Contributing Authors

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Neva Hernandez

George Vogt

Chad Simpson

The bishop’s role in passing Obamacare

Matt Archbold at Creative Minority Report/National Catholic Register has a post up looking at how we got to a point in this country where a huge democrat majority in Congress, along with the presidency, managed to cram an incredibly unpopular bill down the collective throats of the American people.  He gives the GOP a good share of the blame, which is very deserved.  But, he also points out the the bishops also have had a role to play in creating a situation where a disaster like this could become law.  What is that role?

The hard truth is that for years the Bishops have allied themselves with the pro-abort party in matters related to health-care, and now they claim 11th hour betrayal.

When you hang out with thieves, you shouldn’t be surprised when you get robbed.

Moreover, the Bishops silence for years in the face of pro-abortion Catholic politicians has given aid and comfort to those who seek the death of children. The Bishop’s unwillingness, with some obvious exceptions, to effectively address or discipline pro-abort Catholic politicians allowed for the Democrats to portray the Church as divided on the issue. They have also allowed a culture of dissent to flourish for decades that culminated in the shameful last minute endorsement by a group of radical nuns that seriously hurt the cause of life.

The bishops’ decades long collective silence on these issues allowed for this culture to develop and has resulted in the USCCB being understandably criticized as an extension of the Democrat party (the Democrat party at prayer they say).

I don’t want to take this too far.  I’m not blaming this on the bishops, but the cozy relationship between the DNC and many bishops and especially the USCCB bureaucracy has certainly gotten alot of politicians used to acting like catholycs, and not Catholics.  And, it’s conditioned the media to hearing some bishops say one thing, and some another, and dismissing those the media disagrees with.  This is what happened when the 55 nuns issued a press release stating that Obamacare was just so wonderful – we didn’t hear about CMSWR or the rebuttals from the USCCB or anything else in the media.

So, the USCCB has made some mistakes.  I’m sure alot of bishops feel more comfortable with a certain vision of the democrat party (a vision that hasn’t been accurate in decades, but a vision nonetheless) and have the same inherent distrust of the Republican party that so many Catholics share.  But, strategically, the close ties between the DNC and USCCB have got to be re-evaluated.  They were pretty embarrasing during alot of the run-up to this debate. 

This unfortunate strategic tendency to want to be close to the DNC encouraged the bishops to make a further tactical error – not opposing this bill on general principles until the 11th hour.  The USCCB did not finally come to the conclusion that this legislation was going to make abortion a permanent, and very large, part of American life, forever, until early November.  That was almost too late to do anything.  Once they finally did come to this realization, they acted nobly, and probably played a role in the House adding the Stupak language, but that language was always just a way of trying to buy off the bishops.  It was never going anywhere.   If the bishops had threatened very strongly to oppose all the bills being discussed back in August, when the Tea Party movement had struck fear into all the Congressmen, they could have been key in making sure abortion would have been completely pulled.  But in the interest of being congenial, being pals with their democrat buddies, they failed to do so, and we in the Pro-Life movement now face a task that is monumentally more difficult than it was a few days ago. 

Moreover, the credibility of the Church has been badly damaged.  It appears to the public that the bishops have no real authority, not over trade organizations, not over their religious, not over priests, not over laity, and sure as heck not over powerful politicians.  A Church without authority will descend into a failed version of protestantism.  I pray the bishops will realize this, and realize that the decades long experiment in collegiality and ‘pastoral’ leadership has been a failure.

A hot commentary on the European priest sex scandal

In many ways, the Europeans are 10 years behind the US (in other ways, they are 10 years ahead, which I will elaborate on one day).  So, the Europeans have been enjoying their own version of a massive priest sex abuse scandal, from Ireland to Austria, about 10 years after such scandals rocked the US.   Naturally, alot of people are casting about for reasons.  Why did this happen?  Gerald Warner, a conservative Scottish politician and publisher, has made his opinions known, writing specifically about the Irish abuse cases.   You should go read the whole thing, it is brilliant as a polemic.  I think the author oversimplifies things, but has a major point – the abuse is not about priestly celibacy, it is about loss of faith.  It always has been – the modernists cave to the world, and then it is anything goes – literally. 

Warner’s comments have set off alot of other commentary in return.  Fr. Z has a really good post  generally agreeing with most of Warner’s points, but cautioning against traditionals becoming triumphal.  Fr. Longenecker adds his comments, as well, again, largely agreeing with Mr. Warner.   Fr. Blake of St. Mary’s in Brighton disagrees with Warner’s vituperation, but does think alot of the weakening in spirituality and mysticism that was done ‘in the spirit of Vatican II’ played a significant role. 

And me?   I think it’s largely spot on.   Accepting that Warner is speaking in the broad generalities imposed by a 100o word limit, his criticisms have a great deal of merit.  This abuse is caused by a lack of faith.  Most of this lack of faith has come from worldly influence, the infection of modernism in the church that used to be called ‘the spirit of Vatican II.’  I don’t think the documents of Vatican II or the council’s efforts are necessarily to blame (except that the documents were vague and not centered sufficiently on Christ), but the illusory ’spirit’ invoked in the name of the Council, which was used as cover for the efforts of the modernists and the revisionists, is heavily to blame.  

Below, an excerpt, with Fr. Z’s comments in red:

How could clergy transgress so gravely against the doctrines of the Church? What doctrines? These offences took place in the wake of Vatican II, when doctrines were being thrown out like so much lumber. These offenders were the children of Paul VI and “aggiornamento”. Once you have debauched the Mystical Body of Christ, defiling altar boys comes easily. 

The “neglected” sacraments and devotional practices that the Pope says could have prevented this did not just wither on the vine: they were actively discouraged by bishops and priests. [This is where I need to intervene.  I am sure that some of the more traddy stripe are crowing as they read.  I would remind them to supress that reptilian brain-stem a little and recall – before reading the next self-affirming quote – that we are all in this together.  When clergy and lay people of the Church fall down, every one suffers.  The whole Church needs to help the fallen to rise again.  We need to do that by raising the level of holiness, of penance, and worthy worship, just a rising tide raises every boat.  Read on, now, and feel that affirmation…] In the period when this abuse was rampant, there was just one mortal sin in the Catholic Church: daring to celebrate or attend the Latin Tridentine Mass. [And that is pretty close the the truth!] A priest raping altar boys would be moved to another parish; as for a priest who had the temerity to celebrate the Old Mass – his feet would not touch the ground. [They were – and in some places still are – treated in much the same way.]

Ouch, man, that’s gotta hurt.  But, it’s hard to argue that what Warner says was, and to an extent still is, true.  Here in Dallas, we all know that priests like Rudy Kos, active sicko child molesters, were moved around to hide them, with the Diocese making strenuous efforts to keep them in the fold.  Meanwhile, saying a Latin Mass in this town would get you banished to the extreme ‘burbs, if you’re lucky to even remain a pastor.  What does that say of the priorities involved? I want to clarify here – the incidents I reference above did not occur under the present Bishop.   But how far have we come from those days?   Far in some areas, but not nearly far enough in others.  There is a still certain hostility to reverence, orthodoxy, and tradition in some quarters in this diocese, and still a tendency towards heterodoxy and dissent.  Things are improving, but very slowly. 

One of the most important areas of improvement is to get back to stressing SIN!  We are all inherently sinful.  We need God’s grace more than anything!  Too much, we have allowed a ‘go along to get along’ mentality to creep in, and even some of our better priests have trouble taking the Sacrament of Confession as seriously as it should be. Fr. Longenecker:

We all need repentance in the face of this. We all need to turn again to the awareness that the devil is real, that sin is real, that nice people are capable of terrible evil. We must be on our guard. We must believe in the power and reality of the sacraments. We must be New Testament Christians with missionary zeal, the discipline of ascetical prayer and a warrior spirit.

Yes.  I agree.  What is needed is a true dedication to the Sacraments in the Church, serious, sacrificial prayer and serious sacrificial living.  There used to be a very deep sense of the seriousness of the Faith in the Church, but much of that spirit has been lost.  It is important to get it back.  And the laity will have to lead alot of that effort, as has been done in the past.

CCHD “Stations of the Cross” advertises for pro-gay marriage, pro-abort groups

They are just completely tone deaf.  Or, they think they are utterly untouchable.  One of the two, or maybe both.  Thanks to http://culturewarnotes.com, we learn that the CCHD has produced its own version of Stations of the Cross for this year.  And in this version, there are a few scripture passages, but a whole bunch of commercials for groups tied to CCHD.   True to form, several of these groups support things inimical to Catholic moral teaching, like abortion, contraception, and gay marriage. An example:

The second station, which is “Jesus Takes up His Cross,” focuses on the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition. OVEC’s news archive is littered with articles on various progressive agendas, including abortion and same-sex marriage

There is much, much more at the link.  I know that some want to reform CCHD, but I doubt that is possible.  CCHD was formed with a Saul Alinsky agenda in mind, and has been and is staffed with Alinsky-ite progressives.  The entire nature of the organization is to lobby for the poor, not to aid the poor.  That lobbying rarely does much to directly help the poor with increased access to better training or education, things that could really help lift the poor out of poverty.  No, it’s programs and affiliates focus on two things: being a jobs programs for leftists with degrees in subjects like “queer theory” and “elemental marxism,” and lobbying the government for more funding for CCHD grantees. 

It’s like a perpetual motion machine.  Staff an organization with leftists, who then lobby the government for more money to breed more leftists, create more organizations that are staffed with leftists from that money, and so on ad infinitum.  CCHD is alot of things, but it’s not discerably Catholic.  It is tied to organizations infused with leftist rhetoric on abortion, gay rights, contraception, and other things contrary to Church teaching.  And it should be disbanded, as it is irreformable.

Unintended Consequences

Remember when I blogged a couple of weeks ago about a woman, a mother, live twittering her abortion?   This woman, with her boyfriend’s consent (they’ve been together since December), decided to try to “demystify” abortion by blogging, via twitter, live on her experiences. 

The demystification has not gone well.  Angie Jackson, the woman involved, got a little surprised by nature.  After taking RU-486 in order to kill the baby in her womb, she took other drugs to expel the now dead baby.  Planned Parenthood, that always trustworthy resource, told her she would “expel effluent” for 4 hours, and perhaps have some mild cramping.   It appears that Planned Parenthood, for the 1 bazillionth time, misrepresented things just a tad. 

For two weeks now, Ms. Jackson has reported, through her live twittering, severe cramping, pain, exhaustion, nausea, and headache.  Her body is reacting to the violent intake of drugs and the ripping of the child from her womb.  If you go to the link, you can read many of her tweets, and although she is trying to put the best face on things, it’s pretty easy to tell that she’s been shocked at the reaction to this abortion.  She, like many women before her, thought this abortion would be an easy experience and solve all her problems.  Like millions of other women, she’s finding that’s not the case. 

Ripping off the WND piece, according to the RU-486 documentation, women who use it can expect:

Nearly all of the women … will report adverse reactions, and many … report more than one. … 80 to 90 percent of women reported bleeding more heavily than they do during a heavy menstrual period. … Women also typically experience abdominal pain, including uterine cramping. Other commonly reported side effects were nausea, vomiting and diarrhea … pelvic pain, fainting, headache, dizziness … fatigue … back pain. …

And, Edouard Sakiz, former chairman of Roussel Uclaf, the company that developed RU-486, stated:

As abortifacient procedures go, RU-486 is not at all easy to use. … True, no anesthetic is required. But a woman who wants to end her pregnancy has to “live” with her abortion for at least a week using this technique. It’s an appalling psychological ordeal.

I feel sorry for the livetweeting Ms. Jackson.  She’s enduring a terrible, self-induced ordeal.  She bought into the lies of the abortion/contraception industry and killed her child, and she is just beginning her suffering.  Unless she is able to go into a deep state of denial about what she has done (which some women manage for decades), this physical pain will only be the beginning of her suffering.  It is a tragedy in every possible sense.  In her pride, she thought she could score points for an ideology she no doubt supported, and perhaps gain some fame along the way.  Now, with the reality setting in, she’s seeing that abortion is never a good solution, no matter how it’s done.  I pray that she will recover and look back on this experience, and the loving words of warning that those in the pro-life community try to give women like her, and realize the horrible mistake she has made.  I pray that she  may be converted and come to realize that a life of self-indulgent pleasure is not the road to happiness…….faith in Jesus Christ through His Church is the only way to achieve that.

Kennedy, Confessions, Comments, and Christians

-by George Vogt

Opinion (MetroCatholic) – Many Catholic figures whom I have much respect for have been clamoring about the “scandal” caused by Ted Kennedy’s Mass of Christian Burial.

I am not delusional about the terrible misrepresentation of the Catholic Faith and the obvious scandalous actions of Kennedy. We should definitely use the opportunity to shed further light on the plight of the unborn. We should use the opportunity to present the differences in Kennedy’s actions compared with the teachings of the Church.

We should absolutely use the opportunity to point out that there is NO place for a eulogy at a Mass for Christian Burial and, building on that, teach the beauty of the funeral Mass and the joy of dying Catholic, etc.

However, one should not say that he or she is not judging the final state of Kennedy’s soul and then say that he should be denied a Catholic funeral. Those are matters for his Bishop and priest (who was with him daily for weeks) to decide.

Nor should one state as a matter of fact that his funeral was a scandal.

Many have quoted Canon Law 1184

 ”manifest sinners … cannot be granted ecclesiastical funerals without public scandal of the faithful.”

 Two things about this Canon are important. First, it also states

“unless they gave some signs of repentance before death.”

 Second, it places the full and complete burden of the decision in this matter with the Bishop.

“If any doubt occurs, the local ordinary is to be consulted, and his judgment must be followed.”

 ”Must be followed.”

Please notice that it does not say “unless they gave some PUBLIC signs of repentance before death.”

Whether the qualifications were met in this case, we do not know. I do believe that we would be well to assume as much. Regardless, this is now a matter between the Bishop and God.

“Know this, my dear brothers: everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, for the wrath of a man does not accomplish the righteousness of God.” (James 1: 19,20)

Celebrating the Truth on the Fourth

- by George Vogt

Little Elm, TX (MetroCatholic) – I wrote this piece 2 years ago. With a few modifications, it is even more relevant today.

Tomorrow, we will celebrate our country’s independence, yet we should not forget our total dependence on God nor should we be afraid to lean on one another in times of need.

We celebrate life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We consider ourselves a “Just” nation.

However, we are a nation that does not recognize the value of life from the moment of conception until natural death. The science of metaphysics proves that, at the moment of conception, a “human being” does indeed exist. In short, at the moment of conception, a new and unique set of human DNA exists. This DNA, while obviously having characteristics of the father and the mother, is clearly not the father’s or the mother’s. It is a unique human being. Additionally, many would have us believe that the value of one’s life is dependant on his/her ability to be a “productive” human being. Created by God, we share in the dignity of “the image of God”.

The definition of liberty has been so twisted that even Webster now says one meaning is to do whatever one wishes. Surely this was never the intent of the “founding fathers” of our country as this promotes anarchy. Worth noting is a quote from Anton Levay (founder of the church of Satan in the USA) “Do what thy wilt shall be the whole of the law”). Various atheistic groups and even some who claim to be Christian hold that any form of religion is suppressive and that this nation should be freed from the values of the Natural Law in favor of self and self-reliance.

Many people believe that the pursuit of happiness means a guarantee of happiness. Our nation should always help those truly in need, but it should never confuse helping someone with blindly throwing money and resources at a person (or problem). Financial assistance without training, guidance, and accountability hurts, not helps one. This requires true empathy.

Justice is one of the four Cardinal Virtues. The other three are Prudence, Fortitude, and Temperance. As I consider whether we are truly just, I look to guidance from the Church to help me to understand such a complex topic:

Justice is the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor. Justice toward God is called the “virtue of religion.” Justice toward men disposes one to respect the rights of each and to establish in human relationships the harmony that promotes equity with regard to persons and to the common good. The just man, often mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures, is distinguished by habitual right thinking and the uprightness of his conduct toward his neighbor. “You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.” “Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.” CCC

I love this country. There is NO better place to live. However, true patriotism does not mean following blindly nor ignoring that which needs to be corrected or improved. True freedom attains perfection only when it is directed toward God.
———————————————
From “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America” In Congress, July 4, 1776

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

U.S. Marshals to Protect Abortion Providers But Who Will Protect The Babies?

- by George Vogt

WASHINGTON, DC (MetroCatholic) –  The statement and actions of the Attorney General with regards to Dr. Tiller’s murder is exactly why pro-life people and organizations around the nation have felt compelled to be so vocal in denouncing such an action.

Of course his murder was wrong.  All murder is wrong.  Of course true pro-life people and organizations would in no way be supportive of such actions.  It is against the very essence of such a position.  All life is sacred.

However, I am sure there have also been fears of repercussions and such.  Apparently, those fears have been substantiated.

Each day in the United States, as many Americans are murdered through abortion as those whose lives were taken on September 11, 2001.  Each year since Roe v. Wade, more Americans have been murdered through abortion than all lives lost (military and civilian) in all wars and military actions combined since the Revolutionary War.  You read that correctly.  Each year.

Has the government sent Federal Marshals to protect these innocent lives?  No.  Has the President of the United States informed the nation that these murders have “shocked and outraged” him?  No.

The following articles tell the rest of the story.

Statement of the Attorney General on Murder of Doctor George Tiller

“The murder of Doctor George Tiller is an abhorrent act of violence, and his family is in our thoughts and prayers at this tragic moment. Federal law enforcement is coordinating with local law enforcement officials in Kansas on the investigation of this crime, and I have directed the United States Marshals Service to offer protection to other appropriate people and facilities around the nation. The Department of Justice will work to bring the perpetrator of this crime to justice. As a precautionary measure, we will also take appropriate steps to help prevent any related acts of violence from occurring.”

SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

Attorney General Directs U.S. Marshals to Protect Abortion Providers After Murder

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder dispatched the U.S. Marshals Service to protect “appropriate people and facilities around the nation” in the wake of the murder of late-term abortion provider Dr. George Tiller in Wichita, Kansas on Sunday morning.  Read more

MetroCatholic to change pace during Holy Week, Octave of Easter

Editorial (MetroCatholic) – Dear Readers, While the intention of MetroCatholic is always to promote the faith and to assist its readers in their efforts to stay informed on important issues, some topics stir emotions that may possibly lead one to think adversely of other human beings, even if temporarily.

During Holy Week and through the Octave of Easter, you will notice that MetroCatholic will be scaled back. This will allow us all to more properly reflect on the reverence due to this special time.

Were you there when they crucified the Lord? (A Holy Week reflection)

- by George Vogt (with special acknowledgement)

Editorial (MetroCatholic) – Holy Week will be upon us next week. There will be opportunities for us to spiritually walk with Christ as He is received with shouts of “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”; as He institutes the Eucharist at the last supper and the priesthood in the washing of the feet; the opportunity to stay and pray or to fall asleep in His darkest hour. We will have the opportunity to walk with Him as He is betrayed, deserted, beaten, illegally tried, condemned, inhumanely tortured, spit upon, and ridiculed. We will have the opportunity to walk with Him as He carries the cross, falls under the weight of the cross, perhaps even crawls under the weight of the cross, already so near death that Simon is forcibly pressed into service to help Him. We will have the opportunity to witness Him take our sins upon Himself so that the chains of sin can be broken. Adam and Eve ate of the tree of life thus bringing death into the world. Now Jesus, the Lamb of God, hangs on the tree of death bringing everlasting life into the world. We will have the opportunity to be present as our Lord gives us to His mother and as He gives his mother to us. We will have the opportunity to be there as He gives up His Spirit, dies for us, and is laid in the tomb.

As we prepare for Holy Week, I would invite you to reflect on some of those who were there then. How do we, today, identify with them? How are we like them?

Are we sometimes like…

The Pharisees – Knowledgeable of religion, its practices and traditions, but unable to see that God is in our midst; so busy with what we think is important that we are deaf to what Jesus is telling us is really important.

Peter – When we allow fear to overwhelm us. When we are afraid to stand up for what is right and true. When we are afraid to proclaim or even acknowledge our Faith. When, although we have walked with Jesus, touched Him, spoken with Him, seen the wonders He has done right in front of us, run away at the most critical of times.

The crowd – When we close God out and listen to others and allow them to influence us to accuse others wrongly or to shout for blood.

Herod – Reducing Jesus to some small wonder-worker or looking for some magical sign.

Pilate – When we give in to the crowd telling us what to do, pressuring us to do something…even when we know it isn’t right. Or when we are so caught up in ourselves and our own worries that we attempt to create our own truth or deny there is such a thing as truth…even when THE TRUTH, Christ is there before us.

The soldiers – When we continue to sin, although our sins tear at, bruise, scourge, and pierce our Lord…all while He is pleading for us, “Father, forgive them.” Here, the word He uses is ABBA, a word that was really used by young children when addressing their fathers. A word that may be better translated as “Daddy”. “Daddy”, forgive them.

The scoffing criminal crucified next to Jesus – When we allow ourselves to become so angry and bitter that we are actually angry and bitter with God.

Perhaps we are like some of these people. Perhaps we are like all of these people. One thing is for sure though. We are, each and every one of us, like:

Barrabas – the notorious sinner who truly deserved to die, and in fact had already been condemned to death; but instead, Jesus, our God who humbled Himself and became one of us, took our place on the cross and died for us so that we might live.

Indeed, we will have many opportunities next week. The question is, will we make the most of those opportunities? How will we approach Holy Week and all that our Lord is offering to us in its meaning? May we be his companions all the way to the tomb, and may we rise with Him on Easter morn.

I wish to acknowledge that this reflection has been and continues to be a work in progress as is my own life.  Special thanks to Tony DalPra, Dominick Gullotta, Fr. Dennis Hayes, Fr. Timothy Heines, and others who have contributed to this reflection through their own teaching, preaching, and testimonies.

Related :
http://www.abbeypress.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_48231
http://heinessite.blogspot.com/2009/04/who-are-you-part-2.html

Government to teach children how to have safe sex? Is this for REAL? (Opinion)

by George Vogt

North Texas (MetroCatholic) – I ran across some information through the mainstream media today regarding “the REAL Act”, which stands for Responsible Education About Life. 

Apparently, this has been flying below my radar. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) were set to formally introduce a bill yesterday that would authorize federal funding for so-called “comprehensive sex education”. I have yet to confirm that the bill was indeed introduced.

Of course this is another attack on our youth in the guise of “helping” them. Supporters of this bill attack abstinence programs, calling them “ineffective” and those who promote them as “misleading”.

Said Lautenberg, “Growing up isn’t easy and our young people find themselves in tough situations every day. They need all the information to make smart choices, and ‘abstinence-only’ programs simply aren’t working. It’s time for our nation’s young people to get the education they need to take on the real life situations facing them every day”

Isn’t the “smart choice” abstinence? And the rhetoric about “taking on real life situations facing them every day” makes it sound so critical that, once again, the almighty government needs to come to the rescue. Government needs to bail out our children, I suppose, and take its rightful place in teaching them that morality just doesn’t work. Wow!

And from Lee, “It’s time for us to get real about sex education. We should absolutely be teaching young people about abstinence, but we shouldn’t be holding back information that can save lives and prevent unwanted pregnancies. Instead of ‘abstinence only,’ what we’re proposing is ‘abstinence-plus.”

Let’s see…if a person abstains, how does that put them in a position which requires life-saving? Additionally, if one abstains, it is the ONLY sure way to avoid pregnancy, save the Incarnation. “Abstinence-plus”? No, the key here is Lee’s referral to so-called “unwanted pregnancies”. It is just another way to say that having children is a problem and an inconvenience. Undoubtedly, this terminology would be a central theme to such “education”. Its use tells our children that pregnancy is not something wonderful and beautiful, but simply an obstacle to an enjoyable life for themselves.

I can hear the argument now. “Well, they are going to do it anyway, we should teach them how to be ’safe’.”  Ha! Safe? Well, you know your teens are going to drink alcohol right? Come on, you were a teen once too. So, why not just tell them to be “safe” about it. Go ahead, let the school teach them. Better yet, let the school hand out free beer! That will do the trick. We can just tell them to be careful with the beer and not to drive after drinking. Wow! Isn’t it wonderful how the school just saved their lives?

“But we have to teach them about STD’s!” Great! Show them pictures of what STD’s do to the human body. Show them video interviews with people who have STD’s to show that the effects go beyond the physical. Don’t thik that you are doing them a service by giving them a false sense of security through false teaching.

Advocates for Youth President, James Wagoner says, “The REAL Act is a necessary first step if we are serious about providing young people the important education and information they need to make responsible decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.”

There you have it. This is the “first” step. What’s next?

I’ll give you a hint. “NARAL Pro-Choice America” loves this bill and is actively lobbying for it’s passage.

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