I find this lecture very powerful in the effort to affirm our individual freedom as opposed to being the property of the totalitarian state or other group of dominant dogs. I recommend listening to it with attention.

An essential condition is keeping a critical mind in regard to anyone else’s promises. Scepticism is particularly important in our critical thought about the “orthodoxies” and the legitimacy of doubt and the suspension of judgement. Newman was surprisingly sceptical in regard to Catholic doctrines, which gave force to his convictions when he accepted them. It is not so much an attitude of denial but rather of requiring more information in order to reach a judgement. This is an interesting dialogue on this subject.

We have to challenge excessive certitude, both in others and ourselves. There are many things in our everyday life where we have to keep our thought critical and free. I think particularly about a lot of the hype surrounding the Covid pandemic, the so-called “Great Reset”, conspiracy theories, populist politics, the very dangerous turn in human psychology which becomes almost analogous of the movements of a hundred years ago.

Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew x.28.