Pope Benedict XVI / Photo Credit: Mazur
Posted on 05/05/2011 3:52:33 PM PDT by NYer
.- Pope Benedict XVI warned members of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences that religious freedom is coming under a renewed attack, from forces he compared to the totalitarian powers of the twentieth century.
The Pope observed that religious freedom was among the rights that underwent a “systematic denial by atheistic regimes of the twentieth century” such as Communism and Nazism.
“Today,” he warned in an address made public May 4, “these basic human rights are again under threat from attitudes and ideologies which would impede free religious expression.”
“Consequently,” he told the social scientists, “the challenge to defend and promote the right to freedom of religion and freedom of worship must be taken up once more in our days.” The pontifical academy's most recent gathering, held in Rome from April 29 to May 3, took up the theme of “Universal Rights in a World of Diversity: The Case of Religious Freedom.”
The Pope noted in his address that “the roots of the West's Christian culture remain deep,” and that it was “that culture which gave life and space to religious freedom” and continues to provide for religious liberty where it exists. He observed that an early Christian writer, Tertullian, was the first author to use the phrase “religious freedom.”
The second-century Christian apologist “emphasized that God must be worshiped freely, and that it is in the nature of religion not to admit coercion,” the Pope explained. “Since man enjoys the capacity for a free personal choice in truth, and since God expects of man a free response to his call, the right to religious freedom should be viewed as innate to the fundamental dignity of every human person.”
He acknowledged the world outlook as a mixed one. “There are some states which allow broad religious freedom in our understanding of the term, while others restrict it for a variety of reasons, including mistrust for religion itself.”
Pope Benedict made if clear that the Vatican “continues to appeal for the recognition of the fundamental human right to religious freedom on the part of all states,” including a special concern for “religious minorities who … aspire to live with their fellow citizens peacefully and to participate fully in the civil and political life of the nation.”
Catholic ping!
I wish he would be more specific about who, precisely, is the threat.
“Pope sees ‘systematic denial’ of religious freedom looming “
Given the bulk of history of the Catholic Church, the Pope probably can speak with some authority on the subject.
“Given the bulk of history of the Catholic Church, the Pope probably can speak with some authority on the subject.”
Given that this history spans more than 2000 years, I would agree. We all need to be praying under the influence of the Holy Spirit and frequenting the sacraments.
“these basic human rights are again under threat from attitudes and ideologies which would impede free religious expression.”
You have the Commies and the Nazis and now the Muzzies have a turn.
In this country, for example, prayer in school was forbidden for many decades; so are most forms of religious speech near abortion clinics; Christian monuments on public land are under attack no matter how paid for. Most Americans are now bamboozled to think that separation of Church and state are constitutional principles. The legal environment where religious expression is driven systematically into the private space is being built step by step. We are entering an era of systematic anti-religious vandalism perpetrated by the American ruling class,— the leftwing apparatchiks.
Go, Pope!
The list of who isn't is probably much shorter.
I see this systematically happening against Catholic right here on FR.
Anyone else?
against Catholics
“Most Americans are now bamboozled to think that separation of Church and state are constitutional principles. “
Yup. They are also bamboozled to think that certain functions of society are best handled by the state, instead of folk’s faiths. Look at the state of charity, education and the institution of Marriage.
Freegards
True. The creeping usurpation of the education, charity and marital jurisprudence by the state is a broad frontal assault on religious liberty.
Yes we that to each other and may resist individually, but the Holy Father his bishops have the means for coordinating a resistance en masse.
Pope Leo XIII saw it coming over 100 years ago, thank God we have Pope B. now!
Freegards
Not who but what ... and he has has been consistent in this statement. He began to beat the drum in his homily at the mass before the conclave in 2005.
How many winds of doctrine have we known in recent decades, how many ideological currents, how many ways of thinking. The small boat of the thought of many Christians has often been tossed about by these waves - flung from one extreme to another: from Marxism to liberalism, even to libertinism; from collectivism to radical individualism; from atheism to a vague religious mysticism; from agnosticism to syncretism and so forth. Every day new sects spring up, and what St Paul says about human deception and the trickery that strives to entice people into error (cf. Eph 4: 14) comes true.Today, having a clear faith based on the Creed of the Church is often labeled as fundamentalism. Whereas relativism, that is, letting oneself be "tossed here and there, carried about by every wind of doctrine", seems the only attitude that can cope with modern times. We are building a dictatorship of relativism that does not recognize anything as definitive and whose ultimate goal consists solely of one's own ego and desires.
Read the full text here.
[1] And we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of our gathering together unto him: [2] That you be not easily moved from your sense, nor be terrified, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by epistle, as sent from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand. [3] Let no man deceive you by any means, for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, [4] Who opposeth, and is lifted up above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself as if he were God. [5] Remember you not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things?[6] And now you know what withholdeth, that he may be revealed in his time. [7] For the mystery of iniquity already worketh; only that he who now holdeth, do hold, until he be taken out of the way. [8] And then that wicked one shall be revealed whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of his mouth; and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, him, [9] Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders, [10] And in all seduction of iniquity to them that perish; because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Therefore God shall send them the operation of error, to believe lying:
[11] That all may be judged who have not believed the truth, but have consented to iniquity. [12] But we ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved of God, for that God hath chosen you firstfruits unto salvation, in sanctification of the spirit, and faith of the truth: [13] Whereunto also he hath called you by our gospel, unto the purchasing of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. [14] Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle. [15] Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God and our Father, who hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation, and good hope in grace,
[16] Exhort your hearts, and confirm you in every good work and word.
2 Thess. 2
He who now holdeth, do hold. God bless the Holy Father and give him years.
In order to simplify the ideologies running rampant, it might be best to say it is not a specific “who,” but anyone who has a bigotry against others religious expression.
This attitude is one present among persons in media, government, and schools. It could be called an ideology of secularism, as some have called it. The forces of secular rather than religious culture on the social fabric of this country are in competition for social/political dominance.
Right now the Church is under attack but if we cannot collectively pinpoint the source of that attack, we cannot effectively coordinate a response.
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