Monday Morning Rant 165

We lead off this morning’s rant with what is perhaps the most asinine remark of the week.  The “Reverend” Jessie Jackson, in this short clip from Andrew Breitbart. asserts that “Jesus didn’t speak English; US shouldn’t be English only.” 

Jessie: is it possible that Jesus didn’t speak English because the language, as we recognize it, would not become available for centuries to come?  Two millennia passing have seen a considerable change, not just to English, but every other tongue as well.  Few today are fluent in the languages in use at the time of Christ’s reign on earth.  Even Latin, which is still taught in a few of today’s schools, was not yet in current vogue at the time of Christ.  Its principle value today lies not in popular conversation but to gain a clear understanding of the roots of English and its accompanying lessons in grammar.

The remark demonstrates a fundamental flaw in logic and dependence upon a ridiculous premise to support a serious discussion.  Jackson’s time would be far better spent attempting to eliminate the corruptive influence of “ebonics” in our speech which serves only the further confusion for those who can least afford it.  

The “Reverend” might also do well to review the havoc caused, as seen in Genesis 11 (KJV), by the confounding of the language.  In their conceit (sound familiar, Jessie?) the people built a tower, better to access heaven and demonstrate their supposed power.   One takes from that reassurance that God and His Son, Jesus Christ, both have linguistic skills which far exceed that of any other known source. 

On the expectation of some mighty changes in the American political scene this coming November, perhaps “Reverend” Jackson might wish to turn to Longfellow’s “King Robert of Sicily” for a timely bit of advice: “Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles.”  If your Latin is a little rusty or you don’t happen to have the Tales of a Wayside Inn handy, it translates to: “He has put down the mighty from their seat and has exalted them of low degree.”

September 19^th, Talk like a Pirate Day!

Aaaargh!   Hope you had a great day.   To give you some reference material to improve your pirate jargon, here is an excerpt from The Seaman’s Manual (1844) by Richard Henry Dana, Jr.:

“Lift the skin up, and put into the bunt the slack of the clews (not too taut), the leech and foot-rope, and body of the sail; being careful not to let it get forward under or hang down abaft. Then haul your bunt well up on the yard, smoothing the skin and bringing it down well abaft, and make fast the bunt gasket round the mast, and the jigger, if there be one, to the tie.”

Ever since we read this, we have been very careful to “haul our bunts well up on the yard.”

Understanding Sarah Palin

Hot Air poster, DOCTOR ZERO has come up with some superior observations on the subject.  For just a teaser, here is a quote from his entry:

“Obama would be making a deadly mistake by calling out Sarah Palin for a political cage match.  Let me put this bluntly: virtually no one in America gives a damn what Barack Obama says about anything at this point.  What could be more predictable, and less interesting, than Obama’s opinion on any given subject?  Who wants to contemplate the economic wisdom of a guy who looted the Treasury for a trillion dollars, with less benefit than we could have achieved by stuffing hundred dollar bills into random cereal boxes?  Who’s excited to hear about the next plan to convert taxpayer dollars into Democrat campaign funds?  Who’s hungry for another hour of tedious excuses about permanently broken markets and the titanic dead hand of George W. Bush?  Who wants a lecture on ethical business practices from the titular head of the party that gave us Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters?  What use is another hollow foreign-policy speech from a man who sees no global adversary to rival the menace of Arizona?  Even Obama’s supporters don’t hear anything he says any more.  There’s nothing left to hear.

Palin, on the other hand, commands attention.  Lots of it comes from people who dislike her, of course, but she definitely gets people talking.  Many of her detractors have a surprising ability to quote her verbatim, stretching back for weeks.  Obama’s critics need Google searches to remember what he said yesterday.  They can only recall that it was boring, and expensive.”

Do click on the above link for the rest of this informative piece.  I guarantee your understanding of the current political scene will be improved.

Ecclesiastes to the Rescue

A friend at church handed me this and he was right; I can use it.

“I have often wondered why it is that the conservatives are called the ‘right” and liberals are called the “left.
By chance I stumbled upon this verse in the Bible:

Ecclesiastes 10:2
“The heart of the wise inclines to the right,

but the heart of the fool to the left!”

And Finally

I had previously noted some strange markings on the pavement of the bottom road this week but didn’t fully understand their meaning until we drove to church this morning.  The first bike I passed was not unusual.  The second and third piqued my curiosity.  Shortly there after, it dawned on me that we were in the middle of some sort of event.  Given the rural nature of the route, their collective carelessness may have been excusable.  However, riding three and four abreast on a narrow rural road seems like a risk which greatly exceeds the benefits of the exercise as a whole.  A bike and rider don’t stand much of a chance in a conflict with a 4000+ lb. SUV. 

By extending as much courtesy and latitude as possible, we managed to cover the seven miles without killing anyone only to find the finish line was on the road in front of and across the street from the church.  In spite of the rousing welcome extended to each finisher who crossed the line, the sound did not carry into the sanctuary and the service was as peaceful as our enthusiastic preacher would allow.  We also have an active congregation.  They love the Lord and are more than willing to raise their voices accordingly.

Life here on the ridge is busy as we prepare for the cool weather in the offing.  We are both more than ready for a little relief from 90° + days.  The hummingbirds are busy packing for their trip south.  The lawn is becoming leaf strewn with the produce of the pin oaks.  It may now be safe to observe that this has been a nearly “snake-free” year.  Personally, I haven’t seen a copperhead or other poisonous variety all year.  I think they are there but either I am getting less able to see them or somehow, they are blessedly absent.  If so: it’s proof enough there is a God, that, and the blessing of living in this little patch of wood.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon