Catholic Church

222nd Anniversary Of French Revolution: What America Can Learn From This Landmark Event Of Modern World History!

Ronald 2 Comments

On this day in 1789, France saw the storming of the Bastille, an infamous prison in Paris that represented the oppressiveness of the French government under King Louis XVI! It was the beginning of the French Revolution by the masses of people in France, who were being victimized by a small elite of wealthy aristocracy and a corrupt Catholic Church, as well as the royal family dynasty of the Bourbons.

Some reading this might say, interesting, but how does it affect the United States? Of course, even saying that shows tremendous ignorance and the unfortunate anti foreign feeling so prevalent in this country, that feels we can learn nothing from anyone or any nation, because we are “exceptional”!

But indeed, we CAN learn from the French Revolution, the most important turning point in modern world history before the 20th century, as it had an effect not only on France, and Europe, but also the United States!

The concept of “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” which came out of the French Revolution would have a long range effect on America, as we SLOWLY moved toward greater liberty, equality and fraternity regarding the role of government in our lives.

This nation has become so much more democratized and promoters of human rights as compared to the original American Republic of 1776, 1787 and after, and it is due to the ideals that the French Revolution represented!

We often hear that we should ignore and dismiss the French experience and people and government as irrelevant to our past and future, but in actual fact, we have benefited from the French experience, owe a lot to them for having become the advanced nation we are today, and should not allow any right wing movement to move us backward on the road to true and complete democracy and equality, which is a continuing battle!

So on this day, we should salute the French Revolution for the good effects that it has had on the promotion of human freedom, human rights, and human equality!

The Torment Of John Boehner: Tea Party House Caucus Vs. His Catholic Faith

Ronald 2 Comments

Speaker of the House John Boehner is playing “hardball” in regards to budget cuts, trying to please the Tea Party Caucus in the House of Representatives.

At the same time, the Catholic practicing Boehner is facing severe, vehement opposition from Catholic scholars and activists, including clergy, who accuse him of working against the poor, the sick, the elderly, and therefore defying Church teachings.

So Boehner is between the proverbial “devil and the deep blue sea”!

No matter what he says or does, he engenders strong, insistent opposition that undermines his leadership. He does not seem to be a “happy camper”, as he attempts to negotiate the minefield of keeping the Republican Party on message, and yet not coming across as mean, nasty, hard hearted, uncaring, as that not only affects his relationship with fellow Catholics, but with the general public, which clearly does not want massive budget cuts in the trillions of dollars, as Boehner is advocating and demanding for a budget deal to avoid a debt limit crisis this summer.

Religious Leaders And Bigotry: The Hypocrisy Of Some Clergymen Of All Faiths! :(

Ronald 5 Comments

Whatever religion one professes to believe in, one of the basic tenets of religion is not only to save humanity from its sins, but also promote tolerance and open mindedness toward those who do not share your beliefs!

On that test, many clergymen have failed miserably, and the problem is not only that these are their personal shortcomings, but that it has such a dramatic impact on their congregants, and often on the society at large! 🙁

Hate and prejudice is unacceptable rhetoric from a clergyman of any faith, and yet it prospers in American society!

For example, we have Franklin Graham, son of the the famous evangelist Billy Graham; and we have Terry Jones, pastor in Gainesville, Florida, both of whom spew forth anti Islamic rhetoric, which poisons the body politic, including the threat before September 11 that Jones would burn Korans at his church! 🙁

Then we also have Jones; the Reverend Fred Phelps of Topeka, Kansas; Pastor Eddie Long of Atlanta; and Rabbi Yehuda Levine of Brooklyn, New York as examples of religious leaders who promote hate and prejudice against people who are gay in their sexual orientation! 🙁

We also have the Catholic Church promoting anti gay sentiment, at the same time that many of its priests are shown to have been involved in such activity! And of course, the Pastor Eddie Long has been accused of similar activity with young men in his congregation, and yet rails against gays with poisonous rhetoric! 🙁

Whether evangelical Christians, Catholics, Jews, or mainline Protestants, we see too many examples of hate for people of a religion or those of a different sexual orientation, and these people are committing the ultimate sin: not following the concept of tolerance and open mindedness!

How can someone call himself or herself “religious” and then promote hate, prejudice, and discrimination in their sermons and public activities? And how can someone claiming to be “religious” be a parent and disown his or her own children over what is natural to them, as much as someone who naturally is heterosexual? 🙁

These leaders, and others like them, and ordinary citizens who are parents and reject their children because of being different, are not truly “religious”, but instead are hypocrites who are dividing families and society by their hate! 🙁

What is being truly “religious”? It is being a person who treats others who are different, with dignity and respect, and accepting diversity in this world with equanimity! It is how you deal with people every day of your life, not whether you attend church or synagogue on the Sabbath, as many such people sin all week and then think going to religious services somehow makes up for their horrible behavior on a daily basis!

It is essential that such religious leaders be called out for their reprehensible behavior, and be repudiated as hate mongers who do not deserve a collar! 🙁

And it is time for parents to act like parents, and be there for their children through thick and thin, not rejecting them under the guise of being “religious”!