Follow the Petrol Money

Not since Robert Redford's depiction of The Candidate (1972) has such a brazenly cynical approach to the presidency been enacted. But now, it is happening in real time. And, strangely (?), during a financial crisis (??).

The only normative voiced against the single most pro-abortion (read: structurally in favor of demographic winter to western civilization) presidential candidate in United States history is this:

Follow the money, and it reeks of petrodollars.

Bring On the Meltdown

In a fascinating report from the L. A. Times, we see that A few fringe groups seek to sow chaos, convinced it will hasten the arrival of the Mahdi, the Shiites' 12th imam who they believe will bring peace.

From the perspective of mimetic theory, this is structurally called "sacrificial preparation." The anthropological record contains many instances during the time when the cultural cohesion was waning that the priesthood would choreograph such a cultural meltdown: release reprehensibles - murderers, violent criminals - encourage the breaking of traditional mores and taboos - adultery, theft, etc. All this to intensify the cultural crisis already at hand.

In our cultural hardwiring, all human beings know that at the paroxysm's climax, someone (usually a member of the priesthood, an imam, cleric, or an "ad hoc" priest) will make the accusatory gesture - "It's HIS fault" - signaling the culprit upon whom the mob can vent its collective wrathful violence.

This scapegoating "mechanism", R. Girard insists, is the origin of religion - of the gods - what he calls the "primitive sacred." And through the three components essential to its continuance and development - ritual, myth, and prohibition - arises what we all know as conventional culture.

So, these "fringe groups" of Shiite Muslims know a thing or two about how to re-invent peace and harmony from the perspective of the primitive sacred. Ratcheting up the sacrificial ante is a sure fire element of the reestablishment of a kind of peace the world understands.

Structurally, one might argue forcefully that the 60's in America were just such a "sacrificial preparation," replete with the murder of JFK, MLK, Jr., and RFK.

It just isn't the kind that the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, and his Catholic Church seek nor grant. "My peace I leave you. Not as the world gives, give I unto you."

Where do these two organizing principles meet today, the former still seeks victims to reestablish its satanic kingdoms. And there the latter still provides "lambs slain since the foundation of the world."

Rossetti - PRB

Bottles (1848) - Dante Gabriel Rossetti

And So He Must Be Destroyed

Anchoress on the takedown of ‘Joe the Plumber.’

A Bright, Shiny Object to Behold

I know you think the outcome is inevitable; that is part of the dismaying power of the primitive sacred at work. It smells of fear and cabal-like conspiracy, but it is actually (merely? too light a word) caused by tapping into our cultural hard-wiring, if you will, which is vvvery hard-wired.

Take for example such a simple fact of Natural Law as the need for offspring. Why, for pity's sake, would the anthropological record with near universal agreement say that firstborn were routinely sacrificed? Why, to insure more offspring, of course. Huh!? Sure! Offer the gods our first as a token of our supreme obeisance, and more kids will come.

( It's like the guy who got tired of his neighbor playing his trumpet every morning at 6 a.m. "Joe, JOE!" "Yes?" "Why the heck are you playing the trumpet every morning at 6?" "To keep the elephants from stampeding." "Whu ... Joe, what elephants? There aren't any elephants!" "See how well it works?" )

So, why then is the messiah-esque candidate so chuck-full of contradictions, doubts of U. S. born-citizenship (why can't we see the actual birth certificate?), infanticide proponency, and many more question marks swirl in his sacred precinct - yet he just keeps smiling, bemusedly, and his juggernaut campaign keeps rolling on?

The mighty O has tapped into, unconsciously to be sure, but tapped into just the same, the depths of the primitive sacred this Season of Broken Flutes. He is Tezcatlipoca. And the voice of the people is the voice of god. Vox populi, vox dei.

Not a Human Institution

Forget that the Catholic Church isn't a human institution, and, at best, all you have is a coffee and doughnuts “fellowship”; more pretentiously, church is "community" that idolizes its campesino brethren to the south; worst of all, it becomes an outpost for every new expression of the spirit of the age - come the hell of social action or the high water of neopaganism.

The Catholic Church ISN'T merely a human institution. It is the ekklesia - the gathering of "called out ones," founded upon Simon Peter by the unique External Mediator, the Word made flesh (Jn 1,14), the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, infused with his Spirit, and the dispenser of every grace necessary for salvation and human dignity.

You want an antidote to all the human funny business afflicting not only you, but human culture? Come and see. Come see what J. R. R. Tolkien, Alec Guinness, Fulton Sheen, Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, Flannery O'Connor agreed on. Come to the Catholic Church.

Broken Flute Season

Even the NYT admits it: Obama prepares how? Style over substance. Of course, that is what the MSM and his devoted Obamessiah-niks want. It is the age of "We watched Starsky and Hutch, the Smurfs, and Fresh Prince growing up. To hell with you Leave It to Beaver and Father Knows Best jerks."

On a more sophisticated level of discourse, our age desires Tezcatlipoca, not the fuddy-duddy Quetzalcoatl: the fascinating, irresistible, razmataz of the "observed of all observers."

If this is sheer gobbledegook to you, I apologize, and I guide you to Bailie's Violence Unveiled, or, for a fictional didactic version, The Dionysus Mandate.

Either way, you and I find ourselves in the maelstrom of the primitive sacred, this masculine "season of the witch," called the presidential campaign '08. Hang on to your hat, and pray.

Arthur Weasley - Me Hero

To a non-Harry Potter reader, this won't mean much. Truth be told, however, I've been channeling Arthur Weasley recently, for some strange reason.
Now, mind you, my place doesn't look at all like the Weasley's place (above). Nor, indeed, do I look much like the mensch who plays him in the films (Mark Williams, pictured right, also the stuttering dentist in Shakespeare in Love) - though, in all honesty, I do bear a striking resemblance to he whom J. K. Rowling describes in her books.

No, it is the selfless devotion to family, and unwavering commitment to all that is true, good, and beautiful that I admire about Arthur Weasley, husband of Molly Weasley, father of the Weasley brood. He is willing to fight when necessary in legitimate defense. He will not give in or back down as long as friends, family, the common good, and justice ('giving God and neighbor their due') demand his utmost.

Yet never one for vainglory. He is not rich. He is not handsome, though winsome by his calling to duty.

One last thing: he doesn't seek or need a high-profile rôle, admired by many, nonpareil among men. His "ontological substantiation" comes from an unseen source. He plods on ostensibly at an unfulfilling job in that deals with Muggle affairs in the Ministry (yawn).

One could do worse in search of a literary model than Arthur Weasley.

A Prophetic Voice

Wow - this man has something to say, and I have not heard it said better. Watch him carefully when he refers to Planned Abortions-R-Us Parenthood [ht: IBA]

Executions and Surmises

From the viewpoint of René Girard's mimetic theory, the findings of Amnesty International make perfect sense:

Amnesty's report - Affront to justice: Death penalty in Saudi Arabia - says there has been a sharp increase in executions in the last two years in the conservative Muslim kingdom.

There were 158 recorded executions in 2007 and the figure between January and August 2008 stood at 71.

The state does not provide official statistics but Amnesty said it had recorded at least 1,695 executions between 1985 and May 2008.

Of these, 830 were foreign nationals - a highly disproportionate figure since foreigners make up about one-quarter of the country's population.

In some cases, execution is followed by crucifixion, Amnesty says in its report.

Saudi officials were not immediately available to comment. They routinely defend beheadings as a quick and clean form of execution sanctioned by the Islamic faith (my emphases - ht: Real Clear Religion). Read all …

A few surmises: (a) foreign nationals make splendid victims in the view of the "primitive sacred," from Girard's point of view; they have no relatives or backers of influence, generally, to cover their back, as the kids say today. (b) Crucifixion ... crucifixion? Enough said. (c) The increase in executions, feeding of the victimary apparatus of the primitive sacred, is a tell-tale indicator of a weakening of what Hamerton-Kelly calls the "Generative Mimetic Scapegoating Mechanism" of a culture.

Is this good news, or bad news? Too early to tell, in my opinion. What it does say, however, is that this predominantly Wahhabi nation of Saudi Arabia is surreptitiously dependent on and part and parcel with pagan religion, the characteristics of which are manifest and well-documented in the taxonomy provided not only Girard but such notables as former Jungian Jeffrey Burke Satinover.

More 'Sun is Spotless'

A conservative (meaning not leaping to hyperbolic conjectures) look at how upcoming planetary weather may be affected by the continuing "dead" face of our sun: Sunspots an omen of weather woes? More data needed before making such a 'leap,' says astronomer

Pagan Infanticide

The ancient Spartans did this with, at least, the motive of eugenics in mind. Why do moderns do it? Ostensibly, pure selfishness. Surreptitiously and structurally, it is pagan worship of latter-day Moloch. It is infanticide, crass and destestable.

Bless those who want to offer funeral blessings, at least, to this smallest, voiceless victim.

Object of (Disordered) Desire

Alice Ramos, a philosopher in the field of aesthetics, opines on the human need for beauty, which Alexander Solzhenitsyn thought that in our time would be called to soar to the place once occupied by truth and goodness and thereby 'complete the work of all three'.

Kiss Middle Eastern Oil Goodbye. Or Else

This would be nice ...

A fascinating look inside the minds of our Saudi overlords [ht: Hugh Fitzgerald at The Iconoclast]. An account by Norman Landerman-Moore, president of Landerman-Moore Associates, a professional services firm engaged in strategic planning and economic development:

By profession, I am a strategic planner. In the early summer of 1974 I was contacted by an associate in New York who asked if I would consider accepting a planning assignment with a service organization contracted with ARAMCO in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. I considered the offer and after sorting out the details determined to accept ...

We arrived at the appointed time and waited for the Emir. About an hour later he arrived in his black stretch Mercedes with an entourage of servants and staff following in a small caravan of vehicles. The room we were to meet in was bare except for some exquisite carpets, a large banner with the Saudi National emblem, a picture of the King and a couple of tables and chairs. There were no greetings. The first order of business appeared to be to establish “status.” We were instructed to sit on the carpet while a large, ornate high chair was brought in for the Emir. It was clear that he was to be elevated above us during the meeting.

The four of us were served tea from a set of fine silver as a gesture of hospitality. Then the Emir, donning an ornate Arab gown over his pin striped Italian silk suit, began to speak. There was no problem with communication; indeed I was immediately impressed by his "Oxford English." What took me by surprise was that he launched into quotations from the Koran. The one sided dialogue continued for nearly 45 minutes punctuated with the greatness of Allah and the Muslim people, and the “nothingness” of gentiles and infidels. We found ourselves somewhat uncomfortable, socially and physically (I have long legs), but we exercised restraint, waiting for the moment when we could turn to the business agenda.

That moment finally came but only after the Emirs’ concluding remarks. Sternly he looked at each of us and said:

“The world is created by Allah for Islam to rule. You must face it, you will either be Muslim, or you will be dead!”

David, who was in charge of our group, responded, “Your Excellency, we appreciate your counsel, now may we discuss water?” The Emir smiled, seemingly satisfied that his point had been made. We then got down to business ...

You see it is simple. I have no interest in becoming a follower of Islam. I have seen what Islamic religious ideology does to children, women, communities, economies and quality of life. I have a keen interest in enjoying life. I wish to engage in the pursuit of happiness which freedom provides, the freedom we enjoy through the sacrifice of countless men and women, including my ancestors. Read all …

Unless we in the West can by the grace of God overcome our addiction to Middle Eastern oil - functional dhimmitude - we cannot stop the funding of those who want to replace the finest of Christendom with a replica of revelation, a servile existence, and a monstrosity of the primtive sacred.

It Isn't Over Yet By A Long Shot

Jennifer Ruben writes, Don't relax just yet, Big O. [ht: Maggie's Farm]

Come Inside & Breathe the Fresh Air

Daniel Mitsui relates yet another bit of wondrous reality in Solar-Powered Nanotech-Purified Air in Mediaeval Churches.

My Sharia Amore

In the For What It's Worth Department (which means loosely, hey, this crossed my mind; I'll post on it): The descent of sharia law gaining a claw-hold onto the legal system of England appears a done deal now. But of some interest to the observer is the way it was normalized.

First came the ever-depressing Rowan Williams' small but irretrievably important comment. Then, a larger rent when the Lord Chief Justice Lord Phillips opened the sluice gates. Both spokesmen for the government spoke in the normative ("should"). It wasn't long before it became the indicative.

Having seen the way decisions are made top down in a large Protestant denomination (which shall remain nameless) that will affect the pocket-books of the laity, the analogy is sufficiently close to draw comparisons: first, take the head of the state church and throw him to the media hounds. Then, use your biggest gun and shoot the bloody hades out of John Q. Public. And poof! the infamy is complete. Resistance futile but noted. Thank you. You may speak to your representative (appointment necessary).

My question is, what cabal made the decision? My advice, always: follow the money.

Oh, and, goodbye England.

Gold Is Where You Find It

The Times of India reports Catholic priests finding safe haven when a bloodthirsty mob was intent on doing them ill here.

The Paraklete is never without witness.