I totally agree with Douglas Murray. We need to rediscover our biblical connection and be less narcissistic. Less shopping and worshipping of self and more praying and caring for our country rather than foreigners who hate us, the ones that love our country are welcome.
The Scientific Revolution, the Industrial Revolution and the Human Rights Revolution started and developed in only one place and time - in Europe from the 1500s to the 1800s when it was devoutly Christian. These incredible advances were taken to their greatest heights in the 1900s by America when it was devoutly Christian.
Christianity is the spiritual, intellectual and moral foundation of almost all human progress. No Christianity, no science, prosperity or human rights. This is the most important and clearest lesson of history.
"the West will not survive without a revived commitment to Christianity—or, at least, to its values."
The problem with merely cultural Christianity (committing to the values only, not the actual beliefs) is that it doesn't last long. Which is exactly what we're seeing right now in Western nations. If you don't get the real thing, sincere beliefs and changed lives and all, you don't get the values either. At least, not for long.
In 100 years, Islam could well stretch from Dublin to Jakarta, with Slavic Europe the last bastion of Christianity in the Old World. I don’t see a peaceful off ramp for Western Europe. Does anyone have any plausible ideas?
The future is still a bit foggy, but adumbrates quant, CRISPR, neuro-informatics, metamaterials & Alcubierrean space-time compression. Bible tales don't seem to fit.
Charles Murray (no relation, I'm sure to Douglas) recently published the book "Taking Religion Seriously" in which he, a former unbeliever/agnostic, makes a case for just what the title implies. That we are tuned to value "transcendence" makes a ton of sense given our fear of mortality and transcendence definitely feels great, according to those who feel they have experienced it. It's the magical stuff that religions insist we believe that seems nonsensical. Big intellects have been fooled innumerable times as they still reside in human beings with our shared fundamental fears and hopes. There is plenty of magic in existence without leaps of faith to accept silly stuff. Geology, astronomy, biology, physics. These offer tremendous oppotunities for transcendence and awe without the silliness and gobbledy-gook. Religions, like ideologies, will always insist their true believers fight the non-believers. Don't go there Ayaan!
A dozen upvotes for this comment. The project is too important to get hijacked by more religious imperialism and zealotry even of the more benign Christian variety (after the enlightenment secularism defanged it).
It’s very human how we can read the same piece and draw different conclusions. Many of the comments say “Yes, let’s bring back Christianity that gave us Western civilization,” while others say “Oh. No, let’s move past religion entirely with all its excesses.”
To me, the implicit value of Christianity is not its dogma and certainly not its long list of abuses. Rather it is its framework for living, embedded in the Ten Commandments and through its teachings. Do the right thing. Be honest. Don’t take other people’s stuff. Respect life. Treat all people equally. Islam, a mono dimensional theology based on conquest, dominance and the utter devaluation of women, fails on this score. In short, it’s those Christian values that have enabled human flourishing.
In 1400 years, Islam has produced little for its people other than bloodshed and conquest, surviving only because Western societies with Christian values have freely shared the skills and technologies Muslim countries need to feed their people and raise future jihadists.
It’s not really religion per se, it’s the underlying values that have driven the greatest era of human advancement the world has ever seen. If we fail to embrace those principles, the void will be filled by failed toxic theologies like communism or Islam. For values there will be. Pick yours.
We surely have to agree on ONE thing....NOT RELIGION. We must agree on GOODNESS--the word GOD came from the word GOOD. i.e., God is derived from GOOD. If we value wealth over GOODNESS, we are choosing evil--the death of our culture.
Humans will always worship something, whether it’s money, fame, sex, power…or God. Take your pick. But only one of those things will take you beyond yourself.
Sorry. No God. No Goodness. I know this goes against every fiber of 'progressive' culture in the US since at least the 1960s. We see what happens without God. And there must be ritual and tradition. I was taught 'religion bad'. I can sympathize with you but I'm not going to deny reality.
Everyone has religion, anyway. Devout 'no religion' is religion. 'Social justice' is now a religion. Communism -Socialism is a religion.
'Religion bad' bc of wars? Religion has been used as a marketing device to wage wars. Religion set up teams, but humans get bored and make war. Greed, ignorance. Laziness. It's exciting to have a war even as people scream, "Bad." Hell, people go to war the day after Thanksgiving for scraps of clothe and plastic. Religion is an excuse for war, not the cause.
Anyway, the US and Europe get rid of religion, they get weak, Nature abhors a vacuum, and Muslims are all the rave. Watch, all the 'woke' 'progressives' are going convert to Islam and claim it's progress - they already are.
Boogeymen. You "restorers" are gonna have to come up with something a bit more, um, real than this mystical crap you're shoveling for all you're worth. How about working on destroying feminism and restoring TFRs to or even above replacement level? Oh, and you'd better work a bit harder and faster at it if you want any chance at all of keeping the West alive. Sorry, but shaking your prayer beads at the unbelievers is simply NOT gonna cut it.
I read this book in 2020 and recommended it to everyone I knew. It was the perfect mix of history, present day and foreshadowing. Well, fast forward to 2026 and Mr. Murray’s predictions have become reality, not just for Europe, but for the USA. I wish everyone would pick up this book and read it.
The US cannot endure a judicial system that would override American Jurisprudence. The political beliefs, with the exception of jihad, are not incompatible, but Sharia law will not displace our rights.
Because this topic has become so front and center, I am studying its history from 700 AD, along with the “relationships” with Christians and Jews over thousands of years. Very good books (yours especially, Aayan). Without deep knowledge of a topic, I find it is easy to state an opinion too quickly.
One thing I will state from a place of knowledge is that Christianity has never been platitudes. It’s a relationship with God who loves you enough to make Himself known to you.
I’ll add this: The deeper danger for the West is not external pressure but inner depletion.
A culture that forgets its connection to spirit becomes fragile (brittle even), easy to sway by any force that still believes in sacred purpose - even if it’s psuedo-sacred.
Strength does not come from wealth or information but from conviction anchored in something higher than ourselves. Until we renew that inner ground, every ideology with stronger faith in its own meaning will eclipse us. It’s curious that I’m writing this comment on Friday the 13th, the day when the Templars suffered so.
Thank you for this. Murray is right that a civilization dies when it forgets its spiritual story. But loss of story begins not in politics, it begins in perception, when people stop experiencing life as meaningful.
The real crisis is not only that we left the church, it is that we stopped sensing the sacred in anything. Relearning that sight, through beauty and conscience as much as creed, may matter even more than returning to faith’s institutions.
We’re all born with a conscience our creator designed us that why the Christ is inside of you. We live on a beautiful planet Earth that gives everything we need we should all come together celebrate Mother Nature there’s nothing more beautiful we can all get creative and be the best human being and we’re here to look after each other and mother earth.
I totally agree with Douglas Murray. We need to rediscover our biblical connection and be less narcissistic. Less shopping and worshipping of self and more praying and caring for our country rather than foreigners who hate us, the ones that love our country are welcome.
I don’t want to be in your book club.
tradition alone can't save us
Well, it's a good start.
Islam is here to conquer, prepare accordingly!.
Neither can god. 🤣
The Scientific Revolution, the Industrial Revolution and the Human Rights Revolution started and developed in only one place and time - in Europe from the 1500s to the 1800s when it was devoutly Christian. These incredible advances were taken to their greatest heights in the 1900s by America when it was devoutly Christian.
Christianity is the spiritual, intellectual and moral foundation of almost all human progress. No Christianity, no science, prosperity or human rights. This is the most important and clearest lesson of history.
"the West will not survive without a revived commitment to Christianity—or, at least, to its values."
The problem with merely cultural Christianity (committing to the values only, not the actual beliefs) is that it doesn't last long. Which is exactly what we're seeing right now in Western nations. If you don't get the real thing, sincere beliefs and changed lives and all, you don't get the values either. At least, not for long.
Even the hardened atheists/scientists have said they embrace cultural Christianity, which to me says a lot about secularism, or lack thereof.
The Strange Death of Europe is a great book. Thoroughly researched and beautifully written.
In 100 years, Islam could well stretch from Dublin to Jakarta, with Slavic Europe the last bastion of Christianity in the Old World. I don’t see a peaceful off ramp for Western Europe. Does anyone have any plausible ideas?
The future is still a bit foggy, but adumbrates quant, CRISPR, neuro-informatics, metamaterials & Alcubierrean space-time compression. Bible tales don't seem to fit.
Charles Murray (no relation, I'm sure to Douglas) recently published the book "Taking Religion Seriously" in which he, a former unbeliever/agnostic, makes a case for just what the title implies. That we are tuned to value "transcendence" makes a ton of sense given our fear of mortality and transcendence definitely feels great, according to those who feel they have experienced it. It's the magical stuff that religions insist we believe that seems nonsensical. Big intellects have been fooled innumerable times as they still reside in human beings with our shared fundamental fears and hopes. There is plenty of magic in existence without leaps of faith to accept silly stuff. Geology, astronomy, biology, physics. These offer tremendous oppotunities for transcendence and awe without the silliness and gobbledy-gook. Religions, like ideologies, will always insist their true believers fight the non-believers. Don't go there Ayaan!
A dozen upvotes for this comment. The project is too important to get hijacked by more religious imperialism and zealotry even of the more benign Christian variety (after the enlightenment secularism defanged it).
It’s very human how we can read the same piece and draw different conclusions. Many of the comments say “Yes, let’s bring back Christianity that gave us Western civilization,” while others say “Oh. No, let’s move past religion entirely with all its excesses.”
To me, the implicit value of Christianity is not its dogma and certainly not its long list of abuses. Rather it is its framework for living, embedded in the Ten Commandments and through its teachings. Do the right thing. Be honest. Don’t take other people’s stuff. Respect life. Treat all people equally. Islam, a mono dimensional theology based on conquest, dominance and the utter devaluation of women, fails on this score. In short, it’s those Christian values that have enabled human flourishing.
In 1400 years, Islam has produced little for its people other than bloodshed and conquest, surviving only because Western societies with Christian values have freely shared the skills and technologies Muslim countries need to feed their people and raise future jihadists.
It’s not really religion per se, it’s the underlying values that have driven the greatest era of human advancement the world has ever seen. If we fail to embrace those principles, the void will be filled by failed toxic theologies like communism or Islam. For values there will be. Pick yours.
We surely have to agree on ONE thing....NOT RELIGION. We must agree on GOODNESS--the word GOD came from the word GOOD. i.e., God is derived from GOOD. If we value wealth over GOODNESS, we are choosing evil--the death of our culture.
Humans will always worship something, whether it’s money, fame, sex, power…or God. Take your pick. But only one of those things will take you beyond yourself.
Sorry. No God. No Goodness. I know this goes against every fiber of 'progressive' culture in the US since at least the 1960s. We see what happens without God. And there must be ritual and tradition. I was taught 'religion bad'. I can sympathize with you but I'm not going to deny reality.
Everyone has religion, anyway. Devout 'no religion' is religion. 'Social justice' is now a religion. Communism -Socialism is a religion.
'Religion bad' bc of wars? Religion has been used as a marketing device to wage wars. Religion set up teams, but humans get bored and make war. Greed, ignorance. Laziness. It's exciting to have a war even as people scream, "Bad." Hell, people go to war the day after Thanksgiving for scraps of clothe and plastic. Religion is an excuse for war, not the cause.
Anyway, the US and Europe get rid of religion, they get weak, Nature abhors a vacuum, and Muslims are all the rave. Watch, all the 'woke' 'progressives' are going convert to Islam and claim it's progress - they already are.
Boogeymen. You "restorers" are gonna have to come up with something a bit more, um, real than this mystical crap you're shoveling for all you're worth. How about working on destroying feminism and restoring TFRs to or even above replacement level? Oh, and you'd better work a bit harder and faster at it if you want any chance at all of keeping the West alive. Sorry, but shaking your prayer beads at the unbelievers is simply NOT gonna cut it.
I read this book in 2020 and recommended it to everyone I knew. It was the perfect mix of history, present day and foreshadowing. Well, fast forward to 2026 and Mr. Murray’s predictions have become reality, not just for Europe, but for the USA. I wish everyone would pick up this book and read it.
The West certainly cannot survive with growing Islamisation.
The US cannot endure a judicial system that would override American Jurisprudence. The political beliefs, with the exception of jihad, are not incompatible, but Sharia law will not displace our rights.
Because this topic has become so front and center, I am studying its history from 700 AD, along with the “relationships” with Christians and Jews over thousands of years. Very good books (yours especially, Aayan). Without deep knowledge of a topic, I find it is easy to state an opinion too quickly.
One thing I will state from a place of knowledge is that Christianity has never been platitudes. It’s a relationship with God who loves you enough to make Himself known to you.
Just reading that book right now
I’ll add this: The deeper danger for the West is not external pressure but inner depletion.
A culture that forgets its connection to spirit becomes fragile (brittle even), easy to sway by any force that still believes in sacred purpose - even if it’s psuedo-sacred.
Strength does not come from wealth or information but from conviction anchored in something higher than ourselves. Until we renew that inner ground, every ideology with stronger faith in its own meaning will eclipse us. It’s curious that I’m writing this comment on Friday the 13th, the day when the Templars suffered so.
Thank you for this. Murray is right that a civilization dies when it forgets its spiritual story. But loss of story begins not in politics, it begins in perception, when people stop experiencing life as meaningful.
The real crisis is not only that we left the church, it is that we stopped sensing the sacred in anything. Relearning that sight, through beauty and conscience as much as creed, may matter even more than returning to faith’s institutions.
We’re all born with a conscience our creator designed us that why the Christ is inside of you. We live on a beautiful planet Earth that gives everything we need we should all come together celebrate Mother Nature there’s nothing more beautiful we can all get creative and be the best human being and we’re here to look after each other and mother earth.
Observa praeterita sed carpe future.
futura