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The Obamessiah: Prophet Of Chiliastic Millenarianism

Drop whatever you?re doing (well, finish this post first) and proceed post-haste to read this fine article by Michael Paul Beran on some truly scary aspects, dimensions, implications of what he identifies as Obama?s charisma. (It was reprinted on the Wall Street Journal site over the weekend, here.) I think it?s the most profoundly conservative critique I?ve read of Obama, but a deeply philosophical conservatism ? not the conservatism of partisan politics, talk shows, etc. It?s the sort of article that Andrew Sullivan would write if he were several orders of magnitude smarter than he is ... and if he were still a devotee of Michael Oakeshott. (For a summary of Oakeshott?s views, look here.)

Let me add another inducement to read the Beran article by quoting an important and revealing passage from a recent speech by the Obamessiah that you have probably already read or heard. I quote it here because it is not quoted by Beran, but definitely should have been. Indeed, My only substantial criticsm of Beran?s article is that he inexplicably failed to quote this passage, which provides compelling evidence for his overall argument. (Now that I think about it, another criticism is that ?chiliasm? and/or ?millenarianism? might be better terms for what Beran sees in Obama than his favored ?charisma.? Look up those terms if you need to (I did, here among other places); read the article; and decide for yourself.)

Here?s the passage, from Obama?s speech in St. Paul, June 3, 2008, on the occasion of his finally winning the delegates necessary to assure his nomination. (I was tempted to say, ?... speech in St. Paul, on the road to Damascus,? but showed uncharacteristic restraint in deciding not to.)

I face this challenge with profound humility and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith, in the capacity of the American people, because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick, and good jobs for the jobless. This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow, and our planet began to heal. This was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation, and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth. This was the moment, this was the time when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves. [Emphasis added]

Now, can you really resist rushing to read a long, literate, learned article whose argument is confirmed (in another time and context I would be tempted to say, ?confirmed in spades?) by this passage?

Full post as published by Discriminations on August 17, 2008 (boomark / email).