Points to Ponder About
September 2007
The purpose of
Points to Ponder About was to
stimulate thinking that would draw the disoriented Faithful back to God and away from the
hypocritical duplicity of some religious institutions which are destroying the little faith left
on earth. (For a more detailed explanation, see Points to
Ponder About - Purpose). What used to be posted in this section has been integrated in
For Your Information and
Reference.
Note: This 'Point to Ponder About' section was
prepared in the years 2005-2009. Some linked documents external to this domain may have been
removed from the Net, or moved to different locations, since then.
Published on September 30th, 2007
Do you wonder why... if Burma has over 400,000 Buddhist Monks who are so highly revered by the populace; who are understood to live a life of prayer and meditation; and who are even looked upon to have an edge over Christianity [to the point that many individuals claim that the hidden life of Jesus was spent amongst Buddhist monks learning what He taught the world later on] .... Burma is in the socio-political condition it is?
Published on September 29th, 2007 [Feast of Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael]
Do you wonder why... the apparently innocuous phrase: "One can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." goes against the teachings of Jesus Christ?
Because honey attracts "all types of flies" including those who are not to be saved. Didn't He say - in no uncertain terms:
11 And he said to them: To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but to
them that are without, all things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not
perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand: lest at any time they should be
converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. [Mark 4:11-12]
Those who can See and Hear will "cut through the vinegar" and get to the heart of the delivery. The rest, well, you know....
Then the king said to the waiters: Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the exterior
darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [Matthew
22:13]
Therefore, we must be ready with an ample supply of oil of consolation and the wine of renewed
hope for those who "cut through the vinegar".Published on September 27th, 2007
In the introduction of Karl Marx's work Contribution to Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right one can read what is probably his most quoted phrase: "Religion is the opium of the people" .
Since communism was intrinsically atheist, do you ever wonder what was used to replace religion so that the people would remain under the influence of some other "opium"?
Sports! and it spread far and wide. [Can't you hear satan cackling? he did it again and men fell for it!]
Note: In reference to the above, the reader may want to review the related September 28th posting in the Public Forum.
Published on September 24th, 2007
Do you ever wonder... why the transmission routes most used by the AIDS causing virus are: (a) Sexual promiscuity (1); and (b) Illegal drug use/abuse?
The answer is coherently simple: Those are the two flesh associated dysfunction (2) which can damage a soul the most. Considering how Divine Mercy functions (3) (4), it certainly is a most coherent scenario.
___________________________________
(1) Sodomy and the destruction of the soul
(2) Spiritual Dysfunction - Its Identification, Treatment and Cure
(3) Divine Mercy In Action - Part II
(4) Divine Mercy InAction - Part III
Published on September 21st, 2007
Do you ever wonder... from whence will the enemy spring that will take the mighty USA down?
Wonder no more, Abraham Lincoln (1) had the answer:
At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against
it?-- Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant, to step the Ocean, and crush us at a
blow? Never!
All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Buonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years.
At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us.(2) It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.
All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Buonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years.
At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us.(2) It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.
(1) Abraham Lincoln's Lyceum Address
(2) A few glaring examples to pick from
Published on September 19th, 2007
Do you ever wonder... why such the uproar over such a tiny fraction of priests who sexually abused children? Because roughly two-thirds of top U.S. Catholic leaders have allowed priests accused of sexual abuse to keep working, a systematic practice that spans decades and continues today, a three-month Dallas Morning News review shows.
Published on September 14th, 2007 [Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross]
Do you ever wonder... what was, and continues to be, the core source for the sexual abuse and other scandals within the Roman Catholic Church and other religious institutions? The answer is as simple as it is elusive to those steeped in denial (1) : The Demise of the Faith (2).
Without a doubt - when man ceases to believe in a Just and Loving Creator out goes the desire to please Him and the fear of His justice. Then, as a psychiatrist who taught at major U.S. Medical School used to instruct: "Do everything and deny everything." Such mentality, which seems to rule society today, does so to the detriment of the soul.
_____________
(1) Denial - The sign of the times
(2) The Demise of the Faith - Part I and Part II
Published on September 8th, 2007 [Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary]
Do you ever wonder... how many of the Faithful pray in earnest to spiritually assist the few priests and members of the Hierarchy who, as Don Bosco had to do, are fighting the good fight against the evils of the right and the left to serve God as He truly deserves? Very few! Therefore, let us join in prayer for those dedicated men of God and offer that as our Birthday Present to Mary - our true Mother.
Published on September 3rd, 2007 [Mary, Mother of the Good Shepherd]
Do you ever wonder... if the Roman Catholic clergy at large will ever come to terms with reality (unless God steps in and does it for them, of course!)? No, they will not.
Following is an exchange of correspondence between a Select List Member and one of the priests of his parish:
Dear [priest's name edited out],
I hesitate to write this (since I am not sure it will do any good), but my conscience forces me to
comment.
You gave a nice homily on the reading today about taking a low place at a banquet to show
humility. You aptly pointed out that Jesus attended many functions to watch people and to be
watched.
You rightly stated that Jesus knew He was being watched and set an example for the rest of us.
All of this was good.
Then at the end, you spent several minutes lecturing us on the closing of churches in the Boston
area. You went on to state that the high command must learn to accept married priests and that the
laity must become involved.
But worst of all, you trivialized all your comments by saying that if we reported these comments
to the bishop, you would deny it all.
Respectfully,please appreciate the following,
1. people have lost the faith because the RCC does not seem to believe in God;
2. the problem is not homosexual priests, but pedophile priests;
3. the issue is not sex between adults, but the use of power by the priest to overwhelm the young
and innocent;
4. marriage is not going to fix the problem;
5. those who dedicate their lives to God have no need of sex from anyone;
6. a chaste life is possible for those who truly serve God;
7. the Vatican could easily loosen up the cash to keep churches open worldwide;
8. the Vatican sees the only role for the laity as a source of income;
9. the Vatican serves mammon, not God;
10. it is tragic that you do not have faith in your convictions so that you are frightened of the
bishop's reprimand.
Earlier this year, the pastor, [name edited out], commented to those of us at a weekday 7:15 am
Mass that he had to decline 2/3rds of the applications to the parish school. Rather than patiently
explain to the families the reasons for said decision, or better, rather than finding the
resources to expand the school, instead he elected to leave town until "things cooled off."
Is this the way that Jesus handled things? Is this what you would have seen Jesus doing?
You just gave a sermon on Jesus as an example and you have dedicated your life to imitating Jesus,
and yet at age (over 65), you don't want the bishop to know your ideas?
When, exactly will you get the courage to stand up for what you believe?
May The Holy Spirit Guide you.
You are in my prayers
Following is the priest's response:
Dear [name edited out]
Thanks for your note and happy to know you were at the 7:15 AM Mass. I appreciate your kind words
on the homily. I do want to apologize though, because I don't think I was as well prepared as I
should have been. One of those days.
Meanwhile, lighten up. The congregations obviously got the gist of my joke about- "if you report
me, I'll deny it". That's an old line that I thought was appropriate for the occasion because
first of all I've never denied anything I've said and secondly the bishop, knowing me, would know
that I probably said it.... and said more over the years.
We are not dealing here with anything that's at the heart of Christianity and certainly not by
extension at the heart of the Catholic Tradition. But it does threaten "traditionalists" whose
sense of history is the last 100 years.
Finally, the sexual abuse problem in the Catholic Church has been one involving not of pedophiles
(though there are a few) but of ephebophiles.
I'd enjoy having lunch with you some day. Please tell me when and where.
Best
Fr. [name edited out]
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