I was watching a video that highlights Senator Obama's intentions concerning the abortion debate today and I got to thinking.
Isn't it interesting that the two sides of this debate are pro-life and pro-choice?
I recognize why the word choice is used, because pro-abortionists believe that women should have the choice of whether or not to have an abortion, but it is kind of a misnomer for those of us who CHOOSE to have the baby.
It seems to me that if you want to accurately describe the position so often held by the pro-choice camp, one should use the word that is the opposite of life: death. It would accurately describe the intentions of the group and would end this euphemistic attitude that we as a country seem to be adopting toward this subject.
Regardless of the circumstances, abortion ends human life. Abortion results in death. Those that support abortion should be described as pro-death.
St. Joseph, patron of families, champion of purity, and model of humility, pray for us!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Church Militant or Church Belligerent?
I recently came across an article with the same title that can be found here.
It is a very well written article that asks the question: do we fight for the truth because it is the the truth or because we want to win battles?
I fear that I myself often fall into the many pitfalls associated with the Chruch Belligerent and must pray for the grace to avoid them in the future.
The article identifies a few of these pitfalls as such:
1. Prizing principles over persons - "the person succumbs to the temptation to win arguments instead of hearts".
2. Losing the supernatural outlook - "worldly elements and factions exist in the Church.....they are not the only, nor even the most important, aspect of the Church".
3. Making our preferences mandatory for others, or requiring of others what the Church does not - "we mandate what the Church does not, or forbid what the Church permits".
4. Giving free rein to our critical faculty - "If we refuse to trust anyone, then we set ourselves up as our own personal magisterium".
There are many other good points about this subject in the article, which is a very good read.
Lord, give us the grace to fight for your truth and humble our hearts to your Love, let it always shine forth in our thoughts, words, and actions.
St. Joseph, patron of families, champion of purity, and model of humility, pray for us!
It is a very well written article that asks the question: do we fight for the truth because it is the the truth or because we want to win battles?
I fear that I myself often fall into the many pitfalls associated with the Chruch Belligerent and must pray for the grace to avoid them in the future.
The article identifies a few of these pitfalls as such:
1. Prizing principles over persons - "the person succumbs to the temptation to win arguments instead of hearts".
2. Losing the supernatural outlook - "worldly elements and factions exist in the Church.....they are not the only, nor even the most important, aspect of the Church".
3. Making our preferences mandatory for others, or requiring of others what the Church does not - "we mandate what the Church does not, or forbid what the Church permits".
4. Giving free rein to our critical faculty - "If we refuse to trust anyone, then we set ourselves up as our own personal magisterium".
There are many other good points about this subject in the article, which is a very good read.
Lord, give us the grace to fight for your truth and humble our hearts to your Love, let it always shine forth in our thoughts, words, and actions.
St. Joseph, patron of families, champion of purity, and model of humility, pray for us!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Beautiful new pro-life ad
The Knights of Columbus have began running a new pro-life radio ad encouraging people to "vote pro-life".
I don't know how to embed the audio so if you do, please educate me! Here is the link to the official press release from the Knights' website with the mp3
St. Joseph, patron of families, champion of purity, and model of humility, pray for us!
I don't know how to embed the audio so if you do, please educate me! Here is the link to the official press release from the Knights' website with the mp3
St. Joseph, patron of families, champion of purity, and model of humility, pray for us!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Abortion debate on facebook
I have successfully done a pretty good job of staying away from many internet message board debates, as they tend to get nasty really quickly and generally are not productive.
That being said, a friend on Facebook from the Catholic student group at UNCG posted a message and tagged all the members of the group to read it. Since I had attended several meetings while I was a grad student there. The message was basically a response to Nancy Pelosi's comments recently regarding abortion and the general topic of abortion as it pertains to this year's presidential election.
I will save you all the gritty details, but it progressed to comments about abstinence not being effective because people do not have the willpower to fight sexual urges, etc. A friend responded with one of the most eloquent responses I have read in a while. It speaks not only to the abortion debate but also to anything that people struggle with in life and it really drove home many good points. I have copied the salient portion for your reading pleasure.
"The fact is that people DO have the will power. God would not have created us to not do something and then not give all of us the power not to do it. God created each of us with the will power to follow His law if we so choose to. Saying that people don't have the will power makes it seem as though you don't think God has given us all the power to follow His laws, making Him seem like quite an unjust and unfair God. God has given us all the strength we need to follow what He asks. So please don't tell me people don't have the will power, they sure do have it. They have just decided to suppress it and take the easy way out. Life is hard, and it requires sacrifice and a whole hell of a lot of will power...but people don't want to accept that anymore. I am tired of this nation catering to evil because they just don't think people can handle sacrifice. People live up to the expectations you assign them. If you tell people they won't survive abstinence, then they won't."
How true, how true. The family unit is under attack because people are too selfish and proud to humble themselves before our Lord and allow Him to take control of their life. It is times like this that I truly worry about our society and the values that we embrace.
St. Joseph, patron of families, champion of purity, and model of humility, pray for us!
That being said, a friend on Facebook from the Catholic student group at UNCG posted a message and tagged all the members of the group to read it. Since I had attended several meetings while I was a grad student there. The message was basically a response to Nancy Pelosi's comments recently regarding abortion and the general topic of abortion as it pertains to this year's presidential election.
I will save you all the gritty details, but it progressed to comments about abstinence not being effective because people do not have the willpower to fight sexual urges, etc. A friend responded with one of the most eloquent responses I have read in a while. It speaks not only to the abortion debate but also to anything that people struggle with in life and it really drove home many good points. I have copied the salient portion for your reading pleasure.
"The fact is that people DO have the will power. God would not have created us to not do something and then not give all of us the power not to do it. God created each of us with the will power to follow His law if we so choose to. Saying that people don't have the will power makes it seem as though you don't think God has given us all the power to follow His laws, making Him seem like quite an unjust and unfair God. God has given us all the strength we need to follow what He asks. So please don't tell me people don't have the will power, they sure do have it. They have just decided to suppress it and take the easy way out. Life is hard, and it requires sacrifice and a whole hell of a lot of will power...but people don't want to accept that anymore. I am tired of this nation catering to evil because they just don't think people can handle sacrifice. People live up to the expectations you assign them. If you tell people they won't survive abstinence, then they won't."
How true, how true. The family unit is under attack because people are too selfish and proud to humble themselves before our Lord and allow Him to take control of their life. It is times like this that I truly worry about our society and the values that we embrace.
St. Joseph, patron of families, champion of purity, and model of humility, pray for us!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Dear young people
The following is an excerpt from the Papal address at World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto. The first portion of it was used in a song by Fr. Stan Fortuna called Cell 91, which is a tribute to Pope John Paul II (pretty rockin song if youve heard it or can find it, I havent been able to track it down online).
When I heard the song for the first time, the quote really struck me and has stuck in my head for about 6 years or so. It addresses the role of young people in Christian living and it really drives home the concept of the humble life and abandoning pop culture, which seems to be ever deprivating these days.
"It is the nature of human beings, and especially youth, to seek the Absolute, the meaning and fullness of life. Dear young people, do not be content with anything less than the highest ideals! Do not let yourselves be dispirited by those who are disillusioned with life and have grown deaf to the deepest and most authentic desires of their heart. You are right to be disappointed with hollow entertainment and passing fads, and with aiming at too little in life. If you have an ardent desire for the Lord you will steer clear of the mediocrity and conformism so widespread in our society."
Could you just imagine being in a crowd of a million young Catholics and hearing a Pope who is especially special to that crowd say these words? How could your life not be different?!
How often are we deaf to the deepest and most authentic desires of our hearts? Better yet, how often do we completely ignore these desires in favor of "hollow entertainment and passing fads"?!?! I believe that our generation, Catholic young adults, really have a great opportunity, no responsibility to uphold orthodoxy and moral living and not allow ourselves to be seduced by the things that we are "supposed" to want or do. Holiness requires us to be different!
St. Joseph, patron of families, champion of purity, and model of humility, pray for us!
When I heard the song for the first time, the quote really struck me and has stuck in my head for about 6 years or so. It addresses the role of young people in Christian living and it really drives home the concept of the humble life and abandoning pop culture, which seems to be ever deprivating these days.
"It is the nature of human beings, and especially youth, to seek the Absolute, the meaning and fullness of life. Dear young people, do not be content with anything less than the highest ideals! Do not let yourselves be dispirited by those who are disillusioned with life and have grown deaf to the deepest and most authentic desires of their heart. You are right to be disappointed with hollow entertainment and passing fads, and with aiming at too little in life. If you have an ardent desire for the Lord you will steer clear of the mediocrity and conformism so widespread in our society."
Could you just imagine being in a crowd of a million young Catholics and hearing a Pope who is especially special to that crowd say these words? How could your life not be different?!
How often are we deaf to the deepest and most authentic desires of our hearts? Better yet, how often do we completely ignore these desires in favor of "hollow entertainment and passing fads"?!?! I believe that our generation, Catholic young adults, really have a great opportunity, no responsibility to uphold orthodoxy and moral living and not allow ourselves to be seduced by the things that we are "supposed" to want or do. Holiness requires us to be different!
St. Joseph, patron of families, champion of purity, and model of humility, pray for us!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Catholic Vote 2008
Found this video roaming around the internet and thought it would be a good share for all ye faithful Catholics to share with your friends and family:
St. Joseph, patron of families, champion of purity, and model of humility, pray for us!
St. Joseph, patron of families, champion of purity, and model of humility, pray for us!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Favicon
Peep it.
Werd.
St. Joseph, patron of families, champion of purity, and model of humility, pray for us!
Werd.
St. Joseph, patron of families, champion of purity, and model of humility, pray for us!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
