The Catholic Defender: Ross Earl Hoffman, YOU’RE FIRED remembered

Ladies and Gentleman, I regretfully announce that I, Donald T. Hartley, the Catholic Defender, President of Deepertruth do now feel that I have no choice but to publically Fire Ross Earl Hoffman.

Over the years, Ross has done many great things for Deepertruth and for the Catholic Church. His teamwork with Margie Prox Sindelar on Facebook, hosting a show on Deepertruth, the Round Table that would become the Roaming Romans became a spring board for mission trips to Israel and Rome.

Two Catholic Apologists, Dave Armstrong and Steve Ray both were connected to these trips and the Radio show.

But as Ross has continued to make false claims against me as well as others for his own personal purpose. Because of his onslaught against many people who were close associations there have been many people dividing up along lines of support.

St. Paul warns, “What causes wars, and what causes fightings among you? Is it not your passions that are at war in your members?” Because Ross, you have chosen to separate yourself from Deepertruth by your commitment of waging a personal war, anyone who differed with you were unfriended and blocked by you. Even though you have gone strictly against the intent of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, I was patient with you hoping that from Christmas till now you would allow the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts and actions.

What I have witnessed the past two months how you used your influence to makeSleep Deprivation, Isolation, and Waterboarding a part of torture even though the Bishops had not made that connection, you chose to keep a rigid interpretation of the USCCB Guideline: Torture is a Moral Issue, you fail to understand the written text.

Also you have attacked Catholics who are Pro-Life,something that Deepertruth is very committed too, your tying Abortion with sleep deprivation and other forms of interrogation that are considered to be gray areas that the Catholic Church has not defined as mortal sin. You and your Clan have made attacks on even Catholic Religious who speak out against your rigid ideology.

I have received personal messages from friends that they would agree with your position to a point, but because of your reckless blind efforts have pushed even potential supporters against you.

I’m sure that any priest could share the Bishops intent of the Guidelines and would respect your position, but I was taught that you should never attack a Priest. Or even advance the false idea that I made this all up? Here are the questions I asked a Confessor:

Father, if I participated in an abortion, would I need to confess this? The answer was yes.

Father, if I utilized Artificial Birth Control, would I need to confess this? The answer was yes.

Father, if I was under orders to interrogate a Prisoner of War using sleep deprivation, isolation, and or waterboarding, would I need to confess this? The answer is no. Unless there was an abuse that clearly the Bishops intent would be torture. (After talking with Father, I need to share that he doesn’t really give a yes or no to that third question, I understood for him to have said that.) I still feel that until the Church is clear that waterboarding is a sin or not, we should use charity in discussing the issue and not condemning others.

From my article, The Catholic Defender: The Torture Debate, I presented the following:

“On the issue of sleep deprivation, what the Bishops considered torture was the prolonged interrogation without sleep that could run 180 hrs with limited breaks, little food and drink. That would constitute as torture. But sleep deprivation in itself was not torture, it is the obvious abuse of it.”

“On the question of isolation, using a hood or placing a Prisoner in isolation was not torture, but again it would be the abuse of placing a Detainee in darkness for days and weeks without interaction, without opportunity to exercise, without food or water would constitute as torture.”

“The big one that people seem to base most of their argument on is water boarding. Water boarding does not cause “SEVERE” pain or suffering, but admittedly, it is not a pleasant experience. It creates the reflex of drowning. The USCCB has not made any of these issues classified as torture. Of course these can be torture, especially when used by our enemies.

One more reason why this is important is how you exerted your influence to bring young Catholic converts and bringing them into your personal war. I warned you before Christmas that this issue was not worth falling on your sword over, but you could not help yourself.

The United States Military does not authorize torture and for you to accuse Catholics who follow the intent of what the USCCB intends, you are wrong and now duly formally fired. Steve Dawson, Steve Ray, and and many others will be forwarded this happening. Ross, I really pray that you find peace and that you will ultimately come to see the damage you have caused and will render an apology to all that have been hurt on all sides of this happening.

Ross, your personal attacks coming from some of your loyalists do not bother me, it is sad in that I knew them as friends and Brothers and Sisters. I pray for all of you that you will all find the peace that is beyond understanding.

I will refer to Barbara (Diocese of Austin) here, that her recommendation to follow the intent of the Bishops, to foster charity between all involved. What has been happening is just the opposite.

https://www.deepertruthblog.com/blogsite/?s=torture