The people telling you to judge them

On 15 August 2024, I attended Mass at St. Mary Help of Christian Catholic church.  Loved it. 

I’m a member there, after all.

But that’s not what I wanted to talk about.

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I want to talk about the inherent hypocrisy of someone say saying “judge not”.  Weird how they leave out the other part of that sentence.  I’ve even written about it.  (Sometimes, we're supposed to judgel)

So, it seems rather hollow to me when someone comes to church wearing a shirt with pride colours that says “love”.  I have two questions about that.

1)    What does that even mean?

2)    Why would you wear that at a Catholic church?

I’m not judging this individual.  It is possible to be entirely ignorant of the Church’s position on this. But, say he isn’t.  Why, on a well-known feast to day (to Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox, anyway), would someone wear that?

You only do that when you want to make a statement. 

However, he looks to have a broken arm, and it looks entirely possible to me that someone helping him get dressed thought it was funny.

I give the benefit of the doubt.

But, for the sake of argument, let’s assume that it was his decision.  He made it on his own, that it was some kind of protest. 

Why THAT day?

Because, and this is just my non-so-educated guess, is because he knew people would be there.

But why that?  I’m thinking about it, and it’s like when people say “love is love”.  What does that even mean? 

Does this include potatophiles?

Defining something as itself is rather circular. 

That’s not to say I think people who hold such views are bad people, I and I don’t question their sincerity (although, I don’t think they’ve actually thought out the logical implication of their views)

It reminds me of the Mormons who went to Mass, were polite, and even attentive.

But, they weren’t going because they were going to become Catholic.

They were going because they wanted to make Catholics, Mormon.

Likewise, it is entirely possible that the guy wearing that pride shirt was “proselytizing” Catholics.

I don’t think they’re bad people.  I fell for Pro-Russia/Pro-Putin propaganda.  I was a vatnik.  I didn’t know I was, but, I was. 

And there are people, who are under the impression, that the same Russia that persecutes Catholics, is somehow the good guy. 

I am in no position to judge someone falling for propaganda But, I know how to call it when I see it. 

Consider this man (ZOLKIN IS IN ACTION! ?? The struggle for Kursk | Part 2 | War correspondent Zolkin)

The man ran away from home when he was eleven years old, and was smart enough to know the Russians are not being sent to Ukraine to “fight Nazis” (anyone telling you this has never been to Ukraine)

As he (correctly) states, “Nazis are from Germany”. 

So, it is, I believe him when he says he doesn’t watch TV.

I also believe him when he says he didn’t have any schooling.

In other words, even though he ended up in Ukraine, he was immune from the propaganda. 

As for the guy wearing the “pride” shirt, let’s look at what Paul says. 

“From the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and injustice of those men that detail the truth of God in injustice;

Because that which is known of God is manifest in them.  For God hath manifested it unto them.

For the invisible things of him, from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things; his eternal power also, and divinity; so that they are inexcusable. 

Because that, when they knew God, they have not glorified God, or given thanks; but became vain in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

For professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.

And they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of the image of a corruptible man, and of birds, and of fourfooted beasts, and of creeping things. 

Wherefore God gave them up to the desires of their heart unto uncleanness, to dishonor their own bodies among themselves.

Who changed the truth of God into a lie; and worshipped and served the creature, rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.  Amen.

For this cause God delivered them up to shameful affections.  For their women have change the natural use into that which is against nature.

And, in like manner, the men, also, leaving the natural use of the women, having burned in their lusts one towards another, men with men working that which is filthy, and receiving in themselves the recompense which was due to their error. 

And as they liked not to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them up to a reprobate sense, to do those things which are not convenient;

Being filled with all iniquity, malice, fornication, avarice, wickedness, full of envy, murder, contention, deceit, malignity, whisperers.

Detractors, hateful to God, contumelious, proud, haughty, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

Foolish, dissolute, without affection, without fidelity, without mercy.

Who, having known the justice of God, did not understand that those who do such things are worthy of death; and not only they who do them. But they also that consent to them who do them”.

(Romans 11:18-32, Douay Rheims Version).

Adam Charles Hovey is the creator of the Catholicism, News, and Whatever community on Locals, and has the (usually weekly) Bible Study, "Coffee and Christianity".