"La plus belle des ruses du diable est de vous persuader qu'il n'existe pas!"----Charles Baudelaire

A few words of warning first broadcast by Paul Harvey in 1965.  Somewhat pedantic, but very prophetic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3Az0okaHig&feature=related

I am sorry, but I think it is a little pompous to give a long sentence in another language without a translation.  I think I can tweek out the meaning, but in languages there are a lot of "false friends of the translator," as they are known in Russian, which are words that sound like a word in another language but do not have that meaning.  

For example, "parenti" in Italian, means "relatives," not "parents."  Consequenlty, guessing a meaing can be hazardous.

I speak two languages other than English, but I would never think of posting in one on an English-speaking board without a translation, especially if that is the entire point of the post.

Sorry.

...I'd send a bunch of people like Rick Santorum into public office, claiming to speak for God. It's all bullshit and fairy tales.

The OP gives his advanced age away by referring to '65 Paul Harvey sermon; his handle comes from a'59 Three Stooges short.

This place becoming a retirement home for geriatric, bitter, hypocritical geezer hobbyists who can't get it up w/out a blue pill ? They all scream "get off my lawn" in unison ?!----LMAO !

What the poster fails to realize is that the sympathies of many members of his generation lie with the devil-------

As long as The Three Stooges are involved he can solve any mystery.

Posted By: Priapus53

The OP gives his advanced age away by referring to '65 Paul Harvey sermon; his handle comes from a'59 Three Stooges short.

This place becoming a retirement home for geriatric, bitter, hypocritical geezer hobbyists who can't get it up w/out a blue pill ? They all scream "get off my lawn" in unison ?!----LMAO !

What the poster fails to realize is that the sympathies of many members of his generation lie with the devil-------

The full, deluxe treatment:

"Mes chers frères, n'oubliez jamais, quand vous entendrez vanter le progrès des lumières, que la plus belle des ruses du diable est de vous persuader qu'il n'existe pas!"

"My dear brothers, never forget, when you hear the progress of enlightenment vaunted, that the devil's best trick is to persuade you that he doesn't exist!"

                                                                        Charles Baudelaire

Я очень сожалею!

Unlike many of the young whippersnappers now writing away in this and other venues in their truncated Abrev-o-textspeak, I have efforted to study and learn history in the short time I've spent on this planet.  I have and will never-in-hell "LOL-ed! I'd sooner shit my pants.

My handle is not simply a ripoff of a '59 Stooges short, but is, instead a sincere homage to what turned-out to be the Stooges final appearance in a film.  I say "Stooges" with a small disclaimer: "Sappy Bullfighters" featured the barely passable, ever forgetable Joe Besser as a substitute for the memorable Shemp Howard, who was replaced with the immortal Curly Howard.  Sadly, it was nowhere near their best work.

If you would be so kind as to re-read the quotation, you might hazard to observe the the word "enlightenment" was begun with a lower-case "e."  I believe you have misconstrued Baudelaire to have been referring to the 18th century cultural/intellectual movement, usually associated with Europe and America, in which instance enlightenment would properly begin with an upper-case "E.".  

Baudelaire lived from 1821 to 1867, so I believe that The Enlightenment has become somewhat passe' by the time he got around to his creative period.  I believe his reference to the "progress of enlightenment vaunted" is speaking of those individuals whose greatest source of pride is their slavish devotion to the social flavor of the moment.  

You know, "trendys?"

What a dumb putz------no wonder that you're the
"worst stooge"---------