I Totally Just Stole This Post from a Nun. Am I Going to Hell?

I was just over at the blog Nun Essential and she had something I liked so I stole it. That's how I roll. The awesome thing is that being a Catholic I can just go to confession later and clean all that messy stuff right out of my soul. Isn't Catholicism awesome?

I'll have to work on actually being sorry and all but I'll work up to it.

Thank you Sister Miriam for actually doing the heavy lifting and finding this really funny video from comedian Jim Gaffigan talking about what it's like having four kids. You've made my life easier and hey, isn't that what nuns are supposed to do.

*subhead*Gaffigan.*subhead*

Mr. President: How Many Have to Die To Call it a "Large Scale Attack?"

The President, in an attempt to stop talking about the scandals surrounding his administration, gave what was labeled a "big talk" on terrorism. And guess what, he reminded us that he personally strangled the life out of Osama bin Laden and tossed him into the drink. I know, he never talks about that, right?

But as Greg Pollowitz points out at The Media blog at National Review, Obama then boasted, "There have been no large-scale attacks on the United States, and our homeland is more secure."

Just for clarification, I'd like to know what the Boston Marathon bombing classifies as. It killed three and injured hundreds. Clearly it's not "large scale" because the president personally told us so. So was Boston a "medium scale" attack? Maybe a "bigg-ish attack?" Or was it "small?"

How about the Fort Hood shooter who yelled "Allahu Akbar" while he killed 13 people while wounding 32 others. Is that a "small-scale" attack? Medium? Oh wait, that wasn't a terror attack at all. It was just workplace violence, right?

And what about Benghazi? Aren't our embassies technically American soil? Was that not large scale? Oh wait, that was a bunch of angry movie reviewers voicing their displeasure over a Youtube video, right?

It seems there's been no large scale terror attacks simply because they've been labeled as otherwise.

The president did give a shout-out thought to Fort Hood and Boston by saying they were the work of "deranged or alienated individuals." But doesn't that really miss the problem that Islam seems to be creating deranged and alienated individuals like it's their job. Jihad doesn't seem to be an accident. It seems like the goal.

I'm just not sure of President Obama's distinction of large scale and otherwise. When Obama refers to large scale does he mean the number of people killed or injured? Is he referring to the number of conspirators? Are we just using the cataclysmic scale of 9/11 to judge all terror attacks? That doesn't seem the right way to go about it.

For the president to use 9/11 as the barometer seems intentionally misleading. Boston, Benghazi, and Fort Hood became hell on earth for a while. It was terror. To belittle those attacks in order to score political points is disturbing and insensitive.

*subhead*Scale.*subhead*

Pope Francis Seems Delighted To Receive Boston Celtics Jersey with "The Pope" On It

The Boston businessman James Pallotta who is part of the ownership group that runs the Boston Celtics, reportedly met Pope Francis this week and brought along a home-white Celtics jersey — with "THE POPE" on the back above the No. 1 — to present, as well. How did the Pope respond?

He seemed to dig it. Check out the pics below:

*subhead*Put Your Blurb Here.*subhead*

Horrifying Video of Well Attended Suicide Class and DIY Suicide Kits

This is disturbing. This news report on euthanasia is well worth watching if you have 25 minutes. But most of us don't have that kind of time or we didn't take our Ritalin today so we'll skip it. But at least do yourself a favor and watch two minutes of it starting at about 2:15.

The shocking part is a videotaped suicide class with do-it-yourself suicide kits. And it's better attended than daily Mass in my parish, I'll tell you that.

You can start the video around 2:15 for the creepiest two minutes of video you'll see today.

It's a mystery to me why in this day and age where pain management has come so far we get such an interest in killing oneself to avoid pain. I think one woman says it well. She doesn't talk about pain. She talks about not being able to do what she wants to do when she wants to do it.

Keep praying folks. The right-to-die folks are polling a heckuva lot better than us right-to-life folks.

HT Bioedge

*subhead*Ick.*subhead*

Some Things You Don't Mess With

There are all kinds of wrong in the news right now. There is the IRS wrong, the Foxnews/AP kinda wrong, even the Benghazi kinda wrong. But this kinda wrong is just so wrong. There are things you just don't mess with.

Scores of TGI Fridays in New Jersey 'busted for selling caramel-colored rubbing alcohol as top-shelf scotch' in statewide crackdown dubbed Operation Swill
...
Twenty-nine New Jersey bars and restaurants, including 13 TGI Fridays, were accused of substituting cheap booze - or worse - for top-shelf brands while charging premium prices.

If you can't depend on the veracity of your bartender, who can you depend on?

*subhead*Don't mess with booze.*subhead*

Obama Talks About "Inherent Dignity of Every Human Life."

Barack Obama, the only president in our country's history to advocate for the death of his own unborn grandson when he said he didn't want his daughter "punished with a baby" is sickeningly preaching to us about the inherent dignity of every human life.

This sickens me.

CNS News reports:

Giving a speech on counter-terrorism policy at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., today, President Barack Obama explained that when deciding whether to target terrorists with drones—whether or not the terrorists are U.S. citizens—he has set a “high threshold” of respect for human life.

“But the high threshold that we have set for taking lethal action applies to all potential terrorist targets, regardless of whether or not they are American citizens,” Obama said. “This threshold respects the inherent dignity of every human life.

The ironic thing is that just a few months ago his campaign was touting the fact that Obama has made great use of drone technology in piling up body counts. But now he needs his liberal base behind him because of all his scandals and he's limiting the use of drones.

Now, if we could defund Planned Parenthood, I might start believing he had an ounce of respect for life.

*subhead*Respect for life.*subhead*

Boy Scouts Uphold Ban on Gay Adult Leaders, Allow Gay Youths (Updated)

Seems like the media is making this a big victory for gay rights in the Boy Scouts vote but it seems to me it's at least a mixed bag for "gay rights" as defined by the media.

CNN reports while openly gay youths can join the scouts, the BSA will maintain its ban on gay adult leaders. It seems to me the adult leadership issue was the golden ticket, wasn't it?

But Austin Ruse, president of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute in Washington, D.C., seems pretty worked up about the decision so I could be wrong. He was quoted in USA Today saying the shift "would utterly change Scouting and dramatically reduce their ranks. The Catholic and Mormon groups would simply have to walk away."

About 70% of all Scout troops are run by faith-based organizations, according to the Boy Scouts of America. About 37% are Mormon, 10% Methodist and 8% Catholic.

Months before the vote, the National Catholic Committee on Scouting said, "We would hope that the Boy Scouts of America will continue to provide young people a formative experience grounded in virtue and directed by service to God and others," the National Catholic Committee on Scouting said in February.

I hope those who know more about this will offer their two cents in the combox but I just figured I'd pass on the news.

Update: The National Catholic Committee on Scouting released this statement that pretty much says it's not a sin to be inclined towards homosexuality but it is a sin to have sex outside marriage.

That's where the issue could be because as the NCCS says "Individuals who are open and avowed homosexuals promoting and engaging in homosexual conduct are not living lives consistent with Catholic teaching."

In the end they say they're going to review this policy in the coming months before it goes into effect in January of next year.

Here's their short statement in full:

For over 100 years, thousands of children in Catholic parishes, schools and fraternal organizations have benefited from chartering Scouting units. The Catholic Church has maintained a strong relationship with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) through the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS) for many years and we hope to maintain that relationship.

Today, the voting members of the BSA voted to change the membership standards for its youth members. The BSA proposed in its resolution that "no youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone." Its membership standards for adult leaders remain unchanged.

The Catholic Church teaches that people who experience a homosexual inclination or a same sex attraction are to be treated with respect recognizing the dignity of all persons. The Church's teaching is clear that engaging in sexual activity outside of marriage is immoral. Individuals who are open and avowed homosexuals promoting and engaging in homosexual conduct are not living lives consistent with Catholic teaching.

Since the change in policy will not take effect until January 1, 2014, the National Catholic Committee on Scouting has adequate time to study its effects. The NCCS will determine how it may impact Catholic chartered Scout units and activities. In doing so, we will work within the teachings of our Catholic Faith and with the various local bishops and their diocesan scouting committees.
Ed Martin- National Chair
Father Michael Hanifin-National Chaplain

*subhead*Victory?*subhead*

Watch Cardinal Pell Own Richard Dawkins

Watch Richard Dawkins attempt to prove atheism while only proving himself to be insufferable and humorless. And just after he gets done proving that, Cardinal George Pell comes in to finish the job.

This is the equivalent of the wrestler on top of the ropes with the folding chair move. It's just a little fun for a late afternoon.



HT @RobertRutger

*subhead*Bam.*subhead*

Mom Teaches Bullyng Daughter Lesson By Having Her Wear Ugly Clothes

A 10 year old Utah girl was teasing another girl in her class for how she was dressed. Apparently it got pretty bad and the kid didn't even want to show up to school. The mom of the bully was called and she responded in a unique way, according to news reports.

The mom talked to her daughter about bullying but felt like she wasn't getting through so she forced the fourth grader to wear some not so stylish Little House on the Prairie looking duds to school to show her what it felt like.



Looks like it was lesson learned. The 10-year-old says she was embarrassed to wear her thrift store clothes, but says she understands why her mom did it.

Now that's some creative parenting.

HT Oddity Central

*subhead*Creative parenting.*subhead*

Pope Says 'Good' Atheists Are Okey Dokey

via The Guardian

Atheists should be seen as good people if they do good, Pope Francis has said in his latest urging that people of all religions, and none, work together.

The leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics made his comments in the homily of his morning mass at his residence, a daily event at which he speaks without prepared comments.

He told the story of a Catholic who asked a priest if even atheists had been redeemed by Jesus.

"Even them, everyone," the pope answered, according to Vatican Radio. "We all have the duty to do good," he said.

"Just do good, and we'll find a meeting point," the pope said in a hypothetical reply to the hypothetical comment: "But I don't believe. I'm an atheist."

The Pope, curiously, made no mention of the daily temperature at this meeting point.

*subhead*Put Your Blurb Here.*subhead*