tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221886899554221015.post7902612996633533399..comments2023-07-05T01:56:12.807-07:00Comments on Quiet Consecration: Honoring the Bernini BoysLeslie K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13309112557962726272noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221886899554221015.post-2093794489691512492012-07-12T14:27:40.934-07:002012-07-12T14:27:40.934-07:00Robert, I am proud to call you my Catholic Brother...Robert, I am proud to call you my Catholic Brother! Thank you for a well thought out reply. I think you are right, truly I do. I also think I am scared right now because of what I suspect are specific plans by haters to try and destroy The Church - and yet, we know, don't we, that they will fail...because no matter what they do, The Church will be here when Jesus returns!Leslie K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13309112557962726272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221886899554221015.post-55540917253281454082012-07-12T11:45:45.664-07:002012-07-12T11:45:45.664-07:00Leslie,
You are one of my top five favorite Catho...Leslie,<br /><br />You are one of my top five favorite Catholics and fellowship people, and I value your opinions. Your passion and diligence is admirable, and I know for a fact that you would not hesitate to help a person who is looking for help.<br /><br />I am not a cradle Catholic. I am one of those “other” people; one who came in from the wilderness. My last church was the Episcopal Church of the United States, “ECUSA.” When I married in April of 1992, it was conducted by an older gentleman in a shiny black suit, who was a minister to the “Great Cosmic Consciousness, or Un consciousness,” can’t remember which. I did not have a sacramental marriage, only dimly was aware of what a sacrament was, and was probably drunk anyway. Our contribution to society was negligible, unless you count the county of Alameda’s insistence to attend “counseling” for the three children from my wife’s previous marriage, which were in the process of being removed from all available public schools in the area due to various behavioral features. <br /><br />There are two experiences that dominate my thinking as regards same-sex marriage. One is my experience in the ECUSA; witnessing the transition from an invitation of tolerance of the lifestyles others to an insistence that we whole heartedly embrace the lifestyles of others as being equal to my own.<br /><br />The other is the benefit to society from marriage. There is a body of knowledge and history that shows that society rewards unions that benefits society; “traditional marriage” benefits society in general by bringing babies into the world.<br /><br />To address the first experience, I felt a distinct pressure from ECUSA to “change my evil ways” as regards my beliefs about same-sex marriage. As with most bullies, retreat only invites advance. It looks as if the Catholic Church is being bullied by the government. My perception that their claim they will be satisfied if we retreat into our churches, cowering and praying inside, while not displaying our convictions or the origin of convictions while outside the Church is a false one. I see no compelling reason to think these bullies will be satisfied at stopping at the door.<br /><br />To address my second experience, there is a body of knowledge that acknowledges the benefit to society by bringing babies into the world, and the rewards granted to those who in general do so. Rewarding couples who are in love, or are interested in same sex sexual intimacy makes no sense. Being “in love” and “desiring sexual intimacy” is a dime a dozen occurrence. No commitment. Think bacon and eggs. The chicken is involved, but the pig is committed. Having unfavorable experience with acting on feelings in the past, I have some evidence to back up this opinion.<br /><br />The idea that a same sex union is equal in the eyes of society to a hetero union is difficult to accept, unless you have a very good cover story. A cover story covers history, your behind, or both. Our religion is a historical Abrahamic and monotheistic one that is best explained by our *history* of contact with God, since other explanations collapse into naturalism when they are called to do so. Finally, there is a poverty of evidence that shows society rewarding same sex unions in the same way that hetero unions are rewarded. Unless you have a good cover story.<br /><br />Of course, this is just my opinion. Thank you again for this blog. Perhaps I am number seven?<br /><br />RobertRoberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07030209805700748162noreply@blogger.com