Tooting his own horn

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips (Prov 27:2).

 

1"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

 2 "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

5"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

16"And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.  (Mt 6:1-6,16).

 

33And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil (Lk 6:33-35).

Armstrong is a roided up version of Catholic piety. Incapable of doing any good deed out of purely disinterested concern for others.

When I read his original post, correctly defending my use of the reductio ad absurdum (before he had second thoughts and scrubbed the original post), I asked myself, “Where’s the catch? Where’s the hidden fee?”

And sure enough, it didn’t take long before he dropped by our combox at Tblog to collect tribute. It’s always for the greater glory of Dave. What’s in it for him? That’s the bottom line.

So naturally he came by, with outstretched palm, demanding reimbursement for his good deed.

And, come to think of it, that’s the essence of Catholic piety: “As soon as a coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs.”