Homosexualists to Force Anglican Church Weddings in UK

After this legislation goes through the homosexualists will set about hounding every priest and vicar who dares to decline them 

From Catholic Online

By Father Dwight Longenecker

Father Dwight Longenecker

England's Daily Telegraph reports here that parliament is preparing legislation to remove the ban on same-sex civil unions being religious. Some years back when they began to allow same-sex civil unions, they made it clear that these ceremonies could not be held in religious premises and were not to include religious elements in any way.

But, of course, the homosexualists complained that this still contravened their civil rights and, because they were not allowed to be "married in church," they were being treated as second class citizens. So now, bowing to their demands, the lawmakers are to allow the same-sex union ceremonies to be religious and for religious leaders to make their premises available for these rituals.

No one will be forced to conduct such services or make their premises available for such service. Oh no, such a thing would never be forced on anyone. Not in modern Britain. No sir. That would never happen, now would it?

It just happens that the homosexualists in Britain are busy, on the other hand, suing anybody they can find who denies them their "rights" -- even to the point of setting them up. So this nice Christian couple who have been running a Bed and Breakfast in a seaside town in Cornwall for years and took joy in welcoming especially a Christian family clientele are being sued by a homosexual couple because they were refused a double room.

The allegations are that the homosexual men knew the stance the couple took (it was advertised on their website) and booked a room there on purpose to push their case. They went to court, and the Christian couple lost.

Anybody, therefore, who thinks that it will stop with permission for homosexuals to have their civil unions in church buildings with religious elements if they want to (but nobody will have to if they don't want to) is seriously deluded. After this legislation goes through, the homosexualists will set about hounding every priest and vicar who dares to decline them the opportunity to conduct their same-sex marriages, and take them to court.

Where will the Church of England stand on all this? The Church of England says they don't allow same-sex unions in church, but certain renegade Anglican vicars are defying both the law of their church and the law of the land to conduct same-sex unions in their churches. They get around it by calling it a "blessing," so Adam and Steve go to the registry office for their civil union, and then they tootle along to the parish church where Rev. Lav "blesses" their union. While there are many more vicars who do not conduct the services, a good number are in favor and many more 'don't really mind.'

We shouldn't be too smug about the Brits being any worse than we are. Because of their stronger national government, it is more nationwide, but in the USA there are plenty of states that already allow same-sex civil unions, and most of the mainstream liberal Protestant denominations are already well into same-sex "marriage." The attempts at lawsuits against people infringing homosexualists' "rights" are also gathering strength.

Get ready. 

 

 

Fr Dwight Longenecker is parish priest of Our Lady of the Rosary parish and chaplain to St Joseph's Catholic School in Greenville, South Carolina. Visit his blog and website at www.dwightlongenecker.com

Sainte Chapelle: Faith Carved in Stone

By John Ritchie

Built by Saint Louis IX of France, this chapel reflects an extraordinary innocence of soul. We could call this chapel the Chapel of Innocence.  Because a soul must be profoundly innocent to conceive this.

Why?  Because this chapel causes enthusiasm, no doubt; an enthusiasm without agitation, without overpowering sensations, without producing anything intemperate.  The chapel is a masterpiece of temperance.  Everything about it is beautiful, magnificent. The enthusiasm the chapel instills is recollected and prayerful.

We can say that each stained glass window is a prayer, each stone is a prayer, each gothic arch is a prayer, surrounding the center of prayer:  the altar, where the Holy Sacrifice of Calvary is renewed.   Above the altar is a reliquary to display the crown of thorns of Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Walking barefoot, asking pardon for his own sins, Saint Louis carried the relics with great devotion from the border of France to Paris.  He displayed the contrition of the innocent.  As king, he represented his people and asked God to also pardon their sins.

Immense Variety and Harmony

Innocent traits are also noticed in the tall, elevated forms that reach upwards.  A tremendous balance is achieved that is so calm, so serene, and so reflective.

The integrity of this work of art is sufficient to make this chapel a masterpiece. Each detail is enchanting.  What color are the windows?  They are the sum of colors; a mixture of all colors.  Their design varies from window to window.  However, the colors form a whole, the designs form a whole that contain immense variety and immense harmony.  It has movement and harmony.  It has stability, and at the same time, agility.  It is the Sainte Chapelle.


This commentary is based on a talk given by Prof. Plinio Correa de Oliveira on April 12, 1989.

Public is Shifting Towards a New Jeffersonian Era

From Real Clear Politics
By Salena Zito
 

Apropos of our democracy, Alexander Hamilton's and Thomas Jefferson's statues stand miles apart here.

America always has been at odds with these two Founders' philosophies of where the nation's exceptionalism would be found.

Today we are in the midst of a cultural U-turn away from a Hamiltonian meritocratic-elitist, centralized-power society to a more Jeffersonian Main Street focus, with state and local governments as the primary powerbrokers.

"When the country feels as though we have pushed too far in one direction, it swings back to the other side," says Dr. Lara Brown, author of "Jockeying for the American Presidency."

Prone to rambling, his clothes slightly worn, Jefferson was creative; his prose was almost poetic, his delivery scattered. The author of the Declaration, his vision of America was of a decentralized federal government, with power spread out to state and local governments.

Gowdy Supports Reauthorization of Patriot Act

 Updated Monday evening, 2/15/11

We were very pleased to learn this evening that Representative Gowdy shares our concerns about many aspects of The Patriot Act.  We failed to make clear in our earlier post that because the Patriot Act is due to expire in the next several weeks, the Congress temporarily reauthorized only three of the more benign provisions of the Act, one of which pertains only to foreign nationals.

Congressman Gowdy has assured us that extensive oversight hearings will be held as early as March and that he and many Members of Congress will be eager to hear the views of their constituents to ensure that it in no way violates the Constitution of the United States.

The Congressman has kindly provided the following summary of the three provisions that have been temporarily reauthorized.  We look forward to following this issue closely in the months ahead.

The three provisions set for review, oversight and potential reauthorization are (1) the Lone Wolf Provision, (2) the Roving Wiretap Provision and (3) the Business Records Provision.  

The constitutionality of the Lone Wolf and Roving Wiretap Provisions has never been challenged.  The Business Records Provision was more controversial, and has been amended to address those concerns.  The USA PATRIOT Act actually erects additional safeguards in national security cases that do not exist in other categories of criminal conduct.  These additional layers of constitutional protection require more oversight and scrutiny than the garden-variety drug cases I investigated as a federal prosecutor.


1)  Section 6001 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorist Prevention Act (Lone Wolf Provision) – This provision allows law enforcement to conduct surveillance on non-U.S. citizens who act as  “lone wolves” without ties to an organized terror group or foreign power.  The United States faces varying threats to our safety, and national security agents must have the tools to prevent attacks planned by non-U.S. citizens acting outside the structure of an organized enemy. 

2)  Section 206 of the Patriot Act (Roving Wiretap Provision) – The roving wiretap tool has been available to law enforcement since 1986.  It allows for law enforcement agents, after proving probable cause on an initial warrant, to extend that warrant to other communications devices used by a suspect.  Instead of having to procure individual warrants on each device, which in the age of disposable phones can number in the thousands, this provision prevents suspects from evading surveillance by using multiple devices.  The provision also requires continuous monitoring by the FISA court and detailed reporting by law enforcement officers.

3)  Section 215 of the Patriot Act (Business Records Provision) – Business records are routinely sought and obtained in domestic investigations through the use of subpoenas, a practice I participated in countless times during my years in law enforcement.  This provision goes a step further, requiring FISA court approval to obtain third-party information, NOT personal documents.

H.R. 514 only covers these three provisions, and is merely a temporary reauthorization through the end of the year.  By voting for temporary reauthorization, we are ensuring our law enforcement agents have the necessary tools to keep our country safe from attack, while at the same time providing for a thorough examination of the law.  Instead of rushing legislation through behind closed doors without proper oversight, this measure sets the stage for meaningful hearings to address any civil liberties concerns.

I have personally approached Speaker John Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Representative Jim Sensenbrenner (the original author of the USA PATRIOT Act), and Representative Lamar Smith (Chairman of the Judiciary Committee) urging them to conduct oversight hearings as soon as possible on the reauthorization of the three PATRIOT Act provisions set to expire at the end of 2011.  I have been assured these hearings will occur, and expect to be an active participant in the process by asking tough questions and expecting candid responses.

We acknowledge the need to provide oversight in all aspects of government, including law enforcement and national security.  I look forward to full, frank and fair debate on all aspects of the reauthorization in an open forum, with the public as an active partner in the oversight process.

--Trey

. . . .

Representative Trey Gowdy (R-SC), who was nominated and elected on a wave of revulsion to the liberal voting record of his Republican predecessor, joined Democrats in reauthorizing the misnamed Patriot Act.

Prior to last weeks vote extending the Patriot Act, we contacted Gowdy's office by phone and E-mail to express our strong disapproval of this unconstitutional intrusion into the rights and freedoms of American citizens.  When reauthorization of the Act failed under previous rules, the House changed the rules to allow reauthorization with a simple majority vote.  We received the following response from Congressman Gowdy:

gowdy.house.gov

February 15, 2011

Dear Mr. Cassidy:

Thank you for contacting me about the temporary renewal of three provisions from the USA PATRIOT Act and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act ("IRTP Act"). I value your thoughts and appreciate the opportunity to respond.

The PATRIOT Act erects additional safeguards in national security cases that do not exist in other categories of criminal conduct. These additional layers of constitutional protection require more oversight and scrutiny than the garden-variety drug cases I investigated as a federal prosecutor. For these reasons, I voted to support H.R. 514.

Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act, the Business Records Provision, allows the FBI to request the approval of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Court ("FISA Court") to access third party items relevant to international terrorism cases. Gathering business records is routine in investigations, and this provision requires that these items only be obtained with the approval of a FISA Court judge who is appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States and well versed in constitutional and criminal law.

Section 206 of the PATRIOT Act, the Roving Wiretap Provision, authorizes the use of multipoint wiretaps, a tool employed by law enforcement since 1986. This provision allows the government, with the approval of a FISA Court judge, to use a single wiretap to cover any communications device used by a terrorism suspect. With out this authority, investigators would need to receive approval from a FISA judge to conduct surveillance each time a terrorism suspect uses a different cell phone or computer, allowing terrorists to evade detection by using multiple devices.

Section 6001 of the IRTP Act, the Lone Wolf Provision, allows the government to conduct surveillance on individuals without ties to an organized terror group or foreign power. This provision can only be used to conduct surveillance on people who are not U.S. citizens, and ensures that terrorists who work on their own will not escape surveillance and detection.

H.R. 514 extended these provisions temporarily through December 2011, ensuring law enforcement has the tools needed to keep our country safe, while allowing for a thorough examination of the PATRIOT Act. Congress will be considering these issues in the coming months as it looks at a more permanent reauthorization, and I will keep your thoughts in mind as Congress looks to strike the appropriate balance between protecting American citizens while ensuring civil liberties are respected. Please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have specific questions or concerns about these provisions that you would like us to examine in this process.

Thank you again for contacting me, and please do not hesitate to do so in the future. It is an honor to serve you and the 4th Congressional District.

Sincerely,

Trey Gowdy
Member of Congress

US Admiral: Carrier Killer Won't Stop US Navy

Military vehicles with Dong Feng 21D missiles.

A new "carrier killer" missile that has become a symbol of China's rising military might will not force the U.S. Navy to change the way it operates in the Pacific, a senior Navy commander told The Associated Press.

Defense analysts say the Dong Feng 21D missile could upend the balance of power in Asia, where U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups have ruled the waves since the end of World War II.

However, Vice Adm. Scott van Buskirk, commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, told the AP in an interview that the Navy does not see the much-feared weapon as creating any insurmountable vulnerability for the U.S. carriers — the Navy's crown jewels.

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Patriarch Looks for Better, Brighter Egypt

Expresses Thanks for "Patriotic Youth"

From Zenit

Cardinal Antonios Naguib

The Coptic Catholic patriarch of Alexandria says the Church in Egypt is joining with all of the nation's "loyal citizens" to thank God for the "wonderful success" of the youth movement that began last month and led to the resignation of the president. Cardinal Antonios Naguib said in a statement Sunday, "We are sure that all expectations will be met, God willing."

Since Jan. 25, Egypt has been the site of massive protests and demonstrations urging the resignation of Hosni Mubarak. The president finally stepped down Friday. A military council is now ruling the nation.

The cardinal spoke of forces "that refuse[d] the wrong situation controlling the country for so long." He said there is hope for a "better and brighter future for the Egyptian civilization" and noted the "love of Egypt and the dignity of its citizens."

"Egypt has been making its history for 7,000 years with letters of light and fire," Cardinal Naguib said. "And it is now shining with a new radiance."

The patriarch assured prayers for those wounded in the struggles and the victims of ensuing violence and vandalism.

He said that the protests brought about "a reality that was absent for so long, which is the unity of the citizens, the youth and the old, Christians and Muslims, without any distinction or discrimination, in purpose and action for the good of Egypt, and for the security and safety in the country."

"We are certain that these feelings that reigned in hearts will last for the near and distant future," the cardinal added. "Now, it is time for serious, committed and decisive work, so that Egypt would be at the forefront on the social, economic and political levels, and shine again with its deep-rooted civilization that illumined the world over the centuries.

"With all Egyptians, we are looking forward to swift steps that will bring about what was declared by the supreme council of the armed forces, which is the reconstruction of the nation on sound constitutional bases. We want Egypt to have its position among the modern countries."

GOProud Out at Annual Summit of Conservatives

We resolved to ignore the annual CPAC meeting this year, which was hijacked by  libertarian and homosexual organizations.  We are pleased that steps are being taken to restore this meeting to authentic conservatives in the mould of Burke and Kirk.  But it has been illuminating to see which organizations and candidates will stand for principle and which will go with the flow. 

We salute Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality and Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel for leading the opposition to the inclusion of groups antithetical to the conservative movement.  Organizations that boycotted this year's meeting include The Heritage Foundation, Media Research Center, Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, American Principles Project, American Values, the Center for Military Readiness, Liberty Counsel, and the National Organization for Marriage.

As our friend Gary Glenn, President of the American Family Association of Michigan, points out, marriage protection has been on the ballot in 30 states and has passed in every one, with an average margin in support of nearly 70%.  Why would conservative organizations want to alienate the broad mainstream of the American public?

Conservative principles have never been an obstacle for Mitt Romney

From WorldNetDaily

The homosexual activist group GOProud, whose inclusion in the Conservative Political Action Conference here last year and last week stirred controversy within the largest annual conservative gathering, will not be welcomed back next year, sources tell WND. 

Some of the nation's biggest conservative organizations withdrew from participation over the inclusion of GOProud and other factors. Those groups include the Heritage Foundation, Media Research Center, Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America. 

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