In the event that you live under a rock, a monumental and momentous event occurred a few days ago: an NBA player announced he was gay. Not being a die hard NBA fan, I had never heard of Jason Collins before two days ago, as I'm sure few did. He is a 34 year old free agent that has played for 6 different teams and is currently unsigned. Basically, he's a mediocre player who's playing days may have come to an end. Now I don't mean to treat his accomplishments lightly; anybody who plays professional sports is in a very low percentage of a very talented group. I just wish to paint the picture as adequately as I can. In over 700 games, he averaged 3 points and 3 rebounds a game. He was no superstar, to which everyone can agree.
Yet despite his obscurity as an athlete, once he announced that he was gay, he became instantly famous. His name is in every newspaper (or more likely nowadays, website), he's being talked about on all the news channels, and the social media world is exploding with his story. As the first professional athlete from the "Big 4" (football, baseball, hockey, and basketball) to announce he's gay, he is being hailed as a hero. Some are comparing him to Jackie Robinson. He even got a phone call from the president, who is proud of him. He is the new American hero; cited for his bravery, courage, and personal strength.
I'm certainly not going to denigrate Mr. Collins. I don't know the man and so won't speak about his personal character. By all accounts, he's a nice guy. And I would speak out against any vile or negative remarks made about him if that were poured upon him. But just as he doesn't deserve insults, he also doesn't deserve this effusive praise being heaped upon him. I don't know his personal reasons for saying he's gay, but I do know that he has become an instant superstar. He's probably received a few book deals by now, he's been invited for countless interviews, and he is being raised upon a pedestal. Was Jackie Robinson given that? Jackie Robinson was personally and publicly reviled; he received death threats in every town he played in. He was given hatred. Jason Collins is receiving very little, if any, of that. Does it take courage to become a public hero? Or to receive praise and compliments? How brave does one have to be to announce that they are gay in a society that openly approves and applauds the gay lifestyle? I doubt Mr. Collins was unaware of the fame his announcement would bring him, just as Jackie Robinson was aware of the infamy his decision would bring him. And predictably, any who refuse to applaud Mr. Collins' choice of bedmates are being verbally butchered as intolerant bigots. Chris Broussard may lose his job over it.
Yet there is another American, who this very day sits alone in an Iranian prison cell, possibly suffering from internal bleeding due to severe beatings he has gotten from the guards, simply because he refuses to denounce his Christian faith. Saeed Abedini is very far from his wife and children, treated worse than any animal, because of his religious beliefs and for no other reason. This man, an American citizen, rotting in solitary confinement because of his God given right. You see, when the U.S. Constitution was written, the Founding Fathers said the rights protected by it are God given. Which means that all people are given them...not just Americans. Other countries may not choose to recognize those rights, but all people are given them by God Himself. And so today, as Jason Collins is treated like a hero and his detractors villified as intolerant, Saeed Abedini is being tortured to death because he refuses to give up his God given right. And as President Obama is making speeches about and phone calls to Jason Collins, he is doing nothing for Saeed Abedini. So I ask you, what takes more bravery? Where does the true intolerance lie? Is it with the man praised for an announcement, or for the man dying for his faith with little fanfare far away from his home? Today, who is the real hero?
Showing posts with label Religious Persecution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Religious Persecution. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Saturday, December 8, 2012
DC Archdiocese priest-blogger: America is one step away from outright persecution
This is a great article from LifeSiteNews.com about a great blog post by Monseigneur Charles Pope. (With that name I guess he was destined to be a priest.)
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WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 29, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – An influential priest in the Archdiocese of Washington has warned that Christians are “pretty well set” for outright persecution in the wake of affronts to religious freedom like Obama’s HHS mandate and the forced closure of Catholic adoption agencies.
Msgr. Charles Pope, the pastor of Holy Comforter - St Cyprian Parish who runs a blog on the Archdiocese’s website, warned last month that Americans are much closer to persecution than many may realize.
“If current trends continue, Christians, especially religious leaders, may not be far from enduring heavy fines and jail,” he wrote.
Pope Benedict XVI’s nuncio to America had made similar warnings earlier in the month. In a Nov. 4th talk at the University of Notre Dame, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò said the persecution of Christians is a reality even in America, though it can present itself in forms that are not immediately obvious. The nuncio charged, in particular, that dissident Catholic professors and public officials represent a “grave” threat to religious liberty.
Msgr. Pope, in his blog post, offered an overview of the five stages of persecution recognized by social scientists. He says it is important for Christians to become familiar with them because “it would seem that things are going to get more difficult for the Church in the years ahead.”
The five stages, as he lists them, are: (1) Stereotyping the targeted group; (2) Vilifying the targeted group for alleged crimes or misconduct; (3) Marginalizing the targeted group’s role in society; (4) Criminalizing the targeted group or its works; (5) Persecuting the targeted group outright.
According to Msgr. Pope, the stereotyping stage began in the 1960s and 70s when Christians were “caricatured in the media as Bible thumpers, simpletons, as backwards, mentally simple, haters of science, hypocrites, self-righteous, old-fashioned and so forth.”
But, in his view, the culture has now reached stage 4 with the state beginning to “criminalize” Christian beliefs. “Stages one through four are pretty well in place. One may wish to whistle past the graveyard but it looks like we’re pretty well set for Stage V,” he writes.
The priest highlights President Obama’s HHS mandate, which forces employers to cover abortion-inducing drugs, sterilizations, and contraception in their health insurance plans.
“But prior to this egregious attempt to violate our religious liberty there have been many other times we have had to go to court to fight for our rights to openly practice our faith,” he says. “Some jurisdictions have sought to compel Catholic hospitals and pro-life clinics to provide information or referrals for abortion, to provide ‘emergency contraception’.”
“Several branches of Catholic Charities have been de-certified from doing adoption work because they will not adopt children to gay couples,” he adds, among other examples. “Many of these attempts to criminalize the faith have been successfully rebuffed in the courts, but the frequency of lawsuits, and the time and cost involved with fighting them is a huge burden.”
“It is clear that attempts to criminalize Christian behavior is a growth sector in this culture and signals the beginnings and steady erosion of religious liberty,” he says.
.........................................................................................................................
WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 29, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – An influential priest in the Archdiocese of Washington has warned that Christians are “pretty well set” for outright persecution in the wake of affronts to religious freedom like Obama’s HHS mandate and the forced closure of Catholic adoption agencies.
Msgr. Charles Pope, the pastor of Holy Comforter - St Cyprian Parish who runs a blog on the Archdiocese’s website, warned last month that Americans are much closer to persecution than many may realize.
“If current trends continue, Christians, especially religious leaders, may not be far from enduring heavy fines and jail,” he wrote.
Pope Benedict XVI’s nuncio to America had made similar warnings earlier in the month. In a Nov. 4th talk at the University of Notre Dame, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò said the persecution of Christians is a reality even in America, though it can present itself in forms that are not immediately obvious. The nuncio charged, in particular, that dissident Catholic professors and public officials represent a “grave” threat to religious liberty.
Msgr. Pope, in his blog post, offered an overview of the five stages of persecution recognized by social scientists. He says it is important for Christians to become familiar with them because “it would seem that things are going to get more difficult for the Church in the years ahead.”
The five stages, as he lists them, are: (1) Stereotyping the targeted group; (2) Vilifying the targeted group for alleged crimes or misconduct; (3) Marginalizing the targeted group’s role in society; (4) Criminalizing the targeted group or its works; (5) Persecuting the targeted group outright.
According to Msgr. Pope, the stereotyping stage began in the 1960s and 70s when Christians were “caricatured in the media as Bible thumpers, simpletons, as backwards, mentally simple, haters of science, hypocrites, self-righteous, old-fashioned and so forth.”
But, in his view, the culture has now reached stage 4 with the state beginning to “criminalize” Christian beliefs. “Stages one through four are pretty well in place. One may wish to whistle past the graveyard but it looks like we’re pretty well set for Stage V,” he writes.
The priest highlights President Obama’s HHS mandate, which forces employers to cover abortion-inducing drugs, sterilizations, and contraception in their health insurance plans.
“But prior to this egregious attempt to violate our religious liberty there have been many other times we have had to go to court to fight for our rights to openly practice our faith,” he says. “Some jurisdictions have sought to compel Catholic hospitals and pro-life clinics to provide information or referrals for abortion, to provide ‘emergency contraception’.”
“Several branches of Catholic Charities have been de-certified from doing adoption work because they will not adopt children to gay couples,” he adds, among other examples. “Many of these attempts to criminalize the faith have been successfully rebuffed in the courts, but the frequency of lawsuits, and the time and cost involved with fighting them is a huge burden.”
“It is clear that attempts to criminalize Christian behavior is a growth sector in this culture and signals the beginnings and steady erosion of religious liberty,” he says.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Arrested for praying in front of White House
This weekend, dozens of people were arrested for kneeling in prayer on the sidewalk in front of the White House. The group of people were protesting the new Health Care Mandate, otherwise known as Obamacare. Religious leaders across the country are opposed to their tax dollars or insurance fees being used to fund abortions and other contraceptives. Groups have gathered in front of the White House to pray and protest...and be arrested...all year long. In February, six people including a Catholic priest were also arrested for kneeling in prayer on the White House sidewalk. They were released soon after, having to pay a $100 fine.
Apparently, the area in front of the White House is considered a "restricted zone" which limits the rights set forth in the Constitution. Protesting is ok as long as you keep moving, as explained by Fr. Denis Wilde, the priest arrested in February, but if you remain stationary, like when you kneel, then you will be arrested and charged with failure to obey a lawful order. Yeah, I'm sure that's what the Founders of the Constitution had in mind...freedom of religion and right to peaceably assemble...except in certain areas. Well tell me, if certain public places can be determined to be "restricted zones" then what is stopping them from expanding restricted zones to include every public place?? Apparently, nothing. Or moreso, no one. Reading history about Nazi Germany, you find that the people there also gave up their rights easily. How'd that work out?
Today I received this picture on Facebook. These four girls were among those arrested. How mind-blowing is it that hardened, dangerous criminals can avoid arrest, yet teenage girls who stop to pray can be handcuffed and whisked off to jail. Good job, America. At least we're making the streets safer.
And this isn't just an Obama problem or a Democrat problem. It's a systematic government problem. I don't see any Republicans denouncing people being arrested for praying either. The government has gotten too big for the Constitution. And our only options are to scrap it, or to get the government under control. Unfortunately, we're leaning more to the "scrap it" side. And I'm not sure enough people care to change that. It looks more and more like America is on it's last legs. We should all be kneeling in prayer in front of the White House, for our children's sake if not our own. But watching T.V. is so much more fun. And we certainly can't afford to miss who wins American Idol. Our children can fend for themselves.
WND has the full story.
Apparently, the area in front of the White House is considered a "restricted zone" which limits the rights set forth in the Constitution. Protesting is ok as long as you keep moving, as explained by Fr. Denis Wilde, the priest arrested in February, but if you remain stationary, like when you kneel, then you will be arrested and charged with failure to obey a lawful order. Yeah, I'm sure that's what the Founders of the Constitution had in mind...freedom of religion and right to peaceably assemble...except in certain areas. Well tell me, if certain public places can be determined to be "restricted zones" then what is stopping them from expanding restricted zones to include every public place?? Apparently, nothing. Or moreso, no one. Reading history about Nazi Germany, you find that the people there also gave up their rights easily. How'd that work out?
And this isn't just an Obama problem or a Democrat problem. It's a systematic government problem. I don't see any Republicans denouncing people being arrested for praying either. The government has gotten too big for the Constitution. And our only options are to scrap it, or to get the government under control. Unfortunately, we're leaning more to the "scrap it" side. And I'm not sure enough people care to change that. It looks more and more like America is on it's last legs. We should all be kneeling in prayer in front of the White House, for our children's sake if not our own. But watching T.V. is so much more fun. And we certainly can't afford to miss who wins American Idol. Our children can fend for themselves.
WND has the full story.
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