FROM THE SERVANT GENERAL
MODERNISM
(Part 58)
MODERNISM AND CREATION
February 7, 2023
Today’s readings:
Genesis 1:20-2:4a
Mark 7:1-13
In today’s gospel, we have a good definition of modernism. Jesus says to the Pharisees and scribes, “In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.” (Mk 7:7). Modernism in the Church is all about going through the motions of acknowledging God but in reality looking not to God but to man. To worship God is to acknowledge Him as the Almighty, whom we are supposed to listen to and obey. But modernists overturn the teachings of God and the doctrines of the Church, and instead propose merely human precepts.
We go right to the very beginning, at the time of creation, and see how God’s intent is being overturned by modernists today.
- “Male and female he created them.” (Gn 1:27b). But modernists say there are very many genders, and we are not supposed to judge a gay person, or worse, to accept homosexuality as normal and not intrinsically disordered.
- God told Adam and Eve to “be fertile and multiply” (Gn 1:28a). But modernists today no longer want children, and in line with this, are aggressively spreading abortion and contraception. Further, there is the spread of LGBT, and of course, gay men, no matter if they say they are women, cannot be pregnant and give birth.
- God told them to “fill the earth and subdue it.” (Gn 1:28b). But modernists today say the earth is overpopulated, and want to drastically cut down on the world’s population, thus coming up with various initiatives on population control (which would now include euthanasia).
- God told them to “have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth.” (Gn 1:28c). Now here is where modernists, with their ecological concerns, seem to be on the right track. But they have gone overboard with climate change hysteria. In their desire to preserve the polar bears, for example, they stress the dangers of global warming in melting ice caps (but the earth is not warming so they changed it to “climate change”). Then there is their concern for vanishing species, like this or that eagle or mammal, but seem unconcerned about (or better yet, seem overly concerned to eliminate) the human species.
- God gave them “every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food.” (Gn 1:29). God provided for their food, especially plants and fruits. Later, after the flood, God would also provide them meat, allowing them to eat any living creature. But modernists today want to ban the eating of meat, substituting this with artificial lab-produced meat and with bugs.
So modernists look to the well-being of man but violate the intent and righteousness of God.
- Other genders are accepted so that no one is marginalized or discriminated against. And if a man wants to become a woman and vice versa, then that is their right.
- Abortion and LGBT are promoted so as not to threaten the planet with overpopulation (which is a myth).
- We should not eat meat and so should get rid of cows that emit carbon dioxide with their farts. We should eat bugs instead.
Jesus told the Pharisees and scribes, “You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” (Mk 7:8). On the other hand, modernists today disregard God’s commandment and the Church’s tradition, but cling to the culture of the age. In both cases, they look to man and not to God. “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition!” (Mk 7:9).
Modernists are hypocrites, as were the religious leaders of his time, the Pharisees and scribes, of whom Jesus said, “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” (Mk 7:6). Modernists do talk about God and His ways, but according to their own human precepts. They overturn the truth of God and promote the lie of the zeitgeist. They profess to honor God, but their hearts are far from Him and His righteousness.
Modernists still speak about Jesus’ teachings and what is in the Bible, but they change the actual meaning. “You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on.” (Mk 7:13a).
- The miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fish was actually just a miracle of sharing done by the people.
- The sin of Sodom was not sodomy but just a lack of hospitality.
- Jesus is not the only name by which one can be saved, but all religions lead to the divine.
- While Jesus gave us his final marching orders to make disciples of all nations and baptize them, modernists tells us not to proselytize (which just means, to make converts or baptized disciples).
Beware of modernists in the Church. They overturn God’s intent from creation and authentic Christian teaching.