In Memoriam

To the Fine Jesuit who wrote this. Rest in Peace.

Its timely, insightful and urgently needed reflection now.

http://www.americamagazine.org/issue/533/article/little-gray-cells
http://www.americamagazine.org/issue/533/article/little-gray-cells


      Jesus never asked anyone of the thousands on the hill what their political views were on any subject before  feeding them. Neither did he ask anyone their political views before healing them. He did not impose a canon law litmus test as a pre-requisite to attending any event or listening to him. He did not anywhere anytime kick anyone out of a gathering for harboring views discordant with his, to the contrary he sat and ate with Pharisees, Scribes, and top biblical scholars of his day who thought he was off his gord.

   The brain dead mediocrity of theological thought that merely parrots doctrine as a form of spiritualism goes nowhere but to oppression and Jesus came to free from oppression. All kinds of oppression. Even the oppressions of petty dogmatisms.

   Someone with a little catechismal stamp  of approval is no closer to God for memorizing anything than the person who devotes their life to good deeds. Perhaps this is why the Pope is rattling so many conservative catholic feathers when he suggests that even people with lack of 'formation' on dogmatic issues are going to get to heaven if they seek God with pure hearts.

    The conservative catholic world likes conformity without critical reasoning in part because it is easier to not think for yourself. It is easier to be spoon-fed what others want you to think and feel without exploring what you actually do from the base of your own intellect.

   The tradition of non-critical catholic thinking came about because societies were organized around a language that not everyone spoke- ancient latin. In the dark and middle ages most people could not read in any tongue in Europe much less latin, so the official scholars had to tell you what scripture said.

  The invention of the Guttenberg Press made translations of a bible into every common language possible and people started reading and reasoning for themselves what Jesus actually said, as opposed to what a priest said he said.  It didn't take long thereafter before people figured out that some of what the priests or bishops said Jesus said or wanted was a bit off the rails. Take 'indulgences' for example for buttressing and beefing up  the building fund of the new Vatican building to pay people like MIchelangelo and Rafael from the coffers of starving German peasants parishes. Now it is accepted that
extorting people with the threat of hell lest they buy indulgences is not exactly proper. The pay to play game doesn't exactly work for buying your way into heaven- see, e.g. that widow's mite.

    The commandment to Love God with all your MIND as well as everything else suggests that he wants everyone to use it to the fullest of its capacity. The fact that Jesus came that we all should have Life abundantly and in fact this was the point of his mission (I came that you all would have life and have it abundantly) suggests that any soul crushing dogma that demoralizes, diminishes, denegrates, or desponds life into despair is decidedly NOT Jesus.

   Its time for the church to stop persecuting itself in the name of misguided 'discipline'. An open heart requires an open mind.  I recommend a committee immediately to restudy and reexaming all canon laws  that is not composed exclusively of Dominicans but has a fair balance of Jesuits and scripture scholars from all traditions in it. The Inquisition is Over.

Many  Thanks to Fr. James Martin , SJ. for forwarding the above article.