Perigrina Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I came across a blog post that describes something I have seen all over the Internet. http://te-deum.blogspot.ca/2014/06/outrage-addiction-its-harm-on-spiritual.html An excerpt to pique your interest: A Catholic who begins to take his or her faith seriously after a period of lukewarmness, takes interest in learning about the faith, so errors and abuses begin to stand out. Outrage swells at the evil now visible. Bad theology being pedaled from some pulpits, and liturgical abuses are some of the first things that become apparent (and with newer priests trained better, this is gradually fading). In other cases, it's not even evil that causes the outrage, but an overly narrow view of what is right and wrong in areas where the Church allows a range of freedom. This is not a problem with just one group. Some mistakenly believe that only traditionalists can be "rigid," when there are many examples of non-traditionalists, and progressives, worthy of the description. It's not uncommon to find priests, or even lay people who went through seminaries in past decades, walking around today still bruised from experiences with rigid types who hindered them from gathering to pray a Rosary. A woman I know left a Catholic choir she sang with for years after the rigid music director forbid her to keep a Rosary wrapped around her hand as she sang - a practice that went back to her childhood. Mind you, she wasn't praying it during Mass; rather, holding it gave her comfort. Sometimes, these kinds of experiences give rise to outrage, but we should never remain there, praying instead for such people and handling it as we would any other kind of persecution - with grace and never ceasing to love and pray for those who offend us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Credo in Deum Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perigrina Posted June 12, 2014 Author Share Posted June 12, 2014 I have noticed is that sometimes groups form around feeding into each others outrage. A blog or a forum can take on this dynamic, for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKolbe Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I think they cribbed this article from St. John of the Cross. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmaD2006 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Heh. I call what is being described the "Pharisaical Stance." That is -- you start standing in that position of being judge and jury, and the anger behind it. It's like "you're wrong ... your theology is wrong ... what you think is wrong because you just don't get it and I do." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norseman82 Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 (edited) Kind of like the "wire hangers" scene in "Mommy Dearest", only instead it's about Communion in the hand... Edited June 13, 2014 by Norseman82 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luigi Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perigrina Posted June 13, 2014 Author Share Posted June 13, 2014 Kind of like the "wire hangers" scene in "Mommy Dearest", only instead it's about Communion in the hand... I think that when people bring outrage to a discussion like that, it poisons the issue. Once people have had outrage directed at them, they associate the issue with this unpleasant experience and it is difficult for them to hear anything else. People ought to be able to discuss this and similar issues and express their opinions and concerns without anger and judgment. I get the impression that some posters here have been hurt in the past by being objects of outrage. Did this used to be part of the dynamic of this phorum or did it happen elsewhere.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotreDame Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 I like the point the blogger is making that rigidity comes from all sides, not just "traditionalists." The difference is that the traditionalists are very open about what they are rigid about (and alot of that rigidity is a good thing since it is around doctrine and orthodoxy.) Meanwhile, there are many progressives in the church can be equally rigid, but would never dare come clean on their principles. They are ambiguous, almost secretive. For example, in seminaries many orthodox men were persecuted and eventually kicked out of seminaries by more progressive formators for "not being pastoral enough." Want to wear a cassock? Not pastoral. Waking up early to pray in the chapel? Not pastoral. Not on board with your heretic theology professor? Not pastoral. Didn't like the liturgical dancers at your summer parish? Not pastoral. And because it's so broad and undefined it's difficult for a seminarian to defend himself against. (This probably is happening less now then the previous few decades, but it still happens.) So it's a good point that the rigidity exists outside of traditionalists, but the reason it's not imediately obvious is that it's never expressed or admitted to by the progressives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slappo Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 (edited) I get the impression that some posters here have been hurt in the past by being objects of outrage. Did this used to be part of the dynamic of this phorum or did it happen elsewhere.? I think phatmass may have perfected how to become outrageous towards someone else. But at least we do it with style. Edited June 13, 2014 by Slappo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perigrina Posted June 13, 2014 Author Share Posted June 13, 2014 I think phatmass may have perfected how to become outrageous towards someone else. But at least we do it with style. I have noticed little outrage since I have been here. (That is something I like about this phorum very much.) I sort of get the feeling that people are afraid of controversy or burnt out by it or something because most of the posters seem to avoid it. When discussion gets heated there is a tendency to switch to jokes or gifs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossCuT Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Heh. I call what is being described the "Pharisaical Stance." That is -- you start standing in that position of being judge and jury, and the anger behind it. It's like "you're wrong ... your theology is wrong ... what you think is wrong because you just don't get it and I do." I call that one of the 4 theological virtues: faith, hope, love, and judgment. Catholics practice all at varying degrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perigrina Posted June 13, 2014 Author Share Posted June 13, 2014 I call that one of the 4 theological virtues: faith, hope, love, and judgment. Catholics practice all at varying degrees. So when I said that most posters here seem to avoid controversy, I did not mean you. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossCuT Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 So when I said that most posters here seem to avoid controversy, I did not mean you. :) :evil: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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