The drowning, swirling Catholic Church, the electric waves: and our salvation to self and world

(Altered Persuasion)

Article by Marc Aupiais

The statistics are clear beyond normal persuasion, beyond the prism of changing thought and hope. The church is dying, declining, as the void fights to bring it out of time, and out of life.

The electric energy, it strikes the ailing fish, the sea monster that is the holy church, and yet, this energy strikes less, and the church: she breaks under pressure, and splashes, as a whirlwind takes up, and moves the water itself, in a drowning motion.

Until the middle of last century, until we misinterpreted the Second Vatican Council: and we denied our heritage, and told the nuns to take off their wedding rings, their habits: and wrongly encouraged priests to be entertainers, and incorrectly decided to allow those who believe things which are not true: to teach our children this: until then: the church consistently grew.

Yet: rather than an injection of life into the church, the Second Vatican Council: seems almost to lead to a decline.

Rather than the council: which we accept, as true and good: we must look, as the Papacy does: at the truth: the true problem. Before: we were defined, and our clergy, they understood: we had clear rules, and were specific. Now, we are lucky if a child does not learn an entirely distorted view of bible, and Catechism in Catholic schools, confirmation and church: we are entirely blessed: if they are taught the Gospel of the church, and not some distorted personal perspective.

Vatican II, brought about the thinking church: we were to think and understand: yet with it: the fortress church found itself being dismantled: bit by but: not by the council: but in the fault of those who chose to encourage a change which has been destroying the church since.

Rather than inebriating society, and pushing and pulling it with her festivals, like the tides of the ocean with the moon: many within the church: sought to bring her into the "modern age": as though she had not created it in the first.

The Bishops were seen by laity: as obstacles to a new gospel: the beginnings of the selfishness of a secularism: which was cold and pluralist. The people, based their views on things they thought they deserved: rather than on the dignity by which they deserved anything. In this: they did away with the idea of pursuing truth: for the idea of calm: and for the throws of emotion, and entitlement. If another was denied what they wanted: at least, among my own: then: surely: I am in danger.

Thereby: those who felt strongly about this, or sport, or about themselves: were seen as good:

those who felt strongly that there is absolute truth, and absolute dignity, and that truth could be proven: and could be felt in the intuition, and that this truth demanded unity and structure, and respect, and yet harshness, and a lack of cruel kindness: for honesty: those who relied on a skepticism that they could be right in their hopes, in a dry hope in reality: those who knew they were entitled to nothing, but had to respect that dignity in all life: these were sidelined.

The decline of the church, of our world: it cannot be held back by one man: yet, as this is said: the salvation of the church: is held back by millions: by those thinking that to save the world, we must become more like it, must abandon our culture: even knowing the effect on natives throughout the world: who do so, even knowing that our loss of identity, has let us lose our support, and our hope: for the sake of a confused society, where infants are murdered, and politicians are evil: because we continue to allow these to be voted for: because we value non-confrontation more than we value our fellow man.

The decline of the church can be firmly stopped.

It is not because of Vatican II, but because of the lack of good men in the priesthood, because of those who teach in seminaries, and those who sponge off the church. It is because we judge the church by the values of the world: rather than the world by the values of the church: as though we were the world, and not the church: as though we were their culture: not our own.

Here is the danger of "Inculturation": so far as it goes beyond normal signs: and decides to change the form of worship, and the ethics of the church.

Our first master should be God, and then the ethics of the conscience: which are emphasized, which are refined by the church, and which echo against her and only strengthen in her. Only by cleansing the soul in confession, in truly showing with all the body: that we respect and worship: in church: in refusing to laugh at the jokes of the priest: in refusing to clap, or hold hands during the our Father: in refusing to speak like the world: and refusing to reward our fellows when they do.

Religion, which is definite, and stands firmly outside of culture, yet befriends those within culture, yet co-operates with others, and works together with other religions, yet works for the good of all, and for that which is best for truth: this religion is Godly. Let us put away the values of the decline: let us begin to judge: to discern; let us see those headed for the fire, and tell them that what they are doing is dangerous: and avoid those who would lead us astray: let us reject the pop icon, and the fornicator: who does not accept the demand to respect the yet to be born, and reject those who tempt us into sin, via television: and those programs which treat sins and temptation as a treat.

To truly bring the church around: we must truly become ethical in daily life: we can no longer be as prejudiced, and yet: must hold onto those prejudices which are right.

We must pray every night: that we may be the tool of God, and for our patron Saint to rule our life: we must hear that intuitive sense in daily life, and not turn off to it, as it asks us to do strange things: like speak, or be silent, like listen: like be human. Intuition is innate, and we are given it, so as to better navigate the rapids of life. We should therefore strengthen it, by hearing it's small shove, and push.

Our hope lies not in pluralism, but in ethics, not in this or that form of worship: but in service and selflessness in worship. Those who are in religious orders: should not discard their habit, or other clear signs of vocation, just as the married must not discard their rings: yet: more than that: a general "spirit" of things cannot save our souls...

We must be specific in the gospel we preach: we must learn the exact concepts, so we can tell others also: we must walk the path, and describe it: but let us have no more of Adam eating an Adam, or of Pharaoh not letting the people of Israel leave: and more of Adam and Eve eating a fruit: and Moses being denied the right to worship God for three days in the desert: leading to God causing the Israelites to leave Egypt.

We must learn Lumen Gentium XVI: that other religions cannot save: but that religion itself can: that the virtue of seeking the truth of God saves: and that we are entered into God here, as Catholics, as Christians in the Trinominal (Father Son and Holy Ghost mentioned) rite of Water Baptism: and that those who do not find the oasis here, but who keep seeking 'til death and beyond: that we who constantly seek the truth about God, and try to better ourselves always: constantly confessing and relying on the Eucharist, our sustaining meal: that we and them: by the same standard are judged: by religion. By the seeking of truth, and our efforts in actions, thoughts, words and trust: to try and conform ourselves to the true spiritual reality: to the truth: and that which is noble: rather than to that which simply pleases the survival instincts, and the need to gain more quality  in survival.

How does one turn around the decline? Benedict has already started: by reintroducing the ancient liturgy, by changing the words we hear at church. We are not simply to enter society, but to change it: with our message of the value of Life: That God is life: that which animates us via our souls.

And by preaching the true gospel, we must also seek, even the means of might: to do what is ethical, rational and just: and we must be guided by our ethics, and the need to spread the True Gospel of Christ: the good news of freedom from slavery to sinful initiative.