“What I want to know is why (people) on a conservative message board have joined forces with the liberal media to AUTOMATICALLY convict these nuns before any investigation has been completed.”
When people speak of leftism, they are usually referring to economic leftism (which makes a people poor), political leftism (which enslaves a people), and social leftism (which robs a people of moral standards and artistic discernment).
There is, however, another form of leftism—one that is rarely called by its name. This is theological leftism, and it may be the worst of them all, as it leads one away from God while insisting on its own superiority to “outdated tradition.”
Now, we know that all leftism is of and from Satan. We observe how the proponents of leftism lie constantly, attempt to deceive, coerce those who won’t be deceived, and extol the tolerance of evil-including abortion, divorce, sodomy, promiscuity, and even mass murder. This is true as well of theological leftism. It seeks to foment disobedience to God by appeal to a “more modern,” and therefore superior, “understanding” of the Bible.
When we seek to discern whether a given premise or movement is theologically leftist, then, we can look for several telltale characteristics.
1. Does it claim an understanding of Scripture that is superior to what existed before?
2. Do its proponents rely extensively on falsehood when discussing differences?
3. Do its proponents engage in coercion, either inside our outside their own group?
4. Does it claim the moral superiority of the tolerance of evil, particularly that which allows the indulgence of the sin of lust (divorce, sodomy, promiscuity, etc)?
5. Above all, does it countenance the slaughter of the most innocent?
There are theological leftists within the Catholic Church, yes, but because its foundations are solid, they have been unable to bring it down. It appears that evil within the Church has reached its high-water mark, and is receding, laus Deo.
One need not look far to find churches that are totally under the sway of the five telltales listed above, and some within them display one more characteristic of theological leftism: blind, irrational hatred of the Catholic Church. When such people attempt to criticize the Church, they do so with all the hatred, illogic, and dishonesty shown by any other sort of leftist.
It is worth noting that one can be a theological leftist while retaining conservative beliefs in the economic and political realms.
Post of the morning. Thanks for this thoughtful analysis. I could name a few “theological leftists” on FR, but they know who they are. When someone starts criticizing every doctrine of the Catholic Church, and are steadfast and never agree with anything the Church expouses, they are theological leftists of the first degree. A prime example is the pro-life movement in this country, started by Catholics after Roe v. Wade. But the Catholic-haters on FR will argue with you till the cows come home that Catholics didn’t start the movement anymore than protestants started it. For their hatred of the Catholic Church is so deep they refuse to give credit to Catholics for anything; unless a scandal comes along and they pile on and say “I told you so”.