A DIFFERENCE

I had my keys in my hand, but I didn't leave.  We just happened to attend our Byzantine Church today: Final Judgement Sunday.  This is the gospel of the goats and the sheep.

For years now, I have taken exception with several priests, who have insisted on characterizing goats as stubborn, mischievous, and evil.  These clerics seem to fall into this error, as they try to entertain as they unpack Christ's parable of the final judgement.  Matthew 26: 32, 33  "And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left."  Christ goes on to clarify the difference between His followers and  those who do not reach out to our neighbor in need.  Afterwards, Christ continues to those on the left, "Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."  Matt. 26:42

My complaint, is that Christ's point is simply, that there is a difference: a difference between a goat and a sheep, as there is a difference between a dog and a cat, and as there is a difference between someone who lives for Christ, and someone who does not.  That's it: a DIFFERENCE!

I take offense, because I love goats.  They are made by God.  With each negative quality this priest painted on goats, I became more irritated.  But then, when he mentioned how well-behaved sheep are,  I grabbed my keys.

The urban view of goats just naturally makes an easy target for a homily on unacceptable behavior, which is bound to land someone in hell.  I was ready to get-up and leave, when I recalled another quote from Christ, "Forgive them, they know not what they do".   I just wish they would stop!

Are Our Churches Being Used?

 

Are our churches, and church related organizations, being used to sell an agenda or promote disinformation?  This question haunts me as I worship, and live in a somewhat Catholic culture.  The most obvious use, is when the government dumps large amounts of money into a church, to enable the church to do more charitable tasks.  Reports to as much as 67% of Catholic Charities funds, come from the government.  These sums of money create a dependency, and often come with attachments.

Other times, this use of church may be indirect, not quite in our face. Like, how the establishment’s Republican Party, and its pro-life shill organizations, maintain a lock on the anti-abortion message.  The pro-life message is embedded in many churches, which these organizations then wed with the interventionist pro-war policy.  How could all those good pro-life leaders be for a war that is unconstitutional, and immoral?  The war must be just? (Sarcasm)

The most powerful use of church however, is very subtle. The problem is, there is nothing subtle about the truth.  In fact, truth is an absolute!  And for Christians, truth is somebody: Jesus Christ!   The church needs to be in a constant search for this truth: looking at all possibilities, and warning the flock, when a situation does not pass the probably true test.

An example of using a church organization to eliminate possibilities, became obvious with the Catholic Channel Raymond Arroyo’s coverage of the GOP Presidential Primary race.  The Catholic Channel, (EWTN), is the world’s largest religious media network.  In 2008, it reported a viewership of 146 million homes worldwide.  As the last GOP presidential primary began, this charming news spokesperson, Mr. Arroyo, did interviews, and coverage, for the first half a dozen weeks, on all the candidates, and bottom feeders, with the exception of Ron Paul.  Why?  Why were Catholics denied coverage of this pro-life, constitutional religious freedom advocate?

Our government has been harping on the dangers of the flu, and the need for everyone to get vaccinated.  There is evidence however, that the flu is not as lethal, nor is the vaccine as protective, as reports would indicate.  Catholics prior to Vatican II, only received communion on their tongue.  I do not recall the elimination of distribution of communion due to the flu or a bad cold.  In the past few years, dioceses have been known to suspend the use of the cup, and restrict reception of communion on the tongue, due to flu.  Not that colds, and flu do not occur, but changing the means of reception, legitimizes the severity of the pandemic

We have also been indoctrinated into the official story, when the story enters our official prayers.    A huge failure of our church, has been the silence in the face of the 9-11 lie.  How often have we heard prayers, or comments in homilies, about the Muslims who orchestrated 9-11?  There is much evidence however, that casts serious doubts about the official report, but no mention of “uncertainty” from our church.  We are encouraged to poo-poo the “Truthers”, as we wallow in this lie.  Even the head coach for the Seattle Seahawks made the news for publicly doubting the official 9-11 story.  Isn’t the Church responsible to at least mention the weakness in the conclusions?  What about truth?

Now, this use of the church is becoming constant.  EWTN is now producing nightly news.  Similar to how the Weather Channel incorporated the establishment’s news into their weather-only format.  The problem is, who determines what is news?  Who determines what is not worthy of news?  It is the same intelligence community cliché’, “Need to know”.  We are told which wars are to be cheered, and which are to be booed.  We are to accept their conclusions, and disregard the obvious unanswered questions.

I love my faith!  I love my country!  But, most of all, I love Jesus Christ, and he is Truth.  How about some truth?