Read it here. Yep. It's his response to my old classmate Russ Moore's rejoicing over the end of Robert E. Lee. Rod realizes that in another time and place, such a conversation might be appropriate. Heck, such a solution might have its place.
But you are either a leftist, or a fool, to think it has anything to do with Lee, or Jefferson, or Washington, or the Slave Trade, or a host of Western signposts. Its end goal is the destruction of the Western Tradition and its Western and Christian values and principles. That is the goal.
I know this because I pay attention to my sons and what they hear in their world and among their peers. From their classroom discussions a cool 50% of their classmates see the United Stats as a 400 year old Nazi regime. Its entire history one of racism, slavery and genocide. Nothing more. Nothing less.
The books and handouts they show me make it clear that the whole of Western Civilization was a net zero for the world - at best. In most cases it was a negative, being the sole cause of the suffering and evils in the world today. For their college, Critical Race Theory is the gospel.
That Christianity is a myth and lie is also the official teaching, and many classes present that view. My son took a class on mythology and what was added to the fraternity of Greek, Egyptian and Norse myths? That would be the Bible. Right between Thor and Perseus was standing Jesus Himself. And his is a state university. Which is fair and honest at least. I learned that the Bible was just what the biblical authors stole from surrounding religions and myths back in high school. Seeing it now as nothing but an ancient set of folktales and fake stories makes perfect sense. Classes in anthropology, sociology and history present the same picture.
So consider that these kids, learning on the tax payer dime that religions are just folk tales, the West is a net evil, and the US particularly is a racist Nazi state in serious need of extermination, are the face of the next generation of leaders in our world. The move to eliminate almost anyone and anything to do with this most horrid of all civilizations - including the art, philosophy, religion, literature, and its foundational principles - is well under way. And the ones officially being taught that the whole of the civilization should die aren't even out of college yet.
Since the official Catholic - and general Christian - response to this is more or less accepting its premises at face value, don't expect it to slow any time soon. Since our leaders seem to think there is some common ground net neutrality viewpoint that we can work with, the line of the Faithful will be drawn backwards and backwards and backwards again.
Why the speed with which this is happening? I dunno. My sons might have some insight. They have said before that if it was any other generation discussing a radical departure from the last centuries of Christian ideals, it might seem credible. But as it is, you get the impression of a bunch of people unable or unwilling to stand up and fight, so they wrap their surrender in a Jesus flag and hope that disastrous results of their cowardliness and apathy don't come before they've passed from this mortal realm.
Looks like you linked to Rod's general archive, not the specific article. I think this is the one you want:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/robert-e-lee-wendell-berry-uncle-charlie-racism-community/
As I was going to say in reply to you on another post (but lost), I'm calling this "lazy sainthood." Too many nowadays say things like "I don't do any evil" when the truth is, they're not doing anything because they're just lounging on the couch - meaning they are every bit as virtuous as a tree or a rock.
Therefore, since our ancestors actually went out and DID things, they must be torn down less they shame our new generation. "Oh sure those people went out and discovered new places and made new discoveries, but at least I'm not RACIST or SEXIST like they are." Keep it up and you'll eventually be a saint just by being as lazy as possible. Because hey, you're not doing anything wrong.
That goes with what my sons said. If it was any other generation, it might seem credible. But they've formulated a theory that much of what we've seen since the Boomer era has been the result of them not wanting the burden of preserving what they received. So they've spent their lives justifying letting it die, or siding with those who would destroy it. A bit overstated perhaps, but I don't think too far from the truth.
DeleteToo much of this kind of thing is not good for you. I'm prescribing this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZALtzTmPz-E. Make sure you turn on closed captioning.
ReplyDeleteThat was certainly a strange one. But I'm also going to keep at least one eye on what's happening, so in years to come I won't be one people will say 'why didn't they see what was happening?'.
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