I think many people online, especially those on the 'minor sites' may be mentally ill. Others may be so isolated, enclosed or entrenched by some form of idiosyncratic ecclesiology, that they are unable to tolerate reality, control their anger, or recover from some sense of betrayal. In what I can only interpret as desperation, they lash out at others who disagree, disapprove, or threaten their reformist ideals.
They often seem to lack meekness and humility. They believe they are being charitable when they condemn, but just about everything they write contradicts that notion.
Sometimes I can't laugh it off - these bloggers are meddlesome trouble makers. Gossips. The Pope talks about these types. Some are priests. They suffer from the remembrance of wrongs and have a lot of anger. They also seem to be obsessed with social media, perhaps because they lack an appropriate venue to exercise their ministry, or achieve recognition - and it becomes a sort of bully-pulpit to release the aggression that has built up. Alcohol can exacerbate the situation.
I may be wrong. These folks may simply be nuts.
Yup
ReplyDeleteTerry, everything you say here is true, though I expand. The majority of these Radicals Ruining Traditonal Catholicism, are laypeople. While I can understand being fed up with the hierarchy who have mismanaged things spiritually, and priests aiming for lukewarmness over excellence, most of the time it's these severely damaged souls of laity who are the culprits. I haven't witnessed a lot of clergy committing the crimes of these bloggers, but as for the few who do, I blame spiritually poisonous laity influencing their minds, or adapting the same sickness as their misguided laity.
ReplyDeleteStill it's the laypeople who are in the majority here.
I agree Julian.
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