Pondering/Reflection
Ponder with Paul, beneath the surface.
The Right to Another’s Body
Recently, in a “friendly” debate, a woman whom I did not seek out proudly declared between her F-bombs that it doesn’t matter if a preborn child is a human being. What really matters, she defiantly claimed, is that no one has an obligation to ‘lend’ her body to someone else against her will. It’s a […]... Read More
Rape, a deliberate smokescreen
From the National Catholic Bioethics Center: When it comes to abortion, the state of Louisiana in past years required some of the most comprehensive reporting in the US, and their detailed records are a helpful resource for determining how frequent abortions for rape really are. Abortionists were required to fill out a form entitled “Report […]... Read More
Three Different Acts called Abortion
The word ‘abortion’ means to end something (anything) prematurely, and is too vague a term to use with regard to pregnancy. Further, it is commonly used for three very different acts, each of which should have their own unique terms: a) Miscarriage (often called spontaneous abortion). b) Indirect abortion, when the child dies unintentionally as […]... Read More
Intellectus and Ratio
Pre-moderns recognized two ways that the mind can know things – in Latin, intellectus and ratio. Some say it’s the difference between heart-knowledge and head-knowledge, or right-brain vs. left-brain understanding. Intellectus is more of an intuitive, passive understanding, while ratio is more of a logical, active knowledge. Intellectus sees the puzzle and appreciates it as […]... Read More
Anger, Intelligence, and Compassion: A Portrait of ‘Pro-choice’ People
Anger, Intelligence, and Compassion. Three words that are double-edged swords. Anger can destroy but can also be channeled to right a wrong. The intellect can see truth or it can blind one to the truth. Compassion is a gift when it moves someone to comfort and console, but a weapon when used to enable destructive […]... Read More
Trump, Pence, and Moral Confusion
The Trump-Pence split on same-sex marriage, brought to the fore by the presidential candidacy of Pete Buttigieg, clearly illustrates a major intellectual defect of our times. With Trump supporting and Pence opposing because of “religious conviction”, the presumption is that there is no intrinsic objective right or wrong on this or any act relating to […]... Read More
The Problem with a Little Science
Have you ever noticed that many of those who reject Catholicism have a grammar school level understanding of it? I would venture to guess these people make up the second largest group of ex-Catholics today. The largest group, I think it’s safe to say, are those who have accepted the invitation from the devil to […]... Read More
Which Would You Choose?
I have a hypothetical question, which could point to something very important. I will begin with four premises before stating the question. 1) There is a good chance that human beings who die before birth are with God, either in heaven or in a state of natural happiness traditionally called Limbo. 2) The sexual act […]... Read More
Alyssa Milano is Half Right
Actress Alyssa Milano calls for a sex-strike until abortion is solidified in America. Here’s one of her quotes: “Until women have legal control over our own bodies we just cannot risk pregnancy.” Well, she’s half right, in a very wrong kind of way. The truth is that without abortion as a birth control method people […]... Read More
Mother’s Day Thought
I am a big Mother’s Day fan…. but has anyone noticed it being emphasized in the media a little more than in the past? Today’s Red Sox game, for example, had both teams dressed in pink, hitting with pink bats, whose catchers wore pink masks and chest protectors. Yet, commercials from Nike, etc. were about […]... Read More
What’s Wrong with In Vitro Fertilization?
3 reasons in-vitro fertilization is intrinsically immoral and the matter of grave sin: a) It involves killing human beings. Offspring in their embryonic stage of maturity are created and destroyed (killed, or left frozen in suspended animation) as part of the process. At least 10 are killed in the attempt that one may […]... Read More
The Only Way to World Peace
Moral evil is normally received and passed on. By default we unwittingly perpetuate it. In a fallen world injustice done unto us is not an option, but passing it on is. We either lash out in anger at others or keep it inside to eat away at us internally. Christ came to offer us a […]... Read More
The false dichotomy
Influenced by modern philosophy, the American mentality today is that there is no objective truth; and if there is, there is no way of us knowing it. I see this thinking expressed on both sides of the political spectrum. Upon this false premise is the false dichotomy that all we are left with is subjective […]... Read More
Reflection: Sexual Confusion – in Eden, and the United States
Why did the serpent in Eden set his sights on the woman instead of the man? Nothing in this Genesis story is pure happenstance. Let us reflect, beneath the surface. In being formed from man’s side, the serpent knew the woman was the heart of humanity, Adam being its head. He sensed her gift of […]... Read More
Are most young people a lost cause, or just lost?
Although my FB posts, website blurbs, and newspaper articles pull no punches in articulating my personal take on the issues, my teaching style is very different. My approach in the college classroom is objective and Socratic, allowing students to think for themselves by following reason wherever it may lead. In philosophy classes I do not […]... Read More
Which one would you save?
Too many people believe that one’s emotional response is a good indicator of the objective value of something. What one is more apt to do, the argument goes, is an infallible indicator of what is right. Not true. There has been a pro-abortion question bandied about on social media recently that goes something like this: […]... Read More
Rejoice! Demonic attack is par for the course.
If you live a Christian life you will encounter the devil, and often. He arouses the ire of his unwitting followers on earth, often those who are respected as pillars of the community, and not infrequently a dissonant member of the clergy with little faith. They secretly hate truth and direct their vile at anyone […]... Read More
Are you Pro-life or Anti-abortion?
Being pro-life means more than being anti-abortion – although the terms are often used interchangeably. All human beings possess human life and are designed by God and nature to pass it on, imaging He Who Is life-giving Love. Being pro-life, therefore, means opposing all actions that intentionally vitiate life and its propagation in the natural […]... Read More
Nature vs. Ideology: Revulsion can be good as the soul’s warning to avoid evil
NATURE. Human beings have a natural adversity to unnatural behaviors, usually taking the form of disgust or anger. This is normal and healthy. Disgust recognizes perversion and anger seeks to right an injustice. How one chooses to respond to this natural interior reaction is the ethical question, i.e. productively or destructively. Every child and every […]... Read More
Consequence of Rejecting Reason
It is truly amazing how many people today, due to the widespread rejection of human reason, recognize only two extreme views of the world: religious fundamentalism and secular fundamentalism. When reason is rejected or ignored and truth is not believed to be objective or discernible, there necessarily exists an unbridgeable gap between revealed religion and […]... Read More
An ‘Unplanned’ Reflection
I saw Unplanned on Friday. Everyone on the fence about the morality of prenatal homicide should certainly see it. Abbey Johnson confirmed in the movie what anyone with insight already knew: the typical pattern in descending order that continues to uphold our culture of death is: 1) Fornication with one’s boyfriend 2) Abortion, out of […]... Read More
Is it ever okay to lie?
Is it ever okay to lie? It’s an important question on which there is no clear consensus. There are three problems to consider: those who have no right to the truth those who can’t handle the truth those who do not have the use of reason Concerns: The concern of the first is for the […]... Read More
Ideology and Late Night TV
I watched a little SNL tonight. At what point did late night TV become the entertainment division of the Democratic National Committee? Going back to the 70’s, Johnny Carson was down the middle with his comedy, as was Leno, and Letterman was when he was on NBC. The angry crotchety liberal version of Letterman only […]... Read More