Cynical Resistors 2a - Introduction and forming good judgements

JMJ

As noted in the original cynical-resistors post, a person by the pseudonym of Gerard is finding fault with the Fatima apparitions. He has a tendency to take the shotgun approach to theology in that he takes aim at a general topic and peppers it with bb's.

Gerard's attacks on the Fatima apparition are an interesting example of what happens when one simply rejects in an off-hand manner authority. In short, Gerard has set himself up as an authority by simply rejecting elements that don't pass his smell test.

In dealing with cultural issues, the smell test can be useful as well as dangerous. The smell test is based more on the sub-conscious than the conscious mind. The sub-conscious, because of its neural access points, communicates with the conscious mind via emotions. So when something doesn't feel right and you can't pinpoint a specific rational reason, it is the sub-conscious mind that has recognized a pattern and is providing feedback to the stimuli. These 'feelings' are sometimes referred to as 'gut feel' and 'intuition'.

In emergent issues, the sub-conscious is critical to forming good judgements and to react quickly in an appropriate manner. However, in order to form these good judgements, the sub-conscious mind needs to be trained. That is the reason for intense training in boot-camps and martial arts programs. The constant repetition is training the sub-conscious mind, not to mention that some functions of your brain actually extends into your spinal column.

Case in point, in 2012 or there about, I read a statement by Pope Benedict XVI and immediately thought that it sounded modernist. I left it at that until a few weeks later, I heard Bishop Fellay make the same statement.

This statement, that I thought was modernist, by Bishop Fellay was inconsistent with my belief that he was that paragon of Catholicity.

If I was a resistor I would have thrown Bishop Fellay under the bus, stopped attending the SSPX Mass etc.

Fortunately, I am not a resistor, and recognizing that there was an inconsistency, I proceeded to lookup the statement in various reference texts. I was surprised to find that Pope Benedict XVI was quoting the Council of Trent. Therefore, in submission to authority I changed my incorrect belief and 'dissonance' was reduced.

This is a key difference between myself and 'resistors', I will actually look at the facts and if my belief is incorrect, I will align it with reality.

Lesson: The smell test is good for a first check and in emergent situations, but unless one has trained their sub-conscious in a particular area, their first emotional responses run the risk of being very very wrong. So when the 'gut-feel' is telling you something in non-emergent cases, it is always best to stop, think and research. It is telling your something, but you have to use your reason to validate the emotion.

P^3

Comments

Is it sinful to attend the Novus Ordo (New Mass) - Is it Sinful to Not Attend the Novus Ordo on Sunday?

+ JMJ A non-SSPX Catholic is upset over the SSPX statements on not attending the Novus Ordo Missae. Ladies and gentlemen, what the SSPX, or at least its website editor, is advocating is a mortal sin against the Third Commandment. Unless the priest deviates from the language of the Sacramentary, the consecration, and thus the rest of Mass is to be considered valid. No one may elect not to attend Mass simply because abuses are occurring therein. Might I suggest that such absenteeism is its own abuse? The Third Commandment binds under mortal sin. Father So-And-So from the SSPX has no authority whatsoever to excuse attendance at Mass, be that Mass ever so unpalatable. Source:Restore DC Catholicism Well, this is interesting. First why does the SSPX issue this statement? Because it is sinful to put your faith in danger by attending a protestant service. It is likewise dangerous to put your faith in danger by attending a protestantized mass (ie the Novus Ordo Missae

Regarding Post: Fr. Joseph Pfeiffer no longer ... now Bishop Joseph Pfeiffer (Can't see this being a problem...)

+ JMJ I've been watching the popularity of the post about Fr. Pfeiffer's attempted episcopal consecration and its continued top listing on the 'popular posts' list at the bottom of posts. After some thought, I decided that I don't want to be responsible for anyone joining Fr. Pfeiffer's 'group', however unlikely that would be at this time. So I have reverted the article to the draft state. If anyone wants it reinstated, I would ask that they comment on this post with a rationale for reinstatement. P^3

Morning and Evening and other sundry Prayers

+ JMJ Along the theme of P^3 (Prayer, Penance, Patience), and for my own reference ... here is a collection of Morning and Evening prayers from the Ideal Daily Missal along with some additional prayers. In this crisis of the Church, I do not think it is possible to do too much prayer, penance and have patience. P^3

The Vatican and SSPX – An Organizational Culture Perspective

Introduction The recent and continuing interactions between the Vatican and the SSPX have been a great opportunity for prayer and reflection. The basis for the disagreement is theological and not liturgical. As noted by Dr. Lamont (2012), the SSPX theological position on the four key controversial aspects of the Second Vatican Council are base on prior theological work that resulted from relevant magisterial pronouncements. So it is difficult to understand the apparent rejection of the theological position of the SSPX.

CMTV's Latest Attempt to Slag the SSPX

+ JMJ It has been a couple of months since the last significant attempt to slag the SSPX and I was beginning to wonder if the clicks were subsiding. ... then another article popped up this week. I was wondering if it would contain a new case or simply repeat old allegations and FUD and Ms. Niles did not disappoint. A technique that I learned in dealing with negotiations and conflicts is to review the correspondence with a critical eye and black out all irrelevant contents. This helps to remove all the distracting attacks, innuendos, assumptions, and FUD from view so a person can focus on the important aspects ... like the facts. How much of Ms.Niles text survived my review? About 17.5% or 347 words out of ~1983. The rest was either repeated information or opinion as opposed to fact. Just in case you are curious as to what that looks like, I have attached the blacked out document at the end of this post. Now on to a review of the words that actually bore on the case at hand ...

Tradicat

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