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dominikus28
Guest
At least, am I wrong to assume that most of the soldiers that went to the crusades were pretty religious? Why else would they go?
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FidesSpesCarita
Guest
Ummm, what are you responding to? was there a post or two that got deleted? This piques my interest…
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dominikus28
Guest
I’m addressing what this topic was about to begin with
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havana1
Guest
For the money. They were soldiers of fortune of their time. (If anyone believes they did it out of the goodness of their hearts, there’s some swamp land in Poughkeepsie I’d like to sell you.)
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presidentjlh
Guest
Indeed, we live in times filled with sin.
Just like our parents did, and our grandparents did, and their parents, and their parents, and so-on.
At the same time, we live in an age of Faith. While, indeed, the Catholic Church has been beset with many spiritual attacks, at the same time, there are still many Catholics that listen to the Church, that try hard.
The 1940s? A decade of which the first half was dominated by a most brutal war, one that it is fortunate for us today that good prevailed in the end? While there is still strife around the world, overall, it is much more peaceful than it was 50 years ago. It seems to be worse today, but that’s because we are able to know about it. The number of wars currently going on is down from before. Isn’t that a sign of improvement? 100s of years ago, people lived in misery and woe, violence was rampant. So, lust has taken the place of anger in today’s society. It’s unfortunate, but the Middle Ages weren’t some happy time of faith and reason.
Yes, it was an age of faith, just like ours is, but there was still much war, poverty was more rampant than it is today, and something tells me that lust still had a pretty strong hold on a number of people from that time. Yes, one could argue they were more devoted to the Faith, but was it for the right reason? Were they devoted out of a love for God, or out of absolute fear of Him, and not the good kind of fear.
I’m talking about the “God is going to destroy you when you die” kind of fear. The destructive type of fear that harms people. It is good to fear the Lord, and by that I mean to recognize Him as the one God, and that rejecting Him is foolish, but we shouldn’t focus on Hell. When one thinks of God as some sort of punisher, someone who would throw someone to the lions at the drop of a hat, that’s not God. God is doing everything in His power to keep us from rejecting Him. He died for us so as to save us. Someone who is quick to punish does not die for those who disobey him.
Yeah, we’ve got our share of suffering and sin in this day and age. But is there not good in the world? I’ve found that in life people are generally good, and while they are imperfect and make their share of mistakes, they try hard to do good. Many don’t know that they are sinning, many have been mislead. We strive to change that, to set an example of obedience to God, but crying “O tempora, oh mores!” isn’t going to do anything. Anyone can say, “We live in a sinful time”, but what about doing something about it? You and I are sinners just as much as everyone else. I’m sure as heck not perfect. I am more mistake-prone than Inspector Clouseau, I’ve fallen down innumerable times. But I get back up.
That’s the important part: Getting back up. This is a sad thing to say, but it’s true: We’re going to sin. No matter how hard we try in this life, we are going to make some bad choices, do things we shouldn’t, say things that shouldn’t be said, and forget to do and say things we should do and say. But why dwell on that? Why dwell on our mistakes and sins? Why not focus on what Christ’s message is all about: Repentance? About getting up and trying to do better. We’re going to make mistakes until we die. If that wasn’t true, we would be limited to a certain number of Confessions in our lives.
Does this excuse our sins? No. Does this mean they aren’t a problem and we shouldn’t try to fix them? No. However, they should not be the focal point of our life.
Just like our parents did, and our grandparents did, and their parents, and their parents, and so-on.
At the same time, we live in an age of Faith. While, indeed, the Catholic Church has been beset with many spiritual attacks, at the same time, there are still many Catholics that listen to the Church, that try hard.
The 1940s? A decade of which the first half was dominated by a most brutal war, one that it is fortunate for us today that good prevailed in the end? While there is still strife around the world, overall, it is much more peaceful than it was 50 years ago. It seems to be worse today, but that’s because we are able to know about it. The number of wars currently going on is down from before. Isn’t that a sign of improvement? 100s of years ago, people lived in misery and woe, violence was rampant. So, lust has taken the place of anger in today’s society. It’s unfortunate, but the Middle Ages weren’t some happy time of faith and reason.
Yes, it was an age of faith, just like ours is, but there was still much war, poverty was more rampant than it is today, and something tells me that lust still had a pretty strong hold on a number of people from that time. Yes, one could argue they were more devoted to the Faith, but was it for the right reason? Were they devoted out of a love for God, or out of absolute fear of Him, and not the good kind of fear.
I’m talking about the “God is going to destroy you when you die” kind of fear. The destructive type of fear that harms people. It is good to fear the Lord, and by that I mean to recognize Him as the one God, and that rejecting Him is foolish, but we shouldn’t focus on Hell. When one thinks of God as some sort of punisher, someone who would throw someone to the lions at the drop of a hat, that’s not God. God is doing everything in His power to keep us from rejecting Him. He died for us so as to save us. Someone who is quick to punish does not die for those who disobey him.
Yeah, we’ve got our share of suffering and sin in this day and age. But is there not good in the world? I’ve found that in life people are generally good, and while they are imperfect and make their share of mistakes, they try hard to do good. Many don’t know that they are sinning, many have been mislead. We strive to change that, to set an example of obedience to God, but crying “O tempora, oh mores!” isn’t going to do anything. Anyone can say, “We live in a sinful time”, but what about doing something about it? You and I are sinners just as much as everyone else. I’m sure as heck not perfect. I am more mistake-prone than Inspector Clouseau, I’ve fallen down innumerable times. But I get back up.
That’s the important part: Getting back up. This is a sad thing to say, but it’s true: We’re going to sin. No matter how hard we try in this life, we are going to make some bad choices, do things we shouldn’t, say things that shouldn’t be said, and forget to do and say things we should do and say. But why dwell on that? Why dwell on our mistakes and sins? Why not focus on what Christ’s message is all about: Repentance? About getting up and trying to do better. We’re going to make mistakes until we die. If that wasn’t true, we would be limited to a certain number of Confessions in our lives.
Does this excuse our sins? No. Does this mean they aren’t a problem and we shouldn’t try to fix them? No. However, they should not be the focal point of our life.
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rwoehmke
Guest
So are we ready to give up CAT Scans, Echograms, and MRI’s to say nothing of polio vaccine, flu vaccine, surgery through little tiny slots instead of being totally laid open. How about the cars that go to 200 thousand miles before needing repair and which get over 15 MPG. The internet, colored television, private phone lines and long distance calls for pennies. Natural gas heat instead of wood or coal. Have you ever had to cut and split the wood required to survive through a winter? How about watching your kid die because anti-biotics were not yet available? A trip from Detroit to Chicago or Chicago to Minneapolis on two lane highways with many trips off to the side only on gravel or dirt roads. Trips to Europe pretty much restricted to steamships; no eight hour plane flight. As was said in Charles Dicken’s novel A Tale of Two Cities," These are the best of times and the worst of times." We have much better lives because of technology and much worse lives because of the evil that lingers in men’s souls.
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Viki63
Guest
Keep in mind that people were considered adults at a younger age then: King Henry V led his army to battle in 1403 at the age of 16. Due to poorer medical knowledge, they died younger too, and people would have many children because so many died in infancy. I’m not sure but I think they were more aware of the dangers of sin, but like teenagers everywhere, were not focused on their spiritual lives. But getting married younger would have matured people faster; men in their early 20s were old married men with responsibilities.
Basically, social conditions were somewhat different, resulting in different approaches to the problems of out of wedlock pregnancy and so on, but human nature was the same. I don’t think you could say it was better or worse.
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edwest2
Guest
Uh - and this connects to the topic how?So are we ready to give up CAT Scans, Echograms, and MRI’s to say nothing of polio vaccine, flu vaccine, surgery through little tiny slots instead of being totally laid open. How about the cars that go to 200 thousand miles before needing repair and which get over 15 MPG. The internet, colored television, private phone lines and long distance calls for pennies. Natural gas heat instead of wood or coal. Have you ever had to cut and split the wood required to survive through a winter? How about watching your kid die because anti-biotics were not yet available? A trip from Detroit to Chicago or Chicago to Minneapolis on two lane highways with many trips off to the side only on gravel or dirt roads. Trips to Europe pretty much restricted to steamships; no eight hour plane flight. As was said in Charles Dicken’s novel A Tale of Two Cities," These are the best of times and the worst of times." We have much better lives because of technology and much worse lives because of the evil that lingers in men’s souls.
I Lived Through A Time Period When We Did Not Lock Our Doors At Night. I NEVER heard random gunfire. NEVER. And there were no adult bookstores everywhere and there were no topless bars everywhere and there were no comedians on TV telling graphic, raunchy sex stories. Or saying f*** every five seconds.
There was personal and society-wide restraint.
God bless,
Ed
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rwoehmke
Guest
So, I should want to go back in time? I don’t like what society has become, but I have no wish to go back in time and give up the advances that accompanied the death of that older level of socialization and citizenship. It is a shame that some changes are not for the best, but suffice it to say that without some of the advances, I would not be here to put up with the dreck of what today passes for a social life.
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edwest2
Guest
It would be helpful for everyone to realize two things:
- There was never a time when everything was perfect but I lived through a time period where restraint was typical. Where an appropriate sense of guilt, shame and modesty existed.
- Catholics need to abandon everything that makes you lose a sense of guilt for seeing or doing something immoral, lose a sense of shame for immoral sexual images, and forget about personal modesty or the modesty exhibited by others, especially celebrities.
Finally, “consent” does not make those situations OK. It’s time the problem of Indifference is recognized by Catholics. We are not the salt of the earth because of our blandness.
God bless,
Ed
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FidesSpesCarita
Guest
Your post reminded me of one of my favorite statements. I heard Father Corapi say it, but I dont think he was the first…
“Freedom is not License”. We have become a licentious culture which makes us a slave to sin “Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin”. We have freedom of will, not freedom of choice…
I wish society felt about morals now as it once did. Yes, it was not perfect, but it was better.
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AndyF
Guest
edwest2:
Good post, except that I would confine the 60’s to the early sixties. Communes were not a part of my upbringing either.
I recall also that the early 50’s had policemen who were also moral cops. They were just has eager to correct someone on the point of principle has on law. The policeman in the “Bells of St. Mary” wasn’t just a made up character, he was a real problem solver.
There was the case when I was 10 when my friend picked some flowers from a lady’s flower bed to bring to his mom. He was caught and the officer asked him what he had behind his back, (has if he didn’t know). The officer made him go to the lady and apologize and she accepted. He was made to do some work for her in compensation, and the officer said he would check in now and then to see if he was doing the job, else he’d throw him in jail( a scare that worked with us.
). He did his tasks, and the matter was dropped. As far as I know his mother never found out, and yet he learned his lesson.
Has you say, parents would watch over another’s child and even feed them lunch or call to tell them where the child is. It wasn’t uncommon for an adult to call a mom for permission to scold her child. (BTDT)
Your absolutely right, the times were much better for raising children. Teens were chaperoned by adults at the dance hall, ready to reprimand anyone who’s hands slipped or danced too close. They had to be back from the dance by 11pm. I recall the lads coming to my front door with flowers for my sisters, decked out in white sports coats and tie. Our family would go out on picnics and my sisters would grudgingly take me and my brothers to movies which cost 5 cents.
Those were wholesome times we can bring back if we tried.
AndyF
Good post, except that I would confine the 60’s to the early sixties. Communes were not a part of my upbringing either.
I recall also that the early 50’s had policemen who were also moral cops. They were just has eager to correct someone on the point of principle has on law. The policeman in the “Bells of St. Mary” wasn’t just a made up character, he was a real problem solver.
There was the case when I was 10 when my friend picked some flowers from a lady’s flower bed to bring to his mom. He was caught and the officer asked him what he had behind his back, (has if he didn’t know). The officer made him go to the lady and apologize and she accepted. He was made to do some work for her in compensation, and the officer said he would check in now and then to see if he was doing the job, else he’d throw him in jail( a scare that worked with us.
). He did his tasks, and the matter was dropped. As far as I know his mother never found out, and yet he learned his lesson.Has you say, parents would watch over another’s child and even feed them lunch or call to tell them where the child is. It wasn’t uncommon for an adult to call a mom for permission to scold her child. (BTDT)
Your absolutely right, the times were much better for raising children. Teens were chaperoned by adults at the dance hall, ready to reprimand anyone who’s hands slipped or danced too close. They had to be back from the dance by 11pm. I recall the lads coming to my front door with flowers for my sisters, decked out in white sports coats and tie. Our family would go out on picnics and my sisters would grudgingly take me and my brothers to movies which cost 5 cents.
Those were wholesome times we can bring back if we tried.
AndyF
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edwest2
Guest
That’s the difference. After 1968, people started to stop trying. To stop trying to improve themselves. The Hippies said, “Hey man. If it feels good, do it. Let it all hang out man.” The core of their lifestyle was unmarried sex and dope which is how they wanted us to live. Today, what do we have? Teenagers, and adults, hooking up? Efforts to legalize marijuana? That was the goal all along: to get normal people to live precisely the way they did.edwest2:
Good post, except that I would confine the 60’s to the early sixties. Communes were not a part of my upbringing either.
I recall also that the early 50’s had policemen who were also moral cops. They were just has eager to correct someone on the point of principle has on law. The policeman in the “Bells of St. Mary” wasn’t just a made up character, he was a real problem solver.
There was the case when I was 10 when my friend picked some flowers from a lady’s flower bed to bring to his mom. He was caught and the officer asked him what he had behind his back, (has if he didn’t know). The officer made him go to the lady and apologize and she accepted. He was made to do some work for her in compensation, and the officer said he would check in now and then to see if he was doing the job, else he’d throw him in jail( a scare that worked with us.
Has you say, parents would watch over another’s child and even feed them lunch or call to tell them where the child is. It wasn’t uncommon for an adult to call a mom for permission to scold her child. (BTDT)
Your absolutely right, the times were much better for raising children. Teens were chaperoned by adults at the dance hall, ready to reprimand anyone who’s hands slipped or danced too close. They had to be back from the dance by 11pm. I recall the lads coming to my front door with flowers for my sisters, decked out in white sports coats and tie. Our family would go out on picnics and my sisters would grudgingly take me and my brothers to movies which cost 5 cents.
Those were wholesome times we can bring back if we tried.
AndyF
Wholesome is a dirty word. I read about one actress who was preparing for a part in a movie: “I started to think really slutty thoughts.”
Yes, we can change our behavior right now. We can turn off the TV and dump cable. We can turn the radio to a Catholic station and read Catholic newspapers, magazines and books. The secular media will continue to spoon feed all ages with Xtreme behavior, dysfunctional living, and perverted comedians and cartoons.
The moment we realize that something is sinful, it doesn’t matter if the people who control television programming permit it - We should not permit it. What was once a guest in our home is now a pimp, a prostitute and a “how to” for perverse and dysfunctional living.
Yes, you can still find the occasional good TV program but all the media wants you to focus on is their idea of how you should live. “What? You’re single and you don’t go to strip clubs? What’s wrong with you?” Do not follow the crowd in doing evil.
God bless,
Ed
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stringbeanduck
Guest
I understand what you are saying and agree with you, for the most part. It’s sad to say I’m one of the only virgins among a good number of my unmarried friends. I just hope there is enough women out there who will appreciate my purity and reasons for keeping so years down the road.
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CPA2
Guest
Mary has said that we are worse than at the time of Noah. This is what I know about the chastisements:
I found out that Father Petar will read and announce three of the ten secrets three days before they actually happen. These secrets were given by the Virgin Mary as warnings and admonitions for the world to Mirjana, one of the Medjugorje visionaries.
Many believe that the warning will cause great anguish or pain, perhaps like a mini-judgment. This judgment will show us the full extent of our sins, and how we have offended God. Many think that we will experience this judgment physically, like a burning fire that will not consume us or cause death, but will be worse than death.
The consciousness of the world will be corrected. Many believers and non-believers will come to love God more through this heightened consciousness.
We know that God will give a miraculous sign for the world. We also know that those who have not converted will receive purification.
The ten chastisements will occur during the lifetimes of the visionaries and Father Petar. The youngest visionary, Jokov, was ten years old in 1981 when Mary first appeared. Father Petar is 61 years old. We should know, for the sake of the skeptics, if these ten secrets are bogus if they do not occur within the next ten years or so. (The average lifespan is 74 years.)
There is much that we do not know, of course. However, we do know that we are very close to the end of God’s mercy and the beginning of God’s justice. When all six visionaries receive all ten secrets, the chastisements will begin. I think that four visionaries have received all ten secrets, and two the visionaries have received nine secrets.
I think that all of this falls within a biblical context. God renewed past generations through purification, and He destroyed what could not be purified. What has happened in the past will happen again.
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Insight
Guest
That certainly explains why the “Great Chastisement” will be worse than the Flood:
A Punishment Harsher than Noah’s Flood
“More important than the supernatural occurrences is what Our Lady of Akita, through Sr. Agnes, has been trying to convey. She warns that “if mankind does not repent and become better the Father will inflict a terrible punishment harsher than the Flood something without precedent.” By the “Flood,” Our Lady of Akita is apparently referring to the Great Deluge in the time of Noah of the Old Testament.”
all-about-the-virgin-mary.com/our-lady-of-akita.html
God Bless
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havana1
Guest
Yeah, and back in the day, God-fearing groups like the DAR banned legendary singers from their concert halls because of their skin color. And child abuse (a form of “sexual sinfulness” when it involves violation of a child) was rarely reported to authorities. Oh, those were the days…
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FidesSpesCarita
Guest
I am living proof that child abuse is rarely reported to authorities. So is my sister, my cousin, and God only know how many others…
Nobody said those days were perfect, only more morally upright than today.
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Insight
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FidesSpesCarita
Guest
And that has what to do with what happens today? That has what to do with what happened to my sister and me?
The point is, these things have always occured and always been reprehesible. Society as a whole was more moral.
The links in your article would not work for me, can you get vatican documents for reference material?
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