Friday 6 November 2015

Because...Modernity!

Because...2015!: You'll find one in many English towns
Ed West today pens a great piece for The Spectator on the intellectual crisis - virus - afflicting contemporary society, in which a Canadian President can flippantly answer the question, 'Why is gender equality important?' with the answer: "Because its 2015" and not think that's just a little meaningless.

There might be some interesting arguments to advance for the largely secularist cause for 'gender equality' but I'm not sure 'Because its Friday' quite cuts it.

Yet, this view that we are just so advanced and superior to those who came before us that whatever they believed was ridiculous and unbelievable is, inside the Church and outside the Church, dominant and widespread. The intellectual underpinnings of "Because its 2015" are just so weak and tenuous that those laughing at it should be in the majority, but I don't think they are. Are we more stupid and accepting of such laughable arrogance 'because its 2015'? Quite possibly!



Within the Church, "Because...modernity!" has something of a stranglehold over many a Catholic mind. I was talking with someone recently who said how much she 'couldn't stand' the previous Pope, Benedict XVI. She was unable to really explain why. She went on to explain why she loved Pope Francis, saying he has a 'human face', whereas Benedict XVI didn't. We had a little discussion about the Synod, she knew nothing about it, but when we talked about the issue of divorce, remarriage and Communion, she said something like, 'But I'm sure that Jesus was talking to the people of His time and now...Well, people live longer, so people can't be expected to...'

Behold, do I not too have a face that is human?
That's right. People can't be expected to live good lives anymore because its 2015 and we are irredeemable degenerates. Ross Douthat's letter to academics welcoming them to the intellectual battlefield was, I noticed, met with a flurry of comments saying that Ross shouldn't object to the liberalising of everything and destruction of the sacred because we're 'in the modern world now' and I'm pretty certain that the doctrine-lite/-less Christ presented by Pope Francis and his clique, prepping for battle against those who think Jesus Christ actually meant what He said for all times, has at its shallow root, this self-fascination modern man has with his own godless era.

And so, instead of the proclamation of Jesus's own, really quite divisive teachings, which so often require no filtering and little esoteric 'interpretation for today's realities', we are now presented with an image of Christ who has, through His representative (and his clique), adapted to the modern age, taking upon Himself the language of 'inclusion'. We have the Synod on the Family which introduces new language of 'accompaniment' and 'walking with your people', instead of the language that would enable modern man, just like ancient man, who is wandering around, lost but looking for the Light, being told that being a Catholic is all about 'inclusion', the kind of meaningless rhetoric that graces the pages of social worker reports on young offenders or Stonewall's latest LGBT propaganda for schools. If it means more than nothing, it certainly doesn't signify anything that is actually sacred and, the last time I looked, the Church of Christ was the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

"Because 1933!"
The stupidity of the 'Because its 2015' position for justifying any political or moral opinion that seems to have infected the West in a way gives us a clue as to why the Eternal Father decided to shed the rays of His mercy on the human race, by sending the Son of God to our Saviour, but thought better of forgiving fallen angels who rebelled against Him. Humanity is obviously, still, in 2015, quite stupid! The Angels were created with a vastly superior intelligence to men, an intelligence beyond our reasoning. God made man and saw that he was very good, but, perhaps, a little dim?

Anyway, good luck, Fathers, as you 'walk with your people', 'accompanying' them on their spiritual journey through life, but I think there are probably many Catholics who don't want their parish priest to walk with them to the sex shop, or to the gay bar, or to their mistresses bedrooms, or to a local prostitute, or to come round and pop-in to say hello while the poor, storm-tossed soul drops his guard and looks at online pornography or even to the husband and wife at each other's throats for no particularly good reason. None of those things happen because its 2015. They happen because men and women are still - yes, even in 2015! - sinners in need of grace, mercy and the truth that can set us free.

Keep it simple, Fathers. Be wise pastors, merciful confessors, call your flock to follow Jesus Christ and take up the Cross but beware, your 'accompaniment' probably won't be wanted until your penitent asks, "Can I accompany you into that Confessional box? I know its 2015 and everything, but I'm in mortal sin."

"Because 33!"
As for the Gospel of 'inclusion' that again places passive-aggressive papal ire in the direction of those who would think the Kasper proposal is irreconcilable with Christ's teaching, some could be forgiven for wondering how you can 'include' 'always' yet still 'in a measure of healthy prudence'.

We'll put that down as another papal instruction that's clear as mud since some could easily think that means, in a parish setting, come but maybe best not to receive Holy Communion for the time being if you are in X, Y or Z state? Is that what His Holiness means? Is that the prudence he is looking for? For others, of course, it means, give Holy Communion to everybody, no matter what because, er, because...modernity! Because its 2015!

Perhaps we're left unsure but it does go some way to explaining why Cardinal Daneels was invited to the Synod on the Family but Cardinal Burke was not. You know, sometimes 'prudence', so easily mixed up with 'expediency', just has to kick in. Because 2015. Jesus spoke a great deal about wise and foolish virgins, faithful and faithless stewards, sheep and goats and talked about wheat and tares growing up to be harvested for Judgment Day. True, He even included, within His Apostles, Judas. Yet simply being included didn't help him. Receiving Holy Communion didn't actually help him. He, too, was given fame for being quite 'kissy-kissy', sometimes at the most inappropriate of times.


15 comments:

Edith Kasper said...

"Someone give me a Son of God to kiss. Are the cameras rolling?"

You are just getting at the Pope again, do you really hate him that much?

The Bones said...

Hate?

No I don't hate the Holy Father.

I hate much that he has promoted but not him himself.

Anonymous said...

The Apostles had to spread the Faith in one of the most liberal societies in the world - Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. They had to deal with numerous philosophies, religions and even deviant sexual practices, though even that society did not dare suggest such an abomination as so called homosexual "marriage".

Yet the apostles, while being as St Paul said, "All things to all men," did not alter one iota of God's truth, not one iota of it.

They, rather, used discussion, intellectual reasoning, and above all, faith and prayer, to bring the truth to the world.

And because they were true to the Faith, God supported them with miracles and conversions.

Long-Skirts said...

"I think there are probably many Catholics who don't want their parish priest to walk with them to the sex shop, or to the gay bar, or to their mistresses bedrooms, or to a local prostitute, or to come round and pop-in to say hello while the poor, storm-tossed soul drops his guard and looks at online pornography"


“Cardinal Kasper said that “to tell them that’s adultery, permanent adultery, I think they would feel insulted and offended.””

KASPER’S POCKETS

The beginning of Wisdom
Is Fear of the Lord
So Wisdom with age
I’ve seen no accord.

So you’ve lived eight decades
Seen the world more than twice
But what have you learned
That sinners are nice?

That sinners eat
And sinners drink
And sinners read
And sinners think

And sinners have
Sincere desires
Like remodeling rooms
With art that inspires

And compels one to lift
His goblet of wine,
To toast all we want
And make want, what is mine

So all in modern
Society
Shall acknowledge their versions
Of propriety

And when you die
They’ll bring goblets, blessed lockets…
But they’ll realize too late…
Kasper’s shroud has no pockets!

tommy said...

I think that the great calendar god will indict this new canadian prime minister as a has been
already no later than 12 o'clock midnight new years eve,when he finds that he has another adjustment to make.

Anonymous said...

I am so sick and tired of these foul stinking perverts telling everyone that Jews who don't accept the divinity of Jesus Christ, Muslims who don't accept the divinity of Jesus Christ, and "Christians" (guess they mean Chick Christians) are worshiping "the same God". They are worshiping the devil -- and their deeds, the abuse, corruption and murder of children is the fruit. How they can call the flaming pro gay and pro-abort Trudeau (who seems possessed by the devil) a Catholic I don't know, but it's just like Jerry Brown who is making the world "poverty free" the Atheistic Communist Chinese way by making pregnancy clinics promote abortion and authorizing euthanasia. The only Catholics I congregate and worship God with are sedes.

Our Lady of Good Success-pray for us. said...

There is little point in despising an anti-pope, other than because Christ is being mocked and souls are being led south of purgatory.

@anon. https://mundicide.wordpress.com/2015/06/29/the-evil-doctrines-found-in-islam/

Anonymous said...

The question to ask people who say things like "it's 2015" to justify overturning moral norms is: 'And which issues that we currently find unacceptable and abhorrent do you think we will be required to accept by 2035?' If morality is ever changing and moves inexorably in the direction of more and more 'liberty', exactly where do they think things are going to end up? Most people would find the logical answer outrageous and unthinkable at the moment, but Peter Tatchell - true liberal that the is - already let the cat out of the bag a few years ago. And time doesn't stand still. After all, it's 2035 you know!

Liam Ronan said...

Bravo Bones for a faultless offering for the faithful and bravo Long-Skirts for the lyrics.

Andrew said...

@Thomas

There have been two recent articles - one in The Independent newspaper and one in an online publication named "Salon" - which have opened up the issue of pedophilia acceptance. It's only a matter of time now: like you say, it's 2035 dontchaknow?

B flat said...

I saw no hatred in your article at all. It rather lifted my spirits, because, especially this month, I am aware of our predecessors in the Church, who struggled with their own human weakness, in much harsher circumstances than we have in the developed nations of the world, and yet took seriously the duty to pass on the Faith, and the Apostolic teaching of the Christ's Gospel to the next generation, to enable their children and their children's children, to attain Eternal Life in Christ.
This Gospel is unchanging, as the Truth is Christ Himself and unchanging, from beginning to end.
Our predecessors pointed out, and taught tried ways to achieve holiness. We have the Saints as examples. And the clergy led us on the way the saints trod, following Christ.
Why would any faithful Catholic not wish to follow that road which was sure?
We were taught that our Free Will was an essential characteristic of mankind, and part of our likeness to God Who is free. Is that no longer true, in 2015? Our whole European political system based on individual liberty, democratic government, and human rights, developed from this teaching.

We are assured that the teaching of the Church will not (cannot) change. Why? Because Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever(Heb 13:8) But our practices, our way of Christian life can be changed by those who lead us, and by ourselves.
Certainly, I do not want to be forced by anyone with authority in the Church, to go on a way which is new and untried, simply because we are now in a new age after Vatican II, or because this is 2015. In Advent 1969, the laity was forced to participate in the New Order of Mass, and access to the Rite hitherto in use was deliberately made impossible for them and most of the clergy. What fruits has that force-feeding of new forms of worship, and the extinction of traditional devotions, brought in the revitalising of the Church in the developed world?
The authorities today still use force rather than persuasive argument, to get their way. The manipulation of the Synod is no minor matter. The interception and destruction of books in the mail to Synod fathers last year was a criminal act, as well as a violation of the seventh commandment against stealing. However, we saw the scandalous destruction of lives of zealous friars in the Franciscans of the Immaculate, still continuing after more then two years, at the behest of the bishop of Rome who widely and loudly proclaims a new Mercy. We know what mercy means, and we love and respect the Holy Father. What use is his mercy to us if there is no righteousness to be found in the most public acts of a pontificate?

Our Lord said that we will recognise a tree by its fruits, and it is Him we are supposed to be following. If we forget that, we are lost.

Bellarmine said...

"... inclusion', the kind of meaningless rhetoric that graces the pages of social worker reports on young offenders..."

I'm a straight down the line orthodox Catholic, and a social worker of many years experience. Since when did you start channeling Christopher Booker or The Daily Mail. I resent the unthinking prejudice of this remark.

Long-Skirts said...

"Because it's 1534"!!

BURNT
OFFERINGS

My church she is a Catholic
But some see Henry’s view
It really doesn't matter that
Hank killed some Saints, a few.

He also had oh, several wives
And took some of their heads
But Church of England called him first
That stallion of all beds.

Carthusians, smarthusians
In habits hung around
Quiet not like Campion
Beth brought that braggart down.

And merry, Margaret Clitherow
Oh, what a cheeky dame
Hiding priests behind her skirts
Liz crushed her little game.

Then Thomas More, oh what a bore
They pleaded some did cry,
"Let horny Hank play his bed prank
Just nod and wink an eye!"

Some Bishops say, "That's long ago.
Those times are of past scene."
Now, “Who are we to judge?” They ask
“Just make sure you go green!”

And on some Altars relics
From martyred by Hank's lust –
Bishops bent with sin’s intent
Will burn us ash to dust.


DJR said...

Edith Kasper said...
"Someone give me a Son of God to kiss. Are the cameras rolling?"

You are just getting at the Pope again, do you really hate him that much?


My question is: Does the pope really hate people like me that much? It sure sounds like he does.

Physiocrat said...

This nonsense about "being contemporary" has been around for at least the past 100 years. It has had a baleful effect on disciplines as diverse as music, architecture, engineering, design and political economy.

It promotes newness as having worth in itself, even if it means nonsense, ugliness, expense, inefficiency and unreliability.

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