In the 4th paragraph it states: "No member of the faithful could possibly deny that the Church is competent in her magisterium to interpret the natural moral law. It is in fact indisputable, as Our predecessors have many times declared, (l) that Jesus Christ, when He communicated His divine power to Peter and the other Apostles and sent them to teach all nations His commandments, (2) constituted them as the authentic guardians and interpreters of the whole moral law, not only, that is, of the law of the Gospel but also of the natural law. For the natural law, too, declares the will of God, and its faithful observance is necessary for men's eternal salvation. (3)"
With this declaration so early in the document, the pope is validating everything he says after it. He thinks people should trust what the church tells them. Many other people feel this way as well. Not just with religion, but with other authorities such as the government and police. Many people put their faith into the systems that govern the world, and trust them to not mislead them. However the pope is saying he has more than just authority, but has been given this ability through god. He goes on to say that if you do not heed what they have to say, you may not get into heaven after you die. I believe that ending statement is what makes people want to have faith in the church, because if they don't, they won't go to heaven. The same way that if you go against the government or other federal organizations you are called unAmerican and harassed.
I don't agree with the pope saying you should have complete faith in the church's interpretation and statements.Isn't that why the bible tells many of the same events, but through different viewpoints? When it comes to the bible, and they way people live their lifes, I think it's more important to do what you believe is right rather than strictly follow what the church says. I also don't agree with the fear tactics they use to try to scare people into agreeing with them by saying they'll go to hell if they disagree. Free will and thought was also given to us by God, according the bible, so we should use those abilities to their full potential instead of relying on others.
This is a very good example and I think it heavily refers back to how we read and construct our worlds with our minds. We are what we know and what our culture has taught us, and the culture that surrounds the church has taught us that if we do wrong, we need to be forgiven, or we will go to hell. This can also relate to the media and how the media shapes us such as the popes speeches on TV.
ReplyDeleteI really did not understand what that paragraph was trying to say until you summarized it, and I completely agree with you. The Pope does try to justify all of his opinions by saying they are what Jesus Christ would want of us, but, really, how does he know? I also disagree with the scare tactics the church uses. They really work on a lot of people in the world, and these beliefs can cause people to do some crazy things. I feel that as long as people are doing what they believe to be the "right" thing (as long as it isn't illegal or completely wrong), they shouldn't be judged by others.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you! People should not blindly follow any faith or any authority. You need to decide what you believe in your own heart, and then find guidance in the authority figures of the world. I liked the comparisons you made between the Church and other secular sources of authority, I thought that was very valid.
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