Catholic Info
Traditional Catholic Faith => The Catholic Bunker => Topic started by: Croix de Fer on March 17, 2015, 01:57:21 AM
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*edit: I meant "Anecdote" in the title (it's very late, need some sleep)
Brother Nathanael (March 16, 2015):
No sooner did I arrive at the median strip at 45th and Broadway in Times Square, holding high the Holy Cross of Christ, than a young man in his 20s runs up to me thanking me for my “awesome” Videos.
There must have been some kind of “Jєωelry” event in Times Sq since a lot of “diamond district” Hasidic Jєωs were out in full force.
As soon as most of them saw me out of the corner of their eyes they changed direction rather than be confronted with the Cross of Christ.
Two of them did move toward me. I made the sign of the Cross over them and after cringing they started “running for their lives.”
Ha, ha ha! “Gotcha!” I yelled out.
Then a plain dressed Jєω purposely walked toward me and said, “I’m Jєωιѕн,” in a proud self-satisfied voice.
“You stupid ass,” I replied, “the Messiah already came, the Lord Jesus Christ, and you missed Him.”
All in all it, it was a great outing!
Day 2 Report Coming Soon!
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When you consider that we are not substantially changed after we die -- and we're going to be confronted after death with much more than just an image of a crucifix...
It really sheds some light on things.
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It really sheds some light on things.
Sadly, what the anecdote sheds most light on is Brother Nathanael's preference for vulgarity and patently insulting conduct in a situation where such behavior reduces to a nullity any chance of fruitfully communicating the facts of Christ's Incarnation, Redemption, and teachings to someone who has been blind to them.
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Sadly, what the anecdote sheds most light on is Brother Nathanael's preference for vulgarity and patently insulting conduct...
I noticed that as well. He seems to be frustrated and/or looking down on these particular non-Catholics. He seems self-satisfied with his own station, and has a bit too much pride mixed in with his zeal.
Nevertheless, anyone who reacts this viscerally to the Cross of Christ -- it supports what the Saints have taught us, that the condemned soul throws ITSELF into Hell when it sees everything clearly.
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It really sheds some light on things.
Sadly, what the anecdote sheds most light on is Brother Nathanael's preference for vulgarity and patently insulting conduct in a situation where such behavior reduces to a nullity any chance of fruitfully communicating the facts of Christ's Incarnation, Redemption, and teachings to someone who has been blind to them.
Not true when confronting Jєωs with the Truth of Christ. An unconventional approach is needed to proselytize them due to their disposition. Any other way doesn't put the slightest dent into their hardened hearts. When they see and hear Brother Nathanael being an archer of Christ's Truth at them, then they might look into why this "crazy" man, who was once one of them (a Jєω), turned to Christ and was Baptized into Him. While they curiously and academically look into Christ, maybe His Divine graces will lead to their conversions, if they accept what He offers them.
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Nevertheless, anyone who reacts this viscerally to the Cross of Christ--it supports what the Saints have taught us, that the condemned soul throws ITSELF into Hell when it sees everything clearly.
No quarrel from this quarter, certainly. No one has compelled the overwhelming mass of the Jєωs to harden their hearts. They do it consciously, even proudly. Yes, many seem openly proud of their hatred of the Cross and of those who follow it.
ascent: I saw your last comment only after writing mine to Matthew. I just can't agree with your major premise. No heart or mind, not even a Jєω's, is going to be won over with a contemptuous shout of "you stupid ass!"
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Not true when confronting Jєωs with the Truth of Christ. An unconventional approach is needed to proselytize them due to their disposition. Any other way doesn't put the slightest dent into their hardened hearts. When they see and hear Brother Nathanael being an archer of Christ's Truth at them, then they might look into why this "crazy" man, who was once one of them (a Jєω), turned to Christ and was Baptized into Him. While they curiously and academically look into Christ, maybe His Divine graces will lead to their conversions, if they accept what He offers them.
Do you really think that St. Vincent Ferrer, who succeeded in converting more Jєωs than anyone since apostolic times, would applaud Nathanael's behavior—or your support for it? I don't.
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I just can't agree with your major premise. No heart or mind, not even a Jєω's, is going to be won over with a contemptuous shout of "you stupid ass!"
Only Christ's grace can win over a Jєω or any other non-believer, but Bro Nat's unconventional style and no mincing of words directed at Jєωs is sometimes necessary to knock the veil from their hearts, even if it's only momentary, so they can at least see to what he is testifying. Bro Nat "speaks the language" of the Jєω. He knows how they think and what is needed to make them lower their stubbornness and at least slightly consider what is being said to them.
What's so wrong about calling a Jєω a "stupid ass"? They are stupid asses. It's not vulgar, nor is it a sin to call them by such name. An "ass" is simply a stubbornly ignorant donkey. Our Lord called the Jєωs "vipers".
Do you really think that St. Vincent Ferrer, who succeeded in converting more Jєωs than anyone since apostolic times, would applaud Nathanael's behavior—or your support for it? I don't.
St. Nicholas of Myra punched heretic Arius in the face at the Council of Nicaea. Pope St. Pius X punched a modernist heretic, too, did he not? Some behavior is necessary, depending on the circuмstances and the person(s) to whom it's directed, in order to help set them straight or, at least, briefly snap them out of their detrimentally clouded mindset.
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When Christians including Catholic priests go to the Holy Land for a visit the Jєωs and rabbis spit on them.
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Here in America they spit on us via tv, music and politics.
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Sadly, what the anecdote sheds most light on is Brother Nathanael's preference for vulgarity and patently insulting conduct...
I noticed that as well. He seems to be frustrated and/or looking down on these particular non-Catholics. He seems self-satisfied with his own station, and has a bit too much pride mixed in with his zeal.
I'm not sure I read it that way. He seems to know how these people think and that they are HARDENED against Our Lord ... as per what you write just below:
Nevertheless, anyone who reacts this viscerally to the Cross of Christ -- it supports what the Saints have taught us, that the condemned soul throws ITSELF into Hell when it sees everything clearly.
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I just can't agree with your major premise. No heart or mind, not even a Jєω's, is going to be won over with a contemptuous shout of "you stupid ass!"
Only Christ's grace can win over a Jєω or any other non-believer, but Bro Nat's unconventional style and no mincing of words directed at Jєωs is sometimes necessary to knock the veil from their hearts, even if it's only momentary, so they can at least see to what he is testifying. Bro Nat "speaks the language" of the Jєω. He knows how they think and what is needed to make them lower their stubbornness and at least slightly consider what is being said to them.
This is how I take it also.
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Lots of Jєωs really do have a difficult time looking at the crucifix,
most especially a corpus crucifix. I have witnessed this in my own home.
It bothers them - I think they feel they are being judged when they look at it.
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Lots of Jєωs really do have a difficult time looking at the crucifix,
most especially a corpus crucifix. I have witnessed this in my own home.
It bothers them - I think they feel they are being judged when they look at it.
Maybe they are ... just maybe they are.
We know that the V2 popes always hide their crucifixes when entering ѕуηαgσgυєs or meeting with Jєωs.