Propaganda 101: As The World Turns' Progressive Plot Line

If you watch each clip from the top down, you'll get a better sense of the plot line. These characters are supposed to be teenagers. I don't watch soap operas, so I don't know how popular this show is, but this plot line should make you stop and think. It makes me think of what Our Lady said at Fatima.

Any thoughts?

Comments

[joanne]

"Any thoughts?" Apparently none worth televising! Lots of emotion, lots of manipulation, very little thought, like most of soap-opera fare.

[Atlanta Catholic]

These scenes are not surprising when you reflect on the homosexual problem within the Church. I am not talking about the person who struggles with same sex attraction but abides by God's laws with grace a great difficulty. The clergy that are openly promoting or living this lifestyle have helped create a huge vacuum in society. Now television and movies are the guidelines for promoting what seems good and harmless. A weak and confused society are the aftermath of many years of watered down teachings and scandals. The hopeful side is that Our Lady of Fatima said, "In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph"!

[Joey]

While I find this thread starter disturbing visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima reminds me of the basic message of prayer, conversion and sacramental reconciliation. Indeed, the whole world is in need of such a holy process!

[anthonypadua]

I believe someone showed either a movie or a television clip once to Padre Pio back in the 50's(?) At any rate, the great Saint watched for about ten seconds or so and then turned to the person with the clips and said "The devil is in it."

So we shouldn't be surprised that these manifestations of the evil one are all around us, especially in televised and print media which can reach so many more souls and destroy them.

[Thomistic]

The plot line of this soap opera is disturbing.

Here are some of the things Our Lady taught the children at Fatima:

"Pray! Pray a great deal and make sacrifices for sinners, for many souls go to Hell for not having someone to pray and make sacrifices for them."

Lucia asked Our Lady about two girls who used to come to her house that had recently died. "Is little Maria Das Neves, who died recently, in Heaven?" "Yes, she is in Heaven." . . . "and Amelia?" "She will be in Purgatory till the end of the world."

"Do you suffer a great deal? Don’t be discouraged. I will never forsake you. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the road that will conduct you to God. Sacrifice yourself for sinners and say many times, especially when you make some sacrifice, ‘O my Jesus, it is for love of Thee, in reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and for the conversion of poor sinners."

"Wars are a punishment from God for sin."

"The sins which lead most souls to hell are sins of the flesh."

"Certain fashions are going to be introduced which will offend Our Lord very much. Those who serve God should not follow these fashions. The Church has no fashions; Our Lord is always the same."

Sister Lucia relates the vision of hell:

Our Lady showed us a great sea of fire that seemed to
be under the earth. Plunged in this fire were demons
and souls in human form, like transparent burning
embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, floating
about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by
the flames that issued from within themselves together
with great clouds of smoke, now falling back on every
side like sparks in a huge fire, without weight or equilibrium,
and amid shrieks and groans of pain and
despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with
fear. The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying
and repulsive likeness to frightful and unknown
animals, all black and transparent. This vision lasted
but an instant. How can we ever be grateful enough to
our kind heavenly Mother, who had already prepared
us by promising, in the first apparition, to take us to
heaven? Otherwise, I think we would have died of fear
and terror.

We then looked up at Our Lady, who said to us so kindly
and so sadly:

"You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go.
To save them, God wishes to establish in the world
devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you
is done, many souls will be saved and there will be
peace. The war is going to end: But if people do not
cease offending God, a worse one will break out during
the pontificate of Pope Pius XI. When you see a night
illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the
great sign given you by God that He is about to punish
the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and
persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father. To
prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of
Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the communion of
reparation on the first Saturdays. If my requests are
heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be
peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the
world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church."

"The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have
much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated. In
the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy
Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she shall be
converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the
world. In Portugal the dogma of the faith will always be
preserved."

Our Lady’s message that men “must amend their lives and ask forgiveness for their sins,” and that they “offend the Lord God no more, for He is already much offended” is meant for all of us

Pax,

Thomistic

[anonymous]

I couldn't even watch this garbage....and to think so many people nowadays think there's absolutely nothing wrong with this lifestyle.The frightening thing to me is there are a lot of "catholics" who are active in this lifestyle. The very idea of Hell scares me to death, but the sense of sin, mortal sin has been lost now for what seems like generations. It certainly has been the last 40 years or so.There is a major agenda going on in Hollyweird to promote this lifestyle as well. I watch very limited television, and what I do watch sadly is being slowly infiltrated with it as well...would you believe FoodNetwork and HGTV? Yep...it's there too.Magazines, decorating magazines...everywhere you look.It's scary that it is so accepted as "normal".

[anonymous]

I couldn't even watch this garbage....and to think so many people nowadays think there's absolutely nothing wrong with this lifestyle.The frightening thing to me is there are a lot of "catholics" who are active in this lifestyle. The very idea of Hell scares me to death, but the sense of sin, mortal sin has been lost now for what seems like generations. It certainly has been the last 40 years or so.There is a major agenda going on in Hollyweird to promote this lifestyle as well. I watch very limited television, and what I do watch sadly is being slowly infiltrated with it as well...would you believe FoodNetwork and HGTV? Yep...it's there too.Magazines, decorating magazines...everywhere you look.It's scary that it is so accepted as "normal".

[anonymous]

I couldn't even watch this garbage....and to think so many people nowadays think there's absolutely nothing wrong with this lifestyle.The frightening thing to me is there are a lot of "catholics" who are active in this lifestyle. The very idea of Hell scares me to death, but the sense of sin, mortal sin has been lost now for what seems like generations. It certainly has been the last 40 years or so.There is a major agenda going on in Hollyweird to promote this lifestyle as well. I watch very limited television, and what I do watch sadly is being slowly infiltrated with it as well...would you believe FoodNetwork and HGTV? Yep...it's there too.Magazines, decorating magazines...everywhere you look.It's scary that it is so accepted as "normal".

[LCB]

Exactly why we need a devotion to Our Lady of America.

[Jimbo]

This is the way Hollywood currently thinks right now. They present a sanitized view of the gay lifestyle and cast so-called gays as victims. I hope in a few more generations people will look back on this material as silly and immoral.

[anonymous]

Oops...I really am not an idiot...I did not intend to post twice...sorry everyone.:(

[A Simple Sinner]

TO watch all those clips would profit the soul little, but avail much opportunity to despair. I just couldn't do it.

Thomistic, I understand your intent, but to bother taking time and effort to disseminate such material?

We all know its out there.

After all, any of us on here, are online.

[Patrick]

I watched the first few minutes, but I quit watching when that guy talked about turning homo. I just hope a priest was not involved in the story.

I never watch broadcast television or cable, but I do enjoy watching a good movie now and then. Lately, I have been thinking of getting rid of the television, VCR, and DVD player altogether. I own so many unread books.

[Anne]

Thanks to Thomistic for providing the Fatima
info. When I read the heading, I wondered what did she say?

I also did not open the clips- the pictures tell alot. Recently, I was almost being persuaded like "oh well, it not my business," but that 2nd to last photo is so creepy- one can say it is diabolic.

My confirmations are confirmed- there is no love in relationships like this, it is violence and diabolic perversions.

spooky

[joanne]

I watched enough of each clip to get the idea. Actually, as awful as any glance at a soap opera is, I had not realized that they had gotten this bold. Most disturbing about that is that so many people DO watch the things. There are college students who schedule classes AROUND soaps. So, if the media wants to desensitize the average person, they are doing it by an effective means. Ick.

[Anon]

As a gay man, and former SSPX seminarian, I rather enjoyed this storyline and could relate to much of what Luke went through. If, however, our Lady of Fatima was refering to homosexuality in her comments, I find it bizarre that she should be so ignorant of history. Homosexuality has been more accepted in certain periods of history than it is today. The Catholic Church especially has been a haven for gay men for centuries, and I was not the only homosexual at my seminary. There are priests and seminary professors within the traditional Catholic movement who quietly practice homosexuality while at the same time ministering to communities that would hang them for who they are.

[joanne]

"There are priests and seminary professors within the traditional Catholic movement who quietly practice homosexuality..."
What does that mean? That they are active homosexuals? Considering that priests are supposed to be chaste, that's a horrifying comment. This is like saying "There are quiet liars who pose as holy priests and purposefully deceive the faithful." God help us all!

[Patrick]

As a gay man, and former SSPX seminarian...

You may be "gay," but I question if you were ever SSPX. More likely, you are someone trying to smear traditionalist Catholics.

Homosexuality has been more accepted in certain periods of history than it is today.

We all know this to be true. In fact, whenever a society has condoned homosexual behavior it has become rampant (e.g. Ancient Greece). This truth exposes for a lie the statement that homosexual desires and behavior are determined only by genetics.

Genetic traits may be an element in the equation, but that may also be true for alcoholism and certain types on mental illness. Society does not condone or accept alcoholic or schizophrenic behavior as normal. Why should that be the case for homosexual behavior?

The Catholic Church especially has been a haven for gay men for centuries...

Maybe you have been reading that revisionist history by John Boswell. His books amount to nothing more than wishful thinking on his part (or homo fantasies). Nevertheless, homosexual "problems" have been a scourge on every group of people since original sin came into the world. The same goes for every other sort of evil.

There are priests and seminary professors within the traditional Catholic movement who quietly practice homosexuality while at the same time ministering to communities that would hang them for who they are.

I am sure there are some "practicing" individuals in every group. Undoubtedly, there are also people practicing other types of sin. I doubt that anyone would be hanged. I think they would just call for a new priest or professor.

[joanne]

"There are priests and seminary professors within the traditional Catholic movement who quietly practice homosexuality..."
What does that mean? That they are active homosexuals? Considering that priests are supposed to be chaste, that's a horrifying comment. This is like saying "There are quiet liars who pose as holy priests and purposefully deceive the faithful." God help us all!

[Atlanta Catholic]

Joanne,

Sad to tell you, Anon is correct. Several very trusted sources have said the very same thing. There is no way to tell if they are appearing Orthodox. I don't know if Anon was in the SSPX seminary but this has been rampant in the seminaries. Keep remembering that the John Jay report on the scandals was that 80% were homosexual related incidents of molesting. That was an independent study. They are trying to clean up the seminaries but the problem is still there. We need to pray more for our priests.
This is one of the reasons why we only put God on a pedestal. It is very disheartening to learn this but there is nothing new under the sun. We do need to pray more for good and holy priests.

A very good and holy priest who is now deceased told us that the problem was serious. One of the reasons that the scandals were allowed to remain hidden was the fact that you are not going to tell on your brother if you are doing the same thing. This promotes a cycle of hiding things. If you pray and pay attention you will not be deceived.

[Patrick]

Atlanta,

That's just great. You really made my day :o) Now, when I think of seminary dorm rooms I will have the second to last image (above) in mind. Puke! Now, I won't set in one of those places without a Hazmat suit.

If what you say is true, then it's time to burn all those seminaries down (with a flame thrower) and sow salt into the soil for miles around. Time to start from scratch!

[Patrick]

I still think the problem is less likely in orthodox/traditionalist circles. If you are engaging in that behavior (or are tempted) why not join Cardinal Mahony's seminary where they will probably pin a ribbon on you? Why would you join a group that still takes a hard stand against that behavior? Furthermore, I have not heard of as many scandals involving individuals from the conservative/traditionalist groups.

[Atlanta Catholic]

Patrick,

The reason they join the traditional order is they hope the orthodox environment will help them. Some are able to avoid acting out, some are not. The good priest said that they started out with good intentions but were seduced. The word he used regarding the situation was "infested".

You said it best when you stated that many different sins are committed by many different groups. Being orthodox in knowledge and acceptance of the truth is not a fail-safe mechanism if a person struggling with this disorder is seduced. The important thing is to pray for vocations and that strong good men will respond to these prayers. You are right about one thing. It would be better if many semanaries were closed down. They have been petri dishes of corruption. The scandals have forced a look at this crisis. I am not saying that there is no hope. I am saying that the situation is there. I remember the sick feeling I got when a trusted source said we would be shocked at the double life that many are leading. I did not want to believe it or accept it either. The exposure of the scandals showed the truth. Pray hard and remember that Our Lady said,
"In the end my Immaculate Heart will Triumph"!

[joanne]

Might not the severity of the problem be a matter of perspective? If I were to judge the proportion of gay to straight college males according to who I know in that age group, I would have to say 90%. And yet the national statistic is something like 4%.
Again, if I were to judge the number of pedophile priests based on info I gathered unintentionally while I was standing at a library counter when a discussion broke out among former Catholic school students (female) I would have to say 2/3 of the local priests were dangerous and undetected by adults.
(Yet I have never, to my knowledge, met such a priest, although I was confirmed by a bishop in PA who, naively or otherwise, failed to stop abuse in a traditional learning environment.)
I know trustworthy priests who say that the picture painted by M. Rose, etc, is fictional or at least exaggerated. It could be that their personal positive experiences concerning their brother priests were as mine are--quite different from many of the stories we hear.
What we don't know, because our personal realities differ, is whether one side is blinded by good experience or the other is prejudiced by negative experience.
In any case, as it has been said, we DO need to pray more fervently for our priests. One way or another , they and we need the prayers.
As to the double-life possibility, that is, of course, the MOST debilitating in terms of faith. I married a man who could effectively convince people for YEARS that his character was almost the opposite of what it apparently is. Even today, a year after the annulment, I can't tell when he's being "real" and tend to forget, when faced with his friendliness, his "other side".
Sometimes I wonder if I saw a man commit murder would my memory erase the crime if he handed me a cup of coffee with a smile the next day? Scary thought. I think I would have invited Hitler in for dinner if he asked politely!

[Donald]

Joanne:

Atlanta Catholic is telling the truth and it is pervasive...to the extent where many good young men were disheartened by the actions and ambivalence by Directorship of these seminaries when pleas of improving the problem is brought to their attention...including to the point where young Novices are asked to leave if they don't "fit in" or be tolerant...they usually do not make it through that first couple of years...irrespective of their reverence. The seminary hierarchy will either dismiss them from advancement or be less than supportive of their continuing in their vocation...it is VERY sad...Atlanta C atholicand Patrick are correct..."Blow it up and start over"...the sadder part are the good young priests that never made it!