Sedevacantism

For those who may be bored of my constant pointing out of the nuts on the left side of the spectrum, here is a twist to the far right. These are people who believe the Chair of St. peter, the Papcy, is vacant! NUTS!

Email Pope John Paul II!

This release fromZenit News Agency lists the email address the Vatican is giving out to those who wish to email congratulations to the Holy Father on his 25th anniversary as pontiff.

The address is john_paul_ii@vatican.va

There are those who say this Pope is too conservative because he didn't repudiate church teaching on issues like birth controls and gay marriage for a more "inclusive" doctrine (see Episcopalianism.) There are those who say this Pope is too liberal because he didn't immediately overturn all of Vatican II especially the mass in the vernacular, because he met leaders of other religions, and because he hasn't called for an new inquisition or crusade.

Whatever, I say. If both extremes are mad, he must be doing something right.

Il Papa has been one of the most dynamic spiritual leaders our faith has ever known. He was the right man at the right time to be certain, a post-war force for good in this world.

The great thing about his beliefs and his teachings is that they are wholly and uniquely Catholic in thought and execution. The mass, devotion to the Blessed Mother, the sacraments, and the church itself are the keys to enlightenment. Aquinas and Kempis should be proud.

Could he have been more attentive to the scandal here in the United States? Of course. Yet how aggressive would you be at 80 years old and crippled by Parkinson's Disease? I maintain that the scandal is indicative of deeper problems in society as a whole. As the church became more obsessed with "relevancy" in contemporary society (as if eternal salvation is ever irrelevant) these problems multiplied. The same could be said about secular society: as we became more permissive and less judgmental, all sorts of ridiculousness began to prosper. In a sad sort of way, the church and society are fully in step.

Amidst all this, John Paul held the line against modern secularism, and its equally evil anteceedent, communism. He is a voice for freedom and faith around the world. Viva il Papa!

The Art of Better Lifemaking

Last year, a local religious radio station ran a special ad campaign called "making life better". It had been used by religious broadcasters around the country as an umbrella theme for NTR events, value-added freebies and other promotions outside from the standard sale of spots. This phrase, lifted from the daily vernacular clumsy construction intact, has a hint of positivism that can ably conceal the full-gospel tongue-speaking wallop. Lately, this phrase has crept into other arenas aside from the non-denominational mega-church. One Vo-tech School is advertising that for years they've been making life better for their students. A recently-defeated State Sentor candidate used a similar slogan, "A Better Life" in an attempt to crystallize his message.

Yet how can life itself be "made" better? (At this point, if I were talking on the street this would be the "hole" that someone could drive a Mack truck through with a flashing neon JESUS illuminating the front grille. Let's pretend for a moment that I am not a sin-filled heathen and put the crusade on hold.) Seriously, the popular notion is that "life" as we know it a set of circumstances, some of which are under one's control, but more often than not these circumstances are imposed on individuals.

More specifically, how can a Vo-Tech School make life better? I guess this an issue of semantics (that and me being a linguistic stickler and butthole-in-general) but a school can educate people who are then potentially capable to make better decisions when confronting those things that they can affect. Hopefully, the enlightenment that education provides will lead them towards the proper choice. That being stated, it's still a bit much for a school to promise someone a better life by enrolling (to be fair, no guarantee was implied, and i happen to know the school in question has indeed given people direction in life.)

On the other hand, no cheap politician can provide a better life, especially a would-be freshman State Senator who initiates no policy and sets no direction. For a candiate to promise nirvana like that is insulting to the intelligence of the general public. Thankfully, they responded accordingly and told this joker to panhandle elsewhere.

Nebraska Player Caught On Video Assaulting Mizzou Fan

A Cornhusker named Kellen Huston cold-cocks an excited Missouri fan on the field after a game. My take on this is quite simple:

1.) To the player: Hey stupid, it's a football game. Get over yourself.

2.) To the fan: didn't your mama teach you anything, like don't feed the bears or don't talk to strangers? If you're someplace where you don't belong, and doing something you ought not to be doing, don't be shocked when something bad happens to you.

3.) To the applicable authorities: both of these individuals deserve punishment. One was trespassing, the other is clearly guilty pf assault. The latter should be disciplined both legally and academically. Kick him out of school and throw his ass in jail. The dumbass who got hit should be prohibited from attending football games, at least for his own well being.

Last night, my dad was watching the 1952 world series on ESPN Classic, and I caught a gander. Aside from the fact that giants of the game were playing - names like Mantle, Berra, Snyder, Robinson - what I most noticed were the fans in the stands. The men were wearing suit coats, ties and hats, all accoutrements of the well-dressed and well-behaved gentleman of that day and age (unless you were a union ruffian Dodger fan.) Today, the players are rap thugs, the fans are a bunch of yahoos, and nobody has an ounce of class.

It has already begun

The feeding frenzy of the media against Rush Limbaugh has begun at Newsweek and will no doubt be a full scale "rush to judgment" in the next week. The argument folks liek Eric Alterman are using is that its hypocritical for Rush to be a conservative with a strong sense of right and wrong. while at the same time being a drug addict. Of course, thar attitude is bogus, a kind of reverse puritanism. How dare Limbaugh have high standards of people, they rail. I counter: for people who don't like judgmentalism, you sure are acting judgmental.