There is apparently some debate over whether Chesterton said it, but if he didn’t, I think we can all agree that he should have. “When people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing–they believe in anything.” I tried to look up the source for that quote this morning, and what I ran into were pages listing “things Chesterton didn’t say.”
And I say this because our culture, what’s left of it, is no longer on a slippery slope. Neither are we at the bottom of a slippery slope. No, my friends, we are in free fall and picking up speed. But, the culture replies, you may call it free fall, but we self-identify as still being back in the plane, as snug as any passenger ever was.
Allow me to link you to three demented stories. The first has to do with the mainstreaming of incest. The second has to do with folks cutting off limbs or opting for a wheelchair while perfectly healthy so that they can “identify” as transabled. And then last, but certainly most celebrated, Bruce Jenner now identifies himself as Caitlyn Jenner after having himself fixed. Being the kind of hater I am, I am afraid that I am not going to be addressing him as Caitlyn — the most accommodation I will offer is that of calling him Jenner. As a result of the marvels of modern surgery and the even greater marvels of Photoshop, Jenner now graces the cover of Vanity Fair in much the same way that he used to adorn those old boxes of Wheaties.
But the broad cultural issue in all of this is not the fact that some people are tempted by incestuous desires — the prohibitions are in the Bible for a reason. We live in a screwed up world. Neither are we to be surprised that the world contains some people troubled enough to want to cut off limbs and so on — though that particular story, even if legit, is unlikely to become a thing that involves millions. And we have always had troubled souls who are confused about their sexual identity.
The problem is not the hurting people; the problem is that they are self-destructing in front of a culture that has nothing whatever to say to them. If you don’t believe in God, you do not believe in nothing. You will fall for anything.
We are not responsible for the one-off oddities. Our society is not sick unto death because we contain such people. There have always been those troubled enough to maim themselves sexually and call it good — pretending to be Jehovah during creation week. The troubling symptom is the universal acclaim for Jenner, and the fact that in this general celebration the only people who will catch any of society’s disapproval will be those who understand, and say, that Jenner is one troubled puppy.
So the problem is not Jenner. The problem is the surgeon who will not have his credentials removed by the AMA. The problem would be the money-whores at Vanity Fair. The problem is that the solons in charge of everything are very smart people who self-identify as still sitting in the cockpit of an airborne plane.
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; That put darkness for light, and light for darkness; That put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Is. 5:20).
As a preemptive first strike against those who call this “harsh:” It’s not as harsh as hacking off your genitals. Just sayin’.
I’m desperate for an Orwell or a Huxley or a Lewis right about now, and a bracing dose of true fiction. It’s not that the emperor doesn’t have clothes – now he’s got boobs.
Jenner is a really a troubled soul and to complicate matters he has the media applauding and praising his troubles. I’m neither L nor B nor T nor Q nor whatever so I don’t speak of those matters authoritatively, rather, I do what the media should be doing and listen to those who do. Like Walt Heyer, a former transgender man.
http://thefederalist.com/2015/04/27/bruce-jenner-wants-to-change-the-world-when-he-should-change-his-mind/
Jenner’s “troubles” started with his idolatry. The Kingdom of Self will eventually cause this kind of delusion. Romans 1.
Another appropriate Chesterton quote would be… “Men do not differ much about things they will call evils; they differ enormously about what evils they will call excusable.”_G. K. Chesterton
That sounds pertinent to the recent discussion on ‘cultural justification’. Good to know (and unsurprising) that Chesterton saw it and had something adroit to say about it.
The foresight of such men is pretty amazing. I think of Schaeffer and Muggeridge to name a couple more.
I am surprised at the speed at which the devil is consolidating his ground. I expect the level of my surprise to surprise me as wickedness grows more blatant.
I have a vision of Bruce Jenner as a version of that Madonna broad. Once an idol, now old, wrinkled, dying and clinging to life; experiencing himself and wondering how he could have done this to himself. Sin sickness and death for a former athlete. Its very, very sad and terrible to consider.
I am praying for him.
What many people do not know about is species identity. I’m starting a group called “Re-evolve” to work for the rights of trans-species beings. I myself, though I am trapped in a human’s body,identify myself as a black rhino but the problem is that my equal rights and endangered species status are not recognized because others are trying force me to accept a human identity. Maybe one day we will live in a tolerant world!
About 4 years ago I posted that from here on out, I identify myself as a hamster. No one took me seriously, causing me to feel disenfranchised and threatened. Now I get triggered every time I walk past a pet store…
But seriously, we’re heading that direction…
Unfortunately, Brian, our crazy, mixed-up culture has already caught up and passed your satire!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Species_dysphoria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otherkin
Even if Chesterton didn’t make the quote at the beginning of the post, he did say, “It’s the first effect of not believing in God that you lose your common sense.”
“If somebody thinks they’re a hedgehog, presumably you just give ’em a mirror and a few pictures of hedgehogs and tell them to sort it out for themselves.”
― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
We need a new pronoun. Let me propose a contraction of “she”, “he”, and “it”. In that order.
From the comments at: http://www.versobooks.com/blogs/2009-judith-butler-on-gender-and-the-trans-experience
Great interview.. “So whether one wants to be free to live out a “hard-wired” sense of sex or a more fluid sense of gender, is less important than the right to be free to live it out, without discrimination, harassment, injury, pathologization or criminalization – and with full institutional and community support. That is most important in my view.” (emphasis, mine)
Sound familiar? Gee whiz! I wonder why the motives are the same as the homo-sex mirage push?
Is armenianism self-identifying as a Christian?
And what about Armenians who identify as Russian, or Persian?
I’d like to self identify as a sexy beast. If I don’t have a girlfriend in 24 hours I’m gonna be pissed and sue everybody.
I guess Bruce’s Kardashian envy ran deeper than anyone thought…
I really feel sorry for people that lack the ability recognize satire. It really makes you look foolish when you are posting links to the “National Report” from Canada, which anyone that took 30 seconds to do some research would figure out is a satire site. You’re as bad as the indicted soccer official waving around an article from “The Onion” as proof the U.S. is involved in the soccer scandal.
To which link are you referring?
Are you referring to the National Post article? If so, it is clear that the publication has a series of satirical articles, but the one in question does not appear to be one of them. In fact, if it is, then Doug is not the only one taken in by the farce, as reputable news sources from all over both countries (the U.S. and Canada) have linked back to the same article as Doug. Moreover, the Ph.D. candidate purported to be making the presentation in Canada has a CV available online, which is either also part of the elaborate hoax,… Read more »
I believe you are mistaken. The National Post is a major Canadian newspaper. There may be some satirical articles posted there, but it is not correct to assume that any given article there is satire.
Regardless, the point does not depend on that particular link. Body Integrity Identity Disorder has been identified as a mental disorder for a long time — this behavior is not something just made up for a satirical piece.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_integrity_identity_disorder
Every Christian blog from Patheos to John Piper is lined up to make sure that no one is being judgemental towards Caitlyn. Let this be a lesson to those who think that the world’s problems would be solved if Christians were in charge. Christians are competing with post-Christians in seeing who can be the most vapidly nice and there can be no place for common sense. I find myself more and more reading dead but sane Christian authors.
I just went and read Piper’s article, and for the most part I think he does a good job of negotiating the issues. I did take issue with the implications in this paragraph, which falls under the heading “speaking truth in love”: “Regarding Jenner’s transition, it probably means being slow to speak, especially on social media. And if you do speak something truthful, seek to be an unusually respectful, gracious voice. Jenner is not likely to read your remarks, but maybe someone you know who is guarding a tender, shameful secret will. Speak as you would to a friend.” My… Read more »
My mistake, I was reading a blog post on Desiring God but it was by someone other than Piper. That being said, Piper has a history of alternating between sound theology and modern irrational and corrosive cultural memes such as radical non-judgementalism.
Reading that, it sounds a little harsh. Much of that blog post was fine and the majority of what John Piper says is beneficial. I just hate to see any postmodern kookiness leaking into the reformed Church.
Shockingly, Jenner recently came out of the closet as republican. I mean whoooooa let’s not go nuts.
Anyone heard of Michael Brown’s book A Queer Thing Happened to America? Chapter’s 7 and 8 specifically go into in-depth research of incest, pederasty, etc. in many parts of Europe and even (already propagating) in the United States. Homosexual activists are left with no arguments against why those other orientations should not have equal rights as well.
I encourage all women: Don’t be slaves to make-up. Besides, you’ll save quite a bit of money. On the Bruce…ahem Caitlyn is it?…Jenner situation. I can remember when women thought Bruce was quite the good-looking guy. Who woulda thought? Truth, as they say, is stranger than fiction.
If I go out without makeup, I am so pale and wan that people offer to drive me to the urgent care! I think makeup makes women feel self-confident and pretty, so kept in its proper place, I think it is good. Cosmetic surgery is another issue, but even then, there are times I think it is fine. My daughter was called “Jew Beak” all through high school, and it was very destructive. I left the decision about changing it to her once she was 21. She had it done, and it has made an enormous difference to her confidence.… Read more »
It hurts so much when people are cruel to our children. Nothing quite hurts like that pain. I’m sorry, Jill. When we really think of it though, few of us go around completely “authentic”: shaving, perfumes of some sort if only in soaps and shampoos, deo. ….if we take it back, when does it cease to be necessary like brushing teeth, to cosmetic, braces and beyond, facial reconstruction of the jaw. If we look at hair alone..different cultures have different extremes of love/hate with hair. Do we have to be unshaven, long, long dull colored hair, pale and monkey browed… Read more »
My friends and family have all promised that if I have to go to the hospital, they will bring me tweezers.
That’s the definition of a real friend!
I just don’t have the patience and pain tolerance for tweezing (this from the woman who had four of five births unmedicated and regretted the medication on the other one, and doesn’t think root canals are all that bad, go figure.) But I would do it if I could — no unibrow here, but naturally bushy and uneven brows.
Try threading! It doesn’t hurt, lasts longer and looks much better! (I hope pr isn’t cringing from the direction his blog is taking..hee, hee)
Thanks for the suggestion. I had no idea what that was, though thanks to the wonders of Google and Wikipedia, I now know.
Unfortuately, though, it looks like one of those things that requires fine-motor dexterity, at which I’m nigh hopeless.
I’m not a slave to makeup. I do, however, like the way it looks, just as I like the way certain clothing, jewelry, or hairstyles look. But I don’t wear makeup most days, or a lot on the days on which I do, nor do I spend lots of time on my hair or lots of money on clothing or time picking it out each day. I agree with Jill — makeup has its place if you want it. If not, that’s fine, too. I have some friends who wear none at all except on very rare occasion when I’m… Read more »
I guess it goes without saying, but some things cannot be changed. Sure you can surgically remove a penis and manufacture a vagina, but Bruce will always be Bruce because at the cellular level he is XY and will never be XX. So this is as much a mirage as homo marriage. As Doug quoted, Woe to those who call good evil and evil good…[and male female].