Blow it out your ear Fr. Longenecker

Today I am sounding off on Longenecker's political views because he just called me "loathsome" and basically stupid. 

Longenecker: "...I don’t actually loathe Donald Trump I loathe the Trump Cult
This is the growing adulation for the man, and for that reason and the huge rallies disturb me.
I’m disturbed because I am whiffing the signs of demagoguery, and the problem with the demagogue is overweening pride." 

Stop right there. 

Let's look at what Longenecker is saying about the people who voted for President Trump and the people who attend Trump rallies. 

Definition by Vocabulary.com: "Demagoguery is a manipulative approach — often associated with dictators and sleazy politicians — that appeals to the worst nature of people. Demagoguery isn't based on reason, issues, and doing the right thing; it's based on stirring up fear and hatred to control people. For example, a politician who stirs up a fear of immigrants to distract from other issues is using demagoguery. Demagoguery is one of the most negative aspects of politics, but it's also one that's all too common."

The "worst nature of people"? 

Apparently, supporting a pro-life, cut regulations, America first, border security and jobs not mobs president is appealing to my "worst nature"?😒

Longenecker continues to make an ass of himself when he says it upsets him when politicians like Trump believe their ideas for fixing the country's problems are right. 

Longenecker: "The problem with pride is not arrogance, boasting or showing off. Those are simply the symptoms of pride.
The deeper problem with pride is the assumption that I am right. Not only “I am right” but “I am 100% without a doubt, right” and if I’m 100% without a doubt right, then the other guy must be wrong, and if he’s wrong, he’s the problem, and if he’s the problem, then he has to be blamed, and if he has to be blamed and if he is the problem, then I have to solve the problem, and the way I solve the problem is get rid of the problem. The problem has to go away, and if it won’t go away on its own I will make it go away." 

What a dumb-ass thing to say! 

Why would anyone support a politician who did NOT believe they had the right ideas for fixing problems?? Does that make sense to anyone besides Longenecker? 

He ends his asinine article with... 

"If you are an American Christian, don’t fall into the trap and jump on the Trump bandwagon. Vote on Tuesday with your eyes wide open. Vote for the best candidate according to your conscience and according to that person’s personal integrity, his or her policies and what you realistically believe they can accomplish to achieve the common good.
Prefer Donald Trump if you think he will do the best for the country, be grateful for the good decisions he has made…
…but when it comes to the cult of Donald–apply the brakes.
PS: If you are a Trump fan and this post has made you mad…don’t you think that might be a warning sign? Isn’t it a good thing to be wary of politicians and men of power? Isn’t it a wise thing for a priest to step back and warn about the allure of worldly power and advise caution?" 

Let this proud "Cult of Trump" woman explain the facts to you- and to the majority who just don't understand WHY thousands of people flock to Trump rallies and support Trump, his policies and his at times outlandish speeches. 

For decades, Republicans have been forced to vote for spineless, I'll-promise-you-the-world-do-nothing politicians. We put our hope into one after the other who promised to be strong against the left and fulfill campaign promises. They told us they were pro-life, they lied. They were actors, acting out a role they needed to get the part. Once they were nominated they ignored their base and did whatever the hell they wanted. 

They were never truly in touch with voters, they just knew which buttons to push to get our votes and that we couldn't bring ourselves to ever vote for the other side. So we held our noses and voted or we just stayed home and wept. These politicians never cared about us, they only cared about our votes. We were numbers to them, not real people with real hopes, dreams and problems needing solving.

Trump showed up and talked about things NO other politicians were talking about. He was talking about the things Republican VOTERS were talking about around the table with their families and friends. And he didn't beat around the bush or speak politically correct. He spoke like us.

He was willing to fight for the things important to us, the Republican voters. He took down each and every fake actor out there one by one because he truly believes and thinks as we do- his base. He is one of us. 

You just don't get that. 

Maybe because you only see a millionaire bully who thrives on winning. 

We see a political hero. A man who defies the odds and jumps into the battle even when the odds are against him because he believes in the fight. People laughed at him, called him a joke, homophobic, racist, white supremacist, etc. Yet he never wavered. We watched. He took it and fought back. That is what we were waiting for! 

Trump is a man willing to take the abuse constantly tossed at him because he believes in what he is doing and he is listening to his base. He's a man with a backbone who will fight for what WE want. A man who never, not even for a moment, forgets who his base is. He is fighting for us, and the things WE believe in at tremendous personal cost to himself. We see his faults and we don't care because he is the only one fighting for us.

He's had his reputation shredded, he's been sued and is being sued over and over again. He has had to not only fight the Democrats, he even has to fight the establishment GOP-the swamp and RINO's. He's just like us! We, the Republican voters have had to fight the establishment ourselves for decades, but we could never win against such power. We were forced to either submit and vote for the GOP candidate we knew was a spineless worm or support a pro-butcher socialist loving Democrat. We had no one speaking for us, fighting for us. Until Trump. 

We don't care that he doesn't wear a halo, we didn't vote for him because we wanted a saint in office. We voted for him because we wanted a fighter in office willing to fight for us and our political platform because he sees what we see and he believes what we believe. The Republican Party LEFT the Republican voters years ago. Now Trump is taking it back and Republican voters are cheering to have our Party back from the spineless GOP swamp dwellers. This is what so many 'never-Trumpers' and establishment types just don't get. Trump hasn't destroyed the Republican Party...he's put it back together! 

Christian voters did not forget that President Obama was a threat to religious freedom. Bakery shop's and flower shops and wedding photographers went out of business and were sued because they would not go against their religious beliefs and participate in gay "marriages". These people had their livelihoods destroyed and were harassed and smeared in the media for months and years. 

And we knew Hillary Clinton promised to be a threat to religious freedom. She would continue the liberal agenda to destroy religion and religious freedom in the United States. 

Christian's, Catholics and Protestants alike saw this, we knew this, we feared this and we knew we HAD to find a fighter who was willing to take on this battle for our religious freedom or we'd lose it. 

We found him. 

Donald Trump promised to support religious freedom. 

Others who were running in 2016 were more of the same - spineless- mostly RINO's -not to be trusted. We wanted someone we could trust, someone who believed what we believed. 

President Donald Trump is that man and I thank God for him every day. And I believe, truly and honestly, that God had something to do with Trump winning the election. 

Trump's kept promises...

-Two conservative pro-life Supreme Court Justices 

-Stocking the Federal Courts with conservative judges

-ISIS 

-North Korea 

-Cut regulations and red tape 

-Economy 

-Jobs 

-Pro-life

-Paris Accord

-NAFTA 

-Rebuild Military 

-Tax Cuts 

-Stock Market 

-Trade 

-Ended Obamacare mandate

-Opioid crisis

-Immigration 

I am THRILLED we have a President who wants to secure our borders, not just from illegal immigrants, but from drugs. I want that wall built, I have wanted that wall built for decades. Now we have a President who will not back down and is going to keep on fighting to build that wall. 

Unfortunately we know it won't be as nice and secure as the lovely walls protecting Vatican City and Pope Francis from the unwanted...

 ...but it will one day sooner rather than later, be a wall that will help keep out illegals and drugs.

So you see Father Longenecker, we voters in the 'Cult of Trump' as you call it, will continue to support Trump and vote for him again in 2020 because he is one of us and he keeps his promises. With all due respect, if you don't like that, you can blow it out your ear.



In Christ, 

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 

**Full disclosure...I've had it out on this blog with Fr. Longenecker before for his bias, lying and deceit against Michael Voris. 

Sources: 

https://dwightlongenecker.com/why-i-loathe-the-cult-of-trump/

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/demagoguery 

Video: https://youtu.be/lyV7kwMRzdo 

Trump's kept promises: https://www.promiseskept.com/

Fr. Longenecker's Church of Nasty vs Church of Nice (UPDATED)

UPDATE AT BOTTOM!!

Recently Fr. Longenecker closed the comment box on his Patheos blog so people are no longer given the opportunity to reply to anything he says- at least not publicly.  Personally I hate that, so I have stopped going to his Patheos website- until today when I saw by way of another Catholic outlet his opinion on what he terms “Church of Nasty”.  

That reads "Nasty Catholics" vs. "Nice Catholics" to my mind because the "Nice Catholics" belong to the "Church of Nice" where they treat everyone so 'nicely'.  On the other hand, he's got the "Nasty Catholics" belonging to the "Church of Nasty".  These Catholics are described like rabid dogs on his Patheo's blog 'Standing on my head'.

  

Because there was no option to leave a comment there, I decided to write a much longer one here on my own personal thoughts of Father Longenecker's "Church of Nasty" view.  Since Father gave no links to whom he was specifically thinking of when he wrote his blog post, I can only assume based on what I myself have seen around the web- and nothing I have seen comes close to Father's depiction.  Sure, there are lots of disappointed, hurt, angry, confused, fired up Catholics out there filling the blogosphere with their thoughts and opinions but there isn't a single blogger out there that I know of which I would slap that "Nasty Catholic" label on- not one. 

So not surprisingly, I see things a bit differently than Father and I mean this with no disrespect.  Just my opinion, on his opinion.

Quote:  

[Longenecker quote] If not the Church of Nice do we need to be the Church of Nasty?

In the Catholic blogosphere and Catholic Church generally I increasingly whiff a very bad smell.It’s what I call the Church of Nasty.Trying to avoid the insipid, spineless and lily livered “Church of Nice” too many Catholic are falling into the other trap of becoming the Church of Nasty.It may be someone sending intentionally misleading headlines to a news aggregator to smear another Catholic, or it might be some guy who’s set up a super nasty website full of horrible attacks on others. It might be a radical traditionalist hell bent on attacking all the modernists and compromisers or it might be a radical progressive intent on attacking all his horrible right wing enemies. It might be some Catholic who has his knives out for Muslims, Jews and Protestants. It might be someone attacking homosexuals, sinners, modernists or feminists.  It could be a progressive launching endless attacks on traditionalists, conservatives and Republicans.Sometimes it gets so bad that it feels like, “If you don’t hate the people I hate the same way I hate them, then I hate you too!”Wherever it is coming from and wherever it is going they’re intent on being the Church of Nasty, and let me tell you it can get real ugly.I’d link to some of the poisonous websites out there, but I do not want to send them traffic or soil the unblemished minds and hearts of my dear readers…. [end quote]

Again, since Father gives no links to who or what he is referring, we are left to assume all sorts of horrid things about Catholics who are sick and tired of modernist Catholics in the Church who corrupt the teachings and bark “Who are you to judge” at you if you DARE to oppose gay rights.

Now I can see in Father's quote that he places "radical traditionalists" beside "progressives" and Catholics attacking non-Catholics beside a guy's "super nasty website".  But lets get to the heart of this.  The "Church of Nice" are those who won't speak up against anything, while the "Church of Nasty" (as he refers to them) are those who won't be silent.  

That is what it boils down to.  This (my post specifically) isn't about progressives vs. traditionalists.  It's about those who speak up and those who keep silent about ERROR among the Faithful.

"To recoil before an enemy, or to keep silence when from all sides such clamors are raised against truth, is the part of a man either devoid of character or who entertains doubt as to the truth of what he professes to believe. In both cases such mode of behaving is base and is insulting to God, and both are incompatible with the salvation of mankind." 
--Pope Leo XIII, Sapientiae Christianae

What Father neglects to mention is that those opposed to the Church of Nice didn’t start this "battle" (if you will), but they do intend to finish it because keeping silent is not an option. 

They are NOT the “Church of Nasty”, they are THE CHURCH. 

The AUTHENTIC Church- the people who believe ALL the Church teaches.  They don’t want to change the Church, they LOVE HER JUST AS SHE IS.  They despise the deceit of those who seek to ruin Her, to change Her, to mar Her magnificence with their heresies and deceit.  They won’t stop opposing heresy, sin or deceit.  And they won't be bullied into shutting up and playing "nice" when what they love is so brutally attacked. And they won't stand by in silence while souls are being lost to heresies and scandal.

These Authentic Catholics simply won’t tolerate people twisting the word “charity” to fulfill their own purpose either.  These Catholics have had enough of the Church of Nice.  

Father Longenecker says…

[quote]  Therefore, there must be a way between the insipid Church of Nice and the snarling Church of Nasty.

To stop and think it through, and give everyone the benefit of the doubt there are two different virtues vying for predominance: the virtue of charity and the virtue of truth.The Church of Nice too often sacrifice truth on the altar of charity and the Church of Nasty too often sacrifice charity on the altar of Truth.There must be a way to be both truth and charitable–both Nasty and Nice. [end quote]

You don’t understand “charity” any better than the Church of Nice does Father.  

It is NOT charitable to ignore sin or the sinner.  It is not charitable to standby biting your tongue so you don’t hurt someone’s feelings when their salvation is in jeopardy.  

It is not charitable to DO NOTHING when you see people working to destroy what you hold dear.  It is not charitable to ALLOW modernism to spread in the Church and do nothing.

Charity is love.  Love is wanting the sinner to repent so he/she can have eternal salvation.  THAT is what charity is. When progressives WORK to destroy the Faith and the "Church of Nice" remain silent so as not to cause offense that is not charity.

The Church of Nice crowd by their silence actually embraces liberalism and modernism not only in the world, but in the Church.  These people are the lukewarm who will be vomited out of God’s mouth for refusing to do anything.  

Revelation 3 - 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold, nor hot. I would thou wert cold, or hot. 16But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, not hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth.

The progressive Catholics WORK to bring about legalized abominations: abortion, gay ‘marriage’, artificial birth control, embryonic research etc, while the Church of Nice crowd smile at them and wave at them marching with their gay pride banners.  

The Church of Nice crowd wouldn’t dare tell someone their sin might lead them to hell because it might offend them, so instead they smile and keep silent as they watch souls going to Hell. 

This is NOT charity, it is hatred, selfishness and cowardice. 

Authentic Catholics WORK to stop modernism and heresy. Authentic Catholics aren't afraid to risk themselves for the sake of another- even if it comes with a cost.

If Uncle Bobo and his partner invite you to their 'wedding' it is NOT charity to accept and bring them a gift.

The most charitable thing you can do is sit down with them (or write to them if they won't meet with you) and tell them WHY you can't support them and why their relationship is a sin.

That is truly loving them and wanting the best for them.

Buying them a gift and attending their "wedding" because they are "nice guys" and you don't want to "offend" them is NOT an act of charity. 

You have an opportunity to HELP someone avoid MORTAL sin...you WILL be held accountable for how you respond to that opportunity.

Charity is loving others enough to RISK being hated, rejected and mocked because you hold another person's salvation MORE VALUABLE than your self pride or ego.  You are willing to be mocked, humiliated and hated if it helps even ONE soul turn from sin and return to God.

All the evils of the world are due to lukewarm Catholics.

-Pope St. Pius V

The Church of Nice crowd will never risk themselves for another.  They are too selfish and comfortable to do what Jesus commanded.  Picking up our crosses and following Jesus is NOT easy, and often it is NOT comfortable.  It was not supposed to be.

When Catholics stand by and say NOTHING when Cardinals lead parades with gay banners declaring the right to gay ‘marriage’ that is NOT charity.  

When Catholics stand by and do NOTHING when priests march for women priests it is NOT charity.  

When Catholics stand by allowing ‘Catholic’ politicians to support abortion, birth control, gay ‘marriage’ and adoption it is NOT charity.  

When Catholics stand by and do NOTHING when Catholic clergy cause scandal it is NOT charity.

All the strength of Satan’s reign is due to the easy-going weakness of Catholics.

-Pope St. Pius X

He that sees another in error, and endeavors not to correct it, testifies himself to be in error.

-Pope Leo I

Not to oppose error, is to approve it, and not to defend truth is to suppress it, and indeed to neglect to confound evil men, when we can do it, is no less a sin than to encourage them.

-Pope Felix III

Catechism #826 Charity is the soul of the holiness to which all are called: it "governs, shapes, and perfects all the means of sanctification." ²⁹⁷If the Church was a body composed of different members, it couldn't lack the noblest of all; it must have a Heart, and a Heart BURNING WITH LOVE. And I realized that this love alone was the true motive force which enabled the other members of the Church to act; if it ceased to function, the Apostles would forget to preach the gospel, the Martyrs would refuse to shed their blood. LOVE, IN FACT, IS THE VOCATION WHICH INCLUDES ALL OTHERS; IT'S A UNIVERSE OF ITS OWN, COMPRISING ALL TIME AND SPACE - IT'S ETERNAL! ²⁹⁸

Hmmm...now WHO does that sound like??  Oh yeah, the Church of Nice!

It is not the “Church of Nice” who reminds Catholics they need to attend weekly Mass.  When Catholics  no longer believe the Eucharist is what the Church says it is, it is not the Church of Nice who correct them.  Oh no, that might hurt their feelings. 

It is not the “Church of Nice” crowd who encourages Catholics to go to Confession when they learn a brother or sister has fallen to mortal sin.  Oh no, that might upset them and “who are we to judge” them anyway?  If they don’t believe in sin or the need to confess because they think God is sooo nice that He won’t allow THEM to go to Hell- the Church of Nice crowd won’t correct that thinking.  Oh no, Hell is for the Hitler’s of the world, not Catholics who love each other.

What unity do Authentic Catholics (those who believe ALL the Church teaches) have with the “Church of Nice” crowd who support (by their silence and smiles) unrepented sin and modernism in the Church?

The Church of Nice crowd don’t understand charity because they have interpreted the word to be an inactive term. Charity is something we DO.  It is action, not in-action.  The Church of Nice crowd are in-active pew warmers. 

Catholic Catechism #1792 Ignorance of Christ and his Gospel, bad example given by others, enslavement to one's passions, assertion of a mistaken notion of autonomy of conscience, rejection of the Church's authority and her teaching, lack of conversion and of charity: these can be at the source of errors of judgment in moral conduct.

Do Authentic Catholics get angry when they see Cardinal’s leading parades with gay pride banners?  You bet.

Do Authentic Catholics get angry when they see Catholic priests attending gay pride parades causing scandal to the faithful?  You bet.

Do Authentic Catholics get angry when they see Catholic Bishops more concerned with political issues like immigration reform than teaching the Faith?  You bet.

Do Authentic Catholics get angry when they see "Catholic" politicians supporting artificial birth control, abortion and gay marriage while their priests and Bishops turn a blind eye?  You bet!

Do Authentic Catholics get angry when they see authentic parishes being closed down in favor of liberal dying parishes?  You bet.

You can call these Catholics “Church of Nasty” if you want to Father Longenecker, but I will call them AUTHENTIC CATHOLICS and God will never vomit them out of His mouth for being lukewarm Church of Nice pew warmers.

"If I have against me all the Bishops, 

I have with me all the Saints and Doctors of the Church"

-St. Thomas Aquinas

In Christ,

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner

****Since Father Longenecker’s comment box is closed feel free to use my comment box to share your thoughts on Father’s article or my own.  I’d like to hear from both the “Church of Nice” and the “Church of Nasty”(or as I like to call you, Authentic Catholics) crowds.

Patheos link: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/standingonmyhead/2014/09/church-of-nice-or-church-of-nasty.html

UPDATE:
Father Longenecker and I have been going back and forth in emails over this post I wrote.  In his first email he indicates I was "biased", "unfair" and had gotten worked up into a "lather un-necessarily".
Why did he feel this way?  Because I didn't quote this particular part of his blog post (I reminded Father I linked to his blog so that people could read it in its entirety).

Quote: Some Catholics talk disparagingly of the “Church of Nice”

They are referring to the modernist church where indifferentism, complacency and tolerance replace the truly Christian virtues. They object not to niceness, but to a church that is nothing but nice.I’m with them. I can’t stand watered down religion. Modernist Christianity has eviscerated the gospel, removed the supernatural, “de mythologized” the message and turned Catholicism into nothing more than a do gooder religion for the country club set.As one commentator has observed, “This ain’t a religion. It’s a set of table manners.”I have written on this blog constantly of the danger to real Catholicism of removing the miraculous and robbing the church of the one power she has: the supernatural power of the sacraments, the fullness of the magisterium, the power of the Holy Spirit and the fullness of truth in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.When Some Catholics sneer at the “Church of Nice” I’m sympathetic.Let’s not tame the lion or water down the wine. Let’s hold to a full blooded, rip snortin’, Rooster Cogburn Catholicism.

Ok, so I have now added the quote Father felt was necessary to share here.  I am not sure that changes anything, but I am willing to update my blog for my readers to see what Father Longenecker really wants you all to see.

I'd also like to add that Father gave me the link to the "Church of Nasty" website that influenced his blog post.  Personally, I don't even think it is Catholic- and I told him so- seems more anti-Catholic but I will let you all decide.

I will share the offending link with my readers so you can decide for yourselves.  
Be warned it is hateful and trashes the Holy Catholic Church.

Here is the link Father Longenecker gave me in email: HERE

Note this hate filled blog has no comments and I can see no followers so I don't think its having much of an impression on anyone.

Father and I were respectful of each other even though we saw this situation very differently.  We had (in my opinion) a good conversation about all of this and I am happy he decided to write to me to share his thoughts on what I wrote.

OK, that's it.  Just wanted to update this story.

God bless!