This article was posted in one of my Catholic Email groups by a priest. I wanted to post it here and comment. I am going to post the article and then comment seperately.
LIBERALISM IS A SIN
Liberalism, whether in the doctrinal or practical order, is a sin. In the doctrinal order, it is heresy, and consequently a mortal sin against faith. In the practical order it is a sin against the commandments of God and of the Church, for it virtually transgresses all commandments. To be more precise: in the doctrinal order Liberalism strikes at the very foundations of faith; it is heresy radical and universal, because (22) within it are comprehended all heresies. In the practical order it is a radical and universal infraction of the divine law, since it sanctions and authorizes all infractions of that law.
Liberalism is a heresy in the doctrinal order, because heresy is the formal and obstinate denial of all Christian dogmas in general. It repudiates dogma altogether and substitutes opinion, whether that opinion be doctrinal or the negation of doctrine. Consequently it denies every doctrine in particular. If we were to examine in detail all the doctrines or dogmas which, within the range of Liberalism, have been denied, we would find every Christian dogma in one way or the other rejected, from the dogma of the Incarnation to that of Infallibility. None the less is Liberalism in itself dogmatic; and it is in the declaration of its own fundamental dogma, the absolute independence of the individual and the social reason, that it denies all Christian dogmas in general. Catholic dogma is the authoritative declaration of revealed truth, or a truth consequent upon revelation, by its infallibly constituted exponent. This logically implies the obedient acceptance of the dogma on the part of the individual and of society. Liberalism refuses to acknowledge this rational obedience and denies the authority. (23) It asserts the sovereignty of the individual and the social reason, and enthrones Rationalism in the seat of Authority. It knows no dogma except the dogma of selfassertion. Hence is it heresy fundamental and radical, the rebellion of the human intellect against God.
It follows, therefore, that Liberalism denies the absolute jurisdiction of Jesus Christ, who is God, over individuals and over society, and, by consequence, repudiates the jurisdiction which God has delegated to the visible head of the Church over each and all of the faithful, whatever their condition or rank in life. It moreover denies the necessity of divine revelation and obligation of every one to accept that revelation under pain of eternal perdition. It denies the formal motive for faith, viz., the authority of God revealing, and admits only as much of revealed doctrine as it chooses or comprehends within its own narrow capacity. It denies the infallible magistracy of the Church and of the Pope, and consequently all the doctrines defined and taught by this divine authority. In short it sets itself up as the measure and rule of faith, and so really shuts out revelation altogether. It denies everything which it itself does not proclaim. It negates everything which it itself does not 24) affirm. But not being able to affirm any truth beyond its own reach, it denies the possibility of any truth which it does not comprehend. The revelation of truth above human reason it, therefore, debars at the outset. The divinity of Jesus Christ is beyond its horoscope. The Church is outside its comprehension. The submission of human reason to the Word of Christ or its divinely constituted exponent is to it intolerable. It is, therefore, the radical and universal denial of all divine truth and Christian dogma, the primal type of all heresy, and the supreme rebellion against the authority of God and His Church. With Lucifer its maxim is: “I will not serve.”
Such is the general negation uttered by Liberalism. From this radical denial of revealed truth in general, naturally follows the denial of particular dogmas in whole or in part, as circumstances present them in opposition to its rationalistic judgement. Thus, for instance, it denies the validity of faith by baptism, when it admits or supposes the equality of any or all religious cults; it denies the sanctity of marriage, when it sanctions socalled civil marriages; it denies the infallibility of the Roman Pontiff, when it refuses to accept as laws his official commands and teachings, and (25) subjects them to the scrutiny of its own intellect, not to assure itself of their authenticity, as is legitimate, but to sit in defiant judgement upon their contents.
When we come to the practical order, Liberalism is radical immorality. Morality requires a standard and a guide to rational action; it postulates a hierarchy of ends, and, therefore, order, within whose series there is a subordination of means to the attainment of an ultimate purpose. It therefore requires a principle or fundamental rule of all action, by which the subject of moral acts, the rational creature, determines his course and guides himself to the attainment of his end. In the moral order the Eternal Reason alone can be that principle or fundamental rule of action, and this Eternal Reason is God. In the moral order the created reason, with power to determine its course, must guide itself by the light of the Uncreated Reason, who is the beginning and end of all things. The law, therefore, imposed by the Eternal Reason upon the creature, must be the principle or rule of morality. Hence obedience and submission in the moral order is an absolute requisite of morality. But Liberalism has proclaimed the absurd principle of the absolute sovereignty of human reason; it denies any reason beyond itself and asserts its (26) independence in the order of knowledge, and hence in the order of action or morality. Here we have morality without law, without order, freedom to do what one pleases, or what comes to the same thing, morality which is not morality, for morality implies the idea not only of direction, but also essentially demands that of restraint and limitation under the control of law. Liberalism in the order of action is license, recognizing no principle or rule beyond itself.
We may then say of Liberalism: in the order of ideas it is absolute error; in the order of facts it is absolute disorder. It is therefore, in both cases a very grievous and deadly sin, for sin is rebellion against God in thought or in deed, the enthronement of the creature in the place of the Creator.
Englished and Adapted from the Spanish of Roman Catholic Priest,
Dr. Don Felix Sarda Y Salvany
By
Conde B. Pallen, Ph.D., LL.D.
I am commenting here, because I feel that I can be free to express myself and not being silenced if I say what I am going to say in the Catholic Email group. That happen before and I rejoined because I think it is important to try and reach out in love to my fellow Catholic brothers and sisters even though we may disagree.
I don’t understand how a Catholic Priest can say and promote the idea that to hold Liberal beliefs that one is sinning against God and the Catholic Church? I know I am stupid, but when I read the gospels of Jesus that I read everyday and on church on Sunday’s and feast days; I hear that we are to show love and compassion toward others(our neighbors).
In the gospel yesterday Jesus was saying that it is not what goes in that makes us unclean and in sin but what comes out of our hearts and the words that we say. Do we reflect the love and compassin of Christ? Do we care for those of us amoung us who are struggling and need a helping hand? Yet, to many times I see from fellow Catholics who practice every traditon of our wonderful faith, who on the outside look like they are such great Catholics, but inside lack compassion, love, and support toward our fellow man. Instead of a heart of compassion they have a heart of stone.
Do I agree with everything that is listed on the Democratic or in my case the Green Party platform? No, I do not, but I have to ask if Conservatives and White Nationalists agree with everything listed on the Republican platform and the third party that they support? I do not buy into the idea that just because a Catholic is a Liberal that they are in SIN!!!!! I know this will lead me to be in trouble again for saying that, but at least I am open and honest about what I am thinking and feeling. If it means I have to go through people attacking me or getting angry with what I say, than so be it.
I repeat you do not know what is in the heart of any other Catholic. You do not know what the personal relationship with God is. You don’t know if they have confessed that sin and have been forgiven and are working to make up for the wrong they did. To judge someone as being in sin because the are a LIBERAL is WRONG in my view.
Does this kind of thinking bring us together as CATHOLICS or does it divide us. It divides us!!!
At least in America many times Catholics in an election we have to decide if we are going put our poltical party first or if we are going to follow the teaching of the church and stay home because there isn’t a pro life candidate running. I know in the last election the pressure was so strong upon Catholics to either vote Republican or not vote. If we Catholics are made to feel that we can’t vote for a LIBERAL because it is SIN, than America looses something because Catholic voters will be staying home and our voice will be silenced in this nation. WE as Catholic Americans shouldn’t have to decide between between our church and nation.
If you want to talk about sin, why not talk about the lack of honesty that is in politics today. WE have candidates who lie to get elected. I am sure that lack of honesty in political office holders is not just an American problem. Why don’t talk about the sin of lying?
If you want to talk about sin, why don’t you talk about the use of TORTURE by our government. Again I am sure America isn’t the only country who has used torture, yet, it seems to some Catholics it is more of a sin to be a LIBERAL/PROGRESSIVE than to torture people.
If you want to talk about sin, why don’t you talk about the evil of GREED and the destruction of our earth. I read my Bible and I understand it to mean that I am to be a good caregiver of the planet and that it is a SIN to allow such evil practices as MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL MINING yet to some Catholics being a Liberal is more evil than that.
I love my church and I have a strong faith. I also consider myself a LIBERAL.
Why don’t we as Catholics quit putting down other Catholics for their Liberalism and try to live in such a way as to better reflect the true meaning of Jesus and his teachings.
Christine Cosser
I wanted to post this quote from the Catholic church and comment on it.
“1033 We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him. But we cannot love God if we sin gravely against him, against our neighbor or against ourselves: “He who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” Our Lord warns us that we shall be separated from him if we fail to meet the serious needs of the poor and the little ones who are his brethren. To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God’s merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called “hell.” ”
The part I wanted to focus on is the part that says We can’t love God unless we show love to others(our fellow man). That someone who hates his brother/sister is in danger of going to hell, because such a person wouldn’t be loving God by mistreating one of God’s children.
That quote struck me because is it showing God’s love to each other as Catholics to judge another Catholic to be in SIN because he is a Liberal? Is that showing love to a fellow Catholic by making him feel he would be in SIN to vote in an election?
I find myself asking quite a bit the question of what would Jesus do? I mean I really ask myself that question and sometimes I have quit doing the action because I don’t think Jesus would like me doing that.
So I ask you as a Priest in the Catholic church; do you think that Jesus would be happy with your words? Do you think Jesus would be happy with your heart of harsh judgment over love and compassion toward your fellow Catholic and fellow human being who decides that Liberalism better reflects the social gospel of Jesus than the Right Wing in this country?
My prayer is that all of us as Catholics will really start to ask the question of What would Jesus do before we do something and that if that word, action, or thought is hurtful and judgmental that we would not say, do or think it anymore. That we would remember the gospel from yesterday that it is not what goes in our body that makes us sin, but what comes out.
God bless you
Christine Cosser
I was doing more thinking about this article last night. The part I was thinking about is this:
“Liberalism, whether in the doctrinal or practical order, is a sin. In the doctrinal order, it is heresy, and consequently a mortal sin against faith. In the practical order it is a sin against the commandments of God and of the Church, for it virtually transgresses all commandments. To be more precise: in the doctrinal order Liberalism strikes at the very foundations of faith; it is heresy radical and universal, because (22) within it are comprehended all heresies. In the practical order it is a radical and universal infraction of the divine law, since it sanctions and authorizes all infractions of that law.”
I disagree with that statement. I can’t believe that there is nothing about Liberalism that is in line with the teachings of Christ or the Catholic Church. I know my brain has a slower processing speed and I process information more slowly than average people, but I am not stupid.
What about feeding the poor and caring for the sick? Feeding the poor and caring for the sick were in the gospels that we read in church on Sunday. Both the Democratic party and the Green party have in their platform programs that would help the poor and sick in America. I would think that the Liberal parties around the world have programs for the poor and sick in their platform. So to make it seem like there is not one single policy of Liberals that is in line with the teachings of Christ and the church is wrong.
I am not going to bash Conservatives or White Nationalists and say that Liberals are the only ones who help the poor and sick. We may have a different vison of how to best help the poor and sick but I know in their hearts that they too don’t want to see people suffer in poverty.
Liberals care about the environment which I believe is being very much in line with the teachings of the church. I read the writings of St. Francis and some of the other saints and I know in my heart that they would consider the GREED that is being allowed to get away with destroying one of our most beautiful mountain ranges in America is an EVIL SIN and yet, for the most part it is the LIBERAL/PROGRESSIVES WHO ARE FIGHTING THIS EVIL.
Yes, there are things in the Liberal platform that I and many other Catholics disagree with. I am pro-life. I am against abortion. I think most Catholics are against abortion. I think most Catholics believe that Catholics should not be forced to perform abortions when it goes against our faith. I don’t think any Catholic feels that Catholic hospitals should be forced to perform abortions. I think that many stay active within the party to try and make our voice heard, because if Catholics withdraw from the process of government in this country because we are told Liberalism is a sin and we don’t like the other choice of Neo conservative than we will have no inpact at all.
I think it is important that we do have Catholics in the polictial realm who are at least trying to fight for issues and values that are important to us as Catholics. If we are pressured to withdraw from the government or can’t vote and be a Catholic in good standing, than this nation looses a strong moral voice.
As much as I love politics I love God more. As much as I would hate to withdraw I would in order to remain in good standing, but it is wrong that Catholics are having to face that decision more and more about having to choose either the church or holding to their political view.
I look at Liberalism and I see issues that are very much in line with the teachings of Christ. I also see issues that go aganist the teachings of Christ and the church. Isn’t it better to stay and let the Catholic voice be heard in the process of determining the Laws in this country?
You know my ideology, but I really think that christ was a living example of socialism is action. All his teaching would be regarded as socialist in todays society. Personaly I think that organized religion has watered down and detracted from these socialist principles to that of an organized capitalist organization, its primary aim is to continue to keep free thought hidden and curb any activity which may endanger their monopoly god.
I have yet to be convinced that any organized religion has provided any benefit to a nation, never mind the masses.