This is basically the flip side of your earlier post "What planet are these people from?" In that case, we had a historian letting their ideology lead them to a foolish outburst that casts doubt on their abilities as a historian. In this case, likewise. Only the ideologies are different.
Of course PM, I was conscious of a congruity between this post and the earlier one when I created it.
In fact there is nothing new in what the good professor is saying, he is just expressing old ideas in 21st century language that comes across as somewhat tactless.
Indeed writers contemporaneous with the decline of the Roman empire pondered upon whether sexual decadence was at least in part responsible for the empires misfortunes.
Of course what amuses me about this is that the Professors critics do not respond to the substance of what he has said but rather hurl abuse using words like "homophobic".
The thing is there isn't any substance to what he said, at least not as it was reported in the linked article. The only thing in there is that the Prof doesn't like gays and has heard there were plenty of them in Rome, so they must be responsible for its decline. What exactly is there to take seriously in that? I agree though that outrage is the wrong response, when ridicule is far more appropriate.
That's nothing. Some Maori have criticised a popular food show for the chefs sticking their backsides down on the place the food is served from, saying that bottoms shouldn't come near food.
If that's not overly judgmental and incredibly homophobic, I'm not sure what is.
If you did not tie My hands, I would send down many punishments upon the earth. My daughter, your look disarms My anger. Although your lips are silent, you call out to Me so mightily that all heaven is moved. I cannot escape from your requests, because you pursue Me, not from afar but within your own heart.
And then there's what Jesus said to St Faustina...
Funny how, in eastern Europe at the beginning of the 20th Century, Jesus talks like a Czar indulging a petitioner. Man really does create God in his own image.
PS: I think if you only eat vegetables all day, it's not surprising that Vegans would start having visions of fat people. I don't think you can assume all visions come from God though.
Surely, you don't expect the human mind to comprehend God in one Hallmark greeting card that the atheist mind reduces everything to?
You can spend your entire life looking into every corner of the Universe and still have a long way to go.
The closest people come to seeing God is comprehending the enormity of his love and grace, and that is something you need something more than eyes to see.
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This is basically the flip side of your earlier post "What planet are these people from?" In that case, we had a historian letting their ideology lead them to a foolish outburst that casts doubt on their abilities as a historian. In this case, likewise. Only the ideologies are different.
ReplyDeleteOf course PM, I was conscious of a congruity between this post and the earlier one when I created it.
ReplyDeleteIn fact there is nothing new in what the good professor is saying, he is just expressing old ideas in 21st century language that comes across as somewhat tactless.
Indeed writers contemporaneous with the decline of the Roman empire pondered upon whether sexual decadence was at least in part responsible for the empires misfortunes.
Of course what amuses me about this is that the Professors critics do not respond to the substance of what he has said but rather hurl abuse using words like "homophobic".
Here's what Roberto also believes.
ReplyDeleteLast month he said that the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan were punishments from God and "a way of purifying human sin".
The thing is there isn't any substance to what he said, at least not as it was reported in the linked article. The only thing in there is that the Prof doesn't like gays and has heard there were plenty of them in Rome, so they must be responsible for its decline. What exactly is there to take seriously in that? I agree though that outrage is the wrong response, when ridicule is far more appropriate.
ReplyDeleteThat's nothing. Some Maori have criticised a popular food show for the chefs sticking their backsides down on the place the food is served from, saying that bottoms shouldn't come near food.
ReplyDeleteIf that's not overly judgmental and incredibly homophobic, I'm not sure what is.
FFM,
ReplyDeleteThat's not an unusual Catholic position. Have a look at my next post on this as well: Word on Fire - God, the Japanese Tsunami and the problem of evil.
And then there's what Jesus said to St Faustina:
ReplyDeleteIf you did not tie My hands, I would send down many punishments upon the earth. My daughter, your look disarms My anger. Although your lips are silent, you call out to Me so mightily that all heaven is moved. I cannot escape from your requests, because you pursue Me, not from afar but within your own heart.
Here's the reference to my above comment: 1722.
ReplyDeleteAnd then there's what Jesus said to St Faustina...
ReplyDeleteFunny how, in eastern Europe at the beginning of the 20th Century, Jesus talks like a Czar indulging a petitioner. Man really does create God in his own image.
PM, in exactly the same way that Muslims have visions of Mohammed, christians have visions of Jesus and catholics have visions of Mary.
ReplyDeleteFar more believable if a cathlolic had a vision of Bhudda, etc.
Surely, God would be far too clever to give people visions they couldn't understand?
ReplyDeleteI think you are confusing God with psychoactive drugs. Completely different.
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ReplyDeletePS: I think if you only eat vegetables all day, it's not surprising that Vegans would start having visions of fat people. I don't think you can assume all visions come from God though.
ReplyDeleteSurely god would give people visions of the true god, regardless of their local myths?
ReplyDeleteSurely, you don't expect the human mind to comprehend God in one Hallmark greeting card that the atheist mind reduces everything to?
ReplyDeleteYou can spend your entire life looking into every corner of the Universe and still have a long way to go.
The closest people come to seeing God is comprehending the enormity of his love and grace, and that is something you need something more than eyes to see.
LRO,
ReplyDeleteSurely god would give people visions of the true god, regardless of their local myths?
Yes, He would. Not all visions are from God, however.
PM,
ReplyDeleteFunny how, in eastern Europe at the beginning of the 20th Century, Jesus talks like a Czar indulging a petitioner.
IF what you say is true (though I'm guessing it's just for rhetorical effect), then that speaks to delusions of grandeur on behalf of the Czar.