Charlton Heston passed away this week. In memory of his political activism (which began with the civil rights movement in the 60’s), here is a speech he gave in 1999 at the Harvard Law School. In memory of his acting, here is a clip of him in Wayne’s World 2:
The Dangers of Atheism Being Dangerous
An Illinois state legislator declares that it’s dangerous for children to even know the philosophy of atheism exists. To wit (audio):
I’m trying to understand the philosophy that you want to spread in the state of Illinois. This is the Land of Lincoln. This is the Land of Lincoln where people believe in God, where people believe in protecting their children.… What you have to spew and spread is extremely dangerous, it’s dangerous–It’s dangerous to the progression of this state. And it’s dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists!
Lincoln obviously has left a legacy on this land. It seems that Lincoln’s complete disregard for the rule of law and the natural rights of man is still alive and well. To call a philosophy “dangerous” and to qualify that with a statement that declares children must not be even taught of it’s existence (re: a ban of some sort) is ludicrous.
As a secularist, I worry what such an opinion by government officials means for our civic society. As a Christian, I question the faith of anyone who considers the case for Christianity is so weak that other philosophies must be considered “dangerous.” The reality is that atheism, like all other forms of belief thus far devised, have very little of Christianity - which has a strong historical, philosophical, archaeological and scientific record. In a republic, it is not the job of government to determine what is “philosophically” dangerous, but merely to assess crime and punishment. If certain thinking is construed as dangerous - the God save us.
Other Links This Week
Rudyard Kipling Unburdened
The Battle Over Anglican Church Buildings Continues In BC
In a New Generation of College Students, Many Opt for the Life Examined
Article said, “…grid technology could make the internet so fast that people would stop using desktop computers to store information and entrust it all to the internet.”
I’m ready for a faster internet! And I love this idea. It would mean the end of having to remember to email things to myself from home to work or work to home, etc. No more carrying that thumb drive around my neck. Already I’ve started using the collaborative Google calendar and documents when I need to work on a project with someone who lives elsewhere. That was a brill idea someone had.
And it will mean everywhere-access to my ever-growing file of passwords I can’t remember. If I can just remember the password to get in.