Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Nailed It! (or) Still About Jesus

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
 Ephesians 2:8-9
(emphasis added)


"Here I Stand."
(attributed to Dr. Luther at the Diet of Worms, 1521)

Five hundred years ago, today, an Augustinian monk serving as a professor of theology at an up-and-coming university started a conversation.

That man was Martin Luther.  The conversation was, initially, regarding indulgences and other relatively minor grievances he noted, but soon grew into a struggle to (for lack of a more evocative term at the moment) "fix" the church.

In a way, Luther was getting back to his roots.  His father was in the metalworking industry, specifically the mining of copper.  Martin, though, was a metaphorical blacksmith.  He took the material on hand, which he noted contained some flaws and impurities, and sought to refine them out.  He looked to reform the defiled billet of steal so it could be a sword again.  Luther never intended to throw out and start over, and he and those who followed did no such thing.

The more Luther learned his craft (theology) and the more he examined the Roman church and society in Europe, the more he was compelled to push for this discussion of getting back to the roots.  Ad fontes - to the sources.

From a certain point of view, the issue wasn't that the Church did not exist in 1517, but that it had been hidden by all sorts of unnecessary burden and gilding that drove the believer away from the saving grace of the Cross.  It was as if someone had taken a simple sword and covered the blade with gold plating and gemstones, then painted all that over, then covered it in stucco, then smeared with silly putty.  The implement was no longer useable, or even recognizable.  Luther and the Reformers wanted to clean away all the burdensome additions.  Not all additions were bad (sometimes we call these things adiaphora, though the term is more complex than that).

At the heart of the Reformation, the real Reformation (not the radical revisionism happening in Switzerland, Holland, and elsewhere), was one thing:

Jesus Christ

They didn't want to get rid of all traditions, or remove all authority, or tear down cathedrals, or forget the saints, or rely on reason/emotion/tradition/logic/science/authority/works to base their movement on.  The Reformers could be called minimalists, throwing off the unneeded without loosing what was required.

In some ways, it is similar to a practice done by pilots in World War 2.  Now, bear with my metaphor for a moment, 'cause it won't seem to be congruous.  If you saw the movie Pearl Harbor, my condolences.  But recall the ending, where they have the Doolittle Raid.  The crews are preparing the B-25 bombers for the mission, which includes flying farther than their safe effective range and launching from an aircraft carrier.  In the one scene the pilots are removing anything they don't need.  The bombsights were replaced with a much lighter one.  Extra guns were removed.  Even armor plate was dropped, with one mechanic saying "loose it like a skirt, son."

Now, I'm making light of a serious topic (two, technically), but hopefully you see my point.  More and more had been "tacked on" to the Church until she was unrecognizable.  Luther, thanks to his vantage point on the inside, and his deep need for reconciliation with God, started digging and worked his way to the most distilled version.  That's the intent of the Reformation: getting back to the roots of the faith.  And the roots of our faith is the Cross and Empty Tomb.

So, raise a pint of your favorite stout, ale, or Fanta, for Martin Luther, a conservationist interesting in restoring that which was misled.

(Dear internet, why don't you have more versions with these lyrics?)

Monday, October 30, 2017

Being Alone Isn't Lonely (or) Three To Five, Either Way Still True

Sola Fide + Sola Gratia + Sola Scriptura + Solus Christus + Soli Deo Gloria
(by faith alone - by grace alone - by Scripture alone - Christ alone - glory to God alone)

The Five Solae of the Reformation.

Fitting topic, given what is being remembered tomorrow.

Technically retroactively made the catchphrases of the Reformation, since none of the Reformers wrote these down explicitly.  They did write on these, either in part or in all.  But what are they?

They are Latin phrases that sum up positions or thoughts.  A sort of "theological shorthand" as it were.  (Or is.)  You could call them catchphrases or principles, but these statements represent foundational beliefs within Lutheranism.  (Technically they are used by the Reformed side as well, though not all of them.)

I'll give a brief take on the Five Solae, including Scriptural verses that support them.  Before I get there, I'll first give the formal and material principles of Lutheranism.  The formal principle(s) are the authoritative sources used to back theology, while the material principle is the central doctrine.

For the Lutheran, the formal principle is Scripture alone as the foundation of all theology.  While we do use documents and confessions as sources of study, if they are contradicting the Bible they will be rejected.  This is the "hill we die on."  Reason is a most useful tool, and tradition is to be kept, and the writings of the Church fathers and other learned scholars are revered, but at the end of the day, if the Bible says "no" while all others say "yes," the answer is "no."  And we will refrain from rewording the Bible so it may fit our needs or ideas.  If it is in Scripture, we shall follow.  If Scripture forbids, we abstain.  If Scripture is silent, we shall search the Word for discernment.  (Unfortunately, there are some who claim the name "Lutheran" who do not hold to this principle.  Not to name names, but their initials are ELCA.)

The material principle of the Lutheran church is justification by God's grace through faith in Christ alone.  The only, only, way to obtain salvation is through belief in Christ's death on the Cross and Resurrection, with no action of our own adding any merit.

Sola Fide "by Faith alone"
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  John 3:14-18
Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.  For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.  Romans 3:27-28
The only way that we, poor miserable sinners, are to ever reach the heavenly throne room of God is not through our works or merits.  As St. Paul makes clear in his letter to the church in Rome, the law of works, both the law written in the Books of Moses and the moral law written upon our hearts, which are summed up by the Commandments, only condemns.  We cannot "earn" a place in heaven.  It would be like a corpse trying to perform CPR on itself.  It is impossible.  Only our faith in Chris, and in His great and glorious Work, saves us.  The only work that saves us is Christ's work upon the Cross: dying in our place.

Sola Gratia "by Grace alone"
For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.  But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it- the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.  Romans 3:20-25
Our salvation is not by our works.  You cannot earn a free gift (contrary to what banks imply when they want you to open an account).  Think of it like a newborn you bring a present to.  They are sleeping in their crib and you hold their present above them saying "this is yours, just take it," but you never get closer.  How is the child to receive their gift?  Unless you place it in their hands, they never will.  That is how grace works.  It is given to us against our will by God, first in baptism (infant or otherwise), then routinely in communion and absolution.

Sola Scriptura "by Scripture alone"
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.  2 Timothy 3:14-17
As I stated above when discussing the material principal of Luther and the Reformers who were not radical, the first, last, and only rule by which we are to judge all doctrines is the Word of God.  That's why St. Paul used the "sword" as a metaphor for Scripture, and why I'm working on some knightly themed apologetics.  And no part of Scripture is less true, though there are, in a way, levels of authoritativeness and relevance.  Context is much of that, as is holding all Scripture as true, as opposed to pitting verse against verse.  Some books are of less "officialness" (for want of better term), but that does not mean we do not use them.  Rather it simply means we use them as supports for the clear passages.  An example is the book of Revelation.  Sure, it speaks of the end times (maybe), but if I wish to found my understanding of the Last Day on a passage of Scripture, I will go to Mark 13:32, which are Christ's own words.  "But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."  This means I do not have, nor should I be, seeking out signs and omens, or trying to predict how close it is.  Instead I must get to work, for the harvest is near.

Now, when it comes to using extra-biblical resources, like the Augsburg Confession, I will always view it through the "lens" of Scripture.  If I find something that is contrary to Scripture in any other resource, I shall reject it.  Now, as a future pastor, it is part of the ordination vows to adhere to the Confessions as a right and faithful summary of what Scripture teaches, and I believe they are such as summary.

Solus Christus "by Christ alone"

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  John 14:6
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead- by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."  Acts 4:8-12 
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,  1 Timothy 2:5
 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.  1 John 2:1-2
I really shouldn't have to write anything here.  Christ's words alone should be sufficient.  What part of "no one" do people not understand.  That's why some more snarky Lutherans will make fun of Roman Catholics for worshipping Mary and the saints.  (It doesn't help that the RCC used to teach the "treasury of merit" bologna.  Then again, they haven't retracted the teaching yet, so...)  If you do not believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven, then you are not a Christian.  Adding anything to Christ's death on the cross as necessary for salvation puts you in the same boat.  No work, no philosophy, no law, nothing.  Jesus + anything = no heaven.

Soli Deo Gloria "Glory to God alone"
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"  Luke 2:13-14
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.  Galatians 1:3-5
This one is really a "take that" to the cult of saints the RCC pushes, as well as papal authority and infallibility as the nebulous (and unbiblical) "vicar of Christ."  Did you know the Lutheran church officially teaches the pope and his office is the antichrist?  Well, now you do.  Probably should warn my RCC deacon father-in-law before ordination...  The point is praise, prayers, and supplications are to be directed at the Triune God alone.  No prayers to St. Anne when lightning nearly fries your britches.  No appealing to St. Nicholas for paper-wrapped boxes beneath a pilfered pine.  No being bent out of shape whether or not some trinket is blessed by the pope, even if the shop owner claims "all blessed by pope."

So, the first three (Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Sola Scriptura) are the core of the Christian (and especially Lutheran) faith.  Sola Scriptura is our formal principle, while Solae Fide and Gratia are together the material principle.  This is what Luther found.  This is all he taught.  This is why we celebrate and remember the posting of almost a hundred talking points on a door half a millennia ago.

It always was, and still is, about Jesus.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

The Forge - Lesson 1.1: The Greeks

Now, last week I began my dabbling with St. Paul's metaphorical armor and I teased discussing the classic Greco-Roman style that directly inspired.

But before I get into that, let's review the text first:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.  Eph 6:10-20 (ESV)
Now, on to the historic reality that we as 21st century westerners seem to have trouble picturing.  (Admit it, when you read this passage you picture something more like King Arthur than Hercules.  That's okay, because that's more the direction I'll be taking this later.)

We'll look at the Greeks first, since, well, they were first in the Greco-Roman style.  I'll try to be brief, but this is covering something like 2000-3000 years of battles, tactics, and military technology.  But, then again, some things never change.  Like the phalanx.

(The phalanx, as performed by the popular "big band era" group "Leonidas King and the Thermopylae 300.")

Before I look at the armor, I'll look at the warfare style, since that is what drove the development of shields, weapons, and other tech.  Regardless of era, that is the norm.  The need drive the next invention, not the other way around.

Now I'm going to try to run a primer on the Greeks, their culture, and their history, at least up to the rise of Caesar Augustus and specifically focusing on the more martial side.  That's a lot of culture, and history, and warfare, some of which the average American is familiar with (thanks to Disney for making "Hercules") while some is quite obscure.  But be patient.  Remember that I am trying to provide background so we better understand the metaphor in its context (The 1st, 2nd, 3rd rule of Biblical Exegesis).

An added bonus to this endeavor is that we will get a better understanding of the world that Christ was born into.  While the Greeks were no longer the great power in the 1st century, their culture and history was a massive foundation.  So, putting in the grunt work here will be well rewarded later down the line.

But before we can to the rippling pectorals of a number of larger than life characters, we've got to find a starting point.  (Kit Kat points and a Fanta to whomever "lol" at that joke.)  That means a little time travel to the the 26th century BC.

I'm starting at the Minoan civilization, then through the Mycenaeans, the Dark Ages, Archaic period, the Classical era, and the Hellenistic period.  Its a lot of ground to cover, especially if I dig into the empire of Alexander and the follow-up kingdoms.  Don't worry, the Roman empire will make Greece look more comprehendible.  Or at least less soap opera.  If you wish, you can skip/scan the next few indented paragraphs.  It helps better understand the context, but isn't needed for the armor metaphor.
Now, technically I can argue that the Minoans are not Greek, since they are on Crete and not Greece proper.  But the cultures that would grow into Greece started there, and they were among the first organized civilizations in Europe. 
Now, if you know your mythology, you'll be familiar with the legend of the minotaur and the labyrinth.  They are from Crete.  The eruption at Thera (modern day Santorini) was a major contributing factor of the collapse of the Minoans.  This made conquest by the Mycenaeans the definitive.  The Minoans are pretty interesting, but a decent amount of their culture is unknown, due to the fact that the Minoan language, along with their alphabets Linear A and Linear B, isn't deciphered. 
The Mycenaeans era took place in during the Bronze Age.  While parts of their culture will be familiar to people familiar with Greek history or mythology, it won't be too familiar.  The classic "city-state" we think of when thinking of Greece didn't exist quite yet.  There is not a satisfactory explanation for why the Mycenaeans collapsed.  Regardless, the "Dark Ages" followed. 
The Greek Dark Ages were a two-three hundred year period before the ancient Greece we know.  Major stone buildings were not constructed.  The use of Linear B ceased.  The economy crashed as trade routes were forgotten.  Towns were abandoned and the population decreased.  This was a more true dark age than the one in Europe following the collapse of Rome (which we will get to some day).  We just don't know much outside of what is found at burial sites.  But the Archaic period, as part of the Iron Age, changed all that. 
The Archaic period saw the rise of the city-state (the polis), the Peloponnesian and Delian leagues, the rise of cities like Sparta and Athens, and the rise of tyrannical rule.  I'd like to note that the classic Athens, seen as the origin and home of democracy, was most frequently ruled by either mob democracy or by a tyrant.  Now a tyrant isn't necessarily a bad thing, but absolute power is a dangerous thing.  But in this era trade began again, as did colonization.  Thanks to the Phoenicians the Greeks developed a new alphabet.  And literature grew; this is the era of Homer. 
The Classic era followed, and it had, and still has, a heavy influence on history, society, and government.  Its a short period, but a lively one, culminating in Alexander the Great.  The battle of Thermopylae happened in this era.  The ideals of democracy, and of numerous philosophies, got their root here.  For the purpose of our discussion, it is in this era that we'll end up focusing, since this is when the shift in tactics occurred most drastically.
 It was in this era that the preeminence of Sparta ended, with the rise of Athens.  I suspect this is why Athens is seen as the pinnacle of ancient Greek history: they wrote their own propaganda.  Since much of our knowledge of the previous eras originates out of the Classic era, their assumptions and biases gave the accounts a certain perspective.  Athens was also the center of political and philosophical thought.  Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates were at large in this time period, as were the writers Euripides and Sophocles, and the historians Herodotus and Xenophon.  The world was turning more toward the complex and intellectual pursuits, instead of simple subsistence and contentment (which were among Sparta's ideals).  An article of consideration for this thought can be found on the Art of Manliness website: Courage vs. Boldness
 Regardless of your opinions, it is impossible to deny the effect this era has.  Aristotle is still taught in philosophy classes.  And for good reason, whether he was right or not.  That is how education should work: building on already existent foundation.  But for the Christian, this era is most especially noteworthy since a number of the philosophies that the Early Church encountered got their start or inspiration here.  Thinks like the Stoics, Cynics, and Epicureans (though they would not truly start until the Hellenistic era), and the Gnostics.
 The era saw the rise of Athens, their defeat by the Spartans, their collapse, then the entrance of the armies of Philip of Macedonia.  It was a complicated era, setting up an even more complicated period.
Rounding out our romp through history is the Hellenistic period.  The boom of philosophy, art, science, literature, and politics continued.  The theologian in me is quite interested in this period, one for the Seleucids, and two for the development of Koine Greek.  While the Hellenistic period politically ended with the Roman's conquest of the region, but the cultural period continued into the reign of Constantine.
So, lets backtrack to the Classic period, and warfare in particular.  Before this, most armies were used as large mobs, charging straight at enemies, and that side that went "stabbity-stab-stab" best won.  Sometimes this tactic is also known as a Zerg Rush, and it results in lots of KIA.

Well, the Greeks, still recovering from the Dark Ages nearly five hundred years before, didn't have the numbers to fight this way.  Especially with the Persians breathing down their necks.  Now the wars with the Persians were more than just land battles, and the techniques and tactics used developed earlier during wars between the city-states, but we're distilling this down to the base essentials.  Especially as the world moved from bronze to iron.

The development of iron was a technological leap similar to the move from single-shot muzzle loaders to breach-loading magazine fed rifles.  A game changer.  There are stories of iron swords cleaving through bronze ones, and I've seen video to support this, to a degree.  Worse, what the sharper, stronger iron weapons did to the lightly armored warriors of the late Bronze Age.  Leather armor, if thick enough, could stop a blow from a bronze sword.  But not against iron.  Especially as the weapons moved from being short curved blades to longer straighter swords.  But even before this, the use of bronze had trumped other metals, like copper, for weapons.  Technology and technique for countering these arms was needed.

Shields and phalanx: the Hoplite.

The Greeks were actually quite brilliant in their choice of warfare style.  They had an entire group of infantry, the hoplite, who were the core of the armies.  The hoplite gained its name from a word for armor, hoplon, which is often used to describe the soldier's most obvious piece of armor: the shield.  Now, as I'd mentioned in previous posting, the shield is what this all focuses on.  If you've seen 300 (which I have numerous mixed feelings regarding), and recall Ephialtes's attempt to join the Spartans, you may see their logic.  The core of the fight for the Greeks was the shield wall.  If a soldier could not bear a shield properly, there was a weak point in the wall, and a breakthrough may be exploited.

Essentially, the phalanx with its shields was a mobile fortress.  When their men would go off to war, the wives and mothers of Spartans would tell them "With it or on it." (Ἢ τὰν ἢ ἐπὶ τᾶς, pronounced "ae taan ae epi taas")  Fighting without a shield was impossible.  Retreating and discarding your shield was unthinkable, and the hight of cowardice.

The individual hoplite did have armor.  Breastplate and helmet were frequent, with arm and leg armor being occasional, from what I can gather.  These were expensive pieces of kit, and often passed down from father to son.  Leather or linen were cheaper, and used by poorer soldiers, who functioned as skirmishers and scouts.  But at the end of the day, the shield was the chief defense.

The Greeks preferred spears as the main weapon.  The doru spear was over eight feet long, allowing them to reach an incoming enemy long before the charge reached the shield wall.  Later Alexander's army would use the sarissa, which was over 14 feet long.  However, unlike the sarissa, the doru wasn't just an emplacement pole arm.  It was used one handed and thrusted.  But St. Paul doesn't mention a spear, and we'll look at why I think he didn't later.

The end result of the nearly 3000 year history of the Greeks was a military style that would be immensely successful until being adopted, adapted, and superseded by the Romans.  And that is for next time.

Friday, October 27, 2017

Heresy Reporting Names Master List

Taking up the Sword is a dangerous task.  The art requires a studious mind, and a willingness to accept the proper authority.  When people have tried to "use their own ideas" to interpret Scripture things have gone wrong.

That is how heresies are born.

The early Church dealt with a lot of heresies.  A teacher could simply show up, claim to have some sort of knowledge about the Bible that brought him to the understanding that, for example, God is really a eight foot tall purple giraffe.  Other teachers, though, would check Scripture and call this false teacher out.  Everyone realized pretty quickly that there needed to be a universal answer, so councils would form to deal with hot-button issues.  These ecumenical councils are key in the formation of the Christian Church in the first thousand years.

Now, not all things called heretical are heresy, and not everything accepted as Christian is sound Scripturally.  So, lets first define a heresy.

Thomas Aquinas defined a heresy "as a species of infidelity in men who, having professed the faith of Christ, corrupt its dogmas."  (Now, I'm not always in agreement with Aquinas, but he was a doctor of the church, and this definition is a solid one.)

To be more modern in our understanding, a heresy is a teaching that looks Christian on the outside but has none of the foundation.  One of the most well known is Arianism, which taught that Jesus wasn't divine but a creation of God the Father.  It's the poster child of heresies mostly due to the Nicene and Athenasian Creeds, which means almost every Christian has heard it or its teachings refuted.

The frustrating part of heresies today is the Protestant Reformation.  Now, protestantism is listed as a heresy by the Roman Catholic Church, and condemned at the Council of Trent (1545-1563).  While heresies are to be condemned at ecumenical councils, the meeting at Trent was not ecumenical, that is, the whole church.  It was only the RCC calling out opposition, some of whom were merely schismatic not heretical.  Some "reformers" did adopt heretical views (and we will, in time, be taking pot shots at them), but some did truly want to discuss issues that were leading people astray.  Ironically, this means sections of the Roman Church may be labeled "heretical," though heterodox (doctrines that are non-conformal to official teachings) may be more accurate.

My intent is to call out the ones that are prevalent today, kind of a "target recognition" list.  Below is a list of heresies condemned as of the Council of Chalcedon in 1054, with notes about their beliefs.

First are the Trinitarian heresies.  All of these deny the Trinity, but often in specific ways.

Adoptionism
- Belief that Jesus was born a mere human, later adopted as "Son of God" at baptism
- Denied Christ is fully God
Apollinarism
- Jesus had a human body, and a "lower soul" (seat of emotions), but a divine mind
- Denied the divinity of Christ
- Denied the Two Natures of Christ
Arabici
- Belief that the soul perishes with the body at death
Arianism
- Belief that Jesus was created by God
- Denied the divinity of Christ
Docetism
- Belief that Jesus didn't have a physical body, but that His body and death on the cross were illusions
- Denied the humanity of Christ
Macedonians / Pneumatomachians
- Belief that the Holy Spirit is a creation, and servant, of God the Father and God the Son
- Denied the Holy Spirit is God
Melchisedechians
- Belief that priest Mechisedech is incarnation of "logos" (divine word) and the Holy Spirit
- Denied the Holy Spirit is God
- Denied Christ is the Word of God
Monarchianism
- Overemphasis on "invisibility" of God
- Leads to Adoptionism or Modalism (Sabelianism)
Monophysitism / Eutychianism
- Belief that Jesus's divine nature overwhelms His human one
- Denied the humanity of Christ
- Denied the Two Natures of Christ
Monothelitism
- Belief that Christ has two natures, but one will
- Denied the humanity of Christ
- Denied the divinity of Christ
- Denied the Two Natures of Christ
Nestorianism
- Belief that Christ was a natural union between Word and Flesh, not the divine Son of God
- Denied the divinity of Christ
Patripassiansim
- Belief that Father and Son are not distinct persons, and that both suffered on the cross
- Denied the individuality of the Trinity
Psilanthropism
- Belief that Jesus was never divine
- Denied the divinity of Christ
Sabelianism (more commonly called Modalism)
- Belief that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are aspects of God, not distinct persons
- Denied the unity of the Trinity
- Denied the individuality of the Trinity

Next up are the Gnostic heresies.

Gnosticism, and its heresies, are a sticky wicket at times.  The various philosophies that lead to and contribute to gnosticism predate Christ's death.  There are many variations of gnosticism.  The most commonly held belief is the teaching that humans are divine souls trapped in a material world created by an imperfect god.  The gnostics taught that a "secret knowledge" was needed to transcend this imprisonment.  A lot of philosophies, Buddhism being most obvious, teach this.  In some ways, gnosticism is synonymous with mysticism, but not universally, especially since neither are so easy to nail down.  To make matters worse, when a theologian speaks of gnosticism, usually he speaks of the Christian sects and cults that are heretical, not the other ideas that could be called gnostic.  This just adds to the confusion brought about by false teachers like Bart Erhman.  Guys like him believe, quite wrongly, that the "gnostic gospels" are older and more accurate than the New Testament.  The sensational nature of such "research," coupled with books like "The da Vinci Code," have made gnosticism quite popular to consider as an "explanation" for Christianity.  I will have to deal further with Erhman and others at a different time, since refuting them is easy but somewhat lengthy.  Right now, lets just list the gnostic heresies.

Manichaeism
- Belief that good and evil are equally powerful, with evil being the material world
- Denied the Creation account
- Denies the humanity of Christ
Paulicianism, Priscillianism, Naassenes, Valentianism
- Dualistic gnostic sects
Sethian
- Belief that the serpent in the Garden of Eden was an agent of the true god to bring knowledge
- Denied Original Sin
- Denied the Fall
Ophites
- Belief that the serpent was the hero and god the villain
- Denied Original Sin
- Denied the Fall

Finally there are other early heresies that don't quite fit into these two categories.  The ones that have stuck around today most frequently are one of these.  They include:

Antinomianism
- Belief that Christians are free from the moral law
- Denied Original Sin
Audianism
- Belief that God literally has a human form, and Jesus death to be celebrated during Passover
Barallot
- Held all things, including wive and children, in common
Circumcellians
- Militant version of Donatists, who would attack people to provoke being "martyred"
Donatism* (may be a schism, not heresy)
- Taught that ministers had to be faultless so as to have the sacraments administered by them to be valid (initially as a reaction to those who betrayed the faith in the face of Roman persecution)
Ebionites
- Belief that Christians must follow Jewish laws and rites, and that Christ is not divine
- Denied the divinity of Christ
Euchites / Messalians
- Belief, among other things, that a state of perfection is achievable through prayer not sacrament
Iconoclasm
- Belief that icons were idols and should be destroyed
Marcionism
- Belief that Jesus was God and Paul the chief apostle, but the Hebrew God was separate and lower
- Denied the Trinity
- Somewhat overlapping with Gnosticism
Montanism
- Belief that new prophecy overrode apostles, that falling Christians could not be redeemed, that ecstatic prophecy was required
Pelagianism
- Belief that humanity wasn't tainted by original sin, and the human will can choose good or evil
- Denial of Original Sin
Semi-pelagianism
- Belief that the growing of faith was by God's grace while beginning of faith was man's will
- May be synonymous with Arminianism
- Denial of Original Sin

Of all of these, some are more prevalent than others.  Iconoclasm was a big issue in the Middle Ages, and at times is today (thanks to John Calvin).  Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism are rampant, as is Arianism, Modalism, and Antinomianism.  A number of teachers may have incorporated Gnostic teachings as well, and the ideas of the Ebionites are very popular with the "Hebrew Roots" movement, if I'm understanding that kerfuffle correctly.

Now, I know the title says this is a "master list," but to be honest its not.  There are more, and I'll probably have to amend it as I encounter.  But that's not the point.  The goal here is to write up little reports on what various heresies are and how to recognize them.  Much like how fighter pilots are trained to recognize different aircraft and know how best to deal with them.

So that will be the next task: detailing a specific heresy and how it occurs today, as well as documenting the countermoves.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Step Into The Forge And Suit (Of Armor) Up! (or) Ready To Raid An Archive, Young Hoplite?

Its time.

For a while now I've been thinking about some sort of "fight book" about apologetics, the Armor of God, and such.  But, I'll start with some primer work, and a sort of "test run" as I fiddle with ideas.

First, the text:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.  Eph 6:10-20 (ESV)
While I trip through all of this I will be using St. Paul's metaphor as a springboard.  As always, what you read here is for consideration.  It's not "thus saith the Lord."  Rather, "thus saith Adam."

Remember the three rules of Biblical exegesis: Context; Context; Context.

So, how about some context.  Since the vast majority of us live in the modern world, suits of armor haven't existed for the better part of half a millennia.  Even the concept of a knight doesn't really exist anymore.  Except it does.  And armor does.

But, then again, the knight in shining armor isn't what Paul meant, since the concept as we think of it didn't exist yet for him.

So lets tip toe through the archives.  Up for it?

Who am I kidding, of course you are!  Bear with me, since we'll be having to start with some straight-up history.  (Yay!)

Armor has been used in warfare since someone figured out "if I wear this stuff, then those guys can't go stabbity stab stab on me."  It started with things like plates riveted or tied to cloaks, links of mail, treated leather, and even thick cloth.  The Greeks were among the earliest to start using metal as armor, at least in the West, so we'll start there.
(The Hoplite, in Spartan livery.)

The "average citizen" Greek soldier didn't have armor, just shield, maybe helmet, and weapons.  A lot of times these guys didn't stand in the phalanx, though.  The hoplites were the phalanx, and they had armor.  The armor (Greek word is panoply) of a hoplite weighed about 70 pounds.  The richest (middle class on up, that is) could afford bronze breastplates, though leather or linthorax (linen strip based, kinda like kevlar) was common.  Corinthian and Chalcidian helmet styles were the stereotype.  But we'll get to the Greeks in greater detail later (maybe, depending on how far I take this).

Lets move on to the guys who one-upped the Greeks.
("We. Are. The. Legion.")

The soldiers of Rome had a very sophisticated kit.  Heavily influenced by the Greeks, and by the army of Alexander the Great.  The Legions were the logical conclusion of a few millennia of city-state conflicts and near East imperial wars.

The Romans, at various times, used plate armor, segmented armor (lorica segmentata, the stereotype), scale armor, and mail.  Each had advantages, and disadvantages; were better for one type of combat or another; were easier to make or less expensive.

But it wasn't just the armor they wore, the legionnaire had substantial equipment and weapons.  Their shields were what made the phalanx a force to be reckoned with.  The weapons as well.  Spears for throwing, or for use in the line.  Short swords were the back-up weapon.  Think like how the average modern soldier carries a rifle (the hasta) and a sidearm (the spatha).  But, like the Greeks, we'll dig more into the Romans later, since they, and the Greeks, inspired the metaphor.

Moving onward in time, the Middle Ages, while rife with many types of warrior, was the era of armor warfare.
(The foundational Carolingian or Norman soldier of the 6th-9th century.)

(The classic Crusader of the 11th-13th century.  A Hospitaller, most likely.)

(The sophisticated knightly armor of the 14th-15th century.  A pinnacle of Medieval technology.)

Archers, pike-men, skirmishers, knights, templars, paladins, crusaders, jaegers, vikings.  If they could make a cameo in a Tolkien style work, they are here.  Warfare made substantial changes from the 5th century through the Renaissance.

Armor and weapons became more sophisticated, and costly.  Training was a necessity for all soldiers, not just the elite upperclass.  Conflicts grew from a couple of feudal lords arguing to full on nation verses nation.  If you want, there are plenty of resources on that era, but British presenter and historian Mike Loades has some of the best on the Medieval period, I think.  Check out some of his work here, here, and here.

When we hear "Armor of God," we think of either the crusader or the "knight classic."
(Ah, how I love the classics...)

It makes sense to use this as the "jumping off" point for, not only St. Paul's metaphor, but my tangents on it.  Especially since I'm hoping to stylize it like a Medieval manual on melee and martial matters.  And I will, in time, once I set us up correctly.  But bear with me a little bit longer, since to be able to backtrack to the proper "headspace," we need to examine the full history.

The introduction of firearms sparked the decline of armor.  But what really spelled the end of the classic era was national identity.  If the people were loyal to a nation, not a local lord or state, then they could build a larger power base than just a few dozen square miles.  Soon conflicts between kingdoms, nations, and empire were the norm.  Wars that lasted for a few years, and had fighting for most of that time.

For example, the Hundred Years War lasted just over 103 years, yet the total time of direct army-verses-army conflict was about three months.  Sure there were raids and skirmishes here and there, but the times when full-fledged armies lined up to do battle were rare.  That was the norm until the late Middle Ages.  At that point you have kingdoms and empires, like France and England, seeking greater influence than just their little corner.  The Age of Discover kicked off a paradigm shift.

This was across the board a good thing, don't get me wrong, but with tech advancing rapidly, new warfare styles arose.  The musket replaced the spear and bow.  The rapier replaced the longsword and shield, before the sword was dropped altogether.  It was less expensive, and more effective, to train a platoon of musketeers than equip and train a half-dozen knights.  Dragoons, uhlans, and hussars were better cavalrymen for this new warfare than knights, anyway.  Ships became actual weapons of war.  Cannon beat the trebuchet.  Mobile formation warfare was the tactic of choice from around the 15th century through the American Civil War in the late 19th century.

With the new emphasis in mobility and speed, armor was dropped.  Slowly at first.  Pieces dropped to aid in gaining speed or mobility.  Shields became smaller.  Helmets cut to give more visibility.  Soon the only armor seen was the curriass and helmets.  This combination never went away fully, though the vast majority of armor worn by soldiers from about 1700 through 1990 was just the helmet.

Specialized armor was available for certain situations.  Flak jackets for bomber gunners.  Padded suits for bomb-disposal techs.  Heavy cavalry still wore the breastplates through 1919.  And now personal armor is making a comeback, though protection from shrapnel is the main goal, and advanced cloths and plastics are the materials.

But the replacements for the soldier that started as the hoplite, became the legionnaire, then morphed into the knight are the fighter plane and the tank.  Neither of which work in this metaphor, though, neither does the modern soldier.

Why?  Too much kit.

You see, the soldier that St. Paul described wasn't a "heavy infantryman," but a "skirmisher."  A scout.  A messenger.  Someone tasked with running from the battlefield to proclaim "we have won."  (Passing out and dying after sprinting 26.1 miles in full armor optional.)

I'll explain more of what I mean once I dissect the Greco-Roman style of soldier.

Hopefully I'll get other aspects of this ironed out.  For example, I've been playing around with a "recognition card" for heresies, like how AA gunners would have "spotter cards" with aircraft silhouettes.  But, this is all a long term project, and likely to be disjointed and revisionist as I move onward and learn more.  Same with the whole armor motif I'm playing with.  Maybe I'll stick traditionally, or go back in time to the Greco-Roman version, or something completely different.  Whatever the case, hopefully you enjoy my efforts (even if I'm just flailing about in the dark) and learn something useful.

Monday, October 23, 2017

Classic Curves Beat Modern Angles (or) Newer Doesn't Mean Better

"She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts."

Ah, the North American P-51 Mustang.  The poster child of World War 2 fighter aviation (deservedly).  The favorite of armchair aces nationwide.  But why?

(Hard to say no to a red-tail.)

To be honest, a more than decent chunk of the Mustang's popularity is thanks to the car.  Ford wisely chose to name their sporty teenage dream car after the "cool plane dad flew during the War."  Because of that, the name is one everyone recognizes, whether they are a history buff or not.

The Mustang is one of the few aircraft from WW2 that the average person knows (along with B-17, Spitfire, and Zero).  And this is for good reason.  The Mustang flew in Europe (bigger civilian population), where its primary role was escorting bombers and providing close air support for troops (lots of guys seeing them in action).  And with the polished bare metal they wore in the last years of the war, the P-51 was the knight in shining armor, doing battle against evil.  A slick, curvy sportster with flashing paint.

But this classic wasn't an instant success.  And if you know anything about me, its that I like to wander through the history and details of something.

The powerhouse that became the P-51D Mustang began life as a request from the British for the North American Aviation company of Inglewood, CA, to build P-40 Hawks.

The date was 1940.  Britain was desperate for military equipment.  Thousands of small arms were abandoned in the escape at Dunkirk.  Hundreds of aircraft were destroyed in the Battle of Britain.  Uncountable tons of shipping were lost to the U-Boats.  The British were hurting for everything from rifles to boots and tanks to morphine.

And the United States had the industrial muscle to provide.

(Looks like we're gonna have a bumper crop of Shermans this year.)

So the British Purchasing Commission went about looking for equipment.  Aircraft specifically, of all types.  While the US had bomber, patrol, and cargo aircraft that met or exceeded needs, America's available fighter choices were not quite up to par.  The P-38 Lightning was too complex with its turbochargers.  The P-39 did not have the reliability of engine, main gun, or flight characteristics.  (At least, not in the style of fight used in Europe.  She did well to exceptional in other theaters.)  The only remaining choice to replace the lost Spitfires and Hurricanes wast the P-40.  And she wasn't good enough.  But she could be built fast.

Now, the P-40 isn't a bad plane, even when compared with the Bf 109 and Spitfire.  In 1940 she was just a hair faster a low level, and could turn better than the 109 at most altitudes.  Her armament was on average better than theirs, with the new P-40E having six machine guns.  The B/C model wasn't half bad, either, though didn't quite have the punch or acceleration.  And the upcoming F model would have a Rolls-Royce, putting her more on par with the European types.  The problem was two-fold.

One, its gonna take a while to get enough RR Merlin engines, since the factories in England were at capacity and all the engines were needed already, and the Packard factory in the US would take time to get up to speed making them.

The P-40 had a good engine already, the Allison V-1710.  The problem is the Allison isn't as good above 20,000 feet compared to the Merlin or the German DB 601.

And fighting over Europe tended to take place above 20,000 feet.

The second problem was Curtiss.  Their factories were already at capacity building P-40s (for the US), C-46 Commandos, and a handful of Navy scout and bomber types.  They were running full tilt just to fill the orders from the US, British, French, and Russians already.  Taking on more wasn't physically possible.

The solution was simple: the British wanted North American Aviation (NAA) to build P-40s under license.  They needed planes, any planes, and the P-40 was competent.  It could be used to free up Spitfires for the higher up work, and its range and ruggedness meant it could do attack work.  And they were more at home in the far-flung theaters than the Spitfire.

But NAA had a counter proposal: they could build a better plane with the same engine quicker than it would take to set up the assembly line for the P-40.  With nothing to lose, the Brits took the bet.

In September of 1940, a mere 102 days after the British approached them, NAA rolled out NA-73X, the prototype.

(The NA-73X - where it all began.)

Slick, curvy, and ready.  Other than a few tweaks that would come from testing, she was ready.  And, in British tradition, the fighter received a name, rather than a numerical designation.  The name they chose was taken from American heritage: Mustang.  A wild, untamed horse.  Perfect name for a fighter.

The Mustang I and Ia were the first ones, improvements on NA-73X.  They looked very similar, too.  The carburetor scoop was longer, the radiator intake a little different in shape and size (to better use the Meredith Effect), and the canopy was less racer style.  Being powered by an un-turbocharged Allison, the Mustang I was used at low levels, with recon being a primary role.  At this point, the US wasn't yet interested in the plane, but that would change after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The Army Air Corps called the plane the P-51, with the nickname "Apache" being attached.  Like the Brits, the US put the P-51 in as a lower level fighter and recon bird.  A good role; a needed role.  Especially in areas like Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean.  The follow-on P-51A (Mustang II to the Brits) had improved armaments, switching from four .50s and four .30s (with two .50s in the nose and the rest in the wings) to four .50s in the wings.  A few of these early Mustangs were armed with four 20 mm cannon, but they were specifically the recon version.

(The P-51A: in my opinion the prettiest Mustang.  Ever.)

The Army Air Corps/Force even took some and made some of them into dive bombers.  A little envious, perhaps, of the Stuka?  The A-36A Apache was a decent attacker, but was better as a fighter.  Go figure.

Neither the Brits nor the Americans were happy with the lackluster performance of the Allison at altitude.  So they fitted a few with Merlins, which led to the P-51B/Mustang III.  A few other mods went in, like a redesigned radiator.

What resulted was a war-winner.

(If I had to be a Mustang pilot over Europe, this is the one I'd want.)

She had the range, the speed, the altitude, the firepower.  Every box that needs to be checked on a "best fighter checklist" she checked.  (And yet I still put the F4U as better, but I already explained why.)  The "B" was the best Mustang.

Now, a few of you who are aviation buffs are possibly shouting at your computer screen: "What about the D, you muppet!  The D was the ultimate Mustang!  Thousands were build, all the aces flew them!  Aaargh!"

Yeah, yeah, whatever.  The "B" was better than the "D" in most ways, and I'll get to that, but first, the quirks both marks shared.

Trading out a better engine in a Mustang (car) is easy.  Trading out a better engine in a Mustang (plane) really goofs stuff up.  Stability.  Thats why a strake or fillet was added to the stabilizer with most of the "Ds" and retrofitted to many "Bs" and "Ds."

(Notice the difference between with and without the fin.)

Apparently, trading out a different shaped engine messed with the stability of the plane, so a relatively simple fix was made.  This was easier than other issues, at least.

One of the few drawbacks of the "B" was the wing.  You see, NAA used a slick, thin wing to improve speed.  Unfortunately, that meant less space in the wing for the guns, so, to make sure everything fit, they were put in at an angle.


This lead to jamming, thanks to the ammo belts being kinked a little.  Simply uprighting the guns wasn't that easy, since the wing was thin.  So on the "D" a thicker wing was installed.  While this meant the guns had more space (allowing less jamming, and an additional gun), it did mean a slight loss of speed and agility.  And, more ammo wasn't added.  So, same number of bullets for 50% more guns means less time to shoot.

In an attempt to improve visibility, the "D" was given a teardrop "bubble" canopy.  The Brits had been working with frameless canopies on a few planes, like the Typhoon, and even the Spitfire.  But, to accommodate that on the P-51 required trimming down the back half of the body.  That contributed to the instability fixed by the added fin.  The new canopy did improve visibility upward, compared to the previous clamshell type framework, but it wasn't the best.  The few "Bs" modified with Malcom hoods (which look like fishbowls) were better.  They could see behind as well, and, due to the "bulging out" had a little visibility downward.

But the biggest quirk that the "D" had, which makes the "B" better, was the fuselage.  By cutting down the turtledeck, the "D" lost capacity in its main tank, thus reducing range.  Not that the "D" didn't still have gobs of range, especially with the external tanks.

In fact, that is what made the Mustang a war-winner.  Not her speed or handling, but her "seven league boots," allowing the Mustang to escort bombers from England all the way to Berlin and back.  All Mustangs had that phenomenal range.  Some Mustangs were used late war escort over Japan, flying round-trip missions of nearly 10 hours.  It lead to an interesting role reversal, with a single B-29 escorting a squadron of Mustangs on a fighter sweep, since the bomber had the navigation equipment for long overwater flights.

Did you know that early Mustangs were occasionally shot down by Allied gunners?  Why?  Because from certain angles she looks a bit like the Messerschmitt.  That's why a lot of Mustangs, especially early on, had yellow stripes on the wings, and why they painted such bright colors on the nose and tail.  The more you know.

Now, this has been a really long wander about a plane that isn't in my "Top 5."  But its hard not to like the old bird.  A classic that's still making a good performance at airshows and races worldwide.  I just wish there were a few more "A" and "B" models in flying condition.

(See what I did there, DAR?)

Where Have All The Baby Clothes Gone? (or) Which Is It, Only Two Or More Than Two?

Since there's a new squirrel being added to our rave*, Meg and I were wondering about the baby section at the store, looking at clothes, when I realized something.  The only baby clothing available is gender specific.

So, in spite of all this talk about how gender is a social construct, and there are more than two genders, and assuming someone's gender is some sort of abuse, the fashion industry has stubbornly adhered to the idea that there is "boy" or "girl" as the only two options.


(shrug) I know, that was my thought too.  The fashion industry, supporting the concept of only two genders.  Who'd'a thunk?

Now off to scour the interwebbings to try to locate Fanta, a kangaroo, and more ridiculous gifs for use here and elsewhere.  Because I can.



*As for the previous joke, I stole it from here:


Those of you who are parents or preschool teachers will understand the joke.  Everyone else probably won't understand the "adding" part, unless they remember I mentioned last month that we're waiting for Kiddo #4.

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Some Rules Are Meant To Be Broken (or) This Title Is Also A Title Drop

If you've examined the side bar of this blog, it should be no surprise I am a fan of Rev. Jonathan Fisk's work.  His book "Broken: 7 'Christian' Rules That Every Christian Ought To Break As Often As Possible" is a great resource.

I bring this up because, as I was talking with myself the other morning (as I often do), I realized that the modern infatuation with sciences as the answer to every question in life is just a pathetic rehash of revolutionary France's attempt to make reason into a goddess to replace Jesus.

Search your feelings (and the historic records).  You know this to be true.

Anyway, I realized that Fisk already wrote about this.  So, since I'm trying to write a "fight book" for Christians, centered around the concept of the Armor of God, I thought I'd start playing with it here.  (And, to be clear, when I say "fight book," I'm taking stylistic inspiration from Hans Talhoffer.  Check it out here.)

The "rules" (or, potentially, false religions) that Fisk notes are:
  1. Mysticism - the notion that “you can find God in your heart.”
  2. Moralism - the notion that “you can find God in your hands.”
  3. Rationalism - the notion that “you can find God with your mind.”
  4. Prosperity - the notion that “you can find God in money/stuff/the world.”
  5. IfWeCanJust... (Church-ology) - the notion that “you can find God in spirituality.”
  6. Freedom - the notion that “you can find God in God’s absence.”
  7. Counterfeit Christianity - the notion that “you can find/be God.”
So, since I want to write a resource for the one who wears the armor of God (a "knight" perhaps), how about some identifying of these seven counterfeits while I play around with this in my head.

#1 "Mysticism"
Oh, that's easy.  Its everywhere, often summed up with the advice of "follow your heart."  This where people who say "I'm not religious, I'm just spiritual" are.

#2 "Moralism"
These are people who are "righteous" based on their actions.  Frm. Pres. Carter and his rational for building houses is based on this.  This is "faith by works" territory.

#3 "Rationalism"
Science!  I said "science!" again!  "Thinkers" who use reason and logic as their foundation for everything are rationalists.  It can very quickly end up as a depressing stance.

Please note, Rationalism has a soldier named Pragmatism, and Rationalism and Mysticism have a bastard son named Education. (I hope I remembered that correctly.  I don't have the book on hand right now.  Mom's borrowing it.  Not that any of you needed to know that.)

#4 "Prosperity"
Just repeat what Mr. Shiny Teeth says "This is my..."  Or just think like Gordon Gekko.  If you believe that how well off you are in life is directly connected to your faith, well, I got bad news for you.

#5 "IfWeCanJust..."
While I stated earlier that the "not religious/just spiritual" crowd hangs out in mysticism, this is there bread and butter.  Or cracker and mustard.  "Charismatic" churches are solidly here.  They live and die based on how "spiritual" they are.  Pirate Christian Radio deals with these guys.

#6 "Freedom"
Americans love this one.  You can call this antinomianism (no-law-ism) or atheism.  Either way, the person here is claiming that they are the arbiter of truth and there is no one in higher authority.

#7 "Counterfeit"
If you are using anything other than Scripture Alone to build your faith, then you have taken hold of the forbidden fruit, believed the lies of the Devil, and swallowed it hook, line, and sinker.

If you want more, check out Rev. Fisk's book.  You can get it here or here.  I'll get back to this once I have something more coherent regarding the metaphorical "Christian knighthood."

Friday, October 20, 2017

Sacre Bleu! (or) Never Go Against A Sicilian When Dinner Is On The Line

French holds the claim to being the stereotypical "language of love."  After all, it is one of the Romance Languages.  And does anything sound prettier than French?

(And, no, shouting I love you in German doesn't count, though the point of that joke is true.)

(Did you know achtung! means "good morning?)

But is French really the language of love?

No.  Italian is.

Consider: "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach."  (Gentlemen, please "Home Improvement grunt" if you agree.)  However, French food is not the best food.  Rather, Italian is more universally preferred.  Don't believe me?

Without using the internet, name five Italian dished in ten seconds.

Now, try to name five French dishes.

Can't do it.  Its not that French food isn't good, just Italian is superior.  So, Italian is the "food of love."  Still don't believe me?

(Would Disney lie to you?)

So, if Italian is the Food of Love, and food is a universal language, then it stands to reason that Italian is the Language of Love.

(And thanks to Fanta, German may be the language of refreshing.)

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Ya Done Messed Up, Boy (or) Time To Grow Up, Y'all

And now for something relatively controversial.  But its okay, since its been long enough since the event, and I don't care about offending anyone regarding this topic.

Hugh Hefner ruined sex.

*mic drop*
(Good game everybody.)

Don't believe me?  Well consider how his life's goal was to make it so young men (boys, really) didn't have to grow up.  He built an empire on making sex meaningless.  Seriously.  How else do you describe "self-centered pleasure without any form of connection?"  He made sex a commodity that people could buy.  He disconnected it from the relationship.

By making sex meaningless, Hefner made sex pointless.

What's the point of sex if it is nothing but a physical attraction and an enjoyable release?  Hefner sought this, like a starving man at an all-you-can-eat buffet.  But his empire, its legacy, and those who've built upon it, have lead millions to be unable to slake their thirst.

Anyone remember the first Pirate of the Caribbean movie?  Specifically when Barbossa is explaining the curse?  How he and his crew are constantly seeking but unable to be satisfied.  Whether that be in lifting the curse or enjoying something as simple as an apple.  What Hefner did is exploit that natural (and understandable) hunger to make money.

In a way, Hefner (and those in the same "business") are like a water salesman in the desert who keeps giving people salt water.  He knows you are dying of thirst, and willing to pay anything to quench it, but he also knows that what he sells will leave you thirstier and coming back for more in a vain attempt at satisfaction.

Many think sex is just about the "fun."  And don't get me wrong, sex is fun.  Or, to be as specific (and appropriate) as possible: sex between a man and woman who are married is fun.  If it wasn't, do you really think there'd be such a preoccupation with it in our society?

And before you say otherwise, yes, America is overly fascinated by sex.  Between Hefner's work, the bikini, increasingly risque shows and moves, whole shops filled with contrivances meant for pleasure, and an industrialization of making the "consequences" go away, the only time we don't talk about sex in this country is when we're complaining about football or politics.

So then what is the point of sex?  Scientifically the primary purpose of sex is procreation.  Children.  One man and one woman contribute a half-set of DNA for the making of a new human.  (And, yes, the conventional way to "build" a new person is the tried-and-true method.)

Or, in other words, the point of sex is for a husband and wife to be intimate.  Intimate, as in so close they are "one flesh."  Literally.  A part of each of them so close it will never be separated.

(I'll wait patiently for you to pick up the debris from the mind blown moment there.)

Now, I am being a little "over the top" since the reality is more involved.  I dare not say complicated, since life is complicated regardless.  Intimacy is more than just children.  Usually people mean "sex" when they say "intimacy," but even that is overly simplified.  Intimacy in a broader sense is a husband and wife being as close as any two people can be.  Like I said earlier, that means kids, but its more than that.

There are facets of me that my parents don't know (or don't know very well), and there are sides of me that my coworkers never see.  But my wife?  She knows me better than me.  That's what sex is about.

Almost like that's how God planned it.  (Take that, Hef.)

Want some more to chew on?  Check out a recent episode from Issues ETC: Rethinking Consent-Based Sexual Morality (listen here).

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Pirates And Horses (or) I Think I May Have Over Thought This

For no reason at all, I am going to give my opinion of the aircraft match up no one asked for.  Why?  Because I like planes, and it was somewhat fun comparing the Star Wars craft earlier.  And comparing actual aircraft is both easier and harder, since there are real stats and accounts to consider.

I'm going to compare the best plane of World War 2 with the one most think is the best.

The Vought F4U Corsair (top) and the North American P-51 Mustang (bottom).
(fittingly placed)

Now, maybe I'm biased since I prefer Navy, but I think I can back up my opinion with fact.  So, at the risk of alienating numerous aviations buffs, here goes...

The Vought F4U Corsair was the best single seat piston fighter of World War 2 overall.


For those of you who are reacting like our Jedi friend here, let me explain.

First, please note, I said "overall."  Not "fastest," or "most firepower," or "most agile," or "best of 1939/1940/1941/1942/1943/1944/1945."  I wasn't specific which nation, or military, or theater.  Because that is the problem with comparing aircraft, especially from '39-'45: context matters.

Let me ask a test question: what was the best British plane?

Obvious answer is "Spitfire," but is that correct?  The Spit wasn't their best bomber, that would be the Lancaster (for the heavy work) or the Mosquito (for everything else).  And regarding naval work, the Brits really didn't have an optimal carrier based fighter.

So, back to the best overall.  Remember, WW2 was an extremely dynamic conflict that was everywhere.  A weapon or vehicle that was sufficient in Europe may not perform as well in the Pacific.

Case in point: the Lockheed P38 Lightning.

("Two planes, one pilot.")

She was an exceptional interceptor and heavy fighter.  Even a good fighter-bomber and recon bird.  But in Europe, her delicate turbochargers caused trouble.  The Lightning never quite lived up to expectations there, at least never fully.  But in the Mediterranean and Pacific regions, she was superb.  The warmer air didn't play heck with her engines, and the opposition was more manageable.  Not that the P-38 couldn't go toe-to-toe with the BF 190 or FW 190, but she was a fox among chickens with Italian and Japanese craft.

Even more complex is how each nation had a "best" at various points.  The best the US could field in 1940 was the P-40 Hawk, a bird that deserves greater respect than it is given.

(Ain't nothing prettier than an early P-40 Hawk.)

In comparison, though, the Brits had the Spitfire and the Germans the Bf 109, both of which could out-fight the Warhawk.  In part due to training and experience, but in part due to design.  The Warhawk was more rugged, and had better range than her European counterparts.  Even better firepower, in general.  But she couldn't climb as high, and wasn't as fast in straight line acceleration.  And since combat above Europe was determined by altitude performance and acceleration, the P-40 was deemed "lack luster."  But in China, the AVG ran wild with them.

So the concept of "best" is a little subjective.  Which makes "best overall" difficult to nail down.  Which requires a few requisites.  I'll defer to experts for some of this.  To call any aircraft "best overall" would require it to be a "game changer."

Certainly some battles were influenced by the abilities of an aircraft type.  Without the Swordfish, the hunt for the Bismarck would've gone differently.  No SBD Dauntless bombers changes the Battle of Midway.  But this is "tactical" level.  To be "best overall" the plane needs to be a game changer on "strategic" level.  The Ilyushin Il-2 was such an example, though not a fighter.  This flying-tank of a ground attack bird was so produced that it still holds the record for most military aircraft built; over 36,000 for the Il-2 version, with a grand total of 42,000+ when you include the improved model.

(Ugly mug, ain't she?)

Same holds true with the B-17, the C-47, the Ju 88, the Mosquito, and more.  In niche roles, at specific times, and in various theaters, some planes were superior.  The most noteworthy were those that changed strategies.  The only three in the fighter world to ever hold this distinction were the P-51, the F6F Hellcat, and the A6M Zero.  Their range is what made the most difference, combined with numbers built, firepower, and utility.

And yet I pick the F4U "ensign killer" over the classic Mustang?  Am I mad?

No, not at all.  Just taking a more "holistic" approach to the topic.

Here's the issue.  The three "obvious" answers are not best "overall."  The Zero was not rugged enough for the type of fighting going on power '43, nor for ground attack.  The Hellcat was, but wasn't "hot" enough (this would be fixed with the F8F Bearcat), though she wasn't a slouch.  The Mustang was a "hot ship," and had great range, but could be a bit of a glass cannon or fragile speedster in the ground attack arena.  Enough hits to the radiator and the engine overheats.

So, the P-51 is top-billing for "overall" of the previous three, due to being best at the majority of abilities (speed, range) or equal (firepower).  And she had plenty of uses and variants, like a recon bird and a dive bomber.  There was even talk of a navy version.

But what about other options?
  • The P-38?  Too temperamental with her engines, too complex to build in numbers.
  • The P-47?  Got the muscle, but can't dance.
  • The P-40?  Not enough growth potential.
  • The F4F?  Can't get enough engine in her.
  • The Spitfire?  Short legged, weak landing gear, not enough bomb-toting skill.
  • The Typhoon?  Sluggish and buggy.
  • The Yak-3?  A bit weak structurally and underarmed for attack.
  • The Ki-61?  Faulty engine build.
  • The Ki-84?  Not enough, low quality.
  • Italian?  Too few and flimsy, often without enough gun.
  • Bf 109?  Short range, cramped canopy, too light.
  • FW 190?  Never given priority.
  • The Me 262?  Buggy with engines that catch on fire.
What's that leave us with?  The Corsair.

Over 12,500 build from '42-'53.  Able to hit almost 450 mph.  Armed with six guns (or four cannon) and up to two tons of bombs.  A naval craft with a huge engine, huge wings, and muscle to spare, the Corsair was part of the last war to use piston engined fighters.

Granted, the Mustang was in that war, too.  And like the Corsair, served in Korea and with a number of air forces post-war.  Over 15,000 Mustangs were built (that number includes the A-36A and early models).  It served everywhere (like the F4U) in WW2.  Topped out at 440 mph, and carried six guns and 1000 pounds of ordinance.  A number were even modded post-war with turboprop engines and used as ground attackers.

And in the "Football War" of 1969, one of the only three confirmed aircraft kills was a Mustang.  A pilot from Honduras shot down two Salvadoran Corsairs and a Mustang.  He was flying a Corsair.

Checkmate.

Now, obviously its more complex even than that.  The Mustang has a better kill/loss ratio than the Corsair, and produced more aces.  (Though the Hellcat beats both.  Even the "lemon" F2A Buffalo has a better win/loss in the hands of the Finns.  But that's for another time.)  Part of why the P-51 did better is environment.  Escorting bombers and waiting for bad guys to show up means more targets.

Skill is a big factor, and one that means nothing comparing these two.  Like I mentioned, the Finns used the Buffalo very well against the Russians.  And the Soviets loved the equally maligned P-39 Airacobra.  The Flying Tigers were phenomenal with the P-40.  And a quartet of Gladiator biplanes defended Malta against the entire Italian air force.  Skill matters.

But so does range, visibility, speed, rate of turn, rate of climb, etc.  If you need to, go back to my post on the X-Wing v. ARC-170 and see what high-time pilot Eric Brown, FAA, thought was needed for the best fighter.  Then, compare the two yourself.  Wiki's got good articles on them both here and here.  Which one checks more of Brown's boxes?

Does that mean its better, objectively?  Maybe.  The way I read and interpret it, the F4U Corsair is superior to the P-51 Mustang.  (Though I'll always prefer the look of the early Mustangs, but that's for another day.)

Now, I'm going to finish my Fanta and get back to working on a controversial post hoping to drop on y'all later this week.