Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.
#1 Son of Hamas Co-Founder Denounces Palestinian Terrorist Group – This video recently published by the channel of CBN News (under the Christian Broadcasting Network) must be seen in full. Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of Hamas co-founder Sheikh Hassan Yousef, blasted the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas without hesitation. He defected from the terrorist group in the late 1990s and secretly worked with Israel’s security services to expose and prevent several Hamas terrorist attacks. He later gave his life to Christ and wrote a 2010 autobiography titled Son of Hamas. This is the YouTube video that pro-Palestine fanatics and the terrorists themselves are afraid of. Please share this video to others.
#2The Transformers: The Movie (1986) nostalgia – Like many people of my generation, I was a fan of The Transformers animated TV series. Then in 1986, a theatrical feature called The Transformers: The Movie was released in cinemas in some parts of the world at a time when Internet connection and social media were not yet common. That same movie became a must-see in our village as soon as it was made available for rent on video tape format. My friends and I had a lot of fun watching it and thanks to the advances of technology, a 4K Blu-ray of it is now available. Of course, The Transformers: The Movie was notable not only because it was the first feature-length Transformers production but also because it had the death of a major character and it marked a turning point in the lore of the Transformers which was reflected subsequently on TV. That being said, there are lots of retrospective videos, retro reviews, reaction videos and more of it on YouTube which you can see below…
#3 Examining the mental instability of climate change activists and believers – Like many others, I prefer to live in an environment that is not very dirty and has abundant clean air. Of course, that does not mean I believe in the movement of climate change which itself has armies of zealots and extremists who disrupted societies with their radical activism while spewing distorted views about many things in order to impose their agenda on others. That being said, one has to wonder how all that unrestrained activism impacted the mental health of each and every climate change believe and why could they not stop doing their stupid acts of public disruption. Fortunately, Sky News Australia made a video about that and you can watch it below…
#4 The ignorance and stupidity of pro-Palestine LGBT people exposed – As the war between Israel and Hamas continues, a lot of pro-terrorist, pro-evil and pro-Palestine rallies have happened around the world which includes zealots of the Satanic Left. Among those zealots are homosexuals and members of the LGBT people who shamelessly supported the Palestinian terrorists in varied ways. What is clear, however, is that the pro-Palestine LGBT rallyists do not even realize that homosexuality, transgender beliefs and the LGBT lifestyle in Palestinian society are NOT acceptable and these would get them into trouble (torture, imprisonment and even death). These same LGBT supporters of the Palestinians collectively attacked Israel which itself has LGBT rights and freedom established. As it is a fact that Leftists always go together with terrorists, the LGBT people’s support for the Palestinians (a displaced people who have no stake in the land of Israel at all) clearly showed their embrace of evil as well their ignorance and their acts of stupidity. It seems the LGBT activists sold their souls to the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas as well as the corrupt Palestinian Authority (PA). To learn more, watch the Sky News Australia video below…
#5 The wickedness and violent nature of the pro-Palestine activists revealed – There is a lot of anti-Semitism and hatred towards Israel that happened in the form of protests around the world. Recently in Washington, DC, a mob of pro-Palestine activists clashed with the police officers just outside the office of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). One of those activists is a Democrat (referred to the Democratic Party as “our party”) who spoke directly to the camera (starts at 0:53) as seen in the Sky News Australia video below. What is clear here is that these pro-Palestine activists in America have been brainwashed to hate Israel, to hate the Jewish people while loving the terrorists also. They have been brainwashed to be violent, to live with delusions and believe in lies. Not only that, there was another pro-Palestine protest in Germany that turned violent and resulted in the injuring of over sixty police officers. Democrats and other Satanic Left elements always go together with terrorists. In fact, the pro-Palestine believers themselves are gradually becoming new terrorists. Watch and learn from the videos below…
#6 G.I. Joe nostalgia – If you are a long-time fan of the G.I. Joe entertainment franchise or if you are a newcomer who is just starting to discover more of the said franchise, then you should check out the reruns (first video posted below) of full episodes the 1980s animated TV series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero at Hasbro’s official YouTube channel. By the way, check out my two retro comic book reviews of G.I. Joe by clicking here and here. Now, enjoy the G.I. Joe videos below…
#7 You like Team America: World Police? – I never saw the 2004 movie Team America: World Police but I saw a few puppetry shows and films when I was a little boy. Recently, YouTuber Minty Comedic Arts posted a trivia video of it which made me remember the time back in 2004 when I saw movie posters of it during a visit at the local cinema. If you are a fan of the film or if you are just discovering it, watch the videos below…
As some of you are already aware, I fully stand with Israel which is directly connected with my uncompromising faith in the Lord. The October 7, 2023 attack on Israel committed by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas is the main cause of the state of war. No matter what the terrorists and their Leftist siblings do, nothing will stop me from supporting the Jewish state as its military campaign against Hamas continues. The Palestinian terrorists are guilty of infiltration, torture, kidnapping, murdering and damages of property in Israel.
Unsurprisingly, there were also people of different nationalities in Israel who got negatively affected by Hamas. There were already a few of my fellow Filipinos there who lost their lives and the Philippine embassy has been working hard to ensure the safety of other Filipinos present.
Here is a bit of good news – Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss confirmed that Filipinos present in Israel are being taken care of, according to a GMA Network news report (which referred to an ANC interview).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…
Amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas militants, Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said Monday that Filipinos in Israel are being taken care of like family members of its citizens.
Fluss said that most of the 30,000 Filipinos in Israel “feel that they are safe” and that they wanted to stay in the Middle East country despite the fatal attacks by Hamas in Israel and vice versa.
“The Filipinos in Israel are part of us. They live with our own people… They are part of our families, they are staying in our homes. When we have to go into a sheltered room or into a bomb shelter or safety room, they come with us,” the ambassador said in an ANC interview.
“You are now joining the Israeli family which is a big family, unfortunately, of the victims of terror. And we are taking care of you as one of our big family in all different kinds of ways,” he added.
Four Filipinos were confirmed dead due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The latest casualty was an Ilongga caregiver who was one of the three Filipinos earlier reported missing.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the Philippines stands with Israel following the deadly attacks by Hamas.
To my fellow Filipinos reading this, I encourage you to accept the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be without hestitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!
In relation to the news report about the state of Filipinos in Israel, we here in the Philippines should thank and bless the Israelis in return for taking care of them as the war goes on.
We live in a very divided world. Around the world, Leftist forces have been supporting evil forces like the current regime of Iran which is known for supplying and arming the Palestinian terrorists and other terrorist groups around the Middle East. Leftist forces have been supporting the Palestinian Authority and other enemies of Israel. The Leftists and terrorists always go together and their anti-Semitism is clearly obvious. Hamas is purely evil and they are being protected by not only their fellow terrorists but also by mainstream news media outlets who are linked with Leftist forces and people who hate Israel and the Jewish people. At the same time, the Palestinian Authority and other pro-Palestine groups will do anything to mislead people and undermine Israel’s war campaigns against the terrorist group Hamas.
With all that said, it is a must we pray to the Lord God in support of Israel and believe that He will guide the Israeli forces to another victory which means finishing off Hamas. Read Joshua 11:1-20 in the Holy Bible for relevance and truth.
It has been days since the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas launched a large-scale attack against Israel using tactics of infiltration, firing of multiple rockets, violating the Israel-Gaza border, kidnapping and murdering. Israel and the rest of the world were shocked by the sudden attacks and the Israeli authorities under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership have since been working hard to fight back against the terrorists, reclaim locations and rescue the hostages. The number of casualties, deaths and damaged places are rising as I write this.
Very clearly, Iran and the Palestinian terrorists formed an axis of evil that Leftists around the world are supporting. Together, the wicked forces formed an anti-Semitic group of nations that are working to destroy Israel.
Very clearly, this is no longer about Palestinians being the so-called victims of the Jewish state. The Palestinian terrorists are driven by hate and were brainwashed to destroy Israel which happens to be the most significant Jewish nation in the whole world. Hamas and its evil army have Democrats in America as supporters and it so happens that the mentally deteriorating Joe Biden is occupying the Office of the US President. The Communist Biden administration has a pretentious diplomatic relationship with Israel and to this day the Democrats still love terrorists.
Considering all the evil forces of this world and their attempts to destroy the Jewish state, I can declare out loud that my love for Israel and Jewish people remains rock solid. My love for Israel and its people is directly connected with my unwavering faith in Lord Jesus and the Word of God! That being said, I am confident that Prime Minister Netanyahu and the government of Israel will defeat Hamas, bring Gaza down a certain degree, and rescue any remaining hostages. It is a matter of time before Israel’s next victory over the Palestinian terrorists happen.
Trust in the Lord because Israel is part of His plan! I stand with Israel knowing God is faithful and eventually Lord Jesus will return someday to impact the world with immense holiness!
In line with what I just stated above, I urge you all reading this to pray for the peace of Jerusalem! Be led by the Holy Spirit with the following translations of Psalm 122:6-9 below…
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.”
For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.
Psalm 122:6-9 (NKJV)
Pray for Jerusalem’s peace!
Prosperity to all you Jerusalem-lovers!
Friendly insiders, get along!
Hostile outsiders, keep your distance!
For the sake of my family and friends,
I say it again: live in peace!
For the sake of the house of our God, God,
I’ll do my very best for you.
Psalm 122:6-9 (MSG)
Watch this CBN YouTube video about praying for the peace of Jerusalem…
As mentioned earlier, the next victory of Israel is just waiting to happen. It happened before and it will happen again. God also has His timing and He knows how faithful the Israelites are to Him in times of war. Hamas really will be crushed in due time. Learn from the scripture below…
And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor heard these things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph, and to the kings who were from the north, in the mountains, in the plain south of Chinneroth, in the lowland, and in the heights of Dor on the west, to the Canaanites in the east and in the west, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite in the mountains, and the Hivite below Hermon in the land of Mizpah. So they went out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots. And when all these kings had met together, they came and camped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.
But the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow about this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” So Joshua and all the people of war with him came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and they attacked them. And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel, who defeated them and chased them to Greater Sidon, to the Brook Misrephoth, and to the Valley of Mizpah eastward; they attacked them until they left none of them remaining. So Joshua did to them as the Lord had told him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.
Joshua turned back at that time and took Hazor, and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor was formerly the head of all those kingdoms. And they struck all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was none left breathing. Then he burned Hazor with fire.
So all the cities of those kings, and all their kings, Joshua took and struck with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded. But as for the cities that stood on their mounds, Israel burned none of them, except Hazor only, which Joshua burned. And all the spoil of these cities and the livestock, the children of Israel took as booty for themselves; but they struck every man with the edge of the sword until they had destroyed them, and they left none breathing. As the Lord had commanded Moses His servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.
Thus Joshua took all this land: the mountain country, all the South, all the land of Goshen, the lowland, and the Jordan plain—the mountains of Israel and its lowlands, from Mount Halak and the ascent to Seir, even as far as Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings, and struck them down and killed them. Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. All the others they took in battle. For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that He might utterly destroy them, and that they might receive no mercy, but that He might destroy them, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Joshua 11:1-20 (NKJV)
Victory of Israel over Hamas is inevitable and it does not matter that pro-terrorist/pro-Palestine people around the world will react violently and spread their lies through Leftist mainstream news media outlets. What really matters are faith in the Lord, faith in His Word and His plan for the world with Israel as the beacon (model nation for all).
I should remind you all that the Palestinians have no stake in the land of Israel at all! God established His covenant with Abraham whose rightful heir has always been Isaac (the father of Jacob who was later renamed Israel). I understand that the anti-Semitic, the woke, the political correctness extremists, the LGBTQ, the Leftists, the atheists, the secularists, the idolaters and other people still under wicked influences will bash me for telling the truth and preaching His Word but I will never be stopped! Learn from the scriptures below.
God told Abram: “Leave your country, your family, and your father’s home for a land that I will show you.
I’ll make you a great nation
and bless you.
I’ll make you famous;
you’ll be a blessing.
I’ll bless those who bless you;
those who curse you I’ll curse.
All the families of the Earth
will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 12:1-3 (MSG)
And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.”
Genesis 35:10-12 (NKJV)
Finally, I know the truth that vengeance belongs to the Lord. That being said, God will have His vengeance against the enemies of Israel and that means grave punishment for Hamas and all those who supported the terrorists.
Beloved, don’t be obsessed with taking revenge, but leave that to God’s righteous justice. For the Scriptures say: “Vengeance is mine, and I will repay,” says the Lord.
Romans 12:19 (TPT)
Vengeance is Mine, and recompense;
Their foot shall slip in due time;
For the day of their calamity is at hand,
And the things to come hasten upon them.’
Deuteronomy 32:35 (NKJV)
As written in the Holy Bible, Israel is strongly connected with the Lord. God is faithful. He is in control of His Kingdom and He will intervene on behalf of Israel in this very divided and destructive world we live in. Israel will emerge victorious over Hamas and that should send a strong message to Iran’s evil regime and the Democrats of America that God and Israel are not to be messed with.
I stand with Israel! I encourage you all to stand united with Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from watching the movie Cloak & Dagger (1984) and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back my readers, fellow movie buffs and 20th century pop culture enthusiasts! Decades ago, I got to watch the movie Cloak & Dagger when it was first released on home video. As time passed by, I got to replay it on cable TV and DVD. I have yet to see its 4K Blu-ray disc version (note: you can order it here) Starring Henry Thomas (the star of Steven Spielberg’s E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial) and Dabney Coleman, Cloak & Dagger was one of those American movies that did not succeed in movie theaters but found its audience on home video, cable TV and free TV.
The 1984 movie was released at a time when video games gradually made its way into motion pictures in varied ways just before Nintendo started reshaping video gaming. Back then, I was very young and already got into playing games on console and at the arcade which helped me relate with the video game elements of Cloak & Dagger. In case you are wondering, the filmmakers and Atari, Inc. itself collaborated together. There may be some among you who never saw this 1980s flick and some of you may be wondering what is significant about Cloak & Dagger and why is it the topic of this retro movie review.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Cloak & Dagger (1984) directed by Richard Franklin and written by Tom Holland and Nancy Dowd inspired by the short story “The Boy Cried Murder” written by Cornell Woolrich. This movie is the 4th cinematic adaptation of the said short story.
The movie poster of Cloak & Dagger (1984)
Early story
The story begins with Jack Flack (Dabney Coleman) overcoming Soviet guards to enter a place to retrieve top secret documents from incoming people. It turns out that Jack Flack is nothing more than a fictional character imagined by a young boy named Davey (Henry Thomas) who keeps on immersing himself with flights of fantasies, loves playing games and believes that real life is filled with enough opportunities and places to play. In the presence of game store owner Morris (William Forsythe) and his little blonde neighbor Kim (Christina Nigra), Davey boasts a lot about Jack Flack as if he was a real-life hero and even talks to him as his imaginary companion that no one else could see nor hear. Inspired by the said character and the world of espionage he always imagined, the boy carries with him a black water pistol for a “gun” and a softball for a “grenade”.
Morris then sends Davey and Kim out to do a real assignment – an errand to travel within the city going to a certain company and retrieve something for him. Afterwards, the two commuted and entered a building which Davey does with his fantasy of espionage and infiltration burning in his mind. Leaving Kim on the ground floor, he climbs up the stairs until he reaches a certain window and sees something sinister going on in the next level as reflected on one of the windows outside.
Suddenly a door opens near him and a wounded man slowly hands him an Atari 5200 cartridge titled Cloak & Dagger, tells him to bring it to the FBI, and mentions “one million three hundred twenty nine.”
The door near them suddenly opens with two armed men emerging. Right in the presence of Davey, they opened fire at the wounded man who fell down to his death. Davey just became the witness of an actual murder and becomes the target of the two gunmen…
Quality
Henry Thomas and Christina Nigra as Davey and Kim respectively.
To get to straight to the point, I can declare that this movie is very clearly a spy thriller designed to engage both children and adults. It took the key concept of the short story “The Boy Cried Murder” and implemented it into its very own tale that happens to be set during Ronald Reagan’s America (the 1980s) with elements of video games, espionage and even murder mixed together.
The story told through Davey was crafted to be entertaining while keeping viewers in suspense as to how the overly imaginative young boy would deal with real-life danger and consequences as he became the target of murderous men who would not stop at all. Davey is clearly in danger for much of the movie and you will get to sympathize with him and wish he should stop being obsessed with fantasy so he could overcome the trials that were happening. This is, indeed, a well structure and nicely directed work by Richard Franklin who seem to be inspired by past works of Alfred Hitchcock (note: Franklin directed the sequel to Hitchcock’s classic Psycho).
As mentioned earlier, this movie was made to engage both children and adults. Cloak & Dagger is not exactly a wholesome viewing experience as its presentation has always been quite intense because of on-screen violence that was executed carfully. There are guns, shooting and even killing in this flick which proved to be integral to the overall presentation and clearly added to the thrill factor. You will get to see getting Davey shot at by the armed henchmen (Eloy Casados and Tim Rossovich) who clearly do not give a damn of shooting a minor as they are so focused on their mission. Looking at the henchmen in this film, I can imagine them as traitorous Americans conspiring with their nation’s foreign enemies such as the Soviets, the Iranians and the Palestinians. Along the way, there is the clear villain named Rice (Michael Murphy) who has this subtle touch of evil as well as a good amount of sleaziness in him. While the violence is intense, it does not necessarily push this film into rated R territory.
Michael Murphy as the sleazy villain who is willing to kill Davey even though he is a minor.
The two henchmen about to commit murder in the presence of Davey. There is evil visible in their faces.
Henry Thomas really shines as the protagonist here. While Davey here shares a few elements with E.T.’s Elliot – struggling to move forward with the absence of one parent and adjusting his life with what he perceives to be the best ways possible – he truly dramatizes how weird and wild he could be living his life with a very loose grip on reality. For him, local society in San Antonio, Texas, provides him a huge playground for his spy game and he sure distracts people as he walks by them talking to his imaginary friend Jack Flack. Still, there are key parts of the story in which Henry Thomas convincingly dramatizes Davey who feels lonely inside as he misses his late mother and is unable to spend quality time with his father. Thomas also acted with intensity in the scene in which he makes a trade with the villain and also during his last face-off with him in the 2nd half of the film. Henry Thomas really was a good youth actor and his performance here is often overshadowed by his role in Spielberg’s E.T.
Dabney Coleman on the other hand plays both Jack Flack and Davey’s father Hal. Coleman is quite versatile playing different characters here. As Jack Flack, he fits in excellently into Davey’s uncontrolled belief of espionage as he gives him advise which were taken seriously leading into danger. Of course, advising Davey does not really mean the fictional spy cares for him on a personal level and you will eventually Flack’s true value before the film ends. Flack’s final moments could inspire you to re-examine the true meaning of heroism. As Hal, Coleman convincingly plays the father who has been so busy working in the Air Force as an air traffic controller, he has been unable to spend quality time with his son and the recent death of his wife really took its toll on their family. Compared to Jack Flack, Hal is indeed caring towards his son but his hectic work schedule prevents him from bonding closely with him. Coleman delivered a fine performance during the scene when Hal explains to Davey what real-world heroism is and that not all heroes just shoot bad guys. There definitely are helpful values on parenting within Hal.
Henry Thomas and Dabney Coleman are really convincing as son and father.
Thomas and Coleman artistically have really fine chemistry together as the father and son (Hal and Davey) and as the wannabe adventurer spending lots of time with his action hero (Davey and Jack Flack). Considering Davey’s obsession with fantasy and the attention he pays so much to Jack Flack, he was practically living with idolatry and foolishness. If you observe closely, Davey is very lively with Flack and not so lively with his father.
Even though this movie is fictional, it still dramatizes that parenting will never be easy. That being said, this should inspire parents and also incoming parents to prepare themselves on nurturing their children and ensure they help them understand the differences between reality and fantasy.
Video game elements
Screenshot from the Cloak & Dagger arcade game. This game can be played nowadays through Antstream Arcade on Xbox consoles.
To make things very clear, Cloak & Dagger (1984) is not an adaptation of the electronic game that was released the same year. Rather it has the Cloak & Dagger game as a key plot element in the form of an Atari 5200 game cartridge (referred to as a “tape”) which the movie dramatizes to be real.
As a kid, I got to play arcade and console games a lot. As such, seeing Davey play the Cloak & Dagger game on his Atari 5200 as well as gameplay footage was a very entertaining viewing experience for me the first time I ever saw this movie. It was a scene I personally related with.
In real life, however, the Cloak & Dagger game from Atari, Inc. was released only in the arcades as the efforts to create a port for the Atari 5200 never got fulfilled. That being said, it was through very clever film editing that video footage of the arcade version were inserted into the scene in which Davey played the Cloak & Dagger cartridge on his console in the presence of his father. To clarify things, the Atari 5200 was a commercial failure in real life and it seems that making a console version of the arcade game did not make business sense to Atari, Inc. at all.
If you want to play the Cloak & Dagger arcade game in your home right now, you will need an Xbox console and Antstream Arcade ($30 for 1-year subscription, $80 for lifetime pass). Cloak & Dagger is just one of over a thousand games available through Antstream Arcade and you can learn more by clicking here and here.
Conclusion
Henry Thomas as an armed Davey.
I have seen Cloak & Dagger (1984) many times throughout my life from childhood and to adulthood. I can clearly say that this 1980s movie is still really good to watch as its appeal to both children and adults remains strong and intact. It is a medium-paced spy thriller that not only follows a young boy who witnesses and murder and gets into danger (note: even his neighbor gets involved) but also dramatizes (in entertaining ways) how dangerous situations can get when you are living with uncontrolled personal fantasy and interacting with a heroic friend who does not really exist. Considering the time this movie was released, I am delighted to tell you cautious readers that there definitely is no wokeness nor were there any traces of political correctness that got in the way of its presentation. Going back to the parenting aspect of this film, it is made clear that children need their parents for moral support and there is absolutely no way that games, fictional heroes and geek culture could ever be good alternatives. Like the adults, children should never lose their grip on reality and should be taught that uncontrolled fantasy can lead to real-life danger. Very clearly, director Richard Franklin and the crew did a fine job telling a solid story and emphasizing the main characters while also providing suspense, action and thrills.
Considering all the mixed elements it has, Cloak & Dagger (1984) can be engaging towards parents, their children, fans of espionage and people who love video games. Finally, I should state that the City of San Antonio in the Lone Star State of Texas is indeed a great location for filmmaking and viewing.
Welcome back my readers, fellow people of faith and those who love entertainment. Today, I want to emphasize something within the 1983 sci-fi epic TV miniseries V: The Original Miniseries.
Before I proceed, I want to address the newcomers reading this. V: The Original Miniseries was about alien humanoids from space who arrived on Earth “in peace” but gradually took control of the world and its people through varied means. Told through the viewpoints of affected Americans in California, V: The Original Miniseries was a cerebral and reflective form of science fiction entertainment that strongly parallels Nazi German’s occupation and takeover of countries in Europe in relation to World War II. As expected, a group of resisting people forms led by a reluctant young woman.
I personally love V: The Original Miniseries as well as its 1984 sequel V: The Final Battle. I own Blu-ray discs of the two mini-series (click here and here) and I encourage you to check out my retro reviews (click here and here). To this day, both mini-series remain solid to watch and are worth replaying all over again in my experience.
Going back to the subject matter of this post, the one significant scene of V: The Original Miniseries I want to emphasize is the prayer scene in the 2nd episode. The prayer scene took place just before the human resistance (led by Julie Parrish played by Faye Grant supported by Mike Donovan played by Marc Singer, Caleb Taylor played by Jason Bernard and others) execute their desperate moves to free their people from the Visitors (the aliens). Watch below the video clip I recorded off-screen while replaying V: The Original Miniseries on Blu-ray disc…
The prayer scene of V: The Original Miniseries.
As you can see in the above clip, the affected people were about to pull off a major push back against the Visitors from outer space. They no longer had the local police (who are already working with the aliens) nor the National Guard, nor the State Government of California nor any American authority to help them. Caleb, who lost a son, reminded Julie of having a prayer as he knew that without the Lord, everything they will do will fail. Caleb knew that as a rebelling force, they could not succeed against the Visitors by focusing on themselves, their resources and their abilities. Caleb knew they had to look up to God even though he does not know the state of each group member’s personal connection with Him. It was also symbolic to see Julie Parrish declare amen before finally giving the go-signal for their next operation which eventually served as the series of spectacle (action scenes) and suspense serving as the big pay-off for viewers.
Within the context of the what happened in the 2nd episode of the mini-series, Julie and her crew moved to secure essential equipment and military hardware at a local facility guarded by the Visitors which results in acts of violence as both sides fire at each other. These scenes happened after the prayer scene.
That being said, I want to make clear that I am not emphasizing the concept of praying to God to be able to win against the oppositionby means of violence. Violence and using the very methods of wicked people as a means of getting back at them are clearly not the ways under the watch of the Lord. God has a plan for each and every one of us and we have Lord Jesus to follow to save the lost and unsaved souls. The Lord has His ways of defeating Satan and his pawns, and we only need to follow the Lord instead of taking matters on our own hands.
If you are oppressed and you truly need the Lord’s help for favor and breakthroughs, let the Holy Spirit guide you instead of giving in to your fleshly desire of using force on those who attacked you. Do not even think about using the ways the evil ones used against you. Trust in Him, not the worldly and certainly not your flesh. Always remember that vengeance is the Lord’s. Read the bible verses below…
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:19-21 (NKJV)
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God’s] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (requite), says the Lord.
But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.
Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good.
Romans 12:19-21 (AMPC)
Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, in the time when their foot shall slide; for the day of their disaster is at hand and their doom comes speedily.
Deuteronomy 32:35 (AMPC)
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
Romans 1:18 (NLT)
For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’
Isaiah 41:13 (NKJV)
As seen among the bible scriptures above, Romans 12:19-21 should remind you all that vengeance is the Lord’s and we only need to follow Him because He knows best and has the means to help us overcome the forces of evil. In relation to that, this should remind you all that V: The Original Miniseries is not a faith-based story. Rather, it is a science fiction tale designed to entertain viewers while emphasizing the concept of what the world would be like if people welcomed foreign entities to come in peace pretentiously and take over societies by means of force, violence and fascism. Take note that the mini-series was released at a time when science fiction movies and TV shows were in high demand arguably due to George Lucas’ Star Wars.
The prayer sceneshould serve as a reminder that we the faithful in real life should keep trusting in the Lord and we need to support each other and strengthen our faith in Him no matter how twisted the world is around us. That is what makes it significant as part of the mini-series. Learn from the scriptures below…
For wherever two or three come together in honor of my name, I am right there with them!
Matthew 18:20 (TPT)
Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:5-6 (NKJV)
In Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear).
Ephesians 3:12 (AMPC)
Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV)
For God has not appointed us to [incur His] wrath [He did not select us to condemn us], but [that we might] obtain [His] salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)
Who died for us so that whether we are still alive or are dead [at Christ’s appearing], we might live together with Him and share His life.
Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 (AMPC)
Finally, while focusing on being with other people of faith and praying to the Lord together as a united body of His, learn from the scriptures below pertaining to Lord Jesus’ ascension to Heaven and His faithful followers (the early Christians) who stayed united together at the Upper Room in Jerusalem and prayed together knowing they are living on with His victory. May this encourage you to be with your fellow spiritual family (God’s family) members and pray to Him together.
Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Acts 1:9-14 (NKJV)
Now watch this video I recorded during my first-ever visit to the Upper Room in Jerusalem which was part of the pilgrimage tour I joined with my local church.
This was from my 2nd visit to the Upper Room in Jerusalem. I went to Israel on a pilgrimage tour with my local church because I desired to seek God’s kingdom there (read Matthew 6:33).
From this point on, I would like to reach out to all the lost and the unsaved people reading this. Did a religious and idolatrous extremist ruin your life? Have you been living in bondage for too long? Did the atheists, the humanists and the secularists fool you and abused you? Were you involved in the terrorist activities of Iran or the Palestinians? Have you been living as a homosexual or as a transgendered person? Are you still addicted to sex, drugs and other inappropriate elements? Did you spend an entire life worshiping statues, statuettes, images, people and relics? Are you a toxic person or one of those modern-day Leftist activists (Black Lives Matter, Democratic Socialists of America, Antifa, the abortionists and others) who got fed up fighting for worthless causes? Did you kill someone and have been living so long with the guilt?
All of the darkness related to what was mentioned above can finally end and you can decide to do it! How? You can save yourselves by submitting yourselves to the Lord Jesus willingly and realize He is the Light! There is no force and no coercion here. You have time and freedom to decide to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. For those who have decided to get born again now and gain salvation, please read the instructions and follow the prayer that I learned from a pastor.
Are you ready? Firstly, open your heart to the Lord and pray this simple prayer in sincerity from your heart:
Father God,
I thank You. I believe Jesus is Your Son. I believe that He died for me and redeemed me from all of my sins. He took my sins and, Father, thank You for loving me and You demonstrated Your love for me through Your Son Jesus Christ. Forgive me for all of my sins. Jesus, I open my heart to You. I welcome You to enter into my heart. I confess today that You are now my Lord and Savior. Thank You for forgiveness. I receive forgiveness. Thank You for Your blood that cleansed me from all of my sins. I will follow You, Jesus. Thank You for Your plan. I receive the Holy Spirit. And Holy Spirit, help me to follow the will of God in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Congratulations! You are now a child of God! You have received Holy Spirit in your heart! This is easily your greatest decision ever made and also the greatest miracle of your life. Always praise, thank and honor the Lord. No more darkness in your life caused by politics, radicalism, toxicity, rebellion, religion, unbelief, evil, idolatry, traditions and rituals! Leave behind the darkness of your life and don’t look back to it. Remember that idolatry is evil, Purgatory is a lie, penance is a deception and Satan always used religion and unbelief to prevent people from being saved by the Lord. Also, do not ever hail Mary (the mother of Lord Jesus) because all the praise and honor belong to God, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit only.
With Lord Jesus, you are already moving forward and the best is yet to come! You also have a personal relationship with God, a relationship that is strictly off-limits to others (even to your household members or biological family members).
The Holy Bible is the ultimate authority and nothing else comes close to it for it is the Word of God. Remember always that Lord Jesus did not die on the cross to start religion. He died to redeem us all and showed that we must be led by faith in Him, faith in the Holy Spirit and faith in God the Heavenly Father. He rose from the dead and made His earthly presence felt once more to those who believed in Him. Lord Jesus ascended to Heaven and He promised to return in the future. His return is what we must always remember and keep living with holiness under the watch of God. We can do our part in building up God’s kingdom here on Earth by preaching His Word, blessing the Jewish people and saving the countless lost and unsaved souls around us by leading them to Lord Jesus. Living as a Christian is always about the personal relationship with the Lord, and it is certainly not about religion. Never let the idolaters, the idol makers, the ritual practitioners and other sinister forces fool you into becoming unholy.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved and the lost souls out there.
Welcome back my readers and fellow people of faith! By now, you should be aware of my love for Israel and the Jewish people. I was there in Israel this past February because I seek God’s kingdom (Matthew 6:33) in the Holy Land, and I blogged many times about it (to read my Israel 2023 articles, click here, here, here, here, here and here) and I’ll be posting more about the pilgrimage tour I joined. Check out the video clips of my time in Israel below…
For this post, I want to highlight the 75th year of independence of Israel. Seventy-five years ago, the State of Israel was established which marked the fulfilment of God’s promise to the Jewish people (Abraham’s descendants through his son Isaac and grandson Jacob).
For behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,’ says the Lord. ‘And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.’
Jeremiah 30:3 (NKJV)
The land of Israel was designated by God for the Jewish people and no other (read Genesis 35:10-12 in the Holy Bible). The Lord Himself declared that He bless those who bless His people, and He will curse those who curse His people (read Genesis 12:1-3). God protected Israel and the Jewish people when the Arab nations attacked them shortly after the 1948 establishment of the State of Israel, during the Six Day war in 1967 and the war in 1973.
Israel survived and their people are growing and thriving no matter what attacks the terrorists and Leftists do against them. Let it be clear that evil forces of the world such as Iran, the Palestinian terrorists, Black Lives Matter, Antifa, socialists, Communists, Marxists, liberals, the demonic Democrats of America and all the other terrorists and anti-Semitic forces have no stake in Israel and its future while the eternal God is watching! Israel and the Jewish people are here to stay and they still have time to come to Lord Jesus willingly! I encourage you to stand united with Israel as part of your Christian living. When you think about your faith in Lord Jesus, be mindful of the time He spent in Israel and the impact of His holiness on the people.
Seventy-five years ago, a declaration signed in a Tel Aviv art gallery changed the world forever.
Against overwhelming odds, the fledgling State of Israel not only survived, but has grown beyond expectation, launching it for the next three quarters of a century on the path to becoming a world power.
David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s leading founder and first prime minister, declared the birth of modern Israel in Tel Aviv’s Independence Hall on May 14, 1948, and for the first time in nearly 2,000 years, the Jewish people had a nation.
“Ben-Gurion chose the words, ‘we hereby declare the establishment of a Jewish state in the Land of Israel to be known as the State of Israel,’” Independence Hall tour guide Isaac Dror recalled. “This was the birth of a Jewish state as for all Jews. Ben Gurion was standing here as the voice of 11 million Jews around the world who had no voice, who had no address and nowhere to go to.”
Dror leads the education effort at the site. “This was promised to us by God,” he explained. “We are the only people in the history of the world that live on the same land, speak in the same language and believe in the same God more than 3,000 years.”
From a Biblical perspective, many see Israel fulfilling the prophecy in the book of Ezekiel, where the “dry bones” of the Jewish people come to life after two thousand years of exile.
Organizations such as the Jewish Agency helped lay the groundwork for the two thousand years in the making of the Jewish state.
Danielle Mor of the Jewish Agency told CBN News, “The Jewish Agency was the lead organization in establishing and giving birth to the modern state of Israel. The whole purpose of establishing the Jewish Agency was, on the one hand, unite the global Jewish people, and to bring the global Jewish people in front of the British mandate to be the organization that would lead and establish a national home for the Jewish people in the land of Israel.”
Dani Dayan, Chairman of Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, recounted the genocide that preceded Israel’s independence. “To fully comprehend the miracle of the country’s birth,” he said,” consider that it happened in the shadow of the Holocaust – or “Shoah” in Hebrew – when the world learned how Nazi Germany murdered six million Jews.”
He continued, “When you understand that only three years after the end of the Shoah, the lowest point the Jewish people reached in its exile, we started our redemption process and we … regained our independence after 2000 years of terrible events. Well, if that’s not a miracle, I don’t know what a miracle is,” he said.
Even so, Dayan dispels one myth about the connection between Israel’s beginning and the Holocaust.
“Israel was not established because of the Holocaust. Israel was established in spite of the Holocaust,” he insisted. “Israel would have been a much (more) robust, greater, secure, successful country if there were additional 6 million Jews and their descendants in the world. But Israel is the guarantee that they will be no more – no other Shoah for the Jewish people.”
Now, after 75 years, Israel maintains its safety and security with one of the most powerful militaries in the world.
Former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Jonathan Conricus described how the military was transformed.
“Then, it was small units of very (patriotic) people, some of them Holocaust survivors, who just came off the boat from Europe and put on IDF uniforms and joined battle and defended Israel in 1948 against six Arab armies. Today, we are a highly organized, developed, and well-funded military, perhaps the strongest in the region, that enjoys a significant technological advantage over all of our enemies.”
Israel is also an economic miracle. This tiny country of less than 10 million people has the highest concentration of new businesses per capita in the world, earning it the nickname of “Startup Nation.”
Jon Medved, founder of Our Crowd, a venture capital investment company, showcases these accomplishments in his annual investor summit.
“This is what Israel is supposed to be doing,” he explained. “If Israel wasn’t the startup nation, what are we going to be? Okay, I’m sorry, this is our destiny. Our destiny is to create. Our destiny is to you know, fix the world.”
Medved added, “And we’re just a little people. We make a lot of noise, but I think most Israelis – if they wear a yarmulke or they don’t wear a yarmulke – view this as a spiritual undertaking, that we are doing this not just to make money, but to do good.”
Yet throughout its history, Israel has faced nearly insurmountable odds. Just hours after Ben-Gurion declared the state, 6 Arab nations drive to drive it into the sea.
While it survived, Israel would be challenged again in the 1967 Six-Day War the 1973 Yom Kippur war. After thousands of years in exile and 75 years as a country, Israel stands, despite enemies within, along each border, and beyond.
For Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a former Israeli ambassador to the U.S., the phenomenon has one explanation. “It’s a modern miracle, the rebirth of the Jewish state against all odds,” he told CBN News.
Be thankful to God that the State of Israel continues to thrive no matter what their internal problems and external challenges are. Be thankful to Him as many millions of people around the world who believe and follow Lord Jesus now have more opportunities to visit the Holy Land to deepen their faith in Him even more.
Recently Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., emphasized the need to use new technologies so that the country will be able to improve the management of its water resources and ensure a stable supply for the people, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. Along the way, Marcos mentioned Israel as a role model that the Philippines can learn from to achieve water security.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday emphasized the need to use new and emerging technologies to improve the management of the country’s water resources and provide safe and affordable water to all.
Marcos made the statement during the opening of the 6th Edition of the Water Philippines Conference and Exposition at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
“I happened to have been given the opportunity to walk around a little bit and see some of the exhibitors. And it is very gratifying to note that in fact, the technologies that are being used, that are being employed in terms of water treatment, in terms of water management are well-known technologies,” he said. “And so, I am very optimistic that the solutions that we need to formulate are out there, the technologies are out there. What has continued to change in the light of climate change is the management, the stratagems on how we manage our water.”
Marcos particularly pointed out that flood control projects have evolved through the years, along with the changing times, noting that these are no longer just exclusively used for that.
“We take the water and we use it for irrigation, we use it for drinking water if we have a treatment plant,” he said, adding that water can be used to produce power with small hydroelectric plants.
He also cited Israel’s experience showing how it promotes the sustainable use of clean water for various purposes despite having a limited water supply.
“I’d spent some time in Israel and I saw how they treat the water because water is very scarce. They live in the desert. Nevertheless, they are able to collect the water during the rainy season, whatever is available, they put fish in it to grow fish. When the summer comes, they take it out, take out the water, harvest the fish, and then that goes to irrigation and so forth,” Marcos said.
He said the Philippines could learn from Israel and apply this approach to achieve water security.
“These are the kinds of thinking that we have to apply to the Philippines because of the crisis that we are facing and how debilitating it will be to the entire economy, to the entire society if our water supply problem continues to get greater, continues to become more dependent on what we have been doing in the past,” he said.
It is very notable that President Marcos mentioned Israel while talking about the state of water in the Philippines. I myself had been to Israel recently on pilgrimage tour and there were times when our tour bus traveled great distances on desert areas, I did not just see sand and rocks. I saw lots of plantations along the road and the sight of lively vegetation in the desert of Israel was astounding. Israel is very well known not only for their highly advanced treatment and management of water, they are also highly proficient on agriculture and creating abundant supplies of food. Very recently, the 65th anniversary of friendship between Israel and the Philippines was commemorated. We need to pray to the Lord that President Marcos and an official delegation of the Philippines will someday visit Israel and have official meetings with their Israeli counterparts, meet with the Filipino community there and come up with new agreements for greater cooperation between the two nations.
To my fellow Filipinos reading this, I encourage you to accept the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed by all. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel.
The month of February 2023 is indeed exceptional. In my experience, I had the greatest overseas trip of my life as I went to Israel on a pilgrimage tour with my local church. There, I witnessed the Holy Bible come to life at the many sites in the Holy Land. As such, I am grateful to the Lord and will always be faithful to Him.
On another significant matter, February 2023 also marked the 65th year of Israel-Philippines friendship which was celebrated a few weeks back according to a news article by the Philippines News Agency (PNA). For the newcomers reading this, Israel and the Philippines have a deep relationship with each other and lots of cooperation has been done.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippines and Israel celebrated 65 years of friendship on Sunday, marking an already warm and historic relations with increased interactions in the areas of agriculture, commerce, and development.
In the past 12 months alone, the two nations signed various deals — from a memorandum of understanding to initiate joint activities on trade and investment to a cooperation agreement in technological innovation, research, and development.
The “milestone” Philippine-Israel Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement was also concluded in June 2022, signaling the two nations commitment to create environment for investments in water management, agriculture, cybersecurity, defense industry, smart transportation, manufacturing, and diamond industry development, among others.
Envisioning an even closer economic relations in the years beyond, Israel Ambassador to Manila Ilan Fluss sees the field of innovation as an area the two countries could further develop.
“My vision is that we will establish bridges of innovation in technology between Israel and the Philippines,” he told the Philippine News Agency in a recent interview.
“For this, we’re working a lot on both on two levels, one on the startup community and how we can get an exchange between startups and to get Philippine startups enter into Israel,” he added.
As an innovation hub, Fluss believes Israel could support the Philippines in building a stronger startup industry through training and guidance in “internationalizing” Filipino startups.
In 2022, there were over 6,000 startups active in Israel, making the country a world leader in startups per capita.
Israeli firms, on the other hand, could enter the Philippines and provide solutions that address challenges unique to the country.
“[The Philippines] could help Israeli startups who are usually focused more on the developed markets, enter into the Philippines, adjusting what they’re doing to the challenges in the Philippines which are different than Europe and the United States,” Fluss said.
“So we want to help them diversify and enter the Philippine markets. So this is a very major effort that we are doing in the embassy,” he added.
Israel and the Philippines’ friendship is founded on deep historical and moral connections, with Manila opening its doors to 1,300 Holocaust refugees in late 1930s even before Israel became a state.
The Philippines was one of the 33 countries to vote in favor of a United Nations resolution in 1947 that created the State of Israel.
65 years of not only friendship but strong cooperation and commitments between Israel and the Philippines clearly shows that the two nations were chosen by God to be together. Be thankful to God for all the breakthroughs and the continuing progress of Israel-Philippines ties. Israel-Philippines ties are essential!
To my fellow Filipinos reading this, I encourage you to accept the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed by all. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel.
In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure and enlightenment. I encourage you all to watch them.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…
Israel wants to increase cooperation with the Philippines on agriculture, cybersecurity, and other areas of mutual interest after the two countries cap their 12th Joint Commission Meeting this week.
The political dialogue, held in Manila on Sept. 5, was led by Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Alfonso Ver and Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Director General for Asia and the Pacific Rafael Harpaz.
“The Israeli delegation emphasized building bridges of innovations between the two countries in the areas of agritech, watertech, cybersecurity, ICT and connectivity, and more. Also included in the agenda is the topic of counterterrorism and the expansion of the defense cooperation between Israel with the Philippines,” the Israel Embassy in Manila said in a statement.
The delegations also discussed regional and international developments, particularly in the Middle East, Iran, and the West Philippine Sea.
On agriculture, Israel Ambassador Ilan Fluss said Israel would share with the Philippines its expertise as the two sides discussed solar-powered irrigation, increasing dairy output, as well as Israel’s agriculture internship for Filipinos.
“We are happy to share our expertise in the field of agriculture with the Philippines to address productivity and food security,” he said, citing a recent meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who sought to enhance agriculture cooperation with Israel.
Be thankful to the Lord as Israel-Philippines ties continue to grow stronger. Israel’s willingness to engage with the Philippines on agriculture and cyber security is essential. More than ever, Philippine agriculture needs to improve dramatically not just to keep up with the world but also to ensure a huge and stable supply of food for the people. Enhancing cyber security will make the Philippines more secure and also become a more attractive and safer place for technology developers, foreign investors and the like. Keep on praying to Him to have the two nations rise high strongly and stand out among all nations of this very divided world we live in. Pray to Him that no enemy will ever succeed on opposing Israel and the Philippines. The evil ones will be exposed and will fall down in due time.
If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.
Since August 9 of 1957, Israel and the Philippines had been friends and the diplomatic ties between them prospered through the decades. In 2018, then President Rodrigo Duterte and a contingent of officials visited Israel. There, then Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Duterte. During the COVID-19 crisis, Israel assisted the Philippines in varied such as having Filipinos in Israel vaccinated and by also sending their health experts to the Philippines.
Indeed, the ties between the Philippines and Israel are essential. The celebration of 65 years of diplomatic ties between the two nations is real and the Manila Bulletin reported about it recently.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from report of Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippines and Israel are celebrating their 65th year of diplomatic relationship this year.
On August 9, 1957, the two nations started fostering their relations, with Israel providing capacity building programs for Filipinos in the agriculture sector.
Israel has been providing assistance to Filipinos in advanced farming practices and data-driven agricultural management systems, as part of the Philippines’ campaign to stabilize the price of commodities and strengthen long-term food security.
As of 2021, the Philippines and Israel recorded a total of $354,349,790 in trade, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
Israel also exported $268,096,401 worth of products to the Philippines, DFA added.
In July, Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss met with Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles of the new Marcos administration to discuss possible collaboration and ways to strengthen the embassy’s connection with the Office of the Press Secretary in sharing the initiatives and partnerships between Israel and the Philippines.
Fluss said Israel’s expertise in cybersecurity, digital diplomacy, and media tech could be deployed for faster and more comprehensive delivery of news and information in the remote areas in the Philippines.
Responding to President Marcos’ first State of the Nation Address, Fluss also said Israel is looking forward to achieving the chief executives’ vision, “especially in the fields of agriculture, innovation & technology, and more.”
Be thankful to the Lord as Israel-Philippines ties continue to create opportunities, prosperity and new forms of friendship between the Filipinos and the Israelites. Keep on praying to Him to have the two nations to rise high and stand out among all nations of this very divided world we live in. Pray to Him that no enemy will ever succeed while opposing Israel and the Philippines. The evil ones will be exposed and will fall down in due time.
If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.
Author Carlo Carrasco 