Posted on 04/27/2007 4:22:40 AM PDT by Kaslin
|
The editorial cartoon appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer in the wake of the Supreme Court decision upholding the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. It featured the nine justices sitting on the bench. The five Catholic justices who voted to uphold the ban are depicted wearing bishops’ mitres. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is Jewish, is staring at them with a horrified look. So are the three Protestant justices.
The cartoon’s message was clear: The Catholics had voted, not to uphold the law, but to impose their personal religious views. It’s a graphic example of anti-Catholic bigotry.The Philadelphia Inquirer was hardly alone. Now, it’s not surprising when irresponsible commentators like Rosie O’Donnell make bigoted remarks about Catholics—as she did. Well, at least she won’t be on ABC for a while. But it is shocking when more respectable observers do so.
For instance, Geoffrey Stone, former dean of the University of Chicago law school, writes that “all five justices in the majority in [this case] are Catholic. The four justices who either are Protestant or Jewish all voted in accord with settled precedent”—note that. And then he adds: “The five justices in the majority [that is, the Catholics] . . . failed to respect the fundamental difference between religious belief and morality.”
If you uphold a law approved by both parties in Congress and supported by most Americans, you are imposing your morality. But if you vote against the ban, you have nobly kept your religious views from interfering with your job. The ugly implication here is obvious: that it is not possible for faithful Catholic judges to carry out their responsibility to interpret and uphold the law.
Imagine the reaction if a cartoonist had suggested this of other religious groups—if they had portrayed justices wearing yarmulkes or holding the Koran. Joseph Cella, head of a Catholic pro-life group, is right in saying that the Philadelphia Inquirer cartoon is “venomous, terribly misleading, and blatantly anti-Catholic.”
Protestants have a special duty to condemn anti-Catholic bigotry. Shamefully, at one time many Protestants accepted the vile teachings of Paul Blanchard, author of American Freedom and Catholic Power. They supported the anti-Catholic agenda of the group for which he was general counsel: Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Our Catholic brethren should not have to wait to hear our voices forcefully raised against the bigotry now directed against them.
That’s why I am circulating with some other Christian leaders a statement calling on Protestants to join us in condemning this bigotry.
We also call on groups that present themselves as the enemies of prejudice to join us as well. And in particular, we invite Americans United to do so. Let us know once and for all: Are they selective opponents of prejudice? Do they regard anti-Catholicism as an acceptable form of bigotry?
It is appropriate to demand an apology when people in public life use their position to engage in bigotry—just as we did with Don Imus. Subscribers to the Inquirer ought to drop their subscriptions, or boycott the products of their advertisers, until an apology is forthcoming.
All forms of bigotry are vile and must be exposed for what they are: attacks on the very character of a civil society. Apologies are called for. |
Oh, I’m always a day late and a dollar short these days.
That's probably a better way to put it, since all of them are part of the picture and without any of them the picture is not complete, but the Gospels stand as the very object the picture is all about. With Gospels, the face becomes clear. Take out the Gospels and you have inspired narratives, a form but no icon. Take out the NT and you have a background.
The Greek Church listed Revelation as "questionable" as late as the 9th century. Many early Fathers had difficulty with it. It is the only book of the NT the Eastern Orthodox Church does not read in the Divine Liturgy. I can't say I care for it very much.
Me too. It would be too presumptuous of me to do otherwise.
The whole Bible is God's truth, and there can be only one truth, but who is compelling you?
On another point, I reject your (and the frequent Catholic) insistence that all Christians must belong to the same assembly and embrace the same particulars of doctrine/liturgy/tradition in this mortal life. Instead, I assert that we are all already members of the same body of Christ. We Christians are One in Him no matter what label we wear, where we live, our ancestry, etc. (Revelation 2 and 3, I Corinthians 3, John 17, John 15, Col 3:3, etc.)
= = =
INDEED! AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
I agree that not all Scripture is the same, but I maintain there are no degrees of Truth. The Truth revealed in the Old Testament is still Truth and therefore equally a revelation of God that I am compelled to consume.
= = =
A masterfully put post, as usual.
But I particularly like the above part.
Their is a Big difference between the Baltimore catechism you were taught as a 4th grader and the Adult Catechism... 800 pages Which is in Minute detail to the entire tennets of our Faith all Based on scripture.
http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/ccc.html
I am sure you have read Thomas Aquinas and saw the relation and Fullfillment of the Old Testament in the New Testament!
I am sure you understand the Eucharist fullfillment in the Jewish Passover Rite vs the Last Supper and ultimately the quenching of Jesus Thirst with Gaul (Fourth Cup) and Jesus expiration words and why catholics believe in Transubstantiation.the True Body and Blood of Christ.
we Fortunately nearly lived life with St Faustina from Poland the First Saint of the 21st Century..She had Private revelations in 1935-38 from Jesus Christ and was made to act as a Scribe in Jesus Christ own dictation. Christ points out the Most Grievious crime of all is the slaughter of the Unborn Innocents.This was around the time of the Launch of EUGENICS. and ultimately the Birth Control league by founder Margaret Sanger of Planned parenthood fame.Christ explains To Sister faustina a Prayer to be Said the Divine Mercy Chaplet..that will give you many Graces.you must Go to Confession Receive Communion Pray the Novena for 9 days offering the intention he specifies each Day and go to the Special service on Divine Mercy Sunday this will Make you reborn again as if you were an Infant your soul will be that pure.
He also says in the diary to pray for the Souls in Purgatory. He tells her the prayers that he is indifferent an would give more grace. He talks about when receiving him in Communion...he talks about working with your angel...to accomplish Good.
I am sure you are aware of the 7 levels of Heaven and the 7 levels of your Soul and how to grow your Interior spiritual Life.St Therese Lisiuex...
Christ spoke to another Nun Sister Josefa Menendez about prayer and visiting any Church where he resides..
Jesus says literally “I wait for you..in the tabernacle”
Jesus said Peter upon this Rock I Build MY Church!Who can mess with Christ and HIS church who is Brazen enough to make their own?
You mention the Catholic Bible BTW it is THE BIBLE it has not been altered from its original vernacular by modernizing it kept the Same content adhereing to the Greek and Hebrew.
Can the Same be said of a Protestant Bible..
Because it contains unfulfilled prophesy, Revelation is difficult to explain in detail and I suspect that is why so many ministers (including Protestants) shy away from presenting it.
I assert it should be read leisurely, casually, without study. Let the Spirit reveal what he wills.
Perhaps some research of the Early Church Fathers teachings could help you out some. Surely to "save" us Catholics, you would want to know what was being taught by the early church fathers to prove us wrong?
Here's a few books to get you started:
Four Witnesses: The Early Church in Her Own Words by Rod Bennett.
Upon this Rock by Steven Ray
Catholicism & Fundamentalism by Karl Keating
Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic by David Currie.
Love does not compel or force.
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. - John 6:35
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. - Matt 4:4
IOW, because of the indwelling Holy Spirit, I cannot get "enough" of the living Word of God.
betty boop is the most eloquent writer known to me. Perhaps she has a better word choice?
betty boop is the most eloquent writer known to me. Perhaps she has a better word choice?
I am sure she could, but you did a great job of expalining it. Sounds more like longing (Greek ερος) then compelling.
It's quite troubling all over the Internet but we get a small taste of the relentless persecution of what the early Church had to endure. The gates of hell will not prevail against her and its quite sad that some call themselves "Christian" and are working overtime to attack her. A search of Pope+antichrist brings up a half a million articles and most of those are allegedly by so-called "Christians." I suspect we can expect this kind of stuff when Gracie alone will save them.
So I guess you don't have any children, right?
I do, two lovely daughters, 18 and 16.
Perhaps some research of the Early Church Fathers teachings could help you out some. Surely to "save" us Catholics, you would want to know what was being taught by the early church fathers to prove us wrong? Here's a few books to get you started: Four Witnesses: The Early Church in Her Own Words by Rod Bennett. Upon this Rock by Steven Ray Catholicism & Fundamentalism by Karl Keating Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic by David Currie.
LOL!
Now why would I want to go to a 'church father' when I have a Bible?
As for Colson and the others, the Gospel they say they were saved under (grace by faith) is not the same as that of the RCC, so either they are damned or Catholics are!
I believe the decision was 5-4, which means that there were three men who voted with Ginsberg.
Whatever they profess to be, they did not vote as Christians.
The fact is that this was an objective moral vote and one did not have to be religious to make the right vote.
One does not have to be religious to know that infanticide is wrong.
You were 12 years old in the 4th grade? Or perhaps you lived in another country? In a rural area?
LOL, dear Alamo-Girl! I'm sure I don't deserve such high praise. :^)
It is true, as kosta50 says, that love does not compel or force. But the situation you are describing does not put the Holy Spirit in the position of compelling you. Rather, the focus falls on you, who hears the Holy Spirit speaking in, to, and through you, and the sense of "compulsion," or irresistible, undeniable eagerness you feel to hear and answer and respond in love. Your "hunger compels me to eat" is a fine analogy of this situation, particularly as nourishment (especially including spiritual nourishment) is essential to Life.
Thank you so much for your beautiful essay/post, and for your very kind words!
As you note, the Greeks call it Eros.... we might define that as an insatiable, constant longing and desire for the Beloved. Not for nothing is Christ called the Bridegroom....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.