Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble at her Patheos blog site put up a post entitled Justin Antonin Scalia and the Foolishness of Christianity in which she recalled a speech by Scalia that she had attended prior to entering the religious life. It is a very good post:
Scalia then went on to discuss the roots of this scorn for deep faith, even in the United States, a country that is widely considered to be deeply Christian from its very beginning. But Scalia pointed out that even among our Founding Fathers, this scorn for anything without sound rational basis (in their opinion) was evident.
Thomas Jefferson, a son of the Enlightenment, once revised the Gospels to “remove the gold from the dross.” Jefferson was convinced that the Gospels had some worthy information and some information that was added later by his “superstitious biographers.” Jefferson’s version of the life of Jesus removed the miracles, included some of Jesus’ ethical teachings, and then ended abruptly with Jesus’ death and the stone rolling over the tomb.
Scalia then went on to talk about a more modern example of the blindness of a rationalism gone too far. A priest near his home in DC was discovered to have the stigmata and statues would weep when he was near them. A Washington Post reporter witnessed the statue weeping and could only say, “There’s has to be a trick here.” Scalia asked the crowded room why non-believers don’t flock to places like this to verify for themselves. The answer is obvious he said, “The wise do not investigate such silliness.”
The wise do not investigate such things as the Resurrection or miracles because they believe they are informed enough about the world to know that such things are impossible. Therefore, they assume that people who actually believe in miracles are foolish and peasant-like. But they base their beliefs, not on investigation, but on flat out rejection of the possibility.
I can certainly relate to this arrogance. When I was an atheist, I disdained Christianity and believed that Christians were ignorant because their views did not fit in with my world view. This type of thinking is rampant in our society and is only too evident with discussion regarding such things as the Catholic view of contraception or Christian beliefs regarding marriage. The point of view of the wise is that only bigoted idiots would believe the things we believe. There can be no other explanation in the minds of the worldly wise. Our point of view is not even thought of as rational enough to be considered.
Scalia ended his talk by considering St. Thomas More, a man who died to defend a corrupt Church and papacy, and considered by many, including his wife, to be a fool for accepting martyrdom. More gave his life because he refused to sign an oath that disparaged the pope and Henry VII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Scalia pointed out that Pope Clement XII, the pope during the time of More, was not one of the most reputable popes in history. And yet, More saw beyond the current circumstances and believed in the permanence of the Church that Jesus established.
Go here to read the rest. Of course this being Patheos, she later had to post this:
I am closing the comments because I am on retreat today and some of the comments that have already been made are appalling. Disagree with a person, fine. But rejoice at their death and YOU are the one who is dying.
FYI: Justice Antonin Scalia’s brother Father Paul Scale on The Errors of Modernism:
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https://youtu.be/AqVdyiCtVKo
Opps, I meant Scalia. Hate this keyboard.
Actually Fr. Paul is his son.
Thanks for the correction. -10 pts for me.
If you haven’t yet seen it, Jeffrey Tucker has written an article on his website relating a personal observation of Justice Scalia’s love for Christ in the poor and outcast. It is deeply moving and a rebuke to all of Scalia’s critics/haters.
http://fee.org/articles/justice-scalia-s-great-heart/
Thank you for posting–I won’t click on Patheos!
And here is a lovely story about Justice Scalia:
http://fee.org/articles/justice-scalia-s-great-heart/