Prayers for My Dad: Healing a "Paralytic"

UPDATE: My dad is still in need of prayers. He has been fighting along. One unfortunate consequence is he has weakened through all this. The doctors told us last night that his left lung did collapse. They say the prognosis is not good. However, we have heard that before. Time will tell. Please continue your prayers for my dad, my mom, and the medical staff. I hope you find the reflection below helpful for this intention and any others you might have today ... or tomorrow.

Though I would like to post on St. John, the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved, I cannot. My dad is sick and in the hospital. Things are serious. Some time ago, I posted what follows. Sadly, I post it again. Please offer up your prayers for my dad who is ill and for my mom who is saintly in her care and strength. Perhaps join me in this:

Each time I pray I am brought back to the story of the Healing of the Paralytic. You can find it in a few of the Gospels. Here is Mark's version (RSV):

Chapter 2
1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them.

3* And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay.

5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven."

6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say,' Rise, take up your pallet and walk? 10 But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--he said to the paralytic-- 11 "I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home."

12* And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"


Now, what strikes me each time is signified by the choice of words. This choice on Jesus' part displays utter beauty and mercy on his part. And, let's add, a reason to hope. What am I talking about?

A man is paralyzed. Does he suggest going to Christ? No. His friends do. Man is sick. Friends take him to Christ. Simple. However, they can't get in. The house is packed. The place is full. Do they give up? Do they say, "Well, we tried"? No. They persist. Without ceasing, they--in a sort of prayer--continue to get their friend to the One they believe in. Does the friend say anything? Does the friend say he wants to go to Christ? No. The friend is sick and paralyzed. For whatever reason, he is quiet, as if he cannot talk, as if he is too sick to communicate his desires or voice his protests. Yet friends are friends. They will not be turned away. They will continue to do for a friend, for a loved one.

The friends raise the paralytic up to the roof and lower him down through an opening, which they had to make on the spur of the moment.

Now, the key, the word that always grabs me: "... their ..."

And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven."

We all remember that Jesus forgives the sins of the paralytic. As well, he soon heals the man of the paralysis. That is rather what we have come to expect from Jesus. But why? Why did Jesus do it?

Why did Jesus heal the paralytic? The text reveals the answer: "And when Jesus saw their faith, ..."

Their faith.

Jesus saw their faith and was moved. Jesus saw what they had done. Jesus saw that a group of believers in him loved a friend. Jesus saw that this group did not let crowds or a full building get in the way of transporting their friend to him. Jesus saw that this group risked to get their friend to him. They raised him up to the roof, made an opening, and lowered their paralyzed friend down into Jesus' midst.

They hoped for a healing. They got that and so much more.

Jesus was moved by "their faith." Because of their faith, he turned to the paralytic and forgave the man his sins. Jesus did not forgive him because of anything he (the paralytic) had said or done. No. Jesus forgave the man because of the man's friends. More precisely, Jesus acted because of the faith of the man's friends.

So, a group of believers took a sick or injured friend to Jesus and because of their faith, Jesus forgave the man his sins and then physically healed him.

Because of their faith, Jesus poured forth his mercy and graces upon the sick and injured.

We can help our friends and loved ones by carrying them to Jesus, not letting obstacles of whatever sort get in the way. Find another way when blocked. Find another means when things hinder you from bringing someone to Jesus. Raise him and then lower him onto the lap of Jesus. Lower him into the presence of the Lord. There, because of your faith, may Jesus see the sick and injured. May Jesus see and have mercy. May he save the sick and injured brought to him. May he even hear our prayer for physical healing. We may not get that one answered in the way we would like and when we would like, but in the end all mysteries will be made clear. On the more important note, Jesus has forgiven and saved the injured and sick brought to him by friends or loved ones who believe in his power, who believe in his mercy, who believe in his compassion, who truly and wholeheartedly trust and believe in Him.

Thus, we truly become "co-workers" with the Lord. We bring to him those in need of his grace. We bring to him and thus help him in the work of salvation, in the work of saving souls.

This is his beauty, his goodness, his mercy.

For those unable to do so on their own, Jesus leaves the sick and injured with friends and loved ones to intercede on their behalf, to be "co-workers" with him.

Because there are those who are unable to seek him on their own, Jesus leaves the sick and injured with us, with you and with me. To work, to pray on their behalf.

When petitioned out of hope and love, Jesus sees the faith of friends and loved ones who bring to him someone in need of the Lord's care. Because of this, "their faith," Jesus--we pray--will turn to the sick and injured, those who cannot come to him on their own because of their weak and frail state, and he will forgive them their sins, saving them, and then--in all hope and yet acceptance if it does not happen--he will once again utter those sought after words, "I say to you, rise, ... and go home."

Please pray for my dad Leon as he struggles and fights to recover from this illness, that he may soon rise and come home. May God bless him and our family in these difficult times.

Merry Christmas

The only joy in the world is to begin.

It is beautiful to live because to live is to begin,

always,

and every instant.

--Cesare Pavese

Christmas is the remembrance of the way in which the Lord became present. The Lord is never a past. So Christmas is the remembrance of the Lord who has bcome man, a child, like every one of us has been, and is.

--Luigi Giussani

God does not leave us groping in the dark. He has shown himself to us as a man. In his greatness he has let himself become small. god has taken on a human face. Only this God saves us from being afraid of the world and from anxiety before the emptiness of life.

--Benedict XVI

Christ ends up right here, in my attitutde and disposition as a human being, in my way, that is, one who expects, who awaits something because he feels that he is entirely wanting. He has joined me. He has proposed himself to my original needs.

--Luigi Giussani

Number 18 : Hallelujah and Desires of the Heart

"Number 18" is all I could say.

One recurring theme of Msgr. Giussani and CL is a reflection upon the calling of the first two disciples from the Gospel of John (1:29-42). Some of the key lines from the biblical passage are:

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples; and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, "What do you seek?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying; and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ).

Many points are made about this scene. There is much to meditate upon and understand. In a few places, Msgr. Giussani guides the discussion to the aspect of time: "It was about four o'clock in the afternoon." Why remember and even mention the time? What is the point?

Well, if you go back a bit and recall what John and Andrew were asking ("where are you staying?"), you can see in their question a longing to be and remain in the presence of Jesus: In the words of Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete, "Where will You remain with us? Where can we be with You?"

Msgr. Albacete continues:

The first human response to the Incarnation, to God's Word in human words, the first Christian expression of the desires that define and move and even torment the human heart is the desire for a place, for a place in which to be with Jesus, in which to be educated by Jesus, by His companionship, by being with Him, by "encountering Him" at every moment of life, by remaining where He "remains," a place from which He will never go away.

They came and saw and stayed with him that day. Now most scholars say that the Gospel of John was written quite a few years after the Ascension of Christ. Now whether or not that is true makes no difference to Giussani's understanding of this event. As Albacete notes,

Many years later, when the Gospel was put together, the memory was still vivid about the precise hour when this happened: "It was around 4 pm." The next day, they went to tell others about it, and Christianity began. So is was then, so it is today: the desires of the heart are unleashed and strengthened at a precise time in a precise place [...] .

When and where was that special kiss? When and where was your engagement to your spouse?
When and where was your child born? When and where was that particular moment of grace experienced?

And yes: When and where was Jesus born? When and where did Jesus die?

These are some of the thoughts that entered my mind when I tried to give words to what I was feeling and thinking upon the completion of hearing the great "Hallelujah" from Handel's Messiah.

Now listening to a piece of music is not the same as the birth and death of the Son of God. The connection lies in the fact that when an event breaks out upon those experiencing it, the effect is so strong and penetrating that sometimes a reference to the time and place is all one can muster ... at least for a brief time. Sometimes detailed and overly descriptive words can deplete an event (and thus the memory) of their impact and perhaps even cathartic nature.

הַלְּלוּיָהּ

Time and place matter. In another article, Msgr. Albacete complements his earlier words:

For John and Andrew it all began not as an opinion, not as an inspiration [...] but as “something that happened” to them at a specific time, date, and place. It began as a fact, as an event, as a human encounter. So much is this the case that when asked by Jesus what they wanted, John and Andrew’s reply was simply a place to be with Him always, a place where what happened to them looking at Him would continue to happen.

Time and place matter. They aid memory.

On one particular December day, all I kept thinking about was earlier that morning at my locker when I kissed her.

For many days, the setting--the time and place--was what we and our families spoke of: Christmas morning before the Christmas tree when we became engaged.

As well, the December afternoon at Bellflower Kaiser when I saw my daughter for the first time and immediately said a prayer with and for her: It was about 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

Time and place matter. They add context and color to an event: In a Bethlehem manger one winter day.

Sometimes time and place can become part of the meaning and symbol of the event itself: not just the Cross, but at 3:00 on the Cross at Golgotha. 3:00. Now the hour of mercy. Fridays at 3:00 would no longer be the same (no matter what modern liturgists and so-called "liberated" Catholics might pine for).

Time and place matter. Symbols matter. Icons matter. Like John the Baptist, those who point to the more meaningful persons or events matter. Words can do the same: December 25; Friday at 3:00 pm.

Archbishop Bruno Forte makes a similar point in commenting upon the same biblical passage as above:

"Come and see." In matter of faith, when we contemplate the mystery, seeing comes after we have abandoned ourselves entirely; first one comes, and then one sees! This is what the two disciples in fact do; and such is the impression left on them by meeting Jesus, a meeting that will mark their lives forever, that John remembers teh exact time it took place with the chronological exactitude so typical of the memory we have of the times of a great love: "It was about four o'clock in the afternoon."

The times of a great love. Is that what has happened? A great love? Listening to Handel's Messiah in its entirety and especially the "Hallelujah" left me with very few words that could then capture the emotions, the thoughts, the meaning; left me with very few words that could then capture the experience. Very few words. Anything analytical probably would have just materialized the moment.

So what did I do? What did I say?

"Number 18 ... number 18."

After a few still moments, "That was number 18."

Then once some more time passed, I went to my daughter and brought her over to listen to number 18.

"Therese, come listen to this. Number 18, the Hallelujah." I explained a few bits of background and the thematic direction of the earlier tracks and then pressed the play button.

Number 18. Sitting on the couch last night at about 8:30 pm.

Scratch that.

Number 18 sitting on the couch last night at about 8:30 pm with my daughter.

Msgr. Albacete was right: "the desires of the heart are unleashed and strengthened at a precise time in a precise place."

Hallelujah for that. Hallelujah. הַלְּלוּיָהּ

HALLELUJAH! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ: and He shall reign for ever and ever. KING OF KINGS, and LORD OF LORDS, HALLELUJAH!

Handel's Messiah and American Christianity

So I took Michael Linton's advice and went out and purchased a new and full (not the "selections" kind) version of Handel's Messiah. Got through most of the first CD last night and can't wait for the second CD today. Wish I had had the time to listen to both without any lapse of time in between.

Michael Linton has also written another essay/post on not just which versions of Handel's Messiah one should buy and listen to but an essay dealing with why no other piece of music is so linked with Christmas as Handel's oratorio:

For musicians, Christmas means Messiah. This is not a comment upon musicians’ religiosity, but rather upon their finances. Messiah, Handel’s Messiah, is to America’s choral societies and orchestras what La Bohème is to its opera houses and Nutcracker to its ballets: the guaranteed full house that can bankroll a whole season of deficits. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, Handel’s oratorio receives hundreds of performances, from church choirs with organ accompaniment to major symphonies with their professional choruses.

[...] While Messiah is a masterpiece, it is but one of many from Handel’s pen, masterpieces that have not endured so steadfastly as Messiah. Why?

I think the answer lies in the fact that for the last two hundred years, English-speaking Christianity, and in particular, American Christianity, has found a singularly eloquent vehicle for self-reflection in Messiah. Despite much talk to the contrary, religion remains deeply important to most Americans. But as many writers have noted, that religiosity is not denominational or even confessional in nature. Instead, it is individualistic, a matter of personal belief and individual choice not dictated by bishops, mediated by ritual, or regulated by the state. Furthermore, American Christianity is deeply eschatological, the sense of the impending eschaton being not so much a dread premonition of a coming doom, but rather a purposeful optimism. Americans work for and expect the eventual establishment of the kingdom of God, that "city on a hill."

Messiah speaks to such a Christianity. Although reminiscent of the lectionary texts from Advent through Trinity from the Book of Common Prayer, the oratorio cannot be said to be denominational (although the lack of passages dealing with Mary certainly gives it a distinctly Protestant cast). Its biblical texts are equally accessible to Episcopalians and National Baptists, Methodists and Pentecostals, and until fairly recently, could be said to be known by heart by almost all. Unlike Bach’s cantatas and passions, the oratorio requires neither a liturgical setting nor a particular occasion for it to be grasped. And despite the current custom of abridged Christmas performances (an aberration largely the result of reduced attention spans), the oratorio is not seasonal. If the work points to anything at all, it is neither Christmas nor Easter but rather the Second Coming and the individual’s faith in Christ’s eventual triumph.

Messiah is a concert work for the concert hall, and very much in the mold of the modern Protestant sermon, which entertains its listener for the purpose of edifying him. Like his contemporary George Whitefield (who was also criticized for using theatrical devices for religious ends), Handel uses the conventions of the theater to compel his listener into a personal encounter with the scriptural texts. Messiah, contrary to most critics’ readings, is highly dramatic. But its drama is an interior one, a personal confrontation between the individual listener and the story of salvation that Handel unfolds before him. To a population where that confrontation is the fulcrum of their lives, performances of Messiah become almost autobiographical.

It is because of the religious character of Americans that Messiah is so important here. And because of that religious character, it can be said that Messiah forms the foundation of America’s art music culture. Not only do performances of the oratorio undergird the finances of many of the country’s performing organizations, the work itself is the entrance of tens of thousands into the realm of classical music. It is not only the one classical piece that almost everyone will recognize (hence Madison Avenue’s shameless exploitation of it), but in many cases it is the only major classical piece that most amateur musicians will themselves perform. My own case is not unusual. Messiah was the first piece of classical music I heard live, the first one I performed as an amateur singer, and the first one I conducted as a professional musician.

Vatican Soccer Team?

A Vatican soccer team? Vatican FC?

Perhaps:

Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone told journalists in Rome on Sunday that he envisioned the Vatican someday putting together "a football team of great value, that could play on the same level as Roma, Inter Milan and Sampdoria."

Cardinal Bertone is an avid Juventus supporter and often provided local television commentary on Sampdoria games while Archbishop of Genoa. He said the Church's seminaries and Catholic youth clubs around Italy were full of talented players.

Dickens and A Christmas Carol

Just as I finished teaching Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, I found that maybe I should check my often-visited sites a bit more often.

Over at First Things, Joseph Bottum has posted an essay he wrote a few years ago. This "Christmas Rerun" is "an attempt to figure out why the mess of A Christmas Carol remains the greatest Christmas fiction ever written."

Then yesterday as I was listening to Hugh's show on A Christmas Carol (an interview with Mark D. Roberts), Hugh pointed out that Roberts had been posting thoughts/essays on Dickens's much-beloved work.

Roberts's posts to date are:
Part 1 My Favorite Book
Part 2 The Man Who Invented Christmas
Part 3 The Real Business of Christmas
Part 4 The First Ebenezer Scrooge
Part 5 What Made Scrooge Scrooge?
Part 6 Why Did Ebenezer Scrooge Change? Stave 1

Wish I had read some of these before starting but at least before finishing A Christmas Carol with my students.

I have my own thoughts on the book and on teaching it to high school students, but I will have to save those for another day. I will say, though, that many enjoyed the story and left looking forward to watching the movie editions again ... with greater insight into the literature behind those versions. They were particularly struck by Scrooge's transformation and the key moments/events that triggered his change.

It was especially fun, too, to play the board and trivia game A Christmas Carol as a way to review some of the highlights and perhaps too minute details of the story. We all enjoyed it nonetheless, especially with the hot chocolate, cookies, and candy canes.

Iran's Nuclear Plans Continue: Thanks, Russia

This is not the kind of news I had hoped to read this morning: "Russia defies West and goes ahead with nuclear fuel sale to Iran." (H/T: CQ) What?! Exactly:

RUSSIA is to begin supplying Iran with nuclear fuel early next year despite mounting concern in the West that this could accelerate Tehran’s plans to build a nuclear bomb.

Good to know Russia is an ally. Right? Ally of whom? Its own pocketbook. Interesting this would be if Russia's own Islamist problem built ties to Iran. This is a point Captain Ed makes in his post about Russia's decision:

One would think that the threat of proliferation on the southern belly of Russia would give Putin and his regime some pause, but the Russian autocrat has his eyes on the wrong front. He sees his great conflict with Europe and the Western powers, which have come all the way to the doorstep of Russia, absorbing all of the buffer states that once shielded Russia from the West. That evolution of Westernization -- begun with the fall of the Berlin Wall -- has rattled Putin far more than it should, and it has kept his focus off of the real existential threat of a nuclear-armed radical Islam.

And we have no doubt that Ahmadinejad will share with his friends once he has a fully-developed nuclear process. His tip to the Kuwaitis only confirms his intentions to spread nuclear weapons throughout Southwest Asia in an attempt to eject the West from the area. He wants an end to the Israeli nuclear deterrent, and he's going to get it unless he's stopped. That would be true whether Putin hands him the fuel for his Messianic ambitions or not, but the day will come much more quickly now than before.

And if that wasn't enough to worry about, apparently the Saudis are a bit concerned these days, as the Hajj is approaching:

MILLIONS of Muslim pilgrims from all over the world begin trekking to Mecca for the annual Hajj ceremony next month - and officials in Saudi Arabia, where the "holy" city is located, are on tenterhooks. They fear that Iran's ultra-radical President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will turn the Hajj into a political demonstration in support of his agenda for a "clash of civilizations" between Islam and what he calls "The Zionist-Crusader camp" led by the United States. (H/T: Hugh)

The Separation between Church and State: Separating Fact from Fiction

Separation of Church and State or Separation of Church from State?

Does it matter?

In light of the recent controversy spurred on by Dennis Prager's column (and its follow-up), reading this should shed some light.

In light of the ongoing struggle to fend off the strict separationists from victory in the courts, reading this should help.

In light of the seeming never-ending claptrap that comes from some judges and justices, reading this should clarify the real issue.

In light of living in a world where many think the U.S. Constitution (and its Bill of Rights) was set up to keep religious-based ideas out of policy decision-making, out of public discourse, out of the government in any and all ways, out of the public square, reading this should give a sufficient amount of support for holding the view that the ACLU et al. are just plain wrong.

What is this?

It is “Origins and Dangers of the ‘Wall of Separation’ Between Church and State” by Daniel L. Dreisbach, published in the October 2006 issue of Imprimis (and the subscription is even free!):

There was a consensus among the founders that religion was indispensable to a system of republican self-government. The challenge the founders confronted was how to nurture personal responsibility and social order in a system of self-government. Tyrants and dictators can use the whip and rod to force people to behave as they desire, but clearly this is incompatible with a self-governing people. In response to this challenge the founders looked to religion (and morality informed by religious faith) to provide the internal moral compass that would prompt citizens to behave in a disciplined manner and thereby promote social order and political stability. The literature of the founding era is replete with this argument, no example more famous than George Washington’s statement in his Farewell Address of September 19, 1796:

Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labour to subvert these great Pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and citizens . . . . And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion . . . . [R]eason and experience both forbid us to expect that National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

Believing that religion and morality were indispensable to social order and political prosperity, the founders championed religious liberty in order to foster a vibrant religious culture in which a beneficent religious ethos would inform the public ethic and to promote an environment in which religious and moral leaders could speak out boldly, without restraint or inhibition, against corruption and immorality in civic life. Religious liberty was not merely a benevolent grant of the civil state; rather, it reflected an awareness among the founders that the very survival of the civil state and a civil society was dependent on a vibrant religious culture, and religious liberty nurtured such a religious culture. In other words, the civil state’s respect for religious liberty is an act of self-preservation. The unfortunate consequence of 20th-century jurisprudence is that the First Amendment, designed to protect and promote a vital role for religion in public life, has been replaced with a wall of separation that, in the hands of the modern judiciary, has restricted religion’s place in the polity.

More Dennis and Ellison on Using the Koran in Oath

Dennis Prager's column from last week caused a lot of discussion and seeming controversy.

This week he has responded to many of the so-called arguments against his position. I say "so-called" because not a few responses were quite incendiary and more of an attack on him than on what he said. Though he may be wrong about the issue (I am still not convinced he isn't wrong; perhaps he is even right), so many have not dealt with his argument. Rather, as this week's column shows, in typical leftist fashion, many of his critics have resorted to calling him names instead of actually taking on his argument.

I suggest you read it: "A response to my many critics - and a solution."

Though there are a few often recurring accusations against him, the most intellectually meaty is the following:

Accusation: I am advocating something unconstitutional by demanding that the Bible be included in oaths of office. I am reminded that Mr. Ellison has a right to practice the religion of his choice and that there shall be no religious test for candidates for office in America.

Dennis's answer:

Response: I never even hinted that there should be a religious test. It has never occurred to me that only Christians run for office in America. The idea is particularly laughable in my case since I am not now, nor ever have been, a Christian. I am a Jew (a non-denominational religious Jew, for the record), and I would vote for any Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Mormon, atheist, Jew, Zoroastrian, Hindu, Wiccan, Confucian, Taoist or combination thereof whose social values I share. Conversely, I would not vote for a fellow Jew whose social values I did not share. I want people of every faith and of no faith who affirm the values I affirm to enter political life.

My belief that the Bible should be present at any oath (or affirmation) of office has nothing whatsoever to do with the religion of the office holder. And it never has until Keith Ellison's decision to substitute a different text for the Bible. Many office holders who do not believe in the Bible at all or who reject some part have nevertheless used the Bible at their swearing-in (I noted this in my column). Even the vast majority of Jews elected to office have used a Bible containing both the Old and New Testaments, even though Jews do not regard the New Testament as part of their Bible. A tiny number of Jews have used only the Old Testament. As a religious Jew, I of course understand their decision, but I disagree with it.

I agree with the tens of thousands of office holders in American history who have honored the American tradition -- I am well aware it is not a law, and I do not want it to be -- of bringing a Bible to their ceremonial or actual swearing-in. Keith Ellison is ending that powerful tradition, and it is he who has called the public's attention to his doing so. He obviously thinks this is important. I think it is important. My critics think it isn't.

Why wouldn't Ellison bring a Bible along with the Koran? That he chose not to is the narcissism of multiculturalism that I referred to: The individual's culture trumps the national culture.

You don't have to be Christian to acknowledge that the Bible is the source of America's values. Virtually every founder of this country knew that and acknowledged it. The argument that founders such as Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were deists, even if accurate (it is greatly exaggerated), makes my point, not my opponents'. The founders who were not believing Christians venerated the Bible as the source of America's values just as much as practicing Christians did.

America derives its laws from its Constitution. It derives its values from the Bible. We don't get inalienable rights from the Constitution; we get them from God. Which is exactly what the signers of the Declaration of Independence wrote: We are endowed with inalienable rights by our Creator, not by government and not by any man-made document. And that Creator and those inalienable rights emanate from the Bible. Keith Ellison's freedom to openly believe and practice Islam and to run for elective office as a Muslim is a direct result of a society molded by the Bible and the people who believed in it, a fact he should be willing to honor as he is sworn in.

I cannot name any Western European country that does not have a document similar to the American Constitution and something akin to our Bill of Rights. It is, therefore, not the Constitution that has made America unique and a moral beacon to the world's downtrodden. What has made America unique is the combination of Enlightenment ideas with our underlying Judeo-Christian values. (I have described 24 of those values in 24 columns in 2005, all available on the Internet through www.pragerradio.com.)

It was understood from the beginning of the republic that liberty is derived from God, not from man alone. That is why the Liberty Bell has an inscription from the Bible (from the Torah in the Old Testament) on it, not an inscription from any secular Enlightenment (or ancient Greek) source.

Dennis Prager on Book Congressman Takes Oath on: Cutting More Flowers?

Dennis Prager has ignited a necessary discussion. In his latest column, "America, Not Keith Ellison, decides what book a congressman takes his oath on," Prager strongly makes the case that a newly elected Muslim congressman should not be allowed to take his official oath on the Koran but should do so on the Bible.

There is much to say about this, even the connection to then-Cardinal Ratzinger's caution on admitting Turkey to the EU. I hope to comment more about the issue of retaining the value of symbols and retaining an identity still attached to the roots and the foundation of a people, of a country, of a culture, but for now go and read his article: "America, Not Keith Ellison, decides what book a congressman takes his oath on."

He [Ellison] should not be allowed to do so -- not because of any American hostility to the Koran, but because the act undermines American civilization.
[...]
Forgive me, but America should not give a hoot what Keith Ellison's favorite book is. Insofar as a member of Congress taking an oath to serve America and uphold its values is concerned, America is interested in only one book, the Bible. If you are incapable of taking an oath on that book, don't serve in Congress. In your personal life, we will fight for your right to prefer any other book. We will even fight for your right to publish cartoons mocking our Bible. But, Mr. Ellison, America, not you, decides on what book its public servants take their oath.

Devotees of multiculturalism and political correctness who do not see how damaging to the fabric of American civilization it is to allow Ellison to choose his own book need only imagine a racist elected to Congress. Would they allow him to choose Hitler's "Mein Kampf," the Nazis' bible, for his oath? And if not, why not? On what grounds will those defending Ellison's right to choose his favorite book deny that same right to a racist who is elected to public office?

Of course, Ellison's defenders argue that Ellison is merely being honest; since he believes in the Koran and not in the Bible, he should be allowed, even encouraged, to put his hand on the book he believes in. But for all of American history, Jews elected to public office have taken their oath on the Bible, even though they do not believe in the New Testament, and the many secular elected officials have not believed in the Old Testament either. Yet those secular officials did not demand to take their oaths of office on, say, the collected works of Voltaire or on a volume of New York Times editorials, writings far more significant to some liberal members of Congress than the Bible. Nor has one Mormon official demanded to put his hand on the Book of Mormon. And it is hard to imagine a scientologist being allowed to take his oath of office on a copy of "Dianetics" by L. Ron Hubbard.

He closes with

When all elected officials take their oaths of office with their hands on the very same book, they all affirm that some unifying value system underlies American civilization. If Keith Ellison is allowed to change that, he will be doing more damage to the unity of America and to the value system that has formed this country than the terrorists of 9-11. It is hard to believe that this is the legacy most Muslim Americans want to bequeath to America. But if it is, it is not only Europe that is in trouble.

This reminds me of something Dennis introduced me to back in the early 90's. In a talk he gave on multiculturalism, Dennis spoke of the importance of retaining a connection to the roots that have been key in making us who we are today. In this talk, Dennis quoted the Jewish thinker Will Herberg from his book Judaism and Modern Man:

The moral principles of Western civilization are, in fact, all derived from the tradition rooted in Scriputre and have vital meaning only in the context of that tradition. The attempt made in recent decades by secularist thinkers to disengage these values from their religious context, in the assurance that they could live a life of their own as a "humanistic" ethic, has resulted in what one writer has called our "cut-clower" culture. Cut flowers retain their original beauty and fragrance, but only so long as they retain the vitality they have drawn from their now severed roots; after that is exhausted, they wither and die. So with freedom, brotherhood, justice and personal dignity--the values that form the moral foundation of our civilization. Without the life-giving power of the faith out of which they have sprung, they possess neither meaning nor vitality. Morality ungrounded in God is indeed a house built upon sand, unable to stand up against the vagaries of impulse and the brutal pressures of power and self-interest.

I second that. If we are to retain a connection to our roots, we as a people must understand this.

Continuing Thoughts on the War

Though posts these days are sporadic (too much prep and grading going on, not to mention the many afternoons and evenings--happy but cold, or should it be happy and cold--spent on the soccer field), there are some articles/essays that I cannot pass on linking to.

One must-read article is Andrew C. McCarthy's "Can We Talk? Well, we can, but we shouldn’t." Aside from the criticism of Bush-administration officials for their seemingly naive belief that the promise of democracy is the key element to conquering the enemy (rather than decisive force), he makes the point that we should not talk with Iran and Syria:

This is a war of will. If we lose it, the historians will marvel at how mulishly we resisted understanding the one thing we needed to understand in order to win. The enemy.
[...]
In the wake of 9/11, the American people did not care about democratizing the Muslim world. Or, for that matter, about the Muslim world in general. They still don’t. They want Islamic terrorists and their state sponsors crushed.
[...] Bush-administration officials — notwithstanding goo-gobs of evidence that terrorists have used the freedoms of Western democracies, including our own, the better to plot mass murder — have conned themselves into believing that democracy, not decisive force, is the key to conquering this enemy.

So deeply have they gulped the Kool-Aid that, to this day, they refuse to acknowledge what is plain to see: While only a small number of the world’s billion-plus Muslims (though a far larger number than we’d like to believe) is willing to commit acts of terrorism, a substantial percentage —meaning tens of millions — supports the terrorists’ anti-West, anti-democratic agenda.

Islamic countries, moreover, are not rejecting Western democracy because they haven’t experienced it. They reject it on principle. For them, the president’s euphonious rhetoric about democratic empowerment is offensive. They believe, sincerely, that authority to rule comes not from the people but from Allah; that there is no separation of religion and politics; that free people do not have authority to legislate contrary to Islamic law; that Muslims are superior to non-Muslims, and men to women; and that violent jihad is a duty whenever Muslims deem themselves under attack … no matter how speciously.

These people are not morons. They adhere to a highly developed belief system that is centuries old, wildly successful, and for which many are willing to die. They haven’t refused to democratize because the Federalist Papers are not yet out in Arabic. They decline because their leaders have freely chosen to decline. They see us as the mortal enemy of the life they believe Allah commands. Their demurral is wrong, but it is principled, not ignorant. And we insult them by suggesting otherwise.
[...]
So now comes James Baker’s Iraq Study Group, riding in on its bipartisan white horse to save the day. The democracy project having failed, this blue-ribbon panel’s solution is: Let’s talk.

Let’s talk with our enemies, Iran and Syria. Let’s talk with terror abettors as if they were good guys — just like us. As if they were just concerned neighbors trying to stop the bloodshed in Iraq … instead of the dons who’ve been commanding it all along.
[...]
What earthly logic that supports talking with these Islamic terrorists would not also support negotiating with al Qaeda — a demarche not even a Kennedy School grad would dare propose?

When I grew up in The Bronx, there were street gangs. You mostly stayed away from them, and, if you really had to, you fought with them. But I never remember anyone saying, “Gee, maybe if we just talk with them ...”

Nor do I remember, in two decades as a prosecutor, anyone saying, “Y’know, maybe if we just talk with these Mafia guys, we could achieve some kind of understanding ...”

Sitting down with evil legitimizes evil.
[...]
For our own sake, we need to respect the enemy. That means grasping that he’s implacable, that he means us only harm, and that he must be subdued, not appeased. Negotiating with such evil is always a mistake, for any accommodation with evil is, by definition, evil.

Rejecting the democracy project is about respecting the enemy. Declining to talk to the enemy is about respecting ourselves.

WKRP - Thanksgiving Turkey Drop

Happy Thanksgiving!

H/t: Hugh.

Death of Milton Friedman

Some years ago, Young America's Foundation introduced me to a great promoter of freedom--real freedom. I had heard of him already and read bits and pieces, but once I became involved with YAF and Young America's Foundation (and ISI too) I began to understand on a deeper level the meaning and importance of this great champion of freedom. Milton Friedman passed away Thursday at the age of 94.

Two important and somewhat brief books of his are Capitalism and Freedom and Free To Choose: A Personal Statement. (Another book, somewhat similar in topic, which impacted me during this same time is The Road to Serfdom by Hayek. H/t: Philippe for correction.)

It's ironic, in a way, that he had been in the news the past few days ... at least the news at the Wall Street Journal and then their letters to the editor.

There are plenty of articles and essays paying homage to the man and his ideas. Some noteworthy ones are:

Wall Street Journal's "Capitalism and Friedman"

Young America's Foundation press release

Young America's Foundation interview with Friedman on the merits of free-market economics

Iain Murray's "Friedman’s Legacy: Capitalism and a giant" over at National Review Online

His passing even made the front page of the Los Angeles Times!

HorrorFest

For horror fans, this looks like a fun weekend of getting the most for your money ... at least if you live near a theater showing the HorrorFest.

8th of November

8th of November

A few days late, but what better day to remember the 8th of November.

2006 Election Thoughts: Hewitt Has a Point

Hugh has some post-election thoughts worth reading. What will become of the Republican party?

"The Road Not Taken: Forfeiting a Majority" explains a lot:

The post-mortems are accumulating, but I think the obvious has to be stated: John McCain and his colleagues in the Gang of 14 cost the GOP its Senate majority while the conduct of a handful of corrupt House members gave that body's leadership the Democrats.

After explaining a few key factors that led to the GOP losses (be sure to read them), Hugh closes with:

It is hard to conceive of how the past two years could have been managed worse on the Hill.

The presidential ambitions of three senators ended Tuesday night, though two of them will not face up to it.

The Republican Party sent them and their 52 colleagues to Washington D.C. to implement an agenda which could have been accomplished but that opportunity was frittered away.

The Republican Party raised the money and staffed the campaigns that had yielded a 55-45 seat majority, and the Republican Party expected the 55 to act like a majority. Confronted with obstruction, the Republicans first fretted and then caved on issue after issue. Had the 55 at least been seen to be trying --hard, and not in a senatorial kind of way-- Tuesday would have had a much different result. Independents, especially, might have seen why the majority mattered.

Will the GOP get back to a working majority again? Perhaps. And perhaps sooner than you think. The Democrats have at least six vulnerable senators running in 2008, while the situation looks pretty good for the GOP.

But the majority is not going to return unless the new minority leadership --however it is composed-- resolves to persuade the public, and to be firm in its convictions, not concerned for the praise of the Beltway-Manhattan media machine.

Debating Abortion at Berkeley: An Interview with Dr. Dennehy

National Catholic Register has just posted a great interview with a real man of courage and honor: Dr. Raymond Dennehy. In "20 Years, 40 Semesters of Abortion Debates," Dr. Dennehy answers many questions related to his 20 years of debating abortion at Berkeley. Aside from being a great defender of the unborn, aside from being an eloquent debater, aside from being a very humorous person, he is also one of a core of people who helped make my undergraduate days some of the best imaginable.

Read the interview.

Here is a comment I posted over at the Ignatius Insight Scoop site about one of the incidents mentioned in the interview:

Dr. Dennehy mentions the time an opponent got very upset and interrupted the other pro-life debater. Dennehy adds that he "simply inserted himself between them." I remember that day. I was there with some friends from USF. From our perspective, it was much more than "simply." We kept talking about it for quite a few days. Most of us recalled that moment at our graduation and whenever we have recollected some of the (many) highlights of being a student at the then-St. Ignatius Institute at USF.

What Dennehy did was insert himself between two speakers, one of whom had the floor and the other of whom was disrespectfully interrupting the time of the first. The pro-life person was speaking, as Dennehy said, and then the pro-abortion person got so upset that he came across towards the pro-lifer and started raising his voice at her. He was obviously upset and seemed to have been affected strongly by the realities of what the pro-lifer was saying. He, the pro-abort guy, did not like it. He did not like the truth of what was/is really going on around the world with regards to abortion.

Then a scene broke out reminiscent of stories and movies where a bully is stood up to. Dr. Dennehy came forward just like a knight. This long-time defender of the unborn came to this lady's rescue. To most of us there, the attempt by the pro-abort to get in the pro-lifer's face and say what he did was an attempt to intimidate her through his strong verbal language, strong body language, and thus ultimately to shut her up or at least make her think twice about making such controversial (though true) statements as she was making.

Then Dr. Dennehy came over and stood strongly between the two, putting forth his body in a way that the pro-abort guy clearly got the message that any further rude actions and disrespectful behavior would have to go through Dr. Dennehy before they could reach the female pro-life debater. Not just a defender of the unborn, but even a defender of those who are rudely interrupted while trying to explain the consequences of abortion policies throughout the world. We were a bit shocked at the initial rudeness of the pro-abort guy, which actually caused him to lose respect in the minds of many there (even so-called "pro-choice" students, as they later told me).

Once Dennehy did what he did, a large cheer and applause broke out throughout the room ... and like I said ... even from the students who were in support of a woman's right to kill her unborn child. Minds were slowly realizing the different ways truth is attacked.

What Dennehy did may have been "simply" a normal act on his part, but to all of us there it was much more than that. It was another gesture of defending those who are being attacked, whether verbally or physically. It was another gesture from a man who has spent his life not only teaching others about truth and goodness but has followed it up with the continual witness and sometimes even knightly presence when needed as he defends (and encourages others to defend) the innocent and defenseless, as he even inspires others to join and continue the fight to protect these little ones of God.

Blacks and Whites: Halloween Hate

It is amazing that they survived.

Victims of attack share their story

"It was like animals, like a pack of hyenas," Michelle said.

Halloween gone bad.

Kerry Comments and the Fo-do

Here is the photo that so many are talking about. (H/T: Drudge)

All Saints and an Apt Literary Assignment

All Saints Day is just around the corner. Since you have been so helpful with the other times I have sought suggestions for class (British literature), I thought I would put out another post seeking your help.

All Saints Day. British literature. Any suggestions?

Whatever is done has to be done that day in class and that's all. Reading and discussing and analyzing.

A poem? Poems? A short story? Some story that deals with a communion of folks of some sort and the beauty of things when they work together, rely on each other, trust each other? Or perhaps when they don't? To show the failings of us here without being in the constant state of grace of those in the Communion of Saints?

Or something else?

All suggestions welcome. Comment in comment section below or send an email.

I have looked at quite a few poems and some sermons from those who have a literary bent to their art. Even a letter from Leon Bloy (I know, he's not British, but I like his writings a lot) that he wrote to his bride-to-be which dealt with their love and the still contested issue of the relics of saints and their (the saints) everlasting Communion. She was not yet Catholic.

Thanks.

Upcoming Election: Republican or Democrat?

Republican or Democrat?

Still trying to figure out which candidates (and thus which party) to vote for in the upcoming election?

Check this out to get some answers ... and have some laughs. All that, and some good music too!

Ruff, Ruff: Do Dogs Go to Heaven?

On Dennis Prager's show Friday, a caller asked if Dennis believes dogs (or other pets) go to Heaven. Since the Torah does not stipulate one way or the other, Dennis said he was not sure. Then since it does not seem dogs have free-will, Dennis said he had doubts if non-volitional creatures could merit Heaven.

That said, this reminded me of the response the widely respected Catholic theologian Fr. John Hardon, SJ gave some time ago. In The Catholic Faith magazine (May/June 1999 ~ Vol. 5, No. 3), Fr. Hardon was asked the same question. His reply touches on aspects unaddressed by Dennis:

Pets, as pets, do not go to Heaven. But animals and such like beings may be said to be brought to Heaven because, after the Last Day, they can serve as part of the joys of Heaven. In other words, animals and such like creatures may be said to be brought to Heaven to serve as part of our Heavenly joys. Clearly, we do not need pets to provide happiness in Heaven. But pets and such like creatures will be brought to Heaven to become part of our creaturely happiness in the Heavenly kingdom. Consequently, we may say that animals and such like creatures may be brought to Heaven by God to enable us to enjoy them as part of our creaturely happiness in Heavenly beatitude.

This answer pleased quite a few children, especially the grown-up ones.

Survived by Us

Rick Moran at RightWingNutHouse has a tribute worth reading to Michael Monsoor, the Navy SEAL who gave his life to save others in his team:

His SEAL team was in support of a joint US-Iraqi operation in Ramadi when a grenade was thrown through the door of their sniper hideout. It bounced off Monsoor’s chest and fell to the floor mere feet from 4 of his comrades. With every natural instinct for self preservation in his body and mind screaming for him to flee, Michael Monsoor made a conscious, rational choice; he deliberately fell on the grenade sacrificing his life so that his comrades would live.

Rick closes with words that all should keep in mind:

Michael is also survived by us: A grateful nation who will recall his sacrifice and the sacrifices of all the others with awe and a sense of obligation for a debt that we can never repay, only vow never to forget.

Continuing Thoughts on Ahmadinejad and the Holocaust

In "The Six-Million Person Question: Ahmadinejad and the Holocaust," Mark Bowden responds to Iranian President Ahmadinejad's comments about the Holocaust. Bowden closes with the following thoughts:

What the Holocaust demonstrates is the danger of a one-party state. It shows what can happen when a group of true believers, convinced of the superiority of their own ideas, have unchecked power. They are then free to rewrite history to suit their political ends, and crush those who disagree or protest . . . or who worship God in a different way.

Like, say, the mullahs in Iran.

How long will the West tolerate this guy and the mullahs behind him?

British Novel: Some help needed

Ok, now I need some more assistance. I just found out that I have to add another novel (or play) to our syllabus for this year. I teach British lit (to twelfth graders) at a Catholic high school so any of you who have a suggestion, please send it my way.

We use a pretty good textbook that has quite a bit of the classics. I plan on using much of it. Then we will be reading A Christmas Carol just before Christmas and Animal Farm in the spring. I added Animal Farm because so many of the students have not yet read it. What a crime! So though it is something that should be read the first time in middle school (in my opinion), I want them to have the joy and pleasure of reading it with someone who really enjoys the book. If time permits, we will read Four Quartets by T. S. Eliot at the end of the year.

So what else would be a good British lit novel for twelfth graders (17 and 18 year old Catholic high school students) to read? Throughout the sections I teach, the reading levels are mixed: from high to middle to lower.

I have some on my mind, but I am not sure what kind of book I want them to read. I was thinking of some classics but they may end up being too serious or heavy. Then I thought that it might work better and be more enjoyable to read something fun and "comical" or entertaining (in a good literary sense) than the deeper cathartic type I initially thought of. Not sure yet, but it is something that would be read some time between February and May.

Thanks for your help. Put your suggestion(s) in the comment box below or in an email.

Books that I am thinking of:

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad

The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene

How Right You Are, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

The Man Who Was Thursday by G. K. Chesterton

Howards End by E. M. Forster

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

King Lear by William Shakespeare

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

The Tempest by William Shakespeare (leaning towards this)

As You Like It by William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

Prager on Benedict & Pius

Once again, Dennis Prager's clarity shines through. In his latest column, "Pius attacked for not confronting evil, Benedict attacked for confronting evil," Dennis compares the recent criticism of Pope Benedict's comments on Islam, violence, and the role of reason with criticism of Pope Pius XII's alleged silence or even complicity regarding the Holocaust of the Jews: "But the attacks on Pope Benedict XVI may help shed new light on some of the motives for the attacks on Pius XII."

After all, has not Benedict done precisely what Pius's critics argue that Pius, and presumably any pope, should have done -- be a courageous moral voice and condemn the greatest evil and greatest manifestation of anti-Semitism of his time?

Take The New York Times editorial page, for example. It is written by people who condemn Pius for his alleged silence and now condemn Benedict for not being quiet. ...

He goes on to write:

Another example is Karen Armstrong, the widely read ex-nun scholar of religion. She has written of Pius XII that his "apparent failure to condemn the Nazis has become a notorious scandal." Moral and logical consistency suggest that she would welcome a pope who did confront today's greatest evil. But she has joined those condemning Pope Benedict. She wrote (putting these arguments in the mouths of affronted Muslims with whom she sympathizes): "the Catholic Church is ill-placed to condemn violent jihad when it has itself . . . under Pope Pius XII, tacitly condoned the Nazi Holocaust."

The argument is so illogical that only those who attended graduate school or Catholicism-bashers could find it persuasive. First, how do you condemn the silence of one pope when confronted with the greatest evil of his time and condemn another pope when confronting the greatest evil of his time? Second, if indeed the Church is guilty of condoning evil in the past, why does that render it "hypocritical" (her term for Benedict's condemnation of Islamic violence in God's name) to confront evil in the present? If my grandfather was a murderer, am I a hypocrite for condemning murder?

And closes with:

But the condemnations of Pope Benedict by virtually every major critic of Pius XII lead me to wonder whether the critics really want popes to confront evil or just want popes to think like they do.

Russia : Defender of Islam?

Huh? What could this mean?

Russia is the most reliable partner of the Islamic world and most faithful defender of its interests, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in Chechnya’s capital Grozny. Putin unexpectedly visited the war-ravaged republic to speak in the local parliament that opened for its first sitting on Monday.

“Russia has always been the most faithful, reliable and consistent defender of the interests of the Islamic world. Russia has always been the best and most reliable partner and ally. By destroying Russia, these people (terrorists) destroy one of the main pillars of the Islamic world in the struggle for rights (of Islamic states) in the international arena, the struggle for their legitimate rights,” Putin was quoted by Itar —Tass as saying, drawing applause from Chechen parliamentarians. [Emphasis added.]

(H/T: Gates of Vienna)

McCain Defends the Rights of Terrorists

PowerLine points out the latest "achievement" of Sen. John McCain: "John McCain seizes the moral high ground on behalf of his country":

Yesterday, Senator McCain listed some of the rights that terrorists now have thanks to his work. According to McCain, they have the right not to be subjected to water-boarding, extreme sleep deprivation, and forced hypothermia. Terrorist organizations also have the right, thanks to McCain, to know in advance which practices apparently are off-the-table.

With friends like this, ...

Pope Benedict and Islam : Further Thoughts

Here are some further thoughts on Pope Benedict XVI, what he said, and Islam:

Benedict Takes the Next Step with Islam by Mark Brumley

Ratzinger and Regensburg: On What Is a University? by Father James V. Schall, SJ

Is Dialogue with Islam Possible? Some Reflections on Pope Benedict XVI's Address at the University of Regensburg by Father Joseph Fessio, SJ

All are good reads. As usual, Against the Grain has a detailed roundup of published thoughts on the matter.

On another note, it seems that Froggy might be back. Let's hope he is.

Colin Powell and Some Doubts about His Civil Service

Here is further proof that Colin Powell is not all that many have built him up to be: "Colin Powell fails Military History."

Some background is here: "Remind me why I liked Powell."

However great a soldier he may have been--and I don't doubt that--he has continually shown himself to be somewhat inept and at times a duplicitous diplomat and civil servant.

As Dennis said here (2nd half of audio), here, and here, since it has come out that Powell knew all along who the leak was (in the Plame case), then why didn't he say something, why didn't he speak up, why did he let Karl Rove take so much heat and unjust criticism, and more to the point, why did he let Scooter Libby twist in the wind, let Libby's career be jeopordized, let Libby suffer the humilities of legal action ... all these things if he knew the truth? Not the sign of an honorable civil servant. More like the actions of someone with a political ax to grind.

Reading "The Disloyalists" by Frank J. Gaffney, Jr. will help explain some of the shenanigans. So will "Plame Out: The ridiculous end to the scandal that distracted Washington" by Christopher Hitchens.

Here is a list of related news and commentary articles.

While I'm at it:
"The real story behind the Armitage story" by Robert Novak

"What a load of Armitage!" by Michael Barone

"Plamegate" by Michael Barone

"Just A Plame Waste Of Time" by Captain Ed

"The 'Hubris' Of Richard Armitage" by Tom Maguire

"Give Bush a Break" by Jonah Goldberg

UPDATE:
The Anchoress has weighed in too: "Colin Powell: the male Valerie Plame"

Pope Benedict XVI and Islam: What Did He Say?

Last week, Pope Benedict XVI gave a talk at the university where he used to teach. His talk was on the greater role of reason in theological and philosophical dialogue, but one portion of the talk--the relation of reason to certain teachings or practices of Islam--is getting a lot of publicity.

Here's the talk: "Faith, Reason and the University: Memories and Reflections"

Mark Brumley offers a great summary:

This incident can be summarized: The pope says reason and religion must go together for each to be able to remain true to itself. Some Muslims object and throw a fit, thus proving the pope right.

Here are some links to those who have a whole lot of info, background, and up-to-date commentary on the continuing "controversy":

Pope Benedict XVI on "Faith, Reason and the University" - Regensburg, 2006 by Chris Blosser, who has once again compiled a great round-up of links

The Controversy over Pope Benedict's Remarks on Islam by Chris Blosser

The Regensburg Lecture: Thinking Rightly About God and Man Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.

Rioters' madness shames Muslim world by Fr. Raymond J. de Souza, a great priest I got to know during some Acton-related events in the 90's; make the time to read his essay

Italian nun killed;Pope sorry for Muslim reaction by Michelle Malkin

Pope Rage on the Internet;church bombings in Gaza by Michelle Malkin

I support the Pope by Michelle Malkin

"The Pope’s speech: lending Islam a helping hand to avoid a downward spiral" by Samir Khalil Samir, sj

And at Ignatius Press's blog: Insight Scoop:

Pope's Comments on his Regensburg Lecture

"radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam..."

Vatican Statement on Muslim Anger At Pope's Speech

European leaders back Benedict

The Real Story

Our threats of violence prove how peaceful we really are

Vatican defends pope’s remarks on Islam

The Vatican has issued some statements since where the Pope and/or a spokesman offer a response to some of the criticism.

Aside from all that, do words--however much they may be interpreted in a negative way, even if rightly so--do words from one Christian, even a very important Christian, justify the violence from Muslims that has resulted?

What is it about these Muslims that no criticism, even if wrong, will be tolerated? Are they not proving the point of the quoted passage in the Pope's speech that Muslim use of violence in this way is contrary to reason? Why do they not pursue the road of reason as a response rather than the ways of violence and intimidation?

9/11 Patriot Day: Remember the Fallen and Those Who Defend Us

September 11

On this day, just as a few other key blogs have been doing such as Mudville, Blackfive, Hugh, it is important to remember folks like Rick Rescorla. You can find out about him here.

During the 2001-2002 school year, one of my students did his research project on 9/11. When it came time to pick someone for the biography section, I suggested he consider Rick Rescorla. He did and wrote about the hero. That student, the class, and I all benefited from the essay. We learned a lot about the man who saved many lives.

Help Wanted: Best British Poems

I am trying to come up with a Top 9 of British poems and/or almost poems. I require my high school students to memorize one poem a month. Sometimes, it is technically not a poem but a selection from a larger work that I treat as a poem, such as the "Song of the Witches" from Macbeth: "Double, double toil and trouble; / Fire burn and caldron bubble."

Any suggestions you may have are very much welcome. Just post them or their titles in the comments section below or email me.

One a month for nine months.

I have a few already set because of the holiday/liturgical seasons.

Revisiting 9/11 with Fr. Schall, SJ

As usual, Fr. James V. Schall, SJ, has written a powerful and meaty essay, this one on 9/11 and how things look five years after that unforgettable day: "9/11 Revisited."

The fifth anniversary of the wanton destruction of the World Trade Center Towers is upon us. We ask ourselves: "Were the three thousand people killed somehow 'legitimate' targets?" and, "What was this attack about?" On the accuracy and clarity of our responses everything depends, including the purpose of reason itself. Yet, we are perplexed by the myriad of conflicting and contradictory explanations for the central cause of this day, now called, without further reference, "9/11."

The best anyone can do in these circumstances, it seems, is to provide a solid and well-considered opinion. This is what I shall try to do here. An "opinion" is an informed judgment based on suitable and available evidence concerning possible actions or explanations. The opinion on which one acts could be wrong, but we always act with some lack of clarity. We are irresponsible in many crucial instances, moreover, if we do not seek to find a plausible and accurate opinion about human events, about what they mean.

Fr. Marie-Dominique Philippe, Community of Saint John, and a Beautiful Day

Fr. Marie-Dominique Philippe passed away a week ago. His funeral was today in France and his body will be buried at Rimont (on the grounds of the motherhouse of the community he helped found: the Community of Saint John).

One of the most beautiful days I have experienced is the day I went to Paray le Monial for the profession of vows of some of the brothers. It was a day that some of them received their habit, the religious clothing of monks. The day was beautiful for many reasons, which some day I hope to write down, but for now the moment that directly involves Fr. Philippe is the moment, the event, of a man hearing for the first time and accepting his religious name (Brother so-and-so) ...

... coming up to the presiding superior and with the aid of his fellow brothers taking off an item (a coat) from his former non-monastic days ...

... as prayers are said to express what is going on with the removing of the item ... all with the assistance of his fellow brothers ...

... then the young man receives the habit ... the items are placed on him and his belt is buckled ... and the rosary is given which he places a part of it under his belt to keep it in place ... all this while prayers and explanations are reverently said to express the (monastic) significance of these items and also what they symbolize. The new brother then receives an embrace from his superior (here the founder Fr. Marie-Dominique Philippe) as they each give a monastic gesture: the touching of the side of the left temple of the head upon the other's.

The new brother then gets up and exchanges the gesture with his fellow brothers who helped him during this moment take off the old man and put on the new man.

Ah, the beautiful manifests itself in so many ways! There are few things, moments more beautiful to those who see and understand what is happening on the day one becomes a monastic brother.