Chris Ripke is a well-known artist in the city. His studio is near a mosque in Insuindestraat. Shocked in 2004 by the murder of director Theo Van Gogh by an Dutch Islamist, Chris decided to paint an angel on wall of his studio and the biblical commandment "Gij zult niet doden," thou shalt not kill. His neighbors at the mosque found the words "offensive," and called the mayor of Rotterdam at the time, the liberal Ivo Opstelten. The mayor ordered the police to erase the painting, because it was "racist." Wim Nottroth, a television journalist, camped out on the spot in protest. The police arrested him, and his film was destroyed. Ephimenco did the same in his own window: "I put up a big white sheet with the biblical commandment. Photographers came, and the radio. If you can no longer write 'do not kill' in this country, then you are saying that we are all in prison. It is like apartheid, whites living with whites and blacks with blacks. There is a great chill. Islamism wants to change the structure of the country." For Ephimenco, part of the problem is the de-Christianization of society. "When I arrived here, during the 1960's, religion was dying, a unique event in Europe, a collective de-Christianization. Then the Muslims brought religion back to the center of social life. Aided by the anti-Christian elite."
A number of years back I was one of the first bloggers in NZ to report on what was occurring in Europe during the Islamic Cartoon Fiasco. Some of you will remember the outcry over the publishing in Denmark of a number of cartoons criticising Islam that resulted in spectacular protests, riots and deaths throughout the world.
At the time, I was still an agnostic with a New Age bent that I was growing out of.
At some point between my conversion back to Catholicism (after 20 years or more away from it), I realised that the problem with Islam wasn't so much Islam, but Christianity. Take a Christian country that is barely Christian, add many years of Islamic immigration, and soon you will get an Islamic country. Not because Islam is strong. It isn't, it can't be, it's not the entire truth about God. It's because a weak post Christian nation creates a void that is filled with the strongest religion that can get in there. Environmentalism, secularism, New Age hippie shit just doesn't cut it.
So why does Islam have this strength? It's partial truth. It points to the Christian God. It just doesn't know Him. Anything that is partially true is given strength by that truth. Human beings are oriented to truth and so will gravitate to that which is the most true. Because there is such a bias against Christianity in a post-Christian society, and Christians do not live as they should in order to be a light to the world, the most natural place for most people to end up will be in Islam if it is offered.
I realised this a number of years ago. That's why this blog is so staunchly and obviously Catholic. Hiding is just not an option. Being shy is for those that don't want to survive and create a better future for their children. Because Catholicism is 100% true and oriented completely towards the one true God, one Catholic will be worth 1,000 Muslims, 20,000 Greenies and 100,000 Atheists.
It's time to choose a side. Don't sit this one out.
Related Link: Eurabia Has A Capital: Rotterdam ~ Chisea
Introspection, decadence, self-indulgence, depravity &
ReplyDeletebarbarism.
I'd suggest reason and a passion for humanity and life and the creativity of the human mind could replace all of them of course. All of course coming with the mutual respect of each other and each others' property.
ReplyDeleteIslam is a religion of total sacrifice, sacrifice of the individual to an after-life, surrendering humanity and the mind to the rants of a pedophile prophet.
Christianity is only an improvement in that its philosophy of sacrifice of the self has been tempered by the enlightenment and the dragging of Western civilisation from under the jackboot of both Catholic and Protestant oppression as churches used the state to enforce their diktat. Secularism is the dignity of the human individual to make a choice about religion, without the state using force to restrict this.
I agree that we must not "sit this one out" Lucyna. Apparently there's more mosques than churches in England now - the media and governments appear to be unable to see what is happening!
ReplyDeleteBut your comment, "one Catholic will be worth 1,000 Muslims, 20,000 Greenies and 100,000 Atheists" is as intriguing as it is incorrect.
God does not assign "worth" to people of different religions. We are all sinners, and worthy of punishment. Those of us who believe in God can only thank Him for our gift of faith - it's not because of any worth we have, or have been given. It's simply because God was gracious to us.
God doesn't wish for anybody to go to hell, in fact He calls all men everywhere to be saved - but they will go to hell if they refuse to submit to Him.
Anyway, a question...
how many Protestants is one Catholic worth?
Andy,
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to put a number of that one, because it depends...
Anyway, have a read of this:
Protestanism is dangerous
"Wot Lucyna said...
ReplyDeleteDamn straight, that's how we roll at NZC..."
OK, youthful moment over...:-)
Andy: "We are all sinners, and worthy of punishment" yep little children too right? That's the philosophy the church used while it facilitated the child rape and sadism at institutions in Ireland over the past century or so.
ReplyDeleteKoolaid's comment is timely, since it appears that decadence, self indulgence, depravity and barbarity were located squarely within the Catholic Church in Ireland, to such an extent that it seemed like a holiday camp for sex abusers.
However it's ok I guess if you think that life is not worth as much as the afterlife - people can abuse kids and then go to hell, and the kids with wrecked lives can just wait till they die.
This should anger all Catholics, you should be demanding justice, prosecution of the offenders and compensation from your church. Otherwise the moral authority of the church sits alongside NAMBLA.
LibertyScott,
ReplyDeleteI saw your post on your blog on the subject.
The problem is that Catholics are not all saints. I wish we were. We'd transform the world if that were so. You only have to look at what one saint is capable of to see that, let alone over a billion. But that is just not so.
There are some very, very, very bad people who are Catholic. Look at Robert Mugabe on the extreme end today.
There are also many Catholics who do not follow the Church and don't give a damn. But they are quite happy to call themselves Catholic.
If I spent my whole time being angry, I'd be incapable of doing anything.
So instead, I try to fulfil my duty, try to improve myself, try to align myself to the will of God (that's really hard), do the occasional blog post that points out what is going wrong with Catholics in NZ (do you see that even Bishops seem to have no problem with flouting Church law on what may seem trivial to most people?)
Compensation from our church?
Erm, the people fund the church. That's like demanding compensation from the taxpayers - guess who ends up paying.
Concerning "Protestantism is dangerous".
ReplyDeleteI'm a Baptist. Traditionally many Baptists have thought of themselves not as Protestans but as seperatitists. We didn't want the then corrupt Roman Catholic church to change. We frankly didn't care. We just wanted to be rid of them.
But I figure you, as do most, lump Baptists with the Protestants.
You decline to give a prostestant to catholic worth because it depends. Depends on what?
If I am a follower of Jesus Christ, do my best to be more like Him every day, stumble, sin, repent and stumble again - who has the right to say that I'm not saved or in God's will?
Acts 16:31 says "Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved".
No mention of any other requirement.
I have no problem with you being Roman Catholic. I don't agree with all the teachings but that's not important. What's important is your relationship with Jesus. All the rest is just background noise and quite unimportant.
As long as people base value and salvation on particular chuch membership or any thing other that trusting Jesus Christ, they will continue to devide Christianity and allow focused deceivers - whether it be Muslims, atheists or any other group - to prevail.
Skyman,
ReplyDeleteI decline because in a big part, it depends on the person as opposed to the church membership.
But you take two people, a completely faithful Protestant or Baptist and a completely faithful Catholic, and the Catholic is going to have more access to more truth and therefore be more effective as a channel of God's Will in the world. But it depends, as each Protestant is different (last definitive number I saw was 33,000 denominations and counting), and I don't know about Baptists, if you all believe the same thing.
But I do take issue with just having to believe in Jesus. It doesn't make sense. I believed in Jesus when I rejected Him and became an atheist back in my early 20's. So I think there is a lot more to faith than that.
Such as:
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments."Direct quote from Our Lord Himself. Can be found in John 14:15.
Lucyna, thank you for the post. Yes, the time has arrived (if ever) for 'sides'.Martyrdom awaits.This martyrdom though is necessary for the growth of the church. But hey, this is happening almost daily in parts of the world in which the media couldn't care less unless it concerns a 'piece of rubber'.I sincerely hope that more Catholics are having recourse to Mary, the Mother of God for we know in the end, 'HER Immaculate heart WILL Triumph'.
ReplyDeleteSkyman: There are plenty of decent apologetic sites that deal effectively with the issues (esp. salvation) you raise concerning Holy Mother church, "The pillar and foundation of truth" (1 Tim. 3:15) against whom the "gates of hell SHALL NOT prevail (Matt. 16:18).
http://www.catholic.com/ is pretty good whilst http://www.icatholicism.net/apologetics/radio-replies.html is more in depth.
Galatians 1:6-10
ReplyDelete6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Paul Called by God
Galatians 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed...
ReplyDeletei.e. purgatory, or the immaculate conception of Mary?
---------------------------
I really am curious to know how many protestants one Catholic is worth. I understand your hesitance, as I'm sure each Catholic - or each Protestant for that matter must be appraised on a case-by-case basis.
But you have a rough idea of what percentage of a Catholic a Greenie, an Atheist and a Muslim are worth, so surely you can give us an estimate of what a Protestant is worth?
Andy - wouldn't matter what estimate Lucyna provided, any Protestant worth their salt would argue it! ;-)
ReplyDeleteYeah, true. I'm more interested to know exactly why Lucyna thinks that worth can be assigned to people based on their religion - than an actual Catholic/Protestant ratio...
ReplyDeleteRight with you Skyman, I'm a Baptist too. Trust in Jesus Christ alone is all that is necessary for salvation.
Andy,
ReplyDeleteMy comment in my post on the relative "worth" of Catholics vs other persons of various religious persuasion was an off the cuff comment, to be treated as such.
I didn't mention Protestants for a number of reasons, some of which I have elaborated in in the comments.
The word "worth" is not to be thought of intrinsic value as human beings. Being off the cuff, I didn't specify that it meant a persons ability to manifest God's will in the world. You only have to look at the lives of various Saints to see that their positive impact upon the world far exceeded any "worth" a person could ascribe to them. Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa spring to mind as immediate examples.
Lucyna: "That's like demanding compensation from the taxpayers - guess who ends up paying."
ReplyDeleteSorry Lucyna, if I am a shareholder of a company that has caused immense injury and damage to the lives of people and get sued, then I'm part of the problem.
In other words you're saying to the victims "yes that's sad this institution ruined you life, get over it".
Either you and other Catholics must unite, purge the institution of its gangsters of evil (why so many?) and cough up. The church has been telling everyone else how to live their lives for centuries, clean your own house, make amends or face the consequences.
Your attitude to compensation is appalling. It is vicarious liability - besides, I am sure the church has many properties and assets it could forgo for the sake of compensating children it tortured.
LibertyScott,
ReplyDeleteI do not consider money to be the great healer that you do. No amount of money in the world could compensate any child for sexual abuse.
So, to offer up church property as compensation for the criminal actions of some Catholic clergy and religious is to hop on a bandwagon that implicitly says that money will heal your pain.
It's a lie, no matter how many people believe it.
If our religion did require abuse of children as a doctrine of faith, you would have a very valid point. The church would have no valid reason to exist, and to strip it of it's assets would be the just thing to do.
But that is not the case.
The whole suing for compensation thing is a panacea, makes everyone - except the victim - feel good and then let's them off the hook for having "done something".
The reality is some very sick individuals are enabled by everyone, not just Catholics, to do the things they do.
Heck, the US is even legislating to protect paedophilia in it's current hate speech legislation. If that's not state collusion on a grander scale, then I don't know what is.
Lucyna: You wouldn't think it is compensation, but you're not a victim. You haven't had your confidence and psychological state bludgeoned by evil people, and an institution that hid it. The victims have a right to sue, and should. The church collected money from people whilst paying evil people as they abused children.
ReplyDeleteIt cannot absolve itself of responsibility as an institution for the actions of its employees, like any other private organisation.
Lucyna, yes sick individuals were enabled BY SENIOR OFFICIALS IN THE CHURCH AND STATE to commit evil against children. It is time for heads to roll, it is time for justice to be done. If you can't see it, then you presumably want a casual whitewash, forget the victims right?
AndyMoore: That is an abominable deflection. These were Church employees on Church property, the Church sent known pedophiles and child beaters to other schools and was first concerned about its own reputation. The Church sought a cover up and protection for its gang of child abusers and got it.
However, why face up to that truth when you can make up a lie that there was some "organisation encompassing Atheists" that committed the Holocaust. There has never been a monolithic Atheist organisation Andy.
Andy, employees of the Church, at multiple levels, at best ignored, at worst blamed the children themselves for the abuse they endured.
It is so filthy and revolting it should make you furious at the Irish Catholic Church for wanting to cover it up, and protect the scum in its ranks.
The Church wouldn't be to blame if it didn't cover up and didn't continue to deflect responsibility.
Shows how much it loves children (well it is a special kind of love isn't it?).
LibertyScott:"I'd suggest reason and a passion for humanity and life and the creativity of the human mind could replace all of them of course. All of course coming with the mutual respect of each other and each others' property".
ReplyDeleteI would suggest you've never lived in the real world nor have the foggiest understanding of human beings.Does that 'passion for humanity' extend to unborn babies and the terminally ill?
The existence of God can be proved by reason alone. Do you believe? Look around, we are at the 'end of reason'.Where emotion triumphs logic, style rules over substance. Experts are the new gods. Libertyscott, I put it to you that we are a 'murderous generation'. I've been there. Seen this before. Once again,what about the WHOLESALE SLAUGHTER of the innocent?
"..it appears that decadence, self indulgence, depravity and barbarity were located squarely within the Catholic Church in Ireland" and once again in what world are you presently living? Of course it is easier to look elsewhere rather than what's around you.
" if I am a shareholder of a company that has caused immense injury and damage to the lives of people and get sued, then I'm part of the problem". O.k. where does this end? N.Z. has a massive problem with child abuse. I take it then you (as a New Zealander) consider yourself as part of the problem.
"the enlightment". I suggest you do proper research rather than trying to portray the church as living in some 'dark age'. 'How the Catholic church built Western Civilisation' by Thomas E. Woods Jr. is a good start.
P.s. Yes, there needs to be 'clean-up' of elements within the clergy who have abused. That is not disputed. Does your reasoning not extend that far to suggest that faithful members of the church take this issue personal and would like some answers.
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments."
ReplyDeleteAnd what commandment do you say I as a Baptist haven't kept? I would tell you I've broken various of the 10 commandments on a regular basis. But that's the point. It's not about what I've done, it's about what He did.
Was the author wrong when he said "Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved"
Should he have said "Believe, join this church, dress like this, wear your hair like that".
Mzala: I understand the futility of arguing against the existence of supernatural beings on this blog (and respect that). So I will avoid that existential question because it diverts from the key point which is the source of morality.
ReplyDeleteYes, unborn babies matter, but we will differ on when a collection of cells is a "baby" or not. I believe the debate about abortion is valid, but religion is a distraction from it. It is one reason why my priority is to end state funding of abortion. Those opposed to it should not be forced to pay for it.
Yes, the terminally ill matter, but that is up to them to decide what to do with their lives. None of your (or my) business.
I agree, reason has been decimated, by Marxism, nihilism and environmentalism more recently. I call for a new age of reason.
I notice you have diverted from the Church in Ireland issue, nice one there. An institution facilitated abuse on a grand scale. That's what happened. I am NOT saying Catholics facilitated it, but the Church and State did. Both are culpable and both need to purge themselves of the evil within. Dare I say that a Church that has such damning evidence against it can't point fingers at others until it has cleaned up its own act - and I expect good Catholics to demand it. I know I would if I was Catholic. Far far too many "Christians" pontificated on morality whilst they themselves were committing evil. For Christianity to have a future it must expunge this, absolutely, without mercy.
New Zealand isn't a company, I am not responsible for private citizens. However, if for example, a company I owned, or a private association I led had members who were abusing children, and I knew about, and did nothing about it, I should be accountable.
Let me make it clear, much good came from people involved in the Catholic Church and millions of Catholics are good people. Some of the people I am closest to are Catholics. However, the Church must face its own truth - it has facilitated evil and covered up the vileness in its own ranks.
It is no defence to the stinking mass of evil in your own ranks to say "oh others do it too".
The Church simply needs to:
1. Apologise.
2. Name, shame and present evidence to charge its own.
3. Support those who have evidence of abuse under the Church's care in prosecuting those involved.
4. Demonstrate that it has procedures and transparency in how it operates today to prevent this happening, including clear open channels for children to go to if abuse has occurred.
Without that, it's just a gang of limp wristed apologists for evil.
I call for a new age of reason.
ReplyDeleteThe trouble is every new age of reason has always been ushered in with extreme violence and bloodshed as its tenets only seem reasonable to an elite few who react badly when the majority don't go along with their vision of nirvana.
How is violence or bloodshed consistent with reason? If life is your highest value, then reason is necessary for it to exist, be maintained and optimised. The number one enemy of reason is violence, because it denies argument, debate and the mind.
ReplyDeleteWould you prefer an age of emotion or an age of superstition? We currently have the lot blended together.
LS: And I again say (as in my earlier post) "P.s. Yes, there needs to be 'clean-up' of elements within the clergy who have abused. That is not disputed". Hope this is clear enough. I am glad that we don't have to "hang our heads in shame".
ReplyDeleteThe point being made is that abuse is abuse whether in or outside of the Catholic church. Those responsible must be outed and the law take it's course. Does it, once again not strike you that the faithful laity and clergy are to put it mildly, GUTTED at this betrayal. However perspective must be kept. NOT detracting from this scandal by any means, I think that each individual needs to face up to their own 'evil'. In other words, before anybody 'jumps on the bandwagon', we had better make sure our own backyard is clean.
"...it can't point fingers at others until it has cleaned up its own act". Does this refer to the church in Ireland or the Universal church.As a parent, I don't think then that I would be able to correct or educate my children on any moral issues as I have probably done the same or worse.
As an aside, I still wonder what the term "good catholics" mean. I know that there are sinful, weak, hypocritical, hopeful,loving,faith-filled(though weak) Catholics.This is part of my daily struggle.
Libertyscott: "Yes, unborn babies matter, but we will differ on when a collection of cells is a "baby" or not". I think we can see the new strain of enlightened reasoning. All it needs is a few degrees either side.
ReplyDelete"Yes, the terminally ill matter, but that is up to them to decide what to do with their lives. None of your (or my) business". I guess those teenagers who wish to end their lives would fall into this category? Question: Either a civilisation of love or a culture of death?
Take away Christianity and you'll get evil and barbarism in staggering numbers, and that were around on this planet not so long ago. They're still around with us, just not quite on the scale of decades ago.
ReplyDeleteSkyman,
ReplyDeleteAnd what commandment do you say I as a Baptist haven't kept?
I'm not saying. For a reason.
Was the author wrong when he said "Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved"No.
Should he have said "Believe, join this church, dress like this, wear your hair like that".I believe he did (though maybe not the hair), elsewhere.
Look, I'm really happy to have a discussion about all of this at some point, however, not in such a combative way. I end up responding in kind, and the whole thing goes nowhere.
But the way I see Baptists, is that you guys are very earnest and committed and determined in your faith in Our Lord. But because of that, because He did establish a real physical Church on earth, and on some level you must feel on some level the pull towards that Church, so you would then need to push back in order to not get pulled in.
What that actually means, I would never even want to say, because when it comes down to it, only God knows each person's heart and if they are truly resisting Him or if they think they are doing the right thing.
But it seems that no matter what I say, I end up offending you, and I truly do not want to do that.
Scott, this response may appear to go off topic a bit, but I'd appreciate it if you bare with me..
ReplyDelete"How is violence or bloodshed consistent with reason? If life is your highest value, then reason is necessary for it to exist, be maintained and optimised. The number one enemy of reason is violence, because it denies argument, debate and the mind."
- An objectivist outlook. Rand described "Man's mind" as a non mechanical entity, a very odd statement to make given her commitment to rational discourse. If there's no mechanism to how "Man's mind" works then it puts it on a very different plane to the natural world, and what evidence do we have that's it's essentially a supernatural entity? The answer is.. none, no emperical evidence at any rate. The faculty of self awareness is an interesting one, but I don't think it's enough to elevate the human mind above natural law.
"Would you prefer an age of emotion or an age of superstition? We currently have the lot blended together."
Emotion provides the basis of human motivation. For the lucky (in my opinion), intelligent, rational discourse provides the emotional response required to propagate both that discourse and life, but I think it's an error to ignore the emotional basis of even the most rational person's will to live.
The will to live cannot be justified rationally (though perhaps it can be explained rationally), it is an emotional response to stimuli.
Violence has been one of the most dominant forms of social control for a simple reason, it works, at least it has. If it didn't, natural selection would have dealt with it some time ago. Afterall, once you remove supernatural explanations for our existence, natural selection becomes the most likely explanation for our sociological development.
This is not to say that violence is a rationally justifiable form of conflict resolution. It simply means that it's worked up until now. The functionality of it, in my opinion, is coming near an end. My reasoning comes from the level of technological development human beings have acheived, and the view that humans are capable of even greater levels.
Since the development of nuclear weapons, another world war has been widely viewed as an event which would be disasterous for all mankind. As our levels of technology advance, the likelyhood of such a war increases dramatically, as it's very conceivable that weapons powerful enough to produce a similar effect on civilisation will become easier and easier to build and obtain. The kind of borderless wars that have begun to manifest in this day in age (Terrorism) could eventually escalate to that level.
Without violence as a viable option to solving disputes, we must understand those that are disenfranchised, we must be inclusive. We must have as free a society as possible so that people have less incentive break away from its confines and commit acts of violence. We must understand the basis of beliefs and conflict if we are to survive.
What will fill the void when christianity dies?
Answer: It won't, Christianity will evolve - as it, and all other beliefs, always have.
Mzala: Are you talking about terminally ill teenagers or those succumbing to the sad nihilism so many suffer from? You see your worship of suffering condones people having to endure "life" of agony and humiliation through terminal illness. Frankly, an adult who wants to terminate his or her life due to terminal illness should have every right to do so, as you have the right to persuade otherwise. However you should have no veto over it.
ReplyDeleteMK: Do tell when and where this period of no barbarity under Christianity was located?
David: Indeed, perhaps you are right. However, the extent of Christianity's influence will progressively shrink, as it no longer provides any useful explanation for the natural world.
Bestiality Scott is sadly an example of the many subliminally mindfucked pseudo liberal progressives that have trampled over our culture in the last 40 years. [An adult with such Pollyanna-ish views on "liberty"?!] More concerned with tossing Perigo's or Cresswell's salad than anything else methinks.
ReplyDeleteThe phony umbrage exhibited by this swine should be obvious for all and sundry to see.
LibertyScott: I am talking about a community that cares.Doesn't matter your state or status in life. Surely you would agree this sounds like the "passion for humanity and life" alluded to in your post.I take it is ALL humanity and ALL life. Either all life matters or no life matters.There is an absolute link between 'euthanasia' and the "sad nihilism" you mention. How can we as a civilised society say that it is ok for some to take their lives whilst for other's it is sad or a tragedy.Are we not members of society. A society, once again that cares. Or is it caring more for some and less for others. Doesn't work I'm afraid.Making distinctions I guess is consistent with a 'clump of cells'(as you earlier stated) being human or not being human.Has last century not taught us anything about who is human and who is not? Surely alarm bells are going off, LS.
ReplyDeleteEither we are a "civilisation of love or a culture of death". It is an all or nothing!!
p.s. Suffering is part of our human condition. If we really cared about those who suffer and are humiliated within society, we would visit and spend time with these folks. We would show our care.I did this on Saturday (with a friend from church) at one of the rest homes. This gentleman cried like a baby THROUGH PAIN. The pain emanated from his loneliness and abandonment. Beautiful pictures on the wall of his daughters and grand-children.None of them visited. Yes, he does have a medical condition and suffers daily.I know that he would give almost anything to hold his grand-children.Nobody, beside church people (as far as I am aware) visit.
We are experts at lusting today. We have simply forgotten how to love.
"...as it no longer provides any useful explanation for the natural world". Sorry, LS but that statement is false. Many science historians such as A.C. Crombie,Edward Grant, Fr. Stanley Jaki,David Lindberg, Thomas Goldstein, J.L. Heilbron have credited the Catholic church with the Scientific Revolution. The church will continue to play an active role.
Christianity is growing massively in Africa,holding steady in South America and growing in Asia. Numbers are in decline in Europe (Northern Hemisphere) but that is no surprise when one considers these societies have lost the will to live. They are contracepting themselves out of existence. View the stats. You can also read Philip Jenkins (Penn.State Uni.) about the coming of the 'new Christianity'. Part of it is visible within present-day NZ.
Yes, it may be more of a Southern Hemisphere influenced church. But hey, that's still part of the world.
KoolAid: Yes, your intellectual rigour is as astonishing as your adolescent name calling. That always wins you attention and credibility, and obsessions with onanistic language. Let the adults speak, they are at least civilised.
ReplyDeleteMzala: No it is not unconditional love of everyone. I don't love everyone equally, I can't value those who hurt or harm those I love. Nor is it all life, human life comes first, other life should not be treated cruelly, but it hasn't rights beyond that.
My key point on euthanasia is simple. Who owns my life? If it is not me, then I am someone else's slave. Which means I have a right to end it, as you have a right to persuade me otherwise. You cannot feel the pain or humiliation of someone with a vile terminal illness, so you should not demand that the person suffer till death. THAT is the choice, it is plainly humanitarian, and any caring society would let people make that choice.
Suffering is part of reality, nothing more, and the history of 100,000 years or so of humanity has been to extend life and reduce suffering. It always will be, unless people are diverted down death worshipping cults like has happened with umpteen religious extremists of most persuasions (Christians did this in the crusades).
I understand what you mean about caring, and people not caring for families. I blame the welfare state for that.
The RC Church contributed to the Enlightenment, but also fought it tooth and nail. How long did it take before the Church apologised for how Galileo was treated? History is riddled with many examples of the church suppressing knowledge or science that disagreed with its own superstitions, that can't be denied.
Humanity has always been led forward by people who applied their minds, who examined a new way of thinking about the world around them, and experimented, who didn't listen to those who said "if God wanted us to fly, he'd have given us wings". Oh how humanity has flown, has trebled life expectancy, has created childhood (it didn't exist 200 years ago), has explored the planet and started exploring the universe, communicates globally in seconds, travels globally in hours, feeds billions, and created leisure. This has been done with the mind, and more recently, the blind bigotries of sexism, racism and sectarianism have been getting addressed - as people start getting treated for what they do, not who they are. The sad diversions have been always from those who believed human beings didn't exist for their own right, but for some grand "vision" higher than themselves - which always meant sacrificing thousands or millions along the way, and not allowing dissent.
Sadly we haven't quite left that age behind, today Islamism, nationalism (as always) and environmentalism all are leading the main banners against the human individual.
LS:It does appear that the modern understanding of love is inadequate.Latin explains it far more accurate with the highest form of love being charity. Look at a crucifix and you will understand the ultimate in charity.
ReplyDeleteHumanity today revolves around unsurprisingly eros. Why? Because, as you state,'My life belongs to me' and as a result, I can invariably do as I please. The old pleasure principle. That of course is nonsense. My life is not my own and I CANNOT do as I please.Your life has been bought by the Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. And yes, most of humanity are slaves. Slaves to our pride, our ego, the bank,the multinationals, the coffee machine, the television, our lusts, our pleasures etc. etc.The difference with Christians is that they try (and fail, yet keep trying) to be slaves to Jesus Christ. To be Christ-like. That implies serving God First and our fellow man (as He washed the disciples feet). Problem is, many refuse to serve. It is a 'non-serviam'.Therefore, we serve ourselves and proudly proclaim, "I am captain of my own ship, master of my destiny".
" No it is not unconditional love of everyone. I don't love everyone equally, I can't value those who hurt or harm those I love".
Christian principles and actions rise above this. Remember: "Love the sinner, hate the sin". It is very hard for most of us to do practically. It is achievable, the more Christ-like we become.People who love EQUALLY are known as saints and there are plenty of them. Mother Teresa is an obvious example.
"I blame the welfare state for that". What about individual responsibility/caring. What about the individual caring about the stranger, the unloved, the despairing, the lonely, the dejected, the depressed and sick? Mother Teresa again comes to mind. Look at the demented response. Even though we can plainly see the good work done some refuse to accept this. Why? Because good people like this expose the lack of charity IN OUR HEARTS.It is no surprise that charities have been founded by the Catholic church. It is no surprise that Christians reach out to fellow humans in the above-mentioned states. The problem is that nothing or nobody must get in the way of modern man's pleasure.
Galileo (and the inquisition), the usual ill-informed stick to beat the Catholic church. Pure humbug. Anyhow,time is not an issue for the 'Bride of Christ' who is above space and time. (The church is both human and divine).
"Humanity has always been led forward by people who applied their minds..."
True! And that is why Western Science began within and was supported by the Holy Roman Catholic Church.GREGOR Mendel (Catholic priest), Stanley Jaki (Catholic priest),Galileo,Lejeune, Copernicus, Clavius,Pasteur,
Lemaitre,Steno,Riccioli,A.Fleming, The Jesuits, Benedictines etc. etc. etc.
"History is riddled with many examples of the church suppressing knowledge...." PLEASE LIST THESE.John Henry Cardinal Newman (convert from Anglicanism) states that Galileo is probably the only example that comes to mind.
"has created childhood (it didn't exist 200 years ago)". Yes, and more. Creation is God's domain. Woe to those who go where Angels fear to tread. Building our Tower of Babel. The destruction will inevitably follow, rest assured.
"The sad diversions have been always from those who believed human beings didn't exist for their own right, but for some grand "vision" higher than themselves - which always meant sacrificing thousands or millions along the way, and not allowing dissent".
Christians believe that each and every human being is made in the image and likeness of God and therein lies their dignity. life , from CONCEPTION till NATURAL DEATH is precious. We, as a society that TRULY cares must do all in our power to alleviate and assist those who may have the 'misfortune' of being in a difficult of painful situation.
A world without Christianity is a world without Truth. A world without Love, for God Is Love.A world without Christ is known as HELL. A world without Christianity will be a world awash with BLOODSHED.