Race is a very complicated question -- I hope I can address it without A) taking up too much time or B) causing any misunderstandings.



I want to clarify the Catholic position on race, as I have learned it.



First of all, it's a fact that the enemies of the Catholic Faith wish to dominate the formerly Catholic countries by creating a "one world government" -- and to do that, they need to destroy all bonds of nationality and race. By encouraging intermarriage, they have achieved this to a large degree.



What group do YOU feel that you "belong" to and can identify with? Guess what, we are SUPPOSED to have a culture that we feel is part of us. God intended the differences in the races and peoples. He never wanted everyone to be the same (talents, looks, races, sanctity, you name it) Everything in God's universe is about harmony, not uniformity.



Germans are good at science, Japanese are good at copying, and I'm sure there are many other valid generalizations. They aren't always true in 100% of cases, but serve as a good guess. It doesn't mean when I meet a black person I say, "Oh, you must be good at sports, right?" That would be rude.

And if I go so far as to LOOK DOWN on other races, then that's downright sinful (pride, lack of charity, vainglory)



But there's nothing wrong with taking pride in how God made the various races different. I think it's wonderful. It wasn't so we could feel superior, no more than the hand is superior to the ear, or the eye superior to the leg. (St. Paul wrote about this, in reference to the different roles in the Mystical Body of Christ)



The natural pride we feel in our race (for those of us who still have a race to identify with) is a good thing, something God intended for us. But the Powers That Be see that as a liability to their creation of a World Government.



Just because something can be abused (Hitler?) doesn't mean it is bad. sɛҳuąƖ attraction is a good thing, created by God, though the pornography industry abuses it (like the devil ALWAYS has done with every good thing God creates) Desire for food (and the pleasure of eating it) is good, as it keeps us alive, though gluttony is an abuse of this pleasure.



Distinct races, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, are a blessing from God. The natural feelings of belonging, community, common traits and culture, etc. are also gifts of God. Unfortunately some evil men here and there throughout history have abused this, and turned it into nationalism, fascism, etc. but that doesn't mean God created something evil.



Nor should we try to destroy the distinct races as a solution to the problem.



The solution is -- as always -- the Catholic Faith, where there is "neither Jєω, nor Greek".



I feel closer to a traditional Catholic from Gabon then I feel to my Lutheran next-door neighbor who might be the same ethnicity as myself. The Faith is all that matters when it comes to closeness or bonds of unity.



That's the other side of God's plan. On the one hand, races and differences, and on the other, a Faith which transcends the earthly differences, and helps to prevent nationalism, prejudice, etc.



Only when the FAITH is missing do the natural differences of race start to be a problem.

Lastly, we are always in control of what we do because of Free Will. By consciously fighting our weaknesses, whatever they may be (Irish temper?), we can become very much better than the stereotype. Judging others is always sinful, and using race as a basis is no exception. When we meet an Irishman, we should assume he has completely conquered his temper :)

In Christ,



Matthew