Fr. Johannes Jacobse: The Republic is Finished and the America We Knew is Gone Comments
With the decision that Obamacare will stand as the law of the land means that America - home of the brave, land of the free - is no more. This great country, the one to whom all great refugee movements of the world for over two centuries saw as the light to escape poverty, political bondage, and hopelessness now turns its back on that legacy of freedom for what will, in a very short time, amount a bowl of pottage. The turn to tyranny won't ... Continue Reading
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Charles Obrien, what are you talking about? the Catechism, the bible the Magisterium, and many of the American founding fathers called on people to be light and salt in the public square. Although Jefferson and some of the founding fathers were not too fond of the papists, they took much of natural law theory and rights ideas that are remarkably similar to Aquinas, as he was even mentioned in some of their writings. Bellarmine also comes to mind. They certainly had a notion of inalienable rights coming from God, not from ourselves. Jefferson said we do not claim these natural rights under charters of kings or legislators, but under the King of Kings. and the liberties of a nation will not be secure when we have removed their only firm basis, that these liberties are from God. Although the founders were far from perfect, many had sentiments of religion and morality as the pillars of society, and that God governs in the affairs of men (after all, why did they pray in Congress?) B16 may know the founders better than we. He got it right when he mentioned Washington's farewell. We are coming to the day when nonreligion may be this countr'y religion, the deity being ourselves, a religion unto itself-
The issue here is Freedom of Religion and what "Obambacare" has done to our Bill of Rights. Also, the extra taxes. If the word "TAX" helps bring down "Obamacare" that is a good thing and the pastors can build before and after that in renewing our principals that God wants us to have.
I find it interesting that when the government exerts it right NOT to be influenced or told what to do by a religious entity, ie Catholic and Evangelical churches, the religious entities cry foul and say the Republic is going down. Quite the contrary, it shows that the Republic is actually working as it should. Did Fr. Jacobse forget that this country was founded by EXCLUDING the Churches and ALL Religous tyrany? Apparently so.
Father, thank you for having the courage to write this knowing that the relativists and secularists would take you to task for trying to wake them up.
Gloom and doom? Far from it. It is a call to arms. But the spoiled children of today cannot be distracted.
I will pray for you and hope to see more of you at this venue. Viva Cristo El Rey!
Fr. Jacobse, It must certainly be interesting in your parish when you are compelled to preach on Luke 10:25-37.
Seriously?!
If it takes the dismanteling off the USA to stop abortion and homosexualitythen that is what will happen. Christians did it once, we can do it again.
Wow--there's lots of problems happening in the country, but no one is in dire straights. We live in a secular state. We are free to believe what we want. What we are not free to do is impose those beliefs on others. The rules of society are not religious. Long ago, they had a religious precursor, but the law is separate from any and all religions. Churches have had less influence in society historically. This is the outgrowth of the ideals which have actually sustained the church in America. Most importantly, our history removed religion as an intermediary between the person and that with which he is endowed by "his" creator. According to Jefferson and the Fathers of the Country, man is endowed with certain rights de facto, without intercession from religion. Instead of perceiving that we have been moving away from the initial ideals of the country, instead we have been moving TOWARDS them. It has taken a long while and the suffering of many people to advance to meet this objective of divine rights for every person regardless of faith or no faith.
The Catholic Church up until 1963 perceived as inherent evils Americanism, the Separation of Church and State and other understandings for which now the American church completely identifies. Along with Communism, these Constitutional elements of our country were anathema to the ruling magisterium of the Church. One of the important civic virtues of the nation came as a result of this separation of Church and state: tolerance. Because of this tolerance, Catholicism has become an accepted mainline religion of this country. When the nation first began we were perceived as Mormans have been for decades: not a true religion, an apostasy, Popism, superstitious. I can recall jokes on TV from the 50's and 60's making fun of the Catholics holding onto their (rosary) beads unaware of the true way to worship.
The bottom line that in order for freedom to reach its maximum potential, tolerance must grow, not be diminished. Tolerance of people who think, believe and act differently. God is not unhappy with America. God is happy when those who believe their faith and practice among themselves. He said others would be attracted to us by our love, not our judgmentalism.
ST. PADRE PIO SAID, "PRAY, HOPE, AND DON'T WORRY." OUR ROAD MAY NOT BE AN EASY ROAD BUT WE ARE STILL ON IT. GOD WILL HELP US.
WHY NOT SHOW THE CRAZY HORSE EXHIBIT IN CUSTER, S.D. AS WELL AS THE PRESIDENTS. IMAGINE HOW THE AMERICAN INDIANS FELT WHEN WE ALL FIRST GOT HERE AND TRAMPLED ON THEIR SACRED WAYS OF LIFE. THEY ARE STILL HERE AND SO WILL WE BE!
It shoudl be known that not all Orthodox priests share the views of Fr Johannes Jacobse. I'm an Orthodox priest who supports the Affordable Care Act. My complaint about it is that it didn't go far enough. I think it makes America a better place, a greater land. I did agree with, and support, the statement by the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America (ACOBNCA), which was in support of the stand of the Catholic bishops opposing the requirement that religious institutions supply abortifacient contraceptives in violation of their conscience and beliefs, but I think that was addressed by Obama's compromise on the matter, and apparently ACOBNCA agrees, as it has made no further statement.