You are the one denigrating Eastern tradition. As Doom and I pointed out your initial contrast between East and West was very wrong. It is true that the areas of theology characteristic of each tends different. East toward metaphysical (Trinitarian, Christological) West toward ethical (soteriological)

The "mystification" of Eastern thought is a Western fetish, one not fair to East or West

Hold on a bit, you and Obi have strongly suggested that the East is semi-Pelagian, which by your own admission is heresy...

I didn't say that, didn't suggest that, and didn't intend to.

Is this not suggesting?

And here as well...

We?

So, would this mean that Tim and Pat here are semi-Pelagians, as well as lazy minded?

https://www.catholic.com/video/why-woul ... go-to-hell

No. It is saying that some (perhaps many) Eastern theologians say things that sound semipelagian to me. That's a huge distance from making a blanket claim that the Eastern is semipelagian.

And yes, lots of popular Catholic theology is unwittingly semipelagian.

So then, in Catholic theology there really is no free will for humanity, however you want to frame it in light of this it is all fatalistically predetermined, and life is rather meaningless.

No. I wish you would read things carefully and take time to understand instead of flying off the handle.

http://www.thecounciloftrent.com/ch6.htm

See Canons IV - VI.

I'm not flying off the handle, but it is utterly impossible to reconcile double predestination w/any semblance of free will or choice, it make it all an illusion.

The problem is that you are asking complex questions and insisting on simple answers. And when you don't get a simple answer, you try to cram what you were given into the framework of a simple answer.

Yea, ok.

If you go to Hell, it will be because you freely made the choices that took you there, not because God made you do it. So if you're screwed, it's your fault. So quit fussing and keep making the choices that go to Heaven, and let God take care of the rest.

It seems the more you learn of the Catholic faith the more you are led to the very place the Church condemns you for, namely despair!

You aren't reading a word I'm saying--or rather, you're convinced you already know what I'm saying and read that into what I actually said.

I've suddenly lost the desire to go out w/my son for Christmas Eve tomorrow, what's the point of celebrating at all.

See?

I will be blunt: God is giving you sufficient grace to be saved (that's Catholic doctrine, BTW), and you're busy throwing yourself a pity party.