I may offend pretty much everyone this week. Then again, maybe not.
Either way, instead of what I’d planned on writing, I’ll be sharing a video which, despite some rather dated terminology, makes good points about the devil: and why living as if ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ exist makes sense. I’ve got a bit to say about that, too.
This isn’t my favorite topic, but — touching on it seemed like a good idea.
Watching an Old Video
It’s been ‘one of those weeks’, although there’s nothing obviously wrong with me, and life is going well.
Even so, I kept getting writer’s block whenever I sat down and tried writing about what I had in mind for this week.
Then a 37-minute video of the Venerable Fulton Sheen, possibly from the early 1970s, showed up in my YouTube feed.
I’ve known about Fulton Sheen since before I became a Catholic, and figured I had 37 minutes available for the video.
That’s more time than I’ll set aside for an old “The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends” show. But I started watching anyway. Partly because Fulton Sheen is among the folks I think make sense when they talk or write.
By the time I was through listening, I’d started writing this.
Theology, Slogans, and Human Nature
I wouldn’t take all theological details of a joke Fulton Sheen told in the first few minutes too seriously.
It involves tourist jaunts between Heaven and Hell. The point isn’t the jaunts, but what the devil ‘looks like’ as we go along through life.
Another thing: Fulton Sheen was talking to Christians in this video. That may be why he didn’t spend time talking about why following Jesus is the right choice. I won’t, either, beyond saying that seeking truth and accepting mercy makes sense. To me, at any rate.
As for why I see a point in sharing a video recorded a half-century back — some things change, some don’t change.
Fashions, like maxicoats — or was it maxiskirts? — change. So do slogans, like “theology is politics” and “I gotta be me”.
Other things don’t change, like whether or not hating my neighbor is okay. It’s not okay, by the way. I should love God, love my neighbors, and see everyone as my neighbor. Always. (Matthew 5:43–44, 22:36–40; Mark 12:28–31; Luke 6:31, 10:25–27, 29–37; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2196)
Human nature hasn’t changed, either. It’s as good, and as wounded, now as it was in my youth, on that first Christmas, and since long before we started keeping written records.
That’s why I think that what Fulton Sheen said about the devil/Satan, attitudes, assumptions, and living as if what we do matters, is worth hearing.
Finally, before I wrap this up, about theology:
“Theology and religion are not the same thing. When the churches are controlled by theologians religious people stay away.”
[Holbrook Jackson]
“Theology is simply that part of religion that requires brains”
[G. K. Chesterton’s comment, written in green pencil]
(“Platitudes Undone”, Ignatius Press (1997 page 25 (The Inner Temple)); facsimile edition of “Platitudes in the Making: Precepts and Advices for Gentlefolk”, Holbrook Jackson (1911)
Considering attitudes and opinions that have been seen as ‘intelligent’ or ‘reverent’, I’d better say it: I think Chesterton is right about theology.
Making Sense
Colorful, but not theologically sound.
At the moment, I’m simply not up to explaining why I think Satan is real and doesn’t wear red tights.
The same goes for why I —
- Take Jesus seriously
- Try acting as if my beliefs matter
- Take civic responsibility seriously
- Believe some acts are always right
- And some are always wrong
— and why seeing ethics/morality as more than personal preference doesn’t make me ‘political’.
Besides, I’ve talked about Satan, Jesus, being human, and all that, before:
- Jesus matters
- The Devil: really
- “Killing Prisoners, Valuing Human Life” (August 27, 2022)
- “Satan Didn’t Make Me Do It” (November 13, 2016)
- Human Nature
- Faith matters
“Principles, Priorities, Politics: and Being Catholic” (September 21, 2024)
- “Liberal? Conservative? Republican? Democrat? No: Catholic” (July 27, 2024)
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This brings me back to an instance of my mother helping me regain the will to live, an instance which involved listening to something a relative shared: a copy of an audio recording of Venerable Fulton Sheen talking about how helping others is essential to helping oneself. As for this recording of Venerable Sheen, I find myself humbled and honored by the Lord’s suffering yet again, especially when He defended it against Saint Peter’s resistance and when He strives to challenge and guide us back to Him even when we are so undeserving. Also, even though I feel like the split personality discussion might be one of the dated parts of this talk, I like the mental health discussion, which has me remembering how carelessly most of us refer to our mental issues as “demons,” and the Devil being described as anti-Cross has me further appreciating how we need satisfaction and how not every satisfaction is a good thing. I mean, you ever come across people who claim to feel saved by some dubiousness? It’s easy to feel saved by someone or something, but it’s difficult to suffer as redemptively as God does, and here He is with the Saints proving to us that we can and should follow Him. So yeah, thank you very much for this sharing, Mister Gill, and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
First, good for your mother – and you! I’ve found that, even when it doesn’t feel like it, being alive is a (very) good thing. And – yes, Venerable Sheen made/makes a lot of sense. About helping others in this case.
Folks who say they’re ‘saved’, and their account doesn’t quite feel right? I’m in my mid-70s- so, yeah: I’ve run across that. But hey, maybe I don’t understand what they’re saying – that’s a distinct possibility.
Yes – Jesus sets a pretty high standard. VERY high standard. Seeing myself as a work in progress helps. 😉
“…the split personality discussion….” – yes. There are several seriously dated statements there. And Venerable Sheen was not a psychologist, although he knew a great deal about psychology.
Good hearing from you, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year – and all the best.