How Catholic Money Funded Obama's Community Organizing
By Deal W. Hudson
October 7, 2008
Page 2 of 2
This has serious ramifications for Catholics. The Alinskyian networks operate ecumenically and include numerous Catholic parishes. The Catholics involved in the extensive trainings these networks offer are not catechized in Catholic principles of social activism or political analysis but in Marxist analysis and praxis. Their worldview is marred by visions of class struggle and perpetual revolution. They are systematically trained to renounce moral truth in favor of consensus-based "values."
Catholics trained in Alinskyian thought become confused about the comparative moral weight of the issues they encounter in the public arena. They also become confused about the legitimate authority of the Church, frequently imagining they can apply consensus-building strategies to doctrines and moral truth. They are the same Catholics who people the dissident Call to Action chapters around the country.
99% of Catholics in the pews have any idea of how much they have invested in building the political infrastructure that has now been activated to support Obama. That infrastructure always supports the Democratic Party and its candidate, but now they have a candidate who comes directly out of their political culture, well to the left of previous Democratic nominees like Gore and Kerry.
Why has the Church allowed the CCHD to continue all this time? I think Block put its well when she says:
Ironically, they [dissident Catholics] learned these confused ideas in their parishes, through Church-sponsored "educational" programs such as the Catholic Campaign for Human Development's liberationist "Poverty and Faithjustice". Because of this confusion, Catholics, who ought to be a powerful, consistent voice for moral values in society, are fragmented and ineffective. The Catholic Campaign for Human Development bears much of the responsibility.
A few bishops understand exactly what the Catholic Campaign for Human Development is and approve what it funds. Most, however, swallow the concept of its "helping the poor" and have probed no deeper. Busy about the Lord's work of minding their dioceses, they've trusted others to run the "social justice" offices.
Block thinks the Obama candidacy will shine a light on the activities of the CCHD and elicit a reevaluation of its mission and funding. I doubt it, sorry to say. The CCHD is very well-protected by those who control the USCCB and its funding. But here is Block's hope:
In this sense, the nomination of Barak Obama has been a great blessing. Even the politically naive are fascinated by the pejorative dismissal of Obama as a "community organizer" and his campaign's rebuttal that to disrespect community organizers is to disrespect Catholic Action. Obama isn't Catholic. Catholic thought hasn't subtly filtered into this ecumenical movement. Amoral Alinskyian thought, on the other hand, has clearly filtered into Catholic circles - to such a degree that some people confuse one for the other.
Obama's nomination is a window of opportunity to explain - starting with the bishops - the difference between Alinskyian principles and Catholic Action. They and other Catholics should find materials about Obama's Alinskyian roots quite interesting. We need to be sharing those materials.
After 40 years of funding the bad guys, it's time to stop.
Block's article is aptly titled, "The Chickens Come Home to Roost: Obama, ACORN, and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development."
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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA. >> Back -- Page 1 2
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