Can you point out "most often lately such questioning has itself been imprudent?"See nearly every post by ultima ratio.
There is a fine line here, and I don't want to cross it.If I may make a suggestion, before you make a post criticizing the Pope or an action of his, or questioning it, etc., simply ask yourself why you are posting that statement. Does it give glory to God? Will it help your spiritual life? Will it help the Church? Will it help others? If the answer to the first question (why are you posting it) is not a good reason, think about it. If the answers to all four of the other questions is no, dont post it.
It takes longer to post that way, and at times you will forget to do it and will make mistakes (see nearly every post by patent).
I ask questions in order to understand something.There is a fundamental, almost unmistakable, difference between those who ask questions to learn, and those who ask questions to attack. It is possible that the former can at times ask attacking questions, especially when wounded, but the latter still stands out as something of an entirely different nature.
patent +AMDG
I don't believe I've ever posted anything critical of the Pope, but I do see the value of posting something like the article by Bob Sungenis "Another loyal son says no to Assisi" (paraphrasing the title), because although it was highly critical of JPII, there was some wonderful counterpoints to the article posted by FR posters. I had read that article previous to it being posted here, and since I had viewed Sungenis as an orthodox Catholic (he does wonderful work with someone like James White), the column he wrote on Assisi was confusing for me. No, the article did not give "Glory to the Church" and it didn't help my spiritual life, it didn't help the Church, but the answers to it that were posted on FR certainly did.
I might be a little bit "gun shy" because it seems to me that lately (ultima ratio excluded) I've noticed posters questioning the motives of other posters, calling them all sorts of names and I don't like that unless the poster in question is obvious in his hatred for the Church or the Pope or even Vatican II.
But your post is well taken, nevertheless.
Excellent advice that I will try to heed. Thank you.