Disqus - Latest Comments for CStanley

Re: After Francis, What Stability? - The American Conservative

CStanley — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 13:06:06 -0000

I may be off base here but it seems to me that if what I discern by private conscience differs from what comes from the Magisterium in that it is more strict, then I may be in error but it’s a different sort of error than the kind made by liberal “cafeteria Catholics.”

Those who choose which moral precepts to obey by discarding the ones that put more restrictions on behavior are displaying a tendency to rationalize self-serving behaviors (which often involve intrinsically evil acts.) But those who are skeptical of teachings that are more permissive need only be cautious that they’re not motivated by scrupulosity and/or a judgmental tendency. Generally, too, the person who feels this way is still free to place more restrictions on their own behavior- take, for example, women who wear head coverings to Mass or those who receive the Host on the tongue. Could there be some moral preening there? Sure, but generally those acts themselves aren’t wrong or evil in any way.

Re: After Francis, What Stability? - The American Conservative

CStanley — Sun, 05 Jun 2022 11:15:45 -0000

Initially I felt that Francis represented a shift in focus toward mercy, pastoral care, and the positive aspects of Catholic social justice teaching.

As time has passed I have much more concern and I think the reader quoted in the update to the post has it exactly right, that Francis appears to be attempting a “third way” approach to modernism which is doomed to failure. If I was really required to affirm much of what he says then I’d have to leave the Catholic Church but I’m not aware of anything that’s risen to that level, at least not yet.

Is he then, really a legitimate heir to Peter? I think probably so but only God knows. To ask the question, in my opinion, is a bit like the two mothers approaching Solomon seeking legitimate claim to the baby. God might well answer by saying He will split the baby- so those of us who want the “baby” (the Church) to thrive had best make sure we have pure and unselfish motivations for asking the question, or be willing to put the question aside if it harms the Church.

I think it’s possible that the Holy Spirit really did choose this pope for this time to help us examine our own consciences and purify our intentions, and that it may be one of the “terrific upheavals” Pope Benedict foresaw:

“And so it seems certain to me that the Church is facing very hard times. The real crisis has scarcely begun. We will have to count on terrific upheavals. But I am equally certain about what will remain at the end: not the Church of the political cult, which is dead already, but the Church of faith. It may well no longer be the dominant social power to the extent that she was until recently; but it will enjoy a fresh blossoming and be seen as man’s home, where he will find life and hope beyond death.

Re: 'Rice Christians' Of The New Religion - The American Conservative

CStanley — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:50:30 -0000

They just issued this edict which creates the pretext for that to happen.

Re: 'Rice Christians' Of The New Religion - The American Conservative

CStanley — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:49:00 -0000

I read it as a threat of lawsuits. Forget wedding cake bakers, they’re about to go after church food banks and summer lunch programs.

Re: 'Rice Christians' Of The New Religion - The American Conservative

CStanley — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:46:24 -0000

It says that the kids who are currently being fed by organizations that don’t meet these new ideological requirements are at risk of not being fed if the organization doesn’t change its policies to meet their requirements- and those are not just policies about who is served as you have implied in other comments.

“As a result, state and local agencies, program operators and sponsors that receive funds from FNS must investigate allegations of discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. Those organizations must also update their non-discrimination policies and signage to include prohibitions against discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.”

Re: 'Rice Christians' Of The New Religion - The American Conservative

CStanley — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:41:45 -0000

The institution that is threatening to withhold the food aid is the federal government.

The press release states:

These are things the food distributing organizations will be required to do, or the USDA will withhold food from flowing through their distribution channel to hungry kids.

At no point is there any evidence provided that the food distribution institutions have ever withheld food from any kid for any reason.

Re: 'Rice Christians' Of The New Religion - The American Conservative

CStanley — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 14:55:46 -0000

Yes, and as I mentioned in another comment on this thread that’s still pending moderation….

This also applies to church food pantries and faith-based organizations that administer the distribution of food to impoverished kids during the summer. It’s not just about schools. The USDA seems to be saying that government funded food disbursement can only be done by organizations that affirm LGBTQ in their hiring practices, which will disqualify any faith-based charity that holds to orthodox Christian teaching on sexuality.

Re: 'Rice Christians' Of The New Religion - The American Conservative

CStanley — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 12:16:23 -0000

You’re missing the point- these parents are willfully exposing their kids to the depravity so that they can “learn to laugh and enjoy things.”

Re: 'Rice Christians' Of The New Religion - The American Conservative

CStanley — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 12:13:46 -0000

Gender and sexuality had not been on the protected class list. In some places, people have absolutely been turned away for being trans, for appearing trans, for seeming effeminate if they're men, for BEING men (because some pantries will illegally favor women). This closes that gap in official coverage. That's it.

I live in a conservative area and attend a conservative Catholic parish with a large food pantry. I can’t in a million years imagine anyone being turned away, so I have to ask if you have any evidence of this happening anywhere in the US.

If it is the case, as Rod suggests and I suspect, that this is an exceedingly rare or nonexistent problem, then it’s clear that the only rationale for the mandate is to force religious conservative charitable organizations to adopt policies that violate conscience or forego the provision of food by USDA.

I’ve just started volunteering with a very active organization called MUST Ministries. They partner with local churches to feed about 6000 kids in our community through the summer when they can’t get meals at school. I’ve noticed they’re making changes this year, with some churches using USDA food and others not, so now I’m wondering if this mandate is the reason that some churches are choosing to only rely on private donations and volunteers. If that’s the case I really wonder if they’ll be able to maintain the levels of service that they’ve historically done.

Re: Divorce, Neurology & The Left Brain - The American Conservative

CStanley — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 11:25:09 -0000

Love this comment and this insight. It made me laugh because my husband and I discovered while we were still dating that we always approach math differently. It came up in the context of finances as we were engaged, broke, and trying to sort things out and plan for a future. But it soon became apparent that if there are two paths to get to the answer, he and I always seemed to take different routes and during the conversation it was frustrating to follow each other’s reasoning.

The dichotomy that you’re referring to, while based more on temperament and emotion, also can interfere with problem solving and it really does help just to note the difference in approaches and realize you can still end up in the same place at the end.

Re: Divorce, Neurology & The Left Brain - The American Conservative

CStanley — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 12:37:54 -0000

I’m happy if it helps anyone. I think the reactions you’ve gotten are partly because people tend to fill in gaps of information by assuming the worst instead of the best in people- so while I understand and admire you protecting privacy it’s still inevitable that this will happen. In addition in this case I see people misunderstanding what you wrote about receiving these emails from male readers. I believe you were pointing that out in order to say that you grasped the imbalance of the views because the emails skewed that way- that you’re aware it’s not a representative sample. I think some readers thought you were saying, “See here, all these emails coming from men is evidence that there’s an epidemic of mental illness among women which is wrecking marriages.” It’s a case where a statement can read with one meaning or the opposite meaning.

As for my thoughts above about marriage, I think I have a weird perspective because I’m a conservative woman who hates what the feminist movement has unleashed but at the same time shares many of the underlying complaints and goals that led to it (in other words I think change was needed but the movement made corrections that are worse than the initial problems in many ways.)

It gives me a vantage point to see how and why women are now less happy than ever. I wish more women were taking note of that or if they are I wish there was more discussion about it both among women and between men and women. Instead the most vocal women still think the problem is that we’re not “equal” enough and too many men are reacting to that by assuming all women are completely irrational and there’s no point trying to deal with them any more than they have to.

Re: Divorce, Neurology & The Left Brain - The American Conservative

CStanley — Tue, 31 May 2022 23:58:07 -0000

Hearing tales of divorce and of strained marriages is motivating me to work harder at my own and to not take my relationship with my husband for granted, so in that regard I guess I’m grateful that people are sharing these anecdotes. Mostly though it’s profoundly sad and seems like another sign of the brokenness of our times.

Two observations that I’ve gained from 30 years of marriage. The first is about sex, which I’m surprised hasn’t come up more in this thread. I’m sure this isn’t original but I think it’s important to note that men need sex in order to feel intimacy while women need emotional intimacy to really feel fulfilled by sex. For men the drive for intimacy is experienced as a physical need that leads to emotional bonding but for women there’s a need to feel reassured of the emotional bond before they can enjoy the sensations of physical intimacy. Of course much of that has been obscured by societal conditioning during the last few decades telling women that they deserve to experience sex in the same way that men do…but the hard wiring has not really changed. To the extent that it’s true that women are showing more signs of mental unfitness I wouldn’t doubt that the tension between what they really feel and what they’re told they should feel is part of the reason.

Second observation is that life throws a lot at you and as a couple you have to decide to find a way to stay on the same team fighting against the externalities- whether those are other people like extended family, or stressors like financial difficulties, illness, or what have you. That doesn’t mean you’ll always agree about how to react to those things but you have to have your spouse’s back and know that he/she has yours.

Re: Southern Baptist Crash - The American Conservative

CStanley — Fri, 27 May 2022 21:54:38 -0000

The story about Hunt hits very close to home, geographically. We live in Woodstock where his megachurch is located and my kids grew up with scores of kids whose families attend it. Frankly it’s unsurprising because I always sensed a cult of personality around him. I have worried too about the many youth programs at the church. I’m not making any allegations, just have noticed the kind of trust the families seem to have in allowing youth ministers a lot of access to their kids. Very similar, in my estimation, to the way past generations of Catholic families viewed their clergy.

All that said, the allegation against Hunt involved an adult woman and while it involves an immoral and illegal act it really isn’t the same as abuse of children. I only hope that the suspicions I have had through the years aren’t proven true.

Re: Who Can Hear The African Drums? | The American Conservative

CStanley — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 09:29:27 -0000

This seems to perhaps also tie in with your recent post about left vs right brain thinking. I haven’t read the book you referenced in that post yet but have started Betty Edwards’ Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain which came up in the comments. The phenomenon of the Pirahas seeing what was unseen by a Westerner fits with the idea of a culture with greater ability to access the right brain (which as I understand it, is not necessarily lateralized to the right but this has become a shorthand way to reference the more holistic and intuitive visual circuits.)

Re: Lenten Reading: Rosary and Inner Healing

CStanley — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 11:05:40 -0000

This speaks to me and I appreciate the recommendation.

Re: 10 Things You Now Know About Me

CStanley — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 14:03:28 -0000

It was so funny and surreal that I didn't mind the embarrassment much. I haven't read "Greenleaf"- will have to check it out, thanks.

Re: 10 Things You Now Know About Me

CStanley — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 09:29:57 -0000

1. I am moved to comment because I have the same memory as the Anchoress of digging up green moss (also in our side garden with evergreens) and enjoying the smell of the earth. The moss clumps became green shag carpet in my homemade shoe box doll houses.
2. I once got a deep cut on my thigh which should have been stitched but my Dad stanched the bleeding by wrapping my leg in duct tape. I love this about my Dad, and also the way my Mom kept the family fed and housed and clothed when they experienced his unemployment for over a year. I didn't fully appreciate the lessons of frugality and self reliance until after I realized that we were spoiling our own children.
3. I was responsible for a bull escaping and making its way onto my college campus' golf course. The campus police were called and they trapped the animal with two squad cars, one of which had its door damaged as the bull fought while it was being loaded into a trailer.
4. I was an early, mostly self-taught reader and was accelerated from kindergarten to first grade during the first few months when the teacher discovered that I was reading directions and completing the coloring exercises before she read the instructions aloud. Intellectually I was more than ready but my social development was lagging and never fully recovered.
5. My dimples are my best physical feature and I'm grateful for them.

Re: 4 Vital Conversations the Church Must Have Without Passion or Prejudice

CStanley — Wed, 14 Jan 2015 08:11:16 -0000

And for that matter, I rarely see any discussion surrounding IVF. I have nominal Catholic relatives who have twins conceived by IVF; I love my nephews and can appreciate that God can use anything for good...but I find it hard that so many people overlook the inherent sin in the act and the church seems mostly silent on the matter.

Re: Round-Up Part II: The last of the Synod Symposium

CStanley — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 15:05:29 -0000

I feel some concern about this too.

And after reading the excerpt from Poust, I can't help but feel that we need to place more responsibility on priests who celebrate these weddings that are later declared invalid. If the conditions for her to enter into a sacramental marriage were not present, then what were those three priests doing on the altar?

Re: Heading to Holy Land: May I Take Your Intentions WIth Me?

CStanley — Fri, 16 May 2014 19:47:18 -0000

For family members: JTS, EAS, CMS, AMZ, TMS and for myself to be a conduit of His grace for them.

Re: Those Awful, Violent Activists

CStanley — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:56:56 -0000

My counterpoint to what DQ is saying is that those incidents were the work of lone wackos, not organized movement activists. Meanwhile on the left, there is a history of violence within movements as in the case of the Weathermen (they may have been incompetent but they certainly had the intent to cause injuries and/or deaths.)

I'm not suggesting that rightwing activists will never do such things (the militia type groups would be most likely, much more so than the much larger Tea Party group.) But since the history for a movement to splinter off radical revolutionaries is on the left, not right, it seems a bit disingenuous for all of the concern to be coming from the left about the current agitation among conservatives.

As for lone wackos- I would potentially entertain the notion that there might be something that would make it more likely for a disturbed individual to be attracted to some twisted version of conservatism, than for them to have some pretense of liberalism that might motivate them to attack. I'm not quite sure what that 'something' is or how to describe what I think it might be- I guess fundamentalism is the best way to describe it, with a paranoid perception that there's a threat to some principle they hold as absolute.

Re: In Case You Missed the News …

CStanley — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:29:51 -0000

Careful, tidbits- mikkel's using the Franklin principle on you.

Re: Leadership And The Will Of The People

CStanley — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:28:11 -0000

Yeah, it takes courage for a leader to take people where they don't want to go. But the question of whether or not they'll thank him for it later depends on whether he made a wise choice in selecting the destination, and we won't know the answer to that for a while.

If it's a good destination, generally people can be persuaded to go, and the fact that there was little to no persuasion used to convince the people who didn't already like the travel brochures, suggests to me that we might not be on the way to paradise.

Re: In Case You Missed the News …

CStanley — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:11:14 -0000

Haha...perhaps.

What's really funny is how different our online personalities can be from real life. I know I'm a lot more confrontational here than in the face to face world, which either reflects cowardice or pragmatism depending on how you look at it I guess.

Stubborness (or I prefer, pertinacity) is a quality that persists across the two spheres though, I have to admit.

Re: Comment Shutdown: A Technical Perspective

CStanley — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:05:18 -0000

Thanks for filling us in on this perspective T.