General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe 5 Justices aren't just Catholic they are pro-fascist, Opus Dei Catholic, which is a cult.
And it is Catholic version of Dominionism.
http://americamagazine.org/opus-dei
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)The other three, oh yeah.
Ilsa
(61,695 posts)Aren't Roberts, Scalia, and Alito Opus Dei? I think anyone with cult beliefs should be disqualified from serving on the court. They recognize their religion to be supreme over the Constitution. Their allegiance to this extremism is in conflict with the Constitution.
Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)Anymore than the RCC is a cult.
pnwmom
(108,980 posts)Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)what definition of cult are we using?
They are free to leave. They aren't preyed upon into membership like most cults. They aren't giving up their personal and/or financial life to the cult.
It's a disturbing conservative wing of the RCC, but if Opus Dei is a cult, then so is the RCC.
pnwmom
(108,980 posts)I was living in a campus town where this was going on.
You should read the America article in the OP. This is a highly secretive, tiny offshoot of the RCC that was only accepted into the Church by John Paul. Before then, it was deemed on a par with the Masons.
From America:
http://americamagazine.org/opus-dei
According to two former numeraries, if this man had stayed in the circle Opus Dei would have confronted him with a decision to join. Tammy DiNicola talked about her experience. They staged a vocation crisis for me, she said. At the time, I didnt realize they had staged it. But its standard practice. The person thats working on you is consulting with the director, and the two of them decide when is the best time to propose the question of vocation to the recruit.
Why is it a crisis? Well, they make it a crisis for you! said Ann Schweninger. And its totally orchestrated. They tell you its a decision you have to make now, that God is knocking on the door, and that you have to have the strength and fortitude to say yes. Tammy DiNicola was told that it was her only chance for a vocation. Basically its a one-shot dealif you dont take it, youre not going to have Gods grace for the remainder of your life.
I asked if they were surprised at hearing that the man at Columbia had been cut off by his friend. No, said Tammy recalling her own recruiting days. They use friendships to get people to join. They call it an apostolate of friendship and confidence, but its certainly not confidencebecause everything that you talk about with your recruit is discussed with your director. Even personal matters? Especially personal matters, because those are the things that you can use so that a person would think about joining Opus Dei. She was also advised to recruit only select peopleintelligent and physically attractivesince they would be more likely to attract others once they were members.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)he casually criticizes gay people or straight couples with no children? He's fine with a Cult among his Church's greatest members? Certainly he is sanguine about it. He has raged against the Masons but not Opus Dei. Why is that? If it is a Cult? Why is it permitted, why is it not castigated?
pnwmom
(108,980 posts)Because he's not God. He's the head of a huge Church and nothing happens quickly in that Church.
Tom Ripley
(4,945 posts)KamaAina
(78,249 posts)"Corporal mortification".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opus_dei#Mortification
blm
(113,069 posts).
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)I'd put good money that their forefathers were active in Germany in the 1930's.
Anansi1171
(793 posts)The Justices need not be formal members, their resonance as part of the "meta-group" would be enough. Clearly this ruling is in lockstep with the most conservative elements of the RCC. That can be said without intimating a Dan Brown-like conspiracy.
But judge for yourself.
blm
(113,069 posts)Creepy ass sh!t. 'popeBenedict' Ratzinger was Opus Dei, too, even though just as recently as the 90s, OD wasn't even welcome in England.
That would explain a LOT.
Hekate
(90,719 posts)leftstreet
(36,109 posts)KamaAina
(78,249 posts)and KamaAina (Yale '85).
Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)that horrible group.
I would oppose ANY nominee to ANY position or office who is a member of Opus-Dei.
Armstead
(47,803 posts)The hard core members sound cultlike, but I couldn't figure out what they were culting over except for obscure Catholic theological nonsense.
I realize there's more to it than that, but for the life of me I couldn't see it.
Uncle Joe
(58,370 posts)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opus_Dei
As of 2012, members of the Prelature numbered 91,960. Lay persons, men and women, numbered 89,909, while there were 2,051 priests.[1] These figures do not include the diocesan priest members of Opus Dei's Priestly Society of the Holy Cross, estimated to number 2,000 in the year 2005.[8] Members are in more than 90 countries. About 70 per cent of Opus Dei members live in their private homes, leading traditional Catholic family lives with secular careers,[9][10] while the other 30 per cent are celibate, of whom the majority live in Opus Dei centres. Opus Dei organizes training in Catholic spirituality applied to daily life. Aside from personal charity and social work, Opus Dei members are involved in running universities, university residences, schools, publishing houses, and technical and agricultural training centers.
(snip)
Criticism of Opus Dei has centered on allegations of secretiveness,[19] controversial recruiting methods, strict rules governing members, elitism and misogyny, and support of or participation in authoritarian or right-wing governments, especially the Francoist Government of Spain until 1978.[20] The mortification of the flesh practiced by some of its members is also criticized. Within the Catholic Church, Opus Dei is also criticized for allegedly seeking independence and more influence.[21]
(snip)
In Pope John Paul II's 1982 decree known as the Apostolic constitution Ut Sit, Opus Dei was established as a personal prelature, a new official structure of the Catholic Church, similar to a diocese in that it contains lay people and secular priests who are led by a bishop. However, whereas a bishop normally has a territory or diocese, the prelate of Opus Dei is pastor to the members and priests of Opus Dei worldwide, no matter what diocese they are in. To date, Opus Dei is the only personal prelature in existence. In addition to being governed by Ut Sit and by the Catholic Church's general law, Opus Dei is governed by the Church's Particular Law concerning Opus Dei, otherwise known as Opus Dei's statutes. This specifies the objectives and workings of the prelature. The prelature is under the Congregation for Bishops.[2][71]
(snip)
One of Opus Dei's most prominent supporters was Pope John Paul II.[93] John Paul II cited Opus Dei's aim of sanctifying secular activities as a "great ideal." He emphasized that Escrivá's founding of Opus Dei was ductus divina inspiratione, led by divine inspiration, and he granted the organisation its status as a personal prelature.[2] Stating that Escrivá is "counted among the great witnesses of Christianity," John Paul II canonized him in 2002, and called him "the saint of ordinary life."[94] Of the organisation, John Paul II said:
ladjf
(17,320 posts)You will find numerous articles discussing whether it is a cult or not.
The Catholics and supporters continue to deny that the organization is a cult. Many others are certain that Opus Dei is a cult and they give excellent points backing up their belief.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)nt