Tom Roeser “On the Obama Style of Duplicity”

Q. I’m intrigued by the way President Obama performs on television. He may lie but he does it so convincingly he could pass a lie detector test. Is this style something new in politics or what? Take for instance his recent appearance on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos.

A. Understand, all politicians shade the truth. The greatest advocate for one side of an equation I ever knew was Hubert Humphrey. Reporting for the Associated Press for his first reelection in 1954, I rode (in the back seat of his campaign car) for three weeks, recording fastidiously everything he said on an average of 13 stump speeches a day. But Hubert (of whom I became exceedingly fond-apart from his politics) was confident that he could make his case…faulty as it may be… with unassailable statistics that could not be challenged (his conclusions could be, but not his encyclopedic command of statistics).

The case of Obama, a graduate of the Chicago School of Lying and Deception is far different. The Chicago School borrows from the old Marxist view of truth as refined by two Leftist philosophers, Noam Chomsky-Herbert Marcuse who argued this: truth is not absolute; it can be twisted conveniently to serve the interest of the arguer for “great good” i.e. political victory. In other words the statement “1 plus 1 equals 2” and “snow is white” can be denied if not in the political interest of a “progressive” political advocate. No one employs the Chomsky-Marcuse strategy more than Mayor Richard M. Daley…who has picked it up from his more sophisticated Lefty advisers…although if he were asked who Chomsky and Marcuse are, he’d guess they’re precinct captains in the 50th ward.

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Submitted by Ken. K.

Evidence of a Creator is tough for many scientists to “swallow”

Denver, Colo., Sep 30, 2009 / 03:35 pm (CNA).- Contemporary astrophysics hold the scientific key to prove the existence of God, but unfortunately very few know the scientific facts, said Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J, PhD, during a conference delivered on Sunday at the John Paul II Center for the New Evangelization in Denver, Colorado.

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The truth about the Hyde Amendment and the new health care bill

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“All I’m asking — my gosh — is for specific language in the bill that prohibits federal dollars from being used to fund abortions.”

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — A Senate committee today voted against a critical amendment that would remove the massive abortion subsidies present in the Baucus health care bill. On a 13-10 vote, the Senate Finance Committee rejected amendments from Sen. Orrin Hatch that would have the bill conform to current federal law prohibiting direct abortion funding.

Hatch amendment 355 would make it so the Baucus bill “prohibits authorized or appropriated federal funds under this Mark from being used for elective abortions and plans that cover such abortions.”

The otherwise party-line vote saw pro-abortion Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe side with Democrats against it and Sen. Kent Conrad of Noth Dakota join Republicans in supporting it.

“All I’m asking — my gosh — is for specific language in the bill that prohibits federal dollars from being used to fund abortions,” Hatch said.

Pro-abortion Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan described Hatch’s amendment to prohibit abortion funding as “insulting” to women.

During the debate, Sen. Max Baucus, the author of the health care bill the panel has under consideration, claimed his measure follows the federal Hyde amendment that has prohibited virtually all direct federal abortion funding since the 1970s.

“The mark makes it clear that no federal funds will be used for abortion. None. None. It’s very clear,” he said.

However, the Baucus bill opens the door to massive abortion funding.

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View the tomb of St. Peter beneath the Vatican (Scavi site 360 degree tour)

Click here to view the ancient cemetery and see the tomb of St. Peter

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Vatican makes firm statement on sexual abuse (About time!)

The Vatican has lashed out at criticism over its handling of its paedophilia crisis by saying the Catholic church was “busy cleaning its own house” and that the problems with clerical sex abuse in other churches were as big, if not bigger.

In a defiant and provocative statement, issued following a meeting of the UN human rights council in Geneva, the Holy See said the majority of Catholic clergy who committed such acts were not paedophiles but homosexuals attracted to sex with adolescent males.

The statement, read out by Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican’s permanent observer to the UN, defended its record by claiming that “available research” showed that only 1.5%-5% of Catholic clergy were involved in child sex abuse.

He also quoted statistics from the Christian Scientist Monitor newspaper to show that most US churches being hit by child sex abuse allegations were Protestant and that sexual abuse within Jewish communities was common.

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What is Sacred Tradition and why is it special?

Sacred Tradition is the means by which the Holy Spirit guides the Catholic Church, which constitutes the authentic People of God, from age to age.

This is to be distinguished from all other forms and types of tradition … which are not holy or sacred … because they are not of God, but of man.

The “trick” is to be able to tell the difference … and that’s where the teachings and work of Jesus Christ and the Apostles … faithfully followed up by nearly 2000 years of systematic, authentic Catholic theology, philosophy, work, worship, sacraments and devotions … are absolutely invaluable … and when properly and practically applied … salvific … capable of saving souls, according to God’s grace.

It doesn’t get any better than that … this side of Heaven.

Note to Dan Brown Fans: Freemasonry and Christianity Totally Incompatible

HUMANUM GENUS
ENCYCLICAL OF
POPE LEO XIII
ON FREEMASONRY

… the naturalists go much further; for, having, in the highest things, entered upon a wholly erroneous course, they are carried headlong to extremes, either by reason of the weakness of human nature, or because God inflicts upon them the just punishment of their pride. Hence it happens that they no longer consider as certain and permanent those things which are fully understood by the natural light of reason, such as certainly are – the existence of God, the immaterial nature of the human soul, and its immortality. The sect of the Freemasons, by a similar course of error, is exposed to these same dangers; for, although in a general way they may profess the existence of God, they themselves are witnesses that they do not all maintain this truth with the full assent of the mind or with a firm conviction. Neither do they conceal that this question about God is the greatest source and cause of discords among them; in fact, it is certain that a considerable contention about this same subject has existed among them very lately. But, indeed, the sect allows great liberty to its votaries, so that to each side is given the right to defend its own opinion, either that there is a God, or that there is none; and those who obstinately contend that there is no God are as easily initiated as those who contend that God exists, though, like the pantheists, they have false notions concerning Him: all which is nothing else than taking away the reality, while retaining some absurd representation of the divine nature.

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Murdered Yale Graduate Student Annie Le Was Catholic

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and may perpetual Light shine upon her; may her soul and all souls, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

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Florida Catholic Bishops Take a Powder On State Personhood Amendment

In an interesting twist, the Florida Catholic Conference said today in a statement that it will not support a controversial pro-life initiative.

The “Personhood Florida” effort already faced long odds, needing to get more than 670,000 signatures collected by February to put a strict measure on the 2010 ballot that would constitutionally ban all abortions and perhaps some birth control.

In a statement, the FCC said, “Although, the bishops of Florida clearly share the desire for our state laws to recognize all life from its very beginning to natural end, after careful consideration and deliberation with legal counsel, the bishops do not support this current amendment effort.

“In addition, the bishops have resolved that there be no collection of petition signatures in any Catholic parish or other diocesan entity.”

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Catholic Church Funding of ACORN: Still going on?

While Obama has strong ties to ACORN, they were originally established through the U.S. Catholic Church, which has also funded ACORN and similar organizations to the tune of millions of dollars

. This is another taboo topic for most of the media.  Even conservative news organizations are afraid of raising the issue, apparently fearing being tagged with the “anti-Catholic” label.

But the truth has been seeping out in mysterious ways. In a Politico.com story about Barack Obama’s friendly meeting with the Pope, reporter Josh Gerstein featured information that made it clear that the President’s Catholic connection goes back to his days as a community organizer and that Obama’s associates understand and appreciate this fact.

Deputy National Security Adviser Denis McDonough was quoted as saying that Obama’s work as an organizer on the South Side of Chicago “was funded partly” by the “Catholic Church campaign for human development…” He was referring to the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), an annual collection authorized by the U.S. Catholic Bishops which is advertised as a charity to “break the vicious cycle of poverty” but in reality has funded left-wing political organizations such as ACORN to the tune of millions of dollars.

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Relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux tour England and Wales

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Words worth remembering

“The greatest danger in the modern world is the attack on man as the image of God. That God became man in order to unite man to God is the only sure Divine underwriting of human worth. We have value because of the image we bear.” – Orthodox Archbishop Dmitri of Dallas

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Pope cites St. Anselm: “First, one must have faith!”

During the Pope’s General Audience yesterday, September 23, in Rome, Pope Benedict said that understanding God will never come from study alone — one must first believe.

Theologians and Christians who wish to deepen their faith “cannot count on just their intelligence, but must cultivate a profound experience of faith at the same time,” he said.

The Pope’s catechesis was dedicated to the life and teachings of St. Anselm of Canterbury, an 11th-century Benedictine and Doctor of the Church.

According to Anselm, Benedict explained, people who wish to better understand the Christian tradition can carry out “a healthy theological quest” by following three steps.

First, one must have faith, which is “a free gift from God to be welcomed with humility.”

The second step is experience, which entails incorporating the word of God in one’s everyday life.

The final step is “true understanding, which is never a result of ascetic reasoning, but of contemplative intuition,” Benedict said.

The Pope then cited St. Anselm’s most famous phrase: “Nor do I seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe so that I may understand.”

The Pope concluded by saying that Anselm showed how the journey to understand God is never fully complete, at least here on earth.

Source: Inside the Vatican Letter #30

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Explanation of Catholic teachings about homosexuality

Psycho-biological research on homosexuality leads to the conclusion that it is a vice, namely a disorderedbehavior, fruit of undergone or freely chosen disordered habits. From a sociopolitical point of view, the attitude towards homosexual persons must be full of respect, compassion and thoughtfulness, while – on the contrary – the homosexual vice can’t be and must not be protected or promoted as a value. It can’t be and must not be equalized with the normal and ordered sexual behavior, originating family and the possibility of adopting children. Society must provide every support to people with homosexual tendencies, but still willing to free themselves from the vice. A progressive itinerary of liberation from vice is the only realistic and true way to preserve the freedom and the dignity of persons with homosexual tendencies. In corroboration of the truth of this statement, there are social phenomena such as the growth of the “ex-gay” international movement, made of homosexuals and ex-homosexuals who refuse to resign to their disorderedtendencies. In the U.S.A., the movement originated associations like Exodus International and Courage: members help one another to promote an improvement and a change in life to free themselves from the vice of homosexuality.

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The Inquisition

The Inquisition arose at the end of Middle Ages proper as a Church’s answer to the excesses of the heretical movements that didn’t limit themselves to support deviations of strictly theological character – which had till then opposed on a doctrinal level and only by spiritual means – but were also deadly threatening society . The steadfast opposition of the people to heretics’ violence forced the ecclesiastical authorities to intervene, basically to control and to curb a reaction by the people and handled by secular tribunals – sometimes without the necessary wisdom – under the illusion of solving the problem simply by sending heretics to the stake.

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Is this the Holy Face of Jesus Christ?

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More …

And more …

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Knights of Columbus leader named to Vatican bank supervisory panel

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The head of the Knights of Columbus has been named by Pope Benedict XVI to a five-member council that supervises the activities of the Vatican bank.

Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, who heads the 1.7 million-member fraternal organization, was among three new council members announced by the Vatican Sept. 23.

“I am honored to have been selected to be a member of the board of superintendents of the Vatican’s Institute for Works of Religion (IOR),” Anderson said. “I hope that my experience in working with the Vatican on a variety of issues over the past decade, and my work in the business and financial sector — as Supreme Knight and Chief Executive Officer of the Knights of Columbus — will enable me to contribute to the success of the IOR’s many important initiatives.”

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Critics Call for Defunding the Catholic Campaign for Human Development

In the midst of the ACORN scandal last year, the late Fr. Richard John Neuhaus shared his concerns publically stating that the CCHD “has nothing to do with Catholicism, except that Catholics are asked to pay for it.”

According to LifeSite News, Neuhaus called the organization “misbegotten in concept and corrupt in practice,” and went so far as to urge that it be terminated. “What most Catholics don’t know, and what would likely astonish them,” wrote Fr. Neuhaus, “is that CHD very explicitly does not fund Catholic institutions and apostolates that work with the poor.” Neuhaus suggested that the bishops would do better to spend their money on more Catholic-related projects, such as “Catholic inner-city schools.”

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