/lit/ - Literature

>>6784146
New Sincerity is believing one's naivety is beyond reproach, that feeling is equivalent to fact. So, yes, New Sincerity is highly compatible with Christianity. New Sincerity Christianity understands that the rug has been pulled under it by historical criticism, but it continues to hold false beliefs anyway. It's quite arguably the very state of Christianity now.

But what you want is Christian Socialism, as stated here >>6784232 which is either of the Utopian variety or the Scientific variety, as argued by Engels. Francis' "Socialism" is the former. He assumes that he can tell capitalists that pollution is bad, deforestation is wrong, and the extreme degree of poverty we have is immoral, perhaps even sinful. Francis assumes that if we all just get together and, no doubt, that if we all just became (Roman Catholic) Christians we could unite under an ideology that will guide us to peace and happiness.

His assumptions are unfounded. Capitalism is not a rational system: it does not feel, it does not care, it does not dream of tomorrows. He is correct to criticize Capitalism on this ground but if all the world was Catholic it would not remove Capitalism with mere criticism. Correct criticism must be followed by action. If Francis wanted a changed world, a world that is no longer on the cusp of absolute death, then he would command his many followers to sabotage the system: to remove their own wealth and the wealth of those around them; to take from the capitalist class the means of production and to hand them over to the people; to remove from society all landlords, bankers, executives, managers, presidents, senators, representatives, ministers, generals, officers, all occupants and stooges of the master class, and he would join them in this international action.

But he cannot, because the change that Francis wants is absolute revolution, and he and his church are part and parcel of what must necessarily be overturned. Christianity can survive this revolution, but it will be a Christianity made by Socialism, not a Socialism made by Christianity. And it will be a better form of Christianity because of it.