Our civilization (broadly understood here to mean Western Civilization, but specifically, the modern United States under its magnificent Constitution) is under siege from within, a condition caused by moral and ethical decline, the march of relativism, the great social stigma attached to being “judgmental”, and the decline in our ability to understand right and wrong, all of which are related. As this essay unwinds, it is already obvious that there will be readers who will find themselves hostile to its pleadings, that concepts such as “right” or “wrong” have little place in our modern world of shade and nuance, and even if such outmoded concepts did exist, who died and left me in charge of determining them? Well, the answer to the last question there is “I appointed me”, and since you paid good money to read this essay, you need to hear from me.
Outstanding as always. You espoused rabid common sense that is, sadly, not so common afterall.
This quote: "One never hears them talk about the hundreds of millions of dollars in aid that has been taken in by Hamas for humanitarian purposes and funneled into rockets and arms that have rained down on Israel since the day Israel forcibly removed its own citizens from Gaza 18 years ago." is simply not said enough.
Personal note: Waxing eloquently on the Oyster Festival made me both homesick and a reminder I need to get back to the Motherland during these cold months. We need to visit over a couple of dozen when I do.
I agree with every word in your section on Israel. The Gaza strip should be turned into a nature preserve or some such and all population eliminated if a terrorist or relocated if benign. The US should support Israel to the max, militarily and diplomatically. The most anti-semitic organization in the world is the UN and the US should throw them out. Give them notice to vacate in 6 months and raze it to the ground. Agree on Perry. I was vaguely aware of who he was having never watched Friends. But, grief for a self-indulgent celebrity who died is difficult to understand. Having lived in Maryland on three separate occasions, I have never once tasted an oyster. The bacon wrapped sausage, I could go for.
I have another unpopular opinion: If you aren't an Israeli with residency there, why are you there?
We could say this about a number of dangerous places Americans insist on visiting --- and then want the taxpayers to pay for efforts to get them out of jail ( or worse). If I were Emperor, the state department wouldn't simply issue travel alerts, they'd deny landing rights to airlines intending to go to dangerous places.
The problem here is this...God inspired it...God affirms his word existed before the world was even created. You may notl LIKE what God says but...its what God says... Thats what be a "Christian" (literally little christ) entails...
My certainty at 7 years old of right and wrong and my certainty now at 70 plus is relatively the same but nuanced. Teach your children well and they will teach you. Thanks as always for taking the effort to inform and entertain. Bacon.
Great article. Lately I've been wondering what responsibility a population has to rid itself of an evil, controlling force like Hamas. How about the German and Russian populations with regard to Hitler and Putin? Not saying it's easy, but surely you could find some weapons in Gaza. Air drop 50 cal sniper rifles with silencers? Something to fill tunnels with carbon monoxide? At what point does a civilian population bear responsibility for cowering?
On the whole LGBTQ situation, I'm torn between my decades long affiliation with evangelical churches and the idea that something like 20 million americans would voluntarily subject themselves to abuse and discrimination just to experience something they weren't born with. Or were they?
I'm having the same misgivings about the idea that Christianity is the only way to an afterlife, which condemns about 5.6 billion on the planet to something less pleasant.
That is the literal, out of context, "inerrant" view of the Bible. I went along with that for decades until I started digging deeper. One can certainly conclude that writing done over 1,000 years and eventually canonized hundreds of years later is all exactly as dictated/inspired by God. The Bible is of great value, but I didn't become a Christian because of reading. I felt a calling. Eventually I could no longer reconcile some things with the number of human beings that would be swept aside by literal readings.
Deconstruction can be scary. I wonder if that idea in John 14:6 is found in other gospels or epistles.
Outstanding as always. You espoused rabid common sense that is, sadly, not so common afterall.
This quote: "One never hears them talk about the hundreds of millions of dollars in aid that has been taken in by Hamas for humanitarian purposes and funneled into rockets and arms that have rained down on Israel since the day Israel forcibly removed its own citizens from Gaza 18 years ago." is simply not said enough.
Personal note: Waxing eloquently on the Oyster Festival made me both homesick and a reminder I need to get back to the Motherland during these cold months. We need to visit over a couple of dozen when I do.
Looking forward to it.
I agree with every word in your section on Israel. The Gaza strip should be turned into a nature preserve or some such and all population eliminated if a terrorist or relocated if benign. The US should support Israel to the max, militarily and diplomatically. The most anti-semitic organization in the world is the UN and the US should throw them out. Give them notice to vacate in 6 months and raze it to the ground. Agree on Perry. I was vaguely aware of who he was having never watched Friends. But, grief for a self-indulgent celebrity who died is difficult to understand. Having lived in Maryland on three separate occasions, I have never once tasted an oyster. The bacon wrapped sausage, I could go for.
I have another unpopular opinion: If you aren't an Israeli with residency there, why are you there?
We could say this about a number of dangerous places Americans insist on visiting --- and then want the taxpayers to pay for efforts to get them out of jail ( or worse). If I were Emperor, the state department wouldn't simply issue travel alerts, they'd deny landing rights to airlines intending to go to dangerous places.
The problem here is this...God inspired it...God affirms his word existed before the world was even created. You may notl LIKE what God says but...its what God says... Thats what be a "Christian" (literally little christ) entails...
My certainty at 7 years old of right and wrong and my certainty now at 70 plus is relatively the same but nuanced. Teach your children well and they will teach you. Thanks as always for taking the effort to inform and entertain. Bacon.
Great article. Lately I've been wondering what responsibility a population has to rid itself of an evil, controlling force like Hamas. How about the German and Russian populations with regard to Hitler and Putin? Not saying it's easy, but surely you could find some weapons in Gaza. Air drop 50 cal sniper rifles with silencers? Something to fill tunnels with carbon monoxide? At what point does a civilian population bear responsibility for cowering?
On the whole LGBTQ situation, I'm torn between my decades long affiliation with evangelical churches and the idea that something like 20 million americans would voluntarily subject themselves to abuse and discrimination just to experience something they weren't born with. Or were they?
I'm having the same misgivings about the idea that Christianity is the only way to an afterlife, which condemns about 5.6 billion on the planet to something less pleasant.
Not "Christianity" but The Christ, the Son of God, is
pretty clear...
I amthe way, the truth and the life, no man cometh to the father except by me."
Your liking yhe truth...or not...is not Gods problem 8)
That is the literal, out of context, "inerrant" view of the Bible. I went along with that for decades until I started digging deeper. One can certainly conclude that writing done over 1,000 years and eventually canonized hundreds of years later is all exactly as dictated/inspired by God. The Bible is of great value, but I didn't become a Christian because of reading. I felt a calling. Eventually I could no longer reconcile some things with the number of human beings that would be swept aside by literal readings.
Deconstruction can be scary. I wonder if that idea in John 14:6 is found in other gospels or epistles.
https://www.paradoxredlands.com/post/how-do-we-make-sense-of-john-14-6-in-our-modern-society
Bryan,
Thank you for a terrific article and I share your sentiments, especially on the Oyster Festival as well.
Best,
Nigel
Thank you!