Gotta Love the National Catholic Reporter Crowd

Someone named Michael Sean Winters * has experienced another petit mal paroxysm of truculence against political conservatives, this time lashing out on the National Catholic Reporter website against the recent Tea Party convention, sneering at pretty much everyone there for being, in his words, "birthers" (meaning those who question whether Dear Leader was really born in the U.S. or not). There's a discussion going on about that, one which I have little interest and no part in. Apparently, though, the fact that it's a topic of concern for some really gets his goat.

Whatever.

I bother to comment on this only because Winters' latest round of grumbling about conservatives, laden with his trademark snideness, contains a paragraph I can actually agree with! That is, I can agree with it so long as certain words are substituted:

"I am not a fan of guilt by association, but those conservatives liberals who wish to be taken seriously need to explicitly disassociate themselves from such nonsense [as Winters’]. There is a difference between a difference of opinion and being nuts. If you hang out with nuts and do not call them out on their nuttiness, people can be forgiven for thinking you concur. America needs a thoughtful and articulate conservative liberal political voice, but no such voice emerged from the proceedings in Nashville The National Catholic Reporter."

* I know who Michael Sean Winters is. He has a penchant for referring to those with whom he disagrees as "someone named So-and-So," insinuating they are obscure. He did it again in the NCR blog post linked to above. (Mimicry is the sincerest form of flattery, eh, wot?)

The Amazing Story of "Christian Elephants" in India

Talk about bad Karma. The Archdiocese of Colombo has this astonishing story which I have never heard of before. Makes me wonder whether St. Francis of Assisi got tired of the Hindu mobbery against Christians going on in India and decided to send some of his pachyderm pals into the mix for a little payback action. On second thought, nah, St. Francis would never do something like that. I think.

In July 2008 a severe persecution of Christians broke out in the Indian state of Orissa. A 22 year old nun was burnt to death when angry mobs burnt down an orphanage in Khuntpali village in Barhgarh district, another nun was gang raped in Kandhamal, mobs attacked churches, torched vehicles, houses of Christians destroyed, and Fr. Thomas Chellen, director of the pastoral center that was destroyed with a bomb, had a narrow escape after a Hindu mob nearly set him on fire. The end result saw more than 500 Christians murdered, and thousands of others injured and homeless after their houses were reduced to ashes. Recently a strange and dramatic event took place in Orissa, which has many people talking and wondering.

In recent months, herds of wild elephants have begun to storm villages that are home to some of the worst persecutors of Christians during the troubles. In one village, where in August a year ago the Christians had to run for their lives while their homes were being destroyed by rioters, a herd of elephants emerged from the surrounding jungle exactly one year later, in July 2009, at the same time of the day of the attack.

These elephants first attacked a rock crusher machine owned by a key leader of the persecution movement. They then went on to destroy his house and farms.

Hundreds of villagers have been forced to take shelter in camps in the Indian state of Orissa after repeated attacks by a herd of elephants.

Seven people have been killed and several others injured in attacks by a herd of 12-13 elephants over the past few weeks in Kandhamal district.

Over 2,500 people living in 45 villages have been affected by the attacks, district chief Krishen Kumar said.

It is, however, unclear why this herd of elephants migrated from the Lakheri sanctuary in a neighbouring district. He said the herd had travelled some 300km into Kandhamal, and even entered a town in the district. Wildlife officials were camping at the site of the attacks and trying to find out why the elephants had come out of their sanctuary. The villagers say elephants attack their areas in herds, causing heavy destruction.

Gaining momentum, they rampaged through other non-Christian homes, demolishing gardens and singling out the home of persecutors, leaving Christian homes untouched.

These strange attacks have spread, and according to a report, the elephants have already destroyed more than 700 houses in 30 villages, and killed five people. Nobody in this area has seen or even imagined the unique appearance of a herd of wild elephants such as this. The elephants are not ordinary elephants; they appear to be on a mission.

Typically, smaller elephants enter a village first, appearing to survey the community. They then rejoin the larger herd, and larger elephant soon follow and get the job done.

The ministry partner in India stated “We think that it might have something to do with the avenging the blood of martyrs. In fact the fear of God has fallen on the local people, who have labeled these elephants “Christian elephants.”

With little help coming from the administration, the villagers have taken to road blockades. "The elephants have destroyed crops and selected houses. But officials too express helplessness. "There is no permanent habitat of elephants in Sundargarh. They come from Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand where their habitats have shrunk. But is not clear how and why these elephants reached Orissa. (Source)

Meet me in St. Louis, February 6th (Men's Conference)

I'll be speaking at this excellent conference for Catholic men, sponsored by the Archdiocese of St. Louis, this weekend, Saturday, February 6th. Please join us if you can, and please share this info on your FaceBook pages, blogs, and other new media outlets! Hoping to see you and a bunch of your guy friends there. It's going to be good.

http://www.catholicmenforchrist.org/site/

Neuroscientist Explores How Porn Hijacks Male Brain

This is your brain:

This is your brain on porn:

Any questions?

You Can Keep Your Kids Catholic. Here's How . . .

Here's an interview about fatherhood I did with the Knights of Columbus for their FathersForGood.org outreach to Catholic dads.

Russian Orthodox Church to appoint 400 priests as military chaplains

As one who grew up at the height of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the West, the astonishingly sudden collapse of the "Evil Empire" in 1991 was mind-boggling. It had been for over 70 years the personification of atheistic hatred for God and persecution of those who believe in Him.

Since the implosion of the Soviet Union, the new Russia has been making steady if slow progress back toward God, many Russians have re-embraced Orthodoxy — Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev regularly attend Divine Liturgy, for goodness' sake. And this strengthens the impression I get that the prophecy given in 1917 by Our Lady of Fatima about the eventual reconversion of Russia may well be unfolding before our eyes, albeit in slow-motion.

I suspect that folks my age and older will likely find this news item from the Russian Interfax news agency rather remarkable:

Moscow, February 3, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church will appoint about 400 priests for service as armed forces chaplains in fulfillment of a directive of the chief of the General Staff late last year that instituted chaplaincy positions in the military, the website of Patriarch Kirill cited the Primate as saying.

There is a plan to set up centers to provide clergy with three-month training for chaplaincy service, the Patriarch told a Bishops' Meeting in Moscow.

The clergy to be sent to the military will include both clerics with experience of service in the armed forces and young priests who are fit to serve in field conditions.

Under a directive by the chief of the General Staff effective from December 1, 2009, the commander of an armed forces unit is to have a civilian aide who is a cleric and ministers to religious servicemen.

Russian military units abroad have become the first to acquire chaplains - 13 priests went to serve there in December.

The command of the North Caucasus Military District had a military clergy department set up in October 2009. Patriarch Kirill asked the bishops of the Southern Federal District to name candidates to fill 30 chaplaincy positions in the district's military units.

The Armed Forces Sociological Center says more than 70% of Russia's military personnel consider themselves religious. About 80% of them identify themselves as Orthodox Christians, about 13% as Muslims, about 3% as Buddhists, and 4% as followers of other faiths. There are 530 churches on the premises of military units.

Predictably, not everyone is happy about this.

And here is part of what Our Lady said in Fatima about Russia:

“I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she shall be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.”

I interpret the "conversion of Russia" to mean a conversion that entails a full reunion with the Catholic Church. And in addition to the above, stories like this and this give me a great deal of hope that I will live to see that blessed day.

A New Low for the Already Low "Reality" Show Genre

This really bothers me. Why would someone turn the evil of abortion into an online reality show?

That pro-life Catholics are among those responsible for this Internet spectacle makes it all the more inexplicable. I understand what they are trying to accomplish, but I disagree with the way they have chosen to go about it. I mean, really, to set the thing up so that the audience gives a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" to (fictionally) pregnant young women, deciding whether they will ostensibly have an abortion or not? Please.

I know. Some of you, perhaps many of you, will disagree with me, maybe vehemently. Maybe you'll dismiss me as a curmudgeon. But I don't think I am. I am completely enthusiastic about and dedicated to doing whatever can be legally and morally done to abolish the horror of legalized abortion. But this? "Bump" turns abortion into just another Xbox game.

Show Lets Viewers Decide If 'Reality Stars' Get Abortions

"The 'Bump' was conceived after President Obama's commencement address at Note Dame University last year where he said he wanted "to find ways to communicate about a workable solution to the problem of unintended pregnancies," executive producer Dominic Iocco told The Washington Post. . . . (continue reading)

See also: BumptheShow.com

(As an aside: Way to go, Father Jenkins!)

This is what SUVs looked like in the 60s

From the wicked cool TV series "Lost in Space," which I watched religiously, all three seasons it was on . . .

What the . . .?

Obowma does it again. (But why?)

"A systemic pattern of cooperation with evil"

LifeSiteNews.com reports on the past involvement of John Carr, a senior USCCB employee, with a group that promotes abortion and the gay agenda:

A national group that promotes abortion and homosexual rights has deep ties with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development, according to a report released Monday.

Top USCCB executive John Carr held simultaneous leadership roles, creating a conflict of interest, with the USCCB and the radical Center for Community Change.

"The closer we look at the Bishops Conference [staff and programs], the more we find a systemic pattern of cooperation with evil," said Michael Hichborn, American Life League's lead researcher into the USCCB scandal. "The CCC has lodged itself into the highest places of power in the USCCB while working to promote abortion and homosexuality."

John Carr is the USCCB executive director of the Department of Justice Peace and Human Development which oversees the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). He has been employed by the USCCB since 1987.

John Carr's relationship with the Center for Community Change goes back at least to 1983, serving in leadership roles from 1999 to 2006 - including as chairman of the board. The Reform CCHD Now report details the organization's promotion of abortion, "reproductive rights" and homosexuality as among the CCC's core advocacy focuses.

In 2001, while Carr served as both a USCCB exec and CCC leader, the Catholic Bishops Conference funneled $150,000 to the pro-abortion group. The USCCB web site currently promotes the group and officials have spoken at CCC events.

"Strangely, Carr's leadership on the CCC's board shows up on several bios he's submitted for speaking engagements, but the word for word bio on the USCCB web site mysteriously omits that one detail," Hichborn said. "Why?"

Revelations of John Carr's involvement in the Center for Community Change come only months after members of the Reform CCHD Now coalition, including American Life League, uncovered 31 CCHD grantees partnered with the CCC.

"The CCHD claims it will immediately investigate accusations against organizations it funds yet it is silent on the CCC," said Hichborn. "How can Carr and the USCCB possibly justify this intimate relationship with such an obvious enemy of the Church?" . . . (continue reading)

See also: Deal Hudson's take on this.

Update: Our Sunday Visitor has looked into the allegations made by the American Life League against Mr. Carr and has found several discrepancies. OSV posted this statement from Mr. Carr responding to the ALL article:

Neither the American Life League nor the Bellarmine Institute contacted me, CCHD or the bishops' conference before making these accusations. If they had, they would have learned that I left the board of the Center for Community Change in February of 2005 and that I had no involvement in or knowledge of the actions alleged in the press release.

My experience with CCC was that it focused on poverty, housing and immigration and had no involvement in issues involving abortion and homosexuality.

When I served, the board never discussed or acted on any position involving these matters and if they had, I would have vigorously opposed any advocacy for access to abortion or gay marriage.

I have spent my personal and professional life defending human life and dignity and Catholic teaching, including current efforts to keep abortion funding out of health care reform. I regret that once again the failure to contact me or CCHD has led to unfair allegations in attempts to undermine the essential work of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

"It Was Beautiful to Watch." Michael Savage Describes the San Francisco Walk for Life

And he takes the mainstream media outlets to task for their obstinate refusal to notice, much less cover, this major event that drew tens of thousands of peaceful demonstrators to march in the streets of San Francisco.

Check out his comments, and also take a look at this extensive photo montage of last year's West Coast Walk for Life. The pictures tell the real story. Spread the word. Get involved.

How to Fall 35,000 Feet — And Survive

Popular Mechanics offers some astounding advice that I hope none of us ever has to take into serious consideration:

You have a late night and an early flight. Not long after takeoff, you drift to sleep. Suddenly, you’re wide awake. There’s cold air rushing everywhere, and sound. Intense, horrible sound. Where am I?, you think. Where’s the plane?

You’re 6 miles up. You’re alone. You’re falling.

Things are bad. But now’s the time to focus on the good news. (Yes, it goes beyond surviving the destruction of your aircraft.) Although gravity is against you, another force is working in your favor: time. Believe it or not, you’re better off up here than if you’d slipped from the balcony of your high-rise hotel room after one too many drinks last night.

Or at least you will be. Oxygen is scarce at these heights. By now, hypoxia is starting to set in. You’ll be unconscious soon, and you’ll cannonball at least a mile before waking up again. When that happens, remember what you are about to read. The ground, after all, is your next destination.

Granted, the odds of surviving a 6-mile plummet are extra ordinarily slim, but at this point you’ve got nothing to lose by understanding your situation. There are two ways to fall out of a plane. The first is to free-fall, or drop from the sky with absolutely no protection or means of slowing your descent. The second is to become a wreckage rider, a term coined by Massachusetts-based amateur historian Jim Hamilton, who developed the Free Fall Research Page—an onlinedatabase of nearly every imaginable human plummet.

That classification means you have the advantage of being attached to a chunk of the plane. In 1972, Serbian flight attendant Vesna Vulovic was traveling in a DC-9 over Czechoslovakia when it blew up. She fell 33,000 feet, wedged between her seat, a catering trolley, a section of aircraft and the body of another crew member, landing on—then sliding down—a snowy incline before coming to a stop, severely injured but alive. . . . (continue reading)

Here's How the TV Networks Report the News

Here's an inside look at the secrets of how the major television news networks package "news" segments. They make it look so easy, as if each segment was scripted and produced by an infinite number of chimpanzees. In fact, hmmm . . . maybe the network news is produced by an infinite number of chimpanzees.

(Warning: There is a bad word 24 seconds into this, for which I apologize, though I am not to blame because I didn't produce this bit. Blame it on the chimpanzees. And mute it at 24 secs., if need be.)

Atheists "go postal" over new Mother Teresa stamp

It's predictable that atheists would work themselves into a froth over this. It's silly and petty, of course, but it's also a useful reminder that an increasing number of the God-deniers who walk among us are not content to simply deny the truth and scoff at believers, they are becoming ever more militant and aggressive in their efforts to ramrod their intolerance and narrow-mindedness down everyone else's throats. Catholics! Stand up to these bullies.

An atheist organization is blasting the U.S. Postal Service for its plan to honor Mother Teresa with a commemorative stamp, saying it violates postal regulations against honoring "individuals whose principal achievements are associated with religious undertakings."

The Freedom from Religion Foundation is urging its supporters to boycott the stamp -- and also to engage in a letter-writing campaign to spread the word about what it calls the "darker side" of Mother Teresa.

The stamp -- set to be released on Aug. 26, which would have been Mother Teresa's 100th birthday -- will recognize the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize winner for her humanitarian work, the Postal Service announced last month.

"Noted for her compassion toward the poor and suffering, Mother Teresa, a diminutive Roman Catholic nun and honorary U.S. citizen, served the sick and destitute of India and the world for nearly 50 years," the Postal Service said in a press release. "Her humility and compassion, as well as her respect for the innate worth and dignity of humankind, inspired people of all ages and backgrounds to work on behalf of the world’s poorest populations."

But Freedom from Religion Foundation spokeswoman Annie Laurie Gaylor says issuing the stamp runs against Postal Service regulations.

"Mother Teresa is principally known as a religious figure who ran a religious institution. You can't really separate her being a nun and being a Roman Catholic from everything she did," Gaylor told FoxNews.com.

Postal Service spokesman Roy Betts expressed surprise at the protest, given the long list of previous honorees with strong religious backgrounds, including Malcolm X, the former chief spokesman for the Nation of Islam, and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister and co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. . . . (continue reading)

Pray the Pater Noster With Pope Pius XII

(courtesy of Catholic Family Vignettes)