A popular progressive political argument is that the only truly pro-life choice is to vote Democratic. After all, the argument goes, even if said Democrats are vocally “pro-choice,” they’re also pro-social net, and the presence of a social net prevents women from feeling like they “need” abortion. During Republican administrations, in contrast. social nets get slashed, pregnant women feel more desperate (and less capable of caring for the children with which they’re pregnant), and abortion goes up. It’s an interesting theory, but is it true?
Tag: faith
Who Are You, Christian?
What Catholics can learn from Martin Luther.
Martin Luther King, Natural Law Theorist
Dr. Martin Luther King was a natural law theorist. If you misunderstand that part of him, neither he nor the Civil Rights movement make sense. Here’s why.
Did the Catholic Church Give Us the Bible? (And How Are We Saved?)
This is really two short posts rolled into one: (1) is the Catholic Church the origin of the Bible? and (2) What’s the Gospel message of salvation, according to the Catholic Church?
The 3 Witnesses: Water, Blood, and the Holy Spirit
St. John says that “there are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree.” Why does he limit it to three witnesses? And why *these* three? What can the waters of Baptism, the Blood of Christ, and the Third Person of the Holy Trinity do that no other witnesses can do?
Did Pope Francis Praise Lucifer?
Did Pope Francis praise Lucifer and declare him the Son of God? Yes, but not the Lucifer you’re thinking of.
Profiting from a False “False Prophets” Meme
A Facebook meme seeking to denounce the papacy for “false prophecy” ends up inadvertently pointing to the truth of the Catholic faith, and her Divine Founder.
Why was Jesus Born of a Virgin? (Four Wrong Answers, and the Right One)
As Christmas day approaches, we’re also confronted with a part of the faith that has caused great difficulty for Catholic and Protestant believers alike: the Virgin Birth. About a quarter of Americans deny the Virgin Birth (along with about a quarter of Anglican clergy in England). What should we say to these doubters? Why should we believe in the Virgin Birth, and why does it matter? Why was Jesus born of a Virgin? And why did the early Christians think this doctrine so important that they included it in both the Apostle’s Creed and Nicene Creed as a core part of what it is to hold the Christian faith?
The O Antiphons
Back in 2011, I wrote a series of reflections for the last seven evenings of Advent (tonight through the evening of December 23rd), focused upon the traditional “O Antiphons” tied to each night. Each one addresses Christ by a different title, based upon the Messianic prophesies in the Book of Isaiah. Most people are familiar with these titles… Continue reading The O Antiphons
What the Earliest Recorded Marian Prayer Reveals About the Early Church
The earliest recorded prayer to Mary, dating to about 250 A.D. says: “Beneath your compassion, We take refuge, O Mother of God; do not despise our petitions in time of trouble, but rescue us from dangers, only pure, only blessed one.” Here’s what that tells us about the early Church.