Author: Sal

Breaking Catholic ties

From TWT, July 21 edition. It’s an article about how many Hispanic immigrants begin to attend Spanish evangelical churches when they arrive in this country, leaving Catholicism behind.

I admire the zeal of the pastors who run these churches but unfortunately they are leading people away from the true Church, the sacraments, the tangible prescence of Christ in the world. Many dioceses are ill-equipped to deal with their immigrant population and one bad experience with a priest can spoil everything. We are, in most cases, lacking the zeal of the evangelical leaders. For their part they aren’t always honest in their approach. They call their services “Missa” and typically have a poster of Our Lady of Guadalupe outside of their church. It’s typical for a Hispanic Catholic-turned-evangelical to go to a priest when there has been a death in the family. Why do you think that is?

Sophistical Rhetoric in the Gay Marriage Debate

Let’s have a gander at what some of the democrats are saying about the vote in the House today on the bill that would prevent Federal Courts from requiring one state to accept the gay marriage license of another.

“This debate is about a national election,” Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat, said in opposing the bill. “We are playing with fire with this bill, and that fire could destroy the nation we love.”

To say “we are playing with fire” is one thing, to say “that fire could destroy the nation we love” is nonsensical. How, exactly, would this proverbial fire destroy the nation we love?

“I rise in defense of the Constitution, in defense of the separation of powers,” said House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat. “What’s next? No judicial review of laws that restrict freedom of speech or religion?”

Considering that freedom of religion has become freedom from religion I think we’re well on our way, but in a respect Rep. Hoyer isn’t thinking of. In fact, he commits the fallacy of false alternatives by lobbing this rhetorical hand grenade. There are obviously other alternatives than “no judicial review of laws that restrict freedom of speech or religion.”

As an irrelevant and uncharitable aside, I’d just like all of you to know I think “Steny Hoyer” is a dorky name.

Surprise, surprise

Catholic Lawmakers Ignoring Bishops – AP

“I believe that what I do as a public servant is in accord with church teaching,” said Virginia Lt. Gov Tim Kaine, the presumptive Democratic candidate for governor next year. He supports abortion rights with restrictions such as requiring parental consent for minors and banning late-term abortions. “It hasn’t caused me discomfort as a Catholic personally,” he said.

Ah, as long as it doesn’t cause a politician discomfort that it is a-ok! This is, of course, a fallacious interpretation of the so-called primacy of conscience. If one’s conscience isn’t properly formed to begin with, or if it’s been killed by pathologies of modernity, it can’t be a trusted.

This probably isn’t a full quote of Lt. Gov Kaine, but it’s clear that what is behind these statements is a subjective ethical and moral view, in addition to a faulty understanding of Church teaching.