Christian Morality.
Moral truth is in objective reality, as Christ taught.


 

     

The Mathematics of Catholic Theology.

by Gary Novak

By mathematics, I mean [evidence]. Technically, there is no such thing as proof. Proof is no more than accepting the obvious as fact. If someone will not accept the obvious as fact, and no one can prove that it is.

The best de facto proof is in contradictions resulting from errors. Contradictions in Catholic theology show de facto proof that it is in error.

The context is this: Catholic theology claims a line of authority was passed from Peter to the popes. The authority is supposed to include "divine revelation," which produces infallible theology.

There are contradictions in the claims of infallibility. Popes almost never proclaim their rulings to be infallible. The last infallible proclamation occurred around 1952, when Mary was said to be assumed into heaven.

Yet at a different level, every word of official Catholic theology is said to be part of an infallible "magisterium," defined as teaching authority. So every word of a pope's document is supposedly infallible, while nothing infallible was produced in half a century.

Such contradictions stem from motives. Church authorities want to destroy all opposition, competition and criticism by claiming the ultimate authority of infallibility. All other professionals do the same thing, pretending at one level to make no errors, while close examination shows nothing but a muddle of errors.

A more significant contradiction is in the claim that only Catholics get saved, because the "keys to heaven" exist no place else. That claim was too absurd for modern minds, so it was reversed at the Second Vatican Council (1963-65). A large part of the purpose of V-II was to correct that problem, which is why it was called an "ecumenical council."

Reversing that point was not just a contradiction; it leveled the theological landscape. If nonCatholics get saved, then nothing Catholic is essential (at the individual level), and nothing in theology is infallible. If a point that important is not infallible, then nothing else is either.

The significance of that contradiction cannot be overstated. Traditional Catholic priests assume they perform a function which is essential to salvation and which no one else can do. Ninety percent of the theology rationalizes that function with the authority of supposed infallible words. If nonCatholics get saved, the theology is in error.

To an outsider, it might seem that Catholic clergy could be satisfied being a little more human. There is plenty that humans need to do in the religion. But professionals of all types tend to brainwash themselves into believing they are something more than human, and they lust for authority as the highest power they can achieve. The Catholics do that in a more sanctimonious and sheltered environment than usual.

To a physicist, there is no higher state than being a physicist. But speaking for the big bang is a lot more profane than speaking for God.