How to be a Postmodern Conservative

From the Intercollegiate Review:

The modern world has now ended only in the sense that we have now seen enough of it to judge it. Although we have reason to be grateful for the wealth, health, freedom, and power that modern achievements have given us, we know that the individual’s pursuits of security and happiness will remain always pursuits—and not possessions. So even as the modern world continues to develop, we can be free of its characteristic delusion, its utopianism. We can speak of its strengths and its limitations from a perspective “outside” modernity, and that perspective is the foundation of conservatism today.

Conservatives can be (perhaps the only) genuinely postmodern thinkers. The reason we can see beyond the modern world is that its intention to transform human nature has failed. Its project of transforming the human person into the autonomous individual was and remains unrealistic; we can now see the limits of being an individual because we remain more than individuals. The world created by modern individuals to make themselves fully at home turns out to have made human beings less at home than ever. (Read more.)

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On the Academic Hostility to Great Literature

From Dr. Anthony Esolen:

When I attended Princeton, it was as Father C. J. McCloskey once described it to me, with a matter-of-fact smile.  It was an evil place.  But stupidity was still far away.  The English department offered only real, solid courses, in genuinely great literature.  And some of them were hugely popular.  Freshman Shakespeare, the course most students took to fulfill their composition requirement (I placed out of that one), was thronged with hundreds of young people who adored the lecturer and actor, Daniel Seltzer.  John Fleming’s Chaucer course had eighty or ninety students in it, many of them not English majors.  Walton Litz’s course in the modernists Eliot, Pound, Frost, and Yeats had to be held in a large auditorium, with the master of ceremonies declaiming great poetry from the stage.  Thomas Roche’s course in Spenser had about 35 students—Spenser!

And now I find that, this spring at Old Nassau, there are only three upper-level English courses with an enrollment of more than twenty.  One is a course in Nabokov (30), cross-listed with Slavic Studies.  One is Shakespeare (66).  The third is a course in junky kid-lit (395).  The department is stocked with people who teach literature as everything under the sun except for literature—gender this and class that.  Even Princetonians seem bright enough to tune it out.  The trash is piling up, and there’s hardly a warm body left to take it to the curb. (Read more.)

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Noah (2014): My Thoughts on the Film

He said to Noe: The end of all flesh is come before me, the earth is filled with iniquity through them, and I will destroy them with the earth. ~Genesis 6:13

By faith Noe, having received an answer concerning those things which as yet were not seen, moved with fear, framed the ark for the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world; and was instituted heir of the justice which is by faith. ~Hebrews 11:7

That Noah, with his family is saved by water and wood, as the family of Christ is saved by baptism, as representing the suffering of the cross.
~from St. Augustine, Contra Faustum, Book XII

Yesterday I took my daughter to see Noah. I have been reading about Darren Aronofsky's controversial film for weeks, both good and bad reviews. Nothing, however, prepared me for what a fantastic movie it is, surely one of the best Bible epics ever. I saw nothing gnostic or kabbalistic or even politically correct about it at all. What's more, it is an intensely pro-life film, filled with Catholic symbolism reminiscent of the writings of the Fathers of the Church. It is a work of art inspired by Sacred Scripture; as art it inspires in return, and inevitably points the way back to the Bible. The acting is superb; Russell Crowe gives a powerful performance as does Jennifer Connelly as Noah's wife, Naameh. Anthony Hopkins makes a wonderful Gandalf-like Methuselah. The other roles are nuanced and talented portrayals as well.

My daughter was excited to see Methuselah depicted in a film; she is intrigued by the idea of someone living to be almost a thousand years old. Once the movie started she was riveted; now we are having great conversations about Adam and Eve, the Garden of Eden, the Fall, the antediluvian giants and, of course, the Ark. I am surprised I have not heard the film recommended for older children and teenagers because there is so much there to intrigue them and feed their interest in Scripture. Our daughter is familiar with the Old Testament and we have always taken her to art galleries so she was able to appreciate a film which is rich in symbolic imagery. That might not be the case for other youngsters, however, or even for some adults. After Noah we went pray the Stations of the Cross and then to Confession. I must say the film was a helpful meditation for each exercise, for it brought to the eyes of the soul the Four Last Things, with a special emphasis on the Judgment of God.

Noah is a film of Apocalypse. It is about our own time. Even the costumes hint at our era. The world of Noah has grown so evil that he and his family are forced to live an isolated existence in order to preserve their lives. Noah and his family obey the command of God to build the Ark in the darkness of faith. When the deluge comes the Ark is buffeted by the waves and howling winds, amid the cries of the lost. Seeing Noah and his family aboard the Ark reminds me of how Christian families today, clinging to the Church amid the storms of this world, must nevertheless face the darkness within themselves, conflicts and even the devil who lurks in the shadows. To have the wicked Tubalcain as a stowaway on the Ark was a stroke of genius. It reminded me of some of the Greek icons, particularly the Nativity icon, which show the devil hovering in the margins.

The film is supportive of the traditional family, emphasizing the role of the father as protector and head of the family. However, when Noah misunderstands God's command, and thinks he is meant to kill his grandchildren, his wife strongly intervenes. Noah's wife is shown as the mediatrix interceding for her children, a prototype of Our Lady. She intercedes in an earlier scene as well, climbing the mountain to pay a call on Methuselah, Noah's grandfather, who lives as a holy hermit and spiritual guide. Miracles follow her intervention. In Noah's family, marriage has a place of honor and the men in the family want "wives" so they can have families. This scenario is shown in stark contrast to the Cainites who use and abuse women, kidnapping them  and selling them for food. In the doomed world outside of Noah's circle, family life has obviously ceased to exist, leaving chaos and death in its wake.

 Methuselah has the gift of healing, as does the mysterious snakeskin, a relic belonging to the line of Seth. It is reminiscent of the serpent which, much later in the Bible, Moses places on his staff to heal those bitten by the poisonous snakes. (Numbers 21:9) As usually is the case in Scripture, physical healing corresponds with spiritual healing and redemption. Ultimately, the flood waters which destroy will also cleanse and renew the face of the earth.

Noah's temporary decision to kill the infant granddaughters corresponds with the pro-abortion mentality of our time. He has convinced himself it is a good thing for the babies to die. Because humanity is wicked Noah believes even his family must become extinct after they have fulfilled their task of saving the animals. It is an almost utilitarian view which, in the film, Noah is convinced is from the Creator. However, Noah is countered by his wife, and by Seth and Ila, the parents of the babies. Even as later in Genesis an angel prevents Abraham from killing his son Isaac (Genesis 22: 11-15), so Noah is finally stopped by the overwhelming love he feels for the small girls. Thus the future of humanity is saved by love.

One of the most poignant scenes is toward the end when, as the flood waters recede, Noah seeks his wife as she cultivates the earth. He reaches down and clasps her hand in the dirt, harking back to the first man, Adam, who was taken from the earth, and the first woman, Eve. The new parents of humanity lay their hands over the earth as if in blessing, and later the rainbows illumine the sky as the sign of hope. Whether the filmmakers intended it or not, everything points to Noah as the son of Adam and to the wonder and hope which will come in the new Adam, the Christ.

Here is a magnificent article about how Noah's Ark prefigures the Church. Share

Pope Francis and the Queen

This must be one of the most charming diplomatic meetings ever. From the Daily Mail:

What does the woman who has everything give the man who, famously, wants nothing at all? Answer: A dozen eggs, a haunch of venison, six bottles of Coronation bitter and a box of Sandringham soap. On what was her first overseas trip in three years yesterday, the Queen paid a visit to Pope Francis at the Vatican. She brought with her a wicker hamper full of home-produced delicacies – from Balmoral whisky to a rib of Windsor beef. ‘I hope that will be unusual for you,’ she told him. It certainly was. Set against the dry-as-dust protocol which has traditionally governed royal visits to the Vatican, this meeting was almost riotous. (Read more.)

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Peaceful Angels

From Voice of the Persecuted:

I am not going to delve into the whole scene there which is becoming common and clearly known for everyone, but I need to shed the light on some of the horrifying facts which happened on 28 May 13 in my Village ( Duwair).

On that date, my village was sentenced to death and destruction by the militants who ruined every part of village and massacred the peaceful residents savagely.

They did not come for freedom, they were not liberators or cause defenders, they were monsters in the true sense of the word, bigots injected with contempt and poisonous sectarianism. With all bitterness the victims were my family, my father and sister,” the peaceful angels” as I would call them.  ”Every time, I phoned them to Syria, they replied, we are Ok and nothing to fear, do not worry about us, no one would harm us, we are peaceful people”. They were the scapegoat of the killers who massacred them with cold blood then burnt them with full disgrace. Was the small village rolled into the vortex of destruction for political reason? Absolutely No, It was attacked primarily for the sole reason of being neutral and peaceful without hiding the fact that most of the locals are Christians. (Read more.)

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Homemade Coconut Oil Soap

From Mommypotamus:

Simple ingredients? Yep, only three.

When it comes to soap, this is probably the easiest recipe you’ll ever make. If you’re willing to break a few rules it can one of the most versatile, too. Here’s what I mean: 

Traditionally, soaps are made from 5-7 oils blended to balance cleansing/moisturizing/and lathering properties. Coconut oil is not used in more than a 30% concentration because it’s so effective at breaking up oil/grease that it can be drying.

Fortunately, there’s a way to simplify things without skimping on the ends product. It’s called “superfatting.” Basically, you add the equivalent of “one quarter moisturizing cream” like big brands do, only you leave out the toxic slew of chemicals that usually go with it. By adding 20% more coconut oil than the lye can convert to soap, you end up with a luxurious body bar. Of course, this doesn’t work with most vegetable oils which go rancid easily – coconut oil’s high shelf stability is what makes it a good choice here.

The best part? Not only can you superfat and get the best of both worlds for your skin, you can break another rule and get your laundry clean, too! (Read more.)

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Color Me Chartreuse

All Shades Blue reports on my favorite shop in Buckeystown, MD. To quote:

Virginia Crum is the daughter of an interior decorator and a small business owner. So it's no surprise that she now runs one of the most successful vintage furniture and decor businesses in the Baltimore-Washington area.

Raised in historic Frederick, MD, just 50 minutes from the Nation's capital, Crum has grown up alongside the historic landmarks that mark the evolution of this former mining town, where Union and Confederate soldiers alike passed through on the way to battle during the Civil War, and where President Abraham Lincoln gave testimony to the sacrifices that the town made during the War Between the States.

In 2002, soon after Crum, her husband and two daughters moved to her grandparents' farm just outside of Frederick, she found inspiration in a little cottage that sits on the property. "I thought to myself, 'wouldn't it be fun to decorate that cottage and do a little sale,'" said Crum. Together, with one of her friends, Crum began decorating the small house and gathering pieces for the sale. "We watched the weather and put an ad in the yard sale section of the Frederick newspaper. We then put signs up and down [route] 85."

But the cottage was small and Crum's vision could not be contained by the four walls of that little house. She and her friend hung chandeliers from the trees that surround the home on the same land that was once a pasture to the 150 cows that lived on the farm. The decorations caught the eyes - and the attention - of the drivers passing by.

 

Now, more than a decade later, Crum's tag sale has evolved into a monthly event with 30 vendors who fill all three of the barns that sit on the property. Crum and her team of vendors exhibit and sell their vintage wares the third Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of each month, as well as on three additional weekends, including a "Market Sale" this weekend, April 5th and 6th. Market weekends extend the sale to the grounds outside the barns, where visiting vendors bring additional finds. (Read more.)

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Growing Up Fatherless

From The Huffington Post:

Growing up without my father was, by far, the hardest thing I've ever dealt with in my life. His choice to leave before I was born felt like a curse. It was "the unknown" that scared me so much. The unknown things like the why, the how, the what of growing up without him there. As a young child, I never really missed him because I didn't know any better. He just wasn't there, and that was that. My mom and the man she eventually married, the man I call Dad, never left me wanting for anything, but there was nothing they could do to fill that void that was in the shape of the idea of my father.

I was in 8th grade when I began putting things together and asking questions about him. It started with little things: walking down the street wondering what he looked like or if I had walked past him. Unknown. I wondered how he dressed and how he talked. Unknown. What kind of music did he like? What were his favorite movies? Unknown. Those questions ate at me constantly. The more I thought about him, the more I missed him. The more I missed him, the more the unknown scared me. (Read more.)

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OTMA

There is a new biography about the daughters of the last Tsar. From the Daily Mail:

It is impossible to resist the allure of those touching and now iconic images of the tsar’s four lovely daughters – Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia – in their pretty white lace dresses, and their young brother Alexey. They seem to represent not just the lost world of old tsarist Russia but also the ruthless and arbitrary brutality of the revolution that destroyed them.

The faces are familiar, but until now very little was known about the four Romanov sisters beyond the chocolate-box image of them produced for public consumption by the tsarist publicity machine. The many charming and informal pictures that the sisters took of each other during their childhood show something of the happy and unpretentious personalities behind the public image, but in truth, the Romanov princesses have never been considered anything more than the pretty set-dressing to the much bigger and more dramatic story of their parents and their tragic haemophiliac brother Alexey. For they were born into a Russia where sons were essential for the survival of the dynasty and daughters were deemed of little consequence. (Read more.)

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