I recently watched a panel discussion from the “Dangerous Ideas” series in the UK. The points that interested me were the discussions on the so-called “cultural revolution” of recent decades. The opinions expressed were decidedly liberal with the exception of one.
The concluding question from the floor was this:
“Which so-called ‘dangerous idea’ do you think would have the greatest potential to change the world for the better if it were implemented?”
The first answer came from a man who was a proponent of the new perspectives on marriage and free sexuality. He had earlier said that a mother staying at home to provide primary child care was “re-enslavement” and that any reversal on abortion rights would “force a woman to give birth to an unwanted child” and would be “harmful to women”. Though presumably his child was the result of such a birth since he is in a same-sex marriage.
His answer, admittedly tongue-in-cheek, was that for 30 years there be forced abortions to lower the global population. That’s the kind of “dangerous idea” they were looking for.
The second answer came from an older woman who had spent her life as an advocate of feminism and women’s rights. Along the line of her positions she simply answered that freedom itself was the greatest dangerous idea. Because with true freedom you take on the responsibility of your actions and have great power as well.
The third answer came from the lone conservative Christian voice, that of Peter Hitchens, brother of the late great atheist poster boy Christopher Hitchens.
The most dangerous idea in human history and philosophy remains the belief that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and rose from the dead. And that is the most dangerous idea you will ever encounter.
This drew a snide “I could agree with that” from the first panelist.
When asked to go further he continued:
Because it alters the whole of human behavior and all our responsibilities. It turns the universe from meaningless chaos into a designed place in which there is justice and there is hope. Therefore we all have a duty to discover the nature of that justice and work towards that hope. It alters us all. If we reject it, it alters us as well. It is incredibly dangerous. That’s why so many people turn against it.
The next panelist could only laugh it off and say that she was tempted to respond because she is Jewish.
Hitchen’s answer was profound in its simplicity and in its truth. The forced abortion answer got a chuckle from the audience. The freedom answer got noises of agreement and a smattering of applause. The gospel of Christ answer got applause from some of the audience but two snide remarks from the panel. That shows how dangerous an idea it truly is. The tension of the truth had to be relieved by marginalizing humor.
If Jesus is who he said he is and was raised from the dead then that is truly the most dangerous idea because it does, as Peter Hitchens said, change everything for everyone.
Tessera Sola 