“Renaissance”

Magnificently perceptive.

“In terms of its morality, the Renaissance was split in two: it was part-Aristotelian, part-Christian. As Aristotelians, the men of the Renaissance displayed the virtues of intelligence and pride, and pursued the value of happiness on earth. As Christians, they upheld the virtues of humility, renunciation and self-sacrifice, and the value of rewards in Heaven. Thus the existentially brilliant era of the Renaissance was marred, spiritually, by a profound moral conflict.”

“The statues present men who have intelligence, courage, determination and strength of character; but they do not convey a sense of happiness. The moral conflict tinged the Renaissance view of life, and in the faces of the statues there is a touch of sadness or uncertainty or tragedy, an expression of longing for an ideal never fully reached.” –Metaphysics in Marble by Marry Ann Sures

http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/renaissance.html

Censorship Strengthens Islamists

Censorship Strengthens Islamists

By: Joshua Lipana

The prospect of another semi-free country falling to Islam is in danger of happening. In the Philippines a bill that would criminalize the use of words like “Muslim” and “Islamic” to describe criminals has been filed by Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. The Senator wishes to pass this bill while the Philippines is facing down numerous Islamic insurgencies in its southern islands.

The Southern Islands of the Philippine are infested with violent Islamic Totalitarian groups such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), the Abu-Sayaf and even elements of Al-Qaeda are present. Unfortunately such bills that run contrary to the principle of Freedom of speech is a worldwide trend. At the start of the 21st century the world witnessed the U.N pass resolution after resolution condemning the “Defamation of Religion.” And even now many member countries of the U.N are pushing for global “Blasphemy Laws.” Censorship it seems is gaining ground the world over.

The biggest beneficiary of all this is Totalitarian Islam. For example in the Philippines, the country where I live, and much like the U.S, the army is incredibly capable of crushing the various pip-squeak terrorist insurgencies. Whether they be communist or Islamist in nature. But due to the fact that “sensitivity” and “respect” is shown to our enemies, the military has had to pull its punches time after time. The prevailing ideas of the culture have led to this prolonged struggle where many innocents have died. Now the nail in the casket is being hammered, once censorship becomes widespread and good ideas are no longer possible to advocate, once Sen. Revilla’s bill passes; we’re all open for slaughter.

The war with Totalitarian Islam is not just a conventional war, it is also an Ideological war.  Bills like the one Sen. Revilla wants to pass will accomplish what is most crucial in this war, the Ideological disarming of Islam’s opponents. Things like this basically say to the Islamists “keep spreading your deadly ideology, you will encounter no resistance.”

Burke once said “Evil will triumph when good men do nothing.” What happens to a country when good men are barred from doing something? The victory of Totalitarian Islam will not come because of its violent attacks of murders and bombings. Their victory, if ever such a tragedy would befoul the world, will come because of censorship. If we seek to keep our freedoms and advance the cause of liberty; the primary evil we must defeat is censorship. Till good men can talk, good ideas can still win. If we lose the ideological battlefield to Islam, we will also lose militarily. We must fight censorship, like our life depends on it. Because it does.