Louis Carabini - Inclined to Liberty

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What a great little book. 100 pages. Free .pdf here. Solid, simple primer on libertarianism. Chapters are 2-4 pages a piece.

An excerpt from Chapter 9 "The False Lure of Democracy:"

The very essence of democracy encourages everyone to express opinions about human activities that are none of their business. There are few days that someone doesn’t ask me what I think that “we” (the royal “we”) should “do” about this or that individual, organization, or group activity that is clearly neither my business nor theirs. It is not the answers to such questions that should give us concern; the mere asking has become so commonplace— and with such a sense of democratic pride and entitlement— that today nearly every aspect of human activity is considered public domain.

In a democracy, each of us has license to prescribe for others how to live their lives; run their businesses; whom they may hire; what wages they may pay; what prices they may charge; what, where, when, and how much they may buy or sell; what they may teach; what and where they may smoke, drink, and eat; what they may plant; what medicines they may take; what houses they may build and where they may build them; what they may say; how and where they may practice their religion (even what religion); where they may go; where they may live; how they may die; with whom and how they may engage in sex; whom they may marry and with whom they may associate. On and on this intrusion goes, with more “dos” and “don’ts” added every day.

...

A democratic state will naturally gravitate to an ever-greater “tragedy of the commons,” in which citizens try to get a bigger share of the funds acquired by the State. Since those funds are now commonly owned, everyone has a right to claim a share. Even free riders become just as deserving of shares as do society’s contributors. Instead of being ostracized, free riders are now entitled to free rides. These entitlements are further justified by their advocates declaring them as “rights” (active rights), implying they have equal footing with natural rights (passive, or inalienable rights). An active right is a claim upon the life of another, while a natural right obligates others to refrain from any such claims. Therefore, a claimant of a right to a free ride, such as free health care, is a disclaimer of the natural, inalienable rights of the person upon whom the claim is made. Frédéric Bastiat (1801–1850), the famous French political economist, described the state as the great fiction by which everybody tries to live at the expense of everybody else.

Download it.

God Loves Us

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... and has a wonderful plan for our tastebuds.

When I was in Atlanta over Thanksgiving, I visited the parents of my best friend from high school. My friend, his 14-month-old daughter and I had a great time chewing the fat and catching up with his parents. At one point I commented on the fact that there was not a fresh pound cake under the glass in the kitchen. Those pound cakes were a fixture in my high school and college days. I have not had Mrs. C's pound cake in many years. I needed me some pound cake.

Despite a looming hairdresser appointment, Mrs. C whipped up a cake and put it in the oven. She instructed me on how to tend to it before her return. She left.

My friend and I took his daughter for a walk around the neighborhood. It was surreal to be wheeling a baby stroller along the same streets we skulked around after sneaking out of his parents' house in the middle of the night over two decades ago. Typically, we got lost in conversation. We were deciding on whether or not to make another loop around the block when I remembered the cake in the oven.

We hotfooted it back to the house. I was convinced we would be too late. The buzzer was screaming at us as we burst through the door. I flung open the oven door to discover the cake still bubbling. We were in time. I shed a tear of gratitude in recognition that every good and perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of Lights, in whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning.

I had two pieces.

PS If we're friends on Facebook, and you want to see how cute my friend's child is, there's a pic of us tagged w/ my name.

Save Me, OED

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I was describing a restaurant the other day and used the phrase "it was nothing to write home about" ... in an email to my mom.

In other news -

This morning, the words "I could eats me a Coke right now" presented themselves in that order in my mind when I opened the refrigerator at work and saw the red and white cans.

Books for Laity - NT Wright and Bible Study

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I attended a class at church Tuesday night. As with most classes I attend at church, I came away with a variety of thoughts about how the laity might be served in their participation in the life of the Trinity. One way: book suggestions.

It is a regular occurrence that I want to read about a topic and do not immediately know what book to start with. Fortunately, I've had some helpful training in research, so I can usually make some sort of progress. However, I can well remember times, especially prior to seminary, when I cast about, frustrated, looking for the right book on a topic of interest. Bookstores (Christian and otherwise) are RARELY helpful (thank God for the exceptions) and will usually put one on a false scent.

It is the Church's job to teach the people of God. One aspect of that instruction is pointing people to books that will benefit them. God bless the clergy who serve their people in this regard.

I'd like to offer book recommendations from time to time, especially tailored to lay people who are trying to learn the faith and sometimes feel lost when trying to find the right book. I'm going to start by pointing you to a series of Bible-study books by Bishop NT (Tom) Wright, the Canon Theologian of the Church of England. The series is the "For Everyone" series, as in "Matthew for Everyone," "Paul for Everyone," "Acts for Everyone." You will be able to order these books from anyone. Why not find a local bookstore where you can possibly influence what they put on the shelves? There's also a subscription service with a discount and free shipping that I am considering for myself.

Bp. Wright writes to both academics and laity. When he writes academically, he usually publishes as NT Wright. When he writes for laity, he usually publishes as Tom Wright. An example of his academic writing would be "Jesus and the Victory of God." An example of his popular/lay-oriented writing is "Simply Christian."

I have benefited greatly from Bp Wright. I read "Jesus and the Victory of God" in a Christology class and was able to attend a conference in Memphis where he spoke. I was with a small group of students who joined him for breakfast at Denny's before one of his lectures. When I was participating in a study of Romans this past spring, Bp Wright's material was the most helpful I found. I'll link to those materials in a separate post.

"ALMIGHTY God, our Heavenly Father, who hast committed to thy Holy Church the care and nurture of thy children; Enlighten with thy wisdom those who teach and those who learn; that, rejoicing in the knowledge of thy truth, they may worship thee and serve thee from generation to generation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Ron Paul on the Central Bank and War

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"Imagine an irresponsible teenager with an unlimited line of credit. The parents, teachers, pastors, and authorities in his life are ultimately powerless to change his habits. Now imagine that teenager armed to the teeth and also immune even from the rule of law. That is what we have with a government backed by a central bank."

- Ron Paul "End the Fed" chapter 4 p67

Read chapter 2 of "End the Fed."

Some Timely Words

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"What we need is not fewer people, but more room between them, where those who would stand on their own feet, could, and those who won't, might have to. Then the welfare, the relief, the compensation, instead of being nationally sponsored cash prizes for idleness and ineptitude, could go where the old independent uncompromising fathers themselves would have intended it and blessed it."

- William Faulkner "The Duty to Be Free" (1953)

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"A bad policy does not become good because worse things are possible."

- David Gordon in a review of Tom DiLorenzo's "The Real Lincoln"

Faith

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"Therefore, O Lord, when all things common seem,
When all is dust, and self the centre clod,
When grandeur is a hopeless, foolish dream,
And anxious care more reasonable than God,—
Out of the ashes I will call to thee—
In spite of dead distrust call earnestly:—
Oh thou who livest, call, then answer dying me."

- George MacDonald "Diary of an Old Soul" (August 31)

Comfort

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"Thou art the truth, the life. Thou, Lord, wilt see
To every question that perplexes me.
I am thy being; and my dignity
Is written with my name down in thy book;
Thou wilt care for it. Never shall I think
Of anything that thou mightst overlook:—
In faith-born triumph at thy feet I sink."

- George MacDonald "Diary of an Old Soul" (entry for August 13)

1st Amendment

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"The function of free speech under our system of government is to invite dispute. It may indeed best serve its high purpose when it induces a condition of unrest, creates dissatisfaction with conditions as they are, or even stirs people to anger."

- Justice William O. Douglas (quoted here)

An Update on Gus

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In April, I posted a quote from the Ochlophobist. The situation that prompted his thoughts was an accident involving the son of some of his friends.

Och shared an update on Gus recently.

DB Hart on Suffering

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Here are links to an exchange between David Bentley Hart and others on suffering after the horrible tsunami in 2004. I think you will find this to be a helpful example of theological dialogue, both the good and the bad.

I have thought about suffering consistently over the past few years. I find myself more and more embracing the Eastern Orthodox view as represented by Hart. I also find myself more and more weary of the embarrassing theodicies extant within much of Christendom.

Hart's Article in the WSJ Opinion Journal

William Luse and DB Hart - 1st Exchange, 2nd Exchange

Anthony Esolen and DB Hart - 1st Exchange

Esolen on Christ's Wounds and Dostoevsky

Hart and Esolen - 2nd Exchange, 3rd Exchange

William Reichert brings up Job.

Hart responds.

Hart's Last Word

Why Is Idolatry Forbidden?

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"everyone worships — everyone has a god."
- a friend

I am concerned about how worship is commonly defined. Worship is often defined as “our response to what God has done” or something to that effect. Worship is not primarily a response. It is a participation. Worship does not take place if it originates in us, even if the act is a response to what we know about God. I know that most Christians would agree with what I am saying, but the language we use when speaking of worship indicates what our thoughts are about the subject.

Having drilled that point, I'd like to say something about worship as participation (reception and offering) as it relates to idolatry.

Might the prohibition against worshiping idols be connected to the fact that worship involves as much receiving (actually more) as it does giving? Worship is participation in the life of the Trinity and depends on our inclusion via the Incarnation. When we worship, we are receiving from God. Worship enables all of life to be lived, that is, to be a man fully alive, which is the glory of God, to paraphrase St. Irenaeus.

Therefore, if one worships an idol, then that one does not receive anything, because idols cannot see, hear, speak, act. An idol is not really real or truly true. An idol does not exist independently from the worshiper. Is it going to far to say that idolatry is staring into the abyss and attempting to invest it with meaning? "When you stare at the abyss, the abyss stares back at you" (Nietzsche). Staring into nothingness is the way to confusion, frustration and, finally, insanity.

When one worships in the Logos, the only true rationality and logic, then one is enabled to think true thoughts. It is possible for revelation to be received. When one worships an idol, that is, something invested with meaning by himself, then a type of circular reasoning incurs within a closed system. There is no connection with something outside the worshiper. The result is the stifling of life - a frustrated ability to meaningfully observe, ask questions, come to conclusions, know metaphysical truth, apply scientific knowledge.

Risen

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"He is not here, but is risen." (Luke 24:6)
All our hopes are vindicated.

Life from death.
Victory from defeat.
Holiness from the abyss.

Hallelujah.

Light

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Corruption.
Fallenness.
Evil.
Death.

Healed.
Transformed.
Displaced.
Overthrown.

"The light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (John 1:5)

Prostrate

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I cannot sink myself deeply enough into the dust before the Holy Cross.

Stripped

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The place of gift and sacrifice. The place of despair and hope. Tonight, the place is only severe.

The Ochlophobist on Suffering

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"I think the new atheists are largely right with regard to the group psychosis and delusion surrounding popular Christianities. Any Christianity that has an answer for human suffering, or has a program to "deal" with human suffering, is worse than worthless. If that is Christianity, the ochlocrats can have it - then give me Nietzsche, give me Cioran, give me a bottle of Cutty Sark that will not end until I lay in the insatiable dirt.

"There is no answer to human suffering. There is no program which will end or substantially mitigate the inevitability of human suffering. Even in our decadent age of program after gratuitous program people find themselves immersed in hurt, loneliness, depression, woundedness - the course of a human life often enough brutal and unrelentingly harsh for many, even with our happy pills and TVs and internet relating and other forms of technocratic sedative. There is only, with regard to human suffering, a consummate Image, before which it is right to bow down and worship."

Go read. And pray for Gus.

Thanks, O.

The Novels of Charles Williams

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Here's a link to downloadable versions of Charles Williams's novels.

Wikipedia entry for Charles Williams

An essay on his novels

He was influential on CS Lewis and many others. If had a few minutes more right now I would say more. Go read.

Ron Paul - "What If ... ?"

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Either/Or

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Coke or Pepsi?
Vanilla Malt

Democrat or Republican?
No

Protestant or Catholic?
Anglican with Orthodox sympathies

Beatles or Stones?
Creedence

Blue State or Red State?
Anti-State

Calvinist or Arminian?
Social Trinitarian Theo-comic bound by the 3 Creeds and 7 Councils

Fox News or CNN?
Lew Rockwell

Spiritual or religious?
“This I tell you, brother: you can’t have one without the other.”

Vanilla or Chocolate?
Coffee

Coffee or Tea?
Beer

Liberal or Conservative?
Sometimes Classically Liberal, Sometimes Paleo-Conservative, Sometimes Neither

NY or LA?
Austin

North or South?
South

Chesterton on Our Ills

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"Now this same primary panic that I feel in our rush towards patriotic armaments, I feel also in our rush towards future visions of society."

- GK Chesterton, "What's Wrong With the World" Part 1 Chapter 4

Resource Request for Romans Study

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I am writing to request recommendations for a study of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans. The sources can be anything: commentaries, books, articles, et al.

My church has just started a weekly study of Romans that will last four months. I would like to use this occasion to do an intensive study on my own, as well.

I am especially interested in Patristic sources, as well as other Orthodox, Catholic and Anglican writers, but I will seriously consider any recommendations.

Am I in Austin?

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Some very un-Austin-y things are coming to Austin in the next month:

1. Bruce Springsteen

2. Motocross

3. Jerry Seinfeld

4. Harlem Globetrotters

5. Monster Trucks

Do Not Ignore the Parallels

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"The Beloved Leader" is a long-standing tradition. One that we honor at our peril.

Did you know that there is a Joint Resolution before the House that would repeal the 22nd Amendment which limits presidents to 2 terms? Here it is. It was introduced on Jan. 6. Here's a brief article about it.

HT: lutherpunk

Albert Jay Nock on the State

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The following was written in 1939.

"The weaker the State is, the less power it has to commit crime. Where in Europe today does the State have the best criminal record? Where it is weakest: in Switzerland, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Sweden, Monaco, Andorra. Yet when the Dutch State, for instance, was strong, its criminality was appalling; in Java it massacred 9,000 persons in one morning which is considerably ahead of Hitler's record or Stalin's. It would not do the like today, for it could not; the Dutch people do not give it that much power, and would not stand for such conduct. When the Swedish State was a great empire, its record, say from 1660 to 1670, was fearful. What does all this mean but that if you do not want the State to act like a criminal, you must disarm it as you would a criminal; you must keep it weak. The State will always be criminal in proportion to its strength; a weak State will always be as criminal as it can be, or dare be, but if it is kept down to the proper limit of weakness – which, by the way, is a vast deal lower limit than people are led to believe – its criminality may be safely got on with.

"So it strikes me that instead of sweating blood over the iniquity of foreign States, my fellow-citizens would do a great deal better by themselves to make sure that the American State is not strong enough to carry out the like iniquities here. The stronger the American State is allowed to grow, the higher its record of criminality will grow, according to its opportunities and temptations. If, then, instead of devoting energy, time, and money to warding off wholly imaginary and fanciful dangers from criminals thousands of miles away, our people turn their patriotic fervor loose on the only source from which danger can proceed, they will be doing their full duty by their country."

- Albert Jay Nock "The Criminality of the State"

Read it all.

The Heart and the Mind Are One

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A person’s failure to recognize the beauty of the life of the mind, either by neglect, inability, prejudice or faulty instruction, does not justify that person denigrating or dismissing intellectual pursuit.

The heart and mind are not two things, but one. What moves our mind moves our heart. When our heart is moved without any clear perception by the mind, however simple that perception may be, our heart is often moved by the wrong things and in the wrong ways.

Listen to Flannery O'Connor

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You're in for a real treat.

Follow the following links to download one lecture by Flannery O'Connor and one file of her reading one of her stories.

"Some Aspects of the Grotesque in Southern Literature"

"A Good Man Is Hard to Find"

HT: The Morning Oil by way of AEL by way of Faith and Theology.

Thanks to all for this wonderful material.

St. Anthony Thinks That I Am Crazy

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I've been looking through some old journals and found this little quip:

"A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him saying, 'You are mad, you are not like us.'"

- St. Anthony of the Desert

(found in Henri Nouwen's "Way of the Heart" p24)

It is interesting that you could read that quote to just about anyone who believes anything with some level of conviction, and that person would nod his head. We are experts at sound-biting ourselves into a self-affirmation that is fortified against the assault of truth.

What I want to know is what madness St. Anthony would diagnose in me.

Merry Christmas 2008

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Christ is born.

Sin's reign is over.

Death is on the run.

We rejoice in the Word made flesh, dwelling among us.

The Right Perspective on Everything

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"What stops a man who can laugh from telling the truth?"

- Horace