Democrats and Fimian Spar over Legatus

MoonHowler

Today’s News and Messenger reports that the local Democrats have called out Keith Fimian over his membership in Legatus, which Democrats believe is an extreme right wing group. According to News and Messenger:

Prince William County, Va. – Democrats are again calling out Keith Fimian for his affiliation with the Catholic group Legatus, which they consider a radical right-wing organization.

Democrats initially brought up the issue in 2008 when Fimian, a Republican, first ran against Gerald E. “Gerry” Connolly, a Democrat serving his first term in the 11th Congressional District.

The Fimian campaign says it’s all nonsense.

Legatus describes itself on its website as an organization for top-ranking Catholic business leaders.

“The organization offers a unique support network of like-minded Catholics who influence the world marketplace and have the ability to practice and infuse their faith in the daily lives and workplaces of their family, friends, colleagues and employees,” the website stated.

Democrats say Fimian’s comments during the 2008 campaign for the 11th Congressional District describing the group as a “social club” were off the mark.

“For two years, Keith Fimian has tried to claim that he wasn’t involved in a radical political organization but rather was just a member of a social club in order to deny his right-wing extremist anti-choice views,” said Pete Frisbie, chairman of the Prince William County Democratic Committee. “But now it turns out that his involvement in this radical group was entirely political and proves that Keith Fimian not only has radical extremist views, but he can’t even tell the truth about them.”

According to the Federal Election Commission, Fimian used congressional campaign funds in 2008 to pay a Legatus conference fee. Democrats say that implies that he was conducting official business with the organization.

Fimian’s campaign manager, Tim Edson, said paying a fee didn’t constitute conducting business with a given group.

Did I read that correctly? Fimian used campaign funds to pay Legatus conference fees? That sure doesn’t seem right. What exactly is Legatus? How does it differ from Opus Dei? I know Legatus was founded by Tom Monaghan, former owner and founder of Domino Pizza. He gave huge amounts of money to organizations I disapproved of like Operation Rescue. I also got the impression that unless you are very wealthy, you don’t get in to Legatus.  Check out membership requirements below.  So much for the eye of the needle concept.  The eye of the needle must have grown.

 

Let’s hear what they have to say about themselves.

Perhaps our readers will enlighten us as to what Legatus really is. Why is membership in this organization important enough to warrant attention from the Democrats as well as a first page story? Inquiring minds want to know….

Additional Sources:

D. C. Examiner

Legatus

NeilJConway.com

Reverend Barbie? Barbie Ordained!

MoonHowler

What will this girl think of next? Not bad for a lady born in 1959. Barbie has been ordained as an Episcopalian Priest. This move is a 2nd career for Miss Barbie. A little bio from the Deacon’s Bench (which is a Roman Catholic site):

The 11.5-inch-tall fictional graduate of Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, Calif., has donned a cassock and surplice and is rector at St. Barbara’s-by-the-Sea in (where else?) Malibu, Calif.

She arrived at the church fully accessorized, as is Barbie’s custom. Her impeccably tailored ecclesiastical vestments include various colored chasubles (the sleeveless vestments worn at Mass) for every liturgical season, black clergy shirt with white collar, neat skirt and heels, a laptop with prepared sermon and a miniature, genuine Bible.

Apparently a devotee of the “smells and bells” of High Church tradition, the Rev. Barbie even has a tiny thurible, a metal vessel used for sending clouds of incense wafting toward heaven.

The Rev. Barbie, who in less than a week had drawn nearly 3,000 friends on her Facebook page, spends most of her time in the office of the Rev. Dena Cleaver-Bartholomew, rector of Christ (Episcopal) Church, in Manlius, N.Y., near Syracuse.

The Episcopalian Church began ordaining women in 1976.  A handful of women were ordained before then but it wasn’t with the official sanction of the Episcopalian Church.  The current leader of the church is Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, a real gutsy lady who is not without controversy.   The American Episcopalian Church has undergone what many would consider  a schism  because of its official position on ordaining women and the role of gays in the church.  I hope Barbie knows she is stepping in to a hornet’s nest. 

Apparently Reverend Barbie isn’t for sale yet.  Perhaps she will never be.  The Mattel site sure isn’t featuring her.  If there is enough interest, perhaps Mattel will ‘ordain’ her for sale.  Should action figure dolls become religious figures?  Today we have Reverend Barbie.  There were rumors of Burka Barbie.  Do we next have Taliban Ken?  Rabbi Joe?  Father What-a-Waste?  Ayatollah Andy, G. I. Jesus?   Where do we stop?  Does having a ‘doll of the cloth’ cheapen religion or does it enhance it?

 

Barbie History

No Exorcisms Performed on Pedophile Priests

MoonHowler

The Rev. Gabriele Amorth, age 85, has an unusual job to do at the Vatican.  He is the chief Exorcist.    While this subject might seem strange for a blog, it is another sign of change that has gone on within the Roman Catholic Church.  Back in the day, exorcisms weren’t discussed.  The Church barely admitted to performing them.  According to CNN.com:

 

“The devil tempts everyone — people in politics, in economics, in sport. And naturally, he tempts, above all, the religious leaders, so you shouldn’t be surprised if the devil tempts those in the Vatican. That’s his job.”

The Rev. Gabriele Amorth isn’t speaking metaphorically when he says that. The 85-year-old priest means people can be tempted and literally possessed by Satan.

“It’s not my opinion: I’m saying that if you believe in the Gospels, you believe in the existence of the devil, in the devil’s power to possess people,” he said in an interview with CNN.

The faithful believe “that there are people possessed by the devil, and … in the power of exorcism to liberate from the devil,” he said.

And as the Vatican’s chief exorcist, it’s his job to expel the devil when someone is possessed. He’s performed more than 70,000 exorcisms in his career, he estimates.

But there is a difference between possession — where the devil takes hold of someone’s body and actions — and temptation, where Satan lures a person into doing evil, he said.

Father Amorth believes the pedophile priests have been tempted by the devil, not possessed by the devil.   He has never performed an exorcism on a pedophile priest.  Now the pedophile priest scandal is spreading in Europe in countries like Ireland, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, Father Amorth feels that is important to note the difference.  He does admit that he has done exorcisms on priests who have been molested by the devil but he does not elaborate on that. 

Father Amorth says he sees only good people in the Vatican.  Speaking of pedophile priests, he says:  

“They don’t need exorcism, they need to be converted, to be converted to God, that’s what they need. They need to confess, they need true penitence, true repentance, that’s what they need. They’re not possessed.”

But no one is too strong a believer to be possessed, Amorth said.

Good for the Catholic Church for finally talking publicly about the ritual of exorcism.  Back in the early 70s when William Peter Blatty first wrote The Exorcist,  the ritual was shrouded in mystery.  The novel was written on an actual case of a possessed boy who lived in Mt. Rainer, Md.  Blatty spoke at the time of the difficulty he had doing the research.  The Church simply did not release information on this subject. 

It seems that now the Church has been forced to discuss the pedophilia that has gone on and exorcisms.  Sunlight is probably a good thing.  Darn that was a terrifying movie!

Moonhowlings discussion of “Constantine’s Sword”

Elena

I came upon this movie, Constantines Sword, quite by accident, while uploading movies to watch instantly on the T.V.  I was profoundly fascinated, not just by the storyteller and his narrative, but the journey of Christianity and its intersection with Judaism, throughout history.   For me, the movie was truly moving, in a very personal sense.  When it was over, I wondered, how is it possible that the Jewish religion has survived?  What dedication must it have taken to continue the traditions under such heavy persecution. 

In the end, I came away feeling even more strongly that religion is more often than not, misused and abused.  That the most important message, from almost all religions, “love they neighbor as thyself” too often becomes, well, completely forgotten.

 One fact that was truly an eye opener was the use of the cross. Now, as a Jewish person, not knowing much about Christianity, I just always assumed it was because Christ was crucified on the cross. Could it be true, that Constantine had this vision when looking up into the blue sky, 300 years after Jesus’s death, of a cross in the sky, a vison he would replicate by crossing his swords?   Once he conquered his enemies, believing Christ had been the reason he had vanquished his enemy, the symbol of the cross would now be used to represent all Christians. 

I look forward to the discussion!!!

Constantine’s Sword website

Heavenly Smack-down

MoonHowler

Wonders never cease.  While hunting  for posts, I ran across the Father Fist-i-cuff  story, right in the  News and Messenger. 

Basically, two priests at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church got into an argument over office matters and the assistant pastor assaulted the pastor, Father Eversole.  Father Smith, the assaulting priest, is no longer associated with that parish.  This is just not your everyday incident at church.  Both men are 45. 

Charles C. Smith, the associate pastor, was arrested Nov. 22 after an argument over office-related matters in the rectory, said Arlington Diocese spokeswoman Joelle Santolla. The argument quickly escalated into a physical confrontation, said Santolla.

Eversole, 45, went to the hospital for a cut over his eyes and Smith, 45, was charged with unlawful wounding, according to Prince William County spokeswoman Erika Hernandez.

What ever happened to the good old days when we got to read about stigmata occurring at a nearby Woodbridge Catholic Church?  Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church got a great deal of positive coverage for its miracles.  Maybe some of our readers are correct.  Perhaps America is going to hell in a hand basket when we have priests duking it out.  I haven’t gotten past a priest named Father Eversoul, ooops, make that Eversole.  Actually the miracles at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, back in the early 90’s, involved weeping statues of the Virgin Mary. 

How embarrassing for the parishoners.  So  what do you say to your priest (or minister) if he was involved in something like that?  Do you pretend you just don’t know?   I just didn’t know priests fought.  On the other hand, it is heart-warming to learn that some of them are human, have feet of clay, and lose their tempers.  Most people, if they were honest, would admit to wanting to punch their boss in the nose.   Why should priests be any different.

Rep. Bachmann Raises Money for YCRBYCH

MoonHowler

 

 

You Can Run But You Cannot Hide is the name of a punk rock anti drug group who organizes strong anti-drug motivational programs in high schools.  Many school administrators have taken a great deal of heat from parents and the higher ups because this group is not quite honest about who they are.  They are also not very transparent about their evangelical nature.  Once they get into a school program some things have gone down that are not supposed to be happening with a captive audience. 

 

 

According to the Minnesota Independent News:

“They talked about influencing and brainwashing people. Be wise to the fact that is what they were doing. They were using the same tactics,” Neis told the students at the assembly. Neis said he contacted other schools in the area and found that they had no idea that YCRBYCH was a Christian ministry.

In 2005, at a Eureka Springs, Ark., high school, students walked out of the assembly; afterward, the principal took heat from parents. According to the local paper, The Lovely Citizen, Eureka Springs superintendent Reck Wallis, said, “I take responsibility. We had no idea about their religious, right-wing message. They misrepresented their program. We want [Eureka Springs schools] to be open and all inclusive. … They won’t be back.”

At Pequot Lakes High School in central Minnesota in 2007, the group stirred controversy when students reportedly ran out of the assembly crying after the group showed graphic images of abortion and told the students that God wanted women to be subservient to men. John McDonald, Pequot Lakes High School Principal, told WCCO, “We were expecting something a bit different,” he said. “The thing we apologized to students for is the program wasn’t to the expectation that we thought it would be.”

This entire business sounds deceptive and it should not be going on in schools as it involves a captive audience and smacks of indoctrination. Michelle Bachmann should know better! She should know the laws of this country and follow them if she is going to remain in the House of Representatives. She would be the very first person to be stridently shrieking “Rule of Law!”

Full Story

Punxsutawney Phil’s Prognostication

MoonHowler

Today is a holiday. For the sports-minded, it is the day after the Superbowl.

For the Pagans, it is Imbolc, the day when the newborn lambs begin to nurse. Imbolc’s other name is Brigantia. This day is marked by the growing power of the sun, bidding farewell to winter, and special fire-lighting ceremonies.

For Christians, February 2 is known as Candlemas, or the Christian Festival of Lights. It celebrates the baptism of Jesus. The ancient festival marked the midpoint of winter, whether Pagan or Christian. People thought that the Christmas season lasted 40 days or until Feb. 2. Lighting candles supposedly scared away evil spirits.

To most kids in this part of the world, February 2 is known as Ground Hog Day. Legend has it that if ground hog Phil in Punxsutawney, PA sees his shadow, he goes back into his den and sleeps for 6 more weeks, giving us 6 more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t see his shadow, then spring is just around the corner. Punxsutawney Phil is the prognosticator of the day.

Read More

Funny letter to the editor in the MJM by Corey Stewart

Alanna

Funny letter to the editor today from Chairman Stewart accusing Fairfax Supervisor Connolly of attacking 11th Congressional District candidate Keith Fimian over his religious beliefs. In part it says,

As a devout Catholic, I am troubled to see this. As an American, and a constituent of the 11th District, I am incensed. It was almost half a century ago that the same bigoted attacks were made on President John F. Kennedy.

How Chairman Stewart is able to recongnize these as bigoted attacks when he’s been unable to recognize bigoted attacks in the past is beyond me.