Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Catholic apologetics t-shirts?

I am posing a question to you all, I am thinking about making some apologetics t-shirts. They will have a Bible verse used in Catholic apologetics. For instance.....

"CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS

Jam 2:24 - a man is justified by works and not by faith alone

2 Thess 2:15 - hold fast to traditions, whether oral or by letter

1Tim 3:15 - Church is the pillar and foundation of truth."

please let me know if this would be something you would buy.
many blessings
Dan

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Mary cont.

Lk 1:34 - how can this be, since I do not know man
Lk 2:41-51 - age 12, Jesus evidently only son of Mary
Mk 6:3 - "the son of Mary" not "a son of Mary"
*Mt 13:55-56 - brothers James, Joseph, Simon & Jude
Mt 27:56 - Mary the mother of James & Joseph also
Jn 19:25 - Mary the wife of Clopas
Jn 19:26 - entrusted Mary to John, not a younger sibling
Jn 7:3-4 - brothers advise like elders: "go to Judea, manifest self"unthinkable for younger siblings (see next verse)
Mk 3:21 - set out to seize him, "he is out of his mind"
*Mt 1:25 - Joseph knew her not until she bore first-born
Mt 28:20 - I am with you always, until the end of the age
1Tim 4:13 - until I arrive, attend to reading, teaching...
1Cor 15:25 - he must reign until has enemies underfoot
Lk 1:80 - John in desert until day of his manifestation
Ex 13:2; Nb 3:12 - consecrate first -born that opens womb
Ex 34:20 - first-born among your sons you shall redeem

Mary

BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Mary
Lk 1:28, 30 - angel: "full of grace, found favor with God
Lk 1:42 - Elizabeth: "most blessed among women"
Lk 1:48 - Mary: "all generations will call me blessed" Mother of God
Lk 1:43 - Elizabeth calls her "mother of my Lord" = God
Mt 1:23 - virgin bear a son, Emmanuel = "God is with us"
Lk 1:35 - child born will be called holy, the Son of God
Gal 4:4 - God sent his Son, born of a woman The Assumption
Gn 5:24 (Hb 11:5) - Enoch taken to heaven without dying
2Kg 2:11 - Elijah assumed into heaven in fiery chariot
Mt 27:52 - many saints who had fallen asleep were raised
1Thess 4:17 - caught up to meet the Lord in the air
1Cor 15:52 - we shall be instantly changed at the last trumpet
Rom 6:23 - for the wages of sin is death
Rev 11:19-21 - ark in heaven = woman clothed in sun
Ps 132:8 - Arise, O Lord & go to thy resting place, thou & the ark of thy might The Immaculate Conception
Lk 1:28 - hail full of grace[highly favored] Lord is with you
Lk 1:30 - you have found favor with God
Lk 1:37 - for with God nothing shall be impossible
Gn 3:15 - complete enmity between woman & Satan, sin
Ex 25:11-21 - ark made of purest gold for God's word
*Rom 3:23 - all have sinned & are deprived of God's glory
*Lk 1:47 - my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The "Health of the Mother" pro-abortion myth

[an email dialog in progress]

Based on your reply, it appears the problem lays with those who break the current law by manipulating loopholes. If 90% admits to this, can you explain why they haven't been prosecuted?

Because, sadly, there is nothing to "admit", nothing to prosecute. ANY declaration of mental health issues is legally acceptable. There is no public record of anyone since Roe v. Wade ever being denied an abortion because their reason was inadequate.

The "health of the mother" exception is a myth, a propaganda lie issued by the abortion industry. By claiming such a compelling "excuse" for abortion with this hard case, pro-abortion forces hope to catch those good souls who are repelled by abortion, to tempt them to admit - at least in this one, worst case instance - that abortion is OK. But, as the Catholic Church teaches, abortion is an intrinsic evil. There are no circumstances, no rationales, no scenarios under which it is permissible to deliberately take innocent human life. None.

Think of the absurd scenario propagated by the abortion lobby: operating room table...surgeon, sweat being mopped off his brow, soaked in blood up to his elbows...he rises up and in anguish exclaims: "I've done all I can do. At this point, I must kill either the mother or the child!" Ridiculous. It's just not a plausible scenario. The doctor seeks to the bitter end to save both mother and child, or simply delivers the child.

The lack of real physical "health of the mother" issues has been borne out by the Supreme Court decision Gonzales v. Carhart, upholding the Constitutionality of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban (which Obama has pledged to overturn via FOCA). Remember, a previous decision, Stenberg v. Carhart, struck down Nebraska's ban on PBA precisely because it had no exception for the health of the mother. I have read more than one legal analysis pointing out that the later Gonzalez decision invited, practically appealed, for pro-abortion groups to bring cases against the law that would define the health of the mother exception. The abortion industry response? Silence. Not a single case to test the limits of the ban. If they were truly wringing their hands at the prospect of mothers dying by the dozens because they were denied partial birth abortion, would they not be filing cases left and right to try to carve out more exceptions? Their own silence condemns them.

There are laws to not steal or kill and yet it still happens. So will changing the ruling have any affect on those who would do it regardless of rules or laws?

So, shall we repeal the law against murder? No, because beyond enforcement, there is the moral statement made by society: we, the people, are opposed to murder. But in our nation, tragically, we add "except of the most innocent and helpless among us: the unborn. You can murder them with impunity."

In 1992, the Supreme Court reaffirmed Roe v. Wade in the Casey v. Planned Parenthood decision. However, it was Casey that allowed states to pass parental consent laws, informed consent laws, waiting periods and other reasonable restrictions against this heinous crime. Those democratically passed laws are what reduced the rate of abortion since 1992. See "Pro-Life Laws Work". And those constraints, all of them, will be completely erased with passage of FOCA. Indeed, after Obama signs FOCA, Catholic hospitals around the country will have two choices: either perform abortions...or close.

God gave us free will so we could choose the right direction. As for those who don't understand the consequences of their decision, action should be taken to at least try to counsel them. Then you would be speaking out.

Again: FOCA will repeal all laws passed to force abortion clinics to provide information in favor of life. So much for the mother making an informed "choice".

But I do stand outside the abortion mill, my friend, along with a lot of other Christians. I am prevented by our government from approaching the abortion clinic closely enough to speak to their customers as they walk inside (the only instance where such restrictions of Freedom of Speech and Freedom to Assemble have been allowed: to thwart the Prolife movement). But I pray, loudly, and hold up signs and do what I can to try to remind them they are letting someone kill their child.

That could help on a local basis but if you really want to do something, write your local congressman and start something to get FOCA amended.

We are already working toward that, but with the even-greater Democratic majority in both Houses of Congress, stopping FOCA will require divine assistance. The only reason it was not passed before now is that they knew Bush would veto it, but now Obama has proclaimed that he wants to sign FOCA as one of his first acts of office. Actually, Obama has said his first day in office he will sign an Executive Order lifting Bush's ban on Embryo-Destructive Stem Cell Research...but that's a whole 'nother debate.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Pray the Rosary to End Abortion

[It is proper to always pray the Sorrowful Mysteries, in atonement for our nation turning its back on God by engaging in child sacrifice.]

The First Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden

Jesus, you agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane in anticipation of your Passion, sweating drops of blood. There are women around the world this day pregnant...confused, frightened, conflicted. They are unsure where to turn and the Culture of Death beckons them to kill their unborn child. Send your grace and help them, send an angel to minister to them as the angel ministered to you in the Garden. Console them, strengthen them, give them the wisdom and the courage to make the right decision: to choose LIFE!

1 Our Father...10 Hail Marys...1 Glory Be

The Second Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar

Lord, we pray for those who place their souls in mortal danger by their participation in the abomination of abortion. Let them feel the righteous lashes of the conscience they received when you gave them life, that they may turn from evil and recognize the heinous murder they commit. Their hearts are hardened, let them be scourged as you were at the pillar so they may repent and be saved from eternal separation from you, who are life and love in eternity.

1 Our Father...10 Hail Marys...1 Glory Be

The Third Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns


Christ Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, during your Passion you were mocked as a false King. Many of those who valiantly fight against abortion are derided and mocked by those enslaved by the Culture of Death. Lord, give these prolife warriors the strength and courage to persevere in their apostolate against abortion. Fill them with the righteousness to stand firm against the attacks of those who seek to thwart their efforts. May they be rewarded for their passionate defense of the most helpless among us, the ones with no voice...the unborn children.

1 Our Father...10 Hail Marys...1 Glory Be

The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross

Lord, you send us our crosses that, through suffering, we may be perfected in your love. The women who choose life for their unborn child are often burdened by angry parents or boyfriends, or by financial concerns. Carrying their baby to term can mean carrying a cross as well. We beg you to send them assistance, both human and divine, to help them carry this cross. Fill the hearts of Christians to support Crisis Pregnancy Centers and other ministries for young mothers in distress. Support them, that they may bear this cross not in suffering, but for love.

1 Our Father...10 Hail Marys...1 Glory Be

The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: Jesus Dies on the Cross

O Lord God, almighty Father...have mercy on us and on our nation! We pray for the souls of the innocent unborn children who have been killed. Take them up, bear them in your arms and bring them to your eternal embrace of love. Their own mothers killed them; let the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, be their beloved Mother, their true Mother, for all eternity. Eternal rest grant unto the unborn children, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.

1 Our Father...10 Hail Marys...1 Glory Be

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Fight the Freedom of Choice Act! (FOCA)

Sign the petition now and learn more about FOCA (aka "Roe v. Wade II") at http://www.fightfoca.com/
ALL Catholics, but most especially those who supported Obama for what they prudentially judged to be proportionate reasons, are now called to action against this monstrous bill which Obama has promised to sign into law as one of his first acts of office. This is no longer about politics, but about direct, unequivocal violation of Church doctrine on abortion. Our only chance to stop this wiping away of 35 years of small steps against the legalized murder of children is to hammer our Senators and Representatives - starting now!

Monday, November 3, 2008

"Issue that divides the faithful"

the headline for Friday's front page article "Issue that divides the
faithful": more accurate would have been "Issue that divides Catholics into the faithful and the unfaithful". Barack Obama is a co-sponsor of the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) and has promised to sign it into law as one of his first acts in office. FOCA mandates federal funding for abortion; rescinds the restriction on partial birth abortion; and invalidates every local, state and federal law ever passed which in any way restricts access to abortion, including parental consent laws and federal funding for overseas abortions. It is inarguable that the passage of FOCA would dramatically increase the rate of abortions in this nation and around the world.
In light of this, it is absurd for any Catholic to claim he has properly formed his conscience if he votes for Obama. Because of FOCA, a vote for Obama is a vote for more abortion and places Catholic Obama voters in full contradiction to the teachings of the Church. More than 100 Catholic bishops around the nation have issued statements that there is no "proportionate reason" which could outweigh opposition to the intrinsic evil of abortion.
In the article, Mr. Levy used a very poor choice of words when he wrote "[Vorhees] regularly stands outside abortion clinics to stop the women entering." This implies that Ms. Vorhees and the other prayer warriors are physically blocking access to the abortion clinic. In truth, each prayer warrior is required to sign a Statement of Peace promising to avoid not only physical, but even verbal confrontation with Planned Parenthood workers or their customers. A correction or clarification is called for.