Francis Berger
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Yeah, But Do You Have a PhD in Discernment?

6/13/2021

17 Comments

 
A few days ago I ruffled some feathers by criticizing an American bishop's plea for Catholics to return to Mass now that the dreaded birdemic plague appears to be waning. The overall intent of the cursory remarks I added to the bishop's message in the post was to draw attention to the manipulative rhetorical ploys the bishop employed in his appeals to draw the faithful back to Mass.

My overarching point was that the bishop and the Church remain officially aligned with the birdemic narrative. As such, they continue to believe their decision to close churches and deny Mass to hundreds of millions was totally justified. Put another way, the Catholic Church - and practically all other Christian denominations - remain firmly convinced that they did the right thing for the right reasons. They feel no need to reflect upon or perhaps reassess their decision, and they certainly do not think they have anything to repent.

I happen to think the opposite. 

I hold the opposite view because I am convinced that the birdemic is an Evil Lie. Moreover, I believe in the primacy of the spiritual - in putting God and spiritual considerations first. By denying Mass and other sacraments such as last rites at the behest of the secular global diktat of none are safe until all are safe, the Catholic Church (and other Christian denominations) essentially demonstrated that they believe in the primacy of the material - in putting the world and material considerations first. 

Of course, not everyone agrees with my standpoint on this matter. A Catholic blogger - whom I won't bother mentioning by name or linking to because I have zero interest in directing any traffic toward him or his blog - was curious to know if I possessed any special competence or qualifications to support my view:

What is Francis's special competence in stating that Birdemic is not a legitimate reason to close down the Churches. Is he a microbiologist, epidemiologist, practicing clinician. Or is he just some guy with an opinion?  

Ah, the old "What makes you an authority?" line.  

The blogger's comment reveals much. For starters, he basically admits that he considers the birdemic to have been a perfectly legitimate reason to close down the churches.

Furthermore, he would only be open to reconsidering his position if I possessed some kind special medical or scientific competence through which I might be able to prove my assertions and, perhaps, persuade him to reconsider his own views concerning church closures and the birdemic.

Otherwise, I'm just "some guy with an opinion." Not to be taken seriously. Easily dismissed.

I must add that said blogger is himself a practicing family physician, which means he possesses the sort of special competence he demands of me in order to make my "opinion" worth considering.

Sounds reasonable, right? Sure, until you consider the veritable armies of microbiologists, epidemiologists, practicing clinicians, and other medical professionals who have distorted, twisted, warped, slanted, manipulated, falsified, misreported, misrepresented, slanted, and skewed the birdemic to no end, to say nothing of the untold hundreds of thousands who buckled, cratered, submitted, capitulated, deferred, conformed, and complied to the birdemic narrative for a variety of reasons, foremost among them - expediency. 

Sorry, but when it comes to the "trust the experts" angle and the birdemic, you can count me out.

However, for the sake of argument, let's pretend I did possess some kind of special competence. Say I was a world-renowned epidemiologist who could prove the birdemic was not a legitimate reason to close the churches. Do you think it would make a shred of difference to the Catholic blogger? He seems to imply that it would, but I strongly doubt it. I get the sense he would listen to my ironclad proof, nod his head thoughtfully, and then write me off as a crank or a quack.

Why?

Because at its core, the birdemic is not about science or medicine or church doctrine. At its core, the birdemic marks the epicenter of things coming to a point. More specifically, the birdemic is about being able to spiritually discern good and evil and making the right choices in light of this discernment. 

To the Catholic blogger noted above, I'm just a "guy with an opinion". On top of that, said blogger believes my opinion to be wrong. In his qualified opinion - and remember, he is a doctor - the birdemic was a legitimate reason to close churches. Not only that, there was nothing particular special about the church closures - it was just a common sense precaution against a global health threat. And he should know because he's a doctor. Hence, Catholic blogger dismisses my "opinion" as wrong because I'm just "some guy". Fair enough; said Catholic blogger can think whatever he wants about me, but my opinion about church closures during the birdemic is not an opinion, but discernment, and I don't think that this discernment can be flippantly dismissed.

As far as I'm concerned, churches the world over failed miserably when they closed their doors due to the birdemic. I will go even as far as to say most churches actively and willingly made the wrong choice. And churchgoers who passively and obediently follow their churches in this regard are also making the wrong choice. 

People can reject this as my "opinion", but I do not regard my standpoint on this issue to be mere opinion. For me, it's discernment - discernment based on my understanding of God and Creation - that is, on my understanding of the fundamental nature of reality and of our current spiritual war. 

My discernment is not perfect. I sometimes misjudge. I do get things wrong. When I do, I acknowledge the fact, repent, and attempt to right my course. That is part of my spiritual learning.

But the whole point of the point is that it makes discernment easier. The line separating good from evil has rarely, if ever, been clearer. That doesn't mean that discernment is always easy or that our judgments are always correct, but it does mean that spiritual discernment can no longer be considered a passive, optional activity. Like it or not, we have all been put in the position where we must choose - and those choices are based on our ability to effectively discern.

In this regard, we are all our own spiritual authorities. The possibility of outsourcing discernment to an external church authority is closing before us. When it comes to matters of religion and spirit, we no longer have the luxury to simply believe what we are told to believe and do what we are told to do. We must make our own judgments about these matters, and these judgments must emanate from our innermost selves and our active and willing alignment with God and Creation. 

In this sense, spiritual discernment is the most important special competence we can possess in this time and place. Unlike other special competences, we can't and don't need to obtain PhDs to become experts at exercising spiritual discernment. All the resources we need are already within us, but we have to access these resources to make discernment work.

And this is something all Christians, regardless of denomination, simply must do. 

All the special competences and skills the world can offer will do you very little good if you turn your back on the basic and necessary skill of spiritual discernment.

Which is exactly what the Catholic blogger so skeptical of my "opinion" appears to have done when it comes to the birdemic. 
17 Comments
imnobody00
6/13/2021 23:57:25

You can have discernment and other people can have it too. And your discernment does not have to be the same as the discernment of other people.

In my opinion, what seemed out of line to me is nothing what you said about the Catholic church. You may be right or wrong about that, but it's your opinion. I agree about some things and disagree about other things, but you could be 100% right. I don't dispute that

What seemed wrong is your statement that everybody who doesnt't think like you is on his way to condemnation. This was only a sentence but a revealing one.

This is very presumptuous of you. Even very dogmatic confessions, such as the Catholic church, open the possibility that people of good will from other religions can be saved. Not in the Bergerian religion: you think like me or you are on your road to Hell. This seems too much for a blogger with a meager audience, regardless of the inspiration you think you have had from God himself. And if it were truth, it would imply that God wants the mankind to be condemned except Berger and some of their friends. Possible but unlikely.

This corner of the blogosphere seems high on intellectual pride and low on charity. Three or four people, which are intellectual brilliant, reject any other opinions held by billions of people and think they are able to discover the truth only by their flawed intellect. Then, they agree with each other and condemn anybody else to Hell. Not even medieval Popes went so far.

And pride is the worse of sins. Being blogger attracts people that think like you. They agree with you and your pride increases until you think you are the one with a salvation message for humanity. When you are in Heaven and I am in Hell, you will have the satisfaction of telling me:" I warned you but you didn't want to listen" :-)

Reply
Francis Berger
6/14/2021 05:35:47

@ imnobody00 - "What seemed wrong is your statement that everybody who doesnt't think like you is on his way to condemnation."

Sorry, but I said nothing of the sort. Not in this post, nor in the previous one.

What I said is that churches of all denominations - including the Catholic Church - have officially subjugated themselves to the global totalitarian ideology and that Christians who continue to blindly follow their churches in this course - by adhering to narratives like the birdemic, climate change, anti-racism, sexual revolution are choosing self-damnation.

This isn't intellectual or spiritual pride, but a verifiable observation.

Take a look at the link below (and what is depicted there is far from uncommon). Stating that any Catholic who follows these people has actively chosen their own damnation requires no spiritual pride or sense of intellectual superiority.

https://www.francisberger.com/bergers-blog/virtue-signal-level-epic

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Dynamic
6/14/2021 00:14:28

I think it's interesting that unnamed Catholic blogger (who is definitely far from alone) insists that the sphere of expertise required to determine whether churches should close is microbiology, epidemiology, or some other expertise on things material; those with spiritual expertise need not opine.

And I think that's the problem. Similar to most places, the Catholic churches in my diocese shut down well before the government required them to do so. To me this decision seems based mostly on materialist considerations. If someone actually *believed* what was in the Bible and the Catechism, would they not think that church is *more* essential than going to the grocery store? "Man does not live by bread alone." And even if leaving the churches open did lead to more viral spread and even deaths, would it not be better for more people to die if they die in a state of grace, than to have fewer deaths but a greater risk of damnation because the Church isn't providing any of its usual services?

It's possible that the Church just got caught up in the hysteria and made a bad decision, but if that's the case, they should practise what they preach and repent of that error (and I for one would be very willing to forgive).

P.S. I really enjoyed your original post; I was laughing out loud at "'The inconvenience of busy parking lots, crying children, and crowded pews'? On which planet did this guy attend church before the birdemic?'"

Reply
Francis Berger
6/14/2021 05:57:41

@ Dynamic - Thanks. I agree with the observations you recorded in your second paragraph.

The problem with these kinds of posts is that they are never fun or easy to write. That is, I derive no satisfaction or hand-rubbing glee from pointing out how Christian churches have subjugated themselves to global totalitarian leftism and that Christians who continue to follow their churches in this subjugation are making the wrong choice.

Yet many Christians regard my critical stance as a betrayal of Christianity/the Catholic Church or as a sign of intellectual or spiritual pride.

I write these posts because church matters - or at the very least, church should matter. But it is becoming increasingly difficult to spiritually justify why church matters, especially when churches themselves have so obviously taken a wrong turn.

In my more optimistic moments I get to thinking that God is showing us that there is a way forward outside the church or, at the very least, a way to remain in church yet still remain a serious Christian. Otherwise, I struggle to believe that the current alignment and actions of churches are divinely-inspired for good purposes.

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William James Tychonievich link
6/14/2021 10:13:49

Pointing to "experts" and Studies Have Shown is laughable in such an extreme, blatantly obvious situation. You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

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Francis Berger
6/14/2021 21:11:15

@ Wm - I often get the feeling that those who rely on the weatherman to know which wind the blows may soon experience another line from that song - Look out, kid! You're gonna get hit!

Reply
Jacob Gittes
6/14/2021 15:59:07

Francis,
I read your previous post, and the controversy with the unnamed blogger.
This reminded me of an experience I recently had. A friend who the mother of a 13 year old boy wanted me to help try to convince the father (they are not married) to not vaccinate their son with the experimental vax. Probably because I used to be in academia and research.
I took a very scientific approach, sending published papers and reasons based in known science. The father is a professional researcher and reviewer.

The result that I expected happened: any research or actual scientific papers that I sent that supported my view that the vaccines was a potential danger (it's not really known, because it will take years to follow vaccine recipients to find long-term side-effects) or not necessary (young people are incredibly unlikely to develop problems from the birdemic) was ignored or dismissed.

Thus, this professional researcher father obviously has something beyond reason and statistics which is guiding his thought processes. He literally would not admit that research or science that went against his belief in the safety and efficacy of the vaccines was valid. Yet as a materialist, he won't admit that anything other than the material and "science" is guiding his reasoning! Amazing. His faith evidently lies in the System and in the System Authorities, but it is an unstated and unconscious faith. To me, science is a method of reaching provisional knowledge. I actually went into epistemology and the philosophy of science with him, but he totally ignored that.

The System is their god. To question or doubt it is heresy.
The main institutional churches have chose to follow this false god, while pretending they are just doing what is safe and expedient. How such institutions can claim to be bearers of the old faith is beyond me.

Reply
Francis Berger
6/14/2021 21:02:33

@ Jacob Gittes - "Thus, this professional researcher father obviously has something beyond reason and statistics which is guiding his thought processes. He literally would not admit that research or science that went against his belief in the safety and efficacy of the vaccines was valid. Yet as a materialist, he won't admit that anything other than the material and "science" is guiding his reasoning! Amazing."

Thanks for sharing that. I really shouldn't be surprised by stories like the one you've shared here, but oddly enough, I still am. You're right. It truly is amazing.

Reply
Jacob Gittes
6/14/2021 21:16:20

Francis,
thanks for the response. I didn't write in my previous comment that I was a bit shaken up on Saturday by the whole exchange. Sadened. It started in a hopeful manner in my mind, as he seemed to be open to the exchange and my research. But it quickly became apparent it was a "one-way" exchange. It was also harsh and condemning from him. I attempted to be supportive and kind.

In the end, I felt a literal kind of dark energy or harmful energy coming my way. I seem to be more sensitive to non-material things. Therefore stopped the fruitless exchange, and said, "good luck."
My heart hurt for the child. I know of people who have been hurt and killed by the vaccines.
I ended up telling the mother today that she should insist on her legal right to be present for any medical procedures. I believe parents have that right here. She should be there, as a witness. I also told her I'd send her a NOL (notice of liablity) to give to the doctor who injects the child. Even if it comes to naught, inserting the idea into medical staff that they may be held accountable is good.
Oh - the fact that our CDC is having an emergency meeting on the fact that the mRNA vaccines are showing a link to heart issues in young men his son's age had no effect.

One interesting note: he admitted that the fact that he received the vax may be affecting his motivations in choosing to vax his son. To me, that made the choice even more evil - to realize that one's motivation in decision-making may be self-interested, and then to go ahead.
Even simply holding off on the decision would be more rational, along the lines of, "Well, my young son is almost certainly not going to be sicked by covid, especially in the summer, so I'll just wait a bit and see what comes out."
Thanks for tolerating all these words on this. I guess I am still a bit off kilter.

Francis Berger
6/14/2021 22:14:50

@ Jacob - My father - who lives in Canada - is currently visiting us here in Hungary. Before he came, he was convinced he needed to be pecked in order to board a plane. He went as far as to make an appointment to get the peck. I told him that he was mistaken. That he didn't need the peck to fly. It took me about two weeks to talk him out of the appointment, which he finally canceled. He had to undergo two tests, but was able to fly to Europe un-pecked.

Once he was here, he admitted he didn't really want to get pecked, but had been completely under the impression that he needed it to fly.

As far as I can tell, the peck is engineered malevolence, but even if it isn't, it's still insane. Why is it being pushed on people who clearly don't need it - kids for example?

Reply
jorgen b
6/14/2021 22:59:59

Those who can't admit that tying the validity of a sacrament to the validity of a priesthood rather than the faith of the recipient are gonna rage for a decade or more as the priesthood becomes more and more corrupt, but they'll have to admit it eventually as the hierarchy hits rock bottom.

Reply
Doc
6/15/2021 01:48:49

I have been discerning a coalescing system to which everything has been subjugated. The only way out is a personal and deliberate expression of will to reject it much the same way that you personally accept salvation. I call it The Beast System. Now there very well may eventually be a technological mark associated with it, but as it stands, so very few seem to be able to apprehend it, most likely because it is spiritual.

Something like: "The vax is not the mark, because I would never take it, and I took the vax, so that's not it." The circular nature of their narrative makes it impossible to reason with them. Maybe rhetoric? Say for example: The Mask of the Beast and everyone loses their mind. Then tell them: "You didn't see it. You complied blindly. You call yourself a Christian. Your discernment is broken. You need to repent."

"NO I DON'T!"

Thus they have received the mark unknowingly and of their own free will. They will not repent. It will continue and get worse. They will persecute you for opting out of the system while they stay in a state of perpetual damnation.

Thoughts only, not doctrine mind you. This is hard to describe.

Reply
Francis Berger
6/15/2021 06:35:31

@ Doc - "I have been discerning a coalescing system to which everything has been subjugated. The only way out is a personal and deliberate expression of will to reject it much the same way that you personally accept salvation. I call it The Beast System. Now there very well may eventually be a technological mark associated with it, but as it stands, so very few seem to be able to apprehend it, most likely because it is spiritual."

Yes, that's very good! I have been doing the same and have suggested it to others on this blog. I refer to it as system distancing (play on social distancing) and consider it a spiritual imperative.

https://www.francisberger.com/bergers-blog/system-distancing-has-become-a-spiritual-imperative

The key to system distancing is the understanding that we are locked into the System to some degree and cannot physically avoid it or escape it, which means we will not always be able to avoid or escape the evil machinations of the System, but these circumstances do not entail that we lose all sense of discernment.
We must continue to recognize and denounce evil. This holds especially true in circumstances in which we recognize evil but are unable to avoid it - e.g. - mask wearing at the workplace. In situations like that we must repent.

Bruce Charlton recently said something very interesting regarding the peck. He argues that it should be avoided. Not out of fear for health and safety, but because it is an evil lie. However, if it cannot be avoided - for example, the peck is physically forced/mandated - it still must be recognized as an evil lie.

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Doc
6/15/2021 01:50:05

Also, the blog post title is perfect!

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Michelle
6/15/2021 03:19:40

I guess under the unnamed blogger's rationale, I would need to be a journalist to know the difference between actual news and propaganda.

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Jana Gatien
6/15/2021 18:43:24

Wonderful post. Indeed there is a profound difference between opinion & discernment of truth/lies. Truth is, much to the discomfort of most, entirely objective. One either has a sense of it, a relationship w it...or not. In leftism (essentially, satanism), "truth" is relative and everyone is entitled to an opinion that is considered equal w all other opinions; in other words, each is entitled to "their truth." I would say that it is vanity that causes a person to succumb to the flattery that their opinion, their "truth" (aka their fantasy) is equal in value to all others. It's an ideological "equality" compatible w all other fake equalities of leftism. Leftism, because it is devoid of godliness, cannot appreciate spiritual discernment and conflates it w/reduces it to mere "opinion," thus making it "equal" to his opinion, w/out him having to make the slightest effort to even refine his opinion, much less his spiritual discernment.

Most enjoy their virtual reality simulation of being right. They are more concerned w what they believe than w truth. Truth is the enemy of someone enjoying the delusion of "their own truth" and thus, spiritual discernment is their enemy's (God and godly people) night goggles for spotting him. Spiritual discernment will see his fraudulence so he conveniently pretends all opinions are equal except yours because you're a hater, racist, bigot, homophobe, zealot, etc.

Someone genuinely concerned w truth doesn't mind being wrong, cuz truth isn't a vanity project for them. When wrong, they get to learn something and refine their relationship w truth. Whereas a person in vain fantasy doesn't like to be wrong cuz what-he-believes is all he's got.

It's sad that most would rather be king shit in a fantasy than a real man or woman in reality.

Reply
Francis Berger
6/15/2021 21:26:45

@ Jana Gatien - Great comment. I like your point about refining one's relationship with truth. This is the very essence of repentance and the key to spiritual learning, which I believe to be the primary purpose of our mortal lives in this world.

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