Posted on 12/17/2011 4:58:13 AM PST by Cronos
...Mr. Gingrich represents a new kind of Catholic, one very different from the Kennedys, who were Democrats, political liberals and cradle Catholics shaped by the Irish immigrant church.
..Mr. Gingrich is a culture wars Catholic for whom the church seems a logical home for conservative Republicans Generations removed from the Kennedy years when Catholics predictably voted Democratic, this is a new era in which conservative Catholics and evangelical Protestants have joined forces in what they see as a defining struggle against abortion, same-sex marriage and secularism.
Like many recent converts to the church, Mr. Gingrich is what Catholics call a “John Paul II Catholic,” those inspired by that pope to embrace traditional church teaching, eschewing calls to liberalize or modernize the faith..
Mr. Gingrich has increasingly warned that the United States is threatened by the encroachment of both secularism and Islam, and those who know him say he sees the Catholic Church as a powerful and convincing bulwark against it. The theme of secularism as a threat to Europe is a frequent one for Pope Benedict, who spoke about it in his speech to the American bishops the day Mr. Gingrich was in the crowd at the basilica.
In the speech to the prayer breakfast, Mr. Gingrich cited Mr. Weigel’s book, “The Cube and the Cathedral.” He said that it captured “the crisis of European civilization as militant, government-imposed secularism undermines and weakens Christianity.
Mr. Gingrich said he saw the same process happening in the United States, where “American elites are guided by their desire to emulate the European elites, and as a result, anti-religious values and principles are coming to dominate the academic, news media and judicial class in America.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
“I think Gingrich is saying ¨Wake up!¨ He obviously had a wake-up call himself.
We need to reclaim our religious foundations and the foundation of Western culture and proclaim and enact them before the left gets so powerful that someday we´ll be the next set of martyrs.”
This is precisely why I hope Speaker Gingrich is strongly relying on God. If he *fully* recognizes the danger we are really in as a nation...it will be more than a human battle against his election.
What is the deal with the liberal media's obsession with making an effort to find columnists completely unqualified to write about things they don't understand, and then explain them to us ignorant folk? For all I know, Ms. Goodstein is a devout Catholic, but few liberals, even Catholic ones seem to bother learning what the faith is all about.
Divorce is forbidden to Catholics, but it is not the sin, in and of itself. Adultery is. And the Kennedys knew all about it. If the writer accepts Mr. Gingrich's conversion, she should know that he now rejects the option of divorce himself, if he wants to remain a Catholic. That's how we roll.
Furthermore, Catholicism continues to embrace labor unions, where they are called for. The mistake the author is making is the idea that Catholics see things in black and white terms, and would ever favor corruption of any sort.
This website presents a fine example of the fact that anti-Catholic bigotry is alive and well, even in Conservative circles. The main reason that Gingrich's religion has not been much of an issue in this upcoming election probably has something to do with the even more exotic faith of the establishment candidate. All things being equal, the right still prefers a white male protestant candidate.
The major political difference that Catholicism has to address today is abortion. Kennedy was president ten years before the Roe decision. Had it happened under his watch, he would have been under pressure from the Church to actively oppose it.
Just not on this website, right?
I’m sure you see the irony in your completely un-Catholic conclusions.
Ecumenical thread, presidio9. I sense antagonism.
Let me put it another way: Saying that you are not a Catholic yourself disqualifies you from rating the Catholicism of others.
How do you rate the Catholicism of Newt Gingrich, presidio9? Purely in the spirit of ecumenism, of course.
As our Lord commanded, I am not in a position to be worrying about anyone’s religious convictions but my own.
I believe that Newt Gingrich has asked for and was given forgiveness by Christ. Until he starts behaving in such a way to make me doubt his sincerity, I am obligated to accept his transformation.
I see.
There are those of us who believed the same of him twenty years ago as well. Doubt has been removed regarding his sincerity in that regard.
Be wary. He will embarass Catholics before the primary is done. He’s already gone against his new church on life beginning at conception.
I am a Baptist, but I admired Pope John Paul II. I also admire my Catholic friends and their commitment to their faith. Much good is accomplished when the Churches unite against tyranny.
I don't, obviously.
And I think you need to grow up.
Oh? How so? I've stated my position without malice toward anyone posting to this thread including yourself, and have kept the tone respectful despite no reciprocation in kind, but have continued to make clear my distaste for certain habits and behavior patterns of longstanding with Mr. Gingrich. It's been consistent, calm and not juvenile in the least.
If one disagrees, one can always respond to the points with which one disagrees, rather than attempt to disparage the individual with whom one disagrees, presidio9.
and I supported Cain (a Baptist) first. While we may disagree on much, we must be politically united against those who support free-for-all abortion, the destruction of marriage and the destruciton of our economic system (in that order)
sadly, true... sometimes I wonder if those who continuously smear us are not working for the Dim party and want to practise the Dim divide and rule tactics
Totally agree these three are of utmost importance.
Catholics accept the teachings of the Catholic Church. If you want to know more, here is an excellent resource
It appears to be becoming something of a moot point, with Gingrich dropping like a rock in the polls.
It is an ecumenical discussion, and should be for everyone participating.
Wrong. You admitted that it was a political discussion for you when you brought up polling data.
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