I think it would be difficult to overstate the severity of the blow to our civilization, the harms this decision will cause and the crises people of faith will face in the coming years. At the same time, strong, sweeping and broad statements might help us blow off some steam, but they're easily ridiculed and dismissed. As such, I was planning to hold my tongue until I found a particularly well-written piece on Fr. Dwight Longnecker's blog that does a good job of summing up why I'm troubled:
The mass media ignore the pro-life position or they mock it and undermine people like me as angry fundamentalists clinging to religion and guns. The mass media are lined up with the powers of the state to promote the agenda of the Culture of Death in a way that will over ride all democratic processes to impose the Culture of Death on all citizens. With increased surveillance and increased domestic police powers, and fueled with this rage, I’m scared. It will not take much at all to tip over into a secular totalitarian state with an aggressive Culture of Death agenda.
If you've logged into Facebook or Twitter today, you've probably seen a number of folks talking about the persecution that is "coming" or calls to prepare for martyrdom. Like syphilis, which evolved to a less deadly disease to avoid killing off its hosts, modern tyrants seem to have realized that swift brutality is nowhere near as effective as "softer" forms of coercion.
Yesterday's tyrant might use the sword, the guillotine or the firing squad to kill you for living out your faith. Today's tyrant wields taxes, fines and regulations that simply make it impossible for you to live.
I don't fear martyrdom, which--God willing--is quickly followed by eternity in paradise. But I do fear these supposedly milder forms of persecution because of what they'd do to my family.
If I were a small business owner, compliance with the HHS mandate might mean the difference between feeding my family and not feeding my family. The same is true for bakers, photographers and others who face jail and massive fines for not participating in same sex "wedding" or civil union ceremonies. Entire industries worth of employees and employers could be subject to financial ruin by not supporting the promiscuity and abortion at all costs agenda.
Furthermore, it's not a big stretch to envision a United States where instruction in Catholic theology becomes a hate crime. The thought of having my children taken away because I refuse to subject them to homosexual agitprop and mandatory Gardasil injections is, for me, much scarier than a guillotine. Undoubtedly, this paragraph would be mocked as hysterical among many, but we will see if that's still the case in five years.
Blessed Miguel Pro, pray for us.
10 comments:
This Fortnight for Freedom thing can now add a new bullet point to the list. They should have been talking about it this year.
a white martyrdom like Chestertons...what an amazing time to be alive!
I think you are spot-on with your final thoughts regarding teaching Catholic anthropology and the truth about human sexuality. I think you are also correct in that the State may use our children as a weapon (i.e., taking them into custody). The former is something that has not happened since ancient times, where Catholics were accused of crimes such as "hatred of humanity" and the like. The latter has happened to homeschooling families in Europe in recent times and it would not surprise me if it happened here. In better days, the media and the public would not stand for such an insult on one's family and freedom. But in these days the constant morphine drip of propaganda has deadened the press and the masses to the point where they cannot see coercion even as it leads them to slaughter.
Chin up. Here are some reasons:
-SCOTUS did not strike down the right of states to not give recognition to other states' SSMs
-SCOTUS dod not rule that the Constitution guarantees a right to marry
Wisconsin Family Action released a statement(I heard they got a ton of requests from media for comments)
http://blog.wifamilyaction.com/2013/06/26/wfa-responds-to-scotus-rulings-on-doma-and-prop-8/
I say we build a catholic compound somewhere and live off the land.
James: I like that you say that, but I go back to my fears about what the future holds for my family--particularly my children. The only consolation I have in this matter consists in the words of a friend who reminded me once that God loves them even more than I do.
Jericho: Thank you for your kind words.
Tom: In my reading of the decision, the handwriting is pretty much on the wall. We're now paying taxes for federal benefits of same-sex partners in 12 states, and that number is probably going to increase briskly. The economic push for SSM will intensify as states seek to provide the maximum benefits for employees. And the coercion factor is high. I just don't see a silver lining here that I expect to still be there five years from now.
Dear Steve,
About fearing for our children--I know, I know!
But this helps me a lot(quoting at length from St. Paul, Phil. Ch. 4 because it is just so darn perfect today)...
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you."
And did you read Fr. Rocky's comments today: "As Christians, we are called to shine forth with the light of our lives. It was the heroic witness of the early Christians that transformed the pagan Roman culture. It’s happened before; it will happen again."
Viva Christo Rey! We are blessed to be living in the end times! God has already won, of course! I like the meme I saw over at Patheos: "Keep Calm, and Catholic on."
Let us rejoice and give thanks!
Peace,
Kim D.
in the world, but not of it remember...
I hear you on that and not having a spouse or kids creates a different situation for myself, much like what celibacy does for the clergy. Perhaps the one to look to on this issue is St. Thomas Moore and how he interacted with his kids during his own persecution, its not a perfect analogy but probably helpful
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