Posted on 01/02/2011 12:45:33 PM PST by HorowitzianConservative
Social conservatism has long allowed itself to be painted as bloodless, largely irrelevant political Protestantism; an alliance of Evangelicals who have climbed into bed with the most myopic fringe movements in America. At the same time we have allowed the Left to co-opt issues that are central to achieving the goals of social conservatism: maintaining the traditions and values of Western Civilization in general and America (the pinnacle of Western civilization) in particular. While we find a hundred different ways to disapprove of gays or pornography or the idea that someone, somewhere is enjoying themselves in ways we find unseemly, the Left has framed our language, attitudes and even our perception of issues much more important to preserving our way of life than the few issues on which social conservatives have made their voices heard.
Social conservatism cannot simply be about promoting one religion or political party. It must be about preserving America as the last bastion of the West. The Judeo-Christian character of America should be recognized and defended – as should the fact that the Judeo-Christian worldview is the product of Western history that extends back through the mists of time to ages when there were neither Jews or Christians. We cannot be a cultural movement based on Europhilia — the West at its height encompassed the known world and distilled the best of hundreds of cultures into the great stream of ideas that make up Western consciousness.
Social conservatism should promote and defend the great ideas of the West. We must stand for freedom, justice, faith, virtue, and honor. We should promote Western values as not just a birthright of people in the West but as light in a world of darkness.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsrealblog.com ...
It’s not every single paragraph, it’s for the next post in the collection. If you want it all on one page then click “print this post.”
I agree
For those with a short attention span:
7. Art
6. Abolitionism
5. Our Hunting Heritage
4. Feminism
3. Racism
2. Interfaith Dialogue
1. Law and Order
All cultures and ideas are built on previous ones, whether the art in prehistoric cave, the invention of fire, the formation of clans and kinship, the wheel, the use of steel. These had no identifiable Western attributes or led toward the Western canon of thought or the development of a “more identifiable Western idea”? Hammurabi’s code of law had profound effect on Western Thought.
Are you saying there were no Greeks or Romans in Egypt, Sumeria or the Indus valley or that they were isolated from all Western areas so their ideas and cultures had no effect on Western Thought?
This infusion of cultures is well-established throughout the historical record of art throughout the ages—even in prehistoric art. To say something is not “Western” because it is primitive, is saying that there was never an origin of Western Civilization and it just appeared fully-formed one day.
The author spoke of “western thought” not in absolute terms, but rather in contrast to other civilizations or modes of thought.
Western civ is a hybrid civilization born of classical (Greek) and Judeo-Christian (Biblical) parents. It came into existence, in any identifiable way, when these fused during late antiquity and the early Middle Ages.
Its two parent civilizations went back another 1500 years or so, but were almost completely separate during most of this period, having very little influence on each other.
Prior to that, while obviously civilizations existed from which western civ drew much, I fail to see how they can be said to BE western civ, as opposed to some other civilization. Their contributions are part of the common stock of all civilizations, not uniquie to or specifically associated with western civ.
Sorry if I’m explaining my thoughts poorly.
The article is actually a museum quality piece of what is wrong with a significant segment of those who call themselves conservatives. Although it is possible to agree with some of what the author says, the weakness is mostly in the underlying presuppositions.
I’m not sure the author intended to defend Theodism. Rather I think he was trying to point out that rejecting potential allies because they don’t agree with us on all points is not wise strategy.
Not that Theodism, Asatru, Wicca and the other neo-pagan religions aren’t remarkably silly.
OK. It would function as a more-than-faint warning buzzer for me, though.
This is consistent with with Nancy Pearcey’s new book, Saving Leonardo!
Oh, I know what you are talking about—just giving you a hard time.
I think historical experts are changing their theories on the cradle of civilization as I type, so I think it is hard to do anything but present a hypothesis about history which is quite debatable.
Since the lack of records in prehistorical time, much about history is “shaped” by the anthropologists who I have little regard for....That’s just me who had some interaction with some of the Marxists in college, who have little regard for truth and history. Progressives have a habit of making facts fit into their little sociological, evolutionary boxes, and I can’t be anything but a skeptic and ask—why do they do what they do?
It is this Postmodern cr*p that comes out in me sometimes. I can’t help it. LOL
I’m ambivalent on this Rob Taylor guy.
He understands the issues of culture war but with a younger person’s sorta new conservative slant...especially on race.
In any event, better than nothing.
There is a distinct age bridge between white southerners of my age group and younger conservatives...especially from outside the Deep South on these issues.
They just know what they know and it’s limited compared to my experience.
We have a lot of that here on conservatism and race...it’s an appropriation not based on reality
Halloran was elected to the City Council in a district with a large Jewish and Korean Protestant population, ironically.
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