Friday, October 19, 2007

Fraternal Twins

Back when I was taking some PolySci classes in college I realized that the political spectrum is not a straight line at all; rather it is a circle. Go far enough in either direction and you'll see that the extremes meld into one. The poster children for fascism - the Nazis - called their political organ Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (the National Socialist German Workers' Party). I always found it telling that they used two communist buzz words - socialist and workers' - in that title.

In many ways the situation in the church today bears out the truth of this observation. In the final analysis both the far right and the far are equally unfaithful to the Church. Both groups have abandoned the authentic Magisterium of the Church in favor of their own personal opinions and preferences. Thus both "ends" of the spectrum end up being quite similar, fraternal twins one might say.

As I "attack" the far right for their intolerance I think it only fair that I note that those on the far left are the most intolerant of all. And their sin is far greater because they preach tolerance to everyone else. At least the rightists have the decency to make clear that they have no use for tolerance whatsoever!

5 comments:

Terry Nelson said...

I like your blogroll title too - "the good, the bad, the ugly" - very good.

Fr. Charles Ledderer said...

Thanks! I try to keep it "fresh."

Anonymous said...

Leaving Catholicism aside for a minute, I find it very amusing how people on the far ends of the political spectrum have so much in common, especially parents. No TV, homeschooling, home birth, nursing, cloth diapering, NFP/FAM...but your point about the far right and left in Catholicism is spot on. Trouble is, it seems like only the far right (and a few people on the far left) keep Catholic blogs...

Anyway, keep up the good writing.

Adoro said...

joan....I'm one of many many Catholics who keeps a blog that is neither far right nor is it far left. I'll gladly admit I lean towards the right, but my theology is FAITHFUL to the Church.

Some people may assume that because I have Latin in my header, and my pseudonym is in Latin, that must make me a Trad...but it doesn't.

And the majority of the blogs I read are simply FAITHFUL Catholics, at neither end of the spectrum, although there are a few on the far right.

And Father, just out of curiousity...is my blog categorized as Good, Bad, Ugly, or all of the above? :-)

Anonymous said...

Fr. Charles Ledderer, The Dakotas, USA you are impersonating a Catholic priest. Your identity is fictitious. There are people on here that are believing you. I am asking you not to trick people anymore.