The product of Victorian religiosity: 1914

He hadn't a God, he hadn't a lover - the two usual incentives to virtue. But on he struggled with his back to ease, because dignity demanded it. There was no one to watch him, nor did he watch himself, but struggles like his are the supreme achievements of humanity, and surpass any legends about Heaven.

--From Maurice--

The standard narrative is that the world has become more shallow as it has moved away from religion. But I think that misses the point. Religion, to me, is shallow. It certainly has no more depth than things you can find in the secular world today. And I'm not just talking about romance, but geometry(!), music, economics, biology, interior design, etc.; there's just so much meaning everywhere. How can you even talk about the depth of religion if you can't see how deep other things are?

P. S. There were some protesters at the Pride Parade I went to a few days ago, and they really have me thinking!

Falun Gong: 1350

..."Don't you really belong to the Yellow Scarves, Zhang Jue and his ilk?"...

..."The man is a sorcerer," Sun Ce replied. "He uses his arts to mislead the multitude and must be eliminated."...

--From the Romance of the Three Kingdoms--

The Yellow Scarves, like the Red Eyebrows, and the Boxers, were groups responsible for great upheaval and revolution in Chinese history, and they all had mystical ties. So it's no wonder the Chinese government moved to repress Falun Gong, a modern day society with mystical practices.

Compare China's reaction to America's, where groups like the Tea Party, modeled after a revolutionary group, go about their business with only rhetorical government interference.

Brand extensions: 1632

Infinit citations could I produce, of such like intolerable attributs, besides the dividing of her in a 1000 stiles, The Virgin viz. The Lady of the wines, Lady of the oyles, Lady of the cornes, Lady of the woods, Lady of the mountains, Lady of the meeds, Lady of the sheepe and goats, Lady of the springs, Lady of the fire, Lady of the shepheards; from earthquakes, thunder and fire-flashes, Lady of the Angels which is at Asisi in Ombria, Lady of miracles in divers places, Florence, &c. Lady of life in Bullogna newly found, Lady of all noble Ladies, and Nunnes, Lady of the galley-slaves, Lady of shipwracking seas, Lady of rivers and waters, Lady of young children, and orphanes, Lady of all consolation, Lady of pure Virgins, Lady of distressed widdows, Lady of the sicke, and women with child, &c. Besides the powerfull Lady of Mountserrata in Catalogna, the aforesayd miraculous Lady of Loretta, and the clementious Ile-ruling Lady of Trapundy in Sicilia, &c.

--From The totall discourse of the rare adventures...--

Lady of dark chocolate, Lady of diet dark chocolate, Lady of dark chocolate with orange, Lady of easy blog posts...

The Pope: 1823

Pope. A figure burned every fifth of November, in memory of the gunpowder-plot, which is. said to have been carried on by the papists.

--From Grose's classical dictionary of the vulgar tongue--

Something tells me the Europeans of a few generations ago would have had a much different response to Muslim extremists than those of today.

Dumb criminals: 1656

When you decide to impersonate someone it's important not to pick too prominent a target. In this case the culprit decided they looked a lot like Jesus.

After he and his followers road into town singing "Hosanna" he was arrested and charged with blasphemy. He was sent to prison, had his tongue burned out, and a "B" branded into his forehead.

Minority rights: 1805

"Mr. Alexander apprehended nothing but destruction to the Constitution, in Church and State, from a compliance to the prayer of the Petition."

"He had never met with a Blasphemer, a Democrat, or an Enemy to his Country, who was not a friend to the Catholics."

"The Roman Catholics, without any new law in their favour, already enjoyed more civil and political liberty than any nation on the face of the globe; and he saw no reason why they should complain."

--From The Gentleman's Magazine--

This was their basic argument:

Giving more equal rights to Catholics would cause a breakdown of society. Precedents would have been overturned to support a way of life that was hurtful to the state, and to the religion the was the foundation of the state. Plus, Catholics already have more than enough rights.

*cough* gay marriage *cough*

Hanky Panky, 1656 edition

...few men knowing the juggling Witchcraft that was therein, until at the command of the Parliament it being pulled down, there were found therein the several slights to move the Arms, Eyes, and Heads of the Images, and the Pipes to convey the water to make the Images shed tears in compassion to the people's prayers, and to convey Milk into the breasts of the Images of the Virgin Mary...

--From A Candle in the Dark--

Moving statues people probably wouldn't believe today, but tears and milk, yes!

The Pope, 1860 edition

Alarming Accident to the Pope

His Holiness, in promenading yesterday on the Corso, met with a sad accident. His foot slipping in a puddle of blood, he fell and broke his head. The accident has been pronounced to be a fracture of the temporal bone.

--From Punch, or The London Charivari--

That was supposed to be a joke, from a publication similar to Mad Magazine, but much more serious and political. Almost every issue piled scorn upon His Holiness.



I suppose this is the price you may have to pay if you insist on mixing your politics and your religion.