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To: defconw; Salvation; Mrs. Don-o
It’s hard for people to have a sense of duty when ...

This is, I believe, a key point which sets our culture apart from that of classical Rome ... in a bad way. (We're different from them in some good ways, too.)

Classical philosophy, as exemplified by Cicero, emphasized duties and obligations, not rights and entitlements. The focus on "rights" promotes self-absorption; it also puts far too much emphasis on the feelings of the individual.

For example, a comment on FR stated that, "People have a right not to be bothered" by the presence of handicapped children at Mass. Obviously, the creation ex nihilo of a "right not to be bothered" by others is problematic, to say the least.

It is far more productive to say that adults have a duty to limit the disturbance their children cause to others, to an extent that depends on circumstances. No one can be excluded from attending Mass, unless he is a positive danger to others, but there is a duty to limit the disturbance to the extent reasonably possible. However, parents could reasonably conclude that their duty of consideration for others precludes their ever taking a child who is noisy (for whatever reason) to a movie theater.

Consider the newly-minted "right not to be offended." This is obviously nonsense. However, the duties of Christians - to be truthful, to restrain anger, to avoid ridicule and calumny - tend to limit the occasions in which they will offend others.

Take the "right" to food, clothing, shelter, education ... basically to a comfortable life with everything ... that is often proposed, or the right to "equality." Doesn't it make more sense to say that people have a duty to promote the general good of society by showing practical concern for others? Christians have a additional duty to manifest their love of neighbor sacrificially.

18 posted on 03/10/2015 10:44:20 AM PDT by Tax-chick (Wash, rinse, dry, put away.)
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To: Tax-chick
Well said. It has never bothered me when children of a certain age give out a cry or a squawk. That's to be expected of people 3 and under. If the child gets progressively unruly then they need to go off to the cry room.

When sitting with my sister or even friends when the baby started up, the baby was passed along to the end and whoever was on the end took the baby for a walk. I do think that people should however bear in mind that the parents of handicapped kids and regular kids are doing their best most of the time and the rest of us need to have a little patience.

Funny story. I was at Adoration and there was a young mother there with 3 little ones. Two of whom were being very, very good. The baby on the other hand was really giggling and cooing and just making all kinds of racket. We all exited at the same time. The woman had not known I was there(I was behind her). She apologized to me. I told her I was pretty sure Jesus must have been there making the baby laugh. I was so moved that this young mother would even attempt to take time out of her day to go to the Adoration chapel with three little ones in tow. I hope whatever she was there for was granted to her.

19 posted on 03/10/2015 10:57:58 AM PDT by defconw (If not now, WHEN?)
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To: Tax-chick
Well said, Tax-chick. I should read what you wrote at intervals from here on in, til Christ comes again. Sounds Flannery O'Connorish --- from whom ("A Good Man is Hard to Find") I get my latest tagline.
25 posted on 03/10/2015 11:34:41 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("She'd have been a good woman if it'd been somebody there to shoot her every day of her life.")
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