Collapse of ‘Secular West’ good for the Church?

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I disagree with your assesment, and I find your attempt to label me as a Marxist in keepeing disgusting and an attempt to marginalize my points. I refuse to march lock-step with those who wave the flag and white wash the US history to prop up a system which has ground up everything in its path. George, we did not “overcome” the abuses of abject capitalism, we merely exported them to countries where the corporations can still buy of governments to meet their profit levels. I have visited many countries acrosss the world courtesy of Uncle Sam and I have no misconceptions as to the disparity between poverty in the US and poverty in third world nations, but if you are of the mindset that only disfunctional, lazy, lackidaisical citizens suffer in this country, I would suggest to you Sir to find your history somewhere other than the Fox network.

Pax Christi
Interestingly enough, the era in which America was its most prosperous was in the era of economic deregulation and free markets. Europe is sinking because its huge government bureaucracy cannot support the demographic crisis, third world immigrants, and its rigid economic system. Capitalist reforms are essential to keep an economy growing. The more wealth you generate, the more you can allow that wealth to go to the poorest people. The poor in America today live better than they’ve ever been, and much better than the rich of certain third world nations.

But, more to the topic, I think one of the major issues in the current Western crisis is not economics, but its a political and cultural issue. Massive third world immigration is threatening to make Europe an appendage of the Islamic world, and the United States into a giant North American Brazil. I think the Church needs to recognize this and stop campaigning relentlessly for open borders.
 
Fabius—I don’t know where you have the idea, sir, that Catholic monks introduced capitalism? If we recall, during the Medieval period (especially the earlier periods before the Fuggers, Medicis, et al.) usury, that is charging interest on a loan, was strictly forbidden by the Church. Capitalism as a theory of economics and practice thereof developed, as far as I know, following the mercantilist period of the great European princes…but, again, this was after and not before the Protestant Reformation.

George—To be fair to D. Morgan I don’t think he espousing Marxism, at all. In fact I’d go as far as saying that Moran, though I don’t know him, is probably a staunch anti-Marxist. Many Americans, IMHO, buy into the hard-right capitalist (and, tellingly, Calvinist) mantra that if you are against unbridled consumerism and an uncontrolled market you are a pinko, commie, or sometimes Marxist. In reality no practicing Catholic is able to be a Marxist, they are mutually exclusive ideologies, and IMHO Marxism is nothing but a secular perversion of the Good which the Church teaches and in becoming perverted became devilish. Mostly I agree too with Paxvobis.

MontChevalier—I agree with you. There is still a solid core of devout youth out there who would, if circumstances necessitated it, take up the Cross if the Holy Father implored it. Of course, grave circumstances would be needed in the current circumstances to justify this, and the disgusting and tainted media of our times gives us a porn-and-drug induced lineups of goons to keep the majority of young Catholics—Christians in general—oblivious to this fact. But, again IMO, as the degenerate Secular West continues to unravel around us like so much used yarn it may very well be the young generations of Catholics who preserve the Church, if fact it will be them.

Again, Fabius, I must disagree with your critique of immigration: as it applies to this thread and context of the Secular West’s collapse being good for the Church. By and large, emphasis mine because of factual disputes on other threads, Hispanic immigration=increased Catholicism. This, as a general statement, perhaps with a significant minority diversion, is true. Hence the Hispanic immigration into the United States, which is at this time (and perhaps it historically always has been) a mix of radical Protestantism and equally radical secularism, is good in that it acts as leaven to Christianize, to Catholicize, the US. One of the only groups in the US to still take family life seriously, at all, are Hispanic Catholics. Just go to a park and take a look.

Lets take Britain as an example too Fabius. You make a point of saying “Europe is sinking because its huge government bureaucracy cannot support the demographic crisis, third world immigrants, and its rigid economic system” which is somewhat true, though I’d argue cultural degeneracy (the Secular West per se) and the abandonment of the Church in Europe preceded those crises. Of all Europe, Britain seems to have: the most self-abasing and irrationally ‘progressive’ government, the highest levels of Muslim immigration/dominance, the quickest decline in Christian ethics and practice. And what does the Good Lord provide as a ballast for sinking Britannia?

Polish immigration. Devoutly Catholic Poles emigrating into Britain have meant that there are more practicing Catholics in Britain than Anglicans (I cannot provide a statistic, but I have heard this mentioned in several places).

So the long and short of it mon ami is that immigration may be a very good thing to help the Church weather the collapse of the Secular West and afterwards thrive.
 
Well this young 22yr would gladly fight in the Crusades if the Pope called one. Call me crazy, I don’t care. I think it’s an honor to fight in the Crusades, as my ancestors before me in the Spanish reconquest.
Haha. I would to.

You make me wonder if any of my ancestors fought in crusades. My fathers family is from Germany, so maybe? My mothers family is from Russia, and Jews from Ukraine as well as a Polish grandfather.So I am not sure. I guess maybe parts of my ancestry fought.
I do, however, agree. It would be exciting times. No more protestants = less anti-catholics.

-MontChevalier
I don’t agree it would be exciting…At least looking at it as, the safety of my family.
 
I do support the Church’s teachings on economics. I also suport the Church’s teachings on our responsibilities as Christians and our support of our brothers and sisters across the world. I am not a democrat, republican, liberal or conservative. I am a Roman Catholic. I “render unto Ceaser” that which is necesary but my aliegance is to the Church. My opinions are formed by the teachings of the Church.

Pax Christi
Good. I do too, or at least try as best I can.
I disagree with your assesment, and I find your attempt to label me as a Marxist in keepeing disgusting and an attempt to marginalize my points. I refuse to march lock-step with those who wave the flag and white wash the US history to prop up a system which has ground up everything in its path. George, we did not “overcome” the abuses of abject capitalism, we merely exported them to countries where the corporations can still buy of governments to meet their profit levels. I have visited many countries acrosss the world courtesy of Uncle Sam and I have no misconceptions as to the disparity between poverty in the US and poverty in third world nations, but if you are of the mindset that only disfunctional, lazy, lackidaisical citizens suffer in this country, I would suggest to you Sir to find your history somewhere other than the Fox network.

Pax Christi
Please know that I’m not trying to call you a Marxist, a socialist, or a communist. From first hand experience, I can tell you that being socially conservative and economically liberal has lead to people categorizing me into all kinds of stupid little catagories which don’t describe me (some call me a socialist, some call me a right wing religious fanatic. I think you get the picture). The last thing I’d want to do is to put you into a little box.

First of all, the only time I ever watch Fox News is when someone else in the room is watching it (like now…unfortunately).

Secondly, we do share some common ground here. We agree that the current economic situation in the United States is not morally in line with the teachings of the Church. I’m not a cheerleader of sweat shops either.

But here is my question: What is the economic situation you want to see for this country? I agree that we should stop shipping jobs overseas where people work in deplorable conditions for deplorable wages. But my question - and I think it’s perfectly legitimate - is what do you want to replace it with?

In short, I think that the economic situation in the U.S. before we threw away the regulations and many companies shipped jobs overseas resulting in cheaper goods yet only caused the living situation in this country to decline and those in other counties to remain just as bad.
 
Haha. I would to.

You make me wonder if any of my ancestors fought in crusades. My fathers family is from Germany, so maybe? My mothers family is from Russia, and Jews from Ukraine as well as a Polish grandfather.So I am not sure. I guess maybe parts of my ancestry fought.
Ok, so you’re part German and Polish. The answer to that is: Most probably. In the third crusade, Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa, along with Leopold V of Austria, Duke Frederick VI of Swabia and Italian-born Marquis Conrad I of Montferrat set sail with thousands of soldiers and volunteers. But then…there was quite a lot going on in those times. Chances are 50%, but things are different for my ancestry, cause no spanish born can truly say their ancestors did not fight in the reconquest, cause it needed everyone. But Crusades there are a-plenty. If not in the 13th century, then the 14th, if not, then the 15th, or 16th, or even the more fabled ones, the 17th century crusades; where we fought the Turks in Vienna at the year of our lord and savior, 1683. Both Poles and Germans fought here, so I would say chances are higher. But if you’re related to a Polish-Winged Hussar, buddy you and your family will ALWAYS be welcome at my house.
I don’t agree it would be exciting…At least looking at it as, the safety of my family.
I said they would be exciting, I never they would be great.

-MontChevalier
 
This forum is only for subjects that are specifically related to Catholic tradition, not for speculative discussions.

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