Counterattack by the Brotherhood of the nine commandments
Recently, it was reported that in 2022, over half a million people announced their departure from the German Catholic Church ... And thus broke the previous year's record - because it has been a trend for some time. The Evangelical Church of Germany also lost about 600,000 church members- so the phenomenon does not concern only Catholics. However don't both of these denominations have their own specific reasons, causes that led to such a catastrophe? Probably yes - at least in part...How to illustrate this crisis? The simplest way is to consider the example of a certain German priest, Wolfgang Rothe. It is there that a person known, public, scandalous and colorful, often present in the media, giving interviews, etc. - apparently looking for popularity. One of the famous, recognizable faces of this church. He has an interesting nickname, a 'nickname': 'Whiskey Vicar. He is considered an expert on Scotch whiskey and uses this knowledge in church activities. For years (i.e. since 2010) he has openly claimed to be a homosexual, he is very active in homosexual circles, he even promotes this sexual orientation ! He was deputy rector at the seminary in St. Pölten in Austria near Vienna, which became famous all over the world because of a huge moral/sexual scandal in which the management took an active part (as a result of which it was closed on the order of the Vatican), see [a]. He caused another, high-profile scandal when, explaining his bizarre, spectacular fall from the balcony of the 2nd floor, he accused his bishop of giving him a psychotropic drug and alleged attempted rape (!!!) While other sources explained this accident simply with his alcohol abuse… (See [b] or [c] - also for several illustrations created using computerized artificial intelligence illustrating these two such different explanations.... ᵃ )
In Poland, the 'Whiskey Vicar' is especially known as the denunciator of Rev. Prof. D. Oko and the German priest Stoehr, who was sued in a scandalous trial in Germany because of him. Professor Dariusz Oko, a Polish philosopher from Krakow, in an article published in the journal "Theologisches" characterized influential groups or even mafias of homosexual priests as "colonies of parasites", "cancer" and "homosexual plague". The article did not go unnoticed. Homosexalist priest Wolfgang Rothe ostentatiously blessing gay couples, flaunting in gay institutions, etc., felt offended and filed a denunciation - a complaint which led to a trial in Cologne, see [b] and [c].
German card. Gerhard Ludwig Müller, one of the former highest Vatican dignitaries, said this about the first sentence issued by a German court (the process eventually ended in a settlement):
"As a German, I am ashamed that in my homeland it is again possible to make allegations of so-called incitement to hatred against society and the conviction of a Polish scientist because he gave facts…. alarm bells should go off immediately for people educated in history; they should be horrified to remember a certain 'lawyer' who, acting as a so-called general governor, sent the entire Krakow professorship to a concentration camp. Article by prof. D.Oko is a scientific report on serious crimes... committed by high-ranking clergymen... who hide behind the shield of impunity that their office confers... Condemning these crimes with strong words is not an incitement to hatred in society, but an act of courage that deserves the respect of all decent people. These crimes must not be downplayed just because their perpetrators were active homosexuals who might have been offended by someone telling them the truth to their face. Have we come back to the point where the guilty are protected and the innocent are punished?
Reading these balanced, wise and just words, one would like to say, having such Catholic hierarchs, "Noch ist Deutschland nicht verloren"! (i.e. "Germany is not dead yet" or better, "The German Catholic Church is not dead yet"). And how did the denunciator himself react to this statement?
"I'm stunned that a cardinal would gang up on hate-mongers and not even shy away from twisting history. Himmler and Goebbels insulted homosexuals as parasites and pests of the people. The Nazi Hans Frank would certainly not have pursued Oko, on the contrary, he would have been content. In Auschwitz, where Oko was born, homosexuals were interned and killed, but Cardinal Müller doesn't seem to care", (see [e] ).
It is worth noting how skillfully he emphasizes, how cleverly he connects the birthplace of the Polish priest with the German concentration camp that his compatriots set up there during the occupation. Yes, he avoids lying - but he gently suggests it... Very clever !
This trial is worth remembering and due to the incredibly, behind-the-scenes maneuvers of very influential factors or German authorities : the Deutsche Welle, the information body of the Bundestag (!) published - on the eve of the trial - an interview with the accuser, thus allowing him to disseminate his unproven accusations... Clearly pointing to Polish, German, world public opinion - but also to the German court!!! - on which side are the sympathies and expectations of the authorities ... Isn't it simply amazing (and in a country that naturally presents itself as democratic!), see [d]. But what does it mean when a celibate priest starts advertising his sexual preferences? How to understand such a statement from someone who still considers himself a Catholic priest?
This can probably be understood as a message like, let's say: « Know that if I happen to break the 6th commandment, it will only be with some handsome boy ... ». Although, perhaps it is rather a declaration that he simply does not intend to obey this commandment? (Or maybe there is something like an offer or proposal behind it?) The question arises: Does this person perhaps have a similar approach to the other commandments? Is it only for that 'terrible' 6th? Yes, these people (at least for now!) focus their attention on this commandment. But this movement could expand. There is no guarantee that their problems regarding the Decalogue will one day, naturally, gradually, not cover other commandments ... After all, it is logical : one can probably expect that clergymen who have difficulties with keeping, for example, the 7th "Do not steal : « Yes, I try not to steal, but it doesn't always work out for me ... For example, when I see nice gold, heavy jewelry or an elegant, sports car in which the driver forgot to take out the keys, I can't help myself ... » Or on the 5th « Do not kill : You know I'm a man of peace, but if someone 'annoys' me, anything can happen. I honestly warn you! ». These representatives of the movement, let's conventionally call it «the movement of the 9 commandments», often consider themselves representatives of the movement of modernization… Even for something like 'prophets' announcing a new, toned down version of a 'lighter' type of Christianity! The advent of a new church in version 2.0 or ++ ... Ie. "The Church of the Ninth Commandments". As I said, there are even quite a lot of such church contestants (a legion?), they are present in many countries - also in Poland - they often hold very high positions and can count on powerful behind-the-scenes and even official support… For some Catholics, (especially the "old school"), the activity of this type of clergy inevitably leads to catastrophe, to the spiritual suicide of an ecclesial institution. To the spiritual death of themselves and those who follow them. What to say to someone convinced that they are the spiritual equivalent of the infamous pilot Andreas Lubitz, who in 2015 committed suicide - and murdered 149 people - by intentionally shattering a plane full of passengers he was piloting?
Juliusz Słowacki [1809-1849] - who does not know, does not remember his famous poem announcing « Slavic Pope » St. John Paul II :
In the midst of all the disagreements, Lord God rings
A huge bell,
For the Slavic, here is the pope
He opened the throne.
For this Slavic Pope, he won't escape
Like this Italian,
He will fight boldly, like God, with swords;
The world is dust to him!
His face, is beaming in a word, A lamp to the servants,
The rising tribes will follow him
Into the light, where God is.
For his sake and order
Not only the people
If he commands, the sun will come to a stop,
Because power is a miracle!
( see: Juliusz Slowacki - Papież Słowiański lyrics + English translation )
But this great polish, catholic poet was not an uncritical or blind. He also wrote such completely different, dramatic, bitter words:
Forgive, Lord... [to] this great desert,
dressed in marble and your cross;
poetic exaltation makes me bolder,
so I will touch this body of Catholic faith…
A slug drooling on flowers,
is less disgusting than this old, bold and counterfeit
widow of Caesars, the church without the spirit and the word of God.
...
Now the wind will rise,
which will encircle the columns of the Church,
All those who have not been supported by the saints,
will be destroyed...
Is this a tragic diagnosis or will it be another prophecy of the brilliant Polish poet? Isn't a whole "legion" of internal enemies of the church trying to make this happen?
Perhaps their activities, the tolerance from the hierarchy they enjoy here and there contribute to the fact that hundreds of thousands of Catholics no longer feel at home in the church?
Perhaps for them the current church is too " modern ", perhaps they even consider it rather " anti-church " ... And losing hope for improvement - they " vote with their feet " ...
They run away ...
Isn't all of this great material for a movie script? I proposed its first outline here [a] - and I still invite everyone willing to cooperate in this project...
ᵃ
Maybe you draw or paint yourself? And maybe you have an idea to present these events? Share it with all of us - welcome ! I promise advertising on the Internet ! The American painter Terry Nelson from Minneapolis /USA also painted a painting entitled "Seminary Visitation" illustrating the seminar scandal...
[a]
Zróbmy film!
[b]
The Fall of Father Dr. Wolfgang Rothe
[c]
The Fall of Father Dr. Wolfgang Rothe
[d]
Proces księdza D.Oko i J. Stoehr-a
[e]
Wolfgang Rothe kritisiert Kardinal Müller – kath.ch
[f] ANNEX
Scenario draft: Introduction
Conflict between two clergy : between a certain monk - a follower of the "Church of the Ninth Commandments" and a traditional Catholic priest. The film is also to be partly inspired (to a greater or lesser extent) by various famous scandals (in various Christian churches and others), for example, the lawsuit brought in Germany against Fr. Prof. D. Oko and the German priest J. Stoehr...
However, the characters in the film cannot be identified with real people. But they will be inspired by them - to a greater or lesser extent. i.e. it's supposed to be: « A film based on fictional events, but containing some elements of truth » .The film itself is rather intended to show some existing socio-religious mechanisms and will be preceded by a traditional warning: « any resemblance to real people is coincidental »...
General assumptions :
- the growing popularity of "light" religiosity based on observing only some, selected commandments (e.g. without the 6th - i.e. only the remaining nine commandments) ;
- networks of acquaintances, relationships based on mutual support, exploitation and hiding one's misdeeds, weaknesses or crimes occur also in church environments;
- sometimes these kinds of networks, connections can get under the influence of authentic, real criminal mafias (e.g. under the influence of blackmail)
- or they themselves evolve in this direction; -maybe it will come as a surprise to someone, but bosses, i.e. « capo » of real traditional mafias they often emphasize their attachment to traditional values, caring for their families, sometimes they flaunt themselves as religious,, they like to be in the company of religious people, the clergy, and even have chaplains (as it sometimes happens, for example, in the south of Italy).
I invite everyone willing to cooperate on the script with ideas, suggestions (talk about it around you!). The working title of the movie might be, for example : "Counterattack of the Brotherhood of the Nine Commandments".
Logline
The conflict between the classical priest (maybe a little naive but full of good will and faith) [trying] to purify his Church, stigmatizing the evil [that he sees] (and thus becoming the object of hateful attacks by the [internal] enemies whom he unmasks), and a fallen monk who is in the service of the mafia and plays the role of its "chaplain" ...
This monk is a very mysterious figure, but a lot was known about him, even though he kept his story carefully hidden. Behind his back, amazing stories were told about his adventures. It was said that once in Paris, he climbed (intoxicated!) the Eiffel Tower outside at night! And he fell off it when he was already quite high, probably somewhere at the height of the 2nd floor... He broke his leg then and has been limping ever since. It was widely assumed that he wanted to repeat the feat of Albert Stalk - known as "Eiffel Al" who was the first man on world climbed the Eiffel Tower without any protective gear in 1990... He himself, when questioned, claimed that he had to run away from the urges of his superior, a declared homo, who was getting at him, that he was running away to protect his virtue, purity ! This monk - he was before he got into the mafia, a classic, normal clergyman. Supposedly, he was even the confessor of a former important politician with whom he also had homosexual relations... He was also a respected headmaster of an important boarding school. There were big homosexual scandals in it... It turned out that he was directly involved in them. The local mafia found out about this and began to blackmail him, threatening to expose him if he did not do them various favors. Over time, his occasional collaboration with her turned into a permanent one and he became the right hand of her leader… When the scandal came to light, he first vehemently denied it by suing his accusers. After losing the trials, he changed tactics, began to openly promote "free love" and LGBT ideologies. He joined other clergymen who similarly approach the sixth commandment and demand that the Church's teaching be adapted to the problem of sexual minorities. This radically changed his psyche and personality.
Synopsis
One of the main scenes takes place in a gay sauna. The mafia boss, his "Consiliere", the Chaplain and several other gangsters are present (they are partially undressed, leftovers of luxury food, fancy drinks may indicate that some debauchery is coming to an end, it is not clear whether it is just "homo" / "gay" or “hetero”). They're talking about the movie “The Godfather”. They were deeply impressed by the scene in which a famous film director, who refuses to do a favor for a mafia boss, wakes up terrified in bed with the head of his favorite steed severed. They ask themselves « How would we manage to do it? How would we make him such an "offer he couldn't refuse"? » Their chaplain complains that he has a problem with a certain traditional priest (i.e. a priest of some traditional "Ten Commandments" Christian church) who continues to criticize him in every possible way, verbally and in writing. The boss (capo) agrees to help him. However how to do it?
Gangster1 : I'll break his bones. This will convince him to give up...
Gangster2: Better kidnap someone from his family... Boss: Shut up, you two!
Someone says: He must be presented with “an offer he cannot refuse” ! Everyone likes this proposition. Yes, that's a good idea! However how to realize it?
Boss to Consigliere: Think of it...
Consigliere: Do we have a contact with the police where he lives? We need to find someone close to him. We also need to check his background and personal life. Reaching out to his home staff, including a cook, a cleaning lady, a janitor... He himself certainly has some important friends (police, the courts, lawyers) - this must also be taken into account... Do we have any contact with any of the "families" ruling this area?
Consigliere to the Chaplain: first you have to sue him.
Chaplain: However, under what pretext?
Consigliere: You will accuse him of "hate speech"! After all, he hates the followers of our new faith, he is primitive and backward. Either way, we'll have him convicted and discredited. After all, we have among our friends and journalists specialists in discrediting and "kompromats"... And if necessary, we will launch political mechanisms through friendly parliamentarians... And once the ground is ready, we will deliver a sudden, destabilizing blow! It will be like a bolt from the blue! And then we'll be able to make him an "offer he can't refuse." Let him know that he is not safe, that he is in our hands! However, it may not be easy or cheap…
Capo (Boss): You're right. Indeed, we must make him an "offer" that he cannot refuse. But remember to save his person and family for now. Take care of this personally, consigliere...
v1.1Eng (2023/08/21)