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Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Secular conservatism
Today Jonah Goldberg took Kathleen Parker and others to task here for some of the silly and ill-informed things they have been saying in defense of “secular conservatism.” Goldberg then posted some remarks of mine on this debate here, and a none-too-amused Heather MacDonald replied to me in turn here. Scroll through the comments on MacDonald’s post for my reply to her reply.
Excellent points. Doesn't look like HM herself has responded yet. But revisiting the post and comments will, I'm sure, reward the time.
ReplyDeleteNow, THAT'S the way to talk to Heather MacDonald about religion!
ReplyDeleteI read Michael Novak's "discussion about God" with HM in the American Spectator this past year. Novak's kind, avuncular, slightly mystical tone is probably quite effective if directed at someone whose pride has been temporarliy broken (by personal tragedy or whatever). But that kind of tone is useless with an atheist (like HM, or Hitchens) who goes swaggering around with a sequoia-sized chip on their shoulder. A sharp slap upside the head seems a more appropriate opening gambit in such a case.
I see that HM has already replied again. This one seems likely to go on for a bit. (Great publicity for your book, Ed - how'd you get Heather to go along with it? ;-)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAcademic theologians and salemen for God (such as Jonah G.--) want to avoid being spanked by Hitchens, Dawkins, Harris et al (not to say by someone quoting Bertrand Russell), so they have a MacDonald act as the representative for secularism; in other words, dance Heather!
ReplyDeleteThe burden's not on MacDonald to defend secularism, nor should she have to "prove there is no God" (as per the usual jesuit tricks); the burden's on theologians to prove that God exists, and then to offer various justifications, along the lines of "God had Hitler and Stalin appear to test the faith of his creation, humanity ...."
At least a few old school papists had the courage to take on the mafia (including conservative and/or zionist mafias). Now they work for 'em
lol? how this shitshow of a comment wasn't deleted or even allowed to be posted? did everyone else just ignore it, maybe i should have too.
Delete"spanked by hitchens and dawkins"? as if they weren't boderline illiterate when it comes to philosophy and and theology.
yes, it is.
bs?