Saw the Movie 'Ides of March'... A Very Scary Movie

Well, I saw the late showing of George Clooney's 'Ides of March'

Clooney not only directed it and star in it, he also helped write the screenplay.

My initial thoughts, I tell you, what a depressing movie, at lest for me. I can actually see this plot line being played out in today's election cycle, in my opinion at least.

Anyway, the short story of the plot line, without going into specifics: Presidential election year, everyone stabs everyone in the back...political life goes on, the voters get fooled again.

Many people get scared looking at horror films and TV shows with walking dead, blood guts and gore, monsters and ghoulish figures. Well for me, this story of political intrigue did it for me...scary.. Partly because of the smiling faces of today's candidates, not of any particular party, but all political parties, the corruption and the lies, the power struggles, the lives affected. They say anything, do anything to sway the people into thinking that they, the candidate actually care for them.

Now this isn't anything new, it's been going on here in the U.S. system anyway since the birth of the nation. I've read the book Washington Burning  which gives a pretty good depiction of this as well as the book Triumph  a Catholic history which shows that the history of power and corruption is the struggle of man even in church history. Not that the Church is corrupt, but individuals will always battle those demons.

The Church is the only institution, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit to survive this struggle.

The movie just brought into focus the struggle of our political system and mostly the struggles of the voter to wade through the candidates and their messages, what they say and what they really mean, what they say they will do and what they actually can do.It seems at times that the promises are almost on the level of an Elementary school student body election. Remember those?

"Pizza on the cafeteria menu every Friday!"

Only now it's more like "free!, free!, everything for free" They use words like honor, integrity and transparency. Come on really?

One thing the movie is very clear on is the loss of God in the equation. Father Barron has some great points on this. Once you eliminate God as the primary element in one's thinking and actions, the slow corruption of the individual starts to take place, then the community, then the nation..

Anyway, so this movie was a reminder to me of our political system. It seems today to me that most of the politicians just want to say in office, and I'm not sure how much their intent is to do the nation good. I do believe our system of democracy is the gold standard of the world, but I also believe we've kind of lost our way a little. Nothing like a movie of this sort to make you pause and think.

So what is a Catholic to do? How do we choose from numerous candidates and ballot issues in light of our Catholic faith? I say how can we NOT look to our faith to guide us? We need to put God first.

This takes a little work on our parts. Just like we may look at the debates and look at the issues and listen to the talk shows and candidates, we have to take the time to study what the teachings of the Catholic Church are. Caritas in Veritate is a great place to start, the Compendium of Social Doctrine of the Church is another, and I would recommend the book by Brian Benestad, Church, State, and Society: An Introduction to Catholic Social Doctrine (Catholic Moral Thought). The Catechism of the Catholic Church, and many of the good orthodox blogs and apologist out there can help on that process.

But do something, don't claim to know enough, and pray, pray, pray for guidance and for the candidates themselves. That God is primary in their campaigns, their thoughts and actions.

We live in a great nation. Lets pray everyday that we as a nation to be virtuous and God centric.

And go out and enjoy a movie from time to time.

Peace   

'Ides of March' Political Intrigue

I had planned on seeing this movie at the late night showing  but by the time I got to the movie theater, it looked really crowed. I have a pet peeve about finding a good seat and at $10.00 a seat plus another 10 for popcorn and a drink, well I like to get there early.
 So I'll see it tonight instead.

I found that Fr. Barron had a short video with some great thoughts on the movie.

Check it out...(caution, spoilers)

Catholicism: Carl Olson

We've started our men's group at our parish on Fr. Barron's Catholicism. The DVD Series is awesome, but the study is well coordinated with the 'Study Package' that goes along with the DVD set.

This study is the perfect companion to the DVD's, giving you multiple ways to present the study....excellent.

And the study is a collaboration between Fr. Barron and Carl Olson of Insight Scoop, Ignatius Press.

The DVD's are phenomenal, but order the 'Study Package' as well. Together there is no stronger, complete, orthodox study on the Catholic faith today.

And pay a visit to Carl's two blog's, lots of good stuff there daily.

Insight Scoop - Ignatius Press        
Carl Olson   

Modernism and Stephen Greenblatt's - Fr. Barron

I tell you, I learn so much from Fr. Barron, on topics and people that I wouldn't have thought about or knew about.

Modernism, I know about but Stephen Greenblatt's, well didn't know about him until I viewed this video. More importantly are the arguments presented, now that's what I find more interesting. The individuals, time periods, history, Father Barron is just so diversified in his knowledge.

I appreciate his work in producing these short but very informative videos.
Please visit his web site often.

Word On Fire  

11 yr Old to Decide If He Wants to Change His Gender

This is completely outrageous!
Gay couple has their adopted child on hormones to postpone puberty to allow more time for the child to decide on if he wants to be a girl.

This is pure child abuse and these so called parents need to be placed behind bars. When I first read this I thought this was a very bad joke. This child is in immediate danger.

 Controversial Therapy For Pre-Teen Transgender Patient Raises Questions       
A lesbian couple in California who say their 11-year-old son Tommy who wants to be a girl named Tammy are giving their child hormone blockers that delay the onset of puberty -- so that he can have more time that  to decide if he wants to change his gender.

China Supports WS Occupation, Geee So Does Obama...Go Figure

Okay so now the powers in China agree with the WS Occupiers.
Hmmmmmmmm...now what does that tell me?

I guess President Obama is in good company.

China: Occupy Wall Street's issues worth thought   
BEIJING (AP) -- China's foreign ministry said Monday the Occupy Wall Street movement highlights issues that are worth considering, but that debates generated by the protests should promote global economic growth.

Wall Street Charade - Obama Supports.....for Votes

I don't know, I don't have a good feeling about all this 'Day of Rage', Wall Street Occupation stuff.

Kind of reminds me of the French Revolution. The call for equality to justify chaos in society. You'd think they were storming the doors of local bank as if it were the gates of the Bastille. 

This doesn't leave me with confidence in the future of our Nation.

What the heck is happening. I see so many people with their hands out expecting something for nothing. I don't know how else to explain it. I try to understand all sides, I'm sure there are those with a frustration that has to be expressed in this manner (protest) but I just see a majority that either have no intention on doing anything but complain and want whatever they can get, for free...

or....

have given up and figure if others are doing it, they might as well join the crowd.

This is not good for America. This is not the American Spirit, nor is it Catholic Social justice, which I hear some claim. Even some clergy are marching along side this MOB
.

And yet we see our President looking to capitalize on it, for his own ambitions or re-election.

We are all struggling, myself included, but this is not the way.

Obama extends support for protestors

Barack Obama, US president, offered more support for protesters against the global financial system after a weekend of demonstrations in cities around the world, but called on them not to “demonise” those who worked on Wall Street.

Most Unsatisfyiing Confession...

Ok, so I realize that not all confessions will have that inner soul satisfaction. One that comes from a satisfying point made by the priest as he comments on a particular sin you've confessed or maybe the relief of getting a certain sin off your chest.

I do realize that maybe the line may be too long and length or time the priest has to spend with you is not ample but you know he's doing his best.

This Saturdays confession is one for the books...for me anyway.

I went in right away...no line for either of the two priest available. I like to go face to face.

....and so I begin "bless me father for I have sinned....

...these are my sins....

PRIEST: "Ok, go out and think of your own penance ...go your sins are forgivien"

What do you mean think of your own penance?

No advise? There's no one else waiting father...

MOST UNSATISFYING

Thank you Lord for our priests and the sacrament of Confession...

Articles of Interest...

These are a few articles I've come across but just haven't had time to blog about..


Will Obama Destroy Franciscan University of Steubenville?  

Christian-Themed Movie ‘Courageous’ Resonates With Audiences Across America 

   

Obama vs. Bishop Dolan:


This program is from RealCatholicTV.com

2 Yrs Marriage Contracts: U.S?

Well, its not here yet but its knocking at the back door...in Mexico.

The proposal in Mexico by Mexico City Assemblyman Lionel Luna of the leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution (no surprise) is to have a 2 yr 'practice run' of marriage at which time if its not working out (according to how you feel when you wake up that morning), the deal is off, as if it never happened.

Now every married couple knows that the first 5 years of marriage are the probably the hardest. Naturally, the longer the marriage some of those bumps and pot holes in life can be very stressful in a marriage (illness, finances, children), in the first 5 years of marriage, the couple is just getting use to the word commitment. The fact that it's not all about 'ME' and that its a 'give and take' and compromising to make things work.

As time goes by that compromising and commitment get stronger, but the first 5 years the couple is learning about life together. In two years the shine of the honeymoon is just wearing thin. Now anyone that tells you that the honeymoon has never worn thin and their marriage is complete bliss 24/7 just isn't truthful. As time goes on the couple learns to weather the hard time together and the couple looks back on those times as 'refiner fire' moments, making their marriage stronger

To end the marriage as proposed by Mexico's proposed bill is just ridiculous and is a family killer and a society killer as well. It use to be that Hispanics were known for their close family ties, 'the familia comes first' mentality. Now it looks like legislators in Mexico are trying to kill that in the name of more freedom. I'm not sure of all the reasons why they'd be doing this. Perhaps to squish any benefits for families that the government has to provide. As if they're doing all they can now? Immigration tells the story

Why do I bring up this article, because I don't see it out of the question for the government here to adopt such outrageous legislature. With the debt figures climbing, the goal of the government to rake in more taxes, it would only seem fare to presume it would be only a matter of time before they start looking at maybe eliminating deductions for children, make it more beneficial to file taxes as single, in the end to help facilitate that with a proposal such as Mexico.

This administrations recently rescinded support for traditional marriage and some radical States (such as the one I live in - California) keep adding to their ant-family laws, well it may be only a matter of time.

I pray that I'm dead wrong and this is only my opinion, but we need to be aware of legislation that's anti-family, anti-life.

If we already except the killing of an innocent unborn baby for sake of convenience, the family and marriage is clearly in the cross hairs.

Here, a website on some interesting statistical facts about Hispanics; divorce rates, education, income...

Also a couple of great articles on Marriage:
Abp. Dolan to President Obama: Cease Attacks on Marriage or Risk “National Conflict…of Enormous Proportions”   

Marriage Matters


An here's the article on Mexico's proposed bill:

Till two years do us part: Mexico City considers temporary marriages    
“The proposal is when the two-year period is up, if the relationship is not stable or harmonious the contract simply ends,” Reuters quoted bill co-author and Mexico City Assemblyman Leonel Luna. “You wouldn’t have to go through the torturous process of divorce,” continued Luna, a member of the leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution.  MORE