Health Care teams up with Law and Order?

Maybe it is just me...perhaps I'm just being hypersensitive. But, did anyone one else watch tv the night the Obama-care bill was passed? During my lunch break from work, I was flippin' through the channels with my wife and stopped at "Law and Order." What I saw was a full episode of anti-Catholic propaganda, and the last few minutes of another show that seemed like it was on the same path. You probably know the routine: Catholics hate gay people, we're super intolerant, priests are all deviants, we hate women, so on and so forth...

I think if I hadn't been watching coverage of the health care reform debates all day, I might not even have noticed it. But, the second it started to soak in, it made me a little sick to my stomach. It just seemed a little too convenient and well timed. Its old school politics to demonize the primary opposition with lies and bigotry, but, its usually not quite so obvious.

Like I said...maybe its just me. But I doubt it.

Planned Parenthood Covering Up Child Rape/Abuse

Its incredibly sad that as much of our tax money goes to this organization already, under the deceitful guise of "public health." That amount is scheduled to increase dramatically if the president's idea of "health care reform" passes. I have a hard time expressing how bad Planned Parenthood is for the future of any society. The St. Michael Society has this story on their site (see link below). If one Planned Parenthood clinic has this much disregard for our children, what's to make anyone think that any other clinic is any better. Its the dark legacy of Margaret Sanger at work.

For the 10th Time on Tape: Planned Parenthood Covering Up Child Rape/Abuse:

Discontent or Division?

Over the last couple of weeks, I've noticed a marked increase in bloggers talking about the stances of the USCCB in relation to the lay Catholic people they're suppose to shepherd. Deal Hudson went so far as to ask if a Catholic "tea party movement" is called for, based on the discontent seen across the nation in response to Obama policies and "health care" reform beginning in 2009.

A lot of questions have come up concerning issues of social teaching/Catholic identity and who benefits when it becomes a concrete political matter. If the United States had a uniquely "Catholic" political party, this wouldn't even be an issue, to a certain degree. But, since such a party doesn't exist in today's America (whether or not it even should is another question), the influence and power that millions of American Catholics produce gets funnelled into more than one camp. Each camp with its own political and philosophical agendas which may or may not be in line with the Catholic Church.

Hudson points out the liberal leanings of the USCCB in terms of social justice, aligning it more with the policies of the Democratic Party. In contrast, the lay and religious faithful tend to interpret Catholic teaching from a more conservative position, aligning them more with Republican Party policy. An example of the conservative leaning is manifested by the Manhattan Declaration of late 2009. These are two contrasting views that, some how, mesh together into a uniquely Catholic view, separate from both Democrats and Republicans. Despite the presence of this third Catholic stance, both parties have made attempts to harness the forces that Catholics, and Christians in general, bring to the table as their own.

Hudson, among others, seem to believe that lay cooperation with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has run its course due to these diverging political and philosophical rifts. The question comes down to whether the everyday, blue collar Catholic (who tends to be more conservative) should continue to identify the USCCB (tending to be more liberal) as the leadership of the Catholic Church in the United States of America. Is this legitimate discontent along moral lines? Or, is this political gerrymandering designed to divide?

As a blue collar Catholic myself, I defer directly to the Holy Father when teaching and morals are the concern. Political parties and policy have little to do with actual belief, unless policy crosses into the realm of faith (as in tax payer funding of abortion). But, this Catholic identity also plays a major role in political life. Those who desire a distinct separation between the spiritual life and the public life are severally short sighted and have a minimal understanding of what Christianity requires. The Catholic faith is both private and public by its very nature.

I haven't done any hard research as of yet, but, I wouldn't be surprised if the people calling for dissent against the USCCB are the very people who cried for the bishops to speak up only a decade or two ago. It has to be realized that we are neither solidly Democrats,nor solidly Republicans. If any group claiming to represent the Catholic population in the U.S. is trying to pull the Church into one established political party, perhaps seeing Catholic "tea parties" aren't too far off. The same can be said if a political party is guilty of the same.

It probably sounds like I'm sitting on the fence a bit on this topic. Well, I guess you could say I am. Good thing my voter card says "independent."

American Abortion and Historical Context

January 22, 2010 marked the 37th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 ruling on Roe v. Wade, the case which has allowed for the LEGAL murder of over an estimated 50,000,000 children through abortion.

For a little historical context, an estimated 6,000,000 Jews, gypsies, and others were murdered during the Holocaust. An estimated 10,000,000 (probably a lot more) died in the Ukraine alone under Stalin, known in the Ukraine as the Holodomor, literally meaning "murder by hunger."

Is the situation in our country since 1973 really so much different, just because a court ruled it legal? Is it somehow cleaner because it happens in clinics and not concentration camps? Should it make us feel better that the victims are disposed of in medical waste bags instead of gas chambers? It gives hope to see the thousands of people marching in Washington, and across the nation, every year to say, "No, there is no difference."

This is another reason why good history teachers are vital to the survival of a free society.

Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR

Seth has gotten his interview with Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR from this year's FOCUS conference up on Onebillionstories.com for everyone to check out. He asks Fr. Groeschel a great question, and he gets a great, and very hopeful answer.

Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR

Pray/Help for Haiti

By now, I'm sure you've probably heard about the massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake which struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti, only a few miles outside of the capital city of Port-au-Prince. From the looks of it, this is a truly massive disaster for a country ill-equipped to deal with the chaos and destruction in the aftermath.

The people of Haiti need our combined prayers now more than ever. Even the beautiful national cathedral couldn't with stand the massive quake. The Haitian people need food, water, medicine, and spiritual support.

If you can, please consider donating to an established aid organization such as Catholic Charities/Catholic Relief Services to give much needed help in, which no doubt will be a long and arduous recovery.

Another Anti-Catholic Obama Nominee

News came down today that the Obama administation has reintroduced extremely pro-abortion
law professor/lawyer Dawn Johnsen for the top position at the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel.

In the 1980s, Johnsen was part of the legal gang who sought to strip the Catholic Church of it's tax exempt status due to it's public pro-life stance. Johnsen, along with the abortion big dogs, NARAL, filed a suit which eventually failed. Despite that failure, I think a disturbing history is rather evident.

Wait a second...wasn't she already nominated for something last year?

Is it just me, or is this administration using "Are you Anti-Catholic?" as a question on its nominee application?