Jack Wheeler, one of the architects of Reagan's work against the Soviet Union, speaks about islamization of Europe, traditional religions, and the "evil eye" of he calls religions of envy. An astoundingly good "non-Girardian Girardian" analysis on how to deal with doubling rivalry on a global scale. Listen with your Christocentric anthropology antennae tuned in! [h/t: Brussels Journal]
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Thank you Athos for this clip, I think it is the best short course on the demise of European culture (and to a lesser extent the US) that I have heard. Do you go along with it?
I would like to quote him twice if I may;
"I think you wanted me to talk about is Europe and the threat of Islamilaztion...the problem isn't really Islam or Muslims, because they are just taking advantage of a European weakness. And so the problem is the European weakness."
"...the only way to counteract it is not to be afraid of it... is not to have a fear of envy... IS NOT TO GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THEIR ENVY!" (I capitalized here to stress his emphasis on this point in the interview.)
So then the question begs to be asked; how do we help build up confidence in our civilization? Is it by taking a page out of the book of fear by introducing or exploiting a fear of a religion-of-envy like Islam or, as he seems to be suggesting, by building up confidence in our civilization - this is where Christian hope enters in I think - and an understanding of history as Gil Bailie talked about in the November ERI session? In other words building up confidence by putting your faith (and hope) into something more substantial than what the religions-of-fear are based upon.
When I was growing up I always struggled with what I called fear-based educators - the same was true when I was raising my son. Those who set before me the challenge to be the best, not out of fear, but out of a sense of history, hope and the future (of the Good News), were the teachers that really got the most out of me.
So then the second question begs to be asked, maybe an individual can be stretched to the Good News, but can a civilization be awakened (European and US) by the Good News or will it again take the fear of another to do it? I don't know, but as I read the following editorial headline yesterday,
"Democracy isn't for wimps"
I thought that it should have gone on to say (and of course it didn't) that the only way to build up the fortitude of the people is with Christian faith, hope and love.
Again, thank you for this great clip.
My pleasure, Aramis. I was thunderstruck when I first viewed it - what a wonderful way of putting it in such a brief, succinct way!
His "genetic" analysis - that those predisposed to get out of the "theater of envy" in Europe did so and came to America leaving those more disposed to keep up the mimetic funny business in Europe - was fascinating too.
The thing is, Europe has its "treasure buried in a field" that men walk on and pay no heed of - the Catholic Faith - everything necessary to climb out of their LACK of faith into con-fide (with faith) if only they'd turn to the one "direction where meaning could still be found" (Girard).
Will they go and sell all that they have in order to buy the treasure? purchase the pearl of great price? I'm keeping on hoping, with you. Best
Post a Comment