There is an antipapist streak a mile wide in the English, and by extenstion, NZ character. It relates to the the foundation of the English State in Tudor times and in the glorious revolution. It is tribal. And it is unfair. Lucia, who is Catholic, notes.
The usual suspects (Chris Trotter, Whale Oil) have leapt on the bandwagon.
Meanwhile, Edward Peters has a good post up pinpointing the media tactic here and why they’ve used it – When nothing else will work, accuse a Catholic prelate of NSO:
The mainstream media is in panic over Pope Francis.
The new pope is solidly opposed to everything big media wants (contraception, abortion, ‘same-sex marriage’, etc.), but it can’t simply write him off as an out-of-touch academic (Benedict) or as a provincial Slav suffering Nazi and Communist induced post-traumatic stress disorder (John Paul II). Worse, the first prelate of the Catholic world is a man of proven commitment to the poor (far more demonstrably than are his limousine liberal critics), and has lived his whole life in a simplicity that is utterly beyond the ken of Manhattan or the Beltway sophisticates.
So, confronted by a major Catholic prelate of such palpable integrity, what’s the media to do? Only one thing: Look up what country the prelate calls home, find out what trauma that country suffered (that’s not hard to do, all modern countries suffer from traumas, generally those organized by their governments), and accuse the prelate of—wait for it—Not Speaking Out.
I am not a Catholic. I have husge difficulties with parts of their theology: I work from the Calvinist position. However, Lucia is correct. We now have a Jesuit in the top job who has a track record of helping the poor and opposing tyrants. He has a spine. He has balls. And he makes the elite uncomfortable.
19Again the Jews were divided because of these words. 20Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?” 21Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
22At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; 26but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. 30The Father and I are one.”
31The Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” 33The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.” 34Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’?” 35If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’ — and the scripture cannot be annulled — 36can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. 38But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands.
40He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. 41Many came to him, and they were saying, “John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42And many believed in him there.
Jesus looks at the Pharisees and says — you are not mine. You are not of God. You are damned. If that does not make you cringe, nothing will. It is a fearful thing to be dropped into the hands of a living God and be told you are wanting and the doors of salvatin are shut to you.
We know the word of God, for scripture cannot be annulled. God wants all to come to a saving faith in him. And any man who bears witness to this deserves our prayers and support. At present Christians are the only acceptable group for the elite to despise.
Well, they are damning themselves. It’s time to confront them. For by the fruits of their polciies you will know them.
The elite have destroyed marriage, and turned it into a sham — as our gay friends will find out when they too end up going through the family court meat grinder. They have encouraged a large percentage of the adult populatino to be dependant and remain child like so that they con control their votes. They promote despair and heartache. The costs to that society — of pain, permature death, despair and suicide — are immaterial.
The elite have been found wanting. And when they move from destructive policies to active theft, as they have in the EU, where it is not enough to pay taxes and give te rulers honour but they will steal from your bank accounts as well — then the people rebel. And they cringe in fear.
They are cowards. They remove the ability to be self-reliant from the population then cut or spubvert the police force. And their fruits confirm their words: they are against Christ, against his church, and against true charity.
And on the last day they will have to give account to Christ. Pray that you are not accounted in thsi group. Instead, consider Francis as a more useful model of how to live.
Good post!