The Gift of Gab...

The Final Countdown

2011-07-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

Cue the stereotypical 80s synthesizers. The Final Countdown is upon us. I am marrying my best friend in 100 days. There are a mixture of feelings whirling about in my being. Time has seemed to pass by so quickly since that day when I surprised her as she left work and asked her to marry me. Yet, at other times, it has seemed to pass by so slowly, as if the day would never get here.

Despite the random speeds that time seems to take, I am feeling rather excited, yet also nervous. It is a somewhat similar feeling that I had on November 4th of last year (the day I proposed). I was very excited for this major step I was going to take, and yet I was also nervous. Looking back, those nerves don't seem to make sense. They still don't seem to make sense. I was very confident that she would say yes, just as I am very confident she will say "I do" on October 30th.

Perhaps it's the fact that the road I am taking is a sudden and different one. All the changes in my life have seemed to come gradually. Yet, on that day when my best friend and I get new titles - "husband and wife" - I realize that I will wake up the following morning a married man. It will no longer be about me, but about "us."

You can point to the fact that we have been dating since 2004 as an indicator that we know each other quite well. Yet, I feel that being a husband will be such a different adventure for me. Others have crossed this bridge before and have made it, but the nerves are still there when I think about how close the day has gotten.

I know, however, that if I follow the perfect example of love, that I'm going to be all right. More importantly, that "we" are going to be all right. I'm prepared to love Alexandra the way Jesus loved His bride - the Church. I'm prepared to speak to her in kindness and truth the way Jesus spoke with kindness and truth to His flock. I'm prepared to share my gifts with her with the same charity Jesus showed to those around Him. I'm prepared to sacrifice everything so that she could gain everything, just as Jesus gave it all so that Church can be all that it is and all that it can be.

I am definitely in love. And one hundred days from now, that love will be manifest in a new covenant that I will share with the one that I love.

Let the Final Countdown begin...

One Founder on Independence Day

2011-07-04T10:39:00.000-07:00

After the signing of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams wrote the following letter to Abigail and the children.

Happy Fourth!

The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not. (The Book of Abigail and John: Selected Letters of the Adams Family, 1762-1784, Harvard University Press, 1975, 142).

I'm 24...for a Moment

2011-07-01T07:17:00.001-07:00

I thought I'd pay homage to Five for Fighting's "100 Years" in the title to this post. When I think about that song, I think about how quickly life goes by.

Today is my 24th birthday, and that number is not highlighted in that hit single. Nor is it highlighted in Kenny Chesney's "Don't Blink." But when I think about the age I'm at, I kind of realize that in the grand scheme of things, "24" is not an exciting age. It is not a milestone of any kind. In fact, if you look at the upcoming milestones in my life - 25, 30, 40, etc. - they are just numerical proofs that time flies by, and that none of us are getting any younger.

I look at the changes in my life since I turned 23, and I realized that I am a blessed man. Let's rewind, shall we?

I was hired to finally teach full-time with benefits at a private, Catholic school to teach Social Studies (my kind of shindig). In November, I proposed to my high school sweetheart. In January, I found out that I was going to be an uncle. A little later on, I found out that she was going to be a girl. Sprinkle in a lot of other events, and this could equate to a very eventful year. However, like all things, these events have quickly become a part of my past.

This upcoming year, I WILL be married. This upcoming year, I WILL be an uncle. This upcoming year, I WILL lose hair (all right, this last was happening already, anyways). In the grand scheme of things, I am a limited creature. And although I am heading into my "prime", I guess, I realize more what those limitations are.

While it could be depressing to some that they are getting older (after all, I'm going to be a quarter-century old next year!), I see it as a reminder that I have been given these years as a gift.

I never am really all that excited for my birthdays. I am not really a "party" kind of guy. I prefer staying in, watching a ball game, or hanging with friends in a very relaxed setting. But the other day, a spark of excitement emerged within me.

Yes, I'm 24. And immediately, the only positive thing I can think of about "24" is that it was one of my favorite TV shows back when it was on the air. I'm more excited because it reminds me more about who God is, rather than who I am. In the long run, my story doesn't mean much if I don't pay attention to History...His Story.

On this day, my 24th birthday, I am fortunate that I try not keep the focus on myself. I find that I only get in emotional or spiritual trouble when I do focus on Yours Truly. My focus is on the One who made this all possible. My focus is on the One who led me home. My focus is on the One who has guided my steps since that time. My focus is on the One who lets me back in whenever I fall away.

My birthday wish this year? I wish that everyone would feel that way at one point in their lives; that everyone would establish that relationship. It is that relationship that has formed the standard in my other relationships. If everyone held that as the standard (and this includes many Christians who do not), this world would surely see the change that it desperately needs.

"There's never a wish, better than this...when you've only got a hundred years to live."

Archbishop Dolan

2011-06-07T15:02:00.000-07:00

The link below is to a great piece that aired a couple months ago about New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan. Although I may not agree with him on a minor issue or two, I think his personality is what the Catholic Church in the United States needs.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7360248n

The Reverend Billy Graham on Pope John Paul II

2011-05-15T09:17:00.000-07:00

"When future historians look back on the most influential personalities of the 20th century, the name of Pope John Paul II will unquestionably loom large in their accounts. Few individuals have had a greater impact - not just religiously but socially and morally - on the modern world. He will stand as the most influential moral voice of our time.

"I first became acquainted with the name of this remarkable man when I visited Poland in 1978. At the time, he was known as Karol Cardinal Wojtyla, and he had invited me to have tea with him and to preach in his home church, St. Anne's in Krakow. As it turned out, however, we did not meet; he had been called away to Rome to participate in the election of a new pope following the unexpected death of John Paul I. To everyone's surprise - including his, I'm sure - Karol Wojtyla was elected pope, taking the name of John Paul II. When my plane from Poland landed in New York, after his election had been announced, I was interviewed by the media. They had scores of questions to ask because they knew I had just finished a preaching series in Poland that included several Catholic cathedrals. I remember one incident on Good Morning America when David Hartman asked me how to pronounce his name. When I told him, he slapped his knee and said that he might be the only reporter in New York who knew how to pronounce the name.

"After that, John Paul welcomed me several times at the Vatican, and although we came from different backgrounds, we developed a warm friendship with each other. His courageous stands for morality and faith in an age of rampant secularism, as well as his compassion for all who suffer and his strong commitment to social justice, won him the respect not only of his fellow Roman Catholics but of anyone concerned about the moral and spiritual confusion of our time. His call for young people to renounce the false paths that our modern world beckons and to commit their lives to Christ and His will struck a responsive chord in the hearts of millions.

"As the world faces the challenges of the new millennium, may Christ's call to repentance and faith be heard with ever greater clarity by each of us."

- The Reverend Billy Graham

Turning Nothing into Something Beautiful

2011-04-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

Hello all!

Today is Good Friday, and even though I know why it is called "Good Friday," it is still hard for me to call the day by its name without cringing a bit. Just think about it:

Was it good that Jesus was betrayed for money?
Was it good that Jesus was mocked and ridiculed?
Was it good that Jesus was abandoned?
Was it good that Jesus was whipped, flogged, and scourged?
Was it good that a notorious criminal (Barabbas) was preferred by the people over the Lord of Lords?
Was it good that the same Jesus who was greeted with palms and with shouts of "Hosanna" would hear "Crucify him" by those same people less than a week later?
Was it good that Jesus was convicted to die like a criminal?
Was it good that Jesus was forced to carry a heavy wooden cross through most of Jerusalem and up a mountain?
Was it good that Jesus' hands were nailed to that same cross?
How about his feet?
Was it good that Jesus was still being mocked even while hanging on that cross?
Was it good that Jesus was suffering all this while his Mother watched?
Was it good that Jesus was hanging next to two men who deserved their punishment?
Was it good that Jesus felt forsaken?
Was it good that Jesus' last thought before passing was for us, His church, rather than on His own suffering?
Was it good that Jesus, even after death, had his side pierced by a Roman soldier?

The answer to all of these questions is "yes." Although most of those things sound horrible, for us - it was a Good Friday. Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice. He turned Himself in for a punishment that all of us deserve. The only person in the History of Earth who did not deserve all of this is the only person in the History of Earth who endured all of this. It is a "Good" Friday because it is a pre-cursor to the most important day of all: Easter. This weekend, we first reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made. And then, the conquest he made over death and sin. Through Him, we can make that conquest.

I've heard a lot about people taking today off because today is supposedly a day where you are supposed to "do nothing." That is not the case. We are not to do needless work, but there is something we must do. We must reflect. We must pray. We must reconvert ourselves to Jesus.

As St. Augustine once said: "He once was fixed to the Cross in every part of His body for you, may He now be fixed in every part of your soul." He also said: "I meditate upon the price of my redemption."

Let us meditate today. Rather than doing nothing, let us turn that day of "doing nothing" into a day where we do something beautiful.

Love you all.

The Wisdom of Jason Boyett

2011-02-28T16:50:00.000-08:00

Earlier today, my good friend Steven Cates posted a tweet that linked to the following article by blogger Jason Boyett. I have never heard of this gentlemen until Steve posted. Boyett instantly captivated me with his insight into yet another demagogic denominational attack. I believe that this is a fellow "crusader" (I know probably not a good term in a blog about Christians) in the fight for Christian ecumenism, a cause that I hold dear to my heart. The article can be found at the link posted below, or you can just scroll down and read. Enjoy!

http://blog.beliefnet.com/omeoflittlefaith/2011/02/thoughts-rob-bell.html

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Thoughts About Rob Bell, John Piper, and Justin Taylor - O Me of Little Faith

I'm not sure what Rob Bell was doing on Saturday, but I wonder how long it took for him to realize that he had blown up the Internet. At least, the Christian twitterverse and blogosphere.

Bell, the pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids and the author of Velvet Elvis and Sex God, has a fascinating new book releasing in March -- at least, the title is fascinating. It's called Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived.

From the publisher's copy about the book:

In Love Wins: Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, Bell addresses one of the most controversial issues of faith--the afterlife--arguing that a loving God would never sentence human souls to eternal suffering. With searing insight, Bell puts hell on trial, and his message is decidedly optimistic--eternal life doesn't start when we die; it starts right now. And ultimately, Love Wins.

Sound controversial? It is. It's supposed to be. And we're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but on Saturday influential blogger Justin Taylor (who's also in the publishing business as vice president of editorial at Crossway) decided to judge the book based on its cover description. Citing that and a short video provided by the publisher, Taylor outed Bell as a universalist.

While he admitted that he hadn't read the book yet (!), he felt OK making this statement about Bell:

It is unspeakably sad when those called to be ministers of the Word distort the gospel and deceive the people of God with false doctrine.

And this one, too, in an explanatory follow-up statement:

If Bell is teaching that hell is empty and that you can reject Jesus and still be saved, he is opposing the gospel and the biblical teaching of Jesus Christ. You may think that's judgmental to say that; I think it's being faithful. I would encourage a careful study of 1 Timothy to see what Paul says about false teaching and teachers.

As of this morning, Taylor's post has more than 20,000 Facebook recommendations and 1,000 comments. But that's not all. Highly respected author and pastor John Piper read Taylor's post and recommended it to his Twitter followers with a link and this simple line:

Farewell, Rob Bell.

Piper's tweet got retweeted and passed along and pretty soon, #robbell was in Saturday's top 10 trending topics, which is usually reserved for Middle East unrest, dead celebrities, and Justin Biebers.

{Audible sigh.}

Thoughts:

1. This is why people hate us. There is no meaner, more hateful person on Earth than a Christian who suspects you have gotten your theology wrong. Labeling that mean-ness as "being faithful" to the Gospel doesn't make it less hateful. While Taylor's post was fairly calm, the response to it by his readers was not. Bell got skewered in the comments, on twitter, and in other blog posts.

2. Really, John Piper? Your Reformed followers can be obnoxious at times, but I've always hoped you were above that. Sometimes you say things that make me roll my eyes. Most of the time, though, you're way more gracious than your fans. But "farewell, Rob Bell"? What a disappointingly smug, arrogant tweet. It's worth pointing out what Scot McKnight told Christianity Today about the matter: "The way to disagree with someone of Rob Bell's influence is not a tweet of dismissal but a private letter or a phone call. Flippancy should have no part in judging a Christian leader's theology, character or status."

3. Unlike some, I'm not going to fault Taylor for pre-judging Bell's book. I've ranted about books I haven't read, too. In fact, publishers' copy and marketing materials are designed exactly for that purpose: they are supposed to give you an idea of a book's contents so that you'll be intrigued and buy it.

4. I kind of wish Justin Taylor had gotten a copy of my latest book and called me names in a blog post.

5. But here's where Taylor's and Piper's responses annoy and frustrate me: They are so absolutely certain that they are right. Because Rob Bell seems to be indicating that hell might not be a place of eternal suffering -- or might not exist at all in the way traditional Christianity thinks of it -- then they say he is flat-out wrong. Dangerously wrong. False-doctrine wrong. Opposing-the-Gospel wrong. But you know what? The Bible is really squishy on the subject of hell. The everlasting-torment hell of Dante and Jonathan Edwards doesn't exist at all in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Jesus talks about hell a lot, but sometimes in ways that a reasonable person could interpret metaphorically (like when he calls it Gehenna, after a real-life burning trash heap outside Jerusalem). And for centuries, some Christians have tried to make the case that, when Paul says Christ died for all, he really meant it. Not some. All.

No, universalism isn't an orthodox Christian position. Hell is. But are we not willing to admit that, maybe, over the years, we could have gotten something wrong? Is it so wrong to maybe hope that everyone gets saved? That hell doesn't exist? Because I totally hope that to be the case.

The truth is this: In order to be an everyone-get-saved Universalist, as Taylor claims Bell to be, you have to elevate some biblical passages and ignore (or explain away) others. Because there are definitely some passages that seem to be about eternal punishment in hell.

But...

In order to be a predestination-style, God-saves-the-elect reformed Christian -- like Taylor and Piper -- you have to elevate some biblical passages and ignore (or explain away) others. Because there are definitely some passages that seem to contradict predestination.

But...

In order to be a free-will Arminian Christian, you have to elevate some biblical passages and ignore (or explain away) others. Because there are definitely some passages that seem to confirm predestination.

See where this is going?

In order to be an Evangelical Christian...

In order to be a Roman Catholic Christian...

In order to be a Pentecostal Christian, a cessationist, an End-Times date-setter, a female pastor, a pacifist Christian...

Reading and understanding the Bible involves lots and lots of interpretation. Not just in light of the world and culture around us, but in reference to other parts of the Bible. At best, there are things that are unclear and not easily harmonized from Genesis to Revelation. At worst, there are things that seem to be downright contradictory. That's why I have doubts. That's why theology can be so controversial.

And that's also why theology is best done with humility and a recognition that certainty is very hard to come by. When we become so certain that our theology is ironclad and right, that's when we become smug, arrogant, and dismissive of people who disagree with us. That's when we do things like tweet that a thoughtful, hopeful, influential Christian like Rob Bell is dead to us.

Because that's what "Farewell, Rob Bell" means, isn't it? You're dead to me. What I believe is right. If you oppose it, then I'm done with you.

At least that's how I read it. Please tell me I'm wrong.

Why a Frugal Man Gives

2011-01-18T14:38:00.000-08:00

For those of you who know me really well, you know that I am a bit stingy with my money. Some people call me a cheapskate. I, however, prefer the term "frugal" or "careful." Anyways, the one area in my life where I don't feel obliged to be careful is with my giving.

Note: I am in NO way trying to flaunt myself and my giving. This blog has a different point which you should get as you read.

Unless religious news (or news in general) is of no interest of you, you may know that the Roman Catholic Church is undergoing various scandals at this point in its history (pedophile priests, the lack of charisma within the faithful, former priests who seem desperate to regain former popularity). Because of these scandals and other reasons, a handful of people have asked me why I continue to give to a church of that is filled with hypocrites and sinners.

Why not? There is no question that I should give. How can I call myself a faithful Christian if I do not give? It is said that your heart is where your treasure is stored. If I spend my money on the latest gadgets, that means I have subjected myself to a Technological God. If I save each and every penny I earn, I make money itself my God. However, if I give my money as an act of worship to God, then I am serving the Lord as my God.

So, that's all fine and dandy, but the question still remains - why give to the Roman Catholic Church? The fact of the matter is, if I wait for a pure, sinless, completely righteous organization or group of people to give to give to, I will be waiting until I end up in the grave. The fact that the Church is full of sin proves that it is the church of Christ. Christ came to call sinners, not the self-righteous. Any church that points fingers to a sister church within Christianity without finding faults within itself has simply proven that it is not a Church of Christians.

As this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity commences, I pray that all the denominations of Christianity can stop pointing fingers and stop pretending to be the sole "temple of truth" if you may. Let us stop the bitter name-calling and the division that we force by resorting to senseless attacks based on external doctrinal details. Instead, let us unite with what we share - faith that Jesus is Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

Catholics and Evangelicals Together: "Conclusion"

2011-01-15T16:30:00.001-08:00

The following is the final excerpt of a powerful document (in my opinion). In the early 1990s, Evangelical Protestant and Catholic Christian leaders came together to sign this ecumenical document in order to start the third millennium on the right foot. They believed that the Christian mission to make disciples of all nations could only be accomplished if all Christians, no matter the denomination they belonged to, would put those minor differences aside and unite on the most important doctrine of their faith - that Jesus Christ is Lord. Because of its length, I have broken it down to seven parts. The following is the seventh section of that document:

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Nearly two thousand years after it began, and nearly five hundred years after the divisions of the Reformation era, the Christian mission to the world is vibrantly alive and assertive. We do not know, we cannot know, what the Lord of history has in store for the Third Millennium. It may be the springtime of world missions and great Christian expansion. It may be the way of the cross marked by persecution and apparent marginalization. In different places and times, it will likely be both. Or it may be that Our Lord will return tomorrow. We do know that his promise is sure, that we are enlisted for the duration, and that we are in this together. We do know that we must affirm and hope and search and contend and witness together, for we belong not to ourselves but to him who has purchased us by the blood of the cross. We do know that this is a time of opportunity-and, if of opportunity, then of responsibility-for Evangelicals and Catholics to be Christians together in a way that helps prepare the world for the coming of him to whom belongs the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

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To read the entire document, you may visit this site: http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9405/articles/mission.html

Catholics and Evangelicals Together: "We Witness Together"

2011-01-14T16:26:00.000-08:00

The following is the sixth excerpt of a powerful document (in my opinion). In the early 1990s, Evangelical Protestant and Catholic Christian leaders came together to sign this ecumenical document in order to start the third millennium on the right foot. They believed that the Christian mission to make disciples of all nations could only be accomplished if all Christians, no matter the denomination they belonged to, would put those minor differences aside and unite on the most important doctrine of their faith - that Jesus Christ is Lord. Because of its length, I have broken it down to seven parts. The following is the sixth section of that document:

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The question of Christian witness unavoidably returns us to points of serious tension between Evangelicals and Catholics. Bearing witness to the saving power of Jesus Christ and his will for our lives is an integral part of Christian discipleship. The achievement of good will and cooperation between Evangelicals and Catholics must not be at the price of the urgency and clarity of Christian witness to the Gospel. At the same time, and as noted earlier, Our Lord has made clear that the evidence of love among his disciples is an integral part of that Christian witness. Today, in this country and elsewhere, Evangelicals and Catholics attempt to win "converts" from one another's folds. In some ways, this is perfectly understandable and perhaps inevitable. In many instances, however, such efforts at recruitment undermine the Christian mission by which we are bound by God's Word and to which we have recommitted ourselves in this statement. It should be clearly understood between Catholics and Evangelicals that Christian witness is of necessity aimed at conversion. Authentic conversion is-in its beginning, in its end, and all along the way-conversion to God in Christ by the power of the Spirit. In this connection, we embrace as our own the explanation of the Baptist-Roman Catholic International Conversation (1988):

Conversion is turning away from all that is opposed to God, contrary to Christ's teaching, and turning to God, to Christ, the Son, through the work of the Holy Spirit. It entails a turning from the self-centeredness of sin to faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. Conversion is a passing from one way of life to another new one, marked with the newness of Christ. It is a continuing process so that the whole life of a Christian should be a passage from death to life, from error to truth, from sin to grace. Our life in Christ demands continual growth in God's grace. Conversion is personal but not private. Individuals respond in faith to God's call but faith comes from hearing the proclamation of the word of God and is to be expressed in the life together in Christ that is the Church.

By preaching, teaching, and life example, Christians witness to Christians and non-Christians alike. We seek and pray for the conversion of others, even as we recognize our own continuing need to be fully converted. As we strive to make Christian faith and life-our own and that of others-ever more intentional rather than nominal, ever more committed rather than apathetic, we also recognize the different forms that authentic discipleship can take. As is evident in the two thousand year history of the church, and in our contemporary experience, there are different ways of being Christian, and some of these ways are distinctively marked by communal patterns of worship, piety, and catechesis. That we are all to be one does not mean that we are all to be identical in our way of following the one Christ. Such distinctive patterns of discipleship, it should be noted, are amply evident within the communion of the Catholic Church as well as within the many worlds of Evangelical Protestantism. It is understandable that Christians who bear witness to the Gospel try to persuade others that their communities and traditions are more fully in accord with the Gospel. There is a necessary distinction between evangelizing and what is today commonly called proselytizing or "sheep stealing." We condemn the practice of recruiting people from another community for purposes of denominational or institutional aggrandizement. At the same time, our commitment to full religious freedom compels us to defend the legal freedom to proselytize even as we call upon Christians to refrain from such activity.

Three observations are in order in connection with proselytizing. First, as much as we might believe one community is more fully in accord with the Gospel than another, we as Evangelicals and Catholics affirm that opportunity and means for growth in Christian discipleship are available in our several communities. Second, the decision of the committed Christian with respect to his communal allegiance and participation must be assiduously respected. Third, in view of the large number of non- Christians in the world and the enormous challenge of our common evangelistic task, it is neither theologically legitimate nor a prudent use of resources for one Christian community to proselytize among active adherents of another Christian community. Christian witness must always be made in a spirit of love and humility. It must not deny but must readily accord to everyone the full freedom to discern and decide what is God's will for his life.

Witness that is in service to the truth is in service to such freedom. Any form of coercion-physical, psychological, legal, economic-corrupts Christian witness and is to be unqualifiedly rejected. Similarly, bearing false witness against other persons and communities, or casting unjust and uncharitable suspicions upon them, is incompatible with the Gospel. Also to be rejected is the practice of comparing the strengths and ideals of one community with the weaknesses and failures of another. In describing the teaching and practices of other Christians, we must strive to do so in a way that they would recognize as fair and accurate. In considering the many corruptions of Christian witness, we, Evangelicals and Catholics, confess that we have sinned against one another and against God. We most earnestly ask the forgiveness of God and one another, and pray for the grace to amend our own lives and that of our communities. Repentance and amendment of life do not dissolve remaining differences between us. In the context of evangelization and "reevangelization," we encounter a major difference in our understanding of the relationship between baptism and the new birth in Christ. For Catholics, all who are validly baptized are born again and are truly, however imperfectly, in communion with Christ. That baptismal grace is to be continuingly reawakened and revivified through conversion. For most Evangelicals, but not all, the experience of conversion is to be followed by baptism as a sign of new birth. For Catholics, all the baptized are already members of the church, however dormant their faith and life; for many Evangelicals, the new birth requires baptismal initiation into the community of the born again. These differing beliefs about the relationship between baptism, new birth, and membership in the church should be honestly presented to the Christian who has undergone conversion. But again, his decision regarding communal allegiance and participation must be assiduously respected.

There are, then, differences between us that cannot be resolved here. But on this we are resolved: All authentic witness must be aimed at conversion to God in Christ by the power of the Spirit. Those converted- whether understood as having received the new birth for the first time or as having experienced the reawakening of the new birth originally bestowed in the sacrament of baptism-must be given full freedom and respect as they discern and decide the community in which they will live their new life in Christ. In such discernment and decision, they are ultimately responsible to God, and we dare not interfere with the exercise of that responsibility. Also in our differences and disagreements, we Evangelicals and Catholics commend one another to God "who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think." (Ephesians 3) In this discussion of witnessing together we have touched on difficult and long-standing problems. The difficulties must not be permitted to overshadow the truths on which we are, by the grace of God, in firm agreement. As we grow in mutual understanding and trust, it is our hope that our efforts to evangelize will not jeopardize but will reinforce our devotion to the common tasks to which we have pledged ourselves in this statement.

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To read the entire document, you may visit this site: http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9405/articles/mission.html

Catholics and Evangelicals Together: "We Contend Together"

2011-01-13T16:17:00.000-08:00

The following is the fifth excerpt of a powerful document (in my opinion). In the early 1990s, Evangelical Protestant and Catholic Christian leaders came together to sign this ecumenical document in order to start the third millennium on the right foot. They believed that the Christian mission to make disciples of all nations could only be accomplished if all Christians, no matter the denomination they belonged to, would put those minor differences aside and unite on the most important doctrine of their faith - that Jesus Christ is Lord. Because of its length, I have broken it down to seven parts. The following is the fifth section of that document:

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As we are bound together by Christ and his cause, so we are bound together in contending against all that opposes Christ and his cause. We are emboldened not by illusions of easy triumph but by faith in his certain triumph. Our Lord wept over Jerusalem, and he now weeps over a world that does not know the time of its visitation. The raging of the principalities and powers may increase as the End Time nears, but the outcome of the contest is assured. The cause of Christ is the cause and mission of the church, which is, first of all, to proclaim the Good News that "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5) To proclaim this Gospel and to sustain the community of faith, worship, and discipleship that is gathered by this Gospel is the first and chief responsibility of the church. All other tasks and responsibilities of the church are derived from and directed toward the mission of the Gospel. Christians individually and the church corporately also have a responsibility for the right ordering of civil society. We embrace this task soberly; knowing the consequences of human sinfulness, we resist the utopian conceit that it is within our powers to build the Kingdom of God on earth.

We embrace this task hopefully; knowing that God has called us to love our neighbor, we seek to secure for all a greater measure of civil righteousness and justice, confident that he will crown our efforts when he rightly orders all things in the coming of his Kingdom. In the exercise of these public responsibilities there has been in recent years a growing convergence and cooperation between Evangelicals and Catholics. We thank God for the discovery of one another in contending for a common cause. Much more important, we thank God for the discovery of one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. Our cooperation as citizens is animated by our convergence as Christians. We promise one another that we will work to deepen, build upon, and expand this pattern of convergence and cooperation.

Together we contend for the truth that politics, law, and culture must be secured by moral truth. With the Founders of the American experiment, we declare, "We hold these truths." With them, we hold that this constitutional order is composed not just of rules and procedures but is most essentially a moral experiment. With them, we hold that only a virtuous people can be free and just, and that virtue is secured by religion. To propose that securing civil virtue is the purpose of religion is blasphemous. To deny that securing civil virtue is a benefit of religion is blindness. Americans are drifting away from, are often explicitly defying, the constituting truths of this experiment in ordered liberty. Influential sectors of the culture are laid waste by relativism, anti- intellectualism, and nihilism that deny the very idea of truth. Against such influences in both the elite and popular culture, we appeal to reason and religion in contending for the foundational truths of our constitutional order.

More specifically, we contend together for religious freedom. We do so for the sake of religion, but also because religious freedom is the first freedom, the source and shield of all human freedoms. In their relationship to God, persons have a dignity and responsibility that transcends, and thereby limits, the authority of the state and of every other merely human institution. Religious freedom is itself grounded in and is a product of religious faith, as is evident in the history of Baptists and others in this country. Today we rejoice together that the Roman Catholic Church-as affirmed by the Second Vatican Council and boldly exemplified in the ministry of John Paul II-is strongly committed to religious freedom and, consequently, to the defense of all human rights. Where Evangelicals and Catholics are in severe and sometimes violent conflict, such as parts of Latin America, we urge Christians to embrace and act upon the imperative of religious freedom. Religious freedom will not be respected by the state if it is not respected by Christians or, even worse, if Christians attempt to recruit the state in repressing religious freedom. In this country, too, freedom of religion cannot be taken for granted but requires constant attention. We strongly affirm the separation of church and state, and just as strongly protest the distortion of that principle to mean the separation of religion from public life. We are deeply concerned by the courts' narrowing of the protections provided by the "free exercise" provision of the First Amendment and by an obsession with "no establishment" that stifles the necessary role of religion in American life. As a consequence of such distortions, it is increasingly the case that wherever government goes religion must retreat, and government increasingly goes almost everywhere. Religion, which was privileged and foundational in our legal order, has in recent years been penalized and made marginal.

We contend together for a renewal of the constituting vision of the place of religion in the American experiment. Religion and religiously grounded moral conviction is not an alien or threatening force in our public life. For the great majority of Americans, morality is derived, however variously and confusedly, from religion. The argument, increasingly voiced in sectors of our political culture, that religion should be excluded from the public square must be recognized as an assault upon the most elementary principles of democratic governance. That argument needs to be exposed and countered by leaders, religious and other, who care about the integrity of our constitutional order. The pattern of convergence and cooperation between Evangelicals and Catholics is, in large part, a result of common effort to protect human life, especially the lives of the most vulnerable among us.

With the Founders, we hold that all human beings are endowed by their Creator with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The statement that the unborn child is a human life that-barring natural misfortune or lethal intervention-will become what everyone recognizes as a human baby is not a religious assertion. It is a statement of simple biological fact. That the unborn child has a right to protection, including the protection of law, is a moral statement supported by moral reason and biblical truth. We, therefore, will persist in contending-we will not be discouraged but will multiply every effort-in order to secure the legal protection of the unborn. Our goals are: to secure due process of law for the unborn, to enact the most protective laws and public policies that are politically possible, and to reduce dramatically the incidence of abortion. We warmly commend those who have established thousands of crisis pregnancy and postnatal care centers across the country, and urge that such efforts be multiplied. As the unborn must be protected, so also must women be protected from their current rampant exploitation by the abortion industry and by fathers who refuse to accept responsibility for mothers and children. Abortion on demand, which is the current rule in America, must be recognized as a massive attack on the dignity, rights, and needs of women.

Abortion is the leading edge of an encroaching culture of death. The helpless old, the radically handicapped, and others who cannot effectively assert their rights are increasingly treated as though they have no rights. These are the powerless who are exposed to the will and whim of those who have power over them. We will do all in our power to resist proposals for euthanasia, eugenics, and population control that exploit the vulnerable, corrupt the integrity of medicine, deprave our culture, and betray the moral truths of our constitutional order.

In public education, we contend together for schools that transmit to coming generations our cultural heritage, which is inseparable from the formative influence of religion, especially Judaism and Christianity. Education for responsible citizenship and social behavior is inescapably moral education. Every effort must be made to cultivate the morality of honesty, law observance, work, caring, chastity, mutual respect between the sexes, and readiness for marriage, parenthood, and family. We reject the claim that, in any or all of these areas, "tolerance" requires the promotion of moral equivalence between the normative and the deviant. In a democratic society that recognizes that parents have the primary responsibility for the formation of their children, schools are to assist and support, not oppose and undermine, parents in the exercise of their responsibility.

We contend together for a comprehensive policy of parental choice in education. This is a moral question of simple justice. Parents are the primary educators of their children; the state and other institutions should be supportive of their exercise of that responsibility. We affirm policies that enable parents to effectively exercise their right and responsibility to choose the schooling that they consider best for their children.

We contend together against the widespread pornography in our society, along with the celebration of violence, sexual depravity, and antireligious bigotry in the entertainment media. In resisting such cultural and moral debasement, we recognize the legitimacy of boycotts and other consumer actions, and urge the enforcement of existing laws against obscenity. We reject the self-serving claim of the peddlers of depravity that this constitutes illegitimate censorship. We reject the assertion of the unimaginative that artistic creativity is to be measured by the capacity to shock or outrage. A people incapable of defending decency invites the rule of viciousness, both public and personal.

We contend for a renewed spirit of acceptance, understanding, and cooperation across lines of religion, race, ethnicity, sex, and class. We are all created in the image of God and are accountable to him. That truth is the basis of individual responsibility and equality before the law. The abandonment of that truth has resulted in a society at war with itself, pitting citizens against one another in bitter conflicts of group grievances and claims to entitlement. Justice and social amity require a redirection of public attitudes and policies so that rights are joined to duties and people are rewarded according to their character and competence. We contend for a free society, including a vibrant market economy. A free society requires a careful balancing between economics, politics, and culture. Christianity is not an ideology and therefore does not prescribe precisely how that balance is to be achieved in every circumstance. We affirm the importance of a free economy not only because it is more efficient but because it accords with a Christian understanding of human freedom. Economic freedom, while subject to grave abuse, makes possible the patterns of creativity, cooperation, and accountability that contribute to the common good.

We contend together for a renewed appreciation of Western culture. In its history and missionary reach, Christianity engages all cultures while being captive to none. We are keenly aware of, and grateful for, the role of Christianity in shaping and sustaining the Western culture of which we are part. As with all of history, that culture is marred by human sinfulness. Alone among world cultures, however, the West has cultivated an attitude of self-criticism and of eagerness to learn from other cultures. What is called multiculturalism can mean respectful attention to human differences. More commonly today, however, multiculturalism means affirming all cultures but our own. Welcoming the contributions of other cultures and being ever alert to the limitations of our own, we receive Western culture as our legacy and embrace it as our task in order to transmit it as a gift to future generations.

We contend for public policies that demonstrate renewed respect for the irreplaceable role of mediating structures in society-notably the family, churches, and myriad voluntary associations. The state is not the society, and many of the most important functions of society are best addressed in independence from the state. The role of churches in responding to a wide variety of human needs, especially among the poor and marginal, needs to be protected and strengthened. Moreover, society is not the aggregate of isolated individuals bearing rights but is composed of communities that inculcate responsibility, sustain shared memory, provide mutual aid, and nurture the habits that contribute to both personal well-being and the common good. Most basic among such communities is the community of the family. Laws and social policies should be designed with particular care for the stability and flourishing of families. While the crisis of the family in America is by no means limited to the poor or to the underclass, heightened attention must be paid those who have become, as a result of well-intended but misguided statist policies, virtual wards of the government.

Finally, we contend for a realistic and responsible understanding of America's part in world affairs. Realism and responsibility require that we avoid both the illusions of unlimited power and righteousness, on the one hand, and the timidity and selfishness of isolationism, on the other. U.S. foreign policy should reflect a concern for the defense of democracy and, wherever prudent and possible, the protection and advancement of human rights, including religious freedom. The above is a partial list of public responsibilities on which we believe there is a pattern of convergence and cooperation between Evangelicals and Catholics. We reject the notion that this constitutes a partisan "religious agenda" in American politics. Rather, this is a set of directions oriented to the common good and discussable on the basis of public reason. While our sense of civic responsibility is informed and motivated by Christian faith, our intention is to elevate the level of political and moral discourse in a manner that excludes no one and invites the participation of all people of good will. To that end, Evangelicals and Catholics have made an inestimable contribution in the past and, it is our hope, will contribute even more effectively in the future. We are profoundly aware that the American experiment has been, all in all, a blessing to the world and a blessing to us as Evangelical and Catholic Christians. We are determined to assume our full share of responsibility for this "one nation under God," believing it to be a nation under the judgment, mercy, and providential care of the Lord of the nations to whom alone we render unqualified allegiance.

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To read the entire document, you may visit this site: http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9405/articles/mission.html

Catholics and Evangelicals Together: "We Search Together"

2011-01-12T16:13:00.000-08:00

The following is the fourth excerpt of a powerful document (in my opinion). In the early 1990s, Evangelical Protestant and Catholic Christian leaders came together to sign this ecumenical document in order to start the third millennium on the right foot. They believed that the Christian mission to make disciples of all nations could only be accomplished if all Christians, no matter the denomination they belonged to, would put those minor differences aside and unite on the most important doctrine of their faith - that Jesus Christ is Lord. Because of its length, I have broken it down to seven parts. The following is the fourth section of that document:

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Together we search for a fuller and clearer understanding of God's revelation in Christ and his will for his disciples. Because of the limitations of human reason and language, which limitations are compounded by sin, we cannot understand completely the transcendent reality of God and his ways. Only in the End Time will we see face to face and know as we are known. (1 Corinthians 13) We now search together in confident reliance upon God's self-revelation in Jesus Christ, the sure testimony of Holy Scripture, and the promise of the Spirit to his church. In this search to understand the truth more fully and clearly, we need one another. We are both informed and limited by the histories of our communities and by our own experiences. Across the divides of communities and experiences, we need to challenge one another, always speaking the truth in love building up the Body. (Ephesians 4)

We do not presume to suggest that we can resolve the deep and long- standing differences between Evangelicals and Catholics. Indeed these differences may never be resolved short of the Kingdom Come. Nonetheless, we are not permitted simply to resign ourselves to differences that divide us from one another. Not all differences are authentic disagreements, nor need all disagreements divide. Differences and disagreements must be tested in disciplined and sustained conversation. In this connection we warmly commend and encourage the formal theological dialogues of recent years between Roman Catholics and Evangelicals. We note some of the differences and disagreements that must be addressed more fully and candidly in order to strengthen between us a relationship of trust in obedience to truth. Among points of difference in doctrine, worship, practice, and piety that are frequently thought to divide us are these:

The church as an integral part of the Gospel or the church as a communal consequence of the Gospel.
The church as visible communion or invisible fellowship of true believers.
The sole authority of Scripture (sola scriptura) or Scripture as authoritatively interpreted in the church.
The "soul freedom" of the individual Christian or the Magisterium (teaching authority) of the community.
The church as local congregation or universal communion.
Ministry ordered in apostolic succession or the priesthood of all believers.
Sacraments and ordinances as symbols of grace or means of grace.
The Lord's Supper as eucharistic sacrifice or memorial meal.
Remembrance of Mary and the saints or devotion to Mary and the saints.
Baptism as sacrament of regeneration or testimony to regeneration.

This account of differences is by no means complete. Nor is the disparity between positions always so sharp as to warrant the "or" in the above formulations. Moreover, among those recognized as Evangelical Protestants there are significant differences between, for example, Baptists, Pentecostals, and Calvinists on these questions. But the differences mentioned above reflect disputes that are deep and long standing. In at least some instances, they reflect authentic disagreements that have been in the past and are at present barriers to full communion between Christians. On these questions, and other questions implied by them, Evangelicals hold that the Catholic Church has gone beyond Scripture, adding teachings and practices that detract from or compromise the Gospel of God's saving grace in Christ. Catholics, in turn, hold that such teachings and practices are grounded in Scripture and belong to the fullness of God's revelation. Their rejection, Catholics say, results in a truncated and reduced understanding of the Christian reality.

Again, we cannot resolve these disputes here. We can and do affirm together that the entirety of Christian faith, life, and mission finds its source, center, and end in the crucified and risen Lord. We can and do pledge that we will continue to search together-through study, discussion, and prayer-for a better understanding of one another's convictions and a more adequate comprehension of the truth of God in Christ. We can testify now that in our searching together we have discovered what we can affirm together and what we can hope together and, therefore, how we can contend together.

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To read the entire document, you may visit this site: http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9405/articles/mission.html

Catholics and Evangelicals Together: "We Hope Together"

2011-01-11T14:30:00.000-08:00

The following is the third excerpt of a powerful document (in my opinion). In the early 1990s, Evangelical Protestant and Catholic Christian leaders came together to sign this ecumenical document in order to start the third millennium on the right foot. They believed that the Christian mission to make disciples of all nations could only be accomplished if all Christians, no matter the denomination they belonged to, would put those minor differences aside and unite on the most important doctrine of their faith - that Jesus Christ is Lord. Because of its length, I have broken it down to seven parts. The following is the third section of that document:

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We hope together that all people will come to faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This hope makes necessary the church's missionary zeal. "But how are they to call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And how can men preach unless they are sent?" (Romans 10) The church is by nature, in all places and at all times, in mission. Our missionary hope is inspired by the revealed desire of God that "all should be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2) The church lives by and for the Great Commission: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." (Matthew 28) Unity and love among Christians is an integral part of our missionary witness to the Lord whom we serve. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13) If we do not love one another, we disobey his command and contradict the Gospel we declare. As Evangelicals and Catholics, we pray that our unity in the love of Christ will become ever more evident as a sign to the world of God's reconciling power. Our communal and ecclesial separations are deep and long standing. We acknowledge that we do not know the schedule nor do we know the way to the greater visible unity for which we hope. We do know that existing patterns of distrustful polemic and conflict are not the way. We do know that God who has brought us into communion with himself through Christ intends that we also be in communion with one another. We do know that Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14) and as we are drawn closer to him-walking in that way, obeying that truth, living that life-we are drawn closer to one another. Whatever may be the future form of the relationship between our communities, we can, we must, and we will begin now the work required to remedy what we know to be wrong in that relationship. Such work requires trust and understanding, and trust and understanding require an assiduous attention to truth. We do not deny but clearly assert that there are disagreements between us. Misunderstandings, misrepresentations, and caricatures of one another, however, are not disagreements. These distortions must be cleared away if we are to search through our honest differences in a manner consistent with what we affirm and hope together on the basis of God's Word.

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To read the entire document, you may visit this site: http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9405/articles/mission.html

Catholics and Evangelicals Together: "We Affirm Together"

2011-01-10T20:03:00.000-08:00

The following is the second excerpt of a powerful document (in my opinion). In the early 1990s, Evangelical Protestant and Catholic Christian leaders came together to sign this ecumenical document in order to start the third millennium on the right foot. They believed that the Christian mission to make disciples of all nations could only be accomplished if all Christians, no matter the denomination they belonged to, would put those minor differences aside and unite on the most important doctrine of their faith - that Jesus Christ is Lord. Because of its length, I have broken it down to seven parts. The following is the second section of that document:

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Jesus Christ is Lord. That is the first and final affirmation that Christians make about all of reality. He is the One sent by God to be Lord and Savior of all: "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4) Christians are people ahead of time, those who proclaim now what will one day be acknowledged by all, that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Philippians 2) We affirm together that we are justified by grace through faith because of Christ. Living faith is active in love that is nothing less than the love of Christ, for we together say with Paul: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2)

All who accept Christ as Lord and Savior are brothers and sisters in Christ. Evangelicals and Catholics are brothers and sisters in Christ. We have not chosen one another, just as we have not chosen Christ. He has chosen us, and he has chosen us to be his together. (John 15) However imperfect our communion with one another, however deep our disagreements with one another, we recognize that there is but one church of Christ. There is one church because there is one Christ and the church is his body. However difficult the way, we recognize that we are called by God to a fuller realization of our unity in the body of Christ.

The only unity to which we would give expression is unity in the truth, and the truth is this: "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4) We affirm together that Christians are to teach and live in obedience to the divinely inspired Scriptures, which are the infallible Word of God. We further affirm together that Christ has promised to his church the gift of the Holy Spirit who will lead us into all truth in discerning and declaring the teaching of Scripture. (John 16) We recognize together that the Holy Spirit has so guided his church in the past. In, for instance, the formation of the canon of the Scriptures, and in the orthodox response to the great Christological and Trinitarian controversies of the early centuries, we confidently acknowledge the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In faithful response to the Spirit's leading, the church formulated the Apostles Creed, which we can and hereby do affirm together as an accurate statement of scriptural truth:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

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To read the entire document, you may visit this site: http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9405/articles/mission.html

Evangelicals & Catholic Together: Introduction

2011-01-09T18:08:00.000-08:00

The following is the first excerpt of a powerful document (in my opinion). In the early 1990s, Evangelical Protestant and Catholic Christian leaders came together to sign this ecumenical document in order to start the third millennium on the right foot. They believed that the Christian mission to make disciples of all nations could only be accomplished if all Christians, no matter the denomination they belonged to, would put those minor differences aside and unite on the most important doctrine of their faith - that Jesus Christ is Lord. Because of its length, I have broken it down to seven parts. The following is the introduction to that document:

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We are Evangelical Protestants and Roman Catholics who have been led through prayer, study, and discussion to common convictions about Christian faith and mission. This statement cannot speak officially for our communities. It does intend to speak responsibly from our communities and to our communities. In this statement we address what we have discovered both about our unity and about our differences. We are aware that our experience reflects the distinctive circumstances and opportunities of Evangelicals and Catholics living together in North America. At the same time, we believe that what we have discovered and resolved is pertinent to the relationship between Evangelicals and Catholics in other parts of the world. We therefore commend this statement to their prayerful consideration.

As the Second Millennium draws to a close, the Christian mission in world history faces a moment of daunting opportunity and responsibility. If in the merciful and mysterious ways of God the Second Coming is delayed, we enter upon a Third Millennium that could be, in the words of John Paul II, "a springtime of world missions." (Redemptoris Missio) As Christ is one, so the Christian mission is one. That one mission can be and should be advanced in diverse ways. Legitimate diversity, however, should not be confused with existing divisions between Christians that obscure the one Christ and hinder the one mission. There is a necessary connection between the visible unity of Christians and the mission of the one Christ. We together pray for the fulfillment of the prayer of Our Lord: "May they all be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, so also may they be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me." (John 17) We together, Evangelicals and Catholics, confess our sins against the unity that Christ intends for all his disciples. The one Christ and one mission includes many other Christians, notably the Eastern Orthodox and those Protestants not commonly identified as Evangelical. All Christians are encompassed in the prayer, "May they all be one." Our present statement attends to the specific problems and opportunities in the relationship between Roman Catholics and Evangelical Protestants. As we near the Third Millennium, there are approximately 1.7 billion Christians in the world. About a billion of these are Catholics and more than 300 million are Evangelical Protestants. The century now drawing to a close has been the greatest century of missionary expansion in Christian history. We pray and we believe that this expansion has prepared the way for yet greater missionary endeavor in the first century of the Third Millennium.

The two communities in world Christianity that are most evangelistically assertive and most rapidly growing are Evangelicals and Catholics. In many parts of the world, the relationship between these communities is marked more by conflict than by cooperation, more by animosity than by love, more by suspicion than by trust, more by propaganda and ignorance than by respect for the truth. This is alarmingly the case in Latin America, increasingly the case in Eastern Europe, and too often the case in our own country. Without ignoring conflicts between and within other Christian communities, we address ourselves to the relationship between Evangelicals and Catholics, who constitute the growing edge of missionary expansion at present and, most likely, in the century ahead. In doing so, we hope that what we have discovered and resolved may be of help in other situations of conflict, such as that among Orthodox, Evangelicals, and Catholics in Eastern Europe. While we are gratefully aware of ongoing efforts to address tensions among these communities, the shameful reality is that, in many places around the world, the scandal of conflict between Christians obscures the scandal of the cross, thus crippling the one mission of the one Christ.

As in times past, so also today and in the future, the Christian mission, which is directed to the entire human community, must be advanced against formidable opposition. In some cultures, that mission encounters resurgent spiritualities and religions that are explicitly hostile to the claims of the Christ. Islam, which in many instances denies the freedom to witness to the Gospel, must be of increasing concern to those who care about religious freedom and the Christian mission. Mutually respectful conversation between Muslims and Christians should be encouraged in the hope that more of the world will, in the oft-repeated words of John Paul II, "open the door to Christ." At the same time, in our so-called developed societies, a widespread secularization increasingly descends into a moral, intellectual, and spiritual nihilism that denies not only the One who is the Truth but the very idea of truth itself. We enter the twenty-first century without illusions. With Paul and the Christians of the first century, we know that "we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6)

As Evangelicals and Catholics, we dare not by needless and loveless conflict between ourselves give aid and comfort to the enemies of the cause of Christ. The love of Christ compels us and we are therefore resolved to avoid such conflict between our communities and, where such conflict exists, to do what we can to reduce and eliminate it. Beyond that, we are called and we are therefore resolved to explore patterns of working and witnessing together in order to advance the one mission of Christ. Our common resolve is not based merely on a desire for harmony. We reject any appearance of harmony that is purchased at the price of truth. Our common resolve is made imperative by obedience to the truth of God revealed in the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, and by trust in the promise of the Holy Spirit's guidance until Our Lord returns in glory to judge the living and the dead. The mission that we embrace together is the necessary consequence of the faith that we affirm together.

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To read the entire document, you may visit this site: http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9405/articles/mission.html

CH-CH-CH-CH-CH-CHANGES!!!!

2010-12-29T07:40:00.000-08:00

As 2010 draws to a close, I have started reflecting over the past year - the strides I've made and the mistakes I've made - and also began to wonder what this new year will bring. Every year for the last three, there has been a major theme that enveloped it:

2008: My brother was married to his fiance (now wife) Janet. If it wasn't for that event, however, this year would have definitely been labeled as my dark age. I was surrounded by death on many occasions as a handful of my friends and family members passed away.

2009: I graduated FIU with my B.A. in History and minor in Education. Alexandra and I also made it to our five year anniversary (which come October 2011 will be obsolete since a new anniversary will be established ;).

As for 2010, it has probably been the most exciting year in my life.

First off, there were many changed made on the job front. I was hired a local, private Catholic school to teach my favorite subjects - Government and History (including one AP United States History course and two AP United States Government courses).

Secondly, my then-girlfriend Alexandra, not only started her second internship program at a news station, but started her career in the profession that she has grown to love the last few years: broadcast journalism.

Perhaps the most important thing that occurred this year happened on November 4th. My then-girlfriend of 6 & 3/4 years accepted my proposal for marriage. This is an exciting step in my life, and while it will take personal sacrifices by both of us, she is worth the sacrifice.

2011 will be another year of change (our wedding is set for October 30th). And with that, there are a few resolutions I hope to keep. Yes, a few of them are typical:

I resolve to lose weight/get healthy/work out more.
I resolve to procrastinate less.
I resolve to be more patient.

But the resolution that I will be trying my hardest to keep is to take steps in developing my relationship with God further. At this point in time in my life, I am closer to God than I have ever been, but there is still much more to do. I am of the opinion that one cannot say he is set with God. There is always something one can improve to further develop his/her relationship with the Lord or to do his/her part in the building of God's kingdom here on earth.

So, last but not least.....

I resolve to find ways to get closer to my Lord and Savior.

The Times Are a'Changin

2010-12-20T16:48:00.000-08:00

I'm baaaaaaack! I'm sorry for my neglectful ways, my friends. I can't believe it has been 6 months since I last posted. I'm hoping that in the coming year, I can be a bit more active in the blog front.

Bob Dylan once wrote that "The Times They Are a-Changin'." That particular line has been so true over these past six months, but seeing as I am not a big fan of way-too-long blog posts myself, I'll see if I can briefly explain to you what has been going on.

June 2010: I accepted a position at Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High School as a Social Studies teacher. This was a huge step in my life for many reasons:

1) Education is the profession I have wanted to be in since the middle of my
collegiate career. This is the first opportunity I have to teach an
entire schedule of classes on my own and get paid for it.

2) I am teaching AP United States History along with 12th Grade American
Government. I am also teaching one class of World History. These are the
subjects that I have been passionate about since my late elementary
school years. Now, I get to share that passion with the youth of
Southwest Miami-Dade County.

3) I am teaching at a Catholic school, and unlike other schools that I have
visited, this particular school is very committed to enhancing a faith-
based learning environment. Its motto - "First the Kingdom of God" -
explains what its mission is centered on - Christ.

I will save the details on my experience at the school for a later blog, but so far, my time there has been absolutely wonderful. Busy, hectic, and time-consuming? Yes. But wonderful nonetheless.

In August, I began work at the school and have successfully survived half the year. Not an easy task with seniors who are already coping with premature senioritis.

Now, comes the bigger change in my life. On November 4th, I proposed to my high school sweetheart Alexandra. It was a long-time coming, and I will post details about that day soon (I hope).

Times are certainly changing for me; in my opinion, they are changing for the better. Does this mean I am getting older? Certainly. However, I have never felt more fulfilled in my life.

I am marrying the woman I love and working in a career that I love, all the while serving the One whom I love and trust above all. All of these things remind me of that verse from Scripture (and being that it is Advent, I find it most appropriate):

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on earth.

The Wenski Era

2010-06-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Well, June 1st has now arrived, and with that comes the hurricane season. But enough about that routine. Today also marks the beginning of (hopefully) a new era in the Archdiocese of Miami. If you have followed my blog in the past, you would know that I have not been a big fan of outgoing Archbishop John Favalora. Yes, I know it is not a very popular thing to say in public to the Catholic community of South Florida. However, I am not a big fan of how he handled situation regarding the now Episcopalian Reverend Alberto Cutie a year ago. I am also not a big fan of his rigorous adherence to Catholic orthodoxy.
Not that it's bad to staunchly follow the beliefs of your church if you truly believe them. Ever since I converted to Roman Catholicism from the Southern Baptist Conference a few years ago, I too can be considered to be a staunch follower of the Catholic Christian belief system.
The problem is the narrow-mindedness, or the apparent narrow-mindedness that shuts the door off to other Christians. I remember all too well how Archbishop Favalora blasted the local Episcopalian leader for accepting Fr. Cutie into their church. Wouldn't us Catholics do the same? If a popular non-Catholic preacher, be he an evangelical Southern Baptist, or a liturgical Episcopalian, wanted to leave his church, wouldn't our Church welcome him with open arms? Wouldn't we want to tell him, "our house is yours too"?
Anyways, enough about Favalora. While we can learn from history, we need to worry about what happens in the future. Thomas Wenski is the new face for that future, at least locally. I am very excited about what this installment means for our South Florida Christian community. That's right. Not just the Catholic community, but for all Christians.
As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, I have a strong indication of what purpose God has created me for. That purpose is for ecumenism. All the life experiences I've endured, the people who I am surrounded by in an almost weekly basis, and the circumstances that I have found myself in recent years points to that one conclusion. If that changes in the future, I'm sure there will be signs for me to look out for. With Wenski's installment to replace John Favalora, the Catholic Church in Miami has a new leader who has a history of being very open to intra-Christian ecumenism. Check out this column he wrote as Bishop of the Archdiocese of Orlando.
In a nutshell, I am excited about what God has in store for our city. With all of these pieces coming together, it is so evident to me, if not to you, that God is working wonders in South Florida. All these events make it evident that the words of Chris Tomlin's popular worship song is ringing truer than ever in South Florida. Indeed "Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city..."
Let the Wenski Era begin.

Pastors, Sin, Confession, and the Catholics

2010-05-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

This is an article I stumbled upon while playing around with Google. I thought it was very interesting (and I hope it is a bridge out of many to cross when it comes to interdenominational understanding).

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Pastors, Sin, Confession, and the Catholics
by Ron Forseth
General Manager, SermonCentral.com

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
(James 5:16, NIV)

One of the defining moments of my spiritual life happened in the midst of great temptation. I had struggled with a sin for quite a while, dabbled in it here and there, toying with my own spiritual life and ministry. My love for Christ was giving way to the allure of sin’s pleasure. I felt myself slipping down a slope that was far more powerful than all the strength within me. I had the keen sense that absolutely everything was at risk at that moment, my job, my marriage, my family. The point of no return seemed immediately in front of me. It was then that God in his blessed grace whispered in my ear, “Make the call.” The face of a friend and brother in the Lord was in my mind’s eye. I respected him greatly—and he respected me. I didn’t want to be vulnerable to him, to confess my struggle. But it was either pick up the phone or fall off the cliff. Thank God I made the call. It was painfully humbling—and tremendously freeing. He was so Christlike, full of grace, strength, and humility. Something happened in me that day, something very deep and powerful. Somehow, I accessed the power of God through another person like I couldn’t have done in the solitude of my own soul. It seems that’s just how God has designed things to be. He’s configured our dependence on him to be intertwined with dependence on others.

Last week, 500 church leaders graciously gave us input about their own struggles with sin. The results are valuable for all in ministry to ponder and respond to. In light of my own experience and the survey results, I felt burdened to dedicate this article to addressing pastors in their struggle with sin. (Click here to view the full results.)

Here are the summary results:

35% of the church leader respondents identified lust as the sin they struggled with most.
36% of church leaders said lust was something they often or constantly struggled with.
68% either did not have anyone they felt they could confess to, or if they did they rarely or never confessed to them.
66% expressed that discussing their struggles with sin from the pulpit would put their ministry at risk or they were unsure if it would put their ministry at risk.

Considering that a mishandling of sin puts our ministries, families, and own spiritual state at risk, how we respond to these issues may be as important as any decision we face in the ministry. There is much we can say about this subject and subsequent articles by church leaders in this newsletter will say more. But here I want to focus on one critical observation: Pastors are at far greater risk because they either do not have an outlet for confession or they rarely utilize the outlets available to them.

In addressing the topic of sin I want to exercise the greatest carefulness. I don’t wish to imply that sin is just another subject to be tossed around in a recreational manner. Sin is as serious as anything we can imagine. It is a powerful, dark force that kills and destroys, threatening our very lives; it calls for the utmost sobriety and prayerful consideration. In all the universe I know of but one power for appropriately handling sin: That power is the blood of Jesus Christ. It is sufficient to break the power of sin—and without it there isn’t a trace of hope for spiritual victory. That having been said, taking hold of Christ’s power over sin hinges on a proper exercise of faith as revealed in Scripture. When we sin, God has provided a way of tapping Christ’s power, and that way is the way of confession.

In light of the 68% of church leaders that indicated they rarely or never confess their sins to another, we get a glimpse of the unique dilemma pastors face. Even as they must confess their sins, pastors don’t feel they can confess their sins because of the risks it brings to their ministries. So, the perceived catch is this: We can’t win.

·If we do confess, we may well lose it all.

· If we don’t confess, Scripture says it’s just a matter of time that our sins will be revealed. (1 Timothy 5:24; Luke 12:2)

The trap that says, “we can’t win either way,” stems from bad thinking. The “don’t confess” option must be eliminated from the list—it’s a path guaranteed to bring greater travesty. (Our dear brother Ted Haggard has paid a great price to demonstrate that to us.)

We are left with but one compelling choice: By all means, we must confess! So the question is no longer “if” we must confess, but “how.” Here are guidelines I’d offer for “effective confessing.”

We must stand in grace. I don’t mean to presume upon grace, to flippantly claim it as our own—but we may cast ourselves upon the mercy of God knowing that he invites us to boldly approach him, confident in his grace (Hebrews 4:16). Take up the sword of the Spirit in the middle of confession’s battle and realize that it is Jesus himself that is our defender to stand before the accusations of the devil. We can enter confession believing God when he says “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Connecting to our defender equips us to overcome the inevitable fears that arise in the process of confession.

We must confess to the appropriate circle. Never does the Bible say that we must confess all sins to all people. True, our struggles and failures may become broadly known. But we’re not commanded to broadcast them. In the pastorate, handling our own sin calls for a balance between authenticity and prudence. To give the impression that we are somehow above sin is to create a false understanding among those we lead. But to specifically reveal to our whole congregation the details of every sin we commit is also impractical and unwise. Who is the appropriate circle? Here is the irreducible minimum: Confess to ourselves, to God, and to another believer you trust. Beyond that, the circle is to be widened under the leadership of the Spirit and might necessarily include those we have sinned against. There is no formula here but only a commitment to obey God as he leads us in the process of confession.

It’s important that we not skirt past the first: Confessing to ourselves. If a besetting sin has a grip on us, the faster we can escape denial and admit we’ve got a problem the better.

As obvious as it may sound, it’s important that we not forget the second: We need to explicitly and consciously name our sins to God as he guides us by his Spirit and brings to mind those things he wishes us to be free of. It’s indeed a sweet thing to have these transactions with the Lord. That said, in confession we can’t stop there.

Finally, we must speak out our sins to another person, a human, preferably a believer who understands God’s requirements and provisions. God is specific about this:

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other...” (James 5:16)— it’s in sharing with another human being that we complete the circle of confession and escape the trap of denial. Frankly, Protestants can take a cue from their Roman Catholic compatriots. Catholics often demonstrate a greater understanding of the value of regularly confessing to another person. And while some might not agree with the institutional confessional form, they can certainly learn from the example of valuing confession. (I think some are jealous of the Catholics because they have such a ready outlet for confession!)

Besides ourselves, God, and another person we trust, confessing to anyone we’ve sinned against might also be a necessity for their need to overcome the wrong. Love may require it. Or love may require we NOT confess to the harmed person in the likelihood of greater harm. (On this point, I’d agree with those in the Recovery Movement: When confessing to someone will cause them greater harm, better to leave well enough alone. The challenge is to escape from our own excuses for not doing what should be done—an exercise in discernment and discipline.)

This brings us full circle to the 68% of those surveyed who rarely or never take the risk of confessing to another. Would you allow me to be so bold as to challenge you with something? Tenaciously determine to find that person or persons who you can regularly lay your heart before and confess your failings to. Pray confidently for this—because you know God wants you to have such a person or persons. Make sure you have regular, open contact with that person. For pastors who believe that person is not someone in their own congregation (at least presently), I advise them to look for another pastor to confess to. Who might you approach about this?

Why not pick up the phone and make the call right now? It could be one of the best decisions you ever made. It certainly was for me.

Another Attack Against Ecumenism

2010-04-13T07:45:00.000-07:00

It's funny how things work out sometimes. I wrote a blog on Saturday about my mission for ecumenism and The Miami Herald releases this disturbing story this week. It is events such as these that will continue to deflect better evangelism. My readers, if you believe that church unity is of utmost importance, I ask that you continue to pray for me as I continue down this mission. Posted below is the article from the Miami Herald that I refered to.

As unity unravels, a battle for Haitian souls is stirring
BY JACQUELINE CHARLES AND TRENTON DANIEL
jcharles@MiamiHerald.com

At first Haitians of all faiths turned inward, transforming their bedsheet camps into all-night religious revivals as they clung to faith and resilience, crying and praising Jezi.
But in the three months after the earthquake, the relationship among faiths has evolved from one of rare unity to a fight for the Haitian soul. All hope to increase followers even as they assign blame for the quake.

In the makeshift camps, along rubble-filled streets, Protestant preachers are battling Catholics as well as followers of Vodou, hoping to lure more congregants.

``When I hear some of the Protestant churches in the neighborhoods, you have the impression that only Catholics lost people in the earthquake,'' said William Smarth, a theology professor and diocese priest who was part of the liberation theology movement that helped oust former dictator Jean-Claude ``Baby Doc'' Duvalier.

``They say, `We [Catholics] don't believe in God, we don't believe in Jesus Christ.' ''

And both Catholics and Protestants clash with the followers of Vodou -- blaming the ancestral religion of Haiti's slaves-turned-freedom fighters -- for the monstrous quake. They lay blame on a centuries-old covenant taken on the eve of the Haitian revolution for the disastrous earthquake.

Fighting back, some Vodouists say it's not the curse of freedom that caused the quake, but the price for failing to properly bury one of Haiti's leading freedom fighters, Jean-Jacques Dessalines.

The tensions have only mounted as Evangelical and other religious groups from the United States fly en masse to a ravaged Haiti to feed and preach the Gospel.

Last month, Mario Joseph, a Haitian human rights lawyer, went before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights seeking an investigation of attacks against Vodouists after several were stoned by Evangelical pastors in the Cité Soleil slum.

``In other zones of the country,'' he told the commission, ``particularly in the commune of Verrettes in the Artibonite, literal witch hunts have been launched against priests and practitioners of this religion.''

ROBERTSON'S STATEMENT

Sitting in the courtyard of his cracked home on Good Friday, Smarth said the Catholic Church, which has lost more than 60 parishes and 100 nuns and priests in the disaster, has turned to science to explain the earthquake, and to counter myths fueled by conservative religious figures in the United States like Pat Robertson. A day after the quake, Robertson told his Christian Broadcasting Network audience that Haiti's pact with Satan is to blame.

``After the earthquake, we tried to give some light to the Haitian people about the meaning of what happened,'' Smarth said. ``We asked people to understand how the world works and to understand the laws of physics.''

But some religious leaders have sought to take advantage of the quake to preach a theology of doom, turning the radio airwaves into pulpits to espouse fear and recruit believers. The quake, they preach, is punishment for Haitians' sin and belief in Vodou.

``There is not an emphasis on the mercy of God; that is where the contradiction between Protestants and Catholics lie,'' said the Rev. Reginald Jean-Mary, a Catholic priest from Miami's Notre Dame d'Haiti Catholic Church, who listened to the debate on the radio during a visit. ``Our God is a God of mercy. He is not a God who punishes his children. And God does not inflict harm on his children.''

On a recent Thursday, as Haitians attempted to go about their lives, Guilbert Valcin stood above a cliff in the suburb of Pétionville, his lips to a megaphone.

A gray wall of concrete homes before him, and multicolored tents in a ravine below, he delivered a message to his audience. ``Everywhere you go, you need Jesus,'' said Valcin, 24, clad in a dress shirt and tie. ``Jesus has all the power.''

The roadside perch was one stop of many for the Protestant street preacher -- a self-described ``Evangelist for the people'' -- who sought to spread the Word.

``Vodou can't take you to heaven -- only God can,'' he said, in between sermons. ``Jesus, when he comes one day, he won't come to save the Vodouisants. He will save only those who serve God.''

CATHOLIC MAJORITY

Officially, more than half of Haitians are Catholic and roughly half practice Vodou. The small but growing Protestant movement here began with the U.S. Occupation, from 1915 to 1934.

In the painful search for understanding of Haiti's wretched luck, many in this deeply Catholic country have long turned to their tormented history for answers.

There is the religious ceremony in 1791 held in Bwa Kayiman, regarded as the catalyst for the Haitian revolution. Schoolchildren are taught that Jamaican-born Vodou priest Dutty Boukman presided over a ceremony where an animal was sacrificed and an oath -- considered by some to be the price Haitians now pay for their freedom -- was taken to ``live free or die.''

While Christians have blamed the covenant, some Vodouists say the father of an independent Haiti, Dessalines, never received a proper burial for his mangled body after he was assassinated.

Vodou doesn't believe in death, but worshipers believe that the dead must receive a proper farewell.

That is what they were attempting to do, they say, on behalf of the more than 200,000 quake victims on Feb. 27 in Cité Soleil when they were attacked by Protestant pastors.

Max Beauvoir, Haiti's Supreme Leader of Vodou, condemns the act and remains appalled at the lack of condemnation by Haitian authorities.

``What is mostly needed in Haiti is what? Unity,'' he said. ``I don't think Haitians are any more devilish than anyone else. We are all the same.''

Beauvoir said Vodouists were already treated as outsiders -- though many secretly practice or recognize certain aspects of the faith even as they profess to be nonbelievers -- before the quake. Since Jan. 12, their position has become even more weakened.

It's as if Haitians have been hit collectively on the back with a crow bar and they are lying on the ground, not able to stand up, Beauvoir said.

``Our justice has been weak. That's why those Evangelists people have been able to take advantage,'' he said, calling the fight for Haitian souls ``nonsense.'' ``They want to establish themselves here as if they were the sole owners of the land.''

Last month, Vodouists finally had their ceremony -- guarded by police. They held it near the bay in downtown Port-au-Prince. Wearing white, several hundred followers pounded drums, sang chants and summoned the spirits to bid farewell to those lost in the earthquake.

The rare, public ceremony -- gatherings are often held in temples -- was a stark reminder that Vodou plays a central role in Haitian culture even as the Catholic church loses ground to the growing Protestant movement.

`ANOTHER INJUSTICE'

Ever since, there has been a constant battle for the Haitian soul.

Jean-Mary calls the current fight another example of exploitation.

``This is another injustice, another lack of respect for people at this crucial moment. When you need to preach a theology of hope or rehabilitation, you are trying to make people feel worse by portraying yourself as perfect and the people who are victims did something wrong,'' he said. ``The reason why you are alive is not because you deserved it, or because you were better than others. The reason why you were not killed in the earthquake is because it's not your time.''

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/12/v-print/1576546/as-unity-unravels-a-battle-for.html#ixzz0kzXf8wcl

Introduction: "Katholik-Ism"

2010-04-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

I haven't really told anyone about this (except maybe Alexandra) but I feel that my purpose is becoming clearer as time goes on. A fusion of reflection, reading Scripture, prayer, history, and my experience with Christianity over the last five years has drawn me into ecumenism. And my first step in that direction is to do my part in cleaning house first (meaning pointing out flaws that I think need fixing in my own denomination). I am writing a book that I should finish by the end of the summer. The working title is Katholik-Ism: A Truly Universal Church. I thought I would share with you the introduction to that book, as it is one of the most heartfelt pieces of writing I have ever worked on (so far). Hope you enjoy!

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Introduction

I am no Martin Luther. My purpose in writing about the state of the Roman Catholic Church is not to radically separate myself from the beliefs of the Church. I am in agreement with nearly all of its theology. I find Christian theology that comes from a Roman Catholic perspective to be rooted heavily in Scripture, tradition, and history, which is why its the denomination I have chosen to fall in line with.

In contrast, the purpose for this particular piece of writing is to attempt to bridge the gap that divides the followers of Christ. It is indeed an arduous task to even consider trying to play a role in reversing five centuries or so of historical division. But after much reflection on Scripture, history, and in my own experiences, I truly feel that this is my purpose. This is God's will for my life.

There are many in the world, Christian and non-Christian alike, who have an overtly negative view of the Roman Catholic Church and her adherents. This view prevents Christ's church from being truly catholic (universal), which I consider to be a tremendous obstacle in the Christian mission to make disciples of all the nations. How can people consider committing their lives to Christ if those who follow Christ are so rabidly opposed to each other? Instead of being united as one Christian church, we tend to identify ourselves as "Catholic" or "Protestant", "evangelical" or "Calvinist", "Baptist" or "Methodist", "Presbyterian" or "Episcopalian", and the list goes on.

I am not so naive as to believe that everyone will adhere to one specific interpretation of Scripture. The different sects of Christianity, however, tend to demonize each other and claim the other groups as not being truly Christian because of differing ideas when it comes to doctrine. In reality, what you believe in terms of ordained ministry, the afterlife, and the literal/allegorical view of Scripture is not what makes one a Christian. What qualifies a person to be considered a Christian is his/her belief in one God, that Jesus (His son) was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified and died for the forgiveness of sins, and rose from the dead three days later to conquer death and grant all who believe eternal life.

Instead of preaching the Good News to the world as a united Christian front, we resort to mindless intra-Christian attacks that deflect any non-believers from entering into communion with Christ and his church. By attacking each other, we are in direct opposition of Christ and are not heeding the words of St. Paul.

Before I get strayed into apologetics, the biggest issues with Roman Catholicism are its "clothing." It is not the Church's theology that I think need reform, but its public appearance to the world. That being said, if you are a Catholic who believes there are some aspects of the Church that need exterior reform, this book is for you. If you are non-Catholic Christian who, like me, constantly prays for the unity of Christians throughout the world, this book is for you. If you are an ordained Catholic minister (deacon, priest, pastor, bishop, cardinal...or the Pope himself), I truly hope you read this in its entirety.

Weeding Out Thorns

2010-03-31T15:52:00.000-07:00

The news has been rampant recently about yet another sex abuse case within the Roman Catholic Church. What makes this particular case so different is its link with Pope Benedict XVI. Back when Joseph Ratzinger was a Cardinal, this particular priest was brought to his office (since he was in charge of overseeing this particular problem within the Church). Instead of the priest being handed to authorities (since the abuse of minors is a crime, in addition to a sin), he was ordered to undergo psychiatric therapy. When transferred to a different parish, the priest continued to abuse minors.

This problem within the Church has been a thorn in its side. It has been an insidious cancer in the Christian faith amongst those who follow the Catholic tradition. This particular aspect of the Church, among a few others, is the reason why the Church has such a bad reputation in the world. How can the children of God - that is the entire world - be fed with the Gospel if the vineyard of God is not all that welcoming? How can we expect people to allow their old ways to die and renew themselves in faith, hope, and love if the harvest is bearing bad fruit?

I have come to believe that more people will get turned off from attending church than be reasoned away from it. While there are many different things that I feel need reform, I will stick with the lone issue of sex abuse. There is a difference between being a sinner and being a criminal. It's really simple, if a priest, a deacon, a bishop, a cardinal, or the pope himself for that matter, commits such a desolating sin - like child sex abuse - not only should he not be allowed to hold the position anymore, but he should be turned over to police. Instead of trying to cover its tracks, the Church should be have a more open-door policy towards her adherents.

People don't want secrecy, they want openness. Jesus did not hold secrets. Unlike the Jewish high priests who later played a role in his crucifixion, Jesus was open and indeed opened the door to the kingdom of heaven. He opened people's eyes and hearts to the truth instead of holding the truth to himself and only giving out pre-selected information.

I'm not saying that those who commit the sin should be kicked out of the church altogether, but just as a shepherd should not commit inappropriate acts with his sheep, the pastors and associate pastors of these parishes should not be committing inappropriate acts with the parishioners, let alone their children.

So kick them out of the priesthood. That will surely send a message to those who are not pure of heart and yet are thinking of attending seminary. If a priest sins, it will be all right because no fully mortal man is without sin. But just as you wouldn't allow a priest who commits murder continue in his post, neither should one who has done this. You want to give a true apology? Show the people that you are cleaning house and ensuring it will not happen anymore.

Faith Above Politics...Always

2010-03-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know me well, you know that I am a big fan of Glenn Beck's radio program. As far as his Fox News program is concerned, I am a sporatic fan, because after Beck's switch from CNN to Fox News, the radio host gradually turned away from his libertarianism and transformed into the typical Fox News neo-conservative type that I have come to despise in American politics.

Earlier this month, the host had a few things to say about the role of church and American politics. In essence, because of his mounting fear of progressivism, the former libertarian began denouncing churches that promoted social justice.

According to Beck, the words "social justice" are "code words" for Nazism and communism. He later urged Christians to discuss the terms with their priests and to leave their churches if leaders would not reconsider their emphasis on social justice.

This got me thinking about the number of Americans who put country before God, when in reality, it should be the direct opposite. They are part of the Church of the United States, a faith that claims to place its trust in God, when in reality it breaks the first commandment in its idolatry of individual and constitutional rights.

Glenn Beck is a Mormon and at times talks about how his conversion to that faith helped him battle his earlier alcoholism. Throwing aside all theological arguments, can the Mormons continue to claim they are a Christian church while totally shunning issues of social and economic justice? Perhaps it isn't a Mormon teaching (that could be the case since I am not a religious scholar). Perhaps it's Mr. Beck's idolization of American constitutionalism. But the question stands, can Mr. Beck be a true Christian if he does not believe that social justice is a major issue in our world?

Despite all of the changes he has gone through since his conversion to the Fox News machine, Mr. Beck continues to profess that he is a libertarian and that he is a Christian.

Well, I'm a libertarian, and I don't think that true libertarianism throws social justice out the window. We may believe that the government is not effective enough in its assitance in regards to social justice, but certainly, libertarians understand that it is through churches and through non-profit organizations that these issues can be addressed.

One of the major issues that the Roman Catholic Church addresses are issues of social justice. The Archdiocese of Miami has an Office of Social Advocacy whose purpose is to promote "social justice and anti-poverty initiatives through legislative advocacy, and seeks to connect the works of faith and justice throughout the Archdiocese of Miami...[and]coordinates the Archdiocesan response to emergency needs both at home and abroad." So I guess the Catholic Church and its billion adherents are a bunch of Commies. I guess I'm a Commie, but then again, I don't agree much with Communism.

So yes. Despite being labeled as a "sick, twisted freak" for listening to Glenn Beck, I still consider myself a libertarian. However, before I am a libertarian, I am an American.
Before I am an American, I am a Catholic.
Before I am a Catholic, I am a Christian.

And in the end, all my decisions and all of my opinions are going to based on that last fact. And if social justice is not on your list of priorities, that's when you should reconsider your church's stance on social justice. Christianity without social justice is not Christianity at all.

What is Justice?

2010-03-06T09:28:00.000-08:00

"Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Each year, on the occasion of Lent, the Church invites us to a sincere review of our life in light of the teachings of the Gospel. This year, I would like to offer you some reflections on the great theme of justice, beginning from the Pauline affirmation: 'The justice of God has been manifested through faith in Jesus Christ' (cf. Rm 3, 21-22).

Justice: 'dare cuique suum'

First of all, I want to consider the meaning of the term 'justice,' which in common usage implies 'to render to every man his due,' according to the famous expression of Ulpian, a Roman jurist of the third century. In reality, however, this classical definition does not specify what 'due' is to be rendered to each person. What man needs most cannot be guaranteed to him by law. In order to live life to the full, something more intimate is necessary that can be granted only as a gift: we could say that man lives by that love which only God can communicate since He created the human person in His image and likeness. Material goods are certainly useful and required – indeed Jesus Himself was concerned to heal the sick, feed the crowds that followed Him and surely condemns the indifference that even today forces hundreds of millions into death through lack of food, water and medicine – yet 'distributive' justice does not render to the human being the totality of his 'due.' Just as man needs bread, so does man have even more need of God. Saint Augustine notes: if 'justice is that virtue which gives every one his due ... where, then, is the justice of man, when he deserts the true God?' (De civitate Dei, XIX, 21).

What is the Cause of Injustice?

The Evangelist Mark reports the following words of Jesus, which are inserted within the debate at that time regarding what is pure and impure: 'There is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him … What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts' (Mk 7, 14-15, 20-21). Beyond the immediate question concerning food, we can detect in the reaction of the Pharisees a permanent temptation within man: to situate the origin of evil in an exterior cause. Many modern ideologies deep down have this presupposition: since injustice comes 'from outside,' in order for justice to reign, it is sufficient to remove the exterior causes that prevent it being achieved. This way of thinking – Jesus warns – is ingenuous and shortsighted. Injustice, the fruit of evil, does not have exclusively external roots; its origin lies in the human heart, where the seeds are found of a mysterious cooperation with evil. With bitterness the Psalmist recognises this: 'Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me' (Ps 51,7). Indeed, man is weakened by an intense influence, which wounds his capacity to enter into communion with the other. By nature, he is open to sharing freely, but he finds in his being a strange force of gravity that makes him turn in and affirm himself above and against others: this is egoism, the result of original sin. Adam and Eve, seduced by Satan’s lie, snatching the mysterious fruit against the divine command, replaced the logic of trusting in Love with that of suspicion and competition; the logic of receiving and trustfully expecting from the Other with anxiously seizing and doing on one’s own (cf. Gn 3, 1-6), experiencing, as a consequence, a sense of disquiet and uncertainty. How can man free himself from this selfish influence and open himself to love?

Justice and Sedaqah

At the heart of the wisdom of Israel, we find a profound link between faith in God who 'lifts the needy from the ash heap' (Ps 113,7) and justice towards one’s neighbor. The Hebrew word itself that indicates the virtue of justice, sedaqah, expresses this well. Sedaqah, in fact, signifies on the one hand full acceptance of the will of the God of Israel; on the other hand, equity in relation to one’s neighbour (cf. Ex 20, 12-17), especially the poor, the stranger, the orphan and the widow (cf. Dt 10, 18-19). But the two meanings are linked because giving to the poor for the Israelite is none other than restoring what is owed to God, who had pity on the misery of His people. It was not by chance that the gift to Moses of the tablets of the Law on Mount Sinai took place after the crossing of the Red Sea. Listening to the Law presupposes faith in God who first 'heard the cry' of His people and “came down to deliver them out of hand of the Egyptians” (cf. Ex 3,8). God is attentive to the cry of the poor and in return asks to be listened to: He asks for justice towards the poor (cf. Sir 4,4-5, 8-9), the stranger (cf. Ex 22,20), the slave (cf. Dt 15, 12-18). In order to enter into justice, it is thus necessary to leave that illusion of self-sufficiency, the profound state of closure, which is the very origin of injustice. In other words, what is needed is an even deeper 'exodus' than that accomplished by God with Moses, a liberation of the heart, which the Law on its own is powerless to realize. Does man have any hope of justice then?

Christ, the Justice of God

The Christian Good News responds positively to man’s thirst for justice, as Saint Paul affirms in the Letter to the Romans: 'But now the justice of God has been manifested apart from law … the justice of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith' (3, 21-25). What then is the justice of Christ? Above all, it is the justice that comes from grace, where it is not man who makes amends, heals himself and others. The fact that 'expiation' flows from the 'blood' of Christ signifies that it is not man’s sacrifices that free him from the weight of his faults, but the loving act of God who opens Himself in the extreme, even to the point of bearing in Himself the 'curse' due to man so as to give in return the 'blessing' due to God (cf. Gal 3, 13-14). But this raises an immediate objection: what kind of justice is this where the just man dies for the guilty and the guilty receives in return the blessing due to the just one? Would this not mean that each one receives the contrary of his 'due'? In reality, here we discover divine justice, which is so profoundly different from its human counterpart. God has paid for us the price of the exchange in His Son, a price that is truly exorbitant. Before the justice of the Cross, man may rebel for this reveals how man is not a self-sufficient being, but in need of Another in order to realize himself fully. Conversion to Christ, believing in the Gospel, ultimately means this: to exit the illusion of self-sufficiency in order to discover and accept one’s own need – the need of others and God, the need of His forgiveness and His friendship. So we understand how faith is altogether different from a natural, good-feeling, obvious fact: humility is required to accept that I need Another to free me from 'what is mine,' to give me gratuitously 'what is His.' This happens especially in the sacraments of Reconciliation and communion. Thanks to Christ’s action, we may enter into the 'greatest' justice, which is that of love (cf. Rm 13, 8-10), the justice that recognises itself in every case more a debtor than a creditor, because it has received more than could ever have been expected. Strengthened by this very experience, the Christian is moved to contribute to creating just societies, where all receive what is necessary to live according to the dignity proper to the human person and where justice is enlivened by love.

Dear brothers and sisters, Lent culminates in the Paschal Triduum, in which this year, too, we shall celebrate divine justice – the fullness of charity, gift, salvation. May this penitential season be for every Christian a time of authentic conversion and intense knowledge of the mystery of Christ, who came to fulfill every justice. With these sentiments, I cordially impart to all of you my blessing."

- Pope Benedict XVI's Lenten Message

Making Sacrifices...

2010-02-11T11:35:00.000-08:00

So that time of the year is coming upon us again - the time when Catholic Christians throughout the world make a sacrifice for the Lenten season. The popular notion amongst people of this faith is to make a "sacrifice to please God." Unfortunately, that is the wrong conception one can have the season.

Lent gives us an opportunity to "die" to our old ways and to "rise" with Jesus to a new way of life. Even though we may have already become believers and experienced a conversion of heart - or became born again - our decision to let the old ways die and follow Christ in new ways is one we can make over and over again, especially during Lent. But doing so involves conversion.

What are some of the "old ways" that we need to "die" to? Many of these are personal choices and attitudes that we have gotten used to: being selfish with our time and money, refusing to help others, saying hurtful things to get a laugh, or not putting effort into school, work, and/or into our gifts/talents. Other "old ways" are attitudes and choices that we often share with the society around us: ignoring the needs of poor or homeless people, not caring for those who are sick or hungry, or allowing the most vulnerable among us to go without the help they need. Lent gives us a chance, with God's grace and our best efforts, to change our minds, our hearts, and our lives.

Isaiah speaks to us about the meaning of Lent. His words serve as a great remnder of the Lenten practices that we follow in order to move toward conversion: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. What can you "do for Lent" in one or more areas?

Whatever you decide to do, it is also important to remember that Lent is a season of grace. It is not so much about what we do but about Jesus' presence with us, calling us to come closer and closer to him each day. Whatever our failures or trials in responding to his call, we are never overcome. We can always renew our efforts with help of the grace he gives us. And renewal is always possible for us, for we are following our Savior who faced what we faced, yet still manages to lead us through death into new life.

So the following is a list of points/tips I'd like to make about the upcoming season.

1) Remember that what we should sacrifice is whatever keeps us away from God. Meaning, unless it is keeping you away from God, I don't think sacrificing chocolates, soda, fast food, etc. brings the message home.

2) Fasting is not about starving yourself. If you fast, you will likely become hungry at some point during the day. Instead of moaning and groaning, just ask God to fill that hunger for you, and if you believe He will, then He will. Jesus speaks about fasting in the Gospel of Matthew. On that note, too, maybe you should wash your face after attending mass on Ash Wednesday. Who you are and what you are embarking on is between you and God. No need to wear an ash-cross throughout the day. Just remember that from ashes we came, and to ash we shall return.

3) Instead of sacrificing one of the superficial items listed as number one, some examples of good sacrifices can be taking out of the New Testament. St. Paul gives us good examples of positive sacrifices we can make to grow in our relationship with Christ, and to help those who have lost all hope and/or purpose.

4) When making sacrifices, it's supposed to be a life-changing one. For example, if you give up pride or being overly lustful, it's not supposed to last only until Easter. If not, what change have you really made in your life?

5) I invite all of my non-Catholic Christian brothers and sisters to partake in the season as well. Lent should not be for Catholics alone, but for Christians of all denominations and traditions. I'm not saying that you have to celebrate Ash Wednesday or Palm Sunday, but I think a Pauline sacrifice would benefit each of us as individuals.

What Pizza Can Teach Politicans

2010-02-05T14:49:00.000-08:00

I know a lot of people who exclusively turn to Fox News for their news, and I know those who turn exclusively to MSNBC. I, like other people, prefer CNN over the other two (I'm not a big fan of overtly biased news coverage). Saying that, each of the competing networks provides me with at least one show that I like watching on their respective networks. I'm a fan of Glenn Beck's show on Fox News (though I prefer the radio host Glenn Beck [the more libertarian kind of guy] over the Fox News version of Glenn Beck [the more...Fox News-y kind of guy]). And over on MSNBC, I enjoy watching Morning Joe.

A couple of weeks ago, as I was watching Joe, they aired Domino's Pizza's commercial, "The Pizza Turnaround" which you can view below. I started thinking how much better shape this country would be in if more politicians would air ads like Dominos Pizza. Instead of trying to ram agendas while keeping the truth from reaching the eyes and ears of the public, what if they would actually talk about the complaints that have been made, and then prove that they are trying to reverse their errors?

President Obama has called for a greater sense of bipartisanship in Washington. But this doesn't mean that politicians cannot disagree. This means that dialogue should be kept civil and sometimes, the two sides have to compromise in the middle. While I am not the biggest fan of moderation (as my political beliefs may seem radical to many), I think it's time for politicians to attempt to save whatever dignity and humanity remains in the nation's capital, and in all the state and local governments across the country.

Enjoy the video.

Move On...

2010-01-25T11:09:00.000-08:00

"Move on..." That's a phrase that people associate with two different ideas. The first one is the politically leftist website, moveon.org. If you want to see specifics about what their movement is all about, go ahead to their website and see for yourself, because that's not what I meant by "move on."

The second idea is the phrasing people tend to use when they are dealing with difficult moments. People, things, faith, or other sources help you "move on." This scenario, however is not what I'm referring to, either.

The phrasing of this blog post is meant to be describe an action I had to take earlier today and my reaction to the event. It all started when...

I arrived at FIU about two hours before my shift. My laptop is currently sitting at home out of commission since I need to buy a new battery charger; thus, I wanted to sit in a computer lab at FIU and work on some job applications and to get some long-awaited blogging done since I've had a lot on my mind recently. Anyways, for those of you who have experienced life at FIU (main campus), you will know that parking there makes you look forward to going to the DMV (credit Jim Gaffigan for that kind of comparison).

So, I spent literally 60 minutes driving around, searching for a parking spot. Keep in mind, I invested a bit of money to buy a Faculty/Staff decal, so it was more stressful having to look for parking there first and then finding it difficult to find student parking. Anyways, 45 minutes into my adventure, I finally find a parking spot in the fifth floor of the Blue Parking Garage. Even luckier than that, the spot is right next to the stairwell, so after my climb later on tonight, I can take only a couple of steps to sit in my car. After all, exercise and I aren't too compatible yet (getting in shape is still my resolution this year, though).

So, I race towards that spot, and as soon as I get to it, an SUV pulls up next to me. The driver gave me a hard look, but seeing no blinker and no other form of communication, I parked in the spot. He found a spot literally right after me. However, as I was removing some things from my car to take with me, I hear a voice - you know those voices suburban high schoolers in Miami use when they think they are ghetto? - saying "Bro, you're such a . You're lucky I'm at school."

Using the voice I just described, he obviously mumbled the last part of what he told me. So I asked him to repeat what he said and he did. I shrugged my shoulders since I didn't care and then he walked away. Right after that, my vivid imagination kicked in:

What if as soon as he comes back, he finds a way to damage my car? Well, I had an answer for that. I knew exactly what car he drove, so I walked to his car and wrote down the license plate number so that if something happened, I would know which car to report. However, a "WWJD" moment dawned on me. Was this necessary? Can all this be avoided?

Since it was still 75 minutes until my shift started, I decided to move my car. Yes, it took me a long time to find that spot. Yes, I feel that I rightfully earned it since I got there first. However, I think confrontation should be avoided whenever possible. So, about fifteen minutes later, I drove my way to the ZEB parking lot by 8th street and found a Faculty/Staff spot there.

Some of you may think I was being too nice. Others may think I let the guy push me around. Still more of you may think that the word the guy chose to describe me at the moment was accurate. What do I think? I think I'm neither a saint, nor a pushover, nor...that word. I just think that there are times in life when one needs to move on before things get out of hand.

Whether the guy forgot all about it already, or if it actually soured up his day, all I know is that I feel better knowing that I avoided the exacerbation of the issue.

Just in case this particular student goes out of his way to seek confrontation, I do remember the car and at least the first half of the license plate number. I truly doubt I will see him again anytime soon. And just in case he stumbles upon this blog one day, I apologize if you misinterpreted my side of things.

That is all. I promise my next blog will be more cheerful.

Where are You, God?

2010-01-04T16:30:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had to deal with a major disappointment in life… you prayed to God to relieve your suffering… but He just doesn’t seem to move? One such married couple had this same experience.

We’re told that Zachariah is a priest and Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron – which is really just a fancy was of saying that she too came from a family of priests. In other words this couple has the office of priesthood in their blood. But, to be honest, it wasn’t the fact that Zachariah and Elizabeth had this priestly lineage that was so important to St. Luke. Rather it was the fact that they were both righteous people. I mean we’re all familiar with or at least we’ve all heard about priests and pastors that aren’t very righteous people. In fact, at that time, Zachariah was just one of about 18,000 priests that served in the temple. It is likely that there were some that were very righteous and others that were much less righteous. But Luke wants us to know that Zachariah and Elizabeth were righteous.

Now, this isn’t to say that they had no sin. The Bible clearly teaches that everyone, short of Jesus, is sinful. But rather, what’s going on here is Luke is trying to counter act the fact, that most people in his time and culture would have assumed that the reason Zachariah and Elizabeth were unable to have any children was because they had some kind of hidden sin in their life. In other words, they would have automatically assume that Elizabeth’s barrenness was the result of God was punishing them.

But Luke wants us to know, in this case, that’s not what’s going on. You see, it is true that sin sometimes has consequences that are both horrible and humiliating; but it’s also true that sometimes horrible and humiliating things happen to really good/godly people. And that’s what’s going on here. Despite the lineage from priests, Luke lets us know that Zechariah and Elizabeth had lived a lifetime of disappointment and shame. They weren’t able have a child and yet they desperately wanted one; only now, it’s too late because they’re just too old.

This would be one of those disappointments that last a lifetime. And as if that disappointment weren’t enough, let’s not forget that they were also considered a public disgrace, because it was simply assumed that the reason they couldn’t have kids, was because God was punishing them! You can also bet that they had been praying, but God just didn’t answer.

Are you experiencing one of those disappointments? I can’t say for sure, but if that's the case, I would guess that you’ve prayed. In fact, maybe you’ve prayed, and you’ve prayed, and you’ve prayed but God just doesn’t answer. One of the things the story reveals to us is that this life is a life of disappointment and that sometimes bad things happen to good people and yet God remains silent! Let’s continue with the story.

Zachariah was one of about 18,000 priests that served the temple. These priests were divided into 24 different divisions and each of these divisions would serve in the temple for a 1 week stint 2 times a year. Now, inside the temple, there was a room called the Holy Place – and not just anybody could go in there. For this was the place that God would meet his people. And inside the Holy Place was an altar – and on that altar twice a day, a special incense was burned that represented the prayers of the people going up to God – as a fragrant offering. Now, with so many priests, what they would do is they would cast lots to determine who would get to go in and actually burn this incense. You see, before the coming of the Holy Spirit, they believed that God would reveal his choice for this sacred duty through the process of casting of lots. So if you think about it, this is a maybe once-in-a-lifetime experience, and if you’re chosen it means that God has personally chosen you to come into his presence and represent his people to burn this incense that represents your prayers going up to him.

Well, Zechariah had a prayer - an unanswered prayer. Only now he’s been chosen by God to go into the place where God meets his people. What do you think is gonna happen? Zechariah has this startling experience with an angel. And the first thing the angel says is "Your prayer has been heard!" That alone ought to provide some comfort. Because, at least we know that God hears our prayers. Even though he doesn’t always respond at least we know he’s listening.

But more than that think of this: The angel reveals that God is going to use Zechariah and Elizabeth’s life long disappointment to reveal Himself in a new way! You see, every baby born is a miracle of life but it’s not like the world sits up and takes notice. And if a couple in old age has a child, but they’ve already had children... well, that’s just weird! But if a baby is born to a couple that’s too old to have a baby and to woman that has never had a baby before... that’s definitely a miracle! And it’s a miracle along the lines of something God has done before (Isaac & Samuel).

God has done these kinds of things before. It’s kind of like a calling card and it seems to represent the fact that this baby is going to have a special relationship with God and a very specific purpose in life! Well, here’s the interesting sidebar, reader: the last book of the Old Testament, is a book called Malachi. Malachi was also a prophet who, in addition to calling people back to God, spoke of a day when the Lord would come. But read the closing remarks in Malachi - the very last words recorded in the Old Testament.

After these words, God became silent. And for four hundred years, there were no prophets, no messages... nothing but silence... until that day when the angel appeared to Zachariah – there in the Holy Place – the place where God meets people – and he said "You will have a son. You will name him John and he will be a prophet in the spirit of Elijah. He’ll bring people back to God and prepare them for the coming of the Lord." You see, God used Zechariah and Elizabeth’s life long disappointment to not only reveal himself, but to call people back to him!

Maybe there’s a lesson we need to learn here. Maybe we need to recognize that God
often uses our lifelong disappointments to reveal himself to us... to call us back to him and to keep us looking forward! I don’t know about you, but for me it’s those lifelong disappointments that keep me dependant on God. They keep me calling on God. And they keep me looking forward to his coming!

If you keep reading on, God sends Gabriel (a great name for an angel by the way) to meet Zechariah in this Holy Place. The place where God speaks to his people and the whole experience is so extra-worldly that it scares Zechariah. But even with all of that, he doubts that God’s word will come true. Skip nine months ahead, and John the Baptist is born.

What then is this child going to be? After four hundred years of silence, God has once again broken into human history with a miraculous baby!

What then is this child going to be? That’s the question. Sure, we know that he’s to be a prophet in the spirit of Elijah But for now, he’s just a baby and they would have to wait to find out...

So what's the point of all this? The point is, what is it exactly you are praying for?

Are you praying for something against God? Are you praying that God would remove some disappointment that maybe he has there for a reason? I’m sure that Elizabeth and Zechariah prayed for a baby in their 20’s and probably became frustrated. They likely prayed even harder in their 30’s. They might’ve even become angry, but God had a purpose behind their disappointment. And I think realizing that sort of changes things because when we realize that maybe there’s a purpose behind our disappointment it just somehow becomes less disappointing.

I think the big point behind the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth is that while it may appear God is silent, he is moving! Reading this passage, you almost get the sense that it sounds like a fairy tail because this kind of stuff doesn’t happen every day. But that’s part of the beauty of it! When God broke into human history on that day with Zechariah, He had been previously silent for 400 years. Oh, He’d made a promise that He’d send a savior/messiah. But He had been silent so long it just didn’t seem like it would ever really happen! But it did.

After Jesus resurrected, as he went up into heaven, he promised that he would return for his faithful. Sometimes I think because it’s been so long we just don’t think it’s ever going to happen. Is this just a fairy tail? Zachariah had to listen to God and trust that He would do what He had promised. We need to trust God will do as He has promised: The day is coming that He is going to break into human history again! When He does, as we see with Zechariah and Elizabeth, the disappointments of the faithful pass away. I can't wait for that day to come...

- Adapted from and inspired by Eric Bain's sermon.

The Gift Returns for 2010

2010-01-03T08:54:00.000-08:00

Hey all! It has been a long time since I have regularly blogged. The last semester - my last one - was crazy! It seemed like I all I was doing was working, eating, sleeping, attending class, reading, and writing. I didn't have time to do anything else! However, all that work paid off, as I finished the semester on the dean's list for the first time in my collegiate career. While my final GPA stood at a less-than-impressive 2.89, I am still very grateful and fortunate. Keep in mind, that after my first year in college, that same grade point average stood at 1.9. Slowly, but surely, I brought it up to its end result.

So, what's in store for me this year? It's hard to follow a year where you finally earn a Bachelor's degree and actually keep your resolution (I lost 30 lbs. last year). However, I have big plans for 2010. Let me reiterate that - BIG PLANS! And those big plans are going to require a lot of changes in my life. For instance, I did lose weight, but now I have to get into shape. So, it's time to stop relying on changed eating habits and include some weight training.

I'm not going to go over my whole "plans" list for 2010. This would be an extremely long blog if I did that. However, I can tell you all one thing, faithful followers: The Gift of Gab has definitely returned. Hopefully this time, it will stick around more often.

Learn to Fly

2009-11-21T14:14:00.000-08:00

This is a homily given by Father Bob Vallee today:

"There is an old story that Fr Paul Edwards, a deceased priest of the Archdiocese, used to like to tell. Once upon a time, a long time ago, in a country far, far away, probably Slovakia, there lived a great eagle with a whole nest full of eagle eggs. One day, one of the eggs fell out of the nest and into the chicken yard. The little eagle hatched, looked around and, presuming the hen was his own mother, began to live and act like a chicken. He scratched the dirt and clucked and dug for worms. The little eagle was happy enough as a chicken until one day, high over ahead, soaring on the first breath of the dawn, he saw an extraordinary sight. He saw a great bird flying on the edges of heaven, not the little leap and jump flying of a chicken but soaring on great beautiful wings without hardly a motion. He asked one of the other chickens what the bird was. The other chicken said: 'That is an eagle, the great king of all birds.' The eagle said, 'Yes, but why can’t we fly like that?' The other chicken said, 'Don’t be stupid! We are only chickens.' The eagle folded up his great wings, bowed his head, and began to scratch the dust for worms, never imagining that he himself was an eagle, that he himself could fly. He bowed his head and his spirit and never again thought of flying or eagles again.

"I like this story very much, especially on the feast of Christ the King. You see the whole point of religion is to affirm the goodness, truth and beauty in us. The whole point of being a Christian is to learn to recognize and see Christ the King, in all his glory and majesty, in ourselves and in one another. As Jesus himself said, 'The kingdom of God is within you.' Look up! If you are really seeing Christ, then you are also seeing a tremendous possibility within yourself.

"There is a good and a bad form of religion. The bad form of religion tells us we are bad and need to be afraid. The bad form of religion is always on the lookout for sin and disgrace. The bad form of religion is critical, mean and judgmental. The bad form of religion tells us that we are just chickens. The good form of religion tells us that we are good, beautiful and holy, and do not need to be afraid. The good form of religion is always on the lookout for grace and goodness. The good form of religion reminds that we are eagles and share in the kingship of Christ.

"We see this explained in a different way in the Gospel. Jesus is having a talk with Pilate. They are discussing whether or not Jesus is a king. Jesus says that he is, indeed, a king but not the sort of king that Pilate imagines. When Pilate thinks king, he imagines power, authority and obedience. Jesus has to explain that his kingdom is not like a earthly kingdom. It is not about power, money and prestige. The kingdom of God is about love, justice and truth.

"The story of the little eagle is very sad. But I fear it is the story of a great many people, even a great many Christians. Every one of us, myself included, needs to hear these words because they come from the Lord: 'You are more than you think you are. There is greatness and godhead within you. You are good, wise and beautiful. You do not have to be afraid, not of anything, not ever again. You were not made to scratch the dirt for worms; you were made to fly on the breath of the dawn.' It is the work of Satan and his demons to tear down, criticize and tell you why you are so bad; It is the work of Jesus Christ and his angels to build up, affirm and help you find your goodness. Often times we waste our lives living as chickens. But we are not chickens, not really. We are eagles who have not yet learned to fly. Wake up! Pay attention! You are more and better than you can possibly imagine."

How Great Thou Art

2009-10-21T18:37:00.000-07:00

How Great Thou Art? is one of my favorite hymns that popular musicians have sang for a while now - most notable Carrie Underwood and Elvis Presley. The words, I think, are some of the finest lyrics of any Christian song and everytime I hear it, I really can feel my spirit singing out to the Lord (note that the above links aren't really the greatest performances of the songs but you get the idea). In case you never heard the song or ever took the time to understand the lyrics, here they are:

Oh Lord, my God,
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to thee
How Great Thou Art! How Great Thou Art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to thee
How Great Thou Art! How Great Thou Art!

And when I think, that God, His son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to thee
How Great Thou Art! How Great Thou Art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to thee
How Great Thou Art! How Great Thou Art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart?
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, How Great Thou Art!"

Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to thee
How Great Thou Art! How Great Thou Art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to thee
How Great Thou Art! How Great Thou Art!

Apology...

2009-10-06T06:33:00.001-07:00

My sincere apologies to all my readers for the lack of gab coming from this blog. My last semester here at FIU is upon me and the workload has taken control of any free time I have.

Hopefully I can blog again soon...I'll keep you posted! :)

Cell Phones & Scripture

2009-09-04T07:45:00.001-07:00

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several time a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we
couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it
to Kids as gifts?

What if we used it
when we traveled?

What if we used it
in case of emergency?

This is something to make you go.....hmm...where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our
cell phone, we don't have
to worry about our Bible being
disconnected because
Jesus already paid the bill.

Makes you stop and think,
where are my priorities?
And no dropped calls!

Pipo & Memories

2009-08-04T15:04:00.000-07:00

Pipo - that's what I, my siblings, and my mother have called my grandfather since as long as I can remember. It has always been second nature to call him "Pipo" instead of by his given name. When someone asks me what my grandfather's name is, I simply answer with that simple, yet endearing name instead of "Juan Jimenez."

Pipo is the kind of man that I want to be when (and if) I reach his age: a hard-working, blue-collar, kind-hearted man with a sense of humor and whose greatest joy comes from being surrounded by his family. My grandfather has always been a carpenter/handyman. He has great knowledge of the way things are put together and how to fix the same things.

My earliest memories of him are flashes from 1992, which is the year I turned five and the year my grandmother passed away at the early age of 58. I remember him building a treehouse with my brothers on an enormous tree in our backyard. I remember him spending a few days with us as we hid in my parents' closet as Hurricane Andrew tore through our treehouse, house, and the rest of South Florida. I remember that Christmas when he slept over the house and helped unwrap the gifts that Santa had brought us.

St. Francis of Assisi once said that Christians should "Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary use words." I believe that my grandfather summarizes that line in his life. From what I remember, I don't recall him going to church all that often, but I do know that he has a close and personal relationship with the Lord. He has led the family in prayer just about every year at Thanksgiving. I once asked Pipo how he knew how to pray God. He didn't really answer my question directly. Instead, he informed as to the reasoning behind his praying. He told me (in Spanish) "Every night when I go to sleep, I thank God for letting me live to finish another day. Every morning when I wake up, I thank God for letting me live to start another day."

Through that one declaration, I was truly introduced into what the love of God truly was. It was that God continues to bless us with gifts despite the unworthiness of all that we do. It seems to me that those who keep that in their minds - like Pipo - are the truly happy ones.

This past week, Pipo has been helping us move into our new house, which by coincidence is the same house I grew up in. Let me tell you, he worked his butt off. He definitely has lost a step or two since he has had multiple hip surgeries. But that did not stop him from sweating and toiling under the sun with the rest of us to get us all moved in. I was inspired to write this entry when I saw him - after we had finished bringing in all the heavy furniture, sitting next to my dog on the couch, ice-cold beer in hand, silently, and enjoying the simple pleasure of peace in life.

There are a few changes in the house. For instance, the treehouse is gone as the previous owner had torn the large tree down. Secondly, Pipo had started converting the garage into a bedroom for my little sister. That room is now finished and is being used as an office. However, one of the days we were there, we managed to come across a "footprint," if you will, of our previous stay at that house. Carved into one of the cement stones we use as a pathway in our backyard were my brothers' names. One stone said:

DANNY
6/25/88

The other said:

LUISI
6/25/88

When Pipo saw this, he smiled and let out a sigh before he returned to work. That memory kept him going, as do all his memories. And I'm sure at that moment, in his heart, he praised the Lord for letting him live through these moments etched in his memories.

(Below are some pictures of Pipo at my brother's wedding back in May 2008. He's the dude with the 'stache.)

Random Evidence of a Cluttered Mind

2009-07-27T21:13:00.000-07:00

Hello followers! I know it's been a while since I've blogged, so this entry will be a quick touch and go about things on my mind since the last time I've blogged. But before I get started, let me just say that the title of this post is nowhere near original, it was borrowed from Greg Cote's blog in the Miami Herald website. Disclaimers aside, let's get this started!

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About a month ago, I saw God. He didn't shine a light upon me. He did not speak to me with a booming voice from beyond the clouds. He didn't even pull a miracle out for me. He showed Himself in a spot when I least expected it.

I was driving home from work, and as I was driving on the turnpike, I noticed that my car was overheating a bit. As soon as I braked at the off-ramp, my car completely broke down. I got out of the car, opened the hood, and awaited my father to bring some coolant, when I see an SUV pull over on the road ahead of me. A woman and man stepped out of the car, headed towards me, and offered to help move my car off to the side of the road. I was really shocked. I never thought a pair of Miamians would help a stranger with his car. I was having a horrible day up to that point. But God showed Himself to me at that moment - through the kindness of these strangers. He reminded me that He was there for me, no matter how crappy I was feeling.

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Last night, I realized that I have been missing a crucial aspect to my life. I realized that I hadn't been to mass in about a month. I know that to you, the reader, this may not seem like such a big deal. But it is to me. It was not that I feel pressured to go because it's something I have to do. I miss going to mass because it's something that I want to do. I miss it because it is a refresher for me. Whenever I go to mass, I leave it feeling as if I have been re-baptized - born again, if you will. It helps to remind me that whatever I do in life, it is done with a higher purpose in mind.

I haven't been able to go because of so many things going on in my life right now. And most of these things are actually positive things. Regardless, being away from the mass for such a long time feels as if I moved away and grew homesick. I need to go back "home" again so that I feel a little closer to being complete.

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So, Gator quarterback Tim Tebow admitted that he's a virgin. Whether he's telling the truth or not is not what this entry is about. It's the uproar that happened throughout the nation in the news, blogs, radio shows, etc. There is a double standard in this country (duh). We constantly like to bash and ridicule people who do not fit the mainstream. That is evident in the people making fun of Tebow's virginity, or calling him a liar, because people in college "just cannot really be that popular and virgins." It is evident in our movies, where we poke fun of virginity, as is the case with The 40-Year Old Virgin and the American Pie series.

I am of the belief system that says it actually takes strength to be a virgin. Take away the loser image for a second. Just think about it. Let's say Tebow is not lying. You don't think that he's been tempted? You don't think that he's had to rise above all the women who throw themselves at him. I guarantee that if he wanted to, he would be able to sleep with any woman in the Gainesville area. But he chooses not to, because he believes in something better. Tim Tebow is strong-willed, strong-hearted, abd courageous.

By the way, just because I think these great things about Tim Tebow, I still hate the Gators. Thank you

Grace Above Weakness

2009-07-06T10:36:00.000-07:00

My priest, Father Bob Vallee, sometimes emails the church his thoughts about the passages we will read. He reads what he emails us and expands on it. I thought this week's homily was so great I decided to post it. For a little context, the passage he refers to is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians. Enjoy!

"One of the most amazing passages of Scripture, in my view at least, is today’s second reading from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. Paul writes: “In order that I might not become inflated and arrogant, I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan, to beat me and keep me from becoming proud. Three times I begged the Lord to take this from me. But he said, ‘My grace is enough for you, for in human weakness the power of God reaches perfection.’” This is a very beautiful and yet somewhat enigmatic passage. Notice that Paul does not tell us what exactly this “thorn in the flesh” might be. We can be pretty sure as to what it is not. It is not pain or persecution, trials or tribulations. Why? Because Paul just told us that he willingly boasts of what he suffers for the sake of the Gospel. So what is it that so torments Paul? One thing is sure, it something that Paul sees as a weakness and something not to boast of but to be ashamed of.

There are many possibilities as to the nature of this “angel of Satan.” Let’s look at three.

First, Paul could be referring to some sort of a character flaw on his part. He had several to deal with. His worst problem was that he had a terrible temper and an acidic tongue. When Barnabas, in Acts, asks him to take back John Mark, Paul says he is a baby and should go back home to his mommy. In Galatians, he writes, with a somewhat poisonous pen, “how stupid can you be!” Later in Galatians, Paul writes, “Henceforth, let no man bother me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord’s passion.” One thing is certain, Paul was not so good at playing nice with the other children.

The second possibility is that Paul could have been talking about some sort of physical problem which may have gotten in the way of his preaching the Gospel. For example, it is believed that Paul stuttered. This, of course would have affected his ability to preach the Gospel. In the 20th chapter of Acts we read that Paul was preaching, “on and on” and a young man got so bored that he fell from a third story window and died. Paul had to go down and raise him from the dead. My homilies are not always great but I have never killed anyone. Which is all for the best, being that I am not at all confident about the raising from the dead part afterwards. Also, when Paul describes his fits and seizures, some modern doctors have surmised that he was perhaps an epileptic. Of course, is always a bit dangerous to perform such anachronistic diagnoses.

The third and, I think, the most interesting possibility is that Paul is alluding to some sort of moral flaw, some sort of sin he struggles with. We have already seen that he has a bit of trouble with wrath and pride and envy. But maybe it is something else. A French psychologist wrote a book in the 1980s which analyzed all of Paul’s comments about women and suggests that Paul does not like them very much. Not to put too fine a point on it but that Paul perhaps struggled with desires which ran contrary to nature. Of course, there is no way to know being that Paul doesn’t say.

The point is that it does not matter what Paul’s “weakness” is. We all have weaknesses and stuff about ourselves we are ashamed of. The point is God’s response to Paul’s weakness. Because God addresses our weaknesses with the same words. God tells Paul: “My grace is enough for you, for in human weakness the power of God reaches perfection.” We don’t have to be perfect. In fact, the fact that we are not perfect is precisely what forces us to realize our need for God’s grace. Ignatius of Loyola wrote: Take Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding and my entire will, all I have and call my own. You have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace; that is enough for me.

Amazing Letter from Arizononian Janet Contreras to the Federal Government

2009-06-17T21:08:00.001-07:00

"I'm a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me?

Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:

One, illegal immigration.....

Two, the TARP bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.

Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.

Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.

Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!

Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don't you start there.

Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.

Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why ‑‑ what do you have against shareholders making a profit?

Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.

Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band‑Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.

Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try ‑‑ please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.

Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.

Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let's just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I'm busy. I'm busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.

I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.

From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington. Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we're morons.

We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we're so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn't ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us who will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming."

Now What?

2009-06-15T08:50:00.000-07:00

My graduation is coming up this December, and when a milestone is approaching in your life, you can't help but think about your future. I'm at a point where I'm thinking about what to do with my life come 2010. I was so sure up to about a month ago what I wanted to do. I was going to leave Miami to attend graduate school and then move back to teach.
However, about a month ago, the leaders (a couple) of the youth group at my church approached me and told me that they would like for me to become the new youth group leader at St. Kevin's within the next couple of years. I have always wanted to go into youth/young adult ministry. However, that would be in conflict with my plans for graduate school outside of South Florida.
I really don't know what to do right now. I want to do so many things. I want to do something that will extend God's mission to proclaim the Gospel - not necessarily with words, as I reflect on the words of St. Francis of Assisi: "Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary use words."
Do I lead my youth group, and try to help teenagers find Christ in their troubling lives?
Do I focus on academics (i.e. grad school) and be Christ to my peers?
I pray that God helps me find the first step towards what, ultimately, is my purpose. Here are some things that I have been praying and reflecting about:

1) I would love to go away from Miami for graduate school, because:
a) The experience should be very rewarding.
b) It looks good on a resume to have different degrees from different
schools.
2) I would love to continue my research, and become a scholar in History.
3) I would love to get some certification/training in ministry, preferable
youth/young adult ministry.
4) I would love to be a writer by trade, one day.
5) I would love to work in media (print or radio) to express my views and have
discussion about politics, because I love politics, though I have no desire to
join the political arena.

I don't know which one of these things, or which ones, or if any of them is where God will lead me. Whatever I do, I really want to make an impact on people's lives. I want to be an example of Christ to the world. Does it mean that you will ever see me giving a sermon at a church? Probably not. I am not one who is that fond of speaking to immense crowds at this point. But wherever the LORD leads me, I hope I can reach heaven one day, stand before Him, and say "I have used every gift that you bestowed upon me. Nothing has been wasted."

Belated Greetings...

2009-06-03T05:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Pentecost Sunday!

This past Sunday, we celebrated the birth of the Church's life and mission and the indwelling of the LIFE and POWER of God's Spirit in every Christian. The Holy Spirit is the soul of the body of Christ, our guide, the unifying force, the life-giver and sanctifier. The Father revealed the Son, and the Son came to give us the Holy Spirit! Let us pray for unity and renewal for all.

Amen

Certain of Uncertainty

2009-06-01T15:24:00.000-07:00

"In these matters, the only certainty is that nothing is certain."

Spoken by the Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder nearly two millenniums ago, those words have echoed in my head throughout the day as I began to ponder more and more about the effect that Father Alberto Cutié has had on the Christian community the past month or so. Ever since the news first came out that photographs were taken of him with his, now, fiance I have had a conflicted mind, heart, and feelings. I just have not been able to make any sense of the situation as far as what I think is the right course of action.

At first, I felt like what he did was insane. I was a supporter of clerical celibacy, as I still am as I read what St. Augustine once said about it:

"As for the proud minister, he is to be ranked with the devil. Christ's gift is not thereby profaned: what flows through him keeps its purity, and what passes through him remains clear and reaches the fertile earth...The spiritual power of the sacrament is indeed comparable to light: those to be enlightened receive its purity, and if it should pass through defiled beings, it is not itself defiled."

However, I realized soon afterwards that though I believe it is true, it should not necessarily be a requirement. You can read my thoughts about that here.

My new found feelings went into an extreme this weekend when Archbishop John Favarola issued a press release. There were certain phrases he used that really rubbed me the wrong way - so much that my status on Facebook read: "Gabriel Medina thinks John Favarola should step down. How's that for controversy?" Some of those phrases included that Father Cutié was now "professing an erroneous faith." No authentic Christian denomination, in my opinion (and I'm sure in God's opinion) is erroneous. There definitely may be erroneous elements to all of them, but that includes some erroneous aspects that lay within the Catholic Church as well.

Another phrase that irked me was that Father Cutié "may have abandoned [the parishioners of his former church]...but the Catholic Church will never abandon" them. Excuse me? You are telling me that the Catholic Church will never abandon me? This Catholic Church that has strayed from God's teachings so many times in the past? This Catholic Church that supported the Spanish Inquisition? This Catholic Church that supported the Crusades? This Catholic Church that felt it should lay its hands in all political matters and allow corruption from the fall of the Roman Empire through the end of the 18th century? This same Catholic Church that continues the awful act of excommunication?

While I am a Catholic, the term Catholic does not mean that I will not make the mistake of believing a man will not abandon me, be he Father Alberto Cutié or Pope Benedict XVI himself. I'm a Catholic because it is my best tool to maintain a strong relationship with the one who truly will not abandon me - the LORD.

However, when I got home from FIU this evening, I finally had a chance to read this article from the Miami Herald about Father Cutié's first mass with the Episcopal Church, and did not like what I read. Apparently, Father Cutié has been thinking about leaving the Catholic Church for a long time, but still continued on as usual. The fact that he had doubts is not what troubles me, it's the fact that he was having pre-marital relations with this woman, and it was for that reason alone that he knew things had to change, and that's what irks me about his decision. So many people leave different denominations for one small thing or the other.

"I don't agree with my church's view on abortion, so I'll join the United Methodists."

"I don't agree with my church's view on female ordination, so I'll join the Episcopal Church."

When you are switching denominations so frequently, it almost seems as if you are looking for a God who conforms to your views, rather than conforming to the views of your God. Which one of those do you think makes more sense in the greater scheme of things?

I brought up Pliny the Elder's quote at the beginning of this blog because I do not know how to feel about the Father Cutié situation anymore. There are so many conflicting feelings in my heart and mind. But, perhaps it's best to leave it alone, just like I hope the Catholic Church will. Just let him go. Stop talking about him. Stop continuing this distraction that leads the discussion away from the LORD and towards a man who is merely...well...a man.

Father Cutié has made his decision. Let's forget about this mess already.

The Different Breeds of Catholicism

2009-05-28T05:50:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to write this blog for a while, now. It's amazing how group-oriented human beings are, and human beings of faith are no different. People of faith are grouped into different religions, and each of those religions are grouped into different denominations. I thought that it would be interesting (and humorous) to take a look at the denomination I know the most - Catholicism. There are so many different types of Catholics out there - one that I think they should all fall into and that the Church intends they fall into, and other types that I feel should not be considered Christianity, let alone Catholicism, at all. I also know that a lot of different Christian denominations contain some of these "breeds" as well.

So, without further ado, here is a bird's eye view of the species of Catholicism. Please keep in mind that I do not mean to offend anyone. I simply am expressing my opinion based on my experiences and what I've seen.

Catholic Christians

Catholic Christianity is the "true" branch of the Catholicism. Catholic Christians identify themselves as Christians who follow the Catholic denomination. Yes, they believe that Catholicism is the denomination that has most Christian truth, but they also see truth in all Christian denominations. While they believe there are some denominations that are more "true" than others, the important thing is that they all have truth in them. I sincerely believe that the current pope falls into this category, though I was once skeptical about it.

Santeria Catholics

A lot of Hispanic Catholics fall into this category. And when I say a lot - I mean the overwhelming majority. Santeria Catholics are those who put emphasis on Saints and the Virgin Mary more than they do on Christ. You can identify these people easily whenever you see God working in their lives. However, instead of thanking God for His grace, they thank San Lazaro, or St. Teresa of Little Flower, or Mary for their work. They believe the saints to be like the League of Justice. Whenever someone prays, they answer the call to save the day. There is a historical reasoning for Hispanic culture's saint-emphasized culture. When the Spaniards first introduced the faith to the Native Americans, they helped the natives understand this new religion by comparing it to their gods. Unfortunately, over time, Christianity got intertwined with spirits, ghosts, and ancestors, leading to this Santeria Catholicism.

I only pray that they learn that to pray to a saint, or to pray to Mary for that matter, is heretical. They are simply twisting what the Catholic Church teaches to fit a cultural need, which leads to the next group of Catholics.

Cultural Catholics

A cultural Catholic is someone who observes the Catholic practices as a cultural tradition rather than a spiritual exercise. Cultural Catholics may not fully understand the theology that informs the religion's rituals, or may reject part or most of the theology as outdated or irrelevant to modern life. Cultural Catholics may attend Mass less than several times a year, or may not practice their religion at all, but still regard their association with the Catholic Church as a defining aspect of their identity, much like how non-practicing Jews still consider themselves Jewish. It becomes more of a racial, rather than spiritual, aspect of society. Cultural Catholics regard the sacraments of the Catholic Church (such as baptism, first communion, confirmation and a wedding in a Catholic Church) as important milestones in life, without necessarily attaching much spiritual significance to the events. A lot of American and European Catholics fall into this category. Dane Cook is a famous example of this kind of Catholic, not necessarily because of what he says about the Catholic mass (I actually find it hilarious), but mainly because some of his other jokes in regards to sexual promiscuity.

These are also the same people who may say things like "I'm a Catholic, but I'm not a good Catholic." Since when are there different levels of Christianity? Isn't it that you are a Christian, or you aren't? They also say things like "I'm a good person. I haven't killed anyone or stole anything." Their assumption is right. They may be a good person. That's how God created them to be - good. The problem is that God calls us to be more than good. He calls us to be holy.

Cultural Catholic is a term generally synonymous with Cafeteria Catholic.

Cafeteria Catholics

The term "cafeteria Catholic" (also CINO = "Catholic In Name Only") is applied to those who pick and choose which doctrines and dogmas they want to believe in. Sometimes they may be theological (for example, they may believe that Jesus was the Messiah but that he was not free from sin) or political/social issues (like dissenting from Roman Catholic moral teaching on issues such as abortion, contraception, premarital sex, masturbation, and homosexuality). The term has no status in official Catholic teachings.

On April 18, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI preached about this in a homily:
"Being an adult means having a faith which does not follow the waves of today's fashions or the latest novelties. A faith which is deeply rooted in friendship with Christ is adult and mature."

In a similar vein, Pope John Paul II stated in his talk to the Bishops in Los Angeles in 1987:
"It is sometimes reported that a large number of Catholics today do not adhere to the teaching of the Catholic Church on a number of questions, notably sexual and conjugal morality, divorce and remarriage. Some are reported as not accepting the clear position on abortion. It has to be noted that there is a tendency on the part of some Catholics to be selective in their adherence to the Church's moral teaching. It is sometimes claimed that dissent from the Magisterium is totally compatible with being a "good Catholic," and poses no obstacle to the reception of the Sacraments. This is a grave error."

Traditionalist Catholics

Traditionalist Catholics believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical forms, public and private devotions and presentations of Catholic teachings which prevailed in the Catholic Church before the Vatican II (1962-1965). They are usually angry with the current Church in regards to many of their new teachings, such as the following:

1) They believe that the Catholic Church is the only true Church devoted to Christ and that all non-Catholic churches that are not in full communion with the Vatican are not true Christian churches. The Catholic Church now teaches what I wrote before in the "Catholic Christian" section - that all Christian churches have truth to them. The Catholic Church also teaches that one not need to convert to Catholicism to gain salvation while Traditionalists believe that one must be Catholic.

2) They believe that the Catholic mass should always be in Latin. Why? I'm not so sure. I mean, Latin is great, but I think that each parish should decide what they want to do.

3) They believe that the Church has enemies and disagree with the modern Church's efforts to seek peace with people of all faiths, including the secular world.

Mel Gibson and Pat Buchanan are prime examples of Traditionalist Catholics.

Anti-Protestant Catholics

Anti-Protestant Catholics are the exact inverse of Anti-Catholic Protestants. They believe in all the spiritual Christian truths, but feel that Protestant groups of Christians are not really Christians (just like those Protestants who believe Catholics to not be Christians). These kinds of Catholics, regardless of how devotedly they believe in Jesus, cannot be 100% Christian in my book - just like the Anti-Catholic Protestants. I feel that in order to be 100% Christian, one has to look past all the doctrinal differences between denominations and realize that as one church, they could get a lot more done. Instead of preaching the gospel to the secular worlds, they thrive on fighting amongst themselves.

Sunday Morning Catholic

A Sunday Catholic or Sunday morning Catholic (also Once-a-weeker) is someone who typically goes to church on Sundays but does not strictly adhere to the doctrines or rules of Catholic Christianity.

The term is most often used to describe someone who is lukewarm in the Christian faith. From some people's perspective, a "Sunday Christian" is attempting to cheat God by taking only those parts of the religion which are appealing or convenient without having to commit to anything. They believe the "Sunday Christian" is attempting to buy his/her way into heaven with a minimal amount of effort.

From another perspective, the person being labeled a Sunday Catholic may simply adhere to another interpretation of Christianity, one which may include greater emphasis on actions, attitudes and good will rather than dogma. The person might also being simply paying lip service, attending church for familial or reputation purposes while otherwise not carrying the beliefs of the church as their own.

The term may also be used to describe people who apply double-standards to non-Christians, such as a person who justifies their political beliefs through the Bible but only attends church so that their hypocrisies are not noticed. This also ties into the idea of lip service.

It is also worth noting that there is a large number of people who only attend Christian church service on Christmas and Easter. They are sometimes called Twice-a-years or C & E Christians, or Submarine Christians (so-named because they surface in Church only twice a year).

While there are many, many more breeds of Catholics, that's all I can muster up for now. Hope you had a good chuckle when you read this and thought to yourself: "I know someone like that."

"Sins of the Father"

2009-05-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

That title is yet another of the countless examples that proves Channel 7 (WSVN) News are not really a news station; rather they are just another entertainment show. That title was used to introduce their lead story earlier this week about Father Alberto Cutié caught at Miami Beach with some woman. Since when was that sin? What he did was break a Church law - a man-made law. He did not sin.

Anyways, I feel that while one needs to stand his/her ground in order to be taken seriously, it is just as important to confess when a person feels that he/she has been proven to think and believe in a different way. The other day I blogged about Father Alberto's situation, and how I believe that clerical celibacy should remain a requirement. I have been convinced, through the comments people left on that blog, the things I was told at my small group last night (May 8th), and the front page story of the Miami Herald on May 9th that perhaps the Church should reconsider its position.

I finally found out why the celibacy requirement was instituted back in the Middle Ages (or perhaps even earlier as I have read recently). It has a lot to do with the corruption that was going on back then. A lot of priests and bishops who had sons were smuggling money out of the church's hands in order to give it to their sons. It's a little more complicated than that, but the Church decided to impose the restriction on families. While the church tried to do right, there times, such as with Father Alberto, where the ecclesiastic law - not doctrine - fails.

I realized that perhaps Father Alberto is not an idiot after all (like I mentioned on my last blog) because it would really be crazy to go to Miami Beach in public like that unless... ...you actually wanted to get caught and open up this can of worms. Here comes the gossip that I've heard! One of my small group leader's cousins knows the family of Father Alberto. And apparently, he had asked to be relieved of his clerical duties months ago (because he fell in love), but Archbishop John Favarola did not grant him that for reasons unknown (probably public perception).

But perhaps our Protestant brothers and sister have it right...in fact, it's probably not even a "perhaps" situation. Maybe clerical celibacy needs to be a choice, rather than a requirement. We would have a lot more EFFECTIVE priests if this ban was lifted, simply because many devout and charismatic Christians are frightened off from the priesthood simply because of the ban on marriage and family. While I am still under the belief that it's better to remain celibate when ordained, it should be a choice.

Now, all these people protesting at the steps of St. Francis Catholic Church are doing good by showing their support for Father Alberto. However, they must remember that he is just a man. You cannot follow a man, because when you die, you will not be facing Alberto Cutié. You will be facing the LORD.

Father Alberto has simply brought this question to light. Is the Catholic Church going to take a step back and try to re-examine itself, or is it going to allow itself to become easily distracted when a case like this happens instead of focusing on growing in faith and being of service to others?

I feel Pope Benedict XVI has done a really good job so far...hopefully that trend continues.

For the sake of the kingdom...

2009-05-06T23:00:00.000-07:00

Clerical celibacy has long been a polarizing topic for those within, and even outside, the Catholic Church. The Catholic Sex Abuse Cases and the recent photographs of Father Alberto Cutié with a woman on the beach have brought the question back into the limelight: Should the Catholic Church continue its doctrine of clerical celibacy?

First of all, let me delve into a little history. The teaching of clerical celibacy was nothing official in the Church before the 12th century. While it was not official, it certainly was a tradition that was taught and practiced. Why did it become official, afterwards? Good question. I haven't got a clue. But it's a doctrine that I do agree with. I'll explain later.

Some people used (and still use) the Church Sex Abuse Cases as their reasoning to argue against the Church's doctrines. "If the priests were able to get married, they never would have molested those boys." First of all, I think it's ridiculous to claim that just because a man is unmarried, he all of a sudden will become a gay pedophile. The problem here never was relevant to clerical celibacy, it was merely a problem with men who obviously did not have what it took to become priests becoming ordained. So, if we're going to paint all, or most Catholic priests, as pedophiles, does that mean it's okay to label any devout Muslim as a terrorist? I think not. If clerical celibacy were really the reason for a man to dishonor his vow, a man would naturally find a woman to engage in relations with.

This leads to the newly-found situation with Father Alberto Cutié. I think that this priest was an absolute fool to do what he did. If you are as popular and recognizable as this guy is, why would you go to a public beach where anyone can see you with a woman, when it is known that you have taken a vow of celibacy? While I disagree with the course of actions he has taken, he has asked for forgiveness, and I grant him that. He is merely a human being who has made a mistake, and almost all sin is forgivable. If God has forgiven everything that I have done, who am I to not grant that to someone else who is in need of forgiveness.

So why do I agree with clerical celibacy?

As Jesus and St. Paul have hinted, or plainly have said, celibacy amongst clergymen and women is to be celebrated. While marriage is a beautiful thing, one has to realize that when a man decides to take the step to lead a church, he is married to that church. If a married man decides to lead a church, to which will he devote his full attention. Hopefully, it would be to his family, but then the church gets neglected. If he devotes most of his attention to the church, then the family will be neglected. If he devotes equal attention to both, then he will not be leading his family nor the church community with his fullest.

I know that most of my readers are not Catholic, and clerical celibacy is probably at least one of those things on their lists of "I Disagree with the Catholic Church about..." Experiencing both sides of the issue, I long felt that clerical celibacy was fine, but shouldn't be made a requirement. But hearing a story from a former Catholic-turned-Protestant-Christian, I have come to change my mind. This was a summary of that story:

An older Cuban gentleman that I know once told me that a friend of his was shot in the middle of the street in Cuba. While this man wanted to fetch a doctor for his friend, his dying friend pleaded that he find a priest for him, instead. So, the man went to the nearest church and knocked on the door until the parish priest answered the door. He told the priest what had happened, but the priest wouldn't budge, annoyed that this man had woken him up in the middle of the night. No matter how hard the man pleaded, the priest did not leave the church. By the time the man returned to see his friend, his friend had passed.

This is an example of a lousy priest. A priest is married to his church for a reason, so that if someone comes knocking in the middle of the night, he is there for them, since there is no family to leave alone. Now, if a priest was allowed to marry, and he took advantage of that, what would happen if someone came knocking on his door in the middle of the night with this plea to anoint someone who is dying? Do they leave their family behind, and possibly defenseless in the face of danger, in order to help their fellow man? Or do they decide to neglect their vow to serve others to make sure their family does not get left defenseless? While this would be the most extreme of cases, extremities must be taken into account when looking at something that is, to this blogger, something of the utmost importance.

The 12th Commandment - By Craig Dixon (on Facebook)

2009-04-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

The Twelfth Commandment: Forget the Eleventh Commandment
By
CRAIG DIXON
April 13, 2009

When I was a wee little Craiglet at the tender age of 15, I was the stuff of Al Franken’s nightmares.

I was as hardcore Republican as they come. I was glued to the party line. I stuck to Reagan’s ‘Eleventh Commandment’ like red mud on a boot: “Thou shall not speak ill of any fellow Republican.”

I loved guns, beer, and pretty southern girls. My favorite book was “Conscience of a Conservative” by Barry Goldwater. I thought of “Red Dawn” as an educational film. I made PETA cry and tree huggers cringe in disgust as I carnivorously consumed rare steaks and chugged along in my parent’s Ford Explorer.

Life was good.

Then President ‘Dubya’ came along. I gave this guy a chance in 2000, honestly, I did. He was, after all, a Republican. He was on my team. He had to be one of the good guys… right?

President Reagan, you were wrong sir. Your Eleventh Commandment be damned. Bush sucked.

Bush isn’t a fiscal conservative, he's a big spender. He ran up one hell of a credit card bill on the American people and then finished us off with a “bailout.” His administration massively increased the size of the federal government. The security apparatus grew into a mushroom cloud after 9/11.

Under Bush, America saw the emergence of no-fly lists, DHS, the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. act, wire tapping programs devoid of judicial oversight (and of highly questionable legality), “enhanced interrogation techniques” (also known as water boarding, a technique many organizations and authorities classify as torture), and the suspension of Habeas Corpus for any American citizen deemed an ‘enemy combatant’.

Suddenly, being mud stuck on the boot wasn’t so cool; Bush’s foot was in it he was stomping all over conservative ideals.

Is anyone having fun at the airport these days?

America initiated two wars under Bush (after he’d already run on a platform in 2000 of ‘not policing the world’), one under decidedly false pretenses (Remember those WMDs that still haven’t been found?). Both wars are still ongoing (with costs both monetary and human).

Reagan may have held his tongue, but Benjamin Franklin wouldn’t. Franklin didn't suffer from the constraints of any such commandment; he was unaffiliated with any parties. “He who would trade his liberty for temporary security deserves neither liberty nor security,” he once said.

Can someone explain to me how we didn’t do just that by allowing Bush to make all these crazy changes?

Just before America said sayonara to Bush in January, he passed his “bailout”... quite similar to Obama’s. We now have 1.175 trillion dollars in planned “bailout” spending for 2009 alone.

The end result? Your grand kids will owe quite a bit of money to some private bank in New York for the duration of their lives. Oh and maybe hyperinflation, but we’ll see.

We just “bailed” out a bunch of companies on Wall Street with money that we don't actually have. Is using a fiat currency that is issued by a privately owned institution (the so-called "Federal" Reserve, which is not actually federal.) helping things? Should the GOP be supporting this?

Let me get this straight, we are letting Wall Street keep what they make, but paying for their losses? Privatizing gains and socializing losses? The GOP is supporting this?

That’s certainly not free market-capitalism. It is one thing though, it’s dangerous.

Jefferson agreed with me at least, when he said, “I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.”

Jackson didn't like these guys too much either, central bankers. His exact words were, "Should I let you go on, you will ruin fifty thousand families, and that would be my sin! You are a den of vipers and thieves. I intend to rout you out, and by the eternal God, I will rout you out.”

Scary, but perhaps he’s right. Tent cities are springing up all over the nation, and foreclosures are soaring. USA Today reported in February that the foreclosure numbers for 2008 were over 3 million. Sure sounds like a lot of ruined families to me.

Something isn't right.

The GOP betrayed the free-market.

“Why did we lose?” I keep hearing GOP members ask.

The GOP lost because it has failed to represent the type of conservatism that most people actually want. It pushed neoconservatives to the front and tried to silence the rest, it pushed a security state that nobody likes, and jumped into bed with authoritarians, banksters, and big-government.

During the election, a popular term, “Rudy McRomneyson” (An amalgamation of Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney, and Fred Thompson) caught on amongst circles of voters. That’s just the result of the GOP peddling more of the same.

The last thing people want are more big-government Bush clones like McCain.

GOP Governor of South Carolina, Mark Sanford, touched upon this in a recent commentary for CNN, “Conservatives didn’t lose the election, the GOP did.”

“Republicans have campaigned on the conservative themes of lower taxes, less government and more freedom -- they just haven't governed that way. America didn't turn away from conservatism, they turned away from many who faked it,” he said.

Congressman Ron Paul tried to point out the inconsistencies of the current Republican policies during the primaries. McCain and Guiliani, both ganged up on him for a laugh fest in what was supposedly a series of official presidential debates.

When the moderators of these so-called debates are putting words into the candidates’ mouths and the GOP leadership isn’t outraged, something seems very wrong.

I’d recommend checking out the Fox News debate from September 5, 2007, for Chris Wallace’s smarmy assertion that Paul takes his “marching orders” from Al Qaeda.

The GOP should have called for Wallace’s head, and condemned him for a lack of journalistic integrity. Instead the front liners all giggled like little school girls.

They then proceeded to lose the both houses of Congress and the White House. Nice work.

Is the GOP still laughing?

I thought Republicans advocated smaller government, insuring my privacy, promoting free market capitalism, avoiding wars, and letting people speak their minds.

At least, that’s what I was told throughout my young-adulthood while the Republicans endured their 90s exile from Washington. With the exception of Paul, Sanford, and a few others, I’ve yet to see the GOP really practice what they preach.

Dear GOP, want to win in 2012? Want disillusioned people like me to rejoin your party?

I have a new commandment for you then… The Twelfth Commandment: Thou shall forget the Eleventh Commandment (A repeal of a prohibition if you will. Why not? It worked out once before back with the booze ban didn’t it?).

Kick the neoconservatives to the curb. Libertarian ideals made the GOP revered. Neoconservatives have made the GOP hated.

Political Activist Celeste Craig coined a term I’ve heard catching on: ‘RINO’. It means Republican-in-name-only. I think it's time for the GOP to call in Animal Control. It was supposed to be an elephant party and RINOs weren’t invited, but they barged their way in and now we have nothing short of a circus.

I didn’t leave the GOP until the GOP left me. I’m still the same kid I was all those years ago.
I still give Al Franken nightmares. I strike fear into the hearts of socialists. The Soviet Union fell in ‘91 because it was scared of what I might do to it when I grew up.

I just don’t like being taxed. I don’t like being watched by people I don't know. I don’t like having my rights to self-defense reduced. I don’t like having my children and their children living in perpetual debt. If that makes me un-Republican, so be it. I'm a conservative first.

Finally, I don’t like being told what to do, and I don’t think other Americans do either.

If the Republicans want to win, they need to have the same attitude. If Republicans want to win, they must disassociate themselves with ideas of a 'security' state. They must disassociate with ideas of amnesty for illegal aliens, tax-payer “bailouts”, and bigger government. If Republicans want to win, they’d better start remembering the ‘republic’ part of their name and work to restore the republic. If Republicans want to win, they need to re-inject a little ‘Don’t tread on me’ back into their mainline.

America started out as a nation of independent rebels who hated authoritarians. Now we have the largest civil government in history and we're taxed left and right. There's something wrong with that picture and the GOP should take notice.

Cut spending. Protect property. Condemn torture. Fight invasions of privacy. Speak out against run-away spending, banking scams, and theft. Work to shrink government size. Hold government accountable (that includes GOP members) to the public. Defend the second amendment. Respect the sovereignty of states. Exhaust diplomacy before starting more wars—they’re too damn expensive.

A few years back, a couple of guys mapped out a game-winning plan for you guys to follow in 2012. They called it the United States Constitution.

Thoughts on Christian Life

2009-04-10T12:48:00.000-07:00

From Pope Benedict XVI's interview with E. von Gemmingen, the head of the German section of Vatican Radio on August 15, 2005:

“I want them to understand that it is beautiful to be a Christian! The generally prevailing idea is that Christians have to observe an immense number of commandments, prohibitions, precepts, and other such restrictions, so that Christianity is a heavy and oppressive way of living, and it would therefore be more liberating to live without all these burdens.

But I would like to make it clear that to be sustained by this great Love and God’s sublime revelation is not a burden, but rather a set of wings – that it is truly beautiful to be a Christian. It is an experience that gives us room to breathe and move, but most of all, it places us within a community since, as Christians, we are never alone: first of all, there is God, who is always with us; secondly, we are always forming a great community among ourselves: a community of people together on a journey, a community with a project for the future. All of this means that we are empowered to live a life worth living. This is the joy of being a Christian; that it is beautiful and right to believe!"

Pope Benedict XVI, From a Homily given on April 24th, 2005:

"And only where God is seen does life truly begin. Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is. We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution.

Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary. There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel, by the encounter with Christ. There is nothing more beautiful than to know Him and to speak to others of our friendship with Him."

Good

2009-04-05T16:56:00.000-07:00

I've had some things running through my head lately, and this blog is the first of those thoughts I have decided to put into writing.

Have you ever somebody make the outrageous claim that they are a good person? Have they ever used reasoning like: "I'm a good person, I've never killed anyone." or "I'm a good person, I don't steal things."?
Perhaps that claim isn't so outrageous. After all, it is good if you haven't killed anyone (but does this mean that soldiers are bad people?), or don't steal things. However, there are a couple of problems with the claims. First off, by whose standards are we living a "good" life? Good according to society? According to the laws of the United States?
What is God's standard? I used to believe that human beings were inherently evil. I used to believe that society taught man to be good (Keep in mind that I do mean man/woman, he/she, and his/her throughout this blog). However, the more I read the Bible, and the more I learn about the world in general, is that mankind, by his very nature, is good. When God created man, in fact, when he finished his creating, he saw that all that he had made was good! So, if this is the case, that all mankind, although sinful, is good.
God does not call man to be just good, though. He calls them to be Holy. And if you're standard is holiness, then "good" does not seem to impressive on the totem pole. He calls us to be like Jesus - the perfect HUMAN! When Christ died, he achieved perfect humanity.
This idea springs into my head whenever I hear someone claim they are a good person. While I am far from holy (that's why the term is "practicing Christian"), I hope my life is a countinuous process of achieving holiness.

Mixed Marriage

2009-03-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

This is an Irish comedian named Dara O'Briain. This particular set really hit close to home. I found it hilarious. Hope you enjoy:

Office Fun Part Deux

2009-03-11T07:44:00.000-07:00

This particular event happened about a month ago. It's not only to gripe about a student, but about how people work (or don't work) at FIU:

A man walked into the office and walked straight through to the back (where the Writing Center is located). I figured he knew where he was going. He comes back to the front and yells, in a very heavy Hispanic accent:

Man with Accent (MwA): LEGAL STUDIES?!?!?!

Me: Excuse Me?

MwA: LEGAL STUDIES INSTITUTE?!?!

Me: Are you looking for Legal Studies?

MwA: Ya.

Me: Well this is the Testing Center and Learning Center.

MwA: No, they're here.

Me: Actually, we've been here since December 2007. They must have been here before, but had to change location.

MwA: Well, I remember that they were here.

Me: Well, I think they moved down the hall (point with my finger) and then turn right. I don't remember which room number exactly, though. Let me check (I check the phonebook online and I confirm the room number). Yeah they are in GL 153.

MwA: Okay. Thank you.

Me: Have a nice day.

About 6 minutes later, he comes in the office again.

MwA: They have to be in here.

Me: They're not in GL 153?

MwA: No. They're here.

Me: The person in 153 told you that?

MwA: No. Nobody is there. They're here.

Me: Why don't I call them for you, because they may not have updated their location on the phonebook.

MwA: They have to be here.

Me: Just hold on...

I call the Legal Studies number.

Legal Studies Receptionist (LSR): Legal Studies, how can I help you?

Me: Hi. I have a student at GL 120 looking for your office. Where are you located?

LSR: We're at MARC 130.

Me: Oh, okay. It's just that online it said you were located in GL 153.

LSR: Yes, I know.

(Awkward silence...I feel like saying 'are you going to do anything about it?')

Me: Okay. Well, thank you.
to MwA
Well, apparently they are located in MARC 130.

I show him a campus map and he goes on his merry way. Not only do I have to deal with troublesome students, but the employees at this bureaucracy they call FIU are not much help either...

Gabby's Office Fun I

2009-03-10T05:44:00.000-07:00

Due to continuous inspiration from my friend, Merari, I've decided to start posting some office stories, whether they be current or happened at some point during my 3 year, 9-month employment at FIU. This particular story happened yesterday. I know a lot of people hate their bosses, but this is the first time I can hear the disgust and hate in a man's voice. I've blocked out his name for my office's security protocols. And please pardon the profanity, I thought it best to leave it in so you get the sense of the anger in his heart LOL. Enjoy!

Me: Good morning, FIU Testing. How can help you?

Man on Phone (MoP): Hello, Cesar?!

Me: Cesar is not in at the moment. Is there anything I can help you with?

MoP: Cesar?

Me: No, this is not Cesar. He won't be in until 11:30.

MoP: Listen I spoke to Cesar yesterday about possibly coming in earlier than 8am for an individual exam.

Me: Are you !@#^^&(#)(^!#?

MoP: Yeah.

Me: Well, what I can do is take your name and number down and give this message to Cesar when he comes in. I know he's proctoring an exam at that time, but I might be able to give him this message right before.

MoP: That's fine, buddy. But I really need to speak with him. There's no way my boss is gonna let me come to work late. She's new, but she's a cold ass bitch. She's the kind of woman who would say "no" just for the sake of saying "no." You get me?

Me: (trying to hold in laughter) Yeah, I understand. So, I'll have him give you a call back.

MoP: Please, buddy.

Apparently, this exchange between Cesar and MoP happened the day before.

MoP: Is there any way I can test earlier than 8am?

Cesar: Our office opens at 8, though.

MoP: Listen, I would pay you fifty bucks if you could proctor my exam at 8. The thing is that I have this new boss. She's one of those lesbian bitches who gets off on controlling a man. She loves to say "no." It pleases her...

Cesar: Well, I'll tell you what. I'll ask my director what we can do and I'll give you a call back tomorrow.

MoP: Thanks, Cesar. You have no idea what it's like to work with that woman.

Party or Church

2009-02-22T16:21:00.000-08:00

People in the United States have a problem. They have a confusion of beliefs. Perhaps you can call them dualist or pluralist, but I think it's just that they are inconsistent with their beliefs. People, particularly people of faith, seem more comfortable siding with their political party in most cases than with the doctrine of their beliefs. I have seen myself tackling with this issue as well, but I have realized what I have been doing. Although I see the problem, it's hard for me to change it, because I am just so comfortable with what I believe, that I do not budge from it in order to believe what Christianity will tell me what is right.

Let's take the Christians who are part of the Republican party (like me). Most of us would say that we are pro-life. We believe abortion is wrong and according to our belief system, that would be accurate. However, why is life only restricted to abortion? What about the prisoner of war who we support getting tortured? How Christian is torture? What about the death penalty? I understand that these are criminals getting the penalty, but as Christians, shouldn't we forgive? Isn't that the answer to the WWJD bracelets?

Continuing on the life issue, why are most Christians supportive of an unjust war? By unjust war, I mean one where the USA are the aggressors. Many supporters claim that Iraq is linked to 9/11, but there is no proof of that unless Saddam Hussein actually sat down and conspired with Osama bin Laden.

What about universal health care and welfare? As a fiscal conservative, myself, it is extremely hard for me to support these programs. But as a Christian, those are two programs that I feel guilty not supporting. Wouldn't God be pleased with everyone getting health care? Wouldn't God want us to help our fellow humans whenever they cannot afford the basic necessities of life?

There are countless other doctrines that come into conflict when the political party is easier to be in line with than the faith. And those conflicts are on both the left and the right of the political spectrum. If that's the case, can either party truthfully claim to be the "party of God"? I just think some dialogue needs to be started.

A Movie that Touched my Heart

2009-01-01T18:05:00.001-08:00

This afternoon, I relunctantly went to watch a movie called "Marley and Me." I didn't expect to do much except laugh a little bit and come out of the theater thinking it was a good holiday movie, but one I should have waited to rent, instead. I was mistaken, and I am glad I went to see this movie. It was one of my favorite movies of the year (I know it's 2009 now, but I consider this a 2008 movie). There may be a spolier or two, but it will not ruin the ultimate ending of the movie.

A lot of ideas and emotions ran through me as I watched this film, and afterwards when I thought about it. When I came home, my dog greeted me at the door, and although she is old, lazy, and grouchy, this dog is a part of my family. I picked her up and petted her as she eagerly sniffed me and wagged her tail. It is true what was said in the movie about dogs - what's great about dogs is that no matter if you are rich, poor, clever, dull, smart, or dumb, a dog is going to love you as long as you give it your heart.

This movie also renewed my interest in journalism. The couple were a pair of journalists for the Sun-Sentinel and the Palm Beach Post. When I was studying journalism, before, my goal was to become a columnist. Something about putting what's on your mind on paper always appealed to me. Who knows where God will take me. If teaching does not pan out, maybe that could be something I pursue. It takes a while to climb up that ladder, though. And a lot of sacrifice.

Last but not least, this movie made me think of the next phase of my life. I'll be graduating from FIU soon, and there are important decisions I will need to make, including some major committments (I'm sure that last statement is going to garner a bunch of comments itself, or at least solicit some deep thought).

If you have not seen Marley & Me, and you own a dog, or are perhaps just a lover of animals, you really should see the movie. If those categories do not apply to you, it's a good movie, nonetheless.

Resolutions & Prayers

2008-12-31T07:54:00.000-08:00

I know that it is custom to make goals for an upcoming year - a New Year's Resolution. But, while I do have certain things I want to accomplish, they aren't my priority. I was thinking a lot about my family this Christmas, and today, my head was filled with prayers, petitions, and hope for each member of my family (my immediate one). I'd like to ask each of you, my friends, to pray for them for me whenever you get a chance. I can use all the help I can get.

For my father: that any grudges he may hold can be lifted from him his heart. That any supposed wrong-doing that had happened in the past can be forgiven. That the same wrong-doing that has kept my family separated for over a decade can cease and the family can come together again.

LORD, hear my prayer.

For my mother: that she put all her trust in the LORD. That her faith be renewed. That she comes to learn the grace that the LORD has put in front of her in form of Jesus.

LORD, hear my prayer.

For my oldest brother, Luis: that the LORD help him control his anger. That he comes to learn peace and humility. That he comes to realize that the only true path to peace is through Jesus.

LORD, hear my prayer.

For my brother, Danny: that the LORD teach him to forgive. That the LORD rid him of his stubborness. That he stops putting false gods before Him. That he realizes that only through Christ can his life be put on the right track.

LORD, hear my prayer.

For my sister, Lilly: that the LORD help her focus on what is important. That she comes to understand that life is best fulfilled when lived with Jesus at heart. That she get her studies in order.

LORD, hear my prayer.

For myself: I pray for peace. I pray that I can become a better example of a Christian. That through my example, my friends and family can realize the good that the LORD has done for me (and them).

LORD, hear my prayer, heal my heart, and as it is said in the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi:

"Make me a channel of your peace,
Where there is hatred let me bring your love,
Where there is injury your pardon Lord,
And where there's doubt true faith in you.
Make me a channel of your peace,
Where there's despair in life, let me bring hope,
Where there is darkness, only light,
And where there's sadness, ever joy.
O Master grant that I may never seek,
So much to be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love with all my soul.
Make me a channel of your peace,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
In giving to all men that we receive
And in dying that we are born to eternal life."

AMEN.

Thank you for your time.

Characteristics of an Excellent Christian Teacher

2008-11-18T07:35:00.000-08:00

I've started to look at different private schools to see if I can get a jump-start on my teaching career. I came across a document in the Westminster Christian School's website. They created a list of characteristics they look for in a teacher, and I thought it was really thought-provoking.

An excellent Christian teacher:

I. is an excellent Christian example,

II. has positive expectations for student success,

III. gets students excited about learning—even in subjects they consider less
interesting,

IV. communicates promptly and effectively,

V. gives worthwhile homework assignments that are…
a. challenging but fair and
b. that prepare the student to test well,

VI. supports the work and vision of Westminster Christian School (maybe we can just
say Christian schools in general?),

VII. goes above and beyond the call of duty,

VIII. is a subject matter and grade level expert—
a. passionate and enthusiastic about teaching it,
b. teaching it from a distinctly Christian world and life view, and
c. making the subject come alive for the student,

IX. knows and cares about each child as an individual, and

X. is a true professional.

Being Like a Palm Tree

2008-11-03T14:33:00.000-08:00

Thank you for all who read the blog I posted last night. Your heartfelt words made me feel better. I was watching TV last night (because I had trouble sleeping due to my worries and disappointment) and a verse from the Bible screamed out to me. It was such a simple verse.

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree.

- Psalm 92:12a

Those eight words said so much about what I was going through. Not so much about what I had gone through, actually, but how I am going to get out of it.

During a hurricane, you see all kinds of trees being blown down and uprooted. Oak trees may be sturdy, but they are no match for 100 mph winds. Pine trees may be huge and intimidating in size, but after a hurricane, they lay in yard after yard after yard. None of those trees can withstand the hurricane force winds. The only kind of tree that does not get blown down is the palm tree.

You know why? God designed the palm tree to withstand the storm. Unlike most other trees, the palm tree is able to bend so that it does not break. In fact the palm tree can bend all the way over to where the top is almost touching the ground, and still not break. During a hurricane, it may be that way for four or five hours. The palm tree looks like it's done and ready to snap in half.

You can just imagine the hurricane huffing and puffing, and thinking: "I may not be able to uproot you, but I can keep you from ever standing up again." That hurricane keeps blowing and he thinks he's winning the battle. But when the hurricane runs out of steam, that palm tree comes right back up to where it was before. It's like if it takes a deep breath, stretches out real good and thinks: "Aww yeah! This is where I'm supposed to be."

Why is that? It's because God put a "bounce-back" in the palm tree. It may get pushed over, but it's temporary. It's only a matter of time before it rises back up again. During the storm, the palm tree does not get worried. He doesn't get depressed and think: "Oh no. Another hurricane. This will be the one. I'm sure it will defeat me." He just stays in peace. He sees other trees around him going down. But the palm tree knows what it is. It knows that God has put a "bounce-back" in his DNA.

Studies show that when the palm tree is being bent and pushed over, its root system is actually being strengthened and given new opportunities for growth. When the storm is over, the palm tree smiles because it knew it was going to come back up. But, what do you know? It came back up stronger than it ever was before.

That's what God says will happen to us if we stay in faith. At least in one interpretation of that verse. God could have said that we would flourish like an oak tree. That means we'd be big, sturdy, and have great branches. He could have said that we'd flourish like a pine tree. That means we'd be tall, impressive, and be able to see for miles.

God used the palm tree in that verse, because God knew that there would be difficult times. He knew things would come against us to lose our joy, our worse, our faith. But God has put a "bounce-back" in our spirit.

The storms of life will come. The winds will blow. At times it looks like we're finished. But just like that palm tree, when the storm is over, you're not going to stay down. You're going to come right back up again. No weapon formed against me will ever prosper as long as I keep the faith in God.

A good person may fall seven times, yet the LORD raises him up. When the storm is done, I'm going to come back stronger than I was before. No matter how hard the winds blow, they cannot break me or topple me.

I'm still standing. I'm standing up for myself. I'm standing up for those I love. Most importantly, I'm standing up for Jesus.

2008-11-03T08:50:00.000-08:00

"People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you may win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. People who really want help may attack you if you help them. Help them anyway. Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt. Give the world your best anyway."

- Mother Theresa

Part One of My Confessions

2008-10-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

After reading the title of this blog, you may have thought one of two things:

1) That title must be referencing to a past hit single by a popular R&B singer.

or

2) Being that I am a Catholic Christian, it must have something to do with the sacrament of confession that practicing Roman Catholics occasionally go through.

Both of them are true. I could not come up with a clever title of my own, so I had to rob Usher of a lyric from his song. As far as number 2 goes, this blog is somewhat of a confession. No, you don't need to call a member of the clergy for this. I've been through that more than enough times, and even what I am about to say has been brought up to a priest before.

This particular blog is a confession, and at the same time, an apology, to all my Christian friends.

When I started out on my journey with Jesus, I say it began with Alexandra. A year and a half into our relationship, she and my friend, Miguel, convinced me to go with her to a Youth Group at what was called West Kendall Baptist Church. It was an amazing experience, but I did not truly feel moved to give my life over to Jesus until about my third visit to that youth group.

I joined Tamiami Baptist Church and was a member of that church for about a year. I was really involved with evangelical Christianity. I was looking at the Bible a whole different way now. And as each week passed, my love for God grew and grew. However, I did not like the kind of person I was becoming. I was constantly getting into arguments with the people I love the most, my family, because they were Catholics (not practicing). After a while, as I listened to my pastor's sermons, I found myself disagreeing with him more and more as each week came and gone.
So, I remember I decided to go to a Catholic mass one week.

It was hard at first. I remember freaking out with all the things people memorized at the church. I left mass early that day. However, I found myself heading back there the following Saturday. It became a bit of a new routine for me. I would go to St. Kevin's Catholic Church on Saturday, and head to Tamiami Baptist on Sunday. The more often I went to mass, the longer I stayed, until one week where I stayed until the end.

I noticed that the taboos I had been learning were not necessarily true. I had grown up in a household of non-practicing Catholics, aka "cafeteria Catholics" because they pick and choose what they believe to be true about Catholic doctrine. Another term came from Pastor Rob Myers' mouth in Easter: "Christian CEO's" or Christian Christmas and Easter Only. Not that I think of my family in a negative light. There are many Catholics - and Christians in general - who are in the same boat. I love them. I obviously just wish that they had that same fire and passion for the Lord that I do.

Back to my story...I did research. I read the Bible extensively. I purchased books from Catholic apologists and read materials of Protestants' arguments against Catholics being considered Christian. If I did that much research for my classes, I guarantee that I would have a 4.0 GPA right now. (Note to self: when completing assignments for school, pretend it is as important as your relationship with God...wait...is that heresy?)

Anyways, I sat down with the pastor of Tamiami Baptist to tell him that I would no longer be attending that church, and we had a civil discussion about faith in general. There are no hard feelings, which I am thankful for.

What drew me to Catholicism? Through Catholicism, I was able to strengthen my relationship with Jesus Christ, more than I had before. The constant spiritual feeding at my church fills my heart with the Holy Spirit everytime I am there. I really felt like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy felt that Kansas was a bland place and longed to go "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." She landed in Oz and met a bunch of colorful characters, but in the end, she realized that there was no place like home. I have found that home at St. Kevin's Catholic Church. While I am and always a Christian first, my yellow brick road has become the Catholic Church.

So, why am I apologizing? I am apologizing because when I landed back in my own rendition of Oz, I still was not a very loving - or Christian - person. I argued with a lot of my friends extensively, including the love of my life. Some of those arguments have left me bruised inside, and I have found it very hard to open up about my faith to my new Christian friends that I have met through Alexandra (some of you who read my blogs).

I sometimes feel awkward being at Miami Baptist Church, and it has nothing to do with the people there. My past experiences just flash into my mind and I become a very secluded, and defensive person. I really am trying to open up and being able to extend that arm of fellowship with Christians from a different denomination again, because I would think that God would want all of his followers to be united and spread the Gospel as one people. I am praying hard for God to lift that burden off my shoulders.

I am apologizing because I'm not sure if I have, or if in the future I may suddenly become defensive. And I assure you that it is not my intention. I'm sorry if I have ever given off that kind of impression.

Before I conclude, I wanted to thank two very important people. I wanted to thank Father Bob Vallee of St. Kevin's. This philosopher of a priest eased my transition from evangelical Christianity to Catholocism, being that his homilies are quite evangelical themselves. I also wanted to thank Pastor Dave who is on my "Blogs I read" list. His Zeal sermons helped me go to church with my girlfriend, if at least once a month. Thank you for your amazing interpretations of scripture.

Thank you all for reading this - one of my longest original posts - and I look forward to serving the Lord for the rest of my life.

The Libertarian Case for Palin

2008-10-02T14:13:00.000-07:00

The potential political consequences of Sarah Palin have been chewed over from every imaginable angle.

Though there is plenty to ponder, one thing is certain: libertarian-inclined voters should be encouraged. No, I'm not suggesting that your little Molly will be bringing home "The Road to Serfdom" from her (distinctly non-public) elementary school. But in contrast to any national candidate in recent memory, Palin is the one that exudes the economic and cultural sensibilities of a geniune Western-style libertarian.

Now, Palin's lack of experience has been framed as an impenetrable negative. One wire story helpfully noted that Palin had never ever appeared on "Meet the Press." Shocking! But as Barack Obama often notes, it's not about experience, it's about judgment. And Palin's penchant for reform-minded conservatism is certainly at odds with the racket Washington Republicans have offered up the past 8 years.

Palin, for example, vetoed 300 pork projects in Alaska in her first year in office. She made a habit of knocking out big-government Republicans in her brief political career. For this, the 44-year-old mother of five enjoys a sterling approval rating in a state with arguably the nation's most libertarian-minded populace.

When it comes to healthcare, Palin says she wants to "allow free-market competition and reduce onerous government regulation." These days, any mention of the "free market" that's not framed as a crass pejorative is a sign of progress.

Culturally, there is little for the Heartland to dislike. By now, you've probably seen picture or two of Palin sporting a rifle. Apparently, she's left carcasses strewn across the Alaskan wilderness. In some places -- areas where the nation is growing -- owning a gun is not yet a sin. And unlike Obama, Palin seems to believe that the Second Amendment means the exact same thing in rural Alaska as it does in the streets of Chicago.

Yes, Palin is without argument a staunch social conservative. She is fervently opposed to abortion - even in cases of rape and incest, which will raise eyebrows, but is certainly more philosophically consistent than the namby pambyism of your average politician. The choice issue, after all, is complicated, even for many libertarians. And, as I was recently reminded, Ron Paul, the Libertarian champion of the 21st century, also opposes abortion.

Even when advocating for "moral" issues, Palin's approach is a soft sell. Palin does not support gay marriage (neither does Obama, it should be noted). Yet, in 2006, Palin's first veto as Governor was a bill that sought to block state employee benefits and health insurance for same-sex couples.

We cannot bore into Palin's soul to see her true feelings about gay couples, but, at the time, she noted that signing "this bill would be in direct violation of my oath of office" because it was unconstitutional. For most libertarians, the thought of politician following any constitution, rather than their own predilections, morality or the "common good," is a nice change of pace.

On the counterproductive War on Drugs, Palin is no warrior. Her Republican opponent in 2006 primary, incumbent Republican governor Frank Murkowski, made recriminalizing the possession of small amounts of pot a priority. Palin, though she does not support legalization, believes enforcement should not be a high priority.

"I can't claim a Bill Clinton and say that I never inhaled," Palin once said. This sort of honesty is a welcome change from the standard hand-wringing about marijuana's supposed disastrous consequences.

On education, Palin supports school-choice programs. There have already been smears that she backed "creationist" teaching in "public" schools, when in fact, Palin's comment regarding intelligent design should hold some appeal to libertarians. Even if you find the idea inane, in essence, Palin pushed the idea that parents, rather than the state, should decide what children are learning.

When asked about this commotion, Palin said, "I won't have religion as a litmus test, or anybody's personal opinion on evolution or creationism." If lockstep left-wing union-run school boards in urban districts would follow this sound advice on ideological litmus tests, our educational system would be a lot more productive.

Then there is a question of authenticity. And it matters. Those who will do anything for power, will say anything and support any position that is convenient. From John McCain to Joe Biden to Obama, one gets the sense that political office is their life's work. All of them have made attempts to create the perception that, hey, they're ordinary Americans just like you. Palin won't have to work at genuineness. With Palin, you get the impression she can take politics or leave it. Her life certainly hasn't been saturated with policy, favor trading and back scratching.

Of course, Washington has a mysterious power to turn perfectly reasonable, wholesome, well-meaning human beings into equivocating crooked gasbags. But, from the little we know about Palin, such a transformation doesn't seem likely. And for libertarians - in the broadest sense of the small "l" word -- she's the best candidate they can expect.

By David Harsanyi of RealClearPolitics.com

The Lies of Barack Obama

2008-09-16T18:07:00.001-07:00

I'm not really a McCain fan, but I just find Obama's latest string of attack ads annoying and hypocritical. You know what I'm talking about. The ones about special interests and lobbyists.
Turns out Obama has had his share of dealings with lobbyists (more than McCain has actually)

Check out these links:

http://thehill. com/leading-the-news/lobbyists-on-obamas-08-payroll-2007-12-20. html

http://blogs. abcnews. com/theblotter/2007/07/despite-rhetori. html

http://www. boston. com/news/nation/articles/2007/09/23/in_illinois_obama_dealt_with_lobbyists/?page=full

http://www. boston. com/news/nation/articles/2007/08/09/pacs_and_lobbyists_aided_obamas_rise/

http://www. usatoday. com/news/politics/election2008/2008-04-15-obama_n. htm

http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/26/AR2008082603894_pf. html

http://abcnews. go. com/Blotter/Story?id=5640118&page=1

http://ap. google. com/article/ALeqM5gEqDQB17ei0NLxILZfrpxXaQmnMAD935GVQG0

http://voices. washingtonpost. com/fact-checker/2007/10/obama_edwards_and_the_lobbying. html

VOTE FOR LIBERTY!!! BOB BARR 2008!

www. bobbarr2008. com

Braman Lawsuit Threatens More Than Marlins Stadium

2008-07-11T11:03:00.000-07:00

We are an overly litigious society whose nuisance suits and frivolous suits keep lawyers in expensive suits.

Sometimes the plaintiff is a person who scalds himself with hot coffee but decides suing McDonald's for millions is nobler than cursing his own carelessness.

And sometimes the plaintiff is a 75-year-old Miami multimillionaire who got rich selling cars but now wants to slam the brakes on progress.

Norman Braman does a lot of good around here. Let's admit that first.

He is a philanthropist whose generosity has touched education and breast-cancer research. He was instrumental in realizing a Holocaust Museum in Miami Beach.

It doesn't mean he always is right, though. And it doesn't look like he is right in Braman v. Miami-Dade County, his lawsuit that goes to trial Thursday in Miami-Dade Circuit Court.

Braman's effort, if successful, would derail the county's $3 billion redevelopment ''megaplan'' for Miami -- the area's long-needed and most ambitious public-works initiative in decades, one that includes a new Marlins baseball stadium.

Here is local government, for all of its history of scandal and inefficiency, trying at last to think big and be big, and finally haul Miami into the 21st Century in terms of urban revitalization and renewal.

And here are the Marlins, after 11 years of trying, through three ownership groups and several evolutions of county and city commissions, finally on the cusp of breaking ground on a ballpark all its own.

Only to have the whole grand package jeopardized by one guy's nuisance suit.

This continues Braman's dubious track record of suing over how local government spends money.

In 1982, he led a campaign to defeat a city sales tax that would have renovated the Orange Bowl for the Dolphins. It was what led Joe Robbie to soon after announce he would build a stadium and move the team north. It was a harbinger of years of OB neglect that would lead to the Hurricanes also moving out and the old stadium being demolished.

With that, Braman had drawn his line against public dollars for stadiums. Yet barely a decade later, in 1993, he owned the Philadelphia Eagles and offered to build a stadium only if the city would donate the land. Evidently, Braman had by then developed a moral distinction between getting public money and getting public land.

In 1999, Braman helped defeat a one-cent sales tax earmarked for a $1 billion mass transit plan for Miami. Hmm. Imagine that. A car dealer fighting mass transit! No vested interest there, right?

Now Braman is aiming his slingshot at big government again, but unlike the Biblical David, the little guy is no hero. He is just a rich little guy with a slingshot and a team of lawyers, slinging a lawsuit because, well -- because he can.

(And perhaps because part of the Miami megaplan includes streetcars. Imagine! The car dealer is against mass transit again! What a coincidence!)

This trial's judge will rule against Braman (it says here) because so much of the suit's premise is on shaky legal footing. For example, he claims the megaplan should have been subject to a public vote, and yet the courts already have ruled the county/city vote was legal and not requiring a public referendum. He also claims it is unconstitutional to pledge public credit to a private enterprise (such as a baseball team), and yet the Florida Supreme Court ruled otherwise in the 1990s, allowing $318 million in public money to build a stadium for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and explaining the expenditure would be ``substantially beneficial to the public.''

''Beneficial to the public'' is fundamental here.

This is about our civic responsibility to see the larger picture and put the public good over individual wants.

A Marlins fan should support a new, 37,000-seat retractable dome stadium (even if not thrilled about the OB site in Little Havana), but even nonfans should appreciate the benefit of how a thriving big-league sports team can knit a community.

Similarly, you do not need to be a connoisseur of opera or ballet to see that a performing arts center improves our overall quality of life, just as you do not need to be a parent to support better schools. This $3 billion initiative, now on trial, would rejuvenate Overtown and transform Bicentennial Park into a waterfront jewel, among many other projects.

As for the new Marlins ballpark, the club would pay roughly $155 million of the $515 million cost, and the rest would come from tourists' hotel bed-tax dollars. That is a pretty painless deal for us locals, wallet-wise.

So let's get out of the courtroom and into the future, shall we?

Let's swat this silly trial that sits on our ambition like a mosquito.

Let's get to building a better Miami.

By Greg Cote - Miami Herald

Sports and Jesus

2008-05-08T05:53:00.000-07:00

This morning, on my way to work, I clicked on my favorite Sports Radio Station: 790 the Ticket. As usual Sid Rosenberg was on the air and rambling as usual about Sports and nonsense. Now, I like Sid Rosenberg. I liked listening to him back when he was on the air in the afternoon with OJ McDuffie. However, ever since he has moved to the morning slot, he has taken an approach to his show that I do not like. This morning, Sid Rosenberg's co-host had mentioned that UF quarterback Tim Tebow was doing some sort of missionary work somewhere and helped with ceremonial circumcisions. Where Sid Rosenberg mentioned was cool seeing as Sid is Jewish. His co-host then said, "Well, I doubt that he was spreading the word of Judaism." This goes without saying as Tim Tebow's parents were Christian missionaries who home-schooled all their children. After that, Sid says: "Well, he should have [been spreading the word of Judaism.] It's the right thing. In fact, if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you're on the wrong boat. 'Cause the last time I checked, the Jews were the chosen people."

Sid Rosenberg

This gets me a little upset for a few reasons. First of all, where does he go talking about that on a SPORTS radio show? I mean, why is he talking about how Jews are right and Christianity is wrong on a show where he should be talking about the Marlins, the Heat, the NBA playoffs, Dolphins training camp, the death of Eight Belles (the racehorse), etc. What gets me even more upset, though, is that he is going to get away with it. It's a freedom of religion/speech issue. However, I would like to see what would happen if a sports radio host, or a host of another secular show, were to say: "If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you are on the wrong boat." I bet you that there will be a tremendous uproar about that. Critics will be saying how this radio host was forcing religion down their throats and soon afterwords, he will be fired.

Not Sid Rosenberg, though. You know why? Because freedom of religion in this country only applies if you are Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist, Confucianist, etc. It does not apply if you are a Christian, despite the fact that this country was founded by Christians of all denominations. I cannot believe Sid would say how he is one of the chosen people, a week after he spent an entire segment talking about how humans were not meant to be monogamous, and how masturbation was a beautiful, natural element of being human.

I would like to close with a quote that has to deal with Christianity, Judaism, and choseness. I went to my girlfriend's church for Easter service this year, before she went to Easter mass with me, and her pastor said something that has stayed with me: "Christianity is Judaism fulfilled!" Ain't it the truth?

Therefore, who are the chosen people, really?

DISCLAIMER: I'm not racist or anything, but if you want to be politically correct, might as well be towards all people, not just for the minorities. This blog was not intended as a bigotry or racism, because as many people who know me can say, I am very tolerant of everyone. But freedom of speech also applies to me. And I believe that everyone should be treated equally.

Funny Stuff

2008-05-08T05:33:00.001-07:00

Yankees Bury Bernie Williams Under Yankee Stadium for Good Luck

2008-04-21T10:24:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK—Citing a need for physical and spiritual cleansing after a Boston Red Sox fan entombed a David Ortiz jersey in the floor of the new facility, the New York Yankees buried former centerfielder Bernie Williams under 4,650 pounds of concrete Wednesday in the foundation of the new Yankee Stadium for good luck.

According to team sources, the instant the 39-year-old Williams was completely submerged in the rapidly setting structural material, stopping his voice as his lungs and mouth filled with concrete, the sun broke through the clouds and shone on the yet-incomplete field. Yankees part-owner Hank Steinbrenner called the occurrence a sign indicating that the "Curse Of A Red Sox Fan's David Ortiz Jersey" had been reversed, and that God was once again on the Yankees' side.

"Any attempt to put a hex on the New York Yankees has been successfully averted," Steinbrenner told reporters while standing over the still-wet concrete slab beneath which, judging by the sluggish ripples and lopsided bubbles in the hardening agglomerate, Williams still struggled. "Not that this organization believes in curses. We're the Yankees. We believe the success of our team is based purely on our players and their on-field performance. And we act accordingly."

"However," Steinbrenner continued, "Bernie was on our last World Series team in 2000, so we figured burying him under our new home certainly couldn't hurt. Also, he was available, and his appearance fee was quite reasonable."

The burial ceremony, which delayed the completion of the stadium approximately three weeks and cost roughly $1.5 million—$1,000 of which will go to Bernie Williams' family—involved placing Williams into a six-foot-deep concrete hole directly where the tattered Red Sox jersey was found.

Dressed in his full Yankees uniform and batting helmet, and clutching an autographed ball signed by all members of Yankees' 1996 World Series team, Williams was lowered into the ground and then covered with a combination of concrete, fly ash, slag cement, and coarse aggregate consisting mostly of gravel limestone.

Though Yankees officials did not allow Williams' family to attend the burial, citing the fact they were not "true Yankees," they permitted the former centerfielder to take with him a picture of his wife and three children after Williams provided video evidence proving that all of his family members were present and cheered during the Yankees' championship run between 1996 and 2000.

"Now, we're not necessarily hoping that having him in the foundation will mean our outfielders will start throwing like Bernie, our hitters will begin hitting like him, or our faster baserunners will start running like him," Yankees first-year coach Joe Girardi said. "Most of our guys are already better than he was. We just know—and this is what I told Bernie's family—that the good deed of letting a former Yankee permanently come home will be recognized by the baseball gods and will translate into Yankee victories, which will be good for the entire human race."

Williams, who was smiling from the moment he arrived at the new stadium until his face could no longer be seen, was grateful for the opportunity.

"I would do anything to help this ballclub win another World Series," Williams shouted up to reporters while standing in rapidly filling pit. "Just to be part of this organization again in some capacity is an honor and privilege. And even though I haven't received a thank you from the Steinbrenner family, I know they are appreciative."

"This is what it means to be a lifelong Yankgluh [sic]," Williams attempted to add.

According to Yankees president Randy Levine, the organization had been discussing various ways to exorcize the curse of the buried Red Sox jersey, under which the Yankees went an "unacceptable" 4-4. Levine said that it was Hal Steinbrenner who suggested submerging a former or current player in concrete as a good luck charm.

Interoffice e-mails confirm that players who made the short list were Yogi Berra, Paul O'Neill, and current Yankee outfielder Shelley Duncan.

"Truth be told, we didn't even think of Bernie," Levine said. "But then we got a call from his agent. It took a bit of convincing on their part, but in the end it seemed like this fulfilled both of our needs."

"By giving Bernie this chance, we have once again proven why we are the classiest organization in all of sports," Levine added. "Lesser teams would have overreacted to this whole curse thing and buried Derek Jeter."

When asked if burial in the new stadium guaranteed that Williams' No. 51 would be retired in the new Monument Park, both Steinbrenners had no comment, saying only that they appreciated Mr. Williams' commitment to the team.

Open the Doors

2008-04-18T20:08:00.000-07:00

"Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to Him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation....When we give ourselves to Him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life."

- Benedict XVI

Tita

2008-03-04T09:01:00.000-08:00

I love you with all my heart. I dunno how I'm gonna hold up tonight when I see you for the first time...and you won't be breathing. I'll see what happens. I ask God to stregnthen your family and all of us as we try to live without your loud voice sticking out amongst chaos...and your spunkiness brightening up everyone's mood.

I cannot wait to see you one day again.

RIP

1/31/1962 - 3/3/2008

:'(

Love Me If You Can

2008-02-26T06:55:00.000-08:00

This song by Toby Keith really speaks volumes about where I'm at in my life. Thought I'd like to share....

Sometimes I think that war is necessary.
Every night I pray for peace on Earth.
I hand out my dollars to the homeless.
But believe that every able soul should work.
My father gave me my shotgun
that I'll hand down to my son,
try to teach him everything it means.

I'm a man of my convictions.
Call me wrong, call me right.
But I bring my better angels to every fight.
You may not likewhere I'm going,
but you sure know where I stand.
Hate me if you want to, love me if you can.

I stand by my right to speak freely.
But I worry 'bout what kids learn from TV.
And before all of debatin' turns to angry words and hate,
sometimes we should just agree to disagree.
And I believe that Jesus
looks down here and sees us,
and if you ask him he would say

I'm a man of my convictions.
Call me wrong, call me right.
But I bring my better angels to every fight.
You may not like where I'm going,
but you sure know where I stand.
Hate me if you want to, love me if you can. (Repeat)

Quotes from Jose Marti

2008-02-20T06:06:00.000-08:00

"Talent is a gift that brings with it an obligation to serve the world, and not ourselves, for it is not of our making. To use for our exclusive benefit what is not ours is theft. Culture, which makes talent shine, is not completely ours either, nor can we place it solely at our disposal. Rather, it belongs mainly to our country, which gave it to us, and to humanity, from which we receive it as a birthright. A selfish man is a thief."

"It is the duty of man to raise up man. One is guilty of all abjection that one does not help to relieve. Only those who spread treachery, fire, and death out of hatred for the prosperity of others are undeserving of pity."

"A genuine man goes to the roots. To be a radical is no more than that: to go to the roots. He who does not see things in their depth should not call himself a radical."

"It is a sin not to do what one is capable of doing."

"Men of action, above all those whose actions are guided by love, live forever. Other famous men, those of much talk and few deeds, soon evaporate. Action is the dignity of greatness."

"Liberty is the right of every man to be honest, to think and to speak without hypocrisy."

"Socialist ideology, like so many others, has two main dangers. One stems from confused and incomplete readings of foreign texts, and the other from the arrogance and hidden rage of those who, in order to climb up in the world, pretend to be frantic defenders of the helpless so as to have shoulders on which to stand."

"People are made of hate and of love, and more of hate than love. But love, like the sun that it is, sets afire and melts everything."

"It is my duty to prevent, through the independence of Cuba, the U.S.A. from spreading over the West Indies and falling with added weight upon other lands of Our America. All I have done up to now and shall do hereafter is to that end. . . . I know the Monster, because I have lived in its lair—and my weapon is only the slingshot of David."

"A grain of poetry suffices to season a century."

"He who uses the office he owes to the voters wrongfully and against them is a thief."

"It is terrible to speak of you, Liberty, for one who lives without you."

"Love is the bond between men, the way to teach and the center of the world."

"Men are like the stars; some generate their own light while others reflect the brilliance they receive."

"Others go to bed with their mistresses; I with my ideas."

and my favorite...

"I'd rather die standing than live on my knees."

Due to Popular demand

2008-02-20T05:46:00.000-08:00

The Gift of Gab has arrived!

Sad attempts at humor will come shortly...

Along with my usual cluttered thoughts on politics, religion, etc.

A Response to Atheism

2008-02-13T06:38:00.000-08:00

From Blogger Andrew Sullivan in response to ardent atheist Sam Harris who claimed that religion is dangerous and should be abandoned by all of humanity for its greater good...

Why would I want to forget all of that precious inheritance - the humility of Mary, the foolishness of Peter, the genius of Paul, the candor of Augustine, the genius of Francis, the glory of Chartres cathedral, the haunting music of Tallis, the art of Michelangelo, the ecstasies of Teresa, the rigor of Ignatius, the whole astonishing, ravishing panoply of ancient Christianity that suddenly arrived at my door, in a banal little town in an ordinary family in the grim nights of the 1970s in England?

You want to be contingency-free? Maybe you need a richer slice of contingency. There is more wisdom, depth, range, glory, nuance and truth in my tradition than can be dreamt of in your rationalism. In answer to your question, "why not leave all this behind?" my answer is simply: why on earth would I? Why would any sane person abandon such an astonishingly rich inheritance that civilizes, informs, educates, inspires and then also saves? If faith were to desert me, I may be forced to leave. But even then, the wealth of that human inheritance would inform me and make my life worth living. I would cling to and celebrate this cultural inheritance, even if the faith that made it possible has waned for me.

Why would a human being not look at the unclean glass he is born with and ask: what is this that I have been given? Who passed this down to me? Why? Who died to give this to me? Who suffered? Who spent their lives transcribing texts to keep the memory of this man alive? Who built these churches and composed these chants and wrote these books for me to engage long after they have all disappeared from the earth? How does this amazing cultural, intellectual, spiritual inheritance connect with that inchoate sense of the divine that still permeates my soul? Could it be that what I sense in my soul is what Augustine sensed? What Dominic sensed? What John actually saw and loved and rested his head against?

I know this may sound alien to you. So let me put this in a context that might appeal to you, as a rational, empirical person. How do you explain Christianity's enduring power? Is it all a terrible, ugly blight on the human mind that must be thrown out in favor of "truly honest, fearless inquiry"? But wouldn't "truly honest, fearless inquiry" into religious faith begin by asking how Christianity came to exist at all?

Consider the evidence. I do not believe in a flying spaghetti monster. I believe in Jesus of Nazareth as God Incarnate. We have no evidence of a flying spaghetti monster. But we have solid evidence of Jesus' existence. We have a handful of independent historical artifacts that attest that a minor Jewish rabbi in first century Israel was executed by the Roman authorities. We have many Gospels that date from the period after his death testifying to the power of his message. Purported messiahs and crucifixions were not uncommon at the time. But only one of the thousands of Rome's victims is remembered in this way - and not just remembered but worshiped over two millennia later in the most advanced civilization the world has ever known. Does this not intrigue you? Have you never asked in the spirit of "truly honest, fearless inquiry": How on earth did this happen?

As a simple piece of historical inquiry, it's an astonishingly unlikely turn of events. Within a short period of time, not only was an obscure, failed Jewish rabbi remembered, his teachings became the official religion of the empire that had executed him. In the ensuing centuries, his life and teachings inspired many of the greatest minds, souls and talents humankind has ever produced. The collapse of the empire that elevated him did not lead to the disappearance of Christianity. It led to its eventual re-emergence as a vibrant, beautiful, rich experience for millions. Only Muhammad and the Buddha rival the story of this man - a fact that leads me to ask questions of both (particularly Buddhism), but which prompts you to condemn and anathematize all religious claims of any kind.

Even today, as I type these words, I look on my desk and see the sign I bring with me everywhere: his cross. When I go to dinner later, a small cross will come with me, in my wallet. In my study at home, a fourteenth century wooden carving of Jesus stares down at me from the wall. He is alive in me and millions of others after all this time, sustaining, nurturing, inspiring not just me but countless more. Even if you do not believe in him in the way I do, surely you must acknowledge that something very special has been going on here, something truly remarkable, something beyond the norm of much else in human history.

I have a rational, empirical explanation for this. It is that those who saw Jesus saw something so astonishing, so utterly unlike anything that had ever occurred before, that they became on fire with this new truth. They saw God. It was a contingent expression of God - how could it not be if humans were to witness it? But it was also an eternal expression, so that today some will still say: I know this Jesus as well as anyone ever knew him. And Jesus grasped this paradox of contingent-eternity that is the core mystery of the Incarnation.

"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."

A Haiku for You

2008-02-13T06:37:00.000-08:00

Haikus are Easy

But sometimes they don't make sense

Refrigerator

Save the whale, but not the baby?

2008-02-13T06:31:00.000-08:00

The following is an article taken from the Florida Catholic that was written by Archbishop John Favarola.

My dear friends,

Last month, ABC News reported on some "amazing images of animals in the womb."

The images were obtained using the same ultrasound technology that for nearly two decades has allowed human parents to peek inside the mother's womb and, if they choose, find out the sex of their unborn baby.

Apparently, this ultrasound technology had not been used on animals until National Geographic scientists embarked on this study, which is aimed at helping animals "survive."

Listen to some of the remarks uttered by the reporter based on the observations made by the scientists:

"Amazing images of animals in the womb shed new light on the beginning of life. …

"In the beginning, we are all very much alike; sperm meets egg and the embryo soon develops a heart, eyes, limbs. …

"You can see actual animal behavior in utero, which is really the building block to how those animals survive. …

"An unborn dolphin swims in the womb long before it swims in the sea. A puppy starts to pant before birth. That will be its main way in life of keeping cool. …
"
The pictures are indeed striking, but researchers also say that learning from them will help them help the animals survive."

How sad that similar pictures of human babies sucking their thumbs inside their mother's wombs — pictures that were available 34 years ago — did not convince our Supreme Court that unborn human life was equally entitled to survive, and therefore worthy of legal protection.
In fact, more than a decade ago, when I was on the U.S. bishops' pro-life committee, we tried to show very similar images of babies inside the womb at a congressional hearing. The committee chairman turned us down.

I wonder, if she were in the same position today, would she have refused to show these images of unborn animals in their mothers' wombs? If the hearings concerned the protection of animal life, would these images be deemed too disturbing to behold?

Because they leave no doubt that what is developing inside the womb is an elephant, or a dog or a dolphin. This is animal life at its beginning stages. Similarly, what we find inside a human mother's womb is human life at its beginning stages — not just a blob of cells.

These images of animals in the womb were not obtained by zealot pro-lifers bent on "imposing their religious beliefs" on their fellow Americans. These images — like those of human babies sucking and kicking in the womb — were obtained by scientists.

But facts and science have no place in our debate on abortion. On that issue, we want to do as we please. So people put on a bumper sticker that says "Save the Whales" but not one that says "Save the Babies."

When dogs or cats are found starved and neglected, the outcry is immediate. Hundreds come forward offering to adopt the animals in order to prevent their destruction.

I bet we would hear an outcry if anyone suggested harming the unborn dog, dolphin or elephant pictured in those National Geographic ultrasounds.

But where is the outcry about the more than 1 million babies who are killed each year by abortion in this country alone?

As I always say, there is no logic in this country where abortion is concerned. Our views are completely schizophrenic, and as long as this is so, we will remain deeply divided over this issue.

For no one is as blind as the one who refuses to see.

Why We Need Each Other

2008-02-13T06:26:00.000-08:00

Why We Need Each Other

by Matt Lott of the band Wavorly

Sometimes I don't want to go to church.Some weeks, it's just hard for me to get up and go. Yeah, laziness is no excuse for missing church, but it has happened. Other times, my reason for not going starts with nagging thoughts about some of the people who've hurt me. Or people I've had bad experiences with at churches. I think about some of the people who don't seem to represent the name of Christ too well. Thinking about those experiences makes me want to stay home.

When I read the IYF article, "The Cure for Loneliness," it hit me that maybe I wasn't really giving the people around me much of a chance. Maybe my attitude was messed up. Maybe I misunderstood the purpose of church.

The article refers to a phrase in the Apostle's Creed that just kept coming back to me: " … the communion of saints." This really stuck out in my mind because it made me realize that the communion of saints includes everyone, including people like me who aren't very saintly at times. And having all those people together is important. Why?

The author quotes John 13:35. It reads, "If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples" (CEV). We have to love and support our brothers and sisters in Christ. It's how we show God's love.

That helped me see that I'm often so concerned with loving the lost and reaching out to the unsaved that I forget my own Christian brothers and sisters. I don't support them as much as I could, I don't commune with these saints, and I even use some of them as excuses not to go to church! It's easy for me to let small hurts stand in the way of loving my brothers and sisters in Christ.

This article reminded me that the love I show my fellow believers will help those who don't believe see that Christ's love is for everyone, no matter what we've done or what we struggle with. I also am reminded that I should be happy to have opportunities to be with other Christians in church. Because by learning to love other believers as they are, I am modeling the love of God.

One Body in Christ

2008-02-11T18:23:00.000-08:00

Excerpts from Don Cobb’s “One Body in Christ”

“Every church (denomination) is, like every person on the planet, right about some things and wrong about some things. That’s right. I said every denomination is right about some things in their doctrine which pertains to Scripture, and wrong about some things in their doctrine which pertains to Scripture. Man’s intelligence is limited. Our interpretations of Scripture, of which there are many conflicting interpretations, are always a combination of wisdom revealed by the Holy Spirit with a dash (or two, or more) of Man’s Imperfection. Therein lies the problem. It isn’t that the Protestants are right and the Catholics are wrong. It isn’t that the Pentecostals are right and the Methodists are wrong. It isn’t that the Adventists are right and every other Protestant denomination and the Catholic Church is wrong.

It’s that all of us are wrong about some things, and all of us are right about some things. All of us. Every Christian denomination. This is a fact which is true of the entire body of Christ.

Despite the massive efforts to declare that one denomination or another “Isn’t Christian”, the Bible defines clearly what makes us “Christian” in Romans 10:9-10, which includes all believers: “...that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” There you have it. Right? Apparently not. Not to some denominations, at least. We have among us, in our own family, brothers and sisters who insist that others who attend a different denominational church service than they are not Christian because of how they worship, because of their understanding (interpretation) of Scripture, because of many things. If these issues, these differences of opinion in how we interpret Scripture resulted in the loss of our salvation, I would be quick to say that probably most, if not all, Christians will ultimately be cast into the Lake of Fire. Fortunately for all of us, how we interpret Scripture has no bearing on our salvation…

What makes you “Christian” is not about whether or not you believe in dancing. It’s not about whether we worship on Saturday or Sunday. It’s not about whether or not you support killing babies before birth. It’s not about whether or not you believe that the healing power of Christ Jesus or in the baptisms in the Holy Spirit are “for today”. And it’s not about whether or not you prayerfully ask Mary to intercede on your behalf. If you confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe He was raised on the third day, you are Christian. What makes you “Christian” today has nothing to do with what version of the Bible or even what other books you read…

The world laughs at us for the way we criticize and condemn each other over doctrinal differences. We’re not exactly the best witnesses for Jesus when we’re spending so much time telling other believers that they aren’t Christian. Are we? No. “Love thy neighbor as thyself”. What part of that don’t we Christians understand? Jesus wasn’t talking solely about Christian neighbors. He was talking about every neighbor, and yet we can’t even put His clear instructions into practice within our own body. It’s a safe bet we (many of us Christians) aren’t doing any better of a job at loving our non-Christian neighbors as ourselves than we are at loving our Christian brothers and sisters...and we’re failing miserably at loving our own family—the body of Christ…”

Wow!

2008-02-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

Who You Should Vote For

Ron Paul: 87%
Barack Obama: 33%
John McCain: 33%
Mike Huckabee: 27%
Mitt Romney: 27%
Hillary Clinton: 20%

Who you agree with on the war in Iraq: Ron Paul

Who you agree with on the economy: Mike Huckabee, John McCain and Ron Paul

Who you agree with on health care: Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Ron Paul and Mitt Romney

Who you agree with on taxes: Ron Paul

Who you agree with on abortion: Ron Paul

Who you agree with on gay rights: Ron Paul and John McCain

Who Should You Vote For?

From Blogger Andrew Sullivan...

2007-12-18T05:16:00.000-08:00

By now, readers will know who I favor in the Democratic race. Here's my most considered case. But what of the GOP? For me, it comes down to two men, Ron Paul and John McCain. That may sound strange, because in many ways they are polar opposites: the champion of the surge and the non-interventionist against the Iraq war; the occasional meddling boss of Washington and the live-and-let-live libertarian from Texas. But picking a candidate is always a mix of policy and character, of pragmatism and principle. And what these two mavericks share, to my mind, is a modicum of integrity. At one end of the character scale, you have the sickening sight of Mitt Romney, a hollow shell of cynicism and salesmanship, recrafted to appeal to a base he studied the way Bain consultants assess a company. Paul and McCain are at the other end. They have both said things to GOP audiences that they knew would offend. They have stuck with their positions despite unpopularity. They're not saints, but they believe what they say. Both have also taken a stand against the cancerous and deeply un-American torture and detention regime constructed by Bush and Cheney and Rumsfeld. In my book, that counts.

I admire McCain in so many ways. He is the adult in the field, he is attuned to the issue of climate change in a way no other Republican is, he is a genuine war hero and a patriot, and he bravely and rightly opposed the disastrous occupation policies of the Bush administration in Iraq. The surge is no panacea for Iraq; but it has enabled the United States to lose the war without losing face. And that, in the end, is why I admire McCain but nonetheless have to favor Paul over McCain. Because on the critical issue of our time - the great question of the last six years - Paul has been proven right and McCain wrong. And I say that as someone who once passionately supported McCain's position on the war but who cannot pretend any longer that it makes sense.

Let's be clear: we have lost this war. We have lost because the initial, central goals of the invasion have all failed: we have not secured WMDS from terrorists because those WMDs did not exist. We have not stymied Islamist terror - at best we have finally stymied some of the terror we helped create. We have not constructed a democratic model for the Middle East - we have instead destroyed a totalitarian government and a phony country, only to create a permanently unstable, fractious, chaotic failed state, where the mere avoidance of genocide is a cause for celebration. We have, moreover, helped solder a new truth in the Arab mind: that democracy means chaos, anarchy, mass-murder, national disintegration and sectarian warfare. And we have also empowered the Iranian regime and made a wider Sunni-Shiite regional war more likely than it was in 2003. Apart from that, Mr Bush, how did you enjoy your presidency?
McCain, for all his many virtues, still doesn't get this. Paul does.

Paul, moreover, supports the only rational response: a withdrawal, as speedily and prudently as possible. McCain, along with Lieberman, still seems to believe that expending even more billions of dollars to prop up and enable a fast-devolving, ethnically toxic, religiously nutty region is somehow in American interests. Given the enormous challenges of the terror war, the huge debt we are piling up, the exhaustion of the military, the moral and financial corruption that has its white-hot center in Mesopotamia, I do not believe that an endless military, economic and political commitment to Iraq makes sense. It only makes sense if we are determined to occupy the Middle East indefinitely to secure oil supplies. But the rational response to oil dependence is not to entrench it, but to try and move away from it. Institutionalizing a bank-breaking, morale-busting Middle East empire isn't the way to go.

But the deeper reason to support Ron Paul is a simple one. The great forgotten principles of the current Republican party are freedom and toleration. Paul's federalism, his deep suspicion of Washington power, his resistance to government spending, debt and inflation, his ability to grasp that not all human problems are soluble, least of all by government: these are principles that made me a conservative in the first place. No one in the current field articulates them as clearly and understands them as deeply as Paul. He is a man of faith who nonetheless sees a clear line between religion and politics. More than all this, he has somehow ignited a new movement of those who love freedom and want to rescue it from the do-gooding bromides of the left and the Christianist meddling of the right. The Paulites' enthusiasm for liberty, their unapologetic defense of core conservative principles, their awareness that in the new millennium, these principles of small government, self-reliance, cultural pluralism, and a humble foreign policy are more necessary than ever - no lover of liberty can stand by and not join them.
He's the real thing in a world of fakes and frauds. And in a primary campaign where the very future of conservatism is at stake, that cannot be ignored. In fact, it demands support.
Go Ron Paul!

Right to Live

2007-12-07T07:08:00.000-08:00

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the most important political issue to me: abortion. On Facebook, there is an application that is called "Take a Stand" that allows you to voice your opinion on different political issues. It is an application that I, and a few friends of mine, have added. One of those friends has stated the following under Abortion:

"My conscience would not allow me to do it personally, but I do think the woman should have the right to choose."

Okay, I understand that some people have that viewpoint, but then look at what she writes under Capital Punishment:

"I am against it. We are humans and errors do occur. One innocent person dying is one too many, and it hasn't been just one."

Excuse me? Read those two quotes over and ask yourself it makes sense. To say that you're okat with abortion, yet capital punishment is taking the life of an "innocent person."

I take a strongly conservative position on abortion, but I tend to be more liberal with capital punishment. I am pro-life all the way. No one has the right to take away a human life. I think to favor one and not the other is hypocritical. But, staring at the political divide on these "life" issues, which of these sounds more atrocious?

1) For the very conservative: "I believe that an unborn child should be given a chance to live, but a convicted murderer deservers to die.
or
2) For the very liberal: "I believe that a convicted murderer should be given a chance to live, but an unborn baby should not if it is inconvenient for the mother."

The choice is obvious, and while most pundits will argue about rape incidents and a mother's health, take a look at these latest statistics: 1% of abortions are done because the woman was raped, .5% of abortions are done because of cases of incest, about 3-5% of abortions are done because of endangerment to a woman's health. That's it! That means over 90% of all abortions are because it was inconvenient to a woman who was unable to keep her legs closed!

The way I see abortion is as follows: let's say you have to get a new heart and the only one that would be a match would be your son or daughter's. Would you have them killed, so you can use their heart and live a little longer?

The choice is clear...this isn't about a woman choosing to have a child or not. This about choosing whether or not there is any value to the future of mankind. Abortion, my friends, is more of a threat to our direct future than any other, supposed "man-made" problem.

Unlike global warming, abortion is already happening, and has been PROVEN to end a human life.

Random Thoughts About my Friends

2007-12-07T07:02:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to say this to each of my friends for a very long time...

You are, by far, one of the greatest gifts that I have in life. You guys really are up there along with my family and with my faith. You are so important to me, and I am very grateful to have each and every one of you ride along with me as we venture through this life.

Thank you for always being there for me.
Thank you for always caring about what it is I have to say.
Thank you for re-assuring me whenever you agree with me.
Thank you for telling me that you disagree with other things that I say.
Thank you for bringing out the laughter in me, including when times are gloomy.
Thank you for keeping things light, because life is far too short to take everything seriously.
Thank you for being the "water" that puts out my "fire" when I am not having one of my better days.

Even when it may be days, or even weeks since we last spoke, I can call you up and our relationship is not strained.

If we've ever argued, I'm glad that we did, because it only made us closer and stronger.

I'm glad that we are not perfect, because it takes imperfect pieces to put together a jigsaw puzzle.

We may disagree on many things - lifestyle, politics, faith, right/wrong, relationships, what we may think of other people, etc. - but there is one thing that we can agree on.

You are my friends, and I thank God for you everyday. I love you guys, and I look forward to trying to return the favor by being as good a friend to you.

Thanks again,
Gabby

Neutrality - Still Taking a Side

2007-12-07T06:44:00.000-08:00

Elie Wiesel once said "What hurts the victim most is not the cruelty of the oppressor but the silence of the bystander." If you do not know who Mr. Wiesel is, let me briefly explain why he is famous.

He was sent to the Auschwitz death camp during the Holocaust, and had to endure the sufferings in that camp, along with witnessing his father die before him. He wrote his memories of this point in his life in a famous book entitled Night.

This blog is not about Elie Wiesel, however. It is about the subject that the above quote tackles. The subject of neutrality. Indeed neutrality has its advantages. You aren't risking yourself to much scrutiny from either side of a conflict, and you can remain in peaceful terms with the "combatants." This is the case with international politics, and is a reason why most nations have a difficult time deciding whether to enter a war or to remain neutral. It almost ends up being a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" concept. In the case of World War II, Adolf Hitler did a lot of horrible things (as you all have probably learned about) and it wasn't until the Allies stood up to him, after years of trying to remain neutral and diplomatic, and fight for what they viewed as right, where things began to turn around in Europe.

But, I want to look at things at a more personal level - a fight within two different people. Neutrality in this regard takes more of a side than in politics/history. For instance, let's say one friend (Friend A) tells the other friend (Friend B) that he/she acts like a "moron." You are going to have one of two opinions:

1 - "I agree. Friend A is acting like a moron. Finally, someone said it." or

2 - "I don't think Friend B is acting like a moron. That wasn't very nice of Friend A to say."

Now, whatever your mindset, it is important. However, it is only a half to a whole, for lack of a better phrase. If you don't follow through with your opinions, not only are you hurting the one that you agree with, you are hurting yourself for not letting your true self come out.

In the meantime, let's say you are thinking about 1, where you think Friend B is a moron. You don't tell that friend that you agree with them. You just go about things the way the used to be, but there is tension. Friend B knows that you think he/she is a moron, and the longer you wait to confront him/her about it, the greater the friction there will be.

Let's say you do not think Friend B is a moron, but you are afraid to tell Friend A about it, because you are afraid that you will lose him/her as a friend. What good does that do for Friend B, the friend who you feel was wronged? If you do not let your opinions out, you may lose Friend B since you did not stand up for him/her, and/or lose Friend A since you did not agree with him/her.

That's why I take sides. Neutrality, in a sense, is taking a side, but while hiding in your shell, or in a cave, so that nothing harms you...yet. For instance, if I was in the first situation, I'd probably tell Friend B just what I think. I'll tell him/her "you have been acting like a moron." Maybe Friend B will realize this and return to the way he once was, or better yet, change for the better. Let's say I was in the second situation. I will tell Friend A that I understand what is so moronic about how Friend B is acting. Maybe Friend A is seeing things in the wrong light, or doesn't understand where Friend B is coming from.

The result? If Friend A decides that you are wrong, and doesn't talk to you anymore, was he/she really your friend in the first place? If Friend A really thinks that true friends are the ones who always agree with them and cannot take "no" for an answer, then Friend A is in for a tumultuous life, with fake friends. You wouldn't need to hang out with someone like that anyways. If Friend A sees that he/she is wrong, then things will begin to sort themselves out. If Friend A does not agree with you, but your relationship with him/her is not affected...then that will make your friendship stronger, because your friendship endured an obstacle.

Take sides. When it's appropriate of course, but it's rarely an inappropriate time to do so. There are times when you can't help but be neutral, like when you really don't have an opinion about something. That's fine. But, if you have an opinion about something, act on it.

If not, you will end up digging a hole for the "oppressed," to use Mr. Wiesel's quote again...and a grave for yourself.

I just thought I'd close with a few quotes about friendship.

"You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you."

- Dale Carnegie, American writer (1888-1955)

"In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends."

- John Churton Collins, British literary critic (1848-1908)

"It isn't kind to cultivate a friendship just so one will have an audience. "

- Lawana Blackwell

"We secure our friends not by accepting favors but by doing them."

- Thucydides, Greek historian (471 BC - 400 BC)

and one of my favorite American Presidential Quotes:

"'Tis better to be alone than in bad company."

- George Washington (1732-1799)

Six Question Quiz (I Bet You Won't Do Better Than 3)

2007-12-07T06:28:00.000-08:00

Let's see if you can figure out who is responsible for the following quotes:
No. 1: "We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good."

A. Karl Marx
B. Adolf Hitler
C. Josef Stalin
D. None of the above

No. 2: "It's time for a new beginning, for an end to government of the few, by the few, and for the few … and to replace it with shared responsibility for shared prosperity."

A. V.I. Lenin
B. Benito Mussolini
C. Idi Amin
D. None of the above

No. 3: "(We) can't just let business as usual go on, and that means something has to be taken away from some people."

A. Nikita Khruschev
B. Josef Goebbels
C. Leon Trotsky
D. None of the above

No. 4: "We have to build a political consensus, and that requires people to give up a little bit of their own … in order to create this common ground."

A. Mao Tse-tung
B. Hugo Chavez
C. Kim Jong-il
D. None of the above

No. 5: "I certainly think the free market has failed."

A. Fidel Castro
B. Pol Pot
C. Nicolae Ceausescu
D. None of the above

No. 6: "I think it's time to send a clear message to what has become the most profitable sector in (the) entire economy that they are being watched."
A. Avowed socialist Bernie Sanders
B. The late Communist Party USA leader Gus Hall
C. Angela Davis
D. None of the above

The correct answer to each of the questions is "none of the above." In fact, every single one of these statements was made by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton between 2004 and 2007.

The first was uttered June 28, 2004, at a fundraiser for Sen. Barbara Boxer in San Francisco, according to a report by the Associated Press.

The second was made in a speech in New Hampshire May 29, 2007, according to a report in the Boston Globe.

The third, fourth and fifth came during a political forum telecast on CNN June 4, 2007.

The sixth was in a speech in Syracuse, New York, Sept. 2, 2005 and was reported in the Washington Post.