Greg Popcak had more excellent writing today about the removal of God from government. I found his closing insights very interesting:
“As an example, communism (or more rightly, Marxism and Leninism) didn't fail solely because it was flawed (capitalism has its flaws too, right?) It failed because it was Godless. For centuries, religious communities such as the Fransicans, and Dominicans and even the first Christians in Acts practiced a sort of Theistic Communism in which no one person owned anything and all worked for the good of the community. God protected and still protects these communities from the potential abuses of this system of government because He was allowed to be a player in that system of government.On a completely different thread Peter Gerrits has retired! Apparently in the midst of our house closings, moving and unpacking, this major event snuck in under our radar. Congratulations, Peter!! I expect your golf game will improve tremendously now.(grin)Likewise, Capitalism did not beat out Communism because it was necessarily better, but because it, to a point, had made more room for God. Even 'civil deism' is better than national a-theism. If the left succeeds in removing God from society, then America will collapse under the weight of its own greed within two generations just as the USSR did.”
Donna Gerrits sent me a small but wonderful book by Ronald Knox, a great 20th century apologist entitled “Miracles”. I've just cracked it open a few pages but am already enjoying it as much as similar works by his peers: G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, Hilaire Belloc, etc. She also sent me a newspaper clipping from Our Sunday Visitor about Msgr. Escrivá, Opus Dei, and the man who handled his case for sainthood. I enjoyed it very much.
I just got off the phone with Michelle a little while ago. Apparently Michael is getting too brave for his own good. He has fallen quite a few times today. It reminds me of my Aunt Susie's recollection that when boys are around a year and a half, you wonder if they'll make it to age two. All energy and curiosity, but no common sense. Fearless or naïve, you be the judge.
There's one thing that has been rather annoying about work lately. All too often conference calls with our other offices occur right in the middle of our lunchtime. It partly due to being located between Great Britain and Silicon Valley.