Well said.

Pity for you, if this trivial statement is all you know about Enlightenment and religion. Of course, religion is much more deep and ancient that Enlightenment. But the latter in no way replaced or outshine the former, as is implied in your declaration. Quite contrary, Enlightenment gave Christianity a new dimension and depth: individual responsibility and perspective of unlimited spiritual growth. Of course, if Enlightenment for you is associated only with such figures as Didro or Laplace, this common fallacy of opposing Enlightenment and religion, or faith and reason, is understandable: these French philosophers were atheists. But Enlightenment also included deeply religious figures, even mystics, as Bles Pascal, Isaak Newton, George Berkeley and David Hume, representing Renaissance Augustinianism.

Hmmm, let’s see … If only Al Gore had taken his rightful place as president in 2000, 9/11 would have engendered a period of American soul-searching, a dialogue with those responsible, greater global understanding, repentance and mutual forgiveness (them for the small crime of 9/11, us for the huge crime of capitalism / imperialism); global warming would have been stopped; poverty eliminated; AIDS cured (instead of bombs bought); freedom and liberty spread …

Right?

Actually, VDH isn’t saying you hate yourself as an individual. I think he believes the general reaction against Bush is part of a reaction against America that the left seems to have bought into. I have no idea about you personally, but I do agree that the left in general seems to have an intense dislike for the US as a nation.

Jay: Galileo, by the way, was slapped around because he was a total prick, who poked fun at the current pope, Urban XIII (who was a prick in his own right), in a play. Combine that with the fact that Galileo went around saying heliocentrism contradicted (his own interpretation of) scripture, and you can see why they got all Inquisitorial on him.

Actually, it was a book, not a play, the pope was Urban VIII, and Galileo didn’t go around saying heliocentrism contradicted scripture. Galileo was deeply involved in patronage relationships in Rome, including with the pope through his secretary, Ciampolo. When Ciampolo fell from favor with the pope, Ciampolo’s buddy Galileo also became a target. The whole trial, etc., was mostly a patronage relationship gone bad, and Galileo’s theories were tangential. Galileo even had prior approval from both the pope and a Catholic censor to publish the book. See Mario Biagioli, Galileo, Courtier, for all the sordid details.

The artificial wall of science vs. religion has gained ground in the last century or so because of the liberalization/secularization of academia and the American evangelical response to it.

Actually, it started more in the 18th century with the Enlightenment and the attempt to replace Church authority with reason as the foundation of civilization.

No, the solution is restoring pride in Western achievement, the belief that our heritage is worth preserving (even while acknowledging its present and historical flaws), and the will to practice our culture without shame. These changes need not lead directly to war, but we cannot rule out war when “others” with fewer moral qualms attempt to force their wishes upon us with violence.