I've been away from this blog for several years. My photography business took off and I found I had little time for keeping it up. But something else was going on too. For several years now I have been deeply rethinking my own faith and beliefs. This had nothing to do with the scandals over the pederast priests and the unconscionable cover up by our bishops. I've had a deep reevaluation of the very roots of my faith. Do I still call myself a Catholic? Yes. Do I still call myself a Christian? Yes. But the meaning of both have changed for me. Some will agree, many will disagree.
I've spent several years reading different theological perspectives. The one theologian who has made sense for me is Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong. I'll be discussing him more in the future, along with my own (and still evolving) understanding.
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Friday, February 10, 2012
Contraception
The big news this week is the opposition to the Obama's Administration requiring that birth control be added to employee insurance programs. The Catholic Church is against this, and now EWTN has filed a lawsuit against it.
What is their argument? The Church teaches that birth control is a sin and not allowed for Catholics (or at least "artificial" birth control. The rhythm method is allowed. Seems to me this is splitting hairs. If using a condom is wrong, then avoiding sex so that you don't get pregnant is the same thing. It's a sin of omission). Catholic organizations that provide health insurance for their employees object to their insurance program paying for birth control. They say this violates their freedom of religion.
The counter argument? No one is forced to use birth control. The freedom to use it is part of the law of this land. If a Catholic doesn't believe in birth control, they do not have to use it and partake of this insurance benefit. In addition, there are women who need to take birth control for medical reasons. I know of someone who has endometriosis and her doctor prescribed the pill as treatment. So banning the payment for birthcontrol would also ban paying for this treatment.
Churches still do not have to provide birth control insurance coverage for direct employees of the church. It's mainly affecting church related public enterprises, such as media companies, hospitals, charities, etc. which employ many people who are not Catholic.
What the Church is trying to do is control the rights of non-members. This is a dangerous act. The attitudes that go with this gave us such wonderful slaughters as the Crusades and various Jewish pogroms. In a pluralistic society, the Catholic Church cannot enforce it's dogma on non-Catholics. It may teach, preach, entice and persuade, but it may not force. Better for it to set an example to others rather than follow policies that just alienate non-members even more.
So yes, public Church organizations and affiliates should be forced to pay for birth control. They may teach that it is wrong, coerce their own members not to use it, but they have no right to deny this insurance benefit to their public employees.
What is their argument? The Church teaches that birth control is a sin and not allowed for Catholics (or at least "artificial" birth control. The rhythm method is allowed. Seems to me this is splitting hairs. If using a condom is wrong, then avoiding sex so that you don't get pregnant is the same thing. It's a sin of omission). Catholic organizations that provide health insurance for their employees object to their insurance program paying for birth control. They say this violates their freedom of religion.
The counter argument? No one is forced to use birth control. The freedom to use it is part of the law of this land. If a Catholic doesn't believe in birth control, they do not have to use it and partake of this insurance benefit. In addition, there are women who need to take birth control for medical reasons. I know of someone who has endometriosis and her doctor prescribed the pill as treatment. So banning the payment for birthcontrol would also ban paying for this treatment.
Churches still do not have to provide birth control insurance coverage for direct employees of the church. It's mainly affecting church related public enterprises, such as media companies, hospitals, charities, etc. which employ many people who are not Catholic.
What the Church is trying to do is control the rights of non-members. This is a dangerous act. The attitudes that go with this gave us such wonderful slaughters as the Crusades and various Jewish pogroms. In a pluralistic society, the Catholic Church cannot enforce it's dogma on non-Catholics. It may teach, preach, entice and persuade, but it may not force. Better for it to set an example to others rather than follow policies that just alienate non-members even more.
So yes, public Church organizations and affiliates should be forced to pay for birth control. They may teach that it is wrong, coerce their own members not to use it, but they have no right to deny this insurance benefit to their public employees.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
A wonderful blog to read
There's a wonderful webpage I encourage all liberal Catholics to read, the Catholic Democrats. I want to share a link to a recent essay there, about how the Tea Party movement is more about selfishness rather than helping others, as is our Catholic duty:
http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/news/2011/03/american_exceptionalism_the_co.php#more
In other news, with Lent having recently commenced, I've decided to abstain from using my iPad. This is NOT an easy thing for me to do, as I'm quite addicted to it. But then, that's the idea of Lent, isn't it?
http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/news/2011/03/american_exceptionalism_the_co.php#more
In other news, with Lent having recently commenced, I've decided to abstain from using my iPad. This is NOT an easy thing for me to do, as I'm quite addicted to it. But then, that's the idea of Lent, isn't it?
Friday, January 28, 2011
Hi, been a while. Life got busy, and I made an effort to cut down on my online time, because you know, sometimes you need to just BE in the real world.
However, I found this, and it's something I found incredibly funny. A Presbyterian Church and Catholic Church across the street from each other having some fun with their signs. I don't know anything about this particular parish, but with that sense of humor, I think it would be a good fit for me :)
http://wizardstimelordsandstarkids.tumblr.com/post/2822022225/two-churches-located-across-the-street-from-each-other
However, I found this, and it's something I found incredibly funny. A Presbyterian Church and Catholic Church across the street from each other having some fun with their signs. I don't know anything about this particular parish, but with that sense of humor, I think it would be a good fit for me :)
http://wizardstimelordsandstarkids.tumblr.com/post/2822022225/two-churches-located-across-the-street-from-each-other
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Glenn Beck Says to Run: The Necessity of Social Justice
Now Glenn Beck has decided that any church using the code phrases "Social Justice" or "Economic Justice" should be aware their church is tied into either Nazism or Stalinism, and should run. Or, if their priest is mentioning these dreaded phrases, narc on him to the Bishop.
What Beck is seemingly not aware of (or perhaps conveniently ignoring) is that the Church has a long history of supporting social justice. In spite of the seemingly right-leaning teachings of the church on some social matters, it has a long history of supporting social and economic equality, including the redistribution of wealth. The Church as been pro-union and for living wages throughout the 20th century. So, Mr. Beck, kindly stick your nose out of our churches and go back to turning the various Protestant denominations into rich country clubs.
Of course, this highlights a current problem with the current perception of Church teachings. Because of the constant emphasis of anti-abortion and anti-contraception teachings by church heiarchy, many believe the church is far Right in it's teachings. However, promoting social and economic justice is just as important. Unfortunately, many Church leaders have let themselves be clouded by the anti-abortion emphasis. As a result, you are seeing the Church support politicians that agree with its anti-abortion dogma, but who are adamantly opposed to it's socially progressive teachings.
We've heard the recent news reports about a Bishop in Rhode Island asking Patrick Kennedy not to take communion in his diocese because of his pro-choice stance. In the previous elections we heard similar statements directed towards Senator John Kerry. And yet, have we heard any Bishop make similar statements regarding candidates against health care, the right of workers to unionize, fair employment practices, immigration, etc.? No, we haven't, and this shows a fundamental problem in the Church today. It has let one single issue wag the dog, so that the Church as fallen into supporting people that spit on the rest of its teachings.
Currently, the Church has lost its credibility as a protector of human rights because of this imbalance. It needs to wake up and realize it can't be a one-issue supporter. As long as the Church only promotes picketing outside of Planned Parenthood without picketing outside of greedy corporations that abuse their workers and politicians who are intent on removing rights from consumers, workers, and immigrants, then the Church will continue down the road towards a morally corrupt entity.
What Beck is seemingly not aware of (or perhaps conveniently ignoring) is that the Church has a long history of supporting social justice. In spite of the seemingly right-leaning teachings of the church on some social matters, it has a long history of supporting social and economic equality, including the redistribution of wealth. The Church as been pro-union and for living wages throughout the 20th century. So, Mr. Beck, kindly stick your nose out of our churches and go back to turning the various Protestant denominations into rich country clubs.
Of course, this highlights a current problem with the current perception of Church teachings. Because of the constant emphasis of anti-abortion and anti-contraception teachings by church heiarchy, many believe the church is far Right in it's teachings. However, promoting social and economic justice is just as important. Unfortunately, many Church leaders have let themselves be clouded by the anti-abortion emphasis. As a result, you are seeing the Church support politicians that agree with its anti-abortion dogma, but who are adamantly opposed to it's socially progressive teachings.
We've heard the recent news reports about a Bishop in Rhode Island asking Patrick Kennedy not to take communion in his diocese because of his pro-choice stance. In the previous elections we heard similar statements directed towards Senator John Kerry. And yet, have we heard any Bishop make similar statements regarding candidates against health care, the right of workers to unionize, fair employment practices, immigration, etc.? No, we haven't, and this shows a fundamental problem in the Church today. It has let one single issue wag the dog, so that the Church as fallen into supporting people that spit on the rest of its teachings.
Currently, the Church has lost its credibility as a protector of human rights because of this imbalance. It needs to wake up and realize it can't be a one-issue supporter. As long as the Church only promotes picketing outside of Planned Parenthood without picketing outside of greedy corporations that abuse their workers and politicians who are intent on removing rights from consumers, workers, and immigrants, then the Church will continue down the road towards a morally corrupt entity.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
ACLU Against Bible Censorship
Interesting article on the ACLU blog today. Seems a jail in Virginia was censoring inmates mail from home, removing Bible passages. They are trying to get this practice stopped, as it attacks the first amendment rights of the persons sending and receiving the mail. It just goes to show, the ACLU doesn't pick sides based on politics or religion. They are strictly for protecting the civil liberties as expressed in the Constitution. More power to them :)
http://blog.aclu.org/2009/07/09/aclu-seeks-to-end-bible-censorship-at-virginia-jail/
http://blog.aclu.org/2009/07/09/aclu-seeks-to-end-bible-censorship-at-virginia-jail/
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
I love the Rosary!
I have always loved the Rosary. Even before I became a Catholic, I loved the Rosary. I remember as a kid, watching shows and movies featuring Catholics fingering their rosaries, and wondering what they were. By the time I was in junior high, I had learned to say the Rosary, and even managed to sneak into a Catholic bookstore to buy a cheap plastic one that I hid at home (Baptist households frown on such things, don'tchyaknow). I still have that old worn out rosary, having had to restring it a few times over the years. I had it with me when I went off to college and took the plunge to start studying to be received into the Catholic Church. I had it with me when I took my first Communion. I have several others now, some nice antique wooden ones, heavy hematite sets, a ladder rosary, even a large 15 decade one with belt clip, but that old plastic one is still my favorite. A few years ago I got into making knotted cord rosaries, and have gotten to prefer them as my go to for a prayer. I find the making of them relaxing. I can do it while watching tv, or doing medidation where I concentrate on the appropriate prayer when tying each knot.
There's some great sites online about making these, my two favorites being:
http://www.rosaryarmy.com/
http://web.mac.com/geerlingguy/articles/religion/knot-rosary.html
What's great about making your own is that you can make specialized rosaries for chaplets. People who just use a rosary for the traditional Rosary are missing a lot of beautiful prayers and meditations. There are some wonderful prayerful chaplets and alternate rosaries. Check out these online resources:
http://campus.udayton.edu/mary//resources/chaplet.html
http://www.catholicdoors.com/prayers/chaplets.htm
It's funny. When I told my parents I was converting (trust me, that was not a fun time, and it's still a painful thing to think about 30 odd years later), one of the biggest objections was to the use of the Rosary. I have no idea why non-Catholics are so bothered by it, unless because of it's emphasis on Marian devotion. For me, it was a gift from God, as it started my feet on the path to the Catholic Church. If you haven't used yours in a while, take it out, and let it renew your faith.
There's some great sites online about making these, my two favorites being:
http://www.rosaryarmy.com/
http://web.mac.com/geerlingguy/articles/religion/knot-rosary.html
What's great about making your own is that you can make specialized rosaries for chaplets. People who just use a rosary for the traditional Rosary are missing a lot of beautiful prayers and meditations. There are some wonderful prayerful chaplets and alternate rosaries. Check out these online resources:
http://campus.udayton.edu/mary//resources/chaplet.html
http://www.catholicdoors.com/prayers/chaplets.htm
It's funny. When I told my parents I was converting (trust me, that was not a fun time, and it's still a painful thing to think about 30 odd years later), one of the biggest objections was to the use of the Rosary. I have no idea why non-Catholics are so bothered by it, unless because of it's emphasis on Marian devotion. For me, it was a gift from God, as it started my feet on the path to the Catholic Church. If you haven't used yours in a while, take it out, and let it renew your faith.
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