WEBVTT - Marriage Counseling, Atheism, and Morality | Dennis AMA 0:00:02.720 --> 0:00:06.960 Life Audio of today's episode of Timeless Wisdom. 0:00:07.680 --> 0:00:11.160 Do you play chess? And do you enjoy science fiction, 0:00:11.320 --> 0:00:13.280 either televised or written. 0:00:13.800 --> 0:00:17.040 I'm one of those happy atheist long time listeners. My 0:00:17.200 --> 0:00:20.919 question is, if you do believe in an eternity and 0:00:20.960 --> 0:00:27.160 if you believe in retribution from God for evil people? A, 0:00:27.600 --> 0:00:32.600 why bother punishing evil people? And B why be upset 0:00:32.640 --> 0:00:34.120 when someone dies there? 0:00:34.200 --> 0:00:37.239 If they're going right now, this is right? 0:00:37.680 --> 0:00:40.160 Think about our human life would be just a speck. 0:00:39.960 --> 0:00:42.600 In the ocean that's coming up on Timeless Wisdom with 0:00:42.760 --> 0:00:49.600 Dennis Prager. Welcome to Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. Here 0:00:49.600 --> 0:00:53.600 thousands of hours of Dennis's lectures, courses, and classic radio programs. 0:00:53.680 --> 0:00:56.680 I had to purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bible. Go to 0:00:56.760 --> 0:00:58.560 Dennis Prager dot com. 0:00:58.760 --> 0:01:00.760 I you know how much I've gone your calls and 0:01:00.800 --> 0:01:03.760 your emails. But the nature of my show is that 0:01:03.880 --> 0:01:07.319 I set the topic each hour of the fifteen hours 0:01:07.360 --> 0:01:13.039 except this one. Whatever you want to talk about, from 0:01:13.840 --> 0:01:20.479 my favorite cigar or pipe tobacco, to the meaning of life, religion, sex, 0:01:21.480 --> 0:01:29.119 beauty and politics, the show anything. This is your chance 0:01:29.120 --> 0:01:31.360 to call in one eight Prager seven seven six one 0:01:31.480 --> 0:01:35.119 eight p R A g E R seven seven six, 0:01:35.120 --> 0:01:37.440 which translates digitally to eight seven seven two four three 0:01:37.440 --> 0:01:41.200 triple seven six. It's completely unhelpful what I just did. 0:01:41.680 --> 0:01:43.800 I have deep content to talk show hosts who give 0:01:43.800 --> 0:01:49.360 the number fast. The self loathing I'm engaging in now 0:01:49.520 --> 0:01:54.040 is difficult experience one eight seven seven two four three 0:01:54.200 --> 0:01:57.920 triple seven six. Yes, indeed, what is on your mind? 0:01:57.920 --> 0:02:00.280 And now let us find out what that might be. 0:02:01.160 --> 0:02:05.800 Let's go to Hopkins, Minnesota and Bud on the Patriot. Hello, Bud, 0:02:05.800 --> 0:02:06.440 Dennis Prager. 0:02:06.560 --> 0:02:10.480 Hi, Dennis, Hi. I recently read the fifth Commandment, Honor 0:02:10.680 --> 0:02:12.480 your father and mother, and occurred to me that that 0:02:12.600 --> 0:02:15.960 was teaching gratitude, which suggested to me that it was 0:02:16.000 --> 0:02:19.280 implying that God is commanding us to be happy. And 0:02:19.320 --> 0:02:20.520 I was wondering if you would come in. 0:02:20.520 --> 0:02:24.560 On that we are commanded to be happy very specifically. 0:02:24.680 --> 0:02:26.640 But and I will get to that in a moment, 0:02:26.720 --> 0:02:29.280 but that the example you gave isn't one of them. 0:02:29.760 --> 0:02:32.000 Honor your father and mother is not a commandment to 0:02:32.000 --> 0:02:35.680 be happy, It isn't. It is a commandment to exactly 0:02:35.720 --> 0:02:37.760 as it says, give honor to your father, and mother. 0:02:38.200 --> 0:02:42.480 And when I teach it, it is I explain that 0:02:42.520 --> 0:02:45.520 we are we are never commanded to love our father 0:02:45.600 --> 0:02:49.720 and mother because either we feel it or we don't. 0:02:49.800 --> 0:02:52.040 But we can't be commanded to because there may be 0:02:52.160 --> 0:02:56.440 parents that are unlovable, right and so, but whether they're 0:02:56.520 --> 0:02:59.480 unlovable or not, or lovable or not, we still have 0:02:59.560 --> 0:03:03.280 to honor them, just as I stand up. I will 0:03:03.320 --> 0:03:07.520 never forget when Jimmy Carter came into my studio once 0:03:11.360 --> 0:03:15.040 for the show following mine, and I stood up because 0:03:15.080 --> 0:03:17.560 he had been president. I think he was the worst 0:03:17.600 --> 0:03:21.280 president of American history. I have no respect for him 0:03:21.720 --> 0:03:24.359 as a public figure, but he was president of the 0:03:24.480 --> 0:03:27.560 United States and I stood up. And this was after 0:03:27.639 --> 0:03:31.280 he was president. Even so, there is honor that you 0:03:31.360 --> 0:03:34.920 give positions. Your father and mother have a position, and 0:03:35.040 --> 0:03:39.520 that commandment is protecting. But that position of father and 0:03:39.600 --> 0:03:43.400 mother that has to be honored. Now there is commandments. 0:03:43.440 --> 0:03:48.920 There are commandments then you shall rejoice during your holidays. 0:03:48.960 --> 0:03:53.760 For example, is the Psalm said you should worship God 0:03:53.800 --> 0:03:57.040 and happiness. There is a very deep element of that. 0:03:57.200 --> 0:04:03.040 In fact, I raised this issue last hour, which is 0:04:03.080 --> 0:04:06.800 why you're calling right there. I guess you hung up, okay, 0:04:07.920 --> 0:04:12.240 and I am. I am going to pursue that I 0:04:12.240 --> 0:04:14.640 would like to know from you folks. Do you think 0:04:14.680 --> 0:04:20.320 that your religion commands happiness? Because I don't want to 0:04:20.839 --> 0:04:22.760 I don't want to say it right now because it's 0:04:22.800 --> 0:04:25.760 not it's not my task. But I know that there 0:04:25.760 --> 0:04:31.200 were religious traditions that emphasize happiness over others. There's just 0:04:31.279 --> 0:04:35.640 no question in my mind. Alrighty, Let's go to Ottawa, 0:04:36.440 --> 0:04:39.800 the capital of Canada, and Howard. Hello, Howard Dennis Prager. 0:04:40.160 --> 0:04:42.960 Okay, Now I called about a serious subject, the where 0:04:42.960 --> 0:04:46.160 do you get your values right? And I'm genuinely seeking here. 0:04:46.200 --> 0:04:50.200 I don't have a strong point of view. I come 0:04:50.240 --> 0:04:52.839 to this as I'm a Jew. I was raised without 0:04:52.880 --> 0:04:55.400 too much religion. I've come to study it a bit 0:04:55.400 --> 0:04:58.679 more as an adult. I'm particularly interested in the Mussar 0:04:58.760 --> 0:05:03.800 tradition of ethics teachings in practice. But here's my here's 0:05:03.800 --> 0:05:06.279 my issues with you know, I would I think I 0:05:06.279 --> 0:05:09.359 would like to believe values derived from the Bible or 0:05:09.360 --> 0:05:11.560 good values derived from the Bible. But here are my 0:05:11.600 --> 0:05:15.760 two problems. One is many scholars. You know, you can 0:05:15.800 --> 0:05:18.720 look at the Bible and say it unambiguously teaches that 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:22.680 murderers must be put to death, and other scholars and 0:05:22.720 --> 0:05:25.560 clergy can look at the Bible and draw the opposite concludion. 0:05:25.640 --> 0:05:29.840 No, they can't. They can't that that. I fully acknowledge 0:05:29.839 --> 0:05:33.799 that there are areas open to interpretation. But nobody reading 0:05:33.960 --> 0:05:36.600 the the first five books of the Bible, known as 0:05:36.640 --> 0:05:39.120 the Torah, can say that they are that it is 0:05:39.160 --> 0:05:42.320 opposed to capital punishment for murder. It's the only law 0:05:42.440 --> 0:05:44.560 in all five books of the of the Torah. The 0:05:44.600 --> 0:05:47.600 only law that is in all five books is that 0:05:47.680 --> 0:05:50.800 murderers be put to death. It's stated by God. Whether 0:05:50.839 --> 0:05:53.720 you believe in God or not, God is quoted as 0:05:53.800 --> 0:05:55.240 saying that. 0:05:55.160 --> 0:05:58.479 How do you account for you know, clergymen, nuns and 0:05:58.520 --> 0:06:00.960 so on that show up at these visions for murderers 0:06:01.000 --> 0:06:02.239 on the night before. 0:06:02.400 --> 0:06:05.359 I'll tell you exactly how I account for it. Because 0:06:05.400 --> 0:06:09.040 I have said frequently that secular values have made more 0:06:09.040 --> 0:06:13.640 inroads into religion than religious values have made into secular society. 0:06:14.080 --> 0:06:19.400 These are very often people with secular values who wear 0:06:20.240 --> 0:06:24.680 religious clothing. Yeah, and it is very sad to me. 0:06:25.640 --> 0:06:29.240 The secular left is a very real problem to me. 0:06:29.880 --> 0:06:33.159 But the religious left is an oxymoron to me. It's 0:06:33.160 --> 0:06:37.200 a self contradictory statement to take the Bible seriously and 0:06:37.240 --> 0:06:39.080 be a leftist. 0:06:39.920 --> 0:06:42.240 Okay, but the fact remains that I guess it's very 0:06:42.320 --> 0:06:46.479 dangerous in the sense that you one must study a manual. 0:06:46.520 --> 0:06:49.120 The Bible is not as clear as say the instruction 0:06:49.200 --> 0:06:50.320 manual for your flash. 0:06:50.440 --> 0:06:52.279 Do it this, that's right. That's why it has to 0:06:52.320 --> 0:06:54.320 be you do that's. 0:06:54.200 --> 0:06:56.720 Right, with danger to interpret it learning. 0:06:57.160 --> 0:07:00.440 You're right. That's why I have devoted my adult life 0:07:00.440 --> 0:07:02.920 to teaching the Torah. I teach it verse by verse. 0:07:02.960 --> 0:07:04.920 I have about one hundred and fifty tapes on it. 0:07:05.400 --> 0:07:08.840 You are welcome to sample one through my website. But 0:07:09.440 --> 0:07:12.440 it is very painful to me that those insights are 0:07:12.440 --> 0:07:14.640 not made relevant to a lot of people, even by 0:07:14.800 --> 0:07:18.040 much of the religious community. I'm Dennis Prager. This is 0:07:18.080 --> 0:07:21.560 the yeah I started wrong. This is Dennis Prager. This 0:07:21.640 --> 0:07:26.120 is the hour where you, in fact make the set 0:07:26.120 --> 0:07:30.320 the agenda here and it is one A Praguer seven 0:07:30.440 --> 0:07:33.920 seven six. I'll go back to Ottawa in a little while, Howard, 0:07:33.960 --> 0:07:35.880 I want to get some other calls. In the meantime, 0:07:36.480 --> 0:07:40.000 let's go to anonymous we rarely do this, but she 0:07:40.040 --> 0:07:42.880 doesn't want to say anything since her husband might in 0:07:42.920 --> 0:07:45.800 fact hear her. So Anonymous, you're on the Dennis Prager Show. 0:07:46.560 --> 0:07:48.400 Hey, Dennis, Hi, how are you? 0:07:48.400 --> 0:07:49.760 You don't even want to say your city? 0:07:50.240 --> 0:07:53.240 No, I'd rather not. Okay, my husband listens to your. 0:07:53.080 --> 0:07:55.120 Show, buddy might know your voice. 0:07:55.880 --> 0:07:57.160 I'm taking that chance. 0:07:57.400 --> 0:07:57.760 Okay. 0:08:00.080 --> 0:08:05.280 What would be your suggestion for somebody who their husband 0:08:05.280 --> 0:08:07.640 doesn't want to go to marriage counseling and you think 0:08:07.680 --> 0:08:11.119 that if you pressure or push even more that he's 0:08:11.200 --> 0:08:16.160 going to leave, Well. 0:08:17.040 --> 0:08:20.840 If your husband. If a husband will leave because the 0:08:20.920 --> 0:08:27.320 wife wants to work on repairing the marriage, then he 0:08:27.360 --> 0:08:35.199 has decided to leave. If I it's pretty self evident. 0:08:36.480 --> 0:08:39.000 I have told men. It is not always men, but 0:08:39.040 --> 0:08:42.720 it is more often men than I think. Wives who 0:08:42.760 --> 0:08:48.839 resist going to marital counseling. That is, in every case 0:08:48.840 --> 0:08:53.360 that I know of, the resistance of one for long 0:08:53.480 --> 0:08:56.720 enough period of time led to the end of the marriage. 0:08:56.960 --> 0:09:00.480 In every case that I know of, not know of 0:09:00.520 --> 0:09:07.160 an exception of somebody resisting and over long time the 0:09:07.240 --> 0:09:08.720 marriage just worked itself out. 0:09:10.200 --> 0:09:12.240 I'm going on my own right now. You don't think 0:09:12.240 --> 0:09:16.040 that's sufficient, Well. 0:09:15.880 --> 0:09:19.240 It's sufficient if you are the primary source of the problems, 0:09:19.240 --> 0:09:21.360 and that that could be there are I don't believe 0:09:21.360 --> 0:09:24.079 it's always fifty to fifty, but I believe. 0:09:23.800 --> 0:09:25.720 That's what he thinks, is that it's mostly my fault. 0:09:25.760 --> 0:09:28.800 Well, then let him hear that from then. Fine, then 0:09:28.880 --> 0:09:31.040 let it be vindicated at the counseling session. 0:09:31.200 --> 0:09:32.920 It has been. He did go one time with me, 0:09:33.240 --> 0:09:36.880 and and he thinks that the counselor's on my side. 0:09:37.480 --> 0:09:41.000 No, no, then he wasn't vindicated. I say, he thinks 0:09:41.000 --> 0:09:44.760 it's primarily you're the problem, right, but when he went 0:09:45.200 --> 0:09:48.120 it turned out that that's not what the counselor said. 0:09:48.600 --> 0:09:50.880 Then say, you know what, honey, let's find a counselor 0:09:50.880 --> 0:09:55.199 that you trust. That's fine. That sometimes happens. I think 0:09:55.240 --> 0:09:58.439 that there are I think that there are therapists who 0:09:58.480 --> 0:10:01.240 are biased in favor of the wife more than there are. 0:10:01.640 --> 0:10:04.679 I think many many therapists are not biased. But when 0:10:04.720 --> 0:10:07.440 there is bias, I think it is often in favor 0:10:07.480 --> 0:10:11.040 of the wife because she is more. Generally, women are 0:10:11.040 --> 0:10:16.719 more explicit about their more eloquent, more verbal about their problems, 0:10:16.760 --> 0:10:19.400 and the guy often sits there just with his arms folded. 0:10:20.040 --> 0:10:22.080 Okay, what do you do in that case? When he 0:10:22.120 --> 0:10:23.720 sits there with his arms folded that. 0:10:23.640 --> 0:10:26.679 You say, then let's go. We'll keep going till we 0:10:26.800 --> 0:10:30.160 find one that works. And if he says no, then 0:10:30.160 --> 0:10:32.320 he doesn't want to repair it. I mean, it becomes 0:10:32.360 --> 0:10:36.640 self evident. It's painful for me to say this to 0:10:36.720 --> 0:10:40.800 you because I but what other conclusion can one draw 0:10:40.880 --> 0:10:44.199 if if your toilet isn't working and you don't want 0:10:44.200 --> 0:10:46.760 to call a plumber, it means that you're prepared to 0:10:46.800 --> 0:10:48.000 live with a broken toilet. 0:10:48.120 --> 0:10:49.640 He thinks it's working, and I think it's. 0:10:49.600 --> 0:10:52.079 Not well that but marriages have to be thought of 0:10:52.120 --> 0:10:58.040 as working for both. It's not. There's no objective truth 0:10:58.080 --> 0:11:00.360 to the to that sort of thing. Both have to 0:11:00.360 --> 0:11:04.280 think it's working for it to work. And and and 0:11:04.600 --> 0:11:07.840 a session is a good place. It's a safe place 0:11:08.040 --> 0:11:11.199 to let everything out because there's a there's a person 0:11:11.320 --> 0:11:14.400 you both trust. If you don't both trust, you've got 0:11:14.400 --> 0:11:15.560 to find somebody else. 0:11:15.679 --> 0:11:17.840 And if he's petrified of the whole idea. 0:11:17.600 --> 0:11:19.400 In general, why is he? 0:11:21.000 --> 0:11:22.880 Because feelings are very difficult. 0:11:22.559 --> 0:11:24.680 That's right, and it's very painful for me to hear. 0:11:25.640 --> 0:11:27.840 But then then you know. That's why I'd love to 0:11:27.880 --> 0:11:30.640 talk to him. I go often. It takes a guy 0:11:30.720 --> 0:11:32.360 to convince a guy on these matters. 0:11:32.480 --> 0:11:34.160 Well, you're about the only one he'd probably listen. 0:11:34.320 --> 0:11:37.280 Well, I would be happy to I'm not kidding. I 0:11:37.320 --> 0:11:40.560 really would. And if you happen to uh, if you 0:11:40.600 --> 0:11:42.600 can send me an email, I'll even write it out 0:11:42.640 --> 0:11:42.880 to him. 0:11:43.000 --> 0:11:43.560 Would you really? 0:11:43.760 --> 0:11:45.800 Yeah? I would? 0:11:46.080 --> 0:11:46.880 All right, then I will. 0:11:47.120 --> 0:11:50.520 Okay, thank you, You're welcome. God bless you to thank you. 0:11:51.200 --> 0:11:54.560 This episode of Timeless Wisdom will continue right after this. 0:11:55.679 --> 0:11:59.280 Now back to more of Dennis Prager's timeless wisdom. 0:12:00.440 --> 0:12:05.360 Alrighty, let's go to I believe it's Chris in the 0:12:05.400 --> 0:12:10.000 Cleveland on WCCD. Is that right, Chris? Yeah? Hi, Yeah. 0:12:10.360 --> 0:12:13.080 You frequently mentioned that you've lectured on all seven continents, 0:12:13.120 --> 0:12:15.440 including an Antarctica, and I had a picture of you 0:12:15.520 --> 0:12:17.439 in front of the penguins, and I was wondering exactly 0:12:17.480 --> 0:12:18.960 what it was you were lecturing. 0:12:18.679 --> 0:12:21.200 To them about. That's a fine question. Was why it 0:12:21.240 --> 0:12:25.160 took your call? There is an answer to that, and 0:12:25.200 --> 0:12:32.120 it's a little embarrassing. I spoke to them primarily about monotheism. 0:12:32.400 --> 0:12:34.360 ID how did they take it? 0:12:34.400 --> 0:12:34.559 Well? 0:12:34.600 --> 0:12:36.720 If you look at the picture, you will notice maybe 0:12:36.720 --> 0:12:40.439 there are a hundred penguins, only one is actually looking 0:12:40.480 --> 0:12:44.439 at me. So I just it was a humbling experience. 0:12:44.960 --> 0:12:47.560 But Chris, it was the only way I could honestly 0:12:47.640 --> 0:12:51.120 say I had lectured on all seven continents, because while 0:12:51.120 --> 0:12:54.199 I did lecture on the ship off the coast of Antarctica, 0:12:54.720 --> 0:12:59.160 that's true. On Antarctic itself, there's nobody to lecture to, 0:13:00.040 --> 0:13:04.280 so I have to choose penguins. Okay, you're a good man, 0:13:04.360 --> 0:13:07.440 You're a good man. I really appreciate the question. Let's 0:13:07.480 --> 0:13:10.600 go to Los Angeles, California, k r l A, Greg 0:13:10.640 --> 0:13:11.280 Dennis Prager. 0:13:11.360 --> 0:13:15.960 Hi, Dennis, Hi, honor to speak with you, long time listen. 0:13:16.040 --> 0:13:16.800 Thank you very much. 0:13:17.040 --> 0:13:20.600 I'm one of those happy atheist longtime listeners. I have 0:13:20.679 --> 0:13:24.200 to say, with all due respect to you and your listeners, 0:13:24.280 --> 0:13:29.560 I just I find religion completely irrational, akin to perhaps 0:13:29.600 --> 0:13:33.920 telling a child that Santa Claus actually really does exist. 0:13:33.720 --> 0:13:37.600 That's why we inculcate children so early. How are that? 0:13:37.600 --> 0:13:41.480 That's really not my question. My question is if you 0:13:41.559 --> 0:13:44.800 do believe in an eternity, and if you believe in 0:13:44.880 --> 0:13:51.800 retribution from God for evil people, A why bother punishing 0:13:51.880 --> 0:13:56.520 evil people? And b why be upset when someone dies 0:13:56.679 --> 0:14:00.719 if they're if they're going right now, this is think 0:14:00.720 --> 0:14:02.920 about our human life would be just a spec in 0:14:02.960 --> 0:14:03.400 the ocean. 0:14:03.520 --> 0:14:06.000 That's right, well and well. To the truly religious, it 0:14:06.000 --> 0:14:07.560 probably is a speck in the ocean. But to the 0:14:07.600 --> 0:14:10.640 atheist it's also a speck in the ocean. Either case, 0:14:10.679 --> 0:14:13.840 it's a spec. It's just for the atheist it's the 0:14:13.880 --> 0:14:18.320 only speck. But for both well, right, wait, for both 0:14:18.320 --> 0:14:21.040 the religious believer and the atheist, life is a spec 0:14:21.080 --> 0:14:24.040 in the ocean. The difference. The difference is the atheist 0:14:24.120 --> 0:14:26.680 believes it's only a spec and it just dissolves into 0:14:26.680 --> 0:14:29.800 the ocean, whereas the religious believer believes that there is 0:14:29.800 --> 0:14:33.400 something beyond the spec. But all right, fair enough, but 0:14:34.120 --> 0:14:36.440 so so the spec part is not relevant because we 0:14:36.480 --> 0:14:39.760 both believe that. But your question is a powerful one, 0:14:39.800 --> 0:14:42.840 and it is the reason I believe that when religions 0:14:43.000 --> 0:14:47.800 over emphasize the afterlife, people do in fact not act 0:14:47.800 --> 0:14:50.640 the way they ought to. I could not agree with 0:14:50.680 --> 0:14:53.720 you more in your supposition. I have spoken about it, 0:14:53.760 --> 0:14:57.400 I have written about it. I believe deeply there's an afterlife, 0:14:57.400 --> 0:15:00.840 but I also believe that concentrating on that can have 0:15:00.880 --> 0:15:04.440 a negative effect on the way people act, where you 0:15:04.520 --> 0:15:07.840 become very fatalistic, and there is a certain fatalism for 0:15:07.880 --> 0:15:10.640 example an Eastern religion. Look, I'm coming back in the 0:15:10.680 --> 0:15:13.760 next life, and you know whatever I come back, I'll 0:15:13.760 --> 0:15:15.840 come back now. Of course, they believe that you come 0:15:15.880 --> 0:15:18.280 back depending on how you act in this life, So 0:15:18.320 --> 0:15:20.240 there really is a reason to do good. I need 0:15:20.240 --> 0:15:24.680 to be absolutely honest here, but look at the Islamic 0:15:25.400 --> 0:15:28.840 militants and their belief. Oh my god, if you know 0:15:28.920 --> 0:15:31.320 you blow up enough innocent people, by golly, you'll have 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:36.080 seventy two women service you when you arrive. I never 0:15:36.160 --> 0:15:40.640 quite understood what the women get they when they blow 0:15:40.720 --> 0:15:44.960 up themselves. But theological question will lead an answer to 0:15:45.840 --> 0:15:48.160 I have asked my whole life, why is the Torah 0:15:48.200 --> 0:15:51.800 silent on the afterlife? I'm a big believer in the Torah, 0:15:52.160 --> 0:15:54.640 and I have concluded that it wants us to be 0:15:54.680 --> 0:15:59.280 preoccupied greg with this life, even though there's no doubt 0:15:59.320 --> 0:16:00.880 in my mind that if there was a God, there 0:16:00.920 --> 0:16:06.040 was something after this life. It's just it's axiomatic. But 0:16:06.240 --> 0:16:08.800 you are right to pose that question, because I have 0:16:08.960 --> 0:16:12.080 seen that happen where people get so preoccupied with the 0:16:12.120 --> 0:16:14.280 next life they ignore a lot of what happens here 0:16:15.200 --> 0:16:20.400 and go to Dallas, Texas on case Guy, it's Tom. 0:16:20.440 --> 0:16:21.600 Hello Tom, Dennis. 0:16:21.360 --> 0:16:23.480 Prager, Hi Dennis, how are you doing all right? 0:16:23.520 --> 0:16:23.880 Thank you? 0:16:24.400 --> 0:16:28.160 The question I had was, in recalling your past radio shows, 0:16:28.200 --> 0:16:31.200 you mentioned several different times I guess that you had 0:16:31.200 --> 0:16:35.080 studied communism. You'd measured in Soviet studies. 0:16:35.240 --> 0:16:37.000 That's right, and I was real. 0:16:36.960 --> 0:16:39.760 Curious about actually three things. First of all, why you 0:16:39.840 --> 0:16:42.920 chose that study in the first place, and how you 0:16:42.960 --> 0:16:45.400 felt about it as you were going through the studying 0:16:45.400 --> 0:16:48.640 process at the time, And how your own attitude and 0:16:48.680 --> 0:16:53.840 thoughts have evolved toward what you studied, you know, by 0:16:53.880 --> 0:16:56.120 the experiences that you had in your political thought. 0:16:56.400 --> 0:16:59.200 Yeah, it's a very good question, and I imagine some 0:16:59.240 --> 0:17:01.400 others might have won the same thing. First, you need 0:17:01.440 --> 0:17:04.399 to know I was never pro Soviet or pro communist. 0:17:04.480 --> 0:17:07.680 I always thought that both were evil. Why I studied 0:17:07.720 --> 0:17:10.199 it was because I thought it was incredibly important to 0:17:10.320 --> 0:17:15.640 understand the greatest threat to liberty at the time, which 0:17:15.720 --> 0:17:20.240 came from communism. I wanted to understand what made them 0:17:20.359 --> 0:17:23.520 think and why were so many in the West, especially 0:17:23.560 --> 0:17:28.560 among the intelligentsia, attracted to a doctrine Marxism that had 0:17:28.640 --> 0:17:29.879 led to so much evil. 0:17:30.760 --> 0:17:34.000 Did I ask you what you concluded about why the 0:17:34.040 --> 0:17:37.160 intelligency is so attracted to this insanity? 0:17:37.800 --> 0:17:47.159 Yeah? The fundamental the fundamental problem, I believe, and it 0:17:47.240 --> 0:17:50.000 hit me then and it was life changing, was the 0:17:50.040 --> 0:17:54.600 fact that they are radically secular and they want a religion, 0:17:55.600 --> 0:17:59.240 but they don't want it to be based on God, 0:18:00.880 --> 0:18:07.399 and so their religion became Marxism and that's that or 0:18:07.560 --> 0:18:12.560 some Marxist offshoot. People don't like to live without a 0:18:12.640 --> 0:18:16.479 methodology for understanding life, and if it will not derive 0:18:16.560 --> 0:18:20.600 from Christianity or Judaism, then it will derive from another 0:18:20.680 --> 0:18:23.760 religion or from a secular religion, and Marxism is a 0:18:23.760 --> 0:18:24.640 secular religion. 0:18:24.960 --> 0:18:28.000 Would it not also have to do with their sense 0:18:28.000 --> 0:18:34.800 of metaphysical and moral egalitarianism to make everything all values equal. 0:18:35.480 --> 0:18:38.080 Yeah, but they don't really hold that, They hold that 0:18:38.160 --> 0:18:43.280 their values are better. But yes, egalitarianism is also more 0:18:43.640 --> 0:18:48.760 equality has trumped liberty for the left. That is correct. 0:18:48.880 --> 0:18:51.760 That is one of the major differences between the Left 0:18:51.840 --> 0:18:55.720 and others is that equality is the god of the 0:18:55.800 --> 0:18:56.400 left right. 0:18:57.080 --> 0:19:00.000 Okay, thank you so much, Thank you, Dennis. 0:19:00.080 --> 0:19:03.119 I appreciate it. By the way, my majoring in that, 0:19:03.800 --> 0:19:06.639 specifically at the Russian Institute at Columbia University at the 0:19:06.640 --> 0:19:12.680 School of International Affairs, was in fact the whole all 0:19:12.720 --> 0:19:15.159 the travels I did to communist countries. My study of 0:19:15.200 --> 0:19:21.440 totalitarianism has awakened me to so much of what happens 0:19:21.480 --> 0:19:25.720 on the left in non tootalitarian states. The efforts of 0:19:25.880 --> 0:19:29.960 the left in California right now to remove a little 0:19:30.040 --> 0:19:34.600 cross from the seal of the County of Los Angeles 0:19:34.680 --> 0:19:38.879 is to me the classic leftist totalitarianism. We wish to 0:19:38.920 --> 0:19:43.840 obliterate the Christian history of America. Whether your pro or 0:19:43.840 --> 0:19:46.480 anti Christian shouldn't even matter. You should be afraid of 0:19:46.520 --> 0:19:48.360 the fact that there are people who want to erase 0:19:48.400 --> 0:19:52.320 our history. Now it frightens me because it's also an 0:19:52.359 --> 0:19:54.800 erasure of values that I believe in. Even though I'm 0:19:54.840 --> 0:19:58.000 not Christian, I'm Jewish, but I believe in the Judeo 0:19:58.080 --> 0:20:01.040 Christian values that permeate this country. And I am afraid 0:20:01.080 --> 0:20:04.280 of anything that will substitute for anything. 0:20:09.640 --> 0:20:13.159 This episode of timeless wisdom will continue right after this. 0:20:15.040 --> 0:20:17.760 Dennis Jennis Jennis, Dennis Prager. 0:20:18.280 --> 0:20:20.200 Do you have a question you've always wanted to ask 0:20:20.240 --> 0:20:23.920 Dennis Prager. Well, now it's your opportunity for upcoming Ask 0:20:24.040 --> 0:20:27.560 Me Anything episodes of Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. We're 0:20:27.600 --> 0:20:31.160 inviting you to leave Dennis a voicemail. He'll personally answer 0:20:31.240 --> 0:20:34.199 selected questions, and your question could be featured on a 0:20:34.240 --> 0:20:39.399 future episode. Whether it's about faith, morality, politics, history, relationships, happiness, 0:20:39.560 --> 0:20:42.800 for simply navigating life, Dennis would love to hear from you. 0:20:43.040 --> 0:20:46.320 Just call eight seven seven two four three seven seven 0:20:46.480 --> 0:20:49.320 seven six and leave your question. Oh and be sure 0:20:49.320 --> 0:20:51.640 to include your first name and where you're calling from. 0:20:51.920 --> 0:20:56.560 That's eight seven seven two four three seventy seven seventy six. 0:20:56.920 --> 0:21:01.000 While we can't feature every question, Dennis will listen every voicemail. 0:21:01.160 --> 0:21:04.320 So call today you may hear Dennis Prager answering your 0:21:04.440 --> 0:21:08.200 question on an upcoming episode of Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. 0:21:08.720 --> 0:21:18.600 And thanks for listening and supporting Dennis Prager. Now back 0:21:18.600 --> 0:21:21.480 to more of Dennis Prager's Timeless Wisdom. 0:21:22.560 --> 0:21:24.520 All right, let's go to your calls. This is the 0:21:24.560 --> 0:21:26.560 hour of the week where you set the agenda. I 0:21:26.640 --> 0:21:30.520 said it fourteen hours of the fifteen a week. Now 0:21:30.640 --> 0:21:33.000 you said it. Whatever is on your mind, anything that 0:21:33.040 --> 0:21:35.639 you want to ask, anything, anything, think about it. You 0:21:35.920 --> 0:21:39.320 ever curious about something about me or about life, from 0:21:39.320 --> 0:21:41.560 the meaning of life to my shoe size. I will 0:21:41.600 --> 0:21:44.480 take anything. If you think it's silly, you have a 0:21:44.480 --> 0:21:49.719 better chance to get on. But we will alternate everything. Ahlrighty, 0:21:49.840 --> 0:21:54.560 ladies and gentlemen. We go over to Cleveland, Ohio and John. 0:21:54.760 --> 0:21:57.960 Hello John on WCCD. Dennis Prager, Welcome to the show. 0:21:58.240 --> 0:21:59.560 How are you doing to day, mister Preger? 0:21:59.640 --> 0:22:01.320 Thank you, sir, thank you. 0:22:01.840 --> 0:22:07.439 I've always wondered two things. Do you play chess? And 0:22:07.520 --> 0:22:11.199 do you enjoy science fiction? Either televised or written? 0:22:12.119 --> 0:22:16.000 That's so interesting, because I don't particularly enjoy either. 0:22:16.960 --> 0:22:17.199 I know. 0:22:17.280 --> 0:22:19.440 I feel terrible. It was painful for me to say 0:22:19.480 --> 0:22:22.479 I do play chess. Now let me explain why. For 0:22:22.520 --> 0:22:26.840 the science fiction. There is no good reason, because science 0:22:26.880 --> 0:22:31.200 fiction is great stuff. I am just here is Listen. John. 0:22:32.440 --> 0:22:34.600 I may I may be lowered in your esteem as 0:22:34.600 --> 0:22:36.320 a result of this, but I'm going to take the risk. 0:22:36.680 --> 0:22:38.359 I'm picking the phone. 0:22:38.480 --> 0:22:40.199 I know you are believe me, you think you know. 0:22:40.520 --> 0:22:42.879 I was thinking, should I tell John, oh my god, 0:22:43.000 --> 0:22:45.880 I love this stuff, or should I tell him the truth? 0:22:45.920 --> 0:22:47.760 So John, hold on, wait, I think I'm going to 0:22:47.840 --> 0:22:49.800 gather a little you'll be able to put some of 0:22:49.840 --> 0:22:53.560 your face back up. Okay, okay, the problem is not 0:22:53.760 --> 0:22:57.200 science fiction. The problem is fiction. I had to make 0:22:57.200 --> 0:23:01.639 a decision earlier in life, given the fact that I 0:23:01.680 --> 0:23:04.680 only have twenty four hours in a day, that where 0:23:04.720 --> 0:23:08.119