Now I've Heard Everything

Christopher Hedges opened a debate with Sam Harris with the usual equivocation, arguing that his preferred religion, in this case the Abrahamic faiths, is nothing more than that which he likes in human nature, ethics, spirituality, and culture. But in doing so he made the astonishing claim that individualism is the crowning inheritence of the Abrahamic faiths.

Now I've heard everything.

Hmm. The Abrahamic faiths are pretty clear on the importance of group-level moral responsibility: we are all to be punished for Eve's transgressions; all mankind (save Noah and kin) are swept away in a worldwide flood; the plagues sent against Egypt turn the Nile to blood for all its drinkers, not just a few bad individuals; entire towns are wiped off the map in the course of wars establishing and demarcating favored tribes, not favored individuals. Etcetera.

If this is "individualism," then the word means nothing. But that seems to be precisely the modus operandi of liberal religionists like Chris Hedges: stretch words to and beyond the breaking point, so that X becomes not-X and, if whimsy demands it, turns back into X. War is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength, etc.

The Abrahamic faiths have a definite shape and form, and it's not whatever Chris Hedges likes. There are books that define this tradition, extremely well-known ones at that. Likewise, individualism has a meaning, and that meaning is in open conflict with the Abrahamic faiths. I would suggest that every inch toward individualism has been an inching away from the hideous and monstrous bully called "God" in the Abrahamic faiths.

How tedious. Go get him, Sam.