Thursday, 3 May 2012

Socialism is not Catholicism; List Continued

Eleven: socialism destroys nationalism, cultural differences and the organic growth of a civilization, by imposing rules and ideals which deny religion and religious freedom. At first, socialism seems to be tolerant, but any group denying power to the State becomes a threat.

Twelve: socialism creates a bloated government, as all the projects and programs which should be in the hands of individuals or the Church, are taken over by government. Government then needs to suppress rights and privileges in order to protect and increase its own bureaucracy. Therefore, socialism is against grass-roots political movements and local government, which may contradict the socialist State.

Thirteen: socialism creates false dichotomies and false "wars" within society, by creating the language of class hatred and envy; such false hatred and wars as between haves and have nots, the rich and the poor, the educated and the uneducated, agricultural interests and those of the city, the workers and the academic elite, the blue collar and white collar workers, the Church and the State, etc. Then, the State claims that it is the only institution which can solve the problems creating by these false wars. Such heresies as Liberation Theology, Black Liberation Theology, etc. thrive in a socialist milieu.

Fourteen: socialism in denying initiative, Point Four, destroys creativity in the liberal arts, which are not utilitarian. Education becomes a way of creating good citizens and the dependent underclass instead of a way to teach people how to think. As religion is suppressed, so are the liberal arts which feed religion in a mutual encouraging of the studies of language, literature, history, the arts, philosophy, etc. Educational systems exist for the State and not for the individual.

Fifteen: socialism creates the cult of the leader or the cult of personality in leaders, on purpose, as those people are the only ones who supposedly can overcome the false wars created by the false dichotomies listed above. A cult of personality is needed in a socialist state which rewards mediocrity in leadership and undermines true, thinking leaders. There are many examples of this in various socialist and wannabee socialist states today.

Sixteen: socialism fears the Kingdom of God within, as it is a spiritual reality and also an institutional reality, as Christ instituted His Church on earth. Therefore the Church is the single-most enemy of the socialist State. The window of St. Joseph of Arimathea is above, a rich man who brought the Gospel to Britain. His knowledge of the Kingdom of God crossed the lines of empire, wealth, missionary activity, etc. all things a socialism government cannot but desires to control.

Seventeen: socialism, as utilitarian, uses other political, even religious movements to gain power and then discards those fair-weather friends once it is in power. For example, in the name of tolerance, a socialist party may appeal to immigrants, minorities, etc. especially against the hierarchy of the Church, as in the case of using the Islamic vote in France, while all the time not believing in the spiritual life or spiritual history at all and merely taking advantage of those in need, either perceived or real, in order to gain power. The irony is that as socialist really do not believe in the spiritual reality, but only the material, they sometimes underestimate the power and zeal of those they use.

Eighteen: socialism denies the need or pursuit of personal virtue, as all virtue resides in the State and the glorification of the State. The State becomes God, and therefore only those virtues which uphold the State are valuable.

Nineteen: progressivism, the heresy which believes that men and women are improving in body and mind, merely because of history and evolution, is a core belief of some socialists and part of the materialistic point of view. As there is no such thing as Creation by God, humans will change and improve under some type of utopian government, similar idea to Point One, but more sinister, and more pragmatic, as this leads to the Darwinian idea of the best of the species being preferred. Also, connected to Point Eight.

Twenty: socialism encourages conformity and tolerance of all things, including immoral and amoral behavior, such as homosexuality, and this tolerance becomes the rule, as religion is downgraded, As the philosophy of socialism is materialistic, denying a spiritual reality or the spiritual goal of the afterlife, by emphasizing the here and now, all behaviors are acceptable as being pleasurable. The State means the goal of all activity and therefore, personal morals and personal ethics are not important. The emphasis on pleasure also is connected to Point Nine, as those pursuing pleasure do not have time to work, and be creative.

I am adding one more, which is connected to several points above.

Twenty-one: socialism, as completely materialistic, denies the efficacy of suffering. Suffering is always bad and it is the duty of the State to control happiness and contentment, so that no one who is useful suffers.
Personal holiness through suffering is denied as a goal, as there is not spiritual life, only the material.