It never ceases to amaze me how those who embrace liberalism as a political, philosophical, and religious ideology continue to fawn over one another, congratulating themselves on how "enlightened" they are. Well, for those who never tire of pointing out that Obama won the college-educated vote and like to imply that McCain won the inbred country-bumpkin vote, here's a sobering look at twelve randomly chosen Obama voters and their knowledge of the issues and stories of this last election. And lest anyone think that this is a selective sampling, you can read about the similarly disturbing results of a more comprehensive poll conducted by John Zogby here.
I leave the reader/viewer to draw his own conclusions, but I will say that this is what happens when the liberal arts education curriculum is hijacked by liberal con artists...
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
A Great Post-Election Reflection
Hello brothers and sisters,
This reflection comes from Dr. (and Deacon) Mark Miravalle, one of my favorite professors at Franciscan University of Steubenville. If you have never heard this man speak in person, I highly encourage you to do so if and when the opportunity presents itself. This reflection is great food for thought. Continue to pray for America and for the conversion of those whose votes have wrought an imminent national tragedy upon us. God bless!
In Jesus and Mary
Gerald
"STEUBENVILLE, OH (NOVEMBER 6, 2008) - On the day following the election, Dr. Mark Miravalle, Professor of Theology and Mariology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, offered the following statement on the election of Sen. Barack Obama.
It is Wednesday, November 5, 2008 , the day after the election of the United States President.
I believe that for Catholics, for Christians, for people of sincerely good will, that whether it be in a few days, a few weeks, a few months, or in the not too distant future, those who cast a vote for the pro-abortion candidate, our President-elect, are going to wake up at some point with the shocking question and the realization, "What have I done?" I say that without judgment of heart, but I say it with objectivity of mind, in light of the President-elect that now will be guiding the United States of America and a ll its worldwide outreaches, in terms of both public policy and moral policy.
Evidently, based on exit polls, more than half of the Catholics in the United States voted for a candidate who has voiced the following positions:
1. The immediate putting forth and ratifying into law the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). This is an act which removes all bans on any form of abortion, including partial-birth abortion. Since that is now public policy, it is important that you know precisely what that is. That means giving partial birth to a human being, and getting the head out of the womb, and then literally sucking the brain out of his or her tiny human head.
2. This president elect, and the policies that he will advance, do not protect a child who survives an abortion. Based on legislation in Illinois previously backed by the President-elect, if a child does survive an abortion, the child has no rights, and therefore the child could be strangled or drowned, as has bee n the grisly case in some of these particular instances.
3. This country has elected a president elect, who has said that children a young as 13 years old can have an abortion without parental consent. This means a new undermining of the basic authority of father and mother in the family.
4. This president elect has expressed his intention to revoke the Defense of Marriage Act, which translates into the removal of any limitations of marriage in terms of being exclusively between a man and a woman. This was a policy given in an open letter in February 2008 to a gay, lesbian, and transsexual organization. There every reason to believe that this will also be enacted.
Sadly, the list goes on and on and on, as the president-elect will be promulgating a policy of moral degeneration which puts at risk most every foundational Judeo-Christian moral code or basic principle of the natural law.
My friends, if you feel a certain sense of violation in the coming days and weeks, it is understandable. The dignity, the goodness, the history of America in some real sense has been violated through the election of an individual who is so clearly against the dignity of the human person and so against the culture of life.
Many U.S. Catholics fatally decided to vote economy over morals. Now, tragically, we shall be losing both. Where do we go from here?
There is a new call for Catholics who still put their faith first and foremost in Jesus Christ, in the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in the Holy Father, in the Magisterium, for people who understand what the President-elect's policy stands for. It is a call to spiritual action. Now is not a time of despair. It is a time to come forward like never before with the deepest conviction of the human heart that our faith does not lie first in our government or in any government. It lies first in the power of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in the mercy that comes to us through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and in the eternal and inestimable graces that come to us through the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church of Jesus Christ under the appropriate leadership by the power of the Holy Spirit through the leadership of Pope Benedict (who is not elected by man, but by God).
While it is justified to feel the great loss of what we have done as a country in the United States , there's no time to lose in terms of responding in a way that disciples of Jesus Christ should respond. What precisely is that? More courage, more hope, more prayer.
I would invite each of you, if you are not already in the practice, to consider adding to the end of each Rosary three Hail Marys for the end of the horrific scourge of abortion (we must never grow accustomed to its horrific face), and also in reparation for culture of death policies which our new administration will soon be implementing.. We are called to a new level of prayer and dedication. The Rosary is an indescriba bly powerful pro-life prayer.
Greater Eucharistic Adoration, where possible, is, along with the Mass, of the greatest possible spiritual benefits and spiritual weapons for these upcoming times. We can also exponentially add to the power of our prayers for life and family but adding some form of fasting to our prayers, typically offered on Wednesdays and Fridays as traditional Christian days of penance. Spiritually, we must increase are generosity, our efficacy, and our protection in light of the serious new challenges we will be facing in our country.
Secondly, we keep our joy. Why joy? Because joy is a sign that the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts. Joy is a sign that Jesus Christ will be the ultimate victor and in the full Catholic understanding through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Our Lady of America, who wants to return this land to a land of purity, even though now it will be an even greater uphill battle. Ultimately, the Immaculate Heart w ill triumph and we indeed will be the country we are called to be.
In these difficult times, we must convey the light of Christ and the hope that only can come through Him by being living icons of his joy. Bl. Teresa of Calcutta put it very clearly and succinctly when she said to her sisters that if they could not leave the convent with joy, with smiles on their faces, then they should not go out at all.
Joy during the great trials ahead is more important now than ever. Ten people will be standing in a row in some public forum. Nine of those ten people will show the difficulties and despair of these times in their faces, their attitudes, their demeanor. Then they will see you, and you will have joy. They will see you with a smile on your face and peace of heart, and realize that in spite of all these grave crises inflicting our country, you can still smile. Then they will say, "I want what that person has." And they are going to come to you, and you will let them k now, by actions or by words, that it is Jesus Christ who gives you this supernatural Christian joy, regardless what happens in this world and in this country. This joy comes only through the Holy Spirit.
Thirdly, we must take as our platform "no moral compromise." No moral compromise on a personal level, in an environment where I'm afraid we will be soon be ubiquitously surrounded by moral compromise on a national level.
Yes, in a true sense, our country has compromised by electing an individual whose policies are so antithetical to the moral teachings of Jesus Christ and Judeo-Christian tradition. At the same time, we are going to be called upon to be witnesses of no moral compromise, a position which will call for sacrifice on an ever-increasing level. We can do it because of Jesus and Mary. We can do it because of the graces of the sacraments. We can do it because we can see our brothers and sisters in places like China and India who are uncompromisingly loyal to Christ and the Church in the midst of the greatest persecutions and sacrifices, including, for some, their lives.
We are called to be people of prayer, especially through the Rosary. We are called to have joy. We are called to be people who will not morally compromise based on faith in Christ and the conviction of hope that one day this country will ultimately return to its Judeo-Christian roots.
Have hope. Have peace. The Immaculate Heart will triumph. Our country will be transformed to its original greatness and much more."
- Dr. Mark Miravalle
Professor of Theology and Mariology
Franciscan University of Steubenville
This reflection comes from Dr. (and Deacon) Mark Miravalle, one of my favorite professors at Franciscan University of Steubenville. If you have never heard this man speak in person, I highly encourage you to do so if and when the opportunity presents itself. This reflection is great food for thought. Continue to pray for America and for the conversion of those whose votes have wrought an imminent national tragedy upon us. God bless!
In Jesus and Mary
Gerald
"STEUBENVILLE, OH (NOVEMBER 6, 2008) - On the day following the election, Dr. Mark Miravalle, Professor of Theology and Mariology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, offered the following statement on the election of Sen. Barack Obama.
It is Wednesday, November 5, 2008 , the day after the election of the United States President.
I believe that for Catholics, for Christians, for people of sincerely good will, that whether it be in a few days, a few weeks, a few months, or in the not too distant future, those who cast a vote for the pro-abortion candidate, our President-elect, are going to wake up at some point with the shocking question and the realization, "What have I done?" I say that without judgment of heart, but I say it with objectivity of mind, in light of the President-elect that now will be guiding the United States of America and a ll its worldwide outreaches, in terms of both public policy and moral policy.
Evidently, based on exit polls, more than half of the Catholics in the United States voted for a candidate who has voiced the following positions:
1. The immediate putting forth and ratifying into law the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). This is an act which removes all bans on any form of abortion, including partial-birth abortion. Since that is now public policy, it is important that you know precisely what that is. That means giving partial birth to a human being, and getting the head out of the womb, and then literally sucking the brain out of his or her tiny human head.
2. This president elect, and the policies that he will advance, do not protect a child who survives an abortion. Based on legislation in Illinois previously backed by the President-elect, if a child does survive an abortion, the child has no rights, and therefore the child could be strangled or drowned, as has bee n the grisly case in some of these particular instances.
3. This country has elected a president elect, who has said that children a young as 13 years old can have an abortion without parental consent. This means a new undermining of the basic authority of father and mother in the family.
4. This president elect has expressed his intention to revoke the Defense of Marriage Act, which translates into the removal of any limitations of marriage in terms of being exclusively between a man and a woman. This was a policy given in an open letter in February 2008 to a gay, lesbian, and transsexual organization. There every reason to believe that this will also be enacted.
Sadly, the list goes on and on and on, as the president-elect will be promulgating a policy of moral degeneration which puts at risk most every foundational Judeo-Christian moral code or basic principle of the natural law.
My friends, if you feel a certain sense of violation in the coming days and weeks, it is understandable. The dignity, the goodness, the history of America in some real sense has been violated through the election of an individual who is so clearly against the dignity of the human person and so against the culture of life.
Many U.S. Catholics fatally decided to vote economy over morals. Now, tragically, we shall be losing both. Where do we go from here?
There is a new call for Catholics who still put their faith first and foremost in Jesus Christ, in the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in the Holy Father, in the Magisterium, for people who understand what the President-elect's policy stands for. It is a call to spiritual action. Now is not a time of despair. It is a time to come forward like never before with the deepest conviction of the human heart that our faith does not lie first in our government or in any government. It lies first in the power of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in the mercy that comes to us through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and in the eternal and inestimable graces that come to us through the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church of Jesus Christ under the appropriate leadership by the power of the Holy Spirit through the leadership of Pope Benedict (who is not elected by man, but by God).
While it is justified to feel the great loss of what we have done as a country in the United States , there's no time to lose in terms of responding in a way that disciples of Jesus Christ should respond. What precisely is that? More courage, more hope, more prayer.
I would invite each of you, if you are not already in the practice, to consider adding to the end of each Rosary three Hail Marys for the end of the horrific scourge of abortion (we must never grow accustomed to its horrific face), and also in reparation for culture of death policies which our new administration will soon be implementing.. We are called to a new level of prayer and dedication. The Rosary is an indescriba bly powerful pro-life prayer.
Greater Eucharistic Adoration, where possible, is, along with the Mass, of the greatest possible spiritual benefits and spiritual weapons for these upcoming times. We can also exponentially add to the power of our prayers for life and family but adding some form of fasting to our prayers, typically offered on Wednesdays and Fridays as traditional Christian days of penance. Spiritually, we must increase are generosity, our efficacy, and our protection in light of the serious new challenges we will be facing in our country.
Secondly, we keep our joy. Why joy? Because joy is a sign that the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts. Joy is a sign that Jesus Christ will be the ultimate victor and in the full Catholic understanding through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Our Lady of America, who wants to return this land to a land of purity, even though now it will be an even greater uphill battle. Ultimately, the Immaculate Heart w ill triumph and we indeed will be the country we are called to be.
In these difficult times, we must convey the light of Christ and the hope that only can come through Him by being living icons of his joy. Bl. Teresa of Calcutta put it very clearly and succinctly when she said to her sisters that if they could not leave the convent with joy, with smiles on their faces, then they should not go out at all.
Joy during the great trials ahead is more important now than ever. Ten people will be standing in a row in some public forum. Nine of those ten people will show the difficulties and despair of these times in their faces, their attitudes, their demeanor. Then they will see you, and you will have joy. They will see you with a smile on your face and peace of heart, and realize that in spite of all these grave crises inflicting our country, you can still smile. Then they will say, "I want what that person has." And they are going to come to you, and you will let them k now, by actions or by words, that it is Jesus Christ who gives you this supernatural Christian joy, regardless what happens in this world and in this country. This joy comes only through the Holy Spirit.
Thirdly, we must take as our platform "no moral compromise." No moral compromise on a personal level, in an environment where I'm afraid we will be soon be ubiquitously surrounded by moral compromise on a national level.
Yes, in a true sense, our country has compromised by electing an individual whose policies are so antithetical to the moral teachings of Jesus Christ and Judeo-Christian tradition. At the same time, we are going to be called upon to be witnesses of no moral compromise, a position which will call for sacrifice on an ever-increasing level. We can do it because of Jesus and Mary. We can do it because of the graces of the sacraments. We can do it because we can see our brothers and sisters in places like China and India who are uncompromisingly loyal to Christ and the Church in the midst of the greatest persecutions and sacrifices, including, for some, their lives.
We are called to be people of prayer, especially through the Rosary. We are called to have joy. We are called to be people who will not morally compromise based on faith in Christ and the conviction of hope that one day this country will ultimately return to its Judeo-Christian roots.
Have hope. Have peace. The Immaculate Heart will triumph. Our country will be transformed to its original greatness and much more."
- Dr. Mark Miravalle
Professor of Theology and Mariology
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
It's Official: The Culture Of Death Has Carried The Day
The pro-life movement has the fight of its life on his hands.
The devil looks to America with an unquenchable, ravenous lust. There are many, many souls for him to feed upon.
Let us continue to do what we have always been called to do: denying the evil one souls one at a time, and letting God deal with the obstacles that no human can overcome.
It is somewhat ironic that today is the feast of St. Charles Borromeo, whose name is often associated with reform. St. Charles, ora pro nobis!
The devil looks to America with an unquenchable, ravenous lust. There are many, many souls for him to feed upon.
Let us continue to do what we have always been called to do: denying the evil one souls one at a time, and letting God deal with the obstacles that no human can overcome.
It is somewhat ironic that today is the feast of St. Charles Borromeo, whose name is often associated with reform. St. Charles, ora pro nobis!
The Storm Unleashed
A few moments before this post, FOX News officially called the state of Ohio for Barack Obama. Barring a highly unlikely McCain pickup of a state that went for Kerry in 2004, we have just elected to the office of President of the United States the first true socialist. What has long been the single greatest political bastion against Communism has just become the latest coup for that accursed ideology.
This should serve as a sobering reminder to us that Jesus only promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against His Church. He said nothing of benevolent democracies. Do not expect Barack Hussein Obama to a friend to the Bride of Christ.
One silver lining from the evening is that the odds of a filibuster-proof Senate for the Democrats has shrunk considerably. Hopefully it will be enough to block passage of the so-called Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA).
One news story to follow in the coming months is that there is likely to be a rising clamor for Barack Obama to produce proof that he is a United States citizen. I have not really given much credence to this story, although I have heard that Obama's Kenyan grandmother has attested to the fact that he was born in Kenya rather than in Hawaii as has been widely reported. Under our laws this would mean he is not a natural-born U.S. Citizen (since both his parents would have to have been citizens, and only his mother was so)). If there is any truth to this, then Obama would be Constitutionally barred from taking office, and you can rest assured that all political hell would break loose if this came to pass. The only thing that gives me reason to think that there is any truth to this is the fact that the Obama campaign has blocked all attempts to access his birth records. Clearly, they have something to hide, though whether it is something of such a devastating magnitude is another question entirely.
Be that as it may, I believe that Christians in general and Catholics in particular are in for a very difficult few years. And it has the potential to get much, much worse.
Let us now, as we always should, look for guidance from the One who has consistently led us out of far more dire straits, and who has already won the ultimate victory through the shedding of His blood.
This should serve as a sobering reminder to us that Jesus only promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against His Church. He said nothing of benevolent democracies. Do not expect Barack Hussein Obama to a friend to the Bride of Christ.
One silver lining from the evening is that the odds of a filibuster-proof Senate for the Democrats has shrunk considerably. Hopefully it will be enough to block passage of the so-called Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA).
One news story to follow in the coming months is that there is likely to be a rising clamor for Barack Obama to produce proof that he is a United States citizen. I have not really given much credence to this story, although I have heard that Obama's Kenyan grandmother has attested to the fact that he was born in Kenya rather than in Hawaii as has been widely reported. Under our laws this would mean he is not a natural-born U.S. Citizen (since both his parents would have to have been citizens, and only his mother was so)). If there is any truth to this, then Obama would be Constitutionally barred from taking office, and you can rest assured that all political hell would break loose if this came to pass. The only thing that gives me reason to think that there is any truth to this is the fact that the Obama campaign has blocked all attempts to access his birth records. Clearly, they have something to hide, though whether it is something of such a devastating magnitude is another question entirely.
Be that as it may, I believe that Christians in general and Catholics in particular are in for a very difficult few years. And it has the potential to get much, much worse.
Let us now, as we always should, look for guidance from the One who has consistently led us out of far more dire straits, and who has already won the ultimate victory through the shedding of His blood.
Monday, November 3, 2008
One Last Reminder of What's At Stake on Election Day
Tomorrow is judgment day. And, depending on how the election turns out, it could also be a harbinger of Judgment Day.
Tomorrow, we will elect the next President of the United States. All signs indicate that John McCain - and America - is in for a very rough night. If by some miracle (keep the prayers coming!) McCain pulls this thing out, you can expect America to be a very dangerous place on November 5, 2008, because Obama loyalists will not take the loss well; and it will continue to be so until our law enforcement authorities can bring things under control (a trick Obama will no doubt borrow from the playbook of his Kenyan tribesman, Raila Odinga, who seized power in Kenya by instigating widespread rioting and genocide among his supporters when the Presidential election failed to go his way). We will then be faced on January 20, 2009 with the inauguration of a man who will inherit an unusually vitriolic Congress, a Congress that he will inexplicably bend over backwards to please. The talk of a "stolen" Presidency will haunt the McCain administration from the outset. McCain will be ineffective while he deals with this heavily Democratic Congress, and any disaster that befalls America during his first two years will be placed squarely on his shoulders by an antagonistic media, who will laughably attempt to paint McCain as the new standard of right-wing extremism, even as this newly-branded "extremist" will, like clockwork, find a way to irritate the conservative base every few weeks. The negative press will be used by the Democrats to gain even more seats in Congress in the 2010 midterm elections, possibly even pushing for 60 seats in Congress if they fail to reach that mark tomorrow (though I suspect that the 2010 elections may not be as kind to Democrats as the 2006 election was and the 2008 election is likely to be).
On the other hand, the so-called "Freedom of Choice Act" will not find its way to a willing signer in the Oval Office, and Ruth Ginsburg and John Paul Stevens will have to decay on the bench a little longer if they want a partisan Democrat to name their replacements. This fact alone - and the liberal hysteria it is likely to cause - will make a McCain victory a marvelously entertaining spectacle.
If Obama wins, the question will quickly become just how much damage he, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid can cause in two years' time. I mentioned some of the dire consequences in a previous post. The degree to which they can succeed in pushing their agenda will rest largely on two things: a) whether or not they can succeed in reaching a 60 seat supermajority in the Senate to override any Republican filibusters (or get near enough to it for Arlen Specter, Susan Collins, and/or Olympia Snowe to serve as enablers to their cause); and b) the quality and tenacity of the new Republican leadership that is sure to arise from the ashes of the 2008 debacle.
About the only silver lining in the latter scenario is that the Democrats are sure to make an even bigger mess of things, and they (along with their media accomplices) will be unable to focus the frustrations of the American voters on a Republican scapegoat for the third consecutive election. The liberal media will only be able to do so much to stem the tide against the Democrats in 2010, and this is sure to bode poorly for the Democrats, if the Republican leadership in Congress grows a spine and provides solid resistance to the Democrat agenda (otherwise the media may succeed in branding them as part of the problem and as being no better than the Democratic majority, which would severely blunt an otherwise promising political climate).
While it would be nice to see a voter backlash against two years of bungled Democrat control of the government, I don't know that two years of bungling under these particular Democrat leaders is something that we can afford. It is certainly not something that the millions of unborn victims between now and the mid-term elections will be able to afford. Keep that in mind while casting your vote tomorrow. Millions of lives are literally in the balance, as is the prospect of putting a Marxist radical like Obama in charge of a system of government whose collapse has long been desired by every single mentor Obama has ever chosen for himself. God bless you, and God bless America!
In Jesus and Mary,
Gerald
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
How Would You Read This In Terms Of Abortion?
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
I'm curious: how does one secure the blessings of liberty to a posterity that one allows to be killed in the womb? Or even imagine that the author of that Preamble could possibly see abortion as consistent with his stated reasons for helping to ordain and establish the Constitution in the first place?
It's amazing how much self-delusion a person has to engage in to find legal and moral justification for such a barbaric practice...
I'm curious: how does one secure the blessings of liberty to a posterity that one allows to be killed in the womb? Or even imagine that the author of that Preamble could possibly see abortion as consistent with his stated reasons for helping to ordain and establish the Constitution in the first place?
It's amazing how much self-delusion a person has to engage in to find legal and moral justification for such a barbaric practice...
Monday, October 13, 2008
Relativism And The Pursuit Of Novelty
"With truly lamentable results, our age, casting aside all restraint in its search for the ultimate causes of things, frequently pursues novelties so ardently that it rejects the legacy of the human race."
- Pope St. Pius X, Lamentabili Sane
- Pope St. Pius X, Lamentabili Sane
"What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has been already, in the ages before us. There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to happen among those who come after."
- Ecclesiastes 1:9-14 (RSV Bible)
In today's day and age, it is virtually impossible to go through an entire hour - to say nothing of an entire day - without hearing someone, somewhere, speak of the need for change, whether that change is of a personal, communal, social, political, economic, physical, psychological, or spiritual nature, and everything in between. It has gotten to the point where people speak of change simply for variety's sake. This is unfortunate because change, in and of itself, is not necessarily a bad thing. There are indeed many things in the present day that are in dire need of change, particular in the realm of morality. Of course, sometimes the only kind of change necessary is a return to the very things that those who clamored for change steered us away from in the first place.
The desire for change in man is natural. We are all in a naturally restless state that is born from a desire to be reconciled with God. As St. Augustine so succinctly put it: "My heart is restless, O God, until it rests in Thee." Ideally, we orient ourselves towards God throughout the course of our lives as a natural manifestation of our intellectual, emotional, and spiritual growth; and if there were no other factors to stop us, that is indeed how man would always orient himself. However, there are indeed other factors, all of whom have their root in the same source: namely, the evil one.
How, exactly, does this tie in to the title of this post? Simple: the most effective way that the devil distracts man from his natural inclination towards God is through the spread of heresy. One particularly pernicious heresy, known as Modernism - which has its roots in the philosophical Liberalism that itself was an outgrowth of the virulently anti-religious secular humanism of the Enlightenment - was described by Pope St. Pius X as "the synthesis of all heresies" in his landmark encyclical, Pascendi Dominici Gregis. This description flows from St. Pius' assertion that Modernism embraces every heresy that came before. As such, it is difficult to give a succinct definition of the theory of Modernism. A good place to start is with the very definition of the word, which literally means an exaggerated love for what is modern, for modern ideas, and for the general "spirit of the age." This leads to a tendency to disregard all that has come before (a classic example being the way in which present-day "Catholic" dissenters disregard all that came before Vatican II even as they work to distort the documents of Vatican II itself to conform to modern secular notions), and with that the tendency to "rediscover" centuries-old notions and pass them off as new.
A natural - and highly unfortunate - consequence of such shortsighted thinking is the belief that truth must necessarily conform itself to the "spirit of the age." This is a form of Relativism, which denies the existence of objective, timeless truth - and thus necessarily denies the existence of the Eternal Truth - and which is very possibly the worst consequence of the Modernist heresy.
Which brings us to the point of this post. It is no coincidence that those who are most preoccupied with the pursuit of novelty are the very same who have yet to discover or acknowledge the fact that the most important truths are not subject to majority votes or recent trends in human thought. They seek novelties as a way to fill the void in their lives, to relieve the natural longing they feel but which they are either unwilling or unable to acknowledge. They continue to look for the perpetual quick fix, distracting themselves with things which for them are new. Again, there is nothing new under the sun, but this timeless truth is rejected by Relativists. If it is new to them, then it is new, as for them truth is based on personal experience - an idea very much in keeping with the spirit of the modern age. And as the novelty of one thing wears off, they abandon it to pursue the next new thing. Oscar Wilde - whose pursuit of novelty manifested itself in increasingly vulgar acts of sodomy, resulting in his eventual imprisonment and the ruin of his literary career - cynically quipped that he read St. Augustine's Confessions so he could discover new sins to commit (reading St. Augustine appears to have had some beneficial effect, as Wilde pursued one other "novelty" few other Relativists pursue: a deathbed conversion to Catholicism).
We see the effects that the pursuit of novelty has wrought on modern society. People who pursue cheap thrills find themselves over the course of time having to do more and more for less and less satisfaction. The Howard Sterns of the world - the so-called "shock jocks" - have to commit increasingly more outrageous acts just to maintain the attention of a quickly jaded audience. The pursuit of sex for pleasure's sake results in the dissociation of the unitive (love-giving) meaning from the procreative (life-giving) meaning of sex, and in the process both of these aspects of the sexual gift are severely impaired (one need only see the skyrocketing divorce rates and nearly 50 million aborted babies in the last generation alone to see just how devastating the introduction of the pill and so-called "worry-free sex" has been for modern society); and as the pleasure derived from so-called "recreational sex" becomes less and less satisfying, sex between uncommitted partners has taken on more perverse forms as people try to get more "creative" in order to achieve the same fleeting sense of satisfaction. This because man has become convinced that the most important aspect of the sexual gift is the physical pleasure it gives (the selfish aspect), rather than the emotional bond it creates between a married man and woman and the manifestation this bond takes in the creation of new life (the selfless aspects). Two guesses as to who did the convincing...
What, exactly, does St. Pius refer to when he speaks of the rejection of the legacy of the human race? He refers to the gift of redemption purchased through the Precious Blood of Christ, and the promise of salvation that this gift entails. Rather than pursue the fleeting novelties the devil throws in our path to divert us from our goal, let us pursue the One novelty that is eternal, and never fleeting. Let us pursue the path that leads to reconciliation with God. Let us not waste the most precious of all gifts, purchased for us freely by the One who loves us most. And if we are to pursue any change in our lives, let it be a change that leads to further sanctification, for any other kind of change is of this world, and by definition fleeting. God bless!
In Jesus and Mary,
Gerald
Monday, October 6, 2008
Pray, Pray, Pray...
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
If present trends continue, on the morning of November 5, 2008 America - and the world - will awaken to find itself facing one of the most dire of moral crises we have seen in a very long time. I am not prepared to say that the United States as we know it will be destroyed, but if Barack Obama wins the Presidency, the Democrats reach a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, and Nancy Pelosi is allowed access to this nation's purse-strings with NO restraints on her, we will be in a world of trouble. America has faced greater trials, to be sure: we have, after all, survived a Civil War. But one thing the United States had in 1860 in far greater quantities than it has in 2008 is the strong moral and religious fiber that allowed it to overcome its problems and move forward. With the havoc that Modernism, Communism, Relativism, and various other -isms have wrought in the world's political, philosophical, and religious ideologies, man simply is not as inclined to turn to God in these times of crisis as he was more than a century ago (mind you, Catholicism is not a religious ideology of this world, but the world has succeeded in creating widespread confusion about what the Church teaches and Who is at the root of those teachings).
Even if the 2010 midterm elections prove disastrous for the Democrats and Republicans are swept into power in both houses of Congress, consider the kind of damage that the unholy Trinity of Barack Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi can cause in two short years:
- All abortion restrictions will be overturned courtesy of the demonically misnamed "Freedom of Choice Act"
- Ruth Ginsburg, John Paul Stevens, and possibly even David Souter could retire within those two years, leaving Obama to name their replacements, who are sure to get sped through the Senate with little to no vetting, costing the pro-life movement what is likely to be the only opportunity to achieve a pro-life Supreme Court majority for the next generation.
- It is very likely that an effort to codify gay marriage into federal law will be attempted, and the next two years would be the best chance for such a codification to succeed.
- Embryonic stem cell research will receive massive federal funding, ensuring that this practice will continue well beyond our lifetimes.
- There is a good chance that Obama and Congress will attempt to pass numerous pieces of subversive legislation of the sort that will make it easier for groups like ACORN (which Obama worked for during his community organizing days, and whose members he helped train in the very tactics that have gotten many of them indicted for voter fraud in 7 states) to act in secrecy and with relative impunity, paving the way for massive voter fraud in future elections which will lead to a built-in handicap working against Republicans and conservative initiatives at the ballot box.
- Taxes. Taxes. Taxes. Did I forget to mention the possibility of taxes? Any financial crisis we think we might be facing today will pale in comparison to what is sure to follow if jobs are lost courtesy of over-taxation of businesses, if gas prices shoot up due to newly-imposed drilling bans, and if the disastrous subsidies for ethanol-based fuel continue to drive food prices through the roof.
- Government oversight over private enterprise will grow, as will government oversight of first amendment rights. Can you imagine Democrats having no obstacle to passing laws that would make it possible for Catholic priests to get arrested as accessories if they preach against homosexuality during Mass and one of that priest's parishioners subsequently commits any act perceived as criminal or discriminatory against someone they may or may not have known to be homosexual? When government imposes itself in any area of private life, history has shown that it is not so easily pushed out again.
- The abominable "Fairness Doctrine" - designed specifically to drive conservative talk radio (the one media outlet liberals don't have a monopoly on apart from the Internet) out of business - is sure to be revisited and snuck through Congress with as little fanfare as possible.
The list goes on and on. We know from personal experience, history, and Catholic teaching that if you give the devil an inch, he will take a mile (and then scream to the press that you shortchanged him and have you successfully branded as the greedy one). So why allow a foot in the door (to the White House) to a man (Barack Obama) whose path to the top was inspired by a man (Saul Alinsky) who once acknowledged the need to thank Lucifer for showing radicals how to successfully get their way against "the establishment"?
Look, I'm no fan of John McCain. I voted against him in the primary; and if I thought he would win Florida handily in the national election, I would probably write in someone else's name (Bobby Jindal or Sarah Palin, anyone?). But for those of you who are easily taken in by platitudes about "hope" and "change" and are seriously considering voting for Barack Hussein Obama, think long and hard about what your vote could potentially visit upon all of us.
Let us be eternally grateful that the one battle that really matters has already been won; and let us pray and do our part to make sure that as many people as possible convert to the winning side. God bless!
In Jesus and Mary,
Gerald
If present trends continue, on the morning of November 5, 2008 America - and the world - will awaken to find itself facing one of the most dire of moral crises we have seen in a very long time. I am not prepared to say that the United States as we know it will be destroyed, but if Barack Obama wins the Presidency, the Democrats reach a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, and Nancy Pelosi is allowed access to this nation's purse-strings with NO restraints on her, we will be in a world of trouble. America has faced greater trials, to be sure: we have, after all, survived a Civil War. But one thing the United States had in 1860 in far greater quantities than it has in 2008 is the strong moral and religious fiber that allowed it to overcome its problems and move forward. With the havoc that Modernism, Communism, Relativism, and various other -isms have wrought in the world's political, philosophical, and religious ideologies, man simply is not as inclined to turn to God in these times of crisis as he was more than a century ago (mind you, Catholicism is not a religious ideology of this world, but the world has succeeded in creating widespread confusion about what the Church teaches and Who is at the root of those teachings).
Even if the 2010 midterm elections prove disastrous for the Democrats and Republicans are swept into power in both houses of Congress, consider the kind of damage that the unholy Trinity of Barack Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi can cause in two short years:
- All abortion restrictions will be overturned courtesy of the demonically misnamed "Freedom of Choice Act"
- Ruth Ginsburg, John Paul Stevens, and possibly even David Souter could retire within those two years, leaving Obama to name their replacements, who are sure to get sped through the Senate with little to no vetting, costing the pro-life movement what is likely to be the only opportunity to achieve a pro-life Supreme Court majority for the next generation.
- It is very likely that an effort to codify gay marriage into federal law will be attempted, and the next two years would be the best chance for such a codification to succeed.
- Embryonic stem cell research will receive massive federal funding, ensuring that this practice will continue well beyond our lifetimes.
- There is a good chance that Obama and Congress will attempt to pass numerous pieces of subversive legislation of the sort that will make it easier for groups like ACORN (which Obama worked for during his community organizing days, and whose members he helped train in the very tactics that have gotten many of them indicted for voter fraud in 7 states) to act in secrecy and with relative impunity, paving the way for massive voter fraud in future elections which will lead to a built-in handicap working against Republicans and conservative initiatives at the ballot box.
- Taxes. Taxes. Taxes. Did I forget to mention the possibility of taxes? Any financial crisis we think we might be facing today will pale in comparison to what is sure to follow if jobs are lost courtesy of over-taxation of businesses, if gas prices shoot up due to newly-imposed drilling bans, and if the disastrous subsidies for ethanol-based fuel continue to drive food prices through the roof.
- Government oversight over private enterprise will grow, as will government oversight of first amendment rights. Can you imagine Democrats having no obstacle to passing laws that would make it possible for Catholic priests to get arrested as accessories if they preach against homosexuality during Mass and one of that priest's parishioners subsequently commits any act perceived as criminal or discriminatory against someone they may or may not have known to be homosexual? When government imposes itself in any area of private life, history has shown that it is not so easily pushed out again.
- The abominable "Fairness Doctrine" - designed specifically to drive conservative talk radio (the one media outlet liberals don't have a monopoly on apart from the Internet) out of business - is sure to be revisited and snuck through Congress with as little fanfare as possible.
The list goes on and on. We know from personal experience, history, and Catholic teaching that if you give the devil an inch, he will take a mile (and then scream to the press that you shortchanged him and have you successfully branded as the greedy one). So why allow a foot in the door (to the White House) to a man (Barack Obama) whose path to the top was inspired by a man (Saul Alinsky) who once acknowledged the need to thank Lucifer for showing radicals how to successfully get their way against "the establishment"?
Look, I'm no fan of John McCain. I voted against him in the primary; and if I thought he would win Florida handily in the national election, I would probably write in someone else's name (Bobby Jindal or Sarah Palin, anyone?). But for those of you who are easily taken in by platitudes about "hope" and "change" and are seriously considering voting for Barack Hussein Obama, think long and hard about what your vote could potentially visit upon all of us.
Let us be eternally grateful that the one battle that really matters has already been won; and let us pray and do our part to make sure that as many people as possible convert to the winning side. God bless!
In Jesus and Mary,
Gerald
Friday, October 3, 2008
Thought For The Day
The difference between a fool and a wise man is that a fool thinks he's a wise man, whereas a wise man knows he's a fool.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The Bill Maher Effect: When Fools Impart Their Imagined Wisdom
I first posted this on my Facebook page a few months back, when Bill Maher was suffering from spotlight withdrawal and so decided to launch into yet another of his characteristically infantile rants against Catholicism (in this case, repeating the provably false allegation that Pope Benedict XVI was a Nazi in his youth and painting all priests as unrepetentant child molesters). I repost it now in anticipation of the storm of criticism he is likely to receive for his coming straw man amateur video, Religulous:
LET'S STOP GIVING BILL MAHER EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTS
You know that adolescent relative who didn't get spanked enough as a child who feels the occasional need to do something infantile just to be the center of attention? You know, the spoiled brat who feels the need to occasionally lash out at those who didn't give him everything his little heart desired during the "Mine! Mine! Mine!" phase of his life (a phase which may or may not still be in progress)?
You ever notice that little juvenile delinquent smiling to himself when everyone suddenly makes a big fuss over him after he goes and does something stupid?
Take a look at Bill Maher, and you might recognize him.
Let's not kid ourselves. He is absolutely reveling in all the attention he's receiving. The worst that'll happen to him is that he'll get fired by HBO (I wouldn't hold my breath), in which case he'll quickly land on his feet with some other far-left broadcasting entity with an ax to grind against Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular (and likely owned by Ted Turner).
Don't get me wrong. I support the current movement to boycott HBO and have Bill Maher removed from the air. I'm just saying that we should remember to keep this in the proper context. The only people who take Bill Maher seriously are those who were predisposed to take the latest of Maher's many anti-Catholic diatribes seriously (they can usually be identified by their Oscar trophies, their Nobel prizes, and the prescription anti-depressants they consume at 10-20 times the recommended dosage).
Let's do our part to dwindle Bill Maher's available outlets for his illogical, slanderous drivel and hold his employers accountable for giving him said outlets. But let's not lose our heads in the process. To do so is to ascribe a level of relevance to Bill Maher that he neither possesses nor deserves. And that is exactly what he wants.
LET'S STOP GIVING BILL MAHER EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTS
You know that adolescent relative who didn't get spanked enough as a child who feels the occasional need to do something infantile just to be the center of attention? You know, the spoiled brat who feels the need to occasionally lash out at those who didn't give him everything his little heart desired during the "Mine! Mine! Mine!" phase of his life (a phase which may or may not still be in progress)?
You ever notice that little juvenile delinquent smiling to himself when everyone suddenly makes a big fuss over him after he goes and does something stupid?
Take a look at Bill Maher, and you might recognize him.
Let's not kid ourselves. He is absolutely reveling in all the attention he's receiving. The worst that'll happen to him is that he'll get fired by HBO (I wouldn't hold my breath), in which case he'll quickly land on his feet with some other far-left broadcasting entity with an ax to grind against Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular (and likely owned by Ted Turner).
Don't get me wrong. I support the current movement to boycott HBO and have Bill Maher removed from the air. I'm just saying that we should remember to keep this in the proper context. The only people who take Bill Maher seriously are those who were predisposed to take the latest of Maher's many anti-Catholic diatribes seriously (they can usually be identified by their Oscar trophies, their Nobel prizes, and the prescription anti-depressants they consume at 10-20 times the recommended dosage).
Let's do our part to dwindle Bill Maher's available outlets for his illogical, slanderous drivel and hold his employers accountable for giving him said outlets. But let's not lose our heads in the process. To do so is to ascribe a level of relevance to Bill Maher that he neither possesses nor deserves. And that is exactly what he wants.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
How Many Things Are Wrong With This Article?
I don't generally care to call attention to monumental acts of idiocy, but Obama-Biden supporter John W. Mashek - a liberal editorialist for U.S. News and one of a disturbingly large number of dissenters who, despite having no clue what being Catholic actually entails, insist on identifying themselves by the oxymoronic label "pro-choice Catholic" - came out with a puff piece yesterday that presents an interesting case in study, as it makes liberal (pun intended) use of virtually every logical fallacy employed by those who are ignorant of the role of the Catholic hierarchy in the shepherding of souls (and who, not coincidentally, have an ax to grind with the Catholic Church). This kind of tripe truly has to be read to be believed, so I have pasted the article in its entirety below (the original link can be found here).
BEGIN ARTICLE
"Abortion, Catholic Sex Scandals, the Bishop of Scranton, and Joe Biden's Communion
By John Mashek
Posted September 23, 2008
Once again, the emotionally charged issue of abortion has penetrated a presidential campaign, especially among Roman Catholic voters.
The bishop of Scranton, Pa., home to a strong conservative Catholic population, has forbidden Sen. Joe Biden, a Scranton native, from receiving communion in his hometown.
Biden, like 14 other Democrats in the Senate, is both pro-choice and Catholic. So the bishop decreed that the party's vice presidential candidate was not welcome at the communion rail. These Senate Democrats and many other Catholics—including this writer—do not necessarily favor abortion, but we do not feel our religious views should be foisted on others in a nation where church and state are divided.
Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey Jr. is the only Senate Democratic Catholic who is against abortion rights. Yet, he voted last year with the others on a bill that would have overturned the "Mexico City policy," which prohibits U.S. foreign aid for organizations that provide abortions. (Casey's late father, Pennsylvania Gov. Bob Casey, was also against abortion rights, and in 1992 Democrats made a big mistake by not allowing him to speak at the Democratic convention. He should have been heard. In 2008, the younger Casey did address the convention.)
In the 2004 election, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts felt the wrath of some Catholic organizations for favoring abortion rights. A few prelates of the church said Kerry and other lawmakers who agreed with him should not receive communion.
As a Catholic since birth and one raised by a devout Irish Catholic mother, I have serious problems with my church on this matter.
I admit it relates in large part to the pedophilia scandals that have ripped the church in recent years. Many priests (roughly 5,000 were accused) have been found to have abused young males and young girls, some of them altar boys. For years, the problem was hidden from public view, with priests routinely sent to other parishes without warning the new church—and certainly without informing the authorities. Some cardinals were even involved, and they were, in my view, committing criminal acts as conspirators.
For the record, rape and child molestation are crimes. Covering it up is a crime. Abortion is not a crime because of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade.
More than $1 billion in church and insurance money has been paid to victims of pedophilia and their families for the suffering they endured. Most of the victims were youngsters who looked on priests as moral guardians and were afraid to even tell their parents.
In the past few years, but too slowly for me, the church has attempted to get rid of these men and prevent such an outrage from taking place again. Pope Benedict, in his trip to the United States earlier this year, talked forcefully about the personal sorrow he felt about this outrage.
Is it any wonder, though, that some of us resent this bishop in Scranton telling Biden he could not receive communion? He had to know it would hit the national news.
That division of church and state has application here. No priest, minister, or rabbi should be telling the flock how to vote or for whom. Some do, and they are wrong.
The Knights of Columbus, in a harsh attack on Biden in a full-page ad on September 19 in USA Today, said in sum: "Your unwillingness to bring your Catholic moral views into the public policy arena on this issue alone is troubling." Here's an answer to the Knights: Every survey in recent years shows that at least half the Catholics in the United States are pro-choice. I assume you would like to read us out of the church. I will not let you dictate to me on public policy, nor should Senator Biden.
In earlier days, the Catholic vote was strongly Democratic, largely among working-class citizens in urban areas. There has been a remarkable shift to the GOP in recent elections, and Sen. John McCain, the party's nominee, is certain to get strong Catholic support from conservatives in the church. Abortion is not the only reason, but it will be a significant factor.
Whether Joe Biden is allowed to receive communion in his hometown may not seem like a big event in this fall campaign, yet it is important and disturbing to this Catholic."
END ARTICLE
Like so many others have in recent years, Mashek uses the sex abuse scandal as a scapegoat for his real prejudices against the Church (and like every other person who seems more interested in tarnishing the Church's reputation than in getting to the truth of the matter, Mashek prefers to cite the number of priests accused, but says nothing of how many of the accused have been found guilty of wrongdoing or - as is far more likely to be the case - exonerated). In fact, if one goes by what is written in the article - Mashek's own words - the entire basis of his disagreement with the Church's opposition to abortion supporters giving scandal to the faithful through sacrilegious Communion seems to be the fact that 5,000 priests have been accused of sexual abuse of minors and some members of the hierarchy were involved in covering it up, and the Church did not react to it as quickly as he would have liked.
Going by this logic, then, Mashek must really have it in for the teaching profession, since incidents of teacher sex abuse are far more prevalent on a per capita basis than they are in the priesthood. I look forward to Mashek's article discussing his opposition to the NEA's agenda based on that entity's lack of a strong stance against the problem of teacher sex abuse. I'll know it's coming because it will be immediately preceded by the one in which he confesses that it was he, and not the midi-chlorians, who fathered Anakin Skywalker.
A few more fallacies to point out:
- The fact that Bob Casey Jr. supports repeal of the Mexico City Policy logically contradicts Mashek's assertion that Casey opposes abortion rights (so does Casey's unabashed support of the most radically pro-abortion Presidential candidate in American history, but I digress...)
- Biden, like 14 other Democrats in the Senate, is pro-abortion and are by virtue of that fact latae sententiae excommunicates, and therefore not part of the communion of the Church's faithful.
- Mashek claims that the "separation of Church and state" keeps him from wanting to impose his religious views on the rest of the country. Increasingly, this unwillingness seems to apply only to opposition of abortion. It certainly does not seem apply when it comes to imposing abortion on an unreceptive populace, which I assure you is about as fervently religious a tenet as the political left embraces. So remind me: why am I not supposed to take it as an insult to my intelligence when you tell me you are "personally opposed to abortion, but unwilling to impose your views on others" when such a position would logically dictate that you abstain from voting on abortion-related issues, rather that having a perfect voting record that directly contradicts your purported "personal opposition"?
- Mashek makes the argument that the Catholic Church is more criminal in its behavior than pro-aborts based on current laws regarding the criminality of sex abuse and the legality of abortion, and lets the argument hang as if to imply that this somehow makes the Church more morally corrupt than abortion supporters. Like most dissenters, Mashek seems to think that human lawmakers have more of a say in what is right and what is wrong than does the Divine Lawmaker Himself. He also uses the argument that half of American Catholics are "pro-choice." OK. All that means is that half of American Catholics hold a view that is in direct contradiction to the Church to which they claim to belong. Only those who do so in ignorance of the Church's position have any legitimate claim to still being Catholic.
- Mashek implies that the legitimate exercise of a Bishop's right to direct a self-described Catholic to refrain from receiving Communion while causing grave scandal to the faithful is somehow an endorsement of a political candidate and a breach of the wall that separates Church and state. Little wonder that he criticizes the Bishop of Scranton for this decidedly Catholic stance: those words could just as easily apply to Mashek himself for the grave scandal he gives to the faithful in writing this atrocity of an article.
There are other things to point out. I shall leave it to any readers out there to comment on them. I pray this message finds you well. Pray for this election, and pray for a conversation of the souls of unfaithful pseudo-Catholics like Joe Biden and John Mashek. It is hard enough to spread the Gospel truth without having to deal with their counterproductive seeds of confusion. God bless!
In Jesus and Mary,
Gerald
BEGIN ARTICLE
"Abortion, Catholic Sex Scandals, the Bishop of Scranton, and Joe Biden's Communion
By John Mashek
Posted September 23, 2008
Once again, the emotionally charged issue of abortion has penetrated a presidential campaign, especially among Roman Catholic voters.
The bishop of Scranton, Pa., home to a strong conservative Catholic population, has forbidden Sen. Joe Biden, a Scranton native, from receiving communion in his hometown.
Biden, like 14 other Democrats in the Senate, is both pro-choice and Catholic. So the bishop decreed that the party's vice presidential candidate was not welcome at the communion rail. These Senate Democrats and many other Catholics—including this writer—do not necessarily favor abortion, but we do not feel our religious views should be foisted on others in a nation where church and state are divided.
Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey Jr. is the only Senate Democratic Catholic who is against abortion rights. Yet, he voted last year with the others on a bill that would have overturned the "Mexico City policy," which prohibits U.S. foreign aid for organizations that provide abortions. (Casey's late father, Pennsylvania Gov. Bob Casey, was also against abortion rights, and in 1992 Democrats made a big mistake by not allowing him to speak at the Democratic convention. He should have been heard. In 2008, the younger Casey did address the convention.)
In the 2004 election, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts felt the wrath of some Catholic organizations for favoring abortion rights. A few prelates of the church said Kerry and other lawmakers who agreed with him should not receive communion.
As a Catholic since birth and one raised by a devout Irish Catholic mother, I have serious problems with my church on this matter.
I admit it relates in large part to the pedophilia scandals that have ripped the church in recent years. Many priests (roughly 5,000 were accused) have been found to have abused young males and young girls, some of them altar boys. For years, the problem was hidden from public view, with priests routinely sent to other parishes without warning the new church—and certainly without informing the authorities. Some cardinals were even involved, and they were, in my view, committing criminal acts as conspirators.
For the record, rape and child molestation are crimes. Covering it up is a crime. Abortion is not a crime because of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade.
More than $1 billion in church and insurance money has been paid to victims of pedophilia and their families for the suffering they endured. Most of the victims were youngsters who looked on priests as moral guardians and were afraid to even tell their parents.
In the past few years, but too slowly for me, the church has attempted to get rid of these men and prevent such an outrage from taking place again. Pope Benedict, in his trip to the United States earlier this year, talked forcefully about the personal sorrow he felt about this outrage.
Is it any wonder, though, that some of us resent this bishop in Scranton telling Biden he could not receive communion? He had to know it would hit the national news.
That division of church and state has application here. No priest, minister, or rabbi should be telling the flock how to vote or for whom. Some do, and they are wrong.
The Knights of Columbus, in a harsh attack on Biden in a full-page ad on September 19 in USA Today, said in sum: "Your unwillingness to bring your Catholic moral views into the public policy arena on this issue alone is troubling." Here's an answer to the Knights: Every survey in recent years shows that at least half the Catholics in the United States are pro-choice. I assume you would like to read us out of the church. I will not let you dictate to me on public policy, nor should Senator Biden.
In earlier days, the Catholic vote was strongly Democratic, largely among working-class citizens in urban areas. There has been a remarkable shift to the GOP in recent elections, and Sen. John McCain, the party's nominee, is certain to get strong Catholic support from conservatives in the church. Abortion is not the only reason, but it will be a significant factor.
Whether Joe Biden is allowed to receive communion in his hometown may not seem like a big event in this fall campaign, yet it is important and disturbing to this Catholic."
END ARTICLE
Like so many others have in recent years, Mashek uses the sex abuse scandal as a scapegoat for his real prejudices against the Church (and like every other person who seems more interested in tarnishing the Church's reputation than in getting to the truth of the matter, Mashek prefers to cite the number of priests accused, but says nothing of how many of the accused have been found guilty of wrongdoing or - as is far more likely to be the case - exonerated). In fact, if one goes by what is written in the article - Mashek's own words - the entire basis of his disagreement with the Church's opposition to abortion supporters giving scandal to the faithful through sacrilegious Communion seems to be the fact that 5,000 priests have been accused of sexual abuse of minors and some members of the hierarchy were involved in covering it up, and the Church did not react to it as quickly as he would have liked.
Going by this logic, then, Mashek must really have it in for the teaching profession, since incidents of teacher sex abuse are far more prevalent on a per capita basis than they are in the priesthood. I look forward to Mashek's article discussing his opposition to the NEA's agenda based on that entity's lack of a strong stance against the problem of teacher sex abuse. I'll know it's coming because it will be immediately preceded by the one in which he confesses that it was he, and not the midi-chlorians, who fathered Anakin Skywalker.
A few more fallacies to point out:
- The fact that Bob Casey Jr. supports repeal of the Mexico City Policy logically contradicts Mashek's assertion that Casey opposes abortion rights (so does Casey's unabashed support of the most radically pro-abortion Presidential candidate in American history, but I digress...)
- Biden, like 14 other Democrats in the Senate, is pro-abortion and are by virtue of that fact latae sententiae excommunicates, and therefore not part of the communion of the Church's faithful.
- Mashek claims that the "separation of Church and state" keeps him from wanting to impose his religious views on the rest of the country. Increasingly, this unwillingness seems to apply only to opposition of abortion. It certainly does not seem apply when it comes to imposing abortion on an unreceptive populace, which I assure you is about as fervently religious a tenet as the political left embraces. So remind me: why am I not supposed to take it as an insult to my intelligence when you tell me you are "personally opposed to abortion, but unwilling to impose your views on others" when such a position would logically dictate that you abstain from voting on abortion-related issues, rather that having a perfect voting record that directly contradicts your purported "personal opposition"?
- Mashek makes the argument that the Catholic Church is more criminal in its behavior than pro-aborts based on current laws regarding the criminality of sex abuse and the legality of abortion, and lets the argument hang as if to imply that this somehow makes the Church more morally corrupt than abortion supporters. Like most dissenters, Mashek seems to think that human lawmakers have more of a say in what is right and what is wrong than does the Divine Lawmaker Himself. He also uses the argument that half of American Catholics are "pro-choice." OK. All that means is that half of American Catholics hold a view that is in direct contradiction to the Church to which they claim to belong. Only those who do so in ignorance of the Church's position have any legitimate claim to still being Catholic.
- Mashek implies that the legitimate exercise of a Bishop's right to direct a self-described Catholic to refrain from receiving Communion while causing grave scandal to the faithful is somehow an endorsement of a political candidate and a breach of the wall that separates Church and state. Little wonder that he criticizes the Bishop of Scranton for this decidedly Catholic stance: those words could just as easily apply to Mashek himself for the grave scandal he gives to the faithful in writing this atrocity of an article.
There are other things to point out. I shall leave it to any readers out there to comment on them. I pray this message finds you well. Pray for this election, and pray for a conversation of the souls of unfaithful pseudo-Catholics like Joe Biden and John Mashek. It is hard enough to spread the Gospel truth without having to deal with their counterproductive seeds of confusion. God bless!
In Jesus and Mary,
Gerald
Sunday, September 21, 2008
What is a "Community Organizer"?
Hello all,
I know posting has been a bit less frequent lately, I hope to be able to get back to posting more regularly as time progresses. Please keep me in prayer, as there are some periods of transition that lay ahead of me: some good, some not so good.
In the meantime, I just thought I'd share this video I found on Youtube. I've made mention a few times of the name Saul Alinsky, the so-called "Father of Community Organizing" (you can read my original post on Alinsky here). Among other things, Alinsky was a known associate of Frank Nitti, Al Capone, and other members of the 1930's Chicago criminal underground, and was also a known collaborator with the Communist Party in the United States. Alinsky's life and thought were such a great influence to Barack Obama that Obama actually chose to move to Chicago and become a community organizer in order to follow in Alinsky's footsteps.
In the following Youtube video, we are given a bit more insight into just what Obama's career as a community organizer entailed. Pay special attention to what is said about Alinsky and also what is said about Obama's connection to the notorious group ACORN, which in press releases has proudly identified Obama as one of its own (without any argument from Obama) and which is currently under indictment in seven states for voter registration fraud relating to the 2004 and 2006 election cycles (with more indictments likely to come).
It's a comfort to know that if Obama becomes President, he can draw upon his vast experience as a disciple of the Saul Alinsky model of "community organizing" to get enemy dictators voted out of office by finding a handful of that country's dissidents (or, as dictators commonly refer to them, "victims of unfortunate accidents"), whipping them into a frenzy with empty promises of undefined "change", and then getting them to vote 20,000,000 times apiece. All he has to do is wait for those dictators to hold their regularly-scheduled democratic elections.
Oh, wait...
I know posting has been a bit less frequent lately, I hope to be able to get back to posting more regularly as time progresses. Please keep me in prayer, as there are some periods of transition that lay ahead of me: some good, some not so good.
In the meantime, I just thought I'd share this video I found on Youtube. I've made mention a few times of the name Saul Alinsky, the so-called "Father of Community Organizing" (you can read my original post on Alinsky here). Among other things, Alinsky was a known associate of Frank Nitti, Al Capone, and other members of the 1930's Chicago criminal underground, and was also a known collaborator with the Communist Party in the United States. Alinsky's life and thought were such a great influence to Barack Obama that Obama actually chose to move to Chicago and become a community organizer in order to follow in Alinsky's footsteps.
In the following Youtube video, we are given a bit more insight into just what Obama's career as a community organizer entailed. Pay special attention to what is said about Alinsky and also what is said about Obama's connection to the notorious group ACORN, which in press releases has proudly identified Obama as one of its own (without any argument from Obama) and which is currently under indictment in seven states for voter registration fraud relating to the 2004 and 2006 election cycles (with more indictments likely to come).
It's a comfort to know that if Obama becomes President, he can draw upon his vast experience as a disciple of the Saul Alinsky model of "community organizing" to get enemy dictators voted out of office by finding a handful of that country's dissidents (or, as dictators commonly refer to them, "victims of unfortunate accidents"), whipping them into a frenzy with empty promises of undefined "change", and then getting them to vote 20,000,000 times apiece. All he has to do is wait for those dictators to hold their regularly-scheduled democratic elections.
Oh, wait...
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
2 Great Articles
Good morning all,
I wanted to direct your attention to two great articles I read recently. I strongly encourage you take the time to read them both:
Why The Left Hates Sarah Palin - I haven't really commented on the selection of Sarah Palin as John McCain's vice-Presidential choice. I still would have preferred Bobby Jindal, but I must say I feel a lot better about voting for John McCain in the coming election. Seeing the hysterical response from the left - especially from the radical feminists, the self-appointed "representatives" of women everywhere - has me in stitches. It illustrates the hypocritical double-standard the left applies to women based entirely on ideology. It also shows just how misogynistic the radical feminist movement really is, as their vitriolic denouncements of Sarah Palin as a "step backwards" for the cause of women everywhere is based entirely on the fact that Palin, unlike the Gloria Steinems of the world, has actually chosen to embrace her femininity and those aspects of humanity - such as being a proud wife and mother - that are unique to womanhood (and which the radical feminists have chosen to abandon in a pathetic attempt to emphasize their equality with men. If only they realized that equality and sameness are two distinctly separate things...).
What most strikes me about this article is that author Jeffrey Bell goes right to the root of the agenda of the political left. Unlike other pundits, who prefer to deal with the War on Terror, the economy, and immigration at the expense of the more important (but infinitely more contentious) issues of morality that are at the core of social conservatism, Bell tackles the problem head-on and correctly identifies the need to reject the morality of Christendom as the core of the liberalism that arose out of the French Revolution in the 1790s and which is wholly obsessed with creating a completely secular morality over which they can exercise full control and of which they can serve as sole arbiters. Please, please read the article. Bell hits the mark like few other political columnists have in recent memory.
The Speaker's Unusual Description of Catholic Dogma - Paul Weyrich has long been one of my favorite political writers; and thanks to this treasure nugget of an article, Thaddeus McCotter has just become one of my favorite Congressmen.
Nancy Pelosi looks like a deer in the headlights anytime she ventures outside the comfort zone of political obfuscation and tries her hand at theological obfuscation. We should have seen it as a sign of things to come when, upon taking over as House Minority Leader following the 2002 congressional mid-term elections, the pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, pro-embryonic stem cell research, former priest wannabe had the gall to state: "I'm a liberal Democrat, but I'm a conservative Catholic." Naturally. I'm guessing in Madame Speaker's parallel universe, the Marquis de Sade had a healthy sexual ethic.
I congratulate her on one positive accomplishment, however: she has succeeded in stirring many usually lethargic U.S. Bishops to issue pastoral corrections against her ill-advised (and blatantly disingenuous) remarks. Perhaps this will force the USCCB to accept the fact that pro-abort Catholic politicians do not deserve our vote just because they happen to support minimum wage increases.
Read both articles, and enjoy. God bless!
In Jesus and Mary,
Gerald
I wanted to direct your attention to two great articles I read recently. I strongly encourage you take the time to read them both:
Why The Left Hates Sarah Palin - I haven't really commented on the selection of Sarah Palin as John McCain's vice-Presidential choice. I still would have preferred Bobby Jindal, but I must say I feel a lot better about voting for John McCain in the coming election. Seeing the hysterical response from the left - especially from the radical feminists, the self-appointed "representatives" of women everywhere - has me in stitches. It illustrates the hypocritical double-standard the left applies to women based entirely on ideology. It also shows just how misogynistic the radical feminist movement really is, as their vitriolic denouncements of Sarah Palin as a "step backwards" for the cause of women everywhere is based entirely on the fact that Palin, unlike the Gloria Steinems of the world, has actually chosen to embrace her femininity and those aspects of humanity - such as being a proud wife and mother - that are unique to womanhood (and which the radical feminists have chosen to abandon in a pathetic attempt to emphasize their equality with men. If only they realized that equality and sameness are two distinctly separate things...).
What most strikes me about this article is that author Jeffrey Bell goes right to the root of the agenda of the political left. Unlike other pundits, who prefer to deal with the War on Terror, the economy, and immigration at the expense of the more important (but infinitely more contentious) issues of morality that are at the core of social conservatism, Bell tackles the problem head-on and correctly identifies the need to reject the morality of Christendom as the core of the liberalism that arose out of the French Revolution in the 1790s and which is wholly obsessed with creating a completely secular morality over which they can exercise full control and of which they can serve as sole arbiters. Please, please read the article. Bell hits the mark like few other political columnists have in recent memory.
The Speaker's Unusual Description of Catholic Dogma - Paul Weyrich has long been one of my favorite political writers; and thanks to this treasure nugget of an article, Thaddeus McCotter has just become one of my favorite Congressmen.
Nancy Pelosi looks like a deer in the headlights anytime she ventures outside the comfort zone of political obfuscation and tries her hand at theological obfuscation. We should have seen it as a sign of things to come when, upon taking over as House Minority Leader following the 2002 congressional mid-term elections, the pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, pro-embryonic stem cell research, former priest wannabe had the gall to state: "I'm a liberal Democrat, but I'm a conservative Catholic." Naturally. I'm guessing in Madame Speaker's parallel universe, the Marquis de Sade had a healthy sexual ethic.
I congratulate her on one positive accomplishment, however: she has succeeded in stirring many usually lethargic U.S. Bishops to issue pastoral corrections against her ill-advised (and blatantly disingenuous) remarks. Perhaps this will force the USCCB to accept the fact that pro-abort Catholic politicians do not deserve our vote just because they happen to support minimum wage increases.
Read both articles, and enjoy. God bless!
In Jesus and Mary,
Gerald
Monday, September 8, 2008
Happy Birthday To My Mother And My Queen!
My comfort, my advocate, my sweet and beautiful Lady. May you ever be near me, enfolding me in your loving embrace and leading me, through your own Immaculate Heart, ever deeper into the Sacred Heart of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Happy Birthday!
Love always,
Your grateful child
Monday, September 1, 2008
Barack Obama In Berlin And Beyond: The Second Coming Of The Great Jelly Doughnut
In what was one of the more humorous political gaffes in American history, President John F. Kennedy traveled to Berlin in 1963 and, in a typically liberal attempt to express solidarity with a suffering people, proudly proclaimed: "Ich bin ein Berliner." This drew a great deal of laughter and applause from the crowd, which Kennedy may have been wondering about until he was informed afterward that the correct translation for "I am a citizen of Berlin" is "Ich bin Berliner." By adding the ein to his statement, Kennedy uttered a phrase that could mean either "I am one with the people of Berlin" or "I am a jelly doughnut." Either way, it was a poor attempt at populist rhetoric (as are most attempts at such rhetoric), and is a tactic that has become synonymous with modern-day leftist politics (though, in fairness, John Edwards is right in saying there are two Americas. Unfortunately, the America he lives in is not the one where people get $10-$15 haircuts, make public appearances without applying hours of make-up, and remain faithful to their spouses for life).
Enter Barack "Citizen of the World" Obama, who a few weeks ago made a tour of Europe where he was greeted with a hero's welcome at every stop. Of course, the people of Europe don't vote for President of the United States (thank God for that!) and Obama is not in fact President of the United States (though given the people he surrounds himself with, such presumptuous behavior should surprise no one). Like Kennedy before him, he attempted to show solidarity with the people of the world. Unfortunately, his display showed a definite lack of solidarity with the people of the United States of America.
Anyone who knows me knows that I enjoy engaging in deep theological and philosophical discussions. I do also enjoy lighthearted discussion, but I have little tolerance for people who present themselves as having all the answers yet refuse to share any of them. This tends to apply to most politicians, though people like Barack Obama tend to elevate the "intelligent fluff speech" to an art form.
It frustrates me to no end that we live in a day and age where people are so intellectually lazy that they demand all of life's difficult questions be answered in a convenient 10 second soundbyte. Like George Costanza, these intellectual sloths are drawn to toilet humor because they like things they don't have to think about too much. When discussing religion, they insist on using an arbitrary interpretation of select passages of the Holy Bible that is based on nothing more than personal experience and completely ignores the context in which the passages were written or the 2000 years of wisdom that have gone into interpreting such passages. When discussing politics, they prefer pre-selected Youtube questions to a classic Lincoln-Douglas debate, and obliging politicians have complied and in the process reduced political discourse to a pitiful pre-Kindergarten playground banter. And in their personal lives, they adopt a "live and let live" mentality devoid of personal accountability because they don't want to offend anyone and demand not to be offended themselves.
I apologize if this comes across as belittling or condescending to anyone; but in a day and age where people speculate about the vast potential of the parts of the human brain we are unable to use, is it too much to ask that we first concern ourselves with mastering the use of those parts of the brain we actually do understand?
One of the greatest weapons the devil has in his ongoing war against humanity is our own ignorance. He has worked overtime to ensure that we remain ignorant to his evil machinations, and we must grudgingly admit that he is very good at his job. Ignorance is the same weapon employed by the Saul Alinskys of the world, and continues to be employed by their disciples (including one Barack Hussein Obama).
We have brains, people. Let's use them. Unless, of course, we are content to let others believe that we think of ourselves as jelly doughnuts. God bless!
In Jesus and Mary,
Gerald
Enter Barack "Citizen of the World" Obama, who a few weeks ago made a tour of Europe where he was greeted with a hero's welcome at every stop. Of course, the people of Europe don't vote for President of the United States (thank God for that!) and Obama is not in fact President of the United States (though given the people he surrounds himself with, such presumptuous behavior should surprise no one). Like Kennedy before him, he attempted to show solidarity with the people of the world. Unfortunately, his display showed a definite lack of solidarity with the people of the United States of America.
Anyone who knows me knows that I enjoy engaging in deep theological and philosophical discussions. I do also enjoy lighthearted discussion, but I have little tolerance for people who present themselves as having all the answers yet refuse to share any of them. This tends to apply to most politicians, though people like Barack Obama tend to elevate the "intelligent fluff speech" to an art form.
It frustrates me to no end that we live in a day and age where people are so intellectually lazy that they demand all of life's difficult questions be answered in a convenient 10 second soundbyte. Like George Costanza, these intellectual sloths are drawn to toilet humor because they like things they don't have to think about too much. When discussing religion, they insist on using an arbitrary interpretation of select passages of the Holy Bible that is based on nothing more than personal experience and completely ignores the context in which the passages were written or the 2000 years of wisdom that have gone into interpreting such passages. When discussing politics, they prefer pre-selected Youtube questions to a classic Lincoln-Douglas debate, and obliging politicians have complied and in the process reduced political discourse to a pitiful pre-Kindergarten playground banter. And in their personal lives, they adopt a "live and let live" mentality devoid of personal accountability because they don't want to offend anyone and demand not to be offended themselves.
I apologize if this comes across as belittling or condescending to anyone; but in a day and age where people speculate about the vast potential of the parts of the human brain we are unable to use, is it too much to ask that we first concern ourselves with mastering the use of those parts of the brain we actually do understand?
One of the greatest weapons the devil has in his ongoing war against humanity is our own ignorance. He has worked overtime to ensure that we remain ignorant to his evil machinations, and we must grudgingly admit that he is very good at his job. Ignorance is the same weapon employed by the Saul Alinskys of the world, and continues to be employed by their disciples (including one Barack Hussein Obama).
We have brains, people. Let's use them. Unless, of course, we are content to let others believe that we think of ourselves as jelly doughnuts. God bless!
In Jesus and Mary,
Gerald
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