An excellent column pointing out a lot of the current crop of constant liberal double standards, but also taking on the important question of "Why?", especially in this quote:
If you work from the dogmatic assumption that liberalism is morally infallible and that liberals are, by definition, pitted against sinister and — more importantly — powerful forces, then it’s easy to explain away what seem like double standards. Any lapse, error, or transgression by conservatives is evidence of their real nature, while similar lapses, errors, and transgressions by liberals are trivial when balanced against the fact that their hearts are in the right place.The whole column is well worth the time. Nothing really "new" to regular readers of this blog, but certainly very well done -- there is a reason Goldberg is editor of NR and I'm unknown!
In pretty much any place at time, we like to view ourselves in a somewhat heroic manner if there is any way at all we can rationalize that view. Since humans are rationalizing rather than rational creatures, we are almost always pretty darned good at seeing ourselves in a heroic positive light, and that goes at least double for the dominant religion of the day -- it is in a position to regularly heap accolades unto itself and opprobrium onto any that dare oppose it.
Today's dominant religion is Secular Humanism that decided to steal the term "liberal" from classic liberals -- those that believed in the liberty of the individual, property rights, small government, rule of law, etc.. Those in power get to do such things.
A very beneficial aspect of Christianity once being the dominant religion was that it put government in a subsidiary place and constantly pointed out that people WERE NOT supposed to be self satisfied -- in fact, people were supposed to be penitent and seeking redemption, seeing their work as a calling from God to be constantly improved along with their behavior and their caring for others. Your heart was never really "in the right" -- it was in fact "exceedingly wicked", and only by Grace, prayer and availing yourself of the sacraments and holy preaching could it stay in communion with the truly pure heart of Christ.
Secular Humanism is a far more smug calling. If you sign up for it, your heart is by definition "in the right place". I believe that the "bravery" sense of liberals that Goldberg mentions is the knowledge in their souls that they have sold out their eternal soul to bow to the graven image of the secular state, so their soul keenly feels that sense of eternal danger -- so they HOPE that they are "getting away with it". Being liberal might have somewhat the same feel as "Sr Skip Day".
The standard of God is a single standard. The standards of man are always at least double -- running down the endless litany of "liberal" double standards is always easy, because if it wasn't for double standards, they would have no standards at all!
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