Monday, September 28, 2015

Si palam res est, repetitio injuria non est....

When a woman asked a Bishop why Pope Francis, during his trip to the United States, failed to mention that marriage is between a man and a woman, the Bishop responded that the Holy Father wanted to avoid a "negative polemic."

Dr. Dietrich von Hildebrand refutes this intellectual sophistry.  He writes, "Some might be tempted to believe that the rejection of error and falsehood [ and here, again, we are speaking of ideas not persons] is something "negative" and even cult-like....Perhaps never before has there been as much intellectual fraud as there is today. In the mass media - and even in discussions on university campuses - this intellectual fraud appears chiefly as the manipulation of slogans designed to bluff the hearer or reader, and prevent him from thinking clearly. For a typical example, let us consider how the terms positive and negative are now most often used to discredit the refutation of pernicious errors and to give credit to the most shallow speculations. The intellectual swindlers who play such an important role in public discussions will often denominate as 'positive' propositions and attitudes they favor. They thereby seek to forestall questions of truth and value by enveloping their prejudices in a vague suggestion of 'creativity,' 'originality,' 'openness,' 'unaggressiveness.' This is the device of the cuttlefish. The moment one tries to grasp it, it emits a murky substance to confuse and deceive.

In reality, the popular slogan usages of positive and negative is a distortion of the genuine meanings of the terms. In proper usage they can refer to existence and nonexistence or to value and disvalue. They can refer to desirability and undesirability, or to answers to questions and demands, or to results of tests and inquiries. But when these terms are applied to attitudes of mind or to theses - by way of suggesting an evaluation - an intellectual fraud is committed; for they are then being used to evoke vague associations that distract from the question that alone matters - namely: Is this attitude objectively called for? Or: Is this thesis true?...It is the nature of truth to exclude every contradiction of itself. Thus, the rejection of errors and falsehoods can never be separated from the affirmation of truth. The one implies the other...

To give the impression that affirmations are 'positive' and denials 'negative' is to misrepresent completely the nature of judgments and propositions. This abuse of the language transforms the terms positive and negative into deceptive slogans and thus amounts to an intellectual swindle..." (The Charitable Anathema, pp. 45-47).

Si palam res est, repetitio injuria non est: "To say what everybody knows is no injury."

In one of his last homilies, Archbishop Oscar Romero, the martyred Archbishop of San Salvador [whom Francis claims to admire], said: "A preaching that does not point out sin is not the preaching of the gospel. A preaching that makes sinners feel good so that they become entrenched in their sinful state, betrays the gospel's call. A preaching that does not discomfit sinners but lulls them in their sin leaves Zebulun and Naphtali in the shadow of death. A preaching that awakens, a preaching that enlightens -- as when a light turned on awakens and of course annoys a sleeper -- that is the preaching of Christ, calling, "wake up! Be converted!" this is the church's authentic preaching. Naturally, such preaching must meet conflict, must spoil what is miscalled prestige, must disturb, must be persecuted. It cannot get along with the powers of darkness and sin."


Francis has to decide whether he wants to please men or serve Christ (Galatians 1: 10).  I believe he has already decided.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

THE WORLD ON HIS SICKBED

This world is so sick
since it removed the brick
the cornerstone, the pillar
and became the “GOD” killer

The only healing medication
is not a “vaccination”
but a remorseful return
if not, this world will burn

When plagues afflict us
we act like a wuss
We freak out about Ebola
“ try some Granola”

a worse disease is rampant
it comes to us very lambent
it’s the disease of immorality
of lawlessness and bestiality

God, the infinitely Merciful and Just
keep challenging Him, He’ll combust
who do we mortals think we are
a new sparkle shining Dog Star ?

We beg of You, Our Lord and Savior
bring a halt to the world’s barbaric behavior
As Your loyal followers, to You we cry out
help us even if You have to use a knout

2 Peter 3:10
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

Rita Biesemans August 6 2014 Feast of THE TRANSFIGURATION

Unknown said...

THE PRESENT SODOM AND GOMORRAH

Though I am the Light
you walk in the darkness
Though I am the Might
you follow the barkless

Though I am the Truth
you prefer the lier’s booth
Though I am the Way
you say it’s ok to be gay

Though I am the Life
you choose eternal death
Where weeping and gnashing is rife
and for sure there won’t be any Meth

Oh you stubborn generation
stop this horrific aberration
You keep flirting with the seducer
so don’t blame Me, blame the abuser

Though I am the utter Merciful 
I’m also the eternal Just
Your behavior is extremely hurtful
My patience you finally bust.

Wake up and smell the coffee or it will be too late.
Lord, please, hasten Your Coming

Rita Biesemans, May 13 2014

TLM said...

I am hoping that he will have a conversion at some point along the road. We need to pray that he does.

Anonymous said...

How is stating a key characteristic of marriage a negative polemic? Is defining terms a negative polemic or something necessary to start a discussion?

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