7 Quick Takes Friday (set #140)

7 Quick Takes Friday the 13th

This week: The latest issue of New Evangelists Monthly is ready and calling you. Clay Christensen explains the role of religious freedom and the success of democracy. A well known star’s abortion testimonial. Planned Parenthood’s taxpayer funded sex education program. A “transgender Episcopalian priest” to speak at the (Episcopalian) Washington National Cathedral. A beautiful video on God’s natural creation. Beyond politics: releasing 5 of the most dangerous terrorists in the world.

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New Evangelists Monthly

Issue #18, June 2014, of New Evangelists Monthly is ready for your enjoyment! Scores of faithful Catholic bloggers have contributed their very best pieces from May. This month brought these great topics: Bible deficient, thunderbolt, hound’s poem, confirmation, monastic heart, poetic feminism, future spouse, conversion poem, sin sources, Saint Lydia, conversion, not leaving, lock-down, monogamous, mother/son, liturgical dance, repentance, youth future, start living, faith matters, JPII b-day, other than God, 3 dates, VBS, God’s love, purgation, spiritual gifts, motherhood, confession, free will, slippery slope, social justice, happy heart, everyday, joyful, Gospel Jesus, modernists, in touch, discipleship, every knee, seven sorrows, struggles, Odysseus, preparing, unitive, floodlights, Francis quotes, glitter, literature, dear daughter, lay apostolates, diaper humility, Black Mass, lifeguards, leisure, good moms, mday homily, my fertility, witness, secularism, the proposal, serious reasons, butterflies, decrease, justification, finding grace, autotuned, veiling, think, your cross, life & death, dignity of work, Holy Name, joyful singing, Church, worshiping idols, Latin names, book review, keep by doing, Fatima, too Catholic?, CST, tired mom and farewells.

This monthly “meta-magazine” showcases faithful Catholicism from theology to family life and “everything in between.” Enjoy it now at NewEvangelists.org.

Read Now

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Clay Christensen, a Harvard Business School professor and Mormon, explains the role of religious freedom and the success of democracy:

The money line: “if you take away religion, you can’t hire enough police.” So true. Those working for the secular ideal of a society proudly operating under nothing more than progressive thought do not understand this. Democracy will be replaced by totalitarianism.

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Another sadly common abortion testimonial:

I had an abortion at 17 and it was the worst thing I ever did. It was the first time I’d had sex, and that was rotten. I’d always thought it was going to be all violins, and it was just awful.

I was two months gone when I realized. I went to my mum and she said, without pausing for breath: “You have to get rid of it.”

She told me where the clinic was, then virtually pushed me off. She was so angry. She said I’d got myself in this mess, now she had to get me out.

But she didn’t come. I went alone. I was terrified. It was full of other young girls, and we were all terrified and looking at each other and nobody was saying a bloody word. I howled my way through it, and it was horrible.

I would never recommend it to anyone because it comes back to haunt you. When I tried to have children, I lost three – I think it was because something had happened to my cervix during the abortion. After three miscarriages, they had to put a stitch in it.

In life, whatever it is, you pay somewhere down the line. You have to be accountable.

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Planned Parenthood, when they are not busy killing unborn babies, spends their free time educating our children (their near-term target market). Sex education is a lucrative, taxpayer funded business for them. What exactly is taught? You may be shocked…

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I really do not have anything “against” Episcopalians. I know I have written about them quite a bit, because in a very short period they went from being similar to Catholics (at least as Protestants) to something almost unrecognizable as Christian. That is, at least per their leadership — I recognize the heartbreak and suffering this has caused many of their members. These “progressive” changes are tearing their community apart and leading those left behind away from the Christ.

Instead of doing yet another Elsewhere (previous ones here and here), I offer you David Virtue’s piece in VirtueOnline (tagline: “The Voice For Global Orthodox Anglicanism”). His piece is Episcopal Church Plunges to New Depths on Sexuality Issues. David discusses a “transgender Episcopalian priest” who will be featured aspect at the Washington National Cathedral.

Sodomy has become the lightning rod issue for progressive Christians. The irony should not be missed. Even as America’s Protestant denominations capitulate to the culture on sexuality issues including divorce, abortion, euthanasia, gay marriage, transgendered pastors, their churches, already aging, will shrink even more quickly and die. The urge to proclaim “justice” for sexually perverse persons overwhelms even the need to survive, it would seem, as God, we are told, is doing a “new thing” and we must get with the program.

It is hubris piled on hubris. It is as though the church has embarked on a long death march with a cyanide tablet, instead of a wafer, held out in the inviting hands of John Shelby Spong with the Cheshire cat grin of Gene Robinson standing next to him. The cup of salvation is now the cup of sexual salivation.

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This video gives a small glimpse of the beauty of God’s creation. I feel sorry for atheists who shackle themselves to the limited scope which science hopes to explain. This may be best enjoyed “full screen.”

Photographed between April 4th and 11th 2011 by Terje Sorgjerd on El Teide (Spain’s highest mountain).

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We have released 5 of the most dangerous terrorists we have, responsible for the deaths of many and the sacrifice of many other lives to secure their capture. In exchange, we have lifted the hearts of terrorists everywhere who now know of our new desperation to negotiate with them – even for a single soldier and very probable deserter. The same individual, whose unapproved absence resulted in the loss of many other lives both in searching for him and the suspiciously improved deadliness of enemy attacks immediately afterward.

Why? To get the VA scandal off the front-page. So important was this political action that crystal clear law was completely violated simply because the president, well simply because he does not follow laws whenever he feels like ignoring them.

Was Bergdahl really a deserter? Was he a hero, left behind, supposedly requiring bold leadership to save? His own platoon speaks here:


Some random thoughts or bits of information are worthy of sharing but don’t warrant their own full post. This idea was started by Jennifer Fulwiler to address this blogging need, but is guest hosted this week by Kathryn at Team Whitaker. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen (and Grace) for hosting this project!


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