and also rages in the United Nations and the European Union Origins The origins of the culture wars
have been traced back to the 19th Century and are based on a variety of political and
philosophical theories. It is linked to opposing world views,
associated with ideological concepts. Divisive factors have been defined as conservative
versus progressive-liberal, or the Right versus the Left.
There is nothing new about the
evils of war, oppression, injustice and horrors such as those of the past century, as well
as throughout history. The problem being addressed here is an ideological issue involving
a clash of ideas and values. This is, of course, a component part of other factors,
political, social, and religious. However it is questionable whether hackneyed terms such
as conservative and progressive are applicable to the cultural wars,
which go much deeper in impinging on basic values of humanity. Most people will be concerned,
not so much with political aspects or with philosophical theories, as with the way the
culture wars impact our lives. In seeking to protect core values from being dismantled, we
are confronted with terms, used in a derogatory sense, of traditionalist, fundamentalist
and extre-e-eme conservative, and, more recently, with flagrantly offensive
insults. In the interest of human values, we are surely called to conserve values that are
worth conserving, and progress in ways that respect the dignity of every human person.
As early as the 19th Century a study of eugenics became popular. The word derived from the Greek eugenhV (eugenes), meaning well-born, high-bred, and claimed to seek the improvement of the human race. The aim was to discourage reproduction of persons regarded as having "undesirable traits", and to encourage that of persons, regarded as having "desirable traits". This movement took on a racial overtone, in that certain races were considered to have "undesirable traits". An American supporter of eugenics in the 20th Century was Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, whose agenda had a racial component. During the Third Reich, Nazi eugenics were enforced under Adolph Hitler. A basic concept was a so-called life unworthy of life, which is very prominent in a contemporary push for euthanasia.
The education of children is pivitol. Those who strive to demolish the
social ethos seek to indoctrinate the upcoming generation with an agenda at variance with
family values. The confrontation of
secularism to religion is not one of belief, but of moral responsibility, which faith
enjoins. While there is, of course nothing new about hedonism, it has run wild in affluent
western society. It is sad that when people have leisure time at their disposal, there is
a tendency for that time to be expended, not in intellectual activities, but in frivolous
entertainment. When morality is in decline, decadence follows. Greatness in intellectual
pursuits declines to mediocrity, and apathy reigns supreme. Much of written history is deceptive, according to the bias of the historian. The human mind looks to a realistic account, seeking the truth, i.e. what actually happened. For this we rely on evidence. When there is none, sections of history fall into oblivion, and are lost, although some may be recovered through archaeological discovery and/or authentic lost texts. In formerly Christian countries
(the majority of whose citizens still claim to be Christian), the attack was launched
against Christianity in particular. However it is to be noted that moral principles of
most religions are remarkably similar. In a broader sense, it is anti-religious. The
problem those who seek to change society have with religion is basically not precepts of
faith, but the moral principles which religion enjoins. Religion constitutes an obstacle
to an agenda seeking to effect change by abolishing all moral restrictions on human
behaviour. Such restrictions are falsely ascribed to freedom. In a society in which
"anything goes" there would be considered to be no such thing as crime, and
anarchy would prevail. There are already disturbing trends in this direction, as may be
observed in increasing decriminalisation, with a result that victims of crime are left
with inadequate redress. Claims have been made that science is to be the factor to be followed in the third millennium, as opposed to "religious ideology". In truth science and human reason support the claims of the adherents of religious and family values. It is their opponents who are motivated by unscientific ideology. We are not afraid of science, which is our chief ally in defending our values from attack. Alongside immutable natural
science, there is the role of applied science to be considered. Application of
advances made by research are of great importance. However they may be used
The sexual revolution of the 1960s was a landmark in the cultural wars. The result has been sexualisation of children, even at very young ages, thus robbing them of their childhood innocence, and exposing them to psychological damage. This is evident, not only through sex education in schools, but in most aspects of contemporary life, especially in the media. As a result, children have been exposed to commercial sexual exploitation. Even before the sexual revolution,
moves were afoot to change the cultural sexual ethos. Alfred Kinsey, a self-styled
"sexologist", whose psuedo-scientific report was based on "evidence"
of prison inmates and sex offenders in determining "normal" sexual behaviour. Dr Judith Reisman
engaged in extensive research to demonstrate that Kinsey's conclusions, on which most
current sex education is based, were contrived, ideologically driven and misleading. Ever since the 1970s extremist lobby groups, by no means representative of the majority, have striven to impose a sexual agenda. The intense and undisguised hostility evidenced against chastity and marital fidelity may well be a cause for alarm for responsible citizens. Amid cries for "tolerance" (towards the aggressive side of the culture wars), zero tolerance is shown to the average person who holds to values of decency and responsibility. Protection of Paedophiles? Paedophilia advocated:
The consequences can be mind-boggling! Advocates of pornography claim that it harms no one -- that there is no victim. False!
Children at risk International: Child pornography not a crime in most countries Sex and porn on top 10 list of kids' online searches US judge strikes down law protecting children from porn Porn paves way for sexual exploitation of children Alarming findings of study: pornography leads to behavioural, psychiatric and social problems Child porn lawyer US Attorney General Australia: Hackers declare war on Australia
A "libertation movement" advocates "recreational sex" and "recreational drugs". Such promotion of irresponsibility in an endless quest for hedonism at all costs, has, as might be expected, had devastating consequences for society. Tragically innumerable young lives have been blighted, resulting in untold suffering. The advocates of such
irrationality have come up with plans of "harm reduction", whereby it is
proposed that such "recreational" activities may still be pursued if the gravity
of the obvious consequences is "reduced". Such zealots will not admit that it
doesn't work, and evade the obvious Responsible sex is not "recreational", reduced to frequent promiscuity and worse depravity, but is a pledge of enduring marital love and results in responsible parenthood and loving family relationships. Neither are drugs "recreational", but are a valuable medical means of fighting disease, saving lives, and alleviation of suffering through pain management. View this PowerPoint Presentation
Feminism There was a saying that "It's a man's world". It was also questioned, "Why should there be one moral standard for men, and a different one for women?" One would have hoped that the agenda would have been to recognise the dignity of women in society, to secure equal rights, and to raise the moral standards for men with a view to their accepting responsibilities. Sadly the movement went in the opposite direction. A highly vocal minority of feminists have turned radical: If it's a man's world, we must turn ourselves into men. That could more accurately be described as masculinism. The result has been lowering moral standards for women to equate with men. Indeed it has gone much futher, to bring about a downward spiralling of moral standards for men and women alike. Some feminist extremists
have complaied "Our bodies betray us!", mening that, to equate with
men, women must be able to get rid of unwanted, inconvenient children. Hence a push for
abortion on demand. Womanhood as been so degraded by this evil, as well as through
pornography. Now the lives of women are put at risk by being encouraged to sell their eggs for "scientific research", such
as human cloning.
Relativism and Political Correctness With the (largely contrived) decline in religious values, and the spread of moral relativism, a "substitute" was soon devised. That of political correctness. This has established a very different standard, which, in many cases, is at variance with former standards. There can, in fact, be no "substitute" for timeless values. Yet so many people have conformed to the, often ridiculous, demands that political correctness imposes. Those who will not conform are increasing being silenced, and in grave danger of losing a right to freedom of speech.
Late 20th and
early 21st Centuries Those issues which impact on
individual and family life may be identified chiefly as: The following are chiefly targeted for attack: Children, parents and religious groups who remain faithful to the moral principles of their religious faith. Powerful agencies are attempting
(in some cases successfully) to strip parents of their natural and inalienable right to
protect children from such assaults. Religion is attacked for living a message of love for
the good and rejection of evil. Sadly, however, some religious groups have capitulated as
a result of extreme and persistent pressure. In recent years it has become very
apparent which side is the aggressor, and which side the defender. In 2004 Buchanan
wrote: New Buzz Words The nature of the human person as a sexual being is being "reinterpreted". The two biological sexes are to be recognised as equal. But equality does not mean sameness. The vast majority of women support such a view, and many are clearly proclaiming equal opportunity but also a recognition of their feminine dignity. Activism which does not take account of human dignity is extending far beyond issies of homosexuality. The current buzz words are "sexual identity", "gender diversity", and "gender theory", which has been described as a "lethal ideology". Human Rights Commissions
internationally, including the Australian Human Rights Commission, This is unknown by
science. The scientific fact is that the sex of a new
human being is genetically determined at conception and depends on the father.
Evidence of the sex of any individual is present in every cell of the body, and may
readily be identified as such.
Environmental exremism We are all rightly concerned about the environment (in religious terms Creation) Striving to halt pollution by dumping of toxic waste is an important issue. However, like so many
other commendable social movements, an environmental protection movement has
been hijacked, with a view to reducing world population. Conclusion We may well question: Where is the human race headed? To quote a well-known
Christian speaker, Fr John Corapi, ability to distinguish between good and evil has been
blurred and stultified. Good is being portrayed as evil, and evil as good.
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