Vatican Endorsing Karl Marx?

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.

How Close to Communism Are We?

In the recent debate over socialized medicine, those of us who believe in liberty and the power of the free market system have been labeled "Communists" for speaking out against a massive power grab on the part of the government. But do we really understand what constitutes a Communist nation? I, for one, really didn't understand EXACTLY what that meant: until now. And it scares the crap out of me.

My perception of Communism was limited to my experiences growing up as a teenager in the 80's when the Soviet Union exemplified Communism. We knew that people waited for hours for bread and other basic necessities and that the media was controlled by the State. Little did I know that now, in my adult years, my beloved country is on the brink of becoming a symbol of everything the Founding Fathers abhorred.

In 1848, Karl Marx published The Communist Manifesto, which gave specific criteria outlining what Communism is and what it takes for a country to be considered Communist. The following is a list of what are considered the ten "planks" of Communism. As you read them, think about what we've seen transpire since January.

1. Abolition of private property and the application of all rents of land to public purposes -- I'm no expert, but for some reason, the terms "zoning laws" and "eminent domain" come to mind.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax -- Remember this one on April 15. We are taxed on everything from vices to merely existing. What's that? There is no such tax? Oh, yes there is. It's called the per capita tax.
   
3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance -- When a loved one passes and you inherit their property, you pay a tax on it despite the fact that the taxes on that property have already been paid. If you don't pay it, the government will take it. By making the "death tax" onerous, it could potentially ensure that the government gets the deceased's estate.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels -- This one could come down to interpretation of words. Who's to say that a "rebel" isn't one of us bloggers or the average American who doesn't agree with the government? And how many times has the IRS been used against political enemies? If necessary, Google "Billy Dale" or "Clinton Travelgate."
5. Centralization of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly -- The Federal Reserve is a PRIVATE banking entity regulated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), another privately-owned entity. All local banks are members of the Fed system, which practices fractional reserve banking and sets the standards that the government follows like blind sheep.
   
6. Centralization of the means of communication and transportation in the hands of the State -- One only has to look to the recent legislation introduced by Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) to know that control of communication is a real possibility. Couple that with the capitulation of the MSM and you've got state-run media. With regard to transportation, any trucker will tell you about all the restrictions placed on them depending upon the load. At the very least, there's the DOT. The government has taken complete control over who can drive and who can't through the licensing process. Sounds centralized to me!
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State, the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan -- Department of Agriculture regulations regarding what can and cannot be used in farming would, in my opinion, fall under this heading.
8. Equal liability of all to labor. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for farming. -- Affirmative Action and Obamacorps, anyone? How many times have we heard the call from 1600 for America's youth to volunteer, especially in the "green" industry? And all Affirmative Action does is take away the right of an employer to hire the best of the best regardless of skin color. It's forced integration and reverse discrimination.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries, gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equitable distribution of the population over the country. -- For now, we do have the Tenth Amendment to protect states from the federal government overreaching its powers. Without it, I'm almost certain this administration would have already erased state borders, creating one huge state. Population redistribution has already been done. A recent ruling in Federal Court dictates that Section 8 housing MUST be built in the predominantly affluent area of Westchester County, New York. Hope the Clintons enjoy living in the small microcosm of the world that they've wanted to create for years.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production. -- Those of us who don't send our kids to private schools have no option other than government-run indoctrination centers. Homeschooling, you say? While parents have the option of homeschooling their most precious gifts from God, the government still has a hand in it. In most states, students are still required to take government-created standardized tests. And Heaven forbid we teach the kids of today about work. No wonder the vast majority have NO work ethic whatsoever and a complete disregard for any structure within a business. Half of them don't care about being on time or doing the very best job they can. Just ask anyone who has worked with them in the fast food industry as I have.

Now that you may have a more clear understanding of what Communism truly is, only one question remains: To what lengths will you go to to defend the sanctity of the principles put on paper by the Founders?

We now know our enemy, and he took office January 20, 2009.