Posted on 03/11/2011 9:31:34 AM PST by TheConservativeCitizen
Oedipus’ problem is our problem. Oedipus did not know who he was. Neither do we.
The essence of any culture is contained in its religion. But what happens when a country turns its back on God. What happens when they kill their Father?
Generally, those who stop worshipping at the altar of God, start worshipping at the altar of State. It is no accident that the totalitarian regimes of the past century were the most atheistic. As we aggressively remove God from the public square, the State looms aggressively ever larger.
And in forsaking Heaven we marry Mother Earth and all she encompasses: materialism, temporality, sensuality, and every ideology whose alpha and omega exist in the here and now. It will not matter how often the ideologies fail. Why? “Because THIS time WE are running the show, not those oppressors of yesteryear who were not as progressive and enlightened as us.” Wasn’t it Aristophanes who said, “Master, shall I begin with the usual jokes that the audience always laughs at?”
And the freedom born of Christianity disappears with the disappearance of that Faith. So when the ten commandments are verboten in the courthouse, why act surprised when property rights start to disappear as well? The traditional religion is attacked;subdued, and the traditional ethos follows. Then one observes the dominoes fall: traditional values, traditional rights, traditional marriage, traditional art.
Do we board a ship for Tarshish? Lament our loss between pints of ale and Auld Lang Syne? Or will we come to our senses and remember Who We Are. We are a country founded on Christianity and Christian freedom. We recognise property rights as did the God who gave Moses the Ten Commandments. Our ancestors who came from various other countries learned to speak English and embraced American culture. We believed that government should be as small and as local as possible. And that it should be representative. Where is my representation? I approve of very little that the government has done since Coolidge retired.
But where are the freedom loving Christians? The rugged individualists? The huddled masses yearning to breathe free? I have no answers. At one time I believed that conservatives would make their stand but they cannot.
Most of them are in the same position as Oedipus. If they believe in God, it is merely an idea of God, not God Himself. They see economic freedom as the Great Liberator and believe that the Free Market is rational. No, the market seeks to satisfy every appetite; one can hardly call that rational.
They seem to be unable to take a genuinely conservative stand because their conservatism is so shallow. Case in point: National Review did a Top 100 movies issue in the Nineties. It contained a wide range of movies over a long period of time. NRO recently did a list of conservative movies by poll and it only went back 25 years. And many of what showed up there did not belong on a list of conservative anything. Unfortunately, our idea of a conservative movie has been so dumbed down, we end up calling “conservative” any movie that doesn’t explicitly praise Che Guevera as a hero.
Perhaps I am just tired of liberals who call themselves conservative simply because they don’t approve of marxism. But honestly, we just need some really solidly based conservatives who know that the French Revolution was a big mistake. One that we’re still paying for.
“Generally, those who stop worshiping at the altar of God, start worshiping at the altar of State”
The very core of the (potential) demise of this nation.
I watched most of the Homeland Security hearing yesterday. The testimony of Melvin Bledsoe reminded me that people will not believe in nothing. The product of fifty plus years of government and academe jihad against Christianity is increasing acceptance and embrace of Islam. Our republic cannot survive a significant Islamic population.
True.
Quite right. America has pushed aside the merciful hand of Christ, so why should we be surprised when God allows the hand of Ishmael with his scimitar to be raised against us?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.