Apparently, even cold weather is a sign of global warming

The folks pushing the climate change ideology have gone from desperate to outright ridiculous.  After the incalculable damage done to their credibility by ClimateGate, now we have this claim:  "Report:  Harsh winter a sign of climate change" (see picture).

This report cited in the article comes from that great bastion of scientific analysis called the National Wildlife Federation (cue the sarcastic laughter). 

If you've been following the climate change debate, you've realized by now that any weather development is "evidence" of global warming.

If it's hot, you obviously blame it on global warming.
If it's cold and snowy, it's also global warming.
If it's wet or dry, blame global warming.
Heck, I've even seen some people try to blame the tsunami and earthquakes on global warming.

We all know people who cling irrationally to unprovable theories and who interpret any new evidence as a confirmation of their view.  It's called paranoia.  It's also called conspiracy theory.  You can't reason with such folks.  If you try, they cut you out of their "peer reviewed" journals and they fudge their numbers to try and prove you wrong.

I'm not surprised that radicalized environmental groups pursue this road, but it annoys me when the main stream media swallows the bait, hook, line and sinker.  The article featured in this picture is from MS-NBC.  The report was also featured in the Washington Post.  Goes to show that you really can't trust the main stream media anymore.

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Bribing the Taliban to stop: has it really come to this?

News flash from Roubini Global Economics:

New Afghan Plan: Financial Incentives to Give up Arms?

• At the London Conference on Afghanistan co-hosted by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, it was decided that a fund would be set up to provide employment and housing to Taliban fighters that give up the fight. Conference participants are expected to pledge about US$500 million for the fund.

We're gonna bribe them so they stop fighting?

Um, er... I'm not sure what to say.  It would be great if it works.  But I think this proposal reflects a serious misunderstanding of who the Taliban fighters are.  Part of their zeal in this battle is their utter disdain for the West and its materialist/capitalist ways.  The notion that cash will make them lay down their weapons seems absurd.  It will only serve to reinforce their notion that Westerners worship money and are willing to abandon any cause to acquire more money.  It's like trying to make amends with your vegetarian wife by inviting her to dinner at Al's Steakhouse. 

Besides, don't you think that anybody that accepts this offer will be considered a traitor in the eyes of the Taliban?  How long do you think traitors will survive?  I think the odds are pretty good that they would be killed and subsequently blown up (just to be doubly sure).

This plan is unfortunately doomed to fail.  The Taliban will probably spit on the letter of offer.

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That grudge is killing you

Grudges are a strange thing.  It goes by many names:  bitterness, vendetta, rancour, resentment.  But it all boils down to the same thing.

We don't always seek them intentionally.  Sometimes they just "happen", sort of a defense mechanism after someone has hurt us badly.

What most people don't realize, however, is that the grudge you are holding is damaging you, not the person that hurt you.  The anger and resentment eats away at you and doesn't let you have peace or move on.

Letting go of that resentment is not a sign of weakness.  It doesn't expose

You have the power

The First Reading from today's Mass is from 2 Tim 1:1-8.  Here's a poignant passage:

For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.  Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God.

Don't underestimate the magnitude of what God can accomplish through you.  

Always remember the infinite power of the One who "has your back" and who will carry you through every trial and challenge.  The God who made the billions of galaxies can certainly grant you success in your undertakings for His Church.

The power of the Holy Spirit has been given to you.  It's there for the taking.  Will you claim it?  If you were given a cheque worth one billion dollars, would you cash it?  Or would you stick it in a drawer?

Rise up and claim what is yours!  Do something bold.  Get creative.  Take a risk.  Try something new.  God is with you.  Do not be afraid.  Do not be bashful in what you ask of God.  If you ask for little, you will get little.  

Stop complaining about the problems you see and start fixing them in whatever way you can.  

Make something happen.

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Calgary church loses charitable status for its "non-partisan political activities"

A Calgary church has lost its charitable status in part because it spends too much of its time advocating on social issues such as abortion and marriage.

In October, the Kings Glory Fellowship Association, a non-denominational Protestant group, was told by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) that for several reasons, including a lack of clarity on how it spends it money, they could no longer issue charitable receipts.

But the letter highlighted that the group spent more than 10% of its time on “non-partisan political activities and therefore strayed into activities “outside its stated purpose.” (Source)

God bless those folks for their dedication to proclaiming the Truth.  It's also nice to hear that Bishop Fred Henry came to the defense of this church. You

A second D&P partner supports new abortion policy in Brazil

A few days ago, I reported that one of Development and Peace's (D&P) partners in Brazil had publicly endorsed the government's proposed policy that would make abortion a human right and would greatly advance the homosexualist agenda. They also publicly rebuked the Brazilian Catholic Church for requesting amendments to this policy.  Read about it here.

I've now learned that a second D&P partner in Brazil called Movimento de Mulheres Camponesas (MMC) has also publicly and unconditionally endorsed this policy.  Their article entitled "Who's afraid of human rights?" supports the complete and integral implementation of the policy, which has been widely criticized by the Catholic Church in Brazil.  The article also makes a veiled rebuke of the Catholic Church by criticizing "conservative sectors" of society that have made "unfounded criticisms" of the policy.  You can read MMC's article in Portuguese here.

So we now have two partners of Development and Peace that are supporting a pro-abortion and pro-homosexual policy while publicly rebuking the Brazilian Catholic Church.

This is crunch time for the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB).  As we are now witnessing, the D&P scandal is not some abstract or theoretical debate.  D&P's partners are contributing to the imminent legalization of abortion in Brazil.  We are witnessing this process live, right before our eyes.  This will have real and bloody consequences for Brazilians and their unborn babies very, very soon.

Are there any bishops in Canada that give a damn?  How can they sleep at night knowing that they will have been complicit in legalizing abortion in the world's largest Catholic country?  Is there any bishop left who will rise up and defend the unborn?

Your Graces, I'm sure you have many excuses for your inaction.  

Maybe you think that you did your part when you wrote some pastoral letter or gave a homily on abortion a few years ago.  Unfortunately, that's not even close to being enough.  It's relatively easy to write a beautiful letter and post it on your diocesan website where nobody will read it. 

Or perhaps you think that one man acting alone cannot make a difference when the majority of bishops are supportive of Development and Peace. 

Or maybe you think that it wouldn't look good to break ranks with your brother bishops, as if the image of unity projected by the CCCB supersedes the Truth of the Gospel.  Do you think that it's more important to exhibit a common front than to prevent the slaughter of thousands of innocent babes?  Do you think your distorted notion of episcopal solidarity excuses you from fulfilling the obligations of your sacred office?

I'm sure you have no shortage of rationalizations to justify your inaction.  But they all boil down to cowardice or ignorance of what God is really expecting from you.  How can you possibly claim to be pro-life when with one hand you're writing a letter against abortion but with the other hand you writing cheques to advance abortion in the Global South?

I understand that it's not easy to fight against the establishment.  It's much easier to keep quiet on watch the hockey game on Saturday night.  But don't forget that you were given a special grace from the Holy Spirit when you were elevated to the rank of bishop.  You've been endowed with the same gift of the Spirit that was granted to the Apostles.  You are capable of breaking the code of silence being imposed by corrupt bishops.  God has given you all the graces you need.  It's up to you to muster enough testosterone to take a stand. 


If you fulfill your duty, you will find that God will support you and give you strength and consolation.  You'll also find that many Catholics will rally behind you.  We will love you for your courageous stand.  We will support you in whatever means you request -- publicly or privately, through prayer or through works, financially or otherwise -- in order to bring change to D&P.  We will be humble and loving servants at your disposal, eager to lend a hand.  You won't be alone.

So what will it be?  On the day of your death, what will you say to Almighty God while He is surrounded by the souls of the aborted babies who never had a chance to live because of D&P?



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I invite all readers to join me in a prayer for bishops:

Heavenly Father,
In these difficult times when the spirit of the age threatens Christian values, grant to all bishops holiness of life
and wisdom to proclaim the Gospel with faithfulness, boldness and charity, so that humanity may grow closer to You.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

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