Fascinating ruling from a Maryland court on the constitutionality of a law that makes fortune-telling illegal. This decision is fascinating--to me anyway--because the ruling hinges on whether or not fortune-tellers are involved in fraud.
"Illegal aliens" vs. "Undocumented workers." Once again our political betters among the leftist elite demonstrate their faith in the ability of language to create reality. As usual, its a cynical ploy.
Evangelical roundtable discussion on illegal immigration: "Is there a 'Christian position' on illegal immigration? Would it be un-Christian to expel illegal immigrants who have built their lives in the United States?" As I understand the Church's position, the State is morally obligated to enforce all legitimately enacted laws. Catholics are morally obligated to follow these laws so long as they coincide with the natural law. The question seems to be whether or not immigration laws are consistent with the natural law.
Why aren't the Hollywood glitterati who flocked to the Gulf of Mexico after Katrina clogging Interstate 10 to get there now as millions of gallons of oil gush into the Gulf? That's easy. Their guy is in the White House now.
Violence against a Tea Party demonstration in NC. The video was removed from Youtube. I wonder why? Could it be because the story violates the "Tea Pariters are the Violent Extremists" meme of the MSM? Or is it that the puncher is a black union activist and the punchee a white Tea Partier? You can see the video here.
More on Stephen Hawkings' attempt to use a strictly materialist scientific method to answer a metaphysical/existential question. The question, "Why is there something rather than nothing?" cannot be answered by science.
A report on Haitian voodoo. I believe that the human fascination with magic is directly related to our deeply planted desire to live sacramentally. Turning to magic/voodoo/occult practices is a disordered attempt to satisfy this desire.
Rocket propelled chainsaw. . .built for terrorists, works on Zombies too!
Birds and the Bees (Computer Geek version 2.0)
Why I wear a beard. . .
Military humor. . .
Your first one-Lol_ re: fortune telling--they shoulda known.
ReplyDeleteFr. P.,
ReplyDeleteOf course that anti-immigration laws are against Natural Law. First off, national borders are not natural. Man is free to come and go, as long as no property is invaded. To draw a line in the sand or to erect a fence to keep other peoples out is not proper stewardship of the land.
Historically, borders were only established to protect against military invaders. Otherwise, peaceful people have always been free to come and go. Can anyone image the Silk Road with national borders, or the Exodus or the flight to Egypt?
National borders are fruits of the Enlightenment, when national states came into preeminence and national (read: the sovereign's) interests trumped individual liberties, including the Church's.
Call me an idealist, if you will, but I think that I'm on the side of Natural Law and liberty.
Father, I would say that we also have to take into consideration our non-enforcement of the laws in any reform. Since we did not enforce the law for so long, is it right to punish people now so long after the fact.
ReplyDeleteIn practical terms, I mean that it is fair to deport someone who is here without permission, but someone who has been here with our implied permission, by not enforcing the law, should be handled differently.
I hope that makes sense.
First, I have to say that I am not English-speaking. However, I understand English fairly well and I cringe when I hear "illegal aliens" as if those people were invaders. Most of them expect a better life in the US and are ready to work for it. So it is ok to call them "undocumented workers". In French we call them "sans-papiers".
ReplyDeletePerhaps because I am not American (the US kind), I am more sensitive to the growing xenophobia I see on the conservative side. This saddens me because I am myself rather conservative.
Elise B.
Elise,
ReplyDeleteLike most Americans, I am 100% pro-immigration. Legal immigration. My home province (Dominican province, that is) serves the southern US, including Texas. This means that we have the opportunity to serve the fast-growing Catholic population in the US outside CA.
One of the problems with unenforced immigration laws is that they encourage human smuggling; exploitation of illegal workers; huge pressure on charitable medical services, etc.
The Dems cynical attempt to "sound like Republicans" on immigration is very dangerous. Wolves in sheep's clothing.
Father Philip,
ReplyDeleteMy problem is not with immigration laws. They are needed and I quite understand, for exemple, the frustration of the Arizonans in view of the special problems they have to face. This is a problem your federal government will have to tackle soon.
What bothers me is the expression "illegal aliens", especially the word "alien".
Élise B.