HAPPY EQUAL PAY DAY! Ashe Schow writes in The Washington Examiner:

When it’s pointed out that the gap [in pay of men and women] is due to women choosing different occupations, majors and number of hours worked, activists leap to a new argument, bizarrely claiming that women’s choices aren’t really their own. They try to explain that the reason nine of the top 10 highest paying fields are dominated by men and nine of the top 10 lowest paying fields are dominated by women is due to societal pressure — that women somehow aren’t responsible for their own decisions. Read More »

ELLEN BROWN looks at the push to go cashless. As much else in a monetary system under centralized control by private banks, it is not to the benefit of the general public.

Bathsheba, Willem Drost (1654). [detail]

REMEMBER King David? I know it was long ago, in different “cultural categories,” but remember how he spied the beautiful Bathsheba at her bath, as told in 2 Samuel, and how he was overcome by lust? He called the beautiful bather to his quarters. He made love to a married woman. She became pregnant and David wished to conceal his transgression.

David then conspired to send Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, to the front lines, where he was killed in battle with the Ammonites. He took Bathsheba as his wife. So he was not only guilty of adultery, he was guilty of murder.

However, David was given the chance to repent.

There is the immortal scene in which the prophet Nathan visits the king and, by way of a parable, tells him what he has done and reproves him for his grave offense against divine law:

And the Lord sent Nathan to David: and when he was come to him, he said to him: There were two men in one city, the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many sheep and oxen. But the poor man had nothing at all but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up, and which had grown up in his house together with his children, eating of his bread, and drinking of his cup, and sleeping in his bosom: and it was unto him as a daughter. And when a certain stranger was come to the rich man, he spared to take of his own sheep and oxen, to make a feast for that stranger, who was come to him, but took the poor man’ s ewe, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. [2 Samuel 1-5] Read More »

I PUT off the unpleasant task of delving into the dirty details of Jorge the Joyful’s manifesto on the family, Amoris Laetitia. (It is not, by the way, an “apostolic exhortation.” It is an anti-apostolic exhortation.)

Let me begin.

Jorge has made one of the most blatant endorsements of feminism offered by any of the Vatican II antipopes — and that’s saying a lot given John Paul II’s enthusiasm for UN-style, One World feminism:

[54] There are those who believe that many of today’s problems have arisen because of feminine emancipation. This argument, however, is not valid, “it is false, untrue, a form of male chauvinism”. The equal dignity of men and women makes us rejoice to see old forms of discrimination disappear, and within families there is a growing reciprocity. If certain forms of feminism have arisen which we must consider inadequate, we must nonetheless see in the women’s movement the working of the Spirit for a clearer recognition of the dignity and rights of women. [Amoris Laetitia]

There is not much waffling here, though Jorge the Joyful does leave an escape hatch when he speaks of “certain forms of feminism” that are “inadequate” (not bad but inadequate). Feminism — with its tidal wave of female-initiated divorce, abortion, child abandonment and other forms of social breakdown —  is cause for, you got it, joy. It “makes us rejoice.” [You might need a few anti-nausea tablets in reading this document.]

True popes rejected the anti-Christian cult that is feminism and fought against it by affirming what Jewish conquerors and other Marxist enemies of social order have always hated: the immense moral power of the keeper of the home. Pope Pius XII stated that mothers were responsible for the moral training of their children through adolescence and exhorted women to honor their traditional responsibilities:

You see, o wifes, to what an extent you are responsible for the harmony and happiness of the home. Just as it is the duty of your husband to work to provide the necessities for the home, it is your duty by your wisdom to ensure its proper well-being and to procure the undisturbed serenity of your common life. This is not only an office given you by nature, but a duty of Christian virtue, by the acts and merits of which you grow in the love and grace of God.

But that’s not all from the mouth of the Argentine Bomber. Jorge also rejects St. Paul:

[105] Every form of sexual submission must be clearly rejected. This includes all improper interpretations of the passage in the Letter to the Ephesians where Paul tells women to “be subject to your husbands” (Eph 5:22). This passage mirrors the cultural categories of the time, but our concern is not with its cultural matrix but with the revealed message that it conveys… Paul goes on to say that “husbands should love their wives as their own bodies” (Eph 5:28). The biblical text is actually concerned with encouraging everyone to overcome a complacent individualism and to be constantly mindful of others: “Be subject to one another” (Eph 5:21). In marriage, this reciprocal “submission” takes on a special meaning, and is seen as a freely chosen mutual belonging marked by fidelity, respect and care.

“The biblical text is actually concerned with encouraging everyone to overcome complacent individualism and to be constantly mindful of others.”

Then why didn’t Paul say “be mindful of each other?” Huh, you venomous snake?

No, the “cultural categories” Paul lived within are similar to the cultural categories in which we live. They both occur within the context of human nature and the Fall of Man. God himself decreed that he had created woman as the helpmate to man. He did not create Adam and Eve at the same time. He created Adam first. [And the evolutionary Darwinian scheme that somehow man and woman “evolved” separately  is biologically impossible. Two organisms possessing complementary anatomical features, which have no independent purpose, cannot develop separately?]

And the Lord God said: It is not good for man to be alone: let us make him a help like unto himself. [Genesis 2:18]

And when Eve forgot this sacred law, she ran into problems right from the get-go in the garden.

While it is true that womanly submission is complicated affair, not the same as the submission of a child to a parent or the submission of a servant to a master, it is still submission.

Jorge’s statements add to the mountain of heresies this impostor has uttered. He has created a veritable Mount Vesuvius of heresies — and you don’t have to be a theologian to see this mountain for what it is.

TOMORROW is “Equal Pay Day,” the annual event celebrating feminist lies about wage differences between men and women.

Equal Pay Day is an embarrassment to women everywhere.

Equal Pay Day is an offense to the intelligence. Only those with limited practical experience or the inability to reason would come to the conclusion that the reason why women in general earn less money than men is prejudice against them.

Equal Pay Day should be rejected and mocked by women everywhere.

Leaving aside the fact that women’s employment tends to be interrupted more often and that women are (and should be) less ambitious, one obvious reason why women in general are paid less is that they work in less dangerous occupations.

It is not fair — not fair at all — that more men are killed on the job. Is this disparity the subject of national campaigns? No, it is not. Highlighting the greater deaths of men does not further the war against human freedom and social order, so it is not a banner waved by feminists.

Mark Perry from the American Enterprise Institute writes:

Every year the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) publicizes its “Equal Pay Day” to bring public attention to the gender pay gap. According to the NCPE, “Equal Pay Day” will fall this year on April 12, and allegedly represents how far into 2016 women will have to continue working to earn the same income that the men earned last year, supposedly for doing the same job. Inspired by Equal Pay Day, I introduced “Equal Occupational Fatality Day” in 2010 to bring public attention to the huge gender disparity in work-related deaths every year in the United States. “Equal Occupational Fatality Day” tells us how many years into the future women will be able to continue to work before they will experience the same number of occupational fatalities that occurred for men in the previous year. Read More »

THE globalist feminist mafia met at the Women in the World Summit in New York this week to promote Female Self-Intoxication Syndrome, as if that artificially-induced disorder which warps feminine instincts and enables corporate, financial and political criminals to rule the world without much backlash is in need of promotion. Remarkably some people still believe feminism is anti-establishment. It’s a pretty transparent sales pitch. By constantly telling women everything they do is right and worthy of praise, celebrity feminists give ordinary women the confidence to ape masculine aggression, betray their loyalties and wage war against the men who are their natural allies. Women in the World is sponsored by Toyota, Coca Cola, Walmart and other major corporations.  Capitalism, like Communism, thrives on autonomy and female disempowerment.

Meanwhile, The Thinking Housewife has no corporate sponsors at all.

IT’S CALLED “Genetic Sexual Attraction.”

THERE are awards for actors and there are awards for “crisis actors,” (a euphemism for criminal liars.) This year’s nominees for the National Hoax Awards will undoubtedly include Brussels actor Emily Eisenman, who smiled with that unmistakably goofy, crisis-actor grin when discussing her “boyfriend” who went missing after the Brussels event.

[This entry has been updated. You may need to refresh your browser.]

THE MOST important thing to bear in mind when considering Amoris Laetitia, the “apostolic exhortation” from “Pope” Francis on marriage and family, aside from the fact that Francis does not possess the authority to guide Catholics given that he himself rejects certain Catholic dogmas, is the context. We live in an age of moral relativism. That is the context. The last thing people need to be told today is that everyone’s situation is different, that ethics are ambiguous. Everyone knows that. What everyone does not know, what most people do not know, is that ethics are not situated primarily within the purely human realm but within the mystical connection between God and man. Jorge adds fuel to the already raging inferno of naturalistic moral relativism — and worse. He has, as was widely anticipated through the charade of a democratic process, opened the door to reception of the sacraments to those who are living in objective sin. He does it through the modernist’s trump card: the theological loophole, which is a perversion of the compassion due to individuals in a variety of difficult circumstances. God loves the repentant sinner. Jorge loves the unrepentant sinner.

The home-wrecking pseudo-pontiff once again attacks Holy Church in his diabolically crafty, lovespeak way, accusing those who have upheld and taught the moral law — and who thereby protect the young and rejected spouses — of throwing stones at people’s lives and possessing a “closed heart.” From his exhortation:

305. For this reason, a pastor cannot feel that it is enough simply to apply moral laws to those living in “irregular” situations, as if they were stones to throw at people’s lives. This would bespeak the closed heart of one used to hiding behind the Church’s teachings, “sitting on the chair of Moses and judging at times with superiority and superficiality difficult cases and wounded families”.349 Along these same lines, the International Theological Commission has noted that “natural law could not be presented as an already established set of rules that impose themselves a priori on the moral subject; rather, it is a source of objective inspiration for the deeply personal process of making decisions”.350 Because of forms of conditioning and mitigating factors, it is possible that in an objective situation of sin – which may not be subjectively culpable, or fully such – a person can be living in God’s grace, can love and can also grow in the life of grace and charity, while receiving the Church’s help to this end.351 Discernment must help to find possible ways of responding to God and growing in the midst of limits. By thinking that everything is black and white, we sometimes close off the way of grace and of growth, and discourage paths of sanctification which give glory to God. Let us remember that “a small step, in the midst of great human limitations, can be more pleasing to God than a life which appears outwardly in order, but moves through the day without confronting great difficulties”.352 The practical pastoral care of ministers and of communities must not fail to embrace this reality.

God, according to Joyful Theology, has thrown stones at people: “Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery?”

Joyful Theology is a condemnation of the Church’s perennial teaching and its inherent justice toward the vulnerable. Jorge doesn’t give a flying fig for the welfare of children whose lives have been torn asunder by divorce and “cohabitation.”

Rorate Caeli writes:

Though released only this morning, Catholic observers and commentators have already begun to identify several objectionable passages in which the doctrine and discipline of the Church’s Faith is elided, wrested, and contradicted. We at Rorate Caeli will have more to say on this subject, but we can affirm that the headline of Maike Hickson’s commentary at OnePeterFive is correct: “Pope Francis Departs from Church Teaching in New Exhortation.”  Also correct is Voice of the Family’s observation, “There are many passages that faithfully reflect Catholic teaching but this cannot, and does not, lessen the gravity of those passages which undermine the teaching and practice of the Catholic Church.”

Do read Hickson’s comments, and when you have time, visit Canonist Edward Peters’ weblog and read his “First thoughts on the English version of Pope Francis’ Amoris laetitia.”  His criticisms isolate what are probably the worst aspects of the pope’s exhortation (there are many others that are also very bad), and the criticisms are charitably presented — to my mind charitably to a fault.  Here is the core of Peters’ critique (emphasis added) ..

The Catholic Church has always shown mercy toward men and women with serious marital discord. But the mercy has been tempered by justice and reverence. Joyful Jorge doesn’t like that. There’s not enough joy in limits.  Amoris Laetitia marginalizes the important roles of justice and reverence due to God alone.

Robert Royal writes:

Amoris Laetitia hopes to resolve the situations of many in the modern world, but is far more likely only to add further fuel to the holocaust. It doesn’t take a crystal ball to predict that once Communion can be taken by the divorced/remarried in some circumstances, it will soon be assumed licit by all. And – why not? – by people in gay relationships, who probably have an equally good claim to mitigating circumstances.

I have not had the chance to read through the whole text yet or comb through the best analysis out there yet as I have unfortunately not been able to do much blogging this week because of pressing obligations at home, but here is some initial commentary from the blogger Mundabor, who sadly believes that a pope can be a heretic: Read More »

Stephenson & Churchill, “Medical Botany”: 1834-1836.

FRAGRANT, various, delicious, fascinating, beautiful — the plants classified as herbs due to their medicinal, ornamental and culinary uses are also great companions. Though they are famous for their medicinal powers, I appreciate herbs mostly for aesthetic and mystical reasons. I watch them grow, take in their scents, eat them and marvel at their beauty in an unscientific and often impractical way. I am not a horticulturalist or certified botanist, but I am an admirer of horticulturalists and certified botanists. I wish I knew what they know. I am not an expert on herbs, but an admirer of experts on herbs. How do they get to be so smart? I refer to them and my own limited experience in the garden for the knowledge I have of these famously interesting plants, which some say are so powerful they can alter your personality, at least for a time.

Rue (ruta graveolens) is one of my favorite herbs. With interesting blueish-gray-green, lacey leaves and miniature, star-like yellow flowers, common rue, also known as herb-of-grace, can grow quickly into a small bush-like plant about three feet tall. Some people probably find it unmanageable, but its wild look and quick growth provide stems that are beautiful in a vase all summer long. Although it has been used in the kitchen, its bitter taste is supposedly not appealing. Truthfully I have never tasted it and some say it should not be eaten, especially by pregnant women or in large quantities. It is a component of the Ethiopian spice mixture berbere and is used sparingly in salads and egg dishes in Mediterranean cooking. Read More »

A REPORTER from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was kind enough to inform me that I had confused the city of Allentown, Pa. with the Pittsburgh area neighborhood of Allentown in a post about the closure of St. John Vianney Church. While I stand by my basic point that changing demographics, caused by mass immigration (Hispanics are not keeping those historic Catholic churches alive) and the sidelining of Catholic doctrine on contraception, have led to the closure of many churches (one in four in Chicago churches are in danger of shutting down), this was a serious error and I have removed the post.

I have been hard-pressed this week due to other pressing obligations. Still that’s no excuse! Read More »

Eve Longoria and her live-in “fiancè” Jose Antonio Baston pray with pseudo-papal pop star

CALL ME JORGE imagines “Pope” Francis’s recent encounter with TV actress Eva Longoria:

“Eva, you are so beautiful.  I’m glad to meet your newest fiance Jose Antonio Baston whom you are co-habitating with.  It’s nice you found love again after your Catholic marriages to Tyler Christopher and Tony Parker didn’t work out.  Pray for me and pray that on April 8th, 2016 when I publish my Apostolic Exhortation — Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) you will be able to receive communion again.  Mercy, joy, blah, blah, blah…  I’m a big fan of all the work you do in North America promoting illegal immigration and the rights of illegal immigrants!  By the way Eva, that’s a nice red kabbalah bracelet.  Let me show you mine.  Rabbi Skorka made it for me and I use it to ward away Rosary-counters!”

QUOTES from Jewish authors, religious leaders, scientists and academics on “diversity.” (Courtesy of Henry Makow.)

A COUPLE of readers take exception to a benign view of the ’60s TV sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies. One suggests it includes Masonic signs. And the reader Paul A. writes:

A review of the first episode shows that the first jokes are about Ellie-May: Her lack of femininity and her abundant breasts. Ellie-May has not even been on stage yet, but we are set up for her two-dimensional personality, which perdures for the whole series, in three jokes. She is a sexy, powerful, young woman, who can out do any male in physical pursuits. Much like modern feminism, with the difference that modern feminism has cast aside any aspiration to retaining sexiness or youth. Read More »

THE SAKER decries the end of Europe as he knew it:

So my Europe was stolen from me not once, but twice and while I weep over the Europe of my youth, I absolutely loathe the Europe of the European Union.  Every time I see Hollande, Stoltenberg or Tusk, my stomach turns and I feel like cursing.  They make me absolutely sick.  I hate the Europe of Charlie Hebdo, of BHL, of Harlem Desir, the Europe of Conchita Wurst or of Dalia Grybauskaitė (there goes a typical European name, right?).

London now looks like Karachi, Paris like Ouagadougou, Rome like Târgu Mures.  This is absolutely disgusting, revolting and suicidal.  To say so has absolutely nothing to do with racism and only a person totally devoid from any real cultural roots can misinterpret the horror of those who see their cities and cultural roots being smashed by waves of non-integratable immigrants as a form of racism.  You don’t believe me?

Let me tell you this: in France there are a lot of Maghrebians who are now horrified to see their (usually poor) neighborhood being literally run over by Romanian Gypsies while in Switzerland you have more or less integrated ex-Yugoslavs who now watch in horror as their putatively “fellow” ex-Yugoslavs run the cocaine business.  How many Swiss citizens do you think you would fine in a Swiss jail?   Nobody knows, but my guess is less than 15%.

The worst part of it all is that both the Right and the Left are equally responsible for this state of affairs. Read More »

IN THIS recent interview with Judith Sharpe of In the Spirit of Chartres, Jim Condit, Jr., a candidate for Congress in Ohio, criticizes Catholics who withdraw from politics. The “pray-and-be-good Christian” can be an obstacle to social order.

Condit is basically a Trump supporter.

He also advocates peacefully overthrowing the existing political powers through the precinct system. Supreme Court judges can be impeached and the Federal Reserve can be ended through a grass roots uprising.

ALAN writes:

A recent post noted that the top-rated television programs in 1965 included “The Beverly Hillbillies” at No. 2. Since I am likely the only one among your readers who remembers viewing the first episode of that series when it was telecast one evening in September 1962, I would like to say a few things about its virtues.

The intellectuals hated “The Beverly Hillbillies.” They hated it for the same reasons ordinary Americans loved it:  It offered thirty minutes of simple, clean comedy, crisp writing, and characters who were decent, honest, happy, and had plenty of moral fiber.  The critics just could not stand the thought that Americans were enjoying entertainment that included no despair, no messages, no murders, and no pretentious nonsense.  There was nothing dark or cynical or profane for the critics to feast upon and “interpret.”

“The Beverly Hillbillies” projected what Ayn Rand called a “benevolent sense of life.”  The early black-and-white episodes were the best.  They teem with brightness, good cheer, and optimism in the comical situations, misunderstandings, and musical themes heard at intervals throughout.  The comedy ranges from slapstick to word play to understated, self-effacing humor.

Only when viewing them forty years later did I begin fully to appreciate those virtues.  They are evident in many episodes in the early seasons.  In later seasons, the comedy pacing and restraints had largely vanished and the writing became overdone and self-consciously cute.  Read More »