In an apparent outburst of simmering tensions, sources deep within the Heavenly Choir are reporting that fighting has broken out between ‘the Angels’ and the newly created ‘Pokemon Guys.’ Asked for comment about the fighting our source (who would only give his name as “Mike”) said: "It is all about favoritism. First the angels were God’s favored, then he created these Pokemon one three day weekend – well what did he think would happen?” Apparently fighting broke out following a heated discussion between Gabriel and one of the new beings. “After what must have been like the thousandth time that this other guy taunted Gabriel with “Pikachu” – I guess he just kind of lost it.” Unconfirmed rumors are circulating that this battle may result in “some being cast out.”
This is me (the angel) trying to beat down the demons (the demon) that are whispering to me that I don't know enough about late medieval Christianity to dare to try to say anything about the significance of books of Hours. I should go back to my comfort zone in the twelfth century and read more commentaries on Scripture. I know how to write about those, but I don't know yet what to say about the books of Hours. Down, you demons of doubt, down!
Here be dragons. And doves. Human beings long for transcendence. Such longing is, for the world, always out of fashion because, of course, it is not a longing for the world, and the world knows it. We know what the world wants. The world—by which we mean Satan, the Lord of the World—wants above all our obedience, a jewel so precious that he will do anything to get it: lie, steal, murder, bear false witness, pretend to social standing, pretend to insider knowledge to get us to consent to his influence. “God lied to you. You will not die.” And suddenly we are anxious about having other people dislike us, about losing prestige in our social circles, about other people being more popular or influential or successful, about other people having secret knowledge, about our own influence and fame. “You shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” And with that temptation, our first parents fell. The irony is cosmic. There they were in the Garden, privy to conversation with God face-to-face, ...
I have had a fair amount of fall-out thanks to the video that I did with my friends about Vox Day’s book on Jordan Peterson . If you have watched the video, you know that I agree with Milo and Vox in their critique of the Good Professor. Like Milo and Vox, I do not see Jordan as on “our” side . Quite the reverse. I became wary of Professor Peterson about this time last year, after spending over a month trying to make sense of what happened in his interview with Cathy Newman. I became increasingly suspicious as I watched his interactions with Ben Shapiro and Dave Rubin on their shows , and I lost all faith in him as an ally when he threw Milo under the bus rather than argue with Bari Weiss about whether Milo was “possibly [a racist].” By the time Professor Peterson made his Kavanaugh tweet, the camel was already on the ground, crippled and unable to rise. I do not think Professor Peterson believes in God by any definition that I would recognize . ( Hint : If you care more a...
I have it on good authority that I was too cryptic in one of my previous posts , so I will endeavor to speak more plainly today. Let’s start with a question: Do you ever get the feeling you are living in a movie script? Ha! See? This is what I am up against. I have no idea where to start. What was it the King of Hearts told the White Rabbit when the White Rabbit asked where he should begin reading the paper of “evidence” against Alice? “‘Begin at the beginning,’ the King said gravely, ‘and go on till you come to the end: then stop .’” But what is the beginning? I am often asked how I came to convert to Catholicism, except in my mind, I didn’t really convert; I just “came home.”* I have been studying the history of Christianity for decades , but I have been studying stories even longer, ever since I could read. I remember asking my teacher in second grade if I could take a book home from school because I wanted to rewrite the story we had been reading in class. I think...
I was on Facebook all morning today, looking for long-lost cousins, former students, colleagues and friends whom I hadn't been in touch with for years. It's an interesting--and absorbing--exercise. Some of my "friends" are easier to find than others; old classmates, for example. But for those who do not group so neatly by institution and year, it's challenging, a real effort of memory and associative thinking. I've known how many people in how many different contexts over the course of my life (nearly 44 years)? It's as much as I can do to recall the names of all of the students who have done senior theses with me, never mind friends whom I knew in high school. I'm just thankful some of them have thought to look for me! I have vaguely known about Facebook for a few years now, but only joined this past summer. If anyone wanted to find me, I argued, they could just Google my homepage. But then my sister posted some photos that she wanted me...
I'm sorry, I can't write this any other way. I am sick to death of people ( white people , enlightened seekers, well-meaning agnostics who were scarred by the experiences of growing up in less than forgiving communities) bleating about how they dislike "organized religion." As if they know the first thing about what it means to participate in a tradition or belong to a Church. There, I said it. Now stone me. But, first, listen for a moment. Please. Because maybe, just maybe what Krishnamurti so famously told the Theosophists when they hoped to recognize him as the World Teacher wasn't the whole of the story about what it means to be a Church. Maybe there is a point to participating in a tradition, a community of worship, following others in the journey of life. No, I can tell you aren't listening, don't want to listen, know that what I am going to say will make you frustrated and upset. You don't want to be told what to think--nor do ...
Leaving land behind
ReplyDeleteThe angel rises, wings spread
evolution soars
In primordial seas
the fish is seized by envy
leaps to drag him down
Gabe Poke Slay!
ReplyDeleteDateline: The Celestial Throne
In an apparent outburst of simmering tensions, sources deep within the Heavenly Choir are reporting that fighting has broken out between ‘the Angels’ and the newly created ‘Pokemon Guys.’ Asked for comment about the fighting our source (who would only give his name as “Mike”) said: "It is all about favoritism. First the angels were God’s favored, then he created these Pokemon one three day weekend – well what did he think would happen?” Apparently fighting broke out following a heated discussion between Gabriel and one of the new beings. “After what must have been like the thousandth time that this other guy taunted Gabriel with “Pikachu” – I guess he just kind of lost it.” Unconfirmed rumors are circulating that this battle may result in “some being cast out.”
This is me (the angel) trying to beat down the demons (the demon) that are whispering to me that I don't know enough about late medieval Christianity to dare to try to say anything about the significance of books of Hours. I should go back to my comfort zone in the twelfth century and read more commentaries on Scripture. I know how to write about those, but I don't know yet what to say about the books of Hours. Down, you demons of doubt, down!
ReplyDelete"Before" picture for Piranha Slim-Fast.
ReplyDelete(Now that one should apologize for.)
a haiku:
ReplyDeletetempt dinner with left
raise high the sword with the right
timing is crucial