Monday, January 30, 2006

Italian Priest Being Sued by Atheist


Atheist claims no proof Christ lived


Perhaps we should label this one under a category called “world grown totally mad”. However, we don't have such a category on this blog, although I am sometimes compelled to believe that perhaps we should. Proclaiming the world totally mad would be far from accurate, as there is little to no agreement as to what “totally mad” truly is, and with each passing day, we are sure, the world has not quite achieved total madness, but, it apparently is not giving up on its own efforts to become so. Indeed, just as we are sure the world could not possibly get any crazier, something or someone comes along to prove us wrong. We have discovered that when it comes to madness, madness in and of itself is an ever evolving thing, and it would appear that there is no such thing as “total madness” after all. It would seem, in regard to madness, there is always room for a bit more...well...craziness.

That being said, let us take a look at the latest news bit from Italy. It seems that three years ago, an Italian atheist, one Luigi Cascioli, from Viterbo, Italy (just north of Rome) filed a lawsuit against a Roman Catholic priest, Reverend Enrico Righi, because the good Reverend Righi had the audacity and unmitigated gall to write in his parish bulletin that Jesus Christ did in fact exist, and that He was born to Joseph and Mary in Bethlehem, and that He lived in Nazareth. Perhaps I should have said that this apparent statement of faith as well as fact, caused the aggrieved Signor Cascioli's gall to get stirred up, and he decided that Reverend Righi violated Italian law in regard to the so-called “abuse of popular belief or credulity” in which someone fraudulently deceives people; and “impersonation” where someone gains by attributing a false name to someone, both offenses under the Italian penal code.

Signor Cascioli, who evidently once studied for the priesthood, but, became an atheist, wrote a book called “The Fable of Christ”. Among the assertions of Cascioli: is that there was no reliable evidence that Jesus lived and died in 1st-century Palestine apart from the Gospel accounts, which Christians took on faith. There is therefore no basis for Christianity, he claims. He also says that early Christian writers confused Jesus with John of Gamala, an anti-Roman Jewish insurgent in 1st-century Palestine.

It is obvious that no one is more confused than Signor Cascioli.

Apparently, Judge Gaetano Mautone of Viterbo, set a preliminary hearing for the end of this month, and ordered Father Righi to appear. Judge Mautone had earlier refused to hear the case, but, was overruled last month by the Court of Appeal, which agreed that Signor Cascioli had a reasonable case for his accusation of “abuse of popular belief or credulity”against Father Righi. If I didn't know better, I'd almost think there had finally been a successful “cloning” of human beings, and that the entire U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals had been cloned and exported to Italy.

So, it seems that Christians are once again being persecuted. Not just persecuted, but, being persecuted once again by non-believers, just as done by their non-believing ancestors in the days of the Roman Empire. It seems somewhat ironic, that once again, a Christian, a Roman Catholic priest, is being tried for his faith in that country which was once the center of the world, and which was notorious for its mock trials, it's injustice, and it's infamous cruelty towards the early Christian faithful. Maybe things haven't changed as much as we think they have. It would seem the only thing missing in this case, is “the beasts” for the “gratification of the people”, as the lions were described in “The Martyrdom of Ignatius”.

I think I was right at the start of this piece. The world truly is going mad.

Copyright © 2006 Steve Smith. All rights reserved.



Monday, January 16, 2006

No More Deafening Silence



Time and time again, we pick up the newspaper, turn on the television or the radio, and we read or hear stories, of Christians, and anything and everything that IS Christian, being banned, being regulated, or being restricted. Why do these things take place? Why does no one take a stand? Why have Christians and Christianity become the only group that it is politically correct to be intolerant of?

The secular opponents of Christianity, and Christian ideals, are glaringly apparent in every community, in every walk of life, and in every setting. Three years ago, in my hometown, there was a concert by one of the local Middle School Choirs. Two songs of faith were included in the arrangement of songs these children would perform. Among the members of this choir, was one little girl, who's mother, after waiting until just days before the concert, objected to the two songs being included. The woman objected to the songs, as she and her child, are Wiccan. The choir was told by the school administration, that the 2 songs would have to be omitted.

On the evening of the concert, everything went off without a hitch. That is, until the very end, when the students in this 8th grade chorus, after taking their bows, began singing the two songs anyway. It seems these young kids, decided they would sing them anyway, with or without school approval. They had decided amongst themselves, and without the teacher's knowledge, that the songs WOULD be included.

The local newspaper was riff with articles condemning the principal for not stopping them, and for the School Board not taking action against the administration and teacher. The principal ended up not being rehired for the following year, and the teacher was "reassigned". Letters to the editorial page, ran decidedly against the teacher, the students, and the principal. Why? Because the adults in the community, did not have the courage or intestinal fortitude, that the kids in that choir had!

We are told, how intolerant we Christian’s are by group’s who's very attacks on Christians and Christianity is the epitome of hate. They point the finger of intolerance at us, and we cringe. They talk of past "outrages" committed in the name of Christianity, and we are shamed into silence. They tell us that slavery was supported in the pulpit. They tell us how The Inquisition was sanctioned murder by the Church. They tell us all these things, and we are silent.

I for one, am tired of being silent. I for one, will be silent no longer. I for one, will not sit back in silence and meekness as did the Jews of Nazi Germany, and the Nazi occupied countries. Because my friends, I will say this, and remember that I said it. WE ARE HEADED FOR A HOLOCAUST THAT WILL MAKE ADOLPH HITLER LOOK LIKE A RANK AMATURE!!

While we sit in silence, and allow our right to our faith, and way of worship to be destroyed, it is only a matter of time, before we find the opponents of God, and His Church, will incarcerate, and eventually, put to death the Christian faithful. We know that this is prophecy being fulfilled, but, I say, we do not go quietly into that dark night! I say, we make a stand, we make some noise, and we let them all know, from the highest office in the land to the lowest, that we are Christians, and, as Christians we will follow God, and His commandments, and His law no matter who doesn't like it!! It's time to let them know, that we are here, and that we do count!!
Copyright © 2006 Steve Smith. All rights reserved.