"Don't be mistaken, even within the Church, people in polite Catholic circles will try to persuade you to remain silent.... Our Catholic faith has always been countercultural. Our Lord, along with countless followers, were all put to death for their adherence to her teachings. The world around us says that we should keep our beliefs to ourselves whenever they go against the tyranny of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We fear speaking truth, because now, unfortunately, truth is in the minority. Congress just passed a bill where stating something as basic as the biblical teaching of who killed Jesus could land you in jail.... We must be intentional with our focus on our state in life and our own vocation. And for most of us, that's as married men and women.... [I] reflect on staying in my lane and focusing on my own vocation and how I can be a better father and husband and live in the world but not be of it.... It is essential that we focus on our own state in life.... Each of you has the potential to leave a legacy that transcends yourselves...."
My excerpts from that Harrison Butker commencement speech people are talking about.
But they're talking about this part, where he addresses "the ladies present today":
You should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives. I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. How many of you are sitting here now about to cross this stage and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.
I can tell you that my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother. I'm on the stage today and able to be the man I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation. I'm beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me, but it cannot be overstated that all of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.
[Applause lasting 18 seconds]
She is a primary educator to our children. She is the one who ensures I never let football or my business become a distraction from that of a husband and father. She is the person that knows me best at my core, and it is through our marriage that, Lord willing, we will both attain salvation.
I say all of this to you because I have seen it firsthand how much happier someone can be when they disregard the outside noise and move closer and closer to God's will in their life. Isabelle's dream of having a career might not have come true, but if you asked her today if she has any regrets on her decision, she would laugh out loud, without hesitation, and say, “Heck, No.”
That's been very controversial, mainly, I think, because it's being said at a graduation ceremony and there is a presumption that the reason young people go to college is to prepare for a remunerative career. I remember when colleges claimed to be all about deepening us intellectually and molding us into fully rounded human beings. So it was déclassé to speak of career prep.
Anyway, Butker turns "to the gentlemen here today," and they too are called to family life:
Part of what plagues our society is this lie that has been told to you that men are not necessary in the home or in our communities. As men, we set the tone of the culture, and when that is absent, disorder, dysfunction, and chaos set in.
Why do men and not women "set the tone of the culture"? Without men, women are chaos?
This absence of men in the home is what plays a large role in the violence we see all around the nation. Other countries do not have nearly the same absentee father rates as we find here in the U.S., and a correlation could be made in their drastically lower violence rates, as well.
Be unapologetic in your masculinity, fighting against the cultural emasculation of men. Do hard things. Never settle for what is easy. You might have a talent that you don't necessarily enjoy, but if it glorifies God, maybe you should lean into that....
I'll skip over the section on the traditional Latin Mass. Toward the end, he points to the post-graduation experience everyone really wants — Heaven:
I know that my message today had a little less fluff than is expected for these speeches, but I believe that this audience and this venue is the best place to speak openly and honestly about who we are and where we all want to go, which is Heaven....
Make no mistake: You are entering into mission territory in a post-God world, but you were made for this. And with God by your side and a constant striving for virtue within your vocation, you too can be a saint.
Posts
95 comments:
Oh no. Someone with an opinion outside of the Leftist cultural paradigm.
Guards - seize him!
Attacks on Butker will be demanded, then shouted in the public media. His employer and his league will be pressured to condemn this.
Support will be whispered and private, though they'll sell some jerseys.
Which is more authentic? Which is more courageous?
What is the lesson from this? Where are we headed?
"Congress just passed a bill where stating something as basic as the biblical teaching of who killed Jesus could land you in jail"
Wait...what? The Roman lobby is at it again
I blame the wealthy Italians in Hollywood.
Or are we not allowed to talk about human sin and Christ's willingness to die for those whose sinfulness he voluntarily acted in obedience to atone for?
I'm confused what law Congress passed that would reflect a Biblical view of Jesus's death.
Now I can see my badly constructed comment sentences right away!
"That's been very controversial, mainly, I think, because it's being said at a graduation ceremony and there is a presumption that the reason young people go to college is to prepare for a remunerative career."
I disagree about that being the main reason his remarks are supposedly controversial. The main reason is that he's asking young people to pursue a "greater purpose" in their lives that is not "racial justice" or "social justice."
The college he spoke at is a VERY Catholic, traditional school. As a graduate of Villanova, I can tell you the difference. This is a religious based community in fundamental Catholism. His speech would have been nothing controversial there.
Taken in a secular world and out of context, the speech reads differently. He speaks about the basic teachings of family, men and women in the Church. Even when you get married, the service says, "To Welcome Children." It is discussed in Pre-Cana before you are married, along with a huge segment on fighting and finances.
"Why do men and not women "set the tone of the culture"? Without men, women are chaos?"
Without men, the children women produce, especially the male ones, bring the chaos. Literally every city in America is proof of this.
"As men, we set the tone of the culture, and when that is absent, disorder, dysfunction, and chaos set in."
Oh. He's been listening to Jordan Peterson. He must be punished.
Decades of liberal US hegemony, in combination with rapid technological change and the widespread diffusion of knowledge,have created a culture that has forgotten the centrality of male aggression in world history. It's not a pretty picture, but it's a true picture. Forget it at your peril.
An exceptional speech and very profound.
Compare that minor masterpiece to the latest interview the Jesuit Pope just gave to CBS News. Since I'm the beneficiary of a Jesuit education, I'm exceptionally disappointed in Pope Francis. He is way outside his circle of competence and his actual job. He lectures the US about accepting more illegal aliens. And the worst of his pronouncements is his idiotic backing of the CAGW scam. The CAGW scam will only make the poor worse off. Just look at Germany.
He should focus on Catholicism and reconverting Europe. How many people go to Mass in Italy? Check out that number, Pope! Do your job!
I also note that Creighton has the NYT liberal writer Nicholas Kristoff speak at their graduation exercises.
I'm impressed — he can kick a field goal and also stick his foot in his mouth.
Free speech is not freedom from criticism. The criticism of Butker's speech is also free speech.
Is the Pope punting?
The fact the NFL condemned this speech (almost certainly without hearing it, or reading a transcript) says a whole lot about the moral corruption of that organization.
I am that Catholic tradwife, so I'll philosophically agree with most of what Butker said. It's the way he said it that bothers me. That priest is bad, this wife is good, those societal practices are wrong. It was a lot of finger pointing. A truly Catholic speech is humble, grateful, and charitable in its truth-telling. I'm not interested in him telling me what his wife thinks. (Let her give the commencement speech.) I'm interested in him telling me how he resolves his Catholicism with his own struggles.
But he's only 28. May the Lord bless him.
"Congress just passed a bill where stating something as basic as the biblical teaching of who killed Jesus could land you in jail."
What bill is this and where is the language supporting this description?
"We fear speaking truth, because now, unfortunately, truth is in the minority."
Well, 'twas and is always so, never to change!
But what truth--whose truth--are you presuming to claim as the truth? Your truth! In other words, your beliefs.
My thoughts are aligned with Kate’s. It is not a speech I would give even if I agree with much of it. It seemed like a lot of silent “or” instead of embracing of “and”.
There goes Rich. Making sure women are working and taxable so he can keep the socialist state viable. Good job Rich. Make sure you keep the women on the plantation by guilting them into thinking the only way to happiness is to pay taxes to the almighty government. Thanks for keeping the options limited. You’re the best.
Somewhere
"and there is a presumption that the reason young people go to college is to prepare for a remunerative career."
Brigham Young said “You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.” It might not be about remuneration.
"and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker."
How is that controversial when the most important title of a man is husband and father, not VP or CEO? It is the same call to focus, for both men and women - focus on the area of life that would bring the most and most lasting joy.
@Rich is impressed ! Cancelling a person for their unapproved speech is just another expression of Free Speech !
Why do men and not women "set the tone of the culture"? Without men, women are chaos?
Without men, women buy their sons $300 bottles of French perfume so they can go on tik tok and talk about how smokey it smells.
His address was standard Catholic teaching with one glaring exception. I did find the statement regarding the death of Jesus to be off putting. The implication that the Jews killed Jesus in not Catholic teaching. The Church has rejected collective guilt. Pope Benedict as recently as 2011 pointed out that not only was Jesus a Jew, but all of his earliest followers were as well.
I am puzzled by Pope Francis’ enmity to the Latin Mass. Its primary appeal is to younger Catholics and I would think that is one group that should be catered to. This is especially true in light of things like the confusion over same sex marriage blessing, etc.
I thin you’re right Rich, freedoms of speech is not freedom from criticism… so go ahead criticize away if you like. But then your criticism is also subject to criticism. But that’s ok that’s civil debate right.
Interesting though how much pushback we saw when people criticized Colin Kaepernick’s “speech”. Wasn’t so much “free speech isn’t free from criticism” then, it was more - if you’re not part of the solution you’re part of the problem, if you don’t agree with what he’s doing you’re an entitled bigot.
Talk about the Pot and the Kettle. Colin was as entitled as they come (NFL QB) and he was as bigoted as they come. Saw everything through the lens of race. Hated whitey, and the “slave owner” NFL owners, even his white adoptive parents (but apparently not the black bio parents).
And he knelt for the anthem at football games, which is utterly disrespectful to many in the audience, especially when the NFL tries to be so pro-military. But the NFL embarked on a DEI program, put “end racism” and other comments on helmets and in the end zone of the field. And here, now, the NFL does the opposite. It publicly distances itself from Butker’s comments. Where’s the inclusion in that?
Why didn’t it just stay silent/neutral?
No, this is some BS.
Paddy O said,
I'm confused what law Congress passed that would reflect a Biblical view of Jesus's death.
The reference is to H.R. 6090, passed in early may which redefines "antisemitism" more broadly for Title IX purposes (in response to the college protests against Israel).
By the way, the ACLU is against H.R. 6090, as well as Butker -- feeling it is unnecessary while Catholics like Butker believe it amounts to a backdoor way to stifle Catholic teaching in general.
Back in college in the late 70s, the half-truth joke was that the girls in school were there to get their MRS degrees; to find an educated man with promise, marry him and raise a family. My wife did, although that wasn't necessarily her plan undergrad or when we both attained our MBAs.
Indeed, after a handful of years on the career path, we had three children and she left the workforce, and "leaned in" to her lifelong vocation of wife, mother, and homemaker. With no regrets.
To be fair, not everyone can afford to pursue this path, but many who think they can't should re-consider their material priorities.
The Sisters of St Scholastica, co founders of Benedictine College, issued this statement
https://www.yahoo.com/news/benedictine-sisters-mount-st-scholastica-100700734.html
I’m going to quote in its entirety:
“As a founding institution and sponsor of Benedictine College, the sisters of Mount St. Scholastica find it necessary to respond to the controversial remarks of Harrison Butker as commencement speaker.
“The Sisters of Mt. Scholastica do not believe that Harrison Butker’s comments in his 2024 Benedictine College commencement address represent the Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college that our founders envisioned and in which we have been so invested.
“Instead of promoting unity in our church, our nation and the world, his comments seem to have fostered division. One of our concerns was the assertion that being a homemaker is the highest calling for a woman. We sisters have dedicated our lives to God and God’s people, including the many women whom we have taught and influenced during the past 160 years. These women have made a tremendous difference in the world in their roles as wives and mothers, and through their God-given talents in leadership, scholarship and their careers.
“Our community has taught young women and men not just how to be ‘homemakers’ in a limited sense, but rather how to make a Gospel-centered, compassionate home within themselves where they can welcome others as Christ, empowering them to be the best versions of themselves.
“We reject a narrow definition of what it means to be Catholic. We are faithful members of the Catholic Church who embrace and promote the values of the Gospel, St. Benedict, and Vatican II and the teachings of Pope Francis.
“We want to be known as an inclusive, welcoming community, embracing Benedictine values that have endured for more than 1500 years and have spread through every continent and nation. We believe those values are the core of Benedictine College.”
@Rich:
Free speech is not freedom from criticism. The criticism of Butker's speech is also free speech.
Point epically missed.
"The reference is to H.R. 6090, passed in early may which redefines "antisemitism""
I know about that law but I'm still confused what law was passed that would reflect a Biblical view of Jesus's death.
Or is he trotting out a legitimately antisemitic and nonbiblical trope that was used for centuries to justify actual violence against Jews?
The goal of the antisemitic law was to stop antisemitism. There's no danger of that if someone actually teaches what the Bible says. So is he supporting antisemitic interpretations as part of being a good Catholic? That's very progressive of him!
Some women are born to be a scientist or a mathematician or a CEO or a partner at a white shoes law firm. I suspect he’s right that most — a “majority” — will be happiest as wives and mothers. Nothing wrong with that. I’ve often criticized feminists in general, and sometimes even Althouse in particular, because the “right to choose” should include the right to choose something other than what feminists want them to choose.
Butler is as old Atlantan as it gets. Born in Decatur, educated at Westminster and Georgia Tech. And he is as normal as it gets. Traditional Christianity still rules here. Catholic institutions are first class. In other words attacking him is calling the good bad.
"Woke" is the prevailing "religion" in contemporary western culture. Jews and Christians are the enemy (Muslims get a pass because they will cut your fucking head off for the slightest sign of nitpicking).
A Fatwa is coming for Mr Butker. He has become the face of the "infidels". Like Salman Rushdie and Charlie Hebdo, he spoke and must be silenced.
I believe God, however spelled or defined, is most closely approached and embraced by individual spirituality. That may be nurtured OR crushed by "religion". Where is the dividing line between rights of the individual and rites of the group?
Roads to anarchy and civilization are many and each has bumps. Choose wisely and don't be selfish. I give Mr. Butker an "A" in this regard.
The hardest non-taxable, nonprofit job you'll ever love.
"Why do men and not women "set the tone of the culture"?"
1. Ambition. Drive. Strength. 2. Men not setting the tone undermines social order. Men are more dangerous, therefore have greater responsibility.
"Without men, women are chaos?"
Yes, but as Yancey pointed out, the chaos mainly affects children and young men. Of course, without women, i.e., women in solid relationships, most men are even more "chaotic."
I say as a deplorable non-Catholic.
A college graduation is exactly the right venue for such a speech. That is the time when women (and men) need to hear the message that family is, for most of us, the most important vocation we will pursue. We've been lied to for decades that it can be put off, and we all see the results in front of our eyes — so many women turning 40 and wondering if it's too late to start a family, to the point that fertility rates are well below replacement level in most of the world. It's not an awkward faux pas to attempt to sway people toward family over career as young adults are leaving college. It's the whole point.
Paddy O said...
"The reference is to H.R. 6090, passed in early may which redefines "antisemitism""
I know about that law but I'm still confused what law was passed that would reflect a Biblical view of Jesus's death.
One of the examples given in the International Holocaust Remembrance Association's definition of anti-Semitism, which is specifically incorporated by HR 6090 into how the Department of Education is to investigate claims of anti-Semitic actions in schools, references the use of the term 'Christ Killers'. While most if not all Christian sects have repudiated the notion of collective guilt of the Jews for the execution of Jesus, there does remain the somewhat sticky issue that, if you believe Scripture, specific Jewish leaders and individuals in 1st Century Jerusalem did call for the execution of a man named Jesus. I think a lot of people find this troubling because great reliance is then placed on the judgement of investigators distinguishing between references to what all Christians believe to be a factual account of Christ's death and use of the same idea to justify anti-Semitic actions.
Free speech is not freedom from criticism. The criticism of Butker's speech is also free speech.
I agree completely.
Calls to fire Butker from his job are also free speech, but do we want to give the Thought Police even more power than they currently have?
The rituals are nice but then things get overliteralized, i.e. missing the point; plus there's a public display of virtue, which easily turns into evil.
Gender differences: of wombs and testes.
Althouse:
That's been very controversial, mainly, I think, because it's being said at a graduation ceremony and there is a presumption that the reason young people go to college is to prepare for a remunerative career.
Willful ignorance on display. It's "controversial" because the left media is pumping out the idea it's "controversial" - as it does any time either religious (sans Islam, of course) or moral ideals are promoted.
Funny things is, the ideals aren't especially religious. That's just an attack vector.
It's become especially strident as more and more young women are rejecting the "boss girl, no children" paradigm.
Can't have that.
It will be interesting to see if the NFL bends the knee and suspends Butker. I give it 50/50 odds and, if they do suspend him, Rich will be here telling us that the NFL is only exercising their free-speech rights by suspending Butker.
The Daily Mail dishonestly reported that he said women should be homemakers. Typical.
"While most if not all Christian sects have repudiated the notion of collective guilt of the Jews for the execution of Jesus, there does remain the somewhat sticky issue that, if you believe Scripture, specific Jewish leaders and individuals in 1st Century Jerusalem did call for the execution of a man named Jesus."
If you believe Scripture, Jesus' execution was a political matter, with powerful Jewish elders calling for his death, as they saw his teachings as heresy (and a threat to their influence and power). Is that anti-semitic to point this out? I don't see why. Such political disputes and consequent acts of political murders are endemic everywhere in human history. (Look today at the many Russians in Putin's poor favor who have clumsily tripped and fallen out of high places to their deaths.)
The attempt to define and criminalize "anti-semitism" is, of course, ludicrous and dishonest, a clear attempt to prevent any criticism of any policies or acts of a state entity (Israel). It's no different than passing a law to make it illegal to criticize any US policies or actions.
'That's been very controversial, mainly, I think, because it's being said at a graduation ceremony and there is a presumption that the reason young people go to college is to prepare for a remunerative career...'
I think back in the days when only the wealthy went to college, there was family money and one could be a dilettante.
These days, college is like the minor league for the Fortune 500.
But even Butker knows and appreciates that nobody wants a dumb wife.
I appreciate beauty as much as any man, but when I think of the ladies I've fallen for in my life, each one has been really, really smart.
Blogger baghdadbob said...
Back in college in the late 70s, the half-truth joke was that the girls in school were there to get their MRS degrees; to find an educated man with promise, marry him and raise a family. My wife did, although that wasn't necessarily her plan undergrad or when we both attained our MBAs.
Indeed, after a handful of years on the career path, we had three children and she left the workforce, and "leaned in" to her lifelong vocation of wife, mother, and homemaker. With no regrets.
To be fair, not everyone can afford to pursue this path, but many who think they can't should re-consider their material priorities.
5/20/24, 9:25 AM
————
It still exists. Take a look at the sorority cu,true at places like Alabama and Ole Miss.
Blogger traditionalguy said...
Butler is as old Atlantan as it gets. Born in Decatur, educated at Westminster and Georgia Tech. And he is as normal as it gets. Traditional Christianity still rules here. Catholic institutions are first class. In other words attacking him is calling the good bad.
5/20/24, 9:44 AM
————-
Except for the whole Catholic thing. Old Atlanta is Peachtree Presbyterian or First Baptist of Atlanta. Although it should be pointed out that Margaret Mitchell was Catholic and the result is that the rights to “Gone With the Wind” are now owned by the Archdiocese of Atlanta.
"It still exists. Take a look at the sorority cu,true at places like Alabama and Ole Miss."
Yes, well...it's sororities...and places like Alabama and Ole Miss.
Just for reference, most here should by now know I'm solid atheist. I completely support his right to say what he did and most of, if not the total message.
As an atheist, I find the jumping his ass far, far more disturbing than anything he said and a reveal as to who the wishful totalitarians truly are. I've no doubt I could sit and have an intelligent, respectful and enjoyable conversation with him. The rabid culture oppositionaries would never allow that as respectful precludes screaming tirades.
I've lived long enough to see that attitude shift from mostly Republican to almost all Democrat.
Calls to fire Butker from his job are also free speech, but do we want to give the Thought Police even more power than they currently have?
Calls to fire Butker are free speech, but actually firing Butker is not - instead, it is punishing him for his expression and/or his being Catholic. The NFL and Chiefs are free to criticize Butker if they see fit, but a firing or suspension crosses the speech line.
tim maguire:
Without men, women buy their sons $300 bottles of French perfume so they can go on tik tok and talk about how smokey it smells.
Down here we get that by standing downwind of the campfire.
Paddy O:
So is he supporting antisemitic interpretations as part of being a good Catholic?
A good example of phrasing a view as if it were a question, foisting the disproof on those who believe otherwise instead of providing proof that he is.
We sisters have dedicated our lives to God and God’s people, including the many women whom we have taught and influenced during the past 160 years
Rich, you are right that people are free to challenge anyones speech. How ever, veering into private speech weakens that view.
But you are perfect to complain about the topic.
You don't know anything about Christianity,
You know less about Catholcism
Nothing about the Bill of Rights
Nothing about the anthropology of humans
So you are perfect to complain.
The good sisters? They are following the suggestions offered by Butker. The sisters have forgone, industry and family, to follow a higher calling. They seem as confused as the rest of the haters.
I cant think of anything more important than mothers devoting them selves to the next 3 generations of humans.
That's what these Nuns did when they Married Jesus Christ.
so is it finally realizing by Americans that the Old Bible is mainly history of Jewish politics?! due to their MiddleEastshananigans biting in ass? + fundamentalist digging into it by supporting 20th c Israel creation
So is he supporting antisemitic interpretations as part of being a good Catholic?
As long as he doesn't exercise liberal license to indulge diversity [dogma], woke (sic) in inferential logic, protest for murder, rape, rape-rape, and torture in a bid for social justice, then the "burdens"... uh, Jews, will be fine.
the result is that the rights to “Gone With the Wind” are now owned by the Archdiocese of Atlanta.
==============
the movie or the novel+worknotes?
does that mean forever and ever? so never come into public domain?
A government conspiracy killed Jesus. The fact the conspirators were Jewish does not make noting that antisemitic. You could make the observation that the same kind of conspiracy is attacking Trump. Government insiders do not like to have their positions challenged.
Couple of thoughts:
He is more Catholic than the Pope
He kicks a ball several times a year for a living and was asked to make a college commencement speech. Sort of like thinking a person who pretends he/she is someone else for a living has important things to say.
Never heard of him before.
His choice of words and delivery may not have gotten his real point across. Family is important to our culture and will be the most important part of our lives.
AMEN!!!!!!
Well the pontiff its no longer a rheorixal question
The Catholic Church was not founded by Jesus Christ.
It was founded later by a group of people who hijacked Christianity and ignore the first admonition: You are servants unto God - Not servants unto servants.
Christ never intended for a centralized power with so much dogma attached to it.
'Christ never intended for a centralized power with so much dogma attached to it.'
Can read the mind of Jesus.
Nice!
That's been very controversial, mainly, I think, because it's being said at a graduation ceremony and there is a presumption that the reason young people go to college is to prepare for a remunerative career.
This has been bothering me, and I finally realized why. Back in the 1970s I was a grad student working on a doctorate in computer science, and attended a discussion about efforts on the part of the new Chancellor to redirect tenured positions from STEM departments to the social sciences. One of the points made was that there are few jobs in the social sciences, while departments such as computer science and the hard sciences were preparing students for real jobs. One individual stood up and made an eloquent case for the value of a liberal arts education simply for the joy of learning new things, and learning how to learn.
He was the Dean of the College of Engineering.
"If you believe Scripture, Jesus' execution was a political matter, with powerful Jewish elders calling for his death, as they saw his teachings as heresy (and a threat to their influence and power)."
I usually disagree with Robert Cook, but he is absolutely correct here. The Bible is quite explicit regarding this.
"If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”
John 11:48, NIV
So, is Jesus Christ Superstar now anti-Semitic?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uo81UqO54dg
It's nice to see that the NFL is willing to take a stand when a player acts in a wrong fashion.
It does, however, seem a bit odd given that they sat quietly through:
Kevin Allen & Thomas Henderson & DJ Spillman - sexual assault
Will Allen & Michael Bennet & Josh Bellamy - wire fraud
Richard Alston & Darryl Henley & Travis Henry & Sam Hurd & Johnny Jolly & Bam Morris - drugs
Treyvore Boykin - Aggravated assault
Josh Brent & Donte Stallworth - Intoxication manslaughter
Rae Caruth - Conspiracy/Murder
Maurice Clarett - Armed robbery
Dwayne Goodrich - Negligent homicide
Aaron Hernandez - murder
Tommy Kane & Leonard Little - manslaughter
But finally, SOMEONE HAS GONE. TOO. FAR.
"I remember when colleges claimed to be all about deepening us intellectually and molding us into fully rounded human beings. So it was déclassé to speak of career prep. "
But at the prices they are charging today, they can't sell the pie in the sky idea of college. Not to mention, you can become far more "fully rounded" off campus than on these days. The humanities are dead, razed to the foundations like Thebes, and now "rebuilt" in the manner of the conquerors.
And with the knowledge now freed from the prison of the campus, Carlyles observation is even more true today.
"The greatest university of all is a collection of books."
Thomas Carlyle
Of course, one needs a habit of reading which the English teachers work hard at conditioning students against by taking all the joy out of it.
“Shakespeare did not intend for his work to be used to torture minors.” --Louis Rossman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9ZzRTj-GGs&feature=youtu.be&t=389
The fact of the matter is that Pilate, someone so cruel and rapacious that he was eventually recalled to Rome for massacring to many Jews, didn't find Jesus culpable of anything deserving the death penalty. The Romans didn't care about Jewish laws concerning blasphemy and the Jewish religion, they just wanted order and taxes. The Jewish leaders got Pilate to agree to Jesus' execution by threatening to report him to Caesar.
"From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, 'If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar."
John 19:12, NIV
Does this support collective guilt and anti-Semitism. No! Of course not. Notice, its the Jewish leaders who are calling for Jesus' death. Anyone reading the Bible honestly will notice that it quite often cautions against blindly following leaders, spiritual and otherwise.
28 is too young to be giving a commencement speech.
I'm late to the party here, but back when my wife found out she was pregnant she was making about twice my salary and was on an accelerated career track while I was still trying to figure out if I should go to grad school. We spent months looking for infant day care so that both of us could continue working, but one night when I got home my wife showed me the numbers that told us that infant daycare cost more per month than I was currently making. During this discussion we also came to the realization that we were looking for the cheapest care, not the best, and that this was childcare we were talking about and not a lawn service. Once we realized that, it was a short leap to one of us has to give up full time work, I wasn't making the money, so it was going to be me until one day my wife told me that she wanted be the one to care for the baby and I had to step up. My wife was a stay-at-home mom for almost twenty years after that. I worked like hell to bring in the money we needed and she made sure it was enough. When she went back to work it was on her terms and on her timeline. Those twenty years were tough as hell on me and her, but not on our kids and I guess that was the point. I don't know or care about this football guy and we didn't make our choice based on any religious conviction, but if you are willing AND ABLE to make the sacrifices necessary to have a parent at home for your kids I can tell you it is worth it.
Folks, to expand on what I actually said in my comment, the question wrt the AAA is not do *you personally* find an accurate recitation of the Christian Scriptural record of Jesus's death anti-Semitic, or can *you personally* find non-religious explanations for it in that record, but what would a motivated investigator be able to construct from someone's non-Scriptural paraphrasing of the same events? There are people who don't think "from the river to the sea" is a call for the elimination of the Jews in Israel. Do you think they're going to be persuaded by "The Bible says so" on the opposite of the argument?
(I wish the AAA didn't appear to be necessary but until the Woke Tribe running institutions of higher learning stops blatantly excusing eliminationist rhetoric so long as it's directed at disfavored groups, they are going to need to be boxed in by actual law.)
My child is a student at Benedictine. My wife and I are pleased with the school. It is a traditional liberal arts school, but also offers architecture, engineering, and nursing. It is not woke. Unlike most schools today, it has a good female to male ratio in the student body (51% to 49%). The cost is reasonable and the school is growing.
The school as it exists today is the result of a merger of two schools, one run by Benedictine monks and one run by Benedictine nuns. The schools, originally on opposite sides of town next to the respective monasteries, were merged in the early 1970s on the campus of what had been the men's school. While the monks are relatively conservative, the nuns are typical 1970s pantsuit-clad nuns. They are dying out and seem to have little influence on the life of the school. I gather that they attract no interest from the female students considering religious life. I am not surprised that they issued a statement critical of the graduation speaker.
I have observed that interest in sports runs high on the campus among both the students and the administration, so I am sure that having a Catholic professional football player speak for graduation was a popular choice.
My main concern is for the longterm prospect of the school. I believe that Catholic institutions are extremely likely to come under intense pressure from the administrative state to conform to the societal norms favored by the left. I anticipate an effort being made to strip Catholic institutions of their tax-exempt status, as was done to Bob Jones University in 1983 because the "Government has a fundamental, overriding interest in eradicating racial discrimination in education . . . which substantially outweighs whatever burden denial of tax benefits places on [the University's] exercise of their religious beliefs." Given how the Title IX is being interpreted, it will be easy to portray schools like Benedictine as being contrary to the government's overriding interests.
Although many "Catholic" institutions will quickly capitulate (I have, for example, no doubt that the Catholic hospital in the blue city where I live will have no problem with providing "gender-affirming care" and abortions if the law demands that), institutions like Benedictine need to prepare now for the loss of funds provided by government programs.
I also fear that the controversy will put Benedictine in the sights of the administrative state. It will no longer be flying under the radar. I hope the school is prepared.
For centuries Christians have attacked and murdered Jews, based on the belief that “the Jews” murdered Christ. It’s almost like the act of killing Christ is a continuous event and therefore justifies the eternal hatred of Jews. That’s my understanding of antisemitism.
Despite the fact that Christ himself claimed that he did not intend to change anything from Judaism, which was his faith, the insistence on blaming Jews throughout the centuries has caused a very bad schism between Christians and Jews. Lots of Christians I have known personally have no idea how much Christianity is based on Judaism. I had an argument once with a friend about how the prayers at his church were based on Jewish prayers. And he insisted that that wasn’t possible. At the end of the service we approached the bishop who was visiting his church, and I asked the bishop, “Aren’t these prayers based on Jewish prayers?” And the Bishop laughed and he said, “Yes of course they are,” and we just hugged each other.
Finally the Catholic church decided in 1965 to correct this error of collectively blaming all Jews but there are still people here on this blog commenting who insist on generalizing the guilt of Christ’s death to all Jews, even 2000 years later. The point is that this generalized hatred epitomizes antisemitism. Christianity and the NT does not demand that you be an anti-Semite. Secretly hating or denigrating Jews doesn’t make you a good Christian.
@Christopher B
I fully support Israel's right to exist, think that they have not only the right, but the duty to destroy Hamas, are being as carful as possible to mitigate collateral damage, and I still oppose any and all "hate speech" legislation.
Enmity towards Jews because Jesus was crucified is completely illogical for a believing Christian. Christ had to be sacrificed on the Cross to save us sinners. Jesus himself stated that no one was taking his life, he was surrendering it.
"No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
John 10:18, NIV
Althouse:
I remember when colleges claimed to be all about deepening us intellectually and molding us into fully rounded human beings.
That was already devolving if not had devolved from an actual, pursued goal to no more than an advertisement long ago. As for the bolded portion, it depended on where you went as to what that meant and by the '60s it didn't really mean "fully rounded" at all.
So it was déclassé to speak of career prep.
Even if you were preparing to become a doctor, lawyer, politician, shooting for an academic degree or any number of other 'blessed' careers?
Claiming "The Jews" killed Christ is like saying that the Marines killed JFK
Rich said...
“I'm impressed — he can kick a field goal and also stick his foot in his mouth.”
I’m impressed, Rich. You can do one of those two things.
Althouse:
I remember when colleges claimed to be all about deepening us intellectually and molding us into fully rounded human beings.”
Have you looked at the average American waistline lately? Mission accomplished!
Maddad @1:08
You proved the beauty and truth of Butkers Speech.
A man and women TOGETHER are the Nature of the beast. An anthropologilly prove path to rearing the next 3 generation of humans
Making F/U money and giving a kid or two, a single parent experience, harms the kid and society.
Follow the science delivers you to 1950's America
The criticism of Butker's speech is also free speech.
Doxxing him isn't. Especially when it's a city employee - using the city's official account - doing it.
Ron Winkelheimer at 1:33 - Thank you for stating that. I am an Episcopalian and there is that phrase during the service that "Christ offered himself in sacrifice for the whole world" that points out this was God's plan, and everyone in it was fulfilling their role in it.
If you want to see what people think is important, walk around a cemetery and see what they put on their tombstones for posterity (assuming they could afford one). You will see a lot of “mother” and “father”. You won’t see a lot of “IT consultant” or “Internet Commentator”.
Robert Cook said...
"It still exists. Take a look at the sorority cu,true at places like Alabama and Ole Miss."
Yes, well...it's sororities...and places like Alabama and Ole Miss.
**********************************
For some reason, I am reminded of an old joke:
"Why don't Southern sorority girls engage in group sex?"
"Because it is so tiresome to have to write all those Thank You notes.
Rosalyn C.: "Finally the Catholic church decided in 1965 to correct this error of collectively blaming all Jews but there are still people here on this blog commenting who insist on generalizing the guilt of Christ’s death to all Jews, even 2000 years later."
Also Rosalyn C.: "For centuries Christians have attacked and murdered Jews, based on the belief that “the Jews” murdered Christ."
Discuss.
Steven, thanks for your comment. Very informative. As for Burker's speech, he was describing his religious beliefs at a traditional Catholic college while addressing an audience that seemed to share them. So, others don't share them. So what? And if this commencement speech is not your think, check out Jonathan Roumie's speech at the Georgetown graduation. That's a Jesuit rather than Benedictine institution, and much less traditionally Catholic in its general outlook (and probably in its student population as well). But the whole speech was basically a sermon urging the students to live up to the Gospel's teachings according to a traditional Catholic understanding.
@AMDG — Actually, Atlanta has had an influential Catholic community since well before the Civil War. The oldest church in the city is the Shrine of the immaculate Conception, whose predecessor was preserved from Union destruction upon the entreaties of its pastor, Father Thomas O’Reilly. While law and other professional firms practiced discrimination until the 1960s, one of the city’s most prominent law firms has long had a Catholic name partner. Even Bobby Jones died a Catholic and Coca-Cola’s leadership was disproportionately Catholic for decades. UPS too. The most prestigious golf club in Atlanta has had Catholic members since its inception in the 1940s.
Butker hit the misogyny goalpost head on and then bounced it off the antisemitism goalpost. You can argue his graduation speech still went through the uprights but for most of us the lesson is, never take your religious dogma from a placekicker.
Blogger Achilles said...
The Catholic Church was not founded by Jesus Christ.
It was founded later by a group of people who hijacked Christianity and ignore the first admonition: You are servants unto God - Not servants unto servants.
Christ never intended for a centralized power with so much dogma attached to it.
5/20/24, 12:27 PM
————
Matthew - chapter 16
And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
"And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it."
According to Matthew. Hearsay testimony.
Would the nuns be upset if he told the women that they should become nuns?
Maddad--well said--and done.
One thing that the critics of the idea that even smart women ought to raise their own kids need to think about is that if smart women don't--who does?
It's not really a part-time job.
Rosalyn C. said...
For centuries Christians have attacked and murdered Jews, based on the belief that “the Jews” murdered Christ. It’s almost like the act of killing Christ is a continuous event and therefore justifies the eternal hatred of Jews. That’s my understanding of antisemitism.
Despite the fact that Christ himself claimed that he did not intend to change anything from Judaism, which was his faith, the insistence on blaming Jews throughout the centuries has caused a very bad schism between Christians and Jews. Lots of Christians I have known personally have no idea how much Christianity is based on Judaism. I had an argument once with a friend about how the prayers at his church were based on Jewish prayers. And he insisted that that wasn’t possible. At the end of the service we approached the bishop who was visiting his church, and I asked the bishop, “Aren’t these prayers based on Jewish prayers?” And the Bishop laughed and he said, “Yes of course they are,” and we just hugged each other.
Finally the Catholic church decided in 1965 to correct this error of collectively blaming all Jews but there are still people here on this blog commenting who insist on generalizing the guilt of Christ’s death to all Jews, even 2000 years later. The point is that this generalized hatred epitomizes antisemitism. Christianity and the NT does not demand that you be an anti-Semite. Secretly hating or denigrating Jews doesn’t make you a good Christian.
5/20/24, 1:22 PM
——————
Hating Jews makes you a bad Christian.
@Mike Petrie
Another key to Sherman not burning the Shrine is that a good number of his soldiers were Irish immigrants and it would not have been good for moral.
Another piece of Atlanta Catholic trivia - Part of the property purchased to construct the Cathedral of Christ the King was purchased from the KKK.
My original comment was not to label Atlanta as anti-Catholic - more of a reference to the relative dearth of Catholics. That is no longer the case. When we first moved to North Fulton the closest Church was around 10 miles away. Now there are two within 3 miles.
Butker is Catholic, not Evangelical Christian? That explains everything. Catholics really don't care about the reception of their message, they are just professing their faith out loud. Evangelicals are there to harvest souls, and their purpose is the conversion to their faith of unbelievers. He won't care what anyone says about his beliefs. he knows the unbelievers are doomed to an eternity of hellfire for their lack of adherence to the One True Faith (TM).
Hats off to the Kicker.
He gave a speech people are talking about.
His jersey sales are going to rival Mahomes.
NBC Rich said..
"I'm impressed — he can kick a field goal and also stick his foot in his mouth.
Free speech is not freedom from criticism. The criticism of Butker's speech is also free speech."
So deep. pffft.
The topic is now how the speech crime /thought crime left demand this person be destroyed.
What is it with you F*ing leftists and your march to destroy anyone who dare disagree with you.
On any topic.
Freaks.
Why do leftist democratics think everything is about them?
"Lots of Christians I have known personally have no idea how much Christianity is based on Judaism."
Lots of Christians know squat about their proclaimed faith.
@AMDG —. Yes, agreed and understood. If you happen to be Catholic (or even if you’re not), come visit Mary Our Queen in Peachtree Corners for Mass sometime. You will appreciate it. Give me a shout, and I’ll meet you. michaeltpetrik@gmail.com.
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