I appreciate any counsel given in good faith, but your posts have come across as very insulting, as I’m sure they were meant to be. As far as being charitable, you may be giving it the ole college try, but you are falling short. No offense, but you have what I call “spiritual halitosis”. You may have a lot of truth to share with myself and others, but when you open your mouth, the listener (the reader of your posts), can only focus on the stench. Just a little brotherly advice, but maybe you should tame your tongue. The third chapter of James starts with the following:
3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, [1] and set on fire by hell. [2] 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, [3] these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
I will re-read and consider what you have posted, and I hope that you reflect on my advice. You seem to have a strong faith and you could probably do a lot to help other Christians. Peace be with you.
Understanding intent becomes easier in person, because you would see facial expressions and hear tone of voice. I repeat that you haven’t faithfully presented my intent here.
Would you tell the same to Christ for faithfully telling the truth to those who rejected such and who would not listen? The truth smells sweet, except to those who prefer their own way, or those who feel the gulf between what they have preferred and the truth.
Please allow this in the spirit of counseling. I repeat, that there was no intent to insult. For instance, the Church uses even excommunication as as a medicinal measure, hoping one will wake up and come back, as it is not used to condemn. It points out where you are in relation to the truth of the Church. The distance between where you were (that you stated publicly)and the truth, is likely why you feel or felt embarrassed. That you label it as an insult means you took it that way, not automatically that it was meant that way. I repeat that the intent was to wake you up from Catechetical slumber. Sometimes, you have to give someone a shot in the arm, or good shove to get their car moving. That you say that insult was my plan, means you really don’t understand this and it borders once again on bearing false witness. I tell you this, as we don’t really come to Christ by bending or breaking his Commandments.
I don’t believe you’ve likely encountered many people like me, and so you likely have no real reference for understanding, and therefore assess on what people you may know, who are not like me. So, it’s not surprising that you would make errant claims as you have. People in the Church who know me have a completely different view than yours. You see, I have indeed met many people in your shoes, and know them now. Yet, still we need the truth of Christ, not falsehoods. People who do not provide truth to you are not your real friends.
Another bit of counseling in that perhaps you really need to also study what is and is not charitable. True charity is in helping to lead one to Christ, which includes telling the truth, as unpleasant as that may be for one who had espoused untruths and is being corrected. For those who seek the truth, instead of simply being stuck on their own ways, the truth is received as sweet nectar.
You quote Scriptures, which is good, but we also must understand what they mean. I think some may not mean what you propose that they mean. Please continue to review the Catechism which is the greatest companion to the Scriptures.
That you continued to not get this as we went along was intriguing and I got a chuckle, but not as condemning as you seem to have taken it. I thought at one point that prayer would be the best thing. In other words, my tongue is fine, thank you. We can all get stuck on things, even that once we get unstuck, we can move forward.
I can learn how to better reach individuals, and do so continually. However, there has been no great defect as you proposed. I have also done no disservice to you.
