"Ecology of Man"

Warns Against New Theories of "Gender"

VATICAN CITY, DEC. 22, 2008 (Zenit.org).- While protecting nature is an essential mission of the Church, it's no more important than protecting the nature of the person, says Benedict XVI.

The Pope spoke today of what he termed an "ecology of man" during his traditional exchange of Christmas greetings with prelates and members of the Roman Curia.

"Given that faith in the Creator is an essential element of the Christian creed, the Church can not and should not limit itself to transmitting to the faithful only the message of salvation," he affirmed. "It also has a responsibility with creation, and it has to fulfill this responsibility in public."

The Pontiff added that while the Church needs to "defend the earth, water, air, as gifts of the creation that belongs to all of us [... ], it must also protect the human being from his own destruction."

"It is necessary that there be something such as an ecology of man, understood in the proper manner," he said.

This human ecology, he affirmed, is based on respecting the nature of the person, and the two genders of masculine and feminine.

Always current

"It is not outmoded metaphysics," Benedict XVI affirmed, "when Church speaks of the nature of the human being as man and woman, and demands that this order of creation be respected."

He said it has more to do with "faith in the Creator and listening to the language of creation, the contempt of which will lead to the self destruction of humanity."

The Pope warned against the manipulation that takes place in national and international forums when the term "gender" is altered.

"What is often expressed and understood by the term 'gender,' is definitively resolved in the self-emancipation of the human being from creation and the Creator," he warned. "Man wants to create himself, and to decide always and exclusively on his own about what concerns him."

The Pontiff said this is man living "against truth, against the creating Spirit."

"The rain forests certainly deserve our protection, but man as creature indeed deserves no less," he added.

Benedict XVI explained that great theologians have "qualified marriage, that is to say, the link for life between man and woman, as a sacrament of creation, instituted by the Creator."

"This forms part of the announcement that the Church should offer," he concluded, "in favor of the creating Spirit present in all of nature, and in a special way in the nature of man created in the image of God."

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The media frenzy on Reuter's mistranslation of the Popes remarks... continues.

Daniel's Prayer, and fast...

I included the following from my friend Pastor Michael Carl of the Greenwood Union Church because it is pertinent and good:

"Tomorrow is Tuesday.
This Tuesday is perhaps a bit more crucial than the others, for it's the final Tuesday of 2008. New Year's Day is this Thursday.

Normally I don't put much stock in New Year's Day, for it's largely a commemoration of our own scientific prowess. We're the ones who decided the location for the Prime Meridian and the location of 0 degrees longitude. These are the measures by which we determine time zones, and thus days, weeks, etc.

However, we're this much closer to the Lord's judgment if this nation doesn't turn back to the Lord.

A well-known pastor calls his church to 21-Days of Prayer and Fasting every New Year's Day. Due to the lateness of the hour and the ever-nearing approach of the Lord's wrath upon our land, maybe we should begin 2009 with 21 days of fasting and prayer.

Why fast? Fasting makes us more able to hear the Lord's voice and brings a greater reliance upon Him for strength. Fasting purges our systems of the toxins we've introduced by our abysmal diets and poor nutritional habits. This purging of our systems brings better physical health and thus, a greater ability to think clearly. When this happens, we're better able to read and understand God's Word.

Fasting trains our minds to be able to focus on the Lord more clearly. The discipline of submitting our flesh to a righteous hunger for more of the Lord brings us closer to Him and facilitates greater obedience to Him.

So, we have everything to gain by fasting.

So how? I suggest something like the Bible's Daniel Fast: This is a diet of fresh (hopefully organic) fruits and vegetables and whole grain cereals. We drink only water, tea and pure fruit juices. No chocolate, cake, pie or other sweets, no fruit punch or Kool-Aid, no sodas (pop), or milk shakes and ice cream. Or you can take one day a week to do a 24-hour, no-food fast. During the 21 days, do two, two-day fasts or start out the 21 days with a 3-day, liquid only fast.

I usually prefer one 24-hour, no-food fast or the fresh fruits, veggies and whole grain fast. Not only is my mind more in tune with the Lord, I simply feel better physically.

With fasting, there are also other things that take place. Let's look at Isaiah 58.6... 'Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?'

Fasting tears down 'strongholds', removes barriers, opens hearts and minds. Those who have resisted hearing the Gospel are more open. The hardest hearted of our nemeses are suddenly willing to listen. No, fasting isn't a 'hunger strike' where God changes others because we're denying ourselves food. What happens is that because our minds are clearer and we're more in tune with the Lord, we're better able to pray in line with what needs to happen. We hear God more clearly and are better able to listen to how He leads.

So the walls come down inside of us. We hear the Lord more clearly and we're able to pray more powerfully!

So tomorrow evening, let's join together in our weekly Tuesday at 8:45 Eastern prayer time. Yet, on New Year's Eve, let's resolve that we will enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise by allowing our bodies to pray by fasting.
Rev. Michael Carl
Pastor
Greenwood Union Church

Beware of Conversations with God

All should seek God, and as Rambam (Maimonides) said, the more you seek God the more you find Him. The seeking of God would involve having personal conversations with God, but you all should beware of Conversations with God (CwG)

Conversations with God (CwG) is a sequence of nine books (now coming in movie form) written by Neale Donald Walsch as a dialogue in which Walsch asks questions and God answers. In effect Walsh is claiming to be a prophet. Sadly, these answers do not correlate with the Bible, with the catechism of the Catholic Church, or with Christianity. They basically say anything goes, and are a false gospel and a powerful excuse for lapsed Catholics and Christians to stay lapsed. The answers in Walsh's books, including the the concept that there is nothing we are required or obligated to do in this life, are clearly from Walsh, not God: By their fruits you shall know them.

"And thus did He send prophets prior to the transmigration to Babylon, and after that event others again in greater number than the former, to seek the fruits, saying thus to them: Thus says the Lord, Cleanse your ways and your doings, execute just judgment, and look each one with pity and compassion on his brother: oppress not the widow nor the orphan, the proselyte nor the poor, and let none of you treasure up evil against his brother in your hearts, and love not false swearing. Wash you, make you clean, put away evil from your hearts, learn to do well, seek judgment, protect the oppressed, judge the fatherless (pupillo), plead for the widow; and come, let us reason together, says the Lord. And again: Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips that they speak no guile; depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. In preaching these things, the prophets sought the fruits of righteousness."
Against Heresies (St. Irenaeus [~120-195AD]) Book IV, Chapter 36

We cannot save ourselves, which is why it is not only a good idea to seek God, but in effect we are obligated to seek God, not seek our own self-worship. Those who do not make a genuine effort to seek God will have some explaining to do at their Particular Judgment. It is clear to us Christians that God sent His only begotten Son out of Love for us so that we may believe[Jn3:16], and according to Catholic teaching only those who's ignorance of Jesus is invincible (i.e. not their own fault, not willful ignorance) will have an excuse at their Particular Judgment. As I have summarized before, the only unforgivable sin is to not ask for forgiveness, because by refusing to ask forgiveness you are blaspheming the Holy Spirit. And the only excuse for this is invincible ignorance.