The Cafeteria Is Closed Blog

[Lil Red]

+J.M.J.+
[url="http://www.creativeminorityreport.com/2008/05/gerald-augustinus-why.html"]h/t to Creative Minority Report[/url]

[quote]Gerald Augustinus is a popular blogger who runs one of the best named blogs in the Catholic blogosphere, The Cafeteria is Closed. The title of his blog is a direct reference to Cafeteria Catholicism. Namely picking and choosing, like one would at a a cafeteria, which doctrines and teachings of the Church please the palette on any given day. Upon the election of Cardinal Ratzinger Pope as Pope Benedict XVI, Gerald cleverly quipped that the cafeteria was now closed. His blog has been on our blogroll since its inception. Now that will have to change.

Some weeks back Gerald posted his thoughts on the subject of homosexuality. His comments received quite a reaction from his readers, many of whom were not pleased.

[url="http://closedcafeteria.blogspot.com/2008/03/homosexuality.html"]This post[/url] garnered a very strong reaction from Gerald's readers prompting many of them to ask Gerald if the Cafeteria was now open again. I think it is obvious that Gerald's comments do not reflect Catholic thought. While Christians should treat all people with dignity and respect, I do not think that it is proper to encourage by word, deed, or legislative act sinful behavior. I certainly do not wish to people to be more committed to their intrinsically disordered acts ccc 2357.[/quote]

[quote]Gerald now says that it would be morally licit for prepubescent children to undergo sex change therapy. This statement does not just reflect an overactive libertarian tendency, but an outright rejection of the teaching of the church on the nature of sexuality.[/quote]

pray for Gerald and his family. btw, the title of his blog now reads "We the People", instead of "The Cafeteria is Closed"

[Madame Vengier]

I used to be an avid reader of Gerarld's blog a year or so ago. I stopped because although he claims to be solid, he is a bit too wishy washy on serious moral issues for my tastes.

But the thing I found most offensive was when, just before his marriage, Gerald informed the readers of his blog that he was not working--"not cut out for 9-5" was the way he put it. He railed about how he can't stand office work, following a schedule, etc. He wanted to turn his hobby of photography into a business eventually. Nothing wrong with having a dream--but the issue was that he was soliciting financial donations from his readers to help him pay for his photography equipment, and to pay for the "running" of his blog. Essentially, he said that because his blog is not just op-ed, but rather bringing news of the world to his readers, he felt he should receive donations for that. He even went so far as to say that running his blog (which is on Blogger, a FREE service) was a full-time job and that was another reason he should receive donations--because it was a lot of work. Basically, Gerald doesn't want to do what the vast majority of Americans do--work for a living--and has NO SHAME as a man and a husband to admit this, but wants the readers of his blog to help pay for his expensive cameras so he start his business. Most people WORK and SAVE MONEY to start businesses.

Anyway, it was a real turn-off and rather insulting. I haven't been back to his blog since.

[Madame Vengier]

One more thing...his wife is a psychologist. So I find his comments about gender and homosexuality even more disturbing.

[CatherineM]

It sounds like something has happened. Perhaps becoming involved with a psychologist changed his perspective. They are trained to find everyone fine, no matter what their moral dilemmas might be.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='Madame Vengier' post='1523247' date='May 9 2008, 10:51 AM']Anyway, it was a real turn-off and rather insulting. I haven't been back to his blog since.[/quote]
+J.M.J.+
i don't find him soliciting donations insulting, a lot of bloggers do it. (am i thinking of The Anchoress? can't remember). a lot of bloggers do write (and well) op-ed pieces that do get picked up by other 'mainstream' sources. plus, how many bloggers ask that you buy something off their amazon.com wishlists?

[Galloglasses]

Ok, the comment about his photography business was a little unwarranted, its a highly professional job and once your names up there you get hundreds of people asking you for the photos. Plenty of Bloggers beg for donations for various resaons. (American Papist's asks for donations so he can continue blogging with reckless abandon.I think the money is to pay for the time they should be working rather then writing articles for us to read or just begging for donations in general)

Yeah I was a bit "WTF?" When it came to his homosexuality post, that seemed odd to me. Couldn't work my head around that one. He did not state that prepubescent sex-change was morally licit, thats actually not what he said at all.

This is what he said regarding the sex-change for kids comment:
[i]"Gender identity disorder is real - it usually starts before school age. While the operation and the entire process is easier before puberty, it'd seem wiser to let the person make the decision as an adult. Of course, parents have the right to decide on medical treatment - within limits."[/i]

Of course I do not agree with him, I'm far too right wing to be considered a libertarian, but he did not say that the prepubescent Sex Change was morally licit, this is a fallacy, he was making a generally statment that [b]Parents[/b] have the right to make decisions for their kids medically speaking, within limits. (IE: Common Sense)

But I agree, his opinions have swayed a bit.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1523252' date='May 9 2008, 11:07 AM']It sounds like something has happened. Perhaps becoming involved with a psychologist changed his perspective. They are trained to find everyone fine, no matter what their moral dilemmas might be.[/quote]
+J.M.J.+
yeah, i know that a lot of neophytes (is that the right word) often have a period of uncertainty after they convert, where they 'go back' to their old way of thinking.

[KnightofChrist]

"Catholic morality is not mandatory."

- Gerald Augustinus

[LouisvilleFan]

I never liked his blog anyway. I'm all for orthodoxy, but orthodoxy on steroids just ain't cool.

For example, the last time I read his blog was his [url="http://closedcafeteria.blogspot.com/2006/03/when-animals-attack-gospel.html"]When Animals Attack (the Gospel)[/url] post two years ago. The entire purpose of that post was to show video of liturgical abuse to fuel a fire of self-righteous attacks on a priest and parish that these people don't even know. After trying to offer something constructive to the conversation and seeing the Catholic Soup Nazi and his judgmental gang had no interest in that, I never bothered to waste time there again.

And, for that reason, I always sniffed something suspicious about the guy. Anybody who turns the beauty of orthodoxy into a beast doesn't know the first thing about it.

Edited May 9, 2008 by LouisvilleFan

[Madame Vengier]

[quote name='Lil Red' post='1523256' date='May 9 2008, 12:13 PM']+J.M.J.+
i don't find him soliciting donations insulting, a lot of bloggers do it. (am i thinking of The Anchoress? can't remember). a lot of bloggers do write (and well) op-ed pieces that do get picked up by other 'mainstream' sources. plus, how many bloggers ask that you buy something off their amazon.com wishlists?[/quote]

He was soliciting donations becuase he did not want to work. He was open and clear about that. The issue of asking for donations for the blog was a secondary solicitation. But he wanted his readers to donate to help him get started in his photography business because he didn't want to work like everyone else.

That's what JOBS are for. I work. All my friends work. People who have blogs work. People who have expensive hobbies work. People who want to start up a business work. People who like to travel work. Why shouldn't Gerald work? It was even more insulting because it wasn't that he can't find work...it's that he doesn't WANT to work.

[Madame Vengier]

[quote name='Galloglasses' post='1523257' date='May 9 2008, 12:14 PM']Ok, the comment about his photography business was a little unwarranted,[/quote]

Let me say this again, for the third time. Gerald was soliciting donations becuase he does. not. want. to. work. He admitted it. He stated it. He "isn't cut for 9-5" and doesn't like having to be tied down to an office. He wrote a post about this that several paragraphs long.

Can you imagine how wonderful it would be if we could ALL quit work and get others to pay for the things we want and need???

Give me a break.

[Altari]

There are a lot of bloggers who quit their job and live full time off the donations of their readers (or the google clicks, or amazon purchases or other ad revenue). I've even seen some popular blogs turn into subscriptions. In any case...

I don't know who this guy is, but I didn't find his post terribly offensive. It was stating the truth. Aside from religious convictions, can society seriously expect someone to avoid desires of the same sex, when all of pop culture is built upon reckless bed-hopping among heterosexuals. It's like holding a carrot in front of a donkey and laughing.

What WAS disturbing was that it was posted on a supposedly religious blog. I despise when people get readership because of their niche, then use it to exploit personal agendas. 14m3.

Edited May 9, 2008 by Altari

[littleflower+JMJ]

Dude thats crazy! I'm SO sad to hear about that...Hope he does a 180 real quick. I never liked his blog really but its sad because he is doing alot of damage. oh how sad how easy it is to have evil suddenly look appealing and attractive like a piece of candy! Once one foot goes...the other is sure to follow...anything on sand cannot stand.

[jmjtina]

what a sad day.

[Lil Red]

+J.M.J.+
just found this:
[quote]"I took the Cafeteria tag out of my logo, btw, so spare me the umpteenth dig re: that. When I put it up, I a) meant it as a bon mot and b) had no idea that bishops would, eg, actively campaign against civil unions for homosexuals. Since I came out in favor of that and defended gay adoption (based on my wife’s prior work in the field and from the example of friends), too, my position as a 'Cafeteria Catholic' is firmly established and need not be brought up at every turn, as if it were a new insight. I freely admit it. The far-right and whatever you could be described as are correct in saying so."[/quote]
[url="http://vox-nova.com/2008/04/04/two-round-center-mass/#comment-17696"]http://vox-nova.com/2008/04/04/two-round-c.../#comment-17696[/url]