Tribulation Times
October 16, 2008
But in other areas, Catholic voters differ from the electorate as a whole. They are less likely to vote for a candidate who favors the death penalty, and more likely to favor a candidate who is committed to success in the war in Iraq.
Some of the most dramatic differences are found within the community of Catholic voters. 59% of practicing Catholics are pro-life, while 65% of non-practicing Catholics are pro-choice. Non-practicing Catholics are far more likely to be pro-choice than the population at large (65% vs. 50%). Only 30% of US residents favor same-sex marriage, while 46% of non-practicing Catholics do. 75% of practicing Catholics oppose same-sex marriage.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Despite the way the poll is presented the results are shocking if looked at in another light. 41% of practicing Catholics are pro-choice and 25% of practicing Catholics do not oppose same-sex marriage. Which begs the question: what sort of Catholicism are they practicing?!
COMMENTARY EXCERPT: What It Means to Be "Catholic"?
One word that has entered into American (and Western) vocabulary recently is "cafeteria Catholic." This term is a huge contradiction, much like someone saying he is a "democratic dictator." The very nature of Catholicism excludes any sort of "pick and choose" system of belief. As the Catholic Catechism notes: "the word catholic means 'universal,' in the sense of 'according to the totality' or 'in keeping with the whole'". Theoretically, a person can be a Christian, simply a follower of Christ, and not believe everything related to the Christian faith, but the very definition of the word "Catholic" excludes a buffet approach to theology and morals. The final arbiter for Catholics is the Magisterium, which represents the infallible Church's voice on moral and theological matters. Being Catholic involves deferring to the infallible voice of the Church.
Another term that has become popular in recent times is "practicing Catholic" or the obverse, "non-practicing Catholic." Practicing Catholic is redundant, like saying a fire-fighting firefighter. "Non-practicing Catholic" is, like "cafeteria Catholicism," a total contradiction of terms. Being Catholic is more than just mentally assenting to all that the Church teaches, but also living and participating in that teaching. The Catholic Faith is a way of life, or better, a way of orienting one's life to the glory of God and the building up of his holy Church. We are not expected to perfectly practice all the Church teaches all the time, but we are at least obliged to believe it and struggle to live it.
EDITORIAL: Are Some Catholics Misusing 'Faithful Citizenship'?
FROM THE MAILBAG VIA Tom Smikoski: Woe unto thee
I often wonder what Old Testament Prophets would write if they were alive today in the United States. Perhaps it would read something like this:
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you with founding fathers full of Faith and Morals, and you twist and distort their words so that in their name you can sin freely.
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you and made you prosper and you have turned your eyes away from me and onto the riches I gave you, making these riches your god.
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you with brilliant minds so you could educate your children, and you removed my word and my very name from your schools.
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you with men of science and you turned from my word and made science your creator.
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you with brilliant men of medicine. Yet some believe that they, not me, have the right to determine when and where a person should die.
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you with great freedom and you have used this freedom to yank my unborn children from the very wombs of their mothers.
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you and created you both male and female so that united you may bare fruit according to my will. Yet against my will have your people bonded as male with male and female with female.
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you, protected you, and guarded your shores from your enemies, yet you have turned against me. You no longer know me, nor my word.
Repent. Repent Oh great and powerful nation of the West. Your sins are far more grievous than those of Sodom and Gomorrah. My patience is wearing thin.
Repent. Repent Oh great and powerful nation of the West. Your sins are far more grievous than those that ravaged the Earth at the time of Noah. My patience is wearing thin.
Repent. Repent Oh great and powerful nation of the West. For My sword is mightier than the weapons you create.
Pray. Pray Oh great and powerful nation of the West. Pray that my word may once again pour forth from the mouths of men.
Pray. Pray Oh great and powerful nation of the West. Pray that my word may once again blossom in the hearts of your people.
Pray. Pray Oh great and powerful nation of the West. Pray that the blood shed by my dearly beloved Son was not shed in vain.
Pray. Pray Oh great and powerful nation of the West. That by the blood of my Son, your people shall be saved and returned to me.
My Blessings Oh great and powerful nation of the West are many. They are yours for the asking. Repent and pray, Oh great and powerful nation of the West, so that I may be merciful and pour forth these blessings upon you.
Prayer request? Send an email to: PrayerRequest3@aol.com
October 16, 2008
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
(Isa 5:20-21) Woe to you that call evil good, and good evil: that put darkness for light, and light for darkness: that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Woe to you that are wise in your own eyes, and prudent in your own conceits.
But in other areas, Catholic voters differ from the electorate as a whole. They are less likely to vote for a candidate who favors the death penalty, and more likely to favor a candidate who is committed to success in the war in Iraq.
Some of the most dramatic differences are found within the community of Catholic voters. 59% of practicing Catholics are pro-life, while 65% of non-practicing Catholics are pro-choice. Non-practicing Catholics are far more likely to be pro-choice than the population at large (65% vs. 50%). Only 30% of US residents favor same-sex marriage, while 46% of non-practicing Catholics do. 75% of practicing Catholics oppose same-sex marriage.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Despite the way the poll is presented the results are shocking if looked at in another light. 41% of practicing Catholics are pro-choice and 25% of practicing Catholics do not oppose same-sex marriage. Which begs the question: what sort of Catholicism are they practicing?!
COMMENTARY EXCERPT: What It Means to Be "Catholic"?
One word that has entered into American (and Western) vocabulary recently is "cafeteria Catholic." This term is a huge contradiction, much like someone saying he is a "democratic dictator." The very nature of Catholicism excludes any sort of "pick and choose" system of belief. As the Catholic Catechism notes: "the word catholic means 'universal,' in the sense of 'according to the totality' or 'in keeping with the whole'". Theoretically, a person can be a Christian, simply a follower of Christ, and not believe everything related to the Christian faith, but the very definition of the word "Catholic" excludes a buffet approach to theology and morals. The final arbiter for Catholics is the Magisterium, which represents the infallible Church's voice on moral and theological matters. Being Catholic involves deferring to the infallible voice of the Church.
Another term that has become popular in recent times is "practicing Catholic" or the obverse, "non-practicing Catholic." Practicing Catholic is redundant, like saying a fire-fighting firefighter. "Non-practicing Catholic" is, like "cafeteria Catholicism," a total contradiction of terms. Being Catholic is more than just mentally assenting to all that the Church teaches, but also living and participating in that teaching. The Catholic Faith is a way of life, or better, a way of orienting one's life to the glory of God and the building up of his holy Church. We are not expected to perfectly practice all the Church teaches all the time, but we are at least obliged to believe it and struggle to live it.
EDITORIAL: Are Some Catholics Misusing 'Faithful Citizenship'?
FROM THE MAILBAG VIA Tom Smikoski: Woe unto thee
I often wonder what Old Testament Prophets would write if they were alive today in the United States. Perhaps it would read something like this:
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you with founding fathers full of Faith and Morals, and you twist and distort their words so that in their name you can sin freely.
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you and made you prosper and you have turned your eyes away from me and onto the riches I gave you, making these riches your god.
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you with brilliant minds so you could educate your children, and you removed my word and my very name from your schools.
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you with men of science and you turned from my word and made science your creator.
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you with brilliant men of medicine. Yet some believe that they, not me, have the right to determine when and where a person should die.
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you with great freedom and you have used this freedom to yank my unborn children from the very wombs of their mothers.
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you and created you both male and female so that united you may bare fruit according to my will. Yet against my will have your people bonded as male with male and female with female.
Woe. Woe unto thee oh great and powerful nation of the West. I blessed you, protected you, and guarded your shores from your enemies, yet you have turned against me. You no longer know me, nor my word.
Repent. Repent Oh great and powerful nation of the West. Your sins are far more grievous than those of Sodom and Gomorrah. My patience is wearing thin.
Repent. Repent Oh great and powerful nation of the West. Your sins are far more grievous than those that ravaged the Earth at the time of Noah. My patience is wearing thin.
Repent. Repent Oh great and powerful nation of the West. For My sword is mightier than the weapons you create.
Pray. Pray Oh great and powerful nation of the West. Pray that my word may once again pour forth from the mouths of men.
Pray. Pray Oh great and powerful nation of the West. Pray that my word may once again blossom in the hearts of your people.
Pray. Pray Oh great and powerful nation of the West. Pray that the blood shed by my dearly beloved Son was not shed in vain.
Pray. Pray Oh great and powerful nation of the West. That by the blood of my Son, your people shall be saved and returned to me.
My Blessings Oh great and powerful nation of the West are many. They are yours for the asking. Repent and pray, Oh great and powerful nation of the West, so that I may be merciful and pour forth these blessings upon you.
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 9- "On remembrance of wrongs"
3. This dark and hateful passion, I mean remembrance of wrongs, is one of those that are produced but have no offspring. That is why we do not intend to say much about it.Prayer request? Send an email to: PrayerRequest3@aol.com
This month's archive can be found at: http://www.catholicprophecy.info/news2.html.
