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Harvard Gives the Devil More Than His Due
Tonight, Harvard University will host a “black mass” at Queens Head Pub, a space beneath Memorial Hall usually reserved for hangouts over pints of 1636 Ale. The Harvard Extension School’s “Cultural Studies Club” has decided to put on an “historical reenactment” of Satanic worship, purportedly only simulating the desecration of a consecrated host. It is unclear exactly what the “reenactment” involves, but, as a mockery of the Holy Mass, it is unavoidably an affront to Catholicism and every Catholic in the Harvard and Cambridge communities. If a consecrated host is used (and despite administrators’ assurances it will not be, it is difficult to say for sure), this would be an extremely grave and troubling event for Catholics anywhere. It would be, quite literally, a physical assault on Jesus Christ.
Despite the fact that the event comes precariously close to an horrific offense against God, it is hard to take these Harvard Satanists too seriously. The “Extension School” is just what is sounds like — an entity far from the heart of the Harvard community, originally designed to give locals around campus a chance to attend classes. It is absurd that a group of a few Extension School students have been allowed to represent “Harvard” as an institution here. Also, the event will feature a talk by Harvard Kennedy School lecturer (not professor), Christopher Robichaud. If you’re interested in writings by Robichaud, you’ll only find him published in volumes of Superheroes and Philosophy, Supervillains and Philosophy, Superman and Philosophy, Batman and Philosophy, Iron Man and Philosophy, X-Men and Philosophy, and Game of Thrones and Philosophy. Comical indeed. Satanic worship may be the least of our worries when it comes to the Father of Lies, who is at his strongest when he tempts souls by an almost imperceptible influence, not by agents wearing spooky masks while they attempt to vivify gargoyles.
St. Thomas More wrote that “the devil . . . the proud spirit . . . cannot endure to be mocked.” And G.K. Chesterton: “Satan fell by force of gravity, by taking himself too gravely.” Good reminders, since this is about Satanists being “recognized” as legitimate in the public square — and they deserve no such recognition by any decent society. That view may not sit well with the secular libertarian streak in today’s conservatism, let alone with liberalism’s devotion to multiculturalism for its own sake. But the fact that the First Amendment may permit certain activity (and we’re very close to courts recognizing Satanism as religion for free exercise purposes) does not legitimize that activity — it does not make it good or worthy of our respect and association. Just ask the NBA about why it banned Donald Sterling.
Harvard administrators try to remain neutral, asserting that they “do not agree” with the event, but that students have a “right to speak and assemble freely.” Of course, what the university permits students to do with their freedom is a reflection on the school and its values. If the school were never to allow the historical reenactment of a lynching by white neo-Nazis, it is because, though lynchings were “historical” events, such a display would provide a stage for evil. To say the least, that kind of “reenactment,” like the one happening today, would not be a worthy use of liberty.
Some have tried to complain to the Harvard administration about “cultural insensitivity” against Catholics — an attack that only results in more “sensitivity” rhetoric as return-fire. Indeed, the school asked for the Satanists, after they simulate the desecration of Christ, to meet with Catholics on campus to foster “positive dialogue about the Catholic faith.” What an insulting and useless suggestion. On Monday, the Harvard Catholic Student Center is going to lead prayers of reparation for the sins of its neighbors — and that should be the only “dialogue” necessary with a ridiculous group that wants a stage for its circus.
As a Harvard alumnus, I’m saddened that my alma mater would associate itself with Satanism under the guise of academic freedom. But I’m not surprised. Harvard administrators, like so many “elite” Americans today, view “good” and “evil” as “historical constructs” or “biases” that result from a lack of “cultural sensitivity.” For the people running the university, the VE-RI-TAS shield is nothing more than branding, like a Nike swoosh to slap onto books and buildings as a badge of prestige. “Truth” is a $30 billion endowment.
Despite the administration’s idiocy, it is my duty here to say that not all of Harvard deserves to be tarnished by this event. I am indebted to many teachers, alumni, and fellow students (Catholic and otherwise), whose influence continues to spark my desire to seek Truth. Also, energy among Catholic students has never been greater. With the founding of a Knights of Columbus chapter in 2006, a brilliant and orthodox chaplain in Father Michael Drea, and a Harvard Latin Mass Society that has sponsored Masses at St. Paul’s in the Extraordinary Form garnering national attention, Catholic student activity is a highlight of the university.
Who knows what will happen tonight. Maybe the gargoyle above the bar at Queens Head will come to life, like in that scene from Ghostbusters. I am certainly praying that no desecration occurs, as well as offering prayers for the souls of everyone involved. I think that, ultimately, this will strengthen an already strong group of Catholics at Harvard — they will become more conscious of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and they will understand the reality that certain forces are always at work to destroy souls. Perhaps they will be emboldened to recite St. Michael’s prayer at the end of Mass, as Pope Leo XIII intended: “St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. . . “
For the rest of us, this event is a melodramatic reminder that, if we are to live in a decent and good civil society, we cannot rely alone on the First Amendment or bare “rights to speak and assemble.” We need to be very clear about what we will tolerate as dignified and legitimate — if we don’t, others will use rights-talk to fill the public square with iniquity. Liberals have successfully employed the rhetoric of equality and civil rights to ostracize certain speech as illegitimate, which, in some cases, prompted changes in law. Conservatives have been too legalistic, defending rights and freedoms for the sake of rights and freedoms, rather than explaining the virtue or good in how we propose to exercise that freedom. As you can see at Harvard today, the “marketplace of ideas” is susceptible to corruption, especially when the mere existence of a marketplace becomes more important than what is bought or sold there.
Published in General
Dog bites man.
I wonder if it is not better to just ignore these people. The whole satanism thing is just a means of getting attention by a bunch of nobodies.
I have only one argument with what you’ve written, and that concerns your depiction of the Harvard Extension School:
“The ‘Extension School’ is just what is sounds like—an entity far from the heart of the Harvard community, originally designed to give locals around campus a chance to attend classes. It is absurd that a group of a few Extension School students have been allowed to represent ‘Harvard’ as an institution here.”
That description doesn’t quite do justice to the vision of the Harvard Extension School’s founders.
(continued)
(Continued from 5)
I think the Extension School was the noblest, finest, most Christian, humblest, and most intelligent action Harvard has ever taken.
Given the present anchorless leadership, I’m not surprised that I can no longer find the quote from the Lowells (father and son) about their intention in founding the school in 1839 (for public lectures) and classes in 1910.
So I shall have to paraphrase with my faulty memory:
Harvard Extension School was founded to enable students to go to college who could not do so because they had other things they had to do, such as work for pay or take care of their families or a family member. What they were doing was important, and Lowell wanted to make sure they could go to college too. To make that possible for the students, the cost was very low (two bushels of wheat), and the number of times students would have to attend class was low, in keeping with the notion that these were students with nonnegotiable commitments elsewhere.
It was an ambitious goal.
I might have more respect for them had they the courage to mock Moslem ritual.
Aaron Miller posted on this topic on the Member feed:
http://ricochet.com/a-nest-of-vipers/
Some actual journalism appears in a New York Daily News report. I found a link at GetReligion, where it is explained that this is being put on by a literary group and not by a group of Satanists. The Daily News article includes the information that the Black Mass originated in an anti-Catholic work of fiction, and there is no evidence that it was ever practiced as part of anybody’s religion. George Conger then concludes:
See the article from George Conger:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/getreligion/2014/05/some-new-facts-on-harvards-satanists-from-the-daily-news/
Louis:
I missed this wonderful post before I put up a short post on the member feed on this thing. I can’t take this too seriously, although your thoughtful words are something I’ll reflect on this evening. I’m just inclined to ridicule the whole thing. That does not mean, however, that events like these near the clear critique you’ve offered.
Best thing to do is ignore these tools.
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16″You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?”
Matthew 7:15-16
UPDATE: The Satanists decided to abandon the event, instead assembling at The Kong — a dive bar on Mass. Ave. in Harvard Square — after The Middle East (a Cambridge music club) also rejected them. It’s noteworthy that it took The Middle East about an hour to boot the Satanists, while Harvard administrators never actually took action. Meanwhile, a moving celebration of the Eucharist occurred at St. Paul’s last night — Phil Lawler, with an excellent summary here:
Valiuth and David Knights — I think it’s the right attitude to ignore this kind of stupidity (giving them attention is what they want). But I think this result might show that there are occasions when it’s our duty to firmly object to objectionable behavior.
So, in the end there was no consecrated host, and they just went drinking instead? That makes sense to me. If I were a Satanist, I would just sleep in and skip the Black Mass. What’s Satan going to do to me? Make me go to Heaven?
I just discovered that the president of Harvard is named Faust!!! How did I miss that in this discussion!?