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#177923 - 07/03/08 09:38 PM diabolical liberty
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4 gaius novus
stranger
stranger
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Am I to assume it's approximately equivalent to "giving someone enough rope to hang himself" or a "double-edged sword"?
Is there any known etymology?
#177925 - 07/03/08 09:49 PM Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,538 tsuwm
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
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this too shall pass
3. slang. In weakened sense: outrageous, disgraceful; disgracefully bad. Also, used as an intensive, esp. in diabolical liberty.
1958 B. BEHAN Borstal Boy III. 231 Why ain't I given a chance to follow my trade in 'ere, eh?..It's a diabolical liberty. Geezers get no chance to follow their trade. 1965 Listener 30 Sept. 507/2 A parody piece..which took diabolical liberties with Eurovision song contests, British Beatlemania and other suitable themes. 1972 MITTON & MORRISON Community Project in Notting Dale 69 The names he called those kids round there was diabolical for any vicar. 1982 S. TOWNSEND Secret Diary A. Mole 94 Asked our postman about communications between Tunisia and England. He said they were ‘diabolical’. 1986 Observer 16 Feb. 50/4 From my point of view that pitch was dangerous. In fact, it was diabolical.
#177928 - 07/04/08 02:52 AM Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 155 morphememedley
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#177935 - 07/04/08 11:14 AM Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295 BranShea
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
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Netherlands, the Hague
- Schaff, VII, §75, "The Peasants' War: 1523-1525"
"My opinion is that it is better that all the peasants be killed than that the princes and magistrates perish, because the rustics took the sword without divine authority. The only possible consequence of their satanic wickedness would be the diabolic devastation of the kingdom of God. "
(Letter to Nicholas Amsdorf at Magdeburg, from Wittenberg.)
From here "carnal licence" looks more like "licence to kill".
( 007 again )
#177941 - 07/04/08 02:22 PM Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,067 The Pook
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Tasmania
- Schaff, VII, §75, "The Peasants' War: 1523-1525"
"My opinion is that it is better that all the peasants be killed than that the princes and magistrates perish, because the rustics took the sword without divine authority. The only possible consequence of their satanic wickedness would be the diabolic devastation of the kingdom of God. "
(Letter to Nicholas Amsdorf at Magdeburg, from Wittenberg.)
From here "carnal licence" looks more like "licence to kill".
( 007 again )
Both quotes concern Martin Luther's reaction to the peasants' uprising in (from memory, don't quote me on the date) ca 1525. "Carnal license" means giving free reign to 'the flesh' (which means the sinful human nature). The peasants, in Luther's view, were simply venting their uncontrolled hatred and fury in an orgy of violence. Though he didn't recommend either, Luther preferred even Tyranny to Anarchy, since at least in Tyranny the basic infrastructure of society remains intact, and there is less bloodshed. Maybe if Luther was President of the US in 2002 the course of recent history might have been different...
#177943 - 07/04/08 03:08 PM Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773 dalehileman
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Apple Valley, CA, USA
Last edited by dalehileman; 07/04/08 03:10 PM.
dalehileman
#177945 - 07/04/08 04:07 PM Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 876 twosleepy
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western NY
#177952 - 07/04/08 05:13 PM Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773 dalehileman
Pooh-Bah
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Apple Valley, CA, USA
dalehileman
#177975 - 07/05/08 02:53 AM Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,067 The Pook
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Tasmania
I suppose the original (and literally diabolical!)concept of "diabolical liberty" (though not the phrase itself) is that offered by the serpent in Genesis 3. The knowlege of good and evil gained by an autonomous declaration of independence from God comes at the price of suffering the consequences of becoming evil, namely estrangement from God.
#177976 - 07/05/08 02:59 AM Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,067 The Pook
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Tasmania
Ironically the Iraq War/"War on Terror" seems to have achieved both simultaneously. In Iraq it has resulted in Anarchy in the name of providing Liberty from Tyranny. And in Western coalition countries it is resulting in a drift towards Tyranny by the erosion of Liberties in the name of protection from the forces of Anarchy. Oh what tangled webs...
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