Guy blames Bishop for why the church is dying:

[applegrove]

Bishop Robert Barron attacks Zohran Mamdani.

— Texas Paul (@realtexaspaul.com) 2026-01-03T00:06:19.621Z

[Norrrm]

1. Does the bishop favor rugged individualism over collective membersip in the church?

People do not need the church?

[Haggard Celine]

3. Those Franco-Catholics are very elitist.

Did I read that Francis disbanded Opus Dei? I think he did. They're basically Nazis. They're the type that stress that the church isn't a democracy. I guess, to them, everyone who isn't clergy is just someone to be exploited for the church. I'm not talking about most Catholics. or Catholic clergy. These people are a small minority, but they have a lot of power.

[SharonAnn]

5. Exactly!

[Karadeniz]

2. Turning jesus into a pagan god doesnt work anymore. Neither does not having a

clue as to the theology contained in scriptures.

[niyad]

4. "turning jesus into a pagan god"??? What are you talking about?

[Karadeniz]

6. The pagan deities looked like humans, messed around with human affairs, played

favorites. Jesus taught that God was within, the soul is God's vehicle for expressing itself, God's currency is love not exhibiting belief by wearing crosses, turning up at church a couple of hours a week. The soul may start out as a mere seed, but it grows by giving away its currency. Jesus's teachings contained in his parables show us God's system of perfect justice resulting in the souls evolution towards perfection. Jesus's teachings are perfect and totally align with modern research... a man waaayyy ahead of his time. Current dogma is what happens when knowledge is subverted to accommodate a murderous emperor. Jesus becomes a god or at least a demigod, suitable to fit in with their pantheon.

[niyad]

7. Still does not answer my question.

[Karadeniz]

8. I thought it did!

[niyad]

9. Esoterica is not an answer. Nor does it acknowledge that one cannot

be turned into something one already is, since just about every word of the jesus story matches previous pagan deities. Mithra. Odin. The year kings. The annual sacrificial deaths, etc., etc.

[karynnj]

10. I think it is not just the Catholic church, but two different philosophies

of what society should be. One is rugged individualism, the other a society where communalism and helping each other are top values. Both have long existed in this country, even though they are fundamentally at odds.

In popular culture, you have westerns that mostly reflect and glorify the former and movies like 'It's a wonderful life' that reflect the latter.

A few weeks ago, on Facebook, I saw what was essentially an essay asking why VT and NH, both with the same basic geography, climate etc are so different. My personal experience is liking both, but loving VT. One person responded contrasting the state mottos. NH is better known, "Live free or Die" while VT's is "Freedom and Unity". From the comments, VT's first instinct to problems is to build community and many pointed out that as the difference.

Mamdani negatively characterizes rugged individualism as frigid, while extolling shared community as warmth. To me, as someone who accepted the value of community, the comment was wonderful.

The Catholic church has always had both cultures. Think of the many liberal Catholic officials from Pat Leahy, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Ed Marley, Dick Durbin, Mario Cuomo, etc Some of the states with the largest Catholic population were the most Democratic in the country. Contrast with those in Opus Dei. Contrast Pope Francis with Alito and Scalia.