Auguste Comte, founder of sociology, also founded a Religion of Humanity. Thomas Huxley (“Darwin’s Bulldog”) remarked, aptly, that it amounted to: “Catholicism, minus Christianity.” So too the religion of the Elect may be thought of as Evangelical Calvinism, minus Christianity. “Calvinism,” because of Double Decree (eternally and ahead of time, elected to cosmic Oppressed status, or damned to cosmic Oppressor status); “Evangelical,” because of a narrow psychologically reductionist focus (to the exclusion of broader, worldly questions) on the praeterite soul, its chastisement and repentance; “minus Christianity,” because there is no eschatology and no corresponding redemption.
The concept of race traitor is so incredibly tribal, so very anti-human. Whites that transgressed the color line had a very specific label applied to them, meaning in essence, race traitor. All it meant was that you betrayed the tribal identity. And the accusation? It is meant to tap into the very real human fear of ostracization. Enforced banishment, unless a person has been able to find an identity separate from the group in which they have found personal identity, is a terrible thing. It creates a loss of self-identity and throws the person into an existential crisis of, often, terrible proportions. That is why it is such a powerful threat. It is, in part, why so many people go along with the woke mobs whether they believe in their orientation or not. But as the trend continues, more and more people are finding the courage to take a stand, to risk banishment and exile. It is one of the things that keeps up the good will in me, that brings me not optimism but hope, which is a kind of faith rather than the belief that things will turn out well, that I will be safe, that life will go on as it has gone on. It is faith in those who will not break faith with themselves, refuse to become the enemies of their souls or memories.
I just ordered "Nine Nasty Words", and while I was at it I got '"Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue" too. Though I prefer hardcovers, I had to go with paperback for the latter, as hardcover copies started at $120!
You have made a significant contribution to this critical issue. I wish it could be called a conversation but I fear it remains a monologue as the awoke are unwilling and incapable of engaging in dialog. I appreciate your willingness to consider reader input and look forward to a book more appropriate to the crisis at hand. With its flaws, the manuscript was thoroughly “pro-Black.” Congrats on pending publication.
While it is interesting to analyze The Elect as a religion, I find it just as fruitful to frame this in terms of the secular. The Elect don’t actually believe in Original Sin, they believe if two babies were to play together and if one happened to be white, and the other happened to be black, nothing but nice normal healthy baby behavior would take place. Lets just take this for granted, the take away is Racism is learned behavior... and white people are just naturally racist is where the conflation begins. The naturally racist is being mistaken as from conception. Original sin IS from conception, a baby most definitely has original sin if we are using the strictly theological definition of what that phrase means. But provided racism is framed as a learned behavior by The Elect, it can’t be present at conception if it is from something learned as a child. This demonstrates that the Elect believe the problem is society’s corrupting influence ala Jean Jacques Rousseau. White people just happen to be on top of the materialist food chain, and the primal instincts of this dominance drove suppression and oppression naturally out of Marxist determinism. I could go on with critiquing revolutionary ideology, why that is actually anti-theological on a basis of good faith (pardon the pun). I think I’ve made my point.
Just got cancelled from my Black Lives Book Club for saying that the 74 million people who voted for Trump are not all racists and may have good faith reasons to vote Republican. The club is entirely white, except for my decades long black friend who leads the meetings (and has disowned me, a Democrat). For my transgression he told me (with anger) that I supported the caste system and white supremacy. It’s noteworthy that he is famously known among his friends for his calm demeanor and decency to other people. Woke Racism is spot on. And only a religion could so corrupt such a kind and decent person. Kendi and DiAngelo are the guiding lights of the club.
I think the new title is right on the mark. Do you hear the sense of betrayal in the plea of Sherrie Jennings? She's the Minneapolis grandmother of a ten-year-old boy who had been gravely injured in a drive-by shooting.( https://youtu.be/p7qbpJqQpgg?t=195 ). "Why is this community not angry?" she asks a news conference where city leaders unveiled a community policing plan. "You all tell me that. 'Cause it was a black kid? Is that why? 'Cause a cop didn't shoot him? Is that why? Nobody's angry?"
Hi John, just read your and Jason Stanley's opinion pieces on The Economist - a debate on CRT with Ibram X. Kendi may be out of the question, but what about a debate with Stanley on a forum like Intelligence Square US (or Bloggingheads)?
John, congrats on your success so far and that the next book is on the way. I feel like those that will castigate you are the brainwashed few who engage the most in social media, assuring their grey matter stays nice and clean with all the narratives pushed to them by AI algos.
Those of us that have disengaged from social media and its stupidities are the ones seeking rational discourse, finding it on Substack. We're the ones who want long form, thought provoking, work and we will buy your books readily. We're the ones that will also be in the voting majorities in 2022 and 2024, so keep up your hard work, ignore the chatter from the "engaged" Elect, and be patient for results.
Finding Johns critical analysis of how contemporary antiracist activists segued into a madness of their own making has been the life raft of sanity I've been clinging to since I got lambasted, cancelled and blacklisted for inadvertently revealing myself as a white supremacist racist by defending ppl who describe a certain type of gown as a "kimono". Then I compounded my hideousness by calling the China based fast fashion company that stole and faked 14 of my unique original designs "slitty eyed criminals". In what they no doubt feel is appropriate punishment and education some of the elect campaigned the gallery I exhibit in annually to ban me for those examples of my racism. (I am a textile artist making unique womens art to wear clothing....some items of which I had the temerity to call a kimono). To their credit the gallery board refused to expel me, but when they warned I may face some unpleasant activist protest during the exhibition I decided to cancel myself for this year...
Auguste Comte, founder of sociology, also founded a Religion of Humanity. Thomas Huxley (“Darwin’s Bulldog”) remarked, aptly, that it amounted to: “Catholicism, minus Christianity.” So too the religion of the Elect may be thought of as Evangelical Calvinism, minus Christianity. “Calvinism,” because of Double Decree (eternally and ahead of time, elected to cosmic Oppressed status, or damned to cosmic Oppressor status); “Evangelical,” because of a narrow psychologically reductionist focus (to the exclusion of broader, worldly questions) on the praeterite soul, its chastisement and repentance; “minus Christianity,” because there is no eschatology and no corresponding redemption.
The concept of race traitor is so incredibly tribal, so very anti-human. Whites that transgressed the color line had a very specific label applied to them, meaning in essence, race traitor. All it meant was that you betrayed the tribal identity. And the accusation? It is meant to tap into the very real human fear of ostracization. Enforced banishment, unless a person has been able to find an identity separate from the group in which they have found personal identity, is a terrible thing. It creates a loss of self-identity and throws the person into an existential crisis of, often, terrible proportions. That is why it is such a powerful threat. It is, in part, why so many people go along with the woke mobs whether they believe in their orientation or not. But as the trend continues, more and more people are finding the courage to take a stand, to risk banishment and exile. It is one of the things that keeps up the good will in me, that brings me not optimism but hope, which is a kind of faith rather than the belief that things will turn out well, that I will be safe, that life will go on as it has gone on. It is faith in those who will not break faith with themselves, refuse to become the enemies of their souls or memories.
PLEASE narrate the audiobook yourself! I just can't imagine hearing a different voice reading it.
I see you as a liberal, in the classic sense.
I just ordered "Nine Nasty Words", and while I was at it I got '"Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue" too. Though I prefer hardcovers, I had to go with paperback for the latter, as hardcover copies started at $120!
You have made a significant contribution to this critical issue. I wish it could be called a conversation but I fear it remains a monologue as the awoke are unwilling and incapable of engaging in dialog. I appreciate your willingness to consider reader input and look forward to a book more appropriate to the crisis at hand. With its flaws, the manuscript was thoroughly “pro-Black.” Congrats on pending publication.
I have pre-ordered it. Looking forward to reading it.
While it is interesting to analyze The Elect as a religion, I find it just as fruitful to frame this in terms of the secular. The Elect don’t actually believe in Original Sin, they believe if two babies were to play together and if one happened to be white, and the other happened to be black, nothing but nice normal healthy baby behavior would take place. Lets just take this for granted, the take away is Racism is learned behavior... and white people are just naturally racist is where the conflation begins. The naturally racist is being mistaken as from conception. Original sin IS from conception, a baby most definitely has original sin if we are using the strictly theological definition of what that phrase means. But provided racism is framed as a learned behavior by The Elect, it can’t be present at conception if it is from something learned as a child. This demonstrates that the Elect believe the problem is society’s corrupting influence ala Jean Jacques Rousseau. White people just happen to be on top of the materialist food chain, and the primal instincts of this dominance drove suppression and oppression naturally out of Marxist determinism. I could go on with critiquing revolutionary ideology, why that is actually anti-theological on a basis of good faith (pardon the pun). I think I’ve made my point.
Congratulations! Looking forward to it!
Just got cancelled from my Black Lives Book Club for saying that the 74 million people who voted for Trump are not all racists and may have good faith reasons to vote Republican. The club is entirely white, except for my decades long black friend who leads the meetings (and has disowned me, a Democrat). For my transgression he told me (with anger) that I supported the caste system and white supremacy. It’s noteworthy that he is famously known among his friends for his calm demeanor and decency to other people. Woke Racism is spot on. And only a religion could so corrupt such a kind and decent person. Kendi and DiAngelo are the guiding lights of the club.
I think the new title is right on the mark. Do you hear the sense of betrayal in the plea of Sherrie Jennings? She's the Minneapolis grandmother of a ten-year-old boy who had been gravely injured in a drive-by shooting.( https://youtu.be/p7qbpJqQpgg?t=195 ). "Why is this community not angry?" she asks a news conference where city leaders unveiled a community policing plan. "You all tell me that. 'Cause it was a black kid? Is that why? 'Cause a cop didn't shoot him? Is that why? Nobody's angry?"
This is great news. Can the book be pre-ordered somewhere?
Hi John, just read your and Jason Stanley's opinion pieces on The Economist - a debate on CRT with Ibram X. Kendi may be out of the question, but what about a debate with Stanley on a forum like Intelligence Square US (or Bloggingheads)?
John, I cannot wait to but this book - it will be an essential contribution to our nations conversation around race-as we say in Spanish,”P’alante”
John, congrats on your success so far and that the next book is on the way. I feel like those that will castigate you are the brainwashed few who engage the most in social media, assuring their grey matter stays nice and clean with all the narratives pushed to them by AI algos.
Those of us that have disengaged from social media and its stupidities are the ones seeking rational discourse, finding it on Substack. We're the ones who want long form, thought provoking, work and we will buy your books readily. We're the ones that will also be in the voting majorities in 2022 and 2024, so keep up your hard work, ignore the chatter from the "engaged" Elect, and be patient for results.
I'll definitely be buying it.
Finding Johns critical analysis of how contemporary antiracist activists segued into a madness of their own making has been the life raft of sanity I've been clinging to since I got lambasted, cancelled and blacklisted for inadvertently revealing myself as a white supremacist racist by defending ppl who describe a certain type of gown as a "kimono". Then I compounded my hideousness by calling the China based fast fashion company that stole and faked 14 of my unique original designs "slitty eyed criminals". In what they no doubt feel is appropriate punishment and education some of the elect campaigned the gallery I exhibit in annually to ban me for those examples of my racism. (I am a textile artist making unique womens art to wear clothing....some items of which I had the temerity to call a kimono). To their credit the gallery board refused to expel me, but when they warned I may face some unpleasant activist protest during the exhibition I decided to cancel myself for this year...