Globalization, Benedict XVI, and the False Prophet
Timothy Birdnow
Rev 13:11 - And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Revelation 13:12-14 — 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Pope Benedict XVI has called for a global economic governing system.
According to this article in USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-07-07-pope-encyclical_N.htm
"Pope Benedict XVI today called for reforming the United Nations and establishing a "true world political
authority" with "real teeth" to manage the global economy with God-centered ethics.
In his third encyclical, a major teaching, released as the G-8 summit begins in Italy, the pope says such
an authority is urgently needed to end the current worldwide financial crisis. It should "revive" damaged
economies, reach toward "disarmament, food security and peace," protect the environment and "regulate
migration."
Benedict writes, "The market is not, and must not become, the place where the strong subdue the weak."
The encyclical, Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth) is a theologically dense explication of Catholic
social teaching that draws heavily from earlier popes, particularly PaulVI's critique of capitalism 42
years ago. And echoing his predecessor John Paul II, Benedict says, "every economic decision has a moral
consequence."'
End excerpt.
IF this is an accurate portrayal of the Pope's comments it is cause for great concern, nay, fear and
trembling from the Faithful, because it suggests a terrible possibility.
Is Benedict the False Prophet?
Such an economic order is precisely what the Anti-Christ would institute according to Scripture. The Book
of Revelation makes it plain that a cashless economy will replace the current order, with those who refuse
the Mark of the Beast to be unable to buy or sell. And Revelation makes it plain that the Anti-Christ
would derive his power from a false spiritual system headed by a globalist type leader, the False Prophet,
third person of the Satanic trinity. Catholic theologians have traditionally believed the False Prophet
would be an apostate Pontiff.
And the radical Left is euphoric. Consider this from Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/special/2011/10/24/351277/the-vatican-calls-for-economic-equality-reform-of-
world-financial-system/
"The call for greater control and equality in financial markets comes at a time when Republican
presidential candidates — many of whom tout their religious credentials on the campaign trail — have
called for the repeal of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law aimed at preventing a crisis similar to that
of 2008, and as Republicans in both Congress and on the campaign trail continue to back budget cuts that
would eviscerate programs that help the poor. At the same time, protesters spurred by the original Occupy
Wall Street demonstrations have brought increasing attention rising income inequality, corporate greed,
and tax breaks for corporations and the wealthiest Americans.
The Vatican release is a clear sign that it supports the message of the Occupy Wall Street protests,
Vincent J. Miller, the Gudorf Chair in Catholic Theology and Culture at the University of Dayton, said in
a press release:
“While conservative leaders and several presidential candidates want to eviscerate financial reform, the
Vatican has sent a powerful message that prudent regulation of our financial system is a moral priority. I
expect Catholic neo-cons who usually present themselves as the defenders of orthodoxy will ignore or
scramble to defuse this timely teaching. It’s clear the Vatican stands with the Occupy Wall Street
protesters and others struggling to return ethics and good governance to a financial sector grown out of
control after 30 years of deregulation.”
This isn’t the first time faith leaders have spoken out against so-called religious conservatives who have
prioritized tax cuts for the wealthy and repealing financial regulations over helping low-income
Americans. A group of Catholic bishops signed a letter to House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Budget
Committee Chair Paul Ryan (R-WI) — both practicing Catholics — during the debt limit fight, denouncing
budget cuts that disproportionately hurt the poor. Other religious leaders made similar calls, with Rev.
Jim Wallis telling Republicans, “We did not get into fiscal trouble because of poor people. … The poor
didn’t cause this. Let’s not make them pay for it.”'
End excerpt.
Of course, this flies in the face of several Encyclicals condemning socialism, for example Pius IX Nostis
et Nobiscum or Benedict XV Ad Beatissimi Apostolorum or, well, see here.
http://www.americaneedsfatima.org/Articles/what-the-popes-say-about-socialism.html
Any global economic system will wind up expanding and cementing socialism into place. That is the nature
of the beast, if you pardon an infernal pun. Especially this beast that sits astride the Atlantic Ocean,
with it's heads in New York, Brussels, etc. Global regulation of the economy will give us global
government, and of the worst sort. Surely the current occupant of the Chair of St. Peter knows this - and
understands the theological implications.
But is this what the Holy Father is really arguing?
Here are some of the pertinent passages:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-
veritate_en.html
41. ...
Political authority also involves a wide range of values, which must not be overlooked in the process of constructing a new order of economic productivity, socially responsible and human in scale. As well as cultivating differentiated forms of business activity on the global plane, we must also promote a dispersed political authority, effective on different levels. The integrated economy of the present day does not make the role of States redundant, but rather it commits governments to greater collaboration with one another. Both wisdom and prudence suggest not being too precipitous in declaring the demise of the State. In terms of the resolution of the current crisis, the State's role seems destined to grow, as it regains many of its competences. In some nations, moreover, the construction or reconstruction of the State remains a key factor in their development. The focus of international aid, within a solidarity-based plan to resolve today's economic problems, should rather be on consolidating constitutional, juridical and administrative systems in countries that do not yet fully enjoy these goods. Alongside economic aid, there needs to be aid directed towards reinforcing the guarantees proper to the State of law: a system of public order and effective imprisonment that respects human rights, truly democratic institutions. The State does not need to have identical characteristics everywhere: the support aimed at strengthening weak constitutional systems can easily be accompanied by the development of other political players, of a cultural, social, territorial or religious nature, alongside the State. The articulation of political authority at the local, national and international levels is one of the best ways of giving direction to the process of economic globalization. It is also the way to ensure that it does not actually undermine the foundations of democracy.
42. Sometimes globalization is viewed in fatalistic terms, as if the dynamics involved were the product of anonymous impersonal forces or structures independent of the human will[102]. In this regard it is useful to remember that while globalization should certainly be understood as a socio-economic process, this is not its only dimension. Underneath the more visible process, humanity itself is becoming increasingly interconnected; it is made up of individuals and peoples to whom this process should offer benefits and development[103], as they assume their respective responsibilities, singly and collectively. The breaking-down of borders is not simply a material fact: it is also a cultural event both in its causes and its effects. If globalization is viewed from a deterministic standpoint, the criteria with which to evaluate and direct it are lost. As a human reality, it is the product of diverse cultural tendencies, which need to be subjected to a process of discernment. The truth of globalization as a process and its fundamental ethical criterion are given by the unity of the human family and its development towards what is good. Hence a sustained commitment is needed so as to promote a person-based and community-oriented cultural process of world-wide integration that is open to transcendence.
Despite some of its structural elements, which should neither be denied nor exaggerated, “globalization, a priori, is neither good nor bad. It will be what people make of it”[104]. We should not be its victims, but rather its protagonists, acting in the light of reason, guided by charity and truth. Blind opposition would be a mistaken and prejudiced attitude, incapable of recognizing the positive aspects of the process, with the consequent risk of missing the chance to take advantage of its many opportunities for development. The processes of globalization, suitably understood and directed, open up the unprecedented possibility of large-scale redistribution of wealth on a world-wide scale; if badly directed, however, they can lead to an increase in poverty and inequality, and could even trigger a global crisis. It is necessary to correct the malfunctions, some of them serious, that cause new divisions between peoples and within peoples, and also to ensure that the redistribution of wealth does not come about through the redistribution or increase of poverty: a real danger if the present situation were to be badly managed. For a long time it was thought that poor peoples should remain at a fixed stage of development, and should be content to receive assistance from the philanthropy of developed peoples. Paul VI strongly opposed this mentality in Populorum Progressio. Today the material resources available for rescuing these peoples from poverty are potentially greater than before, but they have ended up largely in the hands of people from developed countries, who have benefited more from the liberalization that has occurred in the mobility of capital and labour. The world-wide diffusion of forms of prosperity should not therefore be held up by projects that are self-centred, protectionist or at the service of private interests. Indeed the involvement of emerging or developing countries allows us to manage the crisis better today. The transition inherent in the process of globalization presents great difficulties and dangers that can only be overcome if we are able to appropriate the underlying anthropological and ethical spirit that drives globalization towards the humanizing goal of solidarity. Unfortunately this spirit is often overwhelmed or suppressed by ethical and cultural considerations of an individualistic and utilitarian nature. Globalization is a multifaceted and complex phenomenon which must be grasped in the diversity and unity of all its different dimensions, including the theological dimension. In this way it will be possible to experience and to steer the globalization of humanity in relational terms, in terms of communion and the sharing of goods.
"57. ... A particular manifestation of charity and a guiding criterion for
fraternal cooperation between believers and non-believers is undoubtedly the principle of subsidiarity
[137], an expression of inalienable human freedom. Subsidiarity is first and foremost a form of assistance
to the human person via the autonomy of intermediate bodies. Such assistance is offered when individuals
or groups are unable to accomplish something on their own, and it is always designed to achieve their
emancipation, because it fosters freedom and participation through assumption of responsibility.
Subsidiarity respects personal dignity by recognizing in the person a subject who is always capable of
giving something to others. By considering reciprocity as the heart of what it is to be a human being,
subsidiarity is the most effective antidote against any form of all-encompassing welfare state. It is able
to take account both of the manifold articulation of plans — and therefore of the plurality of subjects —
as well as the coordination of those plans. Hence the principle of subsidiarity is particularly well-
suited to managing globalization and directing it towards authentic human development. In order not to
produce a dangerous universal power of a tyrannical nature, the governance of globalization must be marked
by subsidiarity, articulated into several layers and involving different levels that can work together.
Globalization certainly requires authority, insofar as it poses the problem of a global common good that
needs to be pursued. This authority, however, must be organized in a subsidiary and stratified way[138],
if it is not to infringe upon freedom and if it is to yield effective results in practice."
End excerpts.
Yes, the Pope is arguing that there is something wrong with the current system of things, and rightly so; nobody would claim we have a perfect system, nor argue that we should not seek to improve things. The point is, the Holy Father is arguing for the political to act merely as a buttress for a more charitable way - which ultimately means a change of heart inside people.
He states quite plainly "The economy needs ethics in order to function correctly" and "Much in fact depends on the underlying system of morality"(45) which ultimately is the core of his thesis. This Pope understands that lack of faith is the root of both the problems of socialism and of exploitative capitalism; the robber-baron capitalist, the crony capitalist, is equally a faithless man, believing in the mechanistic forces as much as the Marxist. This is inarguable. This is NOT an indictment of the capitalist system, but a criticism of certain forces at work in that system. Iniquity is ever present in every human institution.
HOWEVER...
The Pope bemoans "hoarding" of energy by some nations, worries about proper "stewardship" of the environment, and belabores a whole collection of Green talking points that I fear will be used by the Left. That he prefaces it with a warning against turning this to paganism, that preface will be purposely lost by the enemies of the Church. He really should know better.
And here is the offending section:
"67. In the face of the unrelenting growth of global interdependence, there is a strongly felt need, even in the midst of a global recession, for a reform of the United Nations Organization, and likewise of economic institutions and international finance, so that the concept of the family of nations can acquire real teeth. One also senses the urgent need to find innovative ways of implementing the principle of the responsibility to protect[146] and of giving poorer nations an effective voice in shared decision-making. This seems necessary in order to arrive at a political, juridical and economic order which can increase and give direction to international cooperation for the development of all peoples in solidarity. To manage the global economy; to revive economies hit by the crisis; to avoid any deterioration of the present crisis and the greater imbalances that would result; to bring about integral and timely disarmament, food security and peace; to guarantee the protection of the environment and to regulate migration: for all this, there is urgent need of a true world political authority, as my predecessor Blessed John XXIII indicated some years ago. Such an authority would need to be regulated by law, to observe consistently the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity, to seek to establish the common good[147], and to make a commitment to securing authentic integral human development inspired by the values of charity in truth. Furthermore, such an authority would need to be universally recognized and to be vested with the effective power to ensure security for all, regard for justice, and respect for rights[148]. Obviously it would have to have the authority to ensure compliance with its decisions from all parties, and also with the coordinated measures adopted in various international forums. Without this, despite the great progress accomplished in various sectors, international law would risk being conditioned by the balance of power among the strongest nations. The integral development of peoples and international cooperation require the establishment of a greater degree of international ordering, marked by subsidiarity, for the management of globalization[149]. They also require the construction of a social order that at last conforms to the moral order, to the interconnection between moral and social spheres, and to the link between politics and the economic and civil spheres, as envisaged by the Charter of the United Nations."
End excerpt.
He goes on to say that without God this is all in vain, yet he has made a terrible mistake here. Throughout Benedict has called for a "subsidiary" society in which Man is autonomous and yet part of the whole, but he should understand that this will lead to the subsuming of that autonomy should the State and particularly the Metastate be empowered.
Is Benedict the False Prophet? This document certainly forshadows him.
Rev 13:11 - And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Revelation 13:12-14 — 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Pope Benedict XVI has called for a global economic governing system.
According to this article in USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-07-07-pope-encyclical_N.htm
"Pope Benedict XVI today called for reforming the United Nations and establishing a "true world political
authority" with "real teeth" to manage the global economy with God-centered ethics.
In his third encyclical, a major teaching, released as the G-8 summit begins in Italy, the pope says such
an authority is urgently needed to end the current worldwide financial crisis. It should "revive" damaged
economies, reach toward "disarmament, food security and peace," protect the environment and "regulate
migration."
Benedict writes, "The market is not, and must not become, the place where the strong subdue the weak."
The encyclical, Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth) is a theologically dense explication of Catholic
social teaching that draws heavily from earlier popes, particularly PaulVI's critique of capitalism 42
years ago. And echoing his predecessor John Paul II, Benedict says, "every economic decision has a moral
consequence."'
End excerpt.
IF this is an accurate portrayal of the Pope's comments it is cause for great concern, nay, fear and
trembling from the Faithful, because it suggests a terrible possibility.
Is Benedict the False Prophet?
Such an economic order is precisely what the Anti-Christ would institute according to Scripture. The Book
of Revelation makes it plain that a cashless economy will replace the current order, with those who refuse
the Mark of the Beast to be unable to buy or sell. And Revelation makes it plain that the Anti-Christ
would derive his power from a false spiritual system headed by a globalist type leader, the False Prophet,
third person of the Satanic trinity. Catholic theologians have traditionally believed the False Prophet
would be an apostate Pontiff.
And the radical Left is euphoric. Consider this from Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/special/2011/10/24/351277/the-vatican-calls-for-economic-equality-reform-of-
world-financial-system/
"The call for greater control and equality in financial markets comes at a time when Republican
presidential candidates — many of whom tout their religious credentials on the campaign trail — have
called for the repeal of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law aimed at preventing a crisis similar to that
of 2008, and as Republicans in both Congress and on the campaign trail continue to back budget cuts that
would eviscerate programs that help the poor. At the same time, protesters spurred by the original Occupy
Wall Street demonstrations have brought increasing attention rising income inequality, corporate greed,
and tax breaks for corporations and the wealthiest Americans.
The Vatican release is a clear sign that it supports the message of the Occupy Wall Street protests,
Vincent J. Miller, the Gudorf Chair in Catholic Theology and Culture at the University of Dayton, said in
a press release:
“While conservative leaders and several presidential candidates want to eviscerate financial reform, the
Vatican has sent a powerful message that prudent regulation of our financial system is a moral priority. I
expect Catholic neo-cons who usually present themselves as the defenders of orthodoxy will ignore or
scramble to defuse this timely teaching. It’s clear the Vatican stands with the Occupy Wall Street
protesters and others struggling to return ethics and good governance to a financial sector grown out of
control after 30 years of deregulation.”
This isn’t the first time faith leaders have spoken out against so-called religious conservatives who have
prioritized tax cuts for the wealthy and repealing financial regulations over helping low-income
Americans. A group of Catholic bishops signed a letter to House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Budget
Committee Chair Paul Ryan (R-WI) — both practicing Catholics — during the debt limit fight, denouncing
budget cuts that disproportionately hurt the poor. Other religious leaders made similar calls, with Rev.
Jim Wallis telling Republicans, “We did not get into fiscal trouble because of poor people. … The poor
didn’t cause this. Let’s not make them pay for it.”'
End excerpt.
Of course, this flies in the face of several Encyclicals condemning socialism, for example Pius IX Nostis
et Nobiscum or Benedict XV Ad Beatissimi Apostolorum or, well, see here.
http://www.americaneedsfatima.org/Articles/what-the-popes-say-about-socialism.html
Any global economic system will wind up expanding and cementing socialism into place. That is the nature
of the beast, if you pardon an infernal pun. Especially this beast that sits astride the Atlantic Ocean,
with it's heads in New York, Brussels, etc. Global regulation of the economy will give us global
government, and of the worst sort. Surely the current occupant of the Chair of St. Peter knows this - and
understands the theological implications.
But is this what the Holy Father is really arguing?
Here are some of the pertinent passages:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-
veritate_en.html
41. ...
Political authority also involves a wide range of values, which must not be overlooked in the process of constructing a new order of economic productivity, socially responsible and human in scale. As well as cultivating differentiated forms of business activity on the global plane, we must also promote a dispersed political authority, effective on different levels. The integrated economy of the present day does not make the role of States redundant, but rather it commits governments to greater collaboration with one another. Both wisdom and prudence suggest not being too precipitous in declaring the demise of the State. In terms of the resolution of the current crisis, the State's role seems destined to grow, as it regains many of its competences. In some nations, moreover, the construction or reconstruction of the State remains a key factor in their development. The focus of international aid, within a solidarity-based plan to resolve today's economic problems, should rather be on consolidating constitutional, juridical and administrative systems in countries that do not yet fully enjoy these goods. Alongside economic aid, there needs to be aid directed towards reinforcing the guarantees proper to the State of law: a system of public order and effective imprisonment that respects human rights, truly democratic institutions. The State does not need to have identical characteristics everywhere: the support aimed at strengthening weak constitutional systems can easily be accompanied by the development of other political players, of a cultural, social, territorial or religious nature, alongside the State. The articulation of political authority at the local, national and international levels is one of the best ways of giving direction to the process of economic globalization. It is also the way to ensure that it does not actually undermine the foundations of democracy.
42. Sometimes globalization is viewed in fatalistic terms, as if the dynamics involved were the product of anonymous impersonal forces or structures independent of the human will[102]. In this regard it is useful to remember that while globalization should certainly be understood as a socio-economic process, this is not its only dimension. Underneath the more visible process, humanity itself is becoming increasingly interconnected; it is made up of individuals and peoples to whom this process should offer benefits and development[103], as they assume their respective responsibilities, singly and collectively. The breaking-down of borders is not simply a material fact: it is also a cultural event both in its causes and its effects. If globalization is viewed from a deterministic standpoint, the criteria with which to evaluate and direct it are lost. As a human reality, it is the product of diverse cultural tendencies, which need to be subjected to a process of discernment. The truth of globalization as a process and its fundamental ethical criterion are given by the unity of the human family and its development towards what is good. Hence a sustained commitment is needed so as to promote a person-based and community-oriented cultural process of world-wide integration that is open to transcendence.
Despite some of its structural elements, which should neither be denied nor exaggerated, “globalization, a priori, is neither good nor bad. It will be what people make of it”[104]. We should not be its victims, but rather its protagonists, acting in the light of reason, guided by charity and truth. Blind opposition would be a mistaken and prejudiced attitude, incapable of recognizing the positive aspects of the process, with the consequent risk of missing the chance to take advantage of its many opportunities for development. The processes of globalization, suitably understood and directed, open up the unprecedented possibility of large-scale redistribution of wealth on a world-wide scale; if badly directed, however, they can lead to an increase in poverty and inequality, and could even trigger a global crisis. It is necessary to correct the malfunctions, some of them serious, that cause new divisions between peoples and within peoples, and also to ensure that the redistribution of wealth does not come about through the redistribution or increase of poverty: a real danger if the present situation were to be badly managed. For a long time it was thought that poor peoples should remain at a fixed stage of development, and should be content to receive assistance from the philanthropy of developed peoples. Paul VI strongly opposed this mentality in Populorum Progressio. Today the material resources available for rescuing these peoples from poverty are potentially greater than before, but they have ended up largely in the hands of people from developed countries, who have benefited more from the liberalization that has occurred in the mobility of capital and labour. The world-wide diffusion of forms of prosperity should not therefore be held up by projects that are self-centred, protectionist or at the service of private interests. Indeed the involvement of emerging or developing countries allows us to manage the crisis better today. The transition inherent in the process of globalization presents great difficulties and dangers that can only be overcome if we are able to appropriate the underlying anthropological and ethical spirit that drives globalization towards the humanizing goal of solidarity. Unfortunately this spirit is often overwhelmed or suppressed by ethical and cultural considerations of an individualistic and utilitarian nature. Globalization is a multifaceted and complex phenomenon which must be grasped in the diversity and unity of all its different dimensions, including the theological dimension. In this way it will be possible to experience and to steer the globalization of humanity in relational terms, in terms of communion and the sharing of goods.
"57. ... A particular manifestation of charity and a guiding criterion for
fraternal cooperation between believers and non-believers is undoubtedly the principle of subsidiarity
[137], an expression of inalienable human freedom. Subsidiarity is first and foremost a form of assistance
to the human person via the autonomy of intermediate bodies. Such assistance is offered when individuals
or groups are unable to accomplish something on their own, and it is always designed to achieve their
emancipation, because it fosters freedom and participation through assumption of responsibility.
Subsidiarity respects personal dignity by recognizing in the person a subject who is always capable of
giving something to others. By considering reciprocity as the heart of what it is to be a human being,
subsidiarity is the most effective antidote against any form of all-encompassing welfare state. It is able
to take account both of the manifold articulation of plans — and therefore of the plurality of subjects —
as well as the coordination of those plans. Hence the principle of subsidiarity is particularly well-
suited to managing globalization and directing it towards authentic human development. In order not to
produce a dangerous universal power of a tyrannical nature, the governance of globalization must be marked
by subsidiarity, articulated into several layers and involving different levels that can work together.
Globalization certainly requires authority, insofar as it poses the problem of a global common good that
needs to be pursued. This authority, however, must be organized in a subsidiary and stratified way[138],
if it is not to infringe upon freedom and if it is to yield effective results in practice."
End excerpts.
Yes, the Pope is arguing that there is something wrong with the current system of things, and rightly so; nobody would claim we have a perfect system, nor argue that we should not seek to improve things. The point is, the Holy Father is arguing for the political to act merely as a buttress for a more charitable way - which ultimately means a change of heart inside people.
He states quite plainly "The economy needs ethics in order to function correctly" and "Much in fact depends on the underlying system of morality"(45) which ultimately is the core of his thesis. This Pope understands that lack of faith is the root of both the problems of socialism and of exploitative capitalism; the robber-baron capitalist, the crony capitalist, is equally a faithless man, believing in the mechanistic forces as much as the Marxist. This is inarguable. This is NOT an indictment of the capitalist system, but a criticism of certain forces at work in that system. Iniquity is ever present in every human institution.
HOWEVER...
The Pope bemoans "hoarding" of energy by some nations, worries about proper "stewardship" of the environment, and belabores a whole collection of Green talking points that I fear will be used by the Left. That he prefaces it with a warning against turning this to paganism, that preface will be purposely lost by the enemies of the Church. He really should know better.
And here is the offending section:
"67. In the face of the unrelenting growth of global interdependence, there is a strongly felt need, even in the midst of a global recession, for a reform of the United Nations Organization, and likewise of economic institutions and international finance, so that the concept of the family of nations can acquire real teeth. One also senses the urgent need to find innovative ways of implementing the principle of the responsibility to protect[146] and of giving poorer nations an effective voice in shared decision-making. This seems necessary in order to arrive at a political, juridical and economic order which can increase and give direction to international cooperation for the development of all peoples in solidarity. To manage the global economy; to revive economies hit by the crisis; to avoid any deterioration of the present crisis and the greater imbalances that would result; to bring about integral and timely disarmament, food security and peace; to guarantee the protection of the environment and to regulate migration: for all this, there is urgent need of a true world political authority, as my predecessor Blessed John XXIII indicated some years ago. Such an authority would need to be regulated by law, to observe consistently the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity, to seek to establish the common good[147], and to make a commitment to securing authentic integral human development inspired by the values of charity in truth. Furthermore, such an authority would need to be universally recognized and to be vested with the effective power to ensure security for all, regard for justice, and respect for rights[148]. Obviously it would have to have the authority to ensure compliance with its decisions from all parties, and also with the coordinated measures adopted in various international forums. Without this, despite the great progress accomplished in various sectors, international law would risk being conditioned by the balance of power among the strongest nations. The integral development of peoples and international cooperation require the establishment of a greater degree of international ordering, marked by subsidiarity, for the management of globalization[149]. They also require the construction of a social order that at last conforms to the moral order, to the interconnection between moral and social spheres, and to the link between politics and the economic and civil spheres, as envisaged by the Charter of the United Nations."
End excerpt.
He goes on to say that without God this is all in vain, yet he has made a terrible mistake here. Throughout Benedict has called for a "subsidiary" society in which Man is autonomous and yet part of the whole, but he should understand that this will lead to the subsuming of that autonomy should the State and particularly the Metastate be empowered.
Is Benedict the False Prophet? This document certainly forshadows him.
posted by Timothy Birdnow | 7:15 AM
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