The high cost of losing our religion

Sydney Morning Herald ^ | January 19, 2005 | Julia Baird jbaird@smh.com.au

[Clemenza]

Were it not for immigration, the Catholic Church would be in decline.

[Clemenza]

Good posts, although I can't stand your screen name. I am happy that there is an ocean between us and your declining continent.

[GarySpFc]

You missed the point Pope Benedict made which confirms exactly what I am stating.

For one thing, the new Pope seems to be aware of the grave danger Europeans face: he has called upon Europe to recover its Christian roots “if it truly wants to survive.” How can you recover something if you have not lost it?

Europe, the new Pope has written, “appears to be at the start of its decline and fall.” In old Europe, he has said, “we are moving toward a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as definitive and has as its highest value one’s own ego and one's own desires.” He is referring to a secular religion, which is anything but Christian.

Europe, the new Pope has written, “appears to be at the start of its decline and fall.”

[A. Pole]

Sorry - but I haven't read "Lord of the Rings or C.S. Lewis yet. Not my kind of literature.

What is your kind of literature?

What about We (by Zamyatin), Possessed/Devils or Brave New World, is it your kind of literature?

[narses]

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[Atlantic Bridge]

Benedicts quote out of a bigger coherence "if it truly wants to survive" was espechially relating to the widespread religious relativism in Europe and elsewhere (particularly among urban populations). BTW - this could have been also based on some parts of North America (although he said it in fact referring to Europe). It is no secret that the new pope's first priority is the "reconversion of Europe" since it is clear the church's identity and influence in Europe is waning. Espechially the modern materialistic culture sapped the spiritual focus in some parts of the continent (i.e. East Germany, the Czech Republic, metropolitan France and Britain). That doesn't mean that large part of Europe are still (and will be in the future) Christian heartland (i.e. Southern Germany, Austria, Italy, rural France, Poland, Luxemburg (hehe), Slovakia, Kroatia etc. etc. etc..

Only in secondary correlation he refered to European muslims. since he has also angered Turks with his opposition to Turkey's proposed entry into the European Union. His opposition appears to be based more on religion than on geography. "Europe was founded not on a geography," he explained, "but on a common faith. We have to redefine what Europe is . . ."

Besides of that Benedict was the prime force behind the 2000 document "Dominus Iesus" (Latin for "Jesus the Lord"), which angered Protestants, Jews, Muslims and other non-Christians who viewed with alarm its statement that the Roman Catholic Church is the only "instrument for the salvation of all humanity." This should anger you too since your belief is a heresy from Benedicts point of view.

Pope John Paul II was distressed when the present European constitution failed to reference Europe's historic Christian roots. Look for the Catholic Church under Benedict XVI to focus on what it sees as threats to the heartland of Christian civilization and take steps to revitalize its presence and influence in Europe. The Roman Catholic Church has not written off Europe as dead. Their identity and future are closely bound together.

The Catholic Church has been historically wedded to the powers of Europe through various alliances and compacts. Though this relationship has been weakened in modern times, I am convinced that this church-state relationship will come together again and it will be not restricted to Europe. The result will be a world power unlike any seen before. We are watching history unfold before our eyes and heresies like Islam will only play underpart roles.

Europe is definitly not in danger.

BTW - Benedict never used Donald Rumsfeld's term of "old Europe".

[GarySpFc]

Besides of that Benedict was the prime force behind the 2000 document "Dominus Iesus" (Latin for "Jesus the Lord"), which angered Protestants, Jews, Muslims and other non-Christians who viewed with alarm its statement that the Roman Catholic Church is the only "instrument for the salvation of all humanity." This should anger you too since your belief is a heresy from Benedicts point of view.

Actually you may be surprised to find I have far more in common with Benedict than John Paul, and so do the majority of Evangelical Christians. His views more closely parallel the Scriptures than his predecessor's. Neither am I concerned in the least about "Dominus Iesus," which contains a starting point for Christian unity rather than division.

Dominus Iesus begins with a restatement of the "fundamental contents of the profession of the Christian faith." Then follows a restatement of the Nicene Creed.

Without the filioque.

There are major implications for that omission.

[Atlantic Bridge]

I have read "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley and "We" by Zamyatin. To complete the vicious circle of apocalypse-literature I have read of course George Orwells "1984".

I consumed this stuff when I was rather young. In the meantime I prefer more positive books. In the moment I read a book about Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, a important figure of the German enlightenment.

[A. Pole]

In the meantime I prefer more positive books.

Then you must have read the Discources of Meher Baba?

"Don't worry, be happy."

[TradicalRC]

"If you started to think about your life as a woman, the first thing you would do is reject Christianity."

Yet, the churches often show how many Christian women Have been touched by the spirit of feminism. It is hard not to breathe in the Kultursmog.

[Russ7]

Were it not for immigration, the Catholic Church would be in decline.

The Catholic Church isn't reliant upon majority numbers to achieve success. Take the state of Massachusetts as an example....great numbers of Catholics yet very poor adherance to Church Doctrine......ie Ted Kennedy. Catholicity seems to do better when it's not in the majority and when the dominant religion is conservative protestants or evangelicals. I'd like someone try to explain this.