Compromise, Capitulation and Catholics

The liturgical crimes committed at the University of Notre Dame on Sunday reached an historical apex with the appearance of the president. Simply stated, the university abandoned its long held prestige as America’s premier Catholic University and exemplar of the faith. It offered a platform to espouse toleration, diversity, reconciliation, ideological problem solving, change, fair-minded words, and not least; a defense of efforts to abate global warming.

All of this was offered in a venue noted for single minded devotion to the one true God. God, who has stated, in written language, his concepts of life as He requires. From that platform we heard instead, a political thank you to those, who in denial of their faith, offered support for a man diametrically opposed to the principals which have formed the identity of the church for centuries. We observed a purely secular figure allowed to insert his opinions into the internal workings of an allegedly viable faith and put, by his presence, his imprimatur on doctrine clearly in opposition to that church’s teachings. Teachings well covered not just in the Catholic Church, but in the history of God Almighty.

By offering his laundry list of pop culture phrasing, as noted above, he urged the audience to take the easy path and compromise. Where was the speaker’s “open heart” when millions of unborn children were mercilessly slain in the mother’s womb as he pushed legislation to continue the practice? What “fair-minded” words did he offer to prevent the late-term slaughter of innocents? Most important, where is the word “compromise” in the Bible? It is alien to that noble work. It does not appear in any verse, in any chapter, in any book. (ref. “Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance”) In short, compromise is not a part of the Christian ethic.

Glib speech, with a teleprompter assist, is a secular accomplishment which should not be confused with an inner spiritual disposition. Common currency of the progressive leftist is to use the weasel words of deception to paint a picture of compassion, caring, acceptance of every view to appease and gain support for their own personal agenda. One would think that it would be readily recognized in an academic setting and rejected. One would be wrong since the audience apparently gullibly accepted every word with applause and awe. The “awe” is misplaced to describe any thing other than reverential fear. Those who willingly applauded his remarks should be in awe; not of the speaker but of God who was the object of the offense.

There is no such thing as a “twenty-first” century Christian. God does not measure time. If you have taken on the name of Jesus Christ you have assumed His beliefs, principals, grace, mercy, and should be on a constant search to expand your knowledge of His desire for you. If you lack wisdom, you are directed to ask Him and He has promised to furnish it without criticism. (See James 1:5) Situational ethics are not appropriate to second guess the intent of the Master. In this case they are simply a tool in the traveling case of a snake oil salesman.

The principal ingredient in a recipe for a “bloodless coup” is capitulation. It is the soul of politics but an anathema to faith which requires unswerving devotion. Those who offered their presence and their lives in protest to the travesty at Notre Dame are worthy of our praise and our deep respect. Directed by a proper higher power, they went the distance to express their disgust and attempt to educate others on that which is true. They chose not to ignore the verities of their belief. To capitulate then becomes a denial. Those who carefully read their scripture realize that denial of previously acknowledged acceptance constitutes the unforgivable sin. May God extend His mercy to Notre Dame.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon

Monday Morning Rant 92

What a glorious time to be alive! I am totally captivated by the activity of the plants and animals in the neighborhood and here on the ridge this spring. It seems as though I am seeing things which have undoubtedly been present previously but, obviously, I wasn’t paying attention.

The nine or ten stumps which I burned and or excavated over the last six years have grown over and are difficult to remember. The grass has filled in the bare spots and it is becoming a continuous area of lustrous green. Jan’s flowers are making wonderful progress and some are blooming. The roses are coming well, the peonies are outstanding, and the day lilies are flashing here and there.

Judging from the little pigs, calves, colts (both horse and ass) and lambs in the nearby meadows, I’d say everybody wintered well. The wild creatures seem to have increased their number as well. Apparently the only creature who suffered during the recent winter was man who seems to have a predilection to consistently mess up every thing he touches: or is that just in Washington?

The Value of the Child

Late this last week we were treated to a recent Gallup Poll which I took the liberty of reprinting. It’s worth a careful look. In summation, it appears that Pro-Life has now become the option for 51% of the population by 9 percentage points. That would be the first time in fourteen years for that posture to be in the lead. Possibly it was longer because Gallup only started that particular poll question in 1995. The poll starts with a decline in the pro-choice stance during the Clinton years with a virtual tie in the run-up to the election of G.W. Bush.

I’m not so sure that more people have become convinced on the issue but rather more eager to share their opinion on the matter with others. Polls are funny that way. About 9 months ago, we adopted a policy of not answering calls from 1-800 numbers because they were nearly always intrusive beyond our interest or annoying politically.

Continuing along the same subject we find “the one” accepting an honorary juris doctorate from Notre Dame and giving the commencement address to the graduates. The Rev. John Jenkins, Notre Dame’s president remarked, “I do not suggest that the debate surrounding abortion can or should go away.” That being said, he was also responsible for authorizing the arrest and incarceration of dozens of protesters the night before and almost that many more during the service itself. No doubt he thought they “should go away.” Apparently some priests and other Catholic officials are doing their job too well. Many of those arrested had the idea that God Himself sees the practice of murdering the unborn as sin. It is apparent that the very worst of the Catholic Church and the very finest have collided in South Bend this past weekend.

One of the arrested protesters was Norma McCorvey who was the plaintiff who was named in the infamous Supreme Court decision known as Roe v. Wade. After the practice of abortion was thus legalized, we find McCorvey now opposes abortion and joined the demonstrators in the pokey.

There is something in the water at American Universities. It manifests itself in absolute arrogance. If you are looking for character, morals, faith, and unfettered honesty within the ivy covered walls or for that matter under the gold dome, I suggest you go to the cafeteria or the maintenance department and hunt up someone carrying trays or a wrench. Find that person who sweats for a living and you will probably find those characteristics. If ,on the other hand, if duplicity, deviousness, compromise and self interest are your bag, check the offices with the broad walnut desks, the easy chairs and the expensive religious icons and pictures of the executive posing with “important” people adorning the walls. In such haunts lurk the predators of education: the presidents, the board chairmen, the department heads, and those others who would sell the students souls for their own self-aggrandizement. May God have mercy on their souls.

A Reminder

I ran this before but I am going to run it again for the benefit of those who missed it the first time. It is the ad which was turned down which was to have been aired during the super-bowl. The networks couldn’t tolerate the idea of the truth so apparent in the ad.

And finally

Mrs. Pelosi continues to embarrass herself and the House of Representatives, if that is possible. I think I shall tear a page out of the tradition of Alcoholics Anonymous and present the adage that recoverees have found so helpful over their years of struggle. “If you find yourself in a hole; quit digging!”

She now has a web of claims and counter claims and witnesses with amnesia in her struggle to maintain the high ground against the CIA. She’s losing! After hearing five different versions of the story, not only am I confused but it is obvious that she is too. Experience dictates that honesty is the lazy man’s best friend.. It’s much tougher to keep all those tall tales straight than it is to just tell the truth at the beginning. The truth is a complicated narrative but multiplied times 5 it becomes impossible.

Our final thought is a grateful thank you to those who serve, those who love those who serve , those who wait for those who serve, and those who honor the memory of those who have served and did not return. Our military is entitled to all that a grateful nation can deliver. If you didn’t do it today keep Armed Forces Day in mind and give a slap on the back of those who are doing their job so well. Keep these noble men and women in mind the next time some politico shows hesitation in their support.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon

She'd Be So Proud

Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be abortionists

God help us

Jan

Who Says There's no New World Order on the Agenda?

I wanted to put up this little quickie for those of you who haven't heard of these people. There's an earlier post on this blog about the Bilderberg group, but I just found this in my email.

Also, go to Giovanni's World and look at today's open thread. That is, if you have a lot of free time. For those of us who have to work this weekend it won't work out so well; we'll have to wait until next week. But there's lots of food for thought there. Actually it's food for outrage.

Every now and then I'll post something that's sticking in my craw on ZB until I start yet one more blog of my own.

Jan

The House Dog

I’m a dog guy. I might as well admit it because anyone who knows the least about me has found it apparent. Many different dogs have shared their lives with me and I became the primary beneficiary. Some had “papers”, some were born on the property they considered their own, some just wandered in, some caught my eye and heart in a shelter and others were a gift. No; they all were a gift.

They came in a dazzling variety of shapes, colors, hair length, tail configuration, training accomplishment, personalities, size, weight and mix of breed. Each shared a common trait with the other; the return of the absolute love I had for them. My memory of each is more clear in my mind than most of the rest of my recollections. No matter how long they graced my presence, their imprint is there to remind me of that so scarce commodity—faithfulness.

They were all alike in so many ways and yet each offered a distinct individual personality. Some were sleepers and some were doers. Some trained easily and others were incorrigible. All were beautiful in my eyes.

I didn’t know Robinson Jeffers (1887-1962) and after some brief research discover that we share little other than our concern for nature and dogs. His capture of Haig and their mutual love is inescapable. Read this carefully and without a tear and I will conclude I don’t really know you or you have never enjoyed the love of a dog.

The House Dog’s Grave (for Haig, an English Bulldog)

I’ve changed my ways a little; I cannot now
Run with you in the evenings along the shore,
Except in a kind of dream; and you,
If you dream a moment,
You see me there.

So leave awhile the paw-marks on the front door
Where I used to scratch to go out or in,
And you’d soon open; leave on the kitchen floor
The marks of my drinking-pan.

I cannot lie by your fire as I used to do
On the warm stone,
Nor at the foot of your bed; no,
All the nights through I lie alone.

But your kind thought has laid me less than six feet
Outside your window where firelight so often plays,
And where you sit to read‚
And I fear often grieving for me‚
Every night your lamplight lies on my place.

You, man and woman, live so long, it is hard
To think of you ever dying.
A little dog would get tired, living so long.
I hope that when you are lying
Under the ground like me your lives will appear
As good and joyful as mine.

No, dears, that’s too much hope:
You are not so well cared for as I have been.
And never have known the passionate undivided
Fidelities that I knew.
Your minds are perhaps too active, too many-sided…
But to me you were true.

You were never masters, but friends. I was your friend.
I loved you well, and was loved. Deep love endures
To the end and far past the end. If this is my end,
I am not lonely. I am not afraid. I am still yours.

— Robinson Jeffers

Thank you for reading. Rubber, Kaiser, Buster, Silver, Blackie, Grambling, Maynard, Sally, Clancy, Zoram, Ashley, Gus and Maggie thank you as well.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon

Air Farce One—UPDATE !!

In the face of escalating prices for custom photography, roughly $350,000 for a picture of Air Force I flying by the Statue of Liberty, we couldn’t afford a reprint for you. You’ve seen it endlessly reproduced anyway. Go to your favorite site or this one which has better photo skills than ZB and look carefully at the shot.

There are three tell-tale details to look for in this official release. First, take note of the trees on the island and observe that they are all leafed out in their green finery. Second, if your shot is enlargeable, that there is no visible person in line. The visitors would be in line on the walk at harbor side waiting their turn. Third, note the beautiful sunny conditions and the shine on Miss Liberty’s face.

Let’s deal with each in order. First, the pictures taken of the fleeing mobs of terrified people in New York reveal absolutely no sign of leafing on the trees in the background on that date. Second, any prior visitor, that would be your host on several different occasions, can assure you there is always a long line patiently awaiting entry to the monument. It occupies the entire length of the pleasant walkway around the base. And third, the National Weather Service and observers that day note that it was overcast and combined with typical big city pollution and not a very good day for photography.

There are only three conclusions available: the shot is a fake, the reason for the trip was a lie and, given the obvious lack of transparency in this White House, we will likely never know the truth.

Compared to budget deficits in the trillions, $350,000 seems like chump change and not worth the bother. Here we turn back to NYC for their famous “broken window” success in bringing down their crime rate. The theory goes that if you bring down the full force of law on the most minor infractions, it will then rise through absorption up to the tort level and alert criminals to the law enforcement presence and thus it will lessen more serious crime. It works!

Sin is sin, is sin. As Christians, we fully realize the folly of separation from God at any level. When gossip is shared, is it any different from the utterances of one who screams blasphemy? Both separate us from the Almighty so it boils down to a matter of degree. We fully realize that degree is not an acceptable measure. Both are hurtful to the hearer and to our Heavenly Father. Many of us, to avoid offense to our Maker, rely upon the old stand-by; “shun the appearance of evil.” It works as well.

Almost every one with a nose has an opinion as to what the motivation might have been for this fiasco. Some say sightseeing for a load of “fat cats.” Some say just plain joy-riding. Others say a preliminary run for a repeat of 9/11. Since we have no plausible, confirmed stated purpose for this misadventure and, since the “photo-op” doesn’t fly, we are then left to our own devices and every looney-toons idea that folks can come up with.

That piece of equipment, along with its escort, is the property of people of the United States. Persons who use it should be held accountable for their stewardship of this valuable property. The money expended to operate it is also the property of the people and they are entitled to know the truth in the details of the trip. None of this belongs to any man of any party. It’s ours and we would like an answer without spin.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon

Monday Morning Rant 91

Missouri is as lovely as it is predictable. Our Mother’s Day storm came a day earlier this year but no less damaging. Early Friday morning we were treated to winds reaching eighty plus miles per hour, hail, and a gully washer of a rain. The house, deck and cars were covered with leaves, seeds, and other trash, plus, one eighty foot oak totally upended at the edge of the woods. The yard was full of torn off limbs with some major units blocking the lane to the main road..

The clean up lasted until evening Saturday. At that point I was too tired to go with Jan and help the guys at Fellowship Baptist serve the ladies their well-deserved Mother’s Day dinner. On the way to church this Sunday morning, we saw hunks and chunks of roofs, sheds, trees, and other unsecured items strewn over the country side. So far, we have no reported casualties of folks or whole buildings.

Lee Parsons was at his usual best and preached to the importance God placed on man having a companion; hence, mothers. We closed with the blessing of a brand new baby. The child, born premature several weeks ago, was surrounded by an obviously adoring family. In this age of constant turmoil it’s nice to see things as they should be. Thank you God!

Catholics!

Over the years I have had many close Catholic friends of varying levels of commitment to their faith. In fairness, many of my protestant friends have revealed a varying understanding as well. In the final analysis I had come to the conclusion that the Catholics had a firmer grip on their devotion to their principles. The situation at the upcoming Notre Dame graduation has shaken that belief to the core.

In a current Rasmussen Poll, only 52% of Catholics firmly rejected the proposition that Obama should address the graduates and receive an honorary degree. I cite Rasmussen because I believe them to be the least prejudiced of all polling agencies. Thus 48% are in disagreement with 62 of their Bishops who are on record as being opposed. I have seen no comment so far from the Vatican.

The crux of the matter is plainly the president’s track record (the worst in politics both state and federal) regarding the wanton murder of the unborn. Even to the issue of late term abortion, he has clearly stated and taken action to enable that heinous activity. In my experience, one would not even bring up the subject with a Catholic friend because any discussion would be fruitless and offensive to them.

In further polling it was revealed that evangelical Christians take an even stronger stance in defense of the unborn than Catholics. Who would have ever thought they would see that day? In the early fifties, when we moved briefly to heavily Catholic Massachusetts, one could not even buy birth control devices in drug stores. Apparently, in much of the flock, political expediency has replaced the tenets of the faith. Oh well, I guess for some nine commandments are better than none. But not in God's eyes

Air Farce One

Apparently, the photos which were the stated cause of terrifying thousands of New Yorkers recently, will be back from Walgreen’s photo finishers shortly. I’m not certain if you can get the ever popular wallet size or not. At the least you should be able to get a coffee cup or a tee-shirt with the shot printed on it. My understanding is that it would take another week for processing.

This brings us to wonder how much room there is left under the “bus.” The guy who was in charge of the operation has graciously resigned and accepted full responsibility. However, the guy who recruited him still has his job. Sorting through the detritus which is the talent pool of the liberal ranks, it is understandably difficult to find people of talent who have paid their taxes (on time), haven’t been lobbyists, or don’t have sexual scandals clouding their records. Even being the king can have its problems.

A Seventy-five year old Cartoon

Once you have switched media several times, it is nearly impossible to maintain the original integrity of a document. In this case, there is sufficient detail left for you to get the idea. Although published in ’34 or ’35 it captures today’s financial situation with extreme accuracy. “They” say there’s nothing new under the sun. In this case, we could simply change some, but not all, the names and come up with the appropriate message.

We have fought with spirits of the internet all morning and have been unable to get the cartoon to post. Please, please click here and take a look at it. It is part of an editorial by Thomas Mitchell of the Review-Journal in Las Vegas.

For clarification we find the labels on the cart reveal the presence of “Ickes” in the middle. Harold L. Ickes was the longest serving Secretary of Interior (1933-1946) who served as the primary implementer of the “new deal” under Roosevelt. He was a machine politician from Chicago (law degree from Univ. of Chicago,) active in social programs and conflicted over party affiliation. Ickes was also an original founding delegate to the United Nations.

The guy in the middle with the shovel is Henry A. Wallace, then Secretary of Agriculture, subsequent Secretary of Commerce and Roosevelt’s vice president until 1944. Another example of party confliction, he started as a Republican, then went Democrat and finally returned to the fold when it was revealed he had been duped by the Soviets on an early trip to visit that paradise known as Siberia.. In his run as an Independent in the 1948 elections, he was endorsed by the Communist Party, USA and never saw fit to reject the endorsement. To his credit, his dedication to agriculture was always “hands on” and his major lasting accomplishments all center on that discipline. His ground breaking efforts in development of hybrid seed were manifest in Pioneer, a company which eventually was acquired by DuPont for over $10 billion.

I have a measure of confusion about the person depicted on the right side of the wagon. The other two are reasonable depictions of the men that are identified. I have difficulty matching the drawing of this man with the label which appears to be “Lindberg.” There was no cabinet grade or court figure consistent with the name at that time. The obvious would be the famous trans-Atlantic flyer who would have been much younger at the time and spelled his name differently.

The message remains, complete with the donkey drawn cart, and captures 2009 as well as 1934. It deserves a careful look. I find its prescience scary!

And finally

Everything is growing like weeds—including the weeds. Jan has been mulching day lilies and the forest has completely leafed. We have returned to that condition which disallows the penetration of any lights either near or far which we find so comforting. Fortunately, the birds are colorful enough they are still highly visible. Blue, yellow, red, brown, black and a touch of orange complete the feathery palette.

Watching this seasonal change unfold before one’s eyes is indeed a miracle. If ever a couple were blessed, it has to be us.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon