M****J
发帖数: 2908 | 1 Many exalted western values rooted in Christian tradition
Equality and doing no harm predate Enlightenment and French Revolution
Rónán Mullen
Tue, Nov 24, 2020, 01:00
Many social ideas strongly rooted in the heritage of Christianity go beyond
mere justice to include care for the poor, the homeless and the migrant.
Many social ideas strongly rooted in the heritage of Christianity go beyond
mere justice to include care for the poor, the homeless and the migrant.
Arecent letter to this newspaper contended that “the logical outcome of all
Catholic politicians following Catholic teaching in their political lives”
was a “theocracy”. The writer invoked memories of an old Ireland when
some Catholics in politics declared themselves bound to obey the rulings of
their church in their decision-making.
Then, presuming causation and ignoring the possibility of similar miseries
elsewhere, he linked poverty, emigration, censorship, cruelty to women and
children etc with “this theocratic Ireland”.
Theocracy is a system of government where priests (not politicians) rule in
the name of God or a god. Where laws command support from a religious
majority but are oppressive to a religious or non-religious minority, you
have crude majoritarianism, not theocracy.
Sen Ronan Mullen: said some babies diagnosed with fatal foetal abnormalities
went on to live for months and even years. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons
Rónán Mullen is an Independent Senator for the National University of
Ireland. File photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons
But linking religiously influenced ideas with theocracy has propaganda value
. If you don’t like what religious values inspire some people to think, you
can suggest that they are not thinking for themselves at all.
Many of the values we most cherish in the western world, from racial
equality to concern for the poor, do not stem from the Enlightenment or the
French Revolution. They have deeper roots in the Christian revolution | M****J
发帖数: 2908 | 2 Many exalted western values rooted in Christian tradition | M****J
发帖数: 2908 | 3 Many exalted western values rooted in Christian tradition |
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