Guess what? Did you know that Millennials, those born between 1982 – 2000, now compose the largest group of the America landscape? According to the US Census Bureau, there are 83.1 million Millennials, and this represents more than one quarter of the nation’s population. Millennials surpassed that of the 75.4 million baby boomers, according to data released in June of 2015. (9). And who do you think Sanders is especially appealing to? The Millennials! In an interview of Senator Sanders, Fr. Rosica had this to say to the senator: “What I find very interesting is a portion of society, of young generation, are Bernie Sanders fans.” (10). In an article published by The Hill, Judd Gregg bemoans an obvious observation: “In college town after college town, Sanders turns out huge crowds, chanting his name and exalting his causes: the redistribution of wealth and the destruction of those deemed to be undeserving of their economic success.” (11). Just yesterday, I gave a young man (Millennial in age) a ride to the local Walmart. I had never met him before; he was on a business trip from the west coast. I asked him what he thought about the presidential campaign. He responded in these words: “I’m voting for Bernie.” I asked why. He said, “I like his ideas. I don’t mind sharing my wealth with those in need. I grew up in a poor home, so I know what’s it’s like to be in need. I don’t care if I’m taxed to help those in need.” This is not an isolated case either. But it demonstrates the thinking of the youth of our society.
A renowned 19th century protestant author once penned these words: “Protestants will work upon the rulers of the land to make laws to restore the lost ascendancy of the man of sin … Roman Catholic principles will be taken under the care and protection of the state. This national apostasy will speedily be followed by national ruin.” (12). What are the principles of Catholicism? Are they Republicanism? Protestantism? I think not! The principles that have controlled the Roman church from the beginning are the restriction of religious liberty and socialism. And guess what? Rome has not changed its core principles and never will. According to John Mosheim, Rome has claimed that the “church never erred; nor will it, according to the Scriptures, ever err.” (13). In fact, the current pope has a philosophy that is rooted in what is called Peronism. Juan Domingo Perón was born Oct. 8, 1895 in Lobos, Buenos Aires, a province of Argentina. After serving as an army colonel, he became president of Argentina from 1946–1955 and again from 1973–74. Perón was founder and leader of what is called the Peronist movement. It was under this political/social movement that Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis) grew up. By examining the ideology of Peronism, one can easily note the influence of this movement in Francis’ life. In a speech to the Argentinian Congress in 1948, Juan Perón described what Peronism is: “Peronism is humanism in action; Peronism is a new political doctrine, which rejects all the ills of the politics of previous times; in the social sphere it is a theory which establishes a little equality among men… capitalist exploitation should be replaced by a doctrine of social economy under which the distribution of our wealth, which we force the earth to yield up to us and which furthermore we are elaborating, may be shared out fairly among all those who have contributed by their efforts to amass it.” (14). Maureen Mullarkey wrote an article entitled: “Pope Francis Ushers the Second Coming of Peronism.” In it she makes a striking comparison between Perón’s ideology and Fascism: “Francis is attracted to state dominion and the economic populism that serves as rehearsal for it. His inclination points down a crooked historical road, past Juan Perón and the Argentine Church, to the disfiguring alliance between Mussolini and Pius XI. Perón was an attentive student of Italian fascism and the role of the state in structuring an economy. He studied Mussolini’s opportunistic courting of the Catholic Church, which lent legitimacy to Il Duce in exchange for institutional privileges.” (15). Of course there are other influences behind the ideology of Pope Francis, such as his admiration of St. Francis of Assisi and his care for the natural world. Suffice it to say for now that Pope Francis and Senator Bernie has enough in common to work together. In fact, notice these words by Sanders on the Pope: “… I think that the Pope is playing an historical role coming at exactly the right moment in human history, where his voice is having a profound impact, not only on our country, but all over the world, so I embrace those areas, and I embrace very strongly, those areas where we agree.” (10). Friends, the end of all things is near. And even if Senator Sanders loses the election, prophecy will still be fulfilled. The final events are unfolding before us, and it is up to us to be prepared. Get your life in order! Get your house in order! Jesus is soon to appear! Are you prepared?
Sources:
1. Ellen G. White, Fundamentals of Christian Education, 475.
2. Matthew Henry, An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of the Proverbs, p. 952.
3. The Encyclopedia Americana, 1941 Ed.
4. Dias, Elizabeth. “The Possible Presidential Candidate Who Agrees the Most with Pope Francis.” Time. 9 January 2015. <http://time.com/3661552/bernie-sanders-pope-francis/>
5. Democratic Socialists of America. “About DSA” <http://www.dsausa.org/about_dsa>
6. Democratic Socialists of America. “What is Democratic Socialism? Q & A” < http://www.dsausa.org/what_is_democratic_socialism>
7. Democratic Socialists of America. “About DSA” <http://www.dsausa.org/about_dsa>
8. Socialist International. “Congress of the Socialist International, Frankfurt.” Declaration of the Socialist International endorsed at the Council Conference held in Oslo on 2-4 June 1962. < http://www.socialistinternational.org/viewArticle.cfm?ArticleID=39>
9. United States Census Bureau. “Millennials Outnumber Baby Boomers and Are Far More Diverse, Census Bureau Reports.” Newsroom. 25 June 2015. < https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-113.html>
10. This is from the transcript for the WITNESS interview conducted with Senator Bernie Sanders in his Washington offices on Monday, September 21, 2015.
11. Gregg, Judd. “Judd Gregg: Sanders fans are blind to reality of socialism.” The Hill. 11 April 2016. < http://thehill.com/opinion/judd-gregg/bernie-sanders-supporters-blind-to-reality-of-socialism>
12. Ellen G. White, Review & Herald, June 15, 1897 par. 10.
13. John L. von Mosheim, Institutes of Ecclesiastical History, book 3, century II, part 2, chapter 2, section 9, note 17.
14. Telesur. “What is Peronism?” 10 November 2014. < http://www.telesurtv.net/english/analysis/What-is-Peronism-20141111-0014.html>
15. Mullarkey, Maureen. “Pope Francis Ushers The Second Coming Of Peronism.” The Federalist. 8 September 2015. < http://thefederalist.com/2015/09/08/pope-francis-ushers-the-second-coming-of-peronism/>
