That was a wonderful interview. Thank you for posting the link. Pope Francis hears the echoes of what St Francis heard in his vision: "Francis, go and repair my house, which you see is falling down."
Two things struck me as particularly interesting.
First, I really enjoyed the babbling that ensued when El Papa asked Scalfari to define Being. It was typically incoherent, filled with quasi-technical terms of art, and fun to deconstruct. Much like what passes for commentary around here from the atheist left.
The second, and far, far more important moment was this comment: "A religion without mystics is a philosophy." I predict that statement will go down as one of Francis' seminal quotes. I understand that materialists are wont to "explain" mystical experiences with nervous gabbling about neuronal connectivity, neurotransmitters, ginned-up quantum ridiculosity, and the like, but to anyone who has had a mystical experience the "explanations" are inapt, incoherent, and faintly amusing with a whiff of desperation. In fact, I believe a rejection of the mystical has been crippling to some Protestant denominations who have been seduced by the excesses of the historical-critical method of Biblical exegesis and have stood by wringing their hands or building coffee shops and establishing fitness classes while their numbers dwindle. The Catholic Church has not been immune to this disease, and it explains much of the decline of Catholicism in Europe and the burgeoning of vibrant mystical Catholicism in the Southern Hemisphere.
And in Mexican and in Argentinan, even in Cuban - I know. Somehow the Italian version seemed more appropriate for an Italian interview, but given the pope's background...
Peepee, when you choked on your priest's sperm, how long was your brain deprived of oxygen? Half an hour, right?
That was a wonderful interview. Thank you for posting the link. Pope Francis hears the echoes of what St Francis heard in his vision: "Francis, go and repair my house, which you see is falling down."
ReplyDeleteTwo things struck me as particularly interesting.
First, I really enjoyed the babbling that ensued when El Papa asked Scalfari to define Being. It was typically incoherent, filled with quasi-technical terms of art, and fun to deconstruct. Much like what passes for commentary around here from the atheist left.
The second, and far, far more important moment was this comment: "A religion without mystics is a philosophy." I predict that statement will go down as one of Francis' seminal quotes. I understand that materialists are wont to "explain" mystical experiences with nervous gabbling about neuronal connectivity, neurotransmitters, ginned-up quantum ridiculosity, and the like, but to anyone who has had a mystical experience the "explanations" are inapt, incoherent, and faintly amusing with a whiff of desperation. In fact, I believe a rejection of the mystical has been crippling to some Protestant denominations who have been seduced by the excesses of the historical-critical method of Biblical exegesis and have stood by wringing their hands or building coffee shops and establishing fitness classes while their numbers dwindle. The Catholic Church has not been immune to this disease, and it explains much of the decline of Catholicism in Europe and the burgeoning of vibrant mystical Catholicism in the Southern Hemisphere.
"El Papa"
DeleteThat would be "Il Papa" in Italian. Yengees and foreign languages...
It is El Papa in Spanish, amigo. Never jump to conclusions.
DeleteQ: Why do stupid atheists always question the spelling when a text is way above their comprehension?
DeleteA: Because they are atheist and stupid?
Right!
It is El Papa in Spanish, amigo.
DeleteAnd in Mexican and in Argentinan, even in Cuban - I know. Somehow the Italian version seemed more appropriate for an Italian interview, but given the pope's background...
Peepee, when you choked on your priest's sperm, how long was your brain deprived of oxygen? Half an hour, right?