Posted on 03/30/2012 12:01:28 PM PDT by NYer
What are we to make of the 20th Century? Like any period it is marked with its glories and its horrors. In his now classic work Modern Times, historian Paul Johnson gives a sober assessment of the 20th century and estimates, many think conservatively, that 100 million died in war and for ideological reasons in that violent century. Perhaps no century can be said to have been bloodier.
It was a century of the imposition of every sort of collectivism from communism, fascism, tribalism, and socialism , all with catastrophic results. Whole populations were the subject of social experiments; and here too, with the predictable and horrific results as economic, political, and social, theories, population “control” and other hideous visions gave way to human suffering. Millions were sacrificed in the name of collectivism in places like the USSR, China, Germany, Cambodia, Turkey, and Africa.
It was a century of endless war and further untold bloodshed that extended even into the womb as abortion too ran rampant on the globe. Our capacity to kill ourselves in huge numbers and horrifying ways reached terrifying heights in arms races and the development of gruesome weapons of mass destruction, conventional, chemical, biological and nuclear.
Faith too suffered unimaginable setbacks as Europe all but lost its Christian and Jewish faith. In both Europe and the US, Churches and Synagogues emptied as atheistic Communism, secularism, and various forms of humanism (i.e. man at the center), moral relativism, and indifferentism swept the Western World.
Families and the family structure were devastated by war, dislocation, the sexual revolution, divorce, expansive and intrusive governments with oppressive population policies, and foolish social experimentation. There are few places left in the Western World today where the family, (nuclear or extended) can be said to be strong. And as the family, the fundamental unit of civilization, has unraveled, it seems increasingly uncertain that Western culture can survive such a mortal wound.
Paradoxically, amidst all this bloodshed, war, disorder and unraveling, technological progress has been nothing less than astonishing: Electricity, radio, television, computers, telephones, the Internet, faxes, cellular technology, air-conditioning, agricultural advances, amazing medical advances and breakthroughs, astonishing scientific discovery and progress, space travel, visits to the moon and back, global communication, global economies, and remarkable market efficiencies that provide huge numbers of products and services quickly and inexpensively.
Yes, amidst all the grave darkness and bloody death of the 20th Century, we have also come (at least in the Western World) to a place or remarkably good health, nutrition and life-span with endless numbers of creature comforts and pleasantries.
The 20th Century, the worst and the best, all at once, murder and medicine, war and wealth, sorrow and science, genocide and genome projects, monstrosities and moon shots.
I am of the mind that to understand the 20th Century and its colossal contours, that no simple or natural explanation is possible. While one may see its technologies as having emerged from an organic development, I cannot personally understand the global horrors, and the great and sudden falling away from the faith in purely natural terms. Something supernatural, I would say Satanic, has afflicted us and sent “ordinary” human wickedness over the top. The bloodshed is too global, too organized and sweeping to be merely of human origin. As St. Paul says, For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in high places (Ephesians 6:12).
October 13, 1884, Pope Leo XIII had just finished celebrating Mass in a chapel in the Vatican. At the Mass were a few Cardinals and members of the household staff. Suddenly the Pope stopped at the foot of the altar. He stood there for about 10 minutes, as if in a trance, his face ashen white. The going straightway from the Chapel to his office, he composed the prayer to St. Michael and later issued instructions that it be said after all Low Masses everywhere in the world. He explained that, as he was about to leave the foot of the altar, he had suddenly heard voices – two voices, one kind and gentle, the other guttural and harsh. There he heard the voice of Satan in his pride, boasting to Our Lord: “I can destroy your Church.” The gentle voice of Our Lord: “You can? Then go ahead and do so.” Satan replied, “To do so, I need more time and more power.” The Lord said, “How much time? How much power?” “75 to 100 years, and a greater power over those who will give themselves over to my service.” was Satan’s reply. Mysteriously our Lord said, “You have the time, you have the power. Do with them what you will.”
No Catholic is required to accept this event as an article of faith. But there is something about the 20th Century, something awful. As observed, the 20th century is not without its merits. But the degree and scope of wickedness, suffering and the widespread falling away from the faith in the West set apart the 20th Century and cause me to ponder if Leo’s “Job-like” vision is true.
Many questions rush through our mind in reference to this vision: Why would God permit this? Was it to test, prune and purify his Church? Why does God allow Satan any influence at all? Is this fair? When did the 100 years begin and end? Will spring come soon? Do God and Satan even talk in terms of “years” and if so, does the word correspond to our use of it? If this vision happened, why did the Lord let Leo XIII hear it?
I have no simple answers to questions like these. You are free to dismiss the notion and see the 20th century as wholly unremarkable in its wickedness and falling away from the faith. But there is something about the 20th Century, something awful. Did Pope Leo have the answer? Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets (Amos 3:7). Was Pope Leo that Prophet?
I am interested in your thoughts.
So while it is good, very good, to pray and seek the intercession of St. Michael, etc., and seek grace, etc., we should not go so far as to abdicate our own responsibility and say, “it’s God’s problem to fix.” We should not simply sit around bemoaning, “God, God, why won’t you do something?” but should go out there and do the job ourselves.
Distributism (also known as distributionism or distributivism is a third-way economic philosophy that developed in England in the early 20th century based upon the principles of Catholic social teaching, especially the teachings of Pope Leo XIII in his encyclical Rerum Novarum and Pope Pius XI in Quadragesimo Anno.
I am not a Catholic, but I am interested in Distributism. A lot of pro-freedom people do not like it, because it was elements of control/collectivsm -- but is was formulated as a response to the excesses of Socialism, as well as the excesses of the free markets. It's worth a look.
GK Chesterton liked Distributism. Hillaire Belloc liked it too. I think Pope Leo had some good insights into where the world was headed and what people were doing wrong. I think the 20th century had some good technological developments but was also largely a wasteland in many important aspects -- the road not taken might have been a better choice than the path so many people walked for the past 100 years.
From a years-old National Geographic article about the hardy folks that populate the Appalachians:
“Need a helping hand? Look on the end of your arm.”
If you are walking across a train trestle and you are more than halfway across, and you hear a train coming at you... you run toward the train. Because there is less trestle in front of you, than behind you. And so you can reach the end of the trestle before the train does, and then jump off.
Sometimes I think "modern times" (19th, 20th & 21st Centuries) have consisted of God making humanity run ever faster towards the train. And from the looks of things we're now in a flat-out sprint - and we can see the train.
It is a yearning for the return of the Guild system, which while it was very good for those who were full members, limited growth and expansion of new ones.
Also, the economic system and its large factories we have today could not exist under Distributism.
It is
What has undermined the faith of protestants and catholics alike for the last two centuries has been the Arian heresy.
It came about as a consequence of Descartes Tree of Knowledge back in the early 1600 which showed theology along with witch craft as a branch of a tree whose trunk was philosophy—and whose roots were metaphysics.
I do think that it would be interesting to see some communities adopt Distributist policies. Sort of like the Amish -- you probably wouldn't have big pharmaceutical factories or space programs, but I think some people might be happy to reside within a guild-based society.
If imposed on a society, Distributism would be bad. If one could voluntarily join such a society, it might be a viable choice.
“There was something about the 20th Century, something awful.”
I’ll take ‘godless will-to-power driven monsters’ for $200, Alex...
Doggone that’s some image.
Explain more? I thought Arianism was sort of the opposite of Reformed/calvinism (leaning toward man having more control/free will rather than God’s providence). Maybe I the term mixed up with something else.
That violent race.
There would be a heavy reliance on small business and craftsmen to produce the technological assets needed by others...they would then trade with those who had the resources (agriculture, raw materials, etc.)
(From what I understand, larger enterprise type operations would be formed as co-ops. Each person being a part owner of the enterprise and having a personal stake in it)
Personally, though, I think it requires an overly optimistic view of humanity. Not that most people would not be able to up their game in order to survive and prosper in that type of scenario...but that there are plenty out there who would end up trying to swindle people out of what they had. The desire to get something for nothing goes back to the garden, after all.
The other problem is how to get from point "A" (where we are) to point "B" (the distributionist utopia) without major, major injustice being inflicted on those who would give up their resources and how to make it so that those who received those resources earned them (we know from bitter experience how well forced redistribution works...even St John Chrysostom wrote about that one 1,600 years ago):
Should we look to kings and princes to put right the inequalities between rich and poor? Should we require soldiers to come and seize the rich person's gold and distribute it among his destitute neighbors? Should we beg the emperor to impose a tax on the rich so great that it reduces them to the level of the poor and then to share the proceeds of that tax among everyone? Equality imposed by force would achieve nothing, and do much harm. Those who combined both cruel hearts and sharp minds would soon find ways of making themselves rich again. Worse still, the rich whose gold was taken away would feel bitter and resentful; while the poor who received the gold form the hands of soldiers would feel no gratitude, because no generosity would have prompted the gift. Far from bringing moral benefit to society, it would actually do moral harm. Material justice cannot be accomplished by compulsion, a change of heart will not follow. The only way to achieve true justice is to change people's hearts first - and then they will joyfully share their wealth.
sadly, that is increasingly my view of our Constitution...not that the document is flawed, but that actually following it, obeying it and enforcing it appear to be concepts too few are willing to engage in.
I have no reason to doubt Pope Leo’s vision.
Certainly, Hitler’s improbable rise had occult roots.
And the devil’s attempt to wipe out the Jews was intended to forestall the end of the world.
I’m not aware of Marx or Engels having overt, satanic ties, but it’s certainly possible. Marxism was a bizarre, secular, anti-God, religion. It’s rise is difficult to explain in naturalistic terms.
It’s similarly difficult to regard the rise of equally irrational “sciences,” like the modern schools of psychiatry, behaviorism, Freudianism, and Jungianism, as anything other than diabolical. Jung embraced the occult.
-—GK Chesterton liked Distributism. Hillaire Belloc liked it too.-—
If you Google “Acton institute distributism” you can find some interesting discussion threads:
http://blog.acton.org/archives/25747-debate-capitalism-vs-distributism.html
Don’t assume the 20th Century was any worse than the 21st may become. The 20th Century didn’t look too bad in 1912.
The prayers are so powerfully anointed in the spirit realm. I believe God was showing the responsibility that Pope Leo had being the head of the main church of christianity. He gave him a glimpse of responsibility for this world. Thus the Prayer of Pope Leo.
Also remember what is promised with Prayers.
It is an action word.
Philippians 4:6-7
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Look at what happen since Vatican council two minimized this prayer after the Mass. I go to a church named after St Michael. They say this prayer all the time after Mass. I met a Catholic at a coffee cafe. He tells me too conservative this Church. I told him if he is really serious he should leave all together.
How many are into the occult today. Did you notice the bad rock a roll and other music really got into the satanic music after 1962 when that Prayer was minimized after mass prayers. You got Black sabbath and whole load of satanic sick lyrics. I worked for almost a year in the Record World warehouse on Long Island NY. I would stock and put out records for each store for the day trucks. I never read more sick evil lyrics with reverse biblical language( Pro-AntiChrist) on dozens of heavy metal group's albums. It woke me up to how prevalent this became. This was 1984( No Pun intended to the Book). Now do you ever see tv with the horn hand signal during these concerts and the kids in the neighborhood today.
I wear a Saint Benedict exorcism medal anointed with the oil too. When I go to a restaurant were a waitress is a goth or crystal wearing person they even flinch near me. I wear it open or when I eat I tuck it under my shirt so not to spill sauce or food on it. When they do not see it they know something is up too. Then these weird conversations. Just amazing. I can also tell if they are into occultic without the natural. You know like seeing obvious Goth or occultic jewelry objects. I also can tell when mormons are singing some Classic Christ word lyric Christmas songs without reading the internet radio station. They believe in many Gods not one singular traditional Christian. So when they sing it to one of many Gods. The Holy Spirit is not There. They do not believe 1John4 which is to test the spirit.
I was in the Coffee cafe with a baptist woman. Out of nowhere my audio Bible starts from the beginning of Jeremiah 31. I did not touch it. We both looked it up in our bibles. It has the first and second coming and results of the joy of God on earth.
We are in the last days. Christ even declared will he find faith on earth if I remember right.
Jesus guide and help us Lord! AMEN!!
Jeremiah 31
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Jeremiah 31
Israel’s Mourning Turned to Joy
1 “At that time,” declares the LORD, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”
2 Thus says the LORD,
“The people who survived the sword
Found grace in the wilderness—
Israel, when it went to find its rest.”
3 The LORD appeared to [a]him from afar, saying,
“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.
4 “Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt,
O virgin of Israel!
Again you will [b]take up your tambourines,
And go forth to the dances of the merrymakers.
5 “Again you will plant vineyards
On the [c]hills of Samaria;
The planters will plant
And will [d]enjoy them.
6 “For there will be a day when watchmen
On the hills of Ephraim call out,
‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion,
To the LORD our God.’”
7 For thus says the LORD,
“Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
And shout among the [e]chief of the nations;
Proclaim, give praise and say,
‘O LORD, save Your people,
The remnant of Israel.’
8 “Behold, I am bringing them from the north country,
And I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth,
Among them the blind and the lame,
The woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together;
A great [f]company, they will return here.
9 “With weeping they will come,
And by supplication I will lead them;
I will make them walk by streams of waters,
On a straight path in which they will not stumble;
For I am a father to Israel,
And Ephraim is My firstborn.”
10 Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,
And declare in the coastlands afar off,
And say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him
And keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.”
11 For the LORD has ransomed Jacob
And redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he.
12 “They will come and shout for joy on the height of Zion,
And they will be radiant over the [g]bounty of the LORD—
Over the grain and the new wine and the oil,
And over the young of the flock and the herd;
And their life will be like a watered garden,
And they will never languish again.
13 “Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance,
And the young men and the old, together,
For I will turn their mourning into joy
And will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow.
14 “I will [h]fill the soul of the priests with [i]abundance,
And My people will be satisfied with My goodness,” declares the LORD.
15 Thus says the LORD,
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
Lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
She refuses to be comforted for her children,
Because they are no more.”
16 Thus says the LORD,
“Restrain your voice from weeping
And your eyes from tears;
For your work will be rewarded,” declares the LORD,
“And they will return from the land of the enemy.
17 “There is hope for your future,” declares the LORD,
“And your children will return to their own territory.
18 “I have surely heard Ephraim grieving,
‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised,
Like an untrained calf;
Bring me back that I may be restored,
For You are the LORD my God.
19 ‘For after I turned back, I repented;
And after I was instructed, I smote on my thigh;
I was ashamed and also humiliated
Because I bore the reproach of my youth.’
20 “Is Ephraim My dear son?
Is he a delightful child?
Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him,
I certainly still remember him;
Therefore My [j]heart yearns for him;
I will surely have mercy on him,” declares the LORD.
21 “Set up for yourself roadmarks,
Place for yourself guideposts;
Direct your [k]mind to the highway,
The way by which you went.
Return, O virgin of Israel,
Return to these your cities.
22 “How long will you go here and there,
O faithless daughter?
For the LORD has created a new thing in the earth—
A woman will encompass a man.”
23 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Once again they will speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities when I restore their [l]fortunes,
‘The LORD bless you, O abode of righteousness,
O holy hill!’
24 Judah and all its cities will dwell together in it, the farmer and they who go about with flocks. 25 For I satisfy the weary ones and [m]refresh everyone who languishes.” 26 At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me.
A New Covenant
27 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast. 28 As I have watched over them to pluck up, to break down, to overthrow, to destroy and to bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the LORD.
29 “In those days they will not say again,
‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
And the children’s teeth are [n]set on edge.’
30 But everyone will die for his own iniquity; each man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth will be [o]set on edge.
31 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. 33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
35 Thus says the LORD,
Who gives the sun for light by day
And the [p]fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,
Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar;
The LORD of hosts is His name:
36 “If [q]this fixed order departs
From before Me,” declares the LORD,
“Then the offspring of Israel also will cease
From being a nation before Me [r]forever.”
37 Thus says the LORD,
“If the heavens above can be measured
And the foundations of the earth searched out below,
Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel
For all that they have done,” declares the LORD.
38 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when the city will be rebuilt for the LORD from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 The measuring line will go out farther straight ahead to the hill Gareb; then it will turn to Goah. 40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be holy to the LORD; it will not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever.”
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray: and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
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