Chick tract in my mailbox today

[Scottgun]

I was simply pointing out that anger which is form of hatred is a waste of time. Anger (hatred) is addictive in the sense that it is easy to form the habit of an angry or hateful response to situations that are provocative. The emotion makes one feel in control and powerful. But like all addictions, it has its downside. It prevents one from feeling compassion. Even anger or hatred that is not acted on diminishes compassion. Anger, hatred, whether acted on or as venting, all act to cloud and weaken compassion.

Bull hockey. What is being described by the op is not destructive anger, but righteous indignation, which can resonably be called anger colloquially without turning it into an unsolicited spiritual/therapeutic dilemma (which he has since clarified.) Again, start treating people like grown ups and not like ignorant children waiting for magnificent you and your teachings borrowed from Yoda.

 

[GregoryPalamas]

Bull hockey. What is being described by the op is not destructive anger, but righteous indignation, which can resonably be called anger colloquially without turning it into an unsolicited spiritual/therapeutic dilemma (which he has since clarified.) Again, start treating people like grown ups and not like ignorant children waiting for magnificent you and your teachings borrowed from Yoda.

I think you misspelled Buddha. I know Yoda and Buddha have similar sounds but they really are two different characters. I teach Comparative Religions and so I don’t get so troubled by the simple teachings of the Buddha.

CDL

 

[Scottgun]

I think you misspelled Buddha. I know Yoda and Buddha have similar sounds but they really are two different characters. I teach Comparative Religions and so I don’t get so troubled by the simple teachings of the Buddha.

CDL

Perhaps. But then again, Yoda is just Buddhism for Westerners. It’s fun to watch their heads explode when they find out that the Dalai Lama says that homosex and masturbation are wrong, that sex is for procreation and anything that deviates is wrong, etc.

See: youtube.com/watch?v=igIBSeaJ9YI

Simple teachings do not trouble me. Simplistic and unsolicited teachings administered by the presumptuous from a spiritual Pez dispenser are another matter.

 

[cecilia97]

Wow. I thought it was pretty annoying when someone at my place of employment left these laying around, but it’s really annoying when there’s one in your mailbox!!

I don’t think the mailman would have done it, because that could cost him his job. I think it was neighbors next door.

Maybe I need a Benedict 16 flag hanging up (on their side?)

You see this little “literary classic” is called, “THE BEAST” and it describes how the Anti-Christ will rule the world from the VATICAN!

I can’t help but take that personally!

Funny how the little blank spot on the back where the proselytizer can sign their name is ALWAYS blank!

Consider it a compliment…it means you’re living out yur faith in such a public way that anti-Catholic think you REALLY need help.

 

[notself]

Bull hockey. What is being described by the op is not destructive anger, but righteous indignation, which can resonably be called anger colloquially without turning it into an unsolicited spiritual/therapeutic dilemma (which he has since clarified.) Again, start treating people like grown ups and not like ignorant children waiting for magnificent you and your teachings borrowed from Yoda.

I made my post before the OP clarified. It is wonderful that he/she did not respond in anger.

The quote is from a grown-up to grown-ups who have problems with anger and hatred. Sometimes anger can be very subtle. Sarcasm is a subtle form of anger.

 

[Scottgun]

I made my post before the OP clarified. It is wonderful that he/she did not respond in anger.

The quote is from a grown-up to grown-ups who have problems with anger and hatred. Sometimes anger can be very subtle. Sarcasm is a subtle form of anger.

I’m dead serious about every word. No sarcasm to it. But I’ve said my peace, and am dropping the subject.

 

[notself]

Perhaps. But then again, Yoda is just Buddhism for Westerners. It’s fun to watch their heads explode when they find out that the Dalai Lama says that homosex and masturbation are wrong, that sex is for procreation and anything that deviates is wrong, etc.

See: youtube.com/watch?v=igIBSeaJ9YI

Simple teachings do not trouble me. Simplistic and unsolicited teachings administered by the presumptuous from a spiritual Pez dispenser are another matter.

Thanks for the link. By the way, my head is in no danger of exploding.

I find it unfortunate that by expressing an opinion and offering some comments by a wise man, you consider me a spiritual Pez dispenser. This is after all the Non-Catholic Religions Forum. Perhaps I am mistaken in the idea that this forum is a place for the exchange of ideas between Catholics and non-Catholics.

I will withdraw from this forum since it is not my intention to be where I am not welcome.

May you be well and happy
May you be safe and free from harm
May you be free from anger and ill will
May you be at peace
May your heart be filled with loving kindness.

 

[Scottgun]

Thanks for the link. By the way, my head is in no danger of exploding.

I find it unfortunate that by expressing an opinion and offering some comments by a wise man, you consider me a spiritual Pez dispenser. This is after all the Non-Catholic Religions Forum. Perhaps I am mistaken in the idea that this forum is a place for the exchange of ideas between Catholics and non-Catholics.

I will withdraw from this forum since it is not my intention to be where I am not welcome.

May you be well and happy
May you be safe and free from harm
May you be free from anger and ill will
May you be at peace
May your heart be filled with loving kindness.

I called you presumptuous, I likened the way you dished it out to a Pez dispenser. There is a difference however I’ll grant it could be taken the way you did and I did not intend, so I’ll retract that. Speaking for myslelf, you are indeed welcome, and I will try to limit myself to the TNT flyswatter and not the Atomic version in the future. Peace?

 

[joeybaggz]

Don’t know if anyone mentioned it, but one apologist (it might have been Karl Keathing) in referencing Chick and his garbage made the observation that most Protestants realize Chick is ludicrous. The danger is though, that a repudiation of Chick by an anti Catholic with an agenda, gives credulence to that persons agenda. Repudiation of Chick can legitimize, at least in the mind of the hearer, the anti Catholic rhetoric of others.

As to Chick publications, I think all Catholic men should collect every one he can. Then take them to the men’s rooms in stadiums at large sporting events and drop them in the bottom of the urinals. They make good targets.

 

[Alexius]

Awww…I feel left out. I never get Chick tracts…

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Actually, I kind of wish I had a collection of them. It’s sort of a perverse fascination with anti-Catholic pathology. Chick is the King!

**There is one of them I particularly want, because it’s a comic (in both senses) edition of one of the books they rely on, but I don’t know of a morally good reason that would allow me to get it. So I can’t refute it **​

---

**In the UK, no-one comes round offering Chick tracts or comics; I haven’t seen either for years - except on the Net. **

 

[notself]

I called you presumptuous, I likened the way you dished it out to a Pez dispenser. There is a difference however I’ll grant it could be taken the way you did and I did not intend, so I’ll retract that. Speaking for myslelf, you are indeed welcome, and I will try to limit myself to the TNT flyswatter and not the Atomic version in the future. Peace?

I see people quoting Catholic Saints and the bible on a regular basis, so I thought that my quote would be understood the same way. Perhaps I was being presumptuous.

I have found that my posts have been misunderstood on several occasions on this board. I don’t seem to have the same trouble on any of the other boards that I belong to. This is one of seven forums that I post to. Perhaps the culture here is unique.

I’ll try to do better in fitting in.

Peace.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Unfortunately, Andrew Hultkrans in Section Four, identifies Alberto Rivera as a “Jesuit priest” when he was no such thing: Who Was Alberto Rivera?. Someone should contact him to have him correct his copy.

**This passage ? **​

• In the final six volumes of The Crusaders, Chick allows a real live former Jesuit, Dr. Alberto Rivera, to take the stand and expose the spidery depths of the Satanic Vatican world conspiracy. In these issues, the two Crusaders are merely in the room as Alberto outlines the Vatican’s devilish plot to bring about the One World Religion and Government which will herald beginning of the Great Tribulation
  **The **choice of words is ambiguous, given the context - further down, AH writes:
• Even the dreaded Illuminati, usually the shadowy umbrella organization behind all conspiracies, is merely a side project of the Jesuit order, and subordinate to the Vatican.
  **The context of the second quotation makes it clear that AH is not making that idea his own - I can see why the other passage bothers you, but I never read that as an endorsement by AH of Rivera’s alleged status either. **Why don’t you contact AH ? And since AH is satirising Chick’s vast conspiracy theories (in which the Jesuits are prominent villains: why would “a real live Jesuit” be quoted by AH for their truthfulness ? (Sorry, but all this looking-glass thinking is making my head spin.)

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

The one thing that people on this thread keep saying is how “funny” these tracts are because they’re so absurd - which they are. BUT - I have seen people pulled away from the Catholic Church because of them - some were my own siblings. This kind of thing is more dangerous than you might think - especially to those who don’t know their faith well enough.

Ridiculous as the “Alberto” series is, I saw my brother walk away from the Church because of them.

Chick tracts funny? Maybe, but also dangerous.

**Definitely - but what is to be done ? **​

---

ISTM that they are difficult to refute, because they make, or imply (& the power of implication should not be under-estimated) a number of assertions which need work if they are to be exposed. But that’s boring. Argument is boring. Pictures, OTOH, are not boring - they are gripping, especially when they accompany a story.

---

**Christianity has long since become a religion of ideas, rather than of stories - that is one of the problems here; Chick’s facts are often no such thing, but they are parts of stories, so they are memorable. Not one in ten thousand people would remember any of the names in a genuinely historical text such as the Assyrian King List - but tell the exploits of the fictitious pair Nimrod & Semiramis, with the help of pictures & dialogue: & thousands will read & remember. It’s quite obvious that Chick & his readers don’t know an Assyrian king from a hole in the ground, but once they’ve read him, he’s impossible to shift. **

---

**It is terrifying to consider that people like this have such enormous influence, even on foreign policy - Chick is a Premillennial Dispensationalist, as are many of his readers, & Dispensationalism is one-sidedly pro-Israel; it has to be, because no Israel would mean no Millennial Reign of Christ in Jerusalem (see Rev. 20) When Chick is raptured, the Pope won’t be: as the Pope is one of the Beasts in Revelation, he & satan go downstairs instead, into the nice hot bath Chick has so often drawn. **

---

**If people have such undeveloped ability in reading as has been stated on this thread, that is another problem. **

 

[DJgang]

I think that I would shred it and mail it to them. That is, if I knew FOR SURE it was from them.

 

[MrS]

As to Chick publications, I think all Catholic men should collect every one he can. Then take them to the men’s rooms in stadiums at large sporting events and drop them in the bottom of the urinals. They make good targets.

Just don’t pay for them and support the Chicken.

But I like the disposal method. I would even have another beer to insure a fitting demise.

.

 

[Della]

**This passage ? **​

• In the final six volumes of The Crusaders, Chick allows a real live former Jesuit, Dr. Alberto Rivera, to take the stand and expose the spidery depths of the Satanic Vatican world conspiracy. In these issues, the two Crusaders are merely in the room as Alberto outlines the Vatican’s devilish plot to bring about the One World Religion and Government which will herald beginning of the Great Tribulation
  **The **choice of words is ambiguous, given the context - further down, AH writes:
• Even the dreaded Illuminati, usually the shadowy umbrella organization behind all conspiracies, is merely a side project of the Jesuit order, and subordinate to the Vatican.
  **The context of the second quotation makes it clear that AH is not making that idea his own - I can see why the other passage bothers you, but I never read that as an endorsement by AH of Rivera’s alleged status either. **Why don’t you contact AH ? And since AH is satirising Chick’s vast conspiracy theories (in which the Jesuits are prominent villains: why would “a real live Jesuit” be quoted by AH for their truthfulness ? (Sorry, but all this looking-glass thinking is making my head spin.)

I didn’t read it as an endorsement, either, but rather as a simple misstatement that ought to be corrected lest anyone get the idea that Rivera’s claims had/have any legitimacy.

And I did try to contact him, but there was no way to do that on the site and a google search came up empty, as well. If you have a way to do so, please let me know, you can PM me.

 

[elvisman]

**Definitely - but what is to be done ? **​

ISTM that they are difficult to refute, because they make, or imply (& the power of implication should not be under-estimated) a number of assertions which need work if they are to be exposed. But that’s boring. Argument is boring. Pictures, OTOH, are not boring - they are gripping, especially when they accompany a story.

**Christianity has long since become a religion of ideas, rather than of stories - that is one of the problems here; Chick’s facts are often no such thing, but they are parts of stories, so they are memorable. Not one in ten thousand people would remember any of the names in a genuinely historical text such as the Assyrian King List - but tell the exploits of the fictitious pair Nimrod & Semiramis, with the help of pictures & dialogue: & thousands will read & remember. It’s quite obvious that Chick & his readers don’t know an Assyrian king from a hole in the ground, but once they’ve read him, he’s impossible to shift. **

**It is terrifying to consider that people like this have such enormous influence, even on foreign policy - Chick is a Premillennial Dispensationalist, as are many of his readers, & Dispensationalism is one-sidedly pro-Israel; it has to be, because no Israel would mean no Millennial Reign of Christ in Jerusalem (see Rev. 20) When Chick is raptured, the Pope won’t be: as the Pope is one of the Beasts in Revelation, he & satan go downstairs instead, into the nice hot bath Chick has so often drawn. **

**If people have such undeveloped ability in reading as has been stated on this thread, that is another problem. **

**My point is that they’re not funny. And, unless Catholics educate themselves they can fall prey to even such ridiculous garbage as a Chick tract. **

I don’t think there is anything funny about vicious slander against the Church.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

I didn’t read it as an endorsement, either, but rather as a simple misstatement that ought to be corrected lest anyone get the idea that Rivera’s claims had/have any legitimacy.

And I did try to contact him, but there was no way to do that on the site and a google search came up empty, as well. If you have a way to do so, please let me know, you can PM me.

I’m working on it - so will PM you when I have some info ​

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

My point is that they’re not funny. And, unless Catholics educate themselves they can fall prey to even such ridiculous garbage as a Chick tract.

I don’t think there is anything funny about vicious slander against the Church.

**Slander is not funny, not at all. But is what looks slanderous to us intended as slander ? I doubt it, & I think one has to doubt it; simply because one should not assume that what strikes us evil is necessarily meant as such. Unless you know Chick much better than I do - & I don’t know him at all - I think one has to give him the benefit of the doubt. It is, after all,not impssible to try to do good, but in an objectively wrong manner, without being aware of the wrongness. He’s very badly misinformed, but not AFAICS a slanderer; for that implies knowledge that what one says is false. **​

---

**Something can be funny unintentionally - that hardly needs to be said. And those publications are funny in that way; there is more to them, than their message. The main message is the salvationist one - the Catholic-bashing, gay-bashing, Islam-bashing, & the other attacks on his many targets, comes second to that. Publications that amuse, recommend their message by so doing - which is why thousands of people who would never read a word of any theologian read what Chick publishes. That these publications are as you rightly say “garbage” as intellectual achievements, does not mean they cannot be funny in other ways. That’s why they are collected & parodied & considered under their cultural aspects, by people who are often not Christians or believers of any kind. **

---

**As to the need for Catholics to educate themselves, I couldn’t possibly agree with you more **

---