Human Relations (Contact) According to the Dimonds
Sedevacantism seen by Jay Dyer is a world of "spooks, Kooks and crooks.” [66] The crux of his video’s message on this subject comes in line with my own experience. I wish to go on record as corroborating the validity of Dyer’s analysis and confirm that it does apply to the Dimonds.
Before continuing, I would first like to acknowledge the presence of the numerous courageous, intelligent men and women found amongst the sedevacantists. Many of these individuals remain my friends. For those who still vigorously support the monks of MHFM, I’m of the opinion that they simply fail to see and/or recognize the illicit religious stranglehold the Dimonds have placed on them; they do not see that it’s “exacerbated centralism” and not “pastoral care” which reigns over this alleged Benedictine monastery; “ruled” over by its narcistic leader “Michael” Dimond.
Those who seek to comply and follow to the letter the demands of the Dimonds concerning the “sacraments of the church” will admit that “it’s easier to say than to do”. [67] The United States does not mirror the realities existing in the rest of the world. So it will happen that if one seeks to follow the ridged sacramental demands of MHFM, one is left with no other option that to stay home. The isolation then becomes very heavy and leads to a form of toxicity in relationships.
I was very hard myself, too hard with the people I unwittingly thought to be guiding. I always talked about trenches. But it's much easier to stay alone in Fillmore, in the USA, where these monks live, more or less far removed from any dangerous socio-political issues, than in a Europe that is deteriorating day by day or in another corner of the world. The imprudence (or should it be said deceit) that I perceive in their advice on how and where to receive the sacraments, push people to adopt an abusive attitude towards the few remaining pro-Vatican II priests who, out of their kindness and patience, accept to confess those who continually treat them as being heretics, and who do not support their ministry (chapel).
It seems the Dimond Brothers don’t have a clue about the realities of everyday life found outside of the United States. It’s far easier for them to live by their “rigid code” and accept to stay “Home Alone” in Fillmore, NY; thousands of miles away the explosive / dangerous socio-political realities of the world outside of America. The imprudence (deceit) that I perceive to exist in the Dimonds’ rigid demands, concerning how and where to participate in the sacraments of the church, push people to seek out the few remaining legitimately ordained Vatican II priests left in the world who accept, through their pastoral kindness and tolerance, to confess those (sedevacantists) who continually belittle them as being “heretics”, and who do not contribute to the support of their ministries.
During my 7 years of service with MHFM I repeatedly observed / experienced the lack of civility, the application of common courtesy, and above all else the lack of any semblance of true “pastoral care”. Steven Speray had argued against Peter Dimond about Baptism [68] and was shocked / dismayed by Dimond’s behavior. [69] The monk called him late at night, setting unrealistic self-serving conditions intended to ensure that the outcome of the debate would end up in his favor. Yet, this is not the first time Peter Dimond has employed such deceitful tactics to ensure the outcome of a scheduled debate. [70] No matter what side of the Baptism of Desire issue that you are on, the behavior of Peter Dimond remains not only inappropriate and unacceptable but it’s scandalous.
The Dimond’s position on the "End Times" [71] explains, for the most part, why they legitimize the use of such an isolating / insulting behavior. It is believed that in these “exceptional times” that “exceptional measures” are justified / warranted. Yet, for the Dimonds, the “exception” eventually becomes the “rule”.
Concerning the “End Times”, I would encourage you to consider a hypothesis that the end times kings of the Apocalypse were actually referring to the last Kings of Judea; and that the warnings Christ stated, in Matthew 24, were not prophetic prediction concerning our day, but rather prophesying the sack of Jerusalem in 70 AD. An in-depth article on this hypothesis is found in the links section of this document. In short, if the Dimonds’ “end times” position proves itself to be pure conjecture on their part; then the MHFM collapses. Over the years, I have witnessed the escalation of Dimonds’ confidence in the “End Times”. It is as if their use of the word "could", the “conditional” tense used to say that one would be free to reject their theory, is actually “false” and that one must adhere to their position or risk of being rejected by MHFM. Their “conditional” use of “could” is actually cleverly inserted “injunction”.
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Twitter, Answer of a pro-MHM to someone not agreeing with their view on the End Times
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The Dimonds do the same with praying the Rosary. Whenever they recommend praying the Rosary to people, their use of "you should pray" is skewed, as it is intended to exert pressure on the individual to complete all 15 decades at least once per day. [72] I once spent whole nights praying the rosary over and over, knowing full well that in the morning I had to go to work. It was an exhausting process required by the monks who often seemed to me to be “disconnected” from reality. I want to make it clear that everything I told / instructed others to do, like saying the 15 decades of the Rosary each day, I did it myself.
Note: I’ve come to realize that this insistent transmission to individual of the necessity of performing such “everyday” sleep-deprivation conversion procedures is synonymous with the practices found with mind control cults. It suffices to observe the relentless devoted efforts of MHFM’s faithful base to confirm that what I have said is true.
Having spent consecutive days and nights translating the work of the monks, I have come to know / recognize their writing style and can easily identify very specific linguistic characteristics. It is amazing to observe their same retorts and key words utilized by their faithful base who comment on various social media outlets.
MHFM’s faithful base have literally become “parrots” and/or nauseatingly true copies / clones of the Dimonds; using the same frigid tone, absent of the second degree of charity they themselves define. To insult as “heretics” everyone one meets, is more or less what happens for it appears that it is not enough to convert one’s neighbor to the true faith, but one must equally convince him to adhere completely to all the positions held by the Dimonds; as would any "cult".
I would encourage these individuals to remember that Apollos was a disciple of St. Paul and evangelized by his side without first being baptized. [73] MHFM would find it difficult defending this historical fact as, according to their writings and the professed opinions of their peers, they would to think long and hard before even saying hello to anyone who has not been baptized. The impression I’m left with after 7 years of observation within MHFM is that few there are within that alleged religious community who would be capable of recognizing any of the righteous found in the Old Testament (if they were not already names) and most certainly would criticize / condemn any evangelical who showed the same Charity today that Christ bestowed upon the sick, the sinner, and the Samaritans!
There are some members of MHFM who have a certain predisposition to ultimately one day choose a monastic life, residing in total isolation from the outside world. I met people matching this description. But it would be a mistake to ignore the non-monastic (laity) or to force them to be on the same level as them in matters that are unrelated to their obtaining salvation, according to the Dimond.
Let's take a look at the behavior on “social media” that some Dimond supporters display. Browsing the “CatholicTrue” account on Twitter is as good a place to start as any. [74] If this “CatholicTrue” turns out not to be Peter Dimond writing this debased stuff, then it's as true a copy of him that there may ever will be. Yet, if it's him, as I rightly or wrongly suspect, then it’s stupefying that Jay Dyer can be faulted (by Dimond) for the number of religious changes he has made in his life. It is reckless and ignoble on the part of “CatholicTrue” to infer that Dyer changes religion as often as he changes his socks. [75] It’s hypocritical as “CatholicTrue” does not seem to remember that MHFM once condemned the pagan use of Christmas trees but later changed their minds. [76] I myself participated in the translation into French of the original. [77]
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MHFM Article in French condemning the use of Christmas trees
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Twitter, CatholicTrue
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This has caused me problems with my own family and it is a shame to learn years later that this could have been avoided. The Dimonds have no excuse in not agreeing to and/or sticking with the information they disseminate. It is also an example of the consequences of their way of meddling and interfering with anything and everything rather that spending their time in prayer and contemplation, which is the traditional obligation of Benedictine monks.
Jay Dyer makes a connection between “Autism” and “Sedevacantism”; that these individuals are unstable in their frantic search for a utopian ideal. Speaking from experience, Dyer states that at 20 years of age:
“I was very idealistic and I assumed that there would be a perfect system that I could map on to reality. And when I didn’t find everything matching up to this perfect intellectual system, it became very frustrating because – it eventually leads to a kind of despair because this is ‘you and nobody else’… You don’t have any friends… You feel like you’re in mortal sin each time you don’t do what you little cult tells you not to do.” [78]
I concur with Dyer and have similar stories I could share. Generally speaking, we find in sedevacantism, and especially in those who gravitate towards MHFM, people who lack flexibility, who panic as soon as the realities associated with that religious scenario fail match up with their expectations. I know all too well the truth of that statement.
As far as my relationship with the monks is concerned I admit to having received some rash emails from Peter Dimond. Yet, there are stories of those who actually lived at the monastery in Fillmore, NY, and/or interacted directly with them. Richard Ibranyi is one such a former MHFM monk who evoked in his personal testimony numerous accounts in accordance with what I've been stating. [79] The current positions held by this former monk should not rule out in the validity of the statements made in his audio recording; although one needs to proceed with a rational sense of caution.
It is interesting to note some of the frustrations and/or observations expressed by many people who have been in direct contact with the Dimond for an extended period of time, in order to provide us with a more accurate understanding of the disturbing behavior found within MHFM. Richard Ibranyi spoke in particular of the total lack of charity of the Dimonds during his time at the monastery, in addition to the overall lack of interest in their providing true pastoral care.
There is the testimony of a young girl relating the story of when she and her family visited MHFM that confirms, unequivocally, a sense of uneasiness in the behavior of Fillmore's monks in general. The MHFM was deemed to be “unfriendly” by this family, though no direct criticism was made of them, although several days later the family received an email from the Dimonds threatening them with the Hell, fire, and damnation if the girl did not stop wearing jeans. [80] If the story is true, such action clearly demonstrates the Dimonds’ complete disconnection from reality and further proves that the Dimonds do not apply in the real world what they proclaim loud and clear in their virtual one.
It is also interesting to note that the monastery is the source of several internal schisms; for example with the old monks Richard Ibranyi or John Vennari. This confirms another analysis by Jay Dyer about the logical flow in which sedevacantism leads, which brings together in groups several strong personalities who are victims of an overly imposing ideal:
“Sedevacantism is in its own way another version of Donatism., in that it seeks for this extreme purity on the basis of this extremely intellectualized systematic Thomistic type of view. And when it doesn’t get it, it splits and starts its own movement.” [81]
The Dimonds are known to have encouraged certain of their followers to literally “hate” their own family members by misquoting / misinterpreting the words of Jesus Christ found in Luke 14:26. I certainly prefer the Biblical commentary found in the Orthodox Study Bible, which states the exact opposite of what the Dimonds concluded.
Luc 14:26 – “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”
Orthodox Study Bible, Commentary on Luke 14:26 : “The command to hate one’s kindred and his own life also is not to be taken literally. Rather we are to hate the way our relationships with others can hinder our total dedication to the Kingdom of God, which takes precedence even over family ties.
The passage is not to be taken literally. Peter Dimond is the first to say that the biblical quote of tearing one's eyes to stay away from hell is not literal. [82]
Peter Dimond: “But not every scripture is understood by the Catholic Church in the literal sense. For example, in Matthew 5:29, Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us that if our eye scandalizes us we should pluck it out, for it is better that it should perish than our whole body in Hell. But Our Lord’s words here are not to be understood literally. His words are spoken figuratively to describe an occasion of sin or something in life that may scandalize us and be a hindrance to our salvation. We must pluck it out and cut it off, says Our Lord, because it is better to be without it than to perish altogether in the fires of Hell. On the other hand, other verses of scripture are understood by the Church in the literal sense…”
Where does come off thinking that it is MHFM who chooses which biblical passage dealing with “hate” can be taken literally and which cannot? Peter Dimond’s interpretation of the use of the word “hate”, in Luke 14:26, goes directly against God's fourth commandment, to honor thy mother and father. And there are many other passages within the Gospels that repeat this particular verse but do not use the word “hate” at all.
How can we speak about the "good fruits" of MHFM when we see such evidence of debased evangelical behavior? Jay Dyer rightly expresses that point in his own experience, where people became Atheists ten years after being Sedevacantist upon realizing the absurdity of the position. [83] All of this considered, I now hold the opinion that MHFM is a “hate” group who have structured a form of mind control whether these monks realize it or not. It's an organization that has managed to transform a lot of people into hate filled and enraged fanatics; that are then unleashed upon the internet. Where is the "living" Church to be found in such mayhem? Where is the "living" Church found when we look at these Dimondites sedevacantists? How does one explain such an attitude?
Endnotes:
[66] Dyer, I Am ; 37m50s
[67] Vaticancatholic, Where To Receive Sacraments: https://www.mostholyfamilymonastery.com/catholicchurch/where-to-receive-sacraments/
[68] Vaticancatholic, Debate: Do 'Baptism of Desire' Traditionalist Priests Believe Souls Can Be Saved In False Religions?; June 29 2013 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPfhgR6pfLM
[69] Steven Speray, The Debate with Bro. Peter Dimond ; 30 juin 2013 : https://stevensperay.wordpress.com/2013/06/30/the-debate-with-bro-peter-dimond/
[70] Read John Salza Responds to the Lies, Errors and Hypocrisy of Sedevacantist Peter Dimond: http://www.christkinglaw.com/uploads/9/5/6/8/9568822/feature_-_salzas_rebuttal_of_dimond_on_sedevacantism_2.pdf ; p. 3 : « …just ask William Albrecht who can show that Dimond removed almost 35 minutes of William’s argumentation against sedevacantism before posting the debate on his site… »
[71] Cf. note de fin n° 14
[72] Simply activate the search engine in their E-Exchanges typing “you should pray”. For example: https://www.mostholyfamilymonastery.com/Articles/E_2014_second_archive.php. I noted a drop of this mention in their most recent publications. An admission of too high a requirement without, however, assuming a past error of judgment? The recommendation, suspected of being an order, to pray the Rosary every day is also found in Vaticancatholic, Catholic Baptism; The Steps to Convert to the Traditional Catholic Faith; The Steps for those leaving the New Mass; and Conditional Catholic Baptism: : https://www.mostholyfamilymonastery.com/catholicchurch/catholic-baptism-steps-to-convert/#.XKtC61UzaM8
[73] Wikipédia, Apollos: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollos. We read: “...he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.”
[74] Twitter, CatholicTrue : https://twitter.com/catholictrue?lang=fr
[75] Dyer, Became Orthodox. Et Dyer, Debates Nick ; 1h46m10s.
[76] Twitter, CatholicTrue ; 23 déc. 2018 : https://twitter.com/catholictrue/status/1076789278414262272
[77] Vaticancatholique, « Sapin de Noël » : https://www.vaticancatholique.com/sapin-de-noel/#.XKWt3FUzaM8 On y lit : « Nous sommes heureux que vous ayez soulevé ce sujet. Nous ne pensons pas qu'un catholique devrait mettre en place un ‘sapin de Noël’.» Dans un e-exchanges des moines de 2012 un de leurs partisans à écrit : « We support your opinion on not putting up a ‘Christmas tree’» (Nous soutenons votre opinion de ne pas placer un arbre de Noël.) ; ce qui témoigne du fait qu’un tel article reflétant leur opinion circulait sur leur site. https://www.mostholyfamilymonastery.com/Articles/E_2012_fall_archive.php One reads: “We are glad you raised this topic. We do not think a Catholic should set up a 'Christmas tree'.” In an e-exchange of the monks from 2012, one of their fans wrote: “We support your opinion on not putting up a ‘Christmas tree’.” ; which testifies to the fact that such an article reflecting their opinion circulated on their site.
[78] Dyer, SedevacAUTISM ; 2m50s ; 3m10s ; 3m20s.
[79] DefendingThe Faith, Richard Ibranyi on the MHFM: July 21, 2011; Feb 9, 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LojYStQG1Y . PDF of transcript : http://www.23rdstreet.com/pdf/richard_ibranyi/rjmi_mhfm_transcript.pdf
[80] Cit. Steven Speray, The Dimond Brothers Debate Challenge ; 23 juin 2013 : https://stevensperay.wordpress.com/2013/06/23/the-dimond-brothers-debate-challenge/; Comments, Joan, June 24 2013
[81] Dyer, SedevacAUTISM ; 11m30s.
[82] “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” Cf. Peter Dimond, Outside The Catholic Church There is Absolutely No Salvation, PDF: https://www.vaticancatholique.com/pdf/hors-eglise-pas-de-salut.pdf
[83] Dyer, SedevacAUTISM ; 9m34s.