Decommissioning "Captain America" moniker

[Kurisu35712]

It kind of scares me when I read here on the forum or in the comboxes of various articles where people talk about just kicking back and watching the world burn. I saw one guy comment that he would focus on his salvation and that of his family and the rest of the world could go to hell in a hand basket for all he cared.

I get that people are angry and upset. So am I. But tossing up our hands and/or clamoring for God to start smiting people left and right is not the appropriate response. We are all of us sinners in need of God’s mercy. And, this side of death, there is hope for repentance and conversion for anyone. Imagine if in January 1973, God just unleashed a lightning bolt to strike down “Roe” from Roe v. Wade. I get the feeling some people would have cheered and smugly said “Serves her right!” And yet, she is now a pro-life Catholic. If she was struck dead on the spot, she would not have had that opportunity for conversion.

Let’s not underestimate God, here. And let’s not relish at the thought of others getting their comeuppance. We want them to be converted, not spend eternity in hell.

This. I tried making a similar point on another thread. If we regard every sinner in the world as our enemy, rather than friends we want to bring with us to Heaven, we will fail in our mission as Catholics. It is imperative that we remember that all of these sinners around us are people, created and loved by God just as much as ourselves, and that we are called to love them. Even if they do things we may find appalling. All the more reason to help. Giving up is the only effective way to fail. I was under the impression Catholics, as well as US citizens in general, were better than that. I certainly hope none of the people claiming that they’re just going to give up on the world are members of my generation. I’m 21. Perhaps I should just give up on my elders?

In all honesty, I understand that a lot of this is just hyperbole and venting. It’s an effective coping mechanism. But seriously, if any of you actually intend to just give up on the US over this, I’m glad I’m eventually going to replace you in this society.

 

[MTarcisius]

Isn’t the time when things are worst the time we most need to ask for God’s blessing? It seems like a pretty poor time to stop asking God to bless us.

Saying “God bless America” isn’t a statement of how good and holy our country is. It’s a prayer of supplication. We could use all the blessing we can get.

Exactly!

 

[MTarcisius]

We are here in this place because Christians didn’t come out and vote and make themselves heard.

What vote? I thought this thread was mainly in response to the supreme court decision. As some people have already pointed out, many states (even California) voted to ban gay-unions, however the courts overturned those laws. That is not how a democracy works.

 

[pianistclare]

What vote? I thought this thread was mainly in response to the supreme court decision. As some people have already pointed out, many states (even California) voted to ban gay-unions, however the courts overturned those laws. That is not how a democracy works.

You can certainly vote against the folks that advance these agendas.

 

[MTarcisius]

You can certainly vote against the folks that advance these agendas.

Yes, you can and you should, however voting may not make any difference.

You said:

We are here in this place because Christians didn’t come out and vote and make themselves heard.

However, that is not true. The fact of the matter is Christians are coming out to vote; and they are winning. Unfortunately, then the courts are overturning those new laws. I am not saying that people should not vote, however people need to realize the system does not work like it is supposed to.

 

[pianistclare]

Yes, you can and you should, however voting may not make any difference.

You said:

However, that is not true. The fact of the matter is Christians are coming out to vote; and they are winning. Unfortunately, then the courts are overturning those new laws. I am not saying that people should not vote, however people need to realize the system does not work like it is supposed to.

perhaps. But since most people are loathe to write their legislators or picket, sometimes that’s one way that folks don’t find “too hard” to do.

 

[exnihilo]

You can certainly vote against the folks that advance these agendas.

No you can’t. The agenda is advanced, or maintained, by both parties. Bush’s Solicator General, Ted Olsen, helped defeat Prop 8 in the courts. The Republican’s give lip service to traditional morality. But really at the end of they day they promote corporate power and big business, which is very liberal. You can vote for Republican’s to get a Republican Supreme Court like the one that just made same sex marriage a fundamental right. The Republican Party has had tremendous success politically and yet here we are. How is more of the same going to change anything? When a plan fails, repeatedly, it is worth considering other approaches.

 

[MTarcisius]

perhaps. But since most people are loathe to write their legislators or picket, sometimes that’s one way that folks don’t find “too hard” to do.

Yep that is another problem with America, everything is “too hard.” People want to just tell the government what to do by voting. However, the reality is if you want change, then you have to get out and make a difference.

I have written my legislators in the past, it’s not that hard.

 

[exnihilo]

Yep that is another problem with America, everything is “too hard.” People want to just tell the government what to do by voting. However, the reality is if you want change, then you have to get out and make a difference.

I have written my legislators in the past, it’s not that hard.

Right. Real democracy is farmers with pitchforks in the streets. The left holds lots of rallies and gets lots of media coverage for those rallies. Their rallies are attended by a very small fraction of the people who want whatever they are promoting. There should have been huge rallies in the southern states that didn’t want same sex marriage. The majority of people don’t want this. But there has been no response. We have just sat back and taken it. I think most are content to just vote. But if we want to have any influence we need to start truly standing up against this stuff. We have to get involved and protest. It will cost us because the powers that be are pushing this unholy agenda. But if we don’t start pushing back the future is rather bleak.

 

[dreamer29]

I too am very disgusted with the way America is and is going, however, the way to change it is to fight back. It’s about time the silent majority get up and speak out. Sorry, my father fought for this country, I fought for this country and I certainly don’t subscribe to it now being a second class country. Look who we have running it today. Our forefathers certainly did not have this type of government in mind.

We did not get this far in the short 200 plus years riding on laurels, but rather fighting for what we believed in. I do believe somewhere in the Constitution is reads* to good the most good, for most of the people most of the time* something like that. Guess we are not paying attention to what our government is really doing. Thank goodness for the Second Amendment. It’s there for a reason and it is a matter of time…

 

[mikekle]

Right. Real democracy is farmers with pitchforks in the streets. The left holds lots of rallies and gets lots of media coverage for those rallies. Their rallies are attended by a very small fraction of the people who want whatever they are promoting. There should have been huge rallies in the southern states that didn’t want same sex marriage. The majority of people don’t want this. But there has been no response. We have just sat back and taken it. I think most are content to just vote. But if we want to have any influence we need to start truly standing up against this stuff. We have to get involved and protest. It will cost us because the powers that be are pushing this unholy agenda. But if we don’t start pushing back the future is rather bleak.

You are right, people today are more concerned with their own little lives, they live in their own worlds, only worrying about their cul de sac homes, jobs, kids soccer games, etc. they may listen to the news, maybe write some letters to lawmakers, but thats about where they draw the line, they are most certainly not willing to march down the street, or do anything that requires their time. I truly think if our founding fathers saw these kinds of people, they would be floored.

They would rather obey mans laws versus Gods laws, its bad enough they wont do more to stand up for this once great nation, its worse when it comes to standing up for their faith…many just attend mass for one hour a week and thats where their ‘faith’ ends, again, not willing to really do anything too risky, even if means sitting down and allowing evil to run r upshot. Of course the Govt takes full advantage of this, they know not many people in modern times are going to take action like in the days of our founding, they know there will be marches in the streets towards the whitehouse, people armed with torches and shotguns, media helps keep people ‘in line’ as well, they make sure to remind them what their priorities should be. LOL

 

[lynnvinc]

I give up on the United States.

Why?

The nonsense political circus of the homosexual “marriage” polls, votes and SC decision.

I give up on the United States. I’ll not fly its flag again.

It’s also the crazy libertarianism that infects both parties----skewing each toward a goofy, antihuman, me-only philosophy of the human individual.

Get a hint: this is decadence. This creates huge amounts of social pollution (crazy kids, divorces, drugs, divorce fall-out, silly-azed voting, schools that are political indoctrination centers. . . it goes on).

My ultimate loyalty is to Jesus, to God, to the church founded by Jesus.

Forget America.

God forgive America.

I figured out in the 50s when I was a child that American culture was no good and anti-Christian. I’d go to Sunday school and it all sounded really good, about Jesus and His way. Then I’d see what was going on in society around me the rest of the week. The kids were mean brats and the adults didn’t seem to follow Jesus much – in fact they were following something opposite, like seeking money, material things, and status beyond what any reasonable person might require.

At first I thought they were simply hypocrites. One can be somewhat forgiving of hypocrisy, esp after they come to realize they themselves tend to fall into hypocrisy, or fall short, not always in step with their dearest values.

But it was much worst than that, I came to realize. It wasn’t hypocrisy at all. In fact they were very true to their religion, following it to a tee, that is the religion of “Americanism,” including rugged individualism, materialism, lack of concern about others, or at least others are not salient in their lives, except to some minor extent their immediate family members…but that’s only because they get a jump and status boost out of them, bec they get something out of it.

I thought when I married my husband, a Catholic from India, I thought I’d found a better culture…but there are problems in India too, some of them sort of opposite American problems, and while we have our dysfunctional nuclear families, they have their dysfunctional extended families. Then I thought there must be some island somewhere where the culture and people are good.

Then I gave up the search. There really is a much better place and Jesus rules. It’s called Heaven

 

[mikekle]

I figured out in the 50s when I was a child that American culture was no good and anti-Christian. I’d go to Sunday school and it all sounded really good, about Jesus and His way. Then I’d see what was going on in society around me the rest of the week. The kids were mean brats and the adults didn’t seem to follow Jesus much – in fact they were following something opposite, like seeking money, material things, and status beyond what any reasonable person might require.

I agree 100%, I know many many people just like this and they from my parish, in fact, my own father is one of these people, he is 59 yrs old, has a masters degree, has taught college courses, never misses a mass on sunday, went all thru catholic school, he sits on many parish committees, yet when Ive asked him some basic things about the bible, he had no idea what I was talking about, I had to show him some verses, because he did not believe me about them?!

It seems like him and many others just put in their one hour each sunday and they think thats plenty, I think they like being able to call themselves catholic more than anything, they are more concerned with how others view them, and when they do go to mass, they probably just zone out, thinking about what they will do the rest of the day, Ive seen many start fidgeting, checking their watches, etc if mass goes a little over 1 hour…they dont want to be there any longer than necessary . lol

 

[Yeoman]

I agree 100%, I know many many people just like this and they from my parish, in fact, my own father is one of these people, he is 59 yrs old, has a masters degree, has taught college courses, never misses a mass on sunday, went all thru catholic school, he sits on many parish committees, yet when Ive asked him some basic things about the bible, he had no idea what I was talking about, I had to show him some verses, because he did not believe me about them?!

It seems like him and many others just put in their one hour each sunday and they think thats plenty, I think they like being able to call themselves catholic more than anything, they are more concerned with how others view them, and when they do go to mass, they probably just zone out, thinking about what they will do the rest of the day, Ive seen many start fidgeting, checking their watches, etc if mass goes a little over 1 hour…they dont want to be there any longer than necessary . lol

We have to recall that the measure of Grace poured out to each person is not exactly the same. Everyone receives what they need in order to be saved. Some use that amount, some not. But some receive a great deal and are aflame with their Faith. In some, it barely smoulders. And on some of those it catches fire very late, but it still does.

So, we need to be careful about being too critical of other Catholic’s in the pews who seem lukewarm.

A more serious matter, in my view, is the many poorly catechized Catholics in the boomer and immediate post boomer generation who were given such a fluid understanding of the Faith that their consciences are so malleable that they can accept darned near anything, including this. I myself have an assortment of cousins who, if you asked them, would tell you that they are serious Catholics but who also probably support darned near every left wing proposition in this area and are flying, in at least one instance, rainbow watermarks on their Facebook avatars. Not that we’re all in our 50s its a little late to try to correct this, and the fact that they were able to hang out in Parishes when they were young where the Priests were rather liberal, doesn’t help.

Indeed, at least from my point of view a lot of this current fight seems to be concentrated down at the Faithful in the pew level, and amongst a few Bishops. Things higher up move very slowly, but it’s hard to feel like the Cardinals or even the Papacy really have our backs, even if they probably do. That makes it a bit tough too.

 

[Yeoman]

“Christians are indistinguishable from other men either by nationality, language or customs. They do not inhabit separate cities of their own, or speak a strange dialect, or follow some outlandish way of life. Their teaching is not based upon reveries inspired by the curiosity of men. Unlike some other people, they champion no purely human doctrine. With regard to dress, food and manner of life in general, they follow the customs of whatever city they happen to be living in, whether it is Greek or foreign.

And yet there is something extraordinary about their lives. They live in their own countries as though they were only passing through. They play their full role as citizens, but labor under all the disabilities of aliens. Any country can be their homeland, but for them their homeland, wherever it may be, is a foreign country. Like others, they marry and have children, but they do not expose them. They share their meals, but not their wives.

They live in the flesh, but they are not governed by the desires of the flesh. They pass their days upon earth, but they are citizens of heaven. Obedient to the laws, they yet live on a level that transcends the law. Christians love all men, but all men persecute them. Condemned because they are not understood, they are put to death, but raised to life again. They live in poverty, but enrich many; they are totally destitute, but possess an abundance of everything. They suffer dishonor, but that is their glory. They are defamed, but vindicated. A blessing is their answer to abuse, deference their response to insult. For the good they do they receive the punishment of malefactors, but even then they, rejoice, as though receiving the gift of life. They are attacked by the Jews as aliens, they are persecuted by the Greeks, yet no one can explain the reason for this hatred.

To speak in general terms, we may say that the Christian is to the world what the soul is to the body. As the soul is present in every part of the body, while remaining distinct from it, so Christians are found in all the cities of the world, but cannot be identified with the world. As the visible body contains the invisible soul, so Christians are seen living in the world, but their religious life remains unseen. The body hates the soul and wars against it, not because of any injury the soul has done it, but because of the restriction the soul places on its pleasures. Similarly, the world hates the Christians, not because they have done it any wrong, but because they are opposed to its enjoyments.

Christians love those who hate them just as the soul loves the body and all its members despite the body’s hatred. It is by the soul, enclosed within the body, that the body is held together, and similarly, it is by the Christians, detained in the world as in a prison, that the world is held together. The soul, though immortal, has a mortal dwelling place; and Christians also live for a time amidst perishable things, while awaiting the freedom from change and decay that will be theirs in heaven. As the soul benefits from the deprivation of food and drink, so Christians flourish under persecution. Such is the Christian’s lofty and divinely appointed function, from which he is not permitted to excuse himself.”

From a letter to Diognetus

And so, a letter from the beginning becomes fully contemporary once again.

 

[BlueKnight]

What!?!

I just saw cap put on his shield in one hand and a rosary in the other. He told me he was on his way to Eucharistic adoration and that he has been praying a 54 day novena for america.

He told me he and Benjamin Grimm were about to shake things up and we should get ready.

I asked cap what he meant by getting ready and his jaw got really tight.

He said this was only the beginning and that all our enemies were “on the way.”

I asked him what can we do?

He told me not to panic, God has a plan, and our victory is not far away.

Suddenly I noticed that Cap was wearing the clothes of a Roman Catholic priest. I sighed in dismay because it hit me then that he doesn’t fight any more. I told him as much. He said not to worry. He was going to let the fighting be done by a whole new group of saints who are even stronger and capable then he.

I laughed and said no way.

He then through me his shield with all his strength and I caught it with one hand.

Then he said “see, in Christ you can do all things.”

Pony up folks and get ready.

 

[ThinkingSapien]

Do you [anyone] see the United States of America presently as a Christian nation?

 

[BlueKnight]

Funny I had a dream about god asking me that very same question as he was getting on a huge tractor that was floating near a bunch of other big ships. I told him well… I am sure there are christians in it. He told me to stay away from the docks. He wasn’t referring to america but to the churches which were represented by the ships.

I think god is going to first clean house in the American churches.

I dream a lot what can I say. The book of revelations starts with a warning to the churches. The Luke warm churches of America are about to be spat out of his mouth.

Good riddance I say.

Bk

 

[Della]

Do you [anyone] see the United States of America presently as a Christian nation?

Not the ruling elite, certainly. And many Christians support gay marriage from a misplaced sense of pity, about which C. S. Lewis had a lot to say. Ever since the civil rights movement of the 60’s the acceptance/support of deviant lifestyles has been in the works. Not because blacks insisted on equal rights–of course that was good, right and proper. But because it opened the door for others to say they too were the abused underclass that also needed “equal rights.” They didn’t dare say so at the time–no one would have supported them then. Rather, they worked patiently behind the scenes, creating the sense that any and all lifestyles, not simply all people, are the same and so must be protected by law. That was always their intention, but most Americans were clueless because most ordinary people don’t think that way. Jesus was right to call us sheep, for we are too easily led by those who complain the loudest instead of following the Shepherd God gave us.

Most of the country was Christian and I believe most still think of themselves that way, but they’ve been misled into believing that only by accepting lifestyles instead of persons they will truly be acting with compassion for those who were “persecuted.” It’s become a quamire of iminformation and bad ideas–one that will take generations to remedy. It’s why we need to evangelize all the more. We can’t be complacent nor “just go along” any more. It will be hard, but then Rome wasn’t converting in a single generation and there were many martyrs. It may take being martyred to save America, but if that’s what God wills we need to accept that it may be, pray to be brave and faithful, and do what needs to be done.

 

[exnihilo]

Do you [anyone] see the United States of America presently as a Christian nation?

The government itself is thoroughly pagan. The people are still in large part influenced by Christianity. If the people really abandoned Christianity things would be far worse. Most people take for granted the relatively good life they lead. The respect for person and property is a result of Christianity. If more people truly acted as godlessly as they profess to be then the US would be a much more dangerous place.

N Ever since the civil rights movement of the 60’s the acceptance/support of deviant lifestyles has been in the works. Not because blacks insisted on equal rights–of course that was good, right and proper. But because it opened the door for others to say they too were the abused underclass that also needed “equal rights.”

The problem with the Civil Rights movement was that it didn’t stop at ending government discrimination whether that be discriminatory rules by the state or forced segregation. It allowed the government to abrogate a most intimate right, freedom of association. The government asserted the authority to delve into every human interaction. The same principles of this movement will now be used to force Christians to promote SSM. If the principle was right in the early Civil Rights movement it is right now. It was however a huge and costly mistake.