XPost: alt.buddha.short.fat.guy, alt.philosophy.zen, alt.philosophy.taoism   
   From: tanghuyen@gmail.com   
      
   On 8/27/2016 4:30 PM, liaM wrote:   
      
   > Arabs and Berbers were allowed to live only on condition they   
   > were so beat down as to grovel before their masters like dogs.   
   >   
   > [snip]   
   >   
   > Let's see what Brexits, Burkinis, Trumps, Clintons, etc. etc. have in   
   > store for us.  Can't be anything worse than the worse the past has seen.   
   > Worse than worse is worse.   
      
   I have much to admire in the French culture,   
   but get startled when I read French Catholics.   
   They are massively influenced by an Algerian,   
   Augustine, who was Professor of Rhetoric at   
   Rome before becoming the bishop of Hippo in   
   present-day Algeria. They like to quote him,   
   specially this famous passage, City of God,   
   XIV, 28:   
      
   "We see two societies as the result of two   
   loves: earthly society with a self-love to the   
   extent of despising God, and heavenly   
   society with a love of God to the extent of   
   despising self (Fecerunt itaque civitates duas   
   amores duo; terrenam scilicet amor sui   
   usque ad contemptum Dei, coelestem vero   
   amor Dei usque ad contemptum sui)."   
      
   They are so beat down as to grovel before   
   their master, the Jewish Yahweh, like dogs,   
   and this, in eternity.   
      
   Earlier, I mentioned that Catholics object   
   to Eastern Orthodox meditators who claim   
   to be able to induce ecstasy from their own   
   side, and the reason is that this ability   
   broaches God's sole ability, as men are too   
   corrupt to attain ecstasy by themselves.   
   The Catholics take this claim to fall in the   
   sin of pride, a reproach that they also make   
   to Stoics, with the implication that only God   
   can be proud.   
      
   Tang Huyen   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)