Mohammed and the Mountain

Here's an interesting story I found in my travels across the Internet today:

The legend goes that when the founder of Islam was asked to give proofs of his teaching, he ordered Mount Safa to come to him. When the mountain did not comply, Mohammed raised his hands toward heaven and said, "God is merciful. Had it obeyed my words, it would have fallen on us to our destruction. I will therefore go to the mountain and thank God that he has had mercy on a stiff-necked generation."

The origins of this story are unclear, but I couldn't help but be reminded of it when I read an article by conservative pundit David Frum in the latest issue of Newsweek titled "Why Rush Is Wrong." Therein, Frum laments that Rush Limbaugh, who gave an outstanding speech to CPAC last weekend, is making the Republican Party unelectable by insisting that the party stick to such solid principles of conservatism as individual liberty and economic freedom. Frum dismisses such principles as the hallmark of '70s and '80s Reagan-era conservatism - as irrelevant - insisting that the GOP should focus upon such issues as health care reform and global climate change. Good grief.

Interestingly enough, Frum at one point writes:

We need to modulate our social conservatism (not jettison—modulate). The GOP will remain a predominantly conservative party and a predominantly pro-life party.

But in the very next sentence, continues:

But especially on gay-rights issues, the under-30 generation has arrived at a new consensus. Our party seems to be running to govern a country that no longer exists.

Now which country would that be, Mr. Frum? A country where the electoral majority of a liberal state like California just voted to outlaw gay marriage? Perhaps if you avoided such glaring logical pratfalls, conservatives like me would be more willing to listen to you.

Frum has been at this for some time, of course. I recall that back in the summer of 1994, Frum published a book called Dead Right wherein he declared the moment of conservatism "came, and flickered," and that America was destined for a generation or more of Democratic rule. The Republican Party needed to change, or else! But that fall, the Republican Party gained control of the House and Senate. Oops.

One gets the feeling that when David Frum speaks, it is best to nod politely and then move on. Otherwise, you may find yourself looking for falling mountains.