No subject

Thu Aug 27 00:14:25 PDT 2009

Make-Believe Bishops:

Fawning Servants of the Culture of Death

To stand on the bank of a river, say the Tigris or Euphrates, and =
witness dead bodies floating downstream one after another by the =
hundreds of thousands would seem to be motivation enough to make more =
than a few bishops head upstream and see if any of the Christians in =
their spiritual care are the ones throwing the bodies into the water. So =
why isn't it?

Children play make-believe games earnestly and intently. Their capacity =
for making up characters, and stories about them, seems limitless. When =
they are entrenched in their fantasy world, that world seems more real =
to them than anything else in existence-and often they do not want to =
leave it, regardless of the need to do so, e.g., for dinner, to sleep, =
etc. If one listens closely to what is going on in these little worlds, =
or even asks for clarification about what is going on, he or she will =
find that the children have created for themselves a logical world that =
is the match of any plot Arthur Conan Doyle ever produced. But these =
little worlds of these little people do not, in fact, exist or operate =
outside of their little minds. Ken and Barbie can be inexhaustibly =
entertaining, enchanting, and smart, and a child can spend his or her =
life entering into the never-ending intrigues, sub-plots, difficulties, =
debates, joys, and tragedies of Ken and Barbie but, as they say, "Ken =
and Barbie and $2.75 will get you a mocha latte at Starbucks!"

Playing make-believe is probably a good, even necessary thing for little =
children to do. However, Saint Paul tells Christians that with age comes =
a spiritually and morally different requirement: When I was a child, I =
used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I =
became an adult, I put childish things aside (1Cor13). No more playing =
make-believe! Admittedly, the make-believe world may be a happier and =
more peaceful place than the world that really exists. And, of course, =
my make-believe world is more under my make-believe control than is =
anything beyond my forehead. Who cannot understand the desire to have =
one's own little make-believe isle of tranquility and meaning, even if =
it requires ignoring the global ghetto of savagery and suffering in =
which one is enmeshed, and by which one is physically sustained. =
However, understanding the reasons people would choose to live in a =
make-believe world and concluding that in doing so they are choosing the =
correct way to live are distinct matters.

For example, consider the make-believe world in which the American =
Catholic bishops-as well as just about all American Orthodox bishops and =
Protestant bishops-choose to live in relationship to the daily mass =
murder, maiming, and mutilation of human beings in Iraq, Afghanistan, =
and Pakistan being done by members of their Churches. No person in his =
or her right mind could reasonably hold that the misery which American =
Christians have been pouring down on the people of these countries for =
the better part of a decade can-in any way-be logically, theologically, =
morally or spiritually justified by the teachings of Jesus. Only the =
delusional would make such a claim-and it would take little effort to =
demonstrate to the world that their claim is ludicrous.

But American Catholic bishops-as well as their American Orthodox and =
Protestant colleagues in the purple-neither teach nor follow Jesus, when =
it comes to the matters of enmity and killing people. They have instead =
erected a moral standard parallel to, and treated as equal to, if not =
superior to, the standard set forth by Jesus in relationship to these =
phenomena. It is called the Catholic or Christian Unjust/Just War Theory =
(CU/JWT). It owes nothing to anything that Jesus ever said or did. Its =
value to American bishops of every stripe is that it supposedly provides =
moral permission to them and their people to do-in the name of =
Jesus-what Jesus explicitly rejects in no uncertain terms. But, CU/JWT =
is the moral standard that almost every bishop says he or she applies to =
determine whether to declare a war-that his or her state is undertaking =
or in which his or her state is engaged-justified homicide or murder, =
that is, to determine whether he or she can morally permit members of =
his or her Church to participate.*

[* For a thorough presentation on this point see, Christian Just War =
Theory: The Logic of Deceit, at centerforchristiannonviolence.org]

Here is where we return to the Ken and Barbie make-believe world of =
American Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant bishops. Just about all =
American bishops are sending their people off with a passive or overt =
episcopal blessing, to kill, maim, and mutilate human beings 7,000 miles =
away, without ever having publicly morally justified this ongoing =
exercise in human carnage to which they are dispatching those in their =
spiritual care. They have never explained to their Churches' membership =
how this slaughter of people by members of their Churches could possibly =
be morally permissible in terms of adherence to CU/JWT, let alone =
according to the standards of the Nonviolent Jesus Christ of the =
Gospels. Instead, like children playing =
episcopal-Ken-and-Barbie-make-believe, they make believe, they pretend =
that the standards of CU/JWT have been and are being met. Under the =
guise of this pretence they communicate to young Christian men and =
women-overtly, or covertly by their silence-that it is in conformity =
with God's will and Jesus to go and kill, maim, and mutilate the people =
of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan and be killed, maimed, and mutilated =
by these same people.

Would not these Churches, and especially the young people in such =
Churches, be far better off-morally, spiritually, even physically-if =
they had never come under the influence of these head-in-the-sand =
episcopoi? When children play make-believe, the consequences of their =
make-believe are painless for them and for their make-believe =
characters. Ken or Barbie can kill 10 or 10,000 make-believe people, and =
those make-believe murders are nothing more than a painless, evanescent =
thought. When bishops play make-believe and consent to permit those in =
their spiritual care, those who rely on them to tell them the Gospel =
Truth about moral matters-to kill 10 or 10,000 people, the consequences =
are anything but make-believe. Volcanoes of human agony erupt into the =
human situation as a direct result.

Do bishops playing make-believe just war in their own little worlds, =
feel the tidal waves of real pain, which they have collaborated in =
bringing about in the human situation? Do they feel any more empathy for =
their victims, who relied on them to tell them the Gospel Truth, than =
the child playing Ken or Barbie feels for the lost of make-believe =
characters in his or her make-believe world? Hardly!

But for the young misled Christian men and women-whose faces have been =
torn off in bomb blasts, whose limbs have been left behind on some dirt =
road, whose minds have been rendered perpetual torture chambers-the =
life-long sorrow, grief, heartbreak, unhappiness, desolation, misery, =
wretchedness, despair, torment, into which these episcopal-pied-piper =
for the ruling elites have led them, is all too real. Because they =
trusted their bishops to direct them into the way of Christ and out of =
the way of Satan, they now endure an agonia that is infinitely beyond =
anything known by their Excellencies in their make-believe worlds of =
make-believe just wars.

What kind of human beings are these present American episcopal office =
holders? Of what ilk of Christian are they? Is there no end to the =
amount of murder and mutilation they are willing to countenance and =
collaborate with, for their own prestige and for their institution's =
earthly well-being? What level of human misery must be inflicted on =
others in the real world before they stop playing Bishop Mizaru, Bishop =
Kikazaru, and Bishop Iwazaru, where the United States Government and its =
murderous-by CU/JWT standards-military operations are concerned? What =
quality of pastoral authority can such people-or those cut from their =
mold-ever possess for anybody? If a bishop is so ensconced in his =
make-believe world that he cannot see mass murder when it is taking =
place before his very eyes, then what is it that he has the capacity to =
see morally?

Emmanuel Charles McCarthy

Afterword: The traditional game plan for all the Churches and their =
bishops-Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant-is to ride-out their =
collaboration with the murderous powers-that-be of the day, by funneling =
as many Christian young men and women as they can into their particular =
state's military murder operations, without the slightest concern for =
the nonviolent teaching of the Nonviolent Jesus, nor even for their own =
moral edifice, CU/JWT. Such Churches and bishops then live in hope that =
their side wins the killing contest. If it does, then the bishops and =
their Churches can rely on the victors writing the phony history that =
will glorify themselves and those who supported their human slaughter of =
others. If for some reason this approach fails, then-50 or 100 or 500 =
years later, long after tens of thousands or millions of people have =
been killed, maimed and mutilated with Church collaboration, some =
prestigious prelate or prelates will go before the media and apologize =
for all the hurt the Church may have caused in the past. (A lot of good =
that does the murdered, maimed and mutilated and those who loved them.) =
They will then almost immediately modify their repentant apology by =
saying "But those times, of course, were different times; so we should =
not judge the Church too severely by using present moral standards to =
judge the past. And besides, it is understandable that some of the =
Church's personnel, who are only human, might fail now and then."

And, finally, will come the well choreographed, grandiose PR episcopal =
promise: This will never happen again. Never again!" But the promise =
will be followed by no significant theological, structural or personnel =
changes that would ensure that, in fact, Christian murder on behalf of =
the state with episcopal approval "will never happen again." On the =
contrary, men and women who wholeheartedly supported the previous =
murderous collaborations between the Church and the state-and the =
structures, administrative policies, theologies and modus operandi that =
made them possible- will continue to be named to high office and key =
positions in the Church. This will be a sign given by the big-time =
ecclesiastical players to the big time secular power-players that

We're still with you. What we are saying here is simply a PR move-a =
make-believe metanoia-performance that we have to occasionally undertake =
to keep the rubes in line and to buff up our spiritual street creds. =
Just look at our track record and be at peace! Don't worry, we won't let =
you down. Fear not, the state will have Jesus and our calculated =
obfuscations for its next war, if we have anything to say about it.

Very sorrowful-and treacherous.

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<DIV>From Fr. Charles =
McCarthy.&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
rmw</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>

Make-Believe Bishops:
Fawning Servants of the Culture of Death

To stand on the bank of a river, say the Tigris or Euphrates, and =
witness=20
dead bodies floating downstream one after another by the hundreds of =
thousands=20
would seem to be motivation enough to make more than a few bishops head =
upstream=20
and see if any of the Christians in their spiritual care are the ones =
throwing=20
the bodies into the water. So why isn=92t it?
Children play make-believe games earnestly and intently. Their =
capacity for=20
making up characters, and stories about them, seems limitless. When they =
are=20
entrenched in their fantasy world, that world seems more real to them =
than=20
anything else in existence=97and often they do not want to leave it, =
regardless of=20
the need to do so, e.g., for dinner, to sleep, etc. If one listens =
closely to=20
what is going on in these little worlds, or even asks for clarification =
about=20
what is going on, he or she will find that the children have created for =

themselves a logical world that is the match of any plot Arthur Conan =
Doyle ever=20
produced. But these little worlds of these little people do not, in =
fact, exist=20
or operate outside of their little minds. Ken and Barbie can be =
inexhaustibly=20
entertaining, enchanting, and smart, and a child can spend his or her =
life=20
entering into the never-ending intrigues, sub-plots, difficulties, =
debates,=20
joys, and tragedies of Ken and Barbie but, as they say, "Ken and Barbie =
and=20
$2.75 will get you a mocha latte at Starbucks!"
Playing make-believe is probably a good, even necessary thing for =
little=20
children to do. However, Saint Paul tells Christians that with age comes =
a=20
spiritually and morally different requirement: When I was a child, I =
used to=20
talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became an =
adult, I=20
put childish things aside (1Cor13). No more playing =
make-believe!=20
Admittedly, the make-believe world may be a happier and more peaceful =
place than=20
the world that really exists. And, of course, my make-believe world is =
more=20
under my make-believe control than is anything beyond my forehead. Who =
cannot=20
understand the desire to have one=92s own little make-believe isle of =
tranquility=20
and meaning, even if it requires ignoring the global ghetto of savagery =
and=20
suffering in which one is enmeshed, and by which one is physically =
sustained.=20
However, understanding the reasons people would choose to live in a =
make-believe=20
world and concluding that in doing so they are choosing the correct way =
to live=20
are distinct matters.
For example, consider the make-believe world in which the American =
Catholic=20
bishops=97as well as just about all American Orthodox bishops and =
Protestant=20
bishops=97choose to live in relationship to the daily mass murder, =
maiming, and=20
mutilation of human beings in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan being done =
by=20
members of their Churches. No person in his or her right mind could =
reasonably=20
hold that the misery which American Christians have been pouring down on =
the=20
people of these countries for the better part of a decade can=97in any =
way=97be=20
logically, theologically, morally or spiritually justified by the =
teachings of=20
Jesus. Only the delusional would make such a claim=97and it would take =
little=20
effort to demonstrate to the world that their claim is ludicrous.
But American Catholic bishops=97as well as their American Orthodox =
and=20
Protestant colleagues in the purple=97neither teach nor follow Jesus, =
when it=20
comes to the matters of enmity and killing people. They have instead =
erected a=20
moral standard parallel to, and treated as equal to, if not superior to, =
the=20
standard set forth by Jesus in relationship to these phenomena. It is =
called the=20
Catholic or Christian Unjust/Just War Theory (CU/JWT). It owes nothing =
to=20
anything that Jesus ever said or did. Its value to American bishops of =
every=20
stripe is that it supposedly provides moral permission to them and their =
people=20
to do=97in the name of Jesus=97what Jesus explicitly rejects in no =
uncertain terms.=20
But, CU/JWT is the moral standard that almost every bishop says he or =
she=20
applies to determine whether to declare a war=97that his or her state is =

undertaking or in which his or her state is engaged=97justified homicide =
or=20
murder, that is, to determine whether he or she can morally permit =
members of=20
his or her Church to participate.*
[* For a thorough presentation on this point see, =
Christian Just=20
War Theory: The Logic of Deceit, at=20
centerforchristiannonviolence.org]
Here is where we return to the Ken and Barbie make-believe world of =
American=20
Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant bishops. Just about all American =
bishops are=20
sending their people off with a passive or overt episcopal blessing, to =
kill,=20
maim, and mutilate human beings 7,000 miles away, without ever having =
publicly=20
morally justified this ongoing exercise in human carnage to which they =
are=20
dispatching those in their spiritual care. They have never explained to =
their=20
Churches=92 membership how this slaughter of people by members of their =
Churches=20
could possibly be morally permissible in terms of adherence to CU/JWT, =
let alone=20
according to the standards of the Nonviolent Jesus Christ of the =
Gospels.=20
Instead, like children playing episcopal-Ken-and-Barbie-make-believe, =
they make=20
believe, they pretend that the standards of CU/JWT have been and are =
being met.=20
Under the guise of this pretence they communicate to young Christian men =
and=20
women=97overtly, or covertly by their silence=97that it is in conformity =
with God=92s=20
will and Jesus to go and kill, maim, and mutilate the people of Iraq,=20
Afghanistan, and Pakistan and be killed, maimed, and mutilated by these =
same=20
people.
Would not these Churches, and especially the young people in such =
Churches,=20
be far better off=97morally, spiritually, even physically=97if they had =
never come=20
under the influence of these head-in-the-sand episcopoi? When =
children=20
play make-believe, the consequences of their make-believe are painless =
for them=20
and for their make-believe characters. Ken or Barbie can kill 10 or =
10,000=20
make-believe people, and those make-believe murders are nothing more =
than a=20
painless, evanescent thought. When bishops play make-believe and consent =
to=20
permit those in their spiritual care, those who rely on them to tell =
them the=20
Gospel Truth about moral matters=97to kill 10 or 10,000 people, the =
consequences=20
are anything but make-believe. Volcanoes of human agony erupt into the =
human=20
situation as a direct result.
Do bishops playing make-believe just war in their own little worlds, =
feel the=20
tidal waves of real pain, which they have collaborated in bringing about =
in the=20
human situation? Do they feel any more empathy for their victims, who =
relied on=20
them to tell them the Gospel Truth, than the child playing Ken or Barbie =
feels=20
for the lost of make-believe characters in his or her make-believe =
world?=20
Hardly!
But for the young misled Christian men and women=97whose faces have =
been torn=20
off in bomb blasts, whose limbs have been left behind on some dirt road, =
whose=20
minds have been rendered perpetual torture chambers=97the =
life-long<FONT=20
face=3D"Baskerville,Inkpen2 Metronome" size=3D5><FONT=20
face=3D"Baskerville,Inkpen2 Metronome" size=3D5> =
sorrow, grief,=20
heartbreak, unhappiness, desolation, misery, wretchedness, despair, =
torment,=20
into which these episcopal-pied-piper for the ruling elites have led =
them, is=20
all too real. Because they trusted their bishops to direct them into the =
way of=20
Christ and out of the way of Satan, they now endure an agonia =
that is=20
infinitely beyond anything known by their Excellencies in their =
make-believe=20
worlds of make-believe just wars.
What kind of human beings are these present American episcopal office =

holders? Of what ilk of Christian are they? Is there no end to the =
amount of=20
murder and mutilation they are willing to countenance and collaborate =
with, for=20
their own prestige and for their institution=92s earthly well-being? =
What level of=20
human misery must be inflicted on others in the real world before they =
stop=20
playing Bishop Mizaru, Bishop Kikazaru, and Bishop Iwazaru, where the =
United=20
States Government and its murderous=97by CU/JWT standards=97military =
operations are=20
concerned? What quality of pastoral authority can such people=97or those =
cut from=20
their mold=97ever possess for anybody? If a bishop is so ensconced in =
his=20
make-believe world that he cannot see mass murder when it is taking =
place before=20
his very eyes, then what is it that he has the capacity to see =
morally?
&nbsp;
Emmanuel Charles McCarthy
Afterword: The traditional game plan for all the Churches and =
their=20
bishops=97Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant=97is to ride-out their =
collaboration=20
with the murderous powers-that-be of the day, by funneling as many =
Christian=20
young men and women as they can into their particular state=92s military =
murder=20
operations, without the slightest concern for the nonviolent teaching of =
the=20
Nonviolent Jesus, nor even for their own moral edifice, CU/JWT. Such =
Churches=20
and bishops then live in hope that their side wins the killing contest. =
If it=20
does, then the bishops and their Churches can rely on the victors =
writing the=20
phony history that will glorify themselves and those who supported their =
human=20
slaughter of others. If for some reason this approach fails, then=9750 =
or 100 or=20
500 years later, long after tens of thousands or millions of people have =
been=20
killed, maimed and mutilated with Church collaboration, some prestigious =
prelate=20
or prelates will go before the media and apologize for all the hurt the =
Church=20
may have caused in the past. (A lot of good that does the murdered, =
maimed and=20
mutilated and those who loved them.) They will then almost =
immediately=20
modify their repentant apology by saying "But those times, of course, =
were=20
different times; so we should not judge the Church too severely by using =
present=20
moral standards to judge the past. And besides, it is understandable =
that some=20
of the Church=92s personnel, who are only human, might fail now and =
then."
And, finally, will come the well choreographed, grandiose PR =
episcopal=20
promise: This will never happen again. Never again!" But the =
promise will=20
be followed by no significant theological, structural or personnel =
changes that=20
would ensure that, in fact, Christian murder on behalf of the state with =

episcopal approval "will never happen again." On the contrary, men and =
women who=20
wholeheartedly supported the previous murderous collaborations between =
the=20
Church and the state=97and the structures, administrative policies, =
theologies and=20
modus operandi that made them possible=97 will continue to be =
named to high=20
office and key positions in the Church. This will be a sign given by the =

big-time ecclesiastical players to the big time secular power-players=20
that
We=92re still with you. What we are saying here is simply a PR =
move=97a=20
make-believe metanoia-performance that we have to occasionally =
undertake=20
to keep the rubes in line and to buff up our spiritual street creds. =
Just look=20
at our track record and be at peace! Don=92t worry, we won=92t let you =
down. Fear=20
not, the state will have Jesus and our calculated obfuscations for its =
next war,=20
if we have anything to say about it.
Very sorrowful=97and treacherous.</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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