Can we make “secular saints” a thing? Why should we reserve the title of “Saint” specifically for the Catholic Church? I think we should just get in the habit of referring to any unambiguously good person, who has performed great acts of generosity and selflessness, as a saint. They don’t even have to be religious. If someone wants to interpret it religiously, they can say that anyone so good is almost certainly bound for Heaven, but it need not be religious. Why can’t we have secular saints? Why can’t we have Saint Stephen of San Jose or Saint Fred of Latrobe?
Paragon works, but it’s not really a title. Could we make “Paragon” a title? Instead of “Saint Stephen of San Jose,” we have “Paragon Stephen of San Jose.” Sounds odd, but maybe?
I’d love for some kind of “social model of a great human” canonization process… A bit like the Nobel prize, something determined by a committee or something, but it would have to be people that were actual genuine fucking awesome humans.
Tangentially related - I was thinking the other day about how it seems like the rich used to feel obligated (for whatever reason) to use some of their wealth for the good of the world. But can you even imagine a ‘Musk Foundation’ or a fucking ‘Zuckerberg Foundation’? No because they don’t have even an ounce of shame or a shred of conscience. I don’t know what it would even take but I do think it’s far past time for us to start talking, bare minimum, about their obligations to the country and world that gave them so much.
Sure, let’s not give them a choice though. Aggressive wealth tax caps at $100M, you get a park plaque and sainthood for each billion we redistribute to UBI.
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Can we make “secular saints” a thing? Why should we reserve the title of “Saint” specifically for the Catholic Church? I think we should just get in the habit of referring to any unambiguously good person, who has performed great acts of generosity and selflessness, as a saint. They don’t even have to be religious. If someone wants to interpret it religiously, they can say that anyone so good is almost certainly bound for Heaven, but it need not be religious. Why can’t we have secular saints? Why can’t we have Saint Stephen of San Jose or Saint Fred of Latrobe?
Does the word “paragon” apply in this case? That’s what I think of when I see someone outside of religious context that I would aspire to emulate.
Paragon works, but it’s not really a title. Could we make “Paragon” a title? Instead of “Saint Stephen of San Jose,” we have “Paragon Stephen of San Jose.” Sounds odd, but maybe?
There is (video game) precedent
Dragon Age: Origins Dwarves refer to their heroes/saints as paragons.
I’d love for some kind of “social model of a great human” canonization process… A bit like the Nobel prize, something determined by a committee or something, but it would have to be people that were actual genuine fucking awesome humans.
I’m thinking Steve Irwin, Fred Rogers, etc…
why call them saints? just call them good people
Because it has more gravitas!
only for people who understand catholicism
I don’t understand much about Catholicism but I do know they cream their pants for “saints.”
i have basically never been exposed to it at all, except in assassin’s creed 2
It’s important to recognise exceptionally good imo.
I like this.
Tangentially related - I was thinking the other day about how it seems like the rich used to feel obligated (for whatever reason) to use some of their wealth for the good of the world. But can you even imagine a ‘Musk Foundation’ or a fucking ‘Zuckerberg Foundation’? No because they don’t have even an ounce of shame or a shred of conscience. I don’t know what it would even take but I do think it’s far past time for us to start talking, bare minimum, about their obligations to the country and world that gave them so much.
Sure, let’s not give them a choice though. Aggressive wealth tax caps at $100M, you get a park plaque and sainthood for each billion we redistribute to UBI.