Catholic Bishop US formula = Caligula of Rome

[Dreadsox]

US Bishops' official identifies "ethic of fear"


Post September 11 2001 jitters are leading the US to embrace a formula of instilling fear of the United States as a protection from catastrophic attacks that echoes the philosophy of the brutal Roman emperor Caligula, acording to the director of the Office of International Justice and Peace at the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Gerry Powers was speaking at a forum to evaluate the legacy of the use of "preventive force" in the recent US invasion of Iraq.

He said: "While a doctrine of preventive war may derive in part from an ethic of responsibility - to protect ourselves and the world from catastrophic attacks - it also has elements of an ethic of fear."

Powers acknowledged that that "ethic of fear" comes from the understandable preoccupation of Americans with their own fears and vulnerabilities in the face of global terrorism.

"Let them hate us if they will, provided only that they fear us," he said, chacterising the new phenomenon.

Powers was speaking at a colloquium on the ethical issues of pre-emptive war hosted last week by Wesley Theological Seminary and its Churches' Centre for Theology and Public Policy.

"That formula might work for the New York Yankees, but it did not work for the Romans and it will not work for us," Powers said. "It will not work because it creates a cycle of fear that fuels a cycle of violence."

SOURCE
Catholic News Service

 

[sharky]

wow, really interesting article. say what you want about the handling of the sex scandal in the Catholic church, but I actually agree with them on this point. Thanks for the article.

 

[verte76]

I agree with this also.

 

[BVS]

The Catholic Church as a whole has really suprised me, in a good way, with their stance on the war.

 

[Anthony]

Heh, leave it to the Catholic Church to know, and lecture about, fear.

Ant.

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

The Catholic Church as a whole has really suprised me, in a good way, with their stance on the war.

Me too. It seems like they're one of the few religions which is actually consistent on the subject. I respect that.

 

[adamswildhoney]

Heh, leave it to the Catholic Church to know, and lecture about, fear.

Ant.

That is all the church seems to do. I mean my mom was raised to fear God and what will happen to her when she dies, I on the other hand was raised to not fear God but know that he will love and care all of his people. My gram is a devout Catholic and therefore instilled fear into her kids about God and church. Dont get me wrong NOT all devout Catholics do that but for the most part the ones that I have come across do. My mom is a little more leant with religion bc of it being pushed on her when she was younger, so I was lucky enough to be raised knowing God loves me and should not be feared.

 

[nbcrusader]

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding." Psalm 111:10.

We are to fear the Lord. All too often, the wrong type of fear is taught......

 

[Anthony]

Well, I do think that in some ways the 'modern Catholicism' (if there is such a thing) may start to worship a different kind of God, but unfortunately Catholicism is too deep-seated in fear. However, that can be said of many religions, which have a far more fearsome God. My mother was raised to fear God, but broke free from it, and though I am a Catholic, I can hardly consider myself a conventional, or even proper, one.

Not to say that I disagree with the comment in question nor the stance of the Catholic Church, however, I find it rich that they're accusing the American philosophy of adopting an 'ethic of fear'.

Hehe. Too rich.

Ant.

 

[Anthony]

I don't know if you made that comment out of jest or not (I'm guessing that you didn't), but I don't agree. I could never bring myself to love God but fear him at the same time. I can understand what type of fear one can have, that is true - and it is a 'proper' fear, so to speak, but, personally, my Love for God should be unconditional. I should love him out of goodness, not out of fear of his wrath.

I don't agree with the view of the Catholic Church that you should do this or that, or you shall be cast into the fires of hell. Thats a lot of fear given to a lot of people.

Ant.

 

[anitram]

I should love him out of goodness, not out of fear of his wrath.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[nbcrusader]

I don't know if you made that comment out of jest or not (I'm guessing that you didn't), but I don't agree.

I don't joke about Scripture.



Fear of the Lord is respect, awe, not wanting to disappoint. I would say it is a positive aspect of our love of God, not a motivating factor. It expands our love of God beyond being thankful for the stuff we get.



Fear is not cowering. I do not fear Hell. No believer should.

We will need to stand before the Lord and make an account of our life. That is why I do not get "sloppy" with Scripture or my witness to others.

 

[Anthony]

Judging from your previous posts, I gathered that you didn't joke or get sloppy about scripture, and it was not my intention to accuse you of such.

I understand the concept of fear, nbcrusader, I simply don't believe in it. And I'm not against it, though, I'm against the other type of fear religion has engineered throughout the ages. I'm referring to the type of fear that the Church prescribres when a person chooses to divorce, or, if one were to be strict, even have protected sex. It is this fear that we must constantly adhere to religion, or otherwise taste the fires of hell, that I find inconceivable.

Ant.

 

[nbcrusader]

Judging from your previous posts, I gathered that you didn't joke or get sloppy about scripture, and it was not my intention to accuse you of such.

No worries my friend.

I guess what you are describing is our reaction to our own sin. What should we do? As a believer in Jesus Christ, we will not taste the fires of Hell as we are under Grace. God himself gives us this assurance.

I agree completely that the Church should not prescribe fear or punishment. However, for me to be an effective Christian, I must personally take an account of my sin before God.

 

[Screaming Flower]

I understand the concept of fear, nbcrusader, I simply don't believe in it. And I'm not against it, though, I'm against the other type of fear religion has engineered throughout the ages. I'm referring to the type of fear that the Church prescribres when a person chooses to divorce, or, if one were to be strict, even have protected sex. It is this fear that we must constantly adhere to religion, or otherwise taste the fires of hell, that I find inconceivable.

i'm with you anthony. i'm not even sure if i believe i hell.

 

[adamswildhoney]

I'm against the other type of fear religion has engineered throughout the ages. I'm referring to the type of fear that the Church prescribres when a person chooses to divorce, or, if one were to be strict, even have protected sex. It is this fear that we must constantly adhere to religion, or otherwise taste the fires of hell, that I find inconceivable.

Ant.

I agree

 

[Anthony]

"I guess what you are describing is our reaction to our own sin. What should we do? As a believer in Jesus Christ, we will not taste the fires of Hell as we are under Grace. God himself gives us this assurance."

Very true, nbcrusader, and I also agree; I do not fear Hell any more than you do (but for an altogether different reason, I'm afraid), and I do believe in Jesus Christ and His Grace. I have so much faith in Him that it was almost large enough to eclipse my other issues concerning the Church, and hence, for years I wanted to become a priest, just so that I could help spread God's Grace, but alas, I would have been an appalling priest.

I do believe in us, as effective Christians (and as Human beings, it follows), accounting for our own sins, and yes we must be able to take this account before God - and we will, I believe. How we do that is an altogether different issue, and one that is undecided for me as an individual. And yet, when I do so, I will do it because I want to, because I love God and do not wish to disappoint It, not out of fear of the consequences of not bending towards a will of which I do not feel I am part (which is not what I personally feel, however, I cannot speak for everyone).

I was raised to love my parents, and I obeyed out of love and respect. Out of fear, yes, but out of fear that I would disappoint and hurt them. Seeing disappointment on their faces was more hurtful than any promise of punishment.

Ant.