When Emotions Trump Intellect, Sin And Death Are The Results

When I went to Catholic schools, before the "spirit of Vatican II" stupefied religious instruction, we learned that mankind was made in the image and likeness of God.  Along with a body, we have the faculties of intellect and will.  These two are the highest faculties that we possess and they (among other things) differentiate us from animals that do not possess these.

Note that emotions are not among the faculties that differentiate us from animals.  We all know that animals have emotions (especially pet owners).  Before original sin, man's faculties were perfectly ordered, with intellect and will controlling the others.  Today, though, because we are marred by original sin and its effects, we often find our intellects darkened and our wills weakened as our passions and appetites overrule those higher faculties.

Anybody who has even the slightest knowledge of current affairs not only sees the effects of emotions run amok, but they even see that usurpation celebrated.  How often have we been told that we must tolerate the invasions of perversion out of so-called "compassion"?  Witness the ridiculous behaviors of those opposed to Trump after his victory; when they weren't rioting in the streets and committing vandalism, they were sucking their thumbs in their "safe spaces" doodling with crayons and coloring books - because their feelings were hurt!  I could go on and on with that, but you get the picture.

Now who remembers several years ago when a Cracker Barrel employee (who happened to be an elderly war veteran) was fired for giving food away to indigents?  Does it sound heartless of Cracker Barrel?  Well, consider these details: the employee never bought the food himself, he was giving away food that belonged to his employer.  He had already received four or five warnings about the matter but still he persisted.  When he was discharged for blatant theft, all hell broke loose on social media.  Many people, most likely liberals who don't appreciate the Seventh Commandment, berated Cracker Barrel.  Clearly they were letting sinful sentimentality cloud their thinking.  I'm not going to rehash my points now.

Today in facebook we saw another such case and I'll now post the link.  Let's leave aside the consideration that this is probably a fabricated story for the ensuing discussion is indicative of the clouded thinking of so many of those mis-educated in public schools.  If those excusing the kids are parents, we can see how so many kids today are morally adrift.

So we see two examples of goodly numbers of people obviously letting their emotions run roughshod all over their brains.  I'm sure many readers have their own myriads of examples.  Unfortunately we see this among Catholics as they consider matters of faith and morals.  This sin of letting emotions rule over intellect (sin against prudence) permeates Amoris Laetitia and other pronouncements coming from Pope Francis and the Vatican.  How often have we heard the pope carry on about "mercy", "compassion", "accompaniment", "pastoral", etc?  Let's not forget his railing against "rigid", "neo-palagians", "rosary counters", etc.  All this is code talk for the pope's new notions that we must jettison Christ's timeless and immutable teachings out the window and be carried away with every emotional whim and fancy of the moment - and carried away to sin and perhaps damnation.

False Dichotomes Between Faith And Intellect, Being Joyful And Being Serious

In his morning homily yesterday the Holy Father described what he believes are two groups into which humanity can be classed.  One group is those open to the Holy Spirit and docile to His movements, who move by faith.  The second group puzzles me a bit.  While he says they are obtuse to God, he says they are so because "everything was about the mind, the intellect..no love of beauty, no harmony".

I know some folks who are quite hostile to God.  Trust me when I say that their hostility to God has nothing at all to do with their intellects.  More often than not, their sensuality has deadened not only faith but any intellectual prowess they might have had.  It is Our Lady of Fatima herself who told the three children that more souls go to hell due to sins of the flesh more than anything else; I would assume that includes any intellectual pride.

Since when are "intellect" and "openness to the Holy Spirit" mutually exclusive as the Pope seems to be implying?  Since we are created in the image and likeness of God primarily through intellect and will, I would think that there is no "openness to the Holy Spirit" without some modicum of intellectual rigor.  I would think that there can be no real "love of beauty" without a sound intellect to inform us of the nature of true beauty.

He then said, "when there is a lot of seriousness, the spirit of God is lacking".  What does that mean?  Since when does a serious outlook preclude the presence of the Spirit of God?  I might think that the Spirit of God might bring about a more serious outlook on life and the eternal realities surrounding us.  True joy and seriousness are not mutually contradictory.  That assumes we understand that real joy has nothing to do with posing in selfies while wearing clown noses.  Our Lord Himself always displayed the fruits of the Spirit, did He not?  Does that include the time known as His Passion?  I would think so.

These artificial dichotomies that appear in the Pope's remarks seem confusing and divisive rather than helpful.

What Role Do Feelings Play?

Feelings, or emotions, are to be subordinated to our intellect.  We are made in God's image and likeness as evidenced by will and intellect.  Because our culture is so guided by feeling and sentiment, it has become one of the most murderous in all human history.