Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!decwrl!shelby!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: CONS.ELF@AIDA.CSD.UU.SE (Ake Eldberg) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Opus Dei Message-ID: Date: 29 Oct 90 07:19:31 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 43 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Las autumn there were a couple of articles in the official newspaper of the Church of Sweden, where Opus Dei was referred to as a "Secret organization that supports military dictators". The group was said to be politically on the extreme right wing. There were a number of accusations against it, in sensationalist style, but very little in the actual text to substantiate the charges. I had never heard of Opus Dei before, but these articles were so badly written that I wrote to complain about them anyway. My letter was not published. Instead, they follwed up with more accusations. I still wonder, not knowing much about the organization itself, why this happened. It was obvious that the writers were politically leftist and "liberation theology" oriented. Has Opus Dei been subject to similar attacks elsewhere? Is it politically right-wing? Is it a secret, devious organization working under cover names so as not to be recognized for what it is? Is it an extention of US imperialism in South America? Does it support military dictators? I just wonder. Ake Eldberg cons.elf@aida.csd.uu.se [I have seen some better-documented attacks of the same nature, also by someone associated with "liberation theology". The main accusations were (1) that Opus Dei tends to be right-wing, (2) that it tends to be authoritarian, though this may vary from place to place, practices self-flagellation, etc., and (3) that it tends to have cult-like aspects. I don't recall accusations that it is secret, though there is a claim that portions of its constitution are kept secret. There are definitely secret groups associated with the lunatic fringe of right-wing Catholicism (and Protestantism, for that matter). There may be some overlap with right-wing members of Opus Dei, but I didn't get the impression that the organization itself was secret and devious. We've had postings from people with more or less experience of it in the U.S., and who say they do not see an authoritarian tendency, nor any tendency to glorify its founder. I don't recall them being asked whether they practice self-flagellation. --clh]