America's First Excommunicated President
What do you think the odds of this happening would be if John F'n Kerry wins the Party of Death's nomination and beats Dubya in November? If Kerry faces Bush in November, expect the election to be closer than previously thought, even if conservatives decide not to stay home in protest over the President's questionable moves over illegal immigration and government spending.
Saturday, January 31, 2004
At Least They Aren't Selling Official T-shirts...Yet
San Mateo County charges media $51K for spots near the courthouse where the Scott Peterson trial is being held.
The 16 spaces, which are approximately 13 feet by 17 feet, will be used for television reporters to store equipment, work and conduct interviews. Each station must provide its own tent.
In addition, television stations must pay $7,500 for space to park their satellite trucks. Twenty spaces set aside for journalists in a nearby lot cost $200 a month each. Reporters are not being charged for space in a media center about a block away.
Altogether, the fees would raise $816,000 for the county, about a third of which has already been spent on preparations for the trial, Alms said.
San Mateo County charges media $51K for spots near the courthouse where the Scott Peterson trial is being held.
The 16 spaces, which are approximately 13 feet by 17 feet, will be used for television reporters to store equipment, work and conduct interviews. Each station must provide its own tent.
In addition, television stations must pay $7,500 for space to park their satellite trucks. Twenty spaces set aside for journalists in a nearby lot cost $200 a month each. Reporters are not being charged for space in a media center about a block away.
Altogether, the fees would raise $816,000 for the county, about a third of which has already been spent on preparations for the trial, Alms said.
Friday, January 30, 2004
9th Circuit: Publicly Exposed Self-Intimacy is a Free Speech Right
If for nothing else, reelect Geroge W. because he nominates sensible people to the federal Courts of Appeal.
If for nothing else, reelect Geroge W. because he nominates sensible people to the federal Courts of Appeal.
Thursday, January 29, 2004
St. Blog's Loves Patricia Heaton
As evidenced by HugeTim Terminator Kathy Shaidle and Holy Roman Emperor wannabe Mark Shea. And rightly so to the extent that Patricia Heaton is a publicly avowed anti-abortion Christian in an environment that is extremely hostile to such perspectives and people. Notice, however, that I've used the term "anti-abortion" to describe Ms. Heaton. For me, in order to be considered "pro-life," you not only have to be against the killing of unborn children, you should also be against any artificial and unnatural acts that prevent the conception of children (i.e., artificial contraception).
In all truthfulness, I have no idea whether Patricia Heaton is for or against the use of contraceptive devices like condoms and IUDs. However, I have seen several episodes of "Everybody Loves Raymond" where the married characters that Ms. Heaton and Ray Romano play, Deborah and Ray Barone, affirmatively consider their use without even a cursory discussion of the Catholic Church's moral opposition to artificial contraception (the fictional Barone family is Catholic). Presuming that she would never agree to play a sympathetic character who condones abortion, an inference can probably be made that Ms. Heaton's personal belief toward artificial contraception is reflected by her willingness to play someone who doesn't think they are that big of a deal. Although it may seem a little picky or semantic, it is on this basis that I am hesitant to call Patricia Heaton, or any other similarly situated anti-abortion advocate, "pro-life."
As evidenced by HugeTim Terminator Kathy Shaidle and Holy Roman Emperor wannabe Mark Shea. And rightly so to the extent that Patricia Heaton is a publicly avowed anti-abortion Christian in an environment that is extremely hostile to such perspectives and people. Notice, however, that I've used the term "anti-abortion" to describe Ms. Heaton. For me, in order to be considered "pro-life," you not only have to be against the killing of unborn children, you should also be against any artificial and unnatural acts that prevent the conception of children (i.e., artificial contraception).
In all truthfulness, I have no idea whether Patricia Heaton is for or against the use of contraceptive devices like condoms and IUDs. However, I have seen several episodes of "Everybody Loves Raymond" where the married characters that Ms. Heaton and Ray Romano play, Deborah and Ray Barone, affirmatively consider their use without even a cursory discussion of the Catholic Church's moral opposition to artificial contraception (the fictional Barone family is Catholic). Presuming that she would never agree to play a sympathetic character who condones abortion, an inference can probably be made that Ms. Heaton's personal belief toward artificial contraception is reflected by her willingness to play someone who doesn't think they are that big of a deal. Although it may seem a little picky or semantic, it is on this basis that I am hesitant to call Patricia Heaton, or any other similarly situated anti-abortion advocate, "pro-life."
World's First "Happy" Farm
If all the world were like this place, either eventually nobody would be left or it would be controlled by a select group of people makers.
If all the world were like this place, either eventually nobody would be left or it would be controlled by a select group of people makers.
You Might Be Catholic in Name Only if...
...you try to dismiss these clear statements from the Catholic hierarchy as a means to support Howard Dean, or any pro-abortion candidate, for President.
...you try to dismiss these clear statements from the Catholic hierarchy as a means to support Howard Dean, or any pro-abortion candidate, for President.
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
A Man For All Seasons?
This editorial on Bill Pryor and his role in the Judge Moore/Ten Commandments monument controversy in Alabama harkens to mind the following quote from St. Thomas More in the play/movie "A Man for All Seasons":
"This country is planted thick with laws from coast to coast. Man's laws, not God's. And if you cut them down--and you're just the man to do it--do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then?"
This editorial on Bill Pryor and his role in the Judge Moore/Ten Commandments monument controversy in Alabama harkens to mind the following quote from St. Thomas More in the play/movie "A Man for All Seasons":
"This country is planted thick with laws from coast to coast. Man's laws, not God's. And if you cut them down--and you're just the man to do it--do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then?"
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Holy Bologne!
Dean welches on hefty lunch bill. No response yet from Catholics for Dean on whether this is consistent with Church teaching.
Dean welches on hefty lunch bill. No response yet from Catholics for Dean on whether this is consistent with Church teaching.
Would He Have Body Slammed the Guy if it Was Saddam?
Al Franken loves free speech so much that he's willing to physically assault a guy who is exercising said right. What a hypocritical moron.
Al Franken loves free speech so much that he's willing to physically assault a guy who is exercising said right. What a hypocritical moron.
Monday, January 26, 2004
Catholic Deaniac
Some yayhoo who seems to regard himself as a pro-life Catholic has constructed a website called Catholics for Dean. While a number of right thinking Catholic bloggers have already commented on its senselessness in regard to the issue of abortion, I would also add that there is no way that any serious Christian can legitimately support a man for President who thinks homosexual conduct is ok because he believes God made homosexuals. By that astounding logic, since God "made" heterosexuals, fornication, adultery, and polygamy must be ok.
Some yayhoo who seems to regard himself as a pro-life Catholic has constructed a website called Catholics for Dean. While a number of right thinking Catholic bloggers have already commented on its senselessness in regard to the issue of abortion, I would also add that there is no way that any serious Christian can legitimately support a man for President who thinks homosexual conduct is ok because he believes God made homosexuals. By that astounding logic, since God "made" heterosexuals, fornication, adultery, and polygamy must be ok.
Saturday, January 24, 2004
Credibility Problem
Would you trust someone's evaluation of Mel Gibson's movie if you knew that person had an agenda to be critical of it, and had to lie to people to get in and see it? Neither would I.
Would you trust someone's evaluation of Mel Gibson's movie if you knew that person had an agenda to be critical of it, and had to lie to people to get in and see it? Neither would I.
Friday, January 23, 2004
Bush is Not Pro-Life Enough
So complains influential and respected Catholic bloggers Amy Welborn and Mark Shea because 1) the Prez didn't mention abortion in his recent State of the Union Address and 2) he didn't personally appear at the March for Life protest yesterday.
From a substantive standpoint, I myself don't think President Bush is "perfect" on the general issue of life, as exemplefied by his limited allowance of embryonic stem cell research and his seemingly uncritical support of the death penalty. However, insofar as abortion is concerned, Bush has publicly done more to support and uphold the rights of the unborn than any other U.S. President in recent history. See, e.g., the signing of the partial-birth abortion ban, proclamation of the National Sanctity of Human Life Day, and the nomination of several pro-life and pro-life leaning individuals to the judiciary. In light of these acts, for folks like Welborn and Shea to lambast Bush simply because he didn't mention abortion in a speech or personally show up at a rally down the street from the White House is downright silly. Indeed, one wonders what Welborn and Shea must think of the Pope, since I don't believe he has mentioned abortion in any of his Wednesday General Audience talks for quite some time.
So complains influential and respected Catholic bloggers Amy Welborn and Mark Shea because 1) the Prez didn't mention abortion in his recent State of the Union Address and 2) he didn't personally appear at the March for Life protest yesterday.
From a substantive standpoint, I myself don't think President Bush is "perfect" on the general issue of life, as exemplefied by his limited allowance of embryonic stem cell research and his seemingly uncritical support of the death penalty. However, insofar as abortion is concerned, Bush has publicly done more to support and uphold the rights of the unborn than any other U.S. President in recent history. See, e.g., the signing of the partial-birth abortion ban, proclamation of the National Sanctity of Human Life Day, and the nomination of several pro-life and pro-life leaning individuals to the judiciary. In light of these acts, for folks like Welborn and Shea to lambast Bush simply because he didn't mention abortion in a speech or personally show up at a rally down the street from the White House is downright silly. Indeed, one wonders what Welborn and Shea must think of the Pope, since I don't believe he has mentioned abortion in any of his Wednesday General Audience talks for quite some time.
Sin Boldly
I was reading this article by Ralph McInerny about the pseudoscience that purports to prove that human behavior is controlled by genetics, and all the while I kept thinking about Protestantism and its historic theological doctrine of "Once Saved, Always Saved." Under this doctrine, of course, man is generally presumed to be a hopeless reprobate (i.e., man is immutably bad). However, as long as a person has faith in God and accepts Jesus Christ as the Messiah, then it doesn't matter how many "involuntary" sinful acts he commits as his reprobate soul is externally covered by God's infinite grace.
By their inherent denial of the existence of free will, as well as the internal efficaciousness of God's grace through the Sacraments, Protestants, especially those of the Fundamentalist stripe, better hope that science never one day universally determines that there is a "gay" gene. Such a determination, from the general Protestant perspective, would effectively render biblical condemnations of homosexual conduct as nothing more than a legalistic and social/cultural hangup that has no importance or relevance to salvation. Sure, two men having sexual intercourse with each other is objectively disgusting and sinful, but if it is genetically in their nature to engage in such conduct, and they profess to be Christians, who are many Protestants to say these men shouldn't be doing what they're doing, or more importantly, that they aren't "saved?"
I was reading this article by Ralph McInerny about the pseudoscience that purports to prove that human behavior is controlled by genetics, and all the while I kept thinking about Protestantism and its historic theological doctrine of "Once Saved, Always Saved." Under this doctrine, of course, man is generally presumed to be a hopeless reprobate (i.e., man is immutably bad). However, as long as a person has faith in God and accepts Jesus Christ as the Messiah, then it doesn't matter how many "involuntary" sinful acts he commits as his reprobate soul is externally covered by God's infinite grace.
By their inherent denial of the existence of free will, as well as the internal efficaciousness of God's grace through the Sacraments, Protestants, especially those of the Fundamentalist stripe, better hope that science never one day universally determines that there is a "gay" gene. Such a determination, from the general Protestant perspective, would effectively render biblical condemnations of homosexual conduct as nothing more than a legalistic and social/cultural hangup that has no importance or relevance to salvation. Sure, two men having sexual intercourse with each other is objectively disgusting and sinful, but if it is genetically in their nature to engage in such conduct, and they profess to be Christians, who are many Protestants to say these men shouldn't be doing what they're doing, or more importantly, that they aren't "saved?"
Thursday, January 22, 2004
Intriguing
In an effort to overturn Roe v. Wade, South Dakota may pass a bill that would outlaw most abortions.
"This is a decision that should be made by the people in each of the states through their elected representatives, not by nine un-elected judges in a courtroom 1,500 miles from the capitol of South Dakota. This bill puts South Dakota in the forefront of the nation and says we will lead the fight to protect unborn children," said McCaulley, a Republican who was 4 months old when the high-court decision came down.
"Medical and scientific discoveries over the last 30 years have confirmed that life begins at conception, a question the Roe Court said they could not answer."
A most noble and admirable endeavor. However, unless the composition of the current U.S. Supreme Court radically changes, it simply won't survive judicial review.
In an effort to overturn Roe v. Wade, South Dakota may pass a bill that would outlaw most abortions.
"This is a decision that should be made by the people in each of the states through their elected representatives, not by nine un-elected judges in a courtroom 1,500 miles from the capitol of South Dakota. This bill puts South Dakota in the forefront of the nation and says we will lead the fight to protect unborn children," said McCaulley, a Republican who was 4 months old when the high-court decision came down.
"Medical and scientific discoveries over the last 30 years have confirmed that life begins at conception, a question the Roe Court said they could not answer."
A most noble and admirable endeavor. However, unless the composition of the current U.S. Supreme Court radically changes, it simply won't survive judicial review.
Year 31
Another reminder that intelligence is not a primary qualification for being a Justice on the United States Supreme Court.
Another reminder that intelligence is not a primary qualification for being a Justice on the United States Supreme Court.
What the...?!
Chinese New Year dragon dances during Mass. Give me a break Cardinal Hollywood. (link via Amy Welborn)
Chinese New Year dragon dances during Mass. Give me a break Cardinal Hollywood. (link via Amy Welborn)
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
Visions of Michael Moore's Inane "We're Living in Fictional Times" Remark
Drudge reports asinine Wesley Clark quote of "marriage" being a term of art. No word on what other social conspiracies that Clark believes every living culture and religion in the world has created out of whole cloth.
Drudge reports asinine Wesley Clark quote of "marriage" being a term of art. No word on what other social conspiracies that Clark believes every living culture and religion in the world has created out of whole cloth.
Missing
Lack of posting from two of my favorites, the Mighty Barrister and the Conservative San Diego Chica. Not sure why, but maybe the MB is being consumed by a big case and Molly is in the throes of trying to delude herself into believing that Marty Schottenheimer can bring the Chargers back to the Super Bowl. Hope you guys come back soon and often.
Lack of posting from two of my favorites, the Mighty Barrister and the Conservative San Diego Chica. Not sure why, but maybe the MB is being consumed by a big case and Molly is in the throes of trying to delude herself into believing that Marty Schottenheimer can bring the Chargers back to the Super Bowl. Hope you guys come back soon and often.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)