The current Pope is a Jesuit -- from Argentina. But a Jesuit. That has made a significant difference in breaking down the Roman Curia and muscling the "old guard" corruption out of Vatican policy, Vatican politics, Vatican corruption. Pope Francis has administered this "modern Church" better than anyone thought possible-- yet the many, many problems of the Church remain.
The Catholic Church has polarized itself around one issue -- for different fragments of the Church that issue may be different: the rights of women in the Church, birth control as sin (procreation is the only goal of marriage), abortion (it is what I say it is when I say it is). These three issues alone have bifurcated the Church for centuries and continue to do so. Now we have added sexual controversies:
the pedophilia of the Catholic clergy, transgenders as humans, bisexuals/gays/etc. as willful sinners or gender anomalies. These three additional problems go confusedly unsolved by the Church and its thinkers. Once again the Church is polarized by sex!
The Catholic Church cannot truly be "my" Church (and here I speak not for just myself but millions of others) until it really thinks these problem areas through and rethinks the meaning of sin, free will, sex and normalcy, and the modern world. The Church does not ever have to adapt and adjust to a secular world -- but it at least needs to consider its own inertia on all the issues that affects and devalues the Church itself.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Being Employed (WORKING) in America
In most ways the United States of America is the greatest place to work. Salaries on a world standard are consistently high in most professions -- though the reality of a "minimum wage" pours cold water on the entire system. If I were living in a country other than the USA I would be striving to emigrate there.
Opportunity, freedom of travel, education on a relatively inexpensive level, training for specific jobs usually available, the rights guaranteed by our Constitution, a relatively high standard of living -- all are possible here. But most Americans still complain -- and struggle with the realities they are facing. Perhaps it is the nature of human beings to be dissatisfied. Yesterday a young man from America (Illinois by way of Minnesota and California) died in Syria/Iraq fighting for ISIS! That is a tragedy.
The immorality of war is heightened by the return to medieval standards dictated by backwards-facing religions cults. ISIS, the new Caliphate, is a sham -- an insult to civilization and humanity, to say nothing of its ridiculous posturing as the "true Muslim" faith. Everyone in the world who has a brain, including disaffected Americans, should be labelling ISIS for what it is: evil, consummate evil, masquerading as truth. There is no valid "other" opinion.
Dying for the ideals of ISIS is dying for nothing!
Opportunity, freedom of travel, education on a relatively inexpensive level, training for specific jobs usually available, the rights guaranteed by our Constitution, a relatively high standard of living -- all are possible here. But most Americans still complain -- and struggle with the realities they are facing. Perhaps it is the nature of human beings to be dissatisfied. Yesterday a young man from America (Illinois by way of Minnesota and California) died in Syria/Iraq fighting for ISIS! That is a tragedy.
The immorality of war is heightened by the return to medieval standards dictated by backwards-facing religions cults. ISIS, the new Caliphate, is a sham -- an insult to civilization and humanity, to say nothing of its ridiculous posturing as the "true Muslim" faith. Everyone in the world who has a brain, including disaffected Americans, should be labelling ISIS for what it is: evil, consummate evil, masquerading as truth. There is no valid "other" opinion.
Dying for the ideals of ISIS is dying for nothing!
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Shattered or Sheltered
There is a "war" on for the hearts, minds and sensibilities of those in Eastern Europe: the Western-style capitalism (with its good and bad points), and the Putin-style oligarchy of the "shadow-USSR" era. Who will win? What will win over the minds of the people whose needs are much, much simpler.
People want a chance for a good life: freedom, or at least clarity in the pursuit of freedom; success beyond niggardly survival; satisfaction beyond the "minimum allowed by law." Absolutes used to rule the world. Everything was either "good" or "bad," "right" or "wrong," freedom or slavery, happiness or despair.
Now it appears "nothing is absolute!" And that phrase is the linchpin of the "new absolutes." Nothing is absolute; nothings is absolute; nothing is absolute. Change is our only mantra; it is our only possibility. And adaptation is the only course that most of us can take.
People want a chance for a good life: freedom, or at least clarity in the pursuit of freedom; success beyond niggardly survival; satisfaction beyond the "minimum allowed by law." Absolutes used to rule the world. Everything was either "good" or "bad," "right" or "wrong," freedom or slavery, happiness or despair.
Now it appears "nothing is absolute!" And that phrase is the linchpin of the "new absolutes." Nothing is absolute; nothings is absolute; nothing is absolute. Change is our only mantra; it is our only possibility. And adaptation is the only course that most of us can take.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Michael Brown Rest In Peace
His Mother said she felt his presence at his funeral this morning. I believe that is true. His presence invades the whole issue of young black men in America -- why are so many of them in prison, why are so many of them nearly unemployable, why are so many at risk for gang activities/drugs/violence?
Is it "of their nature" as many racists would have you believe? Is it because races are inferior or superior to other races? Is it because our schools are slanted to one style of education, one set of reference points, one point of view? What does it mean to be "young, gifted and black" in America these days? Nina Simone wrote a song with that title -- but the reference goes well beyond the song!
We see young black successful men in sports, in pockets of the business world, in communities that have succeeded to cultivating its resources for the good of all. We have seen young black men become successful community leader, successful ministers, successful Fathers, successful businessmen. What we have not seen is the dissipation of "white fear!" Whites have been afraid of black success, and envious of it, for many decades in America. Whites are not so much racist as they are blinded by their own fears. It has been that way well beyond my lifetime.
Is it "of their nature" as many racists would have you believe? Is it because races are inferior or superior to other races? Is it because our schools are slanted to one style of education, one set of reference points, one point of view? What does it mean to be "young, gifted and black" in America these days? Nina Simone wrote a song with that title -- but the reference goes well beyond the song!
We see young black successful men in sports, in pockets of the business world, in communities that have succeeded to cultivating its resources for the good of all. We have seen young black men become successful community leader, successful ministers, successful Fathers, successful businessmen. What we have not seen is the dissipation of "white fear!" Whites have been afraid of black success, and envious of it, for many decades in America. Whites are not so much racist as they are blinded by their own fears. It has been that way well beyond my lifetime.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Are People Forgetting: Donetsk, Ukraine, Putin?
The front burner of world interest seems to last about a week or so -- no matter how many people are being killed -- when any new frightening disaster takes over the public interest. At this moment, since an American newsman was "beheaded" by barbaric ISIS members, even our domestic racial riots in/near St. Louis are off the front pages for a time.
Public interest is so very fickle that no story, no horrible reality, no crisis, can hold our attention for very long. What determines public interest? Is it the newness -- or is it the fatigue factor at work on/during the current crisis? Are we all so shallow that we cannot hold several problems in our attention span at the same time?
"Network" -- the movie, got it right! The New Thing -- no matter what it is -- is the most popular thing; the New Thing commands our interest almost completely until the next Newer Thing slides into view. It is an atrocious and sickening process -- as we slide from crisis to crisis, from tragedy to tragedy, until we are finally glutted from all such news, and withdraw and retreat.
Are the deaths and injuries suffered in Donetsk not as important as Ferguson, MO? Does the beheading of one American journalist in the Middle East count for more than any number of lives elsewhere? Are we just running out of compassion, and thus interest, in the rest of the world?
Public interest is so very fickle that no story, no horrible reality, no crisis, can hold our attention for very long. What determines public interest? Is it the newness -- or is it the fatigue factor at work on/during the current crisis? Are we all so shallow that we cannot hold several problems in our attention span at the same time?
"Network" -- the movie, got it right! The New Thing -- no matter what it is -- is the most popular thing; the New Thing commands our interest almost completely until the next Newer Thing slides into view. It is an atrocious and sickening process -- as we slide from crisis to crisis, from tragedy to tragedy, until we are finally glutted from all such news, and withdraw and retreat.
Are the deaths and injuries suffered in Donetsk not as important as Ferguson, MO? Does the beheading of one American journalist in the Middle East count for more than any number of lives elsewhere? Are we just running out of compassion, and thus interest, in the rest of the world?
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Metaphysics
What is -- beyond death? Beyond time? In my mind's eye? In the distortions of memory? In fantasy?
In deeply held beliefs? In the "place beyond normal?" In the sense of deja vu?
Who is -- God? My friend who died? My dead spouse? Those who think of me often? Those who think of me not-at-all? Me?
How can I justify the pain I feel in life? The sense of hope-without-end that inflicts the slow passage of time? The understanding of brevity that tortures those brief moments of happiness?
In deeply held beliefs? In the "place beyond normal?" In the sense of deja vu?
Who is -- God? My friend who died? My dead spouse? Those who think of me often? Those who think of me not-at-all? Me?
How can I justify the pain I feel in life? The sense of hope-without-end that inflicts the slow passage of time? The understanding of brevity that tortures those brief moments of happiness?
Monday, August 18, 2014
The Hipster Culture -- Same as Before
The recession and general disgust with what Baby Boomers have done with the world has brought about the long attenuated rise of the "new Hipster" culture. In the past there were always offbeat, alternative styles of music, dress, food, living styles, etc. that belonged to the "out of power" class -- they were the "Hipsters" whether they were called Bohemians, Beat, Flower Children, or Hippies.
They held to a certain unique style in most everything -- even when that style was derivative, or similar to, or even copied from some previous outlier. The problem with elements of culture that are "\Hipster" -- like gastronomy, or dance, or even theatre -- is that unless the "Hipster" can draw in bigger numbers, it is forever doomed to be a small offshoot rather than the main root. So "grunge" bands never became dominant, even in the rarefied rock world. And food flavors reduced by extreme cold to a vapor, or an ice cream; will never rise to make "mashed potatoes and gravy" ice cream any more than a sense-fooling novelty.
And so it is with theatre. Violence without great writing: eventually will be recognized by all as vapid. Sex without soul, without real emotion, without love: equally vapid. And dynamism without humanity lent by real life experiences (not staged-life reality): the same stale vapidity. The truth is in ourselves, not in our constructs!
They held to a certain unique style in most everything -- even when that style was derivative, or similar to, or even copied from some previous outlier. The problem with elements of culture that are "\Hipster" -- like gastronomy, or dance, or even theatre -- is that unless the "Hipster" can draw in bigger numbers, it is forever doomed to be a small offshoot rather than the main root. So "grunge" bands never became dominant, even in the rarefied rock world. And food flavors reduced by extreme cold to a vapor, or an ice cream; will never rise to make "mashed potatoes and gravy" ice cream any more than a sense-fooling novelty.
And so it is with theatre. Violence without great writing: eventually will be recognized by all as vapid. Sex without soul, without real emotion, without love: equally vapid. And dynamism without humanity lent by real life experiences (not staged-life reality): the same stale vapidity. The truth is in ourselves, not in our constructs!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)