Abbey-Roads2

When the press forms government.

Today the revolution is being carried to victory by the media.  The press has been called the “4th estate” since the 19th century, primarily because of its power to influence politics.  In our day the press- almost synonymous with media - seems to control politics.  2008 may be the first time the press has officially driven, controlled, and mandated who the next president of the United States will be.

I watched Nightline last night.  John McCain was being questioned on his feelings of being snubbed by the press in favor of Obama.  He was definitely being patronized by the interviewer.  Undoubtedly, the increasing celebrity of Obama is accelerating throughout the world, thanks to the press, who pretty much brought the man from nowhere, into international prominence.  Freaky.  It makes me think of Hitler’s rapid rise to power - or how the Anti-Christ will suddenly be revealed.  (I’m not calling Obama the Antichrist or Hitler - he just reminds me of them.)

The Anti-Christ.

“The Antichrist’s deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history through the eschatological judgement. The Church has rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under the name of millenarianism, especially the “intrinsically perverse” political form of a secular messianism.”- CCC

I ran across that quote from the Catechism while reading Clayton Emmer’s review of the new Batman, and I thought of it again today as I read some items on Drudge. 

“Obama promises to remake the world…” 

He announced: 

‘I come to Berlin as so many of my countrymen have come before. Tonight, I speak to you not as a candidate for President, but as a citizen — a proud citizen of the United States, and a fellow citizen of the world.’ - Source 

‘People of Berlin — people of the world — this is our moment. This is our time.’ - Source

…

Big words from someone few people even heard of a couple of years ago - outside of the Oprah network, and a few Nation of Islam folks that is.

Photo(s): Sancte Pater

And the actions of the invaders. 

Most Americans ought to be aware by now of the horrible persecutions committed against the Christians in Iraq, ongoing since the Bush “liberation” - Iraqis now say they had greater freedom - and protection- under Saddam before the war.  That said, do we ever hear of what harm the liberators have perpetrated against the Christian population?  I haven’t.  But I came across the following piece as I was searching for an image of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.  (I’m sure it cannot be true…  The journalist who wrote it must be anti-American!  I’m being facetious.)

From the illegal occupation of palaces, schools, monasteries and destruction of much of the world’s wonders, across the country, the US, UK and their dwindling “allies” have committed cultural war crimes of near unprecedented enormity.

Now it transpires that America’s crusading Christian soldiers are evicting the monks from the monasteries to make quarters for occupation troops, according to Azzaman, Churches too are being evacuated. Patriarch Emanuel Deli, Head of the Chaldean Community in Iraq, is quoted as saying: “U.S. and Iraqi officials are responsible … They have insulted and humiliated our temples and churches”, he said, pleading with the international community to intervene.

U.S. troops, reports Azzaman, “have turned one of Baghdad’s largest monasteries, where the Chaldeans had a theology college and seminary, into a military barracks”.

From the illegal occupation of palaces, schools, monasteries and destruction of much of the world’s wonders, across the country, the US, UK and their dwindling “allies” have committed cultural war crimes of near unprecedented enormity. America’s and Britain’s finest can only be compared to the Vandals, a Teutonic race who ravaged Gaul, Spain and in 455, Rome itself and have forever become the by-word for ignorant and wilful destruction. - Felicity Arbuthnot
 

The Church IS inclusive.

The Cardinal’s interview in Quebec answered the question of whether or not the Catholic Church accepts people who are homosexual, or same-sex attracted.  The Cardinal said:

“The Church accepts people as they are,” he said.  “Jesus says the church is like a net, it pulls in everybody, everybody belongs to the church, there are sinners, there are saints, there are people with wrong ideas. But the Church continues to proclaim what Jesus taught.”

“There is no room in the Church for the acceptance of aberrational ideas,” he said. “There is room in the church to accept, to understand and to love people whoever they may be.  Not to tell them that what they are advocating is right, not to justify it.  That is quite different. That is totally, totally different.” - Source

“The Church will never justify homosexual conduct.”

What many so-called “faithful” dissenters lobby for is a blanket approval of homosexual behavior, as well as same-sex marriage… and let’s be honest - openly gay and women priests.  (At least that seems to be the agenda of the gay-Catholics lurking in the “underground” of Minneapolis.)

“There are some people that say the church is intolerant - no! We accept people but we cannot be unfaithful to Christ. We will not accept gay marriage.  The church has explained this over, and over and over again and she will have to continue to explain it.”

Addressing people with same sex attraction he said, “these are good people and our way of treating them is very important. The respect we show them and even the understanding of their personal situations. But just because someone is in a personal situation does not mean we can change our teaching to accommodate the person.”

However, he added, “This is something we have to teach in the most effective way possible, with clarity yes, with fidelity yes, with sensitivity.  “We present the beauty of human sexuality,” he said, “we explain God’s plan. We try to understand people who have the same sex attraction we try to help them; try not to speak platitudes to them but tell them what God’s plan is and how they are to face their life.” - Source

That said…

A local columnist for the Star-Tribune, a secular newspaper, wrote a great analysis of one parish’s “faithful dissenters” and their repeated condemnation of our Archbishop Nienstedt, whom they say is on a campaign  “of homophobic hatred…” and,  “dehumanizing spiritual violence directed at GLBT persons and their families.”   Yet these people insist they are not hateful towards the Church, rather they are simply hurt, frustrated, because of feeling alienated and rejected.  As the newspaper columnist, Katherine Kersten put it,

“Clearly, there is hatred here. But it is not coming from the Catholic Church. Rather, it’s a tool of those who are trying to compel the church to conform to their personal demands with caricatures and public mockery.

Opponents charge that the church does not welcome gays. They point to the fact that the archdiocese won’t sponsor a gay pride prayer service as evidence.

But the truth is different: The church welcomes everyone. Far from rejecting gays as sinners, Christianity teaches that all human beings are sinners. In fact, it maintains, it is precisely because we are sinners that we need the Christian message.”  - Source

“Mocking and sneering men.”

Sadly, many of these very same people (gay activists) mock and belittle those gay people who have come out of a life of error to return to the truth in reconciliation with the Catholic church.  They consistently attack those who have renounced homosexuality for the sake of the kingdom of God.  They attempt to shame them for accepting the teaching of the Gospel, electing to live chaste and celibate lives in fidelity to Christ.  As Kersten concluded in her post;

The controversy at St. Joan of Arc is part of a larger picture. When the gay rights movement emerged several decades ago, its leaders asked only for tolerance — a live-and-let-live attitude on the part of the larger society. Today, the movement increasingly demands both approval of and conformity to its creed. More and more, it labels all dissent — even that based on religious conviction — as “hateful.” 

Secular institutions have largely acquiesced. The church alone perseveres in the conviction that human sexuality has a larger purpose. That is why it is now a central battlefront in this crusade. - Source 

Such protests and accelerating demands made by gay activists seems to me analogous with the episode in the Book of Genesis involving the men of Sodom; protesting and making their demands heard outside of Lot’s house. [Genesis 19: 4-11]  

Links:

http://ww3.startribune.com/kerstenblog/

Stella Borealis
 

 UPDATED - MAYOR’S OFFICE RESPONSE IN COMMENTS SECTION.  AND PLEASE READ MY LATEST POST, A CONVERSATION WITH DICK COPELAND HERE.

Mayor Rybak and the Minneapolis City Council want to oust the “Mother Teresa” of the Midwest.

The story hit the news wires last week; the City of Minneapolis is citing Mary Jo Copeland’s Caring and Sharing Hands  organization, which feeds and houses countless of Minneapolis’ burgeoning poor population, for what the city describes as the facility’s lack of a security plan. 

This grassroots organization began many years ago in the heart of Downtown Minneapolis, operating out of a little store front.  Back then the city wanted her out because they didn’t want visitors to the new Target Center to see the poor and homeless lined up to receive food, clothing, shelter, and love,  from the north-suburban Minneapolis housewife - who, together with her husband, sacrificed their personal lives, and spent their own money to care for the poor - one on one.  At the time, it seemed Murderapolis had little concern for the fact our tawdry city had the national reputation of more murders per capita than NYC - oh, and that murder rate is growing once again BTW.

I wonder who pads the politcian’s back pockets in these matters?

It is all about sports arenas and big salaries and the like - but only for a few.  The city claims to be working on a security plan for the outreach center.  That said, what I believe they are really working on is quite simply a plan to get rid of Sharing and Caring Hands again - get the Catholic lady away from the sports stadium.  What an eyesore, huh?  To have a center for poor people across from a prosperous, commercial ball park; a scandal the affluent suburbanites coming to town might see.  Today I received the following email from a friend who spoke on the phone with the Mayor’s representative:

The city is maintaining that because of the lack of a security plan, she is out of compliance with her business license.  They maintain that it has nothing to do with the location near the new Twins ballpark.  I find that last item hard to believe.  The location has been controversial since day one because of its nearness to downtown and particularly because of its nearness to the incinerator.

I noted that probably every business in Minneapolis is probably out of compliance with one or more items required by their business license.  Erica agreed with that.

She was concerned about mothers with small children being exposed to drug deals.  I would imagine that those mothers with small children are exposed to a lot more than that.”  - email.

“All of the sudden the city’s concerned we’re not doing this right.” - Mary Jo’s husband, Dick commenting on how all the problems came to light last year:  “He said that city pressure stepped up in spring 2007, just before ballpark construction began.” - Source.

The city contends concern that mothers and small children are being exposed to drug deals at the center?  That’s a farce.  Downtown Minneapolis crawls with drug traffickers, while most of the first tier neighborhoods around downtown are just as infested - if not more so.  South and north Minneapolis are drug and crime infested neighborhoods - yet the city is focusing upon an emergency care facility which happens to be across from the new baseball stadium - which few wanted in the first place.  It is a travesty.

Mary Jo Copeland’s work has even been recognized by the President of the United States, as well as the Vatican.  I urge all of my readers -  everywhere - to protest this action by the greedy elite who govern the City of Minneapolis.   Ray from Stella Borealis published the contacts in the following post I reprinted below for your convenience:  

Sharing & Caring Hands needs your support.

The City of Minneapolis has threatened to remove Mary Jo Copeland’s restaurant license and in turn her ability to serve meals to thousands of the poor and hungry. This move has been raised because of alleged security concerns, and comes on the heels of the new baseball park being built across the street from the facility.

Those who would suffer from this are the poor, the disabled, the elderly, families with children, and people suffering from mental illness who come for a warm meal.

There is a City Council meeting on April 25th and we need thousands of people to call the Mayor’s office and tell lhim you support Mary Jo’s work and you oppose any move to remove Mary Jo’s restaurant license. Please call today or before April 25th.

Contacts:

Contact Mayor R.T. Rybak’s (”R” is for Raymond, I just learned) policy aide, Erica Prosser at 612-673-2133 or email her at erica.prosser@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

A march is being coordinated by the community to protest this move. Tentative time for the march is Thursday, April 17, at 12:30 p.m. Call 612-338-4640 to confirm the time.

[Photo:  Mary Jo (center) at her facility.  The facility is modern, state of the art, thanks to private and corporate donations.  The campus surrounding the contemporary buildings of her ministry are clean and well maintained by volunteers.  It is by no means an eyesore to the city.] 

Links:

Minneapolis Star and Tribune story:  “Homers vs. Homeless”

WCCO news story.

And not just the unborn.

Well, we already know Planned Parenthood is harmful to black folk - that story was just in limited circulation  a couple of days ago.  We know the organization is harmful to the unborn and their mothers by providing abortion services.  We also know they promote teen sex, and now the organization is not only teaching about the joys of pornography - they are providing it for the kids as well.

“Outercourse”

“A Planned Parenthood web site for teenagers is promoting pornography to young people, Cybercast News Service reports. An article posted on the Planned Parenthood-sponsored Teenwire.com web site advises teens that pornography is a “lower-risk form of outercourse.”

“Many couples can read or watch sexy stories or pictures together,” the article, originally posted on Teenwire.com in 2007, states. “They can also share or act out sex fantasies.”

Another piece of advice on the website, “Porn vs. Reality,” warns that it is against federal law for anyone under 18 to view pornography. But, says the article, “not everyone follows the rules, and you may run across some porn before you turn 18.”

Many people enjoy pornography “alone or with a partner,” says the article. “People have different ideas of what is arousing, and there are many different kinds of porn that appeal to people’s different interests.”  - California Catholic

Politicians such as Obama offer full support to organizations  such as Planned Parenthood, and yet they claim to be pro-family.  Talk about an “evil empire”.

Links:

What would be the first thing Obama would do if elected? 

On the matter of denying the Eucharist to Catholic pro-choice politicians.

From Cardinal Dulles first:

“The imposition of penalties involves at least three risks. In the first place, the bishop may be accused, however unfairly, of trying to coerce the politician’s conscience. Secondly, people can easily accuse the Church of trying to meddle in the political process, which in this country depends on the free consent of the governed. And finally, the Church incurs a danger of alienating judges, legislators and public administrators whose good will is needed for other good programs, such as the support of Catholic education and the care of the poor. For all these reasons, the Church is reluctant to discipline politicians in a public way, even when it is clear that their positions are morally indefensible. The Church’s prime responsibility is to teach and to persuade. She tries to convince citizens to engage in the political process with a well-informed conscience.” - Cardinal Dulles 2004

And then Cardinal George:

Vox Nova has an interesting, if not controversial post on “Communion Politics” from which the above quotes were taken. 

“Fringe candidate” - it’s a good thing.

Here I am, minding my own business, listening to ABC News… and suddenly they actually mention Ron Paul.  My ears perk up.  Then they actually do a report on his popularity amongst the young and with soldiers.  It seems he got about $5 million in campaign funds in 3rd Quarter, beating out the other Republican contenders, which is why he got mentioned on National News. (You should have seen the patronizing smile on the face of Mitt Romney when Dr. Paul was speaking at the debates.  No votes for you, Romney!)

Can we believe it?  Is there really hope for America?  People better stop laughing and start listening to Ron Paul.

We know God wants us to have oil.

Alan Greenspan writes in his memoirs that the Iraq war was really all about oil.  Shocking!

“I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil.”  - Timesonline

I think other people have said the same thing.

Is Bush a war monger?

President Bush has been building up the rhetoric and stoking the fears that Iran is getting nuke ready, and something has to be done to stop them.  Is he preparing us for another war?  Some Born-Agains and Evangelicals think an Armageddon in the Mid-East will hasten the Second Coming of Christ.  (I don’t think it is good idea to tempt God.)  Western Confucian has a brief post on the subject of Bush’s paranoia, with excellent links.  I think you should read it.  (The post is titled, “Stop the next war, end the current one.”  )

“It’s time we put the flame torch to their keep

Burn down the mission
If were gonna stay alive
Watch the black smoke fly to heaven
See the red flame light the sky” - Lyrics; Bernie Taupin, “Tumbleweed Connection”