Virtue or Celebrity-hood

I am almost through the 1st volume of Winston Churchill’s “A History of the English Speaking Peoples.” It seems to be an endless cycle of one good King followed by 4-5 bad kings, finally a good King, then bad, etc. (amazingly similar to the historical books on the kings of Judah and Israel in the Old Testament). What is up with this 1 good and multiple bad? On page 399 of Churchill’s volume 1 says:

“Thus the life and reign of King Henry IV exhibit to us another instance of the vanities of ambition and the harsh guerdon [old English word for "repayment"] which rewards its success.”

I like the “another instance of the vanities of ambition” part. In order to run for office one must be Narcissistic and yet the subtitle to Christopher Lasch’s late 1970s work “The Culture of Narcissism” succinctly describes the consequence of such "necessary" narcissism:

“American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations”

Do we elect “non-leaders”, “non-statesmen” because we have diminishing expectations? Or is it because we as a collective people (oh there is a new concept: collective people) have eliminated the value of “work ethic”, “individual initiative”, “discipline”, “moderation”, etc. from our standard in search of prosperity? Virtue has been replaced with Celebrity-hood.

What is, or better yet - what should our standard be? Mr. Lasch accurately describes the current standard written back in the late 1970s on page 53:

"In an age of diminishing expectations, the Protestant virtues no longer excite enthusiasm. Inflation erodes investments and savings. Advertising undermines the horror of indebtedness, exhorting the consumer to buy now and pay later. As the future becomes menacing and uncertain, only fools put off until tomorrow the fun they can have today. A profound shift in our sense of time has transformed work habits, values, and the definition of success. Self-preservation has replaced self-improvement as the goal of earthly existence."

What is the goal of our earthly existence? Are we as a people becoming the valley of Dry Bones found in Ezekiel chapter 37? Have we lost our eternal perspective in worshiping the Golden Calf of Celebrity-hood?

Again the realization must come to us now, not later (better to have learned this at 52 instead of 62) of we OUGHT to do regardless of the current, popular cultural norm. Where is the idea of maturity (virtue) over selfishness (Celebrity-hood)?

C'ya

Eagle Driver

The Alamo

As I am located at the lay over hotel in San Antonio, I am cognizant of what happened in this city back in 1836. Men and women stood against tyranny with the knowledge that General Santa Anna would give "no quarter" (no mercy, no clemency in effect all would be killed). So how does one make the decision to stay knowing death arrives tomorrow? Where is the "instinct" to self-preserve?

According to the Bible, man is created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis chapter 1). This includes an important distinction from the other animal life - intelligence. We are intelligent of the eternal. When we look up at the stars at night we wonder, whereas a cow looks up and simply continues cud chewing.

Intelligent of the eternal - there is something more and this is not the final destination. The eternal facilitates our sacrifice. The Alamo where a few gave their life to save the many. The cross where one died to save all.

Intelligent of the the eternal - do what we ought, not simply what we want.

Food for Thought, If you are Hungry
Eagle Driver
check 6

Nobility of Character

Virtue (present character trait of moral excellence) means that we not only accept the rules of morality, but that we understand the reasons for them. As we contemplate our life, we must search (as Aristotle has written) the activity of our soul to find that we are in accordance with a virtuous character, for without we can only become less than noble. To do the right thing regardless of the situation or persons present is virtuous and as such a noble character.

Why present our life in nobility of character? As we develop the habit of a noble character we gain the intellectual "bigger picture" of events and people around us - in short we mature. We put away the itch, the desire, the longing for stuff and search our souls to see beyond ourselves. For it is in our decision to pursue what "ought" to be and not accept what "is" that we gain in maturity. Parents understand this as they raise their children - rules of behavior are required or the home deteriorates into anarchy.

Nobility of Character develops the insight into our purpose by defining our choices - what we "ought" to do becomes what we actually do. This insight into the nobility of character further develops within us a sense of reflection on the activities of soul - we discriminate between proper and improper. Lastly, reflecting on our nobility of character requires us to apply principles of truth, joy, and love into our being - for if we do not procure application we are simply academic.

Without nobility of character a person's soul takes on the loss of ethical behavior - of which we read daily of the embarrassment (a continued reduction of a stable, civilized nation). We need to stop the "spin" (nice word for deception) and start the honor. It has been said that a coward dies a thousand deaths, but a honorable man dies once. As there is always an accounting, we must reflect on our character and activate the nobility.

C'ya
Eagle Driver
check 6

2 Corinthians 5:10