Quick Takes: Vindication, and other cool stuff.

I can't believe it! My Quick Takes are on time!

1) Is it wrong to be a tad happy for vindication? A few months back I wrote a post for Catholic Exchange called, Three Things People Don't Know About Same-Sex Marriage, the last item being:

3. Those who decry the slippery slope argument often confirm the slippery slope.

In the over 500 comments that followed, some chided me for this assertion (including our own Miss Gwen, whom I miss on this blog!); however, I recently came across an interesting couple of articles by gay "marriage" proponent Professor Kent Greenfield of Boston College Law School. Just a few months before the Supreme Court's ruling on DOMA, Mr. Greenfield mocked the many friend-of-the-Court legal briefs opposing gay "marriage", including the idea that gay "marriage" would lead to a slippery slope:

Then there’s the fixation on how a ruling in favor of gay marriage will start the nation down a slippery slope toward polygamy and incest. Adam and Steve today; tomorrow Adam, Steve, with Cain and Abel along for the ride as well. But no one seems to notice that the slippery slope worries are as great with heterosexual marriage as same-sex marriage. The slope between gay marriage and polygamous or incestuous gay marriage is no steeper and no slicker than between heterosexual marriage and polygamous or incestuous heterosexual marriage. 

So how would this “slippery slope” danger play out? Is the worry that recognizing marriage equality for gays and lesbians will drive straight men into the arms of their sisters? Well, now you’ve lost me.

The guy just can't see it, apparently! Then four months later, just after the gay "marriage" rulings, our good professor has suddenly, inexplicably reversed himself:

It’s been a few weeks since the victories in the marriage cases at the Supreme Court, and maybe it’s time for the political left to own up to something. You know those opponents of marriage equality who said government approval of same-sex marriage might erode bans on polygamous and incestuous marriages? They’re right. As a matter of constitutional rationale, there is indeed a slippery slope between recognizing same-sex marriages and allowing marriages among more than two people and between consenting adults who are related. If we don’t want to go there, we need to come up with distinctions that we have not yet articulated well.

I feel like I could have written his next paragraph, after having so many debates about this very issue (my words in blue):

In private conversations with leaders in the [gay] marriage movement [with me, the conversations have been online and public], I often hear two responses. The first is that there is no political energy behind a fight for incestuous or polygamous marriages. [Oh my gosh, we hear that all the time on the Bubble: "I don't see people clamoring for incest!" as if they forget that until recently no one was clamoring for gay "marriage" either.] The second is that they would be fine if those restrictions fell as well but, in effect, “don’t quote me on that.” [Similar to what I assert in the CE article: 'The same people who mock me for bringing up the “slippery slope” will ultimately admit that “it doesn’t matter” and they “don’t care” if polygamy is legalized or if two sisters marry or if Aunt Frannie wants to marry her dog. And it’s clear that they aren’t kidding. They really don’t care.'] The first of these responses, of course, is a political response but not a legal one. The second is to concede the point, with hopes that they won't have to come out of the closet on the concession until more same-sex victories are won in political and legal arenas.

Maybe soon the professor will admit that these guys and these guys are queueing up for some recognition as well and might just well have a legal case! Welcome to progressive Utopia.

2) I like this, as it explains the state's three options regarding any activity.

Marriage = Biology (Not Bigotry)

3) And from Fr. Barron: Why the Church sometimes has to be a fighting Church:

Clarity. Logic. Ahhhh!

4) So, I've been reading through the Pope's first encyclical, Lumen Fidei (The Light of Faith), and this paragraph struck me as reflective of the conversations we have here on this blog! Don't you think so, too? 

25. Today more than ever, we need to be reminded of this bond between faith and truth, given the crisis of truth in our age. In contemporary culture, we often tend to consider the only real truth to be that of technology: truth is what we succeed in building and measuring by our scientific know-how, truth is what works and what makes life easier and more comfortable. Nowadays this appears as the only truth that is certain, the only truth that can be shared, the only truth that can serve as a basis for discussion or for common undertakings. 

Yet at the other end of the scale we are willing to allow for subjective truths of the individual, which consist in fidelity to his or her deepest convictions, yet these are truths valid only for that individual and not capable of being proposed to others in an effort to serve the common good. But Truth itself, the truth which would comprehensively explain our life as individuals and in society, is regarded with suspicion. Surely this kind of truth — we hear it said — is what was claimed by the great totalitarian movements of the last century, a truth that imposed its own world view in order to crush the actual lives of individuals. 

In the end, what we are left with is relativism, in which the question of universal truth — and ultimately this means the question of God — is no longer relevant. It would be logical, from this point of view, to attempt to sever the bond between religion and truth, because it seems to lie at the root of fanaticism, which proves oppressive for anyone who does not share the same beliefs. In this regard, though, we can speak of a massive amnesia in our contemporary world. The question of truth is really a question of memory, deep memory, for it deals with something prior to ourselves and can succeed in uniting us in a way that transcends our petty and limited individual consciousness. It is a question about the origin of all that is, in whose light we can glimpse the goal and thus the meaning of our common path.

Isn't that beautiful? Identify the problem, and ultimately give hope (which in turn reminds me of this great post from Dr. Stacy). 


5) So excited to report on the Nigerian pro-life conference that we have promoted and supported here in the Bubble! Uju's summary of those amazing days is on the COLAfrica blog, and if you watch the following video, you will see Uju and Nicole (at the 0:27 mark) on the day they attended a five-hour, joy-filled, life-filled mass, which included Confirmations for the children in white!

From the article:

As we got the privilege of spending time with the amazing people of Enugu and Owerri, we found them to be warm, kind, resilient and yes, pro-life to the core. It was as if every single encounter we had was a balm to the soul and a shot in the arm at the same time.  

But one of the highest points of our journey happened on a bright Sunday morning when our gracious Host, Archbishop Anthony Obinna, of Owerri Archdiocese, took us to Mass (worship) with him to a rural Catholic parish in a small village called Orodo. 

To get to Orodo, we journeyed an hour on the dirt-road, passing by small scenic villages, catching a glimpse of rural Africa and seeing the glorious beauty of nature in the African landscape. But the summit of our experience was in meeting the people of Orodo and experiencing first-hand their vibrant faith and their inexplicable joy.  

The men, women and children we met at this local Catholic parish did not have much in terms of material wealth but they had more zest and grace than anyone you'll ever know. And they welcomed us with the warmth and cheer of real family. 

Their faith and fervour were palpable. Their zeal and passion for God was abundantly obvious. Their music was as melodious as any grand choir in any part of the world. The Mass, which lasted for all of 5 hours, was a profound faith experience that will remain emblazoned in our hearts for years and years to come.  

And as the Catholic way of worship is universal, we prayed, we sang, we danced and we listened to the Liturgy along side everyone else. Yes, we sat, stood and knelt with everyone else! So we got to see what we already knew in our hearts - that the Church is a family with one worship and one love for God. In America, Africa, Europe or anywhere else, the worship is the same, from Orodo to Ottawa the Liturgy is the same - pristine and life-giving.  

And we counted it a real blessing for us to experience this in the midst of pure joy and in the embrace of true catholic family that transcends race and nation! 

I cannot say it enough: Uju and Nicole are warrior heroes in this battle for life and love around the globe, and I feel privileged to occupy the same planet as they do. To think it's only been one year since the Blessed Mother inspired Uju to write her open letter to Melinda Gates. Thank you again to all of you who helped with financial assistance and so many prayers. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this apostolate!

6) Rejoicing with all our readers in the UK on the birth of the new little prince, George Alexander Louis! What joy to celebrate new life on a global scale and to remember that every human life, whether king or peasant, is unrepeatable and of infinite value. I particularly love this picture, as I am old enough to remember when George's father was born:

And readers in the UK should consider attending the following conference on September 27 & 28, hosted by the Anscombe Bioethics Centre:

The Moral Philosophy of Elizabeth Anscombe

If you can't attend, please get the word out, and pray for its success!

7) Speaking of unrepeatable, invaluable lives, meet Grant! This little guy was doing well in his baby house when this photo was taken, but since then he has been transferred to an adult mental institution where things are very bad. No child should be in a place like that.

Click my photo for more details!

Please, someone, go get him out. He is eight years old and may not have much time left to be saved. Pray for Grant and all those children with him in that very horrible place. Where there is life, there is hope! 

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Have a great weekend everyone, and thanks to Jen for hosting!