tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328993133397649838.post8023928983302806889..comments2023-10-25T09:45:40.318-04:00Comments on The Politics of the Cross Resurrected: Why Socialists Don't Understand What Makes Conservatives TickCraig Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10209954891388905090noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328993133397649838.post-15063512936175879212009-09-15T19:36:52.295-04:002009-09-15T19:36:52.295-04:00Kevin,
I agree with everything you said. I've...Kevin,<br />I agree with everything you said. I've not read Deep Economy, but I'm putting it on the list. It sounds like it has some things in common with Distributism. <br /><br />Anything that favors widespread property ownership and small business run by owners sounds good to me.Craig Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209954891388905090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328993133397649838.post-15838639608367456912009-09-15T16:19:30.699-04:002009-09-15T16:19:30.699-04:00Just wanted to chime in my agreement that socialis...Just wanted to chime in my agreement that socialism is not the answer (and that it seems like conservatives are not really understood by the left). I would say though that I don't think it helps to get huffy and call socialists stupid. I've met too many smart liberals to think all liberals stupid (and too many dumb conservatives to think all conservatives smart). Intelligent people find themselves on both ends of the debate. <br /><br />As for the economy, I think the solution to the problem economically is a move towards smaller more localized economies. I don't really think this can be done by the government. Certainly socialism isn't the solution. <br /><br />What needs to happen is a grassroots move towards small business and more stable, non-growth based economics. <br /><br />The only place the government has in this is to stop giving massive benefits tax-wise to megabusiness (agrobusiness in particular).<br /><br />Many of my thoughts on this issue come from the book <i>Deep Economy</i>Kevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10738560902077094558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328993133397649838.post-71711795719218015402009-09-12T19:35:52.235-04:002009-09-12T19:35:52.235-04:00On the Side,
Lord forgive me, but "posturing&...On the Side,<br />Lord forgive me, but "posturing"? As in I'm on the side of the angels? (I'm just teasing!)<br /><br />I have great sympathy for your concern that Catholic social teaching is not represented well in either of the two sides in American politics. You are quite right to be frustrated. <br /><br />I do think, however, that conservatives like me have no greater problem than those who would align with the Democratic Party in trying to be authentically Christian across the spectrum of issues. I am more of a Distributist than a Capitalist myself.<br /><br />But if you would assume that the best way to implement Catholic social teaching on the common good and fairness to the working class is to have a European-style, socialist, nanny state, however, I would question you. (I don't know your opinion.) I think the principle of subsidiarity and the encouragement of civil society is part of the solution. Even today, one third of the hospitals in the US are run by the Catholic Church. This drives statists crazy, but I think it is healthy that the federal government does not control them directly and totally.<br /><br />So all I can say is that I'm really open to non-statist and non-capitalist solutions to social problems. For example, I think the Co-op Movement, which started in Nova Scotia is a very healthy thing and should be more widespread.Craig Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209954891388905090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328993133397649838.post-78764243051401961742009-09-12T19:07:03.298-04:002009-09-12T19:07:03.298-04:00David,
Is a nemesis better than an arch-enemy? It...David,<br />Is a nemesis better than an arch-enemy? It still sounds scary.Craig Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209954891388905090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328993133397649838.post-88161232787851849032009-09-12T17:01:56.199-04:002009-09-12T17:01:56.199-04:00I was joking about calling Halden your arch-enemy;...I was joking about calling Halden your arch-enemy; he's more of a nemesis.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02062143956776898176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328993133397649838.post-2312343612543971862009-09-12T16:59:28.645-04:002009-09-12T16:59:28.645-04:00On the side of the...(do you mind if I just call y...On the side of the...(do you mind if I just call you Paul?) are you saying that Christianity in America seems to be excessively polarised along strictly political lines, lines which equally - if differently - distort the truth of the gospel and the reality of God? If so I would broadly agree. I'm sure someone must've written about it somewhere, because I suppose that in England politics and religion are constitutionally entwined in such a way that there is no specific fear that religion will bleed into politics; kind of like the way in which nominal Christianity enables people to mentally assent to a belief system without having to give what we might consider more genuine commitment. In America, as I understand it, religion is not allowed to influence politics at an official level and so (like the return of the repressed) haunts American politics on both sides. (I would add though that I don't necessarily agree with Christianity's nominal role in British politics, after all, hypocrisy is hardly a virtue! And also, it's interesting to see the rise of Islam as a political force in the UK because suddenly we are confronted with a radicalised religious community unashamed of their - frankly abhorrent - politics).<br />In his defence though I don't think that Craig is supporting the "conservative" party in America because in his head they are equal to the gospel, or even necessarily resemble the gospel; rather conservativism represents for him a sensible refuge from the excesses (often kindly meant - though not always) of Enlightenment modernity as played out in socialist ideologies. Of course, there is a temptation (and not one I think he - or his arch-enemy Halden - always avoids) to conflate politics with his faith in Christ, as though a good or perfect political system were in any way efficacious in dealing with the human heart. Anyway, I am rambling now.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02062143956776898176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328993133397649838.post-64248235808026710082009-09-12T16:08:36.980-04:002009-09-12T16:08:36.980-04:00This is the kind of posturing I hate - the automat...This is the kind of posturing I hate - the automatic presumption that socialism and left-of-centre politics has to follow the american model of corresponding morality when it comes to the family, sexual mores and the culture of death versus the dignity and sanctity of life....<br />IT DOESN'T !!!<br />Why does every amercian naturally opine that the intrinsic soical teachings within Rerum Novarum, Quadragesima Anno, Pacem in Terris, Populorum Progressio, Solicitudio rei Socialis and caritas in veritate are axiomatically precluded from the political arena because they are invariably aligned in the US with pro-gay, pro-death anti-family and pro-positive discrimination politics ???!!!<br />It's insane !<br />Why should some maniacal neo-con who's pro-war, pro-capital punishment, anti-welfare [i.e. anti the actuation of the corporal works of mercy for the nation's dispossessed and disenfranchised] be considered as conducive to catholicism merely because they're pro-family and pro-life?<br />-<br />Yes Life is the fundamental principle - no catholic can support anyone who acts, promotes or legislates anything contrary to the sanctity of life - but as well as abortion and euthanasia this also includes the judicial murder of capital punishment [i.e. not a death penalty exercised in the self-defence of the individual, community or state, but the execution of an incarcerated individual [who is neither an immediate or direct threat to life] as punishment]] or the instigators of an illegal unjust war [that's judicial murder and an automatically excommunicable offence!] <br />We can't keep equivocating with either left or right when Catholicism is vehemently defiantly against BOTH!!! <br />You're forever being told that a third political force in the US would come to nothing against the massive binary sytem you've had thrust upon you - that is a lie ! You're catholics and you should become a political force AS CATHOLICS !<br />I suggest you actually start arguing for the entirety of Catholicism...and if that means fighting republican and democrat all the way ? So be it !!!On the side of the angelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05558623489507006790noreply@blogger.com