Catholic Teddy Bears: Is Shia LaBeouf Playing You?

Catholics do the Church no favor by suspending warranted skepticism for the easy gratification of prematurely claiming a pop culture ally in the liturgy wars. 

Before you accuse me of plagiarism, the quote comes from here.

The article repeats, in an excellent way, the theme of one of my posts of some weeks ago, when I warned from the ueberschnell promotion of Mr LaBeouf to new Catholic hero for our times.

The article makes for very interesting reading, in that it touches on two issues that were – my bad, of course – new to me: the plagiarism, and the vastly different language registers in different interview about the same issue (his conversion/repentance/redemption).

As to the first, the man appears to have such a history of plagiarism that you would think he is a relative of Joe Biden. Not only that, he goes very stupidly about it, which does not engender any confidence in the solidity of his intellect and, therefore, of his proposits.

The second, much more ominous in my eyes because extremely recent, is the frequent use of expletives and the careful avoidance of the Latin Mass theme in repeat videos on his troubles (and conversion) destined to a different audience from the Catholic one.

To me, this is sheer marketing.

If you have had a sincere conversion, you don’t go around spitting expletives to look cool with the atheist kids. More disquietingly, if you have found the Latin Mass a touching, spiritual, growth-inducing experience, you want those who don’t go to mass or are not interested in Catholicism to be the first to know.

There is nothing of this in Mr LaBoeuf’s performances. There is, in fact, an actor.

Mind, this does not necessarily mean that the man is lying. Like many actors, he might merely be in love with the idea of his conversion (or with himself as converted) whenever it is useful to him, reverting back to the usual A-H mode when he is in a different company. He might, also, have experienced a very tepid, slow-burn, conversion, again in contrast to the big proclaims and interviews. But as a whole, this whole affair is screaming at us to be prudent.

Let me quote the author of the linked article again:

Sentimentality is the enemy of true compassion. It is the self-centered substitute of one’s own feelings, one’s druthers, for conscientious appraisal of reality.

This is, I think, exactly what has been happening. Emotional (probably, largely female) Catholics can’t wait to adopt the new Famous Guy like he is the latest Catholic Teddy Bear. But there is no sound reasoning behind this.

Sound reasoning would command, first of all, prudence, and a truckload of salt.

Hollywood: Is The Gaystapo Retreating?

I have written on several occasions on how societal trends move like a pendulum, with an issue slowly developing, then exploding – greatly helped by the media, who love these things – in a collective craze, and after a while deflating again. Sometimes the process takes a long time, on other occasions the pendulum swings more rapidly. To make some example, Roe vs Wade is now clearly under attack, and I seriously doubt it will survive another 40 years, whilst – to mention just some other cases – the AIDS-craze, the Mad-Cow madness and the Environ-mentalism all were much more short-lived.

On a smaller scale, perhaps another pendulum is slowing starting to swing the other way: the intimidation of Hollywood through the Homomafia.
I have just seen “Seven Psychopats” (a brilliant movie, if you like black humour) and couldn’t avoid thinking this will have the queens up in arms, screeching like it’s the first day of sales at Bloomingdale’s. What makes the (several) jokes more relevant is that the film has its first ending (yes, there are two of them…) with a joke so obviously uncaring of the screeching of the homo-lobby I can’t believe this was done by coincidence. On the contrary, the impression I had is that the message here is very clear: we’ve had enough of being intimidated and won’t put up with this anymore.

You could obviously say this is just one movie, and a swallow does not a summer make; but this is a $15m movie, not an indie aiming at Sundance Film Festival glory.

I couldn’t avoid thinking that just a couple of years ago a famous actor (Vince Vaughn, if memory serves) had to make a public apology because he had one line in which he said the Toyota Prius is “gay” (which it clearly is; readers of this blog obviously excluded). Heavens, if the Gaystapo gets bitchy because of a line like this, ” Seven Psychopats” will be bad for their coronaries.

I will continue to follow the trend, but I hope the  infamous “Friends With Benefits” will be remembered as the low point, a romantic – if rather immoral for Catholic standards; most romantic movies today are – comedy utterly raped by the presence of the homosexual “friend of the lead character”, interpreted by a rather improbable Woody Harrelson. Interestingly, Woody Harrelson – whom I had not seen for a while before  his homo role, and I suspect had to accept it to get back in the big game – now gives an excellent, gritty interpretation in “Seven Psychopats”, and I can well assume the man is trying to get rid of the bad odour left by his homo character; still, the man is clearly a liberal, so I might be wrong on this.

We will see how this pans out; but I must say I was so surprised I thought I would share this with you. More of this, please, and let us put an end to this insufferable climate of bitchy intimidation.

Mundabor

“Why I Oppose Same Sex Marriage”: A “Vivificat” Blog Post

Actually is "homosexual so-called marriage", but you get the drift....

On the Vivificat blog, this beautiful blog post about “Why I oppose same sex marriage”.

It is so pithy, beautiful and charitable (charitable in the right way), that the best thing to do is to reproduce it in its entirety, including the emphases.

There you are:

Why am I strongly opposed to same-sex “marriage”?

Because it is an offense against the institution of marriage? Yes, but not really: that institution has already been demolished by our modern Godless society.

Because it will most likely wind up forcing me, as a citizen of this nation, to in some way participate? Yes, but not really: I am ready and willing to be persecuted for my beliefs.

Because this is a democracy and most Americans oppose same-sex “marriage”? Yes, but not really: I support many things that most Americans oppose and oppose many things that most Americans support.

Because it is a slippery slope that may lead to legalized polygamy, incest, etc.? Yes, but not really: that would be like opposing abortion because it could lead to condom use (Sodomy is the greater evil)

Because it will likely lead to more disease and economic devastation in our nation? Yes, but not really: those are fleabites compared to my real concerns

Rather, I oppose same-sex “marriage” because I love homosexuals. Because I do not want to see just another enticement (which is what this would be: a legal endorsement of that behavior) for them to remain in that wayward lifestyle and for young people to join that lifestyle. It is a lifestyle that tears apart their souls, makes depression rampant, and motivates suicide to an astronomical degree. For the government to bless their unions with same-sex “marriage” is to say “Come and partake of this banquet, for there is nothing wrong with it. Come and appease your passions and give in to your temptations, we will bless your efforts. Come and reap the fruits of your actions, that you may spend eternity with us.” In other words, I oppose same-sex “marriage” because it turns the government into the very mouthpiece of Satan.

Is this “theocratic” of me? In violation of “separation of Church and state”? Label me as you will. My stance here is a stance of love, in obedience to the Almighty through His Church, and it will never change.

As for myself, I don’t give a hoot how many from the glitterati, the elites, Hollywood, government in all three branches give their secular blessing on this so-called same-sex “marriage”. Call me what you wish, I will never set this lie above the Truth.

Congratulations to Teofilo de Jesus and Dan O’Connor, the authors of this beautiful witness of Christian love.

Mundabor