Perspectives of a Wanderer

Consider the title to the following news story:

Nebraska Safe-Haven Law Permits Parents to Abandon Teens

Is our society finally come to the point where anything or anyone can be discarded just because they are an inconvenience.

There have been stories recently of people just walking away from their homes due to the rising mortgage costs. Some I could understand except people bought way out of their means using questionable mortgages on the hope of making a fast buck.

Now we are seeing signs that the “throw away” society is now making our children disposable. Yes, abortion has been doing this for years, but now Nebraska allows for the abandonment of children up to the age of 19 without legal repercussions. Yes 19. Other laws here in the United States only allow for newborns to be placed in “safe havens”, but this is a first. How long will be before infanticide [yes I know about the Netherlands] and the murder older children become law.

**** sarcastic comment alert ****
And why stop there, lets make murder legal.
**** end of alert ****

Yes, it is an absurd comment, but that is where things are heading in this Relativistic Society. Something needs to be done before it is too late for Society and it implodes under it perversions.

I have recently posted a entries called the “Next Real Crusade”. Hopefully it will come in time. Until then, pray.

This is the third in my “Next Real Crusade” series and maybe the most important since it will determine the success of the Crusade. For me, there are two main goals

Conversion of the Person: This is probably the most important since all else is predicated on this. The main goal should be the conversion of as many souls as possible to the one true faith. These conversions must be not be forced but be made willingly by the ones we target. Catholic Christianity is not spread by the sword or coercion like Islam is.

Conversion of Society: Society is going downhill fast and will implode under the weight of today’s Relativistic Society. We need to get back to the fundamentals of God’s Natural Law. Returning society to a moral path is imperative to saving it from itself. We cannot rely on Government to do this since they are one of the primary causes of the slide. Abortion, Same-sex Marriage, and Euthanasia are just a few of them many wrongs imposed by today’s society by Governments (especially the Judicial System). Conversion of the person will go along way to righting these wrongs, but we must then continue until society as a whole is redeemed. Only the complete repeal of unjust governments and the unjust “Positive Laws” will be acceptable. Then Relativism will cease to be a driving factor of society.

These two goals will be the primary measures of our success and only total and compete victory in both instances will be acceptable.

This is a follow up on yesterday’s entry “When will the Next Real Crusade Start”.

Once people have been trained (and maybe even beforehand), we also have to consider where to target this crusade. Four general groups come to mind:

• Catholic dissenters (i.e. Progressives, Schismatic Traditionalists)
• Non-Catholic Christians (Protestants, Orthodox, and Fundamentalists)
• Non-Christian Religions (i.e. Muslims, Mormons, Hindu, Buddhists,….)
• Non-Religions (Secularists, Atheists, Agnostics,….)

Each of these groups have their own particular issues that will have to be addressed and the training will have to be geared towards each group separately. Dealing with Muslims is different from dealing with Mormons is different from dealing with Atheists. Cultural, philosophical. and theological differences will need to be taken into account when dealing with particular groups. This is especially true when dealing with groups that have a history of violence when confronted with view points different from their own.

Will we want to target multiple groups or only one in the beginning and which one(s). Do we start with the least resistant target(s) or the one(s) that are the greatest threat.

That will decide training and tactics. It will also determine the size and makeup of our army. The one(s) that are the greatest threat will need a larger and stronger army. The least resistant will probably need a smaller army in the beginning and will allow time to build our ranks.

Even within a particular group, we will need to determine how to we go about the evangelization process. Do we target various sub-groups and work through attrition, target the who group for a quick victory, or a combination of both.

In my opinion, these are just a few of the things to consider and is, by no means, an exhaustive list of issues.

There has been talk on web about starting various Crusades on the Internet in an attempt to convert people away from the perversions of the Secular and Relativistic world. However, I see, other than informational, these have limited influence and lifespan. I also see some as being limited due to agenda driven ideologies that have limited appeal.

A real crusade must be in the real world and must fight real battles. I am not necessarily talking about physical blood and guts battles (although it may, unfortunately, come to that at some point). I am talking taking people on one on one in the public square.

Also, for a real crusade to be successful, the soldiers must be properly trained in the combat that they will be doing. In the case of an Apologetics and Evangelization crusade, education is the first level of training. However, many are poorly catechized and even those with proper catechesis will probably be poorly equipped for such an endeavor.

No, what we need is adult education in Catechesis, Apologetics and Evangelization. There are some good programs available, but they are not where and when many can get to them. What we need is to train a core group of “commanders” and send them out to the parishes to instruct the laity. This would get the training to people in the most efficient manner.

A new crusade is hopefully coming. What form it will take is still to be determined.

From this Sunday’s first reading:

At Horeb the mount of God. And there he came to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Eli’jah?” He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” And he said, “Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. And when Eli’jah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. (1 Kings 19: 9-13 RSV)

God almost always talks to us in subtle not loud ways and that means most of us will ignore Him since most of us (including myself) need to be hit with a sledge hammer to get our attention. In addition, many expect God to say Yes to us when often it is no. Being open to God means to be open to everything he says, not just what we want to hear and when we want to hear it.

This from my parish’s bulletin (edited to remove some of the more “colorful” parts) on June 22, 2008:

You got the news that our pro-babykilling Governor has again vetoed the ban on partial birth abortions in the State of Michigan. Partial birth abortion means babies being murdered as they emerge from the womb. Her infamy is crowned by the imposture of her claim as a believing Catholic. This is so outrageous and scandalous that something needs to be done. … I believe that it would fall to the bishop of Lansing, Bishop Earl Boyea, to issue a decree of excommunication. If granted, it might not correct her perverse inclinations, but it would at least be a public recognition that she has effectively cut herself off from the Church in which she continues to claim membership. (Her veto has already in fact excommunicated her from the Church; what’s needed now is a formal decree and a public censure.)

While these are strong words, I think it may be time that the Church does consider public and formal decrees of excommunication against those “Catholics” who publicly go against Church teaching in such cases as abortion, contraception, same-sex “marriage”, and euthanasia. These would include:

1. Politicians who vote for such “laws”.
2. Judges who uphold such “laws” or strike down “laws” against such bans.
3. Lobbyists and activists who advocate and promote such “laws”.
4. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and others to actively and willing obey such “laws”.

This is only a partial list of those who would be candidates for excommunication. Maybe, with a few excommunication, we can stem the tide of dissenters on these issues and strike a blow against the perverse relativism and liberalism that makes them possible.

With the rise in fuel prices, the overemphasis on materialism that this Relativistic society covet has come back to haunt many people. Those who drive those oversized SUV’s are now having to make a decision on whether to trade their status symbols in for something more practical, go without other “necessities” like Starbucks, or even both. Even if they trade in their monster SUV, hey are finding that they are not getting the trade in value they would of gotten a few years back and the smaller, fuel efficient cars are in short supply right now.

I have never subscribed to the “bigger is better” mentality that many have fallen prey to. Yes, I have cut back, but not as other have. I now combine trips, and I do not got to stores just to go to stores. I even have started to walk to work which for me is actually faster than driving. This also saves me money in gas by not providing a temptation to go out to lunch instead of eating at the cafe in the building I am in.

One thing I have seen being in the automotive related industry is that many of the car companies are thinking of importing and/or even building some of their European models here in the United State. I have looked at some of those cars on-line and I can see the possibility many of what is called the “City Cars” being very practical here. I am hoping that some of the do make it here and, if they do, I may be trading in my 2001 Hyundai Elantra (just over 127K miles) sooner than later.

In going through the readings for this Sunday, it was not the Gospel that stood out for me but the First Reading:

At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” And Solomon said, “Thou hast shown great and steadfast love to thy servant David my father, because he walked before thee in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward thee; and thou hast kept for him this great and steadfast love, and hast given him a son to sit on his throne this day. And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people whom thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered or counted for multitude. Give thy servant therefore an understanding mind to govern thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to govern this thy great people?” It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. (1 Kings 3: 5-13 RSV)

In this I see, that when praying for ourselves, we need to be careful what we pray for. It should not be prideful and for wealth as those who follow the “prosperity Gospel” do. We should be humble and ask to God guide us in doing what is right even if it means we suffer in the choice. Riches and comfort in this life is usually a hindrance to the riches of the next life.

From this Sunday’s Gospel:

Another parable he put before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” Mt 24: 24-30 (RSV)

and

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world, and the good seed means the sons of the kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”Mt. 13: 36-43 RSV

We see the weeds all around us these days. They are the secular society that is shoving their perversions down our throats. It is not just co-existing but is choking the good seed. Yes, at judgment, the weeds will be separated. In the mean time, we need to do something to keep the weeds at bay. How? Many ways.

First is not to participate in the perversions. No, I am not talking about separating up from society. I am talking about being judicious in where we do and not spend our time and money. Example: Just in the past week or so, there has been reports of a certain fast food chain signing onto the “gay agenda”. Instead of eating there, we should them know (be civilized about it) that we will not be eating there and will be finding other places to eat.

A second way would be the equivalent of “genetic manipulation” of the weeds. That is, through evangelization through words and actions, attempt to convert them and draw them away from the perversions of today’s society.

What Kind of Soil are You?

Consider the first part of this Sunday’s Gospel:

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Mt. 13: 1-8 RSV)

In this parable, Jesus describes four types of people and their reaction when they hear the Word of God. The first three soils (people) can be considered most of today’s society:

When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path. (Mt. 13: 19 RSV)

This person can be considered the one who completely rejects the Word of God. They have no place in their heart for God and, in fact, place themselves above God. The Relativist, Atheist, and Pagan are examples.

As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. (Mt. 13: 20-21 RSV)

Unfortunately, many fall into this category. This is the “lukewarm” believer. Either through poor catechesis or a week will, they will place their own survival above defending the Faith and Church. Yes, they may regularly attend Mass, but little if any more than this. This can also be the one who only attends on special days (i.e. Christmas and Easter).

As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. (Mt. 13: 22 RSV)

This is the Materialist. Greed has consumed them. All the care about is instant gratification. This one can be considered dangerous since they will use God and the Church if it is to their advantage.

As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” (Mt. 13: 23 RSV)

This is the one we strive for and, even then, there is a vast difference. This is the true believer, the one who will defend their Faith and the Church and, if necessary, go to their death it.

Which soil are you? Many hope we are the last, but unfortunately, we are one of the other three. We need to dedicate ourselves to achieving as much fruit as we can.