Hands Across the Blogosphere
First off, the deluge of e.mails I've received has been thrilling and a blessing. My dear readers, you are the Angels of the whirlwind. Please keep supporting me and spreading the word!
Now more than ever, I am convinced of the need for unity. We don't all think the same, but we agree on the essentials. And the divide between "us" -- whether we can be classified as traditional, progressive, or somewhere in-between -- and "them" is not one of how we interpret what we have received, but the extent to which we listen, the measure of how we reach out to others and aren't threatened by views which may conflict with our worldview.
In other words, the measure of our faith is not our viewpoint, but our openness. And all of us who share that belief in the free and fair exchange of ideas -- and are aghast at the baptism of intolerance, fear and cowardice others wish to perpetrate -- must stick together, closer than we ever have before.
My recent experiences have only heightened my long-standing belief that the prophets of doom are storming the gates, and that the church is under siege.
It is not conservatism or progressivism (at least, in their classical definitions) that will hold the church hostage. In reality, the threat comes from the rigidity of a group of verbose, overzealous, closed-minded people on both sides who seek to transform Catholicism from a church of the masses into a master race of genetically engineered sycophants closed to conversation, closed to listening and ready to defame and destroy anyone and anything which stands in the path toward their great goal -- regardless of what Jesus had to say about ruthlessness, megalomania and lies.
The traditional summit of prayer has always been, "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening." Is it possible that some have turned that into, "Listen, Lord, your servant is speaking!" That's no servant who says such a thing.
I love it when people go off on all kinds of nasty tangents "out of love." Hmm. The scribes and pharisees persecuted and killed Jesus out of love, too -- love of a law they placed themselves above, love of a hypocrisy they could live unchallenged, love of comforts and accolades they didn't deserve but exploited the people's fear of God to attain. And when all that was disputed and the truth was spoken, the authorities broke the law and perverted justice to maintain their most important law of all -- their power.
That got them far, didn't it?
I have nothing to fear, I've done nothing wrong except put something out there which is leading people to think. Obviously, that's getting some very upset and they're seeking to push me out -- they're furious that someone has the temerity to remind the world that Deal Hudson got caught with his pants down several times and still wants to be a Catholic leader, among other things.
Hey, it's hard work, this truth-tellin. Who am I to walk away from it?
-30-
Now more than ever, I am convinced of the need for unity. We don't all think the same, but we agree on the essentials. And the divide between "us" -- whether we can be classified as traditional, progressive, or somewhere in-between -- and "them" is not one of how we interpret what we have received, but the extent to which we listen, the measure of how we reach out to others and aren't threatened by views which may conflict with our worldview.
In other words, the measure of our faith is not our viewpoint, but our openness. And all of us who share that belief in the free and fair exchange of ideas -- and are aghast at the baptism of intolerance, fear and cowardice others wish to perpetrate -- must stick together, closer than we ever have before.
My recent experiences have only heightened my long-standing belief that the prophets of doom are storming the gates, and that the church is under siege.
It is not conservatism or progressivism (at least, in their classical definitions) that will hold the church hostage. In reality, the threat comes from the rigidity of a group of verbose, overzealous, closed-minded people on both sides who seek to transform Catholicism from a church of the masses into a master race of genetically engineered sycophants closed to conversation, closed to listening and ready to defame and destroy anyone and anything which stands in the path toward their great goal -- regardless of what Jesus had to say about ruthlessness, megalomania and lies.
The traditional summit of prayer has always been, "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening." Is it possible that some have turned that into, "Listen, Lord, your servant is speaking!" That's no servant who says such a thing.
I love it when people go off on all kinds of nasty tangents "out of love." Hmm. The scribes and pharisees persecuted and killed Jesus out of love, too -- love of a law they placed themselves above, love of a hypocrisy they could live unchallenged, love of comforts and accolades they didn't deserve but exploited the people's fear of God to attain. And when all that was disputed and the truth was spoken, the authorities broke the law and perverted justice to maintain their most important law of all -- their power.
That got them far, didn't it?
I have nothing to fear, I've done nothing wrong except put something out there which is leading people to think. Obviously, that's getting some very upset and they're seeking to push me out -- they're furious that someone has the temerity to remind the world that Deal Hudson got caught with his pants down several times and still wants to be a Catholic leader, among other things.
Hey, it's hard work, this truth-tellin. Who am I to walk away from it?
-30-
posted by Rocco Palmo at 14:15
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