Decoding Opus Dei

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7288539/site/newsweek/

A Vatican writer discusses the Roman Catholic Church’s most controversial organization—and how it was misrepresented in ‘The Da Vinci Code’

March 24 - In Dan Brown’s best-selling thriller, “The Da Vinci Code,” Opus Dei is depicted as a dark and mysterious cult within the Roman Catholic Church, a secretive society of men and women who have sought political power to further the interests of a wealthy elite. Yet the true nature of Opus Dei, Latin for the "Work of God," is more prosaic, say those who have studied the organization.

Founded in 1928 by Spaniard Josemaria Escrivà, who was made a saint by Pope John Paul II in 2002, the 85,000-member organization has a simple aim: to provide a structure for lay Catholics so they can better live their journey of faith while fully immersed in the world. For a few celibate members, that road includes self-mortification, wearing a strap with spikes on it. But it is not, they say, of the exaggerated and bloody sort depicted in Brown’s book.

John Allen, the Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter, is the author of a new book on the mysterious organization due to be published by Random House later this year. Allen—who says he is not a member of Opus Dei—spoke with NEWSWEEK's Edward Pentin in Rome.

more

[flakey_foont]

1. There was a novel out years ago

"Another Roadside Attraction" by Tom Robbins...where Opus Dei was the Bad guys ..or some of the bad guys

[Ann Arbor Dem]

13. One of my favorite books...

I first read it when I was 18, and have re-read it many times over the years. It's about time to pull it out again.

[hippiechick]

2. Right.

Like they'd just come out and admit it if they were "a dark and mysterious cult within the Roman Catholic Church, ... who have sought political power to further the interests of a wealthy elite"


:eyes:

[NNN0LHI]

3. The "wearing a strap with spikes on it" part was good enough for me

WTF is up with that? And is that Eric Clapton in that photo?

Don

[hippiechick]

17. Ooohh, spikes !

:evilgrin:

No, it's a 'new' artist: Ray Lamontagne.
Google him, he's AWESOME !


:hi:

[NNN0LHI]

18. Thank you. I will give him a listen for sure n/t

[JerseygirlCT]

6. LOL - right!: "I asked, and they said they weren't" nt

[Snap]

14. Right 2

Like asking the waiter "how's the soup?"

[LibraLiz1973]

21. I know. Imagine that press release.

Late Breaking News:

Opus Dei has released this statement:
At this time we are prepared to admit that we are a dark and mysterious cult within the Roman Catholic Church, ... who have sought political power to further the interests of a wealthy elite.

Would anyone wealthy care to join our ranks?

[Jesus Saves]

4. Self mortification, wearing spikes

They can try and soft peddle that all they want - it's still bizarre to me.

[Eloriel]

5. Let's remember why we CARE about Opus Dei, shall we?

There are a number of prominent U.S. political and governmental figures who are members -- Antonin Scalia (and/or another S.C. justice??), the convicted FBI spy Hanson, various PNACers, etc.

And I thought this excerpt was intriguing as well. Matthew Fox calls them fascists (and I absolutely trust him on that) in his article criticizing the dead pontiff:

Some Reflections on the Recent Papacy of JPII
by Matthew Fox, Ph.D.
http://www.opednews.com/foxmatthew_040405_pope.htm

snip

A prolonged effort to render fascism fashionable. This includes the rushing into canonization of the card-carrying fascist priest who founded the Opus Dei movement even though this man actually praised Adolf Hitler and also denounced women and has been accused of sexual abuse of six young men who are alive today.

The taking of Opus Dei under the hand of the papacy granting it legitimacy and power within and without the Catholic structure.

[BrotherBuzz]

20. A prolonged effort to render fascism fashionable.

That's it, that's the whole enchilada as I view it and John Paul II did give it legitimacy.

[KamaAina]

7. Opus Dei wants to take us back to the '50s -- the 1350s

Their headquarters building in Manhattan's Murray Hill has two entrances. Okay, no biggie...

except one is for men and the other for women, on separate streets, no less. This building was built in 2001.

http://www.maypinska.com/pages/projects/buildbodylex.htm

Looks like there's room for quite a few Opus Dei members in there...



:scared; :scared; :scared:

[NNN0LHI]

8. Does anyone know where they wear these straps with spikes on it?

I just have to know.

Don

[Pathwalker]

9. The Da Vinci Code said it's worn on the thigh.

Ouch.

[NNN0LHI]

10. Yikes!

Now I have to look up self mortification and see just what the hell that is.

Don

[rabbit2484]

11. If you google "cilice"

you'll find a picture of one in images

[deadparrot]

12. It *is* a frigging cult.

I've been to one of their youth meetings. Scary. Nothing physically damaging (although self-proclaimed members I know *do* admit it happens), but just...scary. Total brainwashing.

A girl asked a good friend of mine to go to an OD-sponsored summer camp with her. My friend's mom looked up the camp online, and wouldn't allow her to go.

[Avalux]

15. Santorum is Opus Dei

do you think he wears a strap with spikes in it?? :rofl:

Seriously, they are a cult; an extreme form of Catholicism. Extremism is bad in any context.

[RBHam]

16. Opus Dei - How The Inquisition lives On.

All links worth a read.

http://www.mond.at/opus.dei/totalcompare.html

http://www.ianpaisley.org/article.asp?ArtKey=opusdei

http://www.mdep.org/DemiseOfFaithPart3.html

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=162560

http://www.greatdreams.com/sacred/Opus_Dei.htm

http://www.goacom.com/overseas-digest/Religion/Christian%20Right/opus-dei.htm

http://www.takingfive.com/archives.htm#opusdei

[Liberal In Texas]

19. Yeah, I think Dan Brown was on to something. n/t