sanctus:
God knows fully how weak and corruptible each of us are. The true wisdom is truly to remain distant from people and things which may cause us to be unduly influenced towards that which is evil.
"We" and "people" in this thread's context are entities. The three entities which are the focus of this post are Nation,Church and man. What qualifies them as valid entities subject to God's justice is determined by God himself. The recognized form in which they do good and evil and whether or not they deserve and actually receive punishment is also determined by God. God recognizes the actions Nation and Church as two respective collective bodies.
So we can see that all these recognized forms can decide, and can determine right from wrong, and God finds them accountable for their collective action.
The Church uses whatever means it can to assist in the spreading of the Gospel.
No, it cannot use whatever means. It can only use means that it's founder stated are valid means. If it chose a means in opposition to the Supreme Authority, then that would be a unital sin and the body proper is culpable. This is because the Church(collective) defines itself as a singular body and gets approval of this form from God. (and of course officially at Pentecost). The Church "knows" the Nation does not reconcile with it's individuals, even by decree, making it's act mortal.
Summa Q92
On authoritive entities striving to remain virtuous.....
"the common good of the state cannot flourish, unless the citizens be virtuous, at least those whose business it is to govern. But it is enough for the good of the community, that the other citizens be so far virtuous that they obey the commands of their rulers. Hence the Philosopher says (Polit. ii, 2) that "the virtue of a sovereign(authority) is the same as that of a good man(entity),"
On selection of means.............
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06636b.htm
Man(entity) is endowed with free will or the power of electing which good he shall make the goal of action, he can, if he pleases, ignore the dictates of right reason and seek his other goods in a disorderly manner. He may pursue pleasure, riches, fame, or any other desirable end, though his conscience -- that is, his reason -- tells him that the means which he takes to satisfy his desire is wrong. He thereby frustrates his rational nature and deprives himself of his highest perfection. He cannot change the law of things, and this privation of his highest good is the immediate essential punishment incurred by his violation of the moral law.
The action, considered under the character by which it ranks as an element of conduct, must be good.
But even the internet can be an evil if used incorrectly. It should never replace actual human contact. Too many of us are, though, becoming reliant on this cyber world for our means of contact with the outside world. This can never replace physical fellowship with the community.
I don't understand this paragraph in context of my post. A quill applied to parchement in AD56 could just as well convey inappropriate words and be read tothe multitude as can a keyboard and computer. The early Saints used such a method of communication when trying to assist each other with questions needing to be addressed. I'm Sorry if that is not what you meant. Perhaps an example?
The Church must first offer love. That begins in all pastoral settings. Non-judgemental and open to receive the words and pain of the soul seeking its assistance. The Church is perfect, for it has been created by God and as an entity reflects God. That some of its members are less than perfect is lamentable, but to be expected.
Every entity that obstinately refuses the Supreme Authority, after being told that it does so, and after decades of refusal to change, is in mortal sin, (that according to the definition of mortal sin). In this state of mortal sin the good it performs is non-effective until amends are made. Therefore love expressed by an entity in mortal sin has no effect until it is forgiven by a change of attitude and a show of remorse.(NewAdvent/Sin). Secondly love is charity. It would be charitable to let the patient know the position of the Church and that it is in conflict of interest in regards to his case, allying itself by making use of another entity's evil facility that it uses to persecute him. None of this is missed by God.
Even clergy can fail to live out the message of the Gospel in their daily lives.
It can make corrections and advise where it can. Keeping mute on the truth is resignation to the inevitable and based on temporal fear. Hitler's secretaries had a similar explaination.
The Church has always been overhwelmed by evil on all sides. This day is not different than any other day.
Exactly, so the use of the evil of the criminal record by the Church would not be needed.
It began surrounded by evil, and has existed for 2,000 years with evil on all sides of it. What seems different now is only because we have electronic media making all knowledge instant.
So the person now has the bottle presented to him, rather than to work at getting it. It's still alcohol.(evil)
But the church, our Holy Mother Church, has always existed in this world surrounded by those outside who would clamour likes wolves to destroy it. Even now they howl at its doors, but it will be to no avail. They tell us our Church is dying, and yet ignore its strength and its growth.We know this to be true, for it is the promise God Himself provided when He instructed us that the fires of hell would never prevail against the Church.
Agree. If I may add to strength and growth is ....to be receptive to the truth regardless of a person's standing,position in it and what the truth entails. It's Founder accepted humility, so the Church was born humble, not prideful and bound to trappings of intolerance,pomp and political correctness. These are inner evils that need to be watched as well and is covered well in chapter, Temptations of Ministry, Fr. Secundo Galilea O.C.D, in his book Temptation & Discernment (ISBN 0-935216-57-X)
Thanks for the post.
AndyF
