Blog: Family Planning, Ecumenism, Witnessing, Chances (running out of)

Family Planning (Rated M for married )
"Are you sticky?"  I ask my wife.  That refers to her vaginal discharge that indicates her fertility.  If it's watery and clear then she's not fertile but when it's cloudy and thick then chances are she's fertile.  I also track her last menstrual period and temperature.  If she's hot, warmer than usual, then she may be fertile.  All these indicators allow me to prevent pregnancy the natural way.  There are 2 things here.  First, there must be a good reason to avoid pregnancy and secondly, it must be done the right way.  With 4 kids and her age, I think responsible parenthood requires me to stop.  The right way is natural i.e. no vasectomy, no pills, no coitus interuptus.  That's God way.  BTW, if you want more details I advice you not to rely solely on my sharing here.  There are sites that treat this topic in  Cf. www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/nfp/index.shtml

Ecumenism - the Return of the Anglicans and more
Remember the image of the wheel with the spokes?  The closer we move to the center, the closer we get to each other.  Compared to his predecessors, Pope Benedict XVI did not reach out as much as he reached in -  focused and stayed with the truth that has been handed down by the apostles.  That is what is attracting the other Christians whose churches have started to veer away from that heritage.  People of goodwill who want to remain in the truth are seeing the Catholic church as a stable institution that stays the course.  This is not to discount the work of Vatican II who paved the way for this reconciliation by recognizing elements of truth and goodness in them and acknowledging sincerity in their intentions.  So, our fidelity to the Truth is the greatest service that we can give our separated brethren and the world.

Witnessing to Jesus (not taught)
Correct me if I am wrong but I have seen my kids religion books and have taught Sunday school myself but do not recall any lesson about how to talk to others about Jesus.  I got those from ecclesial movements and charismatic prayer groups.  But the point is why do we not teach our children to evangelize others, to share the gift of faith in Jesus?


Chances (running out of)
I shall not pass this way again...
"I expect to pass through this world but once. 
Any good thing,therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show 
to any fellow human being let me do it now. 
Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."

Stephen Grellet, 1773-1855
French-born Quaker Minister

Video: (Chicken-a-la-Carte) Let them eat pumpkin.

When told that the poor had no bread, Marie-Antoinette said, "Let them eat cake."   Some say she was clueless or apathetic;  others think that she might have thought of giving her cakes away.  No matter, in this video, one might wonder why people aren't contented with their simple food like rice and dried fish.  The answer is that there is no simple food to begin with.

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

Source:  http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/1081/Chicken-a-la-Carte#videoDetail  or click here

Video description:

Chicken a la Carte : Director: Ferdinand Dimadura | Genre: Drama | Produced In: 2005

Synopsis: This film is about the hunger and poverty brought about by Globalization. There are 10,000 people dying everyday due to hunger and malnutrition. This short film shows a forgotten portion of the society. The people who live on the refuse of men to survive. What is inspiring is the hope and spirituality that never left this people.

Blog/Video: Veggie Tales taught my son perseverance

Cartoons taught my son perseverance. When he was 7, he was a Tiger scout. During one of their meetings, they had a crab walk race. Since he was doing it right, he trailed the pack. It became so bad that everyone else had crossed the finish line. But he kept on. The other parents were so impressed that they gave him a standing ovation as he struggled to the very end. When I asked him what made he hang on, he said that he recalled the Veggie Tale story about perseverance. (See below.)

St. John Bosco would have used this too if was around in the 1800s.  He used all the media available then e.g.  theater, acrobatics, juggling, drama, operettas, stories, songs and billboards stating "God sees you."

Video Description:  Scallion (Larry the Cucumber) challenges Apollo Gourd for the World Veggie-Weight Title! Can Scallion stick with it and finish the match? Can he keep his eye on the Tiger Bike awarded to the champion? In this zany tale of perseverance, The Italian Scallion learns that when you finish what you start, you always come out the winner! Video source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQI8YPfcTf0 or click here

Video: 92 year old woman saved from mugging by witnessing about God.

Pauline Jacoby, a 92 year old woman about to be mugged was saved by talking to the robber about God.  She narrates the event in this video.




Source: http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=60928caa552278feef5e or click here

Video: Christians in the eyes of Sikhs.

Another take on this is how non-Christians saw Christians.  If how we're perceived matters to us because we are ambassadors of Christ, then this short film is quite revealing.  It is the Johari window exemplified when we learn about ourselves through others.

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath : Director: Sharat Raju | Genre:Documentary | Produced In: 2008

Synopsis: Valarie Kaur was a 20-year-old college student when she set out across America in the aftermath of 9/11, camera in hand, to document hate violence against her community. From the still-shocked streets of Ground Zero to the desert towns of the American west, her epic journey confronts the forces unleashed in a time of national crisis - racism and religion, fear and forgiveness - until she finds the heart of America... halfway around the world.

Source:  http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/1659/Divided-We-Fall--Americans-in-the-Aftermath

Video: Trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation

Sins against purity are not private acts even if done behind closed doors by oneself. The models used in internet porn, the exotic dancers, the "escorts" or the prostitutes are modern day slaves. Here is another reason to not view porn because, if there is no demand then the industry will not thrive.

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

Source:  http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/2098/Inhuman-Traffic

Inhuman Traffic : Director: MTV EXIT | Genre: Documentary | Produced In: 2005

Synopsis: MTV EXIT presents Inhuman Traffic, a special programme presented by Angelina Jolie. Inhuman Traffic is a fast-moving and compelling documentary that provides an introduction to the human rights tragedy of trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation in Europe. Featuring Anna, a woman from Romania who was trafficked by her neighbour to the Balkans where she was forced to be a prostitute for 2.5 years, and Tatiana, a victim who spent 6 months as a sex slave in Amsterdam after being sold by her boyfriend. Their harrowing stories are told along side other characters in the trafficking chain, including a potential victim, a young man who pays for sex, an anti-trafficking police officer, and prevention and assistance organisations. Inhuman Traffic gives an insight into the trafficking chain and how we can help break that chain.

Video: Why people support abortion rights (Motherhood by choice)

I've posted this for pro-lifers to understand those who support abortion  in order to reduce or stop abortions altogether.  Understanding is not condoning;  it is not tolerating and much less accepting.  I seek to understand to be more effective in fighting this just like Patton understood Rommel's tactics.

What I learned here are the efffectiveness of state laws in pushing back the carnage.  Also, abortion providers see themselves as helping others.  Finally, if the mother can be dissuaded from doing it to begin with, then we can all pack our bags.  But there lies the rub.

Regardless, I do not endorse abortion rights because, no one should have a right to deprive another person of his inalienable right to life.  If it is no longer available, then fewer women will risk their lives with coat hangers and we won't have the 50 million dead babies in the US since abortion became legal.

Motherhood by Choice, not Chance : Director: Dorothy Fadiman | Genre: Documentary |Produced In: 2000

Synopsis: Motherhood by Choice, Not Chance distills the history and power of the 2 ½ hour trilogy, From the Back-Alleys to the Supreme Court & Beyond. Through first person stories, this documentary brings alive the history of the struggle for women's reproductive rights in the U.S. and the passion of those who moved abortion from the danger of the back alleys to a safe, legal choice. It includes information about current threats to those rights.

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

Source:  http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/1315/Motherhood-by-Choice--not-Chance#videoDetail