Saturday, March 08, 2025

"The fundamental weaknesses of Western civilization is empathy." (Elon Musk, 2025)

 


On the problem of empathy.

On the problem of empathy. That was the title of Edith Stein's dissertation/book, first published in 1916. Stein a German philosopher, was a Jewish woman who embraced Catholicism, entering the Discalced Carmelites not long after her baptism, where she lived a contemplative life until her arrest and murder by the Nazis in Auschwitz. For the sake of brevity I'll lift some quotes from other sources to help define Stein's theory, in order to contrast it with something Elon Musk said regarding empathy, which has garnered so much attention.
"The fundamental weakness of Western Civilization is empathy."
- Elon Musk
As someone on X pointed out, that's very similar to Nazi propaganda. Jon Schwarz: "Elon Musk's statement on Joe Rogan that "The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy, the empathy exploit" is straight out of a 1942 Joseph Goebbel's column titled "Don't Be Too Fair!""
First of all, what does empathy mean?
>Empathy is an immediate and structural part of being human.<
>Empathy as a phenomenon of the experience of others
The term ’empathy’ was created in 1872 from the German word Einfühlung, which means ‘to feel within oneself’. Under the direction of Edmund Husserl, Edith Stein, in her doctoral thesis entitled The Problem of Empathy (1915)[1] , explored this topic from the perspective of “the phenomenology of perception”[2] . According to Stein, the relevance of this approach lies in the possibility of “penetrating into their essence”[3] the phenomena of reality, starting from their perception (sensory and intellectual), and then from their manifestation to human consciousness[4] . In other words, ‘it is a question of understanding and knowing the reality that surrounds us in all its “phenomena”‘[5] .
In the light of her studies, Stein defines empathy as ‘those fundamental inner acts that enable one person to perceive the experience of another’[6] . Or it is the “capacity to experience what the other person is experiencing”[7] . From a phenomenological point of view, empathy thus allows one to penetrate, describe, understand what is happening within oneself in the face of another’s experience[8] , in relation to the motivations, feelings and values of the other .[9]< - Fr. Mario Boies, C.Ss.R.
Stein's work and the subject matter is too dense and beyond my competence to do an entire post about the subject. Suffice it to know, empathy is what makes us human. Musk and the New Right, Catholics among them, see it as weakness. Who can forget clergy and laity reacting to Pope Francis' calls to care about others, to recognize the humanity of others? To be kind. To show mercy. They called it "the church of nice". They have become easy prey of the New Right, Trumpism/MAGA and Musk.
You who look for the Antichrist should remember what John said about that. In 1 John 2:18–19, “Children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come..." Many have come, many are here. So many, even the elect may be led astray and not know it. To be sure, it is not the Pope.
I came across this as well: Hannah Arendt: “The death of human empathy is one of the earliest and most telling signs of a culture about to fall into barbarism.”
We see it here and especially in Ukraine. As well as Gaza - where on earth have a people been so de-humanized and literally exterminated than Gaza. With wicked plans to make the place a luxurious resort for the wealthy elite. The cold hearted exploit Gaza, Ukraine and any other country whose citizens they perceive as non-human.
Musk claims are antichrist, antichristian, transhumanist garbage.

March 8, 2025 quote regarding Putin's bombardment today:

“He’s doing what anyone else in his place would.” That is, committing crimes against humanity. There is the new U.S. in a single sentence. Trump not only understands but has empathy for the need of the aggressor to commit aggression.



The War in Ukraine and the Errors of Russia

 


+Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God.+

[Editor's Note: I am reposting this from my FB page here, since I intended it to post on the blog for my archives. The information does not add to nor detract from the official documents of Sr. Lucia nor the Holy See regarding the events at Fatima, nor is there any link to the so-called Fatimist conspiracy theories or traditionalists with their claims of a different message/secrets and so on. Bishop Sus adds nothing to the the message either - he simply explains how the Church in Ukraine understands the relevance of Our Lady's message to the current war.]

Something Dawn Eden Goldstein wrote.

Dawn Eden Goldstein did a series of posts recently regarding Fatima. Normally Fatima isn't discussed very much online, among some academics and those who accept Magisterial definitions of the 1917 Apparitions and subsequent message. This may be due in part to a few traditional groups who reject Vatican authority and conclusions regarding details of the events. Frequently, they reject the Pope as well as Vatican II reforms, yet remain in communion with Rome.
Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised Dawn thought of the message of Fatima in relationship to 'the errors of Russia' in the current climate of aggression and influence Putin exerts over the West and in particular, our current President and the Administration he has set up.
Dawn was a guest at the Prayer Breakfast VP Vance spoke at last week. Her posts on X formed her response to that encounter.
> I was present at
@JDVance's speech yesterday at the
@NatCathPrBrkfst
.And I watched later as Vance belied his pious peacemaking pose by berating the president of the country that Pope Francis has repeatedly called "martyred Ukraine" (https://vaticannews.va/.../pope-on-ukraine-war-a-painful...).
>[ Specific remark from Trump War Room regarding the speech:
Feb 28
Vice President @JDVance: “When President Trump talks about the need to bring peace, whether it’s in Russia and Ukraine or in the Middle East, we have to recognize that as a policy oriented toward saving lives and carrying out one of Christ's most important Commandments.” Vance's address was on the importance of protecting religious liberty.]<
Responding to his statement explaining that he was still learning about Catholicism, although the door was open to talk with him, Dawn wrote that she would like to tell him about the Third Secret of Fatima.
I was pleasantly surprised Dawn brought that up online, especially since I feel it remains relevant in our day. I believe Pope Francis does as well, as did Pope Benedict.
Dawn posted some excerpts of the secret with links to the Holy See documentation. She quoted Sr. Lucia, one of the seers, now deceased, who decades later wrote: "The 3rd part of the secret is ...conditioned by whether we accept or not what the Message itself asks of us. ... Since we did not heed this appeal of the Message, we see that it has been fulfilled; Russia has invaded the world with her errors. ..." If we have not yet seen [the prophecy's complete fulfillment], we are going towards it little by little with great strides, if we do not reject the path of sin, hatred, revenge, injustice, violations of the rights of the human person, immorality & violence, etc. ..."
I let Dawn know I thought she was right in making the connection between Fatima and current events regarding Russian aggression and expansion, not to mention 'infiltration' in the West. (I for one believe it has been going on since the onset of the Cold War.)

Notes from an interview with an Archbishop.

That said - this is one long introduction to what a Ukranian Archbishop had to say, pointing to Fatima, suggesting we are now seeing fulfillment of aspects of what the Blessed Virgin foretold at Fatima and later, to Lucia in the Monastery.
From Bishop Stepan Sus, Curial Bishop of Kyiv-Halyč, Ukraine, Titular Bishop of Zygris:
Bishop Sus: First of all, we understand that Russia will not respect our Church. We see that from what is happening in the occupied territories. The Ukrainian Catholic Church was expelled from the territories. The priests were persecuted or imprisoned, so it means that for Russia, respect for other churches, respect for human dignity and life in a democracy do not exist. We don’t relate to Russian points of view, and so we hope that Ukraine will stay, and we will defend ourselves as much as we can. For the last few years, Russian forces moved very slowly in the Donbas area, and we lost approximately 15% of our territory. But we hope that that will be the end of this war.
Ukrainians are praying every day for peace. That’s our main intention because we understand that prayer is the weapon of Christians. We need to defend ourselves, our families and our homes, but at the same time, the most successful weapon of the faithful is prayer. We pray a national rosary on our Ukrainian Catholic television every evening at eight. It is live, with approximately 550,000 people gathering to pray. Everyone understands that it is necessary to pray and ask God for peace and pray for our soldiers, wounded soldiers and civilian people, and also pray for our migrants, people who had to leave their homes.
For us, this message of the Virgin Mary of Fatima (ie, the errors of Russia) is, of course, some sign to understand the conditions of this war. If the Virgin Mary talked about the conversion of somebody or nations, it means that this group of people can bring something dangerous, something not acceptable for us, and could be a source of evil. Our soldiers who were captured experienced torture and other terrible things. One soldier mentioned that he saw the real face of evil. I understand that today, evil has a human mask so that we can have different imaginations of evil, and sometimes the source of evil can be human beings. So that might be the vision that Mary foresaw with this war, which is caused by Russia. Russians say that they want to reestablish the Soviet Union, but from a new point of view, like the Russian world, which is dangerous because everybody knows how it was.< - Bishop Stepan Sus

I've always agreed with Sr. Lucia's statement, " If we have not yet seen [the prophecy's complete fulfillment], we are going towards it little by little with great strides." It seems to me we are there.

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Sharing a comment on the new "Golden Age"

This is for my archives and reference.  It's pertinent to what is happening these days.


 Ron Park

Fr. Seraphim Rose cautioned against the allure of the so-called "Golden Age," a concept popularized by the Theosophical Society and deeply embedded in New Age ideology. This idea gained further traction through Marilyn Ferguson's The Aquarian Conspiracy, which drew inspiration from Carl Jung's promotion of the Age of Aquarius. These movements collectively frame the Golden Age as a utopian era of spiritual enlightenment and harmony within the existing world.
Fr. Seraphim Rose, heavily influenced by René Guénon's The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the Times, critiqued this notion. Guénon's work, while not written from an Orthodox Christian perspective, served as a prophetic analysis of modernity's descent into materialism and spiritual deception. Guénon emphasized the importance of authentic Tradition and was highly critical of the syncretistic mysticism promoted by Helena Blavatsky and the Theosophical movement.
From an Orthodox Christian viewpoint, the "Golden Age" represents a chiliastic, utopian delusion—a counterfeit hope that aligns with the goals of the Beast and the Antichrist. This so-called Pax Mundi, sought by many as a form of "Heaven on Earth" utopia, deviates from true eschatology.
Orthodox belief does not envision an earthly paradise but looks forward to "a new heaven and a new earth," for Christ’s reign is not of this cosmos.
This is an excerpt from Heiromonk Damascene's biography of Fr. Seraphim Rose:
"The modern partisans of progress, Guénon asserted, are deluded in expecting a “golden age” to dawn within the present time cycle. “Their error,” he (Rose) wrote, “in its most extreme form, will be that of the Antichrist himself when he claims to bring the ‘golden age’ into being through the reign of the ‘counter-tradition,’ and when he even gives it an appearance of authenticity, purely deceitful and ephemeral though it be, by means of a counterfeit of the traditional idea of the Sanctum Regnum.”
Let us not forget that while Trump has restored a sense of order and growth to the American nation by countering some of the disintegration caused by the Radical Left, he is also backed by some of the most powerful technocratic oligarchs in the world. These figures, ironically, share the same ultimate goal as the World Economic Forum’s technocratic "Reset." A glance at Klaus Schwab's writings reveals that the transhumanist ideologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution align closely with the ambitions of figures like Musk, Zuckerberg, and Bezos. These individuals collectively control social media, e-commerce, algorithmic advertisment, drone technology, space exploration, robotics, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, virtual/augmented reality, automated vehicles, and the Internet of Things.
While the technocrats initially sought to achieve their "Final Revolution" through the ideologies of wokeism, sustainability, inclusivity, and equity—leveraging their political alliances with classical liberals—they have now shifted their alignment to the Right, with Trump fully supporting them.
These forces play either side, depending on who holds the reins of power.
Be warned: as long as Trump continues to empower these technocrats and transhumanists, the very same "Beast system" they were building through the Left will still come to fruition, albeit through an authoritarian and Nationalistic guise, feeding off American Jingoism.

Saturday, November 09, 2024

The Fall - Their punishment from God was to endure suffering in life.



Post-election thoughts.

This will sound crazy, but I'm really not upset about the election or Trump's triumph. Somewhat bewildered, to be sure - but using one of Obama's favorite aphorisms, 'it is what it is'. Nothing I can do about it. I'm one of those who never forgot January 6th - I watched it happen - live. I also consider Trump to be a conman and Carpetbagger businessman who consorts with enemy governments and maybe even shares National Security information with 'friendly' dictators. In other words, I voted against him out of concern for the Constitution, the rule of law/judicial system, and support of NATO. Now the majority has spoken, Trump is POTUS and I accept that. It is what it is.

I believe it is mistaken to have called Trump a Nazi or a Hitler - or even a Fascist. Perhaps those around him know what that means and can be identified as such, but Trump isn't an ideologue. I think Trump could easily go the dictator route - that's how he ran his business. Ironically, some of his supporters claim to be open to that - so I do see some parallels to the German/Italian political scene in the 1930's. (Ironically because, Catholics among them - who accuse the Pope of being a dictator, are on board.) That said, I think absolute monarch would be his choice, if he wished - but I think he'll stick to POTUS.
We will know soon enough what he is if he goes through with the purges he has suggested, taking vengeance on those who betrayed him and how he plays along with Putin. In the meantime, the court cases will be thrown out, DOJ will drop charges, he will be pardoned by himself if needed, January 6 convicts will be pardoned and after all of that, we have a chance at a new normal.
I think Harris lost it with her support for trans issues in prisons, unlimited abortion, gay/drags/SS marriage and that one interview on the View, when she said she couldn't think of anything she'd do differently from Biden. Ordinary people are sick of woke. Ordinary people are feeling the pinch of inflation. So they voted for Trump. They consider him as the one who will save the United States, chosen by God. Indeed, after so many Rosary novenas, it does seem so.
God alone is God, Jesus Christ is our only salvation - here we have no lasting city.
Putting on my Bayside/Fatima Blue Beret, I'll tell what I think Trump and the MAGA regime might be. Trump may be an instrument of chastisement.* If he cancels woke projects, regulates health and human services, women's reproductive rights and so on, that's going to hurt. Since Roe v Wade we've been a rather permissive, even debauched society - not that anything's wrong with that - to steal a phrase from Seinfeld. Yet when freedoms are selectively limited, people are going to feel the pain - all of us are going to feel 'chastised'.

If Trump's bromance with Putin grows stronger, chances are it is going to be worse.
Having said that, even if all of that comes true, we have to realize people have come through it in the past and elsewhere in our own day. I think of JPII and Benedict XVI growing up under Nazism, then JPII under Communism.

“All are punished” - Romeo & Juliet, Act 5, Scene 3

*And let us not say that it is God who is punishing us in this way; on the contrary it is people themselves who are preparing their own punishment. In his kindness God warns us and calls us to the right path, while respecting the freedom he has given us; hence people are responsible”. - Sr. Lucia of Fatima

Sunday, October 27, 2024

A Woman's World.

 


Gold Dust Woman

I never paid much attention to what I considered the political aspect of pro-choice, knowing that I was completely against abortion, especially for convenience. That is a rather smug, dismissive POV however.
I was listening to an interview with Stevie Nicks this morning and was a bit surprised at her reasons for getting an abortion. It would have complicated her relationship with her former lovers and would have interrupted her career. Her success wouldn't exist if she had chosen birth. I've heard several other stories now since the political fight is currently focused upon women's reproductive rights - at the expense of the child in the womb. The trade off, sacrifice a human being for temporal riches, success, independence, whatever - that's rather gruesome. It's also completely pagan.
Like I said, I try not to think about it, since women claim it is their choice. Eve was never so bold, blaming instead, the serpent who tricked her. Harris had a group of doctors at one of her last rallies - they all do abortions. For me the visual was rather sci-fi-horror. (The Nazis were never so bold.) Of course it was to emphasize that doctors run the danger of getting arrested for what they do, if abortion is outlawed. So, what do they do? What is an abortion? When I see photos of the end product, I'm repulsed, a bit terrified that we can do that to yet-unborn, human beings, and I look away, never wanting to see an image like that again. Nevertheless, I know a human being has been slaughtered, legally. It's considered a human right.
Somehow, we've numbed ourselves to this reality - we've anesthetized ourselves to the truth.
"Because of the increase of evil, the love of most will grow cold"

Sunday, October 20, 2024

Now it is referred to as 'complicated grief'.

 



"My eyes sought him everywhere, but they did not see him; and I hated all places because he was not in them, because they could not say to me, 'Look, he is coming,' as they did when he was alive and absent." - St. Augustine

Sunday, October 13, 2024

But who can detect all of his errors?



To suffer and be despised. - St. John of the Cross

Even when we deserve it - when our lies are all found out.  Not only as the result of an examination of conscience, but even when our neighbor may convict us of some hidden sin.  Perhaps an 'enemy' will call us out. Only when we are 'down and they're counting - When your secrets all found out...'  . might we come to recognize our hidden faults.  The upside of all of this is the favor those who accuse and despise us do for our souls.  I often remind myself, even though it hurts at times:  If a good man reproves me, it is kindness.  As well as: Faithful are the wounds of a friendprofuse are the kisses of an enemy. - Proverbs 27:6

From my hidden faults acquit me O Lord.

The Psalms tell the story - which is why they are so helpful for us to pray - not just recite.  It is also why self-knowledge is so important for us at every stage of our life - it is a necessary part of our 'purgation' or purification.

Sin speaks to the sinner
in the depths of his heart
There is no fear of God
before his eyes.
He so flatters himself in his mind
that he knows not his guilt. - Ps. 36


"Sin speaks to the sinner in the depths of his heart ... he so flatters himself in his mind that he knows not his guilt."  Like I said, we have an immense capacity for self delusion.  Which is why it is so advantageous for us to allow ourselves to be taught, to be corrected, even to be despised.

It is the Holy Spirit who convinces us and the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgement.

It's important to remember that the Lord accompanies us in and through these meditations in the deepest recesses of the cell of self-knowledge, as St. Catherine might say.  He was there when we knew not our sins and he is there when we uncover them, as it were.  We need to understand this so as not to get discouraged, even though we can say:


My sins so overcome me,
so that I can no longer see.
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head; 
my courage fails me. - Ps. 40


We need to trust in the Divine Mercy, as we struggle to  'lay aside every encumbrance of sin which clings to us'.  Confidence and love.

O Eternal Word, Word of my God, I want to spend my life in listening to You, to become wholly teachable that I may learn all from You. Then, through all nights, all voids, all helplessness, I want to gaze on You always and remain in Your great light. O my beloved Star, so fascinate me that I may not withdraw from Your radiance. - Prayer of Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity

 

But who can detect all of his errors?
From hidden faults acquit me.

From presumption restrain your servant
and let it not rule me.
Then shall I be blameless,
clean from grave sin.

May the spoken words of my mouth,
the thoughts of my heart,
win favor in your sight, O Lord,
my rescuer, my rock! - Ps. 18


Sunday, October 06, 2024

An update.




I've been trying to get back to writing, but I never do, save for blurbs on Facebook which I inevitably remove.  The blog here requires too much time - so I tell myself.

I've let lots of commentary slip away, pretty much simply observing what goes on and reading differing opinions to somehow get to the truth of things - or the reality behind the theories and hearsay.  It's kind of amazing how easy it is to just let controversie come and go, without any need to comment. Watching while several inch closer and closer to virtual schism upon schism.  Most recently, a monastery of Discalced nuns transferred all their assets to a lay board of directors (how Teresian), jumped ship and signed on with the SSPX.  Most likely thanks to Vigano fear mongering about Cor Orans and 'supression' of the Latin Mass.  Awesomely misguided.

Although, I dare to say attitudes like that exist in my archdiocese - I'm sure.  Especially since my support for Pope Francis and his reforms is so well known, not a few of my friends have suddenly gone silent and I've no contact with those I corresponded with on a regular basis, via phone or email.  The religious among them have definitely stepped away, one or two making sarcastic comments about the blog.  Though subtle, it was enough to discourage my continuing to document my experiences and observations - which is always a good way for me to sort things out - writing helps me think - or know what I think.  One fellow implied I was attempting spiritual direction here.  That has never been my intent.

I expect my criticism over the years may have hit home with a few.  One priest, also a client told me he liked what I wrote but told me I was wrong about a few things - I have no doubt I misspoke on many occasions.  Sadly, he never told me what I was wrong about.  I know I've always had strong opinions on start-up religious orders and their peculiarities, as well as my agreement with the Pope on the need for oversight and accountability, so I try not to discuss those things publicly anylonger, hence my neglect of the blog.

I do want to say that it seems to me the so-called crisis in the Church, especially as it concerns Vatican II, the Liturgical reforms and the renewal of religious life, reminds me of Job's trial of faith.  Last week the first readings at Mass were from the Book of Job.  It seems to me those critics of the Pope, especially his bishops and priests, are not only acting like Job's friends, but in the meantime, they/we are missing an opportunity to follow the example of Job, when he was afflicted and everything was taken from him.  How do we not see the Lord's hand in all of this?  It is His Church after all. 

Is there any faith left on earth?

Then Job answered the LORD and said:


I know that you can do all things,*

and that no purpose of yours can be hindered.


“Who is this who obscures counsel with ignorance?”

I have spoken but did not understand;

things too marvelous for me, which I did not know.a


“Listen, and I will speak;

I will question you, and you tell me the answers.”


By hearsay I had heard of you,

but now my eye has seen you.*


Therefore I disown what I have said,

and repent in dust and ashes. - Job 42


Thursday, June 20, 2024

Vigano! Vigano Announces The Start of His Extrajudicial Criminal Trial for Schism.



Finally!

The DDF is acting.  Vigano has wreaked so much havoc and animosity among Catholics, this action is necessary.  He has misled priests, bishops, cloistered nuns and traditionalist Catholics.  He's contaminated the Catholic collective consciousness with his venomous attacks against the Pope, the Magisterium, Vatican II and especially the Liturgical Rites of the Church, Holy Mass in particular.  This indictment arrives none too soon.  Praise God.

BTW, Denying an Ecumenical Council is an act of Schism.

𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗷𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘀𝗺 (art. 2 SST; can. 1364 CIC)
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has informed me, with a simple email, of the initiation of an extrajudicial penal trial against me, with the accusation of having committed the crime of schism and charging me of having denied the legitimacy of “Pope Francis” of having broken communion “with Him” and of having rejected the Second Vatican Council. I have been summoned to the Palace of the Holy Office on June 20, in person or represented by a canon lawyer. I assume that the sentence has already been prepared, given that it is an extrajudicial process.
I regard the accusations against me as an honor. I believe that the very wording of the charges confirms the theses that I have repeatedly defended in my various addresses. It is no coincidence that the accusation against me concerns the questioning of the legitimacy of Jorge Mario Bergoglio and the rejection of Vatican II: the Council represents the ideological, theological, moral, and liturgical cancer of which the Bergoglian “synodal church” is the necessary metastasis.



Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Back to the Blog

 

Christ showing his wounds.


I've been posting on FB long enough.


No matter what I post there, be it personal or commentary on current events in the Church and the world, I manage to upset someone or draw mockery - especially from Catholics who can be incredibly hostile and blind to goodness.  So I post and add commentary, only to remove it.  I still keep the posts because it's a convenient archive for when I return to blogging.  That time is now.

Yesterday I remembered my dad's birthday and noted how my feelings have changed about him, as well as sorrow for my holding a grudge against him.  I was documenting a kind of breakthrough in my relationship with him, yes - after all of these years.  I was thinking of writing more.

Then my brother intrudes with a rebuke that I always bring up the past and tells me to stop.  It was exactly the type of response I used to get from my parents, my older brother and his friends.  It was how they reacted to my attempts at painting, writing - even the books I read.  It was then and is now dismissive and disrespectful, despite their 'good intentions'.

It's why I moved away from home, from family, from the neighborhood.  It's why I'm back here on the blog



I have a project, which will never be finished, but which I must continue to work on, to document until I'm no longer able to do so.

It’s not that you don’t love them anymore.
You’re trying to remember something
too important to forget.
Trees. The monastery bell at twilight.
Tell them you have a new project.
It will never be finished.

When someone recognizes you in a grocery store
nod briefly and become a cabbage.
When someone you haven’t seen in ten years
appears at the door,
don’t start singing him all your new songs.
You will never catch up.

- Naomi Shiab Nye