It’s time to revisit Fahrenheit 451
Body
“…it tells the story of a dystopian society where all books are banned and people pass their time staring at screens while barely talking to one another. Sound a little like 2019?” - Washington Examiner
Calls for social justice are sometimes just ruinous calls for payback
Body
“The dissolution of the academy into intersectional turf wars is already an old story. But Williams’ sad tale points to something beyond that. She notes that ‘diversity’ was scarcely mentioned on the panel… ‘The panel wasn’t really about any of that, or even ultimately about race, but rather about how to destroy classics.’” - Robespierre’s road
Discussion
Cheapening the Western Musical Tradition: Some Thoughts Inspired by Theodore Gioia and Andy Crouch
Body
“Andy Crouch, in his excellent book, Culture Making, ties the Western classical tradition to the creation blessing/mandate of Genesis 1.
Discussion
"Many of the more progressive nations are not merely overlooking or ignoring their Judeo-Christian heritage, but actively destroying it."
Body
“We have always assumed that when we give money to churches and ministries we will receive a tax receipt, but those days may soon be over for organizations that will not bow before one of society’s sacred cows.” - On Living in a Post-Christian Context
Discussion
Why Thomas Aquinas Stands the Test of Time
Body
“In a recent op-ed for The Washington Post, Michael Gerson critiques those who prize ‘authenticity’ and uncensored ‘passion’ over self-control and contemplative restraint. He contrasts two philosophical systems, one reliant on Aristotelianism, the other derived from Jean-Jacques Rousseau.” - Amer. Conservative
Discussion
Book – The Idol of Our Age: How the Religion of Humanity Subverts Christianity
Body
“In this short book, Daniel Mahoney brilliantly lays bare the shallow and facile but dictatorial modern religion of optimistic humanitarianism: shallow and facile because it does not acknowledge the depth and persistence of human evil, and dictatorial because it will brook no rival.” - National Review
Discussion
Phony Virtue is Ruining Western Society
Body
“Over the past 300 years, Western culture has overthrown its traditional understanding of virtue and replaced it with an ersatz morality. This revolution has allowed personally vile people to claim the loftiest moral standing while, in their daily lives, freely treating those around them with gross disrespect and abuse.” American Conservative
Discussion
Why the Rest Hates the West: Understanding the Growing Animosity of the Rest of the World Toward America
As an American who grew up believing that the United States of America was the beacon of freedom in the world and that people all over the world envied our democracy and liberty, I could never understand why other countries would want to attack us. As a teenager, it was the Russkies and Chicoms that threatened us with their totalitarian aspirations. Today the threat comes primarily from terrorists, but hatred for our country seems to seethe from every corner of the globe. For many Americans, including me, this seems inconceivable. What motivated people all around the world to celebrate when the Twin Towers came down on 9/11? Why did so many dance in the streets and celebrate the worst attack on American soil in half a century?
In his book, Why the Rest Hates the West: Understanding the Roots of Global Rage (IVP, 2004), Meic Pearse tries to help Americans understand the “roots of global rage” against Western democracy. In the introduction he views American tolerance, which many of us consider to be one of the cornerstones of our liberties, from another side. In this passage he is not referring to tolerance as moral relativism, but tolerance as the principles of freedom of religion, speech, press, etc.
The currency of the term tolerance has recently become badly debased. Where it used to mean the respecting of real, hard differences, it has come to mean instead a dogmatic abdication of truth-claims and a moralistic adherence to moral relativism—departure from either of which is stigmatized as intolerance. (p. 12)
Discussion
Image
Discussion