The full article is here. The wag's remarks are on point; even when Popes had a lot more practical authority than currently, the crossbow thing didn't work out even in Italy. During the Battle of Poiters, the French Army was supported by 2,000 Genoese mercenary crossbowmen.
On the other hand, crossbow bans are back in the news (in the UK, of course, where they somehow continue to labor under the idea that they can ban everything that is potentially dangerous and then crime will go away).
Also on that other hand, the Pope's authority at least in America may be gaining. Commenting on a news story that Catholic converts now outnumber Evangelicals, Robert Kearney writes:
De Tocqueville foresaw a future time in America where Protestantism (existing as an intermediate form between pure reason and full authority) would struggle to endure long-term under our democratic conditions.Due to this, people would increasingly gravitate either toward complete unbelief or toward Catholicism due to the Church's existence as a singular, authoritative structure that could give answers to people and help organize society in order for it to remain functioning.Perhaps the 21st century may see his vision fulfilled.
I'm not sure we won't still be flying the A-10 and B-52 by the end of the century, but I guess we'll see. Well, our children or grandchildren, I suppose.
Crossbow bans are dumb. They need to get to the bottom of this and ban fiberglass and carbon fiber. Then they can ban steel. And yew trees are somewhat suspect by association. And geese-don't forget the geese.
ReplyDeleteThe peak irony will be the banning of longbows.
I do think the concern over concealed trebuchets is overblown.
Ah. In light of 9/11, does he wish to ban _flying_ planes as well?
ReplyDeleteMaybe not. He said "Aircraft should always be vehicles of peace," and some people tell me that "Islam means 'peace.'"
DeleteYeah, and St Augustine opposed preemptive strikes at the start of a war. That doesn't play well, practically, these days. Modern technology has made preemption necessary for survival.
ReplyDeleteThe nation(s) that more or less unilaterally disarm become subservient. The nation(s) that more or less keep arming with steadily upgraded and newer, better weapons dominate, unless they're fighting each other.
Eric Hines
Has any new technology ever been successfully squelched? The best some societies can do is impose disincentives on innovative thinking generally, either by confiscating the proceeds or by disappearing the obstreperous inventors who won't shut up.
ReplyDelete