Where Did All The Knowledge Go?

June 15, 2014

I like looking at the dates of the hymns we sing. It fascinates (and touches) me that hymns from the 600’s, then the Middle Ages, and up through today all voice such a firm belief in God, and indicate such deep faith on the part of the writers.

Well, the other day I noticed that a hymn written by John of Damascus (675-749 A.D.) mentions “the round earth.” So how come he knew that the earth was round and so many other people in later centuries didn’t?

I wonder if there are any more hints about forgotten ancient knowledge sitting unnoticed in hymns?

(By the way, Isaiah also mentions “the circle of the earth.” It seems like the writers of the Bible may have had a lot more going on, science-wise, than they're given credit for.)

He'll Never Miss It

June 14, 2014             

On June 11 I wrote a post critical of Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis, who stated in a deposition that he wasn’t sure in the 1980s if sex with children was a crime. I expressed my disgust with the Archbishop, and wistfully recalled the days when horsewhipping was still an accepted means of dealing with villains.

However, before I vilify a person, I like to get more details, to make sure I’m not falling for some media feeding frenzy; so I didn’t post the entry right away. And boy, am I glad I waited.

You see, the Archbishop says that he did know that sex with minors was a crime; he just misunderstood the questions put to him in the deposition.

Sir, I think you should donate what’s left of your brain to science so that they can see how a person with no functioning brain cells can still walk and talk.

And do it now. You’ll never miss it.

Stretching the Limits of Credulity

June 11, 2014

In my last post, I mentioned the phrase, “That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard!”

Well, I have another entry.

Catholic Archbishop Robert Carlson, in charge of investigating sexual abuse crimes for 15 years in Minnesota from 1975-1994, says he didn’t know whether having sex with children was a crime.

If he was so stupid that he didn’t know the answer to that, it could explain why he was too stupid to pick up the phone to call somebody and ask. (A lawyer; a police officer; the Pope...)

(But he did know, as he referenced the Statute of Limitations in a memo regarding one sex crime.)

Bishop Carlson, I am SO SORRY that horsewhipping has gone out of practice.