Warlords

Currently reading this: The Rule of the Templars (Studies in the History of Medieval Religion)

The Templars were Cistercian warrior-monks, and that is all. Not the predecessors of the Freemasons or any of that New Age, secret society tommyrot. Faithful Catholic warrior-monks, orthodox Christians who were captive to the faulty theology of the day, but also bound to the chivalric Christian heroism of the day.

Their successors are arising in the Orthodox East and in Catholic and Anglican North Africa as they are forced to defend themselves from ISIS, Boko Haram and other genocidal Islamist armies, while the Christian West, along with well-to-do liberal-left "Orthodox" minimizers such as our friend Stefano living safely in Western enclaves such as the US and Australia, are still fumbling about trying to get a grip on some sort of convincing narrative.

Comments

[Stefano]

If l'm not mistake you are living safely in the west as well.

I think I have stated a number of times that I think my Orthodox brothers have a perfect right to defend themselves. My issue is with the crusader imagery and rhetoric. I'd love to see evidence of Christians in Syria and Iraq using Crusader imagery/ language themselves.

PS: Bernand did not stop the massacre of the Rhineland Jews during the First Crusade because he was 9 years old. Luckily he was an adult during the Second Crusade and managed to keep the massacres down to an acceptable minimum. I hate it when massacres get out of hand!!!

[JB Aitken]

Thanks, Christopher.

Stefano,

What exactly is Crusader imagery and rhetoric? As Christopher has noted in other posts, you rarely engage the issues at hand, or the history or logic behind them. You almost always default back to "Orthodox Talking Points." I know the guys at Orthodox Bridge love that, but it isn't actually rational.

Practically speaking, Syrians are doing just that in fighting Washington's proxies. Materially, they are embodying just war doctrine.

***Luckily he was an adult during the Second Crusade and managed to keep the massacres down to an acceptable minimum. I hate it when massacres get out of hand!!!***

Would you have rather he let the slaughter go unabated?

[Embryo Parson]

My issue is with the crusader imagery and rhetoric.

Yes, you've made that clear. I think I've also been clear in telling you that I really don't care whether or not you have an issue with it. I've fully explained my rationale. Moreover, the last time we locked horns I think I intimated that I am not going to keep going over ground with you that has already been gone over. You either tend to read my arguments carelessly or you willfully ignore their content, and come back with questions that have clearly been answered. I find that kind of unprincipled debate annoying, so understand that when it happens I'm going to cut it off. That also means no more comments from you in discussions I've officially closed. I try not to close them unless it seems clear to me that the disputants are just not getting anywhere. I don't have that much time to waste.

PS: Bernand (sic) did not stop the massacre of the Rhineland Jews during the First Crusade because he was 9 years old."

I was referring to the Second Crusade.