True Freedom: On Protecting Human Dignity and Religious Liberty [Kindle Edition]

Timothy M. Dolan (Author)

Book Description

True Freedom
On Protecting Human Dignity and Religious Liberty

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York

Are American liberties on the endangered species list? In this eBook original, the Archbishop of New York and president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issues a plea for all citizens to reject the cynicism of the day and foster a culture in which religious freedom and all human life are infinitely valued.

Religion and the dignity of human life are under attack by a variety of threats in the modern world including abortion, infanticide, eugenics, misuse of artificial reproductive technologies, an unjust distribution of economic resources, war, the arms trade, drugs, and human trafficking. What can be done to stop this? Cardinal Timothy Dolan explains the need for all Americans to embrace a new culture rooted in what Blessed John Paul II called the Gospel of Life where the sacredness of all human life, and the freedoms that are their birthright, are upheld, respected and protected by law.

Product Details

• File Size: 1763 KB
• Print Length: 37 pages
• Publisher: Image (June 19, 2012)
• Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0086N7AHY
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #45,779 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #12 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Church & State
  • #47 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Church & State
  • #47 in Books > History > World > Religious > Religion, Politics & State

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 45 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Timely Message June 19, 2012

By adien

Format:Kindle Edition

This very concise ebook packs a powerful message on the importance of protecting and preserving human dignity and religious liberty. It's astonishing how much is packed into these short pages. Cardinal Dolan has done an excellent job championing the church as a joyful and vibrant alternative to the "culture of death" that has taken root in some secular circles. Summing everything up in a strong call to action, Dolan says: "Churches and people of faith - not exclusively Catholics and their bishops, although I would hope that we play a leading role - understand the inherent dignity of the human person and serve as a safeguard against attacks on that dignity,". Highly recommended.

33 of 38 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Smart, Timely Insights on Dignity & Religious Liberty June 19, 2012

By Brandon Vogt TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition

It's easy to take religious freedom for granted. It's enshrined in our Constitution and praised by the Church, and most of us have grown up without questioning it. However when this liberty is threatened, when it's not respected as a fundamental right, we're forced to pull back and ask a basic question: why do people deserve religious liberty?

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York gives his answer in a new eBook released today. True Freedom: On Protecting Human Dignity and Religious Liberty (Image Books, 37 pages, eBook) shows how respect for human dignity--the dignity of all humans, regardless of their beliefs--undergirds the right to religious liberty. Quoting Pope Leo XIII, he begins by saying:

"True freedom... is that freedom which most truly safeguards the dignity of the human person. It is stronger than any violence or injustice. Such is the freedom which has always been desired by the Church, and which she holds most dear."

Dolan spends most of the book linking religious freedom with dignity. He uses several pages to reflect on Pope John Paul II's magnificent encyclical, The Gospel of Life: Evangelium Vitae, which holds the natural moral law and intrinsic dignity as the twin pillars of the culture of life. Dolan shows how, like the walls of a house, when these two principles are ignored the whole project collapses-including the right to religious liberty:

"In only the last few years we've experienced rampant disregard for religious beliefs in this country with the approval of embryonic stem cell research; legal justification for the torture of prisoners; the provision of tax dollars to abortion providers; the HHS mandates; and, most recently, a redefinition of marriage by many of our leading political figures.

We can see that there is a loss of a sense of truth here, and objective moral norms-rules of conduct that apply always, to everyone, everywhere-and an `eclipse of a sense of God and of man'."

In Dolan's view, three ideologies-a "trinity of culprits"-are primarily to blame for this `eclipse,' each standing athwart to the culture of life. There's pragmatism, which ties man's value to his output and efficiency; utilitarianism, which equates value with usefulness; and consumerism, which determines value by one's ability to fill a need or satisfy an urge. All three systems share a common flaw, namely the preference of "having" and "doing" over "being." This mistake not only fuels the culture of death; it's also behind today's modern assaults on religious liberty.

But what's the response? How can we diffuse these threats and reclaim the primacy of dignity? Dolan answers by channeling John Paul in calling for "a positive, hopeful culture of life [rather] than wringing (our) hands over the culture of death." It's this culture of life, rooted in objective dignity, that will lift religious liberty back to its privileged position and lead to a flourishing society:

"By appealing to the necessary link between freedom and truth and by stressing our relationship with the God who has endowed us with both, The Gospel of Life offers us a pathway to building not just good laws, but a free and virtuous culture as well."

True Freedom debuts at a perfect time, just two days before the national `Fortnight for Freedom.' It's also cheap ($0.99), smart, and punchy, much like Archbishop Charles Chaput's recent eBook (A Heart on Fire). And at just 37 pages you can knock it out in one sitting. It's importance, timeliness, and cheap prices makes True Freedom a must-read for all Catholics in America.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Dolan essay - plus John Allen puff piece about Dolan June 19, 2012

By T. Faranda

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This ebook actually has two parts; first the very fine essay by Cardinal Dolan - actually better then I expected. The Cardinal beautifully ties together the thoughts of Blessed John Paul, and Pope Benedict on the culture of life and the present-day threats to life. His use of quotes from Pope Benedict is especially effective. This essay takes only 20 minutes to read. Well worth the 99 cents to have "True Freedom" on the kindle app on your smart phone!

The second part, which they don't tell you is part of the deal, is an excerpt from NCR's John Allen's book "A People of Hope" a conversation between Allen and then Archbishop Dolan which was published in November, 2011. The book has very good reviews on amazon, but I found the excerpt to be a bit cloying and over the top - a sugar-coated view of Dolan. It takes about 25 minutes to read.

If you are interested in a very cogent and succinct defense of natural law and Church teaching vs. our secular, consumerist culture then you can't do better then this ebook. I'm giving four stars because I just found the Allen excerpts a bit off-putting and unnecessary.