Mark P. Shea's Blog, page 1265

The Sorrow and the Pity

Journalists: Your Intellectual Superiors!

Did you know Catholics regard the Pope as a "divine figure" and that's what makes them different from Copts? Me neither. You learn something everyday from the MSM.

Good thing real journalists are here to instruct us about the Catholic faith and not some know-nothing blogger with no credentials from J School.

Prayer Request

A English reader writes:

I feel a little bad asking for your prayers and the prayers of my fellow readers because I've asked a couple of times before, but could you please pray for me, the devil has been coming after me in a big way over the past couple of weeks and although I know that God is real and Jesus is the 2nd person of the Most Holy Trinity he is still trying to tempt me to doubt.

Father, we ask that you would help your servant by strengthening in him the gift of faith and helping him to feed on that which strengthens that gift. Give him a new dedication to reading Scripture, to the works of the great saints, and to living out the works of mercy that he may build up his spiritual muscles. Help him to remember that he who does what you command will know whether Jesus speaks your word. Your command is that we love one another as Christ has loved us. Mother Mary, pray for your son. St. Michael and his guardian angel, fight for him and remind him that the devil would not be attacking him so fiercely were he not doing something right. Help him to be an agent of grace in a country badly needing to see your grace at work. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

A note to my brother in England: don't think it strange your faith is being tried right now. You are on the front line in a major spiritual battle for the soul of your country. We say to our troops here in the US, "Thank you for your service." I say it to you. Thank you for your service. God sees and will not forget.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to prove you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in so far as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a wrongdoer, or a mischief-maker; yet if one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but under that name let him glorify God. For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? And "If the righteous man is scarcely saved, where will the impious and sinner appear?" Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will do right and entrust their souls to a faithful Creator. (1 Peter 4:12-19)

The Brutish Empire

After listening to some of these moronic, conscienceless thugs being interviewed on NPR yesterday, I have to say this seems about right.

What was striking about the NPR interviews was that even the interviewer, who obviously wanted to treat this story as one of "oppressed underclass vs. oppressive society" was genuinely appalled by the animalistic morons he was talking to. They, for their part, had no sense that they were full of "rage" about something. They weren't even particularly poor. They frankly admitted they could afford the stuff they were stealing. But hey! Why "bovver" when they could just smash somebody's window and steal the stuff. Nobody was stopping them and it was a bit of a lark, so they and their mates said they would probably keep going until somebody stopped them. No sense at all of the people they were were hurting. No awareness of any obligation to the community in which they lived. Sheer predatory animalism functioning the lowest possible level of eating, excreting, and copulating.

Oddly, that's just the vision of the human person put forward by the "Naked Ape" materialists whom we have all been taught for decades are freeing us from all that silly dogma about humans in the image and likeness of God.

Cult determines culture. Post-Christian Britain has embraced the anti-Christian vision of the human person as a sort of two-legged cow or dog whose highest aspirations ought to be drink, food, and sex in a universe where all that matters is my personal feelings of the moment. Meet mere physical need and you have fulfilled your total obligation to the formation of a healthy human being. Most Britons still resist this inhuman attempt to reduce the populace to dumb beasts. But enough have responded to the conditioning that there are now mobs of feral thugs living out this subhuman vision of the human person. The problem is not that they long for something higher and feel thwarted. The problem is that they long for nothing higher and feel nothing. As Fr. Tim Finigan puts it:

If "my view" is all that matters in every subject at school, then by the time you reach Year 11 there is no pressing reason why you should not burn cars, throw stones at police and cycle round to loot shops if that is what meets your needs during the summer holidays.

Happily, repentance is always possible and England can learn from her mistakes. I hope we learn too.

Jolly Pride Continues to Get Larger and Larger

Kari Simpson, Co-host at RoadKill Radio alerts me to this article on the ever-widening "Social manipulation under the guise of Stopping Bullying" movement.

She writes:

It's time to end FatOphobia!

The headlines just won't stop: 'Take the Fat Kids'… 'CPS workers remove Obese Kids from their Parents'… 'Fat Kids need State intervention'…!

It's time to stop the hatred and contempt of fat folk! It's time to end the oppression! It's time for fat to be celebrated, obesity embraced. We're not gonna take it any more!

It wasn't that long ago when homosexuality was considered a mental disorder; now it's time to deal with the fatophobic lies about obesigenetics! If homosexuals can become "gay", then fatsos must become "jolly"! Fatophobia must END!

We'll plan our political strategy, using the same tools of deceit and deception so masterfully employed by our comrades-in-arms, the gays! Just as they have succeeded in bullying their way into political stardom now, "Jollies" can, must and will join them in receiving special privileges; we, no less than they (maybe even more, because we're bigger and our numbers are provably larger!) deserve public and taxpayer recognition—politically, socially and emotionally (not to mention government money—lots of government money!)!

Think of the Jolly jobs we can secure by having Jolly-positive messages mandated in every school, in every subject, at every grade level—to be imposed on every impressionable little mind!

The time is now! This is the Jollies' "Stonewall" moment! The writing is on the American Psychiatric Association's wall; the gauntlet was laid down by those hateful Harvard Scholastic sorts, when they published their fear-inducing hate manifesto:

State Intervention in Life-Threatening Childhood Obesity!

They're now coming for our chubby children! Fatophobia-induced hate and bullying must stop!

We're going to take the world by storm; we'll become visible—increasingly visible; and everywhere, people must be taught to talk positively about—and even celebrate—being "Jolly"! The world must embrace the soon to become famous words of Jolly Pride pioneer Mark Shea, "OUT, STOUT & PROUD"!!

We'll outlaw negative stereotyping—we'll vilify any dietician or other professional who dares to speak truth about health-related illnesses of obesity; Lady Gaga (the skinny bitch!) was right: we were "born this way"! And for those who dare to suggest Jollies are fat because of their own dietary choices… well, off with their heads! Oops! I mean off to the Human Rights Tribunals for sensitivity training and a lesson in positive Jolly thinking—and possibly a fine. (Yay! More money!)

Here are some of our demands:
• We want taxpayer funding for an annual Fat Pride Parade in all major (and some minor) cities, featuring that Jolly icon, Santa Claus; the parade should be around Thanksgiving, a time when we can all celebrate overeating. Our expanding waistlines will give new meaning to the phrase "coming out"!
• CampOut! (the summer indoctrination camp for kids) must be made to feature s'mores, potato chips, and pan-fried everything! And non-diet pop. Lots of pop—Super-Sized POP! Corporate sponsors: Coke, McDonalds, KFC, etc.
• End Big Pharma's unconscionable pushing of diet pills!
• Force students to watch Shallow Hal at school. Promote Hollywood Jolly icons like Jabba the Hutt and Fat Bastard.
• A big-budget Hollywood remake of Jake and the Fat Man.
• Boycott Victoria's Secret until they start carrying—and advertising—a Jolly line of undies called, "Somewhere Under the Roll."
• Force Mattel to release a triple-chinned, booty-jiggling Jolly Barbie as a positive role model for not-so-little girls!

We will crush all fatophobics—especially those fanatical exercise gurus! Fatophobes like Jane Fonda will be prohibited from spreading their hate; they must be silenced and those jumpy Jill videos exorcised—I mean burned! But wait there's more! Those cruel "reparative therapy" groups like Jenny Craig… Weight Watchers… all of them must be shut down! Television shows like the "Biggest Loser" that falsely glorifies the benefits of health and fitness, while perpetrating stereo-typical hate and contempt for jollies, will be banned!

And while we are at it, all reparative therapy, "higher-power"-ed, hokey-pokey phobic groups that deny the reality that we are all "born this way" must be made illegal—groups like the alcophobic Alcoholics Anonymous and narcophobic Narcotics Anonymous. I mean really! Fooling and bullying people into believing that they can change is just so evil! Sure, some people actually do get duped into abstaining from drugs, smoking, alcohol—some even lose weight and then start preaching fatophobic hate messages! But what about the ones who don't? Is it fair to them? Shouldn't they be encouraged in their "born-this-way" expressions of sex, drug, drink, tobacco and metabolism uniqueness?

It's essential that all "Jollies" and their allies adopt the rabid rhetoric and employ the strategic emotional marketing schemes that have been proven so successful by our friends, the "gays"! We must learn to repeat the standard lies/lines: "Who would ever choose to be this way? Teased and bullied, mocked and reviled." "I'm born this way! I can't change!" "And I don't wanna change!"

Yes! Schools must draft anti-fatophobia policies. Nutrition and similar science studies must now feature the benefits of starchy carbohydrates, the need to celebrate copious amounts of white sugar, liberate fried (notice how close this word is to "friend"?) foods from the dark references of being "junk"! Fatty, rich indulgences that provide meaningful comfort and acceptance must be available in every school cafeteria, and from every food dispensing machine. Flags featuring poutine and rainbow-coloured bon-bons must fly over every school and city hall!

Professionals must acknowledge that emotional trauma, pain, sexual abuse and other psychological realities associated with known food consumption behaviours cannot be talked about, for such realities perpetuate the myth that there might be factors other than "I was born this way" and/or "God made me this way", that have contributed to my generous genetic presence!

Our brothers and sisters (and whoever/whatever else is defined in the gay+++ community) would never tolerate such a truthful and open-dialogue parading of the many life-threatening illnesses associated with their "born-this-way" sexual practices! Why should we? Jollies must mobilize to express resistance and demand redress! This is HATE!!!!!!

Health talk = Hate speech! Don't let anyone forget it!

Only 3% of Canadians are Gay, but 60% of Canadians are overweight; therefore Jollies deserve a bigger piece of the special-interest pie! Did someone say "PIE"!?!

We need Human Rights Legislation to end fatophobic discrimination, and we demand that governments pay more for our growing (hmmm!) needs, and not restrict funding based on fatophobic funding formulas that attempt to "normalize" caloric intakes. Jollies who can't work because of their "born this way" health challenges must be given increases in their welfare payments to recognize and celebrate their greater caloric needs. There is no normal!

Besides welfare rate increases, subsidized medical costs and subsidized life insurance must be made available to help us celebrate our rightful and ever-increasingly visible place in society!

Fatophobic rhetoric must be outlawed! Dr. Oz and other alleged medical professionals must be censored (and censured) to stop them from spreading hateful fatophobic lies and zealotry about heart disease, diabetes and other health concerns that they claim are related to measurable body fat! That's just fatophobic hate speech!

Oprah, the world's most respected woman, has proven time and again that if one is meant to be fat, he or she will be fat—despite all the diets and money available.

Fatophobic slurs like "Eat an apple", "Healthy Foods, Healthy Choices", and "Fit for life" must be bullied into silence! Never again must such words be allowed to echo their hateful messages in school classrooms, cafeterias and hallways!

Jolly-positive posters that celebrate fat diversity must decorate school halls! "Fatasstic!" "All you need is Kripsy Kreme!" "Bubble Buns are Beautiful!" "Eat and be Jolly!" These slogans are acceptable!

The public (and private) schools are our most important tool! Administrators must be made to recognize that there is far more bullying happening to generous-sized, "born-this-way" children than any other kind! Not to take away from the false statistics that have been so instrumental in aiding the duping of the silly classes by our comrades the gays; but, really: fatophobia is a far greater problem!

It's essential that all students become familiar with and celebrate Fatasstic people! Now, some parents (and a few health professionals) might say that all this positive reinforcement about being fat risks causing children to indulge in the lifestyle! That's the typical hateful fatophobic response; but we all know "You can't make a child fat who wasn't born that way!"

Schools must all celebrate a "Day Against Fatophobia", when kids will feast on fat-laden and MSG-filled fast foods: french fries, poutine, donuts, sugary drinks, pop… lots of soda pop! Maybe we could combine the politics of the gay "Day of Silence" with our special day, with the motto: "Don't Hate, just EAT"!

Yes, Fatasstic people have lots to do. A real attention-getter will be to start a petition to help Richard Simmons and Jennifer Hudson free themselves from the bondage of the diet-crazed fatophobes, and return to their true life of generous, sizable, cute and jiggly proportions.

I'm certain that our gay comrades will embrace us as we ride their coat-tails to success. They know it works; just look at how they piggybacked their message onto the civil rights movement!

We should be thankful that most people don't know how to think! And the schools must not be allowed to teach students how to think; only what to think. Yes, we will rely on the political strategies developed by homosexual activists to demean, defame, and destroy anyone who would dare suggest that there are medical and health consequences to our choice of Jolly behaviour! Oops! I mean "being born this way", and unalterable genetic make-up.

Be the way you were born to be! Eat lots, drink more and be gay! Or Jolly.

Kari Simpson is Co-Host on the boldly conservative, politically in-correct webcast RoadKill Radio.com proudly broadcasting common-sense civility out of Vancouver, BC.

It's just so important that everybody on planet Earth be forced to celebrate my appetites. I propose that Sesame Street be compelled to make Cookie Monster the poster monster of the Jolly Pride movement and that children no longer be bullied just because they happen to love cookies more than so-called "healthy" or "normal" eating. We will no longer stay in the pantry! We demand the right to fork what we want with whoever we want. We're out and we're stout!

The Nicene Guys Continue Their Discussion...

of Mary, Mother of the Son . Now they've moved on to Volume 2: First Guardian of the Faith.

Super Busy

Yet again. FWIW, I have a blog entry up at the Register.

The People's Democratic National Security State of Heaven...

...protecting you from fiendish parodists who endanger us all by making humorous videos about the police.

If Americans are free to make fun of the police and politicians, then the terrorists have already won.

Feel safe, or experience the full weight of the law come down on your head, you America-hater!

An energetic priest of my acquaintance writes...

I got what I think is good news today. The local Catholic university is in a bind and has invited yours truly to step in and cover a couple of the classes. So good news, right? Well, it's a bit more complicated than all that. The university is more than 90 min away from my parish, it would require a good deal of prep time, and in short would require upsetting some plans at the parish. Providentially I am meeting with the Archbishop on Thursday so at least I don't have to think this out alone. I would appreciate your prayers if you a moment to spare.

Father, hear our prayer that your servant and son can work out all the complicated details of life and grace your people with his knowledge and gifts. Give him and the Archbishop wisdom and prudence to order his life so that he can live out his gifts and vocation well to the glory of your Name. Mary, Seat of Wisdom, pray for him! We ask this in Jesus' Name, amen![image error]

The Silence of Mary

A reader writes:

I am a big fan of yours and own your Mary trilogy - wonderful, wonderful books.

Could you apply your super, evil genius brain power to this? During my daily rosary yesterday, the thought occurred to me that the authors of the Gospels probably all knew Mary personally and would likely have interviewed her directly. That thought, coupled with the scarcity of verses in the Gospels that deal directly with Mary, indicates to me that Mary likely intentionally downplayed her role when interviewed. I believe she was likely asked many questions (just human nature!) like "What was He like as a child?" "How did you deal with Him when He was misbehaving?" "Was He helpful around the house?" "What was it like being the Mother of God?" "How did it feel seeing Him up on the cross?" etc. I can just picture Mary smiling gently and steering the discussion back to Jesus and His purpose in coming - our salvation! I think this thought makes the few times we see her portrayed in the Gospels as that much more powerful. There are Big Reasons for her appearances in each case, which of course you make clear in your books. Just thought of more supporting evidence perhaps - or at least another argument. At any rate, thought these ideas might spark a column or blog post from you.

I think you are probably right, generally speaking, about the relative quiet with which the gospels treat Mary and her corresponding modesty. They show her great reverence and they, in their subtle way, accord her colossal and even cosmic significance (how many people do *you* know who get compared to the Ark of the Covenant?). But yes, the gospels don't go in for much chat.

This is also true of their treatment of Jesus. There is, in fact, nothing quite like the gospels in world literature. The attempts to make them much of a muchness with other documents always fails because they are their own thing. They have no interest in the sorts of things modern biographers care about. They give us, for instance, no physical description of their main subject. There is no psychological analysis of Jesus (nor, curiously, of Judas). Sometimes the character of a certain personality (most notably, impetuous Peter) will bleed through, but typically the gospels mean to tell us a sort of theologically informed story whose focal point is, overwhelmingly, a 72 hour period in the life of their hero. Everything else in the tale is, for the evangelists, focused on that 72 period and derives its significance from the events of that weekend. Without it, you do not get a story purified of it mythological elements. You get a jumble of sayings and anecdotes with no point whatever.

Mary's part in that tale, like everything else, orbits around that hub. She is holy because her Son is the Holy One who did not see corruption. She is the New Ark because the Crucified God who is priest and victim dwelt in her and received his blood (which he shed for us) from her. His miracle at Cana matters because it foreshadows the Eucharistic sacrifice he accomplishes during the 72 period. Everything--absolutely everything--about Mary is referred to her Son. And the gospels are only there to elucidate all that, not to give us yarns about what it was like to toilet train the Son of God or whether Jesus had acne as a teenager, or what it was like to watch him play with his childhood friends. (I don't think we can speak of Jesus "misbehaving", by the way since he was without sin from conception. We can, of course, speak of him having to learn and grow in his human nature--needing to be taught to stay away from fire, or not pet strange dogs lest they bite him, etc. But we cannot speak of him acting sinfully with defiance, or greed, or temper tantrums at having his will crossed. But I suspect that's not what you mean by "misbehaving".)