Your Email:

Subject:

Message:
Entry: A New Humanism in Europe Link: http://www.takimag.com/site/article/a_new_humanism_in_europe#6205 Post contents: What, exactly, is "fascism"? I'd like to get Sid Cundiff's definition so we can know what he's against! Webster's definition is: a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition Well, other than the notion of a "political philosophy", it sounds a lot like the Catholic Church, if you ask me! Well, then call me a "spiritual fascist"! The mistake that the "fascists" make is taking the strengths of the Catholic Church and trying to turn them political, believing they can "save mankind" with their government. Truly, almost every person in the history of the world that supported ANY type of government power could be considered a "fascist". If you don't honestly believe a government programme can improve the world, you wouldn't support it. The Church's position is that only Grace can improve the world, and if and when that Grace works through government is unknown to either you or I, and there's no real point in struggling over it. This is an imperfect world, and every government will be imperfect, that is, no government brings with it salvation, thus no faithful Catholic can support any government programme on the idea that it will "do good". Catholics may embrace government programmes because they like them (for example, a Catholic may like to drive his car, so supporting road building is quite understandable), not because of the salvation those government programmes [don't] deliver. Dollfuss was a "fascist" in that he believed his government alone could save Austria, just as Jesus saved the world Himself.Hitler thought the same regarding Germany, Mussolini of Italy, Roosevelt of the United States, and GW Bush of Iraq and the United States today. Being a fascist doesn't make one an "evil person" necessarily, but it is an indication that the person's faith is in something that is false. Sent at: 2008 11 22