Over on the Book of Face, somebody responded to what I wrote to “Doug” about his terrible argument for pitting the unborn against all the people his Trump worshipping “prolife” cult wants to rob, harm, and kill (see yesterday’s post):
I just love how you always think you know better than the magisterium of the Church.
You get that Doug is not the Magisterium, right? I’m saying “Listen to the Pope” here. My book is about nothing but urging people to listen to the Magisterium.
But it’s not. They are very clear about the non-negotiables about voting and what the prolife movement entails. You dilute. They don’t. Oh, and we actually believe we have a bad pope. That much is very clear.
In other words. you are the Magisterium. And you are ignorant, because the rubbish about the non-negotiables comes from a Catholic Answers pamphlet, not from the Magisterium. Read and learn.
You make me laugh. It’s no wonder people don’t take you seriously.
Insults are not argument. All you really mean is that your ignorant cult relies on groupthink because you reject the magisterium in favor of Trumpism. The theological term for your position is “Protestantism”. I have facts, reason, argument, and the teaching of the Magisterium on my side. You have, “None of my circle of Mean Girls likes you” on yours.
I mention all this because an awful lot of very serious and committed Catholics often feel beaten down, rejected and ostracized by this extremely common Mean Girl method of argument. It is painful to be told that “Everybody thinks you are [dirt/stupid/uncool/somebody nobody wants to be around]”. But when you combine that with “a babykilling monster/a heretic/demonic” etc. it takes a thick hide that many people lack to face such bullying bullshit down. Particularly when many people’s grasp of what the Magisterium says is pretty shaky. Most people are decent and good and trying to do right. They are easy prey to the thought, “What if it’s true?” when perceived peers tell them they are Rejects (a question that never enters the heads of the MAGA Cult).
On Monday, i want to talk about how decent people can learn to deal with the Mean Girl Magisterium more effectively. The idea will be to look at the roots of the problem, strategize some ways to not only fend off the nasty and cheap psyops of the MGM, but also how to reply to their lies (beginning with the recognition that it is prudent, not uncharitable, to assume (unless evidence is given) that when a MAGA cultist speaks, they are lying or, at best, that they are deluded and repeating a lie. And it is always wise to remember that for the MAGA cult, language is virtually always a tactical weapon for gaining raw, nihilist power, not a vehicle of truth.
So: back Monday!
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15 Responses
“It is painful to be told that “Everybody thinks you are [dirt/stupid/uncool/somebody nobody wants to be around]”. But when you combine that with “a babykilling monster/a heretic/demonic” etc. it takes a thick hide that many people lack to face such bullying bullshit down.”
Welcome to what certain classes of people have had to listen to for the past 50 years. And people wonder why I am so persistent. And why I think of it as a lens with which to examine so mich of what passes for Christianity.
I’m sorry you have to have a thick hide. I don’t want to hang tough anymore, I don’t want to be around them. It’s not that I don’t love them, I’ve just noticed that I’ve developed a kind of dread that builds up and literally makes me feel poisoned when I’m around their temper tantrums. They are out of their minds, and *yes* they are mean. One of them literally screamed at me a month ago. It was unhinged. The kids had just carved their pumpkins and were having a Halloween candy hunt with fun spooky music.This person approached me and started ranting about a BLM protest in Beverly Hills. When I responded that maybe it was time to start listening to what the protesters have to say, they went ballistic, like I have a damn nerve for even thinking the thought. They called me “pathetic” for believing “lies” about Trump when I said he is racist. I was called “brainwashed” too. This person has described Trump as a “St. Paul” to my son. The festivities just stopped on a dime. We turned the music off, quickly cleaned up and got out of there. The screamer was utterly remorseless, following me down a hallway to get a few more licks in. I sensed the slightest amount of sheepishness the next time we saw each other, but they acted like nothing had ever happened.
What I *can’t* understand is getting to the point of wanting to jump ship like Linda Dailey. Maybe people on the East Coast are more mouthy in their parishes. Going to mass here is a *relief* because it’s never political. I suppose mass here might put off the Latin Mass types. They probably think praying for immigrants and refugees is “inappropriate” for mass, and a sign that the priests are “libs”.
@taco
Why do I have the distinct impression that you are speaking about a close relative?😬😬😬😬😬
Oh crap.
Well at least she hasn’t threatened to disinherit me yet. Jesus. (And I’m not taking his name in vain)
”I don’t want to be around them”. My sentiment exactly.
It’s sad. Hellish even.
Did Linda leave? I thought she changed her mind.
Also, I’d want to follow you on FB, and understand that as an author it’s important, but I simply can’t stand social media anymore. The nature stuff or funny animal and kid videos are uplifting but almost everything else is braggy or a bummer.
jj
One more thing. If the “mean girls” were forced to admit that Trump is a racist, they know that they’d have to admit that *they* are racist. They think waaaaaaaay too highly of themselves to do that. It would blow their self image to pieces. Who wants an identity crisis?
One of the best things that ever happened to my Catholic faith was the *internet*. It’s not that the super-catholics didn’t show their bigotry or superiority complex before–it’s that they managed to get the little people to turn a blind eye because they (the loud ones) seemed to lead such wholesome and exemplary lives.
The internet blew it all out of the water.
The scales came off for me when I read com-boxes on sites like CRISIS, and NCRegister and some of the Mommy-bloggers. There are simply no words for it. How many times have I thought or said, “Oh my God, you *didn’t* just say that!” BUT–there is more than a silver lining here– the shock came with a profound sense of relief. There was always a little voice that said, “See??They’re mean, petty, bullies!” Seeing them showboating like peacocks with giant persecution complexes and nothing better to do than *savor* the supposed vices of women, gays, black people and “illegals” –and then covering it all with Catholic piety/lingo and pseudo concern –was nothing short of a revelation. Holding a sign or writing/agreeing with a scathing magazine article pretty much ensured that they were the *opposite* of a Mother Teresa who saved her energy for the trenches.
They outed *themselves*. The internet, gave them a false sense of anonymity.
@ taco
The words “whited sepulchers” comes to mind.
But then, it usually does whenever people start telling me “ God says…and so do l”.
On the bright side, there are a few signs of Spring. One of the most favored and cherished of the granddaughters didn’t mince words, and bluntly told her doting grandmother, “I hope he rots in hell.”
That surprised me. I thought she would guard her favored status with a bit more diplomacy. Good for her for standing up for what is right, and bad for her that she wants anybody to rot in hell. Languishing in purgatory is just fine. (A bit of reincarnation for special cases might fit the bill too.)
On the other hand, one of my nephews casually told my son, “yeah he’s a creep, but I’m voting for him.” He pulled out his phone, showed him a math equation and said something like, “the creep saved me $6,000 in taxes last year.”
@ taco
I have an elderly friend— 90 last wednesday— who despises Trump and everything he stands for, even though she is fairly conservative. She told me she didn’t know what to do with her two sons in law, who are ardent Trumppanzees. But not because they agree with him, but because they are making money in the stock market.Both are fairly well off.
@ tacoanybody
You wrote:
For the ruling class of Republicans, it’s all about their f*cking taxes.
Christian. Mom. White. Fake Blonde. Proud Trump Supporter. Make America Great Again. Love puppies. Brown people not so much. Best pro-life president ever. Don’t trust MSM. Don’t take vaccine. Read auntie Jezabel’s link about it on FB.