laughingwolf_qh33q8 – Page 74

So You…

If the site is slow loading or you’ve had trouble getting through, my apologies. We are experiencing growing pains as I move from regular blog to high-traffic blog. Working on it, feel free to hit the tip jar to help me keep going and upgrade the site. Your gifts truly do make the difference. Working on adding a mail-in option, GabPay, others; if interested in mail-in for now drop me a line.

Sorry for the delay in posting today, but I’ve been doing something so you don’t have to. In this case, I spent part of the morning listening to Vladimir’s speech at the Valdai Club conference. I wish I could have listened to all the Q&A as well, but hopefully got what I needed with what I could stick around for. Wondering just how many questions were planted.

I’m actually going to chew over what was said (and more importantly in at least one case, what was NOT said) a bit before commenting. It would be very easy to mistake the formal speech for banal and boring, but that misses the points of it. I will note that while Vladimir usually does have very good makeup, today’s was extremely well done.

There were a number of messages in the speech and Q&A. That’s one reason I want to think about things a bit and double-check if needed before saying anything. He may not be the master manipulator he once was, but that doesn’t mean he’s not still good. More soon.

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving to the SW, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo or drop me a line to discuss other methods. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Kroger Update & More

A few weeks ago, I had a most unexpected and unpleasant experience with Kroger Fuel. Since then, I’ve neither gotten fuel there nor shopped at Kroger.

Funny thing is, I’ve been finding some much better deals elsewhere. The eggs I prefer (and yes, trying to stay brand specific as started them for nutrition profile and right now because my bloodwork is so good! Changing as little as possible given how good) I’ve found elsewhere for less. Excellent and even better sour cream to replace the Kroger Natural? Yes indeed and for about the same price.

I am having to make a few more stops, but have been able to keep mileage pretty close to what I was doing. Interesting thing is finding some neat things along the way.

I also need to note that the Aldi near me has much better produce than the one I used to shop. At the previous, that section could literally stink. At this one, it looks like it is worked daily and I’ve been finding some wonderful stuff including avocados which I use every day. Their avocados beat all the other stores easily on price and quality.

As I noted on Twitter earlier, I got some New Orleans French Roast coffee beans (with chicory) from The Fresh Market yesterday. Tried them this morning and while it is not the same as sitting at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans (and eating things I’m not supposed to eat), but it is a good second. The Fresh Market does bulk coffees, and the price works out close to what most stores charge. Pro tip: whole beans last longer, just like whole grains, and are better for prep (and coffee in my highly biased opinion). Also, before buying from that bulk bin, check those beans out. If dry and dull, skip. Good fresh beans will have an oily sheen to them. That said, you really need to buy the sealed and pre-done bags of whole bean for prep. They also have some amazing deals each day of the week.

I was buying Seattle’s Best Post Alley beans, but that is one of the few things I’ve not been able to find at other stores. In fact, most stores have even less a selection of whole bean coffees than Kroger these days. May have to save up and see about ordering direct. Sadly, I was paying $4.99 a bag before the election. Now, $7-$8 is not unusual for it. That’s one reason the bulk at The Fresh Market works out about the same, or even less if careful.

The other thing are supplements. I had switched some to Kroger brand, but will switch to others of similar quality or even higher if the price is right. Going to have to explore that a bit more here soon, time to stock up again. May be one of the things I get from the big box (WallyWorld, Meijer, etc.) stores.

Fresh Thyme does have some bulk (no coffee) and a number of products that are hard to find elsewhere. I also love the bulk meats, especially bacon. They have sold me as little as three slices (needed for cooking) and when I can I like to splurge and get six or so pieces to have Saturday morning. Yes, I do save my bacon drippings. 🙂

Even without all the coupons I used to get and use, coming out a bit cheaper on my boycott. That said, if you are on Twitter and want to save, follow The Crazy Coupon Lady for a lot of good tips and bargains.

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Cover Versus Concealment

In this post the other day, I brought up two topics for future discussion. Lifeboat Rules was the topic yesterday, and I really do urge people to share it and think about it. If we have a major disaster, not just a nuclear war, we will have a new and different form of “lost generation.”

Today, I want to talk briefly about the difference between cover and concealment. I want to do this because many of the posts of late have been aimed at those late to the concepts of preparedness and nuclear war. Many such have no connection to, or participation in, old Scouting (my thoughts on modern Scouting another day) or the military. While this discussion is only partially germane to immediate nuclear survival, it’s some useful information to have both in general and for later.

Concealment is simply avoiding observation. It can be as simple as putting objects between you and potential observers, or as complex as camouflage. When I say objects, I mean everything from ridges and buildings to trees and shrubs. When I say camouflage, I mean anything from a ghillie suits and/or face paint to large camouflage nets or more.

Now then, there are good reasons to use concealment, if possible, after a nuclear strike. First, you may want to hide that your home or other shelter is both useable and in use. It’s the quick and clean way to avoid those not-nice folks as well as others that even if nice will push your shelter over capacity. When and if you go out, you may want to use it to both avoid any not-nice people in the area and to avoid advertising where you are located. Depending on where you are located, it may be a moot point — or it may make the difference between staying relatively peaceful and secure or having to defend yourself.

Cover is something that protects you from incoming fire. It may also conceal you, but the main point of cover is the protection. Cover is everything from piling dirt or sandbags in front of basement windows before the blast, to putting solid objects in place to bar unauthorized entry to your shelter. Putting up items to block radiation is also technically cover.

Thing is, you want and need both. Concealment means you can be overlooked or missed by the not-nice no matter the disaster. Cover can help protect you from the disaster itself, as well as give you a secure position after. For a quick example, sandbags can help prevent flooding in floods or damage in a nuclear blast, and then help protect you and yours, as well as the structure involved, after.

It’s never too late to start thinking about such, and about what you have around you that you can use to improvise cover and concealment inside and out. Just one idea: books can and do act as cover from radiation and a variety of small arms rounds. Of course, if you shoot my books be happy if just shoot you and make it quick.

Further discussions are the advanced courses, though I will note that for individuals, between clothing and paint, the idea is to break up your outline so that the brain doesn’t recognize it as human. Again, advanced discussion for another day, but a bit of knowledge that may prove useful.

BTW, don’t know who did the meme above originally, but my hat is off to them. It’s been used in this context, for political memes, and probably more. It’s also true. Race really may have been the first to teach me that. 🙂

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PayPal Update

Since first asking that the account be closed on the 9th, nada. Despite multiple requests, they keep saying that it can’t be closed because of an unspecified technical issue that affects myself and others. No word from them, no updates, nada.

So, this afternoon I went online to the State AG’s site and filed a formal complaint. As resolution, I want my account closed and the AG (and the SEC if needed) to be sure that this mysterious unspecified technical issue was not by any chance an effort to influence or mislead investors or others. Surely it is not, but better to check in an abundance of caution.

Thank You!

Thanks to two donors, one anonymous and one not, I’m on the way to being able to pay some of the looming bills, and actually went and bought a few groceries. Any and all help is very much appreciated, as the bills keep coming and Indiana has ridiculously high gas prices thanks to High Tax Holcomb et cie. Bastards. With your help, I will hang on and will get moved to the Southwest. More in a bit.

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Lifeboat Rules

In my post the other day, I brought up a couple of topics for later discussion. For a number of reasons, I want to bring up first the concept of “lifeboat rules.” This is a concept that few today, other than some older people and/or veterans, understand. Failure to understand will, in many cases, be a death sentence.

Back in the old days, as in even unto the 1900s, when ships sank (or were sunk) passengers and/or crew took to the lifeboats. Each lifeboat had someone who was designated as its leader, effectively the captain of that boat. The rule of that leader was (and is) absolute. They might have to answer at some later point for their actions, but during the emergency they had the absolute, and fully legal, power of life and death over everyone in the boat. If they gave an order that was not obeyed, they could kill the person refusing or have others do so. They could, if they chose, instead put the person over the side with or without any aid(s) or provisions. They could, if circumstances allowed, maroon them on whatever land offered itself.

This was all done to try to ensure that as many as possible survived. In the days before GPS, extensive search and rescue, and other positive joys of modern life, being in a lifeboat could mean weeks or months at sea. So, the captain of the lifeboat rationed stores, oversaw efforts to catch food and produce potable water, erect such shelter as possible, create sails or other means of locomotion so that the boat could steer towards hopefully hospitable islands or land, etc. People who refused to abide by the rations, refused to try to help catch food, refused to do whatever was needed to get somewhere safe — they were (and are) a direct threat to the survival of all. Each person had a responsibility to themselves and to all in that group. If they failed of it, then they were killed outright or exiled and likely died as a result of that exile.

While it still holds for lifeboats today, many people don’t realize that pilots have much the same authority. One of the more interesting discussions when earning my license involved not only my authority, but my responsibility to prevent anyone from using the plane of which I was in command to do something bad with it. Pilots can, either on their own or by order to others, cause you to be disabled or restrained. In the event of an attempt to seize the controls, they can kill you. Now, as with the lifeboat captain, they will at some point hopefully have to answer for all they’ve done, but the law is almost overwhelmingly on their side.

In today’s world of sensitive snowflakes for whom individual responsibility is an antiquated concept, where improper pronouns being used is unimaginable violence, and who have never truly lacked for a thing in their lives the very idea of lifeboat rules is a foreign concept. It is a concept that needs to be understood now lest it result in your death and/or the death of those with you.

If I accept shelter with someone else, and agree they are in charge, then I have to abide (within reason) their decisions and commands. If I disagree with such, then it is my obligation to leave, no matter the circumstances as to do otherwise is to challenge their authority and potentially put the survival of the larger group in danger.

Now I note, within reason: obvious psychosis overrules normal agreements. In an emergency, it also overrides normal civil law because of the immediate danger of irreparable harm or death. The word that applies is “justifiable” in such cases. That said, engaging in strict rationing, strict protocols, or making you actually stand watch or such, those things are not psychosis no matter what you may think. They are an attempt to keep as many people alive as possible.

If you are of a younger generation, you need to understand: in an emergency of the magnitude of a nuclear attack, be it in a shelter of some sort or a group traveling towards safety, the situation is not a democracy, it is not a representative republic, and unless you have knowledge and/or experience that directly relates to emergency at hand, no one cares what you think or feel. Unless your input is directly solicited, it might be a good idea to stay silent, listen, learn, then speak only if you have something relevant to add to the conversation.

I guarantee you that if you continually question, challenge, and encourage others not to obey the orders of the person in charge, one of two things will happen.

First, if you are lucky (or have really PO’d the person in charge and others), your rear end is getting tossed out the door or left behind on the side of the road or trail to make your own way. If you are lucky, you have a shot at survival. If the environment is extremely bad, well, it’s a very nasty way to die. That’s not just from radiation. Keep in mind there are likely to be some very not-nice people outside being kept at bay by those inside or in the group/convoy. If you are lucky, they will kill you quick.

Second, instead of tossing you out, you will be killed. Period. Dot. Given that your actions threaten the survival of all, not unwarranted or extreme. You need to understand that NOW. Not later.

If you find yourself in some government shelter or camp, hope and pray that it is under something like lifeboat rules. Otherwise, what you encounter may be far worse than being outside the wire.

Understand that it is not wrong, evil, or fascistic to demand that you follow the rules and do your part to ensure the survival of all. It is neither the time nor the place for temper tantrums, acting out, being petulant, or trying to impress others with your knowledge of class struggle. It’s a time for hard work, for digging in and doing the best you can, and otherwise being a productive member of the group so everyone survives.

If you don’t know this, please learn this now: in a true emergency, to fuck up is to die. It doesn’t even have to be done by the people with you. You open the airlock door without checking the indicator, you are dead and others with you. You decide to do something to show everyone it is perfectly safe no matter what anyone says, well, that almost never works out. If you go outside because it is so pretty and there is nothing obvious going on, well, fallout and radiation don’t exactly advertise. Those cute animals you see? Guess what, they’re hungry.

Listen, learn, and live. Particularly if you are new to things nuclear, to preparedness, and to surviving after a major disaster. When someone uses the term lifeboat rules, know what that means and know that the people involved are not kidding around. Your life, and the lives of those with and around you, depend on it.

*****

A Musical Interlude

I’ve always had eclectic tastes in music. If it is good music, no matter the genre, I will listen to it. My mother was something else, forbidding a wide array of modern music while forcing show tunes and more on me. At least between her and my Dad I got exposed to some great Bluegrass… I also still take pride in my favorite line from Oklahoma! being “I knew I loved her, when I saw the moonlight gleaming off, the barrels of her father’s shotgun.” She was so disappointed.

While I’ve been on something of a metal kick the last few years (Sabaton, The Hu, others), recently I’ve found myself going back to the music of my teenage years. I had to sneak the Doors, Stones, and so much more, and the first album my mother ever allowed me to buy was Herb Alpert. It was the Whipped Cream and Other Delights album, and even to my seven-year-old(?) self, it caught my eye and imagination. Even then I was smart enough not to say why I was interested and came up with something else to focus on.

Which sort-of leads into my teenage years when I fast talked my way into The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). I think it was all the classical instruments and such that let me sell that one, and the fact that I wasn’t lying or misleading about how some parts reminded me of ships of the British Navy (which I was studying at the time) crashing through the sea, etc. May not have hurt that mom (and to a lesser extent my Dad) was convinced Bev Bevan was a girl because of something on PBS that made it look like he had moobs. This was well before Dipper Gorey, thankfully, though I am amused to this day that ELO’s finger in her eye (Fire On High) became one of their most commercially successful songs. They were also the first real concert I ever attended.

As an aside, my vision for many songs is not the normal one. For example, when Age of Aquarius comes on I see in my mind a Saturn V thundering off the pad because of a certain moon mission. For ELO’s Tightrope, I can see a grinning Scotty being a smartass (and this was before I met Mr. Doohan) beaming down a skein of rope to Kirk instead of beaming him up. Gerry Rafferty’s Home And Dry always had me in the cockpit of an F-15 or similar headed to England. Don’t ask. Just know the picture in my head is rarely the standard shown on the music video or other.

At any rate, I went exploring back through the ELO of my youth, before Bev Bevan, Mik Kaminski, Mike de Albuquerque, Richard Tandy, Mike Edwards, and Hugh McDowell left. Back well before the phase I still refer to as the Jeff Lynne Memorial Ego Project. Innovative, risk taking, and some neat and unusual sound.

Some of the music holds up amazingly well. I still love the melding of classical instruments with synthesizer and modern riffs and chords. Some of the lyrics hold up well as well. Some, well, not so much.

Back in the day, an early form of virtue signally was the ‘War Is Bad’ song that was somewhat de rigueur in the time. A bit earlier it had been a required anti-Vietnam song for so many. At any rate, ELO’s take on it was the epically long Kuiama. I remember loving it, and thinking it was just great.

Today, while the instrumental portion is still amazing in many respects, I really don’t think eye-rolls, snorts, and shaking my head were the responses being desired for the lyrics. My response back then was ‘Oh Wow!’ Today, my response is more ‘Oh Wow is that terrible!’

I did notice in going back through that and other music from my youth, is that I think my brain is trying to augment the lost hearing. One of the more annoying parts of being hit by lightning is that I’ve lost all the high-frequency hearing in my right ear. Makes listening to music not quite as enjoyable, and even a bit annoying on occasion. However, with music I had truly listened to before, it’s as if the brain was trying to “fill in” some of the missing notes. Interesting.

While I may have known it before the strike, I have also been exploring the influence of Alan Parsons. Yes, loved the Project but it is truly amazing how many albums and/or songs by so many different artists are what they are because of him. The common denominator for the albums I like in several different genres is his work on them.

It’s interesting that he is also responsible for one of two songs I think appropriate to play at the end of the world. The first of the two is the suggestion of Roger Zelazny who fashioned a short story around Miles Davis’s rendition of Saeta being the song played by the main character at the end of the world. The second, which is my more modern choice, is Alan Parson’s Genesis Ch.1,v.32.

In reviewing these and other songs, it is interesting to see what has held up, and what hasn’t. Frankly, I’m a bit amazed at how well so much of it has held up. And on others, well, I have also been doing a bit of MST and making fun of the lyrics and such that didn’t. Also, have renamed some of the soft pop of the late 60’s and 70’s as whiney bitch music…

BTW, if challenged I cheerfully admit that the HipHop I listen to is Zuby. My favorite rap song gets me in trouble: One Night In Bangkok by Murray Head.

Oh, final thought: if you come across any ELO concert footage that has Mik Kaminski in it, watch. The man was/is amazing and in that first concert I watched in awe as he plucked, repeat plucked, the Flight of the Bumblebee. Even the other band members were shaking their head at amazement.

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving to the SW, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Medical Coordination

A while back, I talked about collecting doctors and the large number I collected after being hit by lightning. I’ve been working on whittling that number down, and trying to get those that remain to coordinate.

Late Friday afternoon, I got reminded of another party involved in my care when I got a demand to report ASAP for a fasting blood draw to check — exactly what my cardiologist and my GP had both just checked about three weeks before. Did not help my blood pressure at all. Especially as if I don’t comply they will cease to certify refills on some or all of my cardiac medicines.

So, called them this morning and pointed out to the lipid clinic the previous blood work for both doctors, and to express my concern that they were not coordinating with my cardiologist who is in the same flipping practice and building, much less with my GP. As for the non-renewal, I also told them their terms were acceptable. Then I sent a letter to my cardiologist (and cc’d my GP)

Not sure who this really needs to go to, but going to start here and see what happens.

XXXXXXXXX is my doctor for my high blood pressure and cardiac health, as I attested to a while back.

XXXXXXXXX is my GP and is responsible for my general health and treating the whole patient. As part of this, XXXX monitors my cholesterol and other factors for my general health.

The XXXXXXXXX Clinic seems to be a third provider and I am now in receipt of a demand from them for yet another cholesterol/general screen to be done ASAP. I have called them to advise of the recent visits with XXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXX.

How do we get all three of you to coordinate and share information? The XXXXXXXXX Clinic just told me they have no record of the lab tests done for XXXXXXXXX at the lab downstairs, and it is not surprising that they don’t have the results provided to XXXXXXXXX. I am, however, concerned that the XXXXXXXXX Clinic is not coordinating with XXXXXXXXX, who is in the same practice.

As for the demand for a new blood draw ASAP, and the offer to stop renewing all (??) my heart medicines, please understand that those terms are acceptable to me. In addition to the fact that XXXXXXXXX is monitoring my cholesterol (as is also XXXXXXXXX), know that my insurance company is “encouraging” me to move things like this to another provider.

Please advise.

We will see what happens, but this just drives home something I can’t say enough: You are the one in charge of and responsible for your health and medical treatment.

Most doctors are good people and hopefully good physicians. That said, modern medicine is all about the number of patients seen in a day, reducing the time with each patient as much as possible to increase the number of patients, and other factors of an efficient practice. While few will like to admit it, most medical practices have no time set aside in a day, a week, or even a month for doing things like reading research papers and otherwise keeping up with developments in general or special fields. A lot is limited to “professional development courses” of which very few are required in a year.

The sad fact is, if you do as you should and dive in to read research papers (not, repeat NOT newspaper or popular science articles), you are likely to know more than your physician who literally can’t keep up given the demands of corporate medicine. This can get you nasty notes in your file of being uncooperative or other terms indicating that you dared imply or say that your doc wasn’t god you impertinent peasant you. BTW, if that happens or they try to discourage you from researching, get a new doc as they will harm or kill you (and never will acknowledge you were right). One reason I like my GP: If I come across a relevant or good study, they want to get a copy to read. Hope they really do so.

Got questions and they won’t/can’t answer, and push you do do something anyway? Run. Say they have to go with CDC/NIH no matter what? Run. If they say something is a good point and let’s explore this? Good doc.

In this case, I would not mind cutting loose the XXXXXXXXX Clinic portion of this. It was featured to me as a bonus and assistance after the open heart surgery following getting hit by lightning. Right now, seems to be more a problem than a benefit. Also, not doing yet another fasting blood draw this soon because of bureaucratic incompetence. That they are not coordinating with a physician which is part of the same practice screams PROBLEM to me.

Like I said above, we will see. Meantime, be your own advocate with your health, as no one else in the medical field will truly be such for you.

UPDATE: Got the distinct impression that the Clinic was NOT happy at my letter to the cardiologist. Even though the cardiologist’s office apparently recommended otherwise, the Clinic recommended that my GP take over this monitoring and the prescription. I agreed. 🙂

*****

Nuclear Oz

Only this time, Toto wasn’t needed to draw back the curtain as the Russians never bothered to close it in the first place. Interesting being able to see the illusion they are trying to peddle (mostly to an internal audience, but also to idiots abroad) while watching the reality.

No, not really too concerned this morning about the reports from Russian MoD about the readiness of their CBRN units. Nor am I too surprised at the Sunday morning talk show push (in Russia) or the calls by Shoigu to various leaders around the world. And I’m definitely not surprised by the groundwork for false-flag operations being laid.

First, remember that we are supposedly in the middle of their annual nuclear preparedness exercise. If so, no surprise that the cream of the crop of the CBRN units are ready to put on a pretty picture. Real question is if it is a picture of reality or just another Potemkin Village. There are reports (and conjecture) out there that their true readiness for such is on par with their uniforms and other equipment thanks to rampant corruption.

Before I forget, I’m laughing my fuzzy fluffy rump off at the stories coming out blaming all problems on theft by individual troops. This has been covered a bit before, but after Putin sacked his generals (all but two) and even some higher ranks and gave the positions to oligarchia to loot, things got so bad that small units and even individuals did indeed start stealing equipment and such simply to be able to eat. Want to know if a story on this is out of the Kremlin directly or indirectly? If it focuses on the individual troops stealing, and ignores the higher-level corruption, it’s a Kremlin production no matter the masthead.

Second, the push on the false-flag/maskirova items, along with all the phone calls, is fairly simple. I agree with the ISW that a lot of it is intended to slow down or stop deliveries and other support to the Ukraine. If the Ukraine can be isolated to any degree, it will help Russian efforts. If it works to any degree, expect to see a lot more of it. That said, they truly are trying to set the stage, particularly to the internal audience (and the brain dead external) that it was all the dastardly Ukrainian Nazi Scumbags and not the sweet and innocent Russian troops and leadership. Cough.

For reasons I won’t fully go into at this time, I remain concerned that if things don’t go well, Vladimir will go after every nuclear plant in the Ukraine in an attempt to damage the country and destroy it by other means. Again, they may attempt some maskirova and engage in false-flag operations, but there are those in Russia who feel that if they can’t seize the Ukraine, then no one — especially the Ukrainians — should be allowed to keep it either.

Now, in regards the list of false-flag/maskirova, one thing to keep in mind, this isn’t the first time they’ve done this. Syria is but one example. If you have the time and patience, and go back into the Cold War, the same was done at different times (usually a time of tensions) so that if there was a war, they would already have the pretexts in place for escalation.

So, I find things concerning, but nothing more than that at this time. In fact, some of it is sadly predictable. There are some things I am going to watch for, and if I do see them, then I will be worried. Until then, simply vigilant.

For those on Twitter, I am on there as LaughingWolfOne and if you are looking for good sources of information, try my Intel list. There are a couple on there that I would highly recommend, as while not 100 percent right (no one is) they have a better track record than several of the three-letter and related.

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Faith In Accountability And Responsibility

Over on Twitter, Bree A Dail, a journalist who among other duties is the Vatican Correspondent for The Epoch Times, posed an interesting question as part of a discussion:

If a journalist (or media outlet) identifying as Catholic Media publishes or supports publications rejecting/denying the Bishop of Rome, or Church Teachings, should they be exposed, publicly reprimanded and censured by Bishops and/or the Holy See?

Within the context provided, I would (and did) answer yes to her poll. My explanation of why I voted as I did led to a nice discussion with her, and among other things she pointed out to me this story from a Catholic media outlet saying that Francis is not the Pope. In fact, they refuse to call him Pope or Francis.

Some quick background before we dive in on this. I was raised Methodist and joined the Episcopal Church in late high school. Eventually I found my way to the Catholic Church. When I joined, I did so in one of those conservative churches so beloved of Pope Francis (/sarc), one which until brought to heel performed the Latin Mass every Sunday. In fact, when I joined the early Mass was Anglican, the reasonable Mass was the Sung Mass, and the later/mid-day Mass was the Latin Mass. The difference between the Sung and Latin Mass? About an hour.

One benefit of joining in a more conservative Church was that the RCIA program, which educates on Catholic theology and practices, was rigorous (and fun). We had some theological debates and discussions, and more importantly got into some of the historical debates and discussions that resulted in current Catholic doctrine. The course I took was such that other Churches sometimes sent their students, or even those who were of the Faith, to participate and learn. Some of it was warts and all, as there have been Saints fist fighting and Popes who were “rotters.” Thing is, at the end, you had no doubt about where the Church stood, why they did so, and what the options and expectations for you involved.

In fact, we spent pretty much an entire session one evening discussing things like the denial of the Sacrament to those who supported abortion or other issues that run counter to the laws outlined in the Catechism of the Church. On any number of issues like that, if you did not agree with the Church’s position, you should not join. If you did join, and found yourself in disagreement with the Church on doctrine decided later, you should not accept the Sacrament.

Technically, I am a lapsed Catholic. For personal reasons and because I find myself in disagreement with a number of things decreed by Pope Francis, I chose to not take the Sacrament and to even step away from the Church. It is the right, moral, and honorable thing to do IMO and is in keeping with the Catechism. My Faith remains, and remains strong. My faith in Man and the Institutions of Man remains about the same, just short of non-existent.

Until Bree pointed out that article and some other things, I was unaware that any Catholic media was denying that Francis is the Pope, much less questioning the authority of the Bishop of Rome and the Magisterium. Been focused on a few other things the last year or two, and while I knew I was far from alone in my thoughts in regards Pope Francis I did not realize that things had gotten this far.

For good or ill, Francis sits on the Throne of St. Peter and is the Pope and Bishop of Rome. Period. Full Stop.

The thing that struck me in some things I’ve been reading since this came up, the argument being made is that Francis has abandoned doctrine, process, and more and therefore isn’t Pope. It is a novel approach, though not terribly grounded in Church law IMO. I’m rather surprised that none of those denying his authority have done it (at least that I’ve read) on the basis of his being an anti-Pope.

For those of you who’ve never played Pope-A-Day Bingo, there have been times when there were two (in once case I think possibly three) Popes. This happened when politics ruled the day and there were competing factions French, Italian, and otherwise. The verdict of history (written by those who lived much later most often) was that one was the “real” Pope and the other was an “anti-Pope” or false Pope. An intellectual case can be made that Benedict was either forced out or that his being allowed to renounce the Crown of St. Peter was improper/illegal (under Church law), and that therefore the elevation of Bergoglio was improper/illegal. Whatever the verdict of any future history, the fact remains that Bergoglio was elevated and is serving as Pope Francis.

Now, back to Bree’s query above. Based on the laws of the Church as outlined in the Catechism, the process should be for the appropriate Bishop to remonstrate with them in private, and if that is not satisfactory, remonstrate in public and take further steps as needed. Those steps could be to deny the Sacrament or even up to excommunication.

I am uncomfortable with forcing resignations or removals from the publications. Again, while it has been done in the past, even the recent past, it is far too easy to weaponize against simple, even if profound, disagreement. It is also in many respects a secular response to a spiritual matter.

However, given the manifest unwillingness of the vast majority of Church leadership to do so with a number of people on several subjects (Pelosi and Biden are not the only ones just on abortion, and let’s not even get into matters sexual), I do not see this being addressed anytime soon. Which also tends to push things towards what might be a rather draconian response when and if it comes. It doesn’t help that far too many in leadership see disagreement not only as an assault upon them as an individual, but also as an attack on the office which they hold, and that therefore to disagree with them in any way, shape, or form as an attack on the Faith as a whole as well. Simple disagreement is not being Satanic.

Which leads to another poll Bree conducted as part of the thread:

Should journalists who identify as Catholic Media be held to a standard of ethics, to include Oaths of Fidelity to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church?

This is where things get interesting for me. Oaths are powerful and sacred things, even when they deal with the purely secular. I’ve sworn a couple in my life that have no expiration that include the cost of my life. I tend to approach them a bit differently from some for very good reasons.

While the idea of Catholic Media taking an oath similar to what some Catholic academics do seems like a good idea, I have some strong reservations about it. Much depends on what is sworn, and how. Given how so much of the leadership of the Church is thin-skinned on criticism (to be polite) my concern is that any oath to obey, support, or other the Magisterium or the authority of the Bishop of Rome could (and sadly I suspect would) be twisted such that any disagreement, or any report they don’t like, is a violation of the oath.

I do think that media claiming to be Catholic media needs to be held to a higher standard on matters of the Faith and the doctrines of the Church. Then again, I think all media needs to be held to some minimum standards on honesty, accuracy, and other matters. I agree with Bree that we need to hold journalists to at least the standards we would hold a child doing a book report. Preferably more. When I left journalism many moons ago, I was delighted to discover that public relations not only had a much stronger code of ethics, but that unlike journalism they actually enforced it. At least they did at that time, no idea about today. Modern journalism talks (a lot), but does not walk the walk.

Catholic Media needs to walk the walk. If they are to claim that they are a Catholic organization/publication/whatever, then they need to be held at least to the standards expected of any member of the Faith. Disagreement and discussion are allowed in the Faith within certain constraints. It is how the Church grows and expands the understanding of God’s Word. To that end, those that stray need to be dealt with by the spiritual methods as outlined in the Catechism, not by secular means.

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