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In order to resist these forces, we must turn our attention to their ideological foundations. In the 1970s, paedophilia was theorized as something fully in conformity with man and even with children. This, however, was part of a fundamental perversion of the concept of ethos. It was maintained – even within the realm of Catholic theology – that there is no such thing as evil in itself or good in itself. There is only a “better than” and a “worse than”. Nothing is good or bad in itself. Everything depends on the circumstances and on the end in view. Anything can be good or also bad, depending upon purposes and circumstances. Morality is replaced by a calculus of consequences, and in the process it ceases to exist. The effects of such theories are evident today. Against them, Pope John Paul II, in his 1993 Encyclical Letter Veritatis Splendor, indicated with prophetic force in the great rational tradition of Christian ethos the essential and permanent foundations of moral action. Today, attention must be focussed anew on this text as a path in the formation of conscience. It is our responsibility to make these criteria audible and intelligible once more for people today as paths of true humanity, in the context of our paramount concern for mankind.
We are well aware of the particular gravity of this sin committed by priests and of our corresponding responsibility. But neither can we remain silent regarding the context of these times in which these events have come to light. There is a market in child pornography that seems in some way to be considered more and more normal by society. The psychological destruction of children, in which human persons are reduced to articles of merchandise, is a terrifying sign of the times. From Bishops of developing countries I hear again and again how sexual tourism threatens an entire generation and damages its freedom and its human dignity. The Book of Revelation includes among the great sins of Babylon – the symbol of the world’s great irreligious cities – the fact that it trades with bodies and souls and treats them as commodities (cf. Rev 18:13). In this context, the problem of drugs also rears its head, and with increasing force extends its octopus tentacles around the entire world – an eloquent expression of the tyranny of mammon which perverts mankind. No pleasure is ever enough, and the excess of deceiving intoxication becomes a violence that tears whole regions apart – and all this in the name of a fatal misunderstanding of freedom which actually undermines man’s freedom and ultimately destroys it.
Originally posted by GTORick
reply to post by HunkaHunka
*Edit: I missed a point and stand corrected.* However, with that being said, the Pope was talking about a theological debate and pointing out its error not its truth or validity as is claimed by limiting the quote of his speech to just that. I would love to see it sourced and correlated to actual Catholic Theology (i.e. Catechism of the Catholic Church etc.). I have never heard Catholic theology say that and if it was said the 'quote' is severely out of context from a limited scope and being applied in a general sense.edit on 23-12-2010 by GTORick because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by TETRA.X
reply to post by DimensionalDetective
Seriously? Some members on this board are actually coming to the Pope's defense??
Please educate yourselves a bit further and read this article:
www.conspiracyplanet.com...
The Pope is a evil. Period!
Originally posted by DimensionalDetective
What the?
Is this some sort of creepy, bizzare PR statement this guy decided to give to cover his underlings behinds?
In WHAT society was child pornography considered 'normal', as he seems to be fantasizing about?
Almost sounds as if this is a strange attempt to get his 'followers' to just be passive and accept the perversions taking place within this trouble-ridden organization.
This is really a creepy development. Almost like the true colors are shining through...
www.belfasttelegr aph.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)
The National Center for Victims of Crime offers statistics that show that incidences of sexual assaults against children have risen when compared with previous decades, and that children were increasingly kidnapped by family acquaintances (27%) and strangers (24%) instead of close relatives. Yet more than 90% of sex offenders are never sentenced, in part because their victims are people within their circles — usually family members — and these children are pressured with threat or shame not to press charges. The perpetrators are then free to re-offend, and it's most likely that they will.