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Sad. Very sad.

I realize that some rabid folks of various persuasions can be

very INCAPABLE of DISCRIMMINATING

BETWEEN

INDIVIDUAL VS GROUP
MEMBER VS THE MASSES
PERSON VS THE STRUCTURE
PERSON VS THE INSTITUTION
PERSON VS THE EDIFICE
GROUP OF PERSONS VS THE STRUCTURE
ALL THE PERSONS IN THE STRUCTURE VS THE STRUCTURE
SUBSETS OF PERSONS IN THE STRUCTURE VS THE STRUCTURE

For some set of reasons, this INCAPACITY seems to be most vividly displayed by the rabid Vatican and affiliated congregations' agents.

That set of reasons would be an interesting study in itself, though an exhausting one. I think two most significant reasons are (A) the typical ATTACHMENT DISORDER childhoods of individuals and (B) an institutional dogma, meme, doctrine, custom, culture wherein the institution is equated with God in thought, ritual, actions, expectations etc.

So, with (A) we have the compulsion from folks with low self-confidence and low-self worth [regardless of their achievements or bank accounts] who have a deep bone marrow, genetic level desperate need to BELONG and to be approved by preferably a GROUP, an authority, a FATHER FIGURE, . . . even better an old large INSTITUTION seen as GRAND and full of elegant !!!!TRADITIONS!!!!

Trouble is, like infants still not quite managing the MOTHER VS ME distinction . . . there's seemingly NO CAPACITY to consider themselves as individuals apart from the INSTITUTION.

So, Mary, such individuals will always COMPULSIVELY react to any negative characterization of ANY ASPECT OF THE INSTITUTION as a personal assault on them as individuals, and indeed as though it were on all the individuals in the institution.

Such stances need to be persistently considered for what they are--manifestations of infantile mentalities, emotionalities, lack of maturing and individuating . . . a lack of a sense of successful competence as an individual such that one can continue to see the world and construe the world as a context in which they operate vs a context in which they are an ENMESHED COG IN THE VAST INSTITUTION or . . . an enmeshed blob as an amoebic appendage on the amorphus mass of the INSTITUTION--unable to see or draw any boundaries between the INDIVIDUAL SELF and the INSTITUTION.

Such folks make horrific marriage partners, coworkers and particularly bosses. They have a lot of trouble with boundaries, with perspective, with context and with nuance. They tend to run roughshod over everyone around them with ever increasing demands and pressures toward perfectionism etc. etc.

There's probably, practically speaking, no likely cure, short of a Damascus Road miracle, for the most rabid Vatican related cliques hereon. The puffing and spewing will continue any time the INSTITUTION is perceived to be even slightly assailed. Objective discourse or genuine dialogue is impossible with such folks. Their emotionality meters tend to be maxed out all the time. THEIR HONOR is triggered any time the INSTITUTION is remotely castigated. Actually, it's their pride and insecurities but they'll insist it's their honor.

Probably the best thing that can be done is to continue to use them to bump threads up and to share useful redemptive info for the lurkers.

It can be briefly fun sport to play with them. Though recently that fun has been greatly tarnished by the outrageous increase in the horrific manifestations of some of the nastier and more vividly sad aspects of their maladies. At some point, it's not remotely fun to suddenly realize one has been playing kickball with someone who has no legs.