Posted on 05/02/2015 4:04:39 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Wesley Smith at National Review Online caught my attention while I was down here at Right Online with this piece on the question of nature rights.
The nature rights movement is real and extremely subversive to human freedom and thriving.
Most people think such a thing can never happen. But it already is happening. Bolivia and Ecuador have legalized the rights of nature, as have more than 30 U.S. cities, including Santa Monica. Moreover, the Secretary General of the UN, Ban-ki Moon has declared his support.
Smith is referring to an article at Commonweal which discusses the Pope’s upcoming encyclical and expectations that he may address the issue of climate change. For Smith’s part, he argues against such a move coming from the Vatican as it would cause a great schism because it would shatter the RCC’s intense focus on the unique dignity of man. I’ll leave that question for Ed, who is far more well versed on the habits and thinking of the Holy See than I ever will be. But Papal policy aside, there are some more general concerns about such a policy which should resonate with the layman.
Here’s some more from Commonweal.
When Pope Francis issues his encyclical on the environment this spring or early summer, some American Catholics will welcome it—but only some. Broadly speaking, Catholic opinion on climate change matches the American political spectrum, and thus the polemics around this polarizing issue are Catholic polemics as well. As numerous recent articles make clear, Francis is concerned about global warning. Catholics who oppose policies meant to halt or ameliorate climate change—Catholic climate skeptics—grant the pope’s authority in the moral realm, but dispute his expertise in climate science. Some have not hesitated to call him out on his views, at times harshly. One called Francis imprudent and apocalyptic; another said he was “an ally of the far left,” a “Marxist” who has been “snookered” by climate-change ideologues.
I suppose it all comes down to whether or not you believe that each and every word written or spoken by each and every Pope is the equivalent of text straight out of the bible or the Word of God. But historically it hasn’t been all that uncommon for at least some sectors of the faithful to disagree with the Papacy, though sometimes it takes a while for the message to get through. This is particularly true when discussing more “modern” matters of science or technology which were likely not thought much about – or even heard of – in biblical times. The case of Galileo comes to mind, and even the Vatican eventually came around on that one. The question of anthropogenic global warming might be a bit beyond the depth of His Holiness unless he’s receive some direct guidance from above to which we’re not privy.
But even beyond questions of Papal omniscience, we can observe this particular debate and return to the perennial question of whether or not “rights” can ever be assigned anywhere except to human beings. Whether you’re talking about ancient Greek philosophers or 20th century judicial findings, “rights” have traditionally been a fairly anthropocentric concept. We could spend the rest of the evening debating the relevance of noting that that the Earth, along with all its plants and animals, were a gift to man from God and, as such, should be treated as a precious thing. (Fair enough) But that still does not, as I read it, provide a sufficient ramp to make the jump from there to the point of saying that the government created by man should assign court-enforceable rights to creation.
Of course, now that I get to that point of the mental railroad tracks, it almost seems like I’m circling back around. I’ll toss it over to the readers to lend their insight.
“Idiocracy” had a happy ending. I hold out hope.
I'm convinced he's Peter the Roman.
This is the difficulty with so much modern liberal thought. It isn’t even thought, it is sloganeering.
He has to try to understand something about God before a pontiff can go, er, pontificating.
Idiocracy is what happens if rednecks took over the world... okay it might start as a farce, but everybody means well and honors God and it eventually does work out.
I have never quite understood the “ex cathedra” system but I am one of those Wascally Evangelicals. Seems as best I can perceive it that even declaring a papal declaration to be ex cathedra depends on its ratification as such by future generations of churchmen. That way they do manage to throw out at least some of the worse theological trash.
Or a fool.
We might back off on the personal attacks, which are another form of bullying. Truth does not need bullying and if using it to further falsehood that doubles up on the sin.
I don’t have the slightest idea what you are talking about. Perhaps you clicked reply to me by mistake. I was agreeing with another poster who made a general comment about a general belief, and I stand by what he said because what he said is self-evidently true. Period.
Are you having your period?
I see you made personal attacks. If there is any way to foul up your footing in discussing anything spiritual, that is it.
And if you don’t like what I said, think about why and ask if that does not hold a mirror up to you at every point.
The courts should bestow rights upon the earth . . . as soon as the earth petitions the courts.
Again, I was agreeing with a previous poster. I don’t need a mirror to do that. I really have no idea what you are talking about. I feel like you are trying to pick a fight with me for no reason. Seriously. I don’t get why you are accusing me of something in your imagination.
“Who are we to judge?”
The Environmentalist and Liberation Theology Pope
While thousands of Christians are slaughtered by Muslims, Pope Francis debases his office meddling in trivial matters such as the global warming hoax while ignoring the mortal threats growing upon the Church and the World.
Tens of thousands of Christians have been tortured and slaughtered and Catholic churches set on fire in Nigeria, Sudan, Syria, Egypt and all around the Muslim world, while the Pope keeps repeating the mantra that Islam is a religion of peace.
Christians have been thrown out from the Middle East, the cradles of Christianity.
The Islamization of Europe and in American schools.
Millions of babies are being murdered in their mother’s wombs by abortion.
Islamic state, ISIS, promising to march into Rome and use St. Peter’s as a stable.
Millions of Christians in Africa are sold as sex slaves in Muslims countries.
In United States freedom of religion is curtailed for Christians and Jews, while Islam is promoted and Muslims are given preferential status by the Obama regime. Obama refers to the Bible as “the good book” while he always calls the Koran as “the holy Koran”.
Catholics in United States are forced to betray their faith and religious principles due to Obamacare mandates.
Pope Francis gave his support to the Marxist liberation theology, a corruption of the Gospels proscribed by H.H. John Paul II and H.H. Benedict XVI.
Pope Francis gave “moral” cover to Obama’s betrayal of the Cuban people deceiving the American taxpayers to assume the burden of keeping afloat the genocidal Stalinist regime that have kept enslaved for over half a century the Cuban people while remaining a threat to the security of United States.
We are so screwed.
What a wacky religion!
Yes,End Times! Because we are told about the one world church which we are watching form before our very eyes. The Vatican already put out a ten page statement as a prelude to the Popes encyclical. The Pope is all in on AGW global warming,and worse will be fanatical about it too. The communist/socialist took over the environmental movement,and now it will be merged with the world-wide church. The worship of creation rather than the worship of God could very well be a part of the great delusion the majority will believe.
Because I’m new,I doubt I can post links,but go to climatedepo.com to find the Vatican’s statement. There was just a climate summit at the Vatican last week and the Heartland institute went there with other skeptics to try and sway the Popes views,but it was a futile cause,as one writer put it,the encyclical has already likely been drawn up,so with the statement issed,there is no question on where the Catholic church stands now. Ratzinger on the other hand was firmly against the idea that man was causing AGW and could very well be one of the reasons he was forced out.IMHO
Yes,End Times! Because we are told about the one world church which we are watching form before our very eyes. The Vatican already put out a ten page statement as a prelude to the Popes encyclical. The Pope is all in on AGW global warming,and worse will be fanatical about it too. The communist/socialist took over the environmental movement,and now it will be merged with the world-wide church. The worship of creation rather than the worship of God could very well be a part of the great delusion the majority will believe.
Because I’m new,I doubt I can post links,but go to climatedepo.com to find the Vatican’s statement. There was just a climate summit at the Vatican last week and the Heartland institute went there with other skeptics to try and sway the Popes views,but it was a futile cause,as one writer put it,the encyclical has already likely been drawn up,so with the statement issed,there is no question on where the Catholic church stands now. Ratzinger on the other hand was firmly against the idea that man was causing AGW and could very well be one of the reasons he was forced out.IMHO
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