Lots of people think that “giving scandal” mean “saying or doing something that upsets somebody”. That’s not true. “Giving scandal” means “saying or doing something that tempts people to commit sin”.
One immediate result of this fact is that it is very hard for an enemy to give scandal, because we are highly unlikely to do something an enemy tells us to do. For example, the other day Obama made some disgusting remarks about how child murder helps women fulfil their dreams. Such remarks, while deeply offensive to pro-life Catholics, are not scandalous to them because no prolife Catholic will be tempted by the thought, “Gee! He’s got a point! I think I will quite the prolife movement and go become an abortionist.” To “scandalize”, in the Catholic tradition, is not to offend, but to tempt to sin. Obama’s remarks can be a source of scandal for impressionable people who, troubled in their conscience about child slaughter, decide that since the President of Hope and Change says it’s a good thing, then a good thing it must be.
In other words, it is friends or beloved family, or trusted authority figures or people we respect who give scandal, because they get past our defenses and tempt us to sin against our consciences. It is the friend who gets us involved in drugs, or who tempts us to steal candy bars, or who eggs us on to vandalize the neighbor’s house, or who urges us to prove our manliness through conquest by fornication. It is the beloved parent who teaches us that alcoholism is normal and acceptable. Or that violent abuse is just “slapping some sense into the wife and kids”. We accept and imitate in people we trust and respect falsehoods and sins we would never tolerate or imitate in an enemy. The truth of this is seen powerfully in that one of the worst temptations Jesus faced came, not from his enemy Judas, but from his friend Peter, who Jesus had to rebuke as “Satan” when he tried to derail him from his mission of self-sacrifice.
The way to avoid this is both simple and hard: As we become adults, we must get our formation from the teaching of Christ’s Holy Church. Vet your views, not merely by what beloved family members, tribal elders politicians who share our ideology, favorite movie stars, and like-minded chums say, but above all by what the Holy Spirit teaches through his Body the Church. That’s the very hard meaning of this saying, “If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27)
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So, tell us. Were you censored or did you change your mind?
I decided this made my central point better.
This article made me think of an explanation I heard from a Catholic father who sent his children to a local public high school rather than a Catholic one. With the knowledge that the students in both schools were engaged in the same immoral behavior, he reasoned that it was better for his children to encounter random non-religious peers doing those things than be scandalized by people doing so while calling themselves “Catholic”.
Not sure I agreed with his decision but I understood his point.
Hey I hate to tell you this, but after 10 years of blogging you forget some things. I am one of those bloggers that hung around.
1. You were for the Iraq War when Blessed JpII said not to do so.
2. Many of us have record of this.
Scandal????
Stick to the Gospel. You have trouble doing that and staying away from secularism and trying to sway the vote one way or another.
Insurance and healthcare is also an issue with you. No one but you should have the health care or be cared for and yes, we know you will be patronizing and pray for us. We the many blogger now seperatists from St Blogs, the GDIs told God this morning not to listen.
And is Paul Miller helping that father that he said he is holier than because he doesn’t like that one Catholic dad sent his kids—how bout give him tuition money.
Tell ya what, I loved my public high school b/c so many were evangelical and that made a difference. The teachers were too. IMAGINE IF WE DIDN’T??? I also learned to love as God wants there too. I have known them for 40 plus years and well, I would rather hang around them and laugh with them than ever meet you in person. They are more fun and don’t take themselves so so seriously.
You however, write like you have a few things like you need to learn to laugh and have fun. The self righteousness on these blogs has gone too too far. There are so many of us can see right through the politicians lies and this goes for both sides.
Most of those GDiS OF FORMER sT bLOGS ARE SICK OF IT.
That is the real scandal. We have moved on.
Have you? Remember the war you supported is over.
Mark,
I believe Cardinal Burke handles the subject of scandal much better than you
and to help others out, here is a link
THE SPEECH of Archbishop Burke on Life, Truth, and Obedience
http://wherethereispeter.blogspot.com/2010/10/speech-of-archbishop-burke-on-life.html
1. You were for the Iraq War when Blessed JpII said not to do so.
2. Many of us have record of this.
Yes. I was. I talk about that fact, and why I repented my error here.
Sorry. I don’t understand what you mean about health care. The Church teaches health care is a right. I agree.
I believe Cardinal Burke handles the subject of scandal much better than you.
I agree. He is Cardinal Burke after all.
You don’t understand about health care?? You are just like the rest of the those hypocrites bleep bleeps.
So if I protest that if we lack insurance and they refuse to treat my husband for his diabetic edema where his legs swell up, I am for abortion??? I was told in 2005 that if I want universal health care I was for abortion when it had nothing to do with any ob gyn issue.
How smart. Health care is when people need medical treatment and you have stock and the government would shut them down and cause so many Terri Schiavos that there wouldn’t be enough people to protest it. Take your pick because most humans in this country lack access to it because they do not want to pay for it. To go to the hospital without insurance means bankruptcy. In his Germany, you do not have to pay for your healthcare. I saw that first hand.
Sorry but you still may be responsible for many dying beyond the war.
I meant I didn’t (and don’t) understand why you are railing at me, since I agree health care is a right and that our present system is insane. I also have diabetes and cannot afford health insurance. I don’t think you are for abortion because you think health care is a right. Calm down and stop hurling accusations at people you know nothing about.
One minor quibble. One can be tempted to evil by fear, and certainly enemies can make us fearful, so that would be an exception to the rule presented here. But the general point about friends is well taken.
Ok… after near 10 years, you are saying that you have the same headaches as we do and will not argie about this health thing with me?
The war is freakn over son! You need a bottle of Glucerna.. spiked.
Where do I send it to you? I am cALM. It is an honor to cyber spar mit Sie.
I have a Beagle that barks at strangers. He is still barking. I am not calling him off you.
Dude, finally a post I can read in one sitting. I’ll admit, I miss your longer ones. This was still a concise report. Thanks & God Bless!
Flaan:
I don’t know what you are talking about.
Went to Catholic School in the late 50’s and early 60’s and the way I understood “to give scandal” was that if you were Catholic, watch out because you were supposed act better because Protestants were watching you.
If you goofed up (especially if you were wearing a school uniform) they’d be saying, “There’s a Catholic for you”.!
My mother always told us the same thing. Mark, I like your definition a lot better, but I do feel sometimes (I live in Utah) that the dominant religion here does observe if we go to Church, etc.
One acquaintance asked me if we were supposed to go to Church on Sunday (after I had mentioned something about that during the weekend) and I replied yes. Then she asked me “then why aren’t the other Catholics I know not going?” I answered her, “well they should be going”. The Mormon religion is very strict about attending their local wards on Sunday. Most of the time if they don’t, someone from the ward calls and asks them why they didn’t attend? Can you imagine that happening if you were Catholic?
My mom brought us up to remember we were Catholic and that other people (Protestants) were watching the way we were behaving, and that if we didn’t behave we would be causing a scandal to other Catholics.
I sure like your definition better though.
However I can also see my mothers point. I live in Utah which is predominately Mormon and I do notice that others watch how Catholics behave. For example, one time I was telling an exercise acquaintance something about going to Church the past Sunday, and she wanted to know if Catholics had to go to church each week. When I replied, “yes” (the Mormons go to their “ward” every Sunday except on Conference weekends), she asked me then why her neighbors didn’t go! All I could say was, “well they’re supposed to go” and hoped she was wrong. I don’t know if you could call that a scandal or not, but was certainly not giving the Church a good rep by their behavior.
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