"Breeders" and "Baby Makers" -- When Name-Calling Reaches Absurdity

Believe me -- in no way do I want to -- but I can't get inside the heads of militant homosexuals who try to insult others for using their private parts according to their natural use.

According to a Reuters report, "Provincetown, New England's summer gay capital, is facing a rise in harassment and discrimination. But this time it's straight people who say they are being ridiculed as 'breeders' and 'baby makers.'"

That's like a community of bulimics taking shots at "digesters" and "nutritionists," or Muslim terrorists calling us "freedom-loving peacemongers." How can anyone take serious offense?

God's first command for us was to breed and make babies (Genesis 1:28). Even from a Darwinist perspective, breeding and baby-making are essential to the survival of the fittest. Without breeding, only death would survive.

Not surprisingly, the Catholic Church continues to be targeted by the culture of death crowd. Faithful Catholics stand for the sanctity of life at all stages, and those who embrace corruption and death are fierce in their opposition (as if their lives depended on it).

It appears that the couple pictured on the left (where else?) feels a need to display their disloyalty to Catholic moral teaching. They proudly refused to sign a recent ammendment petition in Massachusetts that reads:

When recognizing marriages entered into after the adoption of this amendment by the people, the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions shall define marriage only as the union of one man and one woman.

Admittedly, they may just have different political views, in which they see no need to legislate what constitutes a marriage, but somehow I think their gay-marriage sympathies run deeper than disputes over civil legalities.

To me it illustrates our need to stand by the light of the Church's teaching in our dark world of immorality. It's important for us Christian "breeders" to promote life and the sanctity of marriage and the family. It's God's will, and it makes sense. After all, children must first be born if they are to be "born again."

Just as the earliest followers of Christ embraced the label "Christian," which was first used as a contemptuous epithet, so we can accept "breeders" and "baby-makers," as silly as such name-calling is.

View From Israel on Pope's Call for Peace

Dawn Eden posts a clip from an Israeli blogger with some of her own comments, with which I agree: View from Israel.

What I find interesting is the blogger's observation:

I know I may upset some people by what I am going to write. But it seems the history of Popes to call for prayers for peace is only when Israel strikes back. Where were the calls for peace and pressure on the Palestinians for the last 11 months as they fired rockets out of Gaza.

The Dawn Patrol

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Marian Devotion: Honor or Worship?

In the eyes of many non-Catholic Christians, it would be scandalous to show great honor to Mary or ask for her intercession because they can't distinguish these practices from adoration, which is the worship due to God alone. They view pious Marian devotions as the worship of Mary.

The other day I imagined how these same critics might react if Michael the archangel visited them suddenly one day in person, appearing as a man. They would never even think to themselves, What's the big deal? He's nobody -- just a created messenger whose purpose is to serve us. Rather, I believe these people would be awestruck by his holiness, and would thank him for doing the work God commissioned him to do. They would treat him with the greatest respect. And because of the special assignments given to him (see, e.g., Daniel 12:1; Jude 1:9; Revelation 12:7), they might even go so far as to ask for special, personal protection against the evil one.

Would these people feel guilty about worshiping the great archangel Michael? No way! They would know they weren't worshiping Michael. They would explain that they were seeking his intercession because of his special relationship with God.

It is the same with Catholics and Mary. As the mother of God (that is, the human mother of the divine person born of her), she adores the Lord like no one else. More than any other creature, she is close to God's heart. And we know that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous mom availeth much.

That's why we petition her:

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Pope to Finish New Book by Summer's End

Reports are that Pope Benedict XVI will have completed a new book by the end of this summer. Apparently the book "focuses on Jesus, the human race and Christianity's relationship with other faiths." Sounds good.

After the election of B16, I went to Amazon.com and ordered the then-Cardinal Ratzinger's book, Introduction to Christianity. I didn't know anything about the book, but the title was enough for me. I wanted it.

After tearing it out of the box, I started on it right away, but found it very difficult reading. I propose three reasons for this:

1. It's incredibly deep, discussing concepts beyond my level.
   
2. It was originally composed in German and was translated into English.
3. The author is a bad writer according to popular English writing standards.

I don't mean the third reason as an insult. I'm just used to clear, lean writing that's suited to the intelligent novice who likes his info straight to the point. B16's book was like an advanced college textbook. Actually, that is what it was written for -- for his students in seminary.

On the other hand, B16's encyclical, "Deus Caritas Est," was just right for me. It was profound and scholarly, yet practical and readable.

It would be nice if he would hire a smart, clear-writing American editor (how about Peter Kreeft?) to fix up his new book so us dummies can appreciate it, too.

A Flock Blog Test

I just downloaded and installed a new Web (2.0) browser called Flock, and I'm testing its blog feature. The coolest feature apparent to me from the start is the ability to drag-n-drop pictures all over the place. I've only used it for literally a few minutes, so I can't know for sure whether Flock is worthwhile, but it seems pretty neat. Give it a try -- it's based on the Mozilla engine (i.e., Firefox).

It's going to be 100 degrees up here again today, so I need to get some mowing done this morning before we reach skin-melting temperatures.

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The Standard Weapon Against AIDS

Earlier this week, BBC News reported on a study "that suggested circumcision reduced HIV infection risk in heterosexual men by about 60%," and to conclude the article, quoted Deborah Jack, chief officer of the National AIDS Trust:

However, people who are circumcised can still be infected with HIV and any awareness campaign would have to be extremely careful not to suggest that it protects against HIV or is an alternative to using condoms [emphasis mine].

It's bizarre that "using condoms" is always considered the standard method for fighting the war on AIDS. The condom campaign is promoted by health officials, broadcast on TV, and taught to our school children. It's simply taken for granted that condoms are the solution, and that we need to spread this news to those who are at high risk.

The truth is, not wearing a condom is not a high-risk practice. In fact, there are millions today who don't wear condoms, and they're among the least likely to contract HIV. The "protection" they use is a time-tested technique called chastity. That is to say, they're either

1. single and celibate, or
2. married and monogamous.

If we value true education, we should teach that the real high-risk practice is sex outside of a one-man-one-woman marriage.

The problem with that, though, is that it conflicts with our "right" to have casual romps, including especially those that involve sodomy.

Even so, the fact remains that morality, as defined by natural law and the Church, is the most effective, scientific weapon against the spread of AIDS. (Incidentally, it's also what leads to greater fulfillment in the bedrooms of the married-and-monogamous.)

Naysayers may argue that teaching this solution is ineffective because promiscuity is rampant and practically unstoppable, and dark clouds of disaster therefore loom over the condom-less. But the admittedly universal temptation to immorality is not a reason to replace the truth with a condom; it is cause to even more boldly and clearly disseminate the truth, which saves lives, physically and spiritually.

And that's where the rubber meets the road.

How to Use Google Reader

How to Use Google Reader, by Andy Wibbels. A good, easy-to-understand Flash presentation.


From Google Reader's FAQ:

Why would I want to use Google Reader?

The amount of information on the web is rapidly increasing. Google Reader helps you keep up with it all by organizing and managing all the content you're interested in. Instead of continuously checking your favorite sites for updates, you can let Google Reader do it for you. From news sites to your friends' blogs, Google Reader helps you keep up-to-date with all the online information that matters most to you.

So Let Me Be Grumpy . . .

I'm grumpy. Normally I'm the cheeriest guy in the universe.

Yesterday I took my car to get inspected, and it failed because of a hole in the lead exhaust pipe and two bad tires in the back. I took it to another location because the first one was a muffler repair shop, but I was told the same thing.

After mowing grass for nearly five hours today in the blistering heat, I showered and went to Mass. The man I griped about in a recent post began his homily with a lame joke (surprise!). The punchline was a woman saying to her priest, "You should be more careful shaving and cut your sermons!" I suppose I should be careful to cut Saturday-evening Masses and stick with Sunday mornings.

After Mass, I went to my car and discovered that, sure enough, one of my back tires was flat. So, along with my expired inspection sticker, I drove home with a goofy-looking, attention-getting spare tire in the back. I should call the police station and ask the dispatcher to send an officer to our driveway so I can ask for my high-priced ticket now.

I don't have the funds to replace two tires and fix my exhaust problem (or pay a fine), so I'll have to wait till payday to get started on that to-spend list.

But maybe I won't be driving the streets anyway if I'm incapacitated by my increasingly sore, infected chigger bite on top of my foot. At least my other foot is okay -- in spite of my dog biting it a short while ago.

I won't let discouragement get me down too much, though. The sun'll come out tomorrow . . . giving us 90-some-degree weather so we can bake in our poorly air-conditioned home, causing next month's electricity bill to rival this month's $544.

Here's my solution: I will consume a cold glass of water, lay down and pet my penitent dog, and fall asleep counting my blessings. Then I will awaken tomorrow morning as the cheeriest guy in the universe again.

Cheerio!

Rush's Side of the Story

On Rush Limbaugh's Web site, he publishes a transcript from a call he had about his embarrassing incident involving Viagra. You can read it here: Rush Stopped at Customs: The Real Story

I agree with what he has to say, but he never mentions why he had the little blue pills to begin with. Of course, the reason is obvious, but I know he doesn't owe any of us an explanation. I just hope his political indignation over this hullabaloo is accompanied by private spiritual introspection.

What's Said by the Bread

I read an article this evening entitled "Real danger lies in lack of reverence for Lord in Eucharist," and it makes me reflect on my local parish.

In many respects, my parish is a very good one. One thing that bothers me is the casual, back-slapping atmosphere that blows in just as Mass concludes. I'm not sure why it is: before Mass, everyone, for the most part, is quiet, reverent, and prayerful; but afterward, even before the final song is finished, the parishioners erupt into social-hour mode right there in the pews.

The most annoyingly disrespectful act I've seen, however, was before Mass: while many of us were kneeling in prayer, a lady traversed the rows to sell raffle tickets with the fervency of a starving Cracker Jack salesman at a baseball game. Very tacky, indeed. I was determined to keep my eyes closed, and prepared to rebuke her quietly if she insisted on disturbing me.

If we as Catholics believe in the Real Presence, that through the Eucharist, Jesus is truly present -- Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity -- then the furthest things from our mind should be the afternoon's football game, the new blockbuster movie, and the latest fund-raising raffle. In our darkened world, the Real Presence in the Eucharist is our Light, but we shouldn't treat it lightly.

While I'm at it, I have another gripe. We have someone authorized to give homilies who seems unable to expound the Scripture readings without first telling a corny, gratuitous joke, which serves to distract our attention from, rather than draw it to, the Gospel readings. It's as if he's afraid we won't like him unless we are wooed by his cleverness or wit. But we're not drawn to the Church by entertainers; we're drawn by the Truth.

I don't mean to sound like a holy man of perfect piety. I'm not fully focused at every Mass. There are times when I'm distracted and fight to keep my mind from wandering. But it makes sense that there should be some decorum out of respect for what's happening, and Who is present at the altar and in the tabernacle.

Part of that respect should be shown in our conduct and speech. Let's watch what's said by the Bread.

Rush to Judgment

I hate that Rush Limbaugh got into this kind of trouble. I'd like to hear what he has to say about it on his radio program. I'll reserve judgment till I hear what he has to say.

Last time he got in trouble for pills, they were for pain, but these were for gain.

Good Godless!

Taking a break from mowing grass, I stopped at the library to pick up my reserved copy of Ann Coulter's latest book, Godless. I've read only the first three chapters so far, but I'm enjoying every sentence. She's the ultimate smartbutt. I'd hate her if she wasn't right. Every page is jam-packed with stinging sarcasm and satire, which I reward with a series of great-big grins.

I've skimmed through various anti-Coulter blogs, and they frequently criticize Coulter's style. They think her attacks are vicious and un-Christian -- Godless, if you will. What I haven't yet seen is serious refutation of her conclusions.

I can't help but think her satirical style makes her opponents jealous, because she's smart as a whip -- she gets away with her humorous, biting style because she presents her case with facts and common sense. And she can really sell her books.

Sarcasm, by the way, is not inherently bad. It can provide just the right leverage to pry open the mind of reason, unless its purpose is to simply be mean. When Jesus speaks of a speck in your brother's eye versus the plank in your own, He is thick on sarcasm, but also on truth.

I read this book not so much from a political but a Christian perspective. Ann does a good job documenting and explaining how seriously twisted society has become in its rejection of God. She makes out the enemy to be "liberalism," but the real enemy is the sinister being that lurks behind and "inspires" this our culture of death: "that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world" (Revelation 12:9). His deceit has surfaced in every age to one degree or another, in one form or another. Regrettably, in today's American politics, it can be seen in the form of liberalism that promotes abortion, homosexual unions, euthanasia, Darwinism, and other godless philosophies.

He who has an ear, let him hear what Ann says to the church of liberalism!

Front-Porch Apologetics

Behold, I give you a true saying:

You cannot reason somebody into believing the Christian faith, but you can show that believing the Christian faith is reasonable.

Humility Is . . .

Is humility synonymous with loathing oneself, deprecating oneself, walking around with slumped shoulders and seeing no value at all in oneself?

No. Humility is seeing things as they are. It is recognizing the truth, the true order of things.

If you're humble, you see that you are a speck in the cosmos, that you are small and weak compared to God.

And, if you're truly humble, you will also recognize that God loves us specks, that we have incredible value and potential, having been created in God's image.

Pride is the opposite of humility. It makes a person see himself falsely, in a more lofty position than he really is.

True humility is the key to effective prayer. That's why we must first recognize that God is "Our Father, who art in heaven," and that His name is hallowed.

A Thought That Hurts My Brain

I wish I could de-mystify this mystery. It bugs me, but I just have to let it go. Follow my logic and let me know if you can explain things in a way I can understand:

My two presuppositions are these:

1. All time and matter -- the whole physical universe -- must have had a beginning. It did not always exist.
   
2. God, who is not a part of Creation but is outside of it and thus timeless, does not have successive thoughts or acts. If He had one thought followed by another, then that means He is in time and not in eternity, for time is merely a measurement of the motion of matter, which He created out of nothing.
   

It seems, then, that God must have been thinking about this Creation in eternity. Since He is timeless, then that means there wasn't a "time" when He decided to begin acting on His thoughts and start creating. Yet this universe was born, was begun. It almost seems that if God was always thinking about us, He was always Creating us, so we've always been here, but that can't be.

Just as one can rightly say "God IS," can one say "God DOES"? How would that square with the physical universe having a definite starting point?

Am I missing something? Is there a better way to look at this apparent conundrum?

You don't know what the heck I'm trying to ask, do you? . . . Crap!

The Apologetics Subculture

Please read Mark Shea's blog post entitled "Some Thoughts on the Apologetics Subculture."

He articulates honestly and humbly what I've understood for a good while now, but have not always shown through my actions: that evangelism and apologetics are not the same thing, and that some things labeled "apologetics" are unproductive wastes of time.

Here is an excerpt:

Part of what fed (and feeds) the interest in apologetics is simply the thrill of learning and articulating the faith. That's certainly what motivates me. People call me an apologist. I generally don't call myself one, because I primarily think of myself as an amateur teacher. I think the Faith is fascinating and just like telling other people about it, because I love to watch the lights come on and I love to watch the Faith liberate other people as it's liberated me. Sometimes that involves "defending the Faith". A lot of times it simply involves proclaiming the Faith.

The two, by the way, are different and those who love apologetics would do well to remember it. The first and primary task of the believer is *not* to defend the Faith, but to proclaim it. In other words, evangelization comes first, and apologetics is, at best, its handmaid. You don't *need* to "defend the Faith* unless the Faith is being attacked. And if you enter into a conversation with a defensive mentality, don't be surprised if you ignite a hostile mentality in the person you are talking to. Not a few times have I seen hot-headed, testosterone-driven young single guys (in short, the sort of person who is typically drawn to apologetics) forget this and come on strong with a pugilistic attitude that radiates "You probably think there's something wrong with my Faith, don't you? Don't you? Come on, try me buddy. Just try me!" Such folk mean well usually. They are young bucks full of piss and vinegar. A thousand years ago, all that masculine energy would have been spent on something like a healthy crusade. But today, there are very few channels through which the Valiant Knight hormones can go, so they go into apologetics, often without anybody to instruct these guys that the medieval ideal also include the model of the verray, parfit gentil knyght who comes in peace before he comes in war.

Click here for the full write-up.

It Would Be a Mistake If . . .

After the Dallas Mavericks' disappointing loss to the Miami Heat last night for the NBA championship, I think it would be a mistake for Sesame Street to let Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban host the children's show on the day in which the program is brought to us by the letter "F."

That's just my suggestion in case Sesame Street has Cuban penciled in on the schedule anytime soon.

Chronological Bible-Reading Plan

I'm starting on a new abridged Bible-reading plan for a better sense of story flow.

Instead of reading Genesis straight through Revelation, I'm following Mike Aquilina's idea of reading the chronological, historical-narrative books of the Bible before going through the other books. That way you're not distracted by diversions from the main story flow, which ultimately is the story of Jesus Christ.

Here are the 14 chronological books of Bible history:

1. Genesis
2. Exodus
3. Numbers
4. Joshua
5. Judges
6. 1 Samuel
7. 2 Samuel
8. 1 Kings
9. 2 Kings
10. Ezra
11. Nehemiah
12. 1 Maccabees
13. Luke
14. Acts

I will try to read them swiftly, yet not following a schedule. Reviewing the events of salvation history makes it easier to understand the "big picture," putting the other biblical books and everything else in its historic context.

I Didn't Mean to Steal Gasoline . . .

I took my son to his Boy Scout outing today, and on the way home I stopped at a gas station, put $10 worth of gasoline in my car, and didn't pay for it.

You see, after I finished refueling, I pulled out a $20 bill from my pocket and walked toward the station, but the door was locked. I went to the other door, and it, too, was locked -- furnished with a sign that read "Closed."

Aaaargh! I said to myself. Doooooh . . . geeze!

After thusly articulating the frustration I faced, I walked around the building, peeked through windows, looked for any helpful information that may be posted -- but nothing. After a while, I figured I couldn't just hang around till the store re-opens (whenever that may be), so hesitantly I got into the car and left.

I was sure I would see flashing lights behind me as I drove, and I imagined that, since I was unshaven and looking somewhat bummy, I'd be featured on an episode of COPS. But I made it home without incident.

I will pay for the gasoline I accidentally took. I'll try to reach the gas station by phone tomorrow. Somehow, if possible, I will pay.

This story reminds me of the three factors that must be simultaneously present for a sin to be mortal:

1. Grave matter. Stealing gasoline in Bush country certainly qualifies. You just don't mess with Texas. Beside that, stealing is a violation of the Seventh Commandment. Anytime you violate the Big Ten, it's automatically a grave matter.
2. Full knowledge. I know that taking gasoline without paying for it is wrong, a sin. I can't plead moral ignorance.
   
3. Deliberate consent. Phew! This one lets me off the mortal-sin hook. Objectively, I stole, but not deliberately. I did not freely choose to steal. You might say I should have made sure the place was open first, but I didn't. I honestly but incorrectly assumed the pumps would have been shut down if the station was closed on a Saturday afternoon.

After my morning bowl of oatmeal tomorrow, I will try to get in touch with the gas station, because it's the right thing to do.

Hanging With Joel Osteen

Yep, it's true. That's Joel and me cuddling in the afterglow of one of his warm-and-fuzzy, feel-good positive messages at his Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. He let me know that if only I had a "can-do attitude," realizing I'm "a victor and not a victim," and that since I "come from a spiritual blood line of champions," I can live my "best life now." I just gotta have faith. Do I have an Amen?

When my best school friend since third grade visited me last month from Michigan, he thought it would be a shame not to see Joel Osteen while visiting Texas. So we went.

It is the largest church in the United States, with 30,000 members. Joel preaches where the Houston Rockets used to play basketball -- until it was purchased by Lakewood Church. If only the NBA team could have rocked the house like Joel can! Judging by the crowd's reaction, his sermon was a slam dunk.

I've been to only a few music concerts in my day (e.g., R.E.M., The Cranberries, Credence Clearwater Revival), but Lakewood Church puts on just as good a show.

I enjoyed the experience because of its entertainment value and Joel's celebrity status, but I must say it's no substitute for the sacrifice of the Mass. Even more impressive than Joel's presence is the Real Presence.

I Hate When Bloggers Quit

I hate when bloggers I enjoy stop blogging.

I noticed I haven't posted a blog entry in six months, and, while I'm sure that's not rocking anyone's world, it bugs me. So I'm renewing my personal commitment to blog. It does a body good.

My plan (subject to change in an instant) is to post smaller, but more frequent, entries -- and perhaps less formal ones. We'll see how it goes.

If you're even half-interested in what I say (or anyone else) when I let my fingers do the talking, I recommend getting a free news aggregator. It will show you what, if any, new posts I have published without having to actually go to my blog site. Not only that, you can read them in their entirety without visiting "So Let It Be Written . . . ."

If you use Mozilla's free Firefox Web browser, then you can use the "Live Bookmarks" that are built in. They can tell you my blog titles, and if you click on one, you will be directed to that page on my site.

However, since I'm such a Google fan, I recommend that you try Google Reader, a Web-based news aggregator. It has most of the features one would want in a news reader, plus the freedom to access your account from any computer. Right now I keep up with 26 different blogs (and podcasts) using Google Reader. I know for a fact I'd never visit all those sites individually. It's easier to let them come to me.

Would You Wear an Electric-Chair Necklace?

I've heard the sarcastic question asked many times from people who object to wearing a cross or crucifix as jewelry. It was asked again today by the host of an Evangelical Christian radio program on my way home from work: If Jesus was electrocuted, would you wear an electric chair around your neck?

Illustration by Nate Hibma.
His views are not necessarily those of this blog.

My answer is YES, especially if the early Christians gloried in it like they did the cross. Maybe St. Paul would have written:

"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him electrocuted" (1 Cor 2:2).

"Far be it from me to glory except in the chair of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been electrocuted to me, and I to the world" (Gal 6:14)

"But we preach Christ electrocuted, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (I Cor 1:23-24).

"You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as electrocuted" (Gal 3:1).

The reason devout Christians wear a crucifix is to showcase and keep in remembrance history's greatest act of love for mankind.

Whether we read it or write it, sing it or wear it, the message is the same: Jesus died so that we may live.

"Un-Bull-Leaving Israelites"

I recently finished reading Catholic theologian Scott Hahn's book, Lord, Have Mercy. I want to provide an excerpt from pages 125-126 under the subhead "Un-Bull-Leaving Israelites," in which he touches on some Christian typology in the Old Testament history of Israel:

And it wasn't only their bellies that were groaning after their departure from Egypt. They also built a golden image of Apis, a bull calf, the Egyptian god of virility, and they conducted an orgy there in the desert (Ex 32:1-6).

Israel was its own worst enemy, but certainly not its only one. On the way to their occupation of the promised land, the Israelites had to conquer seven mighty nations that opposed their advance.

All of this, according to the fathers of the Church, is like the situation of humanity. We are born slaves. That is why Israel's servile stint with Egypt is a typological picture of the soul in original sin. It's also why Israel being led through the Red Sea is a symbol of baptism (see 1 Cor 10:1-4). God has set us free, through baptism, from the slavery of original sin, but we still suffer its aftereffects in lingering concupiscence. So it is only with difficulty that we give up sinful habits. Moreover, our corrupt nature continues to hanker after the sensual pleasures that accompany a life of slavery to sin. If we are to break free of the land of our exile, we must put to death such longings -- our concupiscence. We must sacrifice, in our lives, the created things that sinners tend to make into idols.

We need to discipline ourselves to resist temptation. We need to train ourselves to make war against the world, the concpuiscent flesh, and the devil. The fathers of the Church pointed out that, like the Israelites, we, too, must conquer seven "nations" before we ourselves can lay claim to the promised land of heaven. The pagan nations represent the traditional seven deadly sins: pride, anger, gluttony, lust, laziness, envy, and greed.