The religious instincts of humanity reject " pristine Nothingness "

Diseases of Despair

 

It is rare to see decidedly " leftist " journalists quote a Catholic pope with any respect or understanding . As a democratic socialist myself - strongly influenced by Catholic social philosophy and the Catholic Tradition within the framework of Western Civilization - I am dismayed by all these sectarian " socialist " parties forming an obscene alliance with the nihilistic New Atheism in attacking religious faith in general , showing a nearly deranged hostility toward the Catholic Church . What kind of " vanguard " working class parties exclude the world's millions of religious people : Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox Jews , Muslims ? Are they as eager as idolized Lenin and Trotsky to re-establish an officially atheist state - a long nightmare of spiritual chaos. ?

A big part of the Left has abandoned even socialist humanism. They oppose the FREE SPEECH and FREE THOUGHT tradition of Western Civilization. You can be certain that these groups - now downright personality cults like the Socialist Equality Party and the Socialist Workers Party - will remain marginal forces for social change.

                    Not for nothing I am convinced that SOCIALISM as an idea and ideal must transform itself into a quasi-religious movement like militant pacifism ( as in A.J. Muste ) in some ways , like early Christianity in other ways before it wielded state power and the " Sword of Constantine ".

                     The religious instinct of humanity needs more to satisfy it than images of the Big Bang, pictures of Black Holes, and a mathematical description of pristine NOTHINGNESS. We humans are not that impressed with " what hydrogen atoms can do ... " ( Carl Sagan ) .

 [ after billions of years they give us President Donald Trump and that recent " Profile in Courage " Nancy Pelosi ] .

                 I think Saint Augustine would know what I am talking about . Read his " City of God ".