Tuesday, June 05, 2007
The results of rhetorical analysis of the Koran
For a Renewed Interpretation of the Qur'an: The Lesson of a Great Islamologist
Michel Cuypers applies to the sacred book of Islam the methods already applied to the Bible. The results are astonishing. For example, the most bellicose verses of the Qur'an do not "abrogate" the more tolerant and peaceable ones, as the proponents of holy war presume
But why should Muslims accept his interpretation?
Michel Cuypers applies to the sacred book of Islam the methods already applied to the Bible. The results are astonishing. For example, the most bellicose verses of the Qur'an do not "abrogate" the more tolerant and peaceable ones, as the proponents of holy war presume
But why should Muslims accept his interpretation?
Cardinal Bertone on Pius XII (Part 1)
Cardinal Bertone on Pius XII (Part 1)
"The Victim of a 'Black Legend'"
VATICAN CITY, JUNE 5, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the first part of a speech given today by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone at the presentation of a book by Andrea Tornielli, "Pio XII: Un Uomo Sul Trono di Pietro" (Pius XII: A Man on the Throne of Peter).
Parts 2 and 3 of the speech will be published on Wednesday and Thursday.
* * *
1. The "Black Legend"
For decades now the figure of Eugenio Pacelli, Pope Pius XII, has been at the center of some volatile polemics. The Roman Pontiff who guided the Church through the terrible years of the Second World War and the Cold War is the victim of a "black legend," which has proved difficult to combat even though the documents and testimonies have amply shown its complete inconsistency.
One of the unpleasant "secondary" consequences, so to speak, of this black legend -- that falsely portrays Pope Pacelli as indulgent toward Nazism and indifferent to the fate of the victims of persecution -- has been to sideline the extraordinary teaching of this Pope who was a precursor of Vatican II.
As has happened with the figures of two other Popes of the same name -- Blessed Pius IX, who is discussed only in relation to topics linked to the politics of the Risorgimento, and St. Pius X, often only remembered for his strenuous battle against modernism -- there is the risk that the pontificate of Pacelli will be reduced to his supposed "silences."
2. The Pastoral Activity of Pius XII
I am here this evening, therefore, to give a brief testimony to a man of the Church, who, by his personal holiness, shines as a luminous witness of the Catholic priesthood and of the papacy.
It is not as though I have not already read many interesting essays on the figure and work of Pope Pius XII, from the well-known "Actes et Documents du Saint Siège," to the brief biographies of Nazareno Padellaro, Sister Marchione, and Father Pierre Blet, among the first ones that come to mind.
There are also the "wartime addresses" of Pope Pacelli, which, if you would like to read them, are available in an electronic format. Even today I find these speeches quite interesting for their doctrine, pastoral inspiration, literary sophistication; they are perforce human and civil.
All in all, I already knew not a little about the man called the "Pastor Angelicus" and "Defensor Civitatis." We must nevertheless be grateful to Dr. Tornielli who, in this massive and well-documented biography, drawing from much unpublished material, restores for us the greatness and completeness of the figure of Pius XII.
He allows us to delve into his humanity, he allows us to rediscover his teaching. He brings again to our minds, for example, his encyclical on the liturgy, his reform of the rites of Holy Week, the great preparatory work that would flow into the conciliar liturgical reform.
Pius XII opened up the application of the historical-critical method to sacred Scriptures, and in the encyclical "Divino Afflante Spiritu," established the doctrinal norms for the study of sacred Scripture, emphasizing the importance of its role in Christian life.
It is the same Pope Pacelli who, in the encyclical "Humani Generis," takes evolutionary theory into consideration, albeit with care. Pius XII also gave notable impetus to missionary activity with the encyclicals "Evangelii Praecones," 1951, and "Fidei Donum," 1957 -- this year is its 50th anniversary -- highlighting the Church's duty to proclaim the Gospel to the nations, as Vatican II would amply reaffirm.
The Pope refused to identify Christianity with Western culture or with a particular political system. There is more. Pius XII is still the Pope who gave the most room to women in his canonizations and beatifications: 54.4% of canonizations and 62.5% of beatifications.
Indeed, this Pontiff spoke often about women's rights, affirming, in a 1957 radio message to a congress of the Italian Center for Women, for example, that women are called to "resolute action" even in the political and judiciary fields.
3. Unjust Accusations
These are only examples that show how much there is to discover, or rather, to rediscover, in the teaching of the Servant of God Eugenio Pacelli.
I was struck by the many allusions present in Tornielli's book, from which emerge both the lucidity and the wisdom of the future Pontiff in the years that he was papal nuncio, first in Munich and then in Berlin, along with many traits of his humanity.
Thanks to the unedited correspondence with his brother Francesco, we are made aware of some clear judgments that he made on the nascent National Socialist movement and the great and grave interior drama he lived as Pope in regard to the attitude to maintain in the face of the Nazi persecution during the war.
Pius XII spoke of it several times in the course of his radio messages -- and so it is completely out of place to speak of his "silences" -- choosing a prudent approach. In regard to the "silences," I happily advert to a well-documented article of professor Gian Maria Vian entitled "Il Silenzio Pio XII: alle origini della leggenda nera" (The Silence of Pius XII: At the Origins of the Black Legend), which was published in 2004 in the journal Archivum Historiae Pontificiae.
In this article Vian says, among other things, that the first to ask about the "silences of Pius XII" was the French Catholic philosopher Emmanuel Mounier in 1939, just a few weeks after the election of the Supreme Pontiff and in relation to Italian aggression in Albania.
A bitter polemic, of Soviet and communist origin -- and, as we shall see, revived by certain exponents of the Russian Orthodox Church -- grafted itself onto these questions. Rolf Hochhuth, author of "The Deputy," the play that contributed to the creation of the black legend against Pius XII, has in a recent interview defined Pope Pacelli as a "demonic wimp," while there are historians who only promote anti-Pius XII research and even call those who do not think as they do and dare to propose a different view on these matters "The Pacelli Brigade."
It is impossible not to denounce this attack on good sense and reason that is often perpetrated on the pages of the newspapers.
[Translation by ZENIT]
The difference between a crusade and jihad
On Wars Thought Holy
Interview With Marco Meschini
MILAN, Italy, JUNE 5, 2007 (Zenit.org).- There is little similarity between the extremist concept of jihad as a holy war and the Christian Crusades, says a historian of the Middle Ages.
Marco Meschini, a professor at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, explains in his new book "Il Jihad e La Crociata" (The Jihad and the Crusade) published by Edizioni Ares, says that jihad and the Crusades are asymmetric. In this interview with ZENIT, he explains why.
Q: In what sense are jihad and the Crusades "holy wars"?
Meschini: A "holy war" is understood to have two characteristic elements: First of all, for those who are believers, it is a war willed by God and promoted by his legitimate representatives; secondly, participating in this war opens the gates to paradise.
In the case of jihad it is important to recall an important passage from the Quran: "Fight those who do not believe in Allah and who do not take as illicit what Allah and his messengers have declared to be illicit." It is Allah who wills jihad. Allah is holy and therefore jihad is holy, a holy war.
In regard to the second aspect, a "hadith" of Muhammad -- a saying of Muhammad with normative value -- must be recalled: "Know that paradise is in the shade of the sword."
Furthermore, the "mujahid," or warrior of jihad, is considered a martyr if he dies. The word for martyr, "shahid," means "witness," just like the literal sense of the Greek word martyr.
The mujahid is so holy that […] he can transmit part of his holiness to his relatives.
Q: You, however, distinguish jihad and the Crusades as "asymmetric." What distinguishes them?
Meschini: The Crusades too, for medieval Christians, were willed by God, in the sense that the Popes wanted them and preached them, connecting them with the forgiveness of sins committed by the participants. The battle cry of the Crusaders was "God wills it!"
A first asymmetry, however, is this: Jihad is understood to open the gates of paradise directly, but the Crusades were not, because they were understood as part of the process that could lead sinful man to paradise.
There are, however, other more significant asymmetries.
First of all, jihad, whether defensive or offensive -- that is, as the instrument of the spreading of the Islamic religion -- means "submission" to Allah.
The crusades, instead, were born only after a millennium of Christianity and with a limited purpose: to recover Jerusalem and the Holy Land, which were unjustly occupied by the Muslims.
It should be added that in the course of centuries there were also crusades of expansion but the original idea was not completely lost in these.
Q: You also maintain that, while jihad is essential for Islam, crusading is not essential for Christianity.
Meschini: This is the most radical difference. As was said, holy war is a prescription of the Quran -- and the Quran is the word of Allah, eternal and immutable -- practiced by Muhammad and furnished with a whole series of accompanying rules that define forms and conditions.
Still today, for all Muslims, jihad is the sixth pillar of Islam, that is, one of the precepts that constitute the identity of their religion.
On the contrary, there is no sacred Christian text that speaks of war in a similar way, and to say the least, the model of Christianity, Christ, does not foresee it!
For this reason, crusading, which certainly arose in a Christian context, need not be present in other Christian contexts; nor, above all, does it have anything to do with the kerygma, the core of Christian revelation.
Q: Would a kind of Christian crusade have any sense today?
Meschini: I do not believe so. Yet, steadfast resistance, which does not need to, but may have recourse to force -- would make sense, to countervail those who threaten, "manu armata," international peace.
Q: Does speaking of jihad today run the risk of making dialogue between Christianity and Islam more difficult?
Meschini: What is the purpose of dialogue? I think: knowing each other better, reaching a higher level of truth. Thus, truth, or intellectual honesty, is at least a premise. Indeed, it is an essential condition of dialogue.
For this reason I wanted to unmask some commentators who, behind verbal contortions, disguise the historical, juridical and theological truth embedded in the theme of jihad.
Q: What did the Pope intend to say in Regensburg when he spoke of the discourse of Manuel II Palaeologus on these themes?
Meschini: Benedict XVI was very clear: Faith and truth can be proposed and diffused from the intellect to the intellect and from heart to heart, in a reciprocal exchange of reason, I believe.
Thus, to expand one's religion "by the sword" is a monstrosity antithetical to the Logos, to Reason, that is, to God.
And the violent response to his words was -- dramatically -- an involuntary but "perfect" confirmation of his speech.
Dennis Kucinich on peak oil
source
From Mr. Robert Paulsen:
Does this sound a bit too idealistic, too utopian? Or something that smacks heavily of involvement by the Federal Government? Shouldn't we instead be looking at a realistic solution, one that emphasizes relocalization, the creation of sustainable economies, and individual temperance? Government will need to play a role, but who is going to advocate what is necessary with respect to structure of the political economy (and the curbing of corporations)?
Mitt Romney actually brought up Matt Simmons's name tonight during the debate, but only to echo Simmons's recommendation that more refineries be built. Nothing about peak oil.
From Mr. Robert Paulsen:
I spent this past Sunday afternoon at the St. Matthias Episcopal Church in Whittier, California to see Dennis Kucinich speak. After a very eloquent, passionate speech he opened the floor for anyone in the audience to ask him a question. Here is what transpired:
Me: Are you familiar with the Hirsch Report for the Department of Energy on Peak Oil that was one of Project Censored’s top 20 censored stories of 2005, and what would you do as President to prepare America for the global peak of oil production which Robert Hirsch believes could occur within the next ten years?
Dennis: (to me) Of course I’ve read the reports and I’m familiar with it. And Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, who is a Republican from Maryland has done some great work on the Peak Oil issue. (to audience) In a word, what Peak Oil means is it’s a point at which we pass the peak of an oil supply and we start to work on non-renewable resources being depleted. What does this mean? It means that they’ll seek other environments such as in Iraq and Venezuela in the inevitable way some of our leaders like the open markets. It also means there’s an urgency right now to work at conservation, I mentioned this earlier. What we have to make…when I was growing up, President Kennedy created this challenge of wanting to put somebody on the moon. So they organized the whole country, we were competing with Russia at the time, but he organized the country. So we had this great cause, to harness our intellect for our scientific power and to bring this nation together, this great cause to reach for the stars. We need a similar call! And I’m ready to lead this nation in a similar call. To conserve energy, to develop alternative energy and to move away from non-sustainable forms of energy which, by the way, not only jeopardize our politics, but jeopardize the planet. So all this is connected. I spoke earlier about oil being interconnected and interdependent, you know, our energy policies have an effect on our politics. Our politics affects the rest of the world. Our energy policies have an effect on our health. Our health determines what our demands are for health care in this country. All this stuff is bound up together. So we need to have a call where we come together as a nation. There’s a hunger in America right now for coming together! For uniting! But not some kind of false unity, but in a higher purpose that states who we really are and just identify ourselves with something that’s almost transcendent, beyond ourselves. We have this potential right now to be more than we are, dreaded(?) in the world. Americans are ready to call and to participate something in this grand cause, not just to save ourselves but to save our nation and the planet. What a great opportunity this is! What a wonderful time it is to be alive, to realize that we can consciously reconstruct the world! That we are called upon to save the world! That we have the intelligence and spirit to do it and we only have to have the willingness to do it. We only have to believe that our political system is ready for transformation and if we have the courage to take it in that direction, then I’ll take it and I’ll change it. But (we’re) just waiting and testing ourselves as to how far we’re ready to go to bring about the change, and I think there’s a readiness now. I think people have seen enough of the war! I think people have seen enough of the deception! They’ve seen enough of the undermining of our civil liberties! They’ve seen enough to the point that (they’ve) hijacked(?) an entire American agenda!
Does this sound a bit too idealistic, too utopian? Or something that smacks heavily of involvement by the Federal Government? Shouldn't we instead be looking at a realistic solution, one that emphasizes relocalization, the creation of sustainable economies, and individual temperance? Government will need to play a role, but who is going to advocate what is necessary with respect to structure of the political economy (and the curbing of corporations)?
Mitt Romney actually brought up Matt Simmons's name tonight during the debate, but only to echo Simmons's recommendation that more refineries be built. Nothing about peak oil.
CNN squelching Ron Paul
49 minutes into the debate, I think Ron Paul has had the opportunity to answer only 2 questions so far.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Campaign finance reform
I believe it was Senator Biden who was arguing for public financing in order to get rid of the corruption associated with special interest groups. So I am wondering--who decides who gets funding? And what sort of qualifications are necessary? If someone like Wendell Berry wanted to run for office, what would he have to do in order to qualify for funds?
Fido trailer
This week from Peter Hitchens
A post on dyslexia and how children should be taught to read English: Does Dyslexia exist?
On the lack of consideration on the part of pedestrians, especially those who get caught up in their own senses through the use of I-pods and mp3 players: Thud! Sorry, but can't you look where you're going?
And he offers this post as a space where readers can discuss his review of God is Not Great: The certainty delusion
On the lack of consideration on the part of pedestrians, especially those who get caught up in their own senses through the use of I-pods and mp3 players: Thud! Sorry, but can't you look where you're going?
And he offers this post as a space where readers can discuss his review of God is Not Great: The certainty delusion
Lu Decheng speaks on the current situation in China
With the West silent Tiananmen Square-like repression goes on in China, says Lu Decheng
The man who 18 years ago three eggs and paint at the large portrait of Mao days before students and workers were mowed down in Tiananmen Square speaks out. For Lu Decheng the current situation in China is similar if not worse than that of 1989.
Rome (AsiaNews) – “You Westerners trade with China and don’t worry about its widespread slavery. You say that China has changed but are silent when it comes to the violence, the laogai and the lack of freedom. Because of this the country is experiencing greater unrest and tensions than in May-June 1989. You have forgotten Tiananmen,” said Lu Decheng, 44, who has been living in political exile in Calgary (Canada) after spending nine years in a Chinese camp. After escaping from the camp he was able to make his way to Thailand and then Canada.
For Lu it is impossible to forget Tiananmen, the 1989 protest movement made up of students and workers that left indelible marks on his being. On the night of June3-4, 1989, the so-called “People’s Liberation” Army attacked with tanks Tiananmen Square to “liberate” it from students and workers who had taken it over to demand more democracy and less corruption.
International sources like the Red Cross and Amnesty International put the number of killed in the square and nearby streets at over 2,600. But on the night of the massacre Lu was already in jail, arrested only a few weeks earlier, on May 23 to be exact, when with two friends he had thrown eggs and paint at the portrait of Mao Zedong that hangs over the entrance to the Forbidden City, Beijing’s imperial compound.
Although Lu eventually found refuge in Canada, his wife and son are still held hostage by the government in Beijing which has so far refused to let them go.
The second man who defaced Mao’s portrait was named Yu Zhijian and is now 44-year-old. He was released in 2001 but never got his teaching job back. Now he survives making a living doing odd jobs.
The third man, Yu Dongyue, instead lost his mind. He was beaten and tortured in prison—his skull was cracked in one beating too many. Permanently disabled, his parents agreed to say nothing about what he endured in order to get him back home alive.
The action by the three men was the first public expression of contempt for Mao Zedong. “I wanted to show all my loathing for what Mao did, for the tens of millions of my fellow countrymen who died. I wanted to do something to criticise the Communist Party, which continued Mao’s despotism,” Lu told AsiaNews.
For Lu Decheng Deng Xiaoping’s economic reforms were but “a smart way to preserve the [Communist] Party’s power.” Even the opening to the West and the involvement of foreign companies in China’s market were meant to blackmail the international community and force it into silence over China’s dismal human rights record. Some governments today even claim that the human rights situation has improved; something Lu does not believe. In fact, he is certain that things have gotten worse.
“I spent nine years in a Laogai (a ‘reform-through-labour’ forced labour camp) which built vehicles. We were forced to work 15-16 hours a day followed by ‘study sessions’. The forced indoctrination was designed to turn us into people confident about socialism. Today in many Chinese factories working conditions are like those in forced labour camps.”
”Some years ago I worked in a textile factory in Wenzhou (Zhejiang). Here, too, workers had to work 12-14 hours per day for 15 yuan (less than 20 US cents) a day. At night they had to sleep in dormitories that were locked up to prevent escape with guard dogs ready to attack patrolling the grounds outside.”
For Lu the list of arrests of human rights activists is long. It includes Chen Guangchen, sentenced a month ago to four years in jail; lawyers defending farmers and factory workers like Gao Zhisheng now under house arrest and round the clock surveillance; Christian, Muslim and Tibetan religious figures.
“The international community should come out against these violations. When it speaks up China listens. One example is enough. Honk Kong journalist Ching Cheong was charged with revealing state secrets but got only five years in jail because the whole world intervened on his behalf. University Professor Lu Jianhua was sentenced to 20 years because no one put pressure.”
For Lu Decheng trade unions in free countries should be concerned about the fate of Chinese workers and farmers and support their rights. But governments should act as well.
“Discussions about human rights between foreign governments and China generally take place in private, behind close doors. But they have little value. It is high time to involve non-governmental organisations and national human rights commissions to verify on the ground if any progress is made.”
Some Chinese sociologists believe that at present social tensions in China are higher than in period leading up to the Tiananmen Square massacre.
“The party, through corruption and political protection, has created millions of rich people. It has done so by exploiting hundreds of millions of poor and tired people working in slave-like conditions. Today unrest expresses itself in hundreds of daily incidents in which people, as in 1989, demand more democracy and less corruption.”
As a sign of times, an unemployed man just a few weeks ago threw ink at Mao’s portrait in Tiananmen Square. For Lu this is a signal that history might very well repeat itself
* Tomorrow June 5, Lu Decheng will take part in a seminar at Rome’s LUMSA University (located in via Pompeo Magno 22) titled Il lavoro in Cina: i diritti della persona e i diritti collettivi (Working in China: human and collective rights). The meeting is organised by the Laogai Foundation and the Turin branch of the CISL Trade Union. AsiaNews’ own director, Fr Bernardo Cervellera, will take part in the event.
Han Dongfang, Tiananmen massacre still continues today
Tiananmen massacre still continues today
by Han Dongfang
Eighteen years since the repression of the anti-corruption and pro-democracy movement, Han Dongfang, founder of the first free Chinese trade union, looks at the current situation of human and civil rights in his country and warns that continued repression and terror against the people can only undermine society as a whole.
Hong Kong (AsiaNews) – The bloody repression of the anti-corruption and pro-democracy movement ordered by Deng Xiaoping on June 4, 1989, highlighted problems of corruption and lack of democracy that continued to afflict today’s China. If the Chinese government does not want to fall as a result of the repeated blows of the various autonomous civil rights groups and increasing mass protests it has to repair the damages of the past.
Eighteen years since the Tiananmen massacre civil rights activist and founder of the first free Chinese trade union Han Dongfang expresses a harsh judgment of the current leadership. After years in prison following the Tiananmen massacre, he was “freed for medical reasons” (practically expelling him) to the United States. On his return, border guards confiscated his passport. Stateless and living in Hong Kong, Han today runs the China Labour Bulletin, which features news about the plight of workers in China.
In his commentary on the anniversary of the repression (published here in its entirety), the trade union leader warns President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao that to build an “harmonious society” it is necessary to go back to the beginnings and protect workers first and foremost and guarantee human rights to the entire population.
EIGHTEEN years have passed since the bloody suppression of the 1989 democracy movement in China. Among the most memorable images of that time - alongside the chilling scenes of the dead and injured on the streets of Beijing, and the inspiring vision of the young man in a white shirt standing in front of the tanks - were those of a frail and trembling Deng Xiaoping, the man who ordered the crackdown, at a televised meeting on June 9 with the soldiers and leaders of the People's Liberation Army. This footage revealed another side of the "great man": that of someone haunted by the tragic consequences of his own actions and in desperate search of historical vindication.
Hoping to wash the blood from his hands and calm his troubled soul, Deng needed an explanation for the crackdown - in essence, a justification for wholesale murder - and the mantra he came up with was "safeguarding social stability". Increasingly over the past 18 years, the Chinese government has cited China's spectacular economic development as a way of justifying the crackdown on the 1989 democracy movement, claiming that social stability has been the key to economic growth. This flawed logic has underpinned the authorities' relentless suppression of political dissidents, arrests of labour rights activists, and persecution of civil rights advocates that continues to this day.
In recent years, however, the policy of using terror tactics to maintain a fragile façade of social stability in China has begun to backfire. Eighteen years after the suppression of a democracy movement that was opposed to corruption, corruption has become an incurable illness at the heart of the Communist Party. At the same time, the breakneck pace of economic development has brought about clear and tangible evidence of social disintegration on all sides. As a result, an autonomous civil rights (wei quan) movement has now sprung up and begun to penetrate cities, towns and villages around China. Too many citizens have been adversely affected by the government's corruption-ridden paradigm of growth without democracy, and more and more of them are now fighting back, using the language of rights and rule-of-law as their weapon.
China's post-Tiananmen economic success story has caught the imagination of the world; but in fact, the increasing gap between rich and poor since 1989 has been equally spectacular. Take the reform of state owned enterprises (SOEs), for example, and in particular the creation of the SOE share system that forced workers to pay to become shareholders, since having no shares would mean losing one's "rice bowl." Those without savings even had to borrow to take part in this scheme. The workers knew it was a trap, but one they had no way of avoiding. In the end, the great majority of the reformed enterprises made losses or went bankrupt, and the workers' accumulated life savings simply vanished into thin air. In most cases, the money ended up in the pockets of corrupt enterprise bosses.
Although murmurs of resentment could be heard everywhere, for many years China's workers dared not openly give voice to their anger, largely because of the officially prolonged "June 4 crackdown effect", which was like a sharp sword hanging constantly over their heads. Any organized attempts at protest or resistance were branded as "threats to social stability" and were met with harsh repression. The resultant lack of any effective, organised opposition from the workers left individual SOE bosses free to gradually reshape the entire businesses to their own personal ends.
In effect, the government's post-Tiananmen policies became a protective shield for the wholesale and unopposed transformation of China's public wealth into private assets. In the seven years between 1998 and 2004 alone, 30 million workers were forcibly laid off from SOEs. A huge proportion of them and their families were reduced to a state of permanent poverty, while in the process countless government officials and SOE managers became multi-millionaires.
Deng Xiaoping's hard-line policy of repression in 1989 was a mistake; trying to justify murder and the use of political terror in the name of stability was another mistake; and maintaining that political repression in exchange for rapid economic growth over the past 18 years has been a third mistake. As a result of these major policy errors, the Chinese government lost the golden opportunity that arose in the late 1980s to initiate political reforms and start building a democratic system. And now, two decades later, as the façade of social stability begins to crumble under the weight of growing worker anger and the rise of the civil rights movement, the Party is finding it has no option but to fundamentally reassess its ability to govern and to re-examine the very basis of its legitimacy.
Hence, in an attempt to assuage growing public anger and defuse the mass protests erupting all over China, the country's leaders have been obliged to put forward the goal of creating a "harmonious society." However, it is impossible to create a harmonious society unless one enjoys the trust and confidence of the people. And President Hu and Prime Minister Wen cannot secure such things by fiat or repression: they will have to earn them by actually implementing the "people-oriented" policies that they claim to espouse.
The man who ordered the June 4 crackdown passed away a decade ago, and both China's leadership and the government's socio-economic policies have changed conspicuously since then. But politically, the terror tactics remain in place and the "June 4 crackdown effect" still persists. China's current leadership now needs to make some bold new choices and stop repeating the mistakes of the past. Only thus will they be able to truly establish a "harmonious society" and re-establish the Party's popularity and legitimacy. The great mistakes of the past cannot be undone, but today's leaders could, given sufficient political wisdom and foresight, at least begin to repair the damage. Until that happens, the curtain will remain unclosed on the national tragedy prompted by the events of 18 years ago in Beijing.
Fr. Ronald Anderson, S.J. R.I.P.
I received this from Campus Ministry today, along with an email from the department chair.
I took two courses with Fr. Anderson. While I didn't agree with much of what he taught... let us pray for him.
June 4, 2007
Your prayers are requested for Rev. RONALD ANDERSON, S.J. who died
Sunday, June 3. Father Anderson has taught in the Philosophy Department
at BC since 1985. He was a conscientious and caring professor who was a
friend and mentor to his students.
Wake: Sunday, June 10 from 5-8pm
St. Mary's Chapel
Boston College
Funeral:` Mass - 10:00am
Monday, June 11
St. Mary's Chapel
Boston College
I took two courses with Fr. Anderson. While I didn't agree with much of what he taught... let us pray for him.
The 2nd Democratic 2008 Presidential Debate
Transcript at NY Times (single page)
Some snippets with comments and questions.
Elizabeth Hasselbeck from The View objected to this, but I don't see that it's problematic.
Her Giuliani moment for the debate. Of course she has to show how "tough" she is, and tell us how much of a threat these Islamofascists are!
A lot of warm fuzzy talk, with many of the candidates emphasizing over and over again how they were friends with the others, and how they have more in common with each other than with the Republicans.
If you don't want to "judge" them, at least you can judge their vote, can't you? Or are you saying that those who voted no and those voted yes all voted correctly? (Now someone could argue that this is the case, referring to the virtue of prudence, but I wonder if Sen. Biden could carry this off.)
Good for Gravel. Will the voters remember this?
I think Afghanistan will turn out to be a no-win situation as well. But none of the "leading" candidates will admit this, instead relying on Afghanistan to score points against the current administration.
Sounds like you just admitted that it was an amnesty, just not an immediate one, Governor.
What about the rule of entering the country lawfully?
I don't see how having an official language leads to the latter consequence. As for the former, shouldn't people learn how to speak English before acquiring citizenship? And if they are too old, perhaps they should be given some status other than that of citizen, one which would afford them most or all of the benefits--just no right to engage in the political process.
I need to read more about single-payer proposals.
All of the candidates endorsed getting rid of the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy in the military and letting "homosexuals serve openly."
More radical social transformation.
A rebate? How is that going to happen? And how would he mandate oil companies do research? There are no alternative technologies or energy sources that can preserve our way of life--who is willing to admit this? Perhaps Ron Paul will be brave enough; he should have a talk with Roscoe Bartlett. Dennis Kucinich recognizes peak oil, but as far as I know he's enamored with alternative fuels as well.
Why wouldn't economic sanctions drive the people to support the leadership?
More American do-goodism. How is he going to pay for it?
Where's he going to get the $$$?
No one wants to talk about the lack of vocational training, or protecting jobs for people with other skills and no college degree.
Moron. You don't need a college degree to work in the service economy, which is what the American economy is becoming increasingly.
Heh. Gravel once again proves his usefulness.
Mandatory preschool and fullday kindergarten. Richardson knows nothing about education, he shouldn't be talking about it. And how will he finance this minimum wage for teachers nationwide? Give Federal subsidies? That he might have implemented such policies while governor of New Mexico should tell us something about what he would do as Chief Executive.
Some snippets with comments and questions.
SEN. EDWARDS: I reject this bumper sticker, Wolf. And that's exactly what it is, it's a bumper sticker. As president of the United States, I will do absolutely everything to find terrorists where they are, to stop them before they can do harm to us, before they can do harm to America or to its allies. Every tool available -- military, alliances, intelligence -- I will use. But what this global war on terror bumper sticker -- political slogan, that's all it is, it's all it's ever been -- was intended to do was for George Bush to use it to justify everything he does. The ongoing war in Iraq, Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, spying on Americans, torture, none of those things are okay. They are not the United States of America.
Elizabeth Hasselbeck from The View objected to this, but I don't see that it's problematic.
MR. BLITZER: Senator Clinton, do you agree with Senator Edwards that this war on terror is nothing more than a bumper sticker, at least the way it's been described?
SEN. CLINTON: No, I do not. I am a senator from New York. I have lived with the aftermath of 9/11.
And I have seen firsthand the terrible damage that can be inflicted on our country by a small band of terrorists who are intent upon foisting their way of life and using suicide bombers and suicidal people to carry out their agenda. And I believe we are safer than we were. We are not yet safe enough, and I have proposed over the last year a number of policies that I think we should be following.
Her Giuliani moment for the debate. Of course she has to show how "tough" she is, and tell us how much of a threat these Islamofascists are!
MR. BLITZER: Senator Biden, why are you reluctant to say now they were wrong and you were right?
SEN. BIDEN: Because I don't want to judge them. I mean, these are my friends. We work like -- we've worked together.
A lot of warm fuzzy talk, with many of the candidates emphasizing over and over again how they were friends with the others, and how they have more in common with each other than with the Republicans.
If you don't want to "judge" them, at least you can judge their vote, can't you? Or are you saying that those who voted no and those voted yes all voted correctly? (Now someone could argue that this is the case, referring to the virtue of prudence, but I wonder if Sen. Biden could carry this off.)
MR. BLITZER: Hold on one second. We're going to get back to this. I want to let Senator Gravel, he hasn't had a chance to speak yet.
Senator Gravel, I know you've been outspoken on all of these issues. Where very briefly do you disagree with these other Democratic candidates?
MR. GRAVEL: Totally. Totally. It's just that simple. Four of these people here will say that it's George Bush's war. It was facilitated by the Democrats. They brought the resolution up, one of them authored, co-authored it here, standing here, and so it's -- sure, it's George Bush's war, but it's the Democrats' war also.
Good for Gravel. Will the voters remember this?
SEN. OBAMA: This is an enormous distraction from the battle that does have to be waged in Afghanistan and routing out al Qaeda. That is something that we have failed to do. We have the opportunity to be successful there --
I think Afghanistan will turn out to be a no-win situation as well. But none of the "leading" candidates will admit this, instead relying on Afghanistan to score points against the current administration.
MR. BLITZER: Well, let me get back to the question. Almost all of these 12 million illegal immigrants who are here would qualify for this new Z Visa, which would make them legal residents of the United States, so here's the question: Why isn't this amnesty?
GOV. RICHARDSON: It isn't an amnesty.
MR. BLITZER: Why?
GOV. RICHARDSON: Because what this bill does is it sets standards, the standards that I mentioned -- learning English, passing background checks. There's a touchback provision -- the head of household has to go back and then apply. I believe that is unworkable, too. It divides up families. But you don't immediately get an amnesty, you don't immediately get citizenship; it's a process that takes about 13 years.
Sounds like you just admitted that it was an amnesty, just not an immediate one, Governor.
SEN. OBAMA: Well, we should certainly do a better job patrolling the borders in Canada. In fact, this recent case with the young lawyer who had tuberculosis being waved through by a border guard because, he said, he looked okay is a problem. And we've got to strengthen our border patrols on both sides.
But let's go back to the essential issue here. We are a country of immigrants. We're also a country of laws. And the question is, how do we balance that appropriately? I am hopeful that we can solve this problem constructively.
I think Joe is exactly right that we want to have a situation in which those who are already here, are playing by the rules, are willing to pay a fine and go through a rigorous process should have a pathway to legalization. And I think most Americans will support that if they have some sense that the border is also being secured. What they don't want is a situation in which there is a pathway to legalization and you've got another several hundred thousand of folks coming in every year. And that, I think, is a central position we should be able to arrive at.
What about the rule of entering the country lawfully?
SEN. CLINTON: Wolf, let me add that we faced that in the Senate last year, as to whether we would or would not vote for it. The problem is that if it becomes official, instead of recognized as national, which indeed it is, it is our national language, if it becomes official, that means in a place like New York City you can't print ballots in any other language. That means you can't have government pay for translators in hospitals so when somebody comes in with some sort of emergency there's nobody there to help translate what their problem is for the doctors.
I don't see how having an official language leads to the latter consequence. As for the former, shouldn't people learn how to speak English before acquiring citizenship? And if they are too old, perhaps they should be given some status other than that of citizen, one which would afford them most or all of the benefits--just no right to engage in the political process.
REP. KUCINICH: I reject this whole approach. And the American people should know that with half the bankruptcies in the country connected to people not being able to pay their doctor bills or hospital bills, premiums, co-pays and deductibles going so far through the roof -- 46 million Americans, no health care; another 50 million underinsured, there is only one way to get health care coverage for all Americans, and that is to have a universal single-payer, not-for- profit healthcare system, Medicare for All. Wolf, I've written the bill -- it's H.R. 676 -- with John Conyers, supported by 14,000 physicians.
MR. BLITZER: All right.
REP. KUCINICH: And you know what? What Senator Clinton, Senator Edwards, Senator Obama are talking about, they're talking about letting the insurance companies stay in charge. They're talking about continuing a for-profit health care system. (Applause.) And I think --
MR. BLITZER: All right. Hold on. No applause.
REP. KUCINICH: -- we need a president who's ready to challenge that. And I'm ready to challenge the insurance companies.
I need to read more about single-payer proposals.
All of the candidates endorsed getting rid of the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy in the military and letting "homosexuals serve openly."
GOV. RICHARDSON: I love all this parsing and senatorial courtesy and "on the one hand, on the other hand."
Here's what I would do. I would do what I did as governor of New Mexico. One, I would move in the Congress for a hate crimes law. I would have domestic partnerships. I would have civil unions. I would initiate laws that practice non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. I would get rid of "don't ask, don't tell." I voted against it as a congressman.
More radical social transformation.
MR. BLITZER: Thank you, Senator. But the question is, what would you do right now to reduce the price of gasoline?
SEN. DODD: Well, what we've offered already, in fact, and that is, of course, we ought to be saying here that when the price of a barrel of oil gets beyond $40 a barrel, where there's plenty of profit here, that those dollars ought to be returned to the consumers in a rebate or plowed back into the research that would allow us to develop alternative technologies.
A rebate? How is that going to happen? And how would he mandate oil companies do research? There are no alternative technologies or energy sources that can preserve our way of life--who is willing to admit this? Perhaps Ron Paul will be brave enough; he should have a talk with Roscoe Bartlett. Dennis Kucinich recognizes peak oil, but as far as I know he's enamored with alternative fuels as well.
SEN. EDWARDS: It needs to be not behind closed doors. Just 10 more seconds. And then the alternative, the stick, is if they don't do that, there are going to be serious economic sanctions.
We need to drive a wedge between the Iranian people and this radical leader.
Why wouldn't economic sanctions drive the people to support the leadership?
SEN. EDWARDS: But I think all of us recognize that this is a piece of a bigger puzzle, which is America no longer has the moral authority to lead in the world. Watching a genocide continue has contributed to that, but it is not the only thing. The spread of HIV/AIDS. I think America ought to actually lead an effort to make primary school education available to 100 million children in the world who desperately need it, and including in Africa.
More American do-goodism. How is he going to pay for it?
MR. GRAVEL: And obviously, I filibustered and forced the end of the draft. I don't think we need it back. If you want to volunteer for the military, you're entitled to do it.
I would like to see a voluntary program where young people would have an opportunity to render public service, whether it's in the military, whether it's the Peace Corps, whether it's the AmeriCorps -- all of the above. And then for every year that you serve, we'll give you four years of school free. (Applause.) That would give you an incentive to move forward and do something about education in this country.
Where's he going to get the $$$?
MR. EDWARDS: Well, I don't know if I know what a rich person is, but what I'd do for my health care plan is roll back the tax cuts for people who make over $200,000 a year, so $200,000 is a big value.
But I want to go to a piece of this question that you asked, which is, you talked about saving for your kids to be able to go to college, and we really haven't talked about that tonight.
Just a quick idea: College for everyone. It's something we've actually -- Elizabeth and I put in place in eastern North Carolina, in a small community in eastern North Carolina. And the idea is really simple. The idea is, if a kid graduates from high school, qualified to be in college, and they commit to work when they're there at least 10 hours a week, their tuition and books are paid for. And the idea is, we want to make it simple for kids to go to college. They have to work for it. We don't just give it to them.
And then, on top of that, so many young people are faced with this crushing burden of debt when they graduate from college. I think it's something we shouldn't just be doing. We've done this privately in this small area of eastern North Carolina.
No one wants to talk about the lack of vocational training, or protecting jobs for people with other skills and no college degree.
MR. EDWARDS: But it's something we ought to be doing all across this country -- college for everyone.
Moron. You don't need a college degree to work in the service economy, which is what the American economy is becoming increasingly.
MR. GRAVEL: Totally. Totally. It's abominable. And the only way you're going to get rid of it is to give the president the line- item veto, and of course they're not going to give the president the line-item veto. What we need to do is change the entire tax structure.
I want to point out that the comptroller general of the United States invited all the presidential candidates to come in for a briefing. I went in for a briefing. He said there was only two other people that came in for a briefing. What the briefing -- he told us is that we have a fiscal gap on the order of $50 trillion. And you're hearing all this money's going to be spent to do all these great things? My God, don't believe a word of it. Follow the money.
Heh. Gravel once again proves his usefulness.
GOV. RICHARDSON: Nobody's talked about your profession, education. I would upgrade our schools. I would have pre-school for every American, full-day kindergarten. I would pay our teachers what they deserve. I'd have a minimum wage for our teachers, $40,000. I did that in New Mexico; we went from 49th to 29th. I would bring science and math academies to get America more competitive. I would emphasize the arts. I would emphasize civics, again, science and math.
Mandatory preschool and fullday kindergarten. Richardson knows nothing about education, he shouldn't be talking about it. And how will he finance this minimum wage for teachers nationwide? Give Federal subsidies? That he might have implemented such policies while governor of New Mexico should tell us something about what he would do as Chief Executive.
Aaron Wolf on Mission Statements
The Business of Souls: When Experts Attack, Part II
by Aaron D. Wolf
It's bad enough that companies have mission statements, but the spread of mission statements to universities and parishes, where the purpose of such associations should be quite clear, is indicative of how lost we, especially those of us who are bureaucrats, are. At a time when the techniques of advertisement are heavily used, we should expect such statements can be quite exaggerated, in order to set the organization apart as being unique or original.
by Aaron D. Wolf
The past century has witnessed the complete transformation of Western society: the destruction of communities, cities, farms and the small towns they supported, small businesses, jobs in general, the social order, etc. What is left of public Christian morality is quickly vanishing; divorce is universally accepted; contraception, abortion, and sodomy are rights by default; and those who argue against them are immediately branded as sinister “phobes” of some sort who wish to impose their own morality on, and enslave, others. In this era of MySpace and e-mail and cell phones, the old method of walking around and talking to people, sharing the Faith as one goes, inviting unbelieving friends to church, and even impromptu preaching seems impossible, outdated, even insincere. Every seminarian knows that modernity brought specialization, which brought isolation, which brought alienation. Modernism has made us all naked individuals, and postmodernism has made everything relative. No matter what ism we slap on the problem, however, many of us arrive (enthusiastically or reluctantly) at a similar conclusion: Since the world has changed, the Church must change; we must adapt, or die. And the fact that our churches are dying means that we must not be adapting enough.
Few of today’s Church-growth experts would call the Gospel a product, but that is, in essence, how it is treated. And, as one great business guru said, half a century ago, “There is only one valid definition of business purpose: to create a customer.” Unbelievers are treated as customers, consumers, “seekers” with identifiable needs. Thus, many American churches have adapted themselves, in varying degrees, to a business model. The extent of this adaptation is significant: How many churches today have mission/vision/purpose/strategy statements? How many of them have added a “contemporary” service, or transformed their “traditional” service by including various modern trappings (video projectors, “praise bands,” psycho-babble sermons, a general air of informality)? How many of them anguish over advertising campaigns designed to bring in more people on any given Sunday?
It's bad enough that companies have mission statements, but the spread of mission statements to universities and parishes, where the purpose of such associations should be quite clear, is indicative of how lost we, especially those of us who are bureaucrats, are. At a time when the techniques of advertisement are heavily used, we should expect such statements can be quite exaggerated, in order to set the organization apart as being unique or original.
Pope's Address Upon Proclaiming 4 Saints
Pope's Address Upon Proclaiming 4 Saints
"Friends of Jesus and Witnesses of His Holiness"
VATICAN CITY, JUNE 3, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the homily delivered today by Benedict XVI during the canonization Mass of Father George Preca, Father Szymon of Lipnica, Father Charles of St. Andrew and Mother Marie-Eugénie of Jesus.
* * *
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.
After Eastertide, after having relived the event of Pentecost, which renews the Church's baptism in the Holy Spirit, we turn our gaze, so to speak, to the "opened heavens" to enter with the eyes of faith into the depths of the mystery of God, one in substance and three in persons: Father and Son and Holy Spirit.
As we allow ourselves to be caught up in this great mystery, we admire the glory of God which is reflected in the life of the saints; we contemplate it above all in those whom I have a short while ago proposed for the veneration of the universal Church: George Preca, Szymon of Lipnica, Father Charles of St. Andrew and Mother Marie Eugénie of Jesus.
To all the pilgrims who have come to pay homage to these exemplary witnesses of the Gospel, I extend my cordial greetings.
I greet, in particular, the cardinals, the presidents of the Philippines, of Ireland, of Malta and of Poland, my venerable brothers in the episcopate, the government delegations, and the other civil authorities who are taking part in this celebration.
In the first reading, taken from the Book of Proverbs, wisdom comes on the scene, standing at God's side as assistant, as "architect" (Proverbs 8:30).
The panorama of the cosmos seen with wisdom's eyes is stupendous. Wisdom confesses: "I played upon the surface of his earth; and I found delight in the human race" (8:30). Wisdom loves to dwell among men because in them she recognizes the image and likeness of the Creator.
This preferential relationship of wisdom with men makes us think of a celebrated passage in another sapiential book, the Book of Wisdom: "Wisdom," we read there, "is an aura of the might of God and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing that is sullied enters into her. For she is the refulgence of eternal light, the spotless mirror of the power of God, the image of his goodness. And she, who is one, can do all things, and renews everything while herself perduring; and passing into holy souls from age to age, she produces friends of God and prophets" (Wisdom 7:25-27).
This last suggestive expression invites us to consider the manifold and inexhaustible manifestation of sanctity in the people of God through the centuries. God's wisdom is manifest in the cosmos, in variety and beauty in its elements, but its masterpieces are the saints.
In the passage from the letter of the Apostle Paul to the Romans we find a similar image: that of God's love "poured out into the hearts" of the saints, that is the baptized, "through the Holy Spirit" who has been given to them (cf. Romans 5:5). It is through Christ that the gift of the Spirit passes, "Person-Love, Person-Gift," as the Servant of God John Paul II defined him ("Dominum Vivificantem," No. 10).
Through Christ, the Spirit of God comes to us as principle of new, "holy," life. The Spirit puts the love of God in the heart of believers in the concrete form it had in the man Jesus of Nazareth. In this way what St. Paul says about "Christ in you, hope of glory" (Corinthians 1:27) is realized. The "tribulations" are not in contrast to this hope, indeed, they help to realize it through "patience" and "proven virtue" (Romans 5:3-4): It is the way of Jesus, the way of the cross.
In the same perspective, of God's wisdom incarnate in Christ and communicated by the Holy Spirit, the Gospel suggested to us that God the Father continues to manifest his plan of love through the saints. Even here there occurs what we have already noted about wisdom: The Spirit of truth reveals God's plan in the multiplicity of the elements of the cosmos and he does it above all through human persons, in a special way through saints.
In effect, "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15) is properly only Jesus Christ, "the holy and just one" (Acts 3:14). He is wisdom incarnate, creator Logos who finds his joy in dwelling among men, in whose midst he has pitched his tent (cf. John 16:15). It pleased God to pour "every fullness" (cf. Colossians 1:19); or as he himself says in today's Gospel passage: "All that the Father has is mine" (John 16:15).
Each individual saint participates in the riches of Christ taken from the Father and communicated at the right time. It is always Jesus' own holiness, it is always him, the "holy one," whom the Spirit forms in "holy souls," making them into friends of Jesus and witnesses of his holiness.
George Preca was a friend of Jesus and a witness of the holiness that comes from him. George was born in La Valletta on the island of Malta. He was a priest wholly dedicated to evangelization: through preaching, through writing, through spiritual direction and the administering of the sacraments, and above all by the example of his life.
The phrase from John's Gospel "Verbum caro factum est" always gave direction to his soul and to his deeds, and thus the Lord was able to use him to give life to a meritorious work, "The Society of Christian Doctrine," which aimed at providing parishes with the service of qualified, well-formed and generous catechists.
A profoundly priestly and mystical soul, he overflowed with love for God, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and the saints. He loved to repeat: "Lord God, how much I owe you! Thank you, Lord God, and forgive me, Lord God!"
Saint George Preca, help the Church to always be, in Malta and in the world, the faithful echo of Christ, the incarnate Word.
[In Polish the Pope said:]
The new saint, Szymon of Lipnica, great son of land of Poland, witness to Christ and follower of the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi, lived long ago, but is proposed to the Church today as a relevant model of a Christian who -- animated by the spirit of the Gospel -- is ready to give his life for his brothers and sisters.
Thus, filled with mercy that he drew from the Eucharist, did not hesitate to bring aid to those struck by the plague, contracting the sickness that also brought about his own death. Today in a special way we entrust to his protection those who suffer from poverty, sickness, loneliness and social injustice. Through his intercession we ask for ourselves the grace of persevering and active love for Christ and our brother and sisters.
[In English the Holy Father said:]
"The love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us." Truly, in the case of the Passionist priest, Father Charles Houben of St. Andrew, we see how that love overflowed in a life totally dedicated to the care of souls. During his many years of priestly ministry in England and Ireland, the people flocked to him to seek out his wise counsel, his compassionate care and his healing touch.
In the sick and the suffering he recognized the face of the crucified Christ, to whom he had a lifelong devotion. He drank deeply from the rivers of living water that poured forth from the side of the Pierced One, and in the power of the Spirit he bore witness before the world to the Father's love. At the funeral of this much-loved priest, affectionately known as Father Charles of Mount Argus, his superior was moved to observe: "The people have already declared him a saint."
[In French he said:]
Marie-Eugénie of Jesus calls us above all to the importance of the Eucharist in Christian life and in spiritual growth. In fact, as she herself underlined, her first Communion had been the defining moment of her life, although she didn't realize it completely then. Christ, present in the depths of her heart, was working in her, he allowed time to pass according to its own rhythm, so that she could carry out her interior quest that led her to give herself completely to the Lord in religious life, in response to the needs of her times.
She perceived in particular the importance of transmitting to the young generations, and in particular to young girls, an intellectual, moral and spiritual education that would make them into adults capable of taking charge of a family, knowing that in this way they were offering their contribution to the Church and society.
Her entire life she found the strength to carry out her mission in a life of prayer, always associating contemplation with action. May the example of St. Marie-Eugénie invite the men and women of today to transmit the values that will help the youth to become strong adults and joyous witnesses of the Resurrection.
May young people not be afraid to accept these moral and spiritual values, and to live them with patience and fidelity. In this way they will construct their personalities and prepare themselves for their future.
[In Italian the Pope said:]
Dear brothers and sisters, let us give thanks to God for the marvels that he has accomplished in the saints in whom his glory shines forth. Let us be drawn by their examples, guided by their teachings, so that our entire existence becomes, like theirs, a song of praise to the glory of the Most Holy Trinity.
May Mary, the Queen of Saints, and the intercession of these four new "older brothers and sister," whom we venerate with joy today, obtain this grace for us. Amen.
[Translation by ZENIT]
© Copyright 2007 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Interview with Fr. Manuel Guerra Gómez
Masonry, Atheism and Catholicism
Interview With Author of "The Masonic Plot"
BURGOS, Spain, JUNE 3, 2007 (Zenit.org).- What's true and what's not about the Masons is the topic of a recent book by an expert in the history of religions.
Father Manuel Guerra Gómez, who is an author of 25 books on sects and other topics, recently released "La trama masónica" (The Masonic Plot), published in Spanish by Styria.
Father Guerra is a diocesan priest of Burgos, and a retired professor of the Burgos headquarters of the Faculty of Theology of Northern Spain.
In this interview with ZENIT he says that "the Masonic method, atheistic in nature, reflects historical relativism and leads to the socio-cultural relativism that it promotes."
Q: Is the famous Masonic conspiracy a myth?
Father Guerra: It is necessary to distinguish between Masonry and the Masons. Masonry, as such, does not aspire to power or at least to having it serve its own principles and interests.
Nevertheless, Masons are in fact present in every international organization in which decisions are made and in the multinational corporations that have an influence on economic and political power.
It is logical to think that they try to pass on their ideological principles -- relativism, atheism, gnosticism -- wherever they are and to irradiate them beyond their own context.
On the other hand, in the English-speaking world and in the northern countries, in Turkey, etc., it is not that they seek to gain power, they are the power.
Thus, for example, the sovereign of the United Kingdom is also the grand master of the United Grand Lodge of England, and of the more than 150 grand lodges -- one for every country, and in the United States one for every state. In 1995, in the United Grand Lodge of England there were 750,000 members belonging to 8,000 lodges throughout the world.
Besides this, because of the rule of secrecy, there is no way of knowing for certain where they are active and how far their direct influence extends, and much less do we know the extent of their indirect influence.
Tony Blair's government sought to institute the obligation that Masons declare their membership in the group, especially if they were functionaries of the state, and above all if they worked in the area of justice or in the police. The response of 1,400 English judges who voluntarily declared their membership in the Masons is commendable. Evidently there are many more.
Following the scandals of the secret Propaganda Due Lodge of Licio Gelli in Italy, functionaries in certain areas of Italian public administration must declare whether that they are Masons at the risk of losing their post.
Q: Is it true that 60% of the members of the European Parliament are Masons?
Father Guerra: This and a similar claim were made by Josep Corominas, grand master of the Grand Lodge of Spain up until March 2006. On Feb. 9, 2007, he left the Grand Lodge of Spain, but affirmed that he would continue to be a Mason and wanted to be considered such.
Is this a new division which has given place to a new Masonic obedience, or is it an incorporation into one already existing?
Indeed, all the proposals pertaining to family and bioethics issues, dissenting from the teaching of the Church and even the natural law, have been approved by the European Parliament. There is also the case of the Italian Rocco Buttiglione who was rejected as a European commissioner by an atheist majority of the Parliament.
Q: In Rome a conference has just ended in which the incompatibility of Catholicism and Masonry was recalled. A call for dialogue with Masons on socio-cultural questions was made. How can this happen?
Father Guerra: Despite the objective incompatibility between Masonry and Catholicism, Catholics can dialogue with Masons at different levels, except for those things that the Holy See, aware of the risks, has reserved for its exclusive competence.
In the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's declaration on Freemasonry it is stated that it "is not within the competence of local ecclesiastical authorities to give a judgment on the nature of Masonic associations which would imply a derogation from what has been decided above, and this in line with the declaration of this sacred congregation issued on Feb. 17, 1981."
It is likewise necessary to consider the reality and consequences of Masonic secrecy. How can you dialogue with someone who wears a mask? Despite this, it is still possible to dialogue about socio-cultural questions. Even if religions and ideologies end up forming and conforming the respective cultures to themselves, there always exists some common ground.
Unlike that which is specifically religious and ideological, the cultural ambit is still a sector about which it is possible to dialogue, at least in theory. It is easier to undertake dialogue on intercultural issues -- like poverty, literacy, the environment, health, globalization, etc. -- than on interreligious issues.
Nevertheless, even on this terrain, dialogue with the Masons encounters serious difficulties, insofar as Masonic atheism, open or hidden, tends to relegate to the margins religious particularities, that which is not common to all religions and moral codes, and tends to enclose it -- like someone under "house arrest" -- in the forum of personal conscience and behind Church walls.
In this sense Masonry works to eliminate the socio-cultural trappings of Christianity in traditionally Christian countries -- such as for example Nativity scenes or representations of symbols of the Christmas mystery -- the star of Bethlehem, the Three Kings, etc.
Q: Does Masonry substitute itself for religion?
Father Guerra: Masonry, in line with one of its products, the New Age, prefers to use the term "spirituality," which has a more subjective resonance than the term "religion."
Some Masons say that they are Christians and deny that Masonry is a religion. They should rather recognize that they belong to two religions: the Catholic one and the Masonic one.
But in fact, at least for many, above all for the Masons who are agnostics and deists, Masonry is a substitute for religion. Indeed, Masonry is called a "religion" and sometimes "the religion" in Masonic writings and those of Masons.
Q: How were you able to get up close to this world if it is so secretive?
Father Guerra: I dedicated many hours of study to the constitutions, rules and rituals of the different federations of Masonic lodges, spoke with Masons and ex-Masons in Spain and Mexico, and read books on Masonry by Masons and non-Masons.
About 10 years ago in Mexico I spent two summers speaking daily with Masonic and non-Masonic university professors. I spent the afternoons visiting the centers of different sects, some of them para-Masonic, that are on the outskirts of the cities.
Q: Does Masonry have more to do with a method than a content?
Father Guerra: Man, besides thinking, also feels and imagines. Sentiments and imagination can interfere with and disturb mental lucidity. But despite this, ideas and beliefs orient man; principles create and orient human institutions. But to achieve the objective it is necessary to use the right "method."
The Greek word "odos" means "way," and "met" means the "goal" at which we want to arrive. In Masonry the method aims at the highest categories and the maximum effectiveness since it in fact constitutes one of the "principles," perhaps the most fundamental, the one that is at the basis of all the others.
It is precisely because of its method that Masonry ends up being incompatible with Christian doctrine.
The Masonic method, atheistic in nature, reflects historical relativism and leads to the socio-cultural relativism that it promotes.
Alain Gérard, one of the directors of the Grand Orient of France, says that "Masonry is only a method." According to him, a Mason can have "opinions" or the beliefs of a particular religion, but the Masonic method obliges him to "call into question" his opinions and to accept the possibility that they will be declared false or surpassed by a more solid rational system and with the support of the majority.
"You cannot have a real discussion if, whatever be the outcome of the discussion, there will always be some points about which you are convinced you are right," Gérard says.
With this the Masonic allergy to dogmas and to dogmatic and revealed religion, especially to Christianity, comes to light.
This also explains why Masons tend to consider democracy as an achievement of Masonry and the democratic method -- approval by majority vote -- as something connatural to Masonry. This democratic method they extend to every reality, including the truth itself, the good, etc.
The present grand master of the Grand Orient of France, Jean Michel Quilardet, in a statement to the Spanish newspaper La Voz de Asturias on Jan. 29, 2007, said that "you can think that a non-atheistic democracy exists -- and non-atheistic means non-Masonic -- but to my way of seeing things and to my way of thinking atheism is an accomplishment of democracy." Thus, those democrats who are not atheists or Masons, if they are democrats, would be second-class democrats.
Q: Are the Masons a creative minority? Are Christians as well?
Father Guerra: Masons obviously do not have a monopoly on creativity. Even if it is of a different nature, creativity also belongs to Christians with the help of divine grace and the influence of the Holy Spirit. And Christian creativity is not of a lesser sort.
To demonstrate this all we need to do is look at the history of the Church and at its adaptation of evangelization to quite variable social and cultural circumstances in the 2000 years of its existence. "The hand of the Lord is not too short" -- Isaiah 59:1 -- in our day.
When, a few years ago, Pope John Paul II called the ecclesial movements "the new springtime of the Spirit," "the renewed Pentecost," "a special gift that the Spirit offers to the Church in our historical moment," I initially attributed it to his incredible goodness.
The good and holy person only sees good in everything, like the greedy man sees lucre and the lustful man sees sexual pleasure.
When, however, I worked on a piece called "The Ecclesial Movements in Spain," and I was able to see the reality for myself, it left a deep impression. What creativity the sons and daughters of the Church, moved and inspired by the Holy Spirit, have today!
How could the Church or the world survive if the ecclesial movements -- the educational projects, the aid work, etc. -- disappeared, leaving a kind of large "black hole" in the ecclesial and socio-cultural galaxies?
Pope Urges Just Distribution of Goods
Pope Urges Just Distribution of Goods
Says Religion Is Basis of Solidarity
VATICAN CITY, JUNE 1, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI launched a call for a more just distribution of the wealth of the planet.
The Holy Father made this invitation today on receiving the letters of credence of five new ambassadors to the Holy See: Ayesha Riyaz of Pakistan, Larus Stefansson of Iceland, Juri Seilenthal of Estonia, Domitille Barancira of Burundi and Ahmed Hamid Elfaki Hamid of Sudan.
In his address the Pope said that "in the modern world it is more than ever important to affirm the bonds that unite countries, with special attention toward the poorest nations."
The Pontiff continued: "It is not possible to continue using the wealth of the poorest countries with impunity, without them also being able to participate in world growth.
"Authorities in all countries have a duty to work together to ensure greater distribution of the wealth and resources of the planet.
"Collaboration to this end will also have an effect on solidarity, peace and fraternity, within countries and between countries."
Benedict XVI expressed his desire "for a renewed commitment among all nations, especially the richest, to ensure that all human beings may become aware of their responsibility in this matter, and accept a transformation of lifestyle with a view to an ever more just distribution" of wealth.
More on globalization, but is this really what is required? As if globalization could be ameliorated without it ceasing to be globalization. Could we have such mobility of capital without exploitation? (What keeps the standard of living from reaching parity for all laborers the world over?) What would a transformation of lifestyle actually entail? It is one thing to inveigh against consumerism, but shouldn't the pope talk about what it means to live the simple life? People need to be reminded of the difference between necessities and luxuries, and the higher goods that cannot be purchased but are nonetheless essential (and more important than material goods) to human happiness.
Brotherly love
The Holy Father highlighted the role of the various religions of the world and "the duty they have to form their members with a view to creating fraternal relations among all the inhabitants of a country, and with ever more respectful concern for all mankind."
"No one should be subject to discrimination or be relegated to the margins of society for their religious beliefs and practices, which are such fundamental elements of people's freedom," the Pontiff said
The Pope continued: "Authentic religion cannot be a source of division or of violence between people or between human communities. On the contrary, religion lies at the basis of the awareness that all people are brothers, who must be protected and helped to develop."
How would the pope respond to someone saying, "Who is the pope to encourage people of other religions to do their job of teaching and forming well? By what authority does he do this?" It may be said that the pope and the bishops united to him are the guardians of the Natural Law. And everyone should be encouraged to be just and benevolent. But how would Catholics (or the pope) react if the Dalai Lama were to say "Christian leaders have the responsibility to make sure Christians are compassionate and merciful"? Now Christians should be humble enough to accept this sort of advice from non-Christians; but from what perspective would the Dalai Lama be saying this? From a Buddhist perspective, and one would assume it would be in accord with Buddhist teachings. So is the pope appealing to the Natural Law or to his authority as the vicar of Christ in an instance such as this?
What he is quoted as saying here is not new--it's in accord with previous comments he has made about religious freedom and Dignitatis Humanae. Still, is it the case that "religion" lies at the basis of the awreness that all people are brothers? Or is it "justice"? The two are not the same. And while there may be a natural affinity (depending on how seriously takes the descent of human beings from Adam and Even), still, this is not the same as saying that all are called to be brothers in Christ.
It is difficult to give a thorough response to his very limited and sparse comments, since they were not meant to be an exposition, but are they not representative of a certain mindset, one that is also to be found in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church?
Father Cantalamessa on Equal Dignity
Father Cantalamessa on Equal Dignity
Pontifical Household Preacher Comments on Sunday's Readings
ROME, JUNE 1, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of a commentary by the Pontifical Household preacher, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, on the readings from this Sunday's liturgy.
* * *
Equal and Different
Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Proverbs 8:22-31; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15
The Gospel for the solemnity, drawn from Jesus' farewell discourses, deals with three mysterious subjects which are inextricably united, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into the whole truth. … All that the Father has is mine" -- the Son! Reflecting on these and similar texts the Church arrived at its faith in the Trinitarian God.
Many ask: But what is this puzzle of three who are one and one who are three? Would it not be easier to believe in a God who is just one, as the Muslims do? The answer is simple. The Church believes in the Trinity, not because it likes to complicate things, but because this truth has been revealed by Christ. The difficulty of understanding the mystery of the Trinity is an argument in favor of, and not against, its truth. No man left to himself would have ever come up with this mystery.
After the mystery has been revealed to us, we intuit that, if God exists, it can be no other way: one and three at the same time. There can only be love between two or more persons; if therefore "God is love," there must be in God one who loves, one who is loved, and the love that unites them.
Christians are monotheists; they believe in a God who is one, but not solitary. Who would God love if he were absolutely alone? Perhaps himself? But then his love would not be really love, but rather egoism or narcissism.
I would like to consider the great and formidable teaching about life that comes to us from the Trinity. This mystery is the maximum affirmation that there can be both equality and diversity: equal in dignity but different in characteristics. And is this not the most important thing that we must learn if we are going to live well in this world? That we can be, that is, different by the color of our skin, because of culture, sex, race and religion, and yet enjoy equal dignity as human persons?
This teaching has its first and most natural field of application in the family. The family must be an earthly reflection of the Trinity. It is made up of persons of different sex (man and woman) and age (parents and children) with all the consequences that derive from these differences: different sentiments, different attitudes and tastes. The success of a marriage and a family depends on the measure by which this diversity knows how to tend toward a higher unity: unity of love, intentions and collaboration.
It is not true that a man and a woman must have the same temperament and gifts; that for them to agree, they must both be either cheerful, vivacious, extroverted and instinctive, or both introverted, quiet and reflective. Indeed we know what negative consequences can follow, even at the physical level, from marriage between relatives within a restricted circle.
Husband and wife do not have each to be the "better half" of the other in the sense of two halves perfectly equal, as an apple cut in two, but in the sense that one is the missing half of the other and the complement of the other. This was God's intention when he said: "It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a help similar to him" (Genesis 2:18). This all presupposes the strength to accept the difference of the other, which is the most difficult thing for us to do and in which only the most mature marriages succeed.
From this we also see how erroneous it is to consider the Trinity a mystery that is remote from our lives, one to be left to the speculation of theologians. On the contrary, it is a mystery that is very close to us. The reason is very simple: We were created in the image of the Trinitarian God, we bear this imprint and we are called to realize the same sublime synthesis of unity and diversity.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)