Wednesday, December 4, 2013

For you have been called for this purpose ...


Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad , for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matt. 5:11-12)

I saw the video several times during the day at several sites, including Hot Air, LifeNews.com, and an earlier posting on LifeNews.com which links to an uncensored video of the event. The video is so grievous that I finally decided that I should blog on it. The video is of a huge group of radical feminists who are part of what is called the National Meeting of Women in the Argentina city of San Juan; they are harassing and humiliating a group of Catholic young men who have surrounded their church to protect it from the women. Many of the women are naked (the video covers them) from the waist up and their actions are obscene.

One Catholic blogger, Rebecca Hamilton, speculated about what other group they might be connected to as there have been some milder nude protests involving European and Eastern Europe groups. She could find no connection, but there is an abstract connection. An incident at the World Social Forum, (a mostly Marxist organization), which involved nakedness, but not obscenity nor hatefulness, led one academic writer to speculate on the importance of nudity in protest, Naked Protest: Memories of Bodies and Resistance at the World .

But surely one can understand that given humanity's sinfulness, the act of nudity in protest, must eventually lead to evil consequences. It leaves the protester open to the powers of darkness; the protester early begins a downward spiral with a lose of dignity and their own humanity. And then there is the combination of mob power. Everyone's movement becomes a frenetic attempt to gain the most attention by their act.

And the protest itself was inherently evil; the demand for the right to kill the unborn. This on top of their very public sexuality. Their hate was turned against the Catholic Church but also against individual Christians as they spit, sexually harassed and spray painted the young men who stood silently praying.

I am placing the video here not so much so that readers can see the awfulness of a group of radical feminist, but so they can instead see the steadfastness, patience, faith and unity of a group of Christians.

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps., who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth; and while being reviled he did not revile in return; while suffering he uttered no threats, but kept entrusting himself to Him who judges righteously; and he himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness ...” (1 Peter 21-24) 


11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Viola, your description of the event as a "demonstration" was mild. Obscene gestures, physical assault with sprayed paint, aerosol chemicals, felt tip markers, etc., etc. It looked more like a pagan orgy as it progressed to the "burning man" (Pope Francis) portion.
Most certainly, the faithfulness of those peacefully standing in defense of the cathedral deserve our respect and admiration.
We who wish to stand for life and right had better get accustomed to this kind of "demonstration" and assault. It is already here and will only become more vulgar and intense if God does not send us another great revival.

Viola Larson said...

Anonymous, I agree with what you have written, demonstration is too mild a word. And I believe you are right we do need to get accustomed to these kinds of events, although I don't like the word accustomed. To stay in the Lord's will I believe we must always be shocked at the vulgarities of the human condition, and we must pray that those who lower themselves to such actions will be converted and transformed by Christ Jesus.

I do ask that when people comment here they leave their name, city and state.

Anonymous said...

Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus. Thanks for the continuing witness of those who faithfully, patiently, and graciously witness on behalf of those who can't speak for themselves.

Jodie said...

Viola,

I think what is missing here is some context. Whereas this "protest" is shocking and absurdly repulsive, it is mostly a symbolic gesture. The Roman Catholic Church has much to atone for in Argentina. Real things, things that are, or should have been, even more shocking and repulsive. Remember, this is the place German generals felt comfortable fleeing to after WW2. If you are going to publicize this kind of filth, I think you owe it to your readers to put it in its proper context.

Jodie Gallo
Los Angeles, CA

Viola Larson said...

Just to let you know Jodie, I have put it in a proper context. After reading all of the material it is about a group of women who want the right to kill unborn children and it is also about the right to practice any kind of sex and that publically. It is also about not being allowed to do damage to a Christian church. It is about nothing else.

Anonymous said...

Viola,

That is where you are mistaken. It is about much much more. But I agree with you, in that the symptoms of evil need to be treated just as much as the evil itself. It is not in small part in response to those evils that the RCC has such a different kind of Pope than it has seen in a very long time. The Church he knows, and the world he knows, is nothing like the church or world you are accustomed to.

Jodie

Viola Larson said...

Jodie,
When someone sees evil in some of its worst manifestations and faithfulness in its grander moments and tries to change the subject it is just too much for me to stomach. Yes we are all sinners, but nonetheless the subject matter of this post is very concrete. Please do not comment again.

Viola Larson said...

Thank you Hallead- and yes, Maranatha, come Lord Jesus.

Chas Jay said...

Viola,
We have entered a time of great darkness and it is getting worse. This story is just the next step to what we've seen in our own nation on Christian business owners. I just read the story about the Colorado judge ruling against the baker for not making a wedding cake for a gay couple. There was link to the story about Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Oregon shutting its doors because they were being sued, harrassed and their vendors they did business with were being threatened.

As I finished that last sentence, the familiar carol tune "O Come, O Come Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel" started to play in my mind.
Thank you for standing so firmly in His righteousness.

Anonymous said...

Viola,

It is not fair for you to make such an accusation against me and then tell me not to comment again. I don't know if you intentionally try to misunderstand me or not, but I most definitely am not changing the subject. I don't understand why you would make such a charge.

By the way, did you notice any women defending the church from the threat of desecration? I did not, but I didn't have the stomach to go watch the videos again.

Jodie

Viola Larson said...

No Jodie there were no women outside. But there were 700 people inside praying.