Tea at Trianon: As Bad as Slavery

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Saturday, November 10, 2007

As Bad as Slavery

The debate over legalizing prostitution is all over blogdom today. I stumbled onto the discussion at Abbey Roads 2, where I found this article. I do not understand how any Christian can be in favor of legalizing such a dehumanizing institution. Fr. Blake offers some reflections, and so does Fr. Tim Finigan, very thoroughly. Share

3 comments:

Terry Nelson said...: Both priests posts are excellent - I will link to them.; November 10, 2007 at 4:42:00 PM EST
Anonymous said...: In my opinion just because a society continues with certain practices that are illegal does not warrant making them legal. Illegal drug use is rampant, but the government has not decided to legalize it, same goes for prostitution.; November 11, 2007 at 8:19:00 AM EST
Enbrethiliel said...: +JMJ+

Prostitution was legalised in New Zealand while I was a student there. It was regrettable, but at least it gives other countries an excuse to wait and see the consequences of this before they make similar laws. Also while I was there (maybe I'm bad luck!) the government started recognising gay marriage, which it called "civil union."

Yet these two laws are only the tip of the iceberg. With respect to all my dear Kiwi friends, I am certain that in two generations or less, unless the tide is suddenly turned back, the country will be a social dystopia.; November 11, 2007 at 9:44:00 AM EST