You started it. And still. Substack is all about reading posts and commenting on them - if one is under the impression to contribute to the truth finding.
This will conclude my communication that would have gone different without your "Try harder, Buddy" which is condescending in itself.
Having enjoyed a proper education, I am well aware how "Empire" is defined. My native country was one, once. I am also aware of its implications. My word play about "Vatican Empire - Vempire - Vampire" with the understanding of how deep the control it excerpts reaches made you react strong. You respond from a position in which your scholarly viewpoint belittles my defining the vatican as an empire - by the effects it has. A quick look on the map reveals that its size surpasses the territory of all previous empires. It rules not by secular means, but uses a much more sinister method of oppression. It controls is subjects in a more effective fashion that e.g. the Roman empire was able to maintain control over its forcefully conquered regions. By denying the actions as a valid means to determine the real composition of the vatican, one is also denying the effects it has had and still has to a lesser degree today. The average age of "secular" empires is 250 years. The vatican beats that by centuries.
"Empires are defined by expansion and control over territories and populations, which the Vatican does not do."
Control by what means? You sound very naïve to allege that the church does not control political outcomes. Growing up in a catholic country proved that without a doubt. There was no separation between church and state. Church is state - because if state does not abide by church demands - support by voters is withdrawn.
Few dare to go down this rabbit hole and you are not one of them, obviously.
Learn not to come to strangers’ profiles with your condescending tone, for starters. Internet is not there for regulating your nervous system. Second, I also grew up in a supremely Catholic country, so check your arrogance before coming to pick on someone’s work. Thirdly, you need to brush up on what the definition of the empire actually means. Its not influence. Spreading religious influence or even, as you say, influencing political outcomes isn't the same as being an empire. Religion can expand through belief, cultural influence — but an empire requires territorial control, political rule, and enforcement over populations. Vatican doesn't conquer land, govern foreign populations, or impose rule through force. That's religious influence, not imperial power. Otherwise, every global religion would qualify as an empire, and it doesn’t. You picked a wrong person to go down this rabbit hole with.
Vatican City is not an empire in any factual or logical sense; not historically or politically. It’s a sovereign microstate with religious authority, not a state that expands through territorial conquest, military domination, or imperial governance. Empires are defined by expansion and control over territories and populations, which the Vatican does not do. But nice try, buddy.
There's a lot of material to dig into here, but I've only read one of your other works thus far, so I want to get my bearings before doing so.
Though you touch on something at the end that's been eating at me for a long time -- and I don't quite have the right words for it yet.
But it centers on “Every Herod will pass, every Caesar will fade, for empires have an expiry date.” -- to which my response is always, "yeah, but will you still be around when it finally does?"
I feel like this idea is agency draining to most people.
"yeah but ______ will pass," "the astroid won't kill us all."
Well, of course not, maybe, but will *you* be of the lucky few to survive unsinged?
I feel it leads to people abandoning their very real ability, and duty even, to effect change.
It will pass when we make it pass. Ceaser fades when brutus gigs em between the ribs.
Disaster is averted because someone averts it.
Which ties into your point about 'bad theology.'
I know of no scripture where Christ says he'll take the wheel. Actually, my read is quite the opposite; being called to be his hands and feet and all that jazz.
Bad theology won't kill us all.
But it's running up some big boy numbers right now.
Anyway - from one 'ethnic catholic' to another, I appreciate the read.
Yeah, this is the million dollar question: “But will you still be around when it finally does?” My only goal right now is to see this empire’s dismemberment before I depart this earth. It takes time, it takes casualties, more than we can stomach, and at its end will come its most brutal, arrogant phase. But we need to push through, if not for anything else, then for the generations that come after us. We have to leave them something better than this hellscape. As for bad theology, christ, we can go on about that for days ...
Just to clarify, none of that was directed at you. I tend to use the royal 'you' et al.
"My only goal right now is to see this empire’s dismemberment before I depart this earth." Agreed. It's been my life's work, which is why I have little to show for it 🤣
"As for bad theology..." we definitely could go on for days. I've got a huge 5-parter covering the material history of 'American Christianity' as I see it, that I've had to kick to the back burner to focus on the wars.
Judging by the little I've read of your work, I think you would have a lot to say about it, so I hope you don't mind if I keep you in mind for beta reading when I get back to working on it.
You started it. And still. Substack is all about reading posts and commenting on them - if one is under the impression to contribute to the truth finding.
This will conclude my communication that would have gone different without your "Try harder, Buddy" which is condescending in itself.
Having enjoyed a proper education, I am well aware how "Empire" is defined. My native country was one, once. I am also aware of its implications. My word play about "Vatican Empire - Vempire - Vampire" with the understanding of how deep the control it excerpts reaches made you react strong. You respond from a position in which your scholarly viewpoint belittles my defining the vatican as an empire - by the effects it has. A quick look on the map reveals that its size surpasses the territory of all previous empires. It rules not by secular means, but uses a much more sinister method of oppression. It controls is subjects in a more effective fashion that e.g. the Roman empire was able to maintain control over its forcefully conquered regions. By denying the actions as a valid means to determine the real composition of the vatican, one is also denying the effects it has had and still has to a lesser degree today. The average age of "secular" empires is 250 years. The vatican beats that by centuries.
I'll be your buddy if you grow up.
"Empires are defined by expansion and control over territories and populations, which the Vatican does not do."
Control by what means? You sound very naïve to allege that the church does not control political outcomes. Growing up in a catholic country proved that without a doubt. There was no separation between church and state. Church is state - because if state does not abide by church demands - support by voters is withdrawn.
Few dare to go down this rabbit hole and you are not one of them, obviously.
Learn not to come to strangers’ profiles with your condescending tone, for starters. Internet is not there for regulating your nervous system. Second, I also grew up in a supremely Catholic country, so check your arrogance before coming to pick on someone’s work. Thirdly, you need to brush up on what the definition of the empire actually means. Its not influence. Spreading religious influence or even, as you say, influencing political outcomes isn't the same as being an empire. Religion can expand through belief, cultural influence — but an empire requires territorial control, political rule, and enforcement over populations. Vatican doesn't conquer land, govern foreign populations, or impose rule through force. That's religious influence, not imperial power. Otherwise, every global religion would qualify as an empire, and it doesn’t. You picked a wrong person to go down this rabbit hole with.
With the exception being the Vatican Empire. The Vempire. Vampire.
Vatican City is not an empire in any factual or logical sense; not historically or politically. It’s a sovereign microstate with religious authority, not a state that expands through territorial conquest, military domination, or imperial governance. Empires are defined by expansion and control over territories and populations, which the Vatican does not do. But nice try, buddy.
yeah... I like yours more.
There's a lot of material to dig into here, but I've only read one of your other works thus far, so I want to get my bearings before doing so.
Though you touch on something at the end that's been eating at me for a long time -- and I don't quite have the right words for it yet.
But it centers on “Every Herod will pass, every Caesar will fade, for empires have an expiry date.” -- to which my response is always, "yeah, but will you still be around when it finally does?"
I feel like this idea is agency draining to most people.
"yeah but ______ will pass," "the astroid won't kill us all."
Well, of course not, maybe, but will *you* be of the lucky few to survive unsinged?
I feel it leads to people abandoning their very real ability, and duty even, to effect change.
It will pass when we make it pass. Ceaser fades when brutus gigs em between the ribs.
Disaster is averted because someone averts it.
Which ties into your point about 'bad theology.'
I know of no scripture where Christ says he'll take the wheel. Actually, my read is quite the opposite; being called to be his hands and feet and all that jazz.
Bad theology won't kill us all.
But it's running up some big boy numbers right now.
Anyway - from one 'ethnic catholic' to another, I appreciate the read.
Yeah, this is the million dollar question: “But will you still be around when it finally does?” My only goal right now is to see this empire’s dismemberment before I depart this earth. It takes time, it takes casualties, more than we can stomach, and at its end will come its most brutal, arrogant phase. But we need to push through, if not for anything else, then for the generations that come after us. We have to leave them something better than this hellscape. As for bad theology, christ, we can go on about that for days ...
Just to clarify, none of that was directed at you. I tend to use the royal 'you' et al.
"My only goal right now is to see this empire’s dismemberment before I depart this earth." Agreed. It's been my life's work, which is why I have little to show for it 🤣
"As for bad theology..." we definitely could go on for days. I've got a huge 5-parter covering the material history of 'American Christianity' as I see it, that I've had to kick to the back burner to focus on the wars.
Judging by the little I've read of your work, I think you would have a lot to say about it, so I hope you don't mind if I keep you in mind for beta reading when I get back to working on it.