A View From the Pew

With friends like this....

From:Catholic leaders stung as rape victim bill advances

A spokesman for the Connecticut Catholic Conference, Barry Feldman, said the church’s bishops in this state "see things differently" concerning this issue from their counterparts in those other states. He said that, because the pope has not taken a position on this issue, bishops in different states are able to decide what position to take for their dioceses.

"When it comes to religious beliefs and moral values, no position is right or wrong," said Feldman.

Say What??? This is a spokesman for the Connecticut Bishops trying to explain why some bishops have compromised with regulations concerning Plan B in other states but Connecticut Bishops refuse (kudos so far to them). Doesn't "spokesperson" imply that such a person would understand that which they are charged with speaking about?

No evidence whatsoever.....

How many times have you been scoffed at ---or have seen others scoffed at--- by the proponents of same sex families for suggesting that accepting those families as equal will negatively effect all families--- too many to count I am sure! In fact Professor M.V. Lee Badgett from the University of Massachusetts insists in this report (On Log Cabin Republicans website) that---

"Giving same-sex couples marriage or marriage-like rights has not undermined heterosexual marriage in Europe, and it is not likely to do so in the United States."

Yet---- today I stumbled on this article in the Telegraph. It seems the non-biological "mother" of a lesbian "couple" that broke up was awarded the custody of her former lover's biological children because as Lord Justice Thorpe said...

"The Court of Appeal ruled that although the natural mother had blood ties to the girls, that would no longer be deemed an advantage when both parties had brought the children up."

Lord Jusice Thorpe then continued....that same-sex partners should have the same rights as estranged heterosexual couples, (excuse me Lord Justice--- with estranged heterosexual couples, except in rare instances, BOTH parents are biologically related to the children!) and that the child's views on which partner was the psychological parent should be considered.

So then---- anyone care to hazard a guess about how long it will be before some woman or man is dragged into court by a spiteful second wife or husband and some yahoo jurist like Lord Justice Thorpe will award custody to the non-biological step parent because they are able to convince the child and/or judge that they are the "psychological parent" and the better choice as custodial parent then the child's own biological parents are???

How ridiculous for us to be concerned ......... right...

Decorate for Christmas!

Get a Nativity "sticker" for your blog  from "Stop the ACLU" Great idea!

The Arrogant and the Asinine

I don't know why I do this--- "this" is checking the links on the Catholic World News Synod page--- it is a descent into the inane rantings of the arrogant and the asinine-- as well as the ignorant and heterodox---each time I come out I swear I won't go back---but I do--- once again inviting myself to a near occasion of sin---

In this category of asinine, ignorant, arrogant and heterodox try this one by Ina Hughs Talk - and walk - message of inclusion Ina says in part:

"The Catholic Church has now gone on record blaming their recent scandals on the gays. Messing with little boys, they decided, is what gay men do. Therefore, the pope is systematically sending emissaries to schools and seminaries to purge the priesthood of all gay men. If you are gay, they say, God doesn't want you. The church doesn't want you. Why?

Because you are a pedophile.

To equate "gay" and "pedophile" is loony. A pedophile is an adult who messes with children."

Ina, Ina--- my dear--- please, please---PLEASE get the facts straight. My dear woman it is secular journalists like you that continue to perpetrate the myth linking pedophilia to homosexuality by falsely claiming that the "recent scandals" are based on pedophilia--- or as you phrase it "priests messing with little boys". If you took the time to check the facts as revealed by the John Jay College Report you would know that those whom the priests were "messing around" with were not "little boys" but big boys--- most of whom (80%) were pubescent or post pubescent teenagers---- while preying on pubescent and post pubescent boys is reprehensible--- it is NOT pedophilia. So those priests were not pedophiles--- they were/are men who in most cases self identify themselves as homosexual---most of whom were also sexually active with ADULT males as well as  boys---some of whom were even engaged in long term homosexual relationships. If you did even a little more research and checked out the many bishops who have resigned over the past few years (according to my last count 19) thirteen of them resigned due to scandals involving same sex relationships with ADULT males--- like Rembert Weakland.

What is really loony Ina is that journalists like yourself need to obfuscate and misrepresent the facts in an attempt to divert attention from the truth--- the Catholic Church did not have a problem with pedophile priests--- truth be told that there are no more pedophiles in the priesthood then there are in any other vocation--- the bigger problem was with certain homosexual priests preying on older boys and young men--- and a bunch of sexually active homosexual bishops and seminary rectors trying to keep their trysts with young men inside and outside the seminary on the QT. When you are busy trying to keep your own skeletons in the closet it is much easier to ignore and accommodate the skeletons in others closets.

By questioning whether homosexual men should be admitted to the seminary the Vatican is not conducting a witch hunt---it is not even saying that homosexual men cannot be good priests---- it is simply looking at the facts placed before them over the past few years and trying to decide not only what is in the best interest of the Church but also what is in the best interest of homosexual men who are discerning their vocation in the Church. The Church is concerned that an all male environment--- being forced to live in close community with other men may be a burden that many homosexual men may have difficulty bearing--- is it fair to place them in an environment where there could be great temptation---especially if living with other homosexual men under the same roof year after year--- To keep it sweet and simple---Let me put it this way Ina--- I know many heterosexual priests who maintain their vows of celibacy but even you would have to admit that it would be "loony" to place such a priest in a house with a bunch of women--- not only sharing their living space and but also spending the vast majority of his leisure time with them as well--- not to mention being his main source of confidence and camaraderie--- do you think that would be a prudent thing to do to a heterosexual man who must live a vow of celibacy? Did you ever wonder why religious orders seperate the men from the women? Come on Ina--- all it takes is a little common sense---- ahhh--- but common sense and truth get in the way of your agenda--- don't they?

Astounding

I just stumbled on this a little while ago---

From Breastcancer.org under "statistics"----

*Breast cancer incidence in women has increased from one in 20 in 1960 to one in eight today

And under "causes"---

*A woman's risk for developing breast cancer increases if her mother, sister, daughter, or two or more other close relatives, such as cousins, have a history of breast cancer, especially at a young age. However, 85% of women who develop breast cancer have NO known family history of the disease.

So---what has caused this dramatic increase over the past forty years? What has changed with regard to women's health--something so widespread that it would cause such a dramatic change in statistics--- Check this out---

World Health Organization Classifies Contraceptives as Highly Carcinogenic

From the article:

"The IARC placed the contraceptives into their Group 1 classification, the highest classification of carcinogenicity, used only "when there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans." (emphasis theirs)

Combined estrogen-progestogen OCs are the most commonly prescribed forms of contraceptives. According to the IARC "worldwide, more than 100 million women - about 10% of all women of reproductive age - currently use combined hormonal contraceptives."

Do you think Planned Parenthood, NOW and the other groups will have anything to say--- or will their silence be deafening? I suspect the latter.

So what does evil look like?

O h, I know it is not polite (read: politically correct) to mention evil and Satan in public---especially among "civilized" people--- Well then I would like to know what other explanation there is for this Screw Abstinence Party.  The Washington-state affiliate of NARAL Pro-Choice America says the first-of-its-kind fund-raiser tomorrow night in Seattle targets young professionals in their 20s and 30s. From the promo:

"Tired of Bush & Co. spending your tax dollars on abstinence-only-until-marriage initiatives that promote dangerous misinformation? Throw your hands up and say it loud: 'Screw Abstinence!'"

Dangerous misinformation???? How about claiming sex is *safe* if you use condoms when it is a well known fact that the failure rate of condoms is at least (if used properly) 11%? Evil is not something with horns and a pointy tail--- nope--- NARAL--- that's evil.

From this article:NARAL hosts 'Screw Abstinence Party'

Wake up calls

I remember 5 years ago I read Michael D. O'Brien's book  "Eclipse of the Sun". It is an excellent novel. It takes place in the area around Vancouver British Colombia--- that book along with his other books "Father Elijah",  "Stangers and Sojourners" and The Plague Journals tell the story of the end days according to Catholic theology and thinking. What is interesting is that when I first read "Eclipse of the Sun" I remember thinking that while I thought the storyline was great, the whole scenario seemed implausible--- yet right now... Canada is on the verge of making one part of the story come true--- An official in Canada made a statement a week or so ago that there was no guarantee of protection for churches if they refuse to marry homosexuals once the gay marriage bill is passed. Already people have been charged with hate crimes for simply voicing their religiously based opinions on homosexuality and homosexual marriage. I conceded that I knew very little about how the Canadian government worked--- especially with regard to what protection is given to freedom of speech and religion--- so for Canada at least the author's story could be more plausible then I first thought--- and then I remember thinking that there was no way that could happen in this country--- with the first amendment--- I couldn't fathom how the persecution of Christians could come about here--- since our nation was founded on the basis of freedom of religion. 

Well let's say in the last few months it has become increasingly obvious to me just how it will manifest. The other day I commented on the "educational" nature of drag shows. It was inferred in the article that it was heterosexual people who had the problems and were acting "against their humanity" by not accepting homosexual and transgender/transvestite activity as natural and completely acceptable. Then today I stumbled onto this article:  S.F. sex conference tackles reigning 'moral panic': marriage It says in part---

"These days, the reigning moral panic is around marriage, and that has everything to do with human rights, health care and the economy, sexuality experts said.

Mass demonstrations in Madrid, Spain, last weekend against a bill to allow gay marriage and adoption is "a clear example of an outcry of moral panic because people are trying to limit the human rights of others," said Niels Teunis, an assistant professor in human sexuality at San Francisco State."

So you see--- more and more those that hold to traditional religious beliefs are being portrayed as the psychologically troubled individuals--- or the other ploy used is to compare them to Islamic extremists or other fanatical and oppressive sects. What makes it worse is then you have some who portray themselves as good Catholics, lay people as well as clergy, religious and even some bishops who make comments contrary to Church teaching and will openly support dissenters--- like the media darling Fr. Richard McBrien for example. People like Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Sr. Jeannine Grammick, Sr. Joan Chittister and priests like Fr. McBrien, Fr. George Wertin, Bishop Gumbleton, will be the "good" and intelligent religious people--- and those who accept and believe Church teaching--- Rick Santorum, Miguel Estrada, William Pryor (considered unfit to hold positions of power like the Supreme Court because of their beliefs)--- or priests/bishops like Archbishop Chaput, Bishop Bruskewitz, Cardinal Ratzinger -- now Pope Benedict XVI, and even Mother Angelica--- all are demonized, ridiculed and held up as examples of what is wrong with the Church and society. The battle lines are being drawn and if you happen to be on the "wrong" side of that line forces are already at work to silence you whatever it takes--- accusations of mental illness, charges of hate crimes, losing one's job or being passed over for advancement are things that have already happened--- and more and more the tenor of the stories in the mainstream media are becoming openly hostile toward "religious" people who hold fast to their beliefs.

I can see how it will happen--- how it is happening. The teaching of the Church is hate speech--- it will be silenced--- in the mean time those opposing Church teaching will have free reign to malign those with different beliefs, to discriminate against them because they are the “dangerous” ones--- the disturbed ones. An example is the gay activists who trampled the priest in Notre Dame Cathedral--- there was no media/public outrage--- in fact it was difficult to even find coverage of the story except in Catholic newswires. There is the weblogger/commentator J. Matt Barber who was fired from his job at Allstate Insurance for writing a column against gay marriage. Also not too long ago a young man on a college campus was forcefully taken to a psychiatric ward for evaluation after he objected to a play on campus that portrayed Christ as a homosexual. It is on our doorstep--- and only five years ago it seemed to me to be implausible---

Canada is there--- how much longer until our government officials will be making similar statements.

The effort to prove faithful Christians as the crazies, the bigots, the dangerous ones is underway--  What about the first amendment? Well---mentally “disturbed” people can have their rights limited so as to protect others and themselves from harm incited by their words and actions--- or if their dangerous views incite other to challenge the law---causing civil unrest--- they will be silenced. Our benches are now seated a good many activist jurists who feel they have the right to over rule the will of the people--- and many legislators are hell bent on keeping “conservative” Christian jurists off the bench---- at any cost. Five years ago I would have thought someone talking like this was over the edge--- it is amazing how quickly the political/social landscape can change--- now is not the time to be asleep at the wheel or complacent --- or deluded into believing it will never happen to us----

Priest hurt in mock gay marriage

Priest hurt in mock gay marriage

So what do you think--- anyone one in the GLBT activist community going to stand up and apologize? What would the response in the media have been if it was the priest who had responded with force to the "protesters"? Does anyone believe that there is anything more then a snowball's chance in hell that this story will be picked up by any of the major media outlets?Is there anyone who still believes that GLBT activists promote tolerance? Of course the response of from Jerome Martin president of Act Up Paris was that he had also been hit in the melee, but claimed the priest had exaggerated the actual events. He then added:

"We did not want to be aggressive with respect to the worshippers... the aggressive security detail wanted to rip up our banner"

Well then--- by all means ----knock the priest down and kick him!!!! How dare anyone touch your banner on which was written hateful and untrue things about the Pope Benedict--- and which you dragged into the cathedral for the very purpose of disrupting the worshippers and provoking a response from security---

Yes--- they are truly the champions of tolerance, aren't they?

A human rights scandal--- indeed

Recently it was reported that a spokesperson for Amnesty International compared the prison camp at Guantánamo Bay to a "gulag". In this article Guantánamo Bay - a human rights scandal the writer begins with these words:

"Hypocrisy, an overarching war mentality and a disregard for basic human rights principles and international legal obligations continue to mark the USA's "war on terror".

The photo is the actual photo they have accompanying the article. We have all seen images from gulags and death camps. What I see in the above photo does not compare with those images from real "gulags". I notice two men in clean clothes walking without shackles. They look like they have been well fed and they do not appear to have been physically harmed. I also notice they are not wearing prison uniforms but rather clothing appropriate to the climate and respectful of their religious beliefs. We have also heard about the alleged abuse of the Koran by US guards--- without getting into the debate of whether or not it actually happened--- the important fact is that they even have their holy book---books that were supplied to them at the expense of the US government (IOW's folks--- you and me). Now compare that to this report---Families of Christians arrested in Riyadh appeal to international community.Snipped from article:

"Working this time in conjunction with the regular police in an act of methodical persecution, on May 28 the Muttawa picked up John Thomas from his place of work and drove him home. Here, he was beaten in front of his five year old son and the babysitter, who was also struck. After his Bibles and other religious objects were collected, he was taken to prison.

On returning, Mr Thomas’s five-month pregnant wife found the place wrecked.

She and relatives have launched an appeal for her husband’s release and their family’s right to return to India safe and sound."

Yes, Amnesty International--- let's talk about "hypocrisy"---

What makes Christianity different---

Peruvian cardinal rips hedonism, neo-paganism

"There is a massive process of de-Christianization which harms women most of all. The Church prays for women and preaches the doctrine of the sacrament of matrimony which cannot change to follow the fashions or ideological currents of today which are, sad to say, neo-pagan."

Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani

Seems Satan realizes how important women are in God's plan. The comment by Cardinal Cipriani sort of explains not only secular culture's attack on women but also why it seems women's religious orders are so decimated by feminist/pagan thought. I know with every fiber of my being that the restoration of Western culture will come only when there is a (Catholic) Christian centered understanding of personhood. It is the philosophy of secular egalitarianism that has reduced the value of a person to nothing more then what they do and how productive they are--especially financially. This is why Satan had to convince women that they were nothing unless they worked outside the home, unless they makes as much money and have as much political power as men. This is why we were told that we were being oppressed if we did nothing more then be a wife and mother--- This is why reproduction must be curtailed--- why babies must be killed in their mother's womb-- motherhood threatens, according to secular philosophy anyway, the ability of women to achieve material, social/political and intellectual power and success.

Instead of women demanding that they be allowed to fight on the front lines with men, or girls be allowed to compete on the boy's wrestling/football/rugby team, or scripture be rewritten in "inclusive" language or that women be ordained we should be demanding that society give up the one-sided and purely patriarchal concepts of success, power, and social status. Women need to understand that to embrace secular feminism is to embrace the very ideals that have oppressed them all along--- we are not being liberated we are simply being enticed into accepting the male defined social "ideals". We are square pegs being forced into round holes--- pretending all the while that it is a perfect fit. One look at the "health" of women, children and society today tells us how destructive this lie has been.

Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from a major depression and more young women are depressed then older women. Depression, suicide, alcoholism, and drug abuse have steadily increased among women over the past several decades. Due to divorce and unwed motherhood poverty has increased among women and children and in this country single moms make up the largest group living below the poverty level. These days women are more likely to be less satisfied with their physical appearance and feel increasingly pressured to "perfect" themselves through cosmetic procedures. Even teen age girls are buying bigger breasts. Popular media, business and culture has created a thriving market that objectifies and exploits women and girls.

In the past years we have teen girls and young women obsessed with physical appearances who now worship 'Ana', children and teens who are depressed and suicidal in ever increasing numbers (suicide in children has increased 300% since the 1950's), we have promiscuity, pregnancy, and violence increasingly a part of child/teen life. In fact just a couple weeks ago there was a twelve year old girl who stabbed a fellow classmate in the back with a kitchen knife because he broke up with her--- this at the junior high school my own children attended. This school is in a community of homes that range from $400,000- 1.5 million --- where both parents are usually successful professionals and where the kids have received the best opportunities that money can buy.

Women instead should be demanding that they be valued for their innate and unique feminine gifts--- which the errors of secular culture are quickly proving are essential for the well-being and stability of human society. Women and men, each with their unique "genius", were created in the image and likeness of God and it is secular culture which must change its understanding and philosophy of equality--- not the Church. It is this very issue that will prove that not only was John Paul II one of the greatest popes ever, as well as one of the greatest reformers of the Church but also perhaps the greatest influence in the liberation of women.