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This story serves as a sad reminder that there really are crazies out there who wish to banish the Church back into the catechombs.

Tim Graham at Newsbusters calls this out for what it is:

“For all the daily talk on the Daily Kos that conservatives are dictatorial, their cast of bloggers isn’t without grand designs for social control. Take this post: “Time to begin working for the death of religion (a rant).” The diarist “BlueMoon” expressed no attempt to disrupt free speech, but the “end of organized religion” must be attempted.” [Read more at NewsBusters.]

I can’t even begin to imagine the waves that would be generated if a church said that legal action should be pursued to eliminate the expression of progressive-liberalism. That’s because Christians believe in free speech, and in freedom in general.

More to the point, we believe in religious freedom, which this writer in the Daily Kos clearly does not.

Joan Desmond at the Cathoholic on an important issue which may effect the operational freedom of Catholic hospitals:

[Recently] I heard this NPR story about an April 15th memorandum issued by President Obama.

The memo made headlines because it directed hospitals to allow designated non-family members to visit patients and participate in health care decisions (a long-time concern for gay and lesbian couples). But the memo also addressed another issue of potential concern to Catholic hospitals: all health care facilities that receive Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements must honor patients’ advance directives.

… The NPR story predicted a possible collision between the president’s stance on advance directives and the USCCB’s Ethical and Religious Directives, which guide the operations of Catholic hospitals.

Joan concludes:

Down the road, church-affiliated hospitals may seek to legally defend their right to adhere to Catholic ethics on the treatment of patients, irrespective of whether that institution receives government funds.

This will become only a more common theme unless we become active in defending the autonomy of our Catholic institutions: government (especially federal laws) will intrude upon Catholic enterprises which will then cause conflict between the state’s legal directives and Catholic ethical teachings.

And our Catholic institutions don’t have the power of law on their side.

By that inflammatory, hyperbolic headline I simply mean to say: if I had to pick one cultural artifact that defines the post-modern rejection of God, it would be the condom.

If the sign used by Christians to reveal the sacrificial love of a personal God is the cross, the sign used by post-modern sexual-liberationists to reveal their selfish and hedonistic pursuit of sexual gratification, while simultaneously trying to convince themselves that technical interventions and innovations will render them safe from the natural harm that comes from a lifestyle of sexual profligacy … it’s the condom.

And yes, my teachers have told me I am prone to writing run-on sentences. 

But to be serious again, two real stories help support my argument about condoms being the symbolic anti-Christ of our age:

“A leading condom manufacturer in Switzerland has created extra-small condoms for boys as young as 12 years old, the U.K.’s Daily Telegraph reported.”

“Atheist Agenda, a campus group at U Texas San Antonio, has created a “Smut for Smut” program, where they’ll trade you high-grade porn in exchange for your Bibles and other religious material.”

As the reader who submitted the first story wrote me, “Where does it end?” 

I don’t know, but I think it begins with separating God from the world and our lives.

I was surprised to see that the Huffington Post – a flagship ultra-liberal political news and opinion portal – is launching a religion section. After all, the Huffington Post makes a sickeningly-predictable habit of lambasting, lampooning and villanizing organized religion (particuarly Christianity, and within that, the Catholic faith) at every turn.

Of course, the legitimacy of their venture is contradicted from the start:

You see, it isn’t even true that believers and non-believers are welcome.

Visit the religion section, and look at the list of contributors.

The most “orthodox” contributor out of dozens is Sister Joan Chittister(!), the last relic of the worst sort of syncretism that came out of the 60’s and 70’s Catholic Church in America. She spends her column lecturing the Church about how to be relevant in the 21st century. Seriously.

Excuse me, but with all possible charity, why is it that she, whose theological body of work is obviously so irrelevant to the future of the Church … always spend her time in a state of crisis because she believes the Church is becoming irrelevant? It’s hard to imagine a more text-book case of psychological projection.

And unfortunately, the Huffington Post has chosen to cherry-pick this sort of myopic time-warp evaluation of issues that previously has only managed to survive on the crumbling pages of the National Catholic Reporter.

If HuffPo religion truly welcomes all believers, and truly wants to reach out to the next generation of Catholics, orthodoxy-up and invite one contributor who doesn’t exhaust the entirety of their column criticizing the faith community they hail from. Otherwise this is like asking someone from the Bull Moose Party to comment on the political landscape today.

I’ll post an open, public challenge to their editors to invite me write them a column. I’ll save my time and start not writing it now.

Insanity:

Attorneys representing a Christian church leader convicted as a criminal for allowing his church bells to ring say they are hoping appellate decisions will overturn the conviction of Bishop Rick Painter and also strike down the Phoenix regulation under which he was convicted, and several other churches now are being threatened.

Senior Legal Counsel Erik Stanley of the Alliance Defense Fund today argued both cases and told WND the prosecution of Painter of Christ the King Liturgical Charismatic Church and the threats against other churches, including St. Mark Roman Catholic Parish and First Christian Church of Phoenix, are unprecedented.

[More on this story after the jump.]

Read the rest of this entry »

More news of the strange from across the herring pond….

A new report by the leading charity – backed by a legal opinion from a leading QC – says the Bill will make it impossible for all churches and faith-based charities to insist that their senior staff lead private lives in accordance with their religious beliefs.

CARE said that, under the Bill, which will be considered by the House of Lords on Monday, it would be illegal for a Christian charity to sack a senior manager for adultery or living an openly gay lifestyle.

The same rules would, it added, apply to Muslim and Jewish churches and charities.

However, the biggest potential showdown is likely to be between the government and Britain’s 4.3 million Catholics over the church’s tradition of an all-male, celibate priesthood.

Previous legislation in 2007, also backed by Ms Harman, the Commons Leader and equality minister, forced the closure of two Catholic adoption agencies for refusing to comply with new laws requiring them to place children with gay couples. (UK Telegraph)

There was a time when it seemed impossible that a Catholic adoption agency would be forced out of business for refusing to place children in gay households, so I’m not so fast to think it impossible that the UK government might make it extremely difficult for other Catholic “agencies” – including Catholic dioceses and parishes, to operate as they traditionally have.

Christian Campbell, an Anglican blogger who aspires to full communion with Rome, excerpts an article in French newspaper La Croix which details how rapidly France is de-Christianizing:

The IFOP Institute has just made a survey on Catholicism in France for the daily La Croix. The result is mind-blowing:

*Whilst, in 1965, 81% of the French declared themselves as Catholics, they were no more than 64% in 2009.
*More serious: whilst 27% of the French went to Mass once a week or more in 1965, they are no more than 4.5% in 2009.
*At a doctrinal level, generally, it’s a catastrophe: 63% of practicing Catholics think all religions are the same; 75% ask for an “aggiornamento” of the Church on contraception and even 68% for abortion.
*As for communion with the Roman Pontiff, the situation is no better: only 27% of practicing Catholics consider that Benedict XVI “rather well” defends “the values of Catholicism” (personally, I don’t even understand the question, but that doesn’t matter) when 34% think he defends them “rather badly”.

There’s an interesting tidbit at the end of Campbell’s post where someone brings up the point that France’s new Nuncio might represent some hope for the country’s rediscovery of her Catholic roots. So that’s a place to focus our prayers, it seems.

And do also pray for Anglicans like Mr. Campell who are considering entering the Church. Conversion and the perfecting of communion between Christians is always a cause of great hope and joy.

A Massachusetts teacher thought it deserved more than that:

AP : This drawing, released by Chester Johnson, of Taunton, shows a sketch of Jesus on the cross created by his son as part of school work, in Taunton, Mass. on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009.

The 8-year-old boy was sent home from school and ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation after he was asked to make a Christmas drawing and came up with what appeared to be a stick figure of Jesus on a cross, the child’s father said Tuesday.


Maybe the teacher has never seen a crucifix before.

Oh that’s right we can’t have those in schools, either.

Ranked directly ahead of Italian Prime Minister (and full-time buffoon) Silvio Berlusconi and right behind richest-man-in-the-world Bill Gates, Forbes profiles Pope Benedict:

Carla Bruni has evidently had a religious de-awakening:

You can’t advertise cigarettes, but you can advertise mass murder:

Condom adverts could also be shown before the 9pm watershed. The Committee of Advertising Practice and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice is launching a 12 week consultation to gauge reaction to the plans.

The watchdog claims it is responding to Government calls for action to combat rising teenage pregnancy.

It would be the first time that pro and anti abortion services will be allowed to advertise.

However, those against abortion will be required to make clear if they do not refer women for abortion so that delays do not result in medical complications.

The move has been criticised by the church and pro-life groups. (UK Telegraph)

And also criticized by Ed West who says:

These abortion adverts are supposed to combat our teenage pregnancy rate, currently six times neighbouring Holland’s, but will only have the reverse effect. The Government has already spent a fortune combating unwanted pregnancy these past dozen years, making abortion and contraception ever easier and looking surprised when the pregnancy rate fails to fall or even goes up. They’re like General Melchett in Blackadder Goes Forth, sending thousands of men to their deaths in the hope that this time the “big push” will work.

It won’t. If It didn’t before, why will it work now? Alcoholics Anonymous have a saying: “If you keep doing the same thing, you’ll keep getting the same result”.

Forget condoms and abortion adverts: money spent on normal academic classes that instil students with self-confidence and teach them to think for themselves would bring better results. But that would mean the health establishment getting over its addiction to sex education.

Of course I think West’s solution fall short. But it’s far better than the one proposed by the UK government.

“Addiction to sex education.” I hope people pick up that damning phrase.

This is so offensive to the dignity of the human person!

Instead of attempting to cure the cause of people’s ills, some are attempting to nullify the inconvenience these people cause to the rest of society:

Folks at downtown’s Ronstadt Transit Center on Tuesday afternoon had a way to make a quick $300.

The only stipulation was that the people be drug addicts or alcoholics who agree to long-term birth control.

The group Project Prevention, started by Barbara Harris in 1997, has so far paid more than 2,800 men and women across the nation.

…. Acceptable long-term birth control includes tubal ligation, Depo Provera shots and IUDs for women, or a vasectomy for men. (Tuscon Citizen)

Here’s how Project Prevention responds to criticism:

“Those who oppose what we’re doing should be willing to step up and adopt a few of the babies,” Harris said. “These women can’t raise these children.”

Don’t bother mentioning why people might oppose this.

I wonder how these unfortunate addicted people are going to use this $300 … oh, that’s right.