What a week!
The pope, head of the Roman Catholic Church worldwide, issues an encyclical, “Laudato Si,” that’s filled with leftist politics, one-world, green-government goals and contradictory statements on everything from guns to poverty.
The average Catholic hears Pope Francis literally bash everything about modern life and hears him criticize virtually everything people have worked so hard to attain – a productive, safe, clean, healthy and comfortable life for their families.
The United States Supreme Court issues three rulings that will affect the lives of virtually every American and ultimately changes the face of this country: a sweeping approval of government health care, approval of federal housing laws that allow legal discrimination challenges without proof, and then came judicial approval of gay marriage for the entire country.
Whew! With all the changes, with all the contradictions and with all the hoopla, it’s no wonder the average American has no clear understanding of just what was done to them.
Yes, to them.
Who are we?
What are we?
What does the United States stand for today and in the future?
Those three questions apply directly to us because we now officially have government controlled and regulated medical care. It’s the law, and individuals will do what Uncle says.
Like it or not.
Further, the United States now must recognize the validity and legality of what is called “gay marriage” – but which really is a bastardization of the word “marriage” – both in definition and in practice.
Toss the dictionaries – the 1,000-year-plus understanding of marriage as the union of a man and a woman – the foundation of a family, which provides stability for the birth and raising of children.
The definition has been changed on the whim of five people on the high court influenced by massive and incessant pressure by the homosexual movement.
Now, two men or two women can “marry” – can have children as long as someone donates sperm or an egg or, in some cases, carries the child to term. Who’s mommy? Who’s daddy? Who knows?
God help children.
My three “who, what” questions can also be applied to Catholics as they wade through Pope Francis’ rhetoric, trying to determine the meaning and how it will affect them.
Pope Francis has endorsed the doom of global warming, and it remains to be seen how his words will be presented to congregations across the country. He’s bashed virtually all the benefits of modern life, considers the world on the verge of disaster as a result of human endeavors and, in essence, wants us to return to a world of poverty because it is more Christ-like – or so he says.
I’ve no doubt that in parishes with liberal priests, the congregations will be inundated with the “sinfulness” of their lifestyles and how they must green-up to save the planet and remain on heaven’s pathway.
What’s right? What’s moral? What’s sinful? Why?
I recall a Sunday sermon when my children were young, during which the priest berated the people in our area because we have “so much” – as though that’s something shameful. It was clear he was saying we should not be happy to have a comfortable life. Even my children asked me why he said that.
Since when is it sinful to work hard and earn a good living to provide a safe lifestyle for my family?
Reading the pope’s words, he’s saying that, too. After all, we have central heating and air conditioning and a nice house in a nice area where children can walk safely outside. We use modern products, which the pope says are destroying the earth.
He actually said anyone who owns, uses or manufactures firearms cannot be a Christian.
What about war, Pope Francis? Should we have just let Hitler do his evil without fighting back? Should we not have freed the death camps?
Sorry, Holy Father, I hate to say this, but you don’t know what you’re talking about.
But this poison spreads locally. My priest today said we should not have fought back after Sept. 11; we should have just forgiven the attackers. Just as the Charleston killer was “forgiven.”
This thinking is probably why there is virtually nothing said about the deliberate massacres of Christians in the Middle East by militant Islamists. Silence from the Vatican. Silence from Washington. Silence from the pulpits.
The danger is that the pope is playing into the hands of extreme liberals and his words reinforce efforts to establish a one-world government.
Then there’s the U.S. ruling on gay marriage. What will that mean, not only to Catholics but to all religious people and churches?
We’ve already seen the vicious vindictiveness of gays who couldn’t get their wedding pictures taken or cake baked by people who disagree with gay marriage.
Now that it’s legal, what moves will be taken against churches, which don’t recognize homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle?
When will mainline churches be sued to force them to perform gay marriage? Or have openly gay priests?
How long before their tax-exempt status is challenged?
Remember, the Obama administration is already trying to force orders of nuns, schools, and Catholic hospitals to force them to cover contraceptives and abortions under Obamacare.
Now that the court ruled Obamacare the law of the land, how much more clout will the government have to force these institutions to violate their core beliefs?
I notice no one mentions that Muslims don’t sanction gay lifestyles. No one says a word about all the gays ISIS is throwing off buildings.
Who will have freedom of religion?
Is this the end of individual rights?
Is there any way out of this mire?
It doesn’t look good.
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