In Jesus' Name...

The Name of Christ is mighty

Apparently the Name of Christ is more dangerous to the public than concealed weapons (which are perfectly legal) in N. Carolina. 

Nice.

I found a seed on Father Z's blog this morning detailing a new policy enacted in N. Carolina regarding police chaplains' ability to use Christ's name while praying at public events.

One chaplain's response was like an arrow to my heart...  a beautiful, wonderful arrow of integrity and wisdom.

Pastor Terry Sartain, upon learning of this change, withdrew from the event because, "Jesus is the only thing I have to bless people with." 

This man understands what so many others do not.  The Name of Christ is one of our greatest blessings.  It's why we always ask for everything "in Jesus' Name."  Christ left us even the grace of His own Name to help shield us from harm. 

Other religions treat the names of their gods / prophets as unspeakable or curse-inducing utterances.  Not Christianity.  We were blessed to understand that our God is a loving God who WANTS a personal relationship with us.  He WANTS us to know Him intimately.  Thus, He blesses us with the comfort of His Holy Name.

To remove our ability to call out His blessing through using His Name, this policy effectively steals from us our ability to properly pray.  It also forces us to deny the God who gave His Life for our salvation.

And I can't help but know with certainly that the developers of this policy fully understood that.  I believe Satan and his demons coated this with the sugar of tolerance and unity, but in reality, this is just one more step towards a global "religion" that is no religion at all. 

It is a dismantling of Christianity in lieu of agnosticism.  It is a stifling of our faith... another gentle inoculation to prevent the spread of Christ's Name to new generations of souls.  This has nothing to do with tolerance.  It is INTOLERANCE that has paved the way for this desecration of religious liberties. 

But few will see it this way because so many are grateful for the chance to cast aside the trappings of religion.  Their own opinions on religion cloud their ability to see beyond the "Don't use Jesus' Name" and realize that it is a tiny cog in a bigger machine that is shooting down a person's individual right to practice their religion as he or she sees fit.

Chaplains are VOLUNTEERS.  They are volunteering their time to give comfort to the men and women who serve.  At a prayer service (if one is requested by the police force), folks EXPECT to hear names like Jesus, God, Buddha or Mohammad.  These words do not point a finger at atheists, Jews or Spaghetti Monster believers in an attempt to say "You're going to a naughty place for not believing!"  If you invite a volunteer chaplain to one of these prayer services, you're inviting their brand of religion.  If you don't want to be stifled by Christianity, find a volunteer who will speak what you're looking for.  But do NOT, NOT, NOT attempt to tell someone how they can and cannot pray (publicly or otherwise!). 

These chaplains (whatever their religion may be) are looking to offer comfort in the form of a universal blessing.  Christ does not just bless Christians.  He blesses all, regardless of their belief in Him.

If someone were to say to me, "May the Spaghetti Monster's blessing be upon you always" I'd say, "Right on, good sir.  Thanks for having my back with the warm fuzzies."

I would not respond, "Dude, I believe in JESUS, okay?  Stop insulting me with your well-wishes!"

And yet that's exactly what is being done by this policy.  It is ludicrous and is once again an attempt by policy makers to stifle the religious freedoms of folks... folks who are VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME for goodness sake!

*Sigh*

It reminds me of this yearly mess...   Will this sort of foolishness have no end?

---

This is a perfect time for the Golden Arrow Prayer.  It was given to St. Gertrude the Great by Christ, Himself, who said, "It will wound My Heart delightfully and heal the wounds inflicted by blasphemy."

As I said on Fr. Z's wall, I hope in this case it will heal the wounds inflicted by arrogance, silence and betrayal.

May the most holy,  most sacred, most adorable, most incomprehensible and ineffable Name of God be  forever praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified in Heaven, on Earth, and  under the Earth by all the creatures of God and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord  Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.  Amen.

---