Five Muslims, two Roman Catholics and a Jew are on a desert
island. They decide to call themselves the “Higher Committee of Human
Fraternity” and construct, on that desert island, three great monuments to coexistence. No longer content with campy bumperstickers,
the triad of religious power conspire to create concrete dialogue in the shifting
sands of Saadiyat Island.
Referred to singularly as the ‘Abrahamic Family House’, the
architect who won the design competition for the monuments, describes it as
three religious spaces and a fourth secular visitor pavilion (1). The fourth space will include a raised podium
that will allow the visitors to peer into the religious spaces. (2)
As would be expected, such public display of fraternity is
viewed with suspicion and concern. The
spectre of a one world religion looms before fringe groups (3) but the
architect is careful to keep the distinctions, even as he merges the
values. ““There has never been a
building which houses the three faiths in one form, he said. Rather than mixing the three up, he wanted to
preserve “the unique experience of each of the faiths” while at the same time
“connecting them all with one device”.”
Our warning is not for the danger of Chrislam
in a yamaka. Nor is it specifically for
Abu Dahbis’ newest zoological attraction.
The Abrahamic Family House Design
Our warning springs from the societal shift brought about
by the COVID 19 pandemic, reflected through the lens of a Papal Encyclical. I believe most people, by this time, are
aware of the Chinese government implemented Social Credit System, a ranking
system that monitors the behavior of its vast citizenry. (5) Despite the libertarian alarm, it’s appeal,
especially to the socialistic paradigm, is undeniable. All ready, as a result of the COVID 19
(Plandemic, as some suggest)(6), technological systems to monitor citizenry for
health are in work in western countries with histories of individual freedom. (7) The trajectory is clear. Individual freedom must be suppressed for the
good of all, and with that, religious freedom.
Pope Francis, the current and first Jesuit Vicar of Christ, (though he
downplays the title)(8) released the encyclical “Fratelli Tutti” (9) in October
(2020) pulling together the threads of liberty, justice and unity onto the spindle
of charity with which he, and his brothers at the Abrahamic Family House, intend
to weave the societal fabric of universal communion and common good.
Charity is the word Francis has fastened on as the pinnacle
expression of the generosity and goodwill with which he and his Abrahamic brethren
will judge true religious spirit of mankind.
“This
is ultimately the idea behind the word “charity”: those who are loved are
“dear” to me; “they are considered of great value”. And “the love whereby
someone becomes pleasing (grata)
to another is the reason why the latter bestows something on him freely (gratis)”. (9)
He very thickly lays down the application of charity, to the
existence of life itself.
“Life
exists where there is bonding, communion, fraternity; and life is stronger than
death when it is built on true relationships and bonds of fidelity. On the
contrary, there is no life when we claim to be self-sufficient and live as
islands: in these attitudes, death prevails”(10)
“Without
charity, we may perhaps possess only apparent virtues, incapable of sustaining
life in common. (11)
As Francis teaches that “that
no one is saved alone; we can only be saved together”(12), holding the people of world in unity is the
prima facie task. To this task, the
Governor of the World (13) calls the international governments to implement
charity.
”it
is essential to devise stronger and more efficiently organized international
institutions, with functionaries who are appointed fairly by agreement among
national governments, and empowered to impose sanctions” (14) I would also note
the need 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”.(15)
Much of the teaching of Fratelli Tutti is focused on the
expansive socialistic encouragement to the international establishment of
individual charity, as manifest in the aspiration of “a world that provides land, housing and work for all. "
(16) where “each country also belongs to the foreigner, inasmuch as a territory’s
goods must not be denied to a needy person coming from elsewhere. ”(17)
Alarming as it is, it is not the abject overthrow of
national sovereignty and economic freedom that we are warning of here. Rather, we must focus on the the constant
call for a global uniformity of the equity and value of every human being, that is expressed through the type of
kindness that our baser human nature envisions – a kindness that never offends,
and never speaks that which would demean or sadden. (18)
The Christian will rightly look askance at an global ethical system that is said to flow from our [sinful]
human nature (19), and will scarcely be surprised to learn that this ethical
system is not rigid, “nor does it lead to
the imposition of any one moral system, since fundamental and universally valid
moral principles can be embodied in different practical rules”(20) Rather, “each of us can learn something from others,” and we must find
ways to “include those on the peripheries of life”(21), writes Francis.
The outgrowth of the charity of this social ethic is a
cultural social covenant that realizes “some
things may have to be renounced for the common good. No one can possess the
whole truth or satisfy his or her every desire, since that pretension would
lead to nullifying others by denying their rights.” (22) The present commitment of the Roman
Catholic church to the ideal that no one can possess the whole truth is
evidenced by the three temples in Abu Dhabi, each equal in size and foot print,
differing internally.
Interior of the Moslem temple
Interior of the Jewish temple
Interior of the Roman Catholic temple
The compound under development on the desert island is a
physical representation of the incorpeal unity that will connect us, as one
human family, where we can all see and move in all of the spaces, learning from
each other in the common areas that undergird and overlook all.
In outlining the plan in Fratelli Tutti, the Pope says we
must start anew. “We no longer have use for empty diplomacy, dissimulation,
double-speak, hidden agendas and good manners that mask reality.”(23) Instead we must confront “those who would debase our dignity”. “True
love” for those seen as oppressing “means
seeking ways to make him cease his oppression” (24).
Francis makes it very clear that his
church will not remain on the sidelines but rather must remain in the “political dimension of life itself, which
involves a constant attention to the common good and a concern for integral
human development. “ (25) The church
must have a public role that “works for
the advancement of humanity and universal fraternity” (26) “wherever
the councils of nations come together to establish the rights and duties of
man, we are honoured to be permitted to take our place among them”(27)
As part of the international bodies that
will govern mankind in charity, Francis explains the boundaries that will be
drawn around faith. “We believers are
challenged to return to our sources, in order to concentrate on what is essential:
worship of God and love for our neighbor, lest
some of our teachings, taken out of context, end up feeding forms of contempt,
hatred, xenophobia or negation of others. The truth is that violence has no
basis in our fundamental religious convictions, but only in their distortion.”(28) “Violence”, like so many terms in this
encyclical, must be considered in a Francian context, as he writes toward the beginning
of the document of “verbal violence that is
destructive of others” (29) and elsewhere that violence takes many forms.
As the committee on the desert island attest,
the goals of the encyclical will not be achieved alone, but in cooperation with
the other major religions of the world.
Indeed, Francis gladly declares with the Grand Iman Ahmad of al-Azhar Al-Tayyeb
(30) “religions must never incite war,
hateful attitudes, hostility and extremism,”(31) and that those things only result from deviations of religious
teachings.
Those familiar with the history of the
Society of Jesus will recall how the society has been expelled over and over
again in centuries past, often following intense political interference often resulting
in assassinations or attempted assassinations . (32) The expulsions came from
Catholic and Protestant nations, and the society was even banned by a Pope,
Clement the XIV (33) three years before the Americans signed the Declaration of
Independence.
Today, almost 250 years after America
launched its great experiment in freedom, the entire world seems gripped in a
neo-Christian ethos of intersectionality and “wokeness” where biblically
defined categories of sin and condemnation are regarded as “hate speech” (34)
(35) and arguments against social justice are labeled racism and hate. And today, half of the college of Cardinals
(which now elect the Pope) are Jesuit trained (36) and a Jesuit rules from
papal throne.
The encyclical of the leader of one of the
triad unifying in the desert, teaches us quite clearly that hateful attitudes,
hostility and extremism “result from a
political manipulation of religions and from interpretations made by religious
groups who, in the course of history, have taken advantage of the power of
religious sentiment in the hearts of men and women” (36)
We know what is being defined by society as hate
speech, and hostile attitudes, and now we can see the foundation being built
for an overarching religious authority, not a one world religion, but a broad,
historically based, multi-lateral authority intermingled with secular power, that
is vested in making us cease our oppression, and violence, for the good of all
mankind.
1. 1. https://www.adjaye.com/work/the-abrahamic-family-house/
2. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/world/news/2019-09/abrahamic-family-house-document-human-fraternity.html
3. https://fsspx.news/en/news-events/news/abu-dhabi-babel-abrahamic-family-house-53956
https://believersportal.com/one-world-religion-headquarters-to-open-2022/
4. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/world/news/2019-09/abrahamic-family-house-document-human-fraternity.html
5. https://www.businessinsider.com/china-social-credit-system-punishments-and-rewards-explained-2018-4?op=1
6. https://plandemicvideo.com/
7. https://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/1345530/holidays-coronavirus-passport-UK-travel-ban-quarantine-self-isolating
8. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pope-francis-drops-vicar-of-christ-title-in-vatican-yearbook
9. http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html Para. 93
10. Ibid para 87
11. Ibid Para 91
12. Ibid para 32
13. http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/sp_ss_scv/insigne/triregno_en.html
14. http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html Para. 172
15. Ibid para 173
16. Ibid Para 127
17. ibid. Para. 124
18. Ibid. Para 223
19. Ibid. Para 214
1. 20. Ibid. Para 214
21. Ibid Para 215
22. Ibid para 221
23. Ibid para 226
24. Ibid Para 241
25. Ibid para 276
26. Ibid
27. Ibid para 278
28 Ibid para 282
29. Ibid para 44
30. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Imam_of_al-Azhar
31. http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html Para. 285
32. https://spirituallysmart.com/images/hjfghdfg%20copy.png
33. https://www.ucanews.com/news/why-were-the-jesuits-suppressed/68845
34. https://christianconcern.com/comment/police-remove-preacher-from-speakers-corner/
35. https://christiannews.net/2013/02/28/canadian-supreme-court-rules-biblical-speech-opposing-homosexual-behavior-is-a-hate-crime/
36. https://www.jesuits.org/about-us/jesuits-worldwide/
37. http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html Para. 285
