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Damn Frank ! You of all people should know better . Suffice it to say …this time you not only missed the boat but the bloody ocean/lake/river/pond as well .
The only accurate , honest and historically viable description for this age we are in in light of every ill you present .. debacle we’re in … delusion we’ve accepted etc – et al – ad nauseam to put it quite simply is ..
A Transitional Age * …
… as outlined and described in excruciating detail in John Lukacs’s 2003 book ..
” At the End of an Age ” ISBN-10: 0300101619 or alternatively ISBN-13: 978-0300101614
And its cause .. cannot be placed on any one or even multitude of things . Transitional Ages ( of which we’ve had multitudes of ) are part and parcel of the Historical Cycle of Mankind .. that brings a previous age ( in this case the industrial age ) to a close while awaiting the rise of the next age coming almost always riddled with chaos and to a number destructive to at least some extent .
So quit chasing ghosts and demons … confusing mere symptoms / effects with cause …
And read the damn book ! … Its a book who’s time is well overdue !!!
Fact is Frank … show some genuine love for your readers … buy a few copies wholesale and sell them on your website along with your own books !
* A few indicators of an Historical Transitional Age ;
1) One of the primary indicators of a transitional age is when those in power recognizing they are slowly losing influence and power resort to stupid and illogical tactics and agendas in the desperate attempt to maintain their current level of power rather than learn to compromise and share thereby maintaining a semblance of their power
Sound all to familiar ?
2) Another definer of a transitional age is when Technology becomes solely for Technology’s sake … rather than any viable or verifiable benefit to mankind
3) Yet another definer is when philosophy , theology , science , words and language all lose their meaning replaced by revisionist definitions and thinking across the board
So again … read the book … then .. if you’re up to it ..
Follow ” At the End of an Age ” up with Lukacs’s …
” Democracy and Populism ” ( 2005 ) ..
… and you’ll better understand and comprehend this age of transition we’re in as well as how to better deal with it once you do … recognizing none of this should of come as a surprise to anyone with ” Eyes Wide Open ” and paying attention …
….and the fact that like the Cassandra of Greek mythology .. Lukacs has been sounding the warning bell for over a decade .. with nobody paying attention …
…well … except for me
But hey .. what can I say … such are the advantages of being a well educated , well rounded , balanced individual albeit in this Age of Transition considered to be the scourge of mankind elite .
Yeah … aint we just such a horrible lot .
Doc Martin
Frank,
BTW, one of your better rants!
What would I know?
Of course my absolute favorite Bible story is the one about Pilate when he condemned the totally innocent Jesus to death as he asked the Jews “what is truth” and then said “I wash my hands “!
My dear Evangelical pastor preached on Treachery and asked who killed Jesus?
His answer? Not Rome or the Jews but Sin itself as many of my evangelical friends are deep into conspiracy of every description.
Its those joos…
Its dat gubbernment…
we needs ar 15 guns….
Remember this about our dear Government how would you govern if you were in power and the people that you are trying to govern have gone insane?
That is both the question and a fine observation by our dear Frank…
Well done…
Nine
Nine, my favorite Bible story is the failed Second Coming and listening to the pretzels Christians twist themselves into as they attempt to explain why Jesus didn’t come back within the lifetime of his followers as he promised. The Second Coming is as much a delusion as the false Resurrection story, but that doesn’t folks believing in it.
Me thinks Frank is a little too harsh on Mark Z. Yes, his youthful idealism was immature, short-sighted, greedy, and exploited. Yet Facebook has done much good so the issue is how to increase the good and decrease the harm. I’ve been listening to an audiobook, “Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History” by Kurt Andersen. Saw him interviewed by Lawrence O’donnell.
Mr. Andersen says much the same thing as Frank about our collective delusions and how we (both left and right) better wake up before it’s too late.
“my favorite Bible story is the failed Second Coming and listening to the pretzels Christians twist themselves into as they attempt to explain why Jesus didn’t come back within the lifetime of his followers as he promised.”
”joelyn”,
Jesus did not promise that He would come back within the lifetime of his followers (nor did the Apostles). Jesus, in fact, told Peter the type of death Peter would die (John 21:18-19), so Peter obviously knew he would not live to see Jesus’ return to this earth. No pretzel twisting needed, because Jesus has already laid it all out for us, if you bother to read the Scriptures.
” No pretzel twisting needed, because Jesus has already laid it all out for us, if you bother to read the Scriptures ”
Thanks Jeanne for saying it first allowing me the freedom to simply back up what you’ve already said … albeit a bit more bluntly … rather than having to initiate the confrontation
Like with trolls, I don’t waste much time fussing with true believers about the failed Second Coming because it obviously calls into question the entire mythology of Christianity. I’ll let the readers of this blog decide for themselves.
WHAT JESUS SAID
“For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds. Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.“ (Matthew 16: 27, 28)
“Behold, I have told you in advance. So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.“ (Matthew 24: 25-34)
“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven. Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place…“ (Mark 13:26-30)
For further reading, please check out this excellent article on the failed Second Coming.
….https://blacknonbelievers.wordpress.com/jesus-failed-prophecy-about-his-return/
Enjoy. Cheers!
Jeane, Jesus is dead. So of course, the second coming ain’t happening even if Jesus (who knows) predicted it. Cheers!
Ah… Yes! The Bible, in a nutshell… First “God” created man and woman with original sin. Then “God” destroyed most of them for sinning. After which, “God” impregnated a woman with him/her/itself so that him/her/itself could be born. Later, “God” killed him/her/itself as a sacrifice to him/her/itself to save all of you from the sin him/her/itself gave you in the first place. Makes total sense to me!!!
Yes, sacrifice your first-born. Isn’t that a pagan concept?
The whole bible is nothing more than a whole bunch of ludicrous and damaging fiction, as this comedian points out. Little wonder that we have so many messed up and may I say self-righteous .folks in this country. All of them insisting that their version is the “only” version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxo81Ok9Urk
Ahhh … yeah Joelyn … to emphasize Jeanne’s criticism … try READING your damn Bible before making such ludicrous and absurd comments on that which you have ZERO understanding and comprehension of .
Suffice it to say once again when it comes to Faith Christianity and the Bible you’ve managed to shove your proverbial foot down your throat with this one right up to your hips .
As for Mark Zuckerberg . Hate to clue you in child but Mark Z like the rest of his Silicon Valley Snake Oil Salesmen is the very epitome of Anarcho – Capitalism influenced to the very core of his being by the Gospel of Ayn Rand e.g. Greed isn’t just his middle name … its his sole reason for being
By the way .. if there is so much as a modicum of truth in your claim about coming up on sixty … suffice it to say you’re an extremely immature both intellectually and emotionally 14 year old stuck in a sixty year olde body .
And that little one … aint a compliment in anybody’s book
PS; Speaking of books … try reading genuine books that matter .. rather than blatant pop culture fluff like the crap Kurt Anderson spews out like so much profit seeking vomit
Correction Nine … Pilate tried to free Jesus knowing He was innocent of any crime deserving capital punishment .. giving the Jews the opportunity let Christ go … which they then vehemently refused … at which point Pilate made his washing of the hand speech placing all the culpability upon the people of Israel themselves
Now don’t get me wrong Nine . Fact is if it were any people other than the Jews in their place they’d of done the exact same thing . Fact is the Jews were simply a microcosm of humanity . But lets get the facts straight when it comes to Biblical history .. capice’ ?
As the story goes about Jesus Pilate as governor had the power to end the sharade but choose the easy way out to appease the people calling for his death and so as governor he was responding to the people’s insanity!
Just like today our government is responding to a people who have gone insane!
I think the Bible and government do not mix well!
America is secular when it comes to governing and when in power one should leave the holy books at home as this is not Iran.
Nine
You got the “insane” part right. Did you see the Planned Parenthood tweet, “some men have a uterus…”?
Joelyn,
who is Mark Z?
I am older than the gravel I ride my dear bicycle upon he he….
Oh oh wait….suckerburg…..
Well I would say this about face book as I don’t have one as it would be easier if I had one when I pass so they could eulogize me better or easier as it were….
What do you think? Should I sign up just to make my passing easier for my family?
Life many times is how one looks at it joelyn….
Nine
“I am older than the gravel I ride my dear bicycle upon he he….”
LOL! Well, I’m entering my six-decade so I may be right behind you. As far as Facebook is concerned, don’t waste your energy. I’m no big fan of it, but I have a small business otherwise I wouldn’t be on it. I read a great article on Facebook entitled “Get your loved ones off Facebook”
Check it out: http://www.salimvirani.com/facebook/
Wish I could avoid it, but I don’t post personal information although they probably know more about me than I know about myself. Cringe. All the best. Joelyn
Ahh … hates to be the bearer of bad news … but if you were foolish enough to sign up for any form of social media ? Well child … the fact is … they not only know the brand of unmentionables you wear … but the color and year you purchased them as well
So cringe away … you’ve sold your literal soul to the devil known as social media … complete with each and every consequence imaginable .
Golly .. I’ll bet you pay with your SmartPhone while leaving its GPS function on as well . Aint you such a brilliant little lady .
Nine .. when it comes to FaceCrook .. Twitterholics .. or any social media for that matter …
Just Say No !
Fact is if you’re important enough to them your family can make the minimal effort it will take to deal with your passing when that sad day comes along without any social media bs .
And Nine … know the ole saying ” There is no such thing as a free lunch ” ? Well my friend … that applies to social media as well . Oh hey ,.. up front its free .. but once you’ve signed up you’re in for life with them having their hooks in you till the end of your days
PS; Here’s book deserving of your time in regards to internet and social media questions …
” Silicon SnakeOil ” by Clifford Stoll … creator of the internet
Suffice it to say prescient is too small a word to describe this book and the contents within *
Care for a little classic science fiction on the subject ? ” Brave New World ” by Aldous Huxley .
* For the record in case gdd or Joelyn try to chime in … [ golly .. I’s a poet and don’t know it ] … A few years after Clifford wrote his treatise on the dangers of the internet after much pressure was placed on him he did for a short period in time recant all his warnings . But a few years after that after seeing the likes of Zuckerberg Twitter etc coming to the fore and what the internet he helped create was becoming he returned to his previous criticisms … now admitting he was right all along and should never of bowed to the pressure placed upon him by those ensconced within the depths of that hell otherwise known as Silicon Valley
Sigh … what I wouldn’t pay to hear Stoll’s views now
I agree wholeheartedly.
When we were kids Sgt. Joe Friday said, “Just the facts mam” and I think we all knew what he meant. Now I’m not so sure.
Dear Frank Schaeffer:
Subjective condition describes an objective period? Limited application, I would think.
Narrative illusions distract many and politicians bet on it. And conspiracy theories? Remember when folk became sick, it meant the town Jew was poisoning the public well?
What if the ‘Putin’ attack is a fictitious narrative peddled to stabilize whacked politics by focusing on the most recent objective ‘threat?’ Or dissent is is depicted as ‘foreign influence’ causing division and rationalizing the criminalization of dissent in order to ‘save democracy?’
We may not be a committed to ‘democracy’ as we suppose we are.
To reject right-wing politics is to reject also the economic imperatives which under Capitalism necessitate nationalist movements, anti-immigration hysteria, anti-Russian hysteria, climate change denial, trade wars, national wars and other reactionary policies. These policies require a more substantive explanation. Until social class and the REAL question of WHO controls our social/fiscal resources and HOW – this explanation just isn’t compelling for me.
Herding the masses to the polling stations isn’t a policy.
A blessed Lenten walk with Christ!
Ahhh good ole gdd … SSDD SNAFU complete with the usual healthy dose of ideological nonsense KLUGE to boot .
Sigh … seriously … do ya think just for once y’all could pull your precious little pseudo intellectual idiot head outta yer posterior and realize you’re part of the problem … not the solution !
FYI Brain dead one . The US is and has been since its inception a Democratic Republic … not a Democracy
” What if the ‘Putin’ attack is a fictitious narrative peddled to stabilize whacked politics by focusing on the most recent objective ‘threat? ”
Or better yet ;
A) What if every intelligence agency across the globe has undeniably verified that Russia and Russian paid trolls have been interfering in elections in each and every democracy across the globe for the last five years and that you’re simply lying in order to distract ?
Or perhaps …
B) What if you ARE one of those bought and paid for trolls complete with corrupted links and mid level ESL skills and heavily script dependent .. trying desperately to sow division among the masses which you so obviously despise
.. but then again ..your could just be ;
C) An intellectually vapid idiot child pretending to be an adult .. incapable of distinguishing fact from fiction … truth from conspiracy theory .. and reality from delusion
All bets are … A & B
Care to prove me wrong ?
Put Up or Shut Up !
Dear readers of this blog, of course, the Second Coming is not the only failed Biblical prophecy. For further reading on so-called Biblical prophecies, check out Rational Wiki which does a fairly good job at exposing Biblical mythology. It’s not an exhaustive list, but a good start to liberating the mind from religious superstitions. https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Biblical_prophecies
Enjoy and share! Cheers. Joelyn
Dear Joelyn ( and readers as well )
The only thing failed Joelyn is your abject immature and uninformed F-A-I-L-E-D ( with a capitol ‘ F’ ) attempts to criticize that which you neither understand , comprehend nor have you ever read ,
PS; Social Media Girl .. rationalwiki is the epitome of alternative reality , revisionist history , fake facts and blatant agenda based propaganda , lies and digital excrement bs
Proving once again your overall emotional and intellectual maturity to be that of a 14 year old child regardless of your actual age
And ahh … does ya think just once little one ya could post a link that isn’t corrupted ?
Joelyn,
That is why Jefferson proposed a wall of separation between religion and government as we see now in our time the absolute wisdom of the idea!
In private one can believe as they please but in public especially when in power over others one must be secular as that is the best and most exclusive stance.
My personal opinion..
Nine
Typo
“Inclusive”
He he
N
Check out the finest pbs video of the rolling stones…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5aMoWGeaV8
Mich and the boys know how to unite America I say
watch on your biggest screen and more importantly your loudest sound system…
America is a big party and if you have not figured that out yet you are an evangelical…
fock you if you disagree…
N
Meh … personally I prefer the Mick Taylor era of the Stones by a long shot … including their two best albums ( Sticky Fingers & Exiles on Mainstreet ) and by far their best tours ever . Jagger at his best … Watts and Wyman playing like they never did before or after … Taylor’s supreme musicianship balancing out Richards hard edged verging on crudeness . Billy Preston and Nicky Hopkins sitting in on keys .. that pure unadulterated Muscle Shoals sound proliferating both albums despite Exiles being recording primarily in France …
Sigh … them was the days my friend …. and fork you too if you disagree … 😎
Nine … to quote the bard David Byrne ;
” This aint no party … this aint no disco … this aint no foolin around ”
What the US is though is one of there best if not the best screwed up mess on the planet . One we should be grateful for rather than pretending like we don’t have it good compared to most of the world
>> It is the story of how an influential and culturally confident religious movement became a marginalized and anxious minority seeking political protection under the wing of a man such as Trump, the least traditionally Christian figure—in temperament, behavior, and evident belief—to assume the presidency in living memory. <<
The Atlantic on Trump and the Evangelicals:
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/04/the-last-temptation/554066/
Wow … thanks John .. I was just about to post the same link !
Suffice it to say this is one helluvae well written historically accurate article ( I can personally attest to the accuracy and veracity of the article ) about the Evangelical church in America’s 150 year descent into the abyss of hypocrisy leading to their blind support of Trump !
So to all here … READ the damn thing !
Suffice it to say the article confirms what I’ve been trying to say all along
Trump is not the disease itself … but merely a symptom .. of both the decline o civilization in the US in general along with the Evangelical as well as Catholic and mainstream churches in America’s descent into a hell of their own creation .
Problem is … most people aint willin ta accept the fact that they is part of the problem .. not the victims they portray themselves to be
Again … thanks John for beating me to the link . You’ve given me a moment of hope in what has otherwise been a pretty miserable day ( illness )
Sorry to hear you’re ill. Get well soon 🙂
Damn !!!! I just finished re-reading this article for the third time ! Damn ! Finally someone has gotten it right … history and all … rather than running amok in emotional fits & fury attempting in vain to make amends for previous mistakes as Frank has too often done
Or worse .. falling into the fake news / revisionist history / alt reality conspiracy addled abyss as gdd and Joelyn are prone to do
Begging the question … knowing Frank and his abilities / capabilities … why the ( bleep ) is he wasting his time talents and efforts on over emotive and basically vapid ___ fits …
… when he could be contributing quality articles ( and lectures base on it ) such as this one.
Damn … and here I thought I was the lone wolf/prophet in the wilderness . Well … I may still be in the minority …. but at least I know I’m not alone
So come on Frank … get off the identity politics over emotive soapbox … and join in with genuine intelligent and historically accurate contributions and criticisms such as this … Cause seriously Frank … I know you’re capable of it … if you’d finally dump any and all aspirations for celebrity
One more link for those of you willing and able to READ an actual article rather than scanning your social media from the (not so) Failed NYTimes ;
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/08/technology/twitter-fake-news-research.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=Moth-Visible&moduleDetail=inside-nyt-region-2&module=inside-nyt-region®ion=inside-nyt-region&WT.nav=inside-nyt-region
The truth about Twitter and how for every 1000 actual news stories shared 100,000 fake ones make the rounds faster than you can say Bobs yer Uncle .. cause peoples is gullible idiots more concerned with being entertained than actually learning something
Twitter and FaceBook … Re-Enter the REAL world … and just say … No !