Friday, May 15, 2009
Obama vs Notre Dame
The kerfuffle about Obama speaking at Notre Dame is rather odd when you see it in a larger perspective. In plain fact, Obama agrees with modern Catholic teaching on nearly all important questions.
On the broad goals of economics and government, he drives the Roman road all the way. Look at this excerpt from JP2's 1991 encyclical 'Centesimus Annus':
Pretty good recipe, and Obama's speeches sound nearly the same. (For instance, his excellent ASU speech this week on the 'poverty of ambition.') On these subjects both Obama and Rome are correct.
On the treatment of enemy prisoners, Obama agrees with Rome, and both are wrong.
On capital punishment, Obama agrees with Rome, and both are wrong.
Both Obama and Rome worship the idolatrous false goddess Gaia, and both are wrong.
The only big question where Obama departs from Rome is abortion; on this one Rome is correct and Obama is wrong.
Seriously, why do American Catholics put so much heat on this one disagreement, when Obama is the first President in many years who agrees with Rome on everything else? ¶ 1:40 PM
On the broad goals of economics and government, he drives the Roman road all the way. Look at this excerpt from JP2's 1991 encyclical 'Centesimus Annus':
Following the destruction caused by [WW2], we see in some countries and under certain aspects a positive effort to rebuild a democratic society inspired by social justice, so as to deprive Communism of the revolutionary potential represented by masses of people subjected to exploitation and oppression. In general, such attempts endeavour to preserve free market mechanisms, ensuring, by means of a stable currency and the harmony of social relations, the conditions for steady and healthy economic growth in which people through their own work can build a better future for themselves and their families. At the same time, these attempts try to avoid making market mechanisms the only point of reference for social life, and they tend to subject them to public control which upholds the principle of the common destination of material goods. In this context, an abundance of work opportunities, a solid system of social security and professional training, the freedom to join trade unions and the effective action of unions, the assistance provided in cases of unemployment, the opportunities for democratic participation in the life of society — all these are meant to deliver work from the mere condition of "a commodity", and to guarantee its dignity.
Pretty good recipe, and Obama's speeches sound nearly the same. (For instance, his excellent ASU speech this week on the 'poverty of ambition.') On these subjects both Obama and Rome are correct.
On the treatment of enemy prisoners, Obama agrees with Rome, and both are wrong.
On capital punishment, Obama agrees with Rome, and both are wrong.
Both Obama and Rome worship the idolatrous false goddess Gaia, and both are wrong.
The only big question where Obama departs from Rome is abortion; on this one Rome is correct and Obama is wrong.
Seriously, why do American Catholics put so much heat on this one disagreement, when Obama is the first President in many years who agrees with Rome on everything else? ¶ 1:40 PM
