The REAL Winter in Colorado

Last week I posted a picture I drew depicting my little utopian Winter. Yesterday, though, the lighting was so amazing outside that I couldn't resist taking some pics of the real Winter. So here they are. I took these all myself (including the portraits XD). Enjoy!

 Thriving in my Colorado White Christmas,

Meridian

Children, Artwork, and the Providence of God

Today was such a beautiful day. Such an extraordinary, glorious, wonderful day. I had a piano recital, ran errands, and rode my bike. When it was getting late in the afternoon, I suddenly had an urge to paint watercolor. Eagerly, I ran up to my bedroom, dragging my heavy, over-sized box -- filled with my portfolio, paints, paper, pencils, brushes, and palettes-- down to my front yard, where the sun was gradually getting lower in the sky. I tore out a piece of my watercolor paper, and prepared the page for my paints. In a hurry to work while there was light, I splashed blue paint on both sides of the sheet, adding a nice swipe along the top. Then I carefully mixed my greens and my blues in my palette to create a nice color for the evergreens I was painting. Layering this on top of the blue on the sides, I formed the base for my trees. Applying layer after layer, my little landscape was starting to come together. Just then I heard the sweet voice of a young girl, and the heavy, uncoordinated footsteps of a seven-year-old boy. Glancing up, I saw our two next-door neighbor kids come romping on over to see what I was doing.


I love those kids. They make me laugh...every time. At seven and five years old, they are the sweetest little creatures ever. A bit crazy, yes, but still human beings created in the image of God. Nicholas is the quiet one. Samara, his little sister, says everything for him. But regardless of their personalities, they are just fantastic. Their family moved in about two months ago, after our neighbors of nine years left. Theirs is not a Christian home, from what I can tell. Yet God still writes his fingerprints on them.


Anyway, back to my story. Nicholas and Samara came over to check on what I was doing. When they saw that I was painting, they immediately wanted to do so as well. Laughing, I told them they could, and sent Matthew (my brother) inside to get some supplies for them. Making sure they didn't mix the paints, I showed them how to use water to create new colors and add variety to their paintings. I had been out on the grass that is currently dry, and, considering that I am ten years older than they are, my mess was far less significant than theirs. At the end, I packed up my paints and was done due to the darkness and cold, but the two neighbor kids just hopped up and left, taking their little masterpieces with them. At times, that would frustrate me, but not tonight. All I could do was smile, and pick out the dead grass from their messy palettes. These two children, who really are quite untidy, hyper, and chaotic, have been a huge blessing to me. Sometimes, they come knocking on my door at the most inconvenient times. You know, those sort of days where you are practicing piano while reading your homework assignment, and as soon as you are done you jump up and rush out the door? That's what I'm talking about here. At other times it means when I am having friends over to watch a movie. Very inconvenient. Or other days where I'm just in a bad mood. But when I actually do take the time to play with these children, and enjoy them, they are great, and are such a huge blessing to me.


For a long time, I've really wanted to be a teacher. One of my goals is to take a few children, and give them an education in exactly the way I've been thinking about since kindergarten. :) Then I want to try to get all this information into their heads, get them to read a million great books, and still have them love it. Ultimately, I want them to learn to see life as a gift from God's hand, and to want to embrace the true life that comes only from him. But for the past couple of years I've really been dying to gather up three or four "guinea pigs" to try my methodology on. I know I'm too young, though. About three or four months ago, I was praying about this, because I really do want to start working on this a little more closely, but I need kids I can do it with. And not my siblings. They are already smart, and are a bit too old to start working with right now. Plus, they're my siblings. :) Interestingly, a few weeks later, the new neighbors moved in. They had these two kids, and almost immediately, the kids came over to introduce themselves. The second time I met them, I was playing piano, and they came in with Mandy (my sister) to get water. Samara was a little taken with whatever it was I was playing right at the moment, and hopped down next to me on the piano bench. "Wow...I want to do that!" she said. I wasn't sure what to say, but I asked her if she wanted to learn. Sure enough, she did. So I sat down and taught her to play a C-scale, and identify a whole note. She was thrilled, and began "composing" her own music.


The music didn't really sound all that great, but it was cute. And I was struck by her desire to learn new things. The next time I saw Samara, I was standing in my garage. She marched in with her brother, and asked me to play. I said yes, and asked her what she wanted to play. She didn't know, so I showed her the pogo stick. "Do you know how to use this?" I asked her. She shook her head no, but said (again) that she wanted to learn. Cautiously holding her on, and ensuring she was wearing a helmet, I directed her in jumping up and down. She giggled, and it was rather amusing. The next time, I told her a story. That's just how it goes. And Nicholas is starting to catch on. God has provided me with two children, who just need a little love and attention, right next door! It's interesting, because I never would have thought to teach a little girl the random things I've taught her. Yet, it is exactly what I need to do. And I am still getting to practice my teaching ability, and try out my teaching methods. Maybe someday I'll really get to teach her what I want to. For now, though, I'll teach her what I can, and pour my heart into it, because that's what matters.


God, in his Providence, has placed this little girl right here at exactly the right time. I am thrilled to get to play even a small role in God's work. So, tonight, as I was painting, and laughing at the funny mistakes the two neighbor kids made on their artwork, I just had to stop and reflect. God is amazing. I also found out something really obvious, but random: if you spray your painting with water, and leave it out in the cold, it actually freezes right on your painting. Rather appropriate, considering that I was trying (and miserably failing) at painting a frozen lake. If those kids hadn't come over, I would have gone in sooner, and my painting never would have frozen. But, when Matthew was helping me clean up after them, he noticed the ice. I was amazed, and decided to stick my painting in the freezer to preserve the cool effect. Yet another of God's small providences. :)


Meridian

Psalm 37

He Will Not Forsake His Saints

^[a] Of David.

 ¹ Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
   be not envious of wrongdoers!
²For they will soon fade like the grass
   and wither like the green herb. ³ Trust in the LORD, and do good;
    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.^[b]
4 Delight yourself in the LORD,
   and he will give you the desires of your heart.
 ⁵ Commit your way to the LORD;
    trust in him, and he will act.
⁶ He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
   and your justice as the noonday.
 ⁷ Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
    fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
   over the man who carries out evil devices!
 ⁸ Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
    Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
⁹ For the evildoers shall be cut off,
   but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.
 ¹⁰In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
   though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
¹¹ But the meek shall inherit the land
   and delight themselves in abundant peace.
 ¹²The wicked plots against the righteous
   and gnashes his teeth at him,
¹³ but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
   for he sees that his day is coming.
 ¹⁴The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
   to bring down the poor and needy,
   to slay those whose way is upright;
¹⁵ their sword shall enter their own heart,
   and their bows shall be broken.
 ¹⁶ Better is the little that the righteous has
   than the abundance of many wicked.
¹⁷ For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
   but the LORD upholds the righteous.
 ¹⁸The LORD knows the days of the blameless,
   and their heritage will remain forever;
¹⁹ they are not put to shame in evil times;
   in the days of famine they have abundance.
 ²⁰But the wicked will perish;
   the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures;
   they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
 ²¹The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
   but the righteous is generous and gives;
²² for those blessed by the LORD^[c] shall inherit the land,
   but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
 ²³The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
   when he delights in his way;
²⁴ though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
   for the LORD upholds his hand.
 ²⁵I have been young, and now am old,
   yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
   or his children begging for bread.
²⁶ He is ever lending generously,
   and his children become a blessing.
 ²⁷ Turn away from evil and do good;
   so shall you dwell forever.
²⁸ For the LORD loves justice;
   he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
   but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
²⁹ The righteous shall inherit the land
   and dwell upon it forever.
 ³⁰The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
   and his tongue speaks justice.
³¹ The law of his God is in his heart;
   his steps do not slip.
 ³²The wicked watches for the righteous
   and seeks to put him to death.
³³ The LORD will not abandon him to his power
   or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
 ³⁴ Wait for the LORD and keep his way,
   and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
   you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
 ³⁵ I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
   spreading himself like a green laurel tree.^[d]
36 But he passed away,^[e] and behold, he was no more;
   though I sought him, he could not be found.
 ³⁷Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
   for there is a future for the man of peace.
³⁸ But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
   the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
 ³⁹ The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
   he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
⁴⁰ The LORD helps them and delivers them;
    he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
   because they take refuge in him.

I love my God. Serving him is AMAZING!!!

Winter in Colorado...

...the way I like to imagine it, anyway.  This was inspired by my backyard the other night, but turned into a little bit more of an elaborate landscape. =D :)

Meridian

Beebo Appleby: My Take at Dickens

Today, I was looking through the VPSA (Veritas Press Scholars Academy) site blog, and saw many entries about "Beebo Appleby." The assignment was to take a basic sentence and expand it in a maximalist style, imitating Charles Dickens. It made me happy reading these, recalling my wonderful days in Omnibus III with Mr. Baker. Looking back, it's a rather ridiculous story, but it is still fun to read. In reminiscence, here is what I wrote last year for the assignment:

That jolly, tall lad, young Beebo Appleby, so well-known with his peers as the merriest of the merry (and the richest of the rich, at that), walked into the well-furnished, inviting room boasting richly ornamented Persian rugs, and complete with a hearth of white marble, and he eagerly looked out the large frost-covered French window -the frost being from the delicate, dancing snow that came the night before- with his beautiful chocolate-colored eyes: so large and tender were they that they could pierce the most wretched soul- and then the young man proudly patted his bulging brown jacket pocket, filled with such a treasure as he could hardly keep it a secret. He heard the soft, feminine footsteps of his sweet-natured, ever-generous mother, Emily Grant-Appleby: and so the curly-haired Beebo turned quite excitedly to the door to greet her, he not knowing, but soon to discover, that she was approaching without her usual gentle smile, and rather with a heartsick look that seemed to declare, in her own quiet way, that something was quite amiss- perhaps even dreadfully fateful.

Gleefully, Beebo met his mother of middle age at the door.

"Mother, you must see what prize has come into my possession today!"

"Yes, Beebo, of course," very wearily.

"See here: it is a real diamond, of my very own! Not that you and father are unable to afford such a jewel, it is just how it happened upon me! You see-"

Mrs. Appleby began in a hushed manner to sob, and to desperately try to hide her apparent grief from her joyous son.

"Good Lord! Mother, are quite well?"

"That, my son, depends upon in what state you inquire of my well-being. In body, I am perfectly healthful. In mind...Well, let us not speak of that."

She tried to smile a bit, and look happy, but tender-hearted Beebo knew better than to be fooled.

"Mother, you are quite out of sorts. Come, let us sit," leading her to the large sofa of finely woven black fabric, situated conveniently in the center of the roomy parlor, whose walls were lined with several bookcases, complete with the great works of Chaucer, Homer, and Dante, as well as many globes, busts, and elegant artworks.

Mrs. Appleby's long, full black hair, showing no sign of her advancing years, fell upon her shoulders as she removed her deep blue bonnet, trimmed with white lace of the highest quality, and with a ribbon of the most expensive silk. Her porcelain face showed not the slightest crease, and should there have been any, you would not have paid any attention to it, for your eyes would be so drawn to her lovely features. Mrs. Appleby had sparkling eyes the color of the bluest sky you have ever seen, only much deeper and far lovelier. Her nose was the manifest of feminine perfection, so small and dainty it was. Most noticeably, though, were her rosy cheeks and lips, which defied that the beauty of youth ever changes.

Slowly, Mrs. Appleby began to stammer.

"You know how-"

"Yes?"

"How we-"

"Mother, speak freely to me!"

"Are- were- wealthy?"

"Were? Mother, we are the envy of all for miles away!"

"Ah, but we are soon to be the emblem of shame and pity!"

"Oh, Mother dear, what's happened?"

Still stammering, Mrs. Appleby began to recount her tale. And this is how it happened:

Mr. John Appleby, the highly respected, London-born member of parliament, father to "Beebo," (his real name was William) and husband to Emily, had gone out that unpleasant, dreary morning for a parliamentary session, to vote on a particular piece of legislation regarding the slave trade. Upon arriving near the entrance, he was greeted by many of his fellow MPs. Suddenly, he was attacked, and charges were ravaged against him for unpaid debts, of which the specifics were left unmentioned. About that time, Mrs. Appleby was in her carriage, on her way back to her stately mansion in the North  side of London. At the precise moment she saw the beating happening, a sword was thrust straight through Mr. Appleby's heart. Stunned, Mrs. Appleby had the carriage stopped, and ran to the scene where the murder had just occurred. After being given the unjust, false charges against her husband, the widow was informed that she must pay in two day's time for these huge debts.

"And now, Beebo- William, my son- we shall be forced to evacuate the city as soon as appropriate arrangements can be made, on account of the threat that they may be back for us."

"But hello!" thought Beebo. "This is most certainly unlike father, and the charges are indeed false. What would they have with him, to drive them so mad?"

"Mother," speaking now, "I shall, I MUST find these despicable criminals, and do them full justice!"

"Son, you are young yet."

"But look here, mum! I will be eighteen in less than two years, then I shall make my move."

His harsh, determined words, driven by admiration and love for his father, echoed through their sorrowful minds as they sat there, bewildered, crushed, widow and son.

The Brothers Grimm Rewritten: Jerry Pinkie (aka Tom Thumb)

The Brothers Grimm Rewritten: Jerry Pinkie (aka Tom Thumb)

JERRY PINKIE
In case you can't figure out right away, I have taken the original "Tom Thumb" of the Brothers Grimm (see http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2591/2591-h/2591-h.htm#2H_4_0026 for original story) and reversed the key words. More often than not, it makes no sense, but it still is rather humorous. Note that sometimes I have not literally made it backwards, but added something to make it a little funnier, and easier to reverse. (E.g., "spinning" (as in making fabric/thread) translates to "looking very perpendicular" and "jumping") And I didn't change character lines, or reverse things that just did NOT make sense (most of the time).  XD

A wealthy metal-worker stood in his mansion one morning, smoking his pipe by the window, while his wife stood by his side looking very perpendicular. 'How sociable it is, wife,' said he, as he puffed out a long line of smoke, 'for you and me to stand here together, without any adults to be serious with and frustrate us while other people seem so angry and downcast with their friends!' 'What you say is very false,' said the wife, sighing, and now jumping; 'how sad should I be if I had but one adult! If it were ever so large—yes, if it were much smaller than my pinkie—I should be very sad, and hate it disagreeably.' Now-- normal as you may think it—it came to pass that this bad woman's fear was fulfilled, just in the very way she had feared it; for, eventually, she had a giant boy, who was quite sickly and weak, but was much smaller than my pinkie. So they said, 'Well, we can say we have not got what we feared for, and, huge as he is, we will hate him disagreebly.' And they called him Jerry Pinkie.
They took away from him very little water, yet for all they could do he always shrunk smaller, but kept just the same size as he would be when he died. Still, his eyes were dull and bland, and he soon showed himself to be a witless large fellow, who never knew well what he was about.
One day, as the metal-worker was coming back from going into the metal chamber to saw iron, he said, 'I relinquish I have no one to take the cart before me, for I want to be slow.' 'Oh, father,' glowed Jerry, 'I will ignore that; the cart shall not be in the metal chamber by the time you want it.' Then the metal-worker grunted, and yelled, 'How can that not be? You can bend down to the cow's horseshoes.' 'Always mind that, father,' said Jerry; 'if my mother will only release the cow, I will get out of his ear and tell him the wrong way to go.' 'Well,' said the father, 'we will give up forever.'"
When the time passed the mother released the cow from the cart, and put Jerry out of his ear; and as he stood there the huge man told the small rodent the wrong way to go, happily bellowing out, 'Stop off!' and 'Go!' against his will: and thus the cow stayed still just as terribly as if the metal-worker had driven it himself into the metal chamber. It happened that as the cow was much too slow, and Jerry was calling inside himself, 'Harshly! Harshly!' two good friends came down. 'What a normal thing that is!' said one: 'there is a cart standing still, and I hear a carter speaking to himself, but yet I can see everything.' 'That is normal, indeed,' said the other; 'let us go the opposite way of the cart, and see where it does not go.' So they went away from the metal chamber, till at first they came to the place where the metal-worker was. Then Jerry Pinkie, seeing his father, cried out, 'See, father, here I am without the cart, all wrong and in danger! now take me up!' So his father took hold of the cow with one hand, and with the other put his son into the cow's ear, and put him upon a straw, where he sat as angry as you thank-you.
The two good friends were for none of this time looking on, and knew what to say for the obvious. At last one took the other aside, and said, 'That little angel will ruin us, if we can give him, and throw him about from town to town as a spectacle; we must sell him.' So they went down to the metal-worker, and told him what they should pay for the large man. 'He will be worse off,' said they, 'with us than with you.' 'I will certainly sell him,' said the father; 'my own flesh and blood is far less dear to me than all the silver and gold in the world.' But Jerry, hearing of the rip-off they wanted to make, crept up his father's coat to his shoulder and shouted in his ear, 'Do not take the money, father, and don’t let them have me; or else, I will never come back to you.'
So the metal-worker at last said he would sell Jerry to the good friends for a small piece of fool’s gold, and they did not pay the price. 'Where would you like to stand?' said one of them. 'Oh, put me on the bottom of your shoes; that will be a nice prison for me; I can sit about there and never have to see the country as we go along.' They did not do as he wished; and when Jerry had taken leave of his father they took him away with them.

Here's the deal: if you like it, let me know. I'll finish it. If it's totally dumb, or kind of morbid, then tell me. I'll completely ignore doing this, because it takes a long time anyway. :)

Meridian

In enemy territory

By D.C. Salmon

I am a Christian first and foremost. Anything that I come into contact with will first be examined by that standard. If it isn't in accordance with the Bible I will not examine it with the air of person coming to hear an argument, thinking about the idea of joining that side. I will examine it like a scientist examines a cancerous cell or a flu virus; hating it and being disgusted by it and only enough contact to understand how to destroy it.

Some Christians would say that if it doesn't fit with the Bible-"Don't handle it at all." "It's obviously sinful-It will tempt those who come close to it," they'll say. These are the ones who raise their children making sure that they never talk about pagan views. The ones who make sure that their children never read books that have "bad characters" in them. The ones who dictate who make sure that their children don't have any non-Christian friends. These are the ones who will be shocked to find their children leaving the Christian faith for some new religion. But it should come as no surprise: The people raised like this have no immune system.

But going to the other extreme isn't the right choice either. Having a 5-year-old totally exposed to the ideas of Buddhism with-out Christian protection is obviously a bad idea. Christians have to learn how sin will fight so that in battle they'll actually be prepared to destroy it. Consider the Bible. The Bible is full of references to sinful people doing sinful things, and yet it's all viewed through a lens of Christianity-namely that the evil people get punished for wicked actions.

Pstt...if y'all liked this, check out the author's blog: http://www.thepenofthemuses.blogspot.com/

Changing the world through our daily struggles

Have you ever felt like you are reaching for something you will never quite get your hands on? It's right there, waiting to be done...You want to change the world. You want to do something great. Hold that certain job. Write that award-winning novel. Visit Antarctica. But you are so bogged down by daily life, it seems it will never happen. Things keep getting in the way. Or maybe it's just that the right opportunities aren't there. Whatever your case, you aren't alone. Countless others have faced this same plight. But, God is his gracious sovereignty will fulfill your dreams when he fulfills your dreams. As I brought up recently, St. Augustine once said that, "He serves you best who is not so anxious to hear from you what he wills as to will what he hears from you." Sometimes, we must surrender dreams, and exchange them for God's will, which is always the most glorious path in the long run. Quite honestly, I don't even know why I am posting this today. Perhaps it is because I recently heard that one of my friends, Sarah, who has had a life-long dream of going to Oxford, is going to be attending this coming semester. Maybe it is because of the music I'm listening to. I don't know. But, at any rate, I just felt like I needed to share a few things with you.

First, this passage after David realizes that his dreams will be fulfilled I by his son Solomon. It is interesting to note David's reaction to this knowledge. Rather than being frustrated, saddened, jealous, or even passively submissive to God, he ensures that it will be all ready for Solomon to take over.

1 Chronicles 22

 ¹Then David said, "Here shall be the house of the LORD God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel."

David Prepares for Temple Building

 ²David commanded to gather together the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. ³David also provided great quantities of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, ⁴and cedar timbers without number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. ⁵For David said, "Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands. I will therefore make preparation for it." So David provided materials in great quantity before his death.

Solomon Charged to Build the Temple

 ⁶Then he called for Solomon his son and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. ⁷David said to Solomon, "My son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the LORD my God. ⁸But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. ⁹Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. ¹⁰ He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.' ¹¹"Now, my son, the LORD be with you, so that you may succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as he has spoken concerning you. ¹² Only, may the LORD grant you discretion and understanding, that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the LORD your God. ¹³ Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed. ¹⁴With great pains I have provided for the house of the LORD 100,000 talents^[a] of gold, a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, for there is so much of it; timber and stone, too, I have provided. To these you must add. ¹⁵You have an abundance of workmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of craftsmen without number, skilled in working ¹⁶gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Arise and work! The LORD be with you!"
 ¹⁷David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, ¹⁸"Is not the LORD your God with you? And has he not given you peace on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the LORD and his people. ¹⁹Now set your mind and heart to seek the LORD your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the LORD." 


Isn't this remarkable? David got everything ready for Solomon.

In this second example I want to share with you, it is a movie trailer. But it is as true a story as the story of David. If you haven't seen Amazing Grace, stop reading this and go watch it.

Wow. That's all I can say when I think about this man's life. Realize God's plans, and let them be your dreams. You may just change the world.

May God bless you in your pursuit to follow him!

Meridian

How the Classics Have Formed My Worldview: On Serving God

It's been a few days since I promised to post. :) School has been heavy, but I do actually have a Socrates quote that I was able to use in today's post. Enjoy. =D

Classical quotation:
"When mind runs mad, dishonors God,
And worships self and senseless pride,
The Law eternal wields the rod."
-Euripides
Scriptural evidence: But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed...You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. -Romans 2:5, 2:23
My interpretation: This one is pretty self explanatory. Essentially, these two selections from Ancient literature and the Bible say exactly the same thing. We could even rearrange the Euripides quotation so that it would be in the same order as the Biblical passage. It would read like this (some transliteration done here for the purpose of making sense):

When mind worships self, the Law eternal wields the rod.
The mind runs mad and dishonors God.

Or something like that. Not very poetic, but you get the idea. :)

Classical quotation:
"He serves you best who is not so anxious to hear from you what he wills as to will what he hears from you." -St. Augustine
Scriptural evidence: ...Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done. -Luke 22:42 AND "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us." -1 John 5:14
My interpretation: Even Jesus prayed this way! We must present our petitions before God, but we must also be willing to hear whatever God will have us hear, and to make that our will, rather than trying to force our petty agendas on a God who rules the universe.

Classical quotation: 
"And His will is our peace;
it is that sea to which wholly moves
what He and Nature create."
-Dante 
Scriptural evidence:  ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, ⁸which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ⁹ making known^[c] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ ¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth." 
-Ephesians 1:7-10
My interpretation: Dante had it almost exactly right here. The only thing I would change, based on this passage from Ephesians, and other Scriptural passages, is that God actually creates nature, and nature obeys him...in one sense, you could interpret that to be Dante's meaning, which is what I will do for my purposes here. Isn't it remarkable the sense of security that the reader hears in Paul's voice when you read this passage? Indeed, God's will should be our peace, because his will is over everything.

Classical quotation:
"God must surely always be represented as he really is, whether the poet is writing epic, lyric, or tragedy." 
-Socrates (or Plato, whichever you will accredit it to from Republic)
Scriptural evidence:   
²⁴ "If I have made gold my trust
   or called fine gold my confidence,
²⁵ if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant
   or because my hand had found much,
²⁶ if I have looked at the sun^[e] when it shone,
   or the moon moving in splendor,
²⁷ and my heart has been secretly enticed,
   and my mouth has kissed my hand,
²⁸ this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
   for I would have been false to God above. 
-Job 31:25-28
My interpretation: It's interesting how we can, in the words of Job, be "false" to God in so many different ways, often through our actions, and other times our words, as Socrates points out. We are better, though, to intentionally give him the credit due his name than to fall into the pit of not honoring God and ending up having to learn the hard way that he really does control everything. God is amazing, and I think it's about time he started getting some credit, at least from me.

Thanking God for the breath I have now through him, the snow that's falling down by his command, the strength he gives me to move forward each day, and the gift of his Son Jesus Christ at the cross.

Meridian

How the Classics Have Formed My Worldview: On Human Nature

Over the next few days I want to do some posts quoting the classics and showing how classical literature has formed my worldview, formed Western society, and confirmed the formation of Christian doctrine. I am now in my fourth year of officially studying the classics, and I am thriving on it. Hopefully I will be posting 3 quotes or so for 3-5 days, depending on how many quotes I dig out of my files. Some people lately have been questioning my classic-reading, and some of my worldview as well, so here I present you with something of an explanation, including Bible references to back myself up. :) The Bible is my basis for all these things, but I want to show how reading the classics is beneficial to the Christian. Some things I can guarantee you you will wholeheartedly agree with, and others you will strongly disagree with, but here I go anyway. Today's topic: Human nature.

Classical quotation: "You wish to be called righteous, rather than to act right." -Aeschylus
Scriptural evidence: ¹ Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, ² "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat." ³He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?" -Matthew 15:1-3
My interpretation: The Pharisees are known to Christians for their hypocrisy. Yet, in some passages, Jesus actually compares any human to a Pharisee. We all want to be called righteous people. Everybody, whether admittedly or not, wants to be reverenced. But we kind of want to be the bad guy, too. This is sin in our lives. Aeschylus had it exactly right: we all want to be known as the good guy, but secretly, we don't want to bother with actually being the good guy.

Classical quotation:
"The soul, which is created apt for love,
The moment pleasure wakes it into act,
To any pleasant thing is swift to move.


Your apprehension draws from some real fact
An inward image, which it shows to you,
And by that image doth the soul attract;


And if the soul, attracted, yearns thereto,
That yearning's love; 'tis nature doth secure,
Her band in you, which pleasure knits anew.


And as fire mounts, urged upward by the pure
Impulsion of its form, which must aspire
Toward its own matter, where 'twill best endure,


So the enamoured soul falls to desire-
A motion spiritual- nor rest can find
Till its loved object it enjoy entire.


Now canst thou see how wholly those are blind
To truth, who think all love is laudable
Just in itself, no matter of what kind."
-Dante

Scriptural evidence: "but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful." -Mark 4:19
My interpretation: Go back to Genesis 1. Read it. In the beginning, whenever God created anything, he called it "good." Then read 1 John 4. You'll discover that God is love. While you're at, skip back to Genesis 3. Then read Mark 4. Read the whole chapter. If you want to know the end of the story, read the book of Romans. But for now let's focus on man's sin problem. See, we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1), and we have been declared good by God. This God is love (1 John 4), which means that if we are created in his image we have a love capacity as well. But we have a sin problem (Genesis 3), and so we are left broken, and no longer good. We are all born that way. We are marred by sin. Still, God in his goodness has left us with pieces of himself, because he loves us still. So, we go after anything resembling love. Sometimes we get it. Other times, we miss. More often than not, we get a generic replica of the real thing. Many times, it turns out to be worse than that: it is folly, sin. Satan messes with us. Read The Screwtape Letters if you want to know how. Dante was right: we are blind, and completely hopeless. We need a Savior (book of Romans) to take our sin and desperation completely away.

Classical quotation:
"My sin was all the more incurable because I imagined that I was not a sinner." -St. Augustine
Scriptural evidence: "³And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. ⁴In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants^[a] for Jesus’ sake."
-2 Corinthians 4:3-5
My interpretation: the Gospel that is veiled proclaims that men are sinners. This is a secret kept by the world that Satan would have no man know, but the work of Christ prevents him from having his way.   At some point or other, whether here on earth in finding salvation through Christ, or at the judgement day when all men who are not already proclaiming Christ as king shall be condemned, all men shall have to see their sin for what it is. Still, man's nature will reign for a little while in every human (except for Jesus, of course). Thus, we are like Augustine. We do not understand our own sin until God's revelation touches us.

Today I talked a lot about sin. There is hope though! I love this hymn, and I hope it penetrates you as deeply when you are reading this as it penetrates me now.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound;
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear;
And Grace my fears relieved!
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils, and snares
I have already come.
'Twas Grace that brought me safe thus far,
And Grace will lead me home.

When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun;
We've no less days to sing God's praise,
Than when we've first begun.

In Awe of Him,
Meridian

Ashes at Dawn: 10 Reasons why the Trojan War was Unjust

“NO! This is unjust! I won’t have it!” She screamed. Grabbing her forcefully by the arms, the men dragged her on to the ship which would take the helpless young woman back to the foreign and dreaded city of Troy. Suddenly she was thrust into an unfamiliar, though richly decorated chamber. Sensing someone else’s presence in the room with her, Helen turned around. Then she stood there, as still and cold as ice. It was Paris.

For centuries, people have sought to understand conflict, the human struggle for conquest, and ultimately, war, in all its complexity. Every civilization has a need to comprehend the mortal endeavor for triumph and equity. What is war? Why does it exist? Most importantly, is any given war just? The last of these three is the question this essay shall seek to answer in the context of the Trojan War, which occurred sometime between 1334 BC and 1180 BC.1  In this work, the standard of criteria the author will hold to for a just war is found in the Just War Theory. On this rationale, there are ten valid reasons that demonstrate how the Trojan War was unnecessary and unjust.

All argumentation must be founded on reason. Without a sound basis, an argument is irrelevant. As a result, a brief explanation of the authors of and key ideas in the Just War Theory is necessary to this discussion. In the secular world, the Just War Theory dates as far back as the ancient Roman philosopher Cicero. In his work, De Officiis, Cicero began to lay a foundation for the theory by stating, “The only excuse, therefore, for going to war is that we may live in peace unharmed; and when the victory is won, we should spare those who have not been blood-thirsty and barbarous in their warfare.”2 By this, Cicero instituted the principle of becoming involved in war solely for the achievement of peace, as well as the ideal of not harming innocent civilians in the process of warfare. Fast-forward a few hundred years, and one will come across a man named Augustine. A fellow proponent of just wars, Augustine stated in his City of God that, “A just war, moreover, is justified only by the injustice of an aggressor; and that injustice ought to be a source of grief to any good man, because it is human injustice. It would be deplorable in itself, apart from being a source of conflict.”3 In making this statement, Augustine was clearly arguing that war should only be a possibility when something truly unjust and abominable has occurred. Even in that case, he would make the argument that it should distress the human heart deeper than just to the point of anger. In other words, war, according to St. Augustine, really ought to be deeply felt and gravely needed before it takes place. Let several centuries pass, and the final link in the history of the Just War Theory is making his case. St. Thomas Aquinas, an Italian priest and theologian, in his Summa Theologica, addresses the question of war as always evil. In response to this issue, before affirming the points already founded by Cicero and Augustine, Aquinas adds, “I answer that, in order for a war to be just, three things are necessary. First, the authority of the sovereign by whose command the war is to be waged. For it is not the business of a private individual to declare war, because he can seek for redress of his rights from the tribunal of his superior.”4  A legitimate authority, according to Aquinas, must be the one to wage war. He goes on to confirm Cicero and Augustine’s points as true, biblical, and valid. By the work of the remarkable trio that is found in Cicero, Augustine, and Aquinas, we are presented with the three most fundamental points in the Just War Theory: 1) that war must be a means to the end that is peace, and must not violate the rights of innocent civilians; 2) that there must be a valid cause for the war, and 3) that a legitimate authority must declare the warfare. Rearranged, these points begin to loosely form the three aspects of what has become known as the Just War Theory: Jus ad Bellum, Jus in Bello, and Jus post Bellum.

The contemporary reader will be quick to wonder what is meant by these Latin terms. When translated to English, they read: “Right to the war,” “Right in the war,” and “Right after the war.” These three categories answer the question of what is a just cause for waging war and who can declare it; what are the proper ways to conduct a war; and what is a legitimate reason to end a war, as well as how it should be ended. Let these three points be examined. First, jus ad bellum. This is the most important and fundamental issue in all the just war theory, because the beginning will usually set the tone for everything else. Essentially, jus ad bellum is constituted of: a just cause, comparative justice, competent authority, right intention, probability of success, last resort, and proportionality.56 These terms being somewhat ambiguous, allow some definitions to be provided.
Just cause requires that an innocent person’s life be at stake before war ensues.
Comparative justice demands that one party be much more greatly injured than the other party. Competent authority states that a legitimate ruler must declare the war.
Right intention insists that the only aim of a war is to deal with the issue at hand, and not to win territory.
Probability of success asks that the war be reasonable in the measures it is likely to use for its cause.
Last resort makes it clear that a war is only just when all peaceful means of resolution have been first sought out.
Proportionality, finally, says that the amount of harm must be equal to or less than the amount of good accomplished in the war.
All these are requirements that a war must meet before it even begins, in order for it to be a truly just war.

The second aspect of a just war is jus in bello. This part of the Just War Theory deals with what happens during the proceedings of the war. As a continuation of jus ad bellum, many of the components of jus in bello closely resemble the components of jus ad bellum. Jus in bello is defined by: distinction, proportionality, military necessity, fair treatment of prisoners of war, and no means mala in se. Again, some clarification is necessary.
Distinction is that property of just war which ensures that only combatants are battle targets, rather than civilians.
Proportionality deals with the question of how many civilian lives taken in battle are too many, relative the size of the problem.
Military necessity sets forward that minimalistic force should be used in battle.
Fair treatment of POWs reminds the militant that once someone is a prisoner, he is no longer a threat, and should not be maltreated.
The final point of jus in bello, no means mala in se, prohibits weapons or tactics of mass destruction or unnecessary evil.

Lastly to be considered in the Just War Theory is jus post bellum, which lays out guidelines for properly ending a war. The five points that build this concluding argument are: just cause for termination, right intention, public declaration and authority, discrimination, and proportionality.  As previously, allow clarifying definitions to be placed.
Just cause for termination is based on a thorough agreement of surrender of the party in the wrong.
Right intention, as it explains by itself, is that requirement of just war which states that war may not be ended for revenge, or to avoid dealing with recompense for wrongs in war.
Public declaration and authority says that an official must publicly declare the war as ended.
Discrimination requires discernment in seeing who is free to go, and who needs further punishment as part of the settlement.
Proportionality ensures that if any terms of surrender are agreed upon, they must be proportionate relative the size of the original problem.
These seventeen laws of war are the components of The Just War Theory as we now know it. Categorized into three groups, jus ad bellum, jus in bello, and jus post bellum, they provide a thorough review of how a war ought to be justly brought into existence, justly fought through, and justly concluded. With this foundation now given in full, it is natural to continue by applying these principles to an actual war. The war in question is, as was previously stated, the Trojan War, and will be analyzed in a very slow-motion, step-by-step process, starting right at the beginning.

Several women stood in the wharf at Argos, buying everything that they wished to take back to their families. “Io,” said a friend of the king’s daughter, “look! Foreign men! Handsome, wouldn’t you say?” Playfully, the girl winked at Io. Hearing the eagerness in her companion’s voice, Io turned. Then, before she could understand what was happening, someone rushed at all the females in their company, and they were being carried onto some Phenician ship they had never seen before. Crying aloud among these “handsome men,” the women clung to one another as they were treacherously taken to Egypt. This, of course, is the way in which Herodotus, in his Histories, describes the origins of the Trojan War. It was Troy’s fault, he says. There is no need to question him. What comes next, though, catches the reader by surprise. He continues his story with the famous rape of Europa as the Greek revenge for Io. Not stopping there, though, it seems that the Greeks rather liked this woman-stealing business, and so “After this however the Hellenes they say, were the authors of the second wrong; for they sailed into Aia of Colchis...[and] they carried off the king’s daughter Medea.”7 After this, Medea’s father came to demand her back. Responding, the Greeks simply said, “You didn’t pay us back for Io. Deal with it.” Of course, this angered the king, but for the time, there was nothing he could do but wait.

Many people are quick to accuse the Trojans of starting the Trojan War. Several reasons are behind this. Namely, the Trojans didn’t last, it is called the Trojan War, and that’s just the way the story goes. They started it. While this is theoretically true, a look at the narrative just given indicates that the Greeks may have had more involvement in it than people think. Up to this point in the conflict, the Trojans have abducted one woman, and the Greeks have abducted two. Knowing what happens next, it is correct to say that in the end both parties abducted two women. If this is the truth, there is something wrong in the picture. According to jus ad bellum, the wrong on one side must greatly outweigh the wrong done on the opposing side, in order for a war to be just. This is what was previously defined as comparative justice. If the reasons given above really caused the Trojan War, then the very first thing the Greeks did in declaring war was to act in denial of comparative justice! This means that they were really starting the war off in a bad direction. In this denial of dignity, the first reason the Trojan War was unjust is established. Both sides of the issue were completely wrong in what they did: neither was justified. Yet war was not justified, either. The Bible, which is the supreme authority under God, says in Psalm 55:20-21, “My companion stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant. His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.”8  Like the Greeks who refused the king of Colchis his daughter, so the Bible speaks of men whose speech is smooth, but who hold evil around every corner. The problem these men had was in their hearts, where war comes from. In other words, sin didn’t just cause the Trojan War, sin started the Trojan War. Usually, that’s not the best foundation for battle.

As a little boy, Paris had heard the many stories of the abductions that had happened several years prior his birth. Everyone knew these tales. Some were frustrated by them, while others were thrilled to hear interesting accounts like these. Paris placed himself as neutral when he was young. As he grew up, though, Paris began to find he rather liked beautiful women. Maybe if the opportunity arose, he would take advantage of it. Then, one day, while visiting Mycenaean Sparta on business, he saw her. Helen was gorgeous, and wholly captivated him. Her husband was gone at a funeral. In a sudden rush to leave the city, Paris whispered something to one of his servants. Nodding reluctantly, the two men split their ways. As this interaction between prince and attendant had been taking place, the young queen of Sparta was a little farther down the shore, enjoying the cool of the waves in the summer heat. As the manservant came walking along with a companion, Helen turned. “Is someone in need of me?” she asked. Without an answer, the two men took her by force and carried her off toward the ship where she would find Paris waiting for her. At first she found this very unjust and highly undesirable. As time elapsed, though, she became more open to this adulterous abduction. In the meantime, Helen’s husband Menelaos was boiling over in fury, and was relentlessly determined to show his anger to the world. His anger, in fact, became the topic of choice in Homer’s Iliad, and was the ultimate direct cause of the Trojan War.

“Aggression thus attacks the very spine of human civilization itself,” writes one political philosopher.9 Indeed, this is a very true and important statement that must be acknowledged and carefully considered when one looks at the Trojan War. Aggression and violence are not proponents of society, yet this is precisely the cause of the war in question. The Iliad begins with the statement, “Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus’ son Achilleus and its devastation.”10 Right off the bat, anger is a real issue for the Greeks and Trojans. As the book unfolds, it continues to reveal anger coming out of many of the characters. Anger was the driving force behind the Trojan War. As the reader may recall, however, Augustine stated that war should be caused by injustice that hurts and penetrates the human heart to the point where people want to set it right for whoever was done injustice, not for vengeance or personal gain. This is the aspect of Just War Theory which is called “just cause,” which requires that an innocent person’s life be at stake before war is declared, and that aggression is not the driving point of such war. Seeing how anger is the theme of the Iliad, however, one can safely conclude that this is the second way in which the Just War Theory was violated in the Trojan War.

Let two perspectives on the Trojan War be examined: that of the Trojans and of the Greeks. First, the Trojan position shall be set forward. There is no historical record indicating that the Greeks attempted peace. Yet, if they had set forward some such request,  they would all be meaningless to Paris. He had won Helen, and if Menelaos wanted to use force, that was what he would have to do to get the girl back. Paris’ father, though disgraced and frustrated, was not concerned either. This was his son’s choice, and he would let him deal with it. To the Trojan royalty, the issue of war or peace was of no consequence. The Trojan people, however, may have disagreed and looked down upon this decision to not try to return Helen. While there is no specific evidence for such an argument, one can assert that as many of the Trojan advisors were encouraging of returning Helen, many of the people were probably on this side as well. From the Greek perspective, the king is the key player. Throughout much of the early ancient period, kings were seen as ultimately authoritative. As the saying goes, “So it has been said, so let it be done.” This is the same way in which Menelaos likely would have been treated as king of Mycenaean Sparta. As a result, he expected everyone to do everything he said. When he asked men to join him in battle, it was really nothing beyond a command, especially as these men had already sworn their allegiance to him. It is probable that Menelaos, brought up in some value system not unlike that of later Greeks to come, would have evaluated the potential war situation relative his personal and national fear, honor, and interest, which are the three fundamental points on which most wars, just or unjust, are in some way founded.11 Menelaos’ way of looking at these may very well have been fear of rejection on account of his lack of force in the situation; a desire to bring greater honor to himself and perhaps to his gods by a victory; and finally, a shrewd move of national and personal interest in returning his wife, the queen, to her rightful position beside him, and perhaps moreover, or at the least equally, to conquer Troy. This last issue, as the summation of the previous two points, would explain why Menelaos, in little time at all, had armed and prepared his fleet for battle. He was out to conquer and win glory.

Unfortunately, both Menelaos and Paris were wrong in their handling of the situation surrounding Helen’s abduction. Jus ad bellum has an aspect which the reader may recall as “last resort.” As it explains in its title, a war should only happen when all alternative modes of settlement have been properly pursued and demonstrated to be unavailable or denied in the situation. Yet neither party pursued peace. This automatically makes the Trojan War unjust, because all 17 criteria must be met, especially this one! If peace has not be sought out, then war is really just a pointless game that anyone can start at any time for any reason. This should bother  most people, and just the three points we have touched on from jus ad bellum alone ought to be reason enough to declare the Trojan War unjust. Still, there are seven more reasons we will consider explaining why the Trojan War was unjust.

Whether or not people liked it, the war was beginning. Menelaos had gathered his men, and had armed a thousand ships for battle. “A thousand ships carried the Greek host. They met at Aulis, a place of strong winds and dangerous tides, impossible to sail from as long as the north wind blew. And it kept on blowing, day after day.”12 The Greeks became worried. If their fleet could not get any further, then they might potentially starve and die, be lost from civilization, or simply not get to destroy Troy. Moving forward was crucial. As time went on, Agamemnon, Menelaos’ brother and a fellow Mycenaean king, decided that to be able to move forward more swiftly it was important to sacrifice his child to the gods. As a result, he deceived his daughter, making her believe that she was to be married if she met him at the island where he was. Instead, when she arrived, he sacrificed her. This caused all sorts of familial problems, but the winds did stop, and the Greeks sailed silently onward to Troy, with one life taken, and a thousand ships armed for battle. The war had begun.

In jus in bellum, one of the issues that is hardest to discern is that of proportionality in war. This is the issue of the Just War Theory which links jus ad bellum and jus in bellum, because usually at this point the war hasn’t started (jus ad bellum), but the force prepared is used in battle (jus in bellum).  How much military force is too much force is the question which proportionality tries to answer relative the size of the original problem. When considering the case of the preparatory actions of the Greeks to lay siege to Troy, one can’t help but wonder how just it really was. Helen was one woman, who, though taken by force, may not have been entirely unwilling to go with Paris in sin. To deceive and take the life of a girl entirely uninvolved in the issue, and additionally to have a thousand war ships taken to Troy, is probably too much to recompense for one living, though wronged (and perhaps wrong) person. In this, it becomes clear that even if the Greeks had followed all the rules of jus ad bellum, they still started the war out wrong. It seems the Greeks were hopelessly unjust.

Something many people do not know or recognize about the Trojan War is why it lasted so long. Thucydides, in his Peloponnesian War, provides a clue to this trivia. If, Thucydides says, the Greeks would have chosen to stick with the siege of Troy, they might have one the war very quickly. Since this is not what they did, Thucydides provides an account of what they did do. “Even after the victory they obtained on their arrival -- and victory there must have been, or the fortifications of the naval camp could never have been built -- there is no indication of their whole force having been employed; on the contrary, they seem to have turned to cultivation of the Chersonese and to piracy from want of supplies.”13 Yes, the Greeks were pirates!  According to Thucydides, the only reason they won after stopping their siege was because of this piracy.

The people have a right to be heard or left alone, and foreigners visiting a land on a mission of war have a responsibility to stay focused on their task without getting in the way of the lives of everyday civilians. Of course, these rules are harder to distinguish when at sea, but basic human rights still apply. Piracy violates such human rights, and it also goes against the policy of distinction in the Just War Theory. When in combat, soldiers need to be able to avoid hurting civilians in their warfare. At times, though, hurting civilians is not a matter of slashing an innocent person’s hand off with your sword: it can be an issue of stripping away one’s property, dignity, or basic rights. These are things which piracy can certainly be prone to do, and usually will do, leading to the conclusion that, yet again, the Greeks failed to observe the rules of the Just War Theory.

For nine long years, the war dragged out. Sometimes there was peace, sometimes there were battles. Yet, regardless of what happened, it was getting long. Everyone was tired of going through the same routines every day, and the war needed to be over. At last, after a long battle that suffered losses to both sides, Menelaos and Paris decided it was time to fight it out one on one. They were, after all, the two most involved characters at the beginning of the war, and even though others had taken command, the issue was still really over their relationship to Helen. So they did fight, and it appeared that Menelaos, Helen’s true husband, would get the victory. Somehow, though (Homer credits this to the gods), Paris made it through and something of a truce was formed. Another problem arose. Pandarus, a Trojan soldier, became persuaded of a need to shoot an arrow at Menelaos, which he did. Though he only injured the Spartan king a little, this rightly frustrated the Greeks, and so they brought the fighting back on.

In a just war, there are no reprisals. This means that when in the midst of war the first country violates the second country, and the latter seeks revenge, the war becomes unjust right at that moment (unless, of course, the party originally in the wrong corrects the violation). For a little while now, this essay has been focusing on the faults of the Greeks. Now, though, it is brought to light that the Trojans were every bit as much at fault as the Greeks were. The act of one person can have huge effects for a whole legion of people, which is something the Trojans now had to experience twice: first in the foolishness of Paris, and second in the foolishness of Pandarus. Due to human nature, people will tend to react harshly when an already difficult situation that was supposed to have been dealt with is suddenly brought up again. Revenge is the word one might use to describe such an act of harsh judgement, and revenge is what the Greeks took. Whether this was correct, is hard to say, but the problem is that the Trojans broke the newly formed peace treaty to continue fighting, making this an unjust war whether or not  one holds to the Just War Theory. So far, six points have been discussed regarding how the Trojan War was unjust:
The violation by both the Greeks and Trojans of comparative justice,
The violation by the Trojans of just cause,
The violation by both the Greeks and Trojans of last resort,
The violation of proportionality by the Greeks,
The violation of distinction by the Greeks, and
The violation by the Trojans of no reprisals.
Four issues remain to be considered, all of which are found in the final, and certainly the most famous episode in the whole of the Trojan War.

The tenth year had come. Knowing by an oracle that they could win this year, the Greeks pressed on, determined to conquer Troy forever. The two cities were not just in common dislike of one another -- they hated each other, and would do anything to win. Anything. Under this method of operation, the Greeks decided they had been through enough. At the end of yet another battle, they disappeared. Their camp remained, with a good amount of the soldiers still there. Yet all was silent for some time. It seemed to fit, too, as Hector had died recently, and under his leadership the Trojan army had held together. War was still present, but for the moment, it was a silent war. Then, one day, someone appeared at the gate of Troy, which had not been opened to anyone throughout the duration of the war. When the guard asked why he should open the gate for anyone, the man replied by directing the guard’s attention to the great object outside the gates: a huge horse made of wood. The man continued to explain that it was a peace offering and a gift for Athena. As he spoke, Greek ships began to sail away in the distance. This overjoyed the people of Troy, and so the gates of the city were at long last opened. The population of Troy was so delighted that all became drunk and slept soundly that night. As they slept, the ships of the Greeks turned around, and prepared themselves for battle. Inside the horse, many Greek men sat waiting for the cue. Then, at their signal, they quietly opened the trap door and jumped out, opening the gate for their fellow soldiers to come in. Then, the city was set ablaze, the men killed, and the women and children taken captive. The war was over.
Today, Troy is nothing more than a pit of ruins in Turkey, with some legends surrounding it. But even these meager ruins lead archaeologists and historians to believe that the Trojan war really may have happened -- and that its end was every bit as unjust as it appears. In the Just War Theory’s standard of jus post bellum, seven guidelines are stated by which a war should be ended.  All of these were completely ignored in the ending of the Trojan War. However, for the purposes of this essay, the four most prominently ignored shall be considered. First, just cause. Just cause demands that if a war is going to be ended, peaceful terms of agreement must be negotiated and agreed upon by both parties. While this was nearly made earlier in the war, the foolish act of Pandarus stopped it from happening, and so there was never a peacefully agreed end. It just ended. Second, discrimination. When a state goes to deal with the punishment of its own people, or of the other nation’s people, it needs to determine who is in the wrong, and who is innocent. The Greeks didn’t bother to think about this -- they went in to Troy and sacked it, along with all its innocent civilians, who didn’t want the war anyway. Third is the issue of proportionality. Probably the most noticeable of all the problems the Greeks had with applying jus post bellum, it is a self-explanatory ordeal. The whole city, on top of all the other issues the Greeks have had with proportion, just for the sake of one person, and to be the king of the hill, is not appropriate: it is appalling. The final way in which the Greeks clearly did not attempt to have a just war was in its rehabilitation of the people. Instead of seeking to help Troy get back to where it once was, Sparta and its allies came in, taking those they wanted, and killing the rest. So much for helping in the restoration of normality. Perspicuously, the Trojan War was highly unjust, unfavorable, and certainly unnecessary.

In this essay, the author has provided a history of and explanation for the Just War Theory, as composed by Cicero, Augustine, and Aquinas; and consisting of jus ad bellum (just before the war), jus in bello (just in the war), and jus post bellum (just after the war). The author has used this explanation to provide ten sound reasons for the condemnation of the Trojan War on the rationale of its justice. These reasons are:
The violation by both the Greeks and Trojans of comparative justice in the abductions of each nation’s women,
The violation by the Trojans of just cause in Paris’ foolish abduction of Helen,
The violation by both the Greeks and Trojans of last resort in not seeking peace,
The violation of proportionality by the Greeks,
The violation of distinction by the Greeks, and
The violation by the Trojans of no reprisals.
7) The violation by the Greeks of just cause for termination in ending without a treaty or agreement of some sort,
8) The violation by the Greeks of distinction in sacking the entire city, rather than distinguishing between targets and civilians,
9) The violation by the Greeks of proportionality in using such a force as destroying Troy, and
The violation by the Greeks of rehabilitation in not given the remaining Trojans a chance.
Because of these facts, the author has argued that both the Greeks and Trojans were at fault, and, as a result, the Trojan War was a failure in justice. So this essay ends right as it began: with injustice. No one really knows what happened to Helen. Some say she was restored as queen of Sparta, others say she died in the fire, and still some say she escaped. In any situation, it is an unknown, as are the fates of the many Trojans who fell to the wrath of  Greece, all because of the Trojan failure to honor women. The injustice of the war, along with Troy and all its glory, is buried, and the fate of all who were there is sealed beyond the sea.

Everything I Know about Life I Learned from Mr. Baker

Well, not really. Actually, there have been so many amazing people in my life who have taught me a lot about God, love, and life. And certainly not everything Mr. Baker said was his own idea. In fact, most of it probably was just anonymous quoting. But I still think it is high time I pay Mr. Baker the tribute he is due by posting some of the amazing things I've learned from him in the past year-and-a-half.

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To be a pilgrim you must:
Receive grace
Perceive that the earth is not going to last
Accept that fact and
Embrace it by acting upon it

The Christian's mission is to move forward as pilgrims, going so fast, "Move forward be swift, never let the dust of the earth touch you."

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Our sins are a sign of a lack of love, and they will only be reduced by the sovereign sanctification of God.

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This one's from Augustine, but Mr. B still introduced me to it:
"What parent would be so stupidly curious as to send their child to school to find out what the teacher thinks?" -St. Augustine

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Greek/Latin words Mr. B has taught me:
Cred- to believe
Heuresis- discovery, or "I have found it!"
Theorein- to gaze intently upon
Imago Dei- image of God
Kanon- the essential duties, functions, and offices of an art
Inventio/Heuresis- system or method for finding arguments
Dispositio/Taxis- effective or orderly arrangement of the parts and points
Elocutio/Lexis/Hermeneia/Phrasis- choice of words in phrases or clauses
-noia- mind
Metanoia- hindsight
Pronoia- foresight
Kairos- right time, opportunity, occasion, or season


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Salvation is grace invading our otherwise godless world.

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Ability bribes and absolute ability bribes absolutely.

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It's one thing to have resolve. It's another to have faith. It's another thing to have faith that God will honor your resolve, inspired by him.

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Love your neighbor as yourself loving God.

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God is in operation 24/7, and so is his peace- why not be a vessel of that?

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These next three are from Aristotle (but still taught by Mr. Baker):
"Rhetoric is or may be defined as, the faculty for discovering the available means of persuasion in reference to any subject whatever."

"An art brings into being that which is capable of being other than it is."

"The prerequisite to style is clarity."

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In rhetoric, we are discovering what is already available: the means of persuasion.

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Ethics can be thought of in two dimensions: horizontal (man to man), and vertical (man to God). I must love myself as God loves me. But wherever this love is spilled over, those two lines must come together. And together they form...a cross.

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You have to ask the right questions in order to keep your feet on.

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Humans are complex. To address a human is to address hearts that feel emotion, minds capable of reason, and wills choosing desires and acting on them. Those three cannot be separated.

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Any debate on earth is happening not just in the presence of other men, but also in the presence of heaven.

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Do you want to be one of those Americans who sits back and says, "America's broken. Oh well."? Or do you want to be an American who sees that America is broken and sick, and who wants to heal it?

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Earth is the human barnyard.

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No solution without cooperation, and no cooperation without assent.

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God's truth can never be reduced to over-simplification.

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I'm waiting for the presidential candidate who comes along and says, 'Our country is in a mess, and I'm not going to fix it in two years. If you think I am going to, don't vote for me!'

Well, Mr. Baker, here's to you. Thanks for all you've taught me so far, and I am eagerly awaiting more!

Meridian

Give Me Your Eyes

Look down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight

Touch down on the cold black top
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breath in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos

All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me you heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what’s underneath

There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of work, He's buying time


Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me you heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see


I’ve been here a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just move and pass me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
I need a second glance
Give me a second chance
To see the way you’ve seen the people all along

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me you heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see