Announcement: It Started Here. Let It End Here.

A Joint Statement

By Catholic bloggers of the Dallas area

Is there a phrase more infamous than "Roe versus Wade"?

The principal people involved in this most infamous legal case were from Dallas. "Roe" is a pseudonym for Dallas resident Norma McCorvey. Henry Wade was the Dallas district attorney who filed the original charges in the case.

It all began here in Dallas - in our home town, where we raise our families, where we go to church, where we live, and love, and learn, and work.

We are three bloggers who also live in the Dallas area. We are deeply committed to ending abortion in this country. To that end, we have committed ourselves to the following: On each First Friday for the next eleven months, we will fast and pray before the Blessed Sacrament for an end to abortion. This will culminate at the annual Dallas March for Life in January of 2008, where we will join our bishop and the faithful of this city in marching to the courthouse where Roe was originally argued.

We ask anyone reading these words to join us. Fast and pray with us each First Friday, no matter how far removed you are from Dallas. Spend some time in Eucharistic adoration, and implore Christ to end this curse. We especially ask other Dallas area bloggers and residents to join us, at least in spirit. If you would rather not fast, then pray for those of us that do.

We will not win this battle in the courts. We will not win this battle in the media. We will not win this battle in any earthly way. We will only win through prayer, fasting, and devotion to Christ.

It started here. Let it end here.

Jesus, we trust in you.

Mark Windsor - Rafting the Tiber
Julie D. - Happy Catholic
Laura H. - ... and if not ...
------------------------------
Dallas bloggers also joining the battle:

• Delta - Est puzzlementem
• The Summa Mamas
• Catholic Pro-Life Committee of North Texas
• Wheelbarrow Manor
  

I wanted to mention that this is Mike Windsor's inspiration and I appreciate him contacting me about it.

They Have a Word for It ... And We Don't

Bilita Mpash (Bantu)
This denotes blissful dreams. In English, we have nightmares but no word for waking feeling happy. In Bantu, the word is further defines as a "lengendary, blissful state where all is forgiven and forgotten." The Afro-American equivalent for bilita mpash is "beluthathatchee," believed to be traced to Afro-American slang from its Bantu roots.

The New Book of Lists: The Original Compendium of Curious Information

I had one of these dreams just last week. The sort of dream that whenever I remembered it during the day I hugged it to myself and felt ... yes ... blissful is the right word. Sadly, I have much more experience with nightmares. Bilita mpash are few and far between ... and the more treasured because of it.

I am never going to be able to incorporate this word into my vocabulary because I can't say it ... but I'll remember that there is a word for those great dreams.

"Reading" on the Road

Addison asks:

.... on a personal note, i am looking for some books on tape/CD/Ipod for all of my long car rides with no one but St. Chris to talk to (and we do get to talking) but i rarely find anything other than mysteries, grisham, king, clancey. I really want to find something worthwhile to "read" any recomendations?

Check out my sidebar in the Blogroll under "Tell Me a Story" for lots of free options.

Specifically I'd recommend Librivox for everything from Dickens to Twain to Kipling ... and more.

Also check Podiobooks. Try Seventh Son (book 1), Earthcore, or Shadow Magic for books that I've enjoyed. Although those are more along the lines of the popular books you mentioned.

Not a book, but thoroughly enjoyable is the Black Jack Justice series from Decoder Ring Theater. I don't care for the Red Panda episodes but Black Jack Justice is a "noir-style" production that is really humorous. Rose even listens ... so give it a try.

And, have a good trip!

Sheez, I Go One Day Without Reminding People to Kiss the Egg ...

... and look what happens.

We get The Curt Jester's negative campaign (reminding us of just how sidesplittingly funny he really is) ... well, I was never going to be the funniest blog anyway. Way too many truly funny blogs out there.

Then, we've got Father Joe who has managed to get both the Pope and the devil (oh, that reverse psychology!) stumping the vote for him. Though I'll never be nominated in the "clergy blog" category ... so all I have to mourn there is that he got the biggest names out pushing his vote. It is pretty clear that he should have been in the funniest blog category as well ...

Where does all that leave me?


If you don't kiss da egg now, mon, you're kissing my chances goodbye!

Just a day left (voting ends at noon on Friday) and then I'll quit flogging the vote. Now that's something to be grateful for, right? In your joy and gratitude, go vote, and then I'll shaddup!

Waffling? Have Some Stephen Colbert Ice Cream

"I'm not afraid to say it. Dessert has a well-known liberal agenda. What I hope to do with this ice cream is bring some balance back to the freezer case."

Stephen Colbert

The vanilla ice cream will have fudge-covered waffle cone pieces and caramel. Via Slashfood.

Poetry Thursday: Screwtape II

Rose's summary of The Screwtape Letters in five poems. Today, the second poem.

Oh my dear Wormwood, what you say is naïve.
A war doesn’t hurt but helps people believe!

Now they have causes for which they can fight
And the Enemy doesn’t care if they’re right.

“As long as they try.” That’s what He’ll say.
So take great care how you catch your prey.

Make him fear for the future and long for the past
And not in the least, though it comes last

Make him hate the Germans with such a passion
That it goes far beyond whatever’s in fashion

Most of his friends hate ideas not the man.
They’ll help out an injured German if they can.

Let it not be for him but for woman and child
That his pure beliefs are so horribly defiled.

It it’s his own enemy he must forgive,
But he only hates so the weak can live.

So just do what I say and you’ll be in great shape.
Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape

True Love

Thanks to Alex for this.

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.
--------------
"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.

So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."
Rebecca- age 8
--------------
"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."
Billy - age 4
--------------
"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."
Karl - age 5
--------------
"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."
Chrissy - age 6
--------------
"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."
Terri - age 4
--------------
"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."
Danny - age 7
--------------
"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.

My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss"
Emily - age 8
--------------
"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."
Bobby - age 7
--------------
"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,"
Nikka - age 6
--------------
"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day."
Noelle - age 7
--------------
"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."
Tommy - age 6
--------------
"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.

He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."
Cindy - age 8
--------------
"My mommy loves me more than anybody
You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."
Clare - age 6
--------------
"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."
Elaine-age 5
--------------
"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Brad Pitt."
Chris - age 7
--------------
"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."
Mary Ann - age 4
--------------
"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."
Lauren - age 4
--------------
"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." (what an image)
Karen - age 7
--------------
"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."
Jessica - age 8
--------------
And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge.

The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,

"Nothing, I just helped him cry"

Valentine's Day: Do You Have the Proper Software Installed?

Thanks to Marcia for this one.

Tech Support: Yes, ... how can I help you?

Customer: Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install Love. Can you guide me though the process?

Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?

Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready. What do I do first?

Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located your Heart?

Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it okay to install Love while they are running?

Tech Support: What programs are running ?

Customer: Let's see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge and Resentment running right now.

Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but it will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off ?

Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?

Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been completely erased.

Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that normal?

Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.

Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, "Error - Program not run on external components ." What should I do?

Tech Support: Don't worry. It means that the Love program is set up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you can Love others.

Customer: So, what should I do?

Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your Limitations.

Customer: Okay, done.

Tech Support: Now, copy them to the "My Heart" directory. The system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming. Also, you need to delete Verbose Self- Criticism from all directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.

Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?

Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but eventually everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed and running. One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it with others and return some cool modules back to you.

Customer: Thank you, God.

Best Sports Movies?

I've seen people around the blogosphere saying that Hoosiers is the best sports movie ever.

I haven't seen a lot of sports movies. I knew it had Gene Hackman so that gave the "best sports movie ever" some more credibility. I knew it was about basketball in Indiana, which I discovered from watching the movie is like saying it is about football in Texas.

We were underwhelmed.

It was a fine movie with some good moments. However, it was merely "fine." Not "great." Certainly not "best sports movie ever."

Now, I am slightly hampered in recommending the "best sports movie ever" by the fact that, as I said, I haven't seen tons of sports movies. For instance, sometime I will get around to watching Cinderella Man. Not being a Russell Crowe fan, that may take a while. Also, there are lots of movies that showed up under IMDB's sports movie list which we didn't think were really about the sports as much as other things.

However, we were able to come up with this list of movies that if not "the best ever" certainly were enjoyed more in our household than Hoosiers.

1. Miracle
   American underdogs beating the Russian hockey kings in the Olympics ... it don't get much better than that.
   


2. Friday Night Lights
   Texas, football, Billy Bob Thornton ... 'nuff said.
   


3. Remember the Titans
   football, overcoming segregation, Denzel Washington, killer soundtrack ... once more, 'nuff said.
   


4. Seabiscuit
   the little horse that could ... and Toby Maguire too.
   


5. Shaolin Soccer
   a strange but funny blend of soccer, shaolin kung fu, and pop culture references ... all with hilariously bad translations every so often.
   


6. Rocky
   I have to tell you? It's Rocky. Period.

And While You're Out There ...

... cruising around St. Blogs' ... don't forget to ... (yes, you know what I'm going to say don't you?) ...

C'mon, say it with me...

You still got to go kiss the egg ... for this little Jamaican bobsled.

We Have a Word For It ... And Here's Why

TIT FOR TAT

This phrase was generated from the original uses of the two key words, "tit" and "tat," both meaning "a light hit." The reference was to retaliation, as in replying to a hit by hitting back.

The Word Origin Calendar

HPV Vaccine: Medical Cost versus Benefit Modeling

This was too good to leave in my comments box. Thanks to the commenter for leaving this comprehensive information which is a post in itself.

In medical cost vs. benefit modeling (which strongly informs national medical public policy making and far too strongly informs the medical policies of HMOs), the most critical component is a value called "cost per life year gained."

If the cost per life year gained is under $50,000, that is generally considered a decent investment by US medical policy makers. If "cost per life year" gained is over $100,000, that is generally considered a wasteful medical policy because that money could surely be put to much better use elsewhere. Yes, this is cruel and heartless to some degree, but wide scale medical cost allocations do need to be made and, more relevantly, are continually made using these cost plus risk vs. benefit analyses. Think HMOs. Now consider why pap smears, blood tests and urine tests aren't recommended every month for everyone. Testing monthly could definitely save more than a few lives, and there is no measurable associated medical risk. But the cost would be astronomical versus the benefit over the entire US population when comparing these monthly tests to other therapies, procedures and medicines.

Now on to GARDASIL. By the time you pay doctors a small fee to inventory and deliver GARDASIL in three doses, you are talking about paying about $500 for this vaccine. And because even in the best case scenario GARDASIL can confer protection against only 70% of cervical cancer cases, GARDASIL cannot ever obsolete the HPV screening test that today is a major component of most US women's annually recommended pap smears. These tests screen for 36 nasty strains of HPV, while GARDASIL confers protection against just four strains of HPV.

Now let's consider GARDASIL's best case scenario at the moment -- about $500 per vaccine, 100% lifetime protection against all four HPV strains (we currently have no evidence for any protection over five years), and no risk of any medical complications for any subset of the population (Merck's GARADSIL studies were too small and short to make this determination for adults, these studies used potentially dangerous alum injections as their "placebo control" and GARDASIL was hardly even tested on little kids). Now, using these best case scenario assumptions for GARDASIL, let's compare the projected situation of a woman who gets a yearly HPV screening test starting at age 18 to a woman who gets a yearly HPV screening test starting at age 18 plus the three GARDASIL injections at age 11 to 12. Even if you include all of the potential medical cost savings from the projected reduction in genital wart and HPV dysplasia removal procedures and expensive cervical cancer procedures, medicines and therapies plus all of the indirect medical costs associated with all these ailments and net all of these savings against GARDASIL's costs, the best case numbers for these analyses come out to well over $200,000 per life year gained -- no matter how far the hopeful pro-GARDASIL assumptions that underpin these projections are tweaked in GARDASIL's favor.

Several studies have been done, and they have been published in several prestigious medical journals:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.290.6.781
http://tinyurl.com/2ovy95
http://tinyurl.com/2tbuma

None of these studies even so much as consider a strategy of GARDASIL plus a regimen of annual HPV screenings starting at age 18 to be worth mentioning (except to note how ridiculously expensive this would be compared to other currently recommended life extending procedures, medicines and therapies) because the cost per life year gained is simply far too high. What these studies instead show is that a regimen of GARDASIL plus delayed (to age 21, 22, 23, 25 or 27) biennial or triennial HPV screening tests may -- depending on what hopeful assumptions about GARDASIL's long term efficacy and risks are used -- hopefully result in a modest cost per life year savings compared to annual HPV screening tests starting at age 18.

If you don't believe me about this, just ask any responsible OB-GYN or medical model expert. Now, why do I think all of this is problematic?

1) Nobody is coming clean (except to the small segment of the US population that understands medical modeling) that the push for widespread mandatory HPV vaccination is based on assuming that we can use the partial protection against cervical cancer that these vaccines hopefully confer for hopefully a long, long time period to back off from recommending annual HPV screening tests starting at age 18 -- in order to save money, not lives.

2) Even in the best case scenario, the net effect is to give billions in tax dollars to Merck so HMOs and PPOs can save billions on HPV screening tests in the future.

3) These studies don't consider any potential costs associated with any potential GARDASIL risks. Even the slightest direct or indirect medical costs associated with any potential GARDASIL risks increase the cost per life year gained TREMENDOUSLY and can even easily change the entire analysis to cost per life year lost. Remember that unlike most medicines and therapies, vaccines are administered to a huge number of otherwise healthy people -- and, at least in this case, 99.99% of whom would never contract cervical cancer even without its protection.

4) These studies don't take in account the fact that better and more regular HPV screening tests have reduced the US cervical cancer rate by about 25% a decade over the last three decades and that there is no reason to believe that this trend would not continue in the future, especially if we used a small portion of the money we are planning on spending on GARDASIL to promote free annual HPV screening tests for all low income uninsured US women.

5) The studies assume that any constant cervical cancer death rate (rather than the downward trending cervical cancer death rate we have today) that results in a reduced cost per life year gained equates to sound medical public policy.

As I said before, if any of you don't believe me about this, please simply ask your OB-GYN how the $500 cost of GARDASIL can be justified on a cost per life year gained basis if we don't delay the onset of HPV screening tests and back off from annual HPV screening tests to biennial or triennial HPV screening tests.

The recommendations are already in: http://tinyurl.com/33p9q6

The USPSTF strongly recommends ... beginning screening within 3 years of onset of sexual activity or age 21 (whichever comes first) and screening at least every 3 years ...

We Finally Watched House from a Couple of Weeks Ago

I was curious to see exactly what was said by everyone because I'd seen people swearing off the show due to the pro-abortion stance, which, to be honest, is only to be expected these days in medical shows.

We were both pleased and disappointed.

We were pleased by the fact that while House was spouting his nihilistic viewpoints forged by suffering, there was a counterpoint of showing that life, however worthless it might seem to someone else, is always sacred. While House was doing his best to be "compassionate" in his own warped view by bludgeoning the girl into aligning with his idea of what was best, Cameron listened to the homeless man's desire to have his death mean something. Even though she didn't agree with what he thought about how to make sure he was remembered (by dying naturally, pain and all), she honored his wishes and his life by sitting with him until the end. The tenderness with which she cared for his body afterwards was well shown. She cared. He had mattered even if in the eyes of the world he was meaningless. He was a human being and he had mattered even if, as he told her, he had no family, friends, or job. His life was sacred.

We were displeased not so much by House's pro-abortion message (to be expected and he has said as much before on the show) but as by the girl's lack of defense. If she truly was a student of comparative religion one would have expected she would have examined her faith along the way in the light of what she learned about other beliefs. Therefore, we would have thought that she might muster up a slightly better defense theologically. Certainly in such an environment one would have expected that she would have had to defend her faith against all comers. Let's get real. That's how it is these days, especially in college.

However, on one level it rang quite true for me in terms of the unexamined faith of someone who never has been put to a hard test in life up to that point. The oft-repeated phrases that haven't been given sufficient thought ("life is sacred") suddenly have hard meaning put against them as a measure. These tests of faith come when we are vulnerable and often mistakes are made along the way, especially if we put our faith in someone who is a weak reed. Certainly there is not much more of a weak reed than House to lean on. In that context, her choice became logical ... quite regrettable as this was the writers' chance to be truly counter-cultural ... but logical. And logic and reason what House was pushing all along ...

In the end, it came down to supposed success for getting her to "talk about it so she can heal." However, the irony is that House himself, while bowing to the pressure of doing this and succeeding, pointed out that there is no panacea in "talking about it." He did and it helped him not a whit.

Obviously the writers were more interested in putting pressure on House to delve deeper and connect with someone despite the fact that he resisted the entire time. Yet, I still find it interesting that while House was pressuring the girl to discard an unborn life, they took the time to deliberately show the counterpoint that life is sacred.

Actual Worship Faux Pas

From The Curt Jester's continuation of Ironic Catholic's list comes these two comments from plantlady in the comments box that were just too funny not to pull out and share.

I volunteer at a facility for the elderly. The following are true happenings in its chapel:

1. If you ride your electrified scooter up the aisle to receive Holy Communion, remember to brake BEFORE you reach the priest. (A lady actually drove into Father, who lost his footing and quickly handed me the chalice so he wouldn't drop it!)

2. Remember to put on underwear. (As an elderly gentleman returned from receiving Communion, his pants fell down. Of course, he bent over to pull them up. After Mass, Father remarked that that was the first time he had ever been mooned on Easter!)

A Brief Reflection on Jeremiah 17:7-8

In Scripture study we look at the Mass readings for the upcoming Sunday. The first reading was from Jeremiah:

5

Thus says the LORD: Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD.

6

He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, But stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth.

7

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD.

8

He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: It fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.

Source

It occurred to me, reading over verses 7-8, God does not promise us that life will be easy if we trust in Him. The heat will come. The year of drought will come. What God promises is that we will flourish despite hardships. That He will be with us.

A simple realization, I know. Those verses from Jeremiah just seemed so real to me. Because that is truly what life is like. That is the difference that having God makes.

Poetry Thursday: Screwtape I

Rose's summary of The Screwtape Letters in five poems. Today, the first poem.

Oh my dear Wormwood, how can it be true?
The patient’s a Christian all because of you!

Now listen quite closely to the advice I give,
Devoutly religious is no way to live.

Make him look at his neighbor, not at the priest.
Make him wonder why her shirt is creased.

He knows for a fact that the woman’s a sinner.
Why she was the topic of yesterday’s dinner!

And if she really is as bad as they say,
Why, your task is so simple, it’s mere child’s play!

Never let him consider that he’s just the same,
For he knows deep down he’s never to blame.

So just do what I say and you’ll be in great shape.
Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape

They Have a Word for It ... And We Don't

Sekken

There is a Japanese word, "sekken", I would like to understand better. It is used to name the otherwise nameless social consensus, that is held to control Japanese public life...

A Japanese friend, who is irreverent towards her own culture, explained “sekken” to be the power that moves a large school of fish this way and that, as if they were a single organism. It is “the power that can move the entire school into the astute fisherman’s net”. She experienced it once herself, in a small way, when she wrote something controversial that happened to be true. She found herself in the position of the lone fish, who has somehow missed the tribal instruction to turn a sharp left.

David Warren

Worship Faux Pas

Ironic Catholic has a hilarious list (funny because it's true!) of worship faux pas and how to avoid them. My favorite:

4. If you come to Mass tired, don't slump disrespectfully. Depend on the skills that got you through high school. At least hold your head in your hands in such a way that you look reverential.

Tom's favorite:

10. When all else fails, remember the secret Catholic motto: "I can sing quieter than you can sing."

My contribution would be: If you are kneeling in prayer avoid breathing down the neck of the person in the pew in front of you (discreet throat clearing is allowed so the person knows you're there and might lean forward slightly.)

This has spread like wildfire so be sure to check IC's comments boxes for other good additions, as well as her links at the end of the post to other bloggers who have taken up the list.

Three Things I Learned When Debating the HPV Vaccine Issue

1.

Essentially this issue boils down to whether you trust the government to have your best interests at heart in protecting you and your family.

I was stunned at how many people have such a great trust in this that they were willing to wave aside a possible money trail between Gov. Perry and Merck. I am not. People are people, profit is profit, and corruption is ever with us, sadly enough. Shouldn't the "smoke" be investigated to see if it is a dust cloud or a real fire before we put our children's health in the mix? I say yes.

I have discovered that I do not trust the FDA not to be influenced by pressures that may not include my family's best interests. Vioxx. Fen-phen. Rezulin. Remember those? I do.

I do not trust Gov. Perry to not be pandering to some special interests group or interested in money. I do not trust him to care more about my children's health ... or mine ... than I do. Or even as much as I do.

So there you go.

2.

We are a nation of the fearful. I had heard that before but it never struck home as these conversations made it do. We have forgotten how hard life can really be and really is for people in most other places in the world. We have it easier than any generation in history and we spend all our time being afraid ... of suffering, of disease, of death.

Is natural to be afraid of those things. Our desire for the quick fix, the safe bet, the sure thing has led us to stop thinking for ourselves and often simply parrot the ideology of either the Pilgrims or the Park Rangers (mentioned in Right to Be Wrong, linked to below). We are trading our freedoms at an alarming rate for governmental promises of protection and safeguards. Our ancestors would have laughed at us. They would be right to do so.

3.

I was reminded that the principles written about in The Right to Be Wrong apply to all facets of life today and not simply with religion. It has been a pleasure to debate various items with the courteous, reasonable people even as they have disagreed with me over the last day. It has made me think, made me investigate the issue more deeply, and made me examine the other point of view.

That old phrase, "agree to disagree" has never had more meaning. I can respect them while still not agreeing with them. In short, the people with whom I have been disagreeing have the right to be wrong. And I appreciate them respecting my right to be wrong too.

Real Transformation

Her [Edith Stein's] contemplative practice led to her firm belief in the traditional Christian doctrine of deification. If we are not being transformed along the way, she was convinced, then all our preaching and service is in vain. She was careful to point out the difference between "leading the self-satisfied existence of the 'good Catholic' who 'does his duty,' ' reads the right newspaper,' and 'votes correctly' -- and then does just as he pleases" and becoming a new man in Christ. The beginning of real transformation precipitates a difficult but lifesaving crisis: "If, up to now, a person has been more or less contented with himself, the time for that is over. He will do what he can to change the unpleasant things he finds in himself, but he will discover quite a bit that can't be called beautiful and yet will be nearly impossible to change. As a result he will slowly become small and humble, increasingly patient and tolerant toward the specks in his brothers' eyes."

By Way of Grace: Moving from Faithfulness to Holiness
by Paula Huston

This really hits the mark for me in terms of forcing our dependence of God and also being able to see ourselves for who we really are.