American Duplicity - Prayers of Convenience

“Do I lie to myself to see things as I want to? If I do, how then can I possibly identify and achieve the best for myself in life? How well would I do if I were to test my own level of honesty with my self and can I accept the answers?” What am I responsible for and do I control the course of my life?” How do I show self-respect to warrant respect from others? How do I justify my prayer requests of God without living according to His Word? Ten years ago the time came for me to ask such questions of myself. I lived a very secular life as so many people do today and believed “all that mattered was to live life in a manner “I considered” good and God would be satisfied with my choices”.

Today these are questions each and every person should be asking of them self not only as a part of this current American society, but as one of the many people responsible for the direction in values our society takes. Yes, we as individuals through the choices we make and the ideologies we support form our society when those principles are supported by the majority. But when the majority determines what notions will be adopted basing those notions on self gratification and willful ignorance to learn truth, the result has and always will be self destruction of that society.

It does not take a professional investigator to recognize today’s American society consists of an overwhelming number of people who publically choose to be ignorant to truth so as to retain or promote their ideologies regardless of how uninformed or misinformed they may be. They like what they believe and prefer to believe things as they do and are unwilling to accept anything different. They clearly and boldly profess this ignorance most commonly by holding the palm of their hand up to the face of any person who speaks words other than those they want to hear, or by flat out cutting off the other person in midsentence advising, “I don’t want to hear it”.They will associate mostly with politically and morally likeminded people to avoid hearing anything contradictory to what they believe and they believe what they do because it is more convenient to the way they wish to live or the self-gratifications they pursue.

The sad fact is, a vast number of Americans do not recognize the truth today. We have rejected morality and replaced it with a false sense of righteousness called “political correctness”. We do not abide in the commands of God and go further to create a stumbling block to others in their path to faith by misleading them into believing they may live the lifestyle they wish even though it may be in opposition to God’s commands.

And many no longer know how or when to feel embarrassed or to know shame to the point of publically supporting such distortions as those not only opposed to God, but science and nature as well. Same sex relationships and marriages, and unrestricted abortion mislabeled as “woman’s reproductive rights”. Let’s be honest. A woman expresses her reproductive rights when she willingly chooses to refrain or engage in the physical act of procreation. Once another human being has been conceived, a third life exists with its own unalienable rights bestowed by God alone. If we can feel the sorrow and outrage for a pregnant woman who is assaulted and as a result miscarries loosing her child, and in some states criminally charge the criminal, we can not claim that unborn child any less a human life because it is the victim of an un-wanting parent. Yes sin exists and political correctness is a perversity of God’s moral virtues created by man. Supporting and promoting those perversities is as much a matter of sin as the acts they promote. Yet, when we suffer the loss of lives by mass murderers such as the innocent children in New Town or several other public shootings all over our country, we stop broken hearted and in shock to pray, then many go back to the lives they lived never giving thought to the fact that those who committed these acts grew up with the void of never having been taught of God or faith by their parents. Some still insist they have a relationship with God even though they do not follow His commands.

1 John CH2: 3 The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his command ments. 4 whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: 6 whoever claims to abide in him ought to live (just) as he lived.

Catholic Polls - contraception coverage mandate

Today, June 8th, 2012, yet another poll came out regarding Catholics and Obama's HHS mandate. The group “Public Religion Research Institute” released a poll that found 52% of voting Catholics do not believe the contraception coverage mandate should apply to religiously affiliated colleges and hospitals. Only 45% of Catholic voters said the rule should apply to these ministries.

 Although it is a “positive” to see the Catholic majority (by a thin margin) are supportive of the Catholic Church against the mandate, it is extremely saddening that such a vast number of Catholics do not follow their principles of faith at least at this time. It is not that I do not understand how this can be the case after having been separated from living my faith for 25 years, I do. This is exactly why I find it so saddening. As a separated Catholic not practicing my faith for several years living among many people who were as indifferent to Catholicism as I was, I know all the excuses that come with it. But I also have learned over the last nine years of research and study into Christianity and Catholicism how ignorant I was to Christ and the faith He established and I have come to know Him in a way that I pray others will one day seek Him for themselves.

 There is no doubt in my mind that not a single Catholic would ever oppose let alone abandon the Catholic faith if they knew it properly. As in all relationships, you can not enter into a truly honest relationship with anyone without coming to know them. The fact is, too many Catholics know little to nothing of their faith as compared to what they should know and as a result, they misconstrue what it means to have a relationship with Jesus if they even express a sincere interest in the first place.

 I pray that others who are distant from their faith will one day open their hearts and accept the blessing offered them as it was offered to me – that they accept the inspiration to seek the truth and pursue it before time in this life is finished. For those who return to Christ like the prodigal son or daughter, there is a loving relationship and a fulfillment in life they could never have discovered otherwise. But if anyone thinks God did not know what was to come, or did not know what our choices would be in the society we have formed today, or there is anything in life that scripture does not address with relevance for any period since the formation of the Bible until the consummation of the world, that person deceives them self.

Time to rethink our priorities....

“For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths.” (2 Timothy CH4; v3-4)

“The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. Whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to live (just) as he lived.” (1 John CH2: vs4-6)

“…God handed them over to degrading passions. Their females exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another. Males did shameful things with males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for their perversity. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God handed them over to their undiscerning mind to do what is improper. They are filled with every form of wickedness, evil, greed, and malice; full of envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, and spite. They are gossips and scandalmongers and they hate God. They are insolent, haughty, boastful, ingenious in their wickedness, and rebellious toward their parents. They are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know the just decree of God that all who practice such things deserve death, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” (Romans CH1: vs26-32)

Blessed are the Meek - What will come of the abortion society?

Blessed are the Meek - for they shall inherit the Land.”
The second of the eight Beatitudes preached by Our Lord in His Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew CH5; v4)

In our current times we may find a much deeper message in this proclamation than has ever been considered before. “…for they (the meek) shall inherit the land.” Could it be that in the literal sense and without most of us realizing it, through the power of God’s justice and love for the meek and in answer to their cries, they are about to begin collecting their inheritance? Are those Christians who live the true sense of faith actually witnessing the beginning of the meek inheriting the land today?

In the most profound way, the unborn child is the quintessence of meekness of human life. Yet, torn from their mother’s womb, they have been violently and grossly victimized having life itself literally ripped from them before ever having had the chance to experience God’s light of day. Infanticide; not only supported by but promoted by a presidential advocate, legalized by the majority vote of government and in many ways financed with tax payer dollars including the salaries of those elected officials who vote in legal support of it. A government founded upon and once held accountable for the safety and security of man’s unalienable right to life. But then, the majority of the voting population of this country voted for these men before they held positions enabling them to enact such laws and pass such spending bills. Therefore, most of us can not stand innocent on our part. Can we claim a split personality that boasts to be Christian but can separate itself from moral Christian obligations to faith in matters of our social life or conveniences? We each know the answer to that.

In less than forty years (since 1973), the United States alone has increased its abortion rate to an average of 1.2 million recorded individual slayings performed per year. Millions upon millions of the meekest of human life have been terminated by choice. Recorded history has already begun to reflect the society we’ve become over the last few decades but now perhaps history may also reflect more than what many could have imagined; the power of the meek.

For those who believe in God and the teachings of Scripture, these meekest of human beings have been gifted before all others the power of God's justice by their innocence, never having had the exercise of free will or to become defiled by temptation, pride, ideology or any other moral corruption. Yet they fell the victim, subjected to horrid deaths at the hands of our society that in and of it self became defiled by temptation, pride, ideology and moral decay years ago. By their greatest numbers they were and are conceived and killed out of our own moral decay and lost self respect. Is this all that history will reflect of our society for future generations to remember us by, or will there be something else? Could it be that the power of God reserved for the meek has ignited a part of society that has not made it self heard loudly enough before?

Today we are witnessing a sudden growing number in society ignited in the recognition of evil, the repulsion of abortion and the grace filled motivation of moral conscience including many of our youngest adults who previously had not really been taught or devoutly practiced a particular faith but have found their own way in good conscience. The growing number of these militants of Christ is most impressive, whether aware or not that they stand for the taking back of the land from the powerful; the influential; the egotistical; the greedy and the self indulgent. Such is the innate  power of God the meekest of all possess. Those in defense of life now growing to take back from the powers in this world the control and influence they perverted for so long. 

One can believe this may be the beginning of the current authorities relinquishing their power back to the meek through those who by the power and grace of God will stand on their behalf as our government should have done had it kept to the values this land was established upon. God bless and empower those who seek to regain what has been lost... and thank God for allowing the faithful to see this begin and to be a part of it... Praise Almighty God, we are seeing just a part of the good Christian fight.

Conscience – Good or bad?

Our conscience alone is not justification for our choices but rather the voice of reason calling out in recognition of something within us that conflicts with what we know to be righteous in our heart. When there is no question as to right or wrong and no desire to choose what we know to be wrong it remains silent and without conflict. Its voice is louder or softer as it has been nourished or deprived offering guidance prior to our final decision. It is an urging to abide by what we know is right according to human dignity providing us recognition of conflict that we may further seek to determine what moral or faithful choices we should make; but we are not forced to follow it. Our conscience is not the final determination. If our conscience is not properly nourished and well formed, it is weak and easier to convince our self to push it aside.

A simple fictional example; “Susan” has a good friend “Betty” who is married and has two children. Both women consider themselves to be Christian in faith. “Betty” has chosen to have an extramarital affair against her better judgment and in doing so she desperately attempts to ignore her conscience. Susan does not wish to upset or interfere with her friend’s choice so Susan avoids offering any guidance in opposition to Betty’s plan even though knowing Betty to be making a serious mistake in judgment that could critically alter the lives of many of those around her. Susan, although knowing in conscience she should make an effort to offer her friend guidance, eases her own conscience by convincing herself her silence is justified because “it is not her business” or “Betty is not happy with her current husband”, or some other self-determined “reason” (excuse). Perhaps Susan even finds Betty’s affair somewhat suspenseful. Yet, if Susan were to learn of Betty abusing drugs or about to drive while intoxicated with the children in the car she may be more inclined to intercede even though each instance is Betty’s “business” in relation to Susan. In each case, each choice would have a substantially harmful affect on Betty’s life and the lives of those around her. In each case, each instance is self destructive, one potentially no less detrimental than the other, and each are highly personal in nature. Our conscience knows this to be wrong but rather than follow it one may seek to convince one’s self otherwise in order to push it aside. We must rely on our conscience if well formed in matters of moral judgment. It is every person’s right and obligation to discern choices based on their urging of conscience but we must not forget that our choices may be righteous in dignity and trust in God our Creator or wrong unintentionally or deliberately, but in all cases leading to an outcome both here and in our eternal life.

The voice of conscience comes from that inherent moral code which we have naturally received in our hearts in the likeness of God. The development of a well formed conscience must continually be nourished by the teachings of our faith strengthening our morality in order that we may be righteous in our choices. We have the free will to choose but our choices are not free from consequences.

We have as individuals and as a society proven without doubt that the further we get away from practicing our faith and a relationship with God, the more decrepit our self respect and our respect for others becomes until society as a whole has turned perverse lacking true dignity at its foundation. This is reflected in the parallels between our society today and that of the society of Caligula during its brief existence. There is no denying every person has a conscience no matter how efficient or poorly formed, tainted or dormant it may become during life. Where there is no conscience there can be no soul and where there is no soul there is no life, hence each living person has a soul and a conscience...

RU486 - increase in serious side affects released quietly

New FDA Report: Abortion Drug Kills 14 Women, Injures 2,200

by Steven Ertelt | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 7/12/11 3:02 PM

The Food and Drug Administration has quietly released a new report about the deaths of and injuries to women from the dangerous RU 486 abortion drug and the Obama administration has done nothing to make the information available to women.

Following its approval during the Clinton administration, the FDA released a report in 2006 that received widespread attention for showing more than 1,100 women had been subjected to “adverse effects” resulting from their taking the abortion drug mifepristone, commonly known a RU 486. Pro-life advocates have waited five years for the FDA to come out with a new report of problems associated with the drug — despite mounting evidence that the abortion drug continues to kill and injure women across the globe.

The FDA, with no fanfare, has released a new report, dated April 30, 2011. The report indicates 14 women in the United States alone have died from using the mifepristone abortion drug and 2,207 women have been injured by it.

Of the women experiencing medical and physical problems resulting from the abortion drug, 612 women required hospitalizations, 339 experienced blood loss significant enough to require a transfusion, 256 experienced infections and 48 women experienced what the FDA labeled as “severe infections.” Given that the RU 486 abortion drug caused sepsis, a potentially lethal infection that resulted in the deaths of women from around the world, the “serious infections” were very likely life-threatening situations.

“Severe infections generally involve death or hospitalization for at least 2-3 days, intravenous antibiotics for at least 24 hours, total antibiotic usage for at least 3 days, and any other physical or clinical findings, laboratory data or surgery that suggest a severe infection,” the FDA report states. Read full article

Modern Society vs Morality

A description of which society?: a culture of immorality, all but totally abandoning the institutions of marriage and family values, principles of life in procreation along with the general acceptance of abortion and contraception, unwavering acceptance of divorce, social and legal acceptance of homosexuality, newly established fellowships in paganism, genocide against the unborn more commonly out of convenience preceded by uninhibited promiscuity and negligence, a consistent growth in the rate of multiple and mass murders both within families and among the general public, murder/suicides; the adoption of “legally” accepted devaluation of life of senior citizens within society reducing their access to medical procedures based on economic valuation under adopted standards established by politicians determining value of life proportionate to age and estimated longevity or “human monetary worth”, with the option to “assist suicide” for those refused medical treatment based on age while growing ever closer toward selective euthanasia.