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Freedom denied

MDP of God

When I was a childone of my favorite holidays was the 4th of July

I had been raised- as most of us were to be very patriotic

So on the 4th

we celebrated all that it meant to be an American

We celebrated that we were a free peoplea nation founded on the

proposition that all people are created equal and have the inalienable rights

to life- liberty and the pursuit of happinessRights given to us by God

Almighty Himself

Especially when we compared ourselves to the poor people who lived

under the yoke of communismwho werent free

Or those who lived under some third world tyrant---who werent

free

We were free--weparticipated in parades- we went to see fireworks

and of course we would set off firecrackers

I remember one timewe would light a cigarette and then light our firecrackers

from the cigarette--- that way you didnt have to keep lighting matches

So one time I had the cigarette- and I was lighting a firecrackerbut another

kid came over and was starting to light a firecracker from the cigarette I was

holding--- so I started watching his firecracker to see if it was litand

didnt notice that the firecracker in my hand was lit---

So as Im watching his firecracker--- the one in my hand exploded

That really really really hurtwhen youre dealing with something that can hurt

you should be vigalent

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I wasnt vigilant--- now it could have been worsemuch worse--- if I had a

cherry bomb in my handor an M80 I might be missing part of my hand

today--- I might not have movement in my hand

My friendsI share that story--- because the founders of our nation said that to

maintain freedom we need to be vigilant

And unfortunately as a people we havent been vigilant--- as a people we are

quickly losing our freedom--- As Catholics we have become 2nd

class

citizens

What do I mean by that? Let me give you some examples:

Did you know that there are several states in our country where Catholic Charities

can no longer be involved in foster care and adoption services for children?

Thats because Catholic Charities wont place children in homes with

homosexual couples we wont place children in homes where mixed

gender couples arent married

The Catholic Church who for nearly 2,000 years has been involved in

adoptions and foster care---we cant be involved in those services in what

was once known as the land of the free and home of the brave--- because we

dare not put children in homes to be raised by those living in sin

That cant be tolerated--- how judgmental of the Church so we

are judged unworthy to be involved in those services

For many decades the Catholic Church was involved ministering to the victims of

human trafficking--- as that problem has grown the government has provided

funding--- and Catholic Charities did so much to help the victims of that--- but no

more

Because Catholic agencies will not provide abortion services to victims of

human trafficking--- we can no longer get government funding

These kind of things are happening in Canada too- in Canadathe Knights of

Columbus were sued because they wouldnt rent their hall to a homosexual couple

celebrating their marriagethe Knights were ordered by the court to pay

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damages to the couple and to rent their facilities [the Knights werent free to

uphold our Catholic beliefs]

And of courselast year the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

made a rule under the new health care law--- that all businesses (including Catholic

hospitals, Catholic social service agencies, and Catholic Universities)must pay

for contraceptives- sterilizations--- and abortion inducing drugs

So how many Catholic business people are now in the position of having to

sell or close their businesses--- or be involved in what is mortal sin

Because the fact is my friends if a Catholic business person chooses to go

along if they choose to pay for those things they are guilty of mortal sin

And of courseif we die in the state of mortal sin we go to hell----

thats not much of an option

So the United States government has said to Catholics--- if you are going to

run a big or medium size business in our country you must forfeit your soul

St Paul in our 2nd

reading today speaks about freedom- he said, For freedom

Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

As Catholics were being told we must submit to the yoke of slavery

As Catholics were being told that we are now 2nd class citizenswe are not

free to follow our consciences- we are not free to live by the dictates of our

beliefs--- we will go along or be put out of business --- as Catholic social

service agencies are being cut out of adoption and foster care service--- as

they are no longer welcome to help with ministering to victims of human

trafficking

I sincerely believe--- unless we turn this around--- that I will not in the not

too distant future be considered a criminalwhen I refuse to do homosexual

marriages

We are no longer free----how did we get here?

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Christian values have been under attack for centuries in the western world

but it really didnt start bearing fruit in the United States until about 50 years

ago

At that point atheists and secular humanists would say, You need to be open

minded---as they pushed a moral agenda contrary to the laws of God

They said, you need to be tolerantyou cant force your morality

on us

And of course many of us--- not wanting to cause waveswent along

We were silent when pornography was pushed--- we were silent as the

government started handing out free contraceptives--- many Catholics

have been complicit in the abortion holocaust---because of course we

cant force our morality on other people

But have you noticed --- they have no problem forcing their immorality on us?

They have no problem saying to Catholic business people--- you will pay for

things that make you complicit in mortal sinor well put you out of

business

They have no problem saying to Catholic agencies --- if you dont go along

with the homosexual agenda- if you dont go along with the abortion

agenda---you cant be involved in the adoption and foster care- you cant be

an agent for the victims of human trafficking

Weve been beaten over the head with you cant force your morality on us but

the fact of the matter is---all law enshrines someones morality

The question we need to ask is this--- are we going to be ruled by the

morality based on the wisdom of God--- or are we going to be ruled by the

wisdom of the world --- that the bible tells us is foolishness to God?

And we are as a peoplepeople so incredibly foolish

My friendsback during the cold war---the leader of the Soviet Union Joseph

Stalin referred to people in the west who made excuses for communismhe called

them useful idiots

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You need to knowthat many of the secular progressives many atheists

have become useful idiots for Satan--- as they push his agenda

And sadly many Catholics and other Christians have been complicit in

going along with Satans agenda [Because we cant force our morality on

other people]

The fact is--- if we have faith we know its not your morality or my morality---

we hold Gods morality

Jesus chastised the Pharisees who nullified Gods Word with their human

traditions--- well folks one of the deadliest human traditions today is that we

make our laws, not based on the Wisdom of Godbut on the wisdom of the

world

The secular progressives and atheistsare making hell on earthas they

promote Satans agenda--- as they allow themselves to be Satans useful

idiots

My friendsI know sometimes I sound like a broken record--- but we are

forfeiting our freedom

As weve put our heads in the sand and let the secular progressives push

Satans agendalook whats happened

In the 1960s they were going to solve the problem of out of wedlock births--- so

our government started passing out contraceptives to teenagers and others

They solved that problem so well that they took us from 5% out of wedlock

births--- to 42% of out of wedlock births---and those numbers reflect real

people

Think of the women who werent able to realize their dreamsthink of the

children growing up without fathers--- think of the young people without

fathers who join gangs and the violence that entails--- who end up in prison

Think of the people who are victims of crime from children who grew

up without dads

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Folkswere talking real people real pain real brokenness---real

heartache--- all of which was so avoidable, if we had based our

policies and laws on the Wisdom of God

Think of the sewer your kids and grandkids are growing up in

Because of the contraceptive mentalitycoupled with the abortion mentality

and pornography--- many of our girls feel all that matters is their bodies

Many dress very immodestlymany girls have become bulimic and

anorexic---many girls feel that if they are to have a boyfriends they have to

allow themselves to be used by guys

In a Christian culture men were protectors of women--- in our culturemen have

become exploiters of women

Many of our young men dont strive for nobilitymany of them prey on

women exploit women lie to women----because theyve been told that

real men sleep arounda real man has many conquests

Many of our young men have bought into Satans agendawhy?

Because Catholics have failed to stand up for Gods agenda

As a result---we are no longer free

Catholics have become 2nd

class citizens

We have forfeited our right to a wholesome cultureas Satans useful

idiots continue to promote a morality that is condemned by God

And folksthe consequences arent just the sewer we find ourselves swimming in

now--- the consequences will be eternal for many

The secular progressives are trying to lead more and more people to adopt a

homosexual lifestyle--- well a homosexual lifestyle is mortal sin--- and

unless repented of--- will lead people to hell

Living together outside of marriage is mortal sinsex outside of marriage

and adultery are mortal sin--- but many think nothing of it

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But it is a slap in the face to God- a rejection of His Wisdomand

will lead many away from heaven

Abortionwhich has become the highest sacrament of secular progressives-

-- it is in their minds the ultimate of freedom and womens liberationwell

folks its murder--- and murderers unless they repent go to hell

And dont get me wrongthere are many men and women who have been

involved in abortion who have repented who have been forgiven who have been

received Gods mercy--- and I have no intention of trying to lay more guilt on them

I dont fear for their salvation at all

But the ones who keep voting for the promoters of abortion--- I very much

worry about their salvation---they have sentenced millions of children to

death and millions of women to a life of heartache and pain and regret

So what do we do?- As tempting as it is--- we shouldnt be like James and John in

todays gospel who wanted to call down fire from heaven on those who were not

willing to welcome Jesusit is tempting to do just that

In the story about the firecracker I began with I was hurt because I wasnt

vigilant---we need to be vigilantwe need to wake up

We need first of all to pray---pray that we have the courage to give witness

to the truth of the gospeland it takes courage because we Christians are

very much ridiculed today

Pray that well have the wisdom to hold fast to the truth of God

Pray that well be able to speak intelligently to others and challenge

the nonsense that is being promoted in our culture

Pray for those who have been Satans useful idiots that theyll open

their eyes to the hell they are creating

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We also need to study---the secular progressives have ignored the incredible good

Christianity in general and the Catholic Church in particular have done for our

world--- we need to make ourselves aware of that so we can againspeak

intelligently to others about it

We need to be vigilant--- because as we sat back and remained silent---

Satans agenda has made great headway --- and as a result many people are

being incredibly hurtas a result we are in many ways no longer a free

people

Lets pray lets study lets stand for the Wisdom of our God