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Harnessing the power of a violent thunderstorm, the mad Dr. Frankenstein
used electrical shock to animate his monster, played by Boris Karloff, in
the old movie. When the monster stirred, the doctor exulted, "It's alive!
It's alive!"
Since the Age of Enlightenment, the Roman Catholic Church's bloody dominion in secular, as well as religious, affairs has been held in abeyance in most countries. This has led many to conclude that the Catholic monster is dead, or at least benign. But, "it's alive!" But recent revelations about its predatory sodomite priests have again stirred to life the Catholic monster's age-old claim that it's above secular law — a claim that aims at the very jugular of liberty. "As they crafted a sex abuse policy for disciplining errant priests, U. S. Roman Catholic bishops may have been hampered by an unseen handicap: They were too American. "...the Vatican's response begged some broader questions. Namely, whether American democracy and legal traditions are in conflict with the Vatican's insistence on the authority of its bishops and its laws for the worldwide church — what some see as a clash of cultures. "...The Rev. Thomas Reese, editor of the Jesuit magazine, 'America' and an expert on the workings of the Vatican, said that how the two societies view law and legislating is an area where the culture clash is particularly pronounced. "'Rome prefers laws be permanent and unchanging, while in the U. S., we change laws all the time,' Reese said. "...The Rev. Paul Robichaud, pastor of Santa Susanna, the American church in Rome, said the issue of civil authority is sensitive to the Vatican because of basic differences with America over how legal systems are viewed. "While Americans put great faith in theirs, Robichaud said, the Vatican is 'deeply suspicious' of secular legal systems' based on the experience of dictatorial societies in the Third World, former communist countries in Europe and continued controversy over justice in Italy itself. "... 'in the church, what Americans consider legitimate questions in Rome are seen as challenges to the authority of the teaching office (magisterium) of the hierarchy,' he said." (Carla Hinton, Religion Editor, "Cultural Divide Shows Up In Sex Abuse Policy Debate," The Daily Oklahoman, Oct. 26, 2002, p. 1D). The observations of both Reese and Robichaud reveal a sinister aspect of Catholicism that Americans have ignored since the election of Catholic John Kennedy to the presidency in 1960. Namely, that Catholicism has never and will never relinquish its claims to power over secular governments. Catholic power over secular governments was a fact of life in the Dark Ages when the pope made and removed kings and emperors, claiming a divine right to do so. That claim has never been relinquished Sixtus V, who reigned as pope from 1585 to 1590 and built the Lateran Palace, issued the following bull aimed at two political rulers — Henry of Navarre and the Prince of Conde: "The authority given to St. Peter and his successors, by the immense power of the Eternal King, excels all the power of earthly kings, and princes. It passes uncontrollable sentence upon all. And if it find any of them resisting God's ordinance, it takes more severe vengeance of them, casting them down from their thrones, though never so puissant, [ "powerful" or "mighty" JCB ] and tumbling them down to the lowest parts of the earth as ministers of aspiring Lucifer. We deprive them and their posterity forever, of their dominions and kingdoms, absolveth their subjects from their oaths of allegiance, and forbiddeth them to pay any obedience to them. By the authority of these presents we do absolve and set free all persons, as well jointly and severally, from any such oath, and from all duty whatsoever in regard of dominion, fealty and obedience, and do charge and forbid all and every one of them, that they do not dare to obey them, or any of their admonitions, laws and commands." Sixtus' Papal Bull is what Rome considers the "permanent and unchanging" law of Catholicism that the Jesuit editor cites in the Oklahoman. This Bull sets forth Roman Catholic law in America in the 21st century. Catholicism claims that no body of men on earth can change its laws except a general council. No general council has ever set aside this law as declared by Sixtus V. While Americans may believe the Roman Catholic Church sympathizes with our form of government that forbids an established religion, they delude themselves. Anyone who can see through a ladder knows those papal tentacles would strangle our freedom if given half a chance. The Catholic Church has never departed from the doctrine that all earthly kings, princes, governors, presidents and rulers of every rank are subject to the papal edicts and power of Rome. Robichaud's explanation that the Vatican's "deep suspicion" of secular legal systems is based upon the experience of dictatorial regimes of the Third World and communist governments is laughable. Pope Pius had no problem with Hitler in the 1930s, or with General Franco in Spain where non-Catholics were persecuted. The Vatican's "deep suspicion" of secular legal systems derives from its own lust for power. History bears this out. Catholicism held absolute sway over governments in Europe during the Dark Ages and was the official religion in places such as France, England, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Wales, Spain, and Scotland. But Catholic secular power was not confined exclusively to the Dark Ages. It has since been asserted at every opportunity, and one of those was in Spain in the 1940s. The plight of non-Catholics there under the Franco regime was the subject of a letter to the British Parliament in 1944. "...A number of pastors and evangelists have been executed, also a far larger number of church members; and no protestant religious meetings, public or private, are allowed in the greater part of Spain. "Except for the Roman Catholic version, with notes, the Bible is not allowed to be printed or circulated — in fact, a large number have been destroyed. The stock of the British and Foreign Bible Society in Madrid, amounting to 110,000 copies of Bibles, Testaments, etc., has been confiscated. Foreign missionaries have been obliged to leave the country, while about two-thirds of the Spanish pastors, evangelists, and colporteurs have been exiled, imprisoned or executed as indicated above, while a number have died in prison. "Children of protestant parents are compelled to learn the Roman Catholic catechism and worship images of the virgin Mary. In many places attendance at mass is compulsory in order to secure employment." (Letter from World Evangelical Alliance to British Parliament, Dec. 1944). An evil, and predatory monstrosity, Roman Catholicism has not changed its ultimate aim of secular domination. The reluctance of the Vatican to have its sodomite priests prosecuted by American courts for raping children is a predictable response. The Vatican recognizes no power — religious or secular — greater than its own, and no "Third World dictator" or "communist regime" can match Catholic atrocities when it gains secular power. Those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them. That could happen here if we forget the multitudes who were impaled, burned at the stake, beheaded, or stretched on torture racks by priestly executioners in bloody ages past. |