#the one year it got so bad that people got excommunicated from a bishop. so

[mistressemmedi]

What is sanremo?

On paper? A week long singing competition where the winner gets to represent Italy at Eurovision.

In reality? Well. It's kinda hard to put into words and explain it...

[a-queer-seminarian]

free will, predestination

So i’m reading through my Presbyterian Heritage and Polity notes in preparation for my ordination exams next week and figured I’d throw all the theology that confuses me most into one text post.

Providence and Free Will

According to Calvin, God is a micro-manager:

There is no moment in your life when God is not with you, actively loving you in that moment

At its best, providence means that God is active in all parts of the world

And then this is where it gets bizarre and confusing and i just gotta be like Calvin. honey. no.

Because Calvin’s idea of free will is the compatibilist idea – free will is compatible with divine determinism

Shannon’s example: Today I put on a green shirt; God determined that I would put that green shirt on. I had the agency, I had to go through the process of choosing the shirt and putting it on, but it would not have happened if God had not determined it.

So like, I did use free will to pick my shirt – but God also made it happen. Somehow…both…are true

Everything has two layers: human agency & intention, and divine agency & intention.

Meanwhile, other theologians have another take on free will – the incompatibilist idea (Gustavo Guierrez is on this team and so am i)

God limits Hir power, gives us room to do things that are against the will of God

SO YEAH, Calvin alludes to Amos being like, “There is no evil in the city but God has done it” – like, if something bad happened it’s because God determined it will.

I just. Nope. Sorry guess it’s just the Catholic in me jumpin out but No Evil Thing Comes From God thank you very much

Shannon spent so much time and energy trying to make this make sense for us and trying to explain how the heck Calvin could believe this stuff, I love you Shannon you work so hard. has the seminary given you a raise lately? they should

Calvin’s context is key to understanding why he thinks what he does about free will

he was writing in a time of communal danger -- his community had been kicked out of the Church and exiled from their country, and feared violence from several sides

what he was saying is that no matter how messed up everything seems, we are actually safe as kittens in the hands of God 

There is no part of what is happening that is beyond God’s control and loving care

see like. I agree with that wholeheartedly. God deeply cares about what’s going on – but I can only imagine Xe has limited Hir control over what’s going on or bad shit wouldn’t happen

But yeah Shannon was like “when it’s communal endangerment like what Calvin’s little community of excommunicated refugees were going through, this theology is comforting. When it’s individual pain like a rape or abuse, it’s less comforting. When it’s suffering viewed on a global scale, that’s also less comforting”

Shannon admits she doesn’t believe that even Calvin himself would believe this stuff today – his view of suffering was so local; we now see suffering across the centuries and across the world and how race and gender and all play into that

“I don’t think it really works to say let’s take this theology and apply it to individual cases where it would be harmful, or this massive case of race across the last six hundred years”

Which is basically her way of saying we shouldn’t go with his view of free will these days i’m pretty sure. Whew. Thank you, Shannon

Okay, you know, I do kinda get it…like. If you are in a community like Calvin’s (or like ancient Judah when people wouldn’t stop conquering them and their sister nation just got frickin. wiped out.) and you are Completely Powerless, your survival depending on the Whims of rulers who don’t give a damn about you….it makes sense that thinking that everything, even the Bad, is being pre-ordained by God.

Like, “my life is not just determined by the shitty choices made by people in the past or present, but also by a God who intends good for me.”

…But then Calvin loses me again because when it comes to wondering why God decided to make the world like this – why God not only allows but apparently determines suffering –

Calvin is like, “uh that curiosity is a sin.” Calvin says you’re not supposed to ask those questions – that asking questions is good but there’s a limit

Uh, dude, ya ever read Habakkuk?? we’re allowed to ask God why

Anyway, as if that weren’t all baffling enough it’s time for the really hard part --

Predestination!!

So. One of the core beliefs of Reformed theology is that no part of us is not tainted by sin -- if we were pools of water and sin were ink, we’d see that the ink has permeated the whole pool, not just parts of it.

Therefore, as Shannon says, “it would be really bad news if our salvation were based on getting it right” -- our wills are so bound up by sin, we would not be able to save ourselves.

“Help, we’ve fallen and we can’t get up”

Luckily, no part of our salvation is up to us -- it’s all up to God

“it would be logical, Calvin says (i personally disagree bc dude wtf), for God to just throw us all away – but God decides to save all of us. What this means is that our eternal state, whether we are in heaven or hell, has no causal relation with our works on the planet. How we behave does not determine whether we go to heaven or hell. It’s God decision, made before we are born, not based on how we’re gonna be – God just decides.”

That being said...

“If God decides we are among the elect, we get some goodies – and that can help us screw up a little less in the world. But God’s grace comes first; we still cannot save ourselves on our own”

The “goodies” Shannon’s talking about are like, virtues or something; a desire to do good -- so like, we can have a pretty good idea of who is “elect” based on their actions (i’m not a fan of this and Shannon admits it’s been used to judge and stuff)

“So God saves us, and we respond to that with gratitude.”

Why this idea was a big deal back in the day, whether you agree or not:

Calvin’s idea of predestination was the ultimate stripping of power from the Roman Catholic Church – God decides, not the pope or bishops or priests; it’s not based on how good I am or how much money I have for indulgences

Some context:

Calvin is teaching all this to people who are studying to be pastors. They’re going to be going back to places where they can be killed for these beliefs – they are scared they will be murdered, and most of all they are scared they will recant under torture.

Calvin tells them: God has already saved you. You would not be in this room if God had not. If you recant, it does not undo that fact. – incredibly comforting for them

So don’t be scared – instead, you can respond to God’s grace

The idea of being “elect” should not cause one to be proud but act with humility

It is radically against Calvin’s predestination to imagine you are superior for your elect status; you have nothing to do with it

You should never be proud and judging other people for not being “good Christians.” You were not saved because you were a good Christian. You are learning how to be a good Christian because God saved you while you were a screw-up.

There is no illusion of meritocracy in Calvin’s grace theology – grace is free. No one earns it.

Okay. So. there are actually two “kinds” of predestination you can believe in:

Double Predestination:

God picked some people for heaven and picked some for hell

“I think that the number of PCUSA Presbyterians who believe in double predestination can be counted on two hands”

Single Predestination:

everyone is originally headed to hell, but God picks some for heaven (God didn’t elect anyone to hell as in double predestination; i.e. God does not actively damn anyone, God just doesn’t actively save them)

And another option based on that:

You can argue that grace is free for absolutely everybody -- everyone has been elected, predestined for heaven

Barth is one who says that every human being is predestined to heaven

What about atheists and/or non-Christians?

faith is a requirement but also a gift

broaden the idea of what the response to being elected is

did Calvin assume everyone elect was in the church? yes. But his theology does not actually require it.

maybe a faithful response can mean more than blatant assent to Christ

___

The monster under the bed of all this predestination stuff is the Protestant Work Ethic that developed from it after Calvin’s death

everyone trying to demonstrate that they are among the elect by being better

that’s the exact opposite of Calvin’s point!

this attempt to prove we’re elect evinces our sinful nature:

oh, we don’t work to earn our salvation? okay, we’ll work to prove it instead

and a pit of guilt:

some of us feel like we have to work nonstop for the betterment of the world as we live out our salvation

the theological definition of pride is the attempt to justify your own life

“I know that my life is worthwhile because I have these friends, I’ve accomplished these things, I help these people” 

Calvinist theology says No, your life has already been justified and you didn’t have anything to do with it. And now you live that out in gratitude and grace of others.

To sum all this up,

There’s a lot of Calvin’s thoughts here that I don’t think I agree with. I absolutely do not believe that evil things are determined or willed in any way by God -- but I do understand a little better the context that led Calvin to believing that.

I also only like a Predestination that argues that all humanity has been elected -- because “God shows no partiality” -- how or why would God only have chosen some of us sinners and not others? Is God arbitrary?

Still, I like how this theology of Predestination was part of Calvin’s attempts to do away with meritocracy. That’s something so many of us, especially people like me who are white and act like we are successful because of our own merit (we “pulled ourselves up by our own bootstraps” without regard for all the unearned privileges that support our economic well-being) could stand to learn. We don’t earn salvation -- it’s a gift. If we truly grasped that, we would be liberated from our sense of guilt and shame and from our pride.

But even though I get it a little better, I really hope that predestination does not show up on the exams next week.

[pamphletstoinspire]

Children's Religious Stories - The Saints - Part 31

Story with image:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/childrens-religious-stories-saints-part-31-harold-baines/?published=t

ST HUGH OF LINCOLN

ONE of the things King Henry II of England did to show he was sorry for St Thomas of Canterbury's death was to bring to England some monks from the famous French monastery of the Grande Chartreuse — the Great Charterhouse — who were called Carthusians, to strengthen the Church in England. He gave them some land at Witham, in Somerset, where there was a large forest, and they could build their house far away from the busy life of the world. At first they were not very successful. The Somerset people did not like them because they were foreigners, and would not help them in their building. They got cold and ill in their huts of mud and branches by the edge of the river. One of the Priors who looked after them died, and another went back to France. Then, when it seemed as if the plan would be a total failure, a monk named Hugh was sent to take charge.

Almost at once everything started to go right. Hugh won the love of the Somerset folk by his goodness and his sense of fun, which, since the days when he played pranks in his father's castle, he had never lost. He was himself very interested in building, and he designed, and helped to build with his own hands, a beautiful white-stoned church at the edge of the forest. The monks taught the children round about and cared for the sick and fed the poor, and the monastery at Witham became such a good and happy place that even the King used to go and stay there to get away from his unhappy Court with all its disputes and troubles.

It was not long before Henry decided that Hugh must become a bishop. The diocese of Lincoln, one of the largest in England, had had no bishop for eighteen years, and the clergy had fallen into bad ways because there was no one to look after them. Though Hugh wanted to stay at Witham, he at last consented to be made Bishop, and he set about putting things in order in Lincoln. He travelled all round the diocese on a horse, with a little bundle of his belongings strapped on to it. People thought that a bishop ought to travel about in a much grander manner, but Hugh refused to alter it; and as often as he could he went back to stay at Witham, where he had a cell alone in the forest. When he was at his bishop's manor at Stowe he had as a particular pet a great wild swan which was so fierce that it would let no one come near it; but with Hugh it was quite tame and ate out of his hand and went everywhere with him. It too was a creature of the forest.

At that time the King's Foresters were among the worst people in the land. Because they were the King's own men they behaved as if they were a law to themselves, and took no notice of the law which Henry made every one else obey. One of the Foresters had behaved unjustly to one of the Bishop's men on the manor of Stowe, and Hugh excommunicated him.

Henry immediately ordered Hugh to appear before him and answer for his action. He said he had no right to do it.

Hugh immediately went into the King's presence, even though Henry was hunting and he had to meet him in a tent in a park. Though there was none of the splendid ceremony of Court, the King determined to make the Bishop feel as uncomfortable as possible by not taking any notice of him. He told his courtiers not to say anything either, so when Hugh came in and greeted the King there was no answer, and no one spoke.

Taking no notice of this, Hugh went up to the seat next to the King and sat down on it. Henry still took no notice. He had hurt his finger while he was hunting, and had on it a large leather finger-stall. It was slightly loose, so he asked for a needle and thread and started to sew it tighter. Still no one spoke. Henry was waiting for the Bishop to say he was sorry, and he thought the longer he kept quiet the more uneasy the Bishop would become. He would make Hugh realize that he was a great king who must be obeyed.

But Hugh was thinking of something else. His sense of fun was getting the better of him. Henry II might be a great king, but he was descended from a poor tanner who lived at Falaise, in France. And now, watching the King sewing his leather finger-stall, he could be quiet no longer.

"You remind me of your relatives at Falaise," he said.

There was a horrified silence. The courtiers were sure that the King would get up and strike Hugh for this insult. But, instead of that, Henry looked at Hugh and suddenly started to laugh. He laughed and laughed, till the courtiers thought it wise to join in, and then he took Hugh aside and forgave him.

Hugh gave him a little talk on the duties of kings in keeping their subjects under control, and Henry ended by allowing him to deal with the Forester, who was the cause of all the trouble, as he thought best.

When Henry died, and his son Richard the Lion-heart came to the throne, Hugh still guarded the rights of the Church against Richard's attempts to get the Church's money for his wars.

"Do you not know that this King loves money as a parched and thirsty man loves water?" some one asked him.

"He may do," answered Hugh, "but I will not be the water for him to swallow."

And again, when Richard died and his brother John became King, Hugh continued to see that he kept within the bounds of what was right.

Hugh's great work, and the one by which he is still remembered, was the building of the beautiful cathedral of Lincoln. It was here that he was buried when at last he died, worn out with his struggles on behalf of the Church against three Kings, all of whom, however, had looked on him as a friend. King John was at his funeral, and the King of Scotland; and the nobles and princes of the land carried his bier up the steep hill to the cathedral he had built, to honour the gay, simple man who had never wished to leave his cell in the forest, but who from duty had become one of the great statesmen of England.

[delicatemusictastemaker]

Eutyches case and Thief Conference (449 years)

In Constantinople there was a monk named Eutyches. One day he accused Bishop Yu Zebius of the Phrygian province as a heretic. Constantinople Archbishop Flavian holds a church meeting in 448 and excommunicates Eutyches as a heretic as a result of deliberation. Eutyches was not satisfied with this procedure and appealed to himself that he was unjustly punished by the emperor and the Archbishop Dio School of Alexandria. He was close to the court of the emperor, so the prospect of the trial was never bad. After Dio school, Cyril became an archbishop of Alexandria in 444. Dio school who received an appeal from Eutyches calls on Emperor Theodosius II, and in the year 449, it reaches the point of holding a public meeting in Ephesus again. Ephesus is where his predecessor Cyril got a victory. He also dreamed of a brilliant victory for himself in that same place. Emperor

Appoint the Dio School as Chairperson. Together with the military power of the emperor as authority as chairman, he puts great pressure on the entire Council.

He tried to move the Council to his own street anymore. He wanted to be chairman of the apostolic mission as a natural right, but he was refused. The letter addressed to the conference from the Pope has not been recalled. Pope Leo I in this letter clearly explains that the divinity and humanity of Christ are united in one person in that person but they are not mixed into one gender. As an Alexandria school, we can not accept these letters. Of course the dio school did not go on to recite this at the beginning of the meeting. It was squeezed. In this way, the connection with Anatadius, Cyril and Roman, and Alexandria, has ended up with Eutyches.

The Emperor will next battle with the Antioch school to fight the mistakes of the Alexandrian school. At Ephesus' meeting, Chairperson Dio School of Alexandria side ignores the papacy at all. He first recognizes Eutyches as owner of legitimate faith.

Then it rejects the theory that Christ was having two nature, saying divinity and humanity, as apology. In addition, both bishops of Flavian, Yu Zebius who banished Eutyches in the past, including the bishops of these two people excommunication / expulsion. When the archbishop Flavian gets banished, he dies in the middle of a journey with rough handling. But people who were expelled are not silent. They each appeal to the Pope and Emperor. The church does not recognize this meeting as a Council. In the letter addressed to Queen Pulqueria later in 451, the Pope also called this conference "a thief conference".

[christinaepilzauthor-blog]

Lord Rhys; Welsh First, Henry's Second

by Jean Gill We all know something about King Henry II of England and Thomas Becket, but few have heard of another powerful man who sparked off the temper of that fiery king and then, against all odds, gained his trust: Lord Rhys. When Henry died in 1189, Lord Rhys, the Welsh ruler of the kingdom of Deheubarth, had been the royal Justiciar of South Wales for seventeen years, an alliance arrived at through war, truce and stubbornness on both sides. At the peak of their conflict, frustrated in battle, Henry ordered that twenty-two Welsh hostages, including Rhys' son, should have their eyes gouged out. Yet the two rulers then became firm allies. How is that possible? How could a father accept such an alliance? The answer might lie in Rhys' own style of leadership and his background. Maybe he accepted such an action in war because it's exactly what he himself would have done. Certainly, the alliance was politically expedient for both rulers as, although Rhys could never win against Henry's superior manpower, Welsh guerilla warfare could harass and tire the slow, heavy English soldiers, ad infinitum. An alliance gave them both peace and a means to keep in check the greed of the Norman Marcher Lords. However, their truce held strong through later trials, when expediency for Rhys was not in loyalty to Henry, suggesting something deeper between the two men. For his part, there is no doubt that Henry felt respect for Rhys and his countrymen. 'In one part of the island [of Britain] there is a race of people called the Welsh who are so brave and untamed that, though unarmed themselves, they do not hesitate to do battle with fully armed opponents' King Henry II 1176

Lord Rhys 

Who was Rhys? His praise-singer described him as 'golden' and it might be that he was 'fair' like his mother Gwenllian, a princess of North Wales, who eloped with Gruffydd, Prince of Deheubarth to become a legend in her new kingdom. 'Fair' and 'golden' are compliments with many possible meanings: attractive, just, gifted, lucky, or, of course, blonde (no longer the compliment it once was!). The only other clues to his appearance are in a 14th century effigy on a tomb in St David's Cathedral, thought to be of Lord Rhys, in which he sports a moustache worthy of a WW2 RAF pilot. Nobody would have expected him to rule Deheubarth. Youngest of six brothers, he was four years old when his mother, Gwenllian the Warrior Princess, was betrayed by a Welshman and beheaded by the Norman, Maurice De Londres, on the battlefield now known as Maes Gwenllian. One brother, Morgan, died in the same battle and another, Maelgwyn, disappeared, never to be heard of again. Rhys' father died a year later, of illness or grief. The eldest surviving brother, Anarawd, then became leader until he was murdered in 1143 by order of his future brother-in-law, Cadwaladr of North Wales. The next brother, Cadell, was so badly injured by Normans from Tenby in 1151, when he was out hunting, that he renounced all worldly matters, retiring to a monastery after going on a pilgrimage.

The coat of arms of Deheubarth

Cadell left his two younger brothers, Maredudd and Rhys as joint rulers in his absence, which turned out to be permanent. Closeness between noble Welsh brothers was rare as they were usually fostered while young and competing for inheritance (with the support of their foster families) as they matured. Gelding and/or blinding were not uncommon ways of showing mercy to the loser while protecting an inheritance. However, Rhys and Maredudd, two years older, had never been fostered and had survived losses that were cruel even by the standard of the day. What little evidence remains suggests that they were close, that they rode together and fought together to win back the lands lost during their father's time.

Wales 1153

1153, the year my fictional troubadours arrive in Gwalia (Wales), was indeed a golden year for Henry, who was named heir to the English throne by its incumbent Stephen, and also for Rhys and Maredudd. They were on a winning streak and continued to regain castles and land; Carmarthen, Llansteffan, Tenby and St Clears – a 21st birthday present for Rhys in his first sortie as Commander. They even regained Ceredigion, which the North Wales allies had helped them to defend, years earlier – and had then kept for their own, at the time Anarawd was murdered. Now there is a story begging to be told!

Both images are Llansteffan Castle © Jean Gill

I have reconstructed the taking of Tenby and St Clears from details of the building structures there in 1153, starting from the terse statement in the Brut y Tywysogion. 'There was not much time afterwards before the sons of Rhys attacked the castle of Tenby, and by a night plot, after breaking the gate, they got possession of the castle, and delivered it into the [custody] of William, son of Gerald. And when that was accomplished, Rhys, son of Gruffudd, with an immense host, laid waste the castle of Ystrad Cyngen. So, a night plot it was! Unfortunately, 'an immense host' seems to be poetic license, as on-the-spot research from Tenby sent me records showing the 12th century castle to be a small stronghold, little more than a watchtower, and St Clears (Ystrad Cyngen) was an even smaller motte and bailey. This is why, in my version of events, my hero Dragonetz observes, 'It's smaller than I thought it would be,' before the men lay siege. There is also some disagreement as to whether events took place in 1152 or 1153, a minor matter considering how little information there is on major events! I can't find any indication of how Maredudd died but it seems that this happened in 1155 and Rhys became sole ruler, Prince of Deheubarth, or 'the Lord Rhys', the title he's known by nowadays. He continued to build his kingdom, and not just figuratively. He built castles in the Norman style, and as solidly expensive as theirs; Cardigan, Cilgerran, Dinefwr and Llandovery, among others. According to the cleric and writer, Gerald of Wales, a relative who stayed as Rhys' guest on his Journey Through Wales, Rhys was 'kindly' and 'discreet', a perfect host. He was highly cultured and drew poets and musicians to his court. You can imagine the harper playing in Rhys' castle in Cardigan, as at King Henry's court, where a Welsh harper was also employed. Steeped in this musical tradition, Lord Rhys is credited with hosting the first Eisteddfod, at Christmas in 1176. He also started the codification of Welsh laws, later continued by Hywel Dda. I would argue that, when he did so, he had read The Usatges of Barcelona, laws that influenced law-making throughout Europe. He founded Cistercian monasteries but hated bad clerics. Rhys was nicknamed 'the Good' and yet he died excommunicate for arguing with a bishop over a horse theft. His body had to be scourged before burial, in penance. He was reputed to be charming, a man who loved many women, and this proved to be damaging for the succession in Deheubarth. Linked to Henry II in their life-times, Rhys faced the same problem; his children's conflicts, with him and with each other. Rhys had at least nine children by various mothers and as legitimacy was not important in Welsh law, claims to Deheubarth were violently disputed.

Notwithstanding the conflicts, Rhys' children played their own parts in history. Through one daughter named Gwenllian (there were several, just to add to the confusion), Rhys could claim ancestry to the Tudors, and from them to several of the ruling houses in Europe today, including the UK. Henry Tudor flew a Welsh dragon banner at Bosworth field to acknowledge his descent from this remarkable man, Rhys, Prince of Deheubarth. Further reading/ Acknowledgements http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/brut_y_tywysogion.html This is the version of Brut y Tywysogion translated by William ab Ithel in the 19th century. The Lord Rhys – Roger Turvey The Journey through Wales and The Description of Wales – Gerald of Wales Photos 1) Effigy of Rhys ap Gruffydd in St David's Cathedral, Wales scanned from the 1810 engraving by John Conlon    Credit: Rhion Pritchard 2/3/2006. Public Domain Image. 2) The coat of arms of Deheubarth By AlexD (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Coat_of_arms_of_Deheubarth.svg 3) Map of Wales in 1153 Adapted from Map of Wales 986-99 (Maredudd ab Owain) courtesy of AlexD under the Creative Commons license 4 and 5 Llansteffan Castle © Jean Gill 6 Welsh dragon on plate © Jean Gill ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Song Hereafter is available as a paperback and an e-book. Amazon.com  Amazon.co.uk  On website Jean's website Amazon author page Facebook Troubadours Page Facebook Author Page Twitter  Sign up for Jean's Newsletter for exclusive news and offers, with a free book as a welcome.

Hat Tip To: English Historical Fiction Authors

[magdaleneswift-blog]

MEN-EXPLAIN PEDOPHILIA TO ME

Benedict's response to the pedophile crisis was to invoke the greatest evil he could think of – Women.  The first thought in his head when confronted with the pedophile crisis was to compare pedophiles to women who want to become priests, thereby proudly shining a spotlight on the Vatican practice, policy, and theology of preferring pedophiles to women to 'represent Christ' as priests. Ratzy's next response to the pedophiles apparently was to go after the homosexuals.  So pedophilia is only a problem if boys are molested.  I guess it considered being molested the purpose of little girls.  At least it is being monitored by four women in the Vatican.

The policy continues. Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston, one of the most active church officials in protecting the pedophiles, was made part of the Curia and appointed to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome in 2004 by John Paul, II after the story of his shuffling them around broke in the Boston Post.

 The Basilica is one of the most prominent positions in the Church.  It would be hard to find a location to more proudly showcase the Vatican position of promoting pedophiles.  He is still at the Basilica.  He then invited his fellow pedophile bishop from California to join him. The press just recently showcased the Australian pedophile cardinal.  The Vatican said he was too sick to travel to face charges.  Then he is too sick to be a cardinal and should be defrocked. The victims committed suicide. Bene dick’s brother was also shown to be abusing the boys in his choir. The press wondered if Benne dick realized his brother was a pedophile. Since he went out of his way to praise them, of course he knew.

The current bishop of Scranton and his predecessor were ignored when they repeatedly reported to the Vatican that the second in command in the Paraguayan hierarchy was a known pedophile.  It took months to get rid of him.

The Dominican Republic pedophile, another John Paull II appointee, was called home to the Vatican where he was seen wandering around Rome shortly thereafter. (His fancy new office wasn't ready yet?)  The Vatican defrocked him; thereby removing that pesky celibacy requirement. Vatican - It's ok, he wasn't interested in fully grown women.  

In May of 2016, a known pedophile from Minnesota was just hired to teach college in Rome.  His record prevented from obtaining a job in Michigan.  Not a problem in Rome.  Previously, the Minnesota diocese gave them pensions and sent them to live in the Caribbean – Lots of nearly naked children there.

Francis has stated that those who sheltered the pedophiles are also guilty.  They are still in the Vatican.

The question is whether he is Pope Wishy Washy, lying through his teeth, or held hostage by the curia. I agree that cleaning up the curia is equivalent to cleaning out the Augean Stables.

With the documented Vatican practice of gathering pedophiles from around the world and turning  them loose on the streets of Rome, If I lived in Rome, I would have been leading a riot. They finally got around to trying and locking the Dominican Republican pedophile up.    He 'conveniently' died. "Preach the Gospel. When necessary, use words."  = Pedophilia is the most important criteria for moving up the church hierarchy.  The theologian behind me in choir says that the Vatican follows Roman law; guilty until proven innocent.   Does the vatican realize that they have the moral and theological credibility of child pornographers after Benne Dick's statement?  

Since the response of the Vatican to any woman who wants to be a priest is immediate excommunication, pedophilia is an honorable occupation and the only mortal sin is being female.

  Apparently, the vatican looks at Christ and sees nothing other than a penis. Their policy has always been - Promote the pedophile - Excommunicate the woman.    Jesus is more than a penis – no matter what the Vatican thinks. So the vatican vision of Christ is a deranged predator molesting children, holy solely because it is male.  The response of all the rest of the cardinals and bishops seems to be enthusiastic agreement with the vatican. Qui Tacuit Consentire.  

If the Virgin Mary appeared in the Vatican tomorrow and asked to be a priest, she would be immediately excommunicated.  Conceived without sin, but not eligible to be a priest.

The Vatican continually reinforces that it is an multi-billion dollar international organization totally dedicated to worshipping their dicks.  The Catholic Church has become billions of believers held hostage by 205 proud pagan pedophiles in the Vatican. Ever since I have a new vocation: Exercising the Cult of Priapus from the Vatican.   The only way I can sleep at night is to send variations of the essays and posters below to everyone I can think of, the higher up the church hierarchy the better. No matter how bad things were in my life, I could always fall back on the fact that I at least meant something to the Lord and the Church.  Benne Dick negated that. Catholicism is too precious to have senile perverts who prefer pedophiles to women in charge of it.

(Priapus, that Roman fertility god.  He is known for having a continual erection and not being able to ejaculate.  Why the Romans would a have a fertility god who is essentially sterile is more than I can fathom.  Are you sure men count as a sentient species?)

I have heard that Benne Dick has been spending his retirement writing and correcting church doctrine. I guess he considers it the crowning achievement of his theological career.  Neither he nor Francis seems to have any interest in correcting the theology of that statement.  I consider the statement inspired and a theological correction by the Holy Spirit to ensure the ‘infallibility’ of the church.  I can think of no other statement that confirms the total depravity of their doctrine.

Father always says that priests are supposed to represent Christ on earth. Apparently to Benne Dick, service, dedication, faith, fidelity, devotion, and calling mean NOTHING.  The most important characteristic of Christ is therefore that he was male!  Did it dawn on this 'great theologian' that it just declared its dick, God? It reinforced this point by using such a depraved comparison to make its point unmistakable.  The criterion for priesthood is therefore dependent on only One 'Thing.'   Screening for clerical candidates would be the same as an Army physical - Drop your pants, receive a Roman collar and prey on the children in the church.  Celibacy even seems to be optional as long as you agree to only molest children, or is that a criterion for moving up the church hierarchy?  I suppose we should be grateful it didn't put "Our pride is in our shame" over Saint Peters and on the Vatican stationary.   That would be one way of solving the unemployment crisis.  Since the Vatican says the only criteria for priesthood is male and breathing, any man can walk into church, drop his pants, and receive a roman collar and a guaranteed lifetime job.

Yet pedophiles are closer to representing Christ than women?  Christ who said that; whoever harms a child; “it is better that a millstone be hung around his neck and he be drowned in the nearest sea”.  That is letting them off lightly as far as I am concerned. Remember Christ's words, "Whatsoever you do unto the least of my people, that you do unto me." and that depraved pervert defends them.

I had always thought the pedophiles were an aberration.  That statement indicates it is the preferred policy.  This statement also defines Catholicism to the world in terms of violent sexual abuse of children.  I know most people would happily sell their souls to the devil for the belief they are better than someone else, but this is an evil I could not have envisioned in my worst nightmare.

The Church used to be a leader in the rights and dignity of women.  The Vatican chooses to ignore the astounding efforts of the main church, especially the women; instead choosing to represent us as more depraved monsters than the Taliban or Boko Haran.  And we criticize the Muslims for allowing their religion to be held hostage by ISIS, Al Quida, the Taliban, etc. – If it moves, shoot it.  If it doesn’t move, blow it up. If it is female, beat it.  If it has value, steal it.

The Boston Post had an insightful article on the rape culture and how men really approve of it and how it will take their efforts to eliminate it.  The Vatican has continually demonstrated for the last seven years how they not only approve of the rape culture, they consider it a key foundation to their theology. I have always considered myself a mediocre Catholic and never considered myself capable of being a priest.  Compared to that, I am OVER QUALIFIED and care more for the Catholic Church than the Vatican.  I also considered myself Catholic in SPITE of the hierarchy.

I am least grateful they haven't put a "Help Wanted, Pedophile Preferred" sign in Saint Peter's Square.  They take the chastisement of the New Testament “They take pride in their shame.” as a maxim to live by and take it to new levels.

I can't imagine what the previous cardinals were thinking when they selected this feeble minded pervert.  Were they looking for the reincarnation of Rasputin, a dim wit that would allow them to rob the church blind, or since their anatomy is more important to them than ANYTHING else, did they simply drop their pants and pull out a ruler?  How else do you explain Cardinal Barbie Doll Burke being considered among the best and brightest the Church has to offer?  When a priest is too incompetent to be able to pastor a parish, do they make him a cardinal?  

At the very least, all the cardinals sitting on their backsides and letting the Vatican stand for pedophilia is the same mindset that caused the head on airplane collision in the Canary Islands.  The flight crew were too terrified of going against the captain to tell him he was going the wrong way on the air strip in the fog.  At least the airline had the sense to change their policy of captain absolute authority after that.

Forget debating angels on the head of a pin, the current theological debate is how well Christ was hung.  I don't care how many millennia they spend gazing in adoration at their anatomy, it is NOT God.

The one thing this current debacle proves is that it is dangerous to allow cardinals to congregate unsupervised.  Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the last conclave and explain theology to them in terms that even men can understand. They must consider a penis an antenna that allows them to receive broadcasts directly from the logos of the Creator.  It certainly seems to be their lower head they were thinking with.  After Benne Dick's statement, I no longer believe in the legitimacy of the Vatican.  The scary thing is that most of the current cardinals were appointed by this menace.  It has likely loaded the College of Cardinals with every pedophile and dick worshipper it could find.  The previous 'pope' was a Donatist who considered the elite of the Church pedophiles, penis worshipers, and substandard Latin scholars, in that order.  

It is said that those hiding the pedophiles were trying to protect the Church.  This is backwards.  The Church is the community of believers and our most important members are our children.  I am furious at those using the Catholic Church as cover for the Cult of Priapus.

The Church is the Bride of Christ, NOT a kept woman used to stroke their male egos on demand.

In all groups of animals, the females only tolerate the male doing his big alpha male thing until he poses a threat to the group and especially to the offspring.  At that point, the females get together and clobber him.  I have seen this in my father's cattle and on several National Geographic programs and in the latest literature on group psychology.  With that statement, Benne Dick is way over the line of being a menace to children.

It is said that the purpose of civilization is the protection of children, pregnant women and the infirm.  The previous 'pope' fails even this simple test.  Father is big that the duty of men is to protect women and children.  Someone forgot to tell the Vatican.  Another example of men protecting women – The Miss America contestant assaulted by Trump – Her father is voting for Trump.  Ladies – you are on your own.

It is a proven fact that when people congregate, the collective IQ of the group drops.  What I want to know is why we follow the lead of the bottom 10% of the population.  How is it that 205 proud pedophiles in Vatican City are able to hold hostage the faith of billions?

With all the archeological evidence of the benefits of the great monotheistic religions, why do we define Christianity by the KKK, the functionally illiterate creationists in Dover, PA, the senile pervert in Rome, Rasputin, the pigs on stilts and wig wearing Jews. It is sickening with all the positive messages of religion how many people just care that they are in a magic group that lets them kill whoever disagrees with them.  Verily I say unto you, might makes right is not the god of Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph but the god of the male chimpanzee.  This is actually an insult to the chimpanzees as it has been shown they have a higher ethical standard than this.

I heard somewhere that it was forced to resign by cutting off credit card service to the Vatican.  That makes no sense as where would you have credit card readers in a Renaissance basilica?  The Post Office & museum maybe?

I will, however; continue writing to everyone I can think of to protest this policy of pedophilia until I see some believable evidence that the Vatican looks at Christ and sees something other than a penis and looks at our children and sees something other than prey. Unfortunately, I have seen no evidence that the current pope has implemented policies for papal senility.  He also recently stated that there was nothing wrong with his predecessor's theology.

Between the Vatican, the ISIS style groups, and Donald Trump, it appears the world is in the throes of mass insanity.

[mistressemmedi]

may, as an uneducated non-italian:

what is sanremo?

Visual representation:

Actual explanation: the Italian Song Festival (in Italian: Festival della canzone italiana) music competition that is held yearly in the city of Sanremo (that's where the unofficial name comes from).

Fun fact, Sanremo is the longest-running TV music competition in the world - Eurovision came about because people wanted a competition like Sanremo at an European level.

Unofficial explanation: It's the one week of the year where everyone lets loose watching the campiest shit on TV. It got so bad one year, that the bishop of Sanremo excommunicated everyone that was involved with that year's edition. 10/10 would recommend

[pamphletstoinspire]

Children's Religious Stories - The Saints - Part 26

With Image:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/childrens-religious-stories-saints-part-26-harold-baines/?published=t

ST GREGORY THE SEVENTH

THE Pope of the 'Investiture Contest,' Gregory VII, like Gregory the Great, five hundred years earlier, was also a monk in a Benedictine monastery, and was called upon to defend the Church. His name was Hildebrand, and he was the son of a carpenter of Sovana. He was not very tall; he spoke with a stammer; and the only remarkable thing people could see about him was his glittering bright eyes which made them say that he was like his name, which means 'a bright flame.'

The times in which he lived were bad ones for the Church. People said that it seemed as if Christ were asleep and His vessel, the Church, tossed about at the mercy of the storm. One man wrote, "The whole world lay in wickedness; holiness had disappeared; justice had perished; and truth had been buried." The worst of it was that the wickedness of the world had got inside the Church itself. Monasteries had fallen into ruin; priests no longer looked after their people; bishops only cared for money and land and luxury.

Hildebrand saw that one of the reasons for this was that the kings and princes of Europe insisted that every bishop should pay homage to them, just as if they were ordinary nobles. They, and not the Pope or his representatives, gave the new bishop the crozier — the 'shepherd's crook,' which showed that he was to obey Jesus's command, "Feed my sheep" — and the ring, which showed his 'marriage' to the Church. These things, of course, should never have been given by anyone who was not himself a representative of Christ's Church; but the kings and princes refused to give up the right of `investiture,' as it was called. So the wrong kind of men became bishops, and the whole Church suffered.

When Hildebrand became Pope he said that this must stop. He turned out the bishops who had allowed a layman to `invest' them, and he said that any ruler who continued to do this should not be allowed to take Holy Communion. Even the most powerful of all the rulers, Henry, the Emperor, who ruled over what is now Germany and parts of Italy, was excommunicated. When Henry prepared to fight rather than obey, the Pope pronounced him deposed. "For the honour and security of the Church, in the name of God Almighty, I prohibit Henry, who has risen against the Church, from ruling Germany and Italy. I release all Christians from the oaths of fealty they may have taken to him, and I order that no one shall obey him."

At first Henry did not take much notice, but when some of his own people like St Benno were turning against him in Germany he thought he had better make friends with the Pope and get him to forgive him. So he set out on a journey to Italy, secretly hoping that, even if the Pope remained hard, some Italians would come over to his side.

It was in the middle of winter, and Gregory was in a castle called Canossa, far up in the mountains. Henry, finding that the Italians would not fight for him, made the long journey there through the snow. But when he arrived the Pope refused to see him.

"If the King is truly sorry," he said, "let him surrender his crown and sceptre to me to prove it."

But in the end he allowed Henry, after he had kept him waiting in the castle yard for three days, barefoot, fasting, and clothed like a penitent, to see him.

Henry threw himself at Gregory's feet, crying, "Holy Father, spare me," and was immediately forgiven.

Gregory had insisted on this, not, of course, because he did not like Henry, but because he wanted to give every one in Europe a lesson that the power of the Church, because it is founded by Christ, is more important than any earthly power at all. And in your history books you will still read about Canossa, which happened just eleven years after the battle of Hastings was won in England by one of Gregory's friends, William the Conqueror.

Though Henry pretended to be sorry, he was not so really. He went away again, broke all his promises, raised a great army, and drove Gregory out of Rome.

The Saint's last words as he died in exile at Spoleto were, "Because I have loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore I die in exile." But in the years to come it was his cause, not Henry's, which was victorious.