My first impression upon reading the BBC headline ‘Pope warns of ‘new colonialism [in Africa]’ was that Pope Benedict XVI was decrying the way communist China was buying up political influence all over the continent.
After all, China’s dealings with the genocidal government of Sudan makes it patently clear that it will not allow moral scruples (even over the most egregious abuses of human rights) to interfere with its mission to procure (superpower) sphere of influence throughout this Dark Continent.
It turns out, however, that the Pope is more concerned about the religious proselytizing of Protestant missionaries than he is about the political machinations of Chinese legionnaires.
Never mind the speciousness of issuing this warning in St Peter’s Basilica at yesterday’s opening of an “urgent” three-week synod of 200 bishops from 53 countries in Africa, which was purportedly convened to discuss “how the Catholic Church can help resolve the continent’s social injustices and wars.”
The Pope reportedly lamented that:
[C]olonialism – while finished in the political sphere – hasn’t really ended. Africa was also at risk of another ‘virus’: religious fundamentalism. Groups claiming to be from religious backgrounds are spreading across the continent.
Of course, if I did not know better, I would think that the Pope was warning about an army of missionaries sent by the Devil (or Osama bin Laden) to infect the souls of unsuspecting Africans with what he condemns as “religious rubbish.” Whereas, in fact, he can only be warning about Protestants who are doing nothing more than trying to emulate what Catholics have been doing all over Africa for decades.
But the Pope’s hypocrisy in this respect could be dismissed as nothing more than good old-fashioned religious trash talk if it were not predicated on a Catholic doctrine which calls upon Africans to risk their lives to save their souls.
For what most distinguishes Catholic teachings in Africa (and throughout the rest of the developing world) from Protestant teachings is the zealousness with which Catholic missionaries are spreading the perverse message that the use of condoms – not only as a contraceptive to prevent unwanted pregnancies but even as a prophylactic to prevent HIV/AIDS – is an abomination against God.
Traditional teaching of the Church on chastity outside marriage and fidelity within it had proved to be the only sure way of preventing the spread of HIV and Aids…. [Aids] cannot be overcome by the distribution of condoms. On the contrary, they increase the problem.
[Pope instructs Africans to risk their lives to save their souls, TIJ, March 23, 2009]
Frankly, this papal warning about religious fundamentalism smacks far more of colonialism than anything his religious adversaries, including Islamic fundamentalist, are spreading across the continent. Not to mention the condescension inherent in his assumption that Africans are just as susceptible to the platitudes, presumptions and prerogatives of colonialism today as they were 75 years ago.
Amen.
Related commentaries:
Pope instructs Africans to risk their lives to save their souls
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