Controversial Koch brothers give big (again) to Catholic University

Critics of the CUA gift say it is ironic that the school would seek such massive support from a social liberal when Catholic charities are not allowed to take any money from any person or group who supports abortion rights or gay rights.

They take such money all the time.

The question here, as everywhere, is whether the Koch foundations are in the business of pushing either abortion or “gay rights” and whether there were effective conditions on the donations. The Koch brothers have tended to be generically libertarian (which, by the way, is inconsistent with any sort of ‘anti-discrimination’ law, no matter who the clientele are supposed to be. However, that is not the undiluted object of their donations (which include, for example, PBS science programs) nor can one say that every personal opinion either brother has is a source of particular efforts at promotion on their part. My mother had lots of opinions, but all of her involvement in local politics had to do with one limited set of civic issues.

What’s more, the complainers do not distinguish between economics as a social research discipline (i.e. positive social science), the normative questions which guide social research, and the principles which evaluate the costs and benefits associated with various ways of proceeding (informed by economics as a discipline). Come to think of it, the people usually prating about Catholic Social Teaching (TM) seldom do this either. The Pope himself has been known (in his too numerous to count off-the-cuff press interviews) to use nonsense terms derived from polemical literature. Very little teaching going on there.

Which is why libertarianism is such a pile of nonsense. It amounts to putting lipstick on the pig of “might makes right” and pretending one has a right to persecute and attack others under the color of law.

He says while hiring lawyers to harass merchants minding their own business.

Larry, in the adult world, there is only one sort of person who fancies they are ‘persecuted’ or ‘attacked’ by someone else’s refusal to do business with them (for all the reasons people have): narcissistic jerks.

These hefty donations from the Koch hydra are little more than attempts to sway the public’s image of them as cold-blooded plutocrats, and that’s why people view their “charity” with skepticism.

A donation made to a religious cause or charity means nothing when it comes from them; money is their god.

Yes. The Koch Brothers are part of the vast world-wide conspiracy whereby the secret cabal surrounding the Papacy will one day rule the world, instituting a massive theocracy (the Pope himself is just a puppet, everyone knows). They will take away your porn, your drugs, and make you read the Bible *all the time*. Frankly, given their success so far, your best bet is to load up and head for a bunker in the mountains. The Papal flag (which you have to admit is pretty cool looking) will be flying from the Capital dome any day now.

Max,

The only true “theocracy” is a government or rule by God. Man’s governments will never be a theocracy (even though they try to convince us otherwise!) since they want to rule instead of God and “do their own thing” (they really prefer this!!) and do what is best in their own eyes (and not in God’s eyes), for their own selfish interests and not for the best interests of the masses.

Church and State should be separate and apart, but they have been “buds” for ages! Eventually, State shall turn on Church; it will be verrrrrry interesting to see the result of that clash!!!

People have been saying that the end times are just arund the corner for two millenia. So far, score the inerrant Bible with a zero for prediction. There have been events interpreted as signs of the Armageddon found in every age by the people willing to believe fairy stories. Inerrant Bible — Nuts!

Charles, you make no sense.

Yes, people have spent the last two millennia saying the end is nigh…..The fact that everything is still here obviously proves they were wrong.

But how does the fact that they were wrong prove the Bible is wrong?

One thing has nothing to do with the other.