Time to Reboot Melinda Gates

7/10/2012

(Page 2 of 3)

the principle that lives have equal value give rise to any possible conclusion on the liciety of contraception?

"We're not going to agree about everything, but that's OK," she tells Dr. Sanjay Gupta in her CNN interview. Oh such marvelous tolerance exhibited by Ms. Gates to the teaching of the Church and specifically the Pope! (The prior sentence, of course, is meant to be read with dripping sarcasm.) In all actuality, such insouciance to Church teaching when an intrinsic evil is involved is nothing short of demonic. One thinks of the rich young ruler who turned away from Christ. Had Dr. Gupta been there our rich young ruler might have said something equally self-justifying like, "We're not going to agree about everything, but that's OK."

No it's not OK. Methinks that Melinda Gates may have lost her soul.

Melinda Gates does not get it. She thinks that the contraception is but a neutral "tool," the vice to be avoided is promiscuity, and the end to be achieved is relief of poverty. In her view, contraception does not lead to promiscuity and relieves physical poverty. While all that is quite debatable, it should be pointed out that Ms. Gates seems only to care about material things. Not once does Ms. Gates seem concerned about her supposed beneficiaries' moral poverty. Not once does she talk about improving their virtue. Not once does she talk about their spiritual souls.

It all makes consummate sense to her. After all she and Bill used artificial contraception and apparently still use it (she's proud to say that she and Bill will have sex this year in her talk on TEDxChange eliciting guffaws from the crowd), and they are anything but promiscuous and they are exceedingly rich! It follows that the same good things can be expected from those in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia! They should all live like Melinda and Bill Gates, at least as it pertains to their sexual mores.

(By the way, Melinda, having sex while using artificial contraception even within marriage is a mortal sin against chastity, just like promiscuity.)

What Ms. Gates seems completely oblivious to is that the use of artificial contraception is itself a vice. And so her entire life is apparently dedicated to promoting a vice. And this is a tragedy.

The problem with Melinda Gates is that she is infected by a virus, a Trojan horse. That Trojan horse is utilitarianism. At heart, she does not have a Catholic moral view. The end of her project is vaguely to help those in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia "bring every good thing" to their children. "Where is the controversy in that?" she rhetorically asks. Of course, there is no controversy in the end if the end is defined that way.

The problem with Melinda Gates is not in her end in desiring to improve life for everyone. This is a goal with which we of the household of faith will not be heard to quibble. The problem is in the means she has selected to achieve that end. She wants to teach parents in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia that, to "bring every good thing" to their children, they must practice vice.

Of course, Melinda Gates does not call it vice. Like a good technocrat, she calls the vice she's promoting by rather innocuous euphemisms: "tools," "technologies," "interventions," "method."

She can call it what she wants in a transparent effort to suppress her wounded conscience which knows better, but a "practicing Catholic" would know that there are some acts that are intrinsic evils (intrinsece malum). A "practicing Catholic"--at least one with Melinda Gates's acumen and resources--would know or should know that John Paul II in his encyclical on moral questions Veritatis splendor, � 80, reiterated the existence of such intrinsic evils.

Intrinsic evils are things which we must never do, regardless of the benefit we believe we may get for ourselves or for others by doing them. The intentional taking of an innocent human life, for example, is an intrinsic evil. A "practicing Catholic" would know that one may not kill an innocent human being even if it were to save the whole world. Such a prohibition is exceptionless. To borrow an example from Honor� de Balzac's story Le P�re Goriot, the prohibition against murder applies to protect even an old mandarin in China whom we could kill to our advantage and no one's knowledge simply by exerting our will without ever leaving Paris.

A "practicing Catholic" would know that the use of artificial contraception--including the injectable ...
- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Melinda Gates, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Contraception, Intrinsic Evil, Andrew Greenwell, Gospel of life, Culture of life, Culture of death

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1 - 10 of 56 Comments

Judy Claar
9 months ago
Rob, I think you misread me? You reiterated what I said. Perhaps I was unclear. Blessings...
TC Kimmel
10 months ago
Here's a pretty good breakdown of the subterfuge and finances of the Gates "eliminate the poor" trajectory.

http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2012/07/5955
Rob
10 months ago
Judy, as you have said on many posts, the only way we change the world is by following Jesus. Ms. Gates and our politicians who label themselves Catholic, need our prayers and fasting. And when necessary, our votes to support or change course. But we are called to forgiveness and love. Screaming is not going to draw them back in the fold, let alone to Christ.
Judy Claar
10 months ago
Catholics are not better, just different. That is, until they forget Jesus came for the sinner. And that we are all sinners. We have the Gift of Confession.... I know some of us think some sins are worse than others. How could they do it? Let alone, think it? But that, is where We are on Our journey. Others are not there. And it is for that very reason (and more), we cannot judge them. It is ESPECIALLY hard now for young people. My lesson was learned on my journey with Our Lady of Fatima. As a child I was drawn to her and the children. Since then, I Always pray for the Conversion of Sinners, the good of my own soul, my family, the world; and to convert the most hardened of hearts; and the Release of souls in purgatory. Yes, I am a firm believer in Rob's thought here. About forgiveness. And working from the inside out. Prayers...
Lucia
10 months ago
My brother attended mass at a local parish about 3 months ago, where members of the congregation literally left their pews and the church when the priest began his homily on contraception. Priests are afraid they will push people away if they speak about these controversial topics, but the truth needs to be told. My church is so active in re-evangelizing, but I heard of others that want no part in any of it. I know one church that has a weak re-evangelization program and it is my understanding that it will soon close. None of the parishioners were at all aware of the HHS Mandate at all. The priest there chose not to speak about religious freedom or the HHS mandate during his homily or put any information about it in the bulletin. My priest spoke openly about it and asked us to pray and fast. We even held Fortnight for Freedom events. It saddens me because the congregation of that church really need to know about these things, but instead nothing is said.
bluesuede
10 months ago
In the Old Testament it says that a poor man's wealth are his children.
That being true, wouldn't contraception impoverish him even more?
If cutting down the population of the poor is such a great idea, then why don't we see the poor fanatically promoting it?

Do the Gates' expect the poor, who accept their generous free contraception say, "Wow, thank you for killing us, great white lady".
Rob
10 months ago
Guys, this strategy also has to include a serious adult faith formation effort by the church. While all the information anyone wanted to know is out there, it does not give us a pass in providing opportunities to teach/evangelize. In fact, it seems like so much of the discussion is geared toward ejecting people from the church. I think that is totally contrary to what we are charged to do. We need to work harder at converting souls rather than punishing them. I've said this before, but coming up on my 40th birthday, it's pretty darn disturbing that I've never heard a homily on contraception. And from what I've read on blogs, I'm not alone. While we all can access the teachings (no arguement against self motivation from me), but the church and our bishops need to get serious about these teachings if they want the flock to take them seriously. We have teachers to teach....
Lucia
10 months ago
Catholicism isn't a social club. This is a devout way of living with precise and sound tradition, practices, doctrine and discipline. To say that she is going to hell because she is not a practicing Catholic IS imposing judgement. We are not God and have no right to say such things.. Saying she is not Catholic and should not be claiming to be one because she publicly does not accept Church teaching is NOT judgement. She is working against the Church and as far as I am concerned, that is not what practicing Catholics do. She and many other so-called Catholics (Biden and Pelosi) are misleading, misguiding and hurting the Church. They are wolves in sheep's' clothing. If they are Catholic, what does that make people who fully embrace the Church in her entirety? We can pray for these people, however, that they may fully embrace the Church in Her entirety.
Catholic at heart
10 months ago
Bill and Melinda Gates have embraced the forbidden fruit and just want to share it. Their judgement day is coming and we all need to reject what looks, smells and feels evil of intent. Bless all those who welcome, embrace and love all the children whom our Great Maker invites to our earth.
Rosalie
10 months ago
@Diane, agreed. It's time to start pulling these weeds up by the roots.

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