The Complete Perversion of the Law

“Unhappily, law is by no means confined to its own department. Nor is it merely in some indifferent and debatable views that it has left its proper sphere. It has done more than this. It has acted in direct opposition to its proper end; it has destroyed its own object; it has been employed in annihilating that justice which it ought to have established, in effacing amongst Rights, that limit which was its true mission to respect; it has placed the collective force in the service of those who wish to traffic, without risk, and without scruple, in the persons, the liberty, and the property of others (emphasis mine); it has converted plunder into a right, that it may protect it, and lawful defense into a crime, that it may punish it.

How has this perversion of law been accomplished? And what resulted from it? The law has been perverted through the influence of two very different causes - bare egotism and false philanthropy.

Frédéric Bastiat The Law 1850

There are many quotes from Bastiat’s classic that I could have chosen, but today, that one rings loudest.

When I was a boy, the movie the Last Temptation of Christ came out. There were Christians protesting the release of Martin Scorsese’s film. I remember Denis Leary once saying during a stand up, “I’m going to hell for that bit, right with Scorsese.” At the time, I was too young to understand what it was about. All my mother told me was that it basically portrayed Christ as a regular man, not the son of God. She probably figured I was too young to hear about Mary Magdalene, left that out.

Even then I couldn’t understand why this was a big deal. If you were a Christian and were convicted in your belief system, why does it matter what idea circulates through the public domain?

There were a few people going to protest from my Church (not my parents or anyone in my family). I remember thinking didn’t we just have a Fourth of July picnic here, you know, celebrating that whole Freedom of Speech thing?

I didn’t see the movie until years later. It was kind of cool seeing Elias play Jesus (see if you get reference). By this point, I was very much a Nihilist. There is a scene where Paul (played by one of my personal faves Harry Dean Stanton) meets Jesus for the first time. I’ll include the clip here shortly. This scene is the best scene in the movie and explains in such a profound manner the nature of faith, proof, empiricism, metaphysics, control. It sums up so much in one scene and is truly poetic. Whether Scorsese meant it to be literal is of no value, in the same manner that I care not whether the Death of Socrates was literal. I gained a wealth of wisdom from it.

When I was a Nihilist this scene affected me far differently than it does now. As a Nihilist it confirmed in my limited mind that religion was a hoax, a parlor game. I still know this to be true, gained through the Trivium and plain old experience. However, the truth is more nuanced than it was in my 20s. Now I see this scene as a challenge to presuppositions. Maybe this is why so many Christians at the time with a limited theological framework shewed it. But did these Christians miss out on a chance to strengthen their faith? Did they miss out on a chance to challenge their presuppositions? “Oh ye of little faith.” Here is the scene:

Another scene that is memorable is when Pontius Pilate (played by David Bowie) is talking to Jesus.

Jesus: “All I’m saying is that change will happen with love, not with killing.”

Pilate: “Either way it’s dangerous, it’s against Rome, it’s against the way the world is. And killing or loving, it’s all the same. It simply doesn’t matter how you want to change things, we don’t want them changed.”

Another important scene. Does it really matter whether these words were spoken? The weight of them carries through all halls of power, at all times, in all places.

What Pilate is saying is that Jesus was a dangerous man. Uniters within the common man usually are to the state.

The realm of ideas should be grappled with, challenged, debated, sharpened. One thing is for sure, I would not have come out of Nihilism without challenging my intellect and having others sharpen my mind. I remained open and like with the Paul scene, my understanding of Nietzsche has grown and become more complex.

Nihilism is a lonely cry for help. What if Nihilism was censored? Instead of being met with honest debate in the search for truth (which a Nihilist can be in search of but hasn’t found), what if the cry for help was silenced? Killed off. The internal cry for help should be recognized, heard, rebuked. Rebuked can be a gift, a loving gift. Rebuking oneself and being shown it all in the same swift stroke! Glorious! This is where truth is found. This is why I am glad Darwinism (not the Eugenics platform spawned from it, mind you) was allowed in the public space. Some of the most beautiful intellectual debates and critiques have come from non censorship. If this ideology had been censored we never would have had “Darwin on Trial,” by Phillip E. Johnson. Also, I never would have got to laugh at Richard Dawkins. I would have never witnessed Jay Dyer’s Dawkins imitation, a hybrid Dawkins/Cobra Commander.

Well we got thorough Last Temptation, we got through Howard Stern and 2 Live Crew. With Stern in the 90s it was basically hey, if you don’t like what he says, change the dial. Pretty simplistic! With 2 Live Crew and other rap acts a Parental Advisory sticker was thrown on. They weren't banned! Those were the days.

I actually had one of those Parental Advisory shirts which Billy Hoyle (Woody Harrelson) made popular in White Men Can’t Jump. Wore it in some 2 on 2 pickup games as well. I know, not the point, but don’t you want to know more about your boy?

Now censorship or the threat of it is coming onto this platform I cherish. Most of us are against this from what I am seeing. That’s good to see.

The point I’m making here is that minds can be changed with the right tactics. Killing the spirit through censorship is never the answer. People have the right to be wrong. Why? Because Free Speech Absolutist!

As free individuals we have the right to engage or not. No self proclaimed “authority” has the right to do that for us. Rome doesn’t want to see minds and hearts changed by the people amongst each other. The people could start realizing they don’t need Rome.

There’s a saying I’ve had for awhile. It’s my own personal thing. I’ve never heard anyone else utter it. Feel free to use it, no trademark. “Dat’s what you do.” Yes, I say Dat’s for effect but it is “That’s what you do.”

It used to drive my ex wife crazy (to my personal delight). However, I only pulled it out every once in awhile. That pick your battles thing. Basically saying that, as long as you aren’t invading my space, taking my freedom, do you. I’ll do me. Live and let live.

Also, as an aside, I use it for judges who try and say, “Well I think it would be better if you …… instead of……”, basically offering their unwarranted opinion on how you solved a problem. I know whether the opinion is offered in good intention or know it all judginess. With the holidays coming up, feel free to use that on an in law or two. You’re welcome! Throw it in like, “Well, dat’s what you do.” Happy Holidays!

Imagine if when we come across other opinion or ideologies strongly disagreed with, engagement or non engagement takes place. Not the collective force in the service of those who wish to traffic, without risk, and without scruple, in the persons, the liberty, and the property of others.

Non engagement is freedom just as much as engagement. Turning the dial. Sometimes engagement can bring about elucidation, challenging each party to come to truth. This illumination from both parties can come from a good willed battle of the minds, which otherwise would have remained stagnate, dead.

Challenging presuppositions is what intelligent, healthy humans do. When speech is trampled under, the spirit goes with it. The First Amendment is first for a reason. However, it need not be written down for it to be true. This truth is within every heart. We all know that even doubts about one’s beliefs come forth from the mouth. Allow these doubts to be vanquished or fortified. Every human evolves spiritually and intellectually. This is a human familial trait. Allow the realm of ideas to be engaged within the family. Work it out within the family, not the Corporatized State. Oh yeah, Corporatized State, that’s real Fascism!

For as Paul quoted in 2 Corinthians 3:6, speaking of the law, said, “Not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit brings forth life.” True words, whether really spoken or not.