A Response to the Shapiro / MacArthur Interview
There is perhaps no greater example of cognitive dissonance in recent history than the Shapiro/MacArthur interview. The TANC Ministry authors will respond according to the interview’s assertions regarding politics, soteriology, church history, and the Enlightenment Era.
LIVE LINK: https://boxcast.tv/view/a-respose-to-the-shapiro–macarthur-interview-855263
John Immel on Immanuel Kant: https://paulspassingthoughts.com/2017/07/20/the-disaster-of-sacrifice-as-the-ultimate-moral-standard-part-3/
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
When you get a chance you ought to listen to this. It’s long and worth it and if you don’t have time go to about the 1 hour mark. Rubin has Shapiro and Peterson diving into philosophical difference in Christianity and Judaism. It’s fascinating.
My thoughts: Peterson is coming to it from a totally philosophical point of view as a non theologian. I think he is spot-on. but notice how Shapiro reacts in that that is not the way Christianity has been explained to him. In fact he says that Petersons explanation is actually non-Christian. Why? IMO, it’s because Shapiro has been talking to a Protestants. Because Shapiro was told that Christianity is about faith only.
It’s really interesting. and I bet a whole bunch of preachers are going to come down real hard on Jordan Peterson. But I have to give the guy credit with no theological background and looking at it from a philosophical pov. Peterson is basically saying that Christianity is about maturing. Growing up!
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Hey Lydia,
Haven’t watched this yet, but I will. I’ve heard Peterson speak of biblical things in the past…I thinks he interprets the Bible much more metaphorically than is really sensible. But at least he tries to stay between the lines of reason. After that disastrous Shapiro/Mac interview, I think you are absolutely right in that Shapiro has swallowed the Calvinist blue pill.
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Very nice examination/analysis. I enjoyed this very much.
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Peterson is big into archetypes as a clinical psychologist. He didn’t really focus so much on the Person of Christ as he did on the bigger meanings of His coming (such as face evil and grow up!) totally outside of what we typically hear. I just about spewed my green tea when Shapiro shot back, “what you are describing is UNchristian” Shapiro was schooled that Christianity means Jesus is still taking upon himself our daily sin. That is far outside Hebrew thinking about a relationship with God.
It was an amazing exchange for people like us who are refugees of the Western Church. I mean, finally. Outside “that” box thinking.
Their earlier exchange about biology, mythos and science was good, too.
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Yep. The idea that Christians have absolutely no power to actually change makes them no different from non-Christains. Yet this doctrine is called Christian…like, how is Christianity actually a thing if orthodoxy makes it entirely redundant? But the cognitive dissonance is just old and subdued enough to fool even an intellectual like Shapiro. Somehow if a terrible idea is around long enough it looks like wisdom even to the the most discerning.
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I still have not watched the Shapiro-McArthur video. Perhaps I should for background. I can barely stomach to watch that pompous authoritarian. Two people Shapiro hires to write on DW are Matt Walsh, a Catholic and Eric Erickson, a Calvinist. Both are insufferable to read. Erickson considers the guys at Reformed Seminary his dudebros. (Ligon Duncan of T4G is President)
I am not a big fan of Shapiro. He comes off in some venues as a lecturing old Aunt. He seems to prefer form over function. Not a results guy. He reminds me of being in the same class as Sen Ben Sasse who loves to lecture and virtue signal instead of just being a Senator who represents his constituents. He has to monitor behavior, too. But at least Shapiro has a free speech message hetakes on college campi. It’s hard to believe the free wheeling Andrew Bretbart was Shapiros mentor.
I prefer to listen to Peterson, Rubin and read Quillette. Another thing I like about Peterson is since some social media platforms are censoring so much (they are using the Orwellian phrase, “Manifest Observable Behavior”), he is looking to develop one for people who are independent.
I like problem solvers. And Peterson totally gets it. That’s how he got his start in this venue. Standing up to C-16 (compelled speech) in Canada.
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I like your opinion of Shapiro. Hard for me to disagree. I think he’s intelligent, but not creative, if that makes sense. His thinking is rigid and lacks real insight. He’s got good ideas but they are basically a word for word regurgitation of stuff others have already said; he is unable to push them to any newer and better places. This I suspect is why MacAurthur agreed to the interview. He knew Shapiro wouldn’t push things beyond the implicit “I’m a conservative and so are you”. And since that was already established before the interview ever took place, there wasn’t really anywhere else for Shapiro to take the interview, because, again, he’s just not that creative.
MacArthur basically got paid to do another sermon.
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