Cardinal Ratzinger on the Dogmatism of Secular Culture

It may not be intentional, but there's definitely humor to be had with Zenit's choice of a headline. One can imagine the self-righteous blusterous response of the secular-minded press: "WHAT? How DARE HE accuse US of DOGMATISM!" But it's true:

The thesis is that secular culture, when it separates from the roots, becomes dogmatic and loses its moral force," he said. "Reason becomes functional and technical, losing its moral faculties" and "without moral capacity, freedom becomes a caricature of itself."

Cardinal Ratzinger continued: "Today it is thought that, if something 'can' be done, then 'it must be done.' In this case, freedom becomes absolute and no longer has moral criteria."

"If 'being able to do' becomes 'doing,' humanity destroys itself and loses its dignity," he warned.

Source: [Ratzinger] Warns That Secular Culture Can Slip Into Dogmatism. Zenit News Service. Dec. 14, 2004.