Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Restoring Civilization
American Thinker ^ | Selwyn Duke

Posted on 12/23/2018 6:09:59 AM PST by RoosterRedux

They can sense it. They can feel it. Something is seriously wrong in our civilization, and many people know it. This is why despite the relatively good economic times, most Americans polled say our country is on the “wrong track.” Yet many are like a gravely ill man who knows he’s not well but can’t precisely identify his ailment. Most often, Americans have only a vague sense of cultural malaise, or they “self-diagnose” wrongly.

Years ago I had a brief “state of the nation” discussion with a very fine, older country gentleman. While no philosopher, he did offer the following diagnosis. Struggling for words and gesticulating a bit, he said, “There’s…there’s no morality.”

Most believe morality is important both personally and nationally. We generally agree that an immoral man treads a dangerous path; of course, it’s likewise for two immoral men, five, 53 or 1,053 — or a whole nation-full.

Echoing many Founders, George Washington noted that “morality is a necessary spring of popular government.” The famous apocryphal saying goes, “America is great because America is good, and if she ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.”

...

To cement the point, consider my patent explanation. Who or what determines what this thing we call morality is?

Only two possibilities exist: Either man or something outside of him does. If the latter, something vastly superior and inerrant (i.e., God), then we really can say morality exists, apart from man. It’s real. Yet what are the man-as-measure implications?

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: atheism; nihilism; relativism
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-26 next last

1 posted on 12/23/2018 6:09:59 AM PST by RoosterRedux
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: RoosterRedux
knows he’s not well but can’t precisely identify his ailment

No comparison. I know exactly what's wrong with civilization. Particularly America. Liberalism in all its iterations. In all its forms and disguises.

For civilization to survive we must eradicate all things liberal throughout society. And it must be retroactive.

And, since that's extremely unlikely ............

2 posted on 12/23/2018 6:14:08 AM PST by LouAvul (The most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RoosterRedux

The ailment is liberalism, aka leftism, progressivism,democrat, media, public education. All things left, the time to purge is nearly upon us.


3 posted on 12/23/2018 6:19:25 AM PST by exnavy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RoosterRedux

You are both right. Liberalism’s adoption of immorality as a norm has led society into the pits. The world is not a moral place today and we are paying a price, and it will get worse unless there is a revival of those principles of life set out by God in his Holy Scriptures. I agree completely with those words written, “...America is great because America is good....”


4 posted on 12/23/2018 6:25:08 AM PST by elpadre (AfganistaMr Obama said theoal was to "disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-hereQaeda" and its allies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RoosterRedux

“Restoring Civilization”

Short of an “Act of God”, civilization will not be restored.

As we continue “Slouching Towards Gomorrah” (1996), we have passed the point of no return.


5 posted on 12/23/2018 6:27:25 AM PST by faucetman (Just the facts, ma'am, Just the facts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RoosterRedux

We need to get back to church, family, and community and away from Hollywood which is sort of turning into a decline and fall of the Roman empire sort of spectacle.


6 posted on 12/23/2018 6:28:56 AM PST by BlackAdderess (I remember when a person's thoughts were their own and not everyone else's responsibility)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: elpadre

Here is an article demonstrating how serious the problem has become when Senators actually reject moral attributes. http://www.ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/US.php?id=18637


7 posted on 12/23/2018 6:32:43 AM PST by elpadre (AfganistaMr Obama said theoal was to "disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-hereQaeda" and its allies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: RoosterRedux
Here's another article on FR that discusses this subject even more clearly. And it is from 1998...
The Revenge of Conscience (Very good article on moral relativism)

8 posted on 12/23/2018 6:37:11 AM PST by RoosterRedux
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: elpadre; LouAvul

LouAvul: “I know exactly what’s wrong with civilization. Particularly America. Liberalism in all its iterations.”

exnavy: “The ailment is liberalism, aka leftism, progressivism,democrat, media, public education.”

elpadre: “You are both right.”

Why are they right? Why is “what’s wrong” or “the ailment” not the underlying mindset that makes people choose or gravitate toward liberalism?


9 posted on 12/23/2018 6:42:28 AM PST by KrisKrinkle (Blessed be those who know the depth and breadth of ignorance. Cursed be those who don't.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: LouAvul

I’m with you....at least we have a President willing to fight the cancer that the libs have strewed throughout society....


10 posted on 12/23/2018 7:07:56 AM PST by trebb (Those who don't donate anything tend to be empty gasbags...no-value-added types)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: LouAvul

You Sir, have hit the nail squarely on the head!


11 posted on 12/23/2018 7:12:35 AM PST by Shane (When Injustice Becomes Law, RESISTANCE Becomes DUTY.----T.Jefferson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: lonevoice

Read the posts, too. Many great quotes and links to other articles.


12 posted on 12/23/2018 7:30:05 AM PST by Pride in the USA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pride in the USA

“.....most Americans polled say our country is on the “wrong track.” ……

If you can’t see the decline, you’ve been living under a rock for a very long time. At age 81, my remaining time here may be brief. I am happy I had a chance to live in FAR BETTER TIMES.


13 posted on 12/23/2018 7:35:43 AM PST by DaveA37
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: KrisKrinkle
LouAvul: “I know exactly what’s wrong with civilization. Particularly America. Liberalism in all its iterations.” exnavy: “The ailment is liberalism, aka leftism,

progressivism,democrat, media, public education.”

elpadre: “You are both right.”

Why are they right? Why is “what’s wrong” or “the ailment” not the underlying mindset that makes people choose or gravitate toward liberalism?

The predominate mode of thought of our culture has become, by leftard mind and thought control, an eclectic mixture of 1)worship of big government and 2) a disintegrated mode of thought.

14 posted on 12/23/2018 7:44:47 AM PST by mjp ((pro-{God, reality, reason, egoism, individualism, natural rights, limited government, capitalism}))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: RoosterRedux

Seriously wrong?

It’s dead.


15 posted on 12/23/2018 7:46:46 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RoosterRedux

For sure, we can’t MAGA unless we MAMA — Make America Moral Again.


True, but MAMA doesn’t ring the bell like MAGA


16 posted on 12/23/2018 7:57:39 AM PST by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are no longer being issued but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pride in the USA

The alternative? Well, it was expressed nicely by an old New Yorker cartoon. It featured the Devil addressing a large group of arrivals in Hell and saying, reassuringly, “You’ll find there’s no right or wrong here. Just what works for you.”
It’s an alluring idea — and a powerful one. It creates Hell on Earth, too.


God holding back evil is the only thing that gives us civilization. When he lets us have our own desires, this is what we get.


17 posted on 12/23/2018 8:01:34 AM PST by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are no longer being issued but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

So you’re are saying that the war between good and evil is over—and evil has won? That Satan has beaten God?


18 posted on 12/23/2018 8:02:36 AM PST by RoosterRedux
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: RoosterRedux

Most believe morality is important both personally and nationally.


Even liberals, perverts, gang members, illegal immigrants believe that.

The issue is the “touch stone” (look it up). How do you test the truth. How do you test what is wrong or right?

As predicted, we live in a time where everyone does what is right in their own eyes. It even changes from day to day, a politician doesn’t lie, he meant it when he said it but that was yesterday.

So what is the touch stone? I was in Mongolia after the demise of the USSR, They quickly discovered their past, Genghis Khan and Buddhism. What will we find?


19 posted on 12/23/2018 8:21:47 AM PST by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are no longer being issued but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RoosterRedux

Excellent article, but the one here is clearer. It’s laid out more logically.


20 posted on 12/23/2018 8:57:38 AM PST by Paladins Prayer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-26 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson