Life / "Survivor's report" from a children's mass in Poland [62]


There are cafeteria Catholics, self-styled Catholics, lapsed Catholics, trendier-than-thou Catholics and probably a few more varieties. Take your PICK!
The sin of pride is one of the worst. Everyone commits it, myself included. But I'm not so proud, arrogant and presumtpious as to reject the teaching of the Pope on the Sacrament of Penance (not confession). Not just Francis but all his predecessors as well.

News / Roman Polanski accused of unlawful sex with a minor [403]


So you side with rapists who should enjoy impuntiy and be above the law? Interesting!

News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]


The PC dictatorship is constantly dropping their terminology into circulation and the unsuspecting actually start using it.
Eurosceptic is a misnomer unless it means someone opposed to EU memebrship or considering withdrawing like Britain.
Someone gung-ho in favour is a Euro-enthusiast, PiS is a euro-realist, They don't wish to withdraw but would prefer it to be a confederation of sovereign national states, not a central bureacracy ruled from Brussels.

News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]


You have no mercy. This late in the day it's time to crack open a top-shelf VIP and not rack one's brains or Google.

If you're all that ambitious and chipper, for starters try googling afera hazardowa, afera taśmowa and afera OFE.

News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]


As Poland's front-running PiS-basher the Kosher Gazette is hardly a reliable, unbiased source. Before the election old Michnik-Schechter was actually warning against the country's "fascisation".

News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]


Gambling scandal, eruo 2012 motorway scnadal, taping scandal, OFE take-over scandal, delayed gasport scandal to naem just a few.

News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]


Somehow no-one remembers you vigilantly looking for every slip-up, gaffe and unkept promise of the Platformer crook & scam crew from the moment they embraced the feed trough.

Could it be that we're unobjective, biased, prejudiced, one-sided and downright horse-blinkered???

News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]


The better-to-do, better-educated urban classes, which had been the mainstay of the middle-of-the-road PO, became fed up with eight years of their party's rule marked by scandals, unkept promises and the same old, tired faces on the TV news. For the first time ever, PiS has not only attracted a higher percentage of young people, city-dwellers and voters with higher education than PO but has actually reversed the results of the Partitions! So far the poorer eastern and southern regions roughly coinciding with the former the Russian and Austrian partitions had been PiS' main base of support. This time only two voivodships (provinces) in northwestern Poland, part of the former German lands ceded to Poland by the Big Three Allies, supported PO, while PiS won the remaining 14.

Also, for the first time since 1989, the Sejm is free of hangers-on from the long defunct communist regime and other leftists. That means, among other things, parliament will not be hearing perennial leftist calls for same-sex marriage, abortion on demand or banning religious instruction from schools any time soon.

The now ruling conservatives are opposed to such social experimentation and believe in traditonal family values, Polish patriotism and Christian ideals. That includes more assistance for the disadvantaged. The winning camp has pledged to restore the previous retirement age of 65 for men and 60 for women which the PO-led government had raised to 67. To encourage child-bearing, the new government's benefit package will include a 500-złoty (about $130) monthly family allowance for the second and every subsequent child. To help finance its welfare spending, those now in power want heretofore privileged foreign banks and chain stores to start paying their fair share of taxes in Poland.

On the international front, the victorious conservatives oppose excessive interference in Poland's internal affairs by European Union bureaucrats and longs for a voluntary union of sovereign nations, not a "United States of Europe", ruled from the EU's Brussels headquarters. But they advocate a strong NATO alliance in dealings with Moscow and a special relationship between Warsaw and Washington in the realm of security. Since Poland's energy grid is mainly fueled by coal-fired powerplants, Warsaw opposes the EU's tougher climate-change legislation. It also opposes a large-scale Muslim refugee invasion which could lead to the terrorist infiltration of Poland.

Feedback / ATT MODS: HOW TO EMPTY A OVERSTUFFED BOX? [12]

Thanks. I can't believe it -- it actually wroked. My box is empty!

News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]


Do you recall it was that idiot Tusk who said on TV "Who pays the TV tax anyway?!" And a multitude stopped paying it. No matter how one slices it, he was extolling criminal activity -- tax evasion. Only blinkered PO diehards would speak disparagingly of tax enforcement. If the Platformers had come up with the idea, they and their GW guru would be gushing and enthusing in ecstasy.

Feedback / ATT MODS: HOW TO EMPTY A OVERSTUFFED BOX? [12]


No youngster around to grab. But I can see you not wanting to walk me through it.....very slowly, simply and clearly.

Feedback / ATT MODS: HOW TO EMPTY A OVERSTUFFED BOX? [12]


Roger - I appreciate your replying, but you are like the HELP button, Whenever I have pressed it I regretted it dearly. All I got was a load of Gateisan comptuerese gobble-dee-gook about resetting something, reconfiguring, deprogramming, clearing, restaritng, etc. which was Greek to me.

First of all. where does one find your illusory check boxes?
Never forget, I am the world's No. 1 compteur/internet dunce.

News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]


Official results were annoucned late on Monday:
PiS - 5 711 687 głosów (37,58 proc.)
PO - 3 661 474 głosów (24,09 proc.)
Kukiz'15 - 1 339 094 głosów (8,81 proc.)
Nowoczesna 1 155 370 głosów (7,60 proc.)
PSL - 779 975 głosów (5,13 proc.)
xxxxx didn't make it xxxxxxxx
Zjednoczona Lewica - 1 147 102 głosów (7,55 proc.)
KORWiN - 722 999 głosów (4,76 proc.)

News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]


No, not a figment of anyone's imagination. The ex-commies always fared well in the regained territories (ziemie odzyskane). Go back to previous elections if you don't believe it. They are also known for their lukewarm religiosity and Polish tradition.

News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]


PiS has not only for the first time attarrted a hgiehr percent of young people, towndwellers and voters with higher education than PO but has actually reversed the results of the Partitions!Yes, for the first time not only the poorer eastern and southern regions (formerly the Russian and Austrian partitions) voted for PiS. Only two provinces in the NW (regained territories known for their rootless hotch-potch population) was won by PO, whilst the remaining 14 went to PiS. Also thanks to PiS for the first time since 1989 the Sejm is not tainted with ex-commies and assorted PRL hangovers. Long live PiS!!!

News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]


Those predicitng a major weaeknign of the złoty due to PiS' win were bitterly disappointed. The dollar was fetching 3.87 zł during the pre-election weekend and has fallen to 3.85 the day after. I had heard predictions of up to $1 = 4 zł and some expected to maek a killing.

weakening

Life / "Survivor's report" from a children's mass in Poland [62]


I'll repeat the link:

biblehub.com/commentaries/john/20-23


Sorry, but somehow that link redirected. In my Polish New Testament I can see you should check out John 20 verses 19-23. After His Resurrection Jesus appeared to the Apostles and said: (My transaltion) "Take the Holy Spirit. Those whose sins you remit shall be remitted, and thos you retain shall be retained."

I'm sure you're a far better computer geek than I am so you should have no trouble seeing it in the web.

Life / "Survivor's report" from a children's mass in Poland [62]

htm


I'm not a big e-gadgetarian but I typed "whose sins you retain" (from memory) into Google and out came numerous translations of which the link below is one:

biblehub.com/commentaries/john/20-23


St Bernard was undoutbeldy one of the Church's profound thinkers but I'm sure he never rejected the Precepts of the Church. To refresh your memory here they are, calling your attention especially to No. III (Penance) and No. VI which rules out calling abominable liaisons marriage:

I. To attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, and resting from servile works.

II. To observe the days of abstinence and fasting.

III. To confess our sins to a priest, at least once a year.

IV. To receive Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist at least once a year during Easter Season.

V. To contribute to the support of the Church.

VI. To obey the laws of the Church concerning Matrimony.

VII. To participate in the Church's mission of Evangelization of Souls.(Missionary Spirit of the Church)

P.S. NOTICE TO CAFÉ CAHOLICS: take your pick!

Life / "Survivor's report" from a children's mass in Poland [62]


You are apparently not one of them. Accept form religion what is nice, convenient and pleasant and makes everybody "feel good", gloss over problems and go your merry way. That attitude is by no means rare these days.

Life / "Survivor's report" from a children's mass in Poland [62]


I can see how it's no big deal to "feel-good" or Cafeteria Catholics. In my view, you are either a Catholic or you're not. Sure you can pick and choose, but that's not Catholicism -- that's a trip to the corner shop.

Life / "Survivor's report" from a children's mass in Poland [62]


So you dismiss the Sacrament of Penance? I reckon then Jesus was talking rubbish when he said: "Whose sins you remit are remitted and whose sins you retain are retained." (St John 20-23)

Life / "Survivor's report" from a children's mass in Poland [62]


Because of the ubiquitous, all-pervasive and high-powered brainwashing to which they are subjected, without relgious guidance they tend to "choose" the "relgion" of popculture commercialism and become victims of the greed machine. That religion's "cathedral" is the shopping mall, its liturgy -- advertising jingles and its high priests -- currently idolised celebs.

Life / "Survivor's report" from a children's mass in Poland [62]


Don't you find it turn-offish and "creepy" to see how corporate brainwashers seek to indoctrinate kids with commercialist shopaholism, trendy toys, drawing-board idols, must-have fashions, cutting-edge e-gadgetry and later increasingly weird subcultures? One difference between ordinary people discussing ways to pass down their family's religious heritage and the corporate indoctrinators is that the latter are backed by multi-billion-dollar/pound/euro budgets. The main difference is that concerned famileóies are hoping their chidlren lead decent, virtuous lives -- the greed-driven capitlaist bloodsuckers are only out after their parents' credit cards.

Life / "Survivor's report" from a children's mass in Poland [62]


To illustrate pluralism. One man's pudding is another man's poison.
The sermon was general (with God all things are possible) and not directed to chidren. The intetnions were strictly children: maybe 20 tots in succession shouted in high-ptiched voices into the mike: I want to pray for mummy and daddy, granny and grandpa, and Auntie Zosia, Uncle Andrzej, and my sister Marysia and brother Tomek, etc., etc. some occasionally mentioning a pet as well.

One church I sometimes visit, the Franciscan Church has a side chapel separated form the main altar nave by a sound-proof glass wall which muffles the kid noise. But it's not big enough to accommodate all the noise-makers present at the Dominican church. Years ago at Our Saviour Church the priest with a cordless mike woukd wade into the congregation of 200 or 300 kids and throw questions at individual kids, tell jokes or otehrwise amuse the youngsters. As a teacher you surely know how difficult it is to keep kids' attention. In the States, where schools try to teach via fun and games, some parishes hold a clown ministry. What do you think of that approach?

Life / "Survivor's report" from a children's mass in Poland [62]


People variously assess different people, places as things. On the basis of aesthetic, cultural, political, religious and other criteria they find some heart-warming and attractive and others less so or even downright turn-offish. Contrary to one of PC's top negative buzz-words "judgemental", in actuality (as indicated above) everything and everyone is subject to evaluation, assessment and judgement, because we all have a brain and some people actually use it.

I'm sure there are people who would be turned off by the general ambience of the children's mass referred to earlier and might well use such terms as relgious fanaticism, mediaeval mentality, superstituion and brainwashing to describe it. Such people might find the atmospehre of a pub, rock concert, "pride parade" or biker rally more to their liking. And -- yes! -- there are many shadings of likes and dislikes, penchants and aversions.

I personally like the practice and general ambiance of churchgoing families in line with the saying: "The family that prays together stays together." By and large that is true. Which is not to say that those who do not take their kids to church are all drunks of low-lifes. But please bear in mind I was not preparing a sociolgical dissertstion full of statistics and footnotes but simply sharing a handful of spot impressions.

News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]


What does that involve? Buying cheaply selling dearly?

News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]


Your operation may have become suspect for some reason. Possibly someone -- a disgruntled customer or teacher -- reported yout to the fiscal police.

News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]


So did PiS. They regularly get 60-65% support in Chicago or twice what they used to get in Poland itslef. Now don't be surprised if they get 80-85% from our ever-loyal Polonia! Long live PiS! Long live Polonia! Niech żyją nam!

News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]


On the contrary, PiS = Soldiarność and are very much for the working people.
They only lack the libertine, anti-clerical and anti-patriotic stench typical of many left-scented labour parties in the West.