Guidelines on Women's Health Issued

Guidelines on Women's Health Issued by Michael Sean Winters

My comments: The reason that the Bishops should have played nicer is to be able to count on the support of liberal Catholics when such issues as this come up. Not sure I feel like backing their play on Ella, although I probably will. However, they are simply wrong on sterilization and contraception - since these work before gastrulation and cannot be considered equivalent to abortion (unlike Ella).

The Church's stance on contraception works best when it sticks to economic empowerment issues for the poor, who should not have to resort to birth control to secure their economic well being. It does not do so well when it takes a stand against contraception that is medically indicated because the woman should not get pregnant. Their suggested practice of natural family planning lessens the power of its economic message and is inadequate to the health needs of women whose lives may be in jeapordy if they become pregnant.

Chaput: The Problem With Culture Warrior Bishops

Chaput: The Problem With Culture Warrior Bishops by Michael Sean Winters

My response: I suspect Cardinals Law and Burke had a say in this, yet Chaput may well overcome the culture of clericalism left by Rigali and bring reform. How he deals with Bob Casey will be telling on the political front. Unless he understands that Casey has the upper hand in this, he will do damage to himself and wreck any bipartisanship in the pro-life movement.

Mary and Jesus as mother and son

Mary and Jesus as mother and son by Thomas C. Fox

My reaction: This is the most important relationship in scripture, because unless you understand it, you cannot understand why Jesus finally called out in despair on the Cross.

While it is fashionable to believe that the nativity stories are an add-on, I believe they are essential - since they locate Jesus' knowledge of himself in His mother's telling of them and in His reading of the scripture, rather than in some proto-gnostic self-awareness. When He entrusted her to John's care, He rejected both this origin belief and His mission. He did not give John instructions to baptize all nations or even await the Resurrection. He essentially told those He loved that He was a he - dead man hanging.

Understand this and you understand all of Christianity, including that the purpose of morality is not to placate God, but to live well on Earth. This view is mutually exclusive from the view that God is angry and his anger must be satisfied by blood. Instead, the blood is to be shared as Jesus shared our despair (I thirst).

Crazy Cons Attack Card. O'Malley

Crazy Cons Attack Card. O'Malley by Michael Sean Winters

Cardinal O'Malley is moving in the right direction, but is not there yet. The crazy cons, however, shoudl follow his advice and go to confession for their hate. If a position in natural law needs a strong PR strategy, it may not be as natural as you think. I still think it comes down to marriage as the social tool that creates families (calling them civil unions is a PC copout). To not allow gays to create their own families is to infantalize them into their families of origin - and there is nothing natural about that.

Debating Faithful Citizenship

Debating Faithful Citizenship by Michael Sean Winters

My response:

Faithful Citizenship has never been used as intended. It is at best a Band-Aid on addressing the intricacies of both abortion law and poverty. Until these issues are more explicitly addressed, it will prove caustic as some seize on abortion as a non-negotiable without actually saying what is to be done about it, while others use it as an excuse to ignore the issue altogether. Neither view is correct. We should instead agree to either a realistic program to end abortion through criminal law or admit that it cannot be done and instead agree on an economic strategy to reduce it.

The Veep at the Vatican

The Veep at the Vatican by Michael Sean Winters

My response: I disagree. Biden is not wrong and I hope he explained the difference between supporting abortion and not using the criminal law to regulate it in American Society. There was never an "abortion law" enacted and in a society that grants equal protection to all individuals, making a fetus an individual in the first trimester is so legally problematic that the pro-life movement does not attempt it. Until they do attempt it, there is nothing for pro-choice Catholic (or non-Catholic politicians) to oppose. You cannot say we are wrong for opposing non-existent legilation (and neither can the Pope). Hopefully, Biden explained this. One more thing, John the Divine was Jesus best friend, not Peter.

The resurrection of the dead -- Part 2

The resurrection of the dead -- Part 2 by Fr. Richard McBrian

My response: The resurrection of the dead is really the only belief that does not boil down to annihilation, since being unressurrected in the pressence of God would amount to your reality being all God and no you. Only faith in a resurrection makes individuality possible and it is the biggest leap of faith one can have.