But that's exactly the point that John Leake is trying to make: that the persuaded ideologue is capable of doing evil without being coerced! He does not need to be coerced because he is persuaded that what he is doing is good!
Coercion has a wide range of aspects, many of which have nothing to do the morality of an ideology, it could for instance be a chosen an exercise in self discipline.
Does it, though? I have family members who maneuvered themselves into the position of inheriting millions, leaving the rest of the family out. Years later, they continue to enjoy their spoils. Other family members often ponder whether there really is Divine justice; we don't wish revenge, but it is frustrating to see people succeed in their manipulations. Their corruption did not lead to destruction.
Those who enjoy themselves at the expense of fairness, justice and moral character will pay dearly throughout all eternity, unless they sincerely repent and turn from their sinful (selfish) ways, for they fear not the Almighty God but revel in the devil's ill gotten gains.
The Roman Republic lasted 5 centuries before becoming an empire whose accomplishments are admired while horrifying cruelties are forgotten. One telling incident: a mob went to the Senate and threatened to burn the building and the senators if they didn't give them a dictator - to bring order. Then things got worse.
For a long time, most emperors were vile and concerned with their own amusements. The Roman Empire achieved many great things in literature, art, architecture, sanitation, water transport, and roads -- mostly using slaves. General Crassus demanded 120 miles of road lined with crucified slaves after Spartacus' rebellion. Rome flogged Boudicca, queen of Britain's Iceni because she objected to an 80% tax. At least 80K tribesmen were killed in a losing battle led by her for their freedom. Just a few samples of Roman Rule.
We in the West live in perhaps the brightest epoch in history, and for all the faults of our Western governments, not one person living would want to live in 2nd cent. Rome.
What we should want is not to destroy the world with nuclear weapons and their certain aftermath of starvation, disease, crime, and chaos.
Mr. Leak, I so disagree with you that my first impulse is to unsubscribe. However, I’ll lose two other writers that I admire. Please consider sharing your anti-American thoughts elsewhere. I’ll continue to do my best not to read anything with your name displayed as author.
What does this (myopic) tangent have to do with telling Leake that he should not even share his opinion on his own Substack. And if you were really consistent in your thinking, wouldn't you want to shut out Dr. McCullough if he is the one giving a platform to someone as offensive to your sensibilities as Mr. Leake? smh
Sounds like a good plan to me. I have much reading to do without wasting my time reading an article by someone who holds views which are diametrically different to mine.
Just another shallow American. Critical thinking involves a deep dive into subjects and the ability to see the world in its complexity. And most importantly, to have the wisdom to change, and even to say, "I was wrong."
And, you have just proved Mr. Leake's post. These are not anti-American thoughts, as you have been brainwashed to believe. These are truisms of human nature that never change.
Follow Christ first. No questions, no disappointments, no worries. I only follow Christ with my full heart, mind, and soul. Trump, we need to pray for all our elected officials every day. We all need help and prayers. God will always have final judgement on all of us one day. Be ready. W.
Absolutely, that is what the comment is about. I have to look to the Bible and Christ's character and testimony. Always check and compare a system to what the Bible says. Let the Bible be your source to know truth from false. W.
Yes he happens to be a narcissist and able to use power as needed. We need a strong leader to defeat communist insurrection in America—that is why Donald Trump was elected.
I believe that Trump, Witkoff and Kushner will make out like bandits from this war. I believe that Trump has established his cult of personality while they are achieving the true aims.
I too nearly unsubscribed due to the loquacious rants of Leake. Apparently, he finds no satanic evil in the minds of the jihadist radicals who want nuclear weapons in order to wipe Israel and the USA off the map. I too will be ignoring posts with your byline, Leake
You sound indignant, Bill. The USA really did wipe the democratically-elected Iranian government off the map in 1953. The Iranian people revolted and seized their own country in 1979. Ever since, Israel and the USA have ran crippling economic sanctions (with their Rothschild's banking) against Iran in their efforts to wipe Iran off the map.
What goes around, comes around and karma's a bitch.
-----
The world would be a much better place if the USA simply followed George Washington's sage wisdom: Befriend all nations, trade with all nations, eschew becoming entangled in foreign alliances and conflicts and do not seek monsters abroad to destroy.
Mind your own bee's wax, Bill. Easy, peazey, lemon-squeezey.
Um, you've been somewhat "mis-informed" as to the TRUE identity of those "Iranian people" in 1979....who supposedly "revolted", and "seized" "their own country"....
When Roosevelt, Stalin, & Churchill met together, how, and by who, was Tehran chosen as the host city for that meeting? My point is that MUCH information has been concealed here about Iran & the "Middle East"....
Under the House of Saud, one of the largest families is the Bin Laden family, who has $Millions of mutual investments, through the Carlyle Group, with the Bush Dynasty.... So what?....
Amen! Me too, regarding God's wisdom and guidance for the leaders! A lasting peace in the Middle East, though: That would be some kind of miracle. But miracles do abound every day.
God, came to the aid of many leaders in the Old Testament.. He wanted to help and voiced disappointment when they did not humble themselves and ask for , HIS help. They were told to Fast and Pray.
You left out Jagger's verse about 'what's troubling you is the nature of my game'. I think you're a troubled man, John, if you are equating a man who many people believe is ridding the world of an evil regime (15% of the Muslim population tops, NOT an entire Nation of 94 Million people!) to those; who, if they persisted in their nuclear ambitions would create a world situation in very short order exactly as Hitler envisioned it - a single belief system bent on slaughtering all infidels to establish their caliphate, exactly as the Third Reich attempted to exterminate the Jews. That is sick. You are a sick man. Get some help. To help with your confusion, when half of the population believe that Trump is one of the greatest POTUS ever, and the other half believe that he is the devil himself - something is very wrong in our culture. It's kind of similar to C.S. Lewis' comment about Jesus - He was either a madman or who He says He was - you can't have it both ways. Grow up, John.
Shallowness of culture is due to feminization of politics: "don't spank/punish; that's too harsh!"
Women are by nature emotional and compassionate. That's a good balance to men's testosterone intensities. Usually, the husband wins out on household discipline.
Once loosed on society, women's suffrage means the curtailment of masculine behaviors in rearing the next generation. Result: order of magnitude increase in delinquency, tolerance of societal crime waves, multigenerational welfare, ultimately open borders.
This society elevates and tolerates the new criminal liberal governance that gave rise to Trump's BRASHNESS.
Trump only elevated when he said the unspeakable, reflexively. So, enough of your observations about a brash egoist running executive government. He won three elections at massive voting turnouts, so your thesis is too short on history. Dig further into why you even voted for the guy.
You did vote for him, no? So, if you did, you can't escape culpability. Defaulting to "politicians lie" is beneath even dumb liberals, and that's pretty low.
Shallowness of culture is shallowness of culture, regardless of politics. We do collectively value property and possessions 1000 yimes more than the arts and culture. We don't encourage our children to be free lance or travelling artists. The American culture on display consists now of military parades, rockets to the moon and building AI centers, plus making soooo much money (for some people) of the tariffs, rising oil prices, and the military industries. Culture plays no role in this. In fact, it has made us blood thirsty...the end of creating beauty for beauty's sake.
Nice to be able to travel--for art, no less--while someone else is planting or harvesting or milking the cows or butchering the livestock. Ah, the life of no chores or daily demands by Mother Nature!
And columnists and readers wonder why the American culture can't properly value life, time, or possessions...
Right now the arts are what we need as an antidote to narcissism, too much testosterone, valuing social status over empathy and intuition, incels, and focus on $$$ and killing for more $$$. Every American needs to travel at length to learn that they are not the center of the universe. Also abortion is a good antidote to forced motherhood when it's not wanted or not possible economically. You have no idea how hard the life of an artist is. And unsubsidized by the government to the degree farmers are.
If the libs are correct that evolution is 100% darwinism from atom to molecule to DNA, then an artist has no more dignity or sense of purpose than space dust.
If the libs are wrong, and life is of divine origin with purpose, then artists are either wholly self supporting or kept by owners.
Not Trump’s brashness. Trump’s mental illness and war crimes…
“Trump is mentally unstable, suffers from what is called the dark triad personality, of, psychopathy, extreme narcissism, extreme, chronic, and impulsive lying, and, no small amount of paranoia.
There's evidence that this man is, experiencing dementia on top of these lifelong traits.” (Jeffrey Sachs)
Yes, it is entirely possible for intellectually honest and morally competent people to consult and learn from qualified psychiatrists and psychologists. So, let’s see if you are really capable of learning…. Sachs clearly is.
It's why I despise religion and am now an atheist. Just make up an outcome, paint someone as the savior of man or the devil in lambs clothing. You can find a verse or a religion that supports what you already want to believe. Parents of an old girlfriend of mind once had a placard posted on their refrigerator, a cross at the top and a simple statement "We have already decided what we believe, please don't confuse us with the truth."
You project, Jan. I think it is you who lacks self-awareness.
You suffer from Trump Dead-ender Syndrome and Dunning-Kruger, and this is who you worship:
“Trump is mentally unstable, suffers from what is called the dark triad personality, of, psychopathy, extreme narcissism, extreme, chronic, and impulsive lying, and, no small amount of paranoia.
There's evidence that this man is, experiencing dementia on top of these lifelong traits.” (Jeffrey Sachs)
I was listening to Neil Young's "Cowgirl in the Sand", but Mick is singing as I type this....
We got a few thin-skinned, shallow-brains here, Doc....no nuance, no sense of irony....
When I sold my soul to satan, I told Ole' Scratch I wanted him to pay me by personal check. So he gave me his personal check to pay for my soul. Well, I took that check, turned it over, and wrote on the back: "For Deposit Only", & "Pay to the order of GOD". Then, I deposited the check in God's bank account. Satan can have my soul, but he's gotta pay God first!.... So, I just stay right with GOD, I should be ok....
But some people do not require to be fooled. Marx for example acknowledged his obedience to satan in his poetry - he knew what he was doing. And the pedophiles raping young children know jolly well that they are not doing anything good.
Coercion is sometimes accomplished by the persuasion of reasoned arguments based on a faulty premise, intended to deceive. It seems to be preferred over coercion by force in "civilized" nations like ours, but its success depends on a dulled or stupefied people unable to detect the faulty premise of such arguments -- a nation like we've allowed ours to become by destroying its foundations. If the initial coercion is by this deceptive persuasion, at some point it will morph into coercion by force.
Simple test for the morality of any ideology: does it require coercion?
But that's exactly the point that John Leake is trying to make: that the persuaded ideologue is capable of doing evil without being coerced! He does not need to be coerced because he is persuaded that what he is doing is good!
Coercion has a wide range of aspects, many of which have nothing to do the morality of an ideology, it could for instance be a chosen an exercise in self discipline.
Ideology: rules of norms applicable to qty of human units > 1.
Takeaway: immoral.
There is no difference between America and Rome 2,000 years ago. Corruption always leads to destruction.
Include Tel Aviv among the centers of evil.
Does it, though? I have family members who maneuvered themselves into the position of inheriting millions, leaving the rest of the family out. Years later, they continue to enjoy their spoils. Other family members often ponder whether there really is Divine justice; we don't wish revenge, but it is frustrating to see people succeed in their manipulations. Their corruption did not lead to destruction.
Those who enjoy themselves at the expense of fairness, justice and moral character will pay dearly throughout all eternity, unless they sincerely repent and turn from their sinful (selfish) ways, for they fear not the Almighty God but revel in the devil's ill gotten gains.
If not always justice, only karma?!
The Roman Republic lasted 5 centuries before becoming an empire whose accomplishments are admired while horrifying cruelties are forgotten. One telling incident: a mob went to the Senate and threatened to burn the building and the senators if they didn't give them a dictator - to bring order. Then things got worse.
For a long time, most emperors were vile and concerned with their own amusements. The Roman Empire achieved many great things in literature, art, architecture, sanitation, water transport, and roads -- mostly using slaves. General Crassus demanded 120 miles of road lined with crucified slaves after Spartacus' rebellion. Rome flogged Boudicca, queen of Britain's Iceni because she objected to an 80% tax. At least 80K tribesmen were killed in a losing battle led by her for their freedom. Just a few samples of Roman Rule.
We in the West live in perhaps the brightest epoch in history, and for all the faults of our Western governments, not one person living would want to live in 2nd cent. Rome.
What we should want is not to destroy the world with nuclear weapons and their certain aftermath of starvation, disease, crime, and chaos.
Mr. Leak, I so disagree with you that my first impulse is to unsubscribe. However, I’ll lose two other writers that I admire. Please consider sharing your anti-American thoughts elsewhere. I’ll continue to do my best not to read anything with your name displayed as author.
What is more un-American, voicing an opinion that warns of America losing its way or telling that person to shut up?
You’ve got to be kidding me!?! We lost our way and are currently trying to crawl back from the anti-American take over by the Biden Auto-pen regime.
What does this (myopic) tangent have to do with telling Leake that he should not even share his opinion on his own Substack. And if you were really consistent in your thinking, wouldn't you want to shut out Dr. McCullough if he is the one giving a platform to someone as offensive to your sensibilities as Mr. Leake? smh
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 It boggles the mind!
By carpet bombing another country? Really, dude, are you that deaf?
Brilliant choice! Ah, "To read or not to read! That is the question"
Author John Leake in title skip and leave the rest of us to it.
Sounds like a good plan to me. I have much reading to do without wasting my time reading an article by someone who holds views which are diametrically different to mine.
I am mystified -- how then do you come to a sound reasoning conclusion on matters ... seriously??
Who would think! Perhaps subtitle to this substack would provide a preview? "Courageous Discorse"
Any article with Don Lemon by-line I don't open / bother with. My "right to choose"
🤣
That really cracked me up! 🤣
Just another shallow American. Critical thinking involves a deep dive into subjects and the ability to see the world in its complexity. And most importantly, to have the wisdom to change, and even to say, "I was wrong."
And, you have just proved Mr. Leake's post. These are not anti-American thoughts, as you have been brainwashed to believe. These are truisms of human nature that never change.
Mr. Flash, applying the same plan again.
I used to support Trump, but no more. This is what happens when narcissism combines with power & coercion
Follow Christ first. No questions, no disappointments, no worries. I only follow Christ with my full heart, mind, and soul. Trump, we need to pray for all our elected officials every day. We all need help and prayers. God will always have final judgement on all of us one day. Be ready. W.
There are many who claim to be followers of Christ whose ideology and behavior identifies them as enemies of Christ…
Absolutely, that is what the comment is about. I have to look to the Bible and Christ's character and testimony. Always check and compare a system to what the Bible says. Let the Bible be your source to know truth from false. W.
“Wear the shoe if it fits”. Judging from the comments on Leake’s posts, I think it would fit many.
Amen
Yes he happens to be a narcissist and able to use power as needed. We need a strong leader to defeat communist insurrection in America—that is why Donald Trump was elected.
I believe that Trump, Witkoff and Kushner will make out like bandits from this war. I believe that Trump has established his cult of personality while they are achieving the true aims.
I believe there are few in government that can be trusted.
I too nearly unsubscribed due to the loquacious rants of Leake. Apparently, he finds no satanic evil in the minds of the jihadist radicals who want nuclear weapons in order to wipe Israel and the USA off the map. I too will be ignoring posts with your byline, Leake
You sound indignant, Bill. The USA really did wipe the democratically-elected Iranian government off the map in 1953. The Iranian people revolted and seized their own country in 1979. Ever since, Israel and the USA have ran crippling economic sanctions (with their Rothschild's banking) against Iran in their efforts to wipe Iran off the map.
What goes around, comes around and karma's a bitch.
-----
The world would be a much better place if the USA simply followed George Washington's sage wisdom: Befriend all nations, trade with all nations, eschew becoming entangled in foreign alliances and conflicts and do not seek monsters abroad to destroy.
Mind your own bee's wax, Bill. Easy, peazey, lemon-squeezey.
Um, you've been somewhat "mis-informed" as to the TRUE identity of those "Iranian people" in 1979....who supposedly "revolted", and "seized" "their own country"....
When Roosevelt, Stalin, & Churchill met together, how, and by who, was Tehran chosen as the host city for that meeting? My point is that MUCH information has been concealed here about Iran & the "Middle East"....
And...Churchill was furious when Roosevelt met with the Saudi King alone.
Under the House of Saud, one of the largest families is the Bin Laden family, who has $Millions of mutual investments, through the Carlyle Group, with the Bush Dynasty.... So what?....
Regardless, the world would be a lot better if we just simply let Iranians run Iran.
We're working on that
Whoosh!
It's not up to you to "work" on it, Noel.
Mind your own bee's wax!
The you must agree, that America would run better without all the Zionist Jews, too, right?....
100%. AIPAC wields WAY too much power in DC, imho.
Praying for wisdom and God's guideance for our leaders and a lasting peace in the Middle East.
Amen! Me too, regarding God's wisdom and guidance for the leaders! A lasting peace in the Middle East, though: That would be some kind of miracle. But miracles do abound every day.
God, came to the aid of many leaders in the Old Testament.. He wanted to help and voiced disappointment when they did not humble themselves and ask for , HIS help. They were told to Fast and Pray.
You left out Jagger's verse about 'what's troubling you is the nature of my game'. I think you're a troubled man, John, if you are equating a man who many people believe is ridding the world of an evil regime (15% of the Muslim population tops, NOT an entire Nation of 94 Million people!) to those; who, if they persisted in their nuclear ambitions would create a world situation in very short order exactly as Hitler envisioned it - a single belief system bent on slaughtering all infidels to establish their caliphate, exactly as the Third Reich attempted to exterminate the Jews. That is sick. You are a sick man. Get some help. To help with your confusion, when half of the population believe that Trump is one of the greatest POTUS ever, and the other half believe that he is the devil himself - something is very wrong in our culture. It's kind of similar to C.S. Lewis' comment about Jesus - He was either a madman or who He says He was - you can't have it both ways. Grow up, John.
Shallowness of culture is due to feminization of politics: "don't spank/punish; that's too harsh!"
Women are by nature emotional and compassionate. That's a good balance to men's testosterone intensities. Usually, the husband wins out on household discipline.
Once loosed on society, women's suffrage means the curtailment of masculine behaviors in rearing the next generation. Result: order of magnitude increase in delinquency, tolerance of societal crime waves, multigenerational welfare, ultimately open borders.
This society elevates and tolerates the new criminal liberal governance that gave rise to Trump's BRASHNESS.
Trump only elevated when he said the unspeakable, reflexively. So, enough of your observations about a brash egoist running executive government. He won three elections at massive voting turnouts, so your thesis is too short on history. Dig further into why you even voted for the guy.
You did vote for him, no? So, if you did, you can't escape culpability. Defaulting to "politicians lie" is beneath even dumb liberals, and that's pretty low.
What's done is done. Trump needs to be held accountable for war crimes regardless of who voted for whom.
Shallowness of culture is shallowness of culture, regardless of politics. We do collectively value property and possessions 1000 yimes more than the arts and culture. We don't encourage our children to be free lance or travelling artists. The American culture on display consists now of military parades, rockets to the moon and building AI centers, plus making soooo much money (for some people) of the tariffs, rising oil prices, and the military industries. Culture plays no role in this. In fact, it has made us blood thirsty...the end of creating beauty for beauty's sake.
Nice to be able to travel--for art, no less--while someone else is planting or harvesting or milking the cows or butchering the livestock. Ah, the life of no chores or daily demands by Mother Nature!
And columnists and readers wonder why the American culture can't properly value life, time, or possessions...
That's a tremendous over generalization
Hey, whaddya expect from a shallow citizen and Trump supporter who reads Leake??
Right now the arts are what we need as an antidote to narcissism, too much testosterone, valuing social status over empathy and intuition, incels, and focus on $$$ and killing for more $$$. Every American needs to travel at length to learn that they are not the center of the universe. Also abortion is a good antidote to forced motherhood when it's not wanted or not possible economically. You have no idea how hard the life of an artist is. And unsubsidized by the government to the degree farmers are.
If the libs are correct that evolution is 100% darwinism from atom to molecule to DNA, then an artist has no more dignity or sense of purpose than space dust.
If the libs are wrong, and life is of divine origin with purpose, then artists are either wholly self supporting or kept by owners.
Practicing MDs in head medicine are already on thin ice from a validity standpoint. Learning as lay from them is swimming.
Not Trump’s brashness. Trump’s mental illness and war crimes…
“Trump is mentally unstable, suffers from what is called the dark triad personality, of, psychopathy, extreme narcissism, extreme, chronic, and impulsive lying, and, no small amount of paranoia.
There's evidence that this man is, experiencing dementia on top of these lifelong traits.” (Jeffrey Sachs)
Hm.
Didn't know the guy was a practicing MD.
Learn new things every day!
Yes, it is entirely possible for intellectually honest and morally competent people to consult and learn from qualified psychiatrists and psychologists. So, let’s see if you are really capable of learning…. Sachs clearly is.
You give evil too much credit.
It is "I want what I want when I want it"
Very few consider their ways. The remedy:
PROVERBS 1:2Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise.
3Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
4These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.
5Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance
6by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
7Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
20Wisdom shouts in the streets.
She cries out in the public square.
21She calls to the crowds along the main street,
to those gathered in front of the city gate:
22“How long, you simpletons,
will you insist on being simpleminded?
Fools and simpletons don’t read the Bible or they cut out the parts they don’t like.
... "and I want it NOW." I saw this arising among younger gen. Evil is a choice -- so give it its due!
Look out your window, baby, there’s a scene you’d like to catch
The band is playing “Dixie,” a man got his hand outstretched
Could be the Führer
Could be the local priest
You know sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace
It's why I despise religion and am now an atheist. Just make up an outcome, paint someone as the savior of man or the devil in lambs clothing. You can find a verse or a religion that supports what you already want to believe. Parents of an old girlfriend of mind once had a placard posted on their refrigerator, a cross at the top and a simple statement "We have already decided what we believe, please don't confuse us with the truth."
People have always done the devil's work under the illusion that they are doing good.
Perhaps the author of this column needs to self reflect on that sentence more deeply.
You project, Jan. I think it is you who lacks self-awareness.
You suffer from Trump Dead-ender Syndrome and Dunning-Kruger, and this is who you worship:
“Trump is mentally unstable, suffers from what is called the dark triad personality, of, psychopathy, extreme narcissism, extreme, chronic, and impulsive lying, and, no small amount of paranoia.
There's evidence that this man is, experiencing dementia on top of these lifelong traits.” (Jeffrey Sachs)
Jeffrey Sachs, a spokesperson for globalist interests. At least now you finally reveal where your politics lie.
You've lost your educated mind.
"Please allow me to introduce myself..." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgnClrx8N2k
;-(
I was listening to Neil Young's "Cowgirl in the Sand", but Mick is singing as I type this....
We got a few thin-skinned, shallow-brains here, Doc....no nuance, no sense of irony....
When I sold my soul to satan, I told Ole' Scratch I wanted him to pay me by personal check. So he gave me his personal check to pay for my soul. Well, I took that check, turned it over, and wrote on the back: "For Deposit Only", & "Pay to the order of GOD". Then, I deposited the check in God's bank account. Satan can have my soul, but he's gotta pay God first!.... So, I just stay right with GOD, I should be ok....
KEEP UP the GOOD WORK, Doc!....
"Old enough now to change your name, when so many love you, is it the same..."
Brother Neil involuted and got lost in some form of lonely solitude, somewhere along the way, controlled by interlocutors...
He used to seem like one of us in the old days.
;-(
Thanks Bill. ;-)
This is true of many people.
But some people do not require to be fooled. Marx for example acknowledged his obedience to satan in his poetry - he knew what he was doing. And the pedophiles raping young children know jolly well that they are not doing anything good.
On this earthly Earth, sometimes you can't fight the Devil with prayers and good intentions only
Coercion is sometimes accomplished by the persuasion of reasoned arguments based on a faulty premise, intended to deceive. It seems to be preferred over coercion by force in "civilized" nations like ours, but its success depends on a dulled or stupefied people unable to detect the faulty premise of such arguments -- a nation like we've allowed ours to become by destroying its foundations. If the initial coercion is by this deceptive persuasion, at some point it will morph into coercion by force.