Originally posted by Dr John:
Brother Axios, I am in general in agreement with the perspective that you propose.
My only question and suggestion is: it is adherence to the "love of God; love of neighbor" commands that should guide our lives.
There are those who have had people half their age declare their love. Should they respond? There are those who are of different or the same gender express their love. Should they respond? There are those who are 'restricted' in love because of religious or political strictures. Should they respond?
My only response is: if the two are loving of God and loving of their neighbors, and if there is no coercion or involuntary subjugation, then we should be more or less accepting of the relationship. Who are we to judge the relationships of others, if they appear to be loving and mutually supportive?
Guess I'm just an old softy; but I do believe that love is something ingrained in our persons, it is really thin ice to start making judgements about other folks (especially if we are removed from the reality), and that we should be encouraging of loving relationships among mature people, including those who are living with all sorts of restrictions.
Christ is Risen!!
Dr. John I don't have any problem with what you say here. But I would only say that young people are people of fault too, and in being so, can and do at times decide to change the events of what actually happened in some of their past encounters for personal reasons that may benefit them - - manipulative and conniving.
So I'm just for looking at facts before condeming any Priest that sleeps with a 15 year old girl as Satan incarnate. As I don't believe every 15 year old to be the worlds most angelic creature even though it's popular to portray them as such in the media discussion of Priests sexualy active with minors (not pre-pubecent). While at the same time hosting discussion groups with minors on having [safe] sex.
Notice because of the way the media represented Islam [carefully] after 9/11. Numbers of Islamic conversions grow in the US, even though [numerous] Islamic schools *teach* martyrdom through explosion and *encourage* such martrydom activity to the [children] (pre-pubecent and onwards).
Yet given mankinds fallen nature *and* the Catholic Churches [teachings] on sexual intimacy. The medias handling of the Church and post Islamic 9/11 are drasticly different I say.
I'm not say the Church does not deserve what it is getting in the media. But I do suggest the media can tilt events into ways that incline people to want to form lynch mobs or not form lynch mobs.
Muslims still stand behind their moral leaders post 9/11, and we Catholics still look favorably on them - in general - no matter the tragedy and wide spread sorrow spread through suicide bombings. Yet a huge portion of us Catholics are prepared to bring the Priesthood to it's knees over very tragic events - yes - but events that are being vastly repented for and for events that play more to personal intimate weakness then to split second bombings that take the lives of many and can never be brung back, neighborhoods wrecked, glass shatered, ethnic hatred building and riseing.
Some how I can't but help feel that an enemy of the Church is sitting some where with his big round belly chuckling over the wide spread Catholic discord and lynch mob mantality brewing.
