Thursday, August 20, 2020

Right-wing opposition to Covid-19 government regulations

Why are right-wing people so opposed to Government guidelines on Covid-19?

Every day columnist David Quinn is early off the blocks expressing critical opinion on Covid regulations.

In the United States Dominican priest Fr Pius Pietrzyk makes snide remarks about Covid-19 regulations as they apply to churches in California.

Another US priest, Fr Thomas Petri writes: "No evidence has emerged to suggest that distribution of Holy Communion in accordance with Thomistic Institute Guidelines has led to Covid transmission."

Difficult to understand the mindset here.

Is the Catholic Church attracting far-right, QAnon-like followers. It seems so. 

It's becoming an uncomfortable place.

4 comments:

Francis Hunt said...

The right-wing, neo-traditionalist side of the Catholic Church fits perfectly with other groups waging a culture war against "liberalism" or liberal democracy - the signal word used by the Catholic right is *secularism*.

Liberal democracy, or secularism, if you prefer, is the somewhat amorphous set of values on which most developed modern societies base themselves, values which go back to the Enlightenment - like the basic equality of all persons, freedom of conscience, the definition of the state as an entity in which no religion is given preference or special influence, etc.

The Catholic right-wing wants a society in which Catholic teaching (according to their definition of it) is given preference, since it is right and all the others are wrong. Because *liberalism* (or *secularism*) refuses this claim it is the enemy, which must be attacked on every level, at every opportunity.

The irony is that there was a 20th century country which fitted the right-wing Catholic template perfectly in every particular. It was Ireland from independence until around the mid-1960s. On the basis of the arguments put forward by the Catholic right it must have been heaven on earth. Strange that we don't remember it that way!

Michael Commane said...

Perfect. Brilliant.
Or is it that I am saying that because I agree with you?
But it is perfectly said and so accurate.
Thank you.

Póló said...

Petri is not a nice person. Full of himself and proud of his backwardness. Sadly a Dominican.

Póló said...

Ah Well

Featured Post

A quiet space offers staff a chance to relax and recharge

This week’s Mediahuis Irish regional newspapers’  column. Michael Commane A cousin of mine, who works here in Ireland for a multi national c...