As never before, Western society is promoting a so-called culture of freedom. We are brainwashed, day in, day out, and told we are living in an era of unbridled liberty. This philosophy of liberalism is now so exalted that any questioning of its values is viewed with utmost intolerance if not outright censure.
Nowhere is this concept of freedom more pronounced than in the acceptance and promotion of unfettered sexual behaviour. But at the heart of such a culture of apparent emancipation lie very serious flaws. To Christians, this should be a matter of grave concern, for we are now creating a society that no longer refers to God and his laws.
The negative consequences of a godless society are only too apparent to those who see the rapid rate of decadence, social dysfunction and environmental degradation impacting our country. Yet, questioning what is termed progress is greeted with derision and contempt.
Unfortunately, once one has gotten used to living in a smog-ridden environment, it is not easy to appreciate the worth and benefit of clean air. It takes an athlete to be acutely aware of the effect of lack of exercise on one’s health.
Liberalism: A Critique of its Basic Principles and Various Forms, by Louis Billot, SJYet, the negative outcomes of liberalism advocated today were prophesised over a century ago by French Jesuit Louis Billot. He aptly defined liberalism as a movement for liberation from God, his law, and his Church.
Billot’s book Liberalism: A Critique of its Basic Principles and Various Forms has been recently translated into English. In a recent review in the New Oxford Review, Andrew Sorokowski states: “With steely logic, Billot demonstrates the absurdity of making freedom an end rather than a means. Setting up individual liberty as the ultimate good, liberalism’s rebellion against all social, cultural, and religious constraints destroys the fundamental social organs of marriage, family, community, and church – as well as society itself.” “The result,” he predicts, “will be the total subjection of the individual to the state.”
Setting up individual liberty as the ultimate good, liberalism’s rebellion against all social, cultural, and religious constraints destroys the fundamental social organs of marriage, family, community, and church – as well as society itself- Andrew Sorokowski
Billot did not hesitate to express his views in a manner that most Catholic politicians would consider undiplomatic. The spirit of standing up to liberalism, an ideology that is basically atheistic and purely pragmatic, is definitely not popular today.
This leaves our politicians, who claim to be influenced by Christian values, in the unenviable situation of having to make hard choices. As one follows the unfolding legislations that negatively impact the safeguarding of life and human dignity, one cannot but be distressed. We face the sad reality that most of the political class sacrifice core Christian principles with remarkable alacrity.
Besides, they know such ambivalent behaviour will not dent their standing as practising Catholics with most people. With very few exceptions, the defence of Christian values in the public arena is increasingly conspicuous by its absence.
Our politicians’ ready justification for betraying Christian values is always votes. The exercise of democracy has now been reduced to pandering to the wishes of powerful lobbies and financial interests irrespective of the long-term impact on the common good. It is the politics of narrow, pedestrian calculation. With this scarcity of worthy Christian politicians, Malta has no future.