Secularism and the Pope

The Holy Father Benedict the XVI was hoping to overcome the west’s current infatuation with the likes of Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris by pointing out the danger of fundamentalist secularism. The following is from an article in the International Herald Tribune:

"Benedict opposes secularism because it is both absolute and arbitrary. In the name of being neutral with regard to values, secular ideology eliminates all rival world views from the public sphere. By denying the existence of objective moral truths, it elevates self- assertion as the measure of all things. Social life is reduced to the arbitration of conflicting self-interest — a process in which the most powerful always win.

Ultimately, this arbitrary absolutism produces a society ruled by an unholy alliance of utilitarian ethics and the proxy politics of the managerial class. This collusion destroys the very idea of common action and a binding collective discernment. Thus does the pope attribute the failure of Europe's common political project to the growing secularization of European culture. "

Indeed. Any secular ideology that elevates the “self” over the collective good is bound to result in the government’s function being reduced to the arbitration of conflicting self-interests. It’s already happening in this country. Hell, this entire country is based on self-interest. We only come together as a community in time of national tragedy when the government needs to massage the collective good to get us into a war. We all know whose self-interests are being protected by this government, right? Not yours. Not mine.
And we shouldn’t look to the nutty religious right to help us redevelop our collective conscience either. Last Thursday the president-elect of the Christian Coalition declined the job, saying the organization wouldn't let him expand its agenda beyond opposing abortion and gay marriage.
The Rev. Joel Hunter, said he had hoped to focus on issues such as poverty and the environment. "These are issues that Jesus would want us to care about," said Hunter, a senior pastor at Northland Church in Longwood, Fla. Apparently there is no room for Jesus in the Christian Coalition’s platform at present.
With all the immense flaws that the Catholic Church has exhibited over the last few years, it has two strong things going for it; a rich tradition of caring for the poor and the current Pope.