The Charge Of The Lighten-Up Brigade

I and some others have noted with dismay a growing tendency of some Catholics (mostly younger) to simper and giggle about trivial doings and sayings of prominent Catholic leaders.  I noticed this first when a blogger (I won't name him) regularly featured Pope Benedict XVI's pictures on his blog and asked readers to supply a caption.  Either the Pope had an unusual expression on his face or was undergoing some harmless mishap.  Because that was really quite harmless I paid no attention to it, not wanting to waste my time.  But recently some not-so-harmless manifestations have blazed their ways through the blogosphere.

Joy-Pop Christianity??

As I watched today's Vortex, I couldn't help but "connect some dots", as it were.  Go back to my post regarding the "lighten up brigade".  It has been my observation that this "brigade" and the population that Voris describes has a high degree of overlap.  Might such folks be headed to spiritual trouble if they don't sober up?  I have a bit of personal experience with this, having been wrapped up in what is still called the "charismatic renewal".  I pulled away from that for many reasons.  One reason is that I saw an over-emphasis on "experience".  God never called us to have particular kinds of "experiences"; those experiences are at most ancillary to the Christian life.  God calls us to the Church, the sacraments and teachings and to obedience to His commands.  If we "experience consolation", well that's nice.  But if we don't, then there's nothing wrong with us spiritually (meaning we don't have to "lighten up"!); we're being swindled out of absolutely nothing.  In fact, we're in good company.  Mother Teresa had very little of consolation; yet she obeyed God in a manner that I suspect few of us do.

Oafish Behavior By Catholics

This post regards a not-so-new phenomenon prevalent among some Catholics on the internet to post and giggle at memes that are irreverent towards sacred matters or that utilize flagrant grammar and/or spelling errors.  When these are pointed out (and by far I have not been the only one to do so), the posters - or perpetrators - seem to take perverse pride in their irreverence and/or sloppiness.  They scoff at anyone who points out their errors.

This sacrilege is considered funny by some

We are accused of not having a "sense of humor".  Behind such accusations I suspect is a bit of group-think.  The memes are posted on Facebook with the expectation of eliciting laughter.  When someone voices an opinion that isn't one of hilarity, that person is subjected to none-too-subtle peer pressure to get with the program and to mindlessly giggle along with the rest of the crowd.  That group-think peer pressure is often invoked in the mantra "lighten up".  Their "lightening up" is really a dumbing down of holiness, piety, intellectual integrity, language integrity, and serious thought,  I touched on this several years ago, and not much has changed, except that I am seeing this more and more among people who call themselves Catholic.

The routine is that someone posts a meme that treats with flippancy matters of the Catholic faith, or involves crude jokes of sexual or scatological matters.  Obviously the poster intends others to giggle and chortle like mindless hyenas or chimpanzees.  That establishes the group-think expectation and many people fall right in.  Should anyone dare to question the so-called joke, the mob mocks them, accusing them of not having a "sense of humor".  It's rather similar to the snow-flakes accusing independent thinkers of engaging in "hate speech".  They are attempting to squelch thinking contrary to their own, most likely because it stings their consciences.  I find it eerily reminiscent of nazi-like behavior.

Since I wrote that post eleven years ago, I have been pondering that, plus the nonsense that has come up since.  Lately tik-tok videos have been cropping up, in blind compliance with various "challenges" that are made.  One of them involved a parent or other adult trusted by a baby, cracking an egg on the child's head and giggling over the child's distress by the assault.  Yes, it is assault.  Others involve the throwing of food at the child's face, again to record the child's reaction.  I am stunned that some Catholics take a nonchalant attitude towards these actions.  At what level of harm would they finally wake up?

I tried to come up with a word that defines these folks - again, many of them Catholics - who engage in this behavior, under the seeming anonymity of the internet.  While I wouldn't say they are acting in a manner typical of apostates, they certainly conduct themselves in manners that are more adolescent.  They act as though they are devoid of common sense and common manners.  The word I think, is OAF.  Most of the online definitions of that word include the word "stupid".  

If some reading this bristle at the definition, are you the sort that glories in your demonstrations of lackluster language skills?  Do you take pride in guffawing at irreverent and/or crude memes and jokes simply because they flash across your screens, being slaves to internet group-think?

If the shoe fits, wear it.  Or better yet, you could always decide that you will grow up and act like a reasonable adult, both away from the computer and online.

The Placid And Comfortable Lack The Will To Survive And Protect The Church

Last week President Trump gave an address to the people of Poland.  In that speech he uttered a key statement: "The fundamental question of our time is whether the west has the will to survive".  While the president went on to answer in the affirmative, many of us aren't so certain whether that will exists.   A website called The Trumpet analyzed these presidential remarks and I think in many ways they are spot-on.

We as a nation are quite lethargic when it comes to protecting our culture for we are besotted by sin and rejection of God.  That rejection of God and exaltation of sin has become more and more ensconced in our legal and societal framework during these past few decades whereas in the early part of our nation's history, laws and customs at least gave perfunctory lip service to God and Christian values.  We know that one key effect of sin on the one committing it is that their intellect is darkened and their will is weakened.

The weakening of the will and draining of the will to survive was evident even in Old Testament history.  We can read in the books of Kings how King David, after his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of her husband Uriah, surrendered control over his own family.  Thus he was lethargic when his son raped his daughter and was murdered by another son who would go on to almost overthrow David himself.  Moving onto the Book of Judges we see how Samson was undone by his dalliance with Delilah.  The loss of will to survive has been evident almost from the start of human existence.

Not only in the arena of civil governance do we see this creeping lethargy, but also among the ranks of many Catholics.  For the sake of this post, I'm focusing on Catholics who exhibit a modicum of fidelity to the Faith by attending Mass and doing many good and charitable things within the context of their parishes.  However, when it comes to facing real threats from within the Church leadership they reflexively turn blind eyes and deaf ears to the facts that are slapping them in the face.

This deliberate blindness and deafness is magnified even more when it comes to the ever-increasing number of misbehaviors by this current pope.  I've commented about this before and now link to a LifeSiteNews article that's a few months old but still quite relevant.  Anna Silvas, who is being interviewed in that article, postulates that an "affective papalism" might be a big cause of their blindness.  That could well be a large part of the problem.  An inordinate desire for a "simplistic Catholic faith" and the overvaluing of emotions and sentiments are also factors.  When she states that Catholics who sound the alarm are berated, I can affirm that with my own experiences of being chided for being "dour" and "hateful", etc.

I now suggest that the seeking of the "simplistic" and "experiential" are inherently sinful for they involve willful (if somewhat reflexive) rejection of objective truth.  Such embrace of a subtly sinful mindset will also dull the intellect, weaken the will and diminish the will to survive as Catholics.

So now I ask this question: do the readers of this blog have the will to see our Church survive for the sake of their own souls and those whom they love?  Will they resist the insipid calls to "lighten up" and be willing not only to pray but to take decisive action if threats should present themselves?  See here, here, here, and here.  When (not "if" but "when") attacks present themselves, will we be ready to act?  Will we, as a Church, have the will to survive?

When Catholics Eschew Adulthood, All Hell Breaks Loose

Consider these phenomena that we have been witnessing with varying degrees of regularity over these past 10 years:

• Priests singing secular songs from the altar during Mass
• Priests and/or religious performing line dances in public venues, in clerics and habits
• Priests and religious giving rock music concerts
• The attire of Mass attendees becoming ever more sloppy and even obscene
• Poor deportment while before the Blessed Sacrament:
• Chatting in the nave of the Church
• Failure to genuflect
• Consuming food/drink, chewing gum - not babies, but adults
• Stand-up-comedy jokes being told from the pulpit and even the altar
• A once-prominent Catholic blogger, in his heyday, published pictures of Pope Benedict experiencing problems with his vestments and then asking his readers to provide captions for his pictures
• The popularity of Matthew Kelly and his ilk peddling "be a better you" seminars instead of the the need to turn from sin.
• The vaunting of the World Youth Day spectacles, despite the rife abuses conducted therein

I've written before about these matters but have not been able to put my finger on a common denominator.  But maybe I'm homing in on it.  Many adults today are eschewing the responsibilities and even identities associate with being adults.  Those of a liberal bent are particularly afflicted with it.  Wanting government to assume control of their lives while they embrace hedonism, they find the progressive programs particularly appealing.  Many recoil at the thought of having to assume responsibility for their lives, to commit to spouses and children, to think and live for something beyond themselves and their own entertainments and creature comforts.

Regrettably, Catholics have demonstrated that they are not always immune to this psychological and societal sickness.  The degrees of impairment vary widely.  The list at the top of the post is particularly at play in more liberal enclaves - particularly the deportment and dress at Mass (assuming they attend Mass).  Conversely, when I've attended Traditional Latin Masses, both dress and deportment are vastly improved.  Maybe that is why the pope railed upon the traditionally-minded so viciously; perhaps in his attempt to shame them from their "rigidity" he wants them more amenable to the wiles of the progressives.

But more conservative parishes (that aren't Latin Mass) aren't totally immune.  Moreover, when I've voiced concerns to some of my fellow faithful Catholics about it, I often receive responses that can only be described as rancorous.  Invariably the "lighten up" mantra is snarled into my face.

Concurrent with the rejection of adulthood is the overemphasis on emotions and sentiments, a feature of postnodernism.  We see that in their defense of the childish clergy dancing as "expressing joy in the Lord".  Well, I can remember when clergy upheld the dignity of their sacerdotal orders.  Dignity and modesty would never have allowed them to follow foolish worldly fads.  Are we to believe that those priests of yesteryear were utterly bereft of true Godly joy?

Related to the above is some notion that in order to evangelize young people, we must engage them on what we perceive to be "their own terms".  That's the excuse some offer for the "rock concerts" and the public dancing displays.  Such an attitude is wrong in several ways:

• It betrays an incredible condescension towards young people.  Those holding such beliefs seem to contend that if we wave "entertainment doggy bones" in front of them, then they will slavishly follow after them in the fashion of Pavlov's dogs.  The young people see through that.  I think many of them not only don't fall for such cheap ploys, but actually resent those who employ them.  Who can blame them?  They don't want to be treated as mice who will mindlessly follow a rock-star pied piper.  They seek real, serious answers to the challenges that they face in their lives.  They need us to address them as rational adults.
• I now link to a post that contains a Vortex video.  Please watch that, particularly the last half.  Voris explains well the utter futility of emotion-based evangelism.
• If we're really looking for an effective way to evangelize, forget this "new evangelism" tripe.  Go back to the way the Apostles evangelized.  They preached the gospel that commanded people to repent from their sins and to believe Christ and His teachings.  They taught the truth, not some "positive" pabulum.  For an example of that, go to today's first reading from Mass: Acts 2:14,36-41.

In 1 Corinthians 13:11, Paul says, "when I was a child, I spoke like a child, talked like a child.  When I became a man I put aside the ways of the child."  It's high time we did the same thing.  Let's dispense with the silly and trite.  Let's dispense with the postmodern obsession with "feelings" and "positivity" and focus on the objective truths of Jesus and His Church in their entirety.  Let's grow up; stop indulging our "inner child" complexes and be the adults that are needed so desperately by our silly, stupified, sin-sick world.

Friday Night Humor Time!

It's been a long week.  Time to lighten up a little!  Click here if you cannot see embedded video.

How NOT To Promote Confession

The video below was posted by a young priest three years ago in an attempt to convince people to go to Confession.  One could say it's rather "novel".  See additional remarks below the video.



Unique, wasn't it?  Let's hope it remains unique, meaning "not to be repeated".

May I humbly propose my "novel" idea?  Let a video be made, where the presenter (be they cleric or lay) conducts him/herself as a rational, dignified adult as opposed to acting like a barker selling snake-oil at a carnival side-show.  Unfortunately we just saw the latter.

Moreover, how about the presenter treating his/her viewers as though they too were mature, rational adults rather than treat them as though their mental/emotional developments were stunted at the teeny-bopper level?  Again, we saw the latter.

St. John Vianney, the Cure of Ars, never tried to "entertain" his congregation into receiving the Holy Sacrament of Reconciliation.  What did he do?  He preached the truth from his pulpit.  He let his congregation knew precisely what constituted sin.  He was not afraid to preach on the Four Last Things.  He made very clear that mortal sins (and he defined them explicitly), unconfessed at the end of one's life, would cause a person to go to hell.  I read in a life of his where he told a penitent, who didn't have sufficient contrition, in no uncertain terms that he was damned if he retained his current attitudes.

The sainted Cure certainly didn't put on "dog and pony shows" such as that you just saw.  He realized that as a priest he stood as an Alter Christi, not a stand-up-comic clone.  He treated the subject matter of sin and reconciliation with all due gravity.  Were people intimidated by this?  Did they avoid his confessional?  Quite the contrary.  People came from places far and wide to have him hear their confession.  After the long travels, they would wait patiently in his line for days.  That's right - days!   Not minutes, not hours -days!

The juvenile approach that this video evinced was bad enough, but the bit about the "just-baptized feeling" borders on dangerous.  Ladies and gentlemen, the sacraments are not about "feelings" at all.  Maybe "feelings" are present and maybe they aren't.  It doesn't matter.  The efficacy of the sacraments is due to them being instituted by Jesus Christ Himself and administered by His Church.  If one properly confesses to a priest, their sins are - in fact - forgiven when the priest gives the absolution.  One can literally jot down the date and time that Father absolved them of a heinous mortal sin.  No doubt there is a peace of mind, but that is far different from "feelings".

Let me be clear about one thing.  I mean no disparagement to this young priest at all.  I've no doubt that his heart is in the right place.  At least this is an attempt to get people to avail themselves of the sacrament.  He's young.  I suspect this was part and parcel of his seminary formation.  I trust a little real-world experience will cure this.  Let us pray that the new Pontiff will correct any lackluster priestly education.

Note to commenters:  Please don't bother with "but it's cute!"  Ladies and gentlemen, "cute" is not what is needed.  The Sacraments must be treated with dignity and respect.  The truth must be presented without gimmicks.  Souls are going to hell and the Sacraments were instituted to save them.  That is a very serious matter and it's an insult to truth to try to "lighten it up".

Christmas Music - Caution Is In Order

If you've gone into shopping centers these past few weeks, you've undoubtedly noticed music with Christmas-related themes.  In fact you might have noticed that if you've been in the malls anytime after Halloween.  We heard Silent Night, O Holy Night, Joy to the World, etc.  Of course public schools have exerted all kinds of efforts to expunge any mention of Christ from His own birthday.  The stores, though secular, aren't that stupid; they understand that this music often induces purchases at their stores.

Much of the music is indeed uplifting, such as the carols listed above.  But others, not so much.  Along with the music that does explicitly mention the Birth of Christ, there are other songs, popularly associated with Christmas, that simply talk of winter-themed pleasantries.  I have in mind songs such as Jingle Bells, Sleigh Ride, Deck the Halls, etc.  While these songs, in and of themselves, are harmless enough, their inclusion in the ranks of true Christmas Carols tends to adulterate the true focus of Christmas.

I mention this because I do hear among people genuine concern about the commercialization of Christmas and the loss of focus on its meaning.  Yet many of these same folks will insist that "White Christmas" is a true Christmas carol, right up there with Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming.  They believe that the loss of the sense of Christmas is a relatively recent phenomenon but I think it goes back a lot longer than that - and I mean like 70 years ago at least.  The "harmless" songs I mentioned are a clear indication of the distractions that have been allowed to worm their ways into our culture.

But I daresay there have been some "not-so-harmless" influences that have corroded our understanding of Christmas.  There are two songs that I have in mind.  How on earth any right-thinking Christian can consider these authentic "Christmas music" boggles my mind.  In fact, any decent society would have relegated these to the trash.  The first one is called "Santa Baby", made (in)famous by Eartha Kitt in 1953.  I will not dignify this by linking to it. I'm sure many can remember it and why I say that it is chock full of vulgar innuendos.  It was my understanding that radio stations back then were a bit more discerning about the morality of music played on their stations; obviously I was mistaken.

The other was released about five years prior to "Santa Baby".  It's called "Baby It's Cold Outside".  It is a man-woman duet, performed by many singers over the years and it was included in a movie.  I cannot even fathom how it's considered "Christmas music".  "Santa Baby" does mention Santa so I get that connection.  All "baby" does is mention some cold weather, but I guess that's enough to trigger "Christmas" in some minds.  Now again I won't link to this, but the lyrics reveal a conversation between the man and the woman, where the man is trying to seduce the woman into spending the night at his place and most likely to commit the mortal sin of fornication.  Please tell me - how does any right-thinking Christian equate the seduction into mortal sin with the birth of God Incarnate?  I don't get it!

Many of us see quite clearly how the culture has degraded and become more bestial as it has abandoned its Christian underpinnings and indeed God Himself.  However, we must be honest and realize that the rot started a bit earlier than we might care to admit.  The two songs I just mentioned above, along with the supposedly "Christian" public's initial enjoyment of them, were part and parcel of the corrosion of morality.  I know some will poo-poo this post, telling me to "lighten up".  Well, first - let's wise up, shall we?  When we're exhorted by Scripture to "always keep watch", that passage means what it says, with the operative word being "always".

We've heard of "custody of the eyes".  I suspect we need to practice some "custody of the ears" as well.  In the next post I'll put up a Vortex that exposes the heresy in a contemporary "Christmas" song that is quite the hit in "Christiian pop" culture.

The Barneyfication Of The Papacy

As you might have noticed, I coined a new term "barneyfication".  Permit me to define it.  Anyone who had been in regular contact with small children about 20-25 years ago cannot help but to have made the acquaintance of Barney the Dinosaur.  He had his own show.  VHS tapes (remember those?) were flying off the shelves.  I remember babysitting my niece and nephew, then toddlers.  They danced to the Barney videos.  He is pictured at the right.  As you can see, Barney is fuzzy-wuzzy, cuddly and oh-so lovable!  Never a contrary word issued forth from his mouth.  He was the idol of youngsters everywhere.  Of course he was always affirming.  I never heard any account of him offering correction to anyone -ever.  In short, he was the "non-judgmental" idol.

Ever since Pope Francis was installed as Pontiff, we have been hearing some strange accounts and most tellingly, seeing some strange and downright silly photographs.  First, the internet went ape when a dove fluttered about him while he was giving an address.   Now birds fly around there all the time.  Some photographer simply got lucky and snapped the right shot at the right moment.  Some boring and mundane person like myself would have thought nothing of it, but  Facebook commenters and bloggers everywhere carried on and on about the "significance" of the event.  I suppose we can all be grateful that the bird didn't use that occasion to "drop a bomb", as it were, else these same bloviators would be waxing hysterical about the ill omen that the bird-turd might have signified.