The word, Liberalism, has its roots in the Latin word for freedom (Liber). Originally, the theological position of liberalism was in the realization that we are truly free with God, who has bestowed upon us a free will to accept and cooperate with his grace. The social and political application of liberalism was embodied in the belief of the freedom to educate oneself and to be free of totalitarianism and tyranny. The rights guaranteed by the framers of the Constitution extolled this form of freedom.
Today, liberalism has been co-opted by those who have perverted its original meaning. Instead of the true freedom of God’s grace, a rejection of God, an embrace of secularism and an air of moral relativism have taken over. True liberty has given way to a sense of entitlement - if I’m free to want something, I must be allowed to have it. The reality is that if we use our freedom for what it was intended for - we become all the more, free. Today’s liberalism believes that we are enchained and imprisoned by God.
In our society, a person’s “right” demands that another person or entity has a duty to provide that right for me – no matter how much that so-called “right” infringes on others. The right to kill babies by abortion or to peddle pornography within reach of our children has been disguised as the “freedom of choice” and the “freedom of speech.”
Today’s Liberalism has infected some in the Church – even some clergy and religious. Occult practices like Wicca, Reiki and other New Age philosophies – even the demand for homosexual “marriage” and the ordination of women priests have taken root within the Church.
Out Liberal society tells us that we are to be tolerant of everybody and everything – until it interferes with their agenda. It has tolerance for every evil under the sun, yet it cannot and will not tolerate God. 21st century liberalism hides behind the moniker of being “Progressive” while attacking anybody who disagrees with it as a “right-wing whacko”. This convoluted logic is what led the late Catholic philosopher, G. K. Chesterton to quip, “Tolerance is the virtue of a man without convictions.” In Matt. 10:33 Jesus said plainly, “… whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”
As Christians, our responsibility is to the truth – first and foremost. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth 5 and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The only other entity that is recognized as “the truth” in all of Scripture is the Church (1 Tim. 3:15), which is the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23).
Can a Catholic be a liberal? It all depends on which definition you use - the original meaning or the hijacked 21st century definition of the word.
No comments:
Post a Comment