We Don’t Matter

Civilizations Come and Go

Empires Boom then Go Bust

Governments Rise and Fall

Currencies Come and Go 

Fashions are Ever Changing 

Yet, Through It All The People Persist

The other day one of our more querulous colleagues asked plaintively: 

"Do you think we COULD ever recover from this fiscal mess, even through tightening belts? And what DO we do with the very poor if we tighten?"

All I could think to say at the time was “For heaven's sake! Have a little faith. Cultivate more trust in Almighty God.”

If we've been able to prevail in the Revolution of 1776, the War of 1812, explore, chart, and settle the western wilderness, get through the atrocity of Lincoln's War, adjust to massive waves of notably anomalous foreign immigration, the various elements of which neither liked, trusted, or had much inclination to cooperate with one another, survive WWI, the Great Depression, WWII, LBJ, the Sex Drugs & Rock 'n Roll of the Sick-sties, Vietnam, Watergate, Jimmy Carter, an assassination attempt on President Reagan, the spineless, colorless, passionless out-of-touch presidency of George Herbert Walker Bush, Monica Lewinsky giving blow jobs to The Bent One under the desk in the Oral Office, the presidency of Dubya, the intellectually-challenged, closet quasi-liberal, we can certainly survive our current woes, which are –– if we look at it with any sense of perspective at all –– a mere walk in the park compared to most things just listed.

The only thing wrong with us Americans is that we indulge in far too much whining and wringing of hands.

We're all too fat, and too overindulged anyway. A period of serious austerity is probably just what we need in order to get revitalized.

Less WHINING and far less DINING would have undoubtedly have a tonic effect.

As for the poor, the women would then have to get up off their dead asses, stop producing fatherless babies, stop watching crap on those gigantic 54" color TV's in their Section 8 housing, and start cleaning windows, sweeping floors, polishing brass, copper and silver, washing and ironing clothes, and cooking meals at competitive wages for those who can afford to hire them.

The men would have to dig ditches, weed, hoe, trim, and mow lawns and gardens, clean streets, pick up trash, lay bricks, hammer shingles, harvest crops, transport products from here to there, and do maintenance work in large public buildings for low pay –– just like they used to have to do in the days before Eleanor Roosevelt & Co. chained them up, castrated them, and put them on Welfare –– and before Illegal Immigrants started filling the void in droves eager to perform the necessary tasks pre-Union, pre-Welfare-State Americans used to do gladly for modest wages.

Believe me, if left once again to their own devices,  “THE POOR” would survive.

It's only the Welfare State Mentality that has weakened huge numbers to the point where we're turning into a nation of slobbering, snivelling, babbling, blubbering JELLYFISH. 

Civilizations come and go. Empires boom and go bust. Governments rise and fall. Currencies come and go. Fashions are ever changing and rarely for the better. Yet, through it all 

The People go on and on and on. Life persists and persists no matter what we do to try to alter, curtail or abolish it. 

LIFE is stronger than governments, stronger than people. LIFE is GOD, and you may be sure that He isn't going anywhere.

When we emerged from the ooze and slime, as evolutionists insist we did –– though no one's proved it yet beyond a reasonable doubt –– there were no governments, no nations, no boundaries, no rules, other than The Law of the Jungle –– Survival of the Fittest and Most Ruthless –– Dog Eat Dog and all that. And life was, as has oft been said, “Nasty, Brutish and Short.”

Yet, somehow, despite our species' extreme frailty in comparison to so many others,  we not only survived –– we grew, –– developed Language, Art, Poetry, Literature, discovered the laws of Mathematics, Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, developed Architecture, Philosophy, Religion and Politics -- in short we went from a feral state –– mere animal existence –– to the mixed blessing of highly complex, stratified forms of Civilization.

With each successive failure after every period of decline, degeneracy and eventual extinction "someone" “somewhere" has always managed to preserve what was best from the ruined past, and used it to enhance the future.

To our eyes right now the whole world appears to be falling apart. We naturally feel confused, frightened, threatened, but it is just possible we are going through a necessary shifting of the moral, religious, ideological, cultural "tectonic plates" that may eventually settle into a firmer foundation than ever before and bring us to great heights as yet undreamed of.

Is it likely that you and I will be here to see it? No, but it doesn’t matter. Harsh and absurd as it may sound WE DON’T MATTER. Our only legitimate purposes here is to serve Life (God) as lovingly and gratefully as possible as long as it pleases God to allow us to do it.

So, don’t worry. Weeping, wailing, hand-wringing, bitter denunciation, blaming the villains, etc. won’t improve our prospects one iota. All it is sure to do is spoil whatever time we may have left.

The opening lines of J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio put it magnificently:

“Christians be joyful 

and praise your Salvation, 

haste with Thanksgiving 

to greet this glad morn.”

Like the mythical Phoenix Bird, our species seems to have an infinite capacity for rising from the ashes of our funeral pyres to begin life all over again.

Bank on that. Don’t invest energy in fear of disaster, and above all don’t fear death.

The mind of the dreamer 

_____ is a secret storehouse 

__________ wherein may dwell 

__________ all youthful fond illusion ––

 The embryo of each utterance of hope ––

_____ each word of comfort ––

__________ and each song of joy.

The mind of the cynic 

_____ is a well-known asylum 

__________ wherein lies disenchantment –– 

_______________ destruction and despair ––

The insidious, lisping voice of the serpent. 

O, foolish Man! Why choose strife, 

_____ when only what you choose to know 

_____ has life?

~ FreeThinke

John Roberts’ Strategy 

Cagey, Long Term, 

Forward Thinking

”Having gone through the opinion, I am not going to beat up on John Roberts. I am disappointed, but I want to make a few points. John Roberts is playing at a different game than the rest of us. We’re on poker. He’s on chess.”

by Erick Erickson

Editor - RedState.com

As you have no doubt heard by now, the Supreme Court largely upheld Obamacare with Chief Justice John Roberts writing the majority 5 to 4 decision.  Even Justice Kennedy called for the whole law to be thrown out, but John Roberts saved it.

Having gone through the opinion, I am not going to beat up on John Roberts. I am disappointed, but I want to make a few points. John Roberts is playing at a different game than the rest of us. We’re on poker. He’s on chess.

FIRST: I get the strong sense from a few anecdotal stories about Roberts over the past few months and the way he has written this opinion that he very, very much was concerned about keeping the Supreme Court above the partisan fray and damaging the reputation of the Court long term. It seems to me the left was smart to make a full frontal assault on the Court as it persuaded Roberts.

SECOND: In writing his opinion, Roberts forces everyone to deal with the issue as a political, not a legal issue. In the past twenty years, Republicans have punted a number of issues to the Supreme Court asking the Court to save us from ourselves. They can’t do that with Roberts. They tried with McCain-Feingold, which was originally upheld. This case is a timely reminder to the GOP that five votes are not a sure thing.

THIRD: while Roberts has expanded the taxation power, which I don’t really think is a massive expansion from what it was, Roberts has curtailed the commerce clause as an avenue for Congressional overreach. In so doing, he has affirmed the Democrats are massive taxers. In fact, I would argue that this may prevent future mandates in that no one is going to go around campaigning on new massive tax increases. On the upside, I guess we can tax the hell out of abortion now. Likewise, in a 7 to 2 decision, the Court shows a strong majority still recognize the concept of federalism and the restraints of Congress in forcing states to adhere to the whims of the federal government.

FOURTH: In forcing us to deal with this politically, the Democrats are going to have a hard time running to November claiming the American people need to vote for them to preserve Obamacare. It remains deeply, deeply unpopular with the American people. If they want to make a vote for them a vote for keeping a massive tax increase, let them try.

FIFTH: The decision totally removes a growing left-wing talking point that suddenly they must vote for Obama because of judges. The Supreme Court as a November issue for the left is gone. For the right? That sound you hear is the marching of libertarians into Camp Romney, with noses held, knowing that the libertarian and conservative coalitions must unite to defeat Obama and Obamacare.

FINALLY: While I am not down on John Roberts like many of you are today, I will be very down on Congressional Republicans if they do not now try to shut down the individual mandate. Force the Democrats on the record about the mandate. Defund Obamacare. This now, by necessity, is a political fight and the GOP sure as hell should fight.

Sixty percent of Americans agree with them on the issue. And guess what? The Democrats have been saying for a while that individual pieces of Obamacare are quite popular. With John Roberts’ opinion, the repeal fight takes place on GOP turf, not Democrat turf. The all or nothing repeal has always been better ground for the GOP and now John Roberts has forced everyone onto that ground.

It seems very, very clear to me in reviewing John Roberts’ decision that he is playing a much longer game than we and can afford to with a life tenure. And he probably just handed Mitt Romney the White House.

*A friend points out one other thing — go back to 2009. Olympia Snowe was the deciding vote to get Obamacare out of the Senate Committee. Had she voted no, we’d not be here now.

Read my full thoughts here.

Sincerely yours,
Erick Erickson

Satan Has Many Faces

This One Has Just Been Revealed

Who Knew?

~ § ~

Loving is an Art 

Not a Feeling

“It’s easy to say ‘I love you,’ but putting love into action is the work of a lifetime.”

Kurt Silverfiddle wrote a beautiful piece on that theme the other day in reference to his marriage and family life. Truer sentiments have never been said, and Kurt expressed them persuasively in his characteristically modest style.  Unfortunately (I thought) concern for the devastating fires in and around Colorado quickly took over the thread, and thoughts of love were soon abandoned in favor of concern for possible disaster.

We need continually to be reminded of what's truly important, because we allow –– even encourage –– ourselves to get too preoccupied with all that seems wrong, threatening, annoying or unattractive, and let it mar the moment, cloud our vision for the future, or spoil our sleep.  Even worse, we let myriad forms of negativity keep us from getting in touch with our better angels, our deepest capacities –– our true selves.

What most us need is to make a determined effort each day to express approval, appreciation and affection by giving the kind of gifts and performing little services we know would delight, amuse, enrich and reassure our family and friends. In other words we need to give of ourselves –– an old expression that regrettably seems to have gone out of favor.

There’s even more we must do, of course, if we are to become truly loving:

Always give everyone the benefit of the doubt, at least until there is no possibility of doubt left, and even then try to forgive those who offend or annoy. 

If Our Master could forgive His torturers and murderers from the Cross, surely we ought to find enough Charity in our hearts to forgive those who irritate us, fail to appreciate us, wrongfully accuse us, and "despitefully use" us. 

Paul Gaugin: The Yellow Christ

Thinking less and less of our own sorrows, pet peeves, aggravations and unfulfilled needs, and more and more of the needs and feelings of others is not only the most loving thing we could do, it is also the best gift we could ever give ourselves. 

Our own burdens become much lighter, and we see our lives in better perspective when we give what we can to alleviate the suffering and allay the doubts and fears of others.

Again the poet says it so much better than I possibly could: 

If I can stop one heart from breaking, 

I shall not live in vain. 

If I can ease one life the aching, 

Or cool one pain, 

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his nest again, 

I shall not live in vain. 

~ Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

We fulfill our own needs best by serving others with no expectation of special rewards for ourselves.

Also, making a habit of always looking for and expressing RECOGNITION and APPRECIATION of whatever virtues, talents, and attempts “to make a difference” others make, however vain, is an oft-neglected way of giving love. 

Walt Whitman said:

“Be curious, not judgmental.”

“Whoever walks a furlong without sympathy walks to his own funeral drest in his shroud.” 

There’s so much nurturing wisdom and truth in poetry –– and so many probing, penetrating issues raised. How unstintingly it could enrich our lives, if only we had enough curiosity to make us set aside our petty concerns, and explore the Cosmos in depth!

To see a world in a grain of sand

And a heaven in a wild flower,

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand

And eternity in an hour ...

William Blake! Unique poet, artist, mystic, visionary, sage, whose life spanned the late eighteenth and early nineteenth-centuries, knew as well or better than anyone I’ve ever encountered that words mean nothing, unless they are brought to life with understanding gained in an honest, never-ending search for wisdom, and that all true wisdom is rooted in the Love, which is God, Himself.

Salvador Dali: The Crucifixion

Presentiment

Presentiment is that Long Shadow on the Lawn ~

Indicative that suns go down ~

The notice to the startled grass ~

That Darkness is about to pass.

~ § ~

~ Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

An Urgent Message to All 

Who Wash Their Hair 

in the Shower

YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS 

It's so good to get a useful health warning for a change.

I don't know why I didn't figure this out sooner.

I use shampoo in the shower. When I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body and, printed very clearly on the shampoo label is this warning:

 "FOR EXTRA BODY AND VOLUME"

No WONDER 

I’ve been gaining weight!

Well, I got rid of that shampoo right fast 

and now I am going to start showering 

from now on with

DAWN 

DISHWASHING DETERGENT

The label reads: 

DISSOLVES FAT 

OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE.

PROBLEM SOLVED!

If I don't answer the phone, I'll be in the shower

with my new friend DAWN!

ENEMETICS 

“The artificial codes of conduct and essentially superficial modes of personal expression our various cultures impose on the human spirit are very powerful, because we fear ostracism and isolation from our own kind more than we love freedom.”

After reading a couple of letters from a defender of fascism I've coined a term –– ENEMETICS. A mercifully-short, recently published article by ultra-liberal Chris Hedges, unfortunately not available to us here, is a virtual Rorschach image of the recently conventionalized ravings of the extreme right wing against the left –– so much so it is almost comical in its undisciplined use of hateful hyperbole. Ironically, however, passages from that article hit upon home truths that, I believe, apply to human relations at all levels and from every angle.

ENEMETICS: the rabid, seething and overt expression of a fundamental human craving to loathe and despise SOMETHING in order to give oneself a sense of purpose and identity.  As a species, we appear to be virtually addicted to conflict.

It's the very thing that has held ancient tribal cultures together and empowered them for countless centuries. However, it is hardly peculiar to ancient peoples. Where would anyone be without enemies? Who would they be without enemies to define them? Everyone should ask that of himself -- including thee and me.

Marxism, Fascism, Theocracy –– authoritarianism of any and all kinds –– inevitably lead to TOTALITARIANISM. So, oddly enough, does Anarchism.

"Revolutions" inevitably wind up supplanting one form of tyranny and oppression with another. That's a cliché. 

Delacroix - Liberty Leading the People

Great sage that I am I figured out for myself a long time ago that the human lust to dominate –– exert power and control over others one personally deems inferior or (more kindly) "in need of guidance" –– is the truest enemy of mankind. Certain hyper-aggressive, hubristic individuals spearhead movements, sway masses, develop poisonous cults, start wars, et al. in order to prove to themselves they count for something. That too is a cliché. 

Superstition, poisonous gossip, rabble-rousing, internecine warfare in organizations –– all of it fueled by an illusory pursuit of some kind of  "Truth" or "Justice" –– usually a counterfeit thereof –– are responsible for most of the perplexity, violence, agony, and unnecessary deaths in history.

Aggression, suppression, oppression, exploitation, enslavement –– all bad no matter who may be wielding the Big Stick. As Pogo said back in the early nineteen-fifties:

"We have met the enemy, and he is US."

SO, the moment ANY movement or philosophy becomes aggressive and domineering, it automatically becomes pernicious. Jesus Christ has been ill served by "His" church ever since it became organized, worldly, acquisitive, politically powerful and authoritarian.

While I suppose I am an elitist, and fancy the trappings (at the very least) of wealth, refinement and high culture –– as originally SPONSORED by authoritarian Christianity, Royalty, and Aristocracy and even some pretentious industrialists (i.e. certain so-called Robber Barons of The Gilded Age) –– all of whom left magnificent architectural monuments –– churches and cathedrals, hospitals, university quadrangles, libraries, museums, opera houses, concert halls, railroad stations, city halls, public parks, restored antique villages of historic importance, and many other achievements in their wake –– achievements no savage or peasant society would devise or value –– I cannot sympathize with "fascism," any more than I can tolerate Marxian proletarianism. 

Symbolic Surrogates for Human Hatred

I've met too many people up close and personal from supposedly disparate and conflicting walks of life, who act like long lost brothers when free from the constraints and pretenses of ordinary social, professional and business society, not to realize that at root we'd rather love and enjoy one another than anything else. 

The artificial codes of conduct and essentially superficial modes of personal expression our various cultures impose on the human spirit are very powerful, because we fear ostracism and isolation from our kind more than we love freedom.

Freedom scares the bleeding tar out of most people, ergo they conform. But deep down, I'm pretty sure most of us would rather fuck than fight –– at least I hope so.

~ FreeThinke 

These T-shirts Ought to be Selling like Hotcakes

In case you have trouble reading the T-shirt text, we'll spell it out:

Ineptocracy  (in-ep-TOC-ra-cy)

A system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least like to succeed or even to sustain themselves are rewarded with goods and services

paid for by the confiscated wealth of an ever-diminishing number of producers.

Nothing much to disagree with there –– or is there?

WILLIAM BLAKE

Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun

Auguries of Innocence

[Selected Snippets]

To see a world in a grain of sand

And a heaven in a wild flower,

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand

And eternity in an hour. ...

A robin redbreast in a cage

Puts all heaven in a rage. ...

A dog starved at his master's gate

Predicts the ruin of the state. ...

The game-cock clipped and armed for fight

Does the rising sun affright. ...

He who shall hurt the little wren

Shall never be beloved by men. ...

Kill not the moth nor butterfly,

For the Last Judgment draweth nigh. ...

A truth that's told with bad intent

Beats all the lies you can invent. ...

Man was made for joy and woe;

And when this we rightly know

Through the world we safely go.

Joy and woe are woven fine,

A clothing for the soul divine.

Under every grief and pine

Runs a joy with silken twine. ...

The poor man's farthing is worth more

Than all the gold on Afric's shore.

One mite wrung from the labourer's hands

Shall buy and sell the miser's lands ...

He who shall teach the child to doubt

The rotting grave shall ne'er get out.

He who respects the infant's faith

Triumphs over hell and death.

The questioner who sits so sly

Shall never know how to reply.

He who replies to words of doubt

Doth put the light of knowledge out. ...

He who doubts from what he sees

Will ne'er believe, do what you please.

If the sun and moon should doubt,

They'd immediately go out. ...

Every night and every morn

Some to misery are born.

Every morn and every night

Some are born to sweet delight.

Some are born to sweet delight,

Some are born to endless night. 

God appears, and God is light

To those poor souls who dwell in night,

But does a human form display

To those who dwell in realms of day. 

~ William Blake (1757-1827)

Jacob's Ladder

Serene Sacred Music for Sunday

Ave, verum corpus natum de Maria Virgine, 
Vere passum immolatum in Cruce pro homine, 
Cujus latus perforatum unda fluxit et sanguine, 
Esto nobis praegustatum in mortis examine.


Hail, true body born of the Virgin Mary, 
Who truly suffered, sacrificed on the Cross for man, 
Whose pierced side overflowed with water and blood, 
Be for us a foretaste In the test of death.