http://www.creativeminorityreport.com/2015/12/for-those-who-held-out-hope-im-sorry.html For Those Who Held Out Hope, I'm Sorry. Now Defend The Faith For those who hoped against hope that the situation with the papacy isn't real, I'm sorry. I understand that you don't want this to be real. I feel the same way. This papacy is a disaster unprecedented in its particulars. If in the past you have even become angry with me for accepting it a little sooner than you did, I understand. But if you still have not faced reality, if you still blame translations and the media, then you must stop the nonsense immediately and face facts. You are cheerleading a Pope who says things, that believes things like this. “Fundamentalism is a sickness that is in all religions,” said the Pontiff, according to the National Catholic Reporter. “We Catholics have some — and not some, many — who believe in the absolute truth and go ahead dirtying the other with calumny, with disinformation, and doing evil. They do evil. I say this because it is my Church.” If you read it in context, it is even worse. He is suggesting an equivalency between those Catholics who believe in absolute Truth (as all Catholics must) and religious fundamentalists from other religions who murder, rape, and behead. The Pope, the Vicar of Christ, suggests that those Catholics in HIS church, that believe in absolute truth are evil fundamentalists. Oh, by the way. The Pope said this on the same day he prayed in a mosque in the direction of Mecca. And by the way, in the same interview, he seemed to suggest that worrying about Africans using condoms to prevent AIDS is like worrying whether Jesus could heal on Saturday. Yeah that. For those who held out hope, I am truly sorry. But it is time to put that behind you and defend the faith.
I don't doubt your fidelity, but I could not disagree more with your approach. I suspect that part of the problem is that this is an internet forum. I cannot see you, hear the tone of your voice, etc. So I am left to my own devices to interpret what you say. And, to be perfectly honest, the apparent lack of humility that comes across (at least to me) in many of your posts -- most particularly those related to the Holy Father -- is astounding. You may be a wonderful, humble defender of the faith in person, but from my perspective, those qualities do not come across here. Quite frankly, you come across to me like a bit of a bully. A sort of "smartest-kid-in-the-class-that-is-going-to-beat-you-into-submission-with-his-superior-intellect-and-knowledge-of-all-things-catholic" type character. To me, that is very off-putting. Here's an idea -- I challenge you this Advent to post something positive about the Pope each time you are compelled to throw up this "solemn nonsense" that you seem so fond of. I, in turn, will do my best to read your posts with a more charitable eye. Perhaps then both of us will grow? Deal?
What I find sad is how people on both sides of the debate are willing to attack the messenger rather than the message. It adds even more confusion to those of us who are already troubled by some pronouncements from Peter's successor. I get that the Pope is concerned about the effects of climate change on places like the Philippines where there are millions of Catholics. I agree completely that weapons manufacturers and their major shareholders are at the root of much of the world's troubles. I agree absolutely that a tiny percentage of the world's population control far too much of the world's wealth and power and have used that wealth and power to displace populations and seriously damage the environment. I suppose that would make me a good Catholic in the Pope's eyes. I don't believe that humans can control the weather. Living in a place with hills caused by sediment left by melting ice thousand or millions of years ago, I just can't accept that climate change is new or man made. I have absolutely no trust in the world's leaders whose lifestyle and mode of travel to a weekend's talks burned more fossil fuels than a small country would in a year. I believe that the Catholic Church has the fullness of revealed truth and has a duty to proclaim those truths no matter what. I suppose that makes me a bad, fundamentalist Catholic in the Pope's eyes. What troubles me most is that, although I believe that the Pope and the Cardinals who are wary of his agenda all believe they are doing what God wants, their words are being used to drive a wedge between Catholics. They all need to wise up. People on this forum also need to wise up to the fact that being troubled by the Pope's peculiarities isn't heresy, and neither is it heresy to try to understand his statements in the context of Church teaching. I think that the Pope needs to stop these interviews when he is clearly exhausted as he journeys back to Rome from his gruelling trips. I also wish that we could see counted among his close friends a few practising Catholics who aren't divorced, gay, single and living as married, etc.
"Master, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for any cause?" Our Lord Jesus Christ: "There's hunger in Judea, so I won't answer that."
We Catholics have the great privilege of holding the absolute truth in our hands. No other faith can lay claim to this. What Pope Francis is saying is that we should never abuse this privlege by using it as a club with which to beat others or to justify the harm and evil this misuse can do by citing tahe tenets of faith. Pope Francis is not diluting the power of absolute truth. He is saying that this power should never be abused. I hope no one on this forum allows intellect without wisdom to undermine their faith in the goodness of Our Holy Father. Thank God for the common sense understanding of his intent and actions that is displayed here by so many. Not only has he said nothing wrong, done nothing wrong, he has done a great deal of good and he will be rewarded. For God has chosen what is foolish in the eyes of the world to confound the wise. Pope Francis has taken the axe to the root of spiritual snobbery and superiotity that leads to alienation, prejudice and persecution. Without diluting the truth he draws others to God and protects these prospects of faith from being dumped on from a great height. This is the only bullshit or as Brian puts it, 'bovine excrement' that we need to worry about. We should never talk down to others from a spiritual hilltop but as St Paul says, "be all things to all peoples so that by all possible means some might be saved." just like Francis.
Googled. Led me to another phrase of Pope Francis that got a whole bunch of people's noses out of joint. No deal then, I take it? I will read your posts more charitably regardless!
What bothers me most about all of this is very simple. I involved myself in this wonderful forum made up of faithful catholics who were "going through the blessed mother to be in a closer relationship with Christ". There are extremely holy and knowledgeable people here led by Padraig, of course. I believe what brings us together is the mystical reality of the Blessed Mother's appearances here on earth. Over and over, she is warning us about sin, its effects, to pray. Sin she has said is the greatest threat to mankind. Not once has she mentioned global warming! Not once. We have a pope going around the world claiming the biggest crisis is the globalists lie of global warming. He is simply not in "tune" with the Blessed Mother. I am also tired of all the spin he gets. It is quite evident that when he wants people to get his point he is very effective. I take him at his word, and for that he has lost me and proven that he is in fact, very fallible.
Francis reminded him that condoms are indeed “one of the methods” for curbing the spread of infection and that “the morality of the Church faces a bit of a predicament here”, as it has to take into account both the need to safeguard people’s lives by preventing them from being infected and to defend a sexuality that is open to the transmission of life. There is no predicament. Condoms do not guarantee protection from disease and infection. You are asking people to play Russian roulette with lives if condom use is pushed. The world needs a moral revolution. Not more condoms.
Pope Benedict came in for serious criticism after claiming on a visit to Africa that the widespread distribution of condoms aggravated rather than attenuated the problem of sexually transmitted diseases & AIDS. http://www.hli.org/resources/condoms-little-known-scientific-facts/
I think this editor made a thoughtful well reasoned response: http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Item/4408/the_offthecuff_and_outoffocus_papacy.aspx .
When the UN social engineers morphed Global warming into "climate change" also included abortion and contraception under the same title. About condoms, while so many are murderd by mass shootings and bombings, a reporter asks about condoms....lol Larry litteral strikes again!
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/new...ot-losing-any-sleep-over-vatican-leaks-trial/ To be honest I have the uneasy feeling that I am one of the, 'Fundamentalist Idolatrist ', Catholics the Holy Father blasts here. I never knew I was a Fundamentalist Idolatrist Catholic before until the Holy Father told me so. No one, has ever used such language before about his sister and brother Catholics in my lifetime. Certainly no Pope ever has. Where there no, 'Fundmentalist Catholics ' when Pope Benedict was in the Chair of Peter? Was there no Fundamentalist Idolators when Pope John Paul was Pope? I was Catholic under their Papacy's none of them ever pointed the finger at me and Orthodox Catholics like me and called me foul names and insulted me? My beliefs are the same Orthodox beliefs they were under previous Pontiffs. How have I suddenly become a Fundamentalist Pharisee? Why of course the problem is that my Orthodox beliefs HAVE NOT CHANGED. That is the problem. I am not keeping up with the progressive times and a very ,very progressive Pope. Ah well! Never mind. I am very,very happy indeed not to keep up with him and his German friends. I am in good company. Padre Pio would have been thought even more of a Pharisee than me, I suspect, so I am in good company. I am getting a little tired of the gross insults and name calling, though. He has not even got the excuse of being drunk when he says such things. It is becoming tiresome.
The summary of his speech is spot on: " Who, exactly, are these violent Catholic “fundamentalists”? What does Francis mean by “fundamentalism” (a much abused and misused term, it should be noted). And since when is it contrary to the Catholic faith to believe and adhere to absolute truth—specifically, to the One who said, “I am the way, the life, and the truth” (Jn 14:6)? And does adherence to the One who is Truth lead to “fundamentalism”? Of course it doesn't—but, again, what is Francis saying? That question is being asked far too often. What, for instance, to make the pope'sNovember 15th remarks (again, off-the-cuff and, apparently, off-the-mark) to a gathering of evangelical Lutherans in Rome? Andrea Gagliarducci summarized it in this way: Pope Francis’ improvised discourse included many deprecating criticisms. Sometimes, theology was considered as (“speeches for theologians”), sometimes he even underestimated the theological issues (“life is larger than interpretations”). The Pope also seemed to under-estimate the reason why Catholics and Lutherans cannot take sacramental Communion together, and he seemed willing to leave the issue open to each person’s conscience. Well, in some ways I feel we are confused as ever. In other ways, we are more confused than ever before. And rather than being confused on a higher level, and about more important things, we are faced with a troubling pattern: scoldings, ambiguities, inconsistencies, mixed messages, imprecisions, thinly veiled insults, and language that is sometimes more imprudent than it is papal. These, in turn, have raised even more questions. I suspect, however, that clear answers will not be forthcoming anytime soon. " Charlie Johnston says that the pope will make one mistake and it may already have been made. I think he owes the catholic community an apology.
Maybe this is what the bible means when it says : “When the Son of man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)
Charlie J. said the pope's blunder happened while he was in the U.S. and Pope Francis is coming into his greatness NOW. Uh-huh.....doot da do....waiting for that greatness.....any day now.....
Here we go!! As fast as a rat our liberal secularists have sniffed it out!! Pope Francis condemns Catholic ‘fundamentalists’ and hints at support for use of condoms against Aids http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/20...and-declares-war-on-catholic-fundamentalists/
I will continue to trust God's promise and stand by our Pope. I had questions early on in his papacy. But upon prayerful reflection and understanding the huge amount of not only fallen away Catholics, but vast numbers of people that just have no understanding or attachment to faith at all, IF God is to bring the greatest tribulation upon the earth since the deluge, then this Pope is the perfect Pope to lead those who have fallen away through the door of Mercy As my wife says, you get more bees with honey. God knows He has we "fundamentalists" . . . it's the progressives and enlightened that He needs brought back into the fold. So, we have Pope Francis slinging honey to attract them in and then let God do the rest . . . Look at it this way: if we had a Pope Benedict who only preached strict doctrine (why did he step down anyway, hmm?) then exactly how many gays, adulterers, and fallen away types would be open to coming back into the church now? No, they'd be even more set in their ways and laughing at the old man with the old world views. But all the polls show that more fallen away types are paying attention now because of Pope Francis. Time to grin and bear it and take one for the team, people. And when it hits the fan, move over in the pew and welcome them back with charity, but also a dose of Truth
