Gee... I wonder if I can figure this one out
Someone more learned than I made the following observations concerning the goings on in England concerning at least one Anglican "flying bishop" and literally thousands of fellow Anglicans who are ready to cross the Tiber.
This huge opportunity was lost when England’s radically liberal Catholic Episcopacy refused that request. John Paul, in his usual “Ecumenical” style, refused to step in (which he certainly could have done).
Now we are faced with the same liberal [Catholic] English bishops (not wanting to upset the ecumenical apple cart), and the major roadblock of Cardinal Walter Kasper in Rome.
Note to Benedict XVI: Toss Kasper into the Tiber, and relieve the English bishops of their duties. I’m sure he could find a far away monastery for the whole lousy lot of them!
But on the heels of that, I read that Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor-Heinz-Kerry-Rodham-Clinton, or whatever the hell his name is, is now exhorting us all to... well, you're just going to have to read it for yourself.
Here's some of the article from The Beeb; (Emphasis mine)
Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor urges deeper understanding between believers and non-believers
The Archbishop of Westminster has urged Christians to treat atheists and agnostics with "deep esteem".
Believers may be partly responsible for the decline in faith by losing sense of the mystery and treating God as a "fact in the world", he said in a lecture.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor called for more understanding and appreciation between believers and non-believers.
But the leader of Roman Catholics in England and Wales said that Britain must not become "a God-free zone".
I tell ya, I can give atheists the common courtesy that all human being deserve... but "deep esteem" and "more appreciation" specifically because they deny The Almighty? It's glaringly obvious to me what the problem is in the UK.
Let's not forget who the REAL enemy is in Britain... all those nasty Polish immigrants. Those backward folk... with that silly belief in the Real Presence, their Rosaries, their irritatingly constant kneeling before God.
The Polish immigrants are constantly bitched about by many a Catholic honcho in Britain... but we're admonished to line up and kiss the asses of atheists? Bullshit. Hell, a blind man could see what the problem is in Great Britain.
this post of yours frustrates me. Like you, I show atheists common courtesy and kindness. But no, I do NOT respect their beliefs. I respect their rights to have those beliefs but not the beliefs themselves. Can we just get rid of this type of political correctness?
ReplyDelete"deeper understanding"
ReplyDelete"deep esteem"
I can understand making a statement about reaching out to them, but not to say: hey you don't believe in God, I can respect that. Wow! Scary!
http://faithofaconvert.blogspot.com/
You see, Cavey... we need all the prayers we can get.
ReplyDeleteAnd someone to "persuade" the Cardinal to retire pronto...
To respect their beliefs without teaching the Faith is to participate in them
ReplyDeleteCardinal Murphy-O'Connor's request reminds me of the 'Gospel of Nice': "I am the Nice Shepherd. When the wolf comes, we welcome him, because we are inclusive. We do not welcome those who do not welcome the wolf, because they are not inclusive like us. I am the Nice Shepherd."
ReplyDeleteLittle as we may like it, and little as he may act it, Richard Dawkins (and his ilk) are created in the image and likeness of God. It is for this reason that they are owed respect and esteem.
ReplyDeleteIt sort of touches on something else I recently ran across: our need to remain in the Church Militant, and not work ourselves into the Church Belligerent.
ATI,
ReplyDeleteDoes that mean that I must also show respect and esteem for the atheists Stalin and Mao? Between the both of them, they murdered upwards of 50 million people.
While I'm at it... how about Pol Pot, or Adolf Hitler, or Margaret Sanger? Just because they're in the image and likeness of God, I don't believe that automatically means that anyone immediatly deserves respoct and/or esteem.
I find very little in them that I would find worthy of my respect nor esteem.
Please keep in mind that hell is just chock full of people who were created in the image and likeness of God.
His Eminence also thinks we should all work together to make abortion rare, yes,that's right 'rare'
ReplyDeleteWith the events in Britain this week, faithful Catholics are feeling pretty down, especially those who worked so hard to publicise the horrors of the Human Fertilisation Bill and lobby M.P.s.Between his Eminence's remark, and the comment on B.B.C. Radio from Archbishop Nichols of Birmingham about not according the same respect to an embryo as he would to a grown adult, many Catholics feel they've had a double whammy, rather than the support you would expect from leading members of the hierarchy.
To the extent that we must respect their God-given rights, yes it does. Having to be consistent about this sort of thing is a bitch, but it's still God's will for us.
ReplyDeleteSome of these idiots are merely fooled and deceived, and it's easier to get them to recognize that when you do so diplomatically. I believe that Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor is particularly thinking of those with this exhortation.
ATI,
ReplyDeleteI can certainly respect the God given right of anyone to reject Christ. If someone wants to worship the Tierran Del Fuegan Turd goddess, so be it.
Maybe I'm being hyper-technical on the verbiage, but I don't think we're held bound to respect the beliefs of atheists. Giving them common courtesy... sure. But respect and deep esteem? Never.
Anyhow, I honestly do appriciate your thought provoking comments. Keep 'em coming!