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Re-Defining Mental Disorder to Protect ‘Gay’ People from Stigma

Posted on July 24, 2012 by admin

I am very disturbed by news reports (like this one) showing that some in the “gay rights” community are arguing that things like Gender Identity Disorder should be removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders because of the stigma involved with a diagnosis of mental illness.

Advocates have spent years lobbying the American Psychiatric Association to rewrite or even remove the categories typically used to diagnose transgender people, arguing that terms like Gender Identity Disorder and Transvestic Fetishism promote discrimination by broad-brushing a diverse population with the stigma of mental illness.

“The label of mental defectiveness really places a burden on trans people to continually prove our competence in our affirmed roles,” Kelley Winters, a Colorado scholar who has helped lead the push for changes, said.

In other words, the “gay rights” argument that gender identity disorders should not be considered mental disorders is based on bigotry against people with mental disorders. Speaking as someone with multiple diagnoses of mental disorder, I find this to be positively hypocritical of them, not to mention hateful.

This is why Catholics and other people of faith with mental disorders need to speak out about our identity as human beings created in the image of God, about objective disorder and the Cross. It is by virtue of our being created in His image that we have dignity. That is the message that will stop “gay” teen suicide, and other suicides brought about by mental disorder.

No one can take dignity away from anyone. Dignity is inherent in every human person. The presence of disorder in someone does not mean that person has less dignity. Every human being has dignity.

The “gay rights” community would do well not to promote agendas that perpetuate the false notion that some people have dignity and others do not, specifically that people with mental disorder have no dignity. They will tell you, of course, that this is not their agenda, but even if it is not their agenda, it is the motivation behind it. To believe that a diagnosis of mental disorder is something that should be avoided only because of stigma is to believe that mental disorder is something to be ashamed of. I cry foul on this one. A million times, foul.

We are all ONE. If you believe finding your dignity can only happen by denying the dignity of others, you have become a bully…and you have embraced the lie that dignity is found in something other than our being created by God.

‘Power is made perfect in weakness’

Posted on July 24, 2012 by admin

A really smart nun sent this to me to address an internal conundrum I have been dealing with for a good long while.

From the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 11: 1-33, 12: 1-21.

If only you would put up with a little foolishness from me! Please put up with me. For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God, since I betrothed you to one husband to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts may be corrupted from a sincere (and pure) commitment to Christ. For if someone comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it well enough. For I think that I am not in any way inferior to these “superapostles.” Even if I am untrained in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; in every way we have made this plain to you in all things. Did I make a mistake when I humbled myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge? I plundered other churches by accepting from them in order to minister to you. And when I was with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. By the truth of Christ in me, this boast of mine shall not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! And what I do I will continue to do, in order to end this pretext of those who seek a pretext for being regarded as we are in the mission of which they boast. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, who masquerade as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light. So it is not strange that his ministers also masquerade as ministers of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. I repeat, no one should consider me foolish; but if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. What I am saying I am not saying according to the Lord but as in foolishness, in this boastful state. Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. For you gladly put up with fools, since you are wise yourselves. For you put up with it if someone enslaves you, or devours you, or gets the better of you, or puts on airs, or slaps you in the face. To my shame I say that we were too weak! But what anyone dares to boast of (I am speaking in foolishness) I also dare. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I am talking like an insane person.) I am still more, with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, far worse beatings, and numerous brushes with death. Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep; on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings, through cold and exposure. And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led to sin, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knows, he who is blessed forever, that I do not lie. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus, in order to seize me, but I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.

I must boast; not that it is profitable, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know someone in Christ who, fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows), was caught up to the third heaven. And I know that this person (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up into Paradise and heard ineffable things, which no one may utter. About this person I will boast, but about myself I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. Although if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish, for I would be telling the truth. But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from me because of the abundance of the revelations. Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong. I have been foolish. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I am in no way inferior to these “superapostles,” even though I am nothing. The signs of an apostle were performed among you with all endurance, signs and wonders, and mighty deeds. In what way were you less privileged than the rest of the churches, except that on my part I did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong! Now I am ready to come to you this third time. And I will not be a burden, for I want not what is yours, but you. Children ought not to save for their parents, but parents for their children. I will most gladly spend and be utterly spent for your sakes. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? But granted that I myself did not burden you, yet I was crafty and got the better of you by deceit. Did I take advantage of you through any of those I sent to you? I urged Titus to go and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? And in the same steps? Have you been thinking all along that we are defending ourselves before you? In the sight of God we are speaking in Christ, and all for building you up, beloved. For I fear that when I come I may find you not such as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish; that there may be rivalry, jealousy, fury, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. I fear that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, immorality, and licentiousness they practiced.

Claims Against Christians Regarding ‘Gay Marriage’

Posted on July 23, 2012 by admin

At the Times-Herald, Thom McCombs makes three claims against Christians who oppose same-sex marriage.

Firstly, the United States Constitution prohibits establishing any religion’s policy as governmental policy.

America was not founded to enshrine either Leviticus or Jesus in our civil institutions.

The claim here is that if a principle is Christian, it cannot be a law. This is not only NOT in the Constitution, but it is rather preposterous to claim that Christians should not be allowed to ask for laws to reflect their values. Is the Left asking Christians to stop calling for an end to the death penalty? No. Is the Left asking Christians to stop calling for preservation of programs to help the poor? No. This claim, that governmental policy can never be Christian is only made when the Christian values being promoted are values that are in opposition to the Left.

The Constitution does not prevent Christians from petitioning the government to enact laws that reflect their values. Quite to the contrary, the Constitution prevents the government from establishing a state religion because doing so would suppress the voice of religious people in government who disagree with that state religion. McCombs has it exactly backwards.

Secondly, our society has chosen to give extraordinary rights and advantages to married couples, from property rights to hospital visitation to inheritance.

The legal benefits and protections of matrimony are to the benefit of society as well as to the married couples. Denying this special status to gays both harms both the couples and the nation.

As Americans, we believe that our rights are inalienable, that they come from God Himself and, as such, cannot be taken from us by government. McCombs is arguing against the idea that rights come from God and instead claims that “society” gives people “rights.” That is also known as “mob rule.” If America accepts mob rule, America is dead.

Regarding giving the “special status” of marriage to “gays,” again, the special status of marriage in society is precisely that it is between one man and one woman only. If traditional marriage loses its special status above other unions, so that anything the “mob” says is “marriage” becomes “marriage” in civil law, then traditional marriage will no longer have special status. “Marriage” will be whatever anyone wants it to be. One impact of this would be that judges in family court would not prefer to place children with a mom and a dad, as is the right of a child. All children have a right to a mom and a dad. Not all kids have a mom and a dad because sometimes a parent abandons his/her family, and sometimes a parent dies, but these are not intentional acts of government. For government to intentionally deny a child his/her right to live in a home with both a mother and a father is wrong. McCombs argues for the “legal benefits and protections of marriage” for “gays” and ignores the same benefits and protections for children. If you see children as pets or as commodities, this might be fine, but we Christians don’t see children that way. We see them as human beings created with rights by God.

Thirdly, homosexuality was not an issue for Jesus. He was concerned with our treating each other well.

If your passion for Jesus compels you into civic engagement, then volunteer to feed the poor.

Here, McCombs uses his biblical interpretation in an attempt to trump those of us who agree with what Christianity has consistently taught on this matter for two thousand years and which was taught before that to the time of Moses, with the biblical account of Adam and Eve. The Creation story and the account of Adam and Eve are at the beginning for good reason. Life and Family are core to the religious beliefs of both Jews and Christians. The life of Christ is the model for all Christians and it was intended that he have a male parent (St. Joseph) even though He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Certainly in the Catholic Church, which one-fifth of Americans profess to be members of, the Holy Family is the model for families. Nothing else is “marriage” but marriage between one man and one woman.

McCombs’ reference to poverty, even though it specifies volunteerism, seems to be a nod to the Left’s desire that we Christians continue to make Christian arguments about poverty. Like I said at the beginning of this article, the Left loves to make the claim that it is Christian to have more and more people dependent on government.

Certainly, there is division in Christianity, and Christ died for unity. We Christians should not fail Him by continuing in advancing division through rejection of God’s plan for us. Same-sex “marriage” is just another wedge Satan is using to try to divide us. It is not “love” to uphold sin as a positive good in society. It is love to bring people to the unity of the truth. We have no a truth that is so very basic to who we are that it unites us, as well, with Jewish people who, as noted, share our core belief in Life and Family. I am confident that we can all put our differences aside to promote something so very basic to who we are. If we cannot agree on Life and Marriage, then I cannot imagine that we could agree on much of anything. Let us not disappoint God. Let us be together on this.

Possibly the Dumbest Thing The Obama White House Has Ever Done

Posted on July 23, 2012 by admin

Jeffrey Kuhner has a scathing op-ed at the Washington Times about Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s finding that the long-form birth certificate provided to the public by the White House is fraudulent.

Sheriff Arpaio’s findings threaten to plunge America into an unprecedented crisis. For if — and again, I emphasize if — he is correct, then Mr. Obama has perpetrated the most elaborate hoax in U.S. history. A fraudulent birth certificate would mean that Mr. Obama is ineligible to serve as commander-in-chief. His presidency would therefore be legally and constitutionally illegitimate.

Hawaii officials have responded:

President Obama was born in Honolulu, and his birth certificate is valid.

As I’ve said before, I think both Sheriff Arpaio’s team and the officials in Hawaii are telling the truth. Barack Obama was born in Hawaii, and Barack Obama did release a fraudulent long-form birth certificate to the public.

Why would he do that? Keeping the controversy alive helps him politically because the Left can continue to use this story to paint the Right as racist for constantly questioning his identity status.

The obvious answer is usually the correct answer, and that is the obvious answer. If I am right, then I doubt the fallout would be on the level of the Clinton-Lewinski scandal, but it very well could be. Either way, someone with power needs to get to the bottom of this NOW. Stop ignoring this, folks. We need to assume, until we know something to the contrary, that both Sheriff Arpaio’s team and Hawaii officials are telling the truth. If they are, this very well could be the dumbest thing this White House has ever done.

Time will tell.

Muslim Clerics Calling for Destruction of Pyramids in Egypt

Posted on July 23, 2012 by admin

This has been going on for a while. I’m not sure we can expect to see it happen anytime soon, but certainly, if Islamists get their way in Egypt, the pyramids will be no more. Oh, and, this is not confined to the pyramids, nor to Egypt. Islamists do this in other countries, as well.

Victor Davis Hanson, Fresno Bee:

In the Arabic media, there are reports that Muslim clerics — energized by the sudden emergence of Egypt’s new president, Muhammad Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood — are now agitating to demolish the Egyptian pyramids. According to agitated imams, the Pharaohs’ monuments represent “symbols of paganism” from Egypt’s pre-Islamic past and therefore must vanish.

It’s not as if anyone worships the old pagan Egyptian gods anymore. The pyramids and artifacts from the time of the Pharaohs have no religious value, per se, but are of historical value.

This might be a good time to mention that the Coptic Christians of Egypt are descended from native Egyptians (the Pharaohs and their people) whereas the Muslim Arabs of Egypt are descended from Arab-Islamist invaders. This is a reality of history that many would like to see wiped from our memories.

Historical revisionism is bad. It is even worse when it comes with destruction, particularly on this level.

That Gotye Song

Posted on July 23, 2012 by admin

This reminds me of someone but I guess I shouldn’t say who because I wouldn’t want to embarrass him or anything.

Via Yahoo News:

Now there’s a viral video of actors Nicholas Braun and Kyle Kaplan from the ABC sitcom ’10 Things I Hate About You’ displaying what happens when the song begins playing while they’re in the car.

Watch.

Okay, you know you want to listen to it without those guys. I don’t consider the official video to be appropriate but here is one with the lyrics.