US Election 2004

Yesterday, I was reading Andrew Bernstein’s novel Heart of a Pagan.  It tells a tale of the struggle of students advocating that every individual has the capacity to be a hero against government enforced repression by religious activists proclaiming the innate corruption of man. 

It reminded me of a column written by Nicholas Provenzo about recent recruitment by religious organization at George Mason University.     

It is no secret that the United States is engaged in a life or death struggle with the forces of Islamic totalitarianism. Like the Christian totalitarianists of the Dark Ages who suppressed reason and science, they too are unable to deliver "miracles" such as my friend being able to walk. As committed advocates for faith, militant Islamists hate our freedom and prosperity and the secular foundation that makes our world possible. Our nation is the living refutation of their faith. They detest us for it.

Yet as a people, we have not refuted the Islamist's indictment against us. Even as our solders engage this enemy on the battlefield, we have not made clear the impossibility of their faith over our reason in every field and in every realm. I think that is because most of us don't understand the difference ourselves. Too many of us are animated by the same core belief in the divine that animates our enemy--and in this kind of battle, it's the more consistent force that wins.

Universities such as George Mason are a home for ideas. All ideas, even those animated by faith are welcome, but for ideas to have true currency, we must be able to prove them. A university is a place for reasons. Yet faith, the cornerstone of every religion and every religious moral code is the exact opposite of proof. And of all the ideologies and worldviews that exist, it was the ones animated by faith that made the strongest showing on our campus last week.

I hate to say it, but that's not a good sign. [N. Provenzo, The Threat of GMU’s Faith-Based Crusaders, RuleOfReason, 9/13/2004]. 

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