FACTS AND IDEAS

FACT: A PRIEST FROM THE 1960'S WHO INAPPROPRIATELY TOUCHED AN INNOCENT, NAKED CHILD, MARK FOLEY, IS NOW ALIVE AND UNPUNISHED AT 72 IN MALTA.

IDEA: THE BETRAYAL BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF CHRIST ON EARTH AT ANY TIME OF THE MESSAGE OF PURITY, GOODNESS AND REDEMPTION.

FACTS ACCORDING TO AUTHOR JOSEPH EPSTEIN ARE "UGLY, THORNY THINGS." IDEAS, HE SAYS, ARE "VELVETY AND SUAVE," BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE THE COMFORT OF KNOWING THAT "UNDERSTANDING AND CONTROL OF THE WORLD IS ON THE RISE." PERHAPS, MR. EPSTEIN.

FACTS LIKE THE GRISLY MURDER, DISMEMBERMENT AND SUICIDE IN FLORIDA AND THE TERRORIST THREAT AGAINST SPORTS’ STADIUMS THIS WEEKEND ARE ALSO UGLY AND THORNY THINGS. HOW VELVETY AND SUAVE ARE THE IDEOLOGIES BEHIND THEM? HOW VELVETY AND SUAVE WAS THE MOTIVATION OF A MAN OF GOD WHO KNEW HE VIOLATED HIS VOWS WITH HIS IMPURE THOUGHTS? HOW VELVETY AND SUAVE WAS THE ANGER BEHIND THE AXE AND KNIFE THAT SEGMENTED A VICTIM AND LED TO THE DESPAIR OF A SUICIDE? HOW VELVETY AND SUAVE IS THE PEACE OF MIND OF THOUSANDS OF SPORTS' FANS FACED WITH THE THREAT OF IMMINENT DANGER?

VOLATILE IDEAS CAN BE RADICAL AND LEAD TO LAWLESSNESS AND SOCIAL DISORIENTATION. THIS IS NOT COMFORTING. THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND AND CONTROL THE WORLD FREQUENTLY CONTRIBUTE TO ITS DESTRUCTION. A PESSIMIST ONLY SEES THESE UGLY AND THORNY IDEAS THAT IMPLEMENT UGLY AND THORNY FACTS. AN OPTIMIST KNOWS THAT THE VELVETY AND SUAVE CONCEPTS THAT ADVANCE CIVILIZATION ARE NOT JUST ACCIDENTS WAITING TO HAPPEN. THEY ARE BELIEFS THAT BETTER THE WORLD. ONLY THEY ARE VELVETY AND SUAVE.