Mark P. Shea's Blog, page 1417
November 22, 2010
The most astonishing thing about this article...
are the words "it has been disclosed".
Like this is news. It reminds me of that moment at the climax of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix when Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic who has lived in steadfast denial of Voldemort's existence, arrives at the Ministry with his Cabinet moments after the epic battle has destroyed the place and witnesses Voldemort's disapparation.
"He's back!", he says, with a stunning command of the obvious.
Golly! Radical Muslims are teaching crazy, evil crap in their schools? Yes! "It has been disclosed!"
Like this is news. It reminds me of that moment at the climax of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix when Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic who has lived in steadfast denial of Voldemort's existence, arrives at the Ministry with his Cabinet moments after the epic battle has destroyed the place and witnesses Voldemort's disapparation.
"He's back!", he says, with a stunning command of the obvious.
Golly! Radical Muslims are teaching crazy, evil crap in their schools? Yes! "It has been disclosed!"
How Cowardice Conflates Brutality with Courage
If you want a compressed future history of where our civilization will go if the Rubber Hose Right gets its way, here's a conversation that just happened in my combox with a guy who has the cheek to invoke Chesterton in defense of his cowardly defenses of torture. In the tradition of Himmler, he conflates courage with the willingness to stamp on your conscience till it is numb and do the evil thing:
Chestertonrules: Paraphrasing Chesterton: The consequence of being too proud to fight is that the humble must do the fighting.
Would you waterboard one man to save a hundred innocent lives?
I would be making the moral choice to waterboard 100 men to save the life of my child or yours. I would also be waterboarded 100 times to save the life of one of my children or one of yours.
Our intelligence service tells us that waterboarding saved innocent lives. Your position("moral" elitism) condemns to death innocent people.
That is not a moral choice.
Joye: Would you rape the wife of a suspected terrorist to make him confess and save 1000 lives?
Would you torture the children of a suspected terrorist to make him confess and save 1000 lives?
If not, why not?
Chestertonrules: I would take the action that minimized death and suffering.
Would you take action that maximized death and suffering? If so, what makes this choice of yours moral?
Would you waterboard a man to save the life of a child?
Mark Shea: I can't help but notice you don't answer the question. If you didn't have the terrorist in custody, but had his kid and had the power to communicate with him, would you torture his kid to get the info you want? You're the one making these bargains with the devil. Answer the damn question.
Chestertonrules: You're the one avoiding the question!
Would you choose the lesser of two evils or maintain your irrational "moral" position.
Would you take action to minimize death and suffering?
I would, even if it was horrible.
I would be waterboarded to save your child. I would waterboard 100 men to save your child.
What would you do?
Mark Shea: I'm not avoiding the question. I've been quite clear for years. You cannot do grave intrinsic evil. So no, I would not torture somebody. Particularly since there are other ways of getting information. So, answer the question, coward. Since you would do anything to save your skin, would you torture the kid? Millions of lives are at stake. Answer, coward.
chestertonrules: I already answered:
Would you take action to minimize death and suffering?
I would, even if it was horrible.
I'm glad men with more moral clarity than you currently possess are protecting our children.
Mark Shea: I'll take that as "Yes. I'd crush a kid's testicles if I thought it could save my skin."
Note again, the curious conflation that the coward makes between the willingness to do monstrous things and bravery. Asked point blank if he would torture a child for some perceived good end he replies, "I would, even if it was horrible." He's too much of a coward to come out and say directly what he is saying. Instead he tries to direct our attention to the imaginary good end, rather than the concrete act of torturing a child. But in the end, it is the concrete act, not the imaginary and hoped-for outcome that he affirms.
I think if Chesterton were alive today, he would challenge "Chestertonrules" to a duel for staining the honor of his good name.
And yeah. He's gone from my comboxes. I don't need this filth anymore than I need people saying, "If you could end world hunger by manufacturing Soylent Green from condemned criminals kept alive and harvested in storage pods, would you do it? Millions of lives are at stake!!!!"
Update: Reader Chad Myers points out that, at the end of the day, what people like this are really proposing is, "How many people would Mary have tortured to free an innocent man (Jesus) from terrorism (brutality at the hands of the Roman soldiers)?"
Indeed, how many children should she torture (assuming she had the power to do it in order to stop the Crucifixion)? Or shall we hold her guilty of "moral elitism"?
Don't complain to *me* about blasphemy. Complain to those who concoct these hypothetical scenarios in order to justify grave intrinsic evil.
Chestertonrules: Paraphrasing Chesterton: The consequence of being too proud to fight is that the humble must do the fighting.
Would you waterboard one man to save a hundred innocent lives?
I would be making the moral choice to waterboard 100 men to save the life of my child or yours. I would also be waterboarded 100 times to save the life of one of my children or one of yours.
Our intelligence service tells us that waterboarding saved innocent lives. Your position("moral" elitism) condemns to death innocent people.
That is not a moral choice.
Joye: Would you rape the wife of a suspected terrorist to make him confess and save 1000 lives?
Would you torture the children of a suspected terrorist to make him confess and save 1000 lives?
If not, why not?
Chestertonrules: I would take the action that minimized death and suffering.
Would you take action that maximized death and suffering? If so, what makes this choice of yours moral?
Would you waterboard a man to save the life of a child?
Mark Shea: I can't help but notice you don't answer the question. If you didn't have the terrorist in custody, but had his kid and had the power to communicate with him, would you torture his kid to get the info you want? You're the one making these bargains with the devil. Answer the damn question.
Chestertonrules: You're the one avoiding the question!
Would you choose the lesser of two evils or maintain your irrational "moral" position.
Would you take action to minimize death and suffering?
I would, even if it was horrible.
I would be waterboarded to save your child. I would waterboard 100 men to save your child.
What would you do?
Mark Shea: I'm not avoiding the question. I've been quite clear for years. You cannot do grave intrinsic evil. So no, I would not torture somebody. Particularly since there are other ways of getting information. So, answer the question, coward. Since you would do anything to save your skin, would you torture the kid? Millions of lives are at stake. Answer, coward.
chestertonrules: I already answered:
Would you take action to minimize death and suffering?
I would, even if it was horrible.
I'm glad men with more moral clarity than you currently possess are protecting our children.
Mark Shea: I'll take that as "Yes. I'd crush a kid's testicles if I thought it could save my skin."
Note again, the curious conflation that the coward makes between the willingness to do monstrous things and bravery. Asked point blank if he would torture a child for some perceived good end he replies, "I would, even if it was horrible." He's too much of a coward to come out and say directly what he is saying. Instead he tries to direct our attention to the imaginary good end, rather than the concrete act of torturing a child. But in the end, it is the concrete act, not the imaginary and hoped-for outcome that he affirms.
I think if Chesterton were alive today, he would challenge "Chestertonrules" to a duel for staining the honor of his good name.
And yeah. He's gone from my comboxes. I don't need this filth anymore than I need people saying, "If you could end world hunger by manufacturing Soylent Green from condemned criminals kept alive and harvested in storage pods, would you do it? Millions of lives are at stake!!!!"
Update: Reader Chad Myers points out that, at the end of the day, what people like this are really proposing is, "How many people would Mary have tortured to free an innocent man (Jesus) from terrorism (brutality at the hands of the Roman soldiers)?"
Indeed, how many children should she torture (assuming she had the power to do it in order to stop the Crucifixion)? Or shall we hold her guilty of "moral elitism"?
Don't complain to *me* about blasphemy. Complain to those who concoct these hypothetical scenarios in order to justify grave intrinsic evil.
Prayer Requests and Praise reports
Lorna is presently flying from Philly to California and home. That's the very good news and I thank you all for your prayers. The thing is, she's in a lot of pain and flying is an arduous trial. So please pray that she's able to sleep and that the meds reduce the agony during the flight.
In other prayer news, a reader writes:
Another reader writes:
Lovely to have so much to give thanks for this week in particular!
In other prayer news, a reader writes:
Just wanted to drop you a little note to let you know that all is well with my family. As fed up with the company as my husband is (he's been working there for 24 years, with only a one year break--left to take another offer, it soured, & he was welcomed back), he doesn't want his kids to go without. There are still arguments, but these have become fewer and further between, with the help of prayer.Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ.
Been keeping you and your readers in my prayers.
Another reader writes:
Thanks to everyone's prayers, the good news keeps coming: Regina is doing much better. She's out of the ICU, off the blood pressure meds, breathing without any assistance whatsoever, eating pretty well and she's even walked up and down the hall several times on her own power.Amen! Thanks be to God for hearing our prayers through Jesus Christ!
Her progress has been remarkable...she should be going home within a couple of days. It's been a real testament to the power of prayer...she was so-o-o bad on Monday night (her heart had stopped for 2 minutes).
Now, it looks like she'll definitely be home for Thanksgiving. And WHAT a Thanksgiving we'll have! Deo gratias!!!
Lovely to have so much to give thanks for this week in particular!
The Prince of Peace Continue to Disappoint his Suckers
Latest outrage here.
And that was written *before* he made a sneaky deal to sell arms to Our Friends the Saudis.
Trillions of dollars in debt and we are still giving corporate welfare to giant arms corporations and supplying rich Muslims with weapons. And suckers still call that "hope and change".
But hey! Bristol Palin is doing great and we are content with our bread and circuses!
And that was written *before* he made a sneaky deal to sell arms to Our Friends the Saudis.
Trillions of dollars in debt and we are still giving corporate welfare to giant arms corporations and supplying rich Muslims with weapons. And suckers still call that "hope and change".
But hey! Bristol Palin is doing great and we are content with our bread and circuses!
Pope Changes Catholic Faith Completely!
Is Beatification for Darth Vader next?
(ROME) In a startling change to the Catholic Faith, Pope Benedict XVI announced today that tossing people down elevator shafts could represent a first step in assuming moral responsibility "in the intention of reducing the risk of having your own son electrocuted to death before your very eyes."
The Imperial Mainstream Media Center has taken this as a signal that the Church intends to canonize Darth Vader for his saintly courage in tossing Emperor Palpatine down an elevator shaft as he was torturing his son to death with huge bolts of electric Force energy. In addition, the Imperial Mainstream Media Center has also declared that the Pope therefore means to say that destruction of whole planets, as well as the subjugation of billions of inhabitants all over the galaxy, the betrayal of his closest friends, the slaughter of the Jedi and their younglings, and his conversion to the Dark Side "don't matter". But most importantly, according to an Imperial Mainstream Media spokesman, "The point is, throwing people down elevator shafts is now formally accepted by the Church as moral behavior and Catholic need to think about how to incorporate this new development of doctrine into their lives. If you feel that throwing people down elevator shafts is the safe and right thing for you, then," says the Imperial Mainstream Media Center, "we believe the Pope means to say, 'Do it with my blessing.'"
(ROME) In a startling change to the Catholic Faith, Pope Benedict XVI announced today that tossing people down elevator shafts could represent a first step in assuming moral responsibility "in the intention of reducing the risk of having your own son electrocuted to death before your very eyes."
The Imperial Mainstream Media Center has taken this as a signal that the Church intends to canonize Darth Vader for his saintly courage in tossing Emperor Palpatine down an elevator shaft as he was torturing his son to death with huge bolts of electric Force energy. In addition, the Imperial Mainstream Media Center has also declared that the Pope therefore means to say that destruction of whole planets, as well as the subjugation of billions of inhabitants all over the galaxy, the betrayal of his closest friends, the slaughter of the Jedi and their younglings, and his conversion to the Dark Side "don't matter". But most importantly, according to an Imperial Mainstream Media spokesman, "The point is, throwing people down elevator shafts is now formally accepted by the Church as moral behavior and Catholic need to think about how to incorporate this new development of doctrine into their lives. If you feel that throwing people down elevator shafts is the safe and right thing for you, then," says the Imperial Mainstream Media Center, "we believe the Pope means to say, 'Do it with my blessing.'"
More Stuff on TSA Insanity
here and here:
Meanwhile, as the State is, right now, strip-searching and groping little boys and telling you that is is keeping you safe, people who still live somewhere in the cloud cuckoo land of the Ridiculous Hypothetical Scenario are *still* writing me stuff like this:
One of the things that is worth noticing about the habit or torture defenders training their intellects to defend evil is this: they indulge the same fallacies that abortion defenders do. Let's rewind my reader's sin fantasy and restate it:
Here's an extreme hypothetical to get the ball rolling.
Your options:
1) The Holocaust
2) Abort Hitler
Your choice?
If you think that somehow absurd or unfair, you haven't been paying attention to the consequentialist arguments put forward for abortion. As Charles Krauthammer says, if it can save just *one* innocent life...
Embrace consequentialism to defend torture and you embrace it to defend abortion. That's the deal.
And all the while Faithful Conservative Catholics[TM] are defending handing Caesar this sort of power in the cowardly conviction that it will keep them safe, Caesar is busy grabbing the power to treat our kids like the victims of a pedophile. Talk about faith-based government.
More on that kid here.
Meanwhile, as the State is, right now, strip-searching and groping little boys and telling you that is is keeping you safe, people who still live somewhere in the cloud cuckoo land of the Ridiculous Hypothetical Scenario are *still* writing me stuff like this:
Mark I usually love your posts but I find your moral compass to be a little shaky here.Odd that my reader should use that last word. This is what is known as "Sinning by Hypotheticals". It is a particular species of intellectual sin in which the mind and imagination are used to overlook evil that is right in front of your nose in order to justify committing evil in some fantasy land.
Here's an extreme hypothetical to get the ball rolling.
Your options:
1) The Holocaust
2) Torture Hitler
Your choice?
One of the things that is worth noticing about the habit or torture defenders training their intellects to defend evil is this: they indulge the same fallacies that abortion defenders do. Let's rewind my reader's sin fantasy and restate it:
Here's an extreme hypothetical to get the ball rolling.
Your options:
1) The Holocaust
2) Abort Hitler
Your choice?
If you think that somehow absurd or unfair, you haven't been paying attention to the consequentialist arguments put forward for abortion. As Charles Krauthammer says, if it can save just *one* innocent life...
Embrace consequentialism to defend torture and you embrace it to defend abortion. That's the deal.
And all the while Faithful Conservative Catholics[TM] are defending handing Caesar this sort of power in the cowardly conviction that it will keep them safe, Caesar is busy grabbing the power to treat our kids like the victims of a pedophile. Talk about faith-based government.
More on that kid here.
Steve Greydanus Reviews the Latest Harry Potter film
His basic take: Meh.
I reckon he's right that the films will make more sense if you've read the books--and that this is not a sign of good filmmaking. I was a bit lost for a few moments, but mostly tracked the story, which was largely faithful.
The normal back and forth between fan and critic happens in the comboxes, with only a couple of people saying dumb things about how eeeeeeevil and occult the books are and condemning Steve for soiling his Catholic purity by deigning to review it. Mostly the conversation is rewarding. My favorite comment: "Greydanus is an AWESOME wizard name, dude!"
Y'know, he's right!
I reckon he's right that the films will make more sense if you've read the books--and that this is not a sign of good filmmaking. I was a bit lost for a few moments, but mostly tracked the story, which was largely faithful.
The normal back and forth between fan and critic happens in the comboxes, with only a couple of people saying dumb things about how eeeeeeevil and occult the books are and condemning Steve for soiling his Catholic purity by deigning to review it. Mostly the conversation is rewarding. My favorite comment: "Greydanus is an AWESOME wizard name, dude!"
Y'know, he's right!
498 Followers!
Today, my shuffling lackeys and suckups, I think the task before us is obvious: find two more followers and make it a nice round number. The 500th follower will not have his house targeted for destruction and his family abducted for experimentation and genetic manipulation. Just my way of saying, "Thanks for your patronage!"
That is all!
That is all!
November 20, 2010
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