Lady Gaga

[Nihil Obstat]

I was a tough slog. Could have used some footnotes.

[Era Might]

3 hours ago, Nihil Obstat said:

Your personal brand of mysticism has lead you far astray.

It's not mysticism, simply a reading of the story. The entire premise is that the Rich Young Man is not only rich, but good...he has followed the commandments all his life. If he were Catholic, he'd probably be a Knight of Columbus. But Jesus doesn't uphold his respectability...in fact, Jesus takes the opportunity to deny his own respectability. Why do you call me good?

It's okay to have an original thought sometimes. Your long copy and paste would have been more interesting if you had given your own thoughts and demonstrated that you have digested what you expect others to read...digested rather than vomited it. Otherwise, it doesn't seem like you've even really thought about the Rich Young Man except as a subject of ancient commentary, and not an actual living story.

Edited May 12, 2016 by Era Might

[Era Might]

I don't think we appreciate the Holiness of sinners like we should. Maybe it's a Western thing...the Russians had a deeper sense of the mystery at work in poor sinners. Sinners are always a reminder that the Way to heaven is not in being good ("Why do you call me good?"), the Way to heaven is in recognizing our nothingness. The great scandal of Christ was that sinners are closer to heaven than saints. The least in the kingdom is greater than the greatest.

[Nihil Obstat]

Lovely. I think I am done here.

[Guest]

Later Mr. Smug.

 

 

[Nihil Obstat]

24 minutes ago, Josh said:

Later Mr. Smug.

 

 

I treat you with nothing but respect, Josh.

[Guest]

Just now, Nihil Obstat said:

I treat you with nothing but respect, Josh.

Lol You're one of my favorite posters here and I've learned a lot from you. I've said it before and I'll say it again you're probably the all time best poster at Phatmass imo. With that said you talk down to people sometimes and your Internet persona comes off as smug. I didn't mean for it to be a personal attack. Apologies. I will take a break from Phatmass for the rest of the night. God bless.

 

[Peace]

40 minutes ago, Nihil Obstat said:

I treat you with nothing but respect, Josh.

Nihil, I think that you are a good guy and I respect you a lot. And I also think that your heart is in the right place. 

Probably I come across as too lenient or accepting of sin sometimes.

I understand the idea of "tough love" but honestly, sometimes with folks like you and Knight, I feel the tougness, but I don't often feel the love. I feel judgment or accusation a lot of the time.

Jesus does tell people to sin no more, he does tell people to repent. But I think before he does those things, he shows us that he loves us so that we understand why he is calling us to repentance. 

Sometimes with the way you guys communicate, I think people are going to feel the former but not feel the latter much at all. And that really matters for a lot of people I think. When they know that you love them they understand why you are calling them to repent and are more likely to. 

I know this might sound harsh, but sometimes I have trouble seeing the love of Christ shine through you guys sometimes, because of the way that you communicate (although I believe that it is there). We all have our faults (and I know I have mine) but I think that this is one area that you guys could honestly do a better job of.

Just some food for thought. I don't mean to be too critical but am just telling you how a lot of people might perceive you because of the way that you communicate. . .

[Gabriela]

1 hour ago, Peace said:

Nihil, I think that you are a good guy and I respect you a lot. And I also think that your heart is in the right place. 

Probably I come across as too lenient or accepting of sin sometimes.

I understand the idea of "tough love" but honestly, sometimes with folks like you and Knight, I feel the tougness, but I don't often feel the love. I feel judgment or accusation a lot of the time.

Jesus does tell people to sin no more, he does tell people to repent. But I think before he does those things, he shows us that he loves us so that we understand why he is calling us to repentance. 

Sometimes with the way you guys communicate, I think people are going to feel the former but not feel the latter much at all. And that really matters for a lot of people I think. When they know that you love them they understand why you are calling them to repent and are more likely to. 

I know this might sound harsh, but sometimes I have trouble seeing the love of Christ shine through you guys sometimes, because of the way that you communicate (although I believe that it is there). We all have our faults (and I know I have mine) but I think that this is one area that you guys could honestly do a better job of.

Just some food for thought. I don't mean to be too critical but am just telling you how a lot of people might perceive you because of the way that you communicate. . .

I agree with this, and Nihil, you know I love the hell out of you. Someone once told me that God is a perfect balance of mercy and judgment, and I think no human will ever get that balance perfect. We all tend more towards one or the other by nature. I think you guys tend more toward judgment (or at least, it comes off that way), but I can understand that these days as a reaction to the mass of Catholics who tend so much towards mercy that they condemn nothing at all. I've noticed that, among trads, there's a tendency to want to balance what's happening in mainstream Catholicism. I think we do really need more balance, but swinging towards extremes—of either mercy or judgment—isn't good for the Church in general.