Sam Weaver
The Big Lie (Große Lüge): Part II
By Sam Weaver
In a series of books and articles from 1882 until his death in 1900, German philosopher Friedrich Nietzche famously declared, "God is dead."
A form of Christianity had been present — if not in many regions and during some eras prevalent — in Europe since even before the time of the Renaissance. It was always, by-and-large, a corrupted form of Christianity. Elites were corrupted by such things as "established" Aristotelian physical philosophy and the doctrine of "Divine Right of Kings." Commoners (and some elites) were corrupted by pagan traditions and ideas. With apologies to John Kenneth Galbraith, this shaped the "conventional wisdom" of Europe for centuries.
During the Enlightenment of the 18th century, it became chic for men to use their reason in an effort to solve the perceived moral, political, economic and scientific (i.e., the social or cultural) problems of the day. This "Age of Reason" begat two distinct philosophical/ideological lines of thought within Western culture.
The first approach of the Enlightenment came primarily from England and, to a lesser degree, Scotland. Those philosophers assumed a Creator and Author of Law — the God of the Holy Bible. They studied history (mainly from a Biblical perspective) to discover how and why Europe's leaders had gone wrong; that is, the methods and the consequences of violations of the Laws of Nature and Nature's God.
The second path of the "Age of Reason" was centered in Germany and France. Adherents of this approach rejected the idea of God as Supreme Creator and Author of Law. "We, the educated, the influential and the powerful can and must change society for the better. It is our moral obligation. We cannot and must not depend upon any god. All ends toward a better society are justified by any and all means because there is no Absolute Standard of right and wrong. Right vs. wrong must be determined by our thoughtful, reasoned good intentions."
The first approach begat the American Revolution and the United States of America. The second line of "reasoned" inquiry produced the French Revolution (prominently featuring the guillotine and the "Reign of Terror") and, ultimately, both fascism and communism.
Nietzche was a philosopher — a German philosopher — who died in 1900. He was certainly no prophet. He did not foresee the utter dominance of Anglo-American ideas, principles, values and principles that would shape every corner of the world in the 20th century. Would Nietzche be ashamed that his (Franco-German) ideology produced both fascism and communism; or that England and the United States of America would eventually defeat them both? I doubt it. I'm sure he would have rationalized some exegesis.
Nietzche's bold declaration that "God is dead" was meant to aver that Franco-German ideology had won and that Anglo-American philosophy had lost. It was a clarion call to all those "smart," educated and powerful people who rejected God as Creator and Author of Law: "Go ahead and form your utopia. There is no god to stop you." Little did he know that he would help to manufacture both Hitler and Stalin; not to mention Mao, Pol Pot, Castro and countless others. Tyrants and their subjects, minions and slaves are "made" in the image of man. Free people are created in the image of God.
How could Nietzche so boldly and confidently make his claim? A new "theory" was sweeping Europe's intellectual elite and influencing many of the elite in America. Charles Darwin's "theory" posited a purely natural explanation for the existence of man. "Mankind was the result of a purely natural, progressive evolution via random circumstances from lower life forms which, in turn, arose via a series of random, purely natural occurrences." [See Romans 1:25 and here. More on this in Part IV of this series.]
If mankind is willing to reject God as his Creator, then he will be all too willing and able to reject God as the Author of Law. This opens the door for the elites of this world to make law in their image — according to their word, will and whim. It makes it possible for you and me to become, if we refuse to be their minions, their subjects if not their slaves. This is why the United States of America has a Constitution — to hold the power of wannabe tyrants and the whiles of charlatans in check!
To reject God as Creator and Author of Law means the end of Liberty and the resurgence of tyranny. Especially in that "backwater nation" called the United States of America where Liberty — and the Source of Liberty — remains supreme in the hearts and minds of most of the people (arguably) to this day! Albeit not in the hearts and minds of the elites ("progressives") who desire to rule over them!
The Big Lie (Große Lüge) is that God is dead...or that He never existed, or that His Word and Will is merely the concoction of a bunch of wily human beings; or that human beings can be his equal. [Again, please stay tuned for Part IV of this series.]
The Big Lie promotes, propagates — and depends upon a broad acceptance by the people of — countless smaller lies. All lies serve to diminish the Word and the Will of God and to sustain or to implement the word and the will of man. The Word and the Will of God is Truth. Truth is Liberty! Liberty is the virtually absolute freedom of man to think, to say and to do anything and everything he wants as long as he does not violate the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God. The word and the will of man is tyranny whenever it impedes personal — individual — Liberty. Liberty is not license!
In this series, I hope to expose a few of these smaller lies that have always — throughout human history — served to thwart Truth and Liberty; and to place them within a modern, contemporary context.
In his Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln famously stated that the United States of America was "a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." I concur with President Lincoln 100%.
However, I am convinced that over the last 110 years, at least, the concept of Liberty has all but steadily regressed — not progressed! We are on a downward spiral into tyranny. Liberty is going down the drain.
In my next article, I will attempt to briefly explain who is leading us into this downward spiral and why. By the end of this series, I hope to have convinced you, my precious reader, not only that we, as Americans, are on a virtual death spiral into tyranny, but also how and why.
As always, I value your input! If you agree with me, please let me know. If you disagree, please tell me why! I want very much to learn from your insight and perspective!
I am always tickled pink whenever a reader, a personal friend, a relative or a colleague makes me aware of a blog featuring my column. Most of these blogs come from "progressive" bloggers. They ridicule me, for example, by comparing me to the late Dennis Weaver (as "McCloud" on the old ABC Sunday Night Mystery series — hick cowboy way over his head in NYC) or a 1970's porn star. [You can see why I have never updated the old pic on my profile. I like the response it gets!] These bloggers take selected statements from an article or two (usually way out of context) and rip them to shreds. Nearly all of these blogs are hilarious! Most show intelligent, if not serious thought along with a great sense of irony and a heavy dose of sarcasm. None of them reflect either common sense or even the slightest understanding of Truth or Liberty.
I am always disappointed, though, whenever I post a rebuttal or email the blogger. I have never yet received a counter-rebuttal; although I have made a few friends among participants of the bloggers' initial post. If you possess the chutzpah to publicly ridicule me, then please have the decency to argue your points with me personally! I want to learn from you. I want to know why I am wrong and you are right. I will listen to and consider your argument — at least up until the point that your argument defies common sense, Truth and the Laws of Nature and Nature's God.
Please stay tuned for Part III.
© Sam Weaver
May 7, 2011
In a series of books and articles from 1882 until his death in 1900, German philosopher Friedrich Nietzche famously declared, "God is dead."
A form of Christianity had been present — if not in many regions and during some eras prevalent — in Europe since even before the time of the Renaissance. It was always, by-and-large, a corrupted form of Christianity. Elites were corrupted by such things as "established" Aristotelian physical philosophy and the doctrine of "Divine Right of Kings." Commoners (and some elites) were corrupted by pagan traditions and ideas. With apologies to John Kenneth Galbraith, this shaped the "conventional wisdom" of Europe for centuries.
During the Enlightenment of the 18th century, it became chic for men to use their reason in an effort to solve the perceived moral, political, economic and scientific (i.e., the social or cultural) problems of the day. This "Age of Reason" begat two distinct philosophical/ideological lines of thought within Western culture.
The first approach of the Enlightenment came primarily from England and, to a lesser degree, Scotland. Those philosophers assumed a Creator and Author of Law — the God of the Holy Bible. They studied history (mainly from a Biblical perspective) to discover how and why Europe's leaders had gone wrong; that is, the methods and the consequences of violations of the Laws of Nature and Nature's God.
The second path of the "Age of Reason" was centered in Germany and France. Adherents of this approach rejected the idea of God as Supreme Creator and Author of Law. "We, the educated, the influential and the powerful can and must change society for the better. It is our moral obligation. We cannot and must not depend upon any god. All ends toward a better society are justified by any and all means because there is no Absolute Standard of right and wrong. Right vs. wrong must be determined by our thoughtful, reasoned good intentions."
The first approach begat the American Revolution and the United States of America. The second line of "reasoned" inquiry produced the French Revolution (prominently featuring the guillotine and the "Reign of Terror") and, ultimately, both fascism and communism.
Nietzche was a philosopher — a German philosopher — who died in 1900. He was certainly no prophet. He did not foresee the utter dominance of Anglo-American ideas, principles, values and principles that would shape every corner of the world in the 20th century. Would Nietzche be ashamed that his (Franco-German) ideology produced both fascism and communism; or that England and the United States of America would eventually defeat them both? I doubt it. I'm sure he would have rationalized some exegesis.
Nietzche's bold declaration that "God is dead" was meant to aver that Franco-German ideology had won and that Anglo-American philosophy had lost. It was a clarion call to all those "smart," educated and powerful people who rejected God as Creator and Author of Law: "Go ahead and form your utopia. There is no god to stop you." Little did he know that he would help to manufacture both Hitler and Stalin; not to mention Mao, Pol Pot, Castro and countless others. Tyrants and their subjects, minions and slaves are "made" in the image of man. Free people are created in the image of God.
How could Nietzche so boldly and confidently make his claim? A new "theory" was sweeping Europe's intellectual elite and influencing many of the elite in America. Charles Darwin's "theory" posited a purely natural explanation for the existence of man. "Mankind was the result of a purely natural, progressive evolution via random circumstances from lower life forms which, in turn, arose via a series of random, purely natural occurrences." [See Romans 1:25 and here. More on this in Part IV of this series.]
If mankind is willing to reject God as his Creator, then he will be all too willing and able to reject God as the Author of Law. This opens the door for the elites of this world to make law in their image — according to their word, will and whim. It makes it possible for you and me to become, if we refuse to be their minions, their subjects if not their slaves. This is why the United States of America has a Constitution — to hold the power of wannabe tyrants and the whiles of charlatans in check!
To reject God as Creator and Author of Law means the end of Liberty and the resurgence of tyranny. Especially in that "backwater nation" called the United States of America where Liberty — and the Source of Liberty — remains supreme in the hearts and minds of most of the people (arguably) to this day! Albeit not in the hearts and minds of the elites ("progressives") who desire to rule over them!
The Big Lie (Große Lüge) is that God is dead...or that He never existed, or that His Word and Will is merely the concoction of a bunch of wily human beings; or that human beings can be his equal. [Again, please stay tuned for Part IV of this series.]
The Big Lie promotes, propagates — and depends upon a broad acceptance by the people of — countless smaller lies. All lies serve to diminish the Word and the Will of God and to sustain or to implement the word and the will of man. The Word and the Will of God is Truth. Truth is Liberty! Liberty is the virtually absolute freedom of man to think, to say and to do anything and everything he wants as long as he does not violate the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God. The word and the will of man is tyranny whenever it impedes personal — individual — Liberty. Liberty is not license!
In this series, I hope to expose a few of these smaller lies that have always — throughout human history — served to thwart Truth and Liberty; and to place them within a modern, contemporary context.
In his Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln famously stated that the United States of America was "a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." I concur with President Lincoln 100%.
However, I am convinced that over the last 110 years, at least, the concept of Liberty has all but steadily regressed — not progressed! We are on a downward spiral into tyranny. Liberty is going down the drain.
In my next article, I will attempt to briefly explain who is leading us into this downward spiral and why. By the end of this series, I hope to have convinced you, my precious reader, not only that we, as Americans, are on a virtual death spiral into tyranny, but also how and why.
As always, I value your input! If you agree with me, please let me know. If you disagree, please tell me why! I want very much to learn from your insight and perspective!
I am always tickled pink whenever a reader, a personal friend, a relative or a colleague makes me aware of a blog featuring my column. Most of these blogs come from "progressive" bloggers. They ridicule me, for example, by comparing me to the late Dennis Weaver (as "McCloud" on the old ABC Sunday Night Mystery series — hick cowboy way over his head in NYC) or a 1970's porn star. [You can see why I have never updated the old pic on my profile. I like the response it gets!] These bloggers take selected statements from an article or two (usually way out of context) and rip them to shreds. Nearly all of these blogs are hilarious! Most show intelligent, if not serious thought along with a great sense of irony and a heavy dose of sarcasm. None of them reflect either common sense or even the slightest understanding of Truth or Liberty.
I am always disappointed, though, whenever I post a rebuttal or email the blogger. I have never yet received a counter-rebuttal; although I have made a few friends among participants of the bloggers' initial post. If you possess the chutzpah to publicly ridicule me, then please have the decency to argue your points with me personally! I want to learn from you. I want to know why I am wrong and you are right. I will listen to and consider your argument — at least up until the point that your argument defies common sense, Truth and the Laws of Nature and Nature's God.
Please stay tuned for Part III.
© Sam Weaver
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