Plus, enlightenment at the end of Omicron, seeing Canada through the eyes of immigrants and Toronto's changing music scene in reader mail this week

CPAC

Re: Doug Ford comes out of hiding to tell Ontario to brace for impact (NOW Online, January 3).

At first when the Omicron variant struck I didnt want to lose my gym time, the only hour of relaxation I had. I wondered how long it would take to allow for a reduction of this variant. But Ford was in charge and I thought that he should know whats happening. Then when I saw the numbers before Christmas I expected a decision at any moment, but nothing.

What caught my attention was seeing Ford on TV getting his booster while ignoring that many people (like me) were looking unsuccessfully for an appointment. That was the moment a detonation went off in my head that said to me, This guy is in Narnia. Now schools and gyms have been closed. The closer to the election we get, the worse Ford gets. Maybe he should have been gone a while ago ya know?

Gabriel Alfredo From NOWTORONTO.COM

Re Its everything under the sun in 2022 by David Suzuki (NOW Online, January 5).

For many Canadians, David Suzuki is an integral part of thinking with purpose and of being continuously reminded of the safety net that is the Canadian signature, and the one thing that sets us apart from all other countries.

So still under the dark shadow of COVID, we greet a new year. But with the solstice, increasing light has a subtle but profound effect on thinking hopefully. Enlightenment can be a powerful influence, especially now under the heavy labour of being compliant to medicine and science during a pandemic.

Peter Morris From NOWTORONTO.COM

I am a father, musician and educator and I am deeply concerned with the onslaught of climate change. Our number one priority worldwide should be to act to remedy this extremely dangerous situation.

In 2021, heat domes, forest fires, floods and droughts made headlines around the world. Climatologists expect more records to be broken and more destruction in 2022. We need rapid, large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissionsand a plan for a just transition that supports workers and communities in the necessary shift away from fossil fuels.

All levels of government must prevent tax dollars from creating incentives for climate pollution, by phasing outallsubsidies and public financing for oil, gas and coal. Lets focus on the health of the planet now.

Dave Clark Toronto

Im tired. Im tired of being scared. Im tired of feeling like my future is being ripped away by the people I chose to elect. Im tired of the lies and the greed. Im tired of crying. Im tired of being tired. Just do your jobs and protect our nature the way you promised you would. Act. Act now.

Carolyn Cathcart From NOWTORONTO.COM

Re Andrew Phungs terrific Run (NOW, January 6-12).

The CBCs Gem is cranking out some spectacular TV. I love learning about Canada through the eyes of the immigrant experience.

Canada is a large country but we never really take the time to see what the other Canadian cultures are doing and how they live their lives in their particular cities. Im also currently enjoying Son of a Critch. Good job Canadian television!

J. Robertson From NOWTORONTO.COM

Re 5 bold predictions for Torontos music scene in 2022 (NOW Online, January 4).

Thanks to Richard Trapunski for this article. Im a musician and it makes strong points about the changing music scene in Toronto and Canada.

About the drive towards unionization, have you heard of the UMAW (Union of Music and Allied Workers)? Its based in the U.S., but striving to be international.

Also, how about the home concert scene? Even pre-pandemic, this was a good idea. Of course, one needs enough space, but a dozen engaged listeners can be all some artists need to thrive.

Fred Spek From NOWTORONTO.COM

@nowtoronto

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Letters to the editor: The premier is living in a fantasy world on COVID - NOW Toronto

On December 26, we lost two icons of enlightenment: Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu and two-time Pulitzer Prize recipient, biology professor E. O. Wilson (there is no Nobel award for biology). We were saddened, as citizens of the world and as colleagues, to learn of the loss of these two men, both of whom contributed powerful essays to a book we edited in 2005. It turns out that they are more deeply connected than just by the coincidence of their passing on the same day.

They were different in a fundamental wayTutu found his core truths in God; Wilson found his in science. And in other ways too: Tutu was charismatic and boyishly cheerful; Wilson was more understated and ironic. But they shared important traits: Both were gifted leaders in their respective fields. Both were eloquent, and very funny too. Both wrote on the power of cooperation to build a vibrant society. And both were extremely consequential in their fields and well beyond. Both men advanced humankind in significant ways. Although just five-foot-four, Archbishop Tutu was a moral giant. He wrote that religion is a two-edged sword: healthy when transcendent and malignant when caught up in finding infidels and adversaries. He observed that all religions emphasize fundamental moral values of honesty, compassion, fidelity in marriage, the unity of humankind, and peace, but that religions have too often produced rogues who hijack the faith for selfish ends.

Tutu found his core truths in God; Wilson found his in science.

Professor E O Wilson was no less consequential in the domain of science. Widely regarded as the father of biodiversity and sociobiology, he pioneered the study of natures role in shaping human behaviour. His research spanned the spectrum from specialist to generalist on a grand scale, starting with his path-breaking research on ants and moving eventually to the biological basis of morality and an overarching theory of consilience in the natural world. His 1975 book, Sociobiology, not only created a stir in describing evolutionary forces behind social characteristics of organisms but also spawned the field of evolutionary psychology in the 1990s. He argued compellingly that the spiritual impulse is both an evolutionary advantage central to human nature and a key to hope for the future.

Their similarities became abundantly clear to us when they responded in much the same way to the question we asked them in 2004, in the shadow of 9/11: What can we do to prevent further acts of terror? Both Tutu and Wilson argued that organized religion does too little to discourage violence in the name of God. Tutu wrote this, in his chapter, Gods Word and World Politics: All faiths teach that this is a moral universe. Evil injustice, and oppression can never have the last word. Right, goodness, love, laughter, caring, sharing and compassion, peace and reconciliation, will prevail over their ghastly counterparts. The powerful unjust ones who throw their weight about, who think that might is right, will bite the dust and get their comeuppance.

Wilson was somewhat less optimistic than Tutu. While he argued that spirituality gives humans an evolutionary edge over other species, he was less sympathetic to the institution of religion: Religion divides, science unites Because scientific knowledge is instrumental and objective in origin, as well as transparent and replicable, it transcends cultural differences. Wilson granted that religion has enriched cultures with some of their best attributes, including the ideals of altruism, public service, and aesthetics in the arts, but added that it has also validated tribal myths that are forever and dangerously divisive. Noting caustically that the sacred texts of the Abrahamic faiths speak on behalf of archaic patriarchies in the parched Middle East, he saw that scientific illuminations of enlightened people offer a more transparent and reliable basis for understanding, in a manner that transcends cultural difference and unites humanity. Religion may have given humans a Darwinian edge in earlier times, he wrote, but rational thinking and proven knowledge should give humans the edge today.

In their final years, both Tutu and Wilson expressed concerns that we are falling from a trajectory of enlightened thinking, with tribalism on the rise. But their writings have profound implications for organized religion to take much more robust stands against violence today in India, Europe, the United States, and elsewhere. Neither man retreated from the expectation that our better angels will eventually prevail, that todays clerics at all rungs of religious hierarchies may wish not to repeat sins of the past. Tutu: Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. Rest in peace, Desmond Tutu and E O Wilson. You have left us gifts for eternity.

Akbar Ahmed is the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies and Professor of International Relations at the American University in Washington, DC. Brian Forst is a professor of Justice, Law, and Criminology emeritus at the American University School of Public Affairs.

The writer is Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies, School of International Service, American University and author of The Flying Man: Philosophers of the Golden Age of Islam.

Brian Forst is Professor of Justice, Law and Criminology Emeritus in the School of Public Affairs, American University, Washington, DC.

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The Passing of Two Giants - Daily Times

Netflix's "Arcane" is an exceptional video game adaptation that is chock full of colorful characters and awe-inspiring scenes awash in vibrant and glowing hues. Currently holding a rating of100% on Rotten Tomatoes, "Arcane" is a bombastic tale of two drastically different cultures and sisters. One on the main locations and contrasting ways of life is Zaun, an undercity of danger and freedom, while the other is Piltover, a city of progress and enlightenment. At a point in the history of the show, a war broke out that saw the two factions reach a cease-fire, and an unstable armistice currently stands between the sides.

The main characters of the show, sisters Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell), hail from Zaun, and their childhood sees them eke out a living on the unforgiving streets of the undercity. Along the way, they cross paths briefly with the founder of "Hextech," Jayce (Kevin Alejandro), and then later with Caitlyn (Katie Leung), a police officer from Piltover who comes from an aristocratic and powerful family. An unlikely friendship quickly forms between Caitlyn and Vi, leading to a clash between the sisters. But what was the ultimate paused moment between Caitlyn and Vi, two fan-favorite characters, in the smash-hit "Arcane"?

Towards the epic culmination of "Arcane" Season 1, there is a scene from Episode 7, "The Boy Savior," that involves Jinx opening fire with her trademark chain gun at Caitlyn on the bridge to Piltover. This causes a quick, "blink and you'll miss it moment" where both Caitlyn and Vi show their true feelings with rapid and unconscious action. The scene shows Caitlyn instinctively wrap her arms around Vi to protect her from incoming fire, while Vi's instinct is to push Caitlyn away from said hail of bullets.

The scene plays out in just a few seconds, and in these brief moments a tremendous amount of character work takes place. Fans of "Arcane" are shown how quickly the two characters have grown close in the fact that both are instantly drawn to protect the other, which is a far cry from their original meeting in Stillwater Prison. Both Vi and Caitlyn are partners in the source video game and featured extensively in promotional materials for "League of Legends," so this interaction will likely continue to blossom and become more fleshed out as the series progresses.

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The Most Paused Vi And Caitlyn Moment In Netflix's Arcane - Looper

Teanecks Temple Emeth holds its One Book, One Synagogue Shabbaton on Zoom on Saturday, January 8. The program will explore the themes of And After the Fire, a work of historical fiction book by Lauren Belfer that is set both in late 18th- and early 19th-century Berlin and in modern-day New York.

Participants are encouraged to read the book before the Shabbaton, but it is not necessary. The discussion is intended to pique the interests of people who have not read it as well as those who have.

At 9 a.m., Rabbi Steven Sirbu will lead a text study on the writings of Moses Mendelssohn, who was both the foremost thinker of the Haskalah (Jewish enlightenment) and the grandfather of Felix Mendelssohn. The elder Mendelssohns work shaped the society in which his grandson composed and it continues to affect our view of Judaism in the modern world.

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At 10:30, the Shabbat morning service will include excerpts from And After the Fire, reflecting how the themes of the book are interspersed throughout the siddur. Cantor Ellen Tilem will sing selected liturgical music from 19th-century Germany.

And After the Fire takes readers into the salon of Sarah Itzig Levy (1761-1854) in Berlin. Music, including work composed and performed by Johann Sebastian Bach and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, was central to those gatherings.

Both composers were controversial in the Berlin Jewish community, Bach for his antisemitism and Mendelssohn Bartholdy because he converted from Judaism to Christianity.

The programs continues at 1 p.m., when Thomas Mustachio, a Temple Emeth accompanist, will perform music by Bach and Mendelssohn Bartholdy to help participants appreciate the importance of Sarah Levys salon. He will be joined by virtuoso violinist Bela Horvath.

For information on how to watch, email SMercado@emeth.org.

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Shabbaton focuses on And After the Fire - The Jewish Standard

The free exercise of religion or, more precisely, the free exercise of conservative Christian religions is increasingly assuming the cultural, and even legal, stature of an inalienable American right. In the name of "religious freedom,"county clerks,doctorsandbakersopenly discriminate against LGBTQ citizens. Our rightward-charging judiciary lets worshippers congregate during a pandemic; religious devotion, apparently, trumps public safety.

To understand where this free-exercise fundamentalism may lead us, we need look no further than theinsurrectionists of last January and their boundless sense of religious entitlement. Michael Sparks, who was among the first to breach the Capitol, enthusedon Facebook: "We're getting ready to live through something of biblical purportions [sic] be prayed up and be ready to defend your country and your family." Jacob Chansley, the so-called QAnon Shaman, intoneda prayer about the rebirth of America on the floor of the Senate, whose evacuation he and his co-rioters had just triggered.

On Jan.6, 2021, a mob filled with religious extremists, among others, nearly upended one of the world's oldest and stablest liberal democracies. Could any comparable display of free exercise have occurred in Franceor Canadaor Uruguayor India, or any country with clear constitutional guidelines about the relation between government and religion?

RELATED:How Christian nationalism drove the insurrection: A religious history of Jan. 6

This unfortunate instance of American exceptionalism has many explanations. I call attention to one: the weakness of secularism in the United States. "Secularism" is a term that has been so relentlessly maligned by its enemies that its meaning is difficult to discern. Having just written a primer on the subject, let me note that political secularism, at its core, is a philosophy of governance.

Far from being equivalent to atheism, as its critics allege, secularism's origins may be traced to medieval Christian disputes about the papacy's expanding powers. During the Protestant Reformation, the terms of the debate shifted. The dilemma no longer involved curtailing the authority of the church, but rather how a government could prevent unfathomable violence between churches. Enlightenment thinkers concluded that religions those force-multipliers of human passions needed to be governed.

In "A Letter Concerning Toleration"(1689), John Locke outlined secular protocols of governance. The state must let citizens believe anything they wish about the divine (this is known as "freedom of conscience"). It must never establish, favoror ally itself with one or more faiths(this is often referred to as "disestablishmentarianism" or "state neutrality''). It must treat all religions and religious citizens equally (I call this the "equality" principle).

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Naturally, a secular state must permit citizens the free exercise of their religious beliefs. Yet here Locke added one crucial caveat. The right to free exercise, he insisted, is not absolute. Free exercise cannot diminish or endanger the rights of others, or the security of the state.

This position was neither controversialnor original. It was common sense. The 1663 Charter of Carolina granted free exercise as long as persons "do not in any wise disturb the peace." After a similar grant, the 1776 constitution of North Carolina warned: "nothing herein contained shall be construed to exempt preachers of treasonable or seditious discourses, from legal trial and punishment."

Which brings us to the First Amendment, whose relevant clauses simply read: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Our Constitution fails to acknowledge what was abundantly clear to lawmakers a century earlier, not to mention almost every subsequent constitution in secular countries:Namely, there must be a limiton free exercise of religion.

Why James Madison omitted this obvious proviso is beyond my comprehension. I simply observe that his omission undercuts secularism's governing function. It thus leaves American democracy vulnerable to the types of ructions we witnessed last January.

American secularism must confront the poor hand dealt to it by the Constitution and chart a new legal course. Secularists might invoke the "equality" principle mentioned above. Letting the 14th Amendment interrogate the First, secularists could argue that unchecked free exercise deprives religious minorities of equal protection under the law.

Latter-day Saints were prohibited from practicing bigamy in the 1878 Reynoldscase. Native Americans' free-exercise right to ingest peyote was denied in the 1990 Smithdecision. As for "nones" those with no religious affiliation can they even possess free exercise rights?

For right-wing Protestants (and, increasingly, right-wing Catholics) free exercise has been a godsend. Via the Supreme Court, conservative Christian theological prerogatives are poised to shape every aspect of everyone else's life on issues ranging from reproductive freedomsto educationto gun legislation. Free exercise, as currently practiced, is a boon to the majority.

Secularists should steward a more sophisticated discussion of "religious freedom." Politiciansand assorted intellectuals lazily depict public expressions of faith as providing exponential benefits for the commonweal. Prayer circles at football games, candidates who do "God talk" on the campaign trail, Latin crosses on federal property all of it is assumed to make our nation stronger.

Perhaps, but the January insurrection reminds us of a craggy secular intuition: Religious passion has a dark side, a volatility that only the state can contain. Much is made of the condition of our democracy's "guardrails"; the time has come to recognize a functioning, re-energized secularism as a crucial defense against what happened lastJan.6.

Read more on the current state of America's religious wars:

Jacques Berlinerblau (@Berlinerblau) is a professor of Jewish civilization at Georgetown University. He is the author of numerous scholarly articles and books on secularism, including the just released "Secularism: The Basics"(Routledge).

Link:
After Jan. 6, secularism is the crucial "guardrail" and it's fatally weak in America - Salon

Pray, what be the most curious of casualties of New Year season?

Nah, we arent alluding to the balderdash being belted out by the Blokes of Breaking News. The toll of two cities.

Talking tolls and tales, as is customary, Season 2022 rings in its share of curtain-raisers. And again, curtains of social distancing.

Ah, but did you notice, on New Year, theres one thing thats a conspicuous casualty of the coronascape? Like life itself.

New Year resolutions.

Nobody diligently does them in the New Normal, like before, do they?

Blame it on pandemics not taking too kindly to resolutions. Pandemics are possessed with a nasty habit of meddling with expiry dates. Of New Year resolutions (NYRs), as also of those deigning to dabble in them.

The Pandemic, perhaps, has spawned a new vocabulary that could best be or better be described as New Year Non-Resolution.

A state of vacillation that entails eyebrows shooting heavenwards at the stroke of midnight hour, like a million fireworks saluting the skyscape, petitioning for enlightenment from the galaxy of Gods, about whether or not we would survive 2022 Toll Lists to be bothered with trifles like NYR Long Lists or Short Lists.

Of New Year Hit Lists and With-It Lists

This Post New Normal vocabulary denotes all demeanour defined by the dilemma: To do or not to do what we were wont to do - New Year Resolution Hit Lists, With-It Lists, Miss Lists, Dismiss Lists, Consolation Lists or Disconsolation Lists.

The Pandemic has indeed robbed us of the days when New Year resolutions stood scripted more religiously than Amarnath Yatras or Ayodhya andolans. Never mind, if NYRs proved as fickle as our political coalitions or Donald Trumps Twitter renditions. Whether it was passionate pledges to quit smoking or saving crash diet plans from ending in smoke, pre-pandemic, there was spelt out a resolution for every reason, every season. Alas, the treason of this season has robbed us of many a reason.

This new narrative of New Year Non-Resolution thus tosses up tormenting thoughts:

To join or not to join power yoga to empower fitness quotient. For, one knows not whether one would end up learning the likes of shirshasana or end up in a position bearing uncanny resemblance to shavasana.

To give up or not to give up vices catastrophic for curves, such as splurging on sinful Double Trouble Donuts. For, one scarce can figure out whats ordained by the Covid curve, whether it will be Death by Chocolate or Death by Delta.

Of bad hair days and being in bad books

To sport or not to sport makeovers to better bad-hair days in 2022, like a hair transplant or hair sauna from that neighbourhood Chinese hairdresser. First, not to forget that all things Chinese are to be blamed for the Covid spate. Second, not to forget the Third Wave could render inconsequential follicular fate, scarce would it matter whether one exits the stage sporting curly waves or a bald pate.

The curious case of hair today, gone tomorrow.

This New Year Non-Resolution narrative can be a boon or bane, depending on whos at the receiving end.

How about a New Year resolution to devote more time to textbooks than texting? mummy-hood egged on ones Millennial at the dawn of 2022. Running the risk of further being in bad books.

Cmon, havent you heard Third Wave prophesies? the Millennial glared up from Zoom, to gurgle gyaan as a prophet of doom. Come Omicron, what matters more is one book - how to book a berth in a Covid centre!

New Year resolutions shall never be the same, it did dawn.

The curious case of the untimely demise of a New Year tradition, by book or by crook.

chetnakeer@yahoo.com

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Witerati | Of third waves and New Year second thoughts - Hindustan Times

AMRITSAR: The birth anniversary of 10th Guru of Sikhs Sri Guru Gobind Singh was celebrated with great enthusiasm here on Sunday. Thousands of devotees took a holy dip in the sacred sarovar of Golden Temple .

an exhibition of ancient traditional Sikh jewellery was held at Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib, Akal Takht and Gurdwara Baba Atal Sahib. A religious Diwan (Congregation) was held at Gurdwara Manji Sahib in which several raagi dhadis preachers recited the Gurbani and thrown the light on teachings of Guru Gobind Singh ji.

Raagis Singh were reciting the gurbani shabad like "waho waho Gobind Singh aape Gur chela..." "Amrit naam nidhaan hai mil pivo Bhai....."

The entire Golden Temple complex was tastefully decorated with colourful lights.and fireworks was organised after bhog of reheraas Sahib path in the evening.

The birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh falls within the months of December or January each year. The annual celebrations of the Gurus birth anniversary take place as per the Nanakshahi calendar.

Meanwhile Giani Harpreet Singh Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib highest seat of Sikh religion has congratulated the Sangat on the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Tenth Patshah, and urged them to follow the path shown by Guru Sahib.

He said that the life of Dasam Patshah Ji is a beacon for humanity, from which the priorities of life should be determined.

He appealed to the sangat to raise their voice against social evils on the occasion of Guru Sahib's enlightenment and to pay homage and respect to Guru Sahib by following his life and teachings and he also appealed to Sikhs they should become Amritdhari by taking amrit.

It may be mentioned that Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708 C.E.) is the tenth and last Sikh Guru after his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. The guru had relinquished his life while fighting against the injustice of the Mughal rulers of that time. Guru Gobind Singh Ji Jayanti is a day that witnesses vast parades and social gatherings across gurudwaras.

Guru Gobind Singh was the only son of the ninth Sikh guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur. His mothers name was Mata Gujri. He was born on December 22, 1666, in Patna, Bihar India. His original name was Gobind Rai. Guru Gobind Singh was a spiritual leader, philosopher, a great warrior, a port, and was the tenth and the last Sikh Guru.His father Guru Teg Bahadur was the ninth Sikh Guru and was a very courageous man. In 1675, he was beheaded publically by the orders of the fifth Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb as he refused to convert to Islam.

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Birth anniversary of 10th Guru of Sikhs Sri Guru Gobind Singh was celebrated with great enthusiasm - Punjab News Express

The entire Declaration of Independence is saturated with Enlightenment-era ideas and influences, the most noticeable and famous of which stem from John Locke. It can itself be labeled a product of the Enlightenment and an illustration of Enlightenment-era political thought.

Like Locke, the leaders of the American Revolution envisioned politics...

The entire Declaration of Independence is saturated with Enlightenment-era ideas and influences, the most noticeable and famous of which stem from John Locke. It can itself be labeled a product of the Enlightenment and an illustration of Enlightenment-era political thought.

Like Locke, the leaders of the American Revolution envisioned politics as fundamentally contractual, being based on a contract between the rulers and the ruled. This tradition of political theory, known as social contract theory, was one of the most famous strands of political thought associated with the Enlightenment, one which stretches outside of Locke to also embrace the absolutist Hobbes (who predated Locke), as well as the later Rousseau. The entire argument sketched out in the Declaration of Independence is contractual at its core, stating that Great Britain has failed to uphold its obligations to the colonies, and therefore the colonies have a legitimate claim to independence. Note how the entire Declaration of Independence is almost structured like a court case: after setting the basic logic and argumentation, it presents a series of very specific grievances, the aim of which is to prove the claim that the original contract has been broken.

In addition, where Locke's influence is particularly strong lies in his vision of what that original social contract entails. Ultimately, social contract theory has involved imagining what human existence looks like in the absence of functioning society and governance. From there, one can then extrapolate the original social contract that would have given rise to governance to begin with. For Hobbes, the state of nature was a state of lawless brutality (from which he constructed his absolutist vision of the social contract), but Locke defined it first and foremost as a state of freedom that is fundamentally rational but also deeply fragile, with the potential for violence.

For Locke, thus, people surrender to governments and society some of that boundless freedom to protect those freedoms that are most foundational to living and enjoying life: for Locke, they were life, liberty and property. This same vision can be applied to the Declaration of Independence, which argues that government, likewise, was founded for the purpose of defending the natural rights to "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Finally, both the Declaration of Independence and these larger currents of Enlightenment thought were deeply concerned with the problem of tyranny. One can look towards Montesquieu and his differentiation between legitimate monarchy and despotism, a differentiation that ultimately boils down to the rule of law. For Montesquieu, absolutist kings (as powerful as they were), still ruled according to traditions and customs, as opposed to despots who (so Montesquieu claimed) ultimately ruled according to their whims.

To this, one can also refer to the ideas of the resistance theorists (Locke among them) and their own concerns about abuse of power and the breaking of the social contract. "Tyrant" would have been a powerful and politically charged word in an Enlightenment context, and it is not by accident that the word is invoked in the Declaration of Independence. It is not simply that the social contract has been broken, but the monarch is explicitly being charged with acting tyrannically, a claim that held power within the intellectual and emotional climate that shaped the Declaration of Independence.

Jefferson's idea of "unalienable rights" in the Declaration of Independence is similar to the idea of natural rights, which comes from Locke. According to Locke, people are born with certain inherent rights that the government cannot remove. Jefferson writes in the Declaration that "all men are created equal." This idea is derived in part from Locke's idea of the "tabula rasa," which means that all people are born without prior knowledge and are therefore equal in status.

The idea that the government owes its existence to the consent of the governed and that once the government goes against this so-called social contract, it should be overthrown, comes from Locke and Rousseau. According to their philosophy, people give up some of their rights to the government for protection and security, but the government must still protect individuals' natural rights. Another Enlightenment idea in the Declaration is that people have the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These rights come from those Locke felt the government should protect, though Locke defined these rights as life, liberty, and property.

One Enlightenment idea is that government derives its power from the consent of the governed. This idea went against the previous idea that rulers ruled by divine right; for example, the king was God's secular representative on Earth. By putting the people in charge of government, government would hopefully be more responsive to the needs of the people.

A second Enlightenment idea is that all people had inalienable rights. John Locke stated that these rights were life, liberty, and property, but Thomas Jefferson amended these rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Even with Jefferson's amended version, the thought that people were born with rights was still regarded as radical. Though this idea did not apply to women, slaves, or native peoples in America, it was novel for a government to put this idea down as part of its philosophy.

A third Enlightenment ideal is that government exists in order to protect the rights of the people. Jefferson states this and then goes on to list multiple abuses of the British government against its American colonists in order to point out that reconciliation with Britain is impossible and that independence is the only recourse left.

The Declaration of Independence draws heavily on the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke. Much of what Jefferson wrote in the Declaration comes directly from Lockes ideas about government. Let us look at three examples of this.

First, the Declaration of Independence says that people have certain rights just because they are people. These rights are not given to them by the government and cannot be taken away from them. They have these rights simply because they are human. This is a major idea of the Enlightenment.

Second, the Declaration of Independence says that a government is only legitimate if the people consent to be ruled by it. It is possible for a government to force its will on the people, but that government is not a legitimate government and it has no right to rule the people. Enlightenment thinkers wondered why governments had the right to rule people. They did not believe that kings had a divine right to rule. Instead, they believed that governments were legitimate if the people agreed to be ruled by those governments. This idea is found in the Declaration as well.

Finally, the Declaration of Independence says that the only reason to have government is to protect the rights of the people. This, too, comes from the Enlightenment. Enlightenment thinkers did not think that governments should exist to give power to kings. Instead, governments should exist to protect their citizens. This is the third Enlightenment idea found in the Declaration of Independence.

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What are three Enlightenment ideas used in the Declaration ...

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The Enlightenment influenced society in the areas of politics, philosophy, religion and the arts. Both the American Revolution and French Revolution were based on Enlightenment ideals.

Age of Enlightenment The Age of Enlightenment, which lasted throughout much of the 17th and 18th centuries, was an intellectual movement, which resulted in overturning many old ideas. Leading European thinkers advocated for personal freedoms and free thought. The Enlightenment is sometimes called the Age of Reason because of its emphasis on rationality. Enlightenment thinkers did not trust the established authorities, such as monarchies of the church. They believed individuals could find the truth for themselves and improve society by looking to science, reasoning and dialogue.

The Effect on Revolutions This mistrust of authority and faith in the rational abilities of the common man resulted in profound political change, not only in Europe but across the world. The leaders of the American Revolution were acting on Enlightenment principles when they overthrew the British government and demanded independence. The French Revolution was also an attempt to overcome absolute authority and usher in a new age.

Enlightenment and the Intellectual The Enlightenment is most credited with bringing forth new thoughts and transformative works. These works include historically notable books, inventions and laws. Everything from Principia Mathematica by Isaac Newton to Philosophical Dictionary by Voltaire shaped the way society thought and approached problems. Other notable thinkers of the era include John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

Enlightenment Schools of Thought There are six different schools of thought that were born out of the Enlightenment philosophy. These include deism, liberalism and republicanism. Additionally, the ideas of conservatism, toleration and scientific progress were also a product of the Enlightenment.

Deism was part of the French Enlightenment, which shifted the understanding of religion from being polarized between different religions like Protestants versus Catholics to an understanding of God through common sense. It later influenced the development of paganism and atheism.

The ideas of liberalism, republicanism and conservatism are still in place today in modern times but during the Enlightenment, differed from modern interpretations. For example, the Enlightenment liberalism understands the world through science without religious interference, which later gave rise to classical liberalism, which established a persons natural born rights.

Secret Societies and Alternative Knowledge During the Enlightenment, secret societies grew, such as the Freemasons, Illuminati and Rosicrucians. Alongside scientific discoveries, alternative knowledge also grew. For example, Jean Sylvain Bailly purported that the Atlanteans who live near the North Pole created all science. This thought influenced the Nazis as well as the founder of the Illuminati.

Modern Effects of the Enlightenment The effects of the Enlightenment are still felt today. The founding fathers established the United States according to Enlightenment ideals. For example, the separation of the government into three branches: Legislative, Executive and Judicial, and the system of checks and balances was originally developed by French Enlightenment thinker Montesquieu. The system holds the authorities accountable to the people and is an implementation of the Enlightenment theory that governments should exist only by the will of the governed. It is difficult to imagine a world without scientific methods and thought, which are all in thanks in part to the Enlightenment.

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How Did the Enlightenment Influence Society?

Celebrating Louise Taff and 50 Years of Service

Join us in celebrating Louise Taff in achieving 50 years of service to young children, families, educators and other professionals working with young children in Wake County!

Louise has been employed for all 50 of her WCPSS years at Project Enlightenment, an early childhood prevention program in the Office of Early Learning.

Throughout her career, Louise has served in multiple capacities from classroom assistant to assistant director.

Her various talents, knowledge and experience have been instrumental in moving Project Enlightenment onward in its mission to provide early childhood programs and services to young children from birth through 5 years old and the adults in their lives including parents, teachers and other professionals.

Louise is dedicated to supporting the important cause of building, A brighter future for the young children in Wake County.

In her honor, Project Enlightenment staff have dedicated the Production Area located in the Parent Teacher Resource Center as the "Louise Taff Production Area."

Congratulationsto Louise Taff upon this amazing lifetime achievement!

Go here to see the original:
Project Enlightenment / Homepage