Election

Tuesday, the 4th of November, 2008 is, for the United States, a day of decision - the election of many governmental officials, including 435 members of the lower house, the House of Representatives, and ... well, it ought to be of 33 and 1/3 senators! I do remember from high school days that senators in the United States are elected for a six year term, but one third of them are elected each two years - I confess I don't know how they manage to elect one third of a senator, but perhaps they sort that out some way ☺. We in New Zealand will know the results of that election probably some time on our Wednesday the 5th - Guy Fawkes Day! - as the US West Coast closes its polls. And of course the 'biggie' is the President. And in this case the Vice President. On the face of it, this is odd. It is clear that the entrance of Sarah Palin into the race has highlighted something. That something is often called the 'culture war.' I wonder if this is not a misnomer. The word 'culture' implies a particular approach to life which might clash with another. There could be - indeed, at times has been - a culture war between Christianity and Islam. There is a culture war going on at present between Christianity and Hinduism, in Orissa. The war that is being waged at present - the war symbolised by the startling reaction to the nomination of Sarah Palin as Republican vice-presidential candidate - as a war against man as man. It is a war of aggression on the part of the anti-humanity forces, of defence on the part of those who call themselves 'pro-life.' It is, you could say, a war against culture - against a way of life and for a way of death. The aggression is not that of one 'side' against another 'side,' but rather analogous to the self-hatred of the suicide. Consider:

• contraception
• abortion
• euthanasia
• homosexuality

All of these are aimed at one thing: eliminating man. Of course those on the side of aggression do not think of themselves as trying eliminate people; that is, nevertheless, the 'finality' (in the philosophic sense) of them:

• contraception - no new babies
• abortion - kill existing babies
• euthanasia - kill inconvenient persons
• homosexuality - sexual pleasure without ... new babies!

There are deeper elements to this, as well, than merely the actual killing of human beings, and the avoidance of cooperating in the production of new human beings. Is it not the case that people are unhapy with the very idea that there is such a thing as 'human nature?'

The idea of 'gender' as a cultural construct presupposes this. The idea of Transhumanism explicitly claims it. Man is to remake man ... though into what image is not clear. Deep ecology, on the other hand, desires to see man merged into his environment - and espouses What Naess called 'biospheric egalitarianism.' Man - and his nature - are up for grabs.

The American election is a straw in the wind. I think that, in the short term, it will be better for the world if the McCain/Palin ticket wins the American election. I do not think it will make much difference in the long term. Men have turned against God, and in the process the have turned against man. I do not think there will be a return to the status quo ante. We cannot return to 1954. We can go forward only if we regain hope. But without God ... what hope is there?