About Funky Dung
Who is Funky Dung?
29-year-old grad student in Intelligent Systems (A.I.) at the University of Pittsburgh. I consider myself to be politically moderate and independent and somewhere between a traditional and neo-traditional Catholic.
I was raised Lutheran, spent a number of years as an agnostic, and joined the Catholic Church at the 2000 Easter Vigil.
Why Funky Dung?
I haven't been asked this question nearly as many times as you or I might expect. Funky Dung is a reference to an obscure Pink Floyd song. On the album Atom Heart Mother, there is a track called Atom Heart Mother Suite. It's broken up into movements, like a symphony, and one of the movements is called Funky Dung. I picked that nickname a long time ago (while I was still in high school I think), shortly after getting an internet connection for the first time. To me it means "cool/neat/groovy/spiffy stuff/crap/shiznit", as in "That's some cool stuff, dude!"
Whence Ales Rarus?
I used to enjoy making people guess what this means, but I've decided to relent and make it known to all. Ales Rarus is a Latin play on words. "Avis rarus" means "a rare bird" and carries similar meaning to "an odd fellow". "Ales" is another Latin word for bird that carries connotations of omens, signs of the times, and/or augery. If you want to get technical, both "avis" and "ales" are feminine (requiring "rara", but they can be made masculine in poetry (which tends to breaks lots of rules). I decided I'd rather have a masculine name in Latin. ;) Yeah, I'm a nerd. So what? :-P
Wherefore blog?
It is my intention to "teach in order to lead others to faith" by being always "on the lookout for occasions of announcing Christ by word, either to unbelievers . . . or to the faithful" through the "use of the communications media". I also act knowing that I "have the right and even at times a duty to manifest to the sacred pastors [my] opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church, and [I] have a right to make [my] opinion known to the other Christian faithful, with due regard to the integrity of faith and morals and reverence toward [my and their] pastors, and with consideration for the common good and the dignity of persons." (adapted from CCC 904-907)
Statement of Faith
I have been baptized and confirmed in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I, therefore, renounce Satan; I renounce all his works; I renounce all his allurements.
I hold and profess all that is contained in the Apostles' Creed, the Niceno- Constantinopolitan Creed, and the Athanasian Creed.
Having been buried with Christ unto death and raised up with him unto a new life, I promise to live no longer for myself or for that world which is the enemy of God but for him who died for me and rose again, serving God, my heavenly Father, faithfully and unto death in the holy Catholic Church.
I am obedient to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. That is, I promote and defend authentic Catholic Teaching and Faith in union with Christ and His Church and in union with the Holy Father, the Bishop of Rome, the Successor of St. Peter.
Thanks be unto Thee, O my God, for all Thy infinite goodness, and, especially, for the love Thou hast shown unto me at my Confirmation. I Give Thee thanks that Thou didst then send down Thy Holy Spirit unto my soul with all His gifts and graces.
May He take full possession of me for ever.
May His divine unction cause my face to shine.
May His heavenly wisdom reign in my heart.
May His understanding enlighten my darkness.
May His counsel guide me.
May His knowledge instruct me.
May His piety make me fervent.
May His divine fear keep me from all evil.
Drive from my soul, O Lord, all that may defile it.
Give me grace to be Thy faithful soldier, that having fought the good fight of faith, I may be brought to the crown of everlasting life, through the merits of Thy dearly beloved Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Behind the Curtain: an Interview With Funky Dung (Thursday, March 03, 2005)
I try to avoid most memes that make their way 'round the blogosphere (We really do need a better name, don't
we?), but some are worth participating in. Take for instance the "interview game" that's the talk o'
the 'sphere. I think it's a great way to get to know the people in neighborhood. Who are the people in your
neighborhood? In your neighborhod? In your neigh-bor-hoo-ood...*smack* Sorry, Sesame Street flashback.
Anyhow, I saw Jeff "Curt Jester"
Miller's answers and figured since he's a regular reader of mine he'd be a good interviewer. Without
further ado, here are my answers to his questions.
1. Being that your pseudonym Funky Dung was chosen from a Pink Floyd track on Atom Heart Mother, what is you
favorite Pink Floyd song and why?
Wow. That's a tuffy. It's hard to pick out a single favorite. Pink Floyd isn't really a band known for
singles. They mostly did album rock and my appreciation of them is mostly of a gestalt nature. If I had to
pick one, though, it'd be "Comfortably Numb". I get chills up my spine every time I hear it and if
it's been long enough since the last time, I get midty-eyed. I really don't know why. That's a rather
unsatisfying answer for an interview, so here are the lyrics to a Rush song. It's not their best piece of music,
but the lyrics describe me pretty well.
New World Man
He's a rebel and a runner
He's a signal turning green
He's a restless young romantic
Wants to run the big machine
He's got a problem with his poisons
But you know he'll find a cure
He's cleaning up his systems
To keep his nature pure
Learning to match the beat of the old world man
Learning to catch the heat of the third world man
He's got to make his own mistakes
And learn to mend the mess he makes
He's old enough to know what's right
But young enough not to choose it
He's noble enough to win the world
But weak enough to lose it ---
He's a new world man...
He's a radio receiver
Tuned to factories and farms
He's a writer and arranger
And a young boy bearing arms
He's got a problem with his power
With weapons on patrol
He's got to walk a fine line
And keep his self-control
Trying to save the day for the old world man
Trying to pave the way for the third world man
He's not concerned with yesterday
He knows constant change is here today
He's noble enough to know what's right
But weak enough not to choose it
He's wise enough to win the world
But fool enough to lose it ---
He's a new world man...
2. What do you consider your most important turning point from agnosticism to the Catholic Church.
At some point in '99, I started attending RCIA at the Pittsburgh Oratory. I mostly went to ask a lot of
obnoxious Protestant questions. Or at least that's what I told myself. I think deep down I wanted desperately
to have faith again. At that point I think I'd decided that if any variety of Christianity had the Truth, the
Catholic Church did. Protestantism's wholesale rejection of 1500 years of tradition didn't sit well with me,
even as a former Lutheran.
During class one week, Sister Bernadette Young (who runs the program) passed out thin booklet called "
Handbook for Today's Catholic". One paragraph
in that book spoke to me and I nearly cried as I read it.
"A person who is seeking deeper insight into reality may sometimes have doubts, even about God himself.
Such doubts do not necessarily indicate lack of faith. They may be just the opposite - a sign of growing faith.
Faith is alive and dynamic. It seeks, through grace, to penetrate into the very mystery of God. If a
particular doctrine of faith no longer 'makes sense' to a person, the person should go right on seeking. To
know what a doctrine says is one thing. To gain insight into its meaning through the gift of understanding is
something else. When in doubt, 'Seek and you will find.' The person who seeks y reading, discussing,
thinking, or praying eventually sees the light. The person who talks to God even when God is 'not there' is
alive with faith."
At the end of class I told Sr. Bernadette that I wanted to enter the Church at the next Easter vigil.
3. If you were a tree what kind of, oh sorry about that .. what is the PODest thing you have ever
done?
I set up
WikiIndex, a clearinghouse for reviews
of theological books, good, bad, and ugly. It has a long way to go, but it'll be cool when it's finished. :)
4. What is your favorite quote from Venerable John Henry Newman?
"Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt."
5. If you could ban one hymn from existence, what would it be?
That's a tough one. As a member of
the Society for a Moratorium on the Music of
Marty Haugen and David Haas, there are obviously a lot of songs that grate on my nerves. If I had to pick
one, though, I'd probably pick
"Sing
of the Lord's Goodness" by Ernie Sands.
I read this today (4/15/08) on First Things “On the Square”.
Ron Paul supporters, please be careful of your motives. Keep sticking to the document (“it”) that defines this nation.
I know Ron Paul is really not for revolution as traditionally defined, but I hope it stays that way. Keep it peaceful, otherwise we’ll end up like some other alternative country.
I personally like much of what Dr. Paul stands for, he’s just too libertarian for me. Yes, I am for taking from the relatively rich (even like from me) to give to the poor in some fashion. I just don’t like it when my tax money is used for endless war (war on terror) and people/baby/zygote killers (Planned Par. and the like).
gbm3
–
You must mean narrowly, not traditionally, defined. The Ron Paul Revolution is peaceful and based on return to the founding principles of our constitutional republic.
Then again, the Declaration of Independence does say, “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
When the states of the Confederate South attempted to exercise “their right, … their duty, to throw off” the government they felt had “a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism” they were violently opposed. One would have thought that having freely consented to be governed by the Constitution, they could freely decide to revoke that consent. Alas, they we not permitted to do so by the reigning powers of our “free” country.
Should the federal government as we know evince “a design to reduce [our rights] under absolute Despotism”, revolution – as you would traditionally define it – may indeed be necessary. I’m not saying it will, or that I will live to see it become so. However, our rights are slowly slipping away from us. If the Right continues to move us toward a police state and the Left continues to drag us into socialism, the republic our founders envisioned will vanish and need to be rebuilt.
“There are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by the gradual and silent encroachment of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpation.” – James Madison
To take, without consent, from one person and give to another is theft. Theft, even if legally instituted, is still unjust.
Aye, but there’s the rub. If you relinquish to the government charitable duties incumbent upon people and religious institutions you also relinquish your right and power to disperse the fruits of your labor as you see fit. You must be content with the decisions of legislative majorities, be they benign or malignant. If you do not wish the federal government to pay for abortions, strip from it the ability to pay for anything that is not arranged toward protecting life, liberty, and property, or anything that can be handled, in accordance with subsidiarity, by a lower level of government or non-governmental entity.
I agree that the South should’ve been able to form their own government.
However, using the same Declaration for your next point, in its conclusion:
Taxation, which is not stealing (see parable of Jesus regarding the coins of Caesar), is legal, will remain legal and will always be legal somewhere. We succeeded from the UK because the taxes were being enforced without representation, not because taxes were wrong. Further, the Declaration which invokes “divine Providence”, pledges the fortunes of all of us to “each other”.
Now, I suppose since all the founding fathers were relatively wealthy men, they meant to each other (in the set of wealthy men), but we all know what else they said (“all men are created equal”).
Regarding your last point, it is the duty of the citizenry to petition our representatives to spend tax money on what is best for all of us (including money towards unborn and elderly causes and not for war), no matter what other organizations do.
Regarding the use of lower level gov’t, what happens in poor areas? (Yes, I essentially support taking from the rich and giving to the poor.)
I did not say it was illegal. Nor did I say all taxation is theft. I specifically stated that income tax is theft. To be ethically taxed, I must have the ability to participate or not participate in the system taxed (such as by purchasing more or less taxed goods). Furthermore, Jesus told us to not be tax dodgers; He didn’t say the Roman taxes were morally or ethically right.
Agreed. However, once money is in the hands of government, we lose direct control of how it is spent. The more money taken, the less control we have. Yes, by all means petition for right use. However, petition also for less taxes so that more of your money can be directly spent for right causes.
That is theft and immoral. To take from one to give to another without consent is theft. I contend that I am currently taxed without representation. By that I mean that my representatives do not represent my desire for smaller gov’t and less taxes. I vote, but to no avail. I have been effectively disenfranchised.
What about the Declaration quote? As members of the US, we’re to “mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” Our country is to pledge our “Fortunes” to each other. I would interpret this term as “income”. Therefore, we are to pledge our income wealth to each other. One mechanism to do this is through income tax.
What kind of tax did Ceasar collect? Was it sales tax (as you contend)? Tariffs? I think it was income tax, or a tax on what someone made.
If Jesus thought taxes (on income I contend) were immoral, don’t you think He would’ve said so? Further, I would assert that the (Jewish) tax collectors of the NT were hated because they taxed more on top of the normal income tax, not because the base income tax was nec. wrong.
Yes, you have been disenfranchised. This is why this Dr. Paul movement should continue. I don’t agree on everything with it, but it has many good facets.
Thank you for this discussion.
gbm3
–
BTW, I didn’t mean to stop the discussion with “Thank you for this discussion.” I just wanted to thank you for this civil discourse.
You seem to be very much misunderstanding me. Perhaps I am being unclear. 🙁
According to dictionary.com, “fortunes” refer to “things that happen or are to happen to a person in his or her life”, i.e., fate/lot/destiny.
I made no contention regarding what kind of tax Caesar collected.
The Church teaches that a great many things are immoral that Christ is not recorded to have explicitly addressed. Homosexuality is one example. I like what Thoreau had to say about giving to Caesar.
In other words, if you enjoy the comforts that Roman rule bring you, pay what you owe to Rome for that. If, however, you do not partake of those comforts (or would willingly forsake them) you do not (or would not) owe Rome. Ask little of Caesar, and Caesar should ask little of you.
They were hated because they were lackeys for Rome and because they could set any rate above what Rome asked for and keep the profits.
No problem. 🙂
I had to do it… here’s what the Catechism says:
I would take this that income tax is moral to pay “taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due.”
I believe both of us “enjoy the comforts that Roman rule bring” to us. Therefore, we are required to owe Rome. Let me try to be clear, we enjoy the comforts that the US provide us: life and liberty, roads and schools, federal aid programs, etc.
This country as a Republic is majority rules, minority rights. The majority pay income tax and expect others to do so. The minority also has the right to petition the gov’t to change.
Keep up the petitioning.
It is a moral duty to pay income taxes. That does not make levying income taxes moral. I still believe it’s theft. Look up what the catechism has to say about messing with workers’ wages.
Also, given sufficient cause, I believe the Church would not forbid civil disobedience, including refusing to pay taxes. The catch is that one must be willing to face legal consequences. That said, I am not advising tax-dodging.