Mar 30, 2021

(Corrupted) Words of the Day


I suppose we should first define what we mean by "corrupt." This is what I intend when I say these words are "corrupted:" debased or rendered impure by alterations or innovations (from etymoline.com). My selection of these (corrupted) words of the day is based on the change of their meaning from something originally intended by their definitions to something now used as a slur. I'll be working my way backwards in time based on how recently these words were corrupted. Let's begin.

nationalism (n.)

1844, "devotion to one's country, national spirit or aspirations, desire for national unity, independence, or prosperity;" 

"Nationalism" has gone from a positive good (willing the good of one's fellow countrymen in a free and prosperous country) to something even conservatives use in a derogatory way (Jonah Goldberg). It used be okay to be a fan of America back when America was the land of opportunity and not "systemically" hateful and hated, whatever that means. But, now, to be an American nationalist is to be inordinately and unjustifiably proud of one's homeland, at best. At worst, and now that "whiteness" is a thing (and totally not racist -- /snark), "white nationalism" is implied. Never mind that Donald Trump's policies did more for black and Latino employment and wage increases than has been seen in my lifetime. He's such a terrible racist (meaning the opposite). 

discriminate (v.)

1620s, "distinguish from something else or from each other, observe or mark the differences between," from Latin discriminatus, past participle of discriminare "to divide, separate," from discrimen (genitive discriminis) "interval, distinction, difference," derived from discernere "to separate, set apart, divide, distribute; distinguish, perceive," from dis- "off, away" (see dis-) + cernere "distinguish, separate, sift (from PIE root *krei "to sieve," thus "discriminate, distinguish").   

Back in the day, when someone was described as "a discriminating man," it was considered a compliment. It meant he showed good prudential judgment. Now we're not even supposed to notice differences as fundamental as those between men and women. Unless it's a trans-woman and then she/he/they is totally different from a man! And if you deny it, you're a bigot. That's some fancy lexicographical footwork. Try to keep up.

cult (n.)

1610s, "worship, homage" (a sense now obsolete); 1670s, "a particular form or system of worship;" from French culte (17c.), from Latin cultus "care, labor; cultivation, culture; worship, reverence," originally "tended, cultivated," past participle of colere "to till" (see colony). 

The word was rare after 17c. but it was revived mid-19c (sometimes in French form culte) with reference to ancient or primitive systems of religious belief and worship, especially the rites and ceremonies employed in such worship. Extended meaning "devoted attention to a particular person or thing" is from 1829.\  

As Catholics, it's not unheard of that we're accused of belonging to a cult. To which I say, "Indeed! I belong to the cult of Jesus Christ and his one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church!"  Which puts a whole different spin on the second paragraph describing a cult as an "ancient or primitive system of religious belief and worship." Ah-yup! Catholics have an ancient system of religious belief and worship, although I doubt most honest critics would call Catholicism "primitive" -- read Augustine and Aquinas through John Paul II and Benedict XVI for non-primitive Christian thinking and belief. In fact, Catholicism goes right back to Jesus Christ and his apostles, thank you very much. But, even some Catholics are susceptible to the misuse of the word "cult" and become defensive about it. They shouldn't. It's similar to the message of the cross being a sign of foolishness for some. Being a member of the cult of Jesus Christ and the church he founded is no shame. It's just the opposite. 

That's all for today. I encourage everyone to start using words correctly according to their intended meaning and take back the language from the Left.

Mar 9, 2021

Speaking of: Stop the World, I Want to Get Off

I get a laugh out of the absurdity of the human condition as much as the next cynic average American. But, the world stopped being funny sometime last year in the midst of the plague and the political collapse of the country (but, I repeat).

Let me get this straight (probably should have saved that for the bit on transgenderism). Joe Biden bombed Syria in retaliation for Iranian actors killing an American contractor in Iraq. That would be the Iran of the "Iran Nuclear Deal" that Biden says he wants us to rejoin which would have, at best, if you believe the Iranians are honest negotiating partners (LOL), delayed Iran getting a nuke with which to intimidate everyone in the region (and Europe), and potentially bomb the "Little Satan," Israel, into oblivion.  And since everything is blamed on racism, I'm sure Iranian hatred of Jews is because they're "evil" white people -- even though everyone in the region is ethnically Semitic. You can't make this shite up. 

Do you miss President Donald End-Foreign-Entanglements-and-Unleash-Israel-to-Defend-Itself Trump yet? I do. 

And speaking of entanglements in Iraq, did you hear Pope Francis visited that brutal and benighted country and met with the Shiite Grand Ayatollah Sistani for "dialogue?" Of course, Pope Francis never once publicly uttered the name of "Jesus," because whenever politically correct Christians "dialogue" with Muslims, they always bow to Allah rather than the Savior of the World. In case I wasn't clear, I do not believe Christians and Muslims worship the same god. Go ahead and call me an Islamophobe, but I will oppose any religion that treats women and religious minorities the way "faithful" Muslims do with my dying breath -- let's just hope it isn't brought on by the blow from a scimitar. 

And since we're speaking of Muslim mistreatment of women, did you know adherent Muslims believe Mohammed is "married" to the Virgin Mary in heaven? What a repugnant thought. The whole thing about Muslim men satisfying their sexual appetites in heaven is bad enough (what other appetites do men get to indulge in the presence of Almighty God?). But the idea that Jesus would tolerate the sexploitation of our Blessed Mother goes beyond blasphemy.* Yet Francis believes if he just dialogues with Sistani, conditions for Christians under Muslim rule in Iraq will improve. Makes you wish for a return of Pope Urban II, doesn't it?

Hey, what about the mistreatment of poor "Princess" Meghan Markle, you ask? I'm with Ben Shapiro that the real villain in the pathetic saga of the rrrrrracist rrrrrroyal family is "Prince" Harry. I mean, I feel sorry that "Princess" Meghan suffers from narcissistic personality disorder and became suicidal because she had to learn to curtsy to the Queen like every other female subject of Her Majesty. . . (ahem, cough) . . . but Harry would have us believe  his lefty father, pathetically "trapped" in a life of privilege and leisure, will not come to the aid of the damsel in distress, "Princess" Meghan, because she's light brown, and not because she's an obnoxious brat. Puhleaze. Way to smear your family, Harry. 

Besides, how do we know Meghan is really a black "woman?" Has she "identified" as such? Has anyone asked her in the last five minutes? Maybe she changes her mind periodically! And just what does it mean to "feel like a woman?" I'm ostensibly a woman and I'm not sure I could describe it outside of the, uh, you know, biological woman stuff. Bruce Jenner seems to think being a woman means wearing dresses, stockings, and high heels. By that measure, he's more of a woman than I am, that's for sure! I haven't dressed up like a "woman" in more than a decade. I guess I should turn in my woman-card.

Speaking of the Equality Act, now that biological males can compete with biological women and enter their bathrooms and locker rooms -- and dissident doctors and hospitals can be penalized and driven out of the medical field for refusing to mutilate perfectly healthy bodies of tragically unhealthy minds. . . what happens when a compliant primary care physician does a (virtual) pap smear and breast exam during an annual physical on a trans-woman, but fails to detect the prostate or testicular cancer that could kill him -- er, her? Can said physician be sued for malpractice, and on what grounds? The whole trans ideology would be laughably absurd if it wasn't such a damnably destructive lie. Sort of like same-sex "marriage."

Speaking of -- did you hear about the gay throuple listed as three fathers on their children's birth certificates? Absurd and sickening for those poor children.

Stop the world, I want to get off.

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*For my non-Catholic Christian brothers and sisters, if you find the idea of Mohammed defiling Mary in heaven repulsive, you might wish to consider the Church's teaching on Mary's perpetual virginity in the context of any man having the b.b.b.bal. . . temerity to have relations with the spouse of the Holy Spirit, let alone the righteous and Blessed Saint Joseph. Some things you can know by faith and reason.