Constantine I, Wikipedia, the Dark Ages

Current mood:  irritated

How do you do -

Last night, I saw a commercial for the movie Constantine. It made me remember that in the class in which I am a Teacher's Assistant, we were told the story of Constantine, because it related somehow to perspective in a painting by Thomas Aquinas.

That isn't my point...

So, last night's commercial made me want to remember what the story of Constantine was... I hadn't heard it before this class, and any of you who know me know that I don't retain random historic details in any fashion.

So I got online, and I looked in the Wikipedia.

Despite the inferable sketchiness of the interactive nature of the Wikipedia, there are sources for what I am about to say. You can check them here.

I also post the one reference I am quoting from, here:

MacMullen, Ramsay, 1990: Changes in the Roman Empire: Essays in the Ordinary (Princeton)

These things seem true.

And I thought, as such, it wouldn't be beyond my boundaries to disseminate this information. My mom was impressed with my research...

Here's the story:

Apparently, Constantine I was the first Roman Emperor to allow Christianity into Rome. Apparently this is because he believed in it. He also was a scholar. So the church simultaneously revered him for giving power to the church and regaled his intelligence.

What follows are the quotes that inspired me to write this, and that, according to the Wikipedia, ushered in the Dark Ages:

"Accept the end of truth, and the certainty of Divine inspiration from the one and only God on high. Why desire to learn more? Indeed, why question or inquire at all? The only supreme, infinite, knowledge of value was revealed by the wisdom and judgment of the clergy of the Christian Church State and their contemporary interpretation of the holy scriptures."

-and-

"Blessed is he who has obtained infinite ignorance."

Both of these quotes are but a small part of the big picture. Again the entry on the Wikipedia is here.

Is that not terrible? What apparently happened after this, was that the Christian States executed scientists and mathematicians for heresy, thereby causing a backlash against progress. The incident with Constantine is referred to as The Folly of Constantine: the Betrayal of Reason.

This is relevant because it still goes on today.

Luckily, between Constantine and the Rennaissance, Arabian and African and Asian mathematicians and scientists continued to discover things and expand the knowledge of the human race. Though the Europeans, led by the Church, resisted, knowledge did prevail eventually.

This is in direct opposition of the desires of the Church, so they deny it. However, just in the last ten years or so, I have become aware of discoveries showing that we have been held back as a people, forced into submission for someone's greed. Archaeologists found a steam engine in an Ancient Roman ruin. Had the Christian church not come in and destroyed progress, we might be living in the futuristic world you see on television and in the movies.

Theology has slowed our progress.

Here's something else to note; it's just a quip, coined by me:

Giving up your life, or your freedom, whether to God or Country or Whatever, in exchange for Redemption, is Indentured Servitude.

In other words - they'll make a lot of promises to you, and you will be let down. If you choose to live in the moment, you can be happy in your flesh and chemical and elemental physical existence. It doesn't last long, so try to be happy. If you live for God, you deny yourself.

The Church asks you to give them money in exchange for the gift of their superstitions and myths.

They make rules that limit your freedoms in the name of Jesus, in order to control your lives. And you buy it.

Folks - This is Oppression at its basest level.

We don't have to allow them to have this power any more. It is simply despicable.

Have a great day.

-Josh

Currently listening :

Ritual De Lo Habitual

By Jane's Addiction

Release date: By 13 August, 1990

Blood Donation - proof I'm not just talking crap!

-->

Monday, September 12, 2005

1:05 PM - 

Current mood:  accomplished

Hey everybody,

I wanted to share this with you. I have removed the contact info of the person who sent this to me, as I want to protect them from any unwelcome solicitations.

The first part of this is a message I sent to a certain organization.

The next is their reply.

It makes me feel a little better.

Thanks.

Love, as always,

Josh

-----Original Message-----

Hi-

I agree with the importance of giving blood, and were I eligible, I

would do it regularly. I think somehow, you guys need to research new

elegibility options.

I am a married, monogamous, disease-free, non-intravenous-drug-using

bisexual male. My blood is clean. By denying conscientious folks like me

the ability to give blood, you are achieving two negative things:

1) You are perpetuating stereotypes about people like me, and others who

fall into certain minority groups.

2) You are perpetuating blood shortages that effect millions of people

throughout this country and the world.

It seems to me that a person who is disease-free, and who has the desire

to help out, should be allowed to. By discriminating against us, you not

only make us feel like substandard citizens, but you effectively deny

people in need the blood that can save their life. In effect, you are

killing the people you are supposedly trying to help.

I have sat on this for years, without talking directly to you, because I

didn't feel like there was anything I could do. Recent circumstances in

our country have led me to wish to be more vocal on the injustices

around me. Your ad about ...[removed to protect sender]... made me very upset and drove home the fact that I need to do something.

Thank you for listening.

I hope you will at the very least respond to this message. I would

really like to know your justification.

Sincerely,

Josh Hostetler

--------------

Josh,

I, along with several of my associates and medical professionals across

the US, agree with you. To clarify, this is an FDA mandate, not a

regulation imposed by individual blood banks. Blood banks across the US

are required to follow all FDA mandates and regulations and they are not

left open to interpretation. I understand your frustration especially

when we don't have enough blood on the shelves.

Another mandate to look at is a person who visited the UK fro 1980-1996

and spent more than 3 months there cumulatively cannot donate because of

the risk of mad cow disease. If the person was a vegetarian who never

ate beef and didn't come in contact with bovine products, they still

cannot donate blood.

Or the airline pilot who flies into an airport of a country that has

malaria endemic areas, but never leaves the cockpit of the plane-he/she

cannot donate either.

Or the homosexual male who hasn't had sex for the past 15 years-cannot

donate blood.

I could go on...

I'm sure this doesn't make you feel any better, but just wanted you to

know that (...we are...) definitely not "perpetuating stereotypes" or "blood

shortages." We're doing the best we can with the mandates and

guidelines we've been given to follow. It's not perfect by any means,

but it's the best we've got right now. Thanks for caring enough to send

your thoughts!

[SIGNATURE REMOVED FOR SENDER'S PROTECTION]

Currently listening :

Mer de Noms

By A Perfect Circle

Release date: By 23 May, 2000

Blood Donation - proof I'm not just talking crap!

Current mood:  accomplished

Hey everybody,

I wanted to share this with you. I have removed the contact info of the person who sent this to me, as I want to protect them from any unwelcome solicitations.

The first part of this is a message I sent to a certain organization.The next is their reply. 

It makes me feel a little better. Thanks. 

Love, as always,

Josh

-----Original Message-----

Hi- 

I agree with the importance of giving blood, and were I eligible, I would do it regularly. I think somehow, you guys need to research new eligibility options.

I am a married, monogamous, disease-free, non-intravenous-drug-using bisexual male. My blood is clean. By denying conscientious folks like me the ability to give blood, you are achieving two negative things:

1) You are perpetuating stereotypes about people like me, and others who fall into certain minority groups.

2) You are perpetuating blood shortages that effect millions of people throughout this country and the world. 

It seems to me that a person who is disease-free, and who has the desire to help out, should be allowed to. By discriminating against us, you not only make us feel like substandard citizens, but you effectively deny people in need the blood that can save their life. In effect, you are killing the people you are supposedly trying to help. 

I have sat on this for years, without talking directly to you, because I didn't feel like there was anything I could do. Recent circumstances in our country have led me to wish to be more vocal on the injustices around me. Your ad about ...[removed to protect sender]... made me very upset and drove home the fact that I need to do something. 

Thank you for listening.

I hope you will at the very least respond to this message. I would really like to know your justification.

Sincerely,

Josh Hostetler

--------------

Josh,

I, along with several of my associates and medical professionals across the US, agree with you. To clarify, this is an FDA mandate, not a regulation imposed by individual blood banks. Blood banks across the US are required to follow all FDA mandates and regulations and they are not left open to interpretation. I understand your frustration especially when we don't have enough blood on the shelves.

Another mandate to look at is a person who visited the UK fro 1980-1996 and spent more than 3 months there cumulatively cannot donate because of the risk of mad cow disease. If the person was a vegetarian who never ate beef and didn't come in contact with bovine products, they still cannot donate blood.

Or the airline pilot who flies into an airport of a country that has malaria endemic areas, but never leaves the cockpit of the plane-he/she cannot donate either.

Or the homosexual male who hasn't had sex for the past 15 years-cannot donate blood.

I could go on...

I'm sure this doesn't make you feel any better, but just wanted you to know that (...we are...) definitely not "perpetuating stereotypes" or "blood shortages." We're doing the best we can with the mandates and guidelines we've been given to follow. It's not perfect by any means, but it's the best we've got right now. Thanks for caring enough to send your thoughts!

[SIGNATURE REMOVED FOR SENDER'S PROTECTION]

Currently listening :

Mer de Noms

By A Perfect Circle

Release date: By 23 May, 2000