A Time to Choose – Short Takes

Posted on by charliej373
Dali Crucifixion
Christ of St. John of the Cross – Salvador Dali

By Charlie Johnston

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil – Isaiah 5:20

There is an old saying that a guilty man tries to hide all the evidence he can because he doesn’t know which piece, if revealed, will convict him. Similarly, an innocent man tries to get as much evidence out as he can because he doesn’t know which piece, when revealed, will exonerate him. It isn’t always true, but it offers a compelling insight into two vastly different mindsets under stress.

Some conservative commentators are arguing that Alabama’s rigorous new abortion laws are a mistake; that they will lead to a backlash that will cause more damage than good. I am with First Thing’s Philip Jeffery: enough incrementalism, already.

When what you advocate for is repugnant to ordinary people, morally or otherwise, you must cloak your aims in euphemisms to hide what it really is you propose. Thus abortion advocates speak of reproductive rights instead of abortion, products of conception instead of infants, women’s health instead of abortion on demand, women’s rights instead of a universal human right to life. Their very Orwellian language is designed to obscure what they advocate for, not to openly proclaim it. Even they know that the more ordinary people know about the reality of abortion, the more repulsed they will be – and the more likely they will become pro-life advocates.

The mutilation of language to hide what they do is only the beginning of their mendacity. Abortion providers are heavily federally funded. Crisis pregnancy centers, which help mothers manage their pregnancy and care for their child, are funded entirely voluntarily – and must contend with abortionists constantly trying to use the government to shut them down or force them to promote abortion. Doing all they can to put crisis pregnancy centers out of operation, abortionists then turn around and accuse pro-lifers of doing nothing to help babies after they are born. The abortion providers are a behemoth, using federal and some state governments as their funding and enforcement arm and using the establishment media as their press agency. Pro-life activists and crisis pregnancy centers are a sometimes ragtag band of volunteers and activists who have to attract private donors by the worthiness of their cause. They are sustained by the fortitude of their commitment, all while battling the efforts of abortionists and governments to shut them down and media barons to smear them. Truth is the wind that keeps pro-life sails aloft in the face of all these obstacles.

It is abortionists and their advocates who must slink around, using soothing language to hide what they do in order to seduce ordinary people into looking the other way. When the truth of abortion is confronted, ordinary people overwhelmingly support life. Our 45 years of incrementalism has effectively collaborated with the abortionists in anesthetizing the conscience of people who should be our allies. I do not speak of being offensively provocative (though David Daleiden told me several years ago that it was a picture of an aborted baby he saw when he was in middle school that shocked him – and ultimately fueled his determination that this evil must be ended).

I wrote recently that most people try hard to ignore contentious issues for as long as they can, not out of moral deficiency, but because they don’t want any trouble. Laws like those in Alabama and the states which have adopted heartbeat bills force people to confront what abortion really is. The abortion crowd reacts to facts and evidence like Dracula does to sunlight. If the facts of abortion cannot stay hidden (and they can’t if we challenge the establishment orthodoxy on the matter) everyone must eventually choose where they stand. No more abstentions. The fundamental question is the humanity of the unborn (and now, with New York’s law and some other states efforts – the newly born). If they are not human, there would be no controversy in the first place. If they are human (as both science and faith confirm they are) then a woman has no more “right” to kill her unborn infant than a 1940’s era German had a “right” to kill Jews or an 1850’s era American southerner had a right to enslave black folks. The canard that no one who doesn’t have a uterus gets a say is just a dodge to avoid the fundamental question of the humanity of the unborn. On matters of universal justice, ALL must choose. In the prelude to the Civil War, southern Senators would sometimes taunt their northern counterparts by saying that if they didn’t like slavery, they shouldn’t buy one – just as abortion advocates now say if you don’t like abortion you shouldn’t get one. It is just shoddy sophistry to avoid the fundamental question.

It is time to confront this question boldly and directly – to induce all to address the fundamental question without euphemism or slogans. Real science says definitively that the unborn are fully human (as opposed to #science, which lefties so love because it can be perverted to say whatever they want). The American Declaration of Independence declares life to be first among those inalienable rights endowed to each of us by our Creator. The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law. Scientifically, philosophically and legally, abortion is untenable. Only malignant sophistry and the perversion of science, philosophy and law prop it up. For those of us of faith, the fate of our immortal souls depends on our defense of the most vulnerable among us. It is time to directly confront the misshapen behemoth the abortion power has become. Make all choose whether we remain committed to a culture of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness or whether we are just a pathetic, disfigured remnant of the noble people we once were. Even abortion advocates will have to take care, for if they succeed in making humanity into an arbitrary construct to be determined by those with sufficient power to serve their own preferences, it will only be a matter of time until they, too, fall into a disfavored category and set on the path of extermination. Either we commit to objective standards for personhood or it is all just an increasingly brutish scrabble for power.

Enough with incrementalism. It is time to choose.

*******

Pope Francis has gotten people in a tizzy again, with recent comments that the Church must let go of her traditions, renounce the desire for clarity and order, and abandon the pile of doctrines and traditions in favor of saying that “God is love.” Even some of those who are heterodox seem taken aback by this bumper sticker theology.

That God is love is a centerpiece of faith. It is, however, the beginning of wisdom, not the end of it. Love is demonstrated by the behavior of a person, not by mushy sentimentalism. St. Thomas Aquinas defined love as “to will the good of another,” a definition adopted in toto by the Church in its Catechism (Part 3, Section 1, Chapter 1, Article 5, Line 1766). Christ refined this to being self-sacrificial love, declaring that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13)

Doctrine, traditions, clarity and order played a pretty big role in Jesus’ teaching. When showing His mercy to the woman caught in adultery, He did not insipidly ask her tormenters, “what is wrong with love.” Instead, He told them to let the one without sin cast the first stone – and after all had left in shame, forgave the woman and told her to go and sin no more. (John 8:1-11) A few years back, the Pope accused those who wanted to protect the integrity of marriage of being rigid Pharisees. At the time I first read the statement, I chuckled in astonishment, for the Pope literally had it exactly backwards: it was the Pharisees who wanted loose rules on marriage and Jesus who insisted on tight ones.

I know how terribly disheartening these frequent strange – and occasionally bizarre – statements can be for ordinary faithful Catholics. Yet I stand by my stance that Pope Francis is a lame-duck Pope who has squandered his influence – and so we should not let it disturb our peace. The wheels may turn furiously at the Vatican, but the gears aren’t meshing anymore.

His off-the-cuff comments are not binding on anyone. A Pope’s formal statements become Magisterial when they are made in union with the Bishops of the world. It does not require a vote; the Bishops’ silence is consent. It does not require unanimity; but even if a small group of Bishops objects, the Pope must respond. If the objections remain, then a vote must be taken in synod or council. If the Pope refuses to answer or consult the Bishops after such objections, the teaching cannot become Magisterial. Pope Francis issues ambiguous statement which he refuses to answer any questions on. This method ensures that his pronouncements, imperious as they may be, are mere transient scribblings in the sand of the seashore which will be wiped away by the incoming tide.

A Priest, a Bishop, a Pope are all called to be defenders of Scripture and the Magisterium. They are guardians of the faith, called to help us all live it with fidelity. But they are fallible men, called to serve as both shepherds to the faithful and palace guard to Christ’s immutable and infallible edifice. (Yes, the Pope, too, is fallible, save for particular rare and narrowly circumscribed circumstances – none of which has been called upon these last six years). They can – and should – help us live the faith, but nothing they do can prevent us from living it with fidelity. If a Bishop ordered you to commit adultery, that would be clearly contrary to the faith – an unlawful order you were obliged not to obey. On all matters of faith and morals where there is some ambiguity, you are obliged to follow your Bishop’s lead. On purely temporal, political, economic, or scientific matters (that do not involve any methods illicit in themselves) the highest religious authority’s voice is just one opinion among many – an opinion that does not bind you. As Jesus said in Matthew 23:1-3 of the religious authorities of His time, you should do what they say, but not as they do – and what they authentically say is through Scripture and the Magisterium. If it is doubtful, follow your Bishop’s lead with a clear conscience. Only if it is directly and clearly contradictory to Scripture and the Magisterium should you stick with what is clearly and authentically taught.

I pay little attention to these things any more, rarely letting them disturb my peace. When the Pope handles controversial matters in a way that prevents his statements from becoming Magisterial, why worry overmuch about what is transient anyway? For all the contention in the Church, it worries me that almost no person or institution outside the Catholic Church looks any longer at the Church as a reliable arbiter of morality. Outside the Church, its moral authority is in utter collapse. The efforts by some Bishops to conform themselves to the world have alienated many of the faithful while only gaining the contempt of secular authorities. I have commented boldly of late of my contempt for the Texas Conference of Catholic Bishops (TCCB) policy of supporting forced involuntary euthanasia in that state and mislabeling it pro-life. Insiders maintain that the Bishop who took the lead in doing the Texas Medical Assn. and the Texas Hospital Assn.’s bidding is Ft. Worth Bishop Michael Olson. Dallas Bishop Edward Burns has not publicly spoken against the policy – yet while this silence has alienated the faithful, it did not immunize him from secular police raids. Now I find some prominent lay organizations have taken an interest in the mangling of Catholic Doctrine by the TCCB. There will be consequences for all of this. (An earlier version of this article mis-identified Dallas Bishop Edward Burns as a driving force behind the TCCB’s position. That was incorrect. In fact, Burns is one of two Bishops pro-life advocates put the most hope in for getting the TCCB back to authentically supporting life. I apologize for the error – CJ)

This is the time of the ordinary man. Each one of us can live our faith with fidelity. Most of our Priests and Bishops are ordinary men, too, trying hard to navigate these astonishingly stormy waters. Watch for them – and then help to lift them up. If we live our faith with fidelity, navigating the rapids we find ourselves in with focus and without panic, we will rebuild a culture of vibrant faith as the rotted wood below and around us falls away. All we need to do is to choose, to take the next right step with neither malice nor hesitation. It is time to choose.

*******

Kansas City (Kansas) Archbishop Joseph Naumann is chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities. Last week he issued a statement applauding those states which have strengthened pro-life laws. He also emphasized that the Church is committed to helping all mothers with the care and resources they need, particularly those in crisis. It was a welcome statement. Archbishop Naumann is a notably faithful and orthodox Bishop.

I know that one thing that contributes to the general unease of the faithful is the seeming silence of those Bishops who have been faithful, who are not participating in attacking either the faith or the faithful. I have a great deal of sympathy for most of these clerics. They, too, are struggling to navigate these stormy waters while finding themselves in an unexpected and unprecedented situation. They have a truly fiduciary duty of fidelity to Scripture and the Magisterium AND a real duty of obedience to their superiors. When those duties are in real conflict, it can be a matter of deep prudence to consider all the implications before acting boldly. Their ultimate duty for both of these matters is to God.

I hear privately from a lot of Priests from around the country these days. Most are in real torment trying to figure out how to live these duties well. Some are considering leaving the Priesthood. That’s understandable. These days, they have much of the laity giving them the stink-eye if they appear in public with their clerical collars – and find themselves persecuted rather than supported by their superiors, particularly if they are notably orthodox. I pray for these good men, and I pray by name for all who contact me. The best and most committed among the hierarchy are finding their sea legs in this unprecedented situation.

It has pleased God to knock all the props out from under us. We can’t live our faith by casual rote, anymore. We must choose who we are. Whatever we choose, we will suffer: attacks by the spirit of Jezebel that has overtaken the world if we choose the good and the true, the contempt of those who keep fidelity to faith if we betray it – and those who betray will find that even their secular “allies” still hate them. Now the time comes that we must either be intentional disciples or we will no longer be disciples at all. There is no place of neutrality left.

I first saw this horrible Storm some 55 years ago. Though I had trouble believing it would come, I knew if it did, it would shake everyone to their very foundations. No complacency, no easy answers. Perhaps it is because I have had so long to contemplate it that I counsel patience for all of us as we find our way. If a person is not actively attacking the faith or the faithful, give them time and room to find their way. While it is impossible not to notice abuses, I prefer to be on watch for the little, hopeful signs that more and more are finding their way, that they are finding a reserve of strength they never knew they had to fuel a growing resolve. Let us bear with one another as we find our way to becoming intentional disciples. AB Naumann’s statement, released by the USCCB, is a sign of hope, a little stirring, and a proclamation of intentional discipleship.

*******

A little humor…if you have never read the Babylon Bee, it is a satirical site with a distinctly Christian flavor. It skewers the pretensions of our times. Beckita put up a link in comments to an article that ridiculed the ongoing transgender destruction of women’s sports, entitled, “Grizzly Bear Shatters All Pro Wrestling Records After Identifying As Human.” My recent favorite was an article about the House Judiciary Committee issuing a subpoena to God to explain why He colluded to allow Trump to become president. Over the last year or two, I think the Babylon Bee has overtaken the Onion as the premier site for biting satire. They have chosen to be funny – and ridicule the ridiculous.

*******

The amazing and iconic painting at the top of this article, by Salvador Dali, was based on a vision of St. John of the Cross – and then a dream of this vision by Dali, himself. While hostile to religion and Catholicism during his youth, Dali found himself re-drawn to the Church in his mid-30s. Some of his most profound work was inspired by his deep love for his Catholic faith. At the bottom of the page, I have posted his take on the Ascension of Christ.

*******

Just a reminder. This week, I begin my travels to the east of Colorado to speak and meet with people. If you want to see where I will be, click on the Menu button at the top right of the page. From the drop-down menu, click on “Travels With Charlie” and it will give you regularly updated dates and locations with local contact information. Hope to see you out there.

The Ascension, Dali
The Ascension – Salvador Dali

139 thoughts on “A Time to Choose – Short Takes”

  1. Thank you, Charlie. Good counsel all through this piece. While I never made it to Dali’s museum in his hometown of Figueres, the many museums I did visit in Spain, invariably, had a dedicated area for many of Dali’s original works. I’d love to see him capture in art the surreal world we’re living today. 😉

    Liked by 8 people

      1. Dali’s interpretation of the Crucifixion from God’s perspective is so powerful. I was unaware of his Ascension painting, though, and I love it too. The Ascension is one of the more difficult events in Scripture for me to visualize because there is so little data, and this image helps. I love how Christ’s hands on the cross are contorted by pain, and by contrast those same hands show a similar intensity as he exercises his power in the Ascension.

        And there is something wonderful about Christ’s pristine feet too.

        Liked by 5 people

        1. A lot of people only are aware of the whacked-out side. Glad you could see this side of him – for it truly drove some of his greatest work (but naturally modern culture only wants to celebrate the weird).

          Liked by 7 people

        2. I was surprised, Christopher, when I first saw this 10 or 15 years ago after having the same impression as you about his work – an impression I had for 35 years or more. I read, at that same time, the info given here about him and more about the grief given him by his “peers”.

          Liked by 4 people

  2. Memorial Day 2019
    https://www.thomasmore.org/video-ronald-reagans-moving-memorial-day-tribute/

    Waller: Memorialize Our Fallen Heroes by Keeping America from Becoming a Memory
    https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2019/05/26/waller-memorialize-our-fallen-heroes-by-keeping-america-from-becoming-a-memory/

    Charlie Daniels: Only Two Things Protect America–The Grace of Almighty God and the US Military
    https://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/charlie-daniels/charlie-daniels-two-things-protect-america-grace-almighty-god-and-us

    Memorial Day 2019: Cutting the Cross of Christ
    https://spectator.org/memorial-day-2019-cutting-the-cross-of-christ/

    RIP Comrades of Mine!

    GOD SAVE THE REPUBLIC & ALL HERE!!

    Liked by 15 people

    1. Thank you for providing these links. I’ve spent a lot of time today reading and watching similar posts and videos, with tears running down my face. Just about a year ago, I was present when my brother-in-law was laid to rest in a military cemetery. He had retired some years ago after serving 20 years in the Army. Last summer it was his military training that allowed him to enter a building where shots had been fired, in time to save the life of a teenage girl. He took the bullet that was intended for her. Although he did not die in combat, like every good serviceman he set aside his own safety to protect the safety of others. He gave his life so that another might live. Will you join me in honoring him this Memorial Day?

      Liked by 17 people

      1. I absolutely will join you, Kathy, in honoring your brother-in-law, God rest his beautiful soul. And may God bless all those, military or otherwise, how have laid down their lives for their friends… and for strangers.

        Liked by 8 people

        2. To Kathy and all who have lost loved ones in sacrifice to our country and our people, John 15:13
          “No one has greater love than this,j to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” God bless and keep all of you and may any of our loved ones in Purgatory, soon be in Heaven with Our Father. A blessed Memorial Day to all of you.

          Liked by 7 people

      3. “…(your Brother did) enter a building where shots had been fired, in time to save the life of a teenage girl. He took the bullet that was intended for her. Although he did not die in combat…”

        Kathy, rest assurred your Brother in law did die honorably in combat. A true Hero in every sense of the meaning.

        Liked by 9 people

  3. “If a person is not actively attacking the faith or the faithful, give them time and room to find their way.”

    I agree and think this is very important. My whole life I’ve used a sledgehammer and biting words to try to get people to wake the heck up to whatever cause du jour I was on about. Doesn’t work. Your counsel here is the only way. Our job is keep the light on the stand. And then let the Lord work.

    Safe travels, brother.

    Liked by 13 people

  4. Hi, Charlie. I love this heartening ProLife post — which is good because I’m still rather shaken by the news of vivisection. (Some humans seem to have a capacity for near limitless evil). Anyway….

    Everyone here probably experiences the “Favorite Phrase” phenomenon with your posts — there are always 1 or 2 choice sentences that ring a “bell” in our hearts and inspire conversation.

    Today, my Favorite Phrase is: “Only malignant sophistry and the perversion of science, philosophy and law prop it up.”

    The 1973 Supreme Court decision is unable to stand on its own without a lot of help. Abortion is not supported by science, logic, or morality — it should have collapsed immediately. So it is being propped up, endorsed, normalized, and even commercialized by using arguments that are fallacious and “science” that is riddled with holes and lies. And the damage it causes afterward is masked entirely.

    We pro-Life/anti-Abortion folk are simply *baffled* that abortion exists at all. By all rights, it should not! It shouldn’t even be on the radar, let alone the topic of casual conversation. It is something far more evil than “hiring a hit man” (sorry, Holy Father, we need a MUCH stronger analogy). It is literally a coordinated human blood-sacrifice to satan himself, the Father of Lies. It is among the most deplorable and purely evil human acts imaginable (when done outside medical necessity). It is, in a word, unspeakable.

    We here fight the deceitful Orwellian tongue of the devil with the truth about abortion and The Truth Himself. Eventually this monstrous evil will come crashing down. In fact, I believe that because so many people and institutions are artificially propping abortion up, it will indeed CRASH when it inevitably falls. It’ll be an ugly sound, but music to our ears.

    Liked by 19 people

    1. Hear-hear on the favorite phrase phenomenon Patrick.
      After the one you chose, what really spoke to me was “For all the contention in the Church, it worries me that almost no person or institution outside the Catholic Church looks any longer at the Church as a reliable arbiter of morality.” And it seems to have happened so fast, in less than a generation even.

      Liked by 13 people

    3. Tremendous comment, Patrick Daniel. “A co-ordinated human blood sacrifice to satan himself, father of lies”. Absolutely! I’ve seen it said elsewhere that for the pro-aborts, abortion is their “sacrament”. They scream in denial, or ridicule, at this but at its root that’s what “sacrament” means: a holy thing, venerated. And they have erected their evil altar to it. They are incapable of seeing the figurative meaning, of course, and think we’re accusing them of literal Satanism, as in the dressy-uppy childishness of such as the “church” of Satan.

      Liked by 2 people

  5. In this increasingly dark and chaotic world, I see a few of your most recent posts like a miner might see diamonds shining and sparkling in the dark abyss of a mine.

    The topics you cover generally treat of the evils (darkness) of this world, yet . . . within each article, I find numerous sentences and phrases that sparkle and shine for me. Your gift of clear and concise elucidation about these many matters is wonderful. While my total reliance and trust is in God, I trust in your words to share truth and bolster my hope.

    My friend Sheryl pointed me your way, via TNRS, in the summer of ’16. Not only did I read the articles most current at that time, but I read all which were available on the site. I have also read each one since. A few of your most recent are among the best.

    The leftists of the media, politics and campuses no longer veil their evil. Their various forms of assault on everything good are increasing exponentially (in frequency and inanity) as the satan is beginning to lose his grasp on things which have been hidden for so long. I have been thinking for several months that the tension of the chaos is becoming too much, and I am wondering more often when it will all come undone. Thank you Lord for the 3 theological virtues of grace, hope and charity (and knowing You are in control).

    So I have been wondering these last few weeks, Charlie, if your senses, talents and abilities are increasingly heightened as the tormenta becomes increasingly chaotic.

    Just wondering.

    Liked by 8 people

      1. I understand that sentiment as I relate to it with my own feelings . . . The extremism of sooo many people who have seemingly allowed evil to control all they do becomes, for me, more difficult to handle. However, the fun part is always being able to turn to God and continue to realize His Love reigns. It is also fun these days to watch as the evil doers begin to squirm.

        I am only left asking, “How long O Lord, how long?”

        Liked by 8 people

  6. The Big Bang Theory just finished its final season last week. The main email character, yes, a TV character, had professed for two years that she did not want children (she’s married). On the last episode, we found out she was pregnant. The leftist lunatics went crazy because she never discussed abortion. Once she got pregnant, she was fine with accepting the consequences of her actions. Someone said she had no discernible reason to have changed her mind. The discernible reason is SHE GOT PREGNANT. It was infuriating and the sounded completely unhinged.

    With all of the attacks on peaceful people praying at Abortion Clinics, screaming like banshees, stealing signs and literature, actually assaulting some of the workers (including an elderly woman who had been praying at one particular clinic for years). A younger woman pushed her down and the woman broke her hip.

    The good news is they are showing their cards. Infanticide??? Really!!! Not one pro-life person will switch to a pro-abortion stance, but my prayer is that pro-abortion people are overplaying their hand and the pure evil they represent will be exposed, and more pro-choice people will move to our side.

    They are rising to the “full measure of evil,” and it will be their downfall. Praise God!!!

    Liked by 11 people

    1. I hope, CINDYJ, that I will never be in the presence of the “full measure of evil”.

      The individual who occupied the oval office previous to President Trump is at least a 3/4 measure. That characterization may sound wrong to some, but I sensed a lot of evil from him well before he was elected to the highest office.

      Liked by 5 people

      1. Patrick, totally agree about not just the former resident of the Whitehouse, but many, many other people in power not just in our country, but around the world. Someone can correct me if I am mischaracterizing this, but I read in the Bible God acts when man reaches the full measure of evil. So, as bad as it is and as alarming as it might be to be around when God acts, the filth in the world is so distressing His intervention seems to be the only way out of this world-wide debacle.

        I have full faith in God that he is showing decent, but misguided, people the face of evil so they can make a choice for Him and be saved. The salvation of souls is critical to God’s plan, and we should be willing to suffer for God to increase His harvest and save who can be saved.

        Liked by 7 people

        1. It seems to me that the ones who sold themselves to evil and in observing that people had seemed to accept the many evils growing in the culture as proof that most were on their side. This self delusion has encouraged them to throw off the veiling and be willing to expose the raw evil for what it truly is. They are beginning to be surprised that many, recognizing now the evil for what it truly is, are repulsed by it and are beginning to turn against them. Thankfully the evil ones are still abandoning the charade and are doubling down to their own destruction thus aiding and abetting the rescue even as the storm intensifies. May God save us all and encourage each of us to do our part in advancing His plan. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide us and protect us, inspire and lead us to the Next Right Step and enhance our efforts to be a sign of hope to those around us.

          Liked by 6 people

        2. “The filth in the world” CINDYJ, is absolutely distressing. The filth, violence, hatred and so many other evils are incomprehensible to me. Sure, I’ve engaged in evil (making a choice to sin), but I don’t recall that I ever had malicious intent to inflict emotional or physical pain on another. This is something that I perceive countless people engaging in for fun. They seemingly enjoy causing pain to others.

          I just don’t get that!!! What is the reward?

          I do love your last paragraph, and I think it is true that God allows for the face of evil to manifest so everyone might “make a choice for Him and be saved.”

          Liked by 4 people

        1. It seems, KARMYTRUMPATEER, that you also have difficulty to say his name. I think I have said his real name only a handful of times during the last 10 years. If his face or voice came on my television, I change the channel. So yes, it is visceral.

          We know he went by barry soertero for several years when he was younger. His middle name is Hussein. I have been calling him barry husatan for about 8 or 9 years. That may seem uncharitable, but he has consistently done the satan’s bidding.

          I do love the name you’re utilizing here (although I don’t quite get it). : )

          Liked by 1 person

          1. Yes indeed. While I generally don’t comment on political matters in other countries, such is the great influence of the US here in Ireland that that person, and the Demoncrat party in general, was regarded with almost doglike devotion, by our political/media/commentariat nexus and the many (many) sheeple who follow them, slavishly taking their lead from their masters and betters in the US/EU – not that they think they do that, of course!

            On a personal level, I never liked the man as I thought there was/is a basic falseness there, but I always was thankful that at least you (and we) were spared having that… woman. Not that there was much to choose between them, of course. I also believed that he was a complete empty suit, a mere front for the real Kontrollers. I used to keep my head well down in those days as around my personal circle there’s a lot of knee-jerk liberal correct-thought (and practically all of them with 3rd level education, some to Doctorate level – oy veh!). My own personal term for the man was: “the Grand Kenyan”. That didn’t go down well with some but betimes I just like being wicked 😉

            God bless all, J.

            Liked by 2 people

                2. And no, Doug, not gloating. The influence of your country’s politics has a massive effect over here, to an extent you possibly can’t appreciate. So if my throw-away description of that man seemed a bit flippant, or uncharitable, well… it was coming from a long history of being on the underside. God bless.

                  Liked by 1 person

                3. Haaa! I actually can’t blame that one on my smart phone. But then….. Why did my smart phone not correct it? I think I still see a bit of gloating in there 😎

                  Liked by 1 person

  7. My Rep said she’s hearing from medical people worried about a loss of palliative care if the AL abortion law stays. ( I dunno).

    I think we need to help them formulate the differences between ordinary and extraordinary care; also maybe direct killing vs indirect, unintended consequence.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Palliative care is just about relieving symptoms. It can be used at any stage of life or illness to help improve comfort – and is used in curative care, also. This statement from your Rep makes no sense at all to me – and sounds like the sort of things politicians say when they have no good answer but want to make something up to scare you. I would want a full explanation on how this could possibly affect palliative care.

      Liked by 9 people

    2. Hi Leslyek. Palliative care shouldn’t be effected by the pro-life Alabama law. My big concern about hospice and palliative care relates to the to the culture of death created by pro-abortion laws. My fear is the imposition by government requiring providers to offer assisted suicide or euthanasia to terminally ill patients. As we’ve seen in several states starting on the Left Coast, that is the direction we are heading.

      Hopefully, an end to abortion will help us end these other amoral practices.

      Liked by 8 people

        1. I would add to the end of my third letter to Senator Sinema: ‘…and the above also preserves the well-tested government Declaration of Independence principle of inalienable right to life – as well as pursuit of happiness. A Constitutional balance.’

          Liked by 1 person

      2. Charlie and Patricl Daniel, I wrote a second try to Senator Sinema. It was titled “Palliative Care vs death by killing”. I believed her first response with that insertion of medical groups’ fear of harm to palliative care really meant fear of losing mercy killing. So I responded back that “nobody minds palliative care of ordinary food and water and comfort care to the dying. Minded is it’s denial; that is indirect or direct killing.”
        Then I said it’s a separate issue from womens’ health care, except their mental and emotional health. And th developing moral tone of our nation; that thre’s limits the Government has an interest in..”
        But now she’s responded back to that with more gobbledygook gook about attacks on Roe and standing by the government keeping out of a woman’s and doctor’s decision.
        I think I’m going to send a third try stating ‘reinstating Roe will still preserve a doctor patient decision, but with better protection of the woman”s, doctor’s, and Government’s overall legal,physical, mental, and emotional health from the current extremism of killing a vulnerable citizen absent due process and reasonable, objective criteria ( hold on!) since every every legal and social remedy is in place to help the woman, baby, doctor and Government. (Church and life Centers and Clinics; well tested).’
        Send?

        Liked by 1 person

          1. Patrick,
            katey on the Left coast here ~ my two senators are also Dems who profess only the party line. I quit engaging because no matter what I said they repeated the “can’t interfere with women’s health” line. Essentially, a pat on the head for poor, delusional me.
            I have considered leaving, but Oregon is home and sons and grandchildren so I man my post and pray, pray without ceasing for everyone.
            God bless us, every one!
            kt in OR

            Liked by 5 people

            1. Roe vs Wade stated that the government has a “compelling” Constitutional interest in balancing the life of Mother and baby: from Britannica: “ It placed the point after which a state’s compelling interest in the pregnant woman’s health would allow it to regulate abortion “at approximately the end of the first trimester” of pregnancy.
              Couldn’t we still call them on this?

              Liked by 1 person

              1. Another ply for abortion is saying there’s no person yet. But: a human being (natural person) or a group of human beings, a corporation, a partnership, an estate, or other legal entity (artificial person or juristic person) recognized by law as having rights and duties.
                https://www.dictionary.com › browse › j…
                Might this be a better pitch considering where the game is back to now?
                I’m thinking one stand-out point at a time — soon, again.

                Liked by 2 people

                1. Here’s another take from yuk Wikipedia: “…during the second trimester, governments could require reasonable health regulations; during the third trimester, abortions could be prohibited entirely so long as the laws contained exceptions for cases when they were necessary to save the life ( of the Mother — always in place — LK)

                  Liked by 1 person

  10. Hi Charlie !
    I was wondering if making the writings/talks of Zach King more widely available would be of help in order to arouse souls from the present slumber of numbness to the Culture of Death? Zach is a former satanist who personally attests to the fact that abortion is quite literally satanic sacrifice . It is very hard information to hear or to read, but it might help to shock people into action !

    Zachary King
    All Saint’s Ministry
    http://www.allsaintsministry.org
    (802) 578-6554

    https://allsaintsministry.ecwid.com/Abortion-is-a-Satanic-Sacrifice-Book-the-cd-transcript-p122152054

    “Abortion is Satanic Sacrifice “ …book, CD, t-shirt, bumper sticker….

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Zach King’s stories and presentations have received a lot of attention via Christian websites and Apostolates in the last several years, Lucy. I know a few people who have hosted visits from him.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. “When what you advocate for is repugnant to ordinary people, morally or otherwise, you must cloak your aims in euphemisms to hide what it really is you propose. Thus abortion advocates speak of reproductive rights instead of abortion, products of conception instead of infants, women’s health instead of abortion on demand, women’s rights instead of a universal human right to life. ”

    Baby killers. The same mindset of the liberal wack jobs ‘protesting’ the Vietnam war, yelling at our Soldiers “Baby Killer” , quite agressively mind you… are of the same mindset defending belief killing children is ok.

    Baby killers. Call it, like it is.

    Liked by 8 people

    1. Sean, I was thinking the same thing last night about the same mindset of those who called our soldiers baby killers (my oldest brother was a medic in Vietnam). Terrible.

      Liked by 5 people

    2. “Baby killers. Call it, like it is”

      We do. And they hate it!

      Every year, during our Rally for Life (which goes through the centre of either of the 2 capitals, Dublin or Belfast alternately – Dublin this year, Saturday 6th July) an excellent and very active group called Youth Defence displays banners showing the reality.

      http://www.youthdefence.ie/blog/2017/08/09/weve-been-showing-the-reality-of-abortion-for-25-years-and-were-not-going-to-stop-now/

      And the pro-aborts react to it like Satan to Holy Water! They so desperately want to keep the Lie going, to hide the Truth. During the last march in Dublin I clearly recall one of the those whack-jobs on the sidelines screaming in almost demonic anger, contorted face (or what one could see of it under the assorted tattoos and piercings and ratty dreadlocks), spitting and mouthing incoherently. Even her own crowd, thankfully small in numbers, if vocal, seemed a bit taken aback. And just at the sight of those banners! Maybe it was the first sign of a conversion – the demon being driven out…

      he said, hopefully.

      Like

  12. I was hoping to see a new article posted today. Your articles are always so well written that they help keep me sane in a increasingly mad world. Sometimes I feel like I am living on another planet. Thank you,Charlie.

    Liked by 5 people

  13. I’ve read several articles in the last few days which speak to the resurgence of Medieval diseases surfacing in camps of the homeless in major cities in America. Typhus, tuberculosis, Hepatitis A, Shigella bacteria, Bartonella quintana and other illnesses are spreading quickly through camps and shelters. Some health officials are sounding the warning that these diseases can readily jump beyond the homeless population. Rather than fear, I wonder what kind of opportunities these situations will provide for NRSteps such as what San San is doing in her area.

    On another front, recent election results in Europe show voters registering their “fed up” attitude with the liberal elites who have been destroying the cultural heritage of each beautiful and unique nation.

    These situations and all that is churning in the waters of the Storm now, bring to mind the heartening inspiration it was, Charlie, to encapsulate in the core message fostered here for what we can actually do that matters very, very much, wherever we may be in this world. May we ever stand by those around as we strive to take every blessed NRS before us.

    Liked by 10 people

    1. Trying to keep tabs on the resurgence of communicable diseases, Beckita. Mass global migration is starting to burden the health of indigenous populations like in Europe. TB is a big one but it is controlled in the U.S. and has been declining for decades. The CDC states that in 2017, a total of 70% of reported TB cases in the United States (just over 9,000 cases) occurred among non-U.S.-born persons — mostly Asian/Pacific Islanders and Hispanics.

      Also in the U.S., there is a dangerous movement by parents who refuse to immunize their children from illnesses that have been largely eradicated. This compromises herd immunity and puts many more people at risk. The CDC reports measles cases this year exceed all previous years — and the increase looks exponential.

      https://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html
      https://www.cdc.gov/tb/statistics/default.htm

      Do you think epidemics or pandemics will be a key part of the Storm?


      (Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth in 1869, Helena)

      Liked by 4 people

      1. It seems to me that this is surely a dimension of the Storm, Patrick. Whether it will play out as epidemic, pandemic or both, I think, only time will tell. SOG Maria Esperanza was not sent to bear worldwide messages per se, however, when gathered round her for visits, she forewarned us of some virulent viruses and said she was particularly concerned for children in this regard. Here again, staying connected to the Lord, via praying and trusting, is part of the Plain Path through it all. (Nice photo of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. Their long history in the Diocese of Helena continues today.)

        Liked by 4 people

        1. How about that! I briefly worked with the order when I was in Cincinnati. Wonderful women.

          Beckita’s post made me think about the period in America when only Catholic sisters were willing to care for the sick poor, from St Elizabeth Seton’s day to the turn of the last century. What healthcare has become in recent times is better in some ways (medically) and much worse in others. At least I see in so many nurses and doctors today the same love you see with the Sisters of Charity. Maybe not all nurses realize it, but they are Christians at heart by their work.

          Liked by 4 people

  14. >>>”Yet I stand by my stance that Pope Francis is a lame-duck Pope who has squandered his influence – and so we should not let it disturb our peace. The wheels may turn furiously at the Vatican, but the gears aren’t meshing anymore.”

    Sunday’s gospel contained the line ‘My Peace I give to you’ – and we had a wonderful young priest who quoted St. Augustine on the meaning of Peace – “tranquil order” (“Tranquillitas Ordinis” in Book 19 of the City of God)
    While the exterior world, politics, and the Church are certainly not in tranquil order or harmony, it is very comforting to meditate on Jesus dwelling within us in tranquil harmony, and to hold fast to that peace as the starting point to spreading peace outward to others.

    Liked by 10 people

    1. Amen. Amen. We surely can, Marianne. Fr. Jacques Philippe has a gem of a wee book, replete with meditations on this truth you convey. His book is entitled: Interior Freedom.

      Liked by 3 people

  15. Laws against abortion rightly are blowing up the tracks to the death camps – but we need to revive the Hope that seems to be missing from the culture. Our local pregnancy support center is aptly named The Hope Center.
    The pro-abortion argument typically counts on the lack of support for difficult situations – rape and incest being the most common. In our culture, do we still regard our mothers, wives, daughters and sisters as tainted if they are raped? They are not the one with the problem. Least of all is the child. The implication is that the shame should be sufficient to justify termination of the pregnancy.
    Anciently Christians would find babies who were exposed and take them home and raise them. It is the level of response called for by the God Who is Love.

    Liked by 11 people

    2. Victor,
      Your comment regarding that the victim of rape are tainted and shamed is so close to home, my daughter was sexually assaulted about 4 years ago and we are still addressing it with therapy and she has fears she never would have but not for that horrendous act of violence.
      We are all such a mess and there is no fixing this but by the grace of God. Years and years of tearing down our morals and turning upside down right from wrong and corroding the Ten Commandments as if they were ancient is now full force in our face. While we were sleeping…
      I have been praying the intergenerational rosary for healing and I include all my brothers and sisters in Christ.
      Holy Spirit come and renew the face of the earth. Love. I do. Dianw

      Liked by 4 people

  16. Charlie,

    Said the Office of the Itinerary for you as you begin your travels. This is no mere trip you take, my friend. May St. Raphael, Angel Guide of happy meetings guide you and the ravens of St. Meinrad be your amongst your friends!

    Liked by 10 people

        2. Be careful! There is the possibility of what we call “unpleasant weather” across the state tonight and tomorrow. I’ll light candle for your safety.

          Liked by 6 people

        3. Happy to have this update, Charlie. Since you’re moving through a “sea” of stormy weather, we know just Who to give you to. Sleep well. Travel mercies be yours.

          Liked by 9 people

          1. I hope Charlie can get to his destination before around 3 this afternoon–storms will be back (along with flooding 😦 ) Tomorrow will be better for weather. Oh, and those storms I warned Charlie about, kept me awake instead.

            Liked by 4 people

            1. No worries, Joyful. Charlie himself is a weather maker. If there weren’t already storms, his very presence on the road would precipitate them. 🤩🌪⛈🤗🌤🌈🤪🌨💨🙃

              Liked by 6 people

          1. Ha! Psalm 91…”Near you it shall not come.” All afternoon tornadoes and hail the size of ping-pong balls was about 20 miles behind me, chasing me right out of Colorado and into Nebraska. It finally caught up with me after I was safely ensconced in my hotel room about 11 p.m. But by then it was depleted…maybe three minutes of hail the size of new peas. On TV, though, I got emergency warnings every 10 minutes of deadly hail, extremely high winds, beware of flying debris. There were bad storms to the west of me, to the east of me, and to the south of me…but the only disturbance I had of note were the constant TV break-ins. Near me it did not come. On this day, at least, I was the “storm-runner.”

            Liked by 10 people

  17. Truth is absolute (meaning only one correct answer and infinite false answers on a varying scale of light grey to blank), morality & ethics are based on “truth” and operate on the same continuum of white lies – lessers evils – to outright denial.

    I often use the example (2+2 only ever = 4) as a example, because it is truthful, honest, moral, & ethical (especially when giving people their fare share)

    Liberals promote the belief of relativism (everything is equal), but in order to promote this false ideology where good & evil are the same, and that evil is preferred a fundamental thought process is attacked!

    Mathematics & anything involving critical thinking is attacked & sabotaged in schools, children are even further given calculators to prevent any thinking in absolutes at all…

    There’s a lot of people out there who can’t think critically…

    Liked by 6 people

      1. If so EL INGENIERO, I’m thankful I have no need to consciously apply that kind of math in my daily routine. PHEW!!!

        Liked by 4 people

      2. That has nothing to do with it, the math could be done in binary, roman numerals, or hexadecimal and could be represented in fingers, rocks, or widgets. It changes nothing 2 + 2 of the (same unit and vector) always equals 4 no matter how the 4 is represented.

        The point I’m making is this generation has a deficit of understanding in basic absolute truths that math illustrates and that are observable in nature. Children are under ATTACK from liberals by having their understanding or right & wrong sabotaged at the grade school level.

        The devil confuses our generation’s morality by replacing God’s absolute truths with the devil’s smoke of relativism.

        Liked by 7 people

        1. Oh my gosh, this is so true, Al. My husband, an engineer, and I watched a video on how children are being taught simple mathematics; I believe it was multiplication. They draw a table and perform all manner of extra steps. It was appalling and just exactly what you described. This is clearly intention to dummy down our children.

          Liked by 3 people

          1. Absolutely, Al and Cindy. I remember my Methods of Teaching Mathematics course in the fall of my senior year in college (1989). I didn’t know the name for it at the time, but we were being shown the “New Math” and were being taught how to teach it to junior-high and high-school students. I distinctly remember how we were instructed to teach a series of convoluted steps to arrive at the solution for a problem like 39 + 24. Instead of simply “carrying” the 1, as we were taught in the second grade in 1975, we were supposed to do and teach a bunch of complicated mumbo jumbo. I was so confused by it all that I made up my mind right then: I was never going to teach my students that way.

            Liked by 5 people

            1. Who here remembers math in the older days? We didn’t have calculators. On the SAT exam, racing the clock we had to figure everything out with our pencils ~ add rows of numbers; subtract; do old-fashioned long-hand division, multiplication, etc. Somehow, those old methods made sense ~ and helped our understanding.

              Liked by 5 people

                1. Back in my kid-hood, we still had the pre-decimal money here in Ireland and the UK. Pounds, shillings and pence. And metric measure was unheard of. Typical sum for an 8-year old: “If I buy 2 pounds of (X commodity) at 5 shillings and sixpence (expressed “five and six”, written 5/6), how much will a hundredweight cost? Express your answer in pounds, shillings and pence” (written £:S:D). To do this you had to know there were 12 pence in a shilling, twenty shillings in a pound, and 112 pounds (weight) in a hundredweight, of which a ton contained twenty. Subsidiary questions would typically be: “how much will half a ton cost? Three-quarters? A ton?”. No calculators – there weren’t any! Adding and multiplication in £:S:D were really tricky, because of the double “carrying across”, from pennies to shillings and then shillings to pounds. But we had to do it! I still have my “New Progress” arithmetic book from those days, containing all these wonders.

                  Liked by 1 person

                  1. Oh those word problems were good and really taught one to think.  Is this not done anymore?Sent from Doug’s mobile

                    Like

                    1. Doug, no, not as far as I know. Admittedly, I was the last generation to have struggled with the pre-decimal currency (I was 10 when they changed it in 1971) bit we also had to learn all the complications of English grammar. And write with ink-pens, trying to follow the copperplate system. With inkwells on the desks, and blotting paper ( to which heavy recourse was made!). Did you have all that?

                      Liked by 1 person

                    2. Gosh,No ink wells for me.  I was the last class (freshman year) in my high school to use slide rules though.  Calculators took over very quickly.  At the same time, my high school was a little ahead as I was taught basic language programming during my first year of high school in 1975.  It was a Wang computer.  Does anyone remember Wang?  I hear now that many places are doing away with cursive writing.  That is a shame.As an aside, I was in Limerick again last month.  I brought home a pint of Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey for my Dad and bought another to keep for myself.  I think maybe I will share it at our storm dinner.  That will give us a kick.  God’s blessing be upon you!Sent from Doug’s mobile

                      Liked by 2 people

                    3. Word problems are taught as young as second grade. I work with small groups of students struggling with math(2 and 3 grades). It has been interesting reading the posts about math.(I’m 59 so understand the confusion about the “new” math.) What is being taught in my district is the different ways students learn math to include various learning styles. Back in the day, when adding, we learned the formula of carrying the number etc. Now, for example, if adding 24+17, break them to get 20+4 and 10+7, then add 20+10 and 4+7, equally 30+11=41. There a couple of other ways to add these and each is taught and the student settles in on the one that works best for them. For me. I will continue to carry the number. 😉

                      Liked by 2 people

                    4. That just sounds like a good trick to do math in your head, but I imagine falls apart with very large numbers. I stick with the carry. It is straight forward and consistent. I have a method where I taught my kids basic algebra in 5th grade. They got it very easily.

                      Liked by 2 people

  19. on this Memorial Day I think of mygreat great grandfather William A. Smith who fought for what he believed in as a Union soldier from Marion County in central Illinois. Every day he wrote letters to his wife Mrs. Mary Smith and 5 children at Fostersburg. I have copies of those letters which were copied in 1937. It gives me courage to stand outside voting places with my prolife conservative signs ready to speak to anyone who asks. I started volunteering in 2008 when I retired as a nurse. We can change a youg person’s mind sometimes. Charlie, you are a tireless leader and we are all behind you taking up the fight for Conservative faith based principles. Bless all who went before us to help show us how we can make a difference standing togather!

    Liked by 7 people

  20. of course we can all gather together as we want to convert the ones who haven’t yet decided where they should be going and change some minds; young people can help influence their peers. I see my mistake!

    Liked by 4 people

  21. Charlie, occasionally your instinct on how to plan and execute a good fight stemming from and honed by your background as a former newspaper editor, radio talk show host and political consultant comes shining through your writing. This is one of those times.

    It is pretty clear to me that your “vocation” is as a political organizer. Not a political leader but a political organizer. You are a political organizer for God. God trained you for DECADES to be able to operate effectively in that role. To your everlasting credit you are doing a magnificent job.

    Maybe others don’t see it in you but I KNOW you know your Alinsky. Saul Alinsky was a political organizer for the Devil. Charlie Johnston is a political organizer for God. You are the counter-Alinsky. You read his book. Like Patton read Rommel’s book.

    Like Patton,you are using Alinsky’s own lessons and techniques on successful organizing against Alinsky’s real Ideology which was not Communism but Change.

    In just four words you have summarized Alinsky’s famous tactical Rule 13 which he stated as:
    Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it and polarize it:

    A TIME TO CHOOSE

    Polarize it. Here is how Alinsky emphasized the paramount need for polarization in effecting CHANGE:

    ” It should be borne in mind that the target is always trying to shift responsibility to get out of being the target. There is a constant squirming and moving and strategy ____ purposeful and malicious at times, other times for straight survival _____ on the part of the designated target.

    the FORCES FOR CHANGE must keep this in mind and pin that target down securely. If an organization permits responsibility to be diffused and distributed in a number of areas, attack becomes impossible.

    All issues must be polarized if action is to follow. The classic statement on polarization comes from Christ: “He that is not with me is against me.” (Luke 11:23). He (Christ) allowed no middle ground to the money changers in the Temple. One acts decisively only in the conviction that all the angels are on one side and all the devils on the other. A leader may struggle toward a decision and weigh the merits and demerits of a situation which is 52 percent positive and 48 percent negative, but once the decision is reached he must assume his cause is 100 percent positive and the opposition 100 percent negative. He can’t toss forever in limbo, and avoid decision. He can’t weigh arguments or reflect endlessly ______ he must decide and act.

    Many Liberals, during our attack on the then-school superintendent, were pointing out that after all he wasn’t 100 percent devil, he was a regular churchgoer, he was a good family man, and he was generous in his contributions to charity. Can you imagine in the arena of conflict charging that so-and-so is a racist bastard and then diluting the impact of the attack with qualifying remarks such as “He is a good churchgoing man, generous to charity and a good husband”?

    This becomes political idiocy.”

    Saul Alinsky _____ Rules for Radicals

    Alinsky believed that you can’t allow “your people” to get stuck in the mushy middle between the angels and the devils. You can’t muster the energy for change in the middle. Change comes from the edges. From the poles.

    Alinsky did not worry about the poles.  He worried about the middle ground.  The middle ground is the place where action dies.  The middle ground between the poles is where indecision grips the population.  The middle ground is the place of hemming and hawing.  

     If you cede that your opponent might have a few good ideas, and is pretty much a nice guy then you can’t motivate your people to undertake the effort necessary to defeat that opponent.  You must frame your opponent as a dangerous existential threat. You must turn your opponent into a Frankenstein so alarming in the night that it arouses the peasants to finally pick up the torches and pitchforks to storm the Monster’s castle at midnight.

    No polarization and no impetus to act to take power from the Haves.  The status quo is acceptable. The opponent is not such a bad guy after all.  We can live with the outcome.

    Saul Alinsky was not a Communist. He was a Revolutionary. He was not an ideologue. He detested dogma of any sort especially political, economic, religious or philosophical dogma. He was an atheist.

    Communism and communist ideology and dogma became conflated with the idea of Revolution. That commingling was very detrimental to Revolution –to the cause of change in the world.

    Here’ what Alinsky had in mind:

    “In this book we are concerned with how to create mass organizations to seize power and give it to the people; to realize the democratic dream of equality, justice, peace, co-operation, equal and full opportunities for education, full and useful employment, health and the creation of those circumstances in which man can have the chance to live by values that give meaning to life. We are talking about a mass power organization that will change the world into a place where all men and women will walk erect, in the spirit of the credo of the Spanish Civil War “ Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.” This means Revolution.”

    Alinsky’s problem as I see it in hindsight is that he was trapped by an inescapable conundrum and contradiction: He was trapped in an ideology that involved maintaining a perpetual state of change in motion. Being in perpetual motion and upheaval he could not bring about the conditions to accomplish all those wonderful things he promised in his world view . Alinsky was like a dog chasing its tail. He was in constant action to accomplish change. But it was constant revolutionary motion with no fixed destination Change for change’s sake. He could never advance history one inch. He ended up exactly where he started out.

    Alinsky’s contribution was to split the atom of Communism and Revolution in two and separate its two elements. He sought to liberate Revolution from the shackles of Communist ideology and dogma. If he had an ideology it was the Ideology of Change. The problem with his fellow travelers was that they failed to evolve beyond Marx’s dialectal materialism. Alinsky was an evolved Marxist. He took Marxism to the next level.

    As he stated in the very opening lines of his work: ” I wrote it for those who want to change the world from what it is to what they believe it should be.” Alinsky was a change agent before anybody coined the term.

    Alinsky decribed a world divided between Haves and Have Nots. The Haves have the power. His book was written to teach the Have Nots how to take it away.

    Christians and Jews are among the Have Nots of the American Political and Judicial and Commercial and Educational system at this moment in history. Marxist Atheistic Socialism constitutes the Haves. The Marxist Socialist Progressives have successfully seized power and are now most definitely the Haves of our time and place in history. Orthodaox Christians and Jews are looking a long way up.

    Seizing power is revolution. Christians and Jews are in the formative stages of a revolution, or a counter-revolution against a newly entrenched and boldly arrogant status quo that we want to change. We have some things going for us and some stuff is definitely counterproductive. We are set upon a Reformation in America. Reformation is a fundamental pre-requisite of successful Revolution.

    John Adams said about the American Revolution :

    “The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the hearts and minds of the people…..This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments and affections of the people was the real American Revolution”

    One of the most important points Alinsky was trying to make for revolutionaries and change agents was:

    “Men don’t like to step abruptly out of the security of familiar experience; they need a bridge to cross from their own experience to a new way. A revolutionary organizer must shake up the prevailing patterns of their lives—agitate, create disenchantment and discontent with the current values, to produce if not a passion for change, at least a passive, affirmative, non-challenging climate.”

    Did you get that last part? Our job is to create a passive, affirmative, non-challenging climate among the mass of the people to permit the change we want to see come about to occur.

    “A Reformation means that masses of our people have reached a point of disillusionment with the past ways and values. They don’t know what will work but they do know that the prevailing system is self-defeating, frustrating and hopeless. They won’t act for change but won’t strongly oppose those who do. The time is then ripe for revolution.”

    Once again–did you get that last part? They won’t act for change but won’t strongly oppose those who do—a passive, affirmative, non-challenging climate. The time is then ripe for revolution.

    Alinsky never advocated for violence or heated rhetoric. He never advocated for fruitless, counterproductive in-your-face demonstrations. Those tactics only harden hearts. Those tactics do not lure the reluctantly disillusioned across the bridge from their familiar experience no matter how self-destructive to a new way. Those tactics– political carpet bombing — harden hearts and minds. Those tactics do not aid in fostering Reformation.

    “A revolution without a prior reformation would collapse or result in a totalitarian tyranny.”

    Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, polarize it.

    Gosnell is good Target. Planned Parenthood is not a good target.

    Gosnell is in jail for the rest of his life. PP is still in operation.

    I see the counter-Alinsky in the following words:

    “I wrote recently that most people try hard to ignore contentious issues for as long as they can, not out of moral deficiency, but because they don’t want any trouble.

    everyone must eventually choose where they stand. No more abstentions. The fundamental question is the humanity of the unborn (and now, with New York’s law and some other states efforts – the newly born).

    On matters of universal justice, ALL must choose.

    It is time to confront this question boldly and directly – to induce all to address the fundamental question without euphemism or slogans. For those of us of faith, the fate of our immortal souls depends on our defense of the most vulnerable among us. It is time to directly confront the misshapen behemoth the abortion power has become. Make all choose whether we remain committed to a culture of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness or whether we are just a pathetic, disfigured remnant of the noble people we once were.

    Enough with incrementalism. It is time to choose.”

    Charlie Johnston ______ ASOH

    Charlie, you are polarizing for God. You are polarizing “your people” — the Christians and Jews — for your client who is God. There can be no mushy Christian middle. No equivocating. Are you on the side of the Angels or the side of the Devils? PP is not a women’s health care operation. It is a killing machine. It is Planned Murder Incorporated. It is the abode and platform of the Devil’s human minions in America.

    The modern Marxist Atheistic Democrat Party was able to seize power gradually following Saul Alinsky’s guidelines. They targeted and froze and personalized and polarized not just individual politicians but all of Judeo-Christian Western Civilization itself. Took them DECADES to effect a cultural, spiritual and political Reformation in prelude to their successful peaceful Revolutionary seizure of power at the polls.

    They followed Alinsky’s tactics to a Tee. Since at least WWII the Democrat Party has been inching toward dividing and polarizing and denying middle ground to the American electorate. The tools they used: Fear …. Anger … Envy … Revenge … Race …. Religion …. Gender …. Age

    These were and remain the main engines of polarizing and energizing the Marxist Atheist Democrat Party today. They were successful right up until Sarah Palin showed up and challenged it all and Donald Trump implemented her world view into a political campaign and stunned the status quo not only in America but around the world.

    However, as Charlie has cautioned … Cornered Animals Bite. The fight is not over by a long shot. The polarizing is going on as we speak. Trump is the target. Problem for his opponents is that he is a target as tough as Rocky Marciano who was 49-0 as a professional fighter. Trump bites. Hard.

    In the long run the key to a successful Counter-Revolution is a successful Reformation. That will not be achieved through a polarization based on Fear …. Anger … Envy … Revenge … Race …. Religion …. Gender …. Age. It must be a polarization based on Christian virtues and Love. Society must be re-evangelized to recollect its most enduring and life giving values.

    Gonna require great Political Organizers and great Political Leaders. Charlie is a prototype of a new vanguard that will be raised up to implement the Rescue. The Rescue is going to be a long process leading to the Reformation in the hearts and minds of the people as John Adams described. When that occurs the Revolution will fall like a ripe apple. Take it from Saul Alinsky.

    It is torches and pitchfork time.

    Liked by 9 people

  22. I stood by the door as a greeter on Sunday before voting started; I was told I couldn’t mention parties but could have my sign saying “vote pro-life”; I found 2 helpers. A Hispanic young woman said ” I already voted Democratic; which party is pro-life.” Next year I will start earlier and ask others to help sooner so all the Masses will be covered at both doors. The priest didn’t say anything about voting so we have to do it. I also stood with my conservative sign with party mentioned off church property as people entered and left Saturday and Sunday Masses. This is so good to do.

    Liked by 10 people

    1. Good for you Mary Anne. I drives me crazy that so many are so ill informed as in your example. I collected the names of all the pro life judges up for a vote and then emailed all on my list and made phone calls.

      Like

  24. In 2016 I had a sign about H. Clinton saying partial birth abortion was something she was ok with. A young man voting for the first time asked me what that meant. I told him and he said “how horrible”. When he came out, he said “thank you”. It is amazing how we can influence with conservative signs and 2020 will be so important for all of us to do everything we can. I had a Democrat try to get in front of me so people would not see my sign and I said I see what you are trying and it won’t work.

    Liked by 8 people

    1. I commend you, MARY ANNE HARPER, for your courage and fortitude. We all know you are placing yourself in physical danger when you identify (especially with a sign which proclaims Truth) as a pro-life warrior.

      Liked by 6 people

    2. “All you need is love” is true if as St John stated in his epistle “God is Love” 1Jn4.

      From the Transitive Property of Equality

      “All you need is love” and “God is Love” therefore “all you need is God”

      And I think we can all agree is “all you need is God”.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. El Ingeniero, I think you are being a bit flip and avoiding Al’s points. While it is true that all we need is God; Scripture, the Magisterium, the Church Fathers all play a huge role in how we accurately discern the true God. By your little bumper sticker slogan, how do we determine if the true God is the Triune God of Scripture – or Allah of the Muslims? How would responding, “All we need is God” help answer that question. Like I said, those sorts of statements are the beginning of wisdom, not the end. We need right reason and tools for proper discernment. I think you know that very well and are just playing with Al. But I would prefer we don’t do those kind of gotcha arguments on such serious and weighty matters.

        Liked by 5 people

        1. I should of read the posts using the browser instead of the WordPress app (it doesn’t show everything).

          I’m saddened that some people try to treat these kinds of discussions as a joke, rather than try to advance knowledge & understanding…

          Liked by 2 people

        2. Mr Johnston and AL my apologies. It wasn’t my intent to be flip. I agree that there are serious matters to be discussed.

          I was looking at what AL had proposed from a logic standpoint.

          If you notice in both of my comments in this blog post, I reference the statement “God is Love”

          In my mind “God is Love” is a postulate or axiom – a self-evident truth. In this case the phrase is absolute Truth.

          “God is Love” is the basis for everything in the Universe including physics, mathematics, art, music, emotions, you and I; everything.

          When I reference the term God, I mean the Triune God, the God we affirm in every utterance of either the Nicene or the Apostle’s Creed. There is no other God. God is who we adore at Mass.

          It is difficult for me to put into words the immensity and totality of the phrase “God is Love”

          One again, my apologies. I hope that this post is a little more clear.

          Like

          2. I have thought on this as well including how to evangalize others. I realize quite quick it is better for me to keep my mouth shut and just keep on doing in my small manner of prayer. Knowing these text messages are not always the best conversant pieces, please bear with me. I have pondered this for a while…

            God is Love leads into solidifying the Trinity. Love. What is it? Love is not singular but plural hence two (at least) must be present. God is Love.

            To whom does He Love? His Son. How? The Holy Spirit.

            Roy Shoeman asked Mother Mary to explain the Holy Spirit. His gaze was the answer.

            minute mark 36:00

            Roy Shoeman provides a wonderful testimony and is fitting to watch on this Soleminity of the Ascension and prior to the Feast of the Visitation.

            Liked by 3 people

      2. I know that, Beetles 1967 “All you need is love”, unfortunately faith & Church attendance continued to decline…

        I believe The Word of God (Bible) and the Holy Spirit are essential in promoting the “right kind” of love, otherwise people just redefine God into the servant of their desires & vices. Despite any perceived good intentions of self serving love a road to Hell is built instead.

        Liked by 3 people

        1. Our culture has redefined love just like it has redefined marriage. That’s why we need the church to maintain the constant teaching and tradition. The same applies with our laws. Our laws should be interpreted by the dictionary and idioms of when they were written. This is why marriage should not be redefined. This is actually a very deliberate ploy of those on the left. They change the language to change the existing laws. The culture, for the most part, has bought into this. I am surprised to never hear anyone talk about this and how we should interpret laws based on original language. For example, the constitution should be interpreted by the language and dictionary written almost 250 years ago.

          Liked by 4 people

  26. ~First, I would like to thank SteveBC for his help getting me back into wordpress. ~
    Next:
    ~Charlie, thank-you! Prayers for you and all here.
    ~And, this~
    I believe I have quoted this before, but it seems, somehow to fit here today:
    “God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments. Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about.” ~Cardinal Newman
    katey in OR

    Liked by 8 people

  27. Patrick, I don’t challenge people when I have my signs. I smile and let anyone approach me; I move or leave if I don’t feel comfortable. As a nurse I sometimes did differently than follow the Dr’s order when I knew the order would harm the patient. God gave me this strength and the Holy Spirit gave me the intuition to know when I should do differently.

    Beckita, Dr. Nan Hayworth [Opth. and prior rept. from New York] wrote a piece in the Arizona Independent newspaper about all the diseases that the illegals are bringing into our country and how overwhelming the costs will be. My Merck Manual has the parisites that over 100,000 Latin Americans here in the U.S.A. are chronically infected with and by blood transfusion are transmitted. Chagas disease, Cysticercosis, and Neurocysticercosis are brought in from endemic areas of the world along with so many diseases not found here in the United States and TB the illegals have are drug resistant and difficult to control with people moving around and getting only partial treatment. since the treatment is so long.

    Liked by 5 people

    1. I’m not surprised, Mary Anne, as awful as this is. This poor, poor humanity. We (collectively) turn away from God and look how we fare. We are surely in a Storm and Charlie says it best: We have a LOT of wood to chop.

      Liked by 5 people

    2. I did not think for a second, MARY ANNE HARPER, that you challenge anyone with the sign. Maybe you perceived that in my message by my use of the word “warrior”. I used this word in the sense of a prayer warrior. I apologize for the confusion.

      One more thought: I have been in environments (for many years) where only making eye contact is a challenge. I have also been in silent sidewalk prayer in front of PP (in an otherwise nice neighborhood), and individuals choose to take that as a challenge and act with verbal epithets. We are all aware of sidewalk prayer participants being physically assaulted.

      God bless you for your efforts.

      Liked by 2 people

    3. Mary Anne, like you, I don’t like to see the spread of such diseases into our country. However, in this day and age, it seems to me the surest way to get us all to figure out how to cure these diseases quickly, which will in turn enable us to help our neighbors in the world, neighbors we as a people have largely ignored. As we take apart and rebuild our health care “industry” over the next several years, much good will flow from this stress, I am convinced. Let’s turn our fears into cures.

      Liked by 4 people

  30. Thanks be to God for Fr. Pekron and for his vocation to the priesthood. May God richly bless him now and always.

    Good think he’s sporting a beard; otherwise he’d look like a kid; and it’s hard calling a priest “Father” when he looks like a kid. 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

      1. Ha, Beckita! Not long ago, I was talking to an acquaintance after Mass. I mentioned that Cyprian had just graduated. The acquaintance asked, “From high school?” 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

  31. Steve, if only the far left Democrats would work for the common good for all Americans instead of spending so much money in trying to take down our elected President; If atheist Soros [Open Society Foundations] and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.[CLINIC] would use the money on medical research instead of helping the illegals come across our border working under CARA and changing Europe in the same way. IF ONLY! We have wonderful Drs. who are getting worn down with the way they have to practice medicine now. Yet I hear that we will be able to live longer because of medical discoveries. We have to continue on.

    Liked by 4 people

  32. We certainly live in a very mixed up world. You’re right, Charlie, the ungodly put a fancy name on anything they support that is anti-God. They make all kinds of excuses for their sick decisions. Even our Catholic Church is often vague on important issues. It’s getting harder and harder to live in the TRUTH. That’s why I love your articles. You know the needs of your followers to hear the truth on all matters. Your gift of writing is a breath of fresh air. You keep us focused in the right direction so that we, too, can spread the good news to others. Hang tough, Charlie, and thank you.

    Liked by 2 people

    2. Yes Judy. So true and the establishment uses psychology, which they think is real science, but is not. This is how they justify much. See this talk by Fr. Ripperger that alludes to this:

      Liked by 1 person

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Published by charliej373

Charlie Johnston is a former newspaper editor, radio talk show host and political consultant. From Feb. 11, 2011 to Aug. 21, 2012, he walked 3,200 miles across the country, sleeping in the woods, meeting people and praying as he went. He writes on cultural, global and political issues from an orthodox Catholic perspective. He emphasizes that we find God most surely through the ordinary, doing the little things we should with faith and fidelity. His constant refrain is that, to live real joy, we must acknowledge God, take the next right step, and be a sign of hope to those around us. He lives in the Archdiocese of Denver in the United States.