H
Hopemercy
Guest
Not sure if this is the correct section for this? Please bear with me? Thank you.
A recent encounter has left me with so much to think about and so much sadness and heartache.
We run a market stall, fair and fine work to raise help for the homeless and overseas missions.
Last week, an American lady arrived suddenly at the stall. She said she had bought jam from us and was returning it. Unusual and we wondered what could be wrong with the jam.
There is our email on the jam label and it emerged trough a vitriolic verbal attack and anger that fairly scorched all before it, that she had managed to access our weblog via that address. I realised later that I had put the address there as there had been problems with messages that were left.
Confrontational and aggressive are mild words for her utter rage.
When I managed to sort out the issue? I had written a very calm and caring entry on homosexuality. It was pure catechism, but emphasised that no way would we treat anyone differently because of their sexuality. The eg I used was a former colleague in work at a retreat house, who was gay. As I said, we talked and laughed and ate and worked together, OF COURSe, but had he asked about that issue, my words would have been clear.
So I said to the American person as she screamed and raged, that all I had written was pure Catholic teaching.
Her reply… " I AM CATHOLIC. CATHOLIC TEACHING TELLS US TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER"
All i could suggest was that she reread the post…
She returned the jam as ?? some kind of gesture? Said she did not want her money back! As it has been away from the stall, we cannot use it of course.
What comes over is the totally inappropriate and… the word that comes is “disordered” behaviour she exhibited in a very public place.
If most of us read something we disagree with, we either simply turn away, or, if we have an email, write to the person.
Jesus indeed tells us to love onother; but that is half the verse… “as I have loved you…”
But all here know this!
It is the second time in a week someone has used this half verse to condone what is against the words of Jesus, and has averred that this is Christian.
It is the aggression here, the irrational actions that give grave concern. no “Come let us reason together…”
And it is not the first time that simply saying that this basic Christian teaching has met such dire opposition. Got thrown off more than one forum… And alsp physically attacked once.
It is this that creates such issues and problems, is it not? The sheer intolerance and bigotry of so many gays…It was an Anglican Bishop last year who pointed out the costant demands and demos by gays for “recognition” by the church were holding back its most basic work of teaching.
I am heartsick; and wonder what it is that is being taught these days? How anyone could boast of being Catholic with apparently no awaremess of basic teaching? Of the words of Jesus even? And to show such an extreme and violent reaction; nothing mattered to her except her feelings? Not the work we are there for, out in a ll weathers? What love is this?
Ache too as she is clearly so desperately unhappy; nothing I can do except pray for her. Such divisions so many create and so many riches and blessings and friendships they turn away from, because they cannot accept that we believe differently.
Thank you; I cannot get here often as our old laptop is dying!
A recent encounter has left me with so much to think about and so much sadness and heartache.
We run a market stall, fair and fine work to raise help for the homeless and overseas missions.
Last week, an American lady arrived suddenly at the stall. She said she had bought jam from us and was returning it. Unusual and we wondered what could be wrong with the jam.
There is our email on the jam label and it emerged trough a vitriolic verbal attack and anger that fairly scorched all before it, that she had managed to access our weblog via that address. I realised later that I had put the address there as there had been problems with messages that were left.
Confrontational and aggressive are mild words for her utter rage.
When I managed to sort out the issue? I had written a very calm and caring entry on homosexuality. It was pure catechism, but emphasised that no way would we treat anyone differently because of their sexuality. The eg I used was a former colleague in work at a retreat house, who was gay. As I said, we talked and laughed and ate and worked together, OF COURSe, but had he asked about that issue, my words would have been clear.
So I said to the American person as she screamed and raged, that all I had written was pure Catholic teaching.
Her reply… " I AM CATHOLIC. CATHOLIC TEACHING TELLS US TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER"
All i could suggest was that she reread the post…
She returned the jam as ?? some kind of gesture? Said she did not want her money back! As it has been away from the stall, we cannot use it of course.
What comes over is the totally inappropriate and… the word that comes is “disordered” behaviour she exhibited in a very public place.
If most of us read something we disagree with, we either simply turn away, or, if we have an email, write to the person.
Jesus indeed tells us to love onother; but that is half the verse… “as I have loved you…”
But all here know this!
It is the second time in a week someone has used this half verse to condone what is against the words of Jesus, and has averred that this is Christian.
It is the aggression here, the irrational actions that give grave concern. no “Come let us reason together…”
And it is not the first time that simply saying that this basic Christian teaching has met such dire opposition. Got thrown off more than one forum… And alsp physically attacked once.
It is this that creates such issues and problems, is it not? The sheer intolerance and bigotry of so many gays…It was an Anglican Bishop last year who pointed out the costant demands and demos by gays for “recognition” by the church were holding back its most basic work of teaching.
I am heartsick; and wonder what it is that is being taught these days? How anyone could boast of being Catholic with apparently no awaremess of basic teaching? Of the words of Jesus even? And to show such an extreme and violent reaction; nothing mattered to her except her feelings? Not the work we are there for, out in a ll weathers? What love is this?
Ache too as she is clearly so desperately unhappy; nothing I can do except pray for her. Such divisions so many create and so many riches and blessings and friendships they turn away from, because they cannot accept that we believe differently.
Thank you; I cannot get here often as our old laptop is dying!
