Regardless of particular demographics, Europe is a worsening climate. America is much more enlightened in this respect.
BTS
Forgiving traditionalists, offending Jews
by hamilcarr 23 Replies latest social current
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hamilcarr
America is much more enlightened in this respect.
Enlightenment was born in 18th century France.
Strange, because you're rather skeptical about American enlightenment since Inauguration Day. Besides, your views on this thread are rather confusing with regards to light and darkness. First, you laud the reconciliation between an obscurantist antisemite catholic cult and mainstream Rome, then you start criticizing European antisemitism. Be consistent!
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BurnTheShips
Enlightenment was born in 18th century France.
Not France alone. Other countries were very influential. The Scottish enlightenment comes to mind, and was pivotal in the American Revolution.
Be consistent!
I am consistent, incidentally. There is a hierarchy of issues regarding the reconciliation, personal opinions of the members of the SSPX churches not being the highest on my list (nor apparently, the Pope's). Again, all that has happened is that the excommunication latae sententia has been lifted. Besides, the larger Church will better be able to influence and guide the SSPX order if it is back in the fold. You don't get kicked out of the Church for having opinions bordering on mental illness. They aren't Jehovah's Witnesses. I think it will be good when they are back in full communion and offer licit Catholic masses.
Here are Benedict's words:
In the homily pronounced on the occasion of the solemn inauguration of my Pontificate, I said that it is the "explicit" duty of the Pastor "the call to unity", and, commenting upon the Gospel words regarding the miraculous catch of fish, I said,"although there were so many, the net was not torn"; I continued after these Gospel words, "Alas, beloved Lord, with sorrow we must now acknowledge that it has been torn!". And I continued, "But no – we must not be sad! Let us rejoice because of your promise, which does not disappoint, and let us do all we can to pursue the path towards the unity you have promised. Let us remember it in our prayer to the Lord, as we plead with him: yes, Lord, remember your promise. Grant that we may be one flock and one shepherd! Do not allow your net to be torn, help us to be servants of unity!"
Precisely in the accomplishment of this service of unity, which qualifies, in a specific way, my ministry as Successor of Peter, I decided, a few days ago, to grant the remission of the excommunication in which the four bishops ordained by Archbishop Lefebvre in 1988, without pontifical mandate, had incurred. I fulfilled this act offatherly mercy because those prelates repeatedly manifested to me their deep suffering for the situation in which they found themselves. I hope that this gesture of mine will be followed by the solicitous effort by them to accomplish the ulterior steps necessary to accomplish full communion with the Church, thus testifying true fidelity and true recognition of the Magisterium and of the authority of the Pope and of the Second Vatican Council.And incidentally, the Jerusalem Rabbinate is backing off on their threat of severing ties. Perhaps they now have a better understanding of the situation.
BTS
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hamilcarr
The Scottish enlightenment comes to mind, and was pivotal in the American Revolution.
Yes, a wonderful period with great thinkers like David Hume.
Sharing the humanist and rationalist outlook of the European Enlightenment of the same time period, the thinkers of the Scottish Enlightenment asserted the fundamental importance of human reason combined with a rejection of any authority which could not be justified by reason. They held to an optimistic belief in the ability of man to effect changes for the better in society and nature, guided only by reason.
During the Bush administration up to Inauguration Day, Europe has been more enlightened than America with regards to the recognition of scientific evidence, environmental policy, foreign policy, the wellfare state, human rights (extensive gay rights, euthanasia, abortion), animal rights, international law, education, death penalty, gun policy, etc. It seems that after a terrible 20th century, Enlightenment ideals finally returned to their cradle. Obama has promised Americans 'to lead once more'. The question is whether the US isn't lagging too much behind after this desastrous onset of the 21st century, but I'm rather optimistic that America's innate progressiveness and flexibility will be sufficient to take the lead, again.