The claim by politicians that our outward actions do not have to reflect our conscience because they are afraid of ‘imposing’ beliefs on others—which they do not—is sanctimonious. In fact, it is their way of thinking and their legislation that are an imposition on us.

Iranians, however, must continue protesting, knowing that never before in its history has the Islamic regime been so vulnerable. As it happened in the Soviet Union, citizens’ dissidence in Iran can achieve victory, too.

Hobbes refuted traditional higher law tenets and motivated people to accept the established laws and customs of their nations, even if they appear oppressive, for it is the only way peace and security can be obtained in society. The state thus becomes successful at the expense of justice, as it is today in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the People’s Republic of China, and the Russian Federation where power divorced from justice maintains order through oppression.

If the West and the Vatican came together and publicly condemn the Islamic Republic of Iran for its crimes, it would not just be in the interest of Iranian citizens but the entire Middle East region. And the time to act is now.

As a result of the discrimination by the Israeli authorities and because of Islamic oppression, the socio-cultural and spiritual connections that are the backbone of Palestinian Christians’ collective identity have been dramatically weakened.

Evidence indicates that the UK has become more polarised when it comes to people’s positions on salient issues. Great Britain is also witnessing a fragmentation of political support and ‘affective polarisation’ related to people’s Brexit identities.

Islamic scholars and activists who insist that Islam is a religion of peace go so far as to compare the crusades to, if not equate with, the jihad carried out by ISIS, al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and other Islamic terrorist groups.

Xi has been ruthless in his ten-year rule of China, curbing personal freedoms such as free speech and freedom of religion, arresting anyone who raised their voice against his authoritarian regime.

While the world is caught up in the war in Ukraine, let us not forget what is happening in Iran. Let us hope that the sacrifices of those who have fought and continue to fight for their liberty from a draconian regime have not been in vain, for the people of Iran deserve better.

One should shed tears when the true essence of humanism, which parallels our Christian faith, is not only misplaced, but altogether exploited for non-humanist purposes.

Today marks the 77th infamous anniversary of the invasion of Ethiopia—also called Abyssinia—by Benito Mussolini’s Italy.

Individuals like Kung and Zen, and without a doubt those Christians who continue to suffer in their testimony to the Christian faith, are today’s unrecognised saints.

Humanism gave precedence to the development of human virtue, as depicted in the classical works of Cicero and Livy. This, however, was never a negation of divine or supernatural matters.

Freedom of speech is a not a privilege that is conceded by government, but a natural right that comes from God. The tutelage of this right is vital for any democratic political process and the development of the human person.

Being unsuccessful at overthrowing Orbán, the EU has shifted its strategy to attacking the prime minister’s immigration policy and the libel laws. 

If the ‘leader of the free world’ is pushing for an economic revolution that could potentially have dystopian consequences, and is not being clear about it, there is reason to raise an eyebrow.

In order for both sides to live in harmony with each other, the Palestinians must first, as with other Islamic countries, acknowledge that Israel is an independent and sovereign country, regardless of how it got there.

While both sides had agreed to halt the fighting, each warned the other that it would respond with force to any violence.

Progressives, with their unnatural policies, seek to separate Western civilisation from its Christian roots.

The meeting with the Saudis was, as per the title of Karen Elliot House’s The Wall Street Journal article: ‘worse than an embarrassment’.

Last week Pope Francis made an Apostolic pilgrimage to Canada to apologise for the Catholic Church’s cooperation with Canada’s ‘catastrophic’ policy of Indigenous residential schools.

In order to better understand Machiavelli, one should not just read The Prince. One must examine all of his works, and do so specifically within the context of the socio-political times he lived in.

Salutati’s humanism, focused on the continuity or discontinuity between ethics and politics became the civic turning point of the humanistic spiritual and philosophical reinterpretation of Cicero’s political tenets that would later culminate with the notable Niccolò Machiavelli.

What classifies Petrarch as a humanist was his belief that secular literature and philosophy could enlighten all men and bring about an end to, what Flavio Biondi called, the darker ages of distrusting the critical thinking and non-religious wisdom of the ancients.

Today marks the 246th anniversary of American colonists declaring their independence from the British Crown, the day when, as an independent and sovereign nation, the United States of America proclaimed liberty, justice, and freedom for all.

While the Court’s decision is a watershed moment for unborn children to have their inherent right to life protected, NGOs like the United Nations still insist a mother is entitled to ending her child’s life since children in their mothers’ wombs are not considered human persons. 

Ultimately, there is no Church legislation to remove a Pope from his Office, although that does not mean that a Papal law cannot be formulated to the effect. Until then, the principle of “the First See is judged by no one” remains fully intact. 

The issue is not the expression of religious beliefs by Islamists, rather the socio-political predicaments that come along with it. 

European society has forged a culture that, in a manner 
previously unknown to humanity, excludes God, the divine logos from the public conscience. He is denied altogether, or judged to be irrelevant to public life since His existence cannot be materially demonstrated.

The teachings of Pope Benedict XVI are an appeal to the individual to ponder on God’s unwritten law inscribed in his or her heart so that he or she may better contribute to the common good of society.