The Positivists v. The Naturalists

"Naturalists" are not nudists, nor Green Weenies.  And Positivists are heading for a serious fall, no matter how they dress up in their black robes and pose for pictures before stacks of Law Books.

Of course, since the Naturalists wear funny hats and are associated with incense, bells, and *gasp* religion, they're either old-fashioned or out-of-touch--or both, right?

...In the encyclical Evangelium Vitae of March 25, 1995, John Paul II based the sacred value of human life (from its very beginning until its end) on the same [Natural] law. In this important document, he affirms “every person sincerely open to truth and goodness can, by the light of reason and the hidden action of grace, come to recognize in the natural law written in the heart (cf. Rom 2:14-15) the sacred value of human life from its very beginning until its end” (no.2). In the encyclical, Veritatis Splendor, of the August 6, 1993,the Pope who has just been canonized, denounced the rejection of the natural law as the fruit of “a more or less obvious influence of currents of thought which end by detaching human freedom from its essential and constitutive relationship with the Truth.” [It is] on the basis of such a law – he affirmed on February 6, 2004 – that a platform of shared values can be built, around which constructive dialogue is developed with all men of good will, and more in general, with secular society.”

Also Benedict XVI frequently referred to the importance of this doctrine “there is an urgent need to reflect upon the question of natural law and to rediscover its truth" which "is common to all mankind.” [...] “All legal systems, both internal and international, ultimately draw their legitimacy from their rooting in natural law, in the ethical message inscribed in human beings themselves. The natural law is, definitively, the only valid bulwark against the abuse of power and the deceits of ideological manipulation.” (Discourse at the Pontifical Lateran University, February 12, 2007)....

"...the only valid bulwark against the abuse of power and the deceits of ideological manipulation..."

Well, now.  That's a significant line, particularly at a time when it's more and more obvious to many that the FedGov abuses its power and is willing and able to deceive for purposes of ideological manipulation.

The Positivist Priesthood, all dressed in black *coughPosnerCrabbcough* think that they and their un-natufal allies will persevere in the long run.

Don't bet on it.

Natural law is not intrinsic to "a religion," nor a captive thereof.  It is universal, which explains why NO world religion has endorsed same-sex "marriage" in recorded history.  It is also why NO world religion endorsed abortion, or theft, or murder of innocents or sodomy or fraud or perjury.

One might make the case that Mohammedanism has endorsed murder, polygamy, and perjury (or at least, fraud)--but then we have two possible responses:  either 1) Mohammedanism is NOT a religion, or 2) those Mohammedans who practice such atrocities are acting against their religion.  In either case, there are clearly "deceits of ideological manipulation" at play.