Sunday, March 20, 2016

These Modern Knights

Before I formed this gang I had a vision of what I wanted and the direction I wanted to go in. I knew what kind of men I wanted to gather for it as far as their character and their values... and we seem to be moving in the direction of my vision... but I will say this about this gang... there are no diamonds in this pile of rust... but when you scrape off the crust... and polish up this band of villains... we shine like silver and gold.

We are not saints nor do we resemble monks...we are not pretty boys who tip toe around your delicate feelings and we could care less about your political correctness and your socialist ideals of equality... our morals are questionable and we can be quite vulgar and obscene in our interactions with the modern world... we show it no kindness and we will show it no mercy... we are a legion in bondage waiting for that magnificent angel with the keys to unchain us and unleash our rage on the world... we will not help those who are not willing to help themselves and we are very happy to help push the world towards it own destruction, we would be more than pleased to watch you drown in the filth of your own creation... and we will not take in any refugees who are not willing to turn back around and join the fight...

We are tough men - hardened by the world we were born into and the choices we made... and we bear our bruises and our scars  - the physical ones, the emotional ones, and the mental ones... without shame.  We are men of another era trapped in this modern age - our quest is one of nobility and restoring the world to a more natural order... We want to make something better of ourselves and make a better world  for those we leave behind... We make no apologies for our behavior... we stand firm for what we believe in and offer no explanation for it... Many of us have known hard times and its desperation... we know honor and we are working hard to restore the honor lost in that desperation... we know the worth of a mans word and we know the power held in trust... we know the value of integrity and the lines we will not cross... we know dignity and guard it vigilantly... we are not good men... but we are not bad men either...

We are a bunch of barbarians in tailored suits waiting for the fight... a band of reckless pirates waiting to plunder the beauty cast aside by this modern world... a pack of foolish romantics waiting to rush into the fires for the glory on the other side... what else can we be but fools - after all, the quest for nobility is a romantic, old fashioned notion... we are... men of destiny...

We are not the ones you would pick as the poster-boys for the monastery life... but the ones you would pick to infiltrate the enemies camp - not the ones you would pick to guard the palace at night... but the ones you would pick to watch over the borders of the waste lands... we are not the ones you would chose to put in shiny uniforms to uphold the law... but the ones you would send out to hunt down the wicked... we are not the ones you would chose as examples of good Christian men... but the ones you would use to show children what happens if you stray too far off the righteous path...

No... it is very true... we are not good men.  We are not perfect... we have our faults... we are not Bible thumping  born again Christians preaching to the sheep in the park... we are not alter boys and the choir will have nothing to do with us... but we aspire to be the men God wants us to be... and though we spend our nights with the sinners laughing at the saints... and  though we missed mass and skipped confession... and the Ten Commandments may get scrambled in our memories... we all kneel before the cross...

And wouldn’t you rather have men like us on the wall as you say your prayers.



The Conduct Of The Modern Knight
(first posted as a comment at The Iron Legion on February 16, 2016)

The Knight shall adore and revere and love God – you shall honor him by practicing virtues.

The Knight’s religion shall be to do good because it gives him pleasure, not as a duty. – the soul is immortal do not do anything to degrade it.

The Knight shall unceasingly war against vice.
You will not do unto others that which you would not wish others to do unto thee.
Be submissive to thy fortunes and keep burning the light of wisdom.

The Knight shall honor his parents and shall pay respect and homage to the aged.
The Knight shall instruct the young and shall protect infancy and innocence.

The Knight shall cherish his wife and children.
He shall love his country and obey its laws.

The Friend of the Knight is a second self, misfortune shall not estrange him from thee – The Knight shall do for his memory whatever thou would do for him if he were living.

The Knight shall avoid and flee from insincere friendships.
He shall in everything refrain from excess and shall not allow his passions to become his master.

The Knight is humble and modest and shall strive for the elegance of simplicity.
The Knight shall never stop learning and constantly works to better himself and his world.

The Knight shall be forever vigilant and preserve his culture and traditions.
He shall be true to his faith and stand firm for his beliefs.
He shall defend the truth and justice.

The Knight shall seek wisdom and communion with the spirit of God.
He shall seek harmony with the natural world.

The Knight shall conquer his fears and live his life with honor.
He shall be reliable and true to his friends and his tribe.
He shall be trustworthy, loyal and kind – courteous, obedient and clever.
He shall be thrifty, clean and reverent.

The Knight shall be prepared.

The Knight shall listen more and speak little and act well always.
He shall forget injuries and render good for evil
He shall not misuse his strength and superiority.

The Knight shall study to know men; that thereby he may learn to know himself.
He shall ever seek after virtue and shall avoid idleness.

But the great commandment of This Legion is this: “A new commandment give I unto you: that ye love one another! He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, remaineth still in the darkness.”