day no. 16,745: adjectival invective

"Don't use a noun and then an adjective that crosses out the noun. An adjective qualifies, it cannot contradict. Don't say, 'Give me a patriotism that is free from all boundaries.' It is like saying, 'Give me a pork pie with no pork in it.' Don't say, 'I look forward to that larger religion that shall have no special dogmas.” It is like saying, “I look forward to that larger quadruped who shall have no feet.' A quadruped means something with four feet; and a religion means something that commits a man to some doctrine about the universe. Don't let the meek substantive be absolutely murdered by the joyful, exuberant adjective." — G.K. Chesterton, A Miscellany of Men

The wrong complement is not a compliment. You do not honor a thing by qualifying it out of existence. Those who help religion along by remodeling do not end with a religion. Those who want to honor honesty by lying about it cancel out their efforts. You do not respect a triangle by giving it an extra angle.

Modifications matter.

There are those who want to have the benefits of being associated with something without being associated with the costs of that same thing. So, one will acknowledge the positive weight of religion, but lighten the load by redefining it, while another acknowledges the gravity of equality by placing his thumb firmly on one side of the scale.

An adjective can rape a reality of its substance. Those who speak this way wish to appear on the side of virtue while enjoying the mischief of vice. They hold out saying they will get on board with the rhythm of things once it gets a bit more off the beaten path. They assure us that they will have faith once there is nothing to question. They will dare to hope once it is realized. They will call a spade a spade once they look a little more heart-shaped.