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President Trump Relaxes US Cyber-Attacks Rules:
President Trump has signed an order relaxing rules around the use of cyber-weapons, the Wall Street Journal reports.[*]
It is a reversal of guidelines, drawn up under President Obama, which required a large number of federal agencies to be involved in any decision to launch a cyber-attack.
[...] The US administration is under pressure to deal with cyber-threats, amid growing concerns that state-sponsored hacks could hit critical infrastructure.
Prof Alan Woodward, a computer scientist at the University of Surrey, told the BBC: "We are in a era when certain governments are acting aggressively in cyber-space, and that is rightly condemned by governments such as that in the US.
"To respond in kind is not necessarily the way to de-escalate the situation."
He added: "You wouldn't allow a pre-emptive physical attack without thorough analysis and approval at the highest levels, so why would cyber-attacks be any different?"
[*] Paywalled.
Let's hope extreme care is taken to identify the actual source of an attack, rather than the apparent source.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 17 2018, @05:37PM (27 children)
Let's also hope that someday the same people who proclaim that the United States is a Christian nation, or one that respects Christian ethics, also learns to espouse that one should turn the other cheek, treat others as one wants to be treated and not how one has been treated, and that love should triumph over hate. Pre-emptive attack has no place in such a world, ever.
Maybe then someday we can actually make a claim to the superiority that those who want America to be great again so richly desire and so demonstrably don't deserve.
I won't hold my breath.
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 17 2018, @05:52PM (14 children)
Are we to believe then, that you are a Christian?
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 17 2018, @06:24PM (13 children)
Does it matter when a large % of the population IS christian?
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 17 2018, @06:49PM (1 child)
There is no such thing as "God", and Jebus was just some turkey.
Being nice to others and stuff is actually part of being civilized, not magic sky being belief. Of course it is still ironic since sky wanker worshipers jabber about being nice to each other as part of what they think their imaginary sky molester said to them while they were high.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 18 2018, @11:26AM
My take is that a lot of people have seen that rocking back and forth behind a lecturn, hands held high, exhorting tithing of "thousand dollar seeds" is a helluva lot easier than actually working for it. And besides, they give people who take them seriously a good feeling that they've done the right thing.
But that's not what I read in the Bible... its full of warnings of men who will wear sheep's clothing to drive people into submission.
If some feel better giving a rich man their money, so be it, but I feel like I am to do as I am so guided. Giving resources to those who already brag on having way more than enough is not one of them.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by DannyB on Friday August 17 2018, @06:55PM (10 children)
What is knowable: a large % of the population claims to be Christian. (Wide is the path that leads to destruction, . . . narrow is the way . . . that leads to life.)
What is unknowable: whether they are or are not Christian. Only God knows the heart. Although if one is a Christian, I think there is some evidence of it.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by AthanasiusKircher on Friday August 17 2018, @07:56PM (9 children)
Ah yes, the "No true Presbyterian" fallacy.
(Why Presbyterian? Hint: where are they from?)
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 17 2018, @08:43PM (2 children)
Except that are pretty clear definitions of what it means to be a Christian - follow the precepts attributed to Christ. Among these are "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples." By that metric, it's pretty damn clear there are plenty "No True Presbyterian"s claiming to be such.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by AthanasiusKircher on Friday August 17 2018, @09:02PM (1 child)
Actually, that's not generally what the dictionary definition says. For example, Merriam-Webster says [merriam-webster.com]: "one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ." Note "professes BELIEF in..." That's usually what the polls assume, and what most people assume, unless they are doctrinal zealots. If we judged "Christians" by their actions throughout history, we'd pretty much have to declare that >99% of them weren't Christians.
Anyhow, the reason I brought this up is because lots of "Christians" also like to claim that they know others aren't "Christians" based on some doctrinal test. Historically, Catholics often declared any non-Catholic Christians to be "not Christian," and to this day, some of the dogmatic language of the Catholic Church basically still says Catholics are the only "true Christians." Lots of mainstream Christian churches historically declared Anabaptist sects to be "not Christian." Many mainstream Christian denominations even today declare that Mormons are "not Christian." Etc., etc.
In fact, despite a number of biblical proclamations urging people to "judge not..." it's interesting that one of the greatest historical pastimes of many Christian denominations has been spending time figuring who qualifies as "Christian" and who they declare to be "not Christian." Interestingly, "Judge not..." is one of those "precepts attributed to Christ" that you appear to hold most dear. Yet you seem to find no difficulty in ignoring that one when judging others...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 18 2018, @12:13PM
You just reminded me of the unbridled rage on my hardcore-Protestant grandfather's face when we went to Bucca di Beppo's to eat once and got the table with a bust of a pope in the center :D Almost as much fun as when I told him that Jesus was fake when I was very young.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday August 17 2018, @09:12PM (5 children)
I am not familiar with that fallacy. And I would be pleased to be enlightened.
As for being a Christian, one would admit they are a sinner, cannot earn or merit God's forgiveness, believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead to pay for their sin, and ASK for forgiveness. I believe that loving your neighbor, etc are things that follow as a result of this.
That said, some people believe, and some do not. And I cannot make anyone believe. But some people seem to think they can somehow.
Christians are definitely not perfect. See: two millennia of history. Although I must seriously wonder that the worst things done in the name of god are actually done by truly believing Christians, but rather by people seeking and maintaining power over other people. Which obviously happens even today.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 5, Informative) by cmdrklarg on Friday August 17 2018, @09:36PM (3 children)
Religion has ALWAYS been about power and control over people.
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 3, Touché) by DannyB on Saturday August 18 2018, @04:27AM (2 children)
So I guess you don't think that Religion is the best way to heal a world deeply and violently divided by Religion.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 18 2018, @11:44AM (1 child)
Not the best way, by a long shot, but it will work... like a steamroller.
I have been mixed up with religions since I was brought into this world... and have come to the conclusion that spirituality and religion are two completely different animals.
Religion depends on one observing the inexplicable and arriving at the conclusion that something far greater than they caused this to be ( which is spirituality ) ..... then offer up their own explanation, thereby shanghai-ing that individual just like a phishing scam. I see religion work on people the way I see computer virus spread on networked machines, as it is coded into us since birth to be obedient to authority figures, and all it takes to shanghai a human is to get them to believe that you are an authority figure.
Most of us are so trusting and obedient that this is not a very hard thing to do - at all!
Expert psychological techniques are employed, the same as advertisers use, and things like shunning if one does not fall in line. Most people will go with the flow to avoid confronting the order-giver. So, by and large, they get free reign. Just for dressing up in costume and putting on a show. The Witch Doctor is a great example.
What it takes to break it is flat demonstrating the lies behind religions, and how the control strategy is implemented. Just like showing how a computer virus spreads.
There is much to be learned from spirituality, but there is also much to be sacrificed - uselessly - by listening to others who usually have a vested interest in what you believe.
Hint: Its not your soul they are after... its your WALLET!!!!
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Monday August 20 2018, @12:54PM
Attention: Apple Fanboys!
Calling the cult of Apple acolytes. Please pay attention to this.
Even though the messiah died of pancreatic cancer, the faithful can continue to make yearly pilgrimages to Apple's WWDC.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 2) by AthanasiusKircher on Saturday August 18 2018, @12:55AM
The Presbyterian thing was a joke. Presbyterianism originated in Scotland (well, as distinct from Calivinism, which it draws heavily on).
Hence, I was referring to the "No true Scotsman" fallacy in a tongue-in-cheek way.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by DeathMonkey on Friday August 17 2018, @06:20PM (5 children)
The words and actions of Jesus have been redacted in the American bible.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 17 2018, @06:31PM
> The words and actions of Jesus have been redacted in the American bible.
That is entirely what Prosperity Gospel is about. Trump and many toads like him follow it. That;s how they can wave the Old Testament about and say they believe it and fools project onto that the same belief in the New Testament. However, since the New Testament is the definition of Christianity, that's what they actually eschew.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 17 2018, @06:35PM (3 children)
Can't build a proper theocracy on Jesus' teachings, we'd end up in some kind of socialist utopia and the rich wouldn't be allowed to piss on the poor anymore!
(Score: 3, Interesting) by DannyB on Friday August 17 2018, @07:07PM (2 children)
If you believe what the text says, Jesus will create his own theocracy. We don't need to create one. We don't even need to try.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 17 2018, @08:08PM (1 child)
Can you tell Pence? kplzthx
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday August 17 2018, @09:16PM
Even if I could tell him, I doubt he would believe it.
I should be clear. It most certainly is possible to create a theocracy. Christians shouldn't be creating a theocracy. You can't MAKE people be true believers. You can make them SAY they believe, but what's the point?
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday August 17 2018, @06:52PM (5 children)
Several things.
Many would say the US is no longer a Christian nation. Despite Trump's base, or the number of people who wear a cross, or will state that they are a Christian. The mainstream culture, even on "family friendly" TV is decidedly not of what the Bible describes as Christian. Whether you, the reader, agree with the Bible or not, you might agree that the mainstream US culture does not embrace many things taught in the new testament.
On another point, the old testament is filled with wars and battles. The text describes some battles being directed by God's command. The text describes some battles where God will be involved in defense. The text describes other military invasions that are God's judgement upon someone.
The Bible also describes, in both old testament prophecies, in the new testament, and in the last two chapters of the revelation, the things believers hope for: a world where love DOES triumph over hate. And permanently. But it isn't here yet. You know, the beating of swords into ploughshares, and spears into pruning-hooks. Eg, making something productive out of defense contractors. In the here and now, wars do happen. There is evil. Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty in a military conflict. One example which had some element of justification was the 1990-91 invasion of Iraq.
I definitely think that forgiveness and turn the other cheek are great principles that I claim to aspire to. But there is a question of scale. If someone might destroy your entire civilization, or launch an EMP weapon that sends your hemisphere back to the stone ages, I think there is some justification to take military action. Even pre-emptive action if you have credible evidence such an attack is about to happen.
The people I tend to trust the least are the ones who claim they want to make America great again. These are the very same people who can swallow a camel when it comes to overlooking how un-"christian" Trump is, while straining at smaller things of their ideological opponents. I don't see Jesus or anyone in the new testament getting involved in politics. So I don't see a need to be 'involved' with American politics. I can have an opinion and exercise my right to vote, and express a viewpoint. But it's really not that important to me to be (very strongly) on a side. You know what they say about the choice of the lesser evil. If that's the case its good not to embrace either one too closely, even the 'lesser' evil.
As for the superiority of America. You know what I see over and over and over again, more times than I can possibly name in the old testament? Not to mention sometimes in the new testament? To welcome and treat foreigners well. To uphold the cause of the widows and the fatherless (eg, orphans). To help the poor. To avoid corruption and injustice. In almost these exact words, the number of times these things appear in the old testament is shocking. Maybe THESE are the things that made and would once again make America great again. But I won't hold my breath. Because I don't know when the 'blessed hope' will come. I'll just point out. Jesus said to Pilate: my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world then my servants would fight. What I seem to see of the vast number of professing Christians is a focus on American politics and not on advancing that kingdom. Or some of them think they are advancing that kingdom by the futility of trying to somehow create it in the here and now.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by AthanasiusKircher on Friday August 17 2018, @08:25PM (1 child)
I'll give you most of this, except for the very first one. Claiming the Old Testament was about "welcoming and treating foreigners well" is absolute nonsense. The Yahweh of the Old Testament was a tribal god, mostly protecting "His People."
Keep in mind one of the primary narratives of the Old Testament is about the time in Egypt, where the Israelites were foreigners. And yes, the OT reminds the Israelites of that later, so they shouldn't treat foreigners with contempt for no reason. BUT, look at the story of how foreigners are treated in the Exodus narrative. The Egyptians would have reasonably let the Israelites go, except Yahweh apparently deliberately "hardened Pharoah's heart" to refuse them up to the point that Yahweh could justify a genocidal purge of all firstborn in Egypt. After that Yahweh leads the Israelites to a "promised land" -- except there are a bunch of people already living there. The latter parts of the Pentateuch, Joshua, and Judges are basically the story of battles that often became nearly genocidal purges of the native population until the Jews could receive their "promised land."
Outside this primary narrative, there are numerous examples in the Old Testament of the Jewish people slaughtering, massacring, mutilating, gang raping, etc. those who were not part of their "tribe." Yes, there are occasional verses that are about welcoming STRANGERS and showing hospitality, but the general "foreign policy" of the Old Testament was about killing and maiming those from outside the tribe, claiming their "gods" were BS, and generally disrespecting foreigners (even if they weren't outright killed). Leviticus claims no gift animals from foreigners were acceptable as sacrifices -- Yahweh obviously didn't trust them. Leviticus also allows non-tribal folks to be taken as slaves. Ezra and Nehemiah are horrified at the kind of miscegenation that would occur by mixing Jewish blood with foreigners. I could go on.
Yes, there are notable counterexamples (e.g., Ruth, though arguably that story is mostly there to point out there can be exceptions to the widespread stereotype of foreigners). And there are verses that are more positive or call for protection. But the ACTIONS of the Jewish people toward other tribes are the most notable in the Old Testament. And even if outsiders were tolerated sometimes and treated with basic respect, they were never accepted into the religious community unless they basically gave up all of their own culture and beliefs.
I take your general point that most of the biblical messages aren't necessarily practiced by those who claim to be "Christian." But I definitely wouldn't hold up the Old Testament as a guideline for how to treat foreigners.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday August 17 2018, @09:24PM
You summarize it very well. And indeed the text is very clear that God hardened Pharoah's heart. (There are a few instances sometimes translated Pharoah hardened his heart, but not all.)
There are instances where God then rebukes the Israelites for this and many other things. Not just the idolatry. The major and minor prophets often spell out exactly the reason for the coming judgement. And among these are instances of the things I mentioned.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 3, Informative) by hendrikboom on Friday August 17 2018, @08:39PM
Another was the invasion of Grenada.
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Friday August 17 2018, @08:42PM (1 child)
Actually, I don't know what they say.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday August 17 2018, @09:27PM
I've heard it said, where a person says something like they will vote for the lesser of two evils.
If both are evil, it is best not to embrace either one too closely, even if you vote for one.
I hope that is more clear.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.