It ends with a bang and a wimper, apparently

So ends Saddam Hussein. Wonder what Iranian and North Korean leaders are thinking right now?

(Caution - video is graphic).

Cardinal Flunks Catechism 101, Supports Saddam

From today’s news at Associated Press:

A top Vatican official condemned the death sentence against Saddam Hussein in a newspaper interview published Thursday, acknowledging the crimes of the ousted Iraqi leader but reiterating that capital punishment goes against the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Renato Martino, Pope Benedict's top prelate for justice issues and a former Vatican envoy to the United Nations, said that Saddam's execution would punish "a crime with another crime" and expressed hope that the sentence would not be carried out. In the interview with Rome daily La Repubblica, Martino reiterated the Vatican's staunch opposition to the death penalty, saying that life must be safeguarded from its beginning to its ``natural" end. "The death penalty is not a natural death. And no one can give death, not even the State," he said.

My my my. The Vatican has a "staunch opposition" to the death penalty, does it? Violates the "teachings" of the Catholic Church? Really?

Uh…not so much. The teachings of the Catholic Church are, in fact, publically available to anyone who cares to instruct themselves in such matters. In the case of the death penalty, the church does not now, nor has it ever, opposed capital punishment, per se – viz:

Assuming that the guilty party's identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor. If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people's safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.

So, while it would be fair to say that the Catholic Church is not a big supporter of the death penalty, it does not hold that capital punishment and the Christian faith are mutually exclusive, nor does it teach that the death penalty in and of itself violates the teachings of the Church.

Sigh. Maybe the red hat’s too tight or something, but wouldn’t be nice if the man responsible for propagation of the Church’s teachings on justice issues had actually, you know, read the Church’s teachings on justice issues?


UPDATE: The wicked witch is dead.

Christmas instructions for Christians

A few parting instructions for fellow Christians this Christmas, to help you all navigate all the Political Correctness (PC) out there – not to mention all those workers busy relocating Christmas trees back and forth, depending on where the PC roulette wheel landed:

1. No matter your church affiliation, for the next few days, if religion comes up just say you are a "Christian" – not Baptist, or Catholic, or Methodist. If you are a loyal member of the United Church of Canada, however, you’re still required to answer either "Pagan” or "Atheist." Sorry.

2. Being a Christian in a pluralistic democarcy does not mean your belief system gets suppressed in favour of minority views. It means that CHRISTmas gets celebrated with no less joy and tolerance than everything else.

3. Wish people a "Merry Christmas" and mean it, unless you know for certain they belong to another faith tradition. Err, in other words, on the side of Christ.

4. Attend at least one real Christmas Concert. I know, I know – you’ve already been to your kid’s "Winter Celebration" where all that stuff about Jesus is hummed instead of sung, but just once track down a real Christmas Concert with all the traditional carols and attend – and no, it doesn’t matter if it’s at a church other than yours. Yes, even if it’s an Anglican Christmas Concert, just go.

5. Pray, just once, for everybody – especially for people you can’t stand. Storm the gates of heaven for them. Forgive them everything. Please.

6. Create or visit a Nativity. They’re disappearing and if you don’t normally have one as part of your family tradition, start one. Make one. Buy one. Whatever.

7. Most importantly, no matter what anyone else thinks, just act like a Christian. Tell someone how happy you are that Christ was born. Let people see you being a good Christian. True ecumenism is conversion by example - not that water-down-that-convert-all-nations crap. As St. Francis said, "Preach always – if necessary, use words."

8. And have a Merry Christmas everyone: Eat, drink, hug your kid, make love to your wife/husband, pray – and feel free to mix up the order.

I’m doing it all....

Quick! While they're all in one place!

Holocaust conference in Tehran denies...the Holocaust.

Surrender Monkey for PM?

Stephane Dion thinks there is nothing wrong with the Prime Minister of Canada being a foreign national. Stephene Dion, the self-styled nationalist, refuses to dispense with a foreign citizenship.

Either Stephane Dion is stupid, or he thinks we are. Does this man seriously not understand the most elementary concept of citizenship? A citizen owes a legal and fiduciary obligation to the nation affording him citizenship, period. When present in a country of which he is a citizen, he becomes subject to all of the requirements demanded by that citizenship from time to time.

Conscription. Tax laws. Laws pertaining to treason, sedition, political activity – everything. And folks, the French (unlike Canada) take their citizenship very seriously. Just ask all those car-burning Islamic guest workers.

Election slogan? Easy – “Vote for the Canadian”

Dion. Is. Toast.

It’s over baby….

Murder Bias

Why is it then when a man commits murder-suicide the media (quite rightly) don’t immediately start lamenting about his problems or mental health issues, but instead focus on the innocent victims of his heinous criminal act – usually his wife and children. When a woman commits exactly the same evil crime, however, everyone suddenly becomes a pop psychologist and trips all over themselves trying to hand her a harp and strap a pair of wings on her.

The media’s collective mind is so open to every mitigating theory of the crime, brains are falling out all over TV. Just look at the language being used to describe this killing: the baby wasn’t thrown off the bridge, they “plunged” or even worse he “jumped with his mother.” It wasn’t even a murder at all in most reports, but a “tragedy”, as if they’d been killed in a traffic accident or something. Not a single article appears without some kind of authoritative quotes from medical experts about depression, despite the fact that they know as much about these two people and their circumstances as you and I – not a bloody thing.

So you will please excuse me for offering this nowhere-else-to-be-found alternate theory of this week’s latest murder-suicide-by-mother: Maybe she was just an evil, murdering, twisted killer who’s choking back the flames in that special corner of Hell reserved for parents who betray the ultimate trust bestowed upon them.

The true facts will become known in the coming days, weeks and months. But until they are known, the above theory is just as supported by the known evidence as all the crap filling our morning papers.

And until we know differently, I will pray for Sunna Genua. He’s the little boy murdered this week by his mommy.

As for his mother…I will defer to His perfect judgement in such matters.

Paging Mrs. Dion

Anyone know why the new Liberal leader's wife or daughter wasn't on stage with him, or anywhere with him at the convention? Why they never appear together?

Hey, just askin...I'm one of those backward voters who like their chosen political leaders to be family people, etc.

So I'm...just askin.



UPDATE:
OK, I found a pic of Dion embracing his family on stage after winning the leadership, as is always the case:








OK, so you can't really see them all that well, but they're there. Trust me.

As for his passion, well just check out these embraces:

Letters, Redux

Welcome to a new feature here at Upper Canada Catholic, where we will apply the "turnabout is fair play" rule to the most moronic, left-wing letters to the editor we can find. For our inaugural letter, here is Joe Tatarnic's passing contribution to sodomite sophistry in today's Toronto Star:

Beware Shrill Protests on Same-Sex Marriage

Unedited original:

With the re-opening of the same-sex marriage debate in Parliament next week, we must expect the possibility of well-organized campaigns calling for the legislation's reversal. Do not be swayed by their shrillness. These events will be organized by well-financed minorities who, due to their social conservatism or religious bias, have a vested interest in overturning the same-sex marriage bill and curtailing other people's freedom and rights.

Thanks for clarifying that Joe - we now understand that there are no religious views or values which can legitimately inform public policy - just religious "bias." Also, we appreciate the fact that our views can be dismissed because they come from "minorities"; this is a new liberal position we haven't heard before. Tell us, Joe, which other minorities is our allegedly democratic society allowed to dismiss out of hand? The list, please...we'd really like to know what the hidden liberal agenda is here.

Joe, because you choose to support same-sex marriage not by defending it directly, but by launching vapid sophistry missiles at people who oppose it it, your letter has been chosen to be rewritten by Upper Canada Catholic editors.

The New and Improved Version:

With the re-opening of the same-sex marriage debate in Parliament next week, we must expect the possibility of well-organized campaigns calling for the legislation's approval. Do not be swayed by their shrillness. These events will be organized by well-financed minorities who, due to their sexual preferences or anti-religious bias, have a vested interest in saving the same-sex marriage bill and curtailing other people's freedom and rights.

Next time, Joe, try making an actual argument.