Thursday, August 28, 2008

Obama: Is He America's Messiah or Just Another Caesar?

Graphic courtesy of Newsmax.com

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Obama's promise to America - BIGGER government, higher taxes, more federal control, less freedom, more dependency. From the holy "temple" on Mount Olympus, (..er.. I mean a stadium in Denver Colorado), Barack Hussein Obama, "The Chosen One," set forth his messianic plan to save America from herself. His ideas were nothing new. We've heard them all before. Simply vote for him, and he'll give us everything we'll ever need. We can have free healthcare for all, and a good job for everyone. We'll save the environment, and punish the "evil" rich. Then nobody will ever go in want again. Elect Obama, and he'll bring an end to wars, restore respect among the nations, and bring peace to every American home. All of this comes at the modest price of your freedom and prosperity. Obama will decide who is poor enough to keep their money. Obama will decide who is "too rich" in his estimation. The Lord may give, but Obama will taketh away, and "redistribute" according to how he sees fit. For Catholics this is a familiar song. We've all heard it before. Whether it be the communists of eastern Asia or the socialists of western Europe, it's a familiar tune with a common note. When representatives of the State ask us to put the trust into them, that rightfully belongs to God alone, they are asking us to make an idol of the government. Government takes the place of Church, and government officials take the role of gods. They become the masters of our universe, and sadly, it is we who are gullible enough to let them do it. The Catholic Church warns us of the dangers of false messianism in the form of the collectivist state...
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church...

1883 Socialization also presents dangers. Excessive intervention by the state can threaten personal freedom and initiative. The teaching of the Church has elaborated the principle of subsidiarity, according to which "a community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, but rather should support it in case of need and help to co- ordinate its activity with the activities of the rest of society, always with a view to the common good." 

1884 God has not willed to reserve to himself all exercise of power. He entrusts to every creature the functions it is capable of performing, according to the capacities of its own nature. This mode of governance ought to be followed in social life. The way God acts in governing the world, which bears witness to such great regard for human freedom, should inspire the wisdom of those who govern human communities. They should behave as ministers of divine providence.

1885 The principle of subsidiarity is opposed to all forms of collectivism. It sets limits for state intervention. It aims at harmonizing the relationships between individuals and societies. It tends toward the establishment of true international order.