"The Predatory 'Priest' Problem (and Warnings for Protestants)"

Long ago, I was a devout Catholic for about four years.  I then got saved, and became a Christian over FORTY years ago.  As a former Catholic, I have therefore followed the recent news stories about the Predator "Priests" in Pennsylvania with more-than-ordinary interest.

Though none of the "priests" I knew in my Catholic days were predators, and though I was never sexually abused by ANY man, "priest" or not, the news reports have hit home HARD because from ages 16-20 I really, really believed in the Catholic Church and their false road to salvation.

Anyway, here are my thoughts, after two weeks of digesting these terrible news stories.  These warnings are directed towards fellow Protestants.


1.) WE SHOULD NOT THINK ALL "PRIESTS"  ARE PREDATORS NOW, JUST LIKE WE DON'T THINK ALL COPS ARE MURDERERS BECAUSE SOME ABUSE THEIR POSITION.

All of the "priests" I knew (except one, who left the priesthood long ago and got involved in the business world) were decent men and NONE of them has been accused of preying on children in these past 40-plus years (I checked via Google).

Sincere, but DECEIVED men, as regards Catholicism??  Yes, every "priest" is THAT.  Guilty of allowing themselves to be called "priest" when God has not made them that, and "Father" when Jesus, in Scripture, forbids it?? Yes, every "priest" is unfortunately guilty of THAT.  But to now think every "priest" in the "One True Church" is a pervert, committing immoral acts with young boys, etc. is just unfair...as unfair as saying all politicians are crooked, all lawyers are shysters and all cops are racist killers. All priests are NOT guilty of sexual abuse and ALL should not be under suspicion.



2.)  THAT BEING SAID, LET'S NOT BE NAIVE...THIS ABUSE IS NOT LIMITED TO PENNSYLVANIA.  IT WILL COME OUT, EVENTUALLY, THAT ABUSE OF CHILDREN IS TAKING PLACE ALL OVER THE WORLD, WHEREVER CATHOLICISM IS PRACTICED.  And why is that?? Because the Catholic "church," contrary to Scripture, does not allow "priests" or their other leaders to marry...a practice which God's Holy Word the Bible calls a "doctrine of demons" (see 1 Timothy 4: 1-4.)

This forced celibacy leaves "priests" without a normal, GODLY outlet for their sexual desires, and thus they are needlessly vulnerable to the temptation of UNgodly outlets.  This is an explanation, not an excuse for their sin, however.  They should leave the priesthood and get MARRIED (as one of my former "priest" friends did) rather than abuse boys and girls in such a despicable manner! They should read, and heed, where Scripture says "flee temptation" as ALL of us should do. If celibacy is a temptation, they should marry women, not molest boys and girls. Again, to prey on boys and girls is absolutely despicable.



3.) PROTESTANTS, BEWARE....DO BE NOT PROUD AS YOU SEE THIS.  What is being exposed with the Catholics HAS happened in our midst and WILL happen...just not as frequently as with the "priests" because we DO allow our spiritual leaders to marry women. But if we think WE stand because of that, we will fall just like THEY are falling.  "Pride goes before a fall," Scripture warns.

Also, beware of GLOATING.  Scripture warns against rejoicing when our enemy stumbles and without a doubt, Catholicism and Protestantism, when practiced honestly, ARE enemies just like Light and Darkness are enemies.  Let us PRAY for our lost Catholic friends, not GLOAT.  Let's be on the lookout for disenchanted Catholics who are deserting the Catholic church now, and let's welcome them with a humble and non-judgmental spirit. Let's seek to see them SAVED.

Let's not JOKE about these scandals, either.  God says "fools make a mock at sin."

Besides, in the eyes of the world, though we Protestants are generally not guilty of the same abusive patterns as the Catholic "priests" are, the world thinks "we" (Protestants AND Catholics) are all the same, just with a different name.  Blame yourself for that if you are a true Christian who has treated all "good" Catholics  as being Christians over the years (though some Catholics ARE saved in spite of Catholicism).  You should have separated yourself from the errors of Rome LONG ago, but you were afraid to offend people. Now we are all lumped together with what these priests have done, to some extent. ANY religious leader who deals with kids (with the exception of Muslims, they get special treatment because of fear) will be under suspicion now, unfortunately.  Get ready for it.




Some prominent people in the Catholic church are calling for the resignation of this Pope, who has supported the LGBTQ agenda.  That would be a GREAT move to solve the Predatory Priest Problem because, let's face it, old men who sexually abuse boys, whatever else they are, ARE homosexuals and a Pope who supports them should resign.

SEE THIS LINK:  https://www.vox.com/2018/8/28/17787810/catholic-church-pope-francis-resign-politics-vigano-letter-schism

'A Theory, Regarding a Recurring Reality"

Aretha Franklin, the "Queen of Soul."  U.S. Senator John McCain, "The Maverick."  Former U.N. General Secretary Kofi Annan and Playwright Neil Simon (of "The Odd Couple") fame.  Once again, "Famous people die in groups of two or three" as the old saying goes and once again, as I did many times on Facebook before I left, I'm going to give my theory as to why this very often happens.  Only this time I'm offering my theory here on my BLOG where I have a little more room to elaborate, Lol!!

(And before you say that "Aretha died a few weeks ago, she doesn't count in this group," I remind you that her funeral takes place in a few days, right along with McCain's.) Anyway, here's my theory, simply stated:


I believe that God  mercifully allows the famous to die in groups of two or three to make us think, and talk about, a subject we don't LIKE to talk about....namely our own mortality. For it IS "appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgement" as the Bible clearly teaches.  Many who don't read or believe the Bible get the message about death delivered to them when they are forced to focus on death, and the famous dying in groups of two or three (usually from different walks of life) are inescapable witnesses to this reality.


Note: I claim NO Biblical justification or special revelation for this, for again, it's only a THEORY. 

However, the Bible DOES teach that God rules over everything that happens, that He has appointed specific times for ALL of us to leave this world and that He is not willing that anyone should leave this life without being ready....trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, with their sins forgiven, that is.

"But Chet," you say...."didn't you say, a few blogs back, that God doesn't NEED celebrities? Why would He need them NOW, to get us thinking and talking about our own eventual death?" Good question, and here's my answer. My previous blog emphasized that God doesn't need the famous to expand His Kingdom on earth....HE, HIMSELF WILL BUILD HIS CHURCH and He doesn't need the endorsement of half-converted celebrities to do so.  But that doesn't mean God never USES the famous to remind us of a basic fact...death comes even to the wealthy, the prominent, the powerful and the adored. so SURELY, then, death will come a knocking for the REST of us one day.  And, by the way, we'd better start getting ready now for it!!

Some may call my theory "superstition" but it's just a theory, that's all...and some may mock it saying "That's ridiculous, how does God use famous people dying in groups of two or three to make us think about death?" To which I answer...so what have we been doing these past few minutes, in this blog?? We have been doing exactly that which you say is ridiculous, Lol!!

Yes, the famous dying in groups is a reminder that we are ALL going to die one day, but please make sure you're ready, trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ with your sins forgiven, when your turn comes.

"The Sad Reality of Remaining Racial Division"

"So Chet, I hear your new wife has colored blood," said the 90 year old, white, friend of mine.  "Yes, it's colored RED, just like yours and mine" was my reply.  For the record, I don't think my very old friend got my point because they did not understand the racism of their statement.  Oh, well (Lol)!!

Keep in mind that most of the folks here in New Jersey take a very nonchalant, ho-hum attitude to the fact that I re-married inter-racially.  The friend I mentioned, however, knew my first wife (who was white like me) very well for many of the 38 years we were married before she died. That, and the fact that my elderly friend grew up in a time when you "stuck with your own kind," led to the SHOCK that I'd remarry someone who wasn't white, you see.

Yes, in JERSEY most folks don't seem to care when they see an interracial marriage.  But yesterday, my new bride and I visited BALTIMORE, and things are quite different in that racially divided city.

Many were the suspicious stares, shocked expressions and even mocking laughter (mostly from black people) as we walked through, and ate at, Baltimore's Inner Harbor.  Don't get me wrong, some black (and white) folks, total strangers, made it a point to be (in my opinion) overly friendly, almost as if to assure us that they were "with" us, as well!  We could care less either way..."if God is for us, who can be against us?" But the point is we are used to the comfortable,  we don't even notice you approach we get from most people in our home state.  We weren't trying to make a statement by marrying each other, we are just two people in love who God has joined together.  Too bad others have to interject the sad reality of the nation's racial division into that.

We went to Baltimore yesterday to see our beloved Yankees play the Baltimore Orioles, and before the game I heard the Public Address announcer say something I've never heard in ANY stadium before a game before.  There was a warning to avoid hate speech during the game.  At first, I thought this was a needless exercise in Political Correctness but when I saw that POLICE were publicly honored between innings of the game, and I thought of the riots that took place in Baltimore a few short years ago, I'm thinking maybe it wasn't a pointless attempt to control free speech, but rather a prudent attempt to prevent public insulting of the police which could lead to trouble in the stands?  It's certainly possible.

When my bride and I were walking through a mall in Baltimore before the game, a store window had naked mannequins in the window, some white and some black, separated just like the picture above.  (By the way, the picture above was taken from the internet, but I wish I'd taken an actual photo of the store window...it was really weird.)  Anyway, that store window with the segregated mannequins is really symbolic of the Sad Reality of Remaining Racial Division in America today.  Only God can help people see that our BLOOD is all the same color, and just like the creator of the mannequins made them all of the same material, just different colors, all men and women are made in GOD'S image and created equal.

After all (this is true), many years ago even the New York Yankees were originally called The Baltimore Orioles...kind of reminding me that, though we oppose one another now, all of mankind sprang from the same place if you go back far enough.

"Poems"

As I can't think of anything to BLOG about this morning, here are 3 poems, and a drawing (Tree Swallows), that I did a few years back.  Enjoy.

"THE BIRDS (FREE AND LOVED)"

The birds won't care who's President
or how the last World Series went.
No money earned, no money spent...
be free, just like the birds.

They feed, they sing, and then they fly,
they breed, they play games in the sky,
and so they praise the Lord on high,
and oh! to be like birds!

Their Father knows if one is downed
and not a one falls to the ground
that does not have His Hand around
so yes, we're like the birds!

"ANYHOW"

Kids know how to Tweet, yet not how to spell
Music that sounds like it came here from Hell
The news is much worse, but it's HDTV
to you that's improvement, but not so to me

Liars acquire their 15 of fame
and good men have many to smear their good name
"Reality TV" like the old Twilight Zone
"News" that's just gossip, from anchors that drone

And every fool's having a platform
Abnormality has become the norm
Who's gonna smear, who's gonna clear you now?
Every clown has his own sitcom
and yes, "anyone" is in charge of the bomb
Man's standards are gone, but somehow I'm calm
anyhow

It's cool to be "gay" and weird to be straight
The most hateful ones now accuse you of hate
Lie cheat and steal and you'll reign at the top
and always, the best see their poll numbers drop

And every fool's having a platform

Abnormality has become the norm

Who's gonna smear, who's gonna clear you now?

Every clown has his own sitcom

and yes, "anyone" is in charge of the bomb

GOD'S standards aren't gone, so somehow I'm calm

anyhow

"A POEM FOR THE SINGER (COMMUNICATION)"

Handwritten lyrics
in tow, at his show
Tuned-up guitar...no band
Singer-songwriter
he sits through his intro
politely, the crowd gives a hand
---They've already checked out the sound
Designed...this in mind...he will stay in the
background.

Singing his heart out
Laying his cards out
on an invisible line
Nobody hears him
they talk to each other
during their cheese and wine
---They don't even take a quick look
(Except.....at their cells, as they update their
Facebook)

He sings of a girl
he loves and he's missin'
He sings of that one who's so dear
His love's evident if they only would listen
He sings with the wish SHE was near, and could hear.

He sings of a time
when "Communication"
once was direct and so CLEAR...
when people would notice the song you were playin'
and not have a phone in their ear, and could hear.

He might as well be a radio
Will anyone notice.....when it's time to go?

Poems © by Chet Jelinski 2018

"Respect YOURSELF, Omarosa"

Since the death of Aretha Franklin yesterday, much has been made of her rendition of the song "Respect"  in the 1960s, with some calling it an anthem for the Women's Movement or the Civil Rights Movement.  Personally, I always preferred the lyrics to the Staple Singers' song "Respect Yourself," from 1972.  Perhaps it's an oversimplification, but the lyrics to "Respect" seem to put the burden on others to respect the one singing, whereas the words to "Respect Yourself" put the burden on ONESELF to have SELF-respect, FIRST (at least that's how I always interpreted it.)  And, as Pops Staples sang so perfectly in "Respect Yourself,"


"If you disrespect everybody that you run into, 
how in the world do you think anybody's gonna respect YOU?"


I liked "Respect Yourself" MUCH more than "Respect" but admittedly, yeah, as a 17 year old I had a crush on Mavis Staples (lead singer of the Staples Singers)....that may have had SOMEthing to do with it (Lol).


Anyway........a great, recent example of a poor lost soul who demands respect from others, but doesn't have SELF-respect, and doesn't respect others, is poor OMAROSA.

It was the top story on the news until Aretha died yesterday, but it seems Omarosa recently released a "tell-all" book about Donald Trump based on her time in the White House.  I haven't followed MUCH of this sordid fiasco, but, if you watch the news at all you'll know that Omarosa made secret (illegal) tapes of Trump which supposedly prove that he's a racist (and other bad things.)  If I hear the tapes and Trump DOES use the "N" word, I'll write about that THEN but until that time, I regard him as innocent until proven guilty (as I would anyone else).

What Trump DID do was subsequently Tweet saying that Omarosa is a "dog," and that I WILL comment on because it's proven.

So let me say this as clearly as I can:

1.) Trump needs to STOP TWEETING.

2.)  I do not agree with calling Omarosa a "dog," it was absolutely inappropriate of the President, though I reject the idea that it was a RACIST remark. 

But here's the part where Omarosa is way off base...

3.) Omarosa and her followers have been whining about Trump's "dog" remark, but ten years ago Omarosa wrote a book with the word "Bitch" (female dog) in the title, and, based on the reviews of the book, it seems that she was encouraging women to BE "bitches" in the "street" usage of the term.

You can't complain about others calling you "dog" if you call yourself "bitch" in the title of your PREVIOUS book, you see. Not without looking pretty....lost.

I was reading up on Omarosa and learned her dad was murdered when she was seven.  It's easy to understand why she has a low self-image, Dads are VERY CRUCIAL to affirming a girl's sense of self-worth and (unlike Aretha and Mavis), Omarosa did not HAVE her dad when she was growing up.

But still............... if I could speak to Omarosa, I would say to her "Stop being caught up in Aretha's version of 'Respect" and start listening to "Respect Yourself." "

"God Doesn't Need Celebrities"

Above is an ad on the community bulletin board at our local post office.  The church who hung it there (NOT my church. by the way) was advertising a movie "proving" that the late, great actor STEVE McQUEEN became a Christian later in his life.  Apparently, judging from the blurb promoting the movie, the film was used as a means of evangelistic outreach.

Before I get to my main point, I have to "clearify" (as George W. Bush might say) the following.


1.)  I like Steve McQueen, just watched "Nevada Smith" again and I think he was brilliant.  I truly hope he DID get saved!!


2.) The Bible clearly teaches that anyone can get saved, right up to the very end of their life, if they truly repent and believe the Gospel.


3.) God DOES use celebrities at times to further His Cause!  Recently, in fact, I've written here about Chris Pratt and Mariano Rivera being used, I believe, by Him (see recent blogs.).  And...


4.) Though I didn't see the McQueen film, I am waiting for a book I ordered which "proves" that BOB DYLAN'S profession of faith is genuine (I hope it is.)  So I, too, DO take some interest in the professions of the well-known, like MANY Christians do!


All of that being said, there is a mentality in the church-at-large today that somehow God NEEDS celebrities to turn people's hearts to Him.  This is simply not Biblical.  

Christianity first spread because of common, ordinary people (the original Apostles.)  One might say that when PAUL came on the scene HE was a celebrity....he was INfamous more than he was famous.  But the church was already established by then....to the point that Saul / Paul was persecuting it before the Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus.

Let's be clear, though.  Saul / Paul was a "celebrity" who needed GOD, more than GOD needed HIM.


Years ago, before I got saved, I idolized singer Cat Stevens in the 1970s.  In one of his songs, Stevens sang that he was

"Doing the work of God, trying to make things better for Him" (from "Music," 1974.)

Wow, how arrogant but how HONEST....there are MANY celebs who think God needs them.  He doesn't.  He doesn't need ANY of us to accomplish His purposes, though He glorifies Himself by USING us, in spite of our weaknesses, if we truly know and serve Him.

"If God Could Change, He Wouldn't Be God"

These past five years have been the most change-filled of my entire life.

Five years ago this month, I closed my beloved business of 35 years.  My first wife of 38 years, my Mother-in-Law and I moved to Ocean County, NJ and both of them died of cancer within a few years.  Two of our three kids got married within the past 5 years, and I now have five grandchildren instead of one.  I remarried a wonderful Christian woman from our church and I now have two STEP-children.  And, after over 40 years as a Christian, I've begun teaching a weekly Sunday School class at our church, in addition to preaching in a few non-church settings.  (There have been many other "firsts" in these last five years, as well...too many to mention in fact.)

Yes, MY life has changed, but it's good to know GOD hasn't changed!

The Bible says God is the same yesterday, today and forever and that's good news because it also teaches that He's in control of all that happens and it's all working together for the good of His people.  Frankly, if God could change (like WE do), He wouldn't BE God because change either makes you better or worse, and He can "do" neither.  God can't get WORSE because that means that something is able to diminish Him and is more powerful than Him.  And, if He could change for the BETTER, doesn't that mean He's NOT already Perfect?  Think about it!

The future is always uncertain for us, that's why Jesus said we don't know what a DAY may bring forth....never mind five years.

But it's good to know that the one true God, the One who controls all things and is working them together for my good, will never, ever change.

"Christmas in August"

The picture above is an ad from our local (New York area) news from last Friday, August 3rd.

Christmas (as those on Madison Ave. see it) has become such a moneymaker, they have begun to fantasize what "Santa" does in SUMMER, you see.  This is meant to prime you to begin getting consumed NOW with the "giving" season that is still four months away.

I, personally, am sick of the Idolatry of Christmas.  I do, of course, believe that the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ is worth celebrating (even though we don't know the exact day of His birth.)  After all, He came, as Scripture says, to save His people from their sins, and as a sinner saved by grace that is worth celebrating to me!! Every single day of the year, in fact.

But Scripture also teaches that the sins He came to deliver us from include covetousness, anxiety, and gluttony, and these are clearly in abundance during the "Christmas Season."  How do we honor Christ by indulging the sins He came into the world to save us from? Perhaps this is why the Bible urges us to remember Christ's death till He comes, but it nowhere urges us to celebrate His birth.

Most Christians would be horrified to see SANTA as the symbol of Christmas, and will slap on a "Keep Christ in Christmas" bumpersticker to feel like they've spoken out against the trend.

But if we use "Christmas in July" as a way to RAISE money, it's pretty hard to enlighten and persuade those who push Christmas in August in order to MAKE money.

In closing, I am not against celebrating Christmas on December 25th, but there's something "off" about prepping for it all months and months ahead of time. If anyone has read this far I am prepared to be called "Grinch" and "Scrooge" and I really don't care, my motto is "BE BEREAN," I have the Scriptures on my side and that's all that matters to me.

"Meeting Mariano Rivera, Part 2"

A few months ago (June 5th, to be exact), I blogged here about meeting Yankee great MARIANO RIVERA.  My wife and I met him at a dinner in Lakewood, New Jersey which has a very large Jewish population.

Today, I want to tell you how Mariano has recently visited Israel.  In the picture with Mariano is Deborah Hemstreet, who is my first (deceased) wife's (deceased) sister's  deceased husband's SECOND wife (got that?? Lol.) To make it easy, I'll just say "Deb is a FRIEND who lives in Israel, " Lol!!

Anyway, this is what Deb wrote, about Mariano's visit:

This was Mariano Rivera’s first trip to Israel. He came with a special group of mixed Jews and Gentiles who love Israel, led by Rabbi Joseph Potasnik. Mariano was accompanied by several members of his church – devout Christians who were interested in the humanitarian and lifesaving activities at Rambam Health Care Campus (home of the world’s largest underground fortified emergency hospital). They saw the underground hospital, and I shared with them about our efforts to ensure the safety and security of all our patients (Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Baha’i, and more) if we are ever faced with another war situation. I did not have an opportunity to share with him personally, beyond greeting him, but he did express his appreciation for what we are doing here, and many of the people who were with him were deeply moved… (I always give a Biblical slant to what is going on here and he really seemed to appreciate that and he did give me a hug as his sister in Christ.)

May God bless Mariano in ALL that he does for Him!!