Mark Steyn; In praise of ‘Jesusland’

The Spectator (U.K.) ^ | 12/18/04 | Mark Steyn

[daviddennis]

I emailed Steyn one day and asked him about the posting of his copyrighted material on Free Republic.

He didn't reply. Not a word.

He's published all my other letters in his Mark's Mailbox column. Not that one.

I suspect, but do not know for sure, that he appreciates his fan base here, doesn't mind the reprint of his columns personally, but doesn't want to rock the boat with the people who pay him.

D

[upchuck]

Thanks for the post Poke.

Thanks especially for posting the entire article and not unnecessarily excerpting it.

-snip-

[daviddennis]

How has he abandoned Canadians?

The National Post abandoned him, not the other way around, when Izzy took it over from Conrad Black.

He's now writing about Canada for the Western Standard. I'm sure he'd love to write for a less obscure publication, but Canadian papers not owned by Conrad Black (zero, now) don't have the guts to publish him.

The loss of Conrad Black, who gave Mark his start, is indeed a tragedy, no matter what form of obscure financial malfeasance he participated in. I loved Mark's recent column defending Black as a great newspaperman, even though I know it flew right over the heads of many here.

D

[iconoclast]

Thanks for the Ping, Pokey

[News Junkie]

I like his general point, that under Mary's dire circumstances had Planned Parenthood gotten hold of her they would have counseled her to get an abortion.

As they would have the mothers of my two children, adopted from foster care with my wife and I after chaotic and dysfunctional birth circumstances. And the world would have been deprived of two beautiful and terrific little boys.

[Billthedrill]

Whoa, Poke, that was a column and a half! Worth the wait, IMHO.

What Timothy Garton Ash calls ‘the Enlightenment’ has degenerated under its present trustees into a doomsday cult with all the coerciveness of the old state religion and none of the eternal truths.

It's actually Enlightenment Lite - all the frippery of that wonderful period and none of the substance. Most Enlightenment philosophers - particularly the French - felt that an appreciation of God need not be mediated by a clerical social class; their latterday wannabes have dispensed with God altogether. It's sort of a different thing.

Where the Enlightenment held for a limited government accountable to the people, its latterday keepers - particularly the French - opt for a stifling, overbearing bureaucracy accountable to no one. Where the Enlightenment decried the divine right of kings to govern, its latterday keepers opt for the divine right of self-proclaimed intellectuals to do so. Where the Enlightenment attempted to dispense with social class as a measure of a man's worth its latterday keepers are doing their very best to construct new ones - race, gender, sexual preference - to be man's measure.

This may be somebody's idea of Enlightenment, but it isn't mine.

[MeekOneGOP]

bump for later!

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

I’m not an absolutist in these matters. I’m a red stater when it comes to God and guns, but I like European art-house movies where Juliette Binoche or Isabelle Huppert take their kit off. It’s a question of balance.

Preach it, Brother Steyn! PREACH it -- ! :)

[Renfield]

Bump for later bookmark or copy.

There are times when I think I was born a century, or two centuries, too late. But then reality gives me a good shaking, and I recollect all the things I would have missed had I been born then Mark Steyn's columns are one of those great blessings of our modern age.

[foreverfree]

bump

[knighthawk]

Ping

[blueknight]

Thanks for the post.

Steyn is the best writer out there IMHO.

[doubled]

Could you please add me to the Steyn ping list?

[moonhawk]

An "AIN'T IT GREAT HE'S BACK?" Bump.

Thanks, Pokey.

[bondserv]

Hey, you should be thanking me.

This so-called "troll" gets you on a roll for all of those who you deem are ignorant to science, to witness your exhibition. I am always surprised by your frustration with those on my side. I do not feel an ounce of frustration toward you and your friends.

If an education of the science is all that is needed, you should be ecstatic at the privilege to reach such a wide audience with your "truth".

I prefer to think that you are coming to the end of your "scientific" rope, and you are disturbed by the loop in it. My sincere prayer is that you come to realize the loop can only be cut with one tool. The Cross of Jesus Christ.

Sorry you see me as a troll, it is not my intention. "Provocative discussion instigator", would be my preferred handle. PDI for short. :-)

[A.J.Armitage]

Even today, I've heard that if you drive on the Sabbath in certain parts of Israel the people will start throwing rocks at your car. But the Israeli state has no formal penalty of stoning.

[beaversmom]

Ping. Hey TX--this is a good one.

[beaversmom]

teyn is by far my favorite columnist...cant wait until he picks back up his spt on the Hugh Hewitt show..

Do you know when that's going to happen? I didn't know if he had changed the day or if he was back on Wednesdays--I missed yesterday's show.

[alfa6]

Way Cool Steyn Bump

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[RBroadfoot]

"What Timothy Garton Ash calls ‘the Enlightenment’ has degenerated under its present trustees into a doomsday cult with all the coerciveness of the old state religion and none of the eternal truths."

Mark Steyn is a genius of pithy prose.