tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post5080666054787059432..comments2024-03-22T17:35:52.045-04:00Comments on Extra Thoughts: Are we conservatives still opposed to homosexual practice?Lydia McGrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00423567323116960820noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post-28980012982313040922017-03-24T19:38:20.442-04:002017-03-24T19:38:20.442-04:00I was reminded that Boromir was a good Man, in fac...I was reminded that Boromir was a good Man, in fact, one of the best Men of his era, but his story is illustrative of the fact that just a little leaven of wickedness is enough to lead to doom.Ingemarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05695600705603036692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post-40326003817416075402017-03-24T18:36:51.635-04:002017-03-24T18:36:51.635-04:00That is a certain kind of "conservative,"...That is a certain kind of "conservative," quote-unquote.Lydia McGrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00423567323116960820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post-88125415356351299852017-03-24T18:35:57.033-04:002017-03-24T18:35:57.033-04:00Insightful comments, Ingemar. I have thought of Bo...Insightful comments, Ingemar. I have thought of Boromir again and again during this campaign, though in a way I think it's too complimentary to the alt-right (most of them) to compare them to Boromir. I have trouble imagining the alt-rightists dying gloriously to try to save two hobbits from being captured by orcs. They'd probably sit around snarking at the hobbits as "losers" for being unable to fight the orcs off by themselves. And laughing at Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli for taking all that "useless" time to mourn Boromir and send him down the river in a boat.<br /><br />I compare Boromir more to the well-intentioned Trumpites, the really good people, who got drawn into the Trump campaign through their fear of losing power. Perhaps the alt-right represent what Boromir would have become if he had lived and hadn't repented of having tried to take the Ring from Frodo. (Shudder.)<br /><br />By the way, the Tomi Lahren fiasco is another example of all of this. I guess a certain kind of conservative likes a shallow-thinking, pro-abortion airhead and thinks of her as a political thinker just because she has said some things that have made the left angry.Lydia McGrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00423567323116960820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post-91035174244225199462017-03-24T18:25:55.567-04:002017-03-24T18:25:55.567-04:00Before 2016 was sparkle in anyone's eye (or ra...Before 2016 was sparkle in anyone's eye (or rather, 2014 or so), Bruce Charlton and I derided the Alt-Right as the "Boromirosphere" referring to the fallen Gondorian hero from Lord of the Rings. The Alt-Right, like Boromir, argued to their fellows that the best way to defeat the Enemy is to use their weapons against them. Unfortunately this very tactic makes Boromir betray the Fellowship and gets him killed.<br /><br />This point isn't actually about M.Y. but about the philosophy of "no bad tactics, only bad targets." In my view, the thing (there may be more than one thing) that the alt-right has adopted from their enemies is a postmodernist-Marxist worldview of a dialectical struggle between victims and oppressors, labeling themselves as the oppressed and therefore justifying any and all actions against their opponents. Apropos of postmodernism, there's a rather blatant push to condemn all views contrary to their own as wrongthink--and their Wikipedia clone (Infogalactic) was designed to present articles that caters to the user's political prejudices, right or left.<br /><br />The acceptance of M.Y. as a major figure is just one of the many pathologies that have arisen by the Alt-Right's selective devotion to truth.<br /><br />Or as Zippy has said time and again, right liberals (in this case Trump fans), being the rear guard of liberalism, <i>just are</i> Clinton-era Democrats.Ingemarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05695600705603036692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post-51908724728648734632017-03-12T08:54:56.314-04:002017-03-12T08:54:56.314-04:00I do consider that, from a natural law perspective...I do consider that, from a natural law perspective, the common human reaction of disgust to homosexual acts is in an important sense the right one. The apostle Paul is clear that these acts are against nature, not simply against some declared or revealed law of God that is a "black box" and that we cannot see the reason for. Moreover, and relatedly, the homosexual lifestyle is generally one of misery and loneliness. This is because homosexuality *is* against nature, and trying to live your life defining yourself by a perversion is highly likely to make you unhappy.<br /><br />What particularly strikes me in the remarks I'm highlighting in the main post, though, is this: The peculiar evil of initiating vulnerable young men, approximately 16-20 years of age, into the homosexual lifestyle when they seek older male love and affirmation. And the peculiar of M.Y.'s praising and promoting that peculiar evil. Even if this older boys are technically above the age of consent, phrases about millstones come to mind. I think most westerners have a legitimate understanding of the fact that a boy of this age needs a male role model, someone he can trust, who can help him move into full adulthood as a man. And we realize that young men who for whatever reason are not finding that role model at home may need other men to step up and provide it. This is generally a laudable act on their part. For the homosexuals to imply (which Milo clearly does) that this healthy, laudable mentoring is being satisfied by homosexual initiation and by drawing vulnerable young men into the barren, miserable, and unsatisfying homosexual lifestyle and by using their bodies for perverted gratification is utterly disgusting and outrageous.Lydia McGrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00423567323116960820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post-42115556780601416192017-03-11T21:14:52.674-05:002017-03-11T21:14:52.674-05:00There are a couple interesting things going on. Tw...There are a couple interesting things going on. Two come to my mind, but there are certainly more.<br /><br />First, as should be obvious, is tribalism backfiring. M.Y. carries the Red Team flag and so many of those who consider themselves on the Red Team feel an obligation to rally to his support, regardless of whether M.Y. violates the Red Team's core values or founding charter or whatever.<br /><br />The other thing is, it's hard for most people to maintain a nuanced position that includes both compassion and negative judgment and doesn't veer into either hatred/violence or admiration/apologetics.<br /><br />The Torah treats homosexuality as a fairly serious offense to God, but doesn't prescribe any particular human emotional response (as for instance is prescribed to eating pork: "the meat of the pig shall be detestable to you" or some such thing) nor even a social response, except possibly execution--translations vary on whether "put to death" in that context really means capital punishment or simply being cut off from the Tribe of Israel.<br /><br />I don't know much about Jesus's relationship with prostitutes, but what little I've heard makes me think he probably was walking that fine line in an exemplary way.<br /><br />(I realize not all of that is relevant to M.Y., who is a repulsive person for other reasons besides what he likes to do in the bedroom.)<br /><br />But long story short, I think Trump and the Alt Right have been horrible for conservatism. The Left couldn't have conjured up a better way to defeat conservatism. Who was it...Peter Hitchens?...who said "If you don't like the religious right, wait until you meet the post-religious right."Power Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13365109338643310492noreply@blogger.com