AND NOW FOR A LITTLE BIT OF NONSENSE ...

... today brought to you by Robert's blog:

As per usual there are several threads of lunacy in Robert's recent post part of which I've copied and pasted below.

I've highlighted the most extreme ravings but to be frank - not Frank , he's no longer with us - I might as well have highlighted the whole thing.

"In today's Gospel Luke 24:35-48 Jesus scares the daylights out of his disciples by suddenly appearing among them saying "Peace be with you". They thought at first that he was a ghost. But he encourages them to touch Him and see for themselves that He is real. (1) Their jaws drop. So to offer further proof He asks them for something to eat. They were having a barbeque so took a piece of grilled fish and gave it to Him, which He ate. He added, rather mysteriously, that "Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached to all the nations".

In today's Gospel we see Jesus in His new resurrected body like wot we will get. Yesterday a lady I had lunch with was playing a protestant song over and over. I forget the exact words but it implied that Jesus had died for our sins once and for all and there was nothing more we needed to do. It's part of a rather insidious protestant teaching 'once saved always saved'. We Catholics say we have to 'work' at our redemption and this is implicit in Christ's teaching. (2) Today's Gospel reminds us of the need for repentance, which is an act of the will, and requires daily examination of conscience. A continual re-aligning of our lives to the teachings of Jesus.

I've been praying to 'Pope Francis' asking his guidance. I'm sure he hears me. A warm, kind sensation comes into my heart and I sense him smiling at me. (3)

Don't forget Devine Mercy Sunday which is coming up. (4) A chance to be returned to the state just after baptism. I told my protestant friend at work about it, but she seemed disinterested and went back to listening to her songs about Jesus. Poor Protestants miss out on so many graces with all their protesting. (5)"

(1) This one has always got me. How stupid are those people that Jesus met who bought into his story of being resurrected? It is so self-evident that he didn't die that it makes me wonder if Jesus was some sort of hypnotist or that 'Cana wine' he created had some sort of hallucinogenic in it.

(2) I don't see the 'Protestant' teaching as insidious and don't distinguish between it and the Catholic teaching. They are both ridiculous and should be left in primary school teaching along with fairy tales and Janet and John books.

(3) Nonsense. Frank's dead QED. I liked Pope Francis but I don't think that he can hear me if I say or think that.

(4) This has been bugging me for ages where Robert writes 'devine' instead if 'divine'. It's stuck in his head for some reason that I cannot fathom. He .... oh, that's right, he's a Catholic so things in his head don't have to be correct or real. He just has to have faith that they exist. Carry on Robert.

(5) Robert's attempt at a pun I guess but again this is ridiculous. They are all bloody Christians believing in fairy tales and nonsense yet they quibble over minutiae. Sheesh!

******************

"While there isn't widespread "hatred" between Catholics and Anglicans, there are significant theological differences and historical tensions that can lead to misunderstandings and even animosity. The main disagreements revolve around the authority of the papacy, the validity of Anglican orders, and differing interpretations of scripture and tradition."

        AI Overview from the web 

I disagree about there being no hatred between Catholics and Protestants especially as any reading of the history of conflict is anything to go by. The theological differences, when exacerbated by social and political tensions can be fanned into dangerous fires. People like Robert with deep feelings of animosity can be duped into violent action given the right (and I mean Right) environment.

Catholics and Protestants  worship the same God, but the principles of their faith are different. Here are some examples:

1. Understanding of the Bible

Catholicism and Protestantism differ on the importance of the Bible. For Protestant Christians, Luther made clear that the Bible is the "Sola Skriptura," God's only book, in which He provided His revelations to the people and which allows them to enter in communion with Him.

Catholics, on the other hand, do not base their beliefs on the Bible alone. Along with the Holy Scripture, they are also taught that the Roman Catholic Church is the one true Church and that anything that the Vatican decrees is 'gospel'. This thinking stems from the 4th century when Rome - as controlled by the emperor Constantine - sought to neutralise the potentially dangerous Christian faction by controlling them through the establishment of the 'official' Roman Catholic Church.
 

2. Understanding the Church

Catholics and Protestants have a different view on the nature of the Church. The word "catholic" means "all-embracing," and the Catholic Church promotes itself as the only true church worldwide (not unlike what Richard does with his bass bag thingy) with a pope to rule it.

The Protestant Churches, on the other hand, do not make up one united Church. They were created by the Reformation and are driven by the idea of  'Evangelical' which means 'according to the Gospel'.  There isn't 'one true Protestant Church' - there are thousands of different denominations around the world - all considered equal.

3. The pope

Protestants do not believe that the Pope has any control over them. While they acknowledge that the Pope controls Catholics they believe that the Catholic view is not supported by the Evangelical view in the Bible. 

Catholics claim that the Pope is the successor of Saint Peter the Apostle who was the first head of the Catholic Church and appointed by Jesus.  This claim leads them to say that 'The papal office' is justified by an  unbroken chain of Popes from the first century to the present.

4. Understanding of the office

This continuous chain, known as the apostolic succession, is used by the Vatican hierarchy to justify spiritual offices in the Catholic Church. The 'Sacrament of Holy Orders' gives them the right to appoint bishops, priests, deacons and others who receive a 'lifelong seal of God', giving them sacramental authority over Catholic laypeople. This consecration of course can only be given to men. It's not unlike how Communist states once ruled their people and how North Korea and China still operate.

Protestants do not consecrate specific persons into office, but rather accept the principle that priesthood can be transferred to every believer — even to women.

That last difference alone would attract me more to Protestantism than Catholicism if ever I go totally doolally and want to become a Christian again.

END TIMES

"End times" refers to the period before the end of the world or a specific era, often associated with biblical prophecies and the Second Coming of Christ, and can also refer to the study of these "last things" called eschatology. 

Things are changing and to a sufficient degree that makes me think that the end times might be here.

The best ever pope - Pope Francis is on his last legs and there are rumblings in the Vatican about the need for change (again). Place this against the ridiculous and dangerous radical right Christian movement in USA being sanctioned by the ridiculous and dangerous radical right MAGA movement headed by the ridiculous and dangerous radical right Donal Trump and we are likely to live with more anti LGBQT and anti women's rights preaching from the nation's pulpits.

Cracks are showing in that though with some Christians already defying the Vatican's teachings and going their own way. I've become aware of one previously avid god-botherer who has for years promoted the Bible as real and worthy and the Ten Commandments as sacrosanct. He's banged on about this ad nauseam much to all the other bloggers' annoyance. Well, blow me down if he's not by thought and deed defying one of the commandments. These ones:

1. Thou Shalt Not Have Strange Gods before Me.  2. Thou Shalt Not Make Unto Thee Any Graven Image. 

Yes, you heard it here. That's what this joker has been doing. 

"How" you might ask and I'm glad that you did.

Have a look at this:

"Holy shit!" you might exclaim and you'd be right in two ways. It is scary and it is holy shit.

Robert now blogging as Rob (he's dropped all of the Catholic titles) has built an effigy in his back yard that he prays to. Click on it to see close up - it's as scary as fuck. No wonder God and Moses concocted that ban on effigies and graven images. I wonder if his priest and the congregation at his church know what he's up to? An excommunication is on the cards I think and might make the news like Lloyd Geering did when facing charges of doctrinal error in the Presbyterian church of New Zealand.

Watch this space.

OUR LADY OF KAPITI DID ALRIGHT TODAY

Today I watched a live-stream funeral service for my uncle at Our Lady of Kapiti Catholic church.

I was impressed, not by the religious side of things of course, but by the proficiency of the technology and frankly that there was a very good balance between 'churchiness' and family and friends gathering.

Fr. Michael McCabe presented the eulogy on behalf of the family and did it extremely well. Normally I'm against priests, celebrants or other agents doing this especially if they have no awareness of the deceased's life. In this case McCabe was respectful and, as my uncle had been a very regular church goer, knew him. The eulogy made from family members memories was a good celebration of his life and was followed by a photo collage accompanied by mt uncle's favourite music.

My cousin's husband presented a separate eulogy and did it very well.

To me, this is what religion and churches are all about. Places of sanctuary and gathering amongst friends and family and, in the case of funeral services, remembering the loved one and swapping stories.

I would have liked to be there but after the eye-procedure yesterday have blurred vision today and couldn't get to Paraparaumu at short notice.

THERE ARE SNAKES, SNAKES, BIG AS GARDEN RAKES ...

... no, not in my garden thank you.

 

"My eyes are dim I can not see I have not got my specs with me
I have not got my specs with me."

 

Yesterday while playing tennis I had to call it quits early and go home because I couldn't see properly.

My eyes have been giving my gyp recently and have been worse over the last few days. I had planed to go to an optician for a check up and a new prescription for lenses but The Old Girl convinced me to make an appointment with an ophthalmologist. I did that yesterday but, no surprises here, the earliest I can be seen is mid January. The cost is enormous but hey! Eyesight is extremely important.

I'm hoping that the outcome will be the requirement for a new prescription but at my age, cataracts and macular degeneration are a real possibility. 

Fingers crossed (not eyes hopefully).

I'll give tennis another go tomorrow if the rain eases up.

CREATING CHRIST - JESUS CHRIST WAS 'BORN' IN THE FOURTH CENTURY

 I've mentioned before how Christianity and Catholicism's 'beliefs' and 'proofs' didn't originate until centuries after Christ's death but, hey don't just take my word for it, watch this documentary if you want.

It's good to see this laid out in a digestible essay even if it's a bit repetitive. It's something that I've learned over my lifetime from reading, university studies, discussions with theologians I've known and of course my in-built atheism. Believe me (a little joke there) this is worth watching.

MY GOD!

Religion, what is it?

I favour the last of these definitions, the ' pursuit of interest followed with great devotion.'

I'm not religious if 'religion' is defined as belief in and worship of a supernatural being but I have tried to live my life within guidelines that maybe are not spiritual but certainly are ethical. I like to think, even though I've failed many times, that I've been fair and caring in my interactions with family, friends, associates, employees, service providers, authorities and society in general. If there were such things as sins and blessings then I hope that my 'blessings' have outweighed the 'sins'.

This came to me this evening, as it sometimes does when enjoying a nice glass of wine (Te Terra Martinborough Pinot Noir) and I recalled a comment that Robert wrote following my comment on his latest blog post and my follow-up comment.

Here's the thread:

My dad was brought up in a mixed faith household - his father was a Methodist and his mother a Catholic. When he sought to marry my mother, who was a Catholic, the silly Catholic Church, as a condition of them marrying in one of their silly churches demanded that my father sign up to Catholicism exclusively. I guess that dad said "whatever' and just went along with it to get the job done. Apart from his own wedding, family weddings, baptisms and funerals I don't think dad attended any other Catholic Church ceremonies - certainly never Sunday Mass.

Dad, with mum, brought us up as Catholics though and, when we were very young and mum was dragging us off to Sunday Mass, when we remonstrated that dad wasn't coming with us mum would just tell us that he was a heathen and was going to hell. That was the norm and accepted. I guess that this was influential on me when at age 12 in Standard Six I stopped going to Mass and thought the whole thing was a waste of time.

Dad was a tradesman and worked long hours but he was still involved in community works helping out institutions like the RSA, Wellington Council and the Catholic Church with its many commitments like The Home of Compassion, local churches and schools and the Wellington Catholic Diocese.  Maybe he saw this as his 'worship', who knows? I never (unfortunately) discussed this with him. I do know though that he was liked and respected by those he helped particularly the nuns at The Home of Compassion. I also know or, am sure, that he was never looking to 'get into heaven' through his good works. That wouldn't have been on his radar. He just did the right thing and, I'm sure, my own ethical standards come as much or more from his guidance than from all the instruction I had from nuns, brothers and priests.

Is there a god or gods? I don't believe there is but, if there is one or many, I hope that they are more like my old man was and not the despots that Robert believes in.

This song from Jethro Tull comes to mind. Here are the lyrics and, Youtube allowing, the video clip to follow:

"When I was young and they packed me off to school and taught me how not to play the game, I didn't mind if they groomed me for success, or if they said that I was just a fool So I left there in the morning with their God tucked underneath my arm their half-assed smiles and the book of rules So I asked this God a question and by way of firm reply, He said I'm not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays So to my old headmaster (and to anyone who cares): before I'm through I'd like to say my prayers I don't believe you: you had the whole damn thing all wrong He's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays Well you can excomunicate me on my way to Sunday school and have all the bishops harmonise these lines how do you dare tell me that I'm my Father's son when that was just an accident of Birth I'd rather look around me compose a better song `cos that's the honest measure of my worth In your pomp and all your glory you're a poorer man than me, as you lick the boots of death born out of fear. When I was young and they packed me off to school and taught me how not to play the game, I didn't mind if they groomed me for success, or if they said that I was just a fool So I left there in the morning with their God tucked underneath my arm their half-assed smiles and the book of rules Well you can excomunicate me on my way to Sunday school and have all the bishops harmonize these lines When I was young and they packed me off to school and taught me how not to play the game, I didn't mind if they groomed me for success, or if they said that I was just a fool So to my old headmaster (and to anyone who cares): before I'm through I'd like to say my prayers Well you can excomunicate me on my way to Sunday school and have all the bishops harmonize these lines I don't believe you: you had the whole damn thing all wrong He's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays."

 

EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS

 

Well, close but no cigar.

Robert, on his blog and in his latest post now published under the name Robert the sinner (we won't ask what he's been up to) seems to be lamenting the decline of his favourite Church - the Catholic Church and has come up with some statistics that the Vatican probably don't want anyone to see. Maybe that's Robert's sin?

Robert wrote:

11-year decline in worldwide priestly vocations continues
The number of major seminarians worldwide fell from 109,895 at the end of 2021 to 108,481 at the end of 2022, according to statistics published by the Fides news agency (CWN coverage). Between the end of 2020 and the end of 2021, the number of seminarians worldwide had declined from 111,855 to...


Worldwide baptisms fall over 15% in 6 years
The number of baptisms administered in the Church worldwide plunged from over 16 million in 2016 to 13,327,037 in 2022—a decline of 17% over six years, according to the appendix to statistics published by the Fides news agency (CWN coverage). There were 18.1 million baptisms in 1991,...

If he'd asked me anytime over the last 60 years I'd have said - "I told you so" but he didn't.

What I don't get though is that if the Catholic Church has falling numbers of dupes subscibers and then one assumes, less money to throw around,  then how come I received this letter today from a Catholic priest offering to give me money?

What's up peeps?