Left-brained vs Right-brained;Progressive vs Traditionalist?

[ProVobis]

I thought I’d share this Pentecost “sermon” with the forum. Not intended to be a EF vs OF thing. I wonder if anyone else has ever made this observation.

saintodilo.org/images/bulletin1.pdf

(I apologize for the slow download; Shouldn’t take more than 3 minutes though.)

NB: Try bulletin2 archive if past 7/3/11. These bulletins are rolled over each week.

 

[Vico]

Remember that the biggest and most advanced part of the brain is the frontal lobe! One important function of the frontal lobe is planning, also discrimination.

When alcohol reaches the frontal lobe a loss of reason and inhibitions occurs resulting in the careless and reckless behavior that intoxicated people exhibit.

 

[TrueLight]

I thought I’d share this Pentecost “sermon” with the forum. Not intended to be a EF vs OF thing. I wonder if anyone else has ever made this observation.

saintodilo.org/images/bulletin1.pdf

(I apologize for the slow download; Shouldn’t take more than 3 minutes though.)

NB: Try bulletin2 archive if past 7/3/11. These bulletins are rolled over each week.

Great sermon!

So do I think the more traditional mass is more right-brained focused? I never thought about it that way but it makes sense. As he said.

Do we not understand more about Our Blessed Lord and our relationship to Him by one kiss on the altar—or
by one simple genuflection than by all the documents of all the bishops?

We were created with a sense of the mystical - a sense of the divine so there are certain cues that go directly to our souls, like those “smells and bells”.

People who are more into rubrics, documents and deeds are probably more logical. which takes away from the mystery.

This is why I am so saddened by discussions lately of the length of recession hymns. It’s my right brain shouting, “But hymns are good”!

I’m not so sure I agree with this:

Now I trace all this back to the Protestant Reformers, the old-time modernists. I would bet that if you did
their profiles—Luther and Calvin and Knox and Zwingli—you could probably make a case that each of them,
to one degree or another, was a left-brainer. For them and their Reformed religion—it is all a matter of words,
brochures and pamphlets, meetings and rallies, sermons and screeds.

I can only speak with reference to the more charismatic Evangelical/fundamentalist Protestant sects. As much as they are into the Word of God, emotion plays a large part of it. In fact, I find Catholicism to be more “cold” so to say and more left-brained. Less about how you feel, and more about what you do.

 

[ProVobis]

I can only speak with reference to the more charismatic Evangelical/fundamentalist Protestant sects. As much as they are into the Word of God, emotion plays a large part of it. In fact, I find Catholicism to be more “cold” so to say and more left-brained. Less about how you feel, and more about what you do.

Thanks for the comments. You may have a point about emotions being part of the left-right equation. I don’t know how much study has been made on that. But do you think the Reformers acted on their emotions?

 

[Timothysis]

I think it is a cop out to try to ascribe a persons motivations on whether they are left brained or right brained. A properly (or improperly) formed conscience has, in my opinion, more to do with an individual’s motivations than anything else.

 

[Swiss_Guy]

Remember that the biggest and most advanced part of the brain is the frontal lobe! One important function of the frontal lobe is planning, also discrimination.

When alcohol reaches the frontal lobe a loss of reason and inhibitions occurs resulting in the careless and reckless behavior that intoxicated people exhibit.

Are you pointing out Martin Luther’s mistakes?

 

[HelenRose]

I think it is a cop out to try to ascribe a persons motivations on whether they are left brained or right brained. A properly (or improperly) formed conscience has, in my opinion, more to do with an individual’s motivations than anything else.

I absolutly agree with you.

 

[ProVobis]

I absolutly agree with you.

Isn’t the “spirit” of Vatican II a copout of sorts as well? And who determines whether a conscience is well-formed or not, especially in the light of Populorum Progressio’s allowance to use your “conscience” on certain matters?

 

[HelenRose]

I have no idea what the nebulous “spirit of Vatican II” is.
The left-brained vs Right-brained; progressive vs Traditionalist concept is verbal gobblety goop.

It is probable that the “spirit of the Vatican II” falls in the same category.

The teachings of Vatican II have nothing to do with this discussion.

 

[Timothysis]

I have no idea what the nebulous “spirit of Vatican II” is.
The left-brained vs Right-brained; progressive vs Traditionalist concept is verbal gobblety goop.

It is probable that the “spirit of the Vatican II” falls in the same category.

The teachings of Vatican II have nothing to do with this discussion.

 

[ProVobis]

I have no idea what the nebulous “spirit of Vatican II” is.
The left-brained vs Right-brained; progressive vs Traditionalist concept is verbal gobblety goop.

The progressive vs traditionalist part is something I made up to stimulate discussion on the topic. You’re free to like my title or not, of course, but please don’t blame the pastor or article for it, if that’s what you’re trying to do.

And what was that middle thing about a properly formed conscience, whatever that is, that supposedly trumps everything else about the brain? And does this apply to groups as well as individuals?

BTW, there’s another thread on that.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=8052683#post8052683

 

[HelenRose]

I have to admit I am just to clever by half.

I have listened to so much pop-psychology in my life that when it is brought into a discussion about faith and God, my anti-pop-psychology anteanae comes alive.

To label someone “left-brained” and someone else “right-brained” is so demeaning, that I have to respond.

 

[JHow]

ProvVobis:

You know I share your appreciation for Polish culture, so it pains me to say I don’t agree with your Pastor. I do agree with some of the things he describes, like modern church architetcure probably is over-thought, and has a low quotient of mystery and awe. But I don’t think left brain and right brain are meant to be two classes of people or personality, but rather two tendencies inside all of us.

I happen to remember the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Years ago I majored in fine arts (printmaking - Right brain!) for one year before I dropped out and joined the Army (Left-Right-Left brain! ) The book proposes exercises that are meant to help you draw what really is there, as opposed to what you think or assume to be there (stuff like drawing negative space, weak-hand drawing, etc.). From this perspective, I think it works.

JHow

 

[ProVobis]

But I don’t think left brain and right brain are meant to be two classes of people or personality, but rather two tendencies inside all of us.

Good to hear from you and well-stated. I think if were the writer, I would have ended by mentioning that there should be a proper balance between the two. I know I could have used this advice 20-30 years ago.

 

[Timothysis]

And what was that middle thing about a properly formed conscience, whatever that is, that supposedly trumps everything else about the brain? And does this apply to groups as well as individuals?

You’re joking, right? The Catholic faith is explicit about a properly formed conscience.

 

[Jack_Bauer]

I hope you know that the theory of “Right Brain and Left Brain” is no longer held to be correct. Further research has indicated this not to be the case. I’m taking courses in school on the graduate level that have indicated such. However, people still use the terms metaphorically.