Pope John Paul II. After some research, I discovered a few things about him that I did NOT know. Read for yourself. It sounds as if he was a man with good intentions, but wasn't very well rooted.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_Paul_II
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Monday, March 29, 2010
Monday, October 5, 2009
Why I am not an Elf
"Whereas to men he gave strange gifts..."
--The Silmarillion
If memory serves me right, there are two strange gifts of men: to determine their own destiny, and to die. The elves, of course, are blessed with intelligence, immortality, and the ability to both live in the world and transcend it while they live in it. They are like a stained-glass window: their very nature, by its very nature, lets the light of the supernatural enter and be seen.
But there is one thing the elves lack. It is not obvious. In fact, it took me half an hour of wandering past stained glass windows to figure out what it was.
Consider an elf who performs an act of valor. It could be a great act. It could be a difficult act. It could be a humanly impossible act. But it does not make the elf a hero. Ironically, any act of heroism on the part of the elf has, of all things, an excuse: "He's an elf. Of course he could do that!"
In the War of the Ring, one of the most crisis-filled moments in LOTR history, when the continued existence of the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth seemed most impossible, the elves responded by flight (such as the elves of Rivendell who fled to the Undying Lands) or hopeless resistance (Galadriel). Even after victory, the elves are unable to save themselves: they flee or vanish, inevitably submitting to the destruction of the preserved things of the Rings.
In the LOTR universe, however, the actions of the human characters stand in marked contrast to this. Heroes arise out of the nowheres of the world: men like Turin Turambar, Elendil, or Aragorn come out of backward tribes, decaying nations, or defeated bloodlines. Their success is not based on their history or their culture (the elves' success is) and thus, rather than a linear devolution, it is cyclical, with not only fading kingdoms, but rising kingdoms. Unlike the elves, whose success, in the final analysis, depends on the action of the gods, the men are partially free even from the decrees of the gods (aka Valar), with Luthien (who becomes a woman) directly defying the Vala Mandos himself.
The elves are noble, great, helpless and lost. Men are dirty, fallen, and weak, but they have something the elves do not have: freedom to choose their good and evil fortunes.
--The Silmarillion
If memory serves me right, there are two strange gifts of men: to determine their own destiny, and to die. The elves, of course, are blessed with intelligence, immortality, and the ability to both live in the world and transcend it while they live in it. They are like a stained-glass window: their very nature, by its very nature, lets the light of the supernatural enter and be seen.
But there is one thing the elves lack. It is not obvious. In fact, it took me half an hour of wandering past stained glass windows to figure out what it was.
Consider an elf who performs an act of valor. It could be a great act. It could be a difficult act. It could be a humanly impossible act. But it does not make the elf a hero. Ironically, any act of heroism on the part of the elf has, of all things, an excuse: "He's an elf. Of course he could do that!"
In the War of the Ring, one of the most crisis-filled moments in LOTR history, when the continued existence of the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth seemed most impossible, the elves responded by flight (such as the elves of Rivendell who fled to the Undying Lands) or hopeless resistance (Galadriel). Even after victory, the elves are unable to save themselves: they flee or vanish, inevitably submitting to the destruction of the preserved things of the Rings.
In the LOTR universe, however, the actions of the human characters stand in marked contrast to this. Heroes arise out of the nowheres of the world: men like Turin Turambar, Elendil, or Aragorn come out of backward tribes, decaying nations, or defeated bloodlines. Their success is not based on their history or their culture (the elves' success is) and thus, rather than a linear devolution, it is cyclical, with not only fading kingdoms, but rising kingdoms. Unlike the elves, whose success, in the final analysis, depends on the action of the gods, the men are partially free even from the decrees of the gods (aka Valar), with Luthien (who becomes a woman) directly defying the Vala Mandos himself.
The elves are noble, great, helpless and lost. Men are dirty, fallen, and weak, but they have something the elves do not have: freedom to choose their good and evil fortunes.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Never Mind
Okay, her kidnappers saw my post and hastily returned her in fright. Vote for my cuddly politician!!!
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Jealous Politicians!!!
I'm afraid I must break the horrible news. My favorite politician (see picture below) has gone MISSING!!!!!! She was leading in all the polls, and now she's gone!!! Probably kidnapped. It's unfair to say, but I'm sure it was one of her opponents.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
My Favorite Politician
Believe it or not, there's one politician that I REALLY LOVE!!!!!!! Can you guess who? This politician never intended to be one, but she certainly is one. When the next presidential election comes around, I will vote for:
That's right, my cute, cuddly, CAT!!!!!!
That's right, my cute, cuddly, CAT!!!!!!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Do You Like Obama? NO!!!!!!!!
It's official: nobody likes Obama!!!! Well, at least no one of the six
people that voted. :-) Maybe I should put up a poll about Bush
next. I'm really going to get thrown in jail someday (if I get lucky).
people that voted. :-) Maybe I should put up a poll about Bush
next. I'm really going to get thrown in jail someday (if I get lucky).
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Political Poll
You all knew it would come. I am referring to the recent poll I put
up. So if I should disappear suddenly, you'll all know why. :-)
up. So if I should disappear suddenly, you'll all know why. :-)
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