St. Hugo of Rhetorica
“And I say, Go into all the world, preaching the absence of private property...”
Well, today it is reported that he has bolstered his Marxist position by appealing to the most famous socialist of all: Jesus!
You have probably noted the recent forays into what I call religio-politics by folks like Jim Wallis, Barack Obama, and Jimmy Carter, attempts to counter the (often equally opportunistic) religious Right by using religious rhetoric and quoting the Bible indiscriminately to support policy. I had no idea this fad had made its way to Venezuela.
In addition, you tell me if there is an unstated threat when, after ‘scolding’ the Church “for criticizing his decision not to renew the license of an opposition-aligned television station,” Chavez said:
the state respects the church. The church should respect the state. I wouldn’t like to return to the times of confrontation with Venezuelan bishops, but it’s not up to me. It’s up to the Venezuelan bishops.
“...and here are the blueprints for the villa that will be built over the Cathedral we’ll knock down...”
But this isn’t the first time faith has heard in the distance the report of socialist war drums. What then?
Comments