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Canadians Teach the Western World how to Respond to Extreme Islamic Demands -
Note: The following letter was posted as a comment under a story about Duke University
withdrawing a plan to allow an Islamic call to worship from the campus cathedral. This letter is great. This letter was written by either the mayor or town clerk of Dorval, Quebec where Muslim parents demanded the abolition of pork in all the school canteens of this
Montreal suburb. The mayor of this community refused, and the town
clerk sent a note to all parents to explain why the request had to be denied.
"Muslims must understand that
they have to adapt to Canada and Quebec, its customs, its traditions, its
way of life, because that's where they chose to immigrate.
"They must understand that
they have to integrate and learn to live in
Quebec.
"They must understand that it is for them to change
their lifestyle, not the Canadians who so generously welcomed them.
"They must understand that Canadians are neither racist nor
xenophobic, they accepted many immigrants before Muslims. (whereas the
reverse is not true, in that Muslim states do not accept non-Muslim
immigrants).
"That no more than other nations, Canadians
are not willing to give up their identity, their culture.
"And if Canada is a land of welcome, it's not the Mayor of Dorval who
welcomes foreigners, but the
Canadian-Quebec people as a
whole.
"Finally, they must understand that in Canada
(Quebec) with its Judeo-Christian roots, Christmas trees, churches and
religious festivals, religion must remain in the private domain. The
municipality of Dorval was right to refuse any concessions to Islam and
Sharia. For Muslims who disagree with secularism and do not feel
comfortable in Canada, there are 57 beautiful Muslim countries in the world,
most of them under-populated and ready to receive them with open halal arms
in accordance with Sharia. If you left your country for Canada, and not for
other Muslim countries, it is because you have considered that life is
better in Canada than elsewhere. Ask yourself the question, just once, Why
is it better here in Canada than where you come from? A canteen with pork is
part of the answer."
This letter deserves
particular comment here because of several outstanding characteristics:
1) the tone is direct - one intelligent knowledgeable person is
addressing a group who he assumes is also knowledgeable and intelligence. The
letter doesn't talk down to the Muslims nor does it grovel or apologize for a
course of action that counters the Muslim's request.,
2) the
letter educates the readers as to Canadian culture and Canadian expectations
vis a via immigrants,
3) it demonstrates knowledge, in a
matter of fact way, of Muslim cultural customs in Muslim majority countries,
and
4) it assumes these immigrates, who wish to have the
benefits of a first world democracy, are willing to accept the variety and
diversity found in such a country.
Every American politician
should carefully study this letter so that they can properly deal with the many
complaining groups pockmarked across America that have not carefully considered
the consequences of their desires. For instance, the blacks of Ferguson, might
reconsider their expressed desire to prohibit police from insisting that teens
obey traffic ordinances.............. (prepared by Hugh Murray on 1/22/15)
Pope Francis' Moderate Leanings Raise Concerns about the Future of
Traditional Doctrines, but What about Traditional Liturgy?
Pope Francis has the whole Church humming about his lack of attachment to
traditional doctrines on homosexuality, divorce with remarriage, large families,
etc. So far he has back tracked and explained his remarks pretty well. At least
for now, traditional doctrines are being preserved.
However,
those attached to traditional liturgies (such as the Tridentine Mass) are a bit
concerned by the Pope's apparent willingness to jettison the "tried and true"¯
with off the cuff remarks.
Of course, liturgies are not
doctrines, and Pope Francis was very close to the eastern Uniate congregations
in Argentina, so he must have first hand appreciation of their love of their
traditional liturgies. Does Pope Francis have the same appreciation of the love
that many traditional Latin Rite Catholics have for the Tridentine Mass?
Even if Pope Francis were inclined the eliminate the
Tridentine Mass completely, the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) is "keeping him
honest"¯ regarding the Latin Mass. The SSPX is a "split off, but fully orthodox"¯
Catholic group that has its own bishops and is firmly attached to the
pre-Vatican II (Tridentine) Mass.
So the SSPX is there and
providing a shelter under which those that are fully loyal to both the Papacy
and the Tridentine Mass can operate. So if the Pope were to attempt to force
groups loyal to the Tridentine Mass to give up that liturgy, these groups
retain the option to jump to the SSPX.
Without the
SSPX, a liberal Pope could force loyal Tridentine groups, like the priests
and laity of the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter (FSSP), to accept the post
Vatican II "new order"¯ Mass, and forbid any priest from saying the Tridentine
Mass which Pius V had promised would always be the church's official Mass, and
would always be available to all Catholics.
The reforms of Vatican II continue to
flow. It seems to be the Council that keeps on giving. How much change can the
typical Catholic's psyche absorb? It looks like the Papacy is prepared to test
the limits. ........................... (prepared by Hugh Murray on 2/2/2015)
Karen Armstrong and Retired General Mike Flynn agree that the Military Action won’t Quell Islamic Terror -
They agree that somehow Islamic hearts must be changed. These people must somehow be induced to understand that violence, against non-believers or against other Muslims with different beliefs, even if it is condoned by some surah (verse) in the Koran, is not acceptable.
The big question is simple what steps can be taken to “induce a different understanding”. Here are some points to consider:
1) The religion, except in minority Shite areas, has nothing that resembles a central, recognized teaching authority. (Christianity has benefitted from the centralized Catholic teaching authority of both the Councilor system and the Pope. This allows the largest Christian group to teach with unity on questions of faith and morals.)
2) The religion has domestic injunctions (Shiria) that end up keeping 50% of the adult population, namely women, with limited influence and far more ignorant than they should be. Accordingly, the moderating influence of woman, found in all human societies, is muted in Muslim lands. ( Christian woman are allowed to obtain educations and participate in government, accordingly they use their educations to better form their children's morals and advocate in public square for reasonable policies.)
3) The religion was founded by a successful warrior leader. The religion in a 200 year period had come to dominate a stretch of geography from the Persian Gulf across the coast of north Africa to the Iberian peninsula. This had given the religion the aura of invincibility, of divine preference that is embodied in the religious training given to young Muslims over the years. Of course, lately the advance of Islam has been stymied and today’s young Muslims rightfully sense a huge disconnect between the promise of the early years and the present reality. (Christianity was founded by a God-man who submitted to a degrading death to relieve his followers of the guilt and consequences of their sins. Christ’s followers suffered centuries of “on and off” persecution before becoming an accepted religion. )
4) The religion promotes large families, and even allows man to have multiple wives. This has created an excess populations of Muslims, so many have decided to emigrate. Most of this emigration has been to Europe which has been experiencing a population decline among the native born. This is a very dangerous situation because Muslims who feel God has blessed their religion with divine preference find themselves on the lower levels of an immoral secularized society laced with traces of Christianity. No wonder some turn to violence figuring God has to see the justice of their cause.
5) the religion prohibits a believer over the age of twelve from leaving Islam upon the threat of execution. This rule inhibits those Muslims, particularly women, who see a better life as an educated Christian, from seeking that better life.
The above list gives an idea of the profound difference between Islam and the Christian world. So it is unlikely that thinkers or planners from the Christian world will find the key that will unlock the mystery of how to get radical Islam to voluntary defang itself. It is equally unlikely that there is any catalyst that the Christian world can devise which will trigger a spontaneous reaction across the Islam world that will cause their young men to reject terrorism.
Perhaps the west should promote the idea of a new caliphate. The Islamic world might quiet down if a caliphate was established and all the existing Arab governmental leaders pledged some sort of support. Then perhaps the new Caliph could call a meeting of great Imams who then would vote to interpret the Koran in such a way so as to declare all terrorism verboten. The angry young men in the Muslim world would get a Caliphate, the west would get a statement of doctrine on which peace might be built.
Additionally these Imams, perhaps over a twenty year period, might 1) declare that all Muslims have the right to convert to another religion at anytime, 2) that woman get the same educational opportunities as men, and 3) that multiple wives are no longer allowed.
If this could be done so as to convince the angry young men of the Mid East that a legitimate caliph was back, it might work. However, the diplomatic heavy lifting to get the leaders in the region to submit to it would be historic. How many countries would have to give up some sovereignty and pledge support? Perhaps 18 or more. Consider the list: Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Yemen, the Gulf States, and Oman.
There would be the additional problem of picking a Caliph acceptable to both Shiites and Sunni. After all their split, 1400 years ago, was on the exact issue of who should be caliph
The Islamic world needs a central authority, a leader to arrange an end to these violent outbreaks, but how to get such a leader installed seems impossible. ISIS wants a caliphate, but they are violent. Would they give up violence if they got a caliphate of sorts headquarted in their capital city of Raqqa with other Arab Muslim areas or countries acknowledging them through some loose confederation of states within this caliphate? The devil is always in the details. However, these might be worked out "on the fly" as it were over time. ................ (prepared by Hugh Murray on 2/22/2015)...............
Rotary Invocation for Lent
Lent is upon us,
What should be our special response?
We could suffer little bodily deprivations to focus
our minds on God's unbelievable suffering two millennia ago, .............
perhaps by giving up chocolate , ............ or giving up beers with friends
after work.
We could set aside quiet time each day for
prayer and reflection, ........ imagine turning off the tv and picking up a
Bible.
We could begin that volunteer service activity we
have been meaning to start. ................ Think of all the volunteer
opportunities you know about.
God is flooding each of us
with grace and talent, so what do we do with this? Do we share with others?
Do we keep it all for ourselves?
God gave each of us
free will so we might freely love Him ....... but also that we might help our
fellow man.
But in giving us free will God also gave us
the power to say no¯ ......... we all at times chose to say no¯ to God.
............ and it is from these no's that sin originates,
Lent is an ideal time to take a hard look at all those no's we have uttered
in the last year.
But now let us remind ourselves of our
relationship with God . On the table are slips that contain a short quote from
Psalm 40. (Handout slips click here)
I suggest we say these ten words together:
Here
I am Lord, ..... I come to do your will. ............. Ps 40: 7 - 8
................ (prepared by Hugh Murray on 3/4/2015)
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Rotary Invocation for Clubs in the Vincity of a Jesuit College or University We
are all familiar with one or more of these colleges and universities spread
across the nations that possess a certain special character, these include.
Gonzaga, Georgetown, Boston College , Santa Clara, Spring Hill, and . St Louis
Univ. The common factor is their association with the Society of Jesus,
otherwise known as the Jesuits.
The Jesuits were founded
by a wounded Spanish warrior named Ignatius Loyola, who had nearly lost a leg
in the Battle of Pamplona in 1521. Once mended, he spent several years limping
around trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life¯. While
living in a cave outside of Manresa in Spain, he decided to found a religious
order. He went to the University of Paris and recruited a group, and they headed
off to Italy where they eventually offered their services to the Pope.
Over five centuries Jesuits have served on all continents
doing mostly educational and missionary work. The current Pope is a Jesuit.
One of the things Ignatius invented was a four week retreat for
serious believers, He called this the Spiritual Exercises. This retreat was
design to allow retreatants to take a hard look at their lives, their values,
their purpose, their priorities, their relationship with God, etc. Today the
Jesuits run a Retreat Houses in several cities where layman can experience a
three day silent encounter with the ideas of the Spiritual Exercises .
I thought I would share with you a couple of thoughts
from Ignatiusā€™ First Principles so you might get an idea of the depth of his
thought:
Several copies of his First
Principle are on the tables for your review. (Note: Handout click )
But now let us bow are heads and say our
grace: Bless us Oh Lord and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive, From they bounty through Christ Our Lord, Amen ....... (prepared by Hugh Murray on 2/25/2015)
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Rotary Invocation for Clubs with lawyers in the membership
Since our club has several lawyers, perhaps a word
about a Patron of lawyers is appropriate.
St Yves lived in
thirteenth century France, he was trained at the Univ of Paris and
then returned home to Brittany where he used his talents to defend lower class
people who could not afford to hire lawyers.
He became a judge
but still used his spare time to help people in other courts, he
then became a priest but continued using his spare time to help poor people get
just treatment in the courts.
He is the patron of lawyers
in civil law countries. His example has helped shape continental Europe's idea
of a just legal system.
Under this civil law system,
all who have complaints against their fellow citizens have a
government lawyer assigned to look into their case in a neutral way and help
organize all the facts for presentation to a judge for his decision.
This system allows all litigants, particularly those of limited
means to get just treatment.
Sheets with info on St.
Yves and the European civil law system are on your tables.(Note: Handount link)
(See
PDF file to print and place on tables.)
Now let us thank God for our
fine meal. Join me in saying : Bless us Oh Lord and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive, From they bounty through Christ Our Lord, Amen ................. (prepared by Hugh Murray on 2/15/2015)
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. This page hopes to bring a common
sense, old fashioned view to today's news. The comments displayed
on this page were prepared by
Hugh V. Murray, who can be reached at hvm@aol.com
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