Virtual insanity...
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I think the 45 mil stat is real BTW.
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Especially after this past week. Friends, I hate online fights, okay? Right or wrong - I hate it when the combox turns into a freak show. Sorry - it's just me, not you. Yes I like crazy but sometimes it gets too nuts.
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Sometimes 'true' stories destroy reputations - forever.
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Several years ago a guy I worked with told me about a priest who once put the make on him - the guy told the bishop but the bishop didn't really do anything except send him away to get a Phd.. The priest has some prominence these days. It bugged me all of these years - because whenever I heard the priest's name I wanted to say, 'Hey! Hey! He's, he's...!' What? You see, I can't say anything because "I don't really know, do I? He never hit on me." The story stuck with me however, and bothered me. I never got any relief whatsoever until I began to pray for the priest every day - pray earnestly for him as if he was my favorite priest in the world. The upshot is, I'm pretty much over my issue with the guy - he is not my responsibility.
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Religious people (we, us, you and me) can be worse than devils. I worked at a gossipy little religious gift store a few years ago, where the most Catholic people in town worked and shopped. One day speaking with a priest about a religious group in town, Father told me he didn't trust them because he saw them separating the donations they received for the poor and took the best for themselves. I never forgot it. Every time I hear about them the first thought that pops into my head is that they are dishonest - despite the fact they seem to do wonderful work. I only mention it so that you will get my point about how a negative comment lodges in one's memory. (I know - I'm as guilty as the priest who told me.)
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Around the same time I heard a story about a bishop and some questionable practices with religious groups he gave his imprimatur to. I never forgot that story either. Every time he is in the news - I think of his past mistakes and question his authenticity and authority. (If you've read this blog for a long time, you have probably come across this stuff before.)
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Truth be told.
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Repeating the same story and defending one's right to do so, over and over, is like beating a dead dog. We already shot the dog when we first posted the story - we made sure it was dead the second time when we backed it up with outside testimony. We keep shooting it with every follow-up comment. That dog has been dead for quite sometime. We told 'our truth' for whatever reason the first time - so just leave it alone. The damage is done. It's out there and some other person will pick it up and tell it again.
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I gotta do something else.
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I have to do something about my participation in all of this however. I keep trying, but I keep failing. What motivates me? Sometimes I don't really know. People who come from similar backgrounds such as my own frequently battle issues connected with trust and respect for authority. When authority is misused or abused we tend to get angry about it - we see it as an injustice. We dislike liars and hypocrites - yet truth be told, upon close examination of conscience, we are not sinless either. Well, I can't speak for anyone else, so let me be clear and simply affirm, I am not sinless either.
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Every one's life is difficult - unless you're on heavy meds - which apparently 45 million Americans are. So in reality, this is really what is insane: Doped up people thinking they are normal.
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Art: Magritte
He is not my responsibility.
ReplyDeleteThat is a very difficult thing to accept, particularly when you no longer have direct contact with him.
As someone who has strugled with PTSD for over 20 years--war-related-I recognize my weakness and my demon as one of the 45 million Americans with a mental health issue...however it is ALSO my responsibility to take proper care of myself, and no one elses..know what triggers me, etc. Far too many folks blow off their meds or their treatments as soon as they start "feeling better".
ReplyDeleteI do not care for the excuse that many have these days for committing crimes based on mental issues...as I said youhave the responsibility to take care of your self and have the right treatment...the really truely wackos should be institutionalized....Brian David Mitchells of the world should not be permitted to walk the streets..
As far as arguements on the blogs...schools--private, public, home-schools, whatever--are not teaching proper speech and debate..arguements are not being presented properly and thought out..personal attacks in an anonymous world such as blogs are only so much grafitti to me....if you can't put a name or a face to your words its only so much tagging...and no one will take you seriously.
Sara
Terry,
ReplyDeleteYou are a good and righteous man who loves God above all else. You want to know the truth above all else. You see wrongs and want to right them. Believe it or not, this is rare - especially on the internet where people get swept up into all kinds of temptations.
I have been meaning to hunt down your email because I wanted to drop you a note to tell you that I was sorry that you got into the middle of that storm because what little I have been here, I knew that it would be very troubling for you. I wasn't sure actually what was going to happen when the tsunami swept in but I was very pleasantly surprised to see that you were able to stand up and be a witness. As the storm swept over us, I wished it had played out over at my own blog but in the end, I believe that God picked your digs for a reason and for His purposes. I am very sorry for whatever grief it brought to you personally though and whatever ways I contributed to any anguish when I pushed back.
The internet is a bit of a cavern, the place where we retreated to when our parishes and schools and dioceses fell. We have too many places where a counterfeit church has been erected. God needs human help to take our parishes and dioceses back to leave the deposit of faith and the tools for their salvation. He can't and won't manipulate or will it from where He is because He left the dynamic of free will to let us choose for ourselves and among ourselves. When and as civilizations fall, He destroys them when they get too far. He is praying for us and doing what He can but He's got to raise the army of people to do what needs to be done and there is a lot of work ahead of us.
What happened was identical to how our parishes have been robbed of everything. There is no venue to seek truth or justice or the teachings of the Church or even the safety of our children. When we do, we are maligned and mis characterized and frenzies whipped up to get others to shun us. If we do not put it out of its misery, we will not make any progress for the next generation.
In order to make progress, the people opposed to truth and righteousness have to do what they are doing and others have to stand up to it with the kind of persistence we haven't had for decades. Strong men took the house and strong men have to take it back.
Being neutral about what is going on for the sake of peace is injustice.
It is not about all of us who are sinners, it is about Our Lord's House into a den of thieves.
I am very sorry that this was so upsetting to you.
Speaking of madness Terry--
ReplyDeleteNot a comment or word on the royal engagement?? :)
I so love the fact that that Katie has Diana's lovely ring..
Sara
The art with this post is magnificent! I want to just keep looking at it!
ReplyDeleteCarol - all is fine and good - it was Henry's fault! LOL! Just kidding.
ReplyDeleteAnyway - Ray, I never knew the guy personally - the priest I mean. But he isn't, nor was he ever my responsibility even if I did know him personally. Priests are bishop's responsibility... sad, huh?
Terry, the problem with these stories is that people put their own spin on everything.
ReplyDeleteSomeone from one of those questionable groups tells things that are not accurate in the least; including that a program was shut down and the group was suppressed after a bad priest was brought to the attention of the Bishop. Because the person lied about other things, both in fact and by implication, I doubt the story of the bad priest is true.
...Priests are the bishop's responsibility...
ReplyDeleteRemember, Bishop's are Priests also.
The Holy Mother is in charge of the formation of Priests as she was in charge of the earthly formation of her Son, the Priest par excellance.
Our Mother likes it when we pray for Priests, whether you know them or not.
Do you know how many Priests you have helped save because you prayed the last Hail Mary they needed to attain forgiveness and salvation?
How many have you stolen from the clutches of Satan by a prayer for them?
I have a mental picture of the highway to Hell.
On that highway, some dang fool has set up a road block and has begun detouring traffic.
The sign with the arrow pointing away from Hell says ‘Abbey Roads, 2 miles. Gas, Food, pleasant conversation.’
Keep up the good work.
Don’t sweat the small stuff.
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I do the same thing. I hear one thing and take it as Gospel and it colors my impression of the person forever. I wish I could make it stop.
ReplyDelete