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Saturday, August 31, 2024

The Republican Platform: Keeping First Things First!

I think this is the best article yet re the upcoming election and how one should vote. There really is only one choice. 

Donald Trump and the Sovereign Rights of God

Barbara Farrah summarizes some of the positions already presented over the last few days, but she also points to Kennedy Hall's view which goes beyond politics.

Farrah's summary of the situation adds another thoughtful perspective to your discernment. Here's just a bit of what she writes:

Kennedy Hall gives us an entirely different way of viewing the election in his Crisis article “How the Pro-Life Movement Has Been a Trojan Horse for a Greater Sin.”

Like [Edward] Feser, he argues that there is a hierarchy of issues when it comes to casting our Catholic vote. But while Feser looks at the hierarchy in terms of specific human rights (the right to life, for example, takes priority over foreign policy), Hall looks at the hierarchy God gave us in the Ten Commandments. He emphasizes that the first three are devoted to the “rights of God”; and only then, once those rights are established and prioritized, does He give us the commandments regarding the “rights of man.” His rights take priority over our rights.

Hall then points out that America, along with all Western countries today, supports the sin of religious freedom—not religious freedom in the sense of all men being free to choose what to believe in, a right we all possess, but rather religious freedom in the sense in which it is meant and observed throughout the post-Christendom world today: religious indifference—the notion that all religions are equal—that gives the devil the “same rights as Christ.”

Kennedy Hall doesn't let the bishops off the hook either. Ever since the heresy of Americanism tainted our shores and our Church, many of our bishops have tried to just get along so Catholics will be accepted. We've seen how well that works, haven't we.

Farrah goes on:

In his book Changing Witness, Michael Warner traced how the U.S. bishops shifted their focus from saving souls to saving society, from changing hearts to changing laws, from promoting the rights of God to promoting the rights of man. Looking at the pro-life movement from the perspective Hall suggests, we can see that it has followed the bishops down this same path.

Its focus on ending abortion by ending the laws allowing it has made it just another wing of the Social Justice Movement in America. While liberal Catholics focused on defending the human rights of the “already born,” the pro-life movement focused on defending the human rights of the unborn—with neither side defending, first and foremost, the rights of God.

As happened within the Church when our focus shifted from God to Social Justice, so too has it happened outside the Church, as community after community fell away from believing in and trusting in—and most importantly fearing—God. We’ve seen the long-term effect that shift has had inside the Church, as more and more Catholics view their primary mission as saving the poor and oppressed (rather than saving souls) and viewing the means to attaining that as the secular State rather than the Sacraments.

We're in a mess, that's for sure. And much of it is directly due to the idolatry of "rights", not God's rights, but man's. Even our clergy have been deeply affected by it. Farrah describes the differences between the party platforms. The Republican platform recognizes God and calls for protecting us against the invasion by Islam; the Democrat platform champions Islam and religious indifferentism. 


Farrah comes to the conclusion, "When seen in this Light, it is clear that Catholics of all stripes have only one choice: to vote for Donald Trump and the sovereign rights of God."

Perhaps it's all lip service, but it is certainly a legitimate position to vote between the party platforms. That choice is as clear as a bell and it's the one that will define my vote. At the same time, I will never embrace the position, "My party right or wrong." When I was a precinct captain in Alexandria, I refused to give out literature for John Warner because of his radical pro-abortion stand. Since my precinct was a bastion of liberalism and they had no one else willing to head it, I got no argument. I always set up a pro-life table with fetal models and abortion info. That got me harassment from the folks inside one year and threats from the police. They backed down when I got the ACLJ involved. The saddest moment was when a neighbor whose children were adopted got into it with me. She only had children because their moms chose life, but she seemed to see no contradiction in her pro-abortion views.

I hate what Trump just did in Florida promising to make all Americans pay for immoral IVF treatments. He has no right to raid the taxpayers' pockets to do that and must be fought tooth and claw if he wins in November. That he might lose by his continued attacks on his base is a very real possibility at this point. If he does, I will see it as God's will that we deserve the Marxist sledgehammer that will descend on us for our lukewarm defense of the sovereign rights of God.

God illustrated in the Old Testament that he would use evil men and women and evil nations to punish the chosen people. Why would he not do the same to us? Do we deserve less than the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? In 1917, Mary gave the three little children at Fatima a message for the world: "Do not offend the Lord our God anymore, because He is already so much offended." Have we listened to Mary's admonitions at Fatima? Is the 21st century less sinful than the world 100 years ago? It would be hard to make a case that it is. 

Those who treat warnings of a third world war as doomsaying obviously have no sense of history or of God's warnings at Fatima and Akita. 

Remember this: God called King David, an adulterer and murderer, a man after His own Heart. Why? Because David always recognized the sovereignty of God. His Son Solomon, on the other hand, who started out well, ended up badly offering worship to his wives' idols. God used pagan rulers and nations to punish His chosen people for placing "strange gods before Him." Whatever happens in November will, no doubt, involve punishment for us. Let us try to minimize, to the point possible, the evils that befall our children and grandchildren.

O Jesus Christ, Sovereign King, have mercy on us.

17 comments:

  1. Note that Farrah's article has one comment before she shut comments down:

    "How is it possible that this author overlooks the wisdom of the Founding Fathers who define that our human inalienable rights that are derived from God not government (nor the Divine Right of Kings even as “blessed by the Church”) who is now defined as subordinate to God. The government authority is based upon the consent of the governed that truly supports her arguments to Make America Godly Again & to
    Know Jesus, Know Peace."

    Indeed. Make America created equal again. That is the wisdom of inalienable that warp speed denies with his states rights fetish. Dobbs was duplicitous. As duplicitous as the quackdemic, which felt like one long year of rape, before he handed us over to his bro Joe. Trump loaded gun. Biden pulled trigger.

    One more point. Should the Trojans have voted for the greeks inside the gift horse as opposed to the greeks on the battlefield, as the lesser of two evils?

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  2. America was not created equal. People were left out and ignored. The constitution was written as a living document to be corrected as awareness and recognition of mistakes grew. Including awareness of the rights of individuals to think for themselves but learn how to cooperate - even/especially amongst religions.

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  3. That is a very interesting point - “the hierarchy of issues; the rights of God, the rights of man”. I’d never considered it that way before.

    God occupies the first three Commandments - left side of the stone tablet.

    Man occupied the last seven Commandments - right side of the stone tablet.

    This is an important article in the process of discernment.

    I’m reading “Come Rack, Come Rope”, Msgr Benson’s retelling of the English persecution of Catholics under Queen Elizabeth 600 years ago, from the perspective of a young Priest and his former beaux who encouraged him to live for God. The reason I mention it here, is that discernment can, at times, cost you everything - including perhaps, your life. It is a grave responsibility and we should all respect the process in others as we form our conscience in very confusing, terrible circumstances. As in the book, none ever really knew if they were deciding correctly. All they could do then was form first principles and pray their practical actions were in accord with them. If we are serious Catholics, we should know this is grave and uncertain process - guided by the light of faith and prayer, lots and lots of prayer.

    Thank you. Good stuff!

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  4. America was *conceived* as created equal (and note that the two other (freemasonic) declarations (1789 and 1948) - got it as "born" rather than "created"). She was *brought back* to created equal with Lincoln (read Gettysburg address) and his wake. The opportunity to recapitulate that making America created equal again existed as long as that GOP platform remained unmolested.

    Lincoln established the point that the declaration was by it's essence incorporated into the Constitution. All we need do is click our heels and say human life amendment to spell it out. But there are now so many abortion deranged victims of what is essentially, in abortion, a man's right to rape and run, that we need get that message,of abortions equivalence to slave holding, across to them.

    But for the Rockefellerian propaganda (including warp speed and his declamation of the "beautiful" confederate statues), it might have been easier to expose that it has *always been the Democrats* who were the vile slave holders, confederates, segregationists, *and* eugenicists. Which could have made it easier for the aborted women to walk away from the democrat party.

    But they would have to have a party to walk into and because of Trump's beheading of the GOP there is no longer a welcome home sign there. Perhaps the American Solidarity Party is a green shoot of welcome or perhaps Trump could resign and let Vance revert to his former pro-life pro-life convictions.

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  5. Perhaps the most authoritative source in proving that the U.S. was never a Christian country, is a government document that dates back to the end of the 18th century. 'The U.S. Treaty with Tripoli of 1796 plainly states in its Article XI: "The Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion."
    Not in any sense!.....so speak our Republic's early fathers, who were the products of their age: lineal descendants of the Protestant 'Reformation,' children of the Enlightenment, and intellectual cousins of Voltaire and the French Encyclopedists with their hatred of the Catholic Church.

    "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge! (Hosea 4-6)

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  6. A friend wrote to me – Do not defend a politician simply because he is Pro-Life. Do not refrain from speaking out against a Pro-life politician who has political defects. In the past this led to candidates only pushing the issue at election time and for the remaining years doing whatever the donors to the campaign desired. It has transformed the movement into a perennial issue, whenever a senate seat opened up, or during the presidential election. A politician who votes against abortion does not necessarily represent the whole mission of the Pro-life movement. The Pro-Life movement needs to be strong in its support of all issues of justice, and to make political choices on the basis of a candidate’s overall credibility and rectitude of will.

    https://www.seattlecatholic.com/article_20020629_The_Problem_with_the_Prolife_Movement.html

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Aqua, what you apply to a good guy, it is not same for a politician, who most of the time is an opportunist for power, driven by pride, one who boasts, who is a perpetual victim, when opposed or rebuked ...etc.
      As bp. Sheen wrote......a dishonest politician will always accuse all politicians of being dishonest.
      You're right we're living in an age of systematic dishonesty, where many are doomed to unreality, and failure......one who is deceiving many, especially oneself.
      Viva Cristo Rey!

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    3. Anonymous -
      It appears you responded to a comment I deleted for being poorly phrased and disconnected from the original post. I condensed my response down to a thumbs up to the comment.

      My main point there is to hi-lite the great blog post above, to which no one is responding to. It’s all about our crappy nation, dishonest politicians, reprobate citizens etc. The topic is on a tool kit we can use to align and form our conscience properly within the framework of God’s hierarchy. This “tool kit” is not dependent on any nation or any time scope. It is timeless and is really important to know, especially now in these confusing dishonest days. It provides a path to charity … you know?

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    4. “… path to Charity” should read *clarity* (typo), but Charity can work there too.

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  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  8. There was a time when America was Catholic…..the only Christian presence in what is now the United States, was Catholic, yes prior to 1776, not only partly Catholic but entirely so, despite the falsifiers of history, who’s numbers are legions.

    America is a gift from God. One example: “A rare and tangible relic was discovered by a Swedish farmer between Alexandria and Kensington, Minnesota, is this Viking inscription; ‘Hail Virgin Mary, save us from hell. Year:1362.’ ” The stone is now in the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce. This proves that these Vikings, who were Catholic and venerated the Mother of God, had brought the true Faith to America. Quite a revelation, wouldn’t you agree?
    Also, important to bring to our attention…… when Columbus in 1492 claimed the Americas for Christ the King of the holy Roman Catholic Church, and 1620 when the Protestant Pilgrims first landed at Plymouth Rock…..128 years later. That’s almost a century -and -a-half! For most people this time of history has been buried and forgotten as much as possible, due to the false version of history, generation after generation of mis-educated students, including in the so-called Catholic schools. Is there a wonder why this God given country has not been converted to the One True Catholic Faith! We, Catholics till today, continue to compromise our God given Faith in the fear men, rather than God……to get along with the world.

    Patriotism is a virtue, Americanism, a heresy.

    Fr. Frederick Faber said that ‘where there is no hatred of heresy there is no holiness.’ (where there’s no holiness, there’s no fear of God….my emphasis). This duty is not only a requirement of true religion, but of true justice and true patriotism as well.

    “God is pouring out His wrath upon the nations that acknowledge Him not, upon the kingdoms that call not upon His name.” (Ps. 78:6)

    The only great nation is the moral and holy nation, governed not by the laws of man, but the divine Law of God…….so help us God!

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    1. Agreed. So let’s get to work spreading the Gospel of Christ’s redemptive good news! Christ is died! Christ is risen! Christ has redeemed us! Christ has power over sin and death! We can live in heaven with Christ forever, holy, righteous, happy!

      So in addition to speaking with the OT prophets whose duty it was to reveal sin and judgement and impending doom … also it is our duty as NT disciples to spread the gospel “of good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto us is born, in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10,11 paraphrase).

      It is the specific job of Catholics to evangelize the lost souls to which you refer. We have to get to work. Perhaps we can’t control political outcomes. We *CAN* live out our Catholic faith and perform Christ’s Great Commission. In fact … it’s our duty (the Parable of the Talents - Matthew 25:14-30).

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    2. Someone once wrote (don't remember), 'there exists a law of world history: the more religion, the more freedom. Therefore, the less religion, the more force, very true, especially today.
      One can make this claim, that the present situation of the world, our times, must perhaps be blamed on the indifference and fearfulness of the good people, who either avoid the flight or only put up a very weak resistance, especially, our bishops. That makes His enemies all the more boastful and victorious.....for the time being, for we know that their time is short. We also know that this is their hour of darkness, God Will Have His Day!
      This ignorance is a world disaster.

      Catholic America?, we can do it only with Heaven's help, with the willingness of the faithful, and the willing leadership of our consecrated shepherds. Above all, we have to want it with sincere hearts for the greater Glory of God, for the triumph of the holy Catholic Church, for the triumph of the Immaculata, for the good of savings souls, especially, our own......nothing less, then 'fides intrepida' - a fearless faith!

      Our Lady of Fatima pray for us Catholics, for we're living in a diabolical disorientation!
      Blessed night to all!

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    3. Anonymous: btw … after reading Kennedy Hall’s piece, referenced above, your commentary on it is spot on. Really interesting topic.

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  9. For those who are interested in the roots of Catholic America, please read "Discovering a Lost Heritage, the Catholic Origins of America" by Adam S. Miller. He has written several books on this subject.

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