The Church and Fascism
In the past, fascist governments have appealed to, if not the Catholic Church directly, then those of the Catholic faith.
The most obvious example is of course Mussolini but I believe the Brazilian Integralists and Portugal's Estado Novo pandered to Catholics in their country.
So, why is this? Just political convenience?
Why do authoritarians in the Middle East look to the Mosque to justify their power?
If a large portion of the population believes in a mythology that a leader can exploit, they will. This is not only fascism, the fear of "haji" terrorists in America, exploited by the government, certainly helps them retain power.
Originally posted by Grand-Moff-Gav
No, but people seem to think when your the head of the Worlds largest Church and have a congregation to try and protect- you can act with little caution and/or discretion.
That would be true if the pope did not have a direct link to a all powerful god. That raises the bar. As it is now, they act like they are human with no divine interaction. In other words, they make mistakes.
Originally posted by inimalistBecause religion is slavery of the mind.
Why do authoritarians in the Middle East look to the Mosque to justify their power?If a large portion of the population believes in a mythology that a leader can exploit, they will. This is not only fascism, the fear of "haji" terrorists in America, exploited by the government, certainly helps them retain power.
Spirituality is used to decide what's right and wrong. Those who believe that a certain religion is right, will live within that mindset and see that anything to do with that religion must be right. They believe that because they also believe those who are telling us this are more spiritual than we are, and that accepting this whether understood or not will give us a reward, rather than a punishment.
Originally posted by lord xyz
Because religion is slavery of the mind.Spirituality is used to decide what's right and wrong. Those who believe that a certain religion is right, will live within that mindset and see that anything to do with that religion must be right. They believe that because they also believe those who are telling us this are more spiritual than we are, and that accepting this whether understood or not will give us a reward, rather than a punishment.
That is not true with all religions.
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
That would be true if the pope did not have a direct link to a all powerful god. That raises the bar. As it is now, they act like they are human with no divine interaction. In other words, they make mistakes.
The Pope can speak with the authority of God all he wants- doesn't mean he can impose God's will onto Hitler.
Originally posted by lord xyz
Because religion is slavery of the mind.
any ideology is mental slavery, religion is not special in this regard.
Originally posted by lord xyz
Spirituality is used to decide what's right and wrong. Those who believe that a certain religion is right, will live within that mindset and see that anything to do with that religion must be right.
how does this differ from ethical values of those who are not religious.
I am a very firm believer in equality, live with that mindset and believe things done equally are right...
are you arguing for moral relativism?
Originally posted by lord xyz
They believe that because they also believe those who are telling us this are more spiritual than we are, and that accepting this whether understood or not will give us a reward, rather than a punishment.
this would assume that you don't believe anything that an authority in any field tells you. This would mean that, should you believe in quantum mechanics, that you are personally familiar with things like entanglement, as you are not taking the word of the more "educated" just telling you what to believe with regards to quantum physics.
Originally posted by Grand-Moff-GavSkeptics are people who doubt what they are told, until there is evidence and are no contradictions to what they have already accepted as truth.
Oh...and the Skeptics are by definition free from the mind-control of the rest of society.
Skepticism is in a sense a rebellion from the norm, the myth, the mind control of the rest of society, so yeah.
Originally posted by lord xyz
geotics: questioning the validity or authenticity of something purporting to be factualrebelling against a myth seems pretty synonymous.
That doesn't mean you a free from the mind controlling Freemasons that dominate the rest of us...hell they even have a nice little definition for you to cling to...
Im a Catholic, your a Skeptic...how ironic.