'] Hey Guy, it`s not Communist. A Ice and Sicle Represent power, which is why we have it in our Normal flag. [/quote] It is an archetypal Communist symbol. But to be honest, this flag is replete with communist symbolism. The red and black, the hammer and sickle stamped over a representation of Bob, the red star, and the wheat wreath. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_symbolism"]Here is a check list of things in your flag[/url]. See how many you can spot. You guys should come out of the closet as the screaming Communists you clearly are. And then repent! Don't believe the MSM: you were not born this way: Communism is a lifestyle choice, and there are places you can go to be reorientated to a saner world view.

[quote name='Armed Society' timestamp='1353209879' post='3054003'] Finally, I want to personally thank the leaders of the Free Land of Cathari and Hello Automatic. They and I agree on at least one fundamental principle: rational discourse is always worthwhile. I am proud to have joined Nobody, Mr. Williams, and the esteemed Igumen and longnameislonger in Armed Society's first diplomatic communications. The world appears more ready than we expected to comprehend the bonds that tie individuals of Armed Society together and carry on diplomatic relations accordingly. [/quote] Sure, keep in touch.

carp. D'oh, I did it wrong...

[quote name='Armed Society' timestamp='1353198897' post='3053924'] On your second point, I direct you again to my first communication: "[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Various militias and the air force program are funded by a voluntary income tax with an astounding 78% compliance rate." It is hard to explain precisely why voluntary taxpayers might still despise the tax-collection authority. My personal take as a compliant taxpayer is that I despise 90% of what my taxes are spent on, but I still view the unified tax as a necessary evil lest it become slightly more difficult for me to fund the 10% of programs I [i]do[/i] agree with. I also donate a significant amount of my resources to measures which are not funded by the unified income tax.[/font][/color] [/quote] The "extended Bio" of your nation is not written by you, and is more of a "factbook" entry based upon what is actually happening on the ground in your country. So whilst I would believe you if you were to say your citizens are hard working, I am less inclined to believe that "extremely high taxes" are paid voluntarily. If they were low, then perhaps citizens might pay taxes even though "90%" of the government's programs were despised. But a tax rate of over 25%? A quarter of your earnings going to fund something you "despise"? I find your government system interesting, and that is not something that can be said for the vast majority of nations within Bob. However, it seems you have displayed once again that political ideology - all political ideology - is destructive, because it causes people to lie: to others and themselves, in order to justify their unshakable convictions. And once we lie, we commit an act of spiritual violence against ourselves, because we begin to slowly smother our own conscience. Perhaps you already feel your conscience's sickening convulsions in the depth of your being, as you slowly asphyxiate it under the tonnage of self-justifications and half-truths. You have no reason to listen to me or take anything I say seriously. But you have considered my words up to now, which is evidenced in your considered replies. Ultimately, it is not the exchange between you and I that is important, but between you, your conscience, and God.

[quote name='PARTYANIMAL123' timestamp='1353198614' post='3053915'] Well anyway I don't want any wars or anything we just want to be neutral with tech deals and trade rings [/quote] It is honorable that you would not want war. However, may I humbly suggest that [url="http://www.cybernations.net/search_wars.asp?search=510401&Extended=1"]starting aggressive wars with two other nations[/url] is not the best way to avoid it. [quote]Igumen and Masterchief can stay, Rogal Dorn please stop posting, my email is goin crazy[/quote] Ta, very much. I turn off the email alerts on forums for the very reason you're finding out now. I know it can be very annoying.

[quote name='Armed Society' timestamp='1353197393' post='3053901'] The Commander may face resistance in the future, which is why he is following the tradition and working to establish a trial so that the Commander's motives and evidence will be preserved in a trustworthy record. [/quote] Are you talking about internal resistance (which let's be honest: is unlikely), or resistance from other nations on Bob? If the latter then I will repeat: your trial will be transparent in ways you do not want. Plus, why would a nation with no "protection from laws" and, seemingly, no state-apparatus, have citizens who [b][i]"pay extremely high taxes and many despise their government as a result." [/i][/b]?

[quote] A transparent trial is simply an insurance measure for a party planning to take action that does not want to face the wrath of other parties who believe they did so in error.[/quote] I believe the show trial you are planning will be transparent in ways you do not intend or wish for. The legal history of your nation is interesting, but what has it got to do with the legislature that governs other nations? I have looked at the previous attempt to put the Polemarch on trial. Much of its failure has been put down to the way it was handled by the self-appointed judge: Winner12345. However, amid the farce I think the main objection put forward is forgotten: there is no body of law that governs the Cyberverse and all the nations within it. There is no legal basis for one nation, or even a group of nations, to put on trial another nation that is not a member of their own alliance. What political trials of national leaders like this do, historically, is simply mete out "victor's justice"; a more appropriate word would simply be: revenge. This is even admitted by yourself, as you've already stated your intention to "execute" the Polemarch. In fact, what you intend to do is murder him under the semblance of legality. But there is no legal basis for a nation to kidnap the leader of another and execute him.

[quote name='Bob Ilyani' timestamp='1353195413' post='3053880'] Wow. This can only end [i]beautifully.[/i] Tell me, what alliance is actually protecting you, and who in their gov are you related to? [/quote] Hooligans, apparently.

[quote name='Armed Society' timestamp='1353193944' post='3053874'] The citizens of Armed Society understand what they risk by living in a country that has no laws barring the creation of expeditionary militia forces. [/quote] If you have no laws, then under what authority and for contravening what laws would you put the Polemarch on trial when/if you capture him?

Although Cathari does provide a safe-haven for academics, we do not wish to use them to trespass upon another sovereign nation's territory without express permission. You yourself have used the continued "threat" of Xenios' government to justify your military campaign; therefore, if Xenios' government still exists, then Cathari would not violate the borders of that country without their express permission. Remaining in a state of war with Xenios is not the same as carrying out military operations. You could do the former without carrying out the latter if not allowing the Polemarch to "get away with it" was your primary concern. Nevertheless, your actions still assume that you have a right to intervene in the running of a another sovereign nation and impose rules upon it. Indeed, your CB for fighting Xenios seems to be exactly that: that Xenios is imposing its will upon other nations and is a threat to them. But now, you are doing exactly the same [i]to[/i] Xenios. This hypocrisy is far more dangerous to the health of your state than any damage you can inflict upon Xenios, or Xenioshian loyalists can inflict upon you. Finally, you are not the first nation to flag up the aid that was sent to, and accepted by, the Polemarch of Xenios. Then, it was also a nation with "internationalist" ideals that was criticizing the Free Land of Cathari's charitable donation. It seems a dangerous spirit of interference and moralistic pontification that infects such nations, whereby they expect other countries to live by their own ideals, by whatever means. Regardless, the reply I sent to that other nation - and which was graciously received - I now copy here for your own consumption: [b]I certainly would not aid a nation in its aggressive wars, but do and have aided nations fighting defensive wars. The aid was sent because a nation from a large alliance had declared war, for political-ideological reasons, on Xenios: a confessed Christian nation The Free Land of Cathari is a nation that welcomes all peoples willing to repent and dedicate their lives to Jesus Christ. In order to do this, we cannot pre-judge any person (prejudice comes from the Latin to "pre-judge"), but give freely and without guile. We had no dealings with Polemarch before the war with the LSF came to our attention, and the aid was sent - without judgment and with clear conditions - in this non-judgmental spirit. If, through experience, our trust is betrayed then we will change our actions towards the nation that abused the trust, whilst still maintaining our policy towards "strangers".[/b]

I accept your points about why you only joined the fight relatively late, though remain unconvinced by the rest. In the first war reports you've posted in this thread, it is clearly stated that you taunted the Xenioshians with "Get Sum" and "Killing your doods". This does not sit well with your pious-sounding words about this invasion of a sovereign nation being on humanitarian grounds. Battle taunts do not sit well with armed intervention purported to be for the good of citizens and the Cyberverse. I also remain unconvinced by your claim that your campaign is merely causing Xenioshians to flee the country. You have no way of knowing that those people "disappearing" from the citizen count of Xenios are miraculously reappearing in your own Armed Nation, or indeed anywhere else. It is more than 60 "citizens" (this number only includes tax-paying citizens, so it could easily be counted as 60 families) that have "disappeared" due to your war, as your own battle reports show: at least 65 levels of infrastructure have been destroyed by your militia; if we reasonably conclude that for every "citizen" lost there are also his/her children or other dependents lost too, there are potentially over 1000 civilians who have perished due to your actions. And all in the name of liberating them! I suggest that as Xenios is in a state of anarchy, and if nation activity shows that no tax collection is taking place, it can be assumed that the government of Xenios is no longer there. Any military actions you take from here on simply amounts to the murder of citizens and the raiding of technology.

[quote name='Armed Society' timestamp='1353106688' post='3053454'] [i]Dispatch from the Antipolemarch Militia's war correspondent:[/i] After a brief meeting with Commander Pope, the Antipolemarch Militia's Air Division was cleared for a second bombing run over loyalist-occupied territory. Two surgical airstrikes succeeded in destroying 6.12 infrastructure. No loyalists or Xenioshian civillians were injured or killed in the attack, and no friendly aircraft were damaged or destroyed. [/quote] I hope it is inferior intelligence on the ground and not deliberate mendacity that has caused you to report no civilian deaths. My [url="http://cybernations.wikia.com/wiki/Infrastructure"]own sources[/url] show that your "surgical airstrikes", by destroying 6.12 infrastructure, resulted in up to 60 civilian deaths. I suspect, though, that unfortunately it is mendacity. To say you have "united" against Polemarch rings hollow when out of all the nations fighting his regime, yours was the last to declare war. I think it is less "uniting with" and more "riding on the coat-tails" of you allies. This thread is perhaps evidence of this. There is no glory to be had in the destruction of another nation, which is probably why you are calling it a "reconstruction". [b][i]Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter![/i][/b] I hope these words above will strike at our hearts. To the Polemarch who may or may not be reading this, but also to you who claims Judaism as your nation's religion, and so who should listen to the words of the prophet Isaiah.

[center][size=5][b]Monk Cyril and the brethren in Winner[/b][/size][/center] [center][img]http://www.razbointrucuvant.ro/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/group_athos_monks.jpeg[/img][/center] [center][size=2]Monks of Cathari traveling for missionary service.[/size][/center] [b][url="http://forums.cybernations.net/index.php?showtopic=113155&#entry3052871"]Due to the gracious invitation of the president of Winner[/url][/b], the Free Land of Cathari's diplomatic mission arrived in the capital city today. Monk Cyril, a priest of the Monastery of the Assumption, together with five other brethren arrived to spread the Gospel of Christ among the children of God within this maturing nation. The people of Winner were primarily of Greek ethnicity, hence hailing from the cradle of the Christian Church, a land where the very soil was honored to support the footsteps of the Apostles. However, the people of Winner, despite their noble heritage, had embraced the deceptive allure of Buddhism, and forced the president to change the national religion to this faith. In their service to the people of Winner, Monk Cyril spared no time in walking to the main Buddhist temple of Chisagi, along with the young novice Nikolai. The young Nikolai was Chinese by birth, and grew up with Buddhism. Yet in a innocent search for the truth, he had found the Light of Christ, repented in his heart, and dedicated his life to the Holy Trinity and fled to the Free Land of Cathari to weep over his sins. When the brother Nikolai walked into the temple gates, the adherents of Buddha marveled at the bearded Chinese man, clothed in black robes, and took him for a holy man of their own religion. Rushing to him, the spiritually-starved Greco-Buddhists, begged the young Nikolai for some Eastern Zen-like wisdom. Yet the child-like Nikolai in all simplicity replied: "the only oriental wisdom I bring you, is the wisdom of Jesus Christ, Who like the sun rises up in the east and illumines the world!" Astonished, the Western Buddhists asked how a man of the East, a place suffused with mystical wisdom, could become a Christian. Nikolai replied: "I, like you, was also a Buddhist. What won me over to Christianity? Divine companionship!" "What do you mean?" asked one of the Buddhists, called Kostas, but who had adopted the name [i]Chikan[/i]. Nikolai replied with a light-hearted laugh: "Yes, yes, my friend! In Buddhism, I discovered, you are very very much alone. There is no God. Your entire struggle is with yourself. You are alone with yourself, with your ego. You are totally alone in this path. Great loneliness, my friends. But with Christianity you have an assistant, a companion and a fellow-traveler in God. You are not alone. You have someone who loves you, who cares about you. He cares even if you don't understand Him. You speak with Him. You tell Him how you feel, what you would have hoped for – there is a relationship. You are not alone in the difficult struggles of life and spiritual perfection. I realized things in the old days. A severe cold bound me to bed. No doctor could find anything wrong with me. The clinical picture was clear, at least the doctors couldn't see anything. The pain was unbearable and there was absolutely no pain killer that could stop it. I changed three different pain killers and still the pain was not alleviated. At this time I got the news that a relative, whose name I bear, had an advanced form of cancer in the vocal cords and larynx. He had a largyngectomy. It was the result of chronic alcohol consumption and smoking. Generally he lived a bad life, without any quality. At this a deep conviction came over me: that everyone needs to have a God they can talk to; a God to perceive and to feel someone besides yourself Who hears you. I cannot prove anything to you, for I am simple and uneducated. But I know this need is a deep need of man. This is seen in life itself. Even you Buddhists, and my Buddhist friends from my previous life, who are from a non-theistic religion, created various deities. Even in dream language and worlds. But they have a need to refer to someone, to something, someone beyond and outside themselves, even if it's dreamy. Besides, reality and truth is something very relevant and will always remain so. It is an enigma, a mystery. "In the peacefulness of Cathari I can talk with God, and He can talk with me. And I know His name to be Jesus Christ. With Him, the lonely struggle of Buddhism - noble in intention - is put right, by giving us an all-loving and gracious Divine helper."

[quote name='Zacharias' timestamp='1353021914' post='3053042'] So you consider Norse a true religion, but not Islam? I can't tell if you are a troll or just ignorant (most likely both). I would just start looking up an bunch of statistics and whatever else to get you to change your views, but it wouldn't be worth the time. [/quote] I don't think he was saying that Islam "isn't really a religion", whereas Norse is. They're both faiths: it's just that one (Islam) is taboo and the other (Norse) isn't. Taboo in this case surely means that the faith is banned or restricted in some way within his country. It doesn't mean he denies its existence or denies it is really a religion. [quote]I'll just say this, I'm an Agnostic, ( Just in case you don't know what that is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnosticism) but I don't say all, or any, religions aren't true because I don't agree with it [/quote] Well that is consistent with being an Agnostic. Consistency and integrity are the foundations of a strong conscience. However, applying your own standards of tolerance on people of other faiths is not possible, unless they go against their own conscience. Why? Because certain faiths - perhaps the majority - teach things which are mutually exclusive to other faiths: therefore to be a sincere believer and have integrity, one must necessarily reject contrary teachings as untrue. The foundational and unchanging principle here is not that of tolerance, but that of integrity of conscience. A person must have that above all else, otherwise they are liars to themselves.

[quote name='Zacharias' timestamp='1352926242' post='3052377'] If I'm not mistaken, a Jihad is a pilgrimage to the holy land, which is Mecca and Jerusalem (There may be another, I'm not to sure) [/quote] The pilgrimage to Mecca, which Muslims are obliged to carry out at least once in their lives, is called the Hajj. The word is Arabic for pilgrimage so I presume it is also used for any pilgrimage among Arab-speakers (whether Muslim or otherwise).

Application for a Embassy and/or Consulate ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- National Information: - Full Name of Nation: [b]The Free Land of Cathari[/b] - Government Type: A monastic state, that administers the land of Cathari, and serves the non-monastics who choose to live in its environs (the nearest analogous "government type" is totalitarian, reflecting the monastic rule which governs most parts of people's lives). - Head of State: The main monastery of Cathari is dedicated to the Mother of God, and she is the patron and head of our nation. - Head of Government: The Igumen (Abbot) John - Minister of Foreign Affairs or Equivalent: The Igumen of Cathari Ambassadorial Information: - Ambassador's Name: Monk Cyril - Ambassador's Family (if any): None - Are there any health of security issues local authorities should be alerted of? No. Locational Information: All of Bob and everything within it is created by God, ordered by Him, and sustained by Him. We do not desire to possess any land within the borders of Winner. Staff and Equipment Information: - Diplomatic Staff: 5 itinerant evangelists - Security Staff: None - Service Staff: None - Will you be hiring locally? No - Number and Type of Weapons: Prayer and fasting - Number and Type of Vehicles: Foot Miscellaneous: - Would you like us to establish an embassy in your nation? [b]No[/b]. - Do you have any special requests? [b][i]Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food[/i][/b] - Would you like to enter into trade/treaty talks? No - Is there any additional information we should know? No - Please declare any drugs, alcohol, animals or plants you are bringing into the country: We bring the Holy Spirit, the Lion of Judah, and the True Vine.

[quote name='Winner12345' timestamp='1352846669' post='3051971'] False. Jihadists is a Religous Warrior. SO technically a Jihadists could be a Buddhist, Tao, Christian, or whatever. [/quote] Not really, as [i]jihad[/i] comes from Arabic, and Arabic is not the traditional language for those faiths. Therefore whilst there are Arabic-speaking Christians (and the chances are there will be Arabic-speaking Taoists and Buddhists), and whilst most religions contain some element of struggle and warfare (even if only spiritual), it is unlikely that anyone other than a Muslim would identify themselves as a "jihadist" specifically. Plus, Jihadist is an English word, derived from Arabic, and the common usage is a Muslim involved in violent struggle and, usually, terrorism. Whilst BKlein's point might add some nuance to how different people interpret the Arabic word Jihad, this does not take away from the common usage of the Arabic-English word "Jihadist". The latter does refer to Muslims alone (though not all Muslims).

[quote name='HeroofTime55' timestamp='1352822230' post='3051845'] You know, I didn't want to even reply to this, it's tone so... I haven't the proper word. Uneducated? Barbaric? A little too extreme, those words... Primal? [/quote] "Uncouth", is probably the word you're looking for. Not that I have an opinion either way, but uncouth is a milder term for "barbaric" and "uneducated".

It's not surprising that a lead bullet would blow someone's mind, though perhaps not quite in this way. Lead is used for bullets because it is so dense, meaning a small projectile is still relatively heavy and thus can causes more damage when flying through the air at high speeds.

You are half-right. But nothing in life is a game unless we choose to play around and fritter away the time given to us.

[b]Black[/b] is the color of monastics, worn to reflect the mourning over their sins that makes up their brief life upon this earth. A joyful sorrowing that leads to salvation and eternal peace. [color=#0000ff][b]Blue[/b][/color] is the color of the heavens and therefore of divinity. Those who choose blue are reminded to focus on the heavenly and on the heavenly reward. [b][color=#ffa500]Orange[/color][/b] is a color sometimes associated with Ss Peter and Paul, the foundations of the Church of Christ. It reminds us of the unity between the two, and the unity we must strive for within ourselves, within our nation, and between our allies. [color=#008000][b]Green[/b][/color] represents nature: the created order, and also the Holy Spirit who is dwells within all things. It reminds us to be in harmony with the created world, because - although passing away - it is a creation of God, and is therefore good and redeemable. Living harmoniously with the created world - innocent in its way - is a good step towards our own redemption from sin and corruption. [b][color=#800000]Maroon[/color][/b] in Cybernations is the dark red used when commemorating the Cross of our Lord. It is a color of mourning, in the same way black is, though additionally reminding us of the sacrifice of Christ that offered us the chance of redemption. It can also represent the blood of the martyrs: the ultimate sacrifice to what we believe in. [color=#00ffff][b]Aqua[/b][/color] is the color of water, the living water being a symbol of baptism and renewal. Those who choose aqua-blue are making a commitment to repentance and growth in the Lord towards the new man. [color=#ffffff][b]White[/b][/color] (White) represents purity and light as well as innocence. This is a hard color to live up to, and satan himself can appear as "an angel of light", so it watchfulness is always needed to ensure we live up to the purity of soul indicated by choosing white. [color=#800080][b]Purple[/b][/color] is the color of royalty, because in times past "Tyrian purple" was such an expensive dye that only the Emperor and his closest bodyguards could afford to wear purple robes. Those who take upon themselves the "Royal Purple" are declaring themselves to be the faithful guards of the throne of Christ - the true King of All. Girded and ready for spiritual battle, those who choose purple must discipline themselves thoroughly. [color=#ff0000][b]Red [/b][/color]is the color of blood, and more specifically the blood of the martyrs. It is the ultimate sacrifice to give up one's own life in service to his brother, and so those who choose red declare that they are ready for this. Red is also the color of flame, and of the Seraphim, the angels closest to the throne of God, and aflame with love for God as a result. [color=#ee82ee][b]Pink[/b][/color] is the color of Weeaboos and Bronies. Those who identify with pink are showing that they are willing to reach out to the dispossessed and marginalized of society just as Christ did, and are also not afraid of ridicule as a result. It is, therefore, a color of bravery and disregard for the opinion of man. [color=#ffff00][b]Yellow[/b][/color] is the color of gold, the sun, and of resplendence. It is the color which proclaims the glory of God in the world, and a taste of the heavenly glory to come. [b][color=#8b4513]Brown[/color][/b] is the color of the earth, and more specifically of the corruptible and stained world. Those who righteously choose brown are taking the road of humility, and staying close to the earth. This kind of humility defeats even the strongest pride, and it is no surprise that in this world of preening and strutting personalities that brown is the least populated of the color spheres. [color=#808080][b]Gray[/b][/color] is no color at all, of course. It is the anonymous sphere of those who have not yet chosen, or do not wish to choose, any of the above. It is for those who wish to remain anonymous and apart from the world. Your OP suggests you do put significance in the meaning of the color you choose. This is good, as perhaps most choose their team color out of convenience. However, all our actions carry eternal consequences and we can proclaim a message with the color we choose. So choose wisely, and then live with integrity by your choices. Good luck!

Your little brother does not appear to understand that you cannot have a monarchy and "no" religion. The mysticism of the monarchy is intrinsically bound-up in "divine right", whereby the monarch ascends to the throne only by the providence of God. Royalty may appear "romantic", but that romance is - at its heart - religious ritual and mysticism that spiritually describes the relationship between subject and monarch, and monarch and God. A "monarchical" government without this spiritual underpinning is simply a dictatorship, which is also a "government option" on Cybernations, and might be better suited to your brother's vision for a cybernation. As for your question: sorry, I don't know

I didn't mean to be rude or condescending to Winner, specifically. My comments were more directed towards the Harry Potter franchise than Winner's idea to do a RP here. Looking at your recent posts and topics I can understand why you would want to play the "good-guy" role in order to gain a bit of the respect that seems to have been lost among your fellow-RPers. But, regardless of your motives, if that's what you see then that's what you see and I apologize if I've offended Winner12345.

[quote name='PARTYANIMAL123' timestamp='1352152756' post='3049057'] We should stop, we're only pleasing this racist retard, if we all stopped the he would get bored of talking to himself on the thread [/quote] Yes, you're probably right. However, it [b]was[/b] your PM to Polemarch, and subsequent self-justifications to his/her response, that restarted this thread (not that you were to know it would be posted publicly). ps: I like the colour of your website, as black is an appropriate colour for we sinners who should be mourning for the evils of this world, and praying for forgiveness. Downside: I couldn't read any of the text.