Catholics, Christians, and bears, OH MY...

[Bill Glasheen]

I see echoes of marriage disputes here Bill.

I know, Ian. I saw it before you saw it. And I bet you think you are right, and are going to convince me away from my point of view!

The difference between me and the next person, Ian, is I will not be a hypocrite. Understand now on this Catholic debate that I've had 7 years of parochial school and 5 years of being an altar boy (sometimes serving Mass 7 days a week when I was on the rotation). I also had nuns and priests whom I got quite close with. I know what the rules are, Ian. I choose not to agree with some of them. I not only do not follow the rules about birth control, but I disagree with The Church teaching them in the first place - particularly when early and repeated pregnancies enslave 3rd world believers into a life of poverty. And then their offspring want to cross the border and overpopulate MY turf. No thank you! I also believe in the right to choose. And I am for stem cell research (although I don't think the government needs to pay for it). I already bloodied my forehead with nuns - at a very, very early age - over arguments about evolution and such. These are fundamental beliefs and teachings of The Church that I disagree with, Ian. However, I understand why The Catholic Church has those beliefs. I can put myself in their shoes and see the heart that teaches and believes these things. I respect their right to have these beliefs, and I admire people who abide by them. I don't think they are f***ed up; I just happen to disagree and will voice my opinion.

Take speeding, Ian. I break the law. Repeatedly. Whenever it suits me. In Germany, driving as fast as I do is just fine under the right conditions. In this country, people happen to be more risk averse, and less into personal responsibility. And we have this certain blame-oriented sector of our population that wants to feed a weasel lawyer every time they stub their toe. When it comes to driving, we live in a damn nanny state and our laws go so far that I wonder sometimes if they will follow me into the rest stop and hold my pecker for me. Some things I agree with, and think the laws should be more severe. I never, ever drive with ANY alcohol in my system. Never. Period. I figure if I want to drive fast and live by the rules of Bill, that I will abide by a disciplined code - one that I can live with and will allow me to go to sleep at night.

When I was younger, Ian, I was a bit more like you. Whenever I got caught, I was angry at the policeman. I was angry at the judge. They were all wrong. I would rationalize my "rightness" in my head until I had not only convinced myself of it, but would be a boor and try to convince others as well. It must have been tiresome to be around... Then one day... Mical Kupke was talking to me about a failed relationship. I was hurting, and expressing that hurt by talking trash about the woman who had done me wrong. Mical said "You know, Bill, sometimes I think you should just stop, and say 'I f***ed up!'" It was an emotional intelligence moment of truth for me. That little seed crystal has helped me a lot as a person, and is helping a lot as I am trying to raise two boys.

So the way I see it, I am breaking the law. I KNOW I am breaking the law. I disagree with the damn thing and think the people who made the law were wrong. But I choose to disobey it, and I know I am "wrong" for doing so. Martin Luther King, in speaking of civil disobedience, said that one very important thing we must remember along the way is that we must be prepared to suffer ALL the consequences of our disobedient actions. Maybe our cause is just, but our actions were intentionally reprehensible. When caught, we must accept our transgression and suffer the punishment.

So whenever I am caught, I pull over. I let the policeman tell me what I did. I listen. I look him in the eye. I admit nothing (very smart...) but I LISTEN to what he is telling me. I am polite. I respect him for what he is doing, because it is his job. And you know what? Two times out of three, I get off. I am yelled at, and then they let me go. Last time I was driving to the airport at 90 mph and was caught. He let me go, because he could see there wasn't an ounce of bullschit in my soul. And when I am given a ticket, I go to court. I plead "no plea", tell what happened, and throw myself on the mercy of the court. Last time it happened, they sent me to traffic school. I've done that a few times, mind you... And you know what? I'm a pretty well educated driver these days.

I am happy with my spiritual beliefs, Ian. I don't need to call myself a Catholic, and don't need the approval of The Catholic Church. I don't need the approval of my friends, family, or professionals around me when it comes to my spiritual beliefs. And it really rubs me the wrong way when I see others who say one thing and do another. I can respect you disagreeing with me, but I cannot respect the chasm between the say/do for whatever reason folks feel like they need to do that. And when/if I ever face The Big Guy on judgement day (if he does indeed exist), I will throw myself on the mercy of The Court and accept my fate.

Off of soap box.

- Bill

[Bruise* Lee]

What would you think of a phrase like "I practice such and such religion" or "I try to do such and such religion". In comparison - someone who does a defined form of martial arts, but does not do it well or does it only partially or sporadically - attends class very irregularly, only practices the kicks of Tae Kwon Do, only practices the forms but not any other techniques, etc.

What if someone is trying to be such and such religion but knows they are falling short? Or they are irregular?

What if someone tries to practice Uechi ryu but is scared to spar...they sit out when it comes to partner drills or sparring due to fear? What if someone is of such and such religion but does not participate in an activity in comparison?

If religion is of God, and he had someone who fell short or attended irregularly - would he tell them to "Do it, die or get off the tatami (something my instructor Rod Sacharnoski use to say years and years ago before he mellowed)." Or would he be happy with them trying? WOuld he be happy with someones best performance...
would he be happy with someones effort although not perfect?

Can someone only claim to do such and such religion or martial art once they have it perfected or do it perfectly?

Martial arts are not religion..... but for the religious there is not part of life that is not spiritual.Whether Yoga (Karma Yoga the Yoga of work, Bhakti Yoga the yoga of love, Hatha Yoga the yoga of physical postures and exercise, Raja Yoga the yoga of the mind.... or the Christian who sees work, love, exercise as an opportunity for service.

Are we what we have become perfectly? Or are we our aspirations, goals and direction? Does God care where we have arrived or does he concern himself with our potential and direction? Does he expect us to be at the top or heading to the top.

Might the perfectly practicing Catholic have grievous sin that just is not readily visible - covetousness, lust, hatred?

President Clinton doesn't do a single solitary thing as president but everyone still calls him Mr.President. They call him Mister President. Shakespeare said "A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet." How important is the name

400 years ago a scotsman named Blake once was overheard to say "Its just not fair.I don' like me last name. Its just isn't fair. Over there is Tom O'Bridgeman. He was just plain ol' Tom until he built 100 bridges. Over there is Jack Smythe...he was just plain Jack until he had made 100 horse shoes. Over there isTim MacBaker...he was just Tim until he had baked 100 loaves of bread. But you go and f*&^ just one lousy sheep..."

[IJ]

You'd be pleased to know that some of these NVRFC are well aware of their flaws and not hypocrites at all. I've known a few. There were people exactly like you, who felt they were good citizens (catholics) who were aware that some of their behavior was outside of the law (rules). Aware that breaking the speed limit (using contraceptives) was illegal (a sin). They knew exactly what they were doing, and knew their flaws. They didn't want to disappear from the ranks of citizens / catholics because they were imperfect. I mean, aren't you a god citizen, overall? C'mon, it's ok, I'll even back you up! We could use more of you. We don't want you out of America because you don't follow all of the rules. Keep calling yourself American. These are flawed people who just don't want to lose their identity just because they bent rules for the sake of practicality.

The other group was different. These were people who felt that some of the church teachings were wrong. For example, 3 gay acquaintances, one unashamedly nonmonogamous even, who figured that the rules and laws laid down by the church were written in a time that made them no longer applicable. Just like the orthodox jews in "Trembling Before G-d." Their claim to citizenship in the faith of their upbringing was like that of people who technically violate obsolete laws from 1840s still on the books. They feel God is bigger than a rule book. They feel loved by Him when they go to mass, and they are welcomed by the community and priest, to boot. I for one would make a break from such an organization but to them, it's part of who they are, and they realize its an imperfect match, understand their choices and their shortcomings in the eyes of the church, and still the match lives on. I've also had a friend at UVA--a professor, a retired Episcopalian Priest, who felt as you did that such differences were insurmountable--and who left the priesthood AND the church entirely because of them. Knowing them, none were hypocrites. Just voices in the chorus of opinion that makes a free country more interesting.

Anyway, I can see why you feel how you do and I hope you understand my position. The NVRFC will remain catholic in their own eyes, and if they're trying to diminish overpopulation, they get props from me for that,

PS, you want self reflection, try making some medical mistakes! For every patient, several doctors, nurses, pharmacists, students and whatnot are working together, and we catch errors all the time. Each gives us (at least me) tremendous pause. Then we hold a conference and lay out all the potential mistakes for an audience to dissect. THAT'S always interesting. Especially the way the surgeons do it.

[Bill Glasheen]

Brused Lee

Catholicism is never about being perfect. On the contrary, one of the basic premises of any Christian religion is that we are fallible, and that we sin. In fact, we all are born with "original sin" at birth (due to the acts of Adam and Eve), and must be cleansed of this sin through baptism. Catholics then regularly attend Confession to tell their transgressions to a priest, receive instructions, and do the penance. This is all done before receiving Communion (the body of Christ), which must be done once a year.

Sinning is human. Choosing to ignore one of the basic premises of the religion (attending Mass on the Sabbath and Holy Days) because one chooses to interpret religion that way is an act which puts you out of good graces with the Catholic Church.

I can work with your martial arts example. Nobody is required to be perfect. In fact nobody IS perfect. Now except for some special dispensations (like being older), one MUST spar and pass that sparring test to get a Uechi black belt. Period. End of story. Choosing not to spar is perfectly fine. You may in fact become or be the best street fighter in the world. But don't expect to get a Uechi black belt if you choose not to spar.

A great example of all this is David Moy. David doesn't give a rat's ass about getting rank in Uechi. Last time I saw him in class at The Hut, I think maybe he was wearing a white belt. David is not someone you want to face on the street. But David chooses not to do what it takes to get rank in Uechi Ryu. That's fine by David. He gets out of the classes what he wants from them. And we all want David to work out with us. Everyone is happy.

The Catholic community loves that I come to Mass every once in a while. I made my family very happy by having number 1 son baptized in a Catholic Church that my dad built when he was an independent contractor. And number 2 son was baptized at another Catholic Church, because the new priest at that church my father built had a problem with my beliefs, or lack thereof. Fine by me... I was ready to tell them all I don't give a damn. But one priest and my dad worked something out. Everyone is happy. I don't call myself a Catholic, but my sons were baptized Catholic, which is "good" in any Christian religion. And they both go to Christian schools where they are more concerned about teaching Judeochristian ethics than they are about supporting an establishment.

It's all good by me.

Oh and by the way, I REALLY respect Dave Moy for the decisions and choices he made. But I don't respect someone for trying to get a pass on an important piece of a Uechi black belt test, no matter how good they are. Understand?

- Bill

[IJ]

Sounds like we disagree about nothing then Bill. People like David know what they want out of an organization, don't delude themselves or others for not following all the traditional rules, aren't disruptive (are, in fact, welcome!) and remain... Uechi practitioners.