Thursday, March 31, 2005
Forced to give up the ghost
Theresa Marie Schindler (Schivo) put up a good fight. A better fight than anyone else in this case, perhaps. But without water, even the strongest will to live can only go so far.
No mere mortal can withstand the full onslaught of the forces of Hell. That Terri held out as well as she could is a testament to amazing strength of will. My strongest hope now is that the evil ones have been drawn forth so far that the Red Sea can come crashing down upon them. Though I wished that it could happen in Terri's lifetime, Terri's life will not be in vain if her killers are exposed and rent asunder.
I am reminded of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. Although I was well aware of the crucifixion story long before seeing the movie, I had always perceived Christ's active participation as ending at Gethsemene: from that point forth, I had thought, he was simply carried along by the maelstrom into which he had thrown himself. What The Passion drove home was that Christ's role during his passion was not that of a passive victim. Rather, he was an active participant who by force of will refused to die until he could reach Golgatha and there be crucified. Though it would have been much easier for him to simply give up his spirit under the Romans' whips, such a surrender would not have fulfilled the prophesies and would not have bought mankind's ressurection.
Likewise with Terri's refusal to give up the ghost until it was positively and forcefully dragged out of her. It would have been much easier for her to simply give up years ago during Michael's earlier efforts to kill her through neglect. If she had, however, none of the evil in this case would ever have come to light. Terri deserves enormous gratitude for her willingness to endure the tortures of Hell so as to expose them for all the world to see. Though it may not seem like she 'did' much, her refusal to die shows more strength, determination, and virtue than most people display in a lifetime.
May she never be forgotten.
Theresa Marie Schindler (Schiavo)
Born December 3, 1963
Executed starting March 18, 2005
Forced to give up the ghost March 31, 2005
No mere mortal can withstand the full onslaught of the forces of Hell. That Terri held out as well as she could is a testament to amazing strength of will. My strongest hope now is that the evil ones have been drawn forth so far that the Red Sea can come crashing down upon them. Though I wished that it could happen in Terri's lifetime, Terri's life will not be in vain if her killers are exposed and rent asunder.
I am reminded of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. Although I was well aware of the crucifixion story long before seeing the movie, I had always perceived Christ's active participation as ending at Gethsemene: from that point forth, I had thought, he was simply carried along by the maelstrom into which he had thrown himself. What The Passion drove home was that Christ's role during his passion was not that of a passive victim. Rather, he was an active participant who by force of will refused to die until he could reach Golgatha and there be crucified. Though it would have been much easier for him to simply give up his spirit under the Romans' whips, such a surrender would not have fulfilled the prophesies and would not have bought mankind's ressurection.
Likewise with Terri's refusal to give up the ghost until it was positively and forcefully dragged out of her. It would have been much easier for her to simply give up years ago during Michael's earlier efforts to kill her through neglect. If she had, however, none of the evil in this case would ever have come to light. Terri deserves enormous gratitude for her willingness to endure the tortures of Hell so as to expose them for all the world to see. Though it may not seem like she 'did' much, her refusal to die shows more strength, determination, and virtue than most people display in a lifetime.
May she never be forgotten.
Theresa Marie Schindler (Schiavo)
Born December 3, 1963
Executed starting March 18, 2005
Forced to give up the ghost March 31, 2005
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Exodus 14:15 - 15:1
A common reading this time of year, but somehow especially applicable this year.
CHAPTER 14Chapter 14:17 is getting hard to take. I hope Chapter 15 comes soon.
15 The LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. 16 Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go on dry ground through the sea. 17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen." 19 Then the angel of God who went before the host of Israel moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, 20 coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness; and the night passed without one coming near the other all night. 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down upon the host of the Egyptians, and discomfited the host of the Egyptians, 25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily; and the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from before Israel; for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians." 26 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen." 27 So Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its wonted flow when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled into it, and the LORD routed the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen and all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not so much as one of them remained. 29 But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore. 31 And Israel saw the great work which the LORD did against the Egyptians, and the people feared the LORD; and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.
CHAPTER 15
1 Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, "I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
Friday, March 18, 2005
Constitutional showdown is nigh
A little too mad/uptight to write much, but the last four lines of 'Bird in a Barren cage' certainly seem apropos:
Both sides seem to be building up their forces. At present glance, it would seem Greer has the upper hand, but since I wouldn't necessarily expect any rescue to be telegraphed beforehand, it's hard to tell. It'll take a miracle, but the time seems to be approaching for one.
The future right now is hard to see
Though a showdown is coming nigh.
Will the forces of life trump the judge who says,
"The law of the case is that she must die"?
Both sides seem to be building up their forces. At present glance, it would seem Greer has the upper hand, but since I wouldn't necessarily expect any rescue to be telegraphed beforehand, it's hard to tell. It'll take a miracle, but the time seems to be approaching for one.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Blood is boiling; new song page
I've put up a page with material for the song "Bird in a Barren Cage". My blood has been boiling so much it's been hard for me to come back here and write anything, but the page may be found at http://www.casperkitty.com/barrencage if you'd like to take a look. New recordings at various bit rates are available there along with sheet music, etc. Give it a look.
I continue to have faith that things will turn out, but the road does appear to be a bit bumpier than expected. Greer looks dirtier than I thought, and so can't afford to cut and run. I am reminded of the saying "May you live in interesting times". Well, these times certainly are "interesting".
I continue to have faith that things will turn out, but the road does appear to be a bit bumpier than expected. Greer looks dirtier than I thought, and so can't afford to cut and run. I am reminded of the saying "May you live in interesting times". Well, these times certainly are "interesting".
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Bird in a Barren Cage -- recording available
A low-bandwidth recording of "Bird in a Barren Cage" is available at http://www.casperkitty.com/pol/bcage.wma. Feel free to spread the word; as holder of copyright and master, I hereby grant permission for its free distribution, but retain derivative-works rights.
Higher-quality recordings will be coming soon.
Higher-quality recordings will be coming soon.
Friday, March 04, 2005
Bird in a Barren Cage
[based on "A Bird in a Gilded Cage" by Lamb/von Tilzer; melody altered somewhat from original]
[last revised March 6]
VERSE 1:
Theresa Marie was a beautiful girl.
with a smile that could light up the room.
But now the plans of three evil men
are rushing her towards her doom.
Her cruel faithless husband now wants her dead--
Wants to marry another wife.
Why can't he just see, Terri ought to be free.
She and he could get on with life.
CHORUS:
She's kept like a bird in a barren cage.
'Cos her husband keeps it bare.
No pictures, no music, no pets, no TV.
Her life is so lonely there.
But Terri is loved by her family
and by thousands from coast to coast.
Though her life has been sold for corrupt men's gold
she refuses to give up the ghost.
VERSE 2:
The more one looks into this sordid case,
The clearer the evil plot.
They're not trying to starve her because she's dying,
but rather because she's not.
In this quest Michael Schiavo, George Felos, and Judge Greer
Are fighting with all their might
Not because Terri won't speak up,
But rather because she might.
REPEAT CHORUS
VERSE 3:
So what shall become of Michael's bird?
Will he starve her as he intends?
Or will she be rescued by those far and wide,
who'd be honored to be called her friends?
The future right now, is hard to see.
Though a showdown is coming nigh.
Will the forces of life trump the judge who says:
"The law of the case is that she must die"?
REPEAT CHORUS
Midi available here
Lyrics copyright 2005 -- They may be freely distributed for the purpose of publicizing the Schiavo case, but recording rights are retained; free licenses will likely be granted for those supporting the Schindlers' case, but permission must be obtained first.
[last revised March 6]
VERSE 1:
Theresa Marie was a beautiful girl.
with a smile that could light up the room.
But now the plans of three evil men
are rushing her towards her doom.
Her cruel faithless husband now wants her dead--
Wants to marry another wife.
Why can't he just see, Terri ought to be free.
She and he could get on with life.
CHORUS:
She's kept like a bird in a barren cage.
'Cos her husband keeps it bare.
No pictures, no music, no pets, no TV.
Her life is so lonely there.
But Terri is loved by her family
and by thousands from coast to coast.
Though her life has been sold for corrupt men's gold
she refuses to give up the ghost.
VERSE 2:
The more one looks into this sordid case,
The clearer the evil plot.
They're not trying to starve her because she's dying,
but rather because she's not.
In this quest Michael Schiavo, George Felos, and Judge Greer
Are fighting with all their might
Not because Terri won't speak up,
But rather because she might.
REPEAT CHORUS
VERSE 3:
So what shall become of Michael's bird?
Will he starve her as he intends?
Or will she be rescued by those far and wide,
who'd be honored to be called her friends?
The future right now, is hard to see.
Though a showdown is coming nigh.
Will the forces of life trump the judge who says:
"The law of the case is that she must die"?
REPEAT CHORUS
Midi available here
Lyrics copyright 2005 -- They may be freely distributed for the purpose of publicizing the Schiavo case, but recording rights are retained; free licenses will likely be granted for those supporting the Schindlers' case, but permission must be obtained first.
Thursday, March 03, 2005
The entrenchment of evil
When I was a liberal, I used to believe many things that today seem absurd. One very dangerous belief could be expressed as
This tendency manifests itself in the way people react when they do discover, after doing something, that it was wrong. Liberals have an inherent belief that they can alleviate their guilt by convincing themselves and others that what they did was somehow okay. They believe that if they can convince enough people that what they did was morally okay, that will somehow make it so. This provides some short-term relief, but the guilt returns with a vengeance, compelling people to go further and further in their efforts to pretend that what they did was okay, even though they know it wasn't.
The irony, of course, is that sinners can be forgiven of their sins if, and only if, they admit that what they did was wrong. Unfortunately, this is the exact opposite of what liberalism compels them to do. Rather than trying to prevent others from making the same mistakes, liberals try to encourage them to do so. Liberals believe that if enough people make the same mistake, the punishment will be lessened. They also believe that one who says "Do as I say, not as I did" is a hypocrite, even though the true hypocrite is someone who tells others to do as he did while declining to inform them of the consequences.
I am reminded of a scene from The Adventures of Hucklyberry Finn. I don't remember the details perfectly, but Huck FInn et al. staged a play that was, to put it bluntly, a scam. Before the audience could attack him, however, he suggested that if the audience attacked him everyone in the audience would have to admit to their neighbors that they were dumb enough to get scammed. Better to instead rave about the show, so the neighbors will get scammed too. That way nobody will be able to laugh at anyone else (excluding Finn et al. who could laugh at everyone).
People need to realize that almost any sin committed out of naïveté--even murder--can be forgiven if one is sufficiently contrite and seeks atonement. The greater the sin, and the greater the degree of knowledge when the sin was committed, the greater the required level of contrition. To achieve forgiveness, whether from God or from oneself, however, one must not try to convince others that what one did was right, but one must admit instead that it was wrong.
If people could grasp that simple fact--that forgiveness comes through contrition and repentence--many of the evils of the world would fade away. Unfortunately, many people's eyes are still counted to the truth.
The more people do a wrong thing, the less wrong it becomesTo any reasonable person, such a statement is absurd on its face, but the principles embodied therein underly a liberal's belief system.
This tendency manifests itself in the way people react when they do discover, after doing something, that it was wrong. Liberals have an inherent belief that they can alleviate their guilt by convincing themselves and others that what they did was somehow okay. They believe that if they can convince enough people that what they did was morally okay, that will somehow make it so. This provides some short-term relief, but the guilt returns with a vengeance, compelling people to go further and further in their efforts to pretend that what they did was okay, even though they know it wasn't.
The irony, of course, is that sinners can be forgiven of their sins if, and only if, they admit that what they did was wrong. Unfortunately, this is the exact opposite of what liberalism compels them to do. Rather than trying to prevent others from making the same mistakes, liberals try to encourage them to do so. Liberals believe that if enough people make the same mistake, the punishment will be lessened. They also believe that one who says "Do as I say, not as I did" is a hypocrite, even though the true hypocrite is someone who tells others to do as he did while declining to inform them of the consequences.
I am reminded of a scene from The Adventures of Hucklyberry Finn. I don't remember the details perfectly, but Huck FInn et al. staged a play that was, to put it bluntly, a scam. Before the audience could attack him, however, he suggested that if the audience attacked him everyone in the audience would have to admit to their neighbors that they were dumb enough to get scammed. Better to instead rave about the show, so the neighbors will get scammed too. That way nobody will be able to laugh at anyone else (excluding Finn et al. who could laugh at everyone).
People need to realize that almost any sin committed out of naïveté--even murder--can be forgiven if one is sufficiently contrite and seeks atonement. The greater the sin, and the greater the degree of knowledge when the sin was committed, the greater the required level of contrition. To achieve forgiveness, whether from God or from oneself, however, one must not try to convince others that what one did was right, but one must admit instead that it was wrong.
If people could grasp that simple fact--that forgiveness comes through contrition and repentence--many of the evils of the world would fade away. Unfortunately, many people's eyes are still counted to the truth.
