This is perfectly in line with the motto of Father Louis J. Twomey, SJ, whose biography I am writing (see matterstwomey.substack.com): "to create a society in which the dignity of the human person is acknowledged, protected, and respected."
Mike, I want to commend you on your article, The First Principle of Public Policy. You are absolutely right—human dignity must be the foundation of all public policy. Without it, everything else crumbles. We can argue about economics, law, and governance, but if human dignity is not at the core, then we have already lost our moral compass.
This is not just a crisis of politics; it is a war on compassion. It’s no longer just that some people neglect the dignity of others—it’s that many have trained their consciences to reject it on purpose. They have been shaped by a culture that equates mercy with weakness and sees cruelty as a form of strength. This is the battle we now face: how do we uphold human dignity when many see it as something to be mocked, ignored, or even opposed?
Dietrich von Hildebrand once said, “The fundamental question is not whether a thing is useful but whether it is true.” That is the real issue at hand. If truth still matters, then we have to tell it plainly: every person, no matter how broken, sinful, or lost, still bears the image of God. Even if they have lost the likeness of God through their actions, they are still made in His image, and that means they must be treated with dignity and respect.
But we are living in a time when truth itself is under attack. Many do not want to hear that they are bound by moral obligations toward others. Many do not want to acknowledge that the vulnerable—the poor, the sick, the immigrant, the prisoner—deserve care, simply because they are human. Instead, we see a growing belief that some lives have more value than others, that power determines worth, and that suffering is just a consequence for the weak.
This is what happens when society rejects truth. Because the truth is, compassion is not optional. Dignity is not negotiable. And yet, we now have a culture where people celebrate their rejection of mercy, where they pride themselves on their indifference.
As always we need to look towards Jesus as our role model. Everywhere in the Gospels he chooses to reach out to the marginalized. He taught his disciples and all who followed him to love these people too. The time is now for the bishops to be telling the flock that empathy is not a sin (when did that seep into Christian doctrine) and we must support those who are the most vulnerable under this administration. The bishops must look into the eyes of this administration and call them out on their cruelty. And this includes trans folks. This is a crucial time for the American Catholic Church. Who are the bishops going to support, the powerful who want to crush those they deem not worthy, or the least among us?
Yes, great starting point, hopefully will be starting point of any Artificial Intelligence laws, if the machines aren’t built with love for humans as the starting point, then we’re in for a lot of trouble
This is perfectly in line with the motto of Father Louis J. Twomey, SJ, whose biography I am writing (see matterstwomey.substack.com): "to create a society in which the dignity of the human person is acknowledged, protected, and respected."
Excellent, on-brand reply!
Thanks, Steven!
Great site, I've subscribed.
Thanks, Petey!
Mike, I want to commend you on your article, The First Principle of Public Policy. You are absolutely right—human dignity must be the foundation of all public policy. Without it, everything else crumbles. We can argue about economics, law, and governance, but if human dignity is not at the core, then we have already lost our moral compass.
This is not just a crisis of politics; it is a war on compassion. It’s no longer just that some people neglect the dignity of others—it’s that many have trained their consciences to reject it on purpose. They have been shaped by a culture that equates mercy with weakness and sees cruelty as a form of strength. This is the battle we now face: how do we uphold human dignity when many see it as something to be mocked, ignored, or even opposed?
Dietrich von Hildebrand once said, “The fundamental question is not whether a thing is useful but whether it is true.” That is the real issue at hand. If truth still matters, then we have to tell it plainly: every person, no matter how broken, sinful, or lost, still bears the image of God. Even if they have lost the likeness of God through their actions, they are still made in His image, and that means they must be treated with dignity and respect.
But we are living in a time when truth itself is under attack. Many do not want to hear that they are bound by moral obligations toward others. Many do not want to acknowledge that the vulnerable—the poor, the sick, the immigrant, the prisoner—deserve care, simply because they are human. Instead, we see a growing belief that some lives have more value than others, that power determines worth, and that suffering is just a consequence for the weak.
This is what happens when society rejects truth. Because the truth is, compassion is not optional. Dignity is not negotiable. And yet, we now have a culture where people celebrate their rejection of mercy, where they pride themselves on their indifference.
Great article.
Just seeing this.... I appreciate your kind words about my very short article!
And I agree: Truth, love, mercy, and compassion are all under attack because we fail to recognize that we are all made in God's image. God Bless,
As always we need to look towards Jesus as our role model. Everywhere in the Gospels he chooses to reach out to the marginalized. He taught his disciples and all who followed him to love these people too. The time is now for the bishops to be telling the flock that empathy is not a sin (when did that seep into Christian doctrine) and we must support those who are the most vulnerable under this administration. The bishops must look into the eyes of this administration and call them out on their cruelty. And this includes trans folks. This is a crucial time for the American Catholic Church. Who are the bishops going to support, the powerful who want to crush those they deem not worthy, or the least among us?
Yes, great starting point, hopefully will be starting point of any Artificial Intelligence laws, if the machines aren’t built with love for humans as the starting point, then we’re in for a lot of trouble