“Sane people did what their neighbors did,
so that if any lunatics were at large, one might know and avoid them.”
George Eliot, Middlemarch
About 8 years ago, when I first began this little blog of mine, I posted a little disclaimer …
that being—as a newly retired teacher, I still felt as if I had a few things left
in me to teach..things that still needed to be studied…
Two key components to that need of continuing education were–
A) the history of our Western Civilization and that of her Judaeo Christian bedrock
on which it was built—as well as…
B) the importance of knowing from whence we came in order that we could know where
we were going.
There were also other pressing issues but knowing one’s history,
as well as one’s foundation, were the lynchpins.
And yet we are currently watching our culture throw that proverbial baby out with the bathwater.
All because our oh so woke world cares not about her past but rather only about her
own selfish agenda.
And that my dear students, is what we call ignorance.
Or maybe it’s what we call stupidity.
Or maybe it happens to be both—ignorant stupidity.
Madame Speaker has demanded that all the portraits of all Civil War era
Speakers of the House be removed from public view.
Much like that crazy uncle who needs to be hidden away from the guests during the holidays.
Statues around our Western Civilization…statues of Columbus, Winston Churchill,
and all Confederate leaders are being defaced or toppled.
Rioters are commandeering our cities, claiming swarths of city blocks as new sovereign lands.
Our police have lost all due process and are leaving their posts.
Lawlessness rules supreme.
Face maks are mandated.
Rioters do as they please.
Where is our sanity in the midst of this chaos?
Your history matters people.
It defines you–for better or worse.
We pray that the worse part is what will serve to make you better.
But if you continue to stick your fingers in your ears, ignoring the facts,
then you are bound to the ties of failure.
Let me share an intimate look at history.
When our two-year-old granddaughter comes to visit…in order to
consolidate the hurried pace of getting ready for bed, she and I
will hop in the shower together.
If ever a kid loved water, it is her.
She could stay in a tub or shower all night if possible.
Happily turning into a wrinkled prune.
She will sit on the shower bench telling me to sit beside her,
this as the warm rainfall showerhead gently rains down over our heads.
I’ll scrub her little feet and lather her head as we style
soapy hair into fun and fanciful shapes.
She asks that I cup my hands together, filling my hands full of water so
she can try and take a drink.
She asks that I fill her pink water pitcher full of water so I
can pour it over her head.
I think of us sitting together in this shower, warm and happy…
an intimate setting when everything seems right in the world…
all within our happy little world.
And then I think of a different time…
a time when other women and their children and grandchildren
huddle together, all awkwardly and yet intimately naked, thinking that this
was to be their last sacred time together.
They had been herded into “the showers” ridiculed, naked, and afraid.
Holding tightly together in a final intimate last moment before
the deadly ‘showers’ began.
I am removed from their nightmare by 75 to 80 years.
At this moment, I am happy and feel a deep sense of gratitude to be able to
share in this rather intimate night-time ritual with my granddaughter…
Yet there were other women who would have also relished in such an opportunity…
but rather theirs was to be a final solution to a culture’s perceived problem.
Madness.
Yet madness still prevails.
Learn from your history and your past my dear students.
Do not repeat the same errors of previous “woke” generations.
However, I fear your pride has blinded your eyes and chilled any hope of compassion
from your heart.
Continue on this path and we are all doomed.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar,
and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved,
and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought
you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming
of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved,
and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise
we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
2 Peter 3:10-13
BRAVO!
Is that a television network?? HA 🤣
Merci!
This is a wonderful post.
But not all police have abandoned their post. Hundreds of Dallas protestors were arrested for blocking a bridge – only a group citation for blocking a major thoroughfare. That police chief, a black female, said that she told them not to do it. They did it. They got arrested.
The presidential prayer team’s latest news feature stated that it is Pelosi who is spearheading the removal of all Civil War statues specifically in Southern states. When can we declare the witch to be un-American and have her removed? Hmmm. Witch. Has anybody tried throwing water on her?
Now the SEC, a group of college athletics, is demanding that Mississippi change their flag, the state, not a college. It may be inevitable, but how dare they? They are not a political entity. I am sure that MSU and Ole Miss can find another conference.
I know not all police are quitting thankfully but I cant blame those who are — plus there is a call by the police union in NYC for the police to have their own little protest on July 4– a good for the goose sort of thing —and witch— how apropos!!
Quick get the water and as for dear ol Mississippi— she fell into the crosshairs sadly— May Ole Miss and Mississippi St stand strong
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging and commented:
The relentless optimist that resides within me sings, “We can work it out” by the Beatles. 🙂 Holy Hugs from GW
Thank you GW!
Reblogged this on For Such A Time As This.
Thank you Nina for sharing my thoughts.
May God bless and keep you
If you have studied history, you will recognize Julie’s allusion. If not, …. Well, if you are in favor of tearing down statues and portrait because they offend you, that probably explains why you are so easily offended.
Concentration camps happen when we lack knowledge and wisdom, when we refuse to put God first and forgive.
We have all sinned, and every sin is against God, even the ones we think are against us. Because we are His children, when we are disobedient and hurt another, He feels the wrong twice and more deeply than we ever will.
Pity we must those who will not repent and turn to Jesus. Pity those who offend God.
Reblogged this on Citizen Tom and commented:
If you have studied history, you will recognize Julie’s allusion. If not, …. Well, if you are in favor of tearing down statues and portrait because they offend you, that probably explains why you are so easily offended.
Concentration camps happen when we lack knowledge and wisdom, when we refuse to put God first and forgive.
We have all sinned, and every sin is against God, even the ones we think are against us. Because we are His children, when we are disobedient and hurt another, He feels the wrong twice and more deeply than we ever will.
Pity we must those who will not repent and turn to Jesus. Pity those who offend God
Thank you Tom for sharing 🙂
@Julie
My pleasure.
I teach history to college students. My school requires every student to sign a paper indicating that they understand that they will encounter some disturbing, upsetting, and offensive material during the course of the class. Maybe every man, woman, and child going out the door into the world should sign such a paper. Then we could leave the unpleasant reminders of the past in place, realizing the complexity of the world in which we live. J.
a prereq for living—who knew?!
A permanent reminder that triggers are looming large…beware…thicken that skin…Ode to such times in which we now find ourselves living…
Good post, Julie! Definitely, the lunatics are at large. At some point on this journey I began to discover I wasn’t the crazy one.
Did you get to see the video of the Jews in Brooklyn breaking back into their park? The day after marching with thousands of BLM protestors in public, Bill de Blasio went and welded their gates shut, allegedly so none of the Jewish community could play in the park and catch covid. They cut the locks off and went back in their park. It was just an endearing moment and your post made me think of it.
No, I do not see that— and if I had, I would have blown a gasket!
And by the way, I enjoyed your post today and I’m putting Healing river on my to see list— I happened to writing my post for tomorrow regarding justice when I stopped to read your post. I was pleasantly happy to see a connective thread— and so I used some your words and thoughts about justice vs forgiveness and mercy weaving them into my own thoughts— then I read Tricia’s post this evening which was the cherry on each post — God is at work and I blessedly remain hopeful
8 years ago I didn’t know what our country would have turned into…
Though the crowds clamor for justice, I have very little hope anything positive will be achieved.
I am reminded of the French and Russian Revolutions, which required that their participants pass increasingly extreme tests of purity and dedication to a cause which ultimately devoured them. I believe it was Santayana who said, “Those who cannot remember the past are bound to repeat it.”
As Christians, we know that human nature is flawed; that sin corrupts men and women, along w/ the governments and institutions they create. Christ alone is the answer. Tragically, our nation has turned away from Him.
I do agree Anna— my only reassurance is the remnant of the faithful that I know remains that continues to offer us hope
So many great lessons lost. So MANY important ones.
“…What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me-practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9
I’m still looking for those sane ones…