1. Reality & Role of the Church: Joshua & Religious Relativism

Devious Devil

My dear Hobnob,

I was very pleased to hear that you got that fellow of yours into reading Fr. Joseph Girzone's book, Joshua. You are quite right that it was the best you could do. He has a real religious bent and actually avoids certain scientific and humanistic works that might challenge his faith. Closed minds are sometimes the most vulnerable, although such avoidance can also work into our enemy's hands. The book he has chosen presents a Jeezus, oh even to misspell that name hurts, that is compassionate, kind, and tolerant-- to a fault-- and toward those most needing a Jeezus of challenge and objective truth. I cannot tell you how many readers felt that this bestseller changed their lives-- that for the first time they really knew Jeezus. It makes me chuckle. If they only knew that he was an imposter, really Girzone in disguise. Don't let on.

The book does our work for us. He dismisses the teaching of Khrist's Church, ouch, "subsisting" fully in the Catholic community. He writes: "But when members of their congregations attended another church, they were highly indignant and, indeed, personally offended that someone would think another church might have more to offer than theirs" (p. 15). He sandwiches this remark of religious relativism with another on page 102. This is great stuff. The first weed has been planted. Of course, if he were not a Catholic, we could find this viewpoint a real bother; but, as it is, the blandness of the Mass and the impoverished preaching of his pastor feeds right into our hands. He knows already that some of the non-Catholic churches nearby have more things going in the community and have more dynamic leadership than his own. But, be careful. The ministers of these groups actually help their people and are friends of the enemy. However, what constitutes nourishment for their own will form spiritual privation for the Catholic. Let us see if we can't get your client thinking that all churches are alike or that the Lord's Supper as celebrated in the other mainline traditions and sects is just the same as his Catholic Eucharist. Confidentially, the sacramental life and the Eucharist is the one "offer" that many of these other churches would be hard-pressed to match. Once on the slippery slope, who knows how far he might fall. Happy hunting.

Your ever affectionate uncle,
Slubgob

Webmaster Note: JOSHUA is written by Joseph F. Girzone. The book is published from Simon & Schuster (PB). The reprint date is April 1, 1995. ISBN: 0684813467.