Saturday, November 29, 2008

So Much To Be Thankful For...

I am thankful for…

  • God (Father, Jesus Christ The Son, & The Holy Spirit)
  • The Church (especially my parish St. Michael the Archangel)
  • Shelly and our baby girl on the way
  • My entire family (mom, dad, brothers sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, mother and father in-law, and all my inlaws - all of you are the best!)
  • My friends
  • My job
  • Clothes, food and shelter
  • The United States of America
  • freedom
  • David Bereit and all the leaders of the Pro-Life movement
  • All those people who sacrifice and offer service to those less fortunate
  • life

I missed Thanksgiving with my family in Indiana for the first time in my life. Shelly and I went with her parents to Alabama to visit her family. I miss my Indiana family very much, but we'll be up to see you at Christmas. I hope you were able to have a great Thanksgiving despite my absence and I'm sure you did. I love you all so very much! By the way, I love you too in-laws.

So now that you've seen my list, what are you thankful for?

Friday, November 14, 2008

Responding to a Pro-Abortion Comment

You can find the post I made several months back here

“War is not inherently evil? Are you kidding me, terrorist caused this war because of their EVIL actions. Both of you are men. Try getting knocked up when you have been raped or have an abusive partner or are so broke the baby would suffer far far far more than having an abortion. Then get back to me when you actually put yourself in the situation. No one has the right to tell a woman what to do with her body ESPECIALLY a man!”

First of all, thank you for visiting my blog. I’m glad that you took the time to read through one of my posts. I would like to respond to your comment, so I hope you stick around to listen to my explanation to your comment. I believe that you truly believe that your position is the good and just position and although it is not, I believe that you have good intentions. I hope that as we discuss this issue, you might be able to see things in a different light and keep an open mind.

1) “War is not inherently evil? Are you kidding me, terrorist caused this war because of their EVIL actions.”

a. War can not be equally compared to abortion. War should be avoided at all costs. I’m not particularly happy about the war we are currently undertaking, but you just answered yourself about why we could justify the war. Terrorists caused the war through their evil actions. Do we not then have justification for defending ourselves from that evil act? The thinking when going to war was in hopes that it would PREVENT the loss off innocent human lives. Of course war will cause some innocent casualties, but it could also prevent future terrorist attacks – thus saving lives. We feel great sorrow for those soldiers to who die for their country. They are doing a great service to help protect our freedoms and their loss of life in war is very unfortunate. However, they do not die in vain. They join the service with the understanding that war is possible and their job is a dangerous one. These soldiers have lived in a free country and freely chose to join the military. The unborn do not chose to die. They are completely innocent and therefore abortion is an intrinsic evil.

2) “Both of you are men. Try getting knocked up when you have been raped

a. The fact that we are men does not mean that we can not understand what is right and wrong. There are many, many women who are pro-life as well. Have you talked to any of those women? Did you know that abortion actually hurts women? Several women who have had abortions regret their decision and become some of the most active pro-life advocates. Neither I nor any other man can know what it is like to be with child. I wish I could though because I think it must be an amazing feeling. I often ask my wife, who is now 17 weeks pregnant, how she feels. I ask her how she feels just thinking about the fact that our baby is alive in her womb. I just think that is so amazing and awesome. The development of a baby is a wonderful blessing and miracle from God. I will never get “knocked up” but I could be the spouse of a rape victim. God-willing that will never happen, but if it were to happen how should I feel? I will be furious. My anger will not be directed at the baby, but at the heinus act. Hopefully I will have the courage to forgive the rapist. I will feel violated just as my wife most certainly will feel. When we got married we were no longer two but one. Her pain is my pain. If I could take the pain away from my wife and bear it myself, I would do it in a second. If this action were to lead to conception of a baby how would I react and how would my wife react? Although this baby was not planned by us and the circumstances around the conception were terrible, I would not consider abortion unless my wife’s life was in serious danger. If I were in her situation, I would hope that my spouse had the same feeling. I would stand by my wife and comfort her any way that I could. I would cry with her and suffer with her in times of pain, but I would rejoice when the baby is born. This baby did not choose the circumstance of his or her conception. This baby is innocent of the rapist’s sin and is deserving of the right to life.

3) “or have an abusive partner”

a. If the woman has an abusive partner, I would hope that she seeks help. There are many people and places that can help in these situations. This should not however be a justification for abortion.

4) or are so broke the baby would suffer far far far more than having an abortion. Then get back to me when you actually put yourself in the situation.”

a. How broke is too broke? Who is to decide? Who is suffering when the woman has the abortion? Think about what you are saying here. If I’m a baby in my mother’s womb, I don’t care if she makes $2/day. I don’t care if my dad left my mom. I don’t care if my mom was raped. I just want to live. How in the world is receiving life “far, far, far” more suffering for the baby than the termination of life? Getting pulled out of my mother’s womb and crushed and killed is not suffering? Those people who are living in difficult financial or social circumstances have options such as adoption. Are you thinking about the baby or are you thinking about yourself when you base your decisions on financial reasons? Is it convenient for the baby or is it convenient for the mother. Is the convenient decision always the right decision? Think about the baby. I will never be a woman, but you will never be a man. How about you put yourself in my situation. It takes two people and God to make life. How am I as a man supposed to feel if the life I helped to create is destroyed before he or she is even born? It would be devastating to me. You cannot condemn me for being a man any more than I could condemn you for being a woman.

5) “No one has the right to tell a woman what to do with her body ESPECIALLY a man”

a. Those men are terrible! Honestly, not all men are bad. I’m sorry if you’ve had some bad male characters in your life, but not all men are evil. You know what I think is ironic? You say that no one has the right to tell a woman what to do with her body, but in abortion you are not only telling a future man or woman what to do with her body, but you are actually destroying their body and killing it. The baby is not the mother’s body, it is a separate being. It is a baby living inside the mother not a PART of the mother. This is essential to understand. When a man or woman counsels the mother and encourages them to chose life, they are not telling the woman what to do with her body but rather encouraging the mother to consider the life of the baby. As a man, I have just as much right as the mother to protect the life of our baby. If the baby were outside the womb and the mother decided life was too hard and she wanted to kill our baby, would I not have the right and responsibility to protect my child? So, I also should have the obligation to protect my child in the womb. Likewise if I was the neighbor and I knew that my neighbor was going to kill their young child, I would have the responsibility to protect the life of the child. We all are responsible in the protection of life, whether that life is born or unborn.

The issue of abortion is about the baby, not the mother. It only becomes about the mother if the mother’s life is compromised. That is not disrespecting the mother, but if we truly look at the issue of abortion we should realize that the choice is not usually about the health of the mother but that of the baby. If we can accept and understand that life begins at conception, if we can all come to see life as a blessing and our first inalienable right, we should all be on the same side – fighting for life. If the mother (and father) truly want what is best for THE BABY, then they will always chose life. I am very passionate about this issue, because I believe that if we can not understand the issue of abortion we cannot understand life. The church has also been very clear about the gravity of the issue of abortion. Every life is a blessing. Abortion is killing. Remember the commandments, thou shall not kill. When pro-abortion people bring up war, they are just diverting the issue. We aren’t talking about war, we are talking about abortion. What is the right choice? Who is making the choice? The life of the mother, father and baby all need to be considered, but the choice must always be life. It is a blessing and it is a right. No one has the right to kill innocent lives, and that includes mothers.

Please pray for the conversion of the woman who made these comments and for the conversion of all those of like mind. I'd like to hear what my loyal readers think about the issues this anonymous poster brought up and my response. Just please remember to be respectful. We are all God’s children. We can more easily touch the hearts and minds of others if we always respond in a respectful and loving way. Hopefully all will come to understand the great gift of life and the issue of abortion will become an unthinkable choice. Please continue to pray for the unborn, the parents of the unborn, and the lives of all the innocent and less fortunate, and the lives of all those that are effected when innocent lives are taken. Go and make disciples of all people. God bless you all.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

US Bishops United Against FOCA

Cardinal George Voices Hope for Obama Administration, Points to Possible Obstacles to Our Desired Unity

BALTIMORE—Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), voiced hope for the Obama Administration but pointed to possible obstacles to our desired unity, in a Nov. 12 statement at the end of the annual fall assembly of the USCCB.

"The bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States welcome this moment of historic transition and look forward to working with President-elect Obama and the members of the new Congress for the common good of all," he said.

He said that "the unity desired by President-elect Obama and all Americans at this moment of crisis will be impossible to achieve," if the administration's policies increase abortions.

"Aggressive pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive orders will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans, and would be seen by many as an attack on the free exercise of their religion."

"We express again our great desire to work with all those who cherish the common good of our nation," he added. "The common good is not the sum total of individual interests: it is achieved in the working out of a common life based upon good reason and good will for all."

Cardinal George's remarks follow.

STATEMENT of the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
"If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor; if the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil." (Psalm 127, vs. 1)

The Bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States welcome this moment of historic transition and look forward to working with President-elect Obama and the members of the new Congress for the common good of all. Because of the Church's history and the scope of her ministries in this country, we want to continue our work for economic justice and opportunity for all; our efforts to reform laws around immigration and the situation of the undocumented; our provision of better education and adequate health care for all, especially for women and children; our desire to safeguard religious freedom and foster peace at home and abroad. The Church is intent on doing good and will continue to cooperate gladly with the government and all others working for these goods.

The fundamental good is life itself, a gift from God and our parents. A good state protects the lives of all. Legal protection for those members of the human family waiting to be born in this country was removed when the Supreme Court decided Roe vs. Wade in 1973. This was bad law. The danger the Bishops see at this moment is that a bad court decision will be enshrined in bad legislation that is more radical than the 1973 Supreme Court decision itself.

In the last Congress, a Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) was introduced that would, if brought forward in the same form today, outlaw any "interference" in providing abortion at will. It would deprive the American people in all fifty states of the freedom they now have to enact modest restraints and regulations on the abortion industry. FOCA would coerce all Americans into subsidizing and promoting abortion with their tax dollars. It would counteract any and all sincere efforts by government and others of good will to reduce the number of abortions in our country.

Parental notification and informed consent precautions would be outlawed, as would be laws banning procedures such as partial-birth abortion and protecting infants born alive after a failed abortion. Abortion clinics would be deregulated. The Hyde Amendment restricting the federal funding of abortions would be abrogated. FOCA would have lethal consequences for prenatal human life.

FOCA would have an equally destructive effect on the freedom of conscience of doctors, nurses and health care workers whose personal convictions do not permit them to cooperate in the private killing of unborn children. It would threaten Catholic health care institutions and Catholic Charities. It would be an evil law that would further divide our country, and the Church should be intent on opposing evil.

On this issue, the legal protection of the unborn, the bishops are of one mind with Catholics and others of good will. They are also pastors who have listened to women whose lives have been diminished because they believed they had no choice but to abort a baby. Abortion is a medical procedure that kills, and the psychological and spiritual consequences are written in the sorrow and depression of many women and men. The bishops are single-minded because they are, first of all, single-hearted.

The recent election was principally decided out of concern for the economy, for the loss of jobs and homes and financial security for families, here and around the world. If the election is misinterpreted ideologically as a referendum on abortion, the unity desired by President-elect Obama and all Americans at this moment of crisis will be impossible to achieve. Abortion kills not only unborn children; it destroys constitutional order and the common good, which is assured only when the life of every human being is legally protected. Aggressively pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive orders will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans, and would be seen by many as an attack on the free exercise of their religion.

This statement is written at the request and direction of all the Bishops, who also want to thank all those in politics who work with good will to protect the lives of the most vulnerable among us. Those in public life do so, sometimes, at the cost of great sacrifice to themselves and their families; and we are grateful. We express again our great desire to work with all those who cherish the common good of our nation. The common good is not the sum total of individual desires and interests; it is achieved in the working out of a common life based upon good reason and good will for all.

Our prayers accompany President-elect Obama and his family and those who are cooperating with him to assure a smooth transition in government. Many issues demand immediate attention on the part of our elected "watchman." (Psalm 127) May God bless him and our country.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

40 Days for Life - Survey

40 Days for Life is conducting a survey. If you participated in the fall 40 Days for Life campaign or even if you think you might be interested in participating in future 40 Days for Life campaigns, please fill out this short survey. I encourage you to get involved. It is a tough but very rewarding ministry and one that can save lives. Sometimes success can not be measured in numbers, but I believe that the more people we can get to become actively involved in the pro-life cause, the more lives we can save. Thanks and God bless!

Survey

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Barack Obama Promises to Sign FOCA

Please sign a petition against FOCA. I have already done so and it is quick and easy. It takes 1 minute. Please click on the Ad on the right side of my blog to sign the petition. It is critical for the Pro-Life movement that FOCA is shot down. Obama has already stated this will be the first thing he does when he gets into office. Let's make sure that this is not the case.



FOCA Would Wipe Away Every Restriction on Abortion Nationwide

This would eradicate state and federal laws that the majority of Americans support, such as:
  • Bans on Partial Birth Abortion
  • Requirements that women be given information about the risks of getting an abortion
  • Only licensed physicians can perform abortions
  • Parents must be informed and give consent to their minor daughter's abortion
FOCA would erase these laws and prevent states from enacting similar protective measures in the future.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

It's A Girl

Shelly had an ultrasound this morning and we found out that we are having a girl. Shelly and I are very excited. We really didn’t have a preference, but we are very happy to see that the baby is doing well. We were able to see her head, spine, hands and fingers, legs, and heartbeat. It’s awesome hearing the doctor say there is your baby girl. Our girl is not yet born, but she is a baby and we love her very much.

God works in mysterious ways. I told Shelly that I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we found out the sex of our baby the day after the presidential election. Obviously I’m very disappointed in the outcome, but being able to see my baby girl today gave me great hope and joy. Our country is going through difficult times not only financially but morally as well. People are confused or simply ignorant of several very important social issues of our time. It would be easy for one to wake up today with an empty feeling of hopelessness. I myself was very disappointed last night, but we must not despair. If we ever become complacent, we are not fulfilling our duty as good Christians. We must work harder now than ever before to fight for what is good and right. We must not be afraid. Tonight, thousands of pro-life leaders will be joining in a teleconference to discuss our next move considering the election results. I will not be joining the conference, but they will be recording and I will listen to the conference when it is posted on the 40 Days For Life website. I expect it to be very encouraging and hopeful. We just recently completed the Fall 40 Days For Life campaign, but those who participated are not stopping at 40 days. Why not 365 days for life? The abortionists don’t stop so neither should we. We must be as strong now as ever before in our convictions and we must never give up our freedoms nor give up fighting for the freedoms of those less fortunate. God bless!

P.S. – We have a couple names picked out but have not yet made a final decision. We plan on keeping the name a secret until the big day. I know that’s always exciting to find out what name the parents will chose, but the most important thing is the health of the baby. We appreciate all your prayers.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Where Our Country Might Be Headed

If Obama is elected you can count on him to keep at least one of his promises, there will be change. Too bad that change will be for the worse. My pastor at my church, Father Larry, gave a couple great homilies leading up to this election. He has worked hard to form the conscious of the parish faithful, but many will ignore his words and the Church’s teachings. Father Larry emphasized the importance of the abortion issue and how it is morally wrong to support someone who is so strongly for abortion and who has publicly said he’ll do everything in his power to see that abortions continue. Father Larry and Pope John Paul II have had the foresight to see what damage can be done when life is not respected or valued. Father Larry told me personally and repeated in his homily that he would not back down, he would not be silenced, and he was not afraid. He shared with us in the parish that in the not so distant future, we might see our pastor headed to jail. Wow. This certainly caught our attention. He noted that we have already seen signs in places like Canada where clergy are being locked up for “hate speech” and don’t be surprised if this starts happening here under an Obama presidency. The culture of death is more advanced in Europe, but the United States is headed in that direction.

What many people fail to realize is that we are talking about more than just the issue of abortion. Even though the issue of abortion is enough reason to not vote for Obama, Obama’s socialistic economic policies are linked to his cultural and social positions. His policies will destroy the family. When innocent life is not protected, the rights of all of us will be diminished. It won’t all happen at once, but gradually we will start seeing the government grow and have more control over our lives. It will become power over the people as opposed to power of the people. We are looking at changing the very thing that has made this the greatest country on earth. I hope and pray that I am wrong and that an Obama presidency won’t lead us down this path, but it is very possible. If democrats win control of the senate, there may be no stopping these very liberal laws, homosexual "marriages", and Obama's first priority when he gets into office is to sign the "Freedom of Choice" bill - a bill that will legalize abortion in all cases including partial birth abortion (and this is supposed to limit abortions how? - to those voting for Obama, say they are against abortion, but that that the president won't make a difference in the number of abortions). John McCain is not perfect, but he is the far lesser of evils in this election. Your vote counts. Those of like mind, please fulfill your duty to vote tomorrow. There is much at stake. If we wake up Wednesday morning with a disappointing outcome, let us not despair. That only means that we must work harder to protect our rights and the rights of others. Let your voice be heard and have no fear. Regardless of the outcome tomorrow, we must continue to live our lives as good Christians. We must never lose hope. Below are a couple opinion articles that I found and thought were good. I encourage you to read the links below. God bless.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/163896
http://catholicinsight.com/online/political/article_854.shtml
http://www.pewsitter.com/view_news_id_12350.php
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/11/03/an-open-letter-to-our-fellow-catholics-on-election-eve/

Sunday, November 2, 2008

An Election Prayer to Mary


O Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, at this most critical time, we entrust the United States of America to your loving care.

Most Holy Mother, we beg you to reclaim this land for the glory of your Son. Overwhelmed with the burden of the sins of our nation, we cry to you from the depths of our hearts and seek refuge in your motherly protection.

Look down with mercy upon us and touch the hearts of our people. Open our minds to the great worth of human life and to the responsibilities that accompany human freedom.

Free us from the falsehoods that lead to the evil of abortion and threaten the sanctity of family life. Grant our country the wisdom to proclaim that God's law is the foundation on which this nation was founded, and that He alone is the True Source of our cherished rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

O Merciful Mother, give us the courage to reject the culture of death and the strength to build a new Culture of Life.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Tebow Family Ignored Doctor, Chose Life

If Tim Tebow's mother and father listened to their doctor's recommendation, Tim Tebow would not be with us today. You can hear his mother talk about it here.

Today there is a big football game between Georgia and Florida. I am a huge Georgia fan, but I am also a big Tim Tebow fan. I will be rooting for my bulldogs for sure, but I wish nothing but the best for Tim Tebow (after this game of course). From everything I've heard about him, he is a great person and he comes from a great family. He is a very talented football player that has inspired thousands of Florida fans and even fans of other teams. Thank God that his parents chose life and may God touch the hearts and minds of those people who encounter doctors who encourage abortion. May God give them strength and help them realize it is a baby and not just some tissue. Don't forget to click on the link above to listen to the audio and God bless! Go Georgia Bulldogs!