Joanna
C. G. Estabrook wrote:
>"Massacring its enemies" is a bit strong. Augustine (d. 430 CE) did say
>that the state had a role in providing public order in disputes that had a
>religious dimension (notably Donatism), but he opposed state torture and
>capital punishment. States he thought were usually "latrocinia" -- gangs
>of thieves. In his City of God (4.4), he wrote
>
>"Without justice, what are states but great gangs of thieves? What are
>gangs of thieves, but little states? A gang is a group under the command
>of a leader, bound together by contract, in which plunder is divided as
>agreed. If such a conspiracy grows by drawing from the disaffected so
>that it acquires territory, establishes a base, captures cities and
>subdues peoples, it then openly arrogates to itself the title of a state,
>which is how the world regards it -- not because it has renounced
>aggression but because because its achieved impunity. It was both witty
>and true for the captured pirate to say to Alexander the Great, when the
>king asked him why he terrorized the sea, 'For the same reason that you
>terrorize the earth -- but because I do it with a little ship, I'm called
>a pirate; because you have a great navy, you're called an emperor.'"
>
>--CGE
>
>On Thu, 18 Nov 2004, joanna bujes wrote:
>
>
>
>>Nothing surprising about this. As the Roman empire crumbled, would-be
>>administrators and officials, were "reborn" into the Xtian church.
>>Augustine was bred/educated to become a Roman administrator -- he wound
>>up laying the foundations for the Catholic church and massacring its
>>enemies.
>>
>>We are now seeing Jesus in integrated circuits. Whatever. Folly and
>>self-delusion are not mitigated by technical "progress." (I am not
>>arguing that all forms of religious consciousness are forms of folly and
>>self-delusion. But most are excellent covers for these.)
>>
>>Joanna
>>
>>Eubulides wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>washingtonpost.com
>>>Prayer Breakfast Draws Strong Tech Turnout
>>>By Shannon Henry
>>>Thursday, November 18, 2004; Page E01
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
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