[Greek] ἀποστρέφω (apostrephō), [Latin] convertere, [Latin] tradere, [Latin] avertere, [French] se changer, [French] tourner, [French] transmettre

[Greek] ἀποστρέφω (apostrephō), [Latin] convertere, [Latin] tradere, [Latin] avertere, [French] se changer, [French] tourner, [French] transmettre: to turn away (back), to avert, to return, to bring back, to pervert, to remove, to prevent, to alienate, betray; Mt.5:42, Mt.26:52, Mt.27:3, Lk.23:14, Acts 3:26, Rom.11:26, 2Tim.1:15, 2Tim.4:4, Heb.12:25

Charlie Kirk’s assassination has NOT made an impact on the Church. The Church unfortunately continues to focus on MAKING A BETTER WORLD AND SEEKING FAVOR WITH THE WORLD rather than with addressing the deeper issues of the salvation of souls, morality, sin and evil.

Background information:

Greek Hellenism: This term means to turn away, to drive back, to divert, to dissuade, to abandon, to divide, and to rebut.

Plato’s Sophist 239d: “He will easily take advantage of our poverty of terms to make a counter attack, twisting our words to the opposite meaning; when we call him an image-builder, he will ask us what we mean by “image” exactly.”

Xenophon’s On the Calvary Commander 1.12: “And you must try to suit your actions to your words.”

Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus 1272: “Do not turn away from me. Do you not have any answer at all for me? Will you dismiss me without a word, dishonored, and not tell me why you are angry?”

Xenophon Cyropaedia 1.4.25: “And they say that there was no one who turned back without tears.”

Old Testament: This term means to restore, to turn back, to return, to go home and to turn away.

New Testament: This term means to turn back, to put in, to return, to incite, to turn away, to deviate, to repudiate, and to divert.

Scripture:

Mt.5:42: “Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on who wants to borrow.” (Jesus forbids even proportionate retaliation. This can be quite difficult to accomplish. But we should strive for this.)

“Turning the other cheek” (Teaching about retaliation):

1. The Old Testament permitted moderate vengeance (the punishment should not exceed the injury done) [Lv..24:20]
2. Jesus supersedes this in saying not to offer resistance to one who is evil.
3. When some strikes you (on your right cheek), turn the other one as well.
4. Jesus extends the love commandment to the enemy and the persecutor.

How did the Romans view the Jews? The Jews were viewed as second-class citizens by the Romans. Soldiers tended to be right-handed. When a Roman solder strike an “inferior” person, he would give a back-handed slap on the person’s right cheek.

How does a Roman soldier strike someone who is considered his equal? The soldier would punch the person’s left cheek with his fist.

What does turning the cheek accomplish? The Jewish person forces his Roman attacker to treat him as an equal, in striking his left cheek. This action serves to activate the soldier’s conscience in forcing  him to show respect as an equal.

Mt.27:3: “Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.” (In his greediness, Judas engaged in a financial transaction to betray Jesus to the authorities. Rather than being faithful to Jesus, Judas was focusing on material gains.)

Lk.23:14: “Pilate said to them, ‘You brought this man to me and accused Him of inciting the people to revolt. I have conducted my investigation in your presence and have not found this man guilty of the charges you have brought against Him.'” (Pilate could find no fault in Jesus. But Pilate, acquiescing to the political pressure of a large group of angry Jews, released Jesus to the Jews. Pilate did not want to risk further rebellion in his political position.)

Rom.3:26: “Thus all Israel will be saved. As it is written, ‘The deliverer will come out of Zion, He will turn away godlessness from Jacob.”

1. Just because they are God’s chosen people, Paul warns them not to have a too high opinion of themselves.
2. The Israelites will not be open to the gospel message because of their hardness (spiritual blindness).
3. As a result, the Gentiles will be open to the gospel massage.
4. When the gathering of the Gentiles is complete, the Israelites will be saved.

2Tim.4:4: “People will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths.”

1. You must persistently proclaim [the gospel message] when it is convenient or inconvenient.
2. You must convince, reprimand, and encourage through all patience and teaching.
3. The time will come when people will NOT TOLERATE sound doctrine.
4. They will follow their own desires and insatiable curiosities.
5. They will accumulate false teachers.
6. They will stop listening (turn away) from the truth.
7. They will be diverted to myths.
8. You must put up with hardship; fulfill your ministry.

Henri de Lubac: “Only the God of man is himself.

1. By rejecting God, atheist humanism ultimately undermines human nature itself.
2. Atheist humanism suppressed humanity’ inherent quest for God.
3. Human dignity is derived from being made in the image of God.
4. To be genuinely human is live in relation to God.
5. Attempts to make humanity like God ultimately leads to abasement of humanity itself.
6. Severing our connection to God diminishes our own being.
7. Totalitarian systems of the 20th century were philosophical examples of attempting to create a “man without God.”

Modernist and Synodal humanistic belief systems:

1. Vital Immanence: reducing faith to a subjective/internal sentiment/lived experience that denies supernatural revelation (focusing more on personal experiences). Sound familiar?
2. Extrinsicism: separating the natural from the supernatural. This denies the natural desire for God.
3. Synodality: lived experiences can often TAKE PRECEDENCE over Church teachings, doctrine, and morality. Paying lip service to or denying Church teachings. Synodality becomes an IDOL!
4. Synodal focus on worldly issues (MAKING A BETTER WORLD and seeking FAVOR WITH THE WORLD) instead of heavenly issues ( SALVATION OF SOULS.)
5. Synodal inverted priorities: Cardinal McElroy claims that the Church’s first obligation is compassion for immigrants, but NOT the salvation of souls.
6. Synodal hard-heartedness (spiritual blindness) takes precedence over the peoples’ interest in the TLM.

The Silence of the Pope and USCCB on Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

1. The USCCB and the pope have still not made a public statement on Charlie Kirk’s death. Their shameful silence speaks volumes.
2. The pope has released a timid statement that he is praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and stating that “political differences can never be resolved with violence.”
3. There has only been a few individual bishops who have given condolences.
4. This suggests a troubling reluctance to address political violence when it opposes traditional Christian (Catholic) values.
5. This also illustrates the laity’s disappointment in failing to see moral clarity from the Catholic leadership.

What did the USCCB and say on George Floyd’s killing?

1. Pope Francis condemned the sin of racism and praised protesters as collective Samaritans
2. Pope Francis’ statements are consistent with the social narratives of MAKING A BETTER WORLD and SEEKING FAVOR WITH THE WORLD.
3. The USCCB issued multiple statements decrying system racism and calling for justice.

Apostrophe: This is a rhetorical device where the speaker breaks away from the audience in a play. The speaker speaks to an absent person or inanimate object.

1. “Hello, darkness, my old friend.” Simon and Garfunkle
2. “Twinkle, twinkle, little star..”
3. “Oh, Romeo, Romeo, wherefor art thou, Romeo.” Shakespeare

Conclusion:

Apostrophe, convert, conversion, trade, tradition, traitor, change, turn, turning, transmit, transmission

Plato and Sophocles sound like they could be talking about a Charlie Kirk conversation with a college student.

Xenophon: words can have consequences

Updating: The assassination of Charlie Kirk has marked a political, spiritual, moral, and intellectual turning point for the laity, but NOT for the clergy.

More and more people are learning about the real Charlie Kirk through his videos. Many people are now finding no fault in Charlie Kirk.

Erika Kirk has bravely and courageously decided to forgive the killer. This is something that many of could not be capable of doing. Quite extraordinary!

The USCCB is again calling upon the US government to turn on the money supply for immigration and illegal immigration. Taking more money from Caesar. Not a good look!

The Vatican is continuing to push environmental issues. Jesus and the Apostles were preaching about the gospel and salvation. The Vatican is preaching about the climate. This says it all!

Many cardinals and bishops are acquiescing to pressure from the LGBTQ community with inclusion and tolerance. As a result, Church teaching against homosexuality is either denied or ignored.

The laity serves an important function when the clergy are diverted to myths, human traditions and innovations, and ignoring Church teachings. The laity must continue to speak out and not tolerate unsound teaching.

The Catholic Church clergy continue to turn away from the deeper issues of morality, sin, and evil as they continue to focus on MAKING A BETTER WORLD and SEEKING FAVOR WITH THE WORLD.

The USCCB is more concerned about immigration and politics rather than abortion, the Eucharist, belief in the Real Presence, and catechesis. Shocker!

Synodality (lived experiences [being inclusive and tolerant toward the LGBTQ community]) takes precedence over stating Church teachings against homosexuality. This is how Synodality becomes IDOLATRY.

Not surprisingly, USCCB refuses to make a statement criticizing Cardinal Cupich efforts to honor the pro-abortion Democratic senator Dick Durbin. Only a few bishops have criticized Cardinal Cupich. This award has now been rescinded.

The tide is turning against those supporting transgender womens’ “rights” (in the bathroom, sports, and lockers). Common sense is now prevailing. Thanks, JK Rowling!

Quotes by GK Chesterton:

“Don’t ever take down a fence until you know the reason why it was put up.” (The Vatican’s LGBTQ “outreach” continues to push the envelope of Church teachings.)

“When belief in God becomes difficult, the tendency is to turn away from Him, but in heaven’s name to what?” (Tragedies are bringing people closer to God.)

“We do not want a Church that moves with the world. We want a Church that will move the world.” (The Synodal Church continues to move with the world.)

Quotes by Archbishop Sheen:

“The refusal to take sides on great moral issues is itself a decision. It is a silent acquiescence to evil.” (The is the Synodal Church’s failure to recognize the sin of homosexuality.)

“Sometimes people are interested in social justice to cover up the want of individual justice.” (The Synodal Church is failing to bring souls into heaven [by not recognizing sin].)

“Unless souls are saved, nothing is saved. There can be no world peace is there is soul peace.” (Could this increased violence and evil in the world be part of God’s chastisement for the world ignoring and denying sin?  We are certainly experiencing much darkness in the world. This is certainly “food for thought”.

https://www.corpuschristiforunityandpeace.org/silence-of-the-pope-and-usccb-on-charlie-kirks-assassination/