The Arrow's Path

And the silence from the media is deafening .

The Pope apparently spoke to a group of scientists today, and the media can't be bothered to understand a thing he said in context . A note on the translation issue involved in what the Pope said that has conservatives going ape: What is being translated as “God is not a divine being or a magician, but the Creator who brought everything to life,”” is “ E così la creazione è andata avanti per secoli e secoli, millenni e millenni finché è diventata quella che conosciamo oggi, proprio perché Dio non è un demiurgo o un mago, ma il Creatore che dà l’essere a tutti gli enti.” What is translated “divine being” is “demiurge,” a Platonic notion explaining the existence of the world. The pope is distinguishing orthodox (small “o”) Christian understandings from Platonic and Gnostic notions. FYI. Here is what St Augustine said on the issue: "Scripture called heaven and earth that formless matter of the universe, which was changed into formed and beautiful natures by God's ine

"Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ." -St. Jerome

There was so much ridiculous hysteria about this Synod on the Family in the Vatican this week. The media was blowing it all out of proportion. The Catholic blogosphere were not really helpful either, as many places were carrying on like the Church was collapsing or something. The Synod is an advisory council where Bishops were sitting around listening and talking about problems of the day. It has no authority to change doctrine whatsoever. What most people, particularly the media, don't seem to get about Pope Francis (even good Catholics for reasons that completely escape me), is that Pope Francis is a Jesuit. He acts exactly like a Jesuit. Jesuits were formed as a counter-Reformation movement to re-energize the Church and shake up the institutional Church and Catholics across the spectrum in general who were very "ho hum-business as usual" kind of folks. Pope Francis very much is operating from that sort of spirituality.

"I want to ask one favor of all of you before I turn to the words of the Gospel. Do not refuse my request, for I ask nothing difficult or burdensome of you; nor do I ask that which, if granted, will be advantageous to me alone who receive. Rather, it will be advantageous to you also, who grant it, and perhaps even more so to you than to me. What then do I ask of you? That each of you take in hand that part of the Gospels which is to be read in your presence on the first day of the week or even on the Sabbath; and before that day comes, sit down at home and read it through; consider often and carefully its content, and examine all its parts well, noting what is clear, what is confusing, what seems to assist the position of the adversaries but really does not. And, in a word, when you have sounded every point, then go to hear it read. From such zeal as this there will be no small benefit both to you and to me." -St. John Chrysostom [c. 344/54-407], Bishop of Constantinople, H

*Provided the choice you make is what we would choose for you . I am often baffled at what passes for tolerance and diversity by the "in crowd" of political circles. They are all for it, provided you make, in their opinion, the right choice. If you don't, you are somehow ignorant or stupid. I also don't understand rudeness. Maybe it is because I am from the South, but why would you use fighting words with people you don't know and who have done nothing to you? I have seen some winner people out and about in my life with nut job buttons, tattoos, or stickers all over their persons, and it never occurred to me to say something rude to them just because I disagreed with them. I just don't do snotty very well.