(no subject)

[lady_kishiria]

So I walked out on Mass at the Immaculata again.

See, I figured Fetus Worship Sunday was last week, but apparently it's not. Fetus Worship Sunday, for those living outside the US, is what I call the Sunday closest to the anniversary of Roe v Wade. Many churches ignore it, maybe giving a cursory, "Oh yeah, this is the anniversary of Roe v Wade, it sucks. We're having a bake sale to help pay the heating bill...."

The Immaculata is white and moneyed (not mono-eyed, moneyed) so the "chief medical officer" of some pro-life Catholic ob-gyn clinic in Escondido can come down and shill for $$$ for his outfit. Today his topic was the evils of fetal stem cell research. I twitched a bit, but decided I wanted to hear what he had to say anyway. He equated using zygotes for stem cells with murdering a human being, which makes me roll my eyes.

But then he HAD to bring evil old contraception into it, comparing it to in vitro because "couples who use contraception want the unitive aspect of the marital act but not the procreative."

Okay, just for calling sexual intercourse "the marital act" I reserve the right to kick him in the nads. For informing any couples who aren't using NFP what their very intimate reasons are for doing so, I reserve the right to kick him in the nads and then give him an atomic wedgie. But I settled for just walking out.

I'll go to Mass tomorrow at St. Rita's. They're sane there.

Comments

[taxlady.livejournal.com]

Did he ever explain what are the "evils" of stem cell research?

What is "NFP"?

[goreism.livejournal.com]

"NFP" is "Natural Family Planning" where the "marital act" is uh... acted during infertile times. As I think the mayor said in Graham Greene's Monsignor Quixote, it's hard to imagine something more unnatural.

[taxlady.livejournal.com]

Natural family planning is what my friend Jessica used to do. She couldn't explain how she did it, but she only got pregnant when she wanted to. She planned three children that way.

[kishiriadgr.livejournal.com]

It's referred to by non-Catholics who use it as "cooperative method". A lot of hippie-types use it because it doesn't involve putting something into the woman's body and it *does* work. I just object to the whole semantic game of "oh, it's not really contraception because it doesn't put a barrier between the couple and possibly conceiving". Given that both it and the pill have the same failure rates, I don't buy it. I mean, if you want to use it because it doesn't involve taking hormones or sticking chemicals or objects in your body, great, but it *is* a method of contraception.

[taxlady.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, the infamous "rhythm" method.

[kishiriadgr.livejournal.com]

No, no, no! It's not the rhythm method! The rhythm method involved averaging the number of days of a woman's menstrual cycle, then counting halfway through to determine your fertile phase.

This does not work because not every woman has her fertile phase at the middle of her cycle. NFP/Cooperative Method involves watching physical symptoms and/or taking temperature to pinpoint when ovulation is starting to happen and then not having intercourse on those days.

Even Planned Parenthood and Our Bodies, Ourselves acknowledge that it's got the same failure rate as the pill. As a matter of fact, given some of the failure rates I've read about with the new low-dose pills, it's more efficient than some of them. Again, I've known some feminists who use it because it doesn't involve mucking with their hormones or sticking something in their bodies.

I just get annoyed because it *is* a form of contraception, no matter how the fanatics package it. If their argument is that it "doesn't let anything artificial in the way of God's plan" their argument needs to be re-thought (but try telling THEM that) given that the diaphragm gives the Almighty more wiggle room to sneak in a baby, were the Almighty not so Almighty that She would play silly games like that.

[(Anonymous)]

Oh, and I should have been more clear. It's the evils of *fetal* stem cell research. Using other sources for stem cells is perfectly all right. I don't know if fetal stem cells really are better to use than adult or umbilical stem cells. I do know McGill University has had very good luck with dermal stem cells, and that's research they did to bypass the debate.

The evils of fetal stem cell research are that the zygote dies in the process, or it uses an aborted fetus. This fellow said that there have been no successful procedures using fetal stem cells but I rather suspect that's because research has been forbidden.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

(Sigh) You nicely summed up one of the *many* reasons I left the Church years ago.

[garpu.livejournal.com]

Yep. I think my parish made mention of it because the bishop's office made them, and then went into the anouncement about a potluck...

[adeodatus.livejournal.com]

Is Immaculata the church up at USD?

I can understand the desire to talk about this stuff in the context of the community but please don't tell me he was allowed to speak during the Liturgy!? I can handle right before the dismissal though that only encourages people to bail before it but ... I can't see too many other options.

[kishiriadgr.livejournal.com]

He was indeed allowed to speak during the Liturgy! Fr. Matt gave his homily, then ceded the pulpit to this guy.

And yes, it's the church on USD. When it's just me I normally avoid the Immaculata (TOO white, TOO wealthy, and Fr. Matt's childish homilies drive me nuts) but I wanted to go on Saturday because Sunday is going to be so busy.

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Arrgghh! But, still, your dichotomy, your life.

On the other side of the border, today was honoured as Holocaust Remembrance Sunday and Brent did the consecration in silence; we did communion in silence (no prayers) and there was no singing of hymns. Brent wanted us to just hear the sounds of the footsteps.

Also, fabulous news. Brent *finally* announced his marriage to John will happen on their 25th anniversary (the actual date, March 7 which is a Tuesday). So, of course, we're coming (and I'll probably take the next day off so I don't have to think of work).

Anyways, non-contradicting hugs,
H.

[garpu.livejournal.com]

Now that sounds like my kind of liturgy. :)

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Well, it's an MCC - the second largest congregation on the continent!

So, you got questions, ask away.

Theologically uplifting hugs,
H.

[garpu.livejournal.com]

I'm Catholic.

[youngfreud.livejournal.com]

Since you didn't believe me, and I had no time to source it as I was at work for most of the day. But, I did found the source I was looking for.

It's the National Sancity of Human Life Day, January 22nd, 2006, as declared by George Bush on January 20th, according to this release on Christian News Wire. You can find more links via this Google News search.

[kishiriadgr.livejournal.com]

So you did! Note the icon. This has no business being declared by a nominally secular government.

The Catholic "culture of life" set of values include: no war but just war, no death penalty except in cases where the penal system does not suffice (the U.S., with its supermax prisons does not meet the standards, according to the Vatican), no euthanasia, no destruction of fetuses and consequently, no abortion. The White House's definition of "sanctity of human life" only covers fetuses. It falls way short of the Catholic standard and as a licensed theologian, I must denounce it.