No, I figured you were too sophisticated to make that mistake. However, I do not agree that the maintenance of strong allegiance to Western Civilization requires religion, although religion would certainly help. Ultimately, what sustains those values is a stake in affirming the meaning of human life and endeavor, and therefore, emotional health depends on right living, and the search for meaning, and health, will drive people back towards the basics......
Anyone who believes in God believes that it is predicated on God's law, and that we are all convicted, in a manner of speaking, of transgression......
Nietzche actually succeeded in thinking through the premises necessary to escape from nihilism as a result of atheism. Whether it was enough is another question. Nevertheless, the insight that relativism need not prevent one from promoting one's values, and that cultural health could serve as a persuasive criterion, these were major breakthroughs...... |
