Maximilian,
Jesus chose to be incarnated in the Roman Empire, not in some uncivilized desert island.
He chose to incarnate in a remote outpost, a tiny nothing of a village, to be laid in a manger that held animal feed. That this land was distantly tied in to Rome was a part of Divine Providence in which God would use the systems of empire / civilization to spread the Faith. He very explicitly did not come as a normal refined king would come. He also came at a time in which decadence was setting in and the civilization was turning into a long-running terminal decline.
No, no, it has already been pointed out on this thread that the stories you are repeating are Masonic lies. The Medieval period was much more civilized than today, judging by the cultures and customs and colors and artwork. It was not "unrefined." The bread was not stale.
I have very high opinion of the Medieval period, it is the peak of Christendom and culture. If the food was not served on stale bread then that is an interesting correction - that was something I had indeed learned as a school child (so certainly would have been under Masonic teaching). In my mind I separate "high" or "refined" culture from what I believe as being culture. What I deeply admire of the Medieval culture is its depth of Faith, its charity in dedicating centuries of labor towards building temples for God, its devotions, its constant Christian festivals, its chivalry, its colorful banners and clothing, its music and poetry. To me, this is distinctly different from what I see as "refined" or "high" culture, in which I think of 18th/19th century stuffy Europeans raising their pinkies as they drink tea from a tea cup on a tea saucer which had best not be a coffee cup, for that would be the most grave of faux pas.
Meanwhile, the far more cultured Medievals were eating pottage and drinking beer from steins.
This is not to say that a Medieval would have turned down tea cups and saucers had he had them, or that a man cannot be as well cultured as a Medieval and also have these fine tea sets, but I think in the aggregate these two societies, which both seem to be well cultured, are dramatically distinct. The Medievals were centered around God and worship of Him, celebrating festivals for Him (and His saints), building temples for Him. The 18th/19th century culture is about man, about having nice things and living nice material lives. Both seem outwardly very cultured, but I think the hidden fundamentals are opposite.
Again, none of which is to say that a God-centered man cannot have and enjoy nice things, but there is always a matter of degree, and the importance one puts upon these material things. To me it seems like the era of the tea culture, and its millions of dining forks and spoons for specific purposes, is in the direction of excess.
The word "tea" was originally French.
[As pointed out in this thread: https://www.suscipedomine.com/forum/index.php?topic=3.msg476026#msg476026]
Portuguese and other Catholic explorers first traveled to the East and brought back spices and tea.
Given my close proximity to Macau, I am certainly aware of Portuguese involvement in the tea trade, although I was yet unaware of French involvement. Anyways, I specifically said the tea saucer, not tea, which to my knowledge is a British import (but please correct me if I am wrong). And this thread extolled the greatness of the saucer, not tea itself, of which I am currently drinking (but without a saucer, as I am a revolutionary bum).
If you live in a cluttered pig sty you will only fool yourself about having a spiritual life.
I agree. As far as I am aware, monastic cells and devout priestly quarters are beautiful and well ordered, but without many material things. A few quality constructed, but non-ornate pieces of furniture, an icon or two, a crucifix, and some books. Beautiful and well organized. But I am not aware of devout men such as those mentioned as requiring tea saucers and the such, or that we should look down upon them if they drink their beer in a stein. Now if they were drinking it in a red solo cup or in a brown bag out of the bottle, that would indeed be odd - but this is all on a spectrum. It is like a Georgian chest of drawers versus Baroque furniture and requiring that all man furnish his apartment with Baroque. I would say requiring that is wrong. I would similarly say that furnishing our apartments with orange crates is wrong as well.
