Word substitution at the service of moral clarification

Word substitution at the service of moral clarification

November 1, 2022 Father Jerry J. Pokorsky

https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2022/11/01/word-substitution-at-the-service-of-moral-clarification/

The culture has “evolved” (read: degraded) to accept as normal much behavior overtly violating the Ten Commandments. But authentic Church teaching, rooted in the Gospel and all of Scripture, is usually out of step with the culture. It certainly is today, in numerous ways.

Nevertheless, prominent Catholic churchmen at the highest levels willfully blur the distinction between sinful inclinations and sinful behavior in attempts to ingratiate themselves with the latest aggrieved perceived minority.

The “Word Substitute Game” helps us identify the moral absurdities of their positions.

There are limits to behavioral absurdities. For example, most of the culture views alcoholism as a problem in need of treatment; saying that alcoholism is a good thing would be quickly and rightly denounced by nearly everyone. Most don’t disdain alcoholics, but hope for their recovery and pass laws that protect us from drunken driving on the roads. Many alcoholics, sober and after a good Confession, are Catholics in good standing. (A good confessor wisely considers the pathological physical and psychological factors that modern studies reveal.)

But as the culture becomes detached from Christianity, certain behavioral abnormalities become acceptable. Unlike alcoholism, homosexuality has taken on metaphysical characteristics. To disapprove of the behavior is viewed by most as disapproval of the person. The culture – and, again, many senior Catholic churchmen – do not distinguish between same-sex sinful inclination and acting out. As cultural and ecclesial propagandists, their refusal to separate the sin from the sinner allows them to disparage authentic Church teaching as failing to honor the modern moral precepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The “Word Substitute Game” rules are simple: Identify a news article with a mass cultural appeal that violates traditional Catholic teaching by intrinsically evil behavior. Substitute the word(s) with a word disdained by society – at least for the moment. There should be moral equivalence, of course. We must substitute an intrinsically evil act for another evil act widely accepted by society to highlight the absurdities.

Consider this news item: “Cardinal Hollerich: Church blessings for same-sex unions not a settled matter“.

Begin the “Word Substitute Game” substituting “POLYAMOROUS UNIONS” and “POLYAMOROUS ATTRACTIONS” for variations of “same sex-unions”:

In an interview with Vatican media, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, S.J., said he believes Church blessings for POLYAMOROUS UNIONS, which the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has ruled against, is not a settled matter. The cardinal’s answer came in response to an interview question about the decision last month by Belgium’s Catholic bishops to support the possibility of blessings for unions of POLYAMOROUS people — in defiance of the Vatican.

“I would be more interested in discussing other aspects of the problem,” he continued. “For example: what is the conspicuous growth of POLYAMOROUS ATTRACTIONS in society driven by? Or why is the percentage of POLYAMOROUS GROUPS in ecclesial institutions higher than in civil society?”

“Then, so many of our brothers and sisters tell us that, whatever the origin and cause of their sexual orientation, they certainly did not choose it. They are not ‘bad apples.’ They are also fruits of creation.”

“[What] I constantly see is that young people stop considering the Gospel, if they have the impression that we are discriminating,” he said, recalling a recent encounter with a woman in her 20s who said she wanted to leave the Church because it does not welcome POLYAMOROUS PREDELICTATIONS.

“I asked her ‘do you feel discriminated against because you have a POLYAMOROUS INCLINATION?’ and she said ‘No, no! I am not POLYAMOROUS, but my closest friend is. I know her suffering, and I don’t intend to be part of those who judge her.’ That made me think a lot,” Hollerich said.

“Everyone is called. No one is excluded: even the divorced and remarried, even POLYAMOROUS ADVOCATES, everyone. The kingdom of God is not an exclusive club. It opens its doors to everyone, without discrimination,” the cardinal said.

“Sometimes in the Church the accessibility of these groups to the kingdom of God is discussed. And this creates the perception of exclusion in a part of the people of God. They feel excluded and this is not just! Here it is not a question of theological subtleties or ethical dissertations: here it is simply a matter of affirming that the message of Christ is for everyone!”

THE END, at least until the culture realizes that POLYAMOROUS ADVOCATES are also prophets of diversity, equity, and inclusion. A search for “acceptance of polyamory” indicates that this particular “Word Substitute Game” could run its course very quickly. In which case, PEDOPHILIA might well be the next word up.