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Sunday, May 29, 2005

The Theocracy - In Canada

From Opinion Times, a link to an excellent Globe and Mail article about religious people in Canada moving to exert their influence in politics by joining the Conservative party:
That said, Mr. Reynolds is offended by attempts to paint the Conservative party as a harbour for religious zealots.

"There were three dozen Liberals who voted with us on the same-sex thing," he said. "Nobody is going after them and saying, 'Look at these far-right Christians that got into the Liberal Party.' "

If reporters who write about Christian fundamentalists taking over his party were to "insert the word Jew everywhere you've put Christian, do you think they would let you print it?" he asked. "I doubt it."
Personally, I think when they made public quoting of the Bible hate speech they pushed a little too far. There was a religious rights bill that went through, but in Canada "rights" are not the hardbitten type of rights we have in the US. It is a different nation with a different culture.


Comments:
I think we're seeing a transition from Liberal to conservative (politics), not altogether different from what transpired here- the shift of the middle class from dem to the GOP.

The Liberals in Canada are making the same mistakes they did here- they are adopting a 'culture' as opposed to values.
 
You are probably right, but could you clarify the distinction? Isn't "culture" based on "values"?
 
Culture is different from values- for example, culture can fly in the face of values- i.e., the gay agenda, some religious agenda, etc.

Even the ACLU attempts to define culture over values.
 
I always kind of took it that the ACLU felt their "values" trumped everyone else's.
 
I agree with that on the ACLU. I've always gotten the impression they felt they were smarter than me and if they could just educate me I'd see everything their way.

I think that feeling of "I know more than you" is what has killed the left wing here. Instead of arguing their view (they have some very good points and arguments) they simply took the position that if we were as enlightened and "progressive" as they were we would agree with them.

Progress is good right? Doesn't everyone want to be progressive?
 
It depends on the nature of the progress. Being diagnosed with a progressive disease is not good news....

I know exactly what you mean. They have become self-righteous and intolerant. Also at times elitist. The "progressive" views on the Iraqis not being able to govern themselves were insulting and inhumane.

I have just been debating with myself on this issue. I was reading Andrew Sullivan (whom I like), and something he wrote has been banging back and forth inside my head.

I am no longer sure that progressives stand for a free and open society. They stand for their idea of a free and open society. But once someone's idea of a free and open society wins out, the society is no longer free and open.
 
The ACLU would like you to think it's about values- but it isn't. Values are the result of societal agreements and compacts.

Cultures are 'manufactured' to a large extent. That is not to say that culture cannot or should not influence values/ideals (segregation comes to mind), but in the end, the value systems have to assimilate the ideals- and most importantly, cultures cannot be forced down someones throat- ACLU notwithstanding.
 
A free and open society tolerates dissent, and that is something that those calling themselves progressives have a hard time with. To be fair, an awful lot of the complaining about the RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) is exactly the same thought from right. In one of those most ironic of things, you are only free when it's fairly easy to find someone you disagree with on a most visceral level. The right is in the majority right now simply because they have found a way to make their peace with the center(libertarians for the most part in the Republicans case) of the political front. In a two party system you don't really have the opportunity for the center to rise up in mass and take over, they wind up being split between the two extremes. I do wish that was different, I find a radical empowered center very appealing.

I agree with SC&A over the difference between culture and values. It is frequently difficult to see, but if you think about places like South Korea, our values aren't that different really, but the cultures, well they are different enough to make the similar values almost impossible to recognize.
 
I think I understand. Thanks to both of you. I have a lot to think about.
 
Mama- Hollywood wants to impose a culture that would impact our values.

As I said, the ACLU would like you to believe that their 'values' are no more than a reflection or clarification of our culture- a shrewd interpolaton of words.

In Europe, new cultures are manufactured so as to nullify the centuries held values. Self worth is replaced with communal worth and communal worth is replaced by universal worth. Belief in God becomes less a personal ideal than a universal one.

If my God tells me to fight, you must respect that- even if your God tells you to love. Why? Because our beliefs are as valid as yours. Indeed, they are the same.

This is the new culture that some wish to impose- universiality.
 
Yes, I do see that. There is an irony though - that is exactly what the Constitution is supposed to prevent.

That "culture" does have values in there. Values of its own.
 
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