William R. Mann
West Point goes politically correct
By William R. Mann
Some of these senders are shocked friends who seek an explanation, others knowing my sensibilities send it deliberately to tweak me, still others send it in mockery. Here is my "intuitively obvious" reply to all of you "casual observers" out there.
Sadly, I am not shocked or surprised by this over-publicized event. It is a crude attempt at "works justification" by certain self-important folks who are full of the newly-created, government-bestowed "righteousness." I fully expect that some may disagree with my explanation and think me to be a bigot, a throwback Neanderthal. But I, frankly, I do not care what anyone thinks. Name-calling is typical of the Progressive reaction to principled disagreements. I quit playing that rigged game long ago. In the end, a person must answer only to God. And that includes Progressives who make up the rules of life as they go along. Life, to them, is a personalized game of Trivial Pursuit or Monopoly.
Bottom Line: No more alumni contributions are forthcoming from this "Grey Hog" (nor, I imagine, from many thousands of other Alumni of that old and "Long Grey Line") until sanity returns to West Point.
This "in your face" political event, supported by dubious DoD and the academy policy, is a deliberate civil politicization of the Protestant Chapel at West Point in a vain and shallow attempt to curry public favor. If USMA wants to keep up insulting the conscience of orthodox Christian, Jewish, Mormon, Christian Orthodox, and other traditional religious believers, then they will see consequences. The alumni and friends of USMA dollars will dry up significantly and all programs will suffer ... not to mention recruiting. USMA will still be my beloved alma mater, but in an odd twist of irony, it is she, rather than me, who has become the prodigal.
See how you think this all squares with the Cadet Prayer:
I suppose that the "Progressive Secularist-Christian" who twists the Scripture and the truth of ages to suit their civil-political purposes can rationalize perfect agreement of their personal opinions with this prayer. What arrogance; what misapplied self-esteem; what humanist self-righteousness! Please, let us distinguish between a Christian conscience and humanist opinion. On this point, a Small Catechism would be good for all of us. For me to agree with the Progressive humanist "opinion" would be to abandon my "conscience" which conforms to sacred Scripture, its moral standards and truth of ages. Try as one might, one cannot alter the Scripture capriciously, as they have altered the Cadet Prayer. The only conscience that counts in matters of Scripture belongs to God.
God's conscience and Spirit invites our joy in conformity with Him. If Scripture is not seen as sacred by some (or the many), that is their problem and not mine. That the Progressives demand I accept their humanist explanations (they are always changing) of the universe and forget God's Word is an abomination.
You see, it is not the Progressives who count, it is God who counts. I do not worship politics, or public opinion, or popular will. I worship God. This latest nonsense has gone way beyond the bounds of common sense and common decency. It makes a mockery of the Judeo-Christian traditions and beliefs. It is destroying — intentionally — Judeo-Christian tradition and reality in favor of an artificial world that is neither exceptional nor commendable.
Ever since I was admitted as a West Point new cadet in July 1967, and up to this very day, I have often been called a "spoony Grey Hog" (... old cadet slang for a serious, loyal and die-hard Army straight arrow). I have always tried, but occasionally failed, to meet those exacting standards and I experienced the consequences. This made me try all the harder the next time. I have never deliberately and contemptuously lowered any bar to make things easier for myself. Why does West Point feel it necessary to accede to collectivist relativism and Alinsky-style activism of the political Left in order to shove the latest "politically correct" conditioning down my throat. No thank you, I am not buying.
The French Revolution was unable to impose their inane, phony cultural calendar on the world for long. It was a bridge too far. The supercilious, libertine, and collectivist attitudes of Progressivism may hold sway for the moment, but not forever. Change may be slow, but sanity will return. This folly will eventually fall, just like all tyrannies before it because it has no legs ... it has no future.
Having said my two cents on foolish government policy and the latest popular fad, I now return to what's really important this week:
BEAT NAVY!
© William R. Mann
December 8, 2012
-
"I say, we will have no more marriages." — William Shakespeare, Hamlet III. Ii
Some of these senders are shocked friends who seek an explanation, others knowing my sensibilities send it deliberately to tweak me, still others send it in mockery. Here is my "intuitively obvious" reply to all of you "casual observers" out there.
Sadly, I am not shocked or surprised by this over-publicized event. It is a crude attempt at "works justification" by certain self-important folks who are full of the newly-created, government-bestowed "righteousness." I fully expect that some may disagree with my explanation and think me to be a bigot, a throwback Neanderthal. But I, frankly, I do not care what anyone thinks. Name-calling is typical of the Progressive reaction to principled disagreements. I quit playing that rigged game long ago. In the end, a person must answer only to God. And that includes Progressives who make up the rules of life as they go along. Life, to them, is a personalized game of Trivial Pursuit or Monopoly.Bottom Line: No more alumni contributions are forthcoming from this "Grey Hog" (nor, I imagine, from many thousands of other Alumni of that old and "Long Grey Line") until sanity returns to West Point.
This "in your face" political event, supported by dubious DoD and the academy policy, is a deliberate civil politicization of the Protestant Chapel at West Point in a vain and shallow attempt to curry public favor. If USMA wants to keep up insulting the conscience of orthodox Christian, Jewish, Mormon, Christian Orthodox, and other traditional religious believers, then they will see consequences. The alumni and friends of USMA dollars will dry up significantly and all programs will suffer ... not to mention recruiting. USMA will still be my beloved alma mater, but in an odd twist of irony, it is she, rather than me, who has become the prodigal.
See how you think this all squares with the Cadet Prayer:
-
Cadet Prayer
O God, our Father, Thou Searcher of human hearts, help us to draw near to Thee in sincerity and truth. May our religion be filled with gladness and may our worship of Thee be natural. Strengthen and increase our admiration for honest dealing and clean thinking, and suffer not our hatred of hypocrisy and pretence ever to diminish. Encourage us in our endeavor to live above the common level of life. Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and never to be content with a half truth when the whole can be won. Endow us with courage that is born of loyalty to all that is noble and worthy, that scorns to compromise with vice and injustice and knows no fear when truth and right are in jeopardy. Guard us against flippancy and irreverence in the sacred things of life. Grant us new ties of friendship and new opportunities of service. Kindle our hearts in fellowship with those of a cheerful countenance, and soften our hearts with sympathy for those who sorrow and suffer. Help us to maintain the honor of the Corps untarnished and unsullied and to show forth in our lives the ideals of West Point in doing our duty to Thee and to our Country. All of which we ask in the name of the Great Friend and Master of all. Amen
I suppose that the "Progressive Secularist-Christian" who twists the Scripture and the truth of ages to suit their civil-political purposes can rationalize perfect agreement of their personal opinions with this prayer. What arrogance; what misapplied self-esteem; what humanist self-righteousness! Please, let us distinguish between a Christian conscience and humanist opinion. On this point, a Small Catechism would be good for all of us. For me to agree with the Progressive humanist "opinion" would be to abandon my "conscience" which conforms to sacred Scripture, its moral standards and truth of ages. Try as one might, one cannot alter the Scripture capriciously, as they have altered the Cadet Prayer. The only conscience that counts in matters of Scripture belongs to God.
God's conscience and Spirit invites our joy in conformity with Him. If Scripture is not seen as sacred by some (or the many), that is their problem and not mine. That the Progressives demand I accept their humanist explanations (they are always changing) of the universe and forget God's Word is an abomination.
You see, it is not the Progressives who count, it is God who counts. I do not worship politics, or public opinion, or popular will. I worship God. This latest nonsense has gone way beyond the bounds of common sense and common decency. It makes a mockery of the Judeo-Christian traditions and beliefs. It is destroying — intentionally — Judeo-Christian tradition and reality in favor of an artificial world that is neither exceptional nor commendable.
Ever since I was admitted as a West Point new cadet in July 1967, and up to this very day, I have often been called a "spoony Grey Hog" (... old cadet slang for a serious, loyal and die-hard Army straight arrow). I have always tried, but occasionally failed, to meet those exacting standards and I experienced the consequences. This made me try all the harder the next time. I have never deliberately and contemptuously lowered any bar to make things easier for myself. Why does West Point feel it necessary to accede to collectivist relativism and Alinsky-style activism of the political Left in order to shove the latest "politically correct" conditioning down my throat. No thank you, I am not buying.
The French Revolution was unable to impose their inane, phony cultural calendar on the world for long. It was a bridge too far. The supercilious, libertine, and collectivist attitudes of Progressivism may hold sway for the moment, but not forever. Change may be slow, but sanity will return. This folly will eventually fall, just like all tyrannies before it because it has no legs ... it has no future.
Having said my two cents on foolish government policy and the latest popular fad, I now return to what's really important this week:
BEAT NAVY!
© William R. Mann
The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
