Intersectionality, the Dangerous Faith

National Review online ^ | 3-6-18 | David French

[DeweyCA]

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For the in group, it’s easy to see the appeal of the philosophy. There’s an animating purpose — fighting injustice, racism, and inequality. There’s the original sin of “privilege.” There’s a conversion experience — becoming “woke.” And much as the Christian church puts a premium on each person’s finding his or her precise role in the body of Christ, intersectionality can provide a person with a specific purpose and role based on individual identity and experience.

The faith is fierce. Intolerance in the name of tolerance is the norm.

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Indeed, you can often prove your faith through your ferocity. The right amount of rage, properly directed, can cover a multitude of sins.

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Intersectionality is becoming so influential that it “haunts” much of blue America in much the same way that Christian beliefs and cultures haunt the South. Even those who aren’t full-on adherents have begun to adopt various intersectional habits, such as adjusting their language, deferring to experiential authority, and questioning the value of free speech. Just as southern Americans are more prone to “God talk” regardless of personal religiosity, increasing numbers of blue Americans sound more woke with each passing day.

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The millions who’ve marched at their events, including folks who’ve perhaps never even heard of intersectionality or barely know it exits, become plugged into a movement that’s animated by intersectional ideas.

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Traditional Christianity and Judaism aren’t just being removed from American life; they’re being replaced. The more passive person often fills his heart with the saccharine sweetness of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. The angry activist often stokes the burning fires of intersectionality. And when commitment collides with confusion, commitment tends to win.

America’s traditional Christian and Jewish communities need to understand this reality. Intersectionality steamrolls right over the lukewarm, leaving them converted or cowed.

[DeweyCA]

Intersectionality is being taught in ALL Humanities courses and almost all Social Science courses on college campuses. I have seen this first-hand with my students' writing assignments. The indoctrination is sickening. They are polluting the students with hate for America and against all whites. It is a religion (of hate). It gives them meaning and purpose in life: fighting against alleged injustice. Their often godless lives are looking for something bigger than themselves, that can make them feel important. This was true of Communism, and it is also true of intersectionality. These are religious "true believers."

[colorado tanker]

The core belief is that all their demons, racism, sexism, homophobia, yada, yada, “intersect.” Therefore, if they can accuse a person of one of the ism’s or phobia’s, they are guilty of all. It’s how they can accuse Trump so casually of so many things of which he isn’t guilty.

[odawg]

It is an easy way to become righteous. No morality to contend with, no code of ethics to constrain behavior. All that is necessary to achieve righteousness, the moral high ground, is to condemn some kind of sin or crime (i.e. “whiteness”) in someone else and you have it made.

[cymbeline]

Here’s definition of intersectionality that I put in my don’t-use file a couple of months ago when I first encountered the word.

“The oppression and discrimination resulting from the overlap of an individual’s various social identities (e.g. gay & black & muslim)”

[HiTech RedNeck]

I was looking around for a definition of what this “intersectionality” thing is. Is there an authoritative source for such a definition? Such as some lead philosopher or group of philosophers?

It sounds like a way of getting a faux God and a faux devil, if it’s what you’re telling us here or something close to it.

[HiTech RedNeck]

So is there some multifecta here?

[A_perfect_lady]

It is an easy way to become righteous. No morality to contend with, no code of ethics to constrain behavior. All that is necessary to achieve righteousness, the moral high ground, is to condemn some kind of sin or crime (i.e. “whiteness”) in someone else and you have it made

That's actually a brilliant (and concise) analysis. That's an academic paper in three sentences.

[itsahoot]

America’s traditional Christian and Jewish communities need to understand this reality. Intersectionality steamrolls right over the lukewarm, leaving them converted or cowed.

Sounds exactly like Islam.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Even faux righteousness has to borrow from the true (which is Christlikeness in Christ) or it isn’t even plausible.

But even some idea of righteousness is better than none. Let’s not jump out of the frying pan into the fire. Christians ought to be able to explain both how these secular definitions have virtue and how they have vice.

[MoochPooch]

Intersectionality seems to be narcissism on steroids. These people are self-absorbed, finding any label to pin on themselves for validation.

[HiTech RedNeck]

The answer, of course, isn’t to steamroll back — after all, our faith is supposed to be full of grace — but rather to respond with calm conviction. Christianity has survived ancient heresies. It can prevail against modern fads. But don’t for one moment underestimate the depth of the zeal that drives our latest religious divide.

[Still Thinking]

Don’t forget stupid. Much of the “discrimination” they suffer is people daring to notice that, while they are tools, they aren’t the sharpest ones.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I wonder if that can happen with the “conservative” label too...

[IndispensableDestiny]

Shannon Watts is insane:

[TigersEye]

The Cult of Victimhood had to become a religion sooner or later.

Thanks to my White Privilege I can safely say “shove that #%^* where the sun don’t shine!” :)

[Behind the Blue Wall]

He’s right, the intersectionality movement is organized along religious lines. “Privilege” is the original sin. Publicly acknowledging that privilege and protrating yourself before those who have suffered is the only road to absolution.

[MoochPooch]

Conservatives seem to aspire to a higher ideal, something greater than themselves (G0d, country, etc.). Intersectionalists make themselves as the ultimate goal.

[SaraJohnson]

America’s traditional Christian and Jewish communities need to understand this reality. Intersectionality steamrolls right over the lukewarm, leaving them converted or cowed.

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The leftist churches in Mass. was like attending the radical end of a Democrat Party meeting. I have never been cowed by these commies, haters and liars.

We were in one of these “churches” one time and the gay minister claimed he had been to an encounter group over the week and discovered he is a racist. My seventh grader whispers in my ear “He’s a liar, too.”

That was before we gave up on the hope of finding a real Christian church in Mass. where we lived.