My Shorts

Occasionally I have to acknowledge that others have a good idea.  So, I who was among the last to get off of dial-up internet access, I who have no i-anything devices, and I who have no Facebook friends, must admit that the bloggers who sometimes write short lists of things have a good idea.  I’ve seen some who listed good things, some who listed bad things, some who listed their gripes, and even one (whose website I glanced at for about 1 second) who wrote down his shopping list.  I, who write down meditations, don’t always think in long essays and deep contemplations, sometimes I think in short insights or relish in short pleasures.  So I think, in imitation of aforementioned bloggers, that it would be a good thing if I should occasionally write down those short thoughts here.

I shall try to keep my shorts neat and clean, although as is the way with these things, sometimes they may get a bit dirty.  I apologize in advance.

Are We So Mad We Can’t Think Anymore?

South Carolina recently voted to amend the state constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman.  Someone there commented:  “Keep your God out of my life.”  That anyone would even make such a statement, of anyone’s faith, just saddens me.

Belief Versus Knowledge

My parish has weekly talks between Sunday masses, and this Sunday Al Kresta (CEO of Ave Maria Radio) spoke on Evangelization, and the evolving difference between the meaning of the words “Belief” versus “Knowledge.”  It was an outstanding talk, and you can hear it here.  Al noted that many have ceded the word “knowledge” to science, and what it can prove with tests.  Belief is tied to our faith in things of which we can have no knowledge, but Al notes that this is a false assumption.  Revelation and Jesus showed us things in which we have new knowledge; it is proven by God.  “I believe” means I adhere to that knowledge; I know this to be true; it is not a fantasy or just a story.  Al mentions a film by someone named Bronowski (sp?) who stood at Auschwitz, and holding up the ashes there towards the camera said “This is the result of treating beliefs as certain truths.”  While a moving moment, Al points out that it was not religious knowledge which brought the killings of “the unfit” about, but the German government’s belief in the “science” of eugenics, which was even supported by the U.S. supreme court in the 1930’s, when it concurred in laws mandating sterilization of the mentally retarded.

Christianity and its “beliefs” have never been proven false.  We need to evangelize our certain knowledge, and not cower to those who would incorrectly state that they are just our personal feelings.

An Uplifting Letter to Leaves Magazine

A letter from M.P:  “Aren’t we lucky to be alive?  It’s true this country is facing a debt crisis, but when you think about it, our biggest debt is to God for all He has done for us!  We try to do a bit of good in repayment to Him.  You priests have given your whole lives to God as priests, but each of us has to do the same.  We’re just in a different walk of life.  So here’s to God and His holy guidance!  May each of listen carefully to Him, and try to make Him proud of us.”   

Shitting in My Yard

Most people accept that it is not a polite (and perhaps an even illegal) thing to allow their dogs to shit in their neighbors’ yard, and so they restrain their dogs, to try to maintain good relations.  But an increasing number of dog lovers are acting as if it doesn’t matter, and sadly, an increasing number of neighbors aren’t complaining, but just walking in the shit.

When I speak of the Gay Nineties or summers I which recall that were “light and gay,” people today wonder what I am talking about.  Subtly, the word “gay” has changed in meaning, and I let it happen, and now people don’t understand me when I talk about such things.  The president and others now want a homosexual “marriage” law (which I assume he’d choose to enforce, unlike DOMA which he chooses not to).  And if I let it happen, fifty years from now someone will talk about “marriage”, and their listeners won’t know what they are talking about; the word will have changed meaning, and it won’t be a sacred thing I call a sacrament anymore. 

I am not against homosexuals nor trying to limit what they do --- and I certainly do not hate nor fear them, although they have made up a word “homophobic” by which they choose to describe me.  All I ask is that they now make up a word to describe whatever legal rights of union they want, instead of forcibly changing the meaning of the word “marriage”; just make up a new word.  And don’t confuse the allowing of them their rights by trampling, on mine --- and the meaning of something which is sacred to me.

I like my homosexual friends, but they don’t try, even subtly, to make me accept their views.  They maintain good, respectful relations with me.  I like dogs, but I don’t want my neighbor’s dog shitting in my yard; it’s not respectful of me.  But some neighbors aren’t respectful anymore, and rather than walking around in the shit they leave, we shouldn’t be bashful of finding ways to build fences.  And we’ll call the fence “a fence.”  And our building a fence is not “dogophobic”. 

Sex-Selection Abortions

Fr. Raymond J. de Souza writes an interesting article in The National Post regarding the increasing amount of sex-selection abortions in Canada.  People are killing girl babies in increasing numbers, just as they are in China.  He notes that many journalists in Canada do not wish to limit this practice: since abortion is legal in Canada, let’s not be “squeamish” about the reasons.  Fr. de Souza’s closing quote about what is happening in Canada: “The world has known about it for a long time.  It just doesn’t care.” 

Do we?