They’ve replaced religion with politics and purpose with performance. Identity has become the altar, tweets are sacred texts, influencers our prophets, and disagreement a form of heresy.
WOW!!!! That was easily one of the best articles I've read lately. We are also politically 'homeless' here in Toronto and Canada having formerly been left of centre on most issues but have moved closer to the centre and now right of that - all the performative social justice which in reality defies merit over 'feels'. So much more to say ...
"History records, how great the fall can be". I recently finished a book by the historian Victor Davis Hanson titled, "The End of Everything." He records the fall of four great civilizations of antiquity (Thebes, Carthage, Byzantium, and the Mayans). Highly developed civilizations that were riding high until, in the blink of an eye, were literally erased from existence. Never assume that it cannot happen to us.
Leftists think they are too smart and sophisticated to believe in such nonsense as God and religion. They have replaced religion with the worship of leftist parties and ideologies.
What a brilliant essay! Thank you, Lucy! Thankfully, all is not lost. The God of the Bible, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is always ready to forgive if we repent and return to Him, and He can build us up again. A study of the history of Israel, written for our admonition, teaches us that. The hour is extremely late, but there is still hope. And there are signs that things are changing.
I am reading a book, "What in the World is Going On?" 10 prophetic clues you cannot afford to ignore.
It's pretty intriquing. In chapter two it tells us about the secular Jewish people of Isreal that will be converted in the end days. There is scripture that matches up. This is also a book written in 2008 by David Jeremiah. It makes the most sense to me yet. I see all the biotech, transhumanism and now different tech used in food like products. So much that isn't of God. But we are told to continue to pray for Isreal, that they may come home.
Thank you for an excellent analysis of the state of Western civilization. That state is one of rapid decline, approaching destruction. When the pillars and foundation of society are destroyed what is left is a fragile lean-to. A good wind will take in down. When the belief in a creator, G-d, has been abandoned and replaced with false gods, the moral/ethical precepts have no basis, no reason for existence. Western civilization has forsaken that which made it grow, prosper and gain strength (not power). When the good of mankind has been abandoned for/by (mindless) masses that gather to proclaim the "rights" of a religious cult whose only purpose is to work for the destruction by death of anybody that does not prone themselves to their 'God' and 'prophet', the fate of Western civilization hangs in the balance. If our culture (Judeo-Christian) can be instilled quicklye nough and in sufficient numbers to prevent this calamity remains to be seen. Otherwise, Western civilization will become just another chapter in history.
Oh! I'm seeing a resurgence in the middle of the country! "Not by strong armies or elephants are battles won, but by the Lords decision for those who deserve it." Judas Maccabeus in the great battle where a much larger army threatened to overtake them. Judas gathered his men, they fell to their knees, repented and cried put to the Lord. And like so many other battles, the Lord delivered them; His people!
Brilliant essay on so many levels. I do have a "but": I am myself an atheist, while enjoying the sense of community, history and traditions of my Jewish ancestry. Perhaps because I lived "the life" for 25 years while raising my kids, I am familiar with the traditions and all that is good about them. Now, however, I've moved on to a more "secular" lifestyle. Still, as I said, I do understand the value of Judaic culture and values. Culture and values, not god. For me, to actually believe in a magical man in the sky is a bit childish. I do think that we can -- as I do -- separate the god from the values and go forward with strength and clarity. I don't deny that many are lost in the abyss that you describe -- the usefully woke progressive idiots. But perhaps there are less of them than it seems. I hope so. Anyway, brava.
Look up! The only way out of darkness is the Light! God calls each of us to bring another light, leading those in darkness out. This is just our temporary home. I pray for an extraordinary revelation for you, as I had. I too, was lost in the worldliness, but now I know, without a doubt, that our Lord God & Heavenly King reigns. He's leading us out, if we choose that.
Tabrizi describes herself as politically homeless, which brings a smile because as a conservative pro 2nd Amendment, pro Israel, Trump supporting Democrat, I've often described myself as politically homeless. My wife prefers the term "political nomad."
I see myself as politically homeless. But sadly, many see me as “far right” and I’ve been called a Nazi a handful of times. On a political compass quiz I am placed left of centre. The entire political spectrum has skewed massively these past few decades. Confusing times indeed!
The rise of antisemitism (as defined as anti-Jewish) has always been the canary in the coal mine for societies and civilizations on the brink of collapse - and the canary has died.
To see people cheer on Hamas - while not knowing it's Hamas is beyond sickening. "Queers for Gaza" are just a small selection of people who don't get it, but it demonstrates how deep the ignorance goes. The American media abandoned real journalism years ago, and the UN abandoned any pretense of supporting Israel. Both institutions prove that every day in their actions and lack of real reporting. The misappropriation of words like "genocide" and "apartheid" are thrown around as fact. According to them, Netanyahu is a war criminal. I don't remember the world coming down on Assad when he gassed his own people the way they attack Netanyahu.
While the Democratic Party has abandoned Israel, Jews also know that Trump cannot be trusted long term given his mercurial and unstable nature.
The answers - if there are any- are clouded in uncertainty. And those who know history are condemned to watch people who don't know history repeat itself.
Your essay stopped me in my tracks!It is deeply unsettling to watch the hard won progress of past generations unravel as if we've forgotten where we were going but where set out in the first place. Feels like as a society we are spinning out of orbit. Your piece was both a lament and a call to attention and we need them both now more than ever.
I very much disagree with what you've stated here. In case you haven’t noticed it’s Christo-fascism that is threatening to destroy our western liberal democracies not secularism! MAGA is all about mixing religion with government that will be the end of liberal democracy.
Just look at Europe. They have stopped going to church and embraced secularism way more than we have and they aren’t in the grips of Christo-fascism and MAGA craziness. It is they who now are the guardians of liberal democracy. What we need is less religion not more.
The utter insulting hubris of this kind of thinking is just astounding. The undeniable premise of such an argument is that one cannot be moral without a belief in a deity. That morality depends upon being religious or spiritual. What do you think this makes those of us who are irreligious and raise our child to be irreligious feel? Extend a little empathy and try to feel how we feel when we read such garbage. I happen to believe that one can live a moral and satisfying life with or without God. Whatever floats your boat so long as it doesn't negatively affect me and mine. You evidently do not share my opinion on this and you insult me and those who think like me by spouting such drivel.
"Liberalism was never meant to float free of the religious roots that gave it moral weight"???? Yes it most definitely was! Liberalism was the result of hundreds of years of European religious warfare with millions of deaths what made Europeans realize that one's religious beliefs aren't worth murdering and persecuting other people over. It was the freeing of individuals to decide what to believe and how to live their lives unmoored by ancient religious dogma, just the commonsense pragmatic Golden Rule -- that although did originally spring from religion -- was expanded upon by secular liberalism to encompass more than just those who share your particular religious beliefs.
The crisis we are currently facing is most definitely not from the expansion of individual freedom to believe what one wants and how to live one's life, but from those among us who wish to shove us back into a religion dominated dark age because they feel threatened by people choosing their own paths in life. It's all about suppression of women in the workplace and denying their rights to bodily autonomy. It's all about suppressing the LGBT community. Why? Because of religion. That's why.
Wow, triggered much? First, for the record: I, the author, have been a staunch atheist for almost two decades. I think you completely missed the point of the article and made it about your personal grievances rather than engaging with the broader societal trends I was discussing.
Nowhere did I argue that “one cannot be moral without a belief in a deity.” In fact, I frequently quote Sam Harris in most of my articles (an outspoken atheist) as a moral authority. Morality does not require belief in God; that’s a strawman you constructed that isn’t based on anything I wrote.
The point was historical and sociological, not theological: liberal democracy didn’t spring out of nowhere. It emerged in a culture that had internalised centuries of Christian moral development — particularly the idea that every individual has inherent worth. That doesn’t mean liberalism requires belief in Christianity now, but it does mean it was historically rooted in a religious worldview that gave concepts like “human rights” their initial moral force.
You point to Europe embracing secularism — yes Europe secularized, but it secularized after absorbing centuries of Christian moral formation. The cultural norms that allow modern Europe to function as a liberal democratic society — norms like tolerance, the equality of persons, the rights of conscience — were heavily shaped by the Christian worldview, even if many Europeans today no longer practice the religion itself. It’s cultural legacy, not “Christo-fascism”.
You’re also misreading history when you claim liberalism was simply about freeing individuals from religion. Liberalism was about freeing individuals from state-imposed religion — from being coerced by government into specific religious practices. Many of the first liberals, including John Locke, were themselves deeply religious. What they sought was not the abolition of religion’s influence on private morality, but rather the end of religious wars and persecution enforced by government.
Finally, regarding your anger with MAGA and “Christo-fascism”: we probably agree more than you realise. Mixing religion with state power is dangerous. I’ve said so repeatedly. But the solution isn’t to pretend that liberal democracy floated out of nowhere, or to deny the role that religious moral traditions played in shaping the freedoms you and I both cherish today.
If anything, the threat today comes less from any one religion than from the complete breakdown of any shared moral framework. That vacuum will be filled, and not necessarily by the kind of benign secular humanism you imagine.
I have no issue with disagreement (as i outlined early in my article), but responding in a triggered, angry tone doesn’t move the conversation forward.
WOW!!!! That was easily one of the best articles I've read lately. We are also politically 'homeless' here in Toronto and Canada having formerly been left of centre on most issues but have moved closer to the centre and now right of that - all the performative social justice which in reality defies merit over 'feels'. So much more to say ...
Agreed. I found myself recently saying, "just show me a good old fashioned Republican and I'd gladly vote for him!"
"History records, how great the fall can be". I recently finished a book by the historian Victor Davis Hanson titled, "The End of Everything." He records the fall of four great civilizations of antiquity (Thebes, Carthage, Byzantium, and the Mayans). Highly developed civilizations that were riding high until, in the blink of an eye, were literally erased from existence. Never assume that it cannot happen to us.
You write so much sense. Thank you
Leftists think they are too smart and sophisticated to believe in such nonsense as God and religion. They have replaced religion with the worship of leftist parties and ideologies.
What a brilliant essay! Thank you, Lucy! Thankfully, all is not lost. The God of the Bible, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is always ready to forgive if we repent and return to Him, and He can build us up again. A study of the history of Israel, written for our admonition, teaches us that. The hour is extremely late, but there is still hope. And there are signs that things are changing.
I am reading a book, "What in the World is Going On?" 10 prophetic clues you cannot afford to ignore.
It's pretty intriquing. In chapter two it tells us about the secular Jewish people of Isreal that will be converted in the end days. There is scripture that matches up. This is also a book written in 2008 by David Jeremiah. It makes the most sense to me yet. I see all the biotech, transhumanism and now different tech used in food like products. So much that isn't of God. But we are told to continue to pray for Isreal, that they may come home.
I learnt a lot.
Thanks
Thank you for an excellent analysis of the state of Western civilization. That state is one of rapid decline, approaching destruction. When the pillars and foundation of society are destroyed what is left is a fragile lean-to. A good wind will take in down. When the belief in a creator, G-d, has been abandoned and replaced with false gods, the moral/ethical precepts have no basis, no reason for existence. Western civilization has forsaken that which made it grow, prosper and gain strength (not power). When the good of mankind has been abandoned for/by (mindless) masses that gather to proclaim the "rights" of a religious cult whose only purpose is to work for the destruction by death of anybody that does not prone themselves to their 'God' and 'prophet', the fate of Western civilization hangs in the balance. If our culture (Judeo-Christian) can be instilled quicklye nough and in sufficient numbers to prevent this calamity remains to be seen. Otherwise, Western civilization will become just another chapter in history.
Excellent comment. I completely agree.
Oh! I'm seeing a resurgence in the middle of the country! "Not by strong armies or elephants are battles won, but by the Lords decision for those who deserve it." Judas Maccabeus in the great battle where a much larger army threatened to overtake them. Judas gathered his men, they fell to their knees, repented and cried put to the Lord. And like so many other battles, the Lord delivered them; His people!
Brilliant essay on so many levels. I do have a "but": I am myself an atheist, while enjoying the sense of community, history and traditions of my Jewish ancestry. Perhaps because I lived "the life" for 25 years while raising my kids, I am familiar with the traditions and all that is good about them. Now, however, I've moved on to a more "secular" lifestyle. Still, as I said, I do understand the value of Judaic culture and values. Culture and values, not god. For me, to actually believe in a magical man in the sky is a bit childish. I do think that we can -- as I do -- separate the god from the values and go forward with strength and clarity. I don't deny that many are lost in the abyss that you describe -- the usefully woke progressive idiots. But perhaps there are less of them than it seems. I hope so. Anyway, brava.
Look up! The only way out of darkness is the Light! God calls each of us to bring another light, leading those in darkness out. This is just our temporary home. I pray for an extraordinary revelation for you, as I had. I too, was lost in the worldliness, but now I know, without a doubt, that our Lord God & Heavenly King reigns. He's leading us out, if we choose that.
Thank you for your kind words I don't feel lost; I am very content with the values and beliefs that I hold. But thanks.
Truth!
Tabrizi describes herself as politically homeless, which brings a smile because as a conservative pro 2nd Amendment, pro Israel, Trump supporting Democrat, I've often described myself as politically homeless. My wife prefers the term "political nomad."
I see myself as politically homeless. But sadly, many see me as “far right” and I’ve been called a Nazi a handful of times. On a political compass quiz I am placed left of centre. The entire political spectrum has skewed massively these past few decades. Confusing times indeed!
The rise of antisemitism (as defined as anti-Jewish) has always been the canary in the coal mine for societies and civilizations on the brink of collapse - and the canary has died.
To see people cheer on Hamas - while not knowing it's Hamas is beyond sickening. "Queers for Gaza" are just a small selection of people who don't get it, but it demonstrates how deep the ignorance goes. The American media abandoned real journalism years ago, and the UN abandoned any pretense of supporting Israel. Both institutions prove that every day in their actions and lack of real reporting. The misappropriation of words like "genocide" and "apartheid" are thrown around as fact. According to them, Netanyahu is a war criminal. I don't remember the world coming down on Assad when he gassed his own people the way they attack Netanyahu.
While the Democratic Party has abandoned Israel, Jews also know that Trump cannot be trusted long term given his mercurial and unstable nature.
The answers - if there are any- are clouded in uncertainty. And those who know history are condemned to watch people who don't know history repeat itself.
Agree with everything in this comment. Scary times indeed.
This was a brilliant article!
Your essay stopped me in my tracks!It is deeply unsettling to watch the hard won progress of past generations unravel as if we've forgotten where we were going but where set out in the first place. Feels like as a society we are spinning out of orbit. Your piece was both a lament and a call to attention and we need them both now more than ever.
The only question is — Have we reached the event horizon of the black hole you so clearly described?
That's a lot to read for a weekday morning.
I very much disagree with what you've stated here. In case you haven’t noticed it’s Christo-fascism that is threatening to destroy our western liberal democracies not secularism! MAGA is all about mixing religion with government that will be the end of liberal democracy.
Just look at Europe. They have stopped going to church and embraced secularism way more than we have and they aren’t in the grips of Christo-fascism and MAGA craziness. It is they who now are the guardians of liberal democracy. What we need is less religion not more.
The utter insulting hubris of this kind of thinking is just astounding. The undeniable premise of such an argument is that one cannot be moral without a belief in a deity. That morality depends upon being religious or spiritual. What do you think this makes those of us who are irreligious and raise our child to be irreligious feel? Extend a little empathy and try to feel how we feel when we read such garbage. I happen to believe that one can live a moral and satisfying life with or without God. Whatever floats your boat so long as it doesn't negatively affect me and mine. You evidently do not share my opinion on this and you insult me and those who think like me by spouting such drivel.
"Liberalism was never meant to float free of the religious roots that gave it moral weight"???? Yes it most definitely was! Liberalism was the result of hundreds of years of European religious warfare with millions of deaths what made Europeans realize that one's religious beliefs aren't worth murdering and persecuting other people over. It was the freeing of individuals to decide what to believe and how to live their lives unmoored by ancient religious dogma, just the commonsense pragmatic Golden Rule -- that although did originally spring from religion -- was expanded upon by secular liberalism to encompass more than just those who share your particular religious beliefs.
The crisis we are currently facing is most definitely not from the expansion of individual freedom to believe what one wants and how to live one's life, but from those among us who wish to shove us back into a religion dominated dark age because they feel threatened by people choosing their own paths in life. It's all about suppression of women in the workplace and denying their rights to bodily autonomy. It's all about suppressing the LGBT community. Why? Because of religion. That's why.
Wow, triggered much? First, for the record: I, the author, have been a staunch atheist for almost two decades. I think you completely missed the point of the article and made it about your personal grievances rather than engaging with the broader societal trends I was discussing.
Nowhere did I argue that “one cannot be moral without a belief in a deity.” In fact, I frequently quote Sam Harris in most of my articles (an outspoken atheist) as a moral authority. Morality does not require belief in God; that’s a strawman you constructed that isn’t based on anything I wrote.
The point was historical and sociological, not theological: liberal democracy didn’t spring out of nowhere. It emerged in a culture that had internalised centuries of Christian moral development — particularly the idea that every individual has inherent worth. That doesn’t mean liberalism requires belief in Christianity now, but it does mean it was historically rooted in a religious worldview that gave concepts like “human rights” their initial moral force.
You point to Europe embracing secularism — yes Europe secularized, but it secularized after absorbing centuries of Christian moral formation. The cultural norms that allow modern Europe to function as a liberal democratic society — norms like tolerance, the equality of persons, the rights of conscience — were heavily shaped by the Christian worldview, even if many Europeans today no longer practice the religion itself. It’s cultural legacy, not “Christo-fascism”.
You’re also misreading history when you claim liberalism was simply about freeing individuals from religion. Liberalism was about freeing individuals from state-imposed religion — from being coerced by government into specific religious practices. Many of the first liberals, including John Locke, were themselves deeply religious. What they sought was not the abolition of religion’s influence on private morality, but rather the end of religious wars and persecution enforced by government.
Finally, regarding your anger with MAGA and “Christo-fascism”: we probably agree more than you realise. Mixing religion with state power is dangerous. I’ve said so repeatedly. But the solution isn’t to pretend that liberal democracy floated out of nowhere, or to deny the role that religious moral traditions played in shaping the freedoms you and I both cherish today.
If anything, the threat today comes less from any one religion than from the complete breakdown of any shared moral framework. That vacuum will be filled, and not necessarily by the kind of benign secular humanism you imagine.
I have no issue with disagreement (as i outlined early in my article), but responding in a triggered, angry tone doesn’t move the conversation forward.