Lord of the World

**~~A_V_E~~** · 10-22-2016, 05:19 PM

Who is the lord of the world?

Would like to suggest this as a read.

Just wiki stuff below to give an idea:

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According to his biographer, Fr. Cyril Martindale, Mgr. Benson's depiction of the future was in many ways an inversion of the science fiction novels of H. G. Wells. In particular, Benson was sickened by Wells' belief that Atheism, secular humanism, Freemasonry, anarchism, Marxism, radical feminism, Eco-terrorism, nihilism, World Government, and Eugenics would lead to an earthly utopia. Due to his depiction of a Wellsian future as a global police state, Benson's novel has been called one of the first modern works of dystopian fiction.

Also according to Fr. Martindale, the "guiding hand" in Benson's writing was that of his friend and literary mentor Frederick Rolfe. Rolfe's anti-Modernist satirical novel Hadrian VII influenced numerous aspects of Lord of the World, including the introductory first chapter.

Writing during the pontificate of Pope Pius X and prior to the First World War, Monsignor Benson accurately predicted interstate highways, weapons of mass destruction, and passenger air travel in an advanced form of Zeppelin called the "volor". However, he also presumed the survival of the British Empire and predominant travel by rail. Like many other Catholics of the era in which he wrote, Monsignor Benson shares the political and economic views of G. K. Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc.

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In a 2005 essay, Joseph Pearce wrote that, while Orwell and Huxley's novels are "great literature", they "are clearly inferior works of prophecy." Pearce explains that while "the political dictatorships" that inspired Huxley and Orwell "have had their day", "Benson's novel-nightmare ...is coming true before our very eyes.

Pearce elaborates,

The world depicted in Lord of the World is one where creeping secularism and godless humanism have triumphed over traditional morality. It is a world where philosophical relativism has triumphed over objectivity; a world where, in the name of tolerance, religious doctrine is not tolerated. It is a world where euthanasia is practiced widely and religion hardly practiced at all. The lord of this nightmare world is a benign-looking politician intent on power in the name of "peace", and intent on the destruction of religion in the name of "truth". In such a world, only a small and shrinking Church stands resolutely against the demonic "Lord of the World"

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Pope Benedict XV's 1920 encyclical Bonum sane: "The coming of a world state is longed for, by all the worst and most distorted elements. This state, based on the principles of absolute equality of men and a community of possessions, would banish all national loyalties. In it no acknowledgement would be made of the authority of a father over his children, or of God over human society. If these ideas are put into practice, there will inevitably follow a reign of unheard-of terror."

Cheers

**Dandelion** · 10-22-2016, 05:37 PM

The world depicted in Lord of the World is one where creeping secularism and godless humanism have triumphed over traditional morality. It is a world where philosophical relativism has triumphed over objectivity; a world where, in the name of tolerance, religious doctrine is not tolerated. It is a world where euthanasia is practiced widely and religion hardly practiced at all. The lord of this nightmare world is a benign-looking politician intent on power in the name of "peace", and intent on the destruction of religion in the name of "truth". In such a world, only a small and shrinking Church stands resolutely against the demonic "Lord of the World"

How is that dystopian? Of course, euthanasia 'widely' practised being a gross exaggeration and irreligiosity being commonplace rather than rabid anti-theism.

Reactionaries...

**~~A_V_E~~** · 10-22-2016, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by Danielion

How is that dystopian? Of course, euthanasia 'widely' practised being a gross exaggeration and irreligiosity being commonplace rather than rabid anti-theism.

Reactionaries...

Keep up with the times

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016...-they-have-co/

Perfectly fine if you want to be branded cattle, just be aware.

**Dandelion** · 10-22-2016, 10:39 PM

That's very recent news alright. The articles in Dutch about it nuance it more and say that it's about very old people who aren't terminal but are losing their ability to function due to physical deterioration, loss of network and sense of life. Still a dangerous precedent I agree.

No society is perfect anyway. Hardcore Catholicism with an almighty church also is dystopian in a sense to me, depends how one looks at it.We'll see whether euthanasia would spiral out of control as our population is ageing. I think it won't be as alarmist ultimately. Abortion also seen as a bad thing in our society despite being legal and the rates in the Netherlands and the Flemish region are among the lowest in Western Europe.

Nihilism still isn't part of society to most people, despite what religious hardliners would love to believe.

**~~A_V_E~~** · 10-23-2016, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by Danielion

That's very recent news alright. The articles in Dutch about it nuance it more and say that it's about very old people who aren't terminal but are losing their ability to function due to physical deterioration, loss of network and sense of life.

I sincerely doubt that since euthanasia on children is already legal. Not somehow crazy to think that mixing both the existing law + the next law, eventually the product will be that anyone at any age who is 'tired of life' has the right to ask for the State to provide the means to off themselves. The deathmarch will eventually end in something that isn't too different from Futurama suicide booths.

No society is perfect anyway. Hardcore Catholicism with an almighty church also is dystopian in a sense to me, depends how one looks at it.

Being forced to participate in society as part of a guild, participate in church, and instill optimism in people by providing a sense of purpose and happiness in fertile families is really horrible. How could I go around NEETing in such a society, wanking to porn and betting money on videogame tournaments?

We'll see whether euthanasia would spiral out of control as our population is ageing. I think it won't be as alarmist ultimately. Abortion also seen as a bad thing in our society despite being legal and the rates in the Netherlands and the Flemish region are among the lowest in Western Europe.

West Europe instead uses subsidised contraception to ensure people aren't bothered with children geting in their way of personal consumption, until they start to age and get bored and want a new toy to play with. Telling how replacement level is seen as an almost impossible goal to achieve, even with current immigrants pushing the average up.

Nihilism still isn't part of society to most people, despite what religious hardliners would love to believe.

No, nihilism is all in all rare since it takes some guts to actually a) Be an atheist and b) Take such philosophy to the ultimate point that nothing really has any significance whatsoever. Instead we linger on this humanistic point where Thelemite principles are yuxtaposed to consumption, and you live life to work to produce useless stuff, just to go out and try to fill your life with the stuff other people produced. That's what productive hamsters are supposed to do after all.