First Betrayal
On October 27, 1986, Pope John Paul II met in Assisi, Italy with 160 religious leaders to spend a day together with fasting and pray to their various deities. These leaders of 32 Christian religious organizations and 11 non-Christian religions were joined in what was called a World Day of Prayer for Peace.
Second Betrayal
On January 24, 2002, John Paul II organized another World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi. Some 200 other religious leaders were present, including Roman Catholic cardinals, Muslim clerics, Jewish rabbis, Buddhists, Sikhs, Bahais, Hindus, Jains, Zoroastrians, and members of African traditional religions.
Third Betrayal
On January 1, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he would travel to Assisi in October for the anniversary of the interreligious gathering.
Assessment
The expressed sentiment behind these meetings is to discourage men from using religion as a motive for conflict. In truth, the only way this can be done is to make religion irrelevant. This attitude is a monumental betrayal of the commission given by Jesus Christ to His Apostles to make the world Christian so that men and women can win Heaven.
The past two thousand years has repeatedly demonstrated that a Christian man is many times more likely to die for his Faith than to kill for it.
Italian Catholic intellectuals are telling Pope Benedict, "Holy Father, we are afraid that relativism -- which you combat elsewhere -- will be encouraged by your presence amid representatives of all the religions of the world. We are afraid that the Catholics who today are suffering persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ in Pakistan, Iraq, North Korea, China...might find that their tormentors are comforted by the public recognition and the media spotlight that Catholicism will provide for them by organizing this new interreligious encounter."
During the first interreligious meeting in Assisi in 1986, in an attempt to reassure those who rightly objected that such an assembly of all religions could only increase confusion and encourage syncretism, the organizers resorted to this ridiculous quibble: they were not praying together, they were together to pray. In other words, it was out of the question for believers in Jesus Christ, Allah, Buddha, Shiva...to pray together; but if they were together, it was to pray separately!
Next October I will not pray with the Church's enemies in Assisi. Instead my thoughts and prayers will be with the Christian victims in Iraq, Pakistan, and elsewhere around the globe who suffer for their fidelity to the Son of God. May Almighty God comfort them in their trials.
Tu es Deus qui facis mirabília solus: notam fecísti in géntibus virtútem tuam.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Appeal from Holy Family
Appeal from Holy Family Adult Care Home in Post Falls, ID
Holy Family Adult Care Home in Post Falls provides a traditional Catholic assisted living facility affiliated with the SSPX. Recent Medicaid cuts in Idaho and other circumstances have left the foundation with a shortfall of funds, and they have sent out an appeal for help (see their letter below). In you charity, kindly remember this matter in your prayers.
=======
January 14, 2011
Dear Benefactors,
Fr. Granges not only gave us permission, but advised us to write this letter because this assisted living facility is in financial difficulty. He believes that it is God’s will that we continue this work of mercy because so much good has been done.
We have had two conversions and a potential conversion by a resident who daily prays the rosary with the other residents, and gets a weekly blessing from Fr. Haynos when he brings the Sacraments. We also advise on end-of-life decisions from a traditional Catholic perspective.
Due to unforeseen circumstances and Idaho Medicaid cuts, we have raised the monthly resident rates, but it is not enough to absorb our monthly expenses. If we do not receive $25,000.00 within the next two weeks, we will have to close our home It is also realistic to say that $10,000.00 will be needed monthly above the income from our residents to keep our home in operation. This will help offset the cost of those residents on Medicaid who cannot afford any out of pocket healthcare costs.
We have given our heart and soul into the care of our residents and the success of the facility, but we cannot provide charitable work without the community of the faithful.
We are hopeful that you will make an immediate donation and return the enclosed pledge card to help support this work of mercy.
We are a non-profit corporation and your contributions are tax deductible under Internal Revenue Code 501 (c) (3).
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Administrator
Holy Family Adult Care Home
816 N. Brigger Ave.
Post Falls, ID 83854
Email: HolyFamilyHome1 at verizon.net
Holy Family Adult Care Home in Post Falls provides a traditional Catholic assisted living facility affiliated with the SSPX. Recent Medicaid cuts in Idaho and other circumstances have left the foundation with a shortfall of funds, and they have sent out an appeal for help (see their letter below). In you charity, kindly remember this matter in your prayers.
=======
January 14, 2011
Dear Benefactors,
Fr. Granges not only gave us permission, but advised us to write this letter because this assisted living facility is in financial difficulty. He believes that it is God’s will that we continue this work of mercy because so much good has been done.
We have had two conversions and a potential conversion by a resident who daily prays the rosary with the other residents, and gets a weekly blessing from Fr. Haynos when he brings the Sacraments. We also advise on end-of-life decisions from a traditional Catholic perspective.
Due to unforeseen circumstances and Idaho Medicaid cuts, we have raised the monthly resident rates, but it is not enough to absorb our monthly expenses. If we do not receive $25,000.00 within the next two weeks, we will have to close our home It is also realistic to say that $10,000.00 will be needed monthly above the income from our residents to keep our home in operation. This will help offset the cost of those residents on Medicaid who cannot afford any out of pocket healthcare costs.
We have given our heart and soul into the care of our residents and the success of the facility, but we cannot provide charitable work without the community of the faithful.
We are hopeful that you will make an immediate donation and return the enclosed pledge card to help support this work of mercy.
We are a non-profit corporation and your contributions are tax deductible under Internal Revenue Code 501 (c) (3).
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Administrator
Holy Family Adult Care Home
816 N. Brigger Ave.
Post Falls, ID 83854
Email: HolyFamilyHome1 at verizon.net
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Novena to St. John Bosco
When I was taking instruction to become a Catholic, I was told that a novena was a special prayer said for nine consecutive days. For a moment this conjured up an image in my head of someone kneeling in prayer for nine consecutive 24-hour periods. What is meant is a simple prayer offered once each day for nine days. The purpose of the novena is to obtain some grace from Heaven.
Why nine? There are plenty of reasons why it is a fit number. Christ gave up the ghost in prayer at the ninth hour. Mary carried Christ in her womb or nine months. After the Resurrection, the Apostles prayed for nine days; it was on the tenth day that Pentecost took place.
Today I start a new novena to St. John Bosco. On January 31st -- the sain'ts feast day -- I will celebrate the 12th anniversary of my becoming a Catholic, Deo gratias; the novena is an act of thanksgiving.
Novena to St. John Bosco
January 22nd - 30th
Father and Teacher of the Young,
In need of special help,
I appeal with confidence to you,
Saint John Bosco,
for I require not only spiritual graces,
but also temporal ones, and particularly (name the request)...
Resume with this prayer:
May you, who on earth had such great devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and to Mary Help of Christians, and who always had compassion for those who were suffering,
obtain from Jesus and His Heavenly Mother
the grace I now request, and also a sincere resignation to the Will of God.
Recite an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
Why nine? There are plenty of reasons why it is a fit number. Christ gave up the ghost in prayer at the ninth hour. Mary carried Christ in her womb or nine months. After the Resurrection, the Apostles prayed for nine days; it was on the tenth day that Pentecost took place.
Today I start a new novena to St. John Bosco. On January 31st -- the sain'ts feast day -- I will celebrate the 12th anniversary of my becoming a Catholic, Deo gratias; the novena is an act of thanksgiving.
Novena to St. John Bosco
January 22nd - 30th
Father and Teacher of the Young,
In need of special help,
I appeal with confidence to you,
Saint John Bosco,
for I require not only spiritual graces,
but also temporal ones, and particularly (name the request)...
Resume with this prayer:
May you, who on earth had such great devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and to Mary Help of Christians, and who always had compassion for those who were suffering,
obtain from Jesus and His Heavenly Mother
the grace I now request, and also a sincere resignation to the Will of God.
Recite an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Why the Church?
"Some things have been revealed by God...the only-begotten Son of God was made flesh, to bear witness to the truth...a perfect society was founded by Him—the Church, namely, of which He is the Head, and with which He has promised to abide till the end of the world. To this society He entrusted all the truths which He had taught, in order that it might keep and guard them and with lawful authority explain them; and at the same time He commanded all nations to hear the voice of the Church, as if it were His own, threatening those who would not hear it with everlasting perdition..."
- Pope Leo XIII, Libertas Præstantissimum ("On Human Liberty"), 20 June 1888
- Pope Leo XIII, Libertas Præstantissimum ("On Human Liberty"), 20 June 1888
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Snowman's Banquet
Here's the feast fit for a snowman king I found on my back patio.
Snowman's Banquet
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Palin Kidnaps Lindbergh Baby
If you need a breather from the 24/7 news coverage of Sarah Palin’s crimes against humanity, take a look at these enlightening contributions to the debate from her political and social opponents. Hopefully these insightful news items will help bring a bit of perspective to the current public discourse.
=======
Source: Barack Obama
“If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun.”
- Senator Barack Obama, June 2008
"I don’t want to quell anger. I think people are right to be angry! I’m angry!"
- President Barack Obama, March 2009
“We are going to have just hand-to-hand combat up here on Capitol Hill.”
- President Barack Obama, October 2010
“We’re gonna punish our enemies.”
- President Barack Obama, October 2010
Republicans are “hostage takers.”
- President Barack Obama, December 2010
=======
Miscellaneous (Source)
CBS talk show displays message "Snipers Wanted" under footage of George W. Bush's acceptance speech at the RNC
- CBS Network, August 2000
Charles Schumer would “put a bullet between the president's eyes if he could get away with it;” audience cheers
- Alan Hevesi, June 2006
Nobel Peace Winner wants to kill President Bush; audience cheers.
- Betty Williams, July 2006
John Kerry jokes about killing President Bush.
- Senator John Kerry, November 2006
“Somebody ought to wrap a strong Republican entrail around [Matt Drudge’s] neck and hoist him up about six feet in the air and watch him bounce.”
- Mike Malloy, December 2007
Congressman glad that David Addington is on TV so that Al-Qaida can see his face.
- Rep. Bill Delahunt , June 2008
In a rambling monologue, Roseanne Barre says she wants to slap Nancy Pelosi.
- Roseanne Barr, October 2008
“Hang Senator Joe Lieberman in effigy.”
- Paul Krugman, December 2009
Obama should go “gangsta” on GOP.
- Roland Martin, February 2010
“I want to spit on them…and knock every racist and homophobic tooth out of their Cro-Magnon heads.”
- Courtland Milloy, March 2010
Pelosi thanked for driving ObamaCare “down the Republicans’ throat and out their backside.”
- Richard Trumka, September 2010
“Someone's going to jam a CO2 pellet Into Rush's head and he's going to explode.”
- Chris Matthews, October 2010
Florida's Republican Governor should be put against the wall and shot.
- Rep. Paul Kanjorski, October 2010
Obama’s tax compromise compared to appeasement with Nazis.
- Keith Olbermman, December 2010
=======
Artwork
Assassinations of Pope Benedict, Queen Elizabeth, and President Bush depicted in art
- Huffington Post, September 2010
Numerous images of George Bush made to look like Adolf Hitler
=======
Source: Barack Obama
“If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun.”
- Senator Barack Obama, June 2008
"I don’t want to quell anger. I think people are right to be angry! I’m angry!"
- President Barack Obama, March 2009
“We are going to have just hand-to-hand combat up here on Capitol Hill.”
- President Barack Obama, October 2010
“We’re gonna punish our enemies.”
- President Barack Obama, October 2010
Republicans are “hostage takers.”
- President Barack Obama, December 2010
=======
Miscellaneous (Source)
CBS talk show displays message "Snipers Wanted" under footage of George W. Bush's acceptance speech at the RNC
- CBS Network, August 2000
Charles Schumer would “put a bullet between the president's eyes if he could get away with it;” audience cheers
- Alan Hevesi, June 2006
Nobel Peace Winner wants to kill President Bush; audience cheers.
- Betty Williams, July 2006
John Kerry jokes about killing President Bush.
- Senator John Kerry, November 2006
“Somebody ought to wrap a strong Republican entrail around [Matt Drudge’s] neck and hoist him up about six feet in the air and watch him bounce.”
- Mike Malloy, December 2007
Congressman glad that David Addington is on TV so that Al-Qaida can see his face.
- Rep. Bill Delahunt , June 2008
In a rambling monologue, Roseanne Barre says she wants to slap Nancy Pelosi.
- Roseanne Barr, October 2008
“Hang Senator Joe Lieberman in effigy.”
- Paul Krugman, December 2009
Obama should go “gangsta” on GOP.
- Roland Martin, February 2010
“I want to spit on them…and knock every racist and homophobic tooth out of their Cro-Magnon heads.”
- Courtland Milloy, March 2010
Pelosi thanked for driving ObamaCare “down the Republicans’ throat and out their backside.”
- Richard Trumka, September 2010
“Someone's going to jam a CO2 pellet Into Rush's head and he's going to explode.”
- Chris Matthews, October 2010
Florida's Republican Governor should be put against the wall and shot.
- Rep. Paul Kanjorski, October 2010
Obama’s tax compromise compared to appeasement with Nazis.
- Keith Olbermman, December 2010
=======
Artwork
Assassinations of Pope Benedict, Queen Elizabeth, and President Bush depicted in art
- Huffington Post, September 2010
Numerous images of George Bush made to look like Adolf Hitler
Monday, January 10, 2011
Unfair Game
A film is out dramatizing the events that made Valerie Plame a household name a few years back. Dad described the movie as very left-leaning. I haven't seen the film, but from the synopsis he and mom gave me, it would appear that he is on target.
Here's what should have been depicted in the film.
* The information that Valerie Plame worked at the CIA had nothing to do with harming her husband, Joe Wilson. It did not come from the White House. It did not even come from someone who supported the war in Iraq.
* Valerie Plame was a CIA employee. This was not top secret information. Reports that she was "outed" as a CIA agent are a distortion. She was essentially a managerial functionary. Hers was not a household name; the media frenzy brought that about. But it was no "secret" that she worked for the CIA; no law was violated when that information was revealed.
* A New York Times editorial described Plame as "a covert CIA operative." This was incorrect. The Times never retracted the statement; instead, it was taken up and repeated by other news sources ad nauseum. Way to go NYT. Way to go American media sources for once again uncritically and lazily following the NYT's errant lead.
* The Times also asserted that Plame's role at the CIA was "leaked" in "an attempt to silence Mrs. Wilson's husband, a critic of the Iraq invasion." It turns out, however, that the person who revealed to Bob Woodward over at The Washington Post that Plame was a CIA employee was Richard Armitage -- and Armitage was the Deputy Secretary of State and an opponent of the Iraq war. Armitage was also Bob Novak's source.
* The information was also available from official State Department calendars, provided to The Associated Press under The Freedom of Information Act.
* When Patrick Fitzgerald began his grand jury investigation, he already knew that Armitage was the source.
Here's what should have been depicted in the film.
* The information that Valerie Plame worked at the CIA had nothing to do with harming her husband, Joe Wilson. It did not come from the White House. It did not even come from someone who supported the war in Iraq.
* Valerie Plame was a CIA employee. This was not top secret information. Reports that she was "outed" as a CIA agent are a distortion. She was essentially a managerial functionary. Hers was not a household name; the media frenzy brought that about. But it was no "secret" that she worked for the CIA; no law was violated when that information was revealed.
* A New York Times editorial described Plame as "a covert CIA operative." This was incorrect. The Times never retracted the statement; instead, it was taken up and repeated by other news sources ad nauseum. Way to go NYT. Way to go American media sources for once again uncritically and lazily following the NYT's errant lead.
* The Times also asserted that Plame's role at the CIA was "leaked" in "an attempt to silence Mrs. Wilson's husband, a critic of the Iraq invasion." It turns out, however, that the person who revealed to Bob Woodward over at The Washington Post that Plame was a CIA employee was Richard Armitage -- and Armitage was the Deputy Secretary of State and an opponent of the Iraq war. Armitage was also Bob Novak's source.
* The information was also available from official State Department calendars, provided to The Associated Press under The Freedom of Information Act.
* When Patrick Fitzgerald began his grand jury investigation, he already knew that Armitage was the source.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Arizona Justice
Source
Arizona is a state that still has the death penalty. I won't be surprised if it is administered to the left-wing secularist flag-burning pothead traitor obsessed with government mind-control programs who shot up the Safeway parking lot the other day.
Left wing? That's my read. On his FaceBook page the shooter said he admired Hugo Chavez, Che Guevara, Saul Alinsky, and Barack Obama. He also listed the Communist Manifesto among his favorite writings.
Secularist? His occult activities aside, he was an anti-religious atheist.
Pothead? His classmates reported as much. The U.S. military also said he was turned down when he tried to enlist because of his drug use.
Traitor? He'd worked on the re-election campaign of the congresswoman he tried to assassinate.
If he is deemed to be competent to stand trial, I expect this guy to fry.
The reason Loughner's assault is being used to abuse the political right is because he shot a democrat. But he was one of their own. The rabid rhetoric he listened to didn't come from the right, it came from the left -- from Obama saying that Hispanics need to "punish" their opponents to a terrorist like James Lee (i.e. humans are "parasites") who listened to too much Al Gore to the vitriol of MoveOn.org. Palin, meanwhile, is just the media's favorite whipping girl.
Arizona is a state that still has the death penalty. I won't be surprised if it is administered to the left-wing secularist flag-burning pothead traitor obsessed with government mind-control programs who shot up the Safeway parking lot the other day.
Left wing? That's my read. On his FaceBook page the shooter said he admired Hugo Chavez, Che Guevara, Saul Alinsky, and Barack Obama. He also listed the Communist Manifesto among his favorite writings.
Secularist? His occult activities aside, he was an anti-religious atheist.
Pothead? His classmates reported as much. The U.S. military also said he was turned down when he tried to enlist because of his drug use.
Traitor? He'd worked on the re-election campaign of the congresswoman he tried to assassinate.
If he is deemed to be competent to stand trial, I expect this guy to fry.
The reason Loughner's assault is being used to abuse the political right is because he shot a democrat. But he was one of their own. The rabid rhetoric he listened to didn't come from the right, it came from the left -- from Obama saying that Hispanics need to "punish" their opponents to a terrorist like James Lee (i.e. humans are "parasites") who listened to too much Al Gore to the vitriol of MoveOn.org. Palin, meanwhile, is just the media's favorite whipping girl.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Conspiracy Junkies II
In this post I covered the topic of conspiracy junkies. In that entry I:
(1) showed how the claims of one Fred Leuchter regarding the Nazi's gas chambers were demolished;
(2) provided a reference to the solid science of a Popular Mechanics article demonstrating that the Twin Towers were brought down by airplanes;
(3) concluded with plausible explanations for why some people were inclined to pursue the chimera of conspiracy notions.
One reader of this blog wrote to say that "Firemen, military men, and others are not onboard with the official story of 911." No names or examples were provided. As phrased, the meaning of my critic's remark is that not a single fireman, military man, and other person is on board with the official story. Perhaps what was meant that some persons don't accept it? But how many? Who? Absent any examples or evidence comparable to what was provided by the other side of the discussion, the best response to a sweeping generalization is often a categorical denial. But I will add that the vast majority of firemen, military men, and others recognize that it was two airplanes that brought down the Twin Towers; the ones who think otherwise are few and far between, and their differing accounts can be readily explained by the chaos and confusion of the day.
My reader added, "As for what happened in Germany, well, let's just say we can't even question it so what are they hiding?" I'm reminded of a conversation I had some time ago with another Holocaust denier who said that what was needed was a thorough investigation of the matter. I pointed out that numerous reliable investigations had already been conducted, and that a thinking man would see that the findings were thorough, conclusive, and satisfied all reasonable doubts. The other chap said that we still needed more investigations. It seemed clear to me that facts were not the answer to such an attitude; about all one can do is tell them they're unreasonable and move along.
That is, unless they are in positions of influence and seek to publicize and win support for their calumny. In that case, I think lawsuits for defamation of character are entirely appropriate. After all, this is a matter of bearing false witness against the victims of Nazi atrocities, and a man is entitled to his good name.
At about this point my critics will sometimes talk about other atrocities that are given a free pass -- why do only the Jews get to complain about what was done to them?
For example, the Ottoman Turks inflicted genocide on the Armenian Christians, murdering upwards of a million innocent souls. Adolf Hitler, commenting on the silence surrounding this great crime, said that if nobody talked about the Armenians, nobody would talk about the Jews either. The Turks of today say that there was collateral damage inflicted on both sides during that time; world opinion has been slowly turning against them, but the denial of the genocide is still considered acceptable in many quarters.
Long-time readers will recall the numerous blog entries I've written about the 100+ million innocents murdered by the Soviet Russians, Maoist Chinese, and other Communists in the 20th century. Beware the useful idiots who say that socialism is a viable system and that certain tyrants just gave it a bad name! And the popular press has long looked the other way regarding the evidence of the outcome of what happens when the flawed notion of "separation of Church and state" is consistently applied. Secularists, not religionists, have caused the most suffering in human history, bar none -- another point where our "watchdog" media is a no-show.
And it was from Iraq that the neologism "genocide" was coined in 1943. The author was Raphael Lemkin, a Jewish lawyer from Poland. Lemkin was describing the systematic extermination of Assyrian Christians carried out in the 1930s by the Muslim governors of the new nation of Iraq that had been born after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Silence is the order of the day here as well. And yes, it is another injustice.
Should lawsuits be brought against all these entities? The answer, I think, is a prudential one: if you think you can win the case, then yes. Otherwise, you just have to walk away from it.
Just like you have to walk away from conspiracy junkies who won't permit themselves to be persuaded by credible evidence.
(1) showed how the claims of one Fred Leuchter regarding the Nazi's gas chambers were demolished;
(2) provided a reference to the solid science of a Popular Mechanics article demonstrating that the Twin Towers were brought down by airplanes;
(3) concluded with plausible explanations for why some people were inclined to pursue the chimera of conspiracy notions.
One reader of this blog wrote to say that "Firemen, military men, and others are not onboard with the official story of 911." No names or examples were provided. As phrased, the meaning of my critic's remark is that not a single fireman, military man, and other person is on board with the official story. Perhaps what was meant that some persons don't accept it? But how many? Who? Absent any examples or evidence comparable to what was provided by the other side of the discussion, the best response to a sweeping generalization is often a categorical denial. But I will add that the vast majority of firemen, military men, and others recognize that it was two airplanes that brought down the Twin Towers; the ones who think otherwise are few and far between, and their differing accounts can be readily explained by the chaos and confusion of the day.
My reader added, "As for what happened in Germany, well, let's just say we can't even question it so what are they hiding?" I'm reminded of a conversation I had some time ago with another Holocaust denier who said that what was needed was a thorough investigation of the matter. I pointed out that numerous reliable investigations had already been conducted, and that a thinking man would see that the findings were thorough, conclusive, and satisfied all reasonable doubts. The other chap said that we still needed more investigations. It seemed clear to me that facts were not the answer to such an attitude; about all one can do is tell them they're unreasonable and move along.
That is, unless they are in positions of influence and seek to publicize and win support for their calumny. In that case, I think lawsuits for defamation of character are entirely appropriate. After all, this is a matter of bearing false witness against the victims of Nazi atrocities, and a man is entitled to his good name.
At about this point my critics will sometimes talk about other atrocities that are given a free pass -- why do only the Jews get to complain about what was done to them?
For example, the Ottoman Turks inflicted genocide on the Armenian Christians, murdering upwards of a million innocent souls. Adolf Hitler, commenting on the silence surrounding this great crime, said that if nobody talked about the Armenians, nobody would talk about the Jews either. The Turks of today say that there was collateral damage inflicted on both sides during that time; world opinion has been slowly turning against them, but the denial of the genocide is still considered acceptable in many quarters.
Long-time readers will recall the numerous blog entries I've written about the 100+ million innocents murdered by the Soviet Russians, Maoist Chinese, and other Communists in the 20th century. Beware the useful idiots who say that socialism is a viable system and that certain tyrants just gave it a bad name! And the popular press has long looked the other way regarding the evidence of the outcome of what happens when the flawed notion of "separation of Church and state" is consistently applied. Secularists, not religionists, have caused the most suffering in human history, bar none -- another point where our "watchdog" media is a no-show.
And it was from Iraq that the neologism "genocide" was coined in 1943. The author was Raphael Lemkin, a Jewish lawyer from Poland. Lemkin was describing the systematic extermination of Assyrian Christians carried out in the 1930s by the Muslim governors of the new nation of Iraq that had been born after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Silence is the order of the day here as well. And yes, it is another injustice.
Should lawsuits be brought against all these entities? The answer, I think, is a prudential one: if you think you can win the case, then yes. Otherwise, you just have to walk away from it.
Just like you have to walk away from conspiracy junkies who won't permit themselves to be persuaded by credible evidence.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Living Wills
From Fr. Peter Scott, SSPX:
"I have only one remark to make about Living Wills: do not make one, under any circumstances.
"I formerly prepared one that I thought would work, but have since come to realize that everything in a Living Will depends upon the interpretation of the medical personnel, and their words and meanings are quite different from ours. They want a Living Will because it gives them legal protection, and especially because it removes the obligation of contacting the next of kin. Hospitals try to insist on a Living Will, under pain of refusal of admission. They have no right to do so, and we must stand up to that imposition. Instead, they are to be told that the sick person has a Power-of-Attorney for health care. This person is responsible for all decisions, and must then be consulted.
"It is the only way to protect against euthanasia. The Power-of-Attorney for health care can decide on the elimination of the extraordinary means of life support, such as a ventilator. He can also decide, in the case of a terminal case, that the person is not for resuscitation. This removes control away from the medical profession, and that is what we want.
"It is true that palliative care does not consider nutrition and water as morally necessary. The only real way to avoid this danger is either home nursing when possible, or if this is not possible, daily visits by the family members, who can observe and help in administering fluids and food inasmuch as they can be ingested."
Fr. Scott's remarks carry great weight because he is a priest thoroughly trained in moral medical issues. He knows well and good that of which he speaks.
For my part, I have expressed to my relatives in writing that I want heroic measures taken to keep me alive, and I have demanded the immediate arrest of anyone trying to remove my life support. As for organ donation: no, not under any circumstance -- "brain death" is a lucrative fiction for hospitals, and it won't be used to justify removing this writer's essential organs and thereby causing his non-fictional death.
"I have only one remark to make about Living Wills: do not make one, under any circumstances.
"I formerly prepared one that I thought would work, but have since come to realize that everything in a Living Will depends upon the interpretation of the medical personnel, and their words and meanings are quite different from ours. They want a Living Will because it gives them legal protection, and especially because it removes the obligation of contacting the next of kin. Hospitals try to insist on a Living Will, under pain of refusal of admission. They have no right to do so, and we must stand up to that imposition. Instead, they are to be told that the sick person has a Power-of-Attorney for health care. This person is responsible for all decisions, and must then be consulted.
"It is the only way to protect against euthanasia. The Power-of-Attorney for health care can decide on the elimination of the extraordinary means of life support, such as a ventilator. He can also decide, in the case of a terminal case, that the person is not for resuscitation. This removes control away from the medical profession, and that is what we want.
"It is true that palliative care does not consider nutrition and water as morally necessary. The only real way to avoid this danger is either home nursing when possible, or if this is not possible, daily visits by the family members, who can observe and help in administering fluids and food inasmuch as they can be ingested."
Fr. Scott's remarks carry great weight because he is a priest thoroughly trained in moral medical issues. He knows well and good that of which he speaks.
For my part, I have expressed to my relatives in writing that I want heroic measures taken to keep me alive, and I have demanded the immediate arrest of anyone trying to remove my life support. As for organ donation: no, not under any circumstance -- "brain death" is a lucrative fiction for hospitals, and it won't be used to justify removing this writer's essential organs and thereby causing his non-fictional death.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Petitioning Pepsi
Pepsico, like any number of other major business brands, accepts video submissions for ideas for Super Bowl commercials. This is the marketing and merchandizing version of what walk-ons are in sports: an unknown gets a chance to try out and see if he's good enough to make the team.
One submission this year was for a Doritos spot. The 30-second clip featured a Catholic Church with waning attendance, and whose pastor decided to use Doritos at Communion. Attendance subsequently skyrocketed, and the Church's finances were back in the black.
One should be offended only at offensive things. This commercial qualifies by virtue of asserting that the Most Blessed Sacrament is less effectual or significant than a cheap snack.
The ad is almost as offensive as a Novus Ordo Mass.
I sent an email to the folks at Pepsico expressing my concerns about the ad; below is the reply I received. I don't know if petitions like mine were a factor in Pepsico's decision to not use that particular Dortio's ad for its Super Bowl spot; at the same time, registering an objection is so simple through digital channels that not saying something seemed to border on irresponsible.
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Response from Pepsico
Thank you for contacting us at PepsiCo to share your sincere thoughts.
We want to reassure you that the commercial you cited was not one conceived and produced by PepsiCo, and it never aired on television. Rather, it was a consumer submission in our web-based Crash the Super Bowl promotion, in which participants can upload their own 30-second spots for Doritos tortilla chips or Pepsi MAX to be considered for broadcast during Super Bowl XLV.
We announced the contest finalists this morning and this consumer submission is not included in that selection. We hope you are further reassured to know that this consumer submission will not be aired during the Super Bowl, nor will it be included in any other Doritos or Pepsi MAX marketing programs in the future.
We apologize if you were upset or offended by this consumer submission, and we will share your feedback with our marketing teams so they can be aware of your concerns.
Thanks again for taking the time to write.
PepsiCo Consumer Relations
One submission this year was for a Doritos spot. The 30-second clip featured a Catholic Church with waning attendance, and whose pastor decided to use Doritos at Communion. Attendance subsequently skyrocketed, and the Church's finances were back in the black.
One should be offended only at offensive things. This commercial qualifies by virtue of asserting that the Most Blessed Sacrament is less effectual or significant than a cheap snack.
The ad is almost as offensive as a Novus Ordo Mass.
I sent an email to the folks at Pepsico expressing my concerns about the ad; below is the reply I received. I don't know if petitions like mine were a factor in Pepsico's decision to not use that particular Dortio's ad for its Super Bowl spot; at the same time, registering an objection is so simple through digital channels that not saying something seemed to border on irresponsible.
=======
Response from Pepsico
Thank you for contacting us at PepsiCo to share your sincere thoughts.
We want to reassure you that the commercial you cited was not one conceived and produced by PepsiCo, and it never aired on television. Rather, it was a consumer submission in our web-based Crash the Super Bowl promotion, in which participants can upload their own 30-second spots for Doritos tortilla chips or Pepsi MAX to be considered for broadcast during Super Bowl XLV.
We announced the contest finalists this morning and this consumer submission is not included in that selection. We hope you are further reassured to know that this consumer submission will not be aired during the Super Bowl, nor will it be included in any other Doritos or Pepsi MAX marketing programs in the future.
We apologize if you were upset or offended by this consumer submission, and we will share your feedback with our marketing teams so they can be aware of your concerns.
Thanks again for taking the time to write.
PepsiCo Consumer Relations
Saturday, January 1, 2011
The Circumcision
Feast of the Circumcision
Christ fulfilled the law and showed His descent according to the flesh from Abraham by being circumcised on the eighth day from His birth. At this time He also received His name: Jesus, which means "Savior."
He submitted to the Mosaic Dispensation not because He was subject to the law, but that He might redeem those who were under the law - that we might receive the adoption of sons.
To fulfill all justice, He endured this humiliation and bore in His body the stigma of the sins which He had taken upon Himself.
His Circumcision was the first time He shed His blood for us. The small amount of blood lost in this ceremony was enough to redeem all of the human race from their sins. Being the generous God, however, Jesus was not content with a sufficient amount -- to better demonstrate His love for us, He lived an entire life of sacrificial love that culminated in His death on the cross, Blessed Be His Name Forever.
Christ fulfilled the law and showed His descent according to the flesh from Abraham by being circumcised on the eighth day from His birth. At this time He also received His name: Jesus, which means "Savior."
He submitted to the Mosaic Dispensation not because He was subject to the law, but that He might redeem those who were under the law - that we might receive the adoption of sons.
To fulfill all justice, He endured this humiliation and bore in His body the stigma of the sins which He had taken upon Himself.
His Circumcision was the first time He shed His blood for us. The small amount of blood lost in this ceremony was enough to redeem all of the human race from their sins. Being the generous God, however, Jesus was not content with a sufficient amount -- to better demonstrate His love for us, He lived an entire life of sacrificial love that culminated in His death on the cross, Blessed Be His Name Forever.
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