I wish you and your family a happy and healthy new year. Rest up this weekend. We Americans are facing a tough year. With faith in God, we can and will endure.
I hope you join me in resolving to pray more this year and to trust more fully in God.
Archive for December, 2009
Happy New Year!
12/31/2009Can One Be a Buddhist Catholic?
12/30/2009The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life recently released a survey about the religious beliefs of Americans. It found that a significant number of Americans take from various faith traditions in forming their beliefs. Not only do Americans attend services from a different faith periodically, they also hold disparate beliefs that contradict each other. For example, Christianity meets New Age spirituality when Catholics believe in reincarnation.
One cannot claim to be Catholic and believe that after death, instead of facing judgment by God, one is reborn in an endless cycle. It does not make sense for a Christian to believe this. We are born to serve God and we die when God calls us back. At that point we are judged and are in eternity. There ain’t no second chance once one is dead. I don’t see how a Christian can reconcile these beliefs except for the fact that such a Christian does not understand his beliefs.
How can this be? There has been a crisis of catechesis, especially in the Catholic Church (with which I am obviously most familiar). There has been a failure by the leadership, particularly in the U.S. after Vatican II, to teach in a clear way the one, true Catholic faith. In addition, there seems to be embarrassment, in light of ecumenism, in stating that we believe that we have the fullness of the truth. There is also an amazing tolerance for dissidents which confuses the faithful. Furthermore, despite the leadership’s clear teaching on human sexuality, when was the last time you heard a sermon against artificial contraception?
In other words, if we are not taught what the faith is in school and the priests do not teach from the pulpit, what can we expect from our fellow Catholics, who practice yoga, consult psychics, and believe in astrology? They often don’t know any better.
New Year’s resolution suggestion: Learn more about your faith and practice it!
Do We Stop Loving the Dead?
12/29/2009I have been blessed in my life in that I do not know personally too many people who are now deceased. As I age, that will change. What I find strange is how, and I admit I mostly see this on TV, people will refer in the past tense about their feelings for their beloved dead. “I loved him.” I know the person is dead but the one who loves is not, so why cannot the person say “I love him”?
This may sound weird but this bothers me. Maybe one of you can help clear this up for me. Is it a grammar issue? I can understand but I do not buy it. The thing is, the person who is dead can be said to have loved because clearly his time is up on this earth. But if one’s loved one dies, one remains alive to experience those love feelings for the departed soul.
So is this just me? Well, even if it is, I still think it is strange to act like one stops loving someone just because they are dead. It is especially strange for those of us who believe in an after life.
The New Sarah
12/28/2009As much as we conservatives love Sarah Palin (our new Reagan), she is not in office right now. I think she should lead the movement without necessarily running for elected office; the liberals would torture her and prevent her from doing what we wish her to do. Unelected, she can lead without restrictions. However, we need good elected officials and we know few are good.
One such wonderful leader is Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), who is the new Sarah Palin in elected government. She opposes the healthcare travesty that is being perpetrated against the unwilling American public. She was recently quoted as saying, “That is our wish for fellow citizens here in the United States–for freedom, not for government enslavement!” My kind of gal.
She is wary of the census, which has the potential to be a repository of information that the government may use against us at some point. The census should comply with the Constitution so as to allow appropriate redistricting. Nothing more. Why do liberals see the right to privacy as pertaining only to abortion?
The Left will attack her viciously in 2010 and we who believe in freedom need to support her. She must be re-elected. We need her presence as a leader among the spineless Republicans when they get back to the majority next year. America needs elected officials that do the right thing and the Republicans have the heart, but not the will. Michele will whip them into shape!
Honoring the Holy Innocents
12/28/2009December 28 is the Feast of the Holy Innocents; this commemorates the slaughter of the Innocents after the birth of Jesus in order that the Messiah be killed so that Herod would not feel threatened. On this day we also remember the innocent babies who are murdered in abortuaries across this country.
To honor the dead babies and to prevent more killings, we must fight the Senate version of the healthcare bill which funds abortion. Yes, dear friends, Harry Reid and company want to go against the spirit of the Hyde amendment and have the American taxpayer fund abortions. You read right. This is intolerable. May this country-destroying bill not pass Congress, and may abortion funding not be in it. It is vital that we who believe in life fight abortion coverage in the bill. We need to contact our representatives and pray.
Traveling over the Holidays, New York Style
12/27/2009Just wanted to share some travel-related stories from Christmas break. I was going to grandma’s house (as they say) and was stuck on a long line to buy a train ticket. Impatient as ever, I waited my turn on the line, ready to purchase my ticket quickly and efficiently. I am a New Yorker after all (and how I wish everyone waiting on the line felt this way.) Anyway, my turn came and I went to work. It was very impressive; I was done in mere seconds. The man behind me exclaimed, “Wow, that was great. You have inspired me!” I was flattered. To me this was the ultimate compliment. (I know, you’re thinking that I don’t get out enough, but really this was a great compliment. Really.)
The other little anecdote concerns me coming home from grandma’s house. I was leaving just as there was a huge traffic jam. I had limited time to catch my train and knew I was going to be stuck in the suburbs if the taxi could not reach me in time. Here I was, waiting and waiting. Heck, I am impatient so this was nerve-wracking. Along comes my taxi driver and off we went. Well, as far as we could go in a line of cars. Suddenly, the driver decided to get in the wrong lane to make a turn to get me out of the traffic and to the train station. I was impressed–he was driving like a New York cabbie in the middle of nowhere. He kept it going, racing through the streets, which at that point was probably unnecessary. And I made the train with time to spare. It was such a rush! But also a little scary.
I know people say New Yorkers are neurotic and they are right! And that is what makes us who we are–people who don’t inconvenience others on long lines and who make our trains under the most pressing of circumstances. And that is how traveling is done, New York style!
Is Georgetown University Catholic? At All?
12/26/2009Georgetown’s claim to being a Catholic school is humorous in light of how it goes out of its way to show itself in conflict with the Church:
Examples:
When the president delivered an address shortly before Easter earlier this year, Georgetown agreed to cover up a crucifix that was behind him. This controversy exposed Obama for what he is, but it also demonstrated how craven this university is for acceding to the adminstration’s obnoxious request. (But then again, Obama is the messiah, right?)
Chai Feldblum is a lesbian who signed onto a statement in favor of polyamory just a couple of years ago. She now claims she agreed with most of the statement but does not support polygamy (and has recently asked for her name to be removed). Why the change of heart? She is a nominee to be on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Feldblum is also a law professor at Georgetown. (more…)
How did he get on the plane?
12/26/2009A man claiming ties to al-Qaeda and who is on a do not fly list got on an airplane headed for Detroit. Before he was to land, he tried to blow up the plane. My obvious questions:
- What is the point of a no-fly list if terrorists can fly into this country?
- How was this charming individual able to bring incendiary materials onto a plane? (The rest of us can barely bring on shampoo.)
These questions need to be answered immediately. If al Qaeda thinks that the administration is asleep at the wheel and that they could get away with this, maybe they are right. Which should scare all of us. Please read more about this shocking event here.
“It’s Complicated” Really Isn’t
12/25/2009“It’s Complicated” was enjoyable up to a point but I hated the ending. However, I will not even address the story except to say it is about a divorced, lonely, middle-aged woman (Meryl Streep) who has an affair with her ex-husband (Alec Baldwin), who is now married to a young, hot but crazy shrew. Streep’s character also catches the eye of her divorced architect (Steve Martin) and now there is a triangle. Not really too complicated, is it?
I am writing to point out that Alec Baldwin, a liberal blowhard who I will admit is very talented, frequently disrobes during the affair, showing off a rotund physique. He even alludes to it in the film, smacking his belly (and it is big!). What struck me–and you know I am no feminist–is that he could play a leading man despite his girth. No woman, save Kathy Bates for shock value, would be allowed by a Hollywood studio to star in a major film looking half that bad. (This excludes “Precious” where showing how bad the fat ladies looked was part of the point of the film.)
So I am arguing against a double standard which I will do frequently in these posts. If a woman is not allowed to look disgusting (by Hollywood standards), then neither should a man, especially one playing a leading man and one who is often shirtless in the course of this surprisingly depressing film. Sorry, but can I get my money back?
Reflections on “Christ”-mas
12/25/2009Now that Christmas day is nearly over, I just wish to reflect briefly on the true meaning of Christmas. We are told it is about children and family and love and all sorts of wholesome sounding things. It is really about Jesus choosing to become one of us. The Incarnation is God’s second greatest gift to us after the Resurrection, without which we would not be celebrating the Lord’s birthday. (By the way Christmas begins today; it does not end, notwithstanding all the post-Christmas sales starting December 26.)
So, for those who see Christmas as everything but what it is–and you know who you are–make it your new year’s resolution to educate yourself on why Jesus was born (hint: to save us from our sins) and what He has done and continues to do for us. Speaking of those who do not get it, a few complaints/observations…
