Just to shatter PZ Myers' paranoia that only "intolerant" Catholics are disgusted at his reprehensible actions, here is some to think about:
The Editorial Board of the University of Minnesota Daily (Myers' own University newspaper) frames him as dishonest in regard to his cited motivation with his desecration of the Eucharist and a petty, Catholic-baiter:
"...his decision to carry on with the act of desecration cannot be considered a "protest" of the conduct of UCF Catholics as he claimed in an interview with the Star Tribune. Rather, it is a retributive insult.
…we find it unfortunate that he chose to engage in a petty, Catholic-baiting flourish rather than honestly engaging the issue."
This mirrors UMM Chancellor Johnson's first press release saying Myers brought nothing of intellectual value to the table with his actions.
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6 comments:
To ex-Catholics like me, my body was the literal body of a seven-year-old, and its desecration was not only bad manners, but an assault upon me, that took forty years to heal. If desecrating the host is an insult, then Myer's retributive insult is entirely justified and appropriate. Every voice that ignores the first desecration in order to condemn the second adds a further insult and further desecration to that seven-year-old. That includes your sanctimonious posturing and refusal to allow discussion. Your Church has no right to demand respect until it earns it by facing up to its own actions.
>Your Church has no right to demand respect until it earns it by facing up to its own actions.
I reply: This is like a racist telling Black People they need to get a job before they can vote or have civil rights.
Or the same person saying "Because a black guy stabbed me with a knife therefore I can burn a cross on someone's lawn if I want too."
I'm sorry you where hurt. That was terrible but you have no right to deny me my rights & vengence belongs only to God.
-BenYachov
watercat, a second wrong does not correct the first wrong.
It sounds like still much pain. Such pain doesn't go away completely, but can become much smaller and less intrusive.
This is an extremely serious post that I will treat in a serious manner. I will accept what you say on its merit.
The Catholic Church has a human element that the Holy Spirit (who is the glue that holds our Church together and was given to the early Church at the time it was established on Pentecost) divinely guides to the eventual place our Church as a whole should be at. The human element of the Church in its perfect existence should elevate itself to act in a Divine way. Blessed Mother Teresa caring for the poor in the gutters of Calcuta is an example of this.
With this human element, less than holy, human forces can operate within the Church as well overwhelming it for finite periods of time, but eventually, the Holy Spirit corrects the path.
For example, during the Protestant Reformation, there were abuses in the Sale of Indulgences. These abuses were the dark human elements of the Church working against the Divine nature of the Church. Arising to meet this crisis, were some of the greatest Saints in the history of our Church. St Ignatius of Loyola, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Francis de Sales and St. Philip Neri were all put on this earth at this specific time to counter this man-made disturbance to Christ's Church. In addition, at the same time that hundreds of thousand of people were leaving the Catholic Church in Europe, and little known Aztec Indian was having a vision of our Blessed Mother in Mexico City. This occurrence would eventually replace all these exiting hundreds of thousands of people on a one-to-one ratio in North America. The Holy Spirit takes care of His Church and guarantees its Divine success until the end of time despite human failings, small or greatly evil.
I start this way, to highlight there can always be an evil human element in our Church as we saw in these horrible, horrible scandals inflicted on the most pure and defenseless of our society. Actually, I believe with all my whole soul that the Devil targets the Roman Catholic Church and its members first and foremost because it is Christ's own Church and is the vehicle in which the most people can be saved.
As know one knows better than you, these acts were overtly evil and diabolical in nature.
On his trip to America, the first question Pope Benedict fielded on the airplane, even before he landed, was about the abuse scandal. He immediately asked for forgiveness for these horrible crimes. Christ gave to Peter all the authority to rule His Church, and aligned with this is all the authority the Pope has to speak on Christ's behalf and the behalf of hundreds of millions of Catholics in the world issuing this apology asking for forgiveness for these horrible acts that happened within our Church.
During his clandestine meeting with the abuse victims in Washington D.C., Cardinal Law handed the Holy Father a book with 1,500 names of abuse victims in it. Those present said Benedict XVI carefully paged through the book and frequently sighed. Cardinal Law announced to the room how many of these victim's lives were shattered by this abuse and how some committed suicide. It is hard to say that Our Church is not acknowledging this horrible scandal when something like this is done in public.
I see this darkest chapter of Church history being address by the Holy Spirit as well in the leadership of Benedict, and the foundation laid by John Paul II in forming truly caring priests over the past decade who care now can re-establish public trust in the priesthood.
I could not be more sorry for your story and I ask for your forgiveness of my Church. I will fast tomorrow for you and offer up my hunger so that God may bring you some comfort.
Although you are probably very untrusting of the Catholic Church, and have reason to be, I would suggest checking out this link:
http://www.usccb.org/ocyp/helpandhealing.shtml
Why suddenly are his peers speaking out against him?
Sounds his peers are more concerned with 'CYA' activity than with defending holy sacraments.
Better late than never, I suppose.
Watercat, don't you dare allow that faithless beast to kill your spirit or your faith in God.
I have two words for that person who violated a seven year old--abject evil--and there's no other explanation. Christ will deal with him (or her); have no doubt of that. Or that He has stood by you in your pain all of these years. And He has.
Please know that those clergy who are guilty of such crimes are a very small percentage of the Catholic priests, perhaps 1% percent, although the suffering they have wrought is, of course, immeasurable. There are holy priests, watercat, countless holy priests.
If you can, pray and pray unceasingly for your own peace. I doubt Christ would deny you anything. For what this statement is worth, everyone who has read your post is praying right along side of you. You’re not alone, ever.
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