Letting the Cat Out of the Bag (A Dialogue on Pseudo-Catholicism)
November 3, 2014 by Administrator
Filed under Catholic Apologetics, Dialogues, Featured, Spirituality
Conversation started November 24, 2013
11/24, 12:06am
James Christopher
Are you discerning a vocation to the priesthood?
11/24, 12:07am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Yes.
11/24, 12:08am
James Christopher
You can ask whatever is on your mind here.
There is a sort of behind the scenes ministry through FB chat.
11/24, 12:09am
Matthew Von Zarovich
What kind of ministry?
11/24, 12:10am
James Christopher
Interestingly, it seems to be mostly to future priests.
It came about unexpectedly.
11/24, 12:12am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I see if I may, not to be rude, are you with New Apologetics?
11/24, 12:12am
James Christopher
Yes.
I figured you knew.
11/24, 12:13am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Yeah but I just want to make sure lol
11/24, 12:13am
James Christopher
Rather prudent of you.
11/24, 12:14am
Matthew Von Zarovich
thanks!
11/24, 12:15am
James Christopher
So, whatever is needful.
One reason the page has been slow is because of the urgent questions that have been coming up in private.
11/24, 12:17am
Matthew Von Zarovich
that’s okay. I know the work you guys are doing is very important.
11/24, 12:18am
James Christopher
I say it as to offer you the service.
You may not avail yourself otherwise.
11/24, 12:19am
Matthew Von Zarovich
NA has changed a lot of thing in my life, for the good.
things*
11/24, 12:20am
James Christopher
You don’t need to be better than the penitents who will come to you.
11/24, 12:21am
Matthew Von Zarovich
why so?
11/24, 12:21am
James Christopher
In case that was something you may have been concerned about not living up to.
11/24, 12:22am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I’m not really sure I guess.
11/24, 12:23am
James Christopher
How so?
Namely, your moral life is not an impediment.
11/24, 12:26am
Matthew Von Zarovich
really? why not?
11/24, 12:27am
James Christopher
Because if God calls you, he knows, and has provided the means. Secondly, it is not about your sin, but about what you do with it.
11/24, 12:28am
Matthew Von Zarovich
That’s good. I see what you mean.
11/24, 12:28am
James Christopher
Further, it will get worse the more you hope for it to get better.
But you will be safe in that.
Because you don’t want what’s evil.
But if it were not to go this way, then you would not know that you need to be saved.
It would be an accomplishment of yours.
Nothing to fear about going low.
11/24, 12:31am
Matthew Von Zarovich
that’s pretty deep. I have seen NA talk like this before.
11/24, 12:31am
James Christopher
As long as you love what is right, it can only serve you to see yourself fall.
11/24, 12:32am
Matthew Von Zarovich
what does that mean?
11/24, 12:32am
James Christopher
Namely, you have nothing to fear from your falling.
Get up, confess, and proceed.
And you will fall again.
Get up, confess, and proceed.
Never mind whether you improve or not.
Do what you are able.
You will be humbled.
And the people will benefit from it.
11/24, 12:35am
Matthew Von Zarovich
that’s something deep I need to think about for a while.
11/24, 12:35am
James Christopher
The point is that your sin doesn’t separate you from God or from the call.
Discern independently of your sin.
If you are called, then you’re called.
And God is obligated to make it right.
11/24, 12:38am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Beautiful. But why is God obligated to do anything?
11/24, 12:38am
James Christopher
If he asks you to do something, he gives you the means. It is a matter of justice.
It will be the same in the confessional.
You won’t have to worry about what to say to someone.
He will give you the thing to say.
And the same goes for preaching.
If you are simply available, he will give you what you need.
You don’t have to provide it.
He’s neither surprised nor disappointed when you sin.
He’s seen it all already.
And factored it in.
Not to say that you ought to will sin. And you won’t.
But you aren’t letting him down or dropping the ball.
11/24, 12:45am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I guess right the only thing that’s holding me back right now is my education.
11/24, 12:45am
James Christopher
But that’s not holding you back.
It’s just a matter of time.
The holding back would have been the other thing.
Or at least that would have been the lie.
11/24, 12:46am
Matthew Von Zarovich
what would have been the lie?
11/24, 12:47am
James Christopher
That you are not priest material.
Because of sins.
Who the hell are you to be in that role?
More precisely, the real question is “Who the hell are you to say God can’t pick you?”
But it is a gift, not a summons.
I just want to tell you that the disqualifier is only a trick.
11/24, 12:50am
Matthew Von Zarovich
“Who the hell are you to say God can’t pick you?” You’re right.
11/24, 12:51am
James Christopher
That’s the polar opposite of the other “humility”.
God doesn’t see your sins like you do.
You hold them against yourself, but if he were disappointed in you (for even a moment), the whole world would end.
11/24, 12:55am
Matthew Von Zarovich
So then how should I discern my vocation? I mean what am I to do? How do I know?
11/24, 12:56am
James Christopher
He will put the desire in your heart.
And you can just do what you want most.
11/24, 12:58am
Matthew Von Zarovich
This I will do.
Why is sin so strong tho?
11/24, 1:00am
James Christopher
Because you desire to live and not die.
You were not made to fight yourself.
Neither were you made to suffer.
God must give you the capacity to suffer with love.
Ask for the grace, and he will make a way.
It will get worse before it gets better. Don’t worry about that.
Just mind your business.
It is not important whether you fall or not.
It is important that you let him do what is needful.
11/24, 1:03am
Matthew Von Zarovich
does “Because you desire to live and not die.” include all sin?
11/24, 1:04am
James Christopher
Not as I mean it here.
There is no malice here.
Neither is there fear.
The fear is superimposed.
It comes from the outside almost as a voice telling you that you “should” be worried.
Don’t be.
You’re fine.
Just go to confession.
And carry on.
11/24, 1:07am
Matthew Von Zarovich
You know me to well. lol
11/24, 1:07am
James Christopher
Not me.
I’m just the guy who types.
11/24, 1:09am
Matthew Von Zarovich
haha I guess you’re right.
11/24, 1:09am
James Christopher
So, that’s all I’ve got for now.
Take heart in the fact that you are not able to disappoint him. It’s not within your power.
11/24, 1:11am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Good! thank you. are you someone I can come to if I have any more question?
11/24, 1:11am
James Christopher
Indeed, I am.
Anything.
Goodnight.
11/24, 1:12am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Good. And goodnight to you too.
December 18, 2013
12/18, 2:45am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Not sure if theses are the type of question I can ask but oh well lol. What books would you recommend on Saint Therese of Lisieux and Mary? I do have Everything Is Grace by Joseph F. Schmidt. Still reading it, but it’s very good so far!
Monday
1/6, 12:47am
James Christopher
There aren’t any beyond that.
I’ve never seen a good book on Mary, but perhaps one will soon be written.
1/6, 12:54am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Hmm well it’s good thing I bought that book, thanks. Yeah! But, what about the one written by pope benedict and hans urs von balthasar? Mary The Church at the Souce
1/6, 12:56am
James Christopher
Probably worthwhile. I don’t really read much, but anything by Benedict is good.
I think I am supposed to read that one though before I write the Mary book.
1/6, 12:58am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Okay, thanks! Quick question, were you the guy on Dogma Debate?
1/6, 12:58am
James Christopher
Yes.
1/6, 12:58am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Sweet!
1/6, 12:59am
James Christopher
What else were you writing?
1/6, 12:59am
Matthew Von Zarovich
You’re writing a Mary book??
1/6, 1:00am
James Christopher
Yeah, I think it’s on the list.
Pretty sure of it, actually.
1/6, 1:01am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Cool! How do you know so much?
I mean you’re far and beyond most apologist.
1/6, 1:02am
James Christopher
There’s a secret. It sounds impossible, but it really works.
1/6, 1:02am
Matthew Von Zarovich
?
1/6, 1:02am
James Christopher
Seriously.
Do you think it is right to say?
It’s only a secret because nobody knows.
It need not be kept secret.
1/6, 1:04am
Matthew Von Zarovich
good.
1/6, 1:04am
James Christopher
So, I’ll tell you:
1/6, 1:04am
Matthew Von Zarovich
sweet!
1/6, 1:04am
James Christopher
It’s based on something St. Therese knew.
1/6, 1:05am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I get that feeling when I read her work.
1/6, 1:05am
James Christopher
She knew that if she relinquished all striving to make her own justice that God, by his very nature would be forced to give her his own righteousness.
Well, the same principle holds for knowledge.
Namely, if we are willing to know nothing beyond what is necessary for our salvation and the salvation of those God sends to us, then we will know everything we need to know.
And the result is a functional omniscience.
But with no extra knowledge.
That’s the secret.
God is, by his very nature, obligated to give you exactly what you need to meet the exact needs of the people who come to you.
But you will never have one extra thing.
And because that seems too scary, nobody goes there.
I’ve basically never read a book.
1/6, 1:10am
Matthew Von Zarovich
No really??
1/6, 1:10am
James Christopher
I promise.
You can ask my wife.
1/6, 1:11am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I guess you’re off the hook lol
1/6, 1:11am
James Christopher
It’s how John Vianney could do what he did in the confessional.
Same with Padre Pio.
Same with you if you want.
It’s not a big deal.
It’s just what has to happen if we are dependent on God.
He has obligations then.
And he has similar obligations if we claim our own storehouse.
He can’t intervene then.
1/6, 1:12am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I do! How? I mean how do I put it into “action”
1/6, 1:13am
James Christopher
Will to do it.
1/6, 1:14am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Agree.
1/6, 1:14am
James Christopher
And he will show up.
And then your mind will go through a kind of temporary hell.
In which all the normal things get discredited and stripped away.
And you will be just poor and not afraid to lose.
Because you don’t have anything to lose.
And also in the not having anything to lose, you won’t have to be on the defense.
And in not having to be on the defense, you can actually listen to the other person.
And in actually listening to the other person without fear of being humiliated by them, then just out of your desire to serve them rather than protect yourself, God will give you the thing to say in the moment.
It works every single time, and is never wrong.
Nobody can possibly come to this page and ask a question that I cannot answer.
And I don’t know the answer until they ask the question.
Unless it is one of the things I happen to know.
And in that case I have to be careful because I can miss the heart of the questioner.
I have to hear every question new.
Because it’s always a little different for each person.
This sounds insane, but it should be “normal”.
It is available to everyone.
For their own state in life.
Yes, you will be able to read hearts in the confessional.
But only when it doesn’t matter to you that you can.
1/6, 1:21am
Matthew Von Zarovich
“temporary hell” what is this?
“In which all the normal things get discredited and stripped away.” What is “normal”?
1/6, 1:23am
James Christopher
I am using the term “hell” loosely. But it is the purgation that is required to dispose us to be content with the lowest place.
1/6, 1:23am
Matthew Von Zarovich
K
1/6, 1:23am
James Christopher
We can’t get there by trying.
When we try it’s just a way of claiming the highest place even though it looks like humility.
But we have to try.
And we have to fail.
And we have to not diminish the trying.
And we have to fail.
And so on.
And God comes in to knock down everything that stands upright.
Until it is just a big space with no walls.
And then he is free to put there whatever is needed.
So, by “normal” things I mean the things that make us feel secure apart from God.
We can have them, but not for security.
So all of these securities are incinerated.
And some he can take care of in secret.
We don’t even know that he’s cut the tie.
Others go through a cataclysm
But it’s all totally safe because God is doing it.
The problem is that it all registers as death because human nature wasn’t made for it.
And therefore we are forced by our nature to fight against it even if we love God.
But that is not a problem.
We were made to not have to let go of the world.
But now we have to because the world is broken.
And we were made to not have to need redemption.
Because we were not made to know sin.
We were not made to sacrifice.
Because we were not made to suffer.
But we were made to love unconditionally.
And in the broken world, unconditional love means crucifixion.
And only God has the resources to suffer with perfect love.
Because he can’t be threatened.
So, he has to be the one to do it.
Not you.
So, all the things that say that you have to do it have to go.
But you won’t be losing any of it.
It is all preserved intact once there is no attachment.
Everything comes back superabundantly and in right order.
But superabundantly is synonymous with not one thing extra.
You won’t have to figure it all out. Just ask him to start.
But if you want to know everything, be willing to know nothing.
And God will make sure you never go without what you need to serve the people completely.
It would be unbelievable if it weren’t true.
Itis also the way to preach.
You won’t hear it in homiletics class.
It is how St Peter converted 3000 in the first sermon.
It is how St Stephen could speak with a wisdom that nobody could contradict or refute.
And St Paul says the following:
1/6, 1:38am
James Christopher
When I came to you, brothers, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.
2
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3
I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling,
4
and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive (words of) wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power,
5
so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.
1/6, 1:39am
James Christopher
The power of God comes.
Without fail.
But you won’t have every ministry.
You will have the one that’s right.
But this power is for that.
Everything other than this is not the thing itself.
It is like a wax statue of a person.
For me, God used sins to make me humble.
It was very scary.
1/6, 1:42am
Matthew Von Zarovich
you too.
1/6, 1:42am
James Christopher
But it was what was necessary.
But you have not not be able to judge anybody.
Otherwise he can’t give this kind of power.
I think it was tonight that I got the revelation of the information about myself that I always wanted in order to be able to sin less.
It was held for years.
Reminds me of something:
1/6, 1:45am
James Christopher
I* must boast; not that it is profitable, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2
I know someone in Christ who, fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows), was caught up to the third heaven.
3
And I know that this person (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows)
4
was caught up into Paradise and heard ineffable things, which no one may utter.a
5
About this person* I will boast, but about myself I will not boast, except about my weaknesses.
6
Although if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish, for I would be telling the truth. But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from me
7
because of the abundance of the revelations. Therefore, that I might not become too elated,* a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.b
8
Three times* I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me,c
9
* but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses,* in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.d
10
Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ;e for when I am weak, then I am strong.
1/6, 1:48am
Matthew Von Zarovich
This is from your website right?
1/6, 1:48am
James Christopher
What is?
1/6, 1:49am
Matthew Von Zarovich
What you just put.
1/6, 1:49am
James Christopher
No.
I just pulled it from the Bible now.
1/6, 1:49am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Oh lol
Some of the wording is the same. I think haha
1/6, 1:51am
James Christopher
That’s interesting. I’m pretty sure that’s not so, but there is something giving you the impression.
Anything else that’s important for now?
1/6, 1:54am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Always, but it’s late. I’ll let you off the hook for now. haha
1/6, 1:55am
James Christopher
Okay. But you don’t have to if there’s something that’s actually important.
1/6, 1:57am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I think it would be best if I wait. I have to re read what you said, so I can ask more question later. Thanks for the offer though!
1/6, 1:57am
James Christopher
Goodnight then.
If something occurs to you, I may be up still.
1/6, 1:58am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Okay, how do I let go of everything?
1/6, 1:59am
James Christopher
You be as generous as you can.
And then you’ll hit a wall.
1/6, 1:59am
Matthew Von Zarovich
What is the wall like?
1/6, 1:59am
James Christopher
And you’ll know that there is still more to give, but won’t know what or how.
You’ll know your’re there if it’s like in the last sentence there.
At that point, you’ve reached the end of your freedom, and God has to take over.
You just hold your ground and wait.
Walk forward when there’s no more wall.
Then you’ll hit another.
And so on.
1/6, 2:02am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Is this done by praying? fasting?
1/6, 2:02am
James Christopher
Then it reverses.
God restores the parts of yourself you put to death in order to go on living.
And that’s painful because there was a strategic reason why they were put to death.
But up they come.
And they are reclaimed and reintegrated.
And then you’re fully you.
And you don’t need more than that.
And so then God is free to accomplish anything in you because you are yourself.
See, we were each meant to be gift.
And only gift.
As it is, we are gift/defense.
We have defenses against the threat of evil.
All kinds.
And defense is not gift.
So, all of these means of securing our own justice have to be dismantled.
So that we can be:
1) Fully ourselves
2) Fully gift
1 and 2 are identical.
The hardest thing is that in order be be gift, we have to lose our claim to any rights.
In other words, we cannot demand our due.
Because of two things:
1) While we demand, we are busy not being gift.
3) When we demand, we deprive others of their identity as gift.
That three should be a two.
And that feels like death++
But it isn’t
It’s basically the only way to not be responsible for destroying the world.
1/6, 2:11am
Matthew Von Zarovich
So I have to give up who I think I am to become what I really am? or something like that.
1/6, 2:11am
James Christopher
In a way, yes.
But you can’t.
God has to do it.
You can ask.
And be generous with what you can possibly give at the time.
You literally won’t be able to do the thing you know you should until you can do it.
You won’t have the freedom, and then suddenly (without you having done the work directly) it will be there.
That’s when you take the next step.
And in the meantime your work is to ask God for the graces needed, and by grace to “serenely bear the trial of being displeasing to yourself” as St. Therese says.
There’s nothing else to do.
The landscape changes radically, but that never does.
See, we spend so much time trying to make ourselves low. And eventually God starts giving us glory and we resist that too.
But he only requires we go low so that we are not attached to false glory.
He wants to give us the real thing.
1/6, 2:17am
Matthew Von Zarovich
What is false glory?
1/6, 2:17am
James Christopher
Contrast with imagined inferiors.
Real glory feels just like egomania except it’s not a problem.
God insists on it.
And it is actually the only way to be humble.
When we have real glory, we don’t need the false glory.
It’s lame to us.
So, someone is only humble if they are steeped in glory.
And the glory may not even be felt.
The same reality can be happening anyway.
Yeah, nobody knows that humility = glory.
You saw the quote from St. Therese on the FB page?
1/6, 2:21am
Matthew Von Zarovich
the one about her and marie of the trinity?
1/6, 2:21am
James Christopher
Yes.
She’s literally talking about everyone bowing down and worshipping her.
This has not at all entered the minds of her fans.
1/6, 2:22am
Matthew Von Zarovich
How can that be good though?
1/6, 2:23am
James Christopher
It is good because God has orchestrated all of reality around it being given to each of us without it diminishing any person.
So, he gives the highest thing that omnipotence can possibly set up.
And each person is savior of the world with reference to every other.
Namely, nobody will have what they have in heaven apart from what you have done and suffered.
They will know that, and you will know that they know that.
And you will know that you don’t have what you have apart from what each of them has done and suffered.
And you will see that, and they will see you seeing that.
And it is an infinite explosion of unity and joy.
It goes further.
1/6, 2:26am
Matthew Von Zarovich
What do you mean by egomania?
1/6, 2:27am
James Christopher
The thing you might find yourself fighting in trying to be humble.
If you were to just forget about humility and crank the volume on the opposite.
It is the total satisfaction of that.
But without doing harm.
The problem with glorifying ourselves is not that it involves glory.
The problem is that we can’t possibly give ourselves enough glory.
And that will leave us dissatisfied and will therefore leave God dissatisfied.
Let me show you something:
1/6, 2:29am
Matthew Von Zarovich
k
1/6, 2:30am
James Christopher
I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the one who judges.
51
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death. (John 8: 50-51)
Glory is good.
If we’re against it, we’re against God.
It comes as a shock when he starts insisting that we let him glorify us.
And further:
1/6, 2:33am
James Christopher
“And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one,
23
I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me.
24
Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am* they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. (John 17: 22-24)
1/6, 2:34am
Matthew Von Zarovich
It seem to contradict everything I’ve heard in catholic theology.
1/6, 2:34am
James Christopher
That’s because you have not heard Catholic theology.
It’s quite a crisis.
The Gospel has been essentially wiped from the mind of man even though the Catholic teaching is written at an eighth-grade reading level in the Catechism.
Look at this:
“I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne.” (Rev 3:21)
And if you want to know something more, this is where Mary is important.
1/6, 2:37am
Matthew Von Zarovich
?
1/6, 2:38am
James Christopher
I’ll show you:
The statement of what God gives to us when we share in his own glory was first proclaimed by Mary.
This is the statement of the Gospel fully received by a human person.
The destiny she describes for herself is not higher than what is coming to you.
If Christ has promised you his own glory, then how can your glory be lesser than Mary’s?
It can’t it is Christ’s own and so is hers.
1/6, 2:41am
James Christopher
She says this:
The Canticle of Mary.
46
v And Mary said:*
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;w
47
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.x
48
For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness;
behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.y
49
The Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.z
50
1/6, 2:41am
James Christopher
And so what are the great things he has done for her?
What are the great things he has done *through* her?
This set of things just happens to be *everything* that God has ever done and will ever do.
Let’s look:
His mercy is from age to age
to those who fear him.
It’s all through her.
It’s also all through you.
51
He has shown might with his arm,
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
It’s all through her. It’s also all through you.
1/6, 2:44am
James Christopher
Same with all of these:
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones
but lifted up the lowly.
53
The hungry he has filled with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.
54
He has helped Israel his servant,
remembering his mercy,
55
according to his promise to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
1/6, 2:44am
James Christopher
Essentially every good thing that God has ever done and ever will do for anyone he does through you, and he does absolutely nothing apart from you.
And that makes you central to everyone’s joy.
And that’s glory.
You don’t need to grab anything at that point.
That’s humility.
St. Therese confirms it:
“It is because [God] has so incomprehensible a love for us that he wills to do nothing without us. The Creator of the universe awaits the prayer of a poor little soul to save other souls redeemed like it at the price of all his blood.”
The first sentence is not an exaggeration.
Everyone in heaven will be there because of you.
And that includes those who are already there.
Because their lives would not be redeemed were it not for your suffering now.
1/6, 2:52am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Okay, it all sounds really good! But I’m still not sure about this egomania thing. I mean when I think of someone who is self-centeredness I don’t really like them.
1/6, 2:52am
James Christopher
That’s because they are glorifying themselves.
And they are stealing from everyone.
Because they have deprived the whole world of their gift.
They’ve therefore got it all backwards.
Everyone suffers because of the omission.
Real glory only feels like egomania.
But it’s the opposite
It’s self-gift.
But it is a maximally important self-gift that is integral the the eternal happiness of everyone.
And if there were no glory in that, you would just be lying to yourself.
What good is that?
The problem is when when we stop being gift.
That’s all.
God is into glory.
And so are we.
And anyone saying otherwise is going to have a very serious shock.
And they will fight it like hell.
Because they are attached to all the work they did out of religious zeal.
In other words, they are attached to a false glory.
And this takes away the thing that they thought made them special, and therefore better than other people.
“Oh, so my virtue is really its polar opposite vice?”
“Yes”
That’s called Purgatory.
1/6, 3:01am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I’m trying to understand all of this, but it’s hard when everything I thought was “the way” but I find out it’s actually not.
1/6, 3:02am
James Christopher
Well, be consoled. Maybe I’m smart enough to invent something bigger and better than what God is willing and able to give.
Not.
You might get to heaven and say: “This is nice, but it’s too bad that it isn’t as good as what that guy from NA thought up.”
1/6, 3:05am
Matthew Von Zarovich
No, I believe what you’re saying.
1/6, 3:05am
James Christopher
I know.
1/6, 3:06am
Matthew Von Zarovich
lol No. I don’t think that will happen!
1/6, 3:06am
James Christopher
But that little meditation helps to keep us thinking straight.
Another quote:
Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, by the power at work within us,
21
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21)
I wonder if I should make this chat into an article
Changing your name, of course.
It seems that it is important that people know the difference between what they believe as Catholics and what the Church is teaching them.
1/6, 3:11am
Matthew Von Zarovich
That would be great! why would you want to do that though?
1/6, 3:12am
James Christopher
Which?
1/6, 3:12am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Make it into a article?
1/6, 3:13am
James Christopher
Because it seems to quickly cover a large number of issues in a very short time and does it cleanly.
However, I may be wrong about the best approach.
Maybe as a post on the FB page.
The articles are more formal.
1/6, 3:14am
Matthew Von Zarovich
whatever you think is best. I’m sure it will be good either way!
1/6, 3:14am
James Christopher
I think it’s because you’ve been reading NA for a while and you seem shocked.
So, it might be good to give the same sudden blast to everyone.
1/6, 3:16am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Yes that would be good!
1/6, 3:16am
James Christopher
I’ll need to give it a day or so to see what’s right.
Thank you for the questions.
It was just the right set.
1/6, 3:18am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Yes! No problem!
1/6, 3:18am
James Christopher
Alrighty.
Goodnight.
1/6, 3:19am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Goodnight! And thanks for the help!
1/6, 3:48am
James Christopher
I think I’ve discerned that I am not supposed to state the “secret”.
Not in a trumpeted fashion.
But only when someone asks the question.
1/6, 3:49am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I’m not sure what you mean?
1/6, 3:49am
James Christopher
That’s part of the dialogue.
But maybe it stands on just the other things.
I haven’t read it over.
1/6, 3:50am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Oh now I know what you mean.
1/6, 3:56am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I have some more question about this “secret” if that’s okay. But it’s getting late so I’ll ask them sometime tomorrow.
1/6, 3:58am
James Christopher
Ask.
1/6, 3:59am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Now?
1/6, 3:59am
James Christopher
Sure.
1/6, 3:59am
Matthew Von Zarovich
K
“So, by “normal” things I mean the things that make us feel secure apart from God.” what are the things that make us feel secure apart from God?
1/6, 4:02am
James Christopher
Everything other than God.
Or God+
1/6, 4:05am
Matthew Von Zarovich
So when you say securities does that mean sins?
1/6, 4:05am
James Christopher
Sins and non-sins.
They are treated the same.
1/6, 4:07am
Matthew Von Zarovich
What are some “non-sins” that I would have to let go?
1/6, 4:07am
James Christopher
Everything.
You can’t do it.
It’s not possible.
God does it for you.
“God+” becomes “God-” which becomes: “-God”
And God has to intervene to protect us from that.
1/6, 4:10am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Do I ask him? Or do I just keep living life?
1/6, 4:11am
James Christopher
Both.
And try as hard as you can so that you can fail authentically.
1/6, 4:11am
Matthew Von Zarovich
You lost me. lol
So, try to fail? Authentically? What does that mean?
1/6, 4:13am
James Christopher
Try to succeed with your whole heart so that your failure will be authentic.
If you don’t try truly, you can’t truly fail.
And if you don’t truly fail, you will rely on yourself rather than God.
So try.
And never give up.
1/6, 4:15am
Matthew Von Zarovich
what is failure? sinning?
and how should I ask God?
1/6, 4:16am
James Christopher
Failure is anything that makes you displeasing to yourself, and which by your own judgement would make you displeasing to God (if you were God).
You wrote: “and how should I ask God?”
I reply: Just like that.
It’s like getting pregnant.
You do something, and then eventually a baby comes.
You don’t have to worry about making the baby.
1/6, 4:21am
Matthew Von Zarovich
You’re a funny guy
1/6, 4:21am
James Christopher
As long as you don’t abort (and take reasonably good care of yourself), you’ve done the work.
1/6, 4:25am
Matthew Von Zarovich
So I just have to live?
1/6, 4:25am
James Christopher
Well, yes.
But fully.
“The glory of God is man fully alive.”
But you will be completely undone and remade.
“He’s got a tooth left… Kick him!”
That’s what it seems to be.
But, you’ll be a saint.
1/6, 4:29am
Matthew Von Zarovich
That’s want I want.
what*
1/6, 4:29am
James Christopher
Then it’s guaranteed to happen while you’re still alive.
As long as the desire is there, it is there by his hand.
And it is only there to be fulfilled in a way that is on its own terms.
You don’t want to start here and not finish here.
And so that’s part of the deal.
And it’s not about suffering.
It’s about love not being diminished in the face of evil.
No deals.
Only gift.
The securities are securities because they involve conditions.
And all those conditions are incompatible with perfect love.
1/6, 4:35am
Matthew Von Zarovich
So I have to let go of everything I know to be real?
I mean the “securities”
1/6, 4:36am
James Christopher
You don’t.
You ask for God to make you a saint.
And you don’t stop.
Until you see that it’s okay to stop.
And you will be led forward in peace and joy.
You won’t move forward until it is easy.
1/6, 4:38am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Got it.
1/6, 4:38am
James Christopher
The hard part is while he is giving us the freedom for it to be easy. It feels like we are nothing but faults, and everything we do hurts someone.
We are on the edge of despair a lot.
1/6, 4:40am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Why would that be? “It feels like we are nothing but faults, and everything we do hurts someone.”
1/6, 4:41am
James Christopher
Because that’s what’s really going on.
1/6, 4:41am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Oh
1/6, 4:42am
James Christopher
We are not nothing but faults, but we cannot do any of the good we intend, really.
At least not with the lights on.
1/6, 4:43am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Why so?
1/6, 4:44am
James Christopher
Because we see all the things we couldn’t see before.
All the double motives.
Some of the effects of our “charity”.
And so on.
1/6, 4:47am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I think I understand what you’re saying. lol It will come to me in due time.
1/6, 4:47am
James Christopher
You won’t have a single thing in advance.
And that is one of the securities that will be absolutely laid to waste.
1/6, 4:48am
Matthew Von Zarovich
wait what?
1/6, 4:51am
James Christopher
You are into having knowledge in advance.
No more!
Just manna for the day.
1/6, 4:54am
Matthew Von Zarovich
knowledge in advance is a type of manna?
1/6, 4:54am
James Christopher
No, it is the opposite.
It is the gathering of more than one day’s worth.
Which was forbidden.
It’s building a barn/
having something extra in case God fails you.
1/6, 5:00am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Are you saying when I reach this state of I’m not sure what to call it, I will be able to understand it all. I guess I’m not really following you.
1/6, 5:00am
James Christopher
It’s in that “having nothing in reserve” that we can know everything.
And there won’t be a lot of knowledge.
Just what you need for the gift of the moment.
But you will never lack what is needful.
No matter what.
But God has to send the people to you.
You can’t go searching.
The one’s he sends will be such that there is no doubt in your mind that you have enough.
And therefore you can be completely empty handed.
1/6, 5:04am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I see what you’re saying now.
1/6, 5:05am
James Christopher
You will be terrified to carry a toolkit.
Or an ammobox
Because you know you will forfeit the power and therefore deprive the people.
1/6, 5:06am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I see. But what do you mean by “knowledge in advance”?
1/6, 5:07am
James Christopher
“I think I understand what you’re saying. lol It will come to me in due time.”
The thing that you wanted.
You’ll only have enough for the next good step.
Anything more is a trap.
1/6, 5:08am
Matthew Von Zarovich
oh okay.
Sorry, a lot of the things you say are very deep, so sometime I have to break it down.
1/6, 5:11am
James Christopher
It is helpful to me as much as you.
You apologize because you’re afraid of my possible annoyance, not because it is sorrowful.
That will get its ass kicked up and down the street.
And then it will be gone forever.
The empty hands doctrine is about never changing love in response to potential evil.
That’s it.
Nothing more.
Bet you didn’t know that double motive.
It’s scary stuff, but perfectly safe.
1/6, 5:18am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Changing the subject for a second. Are you a Patriot fan (NFL) lol
1/6, 5:18am
James Christopher
Hang on….
I am not.
But nothing against it.
I just never took an interest.
I sucked at sports, and so decided to be a brainiac to be better than my tormentors.
Not the best.
1/6, 5:25am
Matthew Von Zarovich
That’s a good thing that you don’t like them. Basketball was the only sport I was somewhat good at.
1/6, 5:26am
James Christopher
Why is it good that I don’t like them?
1/6, 5:27am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Because they’re evil haha
and that’s all there is to it.
1/6, 5:28am
James Christopher
You were bullshitting me.
Another double motive.
I don’t dislike them. I just never paid attention.
1/6, 5:30am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Well, I’m from Indiana so it’s a given that I don’t like them. lol I was just seeing where you were on the issue.
1/6, 5:31am
James Christopher
Okay.
I will repent of falsely accusing you.
1/6, 5:31am
Matthew Von Zarovich
get over yourself lol
1/6, 5:31am
James Christopher
Yes. Admirable advice.
1/6, 5:32am
Matthew Von Zarovich
You’re too much.
1/6, 5:32am
James Christopher
It’s only because I’m doing multiple conversations at once.
1/6, 5:33am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Yeah, I kinda thought that.
1/6, 5:33am
James Christopher
It was just at this last segment though.
What gave you the impression?
Other one just finished.
1/6, 5:35am
Matthew Von Zarovich
You’re up late and you’re a busy guy. I guess it was just a feeling
1/6, 5:35am
James Christopher
I only very rarely do more than one.
1/6, 5:36am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I guess I had the feeling at the right time haha
1/6, 5:36am
James Christopher
Yes.
I actually was planning to stop doing these and maybe write an article, but people keep getting sent.
And I have to do the thing that seems right despite my intent.
1/6, 5:38am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Do you do most of the work for NA?
1/6, 5:38am
James Christopher
So far I’ve done all of it except the poems.
My wife writes the poems.
I have to learn to write faster.
1/6, 5:39am
Matthew Von Zarovich
You’re just on fire aren’t you now! lol
1/6, 5:39am
James Christopher
Not at all.
1/6, 5:40am
Matthew Von Zarovich
You two are really good!
1/6, 5:40am
James Christopher
Not feeling that way.
Got a little relief today.
Basically enough to keep me alive.
But yes, thank you.
1/6, 5:42am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Are you saying you’re doing a lot of work?
1/6, 5:42am
James Christopher
Not nearly as much as I would like.
it get’s hard with the devil shouting in your face all day.
It isn’t the least bit stable or orderly.
And it is hard on wives.
1/6, 5:45am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Is it like what saint padre pio went through?
If you don’t mind me asking
1/6, 5:45am
James Christopher
It is not the Ritz.
I can’t speak for him, but I saw the movie, and Rachel and I really appreciated it.
His suffering was a bit different, but it was also similar.
Nobody is the same as anyone else.
1/6, 5:47am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Agree.
If you don’t mind me asking, why NA why not you?
1/6, 5:48am
James Christopher
Because I don’t want credit.
I just want the Church to have the ideas.
I happened to buy the domain name right before Cardinal Levada coined the term.
It seemed like it was just random.
But no.
I just sort of said “Hey, I should have a website, because everybody does. And I want to get back into apologetics, so lets start with ‘apologetics.com.'”
And it was taken.
So the domain service automatically suggested newapologetics.com.
And I said: “not too bad…”
And then it became a major buzzword in the Church a couple of weeks later.
It was fitting because I happened to have all of the content.
There is no New Evangelization apart from this content.
And that’s certain.
1/6, 5:53am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Why do you say that?
1/6, 5:53am
James Christopher
Because if we don’t get the problem of evil right, then everything else is wrong.
And we are not telling the people good news.
1/6, 5:54am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I Agree with that!
1/6, 5:54am
James Christopher
And the problem of evil is intricately bound up with the redemption.
So you can’t explain one without the right understanding of the other.
And the old apologetics has pretty much obscured both completely.
It has nothing to do with the official teaching of the Church.
It’s the pseudo-Catholicism you noticed.
It’s actually good to reject that.
Because it isn’t very good.
Why settle?
The atheists are 100% right about all the stuff they’re against.
Real Catholicism starts there.
1/6, 5:57am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Yes I find I myself getting mad every time I listen to catholic answer or something like that.
1/6, 5:58am
James Christopher
It’s because you should.
Or at least not be pleased.
I just don’t listen.
Everything is going down in flames shortly.
1/6, 5:59am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I’ve thought about calling in sometime.
1/6, 5:59am
James Christopher
Or there will be a quiet behind the scenes shift.
For what?
1/6, 5:59am
Matthew Von Zarovich
To debate lol
nothing good
1/6, 6:00am
James Christopher
Well, I see the import of them changing.
1/6, 6:00am
Matthew Von Zarovich
really?
1/6, 6:01am
James Christopher
There won’t need to be a debate.
And I don’t even need to think about it.
I just need to answer one question after another.
1/6, 6:02am
Matthew Von Zarovich
And you’re good at what you do.
1/6, 6:02am
James Christopher
I don’t do what I do.
Therefore I am basically invincible at it.
Namely, the answers given are the answers that make the questions go away.
The same questions are asked over and over only when the answers are inadequate.
And there are only so many questions really.
And then “apologetics” is done.
Content-wise for about 500 years.
1/6, 6:05am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Content-wise for about 500 years. What do you mean?
1/6, 6:05am
James Christopher
And I’m also going to do counter-apologetics.
Refuting all of the popular theistic arguments.
Because they are actually unsound.
The conclusion never really follows from the premises.
So they don’t prove what people think they prove.
It’s important, but not as important as the constructive work.
“Content-wise for about 500 years. What do you mean?”
In other words, there won’t be much to debate.
Because the questions will be decisively settled for anyone who wants to know the answer.
And there are always new questions, but they just haven’t occurred to us yet, and won’t until all of the stuff on NA is considered common sense.
But, for example, the problem of evil is solved.
It won’t be a philosophical debate any more.
It’s just a matter of time now.
1/6, 6:11am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I’ve tried to spread some of your work to people at my Church, but it doesn’t seem to go anywhere.
1/6, 6:11am
James Christopher
I know what you mean, I think.
It makes sense.
Namely that it wouldn’t.
You have to be asking the questions in order to appreciate the answers.
Most Catholics aren’t
1/6, 6:14am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Yeah I run into that a lot.
1/6, 6:14am
James Christopher
Or you have to be willing to give up security in order to appreciate the questions.
And if one is not kept up at night by these things, then they cannot see the difference.
I think it is time to sleep now.
Unless I am depriving you of one last thing.
What is it?
1/6, 6:18am
Matthew Von Zarovich
No I’m fine. I’m sure I’ll get another chance to chat with you.
1/6, 6:18am
James Christopher
But you do that the thing in mind already?
Yeah, say it
1/6, 6:20am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I don’t even know what that means. lol so the jokes on you feller! haha
1/6, 6:21am
James Christopher
You have another question.
1/6, 6:23am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Not one that I need answered now.
1/6, 6:23am
James Christopher
Ask it.
I am not sleeping.
1/6, 6:24am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I’m sure you don’t want to tell me your life story.
That’s bad for your eyes.
1/6, 6:24am
James Christopher
What’s the question?
JUST SAY IT, MAN!
1/6, 6:26am
Matthew Von Zarovich
okay okay come down lol
Did you ever go to college?
1/6, 6:27am
James Christopher
Yes.
1/6, 6:27am
Matthew Von Zarovich
For what?
1/6, 6:27am
James Christopher
Damn, that’s your one question?
1/6, 6:27am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I told you!!!
1/6, 6:27am
James Christopher
Good it’s not one wish.
1/6, 6:28am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I said it wasn’t a big deal lol
1/6, 6:28am
James Christopher
I went because I was supposed to.
1/6, 6:28am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I mean like major wise
1/6, 6:29am
James Christopher
Philosophy and psychology.
Suffolk University, Boston.
BS in each.
1/6, 6:30am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I see.
1/6, 6:30am
James Christopher
You can’t learn this stuff in school yet.
People with STD degrees in theology don’t know it.
but it’s right in the Catechism.
1/6, 6:31am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I know it’s sad
1/6, 6:31am
James Christopher
It’s also very enjoyable.
Contrary to what I wrote before.
It has different aspects.
1/6, 6:31am
Matthew Von Zarovich
What that?
1/6, 6:31am
James Christopher
God gave me exactly what I wanted.
And actually way more.
1/6, 6:32am
Matthew Von Zarovich
what did you want?
1/6, 6:32am
James Christopher
I wanted to change philosophy by proving the existence of God.
Well I got to solve all the problems.
I had help, but it was given to me as a gift.
Because I believed it could be done, I guess.
So, I got to go to the special school too.
1/6, 6:34am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Why you though?
1/6, 6:34am
James Christopher
I wanted it.
And nobody else really did.
Not in the same way.
It seemed too big, I wager.
So, God is into that sort of thing.
He gets to show off.
1/6, 6:35am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Not even saint Thomas
1/6, 6:35am
James Christopher
He got it for his day.
The questions are different now.
And his material doesn’t fit.
It was the right thing for his time.
But can’t really do much now.
Not his fault.
1/6, 6:36am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I see.
1/6, 6:37am
James Christopher
In a thousand years, there will be reason to add on to NA.
It seems grandiose, but it’s true.
I’d be lying to pretend otherwise.
1/6, 6:38am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Do you think you proved God at least for our time?
1/6, 6:38am
James Christopher
I think the ontological argument from Divine Justice is a sound proof. It should be good forever.
I don’t think it can be improved much if at all.
However that is one that came from my head.
It took 20 years.
But it was mostly me thinking.
The other stuff such as the solution for the problem of evil and the true redemption theory came right from God.
I had no idea about these things before.
And I actually believed the opposite things before.
And then these changed all my ideas.
And I saw that it was then easy to answer any question that people were asking once these things are in place.
And anything that I don’t know will come to me in the moment anyway.
But if one knows these theories, then they can be reconstructed from existing Church teaching.
They are already there, but just not seen.
1/6, 6:43am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Have you tried to send them to the Vatican? or have ever that works?
1/6, 6:44am
James Christopher
I have tried to get a document to Pope Benedict XVI.
He has been awaiting it without knowing.
And all kinds of problems arose.
So if he got this document, there would immediately be a new Council to define against many latent heresies.
And the Fifth Marian Dogma would also be proclaimed.
NA could just go away.
It would be literally awesome.
All the Protestant churches would return.
And the Orthodox, too.
But if Benedict does not get the document, NA will have to do it by causing mass confusion.
1/6, 6:46am
Matthew Von Zarovich
really what makes you think that?
1/6, 6:46am
James Christopher
And the Church will have to respond by calling the same Council essentially.
It is obvious, no?
1/6, 6:47am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Whats that?
1/6, 6:48am
James Christopher
My conclusion.
I know because it was attached to how I received this information.
It was not your standard method, to say the least.
So I want Benedict to read it.
Why Benedict?
Because the document is what he was trying to teach.
But there was no language to articulate what he knew.
It anticipated the content of his last writings by several years.
And if you compare one with the other, he is stabbing at what is there.
But can’t say it all.
If he had this he could teach what he knows.
Or he could tell Francis to.
I’ll send it to you if you promise not to share it.
1/6, 6:52am
Matthew Von Zarovich
If you don’t want me to I won’t.
1/6, 6:52am
James Christopher
I don’t want to circulate revelation that’s unapproved by the Church.
However, the ideas hold together independently of the revelation.
They are already in the teaching of the Church.
It just took the revelation to put the pieces together.
It came through St. Therese.
Turns out this was something that she and Celine were working on, but never really made a dent in.
They wanted a new theodicy where God was actually good.
Pretty good idea
So, for some reason she picked me.
Probably because I was the biggest sinner to go to her chapel for confession.
That’s actually very likely to be true.
Did the best I could.
So, I’ll attach it.
1/6, 6:57am
James Christopher
You’ve heard of Divine Mercy?
download
Divine Justice 12-2-10.pdf
1/6, 6:58am
Matthew Von Zarovich
yeah
1/6, 6:58am
James Christopher
This is Divine Justice.
The forgotten attribute.
So, read it, and it will become clear why I’m not smart enough to do this on my own.
1/6, 6:59am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Why did you share it with me?
1/6, 6:59am
James Christopher
Seemed right.
Especially if you are going to teach people about God.
This pretty much answers every question in 50 pages.
1/6, 7:01am
Matthew Von Zarovich
That’s good enough for me.
Then, I look forward to reading it.
1/6, 7:02am
James Christopher
If you understand it, you will understand more than what is written in all existing Catholic books combined.
1/6, 7:03am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I’ll do my best!
1/6, 7:03am
James Christopher
It’s not the amount of information that counts, but the paradigm.
If there is a mistake, then we end with an idea of God who is really not good.
This keeps everything clean.
And nobody could have figured this out.
Because it’s too simple.
1/6, 7:05am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Did she come to you and told you this?
1/6, 7:05am
James Christopher
Part of it.
The rest was through her intercession, I believe.
It wasn’t like a full apparition.
1/6, 7:06am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I see.
1/6, 7:06am
James Christopher
Just a quick thing. More of a vision.
And there were nine total.
1/6, 7:06am
Matthew Von Zarovich
is she your patron saint?
1/6, 7:06am
James Christopher
And each of them had a “deposit” of knowledge.
Yes.
So, all of the nine parts together solve the problem of evil and explain the nature of the redemption.
And it doesn’t matter how obnoxious it is to say that. It’s actually there on the page, so that
is kind of nice.
1/6, 7:08am
Matthew Von Zarovich
That’s sweet! I picked Mary.
Was it over a long time?
1/6, 7:09am
James Christopher
A few years.
And then it was nearly impossible to write.
And I’ve pretty much had something like post traumatic stress disorder ever since.
1/6, 7:10am
Matthew Von Zarovich
That sucks.
1/6, 7:10am
James Christopher
Because in order to understand the problem of evil as a problem, you have to know something about evil.
And I thought I did as a philosopher before this.
But I didn’t.
1/6, 7:11am
Matthew Von Zarovich
This makes sense.
1/6, 7:11am
James Christopher
People who see it, don’t stay well enough to write about it.
Because we’re not meant to see it.
And that’s why nobody knows.
1/6, 7:12am
Matthew Von Zarovich
See what?
1/6, 7:12am
James Christopher
We don’t even know how bad the problem is.
Of suffering.
CS Lewis wrote The Problem of Pain
Before he knew there was such a thing as pain.
When his wife died he was not impressed with his book.
And it was so hard to be in that spot that he just sort of forgot.
And slid back into his old thinking.
1/6, 7:15am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I have not read his work so I can’t really speak on that. But I know most people love the man.
1/6, 7:16am
James Christopher
He was good.
His ideas on suffering are entirely wrong, though.
1/6, 7:17am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Is suffering and evil the same thing?
1/6, 7:17am
James Christopher
Yes.
1/6, 7:17am
Matthew Von Zarovich
k
1/6, 7:17am
James Christopher
I’ll show you:
1/6, 7:18am
James Christopher
It can be said that man suffers whenever he experiences any kind of evil. In the vocabulary of the Old Testament, suffering and evil are identified with each other. In fact, that vocabulary did not have a specific word to indicate “suffering”. Thus it defined as ” evil” everything that was suffering. Only the Greek language, and together with it the New Testament (and the Greek translations of the Old Testament), use the verb * = “I am affected by …. I experience a feeling, I suffer”; and, thanks to this verb, suffering is no longer directly identifiable with (objective) evil, but expresses a situation in which man experiences evil and in doing so becomes the subject of suffering. Suffering has indeed both a subjective and a passive character (from “patior“). Even when man brings suffering on himself, when he is its cause, this suffering remains something passive in its metaphysical essence. (John Paul II)
Christianity proclaims the essential good of existence and the good of that which exists, acknowledges the goodness of the Creator and proclaims the good of creatures. Man suffers on account of evil, which is a certain lack, limitation or distortion of good. We could say that man suffers because of a good in which he does not share, from which in a certain sense he is cut off, or of which he has deprived himself. He particularly suffers when he “ought” — in the normal order of things — to have a share in this good and does not have it. (John Paul II)
1/6, 7:21am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I see. Thanks. What about peter kreeft on suffering? is that any good?
I have it just haven’t read it yet.
1/6, 7:22am
James Christopher
He is restating Lewis.
And it is heresy.
Don’t believe me.
Believe the Catechism when you can see it for yourself.
1/6, 7:24am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Good to know. Someone at my church recommended it to me. Not to long ago.
Yeah I have to read that thing. lol
1/6, 7:27am
James Christopher
Kreeft actually teaches heresy and doesn’t know it.
It’s not so much his fault.
Nearly everyone in apologetics does.
The Catechism does not.
1/6, 7:28am
Matthew Von Zarovich
In what way does he teach heresy?
Just maybe one thing.
1/6, 7:30am
James Christopher
Kreeft?
1/6, 7:30am
Matthew Von Zarovich
yeah?
1/6, 7:31am
James Christopher
Two thing at least.
He teaches that good permits evil as a means to an end.
However: “The end does not justify the means.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1759)
Now, there is mass confusion on this topic, so no blame.
And also in the Handbook of Catholic Apologetics he and his associate say “Jesus gets the justice and we get the mercy”
1/6, 7:32am
Matthew Von Zarovich
k
1/6, 7:32am
James Christopher
Dead false.
See the first Redemption article on our site.
Benedict and Cantalamessa say that that view as totally wrong and even diabolical.
1/6, 7:33am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Yeah I read it. it was good!
1/6, 7:33am
James Christopher
Again, no deliberate fault.
1/6, 7:33am
Matthew Von Zarovich
k
Last question
What does NA have in the works?
1/6, 7:35am
James Christopher
DOOOOOOOOD
That is top secret.
1/6, 7:35am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Give me the downlow
1/6, 7:35am
James Christopher
I don’t have the faintest idea.
1/6, 7:35am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Okay okay
1/6, 7:35am
James Christopher
I just do what’s in front of me.
HOWEVER
There won’t be anything but a nuclear winter.
And life will have to begin anew.
1/6, 7:37am
Matthew Von Zarovich
“nuclear winter” not funny. lol I can’t even drive on the roads right now.
1/6, 7:38am
James Christopher
I mean that nothing can be the same again.
So, here’s the plan: Articles.
Videos.
Tractatus.
Textbooks.
Podcasts.
But I have to get the money problem solved sooooooon.
1/6, 7:40am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I’ll do my part.
1/6, 7:40am
James Christopher
Because of the whole wife and kids thing.
Yeah, don’t hesitate to force people to give.
1/6, 7:40am
Matthew Von Zarovich
It’s a drag.
1/6, 7:40am
James Christopher
It will be provably honest just before the money comes.
It’s likely that I will literally be without any means whatsoever, and then suddenly God will send people.
But not in advance!
Very tricky.
Same idea, though.
I conjecture that because everything went into UberFail mode rather recently.
Almost conspiratorial.
And so, it seems that part of it involves being utterly wiped out financially.
1/6, 7:43am
Matthew Von Zarovich
That’s weird…
1/6, 7:43am
James Christopher
Yeah.
1/6, 7:43am
Matthew Von Zarovich
and sucks!!
1/6, 7:43am
James Christopher
I just figured it out this second.
It sucked worse before I had the theory.
I was a millionaire.
Oops.
GONE>
Not so bad though.
This is worth it.
1/6, 7:44am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Word.
1/6, 7:45am
James Christopher
Took years to think so.
Not sure if it is God or brain damage.
Either way, I don’t worry anymore.
Bills don’t mean so much if you don’t open them.
Hopefully, though, a better method presents itself.
1/6, 7:46am
Matthew Von Zarovich
I’ll have to remember that when they start coming in.
It will.
1/6, 7:47am
James Christopher
I believe it.
It is the same model as the other stuff.
I just can’t get the new until the old is gone.
1/6, 7:50am
Matthew Von Zarovich
Hey, man, I’ll let you go. Thanks for all the help. You and your family are in my prayers. Chat with you later. God bless!
1/6, 7:50am
James Christopher
Bye
Monday
1/6, 6:00pm
Matthew Von Zarovich
Sorry I kept you up soooo late. I just realized our conversation was 7 hours long, oops
1/6, 6:10pm
James Christopher
Yeah, that’s long
But I think it may have been fitting
1/6, 6:11pm
Matthew Von Zarovich
Yeah it was good!
