His Eminence George Cardinal Pell, A.C., D.Phil.(Oxon)., F.A.C.E.
Posted on 10/31/2007 6:00:08 AM PDT by NYer
SYDNEY, October 30, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In a stirring essay on the coming tensions between the secular world and the Catholic Church, Sydney's Cardinal George Pell has outlined threats to the freedom of religion stemming from biotechnology, gay 'rights' and fears of Islamic violence. The must read piece titled, "Prospects for peace and rumours of war: Religion and democracy in the years ahead," is a serious reflection despite Pell's characteristic use of wit.
Beginning on the hopeful note that the Church, despite the desires of certain atheist fanatics, is here to stay; the Cardinal points to trends which have already commenced which threaten a clampdown on freedom of religion.
Pell points to his own actions in advocating against cloning legislation being considered illegal by some. The concerns were dismissed after an investigation. He points out that in fighting cloning he was "not calling for the "enforcement" of Catholic beliefs, but reminding legislators to fulfil the demands of justice and the common good that follow from the inherent and equal dignity of every member of the human family." He added poignantly, "This is exactly the basis on which the church also calls on legislators to protect the poor or to oppose racial discrimination."
Thus he indicates "cloning and biotechnology generally", is one of the "fault-lines" which are "likely to give rise to tension between religion and secularist democracy in the years ahead."
The Cardinal then notes that "A large battle is likely to open up over human rights and anti-discrimination legislation," referring specifically to laws which "prohibit any discrimination against homosexuals by anyone providing "goods, facilities and services"."
"This makes them practically all-encompassing, with exceptions only for a small number of narrowly defined religious activities, primarily services held in churches," says Pell. "Church adoption services were therefore confronted with the prospect of being forced to place children with homosexual couples, contrary to their beliefs."
The Cardinal explains, "At the heart of this attack on the concept of exemptions for faith-based agencies lies a false analogy drawn between alleged discrimination against homosexuals and racial discrimination."
"Opposition to same-sex marriage is therefore likened to support for laws against inter-racial marriage (which continued in some US states until the 1960s), and opposition to homosexual adoptions is likened to refusing to adopt children to black parents," writes Pell.
"The analogy is false because allowing blacks and whites to marry did not require changing the whole concept of marriage; and allowing black parents to adopt white children, or vice versa, did not require changing the whole concept of family, or for that matter, the whole concept of childhood," he explains.
"All the same, the race analogy has been very effective in casting the churches as persecutors."
Finally the Cardinal suggests that the threat of Islamic extremism is being used by secularists to curb religious freedom. "Fear of home-grown Islam", said the Cardinal, have led to "reading freedom of religion as a limited right to be offensive to which only a limited toleration is extended."
Read the full text of the Cardinal's essay here:
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/oct/071030a.html
He's a true churchman, clear and unambiguous in his leadership and in the direction he provides for Catholics and with no human respect or fear of man.
God bless him.
His rebuttal to that analogy is weak. The argument is invalid because race is not a choice; homosexuality is. Race is not a lifestyle; homosexuality is. Race is not per se deviance; homosexuality is. Finally, race does not carry with it any inherent values; homosexuality does. And those values are at odds with definitive social norms that have existed for centuries.
My pet theory is that the anti-Christ will be a “miracle-working” physician or scientist or research facility who manages to find a cure to just about anything via embryonic research and/or cloning. All the same, those who refuse such treatments will be martyrs for their faith. The Church will be regarded as a champion of death for its protestation and marked for destruction. Her flock will be torn to pieces by the temptation of curing their moms, dads, children, spouses of horrible disease through these intrinsically evil treatments. Many will fall away. Some will wonder what faith is left on earth, as the power of the anti-Christ renders the Church the enemy of all mankind. Children will be born to save their parents. Additional children will be unnecessary to societies where a workforce of extended lifespan no longer requires turnover. The anti-Christ will be the counterfeit “savior”. And the world will bow to him for ending their misery. The unseen God will be the idea of lunatics and morons. Blessed, only, will be those who see.
Just a thought.
Papabile?
“Papabile?”
Wouldn’t that be wonderful?
cardinal pell is awesome! this is a clever pre-emptive strike on the secularists.
i was fortunate enough to meet bishop fisher who works under the cardinal recently and he is cool too. they are both handling World Youth Day preparations brilliantly. It is surely going to change the face of the Church in Australia; mostly due to the work of those two.
i read a book by George Weigel recently, Letters to A Young Catholic, and thought it how odd that he said we will one day need to teach people that it is GOOD to die. But your theory, if it ever comes true, may make Weigel’s theory come true too.
**Australia’s Cardinal Pell Warns of Coming ‘War’ on Church from Biotech, Gay ‘Rights’, Islamic Fears**
Catholics will be persecuted. But the gates of hell will not prevail against the Catholic Church. It will come out stronger than ever.
Happens every time the Catholic Church laity or religious are persecuted/martyred.
Think about it.
Interesting theory. Hadn’t thought along those lines. Very possible.
They are at odds with definitive biological structures that have existed since the beginning of time.
If you look at it from the point of view concerning the book of Genesis, or mammalian biology for that matter, homosexuals are idolators of perversion. It is in no way an anatomical function.
It is an anatomical possibility, however. What prevents it is not physical impossibility, but moral impact. Since sex is procreative at its root, and homosexual sex can never be procreative, the latter is a perversion of the procreative urge. It worships the lust associated with sex but divorces it from its biological end. It becomes an end in itself, and that indulgence represents a departure from conscience that bodes ill for civilization.
Exactly my point... It is not a biological function...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.