'...this anti Protestant Catholicism.'
I would like to examine this statement in a little greater detail. First, let's turn the phrase around a little: Can there be a 'pro-Protestant' Catholicism?
'...that I was charged and convicted of not being the same kind of Catholic that you are.'
Is there more than one kind of Catholic?
'Still you can't have it both ways, Gilbert,...'
I'm not trying to have anything 'both ways'. I am simply trying to speak the Catholic truth.
'I know jolly well that you wouldn't stand there and pray for a miracle while someone butchered your daughter, so don't recommend that I confine my actions to prayer and converting my neighbor while someone butchers my son.'
It would truly depend on what I was capable of doing at the time of this hypothetical butchering. If I was physically capable of stopping the butchery, I would. In the process, I pray that I would not betray the Faith in so doing.
But, that begs the question: What are we truly capable of doing to stop the war? Perhaps I am being overly pessimistic, but I have concluded that 'the people' do _not_ control the policies of this country's government. You can try to affect the policy decisions of this country's government, but I doubt you will even be heard. Still, I understand why you would try.
I know you are emotionally involved in this particular subject because your son's life is at stake. However, we should also put the matter into perspective. Was your son a volunteer, or was he drafted? Who are the aggressors in this conflict? Are the Iraqis right in resisting us?
These academic questions are of no comfort when our own flesh and blood are at risk, I know. But, it is the government, the principles upon which it was founded, and its anti-Catholic orientation that created the conditions for our family members and fellow countrymen to be placed in harm's way to begin with.
And, dont think I am a pacifist. I am not necessarily pacifistic. It is just that if we are going to fight a war, I would prefer it to be a Just War.
'I'll grant you that the way I advocate is not the perfect way, but it just might keep us alive long enough to attain the perfect way.'
There is no 'perfect way' if you mean one that will not involve sacrifice. Nothing that is worthwhile comes at no price. Our Lord suffered pain, humiliation, and death to redeem us our sins. Yet, we expect somehow that we are entitled to a cake-walk while trying to fix things?
I think I understand by what you posted earlier that you advocate participating in non-Catholic political causes or programmes. I say to you that your efforts will be in vain. We must get the Church to speak definitively on the great moral and ethical issues of our time. For that to occur, we must pray for the Pope. We should also focus our efforts on conversion.
'What hubris suggests that God will perform a miracle for people who won't themselves step into the breach?'
Again, I say to you that we are defining 'the breach' differently. 'The breach' is sticking up for Our Lord; not dwelling on this-or-that worldly concern. Do you think God is going to intervene into the affairs of men -- to their benefit -- who do not believe in Him? God will not perform miracles that will help unbelievers.
'And saving lives often means fighting literally. Unless you have found a way to convert corpses, this is what it comes down to.'
So, whom would you fight? How? And what would your purpose be?
WRT converting corpses... That is why the Faith is so important to begin with. Converting a corpse is, of course, an exercise in futility. God forbid something happen to your son, but if he is Catholic and died in a state of sanctifying grace, certainly it should be *some* consolation to you that he will be in heaven?
Let me ask you: would you prefer a live heretic to a dead saint? I'm a parent, too, and that is a tough question to answer. Theoretically, I of course would prefer sainthood for my children, rather than damnation. Practically, the human element kicks in and you want to preserve life above all else.
Perhaps an anecdote will help. Princess Blanche of Castile, who became Queen to King Louis VIII of France was a very devout and pious woman. She acted as regent during the minority of her son, the future King Louis IX. One of the famous sentiments she instilled in him came from this quote of hers:
'Never forget that sin is the only great evil in the world. No mother could love her son more than I love you. But I would rather see you lying dead at my feet than know that you had offended God by one mortal sin.'
I'm not suggesting your son is a heretic, nor would I presume to sit in judgement of him. Let me put it to you this way. Before I went to Iraq, I went to Confession and took Communion knowing that it might be the last time I would do so. I was comforted by the thought that if I died, I would have died after having taken the Sacraments. Believe it or not, this carried my wife and me through the entire time I was gone. We were at peace.
Now, neither of us are believers in the war or its purposes. That is a separate matter altogether. What we did believe in is that if I died in battle, I had at least as good a chance as any of going to heaven.
'The very foundation of Christianity is laying down our lives for others.'
Yes, but dont you see that Christ didnt protest His martyrdom? He accepted it.
'And Jesus didn't mean we were to die of a burst blood vessel praying for God to do what we could do ourselves (although fervent prayer is what moves heaven).'
I understand your exaggeration, but it is still absurd. Our Lord did indeed intend for us to *pray*.
'I will mark your brother in my "especialies", and I do thank you for your prayers.'
Thank you.
'I wish the whole world would pray and take action.'
As do I. But remember that praying *IS* taking action. This is a *spiritual* battle every bit as much, and I would argue moreso, as it is a physical one.
'...but I'm not much comforted that his chaplain is probably NO. So there is that to be lived with, too. They used to give the soldiers and sailors Bibles. Now they persecute the chaplains for using Jesus' name. It seems to me that satan has managed to put every sort of obstacle between God and His children.'
This is perhaps where the rendering unto Caesar stops and the rendering unto God begins. If the soldiers and sailors dont have Bibles and cannot hear their chaplains speak of Our Lord, then they have to make their own preparations and pray to Him themselves. While I was gone, I had only the N.O. Mass, so I didnt go to it. I read my missal, prayed the Rosary, and made acts of perfect contrition when it occurred to me that I should do so.