By Their Fruit - Answering "Steve"

"Remember, my love, you aren't a philosopher and you aren't pure!"

Over at friend and mentor Gil Bailie's web blog, Reflections on Faith and Culture, a flurry of activity has centered on the "old" Gil Bailie vs. the present Mr. Bailie. Admittedly, it has involved two Mass'keteers, Aramis and myself. The gist of our combox activity has been to say that the leitmotif of Mr. Bailie's book, Violence Unveiled, hasn't changed. Indeed, its anthropological intuitions have been proven valid and reliable in light of current political events swirling around candidates Barack Obama and John McCain.

And what did we get for our trouble? The following from one "Steve":

... the Massketeers here so eager to wring from it some purified philosophy of being. That impulse has a predictable trajectory, and it ends in victims.

Note well, following the link, that Steve flings criticism toward Mr. Bailie's literary "inconsistencies" as well as Sen. McCain's and Gov. Palin, so the Mass'keteers are in good company. But this troll has the audacity to criticize the Mass'keteers for (a) holding some "purified philosophy of being." Outrageous! Our wives will tell "Steve" in no uncertain terms that we are NOT "purified", let alone "philosophers", neither of which is suitable for men of action. While trolls like "Steve" sits in his mother's basement writing phrases at the keyboard like "imagining McCain and/or Palin joking and reflexively laughing" (Can't you see them now? Buahahahahahahahaha __ !), the Mass'keteers are lowering their visors and engaged in legitimate defense and other chivalric deeds of daring do.

Then he accuses us of climbing to the Gnostic heights in two little words: "of being." Not only are we trying to wrench some isogetical "purified philosophy" from Mr. Bailie's book, we are exploiting it in some dastardly plot of ontological terrorism! Faa and poo, I say! The Mass'ketters are not rascally minions of the spirit of the present age who have the hubris to sing "I did it MMMMMMYYYYYYY WWWWAAAAAAYYYYYYYY __ !" Nay, we kneel and lay our swords at the feet of Our Lord and his Lady, faithful sons of the Catholic Church's Magisterium and pope's men all.

But the lowest blow of all by "Steve" drips with disdain: our efforts have a "predictable trajectory, and it ends with victims." Not only are we diabolically pure and philosophers, we are busy creating and beating down new victims!

Let us remember who is doing the accusing here, who here is engaged in name-calling and the pointing of fingers: "Steve". That's right, "Steve". "Steve" who plucks dainty sweetmeats like "purified philosophy" with his delicate yet fat, white, worm-like fingers of diction. "Steve" who clearly has NOT read Violence Unveiled with such care that he arrogates to himself.

But let us not bother our heads any longer, gentle reader, on such trolls as "Steve". The Mass'keteers are too magnanimous to let such criticism tarry long on our manly arms and pates and shields! True, we be but humble men-at-arms, ever seeking God's grace to perfect our imperfect and fallen natures, NOT climbing Gnostic heights in "purified philosophies of being." A pox on such Gnostic tripe and piffle. If you want that, "Steve", go read The DaVinci Code.

So, run the good race of faith, fight the good fight!