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Entry: The Ron Paul Revolution Link: http://www.takimag.com/site/article/the_ron_paul_revolution#8757 Post contents: Peter, I thank you for your compliment (which you offered way back in this thread, after my message clarifying my positions on big government, subsidiarity, etc. and Franco, Spain and Ron Paul). Actually, some of Peter's criticism of contemporary Catholicism-- its muddled-headed, socialist, humanitarianism, is---sadly--not far off the mark. For those of us who are called "traditionalists" derisively in many cases, this modernist Catholicism is inimical to what we hold to be true and right and taught to us by the Church. Much of what we see today that purports to be "Catholic" is littel more than ersatz Catholicism that has made peace with "the times" and with the political Left. What does, however, need to be distinguished here, I think, is that what we see and experience, especially here in the USA and in Europe is praxiological, and does not actually reflect the traditonal and doctrinal teaching of the Church. In a real sense, what we have seen, certainly since the early 1960s in the USA, has been the triumph of "modernism," which can be defined theologically as an admixture of truth and error such that in the realm of practice any number of varying actuations may be based in a particular bishop's "statement," or a "ruling" from a Roman Congregation, or, as I have previously discussed, even from certain documents of Vatican II, itself. It is the equivocal nature of such statements and succeeding praxis (plus the destruction of orthodox Catholic seminary training, catechetics, etc) that have not only permitted the confusion--and error--but encouraged it. We have seen Pope Benedict XVI begin to wrestle with these questions himself. For example: The Old Latin Mass we were told by both the ICEL and the various bishops' conferences in the 1970s, was abolished and forbidden. Even Paul VI implied as much. Yet, Benedict XVI now, echoing what Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and others said from 1969 on, has stated forthrightly that that NEVER was the case; and indeed, in at least some of his writings, he suggests that the Old Mass could never be "abolished"...which is what some of us have said for years. A week after Summorum Pontificum (re-establishing what had never been un-established in liturgy), Benedict also in forma specifica approved the issuance of a declaration on the faith and the univoal nature of the Church...UNAM, sanctum, apostolicam, ecclesiam. It was a body blow to the irenicist "ecumeniacs" who would like to downplay, erase, and/or compromise away "differences" in belief. The Church, the declaration stated unambiguously, contains the "fullness of truth," and other "communities" cannot be considered "churches" in a real sense and do no possess that fullness. What outrage from liberals, both Catholic and Protestant, followed! The Church actually believes that it has the Truth! And that others...shudder... are in, dare I say it, "error." While these are significant signposts, there is much more to do to right the Barque of St. Peter. What must, however, be remembered is that truth does not change, and the doctrines of the Church taught for centuries remain just that, despite what Bishop X or Father Y or Episcopal Conference Z might say, or even if a particular pope is derelict in his duty as Pastor, either through omission or throught commission.... Now, back to Ron Paul, as this is what this thread is supposed to be about.. I believe firmly in subsidiarity and regionalism, and I think he comes closest to embodying an approach that appreciates those modalities. I believe in states' rights, and reforming our managerial and therapeutic state, back towards the concepts of the Founders. I think Paul would be much better at attempting that. Is Paul my perfect candidate? No. I remain a bit uneasy with some of the libertarian aspects. But I think I can, both morally and positively, vote FOR him, and I don't see how I can do that for just any of the others candidates running. Sent at: 2008 10 12