A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.
SON: 'Daddy, may I ask you a question?'
DAD: 'Yeah sure,what is it?' replied the man.
SON: 'Daddy, how much do you make an hour?'
DAD: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the man said angrily.
SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?'
DAD: 'If you must know, I make $50 an hour.'
SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.
SON: 'Daddy, may I please borrow $25?'
The father was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolities.'
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.
The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?
After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down , and started to think:
Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25.00 and he really didn't ask for money very often The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.
Are you asleep, son?' He asked..
'No daddy, I'm awake,' replied the boy.
'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the man. 'It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $25 you asked for.'
The little boy sat straight up smiling. 'Oh, thank you daddy!' he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.
The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.
The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.
'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the father grumbled.
'Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied.
'Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.'
The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness.
It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that $50 worth of your time with someone you love.
If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of hours. But the family & friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Late-Term Abortions Picture
The following is a photograph of aborted baby, most killed in the second and third trimesters. Friday, November 28, 2008
Project Saint Nicholas
This Christmas season Lay Your Life Ministries together with friends will be having gift distribution for the poor called Project St. Nicholas. With the help of my generous friends we will be giving 100 grocery bags containing canned goods, noodles, soaps, tooth paste, rice, sugar, coffee fruits, lunch pack and a blanket. We will also be having games from the poor children in the village.The location of the village we picked for the distribution is called Binayuyo in the mountains of Antipolo. It is an hour away from the city of Antipolo. The village has still no electricity. The only place that has electricity is the barangay center due to a generator.
Hopefully we will not only bring food and goods to them, but most of all the love of Jesus for each and one of them.
Blankets!
Today the 100 blankets for our Christmas distribution for the poor arrived. I thank Ate Nilda who donated these blankets.And most of all thank you Jesus!
Slippery Slopes
I just got back from the mountain side. After walking 20 minutes of slippery and muddy slopes my uncle and I finally arrive to this house. We dropped some milk and vitamins for the kids. The mother has no regular job. Every now and then she sells suman. The father is in Pampanga working and seldom comes home. There are times they only eat one meal a day.
The first time I saw them the baby was malnourished and the next small one was having a hard time walking up due to malnutrition.
Hopefully I will find a way to help them on a monthly basis
This is one thing I learned serving with the Sisters, we do not let the poor come to us but we are the one who seeks them. In this way we are able to imitate Jesus the Good Shepherd who seeks the one lost sheep.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Q. I've decided to save sex for marriage, but I'm unsure about being completely chaste with my boyfriend. Any advice?
A. I'm glad you recognize that chastity is more than abstinence from intercourse, but there is a lot of wisdom in saving sexual arousal for marriage as well. The reason you hesitate to take this next step is that the connection between chastity and true love may still be hazy for you. Let's take a look at the link between the two.
We all desire love, but in the words of Pope John Paul II, "Only the chaste man and the chaste woman are capable of true love."(1) He also said that purity is a requirement of love.(2) So, why is this? How does chastity safeguard authentic love?
I think we can agree that it is easy to mistake physical intimacy for love. This is understandable since physical intimacy has such a unifying power, which is an attribute of love. The problem is that lust also has a tendency to draw two people together. It is a counterfeit oneness that may be hard to distinguish from the real thing, especially if we've never known healthy intimacy before. The physical closeness seems to meet deep needs that aren't filled elsewhere.
We all have a need to be loved, but some people stay in unhealthy relationships because it seems to bury their hurt and loneliness. This is where chastity comes in because it alone has the power to differentiate between love and lust. For those who seek love, chastity is the answer.
Have you ever had a crush on someone and formed an idealized image of him, only to see a different person emerge when your emotions faded and reality set in? Was it the other person who changed or was it you? He probably didn't change at all. You just opened your eyes. Just as having a crush on a person clouds our objectivity, physical intimacy does the same. Personally, the more physical my relationships have been, the more difficult it was to judge their worth while I was in them. After a relationship ended, it was easier to evaluate how healthy the relationship was. But while I was in it--and to the extent that we were physically involved--the tougher it was to recognize that it was not worth keeping. Frequently, we don't want to look at a relationship objectively because we don't want to admit that it isn't love. We don't want to lose the other person.
Whenever love is present, there's a desire to please the other. This is especially common in young women who want to please guys in order to win their affection. However, love sometimes demands that we refuse to please the other, because what the other finds to be pleasing is not what is best for him. You would agree that when you refuse to have sex with a guy, it does not mean that you do not love him. It just means that you love him more than he may be able to understand. If we act out of a desire to please, then we're not really being loving to the other person because we're not doing what is best for him.
Sometimes, people who are intimate in ways short of sex stay together for a time. Usually, however, this becomes old and the couple pushes back the boundaries trying to find new levels of excitement and closeness. Before long, all that is left is sexual intercourse. The couple depends on physical pleasure to feel close to one another since they do not know how to express love in other ways. In the long run, the couple's impatience for sexual oneness tends to end up causing their separation. They have deprived themselves of the opportunity to grow in love, and thus to experience true joy.
Don't feel you will miss out if you live chastity to the fullest. Sure, you will experience an initial loss of the physical union that you desire, but you move beyond this when you see the value of the other person and the benefits of a chaste lifestyle. In the end, the only thing you miss out on is the regret. While chastity is not the easiest choice, it is the best one.
To see how this works on a practical level, consider your options. A guy who doesn't intend to save sexual arousal for marriage will often approach a date as a formality to get through--before the real "fun" can start. When a couple is striving for purity, then the dates can actually be enjoyed as time spent getting to know each other. You're free to fall in love for all the right reasons. If you don't embrace chastity but still wish to remain a virgin, where does this leave you? You'll become all revved up, only to repeatedly slam on the brakes. Not only is this unloving because it arouses desires that you can not satisfy morally, it also leads to sexual frustration.
Often, a couple will share the gift of sexual arousal to feel closer, but they end up feeling alienated from each other and regretful. They would be much closer if they entrusted the relationship to God, and made sacrifices together to glorify him. Love always involves struggle, so if they are both willing to be generous with God, this will create a union between their hearts that no illicit pleasure can match. Purity will become their superglue.
One man told me that the power of temptation rests on the deceptive promise that sin will bring more satisfaction than living for God. It is only God's way that can satisfy us. In the words of Psalm 16:11, "Thou dost show me the path of life; in thy presence there is fullness of joy, in thy right hand are pleasures for evermore." We all desire happiness, but sin and happiness cannot live together. Sin is a counterfeit of happiness that brings with it the ugly companions of shame and regret. Sacrificial love brings true joy, and a life of virtue brings happiness. Try it and see. Where there is no chastity, there is selfishness. Where there is selfishness, there is no love. Where there is no love, there is no joy or peace. No wonder Pope John Paul II said, "Chastity is the sure way to happiness."(3)
_________________________
1.Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II), Love and Responsibility, 171.
2.Pope John Paul II, general audience, 3 December 1980. As quoted by Theology of the Body (Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 1997), 177.
3.Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II), Love and Responsibility, 172.
Q&A FROM PURELOVECLUB.COM
We all desire love, but in the words of Pope John Paul II, "Only the chaste man and the chaste woman are capable of true love."(1) He also said that purity is a requirement of love.(2) So, why is this? How does chastity safeguard authentic love?
I think we can agree that it is easy to mistake physical intimacy for love. This is understandable since physical intimacy has such a unifying power, which is an attribute of love. The problem is that lust also has a tendency to draw two people together. It is a counterfeit oneness that may be hard to distinguish from the real thing, especially if we've never known healthy intimacy before. The physical closeness seems to meet deep needs that aren't filled elsewhere.
We all have a need to be loved, but some people stay in unhealthy relationships because it seems to bury their hurt and loneliness. This is where chastity comes in because it alone has the power to differentiate between love and lust. For those who seek love, chastity is the answer.
Have you ever had a crush on someone and formed an idealized image of him, only to see a different person emerge when your emotions faded and reality set in? Was it the other person who changed or was it you? He probably didn't change at all. You just opened your eyes. Just as having a crush on a person clouds our objectivity, physical intimacy does the same. Personally, the more physical my relationships have been, the more difficult it was to judge their worth while I was in them. After a relationship ended, it was easier to evaluate how healthy the relationship was. But while I was in it--and to the extent that we were physically involved--the tougher it was to recognize that it was not worth keeping. Frequently, we don't want to look at a relationship objectively because we don't want to admit that it isn't love. We don't want to lose the other person.
Whenever love is present, there's a desire to please the other. This is especially common in young women who want to please guys in order to win their affection. However, love sometimes demands that we refuse to please the other, because what the other finds to be pleasing is not what is best for him. You would agree that when you refuse to have sex with a guy, it does not mean that you do not love him. It just means that you love him more than he may be able to understand. If we act out of a desire to please, then we're not really being loving to the other person because we're not doing what is best for him.
Sometimes, people who are intimate in ways short of sex stay together for a time. Usually, however, this becomes old and the couple pushes back the boundaries trying to find new levels of excitement and closeness. Before long, all that is left is sexual intercourse. The couple depends on physical pleasure to feel close to one another since they do not know how to express love in other ways. In the long run, the couple's impatience for sexual oneness tends to end up causing their separation. They have deprived themselves of the opportunity to grow in love, and thus to experience true joy.
Don't feel you will miss out if you live chastity to the fullest. Sure, you will experience an initial loss of the physical union that you desire, but you move beyond this when you see the value of the other person and the benefits of a chaste lifestyle. In the end, the only thing you miss out on is the regret. While chastity is not the easiest choice, it is the best one.
To see how this works on a practical level, consider your options. A guy who doesn't intend to save sexual arousal for marriage will often approach a date as a formality to get through--before the real "fun" can start. When a couple is striving for purity, then the dates can actually be enjoyed as time spent getting to know each other. You're free to fall in love for all the right reasons. If you don't embrace chastity but still wish to remain a virgin, where does this leave you? You'll become all revved up, only to repeatedly slam on the brakes. Not only is this unloving because it arouses desires that you can not satisfy morally, it also leads to sexual frustration.
Often, a couple will share the gift of sexual arousal to feel closer, but they end up feeling alienated from each other and regretful. They would be much closer if they entrusted the relationship to God, and made sacrifices together to glorify him. Love always involves struggle, so if they are both willing to be generous with God, this will create a union between their hearts that no illicit pleasure can match. Purity will become their superglue.
One man told me that the power of temptation rests on the deceptive promise that sin will bring more satisfaction than living for God. It is only God's way that can satisfy us. In the words of Psalm 16:11, "Thou dost show me the path of life; in thy presence there is fullness of joy, in thy right hand are pleasures for evermore." We all desire happiness, but sin and happiness cannot live together. Sin is a counterfeit of happiness that brings with it the ugly companions of shame and regret. Sacrificial love brings true joy, and a life of virtue brings happiness. Try it and see. Where there is no chastity, there is selfishness. Where there is selfishness, there is no love. Where there is no love, there is no joy or peace. No wonder Pope John Paul II said, "Chastity is the sure way to happiness."(3)
_________________________
1.Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II), Love and Responsibility, 171.
2.Pope John Paul II, general audience, 3 December 1980. As quoted by Theology of the Body (Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 1997), 177.
3.Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II), Love and Responsibility, 172.
Q&A FROM PURELOVECLUB.COM
Project Saint Nicholas
Thanks to the power of the credit card i was able to buy the canned goods, noodles, soap and sugar for our Christmas Giving Project. We are half way there!
Thank you my dear benefactors/friends!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
What God and the World Preaches
The world tells us to be selfish, “Be selfish, you deserve it!”
God calls us to be selfless, “Deny yourself and carry your cross”
The world tells you be a “Be a Go-getter”
God calls us to be a “Be a Go-giver”
The world tells us to “take it all”
God wants us to “give it all”
The world says “You have the power”
The Christian says “I can do everything in Christ who strengthen me”
The World says “Use people to get ahead”
Jesus says “if you want to be my disciple you must be a servant to all “
The world says “Stuff yourself!”
Jesus said “Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty”
The world says “You are ruler of your life”
The Christian says, “God, your will be done in my life”
The world says "Get even!"
Jesus said "Forgive your enemies"
The world promotes PRIDE
Christians strive for HUMILITY
Satan said “I will not serve”
The Saints said “I am God’s slave”
God calls us to be selfless, “Deny yourself and carry your cross”
The world tells you be a “Be a Go-getter”
God calls us to be a “Be a Go-giver”
The world tells us to “take it all”
God wants us to “give it all”
The world says “You have the power”
The Christian says “I can do everything in Christ who strengthen me”
The World says “Use people to get ahead”
Jesus says “if you want to be my disciple you must be a servant to all “
The world says “Stuff yourself!”
Jesus said “Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty”
The world says “You are ruler of your life”
The Christian says, “God, your will be done in my life”
The world says "Get even!"
Jesus said "Forgive your enemies"
The world promotes PRIDE
Christians strive for HUMILITY
Satan said “I will not serve”
The Saints said “I am God’s slave”
Monday, November 24, 2008
Are You Well Connected?
Technology has supposed to make the world a smaller place. But why so many of us are suffering from the feeling of isolation?It is ironic that with the advancement of communication like the internet and SMS people seem to have grown more detached from each other. Many have chosen to talk to people though a monitor than in person. We have gotten connected to the internet but disconnected with our fellow men.
We rather read the message than hear the message.
I guess that is why we live in such a lonely world. We have given up a part of our humanity, which is that we are all connected. We are all social beings. No man is an island.
We choose the fastest way to communicate and so loosing the beauty of casual conversations. We can never appreciate the person we are talking to looking at a monitor. We miss the little things and actions a person does when one talks. One could not appreciate a person’s smile and laughter with a smiley face icon.
A lot of things get lost in the cable lines, like our identity and beauty.
The most beautiful of all creation is man. And he/she can only be fully appreciated up close and personal. There is nothing more beautiful than the human experience.
We must learn to give time and talk to others. Words of encouragement can help a person going through a hardship. An act of love can lift a person’s spirit. A simple smile can brighten up someone’s day
We must once again connect ourselves to humanity if we want to find life’s meaning. Our life does not exist in isolation but it is intertwined with the life of others.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Self-Interest Will Destroy World, Says Pope
Urges Practicing Love for One's NeighborVATICAN CITY, NOV. 23, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Do good and the Kingdom of God will be realized in our midst, act according to self-interest and the world will be destroyed, says Benedict XVI.
The Pope said this today, the solemnity of Christ the King, in a reflection on the Final Judgment before praying the Angelus with those gathered in St. Peter's Square.
Referring to the parable of the Final Judgment in Matthew's Gospel -- "I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me" -- the Holy Father said the passage "has become a part of our civilization."
"The images are simple, the language is popular, but the message is extremely important," he said. "It is the truth about our ultimate destiny and lays down the criteria by which we will be judged."
"Who does not know this passage," the Pontiff asked. "It has marked the history of peoples of Christian culture, their hierarchy of values, their institutions, and their many benevolent and social organizations."
Kingdom Come
The Kingdom of God, continued Benedict XVI, "is not of this world, but it brings to fulfillment all the good that, thanks to God, exists in man and history. If we put love of our neighbor into practice, according to the Gospel message, then we are making room for the lordship of God, and his Kingdom will realize itself in our midst.
"If instead, each of us thinks only of his own interests, the world cannot but be destroyed."
The Pope also reminded the faithful that the "Kingdom of God is not a question of honors and appearances, but, like St. Paul writes, it is 'justice, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.'"
"The Lord has our own good at heart, that is, that every man have life, and that especially the 'least' of his children be admitted to his feast, which he has prepared for all," he said. "Because of this he has no use for the hypocritical ones who say 'Lord, Lord,' but have neglected his commandments.
"God will accept into his eternal kingdom those who have made the effort every day to put his word into practice. This is why the Virgin Mary, the most humble of his creatures, is the greatest in his eyes and sits as Queen at the right of Christ the King."
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Are you a Sheep or a Goat?
If your life would end today, would Jesus classify you as a sheep or a goat? Would you enter the Gates of Heaven or be thrown in the pit of darkness?In Matthew 25, it tells the story about the end of the world and how Jesus would separate the sheep from the goats. The sheep are those who fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, clothed the naked, welcomed the strangers and visited the sick and imprisoned. The goats on the other hand are those who fail to do so. In short, those who acted like Jesus and those who did not.
The sheep were welcomed into heaven while the goats went to hell.
We do not have to wait for the end of the world to be judge if we are sheep or goats. We can objectively look at our lives and judge for ourselves. Is our life a life of charity and of service? Or is it a life of indifference and selfishness? Do we have eyes that see the hungry, the naked and the sick? Or are we consumed in our own little world of selfish desire and accumulation?
Goat’s in sheep’s clothing?
Many of us call ourselves Christians but do not act like one. Goats can never pass up as sheep because you can smell the difference a mile away. It is same for us Christians. People can smell authentic Christians from those who are only Christians by name. Many of us say we love God but fail to love our neighbor. This just cannot be, as we see in Matthew 25. Jesus, who is God made flesh said, “Whatever you did to the least of my brethren you did it to Me.”
I think we should examine carefully and honestly how we live our life before we profess our Christianity and our love for God. People will realize if we are speaking the truth or not by the fruits of our lives.
Being a Christian means living a life of love and service. Period! Excuses not to help and serve others are just simply what they are, excuses. They are excuses for our own selfishness and indifference. To fail to love and serve others is to fail to be a Christian!
In the end we are either sheep or goats, Christians or not. There is just simply no in between.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Q. Why is the Catholic Church against contraception?
A. Contraception is nothing new; history records people using various methods of birth control four thousand years ago. Ancient people swallowed potions to cause temporary sterility; they used linens, wool, or animal skins as barrier methods; they fumigated the uterus with poison to keep it from bearing life. The Romans practiced contraception, but the early Christians stood out from the pagan culture because they refused to use it.[1] Scripture condemned the act (Gen. 38:8–10), as did all Christian denominations before 1930.
At that time the Anglican Church decided to allow contraception in some circumstances. They soon gave in on the issue altogether, and before long all Protestant denominations followed suit. Now only the Catholic Church stands fast on the teaching of historic Christianity. But why? Why doesn’t the Church “get with the times”?
The modern world has trouble understanding the Church’s stance on contraception because the world does not know the purpose of sex. The writer Frank Sheed said that “modern man practically never thinks about sex.” He dreams of it, craves it, pictures it, drools over it, but never pauses to actually think about it. Sheed continued: “Our typical modern man, when he gives his mind to it at all, thinks of sex as something we are lucky enough to have; and he sees all its problems rolled into the one problem of how to get the most pleasure out of it.”[2]
But we should put more thought into the matter. Who invented sex? What is sex? What is its purpose? What is it worth? For starters, God invented sex. Since he is its author, he knows its meaning and purpose better than we do. God has revealed that the purposes of sex are procreation and union (babies and bonding), and that the sexual act can be thought of as the wedding vows made flesh. The wedding vows are promises that your love will be free, faithful, total, and open to life. Each act of marital intercourse should be a renewal of these vows.
Some couples say that they will be open to life but will contracept between kids. In other words, they will be completely open to life—except when they sterilize their acts of love. Imagine if they had the same mentality with other parts of the wedding vows. Can a wife say she is faithful except when she has affairs? Can she say that she will give herself totally to her husband as long as he’s rich? Can a husband say the marital act is free except when he forces himself upon his wife? All of this is absurd, but contracepting couples contradict their own vows in a similar way when they refuse to be open to God’s gift of life. When it comes down to it, they are afraid of what sex really means.
But sex is more than the wedding vows made flesh. It is also a reflection of the life-giving love of the Trinity. In the words of Carlo Cardinal Martini, “In the Bible, the man-woman couple is not meant to be simply a preservation of the species, as is the case for the other animals. Insofar as it was called to become the image and likeness of God, it expresses in a bodily, tangible way the face of God, which is Love.”[3] God’s plan for us to love as he loves is stamped into our very being, and so there is really only one question to ask when it comes to sexual morality: “Am I expressing God’s love through my body?” When a married couple does this, they become what they are—an image of Trinitarian love—and through this they unveil the love of God to the world.
The act of life-giving love between a husband and wife is also meant to be a mirror of the love that Christ has for his Church. We should ask ourselves: “If we consider the relationship between Christ and his Church, where does contraception fit into the picture? What is contraceptive about Christ’s love?”
Beyond the theological implications, consider the consequences of contraception in society. When contraception spread among Christians, the Catholic Church warned about the harm it would inflict on relationships. Rates of marital infidelity would increase because spouses could be unfaithful without fear of pregnancy. Since contraception offers an easy way to elude the moral law, there would be a general lowering of morality. The Church “feared that the man, growing used to the employment of anti-conceptive practices, may finally lose respect for the woman, and no longer caring for her physical and psychological equilibrium, may come to the point of considering her a mere instrument of selfish enjoyment, and no longer as his respected and beloved companion.”[4] Furthermore, if people could separate making love from making life, then why would those acts that are unable to make life (homosexual sex or masturbation) be forbidden? With the increase in contraceptive use, it would become increasingly difficult to view sexuality as a sign of God’s love.
Some argue that the Church restricts women’s freedom by opposing contraception. However, the sour fruit of contraceptive “liberation” is manifested most clearly not by arguments but by the lives of those who accept such false ideas of freedom. Consider the following question that one young woman sent to Dear Abby: “I am a twenty-three-year-old liberated woman who has been on the Pill for two years. It’s getting pretty expensive and I think my boyfriend should share half the cost, but I don’t know him well enough to discuss money with him.”[5]
In the words of Christopher West, “If the real problem behind women’s oppression is men’s failure to treat them properly as persons, contraception is a sure way to keep women in chains.”[6] The earliest feminists opposed contraception for this reason, and some modern feminists still realize that contraception is the enemy of women’s liberation.[7]
Anthropologists who study the origin and destruction of civilizations have noted that societies that do not direct their sexual energies toward the good of marriage and family begin to crumble.[8] Therefore the Church did not hesitate to point out the vast implications of contraception. The love between a husband and wife holds a marriage together. A strong marriage holds the family together. Strong families hold society together, and a civilization will stand or fall upon this. “The future of humanity,” according to the Church, “passes by way of the family.”[9] If it can be shown that contraception compromises intimacy between a husband and wife, invites selfishness into the marital act, and opens a door for greater infidelity, then contraception is a cancer to civilization itself.
For a great explanation of why the Church opposes contraception, check out Janet Smith's tape, Contraception, Why Not?.
_________________________
[1] St. Augustine Marriage and Concupiscence 1:15:17 (A.D. 419), St. John Chrysostom Homilies on Romans 24 (A.D. 391), and others. (www.catholic.com/library/Contraception_and_Sterilization.asp).
[2] Frank Sheed, Society and Sanity (New York: Sheed and Ward, 1953), 107.
[3]. Cardinal Carlo Martini, On the Body (New York: Crossroad Publishing Co., 2000), 49.
[4]. Pope Paul VI, encyclical letter, Humanae Vitae 17 (Of Human Life), (Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 1997).
[5]. Abigail Van Buren, The Best of Dear Abby (New York: Andrews and McMeel, 1981), 242, as quoted in DeMarco, New Perspectives, 42.
[6]. West, Good News About Sex and Marriage, 122.
[7]. Donald DeMarco, “Contraception and the Trivialization of Sex” (www.cuf.org/july99a.htm).
[8]. Donald DeMarco, New Perspectives on Contraception (Dayton, Ohio: One More Soul, 1999), 89.
[9]. Pope John Paul II, apostolic exhortation, Familiaris Consortio 86 (The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World), (Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 1981).
FROM PURELOVECLUB.COm
At that time the Anglican Church decided to allow contraception in some circumstances. They soon gave in on the issue altogether, and before long all Protestant denominations followed suit. Now only the Catholic Church stands fast on the teaching of historic Christianity. But why? Why doesn’t the Church “get with the times”?
The modern world has trouble understanding the Church’s stance on contraception because the world does not know the purpose of sex. The writer Frank Sheed said that “modern man practically never thinks about sex.” He dreams of it, craves it, pictures it, drools over it, but never pauses to actually think about it. Sheed continued: “Our typical modern man, when he gives his mind to it at all, thinks of sex as something we are lucky enough to have; and he sees all its problems rolled into the one problem of how to get the most pleasure out of it.”[2]
But we should put more thought into the matter. Who invented sex? What is sex? What is its purpose? What is it worth? For starters, God invented sex. Since he is its author, he knows its meaning and purpose better than we do. God has revealed that the purposes of sex are procreation and union (babies and bonding), and that the sexual act can be thought of as the wedding vows made flesh. The wedding vows are promises that your love will be free, faithful, total, and open to life. Each act of marital intercourse should be a renewal of these vows.
Some couples say that they will be open to life but will contracept between kids. In other words, they will be completely open to life—except when they sterilize their acts of love. Imagine if they had the same mentality with other parts of the wedding vows. Can a wife say she is faithful except when she has affairs? Can she say that she will give herself totally to her husband as long as he’s rich? Can a husband say the marital act is free except when he forces himself upon his wife? All of this is absurd, but contracepting couples contradict their own vows in a similar way when they refuse to be open to God’s gift of life. When it comes down to it, they are afraid of what sex really means.
But sex is more than the wedding vows made flesh. It is also a reflection of the life-giving love of the Trinity. In the words of Carlo Cardinal Martini, “In the Bible, the man-woman couple is not meant to be simply a preservation of the species, as is the case for the other animals. Insofar as it was called to become the image and likeness of God, it expresses in a bodily, tangible way the face of God, which is Love.”[3] God’s plan for us to love as he loves is stamped into our very being, and so there is really only one question to ask when it comes to sexual morality: “Am I expressing God’s love through my body?” When a married couple does this, they become what they are—an image of Trinitarian love—and through this they unveil the love of God to the world.
The act of life-giving love between a husband and wife is also meant to be a mirror of the love that Christ has for his Church. We should ask ourselves: “If we consider the relationship between Christ and his Church, where does contraception fit into the picture? What is contraceptive about Christ’s love?”
Beyond the theological implications, consider the consequences of contraception in society. When contraception spread among Christians, the Catholic Church warned about the harm it would inflict on relationships. Rates of marital infidelity would increase because spouses could be unfaithful without fear of pregnancy. Since contraception offers an easy way to elude the moral law, there would be a general lowering of morality. The Church “feared that the man, growing used to the employment of anti-conceptive practices, may finally lose respect for the woman, and no longer caring for her physical and psychological equilibrium, may come to the point of considering her a mere instrument of selfish enjoyment, and no longer as his respected and beloved companion.”[4] Furthermore, if people could separate making love from making life, then why would those acts that are unable to make life (homosexual sex or masturbation) be forbidden? With the increase in contraceptive use, it would become increasingly difficult to view sexuality as a sign of God’s love.
Some argue that the Church restricts women’s freedom by opposing contraception. However, the sour fruit of contraceptive “liberation” is manifested most clearly not by arguments but by the lives of those who accept such false ideas of freedom. Consider the following question that one young woman sent to Dear Abby: “I am a twenty-three-year-old liberated woman who has been on the Pill for two years. It’s getting pretty expensive and I think my boyfriend should share half the cost, but I don’t know him well enough to discuss money with him.”[5]
In the words of Christopher West, “If the real problem behind women’s oppression is men’s failure to treat them properly as persons, contraception is a sure way to keep women in chains.”[6] The earliest feminists opposed contraception for this reason, and some modern feminists still realize that contraception is the enemy of women’s liberation.[7]
Anthropologists who study the origin and destruction of civilizations have noted that societies that do not direct their sexual energies toward the good of marriage and family begin to crumble.[8] Therefore the Church did not hesitate to point out the vast implications of contraception. The love between a husband and wife holds a marriage together. A strong marriage holds the family together. Strong families hold society together, and a civilization will stand or fall upon this. “The future of humanity,” according to the Church, “passes by way of the family.”[9] If it can be shown that contraception compromises intimacy between a husband and wife, invites selfishness into the marital act, and opens a door for greater infidelity, then contraception is a cancer to civilization itself.
For a great explanation of why the Church opposes contraception, check out Janet Smith's tape, Contraception, Why Not?.
_________________________
[1] St. Augustine Marriage and Concupiscence 1:15:17 (A.D. 419), St. John Chrysostom Homilies on Romans 24 (A.D. 391), and others. (www.catholic.com/library/Contraception_and_Sterilization.asp).
[2] Frank Sheed, Society and Sanity (New York: Sheed and Ward, 1953), 107.
[3]. Cardinal Carlo Martini, On the Body (New York: Crossroad Publishing Co., 2000), 49.
[4]. Pope Paul VI, encyclical letter, Humanae Vitae 17 (Of Human Life), (Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 1997).
[5]. Abigail Van Buren, The Best of Dear Abby (New York: Andrews and McMeel, 1981), 242, as quoted in DeMarco, New Perspectives, 42.
[6]. West, Good News About Sex and Marriage, 122.
[7]. Donald DeMarco, “Contraception and the Trivialization of Sex” (www.cuf.org/july99a.htm).
[8]. Donald DeMarco, New Perspectives on Contraception (Dayton, Ohio: One More Soul, 1999), 89.
[9]. Pope John Paul II, apostolic exhortation, Familiaris Consortio 86 (The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World), (Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 1981).
FROM PURELOVECLUB.COm
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Roses for Rose - A Love Story
And every year her husband sent them, tied with pretty bows.
The year he died, the roses were delivered to her door.
The card said, "Be my Valentine," like all the years before.
Each year he sent her roses, and the note would always say,
"I love you even more this year, than last year on this day."
"My love for you will always grow, with every passing year."
She knew this was the last time that the roses would appear.
She thought, he ordered roses in advance before this day.
Her loving husband did not know, that he would pass away.
He always liked to do things early, way before the time.
Then, if he got too busy, everything would work out fine.
She trimmed the stems, and placed them in a very special vase.
Then sat the vase beside the portrait of his smiling face.
She would sit for hours, in her husband's favorite chair.
While staring at his picture, and the roses sitting there.
A year went by, and it was hard to live without her mate,
With loneliness and solitude that had become her fate.
Then, the very hour, as on Valentines before,
The doorbell rang, and there were roses - sitting by her door.
She brought the roses in, and then just looked at them in shock.
Then, went to get the telephone, to call the florist shop.
The owner answered, and she asked him, if he would explain,
Why would someone do this to her, causing her such pain?
"I know your husband passed away, more than a year ago,"
The owner said, "I knew you'd call, and you would want to know."
"The flowers you received today, were paid for in advance."
"Your husband always planned ahead, he left nothing to chance."
"There is a standing order, that I have on file down here,
And he has paid, well in advance, you'll get them every year.
There is another thing that I think you should know,
He wrote a special little card...he did this years ago."
"Then, should ever I find out that he's no longer here,
That's the card...that should be sent, to you the following year."
She thanked him and hung up the phone, her tears now flowing hard.
Her fingers shaking, as she slowly reached to get the card.
Inside the card, she saw that he had written her a note.
Then, as she stared in total silence, this is what he wrote...
"Hello my love, I know it's been a year since I've been gone,
I hope it hasn't been too hard for you to overcome."
"I know it must be lonely, and the pain is very real.
For if it was the other way, I know how I would feel.
The love we shared made everything so beautiful in life.
I loved you more than words can say, you were the perfect wife."
"You were my friend and lover, you fulfilled my every need.
I know it's only been a year, but please try not to grieve.
I want you to be happy, even when you shed your tears.
That is why the roses will be sent to you for years."
"When you get these roses, think of all the happiness
That we had together, and how both of us were blessed.
I have always loved you and I know I always will.
But, my love, you must go on, you have some living still."
"Please...try to find happiness, while living out your days.
I know it is not easy, but I hope you find some ways.
The roses will come every year, and they will only stop,
When your door's not answered when the florist stops to knock."
"He will come five times that day, in case you have gone out.
But after his last visit, he will know without a doubt
To take the roses to the place, where I've instructed him,
And place the roses where we are, together once again."
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
A Dose of Vitamin B16
“We are moving toward a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as definitive and has as its highest value one's own ego and one's own desires... The church needs to withstand the tides of trends and the latest novelties.... We must become mature in this adult faith, we must guide the flock of Christ to this faith.”Benedict XVI
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Q. Does the birth control pill increase your risk of breast cancer?
A. Since I am not a physician, in order to answer this question, I can only refer you to those who are:
Many doctors do not believe there is a link between the Pill and breast cancer. But considering that the World Heath Organization, the 2006 Physician’s Desk Reference, the journal of the Mayo Clinic, and other reliable sources openly admit such a connection, I believe there is reason for concern. Should a woman be prescribed the pill for medical reasons (as my wife was, with Endometriosis and ovarian tumors), she will be glad to know that successful alternatives exist. Click here for details on that. You might wonder why the Pill would increase one's odds of developing breast cancer. Chris Kahlenborn, M.D., explains: "Two of the most important types of hormones that control reproduction are estrogens and progestins. Birth Control Pills are made from synthetic estrogens and/or progestins. Experiments have shown that these hormones cause women's breast cells to divide more rapidly, which makes them more easily affected by carcinogens - agents which cause cancer"(3). To read more on breast cancer and the Pill, I'd recommend reading Dr. Kahlenborn's book, Breast Cancer: Its Link to Abortion and the Birth Control Pill. Also check out A Consumer's Guide to the Pill and Other Drugs by John B.Wilks, Pharm. M.P.S. ___________________________________________________ FOOTNOTES 1) Cf. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Oral Contraceptive Use as a Risk Factor for Premenopausal Breast Cancer: A Meta-analysis, Chris Kahlenborn, MD, et al., October 2006;81(10):1290-1302. 2) John B. Wilks, Pharm. M.P.S., A Consumer's Guide to the Pill and Other Drugs, 2nd Edition, (Stafford, Virginia, ALL inc., 1997), p. 70. 3) Chris Kahlenborne, M.D., Breast Cancer Risk from the Pill, available at www.omsoul.com . |
Monday, November 17, 2008
A Catholic French couple decided to steal smiles from hundreds of poor children in Cambodia
“When we met the hundreds of children and their families working and eating in the middle of the rubbish dump of Stung Mean Chey we could not sleep in peace any more”, told Mr. Christian des Pallières to C.S.C. journalists. Deeply moved by the unbearable images of the children eating and practically living in the middle of the garbage, Christian and Marie-France felt that the time for a concrete action had come. “If we can make one of those children to share a smile with us, it is already something good –we said to each other”, he continued. Early 1996 after a testimony given in France to several members of their relatives and friends this Catholic couple decided to start a primary school in the same area, not far from the garbage dump, with the objective to facilitate the schooling of the children. Having gathered enough resources to start with they welcomed the first children on May 20, 1996.
Today “Pour un Sourire d’Enfant” is a non-political and non-religious Association. Its main general objective is “to defend the most elementary rights of children in the world”. With this principle or general objective as a guideline PSE has made the preferential option for the most vulnerable children, starting with the children of the families whose livelihoods depend on the rubbish dump of Stung Mean Chey, south-west of Phnom Penh.
A couple of kilometers away from the rubbish dump –right side of
 PSE students |
the main road coming from the city- we can see the Vocational Training Center “Phiap Ngongam nai Koma”-“For a Smile of a Child”- where more than one-thousand children receive love and education. “Most of the students are very late in their schooling and even quite a good number never had the opportunity to go to school they were 12, 14 or 16 year-old. The system we have developed help these students to make two levels in one year till level 7th. From level 8th to 12th the students shall normally study one level per year” said Mrs. Des Pallières to C.S.C.
It is a fascinating experience to pass through the area after school hours and look at the hundreds of noisy students wearing a characteristic white shirt and a sky-blue skirt (the girls) or sky-blue trousers (the boys), leaving the school, most of them in direction to the biggest rubbish dump of the city.
 Happy PSE children |
“It has been a world tragedy the fact that the last Tsunami has suddenly killed over 200.000 persons in very few hours. We are all very sad. However, what about if we look at the Cambodian tragedy as well? In less than three years over 2 million people lost their lives due to the genocide or as a consequence of the genocide. We cannot forget this part of the Cambodian history”, Mr. François Marion commented in his dialogue with C.S.C. reporters. In their dialogue with C.S.C. reporters Christian and Marie-France said that it difficult for them to understand how come the world so easily forgets a tragedy like this one of Cambodia. “We can easily see the scars of this tragedy in the minds and hearts of our children's parents of PSE”, added Marie-France.
Cambodia is still suffering the effects of its 30-year civil war that started on the early 70’s of last century. In 1993, after the Paris peace accord, Cambodia started a process of reconstruction. All Cambodian institutions were virtually destroyed, including the educational system. Children have been the first victims of the nightmare of their country leaving as a result not only the extreme poverty of most of the families but also thousands of homeless, orphans, handicapped persons, family violence, maltreatment of children, broken relationships, lack of confidence among each other and the evil of ignorance.
- Around 50% of the 12 million Cambodia’s population is under 16 year-old.
- 45% of children –nearly 2.5 millions- suffer of malnutrition and lack of medical care.
- 66% of children do not have access to clean water.
- In the year 2001 there were 50,000 orphans, children of AIDS patients’ parents.
- The UNICEF estimates that if the growing rhythm of AIDS continues the same, by the year 2010 the country will have around 142,000 orphans.
Besides the education and attention of the students PSE accomplishes everyday other activities such as:
1. Feeding pregnant mothers and children at the rubbish dump and bringing them basic medical care. At 6.30am, 7 days a week, an average of 500 to 600 meals are distributed directly on the dumpsite. On the weekends and days off, the number of meals increase since children, usually at school, come back to the dump to work.
2. An educational program outside of the Vocational Training Center PSE for the children who are not late in their schooling.- This is a support to poor families whose children have the ability to get integrated into the public education system, however, due to poverty cannot send their children to school. At present moment nearly 2,000 children are receiving this support. The organization pays the scholarship fee and if necessary, it gives incentive to compensate the financial income given by the children to their parents.
A PSE student, Sam Nang, 19, told C.S.C. he came to study at PSE center in the year 2002. “I heard about this organization from my mother. I used to work with my mother in the rubbish dump and one day she told me she wanted me to go to study at a good school she knew… so I decided to come here”, said Nang. “This centre not only provide good training but also gives us meals, accommodation and uniform” he added.
Mr. F. Marion told UCAN reporters about some future plans of PSE, especially concerning the professional training center that has as main purpose to complement the education of those who finish their formal school studies, as far as they can go regarding age and personal capacities. They need practical knowledge in order to get a job and to become self-sufficient. “Pour une Sourire d’Enfant” is now providing different professional training programs such as Secretariat, administration, selling,management, hotel business-catering and hairdressing and beauty industry. “We are trying to develop these professional trainings looking at the needs of the country and according to the real capacities our Association PSE. The entire professional training have a component focusing in computer science and foreign languages, which are essential to any professional in Cambodia”, said Mr. F. Marion. A final concern Mr. Marion mentioned was about the new occupation of hundreds of families who are now making their livelihoods from the rubbish damp, since the government has the plan to finish it by the Year 2007.
If you are interested in contacting PSE please look at:www.pse.asso.fr
E-mail: pse@site-pse.org
Article Source: C.S.C. Catholic Social Communications - Catholic Church Cambodia
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Q. There's a guy that I really like, but I'm not sure if he's interested in me. I want to find out if he is, but I don't want to scare him off. Should I call and tell him, or should I play hard to get?
A. Possibly neither. First of all, playing games is never a good idea. A girl who is real is much more attractive than a girl who wants to play mind games. After all, if you play games to make guys like you, then when do you stop playing? If you play hard-to-get to win a guy, then you may feel the need to maintain that teasing behavior to keep him interested. A mature relationship needs to develop without having to rely on games.If you need to pretend to be someone you are not in order to win another's heart, then what will happen in the long run? The entire relationship will be built on deception. This is the opposite of love, which "rejoices in the truth" (1 Cor. 13:6). Love is patient, and it trusts that God knows what he is about. There is no need to take the situation into your own hands so that you can make things happen at your own pace. God's pace is much better.
But calling him up and telling him openly how you feel may not be a good idea either--unless the two of you already have a strong personal friendship. To begin with, there should be a season of friendship before you rush into a romantic relationship. Failing to cultivate this could be harmful in the long run, since these things need time to build. Imagine a girl building a dollhouse. She is in such a rush to play with the finished product that she glues the house together in thirty minutes, and moves all the furniture in. She ignores the directions to wait a day for the glue to dry before even touching the house. Naturally, it collapses. Similarly, you must establish a foundation and give the friendship time to develop.
Without this foundation of friendship, revealing your feelings for him too soon could hinder mutual feelings from developing in his heart. When those feeling do take root in him, they will show in due time. Until then, work on building a graced friendship. If he does reciprocate, then you will again be called to be patient. A lot of people become "more than friends" without spending much time being friends--which often ends up meaning they are really less than friends.
Q&A came from pureloveclub.com
Saturday, November 15, 2008
For Risk Takers Only!
Want a fuller life? Then you have to risk it! In the business world investments that have low risk has low return. While high risk investments have higher potential returns.
“If you don't take risks for God, you won't give anything worthwhile” said St Louis de Montfort.
Risk will always be a part of life.
Most of us live a boring and mediocre life because we fail to take risks, especially for God. We do not want to do anything radical for God because we don’t want to risk our reputation and our wealth. We don’t want the risk of being called fools or religious fanatics. We don’t want the risk of being labeled as an outsider. We don’t risk sharing our wealth because we are afraid it won’t back. Because we want to be in the “in crowd”, we sacrifice the gift of greatness in us.
Unless we take a risk for God, our talents will never come out or grow, for our talents have been given to us for the sake of others. Our being increases in the measure that you give it away.
God is Love. The Father gives Himself totally to the Son, the Son totally gives himself to the Father, and the Holy Spirit is the love between the Father and the Son. God is for giving! If we want to have the fullness of life we must imitate God to whom we are made in image and likeness.
We have to give if we want to have a higher return in our life. The more we conform ourselves to God the more fully we will become ourselves.
We have to learn to take risk for God. We have to risk giving ourselves to others. We must be ready to be ridiculed for the sake of God and others. Risk your “coolness” and go help the unwanted and undesirable of society. Risk your time and go spend it with the poor.
So if you want a higher return in your life?
Risk it and give it away!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Diarrhea is Taking the Lives of 4,500 Children Everyday
Globally, more than 10 million children under the age of five die everyyear, with the majority of deaths occurring in developing countries.
Nearly 20 percent of these deaths — 2.2 million — are due to mostly
preventable diarrheal disease from unsafe water and lack of basic
sanitation and hygiene. This represents about 4,500 children dying
every day — more than the number of children who die from malaria,
AIDS, and TB combined.
Children in developing countries suffer from an average of three
episodes of diarrhea every year, and nearly 20 out of every 1,000 die of
diarrhea-related dehydration before they reach their second birthday.3
Diarrhea results in 1 billion episodes of illness every year, and in some
regions, it accounts for more than 30 percent of all hospital admissions
of children.4 Ongoing bouts with diarrhea can also result in diminished
productivity and missed opportunities for education.
Virtually all child deaths associated with diarrhea from dehydration can
be avoided through proven and effective solutions, such as the improved
availability and use of oral rehydration therapy (ORT). ORT can
prevent about 90 percent of child deaths from dehydration. This simple,
costeffective treatment can be given at home using either packets of
oral rehydration salts (ORS), which cost about 10 cents each; or a home
solution of sugar, salt, and water.5
Diarrhea can also be prevented through exclusive breastfeeding,
improved weaning practices, measles immunization, increasing the
availability of clean water, and improving sanitation and hygiene.6 Lowcost,
simple, and straightforward approaches such as these, along with
access to good primary health care for mother and newborn, could save
millions of lives each year.
For more information, visit us at www.child-survival.org.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Man cannot live without love.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Q. Should I move in with my boyfriend before we get married? It seems like a smart move, because you want to really know a person before you commit to life together.
A. Most cohabiting couples who hope to marry see their arrangement as a good test run, a way to make sure that they are compatible before tying the knot. After all, who wants to go through a divorce?
Aside from all the spiritual factors regarding premarital sex, we should take a look at what researchers have found about living together before marriage. Two researchers summarized the findings of numerous studies by stating that "expectation of a positive relationship between cohabitation and marital stability . . . has been shattered in recent years by studies conducted in several Western countries."(1)
What the studies discovered is this: if you do not want to get divorced, do not move in until after the wedding. Why is that? Consider the following facts about cohabitation: Most couples who live together never end up getting married, but those who do tie the knot are almost twice as likely to divorce as couples who do not live together before marriage.(2) Overall, couples who cohabit before marriage have a divorce rate of about eighty percent,(3) and non-virgin brides are sixty percent more likely to end up divorced than women who enter marriage as virgins.(4) Couples who cohabited prior to marriage have greater marital conflict and poorer communication, and they made more frequent visits to marriage counselors.(5) Women who cohabited before marriage are more than three times as likely to cheat on their husbands within marriage.(6) The U.S. Justice Department found that women who cohabit are sixty-two times more likely to be assaulted by a live-in boyfriend than by a husband.(7) They were also more than three times as likely to be depressed as married women,(8) and the couples were less sexually satisfied than those who waited for marriage.(9)
From a standpoint of marital duration, marital peace, marital fidelity, physical safety, emotional well-being, and sexual satisfaction, cohabitation is not exactly a recipe for happiness. Even USA Today reported, "Could this be true love? Test it with courtship, not cohabitation."(10) You may assume that if the couple had lived together a bit longer, they would have ironed out the difficulties and not had these problems in marriage. The studies show the opposite: longer cohabitations are associated with a higher likelihood of divorce.(11) Even if you don't think that your boyfriend would be abusive or that you would get depressed, the divorce rate speaks for itself.
Like all of us, you dream of a lasting love. If you are serious about making this relationship work, save your marriage before it starts and don't move in until after the wedding.
_________________________________________
1. William G. Axinn and Arland Thornton, "The Relation Between Cohabitation and Divorce: Selectivity or Casual Influence?" Demography 29 (1992): 357–374. As quoted by Stanton, Why Marriage Matters, 57.
2.Larry L. Bumpass and James A. Sweet, "Cohabitation, Marriage, and Union Stability: Preliminary Findings from NSFH2 [National Survey of Families and Households]" (NSFH Working Paper No. 65, Center for Demography and Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1995).
3.Kim Camplisson, "Celebrating Christian Marriage," The Southern Cross (newspaper of the Diocese of San Diego), 26 April 2001, 8.
4.Katherine A. London and Joan R. Kahn, "Premarital Sex and the Risk of Divorce," Journal of Marriage and Family 53 (1991): 845–855.
5.Elizabeth Thompson and Ugo Colella, "Cohabitation and Marital Stability: Quality or Commitment?" Journal of Marriage and the Family 54 (1992): 263. As quoted by Stanton, Why Marriage Matters, 57; John D. Cunningham and John K. Antill, "Cohabitation and Marriage: Retrospective and Predictive Consequences," Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 11 (1994): 90. As quoted by Stanton, Why Marriage Matters, 58.
6. Koray Tanfer and Renata Forste, "Sexual Exclusivity Among Dating, Cohabiting, and Married Women," Journal of Marriage and Family (February 1996): 33–47.
7. Chuck Colson, "Trial Marriages on Trial: Why They Don't Work," Breakpoint, 20 March 1995.
8. Lee Robins and Darrell Regier, Psychiatric Disorders in America: The Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study (New York: Free Press, 1991), 64. As quoted by Stanton, Why Marriage Matters, 66–67.
9. Marianne K. Hering, "Believe Well, Live Well," Focus on the Family, September 1994, 4.
10. William Mattox Jr., "Could This be True Love? Test It with Courtship, Not Cohabitation," USA Today, 10 February 2000, 15A (www.usatoday.com).
11. Thompson and Colella, "Cohabitation and Marital Stability," 266. As quoted by Stanton, Why Marriage Matters, 57.
Q&A came from pureloveclub.com
Aside from all the spiritual factors regarding premarital sex, we should take a look at what researchers have found about living together before marriage. Two researchers summarized the findings of numerous studies by stating that "expectation of a positive relationship between cohabitation and marital stability . . . has been shattered in recent years by studies conducted in several Western countries."(1)
What the studies discovered is this: if you do not want to get divorced, do not move in until after the wedding. Why is that? Consider the following facts about cohabitation: Most couples who live together never end up getting married, but those who do tie the knot are almost twice as likely to divorce as couples who do not live together before marriage.(2) Overall, couples who cohabit before marriage have a divorce rate of about eighty percent,(3) and non-virgin brides are sixty percent more likely to end up divorced than women who enter marriage as virgins.(4) Couples who cohabited prior to marriage have greater marital conflict and poorer communication, and they made more frequent visits to marriage counselors.(5) Women who cohabited before marriage are more than three times as likely to cheat on their husbands within marriage.(6) The U.S. Justice Department found that women who cohabit are sixty-two times more likely to be assaulted by a live-in boyfriend than by a husband.(7) They were also more than three times as likely to be depressed as married women,(8) and the couples were less sexually satisfied than those who waited for marriage.(9)
From a standpoint of marital duration, marital peace, marital fidelity, physical safety, emotional well-being, and sexual satisfaction, cohabitation is not exactly a recipe for happiness. Even USA Today reported, "Could this be true love? Test it with courtship, not cohabitation."(10) You may assume that if the couple had lived together a bit longer, they would have ironed out the difficulties and not had these problems in marriage. The studies show the opposite: longer cohabitations are associated with a higher likelihood of divorce.(11) Even if you don't think that your boyfriend would be abusive or that you would get depressed, the divorce rate speaks for itself.
Like all of us, you dream of a lasting love. If you are serious about making this relationship work, save your marriage before it starts and don't move in until after the wedding.
_________________________________________
1. William G. Axinn and Arland Thornton, "The Relation Between Cohabitation and Divorce: Selectivity or Casual Influence?" Demography 29 (1992): 357–374. As quoted by Stanton, Why Marriage Matters, 57.
2.Larry L. Bumpass and James A. Sweet, "Cohabitation, Marriage, and Union Stability: Preliminary Findings from NSFH2 [National Survey of Families and Households]" (NSFH Working Paper No. 65, Center for Demography and Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1995).
3.Kim Camplisson, "Celebrating Christian Marriage," The Southern Cross (newspaper of the Diocese of San Diego), 26 April 2001, 8.
4.Katherine A. London and Joan R. Kahn, "Premarital Sex and the Risk of Divorce," Journal of Marriage and Family 53 (1991): 845–855.
5.Elizabeth Thompson and Ugo Colella, "Cohabitation and Marital Stability: Quality or Commitment?" Journal of Marriage and the Family 54 (1992): 263. As quoted by Stanton, Why Marriage Matters, 57; John D. Cunningham and John K. Antill, "Cohabitation and Marriage: Retrospective and Predictive Consequences," Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 11 (1994): 90. As quoted by Stanton, Why Marriage Matters, 58.
6. Koray Tanfer and Renata Forste, "Sexual Exclusivity Among Dating, Cohabiting, and Married Women," Journal of Marriage and Family (February 1996): 33–47.
7. Chuck Colson, "Trial Marriages on Trial: Why They Don't Work," Breakpoint, 20 March 1995.
8. Lee Robins and Darrell Regier, Psychiatric Disorders in America: The Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study (New York: Free Press, 1991), 64. As quoted by Stanton, Why Marriage Matters, 66–67.
9. Marianne K. Hering, "Believe Well, Live Well," Focus on the Family, September 1994, 4.
10. William Mattox Jr., "Could This be True Love? Test It with Courtship, Not Cohabitation," USA Today, 10 February 2000, 15A (www.usatoday.com).
11. Thompson and Colella, "Cohabitation and Marital Stability," 266. As quoted by Stanton, Why Marriage Matters, 57.
Q&A came from pureloveclub.com
Monday, November 10, 2008
Am I not here, who is your Mother?
Every time I feel kinda nutty and crazy, I go to the big picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe in our church. Below it is written her message to Juan Diego. Reading it really consoles me, knowing that I have a mother in heaven who take care of me.Most Holy Virgin answered: “Hear me and understand well, my son the least, that nothing should frighten or grieve you. Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.
Are You the Source of Your Own Misery?
Have you met the unholy trinity?
Sure you have!
They are always with you 24/7. The unholy trinity is Me, Myself and I.
Have you noticed that people love to talk about themselves? The conversation mostly revolves on what they have, what they want and what they don’t have. Talking to these people is like entering another world, the “Me, Myself and I” world. To tell you frankly, it’s a very boring world.
There is one word that best describe these people, selfish!
One thing I have observed about selfish people, no matter what they have achieved in life, they still feel deprived of something. They still have lots of things to complain about. They are upset most of the time because things do not go as they want. Seldom have you heard them get upset because people are dying of hunger in
There is certain irony in selfishness. The more one selfishly acquire the things of the world like money, fame or power, the more their world shrinks. They have reduced life to only money, only fame or only power. These things that don’t necessarily make you a better person, or have a full life. They believe their selfishness will bring them joy, but in reality the root of their misery is their own selfishness. Observe those people who are truly joyful, you will see that they are unselfish persons.
Life like water, the more you grab it the more it slips away.
God created us in His image and likeness. And God is Love. The love I am talking about is agape or self-donating love. It is the love which Jesus showed us when He was crucified. His love was empty of self.
Now look into your heart. Ask yourself, "Is the cause of my misery is my own selfishness?"
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Q. I've decided to save sex for marriage, but I'm unsure about being completely chaste with my boyfriend. Any advice?
A. I'm glad you recognize that chastity is more than abstinence from intercourse, but there is a lot of wisdom in saving sexual arousal for marriage as well. The reason you hesitate to take this next step is that the connection between chastity and true love may still be hazy for you. Let's take a look at the link between the two.
We all desire love, but in the words of Pope John Paul II, "Only the chaste man and the chaste woman are capable of true love."(1) He also said that purity is a requirement of love.(2) So, why is this? How does chastity safeguard authentic love?
I think we can agree that it is easy to mistake physical intimacy for love. This is understandable since physical intimacy has such a unifying power, which is an attribute of love. The problem is that lust also has a tendency to draw two people together. It is a counterfeit oneness that may be hard to distinguish from the real thing, especially if we've never known healthy intimacy before. The physical closeness seems to meet deep needs that aren't filled elsewhere.
We all have a need to be loved, but some people stay in unhealthy relationships because it seems to bury their hurt and loneliness. This is where chastity comes in because it alone has the power to differentiate between love and lust. For those who seek love, chastity is the answer.
Have you ever had a crush on someone and formed an idealized image of him, only to see a different person emerge when your emotions faded and reality set in? Was it the other person who changed or was it you? He probably didn't change at all. You just opened your eyes. Just as having a crush on a person clouds our objectivity, physical intimacy does the same. Personally, the more physical my relationships have been, the more difficult it was to judge their worth while I was in them. After a relationship ended, it was easier to evaluate how healthy the relationship was. But while I was in it--and to the extent that we were physically involved--the tougher it was to recognize that it was not worth keeping. Frequently, we don't want to look at a relationship objectively because we don't want to admit that it isn't love. We don't want to lose the other person.
Whenever love is present, there's a desire to please the other. This is especially common in young women who want to please guys in order to win their affection. However, love sometimes demands that we refuse to please the other, because what the other finds to be pleasing is not what is best for him. You would agree that when you refuse to have sex with a guy, it does not mean that you do not love him. It just means that you love him more than he may be able to understand. If we act out of a desire to please, then we're not really being loving to the other person because we're not doing what is best for him.
Sometimes, people who are intimate in ways short of sex stay together for a time. Usually, however, this becomes old and the couple pushes back the boundaries trying to find new levels of excitement and closeness. Before long, all that is left is sexual intercourse. The couple depends on physical pleasure to feel close to one another since they do not know how to express love in other ways. In the long run, the couple's impatience for sexual oneness tends to end up causing their separation. They have deprived themselves of the opportunity to grow in love, and thus to experience true joy.
Don't feel you will miss out if you live chastity to the fullest. Sure, you will experience an initial loss of the physical union that you desire, but you move beyond this when you see the value of the other person and the benefits of a chaste lifestyle. In the end, the only thing you miss out on is the regret. While chastity is not the easiest choice, it is the best one.
To see how this works on a practical level, consider your options. A guy who doesn't intend to save sexual arousal for marriage will often approach a date as a formality to get through--before the real "fun" can start. When a couple is striving for purity, then the dates can actually be enjoyed as time spent getting to know each other. You're free to fall in love for all the right reasons. If you don't embrace chastity but still wish to remain a virgin, where does this leave you? You'll become all revved up, only to repeatedly slam on the brakes. Not only is this unloving because it arouses desires that you can not satisfy morally, it also leads to sexual frustration.
Often, a couple will share the gift of sexual arousal to feel closer, but they end up feeling alienated from each other and regretful. They would be much closer if they entrusted the relationship to God, and made sacrifices together to glorify him. Love always involves struggle, so if they are both willing to be generous with God, this will create a union between their hearts that no illicit pleasure can match. Purity will become their superglue.
One man told me that the power of temptation rests on the deceptive promise that sin will bring more satisfaction than living for God. It is only God's way that can satisfy us. In the words of Psalm 16:11, "Thou dost show me the path of life; in thy presence there is fullness of joy, in thy right hand are pleasures for evermore." We all desire happiness, but sin and happiness cannot live together. Sin is a counterfeit of happiness that brings with it the ugly companions of shame and regret. Sacrificial love brings true joy, and a life of virtue brings happiness. Try it and see. Where there is no chastity, there is selfishness. Where there is selfishness, there is no love. Where there is no love, there is no joy or peace. No wonder Pope John Paul II said, "Chastity is the sure way to happiness."(3)
_________________________
1.Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II), Love and Responsibility, 171.
2.Pope John Paul II, general audience, 3 December 1980. As quoted by Theology of the Body (Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 1997), 177.
3.Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II), Love and Responsibility, 172.
Q&A came from pureloveclub.com
We all desire love, but in the words of Pope John Paul II, "Only the chaste man and the chaste woman are capable of true love."(1) He also said that purity is a requirement of love.(2) So, why is this? How does chastity safeguard authentic love?
I think we can agree that it is easy to mistake physical intimacy for love. This is understandable since physical intimacy has such a unifying power, which is an attribute of love. The problem is that lust also has a tendency to draw two people together. It is a counterfeit oneness that may be hard to distinguish from the real thing, especially if we've never known healthy intimacy before. The physical closeness seems to meet deep needs that aren't filled elsewhere.
We all have a need to be loved, but some people stay in unhealthy relationships because it seems to bury their hurt and loneliness. This is where chastity comes in because it alone has the power to differentiate between love and lust. For those who seek love, chastity is the answer.
Have you ever had a crush on someone and formed an idealized image of him, only to see a different person emerge when your emotions faded and reality set in? Was it the other person who changed or was it you? He probably didn't change at all. You just opened your eyes. Just as having a crush on a person clouds our objectivity, physical intimacy does the same. Personally, the more physical my relationships have been, the more difficult it was to judge their worth while I was in them. After a relationship ended, it was easier to evaluate how healthy the relationship was. But while I was in it--and to the extent that we were physically involved--the tougher it was to recognize that it was not worth keeping. Frequently, we don't want to look at a relationship objectively because we don't want to admit that it isn't love. We don't want to lose the other person.
Whenever love is present, there's a desire to please the other. This is especially common in young women who want to please guys in order to win their affection. However, love sometimes demands that we refuse to please the other, because what the other finds to be pleasing is not what is best for him. You would agree that when you refuse to have sex with a guy, it does not mean that you do not love him. It just means that you love him more than he may be able to understand. If we act out of a desire to please, then we're not really being loving to the other person because we're not doing what is best for him.
Sometimes, people who are intimate in ways short of sex stay together for a time. Usually, however, this becomes old and the couple pushes back the boundaries trying to find new levels of excitement and closeness. Before long, all that is left is sexual intercourse. The couple depends on physical pleasure to feel close to one another since they do not know how to express love in other ways. In the long run, the couple's impatience for sexual oneness tends to end up causing their separation. They have deprived themselves of the opportunity to grow in love, and thus to experience true joy.
Don't feel you will miss out if you live chastity to the fullest. Sure, you will experience an initial loss of the physical union that you desire, but you move beyond this when you see the value of the other person and the benefits of a chaste lifestyle. In the end, the only thing you miss out on is the regret. While chastity is not the easiest choice, it is the best one.
To see how this works on a practical level, consider your options. A guy who doesn't intend to save sexual arousal for marriage will often approach a date as a formality to get through--before the real "fun" can start. When a couple is striving for purity, then the dates can actually be enjoyed as time spent getting to know each other. You're free to fall in love for all the right reasons. If you don't embrace chastity but still wish to remain a virgin, where does this leave you? You'll become all revved up, only to repeatedly slam on the brakes. Not only is this unloving because it arouses desires that you can not satisfy morally, it also leads to sexual frustration.
Often, a couple will share the gift of sexual arousal to feel closer, but they end up feeling alienated from each other and regretful. They would be much closer if they entrusted the relationship to God, and made sacrifices together to glorify him. Love always involves struggle, so if they are both willing to be generous with God, this will create a union between their hearts that no illicit pleasure can match. Purity will become their superglue.
One man told me that the power of temptation rests on the deceptive promise that sin will bring more satisfaction than living for God. It is only God's way that can satisfy us. In the words of Psalm 16:11, "Thou dost show me the path of life; in thy presence there is fullness of joy, in thy right hand are pleasures for evermore." We all desire happiness, but sin and happiness cannot live together. Sin is a counterfeit of happiness that brings with it the ugly companions of shame and regret. Sacrificial love brings true joy, and a life of virtue brings happiness. Try it and see. Where there is no chastity, there is selfishness. Where there is selfishness, there is no love. Where there is no love, there is no joy or peace. No wonder Pope John Paul II said, "Chastity is the sure way to happiness."(3)
_________________________
1.Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II), Love and Responsibility, 171.
2.Pope John Paul II, general audience, 3 December 1980. As quoted by Theology of the Body (Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 1997), 177.
3.Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II), Love and Responsibility, 172.
Q&A came from pureloveclub.com
When I try to slow things down with my boyfriend, he makes me feel guilty. How do I get him to respect me?
Q. I've been dating this guy and I've know for a long time that we've been too physical. I try to slow things down, and I end up feeling really guilty, because he'll bring up my past and the stuff I've done with other guys before. Or, he'll make me feel like I don't like him anymore if I don't do the stuff. I'm not a virgin, but I don't know what I need to do to make him respect me.
A. I met a few 7th grade girls a week ago in DC after one of my talks, and they explained to me that they didn't know hot to say no to a boyfriend. They would do stuff they didn't feel comfortable with to their boyfriends, and even if a dork or a jerk asked them out, they would say “yes.” Then, when they were without a boy, they said they would “be sad and cry and eat ice cream and get overweight.” They asked me what they should do since they were now sad because they weren't dating anyone. In a loving tone, I said, "Get over it. The last thing this world needs is a couple of women who can't stand on their own two feet because they need to cling to a boy to be secure and happy. Don't be pathetic. Cheer up. I mean, do you really want to marry any of these seventh grade guys?” Their response?” “Ewww! Gross!” “Alright” I said, “See, you’ll be okay.” They quickly smiled and ran off without a concern. Now, it's not always that easy, but I think sometimes we need a kick in the butt more than a hug. As for you, I think you could use both.
You deserve so much better than this guy. And you will find someone so much better than this IF, and I repeat IF, you make the wise decision that you are capable of making. You're not his doormat. Sure, you feel close to this guy because of how intimate you've become with him. But it's done. He’ll use you as long as you're available, but you are not his toy. What if you leave him, and then he calls back in a week and says he's had a change of heart, and things will be different? Will you fall for the bait and jump back in? If you want love, you must reject its counterfeits.
You've got to realize that you're trying to save this relationship because you don't want to face the hurt if it fails. It failed when it began, and all that has happened since then is that you're trying to distract yourself from that fact. Accept that you made a big mistake that won't happen again. You're not going to get this guy to love you by being more physical with him.
Be strong. I promise you will not regret it. Will it be tough? Yes. But look at the lives of young women who refuse to be strong. Now is the time to learn the single most important word for finding love . . . NO.
I’d also encourage you to go to confession. You need grace for what you are up against. Ask the Lord to give you a contrite heart. Knowledge of our sins is a gift from the Holy Spirit that we often don't want to receive. Have the courage to ask for it with a Rosary. God has something so much better for you, if you would only let go. (Jeremiah 29:11-14 - read it).
I once read that in order to catch monkeys in Africa, they hollow out a big hard vegetable, and put tinfoil in it through a small hole. The monkey sees the shiny tinfoil, and reaches in to grab it. When he clenches his fist, it is too big to fit out of the hole. He'll pull and pull until he starves to death, or until hunters come and kill him. If he would only let go, he'd be free. But he wants that tinfoil so much that it costs him his life. You get the idea. Let it go, and be assured of my prayers as you do so. I believe in you.
Q&A came from pureloveclub.com
A. I met a few 7th grade girls a week ago in DC after one of my talks, and they explained to me that they didn't know hot to say no to a boyfriend. They would do stuff they didn't feel comfortable with to their boyfriends, and even if a dork or a jerk asked them out, they would say “yes.” Then, when they were without a boy, they said they would “be sad and cry and eat ice cream and get overweight.” They asked me what they should do since they were now sad because they weren't dating anyone. In a loving tone, I said, "Get over it. The last thing this world needs is a couple of women who can't stand on their own two feet because they need to cling to a boy to be secure and happy. Don't be pathetic. Cheer up. I mean, do you really want to marry any of these seventh grade guys?” Their response?” “Ewww! Gross!” “Alright” I said, “See, you’ll be okay.” They quickly smiled and ran off without a concern. Now, it's not always that easy, but I think sometimes we need a kick in the butt more than a hug. As for you, I think you could use both.
You deserve so much better than this guy. And you will find someone so much better than this IF, and I repeat IF, you make the wise decision that you are capable of making. You're not his doormat. Sure, you feel close to this guy because of how intimate you've become with him. But it's done. He’ll use you as long as you're available, but you are not his toy. What if you leave him, and then he calls back in a week and says he's had a change of heart, and things will be different? Will you fall for the bait and jump back in? If you want love, you must reject its counterfeits.
You've got to realize that you're trying to save this relationship because you don't want to face the hurt if it fails. It failed when it began, and all that has happened since then is that you're trying to distract yourself from that fact. Accept that you made a big mistake that won't happen again. You're not going to get this guy to love you by being more physical with him.
Be strong. I promise you will not regret it. Will it be tough? Yes. But look at the lives of young women who refuse to be strong. Now is the time to learn the single most important word for finding love . . . NO.
I’d also encourage you to go to confession. You need grace for what you are up against. Ask the Lord to give you a contrite heart. Knowledge of our sins is a gift from the Holy Spirit that we often don't want to receive. Have the courage to ask for it with a Rosary. God has something so much better for you, if you would only let go. (Jeremiah 29:11-14 - read it).
I once read that in order to catch monkeys in Africa, they hollow out a big hard vegetable, and put tinfoil in it through a small hole. The monkey sees the shiny tinfoil, and reaches in to grab it. When he clenches his fist, it is too big to fit out of the hole. He'll pull and pull until he starves to death, or until hunters come and kill him. If he would only let go, he'd be free. But he wants that tinfoil so much that it costs him his life. You get the idea. Let it go, and be assured of my prayers as you do so. I believe in you.
Q&A came from pureloveclub.com
Saturday, November 8, 2008
A Dose of Vit B16
"We can promote effective solidarity with the poor, the sick, the vulnerable, and all those on the margins of society," he added."These values will strike a chord with all those, especially the young, who are seeking answers to their profound questioning about the meaning and purpose of life," said Benedict XVI. "They will resonate with all who are anxious to discover the truth that is so often obscured by the superficial messages propagated by post-modern society.
"They will appeal to all who are discriminating enough to reject the world-view built upon relativism and secularism, and who aspire instead to live in a manner befitting the true nobility of the human spirit."
- Benedict XVI
NOV. 7, 2008
Weekend Wake Up Call: Today, over 26,500 children died around the world
Friday, November 7, 2008
Are You a Sucking Black Hole or a Shinning Sun?
When we talk about black holes we often think of it as a vacuum in space that sucks everything on its path and destroys them in the process. Some people are like that! Egoistical people are like black holes. Their ego has this insatiable desire to be bloated. It is like a vacuum that it sucks everything it encounters. They will take anything and everything that will inflate their ego even at the cost of destroying a person. “It’s all about me baby!” is their motto.
I often see this in relationships. When one partner is so selfish and egoistical that they want to control the relationship for their own pleasure and in doing so destroys the other individual’s unique character. They make people miserable.
Unlike the black hole which sucks everything to destruction, the sun totally gives itself away. The sun burns itself to shed light to the universe. Soon it will exhaust itself and die.
The sun sacrifices itself to give life to the other planets.
There are people who are like the sun. They bring light and hope to the people they encounter. They are able to break through the clouds of despair and sadness of the people they meet with their kind words and actions. They are selfless people who are not preoccupied with lifting themselves up. They are more focused in making this world a better place even if it is one person at a time. Most important of all they are willing to make sacrifices for love’s sake.
And like the sun, these people stand out and shine in this dark world we live in.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Q. Isn’t using birth control better than having unwanted teen pregnancies and abortions?
A. Look at both of these issues and judge for yourself if contraception is part of the solution or part of the problem.Because of the widespread use of birth control, more people than ever have sex without intending to have children. Sex out of wedlock has become far more common, and more sex means more babies. Some argue that teaching people how to use contraceptives will alleviate the problem. But research shows that “programs in safer sex education and condom distribution have not reduced the out-of-wedlock birth rates among sexually experienced teens. . . .
The fact is, increased condom use by teens is associated with increased out-of-wedlock birth rates.”[1]
A few years ago in Colorado, one school began passing out condoms to the students. Within three years the birth rate rose 31 percent above the national average, and in one school year one hundred births were expected among the twelve hundred students. The administrators were described as “searching for explanations.”[2]
When unwanted pregnancies occur, many turn to abortion as a solution. In fact, studies show that about half of all unintended pregnancies end in abortion.[3] Some argue that increased use of contraception could have lowered these abortion rates. However, the research institute of the nation’s largest abortion provider admits that most women who receive abortions had been using birth control during the month they became pregnant![4] Such couples feel that the “fault” of the pregnancy can be blamed on the failed contraception, but by contracepting they have already set their wills against new life. Since contraception treats pregnancy as if it were a disease, many people conclude that abortion must be the cure.
I once saw a condom advertisement that called pregnancy “the mother of all nightmares.” With this mentality it is no surprise that the sex researcher Alfred Kinsey said, “At the risk of being repetitious, I would remind the group that we have found the highest frequency of induced abortion in the group which, in general, most frequently used contraceptives.”[5] Even a former medical director of Planned Parenthood admitted in 1973, “As people turn to contraception, there will be a rise, not a fall, in the abortion rate.”[6] Fifty million abortions later, no one can dispute his prediction.
Mother Teresa did not need to see the statistics. She was well aware of the connection between contraception and abortion when she said in a speech in the presence of Bill and Hillary Clinton:
The way to plan the family is Natural Family Planning, not contraception. In destroying the power of giving life, through contraception, a husband or wife is doing something to self. This turns the attention to self and so destroys the gift of love in him or her. In loving, the husband and wife must turn the attention to each other. Once that living love is destroyed by contraception, abortion follows very easily.[7]
______________________________
[1]. The Consortium of State Physicians Resource Councils, “New Study Shows Higher Unwed Birthrates Among Sexually Experienced Teens Despite Increased Condom Use” (10 February 1999).
[2]. Jana Mazanee, “Birth Rate Soars at Colorado School,” USA Today, May 19, 1992, 3A.
[3]. Stanley Henshaw, “Unintended Pregnancy in the United States,” Family Planning Perspectives 30:1 (1998): 24–29, 46.
[4]. Rachel Jones, et al., “Contraceptive Use Among U.S. Women Having Abortions in 2000–2001,” Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 34:6 (November/December 2002): 296.
[5]. Mary S. Calderone, ed., Abortion in the United States: A Conference Sponsored by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the New York Academy of Medicine (New York: Harper and Row, 1958), 157.
[6]. Malcolm Potts, Cambridge Evening News, 7 February 1973, as quoted in “The Connection: Abortion, Permissive Sex Instruction, and Family Planning,” Life Research Institute (January 2000).
[7]. Mother Teresa, 5 February 1994, National Prayer Breakfast, Washington, D.C.
Q&A came from Pureloveclub.com
Do You Feel Broken and Useless?
The King of Kings is looking for damage and broken lanterns. He will take all sorts and shapes.
God needs carriers of His love in this dark and cold world we live in. He does not really care if you are broken or not. What He needs is for you to open up your heart and let His love set your heart afire. His light is so powerful that it will consume all your brokenness.
Now the light that God has inflamed in you must now shine on those who are living in darkness. You must be a sign of Love and of Hope to the world. "No one lights a lamp and puts it in a hiding place or under a basket, but on a lamp stand, so that those who enter may see its light. - Luke 11:33
We are all called to be a light to the world. But our light does not come from us, it comes from God alone. We are all too broken to shine by ourselves. Jesus is the only light of the world. They will see the radiance of Jesus in us.
Jesus said this to Mother Teresa: “Come, be my light. Bring me into the dark holes of the poor. Come, carry me, I cannot go alone.”
God needs you!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Abortion Facts
The following is a list of useful abortion statistics as well as some facts on abortifacients. All abortion numbers are derived from pro-abortion sources courtesy of The Alan Guttmacher Institute and Planned Parenthood's Family Planning Perspectives.
Click here for the Guttmacher Institute's latest fact sheet on abortion.
WORLDWIDE
Number of abortions per year: Approximately 42 Million
Number of abortions per day: Approximately 115,000
Where abortions occur:
83% of all abortions are obtained in developing countries and 17% occur in developed countries.
© Copyright 1996-2008, The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (www.agi-usa.org)
UNITED STATES
Number of abortions per year: 1.37 Million (1996)
Number of abortions per day: Approximately 3,700
Who's having abortions (age)?
52% of women obtaining abortions in the U.S. are younger than 25: Women aged 20-24 obtain 32% of all abortions; Teenagers obtain 20% and girls under 15 account for 1.2%.
Who's having abortions (race)?
While white women obtain 60% of all abortions, their abortion rate is well below that of minority women. Black women are more than 3 times as likely as white women to have an abortion, and Hispanic women are roughly 2 times as likely.
Who's having abortions (marital status)?
64.4% of all abortions are performed on never-married women; Married women account for 18.4% of all abortions and divorced women obtain 9.4%.
Who's having abortions (religion)?
Women identifying themselves as Protestants obtain 37.4% of all abortions in the U.S.; Catholic women account for 31.3%, Jewish women account for 1.3%, and women with no religious affiliation obtain 23.7% of all abortions. 18% of all abortions are performed on women who identify themselves as "Born-again/Evangelical".
Who's having abortions (income)?
Women with family incomes less than $15,000 obtain 28.7% of all abortions; Women with family incomes between $15,000 and $29,999 obtain 19.5%; Women with family incomes between $30,000 and $59,999 obtain 38.0%; Women with family incomes over $60,000 obtain 13.8%.
Why women have abortions
1% of all abortions occur because of rape or incest; 6% of abortions occur because of potential health problems regarding either the mother or child, and 93% of all abortions occur for social reasons (i.e. the child is unwanted or inconvenient).
At what gestational ages are abortions performed:
52% of all abortions occur before the 9th week of pregnancy, 25% happen between the 9th & 10th week, 12% happen between the 11th and 12th week, 6% happen between the 13th & 15th week, 4% happen between the 16th & 20th week, and 1% of all abortions (16,450/yr.) happen after the 20th week of pregnancy.
Likelihood of abortion:
An estimated 43% of all women will have at least 1 abortion by the time they are 45 years old. 47% of all abortions are performed on women who have had at least one previous abortion.
Abortion coverage:
48% of all abortion facilities provide services after the 12th week of pregnancy. 9 in 10 managed care plans routinely cover abortion or provide limited coverage. About 14% of all abortions in the United States are paid for with public funds, virtually all of which are state funds. 16 states (CA, CT, HI, ED, IL, MA , MD, MD, MN, MT, NJ, NM, NY, OR, VT, WA and WV) pay for abortions for some poor women.
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