MIB: You're really that moral?posted by boaz at 2:11 PM on April 2, 2005
Hitch: Let me put it this way. You've heard of John Paul II? Mother Theresa?
MIB: Yes.
Hitch: Evil! Both of them!
"Jesus replied, And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."Infallibility is what makes the Holy Roman Catholic Chruch the Church and not the church. What doctrines have and have not been pronounced ex cathedra are, ironically, not themselves infallible matters. Popes don't invoke ex cathedra directly when speaking or writing on religious matters, or at least haven't so far, although they certainly could if they chose to. What is an is not infallible is a matter of scholarly exegesis where church historians basically argue over whether a pope 'Really, really meant it.' Wherein really, really meaning it constitutes speaking directly as the successor of Peter and tacitly invoking his power to hold bound, as well as speaking universally, which is reaffirming a matter that has always been considered to be true for all time and all men. Also, generally, some nasty lake of fire consequences for unbelievers are invoked to add the proper gravity to the situation. When Church historians see all these things in one place they say that the Pope was most likely speaking ex cathedra but the process resembles literary analysis more than jurisprudence. That is why so few doctrines that are considered ex cathedra, because there is no compelling need to assert things which are universally held by the Chruch to be true. It is only in times of schism or heresy that councils are held and encyclicals are written which start to use the strong language with which infallible doctrines are associated. The idea of infallibility is extremely nebulous in its current conception and basically so tautological and convoluted as to be irrelevant. In its modern form ex cathedra means that God has granted the Chruch universal the power to determine morality with the caveat that it only has this power in cases where it has this power by virtue of being correct. Because you are now in Divine Command theory territory there is a continuum of credence granted to infallibility based on whether you consider it more important to be Good or God. The Catholic Church is thus extremely conservative about specifying doctrines as infallible and most members take its ordinary doctrines as solid guidlines that are more than likely correct but not beyond question.
I shall give you my sincere advice: First, to set fire to their synagogues or schools and to bury and cover with dirt whatever will not burn, so that no man will ever again see a stone or cinder of them....I note that finally, during the 1980s and 1990s, some progressive Lutheran factions finally got around to explicitly condemning Luther's hate speech. The Roman Catholic Church has never and does not today possess a religious monopoly on stupidity, discrimination, and responsibility for misdeeds.
Second, I advise that their houses also be razed and destroyed. For they pursue in them the same aims as in their synagogues. Instead they might be lodged under a roof or in a barn, like the gypsies....
Third, I advise that all their prayer books and Talmudic writings, in which such idolatry, lies, cursing, and blasphemy are taught, be taken from them.
Fourth, I advise that their rabbis be forbidden to teach henceforth on pain of loss of life and limb. ...
Fifth, I advise that safe-conduct on the highways be abolished completely for the Jews. ...
Sixth, I advise that usury be prohibited to them, and that all cash and treasure of silver and gold be taken from them and put aside for safekeeping. ...
« Older I LOVE SHREDDED WHEAT:... | Toilets of New Orleans.... Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by grrarrgh00 at 12:08 PM on April 2, 2005