Following up on previous thread: One of the most important ideas that emerged in writing my next book #TurningofDays is how infrequently we recognize nature's bent toward decay in our evaluation of life on this earth.
Like us, nature exists under curse & groans for redemption. Like us, she is at war w/in herself & what is "natural" may not be good or right.
Nature can teach us about reproduction & fertility, but it can't make moral decisions about it. It can teach us how to survive, but it cannot teach us the ethics of survival.
God has created an amazing world. But here's the thing: Hebrews 2 tells us it is not yet completely submissive to the Son. There are a lot of things that happen that press against the values of the King.
(Which shed a LOT of light on miracles like Jesus calming the storm & cursing the fig tree, btw.)
Nature groans for redemption as much as humans do. One minute, she can praise her creator & tell His greatness & the next, seek to destroy the creature He has made. Pretty standard practice for life on this earth, tbh.
Our work is what it's always been: Seek those values that align w/ the nature & likeness of Christ. The natural world can reveal some of those to us; but her message is mixed & must be informed by person of Jesus Christ & His kingdom.
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I’m particularly interested in understanding this conclusion about the cross & whether I’m reading it correctly
Does this equate to “the cross was the unfair scapegoating of Christ on which we cast our own sins to avoid responsibility so the lesson is take responsibility for yourself”? If so… it explains a lot
I rarely QT for purposes of correction but this is a good example of what I was trying to identify in threads earlier this week: B/c Vance inaccurately defines the problems families face, he offers solutions that make no sense
1. Most people would naturally pick family to care for their kids if they can. Needing to use non-familial childcare means that they've most likely already tried that option. Grandma & grandpa may not live nearby or have the ability or desire to care for grandkids.
2. Struggling kinship networks go hand in hand w/ larger social fragmentation. Not everybody can trust their extended family or is on good terms with them. We have this vision of sprawling support networks but that might be more of a dream than reality.
Look, you can turn a blind eye to the predation of women, rally behind a man know for sexual debauchery, & then act shocked at women who don’t marry men & have kids.
If you promote a sexual economy where men are free to do whatever they want w/ little to no accountability, the only way women can have even a measure of safety is by not partnering w/ them in things that require deep trust & commitment
Women’s ability to partner w/ men is directly related to how the community around them holds men accountable. Want more marriages & families? Punish sexual predation & call out misogyny
The weekend’s events reminded me of this graf from @WestLondonMan. When we disagree w/ or dislike someone, we have 4 options:
1) kill them 2) create structures to control them 3) make life difficult so they leave 4) engage in politics
More to the point, if you’re not doing the work of politics as a means of actively seeking reconciliation w/ your neighbor, you’re doing one of the other three. Our options are good faith engagement thru shared process or coercion & violence.
That’s why the loss of shared norms & rise of authoritarian rhetoric over the last few years has been so dangerous. It’s not about tone or politeness. Respectful political engagement & just dealing are the only means we have to avoid violence.
Bedford (pop. 3200) was home to a National Guard unit serving in Company A in 1st Battalion in 116th Infantry Regiment of 29th Infantry Division. Of the 35 soldiers from Bedford, 19 were killed on Omaha Beach. Another 4 “Bedford Boys” would die before the end of the campaign
Bedford suffered the greatest proportion of losses of any town in the US that day. Everyone knew someone. Everyone lost someone. A little, quiet town in rural VA decimated by the events on a faraway continent & the actions of evil men.
This is beautiful & reminds me that I've had an essay brewing for a couple years about link btwn male loneliness/depression & cultures that prioritize male comfort & privilege.
TL;DR: Excusing men of their responsibilities to women & children robs them of purpose & the very ties that bind them to community.
The shape of modern Western life is already deeply individualistic so loneliness is a constant threat. But there's a sense in which men are *more* at risk of falling thru gaps b/c male embodiment does not naturally force a man to be bound to others in way female embodiment does.