Turley Blog-Who Is This About?

[debrand]

I found this quote on the Turley's site and wondered who it was directed against. To me, those on the right are the ultimate busy bodies but I doubt that the Turleys mean Vision Forum. It is dated yesterday so it can't be the overturn of Doma

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated: but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. . . . This very kindness stings with intolerable insult. To be “cured†against one’s will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level of those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals.†—C.S. Lewis

I grew up with a reverence for C.S Lewis and yet lately I've found quotes of his that I think are just dumb. This is one. Really? It is better to be under an oppressive robber baron who will put pay in script instead of money, charges your family too much for necessities at the company store(the only place that takes the script), and works you long, long hours under dangerous conditions? Somehow I don't think that Lewis ever worked as a coal miner or steel worker during the turn of the twentieth century.

Who do you all think that this is directed against?

justinturley.com/archives/465

Has someone been getting into Justin Turley's business?

[DomWackTroll]

If you scroll down, you'll see posts about Justin's 34th birthday-- and his parents' 25th anniversary. I'd bet a million dollars it's got something to do with that.

[debrand]

If you scroll down, you'll see posts about Justin's 34th birthday-- and his parents' 25th anniversary. I'd bet a million dollars it's got something to do with that.

I hadn't noticed that he has been alive longer than his parents have been wed. :lol: Outside of the fundie world that isn't a big deal

He could simply explain why his parents waited until he was nine to marry but I guess that would involve admitting that they weren't always right wingers.

Does anyone know the Turley parents' history?

So, I guess that Justin Turley would rather have his kids work in a cotton mill than explain something that people outside his small group would only find interesting

[dawbs]

I should google before I type, but I"m lazy tonight--I *thought* that Lewis quote was actually a criticism of Christians...from the Screwtape letters or somesuch.

And could, in that context, be easily read as being anti-right-wingers (which, if it's from the part of the screwtape letters I'm thinking of [and I'm not sure it is], is how it's intended--as a slam on meddling fools who try to force people to live within their narrow ideals of 'right')

welp, it is NOT from that book, it's apparently from "God in the DOck" which I either haven't read or remember so little about that I have no context. nevermind that then :)

[debrand]

I should google before I type, but I"m lazy tonight--I *thought* that Lewis quote was actually a criticism of Christians...from the Screwtape letters or somesuch.

And could, in that context, be easily read as being anti-right-wingers (which, if it's from the part of the screwtape letters I'm thinking of [and I'm not sure it is], is how it's intended--as a slam on meddling fools who try to force people to live within their narrow ideals of 'right')

Too bad that he doesn't include any commentary, just the quote.

[treehugger]

I guess I read the quote and automatically thought of the right-wingers :lol:

I haven't read "God in the Dock" but I do believe C.S. Lewis did not have the proper respect for certain types of "Christians" ;)

[debrand]

I guess I read the quote and automatically thought of the right-wingers :lol:

I haven't read "God in the Dock" but I do believe C.S. Lewis did not have the proper respect for certain types of "Christians" ;)

I didn't think of right wingers because Vision Forum is to the right but maybe Justin has issues with people even further right than he is.

[TheLurkingFrumper]

I found this quote on the Turley's site and wondered who it was directed against. To me, those on the right are the ultimate busy bodies but I doubt that the Turleys mean Vision Forum. It is dated yesterday so it can't be the overturn of Doma

I grew up with a reverence for C.S Lewis and yet lately I've found quotes of his that I think are just dumb. This is one. Really? It is better to be under an oppressive robber baron who will put pay in script instead of money, charges your family too much for necessities at the company store(the only place that takes the script), and works you long, long hours under dangerous conditions? Somehow I don't think that Lewis ever worked as a coal miner or steel worker during the turn of the twentieth century.

I think he means "moral busy bodies" in a more abstract and horrific term here than you are considering. Think the sterilization of Native American women in the 1950's through the early 1980's, think of giving a homosexual person the choice between jail or chemical castration, think about the various forms of "reeducation" that many governments and cultures have promoted . . . many Jim Crowe laws fall in this vein, so did laws that kept women from voting in order to "protect" them. This is what C.S. Lewis is referring to here, and considering what was happening in British coal mines at the time he was writing, I think he knew exactly what he was saying. Whenever someone starts talking about "the greater good," you should be scared.

So, yes, I'd rather be under the oppression of a robber baron then people who want to reeducate me for the "greater good."

ETA: I think this is an extremely appropriate quote for someone who might be trying to escape/deviate from Gothardism.

[debrand]

I don't know if Justin Turley is trying to escape fundamentalism or not, LurkingFrumper. Hopefully, he is. Or I could be reading into the quote by my own wishes. The quote must have struck a chord with him or why put it on his blog in the first place? Because the Turleys are members of Vision Forum, they probably have a very white washed view of history so I don't know if Justin has the knowledge to make the same interpretation that you just did. Remember his brother is Sammuel, the same guy who says he is a member of the CSA(Confederate States of America)

[OnceModestTwiceShy]

I think he means "moral busy bodies" in a more abstract and horrific term here than you are considering. Think the sterilization of Native American women in the 1950's through the early 1980's, think of giving a homosexual person the choice between jail or chemical castration, think about the various forms of "reeducation" that many governments and cultures have promoted . . . many Jim Crowe laws fall in this vein, so did laws that kept women from voting in order to "protect" them. This is what C.S. Lewis is referring to here, and considering what was happening in British coal mines at the time he was writing, I think he knew exactly what he was saying. Whenever someone starts talking about "the greater good," you should be scared.

So, yes, I'd rather be under the oppression of a robber baron then people who want to reeducate me for the "greater good."

ETA: I think this is an extremely appropriate quote for someone who might be trying to escape/deviate from Gothardism.

That's pushing it a bit, isn't it? Don't we put criminals in jail for the greater good? Don't we have taxes for the greater good? Etc.?

[debrand]

Was the term "Greater Good' ever used to justify things such as Jim Crow laws? I thought that people were pretty open about considering other races as less worthy than whites. The robber barons, the Jim Crow laws, sterilization of certain groups were all caused by the same type of thinking. The group in power decided that they could make rules for other people that they themselves did not have to follow. Weren't all these things equally bad?

There is no way to leave a comment and ask him why he chose that particular quote from C. S Lewis or I would

[slickcat79]

I think he's just completely allergic to self-examination, like with most fundies. That whole last sentence sounds a lot like a reference to what fundies do when they try to cure "diseases" like atheism, homosexuality, abortion, etc. But I'm sure Justin doesn't see it that way. Only the evil libruls who hate God persecute homeschoolers and conservative christians :roll:

[hoipolloi]

If you scroll down, you'll see posts about Justin's 34th birthday-- and his parents' 25th anniversary. I'd bet a million dollars it's got something to do with that.

How interesting. Is Justin the child of a first marriage? Was there a non-fundie life for at least one of his parents? The Turleys (this couple & kids) have been leghumpers-in-chief to Dougie for years.

ETA: The Lewis quote strikes me as being an anti-gubmint statement. "For your own good" could certainly mean things like Obamacare which are anathema to Turley et al.

[fatcat]

My first thought upon seeing the quote would also be right-wing religious people, but he was probably thinking about 'political correctness' or something.

[Escapefromfundiedom]

This quote immediately makes me think of controlling fundie churches like...dougies or some of the "reformed baptist" and even some presbyterian denoms (OPC/RPC) - churches that fundamentally believe they have a right to dictate all your business in the name of caring for your soul or somesuch nonsense.

Doubt that's what he's referring to but whatever it is, I would hope someone who's associated with the kind of moral busybodies/dominionists he is would consider that quotation as an excellent springboard from serious self examination.