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Archive for September, 2006

30
Sep

Jihad in the maternity ward

So, Islam is a religion of peace aye?

Well, why then, after Pope Benedict’s lecture to a German university, are Muslims in Islamic countries burning effigies of Pope Benedict XVI?

And why are they firebombing Christian churches?

And why are they holding angry street marches attacking Pope Benedict and Catholicism, and demanding an apology?

Most importantly of all; why have no Muslim Clerics encouraged peace and restraint from the Islamic world?

Surely, if Islam is the badly misrepresented religion of peace that many Islamic apologists are trying to convince us that it is, then you’d think that there would be no problem with someone, in a university lecture, quoting an ancient scholar who challenged tenants of their religious belief.

I mean; Christianity is mocked, misrepresented and unfairly attacked on a daily basis in the media, institutions of learning and workplaces all over the world, yet you don’t hear of Christians firebombing buildings or burning effigies of Paul Holmes.

The recent example of the Bloody Mary episode of South Park was a classic example.

C4 TV screens an obscene and vile mockery of Christianity and the Christian community responded by praying for all involved outside the TV studios.

That’s because Christ preached peace and love for non-Christians, and even enemies of Christianity, while Mohammad preferred a more forceful and violent approach to interaction with people of a different religious persuasion.

Sadly, this fact seems to have been lost to many in the media and even in the Islamic world, thanks largely to the fact that in Islamic countries school students are taught that the reason people converted to Islam hundreds of years ago is because they all thought it was far superior to any other faith.

It seems that the Muslim armies and the invasions and threats of death had nothing to do with it.

Even Javed Khan, the president of the Islamic Association of New Zealand stated on the TV3 news at 6pm on Sunday the 17th that what Pope Benedict had said was incorrect!

Excuse me, but what history book are you reading Mr Khan, or more to the point; what history books aren’t you reading?!!

Let’s face facts; the Pope referred to one quote, from an ancient source about Islam, during a much longer lecture about the fact that true faith is based on reason.

In response to the suggestion that Islam has a problem in its past with violence, the Islamic community responded with violence to prove to the world that they really are a peaceful people!

The simple fact is that there is a jihad going on against the West, even in this country, but it is not just members of Islam who are waging this jihad against Western culture.

The mere fact that many females in New Zealand are wearing burqas shows that they are part of a community that doesn’t recognise the dignity and freedom of women, and this community is rapidly growing in our country.

While we are aborting, contracepting and coming up with more and more selfish reasons not to have families, or to restrict them to 2.5 kids, this same burqa wearing community is quite happy to have plenty of kids – which they see as a blessing from God.

So while we are aborting kids, or just not having them, they are having big families.

There is a jihad going on in the West (including NZ) but it’s not the kind of jihad involving guns and violence, and it’s a jihad that we are also participating in, and perpetrating against our own civilization.

This jihad is happening in maternity wards all over the Western world.

One day, because of our eagerness to embrace secularism, and the culture of death that comes along with it, we will wake up to realise that we have been out bred and are now outnumbered by a civilization that doesn’t believe in the same freedoms and rights that the Western world does thanks to its Christian heritage.

This new majority will simply begin to elect their own representatives into parliament and in a few short years NZ laws will be changed to reflect the desires and beliefs of the new majority who don’t believe in the separation of church and state like Christian countries do.

And there won’t have been any suicide bombers or invading armies, they simply will have done what we didn’t – repopulate themselves.

If you think I’m losing the plot just look at France; Muslims now outnumber any other group in that country, including French Europeans.

Why do you think that the French have been so determined in passing laws to ban the wearing of burqas in their country?

I think it’s because they are well aware that without such laws, French streets would look just like downtown Iran.

We have become morally complacent and enamoured with the culture of death in the West, and if we don’t do something very soon to address this serious situation we will simply go the way of other cultures, like ancient Rome, who have already made exactly the same mistake and now no longer exist.

With their violent response to the Pope’s lecture, the Islamic world is once again proving that they don’t respect the right to freedom of speech or peaceful and reasoned intellectual debate on important issues.

And if we don’t stop embracing the culture of death in the West, we will all be forced to embrace these very same values by our own future Islamic government.

Will it be the burqas on bikes parade in Auckland in 2030?

29
Sep

All for one, one for all

Conservatives and Liberals. Usually terms associated with political parties. But I’m sure you’ve heard people or have heard of people referring to themselves as conservative or liberal Catholics. If someone doesn’t agree with the Church’s stance on contraception, does that make them a liberal Catholic? If you go to latin Masses exclusively, does that make you a conservative?  

Is this really what Christ had in mind all those years ago?  

The Church has a bunch of rules (for want of a better word). Is it really up to us to pick and choose which of these suit our lifestyle? Shouldn’t we be applying all these ‘rules’ in our everyday lives and giving the world a clearer picture of who Catholics are? I mean noone gets confused as to what an Amish is, or a Hare Krishna. But there are so many different types of Catholics out there.  

In society, if you don’t follow the rules you’re punished. If you’re a member of a golf club and you wander around on the course smashing your putter into the greens in anger, you’ll probably be booted out (I wasn’t a member at the time). But When does ‘liberalism’ or ‘conservatism’ become open dissention from the Church?  

Thoughts?  

 

 

 

28
Sep

Back to the beginning

I go to RCIA classes sometimes. I’m a cradle Catholic, but sometimes it’s just brilliant to take the time to reflect on why I believe and do what I do.

Since starting going to these classes earlier this year, I’ve found my faith has grown immeasurably. Not everyone is there to join the Catholic Church – some are like me, some are on the path to joining, some are “just looking”, and others are there to find out the truth about the Catholic Church (because God knows there are a lot of misconceptions out there!), with no intention of joining.

There’s no pressure at these classes; there’s no lecturing of hellfire and damnation. There is intelligent conversation, well-led teachings and truly interesting discussions. I love the diverse range of people who go – new Catholics, old Catholics, young Catholics, wiser Catholics (see what I did there with clever word manipulation huh, huh?) – and often there are questions asked that never would have occurred to me, thus sparking deep thought that frankly can get a bit much on a weeknight!

How often do we get back to basics? How often do we get back to the true meaning of our faith and how it all began? How often do we step away from the Church and look in as an outsider? My broader understanding our of religion and its place in society – as well as where it could head in the future – has changed remarkably since I started going to these classes. My faith and my love for and trust in Our Lord has grown and strengthened. And I feel blessed to have the opportunity.

Check them out at a parish near you!

27
Sep

Learning Binary

Binary thought, also called “all or nothing” is quite prevalent in society. Most of us fall under its spell at times, and it is best typified in politics.

I think Jon Stewart, the US comedian, put it well when being interviewed about his leaning towards Kerry in the last US election. “Do I think he’s the best – no.”

His broader point was that, while his vote was going to the Democrats, it was a more complex decision based on the capabilites of the US system and who was realistically able to win than a simplistic “who is the best” or “red vs blue”.

We so often fall, or are led, into a mentality that tries to reduce everything to oppositions. Sometimes, especially when politics gets dirty, it would be nice if an opposition party would stand up and say “Well, frankly, we agree completely with the government on x, and we can see that they’ve got the best intentions, although we don’t agree entirely with their method, on their treatment of y.”

Instead of rational discussion formed on the common ground, we are often treated to dialogue more suited to the school playground.

We make decisions in our lives based on hundreds, even thousands, of factors. One major factor for Catholics, of course, is our faith, which itself encompasses many more.

How often, then, do we denigrate these factors and make glib statements in black and white? I know I’m guilty of this, and while it’s occasionally a useful tool, I think it’s a troubling trend.

26
Sep

~The Genius of Women~

Are women in this country truly equal? 

I have been reflecting on this point lately and think in all of the promotion of women to beMary and Martha-Luke 10:40 equal to men that our true nature and dignity maybe being lost… equality does not mean sameness…

Transcending the established norms of his own culture, Jesus treated women with openness, respect, acceptance, and tenderness. In this way he honoured the dignity which women have always possessed according to God’s loving plan. Society claims the same thing but…

Since the sexual revolution, we have had the promotion of immodesty, licentiousness, multiple partners, sexual experimentation, working mothers, solo mothers etc…etc… we see the beauty of women promoted and exploited to the lusts of men AND in this country recently we have had the decriminalising of prostitution; binding them to the margins of society, and reduced to servitude; such liberation!

All of these things prevent women from truly being themselves and realising their dignity; and it results in the spiritual impoverishment of humanity. Imagine if Jesus had said to the woman at the well, “I can’t stop you from having many ‘husbands’, but please be safe when you do it”… rather than, “Go, and sin no more”…

Society is encouraging women to abuse their fertility – one of the great gifts our Lord has given us (e.g., contraception / abortion / IVF / surrogacy / homosexuality).

In Genesis, the Hebraic word for Woman means ‘receptor’ this has multiple dimensions for us women. She receives into her that gift from the man, and becomes fruitful. She receives and lives things in her heart more; she is more sensitive, gentler, and more compassionate, often than the man. These are great things – they are gifts from God. Pope John Paul II calls this “the genius of women.” It’s her special gift, and grace – it is an extraordinary dimension and quality of her vocation.

Mother“The gift of motherhood is often penalised rather than rewarded, even though humanity owes its very survival to this gift” Pope John Paul II

Complimentarity; “…a relational uni-duality which enables each to experience their interpersonal and reciprocal relationship as a gift which enriches and which confers responsibility.” – Pope John Paul II

Differentiation between the sexes is not inequality as our modern culture calls it, or even unjust discrimination – but something given by God, calling us to different roles, but with equal dignity.

A woman’s vocation is unique and beautiful, and glorious…but our society is selling it short and even lies about femininity…

Am I alone in feeling this way?

25
Sep

A certain sense of leastiness

The good thing about writing for Mondays is that I’m still freshly inspired from the previous day’s readings and homily…usually. :)

Anyway, I’m really enjoying Mass at the moment. Not just because the readings are coming from the Book of James, but also that some of my favourite Gospel readings are on the cycle this year. Yesterday’s, for those who weren’t paying attention, was from the Gospel of Mark.

Let’s recap: Jesus and his Apostles are on a roadtrip to Capernaum, and when they get there, J.C. asks what the Apostles had been arguing about on the road there. Those who know the reading can just picture the scene can’t you? Everyone starts looking at the ceiling or shuffling their feet and going “er….ah….” and trying not to make eye contact. Why? Because they’ve just been asked by the Son of God what they were talking about, and they had been talking about who was the greatest!

I love this reading because it introduces a concept that is so foreign in today’s world and is the reason why I chose my name for this blog. Christ is talking about being the least – i.e. the opposite of being the greatest. And this is just not something which is put forward as a good idea these days. In fact, even the concept of being the greatest has been changed. Now, thanks to things like HR departments and NCEA, we can all be the greatest. At the same time!

Failed people management and educational experiments aside, there is no drive to being least. Why is that? There are many reasons, but I’m going to go with two for this post – because it’s hard work and it’s not sexy. By hard, I refer to the fact that Christ Himself said that to be the least, you must be “servant of all” – which is hard work! By not being sexy, I refer to the fact that if you are trying to be the least, there isn’t a product I can sell you to help with that. That’s something I want to get into a bit more in the future, so let’s move on.

It is hard work putting others before ourselves. It is hard living the Gospel and truly preaching the Good News. Not as hard as being nailed to a cross, dying and then rising again, but hard nonetheless. :) So that’s why I chose the name James the Least – I’m a firm believer that if something is really, truly hard, it requires a change in mind-set to be overcome. Setting a name like this reminds me each time I post, that I should be focusing on being the least, and all that that encompasses.

A small step, sure, but an important one for me.

What about you? What steps are you taking? Are they leading you towards “greatness”? Or true greatness through becoming the least?

24
Sep

Two Catholics and Marriage (go together like a horse and carriage?)

Hello!

First of all I apologise for the cringe worthy title :-)

There has been some vigorous debate on the site this week – it definitely made me think a little.  But it also frustrated me because we are all so divided on issues and it is impossible to achieve any sort of consensus, and probably always will be.  Which in a way is good – who wants to behave like members of a mindless cult. 

It led me to think about just what level of dissent between you and a potential boyfriend / girlfriend / husband / wife is ok?   Obviously it is a question which needs context but should you go out with a non-Christian?  Should you go out with a non-Catholic?  What if you fall in love with someone who is neither?  Is it ok to think you will try to convert them, but otherwise just agree not to agree on God?   Lots of people seem to complain of a lack of potential candidates in their churches!

In my experience finding a partner is a focus in a lot of people’s lives.  I would say that people even change churches to find potential Christian / Catholic partners if that is a priority for them.  Youth group and church things in the past have sometimes given me this awkward feeling that half the people there are looking for potential partners.  And really I guess there’s nothing wrong with that.  Should they turn to Christian internet dating?  Should we be setting up “Table for 7” (God being the seventh at the table)?

For me a Christian partner is imperative.  Not to have God in a relationship would just be weird.  It would be like I’d compromised a whole chunk of myself, and couldn’t share that with my husband.  My marriage vows would just not be meaning the same thing to my partner.  Added to that, I would feel 100% more secure in a Christian relationship.  But as has been shown there is lots of room for different opinions beyond that.  What if you totally butt heads on some aspects of your faith? 

My boyfriend and I don’t agree on every aspect of faith, but it’s not a major issue.  It’s great having discussions with someone who is not a carbon copy of you.  You challenge each other and are forced to back your opinions and beliefs up by learning more and exploring your faith further.  But it does beg the question what should you be agreeing on?  In general, I would say a level of discussion and dissent is actually healthy.  But how far is too far?