Thoughts on terms and quotations
- "Doubling Down"
A very useful modern expression. I am told that "doubling down" comes from the language of poker, which has contributed to American slang since the days of Mark Twain; but it is my impression that this particular expression only became widespread in the last few decades. It means the curious and especially modern vice of moral obstinacy. It means that, when you have done something wrong or harmful, you refuse to swallow your pride and go back on your path, and insist and redouble your effort in the same wrong or harmful direction. And really, given the nature of modern politics, there was no way that such an expression could not be invented. Wherever it came from, however it was created, today of all times the language had need for it.
2. Matthew 7:2: “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”
This is usually taken to mean, don't be "judgmental" at all, who are you to judge, etc. In fact, it means that judgment is never one-way. Of course we should judge; and God knows (literally) that many of the things each of us condemns are things that they themselves would either never do, or would condemn in themselves if they did. Just don't make excuses for yourself. If you condemn without mercy those who do the same things but don't have the precious privilege of being *YOU*, a cosmically superior person (this is sarcasm), you have condemned yourself. And in fact, far from being cosmically privileged and exempt from judgment, we should be aware that we may not even know what we are guilty of. "Who knows the sins he commits? Cleanse me from my secret faults." (Ps.19.13).