Dennis Prager's Apocalyptic Imagination

The site linked has an excellent example of Prager's apocalyptic mindset.

"America is engaged in two wars for the survival of its civilization. The war over same-sex marriage and the war against Islamic totalitarianism are actually two fronts in the same war -- a war for the preservation of the unique American creation known as Judeo-Christian civilization.

One enemy is religious extremism. The other is secular extremism.

One enemy is led from abroad. The other is directed from home.

The first war is against the Islamic attempt to crush whoever stands in the way of the spread of violent Islamic theocracies, such as al Qaeda, the Taliban, the Iranian mullahs and Hamas. The other war is against the secular nihilism that manifests itself in much of Western Europe, in parts of America such as San Francisco and in many of our universities. ...

This civilization is now fighting for its life -- as much here as abroad. Join the fight, or it will be gone as fast as you can say "Democrat."

Does this man ever try to think through the implications of his theses? Does he ever bother to analyze them to see if reality proves or disproves his core beliefs?

"The other war is against the secular nihilism that manifests itself in much of Western Europe, in parts of America such as San Francisco and in many of our universities."

What is the result of this supposed secular nihilism in Europe? Mass debauchery, rape, unchecked violence and rampant crime of all sorts? Epidemics of vandalism and looting?

If beliefs-or values as Prager is always saying-or lack thereof have consequences, show me the terrible consequences of Europe's secular nihilism. If you can't-and he doesn't-then just shut up.

But Prager is preaching to Christian fundamentalists, a group of people who are perpetually scared that they will be marginalized out of existence by the "secular humanists." People like Prager employ the psychology of victimization to keep these people scared and in a kind of psychological state of siege because then he can sell them his cure. There's lots of money to be made by going up to people, saying "hoogabooga," preying on their unreasonable, unrealistic fears and offering some supposed palliative.

Dennis Prager Is A Pompous Fool

US legal music downloads up 187%

By Tony Smith

Published Thursday 14th July 2005 14:57 GMT

"US music downloaders paid for 158m songs during the first six months of 2005, almost three times the number acquired legally in H1 2004."

During Rebecca Hagelin's appearance on his radio show, Prager said that today's youth are inculcated in a culture of theft because they don't think there's anything wrong with downloading music files without paying. Prager recently devoted an hour of his show to this premise.

I found the story linked above in five minutes by Googling "music downloads." You'd think Prager could do the same before peddling a bullshit thesis on his show. If youth are such thieves, how does one explain the nearly tripled number of paid downloads in only six months? The facts invalidate Prager's belief. But Prager never lets the facts stand in the way of his pontificating. Prager also hates youth culture, a stance that sells to a white middle age audience.

They're Here Already! You're Next!!!!

"In Home Invasion, Rebecca Hagelin proves that in today’s all-consuming culture of corruption there is nowhere left to hide—American homes have already been invaded by this insidious enemy that seeks to twist our minds and poison our hearts through the unmonitored Internet, television, magazines, and music that our families ingest on a daily basis. Speaking as a nationally known social commentator and as a mother of three, Hagelin shows through specific examples and alarming statistics how the enemy has infected the family van, our neighborhood schools and textbooks, the stores in which we shop, and even the churches in which we worship."

There's nowhere left to hide! Aggghhh!

"Middle class moms and dads have long sought safety for their children in the nurturing haven of the cul-de-sac."

That's the subliterate level of writing in this stupid scare fest. Does she know that cul-de-sac is a synonym for dead end? Does her publisher? The people who endorse her book or give her airtime?

I had the misfortune to hear a few minutes of Hagelin on Dennis Prager's radio show today. I can't tell if she's just a shrewd opportunist or a sincere nitwit. That Prager should use his show as a conduit for Hagelin only reinforces my contempt for him. I feel about Prager as I do for Hagelin. I can't tell if he's a shrewd opportunist or a sincere nitwit. Or if these appearances are paid for by her publisher, camouflaged infomercials.

This is a book that, sadly, has a sizeable market. Mostly Christian fundamentalist stay at home mothers. Scared, superstitious people who don't understand and fear their own instincts, especially their sexuality. They believe it is better to keep their children as ignorant of their own bodies, mind and the world outside than to understand them and deal with it.