This short scripturally symbolic rendering of the Catholic Church, was written in December of 1991. Traditionally the Catholic Church has acted the role of Church Militant. The enemy, Satan, is constantly alert and doing battle against the Church. This is the principle element emphasized herein, and that Modernism gradually took hold.
And yet the true Spirit of Catholicism has many other qualities needing a professionalism and relative perfection as is due to God's city and kingdom on earth. Weakness, mediocrity and many elements of wimpiness now exist in the ONCE GREAT CITY.
A GREAT CITY 12/13/1991
Once there was a great flourishing city. It was well constructed with paved streets. This city was noted especially for its spirit of vigor and spirit of fortitude in battle. Its citizens were well educated and alert. There was a wall about the city as defense against a fierce enemy which hoped to some day conquer this city. The enemy tried every means of attack but was always defeated.
"If only we could tear down that wall this enemy thought, but how?" So the enemy made a long range plan. It managed to send spies into the city disguised as citizens. They would succeed for a time, but the alert citizens always found them out.
But the enemy persisted with more spies and eventually induced some of the citizens to eating and drinking, in carousing and drunkenness, so to lose their alertness. Gradually more of the citizens lost their alertness and were persuaded by the spies to throw down their arms and drop their militant spirit.
Finally some of the spies and citizens induced the whole city to have a great meeting. The spies and some of the citizens argued that it would sure be nice to no longer need to bear arms so to guard the city, but to make loving peace with the whole world. The persuasive arguments prevailed and the city voted to tear down the wall and forbade the bearing of arms.
The enemy rejoiced over this decision and capitalized by secretly at night slaying citizens and threw the whole city into chaos and distress. No one could understand what was happening, thus adding to the fear, for the city was at peace with their enemies or no longer had any enemies.
And this city remains in distress and confusion to this very day. The enemy grows stronger and more vicious, excelling in the art of secrecy which it finds so effective.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
1,001 Religions, 1,000,001 Beliefs - Root of Problem
ECKANKAR,
My sister became a fervent disciple of this cult or whatever it is termed, back around 1970 or so. She had been a nun in the Ursiline order not many years before that. We could look into the sequence of events which helped lead to her belief in the beliefs of Eckankar, but see no real purpose in that. Rather I prefer to look directly into the PROBLEM OF BELIEFS.
PROBLEM OF BELIEFS
We hear statements with great regularity pertaining to beliefs which touch on religion or to matters outside the grasp of science, taken in the usual way. "Oh I believe all religions are equal... "I believe God is big enough to love everyone..."I believe a,b,c about God and truth..."I believe x,y z about the world and evolution.
Now when it pertains to matters of finance, real estate, a good doctor to recommend there is much desire for expert advice , or true knowledge, from someone who shows evidence of knowing. People go to the Internet and seek facts and knowledge regarding the science of gardening, growing trees, bees and beehives. Expert advice is sought - at least relatively. Woe to those quacks who claim to have knowledge and expert advice and lead one astray. All sciences have rather strict procedures by which that particular science builds a body of doctrine or truths in regard to the subjet under consideration. The method overall is called the scientific method.
Yet when it comes to truths which really matter, such as FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES MANKIND EXIST...HOW DID THE WORLD AND MANKIND COME INTO EXISTENCE...DOES GOD EXIST... WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I DIE...ETC.it has become sufficient to say it does not matter. Anyone may choose what they want to believe, without consequences. Thus there often exists TOTAL FREEDOM OF RELIGION , TOTAL FREEDOM OF BELIEF.
As I emailed my sister, I cannot deny that everyone has equal freedom (physical) to believe as they will. However belief and truth have absolutely no necessary connection. Our beliefs do not make or control reality or truth - God alone has that power for as He thinks, so is reality, so is truth. Truth in man's intellect comes about by conformity to external being, to external reality.
UNLIMITED NUMBER OF BELIEFS
The number of organized religions remains, it seems, not above thousands. The number of Protestant Denominations, seems to be over 10,000 (World Christian Encyclopedia states the number as 33,820). For our discussion here we will say they are one or a few religions, but for the most part the one religion - Christianity. On the other hand this point of lumping these Protestant Denomination into one religion, in no way subtracts from the problem of FREEDOM OF BELIEF, and FREEDOM OF RELIGION. There is one Christ or one true religion set forth by Jesus Christ, and yet within Protestantism there exists division upon division. Anyway, the next point is the important one to this discussion and that point is that there exist millions of beliefs on matters pertaining to religion. The number of beliefs is limited only by the number of minds which exist, and so have the power to believe. Potentially there can be as many beliefs as different combinations of individual religious ideas or teachings.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
I.. Does it matter what one believes in matters of religion, and if so to what extent?
II. Can truth about God and what relates to God, be known with absolute certitude?
III. Was there this problem in the past and if not how did it come about?
IV. How can the problem be fixed?
I. DOES IT MATTER WHAT ONE BELIEVES???
In order to treat this question to some degree of depth, we need first of all to be clear on WHAT IS BELIEF!. And the term belief, since it is a form of, or a means to acquire knowledge, needs the latter term closely examined. And so the question heading this paragraph and discussion can be restated : IS KNOWLEDGE IMPORTANT IN LIFE -ESPECIALLY REGARDING RELIGION? Does it matter if one has true knowledge or false knowledge or erroneous knowledge. First of all we direct this question to life in general, and then to questions pertaining to religion or the deeper questions of life.
Saint Thomas Aquinas tells us that animals have knowledge. We of course know that animals do not believe (or do we - in today's world I am not so sure), and so have a different form of knowledge then mankind. This knowledge in animals is called sense knowledge or knowledge obtained through the senses. This knowledge feeds what St. Thomas terms the sensitive appetite or the faculty which desires the object known and so moves the animal to action to acquire the object - if the object is sensed as good or desirable. Without knowledge that a deer is here and now present, and desirable for eating, the lion will not proceed to pursue the deer. Thus knowledge is very important in the life of the lion. With animals we know, or can come to know, that instinct plays a big role so that much knowledge in nature is really God's knowledge moving creatures to their proper goods or their proper goals or ends. Tremendous intelligence exists behind the movements of the bees in a beehive, we can deduce, for very involved and complex well organized activity occurs to bring about the final product of HONEY. On the other hand we know that the CHIEF OF COMMAND BEE, does not call a meeting each morning to organize all the worker bees for the day's activity.
And so knowledge in nature is very important, but it exists in a lower form then intellectual knowledge (to be treated), and it exists in nature according to the needs and ends of each creature. Plants have no knowledge, but they pursue ordered and reasonable goals. Thus they must be moved by knowledge through an external source and through their form, or what St. Thomas would call a plant soul or form. The acorn has its own very specific acorn form or acorn soul. How else could a tiny acorn grow into a GIANT OAK TREE. Of course it could be moved directly by God, but the evidence proves otherwise.
A. KNOWLEDGE VIA THE INTELLECT
Animals do not have the higher powers which exist in mankind. The two primary powers are termed Intellect and Will. These powers must exist in something or some nature, and must be in the substantial form which gives life to a man. This is termed the soul or the Intellectual Soul. The intellect or mind is a spiritual (or non-material) power, for it produces spiritual or non-material functions or effects. Ideas or thoughts are not material and so are spiritual and so cannot be produced by a material power. Thus ideas cannot be produced by the brain. By this we mean BY THE BRAIN ALONE. On the other hand,it is most certain that the intellect or mind uses the brain to function, as Saint Thomas tells us, as does experience and common sense if we examine the process and terms closely. Now although mankind has an intellectual soul and powers above the animals, man also has the powers which animals have or sensitive powers (also the powers which plants have, namely nutrition and generation).
Intellect and will exist as two highly coordinated powers, by which a person guides all his/her actions. The will is referred to by St. Thomas as the Intellectual Appetite, or the power which desires or drives toward the good or goal, as known via the intellect. But only if the will sees the object presented by the intellect as good or sufficiently good to pursue it, will there indeed be action to pursue the good. The will itself is blind and has no goods or goals to pursue unless knowledge via the intellect is presented. We can well see that the will needs true knowledge and not erroneous knowledge and not absence of that knowledge which is very necessary or just advantageous. Thus knowledge and good and true knowledge is very important in the life of a human being. Animals as we have seen are very much moved by instinct, whereas humans are mostly self-driven. They have free-will and powers to be self-directed. Of course like every thing which is finite, limitations exist.
Thus the whole purpose of the above is to show that KNOWLEDGE AND TRUE AND GOOD KNOWLEDGE IS VERY IMPORTANT in life and at every moment of life.
[SOME POINTS REGARDING THE MIND OR INTELLECT : An animal cannot think, for by thinking we mean the use of the power of the intellect or mind- which power animals do not possess. And so a lion is never tried in a court of law for the 'murder' of the man who he attacked and devoured. The mind does not get tired and does not grow old or senile, since it is a spiritual faculty. It is indeed true to say a person gets tires or senile, but this is totally due to matter or the body. The mind or intellect uses the brain and the senses or sense powers to obtain its knowledge. At times thinking or studying can be quite tiring, but this is because it calls for effort and strength via the body. The more relaxed is the body, the less problem their is with getting tired, however difficult mental questions require real effort. And the mind or intellect of each person comes into existence as a blank tablet. ]
B. TWO WAYS TO ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE
This division of acquiring knowledge is according to direct personal verification by the mind on the one hand, or by knowledge received and accepted from another source upon whom we trust. In the first case we say that one knows directly and the second case one knows by faith. The faith is in the testimony of another person or persons. Direct knowledge includes things like : it rained today in Houston, Texas for I was there for a conference, I bought a watermelon at Safeway and it was delicious. I ate three big slices. John Smith robbed the bank in my hometown last week and scared me badly. I saw him pull the gun on the teller. Twenty five times twenty five equals 625 for I triple checked it.
Knowledge by faith on the other hand is not directly verified in one's mind. A small child may know by faith in his mommy that 25 times 25 equals 625, having a good memory, but not having learned multiplication. Upon learning to multiply and actually performing this multiplication, he learns direct knowledge of this. Students learn by faith that Columbus discovered America in 1492. Most knowledge today is held by faith via T.V. news, newspapers , books etc.
HUMAN FAITH AND DIVINE FAITH
Here we divide faith by reference to the person revealing the account or story or history or statement etc. And so human faith is faith in another human as a reliable witness or relater of whatever has been related or revealed and held as true. If we think the person is a liar or untrustworthy we refuse to accept his/her account and so might hold no new knowledge by faith, although on the other hand we may hold knowledge as related but held in doubt (doubtful knowledge). In fact much knowledge is doubtful knowledge, but to get into the degrees of certainty can be done elsewhere. Holding knowledge by Divine Faith then would be accepting as true something revealed by God, because we believe God has indeed revealed it and we know or trust that God cannot deceive.
GOD IS INFINITELY TRUSTWORTHY
It is common sense that if John Smith and God each relate to us a piece of information, or piece of history, or an event etc., that my trust (or faith) in God's piece of information excceds my trust (or faith) in John's piece of information. John just might have made a slight error or two.
Thus it is common sense that divine faith is far more trustworthy then human faith. Why then is the reverse true in the real world or society today. Why is there quickness (usually) to accept as true the newsreports, the teacher of history in school, but to be skeptical regarding what God has said.
The answer is simple and obvious. What God tells us or is said to have told us, comes through messengers and channels which in appearance at least, leave a great deal to be desired, as immediately trustworthy. At all times, whether the report and information comes through purely human sources (and exclusively human matters) or whether the source is God Himself - it is proper and wise and necessary to examine the evidence (except on trivial matters or matters on no account). In one way or another one needs to ask (in one's mind at least): SHOW ME YOUR CREDENTIALS - that is if one wants to have good, true and proper knowledge. This should be obvious even if according to all appearances, God has spoken to us directly. Regarding appearances we have ample warning that the Prince of Darkness can present himself as AN ANGEL OF LIGHT, so that there needs to be DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS. *** [ I must admit to a problem in this, for scripture says 'You have not called Me, but I have called you". Thus there exists, at least at times, God within calling for an act of faith, so that SHOW ME YOUR CREDENTIALS, would be a rejection of God and His grace and His teaching. And so we must distinguish between teachings and information which comes through human channels, needing human integrity, scholarship and professionalism, so to do the duty imposed by God regarding the human part or element in the matters of belief and faith. For it is indeed true that Jesus combined the two, saying " Go teach all nations. He who believes ..."The power to teach is within human power alone (although it can be greatly helped by grace), but the power to believe (higher truth) requires both God's immediate grace (actual grace) and man's goodwill and response of belief. God would not expect belief unless all the conditions for believing existed. Refusal to believe, Jesus says, results in the ultimate punishment of eternal damnation. We must expect, and know most certainly that God would do no less then would a good man and would give many chances for belief. It seems however, that refusal might make each new chance more difficult or develop a blindness or hardness of heart. And yet the power of God's grace can never be completely blocked - from God's side. But when God expects a yes response or such a response is proper, then disobedience is a sin which always has some negative consequences both in nature and morally or in punishment otherwise.]***
DOES DIVINE REVELATION EXIST?
This question in other words, is whether God has spoken to mankind in a formal and general sense. Personal and individual communication, if in fact such exists, is not the question, except as it pertains to what is meant to be taught or communicated to others. Has God spoken formally to mankind and if so how. Where does one look for the answer to this question, and then the follow up question is : WHAT DID HE SAY. [ It could very well be set forth and argued that if on really down deep desires the truth, it can be found. I have no doubt that this is true, and yet the obstacles to truth seems to have been multiplied in our times, to a degree unsurpassed in history.]
How does one approach this question in our world today? It is quite reasonable and logical to say that if God has indeed spoken and communicated information (truth, for everything from God must be true or be TRUTH) for mankind in general, then He must have set up the means for it to be known and known exactly. It must have been promulgated.
Let us reverse the approach to this question. Does anyone claim to have the answers? If no one at all puts forth such a claim that God has spoken or is speaking , then the problem seems unsolvable. On the other hand if many different sources make such a claim, then at least there exists the possibility that one or more is authentic. And so each person could begin their search. However, can this process be narrowed down. Are there any really reliable or out least 'stand out from the crowd' claimants. John Smith decides to find out.
SOLUTION MADE EASY - OR IS IT
A real thorough search by John for answers to the question of Divine Revelation, or God communicating with mankind, brings him to a hot lead. Not being impressed with the other long established religions, he is impressed with the strong claims and evidence of Christians or Christinaity, and decides to find the truth, one way or the other.
Investigating into actual historical accounts of the roots of Christianity and the person called Jesus Christ, leads John to the book which they place most confidence and hold to have great authority, and is called the Bible. But John wants hard fast evidence and not more false leads, or wishy washy replies. Can these writings be verified here and now and is this claimed source of Divine Revelation clearly continued through history and to the presemt? John decides to find out.
John finds the bible account very encouraging. It gives the picture that this person called Jesus came directly from heaven, well not quite. He finally sorts it out. He is indeed from heaven, for this special mission of something called redemption of the human race. However, an amazing thing has occurred. He decided to confer Divine information and teachings upon the hman race by becoming one of them. Well not quite for he was a higher being. Regardless, he became a man, by being born of a virgin. John finds this whole thing needing much study, but later. John at this time is more interested in the aspect of Divine Revelation and the certainty of the matter of God communicating. But Jesus also is a teacher and sets forth doctrines, quite new to the times. John realizes this is Divine Revelation, directly sent heaven from via a man or a God-man - amazing stuff to John. He must examine this later.
John above all wants the link to the present, to him and othere here and now. And so the bible account gives this very clearly. Jesus, while on earth called together a small group of men, fishermen and others, who He personally trained, in close quarters and finally conferred heavenly powers upon them and commissioned them in the matter of Divine Revelation. To complete the picture John finds that Jesus spent a good period of time personally teaching the crowds and telling them who he was. The son of God equal to the Father. This they found far fetched indeed, except that everytime he taught an otherwise unbelievable doctrine or teaching he workd amazing miracles. What greater proof did then need. What greater proof did John need, he reasoned. If the accounts were true and they could be confirmed in the present, then John knew his questions were about to be fully answered.
Continuing his exciting study and investigation, John find that the original group called together by Jesus were given great authority...
Seeking the connection to the present, John finds that the organization or Church called the Catholic Church does trace back to the apostles or the group organized by Jesus. They claim a direct connection, unbroken since (as it must be) by what they call Apostolic Succession. The power of the Holy Sprit, by the actual presence or indwelling of the same, has passed from bishop to bishop via a special power of consecration, itself given to the Church by Jesus.
.
My sister became a fervent disciple of this cult or whatever it is termed, back around 1970 or so. She had been a nun in the Ursiline order not many years before that. We could look into the sequence of events which helped lead to her belief in the beliefs of Eckankar, but see no real purpose in that. Rather I prefer to look directly into the PROBLEM OF BELIEFS.
PROBLEM OF BELIEFS
We hear statements with great regularity pertaining to beliefs which touch on religion or to matters outside the grasp of science, taken in the usual way. "Oh I believe all religions are equal... "I believe God is big enough to love everyone..."I believe a,b,c about God and truth..."I believe x,y z about the world and evolution.
Now when it pertains to matters of finance, real estate, a good doctor to recommend there is much desire for expert advice , or true knowledge, from someone who shows evidence of knowing. People go to the Internet and seek facts and knowledge regarding the science of gardening, growing trees, bees and beehives. Expert advice is sought - at least relatively. Woe to those quacks who claim to have knowledge and expert advice and lead one astray. All sciences have rather strict procedures by which that particular science builds a body of doctrine or truths in regard to the subjet under consideration. The method overall is called the scientific method.
Yet when it comes to truths which really matter, such as FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES MANKIND EXIST...HOW DID THE WORLD AND MANKIND COME INTO EXISTENCE...DOES GOD EXIST... WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I DIE...ETC.it has become sufficient to say it does not matter. Anyone may choose what they want to believe, without consequences. Thus there often exists TOTAL FREEDOM OF RELIGION , TOTAL FREEDOM OF BELIEF.
As I emailed my sister, I cannot deny that everyone has equal freedom (physical) to believe as they will. However belief and truth have absolutely no necessary connection. Our beliefs do not make or control reality or truth - God alone has that power for as He thinks, so is reality, so is truth. Truth in man's intellect comes about by conformity to external being, to external reality.
UNLIMITED NUMBER OF BELIEFS
The number of organized religions remains, it seems, not above thousands. The number of Protestant Denominations, seems to be over 10,000 (World Christian Encyclopedia states the number as 33,820). For our discussion here we will say they are one or a few religions, but for the most part the one religion - Christianity. On the other hand this point of lumping these Protestant Denomination into one religion, in no way subtracts from the problem of FREEDOM OF BELIEF, and FREEDOM OF RELIGION. There is one Christ or one true religion set forth by Jesus Christ, and yet within Protestantism there exists division upon division. Anyway, the next point is the important one to this discussion and that point is that there exist millions of beliefs on matters pertaining to religion. The number of beliefs is limited only by the number of minds which exist, and so have the power to believe. Potentially there can be as many beliefs as different combinations of individual religious ideas or teachings.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
I.. Does it matter what one believes in matters of religion, and if so to what extent?
II. Can truth about God and what relates to God, be known with absolute certitude?
III. Was there this problem in the past and if not how did it come about?
IV. How can the problem be fixed?
I. DOES IT MATTER WHAT ONE BELIEVES???
In order to treat this question to some degree of depth, we need first of all to be clear on WHAT IS BELIEF!. And the term belief, since it is a form of, or a means to acquire knowledge, needs the latter term closely examined. And so the question heading this paragraph and discussion can be restated : IS KNOWLEDGE IMPORTANT IN LIFE -ESPECIALLY REGARDING RELIGION? Does it matter if one has true knowledge or false knowledge or erroneous knowledge. First of all we direct this question to life in general, and then to questions pertaining to religion or the deeper questions of life.
Saint Thomas Aquinas tells us that animals have knowledge. We of course know that animals do not believe (or do we - in today's world I am not so sure), and so have a different form of knowledge then mankind. This knowledge in animals is called sense knowledge or knowledge obtained through the senses. This knowledge feeds what St. Thomas terms the sensitive appetite or the faculty which desires the object known and so moves the animal to action to acquire the object - if the object is sensed as good or desirable. Without knowledge that a deer is here and now present, and desirable for eating, the lion will not proceed to pursue the deer. Thus knowledge is very important in the life of the lion. With animals we know, or can come to know, that instinct plays a big role so that much knowledge in nature is really God's knowledge moving creatures to their proper goods or their proper goals or ends. Tremendous intelligence exists behind the movements of the bees in a beehive, we can deduce, for very involved and complex well organized activity occurs to bring about the final product of HONEY. On the other hand we know that the CHIEF OF COMMAND BEE, does not call a meeting each morning to organize all the worker bees for the day's activity.
And so knowledge in nature is very important, but it exists in a lower form then intellectual knowledge (to be treated), and it exists in nature according to the needs and ends of each creature. Plants have no knowledge, but they pursue ordered and reasonable goals. Thus they must be moved by knowledge through an external source and through their form, or what St. Thomas would call a plant soul or form. The acorn has its own very specific acorn form or acorn soul. How else could a tiny acorn grow into a GIANT OAK TREE. Of course it could be moved directly by God, but the evidence proves otherwise.
A. KNOWLEDGE VIA THE INTELLECT
Animals do not have the higher powers which exist in mankind. The two primary powers are termed Intellect and Will. These powers must exist in something or some nature, and must be in the substantial form which gives life to a man. This is termed the soul or the Intellectual Soul. The intellect or mind is a spiritual (or non-material) power, for it produces spiritual or non-material functions or effects. Ideas or thoughts are not material and so are spiritual and so cannot be produced by a material power. Thus ideas cannot be produced by the brain. By this we mean BY THE BRAIN ALONE. On the other hand,it is most certain that the intellect or mind uses the brain to function, as Saint Thomas tells us, as does experience and common sense if we examine the process and terms closely. Now although mankind has an intellectual soul and powers above the animals, man also has the powers which animals have or sensitive powers (also the powers which plants have, namely nutrition and generation).
Intellect and will exist as two highly coordinated powers, by which a person guides all his/her actions. The will is referred to by St. Thomas as the Intellectual Appetite, or the power which desires or drives toward the good or goal, as known via the intellect. But only if the will sees the object presented by the intellect as good or sufficiently good to pursue it, will there indeed be action to pursue the good. The will itself is blind and has no goods or goals to pursue unless knowledge via the intellect is presented. We can well see that the will needs true knowledge and not erroneous knowledge and not absence of that knowledge which is very necessary or just advantageous. Thus knowledge and good and true knowledge is very important in the life of a human being. Animals as we have seen are very much moved by instinct, whereas humans are mostly self-driven. They have free-will and powers to be self-directed. Of course like every thing which is finite, limitations exist.
Thus the whole purpose of the above is to show that KNOWLEDGE AND TRUE AND GOOD KNOWLEDGE IS VERY IMPORTANT in life and at every moment of life.
[SOME POINTS REGARDING THE MIND OR INTELLECT : An animal cannot think, for by thinking we mean the use of the power of the intellect or mind- which power animals do not possess. And so a lion is never tried in a court of law for the 'murder' of the man who he attacked and devoured. The mind does not get tired and does not grow old or senile, since it is a spiritual faculty. It is indeed true to say a person gets tires or senile, but this is totally due to matter or the body. The mind or intellect uses the brain and the senses or sense powers to obtain its knowledge. At times thinking or studying can be quite tiring, but this is because it calls for effort and strength via the body. The more relaxed is the body, the less problem their is with getting tired, however difficult mental questions require real effort. And the mind or intellect of each person comes into existence as a blank tablet. ]
B. TWO WAYS TO ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE
This division of acquiring knowledge is according to direct personal verification by the mind on the one hand, or by knowledge received and accepted from another source upon whom we trust. In the first case we say that one knows directly and the second case one knows by faith. The faith is in the testimony of another person or persons. Direct knowledge includes things like : it rained today in Houston, Texas for I was there for a conference, I bought a watermelon at Safeway and it was delicious. I ate three big slices. John Smith robbed the bank in my hometown last week and scared me badly. I saw him pull the gun on the teller. Twenty five times twenty five equals 625 for I triple checked it.
Knowledge by faith on the other hand is not directly verified in one's mind. A small child may know by faith in his mommy that 25 times 25 equals 625, having a good memory, but not having learned multiplication. Upon learning to multiply and actually performing this multiplication, he learns direct knowledge of this. Students learn by faith that Columbus discovered America in 1492. Most knowledge today is held by faith via T.V. news, newspapers , books etc.
HUMAN FAITH AND DIVINE FAITH
Here we divide faith by reference to the person revealing the account or story or history or statement etc. And so human faith is faith in another human as a reliable witness or relater of whatever has been related or revealed and held as true. If we think the person is a liar or untrustworthy we refuse to accept his/her account and so might hold no new knowledge by faith, although on the other hand we may hold knowledge as related but held in doubt (doubtful knowledge). In fact much knowledge is doubtful knowledge, but to get into the degrees of certainty can be done elsewhere. Holding knowledge by Divine Faith then would be accepting as true something revealed by God, because we believe God has indeed revealed it and we know or trust that God cannot deceive.
GOD IS INFINITELY TRUSTWORTHY
It is common sense that if John Smith and God each relate to us a piece of information, or piece of history, or an event etc., that my trust (or faith) in God's piece of information excceds my trust (or faith) in John's piece of information. John just might have made a slight error or two.
Thus it is common sense that divine faith is far more trustworthy then human faith. Why then is the reverse true in the real world or society today. Why is there quickness (usually) to accept as true the newsreports, the teacher of history in school, but to be skeptical regarding what God has said.
The answer is simple and obvious. What God tells us or is said to have told us, comes through messengers and channels which in appearance at least, leave a great deal to be desired, as immediately trustworthy. At all times, whether the report and information comes through purely human sources (and exclusively human matters) or whether the source is God Himself - it is proper and wise and necessary to examine the evidence (except on trivial matters or matters on no account). In one way or another one needs to ask (in one's mind at least): SHOW ME YOUR CREDENTIALS - that is if one wants to have good, true and proper knowledge. This should be obvious even if according to all appearances, God has spoken to us directly. Regarding appearances we have ample warning that the Prince of Darkness can present himself as AN ANGEL OF LIGHT, so that there needs to be DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS. *** [ I must admit to a problem in this, for scripture says 'You have not called Me, but I have called you". Thus there exists, at least at times, God within calling for an act of faith, so that SHOW ME YOUR CREDENTIALS, would be a rejection of God and His grace and His teaching. And so we must distinguish between teachings and information which comes through human channels, needing human integrity, scholarship and professionalism, so to do the duty imposed by God regarding the human part or element in the matters of belief and faith. For it is indeed true that Jesus combined the two, saying " Go teach all nations. He who believes ..."The power to teach is within human power alone (although it can be greatly helped by grace), but the power to believe (higher truth) requires both God's immediate grace (actual grace) and man's goodwill and response of belief. God would not expect belief unless all the conditions for believing existed. Refusal to believe, Jesus says, results in the ultimate punishment of eternal damnation. We must expect, and know most certainly that God would do no less then would a good man and would give many chances for belief. It seems however, that refusal might make each new chance more difficult or develop a blindness or hardness of heart. And yet the power of God's grace can never be completely blocked - from God's side. But when God expects a yes response or such a response is proper, then disobedience is a sin which always has some negative consequences both in nature and morally or in punishment otherwise.]***
DOES DIVINE REVELATION EXIST?
This question in other words, is whether God has spoken to mankind in a formal and general sense. Personal and individual communication, if in fact such exists, is not the question, except as it pertains to what is meant to be taught or communicated to others. Has God spoken formally to mankind and if so how. Where does one look for the answer to this question, and then the follow up question is : WHAT DID HE SAY. [ It could very well be set forth and argued that if on really down deep desires the truth, it can be found. I have no doubt that this is true, and yet the obstacles to truth seems to have been multiplied in our times, to a degree unsurpassed in history.]
How does one approach this question in our world today? It is quite reasonable and logical to say that if God has indeed spoken and communicated information (truth, for everything from God must be true or be TRUTH) for mankind in general, then He must have set up the means for it to be known and known exactly. It must have been promulgated.
Let us reverse the approach to this question. Does anyone claim to have the answers? If no one at all puts forth such a claim that God has spoken or is speaking , then the problem seems unsolvable. On the other hand if many different sources make such a claim, then at least there exists the possibility that one or more is authentic. And so each person could begin their search. However, can this process be narrowed down. Are there any really reliable or out least 'stand out from the crowd' claimants. John Smith decides to find out.
SOLUTION MADE EASY - OR IS IT
A real thorough search by John for answers to the question of Divine Revelation, or God communicating with mankind, brings him to a hot lead. Not being impressed with the other long established religions, he is impressed with the strong claims and evidence of Christians or Christinaity, and decides to find the truth, one way or the other.
Investigating into actual historical accounts of the roots of Christianity and the person called Jesus Christ, leads John to the book which they place most confidence and hold to have great authority, and is called the Bible. But John wants hard fast evidence and not more false leads, or wishy washy replies. Can these writings be verified here and now and is this claimed source of Divine Revelation clearly continued through history and to the presemt? John decides to find out.
John finds the bible account very encouraging. It gives the picture that this person called Jesus came directly from heaven, well not quite. He finally sorts it out. He is indeed from heaven, for this special mission of something called redemption of the human race. However, an amazing thing has occurred. He decided to confer Divine information and teachings upon the hman race by becoming one of them. Well not quite for he was a higher being. Regardless, he became a man, by being born of a virgin. John finds this whole thing needing much study, but later. John at this time is more interested in the aspect of Divine Revelation and the certainty of the matter of God communicating. But Jesus also is a teacher and sets forth doctrines, quite new to the times. John realizes this is Divine Revelation, directly sent heaven from via a man or a God-man - amazing stuff to John. He must examine this later.
John above all wants the link to the present, to him and othere here and now. And so the bible account gives this very clearly. Jesus, while on earth called together a small group of men, fishermen and others, who He personally trained, in close quarters and finally conferred heavenly powers upon them and commissioned them in the matter of Divine Revelation. To complete the picture John finds that Jesus spent a good period of time personally teaching the crowds and telling them who he was. The son of God equal to the Father. This they found far fetched indeed, except that everytime he taught an otherwise unbelievable doctrine or teaching he workd amazing miracles. What greater proof did then need. What greater proof did John need, he reasoned. If the accounts were true and they could be confirmed in the present, then John knew his questions were about to be fully answered.
Continuing his exciting study and investigation, John find that the original group called together by Jesus were given great authority...
Seeking the connection to the present, John finds that the organization or Church called the Catholic Church does trace back to the apostles or the group organized by Jesus. They claim a direct connection, unbroken since (as it must be) by what they call Apostolic Succession. The power of the Holy Sprit, by the actual presence or indwelling of the same, has passed from bishop to bishop via a special power of consecration, itself given to the Church by Jesus.
.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
BEATIFICATION OF POPE JOHN PAUL II -- TRAGIC MISTAKE
*****NOTE 10/9/13 THE SCHEDULED CANONIZATIONS OF POPE JOHN XXIII AND POPE JOHN PAUL II APRIL27TH 2014 - MAKE CLEAR THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH REMAINS ON TRAJECTORY OF MADNESS AND BLINDNESS *****
This essay aims to put forth arguments and evidence to defend and fortify the thesis that the Beatification of and Conference of the title THE GREAT upon Pope John Paul II is a TRAGIC MISTAKE.
A POPE OF GREAT TALENT
I felt greatly honored to be in St. Peter's square in Rome in 1978, when the greatly talented and of high charisma Polish pope, stepped forward on the balcony almost directly above me, to give to the vast crowd his blessing, after just being elected as the new leader of the Catholic Church.
THE QUESTION OF GREATNESS
Only God is good and only God is great. The greatness of anyone is proportional to their closeness to God or to their unity with His will and performance of His will. Now for a pope, the Vicar of Christ, his greatness must be measured primarily according to the Greatness of the Church during his pontificate or how well the Church fulfilled it's mission. Requried then is very high perfection of the Church. The question then is WHAT IS THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH? What are the principles of Perfection of the Church?
THE MIDDLE AGES - MODEL OF PERFECTION AND GREATNESS
From the side of God, or from the side of the Church as a Divine Institution - the Church of course is Perfect. From the human side the question must be examined. It seems clear that the Church, as an established visible institution, reached a relative Perfection and Greatness in the Middle Ages (the early Church of the Acts of the Apostles was more perfect, when the graces of the Holy Spirit flourished and God willed to produce a Model for the future) . Some visible evidence of this greatness, in the Middle Ages is in the Great Cathedrals built by the poor as a rule, and secondely and more importantly we see religious communities flourishing. And not only did they flourish but they were places of great prayer and penance and production of saints.
According to the worlds standards and according to the principles of humanitarianism or love of your fellow man, Pope John Paul II deserves the title THE GREAT, it would seem. However the question is whether in the eyes of God he ruled the Church so as to be an exemplary figure in the history of the Catholic Church. Another way of stating this question is to asked whether THE GREATNESS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH was brought to vivid existence and performance or functioning during and through his pontificate. Of course we cannot know directly the mind of God, but that is no problem. In regard to canonization, including the initial step of beatification, the Church has always looked for indirect evidence of the mind and judgment of God in miracles performed through the intercession of the person in question. But even without miracles, the mind of the Holy Spirit has been made clear to the Church in numerous ways throughout the long history of the Church. It is the third Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Holy Spirit Who guides the Church and has spoken through the saints, the pontiffs of the Church, and nearly 2,000 years of Catholic tradition and practice. And so if Pope John Paul served God in an exemplary way, according to the principles of truth and action and sought for perfection of the Church as made clear to the Church through history, then the first requirement for the title THE GREAT, has been met. This would mean that the Church as The Light of the World and Salt of the Earth, were outstanding under his pontificate, or as a consequence of his pontificate.
Beatification and the intended follow-up of canonization is for the living and not for the dead person's honor. The Catholic Church exists as founded by Jesus Christ to lead men to heaven. And so beatification and canonization of exemplary figures with exemplary lives and solid and true writings, are done to help the living in their battles to win heaven. The focus is twofold. First and foremost the attention of the Church must be within, or with regard to its members who comprise the Mystical Body in its living element, the Church Militant. And then secondarily the focus is upon the vast body of men outside the Church who gaze upon the Church, and who desperately need her help. It is great foolishness to spend considerable time and effort to bring those outside her fold to interior membership, if there exists considerable danger that they will not persevere. In every way possible the Church Militant needs to be a Perfect Army and Perfect Institution, with regard to her members, before attention is given to evangelization. In addition the greatest evangelization or greatest number of true converts result when the Brilliance of The Light of the World shines most brightly and when the Salt of the Earth is what it is meant to be. If the Light of the World shines so brightly that the whole world is moved by her brillinace, know clearly her self-proclaimed mission upon the earth, see her greatness or Divine appearance openly displayed (after all she is a Divine Institution) and greatly deserving of reverence and respect - then the Church is doing well in part of her mission. It is first of all the duty of Peter and each of his successors to all in their power to obtain this mission. And if the Salt of the Earth, especially her members of high authority and dignity, display a discipline and fire, (*** NEEDS FILL IN) - then the Church is faithful upon another aspect. And again it is Peter and each of his successors who must above all lead the way and prompts its members.
THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH
When the Catholic Church exists in a relatively perfect state of existence, what are some of the oustanding features which will then exist. A short answer to this question is to asked WHEN IS SHE MOST FULFILLING HER MISSION and so most faithful to her founder Jesus Christ. Her mission is clearly exspressed in the title given to her by Jesus : LIGHT OF THE WORLD, and her role HAVING THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, and her role as THE TRUE AND GOOD SHEPHERD who lays down his life for the flock. The Church exists as totally other worldly. The mission is to bring many to heaven. That is the end and her mission. The difficulty and confusion of our age of the Church is the means to obtain that clear mission or end.
THE ISSUE ABOVE ALL ISSUES
With regard to Pope John Paul, the issue above all issues is the great council of Vatican II and the massive changes brought upon the Church, as a result. If one argues that the fruits of Vatican II are good and positive (a position which is most contradictory and blindly held by the majority),
RELIC OF POPE JOHN PAUL AND FLOODING OF LOURDES (Added 11/13/12)
The following paragraph is taken from the Remnant Newspaper of an artricle printed in October (I believe):
"In a strange coincidence, major flooding by days of non-stop rain in southwest France caused the closure of most of the Catholic sanctuary of Lourdes yesterday (October 21) the same day the relic of John Paul was scheduled to arrive. The evacuation of hundreds of pilgrims became necessary, local authorities report. Buses ferried guests from hotels in the lower town to a conference center and a sports complex as officials said the sites would stay closed for several days."
CONCLUSION
Was this just coincidence or God showing His displeasure over the activities of His servants within His Church. In any event, the issue, as above stated is Vatican II. The position of this writer is made clear in many places. But at this point please proceed to Celebrating 50 years of Vatican II.
***** READ the articvle by Marian T. Horvat PLEASE traditioninaction.org/HotTopics/a006ht.htm
This essay aims to put forth arguments and evidence to defend and fortify the thesis that the Beatification of and Conference of the title THE GREAT upon Pope John Paul II is a TRAGIC MISTAKE.
A POPE OF GREAT TALENT
I felt greatly honored to be in St. Peter's square in Rome in 1978, when the greatly talented and of high charisma Polish pope, stepped forward on the balcony almost directly above me, to give to the vast crowd his blessing, after just being elected as the new leader of the Catholic Church.
THE QUESTION OF GREATNESS
Only God is good and only God is great. The greatness of anyone is proportional to their closeness to God or to their unity with His will and performance of His will. Now for a pope, the Vicar of Christ, his greatness must be measured primarily according to the Greatness of the Church during his pontificate or how well the Church fulfilled it's mission. Requried then is very high perfection of the Church. The question then is WHAT IS THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH? What are the principles of Perfection of the Church?
THE MIDDLE AGES - MODEL OF PERFECTION AND GREATNESS
From the side of God, or from the side of the Church as a Divine Institution - the Church of course is Perfect. From the human side the question must be examined. It seems clear that the Church, as an established visible institution, reached a relative Perfection and Greatness in the Middle Ages (the early Church of the Acts of the Apostles was more perfect, when the graces of the Holy Spirit flourished and God willed to produce a Model for the future) . Some visible evidence of this greatness, in the Middle Ages is in the Great Cathedrals built by the poor as a rule, and secondely and more importantly we see religious communities flourishing. And not only did they flourish but they were places of great prayer and penance and production of saints.
According to the worlds standards and according to the principles of humanitarianism or love of your fellow man, Pope John Paul II deserves the title THE GREAT, it would seem. However the question is whether in the eyes of God he ruled the Church so as to be an exemplary figure in the history of the Catholic Church. Another way of stating this question is to asked whether THE GREATNESS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH was brought to vivid existence and performance or functioning during and through his pontificate. Of course we cannot know directly the mind of God, but that is no problem. In regard to canonization, including the initial step of beatification, the Church has always looked for indirect evidence of the mind and judgment of God in miracles performed through the intercession of the person in question. But even without miracles, the mind of the Holy Spirit has been made clear to the Church in numerous ways throughout the long history of the Church. It is the third Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Holy Spirit Who guides the Church and has spoken through the saints, the pontiffs of the Church, and nearly 2,000 years of Catholic tradition and practice. And so if Pope John Paul served God in an exemplary way, according to the principles of truth and action and sought for perfection of the Church as made clear to the Church through history, then the first requirement for the title THE GREAT, has been met. This would mean that the Church as The Light of the World and Salt of the Earth, were outstanding under his pontificate, or as a consequence of his pontificate.
Beatification and the intended follow-up of canonization is for the living and not for the dead person's honor. The Catholic Church exists as founded by Jesus Christ to lead men to heaven. And so beatification and canonization of exemplary figures with exemplary lives and solid and true writings, are done to help the living in their battles to win heaven. The focus is twofold. First and foremost the attention of the Church must be within, or with regard to its members who comprise the Mystical Body in its living element, the Church Militant. And then secondarily the focus is upon the vast body of men outside the Church who gaze upon the Church, and who desperately need her help. It is great foolishness to spend considerable time and effort to bring those outside her fold to interior membership, if there exists considerable danger that they will not persevere. In every way possible the Church Militant needs to be a Perfect Army and Perfect Institution, with regard to her members, before attention is given to evangelization. In addition the greatest evangelization or greatest number of true converts result when the Brilliance of The Light of the World shines most brightly and when the Salt of the Earth is what it is meant to be. If the Light of the World shines so brightly that the whole world is moved by her brillinace, know clearly her self-proclaimed mission upon the earth, see her greatness or Divine appearance openly displayed (after all she is a Divine Institution) and greatly deserving of reverence and respect - then the Church is doing well in part of her mission. It is first of all the duty of Peter and each of his successors to all in their power to obtain this mission. And if the Salt of the Earth, especially her members of high authority and dignity, display a discipline and fire, (*** NEEDS FILL IN) - then the Church is faithful upon another aspect. And again it is Peter and each of his successors who must above all lead the way and prompts its members.
THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH
When the Catholic Church exists in a relatively perfect state of existence, what are some of the oustanding features which will then exist. A short answer to this question is to asked WHEN IS SHE MOST FULFILLING HER MISSION and so most faithful to her founder Jesus Christ. Her mission is clearly exspressed in the title given to her by Jesus : LIGHT OF THE WORLD, and her role HAVING THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, and her role as THE TRUE AND GOOD SHEPHERD who lays down his life for the flock. The Church exists as totally other worldly. The mission is to bring many to heaven. That is the end and her mission. The difficulty and confusion of our age of the Church is the means to obtain that clear mission or end.
THE ISSUE ABOVE ALL ISSUES
With regard to Pope John Paul, the issue above all issues is the great council of Vatican II and the massive changes brought upon the Church, as a result. If one argues that the fruits of Vatican II are good and positive (a position which is most contradictory and blindly held by the majority),
RELIC OF POPE JOHN PAUL AND FLOODING OF LOURDES (Added 11/13/12)
The following paragraph is taken from the Remnant Newspaper of an artricle printed in October (I believe):
"In a strange coincidence, major flooding by days of non-stop rain in southwest France caused the closure of most of the Catholic sanctuary of Lourdes yesterday (October 21) the same day the relic of John Paul was scheduled to arrive. The evacuation of hundreds of pilgrims became necessary, local authorities report. Buses ferried guests from hotels in the lower town to a conference center and a sports complex as officials said the sites would stay closed for several days."
CONCLUSION
Was this just coincidence or God showing His displeasure over the activities of His servants within His Church. In any event, the issue, as above stated is Vatican II. The position of this writer is made clear in many places. But at this point please proceed to Celebrating 50 years of Vatican II.
***** READ the articvle by Marian T. Horvat PLEASE traditioninaction.org/HotTopics/a006ht.htm
Friday, May 27, 2011
God's Perfect Creation / A Perfect World
A PERFECT CAUSE
As an infinitely perfect cause, all God's works are perfect. All His effects are perfect. And so the world as created by God is A PERFECT WORK - A PERFECT ACT OF CREATION - A PERFECT WORLD.
Yet the disorders and evils which steadily bombard our world today, make this truth difficult indeed, if now absurd to many. Now it is the very evils about us today which make this truth of A PERFECT CREATION, a necessity. It is not a matter of positive thinking over negative thinking (as important as this habit is), but a matter of truth over error. And no errors are as harmful to the world, or to the minds and hearts of the living, as those errors at the deepest foundation of truth, or those pertaining to the First Cause - to God Himself. But truth cannot be destroyed. It can be denied and covered over for awhile or by some or many - but it remains forever.
As St. Paul tells us :"By Him all things came to be and were made...by Him all things remain in existence."
God is Infinite Goodness and Jesus counsels us : 'Be perfect as your hevenly Father is perfect', and 'Overcome evil with good'.
We certainly live in a passion ridden and materialistic world. Instead of seeking society with the angels and heavenly thoughts and ways, the world today so very much seeks society with the beasts, the pleasures of the world, the here and now.
St. Thomas Aquinas, prince of theologians, by the grace of God and his own faithfulness to God, tells us that man has in common with the world of plants - Vegetative Powers: has in common with the animals or beasts - Sensitive Powers: and has in common with the angels and God Himself - Rational Powers of intellect and will. Man alone of all visible creation has the power to rule and command and has dominion over all visible creation. This dominion is his to exercise with his freewill, to his credit or discredit, to his honor or dishonor. And so all disorders and evils of the world must be attributed to man's misuse of his dominion, misuse of his freewill.
But God is a Perfect Father, is Infinite Goodness. And so evil exists because God made man for GREATNESS, doing great and noble deeds, virtually without limit. But with this potentiality of Greatness, exists the opposite or evils without limit, virtually. And the heights of this potential GREATNESS, can only be fully known through God's own Revelation or truth, passed on to the world. And this truth can be found in its fullness and clarity only through the Catholic Church, Divinely Instituted for that very purpose unto Salvation. Or more exactly it is THE TRADITIONAL CATHOLIC CHURCH. or the Catholic Church in its TRADITIONAL AND TRUE TEACHINGS, wherein lies TRUTH.
THUS NO MATTER THE SURFACE CHAOS, DISORDER AND RUIN, THE WORLD REMAINS AS GOD'S PERFECT CREATION WITH EVERY SMALLEST DETAIL UNDER HIS DIRECT SCRUTINY FOR AS JESUS SAID [THE HAIRS OF YOUR HEAD ARE ALL NUMBERED - NOT A SPARROW FALLS WITHOUT THE FATHER'S CONSENT}
Also click on link to Worldwide Truth Center > And See: SATAN'S POWER OVER THE WEATHER
As an infinitely perfect cause, all God's works are perfect. All His effects are perfect. And so the world as created by God is A PERFECT WORK - A PERFECT ACT OF CREATION - A PERFECT WORLD.
Yet the disorders and evils which steadily bombard our world today, make this truth difficult indeed, if now absurd to many. Now it is the very evils about us today which make this truth of A PERFECT CREATION, a necessity. It is not a matter of positive thinking over negative thinking (as important as this habit is), but a matter of truth over error. And no errors are as harmful to the world, or to the minds and hearts of the living, as those errors at the deepest foundation of truth, or those pertaining to the First Cause - to God Himself. But truth cannot be destroyed. It can be denied and covered over for awhile or by some or many - but it remains forever.
As St. Paul tells us :"By Him all things came to be and were made...by Him all things remain in existence."
God is Infinite Goodness and Jesus counsels us : 'Be perfect as your hevenly Father is perfect', and 'Overcome evil with good'.
We certainly live in a passion ridden and materialistic world. Instead of seeking society with the angels and heavenly thoughts and ways, the world today so very much seeks society with the beasts, the pleasures of the world, the here and now.
St. Thomas Aquinas, prince of theologians, by the grace of God and his own faithfulness to God, tells us that man has in common with the world of plants - Vegetative Powers: has in common with the animals or beasts - Sensitive Powers: and has in common with the angels and God Himself - Rational Powers of intellect and will. Man alone of all visible creation has the power to rule and command and has dominion over all visible creation. This dominion is his to exercise with his freewill, to his credit or discredit, to his honor or dishonor. And so all disorders and evils of the world must be attributed to man's misuse of his dominion, misuse of his freewill.
But God is a Perfect Father, is Infinite Goodness. And so evil exists because God made man for GREATNESS, doing great and noble deeds, virtually without limit. But with this potentiality of Greatness, exists the opposite or evils without limit, virtually. And the heights of this potential GREATNESS, can only be fully known through God's own Revelation or truth, passed on to the world. And this truth can be found in its fullness and clarity only through the Catholic Church, Divinely Instituted for that very purpose unto Salvation. Or more exactly it is THE TRADITIONAL CATHOLIC CHURCH. or the Catholic Church in its TRADITIONAL AND TRUE TEACHINGS, wherein lies TRUTH.
THUS NO MATTER THE SURFACE CHAOS, DISORDER AND RUIN, THE WORLD REMAINS AS GOD'S PERFECT CREATION WITH EVERY SMALLEST DETAIL UNDER HIS DIRECT SCRUTINY FOR AS JESUS SAID [THE HAIRS OF YOUR HEAD ARE ALL NUMBERED - NOT A SPARROW FALLS WITHOUT THE FATHER'S CONSENT}
Also click on link to Worldwide Truth Center > And See: SATAN'S POWER OVER THE WEATHER
Friday, May 20, 2011
Fruits of Vatican II
Jesus told us that a tree is known by its fruits. Fifteen fruits of Vatican II exist in 30 page paper on the website VATICANIIDEBATE.COM.
*** FROM PAGES 21 TO 23 OF 30PAGEPAPER *** OCTOBER 2011
BY THEIR FRUITS
Jesus tells us in scripture that the tree will be known as good or evil by its fruits. St. Thomas Aquinas says in philosophical language that we know the cause by the effects, applying this as a universal principle, stemming from common sense.
Much has been written since Vatican II indicating the decay of the Church. Books such as James Hitchcock's "The Decline and Fall of Radical Catholicism", Dietrich von Hildebrand's "The Devastated Vineyard", Malachi Martin's writings with his description of the Church as in shambles.
On the other hand vastly more has been written praising Vatican II and denying this decay. We have stated above that only true and solid or reliable measuring sticks have any business in these measurements. After all, to virtually all Protestants, Martin Luther is a hero. (their measure of Martin Luther is of course the greatly false Protestant accounts which they read and hear). Only the sure guide of the Holy Spirit can be a measure of whether this tree, namely Vatican II is good or evil. By those sure principles and teachings given by the Holy Spirit before Vatican II, we most certainly say this tree produced fruit bringing disorder and decay. Let us state a few of these fruits or effects:
1. One of the fruits of Vatican II is less obvious as to its existence, and much less obvious to its great negative effect. This fruit is the removal of the language used traditionally.
a.) First of all the removal of Latin greatly hinders the unity of the Church as to its teachings and understanding of documents. Even if all within the Church were saints, the number of translations would force some errors and differences of translation. Since it is clear that the Church has not a few unscrupulous translations and enemies, visible and invisible, the vast number of translations significantly weaken the Church and its unity.
b.) The language of the Church as to the words, and definitions of these words, has a long tradition. Consistency in use of words and definitions made reading of Catholic writings and books relatively easy, after one learned the words and definitions, and increased reading re-enforced and increased their understanding. It also deepened the faith of the reader and his or her trust in the Church. This language is no longer used. After Vatican II many libraries were cleared out of books of the solid traditional writings; lives of the Saints, spiritual works, and books on theology. A great many were thrown into the trash and the new books with a new language filled the shelves of many a library.
Back in about 1975, Br. Michael, my immediate superior, would travel to a local place where these excellent traditional books had been thrown out and were free for the taking,and so we had excellent books for our library. Later after I had departed this excellent religious community, I am ashamed to admit, but the struggle then was anguishing and needed a solution, I was given the Benziger edition (in full) of the Summa Theologica, almost brand-new, by a man who hated to see excellent Catholic books trashed and so had a bunch of books in his truck. He also had excellent catholic books like THE COMPLETE WORKS OF ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS.
2. With Vatican II, not a few of the guards against evil were removed as the Legion of Decency, and taking the Oath Against Modernism.
3. Immediately after Vatican II, an estimated 10,000 religious returned to the world and schools long run by the good nuns were either closed or became much less solid in discipline, in Catholic teaching, and in ability to produce children with a firm Catholic training.
4. Many so-called Catholic colleges and universities now are questionably Catholic in many ways.
5. Breakdown of Discipline or Simply Failure to Apply It : Created in the image and likeness of God, man has two primary powers of the soul, intellect and will. The intellect needs truth,sound principles, etc. The development of good habits (virtues) especially at an early age, cannot be overstated as to the great value. The dedicated nuns and brothers of former times instilled these habits through firm discipline. But the wise man knows how great is the value once these habits are achieved.
Today the Church and world fails terribly in both sound teaching and sound principles and in applying discipline. At the rate we are going America will soon fail to have room to jail all those who did not learn interior good habits when young. Discipline (punishment) applied to evil will always be necessary upon earth, but without early discipline of the young and enough people given to self-discipline, our nation and the world will soon be unable to police all the criminals and vandals. Vatican II has contributed greatly to all this.
6. Our seminaries likewise have suffered greatly from Vatican II. The Church when showing vigor and order, manly virtues, with the militant spirit needed for self-discipline, prayer, and seeking higher perfection, naturally draws more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Statistics show that traditional communities and traditional priestly orders draw plenty of vocations.
Though priestly scandals seem to have considerably lessened, it seems clear that the vast majority of our seminaries remain greatly in need of a return to traditional discipline, and in formation of priests regarding the course of studies.
7. Looking back, we find that Pope Paul VI was grieved and distressed enough over the difficulties after the Council to have stated : "The smoke of Satan has entered the Church".
8. Many times the phrase CRISIS OF FAITH has been used to describe the state of the Church after Vatican II.
9. The Latin Mass Magazine, Chronicle of a Catholic Reform. in 1995 featured an effect of the updating of the Church after Vatican II with the article "Repentant psychologist : How I wrecked the I.H.M. nuns".
In this interview with Dr. William Marra, Dr. William Coulson relates working with American psychologist Carl Rogers and relates the devastating effects of their humanistic psychology (to some degree this has entered almost every corner of the Church and especially many U.S. seminaries) upon their order of nuns in California, the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In 1966 and 1967 the order invited them in with their psychological program TFN, Therapy for Normals. And Dr. Coulson regrets to say : "The IHMs had 60 schools when we started, at the end they had one. There were 560 nuns when we began. Within a year after our interventions, 300 were petitioning Rome to get out of their vows". And he relates that of the 560 nuns, at the end or now, there are about two dozen.
This was permitted by the Spirit of Vatican II and done or permitted in the name of updating of religious communities directed by Vatican II.
Dr. Coulson says they performed their Humanistic Psychology program upon two dozen other orders also, including the Jesuits (of which we heard much about in the years after the Council, and now we know part or much of the reason why). COMMENT Perhaps this Humanistic Psychology has had significant effect upon so many nuns not wearing their habits after Vatican II.
10. The Oct. 15, 1995 Remnant has a column : From the Diary of Father X, "true stories, written by a Catholic priest, in good standing, in a certain American diocese". Father X wrote in a column about the situation in Rome after Vatican II and refers to Father Pietro the pastor of San Giuseppe Parish: "Every weekend I helped him with Masses and confessions. A saintly man, he loved the priesthood and the Church. We had many conversations about the dreadful deterioration that has occurred since the Second Vatican Council."
11. The Latin Mass Magazine in its 1995 promotional edition, refers to the book THE DEVASTATED VINEYARD, written by deceased author Dietrich von Hildebrand: "A friend of Pope Pius XII, recipient of an award from Pope Paul VI, this eminent author grew alarmed soon after the Second Vatican Council. The 'renewal' he saw, was largely bogus. A few years later he wrote this devastating critique and explanation why."
12. Since Vatican II, the Catholic Church has abandoned the practice, which was begun at the very beginning of the Church, of abstinence from meat on Fridays, out of reverence for Jesus, crucified on Friday.
13. Fasting has greatly lessened or virtually disappeared we might say. The value of fasting as means of penance, of self-discipline, and spiritual growth has been all but removed from the thinking of the Church.
14. The present defects and problems of irreverence, immodest and improper dress and failure to apply St. Paul's teaching on women and girls at public worship, we have indicated elsewhere (pages 8-10 of 30pagepaper).
15. Music now has many defects, stemming mainly from its usual goal of giving consolation and appealing to the emotions. Good Catholic music needs first of all sound theology and spirituality to put proper and true thoughts into the mind, it needs proper spirit to stir the will to devotion, worship, and proper Catholic action, etc. The Church has spoken on this (as on everything else) before Vatican II including at least one encyclical that I am aware of. The organ produces sounds solemn enough to foster devotion, yet is appealing to the spirit on the natural level.
OTHER FRUITS
To my mind the two most visible negative fruits of Vatican II, everywhere now seen are a) altar girls and women about the altar for readings and at Holy Communion, and b) all the abuses and irreverence and sacrileges connected and occurring with the practice of Communion in the Hand. (pages 8-10 of 30pagepaper goes into some detail on these evil fruits).
ONE FINAL FRUIT
The title by itself tells all, but see, if not already done so : How Vatican II Destroyed the Jesuits - a Remnant article.
*** FROM PAGES 21 TO 23 OF 30PAGEPAPER *** OCTOBER 2011
BY THEIR FRUITS
Jesus tells us in scripture that the tree will be known as good or evil by its fruits. St. Thomas Aquinas says in philosophical language that we know the cause by the effects, applying this as a universal principle, stemming from common sense.
Much has been written since Vatican II indicating the decay of the Church. Books such as James Hitchcock's "The Decline and Fall of Radical Catholicism", Dietrich von Hildebrand's "The Devastated Vineyard", Malachi Martin's writings with his description of the Church as in shambles.
On the other hand vastly more has been written praising Vatican II and denying this decay. We have stated above that only true and solid or reliable measuring sticks have any business in these measurements. After all, to virtually all Protestants, Martin Luther is a hero. (their measure of Martin Luther is of course the greatly false Protestant accounts which they read and hear). Only the sure guide of the Holy Spirit can be a measure of whether this tree, namely Vatican II is good or evil. By those sure principles and teachings given by the Holy Spirit before Vatican II, we most certainly say this tree produced fruit bringing disorder and decay. Let us state a few of these fruits or effects:
1. One of the fruits of Vatican II is less obvious as to its existence, and much less obvious to its great negative effect. This fruit is the removal of the language used traditionally.
a.) First of all the removal of Latin greatly hinders the unity of the Church as to its teachings and understanding of documents. Even if all within the Church were saints, the number of translations would force some errors and differences of translation. Since it is clear that the Church has not a few unscrupulous translations and enemies, visible and invisible, the vast number of translations significantly weaken the Church and its unity.
b.) The language of the Church as to the words, and definitions of these words, has a long tradition. Consistency in use of words and definitions made reading of Catholic writings and books relatively easy, after one learned the words and definitions, and increased reading re-enforced and increased their understanding. It also deepened the faith of the reader and his or her trust in the Church. This language is no longer used. After Vatican II many libraries were cleared out of books of the solid traditional writings; lives of the Saints, spiritual works, and books on theology. A great many were thrown into the trash and the new books with a new language filled the shelves of many a library.
Back in about 1975, Br. Michael, my immediate superior, would travel to a local place where these excellent traditional books had been thrown out and were free for the taking,and so we had excellent books for our library. Later after I had departed this excellent religious community, I am ashamed to admit, but the struggle then was anguishing and needed a solution, I was given the Benziger edition (in full) of the Summa Theologica, almost brand-new, by a man who hated to see excellent Catholic books trashed and so had a bunch of books in his truck. He also had excellent catholic books like THE COMPLETE WORKS OF ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS.
2. With Vatican II, not a few of the guards against evil were removed as the Legion of Decency, and taking the Oath Against Modernism.
3. Immediately after Vatican II, an estimated 10,000 religious returned to the world and schools long run by the good nuns were either closed or became much less solid in discipline, in Catholic teaching, and in ability to produce children with a firm Catholic training.
4. Many so-called Catholic colleges and universities now are questionably Catholic in many ways.
5. Breakdown of Discipline or Simply Failure to Apply It : Created in the image and likeness of God, man has two primary powers of the soul, intellect and will. The intellect needs truth,sound principles, etc. The development of good habits (virtues) especially at an early age, cannot be overstated as to the great value. The dedicated nuns and brothers of former times instilled these habits through firm discipline. But the wise man knows how great is the value once these habits are achieved.
Today the Church and world fails terribly in both sound teaching and sound principles and in applying discipline. At the rate we are going America will soon fail to have room to jail all those who did not learn interior good habits when young. Discipline (punishment) applied to evil will always be necessary upon earth, but without early discipline of the young and enough people given to self-discipline, our nation and the world will soon be unable to police all the criminals and vandals. Vatican II has contributed greatly to all this.
6. Our seminaries likewise have suffered greatly from Vatican II. The Church when showing vigor and order, manly virtues, with the militant spirit needed for self-discipline, prayer, and seeking higher perfection, naturally draws more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Statistics show that traditional communities and traditional priestly orders draw plenty of vocations.
Though priestly scandals seem to have considerably lessened, it seems clear that the vast majority of our seminaries remain greatly in need of a return to traditional discipline, and in formation of priests regarding the course of studies.
7. Looking back, we find that Pope Paul VI was grieved and distressed enough over the difficulties after the Council to have stated : "The smoke of Satan has entered the Church".
8. Many times the phrase CRISIS OF FAITH has been used to describe the state of the Church after Vatican II.
9. The Latin Mass Magazine, Chronicle of a Catholic Reform. in 1995 featured an effect of the updating of the Church after Vatican II with the article "Repentant psychologist : How I wrecked the I.H.M. nuns".
In this interview with Dr. William Marra, Dr. William Coulson relates working with American psychologist Carl Rogers and relates the devastating effects of their humanistic psychology (to some degree this has entered almost every corner of the Church and especially many U.S. seminaries) upon their order of nuns in California, the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In 1966 and 1967 the order invited them in with their psychological program TFN, Therapy for Normals. And Dr. Coulson regrets to say : "The IHMs had 60 schools when we started, at the end they had one. There were 560 nuns when we began. Within a year after our interventions, 300 were petitioning Rome to get out of their vows". And he relates that of the 560 nuns, at the end or now, there are about two dozen.
This was permitted by the Spirit of Vatican II and done or permitted in the name of updating of religious communities directed by Vatican II.
Dr. Coulson says they performed their Humanistic Psychology program upon two dozen other orders also, including the Jesuits (of which we heard much about in the years after the Council, and now we know part or much of the reason why). COMMENT Perhaps this Humanistic Psychology has had significant effect upon so many nuns not wearing their habits after Vatican II.
10. The Oct. 15, 1995 Remnant has a column : From the Diary of Father X, "true stories, written by a Catholic priest, in good standing, in a certain American diocese". Father X wrote in a column about the situation in Rome after Vatican II and refers to Father Pietro the pastor of San Giuseppe Parish: "Every weekend I helped him with Masses and confessions. A saintly man, he loved the priesthood and the Church. We had many conversations about the dreadful deterioration that has occurred since the Second Vatican Council."
11. The Latin Mass Magazine in its 1995 promotional edition, refers to the book THE DEVASTATED VINEYARD, written by deceased author Dietrich von Hildebrand: "A friend of Pope Pius XII, recipient of an award from Pope Paul VI, this eminent author grew alarmed soon after the Second Vatican Council. The 'renewal' he saw, was largely bogus. A few years later he wrote this devastating critique and explanation why."
12. Since Vatican II, the Catholic Church has abandoned the practice, which was begun at the very beginning of the Church, of abstinence from meat on Fridays, out of reverence for Jesus, crucified on Friday.
13. Fasting has greatly lessened or virtually disappeared we might say. The value of fasting as means of penance, of self-discipline, and spiritual growth has been all but removed from the thinking of the Church.
14. The present defects and problems of irreverence, immodest and improper dress and failure to apply St. Paul's teaching on women and girls at public worship, we have indicated elsewhere (pages 8-10 of 30pagepaper).
15. Music now has many defects, stemming mainly from its usual goal of giving consolation and appealing to the emotions. Good Catholic music needs first of all sound theology and spirituality to put proper and true thoughts into the mind, it needs proper spirit to stir the will to devotion, worship, and proper Catholic action, etc. The Church has spoken on this (as on everything else) before Vatican II including at least one encyclical that I am aware of. The organ produces sounds solemn enough to foster devotion, yet is appealing to the spirit on the natural level.
OTHER FRUITS
To my mind the two most visible negative fruits of Vatican II, everywhere now seen are a) altar girls and women about the altar for readings and at Holy Communion, and b) all the abuses and irreverence and sacrileges connected and occurring with the practice of Communion in the Hand. (pages 8-10 of 30pagepaper goes into some detail on these evil fruits).
ONE FINAL FRUIT
The title by itself tells all, but see, if not already done so : How Vatican II Destroyed the Jesuits - a Remnant article.
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