July 16, 2012 6 Comments
With the leaking of confidential documents, the pact of loyalty that binds together the members of the Vatican curia has been broken. The consultations for a change of government have begun…
Read on here.
TAC Priest in South Africa.
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From the alarmist left-wing Italian media. Of course, there is always some truth in it- the reason why mutiny on the Bounty happened is the same reason why there are mutineers on the Barque of Peter- a lapse in discipline caused by a brief respite. Tahiti, in the case of mutineers of the Barque of Peter, is the sort of liberalism and permissiveness that has become widespread in the Church and the World. When this Pope acted as any officer on a ship should, to re-install discipline, the wolves in sheep’s clothing start to appear.
“Pray for me, that I may not flee for fear of the wolves.”
[Pope Benedict XVI, 24 April, 2005]
Two dozen lashes – teach ‘em even better. Ship’s company on deck to witness punishment. If you please, Mr Christian…
Even the British Navy learned that you lead better by being loved and respected than ruling as Captain Bligh did with all the whippings and keelhauling.
Anyway, what’s the use. I’m pissing upwind!
I’m with you Anthony on this, sadly I think we must go up stream often with Rome and the papacy. Also their handling and discipline of the SSPX is weak, and why won’t the papacy fully and theologically interpret Vatican II? Perhaps they can’t, since it is just so bad on the so-called Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes! Even Ratzinger-Benedict does not like this piece.
The Vatican stated “You don’t have to follow what isn’t orthodox in the statements of Second Vatican Council.” which is something of a cop-out. Why couldn’t the Vatican spare some Dominican theologians to interpret the documents of that Council?
I think I agree with you on this issue. Gaudium et Spes was finalized while Pope John XXIII was dying and I think it’s weak in that it’s the easiest to abuse and misinterpret. I’m thinking of Liberation Theology and other heretical approaches hiding behind Gaudium et Spes to justify what they do.
But then, I think all this difficulty for the SSPX will ultimately be good for everyone, as the suffering of Christians is redemptive when united with Christ.
Who knows, there may be a new Ecumenical Council in our lifetime.
Vice-Admiral William Bligh was actually a good guy, as there were worse officers at the time. Unfortunately, he’s the victim of the myth-machine that made William Wallace a kilt-wearing highlander. Probably the same myth-machine that made anyone who wears a clerical collar automatically a pedophile.
http://www.historynet.com/william-bligh.htm gives an interesting account of the historical William Bligh. He was said by some to be “petty-minded and vindictive” and used exceptionally bad language when upbraiding officers in front of the ship’s crew. Flogging was usual punishment in the Navy in those days, though keelhauling was already illegal. Hanging from the yardarm was a result of a proper court martial and usually happened in port, not at sea. Three films were made of the Mutiny on the Bounty – in the 1930s with Clark Gable, 1962 and 1984. The latest film is less “Manichaen”.
Nevertheless, the mutiny happened, and one could imagine it would have been the result of Bligh feeling alone among the ship’s company, all of whom he distrusted. He would then react, from a paranoid mindset, by tyrannical conduct and above all injustice – ie: using extreme punishment like 4 dozen lashes (which killed most victims unlike the usual two-dozen) or keelhauling for more minor offences.
His seamanship was legendary, evidence of that being sailing the Bounty‘s 23-foot open shallop with 18 men for Timor over 3,600 miles of open sea. He navigated by dead reckoning, which is usually notoriously inaccurate, errors being cumulative. It’s just a shame his ability to command with fairness, having the men love and respect him, was not up to his knowledge of the sea and ability to sail.
I don’t think you would have enjoyed serving under him, though there were worse – and incompetent seamen to boot.