When you travel you pass through points of broadcast but don’t always get the whole story. Since it is questionable that the Fake News and Semi-Fake news outlets ever had the whole story you can imagine how little we really know.
Most of us have heard about the fire at Notre Dame cathedral. You may have heard about how the pledges and donations are pouring in to the tune of a billion dollars. I find that encouraging. There are people in the world who are willing to do what they can to restore a world, historical and spiritual landmark.
Then things get murky. It seems that the “yellow vests” of Paris are not happy about all this generosity. They seem to be upset that people are giving their own money to support their own concerns and none of it is being syphoned off by the government to the people in yellow vests. Here is where it gets into the Land of the Fake. How much of what we are hearing is true or even half-truth?
I have not taken a position on the yellow vest protestors. It is a French thing. I do know I have expressed the point that people who protest this way are not so much against high taxes as they are against any kind of demand that they pay their way. I would say that if they are really angry that people are giving to rebuild the church then they are simply snowflakes in yellow vests. We know that we are to be leery of yellow snow. Maybe the same goes for yellow vests.
Why do people want to donate to rebuild the cathedral? There could be many reasons but a big one for a Frenchman is insurance. Keep in mind that the French are culturally and historically Roman Catholic but they don’t go to church much. They like to have it there in case there is an emergency. They make big donations because they believe it will make a difference. Historically we would call them indulgences. When I was young it was demonstrated in a movie called Lilies of the Field. The main character played by Sidney Poitier was asking a businessman why he had donated a big item in rebuilding the local church. The business man had already said he did not believe the religious stuff. His reason, “Insurance”. If you believe in hell you could call it fire insurance.
I hope they get the damage repaired without any tax money involved. I won’t be donating but I wish them well.
homo unius libri
Starving people IN PARIS could be fed with that money. Just because MSM said bad things about the yellow vets doesn't mean they're true (though they COULD be). As you know, God doesn't honor "insurance."
ReplyDeleteYou are right about the reliability of the press but I will believe there are large numbers of starving people in Paris when I believe there are a large number in Texas. There is plenty of food and plenty of ways to get it without working. One way seems to be wearing a yellow vest.
DeleteGrace and peace