There are far worse things in this world than some Noahide laws (Starbucks coffee, for example). I agree with Hootowl that Noahide laws affirm the basic biblical morals of western law. It doesn't follow from these laws that anyone should be enslaved or decapitated.
Here's a site from GotQuestions on the Noahide laws:
Starbucks coffee may still be in the top ten reasons to complain in America.
And it's been longer than I've been alive that we needed to fear any religions except Islam and Marxism.
Noahide? Bah.
There was a paperback pulp fiction series "The Inquisitor" where the hero was an assassin/spy for the Vatican's congregation of the Inquisition. He'd be sent to save the day like 007, then have to do penance for the killing, drinking, and sex needed to complete his mission.
I found that more believable than some stuff I've read here. ( and I'm aware it's fiction, and know the difference )
The Dan Brown novels ( and movies ) I enjoyed, but I like well written science fiction with excessive detail of technobabble & conspiracy theories. But I never mistake the fictional Knights of Malta for the actual fraternal organization. ( full disclosure, a buddy is a Knight in 3 different Masonic orders. I'm not at all worried about them conquering the world. )
But if you want good tradecraft in spy novels, I have 2 recommendations.
Matt Helm series by Donald Hamilton. While the great Dean Martin movie adaptations are tongue in cheek Bond parodies, the novels are even more mocking, but written as straight spy fiction. Dead drops, realism in weapons & martial arts, tradecraft, all spot on. Sure, the hero is seduced by the beautiful female spy in every book. But he knows he's being played, and only sleeps with her to get the next clue for his mission.
& The Quiller series by Adam Hall ( Elleston Trevor ) has a cerebral, complex, main spy character who thinks his way out of danger.
Then there's CNN reporting on the Coronavirus, which is less believable than a fictional womanizing spy.
Starbucks coffee kills more people than Noahide laws.
A friend of mine thought of joining a fraternity, luckily I convinced him otherwise. Explaining the secrecy involved in fraternal organisations was enough to convince him that it's not something he'd want to get involved in.
CNN is full of ****, although, sometimes they report things that confirm conspiracy theories. Example:
And Harvard & Yale are the prime CIA recruiting schools.
Coincidence? Yeah, of course.
A fraternity wasn't my choice in school. The Masonic lodges are, despite the whacko conspiracy theorists, a charity group, mostly, although they are still bragging about their role in the American Revolution. ( True, they were a major player in that ) But despite having several friends who are Masons, I'm just not a big joiner.
I've heard testimonies from people who were denied admission to those universities simply because they didn't go along with the fraternity's rules (Skull & Bones and the like).
These highly esteemed universities do reek as recruiting schools. Not saying that every student of theirs has been recruited for such purpose, but seeing that certain politicians have been indicated with being members of the Skull & Bones society is not something that should be overlooked easily.
Sami ..... can you kindly point me to one substantive documented case of a student denied admission to Harvard or Yale for having interest that did not align with Skull & Bones?
E. Michael Jones tells the story of how Pete Buttigieg got into Harvard whereas Jones' son Adam didn't. I may have gotten the exact details wrong, but this video should give you a start.
My sister, who is smarter than I, ( but don't tell her I said that ) reminds me Easter is in a week. She chose the Greek Orthodox church, because it was closest to the original Christian church.
The Roman church chose to change the dates, much as Congress changed Presidents birthday celebration.
As she points out, you can't have Easter before Passover, as The Last Supper was a Seder feast.
She also pointed out the change in doctrine of the Roman church about the Trinity, as the Old version is carved in St. Peter's Basillica.
Which goes to show theologians can ignore previous belief even if it is literally carved in stone above them.
That wasn't the doing of theologians properly, but rather the much lower class of church authorities, previously known as "scribes and Pharisees", more recently "the Vatican", "Popes & Bishops, and Cardinals."
Theologians would be more Athanasius, Augustine, Aquinas, Calvin, Molina, Barth, and such.
Specific dates and details surrounding Passover/Seder, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection would be church history and some doctrine, which falls outside the field of theology. It'd be more accurately described as churchology.
A good friend, Irish/Celtic musician (2nd generation American) presented to me Easter in a different context. Even among the religious, Easter viewed as a calendar event instead of strictly religious can mean something entirely different.
My mother raised us surrounded by music and especially folk-songs; as music AND as history.
quote:
As down the glen one Easter morn to a city fair rode I There armed lines of marching men in squadrons passed me by No fife did hum, no battle drum did sound it's lonely tattoo But the Angelus bell o'er the Liffey's swell rang out on the Foggy Dew
Oh it proudly high over Dublin sky they hung out the flag of war It was better to die beneath the Irish sky than at Suvla or Sud El Bar And from the plains of Royal Meath strong men came marching through Oh and Brittania's sons, and their long range guns, sailed into the Foggy Dew
Well, the night it grew black, and the rifle crack made "Perfidious Albion" reel Through the leaden rain, seven tongues of flame rang out over lines on steel And to every blade a prayer it was said that to Ireland I amend it be true And when the morning broke still the war flag shook out it's folds in the Foggy Dew
Well it was England bade our Wild Geese go, that small nations might be free But their lonely graves are by Suvla's waves or on the fringes on the Great North Sea For had they died by Pearse's side or fought with Cathal Brugha Their names we would keep where the men all sleep, under the shroud of the Foggy Dew
But the bravest fell, and the requiem bell rang mournfully and clear For those who died that Eastertide in the springtime of the year And the world it did gaze in deep amaze at those gallant men but true Who bore the fight that freedom's light might shine through the Foggy Dew
Well back o'er the glen I rode again, and my heart with grief it was sore For I parted then with valiant men who I never shall see no more And to and fro in my sleep I go, and I'll kneel and I pray for you Oh slavery fled, O gallant dead when you fell on the Foggy Dew Oh slavery fled, O gallant dead when you fell on the Foggy Dew
A life without ultimate meaning makes everything meaningless, including this sentence. Funny how people who deny ultimate meaning rely on you to meaningfully understand what they are saying. By denying ultimate meaning, they actually confirm it. Communication is proof that life is objectively meaningful.
If a series scares you, don't want to commit, I understand. Then I suggest The Apocalypse Troll, ( not swords and sorcery! ) or In Fury Born.
Both feature Weber signatures, strong female characters and hard Military SF.
Weber believes that if you write mi!itary fiction, it is your responsibility to not ignore that good guys and bystanders die in war. If only the bad guys die, it's splatter porn.
And I enjoy his usual commitment to consistency in world building, specifically the handwaving science fiction must do to be, imho, hard/good.
For example, space drives. You need to have faster than light travel to have interstellar drama that has action. Or any rational pacing. This there MUST be handwaving about the advanced-unknown tech involved.
But you want a rational consistency. Sure, you've got Hyperdrive, but it shouldn't do Everything, like Vibranium. ( Unobtanium! ) The author shouldn't tech ex machina every problem! Limits! The Plot Demands Limits.
Plot limits are important. How long to travel, for example, may determine your analogous Navy. are we talking Age of Sail months to get to the next Planet/Star? Or 19th century weeks?
In the Honor Harrington series it's Age of Sail communication and travel limits. The news comes by ship. That also means a Ship Captain far from home is a Representative of his Nation, who has to make decisions on the spot, knowing that events he has no knowledge of May make his decision very bad.
