From: deane@binah.cc.brandeis.edu
Subject: me again
Reply-To: deane@binah.cc.brandeis.edu
Organization: Brandeis University
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 20:46:51 GMT

Blast. So much for the REPLY option. Oh well, I'll stick to what works 
until I can corner my computer expert friend and have him explain the
system to me.

Jim Kalb: Some comments (hopefully brief!) on your comments. Of course
heresies are not the same thing as the religion they derive from. ENR's
thinking works on the principle of tracing concepts and mentalities
through history. They ignore the larger "structures" for the sake of
clarity and focus on the constants, on the commonalities. Your under-
standing of religion is intriguing. I think what you arre stating is
the "esoteric" side present in all religions. It is the "exoteric"
side of religion that most people are familiar with. Exoteric shares
Gaf! Read: Exoteric religion shares many common features with secular
ideologies.

I read Popper's book a long time ago. He made Plato out to appear Like
an early incarnation of Hitler! I thought this unfair, and read thee 
book quietly rooting for Plato. I guess sometimes totalitarianism is
in the eye of the beholder.

I think I might have misinterpreted your section on modern change -
now it makes more sense to me. I was thinking of only the changes
occurring in the final stage of decay. Would be interesting to 
consider how technological change effects the rate of change though,
as well as size of territory and other factors. Also, when does
the first stage "begin"? How do you decide?

Finally, some notes on Andy's comments in regards to Jim's comments
on the ENR (damn I gotta learn this system or its gonna drive me
nuts! There: that ought to tick off the language purists!): I am not
sure what Andy means by his comments on Grece. Yes, the French New Right
is interested in classical Greece, but these people are contempory
scholars and are perfectly capable of distiguishing between modern
knowledge about Greece and Winkelmann's understanding of the sub-
ject. In fact, if I understand these people at all, I would assume
that they would find our modern understanding of ancient Greece
even more appealing than Winkelmann's! I would like to know where
Andy gets this information - if he is right, then I want a copy
of his sources for my files! As for the NR outside France - I can
only speak for Britain. The Scorpion does not deal much with issues
of ancient history. It is concerned with modern philosophrs. Perspect-
ives is a newer publication from England. If memory serves, it is
interested in European paganism, but relies on modern scholarship,
in particular on anthropology and folklore, for its sources. If
memory serves. Again, let me repeat, to my knowledge, ENR is not
interested in finding a "lost" non-Christian or non-totalitarian
Europe. For the ENR, the past is something which should inspire, 
and live in the present. It is not a Utopia to be retreated into.
The point that Europe (born 800 A.D., perhaps?) has always been a 
Christian civilization is valid, but not relevent to the argument the
ENR is making. What is meant by "locus of identity"? Surely the
pagans knew who and where they were? The fact that this identity
was not "Europe" is interesting, but again, it is not a valid objection
to the task the ENR has set itself. 

Well, so much for brevity. I'm sorry this discussion has focused so
heavily on religion. The New Right's critique of our modern consumer
society is ingenious, but that will have to wait for another time.
Before I sign off, let me clear up some potential misconceptions.
The ENR is a collection of organizations and publications in W.Europe.
It is a current of thought, not a political movement. It stays out of
party politics. It is not monolithic, though it deos have recognized
spokesmen. Its character varies from country to country. It is not
a crusade against Christianity! It does have certain objections to 
monotheism, but it can amiably debate the issue. Its influences
cut across the political spectrum, and its members debate friends
and foes alike, frequently. Thomas Molnar, the conservatie Catholic
writer, is a good friend of Alain de Benoist, in spite of the disagree
ment over religion. ENR activists tend to be students, academics,
and other intellectuals. The ENR is not interested in political power
and wouldn't know what to do with it if it got it. it is interested in
cultural and social influence. Why am I interested in all this? Well,
it would make a great doctoral thesis....

I've written far too much about this as is. And I've wasted two whole
days on this. Enough is enough! I have work to do. (no! three days!
yikes!) You won't hear from me for awhile. I have work to catch up
on. When I've learned how to properly use this blasted contraption, I'll
rejoin the discussion. In the meantime, could some one please post
something about Integrism? i am curious.

David Matthew Deane

Work! Work! Work!