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the great bird of prey looks down beneath him at the swine wallowing in the muck of sense-mongering modernity. We eagles, and we hawks, and various other majestic soaring creatures -- various only to the degree that have received grace -- look down upon the moderns; down upon the pigs; down upon "fashionable" men and women; down upon 'natural' men with their blood lust, their sex lust, their power mongering and gluttonous filth.
As they roll in their own waste; we who have, with the aid of grace, reached the ethereal heights of reason; we who have attempted to break free from the chains of concupiscence; we who will not bend to lower desires; we have become outcasts in this ether. What is worse? They are telling us, from ground level with feces in their eyes, how to see! They are telling us, the birds of the sky!
Unlike other birds of prey, we pity the swine but do not hunt them. No, we swoop near them only to provide a breeze to eliminate the stench; to eliminate their pungent ideas. Unfortunately, attaining these heights is impossible without zephyrs and north winds -- without sacraments. And even we, the majestic pursuers of virtue, do what we do not want to do. What chains are these! What chains are these that force us, the regal birds, to roll in the mire? One mind, one body -- two warring natures.
Reason is quickened by these chains, but breaking them is impossible without the Cross. The cool air heights are there for the taking, but let us beg for the winds!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Clear, distinct, and succinct...
As modern philosophers we have demanded, along with Descartes, absolute mathematical clarity for our ideas. They must be absolutely clear, with no room for interpretation. Furthermore they must be distinct -- like the mathematical (conceptual) triangle -- they must exclude what their definitions do not include. That is, they must be really distinct. Then and only then are they positively true.
I was reflecting today on the Aristotelian ethical schema with its sophisticated philosophical language and its terse linguistic exactitude. As a Thomist we might call the lingo "simple," (as no philosopher since Aquinas has matched his "simple" principled approach, the strict technical usage of words; no one can or could match his simplicity.) Nonetheless, the question dawned on me, if we were to escape the stupidity of demanding mathematical certitude in the realm of sense knowledge, how could we spread the rebirth of virtue to the masses? After all, not everyone is trained in philosophy; not everyone has the ability; not everyone has the time. So how could we share the only real example of ethical philosophy -- Aristotle and Plato and Aquinas -- with people who have not the time nor the effort to learn it?
We could, of course, perform a coup of modern media and start producing works of art -- cultural works -- that put to route the Nietzchean existential world we live in. That would certainly turn hearts back to virtue. Nonetheless, that would take a revolution. The drones who rule us in the media, and the robots who follow their "wills" (in reality Americans do not deliberate, they simply follow concupiscence and irascibility to sense satisfaction), will never seek to conquer their own members. That would take strength; that would take effort; that would take responsibility; that would take Christianity!
Which brings me to the way in which to simplify classical philosophy -- the Golden Rule. One simple phrase, "Do unto others what you would have them do unto you." In this phrase is summed up the Judaic law, the Christian ethos, and the classical tradition of philosophy! How do you live justly? Do unto others as you would have them to unto you. Prudently? Courageously? Temperately? Need I repeat the phrase?
The amazing compatibility of the Christian ethos and the classical one has been noted by many scholars -- including the enemies of the Church. But it is more than genius to sum up so many traditions in one phrase -- it is divine. It is divine simplicity! And yes, even the untrained can grasp it without a vast philosophical lingo. How divine!
So the rebirth of virtue requires the seeking of grace. Only grace is the vehicle of real strength; the efficient cause of the triumph of reason in the moral sphere. Have you asked for your's lately?
I was reflecting today on the Aristotelian ethical schema with its sophisticated philosophical language and its terse linguistic exactitude. As a Thomist we might call the lingo "simple," (as no philosopher since Aquinas has matched his "simple" principled approach, the strict technical usage of words; no one can or could match his simplicity.) Nonetheless, the question dawned on me, if we were to escape the stupidity of demanding mathematical certitude in the realm of sense knowledge, how could we spread the rebirth of virtue to the masses? After all, not everyone is trained in philosophy; not everyone has the ability; not everyone has the time. So how could we share the only real example of ethical philosophy -- Aristotle and Plato and Aquinas -- with people who have not the time nor the effort to learn it?
We could, of course, perform a coup of modern media and start producing works of art -- cultural works -- that put to route the Nietzchean existential world we live in. That would certainly turn hearts back to virtue. Nonetheless, that would take a revolution. The drones who rule us in the media, and the robots who follow their "wills" (in reality Americans do not deliberate, they simply follow concupiscence and irascibility to sense satisfaction), will never seek to conquer their own members. That would take strength; that would take effort; that would take responsibility; that would take Christianity!
Which brings me to the way in which to simplify classical philosophy -- the Golden Rule. One simple phrase, "Do unto others what you would have them do unto you." In this phrase is summed up the Judaic law, the Christian ethos, and the classical tradition of philosophy! How do you live justly? Do unto others as you would have them to unto you. Prudently? Courageously? Temperately? Need I repeat the phrase?
The amazing compatibility of the Christian ethos and the classical one has been noted by many scholars -- including the enemies of the Church. But it is more than genius to sum up so many traditions in one phrase -- it is divine. It is divine simplicity! And yes, even the untrained can grasp it without a vast philosophical lingo. How divine!
So the rebirth of virtue requires the seeking of grace. Only grace is the vehicle of real strength; the efficient cause of the triumph of reason in the moral sphere. Have you asked for your's lately?
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Down with the system...
That was built to support secular humanist initiatives. The hatred and hate speech that is spewed day in and day out by the establishment "media" -- (read every major network and almost all television and news outlets) -- under the guise of "objective" is sickening. The system is rigged and its constant pounding is deafening. Down with the system!
That is why it was refreshing to hear that a top Vatican official today expressed that there is a definite link between homosexuality and child abuse in the Church, and no link between celibacy and abuse. Alas! One ship is firmly anchored in face of the onslaught of the torrents of custom!
The derogatory euphemisms that floated off the page of the AP story could hardly mask the disdain -- the hate -- of the sophist penning the words; of the slave treading in slave morality; of the weak one prerusing in the veil of the immediate; of the hater pushing ignorance rather than truth.
Smelling salts are direly needed! A culture has never thought itself so sophisticated that was so ignorant! A culture has never been so self-absorbed and blind! A culture has never gasped its last breath in such a silent whimper! Silent because it has been blinded by its own liberalism into thinking it has no perspective. When the blind lead the blind, as the saying goes.
Thank God for the Church and its advocation of the triumph of reason where it really matters -- in human action. How long will ignorance reign? How long will hatred of Catholicity pass for sophistication when it is nothing but ignorance? How long will concupiscence rule reason? How long will the drones power monger over the wise?
Thank God it will never reign! The magisterium does not bend its knee except to primordial Priest. So AP and establishment, put away your megaphones. The louder you cry, the guiltier you become. Christ bows to no one. The Magisterium bows to only One.
That is why it was refreshing to hear that a top Vatican official today expressed that there is a definite link between homosexuality and child abuse in the Church, and no link between celibacy and abuse. Alas! One ship is firmly anchored in face of the onslaught of the torrents of custom!
The derogatory euphemisms that floated off the page of the AP story could hardly mask the disdain -- the hate -- of the sophist penning the words; of the slave treading in slave morality; of the weak one prerusing in the veil of the immediate; of the hater pushing ignorance rather than truth.
Smelling salts are direly needed! A culture has never thought itself so sophisticated that was so ignorant! A culture has never been so self-absorbed and blind! A culture has never gasped its last breath in such a silent whimper! Silent because it has been blinded by its own liberalism into thinking it has no perspective. When the blind lead the blind, as the saying goes.
Thank God for the Church and its advocation of the triumph of reason where it really matters -- in human action. How long will ignorance reign? How long will hatred of Catholicity pass for sophistication when it is nothing but ignorance? How long will concupiscence rule reason? How long will the drones power monger over the wise?
Thank God it will never reign! The magisterium does not bend its knee except to primordial Priest. So AP and establishment, put away your megaphones. The louder you cry, the guiltier you become. Christ bows to no one. The Magisterium bows to only One.
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