This week: A look at 2016: Obama’s America. Father Barron on Catholic Social Teaching. Andrew Klavan’s Economic Smackdown: Paul Ryan vs. Barack Obama. Pillars of Catholicism now available (free!). Inexpensively converting existing cars into hybrids. Unintentionally tearing down the highway at 115 mph, police in chase. A random thought.

— 1 —

When we vote, we presumably choose a person whose intentions for the country most closely match our own. I think all sides can agree on that. Therefore, knowing those intentions are key. For our incumbent president, much remains veiled – particularly by the highly partisan media. Yet, President Obama has been forthright on who has influenced him, where he wants to take America and why. Dinesh D’Souze, President of The King’s College, wrote a best selling book exploring the “hope and change” of Obama’s America.

I do not like movies which are nothing more than 90 minute political hit pieces, chock-full of partisan propaganda. The new movie 2016: Obama’s America is different. It brings D’Souze’s book to life in the president’s own words. Author D’Souze is no political hack and producer Gerald Molen (who also produced Schindler’s List) no video propagandist.

2016 is in theaters now. See it, understand how we got to where we are and where the current path leads over the next 4 years under President Obama. If this reflects your intention, vote for him.

— 2 —

Father Barron takes a few minutes to discuss Catholic Social Teaching. The topic is very important and hot at the moment since Catholic Paul Ryan’s selection. He speaks often and quite eloquently of how it guides his prudential decisions.

— 3 —

Andrew Klavan’s piece contrasting economic plans is over a year old now, but it seems like an appropriate time to dust it off:

— 4 —

John Paul the Great Catholic University‘s free, 13 session, online class entitled Pillars of Catholicism (I first mentioned it here) has now begun. The class is open to everyone and you can start any time. Mary Lane has more on it at Catholic Exchange. This could be a good refresher for some or of interest to those wishing to explore the faith.

— 5 —

Middle Tennessee Statue University has developed a simple way to make any car into a hybrid. For (a projected) $3,000, gas mileage can be at least doubled. Dr. Charles Perry explains:

— 6 —

Lauri Ulvestad was traveling along a mid-west highway in her 2011 Kia Sorento SUV. Somehow, her accelerator became stuck and took her on a 59 mile high speed (up to 115 mph) 35 minute nightmare. This could have been any of us.

ABC’s Good Morning America also reported the story.

— 7 —

Random thought: vanity license tags are tombstones for the living.

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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 at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!

This week: Paul Ryan, just another “Catholic” politician? God’s Story – the history of everything important. Episcopal parish converts en masse. Cardinal Raymond Burke discusses the LCWR. Gays at Chick-fil-A show their rainbow colors. A 4-part video series on Sexual Brokenness. How new technology helps a disabled two-year old.

— 1 —

Have you ever heard Joe Biden or Nancy Pelosi speak about their professed Catholic faith? It is possible that they are solidly grounded theologically, just completely unable to articulate any of it (e.g. this painful example). It is possible that they are obedient to the Magisterium, other than being opposed to the Magisterium’s teaching on abortion, on marriage, on subsidiarity, etc. (e.g. these examples). Such issues notwithstanding, Biden and Pelosi often wear their supposed Catholicity on their sleeve. We call that scandal.

Contrast that to Paul Ryan. Unlike Pelosi, he does not hold himself out as an “ardent practicing Catholic.” Yet, he obviously knows his faith extremely well *and* informs his judgment by it. Imagine that – to actually learn and live by the faith!

There are, of course, those Catholics who think that the preferential option for the poor means voting in favor of big government vs. any personal responsibility. Unlimited debt and the injustice of its burden on future generations do not concern them. Neither does the Catholic teaching on subsidiarity (and often life itself or true marriage). These people do not like Paul Ryan and have wildly misrepresented his position. We have a word for that too – calumny. This has already gotten to the point that Bishop Robert Morlino, Ryan’s bishop, has had to defend him.

— 2 —

God’s Story — the history of everything important in 7 minutes:

— 3 —

St. Luke’s parish, an Episcopal church, converted to Catholicism last October. Here is a PBS produced piece on their transition. For them, it is surprisingly objective:

There is some random noise in it, but key points are the need for truth and authority. The former is increasingly lacking today’s Episcopal church and the latter was simply never there (which explains the former). I identify with parishioner Anne Marie Whittaker who felt that her Protestant church left her, not the other way around.

The Episcopal bishop puts a brave face on their situation, but their numbers are seriously declining. He commented that they have about 90% in common with Catholicism other than authority. I think that may have been true 20 years ago but is not today. Since then, Episcopalians seem willing to replace any truth with a new, improved truth:

• they are pro-choice and opposed to any government action that limits “abortion rights”
• they perform same-sex unions (avoiding only the word “marriage” – for now)
• they ordain women as deacons, priests and bishops
• they ordain openly homosexual deacons, priests and bishops

Many people will often rationalize 1 shocking change here or there. I know that I did. At some point, if you really care about your Christian faith and are honest with yourself, you realize what your church teaches is simply *wrong*. The truth is not in a church that says taking a child’s life is a difficult, personal decision. The truth is not in a church that says God’s love is reflected in homosexual acts. The truth is not in a church that says women are interchangeable with the male priesthood chosen by our Savior. You know this.

— 4 —

His Eminence Raymond Cardinal Burke succinctly explains the problem with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR):

Honestly, this is so simple, as Cardinal Burke notes. The sisters are consecrated religious who have professed to live in Christ-like poverty, chastity and obedience. It is their choice to remain obedient, faithful Catholics (which can only be defined by the Magisterium) or not. What can no longer continue is for them to remain as Catholic consecrated religious who oppose the authority of the Magisterium, oppose Catholic doctrine and scandalize the Church.

— 5 —

Chicago, where faithful Christian values are officially unwelcome. Apparently the only Chick-fil-A served as the venue for the much ballyhooed gay “kiss-in.” Protesters were doing their loud, intolerant thing when someone noticed an elderly homeless man, off to the side, reading his Bible. They were non-judgmental and treated him with dignity and respect.

At a follow-up protest, as the protesters marched in a circle chanting “we’re here, we’re queer, get used to it” another gentleman concerned about their eternal salvation enters their midst to pray for them. He did not bring a bull-horn, carried no large banner, shouted no slogans. Father Gerald O’Reilly quietly prayed the Rosary. Out of respect of his concern for them, and in the interest of dialog, they welcomed the good padre.

Contrast these few protesters with the thousands who came in support of Chick-fil-A. The differences could not be more stark. This story was spotted by my friend John B.

— 6 —

The Colson Center has put together a very good 4-part series on Sexual Brokenness. It includes many of the themes taught by Bl. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body (introduction: online here and here or this book).

Continue with parts two , three and four .

— 7 —

One of the conveniences of the Starship Enterprise was the replicator. It is envisioned as a device that could construct needed objects without the usual manufacturing process. We are not there yet (if ever), but we now have 3D printers that can construct prototypes and other unique, low-volume objects.

Two year old Emma was born with the congenital disorder arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC) from which she lost use of her arms. The metal prosthetic usually prescribed is far too heavy for a 25-pound child. Check-out the story:

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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 at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!

This week: A special edition of 7QTF dedicated to last Wednesday’s Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. My own experiences. Experiences from around the country. The Coalition of African-American Pastors speaks-out. Competitors support Chick-fil-A. The biased, slanted, liberal media – true to form. A fitting tune.

— 1 —

Last Wednesday was Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. We appreciated their support of marriage as it has been defined for 5,000 years. This day was not “anti-” anything or anybody, but is in response to boycott demands of the gay lobby and those in their pocket (e.g. the mayors of Boston and Chicago).

If a Chick-fil-A location is within driving distance and you missed it, go anytime to show your support. Now is good. The crowds have subsided but the values are the same.

— 2 —

I went through the drive-thru for a breakfast burrito and coffee at around 8:30am. There was a line of cars but it moved very quickly so I was on my way in minutes.

At lunch time, I showed up around 12:30. Cars were backed-up everywhere. The parking lot was full. Large, nearby parking lots within walking distance were teetering near capacity. Drive-thru was out-of-the-question. When my daughter and I got inside, there were so many people that it took 40 minutes to get our food. I felt sorry for the employees, but they were troopers – remaining friendly and efficient.

Some people had to leave before ordering because they had to get back to their jobs. With the crowding and waiting unhappy people would not be surprising. Yet, I heard no complaints. There was a sense of purpose, of community. It was if we all felt tired of the intolerant, incessant bulling of the LGBT lobby and are not going to take it anymore.

There will be another opportunity to gather as a community in support of “traditional” marriage. It is a referendum by proxy on this issue scheduled for November 6th. Some will come to vote against the bedrock of society – the family – by voting for what Newsweek calls “the first gay president.” Those of us who supported Chick-fil-A will also be there, voting in favor of the family, in favor of free speech, in favor of religious freedom. Most of us will also be voting in favor of life, in favor of competence over ideology, in favor of subsidiarity and in favor of the uncorrupted greatness of America.

— 3 —

As slammed as my local Chick-fil-A was, there are reports of even busier locations. Dan Spencer reports that his Chick-fil-A in Overland Park, KS was more of a Woodstock phenomenon. Cars were backed-up on a 6-lane road approaching it. Ditto alternate routes.

Dan calls his experience “Chickenstock.”

Here are some pictures from around the country:

— 4 —

Chick-fil-A is not the only organization who supports the “traditional” (i.e. true) definition of marriage. The CAAP (Coalition of African-American Pastors) has a few thoughts on the matter directed to our first gay president:

Rev. William Owens addressed the National Press Club on Tuesday noting that the “president is in the White House because of the Civil Rights movement, and I was a leader in that. And I didn’t march one inch, one foot, one yard for a man to marry a man and a woman to marry a woman. So the president has forgotten the price that was paid…   where they gave their blood to have equal rights in the United States.” Reported at The Daily Caller.

Rev. Owens and Dan Cathy’s comments are from identical viewpoints. By extension, what is said about Cathy’s morality apply equally to those expressed by CAAP. Therefore, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s words also mean:

“The Coalition of African-American Pastors’ values are not Chicago values. They’re not respectful of our residents, our neighbors and our family members. And if you’re gonna be part of the Chicago community, you should reflect Chicago values.”

Chiming in, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino’s words also mean:

The Coalition of African-American Pastors doesn’t belong in Boston.

Just sayin…

— 5 —

The owner of the largest Wendy’s franchise (located in the Carolinas) put competition aside in support of his rival. Very impressive.

Less impressive is Wendy’s corporate geniuses who forced him to remove the signs. Proving that you can never be too stupid, they then went on to imply that Chick-fil-A discriminates against some customers. This was a particular brand of stupidity that they reiterated for hours. Ultimately, after a ton of backlash, they had to apologize.

The story of how this went down is here.

Other competitors, also likely franchisees without headquarters approval, similarly showed support:

— 6 —

As usual, in the mind of the liberal media, nothing happened. If it did, it was all about counter-protests or “controversy”. This is their standard playbook which we witness every year at the March for Life rallies. It is not even a US only thing – the same thing can be seen in the current coverage of Spain’s pro-death reversal. What we saw at Chick-fil-A this week is reality, not what the media tells you.

I highly recommend this article from Datechguy’s Blog. He has lots of great quotes, observations, links and insights.

— 7 —

From 2009, but perfect for this week:

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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 at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!

This week: The Boy Scouts of America refuse to surrender their moral convictions. JP Catholic to offer Pillars of Catholicism. President Obama is right, you are not successful on your own. The dream presidency for the new millennium – a status update. Free cell phones for everybody. Good guys, making music. Finally a solution to the vexing problem of buttering toast.

— 1 —

While it is truly sad what has happened to the Girl Scouts, the same can not be said of the Boy Scouts. These are very, very different organizations. Unlike Girl Scouts USA, the Boy Scouts of America continue to maintain moral values in the face of an increasingly radical secular society. Like the Church, they get a lot of grief for it.

Crisis Magazine covers the latest developments in three good articles: American Boy Scouts Once More a Moral Compass, Boy Scouts Rules out Gay Members and Bravo for the Boy Scouts; Boo for the Washington Post. Robert Reilly’s The Boy Scouts Stand and Deliver for Catholic Exchange is also very good.

— 2 —

John Paul the Great Catholic University is offering a free, 13 session, online class entitled Pillars of Catholicism. The class which teaches fundamentals, launches August 20th and is open to everyone. Mary Lane has more on it at Catholic Exchange. This could be a good refresher for some or of interest to those wishing to explore the faith.

JP Catholic’s students were also behind the video work on the Cimorelli videos that have gone viral on YouTube. BTW – these girls are from a large (11 kids), home-schooled Catholic family:

— 3 —

You are NOT successful on your own. The President is 100% right on that but for the wrong reason. GoD was your helper, not goV. The government’s role was to regulate, restrict, license and control your efforts. Then, as you succeeded in spite of that, to take a portion of your hard-earned bounty. The bridges and infrastructure the President speaks of – YOU paid for. God on the other hand, truly “invested” in you. He gave you life, your “smarts,” your family, your customers and everything else you needed to succeed.

— 4 —

Many people in 2008 felt like they won the lottery when President Obama took office. Our new president was a smart, charismatic man with new ideas that would prepare the country for a bright future. The deficit would be cut in half, unemployment reduced to 6 percent, peace brought to the Middle East – all in a new era of unprecedented transparency and bipartisanship. There was great joy among many. So, how did that work out?

— 5 —

Free cell phones! Get two! Get a dozen!

— 6 —

Good guys, making music – The Piano Guys. Carolyn Moynihan has the story: The joy of music. See also their YouTube channel.

— 7 —

It is morning and you are still wiping the “sand” out of your eyes. You stumble into the kitchen, make some toast, spread some butter and enjoy. If only the last preparation step were that easy. No, you wage an armed battle with the butter stick then torture your poor toast trying to apply it. Battle no more:

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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 at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!

This week: Melinda Gates is behind a controversial $4,000,000,000 population control initiative. New videos detail numerous pro-abortion advocacy examples in the Girl Scouts. Father Robert Sirico has a new book and video on moral capitalism. Calling for a girlcott for Chick-fil-A. New York City bus driver Steve St. Bernard, hero. Carmelites, coffee and Wyoming. False accusations against the Church – one example.

— 1 —

Bill Gates’ wife is behind a new, very controversial $4 BILLION campaign to push artificial contraception upon poor women. Margaret Sanger would be proud. She is starting it off with her own $560 million contribution announced at the London Summit on Population Control Family Planning. See also Human Life International‘s FactsForMelindaGates.com.

— 2 —

Please do not let your daughters be indoctrinated by the anti-life, anti-family positions of the Girl Scouts USA. I wrote about this last September in Loss of innocense.

I have updated the piece with additional references plus a 3-part video series that methodically identifies numerous instances of pro-abortion propaganda in Girl Scout literature. No matter what you have heard (e.g. “there is no problem”, “this is a smear campaign”, “the problems have been fixed”, etc.) – do not believe it. Check the facts yourself.

— 3 —

Defending the Free Market is a new book by Father Robert Sirico. I have not read the book yet, but the introduction and this video are excellent:

— 4 —

I am calling for a girlcott for Chick-fil-A. A “girlcott” would be the opposite of a boycott, right? Here is a company guided by basic Christian morals, not to mention obvious natural law, at a time when many others have wholeheartedly embraced unnatural unions. Of course, this paints a huge target upon them by the ironically labeled “tolerance” crowd.

Support Chick-fil-A. Their restaurants are clean, friendly and offer the very best chicken sandwiches available (they invented the chicken sandwich). Stop by for lunch or dinner. Take the family, your Cub Scouts, your American Heritage Girls and your youth athletics team.

Read the article ‘Guilty as charged,’ Cathy says of Chick-fil-A’s stand on biblical & family values for background on the current attack (not the first, for example). This story was spotted by Matthew Archbold at CMR.

— 5 —

Presence of mind and putting the welfare of another first is how I would describe Steve St. Bernard, a NYC bus driver. Tired and coming home from his shift, he came upon a young girl dancing on-top of an air conditioner – hanging out of a window 3 stories up. The danger for this child was immense.

— 6 —

Last Monday was the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a perfect time to remember the Monks of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel near Cody, Wyoming.

These monks are working to build a beautiful, classic gothic monastery and support themselves through their Mystic Monk Coffee business. Father Zuhlsdorf speaks very highly of it!

— 7 —

Fact: most (certainly not all) allegations of sexual misconduct against the Church are false. They occur because (1) people dislike the Church’s unyielding moral stances, therefore (2) the media is predisposed to believe them, (3) leading the public to believe them. Usually these allegations are made to extort money, have been successful and have resulted in terrible consequences for the falsely accused (e.g. Fr. MacRae).

The typical approach is, after many, many years – either finally get the courage to “come forward” or to “remember” repressed memories to falsely accuse a priest (living or dead). This can not be proven one way or another so there is the chance of a diocese settling for a modest tens of thousands of dollars to make it go away.

Sometimes shear hatred is the motive, as it was for Tim Udinski. He knew media and law enforcement would jump on his allegations. The police interviewed almost 100 people and spent 200 hours chasing this.

Details of the story are here. Bill Donohue of the Catholic League notes that 173 false accusations have been made against Catholic priests in the last 3 years alone (that we know of).

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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 at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!