Vocations and Callings

Football has distracted me from blogdom for a time, but I want to return to some thoughts about religion.

It is interesting to see that 'religious' persons are almost constantly involved in condeming those who do not agree with them to zillions of years of punishment. The reason religious people spend almost all their time wishing the worst for others, not of their faith, can be found with a little reflextion. The precepts of religion deal with things not subject to rational analysis. This does not mean that a person should not have religious beliefs(we all do), but it does mean that religious beliefs are just beliefs---they cannot be proven. Therefore every absurdity has been held important by some believers. After all, I can believe in the perpetual virginity of Mary, BUT in no way can I prove it to be true.

As a Catholic(sorry "Mr. Mole" you's just have to put up with me), I really don't get very bent out of shape by the doctrine of infallibility. Our church was challenged by science and modern thought in the 19th century, so thy propounded the doctrine that the Pope could not be in error on matter of faith and morals----in other words religion. And the fundamentalist protestants assure us that everyword in the Bible was correct, no matter how ridiculous.Both Catholics and many protestants were telling us there was NO way their beliefs could possibly be in error. So the hard line catholics believe some freakish little Italian (Pius 12) and a former Nazi soldier HAVE to be right on all serious matters of religion. And, Oh, those Bible believeing Christians!! They find a few lines in an ancient book and say it MUST be true because God dictated it. So some of us Catholics (like "The Mole") assure us that any one who defies the Guy in Rome with the red shoes is facing eternal damnation, and possibly may have a very hot future for eternity. And the Bible believeing group says we WILL face the same future, possibly,if we don't believe every page, every word in some old texts. BTW most other world religions have the same fights.

And since we really don't KNOW about the "other" world, most religions feel quite free to make something up to help their cause.

So I want to say a word about "vocations". Almost all preachers, priests, ministers like to inflate their own image by claiming that some being ("GOD") has picked them out as his fovorites and set them above all other people. Protestants use the word "called" and Catholics use the term "vocation." No one I have ever heard of can define these words. Here's the logic: A young man decides to become a priest;ergo that proves he has a "vocaton."A protestant chooses do be a minister,ergo that proves he was called. Somehow this seems backward to me. I prove I was "called" or God gave me a "vocation" just because I choose a certain occupation. After all did God, defined as omnisient, not in time, calls priests and ministers who have a strong proclivity to, for example, sexually molest young kids.

Now this is a special problem for us Catholics. To serve God in the highest. I must never "fall" into love with a member of the opposite sex, even have sexual thoughts. and , of course, not be bothered with those pesky children. B16 even praises those who LEAVE their families to be more favored by God. And this from your "family life" self appointed protectors.

Now, I'm not putting down priest , pastors, preachers whatever. Probably most of them are helpful. (I should note that a disproportionate number of homosexuals are 'tapped' by God to be Catholic priests. But since "vocations" come from a world we really can't know--just believe--I won't argue God's judgement here. )

We've all known priest, pastors, preachers , ministers. I think their professions are arrived at quite normally. They become interested in religion, they usually like to help people, they want to make a better world. Great. But to end on a sour note some of these guys and gals have other interest---like the body parts of the young. But nothing we can know is this world is perfect.

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Assumptions. We just say they are true. So they are?

Football season is here, so I've been away for a few days. But I have three topics I want to introduce here hoping I would get some kind of rational answer.

One. We use the word "God" in our vocabularies almost every day, but ,to be honest, I, and we, I suspect, have no idea what we are are talking about. Supreme being. What does that mean? It's just another way to say "God." The "creator." Means what? The ground of all being???And we could go on and on. I challenge anyone to define "God" without just making the definition more complex. And what is our relationship to God? Does he talk to me? Does he tell me what to do? Does he occupy space? Does he think? Does he have a brain? Etc.

Two. The "creationists" have pretty left any intellectual ground they stood on. So scientist and rational people agree. So I think we've cleared up biology. And almost no biologists or educated people even argue with the creationists anymore. Is the same situation prevailing in philosophy/science. Do the "new theists"seeing the triumph of science and its approach, find the field empty--- do these "new theists" have the field to themselves. So we get Keith Ward being considered seriously. After all, Ward and his group, like the "creationists" try to find something unexplained by science and then say that proves God. Ward, for example, fools a great many by finding something in Kant that can be twisted a bit, and alleluia, that almost proves theism.

Three. What in hell do we Catholics mean by "vocation."? The argument apparently means that God calls each of us to do something. In other words God tells me to be married(the bottom), single-celibate(one step up) or a priest(the highest "vocation."

The three things I've mentioned above have become such common assumptions that we don't even discuss them. I think I'll touch on each in the next few days. Be fun for me.

From Lorry Driver to 'Prophet.'

There's this curate in England who is finding saving souls a bit of a drag. He wants more money. I can tell him how to hit it big, but he won't let me on his blog. I know the curate and his gang(losers mostly, but not all) come here at times. so out of my Christian charity I'm going to tell him how to make it big.

Let's start with the problem. The curate gives pretty good sermons, but they don't really "hit" you. They're a bit dry, but the gang loves them. As far as I can tell, no one has been struck by the "spirit" because of his sermons. So first he needs to "jazz up" these sermons.

You say how? All the really successful preachers, from Donne to Wesley to Billy Sunday to today's TV evangelistic preachers have their story. AND YES, this poor curate has a story. Sure does!! He was once a lorry driver just for starters. The lorry driving priest. Okay, just a starter. But it gets your attention. Then he had some kind of mental breakdown and was in an asylum(or hospital) for months or years or something. Hey, getting interesting, don't you think!! From the straight jacket to the altar. Now he is really going. And get this: his runs the foulest mouth blog to be found!!Well, a little titallation(get it) always helps. Now on top of this, he hates the Church he works for!!

Okay, he gets his gang to set up a TV talk show with his gang members as guests. The gang members have enough crazy stories to put Ophra to shame!! And he's on his way. Flooded by requests for speaking engagements.

Now you think this won't work. Look at a guy named Father J... He is literally worshipped by many because he has a STORY. He stole cars, was into drugs, apparently homeless for a while. So what did it get for Father J... Well, many Anglicans seem to think he has almost divine wisdom. Hundreds(okay, maybe 50--but that's a big number in Angliland) are looking to him to find the way out of the desert.

So mr. curate, get off your duff and hit the airwaves. Ask your members to send you "faith gifts" for your mission. Just make up a mission; tithe to the "missions" and keep 90 percent for yourself. Hell, you've beged for money before to support yourself.

Listen father, you've got everything going your way. Don't blow it.

From the Asylum

It is popular today among some to make fun of the "logical positivists" and people like A.J. Ayer. But their ideas are still needed.

So a multiple choice question:

The following quote was written by whom?

"Without eternal life (for all sentient beings) whether anything exists or not is irrelevant. Things only exist because they do. There is no reason for existence."

Anselm
Aquinas
Wittgenstein
Hume
Hagger

Extra credit for anyone able to explain what the quote means.

Four Anglican Blogs.

I basically follow 4 Anglican blogs. Two are okay---one very good---and the other a bit grouchy.

Two, however, I get a feeling , at least to a degree, of a desire for self promotion. One, run by an English curate seems to be nothing but a "say I'm the greatest, most brilliant, most clever person" the reader has ever run across. A long history of mental illness, and a complete flop in his career may give him some latitude. He allows no discussion, bans any who see though him and contents himself with what he thinks are "snappy" remarks. He can get boring becuase he repeats many of his snappy remarks. He also hates the United States probably because his general failure in life makes him want to blame anyone, besides himself.

The second self-promoter is a guy known as Father J... He tried real hard to peddle a book he was going to write about his somewhat sleezy youth. But you can't make it selling, say, 100 copies. His latest ploy is to analyze the Anglican dispute. Father J...and his coterie think he would have some real insight on this matter because he once was a car thief and a druggie. Now what that has to do to make you an expert in ecclestical history is something known only, apparently, by his cult.

But we can learn from Father J... In the future we should look only for supreme court justices in the U.S. who have commited felonies and spent at least some time in the "big house."

MP and Tracie--Freedloaders of the Year

Yah, I know it's boring, but I just can't get over Mad Priest. A few weeks ago he showed he was totally ignorant of the meaning of 'freedom of speech.' He had to be called out by, among others, Big Jim. MP didn't know as much about the concept as an average 7th grader.

Now ole Tracie, who should know better, jumps in the health care debate knowing nothing about the basic principles, insisting that others pay her medical bills so she can freeload off others. MP jumps in with approval of Tracie's nonsense. Showing again his ignorance.

You know I feel sorry for Ms. MP. Not only is she married to the town 'looney toon', but the town idiot all rolled into one.

So Tracie reveals herself as "freeloader" of the year. And, of course, we knew MP also has that title as he asks people to pay his living expenses so he can play blogs. Well, as he said 'blogging is my life.'

The Sacred Priesthood and its Servants.

I have had "comment moderation" for a few days while I think through for myself a couple of matters. Let me start with my church,Catholicism, and the struggle going on in the church today.

The problem is not about sex. I think it is clear to anyone that the hierarchy of the Church is totally and completely against the exercise of ANY form of human sexuality. Yes, even the last finger hold by Catholic liberals abortion, is just a sub topic under the church's anti sex attitude. After all abortion, to the hierarchy is is just the extreme form of birth control. Sex must have consequences, the Church clearly teaches, and abortion is just a way around the consequences to church leaders. I have argued this before many times on my blog. I'm tempted but will not repeat the argument that abortion is bad in all cases is nonsense.

The real'battle' in the Church today is between the laity and the priesthood. Ever since Vatican2 when the laity was given some recognition, the clergy, all the way from the pope to the bishops, has been in a desparate struggle to retain their supremacy and to place the laity back in its place as non-essential element of the Church. The laity in the Church today have no function other than to support the priesthood. This is harsh. But the Church is nothing other than a concord between priest and God, with the laity allowed to fight for a few crumbs from the table. Does anyone really believe B16 or Chaput and a large number of the American bishops, at least, have even the vaguest regard for the flock. Or is the 'flock' simply to be used as the foot soldiers of the 'shepherd'? No, the 'shepherd' has always been the essence of the Church and the 'sheep' are left to receive what largesse the "shepherd' can spare.

Why does the Church concentrate, with considerable success on the abortion issue, the only issue the church shows any interest in today. Quite simple. The hierarchy portrays all who oppose its position on this issue as co-conspirators in murder. You can see the ploy. We. the Church leaders, are against murder. Those who do not follow us on this issue are co-conspirators in murder. The Church then is sacred; all others are evil doers, except for those who follow the totally strict Catholic, priestly, position on abortion. After all the Church alone offers the "intellectual" undergirding of the anti-abortion movement.

So the question today for any Catholic is simply: Shall I remain loyal in some way, or by some semi=rational argument, such as the Church is not the priesthood, to the Church's clear teaching than only those who totally abstain from sexual thought or activity can have any role, except as servants to a celibate priesthood.

The point is obviously clear. The priesthood must maintain control; and one of the easiest way to do this is to insist that only total celibacy allows one to know God in the fullest. Those who engage in any sexual thought or activity are, by those very thoughts and acts, inferior to the sacred priesthood.