Thoughts on a Pro-Life Surge

The new Gallup numbers showing, for the first time since 1995, a majority of Americans consider themselves pro-life, are gratifying, but puzzling.

Gallup explains the results as a conversion within the group that calls itself Republican going from 60 percent pro-life to 70 percent. Democrats and "Democrat leaners," the study reports, are hanging tough at about 61 percent pro-choice.

But I'm not so sure. I think we may be seeing the first signs of a generational shift brought about by demographics: the "Me First" Baby Boomers and the generation that brought them into this world are starting to pass out of it.

I get somewhat irked by the continued focus of Gallup and other pollsters of emphasizing the divide of Americans along party lines because I don't think party identification is all that useful on most issues anymore. But I have to admit when it comes to life issues, the contrast between the Democrats and the Republicans is like night and day.

More useful, perhaps, are the numbers Gallup demonstrates on the upswing in pro-life views among those who consider themselves "moderate." Pro-lifers constitute about 45 percent of this group today, a 7 point swing upward in a single year.

Among those who consider themselves "liberal," pro-life sentiment is at 19 percent, about normal for this group. Big surprise there. Not.

Unfortunately there are too many "liberal" Catholics. Pro-life sentiment among Catholics is at 52 percent, a majority but not the overwhelming one it should be if the rank-and-file were faithful to the teachings of the Church. There are too many "cafeteria Catholics" who convince themselves that they can have their pro-choice cake and still eat the bread of salvation too -- the ultimate in intellectual self-deception. Please pray for these people to wake up before it is too late.

Saint Jude, patron of lost causes, intercede for us.

President Gives National Prayer Day a Cold Kneeler

It's pretty obvious that President Obama did not read Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People." Had he done so, he would not have canceled the annual National Day of Prayer gathering today and refused to attend tomorrow's prayer breakfast.

His press flack, Mr. Gibbs, can declare that all Mr. Obama is doing is restoring the prayer day to its "former status" as a presidential non-event, but the impression is clear that our new president wants to have as little contact with traditional American religious groups as he can get away with.

"Prayer is something the president does every day," he said. "We're doing a proclamation, which I know that many administrations in the past have done."

Pressed by reporters as to the lack of a formal ceremony, Mr. Gibbs said the proclamation was Mr. Obama's choice.

"That's the way the president will publicly observe National Prayer Day - privately, he'll pray as he does every day," Mr. Gibbs said.

Someone should ask Mr. Gibbs, "Does he pray every day?" That is not altogether clear by the statement.

After the hubbub over Obama's insistence that he not pose in front of Christian symbols at Georgetown University, I would think he would not wish to further alienate Christians so quickly.

But then, I guess he'd rather take advice from Saul Alinsky than Dale Carnegie.

A Little Sunshine Would Hit the Spot

Dear Lord,

Thank you for all the rain. I believe we'll have enough for a week or two.

A little sunshine would be kinda nice about now, if You can fit it into the Big Picture.

This isn't a complaint. Just a friendly suggestion.

Amen.

Obama Avoiding Catholic Prayer at Inauguration?

Apparently I was misled when I earlier reported that the Archbishop of Washington, D.C., would be giving an invocation at some point in Tuesday's activities. According to the National Catholic Register, there are no scheduled prayers from Catholics, just as there were none at Obama's convention in Denver.

Some believe it is only an oversight. The Register quotes Steven Waldman of Beliefnet.com as saying that it is the result of Obama's organization trying hard to balance so many competing interests (gays, environmentalists, etc.) that they forget about balancing Christian factions. The Register believes it is more sinister than this:

We suspect Obama’s omission of a Catholic participant was a whole lot more intentional than that. This year’s Democratic National Convention in Denver also notably excluded an invitation to Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, unlike invitations extended at previous conventions to bishops such as Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles at the DNC in 2000 held in that city.

Why the contemporary reluctance among Democrats to grant Catholic bishops a voice at functions they have organized? Perhaps it’s because they fear that virtually any Catholic bishop they invite will call the nation’s attention to the Democratic Party’s failure to respect the sanctity of life of the unborn, because of the party’s formal commitment to the promotion of abortion rights....

... it’s only reasonable to speculate that Barack Obama — who by general consensus is the most extreme pro-abortion candidate ever elected to the White House — is not eager to afford one of the Church’s American shepherds another high-profile opportunity to remind him that this obligation to respect the sanctity of the lives of unborn Americans applies very specifically to all of Obama’s actions during his upcoming presidency.

Americans of Goodwill Coming Together?

Rick Warren, author of "The Purpose Driven Life" and pastor of California's Saddleback mega-church, praised President-elect Obama for choosing gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson to offer a prayer at the inauguration. "President-elect Obama has again demonstrated his genuine commitment to bringing all Americans of goodwill together in search of common ground."

I suppose this is a nice goodwill gesture since Robinson earlier criticized Warren's selection to give the invocation at the swearing-in: "It was like a slap in the face ... we’re talking about putting someone up front and center at what will be the most watched inauguration in history, and asking his blessing on the nation. And the God that he’s praying to is not the God that I know.”

Is it just me or does it sound like there's a shortage of "goodwill looking for common ground" in Robinson's attitude? Of course not. Warren is just playing the politician, and that's one of the big things that rankles me about him. His "I'm okay, you're okay" hob-nobbing with the political elites gives me the impression that it's all about Rick Warren, not so much about the gospel message of conversion and salvation. The message is so soft that it borders on spineless, methinks, and I don't think that's what Americans of this age need to hear, regardless of how many books he's sold.

Others will surely disagree, but I just don't see Rick Warren and Gene Robinson as opposite ends of the religious spectrum. Robinson's definitely out there on the left end, but Warren is smack dab in the middle, hugging the center as only a fence-sitter can.

And if the selection of these two guys wasn't enough to get everyone's shorts in a knot, the Associated Press has revealed that

A prayer will be offered at the National Cathedral by Ingrid Mattson, the first woman president of the Islamic Society of North America, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information. The Islamic Society, based in Indiana, is the nation's largest Muslim group.

Three rabbis, representing the three major branches of American Judaism, will also say a prayer at the service, according to officials familiar with the plans. The Jewish clergy are Reform Rabbi David Saperstein, Conservative Rabbi Jerome Epstein and Orthodox Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, sources said.

It is assumed that the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Washington, D.C., Donald Wuerl, will also deliver a prayer, but this is standard fare.

Let's Not Tear Down the Fence Just Yet

This does not inspire confidence:

U.S. Military Reports Sudden Collapse of Mexico is Possible
EL PASO - Mexico is one of two countries that "bear consideration for a rapid and sudden collapse," according to a report by the U.S. Joint Forces Command on worldwide security threats.

The command's "Joint Operating Environment (JOE 2008)" report, which contains projections of global threats and potential next wars, puts Pakistan on the same level as Mexico. "In terms of worse-case scenarios for the Joint Force and indeed the world, two large and important states bear consideration for a rapid and sudden collapse: Pakistan and Mexico.

"The Mexican possibility may seem less likely, but the government, its politicians, police and judicial infrastructure are all under sustained assault and press by criminal gangs and drug cartels. How that internal conflict turns out over the next several years will have a major impact on the stability of the Mexican state. Any descent by Mexico into chaos would demand an American response based on the serious implications for homeland security alone."

I hope the "experts" are wrong. The Mexican people have suffered enough from bad government and lawlessness. The best case scenario would be for the Mexican people to demand reform and freedom, but they are not likely to do so, and I have little confidence that the U.S. government would intervene for any of the right reasons.

This is a job for Heaven itself. Please pray for Mexico.

Automotive Update Deux

I didn't have to push my car to Tulsa.

Upon taking the car from the local dealership my initial plan was to arrange for a tow truck, but the a/c bearings grew quiet on the way home and it occurred to me that I might be able to save money by at least getting part of the way to Tulsa. It would probably break down somewhere in between, but the farther I got the more potential savings.

So with my son trailing me in his car, and with many prayers, we headed out. No problems. No squealing. No shuddering engine at the four stoplights/signs en route (gotta love those Pike Passes). I give full credit to Jesus, however, and the intercession of his earthly dad, Saint Joseph, the patron saint of husbands and men who seek to do good work. Considering that the car would barely run 24 hours earlier, getting it to Tulsa was truly a miracle.