not of this world

For the law of sin is the fierce force of habit, by which the mind is drawn and held even against its will, and yet deservedly because it had fallen willfully into the habit.

-Confessions, Book VIII, 5

“…you don’t go two steps in either direction without being enveloped in mystery…”
-dr. long

taking a break from studying i revealed to myself just how much of a nerd/political junkie i still am when to my genuine delight, discovered that CSPAN-2 was airing a recent debate between the two finalist candidates running for President in France. no, really, it’s a good time, check for replays. Sarkosy put that silly socialist beeyatch in her place. in all seriousness, it’s a very important election, and looks like Sarkosy has it by about 10 points, a lead that increased post debate airing, which means France may start climbing out of its self destruction denial hole just in the knick of time. tellingly, his oppostion is warning that their side not taking the day is going to mean violence in the streets .

with much outside commentary abounding re the chaos and scandal of administrative decisions being made in the AMU/AMSoL universe, this comment from columcille of fumare was exceptionally (imho) well done indeed. it takes time to unravel and refute misunderstandings of what’s going on here in particular, and re the integrity of Catholicism in general, but this is a fine example that it can be time well spent.

there is much that could be said about Britain’s campaign against ‘antisocial’ behavior , both on the side that perhaps such a governmental strategy is the best option for an increasingly secular crime infested population, and that forceably enrolling 9,000 families into re-education camps sets a dangerous (or at least pathetic) precedent - the whole 1984/minority report projection of control/abuse. But it still is an interesting illustration of the proliferation of codes and interventions and monitoring and demerit fines etc. that is having to be drafted in by government agencies, in lieu of a responsible people ordering themselves and having their souls formed in an atmosphere of faith.

for the modern world morality understood in the sense of the soul’s ordering and being ordered to the good, the true and the beautiful just doesn’t cut it anymore. man both doesn’t want anyone to tell him what to do and makes it so that he must increasingly be told what to do. in his obsession with unrestricted autonomy he walls himself off more and more from genuine freedom…

Reminded me of something I just read in Augustine re justice in the temporal and eternal laws, that it is never unjust that a “well-ordered and serious-minded people choose their own magistrates, while a licentious and worthless people is deprived of this power.”

a few of the many ‘resources’ listed to ‘encourage’ community respect:

Gating orders

Councils can order gating of a highway in order to prevent crime or anti-social behaviour from occurring. If the alley is a public right of way it can still be closed or diverted if suitable alternate routes exist and the council deems it necessary for the purposes of preventing or reducing crime and/or anti-social behaviour which would otherwise disrupt the life of the community.

Individual support orders

Individual support orders can be attached to an ASBO against a person aged between 10 and 17. They contain positive obligations designed to tackle the underlying causes of the person’s anti-social behaviour, and are usually overseen by a member of the youth offending team or social services. The orders can last for up to six months, and can require the young person to attend up to two sessions a week. Failure to comply is a criminal offence.

Intervention orders

Intervention orders (IOs) can be attached to anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) in the same way as individual support orders (ISOs), and are designed to tackle anti-social behaviour as a result of drugs misuse. They require individuals who act anti-socially as a result of drugs misuse to comply with positive conditions that tackle his/her anti-social behaviour. IOs can only be given to individuals aged 18 or over and can last 6 months or less.

well yes,
last thing before closing of eyes
and first before spreading open
into the light of a gifted day
new and to be embraced
full of absenced promise

yes, it is there
and perhaps wisdom
is to deny
and cast the gaze
elsewhere
carpe diem

and sanctity
coupled with wisdom
might embrace
while casting off
in perfect harmony
detachment sublime

but seems folly
nonetheless - sanctity a far off dream at present -
impossibly false to beauty
to apathesize the one
for whom blessing binds
sight given these eyes

perhaps we are the
mad ones,
though perhaps, perhaps (but who knows, really)
rather it is those
abstaining
in safe distance from such madness

“[bowl of wrath poured out (in the book of revelation)] is a 1st century equivalent for ‘can of whoop-ass’…”
-prof. holmes