Some helpful resources on the current cultural crisis….
Grove City College historian, Carl Trueman, has some great observations about the author of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling, and her recent “fall from grace” from the explosively emerging “critical theory” crowd, sometimes called “cancel culture,” that grew up on her children’s books. Calling out people on social media appears to be the favored method of humiliation by the technological savvy among the “cancel culture.”
I blogged about the troublesome trend in my review of Douglas Murray’s book, The Madness of Crowds. Murray opened my mind to a lot of the madness going on in our culture today. Murray is not an evangelical Christian, but Carl Trueman is, and Trueman offers invaluable theological insight into the problem that Murray identifies. This quote from Trueman stands out to me: “in a world where critical theory increasingly drives how the world is conceptualized, today’s victim can very easily become tomorrow’s oppressor.” This split within the “LGBTQ” movement is indicative of the trend.
In a nutshell, as a tool, “critical theory” can indeed be useful, for correcting injustice. But as an ideology, “critical theory” is an intolerant religion, completely opposed to the Gospel of Jesus. But Trueman puts it better than I can. I look forward to Trueman’s up and coming book on the topic of the “The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self.” In our troublesome times, Trueman’s Christian perspective is helpful for all of us.
A couple final thoughts, particularly on the race conversation…: It is becoming harder and harder to distinguish between legitimate cases of injustice and protest motivated by blinded rage. As a result, the temptation on one side is to play down legitimate concerns, and on the other, to wildly overreact. Related to the question of police brutality and racism, this essay by John McWhorter, an African-American intellectual, is highly recommended. McWhorter argues that while race is sometimes a component of police brutality, the issues involved are far more complex. This is the type of conversation needed today…..
Confused by how we all got into this mess, especially with race? Two helpful videos: First, from Jemar Tisby, author of The Color of Compromise, on how racism adapts over time, and then Phil Vischer, of the Veggie Tales fame, giving some of the historical background, which has fueled the contemporary interest in “critical theory.”
Veracity 
June 15th, 2020 at 6:45 pm
Adding another YouTube video on critical race theory…. just have not listened to it yet:
UPDATE: July 24, 2020
Spun this video off to form a new blog post, as it is focused on the Critical Theory movement, in particular:
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June 15th, 2020 at 11:14 pm
Douglas Murray on the whole J.K. Rowling canceling movement:
https://unherd.com/2020/06/why-j-k-rowling-had-to-be-denounced/
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June 17th, 2020 at 4:57 pm
I think Hannah Anderson is correct here:
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June 18th, 2020 at 12:35 pm
Whaddo You Meme responds to Black Lives Matter:
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June 23rd, 2020 at 11:13 am
A couple of good videos to promote critical thought. William Lane Craig, a Christian philosopher, was asked if there will be a backlash against evangelicals, because of their support for Donald Trump. My only point of disagreement is while Dr. Craig does not see a backlash currently, I observe that there indeed is one currently going on. But Craig’s take on the history behind this is thought-provoking:
This other video is between two prominent atheist intellectuals, evolutionary biologist Bret Weinstein, and linguist John McWhorter. I wish they would have refrained from the use of profanity (albeit only moderately so), but Weinsten and McWhorter are very insightful as to why Critical Race Theory is so dangerous, as it functions like a religion. As Bret Weinstein has said, he does believe that “Black Lives Matter,” but he can not in good conscience support “#BlackLivesMatter” as a religious movement:
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July 5th, 2020 at 10:37 pm
Theologian Gerald McDermott with a voice of sanity:
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/northamptonseminar/2020/07/03/the-emperors-new-clothes/
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July 17th, 2020 at 9:14 am
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August 21st, 2020 at 10:31 am
Phil Vischer has a follow-up video to his first race video (above) that went viral:
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December 12th, 2020 at 10:23 pm
Pretty scare stuff, when I think about it:
https://lawliberty.org/americas-cultural-revolution/
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April 20th, 2022 at 2:48 pm
Kind of hard for me to admit that I completely agree with Jerry Coyne, an outspoken atheist and advocate on the cultural “left”, but he has written a good blog essay, that contrary to those on the FAR, FAR LEFT, who claim that no “cancel culture” exists, Coyne argues that in fact it really does. Kudos to Coyne:
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March 24th, 2023 at 9:40 pm
Some atheists make sense, like Richard Dawkins, other atheists make nonsense, like Hemant Mehta. I would have thought better of Hemant Mehta, but now I must revise my opinion:
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April 28th, 2025 at 3:55 pm
Finally, some sanity in the UK. Hopefully, we will have some of this soon in the United States:
https://www.thetimes.com/article/381349f4-e4c7-4f73-b58b-b4b6b1b17212?shareToken=237d36f054e2346c2de316a0e5eff75b
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October 1st, 2025 at 7:43 pm
J.K.Rowling responds to Harry Potter movie actress Emma Watson. Scathing and correct:
https://x.com/jk_rowling/status/1972600904185483427
“I’m seeing quite a bit of comment about this, so I want to make a couple of points.
I’m not owed eternal agreement from any actor who once played a character I created. The idea is as ludicrous as me checking with the boss I had when I was twenty-one for what opinions I should hold these days.
Emma Watson and her co-stars have every right to embrace gender identity ideology. Such beliefs are legally protected, and I wouldn’t want to see any of them threatened with loss of work, or violence, or death, because of them.
However, Emma and Dan in particular have both made it clear over the last few years that they think our former professional association gives them a particular right – nay, obligation – to critique me and my views in public. Years after they finished acting in Potter, they continue to assume the role of de facto spokespeople for the world I created.
When you’ve known people since they were ten years old it’s hard to shake a certain protectiveness. Until quite recently, I hadn’t managed to throw off the memory of children who needed to be gently coaxed through their dialogue in a big scary film studio. For the past few years, I’ve repeatedly declined invitations from journalists to comment on Emma specifically, most notably on the Witch Trials of JK Rowling. Ironically, I told the producers that I didn’t want her to be hounded as the result of anything I said.
The television presenter in the attached clip highlights Emma’s ‘all witches’ speech, and in truth, that was a turning point for me, but it had a postscript that hurt far more than the speech itself. Emma asked someone to pass on a handwritten note from her to me, which contained the single sentence ‘I’m so sorry for what you’re going through’ (she has my phone number). This was back when the death, rape and torture threats against me were at their peak, at a time when my personal security measures had had to be tightened considerably and I was constantly worried for my family’s safety. Emma had just publicly poured more petrol on the flames, yet thought a one line expression of concern from her would reassure me of her fundamental sympathy and kindness.
Like other people who’ve never experienced adult life uncushioned by wealth and fame, Emma has so little experience of real life she’s ignorant of how ignorant she is. She’ll never need a homeless shelter. She’s never going to be placed on a mixed sex public hospital ward. I’d be astounded if she’s been in a high street changing room since childhood. Her ‘public bathroom’ is single occupancy and comes with a security man standing guard outside the door. Has she had to strip off in a newly mixed-sex changing room at a council-run swimming pool? Is she ever likely to need a state-run rape crisis centre that refuses to guarantee an all-female service? To find herself sharing a prison cell with a male rapist who’s identified into the women’s prison?
I wasn’t a multimillionaire at fourteen. I lived in poverty while writing the book that made Emma famous. I therefore understand from my own life experience what the trashing of women’s rights in which Emma has so enthusiastically participated means to women and girls without her privileges.
The greatest irony here is that, had Emma not decided in her most recent interview to declare that she loves and treasures me – a change of tack I suspect she’s adopted because she’s noticed full-throated condemnation of me is no longer quite as fashionable as it was – I might never have been this honest.
Adults can’t expect to cosy up to an activist movement that regularly calls for a friend’s assassination, then assert their right to the former friend’s love, as though the friend was in fact their mother. Emma is rightly free to disagree with me and indeed to discuss her feelings about me in public – but I have the same right, and I’ve finally decided to exercise it.“
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