Philosophical musing

In China, the fear is of anarchy, not loss of freedom...

sounds like Hobbe's Leviathon, that argues the same thing.

Another blog (no link) points out Michael Moore's tirade against Capitalism uses religious images that associate socialism with Christianity.

Actually, Catholicism is neither: it posits something like the old "Holy Roman Empire" where small areas governed themselves, and small farmers and shop keepers were the norm, and minorities could govern themselves, under a king whose power was limited by intermediate institutions (e.g. the church, the guilds) and the high king (the Holy Roman emperor).

The Hapsburgs blew it by extending the idea too far, and by the Protestant reformation, that blew up the idea of hierarchy in authority, placing the individual as the most important part of society.

Many of this was good (for example, Calvinism was behind the idea that one could make money in business and still serve God). But like all ideas, it is getting to the end of it's usefulness by it's faults being exaggerated.

"the old order changes, giving place to new, lest one good custom should corrupt the world"...

The idea of subsidarity and communitarian idealism didn't work too well, so the Holy Roman Empire was replaced in the modern world with a more efficient central government: thanks to Napoleon, it evolved into the Prussian idea of the state doing everything, or the socialist idea of the same (except the leaders were "elected", and religion was subordinated to the state).

So where does this lead us?

"Coast to Coast AM" had a report of the Virgin's statue crying in Ireland, which just voted yes for the European Union.

Developing a NWO where religion is frowned upon? Or, will the Muslims rise up and essentially destroy the atheism in Europe?

developing...