Liberals vs. Conservatives

After a good friend took me to task on the conservative bias of a townhall article I endorsed, I thought it was a good idea to write some thoughts on the subject of conservatives and liberals.

I think we often forget in the American Christian world that what is religiously conservative and liberal may not correspond to what is politically conservative and liberal. I recently heard an argument on Catholic radio between a caller and a apologist who was agressively promoting "The Passion". The caller thought the movie was anti-semetic (he had seen it). The apologist suggested that when the caller went to see the movie he was colored by a liberal mindset. The response of the caller was to say, "Hey, I voted for George Bush in the last election."

What's that got to do with it? We're talking about a different playing field.

Along those lines, Christ called us to something far bigger than a political party, so it is not surprising that his requests of us cross political boundaries. Here are a few examples of traditionally democratic and Republican issues that Christ would "lobby" for:

Democrats:
Give to the poor
Turn the other cheek

Repulicans:
Sanctity of Marriage
Sanctity of Life (abortion)

Christ definitely transcends political boundaries.

Now, when we get down to religiously liberal and conservative I think we're in a different ballgame. What I perceive in these areas is not that either side is inaccurate but that they chose to emphasize different aspects of the same faith. Liberals like to emphasize that faith is for everyone and tend to argue for Women Priests, Married Priests or consecration by Lay people and celebrating the Eucharist in a more "casual" fashion. Conservatives tend to emphasize the Holiness of faith and and tend to argue for tighter restrictions on the priesthood, not even woman Deacons (or no Deacons at all), and continued exclusion of Eucharist from the divorced/remarried, those who haven't attended confession lately and other Christian faiths.

Both sides are emphasizing an aspect of faith. Faith is both for everyone and something so Holy that we are all not worthy of it. What's the right answer? Well, I have my opinions, but that's not the point here. The point is that all are trying (emphasis on trying) to help our Church do the right thing.

Lastly, we all must be VERY careful who we deny the faith of. In the call in show I earlier referred to, the caller got so upset with the Apologist that he said, "He's not a Roman Catholic!" which is totally out of line. The caller may disagree with the apologist's viewpoint, but to deny him his faith and his Church over a movie, is absolutely absurd. For individuals, it is for God to decide which of us our worthy for his presence in the afterlife, or as we Catholics say, is a part of the Communion of Saints.

In peace to all who seek God with a sincere heart.

kencraw on 03.06.04 @ 09:06 PM PST [link]

Quote of the Day

"but I was wondering
where the wind was trying to take me
overnight, if I never did resist, and
what strange breezes make a sailor want to
let it come to this,
with lines untied, slipping through my fist."

-David Wilcox singing 'Slipping through my fist' from the album 'Underneath'

kencraw on 03.06.04 @ 08:42 PM PST [link]

The solution to Enron

All those executives should have attended this seminar. It really dissappointed me to hear that Kenneth Lay, the CEO of Enron who was central to their deceit, was Catholic. I pray that his faith brings him to repent and to hand himself over for trial.

In any case, I'm glad to see our Church getting more involved in business actions again. We have a proud history of sticking up for society against business corruption and exploitation and we should continue to take a leadership role in this area.

kencraw on 03.05.04 @ 09:54 AM PST [link]

Quote of the Day

"These soldiers walk on sacred ground.
This land's our history and our home.
They have no right to be around.
They are the evil force of Rome.
So just how strong this change of heart must be
That one that Jesus once described:
'Kindness to your enemy
Carry his pack an extra mile.'"

-David Wilcox singing 'Fearless Love' from his live album 'East Ashville Hardware'


kencraw on 03.05.04 @ 09:36 AM PST [link]

"The Passion" outtakes

Even for serious movies, there have to be outtakes. See this blog entry. It's pretty funny.

kencraw on 03.04.04 @ 05:26 PM PST [link]

Great post over on Townhall

The crowhill blog keeps pointing me to great columns over on townhall.com. I'll add them to my links. While I'm taking care of that, here's a great column on Liberals and Christianity. They just don't get it do they.

kencraw on 03.04.04 @ 12:10 PM PST [link]

President Bush's new Ads

President Bush has released some ads for his Presidential campaign and is receiving criticism of it because it includes images from the Trade Towers. Here's an article on it.

This is just rediculous. I've seen the ad in question and it is not only tasteful but a completely valid use of images of Sept. 11th, even if they were untasteful. The ad points to how our country has gone through a lot of stuggles in the last few years including a recession and the terorist attacks and that Bush has provided solid leadership through those events.

Whether or not I agree that he really has had solid leadership, he's allowed to make his case that indeed he has. Using images from events he's had to lead through is not only valid, but the right thing to do.

UPDATE: Here is a link to the ads straight from GW and company so that you can judge for yourself.

kencraw on 03.04.04 @ 10:57 AM PST [link]

Webber asks for forgiveness

Here in the Sacramento area, Chris Webber (star player for the Kings NBA team) has been the discussion topic of the town for the last year or so as he's undergone surgury, gone to trial for purgury, and been suspended from play for both the purgury and violation of the NBA's drug policy. Since he's such a good basketball player, everyone has been anxious to have him back on the court.

Still, many have been bothered by his lack of contrition for his wrongdoings. After the game on Tuesday, he made a heartfelt apology. Here's an article on it.

While I'm very glad to hear the apology/prayer, I wish that he would come clean on exactly what the drug offense was. A truly contrite player would not only ask for forgiveness for their sins but also admit what they were.

kencraw on 03.04.04 @ 10:38 AM PST [link]

More Pope/Hitler garbage published

Just when it feels like the tide is turning against anti-catholicism, another book is published criticizing the actions of Pope Pius XII in regards to the Nazi's and World War II. Here's an interview on zenit in regards to it.

I've read a very good book on the subject called 'Hitler, the War, and the Pope' by Ronald J. Rychlak. It is an EXTREMELY detailed account of all the actions of the pope during the rise and fall of Nazi Germany. After reading the book, I'm fully convinced that The Catholic Church's actions in World War II are something that we Catholics should be proud of. We stood up to evil and did everything in our power to prevent it. I forget the exact number but it was in the order of millions of Jews were saved from concentration camps explicitely because of the actions of Pope Pius XII and the Vatican.

What is particularly bothersome to me is that all of this criticism is being heaped on the Catholic Church, but I don't ever hear anyone criticizing the German Lutheran church or any of the other churches who could just as easily be criticized of sitting idly. What did they do to prevent it? While there were noble men of every faith who fought Nazi Germany, the Catholic Church's actions were more substantial than any other church. So why pick on The Catholic Church?

Because it isn't considered prejudice. Anti-Catholicism: the last allowable bigotry.

kencraw on 03.04.04 @ 10:32 AM PST [link]

Quote of the Day

"As a person of faith I'm bound by a different covenant that Dr. Arroway. But our goal is one and the same: The pursuit of truth."

-Reverend Joss (played by Matthew McConaughey) in the movie 'Contact'

kencraw on 03.04.04 @ 10:13 AM PST [link]

SF City Hall booked for marriages until May

The city of San Francisco decided a couple weeks ago or so that they would no longer allow walk up marriages. They changed to a scheduling system that requires that you make an appointment. Well, I just found out that they're booked through the end of April.

Not only is it disappointing from a gay marriage perspective, I'm also thinking of all the people who would normally get a valid (a.k.a. heterosexual) marriage at city hall. They're going to have to go elsewhere. Maybe we can try to communicate to them the importance of a sacramental marriage.

kencraw on 03.03.04 @ 10:17 AM PST [link]

California election results

Well, we've voted yet again. Hard to say what it all means. Of course it'll be GW vs. Kerry for president. That was such a big surprise .

The race I'm really looking at is the California Senate race. Barbara Boxer should never have been elected as a senator. The only reason she is a senator is because of the big duel-election all those years ago when Boxer and Feinstien ran together for both spots. Boxer couldn't have run a good campaign of her own to get herself out of a wet cardboard box (bad pun definitely intended). She rode both the Feinstein coat tails and her campaign engine like a cheap carnival ride.

Anyway, once she got in, she's been able to hold her seat in our liberal state. But the political tide in the state is turning and untra-liberals are starting to lose their comfortable electorate. So the big race I was intersted in was the republican primary for the senate seat. And the winner is: Bill Jones... Bill Jones!?! Who the heck is Bill Jones? I've never heard of him. I was hoping that Howard Kaloogian would win. He went on the local Catholic radio station to state his goals as a senator. He sounded really good. Unfortunately, he got 3rd and 11%.

Any other thoughts on who won and should have won? Here is a rundown on the results for the state.

kencraw on 03.03.04 @ 09:59 AM PST [link]

More on California Supreme Court

Here is an opinion article on the recent California Supreme Court ruling against Catholic Charities.

kencraw on 03.03.04 @ 09:36 AM PST [link]

Quote of the Day

"Look, all I'm asking is for you to just have the tiniest bit of vision. You know, to step back for one minute to step back and look at the big picture. To take a chance on something that just might end up being the most profoundly impactful moment for humanity, for the history of history."

-Ellie Arroway (played by Jodie Foster) from the movie 'Contact'

kencraw on 03.03.04 @ 09:32 AM PST [link]

Courts don't get it

Yet again the courts of the land don't understand. The California Supreme Court has ruled against Catholic Charities in regards to the mandatory birth control laws. Here's an article on it.

I think there is a HUGE confusion in America in regards to difference between inclusions and exclusions, between what is allowed and what is required.

I was OK with the US Supreme Court ruling regarding the Washington state scholarship exclusion. It is perfectly allowable for a state to exclude a group (religous or otherwise) from a scholarship. At the same time, the US Supreme Court ruling did not say that the state is required to exclude religion. As such, the ruling did not affect the possibility of school vouchers.

So what does the constitution say about religion. It is actually quite simple:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

To state this a different way:
-The state is prevented from requiring a religion.
-The state is also required to allow religions to practice their faith.

Which brings me back to our misguided judges on the California Supreme Court. In this case, the state has created a law that requires employers to provide birth control if they provide perscription drug coverage. The state's argument is that Catholic Charities isn't the Catholic Church. But the constitution doesn't talk about churches (even though one could make a very strong argument that Catholic Charities is part of the Catholic Church) it talks about religion. In the end, the people of Catholic Charities are not allowed to freely exercise their faith. The Catholic Faith believes that birth control pills are immoral.

This law is not about allowing employers to provide birth control, it is about requiring it. By requiring it, the state is requiring us Catholics to follow their religion: one in which birth control is a moral option.

What is so difficult about this for people to understand? The law is clearly unconstitutional.

kencraw on 03.02.04 @ 05:40 PM PST [link]

Quote of the Day

"Be kind to everyone you meet, for every person is fighting a great battle."

-A Church Father, likely Ephraim the Syrian

kencraw on 03.02.04 @ 05:12 PM PST [link]

"The Passion" wins big

HOLY SMOKES! If you had told me that the #1 grossing movie of 2004 in early March would be "The Passion" I'd have told you that you were crazy. To be sitting in the top 10 of movie opennings ever is just unspeakably AMAZING. Here's the full story.

kencraw on 03.01.04 @ 06:04 PM PST [link]

Proof of moral relativism

Now that gay behavior has been accepted as an "orientation", what's next... you guessed it: Pedophiles.

Check out this blog entry. Now that we've opened up sexuality as a time-relative issue, before long everything is going to be out on the table: pedophiles, polygamist, etc..

kencraw on 03.01.04 @ 11:20 AM PST [link]

Quote of the Day

"She's trying to tell me how to sell. It's absurd! It's like trying to tell the Pope how to pray."

-Nick from "The Aprentice" TV show

kencraw on 03.01.04 @ 11:16 AM PST [link]