Offsite Post: ‘Appreciating the English Inheritance of the South’

 

There is a tendency amongst some Southerners to downplay the Englishness of Dixie’s culture while emphasizing the influence of other ethic groups like the African or the French.  Considering the Yankee preoccupation with presenting themselves as pure-blooded Anglo-Saxons, this is understandable.  But at the same time there is also a great error mixed in with this that needs to be addressed.

General James Johnston Pettigrew gives a typical example of the anti-English mindset of some in the South.  For him the ‘Anglo-Saxonism’ of the Yankees is synonymous with an overbearing pride, ‘an unjustified assumption of superiority by the English-speaking peoples, the criteria for superiority resting upon the “disposition . . . to place a money value upon everything” ’ (Clyde Wilson, Carolina Cavalier:  The Life and Mind of James Johnston Pettigrew, Rockford, Ill., Chronicles Press, 2002, p. 215).

But this is just where the error comes in.  For the pride here attributed to the English is not native to them as a people; it actually has another source:  mainly the Frankish blood of the Norman invaders who conquered England in 1066¹.  Author James Kelley writes (bolding added),

 

This Orthodox view of politics sees society as the coming together of the people of God in an ascetic, communal “work of the people” (leitourgeia) which accepts no final authority save that based in communion with God. Needless to say, the divine-human communion of the Eastern Roman society is opposed to that of the supposedly divine princes of the West, who have become deified through their anointing with uncreated Holy Oil and/or through the simple fact that they have blue Frankish blood in their veins.30 Rather, the Orthodox society places all hope in theosis, the union with the energies of the Holy Trinity achieved by prophets, apostles and saints, some of whom have been emperors, farmers, soldiers, and Patriarchs.

In her older, Orthodox, pre-Norman days, the English exhibited much humility².  This is seen especially in the abdication of many kings, princesses, and other high nobility to become simple monks and nuns in monasteries.  An especially vivid example of this humility is captured by St Bede in his Ecclesiastical History of the English People, in an encounter between King Oswin of Northumbria and Bishop Aidan of Lindisfarne.  St Oswin had become angry because St Aidan had given the fine horse given to him by St Oswin to a poor beggar.  St Bede picks up the story from there:

 

Upon this they went in to dinner, and the bishop sat in his place; but the king, who was come from hunting, stood warming himself, with his attendants, at the fire. Then, on a sudden, whilst he was warming himself, calling to mind what the bishop had said to him, he ungirt his sword, and gave it to a servant, and in a hasty manner fell down at the bishop's feet, beseeching him to forgive him; "For from this time forward," said he, "I will never speak any more of this, nor will I judge of what, or how much of our money you shall give to the sons of God." The bishop was much moved at this sight, and starting up, raised him, saying, "He was entirely reconciled to him, if he would sit down to his meat, and lay aside all sorrow." The king, at the bishop's command and request, beginning to be merry, the bishop, on the other hand, grew so melancholy as to shed tears. His priest then asking him, in the language of his country, which the king and his servants did not understand, why he wept, "I know," said he, "that the king will not live long; for I never before saw so humble a king; whence I conclude that he will soon be snatched out of this life, because this nation is not worthy of such a ruler." Not long after, the bishop's prediction was fulfilled by the king's death, as has been said above.

 

--Book III, Chapter XIV, © Paul Halsall, Feb. 1999

An interesting point of contact between the humility of the Old English and the South is the attitude toward seeking offices of prominence.  The Southern attitude is stated by Dr Wilson in Carolina Cavalier in reference to Gen Pettigrew:  . . .

 . . .

The rest is at https://www.geopolitica.ru/en/article/appreciating-english-inheritance-south .

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Holy Ælfred the Great, King of England, South Patron, pray for us sinners at the Souð, unworthy though we are!

Anathema to the Union!

Ludwell Orthodox Fellowship

 

If you all want to support a good cause that is both Southern and Orthodox, please consider helping in some way the Ludwell Orthodox Fellowship, which seeks to enculturate the Orthodox Faith in ol’ Dixieland.  Much more information is available at these sites:

http://www.dissidentmama.net/dissident-mama-episode-34-dr-clark-carlton/

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-ludwell-fellowship-become-a-reality

Many thanks, dear friends.

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Holy Ælfred the Great, King of England, South Patron, pray for us sinners at the Souð, unworthy though we are!

Anathema to the Union!

Paul Kingsnorth: A Powerful Voice for the Dispossessed South

 

And for all the other outcasts of Modernity.  Here is a small taste from one of his first Substack essays:

There is no such thing as a perfect society, and anyone who tries to build one will either go mad or become a tyrant. Humans are fallen, or just natural, and both of those words are synonyms for ‘imperfect’. What is ‘perfection’ anyway? It is a concept designed by a part of the modern human mind - the part that likes clean lines, easy answers, plots that end by neatly tying up all the threads. The quest for perfection is a quest for homogeneity and control, and it leads to the gulag and the guillotine, the death camp and the holy war. Even if we could agree on what perfection amounted to, we would none of us be equipped to build it.

But. Though there has never been a human culture that is anything but flawed, all lasting human cultures in history have been rooted. That is to say, they have been tied down by, and to, things more solid, timeless and lasting than the day-to-day processes of their functioning, or the personal desires of the individuals who inhabit them. Some of those solid things are human creations: cultural traditions, a sense of lineage and ancestry, ceremonies designed for worship or initiation. Others are non-human: the natural world in which those cultures dwell, or the divine force that they - always, without fail - worship and communicate with in some form.

We need these roots. We need a sense of belonging to something that is bigger than us, across both space and time, and we underestimate that need at our peril. In her brilliant and singular book The Need for Roots, written in 1943, the French writer, philosopher and reluctant mystic Simone Weil puts the case starkly:

To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognised need of the human soul. It is one of the hardest to define. A human being has roots by virtue of his real, active and natural participation in the life of a community which preserves in living shape certain particular treasures of the past and certain particular expectations of the future … Every human being needs to have multiple roots. It is necessary for him to draw wellnigh the whole of his moral, intellectual and spiritual life by way of the environment of which he forms a natural part.

 . . .

--https://paulkingsnorth.substack.com/p/the-great-unsettling

You can subscribe to his Substack for free at that link.

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Holy Ælfred the Great, King of England, South Patron, pray for us sinners at the Souð, unworthy though we are!

Anathema to the Union!

Safe, Non-Controversial COVID Remedies

 

They are out there:

https://www.clinicaltrialsarena.com/news/sanotize-nasal-spray-reduces-covid-19-viral-load-uk-clinical-trail/

https://www.theblaze.com/op-ed/horowitz-120-doctors-ask-jama-to-retract-misleading-colombian-study-downplaying-efficacy-of-ivermectin

A dreadful door has been opened, however:

Short version

https://orthochristian.com/138725.html

Long version

http://www.monomakhos.com/on-covid-vaccines-and-the-church/

Is the winking and nodding at the use of murdered baby tissue in COVID and other vaccines fueling the demand for more such ‘resources’?

https://thefederalist.com/2021/04/15/federal-government-caught-buying-fresh-flesh-of-aborted-babies-who-could-have-survived-as-preemies/, via https://www.lewrockwell.com/political-theatre/fda-caught-buying-fresh-aborted-baby-body-parts-from-dealer/

Related to all of this:  Fr Peter Heers gives some thoughts on the teaching of St Paisios (+1994) that receiving a certain vaccine will seal a person with the mark of Antichrist - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvIL9a4nhBA

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Holy Ælfred the Great, King of England, South Patron, pray for us sinners at the Souð, unworthy though we are!

Anathema to the Union!

Offsite Post: ‘The Crescent and the Cross in the Biden White House’

 

President Biden (or his ghost-writer) released a statement celebrating the beginning of the Muslims’ month of Ramadan.  It is full of praise for Muslims and their contributions to life in the States:

 

Jill and I send our warmest greetings and best wishes to Muslim communities in the United States and around the world.  Ramadan Kareem.

 

As many of our fellow Americans begin fasting tomorrow, we are reminded of how difficult this year has been.  In this pandemic, friends and loved ones cannot yet gather together in celebration and congregation, and far too many families will sit down for iftar with loved ones missing.

 

Yet, our Muslim communities begin the month of revelation with renewed hope. Many will focus on increasing their consciousness of the presence of God in their lives, reaffirming their commitment to the service of others that their faith compels, and expressing gratitude for the blessings they enjoy—health, well-being, and life itself.

 

Muslim Americans have enriched our country since our founding.  They are as diverse and vibrant as the America they have helped build. Today, Muslims are leading in our efforts to fight COVID-19, playing a pioneering role in vaccine development and serving as frontline health care workers.  They are creating jobs as entrepreneurs and business owners, risking their lives as first responders, teaching in our schools, serving as dedicated public servants across the nation, and playing a leading role in our ongoing struggle for racial equity and social justice.  

 

But still, Muslim Americans continue to be targeted by bullying, bigotry, and hate crimes.  This prejudice and these attacks are wrong.  They are unacceptable.  And they must stop.  No one in America should ever live in fear of expressing his or her faith.  And my administration will work tirelessly to protect the rights and safety of all people.

 

On my first day as President, I was proud to end the shameful Muslim travel ban, and I will continue to stand up for human rights everywhere, including for Uyghurs in China, Rohingya in Burma, and Muslim communities all over the world.

 

As we remember those who we have lost since last Ramadan, we are hopeful for brighter days ahead.  The Holy Qur’an reminds us that “God is the light of the heavens and earth,” who leads us out of darkness to the light.  Although our White House festivities will be held virtually this Ramadan, Jill and I look forward to resuming the traditional White House Eid celebration in person next year, inshallah.  We wish your families an inspiring and rewarding month.

After reading that, one would think that Muslims were one of the largest, most influential, groups in the US.  But in reality they are only about 1% of the total population. 

Well!  If that is how Pres Biden praises Islam at the start of its holy season, surely his praises of Christianity during Lent and Easter, the holiest seasons for Christians, and its contributions to the well-being of the peoples of the 50 States will be overwhelming!?  After all, Christians actually do make up the vast majority of folks in the States, and Pres Biden often portrays himself as a devout Roman Catholic.  Let’s rush in and see!  For Ash Wednesday he said,

 

Today, I join Christians across our country and around the world in observing Ash Wednesday. As we enter into the season of Lent, we know this moment of repentance, reflection, and renewal comes in the midst of a painful winter for our nation and the world.

 

On this Ash Wednesday and every day, we hold every family with an empty place at their table in our hearts. We pray for all those who have fallen on hard times and are worried about what morning will bring. Let us find strength in each other and faith that provides us purpose. And let us look with hope and anticipation toward Easter and brighter days ahead.

That’s it?  Hmm; maybe he was just saving the good stuff for Easter.  Come on, then, out with it!  On Easter he delivered these remarks:  . . .

The rest is at https://thehayride.com/2021/04/garlington-the-crescent-and-the-cross-in-the-biden-white-house/ .

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Holy Ælfred the Great, King of England, South Patron, pray for us sinners at the Souð, unworthy though we are!

Anathema to the Union!