[Aussiebabe]

I wonder why almost all the "Catholic" countries have descended so far into socialism? Whether it is France, Spain, Italy or most of the South American countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, etc , they are just descending into a morass of socialism and under their systems the mass populations suffer, not benefit from this "Christian" charity.

[rogue yam]

I wonder why almost all the "Catholic" countries have descended so far into socialism? Whether it is France, Spain, Italy or most of the South American countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, etc , they are just descending into a morass of socialism and under their systems the mass populations suffer, not benefit from this "Christian" charity.

Maybe these countries you name are descending into socialism because they are in the grip of Satan like the Pope says. Yours is a very snide post, especially the last sentence. Am I misunderstanding you, or are you really intending to disparage Catholicism and equate it with socialism? Is Poland descending into socialism? Was the Catholic church complicit in the collectivism and statism that gripped Poland after WWII? Or was the Catholic Church instead instrumental in helping to lift this yoke from the bodies and souls of the Poles? Who was it that told the Poles, in their moment of decision, to "be not afraid"?

[GiovannaNicoletta]

They may have been "Catholic" at one time, but any Christianity that may have existed in these nations has long been extinguished and replaced with a man-centered way of thinking, man-centered way of running governments, and man-centered way of providing "charity".

The people of these countries made a choice- a choice to reject God's way of doing things in favor of man's way of doing things.

That's why Europe is a sad shell of it's former vitality, and that's why the people of Latin America are installing God-hating socialists in thier governments as fast as they can. They made the decision to forget God.

And that's why all of them will continue to fail and to suffer.

[TalBlack]

"I wonder why almost all the "Catholic" countries have descended so far into socialism?"

In judging Catholicism you may want to look at ALL of history rather than the last 200 yrs.

Socialism is diametrically opposed to Christian charity (which is voluntary). Countries descend into it because it is the cloak that Evil wears to gain control of each individual life in a nation.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"I wonder why almost all the "Catholic" countries have descended so far into socialism? Whether it is France, Spain, Italy or most of the South American countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, etc , they are just descending into a morass of socialism and under their systems the mass populations suffer, not benefit from this "Christian" charity."

All this in contrast to the robust Christian charities of historically Protestant areas like Norway, Sweden, Denmark, northern Germany, and England, with their crowded churches, their healthy birthrates, and their wise rejection of socialism.

[the invisib1e hand]

I wonder why almost all the "Catholic" countries have descended so far into socialism?

Because the letter without the Spirit is death.

Socialism is death, slavery, anti life, anti-Christ. The only thing more dangerous than atheism is religion without the Spirit -- without the Life ("having a form of godliness").

It just seems so obvious to me. Benedict said, a Christianity which has grown weary of faith has abandoned the Lord. So, all that Church history, without the Lord, is what you're seeing. It's man's pride -- "See? Look how good I am without bothering with God." It could happen to any of us.

[Almondjoy]

Because these countries don't understand that true charity is voluntary and secret.. not taxed.

[hedgetrimmer]

I wonder why almost all the "Catholic" countries have descended so far into socialism?

Because most of them have sprung from various kingdoms where the social order was one of aristocrats over serfs. This led to a conditioning over time, that the majority of the people, the serfs, have rights only granted to them by their monarchs, and have monarchs or aristocrats responsible for them from cradle to grave. They were never free willed sovereign individuals as in America. Serfdom persists in the minds of these people, and therefore socialism replaces the king or queen who is responsible to care for his/her subjects.

It has more to do with their long history of living under feudal hereditary monarchies than catholicism. That being said, it was a catholic priest who created the pillar of socialist ideology called "social justice".

[Salvation]

Maybe you weren't aware of these threads:

Hong Kong diocese to baptize 2,400 catechumens
Catholic, Mormon, and Pentecostal Churches Fastest Growing
This Year's Intake (the newest members of the Tiber Swim Team)

Thousands to Join Catholic Church Holy Saturday
Protestant Churches Disappearing; More Catholics Than Total of All 19 Prot. Denominations Listed

[redhead]

"I wonder why almost all the "Catholic" countries have descended so far into socialism? Whether it is France, Spain, Italy or most of the South American countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, etc , they are just descending into a morass of socialism and under their systems the mass populations suffer, not benefit from this "Christian" charity."

Have you ever heard of "Base Communities?" Some years ago, the more radical/socialist side of the Church decided it would be a good thing to take their liberation theology into the villages of Central and South America, as a means of collectivizing them and seeding a revolution against the real meaning of the Gospel.

I attended a music conference in Portland, Oregon, at which this particular brand of "Christianity" was touted to a large and mostly-eager audience of leftist do-gooders and busybodies. I imagine that the concept has had some effect on the Catholics of the region to a point where injecting the Socialist dogma into the process would be a very simple thing. If this isn't the reason, it's at least a very good method of introducing their propaganda to the ignorant.

[twippo]

"I wonder why almost all the "Catholic" countries have descended so far into socialism?"


Catholicism has no history of church/state separation. When you mix charity (a responsibility of the church) with the state, it's very easy to get into socialism.