The Friday Roundup - 3/21/2024 Free Preview Edition
A Clerical Abuse Victim's Father is Excommunicated; Rumors of the Vatican Cooking Up a "New Theology" to Address the fact "that we are not alone in the Universe"
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A permanent deacon and father of a boy sexually abused by a Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana priest, was excommunicated.
Why?
Because he told his bishop he felt forced to leave the Catholic Church — not Christianity — after his experience.
He said that what his family had gone through had "shaken [his] faith and trust in the institution to which [he] has dedicated a significant portion of [his] life." He said the decision to leave was a "conscientious objection to the way the Church has handled cases of sexual abuse, and a desire to distance [himself] from an institution that, currently, falls short of the values it professes."
His son, Alex Peyton, shared with me the text of the email his father sent to Bishop Deshotel, and the letter he received in reply, which came as a decree issuing excommunication.
My father is the first excommunication EVER linked to a sex abuse case in the past 30 years here including abuser priests who have left the faith.
The first excommunication ever linked to a sex abuse case in the diocese, and yet it was not the abuser, but the victim's father, who was excommunicated.
Please give that a moment to sink in.
Marco Rupnik, who sexually abused at least a dozen nuns, psychologically manipulating them into having not just sex, but also lesbian and group sex, and drinking his semen from a chalice, was excommunicated, but the Diocese of Rome found that his excommunication involved “gravely anomalous procedures” and the penalty was lifted after 15 days.
McCarrick was not excommunicated.
Maciel was not excommunicated.
Donald McGuire was not excommunicated.
Mauro "Don Mercedes" Inzoli was not excommunicated. Juan Barros was not excommunicated.
The priest who abused Alex Peyton's brother was not excommunicated.
In fact, there are many such cases, and I’ve written about this problem before:
Allow me, for just a moment, to reprise my role as the Publisher of an online Catholic news and commentary website, because this Marko Effing Rupnik news today is sticking in my craw. Who is Rupnik you ask? …
And yet even though these notorious sexual predators were not excommunicated, for the temerity of standing up to the most corrupt religious institution on earth and objecting to their gross mishandling of sexual abuse cases over these many years, and respectfully informing his bishop that he could no longer be a party to such criminal malfeasance, Scott Peyton was excommunicated.
The Church imposes automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication for things like helping someone procure an abortion (or procuring one yourself) or violating the seal of the confessional, but not for priests using their spiritual authority to prey on children or vulnerable adults. There is no good reason for this penalty not to be added to canon law.
But they’d be very busy sending out all these decrees to the people who actually deserve censure.
The message is clear: when it comes to sexual abuse, the only real crime a Catholic can commit is leaving the cult. If you abuse kids, you get a soft landing, and maybe even protection from the pope.
Catholics, your church does most emphatically not have your or your children's best interests at heart.
I understand that many of you feel compelled to stay regardless. But don’t expect the Church to be on your side when it happens to you.
I’m sticking with the Catholic Church theme here for a minute, but I’ll warn you in advance: this is a weird one.
I have no idea what to make of what follows, and yet it felt significant considering that it lands squarely at the intersection of the two topics I tend to talk most about: religion and anomalous phenomena.
As an American, I don’t know anything about Italian politics or the ideology that might drive Il Giornale D’Italia. You can read their Wikipedia page to see if it gives you any insight. I don’t see anything off the bat that tells me it’s some unserious tabloid, although the pseudonym of the author — Ghost Dog — is a bit odd.
In any case, the following article, which discusses a “new theology” being prepared by the Vatican that, among other things, acknowledges other intelligent life in the universe, is something I can’t quite figure out what to do with.
Here’s a long excerpt [translation partly by Google; but for some reason half the article is in English]:
We managed to obtain an exclusive draft of the document which concerns what should be the key points of a New Theology which also seems to be inspired by Pope Bergoglio's encyclical "Fratelli tutti" but expanded to a Cosmological version and vision. A text that is circulating confidentially among Jesuits, Dominicans, Franciscans and Benedictines and which also seems to follow Psalm 24 (23) where it is written "the earth and its contents, the universe and its inhabitants", often cited also by Mons. Balducci.
Could this be why American intelligence has begun to make research on UFOs official? Do they also prepare people for this revolutionary theological text? We live in a time of great change.
[…]
The new theology will teach that we are not alone in the Universe, that God is not an abstract being, but that he is the Omnicreating Intelligence, the energy that spreads and the Light that creates Galaxies and Solar Systems. Therefore, the Universe represents life and terrestrial man is not the only interior of Intelligence-Spirit. Indeed, from the smallest atom to the largest Galaxy they are all living beings. Suns, Galaxies, Planets are alive and possess an Intelligence, which has, at times, incarnated in men, to speak to men and help them in their evolution.
The new theology will eliminate rites and the exaltation of religious concepts: they will be replaced by teaching concepts that will have to be put into practice directly in every manifestation of daily life. Furthermore, it explains that the Universe is the paradise of Creation and hell is everything negative that man chooses, by virtue of his free will and that Purgatory is nothing other than the purification of the effects resulting from the causes generated by man.
The new theology will explain that man is intelligent, that his spirit is eternal, that there is an eternal spiritual realm, that death does not exist, that Life is eternal and that the Spirit evolves through the process of reincarnations. For this reason, the intelligences that live and develop in the Universe are all brothers and sisters of us who live on this Planet, because we all, us and them, possess the Spirit.
The new theology will not be divided between religions, but will unite all the races of this Planet in an agreement of brotherhood and for thus, it is essential that in the final phase of this century we become aware of the fundamental reality which shows us that we are not alone in Universe; that Divine Intelligence created human Life and spiritual Life in other Galaxies; that contact with other civilizations would reverse the crisis situation of this planet of ours and would project humanity towards the establishment of a super civilization, without catastrophes and without profound crises. The change will have to occur by law of evolution; other Beings descended from the stars or from evolved Worlds will be sent by cosmic intelligence to help human evolution; Christ is the top/peak of this pyramid of evolved Beings.
Religion is one, the message is one and contains the absolute truth which is the original content of all the messages that have been given to man throughout the history of this Humanity.
The piece goes on to offer this fascinating conception of the universe as a direct, divine analog to the microcosm of organs and cells that exist within the human body:
[T]he new theology will teach that we are one thing with the being that lives inside us (soul, energy), that imbues us with its creating and life-giving Light. This Light is God, Love and Justice, Omniscient and Omnipotent Light from which everything begins and to which everything returns: God. It will therefore be taught that the Universes are the vital organs of this Cosmic Being, while Solar Systems and Planets are the cells of Its body and their Humanities (of Solar Systems and Planets) are its enzymes, which must elaborate and coordinate life on the cell.
The piece finishes with this weird little breadcrumb:
It has been said: “what is below is similar to what is above” and again: “know yourself and you will know God”.
This is the concept of the new theology.
Now, on this last part, there’s a deeper meaning that I’m not quite sure how to contextualize.
A little googling tells me that “know yourself and you will know God” seems to come from outside the Christian tradition, but its origin seems unclear. Hinduism appears associated, but so do other traditions. I can’t find an explicit reference or origin just yet.
As for “what is below is similar to what is above,” perhaps this would be more recognizable as, “As above, so below.” This commonly-used esoteric axiom is a paraphrase of a late 8th or early 9th century Hermetic alchemical text known as “The Emerald Tablet” — allegedly the recipe for the Philosopher’s Stone — which states:
Quod est superius est sicut quod inferius, et quod inferius est sicut quod est superius.
That which is above is like to that which is below, and that which is below is like to that which is above.
I know ChatGPT makes some mistakes, but it’s proven to be a valuable research tool, so I asked it to help me out with the meaning and history of this phrase. I’ve heard it before, but I don’t know the significance of it:
The phrase "As above, so below" originates from the Hermetic tradition, particularly the Emerald Tablet, a text attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. Its roots can be traced back to Hellenistic Egypt, combining elements of Greek, Egyptian, and possibly even Babylonian wisdom traditions. The phrase encapsulates the principle of correspondence, one of the seven Hermetic principles, which suggests that there is a deep harmony or correlation between different levels of reality.
In a broad sense, "As above, so below" implies that the macrocosm (the universe at large, including celestial bodies and cosmic phenomena) reflects in the microcosm (the human being, nature on a smaller scale, or individual consciousness). This concept has been influential in various esoteric, philosophical, and spiritual traditions, including astrology, alchemy, Gnosticism, and mysticism.
Here are a few interpretations and applications of this principle:
Astrology: In astrology, this phrase is used to justify the belief that the positions and movements of celestial bodies (above) have a direct impact on human affairs and natural phenomena (below).
Alchemy: For alchemists, the phrase underpinned the belief in the correspondence between the metals found in the earth and the planets in the heavens. The work of transforming base metals into gold was seen as parallel to the spiritual transformation of the alchemist.
Spiritual and Mystical Traditions: In spiritual contexts, the phrase suggests that understanding the divine or the cosmos (above) can lead to insights about the inner self or the soul (below). It also indicates that changes within oneself can affect the larger world.
Modern Interpretations: In contemporary spiritual and New Age thought, "As above, so below" is often interpreted in the context of the law of attraction, suggesting that one's thoughts and intentions (inner world) can influence one's reality and experiences (outer world).
Overall, "As above, so below" serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of the universe and the mirroring of the macrocosm in the microcosm. It encourages a holistic view of reality, where the material and spiritual, the cosmic and the individual, are seen as fundamentally linked.
But there’s another piece to this ChatGPT doesn’t touch on in the explanation above. There is a famous image of Baphomet drawn by the 19th century French occultist Éliphas Lévi:
In some versions, you’ll see this same image with a caption: “As above, so below.” As you’ll note, one hand is pointing up, the other pointing down.
I asked ChatGPT about this Baphometic association, too. This was the response I got:
Yes, the phrase "As above, so below" is also notably associated with the symbol of Baphomet within occult traditions. Baphomet is a figure that has been subject to various interpretations and symbolisms over the centuries, often depicted as a humanoid figure with a goat's head, which symbolizes the union of opposites and embodies principles of equilibrium and initiation into hidden knowledge.
The connection to "As above, so below" in the context of Baphomet comes primarily from Eliphas Lévi, a French occultist and author from the 19th century, who is considered one of the key figures in modern Western occultism. In his works, Lévi included an image of Baphomet that has become iconic: a figure with one arm pointing upwards and the other downwards, with the Latin words "Solve" (dissolve) and "Coagula" (coagulate) written on the arms, which encapsulate the process of transformation—a key principle in alchemy and Hermeticism. This imagery vividly illustrates the principle of "As above, so below," symbolizing the correspondence between the higher (spiritual) and lower (material) realms, and the necessity of integrating these aspects to achieve spiritual enlightenment or transformation.
Baphomet, in this context, represents a symbolic confluence of dualities—good and evil, male and female, light and dark—suggesting that true wisdom and knowledge come from understanding and balancing these forces. The figure of Baphomet and the phrase "As above, so below" thus encapsulate themes of duality, transformation, and the interconnectedness of the universe, which are central to many occult and mystical traditions.
The use of this phrase within occultism, especially in relation to Baphomet, emphasizes the belief in a deep, underlying unity and balance in the cosmos, where every action or force has a corresponding counterpart, and understanding this relationship is key to mastering the mysteries of the universe.
The Baphomet illustration looks like a classical depiction of a demon to me, but I don’t know anything about the origin of this mythological figure. So I asked if that’s what we’re referencing. The answer seems… mythologically complicated:
The name "Baphomet" first emerged during the trials of the Knights Templar in the early 14th century. The Templars were accused of worshipping an idol named Baphomet, which was one of the many charges used to justify their suppression. The origins of the name and the nature of the idol (if it indeed existed) are unclear, with theories suggesting it could be a corruption of "Mahomet" (Muhammad) or derived from mystical or esoteric sources.
In this medieval context, Baphomet was demonized by the Church as a symbol of heresy and devil worship, partly reflecting the era's religious conflicts and misunderstandings between different faiths.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, Baphomet was reinterpreted through the lens of Western occultism, notably by Eliphas Lévi, as mentioned earlier. Lévi's depiction of Baphomet as a symbol of the synthesis of opposites and esoteric wisdom diverged sharply from the demonic image promoted by the Church. For Lévi and many after him, Baphomet symbolized not evil, but the deeper mysteries of existence, embodying principles such as balance, duality, and transformation.
But ChatGPT did mention that “The Church of Satan has adopted the image of Baphomet as a symbol, but not necessarily as a representation of a demon or evil being. Instead, it symbolizes principles such as individualism, freedom, and enlightenment against arbitrary authority and dogma.”
The conclusion our new AI overlord provided was as follows:
While Baphomet has been associated with demonology in historical and popular contexts, this view is far from universal. In many esoteric and occult traditions, Baphomet is seen in a much more complex and symbolic light, embodying philosophical and spiritual principles rather than being a literal demonic entity.
This is all very, very strange.
So let’s wrap this up with a few things to ponder:
This reads like many rumors I’ve read before in covering the Church, but not a few of those have turned out to be at least partially true. There’s no way to know if the Vatican is actually preparing this document with plans to publish. If they are, what form would it take? An encyclical? An apostolic letter?
If they do publish something this syncretistic and heretical, the outcry would be enormous. They’ve been careful about not doing anything this blatant. Has something changed?
The fact that it’s syncretistic and heretical doesn’t mean it isn’t interesting. It feels strange to me how much of this mirrors some of my own ruminations about religion now that I have left Catholicism. I’ve written about this before:
There really is an energy in everything natural. A lifeforce. We know this, scientifically, but it feels weird and woo to say you, the rational creature you purport to be, can feel that energy, and can connect to it somehow. I don't know what it means. I don't know how it works.
But it’s there. And when you sense it, it’s undeniable.
Sometimes, I think that if there is a God, maybe this is how you’d find him. Instead of a God of mythology or thundering decree, he might be an indifferent creative force, a nebula of sheer life-giving-energy that leaves matter and form and flesh and bone as it makes its way through the universe like a cosmic storm, leaving behind all that we can see and feel like a trail of stardust given shape. A more grandiose edition of Miyazake’s Shishigame, the Forest Spirt, who causes flowers and vines to grow with every step. Perhaps the tendrils of that life force, sinewy fibers of existence and essence, permeate the fabric of reality like the vast, interconnected mycelium network of that single mega-organism, Armillaria ostoyae, inextricably intertwined with the underlayment of Oregon's Blue Mountains.
Maybe if God were something like that, he really would be omnipresent, infusing all things. Like the living syntax of the Matrix, dripping green and glowing and invisible to all but those who have eyes to see; the source code of the universe.
I have also found myself wondering if the universality of the human impulse to believe in a god or gods is a manifestation of some deeper, underlying reality, over which the edifices of various religions with their many man-made components exist as a kind of interpretative gloss?
The Tao Te Ching, by 6th century Chinese philospher Lao-tzu, says that
The Tao is like a well:
used but never used up.
It is like the eternal void:
filled with infinite possibilities.
It is hidden but always present.
I don't know who gave birth to it.
It is older than God.
The first time I ran into this idea that there was some source, some energy, that was “older than God,” I was perplexed.
But maybe “God” is an idea that does not encapsulate the total reality it attempts to signify?
I am only asking questions. I don’t know the answers.
To return to more pragmatic considerations, whistleblower David Grusch, a former Air Force and Pentagon Intelligence officer, has stated publicly that Pope Pius XII became aware that Mussolini had retrieved a crashed UFO during the 1930s, and notified the American Government, which sent the OSS (precursor to the CIA) to retrieve it in near the end of World War II:
Here’s the most relevant bit of the transcript:
Grusch: What happened to that vehicle [the crashed UFO]…so we knew where it was being stored at a particular location after the crash, and then the military came in and we grabbed it towards the end of the war, you know, 1944-1945, because, like I said, Pius XII already kind of let FDR know.
Rogan: Why did the Pope get involved? Because it's Italy?
Grusch: Well, interestingly enough, there's like a whole history of human intelligence prior to World War II, and old money, the Vatican, the Italian mob, kind of the old country boys did a lot of informal intelligence collection for the US. And there's probably some books you can read on it, but it's really interesting. Human intelligence collection wasn't really formalized until the Office of Strategic Services, the OSS, which became the CIA in 1947. You had Paul Mellon and all these other affluent guys from old money families that basically created the CIA. So that's probably the reason why.
Rogan: So, this thing that was recovered, this was the first documented one that the United States had access to?
Grusch: I can't get into if it was the first or not, but it was an early one.
Rogan: Very early. So it's almost 100 years ago. And so they take this thing, and then they bring it where?
Grusch: Yeah, I can't get into those details.
Rogan: Okay, so they bring it somewhere in the United States, and was the attempt to try to back engineer this thing? Was the attempt to try to understand what it was?
Grusch: Yeah, I mean, first off, obviously, it's understanding the situation, right? What do we have our hands on? And like I've said in some other videos and stuff, you know, we took the Manhattan Project secrecy and overlaid it on this issue because that secrecy worked well for atomic bomb developments and whatnot. And certainly, this whole program, in a nutshell, if I were to summarize the 90 plus years of history, it is a reverse engineering program to garner some kind of insight. And of course, not a lot of the things that we've learned from it are directly, you know, ripped off the technology we found, but it has inspired other innovations that made its way into other US classified programs over the years for national defense reasons, you know, and it's a myriad of different things.
So, if we at least grant the possibility that this story is true — and Grusch has proven himself by every measure to be a credible guy with standup bona fides — is it possible that the Vatican has been sitting on this information, trying to figure out how to handle it theologically, for a very long time? And is it also possible, therefore, that now that all this UFO disclosure is happening, governments are investigating, the US Congress is actively forming a committee to look into this, the Vatican has decided it’s time to come clean?
I don’t know, but it’s a very interesting thing to contemplate.
The story on the excommunication of the deacon in the Diocese of Lafayette really hurts. The bishop was my parish priest years ago. Maybe we don't know all the details, but this seems very unjust. Could the Bishop's response have been different? Something along the lines of "I am praying for you in this difficult time you are experiencing. I respect you decision to step away from the ministry of the deaconate, and will consider your ministry suspended for now. However, you are a child of God and a disciple of Christ. You are a member of the Body of Christ. I cannot give you any answers at this time to heal your wounds, but I will continue to pray for you. Your wounds are very real. I desire to help you find healing. My door is always open. Please feel free to visit with me at any time. Your brother in Christ."
Correct me if I'm wrong (please!), but my understanding is no members of the Nazi regime in Germany were excommunicated. For better or worse, you don't get excommunicated for sin, no matter how awful, but read the wrong books and you're in trouble.
Steve,
The story on the excommunication of the deacon in the Diocese of Lafayette really hurts. The bishop was my parish priest years ago. Maybe we don't know all the details, but this seems very unjust. Could the Bishop's response have been different? Something along the lines of "I am praying for you in this difficult time you are experiencing. I respect you decision to step away from the ministry of the deaconate, and will consider your ministry suspended for now. However, you are a child of God and a disciple of Christ. You are a member of the Body of Christ. I cannot give you any answers at this time to heal your wounds, but I will continue to pray for you. Your wounds are very real. I desire to help you find healing. My door is always open. Please feel free to visit with me at any time. Your brother in Christ."
Correct me if I'm wrong (please!), but my understanding is no members of the Nazi regime in Germany were excommunicated. For better or worse, you don't get excommunicated for sin, no matter how awful, but read the wrong books and you're in trouble.