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465

It is natural for man to shrink from detriment to his own body and loss of worldly goods, but to forsake justice on that account is contrary to natural reason. Hence the Philosopher [Aristotle] says (Ethic. iii, 1) that there are certain things, viz. sinful deeds, which no fear should drive us to do, since to do such things is worse than to suffer any punishment whatever. (Summa Theologiae, Part II-II, Q.19, A.3, RO3)

Sound familiar? I wonder what Aristotle and Aquinas would think of rulers using their power to unjustly prevent citizens from providing for their families, citing fear of a disease as their "justification."

Actually, I don't have to wonder. Aquinas has this to say about law, first quoting Augustine:

As Augustine says (De Lib. Arb. i, 5) "that which is not just seems to be no law at all": wherefore the force of a law depends on the extent of its justice. Now in human affairs a thing is said to be just, from being right, according to the rule of reason. But the first rule of reason is the law of nature, as is clear from what has been stated above (I-II:91:2 ad 2). Consequently every human law has just so much of the nature of law, as it is derived from the law of nature. But if in any point it deflects from the law of nature, it is no longer a law but a perversion of law. (Summa Theologiae, Part I, Q.95, A.2)

>It is natural for man to shrink from detriment to his own body and loss of worldly goods, but to forsake justice on that account is contrary to natural reason. Hence the Philosopher [Aristotle] says (Ethic. iii, 1) that there are certain things, viz. sinful deeds, which no fear should drive us to do, since to do such things is worse than to suffer any punishment whatever. (*Summa Theologiae*, Part II-II, Q.19, A.3, RO3) Sound familiar? I wonder what Aristotle and Aquinas would think of rulers using their power to unjustly prevent citizens from providing for their families, citing fear of a disease as their "justification." Actually, I don't have to wonder. Aquinas has this to say about law, first quoting Augustine: >As Augustine says (De Lib. Arb. i, 5) "that which is not just seems to be no law at all": wherefore the force of a law depends on the extent of its justice. Now in human affairs a thing is said to be just, from being right, according to the rule of reason. But the first rule of reason is the law of nature, as is clear from what has been stated above (I-II:91:2 ad 2). Consequently every human law has just so much of the nature of law, as it is derived from the law of nature. But if in any point it deflects from the law of nature, it is no longer a law but a perversion of law. (*Summa Theologiae*, Part I, Q.95, A.2)

(post is archived)

[–] 0 pt (edited )

Words (spoken, or written as characters or symbols) and money (ie- the various currency labels and combinations of numbers that they correspond to) could be considered a form of communication.

We have mouths and voices and so using them to communicate is in resonance with nature. As with eyes to read and hands to write (symbols and numbers for the purpose of communicating). And brains capable of basic arithmitic or holding abstract concepts (ie- for efficient value computation/evaluation during barter; again another form of communication just a different language & context)

I take it then you are not implying absolute rejection of these natural tools nor the process of communication. Perhaps instead you are simply advising to reject (((third parties))) who seek to exploit these tools and corrupt that process (ie- via Talmudic practice).

As well as perhaps you are cautioning against 'using these tools' beyond what is 'enough' to sustain our needs; at which point they would become corrupting (and again, easier for third parties to enter the equation).

Building on this line of thinking then, perhaps we can better clarify what is 'idolotry'. Correct me if I'm wrong: the "word" has potential to become idolotry if one 'believes' the word as an unchanging fixed meaning (impossible in motion, and thus corrupting). And thus "money" has potential to become idolotry if one 'believes' it to have unchanging fixed meaning. Whether word or money when we accept them as fixed beliefs they become idols, thus (((third parties))) can mold them as golems in our mind. Or, if lack of third parties at best these stagnant beliefs may simply burden us in our endless struggle to adapt to our needs.

As such then it is not necessarily that words or money are a problem but the problem arises out of a lack of discipline (and limitation) in their use, perhaps not unlike eating berries in a garden or honey in milk: they can serve as a 'sweet treat' inspiration to better motivate you to keep sustaing your farm or turn into a habbit of indulgence that corrupts; rots your teeth and kills your pancreas hastening your path (and maybe your families; or those who depend on your farm) to death.

Words are useful to communicate urgent messages necessary for survival. Yet overuse; or worse - an endless perpetuating stream of 'reasoning' fueled by Talmudic contradictions - we engage in at our own peril. And indeed, perhaps the idolization of words is a significant problem just as is the idolotry in money - both are being used against us to distract us away from what we need (food, shelter, family, harmony) while providing us with the things we don't need (wants, temptations, lust, ego fulfilment).

Heck, the entire foundation of our civilization is being destroyed yet here we are... engaging in late-night word idolotry!

[+] [deleted] 0 pt