You ought to. We’ve got generations who were raised on Leftist drivel and we are paying the price intellectually and morally.
I mean Catcher in the Rye and Portnoy’s Complaint are classics? Who decided that?
No one reads Bastiat, C.S. Lewis, Chesterton, etc. At least not for knowledge other than what is on the test.
It has only gotten worse. One teen I know had three books to read - teen pregnancy, mental illness and suicide - were the main themes.
What is your philosophical outlook?
>What is your philosophical outlook?
That’s more difficult for me to articulate than I’d like. I enjoy CS Lewis’s books. I’ve started some Chesterton fairly recently (Man alive) and found that to be enjoyable. I may not agree with everything they say, but I enjoy the “different viewpoint”... it often gives me something to think about.
Right now, though, I would say that societally we are suffering from a lack of Justice. We have people who whine and complain about putting murderers and rapists and the like to death... and yet have no qualms about killing the unborn? We have a great many politicians who live above the law. We have judges that support and even further injustices (esp. those committed by the government against its people; as in Waco, Ruby Ridge, Elian Gonzales, etc...).
I am of the mind that you cannot, CANNOT, have mercy without justice. Mercy is providing a mirror to illuminate the shadows with the light of Truth to those in the darkness; but in order for them to realize that they need light, they need to know that they are in the dark. The example, physically, of this principle is the moon, which acts as a giant mirror, reflecting some of the sun’s light into the darkness of night.
Mercy without Justice, is simply injustice... That is, I think, one of the reasons Micah 6:8 says we’re to DO justly, LOVE mercy, and walk HUMBLY with God.
If we strive to act in a just manner, then we will not wake up one day and find ourselves knee-deep in “political alliances/entanglements” which prevent us from acting rightly.
If we love mercy, then we will not become cruel... or overly pedantic in regards to the law. If we love mercy, then we will realize that we are ourselves in need of it.
That realization, the need for [our own] mercy, should in turn, help us to be humble before the Ultimate God of Justice. He defines Justice, Morality, and has the Power, Authority, and Right to destroy us even down to the soul... it behooves us to treat Him with respect, and therefore be humble when walking with Him.