My brain is full of dust and ashes, so some quotes that need more publicity. Bruce Charlton, as he frequently does, gets to the nub of our current issues with virtue and signalling we are part of the narrative: it is propaganda for evil.

Modern virtue-signalling is in reality signalling the inversion of virtue.

Up to fifty-ish years ago (but you’d need to go back more than a century in the case of upper class intellectuals); virtue-signalling was advertising traditional virtues such as Christian faith, altruism, kindness, charitableness, prudence, courage and so forth.

What was wrong with old virtue-signalling – for a Christian – was that it was ‘hypocritical’ in a Biblical sense (the sense by which the Pharisees were hypocritical; of falsely-claiming actually to live by the highest standards professed. It was the false claim that was wrong – not the standards).

But with traditional virtue-signalling, the actual virtues being-signalled were indeed virtuous…

However, in contrast, the ‘virtues’ that are being signalled now, in our modern world of political correctness, are almost-wholly straightforward vices and sins; or abstract evil-in-practice principles – such as equality, diversity, or social justice.

So the real point about modern so-called virtue-signalling is that is an advertisement of, and propaganda-for, moral corruption.

Be afraid, for the state may be making virtue signalling mandatory. At that time, our options become hate speech, civil disobedience, rebellion and revolution. May we not be pushed to the latter.

For we must do our duty.

Curses are edged tooles, dangerous to be medled with, yet there may fall out such cases, that Gods blessed servants must come downe from Mount Gerizim, the
Mount of blessing; and go up on Mount Ebal, the Mount of Cursing; and there curse, and curse bitterly. Curse yee Meroz said the Angell of the Lord.

Secondly, That although it bee true that the curse causelesse shall not come, yet when Gods people according to Gods direction, (clave non er?rante) do curse, their curse is like the flying Roule which we read of,*it consumes the house it lights up?on, the timber thereof, and the stones thereof. It is like the Wolfes foot, of which they say, that no herbe upon which it hath once trod will grow af?terwards.

Thirdly, That the mighty do frequently op?pose the Lord: it is no new thing to finde the Mighty in strength, the Mighty in authority, the Mighty in wealth, the Mighty in parts, in Learn?ing, in Counsell, to engage all against the Lord, his Church, and Cause. The Lambes followers and servants, are often the poore and off-scouring of the World,* when Kings, and Captaines, Mer?chants, and Wisemen, being drunke with the Wine of the Whores fornications, proceed to make warre with the Lambe, and to give all their strength unto the Beast, till the Words of God shall be fulfilled.

Fourthly, That when the mighty of the World do oppose the Lord, Gods meanest servants must not be afraid to oppose the Mighty.

And fifthly, That whosoever come out to joyn their strength, and to give assistance to the Lords people, the Lord doth interpret them all to give helpe and assistance to himselfe.

We need to pray for our leaders. That they repent. For they follow the spirit of this age, and that is not for Christ, but against him.