Contra|Diction!

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

What Would the Greeks Have Thought of Gay Marriage?

“The great classical philosophers would have regarded it as an absurdity, despite their partial tolerance of homosexual love.”

The central insight of classical Greek philosophy is that the order of the city is the order of the soul writ large. If there is disorder in the city, it is because of disorder in the souls of its citizens. This is why virtue in the lives of the citizens is necessary for a well-ordered polis. This notion is reflected in the Athenian’s statement concerning the political benefits of the virtue of chastity.

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This is why Aristotle forbids adultery, wants to make it disgraceful in all circumstances, not only because it subverts virtue, but because it attacks the political foundations of society. Adultery becomes a political problem because it violates chastity, which is indispensable to a rightly ordered polis. There is no comparable condemnation of adultery in homosexual marriage in Aristotle because such an institution would have been inconceivable to him, as it has been throughout history until recent times. That is because it is a self-contradiction. Marriage cannot be based on an act which is in itself a violation of chastity, because something cannot be its opposite. A homosexual household would not make sense to Aristotle since it could not contain parents and all the generational relations that spring from them, which makes the polis possible. What did not make sense then still does not make sense now, and for the same reasons.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Growing Epidemic of Muslim Persecution of Christians

Looking over the news of the day, I notice a good number of stories relate to persecution of Christians by Muslims. It’s quite incredible and shocking how much death, destruction and persecution is spawned daily In the Name of Allah. Western society likes to give everyone the benefit of the doubt—it’s the practical application of I Cor. 13—and generally is reluctant to brand Islam as a violent religion but let’s keep our eyes open, continue with the debate and not fool ourselves!

The greatest outrage today appears to be the devastating torching of 170 Christian homes by a Muslim mob in Pakistan. Note that this frenzy was triggered by alleged insults to Mohammed, which only proves that anti-blasphemy laws, for which Islamic organizations worldwide are agitating, will change nothing. In fact we see that anti-blasphemy laws are often excuses to attack other religious groups.

Hundreds of Christians clashed with police across Pakistan on Sunday, a day after a Muslim mob burned dozens of homes owned by members of the minority religious group in retaliation for alleged insults against Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.

Christians are often the target of Pakistan’s harsh blasphemy laws, which rights activists say are frequently used to persecute religious minorities or settle personal disputes. Politicians have been reluctant to reform the laws for fear of being attacked by religious radicals, as has happened in the past.

In the Name of Allah

I notice that moderate Muslims often try to distance themselves from their extremist brethren when the news reports portray brutal and uncivilized behaviour. Yet moderate Muslims of good faith must sometimes wonder themselves about their religion. After all, what other religion of modern times inspires the kind of havoc and destruction in the world that Islam does?

Again, moderate Muslims may say that terrorist and mob violence is not inspired by Islam but by thugs and criminals. So I ask another question: If such is the case—that terrorists and mobs are not inspired by Islam—why is it that regardless of whether it is good or bad behaviour by Muslims, it is all done In the Name of Allah? What other group of thugs and criminals on the world stage so consistently commit their atrocities in the name of their god, screaming and shouting to their god while they blow up themselves or behead their fellow human beings?

Could it be that Islam is more than a religion? Could it be that it is a totalitarian ideology? It is Muslims who will eventually have to put that question to rest. Western civilization has held for centuries that, regarding Islam,

“no stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science, the science against which it (Islam) had vainly struggled, the civilisation of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilisation of ancient Rome."

[Source: Winston S. Churchill, The River War, First edition, Vol. II (London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1899), pp. 248-250.]

If we are to think differently about Muslims in general, the “religion” of Islam must come into the 21^st century. Are Muslims up to that challenge...or should I call it a battle? So far they are not winning, in my opinion.

Dare we hope for Burke?

I have said it elsewhere—quite a number of times—exactly what I think of Archbishop Raymond Burke. He certainly is my #1 choice for Pope. Taylor Marshall shocked me when he posted recently that Burke was the likely choice. The speculation about who will be the new Pope is rife and today I discovered that Austin Ruse of C-FAM has gone public with his hope as well.

Burke also made the dissenters angry when – following the lead of Ratzinger – he excommunicated some ladies who were “ordained” priests – one even claimed to be a bishop. His letter of excommunication is exquisite, a masterpiece of canon law and reads like a document from another age. You can practically hear the long candles being smashed to the floor as the schismatics are cast from the Church.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Protesting Abortion St. John's NL

Today I held my signs (back to back on a pole) at St. Teresa's Catholic Church in St. John's at 10AM. It proved to be windier than I expected so I had to cut my protest short. I drove over to the Basilica of St. John the Baptist at 10:30 but it was impossible to keep the sign steady.

I have been making appearances with my signs here and there at various Catholic churches in St. John's area for about two months. In terms of a public statement it's probably the least that any pro-life Christian should consider making.

Archdiocese of St. John's NL Stoking the Fires of Dissent

Archdiocesan heavyweights Father Paul Lundrigan and Secretary to Archbishop Anne Walsh appeared on CBC Radio Crosstalk on Thursday past for a discussion entitled “Should women be ordained as priests in the Roman Catholic church?” Given the current circumstances of a papal election in the works and the media speculating like crazy so as to drive their agenda to “move forward” the Church on key social issues, you would think this would be a wonderful God-given opportunity for Ms. Walsh and Fr. Lundrigan to set the record straight.

Not so. The conversation was diverse, mostly covering topics of ordaining women as priests, priestly celibacy, lay ministry, women deacons, sexual abuse, with some mention of contraception, status of homosexuals, same sex marriage, “mythology” of Adam and Eve, inter-Christian marriage, etc.

Though the conversation was diverse it did enjoy, however, a common theme, i.e. the Church is behind the times and needs to change. No defense of the faith was provided, no rational arguments were made to justify current practice and policy, no statements by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI were offered that might enlighten minds. Although a number of callers voiced anti-Catholic bias and opposition, particularly aimed at the hierarchy and official doctrine, no correction or explanation was advanced to counter. What was offered certainly was more sympathy than anything for the tired old clichés and attacks on the faith.

And we wonder why such a high proportion of Canadian Catholics hold dissenting views and attitudes towards their Church. These average Catholics need affirmation and explanation of their Church’s teaching. Instead of doubts, skepticism, and criticism they need building up in their faith rather than to be further torn down and jilted.

So what happens when a Catholic priest stokes the fires of dissent by appearing on a talk show and invites criticism and dissent of his Catholic faith and joins with the caller in pressing for change in Church teaching? Here’s a recent story from Crisis magazine recounting the excommunication, dismissal, and laicization of Roy Bourgeois, a Maryknoll priest who had long and defiantly—and in spite of numerous warnings—engaged in what was officially described as a “campaign against the teachings of the Catholic Church.” He repeatedly and obstinately engaged in public agitation in favor of female ordination.

What exactly are we up against here in Newfoundland in regard to leadership in our Catholic community? Take a look at this recent article published in The Telegram, our local newspaper. Here you will find more of Father Lundrigan’s unorthodox views, as well as a surprise peek into the mind of Archbishop Martin Currie. Some Catholics were scandalized by this article and rightly so.

More to come.

Surrogate Mother Refuses $10,000 Bribe to Abort Deformed Baby

How twisted and inhumane our society has become due to “legalized” abortion.

Crystal Kelley fled to another state to protect the deformed child she carried from her own parents.

Canadian Catholics 'Ahead' of Vatican on Women, Birth control, Homosexuality

Michael Coren tried to clear up this subject early on.

More ridiculous conjecture from the main stream media, this time the Vancouver Sun. At all costs, say the media, we must “move forward” on “changing some key Vatican teachings.”

But it’s not only North American Catholics who are moving beyond the Vatican. A case can be made that the College of Cardinals is also out of step with most Catholics, including in Latin America, home to 40 per cent of the church’s members.

Before analyzing the entire world, however, let’s focus on some solid Canadian Catholic facts.

Veteran religion pollster Reg Bibby, of the University of Lethbridge, provided the numbers on where Canadian Catholics stand on a host of hot-button issues.

Everyday Canadian Catholics not only strongly disagree with Ouellet about ordaining women, but an overwhelming 78 per cent, Bibby found, believe Catholic priests should be allowed to marry.

The Vatican also continues to officially forbid artificial contraception, like condoms. But Bibby’s polling reveals more than nine out of 10 Canadian Catholics “approve and accept” that married couples, and teenagers, can use birth control.

The Holocaust Was Far Worse Than We Thought. What Will be Said of Abortion?

Almost 70 years later new light is still being shed on the Holocaust. Will the day come when truth about abortion finally comes to light? Read more...

Nearly 70 years ago, this man was hanged for a plot to assassinate a madman murderer. He is highly regarded among Christians today.

70 years from now, what will we think of this man?

Injustice in a society drives men to extremes not normally thought possible.

Don’t Be Blasé About Blasphemy

Thinking that anti-blasphemy laws will protect the interests of all religions misses the big picture.

Perhaps the only good thing to come out of Muslim rioting in more than 20 countries last September is that this has been extremely helpful in clarifying what Islam teaches—and what we can expect if its influence expands in the West.

Drones too Convenient to Keep Overseas

Is it really far-fetched to foresee the Department of Justice deploying drones to the Ruby Ridges and Wacos of the 2020s? Mark Steyn adds some common sense to the soup.

Video: TSA Screeners Fail To Catch Fake Bomb In Security Test

Just how effective is that multi-billion dollar TSA security system? Should we feel safe in the USA and Canada?

"So we just learned that the TSA is now decided to let us start bringing knives on airplanes. And now we've learned one passenger got through security with a fake bomb. The passenger was actually an undercover agent conducting tests which the screeners apparently failed. That's according to the New York Post which which this network's parent company owns. Sources tell the paper the undercover agent got through to security screenings including one that involved -- pat down."

People Were Being Slaughtered, And We Did Nothing!

The state of politics and transparency in America at this point: PolitiChick Ann-Marie Murrell talks to Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert about Benghazi and the lack of details coming out of the White House.