Behind a burning red fog The great mind swims in confusion Its blood ferments in anger Honor and wisdom will cower Your river's flow is damned all to hell Your river's flow is damned all to hell Drifting in a current to stagnate Encircle the vision of rust
This is a great essay. I think it relates to sacrifice. The point of sacrifice is to give up something for something better. It is not that we seek suffering for its own sake, it is that we are willing and able to sacrifice present ease and pleasure for future gain. The goal is actually to maximize gain on an infinite time scale.
If we shorten our time horizon, or if we see no gain from our sacrifice, then the sacrifice seems pointless. Achilles stays in camp. I think a flip side to this is an overzealous penitent self-inflicting bloody wounds. If all we see is the present, the immanent, the idea of sacrifice is pointless. Neither should we disregard the present entirely, because it also exists in time and is part of the accounting.
I have long observed that the manic "pursuit of happiness" of our time, as well as the obsession with "feeling good" and always staying "positive" and "cheerful", has only made people more miserable: the religion of well-being demands the sacrifice of mental and emotional health as much as spiritual health.
In 2019 I aspired to achieve financial prosperity after having suffered hardship in that regard almost all my life.
However, when the plandemic broke out, I realized that aspiring to material solvency beyond the basics from that point forward had become very dangerous, as it became clear that the System was becoming overtly diabolical.
So I had to lower my aspirations AGAIN, which hurt me a lot, but I realized that sooner rather than later, anyone who wants to "live prosperously and happily" within the 4th Industrial Revolution will have to allow themselves to be "stamped with the mark of the Beast," whatever that means.
That is why I'm seeking among my friends and acquaintances since 2020 to form a community of like-minded people, people who are not willing to "adapt to anything" as long as they are allowed to "live in peace". But very few people are willing to form this kind of community, let alone risk being persecuted afterwards.... And the irony is that economic problems are one of the main obstacles to forming such a community.
You know, I wonder that the difference hangs on the posture of humility. I am convicted of the notion that there is no way I could take a single breath or withstand one second of conscious awareness without the existence and benevolence of our creator. We are not who we think we are. The sense of that lack can drive one to despair and war, or to love. I choose the latter.
Another communiqué seemingly propelled by the breath of Sanctifying Grace within you. If it's so, God keep you. If not, may it become so. Either way, thanks for it.
Nov 29, 2023·edited Nov 30, 2023Liked by Thaddeus Kozinski
In the context of the illuminating juxtaposition of the article title I believe that, through God's grace, I too am now firmly in 'salvation mode'. I cannot claim sufferings remotely on a par with those of Job but, as a soon-to-be octagenarian, neither was it an entirely easy ride. That said, the purpose of this comment is not to critique the article itself; rather it is to point to a deeply moving experiance that it triggered:
Whilst I am familiar with the works of GF Handel - and specifically his 'Messiah' suite - from way back, I had not really listened to any of it for a very long time. The article's 'Job' quote prompted me to search YouTube to renew my aquaintance so-to-speak. The first video I hit upon was by a Czech ensemle called 'Cafe International'. I hit play and was .... smitten ... in a totally unexpected fashion. The first phrase sung by any competent soprano should be enough to inspire and humble any believer, but in this case it was sung by a beautiful young woman who was also blind and reading from a braille score. The effect on this crusty old curmudgion with two grown-up daughters was indescribable beyond saying that it pretty much disabled me for a while.
This is a great essay. I think it relates to sacrifice. The point of sacrifice is to give up something for something better. It is not that we seek suffering for its own sake, it is that we are willing and able to sacrifice present ease and pleasure for future gain. The goal is actually to maximize gain on an infinite time scale.
If we shorten our time horizon, or if we see no gain from our sacrifice, then the sacrifice seems pointless. Achilles stays in camp. I think a flip side to this is an overzealous penitent self-inflicting bloody wounds. If all we see is the present, the immanent, the idea of sacrifice is pointless. Neither should we disregard the present entirely, because it also exists in time and is part of the accounting.
I have long observed that the manic "pursuit of happiness" of our time, as well as the obsession with "feeling good" and always staying "positive" and "cheerful", has only made people more miserable: the religion of well-being demands the sacrifice of mental and emotional health as much as spiritual health.
In 2019 I aspired to achieve financial prosperity after having suffered hardship in that regard almost all my life.
However, when the plandemic broke out, I realized that aspiring to material solvency beyond the basics from that point forward had become very dangerous, as it became clear that the System was becoming overtly diabolical.
So I had to lower my aspirations AGAIN, which hurt me a lot, but I realized that sooner rather than later, anyone who wants to "live prosperously and happily" within the 4th Industrial Revolution will have to allow themselves to be "stamped with the mark of the Beast," whatever that means.
That is why I'm seeking among my friends and acquaintances since 2020 to form a community of like-minded people, people who are not willing to "adapt to anything" as long as they are allowed to "live in peace". But very few people are willing to form this kind of community, let alone risk being persecuted afterwards.... And the irony is that economic problems are one of the main obstacles to forming such a community.
Anyway, we are in God's hands.
You know, I wonder that the difference hangs on the posture of humility. I am convicted of the notion that there is no way I could take a single breath or withstand one second of conscious awareness without the existence and benevolence of our creator. We are not who we think we are. The sense of that lack can drive one to despair and war, or to love. I choose the latter.
Another communiqué seemingly propelled by the breath of Sanctifying Grace within you. If it's so, God keep you. If not, may it become so. Either way, thanks for it.
In the context of the illuminating juxtaposition of the article title I believe that, through God's grace, I too am now firmly in 'salvation mode'. I cannot claim sufferings remotely on a par with those of Job but, as a soon-to-be octagenarian, neither was it an entirely easy ride. That said, the purpose of this comment is not to critique the article itself; rather it is to point to a deeply moving experiance that it triggered:
Whilst I am familiar with the works of GF Handel - and specifically his 'Messiah' suite - from way back, I had not really listened to any of it for a very long time. The article's 'Job' quote prompted me to search YouTube to renew my aquaintance so-to-speak. The first video I hit upon was by a Czech ensemle called 'Cafe International'. I hit play and was .... smitten ... in a totally unexpected fashion. The first phrase sung by any competent soprano should be enough to inspire and humble any believer, but in this case it was sung by a beautiful young woman who was also blind and reading from a braille score. The effect on this crusty old curmudgion with two grown-up daughters was indescribable beyond saying that it pretty much disabled me for a while.
Here is a link to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fNw63Ojd_8