tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post7149184519558292330..comments2024-03-28T09:59:13.754-07:00Comments on bionic mosquito: The Journey Backbionic mosquitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-75876119905024452602020-04-17T04:14:47.598-07:002020-04-17T04:14:47.598-07:00Thank you, ATL. This is very kind.
Whatever I ha...Thank you, ATL. This is very kind.<br /><br />Whatever I have made of this blog, it is a product of the great feedback as much as it is anything I have done. Several commenters over the years have pushed me, offered insights, gentle critiques. You are one of these.<br /><br />I look back on some of my earliest work; I am in quite a different - and healthier - place today because of this feedback and interaction.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-82721511083319689372020-04-16T20:07:02.657-07:002020-04-16T20:07:02.657-07:00Sometimes I feel as though the left/right game sho...Sometimes I feel as though the left/right game should be abandoned and rejected whole cloth, but I can't help but think that 'taking back' one of them is the only way to make big gains in the way of liberty and genuine progress.<br /><br />The left, very early on, had good ideas in economics and some good ideas in politics (Rothbard traces the roots of libertarianism to the left). But they had so many drawbacks in their attitudes on culture and religion. So many little poisons baked into the cake that were sure to kill the golden goose at some point.<br /><br />The right started out somewhat bad in politics and economics (especially so after the French Revolution), but great on culture and religion. It wasn't until those poisons of the left came to fruition and blossomed into totalitarian regimes that the right saw the danger and incompetence of a centralized state in preserving traditional ways of life and private property.<br /><br />A synthesis of the two, the good aspects, I think is the key. But how much of the left and right to keep and how much to reject? This is why I follow the Bionic Mosquito blog so diligently: it's on the cutting edge of this question.<br /><br />Perhaps only Bastion Mag competes. Mises Institute, LRC blog, and Property and Freedom Society are certainly there too, but they are not laser focused like our Mosquito. Thanks bud, for all you do!A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-30279442338018714732020-04-16T20:04:21.165-07:002020-04-16T20:04:21.165-07:00Roger/BM,
I would say both of you are right... er...Roger/BM,<br /><br />I would say both of you are right... er... correct. The left advances, slashing and burning it's way through Christian tradition and the remnants of Christendom, all the while appealing to popular Christian sentiments, and the right hurries behind it, solidifying its progress, hoping to get its turn at the helm every few years.<br /><br />I would use the great G.K. Chesterton quote about conservatives and progressives, but I'm sure you two have seen it plenty of times.A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-66378013956086709642020-04-16T19:10:04.634-07:002020-04-16T19:10:04.634-07:00Roger, I suspect (but will leave for ATL to confir...Roger, I suspect (but will leave for ATL to confirm or deny) that he is using the term "left" in its proper sense - those against tradition, custom, religion (Christianity), intermediating institutions, etc.<br /><br />In this regard, much of what is considered today as "right" is also "left."<br />bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-28174156366744788302020-04-16T18:12:53.857-07:002020-04-16T18:12:53.857-07:00"It seems as though the State, and the Left, ..."It seems as though the State, and the Left, it's vanguard,..."<br /><br />ATL, putting this into military terms. If the vanguard of the State is the Left, then what is the main force? What follows in the path of the vanguard? What brings up the rear to mop up resistance? <br /><br />Now, this may not be the way you meant it, but your statement sounds as though it is ONLY the Left, working in conjunction with the State, which makes its gains in power according to the way you have described. Does the Right do the same thing? Does the Right ever act corruptly or usurp Christian principles and ideas? Is the Right content to bring up the rear and consolidate all the gains which the Left has accomplished? Many people, smarter than I am, have pointed out that this is exactly what happens and severely diminishes the meaning of the term "conservative" due to this. <br /><br />Yes, no doubt the Left is the 'vanguard' of the State, but the Right is the 'rearguard'. Without either of these two, the State would be seriously vulnerable to attack and defeat. <br /><br />Rogerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08156823478509665137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-11717908563298165402020-04-16T06:41:26.172-07:002020-04-16T06:41:26.172-07:00No problem. It is very easy to misuse words and m...No problem. It is very easy to misuse words and misunderstand. I do it all the time.RMBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13603112499567064214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-65218452502147793752020-04-16T05:57:39.181-07:002020-04-16T05:57:39.181-07:00Ahmed,
The difference between aggressive war and ...Ahmed,<br /><br />The difference between aggressive war and defensive war is the same as the difference between murder and justified killing in self defense. And yes a warmonger would be someone like John McCain or John Bolton, certainly not Jesus. Given this company, you can see how we might be offended at the suggestion. Jesus, however, was no pacifist, as he did use force to disrupt the money changers at the Temple. But in so doing, He was only exercising his right of ownership; after all, it was His father's house. And the corruption of the ancient church clearly struck a nerve with Him.<br /><br />"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword."<br /><br />RMB has already answered this well, but I'll just add that this is the problem when one takes a single line of scripture out of context. <br /><br />Roger,<br /><br />That's a great observation at how the State corrupts the language of Christianity. It seems as though the State, and the Left, it's vanguard, make all their gains in power by corruption and secularization of Christian principles and ideas.A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-36419104757165035202020-04-15T19:38:48.237-07:002020-04-15T19:38:48.237-07:00RMB,
"That has nothing to do with warmongeri...RMB,<br /><br />"That has nothing to do with warmongering."<br /><br />Apologies if you misunderstood me. I was using the term "warmongering" in the meaning of someone who "calls for war" in defense of the faith as you can see by the scripture I quoted. I was using it as a neutral term (which it isn't).<br /><br />I can now see that the term "warmongering" actually carries a negative connotation. Google definition says it's similar to "jingoist", "militarist", "provoker", etc.<br /><br />I was so focused on the "peace" versus "war" aspect of Jesus that I didn't pay attention to the "monger" attached at the end of the word "war", which means "seller of", like a fishmonger (one who sells fish). Here, the word monger is not negative.<br /><br />So a poor choice of words on my part and not the meaning I had in mind. I should have used my own words instead of blindly repeating the word you used in your comment.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Ahmed Fareshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07105255828394485657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-26501436838216492012020-04-15T18:04:24.103-07:002020-04-15T18:04:24.103-07:00"To be clear, by violence I mean violence in ..."To be clear, by violence I mean violence in self defense and in defense of the faith, not instigating violence."<br /><br />Ahmed, the Old Testament presents some tough passages in this regard - like just plain, brutal, violence. I am no expert at understanding the what and why of it, but they are there. I accept that there are some things I do not understand.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-78123584195391369972020-04-15T16:42:59.614-07:002020-04-15T16:42:59.614-07:00No, I just don't think that God changes His wa...No, I just don't think that God changes His ways. The Old Testament gives many examples of violence like when David slew Goliath.<br /><br />Unless you're saying that God was alright with violence until the time of Jesus.<br /><br />To be clear, by violence I mean violence in self defense and in defense of the faith, not instigating violence.<br /><br />Ahmed Fareshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07105255828394485657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-88686953251277064472020-04-15T15:10:59.837-07:002020-04-15T15:10:59.837-07:00Jesus was punishing sin which the God of creation ...Jesus was punishing sin which the God of creation has a right to do. Doesn't make Him a lover of violence for its own sake.<br /><br />There are higher order values at play here. It is a higher order of value to worship Jesus as Messiah, than to never present Himself as such. It is a higher order of value to preserve economic justice at the temple of God, than to allow thieves to swindle worshippers out of their money.<br /><br />That has nothing to do with warmongering.RMBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13603112499567064214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-55999845448587465552020-04-15T14:10:17.933-07:002020-04-15T14:10:17.933-07:00"...of sorts" is the best you can do?
R..."...of sorts" is the best you can do?<br /><br />Really, Ahmed, this is enough. Are you comparing Jesus to Mohamed?bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-9526783323851608812020-04-15T13:04:34.450-07:002020-04-15T13:04:34.450-07:00"And making a whip of cords, he drove them al..."And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade". —John 2:13-16<br /><br />That's a warmongering of sorts.Ahmed Fareshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07105255828394485657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-37063400641842112772020-04-15T12:08:24.476-07:002020-04-15T12:08:24.476-07:00But yet Jesus says peacemakers are to be blessed, ...But yet Jesus says peacemakers are to be blessed, not warmongers. Jesus in Matthew 10 isn't saying he loves war. He is making a statement knowing that revealing Himself to be God and to call people to that truth would cause disagreement. But it was a totally necessary disagreement. The conflict Jesus describes is around who the different groups say He is.RMBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13603112499567064214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-86785937560434077962020-04-15T11:32:50.224-07:002020-04-15T11:32:50.224-07:00Since we're quoting scripture...
"Do not...Since we're quoting scripture...<br /><br />"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law — a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household." —Matthew 10:34-36Ahmed Fareshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07105255828394485657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-17793104001909205412020-04-15T11:20:17.003-07:002020-04-15T11:20:17.003-07:00The United Nations calls its troops 'Peacekeep...The United Nations calls its troops 'Peacekeepers'. Jesus calls His troops 'Peacemakers'. Huge, huge difference!<br /><br />Peace keeping is done by force--overwhelming, violent force. It is ordered. You live peaceably within society the way you are told to or violent force will be unleashed against you. <br /><br />Peace making comes from within one's soul--the desire to live peaceably in one's society. No force is necessary, least of all violent force. <br /><br />Just one more contrast between the rule of God and the rule of the State. Rogerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08156823478509665137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-14643728404647685122020-04-15T06:46:22.812-07:002020-04-15T06:46:22.812-07:00The Renaissance is overrated. A civilization gifte...The Renaissance is overrated. A civilization gifted from the cultural endowment of the preceding centuries which began the process of undoing all that their forefathers had believed and achieved.<br /><br />Peace has enduring and unquestionable merit. <br /><br />It promotes trade which produces prosperity; it engenders love which conceives enjoyment, fulfillment, and community; and it honors God's law, which grants everlasting rewards in Heaven.<br /><br />"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." - Matthew 5:9A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-3342155648998760032020-04-14T15:39:00.080-07:002020-04-14T15:39:00.080-07:00I think it was Frank Van Dun who said something li...I think it was Frank Van Dun who said something like (I am sure I will get this wrong): Let's remember, it is a human *being*.<br /><br />His point: the atomistic individual is no such thing, yet it is to the atomistic individual where the Enlightenment has led. It has left humans to stand naked in front of the state - no community or other institutions (e.g. Christianity / Church) by which he might defend himself and protect his freedom.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-85608966232167168412020-04-14T14:09:42.969-07:002020-04-14T14:09:42.969-07:00Good stuff. It is very confusing and revealing th...Good stuff. It is very confusing and revealing that Enlightenment rationalism has produced a movement that 1) reduces everything in society down to the individual in an attempt to free individuals from order and then 2) consumes the existence of the individual and digests it to feed the common good of the state.<br /><br />It is a simultaneous building up and tearing down of a human.RMBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13603112499567064214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-8357650849663286132020-04-14T11:16:21.771-07:002020-04-14T11:16:21.771-07:00Peace is highly overrated.
"In Italy for thi...Peace is highly overrated.<br /><br />"In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love; they had five hundred years of democracy and peace and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock." —Orson Welles (The Third Man, 1949)Ahmed Fareshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07105255828394485657noreply@blogger.com