In my small Alaska community, the bluff along Cook Inlet is eroding. It happens mostly because of wind. Homes and structures that were once safely back from the precipice are now being moved, abandoned or demolished, before they plunge into the abyss.
Christians, conservatives, traditionalists – the heart of what remains of all that is noble and good in our culture – are themselves being led down a path of erosion. It happens ever-so-gradually and is hardly noticed. If anyone resists by making a comment, friends and family are likely to say something disparaging, such as, “Oh, that is so, so trivial, it is not important.” Or worse, “Don’t be such a dinosaur, times are changing.”
Times are always changing, but we must ask, “Is it for the better?”
Recent changes seem to be moving in a Leftward direction, done gradually because that is how things become more permanent. Let’s cite some examples.
Who voted on changing the orientation of the calendar of western history? “B.C.” (Before Christ) and “A.D.” (Anno Domini: “In the Year of Our Lord”) have become “BCE” (Before the Common Era) and “CE” (Common Era). When I first saw this pop up in history textbooks some 30 years ago, I thought it was being changed to represent “Christian Era” and “Before the Christian Era.”
Fat chance! It is a deliberate attempt by academia to expunge the reality of Man’s redemption with what was once viewed as the central event of history: the ministry, sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.
We have been conditioned to play their game. Have none of it. Turn back the clock. It is never too late.
And what about that “Man” thing? Unlike the romance languages, English does not identify inanimate objects with a masculine or feminine gender, with some charming exceptions. Humanity, as in the human race, was always described collectively by the masculine gender. Thus, we once had “The Brotherhood of Man” and “Sons of God,” which are now being morphed, and silently accepted with the lengthy, clumsy and childish “Brother and sisterhood of human persons,” “Sons and daughters of God,” or some such nonsense.
In politics and business, “chairman” now is “chairwoman” or worse, “chairperson.” “Congressman” now is “congresswoman” or “congressperson.”
It gets worse. Check your Bible. Depending on the myriad translations that swirl throughout Christian publishers, you will find all kinds of violations of the Christian maxim, “Not one word of the Bible added or subtracted!”
Paul began an address to his target audience with “Brethren,” and everyone once knew he meant a community of men, women and children. Instead, now we get a diet of inconsistency, such as “Brothers and Sisters” or even “Sisters and Brothers.” In the Catholic Mass, we hear at the Gloria, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men people of good will.”
Yet in the Nicene Creed, we still find it unchanged – but only in most parishes: “Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven,” is usually left untouched. But not everywhere.
Is this dichotomy, which likely is found in all denominations somewhere within their hymnals, common prayers and Bibles, even noticed? Are there complaints from both the trads and the progressives? What do we say to young people, old enough to ask the questions?
But English was always balanced, because nations and ships were identified as feminine: “England will send her fleet to defend her empire”, and “America will always defend her shores.”
You cannot help the Mad by becoming Mad yourself.
“The Titanic began listing noticeably towards her bow within minutes” and “The Arizona took a bomb directly at her powder magazines.” Both nations and ships are now likely referenced in the 3rd person with the more mundane “its.”
Look at commercials. They are almost unanimously produced with actors that are minorities: women, blacks, Asians, Hispanics. Cleaning agents, restaurants, insurance, automobiles, airlines, it doesn’t matter what product is up sale. If white men are portrayed at all, they are usually the designated “chump,” and often set right by the minority with a pithy comment, or worse – from their own children.
So, what can we do? Why, resist, of course! Resistance occurs when you disturb others by pointing out the trend, the hypocrisy, the injustice. People will not like it. You will pay a price, by mild or virulent name-calling. Smile when this happens, for it means you are not permitted to notice the transgression, yet you nevertheless have, and you have called their unwanted attention to it. Prepare a handy rejoinder, too, such as “Tolerance has become intolerable,” or “Only white males can be abused or stereo-typed, all others are off limits,” or “Shakespeare’s English is not obsolete, it’s immortal.”
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
But these examples are already decades old, and we have been conditioned to play their game. Have none of it. Turn back the clock. It is never too late.
And hit back on the more recent efforts to warp common sense: I speak of the transgender pronoun tyranny, now making itself the cutting edge of Leftist weirdness and change. Accepting whatever name changes they have done is not our business, but you are not required to play make-believe to pander to the gender fantasies of people who have, frankly, gone stark, raving mad.
You cannot help the Mad by becoming Mad yourself.
To buck the trend in little ways is a tip-of-the-hat to the Left. They knew that only in small increments could they make “weird” become “normal.” Your efforts will be turning the trend 180 degrees.
Be prepared to not live to see it. But it will be worth it.
The views expressed here are those of the author.
25 Comments
Oh sniff. Christians are SO persecuted.
-Since 33 AD!
Careful.. You will “offend”.. “Persecute” Lucinda, the atheist.
I can admit, Lucinda, that Christians may not ever live up to be the victim that you are, but they do get some very undeserved rancor from folks like you, even when they have done nothing wrong (with the exception of corrupted clergy).
“Lucinda”- a pseudonym, no doubt- is just a troll, and you are feeding it. It probably lives (in a basement somewhere) waiting for your responses.
Gosh, Lucy, I guess all those murdered Christians in the Holy Land and other middle east nations, including Turkey, didn’t suffer one little bit, did they? Not like you virtuous atheists, after all, who always have to acknowledge all that icky stuff from history about how the Church is responsible for all your Western freedoms, and all that awful stuff, eh?
I mean literally yes. I can tell you haven’t read many history books Lucifer.
Sounds good to me. I’ve asked many times of late why these exact things are being done and allowed to happen with no response or a your old fashioned. Well I’ve always been old fashioned I guess. I respect people for who or what they are. If uou give respect you receive respect. Only now days you don’t. Nobody say excuse me, or Thank You any longer. It’s time for a change to old fashioned again. We need respect and manners in our world.
Thank you
As always, Bob, you are right on target.
Thank you Bob Bird for expressing what we know is right, valuable and necessary for a civilized society to function. Words matter.
I find it interesting how the different generations view the culture war. In this article, Bob, an older Boomer, defends cultural territory that was lost before Gen-X was even born! The reality on the ground? Even if there was some miraculous political victory on this language issue, any gained ground would quickly be lost, because we simply don’t have the numbers due to family implosion. Note this is NOT despair or false prudence, but a realistic military assessment for those who actually wish to win AND hold their cultural ground. So today future winners must just ignore this sort of political noise and focus on building families and having children (USA Catholics at 1.9 children are not even offsetting those leaving). So, no, I’m afraid Christians won’t be see cultural victories for generations, even if things changed immediately. So the focus needs to be much more humble, much less political, and much more realistic so the ground we hold we can actually defend. The seeds planted to day will make trees for the future. But any fruit is a long way off.
I would add, make sure you teach your children Western Civilization, the old fashioned way, with ALL of the objective history, so that they know whereof they come and why they should hold it dear.
What is Western Civilization, the old fashioned way?
Christianity is how Lucinda is allowed to speak in public . Something she seems have no knowledge of. You should read up my Dear for the further we travel down the road of wreckage toward our past the closer the woman is to duct tape under her veil.
Not christianity. US government based on the constitution.
You forgot to include all the words – we are currently living under the US Inc. gov’t based on their constitution and you Lucinda are very happy with their incorporated constitution.
Based on Judeo-Christian values…
Thank you, Bob.
Thanks Bob. I listen to you daily on KSRM. As a fellow (semi-retired) history teacher, I always appreciate your insights.
As always, Bob, I enjoy your comments, but, what happened to your recent post that I read within minutes of posting and that was almost immediately removed???? I thought it was spot on.
And don’t throw away any older history books. Pre 1980s. They are re-writing history to erase the benevolent effect of western civilization on humanity. Just like all communists do.
Amen.
I’m always amused when Christians act like they’re so put-upon. Most Americans are Christian. Virtually all religious programming on TV and radio is Christian-oriented. And the ONLY religious holiday that causes the private and public sectors to grind to a halt is a Christian holiday.
But of course, to anyone accustomed to privilege and preferential treatment, a more level playing field will ALWAYS feel like persecution.
Lucinda, is just another sheep waiting her turn to jump off the cliff. Like all leftist, who do as there told.
This is a very Jewish comment. Your comment condemning Christians will remain posted. I’m sure mine will be deleted. You can’t criticize the people in charge.