The First Principles are articulated in the Tao, the Way, the Sacred Traditions of the prime spiritual religions East and West. These are not values, not views, not choices; they are the ruling powers and articulation of existence.  The First Principles are Ordinate, unvarying, canonical. They are not upheld by views, culture, popularity, or consensus; they are that which upholds, ratifies, creates, destroys, the base and root of reality and Truth. Up until recent disintegration of the American culture, these would have been recognized as right and true, a priori. Do not deny yourself the pleasure of reading the opening chapters of C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity and the oracular Abolition of Man.
In the words given me by one of my teachers and published in the front piece of 24 Magazine:
“The Way is a method, a program, a means, and a power for achieving a definite result: a radical change (metanoia) in human consciousness and human nature, bringing with it freedom from want and fear, regeneration of the whole person, and the true brotherhood of man. It is no small thing, but small and weak people can do it, indeed are peculiarly qualified to do it. The Way is not a religion, but all real religion springs from it — not a science, but all real science obeys its principles — not an art, but all real art is a communication of it. The Way is the power which keeps the stars in their courses, and shows men how to live. It is the way the universe works, and it is the way you work when you are in your right mind. It is the Norm of human life. People are sane when they obey it, and insane when they ignore it. The Way is what the rationalists call the First Principles of Practical Reason and the faithful call the Kingdom of Heaven. All things are made by it, supported by it, and received by it at death. The Way is the Life (Zoe). It is the Law (Torah) and the Presence (Shekinah), the Road (Tariqa) and the Struggle (Akbar), the Path (Tao) and its Power (Teh), the pattern (Rita) and the Method (Dharma). It is Logos-Sophia, Atman, the ruling Power of the universe in its aspect of illuminator and guide of the human race. It is the Truth, the ultimate Reality, the Self-existent, the Suchness — Aletheia, Sat, al-Haqq, Aehyeh, Tathata. It is Christ, God himself as teacher, helper, friend, and savior of men. It is the King of kings and Lord of lords, the blessed and only Potentate. It is all this at one and the same time. And whether you like it or not, or believe it or not, you are dealing with it — positively or negatively — every hour of your life. It is not enough just to read about the Way in scriptures or other great documents, or just to think about it. You will need a definite program of action, and you will need to be in touch with others who are working the same program. One man or woman alone has almost no chance of getting anywhere. In our time, one of the most accessible and successful of true Way programs is the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. With only slight adaptation for non-alcoholics, these Steps will work for anyone who will really try them.” The Program
Before All Else seek Discernment
The most important thing that one acquires through reading such basic Orthodox literature as this [that will be described and referenced below] is a virtue called discernment.
OK, if we are to make judgement on society, or our culture, how are we doing? What does our score card look like?
Pastors Will Ask for God’s Blessing on Local Abortion Clinic Tonight
STATEÂ Â Â STEVEN ERTELT Â NOV 9, 2018 Â | Â 11:16AM Â Â WASHINGTON, DC
It’s one of the most sacrilegious acts a religious leader could perform, but it’s happening again — this time in Columbus, Ohio. Tonight, the the so-called Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice is planning a “blessing” of a local abortion clinic.
Has not something gone seriously wrong?
This stealthy totalitarianism operates by discrediting and undermining any source of resistance that transcends technological control (such as philosophical rationality, the great traditions of Western culture and local identity, the family as a source of values, and especially religious transcendence), making the individual completely dependent on society. It is precisely in the re-affirmation of transcendent realities, and above all religious transcendence, that Del Noce finds the only ground for resistance to technological domination and ideological manipulation.
So given the present scene, Where are we going, where is the culture, the civilized society headed.
The classic text, the script culture is now following to a line and to a part, with exact role identity, is the prophetic work by C. S. Lewis, That Hideous Strength
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