Where would you draw the line?

[grotto]

I think I should have used the expression “Nip it in the bud” instead of “stop running”. I guess I sensed someone was thinking the demise of our religious freedom was a foregone conclusion. I agree that conditions of our society have suffered from much evil and its very troubling so we have to continue to step up to the plate and keep swinging!

Irish history is the complete “book” on being persecuted and keeping the Faith in spite of it, and yes, if the whole US Government was corrupted into suppressing religious freedom to the same extent
as that which Ireland or the Soviet Union, etc. then we would have to go “underground” while we fought “above ground”.

We have got to stand up taller, speak not so softly, and carry a big stick!

 

[Toni]

seabird3579:

All right here’s Situation Number One:

This is all hypothetical but I’m very interested to Hear the responses.

Perhaps some of you missed the bottom line.

 

[JCPhoenix]

Toni:

Perhaps some of you missed the bottom line.

The bottom line is that this is NOT hypothetical. Maybe to some degree, but I’ll daresay there are several on these very forums facing this, many in other countries facing this (the Sudan comes to mind), and as was just brought up, the USA Native Americans, at the hands of “Christians”.

While I don’t endorse pagan religions in any way (being Catholic), I think the way they were treated was shameful. Conversion doesn’t happen through force, but through example and through the very grace of God. Look at Bl. Kateri Tekawitha. (Sp?)

But I digress.

The bottom line is that this is happening in many places and may very well happen here. Let’s not be asleep at the switch so we can continue to maintain our freedom.

 

[tcay584]

seabird3579:

All right here’s Situation Number One:

You are a lifelong Catholic who loves your Faith, OR your are a Convert or Revert who has come to love the Catholic Faith. You have studied, you have searched, you realize now what a “Pearl of Great Price” you have. And, you know that you will serve God, He is number one in your life. Everything else is second, third and fourth. God is Number One.

Here is Situation Number Two:

It is now the year Two Thousand and …; the Supreme Court has just issued a “decision” declaring that “all things Catholic” are illegal to be practiced in the U.S. For example, no Masses, sacraments, rosaries – and schools have been ordered closed. Priests are informed that they will only teach what the “State” says they will teach if they wish to avoid imprisonment.

Question: What is your personal response? How will you conduct yourself? How will you lead your family to respond to this new “decision”?

This is all hypothetical but I’m very interested to Hear the responses.

In the same way as Christ healed on the Sabbath…I would disregard (not blatantly, as if to make a show of it) the directive. Render unto God that which is God’s.

 

[Black_Jaque]

Don’t forget about the right to keep and bear arms - we are familiar

with fighting for freedom.

Ain’t this ironic! The USCCB would love to see the government take control over privately owned weapons!

With all this forcing God out of the public square, I wonder how long it will take before the atheists begin to use the fact that the radio airwaves are public property to stangle out Catholic Radio?

 

[PROUD_2_B_RC]

+JMJ+

It would be back to the catacombs for me but with a 21st century twist.I would continue to practice my Holy Catholic Faith and do all that I could to continue to live a good catholic life.In such a case I am happy that I have St.Stephen,first martyr as my confirmation patron saint. Again this is what I hope would happen,we can all speculate but one never knows until put in such a situation.This kinda of stuff is already happening in Canada with the hate crime law. God be with us in the rough times ahead!
God bless you and Mary keep you!

 

[precious_roy]

Actually, I think the declaration of independence discusses this quite nicely.

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

In summary of my position:
I don’t think it is enough just to go and practice your faith underground, but to be able to make known what you do and why you think it is right. And if a government suppresses such right it is your duty to correct that government, not just to work around it like it was some sort of minor inconvenience. At the same time overthrowing the government is a bit much. Work in harmony with the powers that be to resolve your conflict so that both sides win. I don’t believe in a zero sum game.

 

[seabird3579]

Toni:

I agree lock me up let me die a martyr and march right into heaven…

Amen!

 

[5-Decades-a-Day]

seabird3579:

Here is Situation Number Two:

It is now the year Two Thousand and …; the Supreme Court has just issued a “decision” declaring that “all things Catholic” are illegal to be practiced in the U.S. For example, no Masses, sacraments, rosaries – and schools have been ordered closed. Priests are informed that they will only teach what the “State” says they will teach if they wish to avoid imprisonment.

Question: What is your personal response? How will you conduct yourself? How will you lead your family to respond to this new “decision”?

This is all hypothetical but I’m very interested to Hear the responses.

In that case, to hell with the “Supreme” Court.

 

[Al_Masetti]

Black Jaque:

Ain’t this ironic! The USCCB would love to see the government take control over privately owned weapons!

With all this forcing God out of the public square, I wonder how long it will take before the atheists begin to use the fact that the radio airwaves are public property to stangle out Catholic Radio?

Someone once asked me “what freedoms have you lost?”

Well, thanks to McCain-Feingold, our freedom of speech has been severely restricted.

Thanks to “hate speech”, biblical expositions of such things as homosexuality may be punished with fines and prison sentences (contempt of court).

Thanks to “separation of church and state”, we now have freedom FROM religion instead of freedom OF religion.

Whole segments of the Constitution have been turned upside down.

What will be next?

 

[Isidore_AK]

When that happens, its time to "Vote from the rooftops " as they say…