When They Believe They are Entitled To Everything…
... They respect nothing.
How “Occupy Wall Street” respects property ... “Double Check”
How "Occupy Rome" respects church property ... Video of this.
I fear, in the not too distant future, we will look back on these sort of insults as mild. The private life is dead...
Wow, I'm not Catholic, and as an Evangelical, I'm the furthest thing from a Mary worshiper,... yet...seeing this statue violently smashed in the streets and people passing by, nonchalant, is so powerful an evil that I'm in tears
Ali Kat -
As a Catholic I was mostly struck by the extreme and complete disrespect, MOST especially in a world that insists all respect and appeasement must be given to Islam/Muslims and their faith. Everything THEY deem as 'holy' is to be afforded full respect, even to the point of realizing 'infidels' aren't worthy to touch their icons.
My faith goes beyond the icons ... or even my man-made religion. This desecration struck more with me in that it would hurt others more than it does me. (Glenn Beck recently on The Blaze has shown Jewish site in Israel being desecrated, and the MSM doesn't tell the world but desecration of Jewish sites and grave sites have been on the rise all over Europe for the last 10-12 years atleast). The lack of understanding, compassion and respect that we lose for others more and more everyday is quite chilling. And it is not, contrary to what the media would have us believe, one sided to one religion/culture. While the icons are there to remind us that they were actual people as we are, they are also meant, as other religions' icons are, to signify our faith. Actually, the Roman Catholic church in this country began in the mid-late 1970s removing most of the icons from the churches. Even the Crosses left behind the altars either had the image of Jesus Christ removed, or were made of some weird new age art depiction not so closely human/realistic looking. I remember my mother and grandmothers were so appalled they went down to the local Diocese and ripped the Bishop a new one.
Catholics don't actually "worship" the Blessed Virgin. We respect and are in awe of her as God the Father's chosen one to carry His Son, as well as the bourdon of raising and loving Him while knowing He wasn't hers to keep, and the end result would eventually tear through her very soul. It's her dignity, loyalty, devotion, strength, and fearlessness we look to emulate in our lives. (Note that we also think quite highly of Joseph for accepting all the responsibility thrust on him when he simply thought he was just getting a young bride to keep his home and bear him his own sons) It was her unfailing faith that she was to first bear the Son, and then bear witness to His life as the plan outside her reach and power unfolded. I saw Mel Gibson's "The Passion of The Christ" just once (haven't been able to watch it again since, even though I bought the DVD it's still sealed). Through all the controversial 'violence' critics opined and lamented over (please, what did they think really happened to the man?) the one scene that tore me apart was this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZeN6kdgM2Y
For me it is the most perfect scene/moment I have ever seen in a movie. It tore me apart. It was perfection in accepting those things completely out of our reach, and understanding our duty/role beyond the pain.
We also feel (and perhaps those outside the Catholic faith don't abide this but) she is so special to God that she especially has His ear, so to speak, and so we find ourselves asking for her intercession with Him. So incredibly special was this woman that even as He was drawing one of His last breaths Christ felt complete compassion and respect for her and her intolerable pain, and instructed John to comfort and look after her. Throughout the entire life and time of Jesus in the New Testament we see Him elevating women in a society that used women and then cruelly judged them. Even His own young pregnant Mother was to have been stoned to death when it was discovered she was pregnant. I guess we just hold onto the full history of the faith. And for me, I NEVER let go of the fact that Jesus and His family and followers were Jewish. It was the faith He embraced and practiced while showing everyone they were to also live the faith.
Anyhow, I don't mean to preach. Sorry. Just know those outside the Catholic faith have ideas about the faith that aren't completely accurate. And then there are we Catholics that have our own personal interpretations of these things. Even Christ challenged the interpretations of the elders and teachers in the Temple.
Yikes! Sorry to wax on so...
In a nutshell, they are trying to kill the "personal life" and the "private life". All your thoughts are to be occupied by them.
P.S.
I always give the same advice to every newly wed couple. I write this inside the card I give them:
"Don't be 'polite' to each other. 'Politeness' can be cold and trite. We use it freely with strangers we pass on the street to keep civility. Be 'considerate' to/with each other. To be 'considerate' means your every thought involves if and how whatever you say or do will affect this person that has vowed to stand by your side because it will come back around to affecting you. If it's time to fight, 'consider' its worth before going into battle, and is your intent to wound that person at your side or resolve an important issue between you."
What we are witnessing going on in the world right now is 'polite' disregard.
'Consideration' has been thrown into a shattered mess in the streets.
It's the Marxist way.
We are forced to be polite to those who have ill-regard for us, inspite of our own considerations for ourselves and each other.
We can't live this way. Keeping 'civility' only means the source of the problem is being ignored ... or the lie is being forced down our throats while we are being told to be polite by the inconsiderate thugs who refuse to be polite themselves. They don't want dialog. They want domination and control. To do that they have to remove our personal values and private thoughts.
These two preceding comments, ladies and gentlemen, is why this wonderful lady is one of our contributing writers...
Perfectly stated, Maggie.
It is the women of Cuba that will be the salvation and bring Cuba out of the darkness and nurture it back to life.
And it's a long way off, but the Muslim world's only salvation can be found in the Muslim women. As an example all you need to do is look at the contrast in Afghanistan pre and post Taliban. The country is no longer green and thriving like it once was. I've seen the photos.
Drill, here you are apologizing at the end of what you have written and as much as I love and admire everything you write, this particular piece is masterful! I truly agree with everything you have written, except for the small part of asking Mary to intercede, as the Bible tells us that there is no mediator between God and man but Jesus.
That being said, Catholics to me are my brethren in the faith, and never do I push my evangelical standing to where I would blind myself to that fact. Furthermore, my husband is a pianist and music leader at a Catholic church. Yes, evil is becoming so pervasive in these last days that there is truly a seared conscience when it comes to desecrating God's things. Of course Islam is protected, shows you spiritually what place they hold in darkness. Many more M uslem women are coming to Christ than is ever reported (surprise!)
Hopefully, Laura Pollan's death and example will give women the courage to rise above the darkness and fight the satanic oppression. Thanks yo ufor all your hard work at Babalu, your contribution is invaluable in making this the great site it is, God continue to bless you.
Ali Kat -
I'm not typically known for openly sharing my 'faith' (which kinda sorta goes against Christ's teaching), but every once in awhile something pokes a hole in me and some seeps out.
Must've been a sharp shard of the statue above.
And I am honored to have been adopted and welcomed here in this sanctuary.
[...] in a discussion in comments on my previous post I expressed a stark difference between "politeness" and "consideration". Politeness is a means by [...]
[...] in a discussion in comments on my previous post I expressed a stark difference between “politeness” and “consideration”. [...]