Breifing. Mark Thompson, who famously said that Christianity should be treated with less respect than other religions, is a practicing Catholic. Much good may it do him.
From CFNews: Frequent television portrayals of Christians as absurd make it more difficult for believers to defend themselves, a national journalist has said.
Recent storylines in a number of soaps have sent the clear message that 'Christians are nutters', the Daily Telegraph's religion correspondent, Jonathan Wynne-Jones, wrote last week on his blog.
Christians should expect robust criticism, Mr Wynne-Jones said, but as faith is made to look more ridiculous 'the line between ridicule and persecution becomes even thinner'.
Mr Wynne-Jones wrote on his blog: 'Some would argue that Christianity has been undermined for some time on television.'
He continues: 'Even some of the BBC's religious documentaries have tended to challenge traditional beliefs, from claiming Mary was raped by a Roman soldier to arguing that Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus was caused by an epileptic fit.'
Earlier this week it emerged that dozens of viewers complained to the television regulator after an Easter Sunday episode of Coronation Street featured a string of outbursts against Christianity.
The character Ken Barlow described the Christian faith as a 'superstition', accusing churches of targeting 'vulnerable people' and 'indoctrinating' his grandson.
Mr Wynne-Jones also referred to Hollyoaks, a soap hugely popular with teenagers, where the 'Christian' in the show claims to have found an image of Jesus in a potato.
'Outspoken criticism of Christian beliefs should be expected, but the stealthy attempts to make believers look absurd is much more damaging,' Mr Wynne-Jones said.
'Once faith has been made to look ridiculous, the attempts of believers to rebut the criticism will be met with deaf ears. And then the line between ridicule and persecution becomes even thinner.'
It emerged earlier this month that the producers of Coronation Street are planning to portray a 'born-again Christian' character embarking on a lesbian affair in a bid to make the soap more reflective of modern Britain.
The BBC received 150 complaints about an episode of Eastenders shown in October last year, in which 'Christian' character Dot Cotton was made to look old fashioned and ridiculous in her beliefs on homosexuality.
She was shown getting to grips with an mp3 player before coming across two men kissing on a park bench and asking them to stop. The two male characters sniggered at her efforts to engage with modern technology.
Mark Thompson, the Director General of the BBC, admitted last year that he believes Christianity should be treated with less sensitivity in television programmes than other religions. [Christian Institute]
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Wynne-Jones on media portrayal of Christianity
Monday, April 27, 2009
Atheists evangelise children
Weirder and weirder.
From CFNews: The National Federation of Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student Societies (AHS) plans to launch a recruitment drive this summer. Backed by professors Richard Dawkins and AC Grayling, the initiative aims to establish a network of atheist societies in schools to counter the role of Christianity.
It will coincide with the first atheist summer camp for children that will teach that religious belief and doctrines can prevent ethical and moral behaviour.
The federation aims to encourage students to lobby their schools and local authorities over what is taught in RE lessons and to call for daily acts of collective worship to be scrapped. It wants the societies to hold talks and educational events to persuade students not to believe in God.
Chloë Clifford-Frith, AHS co-founder, said that the societies would act as a direct challenge to the Christian message being taught in schools. She expressed concern that Christian Unions could influence vulnerable teenagers looking for a club to belong to with fundamentalist doctrine. In particular, she claimed that some students were being told that homosexuality is a sin and to believe the Biblical account of creation.
'We want to point out how silly some of these beliefs are and hope that these groups will help to do that,' she said.
The federation's bid to improve co-ordination among atheists in schools follows a successful campaign at universities.
The number of groups reported by the AHS to be active on campuses has risen from seven in 2007/2008 academic year to 25 in 2008/2009, including societies at the universities of Oxford and Durham.
Leeds Atheist Society claims to have experienced discrimination, vandalism, theft and death threats from religious groups on campus, who oppose the open expression of an atheist viewpoint and blasphemy.
AC Grayling, the philosopher and writer, said: 'As well as making the case for reason and science, it is great to know that the AHS will be standing up against religious privilege and discrimination. The AHS shows that increasing numbers of young people are unwilling to put up with it.'
Simon Calvert of the Christian Institute said: 'Atheists are becoming increasingly militant in their desperate attempts to stamp out faith. It is deeply worrying that they now want to use children to attack the Christian ethos of their schools. Many parents will also be anxious at the thought of militant atheists targeting their children.'
In a further development to strengthen the role of atheism among the younger generation, the first summer camp for irreligious children or the children of nontheistic parents is being held this summer. Organisers say that Camp Quest, which originated in America, offers 'a godless alternative to traditional religious summer camps, such as vacation Bible schools'. [Telegraph]
Saturday, April 11, 2009
European Parliament votes to outlaw discrimination based on orientation
Briefing. This is the Sexual Orientation Regulation issue all over again, at the European level. Depending on how it is drafted, it raises not only the question of hoteliers being obliged to give double-beds to unmarried couples, and adoption agencies to give children to same-sex couples, but also the things we narrowly avoided with the UK legislation. These include the provision of 'services' by the Church, such as the sacrament of marriage, and discrimination by the Church in ordination and the religious life (by sex, by sexual orientation, and against transexuals). The Communists and militant liberals and Greens who voted for this Directive would relish the opportunity to give the Church a kicking.
Originally intended to serve as an equal treatment directive for the disabled by prohibiting discrimination with respect to accessing “goods and services, including housing,†the directive was expanded to include the categories of religion or belief, age and “sexual orientation.â€
Kathalijne Maria Buitenweg, Vice-President of the parliamentary working group of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) and a member of the European Green Party, chaired the directive’s drafting committee and drew up the resolution. Buitenweg vigorously stressed the importance of “combating all forms of discrimination,†stating that “It must be possible for two men to occupy a hotel room†though it is unclear where in Europe this is not allowed.
Critics allege that non-governmental organizations pushing “homosexual rights,†such as ILGA, tried advancing their agenda by broadening the directive to encompass elimination of all forms of discrimination, explicitly adding discrimination based on “sexual orientation.†(ILGA has been rejected for UN status for non-governmental organizations for many years because of its connection to pedophile groups.)
Commentators see the directive as another example of the EU imposing one particular view of morality upon its member states. The tendency of the EU to exceed its mandate and impose its moral predilections upon countries was seen a few weeks ago when the Serbian parliament buckled to EU pressure by adopting an anti-discrimination law favored by homosexual rights advocates in the hope of becoming a member of the EU.
One example of intolerance in the name of tolerance is the case of Swedish Pastor Åke Green, who was convicted of violating a Swedish non-disparagement law for a sermon criticizing homosexual conduct as sinful, though his conviction was overturned on appeal. The ongoing fear is that the new sexual orientation provision invites further interference in member states’ national social policies and invites coercion of those who believe homosexual conduct to be immoral to act against their beliefs.
Before becoming binding on member states, the Anti-Discrimination Directive still must be voted on by the EU Council of Ministers, a separate body that effectively functions as an upper legislative chamber. The Council of Ministers is comprised of the ministers from each nation whose portfolio encompasses the issue being voted on. Each country’s vote is weighted in accordance with the relative size of its population, with the vote of Italy, France, Great Britain and Germany having the most weight and Malta the least.
Passage of the directive was attributable to a coalition of communist, liberal, socialist and Green parties.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Blair attacks the Church
Briefing: the arrogance of this man is stunning. Having just been received into the Church, and having refused to clarify his position on abortion and so on at the request of concerned Catholics, he has gone to a militant homosexual magazine to criticise the Pope and tell him to change the teaching of the Church.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Government funds anti-religious zealots
Briefing
From CFNews: It has emerged that £25,000 from a special Government fund set aside for 'building faith communities' has been allocated to the anti-religious British Humanist Association (BHA).
The BHA was behind the atheist bus advertisements which claimed: 'There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.'
It was also given £35,000 by the Equality and Human Rights Commission last year to run seminars on religious tolerance with prominent atheists giving keynote speeches.
MPs and campaigners have called the decision to fund the group with money from the Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund 'scandalous'.
The Government department responsible for the fund is headed by communities secretary Hazel Blears, who was recently criticised for saying faith groups should only be funded to carry out social projects if they promise not to evangelise.
The figure was unearthed through a written parliamentary question from Conservative MP Caroline Spelman.
Commenting on the news, she said: 'Britain has a long tradition of respecting freedom of religion. But English institutions like local church groups are being discriminated against just for being Christian.
'There is a clear agenda to twist so-called equality and human rights. It is wrong that taxpayers' money is being used to bully town halls into axing funding for Christian faith groups.'
The BHA has provided guidance for local authorities which states: 'Religious pictures on the walls may seem inoffensive to those of the religion in question but can create a hostile or offensive environment for others.'
It also boasts to have helped activists within the City of London Police rename their 'prayer rooms' as 'quiet rooms'.
Mrs Spelman continued: 'It is scandalous that Government cash is being used to train 'local authority equality officers' and tear down the religious paintings and imagery which are part of the fabric of our nation.
'People of all faiths have a right to pursue that faith without taxpayers' money being used to marginalise them.' [Christian Institute]
Friday, February 20, 2009
Israeli TV blasphemes Our Lord and the Virgin Mary
The communiqué was signed by the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem and the Franciscan custos of the Holy Land, among others.
"The show directed its attacks to the holiest figures of our Christian belief in an attempt, as the director of the show himself specifically declared, to destroy Christianism," the communiqué stated.
"Channel 10 was used to desecrate the holiest figures of Christianism offending hundreds of thousands of Christian Israeli citizens and of many millions of Christians all over the world as well," the Catholic leaders lamented.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Rabbi defends the Pope
Rabbi Levin said that he understands "perfectly" why the reconciliation is vital to the fight against abortion and the homosexualist movement.
"I understand that it is very important to fill the pews of the Catholic Church not with cultural Catholics and left-wingers who are helping to destroy the Catholic Church and corrupt the values of the Catholic Church." This corruption, he said, "has a trickle-down effect to every single religious community in the world."
"What's the Pope doing? He's trying to bring the traditionalists back in because they have a lot of very important things to contribute the commonweal of Catholicism.
"Now, if in the process, he inadvertently includes someone who is prominent in the traditionalist movement who happens to say very strange things about the Holocaust, is that a reason to throw out the baby with the bathwater and start to condemn Pope Benedict? Absolutely not."
NB Abraham Foxman of the Antidefamation League is a secular Jew committed to the homosexual agenda (see his Wikipedia entry). There is obviously a world of difference between his perspective on the Pope than that of a man like Rabbi Levin, who sees him as an ally. See the full LSN article.
From LifeSiteNews.com: A prominent Jewish Rabbi who represents over 1000 Rabbis in North America spoke to LifeSiteNews.com last week regarding the recent controversy around Pope Benedict XVI and his lifting the excommunication of the four bishops of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX). Rabbi Yehuda Levin says he sees the media attack on Pope Benedict as being more about the influx of morally conservative Catholics into the mainstream of the Catholic Church, rather than anything else, including the holocaust denial of one of the SSPX bishops, which has received widespread media coverage.
The SSPX faithful, in addition to offering the Mass in its ancient Latin form, are also known for their orthodoxy on moral matters. The mainstreaming of such Catholics into the Church would boost the numbers of pro-life and pro-family Catholics significantly, especially in Europe.
Rabbi Levin said that he believed that the Vatican has dealt appropriately with the controversial comments by SSPX Bishop Richard Williamson. However, he said that while this will will put to rest the "ridiculous" suggestions that the Pope is anti-Semitic, it will not end the controversy.
"At this point there has been a wonderfully strong renunciation of Bishop Williamson by the Vatican and therefore the Jewish community from their statements seems to be satisfied that things are going in the right way," he said. "This is just going to increase the frenzy of left wing Catholics, whether outside the Church or inside, because they now have to carry the ball in terms of keeping the attack on the Pope going."
Friday, February 13, 2009
Novena for the Pope
Given these oppositions which the Holy Father faces; given the particular role of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter in working as a bridge for those who have grown apart from the Church in the last forty years; finally, given that we hold St. Peter as our patron and have a particular attachment to his successor, as also requested by our Superior General Very Rev Fr John Berg, FSSP, I would ask all of the members of the Confraternity of St. Peter to offer increased prayers at this time for strength for Pope Benedict XVI.
I suggest that each of our members may offer the following novena, which will be prayed as well by all our seminarians and priests, beginning on February 14th and concluding on the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, February 22nd.
Please remember that as a CSP member you can earn a plenary indulgence on that day, February 22nd, the second anniversary of the foundation of the CSP. On the same day the CSP chaplains will hold a meeting at the General House and will pray at all your intentions.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Armand de Malleray, FSSP, General Chaplain CSP
Novena (February 14 to 22)
Pater Noster, 3 Ave Maria, Gloria Patri
V. Orémus pro Pontífice nostro Benedícto.
R. Dóminus consérvet eum, et vivíficet eum, et beátum fáciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in ánimam inimicórum eius.
V. Tu es Petrus.
R. Et super hanc petram ædificábo Ecclésiam meam.
Orémus. Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, miserére fámulo tuo Pontífici nostro Benedícto : et dírige eum secúndum tuam cleméntiam in viam salútis ætérnæ : ut, te donánte, tibi plácita cúpiat, et tota virtúte perfíciat. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.
R. Amen. Mater Ecclésiæ, ora pro nobis. Sancte Petre, ora pro nobis.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Holocaust day
Comments: one excellent post by Fr Finnigan directs our attention to a very good article by Christopher Ferrara on the appalling damage done to the SSPX's own cause by his remarks denying the Holocaust.
Another recounts some interesting anecdotes about the liberation of Belson, one of the camps where Jews and others were exterminated, including the description of a Mass celebrated by a Polish priest which was witnessed by Lord Molyneaux, who was one of the liberating soldiers.
The most moving experience came on the second morning as I was walking from what had been the luxury SS barracks which our troops had transformed into a hospital. My attention was drawn to two packing cases covered by a worn red curtain. A young Polish priest was clinging to this makeshift altar with one hand, while celebrating Mass. Between his feet lay the body of another priest who probably died during the night. No one had had the energy to move the body.
I had no difficulty in following the old Latin Mass, having been educated at St James's Roman Catholic School in County Antrim, and, although an Anglican, I had gained a working knowledge of all the rituals. Still supporting himself against the altar, the young priest did his best to distribute the consecrated elements. Some recipients were able to stumble over the rough, scrubby heathland. Others crawled forward to receive the tokens and then crawled back to share them with others unable to move. Some almost certainly passed on to another - probably better - world before sunset. Whatever one's race or religion one can only be uplifted and impressed by that truly remarkable proof of the ultimate triumph of good over evil.
Let no one imagine that a position within the Catholic church favourable to her traditions has any connection with the demented desire to minimise the suffering of Hitler's victims.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Bishop Lindsay remembered
From an email: Bishop Hugh Lindsay died on Monday at the age of 81 after a short illness. His letter-writing mania has finally come to an end. Throughout his episcopate he was the implacable foe of Sacred Tradition. But in fairness to him, it seems appropriate to recall the occasional good deed that he did. In the late 1970's a church in Jarrow was broken into - the tabernacle was opened and Communion hosts were scattered around the church. Bishop Lindsay ordered all-night Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in every church of the diocese in reparation for the sacrilege perpetrated.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Atheist bus adverts generate complaint to ASA
Briefing: We didn' think this worth pursuing with a call for compaints, but Stephen Green has one after it and we shall see what happens. Organic farmers aren't allowed to describe their produce as more tasty than its rivals without evidence; why should the Humanist Association be able to say there is no God without argument?
In another twist to the story, a Christian bus driver has refused to drive the buses with these adverts on them.
From the Guardian, in part: The advertising regulator has received almost 150 complaints that an atheist ad campaign, proclaiming "There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life", is offensive to Christians and other religions that believe in a single God.
Stephen Green, the national director of Christian Voice, is among those who have complained to the Advertising Standards Authority, arguing that the atheist campaign broke the advertising code on the grounds of substantiation and truthfulness.
The ASA has received 141 complaints about the Atheist Bus Campaign which launched earlier this week on buses throughout England, Scotland and Wales, as well as the London underground. However, 39 of the complaints are regarding newspaper and online articles about the campaign, which the ASA has no power to deal with.
Green said: "It is given as a statement of fact and that means it must be capable of substantiation if it is not to break the rules. There is plenty of evidence for God, from people's personal experience, to the complexity, interdependence, beauty and design of the natural world. But there is scant evidence on the other side, so I think the advertisers are really going to struggle to show their claim is not an exaggeration or inaccurate, as the ASA code puts it."
The regulator has not yet decided if the complaints warrant a formal investigation to see if the campaign has broken the advertising code.
Hanne Stinson, the chief executive of the British Humanist Association, which launched the campaign, said she "pitied the ASA if they are going to be expected to rule on the probability of god's existence. However, if they do investigate we will be very happy to respond".
Monday, December 08, 2008
Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor: soft religious persecution in the UK
Briefing.
The cardinal warns that Britain shows signs of degenerating into a country free of morals, because of its rejection of traditional values and its new emphasis on the rights of the individual.
There are now "serious tensions" between Christians and secularist society, he says, in which atheists are becoming more "vocal and aggressive".
Writing in a book on multiculturalism, to be published tomorrow, the Cardinal argues that immigrants have a duty to adjust to British life, but expresses concern that they are faced with a culture that is increasingly repressive and intolerant. He says that while the country has become more diverse and pluralistic, the Christian values which have shaped its identity should not be abandoned.
The book, called Faith in the Nation, is published by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), with the backing of the Prime Minister. In it the cardinal says: "Religious belief of any kind tends now to be treated more as a private eccentricity than as the central and formative element in British society that it is.
"Although the tone of public discussion is sceptical or dismissive rather than antireligious, atheism has become more vocal and aggressive."
Britain's most senior Catholic leader says that the "unfriendly climate for people of all faiths" has united the country's three major faiths, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. However, he claims that Catholicism has borne the brunt of "liberal hostility" in its battles to fight for values it considers to be "fundamental pillars of a rightly ordered society".
"The vocal minority who argue that religion has no role in modern British society portray Catholic teaching on the family as prejudiced and intolerant to those pursuing alternatives," he says.
In particular, the cardinal highlights the Church's opposition to liberal laws on abortion and homosexuality, its defence of faith schools and its support for marriage.
He led the Church's unsuccessful attempt to block the controversial embryo Bill, which allows for saviour siblings and babies to be born without fathers.
The campaign raised questions over the role of religion in influencing public policy, but the cardinal argues that moves to silence the faith communities must be resisted.
"There is a current dislike of absolutes in any area of human activity, including morality," he says.
"The intolerance of liberal sceptics can be as repressive as the intolerance of religious believers. Catholics are not alone in watching with dismay as the liberal society shows signs of degenerating into the libertine society."
He blames the culture of individual rights, encouraged by the Human Rights Act, as responsible for creating a society that claims to be tolerant, but in fact denies the rights of religious groups to act according to their conscience and beliefs.
"British society champions tolerance and freedom, but that freedom is dependent on responsibility," he says.
"A simplistic belief that right or wrong is an individualistic construct denies our responsibilities to neighbour and wider society."
In the book, the cardinal says that the need for defining limits of tolerance is particularly clear in the debate over multiculturalism.
Guy Lodge, senior fellow at the IPPR and the book's co-editor, said: "Though many members of religious groups would not agree that they are subject to unfair or arbitrary discrimination because of their beliefs, there is some evidence that faith communities feel increasingly estranged from certain aspects of British culture."
Keith Porteous Wood, executive director of the National Secular Society, said: "Secularists and atheists are finding it necessary to express their views more vocally because of the increasing demands made by Christians and minority faiths. The position of bishops and the Vatican on moral issues such as abortion and contraception is at odds with the views of people in the pews and in the country as a whole. We support the right of everyone to express their religion and their views in public but we have a problem with religion having a privileged place, as it does with bishops in the House of Lords."
In the book the cardinal says: "Immigrant groups have an obligation to understand, respect and adjust to the ethos of the society they are opting to join. Our society has a corresponding obligation to encourage and help them to do so."
Earlier this year, Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury suggested it was inevitable that Islamic sharia law would be adopted in this country. [Sunday Telegraph]
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Taxpayers fork out to promote Atheism
Briefing.
The British Humanist Association will host free public events at which Evan Harris MP (the scary Lib Dem nicknamed "Dr Death" for his pro-abortion views) and atheist philosopher AC Grayling will talk about "religion or belief in equality and human rights groups". The bill will be footed by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) - ie, the taxpayer.
According to the Catholic Union, funding the British Humanist Association to provide seminars on "religious belief discrimination" is a bit like asking the Far Right to host seminars on racism. I don't think that analogy will go down well with the Association, whose President is the snooty grande dame of the wealthy Left, Polly Toynbee.
See his full post.
Friday, October 31, 2008
From permitting harm to preventing good
Briefing. The new persecution has begun, and it is going to get worse. The Church, and Catholics as individuals, are being pushed out of one area of national life after another.
From CFNews: Family Education Trust director, Norman Wells, highlights an alarming trend in public policy and legislation
OVER the past 40 years, we have witnessed wave after wave of permissive legislation. It has never been easier to obtain an abortion or a divorce, young people under the age of consent have no difficulty in accessing contraception in complete confidence, homosexual couples can adopt and foster children and, through the Civil Partnership Act, legal recognition has been given to same-sex relationships.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill represents a further example of permissive lawmaking with its removal of the requirement to consider the need of a child for a father before granting IVF treatment and provisions allowing for the construction of animal-human hybrids, the creation of 'saviour-siblings'. and the increased use of embryos in stem cell research.
A new phenomenon
But now we are beginning to see a new phenomenon. No longer content with permissive legislation and standards. our social engineers are becoming increasingly prescriptive as they seek to impose their permissive attitudes and standards on those who have so far resisted them.
At the British Medical Association's annual conference in July. Liberal Democrat MP and honorary associate of the National Secular Society. Evan Harris. sought support for a motion aimed at placing limits on the statutory right of doctors and other healthcare professionals to conscientiously object to having anything to do with abortion or IVF services.
Thankfully the motion failed, but the issue is not going to go away. This autumn Dr Harris is proposing an amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill aimed at requiring all doctors and pharmacists to prescribe or provide the full range of contraception and emergency hormonal birth control. It is the intention of the amendment that those who are unable in good conscience to facilitate the provision of treatment that has the potential to operate after conception has occurred should be presented with a stark choice: act against your conscience or seek alternative employment elsewhere.
Tony Calland. chairman of the British Medical Association's medical ethics committee, treats conscientious objectors to abortion with similar contempt. In a recent issue of the British Medical Journal, he asserted: 'It would be a bit stupid of someone who is a devout Catholic to become a gynaecologist, because they would he expected to carry out abortions.' Presumably Dr Calland's strictures would apply equally to an evangelical. a Muslim, an orthodox Jew, or anyone else with strong moral or religious convictions.
Conform or perish
Only last year. after initially denying that the sexual orientation regulations would have any adverse effect on the businesses of people who had a moral or religious objection to homosexual practice, the then Equalities Minister. Meg Munn. finally admitted that the regulations could have a major impact. In a letter to the Family Education Trust, she revealed that wedding photographers not wishing to be involved with civil partnerships would have to go into a different branch of photography, and suggested that a wedding chauffeur could always specialise in corporate travel. As for hotel proprietors, if they were not prepared to allow same-sex couples to share a double room, the only option open to them under the law would be to do away with double rooms altogether and only offer single rooms. The message could hardly have been clearer: you have got to conform or face going out of business.
New orthodoxies
There is now a danger that certain professions - including healthcare - will become no-go areas for people who refuse to submit to the new orthodoxies. But the situation we are facing is even more serious than that, because people of moral and religious principle are also being excluded from areas of public service and from vital caring roles.
The Sheffield magistrate, Andrew McClintock, was effectively forced to resign from the Bench because he could not in good conscience be involved in placing children for adoption with same-sex couples. And David and Heather Bowen, a couple from Somerset, have recently had their application to foster turned down because they occasionally use a smack to discipline their own daughter. There is no suggestion that they have ever used excessive force on their own child and they have willingly given an undertaking that they would not smack a fostered child, yet solely because of their views on smacking they were deemed unsuitable to foster.
Imposing a new morality
To put it at its simplest, for four decades we have tolerated, permitted and even promoted policies that cause harm, but until recently no one has been forced to do anything against his or her conscience. In the past we have been content to call good what centuries of Judaeo-Christian influence has regarded as evil; but now, we are beginning to call evil what historically has been recognised as good. Not only are we embracing a new morality, but increasingly we are seeking to impose it by force of law.
And what are the consequences of this? Is our permissive-turned-prescriptive approach contributing to a more caring and compassionate society? Not at all. We desperately need more public-spirited people to care for the most needy and vulnerable, yet these are the very people we are currently in danger of turning away when we place unacceptable limits on the exercise of freedom of conscience. [FYC]
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
BBC cooks up sacrilegious and indecent series
Briefing.
From mediawatch-uk: This was the headline in a recent edition of the Sunday Express, which went on to say that the BBC is facing a backlash over a shocking new television drama featuring gay sex, murder and Mother Teresa. The six part series about exorcism, called 'Apparitions', was the idea of Martin Shaw, who stars in it as a Roman Catholic priest. According to the report, graphic scenes in the prime time drama, to be screened in November. Include a man possessed by the devil and being skinned alive in a gay sauna. In another episode, a father is shown threatening a sexual assault on his daughter. Mother Teresa is seen on her deathbed, her mind seemingly inhabited by demons. The newspaper went on to quote mediawatch-uk's John Beyer, who warned that the graphic sexual and religious scenes will cause outrage. 'This series is likely be a clear breach of the Broadcasting Code. I'm surprised the BBC agreed to commission a show like this as a way of debating the battle between good and evil. There must be better ways of doing that. They've got people spitting on crucifixes and it is likely to cause serious offence to the Christian community. Considering the reaction to Jerry Springer the Opera in 2005. BBC really ought to know better'.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Atheists buy adverts on London buses
The British Humanist Association's success in raising money for this stunt is a sign of the times.
From the BBC, in part: Bendy-buses with the slogan "There's probably no God" could soon be running on the streets of London. The atheist posters are the idea of the British Humanist Association (BHA) and have been supported by prominent atheist Professor Richard Dawkins. The BHA planned only to raise £5,500, which was to be matched by Professor Dawkins, but it has now raised more than £36,000 of its own accord. It aims to have two sets of 30 buses carrying the signs for four weeks.
The complete slogan reads: "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."
As the campaign has raised more than anticipated, it will also have posters on the inside of buses as well. The BHA is also considering extending the campaign to cities including Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh. Professor Dawkins said: "Religion is accustomed to getting a free ride - automatic tax breaks, unearned respect and the right not to be offended, the right to brainwash children."
Read the full story here.
Catholic teaching on faith and reason is expressed pithily in Pius X's 'Oath Against Modernism':
I profess that God, the origin and end of all things, can be known with certainty by the natural light of reason from the created world (see Rom. 1:90), that is, from the visible works of creation, as a cause from its effects, and that, therefore, his existence can also be demonstrated: Secondly, I accept and acknowledge the external proofs of revelation, that is, divine acts and especially miracles and prophecies as the surest signs of the divine origin of the Christian religion and I hold that these same proofs are well adapted to the understanding of all eras and all men, even of this time.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
YouTube: sacrilegious videos back on-line
Action: please sign the petition and protest by email (here's the address: editor@YouTube.com; here's a standard protest letter and a way of sending it). What are they playing at? As we reported a few days ago, after a huge protest from the Catholic community YouTube pulled these videos of consecrated hosts being desecrated - but only for a few hours. They are back on-line and we have to go back to complaining about it. “On September 29, I wrote to YouTube CEO Chad Hurley asking him to take down these offensive videos. I left a phone message for him on October 3, but he refuses to respond. Accordingly, I have posted my own video on YouTube calling attention to this matter. “It was a professor from the University of Minnesota, Morris campus, Paul Z. Myers, who started the war on the Eucharist this past summer by intentionally desecrating a consecrated Host. Because Myers committed this act off-campus, the University did nothing about it. The latest copycat, however, has violated YouTube’s own ‘Community Guidelines.’ YouTube makes it clear that it does not ‘permit hate speech,’ defined as ‘speech which attacks or demeans a group based on race or ethnic origin, religion….’ It also says it ‘is not a shock site.’ Now if desecrating what Catholics believe to be the Body and Blood of Christ does not constitute hate speech, as well as expression designed to shock, nothing does. “In August, YouTube took down a video of a teenager who urinated on the Holocaust memorial in Rhodes, Greece. That was not only the right moral choice, it was consistent with its own strictures. Catholics deserve the same sensitivity, and that is why we are asking YouTube to take down these unconscionable videos. It is not only right morally, it is in compliance with its own guidelines.” From 'American Needs Fatima': In only 7 days, 18,201 people have respectfully asked YouTube to pull the offensive videos that show the Holy Eucharist being desecrated, including one being flushed down a toilet. I believe these videos violate YouTube’s hate policies, for they are sacrilegious, offensive to the Blessed Sacrament and demeaning to Catholics and to the Roman Catholic faith. But since YouTube has NOT heard us, although pulling the videos for a few hours, it’s time to turn our petition into a protest! Please go here to send your NEW protest message to YouTube. By YouTube seemingly resolved to give a platform to these host desecration videos, many Catholics will reasonably conclude they agree with these videos’ deep anti-Catholic bias. After all, it seems that YouTube has removed videos with content offensive to Jews and Muslims. For example, a video showing a teenager urinating on the Holocaust memorial was pulled. So was the trailer to a Dutch documentary that claims that Islam inspires intolerance, murder and terror. But videos with the Holy Eucharist being desecrated seem to be OK. In my opinion, this is a double standard. I know you will not accept this. And that is why I ask you to:
The on-off policy seems to be a characteristic: they've been doing it also with their censorship of pro-life videos. Perhaps they think we won't notice that they've undone what they did in response to protests.
A big hat-tip to Catholic Rights: see his discussion.
From the
Catholic League: Under the name fsmdude, a Canadian man, Dominique, has posted over 40 videos on YouTube desecrating the Eucharist. Catholic League president Bill Donohue responds as follows:
Saturday, October 04, 2008
YouTube pulls the plug on sacrilegious videos
Briefing: a great victory for Catholics on the web. YouTube has a record of pulling pro-life videos without explanation, including critiques of Planned Parenthood with no gory images or anything like that. They have usually reinstated these after a fuss.
Catholics are thrilled and prayers of thanksgiving are being offered. The video removal petition was circulated by the Catholic group America Needs Fatima and 18,201 people signed it in only seven days. For over a month, an individual from Canada had posted 40 videos showing the Holy Eucharist being stepped on, burned, stapled, smoked and nailed to a stick -- even flushed down the toilet. The videos shocked Catholics and caused America Needs Fatima to launch a petition on September 23 asking YouTube to remove the videos. 'I was never so offended in my life,' said Michael Jordan, who joined the petition from Marysville, California. 'The videos were pure hate.'
The petition spread like wildfire. America Needs Fatima webmaster Joseph Ritchie said: 'I never saw so many people sign a petition so fast. They came in from all over the world, even Russia. We're now sending YouTube a 'thank you' note.' Mr. Ritchie said. 'The 'thank you' message lets Catholics tell YouTube how happy they are with the videos being removed.' 'It's important the staff at YouTube see that Catholics not only have courage to defend the faith, but courtesy to say 'thank you' as well,' he said. [Catholic Newswire]
Sunday, September 28, 2008
March for Indian Christians
Action: please support the march if you can. The persecution of Christians in India by Hindu militants must not be ignored by Christians in the West. There are many Catholics in India, yet this protest is being promoted by evangelical Protestants.
Post-colonial embarrassment is no excuse to ignore the sufferings of our fellow Christians in India, or the Christians being persecuted by Muslims in Iraq, by Buddhists in Sri Lanka, or Communists in China.
From Christian Voice: a march of witness has been arranged by Indian Christian Concern in central London on Saturday 4th October 2008.
Petitions will be handed at 10 Downing Street and at the India High Commission, the final destination, in order to highlight the plight of our Christian brothers and sisters.
The assembly point is Richmond Terrace SW1A off Victoria Embankment just north of Westminster Tube. The procession will start at 2:00pm. Please pray for the brothers and sisters facing persecution and also forward this to ask people to pray to join the protest march in London. Scripture says we all suffer if one part of the body suffers. It would be good if Christian leaders from all churches would join this initiative. Please encourage those you know to come.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
FFM Parishes: O'Donaghue on being Catholic, 15
Another of our extracts from 'Fit for Mission? - Parishes' by Bishop O'Donaghue of Lancaster. Click on the 'label' FFM Parishes to see others. See the 'Fit for Mission?' website and download the full document. The previous title in the series, 'Fit for Mission? - Schools' is downloadable here (pdf). This generated a Facebook support group.
In this passage Bishop O'Donaghue talks about his experience bring grilled by a House of Commons committee, which we reported on here.
From section 10.9.2, p79f:
Reflecting on the encounter, I was disappointed at the basic lack of knowledge exhibited by some members of the committee about Catholic education, and the Catholic Church in general. There appeared to be an a priori suspicion and scepticism about the motives and practices of faith schools in general, and Catholic schools and the Church in particular. Any hint of evangelisation or catechesis, even within our Catholic schools, is increasingly viewed as intolerable indoctrination and proselytism.
I came away concerned that a breach seems to be growing between the State and the Church, and the position of faith in general, which will harm the ability of both to help the citizens of our county to ‘fulfil their personal and social vocation.’ As Gaudium et Spes puts it, ‘the more they co-operate reasonably...the more effectively they will perform this service to everybody’s advantage.’ (GS 76).
Of one thing I am certain, this breach will not be mended though compromising the faith and morals of Catholic doctrine. What is needed is evangelisation of state power through ‘its confrontation with the abiding objectivity of the natural moral law, itself an expression of the divine Wisdom, and the measure of all positive law on earth.’ (Aidan Nichols, The Realm, p.147).
