For millennia many religions have warned about anger, and for good reason. No mind is more deranged than a mind infected with anger. People ruled by their anger are capable of any atrocity.
Anger is just an emotion. We feel it acknowledge it and let it go. There is no moral judgement attached to a feeling. Actions count. Let our actions be good ones. Let it begin with me.
Before I became a christian I was a buddhist. Buddhists consider hate to be one of three poisons that makes the worldly mind that creates samsāra - a miserable mood of existence.
This reminds me of something I learned in therapy last week. Anger is a secondary emotion. The source is often something else. Disappointment, lacking a feeling of community, sadness, frustration, and most importantly in this case, I honestly think fear is a motivator.
@@Werassad Depends on what one is angry about and who one is angry with. Quite often a sincere apology with reparations can fix things but if we are talking politics with the dishonesty, corruption, slander, hypocrisy, cheating etc etc. which has been prevalent for basically the last 20 years or so, this type of behaviour at the highest echelons of society breeds a black, intense & prolonged, unforgiving anger between opponents .
Fear of what? Gosh! therapy? Why do normal people have to go to have mental therapy? Am at a loss for words why there's need to have someone implant their answers of what one should think or how one should behave .
I turned off the media earlier this year. Started praying, fasting and put all my trust in God. I have been much happier since leaving the news behind and putting my focus on Jesus and His teachings.
I did the same around 2017-2018. Shut down my Facebook and Twitter accounts as well. I started noticing that the constant cycle of outrage was making me depressed. Staring into the void of pure anger that often is the Twitterverse, for example, even ended up causing suicidal ideation. Sorry, but I don't need countless blue checkmarks to park their anger in my front yard because they want the world to know how they're on the side of righteousness, even though their twitter activism contributes nothing meaningful beyond self-promotion. And I believe that's pretty much all that modern media's (including social media's) outrage cycle amounts to: it is a way for people to self-promote, but it rarely effects any meaningful change. Even if the best intentions were firmly in place, which I'm generally skeptical of, the cycle simply doesn't last long enough to effect meaningful change, because this would take time and action, and the cycle moves much too quickly for this. A few days later we'll already have moved on to the next topic to be incensed about. I've felt much better since I shut down my accounts. I'm not blind to the injustice that exists in this world, but I'd much rather put my focus on things where I can add a positive, constructive contribution, rather than just adding my own anger into the mix and getting swept up into the vicious cycle of permanent toxic outrage.
One of the worst things to ever happen to this country is the Two-Party system. We as a country really, *REALLY* should have heeded George Washington's warning against giving power to political parties in his farewell address. This system is at the root of most of the polarization and hate. A lot of people make a lot of money by maintaining and intensifying the status quo of "us" vs "them."
So... would you accept a parliamentary system as a replacement? Because that's what you ask. Washington was great but he presided over a Constitution which inexorably gave us a 2-party system. It is a great but flawed document.
@@caprimercenary2522 The problem isn't so much that *any* political parties exist at all, it's that just two have ALL the control no matter how flawed, corrupt, or insane they become. You're correct, the ship has long since sailed to completely avoid having parties of some kind. But we are the only democratic republic in the world that two parties controlling everything. We can and realistically must change that to force people to start compromising and seeing others as fellow humans with differing opinions instead of enemies to be crushed and censured carte blanche.
@@Vales55 we're never going to fix our democracy when a good portion of the country doesn't believe in democracy at all. When one side thinks violent coups are the answer, I don't know what we can do
@@Marcus-sk2xf The gerrymandering is a bigger problem. If we could put an end to that, the house would represent the people much better. If people would actually educate themselves on politics, that would help a lot as well
I typed "Love your enemies" in the yt search and found your channel. I believe loving your enemies is required to find the narrow gate, and that's why few will find it. I think if we imagine ourselves on Judgement Day in front of Jesus, our hearts and entire lives exposed, we can all see we're no better than our enemies really. They couldn't help themselves either and maybe even had a harder life with bad influences. I intend to keep spreading this message everywhere. Maybe enough of us can make the narrow gate a little wider. Thanks for such a good video.
I live in a swing district in every level, legislature, congress, city council. Even on city council level, people were calling each other cultists and extremists. It’s really a shame.
Personally I think more ACTUAL extremists (on both sides of the aisle) is exactly what needs to happen for CST to become a political reality. Extremists are usually braver, more authentic and more sincere than those comfortable with the status quo. The "moderates" are really just corruption and hypocrisy incarnate.
That’s actually the idea, lol. These candidates reflect their populace, but they take out adds against each other trying to indicate that the other guy doesn’t. That seems to be the scam.
My midwife mentioned to me at our appointment yesterday that I was her only client with normal blood pressure. The other mothers were stressing themselves out with the elections going on. I always take information in doses and already dislike most politicians anyway lol so I just limit exposure to educate myself about options and move on. And then focus on being a good neighbor and loving my family. I refuse to let some grody political nonsense threaten the health of myself or my baby.
Father Casey…..Thank you for this. This anger is so horrible. By the end of yesterday, all I can say is that most people were just sick of this nonsense…who’s right…who’s not. I am coming to a conclusion that there is an evil who wants us to have this division. Anger is one of the Seven Deadly Sins and all this is just seems to be manifesting it in all the dialogue people are having with each other. I personally have tried to let it go with just say my small prayer, “Come Holy Spirit, help us not to be understood all the time, but to understand our brothers and sisters.” Thinking more like Saint Francis these days….and Our Lady…Amen. So be it.
I had to watch this video twice to fully comprehend the message. It actually turned out this video was an answer to my constant prayer as of late, about how to handle my anger toward those who have a different political view than myself. It also confirmed what I've come to believe.....that all of our problems can be solved at the Cross, all the answers to our problems are at the Cross. I've also been praying for the discipline to meditate again as I know from past experience how beneficial it is for me. I've decided that every day I'm going to meditate on the Cross w/o any expectation, just to gaze at Jesus on that Cross. I'm actually excited about it. Thank you Jesus for answering my prayers and thank you Father for allowing God to use you in this beautiful way. I am very grateful.
44 But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5:44 This is a lesson for everyone in this and it applies everywhere
@@russellmiles2861i would say even people who live in sodom are deserving of love. Everyone is. So many times I see people online say they’re Christians and support the most vile dehumanizing language for others, just because they’re lost. There’s no sort of message of helping people or understanding what the other side wants. It’s become just a relentless beat down. That’s why politics terrify me now. It’s this weird mixing of national policy with religious identity and popularity contests. It’s horrendous.
@@cdd1322 you are correct. I am judgmental and pathetic. I get so upset when folk attack my family and friends: particular if they are swarmy about it. Turning ones back is a purposeful insult in any culture.
I think what I love so much about this video is how it reminds me of the human aspect of God. Too often I focus on the fact that God is an almighty and perfect being that I lose sight of how he created us in his image. This video showing how God's anger resulting from his love for us and desire for us to do good is just so relatable because it is something nearly all humans experience with their parents. It drives home the fact that we truly are God's children made in his likeness and God loves us in the same way many of us love our earthly children. It makes me feel as though I understand God that much better.
I think a big portion of the problem is that this anger is wrapped firmly in a thick coat of self righteousness that says that compromise is impermissible lest we be seen as "weak".
When you really can't hear the other side, just their voice, it causes this mess. When Biden was young, both sides did talk, they had lunch together, they saw each other as people. Not now. It's so sad.
@@deb9806 When Biden was young he wasn't promoting abortions up to 9 months, gender surgery for minors, or the wholesale endorsement of every other perversion under the sun. There is no compromise to be found when the differences are no longer simple political qualms, but full scale morality itself. I'm not going to compromise and accept just "a little abortion" or just "Civil Unions" for homosexuals. There is nothing to discuss! Evil *must* be purged.
@@jamesbuchanan3145 even the church recognizes civil unions. Having insurance or other rights doesn't interfere with religious rights. I don't agree with everything on both sides but I know love isn't shutting people down. Listening isn't with one ear.
@@deb9806 It isn’t about “interfering with religious rights” , It is about allowing and *promoting* evil and degenerate behavior in society. The Church recognizing civil unions between homosexuals just goes to show how much success Satan has had at infiltrating the Church. Also, I mentioned way more than just mUh CiViL uNioNs, but you focused on the more benign of the presents evils.
Hi Father Casey. Please do a video about Faith Vs Feelings. I don't mean that emotions are antagonistic to faith. But surely how we feel or our dispositions on a day to day basis is not a sure gauge of the state of our relationship with God. These days, so many go by their 'feels'. Perfect faith drives out fear. Does perfect fear drive out faith. I don't think so. What is the function of emotions in our relationship with God?
I see what you are saying Fr Casey. It makes me think of a good friend or family member that gets angry at you for doing something wrong, and then helps you get through it. The anger isn’t used to humiliate you or make you feel awful for no reason, it is used to get you back on track. For example, if a good friend if mine stole something from a store, I may get angry with them and say “hey that’s not nice of you, go return that immediately. You know that stealing is wrong!” They may feel bad in the moment, sure, but they understand that I am getting them back on track. I would still love and forgive them afterwards. Still want to be friends with them, still want to hang out with them. I just wanted to make sure they didn’t stray away from righteousness. That anger is driven by true love for the other person, versus the opposite kind of anger which is to humiliate and destroy a person. The non loving way of being angry in this situation would be to see my friend steal, and then proceed to gossip behind their back, saying things like “oh you that guy, he’s a thief. All he ever does is steal things. You cant trust him”. The end goals are to get others angry and to embarrass the friend. Anyways, amazing video as usual Fr!
Protestant, but have been enjoying your content for a few years now. I don't always agree with you, but I appreciate your commitment and what you have to say.
I'm happy I'm not the only one that finds that sub wayyyy to political. It's also quite strict about liturgy and everyday life. I'm convinced some of them are just LARPing
Have you seen Twitter? The ones there are scary enough that I left several years ago for fear of being kidnapped and forcibly having a Rite of Exorcism performed on me. And I'm Catholic.
“‘In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him. I think it’s impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves. And then, in that very moment when I love them-….. I destroy them. I make it impossible for them to ever hurt me again. I grind them and grind them until they don’t exist.’” -Ender's Game Love your enemies, keep it professional, remain true, always be ready, protect yourself, and follow the directives of the Church in peace and war.
I used to be into politics and it really does just created pride, anger, and strife. A President can be in office for 4 years, 8 years at best and then their reign is over. However, our God reigns forever. Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is on the throne and no one can vote Him out. Jesus is Lord of all and His kingdom reigns forever and ever.
It took me more years than I care to admit before I realized the very same points that you're making. But once it's learned, it offers a sense of peace.
Thank you so much for this video. I used to be closed minded about people who have different political beliefs than mine. After the 2016 election I put the effort into befriending people who have political views completely different than mine. Guess what? They’re not the boogeyman I thought they were. I am able to understand some of their viewpoints-I don’t agree with them, but I can understand why they think the way they do and why they may support certain candidates that I find deplorable. Dialogue and associating with those who think differently from us is necessary at this time.
You have some good points but dont open your mind so much your brain falls out! Also some of these people you want to dialogue with are literally possessed and there is no dialoguing with the devil.
Honestly I find this analysis extremely shallow. The priest assumes all politics is just anger manipulation and ignores the real evil in our political system that merits righteous anger and heroic action. It’s a pop psychology analysis and far from a genuine Catholic analysis of the important difference between holy anger and sinful anger. This is a sad example of the poor philosophical and theological train of priests in the post Vatican 2 Church.
This is a brave video, and I will be praying for you because I think you will need it now. You are preaching the true message and the world needs this from the church right now! Save the heart and souls amen brother 🙏
Great message Father, thank you, especially on a day like today when it is SO EASY to hate our perceived enemies... I ask the Lord everyday to soften my heart, and while he fills it with love, I guess I need to do more to share that love and forgiveness with those that aren't in my tiny circle... The BEST think I could EVER do is to turn that crap off, and spend more time in prayer, but it seems that there are so many distractions that lead me back to that darkness and anger...
Good video, can you provide some advice on what those of us who appear angry/frustrated can do? It is so frustrating to me when I see a Catholic Bishop in the media endorsing any candidate (usually they are endorsing Republicans). No candidate that I've seen follows Catholic teaching 100% of the time. I don't know what to do with "abortion is the only thing that matters" behavior. What if some of us believe that voting for some of the anti-abortion candidates is making a deal with the devil? I *think* most of us that vote for a pro-choice candidate aren't in love with the idea of abortion, but we also think that guns kill, lack of healthcare kills, death penalty kills, etc. If I hear one more Catholic tell me that abortion is always evil but the death penalty isn't always evil I think I'll put on sackcloth and wail. (or that universal healthcare is an evil of socialism, etc :-) Or guns aren't intrinsically evil but abortion is.
I suspect your anger and frustration come from a lack of ability to discern innocence and guilt, and ignorance of Church teaching. Voting for a pro abortion candidate is in direct conflict with the Catholic teaching and you should seek forgiveness if you have done so. The death penalty is strongly discouraged but not on the same level as abortion, the Church does not discourage firearm ownership, government controlled healthcare does limit access and results in higher preventable deaths. Abortion is infanticide and voting for a pro abort candidate is moral culpability. Additionally, all if not most pro abortion candidates endorse the sexually disordered LGBT agenda which promotes the corruption of children. If you cannot bring yourself to vote for a pro life candidate, it is better to avoid culpability by not voting.
Father, you are wise beyond your years. I hear you and agree with what you are saying. So no more Twitter for me. I'm always angry when reading and trying to understand how they can believe what they do. I'm not gonna change their minds no more than they're gonna change mine. So not gonna waste any more time and energy. Thank you.
I agree we need to stop being so polarized. Stop labeling the opposing political party as "the enemy". Unfortunately I think much of the polarization is due to social media and mainstream media. People judging the world behind a screen, which can encourage people to form opinions but miss so much of the whole story. I find myself frustrated often by politics, because so much of our society makes decisions not considering God, or decency for broader society and future generations. It's easy to fall in an anger trap. But in the end, we should speak the truth, love our neighbor, and not demonize each other. Read the Bible, perhaps follow Bible in a Year. It helps to consider life more in balance and to look at the world in a lense more similar to God's.
Thank you for posting this! I've been working on trying to build better selection algorithms for comments on social media sites, and this video really helped me think. One of the big problems I see is people get bombarded with too many similar comments, to the point where people become convinced that everyone who disagrees with them is an unthinking stereotype and where no one can really learn anything from the discussion. There's a great aphorism from the North Korean Ambassador to the UN: "we already know what you're going to say, so you don't need to say it here." Words and discussions are ONLY valuable if they are unique, in fact I would go so far as to say that, in an open discussion, uniqueness is more important than correctness because even a unique falsehood can serve as a rhetorical foil to illuminate what is correct in a new way, whereas even the most correct thing we already know adds nothing. "Redditor Democracy" (always placing the comments with the most likes up top) is intuitively satisfying, but actually makes this problem worse. Political cliches ARE political cliches because they are the viewpoints that the largest number of people can live with. Therefore, political cliches, that we've all heard a million times before, will get the most likes. Truth is not a democracy, and so therefore, neither is the ideal forum of discussion.
Thank you Father, I was scrolling and was also spiritually asked to click on your podcast and for a good reason. I am guilty of all that you were talking about. Please 🙏 for me.
I'm glad and grateful that religious have taken up to social media to engage all of us Christians, and non, all over the world. It's great to be able to get to know more about the Catholic faith through those whom are dedicated to serving God through it. It's all useful. All information can help the faithful, and the faithful to be, to get to know the father better. Thanks for sharing.
Looking at US politics from the outside, my impression is that the root problem is that the US has a binary political system. It is either Republican or Democrat and nothing else. This easily fosters the us against them mentality and it also doesn't encourage compromise and cooperation. If you change the system to a multi-party one, this all changes suddenly. When no party has the majority, every politician needs to work with people from other parties all the time to get anything done. I'm not saying that my country is free from us against them rhetoric and hate speech, but it's much less prevalent and there's definitely more cooperation happening.
I always find it strange that most of the Western world choose to adopt John Adams theory of political governance: eg, seperation of powers, rule of law, human rights. But the US rejected John Adams ideals and choose Jeffersonian philosophy of republican governance. And seems unable to adapt and change with a system where on a 20th of the population determine outcomes for the majority. In the rest of the World President Biden would be considered a radical conservative: and folk in the USA just dont comprehend what you mean by that.
Yet one of the comments above from The Netherlands stated that there are a large number of parties in that country, but nothing gets done. And that's what angers people in that country. I think its dangerous to rush to judgement about the health of the US political system. At least there are two parties to vote for.
@@ianmarsden8568 which is incorrect. The Dutch parliament passes budgets, and taxation legislation, appoints judges,generals and engages in law reform. These matters get debated between political parties in public. This is like Australia, Sweden, Spain and Italy, Belgium. The only country that fails to achieve the most minor things like tax reform, universal health insurance or gun licencing.
@@ianmarsden8568 In that case, I'd like to know what it is tyat doesn't get done here. Personally, I'm not aware of a political impasse about any specific subject. I do have to admit that cabinet formations can take a lot of time, though, due to the number of parties that have to get involved.
Spot on! What we really need is another spiritual awakening. The fact that anger is so consuming our society shows how far we have drifted from God. I know some Christians who are like this, which shows how far the church has drifted.
"Especially contentious" is a bit of an understatement here! Where in GA are you? I'm in the Atlanta area and it's absolutely crazy how divisive politics are here
This, this is the most moving video I have even seen in my life. Thank you for sharing this with us! I'm reminded of my own return to Christ, and how very, very much we need Jesus every day.
Father, loved the way you wrapped up, and as a parent that's a great way of explaining it, and directing it. From a sporting perspective, it's at this point common knowledge that being angry is not conductive to being the best; Trash talking and getting in the other's head is just looking for getting the other upset so that anger causes a lose of focus. As a big tennis fan and Formula 1 fan, the ones that are called GOATs have that cool focus as part of their arsenal, Bjorn Borg being the shining example of this, and in modern tennis Federer will always try to be calm as that's when he plays his best, Nadal will use a fiery determination to never give up, but he's not angry, and Djokovic's calmness under insane pressure allows him to come on top even when "everything is lost" (ask any tennis fan about US Open 2011 Semi vs Fed or the 2019 Wimbledon Final). For racing fans, if you drive angry you WILL make a mistake, and it can cause an accident that injures or worse. Anger has a place, yes, but it should be to call to action and to immediately, and calmly focus on what needs to be done, and like you mention Father, to see what has caused the heart to break and to seek to mend it.
8:30 on... makes sense and sounds good, but makes it hard to reconcile the doctrine of hell (as opposed to conditional immortality which fits very well with this kind of reasoning)
I've struggled with anger for my whole life. Anger is just such an overwhelming emotion and it's easy to lose control to it. I still get angry sometimes but I realize that it's a big problem so at least I don't take it lightly now.
Anger is an emotion when a person feels they have no control over a situation. People who can come up with remedies to problems are more in control of this really bad emotion. Many things are said in anger and they can never be un-heard.
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV But you think they can be in fellowship? I choose be believe God’s Word instead.
Reminding people that anger and bitterness is destructive seems like wisdom, but I'd like to return to the part where some anger is actually justified. In Catholicism, Reconciliation requires admitting the sin, being genuinely repentant about it and ready to change, and then, performing an act of penance as part of that change. Nowhere in Catholicism is the concept that people can keep doing the same wrong thing with no regrets and other people are obligated to treat them as if they weren't doing that thing and never complain. The problem right now is that the people who are doing wrong things think that, as long as they keep telling everyone that they're not in the wrong for what they're doing, they can bully people into letting them continue. They're not getting reconciled to the rest of society because they don't want that and they're not doing anything to facilitate that. They just want to get their way with no consequences, no personal responsibility for their actions, and no criticism. I would like to see the Church reminding people that they can't expect Reconciliation, either with the Church or with their fellow human beings, as simply an entitlement that others must give them with no efforts on their part and that other people criticizing them for things they've done and which they know they've done are not committing a sin because they are simply noticing the truth about their behavior. God isn't fooled by spin, and even human beings aren't fooled quite as often as some "clever" people like to think. Just being pushy and telling other people what they're allowed to notice and comment on simply won't cut it because it changes nothing about the objective reality of the situation. Objective reality does exist outside of personal feelings, and all of this "fake news" and "election fraud" bunk just doesn't fit into objective reality with actual, physical evidence. I'd also like to see the Church remind people, both private individuals and public officials and media, that bearing false witness is a direct violation of the Ten Commandments, so anyone who insists that something happened which did not actually happen and who claims to have witnessed something they did not in fact witness, has broken a Commandment.
While I agree that you should love your enemies & not be angry all the time you also have to possess the strength & resolve to keep from being run off a cliff, metaphorically speaking.
You are right, the only way to win is to love. That doesn't mean to condone evil, but it is to see that evil is not all they are, just like good is not all we are. The line between good and evil is drawn through the heart of every human being.
I wonder if God used the flood to show us that anger-even righteous anger-isn’t the answer. The story of Salvation in the Bible is about the movement away from God and then back to Him. If the flood is about what doesn’t work, Jesus shows us what does. Love is the only way.
“He who is not angry when there is just cause for anger is immoral. Why? Because anger looks to the good of justice. And if you can live amid injustice without anger, you are immoral as well as unjust.” - St. Thomas Aquinas, Italian theologian
The challenge I think, is finding balance. On the one hand, Christians are called to love their enemies. On the other, Christians are not called to be doormats and just let the country decay into anarchy. Be loving, but also defend truth (non-violently). Also, what is difficult is trying to form kind relationships with those in opposition. If the person you are trying to form a mutually respectful relationship with is foaming at the mouth, cursing you, and threatening physical violence, it's hard to have a civil conversation.
You're very much right. I've been graced to live in an open-primary state, and have been able to remain an independent voter my entire life. There are good candidates in every party, and few of them even make it through the primaries to elections at the higher state and federal levels. It really irks me when people attempt to play the morality card backing a canddiate, none of the candidates are all that moral, and certainly not something someone should be rallying behind like it's part of a sports contest. You literally can't tell me you're in a "morally superior" place for not backing the prochoice candidate while backing an unrepentant serial adulterer..... It's like fine, you can make your choice, but don't pretend you are taking any moral high ground with your vote... You're not. The scariest part is people THINK they are taking a moral stance in this.
Great. Job well done. Your set lighting is spot on. In fact I love your creativity in that highlight you put directly behind yourself . An interesting effect I haven’t seen used before. I’ll give you 9.9/10. Oh! And your message; I’d almost agree with you. I’m challenged by the thought of God’s anger. God who is the Divine Unity of Oneness who is the creation, expression & only source of authentic Divine Love cannot divide into duality of love & anger. They are polar opposites. Anger is our own expression of exercising our free will to turn from God’s Infinity Wisdom. Surely!
Man, this made me feel bad. I get so angry at these people that promote killing babies that I refuse to acknowledge them as people. Which in turn, makes me the hypocrite since they refuse to acknowledge babies as people. That’s a sin I have to repent and change. Thank you.
No-one is promoting killing babies. It might be a good idea to learn the difference between an embryo, a fetus and a baby before speaking about abortions. Also, especially when talking about the USA, it would be a good idea to look at the maternal mortality rates and also learn about all the health risks that a pregnancy and childbirth can cause and then think about how ethical it actually is to want to force people to go through all that against their will.
@@lottaraatikainen3942 Proponents of Slavery said the slaves weren't people either. You're really on the wrong channel if you're going to try to say that abortion isn't murder.
We were never commanded to tolerate evil. We are told to love our enemies, pray for them, want what is best for them, not to smile and say, "I adore that you place so much value in ending the life of an unborn child that you want to any other option unobtainable." No, sadness and grief for the facilitation of grievous sin natural, I think Fr Casey, although well intentioned, confuses a difference of opinion with unrepentant evil.
Father, I pray you read this, im a Catholic faithful and am grateful for your content, I pray you continue on your journey and if this unworthy christian can add something, John 1:1-3, I recall one of your older videos, where you felt you had no impact, and how your spiritual Father told you stop, you came to the realization it was not necessary to try to change but to plant the seed, and let it nourish in time, I have found out myself that reading scripture to the unfaithful mixed with acts of kindness have been the most impactful in time, I am constantly fighting worldly temptation and have notice when fasting or sacrificing something I love has given me strength to avoid such acts, im far from perfect but am striving for saint hood, it helps to remember why I make this sacrifice, to one day have eternal life with Jesus, I pray I finish the race, and bare good fruit, Pray for me father so I and everyone who takes the narrow road does not go back to the easy way with worldly distractions….
Imo the worst thing is a 24 hour news cycle. I hope someone buys one of these media outlets and fires all the partisan cheerleaders and puts someone in that can be objective and hold people accountable.
It's not about anger, Fr. Casey. I've always voted Democratic, Green, or Labor. But this year, though I bring in very little money, I sent $50 to Liz Cheney. She's one of the most conservative Republicans ever elected to Congress. But I sent her money. It's not about anger. It's about saving democracy. You live in Georgia. You honestly believe Herschel Walker could in any possible scenario be an adequate senator for Georgia??? This election was about saving democracy. The jury is out. If Republicans take the House, as seems likely, there is a fair chance they will discard the results of the 2024 Presidential election and install their own choice for President. That's what this is about. It's not anger. It's the threat to democracy. I don't know what motivates anyone to vote for someone as obviously unqualified as Herschel Walker or any of the other autocrat-loving candidates the Republicans put up. We'll see what kind of person you really are. Will this comment remain up, or will it come down? It's up to your team. I'm not speaking as a Democrat here, or I certainly would not have sent money to Liz Cheney. I speak as a Roman Catholic and as an American. Will you allow the comment, or reject it as partisan? Who are you? We shall see!
Great video, Father. It reminds me of a quote from St. Climacus: "An angry person is a willful epileptic, who on a casual pretext keeps breaking out and falling down."
I am not Catholic so I have no idea why this channel was recommended to me, however I can’t love my enemy. I’ve tried. I’ve tried to love them, I’ve tried to take the higher ground, but I can’t anymore. My mom is on a fixed income and lives in a rural area, in an old house where her heating options are limited and don’t include natural gas. In the past two years under Biden the price to heat her home for the winter has risen from around $800 to $3400. And what she uses just got deprioritized because it’s not a common fuel anymore and so it’s just going to get higher. If your elderly mother called you, sobbing, because she was so cold she was scared she was going to freeze to death, yet terrified that if she turned the heat on she wouldn’t have enough money for food to eat, you’d have a hard time loving the people who did that to her too. The truth is that one side of the culture war has been screaming that the world is ending in a few days for twenty years now, and now that they are managing to make fossil fuels unaffordable to all but the super elite and super wealthy they celebrate. This is a great day for the environment. They are happy that old folks in the richest country in the history of the world are choosing between food and heat because polar bears. It’s disgusting, it’s despicable, it’s ugly, and it’s evil. I can’t bring myself to love people who are so cruel to others. I’m being honest when I say that I hate them. Now, I have the means to make sure my mom is okay. But not everyone in her position has a daughter with enough money to make sure they’re okay. What happens to them?
The problem is that your country doesn't care about those who are vulnerable. It takes time to build a Nordic style well-being state that actually tries to take care of all of its citizens AND also care for the environment and fight the climate change and biodiversity loss.
Biden doesn't control prices. No President does. The price problems are mostly a combination of fallout from the pandemic and bad business decisions on the part of private business because they did not manage their affairs with a view to the long term during the pandemic and have not responded adequately since. Yes, it's bad, but credit given where credit is due.
Really hate to break it to you, but your anger is misdirected. Most of your mother's fossil fuel costs come from state taxes levied on fossil fuels and transport fees. Many red states upped those taxes during the pandemic to offset to lowered fossil fuel purchases in the Pandemic, has almost nothing really to do with the Federal administration. GOP isn't about taking care of people, don't let them fool you. In my state they lowered food taxes with a promise to offset the loss of tax revenue for the schools by increasing state funding as the food tax served the counties as a component of their education budget..... well they just on that promise then reneged on it causing an over $200,000,000 budgetary shortfall in schools mostly effecting the rural areas that put them into office. Your mother is being hurt by the Biden administration, she is being hurt by your state and county government. But yes, go after Biden for that cost like he has much control over it like a good little pawn.
As we let our fears get the best of us we will do anything to avoid it. It is in our nature to destroy what we fear, but it is not in God's nature to do so. We must live like God, but as we do so we must not think we are.
I grew up in the UK but I come from Upper Silesia in Poland. All conflicts are a continuation of an earlier conflict. People often justify genocide and war of recent history because of geopolitics of 500 years ago. The most hurtful thing about politics is that you can be the kindest and most sincere person, but people will demonise you based on your nationality.
Something I try to live my life by is to reject hate in all its forms. Even the small things like saying that you hate something as an expression should be avoided. I have found that I am less susceptible to real hate in my life because of it. It doesn’t matter how evil someone or something is, the most important part about being catholic is to love your neighbors unconditionally.
as an Englishman, we follow your elections with trepidation we have the same here with politicians hyping up the other's supposed faults and glossing over their own
“Suppose one reads a story of filthy atrocities in the paper. Then suppose that something turns up suggesting that the story might not be quite true, or not quite so bad as it was made out. Is one's first feeling, 'Thank God, even they aren't quite so bad as that,' or is it a feeling of disappointment, and even a determination to cling to the first story for the sheer pleasure of thinking your enemies are as bad as possible? If it is the second then it is, I am afraid, the first step in a process which, if followed to the end, will make us into devils. You see, one is beginning to wish that black was a little blacker. If we give that wish its head, later on we shall wish to see grey as black, and then to see white itself as black. Finally we shall insist on seeing everything -- God and our friends and ourselves included -- as bad, and not be able to stop doing it: we shall be fixed for ever in a universe of pure hatred. C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
The first is common, it's a part of confirmation bias, people love to seek out information they agree with and ignore anything else. What's worse is most don't consciously do it, and will ignore it when it is pointed out to them because of... confirmation bias.
Anger is a sin that brings on other sins along. Out of anger you can throw out a blasphemy. You can hurt other people, even your loved ones. You can let hatred guide you. I know this because it's one of my most recurrent sins. Please pray God to free us from anger and hatred and help us find peace thru His loving heart. Let Him get into our wounded, angry hearts and allow Him to wipe off all that and fill them with love and peace. May God bless you.
In terms of the political rather than the religious sense; attacking everyone all the time hurts us mostly in that we have nothing to believe in. No one has spent any time becoming a leader or developing a vision for the future. As a result, we have none. We all feel hopeless whether we won or lost.
100% Right Fr. Please pray for my father who is angry at just any silly reason and the worst thing, he cannot forgive and keep grudge and often times want to eliminate the one who makes him angry. I really can't handle the situation and just now it becomes worst still. I begg everyone take one minute and sincerely pray for my arrogant, unforgiving hard harden and furious father. 🙏🙏🙏
I’m not even religious yet I agree, people are just so damn angry about everything and anything nowadays even I get caught up in it from time to time and it really does take your energy and time away you can be spending doing more productive activities and being with the people you love.
Sometimes, anger and hatred are good things. Mark 3:5 KJV "And when He (Jesus) had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other." OR Psalm 139:21 KJV "Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate Thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against Thee? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. 23 Search me, O GOD and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts" Just like Martin Luther who said "when I am angry I can pray well and preach well."
I became so stressed out by the unstoppable flood of polarizing news that I decided to stop reading and watching news and politics. Some people find it very strange but it gives me so much peace of mind!
брат, большое вам спасибо за видео. ваши слова действительно полезны, у нас по тв та же картина. из-за этого перестала вовсе смотреть телевизор и читать новости. молимся о мире и любви между народами. да хранит вас Бог.
For millennia many religions have warned about anger, and for good reason. No mind is more deranged than a mind infected with anger. People ruled by their anger are capable of any atrocity.
No mind is more deranged than a mind infected with religion. People ruled by their religion are capable of any atrocity.
And for a millenia the Catholic chucrh precched Christ bit were so far drom the word of Christ it remains to be read in scripture.
Anger is just an emotion. We feel it acknowledge it and let it go. There is no moral judgement attached to a feeling. Actions count. Let our actions be good ones. Let it begin with me.
@@wednesdayschild3627 thank you. Fighting and denying emotions doesn't help.
Before I became a christian I was a buddhist. Buddhists consider hate to be one of three poisons that makes the worldly mind that creates samsāra - a miserable mood of existence.
This reminds me of something I learned in therapy last week. Anger is a secondary emotion. The source is often something else. Disappointment, lacking a feeling of community, sadness, frustration, and most importantly in this case, I honestly think fear is a motivator.
As Yoda said: Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.
@@Werassad Depends on what one is angry about and who one is angry with.
Quite often a sincere apology with reparations can fix things but if we are talking politics with the dishonesty, corruption, slander, hypocrisy, cheating etc etc. which has been prevalent for basically the last 20 years or so, this type of behaviour at the highest echelons of society breeds a black, intense & prolonged, unforgiving anger between opponents .
Fear of what? Gosh! therapy? Why do normal people have to go to have mental therapy? Am at a loss for words why there's need to have someone implant their answers of what one should think or how one should behave .
@@Werassad
100% accurate words from a fictional munchkin alien that knows kung fu and owns a laser beam sword...
Yup.
@@MichaelThompson-jq3zf it still leads to suffering
I turned off the media earlier this year. Started praying, fasting and put all my trust in God. I have been much happier since leaving the news behind and putting my focus on Jesus and His teachings.
God bless you!
@@theoracle1945 God bless you as well!
I have done the same. I go to church daily and the rosary and Adoration and I listen to BIAY. I feel much much better without television.
@@lawrencegatti8283 yes the daily Rosary and Eucharistic Adoration has been such s blessing.
I did the same around 2017-2018. Shut down my Facebook and Twitter accounts as well.
I started noticing that the constant cycle of outrage was making me depressed. Staring into the void of pure anger that often is the Twitterverse, for example, even ended up causing suicidal ideation. Sorry, but I don't need countless blue checkmarks to park their anger in my front yard because they want the world to know how they're on the side of righteousness, even though their twitter activism contributes nothing meaningful beyond self-promotion. And I believe that's pretty much all that modern media's (including social media's) outrage cycle amounts to: it is a way for people to self-promote, but it rarely effects any meaningful change. Even if the best intentions were firmly in place, which I'm generally skeptical of, the cycle simply doesn't last long enough to effect meaningful change, because this would take time and action, and the cycle moves much too quickly for this. A few days later we'll already have moved on to the next topic to be incensed about.
I've felt much better since I shut down my accounts. I'm not blind to the injustice that exists in this world, but I'd much rather put my focus on things where I can add a positive, constructive contribution, rather than just adding my own anger into the mix and getting swept up into the vicious cycle of permanent toxic outrage.
One of the worst things to ever happen to this country is the Two-Party system. We as a country really, *REALLY* should have heeded George Washington's warning against giving power to political parties in his farewell address.
This system is at the root of most of the polarization and hate. A lot of people make a lot of money by maintaining and intensifying the status quo of "us" vs "them."
So... would you accept a parliamentary system as a replacement?
Because that's what you ask.
Washington was great but he presided over a Constitution which inexorably gave us a 2-party system. It is a great but flawed document.
@@caprimercenary2522 The problem isn't so much that *any* political parties exist at all, it's that just two have ALL the control no matter how flawed, corrupt, or insane they become.
You're correct, the ship has long since sailed to completely avoid having parties of some kind. But we are the only democratic republic in the world that two parties controlling everything. We can and realistically must change that to force people to start compromising and seeing others as fellow humans with differing opinions instead of enemies to be crushed and censured carte blanche.
@@Vales55 we're never going to fix our democracy when a good portion of the country doesn't believe in democracy at all. When one side thinks violent coups are the answer, I don't know what we can do
No. 320 Million people are “represented” by 435 people in the House. That’s the root of the problem.
@@Marcus-sk2xf The gerrymandering is a bigger problem. If we could put an end to that, the house would represent the people much better. If people would actually educate themselves on politics, that would help a lot as well
I typed "Love your enemies" in the yt search and found your channel. I believe loving your enemies is required to find the narrow gate, and that's why few will find it. I think if we imagine ourselves on Judgement Day in front of Jesus, our hearts and entire lives exposed, we can all see we're no better than our enemies really. They couldn't help themselves either and maybe even had a harder life with bad influences. I intend to keep spreading this message everywhere. Maybe enough of us can make the narrow gate a little wider. Thanks for such a good video.
Every ad in my local area was "THE OTHER GUY IS AN EXTREMIST!" despite everyone involved holding very mainstream views for their party.
I live in a swing district in every level, legislature, congress, city council. Even on city council level, people were calling each other cultists and extremists. It’s really a shame.
Personally I think more ACTUAL extremists (on both sides of the aisle) is exactly what needs to happen for CST to become a political reality. Extremists are usually braver, more authentic and more sincere than those comfortable with the status quo. The "moderates" are really just corruption and hypocrisy incarnate.
That’s actually the idea, lol. These candidates reflect their populace, but they take out adds against each other trying to indicate that the other guy doesn’t. That seems to be the scam.
Fantastic spiritual insight, from a 59 year old convert, thank you father Casey, may God continue to bless you and us through your ministry
My midwife mentioned to me at our appointment yesterday that I was her only client with normal blood pressure. The other mothers were stressing themselves out with the elections going on. I always take information in doses and already dislike most politicians anyway lol so I just limit exposure to educate myself about options and move on. And then focus on being a good neighbor and loving my family. I refuse to let some grody political nonsense threaten the health of myself or my baby.
good advice. also congrats on your baby
Father Casey…..Thank you for this. This anger is so horrible. By the end of yesterday, all I can say is that most people were just sick of this nonsense…who’s right…who’s not. I am coming to a conclusion that there is an evil who wants us to have this division. Anger is one of the Seven Deadly Sins and all this is just seems to be manifesting it in all the dialogue people are having with each other. I personally have tried to let it go with just say my small prayer, “Come Holy Spirit, help us not to be understood all the time, but to understand our brothers and sisters.” Thinking more like Saint Francis these days….and Our Lady…Amen. So be it.
Well said, Father. What frightens me terribly are those who believe they’re acting in the name of the Lord & who’s behavior is markedly unloving.
And who defines what is "unloving". It clearly isn't killing every last man woman and child at Sodon
I appreciate that someone is talking about it! Too much anger and hate everywhere we turn, it's exhausting.
I had to watch this video twice to fully comprehend the message. It actually turned out this video was an answer to my constant prayer as of late, about how to handle my anger toward those who have a different political view than myself. It also confirmed what I've come to believe.....that all of our problems can be solved at the Cross, all the answers to our problems are at the Cross. I've also been praying for the discipline to meditate again as I know from past experience how beneficial it is for me. I've decided that every day I'm going to meditate on the Cross w/o any expectation, just to gaze at Jesus on that Cross. I'm actually excited about it. Thank you Jesus for answering my prayers and thank you Father for allowing God to use you in this beautiful way. I am very grateful.
44 But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,
Matthew 5:44
This is a lesson for everyone in this and it applies everywhere
Such an easy concept, but so so so hard for us to put into practice.
Well not so much if they live in Sodom
@@russellmiles2861i would say even people who live in sodom are deserving of love. Everyone is.
So many times I see people online say they’re Christians and support the most vile dehumanizing language for others, just because they’re lost. There’s no sort of message of helping people or understanding what the other side wants. It’s become just a relentless beat down.
That’s why politics terrify me now. It’s this weird mixing of national policy with religious identity and popularity contests. It’s horrendous.
@@cdd1322 you are correct. I am judgmental and pathetic. I get so upset when folk attack my family and friends: particular if they are swarmy about it. Turning ones back is a purposeful insult in any culture.
I think what I love so much about this video is how it reminds me of the human aspect of God. Too often I focus on the fact that God is an almighty and perfect being that I lose sight of how he created us in his image. This video showing how God's anger resulting from his love for us and desire for us to do good is just so relatable because it is something nearly all humans experience with their parents. It drives home the fact that we truly are God's children made in his likeness and God loves us in the same way many of us love our earthly children. It makes me feel as though I understand God that much better.
I think a big portion of the problem is that this anger is wrapped firmly in a thick coat of self righteousness that says that compromise is impermissible lest we be seen as "weak".
When you really can't hear the other side, just their voice, it causes this mess. When Biden was young, both sides did talk, they had lunch together, they saw each other as people. Not now. It's so sad.
@@deb9806
When Biden was young he wasn't promoting abortions up to 9 months, gender surgery for minors, or the wholesale endorsement of every other perversion under the sun.
There is no compromise to be found when the differences are no longer simple political qualms, but full scale morality itself. I'm not going to compromise and accept just "a little abortion" or just "Civil Unions" for homosexuals. There is nothing to discuss! Evil *must* be purged.
@@jamesbuchanan3145 even the church recognizes civil unions. Having insurance or other rights doesn't interfere with religious rights. I don't agree with everything on both sides but I know love isn't shutting people down. Listening isn't with one ear.
@@deb9806
It isn’t about “interfering with religious rights” ,
It is about allowing and *promoting* evil and degenerate behavior in society.
The Church recognizing civil unions between homosexuals just goes to show how much success Satan has had at infiltrating the Church.
Also, I mentioned way more than just mUh CiViL uNioNs, but you focused on the more benign of the presents evils.
Hi Father Casey. Please do a video about Faith Vs Feelings. I don't mean that emotions are antagonistic to faith. But surely how we feel or our dispositions on a day to day basis is not a sure gauge of the state of our relationship with God. These days, so many go by their 'feels'. Perfect faith drives out fear. Does perfect fear drive out faith. I don't think so. What is the function of emotions in our relationship with God?
A little anger can sharpen the senses, too much anger can deaden nerves.
I love this quote
Wise...
I see what you are saying Fr Casey. It makes me think of a good friend or family member that gets angry at you for doing something wrong, and then helps you get through it. The anger isn’t used to humiliate you or make you feel awful for no reason, it is used to get you back on track.
For example, if a good friend if mine stole something from a store, I may get angry with them and say “hey that’s not nice of you, go return that immediately. You know that stealing is wrong!” They may feel bad in the moment, sure, but they understand that I am getting them back on track. I would still love and forgive them afterwards. Still want to be friends with them, still want to hang out with them. I just wanted to make sure they didn’t stray away from righteousness.
That anger is driven by true love for the other person, versus the opposite kind of anger which is to humiliate and destroy a person.
The non loving way of being angry in this situation would be to see my friend steal, and then proceed to gossip behind their back, saying things like “oh you that guy, he’s a thief. All he ever does is steal things. You cant trust him”. The end goals are to get others angry and to embarrass the friend.
Anyways, amazing video as usual Fr!
Protestant, but have been enjoying your content for a few years now. I don't always agree with you, but I appreciate your commitment and what you have to say.
I've watched a large number of your videos by now and this was simply the best of them all. This is what I needed to hear. Thank you.
Some members of Catholic Reddit should really take note of the title…
That subreddit is crazy
I'm happy I'm not the only one that finds that sub wayyyy to political. It's also quite strict about liturgy and everyday life. I'm convinced some of them are just LARPing
Reddit is too busy virtue signaling and pushing egalitarian myths while dying your hair purple
@@edoardodalpra4742 it feels like that sub honestly is rad trads in a echo chamber most of the time
Have you seen Twitter? The ones there are scary enough that I left several years ago for fear of being kidnapped and forcibly having a Rite of Exorcism performed on me. And I'm Catholic.
“‘In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him. I think it’s impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves. And then, in that very moment when I love them-….. I destroy them. I make it impossible for them to ever hurt me again. I grind them and grind them until they don’t exist.’”
-Ender's Game
Love your enemies, keep it professional, remain true, always be ready, protect yourself, and follow the directives of the Church in peace and war.
I used to be into politics and it really does just created pride, anger, and strife.
A President can be in office for 4 years, 8 years at best and then their reign is over. However, our God reigns forever. Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is on the throne and no one can vote Him out. Jesus is Lord of all and His kingdom reigns forever and ever.
It took me more years than I care to admit before I realized the very same points that you're making. But once it's learned, it offers a sense of peace.
Catholics invented Politics.
What is a sad coffee called?
*Depresso~*
You can kill me now out of anger.🤣👌
Nice video as always...
Nah. 😇☕
you're the one killing me, I'm dying laughing right now haha... nice
''There is something inside me that is like...I’m a little more happy when I’m angry…There’s a rush that inspires me to say something back"
-Eminem
Thank you so much for this video. I used to be closed minded about people who have different political beliefs than mine. After the 2016 election I put the effort into befriending people who have political views completely different than mine. Guess what? They’re not the boogeyman I thought they were. I am able to understand some of their viewpoints-I don’t agree with them, but I can understand why they think the way they do and why they may support certain candidates that I find deplorable. Dialogue and associating with those who think differently from us is necessary at this time.
One word : fox news
If you control the news you control the views
You have some good points but dont open your mind so much your brain falls out! Also some of these people you want to dialogue with are literally possessed and there is no dialoguing with the devil.
Honestly I find this analysis extremely shallow. The priest assumes all politics is just anger manipulation and ignores the real evil in our political system that merits righteous anger and heroic action. It’s a pop psychology analysis and far from a genuine Catholic analysis of the important difference between holy anger and sinful anger. This is a sad example of the poor philosophical and theological train of priests in the post Vatican 2 Church.
This is a brave video, and I will be praying for you because I think you will need it now. You are preaching the true message and the world needs this from the church right now! Save the heart and souls amen brother 🙏
Beautiful reflection. Thank you Fr. Casey. I got so much wisdom from this. Peace!🙏🏻
Lots of people are hurting, I’m one of them, let’s all help each other.
Great message Father, thank you, especially on a day like today when it is SO EASY to hate our perceived enemies... I ask the Lord everyday to soften my heart, and while he fills it with love, I guess I need to do more to share that love and forgiveness with those that aren't in my tiny circle... The BEST think I could EVER do is to turn that crap off, and spend more time in prayer, but it seems that there are so many distractions that lead me back to that darkness and anger...
EXCELLENT FATHER CASEY .WE NEED YOU WHERE YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO GIVE A REAL WAKE UP
CALL.
“Whatever is begun in anger, ends in shame.” -- Benjamin Franklin
Good video, can you provide some advice on what those of us who appear angry/frustrated can do? It is so frustrating to me when I see a Catholic Bishop in the media endorsing any candidate (usually they are endorsing Republicans). No candidate that I've seen follows Catholic teaching 100% of the time. I don't know what to do with "abortion is the only thing that matters" behavior. What if some of us believe that voting for some of the anti-abortion candidates is making a deal with the devil? I *think* most of us that vote for a pro-choice candidate aren't in love with the idea of abortion, but we also think that guns kill, lack of healthcare kills, death penalty kills, etc. If I hear one more Catholic tell me that abortion is always evil but the death penalty isn't always evil I think I'll put on sackcloth and wail. (or that universal healthcare is an evil of socialism, etc :-) Or guns aren't intrinsically evil but abortion is.
I suspect your anger and frustration come from a lack of ability to discern innocence and guilt, and ignorance of Church teaching. Voting for a pro abortion candidate is in direct conflict with the Catholic teaching and you should seek forgiveness if you have done so. The death penalty is strongly discouraged but not on the same level as abortion, the Church does not discourage firearm ownership, government controlled healthcare does limit access and results in higher preventable deaths. Abortion is infanticide and voting for a pro abort candidate is moral culpability. Additionally, all if not most pro abortion candidates endorse the sexually disordered LGBT agenda which promotes the corruption of children. If you cannot bring yourself to vote for a pro life candidate, it is better to avoid culpability by not voting.
@@Willis_S well said. I feel Republicans are filled with righteous anger. They want to protect family and children especially.
Agree wholeheartedly. Focusing on one issue no matter how important is worrisome to me. Talk about making bargains with a devil in sheep's clothing.
Father, you are wise beyond your years. I hear you and agree with what you are saying. So no more Twitter for me. I'm always angry when reading and trying to understand how they can believe what they do. I'm not gonna change their minds no more than they're gonna change mine. So not gonna waste any more time and energy. Thank you.
Thank you Fr. Casey for this beautiful message. May God continue to walk with us in this life’s journey. Pray for the conversion of hearts ♥️
I agree we need to stop being so polarized. Stop labeling the opposing political party as "the enemy". Unfortunately I think much of the polarization is due to social media and mainstream media. People judging the world behind a screen, which can encourage people to form opinions but miss so much of the whole story.
I find myself frustrated often by politics, because so much of our society makes decisions not considering God, or decency for broader society and future generations. It's easy to fall in an anger trap. But in the end, we should speak the truth, love our neighbor, and not demonize each other. Read the Bible, perhaps follow Bible in a Year. It helps to consider life more in balance and to look at the world in a lense more similar to God's.
And much of that polarization comes from priests and the Church
Thank you for posting this! I've been working on trying to build better selection algorithms for comments on social media sites, and this video really helped me think. One of the big problems I see is people get bombarded with too many similar comments, to the point where people become convinced that everyone who disagrees with them is an unthinking stereotype and where no one can really learn anything from the discussion. There's a great aphorism from the North Korean Ambassador to the UN: "we already know what you're going to say, so you don't need to say it here." Words and discussions are ONLY valuable if they are unique, in fact I would go so far as to say that, in an open discussion, uniqueness is more important than correctness because even a unique falsehood can serve as a rhetorical foil to illuminate what is correct in a new way, whereas even the most correct thing we already know adds nothing.
"Redditor Democracy" (always placing the comments with the most likes up top) is intuitively satisfying, but actually makes this problem worse. Political cliches ARE political cliches because they are the viewpoints that the largest number of people can live with. Therefore, political cliches, that we've all heard a million times before, will get the most likes. Truth is not a democracy, and so therefore, neither is the ideal forum of discussion.
Thank you Father, I was scrolling and was also spiritually asked to click on your podcast and for a good reason. I am guilty of all that you were talking about. Please 🙏 for me.
I'm glad and grateful that religious have taken up to social media to engage all of us Christians, and non, all over the world. It's great to be able to get to know more about the Catholic faith through those whom are dedicated to serving God through it. It's all useful. All information can help the faithful, and the faithful to be, to get to know the father better. Thanks for sharing.
whoo father Casey. thank you for this. the holy spirit is speaking through you, your words are needed so much right now
Thank you Father Casey for saying what needed to be said. May this nation's citizens take your compassionate words truly to their hearts. God Bless.
Amen. That was so Beautiful Fr Casey…Peace Be with You 🙏
Looking at US politics from the outside, my impression is that the root problem is that the US has a binary political system. It is either Republican or Democrat and nothing else. This easily fosters the us against them mentality and it also doesn't encourage compromise and cooperation.
If you change the system to a multi-party one, this all changes suddenly. When no party has the majority, every politician needs to work with people from other parties all the time to get anything done.
I'm not saying that my country is free from us against them rhetoric and hate speech, but it's much less prevalent and there's definitely more cooperation happening.
I always find it strange that most of the Western world choose to adopt John Adams theory of political governance: eg, seperation of powers, rule of law, human rights. But the US rejected John Adams ideals and choose Jeffersonian philosophy of republican governance. And seems unable to adapt and change with a system where on a 20th of the population determine outcomes for the majority. In the rest of the World President Biden would be considered a radical conservative: and folk in the USA just dont comprehend what you mean by that.
Yet one of the comments above from The Netherlands stated that there are a large number of parties in that country, but nothing gets done. And that's what angers people in that country. I think its dangerous to rush to judgement about the health of the US political system. At least there are two parties to vote for.
@@ianmarsden8568 which is incorrect. The Dutch parliament passes budgets, and taxation legislation, appoints judges,generals and engages in law reform. These matters get debated between political parties in public. This is like Australia, Sweden, Spain and Italy, Belgium. The only country that fails to achieve the most minor things like tax reform, universal health insurance or gun licencing.
@@ianmarsden8568 In that case, I'd like to know what it is tyat doesn't get done here. Personally, I'm not aware of a political impasse about any specific subject. I do have to admit that cabinet formations can take a lot of time, though, due to the number of parties that have to get involved.
Yep, Politics is very much a team sport amongst many. The quality of candidate is immaterial so long as their "team" wins.
Thank you Father! St Faustina’s message of mercy needs to be spread all over the world!
Yes and Amen. Thank you, from a Lutheran.
Spot on! What we really need is another spiritual awakening. The fact that anger is so consuming our society shows how far we have drifted from God. I know some Christians who are like this, which shows how far the church has drifted.
Great video Fr. Casey. When we put our faith in man, we will always be disappointed.
That's the truth
"Especially contentious" is a bit of an understatement here! Where in GA are you? I'm in the Atlanta area and it's absolutely crazy how divisive politics are here
Thank you for this video! Our country needs this!
This, this is the most moving video I have even seen in my life. Thank you for sharing this with us! I'm reminded of my own return to Christ, and how very, very much we need Jesus every day.
Thank you Father. God bless.
Father, loved the way you wrapped up, and as a parent that's a great way of explaining it, and directing it.
From a sporting perspective, it's at this point common knowledge that being angry is not conductive to being the best; Trash talking and getting in the other's head is just looking for getting the other upset so that anger causes a lose of focus. As a big tennis fan and Formula 1 fan, the ones that are called GOATs have that cool focus as part of their arsenal, Bjorn Borg being the shining example of this, and in modern tennis Federer will always try to be calm as that's when he plays his best, Nadal will use a fiery determination to never give up, but he's not angry, and Djokovic's calmness under insane pressure allows him to come on top even when "everything is lost" (ask any tennis fan about US Open 2011 Semi vs Fed or the 2019 Wimbledon Final). For racing fans, if you drive angry you WILL make a mistake, and it can cause an accident that injures or worse.
Anger has a place, yes, but it should be to call to action and to immediately, and calmly focus on what needs to be done, and like you mention Father, to see what has caused the heart to break and to seek to mend it.
8:30 on... makes sense and sounds good, but makes it hard to reconcile the doctrine of hell (as opposed to conditional immortality which fits very well with this kind of reasoning)
Dear Jesus...please Help
The heaviest cross to bear is a heart that can break for others.
Here in Brazil. Is the same problem
I've struggled with anger for my whole life. Anger is just such an overwhelming emotion and it's easy to lose control to it. I still get angry sometimes but I realize that it's a big problem so at least I don't take it lightly now.
Anger is an emotion when a person feels they have no control over a situation. People who can come up with remedies to problems are more in control of this really bad emotion. Many things are said in anger and they can never be un-heard.
@@christiandpaul631 Thanks, Christian. You're right, nobody likes to be out of control.
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”
2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV
But you think they can be in fellowship? I choose be believe God’s Word instead.
So true. Thank you so much for doing this. One of the best you have done. We need this so much. God bless and May Lord Have Mercy.
Reminding people that anger and bitterness is destructive seems like wisdom, but I'd like to return to the part where some anger is actually justified. In Catholicism, Reconciliation requires admitting the sin, being genuinely repentant about it and ready to change, and then, performing an act of penance as part of that change. Nowhere in Catholicism is the concept that people can keep doing the same wrong thing with no regrets and other people are obligated to treat them as if they weren't doing that thing and never complain. The problem right now is that the people who are doing wrong things think that, as long as they keep telling everyone that they're not in the wrong for what they're doing, they can bully people into letting them continue. They're not getting reconciled to the rest of society because they don't want that and they're not doing anything to facilitate that. They just want to get their way with no consequences, no personal responsibility for their actions, and no criticism.
I would like to see the Church reminding people that they can't expect Reconciliation, either with the Church or with their fellow human beings, as simply an entitlement that others must give them with no efforts on their part and that other people criticizing them for things they've done and which they know they've done are not committing a sin because they are simply noticing the truth about their behavior. God isn't fooled by spin, and even human beings aren't fooled quite as often as some "clever" people like to think. Just being pushy and telling other people what they're allowed to notice and comment on simply won't cut it because it changes nothing about the objective reality of the situation. Objective reality does exist outside of personal feelings, and all of this "fake news" and "election fraud" bunk just doesn't fit into objective reality with actual, physical evidence. I'd also like to see the Church remind people, both private individuals and public officials and media, that bearing false witness is a direct violation of the Ten Commandments, so anyone who insists that something happened which did not actually happen and who claims to have witnessed something they did not in fact witness, has broken a Commandment.
While I agree that you should love your enemies & not be angry all the time you also have to possess the strength & resolve to keep from being run off a cliff, metaphorically speaking.
You are right, the only way to win is to love. That doesn't mean to condone evil, but it is to see that evil is not all they are, just like good is not all we are. The line between good and evil is drawn through the heart of every human being.
I wonder if God used the flood to show us that anger-even righteous anger-isn’t the answer. The story of Salvation in the Bible is about the movement away from God and then back to Him. If the flood is about what doesn’t work, Jesus shows us what does. Love is the only way.
Thank you fr Casey. God give you strength to continue the good work
“He who is not angry when there is just cause for anger is immoral. Why? Because anger looks to the good of justice. And if you can live amid injustice without anger, you are immoral as well as unjust.”
- St. Thomas Aquinas, Italian theologian
Perhaps you should take the time to watch this video again. You obviously missed the point.
The challenge I think, is finding balance. On the one hand, Christians are called to love their enemies. On the other, Christians are not called to be doormats and just let the country decay into anarchy. Be loving, but also defend truth (non-violently). Also, what is difficult is trying to form kind relationships with those in opposition. If the person you are trying to form a mutually respectful relationship with is foaming at the mouth, cursing you, and threatening physical violence, it's hard to have a civil conversation.
I've been reading through the comments and was just thinking what you then said about balance.
You're very much right. I've been graced to live in an open-primary state, and have been able to remain an independent voter my entire life. There are good candidates in every party, and few of them even make it through the primaries to elections at the higher state and federal levels.
It really irks me when people attempt to play the morality card backing a canddiate, none of the candidates are all that moral, and certainly not something someone should be rallying behind like it's part of a sports contest. You literally can't tell me you're in a "morally superior" place for not backing the prochoice candidate while backing an unrepentant serial adulterer..... It's like fine, you can make your choice, but don't pretend you are taking any moral high ground with your vote... You're not. The scariest part is people THINK they are taking a moral stance in this.
Great. Job well done. Your set lighting is spot on. In fact I love your creativity in that highlight you put directly behind yourself . An interesting effect I haven’t seen used before. I’ll give you 9.9/10.
Oh! And your message; I’d almost agree with you. I’m challenged by the thought of God’s anger. God who is the Divine Unity of Oneness who is the creation, expression & only source of authentic Divine Love cannot divide into duality of love & anger. They are polar opposites. Anger is our own expression of exercising our free will to turn from God’s Infinity Wisdom. Surely!
Man, this made me feel bad. I get so angry at these people that promote killing babies that I refuse to acknowledge them as people. Which in turn, makes me the hypocrite since they refuse to acknowledge babies as people. That’s a sin I have to repent and change. Thank you.
100%.
The unborn are innocent. The living can be wicked.
No-one is promoting killing babies. It might be a good idea to learn the difference between an embryo, a fetus and a baby before speaking about abortions. Also, especially when talking about the USA, it would be a good idea to look at the maternal mortality rates and also learn about all the health risks that a pregnancy and childbirth can cause and then think about how ethical it actually is to want to force people to go through all that against their will.
@@lottaraatikainen3942 Proponents of Slavery said the slaves weren't people either. You're really on the wrong channel if you're going to try to say that abortion isn't murder.
We were never commanded to tolerate evil. We are told to love our enemies, pray for them, want what is best for them, not to smile and say, "I adore that you place so much value in ending the life of an unborn child that you want to any other option unobtainable." No, sadness and grief for the facilitation of grievous sin natural, I think Fr Casey, although well intentioned, confuses a difference of opinion with unrepentant evil.
It's sad father. Everyone is too addicted to feeling indignation. We all need more meditation and pray to have more temperance.
Father, I pray you read this, im a Catholic faithful and am grateful for your content, I pray you continue on your journey and if this unworthy christian can add something, John 1:1-3, I recall one of your older videos, where you felt you had no impact, and how your spiritual Father told you stop, you came to the realization it was not necessary to try to change but to plant the seed, and let it nourish in time, I have found out myself that reading scripture to the unfaithful mixed with acts of kindness have been the most impactful in time, I am constantly fighting worldly temptation and have notice when fasting or sacrificing something I love has given me strength to avoid such acts, im far from perfect but am striving for saint hood, it helps to remember why I make this sacrifice, to one day have eternal life with Jesus, I pray I finish the race, and bare good fruit, Pray for me father so I and everyone who takes the narrow road does not go back to the easy way with worldly distractions….
Imo the worst thing is a 24 hour news cycle. I hope someone buys one of these media outlets and fires all the partisan cheerleaders and puts someone in that can be objective and hold people accountable.
Amazing teaching. Thank you. May God bless you and your ministry
Pray harder for peace.
It's not about anger, Fr. Casey. I've always voted Democratic, Green, or Labor. But this year, though I bring in very little money, I sent $50 to Liz Cheney. She's one of the most conservative Republicans ever elected to Congress. But I sent her money. It's not about anger. It's about saving democracy. You live in Georgia. You honestly believe Herschel Walker could in any possible scenario be an adequate senator for Georgia??? This election was about saving democracy. The jury is out. If Republicans take the House, as seems likely, there is a fair chance they will discard the results of the 2024 Presidential election and install their own choice for President. That's what this is about. It's not anger. It's the threat to democracy. I don't know what motivates anyone to vote for someone as obviously unqualified as Herschel Walker or any of the other autocrat-loving candidates the Republicans put up. We'll see what kind of person you really are. Will this comment remain up, or will it come down? It's up to your team. I'm not speaking as a Democrat here, or I certainly would not have sent money to Liz Cheney. I speak as a Roman Catholic and as an American. Will you allow the comment, or reject it as partisan? Who are you? We shall see!
Great video, Father. It reminds me of a quote from St. Climacus: "An angry person is a willful epileptic, who on a casual pretext keeps breaking out and falling down."
This is one of your best videos. Thank you for making this.
Donald Trump is the king of spitefulness, hatefulness, underhandedness.... He is the anointed king of the Republican party.
I am not Catholic so I have no idea why this channel was recommended to me, however I can’t love my enemy. I’ve tried. I’ve tried to love them, I’ve tried to take the higher ground, but I can’t anymore. My mom is on a fixed income and lives in a rural area, in an old house where her heating options are limited and don’t include natural gas. In the past two years under Biden the price to heat her home for the winter has risen from around $800 to $3400. And what she uses just got deprioritized because it’s not a common fuel anymore and so it’s just going to get higher.
If your elderly mother called you, sobbing, because she was so cold she was scared she was going to freeze to death, yet terrified that if she turned the heat on she wouldn’t have enough money for food to eat, you’d have a hard time loving the people who did that to her too.
The truth is that one side of the culture war has been screaming that the world is ending in a few days for twenty years now, and now that they are managing to make fossil fuels unaffordable to all but the super elite and super wealthy they celebrate. This is a great day for the environment. They are happy that old folks in the richest country in the history of the world are choosing between food and heat because polar bears. It’s disgusting, it’s despicable, it’s ugly, and it’s evil. I can’t bring myself to love people who are so cruel to others. I’m being honest when I say that I hate them.
Now, I have the means to make sure my mom is okay. But not everyone in her position has a daughter with enough money to make sure they’re okay. What happens to them?
Amen. I'm praying for you.
The problem is that your country doesn't care about those who are vulnerable. It takes time to build a Nordic style well-being state that actually tries to take care of all of its citizens AND also care for the environment and fight the climate change and biodiversity loss.
Biden doesn't control prices. No President does. The price problems are mostly a combination of fallout from the pandemic and bad business decisions on the part of private business because they did not manage their affairs with a view to the long term during the pandemic and have not responded adequately since. Yes, it's bad, but credit given where credit is due.
@@lottaraatikainen3942 Perhaps not, but it is enirely possible to care for the environment and meet the basic needs of the people.
Really hate to break it to you, but your anger is misdirected. Most of your mother's fossil fuel costs come from state taxes levied on fossil fuels and transport fees. Many red states upped those taxes during the pandemic to offset to lowered fossil fuel purchases in the Pandemic, has almost nothing really to do with the Federal administration. GOP isn't about taking care of people, don't let them fool you. In my state they lowered food taxes with a promise to offset the loss of tax revenue for the schools by increasing state funding as the food tax served the counties as a component of their education budget..... well they just on that promise then reneged on it causing an over $200,000,000 budgetary shortfall in schools mostly effecting the rural areas that put them into office. Your mother is being hurt by the Biden administration, she is being hurt by your state and county government. But yes, go after Biden for that cost like he has much control over it like a good little pawn.
I agree thank you for your words. God bless you.
Anger caused by fear is sadly very effective at manipulating people.
Strangely enough I was wondering if you meant Global Warming.
This message needs to be taught more and by more teachers and influencer’s. Thank you sir.
Great video, Father Casey, your in my prayers.
Actually anger is not really a factor for me, more like desperation.
As we let our fears get the best of us we will do anything to avoid it. It is in our nature to destroy what we fear, but it is not in God's nature to do so. We must live like God, but as we do so we must not think we are.
I grew up in the UK but I come from Upper Silesia in Poland. All conflicts are a continuation of an earlier conflict. People often justify genocide and war of recent history because of geopolitics of 500 years ago.
The most hurtful thing about politics is that you can be the kindest and most sincere person, but people will demonise you based on your nationality.
Something I try to live my life by is to reject hate in all its forms. Even the small things like saying that you hate something as an expression should be avoided. I have found that I am less susceptible to real hate in my life because of it. It doesn’t matter how evil someone or something is, the most important part about being catholic is to love your neighbors unconditionally.
as an Englishman, we follow your elections with trepidation we have the same here with politicians hyping up the other's supposed faults and glossing over their own
“Suppose one reads a story of filthy atrocities in the paper. Then suppose that something turns up suggesting that the story might not be quite true, or not quite so bad as it was made out. Is one's first feeling, 'Thank God, even they aren't quite so bad as that,' or is it a feeling of disappointment, and even a determination to cling to the first story for the sheer pleasure of thinking your enemies are as bad as possible? If it is the second then it is, I am afraid, the first step in a process which, if followed to the end, will make us into devils. You see, one is beginning to wish that black was a little blacker. If we give that wish its head, later on we shall wish to see grey as black, and then to see white itself as black. Finally we shall insist on seeing everything -- God and our friends and ourselves included -- as bad, and not be able to stop doing it: we shall be fixed for ever in a universe of pure hatred.
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
The first is common, it's a part of confirmation bias, people love to seek out information they agree with and ignore anything else. What's worse is most don't consciously do it, and will ignore it when it is pointed out to them because of... confirmation bias.
Anger is a sin that brings on other sins along. Out of anger you can throw out a blasphemy. You can hurt other people, even your loved ones. You can let hatred guide you. I know this because it's one of my most recurrent sins. Please pray God to free us from anger and hatred and help us find peace thru His loving heart. Let Him get into our wounded, angry hearts and allow Him to wipe off all that and fill them with love and peace. May God bless you.
Thank you Father! So important
In terms of the political rather than the religious sense; attacking everyone all the time hurts us mostly in that we have nothing to believe in. No one has spent any time becoming a leader or developing a vision for the future. As a result, we have none. We all feel hopeless whether we won or lost.
Thank you for letting the heavenly father use you as a vessel to spread this message to the world.
I really like the idea that forgiving and loving your enemy is not a sign of some unreasonable naive idealism - at the end, it really is the only way.
You know Father Casey, I’m still impressed that you’ve been in Georgia as long as you have and still haven’t picked up the accent lol.
This is an amazing analysis. I totally agree.
100% Right Fr. Please pray for my father who is angry at just any silly reason and the worst thing, he cannot forgive and keep grudge and often times want to eliminate the one who makes him angry. I really can't handle the situation and just now it becomes worst still.
I begg everyone take one minute and sincerely pray for my arrogant, unforgiving hard harden and furious father. 🙏🙏🙏
I’m not even religious yet I agree, people are just so damn angry about everything and anything nowadays even I get caught up in it from time to time and it really does take your energy and time away you can be spending doing more productive activities and being with the people you love.
Sometimes, anger and hatred are good things.
Mark 3:5 KJV "And when He (Jesus) had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other."
OR
Psalm 139:21 KJV "Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate Thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against Thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
23 Search me, O GOD and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts"
Just like Martin Luther who said "when I am angry I can pray well and preach well."
I became so stressed out by the unstoppable flood of polarizing news that I decided to stop reading and watching news and politics. Some people find it very strange but it gives me so much peace of mind!
брат, большое вам спасибо за видео. ваши слова действительно полезны, у нас по тв та же картина. из-за этого перестала вовсе смотреть телевизор и читать новости. молимся о мире и любви между народами. да хранит вас Бог.