In recent years, the Vatican has taken another look at some historical figures and begged "Mea culpa" for what they have viewed during the history of the Roman Catholic Church. Galileo, Charles Darwin, and Oscar Wilde have all been reappraised by the Church, and now it appears that Karl Marx has joined the list.
From the Times of London:
L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, said yesterday that Marx’s early critiques of capitalism had highlighted the “social alienation” felt by the “large part of humanity” that remained excluded, even now, from economic and political decision-making.
Georg Sans, a professor of the history of modern philosophy at Gregorian University, wrote the article for the newspaper, saying:
“We have to ask ourselves, with Marx, whether the forms of alienation of which he spoke have their origin in the capitalist system,” Professor Sans wrote. “If money as such does not multiply on its own, how are we to explain the accumulation of wealth in the hands of the few?”
Last year, the Vatican erected a statue of Galileo as a way of apologizing for trying him for his 1633 discovery that the earth moves around the sun. In February of this year, a church official declared Darwin's theory of evolution is compatible with Christian belief. And in July, the Vatican newspaper praised gay playwright Oscar Wilde as “a man who behind a mask of amorality asked himself what was just and what was mistaken”.
Though Pope Benedict XVI called Marxism a scourge two years ago, he seems to have changed his position. He now argues that global capitalism has lost its way and that Church teachings can help to restore economic health by focusing on justice for the weak and closer regulation of the market.
Professor Sans’s article was first published in La Civiltà Cattolica, a Jesuit paper, which is vetted in advance by the Vatican Secretariat of State. The decision to republish it in the Vatican newspaper gives it added papal endorsement.
I've got real issues with this, folks. While I agree with the basic tenets of the Church (the Holy Trinity, the Eucharist, etc.), since when is Darwin's theory compatible with Christian belief? In fact, it is the complete antithesis of the belief that God created the universe and everything in it as detailed in the book of Genesis.
As a practicing Catholic, I will tell you right now that I have become somewhat disillusioned with the Church. I go to worship God, but, in recent years, have gotten a politically ideological lecture during the homily. With my own ears, I've heard more and more liberal leanings coming from the pulpit. Was I sleeping during the Mass where we used to celebrate God's love for us and our love for Him? When did it all change?
For Pope Benedict XVI to use his interpretation of Church law and his power within the Church to further a seemingly global agenda is, in my opinion, a direct path to religious tyranny. It's bad enough that we've got our government leading us down that path. The Catholic Church need not follow suit.
Does that mean that I'm against helping the poor and praying for those in need? Absolutely not. In fact, that is what the church SHOULD be doing. Instead, we're getting a lesson in politics directly from the Vatican.
I will continue to pray for all of humanity, but I'm throwing in an extra one for the Catholic Church that they may find their way back to doing God's work and not the work of George Soros.
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What many left wing religious types seem to forget is that socialism and communism violate two of god's commandments: Thou shalt not steal and thou shalt not covet. The latter precedes the former in such governments actions, and actually does in any country with a progressive tax.
I always laugh at people that say money is root of all evil or even if they get it correct, that love of money is the root of all evil. What is the root of all money?
The truth is that there are more numbers in those that are not wealthy than those that are. Where there are greater numbers, there is a constituency. I would ask such people if they don't like being short, should they cut off part of my legs and take them for themselves (or not, just rendering me shorter)? It's all about coveting, no matter the currency of envy.
RG!!! Hope all is well, pal.
You're right. It's all about envy. And for the Church to condone such is really not cool with me.
Right Guy - X-ring. It's a constituency of the envious. The bullshit in their envy is the fact that the mere existence of wealthy people is supported by the generally increased wealth of the "have nots." It's one of the stupidest paradoxes in the human condition.
So the answer, of course, is to tax or simply confiscate the "wealth" from the "haves."
I'm with you, BGF. I wish, I wish, I wish that the Church - along with other religious institutions - would adopt the positives of wealth creation instead.
There's one religious guy out there - Dave Ramsay - who gets it. Thanks for posting this.
This isn't cool with me either, Denise.
Deism looks more and more attractive as I venture along. After all, I'm in good company. It worked for Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Paine, Madison and Ethan Allen.
"I have become somewhat disillusioned with the church" Denise my dear, that is the UNDERSTATEMENT of the Century on my part.
If you research those lovely roman catholics, in depth, you'll see the biggest group of liars, thieves, cutthroats, perverts, etc. etc.etc. I better stop now, I am trying to enjoy my day off and not think about them.
It's really sad. Pope John Paul was such an advocate for freedom. Since he was Polish, he worked behind the scenes with Reagan and Thatcher to find freedom for his country. It's really a shame the Vatican has forgotten his efforts. He is a hero of mine for helping free Poland.
What's next ... Al Capone ?
My pleasure, Ran. It just saddens me because growing up I always felt so comfortable in the Catholic Church but didn't convert until about 15 years ago. Now, I don't see the reverence there once was within the church. Maybe it's just me, but I've become very jaded by the almost blatant support of the liberal agenda on the part of the church.
William: My main focus is worshipping God. Unfortunately, the Church seems to be leaning more toward a socialist point of view, and I don't appreciate it. I want to go and celebrate the Eucharist and worship God, not get a lecture about how we need to support Obamacare in the name of compassion. And believe me...in the petitions during Mass, we've been asked that all people can access quality healthcare.
Bunni: The history of the Church is DEFINITELY not pretty! The only reason I chose Catholicism as my faith is because of what used to be a special reverence and respect for the worship of God. I don't see as much of that anymore. :-(
This is something I have eluded to for a long time now, but don't want my Catholic friends to think I have something against them. Take a look at the parts of the world where communism has tended to grow. Communism/Socialism is flourishing in places that the Catholic/Orthodox church is strongest historically. Look at Central and S.America, Europe and Russia. All of the above have been under the Catholic or Orthodox Church which acts as both a form of government and a religion. The Vatican goes so far as to have it's own city/state within Rome. This didn't just start now, but has been this way since Constantine usurped leadership of "Christianity" and fused the leadership of growing Christian Churches with his own Roman cult of gladiator worship and fused those two with the power of the Roman Emperor. Think about this, the Catholic Church also supported Hitler, and through the "inquisitions" killed more dissenters than Hitler,Stalin and Mao combined during the time it was in power. One more thing, which Christian denomination voted for Obama in the highest numbers? Which supports the socialist Democrats in the highest numbers? Now, some people can take from all this that I am anti-Catholic or have an issue with our Catholic friends. That is completely wrong. Where I draw the line is when a religion of any form is also acting as government as when that is the case anyone who is not a part of that religion suffers. That is simply historical fact. I support separation of Church AND State (unlike our communist friends who support separation of Church FROM state). That means that there should be NO state endorsed religion INCLUDING ATHEISM which is just as much a religion as any other and is being taught in our schools and enforced in our courts.
I have become more and more disillusioned with the Catholic Church in the past ten years. I am sick of the Church promoting liberal propaganda. I used to love going to church but hate it now. This accounts for my lack of attendance at mass recently. And, from experience, the priests only talk the talk and don't walk the walk. I was screwed by the very people I trusted at a very traditional catholic university in OH. I am now looking into other sects of Catholicism to switch to that follow traditional church values, such as the Marionite Catholic Church. These people don't get when you take from the people that provide the pie (jobs) than that pie becomes smaller, and less pie can be spread around.
But, I will correct the misconception that the Vatican, or Pope supported Hitler. That's untrue. More recently, evidence has been revealed to support the fact that the Vatican/Pope did more to stop the holocaust and WWII than people knew before.
@William:
Have you ever heard of the Jefferson Bible?
The reason the Church has gone socialist is largely from the flux of priests from the 60's and also the same ones that continue to teach the new ones. Their point of view is from liberation theology, particularly Bishop Romero. To quote Wikipedia:
"It emphasizes the Christian mission to bring justice to the poor and oppressed, particularly through political activism. Its theologians consider sin the root source of poverty, the sin in question being exploitative capitalism and class war by the rich against the poor. It has a range of meanings: broadly, especially in the media, it may refer to any politically-activist Christian thought, but the technical sense is narrower.
Liberation theologians use political theory, primarily Marxism, to help understand how to combat poverty. "
This sounds a lot like Obama. In his case it might be Black Liberation Theology, as taught and promulgated by reverend wright.
It's considered social christianity. Personally, I find it repugnant.
I converted from the Episcopal church 3 years
ago. My wife is Catholic and we raise our kids Catholic and their are a lot of good folks at our church. I will also say there are a share of left wing nuts, and when Obama was running, I got into it with them, usually at their insistence. It was interesting.
If I was wrong about the vatican supporting Hitler then a great injustice has been done as it has been written in many books that the vatican supported Hitler. It is undoubtedly true that the vatican supported Mussolini, although (from everything I have read) did not realize how far off the deep end Hitler was. Honestly, the final judgement on that will not come from me or you but from God, so I hope for the sake of a soul, that you are right. Historically the Catholic Church never forgave the Jews for the persecutions of early Christians by Jews. That goes against all the teachings we have of Christ and what the apostles taught as well.
When I was rehabbing and regaining my memory I looked at every Church, and every Denomination of Church you could think of before I made my final decision. Pensacola (being in the "traditional south" had every church you could imagine and some that were way out there) I chose a church that practices all the "sacraments" as you call them but is independent from the hierarchy of the Catholic Church leadership as I think that that is where the Catholic Church went off course. I am, in no way trying to influence a decision so important in your life other than to say that God has not left us, but Churches can and do leave God. The most important thing is that you are seeking God obviously and God has a way of finding those who seek him. You are raising your Children as God would have you do which is just as important for their souls as it is for this country. I hope you and anyone else reading this finds these words encouraging as they are meant to nothing less.
TRG, we too had our share of Obaminions at the place where I worship God. During the campaign they were quite vocal about their Obama support. Interestingly when they found out I as going to the 9/12 protest in DC, they pulled me to the side and told me that Obama had not been what they wanted at all and that they were glad that I was going to DC to protest. They went so far as to ask that I represent them too in my trip and gave me some "financial support" for the trip. The group that I worship God with is a very racially mixed bunch and you could say that this group was of a certain ethnicity. I will note that generally in our group, everybody mixes and you don't see one race over in that corner or one race over there. So for that to happen as it did, where of a certain ethnic background pulled me to the side ad expressed regret for supporting Obama and thanked me for going to DC to speak out for them was really a profound moment for me. It also showed me how important it was that we and so many like us went to DC. While the media and those in power are ignoring it now, I believe that the 9/12 march will be in history books in years to come. I believe it was a turning point in American history and the ripple effect that it will have on this country has not ben seen yet,
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