The Pharisees are always with us.
Good, upstanding, punctiliously religious people.
"The Christian Paradox: How A Faithful Nations Gets Jesus Wrong"
Bill McKibben
"The Christian Paradox: How A Faithful Nations Gets Jesus Wrong"
Bill McKibben
Dear Fred,
Thanks for Frog Hospital.
Good edition!
"Judge" is one of those words -- like "pride" -- that can mean (nearly) antithetical things depending on its use.
When Yeshua says "Judge not lest ye be judged" he is counseling us to not to judge the other guy because judgment (certainly in any finger-wagging way) is a mistaken attempt at self-exculpation by dumping blame on "the other" --- someone radically different from me --- when that same blame would be properly directed at the place in me that is eager to project/hurl its own ordure outwards.
Finger-wagging judgment -- in fact any kind of judgment that functions to make humans feel "righteous" -- distills to Projection 101, serving as textbook illustration for modern psychology's greatest insight.
Finger-wagging judgment -- in fact any kind of judgment that functions to make humans feel "righteous" -- distills to Projection 101, serving as textbook illustration for modern psychology's greatest insight.
Often, contemporary conservatives are contemptuous of science -- including psychological science -- because, increasingly, sound research illuminates the demonstrable shortcomings of traditional beliefs, including the age-old conviction that gay sexuality is grounded in perverse "choices" when, in fact, a minority of gays normally occurs within every human population.
If you think sexual orientation is a "choice," try using volition to change your own.
Lest we forget, homosexual behavior has been observed in 1500 animal species where, presumably, the workings of The Natural Order should be most evident. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexual_behavior_in_animals
If you think sexual orientation is a "choice," try using volition to change your own.
Lest we forget, homosexual behavior has been observed in 1500 animal species where, presumably, the workings of The Natural Order should be most evident. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexual_behavior_in_animals
Best Pax Posts On Psychological Projection And "The Shadow"
Carnival Lust, Capitalist Greed And Counter-Productive Christian Finger Wagging
http://paxonbothhouses.
Best Pax Posts On Psychological Projection And "The Shadow"
Carnival Lust, Capitalist Greed And Counter-Productive Christian Finger Wagging
http://paxonbothhouses.
http://paxonbothhouses.
Punishment Rarely Reforms But Instead Tends To Reinforce Wrongdoing
http://paxonbothhouses.
It Is Important To Know These Things So Religion Doesn't Do You More Harm Than Good
What Too Many Christians Get Wrong
Jesus: Festive Tippler And Friend Of Whores, Publicans, Tax Collectors And Sundry Sinners
Often, judgment is particularly vitriolic in domains of sex-and-gender because people drawn to judgment are not infrequently evangelical heterosexuals who have already "aged out" of sexual temptation, or so suppressed/repressed their sexual urges during early adulthood that they bung "the juice" that might have brought them to the commonplace understanding that human sexuality is an irresolvably problematic hot potato, and not -- as the promiscuous life of King David reveals -- cause for Eternal Damnation.
King David: Common Criminal Or Uncommon Criminal
Here are Jesus' three comments on judgment:
Luke 6:37
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Luke 6:41
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? (Alan: This saying by Jesus may is probably the taproot of projection psychology and may even be the moment when "Antiquity" morphed into "Modernity.")
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? (Alan: This saying by Jesus may is probably the taproot of projection psychology and may even be the moment when "Antiquity" morphed into "Modernity.")
John 8:7
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."
And here are St. Paul's four comments on judgment:
Romans 2:1
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
Romans 14:10
You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.
Romans 14:13
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
***
The word decency derives from Latin roots that mean "fitting," "comely," "becoming."
There is something "attractive" and "likable" about people who are decent, and something off-putting (or even repugnant) about those who are not.
Consider Donald Trump whose supporters are unattractive and unlikable and whose "moment of sound of fury" will have limited shelf-life.
Consider Donald Trump whose supporters are unattractive and unlikable and whose "moment of sound of fury" will have limited shelf-life.
Compendium Of Pax Posts About Donald Trump
Compendium Of Pax Posts About Donald Trump
A common synonym for "decency" is "modesty" which derives from the common Latin root for "moderate" and "in moderation."
It is modesty's "proportionality" (one of Aquinas' three criteria for the avoidance of sin) that makes modesty "fitting."
Modesty is neither too much nor too little.
Modesty is neither too much nor too little.
It is "just so."
"Thomas Aquinas On American Conservatives' Continual Commission Of Sin"
Pax on both houses: Aquinas: 'Sin Is Always Accompanied ...
paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/.
Jan 10, 2013 - Aquinas: 'Sin Is Always Accompanied By Loss Of Proportion/Perspective'. American conservatives construct their ideologies with deliberate ...Pax on both houses: St. Thomas Aquinas, Natural Law, and ...
paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/.
Jan 2, 2013 - Arguing against those who said that natural philosophy was contrary to the Christian faith, (Aquinas) writes in his treatise "Faith, Reason and ...Pax on both houses: Shark Attacks Rise Worldwide: Risk ...
paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/.
Feb 8, 2012 - Shark Attacks Rise Worldwide: Risk Assessment and Aquinas' Criteria For Sin. Risk: Real And Imagined. There were 1,260,000 traffic fatalities ...Pax on both houses: Thomas Aquinas and Islam
paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/
May 18, 2012 - Aquinas respected “Rabbi Moses” and Avicenna as fellow travelers in an arduous intellectual attempt to reconcile the horizons of philosophers ...Pax on both houses: Aquinas Says Sin Is Always ...
paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/.
Nov 16, 2013 - Aquinas Says Sin Is Always Accompanied By Loss Of Perspective/Proportion .... White House Will Not Rule Out Executive Action On ..Pax on both houses: Aquinas: "Moral Science Is Better ...
paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/.
Aug 31, 2015 - "Arguing against those who said that natural philosophy was contrary to the Christian faith, (Aquinas) writes in his treatise "Faith, Reason and ...Pax on both houses: Compendium Of Pax Posts On Thomas ...
paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/.
Feb 3, 2015 - http://paxonbothhouses.Pax on both houses: Thomas Aquinas Speaks To American ...
paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/.
Sep 8, 2014 - Pax on both houses. The best is enemy of the good. ... ThomasAquinas Speaks To American Conservatives. "Obama's Benghazi And ...Pax on both houses: Thomas Aquinas on Fear
paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/
Jan 3, 2013 - Thomas Aquinas on Fear. “Fear is such a powerful emotion for humans that when we allow it to take us over, it drives compassion right out of ...
On Fri, Mar 4, 2016 at 12:20 PM, Fred Owens <froghospital911@gmail.com> wrote:
"Have You No Sense of Decency, Sir?" Joseph Welch challenged Senator McCarthy with this damning accusation in 1954. The episode marked the beginning of the end of McCarthy's anti-communist witch hunt.Many people today hope for a new accusation against Donald Trump -- hoping to shame him......
In 1954 there was a sense of decency, meaning a widespread consensus on what was courteous and ethical behavior.......and that sense of decency is what finally brought McCarthy to heal.
Today, in 2016 there is no sense of decency, in the sense of a widespread agreement. There is only your opinion, but there is no objective reality, no ethical judgment and certainly no eternal truth. That would be judgmental. And you heard what Pope Francis said, "Who am I to judge?"
When Trump heard that he got the green light. In my opinion Donald Trump is a jackass, offensive to my standards of good taste and good judgment, but all I have is my own opinion. I mean that I would not do what Trump does or say what Trump says, but who am I to judge?
By what standard or authority might I accuse him?Is it better in Santa Barbara?Yes, it is better in Santa Barbara and here is the secret -- good weather and lots of money.
Thousands of people visit Santa Barbara every year and they love it -- because coming here makes them feel good. That is almost guaranteed. People come here and they start smiling and they start relaxing. Now it ain't cheap, the hotels and all, but it's worth it.
I am living here almost five years now. I like living next to all these rich people because they have good taste and they don't offend me.
Believe me, I am a very touchy old grouch and a garish display of wealth is disgusting to me -- but they don't do that in Santa Barbara. I drive around town and everywhere it's beautiful, the houses, and walkways, the trees and the gardens -- all in proper proportions -- soothing my highly critical psyche.Hollywood. I love Hollywood, but the movies are about make believe, and we get easily confused because Hollywood people are acting, even when they are not acting. .. The diversity problem is such a piece of fakery. There is no problem. Anybody can make a movie. Who's stopping you? I go to see the movies I like, not the movies I'm supposed to like.... the market for movies is global and rapidly expanding. The technology for making good film is dramatically cheaper. So go forth, act, and shoot! If it's any good, people will come to see it. There is no barrier, no obstacle to this creative expression. Telenovelas in Mexico are getting better all the time. An incredible volume of good and bad movies are coming out of Mumbai..... A revolutionary new cinematic scene emerges in Nigeria.... and more.
Toastmasters. I have been in Toastmasters for one year, in an attempt to get over my fear of public speaking.....After much effort I can report a ten percent improvement....But I still get palpitations and shaky knees standing up in front of 15 people and actually talking....I would rather go to the dentist.
Life in Prison. I've been writing to my friend who is spending the rest of his life in prison -- which is pretty much where he deserves to be -- but he's still my friend. He's 51 and I've known him since he was 9 years old. Saw him grow up. Tried to be a good influence. Didn't think he had it in him -- that crime. But we don't talk about that -- he's serving his sentence and that's all there is to it.
His mother visits him every week. She is really glad that I have written to him. She said, "I would give up my whole life if I could get him out of prison, but that will not ever happen."
I started to think -- how do you write to someone you haven't seen in fifteen years -- since he got sent away. What do you talk about?
Subscriptions. Subscriptions to Frog Hospital cost $25. You can go to the the Frog Hospital blog and hit the PayPal button.Or you can send a check for $25 toFred Owens1105 Veronica Springs RDSanta Barbara CA 93105
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