Morality is for Real... Suck it Up

Look, I've already reconciled with the fact that, when it comes to my sociology classes, I am The Enemy. I am a Catholic, conservative, middle class, white, straight, male. According to my classes and classmates, this means that all "inequality" that has been "suffered" by women, minorities, the poor, and those with same-sex attractions throughout the centuries is not only caused, but is maintained by me and my ilk.

How do we evil men do it? We apply gender roles and arbitrary morals on people throughout their lives in order to keep everyone stuck in mud along with us. We obviously refuse to think or to "open our minds". It goes without saying that we hate everyone who disagrees with us. "Why can't we all just get along?", you ask, and we simply respond by punching people in the face and imposing our morality on the poor, oppressed masses.

If you think this is who I am or what the Catholic Church is, I ask you gently turn off your computer and slam your head forcefully and repeatedly into the nearest wall for all the good you bring to this discussion. I'm only going to say this once: The norms that we have and the morals that have been passed down by the Church through the millennia are not an imposition or an effort to keep everyone else from having fun or "being who they are" (hippies). They are objective reality and truth that has been tested and refined over the course of HUNDREDS of years by some of the most intelligent and enlightened men ever to grace this planet. Simply because you don't like it doesn't mean it's wrong. Simply because it calls you to change does not mean its an imposition.

Stacks upon stacks of wisdom

Right and wrong are concrete objective states. Just because it challenges you doesn't mean you have ability to define you own morality. The second you start to say that what's right "for you" is different than what's right "for me" you should return to slamming your head into that good ol' wall. You see, the danger in trying to define your own morality is that you make yourself the author of right and wrong. What arrogance! What self-aggrandizement! The danger in saying "why can't we just let everyone do their own thing" means that you're still limiting those who disagree with you.

For instance, in the debate over same-sex marriages, people keep coming back to the idea that everyone should just allow everyone to do what makes them happy. Everyone should just be allowed to marry whoever they want and practice marriage however they want. Well, say that your right and marriage is allowed to be redefined. All of a sudden, the largest organization of people in the world, the Catholic Church, is forced to betray their morals. Why can't they be allowed to practice and defend what they believe? Is it because you simply don't like it?

Relative thinking in terms of morality always falls apart because it doesn't work in reality  One morality always needs to be placed above the others. To fall into a groove of right and wrong, whether you define your own or not, means that someone else is indeed WRONG. So the question becomes, what makes your morality (or lack thereof) so much better than mine? Your degree? The Catholic Church is and always has been the center of thought and education the world over. Is it your life experience? The Church has existed for 2000+ years and has experienced all manner of life over that course of time. Is it your novelty of insight? Well why would novelty in morality be appealing to being with? In the chaotic nature of the world we live in, why would I want to follow an unproven system of morality? The Church understands the human person, and the morals and doctrines that are passed down come from the fundamental knowledge of the wants and needs of the human person.

Here's a new thought, your "enlightened" thinking has bound you. You are a slave to the shifting trends and fashions of thought that go by the wayside when a new philosophy presents itself. History is full of examples. The sexual revolution and the rise of contraception, which was supposed to free women, has resulted in a 50% divorce rate, higher rates of domestic violence, and the abortion of 1/4 children who are conceived. Is that freedom? The enlightenment of the 18th century was supposed to result in peace and equality for all, but it resulted in the French Revolution and the widespread use of the guillotine. The spread of communism was supposed to put everyone on equal footing and ensure the happiness of all citizens. In the Soviet Union alone, it resulted in the death of millions of innocent people.

The morals that the Church puts forward are concrete and are proven. They are not a list of legalistic rules that need to be followed for their own sake. They are invitations to freedom! Think of it like this. Your life is a high plateau with a sheer 200 ft drop on all sides. The doctrines of the Church are the fence that keep you safe and free. You can do anything you want within the fence. You're also free t jump the fence, but this comes with the unfortunate consequence of a 200 ft fall to your death. You are not limited by the fence. It doesn't ruin your happiness. On the contrary, this absolute and concrete set of posts and pickets keeps you alive and allows you to experience life to its fullest.

Cartoons teach us so much!

Every "thou shalt not" comes with a "thou shall". Every "you cannot" comes with a "you can". The Church, in her infinite and proven wisdom is inviting all of us to truly live life to the full. We cannot do that with a relative idea of what is right and wrong. If nothing is wrong, then nothing is right. The rules come not from hate but from a loving understanding of who we are as human beings. Nobody faults a parent for the rules that they lay out for their children. They simply know their children and what they need. The Church is the same way. Let go of your pride! Accept that you don't know everything and allow yourself to learn! Stop trying to make the world in your own image. It is only when we let go that we can truly begin to make sense of things. So yes, morality is concrete, objective, and real. Suck it up and enjoy your life for once!

Joseph, model of manliness, pray for us
God, Father in heaven, bless us.