Pope Francis may not be a liberal at all. Certainly not based on American media definitions. The world, believe it or not, is not divided between Red State and Blue State. Trying to see Pope Francis through such lenses - one way or another - is likely an exercise in pointlessness at best.
Much of the speculation and flat out fist fights over the Real Pope Francis is due to the clear and obvious fact that Catholicism has changed quite a bit over the last century. On almost every level, a Catholic dropped into the Church 200 years ago would be stunned by the differences. Some are necessary. Electricity happens. So does indoor plumbing. Some accepted sins and problems are dealt with.
But changing to fit with the times can be like eating peanuts. Once you start, you just can't stop. Ask any one of a hundred variations on Protestantism in our world today. Some are barely Christian, if at all. So as the Catholic Church struggles to find a middle ground between the Modern Way and the Traditional Christian Way, it has created not a few reactions from various groups and individuals.
Some are mighty unhappy, and have been for some time. Others are more than thrilled. Some are OK, but want more change and accommodation. Others seem to be overly defensive, as if they can't bring themselves to admit what is patently obvious.
In any event, I stumbled across an interesting article yesterday. It's from a member of the Orthodox Church. As insulting as this is to some Protestant denominations who fancy themselves as modern incarnations of the first century church, and as shocking as it might be for Catholics who imagine otherwise, the Church closest to the most ancient approach we have to living Christianity is the Orthodox. As a history professor I had once said, if you want a Church that hasn't changed much in 1500 years, you could do worse than going to an Orthodox church.
Not to say the Orthodox aren't without their skeletons, or their modern splits. Some appear to be following the ways of the post-Christian Left just like Catholics and Protestants. Still, they can only do what others who want to follow the Modern Way do and reject outright the teachings of their faith and demand change. But for a Church that smells, sounds and acts like its forefathers centuries ago (with the possible exceptions of electricity and indoor plumbing), there seems to be a willingness on those resisting the Change to do so outright, without need to find some middle ground.
Hence this little article. Pretty straight forward. As I've said, it should be obvious to any but the most weak minded or willing minded that there is no compromise with this new revolutionary heresy. What this fellow might be saying is that we should never have assumed there was in the first place.
Friday, November 14, 2014
John C. Wright posts on the Gruber revelations
He defers to the source from which he was made aware of the story. CNN has covered it. FOX natch. I've not heard much about it in other outlets, most of whom are focusing on Ferguson. Some, such as ABC, appear to be running it on their internet pages. Print media seems to not know what to do. Most are covering it at face value, but you can almost sense the desperate search for a narrative obeying spin. Right now, it looks like reporting as is and we can, of course, count on some to shoot straight between the eyes.
Jonathan Gruber spills the beans
I would be more skeptical of a FOX News take, if I hadn't heard it on CNN. Yeah, it's that bad. And when Jay Carney was asked on CNN if the deceit and lies that Gruber lauds were deliberate, it's noteworthy that he didn't deny they were on purpose. Of course expect no outrage. If we are a nation of scaredy-cats on one side, that is balanced by the fact that on the other side is a segment of the population that confuses laziness and apathy with virtue. We have our apps. We have Netflix. It probably won't impact me anyway. America sucks. Evil happens. Move on. Nothing to see here.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Fast times at Louisville
Can be demonstrated by the joy my boys had in visiting a local water treatment plant. When my wife and I first moved to Louisville to attend seminary, we used to walk down some railroad tracks to the facility, where a walking track circled the water. This wasn't some stinky, sewer styled place. This was built like some Gothic fantasy, and the water looked almost clean enough to drink. Almost.
They had fun running around, listening to Mom and Dad regale them about days long gone, and made sure we stopped with water bottles to get water from a spigot outside that they were sure was processed water from the plant.
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| Looking like they're posing for an album cover, this was actually taken while they were getting ready for the pic |
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Unbelievably stupid
Just stupid. People already camping out in shifts, awaiting the all important Black Friday deals. Sure, it's just a couple people. But wait. In a couple years, it will be multitudes and it will start some time in September. At least if our enlightened generation doesn't disappoint.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
On Veterans Day
From a time when we could thank our veterans for something, instead of reducing ourselves to thanking them for nothing. And in so doing, the true worth of freedom is being forgotten. Thanks to those who gave the last full measure of devotion for we who too quickly forget. Perhaps it's because there are so few of us left who can trace the full tragedy of loss for what we are so flippant in saying is no big deal to lose.
Not this tide.“When d’you think that he’ll come back?”
Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.
“Has any one else had word of him?”
Not this tide.
For what is sunk will hardly swim,
Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.
“Oh, dear, what comfort can I find?”
None this tide,
Nor any tide,
Except he did not shame his kind —
Not even with that wind blowing, and that tide.
Then hold your head up all the more,
This tide,
And every tide;
Because he was the son you bore,
And gave to that wind blowing and that tide!
*This was a reprint from a previous Veterans day that, sadly, still applies. I added only a little.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Back from Vacation
Lot's of fun. Have been gone for a few days. Will get back to things sometime this week. Much to think about. Go Bucks!
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Attention Republicans
Now do something. Not something stupid. And not something stupid like throwing your best hope under the bus. And not something stupid like pandering to the small minority of Republican establishment types who prize wealth and wealth more than anything. Reach out to a hurting country. Know that you have a very hostile media and popular culture industry, and that the things many want you to stand for have been defined as vile and ignorant on a good day. Deal with it and make those who want you to win proud.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
A note to Catholics
Get over it. Fact is, from the Reformation and before, the Church was more than willing to send to their deaths those who ran afoul of the Church and its authority. Yes, tales of the Church running amok, butchering millions of helpless doctors and scientists and any thinking person because the Church opposed smart people is an exaggeration.
Nonetheless, the atmosphere out of which the Protestant Reformation was born was one where the Church was increasingly comfortable turning to the burning stake or other similar approaches for dealing with trouble makers. Even such notable and celebrated Saints as Thomas More chose to send Protestant dissenters to a horrifying, torturous death.
Oddly, had the Church not responded with such heavy handed and purposely deceitful tactics in its dealing with Luther, the Reformation may not have taken hold. As it was, Luther, for all his own foibles, couldn't' help but look the sympathetic figure against a Church that was increasingly seen as corrupt and wicked on a good day by a growing segment of European Culture. The fact that nobody doubts the Church wouldn't have done to Luther what it did to Huss in earlier times, only solidifies the sympathy most had for Luther's cause.
Yes, Protestants would also return the favor. And the acts committed by both Protestants and Catholics and others during that period that began long before Luther was born, has left Jesus with no small number of black eyes.
So while it's always noteworthy when we might have discovered something new, or added a piece to history, remember: in our post-Christian world, most only hear this as proof that those Christians were just as murderous as everyone says they were. Many today don't separate between the Catholic and the Protestant. The simply blame the Faith. And since plenty of blood can be found on the hands of both sides, it does little good to try to act as if one side was the innocent victim, and the other the villain. It's enough to say it happened, without trying to suggest some strange fluke by one side in an otherwise beautiful period of peace and tolerance. That's when it gets embarrassing.
Nonetheless, the atmosphere out of which the Protestant Reformation was born was one where the Church was increasingly comfortable turning to the burning stake or other similar approaches for dealing with trouble makers. Even such notable and celebrated Saints as Thomas More chose to send Protestant dissenters to a horrifying, torturous death.
Oddly, had the Church not responded with such heavy handed and purposely deceitful tactics in its dealing with Luther, the Reformation may not have taken hold. As it was, Luther, for all his own foibles, couldn't' help but look the sympathetic figure against a Church that was increasingly seen as corrupt and wicked on a good day by a growing segment of European Culture. The fact that nobody doubts the Church wouldn't have done to Luther what it did to Huss in earlier times, only solidifies the sympathy most had for Luther's cause.
Yes, Protestants would also return the favor. And the acts committed by both Protestants and Catholics and others during that period that began long before Luther was born, has left Jesus with no small number of black eyes.
So while it's always noteworthy when we might have discovered something new, or added a piece to history, remember: in our post-Christian world, most only hear this as proof that those Christians were just as murderous as everyone says they were. Many today don't separate between the Catholic and the Protestant. The simply blame the Faith. And since plenty of blood can be found on the hands of both sides, it does little good to try to act as if one side was the innocent victim, and the other the villain. It's enough to say it happened, without trying to suggest some strange fluke by one side in an otherwise beautiful period of peace and tolerance. That's when it gets embarrassing.
Lying is bad
So we heard. Again and again and again and again, ever since the Great Lila Rose disaster that swept the Catholic Blogosphere a few years ago. Of course we also got a dose of Catholic legalism then, when we learned there is a massive difference between lying and dishonesty, in which some argued you could be the most dishonest person in the world, weaving entire tapestries of falsehoods and deceit, as long as you didn't technically lie. Pharisee anyone?
But on the real level of reality, the emphasis was on not lying, not being dishonest, condemning the idea that lies and falsehoods could ever be good for anything. The Gospel? Falsehoods and deceit? Not compatible. OK. Fine.
So now it turns out Sir. Elton John hearts Pope Francis. Like most of the followers of the Post Modern Way, Sir John loves the Pope. He loves him because, like most who only recently hated the popes and the Church, they think Francis is all about trashing this laughable old religion to conform to the Post-Modern Way. Especially when it comes to the Ultimate Question of Gay Marriage.
This brought out a certain reaction by some, who pointed out that the reasons Sir John hearts Francis is based upon falsehoods and false assumptions. This, in turn, brought the wrath of The Shea, who found some off the wall loony statements and suggested anyone not celebrating Sir John's step toward conversion was in the same boat as the loonies.
While some were hesitant, most jumped in to say that anything that bridges gaps with the unbeliever, and any positive response, was therefore good. Even if it's not true, or the assumptions are false, it matters not. Positive is positive. That's all that matters.
Suddenly, in stepped the legendary Zippy Catholic. Mr. Zippy came to our aid once, so I have no heavy criticism there. Certainly an intelligent person, though the alias makes it tough to figure out anything about his assumptions or the framework from which he operates. Still, he is learned and does a good job conveying his ideas. Especially when it comes to this, the reminder that shrugging shoulders about falsehoods and deception is not good. It never is good. If we remember. If we believe the Catholic blogosphere.
So we have a dose of consistency. Something that can often be lost where amateurs are concerned. And in much of the Catholic apologetics world, amateurs are the professionals of the vocation.
Updated Note: It looks like more have jumped into the post and questioned some of the statements and approaches, including the indisputable claim that everything about Francis is beautiful and praiseworthy, and that it matters not how it's done, as long as people who hated the Church now love Francis at least. Good to see.
But on the real level of reality, the emphasis was on not lying, not being dishonest, condemning the idea that lies and falsehoods could ever be good for anything. The Gospel? Falsehoods and deceit? Not compatible. OK. Fine.
So now it turns out Sir. Elton John hearts Pope Francis. Like most of the followers of the Post Modern Way, Sir John loves the Pope. He loves him because, like most who only recently hated the popes and the Church, they think Francis is all about trashing this laughable old religion to conform to the Post-Modern Way. Especially when it comes to the Ultimate Question of Gay Marriage.
This brought out a certain reaction by some, who pointed out that the reasons Sir John hearts Francis is based upon falsehoods and false assumptions. This, in turn, brought the wrath of The Shea, who found some off the wall loony statements and suggested anyone not celebrating Sir John's step toward conversion was in the same boat as the loonies.
While some were hesitant, most jumped in to say that anything that bridges gaps with the unbeliever, and any positive response, was therefore good. Even if it's not true, or the assumptions are false, it matters not. Positive is positive. That's all that matters.
Suddenly, in stepped the legendary Zippy Catholic. Mr. Zippy came to our aid once, so I have no heavy criticism there. Certainly an intelligent person, though the alias makes it tough to figure out anything about his assumptions or the framework from which he operates. Still, he is learned and does a good job conveying his ideas. Especially when it comes to this, the reminder that shrugging shoulders about falsehoods and deception is not good. It never is good. If we remember. If we believe the Catholic blogosphere.
So we have a dose of consistency. Something that can often be lost where amateurs are concerned. And in much of the Catholic apologetics world, amateurs are the professionals of the vocation.
Updated Note: It looks like more have jumped into the post and questioned some of the statements and approaches, including the indisputable claim that everything about Francis is beautiful and praiseworthy, and that it matters not how it's done, as long as people who hated the Church now love Francis at least. Good to see.
And today is All Souls Day
The three part celebrations conclude today. They started with Halloween. No matter what it's actual origins, Halloween is a time to acknowledge the supernatural and the hellish. A reminder that not only do we return to ashes, but there is, for many non-Modernists, a chance to go to furnaces as well.
Yesterday countered that, a celebration of saints. For Catholics, saints are simply those individuals upon whom the Church puts its seal of approval. These are people the Church says 'by everything we believe, that person is now in the presence of the Holy One.' There could very well be zillions more, it's just that the ones called Saint are recognized by the Church to have done what is evidence of heavenly existence. A reminder that for all the powers of darkness and hell, God's grace is available, and greater.
Today is All Souls. Fittingly, it's the day we remember the ones who have gone before. Like my family members, my Dad, anyone I know and love. We remember them and pray for them. For in the Catholic tradition, the idea of Purgatory exists more explicitly than anywhere else. Almost all Christian traditions acknowledge that between our sinful selves and our standing before the Holy One for eternity, we must be somehow made holy. See Isaiah's vision of God's throne room for a good example.
Still, Catholics - as Catholics do - unpack and expand that to a full blown doctrinal reality. Complete times and ways to avoid it, prayers are given for those who die because it's assumed most people must spend a bit of time there, and an unpleasant time it is. So today is a day we focus on that. Like all Saint or Holy days, it's assumed that devout Catholics do anyway throughout the year. Just as we'd like to think that Americans are patriotic on more days than July 4, or that consumers spend money frivolously on more days than the shopping days before Christmas.
Still, like the other celebrations, this is a day to zero in that focus and think especially on them. So Dad, I'm thinking of you and praying for you. To be brutally honest, purgatory is one of those Catholic distinctives I'm sort of 'meh' over. The Church says it, I acknowledge that most believe something happens, but no matter what, I pray for you. Pray that you are in the presence of God, pray that if there is any purging needed, it will be a fast purge, and pray that you are blessed and can stand before God and lift your prayers and petitions on our behalf, and do so soon.
Yesterday countered that, a celebration of saints. For Catholics, saints are simply those individuals upon whom the Church puts its seal of approval. These are people the Church says 'by everything we believe, that person is now in the presence of the Holy One.' There could very well be zillions more, it's just that the ones called Saint are recognized by the Church to have done what is evidence of heavenly existence. A reminder that for all the powers of darkness and hell, God's grace is available, and greater.
Today is All Souls. Fittingly, it's the day we remember the ones who have gone before. Like my family members, my Dad, anyone I know and love. We remember them and pray for them. For in the Catholic tradition, the idea of Purgatory exists more explicitly than anywhere else. Almost all Christian traditions acknowledge that between our sinful selves and our standing before the Holy One for eternity, we must be somehow made holy. See Isaiah's vision of God's throne room for a good example.
Still, Catholics - as Catholics do - unpack and expand that to a full blown doctrinal reality. Complete times and ways to avoid it, prayers are given for those who die because it's assumed most people must spend a bit of time there, and an unpleasant time it is. So today is a day we focus on that. Like all Saint or Holy days, it's assumed that devout Catholics do anyway throughout the year. Just as we'd like to think that Americans are patriotic on more days than July 4, or that consumers spend money frivolously on more days than the shopping days before Christmas.
Still, like the other celebrations, this is a day to zero in that focus and think especially on them. So Dad, I'm thinking of you and praying for you. To be brutally honest, purgatory is one of those Catholic distinctives I'm sort of 'meh' over. The Church says it, I acknowledge that most believe something happens, but no matter what, I pray for you. Pray that you are in the presence of God, pray that if there is any purging needed, it will be a fast purge, and pray that you are blessed and can stand before God and lift your prayers and petitions on our behalf, and do so soon.
 |
| Including our youngest (not pictured here because he wasn't born yet), we miss you. |
A fun romp for All Saints Day
Or better, for Halloween. Especially since the day itself was a miserable, rain soaked and freezing night. The third rainy Halloween in a row. To bad this wasn't on. But we caught it tonight. Something about the proximity to All Souls and Halloween works. And you can never have enough Poe. A reminder of entertainment from yesteryear.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Speaking of Traditional Catholic days
Today was All Saint's Day. In a way that sounds very Catholic, this was the day that we remember every other saint we can't account for in terms of a special Saint Day through the year. All Hallow's Day, hence All Hallow's Eve last night. Halloween that is. Again, the always useful and traditional Fish Eaters throws a nod out with an appropriate reading from a time when the Catholic calendar and the worldly one were oh, so closer in kind than today.
Friday, October 31, 2014
A more traditional Catholic take on Halloween
Can be enjoyed here. Fun stuff. And a reminder that there was a time when the annual festivities were all filtered through customs associated with the Christian faith. Rather than the Christian faith rebelling against or simply accommodating what the World happens to be doing at the moment. Bonus features are some links to some awesomely seasonal poetry and short stories. And anything that features a nod to Riley has to be worth investigating. So please, enter a Catholic take on our little festivities today, and remember, the Gobble'uns 'll git you Ef you Don't Watch Out!
Censoring comments is not the way to defend Pope Francis
Just saying. For those who insist that the world and media are wrong, and that Francis isn't some rampaging liberal laying the seeds for future compromise with modernity, the growing defense trend is that Francis's comments must constantly be chalked up to misunderstandings. Deliberate or otherwise. Of course that's possible. It is the media after all. There's an agenda there, and we all know now that only a fool takes the press's take on things at face value.
Still, the one person that doesn't seem to know this is Pope Francis. And time and again, his statements that to a word seem to be misinterpreted to reflect a modern liberal outlook, all must be dismissed as part of a vast anti-Francis conspiracy, or perhaps even Francis imitating Jesus by speaking in parables and vague ways to hide truths from all but the worthy on the Catholic blogosphere.
In any event, whether part of the grand scheme of Francis to lead all back to the Truth, or part of a vast conspiracy, or even that Francis is a typically left leaning product of S. American society, the fact remains it's been a topic of conversation for months. Fine. But every time a comment is deleted, at least as far as I see, it validates those who smell a rat. Since deleting, while it can be (and often is) excused as sheer disgust at horrible comments, more often than not looks like someone trying to hide something. And that doesn't bode well in a delicate situation like this.
Still, the one person that doesn't seem to know this is Pope Francis. And time and again, his statements that to a word seem to be misinterpreted to reflect a modern liberal outlook, all must be dismissed as part of a vast anti-Francis conspiracy, or perhaps even Francis imitating Jesus by speaking in parables and vague ways to hide truths from all but the worthy on the Catholic blogosphere.
In any event, whether part of the grand scheme of Francis to lead all back to the Truth, or part of a vast conspiracy, or even that Francis is a typically left leaning product of S. American society, the fact remains it's been a topic of conversation for months. Fine. But every time a comment is deleted, at least as far as I see, it validates those who smell a rat. Since deleting, while it can be (and often is) excused as sheer disgust at horrible comments, more often than not looks like someone trying to hide something. And that doesn't bode well in a delicate situation like this.
Where are the posts?
As can be seen, blogging hasn't been a consistent thing here at Daffey Thoughts. Life and all. As I've said, I began this a century ago, when several parishes were inviting me to speak, and priests suggested I write, and this and that and so on and so on and scooby dooby doo.
Well that was years ago. Since then our family has been through it. We're still hanging on by a thread, and for some reason, the Church has more or less shut us - or at least me - out. Suddenly my services stopped being considered, and as I became more direct in trying to find my niche in the Church as a former Protestant minister, it seems I'm in even less demand.
Recently, after a series of talks and meetings, I was pointed to the man in charge of vocations in our diocese. He seemed cautiously optimistic that we might be able to find something for me. He said there were other individuals with far more baggage than I have that they've worked with. So he was to meet with the Bishop and bring my case to the powers that be. That was a few weeks ago, and I'm awaiting news on that front.
But since that particular part of my life is in stall formation, and the rest of our lives have been a series of upheavals and near misses, it's taken away the time to do things like blog regularly. Not to mention other staples of the old Griffey Family. And to be honest, if I'm going to be shut out and my ministry days ended, keeping up with a blog even remotely associated with conveying thoughts and kicking things about ceases to be on even the top 1000 list of things to do.
Nonetheless, I remain cautiously optimistic. Despite reasons to be skeptical of any future resolution, I'm still holding out. So I come today for my annual Halloween post. OK, it's a cheap cop-out, like those old cartoons that were simply rehashing earlier cartoons, or those best-of shows that just looked at old scenes from earlier shows. The following are some posts from former years, both with the boys and thoughts on the season in general. Feel free to enjoy the day and have a Happy Halloween.
Some posts that every person should read are here, here, here, here, and here.
Well that was years ago. Since then our family has been through it. We're still hanging on by a thread, and for some reason, the Church has more or less shut us - or at least me - out. Suddenly my services stopped being considered, and as I became more direct in trying to find my niche in the Church as a former Protestant minister, it seems I'm in even less demand.
Recently, after a series of talks and meetings, I was pointed to the man in charge of vocations in our diocese. He seemed cautiously optimistic that we might be able to find something for me. He said there were other individuals with far more baggage than I have that they've worked with. So he was to meet with the Bishop and bring my case to the powers that be. That was a few weeks ago, and I'm awaiting news on that front.
But since that particular part of my life is in stall formation, and the rest of our lives have been a series of upheavals and near misses, it's taken away the time to do things like blog regularly. Not to mention other staples of the old Griffey Family. And to be honest, if I'm going to be shut out and my ministry days ended, keeping up with a blog even remotely associated with conveying thoughts and kicking things about ceases to be on even the top 1000 list of things to do.
Nonetheless, I remain cautiously optimistic. Despite reasons to be skeptical of any future resolution, I'm still holding out. So I come today for my annual Halloween post. OK, it's a cheap cop-out, like those old cartoons that were simply rehashing earlier cartoons, or those best-of shows that just looked at old scenes from earlier shows. The following are some posts from former years, both with the boys and thoughts on the season in general. Feel free to enjoy the day and have a Happy Halloween.
Some posts that every person should read are here, here, here, here, and here.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Where is the outcry?
My sons pointed this out. Where are the rallies? The calls for gun control? Where is the media analysis about the Right, Conservatives, Gun Culture? Where are the usual tropes and the typical politicians coming out and demanding action? It's not just the numbers. Some could argue that the numbers of victims are the reason. But we need only think Ferguson. Why? Why are there no usual outcries and calls for justice? I don't know. But the coverage of this has definitely been different than the coverage of other high profile tragic shootings in recent months.
Bless the loved ones of those who died, the souls of all who died, and peace and strength to all who need it, just as all who suffered similar loss during this time that we don't know about.
Bless the loved ones of those who died, the souls of all who died, and peace and strength to all who need it, just as all who suffered similar loss during this time that we don't know about.
The only thing that is news to me
Is that this is news to anyone. The Secular Left, with its foothold in the national media, enjoys the crafted narrative that bigotry and prejudice are the domain of the Right of Center. Thinking people who don't succumb to (or gleefully embrace for personal reasons) the propaganda of the Progressive Juggernaut, are not surprised. Again, against the Secular Left there is no compromise. You either conform and obey, or you're the enemy.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
When I read news stories about Catholicism
Like this, I am reminded that the attitudes of the post-Christian Left are basically summed up by this. As Ross Douthat has pointed out, there is no compromise with the secular Left. Every Western faith tradition that has tried has died in the process. So as the Catholic Church bumbles and stumbles its way to find a compromise, just remember the other times in history when the Church adopted the attitudes and ideals of the surrounding, non-Christian age. The results, I'm afraid, were seldom good.
When Catholics are too closely conformed to the spirit of their age, any age, the Gospel is compromised. Francis Cardinal George.
When Catholics are too closely conformed to the spirit of their age, any age, the Gospel is compromised. Francis Cardinal George.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Pope calls to end life sentences?
Catholics pining for an end to the death penalty have put almost all eggs in the 'life sentence' basket. That's because we're not prepared to say 'just let the criminal go, and if he kills, we'll try again.' That was common among the liberal attitudes of the 70s, because the idea was that there were not criminals, only victims of cruel and unjust, oppressive societies. And those who were part of those unjust societies? Well, it was never said, but I always got the impression that there was a sort of 'serves them right' attitude whenever an innocent was killed by a released prisoner for whom rehab hadn't taken hold.
The Death Penalty, in the end, is part of the realization the Church had ages ago that we not only live in a fallen world, but are called to be in the fallen world. Unlike the Amish or monastic communities, most are called to be in this fallen world a light to the world. Salt of the earth and all. Because of this, our heavenward focus had to be tempered with concessions to living in light of the way it is.
Hence, Just War. Hence, the Death Penalty. Hence putting an end to that idealized Church of Acts 2, where all share and none are in need. Some Catholics will have millions. Some will starve. And like the Death Penalty and Just War, this was simply a fact of life. We could try to do it in light of endless layers of Christian teaching. But we had to accept the realities.
Now we have the Church, in light of endless assaults by the post-Christian Left, and to be fair, some left over barbs from Protestants and non-Catholic Christians, trying to revise its old teachings to conform to the expectations of the post-modern world. Just War is almost - almost mind you - a thing of the past. Likewise, the Death Penalty has been under assault for decades.
But now Pope Francis throws in the gauntlet against not just executing prisoners, but imprisoning them for life. In fairness, advocates of the Death Penalty have used this very argument. How is imprisoning a person for life, with no hope of escape but death, any different than executing them? For Catholic legalists, of course, there is a world of difference. In that particular branch of the Church, you can indirectly cause the death of millions, as long as you don't directly cause the death of one guilty person to save them.
But for most, that's not the way it should be. Something about throwing someone into prison for life isn't much better than executing them. Assuming the generally implicit universalism in the modern Church, there is no concern for saving the prisoner's soul. So no real reason to execute, and yet how to validate keeping them in prison for life?
Enter Pope Francis. Not just do we ban the Death Penatly, but we ban life sentences, too. Which is, in fairness, consistent. But it opens up a problem. Are we advocating the old liberal notion that if a person kills again, we'll just try again? We have loved Bonnie and Clyde, but have hated Ozzie and Harriet?
And if not, how do we reconcile the radical discipleship that says 'if the innocent be like to die, then so be it, we'll just try again', with a Church that still allows us the creature comforts and luxuries of commercialism and affluence while our fellows starve in the mud around the world. That, to me, is the challenge.
For if the Church builds a radical discipleship on 'by the degree to which I'm willing to let others die so I can live in comfort have I displayed my righteousness', then I can't help but think we're entering into a new period of history destined to once more give Jesus a couple black eyes and take the Gospel, yet again, down a notch or two in the eyes of the world.
The good news is that Pope Francis may be pushing for a completely radical discipleship that will soon challenge the non-Acts 2 approach of living out the faith in addition to such favorites as capital punishment and Just War. Whether Catholics will hear all of it, or just the portions that help them win arguments on the blogosphere, has yet to be seen.
The Death Penalty, in the end, is part of the realization the Church had ages ago that we not only live in a fallen world, but are called to be in the fallen world. Unlike the Amish or monastic communities, most are called to be in this fallen world a light to the world. Salt of the earth and all. Because of this, our heavenward focus had to be tempered with concessions to living in light of the way it is.
Hence, Just War. Hence, the Death Penalty. Hence putting an end to that idealized Church of Acts 2, where all share and none are in need. Some Catholics will have millions. Some will starve. And like the Death Penalty and Just War, this was simply a fact of life. We could try to do it in light of endless layers of Christian teaching. But we had to accept the realities.
Now we have the Church, in light of endless assaults by the post-Christian Left, and to be fair, some left over barbs from Protestants and non-Catholic Christians, trying to revise its old teachings to conform to the expectations of the post-modern world. Just War is almost - almost mind you - a thing of the past. Likewise, the Death Penalty has been under assault for decades.
But now Pope Francis throws in the gauntlet against not just executing prisoners, but imprisoning them for life. In fairness, advocates of the Death Penalty have used this very argument. How is imprisoning a person for life, with no hope of escape but death, any different than executing them? For Catholic legalists, of course, there is a world of difference. In that particular branch of the Church, you can indirectly cause the death of millions, as long as you don't directly cause the death of one guilty person to save them.
But for most, that's not the way it should be. Something about throwing someone into prison for life isn't much better than executing them. Assuming the generally implicit universalism in the modern Church, there is no concern for saving the prisoner's soul. So no real reason to execute, and yet how to validate keeping them in prison for life?
Enter Pope Francis. Not just do we ban the Death Penatly, but we ban life sentences, too. Which is, in fairness, consistent. But it opens up a problem. Are we advocating the old liberal notion that if a person kills again, we'll just try again? We have loved Bonnie and Clyde, but have hated Ozzie and Harriet?
And if not, how do we reconcile the radical discipleship that says 'if the innocent be like to die, then so be it, we'll just try again', with a Church that still allows us the creature comforts and luxuries of commercialism and affluence while our fellows starve in the mud around the world. That, to me, is the challenge.
For if the Church builds a radical discipleship on 'by the degree to which I'm willing to let others die so I can live in comfort have I displayed my righteousness', then I can't help but think we're entering into a new period of history destined to once more give Jesus a couple black eyes and take the Gospel, yet again, down a notch or two in the eyes of the world.
The good news is that Pope Francis may be pushing for a completely radical discipleship that will soon challenge the non-Acts 2 approach of living out the faith in addition to such favorites as capital punishment and Just War. Whether Catholics will hear all of it, or just the portions that help them win arguments on the blogosphere, has yet to be seen.
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