NP my anti-Catholicism

Wed Aug 7 18:21:37 CDT 2002

hey monica,

you're right, the opus dei was founded before the civil war in 1928, so obviously balaguer
became a franquist after that. they supported franco, but then who in
the clergy didn't anyway... he really started working with them in the
mid50s, though.

 i didn't want to go into details about
P2 but that was indeed a big scandal, although the different relations were pretty
hard to follow (isn't that the whole point). it was actually an
italian masonic lodge in which opus dei people got involved.

there was a very good
documentary i saw on the german/french channel arte about one specific
action carried out by the P2 lodge in italy in the early eighties, back
in what we call "the leaden years" (we use the term for germany too,
do you guys actually call that period, you know, the baader-meinhof
years, "the leaden years" in germany too? otto? anyone?).

 to try and simplify the whole
thing, the P2 lodge had a bunch of neofascists plant a bomb in the
train station in bologne and made it look like the anarchists had done
it, so they could crack down on the leftist movements in italy and
make way for a harder government. reichstag tactics, uh... hey, you
don't change winning plans...
  that was one scary documentary. oh, by the way, il dottore silvio
berlusconi was part of P2... among others.

oh and i think i kinda know the banker story you're talking about.
he's the guy they found hanging from the london bridge right? with his
hands tied or something... well i'm making that up, but i just wanted
to add we have that very nice expression in french, "il a été suicidé"
he was suicided.

and about liberation theory, i really only have heard about it. i
didn't know it was used by los senderistas.

thank you for all the information.

MB> Prufrock,

MB> Opus Dei is indeed, a fifth political power in Latin America. And I 
MB> underscore on power. There´s the state aparatus, in the form of executive, 
MB> legislative and judiciary, and there´s the check and balance aparatus, in 
MB> the form of the media and the Church. The most extreme and the strongest of 
MB> the conservative factions of the Catholic Church in this continent and in my 
MB> birthplace, Peru, is certainly the Opus.

MB> I am unsure about the historical accuracy of your commentary, as I believe 
MB> (I´m not sure, I´d have to look into this) that the Opus was founded prior 
MB> to its involvment in the Spanish Civil War, where they became one of the 
MB> mainstays of franquista success, not only in terms of its ascension to 
MB> power, and very significantly in the maintenance of Iberic political 
MB> stability between the late 30´s and 1975, but also in the establishment of 
MB> the constitutional monarchy at Franco´s death. Ironically, much of modern 
MB> Spain´s renaissance is to be attributed to the Opus. At present, they´re 
MB> firmly anchored in Universidad de Navarra.

MB> The university I´m currently studying in in Montevideo, is under Opus 
MB> direction, and while I can vouch for their efficiency as administrators, 
MB> they do keep a particular line of discourse that I find myself in very 
MB> strong disagreement with. Their termed erudition is aimed--in my humble, 
MB> very humble, supremely humble opinion--at the subversion of the most 
MB> rudimentary common sense in civilization, and its not like there´s a suplus 
MB> of undermining left to do.

MB> It appears that history has, so far, proven me wrong in my suspicions; but I 
MB> insist in believing it´s still too early to pass definitive judgement on the 
MB> Opus, either way.

MB> Regarding the Vatican Maffia, as you term it, there was a scandal in the 
MB> late 70´s and early 80´s, involving murder, masons and Londonbridges, in 
MB> relation to the bookeepers and bankers of the Vatican: Propagande Due 
MB> (search under P2). None of the particulars of the case are conclusive or in 
MB> any way clear, but they do pinpoint to what is feasibly one of the greatest 
MB> conspiracies in European history.

MB> On yet another aspect of your posting: liberation theology, at the extreme 
MB> liberal wing of Catholicism, in it´s moment itself became a weapon of choice 
MB> in the hands of terrorist movements Shining Path and MRTA--it has proven to 
MB> be unmanageable in the local historical and geopolitical contexts, which 
MB> lend a special talent to distortion of facts and destruction of evidence.

MB> In this world of diamters, I am very conveniently, a non-Christian, and an 
MB> agnostic.

MB> --Monica

MB> _________________________________________________________________
MB> Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com

-- 
Best regards,
 alfredjprufrock                            mailto:alfredjprufrock at club-internet.fr