This Side of the Pulpit » Entries tagged with "life"
The Busyness Boast
The thing about busyness is that it’s a back-handed boast. Being busy means having much to do, implying that you work hard, that you’re important, that you’re active and engaged and productive. This is in contrast to those who don’t have much to contribute, do not have much to do, do not work, or work hard enough–useless people. Busy people are useful. But it’s a boast and a defensive move, sometimes used by people who do not feel important, who feel that they are disrespected. It’s a defensive move. It’s also an iron-clad defense against doing more projects or making more commitments. When I hear people say that they have a busy week ahead I feel dread. I dread because it means they will be stressed, perhaps even scattered. I dread because … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
The Simple Life
Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify, simplify! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail. Henry David Thoreau … Read entire article »
Filed under: Writing&Books
George Tiller, Notorious Abortionist, Murdered This Morning
As you probably have already heard, the notorious late-term abortionist Dr. George Tiller was murdered at his church this morning in Wichita, KS. He was a member of Reformation Lutheran Church (ELCA). The church and his clinic had been the site of many protests by pro-life groups over the years. He was infamous as one of only a doctors who performed late term (post 21 week) abortions. I don’t know how someone who is pro-life could ever justify another killing. Yes, I’m sure on one level Tiller’s murderer thought he was killing someone who killed so many innocents and preventing further death. But we who are pro-life draw a line: murder is always murder. The hinge of the Christian pro-life position is that it is never our decision to terminate life. Ever. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Sobering Coincidence?
Family Planning Associates asks for $395 to kill your baby in the first trimester. It’s only $45 to get a pill to do the same thing. FPA is owned by Irving “Bud” Feldkamp III. Mr. Feldkamp’s two daughters and their husbands and five grandchildren died when their private plane crashed in Butte, MT earlier this week. The plane crashed into Holy Cross Cemetery. Holy Cross cemetery includes a “Tomb of the Unborn”–a memorial to all infants killed by abortions. Lord have mercy upon us all! HT: Weedon … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
A Rerun
Two half-written posts, unpublished. Today is not my day to blog here. So instead, a blast from the past. Originally published on August 23, 2007 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Last week my wife started reading The Swiss Family Robinson (in adapted form) to the kiddos. I love it when she does this. A year or so ago she read a children’s redaction of The Pilgrim’s Progress and even the littlest ones loved it (and the illustrations). The story has been on my mind a lot lately, and the stupidest question I had was, “What kind of Swiss name is ‘Robinson?’” It’s not, obviously, and the title should be emphasized as The Swiss Family Robinson, not The Swiss Family Robinson. In other words, the Swiss author (a pastor) is telling the story of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Rhetorics in the Second Grade
On the way to school several days ago, my daughter asked me who I was voting for. I told her McCain. She asked why I was not voting for Obama. I tried to tell her, in 2nd grade terms, that despite good qualities in Obama, and despite some of the positions of his party, that I cannot in good conscience vote for someone who is in favor of abortion. I don’t like it, but I am a single-issue voter for now. I had to explain abortion to her. The next day she told my wife and I, “Grace at school wanted to vote for Obama, but I asked her, ‘Grace, don’t you love babies?’ She said she did. Then I said, ‘Well, Obama thinks killing babies is good. You don’t want to … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Is There Life after Birth?
This is from Again and Again, the blog of a commentor here. By Fr. Milovan Katanic The following story is an allegorical representation of a discussion about life after death between a man who does not believe in God (person A) and a man who believes in God (person B). Twins are having a conversation in the mother’s womb: A: Do you believe in life after birth? B: Of course, there must be something after birth. A: That is nonsense. There is no life after birth. How would this life look like anyway? B: I don’t know exactly, but I am convinced that there will be more light and that we will be able to walk and eat with our mouths… A: That is complete nonsense. You know that it’s impossible to run and eat with your own … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Good Advice for You Priests
As this week finds me doing all kinds of things Fr. Jonathan counsels against, here is his advice: * Avoid handling money and politics * Wear black socks, shine your shoes, be well-groomed * Speak and write English simply and well * There may be no difference between a mood and a passion * Avoid anger * The most dangerous part of a speech is the joke * Grow a simple routine, savor productive boredom * Only a fool would legislate ascesis and arcane rubrics before he first lived them himself * Parochial gossip isn’t always bad, but it is frequently toxic … … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Pelosi Needs to Study Christian History
No doubt you’ve heard Nancy Pelosi’s delusional claim that the Catholic Church was not always opposed to Abortion. Here’s an excellent post from Western Orthodoxy that gathers all kinds of sayings of the Fathers, from many generations going back to Apostolic times that describe the Christian’s abhorrence of abortion. Forgive the “political” post, but a politician stepped into our territory. Our fearless Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, claimed on Meet the Press that Christianity has no clear teaching on when life begins, and hence on abortion, and St. Augustine denied life began until the end of the first trimester. Tom Brokaw asked her what she would tell Barack Obama if he asked her when human life has its genesis: I would say that as an ardent, practicing Catholic, this is … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
You Should Know Who You Vote For
My personal political statements on my personal blog (alles klar, IRS?): Barak Obama, discussing the “burden” or trying to save the life of a baby who was born during a failed abortion, said, “…and that essentially adding an additional doctor who then has to be called in an emergency situation to come in and make these assessments is really designed simply to burden the original decision of the woman and the physician to induce labor and perform an abortion.” (unofficial transcript of Barack Obama on the Born Alive Infants Protection Act) Listen to it here. In his own words. What’s he saying? That a woman, seeking to kill her unborn and failing, the baby coming out of her womb alive is “burdened” by an additional doctor assessing the baby (making sure it … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Books!
Networked Blogs
Recent Comments
- Julia Harrington on Brown Shoes and No Connections
"Haha, Hall Hall. :)…" - Mark Lehenbauer on Trying New Stuff on the Blog
"Aah. Took several minutes to get from FB to the blog.…" - Mark Lehenbauer on Trying New Stuff on the Blog
"So, if I comment here on the blog it will show up on FB?…" - Carl Vehse on The Horror! The Horror!
"Dixie, you are right. Scientific study that backs up the claim that alcohol and…" - Dixie on The Horror! The Horror!
"...The potential for spread of infection during this religious ritual does ex…"