Essays in Idleness

One of the claimed glories of our post-Christian world, is its cancellation of forgiveness. I was reading about this in an article by Laura Perrins, which I found in the (excellent) website, The Conservative Woman. She gives an account of the suicide of a young Oxford student, who had an awkward sexual encounter at the age of twenty, with a young woman who then announced that she had felt “discomfort.” His schoolmates called an inquisition, condemned him for “messing up,” and said they needed “space” from him. He appeared distraught, at this isolation. A couple of days later, he drowned himself in the Thames.

I thought of events that had happened, to me and to others, in a previous century: to men whose lives were, ever after, ruined; to several who were shamed into suicide, like rape victims, by things done to them. Already forty years ago, feminism had advanced to the point where reputations and livelihoods could be wrecked. Several persons known to me were slandered and destroyed by feckless accusations. (As Scott Symons said, back then, “There is no blood left to be shed in the battle of the sexes in Ontario.”)

Men have also done appalling things to women. (Did you know?)

But the revolutionary principle, now asphyxiating our neo-pagan society, gives the greater discomfort. It is the withdrawal of forgiveness, for all crimes — even those which were minor, or imaginary. For along with Christianity, mercy is nullified, and the world is consequently drowning in sleaze.