Religious Observances, and The Thing Itself

Taking Up the Dr. Seuss School of Catholicism

Any Sunday school kid knows that the best piece of Christian theology was written not by St. Augustine or Reinhold Niebuhr but by Dr. Seuss. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! - the story of how the Whos joyfully celebrate Jesus' birth even after a spiteful wretch robs all their holiday stuff - portrays faith more meaningfully than any church father or Yale philosopher ever did. Published for Christmas 1957, the book's obvious target was Yuletide commercialization. But its deeper message - don't confuse the accessories of religion with religion itself - seems especially relevant for Roman Catholics like me on Easter 2010.

This is the most uncomfortable Easter that Catholics have faced since the throes of the U.S. clerical sex abuse scandal in 2002. A new deluge of priest-pedophile stories, mostly in Europe, has cast another Good Friday pall over the resurrection celebration. This time some of the hierarchical cover-up may have even involved, if only indirectly, the man who would become the current Pope, Benedict XVI. And the Catholic Church's defensive response (as persecuted as the Jews?) has once again made it look like a dark fraternity in a Dan Brown novel instead of a luminous shepherd of souls, a self-interested corporation instead of the selfless ministry that Christ entrusted to St. Peter.

Little can alleviate the pain and suffering of the abuse victims. But at least in one sense, the Dr. Seuss sense, Catholics can use the Easter spirit of renewal to turn this heartbreak into something positive by putting their religion - their singular communion with Jesus' life and teachings - above their church. We're in this mess largely because we've continued to let the Catholic Church believe that it's somehow more important than the Catholic religion. And that's got to stop. [...]

Where that gets messy is, each Catholic's interpretation of what IS the Catholic Religion, what it means. I'm not Catholic, but as an outside observer, there seems to be a growing dissonance between what the Clergy in the Vatican believe, and what Catholics around the world believe.

I've always been more attracted to spirituality than religion, because while religious observances and rituals can be helpful reminders of what's important, too often the observance of them becomes more important than the thing they were meant to focus you on; then, the vessel matters more than the contents.

The Dr. Suess story was about the commercialism of Christmas not being The Thing Itself, and how the Whos of Whoville understood that when all the trappings of the holiday were taken away. The writer of this essay seems to be speculating that trappings of the Catholic church may be getting in the way of The Thing Itself, that's most important. He says it's the Catholic Religion. Yet even religion can obscure The Thing Itself; one must always be mindful of that.

I've got my opinions about what's happening with the Catholic Church, but I'm not going to get into it here; this is for Catholics to sort out. I'm sure they can, and hope they will. I just thought this essay was thought provoking, and might help move the discussion along. If the topic interests you, read the whole thing.
     

Austrian House of Horrors Revealed

It was in Austria, but it sure wasn't the Von Trapp family. More like a "trapped" family. We all have problems in our lives, but things like this help you remember, that there is often somebody worse off than you:

'House of Horror children never saw daylight'

Austrian Man Confesses to Keeping Daughter, Her Children Captive in Cellar

The links have photos, video, more information. I'm not gonna publish excerpts because, frankly, I'd rather not think about it anymore today. Yikes.

I hope the Mom and the kids get rich selling the movie rights. I can only wonder if those kids will ever be able to have normal lives, having spent their entire childhood in a windowless basement. Never seen daylight! Too bizarre.
     

Humanitarian Aid for Palestinians at work...

From the MEMRI Blog:

From MEMRI TV: Child Stabs President Bush to Death and Turns the White House into a Mosque in a Hamas TV Puppet Show on Hamas TV


Click here to view this clip

We keep sending them "Humanitarian" aid, so they can be free to use their own time and money to make crap like this to brainwash their kids with, instead of working to support their families. Is it any wonder they feel embolden to kill us? Even they believe that anyone who would be stupid enough to give them money doesn't deserve to live. So why do we keep doing it?
     

Why we NEED to FIGHT, not turn and RUN

This is one of the sickest videos I have seen. From The Jawa Report, A Taliban video, in which a 12 year old boy beheads a man, while other children watch and cheer:

Most Shocking Video Ever: 12 Year Old Taliban Boy Beheads Man (Uncensored Version)

[...] It's so bad that there was some debate amongst ourselves whether to show it or not. Yesterday we put up a link to a video showing al Qaeda in Iraq burning hostages alive. Allahpundit, speaking of that same video says:

Not for those with weak stomachs; not really for those with strong stomachs, either. But force yourself, as none of Cordesman’s charts, as impressive as they are, will drive home to you like this will what it means in practical terms that far fewer of these subhumans are walking around Iraq today than last year. They deserve every misery inflicted upon them.

Indeed. No, the Taliban aren't the "Iraqi resistance" which some on the fringes of the left seem to love so much, but they're just as bad.

Strongest possible content warning: You are about to see the true face of our enemies. This is not an American propaganda video, it was made by the Taliban themselves. This is why we fight. This is why we must win.

The boy slits the man's throat as he begins cutting, sawing through the neck with great difficulty, while the other children cheer him on; the neck bones are especially difficult, but he eventually severs the man's head completely, and holds it up proudly for the camera and cheering children.




I'm pretty sure the man was dead already, as the blood didn't splurt out, and there was no blood coming from his nose or mouth, which would have happened if he were breathing. Some might argue that it's not so bad then. I would say, practicing on cadavers is preparation for a real live execution. Desensitizing children at an early age is essential, and a stepping stone for worse things still.

If you can't see the video, you can see sequential photos from it here (scroll down when you get to the page).

The savages who made this video want us to see it. They make these videos for two purposes; to encourage each other in their insanity, and to strike fear into the hearts of anyone who would resist. They want people to be afraid, and SUBMIT.

And it's not just the savages in the Taliban. Al Qaeda in Iraq are just as savage:

Al Qaeda in Iraq BURNS Hostages ALIVE!

Warning extremely graphic

Hillery Clinton has said that she would withdraw our troops from Iraq within 60 days. Barack Obama also believes in setting a withdrawal date. The Democrats as a whole want to see us fail in this war, and will insure that it happens as quickly as possible.

Islamo-fascism is spreading like a cancer, and with every retreat it grows stronger. If we leave Iraq too soon there would be a bloodbath worse than anything we've seen thus far, and it wouldn't stop there.

I believe John McCain would fight with resolve, and fight to win. He advocated the surge years ago. Soldiers don't like protracted wars, because they don't like to see their fellow soldiers killed. They do what's needed to get the job done and WIN.

I'm fed up with conservatives complaining how they won't support McCain, because he's not conservative enough. Has nearly everyone gone insane?

The Democrats want to ignore Islamo-fascism in favor of "free" health care and more government, a Nanny state to change their diapers. Conservatives are saying they want to "sit this one out" while they worry about gay marriage and Mormon underwear, and wait for a Presidential candidate in some imagined future election that's more like themselves.

If such conservatives cannot see and appreciate the gravity of the dangers facing us, then they are no better than the Democrats, and I cannot support them anymore than I can support the Democrats. Why? Because supporting either of them will have the same ending; Clinton or Obama in the White House, with all their WEAKNESS, and all the horrors that will follow on that.

I don't enjoy watching these videos, or posting them. It makes me sick, but I forced myself to watch them. It's ugly and horrific, but it's not going to go away by ignoring it; ignoring it is exactly how it's gotten as bad as it has. Continuing to ignore it will insure it grows worse still. Let's put someone in the White House who is up to the task of dealing with it. Let's insure we have a future that is bright, and not a Sharia based-nightmare.

Let's insure we HAVE a future.


Hat tip to Pat, who told me about the links this morning. Here's a link to his post:

Video: Taliban boy beheads hostage
     

Muslim Children Eat Fluorescent Bulbs...

... and the cult's disciples have metal skewers stuck through their bodies and pounded into their heads. Nice.




I once read an article by a Turkish writer who mentioned that Turkish Islamists liked fluorescent bulbs, but I didn't think that meant EATING them.


From MEMRI's Turkish Media Blog - Hurriyet: Horrifying Images Of Rituals By A Turkish Islamist Sect

The mainstream, top selling Turkish daily Hurriyet published today photos taken from an Islamist CD that is selling like hot cakes in the southeastern city of Sanliurfa, for about $1.50 each.

The video depicts dhikr rituals where the Islamist sheik and his helpers are mutilating the bodies of their disciples by inserting metal skewers into their heads and bodies, as well as making young children eat long fluorescent light bulbs. [...]

And what do you call this? Literally pounding religious indoctrination into your followers heads? Do you really need to put a hole in the head first, so you can just pour the Islam in? Many people in Turkey fear that the old "backwardness" within Turkish Islam is reasserting itself. This is probably one good example of why those fears exist.

They may call it religion, but it looks like child abuse to me, at least when kids are involved. They aren't all little kids, many are teens and young men... which probably encourages the kids to try it? There are photos with younger kids, but I can't see exactly what's being done to them.


Follow the link for more gross pictures, and links to the source, with links to even more photos. If you can stomach it.


I've seen this piercing thing before, in India yogi's do that kind of thing. But the fluorescent bulb eating... yet another new use found for modern technology by Muslim fanatics? I can't explain it.

These folks, IMO, have WAY too much time on their hands.


For more Turkish News visit MEMRI's Turkish Media Blog