tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post3579335668845509372..comments2023-08-21T03:51:17.425-06:00Comments on Enlightened Catholicism: Some Negative Brain Stormingcolkochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432916690101599393noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-55436073969901966032008-10-20T19:59:00.000-06:002008-10-20T19:59:00.000-06:00Carl, I have to agree with you about the hierarchy...Carl, I have to agree with you about the hierarchy being political, totally. Talk about synchronistic, I just posted re: Pope Pius XII on NCR today saying that same thing - that Benedict was being political about pushing for Pius's Sainthood.butterflyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09684946870144030594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-62506936545199753552008-10-20T19:51:00.000-06:002008-10-20T19:51:00.000-06:00Colleen, your last two posts are synchronistic. T...Colleen, your last two posts are synchronistic. The stages no doubt are part of the whole issue for the laity, I believe that there is another unrelated force that is driving the bishopric and the Vatican. <BR/><BR/>We have a bishopric that has become totally non-pastoral, and is now totally political. As I look at the actions of the bishopric from a political perspective, their actions become uncannily predictable. Predictable, because they are almost indistinguishable from the actions of political leadership of our country, and for that matter every other country as well. <BR/><BR/>I'm beginning to think that trying to apply the stages to the bishopric and the Vatican is giving them far too much credit.<BR/><BR/>If on the other hand we view them as politicians only, devoid of anything other than religion in name only, then their actions make perfect sense.COL55https://www.blogger.com/profile/07057765287988790129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-24138795407469872992008-10-20T19:12:00.000-06:002008-10-20T19:12:00.000-06:00Right Colleen - "whatever happened to spirituality...Right Colleen - "whatever happened to spirituality." Instead what we have is all this talk about the sins of the flesh. It's like a flesh eating disease gobbling up spirituality. <BR/><BR/>I've often wondered what that meant too "Unless you become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom." Maybe it means to listen to our parents - our spiritual parents - Jesus' Father - Our Father. Could it also mean to be "born again of the spirit?" It could mean being totally dependent on God for all our needs, knowing we'll be taken care of. <BR/><BR/>And you are right about Stage III spirituality "doesn't represent a disbelief in God so much as it represents a rejection of an inadequate Catholic presentation about God." But it also means an inadequate presentation by all of the world's religions too. <BR/><BR/>Interesting that Frank Purcell in the negative brainstorming essentially says that in 30 years the Church will no longer exist if it continues on the current path. Interesting too is that the Christian fundamentalist say that Benedict is the 2nd to the last Pope. Only one more to go and that's it they say.<BR/><BR/>There does seem to be a lot of negative brainstorming going on these days.<BR/><BR/>I'm going to think something positive and it will be someone else's negative. It's a bi-polar world we're living in, both/and, up/down, inside/out, black/white, right/wrong, strong/weak, winners/losers. The Kingdom of Heaven is not in a bipolar world though. <BR/><BR/>Colleen, am looking forward to your insight and positive spiritual-storming.butterflyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09684946870144030594noreply@blogger.com