Issues and Realities for our Existence

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Yes, I started this "in Christ!"  He is the Lord of life who gives life and gives it more abundantly.  We know that there are all sorts of "issues" going on.    But there is one thing that is not an issue.  Yes, it's been reduced to one, but it is not an issue.  That is the existential reality of life.  You see,  God creates life.  Human beings create issues! 

The issues will always be present as we learn and grow.   We can always pressure our candidates with them.  We can always replace one issue response with another.  We can do it tomorrow or the next day.  However, not one life can ever be replaced. 

This isn't merely about abortion, although that's a big part of it. Not one of the millions of lives lost though abortion each year can be replaced. They were all individual. They were all unique. Not one of the lives that were euthanized can be replaced either. They were all individual and unique, with not only the capabilities of knowledge, but also learned knowledge and experiences that could have been shared if pain was correctly treated.

So many of these deaths were extinguished because of what some perceive as the greatest value...that is, convenience. But how far can convenience go?  Just look at the Nazis or any other group that gained power to serve what was convenient to them. 

Those of us who call ourselves Christians, say that we believe and practice Jesus' Gospel of Life. And yet, there are candidates who say that they believe in Jesus who would extinguish the very lives whom this Gospel serves. We need to do something about that. Will we have the blood of one extinguished life on our hands through participating with it in the political system? I have to see who I believe to be Lord of this Gospel some day. But that is my belief. Is it yours? Yes, I worry about all sorts of issues. I can pressure politicians tomorrow about that. But I cannot replace one life.

In addition, there is fear that there will be people placed on the Supreme Court that will argue and change things. That's what argument is for...to get to the truth. Argument is a necessary tension to bring out truth... not mere convenience. Those with integrity welcome argument to get at that truth. Even if one is pro-choice ... that person will always be looking for truth and will welcome the argumentative arena in search of the truth... even if it proves that person wrong. That is how growth takes place. We cannot have a Supreme Court with any agenda other than looking for the truth...the whole truth! That means good argument! It does not mean “stacking the deck” in the Supreme Court. It doesn't mean convenience.

When you vote, whether you are a Christian or any other God-fearing believer, or a person who does not believe in God, but with enough integrity to look for real truth, pay attention and vote for it. Don't go by agendas. When a candidate values life, that candidate is more likely to serve life's issues in truth. Please pray as a follower of the Lord of Life.

Remembering our roots and defining prosperity.

One would think that prosperity was turned on and off like a faucet with the election of a president.  I surely wish that the writers of articles and news people on television and radio would also speak of the groundwork of the decades before.  Yes, things might be better than they were in some respects.  But to imply this means also that a president and his administration had more to do with school bombings and shootings too!   It means that he had to do more with the other headlines that dominate our newspapers.  It is society that makes changes.  It is not one political figure.

 I remember as a small boy living in a government house project. Next to the front door was a little door that housed the trash barrel. There was a door on the inside of the house with only a slide lock on it that could very easily be forced. I recently visited this place. The little door is  gone because it invited robberies. I also remember leaving the house unlocked when we were gone occasionally. Now we not only lock doors, but we protect these doors with a security door and bar the windows.

 I remember having my first gun at 12 years old, belonging to the YMCA and practicing at the local police department firing range. I remember when it was a target sport. I remember the respect for the instrument of sport through proper instruction. I remember competition for skill of hitting a small mark on a target and not a moving person.

 I remember when a call from the school teacher was revered and supported by parents. I remember going to a parochial school... a school in which the  teachers did not have "credentials," but the education far surpassed that of the public school system. I remember when we didn't need state lotteries to subsidize schools. I remember when we didn't have to wonder what, in fact, happened to this money that lotteries made. 

I remember a time before we learned to use fancy words and names when certain things were known as crimes and very wrong. I remember hearing about wars that were fought to prevent these things from happening again. I remember hearing about the atrocities in Nazi Germany, before we learned to do many of the same things and made them acceptable in our own society by giving them more sophisticated names so they would be acceptable.

I remember the days when my own grandmother would say to treat any  girl with respect, because that girl might end up being my wife. I remember when women had the right to be respected and not "used." I remember when women would not let themselves be used. I remember when they were revered as life givers. 

I remember a time in which we didn't blame our parents for all our troubles because of "dysfunction." I remember when we were responsible for our own lives. I remember when people took responsibility for personal consequences. I remember when it was a person's personal decision to drink or smoke and that same person suffered the consequences because of "their own" decision  and not because they could blame their decision on someone else, wasting tax  payer's money in the court system.

I also remember when life was a gift from God and issues were a  product of humanity. I remember when politics was to serves and protect life. And even if one did not believe in God, one would believe that life was not merely reduced to an issue, it was an existential reality and gift.

I remember when we took personal responsibility for the election of a leader. I remember when we didn't merely blame the leader. I remember when the values of society looked to bring about leadership that improved who we were. I remember when morals weren't merely selective in choosing these leaders.

So, if prosperity can be "blamed" on a presidential term, we need to re-examine how we place that blame, for some great crimes against humanity have taken place through that office. We must remember that we elected the person to that office. If prosperity is caused by society, we must take on the responsibility for the present errors also and do something about them.

If one sees prosperity in dollars and material goods, I guess we can call our nation prosperous. If one sees prosperity in the respect and appreciation of a neighbor, I would call it a successful society. As we raise our children, which is more important?

__________________________________

CatholicView would like to hear from you concerning this or any of the articles found on this site.  Please use the Comments/Mailing Link at top left of page.  Thanks.  God Bless!