by Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira
“When a man does not act according to his thoughts, he ends up thinking according to his actions,” wrote the French novelist Paul Bourget.[1] Though somewhat forgotten today, he once played a central role in the cultivated world of the avant‑guerre and the entre‑deux‑guerres.
Bourget was correct. Such is the inherent authority of thought in all human affairs that man cannot tolerate conflict with it for long. Either he chooses to be guided by his reasoning and finds the right way, or he twists his thinking to justify his actions and falls into the abyss. That’s why most non-Marxist historians see the history of thought as the main thread in mankind’s history.
Today, however, the number of people who simply don’t think is increasing every day—not those who are right or wrong, but those who just don’t think.
People today think less and less, and the void left by thought in their minds is being filled by I don’t know what despotic and subtle psycho-levers manipulated by I don’t know what fingers.
Therefore, it’s definitely worthwhile to help thoughtful minds avoid falling into indifference.
So, reader, I present you with some texts that will help you foster the habit of thinking in the people around you, support those sinking into mental emptiness, and uplift those who have fallen into it.
You can do this good work almost like a parlor game. If you want, cut out a clipping on each of these topics and show it to some friends, asking your interlocutor:
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Whether what the clipping says is accurate.
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Who does he think is the author of each topic?
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How would a “Catholic leftist” respond to each clipping if it were attributed to another leftist or an anticommunist?
This simple game will encourage your interlocutor, whether leftist or not, to think. In doing so, you will help pull someone out of the abyss of thoughtlessness or stop them from falling into it.
I will now present a few excerpts:
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The support of religious sectors for the revolution is very important.
“If the revolution in Latin America took an anti-religious stance, it would cause division among the people.
“There is no doubt that the revolutionary movement would benefit greatly—the socialist, communist, and Marxist-Leninist movements would all gain if honest leaders of the Catholic Church and other churches returned to the Christian spirit of the time of Roman slavery. And I say, not only would socialism and communism benefit, but Christianity would also gain.
“I am absolutely convinced that the recipe is highly explosive” (Vida Nueva, Madrid, October 11, 1980).
Thus, Catholics are taking an explosive stance by cooperating with communists.
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The progressive sectors of the clergy, who fight for freedom and protect the interests of the people, “are now allies” of the Brazilian Communist Party. Recently, the Church has become concerned “with those who live on earth.” For this reason, the clergy has come into conflict “with the exploiters.” Now, “it is better for citizens to enter heaven healthy than sick.” In this context, the Church’s new stance “is fair and correct” (A Tarde, Salvador, November 2, 1980).
If the author of these statements is a communist, the “explosive recipe” would already be underway. But is this author really a communist?
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The Church has been infiltrated by non-Catholic organizations that are politically working to overthrow the regime and replace it with a socialist, centralized economic and political system. Bishops and cardinals are aware that, by advocating for their dioceses’ demands, they align themselves with the MR-8, the Communist Party of Brazil, and their counterparts. They know this and are comfortable with it because they have never denounced the situation. On the contrary, some bishops admit they have participated in practical meetings with representatives of these organizations and saw nothing wrong with it” (Jornal do Brasil, October 31, 1980).
Now, let’s focus on the authors:
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Who is the person in topic number 1? Fidel Castro. I would add that Vida Nueva is one of Spain’s leading “Catholic left-wing” magazines. If I or any of my fellow thinkers or activists had made similar statements about the current socioeconomic stance of so many leaders of the Catholic left, they would have branded us as irreverent, slanderous, etc. Since the statement comes from Fidel Castro, to our knowledge, no one from the Catholic left has protested. “Tell me who you go with, and I’ll tell you who you are,” says the old adage. “Tell me who you are inclined to fight with, and I’ll tell you who you are. Tell me who you are inclined not to fight with, and I’ll also tell you who you are.” I leave these two corollaries here as comments.
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This analysis of the “progressive sectors of the clergy” and the “new position of the Church” is by Mr. Giocondo Dias, secretary-general of the Brazilian Communist Party, and it echoes similar, even more forceful statements by Luís Carlos Prestes. Many “left-wing Catholics” would quickly dismiss a similar statement by the TFP as slanderous. However, coming from the leader of the BCP, it doesn’t matter because he’s a close friend (“tell me who you’re inclined to fight with, and who you’re not…”).
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The author is Mr. Elio Gaspari, deputy editor of Veja magazine. In quoting him, I do not mean to judge his ideological stance. However, his statements, made in an article for Jornal do Brasil, have certainly gone unchallenged by the “Catholic left.” If some anti-communist Catholic had said these things…
Now, dear reader, if you enjoy this game, simply cut out some clippings, ask questions, listen, discuss, and meditate.
[1] Le démon de midi, by Paul Bourget (1852-1935).