Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Secularism, Relativism and Bush

I was listening to the news and heard President Bush take a swipe at the Moral Relativism of our day. He clearly articulated the poor governmental policy this repugnant and self-contradictory view is. Here is a quote from today’s speech. Why hasn’t this guy been leading a movement?

“Most of all, Holy Father, you will find in America people whose hearts are open to your message of hope. And America and the world need this message. In a world where some invoke the name of God to justify acts of terror and murder and hate, we need your message that "God is love." And embracing this love is the surest way to save men from "falling prey to the teaching of fanaticism and terrorism."

In a world where some treat life as something to be debased and discarded, we need your message that all human life is sacred, and that "each of us is willed, each of us is loved" -- (applause) -- and your message that "each of us is willed, each of us is loved, and each of us is necessary."

In a world where some no longer believe that we can distinguish between simple right and wrong, we need your message to reject this "dictatorship of relativism," and embrace a culture of justice and truth. (Applause.)

In a world where some see freedom as simply the right to do as they wish, we need your message that true liberty requires us to live our freedom not just for ourselves, but "in a spirit of mutual support."”

While I was looking for President Bush’s actual quote online I read this article written by Norene Kelly from a Secular Humanist website:

"Rice calls the president “intuitive.” Intuition is the act of knowing without the use of rational processes. Philosopher Henri Bergson, who defends intuition as a viable method of knowing, speaks of an “intellectual sympathy” by which we may acquire knowledge.2 But I suspect that such intellectual sympathy is not what Rice is referring to when she says Bush is intuitive. Bush’s intuition appears to spring from his Christianity, his Bible, and the like-minded people with whom he surrounds himself. Additionally, intuition alone is obviously not enough; it must be balanced by logic, by the scientific method. Where is that balance in Bush’s words and actions? Indeed, I don’t think the president would care to fly in a plane built by intuition, yet he is running the government by it." (emphasis mine)

Notice the sentence, “Additionally, intuition alone is obviously not enough; it must be balanced by logic, by the scientific method.” Now how does she know or justify logic or the scientific method while rejecting the One True and Living God that is the source of his knowledge? I guess she just intuitively knows!

From a political standpoint this paragraph is also of interest.

“While cogent arguments can be made in defense of moralism and intuition, it is not apparent that Bush subscribes to them. Take, for instance, James Rachels’s Elements of Moral Philosophy, in which Rachels argues that there is a core set of values that are common to all societies. These values, according to Rachels, are (1) we should care for children; (2) we should tell the truth; and (3) we should not murder. Setting veracity aside, it is clear that Bush’s priorities do not include caring for children or avoiding murder. What kind of moralism, then, is he a proponent of? No wonder a country like France, with its rich intellectual history, is baffled and alienated by Bush and his moralizing.”

Notice the equivocation that caring for children is the same as the government taking your children and raising them for you. Also, how does she know what Bush thinks? Citing Condoleezza Rice may perhaps give us some insight but hardly all that needs to be researched. She isn’t the end of all knowledge. Perhaps Bush is of the “teach a man to fish” kind of moralist when it comes to our own children verses the failed welfare statism of the Left.

There seems to be an equivocation of war and murder. She seems to be calling Bush a murderer. How does she know murder is wrong? What constitutes murder? For someone who is obviously being arrogant intellectually, I find nothing intellectual about this kind of equivocating that is never defended. It is pure emotional drivel.

Then to refer to France as being a country of intellectual history is just as baffling. That country has been in serious trouble intellectually for centuries. This is just pure arrogance and inability to see past one’s own nose. The confusion of separation of church and state may be a troublesome issue for Fundamentalists and Conservative Christians in general, but to think that the Left has not misunderstood the separation issue is also problematic. In my opinion, when the Left wants Big Government to care for every minute detail of my life is to violate the separation issue they decry of Conservatives.

Kelly finishes with this last statement.

“And I do hope—perhaps futilely, but hope is about all I have until the next election—that he might come to understand that life is complex and colored in shades of gray, and that his beliefs are not true for everyone, everywhere. Maturity, like life, is not a destination but a journey; keep on trucking, Mr. President.”

I agree that much of life is difficult and appears gray. Much of life is left to individual conscience. But that’s just it! How does Norene know this? Are the gray areas in her life known to her through intuition? Keep on trucking Norene. Perhaps one day you’ll think through and justify what you are saying instead of suppressing the truth in unrighteousness.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

"In a world where some no longer believe that we can distinguish between simple right and wrong, we need your(Pope Benedict's) message to reject this "dictatorship of relativism," and embrace a culture of justice and truth. (Applause.)"

As a Catholic, I am happy to see that President Bush acknowledges that the Pope, as representative of the Catholic Church, stands for a culture of justice and truth. It is refreshing to see the leader of the free world recognizing the role of the Catholic Church standing against this moral relativism that has so taken over America.