The Catholic Blogosphere/Internet Is Spiritual Pornography

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The destructive effects of pornography have been well documented. It is easy to find studies by a simple search on the Internet. Pornography is condemned by the Catholic Church because it is a complete perversion of sex. The God-given purpose of sex is two fold: first, to be open to life and procreation, and secondly, to build a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bond with your spouse. The sexual act must always contain there two elements. If it does not, it is sinful, and it will destroy those who engage in such acts.

Pornography has only one purpose: self gratification. Porn makes all other people into mere objects which are used to gratify the self. This is why porn will destroy a marital relationship. The person using porn lives in a fantasy world inhabited by perfect people who are there only to satisfy his (or her) needs and desires, no matter how perverted. No one in the real world can live up to the fantasy standards of pornography, and as a result, often the user of porn will no longer be able to relate to his or her spouse. This is also why porn so often leads to rape, child abuse, etc. Porn destroys the idea of a relationship. To the porn addict, other people are just a drug to be used however you wish to get your fix.

Pornography not only destroys the ability to form true, loving relationships with other people. It also robs the porn addict of the ability to elevate his or her thinking to a higher spiritual level and enter into a relationship with God. The main concern in life is for sexual, physical gratification, and anything that does not lead to that is pretty much rejected.

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I have come to the conclusion that the vast majority of the Catholic Internet/blogosphere is spiritual pornography. Many Catholics who post to the Internet are completely convinced that they have a 100% grasp of the truth and that their view of the world is completely in line with God. Those who follow and read these blogs/Internet sites are just as convinced of their own infallibility.


The blog writers and their readers feed off of each other. They create a fantasy world in which they have the unquestioned ability to judge the rightness and wrongness of the rest of the world. If the rest of the world does not fall into step with their views and beliefs, then the rest of the world is wrong and must be condemned. It doesn't matter if the objects of these condemning Catholics are the hierarchy of their own Church. Thus we see condemnation of Catholic hierarchy such as the following coming from someone who professes to be a loyal Catholic.  This person writes under the name of St. Corbinian's Bear. In this particular post - an example of what he writes - he compares Cardinal Reinhard Marx, president of the German's bishop conference, to a character from an Ed Wood movie:

Plan 9 From Germany

You appeared in an Ed Wood movie: your argument is invalid.

The Bear hangs his head in shame every time Cardinal Reinhard Marx speaks. Poor St. Corbinian! To have his old See of Munich Freising occupied by a man as bad in some ways as Grimoald. Worse. Grimoald was just a thug who tried to kill St. Corbinian. (You can read all about it by clicking the bear badge to the right.) Ironically, St. Corbinian aroused Grimoald's wrath by condemning the warlord's irregular marriage to Biltrudis. Cardinal Marx would bless it!

Then there is a guy who goes by the name of "Mundabor" who also presents himself as a loyal Catholic and writes about Pope Francis as follows:

The Evil Clown And You, Part I

AUG 3

Posted by Mundabor

Bad, bad rosary-counters!

Francis insults you in all possible ways, day in and day out, and with you he insults all generations of Christians before you and all the Church stands for. You know that perfectly well. Still, you sit there like a kindergarten child, expressing your “surprise”. Of course, then, Francis asks you to reject the Sacraments and the Commandments! It’s your spineless reaction that encouraged him! You are not part of the solution! You are part of the problem! 

Decide to Whom your allegiance belong, and act accordingly. 

Louie Verrecchio is another self-professed loyal Catholic who writes "Harvesting the Fruit", a blog designed to expose the evils of the post-Vatican II Catholic Church.  An example of Verrecchio's offerings is as follows:

Pope Francis hates the Catholic faith

He is a man who speaks rather often of “unity” while dividing like none other, who promotes “humility” while staging magnificent displays that call attention directly to himself, who trumpets collegiality while enforcing his will on the majority, who decries gossiping and name-calling while offering homilies with material that would make an insult comic blush, and so on.

At the end of the day, I think the most accurate explanation for his unseemly behavior is simply this:

Pope Francis hates the Catholic faith.

These are just a couple of examples of the spiritual pornography produced by Catholic bloggers. I've previously talked about others:  the radical traditionalists who completely reject the post-conciliar Church and are supported by Cardinals Pell and Burke; Father Zuhlsdorf who kicks me off of his blog because I pointed out that he is teaching in opposition to Pope Benedict XVI and the rest of the Church; and of course, Michael Voris, who probably leads the pack in spiritual pornography.

Why do I call it pornography? 

Even though they may not realize it, the goal of these bloggers is to get a spiritual high from always being right and showing how wrong the rest of the world is.  These "loyal Catholics" are all about satisfying the ego of both the writers and the readers. It is mental masturbation in which they stroke themselves and bask in their spiritual perception and wisdom. They are so brilliant that they can even see through an idiot pope and church hierarchy who are leading the rest of us straight to hell.  

The result of all of this is that they destroy all humility and submissiveness to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  They are tuned into their own voices and no one else.  They cannot relate to anyone who does not walk in lock step with them.  Everyone else is a heretic who must be condemned and rejected.  Just as porn addicts live in their private sexual fantasy world, these bloggers and their readers live in their own private spiritual fantasy world.   

Pewsitter.com is an example of a clearing house for these bloggers, giving links to all of the "best" stories and posts that expose the evil in the Catholic Church and highlight how good and righteous are those who are doing the exposing.  

Just as those who engage in pornography have a warped view of sex, many of those engaged in the Catholic blogosphere have a warped and perverted view of spirituality and the meaning of being a true follower of Christ.  As Christians, our job is not to expose all of the evil in the world.  In fact, St. Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:12 that:  "It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret." 

The Catholic blogosphere concentrates on their view of all that is wrong in the world and the Church.  Certainly we need to be aware of the evil in the world.  A Christian is not one who hides his head in the sand and pretends everything is wonderful.  But should that be where we concentrate all of our energies and focus?  St. Paul in Philippians 4:8 write:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

Just as pornography will drag you down to wallow in filth, much of the Catholic blogosphere drags us down into spiritual filth in which the writer exalts himself and condemns all those - including and sometimes most especially - Catholic hierarchy who disagree with him.

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I believe that in many ways, reading the vast majority of Catholic blogs is actually more dangerous than pornography. Pornography will warp your mind and destroy your relationships. But the spiritual pornography of the Catholic blogosphere will infect you with pride and self righteousness - the sin of Satan. Many of those who write Catholic blogs are flirting with the unpardonable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Our Lord can heal a mind that has been damaged by pornography. But one who sets himself in opposition to the Holy Spirit has put himself beyond even the reach of God's great mercy.

That is why Jesus was so hard on the religious leaders of his time. He wasted no words in condemnation of their actions because they were infected with the sin of pride. They needed to be shocked just as someone whose heart has stopped needs the shock of a defibrillator. The compassion and mercy Our Lord showed to the tax collectors, thieves, murderers and adulterers would have been wasted on the self righteous pharisees because pride is immune to mercy. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a sin of pride, and that is why it is unpardonable, and why Satan will never be forgiven. His pride makes it impossible. This is the dangerous ground upon which many in the Catholic blogosphere are treading.

Sirach 10:7, 12-13 and 15-16 gives us this warning:

Odious to the LORD and to men is arrogance, and the sin of oppression they both hate. The beginning of pride is man's stubbornness in withdrawing his heart from his Maker; For pride is the reservoir of sin, a source which runs over with vice; Because of it God sends unheard-of afflictions and brings men to utter ruin.  The roots of the proud God plucks up, to plant the humble in their place: He breaks down their stem to the level of the ground, then digs their roots from the earth.

How do you know if a blogger is truly loyal to the Church and not just engaging in spiritual masturbation?  It is not the promotion of the Rosary, the quotes from saints, the statement, "I love the Catholic Church!"  The litmus test is always:  is the writer loyal to the Pope and the Magesterium of the Church?  And that does not mean, "Yes, I support the Pope, but he is an idiot who is destroying the Church."  Look for someone who doesn't claim to have all the answers, but shows a submissive heart that is willing to listen.  Look for someone who writes in a positive, uplifting way that engenders trust in the lead of the Holy Spirit. Look for someone who reminds you that yes, we have many battles in this world, but the war has already been won.  Our Lord sits in heaven at the right hand of the Father constantly interceding for us.  

I love praying the Breviary every day because it is always so positive and uplifting, reminding that I have a Savior who fights all my battles for me, and that all I need do is follow the advice of our first Holy Father, St. Peter who said "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."  (I Peter 5:7).  In today's Morning Prayer, we were given a passage from II Corinthians 1:3-5:

Praised be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all consolation! He comforts us in all our afflictions and thus enables us to comfort those who are in trouble, with the same consolation we have received from him. As we have shared much in the sufferings of Christ, so through Christ do we share abundantly in his consolation. 

Spiritual pornography drags you down into the mire and filth as much as sexual pornography does, and as I have written, spiritual pornography is even more dangerous to your eternal health. Reject the negativity and condemnation that you find in the Catholic blogosphere. Avoid the traps set by our adversary, and instead, fill your mind with the great spiritual reading that we have been given from the Church. We have a great treasure that has been 2000 years in the making. Take advantage of it.

Resist the devil, and he will flee.

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