Are Michael Moore ’s Films Inspired by His Catholic ism?

[Henk Elegeert]

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Are Michael Moore’s Films Inspired by His Catholicism?By Rosemary R.
Reuther<http://www.religiondispatches.org/bloggers/rosemaryrreuther/>
October 5, 2009

<http://www.religiondispatches.org/images/managed/Story+Image_michaelmoore.jpg>

Are Michael Moore’s films inspired by his Catholicism? Moore grew up in a
working class Irish Catholic family in Flint, Michigan and in high school
considered going to
seminary<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/movies/20head.html?_r=1>
and
studying for the priesthood. He readily declares that his social justice
perspective is inspired by nuns and priests from his high school days in the
late sixties who told the students that, as Catholics, they should be
concerned for the poor. In a recent
interview<http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/200909/20090929.html>
 on *Tavis Smiley,* during which he reiterated the Catholic roots of his
commitments, Moore identifies himself as a practicing Catholic who attends
church from time to time.

Moore has produced a number of film documentaries that express outrage
against wealthy exploiters of the people. *Roger and Me*, (1989) protests
the wealthy CEO of General Motors, Roger B. Smith, who threw thousands out
of work by closing the auto plants in his hometown of Flint, Michigan, only
to open new plants in Mexico at much lower wages; *Bowling for Columbine*,
(2002) against the gun lobbyists and the murderous results of the
unrestricted right to bear arms in the U.S. Moore attacked George W. Bush
and the war in Iraq in *Fahrenheit 9/11* (2004) and the lack of a government
supported health care system in *Sicko*, (2007) which praised European and
the Cuban state health care systems. In 2009 he returns to the theme of the
rapacious American economic system and its super-wealthy elite in *Capitalism:
A Love Story*.

Do these protests against injustice reflect Catholic social teachings? Is
Catholicism anti-capitalist? Catholicism is well known as a determined foe
of Communism, yet most Americans are unaware that Catholicism has also been
highly critical of capitalism. Communism is faulted in Catholic social
teachings for its atheism, forced collectivism and advocacy of class
warfare. But capitalism is also criticized as a materialistic system that
lacks ethical values. Although Catholicism defends the right to private
property, this is not seen as absolute. It is limited by the claims of
social responsibility to the larger society. Unrestricted
*laissez-faire* policies
are rejected, and the state is seen as having a positive role to play to
create a just and equitable distribution of resources to all.

..."

Kijk, dat krijg je er nu van als je (gewetenloos) je ballen(zak) kaal
scheert.  :)

Henk Elegeert

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