As goes Europe goes the World?

Pope Benedict XVI addressed a group regarding the future of Europe, warning them that the way that Europe is heading could be a problem.

If Europe denies the existence of universal values, the continent will be an apostate from itself even before it will be an apostate from God, says Benedict XVI.

The Holy Father said this Saturday upon receiving in audience the participants of the congress "Values and Perspectives for Tomorrow's Europe -- 50 Years of the Treaty of Rome."

The Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community convoked the congress to mark the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, which laid the foundations for what is today the European Union.

This is an important thing to say, for Europe is tied up in a much worse form of Modernism than America, and you know how bad America can get.

Benedict XVI said: "Is it not a surprise that contemporary Europe, although it wishes to present itself as a community of values, seems more and more to contest the existence of universal and absolute values?

"Does not this unique form of 'apostasy' from itself, even prior to an apostasy from God, lead to doubts about its identity?"

Relativism. That's what we're fighting nowadays, here, there, everywhere. It feels good to say that nobody can be wrong, as long as they're "good". But, to deny that there is a universal Truth, really denys God, for God is Truth.

Benedict XVI observed that on the contrary there is an expansion in Europe of a pragmatism "that systematically justifies compromise on essential human values as if the acceptance of a presumed minor moral evil were inevitable."

He emphasized that "such a pragmatism, presented as balanced and realistic, really isn't, since it rejects that dimension of values and ideals that is inherent in human nature."

The Pope said: "Then, when atheistic and relativistic tendencies are woven into this pragmatism, in the end Christians as such are denied the very right to enter into the public discussion or, at the very least, their contribution is disqualified."

This is a mojor problem today. People are expected to accept the views of other faiths, respecting (sometimes to extreme levels) the beliefs of Muslims, Jews, and really anybody. But if you are a Christian your religious views are given little to no care. I can only guess this is because Christians have historically been a majority.

The Bishop of Rome attributed this loss of values and ideals to the demographic crisis which the countries of Europe are now facing, "a road that could carry it to bid farewell to history."

The Pontiff lamented that "one might think that the European continent is in fact losing confidence in its own future."

This is a problem. Europe has been in decline for years. If this trend continues, the major powers of the World will be America, Communist China, and the Islamic Middle East. This leaves America to be the voice of Truth to the World, and if you've been paying attention to our culture, the World may well be in trouble.

Peace to you.
-JG