Not a good look:
This morning in DC pic.twitter.com/UswA8Bpx8z
— Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) June 19, 2021
We always knew that Liberalism is a religion or cult, but now it turns out it's an aggressively imperialistic one as well. Following the US Catholic bishops vote on abortion supporters who claim to be Catholic ...
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted Friday to create draft guidelines on the meaning of Communion that could eventually bar people who express support for abortion from receiving the Eucharist.
prominent Dems--including some who don't even claim to be believers-- are spinning out of control with claims to dictate who can receive the Eucharist. My guess is that among fair minded Americans of any faith, or no faith at all, this will simply add to the growing view of Dems as radical and intolerant. One more indication that Dems are at war with all things normal. Here's what it comes down to:
Objective truth exists.
— Anna James Zeigler (@ajzeigler) June 19, 2021
This is the crux of their anger. The Catholic Church is the latest target. Men are men. Women are women. God is God, we are not, and babies are innocent and deserve protection. Nothing changes any of this, not your anger or your tweets.
If the bishops play this right--that's a huge if!--they could win big. Recent polling suggests that three quarters of Catholics who actually practice some form of their faith--as in, attend a church--support the bishops on this (polling details here). Presumably those are also the people who contribute financially, rather than the people who simply "identify as." The Catholic Church in America has generated some considerable good will over the past year by keeping their schools open, operating, and safe during the Covid Panic. If the bishops double down on that by giving the appearance of believing in something and being willing to stand up for their beliefs, they might be pleasantly surprised at the support they receive from people of good will generally. Donald Trump had that much figured out so, who knows, maybe even bishops can learn from him.
One can only hope and pray the Bishops follow through.
ReplyDelete0311
You would think that all of the churches (Protestant as well) would have learned by now that the “Those are my principles, and if you don't like them...well I have others” approach does not work. While moral relativism is antithetical to the beliefs of their religion, it also ultimately results in declining attendance, giving, and influence. How refreshing it might be to see any of them effectively say "Here I stand" on biblical principles.
ReplyDeleteYou would think that, wouldn't you? Some very slow learners out there.
DeleteMany of Jesus' parables describe the church as compromised. This has led to theologians speaking in terms of the visible vs the invisible church.
DeleteIt's aggravating to observe churches compromising one way or another, but all to be expected.
I'm bracing for the obvious elephant in the room to step into this.
ReplyDeleteWith we've seen Rome pull in the past several years I'm guessing the Vatican City Emperor will ultimately save poor Joe from the ridicule.
No offense intended to anyone's religious leanings, I don't have a stake and I'm calling it as I see it.
Right, that's important. OTOH ...
DeleteThe American bishops had already been warned off this approach and took it anyway. That sounds like they've been listening to the pewsitters. Also, the American church may not be in the same financial league with the Germans, but they do have significant financial clout. The Vatican may think twice before stepping in too deep.
Obviously, all spec.
And you are seeing the switches on the fast ball
DeleteThe "Vatican City Emperor" is more likely to be concerned with pleasing the Principessa Mafiosa House Speaker than more ridicule of the cause lost.
DeleteBenedict didn't fare well after all:
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/15125/pope-benedict-strongly-rebukes-pelosi-over-abortion
you are seeing the switches on the fast ball
ReplyDeleteDid you mis-spell "swishes"?
Stitches.
ReplyDeleteMaybe some of them have become Bible believers
ReplyDeleteBible believers? Anyone? Anyone?
ReplyDeleteUs 'fundamentalists' don't await your approval. Nice of you to guarantee my freedom of religion, but if you make my religion illegal I will modify my observance of the law, not my observance of my religion.
ReplyDeleteSeams. When batters are in a groove they see the seams.
ReplyDeleteThe 'institutional' church becomes a little more aligned with the Mystical Body, the real Church. Still a long way to go...
ReplyDeleteThere has been an attempt to fundamentally change The Church for almost a generation. Let's keep praying the traditional arm wins. Pope Francis is towing the line so far (barely) but the pressure is clearly in view. A commenter above mentioned not needing approval to do what we do. He/she has that 100% correct. Sacraments are not up for interpretation.
ReplyDeletePope Francis is towing the line so far for who? Freemasonry, not the Catholic Church. He is a Marxist globalist doing the bidding of the UN. The blood is on his hands for endorsing Biden, Pelosi, and their Marxist agenda. Bergoglio isn't Catholic, nor does he seem to even be Christian. Truth is all or nothing. God promises to vomit out the heretics. Bergoglio's plight has been to profane the sacraments.
DeleteNine to zero:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AeI-rfz2v9Q
Mark, I entered a comment here yesterday. Did it get nuked?
ReplyDeleteFrank
I don't recall anything of the sort.
DeleteWell I tried my comment again. I guess it failed somehow. Maybe too long? It was only 6 short paragraphs... only one link to
Deletehttps://americanmind.org/salvo/the-art-of-spiritual-war/
Frank
I don't know what to tell you. I checked trash to see whether it somehow went there, but there was nothing. Sorry.
DeleteMight as well try once more, splitting in two, just to see if it's length related
DeleteI recently came across an essay "The Art of Spiritual War" by Michael Anton
It's basically about Machiavelli's writings, and his fight with the corrupt church at that time, and the parallels to the fight we have today.
It gave me a whole new appreciation for Machiavelli. I hadn't realized the back story of why he wrote.
Here are some snippets:
"... Machiavelli is, and urges his captains to be, willing to act without authorization (D II 33). They will not be constrained by the scoldings of “the French” nor by the legalisms of the enemy, which are only used against them in bad faith to harm their interests. For Machiavelli in any case, all authority arises from usurpation. He would not flinch from doing what he deemed necessary even in the face of a legitimate authority, but against one that had lost all claim to honor or respect, he counseled no mercy."
Seems Republicans haven't learned this lesson yet.
"It should not be surprising to anyone familiar with his reputation that Machiavelli explicitly recommends fraud (D III 40; cf. II 13), especially against a dishonorable enemy, and always when required by necessity. It’s better to be a hypocrite than a hypocrite’s victim. He flatly rejects noble or principled sacrifices (though he does recommend claiming noble motivations when forced to sacrifice). Good-faith concessions to a bad-faith enemy he considers the height of folly, and also pointless, in that no benefits ever follow. Rather than credit your nobility, the enemy simply pockets the concession and draws up for the next battle."
Sounds like GOP with their good-faith concessions.
"Except, perhaps and in part, to hide your real meaning (D III 35). As bold as Machiavelli is, “his boldness hides his boldness,” Mansfield explains, “for men are not ready to believe that a man who seems bold is bolder than he seems.”
Sounds like someone we all know and love?
"Machiavelli strongly urges his captains to avoid the enemy’s strongholds in favor of attacking its weak points (D II 24). Besieging fortresses is costly and dangerous. The obvious analogy to today is direct assaults on the universities, media, Fortune 500 and especially the feds. Attack and delegitimize them by all means, but indirectly, focusing where the walls are crumbling. Above all, do not directly attack the enemy’s doctrine, which it will defend most furiously."
Delete"Perhaps Machiavelli’s most important advice is: know the truth. If, as he believed, the truth was on his side, then knowing what it is constitutes an enormous advantage. Machiavelli was too wise simply to say “the truth will out” absent human effort. But a rotten edifice propped up on false doctrine can be felled with the truth—only if you know what it is. The contrast between the enemy’s actions and his stated beliefs necessarily requires hypocrisy because of the latter’s lack of correspondence with nature (D III 42). This is another flaw in the enemy’s order of battle that Machiavelli’s clever captains can exploit: arbitrage opportunities abound! Also, pointing out the fakery inherent in the enemy’s metaphysic is very effective at bucking up your side and purging your soldiers’ fears. Necessity may force you to dissimulate to others but you must never lie to yourself (D III 43)."
Gave me a new appreciation for the necessity of people calling out the Dem lies.
"Machiavelli was also willing to accept, and even seek, allies wherever he could, even in unsavory quarters (D III 47). In his time that meant, primarily, “men of little faith.” In appealing to them, he risked confirming the enemy’s worst fears about himself, thus reducing his wider appeal. He also ended up with many allies who did not fully accept nor even fully understand his real doctrine, even who rejected parts of the slimmed-down version. These were prices he was willing to pay for the sake of victory. He counsels being receptive, if cautious, to defectors from the other side (D III 48)—as we should be toward the likes of Greenwald and Taibbi."
https://americanmind.org/salvo/the-art-of-spiritual-war/
Frank
It musta been the length, because the others never showed up in my inbox. It was an interesting article but when I was done I wondered, exactly what is Anton recommending? Know the truth and compromise in order to gain allies? Oh, thanks, never would have occurred to me?
DeleteIt didn't seem that long when it was in my text editor, but on the blog the text is not as wide, but longer. Maybe the blog counts characters. Too bad it doesn't give the user any message re success or failure.
DeleteI think he's saying to use the same dirty tricks as the Dems, fight fire with fire, be hard and unforgiving, forget about this "honor" BS.
"...but against one that had lost all claim to honor or respect, he counseled no mercy."
"Machiavelli explicitly recommends fraud (D III 40; cf. II 13), especially against a dishonorable enemy... It’s better to be a hypocrite than a hypocrite’s victim"
"Good-faith concessions to a bad-faith enemy he considers the height of folly."
"Machiavelli strongly urges his captains to avoid the enemy’s strongholds in favor of attacking its weak points"
It seems all the things Mach. counsels not to do, the Repubs are doing, and v.v. Only Trump, and maybe DeSantis get it right. However, one could argue Trump was too honorable, and therefore lost too much.
Frank
There was something he said that I liked, and it's slipped my mind. I may need to go back and look for it.
Delete