The self-defense sketch by Monty Python is so good, so funny, because of its apparent absurdity. Read the rest of this entry »
Which Will You Seek: The Peace of the World or the Peace of Christ?
September 2, 2010
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Comparative Theology, Henry Karlson, Pacifism, Peace, War and Peace | 
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Posted by Henry Karlson
When Language Doesn’t Match Reality: Obama’s Iraq War Speech
September 1, 2010George Packer writes:
What President Obama called the end of the combat mission in Iraq is a meaningless milestone, constructed almost entirely out of thin air, and his second Oval Office speech marks a rare moment of dishonesty and disingenuousness on the part of a politician who usually resorts to rare candor at important moments. The fifty thousand troops who will remain in Iraq until the end of next year will still be combat troops in everything but name, because they will be aiding one side in an active war zone. The proclaimed end of Operation Iraqi Freedom has little or nothing to do with the military and political situation in Iraq, which is why Iraqis were barely aware when the last U.S. combat brigade crossed into Kuwait a few days ago. And for most of us, too—except, perhaps, those with real skin in the game, the million and a half Iraq war veterans and their families—there’s hardly any reality or substance to the moment.
It’s hard to have an honest emotional response or even know what one feels. After seven years of war, the occasion deserves some weight of feeling, but many Americans stopped paying attention a long time ago. And that’s exactly why the President made his announcement: because Americans want the war to be over, have wanted it for years. Tonight he told us what we wanted to hear. August 31, 2010, will go down in history as the day Americans could start not thinking about the war without feeling guilty.
1 Comment | Kyle R. Cupp | Permalink
Posted by Kyle R. Cupp
Ill Fares the Land
September 1, 2010Tony Judt has written a compelling little book, his final one. The title comes from Oliver Goldsmith: “Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey; where wealth accumulates, and men decay“. It is a beautiful and poignant title for a beautiful and poignant book. A short read, it is basically the length of a long essay and is written with a sense of passion and urgency. As well it should be, for it is Judt’s swan song. Judt died recently from Lou Gehrig’s disease.
7 Comments | Economics, Economy, Morning's Minion | Permalink
Posted by Morning's Minion
Eternal Memory, O Lord: Raimon Panikkar
August 31, 2010As announced on the National Catholic Reporter, Raimon Panikkar died on August 26:
Professor Raimon Panikkar, one of the greatest scholars of the 20th century in the areas of comparative religion, theology, and inter-religious dialogue, died at his home in Tavertet, near Barcelona, Spain, Aug. 26. He was 91.
1 Comment | Comparative Theology, Henry Karlson, News, Spirituality | Permalink
Posted by Henry Karlson
Since People Complain We Don’t Discuss Politics
August 31, 2010I’ll start with politics this morning. There are three races I’m watching: California, Kentucky, and Nevada. Presently, Boxer is leading in polling in CA, Paul is leading in KY, and Reid is even with Angle in NV. The GOP needs to pull 2 of 3 to have a chance at retaking the Senate. If they pull 3 of 3, the GOP will most definitely retake the Senate. My intuition is the GOP wins 1 of 3. The House will follow a similar dynamic, but be easier for the GOP to reclaim. I don’t believe it is a given that the GOP will reclaim the House, but I’m not surprised that people are pushing for that expectation. I think the generic ballot is deceiving a lot of people due to the GOP’s enormous edge in the South that is bringing up the national numbers.
Since I’m bored at the moment, I’ll go ahead and analyze all the Senate contested races. Read the rest of this entry »
6 Comments | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by M.Z.
Private Good, Public Bad
August 31, 2010Getting back to basics: we live in a community, a holistic community. We are not mere individuals. We come together in society to undertake collective actions that further the common good. Most of the time, this coordination comes in the private or subsidiary domain, but in the many instances where the market is not synonymous with justice, the state also has a role to play. Either way, the aims are the same, and both are subject to the moral law. But in America today we see signs of radical dichotomy between morality in the private and public sector. I’ve seen the argument numerous times – private companies are in business to make profits and reward shareholders, so they can do as they like, but anything that uses taxpayer money must conform to exacting moral standards (this is a slight exaggeration, but only slight).
9 Comments | Morning's Minion | Permalink
Posted by Morning's Minion
Tea Party Billionaires
August 30, 2010The right is always better organized than the left. There always seems to be the shady moneybags, standing anonymously behind the astute political director who guides the outrage and feeds the talking points to the mob with impressively coordinated precision. This is no more democracy than the “blue” and “green” riots in Roman days constituted democracy. It is carefully directed, carefully orchestrated, and usually serves the interests of the ruling class.
32 Comments | Economics, Economy, Morning's Minion | Permalink
Posted by Morning's Minion
Wisdom: Platonic and Christian
August 30, 2010In a letter lamenting human folly, Marsilio Ficino presents many examples, such as when he said, “The magistrates forbid murder, and allow instruments for killing men to be made everywhere.”[1] Ficino points to an obvious fact: as long as we provide the means for sin, such as murder, we should not be surprised such sins occur. Moreover, if we do not properly prepare people to a life of virtue, which includes the practice of prudence, we should not be surprised that they will take what is offered them and use it to their detriment. “They desire an excellent crop of men, yet they do not take sufficient care of the seedling, that is the child.”[2] This is manifest, he points out, in how we pursue our own selfish gains, no matter who it hurts. We value money more than anything else:
How many people will you find who value a man as much as money; who cultivate themselves in the same way as they cultivate their fields and other affairs; who bring up the family with as much care as many rear their horses, dogs and birds; who consider how grave is the waste of time? In spending money we are very mean, in expending time we are extravagant beyond measure. How many can you name who recognise the poverty of their soul?[3]
Ficino’s words should remind us as to what is central to our lives. Read the rest of this entry »
12 Comments | Henry Karlson | Permalink
Posted by Henry Karlson
Quote of the Day – Liberalism and Social Democracy are Different
August 30, 2010“American readers may be struck by the frequent references to social democracy. Here in the United States, such references are uncommon. When journalists and commentators advocate public expenditure on social objectives, they are more likely to describe themselves – and be described by their critics – as ‘liberals’. But this is confusing…A liberal is someone who opposes interference in the affairs of others: who is tolerant of dissenting attitudes and unconventional behavior. Liberals have historically favored keeping other people out of our lives, leaving individuals the maximum space in which to live and flourish as they choose. In their extreme form, such attitudes as associated today with self-styled ‘libertarians’, but the term is largely redundant. Most genuine liberals remain disposed to leave other people alone. Social democrats, on the other hand, are something of a hybrid. They share with liberals a commitment to cultural and religious tolerance. But in public policy social democrats believe in the possibility and virtue of collective action for the collective good.”
- Tony Judt, Ill Fares the Land, 2010.
2 Comments | Economics, Economy, Liberalism, Morning's Minion | Permalink
Posted by Morning's Minion
Islam is not The Enemy
August 29, 2010There is a particularly dangerous idea being pushed in the Catholic-right blogosphere that Islam is the Enemy We Fight in the war on terrorism. (Let me hasten to add that Mark Shea is (occasionally, anyway) a notable, and honorable, exception to this.)
The political right more generally, especially what I think of as the activist, “tea-party” right, is working very hard to establish this particular narrative as The Story whenever the topic is the “War on Terror.” (I have problems with even defining things that way, which I’ve described before.)
Anyway, here’s Glenn Greenwald, today:
21 Comments | Matt Talbot, Terrorism, The Tea Party, U.S. Affairs, War Strategy | Permalink
Posted by Matt Talbot
Beck’s Selective Use of Christian Theology Misconstrues Christianity
August 29, 2010Glenn Beck routinely equivocates when dealing with theological issues, and in doing so, misleads many of his adherents. He is a dangerous demagogue because of his misrepresentation of Christian theology and the way people who should know better end up following him and his ideology.
One of his criticisms of President Obama is that Obama holds to “liberation theology,” and tell us that Pope Benedict calls liberation theology “demonic.” Read the rest of this entry »
28 Comments | Henry Karlson, Individualism, Liberation Theology | Permalink
Posted by Henry Karlson
Glenn Beck: A Modern Day Paul Revere?
August 28, 2010
That’s the assessment of Father Terence Henry, TOR, the president of my alma mater, who on August 26 prayed and reflected on the meaning of honor with radio and television showman Glenn Beck as a prelude to the Restoring Honor Rally. Unlike the Republican surrogate Sean Hannity, Beck isn’t a loyal partisan, and prizing honor is hardly an act of political tribalism, so I’m not completely surprised that a Franciscan priest and Catholic university president would associate with this rally.What I find surprising, and not a little weird, is the lavish praise Fr. Henry bestows on the popular media personality and his overall views. He compares Beck to Paul Revere, spreading alarm about where this country is going and “doing the job the press is not doing.” He expresses his admiration for Beck’s sometimes “deeply emotional,” chalkboard instruction about the importance of what is at stake, the first principles of our government, and the exceptionalism of our country. America has a “destiny to be a bright shining city on a hill,” says Fr. Henry, invoking the biblical metaphor for the disciples of Christ.
99 Comments | Kyle R. Cupp, Socialism, Weirdness, social justice | Permalink
Posted by Kyle R. Cupp
Two Years in Jail for Offending Religous Sensibilities?
August 27, 2010I know next to nothing about Polish civil law or the pop sensation Dorota Rabczewska, who apparently makes some pretty raunchy videos, but I nevertheless find it very wrong that the singer faces trial and possibly two years in prison for saying the Bible was written by “people who liked herbal cigarettes and were drunks.” Not a classy or intelligent thing to say, granted, and if her offensive remarks cost her sales in the Catholic-heavy country of Poland, so be it. Speech has consequences. Jail time, however, is a ludicrous consequence for offending religious sensibilities. In Poland, the Middle-east, or anywhere else. Stories like this make me glad to live in the U.S., which, for all its problems, has perhaps the best track record of protecting freedom of speech. Let’s keep that track record, please.
Hat tip: Thom at Ad Dominum
4 Comments | Kyle R. Cupp, Language, Politics, The State | Permalink
Posted by Kyle R. Cupp
Another Prayer Request For My Father
August 27, 2010On Monday, he will be going in to the hospital, and will be in there for several weeks, being given a very intensive form of chemotherapy where the doctors will continuously monitor him. Please pray this will work and put him into remission!
Thank you.
9 Comments | Henry Karlson | Permalink
Posted by Henry Karlson
Preferential Option for the Super Rich
August 26, 2010If this country had a functioning media, they would never let Republicans away with screaming against government debt out of one side of their mouths, and calling for the extension of the Bush tax cuts to the rich out of the other. But we do not have a functioning media and they do get away with it. Remember, the Obama administration has agreed to extend the cuts to all but the top income groups. Extending it further turns out to be incredibly expensive and incredibly unfair.
It would cost $680 billion dollars over 10 year. This is far greater than the cost of extending unemployment benefits to those out of work, something the Republicans opposed vigorously (the unemployed do not fill their coffers). It gets worse. Nearly all of the benefit goes to the richest 1 percent, those making more than $500,000 a year. Even more than this, 55 percent of the benefit goes to a mere 120,000 people – the top one-tenth of 1 percent of all taxpayers. Doing the math, that comes to an average $3 million tax reduction to those lucky enough to sit at the helm of the income distribution. It is indeed the preferential option for the super rich. This would be troublesome at the best of times, but in the current economic climate when so many struggle to get by, it’s simply immoral.
10 Comments | Economics, Economy, Morning's Minion | Permalink
Posted by Morning's Minion
The Difficult Position of Same-Sex Marriage Opponents
August 26, 2010Peter Suderman articulates why he suspects opponents of same-sex marriage are bound to lose: their opposition is based on intuition rather than rational justification. At least his opposition was. Suderman has since changed his mind on the prospect of this social change. When he tried to find support for his intuition that same-sex marriage was wrong and ought to be illegal, he couldn’t do so. The arguments that came to mind he found wanting. He concludes:
Same-sex marriage opponents are no doubt failing in part because of their own inability to express a compelling rationale for their position, one that starts with the existing public understanding of what marriage is and should be and then argues that such an understanding is best served by keeping out same-sex couples. But in the long term, I suspect that the fight for equal marriage rights will succeed because millions of Americans will struggle with their intuitive opposition and decide, as I did, that they can not justify it to themselves.
I suspect Suderman will be proven right. It wasn’t long ago that Willow and Tara’s relationship in Buffy the Vampire Slayer marked U.S. television’s first depiction of a lesbian couple. Now same-sex couples are commonly presented and accepted, and with each passing day the idea of same-sex marriage seems less radical and unthinkable. The meta-narrative about the homosexual lifestyle has also developed from a story of licentiousness and promiscuity towards a tale of love, sacrifice, and life-long commitment.
87 Comments | Critical Thinking, Democracy, Dialogue, Ethics, Homosexuality, Kyle R. Cupp, Politics, Sexuality | Permalink
Posted by Kyle R. Cupp
The Catholic Butter Battle
August 25, 2010
I feel like a kid watching a water-balloon fight. I’m tired of it. Here I go. And I’m not joking. I am being very, very serious.
Time to throw some rocks into this water-balloon fight.
73 Comments | Sam Rocha | Permalink
Posted by samrocha
What It Means To Be American?
August 24, 2010
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Posted by Henry Karlson
The Authority of God Is Proven By Love
August 23, 2010In Scripture, Jesus is many times asked to prove himself to others. That is, they wanted to know whether or not he is the messiah whom Israel expected. Jesus, it would seem, gives different answers to different people, somewhat appearing to contradict himself. For example, when Pharisees and Sadducees came to him, they wanted him to prove himself by showing his power and might. Therefore, they asked Jesus to show them a sign. If he did so, that is, if he showed such power and authority that he could take on the legions of Rome, it is clear that they would be willing to follow him; he would have met their expectations. But his response indicates that he does not want to do this; he says he will give them a sign, and indeed, it will be a sign from heaven — it will be the sign of Jonah:
And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, `It will be fair weather; for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, `It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed (RSV Matt 16:1-4).
When St John the Baptist was in prison, John, in his own trial of faith, began to have doubts about Jesus. He sent some of his disciples, asking Jesus to reveal whether or not he had been mistaken. Jesus’ reply is that he was indeed the one John expected, that John was not mistaken, and he had given signs to prove it:
Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is he who takes no offense at me’” (RSV Matt 11:2-6).
Reading these two accounts, it would seem that Jesus was contradicting himself. Read the rest of this entry »
3 Comments | Comparative Theology, Henry Karlson, Love, Prophetic Witness, Solidarity | Permalink
Posted by Henry Karlson
Sharing a Sacred Space
August 22, 2010Paul Moses provides an anecdote:
In this case, the sacred ground was Manger Square in Bethlehem, where Pope John Paul celebrated Mass on March 22, 2000.
The pope had just finished his homily, ending with “Assalamu alaikum,” when the Muslim call to prayer broke forth from the loudspeakers at a mosque that bordered on Manger Square. It seemed, at first, like a rude intrusion on the historic Mass the pope was celebrating in the Jubilee year. But John Paul sat quietly and listened as the muezzin sang God’s praise; he seemed to be savoring the moment. It was as if the Muslim prayer mingled with the Mass.
Just before the Mass ended, it was announced that church and mosque officials had coordinated the call to prayer, which had been delayed to accommodate the pope’s homily. It was a small matter, really, but this cooperation stirred the crowd, mostly Arab Christians, to cheers, applause and even to tears. A sacred space had been shared, and everyone was the better for it.
5 Comments | Alterity, Islam, John Paul II, Kyle R. Cupp, Pope John Paul II, Prayer, Religion | Permalink
Posted by Kyle R. Cupp
Stabs in the Heart and Muslim-Free Zones
August 20, 2010According to Sarah Palin, a large publicly visible sign and structure of Islam close to Ground Zero “feels like a stab in the heart to, collectively, Americans who still have that lingering pain from 9/11.” Stated explicitly, Park 51 feels like a knife separating the skin, rupturing the flesh, and piercing the very source of life. It is no coincidence that Palin illustrates the building project of Iman Rauf as a weapon and fatal act of violence. Indeed, she has gone so far as to call it the “9/11 Mosque,” using the name of an event of fanatical mass murder as an adjective to delineate a house of religious assembly. She’s not the least bit shy about manipulating language to play on people’s fears, but then, her use of language reveals a likely perspective: Palin literally sees Park 51 as an act of violence. It’s not merely insensitive in her book; it’s like the threat of a knife-wielding enemy. At least, it feels that way.
27 Comments | Alterity, Hope, Hospitality, Interpretation, Islam, Kyle R. Cupp, Middle East, Religion, Terrorism, Violence | Permalink
Posted by Kyle R. Cupp
Comparative Theology, Truth, and Christianity
August 20, 2010Marsilio Ficino, like many before and after him, was interested in exploring the way philosophy unites people from different religious traditions, while acknowledging that in such unity, because people would come to it in a diversity of religious faiths, there would remain differences between them as well. In some ways, the differences were based upon the different interests each religious tradition brought with them — the religions of Abraham, for example, place a high regard on the body, and therefore will interpret universal truths in such a way that this recognition of the body remains, while the Platonists, with its ambivalence to the body, will engage the same truth to a different end. Thus, in his “Introduction” of his Platonic Theology, he writes: Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Comparative Theology, Henry Karlson, Interpretation, Truth | Permalink
Posted by Henry Karlson
Quote of the day: Oliver Davies
August 19, 2010“Christian faith occurs precisely where our own speaking and relating is overtaken by the divine dynamic of triadic speech. It thus entails two kinds of affirmation. The first is that we truly encounter God in Christ and–through the Spirit–hear in the Son the voice of the Father. The second affirmation is that this new kind of speech- relation can never become our own property but always remains gifted by divine disclosure. Our own new speaking, as an attitude of faith, is grounded in the relation into which we enter through listening to the voice of Christ, in scripture, liturgy and the body of those who celebrate his name. The speaking of the Petrine church as teaching and of the Marian church as intercession is neither ordinary speaking nor is it divine seeking but rather is a human speaking that has been overtaken by the trinitarian self-disclosure and has been conceived in the domain between the two which is marked by excess, risk and penitence. Christian truth too is of this kind, and is affirmed between a human reality and a disclosure of a divine reality which transcends any capacity we have to render an adequate account of it. Christian truth is therefore both a coming into possession and a form of dispossession. It fills us with a pervasive trust and knowing even as it robs us of the security of stable self-knowledge which dissolves into the dynamic of our own deepening relation with the divine being-in-relation, who is the trinitarian Word. The witness of Christian truth before the world is thus simultaneously the confession of our own individual and corporate inadequacy before the transcendent reality of the divine speaking that has come upon us. The affirmation of that truth and the penitence that we discover at the heart of our embrace of it necessarily belong to each other, and they find existential expression in the life of self-emptying risk for the sake of the other which is discipleship. It is the Christian form of life as compassionate self-exceeding before the other which is the true communication of Christian truth as the dispossessive, overflowing eruption of being and love from within the Godhead.”
A Theology of Compassion. Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 2003. p. 284
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Posted by markdefrancisis
Somewhat Funny, Somewhat Confusing
August 18, 2010H/T to Mark Shea, The Western Confucian, and Michael Denton
There seems to be a new blog on the blogosphere which is receiving critical attention called The Catholic Fascist. Some think it is a spin-off from Vox Nova, claiming this proves that Vox Nova is run by heterodox dissenters, because they see The Catholic Fascist as mocking Catholic doctrine. The blog does not really seem to be doing that, but rather how such doctrine is presented on the blogosphere (which are two different things). I am thinking about how The Onion Dome was written by Orthodox, by people who loved orthodoxy, and yet understand how bad some Orthodox could be in presenting Orthodox teaching. Sadly, I do not think The Catholic Fascist is as good as The Onion Dome. Indeed, one of the things which made The Onion Dome so good is how immaculate it was written, while what we see on The Catholic Fascist appears to be poorly written and filled with all kinds of grammatical mistakes.
Now, I admit the blog has a sense of humor, but one can but wonder whether or not such a blog is actually needed. If it is supposed to be a parody of The American Catholic, there would be no need for such a blog, because The American Catholic brings out the laughs without such parody. If it is aimed beyond The American Catholic, it would be interesting to see who else it is mocking. Does anyone know?
One thing I think its critics are right about: The Catholic Fascist, unless it brings in new ideas, is a blog which will come and go and will soon be forgotten. Perhaps that will be for the best.
42 Comments | Blogs, Henry Karlson | Permalink
Posted by Henry Karlson
Two Defenses of Michael Voris [Updated]
August 18, 2010My co-blogger Sam Rocha offers a “hesitant defense” of Michael Voris’ now deleted (!) video in which the RealCatholicTV host argued for a “benevolent dictatorship” and for granting only virtuous Catholics the right to vote. Sam acknowledges that Voris is “very confused” and “wants an America that never was: a Catholic Nation.” He also rightly considers the frightening possibilities of how Voris might separate “the sheep from the goats” and radically transform our democracy. Sam, however, also wants to acknowledge some legitimacy to Voris’ position: namely, that political freedom divorced from love results in its own kind of dictatorship. “I feel that we can forget that democracy and freedom are empty—and dangerous—without Gospel love,” he writes.
9 Comments | Kyle R. Cupp, Philosophy, Politics | Permalink
Posted by Kyle R. Cupp
Religious Freedom is a Theocratic Dictatorship: A hesitant defense of Michael Voris
August 18, 2010The profitable whirlwind of sensationalistic news and overheated commentary that has given us another “controversy” to gasp and wring our hands at. (Until Tiger Woods releases a sex tape or something like that.) As usual, it is hard to make sense amidst it all.
My intuition is that many of the defenders of religious freedom—including several recent posts by our own Kyle Cupp—are right to scold those who are trying to use this snafu to advance politics of fear and, sometimes, hatred. At the same time, I think that this might also be a missed opportunity for having a serious discussion about what “religious freedom” is.
More controversially, I have found myself in a position that makes me feel a bit squeamish: I think that I might agree with Michael Voris of RealCatholic TV in his (recently deleted) video entitled, “Catholic Government.”
8 Comments | Sam Rocha | Permalink
Posted by samrocha
The Insane Prophet
August 18, 2010“It is sometimes an appropriate response to reality to go insane.” Philip K Dick
To be deemed insane, and therefore to have one’s ideas entirely rejected because of one’s failure to “grasp reality,” has become one of the great phobias of modernity. Positivistic rationalism with its absolute faith in human reason and its ability to comprehend the mysteries of the universe abhors the insane because they remind us of the frailty of humanity. The insane have always served to counter human exceptionalism. In other eras, though the insane were difficult to deal with, they were also appreciated because they were seen as those who touched upon sacred and holy mysteries and so deserved respect. They did not have to understand that which they communed with; the fact that they were in communion with the sacred gave them their position of respect. They disturbed humanity just as much as they were disturbed. They showed us that there was more to the real than the frail simulacra of the real preserved by human knowledge. They were to be treated with honor because those whom the holy invades must be respected; holy fools were prophets, and those who ignored them did so at their own peril.
4 Comments | Empire, Gnosticism, Henry Karlson, Literature, Prophetic Witness | Permalink
Posted by Henry Karlson
Resourcement Must Include The Renaissance
August 17, 2010The early renaissance contains many figures who, important in the history of ideas, have received scant attention save by specialists. Sadly, this means many of their insights have been lost, their wisdom ignored. While they were working upon a way to view the world in a more catholic, united fashion, the spirit of the Reformation is all about dividing and making conflicts in places where no such conflict is necessary. Difference of opinion and experience do not have to create division, nor do they have to be indicative of indifference. Pluralism can be, and should be, founded upon the truth — a truth which, however, transcends human reason and therefore is capable of being embraced and understood in apparently contradictory practices and beliefs. The more we grasp for truth, the more we find out we do not know, the more we appreciate we do not understand, and the more we see why the arrogance of those who think they know the fullness of truth is as sad as it is laughable.
Let us look at three major figures who I believe best represents the greatness of the renaissance, and whose ideas, if explored further, I think would be of great benefit to humanity. Read the rest of this entry »
15 Comments | Comparative Theology, Henry Karlson, Philosophy | Permalink
Posted by Henry Karlson
Question of the week: will demagoguery triumph in 2010?
August 16, 2010In the light of the recent efforts to exploit fear and prejudice with respect to both birth-right citizenship and the New York mosque project, the question is: will demagoguery be the main tool that the Republicans utilize in the 2010 U.S. national elections? And, if so, will they ‘win’?
32 Comments | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by markdefrancisis
Quote of the Week: Marsilio Ficino
August 16, 2010Since love is kindled in our hearts by the breath of some celestial spirit, when one loves, the other always return love; and often when one is thinking, the other is thinking the same thing in the same way. For since the heavenly father, as the common cause of all things, enfolds both, he creates the mutual love of the lovers; and the love of the lover proceeding from heaven through man, reflects back, now in the earthly face of humanity, then in the vaults of heaven: in turn, it gives birth to Echo.
Marsilio Ficino, The Letters of Marsilio Ficino Volume 3. trans. Language Department of the School of Economic Science, London (New York: Gingko Pressm 1985), 51-2.
3 Comments | Quotes | Permalink
Posted by Henry Karlson
Religious Freedom vs. Theocratic Dictatorships
August 15, 2010Glenn Greenwald, typically a fierce critic of President Obama’s policies affecting civil liberties, rightly commends the president for his politically risky reminder that the United States is a country committed to religious freedom for everyone–Muslims included. Obama has since clarified his statement by noting that he was not commenting on the prudence of building a mosque and community center near Ground Zero, but his initial point remains. As I’ve written before, those who wish to practice their religion tomorrow would be ill advised to deny or limit the religious freedom of others today, fearing that the other’s religion looks poised to increase its sway within society. It does no good to diminish or remove another person’s freedom of religion fearing that the other will someday diminish or remove our own. We all share the same religious freedom–a freedom meant to protect the minority against the majority.
39 Comments | Democracy, Free Speech, Hospitality, Human Rights, Kyle R. Cupp, Media, Middle East, Obama, Religion, Theology, Weirdness | Permalink
Posted by Kyle R. Cupp
Will Anyone Thank Obama For This?
August 13, 2010This morning I read about another mistake done by President Obama: his approval of the newest border-security bill from Congress. While I can understand why he did so — he is trying to be bi-partisan, his critics will not acknowledge what he has done, while his supporters will feel betrayed. The bill helps support the growing xenophobia, and, instead of bringing in ideas which are needed for true immigration reform, it increases the difficulties to legally enter into the United States, making sure there will be more irregular immigrants in our future. After all, by funding the bill by increasing fees on those companies that bring in guest workers, such companies will bring in less documented workers leaving the space open for more undocumented workers instead.
5 Comments | Henry Karlson, Immigration, Obama | Permalink
Posted by Henry Karlson
The Third Bush Term?
August 12, 2010On the domestic front, I’ve been pretty happy with the Obama administration. It’s impressive that they have accomplished so much good in the face of unwielding nihilistic opposition. They passed the stimulus bill – could have been bigger, could have been better targeted, but they passed it, and used public demand to stop a downward spiral in private demand (see the Blinder-Zandi study noting that without the combined monetary, fiscal, and financial sector interventions, there would be 8.5 million fewer jobs, and GDP would be a whopping 6.5 percent lower). They passed a momentous health care reform bill, which will expand coverage to 32 million more people, end the scandal of widespread rationing by cost, and curb the growth of future health care spending. And they passed the most sweeping set of Wall Street regulations in generations – not perfect, and watered down by dealings with swing Republicans, but significant. Sadly, no action is forthcoming on the all important climate bill, but still, not a bad innings ove rthe past two years. It has certainly lived up to expectations.
But on the foreign front, I’ve been grievously disappointed.
18 Comments | Morning's Minion, Terrorism, War and Peace, war | Permalink
Posted by Morning's Minion
Vox Nova At The Library: The Ancient Allan
August 12, 2010One of the major writers at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century was Sir H. Rider Haggard. His adventure-romances attracted a large readership, with his Allan Quatermain series being his most famous and popular (followed closely by his books about She). The most famous of this tales, King Solomon’s Mines, has been made into several movies. Yet, his other Quatermain stories merit attention. They represent the ethos of the time, and Quatermain, it is said, often has similar theosophical beliefs as Haggard himself. Perhaps no novel represents this better than The Ancient Allan. Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by Henry Karlson
Birthright and the 14th Amendment
August 11, 2010In the debate over immigration, we have recently seen various Republicans calling for a change (or is it repeal) of the 14th Amendment. The reason they give is that the birthright privileges it gives to the children of immigrants (legal or not) is wrong. They argue that the Amendment did not intend to give citizenship to the children of “illegal aliens,” but now that it has been shown to do so, it needs to be changed so this will no longer happen. Read the rest of this entry »
13 Comments | Henry Karlson, Human Person, Human Rights, Immigration | Permalink
Posted by Henry Karlson
Further Thoughts on Sin: The Face of Christ
August 10, 2010Station 6: Veronica Helps Jesus
Christ Speaks: Can you be brave enough, my other self, to wipe my bloody face?
Where is my face, you ask?
At home whenever eyes fill up with tears,
at work when tensions rise,
on playgrounds,
in the slums, the courts, the hospitals,
the jails
– wherever suffering exists –
my face is there.
And there I look for you
to wipe away my blood and tears.I reply: Lord, what you ask is hard. It calls for courage and self-sacrifice, and I am weak. Please, give me strength. Don’t let me run away because of fear.
Lord, live in me, act in me, love in me. And not in me alone – in all of us – so that we may reveal no more your bloody but your glorious face on earth.Clarence Enzler,
Everyone’s Way of the Cross
I have seen the face of Christ – in the aged face of a kindly black woman who answered the door when I was selling door to door in the ghetto. I prepared to give her my pitch, but she looked with such tenderness into my eyes that I could not try to make her want something she didn’t need. She had looked past my salesman veneer, and in her beatific smile I was confronted with the devastating love of Christ Himself. It was as if she took attentive, simple joy in my existence, and saw me as God sees me. I mumbled something about how whatever it was I was selling wasn’t something she needed, and I was sorry to have bothered her. I felt like weeping.
10 Comments | Consumerism, Culture of Death, Evil, Matt Talbot, Solidarity, Suffering | Permalink
Posted by Matt Talbot
A book review on religion and public schools
August 9, 2010A review of The Role of Religion in 21st Century Public Schools that I wrote recently came out in Education Review.
You can access it here for free.
I wrote the review rather hastily — too hastily, in fact — but the rough edges of the prose contain many of the sentiments I have written about here at Vox Nova. In many ways, this review grew more out of my work here, than my academic work proper. The two are not mutually exclusive, to be sure, but it does offer some consolation to what is done around here — for me at least.
Here is a short excerpt that expresses my concerns about this book and the ways of thinking it exemplifies:
To show how much the Republican party has degenerated in so short a time…
August 9, 2010..I quote George W. Bush with approval:
“The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam. That’s not what Islam is all about. Islam is peace. These terrorists don’t represent peace. They represent evil and war. When we think of Islam we think of a faith that brings comfort to a billion people around the world. Billions of people find comfort and solace and peace. And that’s made brothers and sisters out of every race — out of every race. America counts millions of Muslims amongst our citizens, and Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country. Muslims are doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the military, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, moms and dads. And they need to be treated with respect.”
8 Comments | Islam, Morning's Minion | Permalink
Posted by Morning's Minion
The Faith of the Faithless
August 9, 2010Writing over at The Stone, Simon Critchley suggests that the true nature of the faith Christ sought to proclaim is better revealed by the faith of non-Christians, by those whose faith “is not supported by the supposed guarantee of baptism, creedal dogma, regular church attendance or some notion that virtue will be rewarded with happiness if not here on earth, then in the afterlife.” Critchley goes on to say that it is the particular faith of the faithless that truly meets the criteria of strenuous rigor he, following Kierkegaard, associates with the faith illustrated in the Gospels. Christ, for example, praised the belief of the unbelieving centurion: “Be it done for you, as you believed.”
I grant Critchley that what some Christians call faith may be better called a false certainty or presumption about one’s standing with God. For some faith may act more as a security blanket than as a rigorous response to a revealing God, and I think especially of those public Christians quick to proclaim authoritatively and without a shred of doubt that some historical event, often a tragedy, was an act performed or allowed by God for such and such a purpose. These faithful speak as though they’d received a text message directly from God explaining his ways and purposes and designs, making me wonder whether they have a God’s Voice App on their smartphones. Aside from these examples, though, I wouldn’t say that baptism, creeds, moral theories and regular church attendance support faith in a way that makes faith more secure and less rigorous. I’m baptized and believe creeds and celebrate liturgies, but, in the words of John Caputo following Augustine, I do still not know what I love when I love my God.
1 Comment | Faith, Kyle R. Cupp, Philosophy | Permalink
Posted by Kyle R. Cupp
Resolved
August 7, 2010No argument will prevail against a person who believes good is subjective.
11 Comments | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by M.Z.
