AmericanPapist Comments
Meh, he strikes me as a brat-- plain and simple. From trying to gatecrash a movie he'd announced he'd try to disrupt, to disrupting a press conference, to immature name-calling... he has all the traits of a spoiled brat.
Principalities and Powers.
Principalities and Powers.
St. Michael, pray for us.
Well, the Muslims chop your head off for disrespecting them. Why not a big, fat, protest by the students of that school? After all, this guy believes in free speech, right?
Actually, it's still up:
http://scienceblogs.com/
pharyngu...ned_cracker.php
my apologies for the profanity.
Anybody know the back story on this guy?
I can understand if a non-Catholic would lack any comprehension of our belief in the real presence, but wouldn't most non-believers either be respectful or at least keep a polite silence with regard to the subject?
This fellow has a deep seated pathological hatred for the Catholic Church; perhaps there is something in his background that would explain the origin of this hatred.
Seems like a very troubled person, in need (as are we all) of prayers and forgiveness.
I don't know which is worse.....the "professor's" post or the disgusting comments from people responding to it???!!
If you venture over to the blog post, don't read the comments. They're simply horrifying.
I have written to Professor Myers. I doubt it will do much good, but I pray it may.
Brassband-- he's just an evangelical atheist. If you don't agree, you're stupid and worthless.
OK, so if it is "just" a cracker for Mr Meyers, then WHY is he making making such a fuss about it? My guess ... he actually does know that it is NOT just a cracker. His conscience tells him. However, he must have some deep seeded resentment issues and has chosen to profane the Most Holy. But let's have hope, that like Paul, he will hear the voice of God that will tell him "it is Me you are persecuting..."
Foxfier --
Well stated.
These radical anti-theists (I refuse to call a guy like this an "atheist" because it implies neutrality) tell us that they don't believe in God.
Really?
They have a god alright, but their god is only as far away as the nearest mirror . . .
The communion in the hand experiment has failed.
"What, exactly, possesses someone with the desire to trample upon the beliefs of others in this callous manner?"
That's easy. Satan.
PS: Mick. Gimme a break. You don't think Hosts were stolen by people who received on the tongue? How do you think Hosts were obtained for profanation for a thousand years prior to VC2?
Perhaps we should get a picture of his mother and publically deface it with urine and feces, not as retaliation but to perhaps drive home a point to that idiot professor. See how he likes being abused! I am sure he would be delighted to see it on youtube.com. God help us all.
I too read the comments section. Such stupidity running rampant says a lot about the general level of American education. Are we raising up a nation of morons?
Hieromonk Gregory -
We won't, because we're better than that, and the very concept would be lost on him I fear....
I'm not even going to read the comments. I read the youtube comments. Any more and I'll need high levels of alcohol to cleanse the brain.
It's too simple to say he's inspired by Satan and/or to speculate that must have had a bad experience with Catholics in the past.
The Hitler analogy on internet forums is a cliche, but in this case it fits. The reason he and many other people hate the Church so much is that they see it as the moral equivalent of Nazism. That, I think, explains why he both (a) doesn't believe in the real presence and (b) wants to desecrate a host. If we are puzzled by such behavior by people who ostentatiously claim to be tolerant and open-minded, we should ask ourselves how we would feel if someone were offending Nazi sensibilities. It is easy for us to forget that not everyone sees Catholicism in as positive a light as we see it.
I am not suggesting that it is right to equate Catholicism and Nazism. I am saying that we cannot understand anti-Catholic sentiment, and cannot hope to ameliorate it, unless we recognize that that is how many people see us.
Yes, people see authority, any authority, as fascism (or least fascism waiting to break out any minute. "Theocracy! Booga-booga!"). I don't see how "understanding" anti-Catholicism changes the rules of civilized behavior or our marching orders as Christians.
What, exactly, possesses someone with the desire to trample upon the beliefs of others in this callous manner?
The word "possesses" is key here - I think any direct attack on the Eucharist as demonic influences behind it.
I don't think, however, that this is a "simplistic" answer. We would like to explain everything via psychology and upbringing and experiences and what not - and surely the Evil One uses these to help his cause - but ultimately, we are fighting against demonic powers who would like nothing better than to desecrate the Holy and to bind the people who do it even more tightly to their power.
I agree that Satan is behind it. And maybe it makes us feel good to repeat that over and over. But if we want to win over anti-Catholics rather than simply dismiss them, we have to give this a little more thought.
I am suggesting we consider the efficient cause of anti-Catholicism: _How_ does Satan turn hearts against the truth? Once we understand that, then we can consider _how_ to turn them back.
I always get sociopathy and psychopathy mixed up. Which is the one that seems to function normally but really believes that the universe revolves around him, and specifically believes that other people do not have an interior life like his own?
These are good points. My only point is that folsk today are very quick to look at upbringing, bad expereinces, poor education, etc, as explaining outrageously hateful behavoir. I'm just saying, sometimes the Devil puts people up to it, too.
I'm glad my parish has ushers who watch as each person approaches for the Eucharist, to make sure each one consumes the Host.
This is awful.
Ed, I agree, the Devil's a liar and was one from the beginning. Problem is people don't believe in the Devil anymore. It's really ashame. As Padre Pio told his confessor, "You will when you get there (hell)."
Pray much for sinners. Don't judge them, God Himself will be their judge. Spread the Gospel and when necessary use words.
I agree with Anon. Let's pray for this guy as many are now praying for Dr. Henry Morgentaler, that he will come home to the Catholic Church and will soon be celebrating in the very Eucharist he seeks to desecrate!
Pax Christi!
This reminds me of a Father Brown story.
David L, I don't think anyone here doubts the appropriatenss of praying for this fellow. But I don't see how that's inconsistent with calling him out for what he obviously is: a hate-monger. Gee, I wish he weren't one, but he is.
He, like so many others, mocks what he does not understand. Atheism is an empty belief, not only by definition, but in the core of the "believer." To feel so lost, so abandoned, so alone that one attacks, mocks and humiliates those who have the presence of something magnificent in their lives is truly sad. It is the great victory of Satan - to destroy one of these little ones.
It is my sincere hope that this man, and those who support him, merely have scales over their eyes. It is my hope that they mock what they don't understand. It is my deepest fear that they do understand, and yet persist.
"If you were blind, you would be without sin, but because you say, 'We see,' your sin remains."
+JMJ+
It's instances like these that make me want to bring back vergers. Even if people didn't believe that was the Son of God in procession in the monstrance, they sure knew better than to try to pull any funny business. I think there's something to be said for people having a holy fear of Christ's followers. I get that we're supposed to be pacifistic when it comes to our own pride, but this is my Lord we're talking about. I stand up for Him.
I skimmed though the comments (which are, indeed, horrid) and something stuck out to me. One of the bloggers, "Wowblogger" suggested putting a consecrated Host with wafers, then having us figure out which one was the Body of Christ. (In that situation, I daresay it would be a fairly easy task.) One of the other bloggers commented "good idea but you better have a special mark on it or they will claim they have found the right one by divine insiration." Yes, he really did misspell inspiration, but that's not the point... "When you point out it was not the blessed one, they would probably claim that Jesus transfered himself from one to the other." Something about this reminds me of the pharisees and Jesus' tomb...
Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!
"David L, I don't think anyone here doubts the appropriatenss of praying for this fellow. But I don't see how that's inconsistent with calling him out for what he obviously is: a hate-monger. Gee, I wish he weren't one, but he is."
Of course he is. He hates us because we don't approve of killing children and of same sex unions. Will we as Catholics in the future be treated the way the Jews were prior to WWII? Don't think it can't happen. I think it's going to take another incident like the shoah to wake us up. If that's what it's going to take, then that's what it's going to take.
Our God won't be mocked and ignored. Our society is going in a downward spiral very quickly. And if we don't see a rapid change in behavior God will send an anathema upon our western society. Wake up America.
i don't see why this cannot be considered a hate crime to desecrate the eucharist. first it is clearly a crime as someone would have to steal it in the first place. if this professor were to follow through with actions someone should seek criminal charges.
I think "hate crimes" are bad law, but trampling a Host seems, as a matter of civil law, little different from trampling Torah or the Star of David in Jewish neighborhood. And I doubt Meyers would try either such stunt.
I think "hate crimes" are bad law
Agreed. It's been said to death, but hate crimes laws generally are either going after people for "pre-crimes" as Ezra Levant describes his run-in with the HRC, or punishing people for their thoughts instead of their acts. But no one has seriously tried to do anything to force Meyers into something for saying he is going to desecrate the Eucharist. (Plenty of calling for his disciplining or ouster by the administration, but that's not force, it's persuasion).
Sadly, the theft of the Sacred Eucharist from the Cathedral in Corpus Christi, Texas has been confirmed:
http://www.caller.com/news/2008/...ral-tabernacle/
University of Minnesota President Robert Bruinink's email address is upres@umn.edu. Myers, as well as his supporters in the atheist community, are soliciting letters in support of Myers at this email address.
While we are rightly angered and wish in every way to prevent the desecration, we know our almighty Lord is not harmed. The harm is to the souls of those who commit and consent to the sacrilege. But, Christ would forgive them even this if they would only repent.
That said, the silver lining in all this is that it is another proof of the Truth of Catholicism. These Satan inspired actions are directed out of hate for Christ and what His Church teaches. Satan can't help but have his inspired minions fulfill Christ's prophecy, "If the world hates you, know it hated me first."
This world is not our true home. If we truly serve Christ we should not expect to be too comfortable in it.
I read all those horrible comments in the prof's blog, and did find a gem--a reader asking why, if a tomb with a stone rolled in front of it couldn't confine Jesus, are people so freaked out about a ziploc bag? I am very taken lately with thoughts about the Eucharist. How is it that the most valuable thing in our churches, priceless beyond the value of all the art in the Vatican, is handed out to anyone in line, as long as they have the appropriate posture and response (and sometimes even if they don't)? How is it that ordinary me has the breathtaking privilege of carrying the Body of my Lord across town on my bike to share with a friend in the hospital every day? How is it that it sure seems like I am consuming the Eucharist, but a big chunk of the reality is that He is consuming me? The extravagance of God with His own Person is overwhelming. And while I am absolutely appalled about the current desecration, I also remember that this is the same Body of Christ which was scourged and crucified for Love of me! and you! and a whole bunch of people who would spit in His face.
I would never downplay the horror of what has happened. I'm just becoming more aware that God has never been particularly neat and tidy about self-sacrificial love.
Commenting by HaloScan
