I would tend to have more reservations about E. Michael Jones than Super Apostle Michael Voris. http://theradtrad.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-voris-jones-affair-part-ii.html
Don't put one's faith in any mere man, but the comments beneath the article are also worth reading and quite revealing. Jones, of course, has a big ego, and one must be aware of that, and he might be guilty of over-use of psychological terms, but as one commentor said, 'one does not bring a knife to a gunfight'. All that does not mean that he hasn't asked some worthwhile questions. Personally, I take both men with a pinch of salt, but Voris with a larger cellar.
Yes. I agree. A deep dive on this subject will take us where we can not bear to go but we need to be awakened to recognize it and call it out and fight it and pray fervently for the protection of children who are so at risk. Liz Crokin has a lot about this on her you tubes and Instagram. She was banned from Twitter. She too seems a little over the top but I think when you know what she knows (and maybe Voris too) you come across as over the top. (I have not watched the Vortex link. I can hardly bear to know these things let alone hear details)
There is a danger in thinking that since I know more, then I know better. The most frequent judgment I hear concerning priests is that you shouldn't approach them concerning a marital difficulty; what do they know as a celibate? Raw knowledge, even experience, of themselves can't compare with the wisdom which comes from the Holy Spirit. Circumstances change; it is the unruly heart which needs to be converted. Paul writes: "Knowledge puffs up; love builds up!"
Rejecting a priest's view on marriage is comparable to rejecting the advice of a doctor on the grounds that he is still alive-if a doctor had to advise upon illnesses on the basis of his own personal experience, he'd have to be quickly dead.
Unfortunately it has happened there That is why we have screens in the confessionals. This was a problem way back. I always thought the screens were for privacy, but they were actually to create a physical barrier between the penitent and the priest for the penitents protection. In my opinion they should go back to screen-only confessionals for this reason.
I think there are problems with E. Michael Jones, G. Michael Voris and most other news agencies and commentators. The key here is to take the good and leave the bad. We live in an extremely sinful age, so why should we expect any of these people to be perfect? God can use anyone willing to try to make themselves available to his Grace. When one of these relatively minor characters starts attacking one of the other ones, it really just makes them look petty. It seems more ax-grinding to me rather than something spiritually helpful to the faithful, who are confused enough at this point.
I think one good thing about these very,very difficult subjects is that I find it keeps me very humble. I understand very rapidly I have not got all the answers. Maybe no answers at ll ..apart from prayer. It seems so clear that the only way to solve this is with the Church as a whole pitching in. Not just the priests, not just the Bishops, not just the laypeople , not just the Vatican but everyone. On the other hand sometimes when I listen to prominent bloggers and commentators they seem so certain , they seem to have all the answers; it does make me wonder where they got all the answers from? There is one thing I would be nervous of if I was them. Popularity. Of looking over my shoulder at how popular I am, of what kind of readership, of how many people are, 'Following', me. Frankly of the money trail too. Popularity brings money. I suspect sometimes this might skew things people being what we are. Sometimes I would like it if people in the big time were a little more..well tentative, not coming across so strong. Being a little more uncertain if you like. Doing more listening than ..well.. hectoring. Displaying a little more humility perhaps. But then I suppose being a little uncertain would not boost the viewing figures. I do wonder sometimes if some kind of unstated popularity contest is not being waged in the background.
You know in the old days before the internet I always preferred newpapers and magazines that did not purport to give me all the answers; I preferred those that gave me some good questions. The internet has not changed this. I am a little wary of folks with all the answers.
Since Voris is an admitted former active homosexual he is hyper sensitive to weeding it out of the church since he turned back. It is likely good to have some hound dogs keeping the pressure up but I pretty much stopped watching any of his videos. They are always the same and will continue to be I'm sure. He's so focused on these few issues he provides essentially zero faith based motivation or inspiration. There is a heir of pride I can't get past which is surprising comsidering his own past.
Rock star priests and rock star journalists are in dangerous territory. This fame and adulation have brought down many an otherwise good person. Fame is corrupting. The offer by the devil to Jesus in the desert shows us this.
I should have added that I assumed Voris was talking about child sex abuse in the culture not just in the Church. I didn't listen to the video so I shouldn't have commented. Liz Crokin is on a mission to save children from sexual predators from Hollywood to DC to churches etc. I really cant listen to Michael Voris. He is too strident for me. E. Michael Jones is a bit hard as well.
I prefer the text, as well, although some people learn more readily from a video. You correctly pointed out the flaws inherent in video learning. I also find it difficult to stay still and watch an entire video, although I try to watch at least some of the ones that are highly recommended. I flat out abhor the Taylor Marshall split-screen videos. Sorry.
No need to apologise. Video, like television and cinema, is at best an inferior medium. Best to stick to prose and poetry.
In this age of very public personas and the incessant narcissism that erupts as a result it is pretty much par for the course. Both of them have done some good work I think. I find Jones to be a bit less of the tunnel vision sort pertaining to any particular subject but that's just my opinion. They both have extremely strong personalities.
We’ve had decades of appeasement and acceptance. Enough. Thank God for men of fortitude like Voris who are willing to stand in the face of evil and call it out for what it is. Evil. If we had had bishops who would’ve stood in the gap and taught Truth with the same fortitude as Voris, we wouldn’t be where we are today. But the devil has spread his smoke and diabolical disorientation rules the day. Good on Voris, enough is enough.
Predator priests will find a way to prey even with all these rules that dioceses around the country have put in place. This video is a case in point. We personally have one from just one year ago. A teenage boy can still go to a priest alone for confession and spiritual direction. That priest can take a vulnerable boy down a very wrong path. In our case it wasn't pedophelia but it was a type of grooming that was quite detrimental to him at the time. That happened with one of our sons and it didn't stop until we threatened legal action. The more I've reflected on this situation, the more suspicious I am that this 'traditional' priest is most likely gay. He's following the same modus operandi with other boys my son is in touch with with absolutely no reprecussions. There has been no real reform yet in my opinion and it's because many of our bishops as well as our priests are homosexuals. This is the #1 problem in the Church. The homosexual crisis in the Church in the early 2000's solved nothing. Look at the case of Cardinal McCarrick, the most powerful bishop in the US. Pope Benedict ordered that he live a a private life of penance for all his homosexual dalliances with young seminarians. Pope Francis, knowing this full well, rehabilitated McCarrick as a prominent cardinal. Or look at how powerful Father James Martin has become under the approving eye of Cardinal Cupich of Chicago. As Rosary Wielder said, Michael Voris is simply exposing the mechanics of how homosexual priests seduce vulnerable prey. If this video helps parents better protect their sons, I say Amen and thank you Michael Voris for exposing reality. Unfortunately Catholic parents of sons need to be extremely vigilant still . I am very grateful for my wise, strong husband.
