Scruples

Some quick words about some scruples I've been feeling today.

In the last year or so, I've taken a pretty strong lurch to the right. Part of this is as a result of my shock at the Synods on the Family and the realization at just how far the rot has set into the Church itself. There is no other way to put it.

Part of it is my horror at political correctness and my dawning realization of just how big of a threat it really is. Obviously, the two subjects are related. Political correctness had a huge part to play in the madness we saw at the synods, and arising from them.

But I have to be careful, because my opposition to political correctness is on two main fronts, and only one of those really pertains to the Faith.

On the one hand, political correctness is certainly a threat insofar as it has undermined marriage, gender, ecclesiology, hierarchy, and other subjects which have an obvious bearing on the Church.

On the other hand, much of my opposition to political correctness concerns its obsession with globalism, multiculturalism, post-nationalism, and the general campaign to do away with the nation-state.

Now, I can't drape this second opposition in the colours of Catholicism. Left-wing Catholics often try to portray globalism and multiculturalism as inherently Catholic, but that's dishonest. Trying to portray nationalism as inherently Catholic would also be dishonest. 

These are two separate tracks. And I'm not as confident about the second track as I am about the first track.

Some time back, I decided-- temporarily-- that worldly matters such as cultural identity shouldn't matter to me, since a Christian should always be thinking of eternity rather than this world. But I found I couldn't sustain that attitude. I do care. I care about my cultural and ethnic heritage, handed in trust to me by my ancestors. I care about preserving the cultural diversity of the world. I care about Irishness.

But sometimes I wonder if I should accept that the nation-state has had its day. I hope that's not the case. I really, really hope not. But perhaps the words of Tennyson apply:

The old order changeth, yieldeth place to new
And God fulfils himself in many ways
Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.

Perhaps, in the future, the best hope for preserving cultural traditions is to emulate the Jews in the Diaspora. Perhaps that is the future for all cultural and ethnic traditions. Perhaps the days of a cultural identity dominant over a particular territory are over. Perhaps seeking to hold onto that, today, causes more grief than good.

In any case, I feel I should concentrate more on trying to preserve rather than trying to resist. Although I'm not criticizing those who try to resist, provided they do so in an honourable and chivalrous manner.

I'm not sure, in any case. I'm expressing doubts and scruples here, rather than anything else. For the moment I am going to "lay off" globalism.