Islamic Extremism And Western Liberal Culture Are The Twin Beasts Of The Apocalypse

[Guest]

Vatican City (AFP) - A top African cardinal has described the threat posed by Islamic extremism and western liberal culture as the twin "Beasts of the Apocalypse" comparable to Nazism and communism.

 

In an intervention at an ongoing synod of bishops on the future of Catholic teaching on the family, Guinean cardinal Robert Sarah reportedly described Islamist militants and western thinking on abortion and homosexuality as sharing "the same demonic origin".

 

"Theological discernment allows to see in our times two unexpected threats -- almost like the Beasts of the Apocalypse -- from two opposite positions: on one side the idolatry of western freedom, on the other religious fanaticism," said the cardinal, who is one of the leaders of the Church's conservative wing.

 

"What Nazism-fascism and communism were to the 20th century, western ideologies on homosexuality and abortion and Islamic fanaticism are to today," the cardinal said in comments made last week in the closed-doors synod and published Tuesday by several Italian media outlets.

 

Sarah reportedly said the secular western world's way of thinking threatened to destroy the family through "quickie divorces, abortion, homosexual unions: look at gender theory, Femen (a feminist group known for topless protests), the LBGT lobby.

 

"On the other side, there is the pseudo-family of an ideological Islam which legitimises polygamy, sexual slavery, child marriage: look at Al-Qaeda, IS, Boko Haram.

 

"Certain keys allow us to discern the same demonic origin of these two movements: they both advocate a universal and totalitarian law, they're both violently intolerant, destroyers of families and the Church, and openly anti-Christian."

 

The African cardinal's outburst follows reports earlier this week that another conservative cleric had described "a whiff of Satan" permeating the synod, which has been beset by mutual allegations of plotting as the battle between conservatives and progressives has intensified.

 

Sarah, who holds the equivalent of a ministerial post at the Vatican, was one of the cardinals who sent Pope Francis a private letter last week complaining that the synod's procedures had been rigged in favour of liberals who support reform of the Church's approach on homosexuality and divorce.

 

He has also been a prominent opponent of any dilution of Catholic doctrine which means a believer who gets divorced and then remarried in a civil ceremony is effectively excluded from the Church by being denied the right to take communion and confess their sins.

 

Edited November 25, 2015 by Guest

[Gabriela]

Papabile.

[Guest]

Do you agree with this? Do Catholics believe the book of Revelation applies to right now? 

I know Protestants do but I've read a lot of stuff that implies Catholics dont. That there won't be a final "official" Antichrist and False Prophet.

[Gabriela]

I'm not sure he was actually saying we're living in the end times. I think he was just using a biblical metaphor to make the point that the West has ideological problems as bad as the Mideast does. So I don't think it matters whether right now is the time of the Apocalypse or not. As regards ideological problems in the West (and the Mideast), he's 100% spot on.

[CatherineM]

My Johnanine literature class just made Revelation more confusing than it already was. I don't think we should be allowed to study it until we have phd's in sacred scripture. 

[Guest]

4 hours ago, CatherineM said:

My Johnanine literature class just made Revelation more confusing than it already was. I don't think we should be allowed to study it until we have phd's in sacred scripture. 

An anticatholic or even a regular Protestant who reads Revelations and concludes the beast is Islam and Catholicism uniting with the help of a Pope would cringe at you saying you need a phd to study Revelations. It's interesting because this is the exact same thing I see CATHOLICS talking about on Facebook and the Vorris Church Militant Page. To be honest I don't know what to make of it. These Catholics tend to be the rad trad type and very critical of Pope Francis. I'm not saying their concerns aren't valid or anything else. Although they seem to be partially in error for denouncing the Church like they are and the current Pope. I watched the video about the synagogue in the debate phorum and I see a lot of Catholics like that on Facebook. They are becoming almost undistinguishable from the anticatholics. I say almost because they still claim to be Catholic while the anticatholic would still consider them the same as the Catholic who recognizes Pope Francis as the valid Pope. They are the same in that they claim to be the real Christians while someone who recognizes Pope Francis is part of the apostate church.

Edited November 26, 2015 by Guest

[CatherineM]

1 hour ago, Josh said:

An anticatholic or even a regular Protestant who reads Revelations and concludes the beast is Islam and Catholicism uniting with the help of a Pope would cringe at you saying you need a phd to study Revelations. It's interesting because this is the exact same thing I see CATHOLICS talking about on Facebook and the Vorris Church Militant Page. To be honest I don't know what to make of it. These Catholics tend to be the rad trad type and very critical of Pope Francis. I'm not saying their concerns aren't valid or anything else. Although they seem to be partially in error for denouncing the Church like they are and the current Pope. I watched the video about the synagogue in the debate phorum and I see a lot of Catholics like that on Facebook. They are becoming almost undistinguishable from the anticatholics. I say almost because they still claim to be Catholic while the anticatholic would still consider them the same as the Catholic who recognizes Pope Francis as the valid Pope. They are the same in that they claim to be the real Christians while someone who recognizes Pope Francis is part of the apostate church.

Sorry, I shouldn't do tongue in check when it comes to studying scripture. I do agree though that ultra rad trads are sounding abit like anti-Catholics these days. 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Josh said:

An anticatholic or even a regular Protestant who reads Revelations and concludes the beast is Islam and Catholicism uniting with the help of a Pope would cringe at you saying you need a phd to study Revelations. It's interesting because this is the exact same thing I see CATHOLICS talking about on Facebook and the Vorris Church Militant Page. 

What I see them talking about on Facebook and Church Militant is that the Church is apostate. Not anything about studying the book of Revelations. Left that out just wanted to clarify.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Josh said:

They are the same in that they claim to be the real Christians while someone who recognizes Pope Francis is part of the apostate church.

Meant to say *they are the same as the anticatholic* in that they claim to be the real Christians...

[Gabriela]

I would just like to speak up for trads here. I am a trad and I am not against Pope Francis. Whatever the problems, I am for the Church and the current Pope. I think that comparing ANY person who still professes to be a faithful Catholic to avowed non-Catholics isn't charitable. Why do people do that? Does it make them feel "more Catholic" to call other people "less Catholic"? Why don't you guys take your complaints directly to the parties concerned instead of talking about them behind their backs here in this thread?

[Guest]

11 hours ago, Gabriela said:

I would just like to speak up for trads here. I am a trad and I am not against Pope Francis. Whatever the problems, I am for the Church and the current Pope. I think that comparing ANY person who still professes to be a faithful Catholic to avowed non-Catholics isn't charitable. Why do people do that? Does it make them feel "more Catholic" to call other people "less Catholic"? Why don't you guys take your complaints directly to the parties concerned instead of talking about them behind their backs here in this thread?

I'm just telling you what I see all over Facebook and when I browse the Church Militant comment section. There are tons and tons of post saying that the Church is apostate. That Francis isn't a valid Pope. Coincidently this is the same stuff the protestant/anticatholic says. They believe this apostate church is who Revelations is prophesying about and telling the reader "to come out of her and not partake of her sins"

Edited November 27, 2015 by Guest

[NadaTeTurbe]

Josh, there's a very simple solution to your problems : close your Facebook (or at least sort the people who post on your wall), and don't read this Church Militant. I love the Catholic Church more than before since I carefully choose wich catholic website I read. 

[dominicansoul]

On November 26, 2015 10:30:32 AM, Gabriela said:

I would just like to speak up for trads here. I am a trad and I am not against Pope Francis. Whatever the problems, I am for the Church and the current Pope. I think that comparing ANY person who still professes to be a faithful Catholic to avowed non-Catholics isn't charitable. Why do people do that? Does it make them feel "more Catholic" to call other people "less Catholic"? Why don't you guys take your complaints directly to the parties concerned instead of talking about them behind their backs here in this thread?

I did that once.  Got banned from a Trad Facebook Page for it... lol