tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534539169157708222.post1310127676767525358..comments2024-03-26T12:19:52.801-04:00Comments on Tea at Trianon: Martha and Maryelena maria vidalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17129629173535139807noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534539169157708222.post-26796927783722326992008-07-28T09:04:00.000-04:002008-07-28T09:04:00.000-04:00What you say makes a great deal of sense, papabear...What you say makes a great deal of sense, papabear. It all depends on what the person's vocation and gifts. for instance, for me to try to engage the culture by discoursing on different kinds of rock music would be totally ridiculous and completely futile!elena maria vidalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17129629173535139807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534539169157708222.post-83613042758260927502008-07-27T22:05:00.000-04:002008-07-27T22:05:00.000-04:00Just to elaborate a little bit more--culture is a ...Just to elaborate a little bit more--culture is a means whereby we engage our neighbor, and can also be its fruit. Those who are called to be full-time artists will have to discern how to use their abilities and under what conditions, but the rest of us who are normally just 'consumers' of mass culture may have some talents that we should cultivate in service of the local community. And if not, we can at least try to host or help with wholesome festivities and gatherings.papabearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12180053825589485150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534539169157708222.post-50600180913513955982008-07-27T21:54:00.000-04:002008-07-27T21:54:00.000-04:00"Engaging the culture" sounds so amorphous and run..."Engaging the culture" sounds so amorphous and runs the risk of committing an error of 'reifying' something that has no substantial reality in itself--Christians are called to love their neighbor, and we do so in accordance with the specific vocation God has given to us, so if anything lay people are called to engage their neighbors.<BR/><BR/>As for mass culture/entertainment, I do think that any right-thinking person would seek to eschew that as much as possible, even though one should appreciate what is true, good, and beautiful as a foundation for dialogue. But all would be better of learning how to entertain themselves through music and so on, and thus avoid what is produced in Hollywood or elsewhere. It's just a better way to promote communal life.papabearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12180053825589485150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534539169157708222.post-23162901693028068092008-07-27T07:23:00.000-04:002008-07-27T07:23:00.000-04:00Exactly.Exactly.elena maria vidalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17129629173535139807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534539169157708222.post-2240451743550624682008-07-26T23:26:00.000-04:002008-07-26T23:26:00.000-04:00"There have always been Christians who told dirty ..."There have always been Christians who told dirty jokes; likewise there have always been people like St. Paul who enjoined Christians to avoid such things (Ephesians 5:3)"<BR/><BR/>St. Paul's instructions, of course, have the virtue of being divinely inspired. :-)Editorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17165480802785551165noreply@blogger.com