The folly of the current sitting “Supreme” Court is beyond measure. And, in my opinion, the entire legal profession that sits behind it. To say nothing of the entire political system that has allowed such nonsense to flourish as “originalism” by appointing people oblivious of certain differences between the realities of 1789 and those of 2022.
And the confession of its newest member of that court that “we are not political hacks.”
We are observing another instance of the failure of modern institutions (including modern religion and education and more) to evolve to face our post-modern realities. Behind the love affair with authoritarianism and with the nostalgia for the past (“make American great again”) and squatting on the year 1789 to interpret the Constitution in the literalist spirit of inerrant biblical literalism, lies a refusal to live in the now. And to absorb the cosmology of our times including the story of evolution and applying it to all our work worlds.
This I tried to do in my book on reinventing work, to set work in the large context of the “Great Work” of the universe with the assistance of the new cosmology. Evolution, not squatting on an 18th century text, is pretty much established as a long-lasing habit of the universe, but those invoking “originalism’—which is the six radical-right members of the Supreme Court (all being Roman Catholic)—are in effect denying that the constitution is subject to evolution. This would not seem to be a sustainable direction to journey on.
I recommend a very fine article that addresses the falsity of Alito’s abortion ruminations by Ria Tabacco Mar, director of the ACLU Women’s Rights project. Here are a few of her insights:
Mississippi, the state that SCOTUS is ruling on to abort Roe v Wade, has a maternal mortality rate that is three times higher for black than for white women. In Washington DC, where SCOTUS sits, black mothers account for 90% of pregnancy related deaths (but account for just 45% of the population). Alito not only cannot get pregnant, but he is also not black. Should he be telling people who are pregnant and black what to do about making choices about their bodies?
Mar also points out that the US spends only $500 per child on early childhood care—less than 2 % of what Norway does. The US has the distinction of having the worst maternal mortality rate among wealthy countries. Killing Roe v Wade will kill more women.
In what universe and what minds and what politics and what common sense is this “pro life”?
See: Perspective | Justice Alito’s rosy view of pregnancy in America is fantasy
Also see Twitter commentary and bibliography on Sir Matthew Hale by English professor @DrLiterature_Lady: https://twitter.com/Literature_Lady/status/1522214828139368450
Also see Matthew Fox, The Reinvention of Work.
And Matthew Fox, “Gifts of Wisdom: Rules for Living in the Universe,” in Fox, Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth, pp. 43-54.
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
Banner Image: “I Object.” March for Roe v Wade to the U.S. Supreme Court, May 2022. Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash
Queries for Contemplation
Do you see “certain differences” between 1789 and 2022? Can you name some? Does that make you smarter than all six of the black-robed judges committed to “Originalism”? What follows? Why do you think some judges are happy being stuck in the year 1789?
Recommended Reading
The Reinvention of Work: A New Vision of Livelihood For Our Time
Thomas Aquinas said, “To live well is to work well,” and in this bold call for the revitalization of daily work, Fox shares his vision of a world where our personal and professional lives are celebrated in harmony–a world where the self is not sacrificed for a job but is sanctified by authentic “soul work.”
“Fox approaches the level of poetry in describing the reciprocity that must be present between one’s inner and outer work…[A]n important road map to social change.” ~~ National Catholic Reporter
Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth
Fox’s spirituality weds the healing and liberation found in North American Creation Spirituality and in South American Liberation Theology. Creation Spirituality challenges readers of every religious and political persuasion to unite in a new vision through which we learn to honor the earth and the people who inhabit it as the gift of a good and just Creator.
“A watershed theological work that offers a common ground for religious seekers and activists of all stripes.” — Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice.
7 thoughts on “20th century Cosmology vs Today’s Originalist Supreme Court”
Matthew, Today you ask us in our Queries for Contemplation: “Do you see ‘certain differences’ between 1789 and 2022?” You write: “Behind the love affair with authoritarianism and with the nostalgia for the past (‘make American great again’) and squatting on the year 1789 to interpret the Constitution in the literalist spirit of inerrant biblical literalism, lies a refusal to live in the now.” The differences I can see between now and then are: slaves had no rights, women had no reproductive rights, nor could they own property or vote, homosexual people were either institutionalized or imprisoned, no child labor laws, etc.–and separation of Church and State is endangered by a six member conservative Catholic Supreme Court that is bound to have its way.
“Does that make you smarter than all six of the black-robed judges committed to ‘Originalism’?” I think it does. “What follows?” It depends on what they ultimately do.
“Why do you think some judges are happy being stuck in the year 1789?” Because those days had the same values that they do. By their modification of voting laws they are attempting to take the vote from minorities. By their present actions they are trying to take away women’s reproductive rights. And they are stepjpping on the separation of Church and State by trying to make laws that conform to Catholic moral philosophy.
I often ponder the idea that ‘Man’ Some how believes they have the power to prevent a soul from incarnating. I believe that only God has that power. If a soul’s purpose is to incarnate it will.
I was with a three year old a few years back. She was sitting in her car seat as we we driving. I could see her in my rear view mirror. She took her thumb and forefinger bringing them together almost touching and said to me ‘when I was very very little I died.’ I could not believe what I was hearing. Her mother had miscarried eight months before she was conceived!!
This is a cosmic view from a three year old.
Listen to the children…..
Dominion over, by patriarchal rule and the literal adherence to this Catholic misinterpretation of scriptural doctrine, through the influences of religion upon state; unfortunately were the root foundations of the founders of what we call democracy. These false illusions, disguised as something new… democracy… are actually something very archaic.
In reality, church and state… through their religious and political institutions and the powerful and controlling influences of these, have never truly separated… but rather have continued to operate and function together… rooting and cultivating its hidden agenda, motivations and intentions of dominion over… under the guise of democracy… at least in the United States.
Many within the family of humanity believed in the illusion… that church and state functioned separately… that the new vision of democracy would lead to liberty… freedom from patriarchal and heirarchal rule and dominion over… that human rights and equality would flourish and blossom. Most were not aware of what lie at the root of this well crafted demonic illusion. The patriarchs, the heirarches and their institutions simply bided their time… allowing some within humanity to take a few steps forward into the false illusion they crafted… letting them believe that progress and evolution were indeed, unfolding, evolving and emerging.
However, when their vision of democracy began to take on a life its own, and they began to lose control… fearing the chaos of this… they tightened the reigns… and are now in the process of attempting to prune everything back… using the force of their dominating power… digging in their heals… to protect the root, lest it begin to rot and be exposed for what it is. Their version of democracy… aught to be fully uprooted.
Whom will attempt to do so? Those courageous truth-tellers, the prophets, the activists, the justice seekers, the social and civil uprisers, the light-bearers, the true freedom fighters and spiritual warriors… whom are given strength to persevere, endure… remaining steadfast, rooted and grounded in love, compassion and mercy… fighting the GOOD fight, amidst the evils of the adversary. Firstly… facing these influences and temptations within ourselves, and also within our relationships with each other… which will also spill over into our relationships with the all and the everything of creation… for true evolution of consciousness begins to unfold and emerge firstly from within oneself.
The destructive effects of toxic masculinity in patriarchal societies have been ongoing around the world for eight thousand years, as you once pointed out Matthew. Our evolving souls are still growing slowly, especially among men, continuing to cause us and Mother Nature much suffering and destructiveness. In spite of these toxic negative masculine values of individualism, egocentricity, and ignorance of the sacred within and among us, we must maintain our faith and compassionate Being~becoming of our eternal souls with the grace of God’s Living Loving Wisdom Just Creative Spirit Present with-in us, our relations with one another, with Mother Nature and All Her creatures, and as co-Creators with God’s Loving Evolving~Creative Spirit in our Divinely Diverse Loving Oneness of our multidimensional and multiverse Cosmos… Cosmic Christ Consciousness….
🔥❤️🙏
Perhaps it is us ragamuffin, rebellious heretics that alone know the Truth?! };- a.m.
The Dred Scott decision was also pretty evil and had a lot to do with precipitating the Civil War. The consequences of this latest evil are demonic, in my opinion. First, it is like a gateway drug that will lead to the rolling back of other rights such as those for LGBQT+, access to contraception (already under attack in a previous decision), and more erosions of voting rights—and so on and so on. I expect a further attack on unions, immigrants, and any remaining consumer protections. Under an upcoming case, apparently there will be a full scale attack on government agencies such as the EPA. The consequences to individual girls and women from the draconian restrictions in existing laws such as the one here in FLorida include not only threats to their physical and mental health but also an active discouraging of reports of rape, incest, and trafficking, since none of these are considered valid exceptions to the ban on abortions after 15 weeks. These crimes are already under-reported, under-investigated, and under-prosecuted–witness the scandal of all the rape kits simply sitting in evidence warehouses. Victims are victimized over and over. One person made a comment in the local newspaper yesterday—in all seriousness—that men’s bodies were also at risk since a rapist would have to pay child support! You just cannot make this stuff up.