Plagiarizing O'Hare to Give an Opinion on Luther

Here's one from the Catholic Answers Forums in which a person who often claimed to be doing research presented a plagiarized rewording of  Patrick O'Hare's Facts About Luther (and also two sentences from John Osborne's play on Luther).  The person claims to have not read O'Hare's book, but says it was taken from a source that can no longer be found (so this unknown source plagiarized The Facts About Luther). I post it here in the event of tracking down the real culprit.

In school Luther met with the same severity that was meted out at home.

O'Hare: In school he met with the same severity that was meted out to him at home (36)

The schoolmaster of that time was generally a harsh disciplinarian and inspired a fear in his pupils, which was difficult to remove afterwards.

O'Hare: The schoolmaster of that day was generally a harsh disciplinarian and inspired a fear in pupils which was difficult to remove ever afterward. (36)

Under this harsh environment Luther said" It shattered his nervous system for life."

O'Hare: "This severity," he says later on, ''shattered his nervous system for life." (37)

When Luther entered the Augustinian Order, he decided to work out his salvation , making this decision, without due consideration of his disposition.

O'Hare: He was on his way to become an excellent professor and an accomplished advocate, when, unfortunately for himself he resolved, without due consideration of his natural disposition, to become a friar. (42)

His closest friends tried to persuade him to reconsider (incomplete sentence)

O'Hare: His guests, knowing how unfitted he seemed for the monastic career, and sorry to lose a jovial companion, pleaded with him to reconsider his decision (43)

his earliest days he was subject to fits of depression and sudden mood swings.

O'Hare: From his earliest days he was subject to fits of depression and melancholy. (46)

He fell victim to excessive scrupulosity, and he was self-opinionated and stubborn minded and he relied altogether too much on his own righteousness and disregarded the remedies most effectual for his spiritual condition. Like all those who trusted in themselves, he rushed from extreme timidity to excessive rashness.

O'Hare: He fell a victim to excessive scrupulousness, and, as he was self-opinionated and stubborn-minded, he relied altogether too much on his own righteousness and disregarded the remedies most effectual for his spiritual condition. Like all those who trust in themselves, he rushed from extreme timidity to excessive rashness.

Luther saw himself, nothing but sin, more sin than he felt he could atone for by trying any works of penance.

O'Hare: He saw in himself nothing but sin, more sin than he felt he could atone for by any works of penance. (57-58)

In all his prayers and fastings the conception of God he placed before his mind was very much that of a God of avenging justice and very little that of a God of mercy.

O'Hare: In all his prayers and fastings the conception of God he placed before his mind was very much that of a God of avenging justice and very little that of a God of'mercy. (58)

The fear of the divine wrath made him abnormally apprehensive and prevented him from experiencing comfort and help.

O'Hare: The fear of the divine wrath made him abnormally apprehensive and prevented him from experiencing comfort and help in the performance of religious exercises. (58)

Instead of trusting with childlike confidence in the pardoning mercy of God and the merits of Christ, as the CC always exhorted the sourly tried to do, he gave himself to black despair.

O'Hare: His sorrow for sin was devoid of humble charity and instead of trusting with childlike confidence in the pardoning mercy of God and in the merits of Christ, as the Church always exhorted the sorely tried to do, he gave himself up to black despair. (58)

His singularity brought on distress of his soul, and his anxiety increased on the verge of madness.

O'Hare: His singularity brought on distress of soul and his anxiety increased until wakefulness became a confirmed habit. His condition became so sad that at times his fellow-monks feared he was on the verge of madness. (58)

All of these troubles may have been due to his having chosen the religious state of life, especially inasmuch as he entered upon it without due consideration.

O'Hare: He was on his way to become an excellent professor and an accomplished advocate, when, un- fortunately for himself he resolved, without due consideration of his natural disposition, to become a friar. (42)

More importantly it is felt that if he had not disregarded the monastic regulations by those of his own devising, and had put into practice the wise directions of his spiritual directors, his troubles would have been greatly mitigated and considerably surmounted.

O'Hare: But passing this consideration over, we feel that had he not disregarded the monastic regulations for those of his own devising and had he put into practise the wise directions of his spiritual guides, his troubles of soul would certainly have been much mitigated and considerably surmounted. (58)

Like most victims of scrupulosity he saw nothing in himself but wickidness and corruption.

O'Hare: Like most victims of scrupulosity he saw nothing in himself but wickedness and corruption.(58)

Since Luther was not content with the ordinary spiritual exercises prescribed by the Rule of St. Augustine, he set out on an independent path of righteousness. Luther decided he was going to do it his own way, which is usual for all stubborn minds, instead of by accepted means by those who could give him the help he needed by those who had experience and knowledge. Luther in his attempt to relieve his situation by his own means, the condition only worsened. Luther said that" I prescribed special tasks to myself and had my own ways. My superiors fought against this singularity."

O'Hare: Not content with the ordinary spiritual exercises prescribed by the rule of the Order, he marked out for himself an independent path of righteousness. He wanted to have his own way, and, as is usual in the case of all stubborn minds, the arbitrary means he resorted to for relief only made his condition worse.I prescribed," he says, "special tasks to myself and had my own ways. My superiors fought against this singularity and they did so rightly. (58-59)

His extreme behavior continued, passing from timidity to rashness. So from one absurdity he passed to another with the greatest ease.

O'Hare: From extreme timidity he passed to excessive rashness. (60)

Luther's scrupulosity and arrogance led one to say" I beg you Martin not to believe that you, and you alone, understand the meaning of the Gospels. Don't rate your own opinions so highly, so far beyond that of many other sincere and eminent men."

This one is not from O'Hare- it's from John Osborne's play about Luther (Act Three, 103). "I beg you, Martin, not to believe that you, and you alone, understand the meaning of the Gospels. Don't rate your own opinion so highly, so far beyond that of many other sincere and eminent men."

Luther's writings make it quite clear and obvious in his arguments that he believes that only he had the true interpretation of Scripture.

Unknown

It has been long considered among the ill-informed that Luther inaugurated his movement against the CC from a desire to reform.

O'Hare: It has long been considered amongst the ill-informed that Luther inaugurated his movement against the Church of his forefathers from a desire of reform. (60)

This view is not borne out by facts when one examines the nature of Luther. External causes played little or no part in his change of religion. The impelling motive centered in his own nature, which demanded a teaching able to assure his tormented mind of pardon of sin and the ultimate salvation.

O'Hare: This view-point is not borne out by the facts in the case. External causes played little or no part in his change of religion. The impelling motive centered in his own nature, which demanded a teaching able to assure his tormented soul of pardon of sin and ultimate salvation. (60-61)

Troubled by doubts as to his vocation and oppressed by violent elements of hatred, envy, quarrelsomeness and pride, his singular self-esteem and self- reliance would not suffer him to make intelligent and enlightened use of the remedies most effectual for the cure of his abnormal spiritual life.

O'Hare: Troubled with doubts as to his vocation and oppressed by "violent movements of hatred, envy, quarrelsomeness and pride," his singular self-esteem and self-reliance would not suffer him to make intelligent and enlightened use of the remedies most effectual for the cure of his abnormal spiritual maladies.(61)

He formulated and proclaimed pronouncements that the CC was unable to by her teachings and sacramental system to reconcile souls with God and bring comfort to those thirsting after salvation.

O'Hare: Led on by a spirit that was not of God, he formulated and proclaimed the blasphemous pronouncement that the Catholic Church was unable by her teaching and sacramental system to reconcile souls with God and bring comfort to those thirsting after salvation. (64)

Luther passed from error to error in quick succession. Luther came by degrees to believe that by reason on inherited sin, man had become totally depraved and possessed no liberty of the will.

O'Hare: From error to error he passed in quick succession until we find him unblushingly upholding the utter corruption of human nature because of original sin, denying the freedom of the will, defending the rights of reason against dogmatic authority and declaring that "reason speaks nothing but madness and foolishness." (64)

He then concluded that all human action whatsoever, even that which is directed towards good, being an amanation from our corrupt nature, is in the sight of God, nothing more or less than deadly sin. Therefore one's actions have no influence on one's salvation, and one is saved by faith alone without good works.

O'Hare: He then concluded that all human action whatever, even that which is directed towards good, being an emanation from our corrupt nature, is, in the sight of God, nothing more or less than deadly sin: therefore our actions have no influence on our salvation; we are saved "by faith alone without good works." (60)