How Pope Francis Challenges the Catholic Right | National Catholic Reporter

How Pope Francis Challenges the Catholic Right | National Catholic Reporter

by MSW. MGB: The traditionalists believe that preserving the message as passed to
them is their sinecure. Without that, if people think for themselves,
they have nothing of value. They also really believe that God is the
Ogre that he has to be to enforce all of these rules. Of course,
stressing forgiveness without examining whether the rules are correct is
kind of the coward’s way out in dealing with what God really wants for
us – which is happiness in this life as well as the next. As for Luke
16, that is bad proof texting – if you go literal you must add
“immorality is an exception.” So should spousal abuse, alcoholism, etc.
– even if it showed up after the marriage.

The Trads are tied
to a Magisterium, which is about their power, on the Natural Order,
which is a sophistry where even though God is not harmed by sin some
kind of metaphysical balance is thrown off. Pure imagination – but who
has the stones to get rid of both? They don’t let that morality is for
man, not God, period.  Jesus is gentle and humble of heart, not as the
Christ but as God. The Trads are not gentle, at least as a group and
certainly not humble of heart.  Especially about sex. Nuff said.


Americanism is not a phantom heresy, but it has nothing to do with the
military industrial complex. It has to do with our delightful freedom
of religion and the inability of the Church to impose morality under the
guise of religious power on everyone else. Of  course, they are trying
with birth control, but this has nothing to do with Central Command
sending people to die in the Afghani meat grinder. Militarism is the
sin here and while the Trads can be on the wrong side, mostly they
cooperate with peace initiatives, at least among the bishops.


Mass declined because teenagers work on Sunday or Saturday night and
can’t make it to Mass. There is a bigger Sabbath problem here than Mass
– I know I was run ragged by all I had to do in my high school years.
Maybe school should close one day, Monday?  With the Malls staying
closed?

The Commentariat’s views of Francis and Obama are
irrelevant. One good line that everyone sees and they waft away toward
the ash heap of history.