Religion, Nations, and Geopolitical Review: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6

by A. Joseph Lynch

I. POPE FRANCIS AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

VATICAN II IS THE MAGISTERIUM: Pope Francis made the following statement in an address to Italy’s National Catechetical Office: "The Council is the Magisterium of the Church. Either you are with the Church and therefore you follow the Council, and if you don't follow the Council or you interpret it in your own way, as you desire, you do not stand with the Church.” While conservatives, as usual, are quick to apply a liberal interpretation to Francis in order to denounce and question him, the Pope is absolutely right. Vatican II is magisterial. Indeed, the new Catechism of the Catholic Church could be titled The Catechism of Vatican II. Rather than condemn the pope and the council, conservatives should be using the Pope's words to attack liberals who "interpret [the council] in [their] own way" and therefore "do not stand with the Church." Sadly conservatives would rather attack the pope than defend the authentic teaching of Vatican II.

HAHN ON POLITICAL ORDER: Scott Hahn has released a new book - It is Right and Just - in which he dabbles in political theory and church-state relations. In a recent video interview he gave a very solid defense of religion but was incredibly weak in terms of his political thought. Hahn's focus on the family rather than on male-bonds leaves his suggestions wanting. The nation is not the family writ large.

BIDEN AND THE BISHOPS: As the Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas and head of the bishop's pro-life initiatives says Biden's soul is in jeopardy, the Archbishop of D.C. plans to give Biden and his ilk Holy Communion. Meanwhile Cardinal Cupich has attacked a statement from USCCB president, Archbishop Jose Gomez, critical of Biden's love of abortion. The divided episcopate has, of course, no one to blame but itself. They gladly took billions of dollars from the government during the lockdowns, and an untold amount of Democrat-earmarked federal money to assist its social work. Can a group of men so divided take a tough and clear stance on elections given all this?

II. AMERICA AND PRESIDENTAL POLITICS

TRUMP AND US POLITICS IN 2021: The newest video from Religion, Sex, and Politics, examines the role of President Trump in US politics and argues for his political resurrection in the months ahead.

TIME ADMITS THE TRUTH: For all intents and purposes, the new article from Time all but admitted a conspiracy to steal the election from President Trump. What is amazing about the article is how reframing conspiracy with upbeat euphemisms somehow negates the robbery that took place in weeks both before and after the election.

AOC OUT: Despite her theatrics regarding the events of January 6 at the Capitol, it turns out that Cortez wasn't at the US Capitol when things went down and the times she gave regarding the events do not match the publicly known facts. Is anyone surprised?

III. THE NATIONS

BIDEN AND YEMEN: In a very good move, Biden has ended the US involvement in the Saudi genocide of Yemini Houthis and removed the terrorist label placed on the rebels. At the same time, the US will focus on what is most important: fighting AQAP and other Salafi terror groups in Yemen. All great moves President Trump should have made, but better late than never.

BIDEN AN EUROPE: As Biden pulls back in Yemen, he's all speed ahead for a conflict with Russia. He has cancelled the Trump troop reduction in Germany and said he has no qualms raising the cost on Russia. No good can come from this dangerous - and unnecessary - saber rattling. 

SPUTNIK V: As America rolls out its vaccines, Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine has been found to be 92% effective and is perhaps the world's first widely used vaccine.   

IV. CULTURE OF LIFE, CULTURE OF PROTECTION

GAME STOP STOCKS: If you didn't catch the news last week, investors on Reddit used the platform to organize the purchase of stocks from companies that hedge funds had "bet" against. The result was a massive transfer of wealth from the hedge funds to the people. Of course, corporate and party elites were set on stopping the little guy from beating them at their own game (while having no qualms about questionable trading at Senator Feinstein's house). It remains to be seen what will happen next, but the crazy trading on Wall Street is a sign that the populist movement continues to grow.

JEN AND "LADYG": There are relatively few policy positions AoA shares with press secretary Jen Psaki, but we love her new name for Lindsey Graham: LadyG. We're all but certain Graham's homosexuality is an open secret in D.C. yet were it publicly recognized he would never be reelected in South Carolina. Not surprisingly conservative media, otherwise critical intolerance from the sexual Left, is happy to apply the term "homophobic" to Psaki.

STATES STRIKING BACK: As the Left continues to attack America's heritage through classroom indoctrination while big tech censors and cancels conservative thought, the states are beginning to strike back. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis has declared war on big tech, threatening huge fines for censoring conservatives. North Dakota seems ready to follow suit. Meanwhile conservative controlled states will examine how American history is taught in hopes of curbing the anti-American sentiments so common in classrooms over the past twenty years. But it's not all partisan. Liberal Tulsi Gabbard recently released a statement that called big tech, Adam Schiff, and John Brennan "domestic enemies" - a bold move that even few conservatives are willing to make.