The compulsion to control is at the heart of the erasure of Roe v Wade by the current Supreme Court, a Court that one member recently opined should not be seen as “political hacks.”
But as I pointed out in yesterday’s DM, sad to say, I think SCOTUS has become a mixture of “political hacks,” “religious quacks” and now also planet haters as well.
Champions of Matricide, the killing of human mothers (mostly poor one) as well as Mother Earth as we know her and millions of her species. SCOTUS has now offered up a decision that allows corporations to flourish in killing pollution and thereby killing the Earth and millions of species. A wet dream the Koch Brothers who have been fighting for decades to rid America of laws that defend the planet.
Planet haters are mother haters and children haters and grandchildren haters as well. An unhealthy planet means unhealthy people and compromised lives.
Oh, but they love the “law,” they tell us—meaning the laws they create by having invested for decades in giving scholarships to aspiring wannabe lawyers and creating legal programs that ignore the rights of Mother Earth in favor of those of fossil fuel corporations! AND investing in politicians and judges who will carry through their goals.
Thomas Aquinas teaches that bad law, law that does not serve the larger community, should not be obeyed. (This is why MLK Jr. cited his teaching in his “Letter from the Birmingham Jail.)
It is not law that drives this SCOTUS (in fact, in Dobbs they ignore the 13th and 14th amendments to the constitution)–it is religious zealotry sponsored by right wing religion in bed with giant corporations like NRA and the anti-environmental Koch brothers.
The overturning of the separation of church and state in TWO recent decisions; the anointing of corporations as “persons”; the gutting of voting rights laws in two decisions; the triumph of fascist Opus Dei are proof positive of this reality. And it fulfills Mussolini’s definition of fascism as “the marriage of corporations and government.”
Christofascism is alive and well among the lobbyists in Washington D.C. In the name of religion—not the law—fanatics have been chosen by the religious right and the party they own to control women’s bodies.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/07/01/supreme-court-stare-decisis-precedent-dead/
See Matthew Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society, pp. xxxviii, 300, 389-398.
See also Matthew Fox, The Pope’s War, pp. xi, 106-144.
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
Banner Image: “What Country Is This?” Prophetic protestor at anti-Kavanaugh rally, Chicago Illinois 8-26-18 Photo by www.cemillerphotography.com is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Queries for Contemplation
Do you recognize Christofascism as a “thing” in today’s religious and political and corporate entanglements? How stand up to that?
Recommended Reading
The Pope’s War: Why Ratzinger’s Secret Crusade Has Imperiled the Church and How It Can Be Saved
The Pope’s War offers a provocative look at three decades of corruption in the Catholic Church, focusing on Josef Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI. The final section in the book focuses on birthing a truly catholic Christianity.
“This book should be read by everybody, not only for its ferocious courage, but also for its vision for what needs to be saved from the destructive forces that threaten authentic Christianity.” ~ Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope.
“In the gripping The Pope’s War, Matthew Fox takes an unwavering look at the layers of corruption in the Catholic Church, holding moral truth against power.” — Jason Berry, author of Vows of Silence: The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II
18 thoughts on “Democracy or Theocracy? SCOTUS & Religious Zealotry”
Matthew, Like the Jewish prophet Micaiah in 2 Chronicles 18:5-17 you have more bad news. But it is the truth.
The truth is that the compulsion to control is at the heart of the erasure of Roe v Wade by the current Supreme Court, which also champions of Matricide–the killing of human mothers (mostly poor ones) as well as Mother Earth and her millions of her species. Thomas Aquinas teaches that bad law, law that does not serve the larger community, should not be obeyed. You ask, “How stand up to that?” My answer is to not obey, protest passive resistance–and in a sense even the early Christian martyrs protested by passive resistance. The point wasn’t that they changed things but that they stood for what they believed in, just as Jesus had done, and Gandhi and King. “Do you recognize Christofascism as a ‘thing’ in today’s religious and political and corporate entanglements?” Yes, Mussolini’s definition of fascism was “the marriage of corporations and government.” And in my interpretation of the Beast Power in the book of Revelation, I call corporations the Beast (See: my book, THE WAY OF THE EARTH)–The Supreme Court recognizes corporations as individuals, while denying the rights of true individuals, which goes against the people, and as David C. Korten’s book is titled, WHEN CORPORATIONS RULE THE WORLD.
“Christofascism is alive and well among the lobbyists in Washington D.C. In the name of religion—not the law—fanatics have been chosen by the religious right and the party they own to control women’s bodies.” My own feelings are there should be no place for lobbyists in our government. Their only reason for being is to get politicians to cater to their special interests, and that is in no way helpful in terms of the common good!
I agree, especially about lobbyists. Maybe Shakespeare could have added them in his line about killing all the lawyers! Seriously, it is especially clear here in Florida that most of the government is run by them.
What is needed is a constitutional guarantee of bodily integrity.
I would like to see Matthew Fox follow up with some meditation and discussion on King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and its roots in Aquinas and others. King says that justice inheres in the law; therefore, an unjust law is no law at all. I’m not sure how feasible it is for many women who have an abortion to stay within the law especially with vigilantes chasing them around from state to state.
It depends on what religious organization you are talking about – all are not the same. Please write about the religious organizations working for the good of Mothers and Mother Earth.
Yet another DM with political content. I do like what u have to say, Matthew, to a point. There are gems in these DM’s for sure, so I tune-in. Making political work via your activist ID seems to suit you, and those who inhale your videos. There’s a place for it, and them — always at the ready with a razor-sharp take on what’s trending, sort of a leftist leaning CNN with theology. Am not convinced that God is in your content as much as it reflects your best counterbalancing effort to find the “narrow way,” the elusive middle vs so many rightest ideologues now mushrooming. But in making their points, leftists can be sanctimonious ideologues as well, or have elements of same in their style. I’ve stopped being angry at conservatives, and those who have hateful and ignorant beliefs on both sides. I am thoroughly unable to convert them along more leftist lines, your lines Matthew. Likewise with the other side. There is a dark-side to activism, a low-grade self-martyrdom, a militant overcommitment designed (unconsciously) at times to be heard, to matter and belong, driven to prove that its thoroughly on the side of good and redemptive balance. I can’t let myself bleed for zealous causes in trying to bend the resistant wills of the stiff-necked, not to that degree. No, the location of my struggle is more where I am. I’m small and unimportant, and can only make tiny unheralded differences right where I am. For me, that’s more than enough. We all must do what we’re called to do, as the Spirit leads. Keep up the good work. I’m grateful for your efforts, as always, reserving comment in sifting through them for their spiritual nuggets, those cloaked in left-leaning political garments seeking life and truth. Just so you know.
Richard Rohr makes similar points about the danger of zealotry of either “side”. Have you read Brian McClaren at all? His latest book “Do I Stay Christian?” and the recent podcasts “Learning How to See”, based on the book, talk about the cults of purity and innocence, which can afflict both left and right–and center. We can all reach a place of self righteousness. I agree with you that we must start with ourselves, letting the Spirit lead. I am so grateful also for the courage of spiritual warriors and prophets like Matthew, because the truth needs to be told.
I really appreciated the video segment by Prof. Jason Stanely. I recently did my own research on the history of fascism and it’s connection with the Catholic Church… in order to gain some understanding. What I became aware of, is how this history seems to be repeating itself. One point I found interesting, was a comment stating that in every society, there is an organized minority that subtlety governs the unorganized majority. One way of looking at this in the via negative sense is that the minority groups like Opus Dei, large corporations, special interest politicians, and some bias judiciares have indeed organized and positioned themselves into powerful positions… in a hidden underground subtle way… which is being exposed. Another way of looking at this in the via positiva sense is that the rest of the minority groups, those these folks deem inferior, are capable of organizing underground movements… at the grass roots level, as well… and this minority has a history too… one of passive and persistent resistance, through the persecerance ofdisobedience and noncompliance… taking a stance for the common good of all. The unorganized majority, in my opinion are going to be forced to make a decision… a choice as to which minority they are willing to align with… for sitting on the fence will no longer be tolerable.
“Mysticism and revolution are two aspects of the same attempt to bring about change. Mystics cannot prevent themselves from becoming social critics… since in self-reflection they will discover the roots of a sick society. Similarly revolutionists cannot avoid facing their own human condition, since in the midst of their struggle for a new world, they will find that they are also fighting their own reactionary fears and false ambitions.” (Henri Nouwen.)
There’s a little of both the mystic and the revolutionary, within each one of us.
Thanks for posting Henri Nouwen’s statement, Jeanette. The video about fascism also points out that it is not to the mystic’s benefit to fall into reactionary fears–and I have to admit to falling into fears at times: the fear that our democracy is being dynamited, the fear that those in power, in failing to take our climate crisis seriously, are destroying the planet. Falling into fear creates division with “the other side,” and it makes us feel powerless. Today’s phrase I’m chanting with John Phillip Newell is “Awake, awake, put on your strength.”
Thank you Jeanette for the quote by Henri Nouwen. Finding that balance between the mystic and the social revolutionist within us requires faith and discernment of God’s Spirit of Love, Wisdom, Truth, Peace, Justice, Mercy, Healing, Compassion, Divine Will,… in our inner and outer daily lives with one another. In our spiritual journeys of our eternal souls here on this difficult and challenging earthly dimension, our Being and becoming rely on our deeper faith, trust, awareness of God’s Loving~Wisdom~Creative Living Presence within and among us compassionately guiding, healing, strengthening, transforming us personally and interpersonally/socially with conscious awareness that we’re all interconnected/interdependent, not only with one another, but with Mother Earth and all Her creatures/blessings, with our spiritual multidimensions (including our spirit guides and Angels), and our multiverse evolving co-Creation~Cosmos with-in God’s Loving Diverse Oneness… our Beloved Cosmic Christ Consciousness….
🔥❤️🙏
This world is not the next one and never can be, save in an individual’s interior world, and those few who inhabit and share same. How have political revolutions anywhere, anytime, changed the world and people in it (outwardly) for the better in a wholesale and lasting way?
“The only way social change ever happens is from the bottom up.” — Tim Carpenter
I worked with Tim in two different organizations in the ’70s and ’80s. I may not be quoting Tim’s words precisely, but the concept is what he always said. Tim was indeed everything said in the tribute I am giving a link to. It always makes me weep to think of the example he set and my failure to live up to it myself. Change can happen, and it is up to all of us. https://pdamerica.org/tim-carpenter-presente/
Michelle, democracy is supposed to be a “from the bottom-up” form of government, except when no one was minding the store, things changed, and the USA no longer is one. Democracies degrade into autocracies after a few hundred years for multiple reasons that we’re witnessing today. Then what? You don’t stop metastatic cancer developing over years, or a runaway train, or racial inequality, or nuclear proliferation and the threat of annihilation, or climate change on a dime. This is where we are. Our salvation lies no longer in and by ourselves as ‘rugged individualists,’ who founded a nation based on the slave trade, gun-wielding patriots, colonialism, and the genocide of its indigenous peoples. Something greater and more unifying is needed beyond the entire nation’s control. Won’t happen, if at all, until the nation hits bottom.
I am sad to tend to agree with you. It breaks my heart to think of what hitting bottom is going to look like, and it won’t be pretty at all. There will be blood. I do think that things have already gone too far but not enough people have waked up to it to be able to make a change for the better at this point. But that is just my feeble brain and does not take into account the power of the holy spirit. I certainly am not in control—- fortunately.
So basically we now have SHARIA LAW (Christofascism) OR no separation of church and state.
I choose life today and to celebrate the glorious photos coming from outer, outer space. As Matthew says, they give perspective. Ever since homo sapiens (the sapiens is questionable IMO) evolved, we have been through every kind of horror and every kind of grace. Somebody said that the question is not why there is so much evil but rather why there is so much good. It doesn’t really balance out, but today I look for the good.
To speak truth to power we should define a (science based) Satan as the desire to emit greenhouse gases that are not sequestered. Then we can see Jesus was advocating living as a hunter gatherer without emitting greenhouse gases. Jesus said “lay not your treasures up on earth where rot and rust doth corrupt and thieves break in and steal.” The treasures we lay up on earth required greenhouse gases to make. When Jesus said “give what is Caesar’s to Caesar and give what is the Lord’s to the Lord”, he was not separating church and state, he was separating hunter gatherer society from agricultural societies. The way to move from an agricultural society to a hunter gatherer society is to talk about following the example of Jesus and laying down our greenhouse gas emitting lives to protect the hunter gatherers who do not emit greenhouse gases. Might this happen by transforming Planned Parenthood into Planned Transformation? Thich Naht Hahn said there is no death, only transformation. Does a pregnant woman have the right to transform what is in her uterus and protect it from the (science based) Curses of Deuteronomy? The (science based) Curses of Deuteronomy are those Curses supported by science. With global warming the skies turn copper with forest fires and the earth turn hard with drought.