Friday, September 30, 2011

Quick Takes and my mom makes a cameo!







1.

So this week I kept getting email after email directing me to the following video, and then I saw it popping up on facebook and pretty much everywhere. When you watch it, you'll know why it's gone viral. Don't let the length deter you; it's worth the time it takes to get to the end and see the changes wrought in those being interviewed. The mohawk atheist white supremacist had me riveted. Heck, they all did. 

My only caveat to this Protestant-produced video (because I am a Catholic apologist after all) is to remind you that Catholics believe in infused righteousness (true cleansing of the soul in baptism), not the imputed righteousness (a mere legal declaration) that the video espouses. 

But putting that aside, you will see so much of what we talk about here played out on the screen: The natural law which is written on every man's heart is laid bare as the human conscience rises from its culturally- and sin-induced slumber. Fascinating!! Don't miss it.



2.

Speaking of awakening the conscience, I participated in the most amazing kick off of our local 40 Days for Life campaign this week. We learned recently that an "upscale" abortion clinic has operated under the radar within the boundaries of my own parish. My friend Karen Williams, whose abortion story I posted here, discusses the puff piece that Phoenix Magazine ran recently about the private-practice abortionist who hangs her shingle touting "family medicine" while 90% of the procedures done in her beautifully-appointed office are abortions -- up to 50 babies killed per week.

Tuesday night, three hundred and fifty of us, young, old, black, white, hispanic, priests, nuns and laypeople (Catholic and non-Catholic) walked in solemn silence for a mile and a half from our church to the abortuary. We had a police escort, just like you'd see in a funeral procession, and traffic was periodically stopped as we walked in a line so long that I couldn't see the beginning or the end of it. I couldn't even find the fellow blogger, Kara, that I had hoped to meet! Some of the homeowners along the route watched and wondered, most of whom had no idea that an abortion mill was operating in their neighborhood. 

People begin to gather, before the walk begins.


There was inspiring music, and heartbreaking, tearful testimony from a young woman whose aborted child would have been five years old today.

We care for and love both mother and child.

We concluded at the abortion mill, praying for an end to the violence of abortion and the conversion of the abortionist.
(Photos courtesy of my friend LeeAnne, and Arizona Right to Life.) 

If you are able to participate in your city's 40 Days for Life campaign, please do. It is both life-changing and life-saving.


3.

Made a big mistake when I hit "publish" on the last post: Miss Gwen's concluding thoughts were missing! I have since restored them, so if you were confused by the abrupt ending, please go back and read the post in its entirety:



4.

Speaking of atheists (well, former atheists), I was compelled by science fiction writer John C. Wright's account of his dramatic conversion. The only proper response is "Wow!" and "Praise God!" Read on:



5.

Another sad reminder that the Church's wisdom does not exist to make people feel bad, but instead to keep them from harm while preserving their human dignity. How sad is this scene?


Excerpt:
To her credit, Ben's fiance manages to contain her reaction, but the shock, and possibly horror, in her face is evident.
Ben's fiance tells him she sees his actions as selfish, and the gravity of his decision seems to hit him in a way it hadn't before. "I guess I was dumb. Maybe I'm being dumb now, I don't know," he says.
 Any guesses as to whether or not that relationship will last?

6.

Mothers have a way of keeping us all humble, thank the Lord. 

When I won the coveted Cannonball Award recently in the category of "Best Armchair Theologian", I emailed the icon to my mom to let her know...


Her response, reprinted here with permission, made me smile as it reinforced the stated message of a Cannonball win, which affords me "the sweet sweet satisfaction" that I am "only slightly better than no one else really all that special":


Well I am "blog challenged" but it is always nice to win things - not sure what you won but you can tell us all about it later....congratulations!! Love, Mom


It does not get better than that!

7.

This item comes last, as it's an action item and I don't want you to forget to do this. Today is the final day for public comments regarding the shameful, conscience-violating mandate imposed by the Obama administration that forces all insurance policies to cover contraceptives and certain abortifacient drugs (without so much as a copay). Please, let's not go down without a fight. 

Call or email the (Catholic!!) woman behind the mandate, Kathleen Sebelius, head of the Health and Human Services Department (ironic name for that department, eh?).

Phone:   (202) 690–7000
Email:    Kathleen.Sebelius@hhs.gov

More info here.

Oh, and by the way, the "unbiased" medical committee that recommended the mandate is "populated by board members of NARAL and Planned Parenthood, as well as major donors to politicians favoring legal abortion." Aside from the mandate being evil, it smacks of corruption as well.

Time for us little guys to speak truth to power! Call or email now, before you forget.




Thanks to Jen for hosting!



20 comments:

  1. I love your mom's response! And speaking of sperm donors, did you see the article about how redhead donors are no longer wanted? As one mother of a redhead to another, how offensive is that? Of course, the whole thing is terrible in general!

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  2. I love your mom's comment! She's keepin' it real. : )

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  3. It is amazing how small the red-head population really is. But I suppose if you are going to sperm bank to get pregnant, trying to pick the hair color of your baby is hardly surprising :-p

    Very good mini-articles!

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  4. allyouwhohope, yes, I was so offended, and I could not agree more that the whole thing is terrible in general!!

    Melanie, yes she is, ha ha! And Nicholas, thanks!

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  5. Oh, can I throw in one more Quick Take?! Father Barron's ten-part series, Catholicism starts tonight on some PBS stations! It's supposed to be phenomenal!! Here is more on why he did it:

    http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/why-father-robert-barron-filmed-catholicism/

    I want to own it!

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  6. The 40 Days for Life event sounds amazing; I wish I could have gone.

    I think I'd love your mom. :)

    Haven't had a chance to watch the 180 video yet, but I'll have to make time this weekend. I've heard it's amazing.

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  7. your mom sounds a lot like my mom, from what she wrote. A little harsh at first, maybe, but there is wisdom there. And pure, honest love.

    That video is 30 minutes long! I'll have to watch tonight...

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  8. I will have to watch that video again. (Yes, the ANGRY mohawk guy scared and offended me so much I had to turn it off. I don't like to hear that Jesus was an f**** Jew, which is why I turned it off.) But, I will go back and watch it again!

    40 days of Life picture brought tears to my eyes. I would love to be a part of something like that. And the procession sounded so respectful and beautiful. nothing wrong with the signs, but sometimes I think the mournful sound of silence speaks more than words.

    Your Mom sounds like mine! She is much more about keeping me humble and always in my place! She even spells out the word "cute" in front of my kids because she doesn't want their heads to get big! She's had so much of an influence on me in this department that I am very careful about how many compliments I dish out to them too!

    Yes, I will make it a priority to email that lady today. No room or time for intimidation!

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  9. Yes, the mohawk man was scary, but watch him change… so fascinating!

    And just a clarification on my mom, ha ha… her words were sincere with no intent to humble me and not a bit of snarkiness… she really does not know what I won, ha ha!! I will have to explain it later to her, since she doesn't follow the blog. But she is pretty technologically savvy in general… has an iPhone and all that. I don't even have one, and I wouldn't know how to use it! lol!

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  10. Father Barron's ten-part series, Catholicism starts tonight on some PBS stations!

    Love him!

    Great quick takes.

    Have a good weekend! Gooooo Tigers!

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  11. Oh my gosh, I made it onto Little Catholic Bubble?! I seriously almost cried, lol!! I'm so sad we didn't get to see you. But seriously, we will meet soon! :) It was a great event. I'm not afraid to pray in front of clinics anymore! And thanks for not posting the pic of my back fat that AZRTL has on their page. lol

    I'm offended, as a redhead, about that too. There should be more redheads in the world. We make life fun!

    I LOVED #4 when I read it earlier this week. It's awesome.

    There is a discussion on a board I used to belong to about the 180 video. The pro aborts wouldn't even watch it and they freaked out about it all. They refused to even debate the topic because they were angry that the video was comparing women to Hitler. Which it, obviously, was not doing, but the "open-minded" people will never watch something that might challenge their beliefs. It's ridiculous. I'm glad I left that board years ago, because it's still the same ol' same ol' pretending it's a debate board and is actually just a place to bully people around.

    Your mom's response is adorable :) Love it.

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  12. Obviously it is just humor at this stage, but they aren't against red-heads, they are just "overstocked" :-p

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  13. Thanks for the no. and info about the mandate. Will call and hopefully make my voice heard.

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  14. Isn't it funny, Leila, that I was one of the people who sent this video to you, telling you to watch it, and yet I couldn't get myself to finish it?

    I went back and watched it. Yes, very graphic scenes and the ignorance of some of these people very disturbing. In truth, I got really nauseated from this video.

    But I watched all of it, and the messege is worth listening to. If I can watch it, anyone can watch this! It is worth watching. I hope everyone will be able to set aside a half-hour and try to be open.

    And yes, what a happy surprise to see difference in the mohawk guy! Not just from him, but from most of the people he intereviewed!

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  15. Congrats on your award :) Your prize? An armchair to sit in while you blog. Wooo!

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  16. Just finished watching the video and whoa. That was disturbing. But I do think it shows what we are all capable of understanding if we think logically and allow our pride to rest for a moment. Very cool.

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  17. I too was at first offended by the video and forced myself to watch the whole thing, but then I was glad I did. To see such a change was amazing and all it took was a redirection of the facts: crazy!

    I also watched the sperm donor video. Thousands of children annually are born this way with no regulation so if one donor really needed the money (or had the desire) he could realistically "father" thousands of children which can throw a wrench into human procreation.

    Even though I had my son through a "known donor" I have since realized the error of my ways and how this might affect my son down the road. It's already created issues that I never anticipated. That's because it's not the way God intended us to have children...

    DD

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  18. Leila, 5 families, including ours bought the Catholicism series. Our family loves it!! So far, we have watched 3 episodes. We are going to suggest to our pastor that we play it at our parish along with a potluck meal one episode a month.

    I LOVED what your 40 days for life group did....so beautiful!!!

    Congrats on your award!!!! So funny on what your Mom said....My Mom is always teaching me about humility as well! Ha!

    Blessings to you my favorite armchair theologian!!!

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  19. I love your Mom's response and I'm SO glad you won!!! I voted for you and Shoved to them about a hundred times. :)

    Love ya!!!

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