tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12805748868888064922024-03-20T03:14:00.590-04:00Not All Thought Is ValidMusings from a mathematician.M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-13708595728614555472019-08-05T14:49:00.001-04:002019-08-05T14:49:45.936-04:00Have the Will to FightSatisfied is the man who never gives up in moments of sorrow.<br />
<br />
Desperation is not the end; it's an opportunity to prove yourself better than what life has to throw at you. <br />
<br />
Heroes are made in the storm; so are cowards. Stand and fight. Fight at all costs for whatever is good and noble.<br />
<br />
Choose your battles wisely, but don't run or hide if attacked. <br />
<br />
Fight for Truth. <br />
<br />
Fight for the good. <br />
<br />
Fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. <br />
<br />
Even if you think that's you. Fight. Don't let the attacker get all the punches. You can always fight for yourself even if it is a battle of the will. <br />
<br />
The will is where all battles have the first punch. The will decides whether to run or fight. <br />
<br />
It's not the man or the training. It's the will.<br />
<br />
Victory is not found in the body. Victory is a product of the will.<br />
<br />
Never, ever, give in to the forces of evil.<br />
<br />
Fight with all your will and then fight with one more punch.<br />
<br />
Don't be fooled by the modern lie that "violence never solves anything." They don't call counselors or psychologists when the wolf attacks the sheep. They call armed men & women to extend violence to the attacker. Train and be prepared to fight when danger kicks in your door.<br />
<br />
Don't wait in fear. Fight for you life. Fight for those around you. Fight for you family.<br />
<br />
Be strong. Be courageous. M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-60894841559489464382016-12-03T11:20:00.002-05:002016-12-03T11:20:58.630-05:00Why Do Catholics Confess Their Sins to a Priest?<h2>
No One Can Forgive Sins, but God!</h2>
<br />
Recently articles circulated the internet about Pope Francis granting permission for all priests to forgive the sin of abortion (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/11/21/pope-francis-gives-all-priests-permission-to-forgive-the-sin-of-abortion/?utm_term=.458aec52ecca" target="_blank">here for example</a>). Predictably so, many non-Catholic Christians started their "only God can forgive sins" talk and started bashing (or mocking) Catholics and their sacrament of confession (Sacrament of Reconciliation). Thankfully, many non-Catholics were merely inquisitive. <br />
<br />
Fact is, Catholics <i>do </i>teach that God alone forgives sins. This is obvious to those who actually have studied Catholicism and not merely listen to what anti-Catholic Protestants are spouting off,<br />
<br />
<h3>
What Do Catholics Believe About Priests Forgiving Sins?</h3>
The Catechism (i.e. teaching) of the Catholic Church says:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[Paragraph 1440] Sin is before all else an offense against God, a rupture of communion with him. At the same time it damages communion with the Church. For this reason conversion entails both God's forgiveness and reconciliation with the Church, which are expressed and accomplished liturgically by the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Only God forgives sin <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></b><i><b><u><span style="font-size: x-small;">[yes, these exact words are in the Catechism]</span></u></b></i><br />(1441) Only God forgives sins. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">[cf Matt 2:7]</span> Since he is the Son of God, Jesus says of himself, "The Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" and exercises this divine power: "Your sins are forgiven." <span style="font-size: xx-small;">[Mk 2:5, 10; Lk 7:48]</span> Further, by virtue of his divine authority he gives this power to men to exercise in his name. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">[cf Jn 20:21-23]</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(1442) Christ has willed that in her prayer and life and action his whole Church should be the sign and instrument of the forgiveness and reconciliation that he acquired for us at the price of his blood. But he entrusted the exercise of the power of absolution to the apostolic ministry which he charged with the "ministry of reconciliation." <span style="font-size: xx-small;">[2 Cor 5:18] </span>The apostle is sent out "on behalf of Christ" with "God making his appeal" through him and pleading: "Be reconciled to God." <span style="font-size: xx-small;">[2 Cor 5:20]</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: x-small;"><sup></sup></span></blockquote>
There are approximately fifteen (15) pages in the <a href="http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/" target="_blank">Catechism of the Catholic Church</a> detailing the confession, penance, and indulgences. I certainly will not quote or cover all things discussed therein. Those who have an opened mind and are willing to honestly learn what the Church teaches will explore more for themselves.<br />
<br />
Looking at these divinely-inspired passages quoted, or referred to, in the Catechism we read:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="text 2Cor-5-17" id="en-RSVCE-33053" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation;</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="text 2Cor-5-17" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"> the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.</span><span class="text 2Cor-5-17" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><b> </b></span><span class="text 2Cor-5-18" id="en-RSVCE-33054" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; </span><span class="text 2Cor-5-19" id="en-RSVCE-33055" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">that is, God was in Christ reconciling</span><span class="text 2Cor-5-19" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"> the world to himself,</span><span class="text 2Cor-5-19" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"> not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. </span><span class="text 2Cor-5-20" id="en-RSVCE-33056" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. </span></span><span class="text 2Cor-5-20" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">(2 Cor 5:17-20)</span></span></blockquote>
Notice there are two aspects of reconciliation being taught here: the "ministry of," and the "message of." Again, a whole other blog post could barely cover this.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
What Do Catholics Believe About Priests Forgiving Sins?</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
In John 20:20-23 we read Jesus giving his Apostles the power to forgive sins (kind of like a sheriff sharing his authority with his deputies). After his resurrection Jesus appeared to those closest to him and to the disciples we read:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="text John-20-20" id="en-RSVCE-31051" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. </span><span class="text John-20-21" id="en-RSVCE-31052" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” </span><span class="text John-20-22" id="en-RSVCE-31053" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “<i><u>Receive the Holy Spirit. </u></i></span><span class="text John-20-23" id="en-RSVCE-31054" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><i><u>If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.</u></i>”</span></span></blockquote>
<br />
Now, I am aware this brings about another question about Catholic teaching - the apostolic nature of the bishops and priests. This is a conversation for another blog post. But you may wish to explore it on your own. Again, in order to find out what Catholics believe, go to reliable Catholic sources. (<a href="http://www.catholic.com/tracts/apostolic-succession" target="_blank">This link</a> is a good place to start.) Yet, there is no doubt, if you believe the words in the Bible, Jesus gave his disciples the authority to forgive sins. This is given to the Apostles (and their rightful successors), not all believers.<br />
<br />
<h3>
What Happens In Confession?</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
There is no set rule <i>per se</i>. I've been to several different confessors and each is a little different. It is certainly not some creepy experience like what is often portrayed in movies and television.<br />
<br />
(<a href="http://www.bustedhalo.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/how-to-confess.pdf" target="_blank">This link</a> is a typical example of what confession is like.)<br />
<br />
<h3>
What Makes Confession So Special to Catholics?</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
Going to confession the first time was kind of scary. I still had some of those old Protestant ideas floating around in my head. I took a four-page list of all the sins I could remember committing. Father Leon was my first confessor. He is a retired diocesan priest of the <a href="http://www.dwc.org/" target="_blank">Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston</a> who was assisting in a communal penance service that night. My wife & I had met him briefly before and were very impressed with his gentle kindness. <br />
<br />
He made me feel at ease and welcomed. Mercy does that to a contrite person.<br />
<br />
I prayed one of the standard <i>Acts of Contrition</i>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
O, my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to never sin anymore. Amen.</blockquote>
<br />
He saw me pull out the list and start at the beginning. He immediately and gently lifted his hands and said something like: "Whoa, I don't want you to read through all those. Fold that up and just tell - from your heart - what you've done."<br />
<br />
<div>
I started from the earliest things I could remember. Some years had more sins than others. I recalled the horrible things I once said about Mary, the Pope, and the Catholic Church. Tears filled my eyes... and Father Leon's eyes got a bit teary too. My heart was broken like never before. I have cried at altars and pews in Protestant churches many times, but nothing like this. <br />
<br /></div>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
No act of confessing my sins in my old Protestant settings could compare to this.</h4>
<div>
<br />
As I neared the end of my mental list I began - only slightly began - to feel a sense of peace. I finished and looked at Father Leon, but all I could think of was looking at Jesus, the God-man who died for my sins; the man who died because of my sins, even if I was the only one in history to have ever sinned. Yes, Father Leon was there, but so was God. Whenever two or three are gathered in the name of the Lord, He is there.... remember?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Father Leon said something like: "<i>That</i> was a good confession." For my penance he told me to tear up that list and throw it away knowing that God has forgiven me. That those sins were paid for in full.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
Then... Father Leon said some of the most beautiful words a sinner can hear. Something like:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“God, the
Father of Mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son, has
reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for
the forgiveness of sins. Through the ministry of the Church, may God
grant you pardon and peace. And I absolve you from your sins in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”</blockquote>
<div>
The sins I have prayed over so many times in privacy <i style="font-weight: bold;">finally</i> felt torn away from my heart.<br />
<br /></div>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
Few things compare to this in beauty, peace, comfort, and joy.</h4>
<div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
Why Not Go Directly to God?</h3>
<br />
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I would say two things. The first: naturally, if you
kneel down and with true love for God pray that
God forgives you, he forgives you. It has always
been the teaching of the Church that [when] one,
with true repentance — that is, not only in order
to avoid punishment, difficulty, but for love of the
good, for love of God — asks for forgiveness, he is
pardoned by God. This is the first part. If I honestly
know that I have done evil, and if love for
goodness, a desire for goodness, is reborn within
me, [and if there is] repentance for not having
responded to this love, and I ask forgiveness of
God, who is the Good, he gives it to me. But
there is a second element: sin is not only a “personal,”
individual thing between myself and God.
Sin always has a social dimension, a horizontal
one. With my personal sin, even if perhaps no
one knows it, I have damaged the communion of
the Church, I have sullied the communion of the
Church, I have sullied humanity. And therefore
this social, horizontal dimension of sin requires
that it be absolved also at the level of the human
community, of the community of the Church,
almost physically. Thus this second dimension of
sin, which is not only against God but concerns
A Companion to the Individual Celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
8
the community too, demands the sacrament, and
the sacrament is the great gift in which through
confession, we can free ourselves from this thing
and we can really receive forgiveness in the sense
of a full readmission to the community of the living
Church, of the Body of Christ. And so, in
this sense, the necessary absolution by the priest,
the sacrament, is not an imposition — let us say
— on the limits of God’s goodness, but, on the
contrary, it is an expression of the goodness of
God because it shows me also concretely, in the
communion of the Church, I have received pardon
and can start anew. Thus, I would say, hold
on to these two dimensions: the vertical one, with
God, and the horizontal one, with the community
of the Church and humanity. The absolution
of the priest, sacramental absolution, is necessary
to really absolve me of this link with evil and to
fully reintegrate me into the will of God, into
the vision of God, into his Church and to give
me sacramental, almost bodily, certitude: God
forgives me, he receives me into the community
of his children. I think that we must learn how
to understand the Sacrament of Penance in this
sense: as a possibility of finding again, almost
physically, the goodness of the Lord, the certainty
of reconciliation. <i>(Pastoral Visit to the Rebibbia
District Prison, December 18, 2011)</i></blockquote>
<br />
Yes, I still confess my sins to God in the privacy of my own home, but I also go to confession in front of a priest for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Through this sacrament I am strengthened and encouraged, but most importantly, reconciled.<br />
<br />
Through somewhat regular confession I have become stronger, yet more aware of my weakness and dependency on God and his Church.<br />
<br />
What I once mocked, I now love.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Sources and Further Reading:</h3>
<br />
<a href="http://www.im.va/content/dam/gdm/documenti/pdfvari/24HoursForTheLord.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.im.va/content/dam/gdm/documenti/pdfvari/24HoursForTheLord.pdf</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.catholic.com/magazine/articles/how-can-a-priest-forgive-sin" target="_blank">http://www.catholic.com/magazine/articles/how-can-a-priest-forgive-sin</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bustedhalo.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/how-to-confess.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.bustedhalo.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/how-to-confess.pdf</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/" target="_blank">http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/</a>M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-25366790983355449542016-11-27T23:25:00.003-05:002016-11-27T23:31:49.066-05:00Castro, the Pope, and Common DecencyI'm sure many are connected to people on social media who are not their friends. I know many people on my friends lists & contacts are not my friends. Many are acquaintances. Some I've never met.<br />
<br />
However, I try to be friendly to all of them.<br />
<br />
If I'm aware the brother (or anyone close) of someone on my friends/contacts list dies, I'm going to send my condolences and offer my prayers. Sadly I don't find out many of such deaths and are unable to express words of comfort.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Even if the deceased was a criminal - I'm <b><u>not</u> </b>going to say something like: <i>"Hey, I'm glad your scumbag brother died. He did so many bad things. So many of us are glad he's dead."</i></h4>
<i><br /></i>
Fidel Castro did many bad things for decades. There's no denying that. Hundreds of thousands (probably millions) of people fled Cuba while he was dictator. Many went into the water on homemade rafts and sailed to Florida. Many Cubans risked their lives to flee from Castro and his cruelty. Many people died because of his cruelty.<br />
<br />
Yet, when Castro died, would it not be fitting to send condolences to his family? Sure, especially if you're a Head of State or an international figure.<br />
<br />
That's what Pope Francis did and some are criticizing the Pope for being civil.<br />
<br />
For instance Allan West said: <span style="font-family: inherit;"> <i>"</i><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.6px;"><i>But listen to the Pope’s response to Castro’s death, and you’d get the impression we just lost a hero." </i> </span></span><br />
<br />
Castro was cruel on his entire nation - especially the Catholics living in Cuba. The Pope (and the two Popes prior) have tried to heal the wounds cause by Fidel Castro. They've pleaded and reasoned for him to change. <br />
<br />
Pope Francis was instrumental in opening diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba.<br />
<br />
No conservatives were upset when Gorbachev and Reagan became friendly and tried to work things out. No conservatives blamed a dead Reagan for being a commie when Gorby came to Ronnie's funeral!<br />
<br />
Yet, Pope Francis reaches out to the surviving brother, offers condolences and prayers for all - especially the people of Cuba. He didn't call Castro a hero. He didn't praise Castro for being a nice dictator. <br />
<br />
What's wrong with that? Nothing. Wouldn't you want the same?<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 24px; padding: 20px 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Here is the full text of the telegram from Pope Francis: </em></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 24px; padding: 20px 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
On receiving the sad news of the death of your dear brother, His Excellency Mister Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz, former president of the State Council and of the Government of the Republic of Cuba, I express my sentiments of sorrow to Your Excellency and other family members of the deceased dignitary, as well as to the people of this beloved nation. At the same time, I offer prayers to the Lord for his rest and I entrust the whole Cuban people to the maternal intercession of our Lady of the Charity of El Cobre, patroness of that country.<br />
Francisco, PP</blockquote>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 24px; padding: 20px 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://www.allenbwest.com/matt-palumbo/pope-francis-issues-unholy-response-castros-death" target="_blank">http://www.allenbwest.com/matt-palumbo/pope-francis-issues-unholy-response-castros-death</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 24px; padding: 20px 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
(<a href="http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/11/26/telegram_for_the_death_of_fidel_castro/1275046" target="_blank">http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/11/26/telegram_for_the_death_of_fidel_castro/1275046</a>)</div>
<br />M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-40616815742753428492016-11-06T08:11:00.001-05:002016-11-25T11:14:51.685-05:00Answering the Violinist Argument<h2>
Restating My Thesis:</h2>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Premise 1: All acts that intentionally take the life of an innocent, human person are immoral acts and should be illegal. </span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Premise 2: Abortion is an act that intentionally takes the life of an innocent, human person. </span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Conclusion: Therefore, abortion is an immoral act and should be illegal.</span></h4>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
This is a valid argument. </h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Which means, if the premises are true, then the conclusion is necessarily true. For more on validity and arguments go <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2013/06/all-thought-is-not-valid.html" target="_blank">here</a>. For a further treatment of my thesis go <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/abortion-should-be-illegal-logic-reason.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Objections to my thesis tend to fall into one of the following categories:</div>
<div>
<ul style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/answering-pro-abortion-objection-on.html%20Done" target="_blank">The objection on the being of the fetus</a>.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/answering-pro-abortionists-objections.html" target="_blank">Objections from choice, privacy, and rights.</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/11/objections-of-lesser-evil-answering-pro.html" target="_blank">Objections from the lesser evil.</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/11/health-objections-answering-pro.html%20Done" target="_blank">Objections concerning endangering the mother's life or women's health</a>.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">The objection base on the <i>Violinist Argument.</i></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">The objection that I should not shove my morality down someone else's throat. a.k.a. "You cannot legislate morality."</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
</div>
I addressed the first three objections in previous posts. You may see those post by following the links above.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
In this post I address the fifth group of objections: <i>The Violinist Argument</i>.</div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
The violinist argument<o:p></o:p></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> In this objection I present what is sometimes called “the violinist
argument.” This argument begins by
accepting that the fetus is a living, human being and that its right to life
certainly outweighs the woman’s rights concerning her choice and decisions
about her body, so, then, an abortion may not be performed. However, as Judith Jarvis Thompson goes on to
say, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoQuote" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 10pt 0.5in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It sounds plausible. But now let me
ask you to imagine this. You wake up in the morning and find yourself back to
back in bed with an unconscious violinist. A famous unconscious violinist. He
has been found to have a fatal kidney ailment, and the Society of Music Lovers
has canvassed all the available medical records and found that you alone have
the right blood type to help. They have therefore kidnapped you, and last night
the violinist's circulatory system was plugged into yours, so that your kidneys
can be used to extract poisons from his blood as well as your own. The director
of the hospital now tells you, "Look, we're sorry the Society of Music
Lovers did this to you—we would never have permitted it if we had known. But
still, they did it, and the violinist now is plugged into you. To unplug you
would be to kill him. But never mind, it's only for nine months. By then he
will have recovered from his ailment, and can safely be unplugged from you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoQuote" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 10pt 0.5in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Is it morally incumbent on you to
accede to this situation? No doubt it would be very nice of you if you did, a
great kindness. But do you have to accede to it? What if it were not nine
months, but nine years? Or longer still?
What if the director of the hospital says, "Tough luck, I agree,
but you've now got to stay in bed, with the violinist plugged into you, for the
rest of your life. Because remember this. All persons have a right to life, and
violinists are persons. Granted you have a right to decide what happens in and
to your body, but a person's right to life outweighs your right to decide what
happens in and to your body. So you cannot ever be unplugged from him." I
imagine you would regard this as outrageous, which suggests that something
really is wrong with that plausible-sounding argument I mentioned a moment ago</span>.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><b><span style="color: #404040; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[1]</span></b></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">This
argument is similar to saying that if a woman’s freedom or liberty is being
attacked in any way – rape, kidnapping, etc. – then she has the legal authority
to repel the attacker. Whether the
attacker is outside of her body or inside is inconsequential, the woman has the
right to maintain her liberty and freedom.
If a fetus is threatening a woman’s freedom, she has the right to use
lethal force and abort the fetus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div>
<h3>
Response to the violinist argument<o:p></o:p></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The
violinist argument does sound rather convincing at first, but once a person
gets past the appeal to pity the argument sounds off key. Thompson presents a reasonable argument to
something other than abortion. Her
analogy is clever, but it is a faulty analogy when compared to pregnancy and
abortion. Her analogy is faulty in
several respects.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Pregnancy is Not a Crime:</h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">First,
kidnapping is a crime, pregnancy is not.
Granted, some places declare families may have only a
certain number of children; but no one that I am aware is sent to prison because of a
pregnancy. Abortions are performed in
China in these cases, but to my knowledge no one is arrested.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> Even in places such as China, since parents
are not arrested for the first pregnancy it goes to show that it is not a
crime. However, first time kidnappers
are not left off the hook. Kidnapping is
repulsive in every culture. In nearly
every culture a pregnancy is often considered a joyous occasion. In every culture there are women who would
love to have a baby; yet I do not think many wish to be kidnapped. Equating pregnancy to kidnapping is
unreasonable. Thompson’s analogy fails.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Pregnancy is Not an Unnatural Surgery:</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The
violinist argument also fails to be valid by equating surgery with
maternity. The surgical attachment of a
person to the outside of another person is an abnormal and unnatural
process. The process of pregnancy is
natural and has been happening long before surgery or physicians walked the
earth. Equating surgery to pregnancy is
unreasonable. Thompson’s analogy fails
again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Pregnancy does Not Render a Woman Helpless:</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">In the
violinist argument the woman remains helpless for nine months or more. Pregnant women still are capable of many jobs
and activities. It is true that it is
often the case that women are limited to what they can and cannot (or should
not) do while they are pregnant, but it is ludicrous to say that this somehow
compares to being bedridden with a fully grown man sewn to your back. Equating these situations is
unreasonable. Thompson’s analogy fails a
third time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Pregnancy is Not an Unnatural Bond with a Stranger:</h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The
mother/child relationship is a special bond known throughout the world and
history. Even though there are cases
where this relationship is soured with horrific results, the rest of the world
was shocked and did not respond by simply saying, “Oh, well, those things
happen.” Every culture expects mothers
and their children to possess a bond that cannot be accurately described in
casual terms. Thompson, however,
attempts to reason that the mother’s feelings towards her child are of the same
nature as her feelings to a complete stranger.
To equate the stranger/stranger relationship with that of a mother &
child is unreasonable. Thompson’s
analogy fails a fourth time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Pregnancy is Not Science Fiction:</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Another
flaw with Thompson’s argument is that she does nothing more than to appeal to a
fictitious, extremely far-fetched scenario.
Thompson tries to persuade her readers that since they would justify the
woman’s choice to withhold life support in this improbable scenario that we
should therefore also see justification in women’s choices that lead to over a
million abortions each year. To equate
the rare with the rampant is unreasonable.
Thompson’s analogy fails again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Abortion is Not Merely Withholding Life Support:</h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Author,
speaker, and radio personality, Greg Koukl also responds to Thompson’s
violinist argument. He comments on the
flaws that I too noticed: artificial attachment vs. natural process; equating
the mother/child relationship to that of a host/predator type of engagement or
to the stranger/stranger relationship.
However, he also points to a most serious flaw in the violinist argument. Koukl says it this way: </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“In the violinist illustration, the woman
might be justified withholding life-giving treatment from the musician under
these circumstances. Abortion, though,
is not merely withholding treatment. It
is actively taking another human being’s life trough poisoning or
dismemberment. A more accurate parallel
with abortion would be to crush the violinist or cut him into pieces before
unplugging him.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> </span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Koukl found the crucial flaw in Thompson’s
argument. Abortion is not simply
withholding life-support from an organism that is dying by natural means. Abortion is unnaturally and intentionally
ending a life that is following nature’s course of life. Abortion is not withholding mercy; abortion
is taking an innocent life. Equating
abortion to the withholding of life-support from dying individuals is
unreasonable. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Thompson’s analogy fails,
period.</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><h3 style="font-family: "times new roman";">
End Note:</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 32px;"></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
There is help for those who have participated in an abortion. <a href="http://www.rachelsvineyard.org/" target="_blank">Rachel's Vineyard</a> is a wonderful resource and place for healing.</div>
</div>
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10pt;">[1]</span></span></span></a> Thompson, Judith Jarvis, “A Defense of Abortion,” <i>Journal of Philosophy and Public Affairs</i> 1 (1971): </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftnref1" title="">[2]</a></span></span><a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftnref1" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span> I do not
think abortion is justified even in the case as China’s population problems.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> Greg
Koukl, “Unstringing the Violinist,” [article online], available from <a href="http://str.org/free/commentaries/abortion/vanishin.htm"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span>http://str.org/free/commentaries/abortion/unstrign.htm</a>;
Internet; accessed 8 February 2003. No longer at this site address. Cannot find update.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-56056775782189793632016-11-05T14:57:00.001-04:002016-11-05T14:57:22.913-04:00"Women's Health" Objections: Answering the Pro-Abortionists<h2>
Restating My Thesis:</h2>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Premise 1: All acts that intentionally take the life of an innocent, human person are immoral acts and should be illegal. </span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Premise 2: Abortion is an act that intentionally takes the life of an innocent, human person. </span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Conclusion: Therefore, abortion is an immoral act and should be illegal.</span></h4>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
This is a valid argument. </h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Which means, if the premises are true, then the conclusion is necessarily true. For more on validity and arguments go <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2013/06/all-thought-is-not-valid.html" target="_blank">here</a>. For a further treatment of my thesis go <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/abortion-should-be-illegal-logic-reason.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Objections to my thesis tend to fall into one of the following categories:</div>
<div>
<ul style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/answering-pro-abortion-objection-on.html%20Done" target="_blank">The objection on the being of the fetus</a>.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/answering-pro-abortionists-objections.html" target="_blank">Objections from choice, privacy, and rights.</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/11/objections-of-lesser-evil-answering-pro.html" target="_blank">Objections from the lesser evil.</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Objections concerning endangering the mother's life or women's health.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">The objection base on the <i>Violinist Argument.</i></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">The objection that I should not shove my morality down someone else's throat. a.k.a. "You cannot legislate morality."</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
</div>
I addressed the first three objections in previous posts. You may see those post by following the links above.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
In this post I address the fourth group of objections: Objections from "women's health."</div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
The objection concerning endangering the mother’s life<o:p></o:p></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> The
fourth objection troubles some pro-lifers:
what if the mother’s life is in danger and an abortion will keep her
alive? Some pro-abortionists will throw
this objection back to the pro-life side.
If the intentional act of taking a human life is wrong, and if some
innocent woman is about to die because of complications in pregnancy or
delivery, then those who have forbidden abortion have intentionally done
something that ends the life of an innocent human being, therefore, abortion
should be legal at least in the case when a woman’s life is in danger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> This
is a very popular starting point for pro-abortionists. They cloak abortion under the mantra of
“women’s health” or “women’s reproductive health.” They </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">hide the killing of the unborn baby by
redirecting the argument to a potentially life-saving procedure towards the
mother.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
Response to objections concerning saving the mother’s life<o:p></o:p></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">There are two cases to this objection and they must be dealt with
separately. The first is the case where continuing
the pregnancy will result in the death of <u><b>both </b></u>the mother and the baby unless
an abortion is performed. The second is
the case where it is highly likely that one or the other will die, but it is
highly unlikely that both will die. I
will answer the first, but I will leave my answer for the second to a later
time because it goes into the <i>Principle of Double Effect</i>. This is beyond the scope of this post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Save One Life or None?</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the case
that it is likely that both mother and child will die, I think it is clear that
an abortion is the right thing to do.
This is neither inconsistent nor contrary to my argument. Here’s why.
We are faced with a dilemma: either only one person lives or
none live. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">This is not the same as the
dilemma to kill one or to kill two. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Nor
is it the same as the dilemma to let one live or to let two die. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I am not playing a game of semantics
here. In this case it is certain
that the baby will die no matter what course of action is chosen. Sadly, nothing can be done to stop that. An abortion will not change the outcome for
the baby, </span><u style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">but it will save the life of the mother in this case</u><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">. Saving the life of </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;">one person - and not at
the </span><i style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;">expense</i><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"> of another person’s life
- is a noble act.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In the case at hand,
the baby is developing, not in a good way, but in a destructive way to two lives. Something
is fatally wrong with the natural process - not just to one human being, but to
two human beings.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A life is saved by
stopping the pregnancy. </span><i style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Not </i><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">stopping this pregnancy is an act that will intentionally end the life of a human being (the
mother). This is in agreement with my thesis. I could easily say that the
pro-abortionists are in agreement with my pro-life position in this instance; that
is, acting in a way that saves an innocent human life.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Notice I am not stating that the abortion is performed simply because the baby has a disease (Downs Syndrome, bone deformity, etc). I am not saying an abortion is permitted because of the baby is not "perfect." It is morally wrong to perform an abortion merely because the baby has a disease, deformity, or even a life-ending complication. In these cases the baby should be born and allowed to live out his or her natural life the best we can provide. We should try to save the child's life in cases of disease. We should care for the sick. We don't kill innocent humans beings simply because they're less than perfect.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The case here, when baby is certain to die and the mother will likely die, permits aborting the pregnancy so the mother can live. A life is saved, </span><i style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">but not at the cost of another innocent life</i><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">A Few Statistics on Abortion and Women's Health:</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Saving the life of the mother is not why most abortions are performed!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/induced-abortion-united-states?gclid=CM79iNObktACFZQ0aQodTF4J2A" target="_blank">Even the abortionists admit that in their own research:</a></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; text-indent: 0px;">"The reasons patients gave for having an abortion underscored their understanding of the responsibilities of parenthood and family life. The three most common reasons—each cited by three-fourths of patients—were concern for or responsibility to other individuals; the inability to afford a child; and the belief that having a baby would interfere with work, school or the ability to care for dependents. Half said they did not want to be a single parent or were having problems with their husband or partner.[</span><a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/induced-abortion-united-states?gclid=CM79iNObktACFZQ0aQodTF4J2A#4" id="4a" name="4a" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6941; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px;">4</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; text-indent: 0px;">]"</span></span></blockquote>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<h4 style="font-family: "times new roman"; line-height: 32px; text-indent: 0.5in;">
There you have it from their own research. Most abortions are not performed for saving the life of the woman. Most abortions are for the <i>convenience </i>of the woman.</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4 style="font-family: "times new roman"; line-height: 32px; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pmss.html" target="_blank">The Center for Disease Control states:</a></h4>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 32px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Many studies show that an increasing number of pregnant women in the United States have chronic health conditions such as hypertension, <span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0px;">diabetes, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0px;">and chronic heart disease. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0px;"> These conditions may put a pregnant woman at higher risk of pregnancy complications. Although the overall risk of dying from pregnancy complications is low, some women are at a higher risk than others. The higher pregnancy-related mortality ratios during 2009-2011 are due to an increase in infection and sepsis deaths. Many of these deaths occurred during the 2009-2010 influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 pandemic which occurred in the United States between April 2009 and June 2010. Influenza deaths accounted for 12 percent of all pregnancy-related deaths during that 15 month period."</span></span></blockquote>
<div style="line-height: 32px; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 32px; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="background-color: white; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The danger to pregnant women is not the baby in the womb, but other diseases that can be treated with methods other than abortion! In fact, the abortion does not even treat the disease above. Stop killing the innocent unborn and claim it's for the health of the woman. </span></span></h4>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pmss.html" target="_blank">CDC also states</a> :</span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: 0px;">"</span><span style="background-color: white;">Of the 3,404 deaths within a year of pregnancy termination that occurred during 2011-2012 and were reported to CDC, 1,329 were found to be pregnancy-related. The pregnancy-related mortality ratios were 17.8 and 15.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2011 and 2012, respectively."</span></span></blockquote>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That is, in 2012, 0.0159 % of pregnancies resulted in the death of the mother. For the same year, there were <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss6410a1.htm?s_cid=ss6410a1_w" target="_blank">669,202</a> abortions in the United States reported to the CDC.</span></span></h4>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 32px; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">According to the CDC and assuming approximately half of all babies are female, there were approximately 334,601 females killed during an abortion in 2012.</span></h4>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<h3 style="line-height: 32px; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Abortion is <u>not </u>about a female's health. </span></h3>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<h4 style="line-height: 32px; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The pro-abortion arguments that abortion is all about women's health are invalid. </h4>
</div>
<h3 style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<br /></h3>
<h3 style="font-family: "times new roman";">
End Note:</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0px;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
There is help for those who have participated in an abortion. <a href="http://www.rachelsvineyard.org/" target="_blank">Rachel's Vineyard</a> is a wonderful resource and place for healing.</div>
</div>
M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-37447703941730066162016-11-01T07:45:00.004-04:002016-11-01T07:45:40.650-04:00Objections of the Lesser Evil: Answering the Pro-Abortion Argument.<h2>
Restating My Thesis:</h2>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Premise 1: All acts that intentionally take the life of an innocent, human person are immoral acts and should be illegal. </span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Premise 2: Abortion is an act that intentionally takes the life of an innocent, human person. </span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Conclusion: Therefore, abortion is an immoral act and should be illegal.</span></h4>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
This is a valid argument. </h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Which means, if the premises are true, then the conclusion is necessarily true. For more on validity and arguments go <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2013/06/all-thought-is-not-valid.html" target="_blank">here</a>. For a further treatment of my thesis go <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/abortion-should-be-illegal-logic-reason.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Objections to my thesis tend to fall into one of the following categories:</div>
<div>
<ul style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/answering-pro-abortion-objection-on.html%20Done" target="_blank">The objection on the being of the fetus</a>.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/answering-pro-abortionists-objections.html" target="_blank">Objections from choice, privacy, and rights.</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Objections from the lesser evil.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Objections concerning endangering the mother's life or women's health.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">The objection base on the <i>Violinist Argument.</i></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">The objection that I should not shove my morality down someone else's throat. a.k.a. "You cannot legislate morality."</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
</div>
I addressed the first two objections in previous posts. You may see those post by following the links above.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
In this post I address the third group of objections: Objections from lesser evil.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
Objections from the lesser evil<o:p></o:p></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> A
third class of objections try to address the conditions that caused the pregnancy or of
the well-being of the child should it be born.
These include pregnancy as a result of rape or incest, pregnancy
occurring during an unfortunate time of the woman’s life, or pregnancy to a
woman who is unable to or unlikely to love and care for her child. This class of objections is often given by
those who may concede that abortion is wrong and not a matter of choice, but
that in these cases it is a “necessary evil.”
Those that offer these objections believe that, should the pregnancy go
to term, the woman and/or the child will be in such a predicament that it is
best to end the suffering before it gets any worse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
Response to objections of the lesser evil <o:p></o:p></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<o:p>Rape or Incest:</o:p></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">In the
cases of rape or incest we do not give the woman the right to later go and kill
the rapist (or the relative). And, if she
is not permitted to later kill the perpetrator of the crime, then why should
she be permitted to kill the result of that crime (i.e. abort the baby)? Will aborting the baby erase the crime? No, it only adds to the crime. Certainly we would not approve if the mother
decided to have the baby and seven years later look her child in the eye and
say, “You are a result of rape. Every
time I look at you I think about the incident and I just can’t take it anymore,
so I’m going to kill you and hope that the memory goes away.” Any person who thinks that of a child is in need of help, but he child needs to be protected nonetheless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">An embryo
is as human as a seven-year old, it is just not as developed. Age and location of the human are not
qualifiers for murder. Abortion in these
cases will not heal any emotional wounds.
Having the baby will not necessarily complicate matters either. The mother can give the baby in adoption or
keep the child herself. There are many parents suffering from infertility who are wanting to adopt and love a child as their own. None of us can predict the future and know for certain that the mother & child of unfortunate circumstances cannot bond stronger than others and have a love for each other that few others can understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Rape is one
of the worst crimes. I honestly would
applaud any woman who killed such an attacker as he is committing (or about to
commit) this crime. She is not the
taking of an innocent life by killing her attacker. I would give
her words of encouragement and consolation for the rest of her life, but if a
pregnancy should come as a result, then an abortion is not a moral option no
matter how painful that would be for us to accept. Sadly, even under such terrible
circumstances, neither of us have the right to take the life of this innocent
human being that is growing in her womb.
A child unwanted by his or her mother, regardless of the reasons why, is
not deserving of death whether they are in or out of the womb.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Inability to Care for the Child:</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">No one has the right to end the child's life even if the
child is wanted by the mother, but the mother is incapable of taking care of
the child due to financial, physical, emotional, or intellectual problems. Abortion is not the last resort. It should not even be an option because we
are dealing with innocent life. The
value of an innocent life far outweighs the emotional comfort of others. A child unwanted by his mother will most
certainly be welcomed by someone else.
The fetus of an incapable mother can most certainly be a child to a
capable, loving, adopting mother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I have seen
children living in poverty yet smiling and laughing and playing with their
friends. We would be horrified if
someone came along and thought these children should die so they would not
have to live in this state of poverty.
So why would we think it is permissible to do the same to a child in the womb? Age and location of the human are not
qualifiers for murder. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Imagine if
someone came up to me and said: “Mark, a year from now you will be living in
poverty. We think it is best that we
kill you now so that you won’t have to go through life that way. Relax, we’ll be doing you a favor.” I imagine that my reply would not sound very
gentlemanly and my actions would likely become threatening to their physical
well-being. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">In fact, I was suddenly laid off from work when my son was six-weeks old. My family went from "getting by" to "struggling." I had to swallow my pride and collect unemployment, food stamps, and WIC to provide for my family. Unemployment checks do not go far, my friend. I know. There are not many jobs out there for unemployed mathematicians. Yet, I grew to love my family more & more out of this experience. I became more aware of how much I love them by realizing how much I'd go through for them. My love grew during my weakness. I had a Masters Degree and I ended up stocking shelves for minimum wage, but I loved my infant son with all my heart.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Eventually I got a job teaching. It didn't pay much and I still struggled to pay bills. Eventually a better offer came along in less than a year. It's amazing how much life can change in a couple of short years. No one has the right to "predict" the future and think their making the right choice by taking an innocent life</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Poverty or being unwanted is
not justification for taking an innocent life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The pro-abortion arguments that abortion is sometimes the lesser evil are invalid.</h4>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
End Note:</h3>
<div>
There is help for those who have participated in an abortion. <a href="http://www.rachelsvineyard.org/" target="_blank">Rachel's Vineyard</a> is a wonderful resource and place for healing.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-22002463845188837912016-10-29T11:28:00.001-04:002016-11-01T07:19:54.036-04:00Answering the Pro-Abortionists' Objections about Choice, Privacy, and Rights.<h2>
Restating My Thesis:</h2>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Premise 1: All acts that intentionally take the life of an innocent, human person are immoral acts and should be illegal. </span></h4>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Premise 2: Abortion is an act that intentionally takes the life of an innocent, human person. </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Conclusion: Therefore, abortion is an immoral act and should be illegal.</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
This is a valid argument. </h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Which means, if the premises are true, then the conclusion is necessarily true. For more on validity and arguments go <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2013/06/all-thought-is-not-valid.html" target="_blank">here</a>. For a further treatment of my thesis go <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/abortion-should-be-illegal-logic-reason.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Objections to my thesis tend to fall into one of the following categories:</div>
<div>
<ul style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/answering-pro-abortion-objection-on.html%20Done" target="_blank">The objection on the being of the fetus</a>.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Objections from choice, privacy, and rights.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Objections from the lesser evil.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Objections concerning endangering the mother's life or women's health.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">The objection base on the <i>Violinist Argument.</i></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">The objection that I should not shove my morality down someone else's throat. a.k.a. "You cannot legislate morality."</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
In this post I address the second group of objections: Objections from choice, privacy, and rights. </div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
I'll address the later objections in other posts.</div>
</div>
<br />
<h2>
Objections from choice, privacy, and rights:<o:p></o:p></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> These
objections say abortion deals with a woman’s body and no one has the right to tell a
woman what she can and cannot do with her body.
Abortion is wholly and solely the woman’s choice, they say. This is probably the most frequent objection
hence the name <i>pro-choice.</i> In fact, some pro-choice advocates refer to
the other side of the debate as <i>anti-choice</i>. O</span><span style="font-size: 16px;">thers will just have to deal with it w</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">hen a woman makes a choice concerning her
body, they say.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> A related objection is the right to privacy. Whatever a woman asks her doctor to do is a
private medical matter and the government has no right to legislate anything
that would invade that privacy. This
objection appears often in matters of parental consent for minors or for
spousal/partner consent. If a woman
wants an abortion she can have it and that is all there is to it, they say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> Some
think since the United States Supreme Court ruling in <i>Row v. Wade</i> made abortion legal it is therefore morally
acceptable. Pro-choice advocates think
this makes the issue of abortion a closed matter since it is “constitutionally
guaranteed.” They say it’s a
constitutional right to have an abortion and to anyone who tries to take away a
person’s constitutional right is criminal (since they're violating someone else's constitutional rights).
The Supreme Court ruled on the matter; the matter is closed. Do not take away our rights, they say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
Response to objections of choice, privacy, and rights</h2>
<h3>
<o:p></o:p></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<o:p>Is Abortion Merely a Matter of Choice?</o:p></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">It is
misleading to say that a woman (or anybody) has a right to do </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">whatever they choose</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> to
their bodies .</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Sure,
a woman has the right to make many choices: hair styles, body piercing, clothes
styles, which church to attend (if any at all), for whom to vote, etc.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">They are also free to choose to pursue other
areas where </span><i style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">their</i><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> choice is not the
sole determining factor in the decision.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">They may choose to apply for a certain job, but <i>others </i>make the decision
to hire her or not.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She may choose to
ask a man to marry her, but <i>he </i>still has a right to say no.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Every person has many choices in life that
<i>others </i>also have a voice in the matter.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">No person – man or woman – is in complete control over every aspect of
their life. An certainly no person has absolute rights to do things with their life, or their bodies, when others are directly related to the consequences.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">There are
also some choices that we are not to make – even to our own bodies. If someone is suicidal, others do not sit
back and say, “Well, it is their choice.
We shouldn’t interfere.” The same
situation would apply to a woman in cases of anorexia, bulimia, drug abuse,
alcohol abuse, staying with an abusive spouse, or self-mutilation. We would not be outraged if someone else
intervened and urged the woman to make a different choice – we would applaud
such actions by that other person. There
are some choices we do not allow others to make even to their own bodies. Therefore, it is not necessarily wrong to
make laws forbidding actions against one’s own body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">But, as I
have shown, the fetus is <u>not a part</u> of the woman’s body; the fetus <u>is in
her body</u>, but the fetus is not a <i>part</i>
of her body. So, the argument of a woman
saying she has the right to have an abortion because she has the right to do to
her body whatever she wishes fails on two grounds: 1.) the fetus is not a part of the woman’s
body and, 2.) she does not in fact have the right to do whatever she wants to
her body especially when the outcome of that action has effects on someone else</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Abortion is not a matter of a woman doing something to her own body. It is a matter of a woman <u>destroying</u> another's body - an innocent person's body. No woman has a right to do that!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The objection from a matter of choice is not valid.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A Constitutional Right?</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Does a
woman have the right, even the constitutional right, to kill her child (because
that is what is happening during an abortion) for any reason she so
chooses?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Absolutely not!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Even though there are currently legal
decisions “giving” her that legal right, we must remember that legal rights are
not always morally right.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">It was once legal to
own slaves and treat them as you wished, but was it right to do so?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">No!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Even though slavery was legal, it was not morally right.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The legal right was even upheld by the
Supreme Court, but it was later overturned by one President.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The laws of men are not set in stone.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Therefore, the argument from Supreme Court
approval is not a valid argument either.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The pro-choice objection from a matter of "constitution" rights is not valid.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
A Matter of Privacy?</h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">What about the woman's privacy? Well, privacy is not an
absolute right either; this applies to
everyone. There are many things that I
could do in the privacy of my own home - or anywhere else I may have privacy at the moment - that could get me arrested, but I do not
do them and then plea that my privacy needs protected. The same goes for everyone else. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Say a woman takes her toddler to her
doctor and says, “Here, get rid of this child.
I can’t deal with her anymore, she's getting in the way of other things I have planned for life; but, oh, let’s keep this whole thing just
between you and me.” Would the rest of
us be expected to say, “Oh, well, she did it in private, so it’s none of our
business”? Certainly not!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Now some object that I am talking about
a toddler and they are talking about a non-viable group of cells. Once again, I say that an innocent human is
an innocent human regardless of the point of development. Age and location of the human are not
qualifiers for a life-ending act. Privacy is not an
issue when it comes to terminating the life of an innocent human being.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The pro-choice objection from a matter of privacy is not valid.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Privacy is not an issue when it comes to terminating the life of an innocent human being.</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; text-indent: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; text-indent: 0px;">(For a further treatment of my arguments for every fetus being an individual human being separate from the mother, go </span><a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/abortion-should-be-illegal-logic-reason.html" style="font-size: medium; text-indent: 0px;" target="_blank">here</a> and my treatment against the pro-choice objection of personhood of the fetus go <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/answering-pro-abortion-objection-on.html%20Done" target="_blank">here.</a></span><span style="text-indent: 0px;">)</span></div>
M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-46499675616967356052016-10-23T21:57:00.001-04:002016-10-23T21:57:37.154-04:00Answering Pro-Abortion Objection on the Nature of a Fetus<h2>
Restating My Thesis:</h2>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Premise 1: All
acts that intentionally take the life of an innocent, human person are immoral
acts and should be illegal. </span></h4>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Premise 2: Abortion is
an act that intentionally takes the life of an innocent, human person. </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Conclusion: Therefore, abortion is an immoral act and
should be illegal.</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
This is a valid argument. </h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Which means, if the premises are true, then the conclusion is necessarily true. For more on validity and arguments go <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2013/06/all-thought-is-not-valid.html" target="_blank">here</a>. For a further treatment of my thesis go <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/abortion-should-be-illegal-logic-reason.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Objections to my thesis tend to fall into one of the following:</div>
<div>
<ul style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">The objection on the being of the fetus.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Objections from choice, privacy, and rights.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Objections from the lesser evil.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Objections concerning endangering the mother's life or women's health.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">The objection base on the <i>Violinist Argument.</i></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">The objection that I should not shove my morality down someone else's throat. a.k.a. "You cannot legislate morality."</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In this post I address the first objection. I'll address the other objections in other posts.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
Objections on the Nature of a Fetus:</h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> This
first set of objections deals with my second premise directly. Some say that a fetus is not alive because it
is not breathing and feeding on its own.
It is not out and about on its own.
If the fetus actively depends on another for life, then it cannot be
alive on its own, and if it is not alive on its own, then it is truly not
alive. If it is truly not alive, then
how can you kill it? Or, so what if you do kill it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">This
objection says the fetus is more parasitic in nature than it is human. We do not see humans going around feeding off
of other humans and if we did we would certainly put a stop to it
immediately. At least in early stages of
development the fetus is not viable; it cannot live on its own. The pro-abortionist asks what is wrong with
stopping the development of a being (or life of a fetus) if it cannot naturally
live on its own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> In
early stages of development the fetus may not look too different than the
embryos of other animals. The central
nervous system does not begin to develop until after the first month of
gestation. How can it be human without a
central nervous system? Certainly
abortions prior to this should be widely acceptable. Until a central nervous system is functioning
the fetus is merely a group of cells – “a bunch of goo” as some have said. How can removing a mere blob of cells be
murder? It is certainly not a person.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h2 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 16px;">Answering the Objection:</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/abortion-should-be-illegal-logic-reason.html" target="_blank">I have demonstrated in my defense</a> that the fetus can be nothing but human. Humans give birth to humans and only
humans. If a human baby comes out of a
woman’s womb then it must be human inside the mother’s womb. A fetus does not somehow change species or
nature during birth. If someone says this fetus is not human, then the burden of proof is on them to prove
exactly what it is and how it is <i>not</i>
human. If they cannot, then it is a
grave error to assume their position and end an innocent life as a result.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">This is a
sort of plea from ignorance on their part. They reason
that if we are not sure what it is we are aborting, then what harm is
there? But, it is strange they do
not seem to be too interested in being certain what it is they are aborting. To them ignorance is bliss. If a son came up behind his mother and asked,
“Mommy, may I throw this away?” The mother must turn around and determine exactly
of what he is speaking. It would
certainly be foolish to grant blind approval.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">This also
goes for the objection that the fetus is not alive. <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/abortion-should-be-illegal-logic-reason.html" target="_blank">Here </a>too I have demonstrated that the fetus
is growing, contains unique genetic material, and is developing into a more
specifically complex organism. If these
are not indications of a living being, then the burden of proof is on those in
favor of abortion to show exactly how such organism is <i>not</i> alive. Again,
conjecture, opinion, or anything short of proof will not suffice in a matter of
life & death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I have
given <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/abortion-should-be-illegal-logic-reason.html" target="_blank">reasoned, scientific arguments</a> that the fetus inside a woman’s body is a
living, human being. If the fetus is not
a person or does not possess "personhood," then the burden of proof is on the
pro-abortionists to show exactly when “personhood” is obtained, if it is at some
time other than when a forty-six chromosomal, human zygote begins developing. Yet, they continually fall short of this
in their dogmatic claims.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[1]</span></span></span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[endif]--></span></a> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Is “personhood” based on consciousness
alone? Certainly not. If it is, then why is it not legal to kill
someone so high on heroin that they are oblivious to the world? It is illegal to kill such a person because
they are a living, human being – a person – and consciousness has nothing to do
with the matter.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
Nature is From the Beginning:</h3>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Some argue
that an acorn is not an oak tree, but only potentially an oak tree: likewise a
fetus is not human (or not fully human) but is only potentially human. This argument does not hold. An acorn does not have the <i>potential</i> to <i>become</i> an oak tree – it is an oak tree at the beginning stages of
development. An acorn does not have the
potential to become anything other than an oak tree because “<i>oak-ness</i>” is a part of the acorn’s
essence. An acorn will emerge from the
ground as a sprout, then grow some more to be a sapling, then grow more to be a
larger tree, and will continue to grow until its growth is altered by outside
forces; but it is always an oak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Likewise, a
fetus is not a potential human – it <i>is </i>human. A fetus has no potential to become anything
other than a human because “<i>human-ness”</i>
is a part of the fetus’ essence. A fetus
will emerge from the womb as a baby, and then grow more to be a toddler, then
more to be an adolescent, then to a young adult and so on. This growth will continue in a natural manner
unless it is altered by some outside force; but this fetus is always a
human. Abortion would definitely be such
an outside force that terminates its growth in an unnatural way.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h4>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">"But, It Cannot Live On Its Own."</span></h4>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">True, the
fetus cannot survive on its own apart from the mother, but that does not make
it parasitic, nor is the fetus some form of cannibal. A parasite attaches itself with its teeth or
hook-like structures because the host will naturally try to repel it. In a pregnancy the human zygote develops into
a blastocyst which does attach to the uterine wall, but then the woman’s
body welcomes the embryo by developing ways to accommodate the fetus and its
development in a natural way. These
changes in the mother’s body are not only in the uterus and for the fetal stage
of development, but also for the days following birth. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">During pregnancy estrogen and progesterone
levels increase. These hormones do not
come from the fetus, but from the mother.
The result is a growth of the mammary glands. Following birth the mother’s milk is rich in
nutrients beneficial to the baby.</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[2]</span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> These processes are natural and regular. The woman’s body goes through changes to
sustain the pregnancy and the child for months afterwards. The woman’s body goes through changes
naturally in order to </span><i style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">continue</i><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> the
pregnancy. The woman’s body naturally
changes to welcome the fetus and to help it survive. Pregnancy and birth are the natural life
sustaining processes of the body.
Abortion is the unnatural, life ending actions </span><i style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">against</i><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> the baby’s body and a life altering action against the
mother’s body.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Even though
a fetus cannot survive on its own, that is no justification for abortion. It is accurate to say that no babies or
toddlers can survive on their own either, but that does not justify killing
them either. Many adolescents, adults,
and elderly people cannot survive solely on their own, but we do not use that
as a reason to kill them if they become a burden to us. We certainly would not condone the killing of
welfare recipients just because they need assistance from others and cannot
“make it on their own.” Astronauts cannot survive on their own outside the International Space Station, but that's no reason to kill them in space. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">So, if not being
able to make it on their own is not a justification for killing those outside of
the womb, why do some try to make it a justification for killing those inside the
womb? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The pro-abortionist reasoning is
severely flawed.</span></h3>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">
</span></div>
<div>
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<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> Granted, both sides of the abortion debate
are often dogmatic. Hopefully my
arguments will help both sides be less dogmatic and become more analytical
& logical.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> Starr, Cecie and Ralph Taggart, <i>Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life</i>, 5<sup>th</sup> ed.
(Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1989) p 524.</div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-25110863806270001722016-10-23T17:17:00.000-04:002016-10-23T21:59:11.531-04:00Abortion Should Be Illegal: Logic, Reason, and Science Agree <h2>
Introduction</h2>
<h1>
<o:p></o:p></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">One prevalent
and heated subject is the legalization of abortion. </span></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">For the most part, those interested in the
debate have sided in one of two camps: pro-choice or pro-life. </span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The former often believes that women should be
permitted to get an abortion at any time for any reason and the latter thinks
abortion should be illegal. Although many pro-choice advocates say they are in favor of abortion only in cases such as incest or rape, they concede to the strong pro-choice camp by letting abortion on demand be legal. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Both sides
have presented several arguments for their position. In spite of all the arguments on both sides,
it comes down to this:</span></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">If the unborn is not a human person, then no
justification for abortion is necessary; however, if the unborn is a human
person, then no justification for abortion is adequate.</span></h4>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">My thesis
is: All acts that intentionally take the
life of an innocent, human person are immoral acts and should be illegal. Abortion is an act that intentionally takes
the life of an innocent, human person.
Therefore, abortion is an immoral act and should be illegal.</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">This is a
<a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2013/06/all-thought-is-not-valid.html" target="_blank">valid argument</a>. Valid meaning that if
the premises are true, then the conclusion necessary and absolutely must be true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
Defense of Thesis</h2>
<h1>
<o:p></o:p></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> The
defense of my thesis rests on the second premise. It is safe to say that every right-minded
person would agree with the major premise; that all acts that intentionally
take the life of an innocent, human person are immoral acts and should be
illegal. Both sides of the abortion
debate would likely agree with this, so I will concentrate the arguments in defense
of the second premise. My argument rests
on the premise that the fetus inside a woman is a living, human person. It is obviously innocent and defenseless. The crux of my argument is the fetus is a living
person.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
Taking Innocent Life Is Universally Condemned<o:p></o:p></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> Not
only is it universally condemned to take an innocent human life, but a culture
that practices such is practically unthinkable.
Who can imagine a culture where any person at any time may take the life
of any other individual for any reason?
It is unthinkable that such a society could possibly exist – not because
of “the herd is stronger than the individual” survival instinct – but because
of the moral code that is written on our hearts. Granted there have been cases of despots,
kings, queens, and other tyrants that committed such murders (even mass
murders), but even in those cases one of two things can be found. First, the rest of that society did not
approve of such actions, but remained helpless or was silent because of terror
or the temporary inability to thwart it.
Or second, classification of humanness was the issue and not the
approval of murder. This second case
needs a little more explanation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">What I mean
in this second case is that even though it may appear that most of that society
approved of murder at any given time, it is not really the case. For instance, consider Nazi Germany’s actions
towards Jews and some slave owners towards slaves. In these situations it was morally wrong and
illegal to kill an innocent human being.
A Nazi could not kill <i>any</i>
person he wished and a slave owner was not permitted by law to kill his
neighbor (or even his neighbor’s slave) out of convenience. A Jew was not considered a full human being
to a Nazi; or at the most, a significantly inferior human. To the slave owner, slaves were not human
employees; they were only <i>human-like </i>property.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> Even in extreme cases of human brutality it
was not a matter that murder was condoned, it was a matter of <i>what</i> and <i>who </i>is human.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
Is a fetus a human being? <o:p></o:p></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">All
creatures naturally spawn other creatures only of their same kind. Dogs do not naturally give birth to kittens,
fish, or oak trees; dogs produce only other dogs. Acorns do not sprout roses – only oak
trees. Likewise, humans give birth only
to humans. Since humans give birth only
to humans, the fetus in a woman’s womb can be nothing other than human. Location does not change essence. Furthermore, the fetus must be alive because
he or she is growing and developing into a more complex being. This development is not random or chaotic
like rust or a tumor; it is specific and predictable in nearly every instance. This development is also not merely getting
larger as in the formation of crystals nor is it merely more widespread like a
virus. This growth is producing a more
complex individual being with its own organs, reflexes, immune system, brain
waves, and unique DNA.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">When does
this development become human? It is
human at the first of its becoming. It
does not develop <i>into</i> a human. It <i>is</i>
human and that is why it develops.
Granted not everything that develops is human, but I have already dealt
with the issue of the humanity of the fetus.
The point I make here is that the fetus is human from the very first
moment of development. A college biology
book says it this way: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="QuoteChar">Sexual reproduction begins with meiosis and proceeds through
the formation of gametes. It ends at
fertilization, when the sperm nucleus and egg nucleus fuse in the first cell of
the new individual (the zygote). A
zygote grows into a multi-celled adult by way of mitosis, which faithfully
maintains the chromosome number characteristic of the species, division after division.<sup><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="QuoteChar"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftn2" title="">[2]</a></span></sup></b></span><a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftn2" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></sup></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="QuoteChar"><sup><span class="QuoteChar"><b><sup><br /></sup></b></span></sup></span></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Notice that the <i>reproduction</i> ends at fertilization and a
<i>new</i> individual life begins. From the zygote on there is a separate human
life.</span></h4>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Humans –
even single-celled humans – have forty-six chromosomes. This is an essential characteristic of being
human. Since the fetus is unique and has
a different genetic code from the mother, he or she is a <i>different</i> human being <i>separate</i>
from the mother. Abortion then is not
simply a matter of choice with a mother’s body because the abortion affects a
human being other than the mother. This <i>other</i> human being is a unique person
that has some similarities to the mother, and some to the father, but is a
different human being as a whole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Abortion is
an act that intentionally takes away the life of a human being that has committed
no crime whatsoever. These types of acts
are met with universal condemnation and, therefore, abortion should be illegal
everywhere. Since the unborn is a human
person, no justification for abortion is adequate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<h2>
Objections To Thesis:</h2>
<h1>
<o:p></o:p></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> Objections
to my thesis are almost entirely towards my second premise. Anyone who objects to my first premise is a
person who is rejected outright by the rest of humanity. It is my premise that abortion is an
intentional act of taking an innocent human that faces the objections. Some might even agree with both of my
premises, but reject the conclusion due to some <i>special cases.</i> My syllogism,
however, is valid. If my premises are
true, then my conclusion is necessarily true.
There should be no further argument if both premises are true, yet there
is. I have grouped objections to my
argument into five classes. Every
argument I have heard against my thesis so far can be grouped into one of
these.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
I will answer answer these objections in blog posts soon to follow:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/10/answering-pro-abortion-objection-on.html" target="_blank">The objection on the being of the fetus</a>.</li>
<li>Objections from choice, privacy, and rights.</li>
<li>Objections from the lesser evil.</li>
<li>Objections concerning endangering the mother's life or women's health.</li>
<li>The objection base on the <i>Violinist Argument.</i></li>
<li>The objection that I should not shove my morality down someone else's throat. a.k.a. "You cannot legislate morality."</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I cannot be silent any longer.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> This was
even upheld by the United States Supreme Court in the Dred Scott case.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Mark/Documents/Christian%20Stuff/NO%20REASON%20-%20Long%20Version.doc#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> Starr,
Cecie and Ralph Taggart, <i>Biology: The
Unity and Diversity of Life</i>, 5<sup>th</sup> ed. (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth
Publishing Co., 1989) 140 – 141.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-7499886985988022072016-09-11T08:26:00.003-04:002016-09-11T08:26:21.250-04:00A Look in the MirrorOne of the pleasures of being Catholic is the wonderful array of prayers available. Yes, as a Catholic, a person can still say their own prayers. We're encouraged to do so. But, we also have a vast treasury of prayers handed down through the history of the Church.<br />
<br />
When I was a Protestant I fell for the lie that Catholics can only pray those prayers the Church approves of. Well, during Mass, yes, we have corporate prayers that the Church throughout the world is also saying. That is a part of the unity we have. <br />
<br />
I find it beautiful to know the prayers and scripture I'll be hearing and saying during Mass this morning are the same prayers my Catholic friends will also be hearing in their churches throughout the country.<br />
<br />
Much of my time in prayer is divided between my individual prayer and prayers from the history of the Church. Some of these old prayers I have memorized after reading them many times. Some I hope to have memorized soon because they are very beautiful and meaningful. I have known the Lord's Prayer since I was a kid. I have recently come to know more about it and it's more wonderful now. <br />
<br />
In my former Protestant mindset I was programmed to think these prayers that so many Catholics have memorized are nothing more than "vain repetitions" and are condemned in the Bible. Catholics <u>agree</u> we are not to pray with vain repetitions. That's why when we pray these prayers over & over we are to make them sincere and from the heart.<br />
<br />
Jesus did <u>not</u> condemn repetitious prayer. Even Jesus prayed repetitious prayers (see Matthew 26:44). He condemned vain prayer. You can pray the most unique, original prayer vainly; that's a no-no. You can pray the Lord's Prayer a thousand times sincerely; that's a good thing.<br />
<br />
What have I found in praying some of these old prayers over & over while trying to focus on the words and set them in my heart? There's too much to say. They're like spiritual food that give me hope, strength, and courage throughout the day. They also awaken my soul to truths that I just did not get the first time...or the 100th.<br />
<br />
One prayer I've prayed many, many times is the Fatima Prayer. I often pray it as much as five times in one day. It's a short simple prayer.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of Hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy. Amen.</blockquote>
<br />
That's it. Seems simple & sweet. Yet, it's deceptively powerful.<br />
<br />
So here I was one day driving to work. I said this prayer like I have hundreds of time before. I prayed it from the heart like I always try to do, but this time something was very different.<br />
<br />
The part that says "<i>especially those in most need of They mercy</i>" used to mean to me those wayward souls suffering from addictions, a life of sin, and those doing their best to run from God. Well, it still does mean that, but I added one more person.<br />
<br />
Me.<br />
<br />
I - even though I now try to live a godly life - am still <i>in most need of Thy mercy</i>. <br />
<br />
I cannot get to Heaven on my own. I am in MOST NEED of Jesus' mercy every single moment of my life. Through God's mercy will I get to heaven. Through God's mercy do my charitable acts mean anything. Through God's mercy I am saved from his justifiable wrath upon the wicked things I've done.<br />
<br />
Tears filled my eyes. I almost had to pull to the side of the highway. I had looked in a spiritual mirror and saw that I am one of those in most need of his mercy.<br />
<br />
And, so are all of my Christian friends who struggle and are torn between the ways of the world and the ways of Heaven.<br />
<br />
And, so are all of my non-Christian friends.<br />
<br />
We all are in most need of his mercy.<br />
<br />
I thank God for these wonderful prayers that we can recite from memory. If we pray them a thousand times from the heart, these prayers help us to love God and others more & more every day.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-24817901909272048372016-07-16T20:07:00.001-04:002016-07-16T20:07:34.200-04:00Saturday Afternoon <p dir="ltr">My son being lazy with me.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfd0y7hp0YUAaee6JDzofbJx6xTHUcCVUQiDGmxSGhtpLNNNuMlT4dPC3BuR-ohGqK1BGQ7So66pV-Y26SicTOZ_3kPI9AKvFsqQX2kUeNhPyAzIGXA4A4mxxs8BqXZwl938qRAR3iqS8/s1600/1468713919993.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfd0y7hp0YUAaee6JDzofbJx6xTHUcCVUQiDGmxSGhtpLNNNuMlT4dPC3BuR-ohGqK1BGQ7So66pV-Y26SicTOZ_3kPI9AKvFsqQX2kUeNhPyAzIGXA4A4mxxs8BqXZwl938qRAR3iqS8/s640/1468713919993.jpg"> </a> </div>M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-47902942419005681782016-07-13T22:42:00.000-04:002016-07-14T09:10:59.889-04:00Gimme Three Steps<h2>
</h2>
<h2>
Background Check</h2>
<br />
My road to full communion with the Catholic Church was long and slow. For most of the journey I had no idea I was even on <i>that</i> road. The last leg of the trip was quick, sure, and put chills down my spine.<br />
<br />
I revealed the experience to much of the world on an earlier post, <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2015/12/marks-roman-road.html" target="_blank">Mark's Roman Road.</a><br />
<br />
Here's the condensed version:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>I was raised in a Christian home. My father was a pastor. I attended a Christian college and an evangelical seminary.</li>
<li>I became a Christian before I left grade school. I never denounced my faith as I grew older, but I wasn't good at showing it either.</li>
<li>I regularly attended many different Protestant denominations through the years: Church of God (Anderson, IN), Church of God (Cleveland, TN), Church of Christ, American Baptist, Southern Baptist, Presbyterian (PCA), several different "Bible Churches," and churches that seemed like they hide their affiliation (if they even had one): You know, the "________ Community Church."</li>
<li>I spent much of my adult life looking for the Church that was the closest to what Jesus had in mind when He taught his disciples. I was not comfortable with the notion of <i>we agree on the essentials</i> mentality. There had to be church of best fit (Statistic joke there), but they all were missing something.</li>
<li>My wife & I attended a nice, little Catholic parish one Saturday night in August 2014 and knew there was something very special about it. A few weeks later we started attending their adult Christian education (RCIA) to find out more. I was still skeptical at first, but then my world view was rocked.</li>
<li>Our son was born in December and all three of us came into full communion with the Catholic Church during the Easter vigil in April 2015.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
We're Right; You're Wrong</h2>
<div>
Protestants like to criticize the Roman Catholic Church about their claim of being the Church that Jesus founded with Peter being the first Pope. That's what makes it so easy for Protestants (and I was one of them) to jump from denomination to denomination looking for the church that best fits their personal view of what the Bible teaches. Anything-But-Catholic Christians look for the church that best fits <i>their </i>idea of the true church. Albeit some people just look for a church that plays their kind of music, allows their kind of dress, habits, etc, or has a preacher that has the look & sound that they approve of. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A big problem of Protestantism followed me wherever I went; each denomination thought they had it correct. Each thought they were the best one. They all thought that if they weren't the true church that Jesus established on this earth, then they were the best one out of the bunch.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Now, you'll probably never hear a spokesperson for any denomination come right out and say "we're the church most in line with Jesus' teaching." You'll probably never see it printed in their literature, but it's certainly implied. <br />
<br />
Obviously, if any denomination truly thought they did <i><b>NOT</b></i> have it down the best, wouldn't they change? Certainly they'd either change their doctrinal statement or assimilate into another denomination (that they thought was better). If they admitted to not teaching something that Jesus taught or being inferior to another denomination, then why in the world would you be a part of that church!<br />
<br />
I have heard many statements such as: "We'll, I may be wrong in understanding what Jesus (or any other Biblical author) is saying here, but this is how I believe it to mean. I feel the Holy Spirit will correct me someday if I'm wrong. So, until then, this is what I believe _______ in the Bible to mean." Many times I've said it myself.<br />
<br />
So, whether they admit it or not, each protestant denomination thinks they're either the church Jesus established on this earth or the closest thing to it.<br />
<br />
I guess it's logically possible for Church X to be honest and claim that Church Y is the better church, but then why would you want to join Church X? Maybe you prefer their style of music or the cool preacher who dresses in jeans and his (or her) shirt untucked. <br />
<br />
<h2>
And Then There Were Six</h2>
<div>
In the past, I had attended Catholic Mass a few times with friends who invited me. I went out of respect for my friends ... and to try to find something by which to attack the Catholic Church. The priests words seemed true, Biblical, and logically sound. I was amazed at how much prayer and Scripture reading was done in Mass. Things were a bit weird to me with all the standing, sitting, and kneeling. In short, it was just not my cup of tea. I preferred the Evangelical/Baptist Churches that I attended the most. Catholicism was not for me, I decided.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h4>
Saints and <i>Sola Fide</i></h4>
Summersville, WV, the small town we were living in a few years ago, does not get many radio stations. One station that comes in clearly is the local Catholic station. I found myself listening to <i>Catholic Answer Live </i>one night. I was quite shocked to find out that the gentlemen speaking - with whom I had agreed with everything I heard them say that night - were CATHOLICS! Those Catholic guys sounded like well-read Christians that I had listened to at apologetics conferences and in books I've read. I began to listen to the show on a regular basis. They didn't turn me into a Catholic, but they did help me understand two of the last big six problems that I had with Catholicism: asking Saints to pray for us (just like I'd ask friends at church or on FaceBook to pray for me), and the Protestant dogma of <i>sola fide</i>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Sola fide</i> is Latin for "faith alone." It sounds so good to one's ears to say, "I believe it in my heart. I am saved by faith alone. I have faith in Jesus and that's all I need." But, that's not what the Bible says. The bad news for Protestants is that the only place in the Bible (remember, they believe only in what can be found in the Bible - <i>sola scriptura </i>- more on this later) where "faith alone" is mentioned is James 2:24. Here we read the Holy Spirit inspire the human author to tells us that "a man is justified by works and<i> </i><b>not by faith alone</b>." </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you still believe in <i>sola fide,</i> try to ignore the Bible's teaching in James 2:26, Galatians 5:6, 1 Corithians 13:2 (love is an act and "acts" are works, people), John 14:15, .... and pretty much throughout the whole Bible you see God telling us to act a certain way and do certain things. God doesn't say, "Oh, you got faith in me? Well, then, that's good enough! Keep on doing whatever you want." <br />
<br />
I previously blogged about the Saints <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2015/12/misconceptions-about-catholicism-101.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I previously touched on <i>sola fide <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/01/misconceptions-about-catholicism-101.html" target="_blank">here.</a></i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, my Protestant wall of protection from Catholicism started to have some structural damage. Well, at least I still had <i>sola scriptura</i> to keep me safe from those pesky Catholics.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
Farewell <i>Sola Scriptura</i></h2>
<div>
Way back in the summer of 2014 I was still unpacking boxes from our move to Charleston, WV from Summersville. I started a new job in March and my wife & I were expecting our first baby sometime in December. A new job, a new apartment in the city, a baby on the way, and we were trying to find a new "home church," - it was kind of overwhelming for a guy who had spent the first forty-nine years of his life as a bachelor. I knew I wasn't prepared for all that was about to come, so I prayed. <br />
<br />
I prayed hard. I prayed alone. I prayed with my wife. <br />
<br />
It didn't take long to realize that one prayer that frequently - if several times a day can be considered frequent - came from my heart was, "Lord, draw me closer to you. Conform me to your will. Make me the man you want me to be."<br />
<br />
I was reading my Bible and praying. Nothing seemed to be happening. I felt like I was at a spiritual red light, waiting a long time for it to turn green.<br />
<br />
In August my wife & I began talking about the Catholic Church. We were both disgusted with the way a Protestant pastor had recently conducted communion in a church service and I made the comment, "you'd never see that done in a Catholic Church."<br />
<br />
My wife was curious and started asking questions. She mentioned many of the false, Protestant ideas about Catholic beliefs (many that I also held at one time or another) and I found myself being somewhat of a Catholic apologist. I wasn't trying to make her Catholic, but I knew much of what Protestants think they know about Catholicism is based on lies. I Googled the location of nearby Catholic parishes. There was one less than a mile away.<br />
<br />
Pregnant women have a strange appetite. I was making a run to Burger King in Kanawha City (at her request) and took a small detour to drive by <a href="http://www.stagnescharlestonwv.org/gallery.php" target="_blank">St Anges Catholic Church</a> (unbeknownst to her). There was something about the outside of the building that made me want to see the inside of it too.<br />
<br />
I told my wife about how I went by the church. "YOU DID? Why?" she asked. I told her they have a Saturday evening service and soon we attended our first Mass together. We were scared beforehand. We were blessed afterwards. We stood & sat at all the wrong times. I don't think either of us knelt at any time. We didn't bless ourselves with holy water from the font. We just sat in the back row and observed.<br />
<br />
The light turned green and I proceeded into the intersection with caution.<br />
<br />
"Draw me closer to You, dear Lord," was still my constant prayer. "At any cost."<br />
<br />
Then I began to notice one of my former seminary classmates saying some things on FaceBook and on his <a href="https://douglasbeaumont.com/" target="_blank">website </a>that sounded pretty, darn Catholic. I asked him about it and he said that he had come into full communion with the Church that Easter. The topic of <i>sola scriptura</i> came up soon and he directed me to a good <a href="http://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/the-tu-quoque/" target="_blank">article</a>. I read it and began to feel my Protestant wall begin to crumble.<br />
<br />
That article alone did not convince me that <i>sola scriptura </i>is wrong. I read many other Catholic articles. I knew the typical Protestant arguments. I was tested on them in seminary. I read the Protestant arguments for <i>sola scriptura</i> for years. "If a statement about faith is not in the Bible, then why should I believe it?" was my typical Protestant response. The trouble with that is that nowhere in the Bible does it say we're to believe only matters of faith that are mentioned in the Bible. The Bible doesn't teach <i>sola scriptura</i>! I weighed all the evidence and was smacked right in the face: <i>Sola scriptura</i> is a man-made dogma. <br />
<br />
Two down. Three to go.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Gimme Three Steps</h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So here I was drawn to the Catholic Church. I'd lie awake at night sometimes thinking about it. I couldn't wait to come home and kiss my wife and for us to start reading about Catholicism again. She would often direct me to YouTube videos about Catholicism that she had watched earlier that day. Her interest in the Church was growing, too. I kept praying for God to draw me closer to Him. To help me - to help us - see the Truth.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You've got to understand that because of my Protestant upbringing and education, even remotely considering becoming a Catholic was deathly scary. Yet, every Sunday we'd attend Mass and couldn't help but think, "this seems so right on so many levels." But, there were three big issues that still kept me thinking heavily about going back to some flavor of Protestantism:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Is Christ's true Church really founded on Peter? If so, then Catholicism (or maybe Eastern Orthodoxy) is true and all Protestant churches are going down a dangerous path.</li>
<li>Transubstantiation? If that is false, then the Catholic Church is crazy, and I want no part of that no matter how beautiful the services are.</li>
<li>What about Mary's role in the Church? Have Catholics gone too far, or have Protestants not gone far enough?</li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
One thing every Protestant church I attended had in common was attacking Catholics on the three questions I had left. Now remember at the beginning of this article I wrote about how Protestants look (whether they'll admit or not) for a church that best fits their idea & beliefs of Christianity. I'd leave a church whenever I heard the pastor repeatedly preach things that I thought were in error. I'd stay at a church as long as the pastor didn't get too heretical too often. I was - like many - basing the church I attended on what I felt the Bible told me was the truth.<br />
<br />
Wouldn't God want it the other way around? Wouldn't you think the Church Jesus founded would teach Christians what to believe and that we should stay with <i>that </i>Church even if it taught something that ruffled our feathers a bit?<br />
<br />
Sometimes the truth isn't easy to accept at first, but that doesn't make it any less true.<br />
<br /></div>
<br /><br />
<br /></div>
M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-81689427082614131682016-02-01T16:02:00.001-05:002016-02-01T16:02:10.630-05:00The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin MaryI had this playing in the background as I was completing my day's work. Emotions increased and work decreased. It's hard to believe that I once mocked many of the Marian dogmas. Tears poured from my eyes during my first confession because of it.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
I cannot conceive how anyone can conform to the heart & mind of Jesus and think the way Protestants do towards Mary.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TmaCISBDQMc" width="459"></iframe>M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-15698173602862872292016-01-25T15:19:00.000-05:002016-11-25T11:19:11.479-05:00Catholics Believe In Works-Based Salvation?: Misconceptions About Catholicism 101: Lesson 2: ( Go <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2015/12/misconceptions-about-catholicism-101.html#links" target="_blank">here </a>for Lesson 1: Catholics Worship Saints. False!)<br />
<br />
It is a popular misconception among non-Catholics that Catholics believe a person is saved by works alone. <br />
<br />
It is true that Catholics do <u>not </u>believe in <i>sola fide, </i>i.e. salvation by <i>faith alone. </i>So, the non-Catholic reasoning goes: if Catholics do not believe that one is saved by faith alone, that must mean they believe that one is saved by works alone, right? Wrong.<br />
<br />
I was constantly told when I was a Protestant that Catholics do believe in salvation by works, but I was misled. <br />
<br />
<h4>
Here is a brief account of what Catholicism says about faith and works:</h4>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Faith</h3>
<ul>
<li>By faith, man completely submits his intellect and his will to God. (CCC 143)</li>
<li><i>Faith is a gift of God, a supernatural virtue infused by him</i>. "Before this faith can be exercised, man must have the grace of God to move and assist him; he must have the interior helps of the Holy Spirit, who moves the heart and converts it to God, who opens the eyes of the mind, and 'makes it easy for all to accept and believe the truth.'" (CCC 153)</li>
<li>Faith is necessary for salvation. (CCC 183)</li>
</ul>
<div>
These three bullets from the <i>Catechism of the Catholic Church </i>(CCC) are enough to show that Catholicism does teach that we are saved by faith.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
But we are not saved by faith alone:</h4>
<div>
The only place in the Bible that uses the words "faith alone" is in the second chapter of James. </div>
<br />
Jame 2:24<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." (NKJV)</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone." (NIV)</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone." (NRSVCE)</blockquote>
<br />
<h3>
And we are not saved by works alone:</h3>
<div>
Pelagianism is a heresy that claims we can be saved by our own works and our own free will independent of God's grace. Pelagius was a British monk who lived at the time of Augustine in the early fifth century. Pelagius was condemned as a heretic at the Council of Carthage in 418 by the Church. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The above citations from the Catholic Catechism should be evidence enough that Catholics do not teach that a person is saved by works alone.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Are works completely out of the picture?</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What about verses like Ephesians 2:8 - 9?</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God - not the result of works, so that no one may boast. (NRSVCE) </blockquote>
Catholics say you're absolutely right. We are saved by grace through faith and this comes from God. God does not look down, see we're good people, and then decides to save us based on our works. <i>Grace </i>is the subject of the verses in Eph 2:8-9<i>.</i> Read the verses just before it. ST Paul is talking about grace. Beginning in verse 4, "But God, who is rich in mercy...(v 5)made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - ... (v 7) so that ... he might show immeasurable riches of his grace ... (v 8) For by grace you have been saved..."<br />
<br />
I put the ellipses in for brevity sake. Double check in your own Bibles to ensure that I did not alter the context.<br />
<br />
God does not save us based on our works.<br />
<br />
<h4>
So why do Catholics put such an emphasis on works?</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Because the Bible - the word of God - tells us so. Catholics do not think of "good works" as merely doing what pleases man; Catholics consider "good works" acts that please God.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One cannot read the Bible cover to cover without noticing what happens to the patriarchs, the nation of Israel, the kings of Israel, the people to whom the writings of the New Testament are written when they disobey God. Bad things happen. God has infinite mercy. He welcomes back those with a contrite heart. Jesus forgave sinners on the spot, but He also told them to repent and sin no more.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Catholics view "good works" as obeying God. From Genesis 3 through Revelation, sin is disobeying God. Sin is saying, "not your will be done, Lord; I want to do my will, not yours." Ideally our will is in line with God's will. However, when our will leads us to act in ways that we know are contrary and contradictory to God's ways, then we have sinned. Where does conscious, serious, deliberate disobedience lead us? Read the Bible cover to cover and find out. It never leads to a happy place. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Only when God's people obey God do they stay in His grace.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If we disobey, does that mean God is through with us? NO. He continually calls us back to Him. He continually makes His mercy and grace available to us. We have two options: we can continue to disobey and stay out of His will and grace, or, we can repent (turn away from sin), confess that we have sinned, and go back to obeying God's will.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Even the demons believe that Jesus is Lord. Belief is not enough to get to Heaven. We must believe that Jesus is Lord <i>and</i> we must obey<i> </i>Jesus as our Lord. We are truly saved by grace through faith, but then we must keep that faith alive by obeying God the best we can and ask for forgiveness with a contrite heart when (not, if) we fall short.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
We are saved by faith <i>and</i> works.</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It is by grace through faith we are put in a right relationship with God when we choose to follow Him. But it is our works - while cooperating with God's grace - that keep us in the will of God. There is no free ride. As Catholic author and apologist, Frank Sheed says:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Salvation is not handed to us on a dish; in no sense a laborsaving device. What Christ does for men is what men cannot do for themselves, not what they can; what they can, they should. To have found the way is not the end; it is the beginning. The way is not the goal. Only the goal is, for us, permanence; the way may be lost. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
We might lose the way, as we might lose any way, either by wandering from it through error, or by lacking the strength for the effort - the "fear and trembling" - which following it to the end demands. As against the danger of losing the way we need truth. As against the danger of falling by the wayside we need life - Our Lord came that we might have life "and more abundantly" (Jn 10:10) - the life of sanctifying grace.</blockquote>
<div>
But if that's not good enough, then take the words of the New Testament writers inspired by the Holy Spirit. For brevity sake I will quote only a portion of each verse. I am not proof-texting. I use care to make sure that I am not taking the verses out of context. If I am wrong, please show me my errors. All citations are taken from the New American Bible.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Matt 7:21</b> "Not everyone ... will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Matt 19:16-17</b> "If you wish to have eternal life, keep the commandments."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Rom 2:2-8</b> Eternal life to those who persevere in good works. Wrath to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Gal 5:4-6 </b>We cannot be justified by the law alone. The only thing that counts for anything is faith working through love.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Eph 2:8-10 </b>We are "created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Phil 2:12-13</b> Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>James 2:14-24 </b> Man is justified by works and not by faith alone.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
Faith alone? Once saved, always saved? </h2>
<h2>
Don't bet your life on it.</h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
Sources:</h2>
<div>
<i>The Catechism of the Catholic Church </i>for the United States of America. 1994. United States Catholic Conference, Inc.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>The Modern Catholic Encyclopedia</i>. 2004. The Order of Saint Benedict, Collegeville, MN.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
www.biblegateway.com for various translations and texts.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Theology for Beginners.</i> 1981. Frank Sheed.</div>
<br />
<br />
<i>What Catholics Really Believe.</i> 1992. Karl Keating.M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comCharleston, WV, USA38.3498195 -81.632623438.1505595 -81.9553469 38.549079500000005 -81.3098999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-60873583164763091012016-01-17T23:00:00.000-05:002016-01-17T23:00:03.329-05:00LORD, I NEED YOU.... Every. Single. Day.I taught part-time one semester at Wingate University in Wingate, North Carolina. The bells in a nearby clock tower would play the old hymn "I Need They Every Hour." I thought it was fitting since I taught mathematics - a subject most students abhor.<br />
<br />
My view was modified a couple weeks into the semester. I need God every hour too. It's not just my students. We all need God to get through the struggles, fight for us through the temptations, and rejoice with us in the joyous times.<br />
<br />
The lyrics to this classic hymn are:<br />
<br />
<ol style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li class="first" style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;<br />No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.</span><ul style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li class="refrain" style="list-style-type: none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="refrain" style="font-style: italic;">Refrain:</span><br />I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;<br />Every hour I need Thee;<br />Oh, bless me now, my Savior,<br />I come to Thee.</span></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;<br />Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;<br />Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;<br />And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;<br />Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.</span></li>
</ol>
<br />
Below is a video of Christian recording artist, Matt Maher, singing his song inspired by this hymn (while kneeling) at World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro in 2013 (to the best of my knowledge).<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9eX5BeXkNZU" width="480"></iframe>M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-67530949806292791532016-01-09T09:38:00.003-05:002016-01-09T09:38:48.079-05:00Setting a New Course?I had no idea what I was going to write when I began this blog. I've made little headway since then. I'm still in a dense fog on <i>Blog Sea </i>and now I'm not sure which course to take. Sure, I have a compass, but without knowing my current position, I'm not sure which bearing to set.<br />
<br />
In my <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2013/06/day-one-orientation.html" target="_blank">first blog post</a> I wrote that I would not make this primarily a Christian blog, even though I am a Christian. I'm also a Marine, a mathematician, a conservative, an amateur musician, a budding novelist, a husband, and a father. I intended to write about a variety of topics and not pigeonhole myself into one genre.<br />
<br />
However, after <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2015/12/marks-roman-road.html" target="_blank">my conversion to Catholicism</a>, I now feel a strong passion for telling others about Christianity and defending the faith. Most of my family & friends are non-Catholics. Many have an aversion to Catholicism based on misinformation (or, in some cases, lies). I really want to make an attempt to clear up those misconceptions & falsehoods - for my family, friends, and others.<br />
<br />
Make no mistake, there are plenty of topics and current events on which I would like to comment, but I know I cannot touch them all. I'm leaning more & more to making this a <i>man-blog</i> with an emphasis in Catholic Christianity.<br />
<br />
After I get out of this <i>blog fog</i> I may make a course correction. I also may have to realize that I need to set a new course because of someone's needs on shore or on ship.<br />
<br />
Maybe I'll just make a port-of-call and enjoy the scenery in some exotic location for a while and then get back to my original course.<br />
<br />
Who knows?<br />
<br />
Stay tuned. M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-79040670188915506912016-01-07T08:27:00.001-05:002016-01-07T22:41:46.941-05:00Hail Holy Queen - The Thirsting . Punk-Rock CATHOLIC<br />
<br />
Who said Catholic bands can't rock?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t4eX2NogBEs?list=PLDAtK9h7br4NAM73l4B7gkB73VHlKmOLs" width="480"></iframe>M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-66201870470782489552016-01-04T19:08:00.005-05:002016-01-04T19:11:05.125-05:00Let the Son Shine.A funny thing happened during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament this afternoon after work. I often stop by first thing in the morning or immediately after work.<br />
<br />
It was overcast much of the afternoon. The basilica was dim; only a few candles were burning and a light shining on the tabernacle behind the alter.<br />
<br />
Three of us were inside (that I know of) and it was silent.<br />
<br />
Suddenly the clouds moved away and the sun shined through the Co-Cathedral window at a particular spot - right on the area in the window where the infant Jesus is portrayed at the nativity. It became very bright inside and all three of us turned to look at each other and then at the window.<br />
<br />
I fumbled for my camera phone and tried to capture the moment onto 4 megapixels.<br />
<br />
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The sun was bright for what seemed like a minute. Another cloud slowly moved in front of the sun and the Son glowed sweetly for about another minute.</div>
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It was a pleasant experience.</div>
M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-14976629815516078832015-12-28T22:57:00.003-05:002015-12-28T23:14:31.598-05:00Read. Write. Play.Before I had a toddler running around my desk, there always seemed to be three things on my daily To-Do List.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Read.</li>
<li>Write.</li>
<li>Play music.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Oh, how I wish I had many hours to do these things again. I had time for them while in college, but sadly I spent too many hours doing something other than studying. <br />
<br />
I finally got my act together in grad school. I loved reading, research, and writing. Although, I didn't care for the deadlines too much. I played guitar an hour or two a day; I had a twelve-string and two six-strings. I enjoyed Friday and Saturday nights with some extracurricular reading; a good novel seemed better with a cup of tea.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Now with a full-time job, a family - I did mention the toddler, right? - and the necessary tasks that come with it, extended time for those three joys seem gone for good. Those relaxing days curled up in a comfy chair reading while wrapped in my blanket cocoon are probably nothing but a memory.<br />
<br />
I cherish every minute I can flip the pages or strum the strings. I know there are many successful writers who found time for their craft while wrangling toddlers during diaper changes and bottle feedings. I hope I am able to do the same.<br />
<br />
Now there are three new daily tasks on my Daddy To-Do List.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Read to my son those thick-paged baby books asking which animal lives in the trees or what color is Elmo's fur.</li>
<li>Read my Bible and other books to strengthen me to be the man, husband, and father I need to be.</li>
<li>Play the classics on my guitar for my son: Old MacDonald, There's a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and any others that come to mind.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<br />
So, listen up you youngsters! While you're still young and have plenty of free time on your hands, don't waste it on mind-numbing activities. Grab a book or tune an instrument and let your mind escape this crazy world for a while, because there's a crazier (but more joyful) world coming.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-77120195259605313252015-12-27T21:35:00.003-05:002016-11-25T11:19:47.076-05:00Catholics Worship Saints. False!: Misconceptions About Catholicism 101, Lesson 1: <h3>
<u>
My early misconceptions:</u></h3>
<br />
When I was teenager, and a Protestant, I was told that Catholics worship statues and/or the saints. Like many do in their younger years, I believed whatever I was told, especially if the person doing the telling did so in a convincing enough way. I did not consider myself an authority of anything religious; I believed anything if someone more <i>spiritual</i> said it. So, I pretty much believed anything I was told by those who majored in Bible, Religious Studies, Theology, or even if they merely led a Bible study a few weeks out of the year.<br />
<br />
I started college thinking that Catholics were Christians just like any other denomination. However, at the small Christian college I attended I was soon told something like, "oh, no, Catholics are not Christians. They worship Mary and pray to statues. They're idolaters." Without checking facts and primary sources - i.e. without asking a Catholic authority - I accepted this as truth from my well-meaning Protestant classmates.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<u>
Fast forward nearly thirty years (or so):</u></h3>
<div>
<br />
In my thirties I made some Catholic friends who were kind, patient, and informed about the faith. They explained to me that Catholics do not worship Mary or the Saints; in fact it is forbidden! But, my Protestant worldview told me again and again that Catholics in fact did these things even though they may not realize it.</div>
<div>
<br />
One evening in 2012 I was listening to Catholic Answers Live on the radio. I was listening for two reasons. 1.) Catholics do share many good philosophical and classic theism ideas with my Protestant views, and 2.) I was looking for holes in their arguments so I could be a better witness and help evangelize Catholics to a better form of Christianity. On this particular program someone called in with a similar question that I had: "Why do Catholics pray to Mary and other Saints?" My ears & brain were tuned to the Catholic apologist's response. After he finished they went to a commercial break and I said to myself, "that makes a lot of sense. I must confess I agree with them."<br />
<br />
One of my biggest stumbling blocks towards Catholicism had been crushed into dust that was blown away by the smallest breeze.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<u>Pray for one another:</u></h3>
</div>
<div>
<br />
For as long as I can remember I've heard Christians say: "Please pray for me that..." or "I'll pray for you." It's a good thing that Christians pray for one another and ask others to keep us in their prayers. I would have ended up in a worldly mess if it wasn't for the godly prayers of my parents and loved ones. Many times I have dropped to my knees in earnest prayer for those I love.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Bible tells us to pray for one another:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects. (James 5:16)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">... bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. (Luke 6:28)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">And Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me." (Acts 8:24)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the Church. (Acts 12:5)</span></li>
</ul>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<u>
The Saints prayers have a "hot line" to God the Father:</u></h3>
<div>
<br />
Did you notice James 5:16 tells us that the prayers of a righteous man has great power in its effects? In this age of social media many Christians have no problems sending out prayer requests to all those on their friends list. I know I'm guilty of asking 100's of people at a time to pray for me (many I would not suspect of being very righteous based on their own profession of skepticism).<br />
<br />
The Catholic Church venerates a Saint because of the passion they held in their Christian beliefs, the dedication they showed in prayer and charity. They are good Christian role models (of course, Jesus is <i>THE</i> role model, but you have to admit the Saints are good ones to include). They are considered the great Christian heroes; the Christian Hall of Fame, if you will.<br />
<br />
The eleventh chapter of Hebrews gives a list of great men & women who lived by faith; others were tortured, beaten, and cut in two. Yet, these people "though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect." (Heb 11:39 - 40, RSVCE)<br />
<br />
The the first verse of Hebrews chapter twelve refers to these people as a "great cloud of witnesses ... and let us run with perseverance the race that is before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith..." (Heb 12:1 - 2, RSVCE). <br />
<br />
The image I get is this: We are running a race through a battlefield. Jesus Christ is our goal. The Devil is doing everything he can to get us to quit this race. I struggle daily. Sometimes I feel like I just can't make it. Sometimes I feel like I'm failing miserably. Then this <i>cloud of witnesses</i> is cheering me on. "Don't quit, Mark!" "Keep going! We made it through tougher trials. You can make it! You're going to make it!" "We're praying for you, Mark!"<br />
<br />
<b>Is this too far-fetched? </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I don't think so. Don't we say these kind of things to each other when we know they're going through tough times? <br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<h3>
<b><u>Death is not an end to existence.</u></b></h3>
</div>
<div>
<br />
Christians do not believe that death annihilates the person. Death is separation. The wages of sin is death in that we are separated from God. Our souls are separated (temporarily) from the body when we die on this earth. The account of the Transfiguration (See Matt 17) tells of Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah. Now, granted Elijah never died, but Moses did (see Josh 1:1). To be with God is to be alive. The Saints whose souls are in heaven are more alive than we are. (See also 2 Cor 3:18)<br />
<br />
<b>But can they hear us? </b><br />
<br />
Revelation 6: 9 - 10 indicates they at least are aware of some of what is happening on earth: "I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne; they cried out with a loud voice, 'O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before thou wilt judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell upon the earth?'" (RSVCE)<br />
<br />
Revelation 5:8 and 8:3 - 4 informs us that the prayers of the saints are presented before the throne of God. We cannot say that these verses pertain only to those saints still alive on earth, because the text reads: "...he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints..." (Rev 8:3). <u>All the saints</u>, on Earth and in Heaven. In context with the other verses mentioned above, this verse in Revelation cannot be only in some future sense.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<u>
But isn't communication with the dead forbidden in the Bible?</u></h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yes it is. It is also forbidden in the Catholic Church. Paragraph 2116 of the Catechism (which means teaching) of the Catholic Church says:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to "unveil" the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.</blockquote>
When Catholics pray to Saints, <u>we are asking them to pray for us</u>. We're not asking them for foreknowledge or magical powers. We're certainly not worshiping or adoring them - that is due to God alone.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<u>
Why not just go to Jesus?</u></h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Bible tells us to pray for others and take our prayer requests to other believers. If you're a Christian and believe that the Bible is the Word of God, then I suggest to do as it says. Take your prayer requests to others and pray for others (even if they don't ask you to). Absolutely, we should pray to Jesus; we can always go straight to Him. But if asking the Saints for prayers isn't something you are comfortable doing, Catholics aren't required to do so. But, hey, sometimes we can use all the prayers we can get, right?<br />
<br />
<h3>
<u>What about all those statues?</u></h3>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Christians consider each other family - as in the family of God. Every family I know has pictures of their parents, their grandparents, and sometimes even their great-grandparents in their home. We love to have family heirlooms. These things are good if we keep them in their proper place - to remind us of our past and of those who made sacrifices to get us where we are today. Pictures and icons of Saints have the same meaning and place in the Catholic Church. They remind us of our spiritual family who have sacrificed much to get us where we are today. There is much to learn in the examples they have left us.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
People have no objections with statues of political leaders, sports legends, and military heroes. I haven't heard complaints about those being forms of idolatry. Jacques Douillet writes in his book <u>What Is A Saint?</u> (Hawthorn Books, Inc., 1958):</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
That martyrs are heroes is plain enough. Their selflessness, indeed, is often like that of military heroes, though it is more difficult to die heroically alone and forgotten in a dungeon than at the head of one's regiment. ... [Martyrs] knew that their example would encourage others, either to give in or to triumph. ... He wants his brethren to love God as he does, and with him to find their happiness in definitive union with Jesus Christ.</blockquote>
Douilett then shifts to Saints:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The same heroism is to be seen in the life of saints who are not called to the glory of martyrdom. There is a day-to-day heroism that is not less fine than the courage of him who gives his life all at once. </blockquote>
<br />
Showing honor and respect for these kinds of Christians is something that makes sense to me.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<u>
Reality check.</u></h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I know this is a sore spot for Protestants; it was for me as a Protestant. Protestants have had troubles with this aspect of Catholicism for nearly 500 years. I do not expect to heal all their wounds with one blog post. The reason for this post is that the veneration of Saints was the first major block to fall out of the wall separating me from the Catholic Church. As I was beginning my conversion to Catholicism, I didn't start asking Saints to pray for me right away, but I did understand and respect why Catholics do this. I hope my Protestant brothers and sisters in Christ can get a glimpse of why Catholics do what they do when they ask Mary, St. Michael, and others to pray for them.</div>
<div>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<u>
In conclusion.</u></h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1.) The Bible says the Church is the whole of believers - including those in Heaven.</div>
<div>
2.) The Bible says we are to pray for each other and ask others to pray for us.</div>
<div>
2.) The Bible says prayers of a righteous person have much effect.</div>
<div>
3.) The Bible says Saints in Heaven are certainly more righteous than any person on Earth (only the righteous can see God) and they pray for us.</div>
<div>
4.) The Bible says Saints in Heaven are aware of at least some of the events that happen to believers on Earth.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Therefore, asking Saints in Heaven to pray for us is Biblical...and a good thing to do.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
<u>
P.S.</u></h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm praying for you. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
For More Information Please Visit:</h2>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.catholic.com/tracts/the-intercession-of-the-saints" target="_blank">http://www.catholic.com/tracts/the-intercession-of-the-saints</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.catholic.com/tracts/praying-to-the-saints" target="_blank">http://www.catholic.com/tracts/praying-to-the-saints</a><br />
<a href="http://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/02/do-the-saints-pray-for-us-a-response-to-perry-sukstorf-and-marcia-fleischman/" target="_blank">http://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/02/do-the-saints-pray-for-us-a-response-to-perry-sukstorf-and-marcia-fleischman/</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-57883281178994677392015-12-14T20:33:00.001-05:002016-01-04T15:25:55.650-05:00<br /><br />Three fundamental rules of logic must be followed for any rational discussion to take place. They are most basic; other rules of logic necessarily follow from these three. Furthermore, if any of these three fundamental rules are broken, the statements or arguments associated with this violation must be false.<br /><br /><br />1.) Law of Non-contradiction:<br /><br /><br />A statement and its negation cannot both be true at the same time and in the same sense. Examples of statements and their negation are below. <br />Original: "I am typing on a computer." <br />Negation: "I am not typing on a computer." <br />I may be typing on a typewriter, or I may not be typing at all. <br />Original: "It is raining outside (where I live)." <br />Negation: "It is not raining outside (where I live)." <br />The parenthetical statement is not necessary. Common sense shows that it is most certainly raining somewhere. <br />Common sense also lets us know that the original statement applies only at the time the statement is made; we would not assume the original statement is to be considered true at all times. <br />Light rain, drizzle, downpour? I don't care about the details in this article. Let's not be picky. <br />Original: "2 + 3 = 5" <br />Negation: "Two plus three does not equal 5." <br />The original statement implies normal base-10 arithmetic. <br />There's no need to try to be clever and talk about the possibility of other bases, modular arithmetic, or anything else not clearly indicated. <br /><br /><br />2.) Law of Excluded Middle:<br /><br /><br />Either a statement or its negation must be true; there is no third option. <br />Either "2 + 3 equals 5" or "2 + 3 does not equal 5." <br />There is no other possibility. <br />Notice I did not say "Either 2 + 3 equals 5 or 2 + 3 equals 6." <br /><br /><br />3.) Law of Identity:<br /><br /><br />Statement X is statement X. Huh? The Law of Identity sounds redundant and useless at first. However, it is important. Moreover, it is necessary. If I make a statement about something (e.g. There is a calculator on my desk), then I am stating something about my calculator's identity. I could make many other statements about this specific calculator's identity, but why bother? Think of it this way, if no statements could be made about some thing's or some idea's identity, if it has no identity, then it would not exist, right?<br /><br /><br />Reality has specific things true about it. If it is not true, then it is not real. Right?<br /><br /><br />The Law of Identity necessarily follows from reality.<br /><br /><br />Granted, what you or I are stating may be false, but then the first law (i.e. Law of Non-contradiction) would come to our rescue; it cannot be true that there is a calculator on my desk and no calculators on my desk (at the same time and in the same sense.) The second law (i.e. Law of Excluded Middle) also comes into play; either there is a calculator on my desk or there is not a calculator on my desk. There is no third option.<br /><br /><br />I could find examples from today's headlines to further discuss these three laws, but that would take away from further blog posts. This article is small and quick. There are many places on the Internet to research these topics further.<br />M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-8559836656226465102015-12-14T20:32:00.002-05:002016-07-13T22:41:55.347-04:00Mark's Roman Road<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Many
things have happened to me that I never thought would happen. For one, I never
thought I would get a Master’s Degree in mathematics. I also said things like:
“I’ll never go to seminary,” and “I’ll never get married.” One lesson I’ve
learned in life is to be careful in using the words “never” and “always.” In
logic and mathematics there are times when “never” and “always” appear. For
instance, in logic you cannot form the Aristotelian Square of Opposition
without the concepts of “never” and “always.” In mathematics, a polynomial
equation with real coefficients will </span><u style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">always</u><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"> have complex roots
appear in conjugate pairs.</span></span><br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibA0HvQAKz4pxIVKeyyBj0g_nhb9arwMlEzTJ3C0CkjJaRgnehdaRHZ5bsK0UiT726pvwSvOkqfv2mIcjP2d9oRoF2MLeye8XHCngqNdt0PUDja8OOTJuSPanhZGLK_4iyhuKHJ4OWRis/s1600/20131223_112558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibA0HvQAKz4pxIVKeyyBj0g_nhb9arwMlEzTJ3C0CkjJaRgnehdaRHZ5bsK0UiT726pvwSvOkqfv2mIcjP2d9oRoF2MLeye8XHCngqNdt0PUDja8OOTJuSPanhZGLK_4iyhuKHJ4OWRis/s320/20131223_112558.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Beautiful Wife & Me</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<header>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
Well, as many of my friends know, I have a Master’s Degree in mathematics, and
have been to seminary, and I am very happily married. I have done all of those
things and many other things that I thought would never happen.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br />
There are also some things that I thought I’d always do (or ways I’d always
think) that I no longer do (or think). Some of these changes are outside of my
control; some due to a change in preferences or thinking. Getting
married for the first time at age 49 was a big change. Having a little, baby
boy when I’m 51 years old is another huge change. It’s funny how
the unexpected can sometimes bring such joy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">However,
coming into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church after being a
life-long protestant is one of the wildest things I never saw coming until
about seven or eight months ago.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes, you read that correctly. I’m Catholic. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ll
pause now as you sound the alarm to all friends and family members. After you’re done crying or laughing, please
continue reading. I’ll briefly give my explanations for doing this and briefly
touch on some common objections to Catholicism later.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<h3>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">My Protestant Upbringing </span></span></h3>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My father
was a protestant pastor – and a very good one. I love the church where he preached. He was, and still is, a great
preacher. I learned much from him. His preaching was used by the
Holy Spirit to bring me to my knees and give my life to God. The most important
thing I learned from my parents is to pray and read the Bible on a daily basis.
Unfortunately I did not always read my Bible and pray as I should. Anytime I
stopped doing one or the other I always found heartache, depression, and
confusion. Sincere prayer got me through my darkest hours. I was
foolish to wait until I was in my thirties to start reading my Bible from cover
to cover. Throughout life I read my Bible, but it was more in the manner of
following along as I took part in a Sunday morning church service or during a
Bible study. I used the Bible as more of a reference book to follow along with
what others were saying or writing. One day I just decided to read the
Bible from cover to cover. Some sections were boring at first, but many things
were made clearer as I persevered all the way through. I have read it from
cover to cover quite a few times using different translations.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<h3>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Christian
Education</span></span></h3>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I went to a
Christian-based college. I experienced some Christian growth, but I think there
was more spiritual frustration than anything. I did not lose faith in God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">In my
thirties I attended an evangelical seminary to study Christian apologetics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Having
read through the Bible several times I knew that many of the objections and
misunderstandings of Christianity were due to people not knowing as much about
Christianity as they claimed. I know I don’t know everything about
Christianity, but I know the Bible well enough to know when a few preachers
take verses out of context. I may not be able to answer every objection to a
person’s liking, but every objection I’ve ever heard to Christianity involves a
great deal of misunderstanding of the faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sadly,
many of those misunderstandings were learned from listening to someone in a
pulpit or from reading Christian literature.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br />
<h3>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Defending
the Faith</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Christian
apologetics is the discipline of defending Christianity. It comes from the
Greek word <i>apologia</i> meaning “to defend” – as if in court. It
does not mean we’re apologizing for being Christian. I became interested in
apologetics after having my faith attacked by an atheist in graduate school. I
did not know what apologetics was at the time. Other Christians avoided this
guy because it seemed like he was very aggressive in expressing his views
against Christianity. I did not cower whenever he came my way and sure enough
he started his faulty arguments every time. Everything that came out of his
mouth was either based on complete lies or illogical arguments. I
countered every one of his arguments with sound logic and accurate
explanations. I never heard of the discipline of apologetics before. I thought
I was doing something new. My dad enlightened me about the subject and
introduced me to some good authors.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">While
working on a PhD in pure mathematics at West Virginia University I began taking
classes in apologetics from a seminary in Charlotte, NC. In a matter of weeks I
was defending theism against a New Age pantheistic cult that appeared on
campus. One day I had a conversation with a guy in this cult. As I was
defending theism, he started freaking out. I guess the truth really hit a chord
in his brain. He gathered his buddies together. They huddled up, looked
menacingly at me, and disappeared from campus. I looked everywhere for them.
They were gone.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In the
following years I read hundreds of books and articles dealing with Christianity
and other religions (New Age, Islam, atheism, humanism, a handful of cults,
etc.). I read books written at the popular level and I read scholarly books
with Latin and Greek words intermingled with the English words.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Anti-Catholic Rants</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Long
story short, I found that some writings by Christians do not always match up
with what the Scriptures say or what has been taught by Christianity throughout
the years. But, they’re popular with the masses. They sound nice. They’re good
looking. They have a nice message that sounds Christian that says something
like, “If you’re a Christian, things will go your way. You’ll be happy. You’ll
get what you want.” I also started to discover that what one group of
Christians says about another group is not always true either. Christians have
a nasty habit of misrepresenting the details of other groups’ beliefs.
Non-Christians love to exploit this fact and use this to attempt to show
Christianity is false. Well, that’s about as foolish as saying since different
doctors think differently about treating the same disease, then all doctors are
studying and believe in a false doctrine; i.e. medical arts. It’s stupid, but
it happens. We’re all human after all.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Unfortunately,
while in seminary, I began to hear and read things that made me believe that
Catholics were not Christians and were following a dangerous set of ideas about
God. I became very anti-Catholic. I remember calling a minister friend of mine
and telling him about all of the scary things I was taught or read about
Catholicism. I remember pounding my fist on his desk and exclaiming with an
authoritative voice things about <i>sola fide </i>and <i>sola
scriptura</i>. I was quoting this verse and that verse. I was referencing this
author and that author; this theologian and that theologian.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was
taught and believed:</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<ul type="square">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Catholics
worship Mary and other dead people.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Catholics think
that one is “saved” only by their good works.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Catholics think
everyone gets a second chance at Heaven or Hell while in Purgatory and we
here on earth can influence that decision by giving money to the church.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Catholics never
read the Bible.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Catholics think
the Pope’s words have more authority than Scripture.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Catholics are
not Christians.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And other ideas
(that I now believe are all false).</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Getting on the Right
Track</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Thankfully,
this seminary also taught us to cite original sources. In order to truly
critique or reference an author, we needed to go to “the horse’s mouth” and
accurately and honestly represent the words and ideas of who or what we are
referencing. While in seminary I read many, many books and articles. Several of
these that were, to my surprise, written by Catholic authors. Yet, I could not
dismiss what they were writing because it made so much sense and went along
with what I read in the Bible.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A few
years ago, I happened to be listening to a radio show one night and the hosts
did an excellent job at explaining and defending Christianity. To my surprise,
they were Catholics! So, I began to listen to <i>Catholic Answers
Live, </i>a nightly Catholic apologetics radio show, on a regular basis.
At times I forgot I was listening to Catholic apologists. Depending on the
topic of discussion, many of their explanations sounded like what I was taught
at seminary or had heard my whole life. “Hmm, maybe they’re Christian after
all,” I thought. Sure, I still had some difficulties with the Catholic faith,
but I could no longer honestly think that Catholics were non-Christians.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">By
continued reading, studying, and praying I eventually had to have a paradigm
shift and several things that happened in Protestant church services gave it a
big kick forward.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">To make
a long story short: In the summer of 2014 one of my constant prayers was for
God to draw me closer to Him. I did not pray for material blessings. I did not
pray for money. I did not even pray for good health (other than to be able to
provide for and protect my family). This is certainly the kind of prayer God
wants us to pray and He will answer. And He did.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Walking Towards Rome</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In
response to comments regarding communion made by a Protestant pastor, I
commented to my wife, “Ha, you’d never hear <i>that</i> in a Catholic
church.” My wife was curious and started asking me questions about the Catholic
faith. Suddenly my wife & I began talking about differences between the
Catholic and Protestant beliefs. Our interest was piqued and on the last Saturday
of August 2014, my wife and I took a chance and attended a Catholic Mass. Given
everything we had been told about the Catholic Church, we were extremely
nervous about going. We prayed for Godly protection and discernment before
going into the church and prayed once we found a place to sit. Before the
service even started we both felt such peace and reverence that we knew this
was truly a holy place. Throughout the service both of us felt the presence of
the Lord.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Afterwards
we attended another Protestant service or two, but both of us kept feeling
drawn to the Catholic Mass. We couldn’t stop thinking about it. We couldn’t
stop talking about it. We started reading everything we could find in order to
learn more about Catholicism. My wife, who was previously dead-set against
Catholicism started doing research on her own. We prayed daily for God’s
direction. We read the Bible daily. We read Protestant literature against the
Catholic Church. We read Catholic literature. We listened to many arguments on
both sides. We researched it thoroughly. Given our respective Protestant
backgrounds, much to our surprise, we were drawn back to Mass each week.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Soon I
discovered the Protestant objections to Catholicism is very different than what
the Catholic Church actually teaches:</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<ul type="square">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Catholics do NOT
worship Mary or other dead people. The Saints that are in heaven are
certainly more alive than we are! Catholics do not worship
Saints. They ask the Saints to pray to Jesus on their behalf; just
like Protestants ask their friends at church to pray for their
needs. Ever ask a friend on Face Book to pray for you? Well,
you’re just a step away from asking any Saint to do the same thing.
Who do you think is more holy and closer to Jesus, a friend at church or
someone already in Heaven who sees Jesus face to face? By the
way, “to pray” means “to ask.” “Prayer” does not mean “to
worship.”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Catholics
believe we are saved by grace, through faith. But, faith without
works is dead. Just like the Bible says!</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Purgatory is not
a second chance at heaven. There’s even a verse in the New
Testament that always made me think of what I ended up understanding what
the Catholic dogma of Purgatory is. (see I Cor 3:10 – 15)</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Catholics read
the Bible every day at Mass. I often hear more Scripture at Mass
than I ever did at Protestant churches. There’s even daily
readings (usually a passage from the Old Testament, Psalms, and the New
Testament) that all Catholics are encouraged to read. These are not
just a few verses either; they’re paragraphs. For the dedicated
Catholics (like Priests) there’s even biblical readings every three hours.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Catholics do not
believe the Pope’s words exceed Scripture. The Word of God is
supreme even in the Catholic Church. Nothing can contradict
Scripture.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">There are
Catholic Christians! Also, the Catholic Church recognizes
those baptized in/with water under the Trinitarian formula are also
Christians and accept their baptisms. There’s only one
baptism. You don’t get baptized again if you convert to Catholicism.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Home Stretch</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slowly
my final three objections to the Catholic faith dissolved: a.) The primacy of
Peter and the succession of popes, 2.) Transubstantiation, and 3.) devotion to
Mary. Keep in mind, these were not the only objections I had
through the years, but these were the remaining three (I even understood and
accepted the Catholic practice of asking Saints for intercessory
prayer). If I could not reject these, then I must embrace the
Catholic faith.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was
a tough and frightening pill to swallow. My wife and I said to each other more
than once, “I think I’m becoming Catholic. I believe.” We were both praying
together and separately, “God, if this is wrong, steer us away!” For decades I
have heard and studied the Protestant arguments against Catholicism. They all
crumbled! Most of the Protestant arguments against Catholicism are
based on outright lies about what the Catholic Church believes and teaches.
Many others are based on a misunderstanding of Catholic teachings.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In the
fall of 2014, my wife and I began attending adult education classes on the
teachings of Catholicism. We were permitted and encouraged to ask questions. We
could leave at any time. There was never any arm twisting or intimidation.
There was only love.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Welcomed Home</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">On
Saturday, April 4, 2015 my wife and I were welcomed into full communion with
the Roman Catholic Church and received our confirmation. Our son
was baptized the same night. I’m happy and proud to say that we all “became
Catholic” on the same night.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I have
also recently been informed that nearly twenty of my fellow seminarians have
also converted to Catholicism over the years – even a couple of the
professors! One of my classmates has an excellent blog with many
good Catholic articles at souldevice.wordpress.com (<a href="https://souldevice.wordpress.com/" title="here">here</a>).</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I ask
my non-Catholic friends to read Catholic books. Read the <i>Catechism of
the Catholic Church</i> from cover to cover. Listen to <i>Catholic
Answers Live </i>(Catholic Apologetics…<a href="http://www.catholic.com/" title="here">here</a>), <i>Called to
Communion </i>(Catholic Apologetics and Theology…<a href="http://www.calledtocommunion.com/" title="here">here</a>), <i>The
Journey Home </i>(Catholic conversions stories…<a href="http://www.ewtn.com/tv/live/journeyhome.asp" title="here">here</a>), and <i>Christ is the Answer</i> (Father
John Riccardo… <a href="http://www.avemariaradio.net/archive-categories/christ-is-the-answer/" title="Here">here </a>and <a href="http://frjohnriccardo.libsyn.com/" title="here">here</a>).
There are many good sources for Catholic teachings, but this is a good start.
All of these can be found online. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Listen
to and read what Catholics have to say about Catholicism. <u>DO NOT be
fooled by what Protestants have to say about Catholicism.</u> Read Scott
Hahn’s <i>Rome Sweet Rome</i>. He used to be a Protestant pastor. There
are many conversion stories of Protestants (even pastors) converting to
Catholicism. Read & listen to the Catholic faith
honestly. It can stand up to your criticism. I encourage you to
consider what you read with an honest heart.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I know
I will have many friends and family throw questions at me. If I cannot answer
your questions right away, then please give me time. I also assume
there will be many words spoken behind my back. In either case, I plan to write
many more blog posts defending the Catholic faith. I am still a Christian
apologist. My blog posts will not be as comprehensive as what is already
available online, but I’ll do my share.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I close
with a quote that I have found to be very accurate. Archbishop Sheen said,
“There are not more than 100 people in the world who truly hate the Catholic
Church, but there are millions who hate what they perceive to be the Catholic
Church.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">[For more of my road to the Roman Catholic church read <a href="http://notallthoughtisvalid.blogspot.com/2016/07/gimme-three-steps.html" target="_blank">here</a>.]</span></span></div>
</header>M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-65789118396944928422014-02-24T09:12:00.001-05:002016-01-30T10:34:44.131-05:00Knowing God's Will For Your LifeThrough the years I've heard many Christians say something like, "I wish I knew God's will for my life." Since much of my life has been spent around those of a traditional college age, I'd often hear things like:<br />
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<li>I wish I knew what God wanted me to major in college.</li>
<li>I wish I knew what kind of job God wanted me to do.</li>
<li>Where does God want me to live?</li>
<li>I have two job offers, I wish I knew which one God wanted me to take.</li>
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And the list goes on & on.</div>
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I too once said those types of things. I felt trapped. I felt alone. I felt like my life was going nowhere. It felt as if I was in such an unpleasant situation because I wasn't somehow following God's will for my life. "If only I could know God's will for my life, then I would follow it and have a better life," I said.</div>
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The problem with that line of thinking is that my Christian priorities were in the wrong place. I should have been more interested in thanking God for what I have, praising God for Who He Is, and worshiping God in a manner for which He is worthy. In the sixth chapter of Matthew, Jesus tells us not to worry about things such as what to wear, what to eat - and likewise, where to work or what to major in - but to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all other things will be added to you." (Matt 6:33)</div>
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I was more like a little kid in the grocery store yelling, "when are we going to McDonald's." I should have been enjoying the fact that I was in the presence of a parent who loves me and is providing for my needs at that very moment and in the future.</div>
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Furthermore, would we <i>really</i> want to know what God has in store for our lives? Think about it. There have been countless Christian martyrs (many in this age). I wonder how they would have lived their lives if they knew shortly after becoming a Christian that they would years later be beaten to death with rocks or clubs, or shot, or hanged, or beheaded, or ripped apart by wild beasts. I know it would've disturb me.</div>
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So, how do we answer this burning question in our lives about what we should do to live God's will? I don't think we should expect a burning bush moment like Moses encountered. Anyone who has read through - not isolated verses here & there, read <i>through</i> - their Bibles would have come across the answer. First Thessalonians 5:14 - 22:</div>
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"Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. See that no one renders for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; <i>for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.</i> Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil." (NKJV, emphasis mine)</blockquote>
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I should focus on those things. That is more than enough to keep me busy. We should all do that. Let's not <i>worry </i>about where we should go to school, what we should major in, where we should work, and other specific details that really don't matter so much in the grand scheme of things. Sure those things are important, but they're not worth driving ourselves to high anxiety. We don't have to worry all that much about which one is in God's will for our lives.<br />
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First and foremost, worship God. Praise Him for Who He Is and what He's done. Read through the Bible. His will for each and every one of us is given within.<br />
<br />M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-56317607894604381732013-09-25T12:53:00.001-04:002013-09-25T12:53:34.328-04:00Amazing Photos of Nathan, Miscarried at 14 Weeks, Show Unborn Baby’s HumanityLovely story about God's creation, grace, and a peace that passes all understanding.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lifenews.com/2013/09/23/amazing-photos-of-nathan-miscarried-at-14-weeks-show-unborn-babys-humanity/">Amazing Photos of Nathan, Miscarried at 14 Weeks, Show Unborn Baby’s Humanity</a>M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1280574886888806492.post-49175810891383189882013-08-28T19:43:00.001-04:002015-12-27T21:56:05.587-05:00The Help Was Welcomed - But Not NeededMany years ago I was giving the lawn mower a tune-up for the newly arrived mowing season. It doesn't take much effort to change the oil, replace the spark plug, clean the air filter, and check nuts & bolts all around. Altogether it requires less than an hour's work. It's really an easy task unless there's something broken on the mower.<br />
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This one spring afternoon a boy came to me and ask if he could help. He lived a couple of doors down the street and was about seven years old. He was a nice boy who lived with his mother and older sister. I really did not need his help with tuning the mower, but he had a eager look in his eyes and smiled with anticipation after he finished asking.<br />
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I asked him if he knew how to use a wrench and he said, "Yep!" I would break the oil plug bolt loose and let him finish removing it to drain the oil. I'd thread the bolt and let him finish tightening it with his fingers. I did the same with the spark plug. I removed the air filter and let him wash it out with soap & water. He was anxious to put it back together and add the fresh motor oil. When I started the mower he had the biggest smile on his face and he jumped with joy.<br />
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With his help it probably took twice as long as if I had done the job myself, but he seemed to have fun helping. More importantly I learned an important lesson.<br />
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I learned that sometimes it's more important to have others help even when their help is not necessary. There are several reasons for this:<br />
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1.) It shows an act of kindness to both parties.<br />
2.) It can teach a person a new skills or interests.<br />
3.) It teaches humility.<br />
4.) It can be fun to have others help.<br />
5.) It teaches us a bit about God.<br />
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It teaches us a bit about God in that He asks us to do so many things that He could do Himself. He wants us to help. He does not need us to help. He wants us to help spread the gospel. In doing so we learn about God's love and mercy. We also realize more & more about God's holiness and justice. <br />
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So, to answer many non-Christians question about why doesn't God just show Himself to the world? Well, He did - Jesus. Nowadays He <i>wants </i>us to help. In doing so we learn so much and fall more & more in love with the one who loves us most. It's also an act of love on our part to tell others of the truth pertaining to God.<br />
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I don't remember this boy's name. I hope he turned out to be a good man. I hope he remembers the time when the old guy down the road let him help with the lawn mower.M Lee Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846078385437440119noreply@blogger.com