I got into the "Settings" of my phone yesterday to turn off the alerts. If "they" want the alerts to be noticed, then they certainly succeeded. But my reaction wasn't what they wanted. I find this continual alarmism obnoxious and cowardly.
The Alert was offensive, too. It came a day before Easter, and warned people not to go to church. Why is that? Couldn't people take precautions in church, as they do at Walmart or the grocery store? I think something else is going on.
Although I am not a Christian, one part of me would like to see Christians defy the Alert, and show the world that their Faith is still alive -- and that their Faith isn't just "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism" as some critics claim.
There was a time in history when Christians were courageous. The persecution and ridicule they suffered the first couple centuries (before Constantine) must have been a great help in making their Faith survive.
But by 1750 or so, European Civilization had outgrown Christianity intellectually. The Faith survived, but merely as an emotional crutch. The shame of it is that nothing better has come along to replace it -- although there has always been an applicant or two for the position.
Think what strength a culture has when it doesn't consist of craven, atomized Individuals, who think their own Ego is the center of the universe; doesn't believe in extending life to the last possible day, regardless of anything else; and doesn't worship maximum safety and material comfort, until the last day of life.
This would be a good time to re-watch Bergman's "The Seventh Seal." It has some images you won't forget. And you will be reminded how courageous our ancestors used to be.
The Alert was offensive, too. It came a day before Easter, and warned people not to go to church. Why is that? Couldn't people take precautions in church, as they do at Walmart or the grocery store? I think something else is going on.
Although I am not a Christian, one part of me would like to see Christians defy the Alert, and show the world that their Faith is still alive -- and that their Faith isn't just "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism" as some critics claim.
There was a time in history when Christians were courageous. The persecution and ridicule they suffered the first couple centuries (before Constantine) must have been a great help in making their Faith survive.
But by 1750 or so, European Civilization had outgrown Christianity intellectually. The Faith survived, but merely as an emotional crutch. The shame of it is that nothing better has come along to replace it -- although there has always been an applicant or two for the position.
Think what strength a culture has when it doesn't consist of craven, atomized Individuals, who think their own Ego is the center of the universe; doesn't believe in extending life to the last possible day, regardless of anything else; and doesn't worship maximum safety and material comfort, until the last day of life.
This would be a good time to re-watch Bergman's "The Seventh Seal." It has some images you won't forget. And you will be reminded how courageous our ancestors used to be.
Comments
Nietzche's Last Man from "Thus Spoke Zarathustra." Is that it?
George
The various thoughts you expressed reminded me of Nietzche's concept of the Last Man. You can google it if you like but basically your thoughts that reminded me of the concept are the present lack of courage you mentioned and lack of a strong belief as Christianity's influence has weakened. Your idea of a craven, atomized individual reminds me of the Will to Power (Nietzche) and the Last Man is the result of the loss of that. The Last Man is a pacifist, lacks ambition, takes no risks. He is only interested in comfort. Nietzche also thought we were heading this way as a species. Published 1885.
My question is asking if these thoughts of Nietzche are compatible with what you are saying as well. Don't feel you have to answer if you don't want to. It's just that it seemed so to me.
George
Chris
One of the tenets of different religious brands is to be an "emotional crutch". We don't need more religions. We need more humanists who seek out the goodness, values and rational thinking in people without enslaving them to vacuous dogma.
Chris
Are you sure that goodness and rational thinking are sufficiently strong for when the shit really hits the fan?
No, unless ideologies turn kooky, and we know they can and do. I like Christian Duncker's definition of ideology, "...a system of presentations that explicitly or implicitly claim to an absolute truth." (Thanks Wikipedia). And I would add, rationally though through.
"Are you sure that goodness and rational thinking are sufficiently strong for when the shit really hits the fan?"
Those qualities are a wise place to start.
Chris