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Christian Witness, Current Events, Perspective, Political

Ummm – would the outcome have been different?

From Bloomberg: Manner of Hussein’s Execution Draws U.S., UN Concern

Jan. 3 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. would have carried out the execution of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein “differently” and didn’t play a role in the proceedings, a military spokesman said as two United Nations officials criticized his hanging.

Major General William Caldwell said at a news conference televised from Baghdad that the way Hussein was put to death was “a government of Iraq decision.”

A U.S. military team only transported Hussein to the site of his execution, and the Iraqi government maintained custody of the former leader throughout, Caldwell said. After delivering Hussein to the Iraqi Ministry of Justice’s As-Buratha prison, U.S. personnel “withdrew from the building, back from the whole location,” he added.

The grainy video of Hussein being taunted by chants from those present while about to be executed and the former leader falling to his death on the gallows in mid-prayer has sparked days of demonstrations by fellow Sunni Muslims in Iraq and further inflamed sectarian tensions.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters in Washington today the U.S. raised “questions” with the Iraqi government “related to procedure and timing” of the execution…

I’m getting the feeling that we think we would have handled it so much more professionally, such that the execution wouldn’t have ended up bitter in President Bush’s mouth (as I said it would). I wonder how the general would have done it – firing squad, lethal injection, electric chair… Anything, as long as it wasn’t filmed and we could spin it the way we wanted.

All I could think of was that this general must be truly stupid – hey look everyone, we can kill much more cleanly, especially when we’re dealing with a prisoner.

No, you handed him over to an end that had already been determined. The general is simply playing Pilate – washing his hands of this man and his guilt and doing so on behalf of his Commander in Chief.

Fr. Jim Tucker points to the story of a soldier who actually used his brain and soul in What If They Threw a War and No One Showed Up?. First Lt. Ehren Watada took the time to discern what going along meant, before he went along. He’ll be severely punished for sure, but that’s the price he’s willing to pay for Christian witness.

On the other hand our ‘Christian-in-Chief,’ President Bush (at least according to him) can’t even muster the courage to criticize the brutality of it all:

The Bush administration sent conflicting signals Wednesday about the taunting and baiting that accompanied the execution, with the White House declining to join criticism of the procedure…

I’m sure they are very proud, especially of the outcome – which regardless of the methodology employed is equally deadly. And, yes Mr. Bush, we all agree that Saddam was an evil man and should have been punished for crimes against humanity, including the ones your and your predecessors helped him commit. But that story will die with the additional executions that will take place in the next 24 hours.

Christian Witness, ,

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Chrisnaki from the Our Lady of Vilnius, NYC blog paid this blog a visit and commented on the plight of Our Lady of Vilnius. Thank you for the notice and the link back. I sincerely hope that the few Lithuanian words I’ve used haven’t been abused… My wife is 1/4 Lithuanian-American. Her grandfather was born in Plainfield, NJ.

Ostrobramska

For my readers, there’s a link from the OLV NYC blog to a pretty nicely designed Save Our Lady of Vilnius website that has a petition available for signing. Check it out, and say a prayer for this small community of the faithful.

Our Lady of Vilnius, intercede for them.

Litwo! Ojczyzno moja! ty jesteś jak zdrowie
Ile cię trzeba cenić, ten tylko się dowie,
Kto cię stracił. Dziś piękność twą w całej ozdobie
Widzę i opisuję, bo tęsknię po tobie.

Panno święta, co Jasnej bronisz Częstochowy
I w Ostrej świecisz Bramie! Ty, co gród zamkowy
Nowogródzki ochraniasz z jego wiernym ludem!

— From Pan Tadeusz

Christian Witness, Current Events, Perspective, Political

Saddam is dead…

…but is President Bush satisfied? He has avenged his father with his Texas brand of justice, but any joy his blood lust brings him this evening will turn bitter in his mouth.

But judge thy neighbor according to justice. Thou shalt not be a detractor nor a whisperer among the people. Thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy neighbor. I am the Lord. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: but reprove him openly, lest thou incur sin through him. Seek not revenge, nor be mindful of the injury of thy citizens. Thou shalt love thy friend as thyself. I am the Lord.

Christian Witness, Current Events, Perspective, Political

Saddam – death

I’ve had this rather unwell, sick feeling all day – not because of any illness per-se, but because we, as a country and occupier are going to kill a horrible dictator – and I don’t like it.

Maybe ten years ago I would have said C’est la vie – and good for him. I can’t do that anymore. I cannot witness Christ and stand by and say OK, C’est la vie – and good for him. I can pray and I can say we are wrong. The merchants of death are wrong, and this is not what it means to be a Christian.

Mr. Hussein was not good by any stretch of the imagination. He was murderous, power hungry, and brutal. He was also our tool and vassal for a time. In the end it turns out that he was sick and deluded. But hey, the U.S. specializes in killing the mentally ill and incompetent.

Of course we could teach the civilized manner of dealing with a criminal. We could turn him over to the Hague. Let them kill him in bureaucratic meandering. Let those who seek justice have their chance to speak – and let him speak. But perhaps too much would be laid out in the open.

Must we pile up more bodies, invite more hate, vengeance, and glory in death? Must we pile one more body on the overwhelming stack we have created? Certainly Mr. Bush will rejoice – but you know, the law of unintended consequences hasn’t been all that good to him thus far, maybe he should back-off.

Our country will bury a president. The majority of Iraqis will rejoice in the death of theirs – welcome to demonocracy.

An excerpt from the NY Times: Iraq Prepares to Execute Hussein

BAGHDAD, Dec. 29 —” The close of the final chapter on the brutal reign of Saddam Hussein drew ever closer today, as Iraqi officials prepared the last legal notice necessary before his execution, a red card that will be presented to the former dictator to inform him that his end is near, Iraqi officials said.

—We will do it very soon,— Muneer Haddad, a judge on the Iraqi High Tribunal who will represent that body at the execution, said today. He said the execution would likely be —tonight or tomorrow.—

The pace of events left some of the American legal advisors working on the case stunned, according to one Western official. For all the guidance the Americans provided, in the end the dictator’s demise did not go the way they expected, the officials said.

—It just goes to show that the Iraqis call the shots on something like this,— the official said.

Ah, plausible denial – we didn’t want to kill him this way – those crazy Iraqis did it.

It is still possible that the execution could be delayed, Western and Iraqi officials cautioned. One senior Iraqi official said there may yet be other legal hurdles.

However, Mr. Haddad said that all that remained was the technical legal matter of court officials filling out a —red card,— a formal notice of impending death created during the Saddam era and widely used by his much feared secret police.

—We have almost finished his red card,— Mr. Haddad said.

It was unclear whether the red card has been presented to Mr. Hussein or whether he knows that his death may be imminent.

Iraqi and American officials have kept outsiders, including his legal team, from contacting him, according to Najib al-Nauimi, one of Mr. Hussein’s lawyers who is in Qatar…

Ah, and then a glimpse of the future American legal system – we don’t need to stinkin’ lawyers…

Christian Witness, Current Events, Perspective, Political

Be careful – what you agree to

Jacob G. Hornberger asks the all important question: Whether or not you would follow a President’s order, based on a contract you signed, to go and kill for no good (or just, or moral, or ethical) reason in Would You ‘Support the Troops’ in Bolivia?

It is a question faithful Christians should always ask. It is a question good and faithful Christians should be prepared to suffer and die for even asking —“ for that may very well happen.

The Young Fogey points to Mr. Hornberger’s article in: The president as a substitute conscience wherein he validly points out that we apply quite a different standard to the war criminals and dictators we don’t like, a standard that doesn’t apply to US.

On the face of it, no other man can assume responsibility for our conscience. It is the one and only thing we have certain and sole responsibility for. We cannot contract our conscience or soul away – regardless of the petty justifications we so readily acquiesce to.

A story on NPR today, Army to Court-Martial Soldier Featured in PTSD Story points to a factor Mr. Hornberger missed when he discussed our troops ‘contract’ with the government.

You see, Sgt. Tyler Jennings signed such a contract and went to serve on the President’s orders. He came back, along with his comrades, unable to cope and quite mentally ill. He sought help, got none. He turned to drugs to cope, and sin of sins he spoke out. Now the army is going to Court Martial this Sergeant.

You see, the contract employer —“ the Army —“ can award you a Purple Heart for your physical injuries, and leave your mental, emotional injuries untreated. The contract doesn’t cover the Army’s or the government’s responsibility toward you. If you no longer meet the requirement for contracted materials they will throw you out as just so much surplus.

Beyond that, they will readily ask you to kill the non-existent enemy and to do so without valid reason, your eternal soul not being a factor therein. As Mr. Hornberger points out:

Indeed, where is the morality in signing a contract that obligates a person to go kill people who haven’t attacked his country?

—But we signed the employment contract thinking that we were defending America,— soldiers say. —We’re just trying to be patriots.—

But everyone knows that presidents don’t use their standing army to defend America. They use it to attack countries that haven’t attacked the United States. After all, how many times has America been invaded by a foreign army in the last 50 years? (Answer: None!) What country in the world today has the military capability of invading the United States? (Answer: None!)

Can you sign a contract that you know, on its face, is a lie, and then follow through and perform on that contract? A question every parent should teach their children to ask. A question everyone who signed has the obligation to ask. Will you be punished for asking – certainly, but I’d rather take that punishment to the kind of punishment Sgt. Jennings will never escape, or the long lasting punishment of eternity – all for no good, moral, just, or ethical reason.

Pray for Sgt. Jennings, the men and women like him – so badly damaged, and for all servicemen and women, and most especially for our country. May we do justice and walk in the way of the Lord.

Christian Witness, Current Events, Political

On Gerald Ford

Portrait of President Ford by Ronald Scherr

Gerald Ford, 38th President of the United States passed onto eternal life this evening.

I remember discussing the pardon of Richard Nixon in grade school. I was in the 7th grade then. The Felician sister who taught us stated in effect: an act of forgiveness and healing should never be criticized and should be encouraged.

I was a news junkie as far back as I can remember. I absorbed events and their implications. The pardon seemed incongruous at first, but after I heard sister’s words I thought ‘how wise, how appropriate.’ That act exemplified simple Christian virtue to me. The reaction to the event exemplified the worldly ‘need’ for vengeance.

The NY Times has an excellent retrospective in Gerald R. Ford, 38th U.S. President, Dies.

Mr. Ford was an Episcopalian. I wonder whether the Presiding Bishop will interject herself. Was Mr. Ford High Church?

Eternal rest grant onto him O Lord.

Christian Witness, Current Events

When you don’t believe

From LifeSite News: Nun Imposes Religious Christmas Gifts Ban at Catholic Hospital

TAMPA, December 21, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) —“ When a group of teachers and sisters from Villa Madonna Catholic school tried to brighten up patients’ hospital stay with Christian-themed gifts, the nun in charge of St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital missions decreed that such gifts were inappropriate. A nun from a different order, Sr. Kim Keraitis, who helped organize the gift giving responded she found the political correctness of the decree appalling.

The St. Petersburg Times reports that the decision was made that religiously neutral ornaments that read “Joy to the World” and “Peace on Earth” were in; lapel pins depicting Christ’s birth, ornaments with “Merry Christmas,” and Jesus-themed T-shirts were out.

Sister Pat Shirley, a member of the Franciscan order that founded the Tampa hospital in 1934, told local media, —Yes, we were founded by Catholic sisters, but we serve everybody in our community.—

—We have to create an environment in which all feel comfortable, whether it be Christmas or Hanukkah or Gasparilla or any circumstance,— Sr. Pat said St. Joseph’s vice president of missions. —Gasparilla— is an annual summer tourist festival sponsored by the city of Tampa based on local pirate myths.

The website of the hospital’s foundation, however, said clearly that St. Joseph’s remains a Catholic hospital.

—It’s not Tampa General,— Sister Keraitis of the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco and principal of Villa Madonna school said. —It’s not Wal-Mart. It’s a Catholic hospital, so if you want to distribute items that say ‘Merry Christmas,’ even if there are people there that are of other faiths, it’s kind of understood that it’s a Catholic hospital.”

Among the gifts organized by Sr. Keraitis were red T-shirts the read, “Jesus is the heart of Christmas … Villa Madonna wishes you a Merry Christmas.”

The Franciscan Sisters’ politically correct attitude was not shared by parents of patients, however. Kimmie Martinez, a Villa Madonna teacher said that when the group was told they would not be allowed to distribute the gifts without parental consent, they toured the halls singing Christmas songs and parent’s accepted the gifts —eagerly—.

The volunteers asked if patients believed in Jesus and if they did, they got the gifts, Sister Keraitis said.

“I don’t want to cause a big stir, but my concern was the fact that it’s a Catholic institution,” Sister Keraitis said. “Within the Catholic institution, we shouldn’t have to apologize for saying ‘Merry Christmas’ to people.”

St. Joseph’s Children’s hospital is part of a group of St. Joseph’s Health Care facilities originally established in 1934 by the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany who came to Tampa to aid the victims of an outbreak of yellow fever.

The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany have missions in Brazil, Jamaica and Bolivia but are experiencing the same drought of candidates as most of the orders of Catholic sisters who ‘reformed’ in the 1960’s. They currently have two candidates for admission in the US.

Which is not amazing at all considering the lack of evangelical fervor found here. If this director is any indication, the Order has no purpose other than to provide for health and social service outreach. A secular operation with a pinch of Jesus.

What is really astonishing is the lesson the students at Villa Madonna are learning. Do not witness your faith, hide it under a bushel basket. Thankfully they are under the care of the Salesian Sisters who will make this a teaching moment.

This event is even worse in a state like Florida that is overrun by Evangelical Christians. It causes a grave scandal in that Roman Catholics (of the type symbolized by this particular Franciscan Order at least) are seen as embarrassed by Jesus, scandalized by His birth. Franklin Graham’s Operation Christmas Child has no problem bringing the Word of God and God’s revelation in Jesus Christ to people who do not know Him or reject Him. Sister Pat Shirley could go to school on him and Him.

If you follow the links to the Orders in the story above and look at the respective Mission of each Order you will see the problem right away. The Salesian’s are focused on Christian witness, the Franciscans are focused on being a good social and human service agency. How sad.

Christian Witness, Perspective

Be all that you want to be – and be comfortable

It appears that the Episcopal Church in New Jersey is reaching out to and proselytizing Roman Catholics (and other Catholics). The simple message: Be and believe whatever you judge to be right. You decide what is best for you.

Of course if you are looking for a church that lets you do your thing I would agree, TEC is the way to go. You don’t believe the whole creed but do like saying it —“ no problem, just cross your fingers during the parts you don’t believe. Believe in the Eucharist – kind of (or not at all) – no problem. No such thing as sin, but the U.N. has identified all of the world’s problems – you’ll fit right in.

The message from Grace Church in Newark (Episcopal) states in part:

A Message to Disaffected Roman Catholics From the Clergy and People of Grace Church in Newark (Episcopal)

Some Roman Catholics whose spiritual lives are grounded in the Mass and in the sacraments are, nevertheless, unable to concur with the Vatican’s position on issues such as the role of women in the church, contraception, remarriage of divorced person, homosexual relationships, or abortion. They have become increasingly disaffected as the hierarchy’s response to dissent has grown more strident and authoritarian.

If you are among them, you may find a comfortable spiritual home at Grace Church in Newark…

They then blather on about how they are really Catholic not Protestant and how their Church rests on the shoulders of St. Augustine of Canterbury.

Uh, yeah.

It looks like the Episcopalians of Newark are so desperate (because the entire Church’s membership has dropped precipitously) that they’ve turned into vagantes, going on and on about how they are really Catholic with valid orders and bishops and all. But we are Catholic, we are, see… we have bishops and music and mass.

In addition, I knew that as Catholics we all missed the point about Jesus’ message to the rich, to the Pharisees, and to all of us sinful folk. I knew that He was wrong when he talked about repentance, conversion, the narrow path, the tough choices, denying oneself, and the cross.

Thankfully Grace Episcopal has straightened it all out. It is really about being comfortable. Jesus’ real message was I’m ok, you’re ok (or was that Eric Berne?)

I also didn’t know that when St. Augustine went to England he was really there to tell the pagans that whatever they believed was ok. It was all a vacation for him and a chance to enjoy the comforts offered by King AEthelberht…

No, being a follower of Christ is demanding, painful, and not at all easy. It requires a complete conversion of heart —“ something we are outfitted to accomplish, but something that will not be easy nor ‘comfortable’.

You can take the wide and easy road. I, and no clergy, bishop, or pope can stop you, but before you do consider what the blogger over at Impassioned Imperfections asks in The Normal Christian Life:

Is It Possible?

It is easy to look at the book of Acts and remain in wonder at what the believers accomplished. It is another thing to truly ask oneself if such a life is possible, and something even deeper to ask if such a life is normal to the Christian. The book of Acts makes it apparent that there was no secret to such a life other than a genuine submission to the plan and purpose of God. The Holy Spirit was the driving force of the believers as recorded in the book of Acts. The Bible does not seem to imply that the experiences of the Early Church were just exclusively for them. Therefore we can conclude that such a life is allowed, possible, and even normal for the Christ-follower. The normal Christian life is an all-encompassing love relationship with the Master, and a principle-driven love relationship with the Church. The Christian life is all about dying to self and living for God, and learning to reach to others as we grow together in community.

Dead In Christ —“ A Revolutionary Approach To Living

—…We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. — Romans 6:2-4 (NIV)

Living for Christ is one thing, but dying to ourselves something that many of us would rather not do. For us to live the Christian life, and I mean truly live, we must learn the art of dying to ourselves. We need not look further than Christ Jesus Himself, who died willingly upon a cross that deserved Him not. Dying to yourself is a God thing…

If you need more check out Huw Raphael’s Viva La Difference! which begins:

A DEACON Once asked me if I thought I was “different” from him because of my self-identified gayness. I promptly and without hesitation replied “I don’t know.”

All of us struggle with issues – and all are called to conversion.

Fr. Martin Fox also makes a great and very ecumenical proposal in A Message to Episcopalians in Newark:

If you want to be part of the Church Jesus Christ founded, feel free to check out either the Catholic Church, in her various rites, or the Orthodox Church, in her various rites, or one of the Ancient Churches of the East [or the Polish National Catholic Church].

Come as you are, but don’t expect to stay that way…

Christian Witness, Current Events

Creative or true solutions?

Could Schenectady County be the first NY State County to have no hospitals providing abortions? We can only hope, but the murderers are ringing the gong.

Based on an article in today’s Times-Union it appears that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany is taking a firm stand on the issue of hospital mergers. The Times-Union does a pretty good job of providing the contrast between affirming life and engaging in the business of death.

See: Merger poses clash of values: Abortion issue splits Catholic St. Clare’s, secular Ellis

When Troy’s Leonard Hospital merged with St. Mary’s Hospital more than a decade ago, Leonard’s doctors suddenly were prohibited from writing prescriptions for birth control pills.

Likewise, the proposed merger of Schenectady’s St. Clare’s Hospital, a Catholic institution, and secular Ellis Hospital raises an array of conflicts over institutional values, including policies on abortion, birth control and when a feeding tube can be removed.

Capital Region obstetrical doctors expressed doubt Wednesday that St. Clare’s and Ellis can merge their values. They also doubted that the institutions, merged or not, could handle the increase of volume if Niskayuna’s Bellevue Woman’s Hospital is forced to close.

The hospital-closing commission, also known as the Berger Commission, recommended merging Ellis and St. Clare’s and closing Bellevue, which has a 40-bed maternity ward and delivers 2,200 babies a year. Ellis Hospital, a 368-bed hospital, closed its maternity ward eight years ago. St. Clare’s Hospital, a 200-bed Roman Catholic hospital, has a 12-bed maternity ward and delivers 800 babies a year.

St. Clare’s does not perform abortions, while Ellis and Bellevue allow them. Bellevue has performed 180 abortions this year, according to the hospital administration. The number of abortions performed at Ellis was not available Wednesday.

The Berger Commission gave St. Clare’s and Ellis a deadline of December 2007 to merge, and if they fail to, one must close.

“It’s probably not going to work because of the religious background,” said Dr. David Cryns, a Latham OB/GYN doctor. “I think St. Clare’s will have to close. I don’t think the diocese will cave.”

The religious differences and the union issues — Ellis nurses are unionized and St. Clare’s are not — will be difficult to surmount, said Dr. Elaine Cheon-Lee, who is chief of obstetrics at St. Clare’s.

“Those are tough issues to resolve and there’s not a lot of middle ground,” Cheon-Lee said.

Dr. Fe Mondragon, of Mondragon McGrinder Medical Associates in Schenectady and Clifton Park, said if St. Clare’s policies prevail, options for women in Schenectady will be minimized.

The U.S. Conference of Bishops dictates health care policies at Catholic hospitals like St. Clare’s and St. Peters in Albany in a document called “The Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.”

The document lays out 72 rules for Catholic institutions that encourage serving the poor and administering to the spiritual needs of patients but prohibit artificial fertilization, tubal ligation, vasectomies, the use of condoms or birth control and abortions.

Bishop Howard J. Hubbard of the Diocese of Albany chided the Berger Commission at a hearing before the state Senate Health Committee on Friday for not protecting religious values in the proposed mergers.

“Religiously-sponsored hospitals and nursing homes provide a unique and distinctively different approach to the planning for and delivery of health care services, especially in ministering to the spiritual component of illness and recovery,” he said. “We are concerned that this is a fundamental element of care that was not mentioned, or even alluded to in the criteria.”

Meanwhile, an Ellis Hospital spokeswoman said Wednesday that Ellis is committed to providing health care services for women in the Schenectady area.

“A hospital merger is like a marriage, and all of the issues that come up in a marriage come up in hospital mergers,” said Lois Uttley, director of the MergerWatch Project. “How will the kids be raised, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish? When the two partners are different, there can be quite a lot of questions about that.”

No, it is not. Neither in business nor in marriage should one be required to loose his or her sole for the purpose of attaining the goal. Better to be single or out-of-business than to loose your everlasting soul.

MergerWatch, an affiliate of the Family Planning Advocates of New York, was created in response to the loss of contraceptive services after the Troy hospitals merger.

“The health care landscape is littered with divorces of hospital mergers that failed,” Uttley said. “A lot of them failed over these cultural and religious issues.”

MergerWatch does not oppose the consolidation of religious and secular institution, but it advocates for protecting women’s health care services. That can be done, Uttley said, by creating a “hospital within a hospital.” In Austin, Texas, for example, one floor of a Catholic-run hospital is incorporated under a different name. It has its own staff and its own funding, and doctors there can offer birth control, abortions, tubal ligations, and family planning advice.

“People in Schenectady need to go into this with their eyes open,” Uttley said. “When the community is aware that a merger is being proposed and gets a chance to have a say, then very creative solutions can be devised.”

…

Again, being creative is wonderful, but being creative doesn’t require that you loose your soul. The ultimate solution to any problem is the solution that is consistent with faith in Christ and His Church. That’s the sort of faith we must live by.

Christian Witness, Current Events,

The blood of martyrs

From various news sources: Priest and three children burnt alive

A RUSSIAN Orthodox priest and his three children were burnt alive in their home in what could be a case of arson to stop his efforts to combat alcohol abuse.

Police have opened an investigation into the death of Andrei Nikolayev and his children at his home on Saturday in a village outside Moscow.

“At the time of the fire, presumably, Andrei Nikolayev himself, his wife Oksana and three young children were in the house,” prosecutors were quoted as saying.

Police found the remains of the priest and his children but the fate of his wife remained unknown.

Village residents and church representatives were quoted as saying Mr Nikolayev may have been killed for trying to stop alcohol abuse in the village.

Some said alcoholics have stolen icons and other religious objects from Mr Nikolayev’s church and then sold them to buy drink.

Eternal rest grant onto them O Lord, and may the perpetual light shine upon them.

May the blood of martyrs be the seed of the Church. May the Lord have mercy on us.

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