IT MAKES SENSE TO ME
by Larry Peterson
On June 21, the President of the United States once again bypassed the Congress of the United States and signed an executive order barring federal contractors (including faith based agencies) from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Here was my problem with this: I have no understanding of what "gender identity" is. I mean, how can a guy think he is a girl or a girl think she is a guy? Deep down inside me I knew there had to be much more to this phenomenon than a simple choice of lifestyle preference? But it was so bizarre to me I just could not handle it. Some folks might call that "denial". Maybe it was.
I am a Catholic man who tries to stay true to his faith and not pass judgment on others, (especially those whose behavioral lifestyle I do NOT fathom). The truth is I have personally avoided this topic because it just always seemed so "out there" to me. After all, I am a man and I know it. My wife is a woman and she knows it. All the men I know and have known knew they were men. Same for the women. How can you NOT know what you are? The worst part was it was being politicized. That was deplorable. So what kind of ambiguous term is "gender identity"? What does it mean? Finally, I kicked the strange fear of confronting this subject to the curb and I decided I should look into it.
It did not take me long to realize that I truly had kept my head in the sand when it came to this subject. In so doing I had failed myself. I have now come to realize that among the great enigmas in our society today is the paradoxical condition known as Gender Dysphoria (aka: Gender Identity Disorder). This is real and this is a fact of life and it has existed for a long, long time. I have also come to learn that this is a medical "disorder" and not simply a "lifestyle" choice. I also admit that I am a bit ashamed I never had the guts to confront the subject.
Evidence shows that besides psychological and behavioral causes, biological ones (genetics) play an important part in a person having this condition. A person who is born with Gender Identity Disorder has a very high mountain to climb. They live in a society that, for the most part, looks at their condition as nothing more than a perverse lifestyle choice. I cannot imagine a person having to live every day pretending to be a gender they knew they were not. The alternative for them would be to live the way they knew they really were and be treated as one of society's aberrations constantly facing rejection and derision . I now understand the desire for hormonal treatments and transgender surgery. I also understand that these people need our compassion and understanding. But, like it or not, this Great Enigma brings forth the other side of the story.
President Obama's executive order seems to place "gay rights" above all other rights, including religious rights as set forth in our Constitution. In 1994 the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was proposed by Sen. Ted Kennedy and Rep. Gerry Studds of Massachusetts. It has been proposed in ten sessions of Congress and has never passed. Obama's order is his way of passing his own ENDA. It provides no protection for religious groups even though civil-rights laws recognize these rights. The laws have recognized that religious employers have the right to hire people who share their faith and moral standards. ENDA proposals exempted these groups. Not anymore.
The president's order has bypassed all of this and permits federal agencies to cancel contracts with "noncompliant" employers including faith based agencies who can also be 'blacklisted" from future contracts. This will effectively shut down many faith based agencies. Look at how Catholic Charities has already been declared "unfit" to place children for adoption in Washington, Boston, San Francisco and the State of Illinois. I believe that the executive order of July 21, 2014 will usher in a new wave of religious intolerance and persecution the like of which has never been seen in the United States of America. The people who suffer from Gender Dysphoria are simply pawns in a quagmire of ideology. Theirs is not so much a sexual problem as it is a correctable medical problem. They deserve better from all of us, especially from a president who uses their condition to advance his own agenda.
July 30, 2014
July 25, 2014
The Genocide Continues--but Without the Music
IT MAKES SENSE TO ME
by Larry Peterson
The pages of history are littered with the evil purveyors of death by genocide. But the Nazis have to be awarded Satan's Black Medal of Evil. They managed to accomplish the three Ps all at the same time: proficiency, productivity and performance. Yup, no one has ever killed so many innocents with the efficiency of Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime.
These disciples of all that is evil, even fine-tuned the process to a point where they had orchestras playing music as the doomed were "merrily" paraded to their deaths. The irony was that the Nazis had silenced Jewish musicians throughout Germany and their occupied countries. Then some of the upper echelon "death designers", in their ongoing quest to speed up and expedite the extermination process, decided to add beautiful music to the blood curdling screams coming from those about to die. So they began rounding up the silenced musicians, gathered up confiscated instruments (including many grand pianos) and distributed them to death camps. The orders were for the commanders of these camps to put together an orchestra and have them play music for the prisoners as they departed the death trains and as they were marched to their deaths.
Imagine the utter callousness of the conquerors. They decided to use orchestras to drown out the anguished cries coming from the camps. The prisoners dubbed this practice, "Symphonia Diabolica" or the "Devil's Symphony". At the Janowska concentration camp located near Ukraine, SS officer Wilhelm Rokita, a former violinist, ordered the inmate orchestra to compose something a bit more "lively" than the standard classical fare. They came up with a little ditty called, "Tango fun toyt" or "Tango of Death". This piece had some 'bounce" to it and it encouraged the condemned to "move more quickly" as they were herded to their executions. This is hard to even imagine but it happened and was orchestrated by folks who not long before were, for the most part, regular, hardworking, family types who seemingly would not hurt anyone or anything. It is proof that we must never, ever underestimate the power and influence of evil.
That was then and this is now. What has changed? The genocide continues---but without the music. As we sit and move through our day Christians and Jews are the targets of the the forces of the Evil One. I do not mean to minimize what is happening in Gaza but there is an intentional massacre and elimination of Christians and Christianity taking place in Iraq and other places. One third of Iraq has already been conquered by Islamist radicals who have declared the territory a new Caliphate. This means that this is now a Muslim nation under Sharia Law and the Constitution of Medina. There is NO place for Christianity in this place. The entire nation of Iraq is targeted for complete takeover.
There are no up to date numbers as to how many Catholics and non-Catholic Christians have been executed. All Christians have been ordered to convert to Islam or leave the city immediately, leaving their belongings behind. Penalty for non-compliance is immediate death. The Islamist maniacs and butchers have no concentration camps and there is definitely no music being played. These evil-doers simply kill you and they actually seem to get "joy" from lopping off the head of an "infidel". Where is the world's outrage?
There were supposedly one million plus Christians in Iraq before 2003. The last number (before the US completely pulled out) was 400, 000. There are unconfirmed reports from Mosul that all women between the ages of 11 and 46 will have to go for immediate "circumcision". What kind of medieval, barbaric behavior is this. Why aren't the women's organizations screaming about this? Why isn't our mainstream media reporting it? Why hasn't our administration engaged with this? American dead from the Iraq war comes to 4800. Almost 32,000 Americans were wounded. We stabilized that nation and now it is being stolen away by lunatics. Doesn't anyone give a damn? We are not only watching the annihilation of Christianity in the mid-east but Christianity is under attack all over the world.
Violence against Christians has become a global epidemic. From North Korea, to Syria, to Iraq, and Libya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran, and most of sub-Saharan Africa, Christians are being tortured and killed. In Europe they are being slowly but surely minimized on their way to the secular and Islamist goal of eradication.
Right here, in the United States of America, the land of the "free", Christianity is being portrayed as indifferent and intolerant because it stands its ground against the forces of secularism. There are Americans who want to purge it from the public square, this in a nation founded on Judeo-Christian principles. We have those who are offended by a cross and go to court to have it removed. They must not have a clue as to how they are chipping away at the very foundation of the greatest nation ever to exist.
They might want to consider that the Islamist radicals want them dead too. They hate them as much as they hate any Christian simply because they are American. They hate anyone that doesn't defer to their religious fanaticism. If they ever manage to come here they will not be playing music. It is time for everyone to pray.
by Larry Peterson
The pages of history are littered with the evil purveyors of death by genocide. But the Nazis have to be awarded Satan's Black Medal of Evil. They managed to accomplish the three Ps all at the same time: proficiency, productivity and performance. Yup, no one has ever killed so many innocents with the efficiency of Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime.
These disciples of all that is evil, even fine-tuned the process to a point where they had orchestras playing music as the doomed were "merrily" paraded to their deaths. The irony was that the Nazis had silenced Jewish musicians throughout Germany and their occupied countries. Then some of the upper echelon "death designers", in their ongoing quest to speed up and expedite the extermination process, decided to add beautiful music to the blood curdling screams coming from those about to die. So they began rounding up the silenced musicians, gathered up confiscated instruments (including many grand pianos) and distributed them to death camps. The orders were for the commanders of these camps to put together an orchestra and have them play music for the prisoners as they departed the death trains and as they were marched to their deaths.
Imagine the utter callousness of the conquerors. They decided to use orchestras to drown out the anguished cries coming from the camps. The prisoners dubbed this practice, "Symphonia Diabolica" or the "Devil's Symphony". At the Janowska concentration camp located near Ukraine, SS officer Wilhelm Rokita, a former violinist, ordered the inmate orchestra to compose something a bit more "lively" than the standard classical fare. They came up with a little ditty called, "Tango fun toyt" or "Tango of Death". This piece had some 'bounce" to it and it encouraged the condemned to "move more quickly" as they were herded to their executions. This is hard to even imagine but it happened and was orchestrated by folks who not long before were, for the most part, regular, hardworking, family types who seemingly would not hurt anyone or anything. It is proof that we must never, ever underestimate the power and influence of evil.
That was then and this is now. What has changed? The genocide continues---but without the music. As we sit and move through our day Christians and Jews are the targets of the the forces of the Evil One. I do not mean to minimize what is happening in Gaza but there is an intentional massacre and elimination of Christians and Christianity taking place in Iraq and other places. One third of Iraq has already been conquered by Islamist radicals who have declared the territory a new Caliphate. This means that this is now a Muslim nation under Sharia Law and the Constitution of Medina. There is NO place for Christianity in this place. The entire nation of Iraq is targeted for complete takeover.
There are no up to date numbers as to how many Catholics and non-Catholic Christians have been executed. All Christians have been ordered to convert to Islam or leave the city immediately, leaving their belongings behind. Penalty for non-compliance is immediate death. The Islamist maniacs and butchers have no concentration camps and there is definitely no music being played. These evil-doers simply kill you and they actually seem to get "joy" from lopping off the head of an "infidel". Where is the world's outrage?
There were supposedly one million plus Christians in Iraq before 2003. The last number (before the US completely pulled out) was 400, 000. There are unconfirmed reports from Mosul that all women between the ages of 11 and 46 will have to go for immediate "circumcision". What kind of medieval, barbaric behavior is this. Why aren't the women's organizations screaming about this? Why isn't our mainstream media reporting it? Why hasn't our administration engaged with this? American dead from the Iraq war comes to 4800. Almost 32,000 Americans were wounded. We stabilized that nation and now it is being stolen away by lunatics. Doesn't anyone give a damn? We are not only watching the annihilation of Christianity in the mid-east but Christianity is under attack all over the world.
Violence against Christians has become a global epidemic. From North Korea, to Syria, to Iraq, and Libya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran, and most of sub-Saharan Africa, Christians are being tortured and killed. In Europe they are being slowly but surely minimized on their way to the secular and Islamist goal of eradication.
Right here, in the United States of America, the land of the "free", Christianity is being portrayed as indifferent and intolerant because it stands its ground against the forces of secularism. There are Americans who want to purge it from the public square, this in a nation founded on Judeo-Christian principles. We have those who are offended by a cross and go to court to have it removed. They must not have a clue as to how they are chipping away at the very foundation of the greatest nation ever to exist.
They might want to consider that the Islamist radicals want them dead too. They hate them as much as they hate any Christian simply because they are American. They hate anyone that doesn't defer to their religious fanaticism. If they ever manage to come here they will not be playing music. It is time for everyone to pray.
July 22, 2014
Egotistical Madness is Exterminating "Common Sense"
IT MAKES SENSE TO ME
by Larry Peterson
by Larry Peterson
How many times have you heard someone use the phrase, "It's only common sense", or "It's just common sense"? I know for sure I have heard it and used it countless times throughout my entire life. So, where does "common sense" come from? What is it? Why do we have it to begin with?
The definition of "Common Sense" as per Dictionary.com is as follows:
common sense
noun
"sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like;
normal native intelligence."
The definition neatly encapsulates what common sense is. But it certainly does not tell us where it came from or why we have it and, most importantly, why we NEED it. What is painfully obvious is that in today's society the natural and inherent ability for people to turn to their own "common sense" when necessary is being systematically destroyed by several factors: political correctness, an improbable fear of "what might happen" and plain old ideological intransigence that foments hatred and intolerance toward anyone that might disagree. All of these things fall under the perverse banner of "Zero Tolerance". It has led to what I call, "Egotistical Madness".
There is a natural progression of order in the world we live in. At least there used to be. The Founding Fathers understood that people were "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights" and that these rights had to be protected under a rule of law which conformed to and was in harmony with a Natural Law. This Natural Law was a by-product of an even higher law, an Eternal Law, which is part of God Himself. Our nation was founded by men who had their core beliefs embedded in their faith in God. The Declaration of Independence shouts this out with words in its very first paragraph when it says that the people should receive "to which the Laws of Nature and Nature's God entitle them." And if, in fact, Natural Law is a by-product of Eternal Law it follows that "common-sense" is a by-product of Natural Law.
The United States of America was founded and had placed as its foundation by the Founders, Judeo-Christian principles. These great men knew that they were part of the progression from their Creator. He was the Eternal law and He is the only one with a complete understanding of it. They were his tools to initiate and put in place the rules that would protect Natural Law. Natural Law follows and includes the belief that man is capable of reason and knows inherently right from wrong. He also has a free will and can decide to accept or reject that which he knows is right or wrong. The Founders also knew that such things as the Bible, The Torah, and the Ten Commandments were put in place by God to help guide us on our life's journey. Ultimately, that God-given gift to us of reason and free included "common sense".
There is a war being waged against Christianity, especially Catholic Christians. Christ never said it would be an easy road when following Him. History is littered with the deaths, torture, abuse and hatred toward all those who have followed the true Man of Peace and those horrors continue to this very day. But we had the United States of America, the beacon of hope, the place where the "tired, the poor, the homeless, the tempest tossed, and anyone who wanted freedom could come and worship God and say what they wanted to say and live where they decided to live. We Americans even had a Constitution that protected these rights that were inspired by Natural Law.
The United States of America was founded and had placed as its foundation by the Founders, Judeo-Christian principles. These great men knew that they were part of the progression from their Creator. He was the Eternal law and He is the only one with a complete understanding of it. They were his tools to initiate and put in place the rules that would protect Natural Law. Natural Law follows and includes the belief that man is capable of reason and knows inherently right from wrong. He also has a free will and can decide to accept or reject that which he knows is right or wrong. The Founders also knew that such things as the Bible, The Torah, and the Ten Commandments were put in place by God to help guide us on our life's journey. Ultimately, that God-given gift to us of reason and free included "common sense".
There is a war being waged against Christianity, especially Catholic Christians. Christ never said it would be an easy road when following Him. History is littered with the deaths, torture, abuse and hatred toward all those who have followed the true Man of Peace and those horrors continue to this very day. But we had the United States of America, the beacon of hope, the place where the "tired, the poor, the homeless, the tempest tossed, and anyone who wanted freedom could come and worship God and say what they wanted to say and live where they decided to live. We Americans even had a Constitution that protected these rights that were inspired by Natural Law.
What has happened to the USA? It seems to me that destruction was started in reverse---by trashing "common sense". The rest of the world knew what the USA stood for. Whether it was out of fear or respect, Christianity thrived, not just in America but in many other places around the world because those who despised us knew it would be too heavy a price to pay to go up against the "Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave". America always protected their friends. But from inside, from our own people, the subtle attacks began. Common sense began to be cast to the wind and Zero Tolerance took hold.
The word "Christmas" was attacked as offensive. "Easter vacation" became "spring break", people at work were told to remove crosses or any type of religious items from their desks. Last year in Connecticut, 998 children under six years old were "suspended" from school for bad behavior. A six year old boy in Denver was suspended because he 'kissed" a girl on the hand. I could go on and on but the point is, we must get back to using some good old fashioned "common sense". Our children deserve it. We deserve it. The United States of America needs it. Allowing this inherent trait to blossom could very well help us turn back on the road that is leading us all to a place called "nothing".
July 18, 2014
Another Attempt to Break Down the Doors of the Confessional
IT MAKES SENSE TO ME
by Larry Peterson
The Sacrament of Penance is a magnificent gift we Catholics have been given and the beauty of its effectiveness is encapsulated into what is known as the Seal of Confession. Anyone who goes to confession has the absolute certainty that whatever he or she confesses to the priest will NEVER, no matter what, leave that confessional. Confession is between the penitent and Christ. The priest represents Christ and is able to talk to the penitent, advise and counsel them, or simply listen to them. When the person is finished confessing the priest asks that person to say an "Act of Contrition". This is when the person expresses their sorrow for the sins they have confessed. Then the priest imparts Absolution . It is one of the most beautiful prayers there is and this is where God is called upon to give pardon to the sinner.
Not all judges, politicians and lawyers are secularists; but there are many who are. It seems that many of these folks are ideologically bent and have become true Machiavellians (people that believe that the "end justifies the means"). Forget "Natural Law", cast out common sense, trash the Ten Commandments, because none of that matters anymore. As long as the needs of those demanding "change" are satisfied we have attained "virtue". This is "hogwash" but the Supreme Court of Louisiana thinks differently. It has ruled that Father Jeff Bayhi, a priest for 35 years, a man who has served the poor and downtrodden and worked hand in hand with Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, may have to testify about an "alleged" confession.
Apparently, a girl who was 14 in 2008, says she went to confession to Father Bayhi at the time and told him that she was abused by a now dead parishioner. The girl's parents sued Father Bayhi and the Diocese of Baton Rouge for failing to report the abuse. The parents won their case in district court which said that Father Bayhi must testify. Louisiana's First Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that decision but then the State Supreme Court once again sided with the parents. The state's highest court said that Father Bayhi may be subject to "mandatory reporting" laws regarding sexual abuse and cannot invoke the privilege of "confidentiality". There you have it; the "virtue of secularism". It is not enough to have this young woman, who is now 20 years old, tell the police and state's attorneys her story. It is not enough to have years of the documentation on hand that is required to even pursue the case. The accused abuser is dead. SO--let's get the priest to violate the "Seal of the Confessional". The accused abuser never confessed and, even if that were the case, the Seal of the Confessional is inviolate. The priest is bound to silence, silence forever.
Our nation is founded under the Judeo-Christian principle which is followed by Natural Law. Our First Amendment guarantees Freedom of Religion. A foundational doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, which has been in effect for two thousand years and is part of a Sacrament instituted by Christ Himself, mandates that the "Seal of Confession" is absolute and inviolable. A priest must NEVER break the Seal. He cannot even admit that someone went to confession to him. No-one, not even the Pope himself, can mandate a priest violate this oath. The priest would have to suffer the civil and criminal consequences, even death if necessary, rather than betray this most sacred of trusts.
The Diocese of Baton Rouge explained in their statement that, "a priest is under the gravest of obligations NOT to reveal the contents of a confession or if the confession even took place. He cannot do so even under threat of imprisonment or civil penalty, and incurs automatic excommunication if he breaks the "seal of confession". The Church takes this pretty serious, don't you think?
The secular world has grown not only intrusive into the world of Catholicism but it has become overly obnoxious, nasty, vitriolic and downright hateful. Under the banner of "virtue" secularism honors abortion, euthanasia and sexual promiscuity as a right and a necessity akin to breathing and eating and sleeping. These secularists, some who claim to be Catholic, support these behaviors and are against any kind of "moral" boundaries. Sadly, many court decisions support their beliefs. One thing they need to understand--they can NEVER nullify, invalidate or strike down the magnificence and profound power of the "Seal of Confession". Do not be surprised if this case winds up in the United States Supreme Court.
by Larry Peterson
The Sacrament of Penance is a magnificent gift we Catholics have been given and the beauty of its effectiveness is encapsulated into what is known as the Seal of Confession. Anyone who goes to confession has the absolute certainty that whatever he or she confesses to the priest will NEVER, no matter what, leave that confessional. Confession is between the penitent and Christ. The priest represents Christ and is able to talk to the penitent, advise and counsel them, or simply listen to them. When the person is finished confessing the priest asks that person to say an "Act of Contrition". This is when the person expresses their sorrow for the sins they have confessed. Then the priest imparts Absolution . It is one of the most beautiful prayers there is and this is where God is called upon to give pardon to the sinner.
Not all judges, politicians and lawyers are secularists; but there are many who are. It seems that many of these folks are ideologically bent and have become true Machiavellians (people that believe that the "end justifies the means"). Forget "Natural Law", cast out common sense, trash the Ten Commandments, because none of that matters anymore. As long as the needs of those demanding "change" are satisfied we have attained "virtue". This is "hogwash" but the Supreme Court of Louisiana thinks differently. It has ruled that Father Jeff Bayhi, a priest for 35 years, a man who has served the poor and downtrodden and worked hand in hand with Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, may have to testify about an "alleged" confession.
Apparently, a girl who was 14 in 2008, says she went to confession to Father Bayhi at the time and told him that she was abused by a now dead parishioner. The girl's parents sued Father Bayhi and the Diocese of Baton Rouge for failing to report the abuse. The parents won their case in district court which said that Father Bayhi must testify. Louisiana's First Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that decision but then the State Supreme Court once again sided with the parents. The state's highest court said that Father Bayhi may be subject to "mandatory reporting" laws regarding sexual abuse and cannot invoke the privilege of "confidentiality". There you have it; the "virtue of secularism". It is not enough to have this young woman, who is now 20 years old, tell the police and state's attorneys her story. It is not enough to have years of the documentation on hand that is required to even pursue the case. The accused abuser is dead. SO--let's get the priest to violate the "Seal of the Confessional". The accused abuser never confessed and, even if that were the case, the Seal of the Confessional is inviolate. The priest is bound to silence, silence forever.
Our nation is founded under the Judeo-Christian principle which is followed by Natural Law. Our First Amendment guarantees Freedom of Religion. A foundational doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, which has been in effect for two thousand years and is part of a Sacrament instituted by Christ Himself, mandates that the "Seal of Confession" is absolute and inviolable. A priest must NEVER break the Seal. He cannot even admit that someone went to confession to him. No-one, not even the Pope himself, can mandate a priest violate this oath. The priest would have to suffer the civil and criminal consequences, even death if necessary, rather than betray this most sacred of trusts.
The Diocese of Baton Rouge explained in their statement that, "a priest is under the gravest of obligations NOT to reveal the contents of a confession or if the confession even took place. He cannot do so even under threat of imprisonment or civil penalty, and incurs automatic excommunication if he breaks the "seal of confession". The Church takes this pretty serious, don't you think?
The secular world has grown not only intrusive into the world of Catholicism but it has become overly obnoxious, nasty, vitriolic and downright hateful. Under the banner of "virtue" secularism honors abortion, euthanasia and sexual promiscuity as a right and a necessity akin to breathing and eating and sleeping. These secularists, some who claim to be Catholic, support these behaviors and are against any kind of "moral" boundaries. Sadly, many court decisions support their beliefs. One thing they need to understand--they can NEVER nullify, invalidate or strike down the magnificence and profound power of the "Seal of Confession". Do not be surprised if this case winds up in the United States Supreme Court.
July 16, 2014
Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi: Let's All Pray to the "Prison Angel" (Mother Antonia) to Help Him
"IT MAKES SENSE TO ME"
by Larry Peterson
We Catholics talk to, request help from, ask of, beseech, and sometimes even plead with our honored dead for their help in certain situations. This is also known as praying. We believe that praying to the saints and asking for their help with a problem is perfectly okay. We pray to them to help the sick, to assist those out of work in finding a job, for the poor, our friends and family, help with finances, and for all sorts of things over which we feel we have no control. We believe that since they are in heaven and have God's ear, they can put in a "good word" for us. It is like we are having our request hand-delivered to God Himself by one of His special people. The saints are our friends in heaven and they are always ready to help us out. WE just have to ask. Trust me, it works, it really does. If you are non-catholic and think we are a bit whacky, so be it. This is a FAITH thing and you can take a look here for more information about our saints.
Anyway, I am sending out this plea that everyone might pray (Catholic and non-Catholics too) to Mother Antonia Brenner (click on her name), a lady who is known as the "Prison Angel". The prayers are for the well-being and quick release of Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, the American Marine held prisoner in Mexico since March 31 of this year. His crime: he made a wrong turn and crossed the Mexican border. (Click his name to see his story).
The United States government has made little, if any, effort, to secure the young man's release. Sergeant Tahmooressi has served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, has been wounded in action and suffers from PTSD. Fox News' Greta Van Susteren has been waging a ongoing battle reporting about this over and over, seemingly to no avail. She has even made trips to the border crossing, driven it herself and shown how easy it is to wind up in Mexico purely by mistake. Over 150,00 people have signed petitions to gain his release yet the Mexican government refuses to so much as acknowledge we Americans. This is a disgrace. So I thought---we all need to pray to Mother Antonia. Time for us to call on the "Prison Angel".
Mother Antonia Brenner was born in Beverly Hills, California in 1926. Her name was Mary Clarke. She was married and divorced twice and raised seven children while living in Beverly Hills. She said that in 1969 she had a dream that she was at Calvary about to be executed when Jesus appeared to her. He told her He was going to take her place. She touched Him on the cheek and told Him she would never leave Him no matter what might happen to her. It was this dream that set her on a journey devoting her life to Christ and His Church.
Mary Clarke began her ministry by delivering medicine, clothing, blankets and food to La Mesa Prison in Tijuana, one of the worst prisons in Mexico. In 1977, after her kids were grown, she received permission and moved into La Mesa (the same prison Sgt. Tahmooressi was sent to). As an older, divorced woman she was unable to join any religious order. So she made her own makeshift habit and began working on her own. This led to her founding the Eudist Servants of the Eleventh Hour, an order for older women who had a calling to a vocation later in life. Eventually approval for her order was given by the Church. Mother Antonia lived in La Mesa, in a cell, just like the prisoners, and she lived there for over thirty five years.
Through the years Mother Antonia, who became known as "La Mama" and "The Prison Angel", ministered to thousands of inmates holding the faces of many of the dying in her hands just as she had promised Jesus in her dream. She stopped riots, worked with the sick and dying and lived her life in poverty, a far cry from the life of the well-to-do Beverly Hills socialite she had been. Mother Antonia passed away on October 17, 2013. She was 86. I believe that one day she will be canonized a saint. In my heart of hearts I know she has attained her heavenly reward and that now, Jesus, holds her face in His hands.
Anyway, that is the reason I thought that maybe we should ask Mother Antonia to help get Sgt. Tahmooressi released. He is imprisoned in the world she devoted her life to. She understands what he is going through. So I ask that you choose your own way of praying and ask Mother to ask God to keep Andrew safe and healthy and that he experience the love of God in his life and FEEL the prayers of so many of his fellow Americans wanting him to be set free. Prayer is the most powerful weapon to secure kindness and justice that we possess. Time to use as much of that weapon as we can. Mother Antonia, we all ask you to help Andrew in his struggle to be free. Please pray for him. He needs all the help he can get. Amen.
by Larry Peterson
We Catholics talk to, request help from, ask of, beseech, and sometimes even plead with our honored dead for their help in certain situations. This is also known as praying. We believe that praying to the saints and asking for their help with a problem is perfectly okay. We pray to them to help the sick, to assist those out of work in finding a job, for the poor, our friends and family, help with finances, and for all sorts of things over which we feel we have no control. We believe that since they are in heaven and have God's ear, they can put in a "good word" for us. It is like we are having our request hand-delivered to God Himself by one of His special people. The saints are our friends in heaven and they are always ready to help us out. WE just have to ask. Trust me, it works, it really does. If you are non-catholic and think we are a bit whacky, so be it. This is a FAITH thing and you can take a look here for more information about our saints.
Anyway, I am sending out this plea that everyone might pray (Catholic and non-Catholics too) to Mother Antonia Brenner (click on her name), a lady who is known as the "Prison Angel". The prayers are for the well-being and quick release of Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, the American Marine held prisoner in Mexico since March 31 of this year. His crime: he made a wrong turn and crossed the Mexican border. (Click his name to see his story).
The United States government has made little, if any, effort, to secure the young man's release. Sergeant Tahmooressi has served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, has been wounded in action and suffers from PTSD. Fox News' Greta Van Susteren has been waging a ongoing battle reporting about this over and over, seemingly to no avail. She has even made trips to the border crossing, driven it herself and shown how easy it is to wind up in Mexico purely by mistake. Over 150,00 people have signed petitions to gain his release yet the Mexican government refuses to so much as acknowledge we Americans. This is a disgrace. So I thought---we all need to pray to Mother Antonia. Time for us to call on the "Prison Angel".
Mother Antonia Brenner was born in Beverly Hills, California in 1926. Her name was Mary Clarke. She was married and divorced twice and raised seven children while living in Beverly Hills. She said that in 1969 she had a dream that she was at Calvary about to be executed when Jesus appeared to her. He told her He was going to take her place. She touched Him on the cheek and told Him she would never leave Him no matter what might happen to her. It was this dream that set her on a journey devoting her life to Christ and His Church.
Mary Clarke began her ministry by delivering medicine, clothing, blankets and food to La Mesa Prison in Tijuana, one of the worst prisons in Mexico. In 1977, after her kids were grown, she received permission and moved into La Mesa (the same prison Sgt. Tahmooressi was sent to). As an older, divorced woman she was unable to join any religious order. So she made her own makeshift habit and began working on her own. This led to her founding the Eudist Servants of the Eleventh Hour, an order for older women who had a calling to a vocation later in life. Eventually approval for her order was given by the Church. Mother Antonia lived in La Mesa, in a cell, just like the prisoners, and she lived there for over thirty five years.
Through the years Mother Antonia, who became known as "La Mama" and "The Prison Angel", ministered to thousands of inmates holding the faces of many of the dying in her hands just as she had promised Jesus in her dream. She stopped riots, worked with the sick and dying and lived her life in poverty, a far cry from the life of the well-to-do Beverly Hills socialite she had been. Mother Antonia passed away on October 17, 2013. She was 86. I believe that one day she will be canonized a saint. In my heart of hearts I know she has attained her heavenly reward and that now, Jesus, holds her face in His hands.
Anyway, that is the reason I thought that maybe we should ask Mother Antonia to help get Sgt. Tahmooressi released. He is imprisoned in the world she devoted her life to. She understands what he is going through. So I ask that you choose your own way of praying and ask Mother to ask God to keep Andrew safe and healthy and that he experience the love of God in his life and FEEL the prayers of so many of his fellow Americans wanting him to be set free. Prayer is the most powerful weapon to secure kindness and justice that we possess. Time to use as much of that weapon as we can. Mother Antonia, we all ask you to help Andrew in his struggle to be free. Please pray for him. He needs all the help he can get. Amen.
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| Mother Antonia |
July 8, 2014
Little Sisters Under Attack AGAIN; National Organization for Women Declares Them "DIRTY"
by Larry Peterson
The vitriol, screeching and lying about the results of the Supreme Court's decision in the Hobby Lobby case continue unabated from those who want EVERYTHING their way. The National Organization for Women has decided to include in their nonsensical lying attacks a very "mean and nasty" bunch of women, The Little Sisters of the Poor.
Yes, my friends, the Little Sisters of the Poor, that order of nuns founded in the 19th century and dedicated to helping the sick and elderly, an order that asks for nothing in return, including payment for services, has been declared DIRTY by NOW. Encapsulated in their own self-serving and 'meistic' world, the leaders of NOW, in a hair-brained and outlandish decision, created and published a hit list of 100 of their enemies. The "creme de la creme" of the women's movement, an organization claiming membership in the hundreds of thousands, has placed The Little Sisters on their DIRTY 100 list. (Take a look at that list)
What qualifies a person or organization to receive such an "honor"? All you have to do is seek relief from the contraception demands included under the Affordable Care Act aka, Obamacare. If you do it means that you "hate" women. You hate their freedom, their sexuality including their ovaries and uteri. Yup--The Little Sisters of the Poor made the grade. NOW considers them nothing but compassionate lovers of the sick, elderly and infirm who embrace the virtue of personal poverty. That does not prevent the Sisters from being classified "Dirty". Why? Because they are against abortifacient drugs. That's right, this has nothing to do with contraception. Abortifacient drugs destroy a fetus AFTER conception. Therefore, they cause an abortion. Since the Little Sisters of the Poor are pro-life and oppose abortion, NOW says they are "DIRTY". Nothing else matters.
Hobby Lobby still covers the 16 contraception drugs as set forth in Obamacare. They do NOT have to pay for the four abortifacient drugs prescribed. These drugs destroy a fetus after conception. That is NOT contraception. That is abortion. End of story. Promoting the narrative that the SCOTUS has taken away a woman's right to contraception is hogwash. This is a lie being pushed to promote this fake "war on women". If there is a war being waged inside the United States of America it is a war on the millions of unborn who have been vanquished under the ridiculous guise of a made-up, politically expedient freedom to abort which is clouded in a pretend virtue that does not exist. Give me a break.
How utterly preposterous and ridiculous this is. NOW was founded back in 1966. The objective was equality for women. It was a noble motive and women needed an organization so they could join together to gain equality in the work place, equal pay and protection from sexual abuse. There was a double standard in wages, hiring practices, college admissions, and in Social Security payments. All of those goals have been achieved. There are more women in colleges than men, women equal men in the work place, there are countless numbers of women doctors, lawyers, accounting professionals etc. There are even professional women boxers and wrestlers.
Today, NOW, supported by a very friendly administration, panders to an ideology that has negated the purpose of what the National Organization of Women originally stood for. They are only for women who agree with their philosophy. Women who do not are attacked and vilified. NOW has outlived its effectiveness and the purpose for which it was originally founded.
July 3, 2014
On Independence Day a Letter to George W. Bush--In MY Opinion, You Are One of Our Greatest Presidents
IT MAKES SENSE TO ME
by Larry Peterson
by Larry Peterson
I was prepared to write something about Independence Day; however, and I am not sure why, I started to think of President George W. Bush. I leaned back and simply stared at the keyboard. I have always felt he had gotten a "bum rap". Then I realized that I have never mentioned him in anything I have written. Why is that, I thought? I came to the simple conclusion that it was because I was being a wimp. Praising him was not the popular thing to do.
How pathetic is that on my part. SO, I never wrote anything about him---until now. Therefore, I am writing this to him during this Independence Day week of 2014. I want to thank him. I also want to apologize for not defending his honor, integrity and patriotism sooner. He was there when we needed him, make no mistake about it.
Dear President Bush,
I would like to start off by apologizing to you. You deserved better from me. I should have been more vocal over the years in your defense. No president was ever confronted with what you were. No president, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, faced an unknown enemy such as you did. Therefore I shall start by saying that I think that you were one of our greatest presidents. Why do I say that? Because you brought a frightened and unsure nation together quickly and left no doubt to any of us and to the world who was in charge. I do not care who might disagree. I do not care because, the fact of the matter is, you lifted a nation and carried it forward..
You were elected president without a majority of the popular vote and, after a contentious and vicious court battle, the presidency was decided by the Supreme Court. Our legal system, although not perfect, worked and on January 20, 2001, you was sworn in as the 43rd president. The fact is the liberal media, academia, the press and anyone left of center could not accept what had happened and were convinced the election was stolen and that Vice President Al Gore should have won. They still have not gotten over it. (Don't worry about them. They would have felt the same way no matter who was in your shoes.)
For any others reading this I must now back us up a few years. During the 1990's Osama Bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, tried to take down the Twin Towers. That was in 1993. A truck loaded with a 1200 pound bomb blew up in the basement of 2 World Trade Center at 12:18 P.M. Six people were killed and over 1000 were injured. Over 50,000 people were evacuated from the World Trade Center and a roof over one of the PATH train tunnels collapsed. The mission to bring down the towers had failed but the die had been cast.
Moving forward to August 7, 1998: Explosions tore apart the United States Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In Nairobi, over 200 people are killed and 4,000 wounded. In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 12 more are killed and 85 more wounded. Al-Qaeda had a very "successful" day.
Finally, on October 12, 2000, the USS Cole is attacked in Yemen by terrorists from al-Qaeda. The suicide bombers manage to blow a huge hole in the side of the ship and kill 17 of our Navy men while wounding 39 others. This attack is the precursor to what will happen in less than a year. During this time Osama Bin Laden had been more or less left to train and prepare his maniacal followers for future attacks against America. "Sleepers" were already in the United States waiting to exact their evil missions.
September 11, 2001: 19 suicide bombers hijack four jumbo jets and manage to take down the Twin Towers in NYC, crash into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C and, if not for the courage of passengers (and soon to be American heroes) on Flight 93 over Pennsylvania, would have attacked either the White House or the Capitol Building.
This was the worst attack on the United States in its history. Unlike Pearl Harbor, this was a cowardly sneak attack on civilians. Men, women, dads, moms, uncles, aunts, cousins, brothers, sisters, and even children were murdered that fateful day. Over 3000 died, the Twin Towers collapsed, the Pentagon was in flames and the nation was in shock. Enter the President of the United States--you--George W. Bush.
You had been in office less than nine months. But that evening you spoke to the nation from the Oval Office. That night America knew they had a leader. That night all Americans, even those suffering the grief of loved ones suddenly gone, were able to take in a breath of reassurance and resolve. You were the man responsible for that. You held us together, assured us, and stretched a calming hand outward and across the entire American landscape.
Then came October 30, 2001. That was when you threw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium for game 3 of the 2001 World Series. At that moment, as you stood on the mound looking up at the crowd, all Americans watching truly felt united as Americans. And it was you, George W. Bush, President of the United States, who inspired that sense of pride and unity. God had you where you needed to be at the time you were needed.
So, THANK YOU for being there when we needed you. You represented each and every one of us with honor, dignity and all that we are proud to call AMERICAN. In my book, you are one of the greatest presidents we have ever had.
God bless you ,
Larry Peterson
©Larry Peterson 2014 All Right Reserved
How pathetic is that on my part. SO, I never wrote anything about him---until now. Therefore, I am writing this to him during this Independence Day week of 2014. I want to thank him. I also want to apologize for not defending his honor, integrity and patriotism sooner. He was there when we needed him, make no mistake about it.
Dear President Bush,
I would like to start off by apologizing to you. You deserved better from me. I should have been more vocal over the years in your defense. No president was ever confronted with what you were. No president, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, faced an unknown enemy such as you did. Therefore I shall start by saying that I think that you were one of our greatest presidents. Why do I say that? Because you brought a frightened and unsure nation together quickly and left no doubt to any of us and to the world who was in charge. I do not care who might disagree. I do not care because, the fact of the matter is, you lifted a nation and carried it forward..
You were elected president without a majority of the popular vote and, after a contentious and vicious court battle, the presidency was decided by the Supreme Court. Our legal system, although not perfect, worked and on January 20, 2001, you was sworn in as the 43rd president. The fact is the liberal media, academia, the press and anyone left of center could not accept what had happened and were convinced the election was stolen and that Vice President Al Gore should have won. They still have not gotten over it. (Don't worry about them. They would have felt the same way no matter who was in your shoes.)
For any others reading this I must now back us up a few years. During the 1990's Osama Bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, tried to take down the Twin Towers. That was in 1993. A truck loaded with a 1200 pound bomb blew up in the basement of 2 World Trade Center at 12:18 P.M. Six people were killed and over 1000 were injured. Over 50,000 people were evacuated from the World Trade Center and a roof over one of the PATH train tunnels collapsed. The mission to bring down the towers had failed but the die had been cast.
Moving forward to August 7, 1998: Explosions tore apart the United States Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In Nairobi, over 200 people are killed and 4,000 wounded. In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 12 more are killed and 85 more wounded. Al-Qaeda had a very "successful" day.
Finally, on October 12, 2000, the USS Cole is attacked in Yemen by terrorists from al-Qaeda. The suicide bombers manage to blow a huge hole in the side of the ship and kill 17 of our Navy men while wounding 39 others. This attack is the precursor to what will happen in less than a year. During this time Osama Bin Laden had been more or less left to train and prepare his maniacal followers for future attacks against America. "Sleepers" were already in the United States waiting to exact their evil missions.
September 11, 2001: 19 suicide bombers hijack four jumbo jets and manage to take down the Twin Towers in NYC, crash into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C and, if not for the courage of passengers (and soon to be American heroes) on Flight 93 over Pennsylvania, would have attacked either the White House or the Capitol Building.
This was the worst attack on the United States in its history. Unlike Pearl Harbor, this was a cowardly sneak attack on civilians. Men, women, dads, moms, uncles, aunts, cousins, brothers, sisters, and even children were murdered that fateful day. Over 3000 died, the Twin Towers collapsed, the Pentagon was in flames and the nation was in shock. Enter the President of the United States--you--George W. Bush.
You had been in office less than nine months. But that evening you spoke to the nation from the Oval Office. That night America knew they had a leader. That night all Americans, even those suffering the grief of loved ones suddenly gone, were able to take in a breath of reassurance and resolve. You were the man responsible for that. You held us together, assured us, and stretched a calming hand outward and across the entire American landscape.
Then came October 30, 2001. That was when you threw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium for game 3 of the 2001 World Series. At that moment, as you stood on the mound looking up at the crowd, all Americans watching truly felt united as Americans. And it was you, George W. Bush, President of the United States, who inspired that sense of pride and unity. God had you where you needed to be at the time you were needed.
So, THANK YOU for being there when we needed you. You represented each and every one of us with honor, dignity and all that we are proud to call AMERICAN. In my book, you are one of the greatest presidents we have ever had.
God bless you ,
Larry Peterson
©Larry Peterson 2014 All Right Reserved
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