February 20, 2006
Retreat
This past weekend we were on yet another retreat. For some reason the past two were extremely close together. Anyway, Fr. Mitch Pacwa was here giving us our retreat and it was awesome. He highlighted what we need to be focusing on, how careful our behavior as future priests needs to be, and explained the process of why the Church is the way it is today starting from the Enlightenment up.
Something that he said had a very profound effect on me. He rightly pointed out that in the name of the Christianity (Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, etc), it is estimated by leading historians that about 5 Million people have perished in a two thousand year history (at the hands of Christians). Whereas, in the name of Atheism, in the name of Nationalism, in the name of Communism, over 200 Million people have perished (and this is just over the past 100 years). Stalin and Mao (two of the biggest promoters of Atheism in history) alone together killed 130 Million. Those 5 Million who perished at the hands of Christians is terrible, and by no means should be trivialized. The facts speak for themselves however. In 2000 years, through war, the inquisition, and anything else 5 Million were killed. In 100 to 150 years, over 200 Million were killed (from Communists, the French Revolution [which in the name of Freedom had executed 15,000 Frenchmen], Two World Wars, the Holocaust, etc etc etc). So this myth that you can't be Christian because of how terrible the religion is in bunk. If you can't be Christian for that reason, then you can't be an Atheist, you can't be a Communist, you can't be an American or a European or an Asian, you can't be anything. Well, that is my two cents on that.
Posted by cr3do1 at February 20, 2006 08:32 AM
Comments
Good work, Father Mitch and cr3do1! Will use this in my ongoing evangelization in Brooklyn, NY. God bless!
Posted by: lori at February 22, 2006 06:34 AM
I'm glad you enjoyed your retreat! When will you be home next?
Posted by: Colleen at February 22, 2006 12:19 PM
I will be home next during Holy Week till the Monday after Easter.
Posted by: Jon-Paul at February 24, 2006 07:50 AM
2 cents?? More like 20 Dollars!!! lol Talk to you soon! God Bless
Posted by: John at February 27, 2006 04:45 AM
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