The Laughing Wolf – Page 53 – Commentary, Punditry, and More

Musical Interlude

Sorry for the odd posting schedule, but the body and I have been having a disagreement about eating that has been playing hob with me for a week now. Rather than gripe about that, I thought I would share a little bit of music. Three very different artists, all of whom I would love to see in concert. Which says a lot given my thoughts on crowds and loud these days.

First up, Lindsey Stirling. Beyond cute, with both inner and outer beauty shining through. If I were younger and Mormon…, as who wouldn’t be charmed by a true class act. I’ve been fascinated by violins since an early age and it was what I wanted to play in band, but economics (could borrow versus buy) said trumpet. Was given one very briefly for a play, and had it taken away as I was actually practicing with it and getting good while the character was supposed to play horribly. Right now, my looking at getting a guitar as opposed to a violin to see if I can learn to play after the lightning strike is mostly economics. Would love to see her in concert as you can tell she puts her all into each performance.

If you haven’t listened to her, start with Shadows and then explore. As for the class act designation, this is just one of the good things she’s done for others. Think it’s a separate clip, but note that when she plays with the young lady she clearly takes second fiddle (pun intended) so the girl can shine. That is true class.

Next up, and very different, is The Hu. Metal meets Mongolia in a way that takes tradition and turns it into something new and very enjoyable. Love their videos. Start with Yuve Yuve Yu and explore. Be sure to catch the mix of Black Thunder featuring two members of Bad Wolves. I keep seeing their music pop up in interesting places, and seem to recall that two members of the band invented a language for one of the Star Trek vehicles and may have even had a cameo. Oh, and if you just want audio and no video, check out their YT Channel as it has just audio of most of their work as well as videos. Would love to see them in concert, though I can’t afford the cheap seats much less the VIP package.

Finally, there is Loreena McKennitt. There’s a lot in her work to unpack, and I had the hair stand up on my arms listening to her sing a true and potent curse (May God reward you well for your treatment of me). Most of the world knows her for her rendition of Bonny Portmore (I think it the best), and if you get the chance to listen to All Soul’s Night on Halloween night sitting in front of a fire, do so. I used to have all her CDs, wish I still did. She ranges from truly ancient tunes to more modern pieces with ease, and my inner Celt is always happy with her takes on Celtic music. Explore and enjoy. She’s coming here to Indy in a couple of months and I’m looking at going if budget and surgery allows. Seriously will check the date of the show before setting the date for the new shoulder.

Something different for the morning, and we will see what the afternoon holds.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

The Upcoming Election

This post is going to be a bit weird on some levels. I’ve been staying away from some of the politics as I think it far too early and far too many are looking to attack their own allies for any reason. I’ve seen some vicious races over the years, local and otherwise, but nothing quite like what is going on right now.

The catalyst for this post is this post by Sarah Hoyt. I want and need to acknowledge that Sarah has done a lot for me over the last few years, and I respect her and appreciate that which was done. She is a long-time and astute watcher of politics, who has approached it with the obsession of a sniper and an eye that comes from outside our system. That’s important as the people I’m finding who get what is going on come from outside our system. In fact, they are survivors of communism and socialism elsewhere, and include people like Sarah and a survivor of Mao.

Right now, my prime mode in regards the Republican race for president is mostly disgust. The number of people demanding I pick a side/candidate right now you traitorous piece of bleep is amazing. For the record, I do not owe ANY politician my loyalty, and that’s not how American politics is supposed to work. What is supposed to happen is that you, the politician, work to EARN my vote. If you demand it, my immediate and permanent response is going to be Fuck You. It’s like respect: if you demand it, you don’t deserve it. If your supporters and proxies demand it, and you don’t call them out, you don’t deserve it or my vote.

The fact is, I have enjoyed Trump, and his entry into politics and the swamp remind me more than a little bit of Rodney Dangerfield in CaddyShack. The reactions of the establishment in both cases are almost identical. I do give thanks for the work he and Mitch did in regards the Supreme Court and judges in general. He did a lot of good, but that doesn’t negate the fact he made a lot of bad choices as well. I voted for him twice, and if he is the Republican candidate I will vote for him again as anything is better than the Biden Regency and puppet show.

The fact is, if RDS is the candidate, I will vote for him. He’s got a very solid record as governor and while I get that a number don’t like or trust him, his accomplishments — including standing up to Trump on reopening Florida during COVID — speak for themselves. Not only competent himself, he’s made a lot of good personnel choices.

Outside of those two, I am not likely to vote for any of the other challengers. The problem with voting for the lesser of two evils, and it’s hard to find evil on the order of the Biden Crime Family, is that you are still voting for evil. Stop it.

Thing is, I think all the foaming-at-the-mouth hysteria and outrage is pointless. It’s pointless for two reasons. First, unless we secure the election it will be a crock. Show me any real effort by the RNC to secure the election and keep it honest. There’s not one and bleating about beating the margin of fraud is a crock. Second, is something I’ve asked in private and will say out loud now as well: Given all the Banana Republic things going on right now, do you really think they will let Trump (or RDS to be honest) live to take office? Whether it’s the Biden Regency or the DNC, they have pulled the trigger on things that can’t be walked back. What makes you think they will stop there in the quest for power?

No, I don’t think all is lost. It doesn’t matter if the Republic is dead, or just beaten comatose. There’s a thing called the Golden Hour, and recent vets get what I mean. It may well be hard and even ugly, but there is a chance to restore the Republic. It’s not gone yet. As Sarah has pointed out many times before, you can see the wheels starting to come off the progressive/marxist efforts. It is indeed one reason they are pushing so hard on so many fronts. It’s an effort to get things in place in the hopes they may be made permanent once they are in permanent power.

Fuck that. Fight back, now. Refuse to go along with the trans mafia, and all the ridiculous takes of the day. Refuse to bow down to the mob. Laugh at them. Fight any mandates and grabs for power, from digitized currency and debanking to efforts to force you to buy government approved appliances. Resist, fight, and mock them. Remember, they can’t stand being laughed at, so laugh and share the laughter. Mock them mercilessly.

Get active locally. Make sure who you vote for is indeed who they say they are, and start taking back local school boards and governments. Make sure the election monitors are fair, balanced, and aboveboard. If you don’t, the larger isn’t going to matter. There is still time, if you act now. Toss out Uniparty and get some real and good people in place.

Otherwise, the alternative is not good. It will make hard and ugly look like an ice cream social. No one sane wants that. Normal is gone and not coming back. The best we can hope for is to create a new normal, one better grounded in liberty and designed to withstand the storms of marxism.

Quick Reads

Well, they are quick to post but may not be so quick to read. 🙂 Sorry, been a busy morning that has seen me luck out on some groceries and get some good news in that regard. Finally back home, and wanted to share some goodies.

First, let me just say that abolishing SAC was possibly the most stupid military decision of the last fifty years. Heck, it may have been more stupid than Pickett’s charge to go back even further. When you read this, understand that the shade of General LeMay is probably trying to reanimate his corpse so he can get a baseball bat and go visit the parody of SAC that is Strategic Command. My blood pressure does not thank VodkaPundit at Instapundit for the Hat Tip, even if I do.

Then, go read David Strom’s excellent take on the political grifters and would-be thieves (if you won’t release funds, or try to give them to other charities, you are a thief) at GoFundMe. Pro Tip: Use GiveSendGo, good people who don’t play politics.

If you aren’t reading Victory Girls, you should be. Be sure to check out the approaching death of women’s sports. On a similar note, Jazz Shaw has a good post on how metoo abandoned women’s sports.

Finally, go read this on wind power by Beege Welborn at HotAir. Also, congratulate her on a year at the site.

Kadyrov, hmmmmmm

I’ve noted for a while now that I considered Kadyrov to be the kingmaker in ongoing Russian politics. Almost fanatically loyal to Vladimir, he has benefited from Vladmir’s largely successful efforts to integrate him into the current Kremlin political structure. That has required a level of ongoing effort by Vladimir, as not everyone is fond of Kadyrov’s past or the fact that even before the “coup” attempt he had 1,000 troops stationed next to the Kremlin for the use by and protection of Vladmir. During the “coup” he was bringing a lot more troops in to protect Moscow, the Kremlin, and Vladimir — and key Russian figures moved none.

If you are not familiar with the relationship between Russia and the Chechens, let’s just describe it as interesting. There’s long been a push for a ‘free Chechen republic’ and a lot of friction (massive understatement) and not just in the last few decades. Add to it that Vladimir cemented his hold on power by blaming the Chechens for the apartment building bombings (done by the FSB) and fomenting a war. Despite all this, things worked out for Kadyrov to become a Vladimir loyalist and a major power player in Kremlin politics. Or, possibly, former major power player.

Keep in mind that I don’t think Vladimir is anywhere near the top of his game anymore. In fact, I continue to see signs of personal and political decline. Pringle’s “coup” seems to be accelerating the latter. Back to this in a minute.

For all the publicity, Pringles was a vassal to a vassal of Vladimir within the power structure, for all intents and purposes. For all he had turned into a billionaire and small-time oligarch, he was not the key player he (and most corporate media) portrayed. For all that he was a staunch supporter of Vladimir, his first love was to himself. To build the empire he wanted, and to enjoy fully the lifestyle he very much enjoyed (the uniformed figure camping with the troops was mostly for show IMO), he advanced by parroting others. He echoed Vladimir extensively. It has also been noted that when Kadyrov spoke, Pringles echoed.

This was particularly true in regards criticism of the MoD and the general (cough) incompetence in regards the war. For all that both wanted to put the blame for issues squarely on the MoD, and not them or their troops, I think that Kadyrov, more than Pringles, was unhappy at excess casualties and other issues. Kadyrov was, however, far better at playing the game than Pringles, and despite some apparent attempts to get Pringles to calm down, Pringles launched his coup while trying to frame it as focused on the MoD and not Vladimir, and perhaps even within certain circles to present it as an effort to protect Vladimir from those who were effectively betraying him.

That didn’t fly, however, and both Vladimir and Kadyrov both condemned the “coup” and labeled Pringles as a backstabbing traitor. Interestingly enough, both have come out faintly praising/praising Pringles and noting that he let his ambitions get the better of him. The faint was, of course, Vladimir. The not-so-faint was Kadyrov. It is the degree of the difference of the praise that may be very interesting.

As an aside, yes, I do believe Pringles is dead. If it were some sort of Hollyweird “WitSec” effort, it would require not only extensive plastic surgery for Pringles and Utkin, but also personality transplants. I don’t think it psychologically possible for either one of them, even with new faces and identities, to simply go live a quiet life somewhere.

Over the years, I’ve met two people in witness protection who exemplify what I’m talking about. In the first case, when I first graduated I worked at a large bookstore, where we had an “interesting” older female customer. Always trying to pull fast ones, total PITA. Turns out, she was doing interesting things at her business, which led to law enforcement investigation(s), which led to the story coming out in the paper that she was in witness protection and they had to know she was scamming people even before they moved her again. The other was an accountant turned restaurant owner who opened an Italian place where I was living at the time. Actually, some of the best Italian I’ve had in the U.S. His fast one involved (possibly among other things) not paying the witholding for his employees. Again, as law enforcement moved in, he was moved out as he really was an accountant who had testified against the mob.

Is there anyone out there who believes Pringles and Utkin could just go off and not do something similar? Coming from the Russian government, the DNA evidence is automatically suspect, but it is out there. That said, lot of circumstantial evidence around that they are indeed dead. While it wasn’t Vladimir’s normal extra-gruesome death for those he feels have personally betrayed him, it was a stark reminder that even if you are surrounded by troops pretty much 24-7 as well as security he can and will get you. That’s a message on more than one level, and with more than one target.

Which ties in to previous discussions on smart moves and why I expected the hit to happen later. Russia was using Wagner to great advantage in Africa, even more so than in the Middle East. I honestly expected to see them use them even more before striking. I think two things may have changed that calculus. First is Niger, where Wagner had extensive involvement. Did Pringles push some things against orders to curry favor and build back power? Interesting questions. There are, of course, rumors of that and other things that would have not sat well with Vladimir or other power players. Second is that Vladimir took some serious internal political hits during and after the coup. He very much needs propping up/shows of strength right now.

The whole “push some things” holds true in many regards to Kadyrov as well. Kadyrov moved troops against the “coup” both in occupied Ukraine and in Moscow. Keep in mind this so-called coup had silent backers in Moscow and beyond, and not just in one or more major players. More than ever I think it had silent partners in several key players and a number of oligarchs outside the regular power structure.

Keep in mind it doesn’t take much of a mispeak to make Vladimir suspicious of you, especially these days. Now, look back over the last year of what Kadyrov has said and compare it to Pringles (including his echoes of Kadyrov). Think it would take much to make an increasingly paranoid Vladimir see Kadyrov as a threat?

There are a lot of people who are not Vladimir supporters who would have good reason to encourage it. Think about those silent backers of the so-called coup. Those who would like to see Vladimir out of power (and/or dead).

Which makes it more than interesting that opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov appears to be warning that going after and/or eliminating Kadyrov would be a mistake (possibly of epic proportions). Doing so in public and in private apparently. Veerrrrry Interesting.

Which brings up another point. I’ve taken some flack in the past for pointing out that we do have an obligation to Ukraine on defense (though we totally reneged on it in 2014), that leaving Russian aggression unchecked is a bad idea, but that our current efforts are neither smart nor sustainable and could lead to escalation. I also remain convinced that any unilateral enforced peace is a bad idea that will only lead to something magnitudes worse within a fairly short period of time. The only way to ensure long-term peace is for the current Russian Federation to come apart (and Russkiy Mir get a wooden stake through it) — which could lead again to very bad things happening if NATO/West/China/Other were to do it. Yes, as previously discussed China has great reason to make this happen. Ability is a different issue, but they do have the interest.

Things could still go sideways with ease if it happens from within. That said, the “coup” brought out a number of fault lines within the Federation. More than one region apparently told Vladimir that he was on his own. Others were a little more creative, but assistance was not guaranteed shall we say.

Now we have a situation where RUMINT says Vladimir is no longer able, or possibly willing, to continue to spend the effort to keep Kadyrov integrated into the power structure. A power structure in which a number of people don’t like or trust Kadyrov or the Chechens. Can Kadyrov hold his own?

What happens if Gudkov and others are right, and either Vladimir or elements of the Kremlin power structure move against Kadyrov? What will the Chechen republic do?

I don’t think it will go the way many appear to be thinking it will. First up, the power structure of the Kremlin was badly off on the whole invasion of Ukraine, as well as on the capabilities of the Russian military. Second, our own top political and military leadership has yet to be right on matters involving the Ukraine. In fact, they’ve been as badly wrong as the Kremlin leadership, if not more so.

Which is why I sincerely hope we don’t go fishing in those troubled waters, as our current leadership couldn’t successfully organize a drinking party in a distillery, and have to have sex lying on their back as they can only fuck up. While it appears China and Iran may both be trying to fish in these waters already, there are internal dynamics at play that I think may backfire on them as well. For now, I’m more inclined to sit back, wait, watch, and hope that despite the odds that our so-called experts will do the same. The issue of the Russian Federation breaking up may well take care of itself for us.

Shoulder Update

Just got back from meeting the Doc’s PA, and there is some news to share. We are all happy with the recovery progress. There is still room for improvement (a lot in my opinion) so we are going to push the physical therapy as long and hard as we can. Between range-of-motion and strengthening, we can do a lot. Now we just have to hope paperwork and insurance will let us do all we can.

We also discussed when to do the left shoulder, which gives me a lot more pain and discomfort than the right now. I have the option to schedule it right now; but, it might be better to wait a month or two (or longer) to see how much more we can get done on the right shoulder and arm before doing the left. Even after the left is done, will need to keep doing PT on the right. My plan is to talk with the physical therapist, look at the rate of progress, and then start the scheduling process.

They are starting to know me: the PA laughed when I brought out my sheet of questions. It won’t be immediate, but over the next year or so, I will be able to go back into a full upper body workout. Backpacking, camping, and a variety of other sporting/hobby options will open up as the year (from surgery) progresses. I’m cleared to use the inversion table right now.

So, the big question right now is exactly when to schedule the left shoulder. I’m going to get some additional expert opinion, then decide. Part of me wants to have it done right now, but I also know that I need a right arm as close to fully functional as possible for this. If I’m told to wait even longer, I will, though it will not be pleasant.

Good Read & More

A good read from the good CDR Salamander. Ties into something I wrote a while back, will try to link it here later. Update: Here it is.

Right now, need to do a bit of exercise, and burn off some frustration. Yet again, someone didn’t do what they were supposed to in regards the insurance paperwork for more PT. Tomorrow’s visit not looking very likely right now.

More soon.

Execution

Over at Hot Air, Jazz Shaw has up a post about Alabama’s efforts to use nitrogen for executions. A lot of good food for thought there.

When it comes to executions, humanity has displayed its creativity to excess. Given that the purpose of execution was to make it clear to others not to do X (especially if aimed at the king, etc), any number of very horrific methods were developed. Sawing someone in half with the blade coming up between the legs, drawing and quartering, broken on the wheel, burning at the stake or in an oven, impalement, having molten metal poured down your throat, and, well, you get the idea. In my lifetime, I know of hanging, the electric chair, firing squad, and lethal injection being used here in the U.S. For many years, Russia used a bullet to the back of an unsuspecting prisoner’s head. What goes on in some countries tends to hark back to earlier times.

We moved from the concept of making the death as gruesome as possible to simply having death, and the ability of the state to kill you, as the deterrent. The problem is, our current system makes it about anything but a deterrent. Even with executions being legal (again), the efforts to sabotage the process are well underway. Such efforts are why it is almost impossible for states to get the needed drugs for lethal injection. It’s why several states have opted to reinstate firing squads as an option.

So, Alabama is going to try (or try to try) using nitrogen. The parenthetical is because corporate media and the anti-death penalty brigade of the lawyer’s guild are already fighting against it. Untested, unproven, yada, yada, yada. Except it has been used, fairly extensively, with animals and I remember reading a few years back about an assisted suicide company/euthanasia outfit having some famous designer work with them on a chic portable death chamber where the person inside could watch the world/be in a favorite place as they died from the nitrogen. After all, with nitrogen there is no choking/suffocating sensation, and it’s all rather peaceful.

My own personal take on the death penalty is that I prefer it to happen at the hands of the intended victim on the spot. That’s not always possible, unfortunately. My problem with state executions is that part of me does not like giving the state that power; and, the possibility of a false conviction. It does happen, and if the raft of prosecutors exposed for lying, cheating, and worse doesn’t concern you, it should. Especially in a case where the plaintiff could face the death penalty.

That said, I do feel there are some people who need to be permanently removed from the world for the safety of the world. For all that I do worry about someone who’s innocent being jailed, much less executed, the current system is a joke. When you have a process that can literally stretch out for decades, something’s wrong and you have no deterrence from the penalty.

As for this specific method, I don’t have a problem with it. It works, it’s relatively humane, and it’s something not dependent on big pharma and such. If all goes smoothly, it will be a way to get the system moving again, which is exactly why it’s being opposed. After all, if it does become a deterrent again, crime might drop instead of climbing unchecked. We can’t have that, now can we.

Quiet Day So Far

I try to stay off social media and such as much as I can on Sundays. Yesterday I took that a step further by unplugging, setting up a chair out back, pulling out a book, and spending a few hours reading and watching the clouds. Temps were wonderful compared to be heat and humidity earlier in the week. Gentle breeeze just made it all that much better.

I’m catching up on events a bit, but am also having to stay on top of the PT/Insurance issue. Meet with the doc early tomorrow, then maybe PT, will see.

Meantime, hope you all have a good week. More posts soon.

Odd Fragment

Something dislodged this and I wanted to write it down. Not sure it means anything, but for years I had this same dream/vision of my death. Think I first had it around the 7th or 8th grade.

A team of us are in the back of a C-130, ramp down, which I don’t think I had seen at that point in my life. We are low, and watching the evergreens below covered with snow flash by. So low, none of us has a reserve. Our job is to land, go over the mountain, and extract a biological (person) on the other side. Rescue? Didn’t matter. Somehow, I know I survive the jump, but don’t survive the mission.

Funny how the dreams of our youth do and don’t work out. I think I do have at least one more jump in me, but that reality forked off long ago.

Some Thoughts On Theology

Over on Twitter, someone reposted the anti-Catholic rantings of a special type of evangelical. One who is convinced they know the full and real truth, are not hesitating to share it, and fully into judging others and the faith of others. Any disagreement gets the old “read the Bible” (you pagan bleep that is going to burn, burn, burn). It generally is useless to engage such ignorant bigotry, and just mute them. Why it is pointless is a bit long and complex for Twitter, so you get to suffer through it.

I hope that I am remembering all correctly, as some of the information goes back decades and the lightning strike sort of scrambled things a bit. For anyone new, I was hit by lightning, they think all my memories are still in there but the root directory is corrupted, and some things are jumbled up. I also need to note that I am not a theologian, just someone who has been interested in the origins and more of the Bible and scripture since a child. I would also note that I was born and raised a Methodist, left said church in high school after a preacher refused to visit my dying grandmother as she had no money to leave the church; joined the Episcopal Church; then wandered a bit spiritually; and am currently a lapsed Catholic for all that I try my best to maintain the faith. Part of the reason for the lapse is personal and none of anyone’s business (other than a priest), and part has to do with the current Pope. I’m actually working towards not being lapsed, but it is an ongoing process. I’ve done comparative religion studies in high school, when I earned the God and Country award, and in college. I’m a sinner who struggles every day to do right and live up to my faith.

Let’s start with the Bible. In fact, let’s go back quite a ways and look at the language of the Bible. Different parts were written at different times, but at the time of Christ everything had been put into Aramaic as it was the language of the learned in that region and time, and the New Testament was again written in Aramaic. From there, scripture was translated into Greek, which was the language of the learned in the larger world. Only later was it translated into Latin.

Now, based on conversations with someone who’s goal as a priest was to study those ancient writings and was learning both Greek and Aramaic, the fun part was translating the Greek. The Greek language, at least of that time, was contextual which means the words around the word you were translating determined what it meant. For example, one word could mean brother, step-brother, brother from another mother, band-of-brothers type brother, or I think one other type of relation. Get the context wrong, and you get a technically correct translation that isn’t accurate.

So, you have chances for error when translating from the original source into Aramaic. You have chances for error when translating from Aramaic into Greek. You have a boatload more chances translating from Greek into everything else, and even today you can get debate that devolves towards fist fight by those trying to do so today. Don’t laugh, read the real accounts of some of the early councils and the fact that several of the fathers of the Church did indeed get into fist fights over theological points. This was long before the schism between Catholicism and Orthodox, and well before Martin Luther came onto the scene.

Translating into English, no matter the source but Greek made for the most fun, was yet another chance for error. I seem to recall a tale of a deliberate error of translation to curry favor with King James when he had scholars produce what is now known as the King James bible. Hate to say it, but things like that can happen. Even updating the English text to current usage is potentially problematic. I still remember when a new modern version of the Bible came out (Living Bible?) that had some rather interesting updates. Think that’s the best way to put it. My personal take is the more modern and hip you go, the less likely it is to be accurate or even theologically sound.

Now, which version and in which language are your reading the Bible? I mean the Catholic Bible has the books still in it that Martin Luther threw out. Some sects of Christianity still include the Apocrypha that all mainstream Christianity leaves out. I will note that to better understand Catholic theology, you really need to read the books of the Bible that Martin Luther threw out. Within that, you still have a heap of different versions (NAB, New Standard, King James, etc.) and each has a slightly different take on things for all that the key point remains the same.

I should make clear that there are a number of new translations into various languages that are quite good. The key is, they all are translating from the Aramaic, and the scholars are cross-checking each other as they go. It’s a way to cut down on the mistakes, because we are human and mistakes are sort of what we do best.

So, when someone screams “Read the Bible” I know up front they are not a serious person and are not making a serious effort at discourse or conversion. Frankly, it’s a Christian version of virtue signalling. They are also missing several key points to Christianity in my opinion. Clearly they jumped over the whole place not limits on the Lord thy God, judge not, motes in eyes, and such. They seem to have missed that they are not God, and that God is not bound by their rules on what he can or can’t do, and how he can or can’t do things. They are being extremely legalistic, and are also denying Grace exists. Just as there is no Grace, no forgiveness in the SJW clique, there is no forgiveness or Grace in the this type of argument. There is no love in this approach either. It is not my place to judge others; however, it is a duty to help those struggling with love and compassion. It may seem that I am judging this person and those like them, but I see this more as a bit of tough love.

Because, the real key point they are missing is that we are all Christians, no matter what “flavor” of Christianity we choose. We disagree with each other on different points, but we all accept that Christ was born to die for our sins, and that his death on the cross purchased for us eternal life. I think it may have been Reverend Key, an outstanding Methodist preacher and theologian, who first pointed this out to myself and others. Then again, he was also (I think) the person who taught me about the Miracle of Transubstantiation, and how Catholics and others believe in it.

This argument also misses that God is Love, and that God is both omniscient and omnipotent. Which is a state we really can’t grasp all that well. So, we use scripture and the parables taught by Jesus, we use direct revelation (the Commandments), and the guidance God offers us everyday to get a very imperfect and limited grasp of both God and the rules by which we should live. It’s also why we have miracles, as God can and does take a very direct hand in our lives on occasion. I’m living proof of that as I should have died more than once in this life, including when I was hit by lightning a couple of years ago. There were several aspects of that which add up to a miracle, an every day miracle if you will, but still a miracle. So, no, God who sees all of time and space at once is not sitting on a throne watching and waiting to see any imperfection as a reason to cackle and smite — it’s people who do that.

For God is Grace and forgiveness, not picky legalistic gotchas. So much so, that he gave his only begotten son to die on the Cross for us.

I’m also reminded of something a priest said to my RCIA class. A wise or good priest will never tell you where they think the recently deceased is going, even if they have suspicions. For with even the worst sinner, we can’t know if God did reach out with a miracle to let them change their minds and accept Christ in that last second of life. Again, we are not God and he is not bound by our rules and understandings. Nor do I think that since I now have problems with remembering and saying a number of common prayers (stupid lightning) that such will send me to Sheol, aka Hell. Part of Love is Compassion, and not only do I think that God is far more compassionate than we realize, I think he is not going to hold our worldly infirmities against us.

I view the legalistic clique in much the way I regard prosperity gospel. Not highly. And, all of the above is why I think it is usually useless to engage those doing this type of virtue signal. Because it is about the virtue signal, and not conversion or theology.

As for some of the specific points that troubled the person on Twitter, I’d like to take a moment to address some of them. Especially as some of them were things that may have bothered me when I started the process to join the Church. Never mind that some of the ornate and such still can offend parts of my Methodist soul…

A lot of ignorance and bigotry focuses around Mary, the mother of Jesus. Those that hate her, or hate that she is highly regarded within the Catholic Church, appear to subscribe to what I call the Empty Vessel concept. In short, they see Mary as an empty vessel, a rent-a-womb if you will, who had no further role in Christianity than that. They deny her agency if you will. Instead of a 13-year-old girl who bravely agreed to carry the Son of God (think stoning and other things that could have happened to a pregnant female not yet married), and made a conscious informed choice to do so, they see her as an empty-headed piece of meat. As for future role, you might want to go back and re-read the Wedding. When she asks Jesus to perform the miracle of the wine, there is an exchange where he asks is she sure as she knows where it will lead. To the Cross. Depending on translation, her reply is along the lines of ‘it is time.’ She was there at the foot of the Cross as he suffered and died. Far from an empty vessel.

Bit of an aside, but relevant: The book of Luke is the only book that talks about the childhood of Jesus. There is reason to believe that the author interviewed Mary before her death. Reread that book, and think about the tales only a mother would tell. Puts a little different light on it.

Despite what many think, Catholics don’t worship Mary as God. One of the better explanations came from a priest who pointed out that a lot of it is like a child picking out the “good” parent when they’ve done something wrong. Keep in mind that for all his life, Jesus was a good Jewish boy who loved his mother and would do almost anything for her. As such, we turn to her for intercession, a form of ‘Mom, I screwed up and did something bad, would you help me with your Son’ type thing. We pray to God, but we also will ask Mary to help us do it right and get our request through. The theological points can get complex, but Mary, being born free of original sin and being the mother of Jesus, serves as an intermediary to humanity. Someone pointing the way to her Son. The Way, the Truth, and the Light.

It is much the same for the saints. Short form: all saints are in heaven, and we ask them to help us get our prayers right and to remind us of what they did so we can do the same. They provide an extra voice for our prayers if you will, and can act as an advocate for us before the Throne.

As for Jesus having brothers, you might want to go back up near the top and the discussion of Greek. You might also want to consider that Jesus may have had stepbrothers as Mary might not have been the first wife of Joseph, who was much older than her. Catholic theology holds that she was chaste throughout her life. There’s not a lot in scripture about Joseph, including his history or even when he died. Food for thought.

As a final note, if you are so inclined, please say a prayer for that person on Twitter and all like her. In fact, say it for all of us, that we all open our eyes to God and his love, and that we hear, see, and feel his guidance and love for us. That we have love and patience with one another, and lead others to Faith by our actions.

Final aside: I rarely pray for specific outcomes on anything, especially myself. I’ve found over the years that I’m far better off leaving outcomes to God, as those tend to be far better than what I would have prayed for. Things are always better if we leave them in God’s hands.