A sampling of some of our recent news links highlights an alarming problem with the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano. For example, consider these recent items:
* Unbelievable: Vatican newspaper gives mixed review to 'Angels and Demons' film; Calls anti-Catholic movie "gripping", with "splendid" camera work, and "dynamic and alluring" direction [5/6]
* Most "pro-abortion president in history" is not pro-abortion according to editor of Vatican newspaper [5/21] [previous news brief here]
* Vatican newspaper stirs it up again: Recently deceased "pop music legend" who was not known for promoting Christian values is praised by L'Osservatore Romano [6/27]
* Here we go again: Vatican newspaper praises arch-heretic John Calvin; Calls him "extraordinary" and a "Christian" [7/3] [Reality checks: (1) Heresy costs souls (click here for more information), and (2) Protestants are not rightly called Christian ("The very tradition, teaching, and faith of the Catholic Church from the beginning, which the Lord gave, was preached by the apostles and was preserved by the Fathers. On this was the Church founded, and if anyone departs from this, he neither is, nor any longer ought to be called, a Christian." - St. Athanasius, Doctor of the Church]
* Vatican newspaper does it again: L'Osservatore Romano praises new Harry Potter film which contains witchcraft [7/14] [Reality checks: (1) "Behind Harry Potter hides the signature of the king of the darkness, the devil" (Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist of Rome), (2) "It is good, that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly" (Cardinal Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI), (3) "Neither let there be found among you any one that shall...consulteth soothsayers, or observeth dreams and omens, neither let there be any wizard, nor charmer...For the Lord abhorreth all these things" (Deut. 18:10-12), (4) "Every form of sorcery is practiced with indirect or direct recourse to Satan" (TIA article). Also, remember that the more witchcraft is portrayed "positively", the more dangerous it is.]
What is going on over there? At this rate, it seems reasonable to fear that we'll soon see the paper publish praise for Satan himself. It's really not that much of a stretch when one considers that the publication has already lauded an anti-Catholic film, a pro-abortion president, a cr*tch-grabbing pop-star whose works include the albums "Bad" & "Dangerous", an arch-heretic, and now a film containing witchcraft. Really, at this point, such praise is but a very short step. [7/14]