It’s getting pretty close to it, according to this American TFP report about a “gay rights” law that will punish anybody who shows disapproval or criticism of homosexual behavior, including public acts of obscenity. From what I have heard, it sounds like under this law, gay rights will supercede all other rights and freedoms of Brazilian citizens, including religious freedoms. If this law is passed, there could be lots of Catholics spending several years in prison just for expressing and practicing their faith.
This gay agenda is not about gay people being treated with equality and dignity. This is about gay people being placed above all others, becoming “more equal” than everybody else. So I don’t think the term “gay dictatorship” is actually much of an exaggeration, although I’m sure that many of the people involved are not necessarily gay themselves… and I certainly don’t lump all homosexually-inclined people in with gay people. The fact remains, regardless of who is involved, gay people are being elevated in a very arbitrary and menacing way; elevating any group of people in such a way can only amount to tyranny in a society.
For the record, lest I be considered any kind of bigot, I have actively gay friends whom I love, respect, care for, and pray for. I don’t know all the details of their personal lives, but I think it’s understood by all that they engage in some behaviors that I, as a practicing Catholic, cannot approve of. But I don’t hate them for being gay, and they don’t hate me for being Catholic. I would never want to see them punished as criminals for being gay, and they would not want to see me punished as a criminal for being Catholic–the days of either of those being acceptable should remain in the past.
Alas, our “modern,” “civilized,” and “progressive” world never fails to astonish me in its alacrity and proficiency for digging up rotten old things and usually having the absolute gall to claim that they have discovered something really new and spectacular.
I really don’t know why I should be astonished, of course. I imagine that in most times and places, the world has been far more likely to be anti-Catholic than not. It’s that whole thing Jesus said about the servants not being greater than their Master. I shouldn’t be surprised, nor should I complain or worry. I am blessed to know that suffering unites me with my beloved Lord. I think Catholics have a special understanding and knowledge where suffering is concerned… a special relationship with Christ Crucified that even other Christians often lack. It’s not that Catholics are especially morbid or masochistic or anything… it’s just that our love for life does not deter us from death (to borrow a phrase from Rev. 12:11). You might say we love life so much that we’re willing to put ourselves on the line for the sake of life–the life of the whole world. Just like the Lord Jesus did.
Nevertheless… that the largest predominantly Catholic nation in the world should come to this horrible place is so unjust and unexpected that I can’t feel anything but sorrow and disbelief. I pray that this tyrannical law may still be overturned! And I pray for our brothers and sisters in Brazil! May the Lord bless them and be with them and sustain them no matter what happens. May those seeking to uphold this evil agenda turn back to their true Lord, repent, and flee into His open arms. And may the rest of the world pay very close attention.
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July 26, 2008 at 7:26 am
Thomas
I think catholics around the world are not using their intellect in choosing the right leaders, especially in the west. Whichever nation is their in the west, once new governments come to rule, it seems to be a common thing to pass rules, that definitely arent Catholic friendly, and the catholics seems to have no issues with that. There are 1 billion catholics around the world, but not a protest if any any injustice happens against catholics. No one to stand with courage, if anything anti-catholic or anti-religious is being said. Hightime, the so-called modern, educated, sensible and what not-westerners, who equates democracy with individual pleasure-seeking and permissiveness, learn from their other religious counterparts in the middle-east, and asia, how they are able to protect their culture, and also be in the path of development, without compromising on there religious and moral ethics. O West, learn from your mistakes otherwise, Western civilization will come to be only a thing, that is taught in text-books, like dinosaurs.
“Civilization begins with order, grows with liberty, and dies with chaos” - Will Durant
And this order, Europe had in the form of various churches. Now the same Europe wants to denounce those churches, which was the original cause of most of there prosperity. There could be many exceptions and omissions from the church, but for anyone who has learned history, it is not difficult to find that Europearn progress as a World civilization, was coupled and synergestic with the growth of the Church. Now Europe has become self-sufficient, after growing with the church for 2000 years. And the “elite & intelligent” Europeans think, Secualrism and not religion is what they want. Hope they learn soon, so that we do not have more dinosaurs.
July 26, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Practicing Catholic
Thomas: Thanks for your comments.
I can assure you that there are plenty of genuine modern, educated, sensible westerners… we’re the ones who do not equate democracy with pleasure-seeking and permissiveness. We’re the ones who have not divorced ourselves from our own cultural roots. It seems we are in the minority at the moment. But I’m not too worried about us going the way of the dinosaur.
I think that, especially for Catholic Americans, the current situation has largely come from the 1960s, when both the Church and society at large were in turmoil. Around the same time, American politics became separated from religion. John F. Kennedy vowed that his Catholicism would not impact the way he ran the country. That sent a very bad message to Catholic Americans–that they should not let their religious beliefs guide how they vote. Unfortunately, there are still lots of Catholics (including politicians) who do not vote according to their religious beliefs. And unfortunately, there is still lots of confusion and dissent within the Catholic Church. So you’re right that not enough Catholics are working to elect good leaders. But there are more and more of us who are refusing to accept that division between faith and politics.
There are lots of good Catholics in this country, many of whom are reverts to the faith like myself. We were indoctrinated with the errors of secularism and religious dissent from childhood, and many of us either left our faith or else became indifferent to it. But then we came to realize the errors and cruelties of the world and have returned to our faith and become much stronger Catholics than we would have been otherwise. So even secularism has a way of bringing people back to the Church. Eventually, I think this will happen on a much larger scale throughout western society. It will largely just be a matter of time–new generations replacing old generations.
I’m afraid that things may get much worse before they get better. Some people in our society are so complacent that it will take very harsh realities to wake them up. I think those harsh realities are upon us. Unfortunately, it may be the good westerners who bear the brunt of the misfortunes, suffering persecutions. But if it brings people to their senses, then so be it. As I said in my post, most Catholics are not afraid of suffering–we’re more worried about the weaker people in our society–those who don’t have our faith to support them.
I think Europe’s salvation will begin when Great Britain re-converts to Catholicism. I see that as a real possibility–there are some incredible Catholics in Britain, and I think they have what it takes to bring their country back around, especially now that the Anglican church is in such decay. I also think some Europeans are finally starting to feel uneasy about the large Muslim presence in Europe, and they don’t trust secularism to protect them. Even secularists, whether they like it or not, know that the Catholic Church is still the most powerful institution in Europe. I think that eventually, all Christians will unite themselves more closely to the Catholic Church, and many secularists will return to the Church, or at least show greater support for it. Again, bad things may have to happen to wake people up, but in the end, the west will survive.
That doesn’t mean I don’t worry… I’m still a weak human myself! But my faith has taught me how the story ends. Not even the gates of Hell will triumph over the Church. Western secularism won’t triumph either, nor will dissenters within the Church.
August 2, 2008 at 2:39 pm
News that you might be able to use 8/2 « The Church of Jesus Christ
[...] Here is a blog detailing some of the issues that will derive from Brazil’s new anti-religious law concerning homosexuals. [...]