Former Abortion Advocate: We lied.

A while back, I stumbled across an article quoting the late Dr. Bernard Nathanson, a co-founder of the pro-abortion group NARAL, who later became pro-life and an outspoken critic of abortion.

One of the things he has consistently said is that in the quest to get unlimited abortion legal and to keep it legal, abortion advocates have consistently lied. (I remember that during the partial-birth abortion debate, one of the spokespeople for the pro-abortion groups also admitted that they lied.)

Nathanson pointed out that abortion advocates purposely created slogans to appeal to people.

"Women must have control over their own bodies."
"Safe and legal abortion is every woman's right."
"Who decides? You decide!"
"Freedom of choice -- a basic American right."

"I remember laughing when we made those slogans up," Nathanson said. "We were looking for some sexy, catchy slogans to capture public opinion. They were very cynical slogans then, just as all of these slogans today are very, very cynical."

"In 1968 I met Lawrence Lader. Lader had just finished a book called Abortion, and in it had made the audacious demand that abortion should be legalized throughout the country. I had just finished a residency in obstetrics and gynecology and was impressed with the number of women who were coming into our clinics, wards and hospitals suffering from illegal, infected, botched abortions."

"Lader and I were perfect for each other. We sat down and plotted out the organization now known as NARAL. With Betty Friedan, we set up this organization and began working on the strategy."

"We persuaded the media that the cause of permissive abortion was a liberal, enlightened, sophisticated one. Knowing that if a true poll were taken, we would be soundly defeated, we simply fabricated the results of fictional polls."

In other words, they lied.

"We announced to the media that we had taken polls and that 60 percent of Americans were in favor of permissive abortion. This is the tactic of the self-fulfilling lie.

Admitting to lying.

"Few people care to be in the minority. We aroused enough sympathy to sell our program of permissive abortion by fabricating the number of illegal abortions done annually in the U.S."

Fabricating. In other words, they lied.

"The actual figure was approaching 100,000, but the figure we gave to the media repeatedly was 1,000,000."

"Repeating the big lie often enough convinces the public."

Sounds familiar. Propaganda 101 - lie.

"The number of women dying from illegal abortions was around 200-250 annually. The figure we constantly fed to the media was 10,000. These false figures took root in the consciousness of Americans, convincing many that we needed to crack the abortion law."

Again, they intentionally lied. (FYI - according to the CDC, in 1972, the year before Roe, 63 women died from induced abortions, and 24 of those deaths were from legal abortions.)

"Another myth we fed to the public through the media was that legalizing abortion would only mean that the abortions taking place illegally would then be done legally. In fact, of course, abortion is now being used as a primary method of birth control in the U.S. and the annual number of abortions has increased by 1,500 percent since legalization."

Myth. A synonym for "lie."

The target was New York, which had had a law outlawing abortion on its books for 140 years.

"In two years of work, we at NARAL struck that law down. We lobbied the legislature, we captured the media, we spent money on public relations. … Our first year's budget was $7,500. Of that, $5,000 was allotted to a public relations firm to persuade the media of the correctness of our position. That was in 1969."

And four years later, the abortion plague spread across American with Roe v. Wade.

Oh, by the way, Norma McCorvey (whom I interviewed back when I was a reporter), who was Jane Roe, later became a pro-lifer herself and admitted that in her original suit that went to the Supreme Court ... she had lied.

Legal abortion is based on lies. It is sustained by lies.

And we all know who the Father of Lies is.

Pax et bonum

Summer Reading

As always, I have a pile of books to read this summer. And, as is typical, most of them are school related (I'm teaching a new course in the fall).

Right now I'm working through Saint Benedict: The Story of the Father of Western Monks by Mary Fabyan Windeatt, which is on the 7th/8th Grade Summer Reading list.\

As soon as I finish that, I'll read the other book on that list, The Trumpeter of Krakow by Eric P. Kelly.

For the school year I'll preread:

Joan of Arc by Mark Twain
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle
The Sword in the Stone by T. H. White
The Chaucer Story Book by Eva March Tappan

There are more school-related works, which I will get to if there is time.

For myself, I'm currently reading (as my spiritual reading) The Lessons of St. Francis: How to Bring Simplicity and Spirituality Into Your Daily Life by John Michael Talbot with Steve Rabey.

And who knows what else will drift my way!

Pax et bonum

Churches ban Trump supporters from worship services

An interfaith council of ministers and congregations voted today to ban any Trump supporters from worship services.

The Western Southern New York Cooperative Council of Progressive Congregations, in a special meeting, voted 15-0 to turn away from services anyone who publicly supports, admits to voting for, or is suspected of liking Donald Trump. If such people show up for services they will be asked to leave.

“This is a moment in our democracy when people have to make uncomfortable actions and decisions to uphold their morals,” declared the Rev. Gennifer Sanger-Spong, lead minster of the Ecumenical Universal Life Church of West Cayuga. She said the action of Trump’s White House have consistently been, “inhumane and unethical.”

Sanger-Spong explained that the churches decided to turn away the Trump supporters because, “our churches have certain standards that they feel they have to uphold, such as honesty, and compassion, and cooperation." They found Trump policies toward Democrats, the media, NFL players, and Hollywood B-listers are inherently mean.

To enforce the decision, volunteers will stand in parking lots before services and whenever they spot a car with a bumper sticker saying "Trump" or "MAGA," the drivers will be asked to turn around a go home. In addition, each congregation will have a committee that will make lists of any individuals who said they voted for Trump, had Trump lawn signs, or voiced support for any Trump proposals, and those people will be asked to leave the church if they are seen sitting in a pew.

"Despite its many crimes and inherent racism, we believe America's alleged values include being inclusive," Sanger-Spong said. "We are trying to send a message."

The WSNYCCPC consists of 18 congregations. At the special meeting, the vote included two abstentions. In addition, one congregation boycotted the meeting because of the kind of coffee the council was using.

Pax et bonum

Stand Out For Life

Despite the threat of rain, more than 50 of us gathered outside Planned Parenthood this morning (June 23) for Stand Our For Life.

The rally included a rosary, silent prayers, and songs.

One of the clinic escorts actually began to cry. We don't know if our message of love began to touch her - I'd like to think that. Of course, it could have been frustration that they could do nothing to stop us, or that the pro-life side is winning more and more.

Interestingly, the police showed up. Our rally leader, small child in arms, went over and talked to the three officer. Then the police approached the escorts. After a few minutes the police stood off to the side, chatting amicably with the prolifers. We were not told to move or to stop.

We'll be back in July.

Pax et bonum

Nightmare

 

When he

awoke, he sighed,

“It was just a bad dream.”

Then he saw on his body, the

scratches. 

Pax et bonum

"St. Thomas More of London" by Elizabeth M. Ince - good read

To help ready for summer reading/next year, I read Elizabeth Ince's St. Thomas More of London, thinking it was one of the options. (It was listed among the options on the curriculum guide for middle school).

Alas, I found out today that many of the students have already read it.

Too bad. It was an enjoyable read, and More is one of my favorite saints. I am better for having read it.

We will still read excerpts from More's writings, and at least view A Man for All Seasons.

Meanwhile, I signed my contract today, submitted all my students' final exams, and set the schedules for the falls and spring plays.

Summer vacation has begun. On to more reading!

Pax et bonum

Father's Day

 

hospital window –
outside father’s room
an empty nest

 

 

Father's Day -
the fluttering of small flags
in the graveyard

 

 

Father's nursing home -
weekly euchre game down
another player

 

Father's Day -
the coolness
of his headstone

Pax et bonum

Profession 2018

Yesterday was profession day, a day to celebrate and welcome Pat Cammarata and Irene Perevich to the Secular Franciscan Order.

While it was joyful - and the ceremony went really well - the two professed were reminders of what plagues the fraternity: Older members, not always in the best of health.

Our fraternity currently has 8 excused members - 7 of them due to health. Our meetings often have many member absent due to illness, or to fear of bad weather.

I don't mean to be negative. It was wonderful to welcome new members. But if our fraternity is going to thrive we need to attract more and younger members.

Pax et bonum

Glitches

I was having a problem on my Facebook page reading messages. A more computer savvy friend suggested a fix. I tried it. Knocked off all my links, messed up all my accounts. This one is no longer easily reached! I have to go through multiple steps just to post. Sigh.


Pax et bonum

Votive Candle

votive candle -
remembering a child
never born

Pax et bonum

Abortion logic (part 2)

she seeks votes with call
to wipe out future voters -
abortion logic

a baby's not a
baby 'till I say it is -
abortion logic

ignoring science,
I define when life begins -
abortion logic

we celebrate choice
except that of prolifers -
abortion logic

hide unpleasant truths
by using euphemisms -
abortion logic

Pax et bonum

Squirrel on a fence

lawn mower -
squirrel sits on the fence
twitching his tail

Pax et bonum

The Limits of Forgiveness | Catholic Answers

It's not just a simple matter.



The Limits of Forgiveness | Catholic Answers





Pax et bonum

Abortion logic

Emily's List calls for supporting these pro-choice women candidates to help flip the Senate. Among them is New York's Gillibrand, who identifies as a Catholic.



she seeks votes
with call to wipe out future voters -
abortion logic

Pax et bonum

Hillbilly Thomists Perform at the CIC

I enjoy bluegrass!



Pax et bonum

Catholics ARE Saved (from John Michael Talbot)

A good story for Corpus Christi:

I was a Catholic once....

"I was a Catholic once,” said the lady a few yards from me in the parking lot. “Now I’m a Christian and you can be one as well.” She preceded to hand a tract to a gentleman standing next to the opened trunk of his car. I couldn’t help it.

“Excuse me,” I said to the lady “but could I too have a tract?” The lady's face beamed. “Are you saved?,” she asked. “Of course I am; I’m a believing Catholic,” I retorted. She looked at me as if I had bad breath or something.

She continued, “I was just telling this gentleman that I too was a Catholic - a Catholic for thirty-some years in fact. Now I've found Christ and I’m trying to tell everyone I know about salvation through Christ.”

“Wow, that’s really something! May I ask why you left the Church?” I could tell that, by asking this question, my new acquaintance was getting excited. After all, she had probably been snubbed by dozens of people and now she has someone that she can “witness” to Christ. I didn’t mind much either, but I tried not to show it.

"You see,” she said, “I was born Catholic. I attended Mass every week, received the Sacraments and graduated from a Catholic school. Not once did I ever hear the gospel proclaimed. Not once! It was after the birth of my first child that a good friend of mine shared ‘the gospel’ with me and I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior and became a Christian. Now I belong to a ‘Bible-believing’ church and I’m sharing the gospel with whomever will listen.”

This shocked me. “You mean you belonged to the Catholic Church for over forty years and you never heard the gospel?,” I said. She was getting more excited. “Yes, I never once heard the gospel of salvation preached or taught or even mentioned in the Church. If you don’t preach the gospel, excuse my bluntness, but you're simply not Christian.” I scratched my head and said, “that’s strange. I’ve been a Catholic all my life and I bet I hear the gospel ever week at Church.” Her smile quickly faded into a look of curiosity. “Maybe, I’m missing something,” I continued. “Tell me what you mean by ‘the gospel?’”

The lady reached back into her purse to pull out a little tract and said, “This tracts explains the simple gospel of salvation. It can be broken down into four easy steps.

“First, we acknowledge that we are all sinners in need of God’s forgiveness.

Secondly, we recognize that only God can save us.

The third step is that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for our sins and to bring us to God.

And the fourth and final step is that each individual accepts Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior to be saved.”

I thought for a couple of seconds and said, “If I could demonstrate to you that Catholics hear “the gospel” every Sunday, would you agree to take a closer look at the Catholic Church?” Now, she knew she had me over a barrel. “Prove it,” she said. I excused myself for a second and ran to my car to grab a Missal.

“Since you have attended Mass nearly all your life, you probably remember these prayers.” I flipped open to the beginning prayers of the Mass and proceeded to show her how Catholics hear, pray and live the gospel message every Sunday.

The first step in my new found friend’s tract stated that we are all sinners in need of God’s forgiveness. After the Greeting, the Mass continues to what is known as the Penitential Rite. I read loud the text to her while she followed reading silently.

“I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault. In my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do.”
I mentioned that it is here in this section that each Catholic states publicly that he or she is individually a sinner - not merely in a general sense - but specifically in thoughts, words and deeds.

You can’t get much more complete than that. I continued reading,
“and I ask Blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and to you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.”

The priest reaffirms this confession of sin by praying,

“May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.”
And the whole congregation says “Amen,” that is, “I believe.” The priest continues.
“Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy,”
and finishes by saying;
"Lord show us your mercy and love. And grant us your salvation.”

I looked at her and said, “You see, we Catholics start every Mass with a public declaration of our own personal sinfulness and look to God for forgiveness.” She responded, “But Catholics don’t believe that God alone can save them. They believe Mary and the saints will save them.” I shook my head in disagreement. “No, we don’t. Remember what we had just read in the Mass. Catholic ask Mary, the angels, the saints and the whole congregation to pray to God for mercy on their behalf - just like I would ask you to pray for me to God. Does that mean that I look to you to ‘save’ me? No, of course I don’t believe that. I’m just asking for your help. Besides the ‘Gloria’ of the Mass proves that Catholics look to God alone to save us.”

I began reading the Missal emphasizing certain words to prove my point:

“Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us, you are seated at the right hand of the Father, receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father."

Likewise, the doxology spoken just prior to communion reads,
“Through him, with him, in him; in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is your, almighty Father, for ever and ever.”

As I looked up, I could see the lady intently reading the page. She couldn’t believe that she had prayed these prayers for years and never noticed what it was saying. Yet, there it was in black and white. I continued with the third step - the acknowledgment that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins and to bring us to God.

The Profession of Faith reads,
“For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate.”

In the Eucharistic Prayer 1, the priest prays:
“Remember [Lord] all of us gather here before you. You know how firmly we believe in you and dedicate ourselves to you. . . We pray to you, our living and true God, for our well-being and redemption . . . Grant us your peace in this life, save us from final damnation, and count us among those you have chosen.”

The prayer ends with an appeal to God for salvation through Jesus Christ:
“May, these and all who sleep in Christ, find in your presence light, happiness and peace. For ourselves, too, we ask some share in the fellowship of your apostles and martyrs . . . Though we are sinners, we trust in your mercy and love. Do not consider what we truly deserve, but grant us your forgiveness. Through Christ our Lord you give us all these gifts. You fill them with life and goodness, you bless them and make them holy.”

Similarly the second Eucharistic Prayer proclaims,
“Dying you [Jesus] destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory. . . Have mercy on us all; make us worthy to share eternal life with Mary, the virgin Mother of God, with the apostles and with all the saints who have done your will throughout the ages.”

Likewise, Eucharistic Prayer 3 reads,
“All life, all holiness comes from you through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, by the working of the Holy Spirit . . .
Father, calling to mind the death your Son endured for our salvation, his glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven, and ready to greet him when he comes again, we offer you in thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice. Look with favour on our your Church’s offering, and see the Victim [Christ] whose death has reconciled us to yourself . . .
May he make us an everlasting gift for you and enable us to share in the inheritance of your saints . . . “

Lastly, the fourth Eucharistic Prayer reads,
“Father, you so loved the world that in the fullness of time you sent your only Son to be our Savior . . .
In fulfillment of your will he gave himself up to death; but by rising from the dead, he destroyed death and restored life.”
In this prayer, the congregation proclaims the mystery of faith:
“Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free. You are the Savior of the world.”

“You see, every week Catholics proclaim that Jesus died for them,” I said to the lady who was now searching for something to say. After a brief moment of silence, she shot a response back at me.

“What about accepting Jesus Christ and their personal Lord and Savior?” She retorted. “They may be saying all this stuff, but they don’t make a personal act of acceptance.” What she didn’t know was that I deliberately didn’t mention the last “step” of her “gospel.”

I explained that if Catholics don’t believe what they are praying, they ought not to be publicly proclaiming it. Since we can’t read the dispositions of other people’s hearts, we ought not to judge whether they truly believe what they are saying. Next, I pointed out the last step - where Catholics are accepting Jesus into their hearts. Right before communion the priest holds up the host (which is now the body, blood, soul and divinity of Our Lord under the appearances of bread and wine) and prays.
“This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper.”
And the congregation responds,
“Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.”

I looked straight into the lady’s eyes and said, “It is here that all those who are prepared to receive Jesus Christ walk up to the front of the church but they don’t just believing in Christ or merely asking Jesus into their hearts.” “They don’t?” She asked. “No,” I answered, “they receive that same Christ who died on the cross on Calvary into their mouth and into their stomachs - body, blood, soul and divinity - and become one with him in an unspeakable way. Now that's accepting Christ!” She didn’t have a response. I’m not sure that she had ever really thought about the Mass and Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist because she appeared to be both surprised and intrigued.

I gave her my phone number and invited her to a study group I was heading in the neighborhood which examined the Biblical foundation for Catholic doctrine. As we departed, I couldn’t help but wonder how many other people, like my new friend, left the Church thinking that it had nothing to say about salvation. Yet the richness of the liturgy of the Mass and even more so Christ’s real substantial presence in the Eucharist so outshines our separated brethren’s “low church” prayer services that there is no comparison!

Indeed, the mystery of the Mass goes far beyond the simple “sinner’s prayer.” What I wanted to demonstrate is that all the elements of what Protestants consider the “essentials” of human salvation are presented, in Technicolor, in the liturgy of the Mass and that to deny the charge that the Church is somehow neglecting to present “the gospel".

Pax et bonum

Suburban deer herd (haiku)

suburban deer herd -
at summer gatherings, what
do they barbecue?

Pax et bonum

shadow on a moonless night

my wish, he whispered,
is to be a shadow
on a moonless night

Pax et bonum