Friday, February 20, 2009

Love and Life - Inseparable

Lea Singh at MercatorNet posts a decidedly un-politically correct essay, Career choice: spouse first - Mr Right is unlikely to just turn up while a girl is getting on with her own life.
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4 comments:

David Nybakke said...

I don't know...just look at how she frames the dilemma:

Career choice: Spouse first

Spouse first...

Have you seen the movie Fireproof? If not I would recommend viewing it - it is a good one to put into perspective life choices and relationships.

In a bit of a stretch I would go so far as to attach Lea Singh's article here (I do not know Singh - I am just using her choice of words in this article) as a symbol of one of the West's glaring problems. I would possibly rank it more critical than the 5 concerns that Scruton raises in his article: citizenship, nationality, secular law, the Judeo-Christian inheritance, irony, self-criticism, representation, and cheerful drinking!

In her political correctness approach to life she actually surrenders her choice - her heart reflects little more than indifference by putting anything first other than God. The first choice (and really only choice) is Jesus Christ and then allowing God to guide and mold you along the journey.

In our world today, and especially in the West, we must be strong as martyrs faithfully witnessing to the Truth so that we may be God's instrument of rebuilding His people and re-fortifing His Church.

February 21, 2009 at 11:17 AM
Athos said...

Thanks for the reflection, Aramis. I have not seen Fireproof.

What I notice about Singh, and your thinking about Singh and Scruton, is that they take an individualist stance toward culture crisis dilemmas. Singh uses case study after case study of individual women in law, business, etc. You, too, seem to indicate the individual's choice of Our Lord - all individual decisions together - adding up to cultural amelioration.

What I like about Scruton is, first, his depiction of the indicative - the "is-ness" - of the malaise of the West. His is one of those clear-sighted secularist-leaning analyses that I rank with "Yankee ingenuity" rather than a strong understanding of Christian teaching on Fall, Redemption,and Sacrifice (tho' he gives Xtn proclivities far more than mere lip service).

Second, Scruton doesn't give up what he thinks those living under the Christ-Spirit are still capable of doing; namely, standing up for what is true, good, and beautiful in the West.

And here is my old saw about legitimate defence. He GETS envy and resentment. Have you ever been faced with a real bully? A real wanting to see if you flinch human being? I have, several times. Such a person DOES want to see if you are weak, will run, cower, etc. And if you do, it makes it all the easier for him to victimize you. But if you stand, look straight and calmly in the eye, ready to fight IF necessary - as far as it takes to come out of it or die trying - rarely does such a bully stay a bully.

Appeasement = weakness to our Scimitar antagonists: a call to victimize us. We must worship, take catechesis seriously, love and forgive magnanimously, protect the outcast chivalrously, and where provoked look straight in the eye and say, "All right, if you're going to do it, do it. But you won't get out unscathed, pal."

Cheers

February 21, 2009 at 12:24 PM
David Nybakke said...

Legitimate defence (interesting that you insist on the chiefly British variation of the word defense).

Coming to full abandonment to (or acceptance of) martyrdom in accord with the Way, the Truth and the Life (the entire chapter 14 of John's Gospel) is, I believe, the authentic Christian means toward legitimate defense.

The emphasis on how and of where one points the figure is critical. For those like me - I so often fall into doubles (of the one for who I point at) and scandals fly in the face of all around.

The other struggle I have is not so much about a focus on legitiment defense but on the breeding of indifference and defiance in the hearts of our current and past generations of Christians. We have experienced a huge failing of "passing on" the faith for now generations and there is no task greater than that of building up the body of Christ - the Church - not by oppositional force and catharsis for surely stirring up of the un-catechized is an act of scandal for they literally have no heart of Christ but only hardened hearts that eventually, by way of the cycle of mimetic crisis, be only so delighted at the opportunity to see blood flowing - all they need is a finger to point the way. We must come to a strong vibrant faith by way of the Body and Blood at and of the Eucharist and through obedience to the Magisterium.

One last thought, you wrote: Have you ever been faced with a real bully? A real wanting to see if you flinch human being?

I can't wait till you see Gran Torino because I am curious as to how you will see Clint's character's last act in the movie. Will you see it as an act of legitimate defense in relation to your question above about being faced down by a bully?

February 21, 2009 at 6:25 PM
Athos said...

Martyrdom is a legitimate and holy gift. If offered it, I hope I have the opportunity to express this to my slayer(s) and a word of gratitude to God before it takes place.

My concern, Aramis, is a different one. Given the context, I hear you doing a bit of revisionism in redefining 'legitimate defence' - or defense if you like.

Again, you take the individualist approach in saying, Coming to full abandonment to (or acceptance of) martyrdom in accord with the Way, the Truth and the Life (the entire chapter 14 of John's Gospel) is, I believe, the authentic Christian means toward legitimate defense, in two ways: (a) Your definition is only in the first person singular (what if the defending includes others besides yourself?), and (b) you are jettisoning what the Catechism says about the matter. Remnant of Protestant "What I believe-ism?

On the subject, even Bailie agrees with the Dalai Lama.

To use a metaphor, legitimate defence is like fighting cancer: if I roll over, don't take the chemo/BCG, it is "martyrdom" to CA. An honorable capitulation to "redemptive suffering" - even "offering up" my ordeal for others. But is it the truly most loving thing, or grand-standing?

We already have a Savior who busted the sacrificial mechanism through His ontologically unique Person and merits. If we absolutely HAVE to face martyrdom, fine. God grant me the peace and assurance at that moment. Till then, I fear martyrdom as I hear you speaking of it sounds a bit off target.

February 22, 2009 at 2:40 AM

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