Pierini
Fitness fired Facebook over
five years ago and shared the news with his sports fans here: I fired Facebook.
Now Facebook has been doing lots of firing and its latest
victim is a peace-loving quote by St. Augustine of Hippo, a 5th
century Catholic theologian, philosopher who’s also titled Doctor of the
Church.
Apparently, the powers to be at Facebook have proclaimed that
a quote of St. Augustine is “hate speech” and doesn’t belong on the Facebook
website. This “hate speech” quote is as
follows:
“Let us never assume that if
we live good lives we will be without sin; our lives should be praised only
when we continue to beg for pardon. But men are hopeless creatures, and the
less they concentrate on their own sins, the more interested they become in the
sins of others. They seek to criticize, not to correct. Unable to excuse
themselves, they are ready to accuse others.”
What a great message; it’s hard to see the “hate” in it. It’s the dear Saint’s own version of the
biblical verse – Matthew 7:3 – “"Why do
you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log
that is in your own eye?”
Think about it for a moment and then ask yourself, as Pierini Fitness has asked himself, how often do we point the finger at
someone else while failing to realize when doing so there are more fingers pointing
back at us?
In the politically-polarized world in which we now live,
dominated by a vast and boundless social media cyberspace, it’s easier than
ever to shout out the most snarky malarkey possible, anonymously and safely in
the comfort of our padlocked and secure homes and receive kudos from others who
are doing the same.
What is the same?
That which St. Augustine writes about that Facebook has
labeled hate speech: “But men are hopeless creatures, and the less
they concentrate on their own sins, the more interested they become in the sins
of others.”
Pierini
Fitness has written about St.
Augustine and his great works a time or two and finds the dear Saint’s teachings
and writings align with his middle-aged man reflections about living and dying,
gracefully-aging and trying to live a good and honest life.
Therefore, here at Pierini
Fitness, always welcome are the great works of
St. Augustine.
Pax
Domini sit semper vobiscum
