Even here in our virtual parish I’ve had visitors who should know better simply never grasp the hard-wired tribal nature of humanity. Just because Western minds can imagine something they like better doesn’t mean it will work. What Perry didn’t say is that Creation itself is wired with the consciousness of blood price. You can’t fight Father Nature, who happens to be our Creator. That business of blood price is fundamental to understanding justice in the Old Testament, and it’s fundamental to our universe.
Your heart knows.
Good post, except for the mention of smallpox blankets thing, which never happened or was really considered.
Only thing I don’t understand…why would any western state care what their blood debt is? Their standards of justice aren’t the same as the west’s. How would they be reconciled?
I think the man’s point is that the West never will understand and is doomed to repeated failure in controlling things in the Middle East.