An Example of the Dark Side of Secularism—attacking the Knights of Columbus

Knights of Columbus Color Guard                                  courtesy Our Lady of the Rosary Council 12982   Gainesville, VA

IT MAKES SENSE TO ME 

By Larry Peterson

I am not going to use any names here. There is no point. Everyone knows who is who.

The Epiphany of the Lord for 2019 will be celebrated on January 6. The entrance antiphon  will read, “Arise Jerusalem, and look to the East and see your children gathered from the rising to the setting of the sun.”  Baruch 5:5

How fitting as we hear how the three wise men from the East, followed the brilliantly shining Star using it as their guide to lead them to the Savior of the world. They were seeking out Goodness and Love, and all they wished to do was worship the One who brought it.

Flash forward 2000+ years and  we head into the year 2019.  Two political “rising stars” from the West (who also happen to be United States Senators; one from California and one from Hawaii)  have decided to attack a man who has been named for consideration for a seat on the United States District Court in Nebraska. They are pounding the print and media with their message saying this man is not qualified to be a judge because his views are “extreme.” They know this because he is a member of the Knights of Columbus. Herod would be proud.

The Senator from Hawaii has decided that the Catholic views on abortion and same-sex marriage held by the Knights of Columbus are “extreme.” The Senator from California depicted the Knights as “an all-male society” and asked the judicial nominee if he was aware that the Knights of Columbus “opposed a woman’s right to choose” and were against “marriage equality.” In the new democratic party approving of abortion and same ex-marriage seems to be the litmus test as to whether or not you are “good or bad.”

Those two senators are not the only two trashing the judicial candidate for being Catholic and a member of the Knights of Columbus. Most of those who call themselves “Democrat” are too. These people seem to think that the desire to honor and protect life and traditional marriage (you know, between a man and a woman) makes you an ‘extremist."

Why even the incoming Speaker of the House, a “devout” Catholic, proudly teaches that abortion is a woman’s “sacred right.”  This flies into the very core of Catholic teaching and is an abomination created for political gain. What has happened to truth, honor,  and integrity?

Here is the thing; I am a member of the Knights of Columbus and have been a member since 1964. I also have another 1.9 million men around the world whom I call “Brother.” You see, we Knights are all Brothers and proud of it.

We proudly proclaim our core principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism without shame or hesitation.   We respect and defend life all over the world. We (the Knights of Columbus) donated over $185 million and  K of C Service hours valued at $1.9 billion in 2017.

Our charitable activities include the Christian Refugee Relief Fund, Disaster Relief, the Ultrasound Initiative, Coats for Kids, Special Olympics, the Global Wheelchair Mission, and Habitat for Humanity. Plus so much more at the local levels by so many K of C Councils spread from coast to coast and around the world.

So you see, when these very important people decide they do not like our principles and beliefs and think they are picking on only one person (Re: Brett Kavanaugh) they are not. They are trashing millions of people and 1.9 million of them are members of the Knights of Columbus.

One final thought, the senator from California, suggested that the Knights of Columbus is  “an all-male society. She might do a bit more research. because she obviously has never heard of the Columbiettes. They are the women's' branch of the Knights of Columbus and this year they celebrate their 80^th anniversary.  Yes, we Knights work hand in hand with our Columbiette Sisters and together, we do great things for others.

From Venerable Fulton J Sheen:   There is no word more "dangerous" than liberalism, because to oppose it is the new "unforgivable sin."

©Larry Peterson 2018

The World; Yesterday and Today--The Bible Covers It All

IT MAKES SENSE TO ME

By Larry Peterson

As a cradle Catholic who went to twelve years of Catholic school "waaaaay" back in the '50s and '60s, I can say without hesitation that my education in the Bible and about the Bible and of the Bible was almost non-existent. The Catechism with its nays & yays and right & wrong dominated the conversation. However, over the past ten years or so I have come to honor and respect the Bible. It took me all those decades to realize how profound and so magnificently in our faces with truths this book, written so long ago, is. The seven Wisdom books alone are worth more than all the jewels on Pharaoh's crown.

Back to the 'truths' I mentioned. The other day, August 26, the gospel reading was from Matthew 23: 27-32. I believe this gospel actually references today's world and the egotistical and self-centered mindset that so many people have embraced. Countless people have stomped on the goodness within God's creation by choosing to grasp onto  the secular banner of "meism." The Bible has their number--literally. It had it then and it has it now.

For me, as a writer, the Bible also has the best writing prompts...especially if you are having trouble getting the words to flow from your brain to the screen or paper. The Gospel reading from August 26 is a prime example of how my brain can get 'jump-started'. This jolt came from  Matthew 23: 27-32. (I'm just using 27 -28.) Here it is:

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing."

There are actually seven "Woe to you" paragraphs in Chapter 23. I quoted number six  because it was part of the Gospel reading for the day. Anyway, the first thing that came to mind was Planned Parenthood. Think about it: "beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing." I immediately thought of the people destroying the lives of babies and joking about it. I thought of all those defending  this organization and insist that those who would  vilify it are taking away women's health protections. There are many in high places that certainly appear beautiful on the outside and, since I do not get to look inside, I can only imagine. I do know this: abortion is the Holocaust of the last four decades.

In America, marriage between a man and a woman is being denigrated by the beautiful, sophisticated, upscale and highly civilized secular community. Same-sex "marriage" is hailed as a right and the enhancement of freedom. Rejecting one's God-given sex and deciding to change to the opposite sex is hailed as heroic and courageous. Legalizing euthanasia has taken root in Europe and in America. In Belgium they now permit childhood euthanasia. I could go on and on but you all know what has and is happening. And many of those who proclaim Catholicism as their faith  approve of these practices.

I am amazed that it has taken me so long to realize the magnificence and page-to-page wisdom the Bible holds. So much of Scripture defines the present. It describes us and our world. It tells us how and where are journey began, where it has taken us, and where we are going. It is a great gift and I shall never ignore it again. It is also the one and only book I will reference when seeking out writing prompts. The Bible has it all. If you have not tried you should check it out. It is a GREAT READ.

©2015 Larry Peterson-All RightsReserved

Will Legalizing "Same-Sex Marriage" Legalize the "Three-Parent Family?

IT MAKES SENSE TO ME

by Larry Peterson

The Republic of Ireland, once a bastion of Catholicism, now has embraced the distinction of being the first country in the world to approve a constitutional amendment approving of  "same-sex marriage". I wrap the phrase in quotation marks because this whole concept is still an illusion. No matter how you spin, present, defend, and embrace the doctrine of  "same-sex marriage" there is always going to be this tiny, little problem. It is called procreation. That is simply because within a "same-sex marriage" procreation  can never happen without the involvement of a third person, that person being of the opposite sex. "Same-sex marriage" spawns the "three-parent family".

Already the Irish Prime Minister, Enda Kenny, has already said that Catholic Schools will be required to teach "same-sex marriage" as part of the curriculum. How can they do that? That violates Church teaching. Have we arrived at an international secular tipping point where Church teachings are subject to the whims and mores of the present culture? Apparently we have. What about the children?

Even the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuld Martin, simply voted "no" because of his OWN belief  and did not defend the church he represents.The Archbishop said  that "those days are gone" referring to a time when the Church hierarchy would  instruct Catholics how they should vote. How courageously pathetic is that? And what about the children?

Apparently this new law confers an automatic right on "same-sex couple" to procreate. But they CANNOT DO IT. You need a person of the OPPOSITE SEX to do it. So are we now to have a whole new industry arise whose purpose will be to provide wombs and sperm depending on the "same-sex" gender of the wannabe parents? And what about the children?

The Supreme Court of The United States of America will pronounce their ruling on the constitutionality of "same-sex marriage" toward the end of June. I believe that decision has already been reached and is in the "can" ready to be read. I also believe that the Court will go 5 to 4 in favor of "same-sex marriage". I hope I am wrong because the ramifications of such a decision will be (in my opinion) catastrophic for the nation.

The law will require Catholic/Christian schools to teach the secular dogma of this law. If they do not  abide by this law will they have to forfeit any tax credits or exemptions, ie: their 501(c)3? Will hefty fines be imposed? Can they be closed down by federal mandate? Catholic hospitals will be told to violate their faith bound principles and they will not be able to. Will they then be forced to close because of the sudden absence of Medicare and Medicaid funds? What about the children?

Bottom line--this is a disaster. No one is trying to deprive "same-sex couples" of any civil or legal rights.  What we are watching here is the attempted destruction of the First Amendment to our Constitution. Once the law of the land can tell the religions of the land what they must think and do--it is the end of our Republic as we know it. And when the children of these three parent families grow up and want to find out who their REAL mom or dad was, how does that work? Do you call Ancestry.com?
                                 
                               ©Larry Peterson 2015 All Rights Reserved

"Same-Sex "Marriage"; The Great Illusion of the Modern, Secularist Era:

IT MAKES SENSE TO ME

by Larry Peterson

The United States Supreme Court has now heard the arguments for and against "gay- marriage". Now we wait to see what the almighty Justices have decided. We will not hear the decision until sometime during the early days of summer. As for me, I do not get it. No sirree, this does NOT make sense to me. From the modern dictionary  we have this:
MARRIAGE: Noun;
any of the diverse forms of interpersonal union established in various part of the world to form a familial bond that is recognized legally, religiously, or socially, granting the participating partners mutual conjugal rights and responsibilities and including, for example, opposite-sex marriage, same-sex marriage, plural marriage, and arranged marriage.

That dictionary could not be more politically correct so I traveled back in time to the 1988 Webster's Dictionary; This was a bit more concise (It was before PC had rum amok) From Webster's:
MARRIAGE: Noun;
the state of being married, relation between husband and wife, married life, matrimony.

This is from Webster's 1913 dictionary:
MARRIAGE: Noun;
The act of marrying, or the state of being married: legal union of a man and a woman for LIFE, as husband and wife; wedlock; matrimony.

 I had to go back to the dictionary of one hundred years ago to find the words, man and woman, included in the definition of marriage. By 1988 only the words husband and wife were being used to define the word. But I was not deterred. Onward and forward and I looked up the word, "wife". VOILA! The modern dictionary describes the meaning of the word like this:
WIFE: Noun;
a married woman, especially when considered in a relation to her partner in marriage.

I had one more stop and that was back at Webster's. Here it is:
WIFE: Noun;
a married woman; specif., a woman in her relationship to her husband.

 But, alas, it does not matter. Within the same-sex marriage phenomena, in a man/man marriage they refer to each other as "my husband". In a woman/woman marriage they refer to each other as "my wife". The words, man and woman, are gone. They could use other words such as; companion, partner, spouse, or mate but, what is the difference. Same-sex marriages can NEVER be the same as the marriage of a man and a woman. Why are they trying so hard to get a recognition that is illusory at best?  For crying out loud, even Social Security is available to same sex relationships. Why the obsession over the word "Marriage"?

I am a Catholic man and I love my faith and am probably among those considered as "devout". I freely admit, I do not understand how two men or two women might be romantically attracted to each other. However, since I do not understand it and I believe we are truly all God's individual creations it follows that I will not pass judgment on gay couples. I am an individual creation of God just like they are. Pope Francis has said, "If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?"  Well, it follows, I will NOT judge nor do I have the right to do so.

The Catholic Church has its teachings and beliefs about homosexual relationships.  It does not condemn homosexuality. If you are homosexual you can be in full communion with the church. But the Church requires living a life of chastity outside of marriage. That also applies to a man and woman who are not married. The Church will never perform or sanction a "gay-marriage". That is how it is and will always be.

The Church is often denigrated because it holds fast to certain teachings and says "NO" to progressive and secularists who want change only to accommodate their own agenda.  "Same-sex marriage" is foremost among those changes sought. It will not and cannot happen. Let us not forget that the Catholic Church also encourages self-denial because it does bring one closer to God. Chastity is still on the "books" as a moral virtue  and is considered a gift from God (Catechism of the Catholic Church #2344,#2345)

It seems to me that we are in the midst of the Great Illusion of the modern era.  If a man and a man or a woman and a woman want to enter into a pseudo-marriage alliance and call it "marriage", it seems they are entering into an illusory world. "Marriage" is only a word. It can never change the fact that two men or two women will never be heterosexual. It will never change the fact that they will never be able to procreate and continue their family bloodline because it will not exist.

In fact, the only way to do that would be to create the three parent family and one of the married persons would not be an actual parent.  But to accomplish this the OPPOSITE sex must participate. They would have to be an egg or sperm donor. How can that be a family? Will that also require new court battles to redefine the meaning and constitutionality of what "family" is? Imagine how convoluted and mixed up for the child. When it comes full circle and a child is involved, there had to be a man and a woman  to bring forth that child. Plus, there will be no genealogy and no family tree to build on unless it is outside of the same-sex couple's marriage. What a damn mess.

Okay, final thoughts: If the United states Supreme Court decides that "same-sex marriage" is the "law of the land", what happens to tax exempt religious schools who cannot abide by such an unnatural and anti-religious law? Will they all lose their 501(c)3 exemptions? Will it be illegal to teach Traditional marriage? The proverbial can of worms that has been opened is about to explode.

Lastly:  If the SCOTUS declares that same-sex marriage is legal under the United States Constitution that could very well mark the end of The First Amendment and Freedom of Religion.  I think it will be unavoidable, with that entire, magnificent document  falling like dominoes.

                                         ©Larry Peterson 2015 All Rights Reserved