Catholic Arachnophobia
I have a case of Catholic arachnophobia. That's the best way I can describe my discomfort at seeing viral videos of a spider crawling across Pope Benedict's cassock as the Pontiff was delivering one of his discourses during his pilgrimage to the Czech Republic. Since Catholic arachnophobia is not a clinically recognized condition, maybe I should offer an explanation behind my self-diagnosis.
The body of the Pope has always held a special place in the Catholic tradition. As Agostino Paravicini-Bagliani has trenchantly argued in Il corpo del Papa [The Pope's Body], the Pope has a dual character as both a physical human being and a symbol. The Pope's body is human and as such is subject to death and decay. But the Pope also serves as a representative of Christ and an institution that is part of an eternal divine order. Accordingly, the Pope's body is a symbol with a sacrosanct, even inviolable, quality. For this reason, the spectacle of a spider crawling over the Pope was rather disconcerting to my Catholic gaze--it was almost as though the sanctity of the Pope was being encroached upon. This feeling was intensified not only by the symbolic resonance of the spider as something malevolent but also by the irreverent tone of the "Pope and the Spider" videos. Mainstream news organizations set the footage to the theme from Jaws or the tune of "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider." Such joke making became a metaphorical spider crawling up my arm. It was irritating and uncomfortable.
If I were to turn over my diagnosis to a psychoanalyst with Freudian sensibilities, I might find something even more disconcerting underlying my Catholic arachnophobia. For the psychoanalyst, joke telling is often a vehicle for hostility. On one level, it is obvious how "Pope and the Spider" videos might resonate with those who hold the Papacy in disregard: the exalted Roman Pontiff is revealed to be a human being like any other. But, one another level, ardent defenders of the Pope's honor and integrity could be seen as no less subject to the same hostility. Indeed, the psychoanalyst would understand Catholic arachnophobia as a last ditch marshaling of psychic resources to repress latent hostility that threatens to manifest itself if given the opportunity by joking telling and other forms of mockery. Was my Catholic arachnophobia a counter-intuitive expression of the problems I have always had with authority, both religious and secular?
While rank and file Catholics such as myself might have varying degrees of arachnophobia right now, one would expect that Vatican to have the most severe case. For that reason, it was surprising to hear the Papal spokesman, the Jesuit Fredrico Lombardi, gently say that the Pope "had no problem at all with a spider taking a walk on him." Humor is not only a way of expressing hostility; it is also a way of bridging boundaries and forging connections. For self-diagnosed Catholic arachnophobe like me, it's been a relief to learn that the Vatican is in on the joke.
By
Mathew N. Schmalz
|
October 1, 2009; 6:21 PM ET
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Posted by: cyber-man | October 4, 2009 3:14 PM
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ViejitaDelOeste,
Thanks for your post - best wishes to you.
Cyber-man,
You wrote: 'Note: Not via "Joseph Smith" [pbuh];...'
Just wanted to remind you that J.S. and I used to live on the same street [Upper Turnpike Road] in Norwich, Vermont, though at different times.
Regards.
Posted by: norriehoyt | October 4, 2009 2:42 PM
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oooopps.
Please see the 'CAUSE' of such 'Cathoholic-Christo-Psychosis's" or behaviours, as SiN-DROME then,
@ [NT] LUKE 14:26 (ANY bible) & LUKE 12:51 (Any Bible) & JOHN 4:22 & JOHN 5:46-47 et seq, BUT
But pleasee @ EXODUS 4:22 [Any OT] Freudiantly REVEALiNG (opposite Myth);
"Thus sayth the LORD (not ours), iSRAEL is MY? SON, even my '1-first-Bornth.." Yet
but besides 'ALEXANDER the GREAT' [pbuh] as being the "SON OF MAN/WOMB" that Ye Jealous "BibLE/CHUMAS, GEETA/KANGYUR, QURAN/KORANics via Gurus/Immams/Revvi's..,
aka "BIBLE-BOLLiXERS" proclain, all across S.S. earth still, that very same Rabbi Mr. Yashua/Jesse/JESUS, the JUDEO-abe-JU suddenly turned Judeo-abe-CHRiST-O (not 'A') to be the "ONLY Begotten SON" of their Jealous BASORAH/MASORAH/QURANAH/GEETANAH "god(s); INSTEAD OF [our O.U.R.] G-D!
Note: OUR "O.U.R." means thee "O.ne U.niversal R.eligion" via the BOOK of the "BiBLE Of The FUTURE":
Hark!; The RELIGION OF EVERYTHING before the Science of Everything; hath now been borneth in Sweets sweety U.S. of A.; not Imported from Mid-East, Euro, Asia Minor/Major etc..!
Hint: The AMERICAN-BORN [YORK Main, U.S.A.] : "MAHDi, MASSIAH, MAETRYA, DELiVEROR & by manynames , aka the "PHOTON/LiGHT-Bringer Of the APOCALYPSE on S.S. Earth, as promised, as inheretance, For US-ALL via All Ye (no longer OUR) Old Songs of Ye "iNFIXUS-BOOKS" [Chumash/Bible, Geeta/Kangyur, Quran/Koran,...].
Note: Not via "Joseph Smith" [pbuh]; not via "Mendel Schneerson" [pbuh] et al 'False-Proclaimers!' But "SHi{LOH" is the Name!
Sorry; Mr. ZEUS, Mr. OSIRIS, Mr. BAAL, MOSES, Mr. MOSES, Mr. JESUS, Mr. MUHAMMAD, Mr. VYASA, Mr. GAUTAMA, Mr. CONFUCiUS & CO.,!
Instead; singeth unto O' EKLAH-ti; HELLO, "SHi{LOH" of S.S.Earth(s)!!
Posted by: cyber-man | October 4, 2009 11:27 AM
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GG R A N T 9170:
Correction: On: 'Not instead of God' but, the Revelation of "iNSTEAD OF G-D" [aka "IT", aka Not a "HE" or "HiS" nor a "SHE/HERs"]. Sorry Pope. Sorry Rabbi Jesus/Yashua/Jehova et al.
According to O.R. "little Book Of The CONVENANT" , of the APOCALYPTARYAN Race, aka Us "HUeMATE(s)-kinds, and no-more as Human's-unkinds, THAT
"iNSTEAD Of G-D" (not god) refers to Purporings of Rabbi MOSES (The god Player, not O.U.R. G-D) who quoted "HIS" (not "IT" aka Not a 'HE' nor a 'SHE' form) own JEALOUSY, & named it (not "IT") YAHWEH, ["The Lord Your (not our) god"s] and
ViNTRILOQUISED that 'it' (not "IT") hath told Mr. Moishe to be "iNSTEAD OF G-D" unto "HIS" Brethren/Sisters Aaaron and their Mixed-Multitudes (of Branded? folksters) of Judeo-abe "JEWISH" followers, one whom was also JESUS The JUDEO-abe-JU turned Judeo-abe-CHRISTO, and another Follwers as Jude-abe-Islamico's saying all kinds of amazing things.
COMMENTARY: Mr. JESUS the god's player, also said , like Mr. Moses, "NO-ONE/1 cometh unto the 'FATHER' (not Priests/Bishops/Cardinals/Popes/Immams/Rabbis/Guru's..) aka JEHOVAH?, thew 'Lord Your Gods' ... but by ME ... but if Ye not believth Moses/Moishe, Ye would've believed in ME .. but if Ye not beievth "HIS" [gods that art Jealous & Gods that FEAR] writings, . how Shall Ye belivth ME words?"
Note: Ye HUMAN's (unlike us 'HUe{MATE's) who worship Mr. JESUS (another competing for a name for gods, INSTEAD OF OUR G-D, Player) , will continue to "Suffer' the Consequences of those/them Satanic Versing Curseth/sineth Lies; WHEREAS
We [i] Us "APOCALYPTARi-ON's, aka EKLAH-ti-ON's (not OFF's) will know better than to 'CAUSE' their-own Misery(s) in that way, justly as they [US] shall know better than to believe the writings of MOSES the Judeo-abe-Judan;
Contrary to what our B.O.T., aka "BOOK OF TRANS{FiNITY" [aNEW-Holyi iNfixus-Book] that REVEALS (opposite Secret/Hidden) about their SATANIC/JINN/KALi intent, saying,
"I (not i) the LORD yopur god(s) is a JEALOUS-god," thus YE (not US) shall have NO other OBJECT/Sybmol & or Recourse of worSHiP than this "SuperStupidStitious" god-less 'Jealousy' to
SEEK A NEWER-WORLD(s)!?????
Posted by: cyber-man | October 4, 2009 10:59 AM
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Norrie, as usual you put the Christians to shame when it comes to the material world. I mean, really? Is Benedict's position so precarious that a spider on his cassock is even cause for alarm? Really? I feel threatened by some things in life but an arthropod on a clergyman's clothing is pretty low on the list.
Can't see much more until I go see the video on YouTube.
Posted by: ViejitaDelOeste | October 4, 2009 12:32 AM
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On the Pope's dual nature: Paravicini-Bagliani, if I'm not mistaken, argues that this nonsensical metaphysics persisted through the fifteenth century, but as Mr. Schmaltz's essay suggests, it continues. Indeed, variations on this theme were typical of European monarchs well past the 1400s and continue today among charismatic despots. Recommend "King Lear" as an excellent interrogation into this dangerous drivel.
Freedom fighters, royalty, and rock stars, alike, mix substances that mystify those in their sway. Human has never quite moved beyond this, among other primitive ways of thinking, protecting it with arrows, guns, cannons, and nuclear missiles.
These, in the end, the promised end, may, at last, disclose the nature of all who seem to be human, animal, plant, arachnid.
Posted by: Farnaz1Mansouri1 | October 3, 2009 7:08 PM
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prophets speak for God, not instead of God.
Peter i heard is considered the first pope. Did Peter walk around with huge expensive crowns upon his head or long flowing ropes or allowing anyone to bow before him? Peter was also married. Traditions of men have entered into the church as a wedge between man and God to edify the Pope as being more than a mortal man? This is dangerous theology putting a mere man between man and God other than Jesus Christ our Saviour. How does this work and where is the theology for these traditions of men from? The history of the Roman Catholic Chruch is not Christ like and takes upon itself to deify a man(pope) so all eyes are on a mortal man and not God? So when the Pope speaks his words are not questioned even if its not in the bible?
the catholic chruch stood by during world war two, was actually inflitrated by Hitler's men to stand by while the extinction of a race was carried out in front of the whole world. this is why putting complete trust in the Roman Papacy is so dangerous, as the phedofiles hiding in the church was condoned for so many decades by priest in the chruch. Putting complete trust in a religious organization and not testing its theology by the bible is a dangerous road to take as history has proven over and over. Dark Ages, crusades, slaughter of the jews in the 20th century under the eyes of the church, the power of one man(hitler) can cause so much misery and actually infiltrate a church! so be ware and be careful and always hold the words of a church teachings of leaders to the teachings in the bible!
Posted by: ggrant9170 | October 3, 2009 3:32 PM
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As one with Buddhist sympathies I rather like the image of the spider taking a walk on the Pope.
Both are sentient beings with the same inner nature; each has the possibility of becoming enlightened.
Any bets on which being crosses that finish line first?
Posted by: norriehoyt | October 3, 2009 2:58 PM
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Mathew N. Schmalz
You wrote, "But the Pope also serves as a representative of Christ and an institution that is part of an eternal divine order."
Aren't all who claim to be "Christian" suppose to be a "representative of Christ"?
I don't know what you mean by "an institution that is part of an eternal divine order" but if you are speaking of "Jesus's Church" than you should know that the Roman Catholic Church clearly teaches that the "Church" is not confined only to those that are "members", so to speak, does it?
Eternal is outside of time, the "Church" established by Jesus is within time and the "Church" which is referred to as the "Body of Christ" Whose composition is, ultimately, known only to God, has work to do, as Jesus told us.
The "Church" is part of God's Plan just as God becoming God-Incarnate is part of God's Plan just as the Jews being the Chosen People is part of God's Plan and God has had His Plan since before creation and God's Plan is for ALL to be in the Kingdom, the new heavens and the new earth and God's Plan which is unfolding before our very eyes WILL come to Fruition.
The Pope has a hard enough "job" to do, we should not make it more difficult by putting him on a pedestal.
I was taught that we are all equal in God's eyes, could this mean what it so simply seems to mean?
This does not mean that we are all the same or that we all have the same work to do but it does mean just what it says.
Jesus's simple invitation was to "Come follow Me", it was not to follow Peter, not to follow others who say they are following Jesus, not to follow His Church, not to follow the bible but to "Come follow Me" seems pretty straight-forward to me.
See you and the rest of humanity in the Kingdom.
Take care, be ready.
Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.
Posted by: ThomasBaum | October 3, 2009 11:56 AM
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Hello again Brother "LiON":
Ye, i, Us [WE] art ALL part of the Prophecy. Includes all whom Bloggeth Here.
The "American-Nazarene" so to spaketh, is not Mr. Smith! Oooppss. Sorry Mormon's!
Shame they Moved out of N.Y. to Utah. Now N.Y. is been re-claimed by US "EKLAH"-ti-ON's! And OUR so-called JERUSALEM (just kidding) is on a Mountain in Orange-County , N.Y.; not Pylmaria at CUMORAH Mountain, where brthren Smith supposodly found the Holy-PLATES etc..!
Please: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumorah
Hugss-n-Kiss's To ALL da Brothers & da Sisters!
Oye Vay!