I think of that expression when I think of Shylocks dilemma in Merchant Of Venice . How to be a good Jew
Warren Mitchell ( Shylock) is so good as that side of us
that is tough, principled and unyielding ( all good in their own way ) . He's a cynical businessman - a symbol of the
market and how it will screw everybody -
its therefore a play for our time . That's saying something when its been on
the stage every year for over 500 years.
Sometimes, with all the pressures and real bad behaviour of
others, it can seem that its best to just look after yourself , just as he does
.
His tough mindedness
contrasts with Christians whom he sees
as "soft" making the battle in the play ( which will win -law or
grace ) a really punchy one for all time . And what a fight it is .
Who wins ? ( law or grace or,,,,,,,)---I'll let you find out
!- even" the way and the how
"are now very much part of our
heritage in law ,love and mercy.
Shylock types make the historic mistake ( as early Rome did
) of seeing Christianity as weak. Its only weak if its watered down . It's
certainly looks weak, but that's not our problem- most media talk and politics about it is superficial .
We are wise to be fearful of the power of religion.
In the comfort zone lulls that characterize most of time in history, we seem to ignore this ; we are prone to pretend that one's faith its " irrelevant". World view is a given but its never irrelevant as it drives our passions - or lack of them .Ask any psychologist.
In the comfort zone lulls that characterize most of time in history, we seem to ignore this ; we are prone to pretend that one's faith its " irrelevant". World view is a given but its never irrelevant as it drives our passions - or lack of them .Ask any psychologist.
Lets be thoroughly realistic - people from an Islamic
background see the modern secularist state as weak and IMO so should we .
The modern secularist leadership is increasingly fanatical
about its hold on minds, hearts and power becauses "its simply not working
"; As Donald Trumps empty headed rhetoric now so well symbolises,
If you want a deeper debate about what works in the West ,
follow Shylock and Portia --having been played every year for the past 500, the
debate over law and grace in that play has sustainability . Law and grace the
Christian way.
It is my view then that it is not the power of Islam that is
the problem for the West, but the deep weakness and the shallow watered down
determinism of the Post Christian world views of the West.
If we keep telling ourselves we are just products of our
genes, we will stop using our minds. Our legs will turn to jelly.Our political
legs have turned to jelly.
.
If you think something long enough you will start to believe
it . The modern secular leadership preach this simple rubbish as gospel because
its in the DNA of their faith that only genotype expressed as phenotype ( what
your feel)that matters .Matter over mind ; "our minds are just propaganda
machines ". ,
" Do what you feel like " doesn't work and we all
know it deep down Its a religious doctrine that must be exorcised . .
As Dalrymple says , all we have left, after centuries of
tough minded law and grace is" the toxic cult of sentimentality" - a
sort of grace that doesn't work because the basic tension in law and grace is
lost - half the solution is no solution.
Half baked PC theology just pays people to "do what
they feel like" -killing off all the hard fought toughness and tough
thinking resisting of the past -
Modern secular determinism, as practiced in the west, is a
soft centered mind numbing addition to ambulance and helicopter based care by
governments - not families and "courts" where a sense of responsibility
can be taught. Reactive not preventative. Its costs the earth and its killing
the earth http://cuttingedgecare.blogspot.com
.
The best part of this play is that it reminds us of how to
return to a powerful of way of making our society work and be truly great again
.
If you don't do anything else this week , go see the
wonderful Warren and wonder at the sheer power of principle in the hands of a
mere woman! !
Its part of BBC collection 1980 that is well worth getting
.Having been played every year for the past 500, the debate over law and grace
in that play has sustainability
