Stone holm Posted May 31, 2014 Posted May 31, 2014 I have as a local elected official been struggling with how are community can cope with and fix a problem we are experiencing with opioid trafficking by gangs migrating up from NJ and Mass. In particular with loiterers who deal downtown. As I struggled with what to do about this, I have been prompted to go see the local Roman Catholic Priest and enlist his aid. This seems strange to me, since although I have zero confidence in my own religious organizations community building capabilities I am nevertheless extremely loyal to it. However, I have for a long time understood and recognized that the Catholics have a superior grasp of social issues such as community building, social justice, and economics...a recognition powerfully reinforced by the activities of Pope Francis. So the question I have is how do I understand this prompting?
Kenngo1969 Posted May 31, 2014 Posted May 31, 2014 Ignore it completely. There's no way that the Holy Spirit would prompt you to seek the assistance of a Roman Catholic. After all, we're the True Church . 1
bluebell Posted May 31, 2014 Posted May 31, 2014 I don't really see a reason to question it. I would do what the prompting suggests and see what happens. Maybe it will lead to your local wards getting better at community involvement. I've lived in wards that were awesome at outreach and interfaith activities so it's not a given that your local church has to stink at that.
3DOP Posted May 31, 2014 Posted May 31, 2014 Ignore it completely. There's no way that the Holy Spirit would prompt you to seek the assistance of a Roman Catholic. After all, we're the True Church . I have as a local elected official been struggling with how are community can cope with and fix a problem we are experiencing with opioid trafficking by gangs migrating up from NJ and Mass. In particular with loiterers who deal downtown. As I struggled with what to do about this, I have been prompted to go see the local Roman Catholic Priest and enlist his aid. This seems strange to me, since although I have zero confidence in my own religious organizations community building capabilities I am nevertheless extremely loyal to it. However, I have for a long time understood and recognized that the Catholics have a superior grasp of social issues such as community building, social justice, and economics...a recognition powerfully reinforced by the activities of Pope Francis. So the question I have is how do I understand this prompting? I agree with Ken and would add that this prompting must be from the dark side because it seems like the slippery slope to breakdown of separation of church and state. 3
Traela Posted May 31, 2014 Posted May 31, 2014 Are you in an area with a large Catholic presence? I've noticed that even Catholics who never go to church at all often tend to have a strong respect for priests and nuns. Using the religion they already have ties to can be a good way to get them listening. Plus, building bridges between religions is almost always a good thing.
Stone holm Posted June 1, 2014 Author Posted June 1, 2014 Are you in an area with a large Catholic presence? I've noticed that even Catholics who never go to church at all often tend to have a strong respect for priests and nuns. Using the religion they already have ties to can be a good way to get them listening. Plus, building bridges between religions is almost always a good thing.Have always had respect for the Catholics on everything except their religious doctrine, and enjoyed my time at Notre Dame immensely. But have felt that their grasp of social and economic issues is very profound. Of course my first real introduction to the Roman Catholics was in college during the late 60's when they were leading the religious left against the Vietnam Nam War. They of course have not been immune to the same obsession with things sexual as we have been prone to of late.
Daniel Peterson Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 Anything that prompts you to be friendly with, or even civil toward, a member of another religious faith -- let alone a member of its clergy -- should be resisted and rejected. (I'm offering the sentence above to some of my loon critics, who will, I expect, welcome it as yet another redundant specimen of my wickedness.)
Stone holm Posted June 1, 2014 Author Posted June 1, 2014 Anything that prompts you to be friendly with, or even civil toward, a member of another religious faith -- let alone a member of its clergy -- should be resisted and rejected. (I'm offering the sentence above to some of my loon critics, who will, I expect, welcome it as yet another redundant specimen of my wickedness.)Lol
Garden Girl Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 Are you in an area with a large Catholic presence? I've noticed that even Catholics who never go to church at all often tend to have a strong respect for priests and nuns. Using the religion they already have ties to can be a good way to get them listening. Plus, building bridges between religions is almost always a good thing. Hello Stone holm...Are you not aware that our Church humanitarian dept joins with occasional Catholic Charities efforts for joint participation because the two together can bring about better, wider results than each acting alone... perhaps research some of these and go from there... GG
Stone holm Posted June 1, 2014 Author Posted June 1, 2014 Hello Stone holm...Are you not aware that our Church humanitarian dept joins with occasional Catholic Charities efforts for joint participation because the two together can bring about better, wider results than each acting alone... perhaps research some of these and go from there... GGAm aware that we use Catholic Charities from time to time for disaster relief efforts, this is more like trying to stave off a tragedy from developing because a frustrated citizen decides to take the law into his own hands against a drug dealer. New England has been experiencing an opioid epidemic ever since we liberated Afghanistan and they changed the coating on OxyContin . The epidemic has moved into upper New England as a profitable new market and its overwhelming the rural police forces. It's coming with gangs which recruit young women up here as drug mules after getting them addicted.
Storm Rider Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 I am not sure I understand the concerns that prompt the question. However, if I was in your shoes and felt that guidance I would go talk to priest. Share with him your concerns and that you felt prompted to talk with him. See what happens. 2
The Nehor Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 First thing I would do is ask the internet for their advice about said prompting. Oh, never mind, you've got that down.
rpn Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 (edited) If you are feeling inspired to do it, then just DO it. Communities need all the GOOD of all the faiths to be involved in fixing community issues. (And if your community wants to get a handle on drug and gang issues, develop programs that (a) address the trauma experienced by so many, like starting WHO and NIH recommended FRIENDS, for students; (b) that teach children to read at an early age and thereafter to learn and have critical thought, ( c) give every young (man especially because they do most of the gang leadership, but also women who if they have this they may not be as willing to have relationships with losers) useful work. (d) and limit exclusion from jobs for adults because of a criminal record except were it is really prevents them from successfully and safely doing the job.) And ask the pastors around town if they would support a council resolution asking everyone in your community to fast two meals a month and give the value of the two meals (calculated as generously as their circumstances allow) to a charity providing food, diapers or housing in your community so there will be no poor among you. Ask your communities pastors if they would support a council resolution setting aside one evening a week in which schools and businesses and every non-essential service allows workers and families to be home together to build families stronger so that the lure of gangs and the self-medicating of drugs is reduced and/or eliminated. Ask the Catholic priest if he knows anyone who does Restorative Justice, so your community can start talking about solving its problems in other ways than locking up everyone, which doesn't solve much and which breaks up families. When you work with people in community organizations like service clubs and churches, you can facilitate great things that government isn't so very well equipped to do, but can make a difference leading. Edited June 1, 2014 by rpn
Stone holm Posted June 1, 2014 Author Posted June 1, 2014 First thing I would do is ask the internet for their advice about said prompting. Oh, never mind, you've got that down. Lol...just interested in the comments. Fully intend to contact the Priest.
Kenngo1969 Posted June 2, 2014 Posted June 2, 2014 Lol...just interested in the comments. Fully intend to contact the Priest.What exactly were you looking for? A preponderance of: 1. Oh, no; that's got to be of the devil! Don't do that! or 2. A prompting is a prompting, Lieutenant Dan! "Go and do ..." (Do I dare mention where I'd put my money, if I were a betting man?)
Stone holm Posted June 2, 2014 Author Posted June 2, 2014 What exactly were you looking for? A preponderance of: 1. Oh, no; that's got to be of the devil! Don't do that! or 2. A prompting is a prompting, Lieutenant Dan! "Go and do ..." (Do I dare mention where I'd put my money, if I were a betting man?)Just curiosity...said the cat.
Kenngo1969 Posted June 2, 2014 Posted June 2, 2014 Just curiosity...said the cat.And (rather conveniently for you) we're all mice ... at least, metaphorically speaking! Got it!
knowone Posted June 4, 2014 Posted June 4, 2014 I have as a local elected official been struggling with how are community can cope with and fix a problem we are experiencing with opioid trafficking by gangs migrating up from NJ and Mass. In particular with loiterers who deal downtown. As I struggled with what to do about this, I have been prompted to go see the local Roman Catholic Priest and enlist his aid. This seems strange to me, since although I have zero confidence in my own religious organizations community building capabilities I am nevertheless extremely loyal to it. However, I have for a long time understood and recognized that the Catholics have a superior grasp of social issues such as community building, social justice, and economics...a recognition powerfully reinforced by the activities of Pope Francis. So the question I have is how do I understand this prompting? you didnt go into detail, but if it was a simple idea that popped into your head, you can ask for confirmation of the prompting. you can receive inspiration from dark or light. Ignore it completely. There's no way that the Holy Spirit would prompt you to seek the assistance of a Roman Catholic. After all, we're the True Church . i dont agree with this at all. the Savior can do whatever he wants.
bluebell Posted June 4, 2014 Posted June 4, 2014 you didnt go into detail, but if it was a simple idea that popped into your head, you can ask for confirmation of the prompting. you can receive inspiration from dark or light. i dont agree with this at all. the Savior can do whatever he wants.Ken was just being silly. He didn't really mean it.
Ahab Posted June 4, 2014 Posted June 4, 2014 Lol...just interested in the comments. Fully intend to contact the Priest.If you haven't acted on the prompting yet it may be too late now, so I would try to get another prompting to assure or reassure you that it is still what whoever prompted you (still) wants you to do. He (whoever) may have a completely different idea to prompt you with now.
Ahab Posted June 4, 2014 Posted June 4, 2014 Ken was just being silly. He didn't really mean it. Some people apparently don't realize when someone is just being silly because they expect to see a smiley as a sign, which is why I believe a "sense" of humor is about as important as the "sense" of truth or the "sense" to know when a thought is from God.
Avatar4321 Posted June 5, 2014 Posted June 5, 2014 Go and do what the Lord commands acting in faith. If you listen you will see miracles.
Tacenda Posted June 5, 2014 Posted June 5, 2014 Go and do what the Lord commands acting in faith. If you listen you will see miracles.I will go, I will do-o-o-o, the things the Lord commands..... 1
3DOP Posted June 6, 2014 Posted June 6, 2014 (edited) I will go, I will do-o-o-o, the things the Lord commands..... Tacenda...what happened to your kitty? Didn't you have a kitty?... My new avatar is going to show my kitty and me...The best cat. Top Cat. Mina is the coolest cat. Her story is just inspiring. One of these days I'll tell the story of Mina in the Social Hall. Anywhack, us Catholics have these really cool laws that are called discernment of spirits whereby you can identify whence a prompting derives. Three sources in no particular order: 1) The Dark Lord, 2) The Lord, 3) Ourselves... St. Ignatius of Antioch (oh shoot...edited to say Loyola not Antioch), founder of the Jesuits gave some really sensible ideas about this. If I understand correctly, most stuff comes from ourselves...Heh...we are so goofy that the devil (Dark Lord) can frequently happily leave us alone with out crazy imaginations. Edited June 6, 2014 by 3DOP 1
knowone Posted June 6, 2014 Posted June 6, 2014 Ken was just being silly. He didn't really mean it. lol ok ok! hard to read sarcasm on the net!
Recommended Posts