After Mass #1 VCC (Veteran Crew Chief) asked, "D'you have a minute, LSP?" I did and we strolled over to his rig. "I'd like you to have these, if you want them. They're yours." I thanked VCC, who's famous for fighting in the EMUs, running motorcycle hippies out of his stock tank and being an all 'round good man.
A Bolt
The weapons belonged to his brother, who I'd buried a short while ago and once had the opportunity to hunt dove with. He was a good man in the meeting, and I'll look after his A Bolt 300 Win Mag, O/U 12 and .22 WMR varminter, to say nothing of praying for his soul. Rest in peace.
Some kind of Italian 12
But is there a point to this short homily, beyond gunnish show and tell? A wider meaning, a helpful Gospel message? Yes, there is, and it's twofold.
Marlin .22 WMR
Sacrifice, along with generosity of heart and spirit covers a multitude of sin, and the second advisement is like unto it. A free citizen is able to defend themselves against tyranny.
I'd say that's all pretty relevant, right about now.
Gun Rights,
LSP
"second advisement"?
ReplyDeleteAnd as Free Christians, we may be called upon to defend Christianity.
ReplyDeleteAs I've told Rev Paul, I never imagined I might have to be a "Warrior for Christ", but if He calls, I must answer to the best of my limited abilities.
Forgive me but I find myself (in lockdown, alone, knowing few if any people in the country anymore, and with what even fewer friends survived spread around the world) turning somewhat philosophical ;-)
ReplyDeleteI looked at the photos and (after a slight twinge of envy, quickly quashed) suddenly realised that … (the apparent non sequitur) I never really understood the attraction of ‘art’. Be it modern (child-like scribblings) or the ‘classics’, I just don’t ‘get it’.
Yet I can look at your new acquisitions and have both an aesthetic and emotional response. The ‘weird’ thing is I may find the lines of a well cared for wood furniture ‘sporter’ appealing, but I can say the same about almost any firearm.
I’m sure you’ve seen the meme regarding how ‘if every machine was as reliable as a firearm ...’ but the truth is they’d have faults and break as often as most other machines … if we didn’t maintain and care for them, and show as much respect in their treatment and use as we do.
Then I wondered why we do. Do you lavish a fraction as much attention on your car, let alone your washing-machine? (It’s not the lethality, a car is at least as potentially lethal, and as my collection of pink boxers can attest, a washing-machine can cause some ... difficulties).
We see the ‘beauty’, show ‘respect’ and lavish the ‘care’ not because of what they are (mechanisms, machines no more imbued of anything than that washing-machine) but because of what they imply, allow us and ‘make us feel’. Power and potential lethality, certainly. The ability to provide food for yourself and others if needed, definitely. But more, the almost spiritual acknowledgement that they alone allow ‘all’ of us (not just the big and ugly like me) true individuality and independence from abuse, victimhood and tyranny.
It isn’t new. The reverence a knight (or samurai) felt toward his sword was just the same. I sit here feeling ‘naked’ without my usual EDC, not because it is an article of clothing, or a ‘security blanket’ – which it is too. But because I feel less free, less of a man without it (I’m no pushover, in addition to professional training I’ve trained in a number of martial arts for over forty years, 6’ 5” 230 lbs but even my ability to do and be what a man should be is severely limited because of its lack).
Maybe the leftists see it clearer than we do. We mouth platitudes about ‘rights’ but it’s more basic than that. You may be almost beaten down, subjugated, about to die overwhelmed, but … with a firearm you are still an individual and free. Disarmed you’re nothing more than property, a crop waiting to be harvested, or trash to be disposed of if troublesome or just because they can.
Maybe the beauty of a firearm we see is reflected from what it means? (and maybe they hate and fear them so much because they understand more than we assume)
(and OK, maybe it wasn’t as slight as I said).
Always warms my heart to see good guns that belonged to a good man go to a good home. Not hocked for cash by some clueless relation.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I thought I'd cleverly invented a new word but it means "careful consideration" or "deliberation." Better than "commandment", which was too strong for this weighty sermon.
ReplyDeleteDrjim, do you remember the old hymn "Onward Christian soldiers"? It's probably not sung much anymore, but there's a truth in it. We're all called to be warriors for Christ.
ReplyDeletePray.
Ah, Anon, you wax philosophic! One word:
ReplyDeleteYES.
But speaking of art, my mother would take me to the Ashmolean in Oxford a lot when I was a child, great little museum imo, and force me to look at the art. She'd stand there and try to make young knucklehead appreciate the beauty of the thing, which I didn't. Boring, I wanted to be out killing things with my air gun or lighting fires or whatever.
Then one day, I was 12 and bored and thought, "I know, I'll walk down the road to the museum and have a look." And I did, and all of a sudden the paintings which had bored me so badly came alive. Quite a thing and I haven't forgotten.
What had happened? I caught a glimpse in my childish way of the beauty and truth the artists were trying convey.
Of course it wasn't modern art, which is rubbish. Unlike firearms, which are awesome.
What a grand gesture.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the plaudit, RHT, and yes. There was some... "confusion" over the ultimate fate of these and other firearms... But all ended well. Now I need to get out and shoot!
ReplyDeleteRight on, WSF.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic gift! Nice!
ReplyDeleteIt really was, Juliette. Thanks, VCC!
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