Pope John Paul was barely in the ground before the long knives in the media were brought out. Of course, the worst sorts were in the British media (viz. The Guardian and in the US alternative press, viz. Orange County Weekly. These are just two samples of many that are appearing.
One thing they all have in common is a complaint that the Holy Father told then that their sexual immorality was bad. Can’t do that! Don’t you know that sexual pleasure and libertinism is the new sacrament and that the only sin is telling someone they can’t have that pleasure?
>>>the columnist who declares that John Paul’s editc killed millions.<<<
Yeah, all those “faithful” catholics died because that were adhering to the difficult Church teaching on contraception (though conveniently ignoring the Church’s teaching about promiscuous sex, drug use, etc.)
Also all those faithful catholics in Thailand, Russia, India, and China are sick with AIDS because they were just obeying the Church.
Advocates of birth control long ago promised stronger marriages and the end of prostitution, but reality has shown that promise to be a falsehood. Unfortunately, it is women and children who are bearing the most of this great lie.
kathleen Parker in todays USATODAY wrote a nice column about the Holy Father. She pointed out that about 60-70% of the crowd at his funeral were young people. Not the ‘sea of blue’ (hair) one usually sees in one’s home parish. Guess the ol’ hippie’s message is lost on this younger generation when it comes to love for the Church.
(One final note on hair: Amanpour’s wasn’t that black when she was 12 years old! Who’s she trying to kid?)
I was able to witness and participate in most of the events in Rome last week and while there were those there to see it all as amost a tourist atraction, the great majority, especially for the night vigils in St. Peter’s Square, and the lying in of state, were there to pay tribute to John Paul II. The turnout from the youth amazes only those who did not know of the close relationship the Holy Father alway had with the youth from his time as a young priest up to some of his final coments on Saturday. The countless people who flocked there and waited for hours and hours both in the hot sun and then the cold nights would not have waited just to have something to tell grandkids about. Most of the people I was with and I talked to felt they had to go to pay their respects.
You are absolutely right, Dom, about the “sour grapes” thing. I was thinking as I watched the TV coverage that the whole event had to be driving some people insane w jealousy, resentment, etc. But it was clearly infuriating the right people.
Thanks again, dpt, for your post. You are absolutely correct about women and children bearing the brunt of the sexual revolution.
Regards –
I almost hope that one of the first things the new Pope will do is tell the media that he has no intention of changing any of the teachings with which they have problems. That might place the communications between Vatican and media on an interesting footing.
But then again, I am notorious for having poor diplomatic skills and bungling my good intentions with confused wording, so…
I hope that the new pope takes the name Athanasius and then proceeds to live up to it.
Thank God that these poor, misguided souls attack us, the Church, and our late Pope. How better to confirm that we are following the warnings of Our Lord. How well Jesus knew of the attacks on those who would follow him. Slander and libel and calumny and distortion are part of how the “world” i.e., Mammon hates the Church. Not only the Church, but devout Christian and Jews period.
They would not hate the Church if they were not deeply worried that the Church holds the true way to salvation of this poor earth. Faithful Christianity terrifies these people. They mock us, deride us, relish our internal scandals. Yet, as long as we remain truly faithful to Christ and His teachings, to the Apostles and Church Fathers and Doctors, we know that we will eventually triumph in grace.
I am more apt to verbally punch someone who is utterly insulting and obnoxious in the nose than many others. Yet, in my heart, I know that we must deliberately include them in our prayers…especially in the Novena of Divine Mercy.
As we read of the continuing attacks on the Church from these sources as well as our heterodox brethren within the Church, let us always recall those words from the cross:
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!”
My e-mail to Ms. Toynbee:
Couldn’t wait to bring out the knives, could you?
The Pope is not responsible for the spread of AIDs—sexually promiscuous people spread AIDs. Uganda’s leaders have recognized this simple truth and promoted abstinance before marriage, faithfulness in marriage, and only condoms if you lack self control. The country has been effective in slowing the spread of the illness.
Your hatred and vitriol drip from the pages of your article. That is what Christ told his followers to expect from the world. You do not disappoint.
Those who live in this world can expect suffering interspersed with joy. Christians at least have a view of life that ennobles their suffering which can be joined to Christ’s for the grace to redeem sin. We also have the hope of eternal life if we follow God’s will.
What do you do when you suffer? If you haven’t yet, what understanding and strength will you bring to this inevitable fact of life?
As my son once said to his friend (both agnostics), “How is it that Christians are so sane?” It has been my experience that those who practice the Christian virtues tend to have happy marriages and families, good relations with their neighbors, and satisfactory careers. So, even if we are deluded according to your view, we seem to have a formula for the good life.
Someone argued to me that Pope John Paul II’s position on condom use and AIDS was immoral.
I asked if the risky behavior itself was considered immoral, but did not get an answer.
That would be great, Roberto, and good email M. McC. And dpt, I can imagine what the person’s response was: either a blank stare or a disgusted shake of the head because YOU are – of course – the one who is so ludicrous!
Best –