Is the Pope needlessly dividing the Christians with his assertion that Catholicism is the one true religion? I went back and read Pope Benedict's Without Roots, published last year, and I see that the Pope completely understands that the real threat comes not from Protestantism or even other religions but from an aggressive secular ideology that seeks to discredit God and drive religion out of the public square.
The book is subtitled "The West, Relativism, Christianity, Islam." Pope Benedict diagnoses secular relativism as the mortal threat to Europe, sapping its resolve and eroding its birthrates. It is relativism, not Islam, that poses the greatest threat to the survival of the West. Indeed in the Pope's view it is relativism that prevents Europe from facing up to the threat posed by the radical Muslims. If Europe were more sure of itself, more anchored in its Christian heritage, it would in the Pope's view be much better equipped to meet its foreign adversaries.
In a discussion of America I read this passage, "The evangelicals, who used to be the most relentless enemies of Catholicism, are not only gaining ground...but they are also discovering a new commonality with Catholicism.They have come to see Catholicism as a defender against the pressures of secularization and an upholder of the same ethical values that they themselves possess, values that they feel have been betrayed by their Protestant brothers." Pope Benedict implies that he has more in common--theologically and morally--with an evangelical leader like Billy Graham than either of them has with nominal or nonpracticing Christians within their respective denominations. It's a remarkably prescient diagnosis of the peculiar situation facing Christians today.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 2)
16. @ marilyn again.
You are quite right that humans have lots of 'failings' ... in the end, it doesn't really matter. We all die... whether we get old and sick first is beside the point.
Only the really lucky are ever happy... and if you are happy believing that there is some higher power than you... that is just dandy.
As far as bringing god down to human consciousness... what god? There are no gods and there never have been. It's just us. We are just part of life on this planet.
We are eukaryotes.... we are animals... we are vertebrates... we are mammals... we are primates...
...ask any doctor or vet.
It is theists who are vain... imagining that there is a higher purpose.
But, as I said before, if you imagine the universe.. with a purpose... GOD... then imagine the universe and GOD together ... and the 'purpose' disappears... there is none.
God wanting to be worshipped... how daft is that? How insecure is HE, anyways??
Even if HE did exist, he would not be worth worshipping. Think about THAT!
Theologians seem to try to cover that by saying that atheists are either narcissists or think that there is no worth to anything... but that is just another logical fallacy... a false dilemma...
pboyfloyd at 12:21AM on Jul 16th 2007
17. God or no God?
With God, when I look in the mirro I see a being of devine inspiration. Perhaps that drives me to become more than the mere sum of my parts.
Without God, that same glance in the mirror reveals only an accident of primordial chemistry. I prefer to not be so debased.
Keith Cameron at 3:52PM on Jul 17th 2007
18. @ Keith Cameron (comment 16)
There's that 'cozy' feeling that I was talking about. But reality is not opinion-based or faith-based...
... simply because you 'feel better' imagining a 'divine purpose'...
Nice loaded word 'debased' ... don't you think... makes one NOT want to be on that 'side' of the 'fence'...
... also slipping in the word 'accident'... well.. who would want anything to do with being 'simply' an accident?
All good word-play... evoking emotion... but... SO WHAT? There are no gods.... and there never were any gods.
pboyfloyd at 7:52PM on Jul 18th 2007
19. The Roman Catholic Church needs to concentrate more on warning people about illegal drug use--like Marijuana. A world full of minds destroyed by pot means we have a world of pot heads, not a sane reasonable society. I refuse to deal with anyone who has used mind altering drugs or help vote them into an elective office. That is all I can do about the problem.
Ronald B. Zeh at 1:05PM on Jul 22nd 2007
20. I was born into and baptised into the Methodist Church. I explored all the religions of the world and found that the Roman Catholic Church is the one true church founded by God. I pay no attention to Protestants or the other worldly religions. Roman Catholics are the new Chosen People. To be a chosen person, you have to have become a Roman Catholic.
Ronald B. Zeh at 1:14PM on Jul 22nd 2007