From today’s Corriere della Sera:
The attacks on me are a typical example of the relativistic dictatorship denounced by Benedict XVI. I’ve done nothing other than reaffirm the traditional Catholic doctrine of providence.
First of all, I wasn’t speaking as Vice President of the CNR but as a citizen and a believer. I limited myself to quoting a 1911 book written by Monsignor Mazzella, Archbishop of Rossano Calabro, who was commenting on the 1908 earthquake in Messina and the mystery of evil*. The point is, as St. Thomas Aquinas taught, nothing happens in the universe that isn’t willed – or at least permitted – by God for precise reasons. And we can’t exclude the hypothesis of divine punishment, even if we can’t be sure.
There’s a short interview which follows this tasty tidbit. It’s the same old music about persecution of Catholics by the scientific establishment for belief in “anti-scientific” doctrines like transubstantiation.
Then the standard invective against atheists, who refuse to debate him (he’s a creationist). Maybe they won’t bother because his ideas are worthless – did he ever think of that? Then a word or two on “practical Catholic atheism,” “for whom God is absent from history, and who created the universe only to wash his hands of it.”
It’s a great interview, really. It says so much about the warped mentality of believers. If I find time, I’ll translate the whole thing; it could be useful.
*De Mattei, if you’re reading, I will resolve the mystery of evil in four words: There is no God.
“as St. Thomas Aquinas taught, nothing happens in the universe that isn’t willed – or at least permitted – by God for precise reasons. And we can’t exclude the hypothesis of divine punishment, even if we can’t be”
And how did Thomas Aquinas know this? Simple – he made it up! That’s it. That’s what all this crap is about – stuff just made up by people who don’t know anymore than anybody else but would like people to believe that they magically have some special knowledge. What bullshit!
Oh, but Aquinas is an authority. We’re supposed to take him very seriously.
I take Aquinas seriously.
Oh, sorry, I couldn’t think of a punch line.
I do not think Prof. de Mattei is a crackpot. The pot is cracked, elsewhere. Look within.