Hmmm

http://tinyhousenews.info/?p=43158/

Sad Anti-Intellectualism and Tragic Death

http://www.france24.com/en/20150819-islamic-state-group-beheads-syrian-archaeologist-palmyra

And, I am very concerned about anti-intellectualism among Catholics. This is a growing problem among some who do not think girls need to learn things at the high school level. IMO, that is child abuse.

Girls should learn about literature, music, grammar, and so on in order to teach their children and to be fully human. We are created intellectual creatures, not merely manual workers.

Vision

A man I know who is holy saw a vision at Adoration yesterday. Now, as you all know my position on personal revelations, you may be surprised that I post this.

However, this strikes me as real, very real.

"I saw lots of people in the ocean, It was like a ship sank out at sea. Some people were hanging on to life vests and debris. Some people had nothing and were drowning, they were panicking. There was more debris to hang on to.  The people with something to hang on to had the gift of baptism. I heard a voice say that God wills everyone to be saved but people don't want to be saved. We need God's help to be saved. God does not damn."

Decide to become a saint, now.

Teach your children to be saints, now.

Evangelize, now. There are too many "nones".

Spread the Good News of Christ, now.

Baptismal graces grow with us if we keep the Commandments.

Really Good Read

http://southernorderspage.blogspot.com/2015/08/how-many-popes-bishops-priests-deacons.html

Considering One's Own Soul

In 1979, around Christmas time, a young male friend of mine and I were discussing dating. We were both at Notre Dame and my friend was infatuated with a beautiful, rich, blond. I asked him why he had not asked her out for a date. He did not hesitate in his answer, "She would lead me away from God."

Now, this girl was a Catholic and a good young woman, as this man was a good man. But, in his wisdom, he could see that she would not be good for him as a wife, and he was dating to find a wife.

What struck me was that this wise young man knew what he needed to get to heaven. He understood the phrase, "Love your neighbor as yourself."  One must love one's self enough to follow God's way for one to get to heaven, not merely indulge in what one wants, what one desires.

I did not know this young woman well, but later found out that she lacked the depth of spirituality that this young man needed to fulfill his own role as an excellent husband. He wanted a wife who desired a deep relationship with God as he was pursuing. He wanted a wife who was serious about becoming a saint and raising holy children. The young man knew that one did not get married in order to change or save someone.

We did not see each other after this conversation, as life separated our friendship. But, I feel certain that he found an equal mate.

The Protestants have a phrase "unequal yoking" to mean that two people got married who never should have, and are not in the same place spiritually. Sometimes, people simply do not know their mate well enough when they get married, marrying an idea rather than a real person.

Sometimes people come together because of bad habits, or bad character traits. Narcissists frequently marry narcissists, for example. Alcoholics frequently marry addictive mates. Bullies sometimes marry victim types, and so on.

Some women have a bad habit of thinking that they can change a man. This idea is silly and unrealistic.

Some men have a have a bad habit of thinking that it is the woman in the marriage who needs to go to Church and bring the family to holiness, when it is the man who is the real priest of the domestic church, not the woman.

Unequal yoking can occur when one person has a conversion, or re-version experience, and comes into the Catholic Church, while the other does not.

My young friend sensed that, although that particular young lady was attractive, she and he would be unequally yoked.

The best marriages are those wherein the couple grow in love for Christ together, helping each other become more holy through love and care.

Too often, one of the two becomes holy through heroic virtue discovered through intense suffering.

Unequal yoking can also happen when the two people are not matched intellectually or emotionally.

.

But, the real problem with unequal yoking is the danger of one or both parties falling into sin and losing even eternal life with God.

One must love one's self enough not to let the other person in the marriage cause one to sin over and over and over. A person unequally yoked can fall away from God too easily if the other person is Godless.

One must consider one's own soul.

These seem like hard words, but too often the husband or wife gives in to the weaker and less holy person, not being challenged, nor challenging the situation.

It is too easy to just go with the flow and give in to sinful behavior.

Cooperating in and with sin dulls the conscience after a time.

Not all people should be martyrs to a bad marriage, one of unequal yoking. It is obvious when God gives grace to the suffering partner, as that person lives in a deep tranquility. Interior peace is a sign of God blessing the holy person to endure the unequal yoking.

I am reminded of a man who realized he married someone who could not help him get to heaven except through his own acceptance of suffering. The woman turned out to be completely caught up in the material world of status and success. Like the Bennets in Pride and Prejudice, there was a lack of respect at first, but this man caught himself in that sin, repented, and began to accept and love the wife he had chosen when less wise. He accepted his disappointment, as he had thought she was more religious than she actually was.

She came to understand that she could not love him as he loved her, much like David with childish Dora in David Copperfield.  Dora began to understand that she could not meet David's needs. Agnes was truly, all the time, David's equal, but he had to learn the hard way not to love out of infatuation, but out of respect for a person of character.

The man's wife became grateful when she realized his great love for her despite her serious failings. Slowly, very slowly, she began to change, but not without great suffering on the part of the husband.

My young friend did not marry the Dora, but waited for the Agnes to come along.

But, what does one do when one finds one's self unequally yoked? One can make a decision to honor the marriage promise and contract, finding ways to love without any expectation of being loved in return. This is love from the will, the most perfect love of all.

When one wills to love the other, one is free to accept serious inadequacies, and the disappointment of the type of marriage one thought one was going to enjoy until death.

Wilful love is the highest form of love. God blesses those who choose to love, really love and respect the other through the will. But, one must rely entirely on God for joy, kindness, fortitude, real love.

Sadly, too many parents do not train their children to have a realistic idea of equal yoking. The old patterns of courtship have disappeared, leaving young people on their own to figure out who should be their life-long mate.

A good marriage will bring joy. A marriage of unequal yoking will bring great suffering. A marriage accepted as highly imperfect, but coupled with love of the will, can bring about great holiness, and, even gratitude in the other person receiving such love, who may come to understand this love. But, this marriage will be one of great pain.

The key to choosing a "right mate" is to consider first one's own soul. One must ask the questions, "Will this person go to heaven with me, and help me get there, as I want to help him (or her) get there? Is Christ first in that person's life?"

Another question one may ask, "Do I want to become like this person?" Marriage makes two into one, and man and wife do become like each other for better, or for worse.

Sadly, these questions  seem to be ignored by most young. and even older people, when considering marriage.

News from SPUC

http://spuc-director.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/anglican-bishop-sounds-warning-on.html

From Voice of The Family

African families gravely threatened by western governments, international agencies and Vatican departments

John Smeaton, Chief Executive of the Society for the Protection of Unborn  Children, and co-founder of the international coalition Voice of the Family, spoke on 7th August at a two day pro-life conference organised by the bishops of Ghana. The conference was entitled “Protecting Life and Family Values in the continuing Culture of Death”. In his talk to the conference Mr Smeaton outlined the threat posed to Africa by the international population control movement. He also drew attention to the collaboration between leading figures in that movement and important Vatican departments. He went on to give an overview of the threat posed to families, in Africa and around the world, by the instrumentum laboris of the Ordinary Synod, to be held in Rome in October this year. His full talk can be read below: I begin by drawing your attention to National Security Study Memorandum 200 (NSSM 200). The National Security Council of the United States completed a study in 1974 entitled Implications of the Worldwide Population Growth for US Security and Overseas Interests known in short as NSSM 200. NSSM 200, promoted and endorsed by Dr Henry Kissinger, President Nixon’s National Security Adviser, expressed the gravest fears that the political consequences of current population factors in the less developed countries might create “political or even national security problems for the US”. A 1977 annual report on the implementation of NSSM 200 emphasises the strategic importance of using “intermediaries” such as the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), the World Bank and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), since they could operate in countries where the United States “are not now acceptable” thus avoiding the accusation of imperialism. This is exactly what Marie Stopes International (MSI) and International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and others are doing in Ghana today. According to the IPPF website, Planned Parenthood Association Ghana, IPPF’s subsidiary, delivered in Ghana in the year 2011: 5.8 million condoms 330,000 contraceptive services 526,000 other sexual and reproductive health services 606,000 services to young people under 25 years When International Planned Parenthood Federation refer to “reproductive health” they are referring to access to contraception and abortion – according to the definition of “reproductive health” used by the UNFPA and other UN bodies, governments such the current US administration and international anti-life NGOs such as IPPF and MSI. On 26th March 2014 in New York, the International Planned Parenthood Federation co-hosted an event, particularly targeting African nations, to “present a declaration calling for universal access to safe and legal abortion”. Let me say a little here about President Obama because his policies affect all of us, not least the people of Ghana. On October 12th 2009 the Obama administration confirmed at the UN that it would be promoting legalised abortion throughout the world, targeting adolescents in a worldwide abortion drive. British Prime Minister, David Cameron has threatened to withhold UK aid from poor countries that do not conform and I quote: “British aid should have more strings attached”. David Cameron was speaking here in particular of the UK government’s homosexual rights agenda. The homosexual rights agenda in my nation and in so many other nations represents a massive attack on the sanctity of human life for many reasons. For example, as you know, same-sex couples are now demanding the right to have children– making it even more difficult for pro-life groups effectively to oppose surrogacy and in vitro fertilisation.  According to peer-reviewed research, for every baby born by IVF, 23 are either discarded, or frozen, or used in destructive experiments, or miscarry.  Defending the right to life of unborn children will increasingly be viewed as an attack on the rights of homosexual couples. Morever, the homosexual rights’ agenda is a top priority for Planned Parenthood working here in Ghana. Make no mistake, Planned Parenthood, hugely funded by the US government, the British government and the overwhelming majority of nations worldwide, are the enemy of Ghana’s children. In 2011, at the Commission on the Status of Women at the UN in New York, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, the Population Council and other pro-abortion groups held a meeting to launch worldwide a massive programme of so-called comprehensive sex education entitled: “It’s All One Curriculum”: The curriculum shows itself to be nakedly polemical rather than educational. It states: “People can support or join movements for social change at the global level. For example: …youth-led networks for sexual and reproductive rights and services.” (p.231) And on page 61 of their curriculum guidelines they advise educators: “Certain social movements promote greater equality and dignity within marriage. These include: movements to legalize same-sex marriage”. In the same document, International Planned Parenthood Federation tell teachers of young children that sexual self-abuse is a human right. They say: “Sexuality may be expressed by oneself … Sexuality — expressed alone…can be a source of pleasure and meaning in life. (p.84) “ … Masturbation is an important way that people learn about their bodies and sexuality … Masturbation is a safe sexual behavior. It is neither physically nor mentally harmful.” (p.99)] This is the kind of thing which Planned Parenthood is delivering to your children here in Ghana. In their “Access, Services and Knowledge (ASK) programme” which IPPF describes as a “‘ what young people want, what young people need’ programme” they target your 10 – 24 year-olds including underserved groups: The specific focus – an uptake of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. The 3 year programme targets African young people in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Ghana and Senegal.” IPPF Africa Region says: “ASK aims to ensure that young people … receive direct information on sexual and reproductive health and rights so that they can make independent informed decisions.” For a full appreciation of IPPF’s concept of sexual rights I urge you to study Sexual Rights: an IPPF Declaration. Moreover, yesterday, a story in The Ghanaian Times reports that the Norweigan Development Agency is targeting thousands of your 15 – 25 year-old young women in poor and urban and peri-urban areas of Ghana to introduce them, amongst other things, to sexual and reproductive health – a term meaning access to contraception and abortion. Powerful Western forces as I speak are seeking to control your population by corrupting your nation’s values, in particular by targeting the innocence of your children and young people. In a book entitled Adam and Eve after the Pill – Paradoxes of the Sexual Revolution, Mary Eberstadt, research fellow at the Hoover Institution, describes the teaching of Pope Paul VI in Humanae Vitae on regulation of birth, published on July 25, 1968, as “perhaps the most unfashionable, unwanted, and ubiquitously deplored moral teaching on earth”. She then goes on to show that the teaching of Humanae Vitae is in fact the “most thoroughly vindicated” moral teaching on earth “by the accumulation of secular, empirical, post-revolutionary fact”. In this connection, Mary Eberstadt cites Nobel-Prize winning economist George Akerlof. In a 1996 article in the Quarterly Journal of Economics, Akerlof explains “why the sexual revolution, contrary to common prediction, especially those in and out of the church who wanted the teaching on birth control changed, had led to an increase in illegitimacy and abortion.” Mary Eberstadt continues: “In another work published in the Economic Journal in 1998, Akerlof traced the empirical connections between the decrease in marriage and married fatherhood for men – both clear consequences of the contraceptive revolution – and the simultaneous increase in behaviours to which single men appear more prone: substance abuse, incarceration, and arrests, to name just three” Mary Eberstadt in Adam and Eve and the Pill also says: “The years since Humanae Vitae have … vindicated the encyclical’s fear that government would use the new contraceptive technology coercively”. In this connection, who can seriously doubt the effectiveness of powerful western nations and NGOs in promoting anti-life sex education programmes which seek to eliminate the role of parents as the primary educators and protectors of their children? This is a form of coercion on families which is resulting worldwide, not least in the UK my own country, in schoolchildren being given access to contraception and abortion without the knowledge of their parents, including in Catholic schools. Thank God for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ghana for your witness on these fundamental matters. In particular, I congratulate and thank you for your Communiqué last November in which you said: “We also deplore in no uncertain terms a radical and faceless culture of death which promotes among other things the supply and use of the condom in our schools, the in vitro fertilization and the contraception agenda of some national and international institutions in Ghana … we urge those who represent Ghana at the United Nations and other such bodies to realise that these practices are culturally abominable and morally and spiritually reprehensible …” Above all, as Pope John Paul II pointed out in his encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, there is a close interconnection between contraception and abortion.  According to the manufacturers, one of the contraceptive pill’s modes of action is to cause an early abortion. Thus the use of contraception undermines respect for the sanctity of human life from conception and makes the possibility of abortion an option. As a pro-life leader for four decades and as a Catholic layman, a father and grandfather, I believe that it is urgent and overdue that the Church reaffirm the unchangeable teaching of Humanae Vitae on the separation of the procreative and unitive dimensions of the sexual act by the use of contraceptive methods. The separation of the procreative and unitive dimensions of the sexual act which is intrinsic to the use of contraception has acted as major catalyst of the culture of death. I am certain that until the core teaching of Humanae Vitae is constantly proclaimed throughout the Church and at the highest level of authority, the pro-life movement will not prevail. In this connection, I am grateful to His Eminence Cardinal Turkson for sensitising our pro-life conference today to the pressures on church leaders which are constantly being brought to bear to change the Church’s unchanging and unchangeable teaching on contraception and abortion. Particularly in relation to population control in Africa, I want to draw attention to the activities of Dr Jeffrey Sachs, the special adviser to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. Jeffrey Sachs heads the Sustainable Solutions Network, which was responsible for producing a draft for the Sustainable Development Goals, which call for increased access to abortion and contraception worldwide. Jeffrey Sachs made a plea for legalizing abortion as a cost-effective way to eliminate “unwanted children” when contraception fails in his 2008 book Commonwealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet. In his book The Age of Sustainable Development, published last March, Jeffrey Sachs states quite clearly that the birth rate in Africa must be reduced. Sachs proposes three methods of fertility rate reduction, the third of which is that governments must encourage their populations to lower family size by promoting birth control and providing access to free or low-cost contraception and family planning. In 2011 Sachs expressed his horror at Nigeria’s rising population and called for the Nigerian government “to work towards attaining a maximum of three children.” In June this year he called for the UN to provide 1 million healthcare workers for Africa. That is 1 million UN workers travelling through Africa promoting abortion and contraception. Sachs will be in the Vatican in November to take part in a workshop organised by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences which will discuss how to “use children as agents of change” in pursuing sustainable development and the environmental agenda. The Pontifical Academy of Sciences’ workshop explicitly cites the papal encyclicalLaudato Si, as the basis for its work. I repeat: the subject of the Vatican Workshop in November us “using children as agents of change” in pursuing sustainable development and the environmental agenda. Not only in this context, as a parent and grandparent, I am deeply concerned thatLaudato Si makes no reference to parents as the primary educators of their children. Using children as agents of change in pursuing sustainable development and the environmental agenda will very soon become a required part of school curricula throughout the world. Have no doubt that the worldwide population control powers-that-be, led by people like Jeffrey Sachs, will make their influence well and truly felt in shaping those school curricula. It is extremely disturbing that at the very moment when the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, the organization which I lead, and other pro-life organisations, have been fighting tooth-and-nail at the United Nations to protect developing countries from the pro-abortion, pro-contraception, anti-parent elements written into the sustainable development goals, that the Holy See has been seeking Jeffrey Sachs’s advice and permitting him to help shape the Holy See’s policies on sustainable development. Jeffrey Sachs has played a leading role at Vatican conferences and workshops on these matters no less than six times in the last couple of years and has had a personal audience with Pope Francis. I note here with great foreboding that the omission of any reference to Church teaching on the use of contraception in the papal encyclical in the environment leaves Catholics ill-prepared to resist the international population control agenda. The encyclical calls for increased international environmental action in paragraphs 173-175, while neglecting to prepare Catholics for what such action will undoubtedly involve: renewed attempts to further impose contraception and abortion on the developing world. There is now a grave danger that our children will be exposed to this agenda under the guise of education on environmental concerns. The proposed plans of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and the lack of clear teaching on these dangers in the encyclical, put us on our guard. Catholic parents must resist all attacks on our children, even when they emanate from within the Vatican. Even more disturbing in relation to contraception is the recently publishedinstrumentum laboris, the working document for the forthcoming Family Synod. The instrumentum laboris, clearly undermines the teaching of the encyclical letter Humanae Vitae. Paragraph 137 effectively seeks to nullify the central teaching of Humanae Vitaewhich declared morally inadmissable “any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, [which] is specifically intended to prevent procreation—whether as an end or as a means.” Paragraph 137 of the instrumentum laboris, without in any way restating this fundamental teaching of Humanae Vitae, suggests that a balance must be reached between the “role of conscience” and the “objective moral norm” under “the regular guidance of a competent and spiritual guide”. The implication of the whole passage is that contraceptive acts may sometimes be permitted. Let me conclude this section of my talk by quoting again the timeless teaching of Pope Paul VI in Humanae Vitae: “Though it is true that sometimes it is lawful to tolerate a lesser moral evil in order to avoid a greater evil or in order to promote a greater good, it is never lawful, even for the gravest reasons, to do evil that good may come of it …  even though the intention is to protect or promote the welfare of an individual, of a family or of society in general.” Furthermore, Paragraph 86 of the instrumentum laboris contains a direct attack on the rights of parents. The paragraph states that “the family, while maintaining its privileged spot in education, cannot be the only place for teaching sexuality.” This statement is directly contrary to Catholic teaching which affirms the right and duty of parents to be the first and foremost providers of education to their children in sexual matters. Parents are entirely capable of performing this task by themselves and it is entirely their choice if they wish to involve others. Paragraph 86 of the instrumentum laboris leaves Ghanaian children, and my grandchildren, at the mercy of the International Planned Parenthood Federation. There are other major terrible and terrifying passages for families throughout the world, Catholic and non-Catholic families, in the instrumentum laboris on which I don’t have the time to comment today – but I will leave copies of an analysis of this disturbing document for your attention. I say these things to you today to fulfil my responsibility outlined in Canon 212 of the Code of Canon Law: According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they [the Christian faithful] have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons. The crisis in the Church is quite possibly unparalleled. So let us say a prayer for Pope Francis. May the Lord preserve him and give him life and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies. In June this year,  a consultative meeting of African prelates was held in Accra, Ghana, which culminated in the 45 bishops and 5 cardinals representing episcopal conferences across the continent expressing their intention to present a united determination to defend Church teaching about marriage and family at the upcoming Synod of Bishops on the Family. In the closing communique of the meeting in Accra, the bishops of Africa said that at the upcoming Synod on the Family they would offer “a clear affirmation of family and marriage values according to the Word of God and the doctrine of the Church.” Thank God for the African bishops. My family and families throughout the world will be praying for you in the coming months – that you continue to be courageous apostles of the unchanging and unchangeable Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Gospel of the family, the Gospel of life.

Deceit: The Epidemic in America

A strange poem, incorrectly attributed to William Blake, and of an unknown writer gives the source of a popular child's refrain--"liar, liar, pants on fire".

 The Liar

Deceiver, dissembler

Your trousers are alight

From what pole or gallows

Shall they dangle in the night?

 

When I asked of your career

Why did you have to kick my rear

With that stinking lie of thine

Proclaiming that you owned a mine?

 

When you asked to borrow my stallion

To visit a nearby-moored galleon

How could I ever know that you

Intended only to turn him into glue?

 

What red devil of mendacity

Grips your soul with such tenacity?

Will one you cruelly shower with lies

Put a pistol ball between your eyes?

 

What infernal serpent

Has lent you his forked tongue?

From what pit of foul deceit

Are all these whoppers sprung?

 

Deceiver, dissembler

Your trousers are alight

From what pole or gallows

Do they dangle in the night?

One the other hand, we have this sublime truth from Our Lord Himself.

John 14:6 Douay-Rheims

6 Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me.

This passage from Scripture is not merely a strong statement of the Identity of Christ, as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, but a clarion call to choose Him over deceit and eternal death. If Christ is the Truth, and He is, the Antichrist will be the Deceiver. Get ready.

People comment almost daily about the political leaders who have consistently lied to the public about foreign affairs, finances, even personal sins, which cannot be hidden and should not, in a public person's life.

People talk to me about betrayal in their families, children who lie, adult children who lie and, tragically, husbands and wives who live in various levels of deceit. When married couples lie to each other, this symptom of the complete breakdown of the trust in marriage leads to the inevitable break-up,

The world, and America face an enemy which does not consider lying to their enemies as a sin, as in their religious code, one may do so.

I have been told by some people "that everyone lies". Of course, this is not true. Many good Christians do not lie. Some good "nones" do not lie. However, this culture of deceit, which includes big business, as well as the kid on the block, seems to have been created almost overnight.

Perhaps one can blame the mad pursuit of money and status. Perhaps one can blame advertising, which is based on deceit. Perhaps one can blame the "texting culture", which fudges communication.

Or, perhaps we forget who is the Father of Lies and has managed, rather succinctly to undermine society and a civilization which must have trust in commerce and relationships as a basis for normal interactions.

I found these statistics, which is a way, do not surprise me, but show the prevalence of deceit in our culture. From here.

The Most Honest Cities for Online Dating

MEN
1. Houston
2. Phoenix
3. Boston
4. Pittsburgh
5. Chicago

WOMEN
1. Charlotte
2. Houston
3. Minneapolis
4. Seattle
5. Phoenix
The Least Honest Cities for Online Dating

MEN
1. Washington D.C. (Career & Education) 37%
2. San Francisco (Career & Money Earned) 35%
3. New York (Everything) 34%
4. Philadelphia (Height & Money Earned) 33%
5. Miami (Relationship Status & Height) 31%

WOMEN
1. Las Vegas (Age & Career) 39%
2. Washington D.C. (Career & Education) 37%
3. Atlanta (Age & Weight) 36%
4. Los Angeles (Age & Weight) 35%
5. New York (Age & Career) 33%

Scary, and I had a friend years ago who had to take out a restraining order on a man from a Catholic dating website. His life consisted of a huge spider's web of lies, including hiding a violent temperament.

Deceit is born in the desire not to suffer, to avoid suffering. Deceit denies Providence. Deceit covers other sins, like greed, gluttony, adultery, stealing, fornication, and contraception. When life is denied, in abortion and euthanasia, this denial comes from the deceit that God is God and is in charge of life, from conception to natural death.

But the real source of lying, the deep root of small and large lies, is self-deceit. When one refuses to face one's sins, when one refuses to admit evil in one's own soul, the pattern of deceit becomes a habit.

Some of us know compulsive liars. Some of us know those who always "get a deal" by lying or doing underhand business deals.  Some of us know those who lie about their own state of grace, thinking they will get to heaven without repentance or penance. Some of us know men and women who persist in unhealthy, even abusive relationships, because they lie about their boyfriend or girlfriend "changing" after marriage. The pursuit of security or "love" creates a life of deceit.

Now, with the recent SCOTUS decision, lying has been enshrined into law, a false law contrary to God's natural and revealed law.  This huge unnatural lie permeates the family lives of so many, that lies will not be able to be ignored to the cost of individual souls. People will go to hell not only for lying about God's perfect plan for humans and the real meaning of marriage, but for tolerating evil, which is a lie against conscience.

Tolerating evil is based on deceit, coupled with a fear of rejection. I know too many families which tolerate the evil of fornication, adultery, and sodomy in their families, creating an atmosphere of lies, setting up an entire false structure of family unity and security.

Christ instructs us plainly as to what Truth is--Himself, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.

When we lie, we reject Christ, choosing other gods, such as family members, or status, or security.

One of the greatest lies has to do with the reality of "love". Love is not sex, or passion, or lust.

We cannot label something love which is impure, immoral, unnatural.

But, the greatest lie is the denial of God being God. Idolatry of any kind comes from self-deceit.

The other day, I posted an article about a bishop who may go to prison for up to six years for upholding Church teaching regarding ssm in his diocese in Switzerland.

What struck me most in that article was the great lie that the Bible truths cannot be applied to daily life. Can you imagine laws of this land and in Europe no longer being based on Biblical truths, on Revelation? Can you imagine a life lived without Bibles, and the trust in God's Own Word?

Recall this statement, 

The bishop had crossed a “red line,” said the head of Pink Cross, in a statement reported by Newsweek. “We believe in freedom of expression, and taking quotes from the bible is fine. But then he said the words should be applied to real life, which is the equivalent of calling for the death penalty for gay people. We were worried about that. He is the leader of a big church, and he was calling for people to follow his words, and we thought this could be dangerous.”

Two lies can be spotted here. The first is that the passage quoted called for the death of homosexual people; the second is that the Bible cannot be used to apply to life.

See how far Western culture has fallen into deceit?

If one is not faithful in small things, one cannot be faithful in large things. Those who grew up lying, or fell into deceit through repeated sin, must heed Christ's words.

Luke 16:10-12 Douay-Rheims

10 He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in that which is greater: and he that is unjust in that which is little, is unjust also in that which is greater.

11 If then you have not been faithful in the unjust mammon; who will trust you with that which is the true?

12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's; who will give you that which is your own?

Teach your children to be honest. Do not think that deceit is a lesser sin. It comes out of the damned spirit, the Father of Lies. Christ addressed those living in lies, as those in the religious system had created a false religion, far from the deep spirituality of the Revelation of the Old Testament.

May God preserve us from such hypocrisy.

John 8:44 Douay-Rheims 

44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he stood not in the truth; because truth is not in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof.

Lying about one's spiritual life has to be the worst symptom of deep-seated deceit. Some think that they are holier than they are because they act holy, do good works, or attend Sunday, even daily Mass.

Years ago, I had to speak with a priest about my trying to understand how a woman I know who was embezzling money, (I tried to tell her board members of her company as I discovered this, as well as another woman with whom I was working),  I could not understand how this woman could go to daily Mass, receive Christ, and continue her stealing and misuse of funds. Several of us tried to convince those who ran the company that this was happening. They did not want to admit this, as the people were all "friends" as well as business partners.

The priest, from the FSSP congregation, told me that one does not receive grace if one receives Communion unworthily. I was struck by the level of deceit, not only in this woman, but in those who refused to admit what she was doing. Some did come to the truth later, after I left the company, but they did not press charges. Fear kept them from doing so. Fear and the fact that they had chosen to live in self-deceit for years concerning this problem involving their friend kept the lie going. They would have had to face repentance for not listening to me and others. who brought this sin to their attention. One person was fired, and two of us resigned rather than take part in this charade.

Fear of repercussions makes people accept deceit. I do not mind telling people that I was a whistleblower years ago, and acted honestly, which interfered with and finally ended an academic career. Before I brought a serious situation to light, some of my friends told me to be quiet and not bring the evil thing to light. However, the situation was serious, very, and I suffered the consequences of not being able to continue in my position, being forced out, not being protected by those in authority who said they would do so.

I could not have lived with myself for overlooking a dangerous situation for students.  And, I am convinced that if more people were willing to suffer for the truth, evil would vanish from this land. But, no, people allow evil to grow and grow and grow. They cooperate with evil.

There is no doubt that God will judge us for complicity with evil.

When we lie, or ignore others lies, reparation has to be made. God will have His Justice done. I have seen this in my own life as well, that personal purgation involves facing one's sins not only of the day, but of the past. Thank God if He lets you be purged now, in this world, accepting your purgatory not only for your own sake, but for the sake of the Church. Purgation brings self-knowledge and truth into one's own life and into the society around one.

The Holocaust happened because people were complicit with evil, not ignorant, but willing to either turn a blind eye, or tolerate, or even support great evil. This type of persecution, but against Catholics, will happen for the same reasons--cowardice, fear, and deceit.

Cowardice and fear allow deceit to flourish.  We allow lying to flourish by compromise and false tolerance.  A civilization, a culture, a family, a marriage, a friendship, cannot endure in deceit. Our nation will not endure, lying about Who is God and what are His eternal laws.

When the Bible is attacked, deceit has been allowed to have the upper hand. 

The Church, even you, even me, will be persecuted for upholding the Truth.

But, being that strong involves the daily encounter with one;s own sins. Self-knowledge marks the saint.

Interesting Article

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/constantly-checking-your-mobile-phone-can-lead-to-cognitive-failures-10458210.html

Great Article

http://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2015/08/planning-for-beauty

And apologies, I have the flu...

Will try and blog later.

Popular Post of Mine on Another Blog

http://guildofblessedtitus.blogspot.com/2015/08/at-doorstep-of-europe.html

A Great Read!

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2015/06/cdf-in-2003-considerations-regarding-proposals-to-give-legal-recognition-to-unions-between-homosexual-persons/

News From Malta

Tuesday, August 4, 2015 from http://pro-tridentina-malta.blogspot.com/2015/08/hall-of-honour-2-rev-nicholas-doublet.html

Hall of Honour (2): Rev. Nicholas Doublet

Rev. Nicholas Doublet (r.) one of the priests who implemented Summorum Pontificum in Malta

The second recipient of our virtual Hall of Honour is another founder of Pro Tridentina (Malta). Reverend Nicholas Doublet was actively involved during his seminary days when the provisionally-called Soċjeta' Maltija għall-Quddiesa Tridentina was launched at the University of Malta in 2007. However, due to statutory restrictions, he was never a member of the Executive Committee. He was the vital link between the first Executive Committee and the Church.

Following his priestly ordination in 2009, Fr Doublet celebrated a number of Masses in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, in particular in his native town, Birkirkara. Other (private) Masses were held in Ta’ l-Ibraġ, at the medieval chapel of Ħal Millieri (Żurrieq) and in St. Paul's Bay.

Fr Doublet furthered his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University, in Rome. He specialises in Theology and Church History. He is also close to Opus Dei. In Rome he is considered an expert of Cardinal Pietro Gasparri, former Secretary of State of Popes Benedict XV and Pius XI.

His contact details are available at the Birkirkara clergy website.

From Today's NO Mass

Brothers and sisters:

Watch carefully how you live,
not as foolish persons but as wise,
making the most of the opportunity,
because the days are evil.
Therefore, do not continue in ignorance,
but try to understand what is the will of the Lord.
And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery,
but be filled with the Spirit,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts,
giving thanks always and for everything
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father

Eph 5:15-20

From The Heart

http://guildofblessedtitus.blogspot.com/2015/08/at-doorstep-of-europe.html

Bad News and Good News

bad

http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/national-post-view-quebec-hate-speech-bill-would-re-establish-bureaucratic-despotism

good

http://southernorderspage.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-cardinal-that-would-be-pope-one-day.html

and a very good commentary

http://southernorderspage.blogspot.com/2015/08/a-commentary-on-how-much-liturgical.html

and a re-post on another blog

http://guildofblessedtitus.blogspot.com/2015/08/a-timely-re-post.html

Musings on Natural Law and the New Blog

The two articles have not been sent to me yet and I sincerely hope these arrive before I move to the new blog.

Speaking earlier today with another person about natural law. the one thing we did agree upon was that Catholics can no longer merely enter an argument with the phrase, "Because the Church teaches..."

Moral decision making must be placed in a context which people who are not use to thinking except from a basis of subjectivity understand.

Interestingly enough, speaking with some young Millennials, I discovered that these people are less subjective than their Gen-X or Boomer parents. Why?

They have been forced to construct systems of some sort for themselves as so many have been taught nothing, no moral framework. So, the smarter ones are figuring out that they need a basis for moral judgments. They may use Buddhism, and more and more see the dogmatism of Islam interesting, but they seek something more than relativism.

This is a good sign of a good individualism, not based on conformity with one's peers.

I hope I can share the superb thoughts of my guest blogger soon.

As to the new blog, let me explain why I am drastically changing the format and content.

I firmly believe that Catholics must resort to prayer and the meditation of Scripture in order to adjust themselves to the coming crisis. In addition, those young people I have described above, deserve the insights and even, through the grace of God, the infused knowledge which the Holy Spirit frequently gives to those who grow in meditation.

I need not repeat what I have written in the long perfection series, but on the new blog, I shall concentrate on recollection, reflection, meditation and contemplation.

I am doing this for several reasons. Here are a few of the main ones listed below:

• to help people move from action to the needed passivity of prayer
• to help people learn how to evangelize with the insights given in prayer to doctrine
• to move readers to become more committed to praying 
• to help readers cooperate with God in developing discernment
• to come to a Catholic, not Protestant understanding of the Scriptures, not only for personal growth but for evangelization 
• to aid in the search for self-knowledge absolutely necessary to be a saint

We simply do not have much time to use the Net for learning patterns and levels of prayer, already outlined on this blog. But, perhaps a more personal reflection daily will help those who still are struggling with learning to live a life without the normal comforts--both physical and spiritual.

More later...

For American Catholics

http://www.usccb.org/about/divine-worship/liturgical-calendar/upload/2015cal.pdf

To end confusion on Holydays....

Life News

http://www.lifenews.com/2015/08/14/arkansas-becomes-4th-state-to-de-fund-planned-parenthood-after-it-sells-aborted-babies/


Mary Our Mother, intercede for us.

Huge Prayer Request

Please pray for a young woman who is sixteen and has a brain tumor.

This is an immediate need for prayer.