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Thursday, November 15, 2007




"THE DICTATORSHIP OF RELATIVISM"

a favorite phrase of Cardinal Ratzinger/Benedict XVI, is the subject of an editorial in the November issue of "New Oxford Review". The editor writes:

In Cardinal Ratzinger's VALUES IN A TIME OF UPHEAVAL, he muddies up his phrase; indeed, he reverses his position. He says, "the modern concept of democracy seems indissolubly linked to that of relativism." Well, well! But then he backtracks: "This means that a basic element of truth, namely, ethical truth, is indispensable to democracy." But then he backtracks again: "We do not want the state to impose one particular idea of the good on us. ...Truth is controversial, and the attempt to impose on all persons what one part of the citizenry holds to be true looks like enslavement of people's consciences." And he says this on the same page! ...

Yes, we know: Some of our readers feel that the Pope is above all criticism; he cannot make a mistake, even in his previous writings. But what he has written here is contradictory and inscrutable.

Ratzinger says, "the relativists...[are] flirting with totalitarianism even though they seek to establish the primacy of freedom. ..." Huh?

So, what is he saying? "The state is not itself the source of truth and morality. ...Accordingly, the state must receive from outside itself the essential measure of knowledge and truth with regard to that which is good. ...The Church remains 'outside' the state. ...The Church must exert itself with all its vigor so that in it there may shine forth moral truth. ..."

Then he says, "
conscience is the highest norm [italics in original] and...one must follow it even against authority. When authority--in this case the Church's magisterium--speaks on matters of morality, it supplies the material that helps the conscience form its own judgment, but ultimately it is only conscience that has the last word."

So the Church's Magisterium will
not "exert itself with all its vigor," because "conscience has the last word." Indeed, Ratzinger says that "one must follow the erring conscience." (p.16)


And we wonder why there are so many differing opinions floating around disguised as doctrine...! If the man at the top can't quite keep it all straight, what chance is there for the rest of us?



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