Wednesday, May 6, 2009

The heresies I've known and loved to hate


Part of my job is to try to read some of the stuff that goes across the transom of the average lay person's field of knowing. Among these is the book The Challenge and Spirituality of Catholic Social Teaching by a fellow named Mich. I've read the entirety of the book and I think Mr. Mich a genuine individual, with a good head on his shoulders, and a great big heart. But I cannot deny my having nearly wanting to go bat shit angry when I read about a Sr. Elizabeth Johnson C.S.J. who argues, get this, that we need some humility as a species.


That's right, brother, there is no need for us to feel special about being human just because we can calculate the velocity and force of a large volume of Shakespeare released upon Sr. Johnson's head from a height of two stories. No, no. We're just another species on this great mother goddess earth of ours with nothing but death and destruction to add the great mix of things.


What was that? Oh, that was the sound of Sr. Johnson's cursing in a manner consistent with the highly developed language skills of a homo sapiens after having been struck by the weight of a single volume of one of mankind's greatest achievements. Oh, but I said "mankind." Sorry, sorry, I meant to say "humankind's."


Never mind the fact, of course, that the good Sister finds herself at a point in history where she, an educated woman, gets paid to spit out drivel at Fordham University. Last I checked there were no dolphins teaching courses on great porpoise literature. But I do believe there are several jackasses in the current administration in Washington, and some monkeys as well. But then again, progressive politics is supposed to be one step ahead of us all.

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