Sex (All of It Hetero, Homo, and All Variations) and the Christian



Not surprisingly, the recent Vatican statement addressing the growing phenomena of governments giving legal recognition to homosexual relationships has caused quite a stir. Add to it the President speaking out against it and hinting at some law needed to prevent it. Then top it off with the extensive coverage given to the New Hampshire Episcopal candidate for their Episcopacy who is divorced and openly living in a homosexual relationship.



Here is a shocker for some of you more traditionally minded Christians. The world is a fallen place and as such everything that had meaning originally is a little off center. As Jesus said in reference to marriage and divorce “it wasn’t supposed to be that way in the beginning.” We live in a fallen world and as such all activity is rather confused and suffers from a “meaning” gap that was part of the original plan but because something other than God has become the central focus of life is lost on us as much as we make whatever isn’t God, god in our lives.



Of course for Christians, Jesus has made possible the restoration of the Kingdom of God. Christians shouldn’t be like the rest of people living in the “fallen” world, but they should be a “light”, a “leaven”, “salt” that those living in the meaningless, fallen world can look to and say “see how they love one another” (the early amazement recorded in Acts of the Apostles).



For a variety of reasons though modern Christians have become rather indistinguishable from the rest of the world. In some ways like members of an Elks club they still go through the rituals at their weekly meetings but when it comes right down to it there is little that would separate them from the “world” that they live in.



So when it comes to understanding the teaching of the Catholic Church on any of these issues of sexuality, not surprisingly those of us who are very attached to our corner of the fallen world just don’t get it. We want the followers of Christ to burn incense to the emperor just like we are. It bothers us that someone can still think that sex of whatever ilk is disordered in anyway (although even the fallen world still has its standards). But of course for the Christian there is the knowledge that even our “minds” share in this fallen condition so that we do not see clearly what is good and what is bad for us.



The modern world is littered with the psychological baggage of those who have acted on their desires and impulses. Most end up in Twelve Step programs that aim at helping them recover by acknowledging their powerlessness and their need to embrace a “higher power” so that by taking one day at a time they might live a new life.



Many of us act like spectators at a demolition derby wondering who of our acquaintances will survive all of the self-destructive behavior that we witness on the side lines of their lives. We would never think of offering them something better, frankly because we haven’t found it ourselves.



What the world needs now is the witness of a new people restored by the grace of Christ. People who have repented from their way of thinking with a fallen world and have been raised to see the “way” things were meant to be. When all of us witness the life these people live we too will want what they have, but unfortunately they are few in the days in which we live. Mainly because the followers of Christ have forgotten who Christ is and the power that he offers to those who believe “trust” in Him.

Because Football Season is just 4 weeks away...



And the University of Florida is ranked the lowest in preseason since the pre-Spurrier days, FireRonZook.com Home Page

Strange Illness in Iraq



From Newsday.com: Army Sends Teams to Probe Iraq Illness:



"The Army is trying to figure out what is causing a rash of serious pneumonia cases, including two fatalities, among soldiers serving in Iraq.



A six-person team of specialists was en route to Iraq Friday to investigate 14 cases of pneumonia serious enough that the soldiers had to be put on ventilators to breathe and evacuated from the region, the Army Surgeon General's office said Friday.



Two soldiers died, nine recovered and three were still hospitalized as of Thursday, spokeswoman Lyn Kukral said.



The team on its way to Iraq includes infectious disease experts, laboratory officers and people who will take samples of soil, water and air.



So far, officials have identified no infectious agent common to all the cases. There is no evidence any of the cases were caused by exposure to chemical or biological weapons, environmental toxins or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), officials said. "

Recommended Book



Ever since I picked up this book back toward the beginning of the year it has been one of my favorites. Kugel points out how the God of the Old Testament is not an aloof God but rather one who shows up time and time again when people least expect it. A great read!

Steve Young, Michael Jackson and Bill Murray Put There Names on the Ballot for California Recall



But of course it isn't the famous people you know, just people who share their names.



From Newsday.com - It Could Be a Long, Quirky Ballot:



"By Thursday afternoon, with nine days to go before the deadline for declaring a candidacy in the Oct. 7 recall election, more than 200 people statewide had taken the first step of filing papers with their county registrars.



Hollywood billboard fixture Angelyne has pulled papers with the Los Angeles County registrar. So has sometime pornographer Larry Flynt.



Michael Jackson, Bill Murray and Steve Young are angling to run — though not the Michael Jackson, Bill Murray, or Steve Young."

Nun Accused of Sexual Misconduct



Bridgeport diocese, her female secretary makes the charge.



From The News-Times:



"Sister M. Bernice Stobierski came to St. Joseph’s School in Brookfield as a principal in November and resigned in June.

Starting in December, the school’s secretary, through her lawyer, claims that the nun made unwanted sexual advances, patted the secretary on the buttocks, brushed against her breasts and masturbated in front of her.



After years of receiving complaints about sexual misconduct involving priests, officials at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport say this is the first such accusation involving a nun. A diocese spokesman called the claims 'outrageous.” "

This Reminds Me of Quiz Show



From Zenit News Agency - The World Seen From Rome:



"John Paul II encouraged the Belgian people to follow the example of Belgian King Baudouin whose 10th anniversary was celebrated today.



Cardinal Godfried Danneels, archbishop of Malines-Brussels, read the Pope's message during the commemorative Mass held in the Cathedral in Belgium's capital. The Pope assured his prayers for the sovereign and his closeness to all the royal family, to the authorities, and to all the people of Belgium.



May 'his life of service, rooted in a profound relation with God and founded on essential values' encourage the Belgian people 'to follow in his footsteps to build an ever more just and fraternal society, in respect of the dignity of persons,' the papal letter states.



Born in 1930, he was just 21 when he was constitutionally sworn in as King Baudouin I, fifth king of the Belgians. "