On the Square Today

In his latest On the Square column , R.R. Reno wonders “Does the Tea Party Have a Religion Problem?”

Think about it. If you are a liberal of any stripe, then the success of the Tea Party in reshaping the priorities of the Republican Party, and through the Republican Party the debate in Washington, will fill you with horror. In view of the fact that slightly less than a third of Americans self-identify as liberals, is it at all surprising that 40 percent of Americans don’t like the Tea Party? They don’t like the Tea Party because it represents a strident fiscal conservatism that gives the strong impression that it wants to detonate a political bomb that will destroy modern welfare state.

In each World Youth Day message from the past, the Roman Pontiff has been the only world leader to consistently call youth to a high moral standard of living. He is the lone voice entreating the young to pursue greatness. In his message inviting the youth to participate in this year’s event, Pope Benedict XVI speaks directly to the attendees recognizing that the world has offered them the easier way, the choices which are “ultimately deceptive and cannot bring you serenity and joy.” He observes that the “eclipse of God” and moral relativism do “not lead to true freedom, but rather to instability, confusion, and blind conformity to the fads of the moment.” Not a bad description of the events in London.