These People Call Themselves Catholic!

[Nihil Obstat]

I was invited to attend a presentation called Speak Truth To Power, which is centred around Kerry Kennedy's book and experiences and what not. I wasn't interested because I knew from the start how little I actually want to hear what Kerry Kennedy has to say about anything.
Then, just to affirm to myself that I made the right call, I went to the Speak Truth to Power website, where I read an introduction by Kennedy herself.
This part made me want to smash something big and heavy.

[quote]I grew up in the Judeo-Christian tradition where we painted our prophets on ceilings and sealed our saints in stained glass. They were superhuman, untouchable, and so we were freed from the burden of their challenge. But here on earth, people like these and countless other defenders are living, breathing human beings in our midst. Their determination, valor, and commitment in the face of overwhelming danger challenge each of us to take up the torch for a more decent society. Today we are blessed by the presence of these people. They are teachers, who show us not how to be saints, but how to be fully human.[/quote]

Dear Kerry Kennedy: please stop pretending to be Catholic. You are so stupid. Thanks.





I'm so discouraged.

[Selah]

What many people don't seem to understand is that the Saints were human. [i]Very [/i]human! St. Francis of Assisi lived close the Earth. St. Bernadette of Lourdes lived with sickness all of her life. St. Augustine was a party boy before conversion. Some saints used to be prostitutes! St. Nicholas slapped Arius! I could go on...

Being a Saint does not make them "superhuman" or "untouchable". It simply means that we should strive to live for Christ the same way they did. In fact, their flaws should be of some encouragment to us, because it means that even the worst of sinners can become holy and Saintly if they allow God to use them. We, like them, can be used by God for great things i we simply let Him direct our lives.

[Adrestia]

Ignorance coupled with hubris is a dangerous combination.

[Paladin D]

Hate to say it, but what an idiot.

[CatherineM]

So if our church doesn't have any stained glass windows, does that mean we have no saints looking after us, or does that mean we have released them from their imprisonment?

[eagle_eye222001]

We all know bare churches are so appealing.



I feel like hitting my head against a wall now.

----------------
Now playing: [url="http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/red+hot+chili+peppers/track/my+friends"]Red Hot Chili Peppers - My Friends[/url]
via [url="http://www.foxytunes.com/signatunes/"]FoxyTunes[/url]

[CatherineM]

Is sealing saints in stained glass windows kind of like what happened in Superman II to General Zot and his gang? So that would mean all we have to do is set off some nuclear bombs, and we'll have all those saints among us again. If a terrorist sets off one in NYC, the 70 virgins they will be confront with will be Catholic saints. That could make for some cool news video.

[AbsconditaInDeo]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1866521' date='May 13 2009, 09:49 PM']Dear Kerry Kennedy: please stop pretending to be Catholic. You are so stupid. Thanks.[/quote]

[Hassan]

Can someone tell me exactly what is wrong with this?

In Catholic School I felt the same way. I couldn't be a saint, or you. Saints were individuals who seemed preordained by God to be of super human piety and faith. Even those Saints who had faults or stumbled they had some dramatic encounter with the divine (speaking of St. Francis) which allowed them to begin some dramatic, transformative change. If they were sinners then they were big sinners (again, like Augustine and Francis" they were giants amongst men, not ordionary human beings.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Hassan' post='1866595' date='May 13 2009, 09:28 PM']Can someone tell me exactly what is wrong with this?[/quote]
The point is that the immaturity of her faith, for someone who calls herself Catholic, is appalling. Honestly, any single priest, and every faithful practicing Catholic can explain exactly why this is such a blatantly false opinion. There are no two ways about it.
You don't see it that way. You also don't identify as Catholic. She still refuses to stop identifying herself as a Catholic, and it's truly discouraging to see the utter lack of comprehension she has.

Edited May 14, 2009 by Nihil Obstat

[Hassan]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1866609' date='May 13 2009, 09:45 PM']The point is that the immaturity of her faith, for someone who calls herself Catholic, is appalling. Honestly, any single priest, and every faithful practicing Catholic can explain exactly why this is such a blatantly false opinion. There are no two ways about it.
You don't see it that way. You also don't identify as Catholic. She still refuses to stop identifying herself as a Catholic, and it's truly discouraging to see the utter lack of comprehension she has.[/quote]


What is the false opinion? No one has actually said what it is.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Hassan' post='1866616' date='May 13 2009, 09:49 PM']What is the false opinion? No one has actually said what it is.[/quote]
It was said above far more succinctly than I can.

[quote name='Selah' post='1866524' date='May 13 2009, 07:56 PM']What many people don't seem to understand is that the Saints were human. [i]Very [/i]human! St. Francis of Assisi lived close the Earth. St. Bernadette of Lourdes lived with sickness all of her life. St. Augustine was a party boy before conversion. Some saints used to be prostitutes! St. Nicholas slapped Arius! I could go on...

Being a Saint does not make them "superhuman" or "untouchable". It simply means that we should strive to live for Christ the same way they did. In fact, their flaws should be of some encouragment to us, because it means that even the worst of sinners can become holy and Saintly if they allow God to use them. We, like them, can be used by God for great things i we simply let Him direct our lives.[/quote]

The flawed opinion is that saints were somehow superhuman and that 'normal people' cannot do what they did. Any faithful Catholic MUST believe that this is entirely, 100%, no questions asked, garbage. It's... very much a core part of the faith. You must understand why I say that. It's what we have to aim for.

[Hassan]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1866635' date='May 13 2009, 11:02 PM']It was said above far more succinctly than I can.



The flawed opinion is that saints were somehow superhuman and that 'normal people' cannot do what they did. Any faithful Catholic MUST believe that this is entirely, 100%, no questions asked, garbage. It's... very much a core part of the faith. You must understand why I say that. It's what we have to aim for.[/quote]


Yes, she's saying that when she was gowing up that's how the saints were presented. Big deal.

They were presented to me in the same way. It's not a doctrinal claim, but a recounting of childhood religious formation and her perceptions and recollections during it. If you have a problem with it, blame the teachers, not those honestly saying the image or idea they were given.

[Nihil Obstat]

She hasn't honestly pursued this to any extent. This is her faith. No matter what you believe, that's a core thing to a person. She's obviously not delved any deeper than superficial fluff, because in this subject her faith is about on par with that of a kid in grade seven.
Besides that, believing that sainthood is perfectly possible for any human being is central to how we conduct ourselves.

[TotusTuusMaria]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1866521' date='May 13 2009, 08:49 PM']I'm so discouraged. [/quote]

awww... don't get discouraged.