The Hand That Rocks the Cradle

Never in a million years did I think I would ever hear what I heard last night: an argument that President Bush is actually the primary enemy to the promotion of a culture of life in our country. Statistics came from I-don't-know-where describing

how many people die every day from bad air and water
how many innocent Iraqi civilians are murdered every day
how many children die every day from lack of health care
how many senior citizens on Social Security will suffer under Bush's policies

"...and I hold George W. Bush personally responsible for all these murders and injustices."

versus how many abortions are performed every day (4,000) and why in the balance, since this number is smaller, the culture of life is not determined by it.

It became clear to me that although this man understood by natural law that murder was wrong, he had no sense of the fundamental versus the secondary. So I said I understood why he voted the way he did. I did not tell him he was blinded by his agnosticism and deceived in the assumption that this life is all we have to look forward to.

But he persevered in questioning me about the Church. What does the Church say about gay marriage? Which led to, how can you assume that an "is" leads to an "ought" (the natural order of things and how structure determines function)? Then finally, if we concede the "is-ought" relationship, what does that have to do with eternal salvation--is that man's natural end?
I felt like I was taking a cummulative exam of everything I've learned in philosophy and theology. But it was great. I enjoyed the conversation because it was real. He was really asking me, really wanting to understand. And his questions presented in the most logical sequence one could hope for. So I knew he understood what I was saying. Problem was, what he wanted to understand was why I think the world should be a certain way--not whether he should think so. What boggles the mind is that some souls are so hardened against the concept of objective truth, that when they hear the truth, it makes sense to them, but they can't embrace it. It becomes another line of reasoning that follows logically if you assume the principles; but then, so many different perspectives out there do the same, and they are all equally valid.

After the evening ended, I realized the gravity of our discussion. Although I prayed ceaselessly to the Holy Spirit throughout the evening, and asked friends and family to do the same, I did not comprehend the seriousness of our conversation until afterwards. My heart began to ache. There are people who are so well-intentioned, but so misguided.... And so outspoken. He would be a great Catholic, if he ever were to convert. There are some things that are so fundamental that it's difficult for me to argue that they're fundamental--just because I never try to question the fact.
Last night, when abortion was put on the same level as the Clean Air Act, I felt sick to my stomach. After the fact, when I recognized the importance of the issues we disagreed on, including gay marriage, I shook my head in amazement that I could have been so calm. I guess that was part of the graces I received through many prayers.

It's the old saying, which means much more now that homosexuals want to get married, adopt children, while thousands of others are killing their own in the womb. Scary in this light, but still true.

"The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world."