In National Review's Christmas interview of Sarah Palin, the latter, once again, stands athwart knowledge, yelling Stop. I give her much credit. Her determined crusade against enlightenment and self-awareness has been vastly more successful than was Buckley's against history, and while this may be a peculiar comparison for NR to implicitly feature, the magazine features it nonetheless.
In the interview there are, of course, many Palinesque misapprehensions to enjoy, and if you really want to feel superior--fast--I'd recommend reading them all in their native habitat. This one, though, deserves some outside attention: "The morality of atheism rests on individual choice," says Palin, "with each person doing what’s right in his or her own eyes."
I highlight that "insight" not because it's a cheap and easy thrill to ridicule the stunning simple-mindedness of Ms. Palin's opinions, but because that opinion would, I'd wager, find broad sympathy in this, our essentially Believing culture.
The paradox of Palin's assessment loops back to her utter lack of self-awareness or any self-examination whatsoever. When asked toward the end of NR's interview if she regrets some of her past acts--say, resigning her governorship--Palin responds, to no one's surprise, that "In each case, I made the right decision after a great deal of prayer and reflection."
Now that's the morality of a theism resting on individual choice. I have yet to meet a Believer of Palin's ilk who doesn't first ponder an intensely preferred act, and then prays on it, and then discovers, mirabile dictu, that God concurs with the Believer's choice. From the Crusades to contemporary sectarian slaughter to personally profitable exploitations of invented wars on Christmas, it seems God is forever sanctioning humankind's basest instincts.
One could go on objectively about the actual "morality of atheism" being an honorably constructed social ethos as far removed from the ignorance of Palin's definition as Palin is from self-awareness, but such a disquisition would only be read by educated readers such as yourself, who thus have no need to read it--which, speaking of earthly paradoxes, is perhaps the greatest one of the blogosphere.
And be prepared for towering furies of wrathful refudiation should you ever attempt to point out such hypocrisy to a Palinesque True Believer.
Posted by: Janicket | December 26, 2013 at 11:21 AM
I believe I mentioned previously a favorite quote from Machiavelli to the effect that God is not willing to do everything for us and thus take away that share of glory that is ours. May I offer Palin's corollary? Christ is willing to assume every burden and thus take away any responsibility that is ours.
Posted by: Peter G | December 26, 2013 at 03:41 PM
One of my favorite examples was Reggie White. White was a superstar defensive end with the Green Bay Packers. Near the end of his career, White was offered a $6M contract as a commentator, till he made some anti gay remarks. CBS withdrew the contract. Suddenly, God wanted him to come out of his football retirement
Posted by: Lee Amon | December 26, 2013 at 11:28 PM
Then may I ask, is there *any* higher authority for atheists outside of themselves?
Jest askin'!
Posted by: David Duff | December 28, 2013 at 08:55 AM