George Bush – Convert, Heretic, Both?
I ran across a rather interesting (in the sad sense) point of view expressed in a blog post at Good Jesuit, Bad Jesuit called George W. Bush’s Warm Embrace Of The Catholic Church
The Bishop of Rome has elucidated – very clearly – that the things Mr. Bush is engaged in are improper and sinful. Mr. Bush chose to ignore the Bishop of Rome on issues surrounding Iraq and the Just War doctrine. He chose to tell the Bishop of Rome’s delegation to get lost. He has ignored Rome on torture and other issues as well.
Perhaps Mr. Bush would be a perfect fit for the “American Catholic Church.” He certainly holds to the Americanist Heresy, condemned by Leo XIII in Testem Benevolentiae. He refuses to subjugate himself (as many Roman Catholics in the U.S. do) to the authority and teaching of the Church, preferring rather his own “enlightened” point-of-view. Just a recap of Rome’s teaching on the issue
The basis of these opinions is that, to make converts, the Church should adapt herself to our advanced civilization and relax her ancient rigour as regards not only the rule of life but also the deposit of faith, and should pass over or minimize certain points of doctrine, or even give them a meaning which the Church has never held. On this the Vatican Council is clear; faith is not a doctrine for speculation like a philosophical theory, to be relinquished or in any manner suppressed under any specious pretext whatsoever; such a process would alienate Catholics from the Church, instead of bringing converts. In the words of the council the Church must constantly adhere to the same doctrine in the same sense and in the same way; but the rule of Christian life admits of modifications according to diversity of time, place, or national custom, only such changes are not to depend on the will of private individuals but on the judgment of the Church.
So when Mr. Fromm writes:
If George Bush becomes a Catholic it will be a great day, if not then I will have lived under a President who prays to Jesus Christ and does his best to live his life as a Christian first and politician second.
…he should remember that an embrace of the Roman Catholic Church requires that the person doing so hold to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, on war, abortion, torture, the death penalty, truth, contraception, and on… An embrace of Christianity entails a whole set of life choices that go against everything the world teaches.
In other words Mr. Bush is about as Roman Catholic as ____________? Well, at a minimum, an Americanist heretic.
The real fact is that there is no single issue by which we must decide. None of the politicians who are on road to the White House are Catholic or truly Christian in any sense of the word, especially in the sense of faithful citizenship. None are for true freedom. None will desist from government intervention in our lives at home or from interventions overseas. Those who promise an end to abortion do nothing to actually stop abortion. As the Young Fogey might point out, they simply fan the flames of controversy, doing nothing in reality, but perpetuating their agenda and power above all else.
The answer is always found in the deposit of faith. I believe my Church to be correct on every issue because it teaches the true faith. That trumps politics, my country, the world, and especially my personal desires. Is it easy to be a Christian in the face of the world? No. It only happens when we take our desires, our needs out of the picture – focusing them and aligning them with Jesus Christ’s way. With that we bear witness to our faith and win true converts.
Dear Deacon,
I respect your opinion. However, would you advocate that our President to encourage abortion, an anti-family agenda and an anti-Christian platform? Now I am a Polish- American, who’s family has suffered; death, destruction, starvation, confiscation of property and enslavement in work camps. At the hands of both the Nazi’s and the Communists. At twelve years old my uncle dug a tank trench for two years, twenty feet deep in defence of Poland. So with that in mind if make you feel better to label me a neo-con, so be it. I’ll just call myself a Roman Catholic American who loves the Blessed Mother and grateful for my Polish heritage.
Mr. Fromm,
Welcome to my blog.
The argument you present, would you advocate that our President to encourage abortion, an anti-family agenda and an anti-Christian platform is a straw man argument. Obviously I would not advocate that a president, any political leader, or any human being encourage, assist, or support abortion. I wouldn’t consider myself to be fit to be a Catholic clergyman if I thought otherwise. I also believe that no politician has it right on every issue, and I refuse to give in to rhetoric on a single issue while those politicians run hog wild over other pertinent issues. I will not allow myself to be blinded by the promises made by either side.
As far as an anti-Christian platform, what I truly care about is having leaders who ensure and protect the freedoms we should all enjoy, and are, by right, entitled to. As my correspondent, the Young Fogey would say, I would vote for a partnered gay atheist if he or she were to do all in their power to assure my freedom to practice and proclaim Christian beliefs, and end this illegal war. The good Felician sisters taught me that we are blessed to live in this country – because we are free to practice our faith and traditions openly, without fear. We are free to succeed and thrive.
The real power of Christianity is that it is faith in the living and true God. Our arguments, our logic, and our faith are built on truth. Truth, under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, will win over all. Putting the truth of Jesus Christ up in front and out there requires no government support or coercion, it requires that we do our job as Christians. In fact keep government out of religion – it corrupts us. Government does its duty when it ensures the freedom to speak openly about our beliefs without hindrance. If government protects basic freedoms, and stays out of other things, we will all be further ahead.
On the war issue – this war in Iraq was built upon lie after lie. Most of the rest of the world knew better, the Bishop of Rome knew better, and in fact the CIA and others in government knew better.
The folks at Pro Ecclesia * Pro Familia * Pro Civitate got it right when they noted that calling Mr. Bush a closet Catholic, in light of policies which are out-of-step with the Roman Church, is not really good witness to who Catholics are. Frankly it is insulting.
What we should be touting is the Catholic witness of others who stood up to and currently stand up to tyranny – historically your family and mine for example. The things that were suffered in Poland are occurring today, in Iraq, and we as a country are morally culpable for that. We should stand up for right over sin and avoid praising those who are, on their face, acting immorally.
I hope we can agree that we must pray for our country and its leaders. I pray that we once again become a humble country – a country that acts as a beacon of freedom, fair play, hope, and a country that recognizes the dignity for all life.