Leftists Abuse Twitter Spam Reporting to Ban Conservatives

 The Leftist view of “free speech” is freedom only for speech they find acceptable.  We are seeing another example of that mentality in action on Twitter.  Leftists are falsely reporting conservatives for spam and successfully getting their accounts suspended.  And they are being quite gleeful about it, too.

Excellent reporting of sordid details with incriminating tweets may be found over at Twitchy, a site I am coming to greatly appreciate.  As Twitchy points out, for many Leftists, dissent is “for me, but not for thee.”

Leftists cannot be trusted to protect freedom.  Many of them can be expected to attack it.  We are seeing that in action on Twitter.

----

Housekeeping: Yes, I am experimenting with the clunky new Blogger interface.  I beg your patience as I do so.

He ever lives to intercede for us . . . in Texas courts.

One of the most comforting doctrines, and one particularly relevant to Easter and the upcoming season of Ascension, is that Jesus ever lives to intercede for us.

And, apparently, that includes intercession in Texas courts.  Jesus himself has purportedly joined a court filing of Warren Jeffs, commanding that said leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints be freed.

I do hope the appeals court asked if Jesus got his statement notarized.

Franky Schaeffer, Traitor and Nutcase

And trust me when I say I searched for printable words to use in my title.  His trashing of Charles Colson and the late great Richard John Neuhaus is beyond despicable.  

(I have chosen not to link directly to his blog because I don’t want to give the jerk the traffic.)

The Chuck Colson obituary that Schaeffer posted on his blog Sunday, though, is truly extraordinary, and I don’t see what purpose his fulmination-from-afar serves. The obit memorably begins, “Evangelical Christianity lost one of its most beloved and bigoted homophobic and misogynistic voices with the death of Charles W. ‘Chuck’ Colson, a Watergate felon who converted to ‘evangelicalism’ but never lost his taste for dirty political tricks against opponents.”

Schaeffer’s evidence for that charge: “Colson teamed up with far right Roman Catholic activist Professor Robert George of Princeton to launch the dirty tricks campaign to brand President Obama as ‘anti-religious’ with Colson’s and George’s ‘Manhattan Declaration.’”. . .

After numerous paragraphs of Colson-bashing, Schaeffer turns his ire on another departed leader, “the reactionary’s reactionary, Richard John Neuhaus.” He argues that Colson and Neuhaus fronted for “oppressive ideas rooted in an anti-constitutional theocratic far right wish list for changes that were supposed to roll back the parts of the democratic processes—say Roe v. Wade, women’s rights and gay rights—that far right Catholics and Protestants didn’t approve of.”

Oh yeah, that great monument to the democratic process, Roe v. Wade, that arbitrarily threw out the abortion laws of all 50 states.  How democratic.  And the Manhattan Declaration is a dirty tricks campaign?

I don’t know if I should have pity or contempt for someone so far off the deep end.  Franky better pray it will be pity on God’s part . . . a lot of it.  Trashing good men who have contended for the Faith, for freedom and for “the weakest of these,” particularly the unborn and those in prison, is a hellish thing.

Franky Schaeffer’s change on abortion indicates that God may have instead chosen to give him over to a depraved mind.  Franky knows (or knew) how wrong the Roe v. Wade abortion regime is.  He helped produce the seminal documentary featuring his father and C. Everett Koop, Whatever Happened to the Human Race.  And later on, I personally saw him speak at a Texans United for Life dinner.  (He already seemed a bit odd then, by the way.)

How far he has come . . . down.

I hope in heaven Francis Schaeffer does not have to know what has become of his son.

 

----

Housekeeping: Yes, I know the formatting looks awful.  You have no idea how difficult the new blogger is to use.  It's driving me to the nut house myself.

GAFCON Primates call for Chair of AC Primates Meeting to be elected

I’ve mentioned in times past that the current Archbishop of Canterbury has repeatedly and willfully undermined the Primates Meeting of the Anglican Communion and that several Primates are so fed up with that, they have stopped going.

Well, the GAFCON Primates in a press release at the beginning of the London FCA Leaders Conference have let it be known they would rather the Archbishop of Canterbury not be henceforth the automatic chair of the Primates Meeting.  They have called for the chair to be elected by the Primates themselves. 

The money paragraph:

 We pray for those responsible for the appointment of the next Archbishop of Canterbury that they will look for a godly leader of God’s people. We believe that in the future development of the Anglican Communion the chair of the Primates Meeting should be elected by the Primates themselves. We believe that the future of our Communion relies on adherence to Scriptural authority, faithful and Christ-centred preaching of this word, the blessing of God’s Holy Spirit, godly leadership and the spiritual commitment of God’s people. These spiritual realities and the reality of worldwide Anglicanism should be reflected in the structures of the Anglican Communion.

And that is a sensible proposal given how the Primates Meeting has been virtually nullified by ++Canterbury.  Whoever is Archbishop of Canterbury in the future, that should not be allowed to happen again.

Nun Nuts

 In case anyone is wondering why the Vatican is cracking down on the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), Thomas McDonald helpfully presents to us Barbara Marx Hubbard, the keynote speaker of this year’s LCWR annual assembly.

 I strongly advice not attempting to drink coffee near your electronic devises while reading a long excerpt of Hubbard’s, umm, thoughts over at Mr. McDonald’s blog or shorter excerpts here.  I mean it.  Put the coffee down now.  O. K., here are two excerpts from Ms. Hubbard:

The enriched noosphere, the thinking layer of Earth, is now replete with evolutionary technologies that can transform the material world. Within the next 30 to 50 years, we could transform our physical bodies, our minds, our social structures, and set in motion the emergence of a new civilization. . .

 Moving deeply into the nature of matter, students of zero point energy believe that we can tap into and use the infinite sea of energy that underlies everything.

And there’s much more.  For one thing, look what she’s up to now:

Conception Day 2012 is the launch of a nine-month campaign that builds towards a planetary Birth Day, in which we’re envisioning 100 million converging worldwide to celebrate and activate the birth of a new era on December 22, 2012.

This historic campaign has already attracted top leaders, dozens of organizations and the buzz of 65,000 participants, who want to help our world turn the corner in time.


And now we are taking it to the next level on Thursday, March 22nd – cocreating a field of love and resonance that spans the world!

And, again, LCWR chose her to be the keynote speaker for their assembly this year.

 And I thought the nuns in those nun movies of the Sixties were nutty.

Holy Screaming

  In writing about the Vatican cracking down on the feminuns of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), did I mention that Holy Screaming was about to commence?  Why, Yes, I did.

Right again!

Pelosi and Other House Democrats: Amend Trash the First Amendment

 I am not making this up.  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other House Democrats want a Constitutional amendment to overturn the Citizens United decision and put free speech under the control of Congress.

Of course, the First Amendment as upheld by the Citizens United decision is simple and broad for a reason.  Once you turn Freedom of Speech into “Free speech for me, but not for thee,” you don’t have free speech at all, but something akin to what you have in Venezuela or Cuba, where only favored speech is free, if it can be called that.

 And that is exactly what these Democrats are aiming for.  They wish to muzzle corporations and “special interests” while letting their union buddies continue to extort massive amounts of union dues from workers (which they can do in those states that do not have right-to-work laws) and funnel them to elect Democrats who will favor unions.  Yes, incestuous.  By the way, the recall elections in Wisconsin are about union anger at Gov. Scott Walker saying no to this gravy train.

 And if the Democrats ever get control over political speech, they will muzzle those entities that oppose them while letting unions continue their use of forced dues in elections (which is itself a violation for free speech).  And that’s for starters.

 “Free speech for me, not for thee.”

 Those who have thought those accusing Democrats of being hostile to the Constitution are overwrought or paranoid may apologize in the comments.  Yes, I am forgiving.

 I will give these Democrats credit for one thing, however.  At least they get the process right this time.  If one wants to change the Constitution, the way to do that is through amending the Constitution, not through the usual Democrat practice of ignoring it or getting judges to trash it. 

 Of course, the reason they want to amend the Constitution is because Citizens United will not let them ignore or trash the Constitution in this area for now.  And they want to amend it to rig the political process and to attack freedom, not protect it.  But credit where credit is due and all that.


----


Housekeeping: 
Yes, this post looks slightly different because Google/Blogger changed their blog editor, about which I am not entirely pleased.  I might tinker with this.  Suggestions are welcome.

Feminuns Put in their Place

I’ve got to hand it to the Romans. Sooner or later, those Cartholicks deal with apostates. Whereas mainline Protestants are nice to them . . . and nicely let the apostates take over. (Of course the Romans have at times past gone after “heretics” who were actually faithful to the Faith once delivered, but who’s quibbling?)

What prompts my observation is the happy news that the Vatican has had enough of the enormities from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) here in the U. S. and is more or less taking them over. A good summary of the situation may be found over at MCJ.

The chief document in question may be found here. Here’s a sample of what the feminuns have been up to:

Addresses given during LCWR annual Assemblies manifest problematic statements and serious theological, even doctrinal errors. The Cardinal offered as an example specific passages of Sr. Laurie Brink’s address about some Religious “moving beyond the Church” or even beyond Jesus. This is a challenge not only to core Catholic beliefs; such a rejection of faith is also a serious source of scandal and is incompatible with religious life. Such unacceptable positions routinely go unchallenged by the LCWR . . .

Radical Feminism. The Cardinal noted a prevalence of certain radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith in some of the programs and presentations sponsored by the LCWR, including theological interpretations that risk distorting faith in Jesus and his loving Father who sent his Son for the salvation of the world. Moreover, some commentaries on “patriarchy” distort the way in which Jesus has structured sacramental life in the Church; others even undermine the revealed doctrines of the Holy Trinity, the divinity of Christ, and the inspiration of Sacred Scripture.

In other words, they’ve been acting like Episcopalians.

Thanks be to God that Pope Benedict, Archbishop Burke, and other faithful bishops have had enough of that and are (Cue holy screaming now.) actually exercising church discipline.

This campaign is now officially silly.

There is a certain Monty Python’s Flying Circus episode in which whenever matters get ridiculous, e. g. “Keep Left” signs attacking pedestrians, a general interrupts and stops the show for being “silly.”

The current presidential campaign is now begging for such an intervention.

First, Democrats tried to make hay out of the Romneys letting their dog ride on top of their car. Someone, I think one Jim Treacher, decided to hit back by noting that Obama ate dog meat as a child in Indonesia as recounted in Dreams from my Father. And he proceeded to have fun with this, too much fun:

Romney put a dog on top of a car. Obama put a dog on top of rice.

I laughed so hard after reading that last night, it took me a while to get sleepy.

Anyway, this matter quickly got viral somehow and trended last night on Twitter under #Obamadogrecipes.

I am not kidding. Yes, silly.

More on this vital campaign dispute may be found here and here.

Speaking of silly, it appears that no has told Michelle that Obama as Messiah is sooo 2008:

We have an amazing story to tell. This president has brought us out of the dark and into the light.

Again, silly . . . and slightly scary – do the Obamas really see him that way?

When I am Too Angry to Blog

Long time readers of this humble blog may think my modus operandi is to get good and angry about something, maybe fortify that anger with English ale (I refuse to drink low quality beer even in anger.), then vent all over the internet.

But not so.

Actually, if I get too angry, I do not trust myself to blog wisely. So I will then calm down, maybe sleep on it, then decide whether and what to post.

A case in point is Sarah Silverman’s hoax purporting to show photos of her before and after a “quickie abortion”. Somehow that was supposed to be funny. Yeah, killing babies through late term abortions is reeeal funny. Great fodder for humor there.

I thought about posting on this. But I was so angry I could hardly see straight. And I knew that just about anything I posted would offend.

And, frankly, just about every time I am reminded of her “humor,” I get angry again.

So I will just say this. There are certain words that are completely wrong to use to describe women about 99% of the time.

Sarah Silverman is part of the 1%.

Lord Carey Assails UK Attacks on Religious Freedom

If you think I’ve been a bit overwrought in the past when I’ve called the current state of freedom in the United Kingdom “Gulag UK,” try reading excerpts from Lord Carey’s submission to the European Court of Human Rights.

The former Archbishop of Canterbury pulls few punches in rightly assailing attacks on religious freedom in the UK from courts and governments.

My only qualm is I would not feel comfortable submitting anything to the EU or EU courts. I think the EU should be told to bug out rather than intervene in British affairs.

But, sadly, UK authorities are utterly failing to protect religious freedom. “Human rights” have become “Human rights for me, not for thee,” a club which secularists and gay activists are using to pound Christians into submission. Lord Carey is courageous and right forthrightly to convey this sorry situation. So get thee hence to read the excerpts from his submission.

And wait for the attacks on Carey for telling it like it is in 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . .

Shoot the Messenger!

The reaction of the DC and Obama regimes to the need for Voter ID being graphically illustrated, on camera no less, is to attack the messenger, of course.

The DC Board of Elections has opened an investigation . . . against Project Veritas. And that even though the makers of the Project Veritas video made a point not to falsely identify themselves nor to take a ballot. The video shows only that they could have easily done so, even using Eric Holder’s name.

Yep, shoot the messenger.

As for the Injustice Department of said Eric Holder, an unnamed spokesman (Cowards!) has dismissed the incident as “manufactured” fraud: “It’s no coincidence that these so-called examples of rampant voter fraud consistently turn out to be manufactured ones.”

What kind of rubes do they take us for? Again, if election fraud is this easy to commit, are we to believe that politicians do not then take advantage of that to win “election”? Heck, Al Franken is in the U. S. Senate due to election fraud, particularly all those dead people who voted for him. And that is a big reason we have Obamacare.

No, vote fraud does happen. It historically has been very consequential. And those who combat efforts to reduce vote fraud are enabling vote fraud themselves with all its poisonous progeny.

And kudos to Project Veritas for exposing the need to protect the integrity of our elections and for being willing to take attacks from fraud-enabling Demorats in power.

Nope. No need for Voter ID here.

You’ve got to hand it to the late great Andrew Breitbart’s boys. They know how to blow up bull s**t. Eric Holder and other Voter ID opponents have said that vote fraud is rare and not a problem. Oh really?

Well, the boys have put out a brilliant video showing that without Voter ID, it is easy to commit vote fraud . . . using Eric Holder’s name.



And if it is this easy to commit vote fraud without Voter ID, are we really to believe that crooked politicians don’t take advantage of the absence of Voter ID and other safeguards to steal elections? Do the Democrats really think we are that stupid?

Again, those Democrats who oppose Voter ID do so in order to continue to steal elections. That this nation’s Attorney General is among them is an outrage.

Pope Benedict’s Easter Vigil Homily . . . and BEES!

On this Easter Monday, I commend to you Pope Benedict’s Easter Vigil homily.

I am impressed by his using the vigil liturgy to preach. His use of the Paschal Candle is particularly insightful:

On Easter night, the night of the new creation, the Church presents the mystery of light using a unique and very humble symbol: the Paschal candle. This is a light that lives from sacrifice. The candle shines inasmuch as it is burnt up. It gives light, inasmuch as it gives itself. Thus the Church presents most beautifully the paschal mystery of Christ, who gives himself and so bestows the great light.

That had not occurred to me. I appreciate Pope Benedict for his passion for the liturgy. And that passion clearly is not just for ceremony and the right words but for using it to teach the people, including me.

But what most excites me about his homily is a matter of great import – he mentioned the BEES of the Exsultet, not once, but twice!

The great hymn of the Exsultet, which the deacon sings at the beginning of the Easter liturgy, points us quite gently towards a further aspect. It reminds us that this object, the candle, has its origin in the work of bees. So the whole of creation plays its part. In the candle, creation becomes a bearer of light. But in the mind of the Fathers, the candle also in some sense contains a silent reference to the Church,. The cooperation of the living community of believers in the Church in some way resembles the activity of bees.

Thanks BEE to God for Pope Benedict!

The Last Supper, the Mercy of Christ and Judas (and us)

I have an odd habit of reading old sermons – really old sermons. I have found that preachers and scholars of the early and pre-plague medieval church had a talent for digging jewels out of scripture that we easily overlook today.

I’ve come across one such jewel while reading the Passion sermons of Pope Leo the Great. Leo takes note that Jesus showed mercy to Judas Iscariot to the last. (And this can be found in Sermon LVIII on vol. 12, p. 169 of the reprinted 2nd Series of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers. And, lo, it is online as well.)

For at the Last Supper Jesus did not harshly confront or expose Judas, but instead avoided even naming him, giving the “mild” warning, “Verily I say to you that one of you is about to betray Me.” And before that, he did not even withhold the sacrament of the body and blood from him. Jesus gave Judas gracious and ample room to repent, even though the betrayer had already sold the Lord for 30 pieces of silver.

Having pointed this out, St. Leo then engages in a passionate discourse addressing Judas, beginning, “Why, unhappy Judas, dost thou not make use of so great lovingkindness?” He exhorts the betrayer, “Return to thy right mind; lay aside thy madness and be wise. Mercy invites thee, Salvation knocks at the door, Life recalls thee to life.”

It had not occurred to me that at the Last Supper Jesus was showing mercy to Judas and giving opportunity for repentance. But indeed he was. St. Leo has opened my eyes.

And what could have been if Judas had not so given himself over to Satan’s designs and then to despair? For Peter denied the Lord in the very hour of His Passion, not once, not twice, but three times. Yet Jesus gently gave him opportunity for repentance, and Peter availed himself of it and was restored and more. What could have been even with Judas?

In his Last Supper and Passion, Jesus gives us also opportunity for repentance and for life. Let us not be foolish like Judas. But let us follow the way of Peter, though also foolish numerous times (like us), nevertheless grasped hold of the mercy of Jesus, repented, and then followed Christ faithfully to the end.

The Collect for Wednesday in Holy Week

Assist us mercifully with thy help, O Lord God of our salvation; that we may enter with joy upon the meditation of those mighty acts, whereby thou hast given unto us life and immortality; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

While consulting my library this morning, I was surprised to learn that this collect is something of an innovation. It is very different from the Sarum collect for Holy Wednesday. And Cranmer, for reasons unknown to me, declined to have special collects for Monday through Thursday in Holy Week. That continued to be the case in the 1559 and 1662 BCPs.

It is the 1928 US BCP that added this collect for Wednesday. Massey Shepherd’s American Prayer Book Commentary notes that it is based upon a Sarum collect for Vespers on Holy Monday. Before that, it was in the Gelasian Sacramentary for Sexagesima.

Personally, it has become one of my favorite collects, and I think it perfect for Wednesday in Holy Week. Right when we are about to enter the depths and the heights of the Passion, we ask God to help us to meditate upon “those mighty acts.” This prayer well expresses that we know we are about to enter into a suffering and a redemption too holy for us to comprehend.

And for me, the Triduum is indeed a time to meditate upon the Passion. I am glad that my parish is among those that provide ample opportunity for that with vigils. I am also thankful for the example of the medieval English church, which placed a great emphasis on meditation on and devotion to the details of the Passion, even making a point to reflect upon the instruments of the Passion as one can see in illuminated manuscripts of the time.

May God indeed help us to remember and to meditate upon the Passion for our good and to His glory.

Schori’s Easter Message sans Jesus

Presiding “Bishop” Schori’s Easter Message is out . . . if one can call it an Easter message.

There is much mention of, you guessed it, the UN Millennium Development Goals.

But there is not a single mention of Jesus.

I did not know Jesus is the one who must not be named.

As Peter Ould points out, Schori’s Easter is an “Easter without Jesus.”

What can one say about such a “church” and such a “bishop” except . . .

Anathema.