What's Right For Me Vs. What's Right For You

[Dave]

Ever heard people say stuff to the effect of, "That may not be right for you, but it's right for me"? Well, here's what Brother John-Paul Ignatius of Saint Michael's Call has to say about that in his response to a Wiccan:

Hello, my name is Angel . . . (edited to get to the point -- he says he's a Wiccan and discusses it briefly) . . . all I have to say is I think people should be open to all beliefs and not condemn anybody for them, no matter if it be Catholic or Wiccan, they both say to love each other and never hate, so with that I say I love you all no matter what you believe in. signed, Angel

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ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, O.L.S.M. on February 22, 2000

You expressed a worldview that is typical for New Agers, witches, pagans, occultist and many others.

You stated: "all i have to say is I think people should be open to all believes and not condemn anybody for them."

Very well said, sir. That is a perfect expression of the worldview from which you come.

Now let us example this worldview to see if it really is "good" or to see if it is "evil."

"be open to all beliefs and not condemn anyone for them"

Susan Atkins had that worldview. You may not know who she is.

Susan Atkins was one of the Charles Manson mass murderers. She killed Sharon Tate and her unborn baby and drank Tate's blood. She was called the Vampira during the trial.

In the penalty phase of the trial her lawyers tried to get her to express remorse in hopes of lessening her sentence.

She was asked, "Susan, don't you feel any remorse or guilt for what you did?"

Susan replied, "Why should I feel guilty for doing what was right for me?"

Are we to be open to that belief and not condemn her for it?

What about Hitler? He had a belief about the Jews. Are we to be open to his belief and not condemn him for it?

Maybe you would not go as far as Hitler or Susan Atkins, but why wouldn't you? What is preventing you? Your worldview, whether you like it or not is "open to the beliefs" of Atkins and Hitler.

There is nothing within your worldview to stop you from going that far except your own personal opinion -- doing what is right for you according to your opinion about what is right for you.

Since I presume that murder is not right for you, you don't do it. But for Susan, murder was right for her in her opinion. Murdering 6 million Jews and perhaps 6 million others was right for Hitler in his opinion. The WORLDVIEW allows for those opinions and only personal opinion can stop a person from being a murderer.

In the Christian worldview what Hitler did and Susan did are OBJECTIVELY wrong. It doesn't matter what anyone's opinion is; murder is wrong. Period. We are to condemn murder because murder is OBJECTIVELY wrong. We don't have to rely upon personal opinions which can be quite deluded.

The Christian worldview does not allow for murder. If one follows the Christian worldview they will not murder period. They can never find justification for murder. Even the extremes of the faith cannot justify murder, because murder is wrong no matter what anyone thinks. It is objective sin. So is abortion, adultery, fornication, concubinage.

And so is witchcraft. God says so.

It doesn't matter what your opinion is or mine. Witchcraft is wrong, sinful, and harmful no matter what you think or I think.

Witchcraft is to be condemned because God condemns it.

That is the OBJECTIVE fact.

Now you might try to accuse the Catholic Church of murder in the Inquisition or something. Sorry, won't work. The penalty in the Church for heresy even then was excommunication, not death. If some individual priest killed heretics they SINNED.

That is the difference between our two worldviews. Wacko people in your worldview might kill; wackos in my worldview might kill. But in your worldview they are encouraged to not condemn anybody's belief and thus they can get caught up in some pretty bad beliefs.

In my worldview we are taught that some things are right and to be praised, and some things are wrong to be condemned. We believe in absolute truth. Thus there is no way that our worldview encourages the acceptance of just any worldview.

And when men who are in our worldview do murder, they are VIOLATING our worldview, they are sinning, and they their sin is condemned.

I do not want your worldview. Your worldview allows for Susan Atkins and Hitler even though most of your people are relatively good.

My worldview allows for Mother Teresa's and St. Maximilian Kolbe's though most people never reach their greatness. Nevertheless my worldview allows and encouages a good life with restraints against that which is bad. And when someone does do something bad, it is SEEN AS BAD and condemned as BAD.

If you are not a hypocrite, in your worldview you cannot condemn ANYONE or any idea. You must be accepting of all. You might not do what they do, but you must accept all that others do. That means you must accept Hitler and not condemn his beliefs.

I will condemn his beliefs and yours in witchcraft because the God of Truth says to.

We will pray for your deliverance.

Edited September 12, 2003 by Dave

[ironmonk]

I've spoke with this guy on the phone for a couple hours.

Some of his writings are a little harsh - if they sound harsh, I would bet they're harsh because I have heard him talk about the subjects. He's an ex-baptist... I would guess that he's an ex-fire-n-brimstone-baptist...

I'm sure he means well, but the guy sounded a "little" angery.

I got the the impression this guy was a little out there.

St. Michael's call is an experimental order... it's very young and small.

I got the impression that the guy sees other Catholic websites as competition enemies.

I'm not saying don't go to his site... I'm saying take his theology with a grain of salt.

God Bless,

ironmonk

[Kilroy the Ninja]

We believe in absolute truth.

I think that sums it all up quite nicely.

:ph34r:

[cmotherofpirl]

I've spoke with this guy on the phone for a couple hours.

Some of his writings are a little harsh - if they sound harsh, I would bet they're harsh because I have heard him talk about the subjects. He's an ex-baptist... I would guess that he's an ex-fire-n-brimstone-baptist...

I'm sure he means well, but the guy sounded a "little" angery.

I got the the impression this guy was a little out there.

St. Michael's call is an experimental order... it's very young and small.

I got the impression that the guy sees other Catholic websites as competition enemies.

I'm not saying don't go to his site... I'm saying take his theology with a grain of salt.

God Bless,

ironmonk

Isn't this the guy who started his own Church and version of catholicism...?

[Dave]

Isn't this the guy who started his own Church and version of catholicism...?

I think you're getting him confused with somebody else.

[ironmonk]

No, he's Catholic, he's just a little off... some of his stuff is good.

He's got a lot of growing to do.

He means well... I just got a bad impression about how he believes that all the Catholic sites are competition...

I don't want people to think bad of the guy, just be cauious of his writings...

He wants to be orthodox, he loves the Pope.... I just got the impression that his Catholicism is young... I ask that we say a little prayer for him.

Put it this way... I did not know where to begin to dialog with him on the things he was saying...

I got the impression it wasn't "fraternal correction" that this guy wanted... it was "bring out the whip, it's time for a lesson".... granted... I could be wrong.

God Bless,

ironmonk

[cmotherofpirl]

Nah I fairly sure I have talked to him in CAtholic Chat, and he is not legitimate.

He has a monastary of one.

[ironmonk]

Nah I fairly sure I have talked to him in CAtholic Chat, and he is not legitimate.

He has a monastary of one.

I talked to him on a phone.

The group is small... when I talked to him there were only six of them, but it was an experimental order, meaning that it was new and it is lead by the diocese of his area.

God Bless,

ironmonk