Welcome to Rome. . .

"As our age descends into a darkness illuminated by smart-phone screens, maybe whoever looks into their neighbor’s eyes wins."

Almost two decades ago, I heard an historian talking about the situation before the Fall of Rome, and all the parallels to our current culture.  He sold me then, and ever since, with each turn of the screw, I've thought (and often said) "Welcome to Rome," usually followed by something like "enjoy the Indian summer," or "careful of the fall."  Apparently, now it's so obvious the idea is gaining a following. . .

http://www.aleteia.org/en/society/article/the-decline-and-fall-of-a-decadent-west-can-only-be-reversed-by-christianity-5841986305130496?utm_campaign=NL_en&utm_source=daily_newsletter&utm_medium=mail&utm_content=NL_en-10/11/2014

“Love your neighbor as yourself” has to mean more than “Like all your neighbor’s status updates that aren’t too political.”

AMEN.

Mini Worldview Review: “Interstellar” (2014)

To like:  Another in a now-apparent trend of Hollywood films depicting fathers as devoted to their children, and behaving with integrity, courage, and self-sacrifice, for the good of their children, and often everybody else as well.  Truly excellent message, and to be celebrated.

(Things that make you go “Hmmm”:  I can’t help wondering why it’s okay with Hollywood, these days, to depict fathers behaving this way, but not mothers?  Then again, in a culture where over a million mothers a year decide to have someone kill their children in their own wombs (the one place where, if any child ought to be able to feel safe in this broken world, it’s there), maybe even Hollywood thinks that would strain credulity past the breaking point.  Fatherly devotion?  Sure, maybe, with a really strong actor to pull it off.  Motherly devotion?  Forgettaboutit.)