Buchanan: Pope Francis — Against the West?

Human Events ^ | March 15, 2013 | Patrick J. Buchanan

[2ndDivisionVet]

“The Faith is Europe. And Europe is the Faith,” wrote Hilaire Belloc after that bloodbath we call World War I. “Either Europe will return to the Faith or she will perish.”

By 1938, Belloc concluded Christian Europe was done:

“The bad work begun at the Reformation is bearing its final fruit in the dissolution of our ancient doctrines — the very structure of society is dissolving.” He was right. Europe is the dying continent.

And looking back at the history of the Old Continent, we see the truth of G.K. Chesterton’s insight: When men cease to believe in God, they do not then believe in nothing, they will believe in anything.

Consider the idols to which European Man has burnt incense since losing his faith: Darwinism, Marxism, Bolshevism, fascism, Nazism, now globalism — the idea of a secular paradise where mankind’s needs are met by the state and people spend their lives consuming cultural and material goods until the time comes for the painless exit.

Wednesday, even as Europe has said goodbye to Rome, Rome began to say goodbye to Europe, where the fastest growing faith is manifest in the mosques rising from Moscow to Madrid.

The College of Cardinals, for the first time ever, chose a pope from the New World: Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina.

To be exact, Pope Francis is not of the indigenous peoples of the New World. His father was an immigrant from Italy who came to Argentina before he was born. Yet, though by blood an Italian, Pope Francis, heart and soul, does not belong to Europe.....

[OneVike]

Yes I finally learned which word they had a problem with and changed it.

They are hard workers, and as a rule I try to treat them with the utmost respect.

However, as I pointed out to the moderator, the Scriptures are replete with language that is much more descriptive than what I used.

[rmlew]

What the secular media reaction to Pope Francis reveals is that traditional Catholicism is today almost as deeply alien to our present-day West as it was in Roman times, only the West chooses to ignore Catholicism, where Rome feared and persecuted it.

It isn't alien any more than Roman culture was to post Constantine Rome. It simply a matter that Christianity in the West is being replaced by cultural marxism, nihilism, and secular humanism, while we are colonized by real foreign religions and peoples.

Liberalism/Multicuralism/Cultural Marxism is national and civilizational AIDS. It turns the transmitters and keepers of civilization into its enemy. By itself, it is fatal. However, the opportunistic infections it invites kills well before it does.

[Jim Robinson]

Well, they did and said a lot of things in the Bible, but we don’t do them here. Haven’t smited anyone in ages.

[xsmommy]

thanks.

[Cronos]

well, he does generalize and I'll agree with you that its wrong to blanket call all non-Catholic westerners by that phrase. however it is true for the ECUSA, for the Adventists, Mormons, Jehovah's Witneses, Unitarians etc.

It also depends on what your, as you say it "evangelical p faith" stands for -- for instance, do you hold to the beliefs espoused in the Nicene Creed?

We believe (I believe) in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and born of the Father before all ages. (God of God) light of light, true God of true God. Begotten not made, consubstantial to the Father, by whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven. And was incarnate of the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary and was made man; was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried; and the third day rose again according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of the Father, and shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, of whose Kingdom there shall be no end. And (I believe) in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father (and the Son), who together with the Father and the Son is to be adored and glorified, who spoke by the Prophets. And one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We confess (I confess) one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for (I look for) the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen."

[Biggirl]

Good news, with the new Pope having been installed, look for the Lord to help him begin the needed “rebuilding” of His Church.

Did anyone see the sea of faces who attended that mass Pat? That is a sign of HOPE the rebuilding of the Church has BEGUN.

[Biggirl]

“Liberalism/Multicuralism/Cultural Marxism is national and civilizational AIDS. It turns the transmitters and keepers of civilization into its enemy. By itself, it is fatal. However, the opportunistic infections it invites kills well before it does.”

Its cure is going to be found coming from the “global south” Christian community who are now sending missionaries to the west to witness to others the good news of the Gospel of Jesus.

[Biggirl]

The west is in winter right now, but good news, springtime is NOT far behind!

Despite the darkness that is out there, a new dawn is coming.

[Biggirl]

With a number of representatives from a number of other Christian communities came to the installation of Pope Francis, it is a sign that the prayer of Christ that all believers be one as from John 17 is coming to reality over the course of time.

[Biggirl]

Pat simply forgets that Pope Francis is simply is doing what Christ commands, just like He commands St. Francis of Assisi that he is to “rebuild My Church”.

[OneVike]

I’m sorry to inform you that, until the Catholic church reforms their egregious errors, there is no way true believers can or should get together with the leaders of the Catholic church.

I will not go over the many reasons I hold to this belief, suffice to say, it begins with the very idea that any man is the voice of Christ on earth which holds more importance over any other man.

I, you, and any person on this planet can go directly to Christ and gain forgiveness. Not John, Paul, nor Peter was to be elevated to such stature as the Catholics hold the Pope.

So I reiterate, there is no common ground with Catholicism until the church rectifies it’s many heretical beliefs.

[OneVike]

I understand very well that the Catholic church claims to follow the Nicene Creed. However, the very act of praying to and through various Christians who have since died is heretical.

There is no place in Scripture that calls for anyone to worship Marty, Joseph, John, Peter, Paul, nor any other dead Christian. Christ and Christ alone is the way to God. No one comes to the Father accept through Christ.

Also, claiming that one can be prayed, or bought out of some form of purgatory is heretical. You have one chance to gain salvation and eternal life, and that would be during the days included in dash between the day of one's birth and the day of one's death. The Catholic church took a verse out of the historical account of the Maccabees (2 Maccabees 12:41,42,45) and decided that Christ was not the only way to salvation. By doing so, the church claims that Jesus lied when he said on the cross,

"It is finished"

How anyone can do the many things the catholic church espouses and still claim to follow the Nicene creed is beyond me. Until the Catholic church denounces their heretical traditions, they are no better than the Pharisees of Christ's day.

I do believe many Catholics are saved. However, I also believe very few Catholic priests, Cardinal, or Popes are save. To be honest with you, when I consider the many traditions the Catholic church requires it's followers to adhere to, I am hard pressed to see much difference between it and some of those cults you mention.

The one saving grace is that the Catholic church still holds to the belief of the Holy Trinity. Otherwise it would be a cult.

It's my prayer that the new Pope will put an end to the traditions of the Catholic church. As Christ told the Pharisees, Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."

I will add that the Catholic church holds to traditions like,

• The chanting of the Roman Catholic Rosary in vain repetition
• Calling A man father and claiming he can forgive ones sin
• Claiming a preist who marries has abandoned his calling to lead the sheep
• Rejection of Sola Scriptura, and embracing the idea that the Pope is infallible but the Word of god is not I could go on and on, but these are just a few along with what I mentioned above that I will leave it at that Christ told the Pharisees and now the Catholic church,

"All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.......... making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." Mark 7:8-13

[Cronos]

the question is — do you follow the tenets in the Nicene Creed?

[Cronos]

calls for anyone to worship Marty, Joseph, John, Peter, Paul, nor any other dead Christian.

No one worships "Marty" or any other dead Christian

Us in orthodoxy worship Christ alone.

Also, claiming that one can be prayed, or bought out of some form of purgatory is heretical. - purgatory is not a place, not a period of time rather the final sanctification

[OneVike]

No one worships "Marty" or any other dead Christian

Yes they do, I know for a fact they pray to dead saints. Sorry, but I got out of classes at 3:00 pm every Wednesday from School to attend catechism classes for 4 years after my Mom married my Step Dad who was devout Catholic. Who by the way also prayed to through them.

purgatory is not a place, not a period of time rather the final sanctification.

Ok, I'll give you that, but here are a couple things I have with the heretical doctrine of Purgatory

1. By adhering to Purgatory, the believer claims that Christ not finish his work on the cross.
2. It is not explicitly found in the Bible.
3. It implies that the righteousness of Christ does not cleanse from all sin.
4. It implies that justification is not by faith alone.
5. It implies that there is something we must do in order to be cleansed of sin.

You may disagree with my perceived problems of the doctrine of purgatory. I expect you to, but it does not make it a founded truth in the Scriptures. You can cite church Fathers, the apocrypha, and various biblical references to fire and purification. However, nothing you point to can be backed up by Scripture.

[OneVike]

I do, but I do not follow traditions built by men that make His Word of no consequence.

No where in the Nicene Creed does it state that Catholicism is the true church of Christ.

The church of Christ is the whole body of believers, not a religion based in a building in Rome.

[Biggirl]

I have noticed today that there has been postings by non-Catholic Christians who question that the Pope is a believer in Christ just as much as they or we are. Even there was reps from a number of other Christian churches. I just do not understand the harsh postings. This should be a wonderful day for Christians, not just only those who are Christian Catholics.

[Biggirl]

Today it was wonderful that reps from a number of Christian churches came for the installation of Pope Francis. A good sign of growing Christian unity.

[OneVike]

My problem is the way Catholics come off like this guy is a prophet appointed directly by God. He is a man,no more, no less. You do not see Evangelicals running around like Christ returned if we get a new pastor for our church. You don’t see Evangelicals claiming that Gods chosen has ascended to the throne of power and has with him the ability to end strife and anguish around the world.

He is the new head of a very troubled church that still holds many heretical beliefs. I have never acted different, I have always felt and spoken this way.

I speak up on these posts now because you Catholics think that this guy really was appointed by God to His voice on earth.

He wasn’t.

Besides, it took a couple of votes to figure out who the Pope would be. Do you not wonder why God had such a trouble deciding whom he He would chose to be His voice on earth?

After all, knows everything, the past, present, and future events, so why could he not decide who he would chose?

[Biggirl]

It was by prayer to the Holy Spirit by the electing cardinals for direction on who would be elected Pope.

Also in regards to the troubles that trouble the RC Church, one has to remember that other churches have their troubles too. We are living in very dark times:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2998377/posts

Believers in the Lord all NEED to turn back to God with all their hearts.

Enough debate.