The New Normal: Disorientation

Hitting the gong... secularism, consumerism, relativism, ism, ism, ism, ism, ism........
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The new normal is that there is no normal any longer...  Sounds like bar talk, huh?  But it is so true.  How can you be a Christian and buy into all of these errors?  Every day is a new controversy, as today's first reading from Habakkuk says, "destruction and violence are before me; strife and clamorous discord."
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Don't you think a sitcom, reality-show mentality was also at play in the voyeuristic, character assassination of Tyler Clementi?  On the other hand, haven't you noticed the increase of young people killing themselves - not just because they were harassed or bullied either - across the globe young actors and models and designers end potentially successful careers just as they begin to prosper.  Are not these 'special interest' suicides equally as tragic?  It seems to me suicide has become an acceptable final solution to life's problems for a new generation who have been raised to accept abortion as a way to end the "burden" of unwanted children.  As the children of the culture of death mature - government sponsored choice has become the solution, the alternative to reality.  (Government sponsored suicide isn't the norm - yet - but euthanasia is on it's way.) 
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Sexual disorientation.
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Believe me, I see suicide as a tragedy, and like everyone else, I consider the suicide of Tyler Clementi  as a horrible thing.  That said, it is almost a sure thing Clementi's suicide will lead to some sort of new legislation regarding 'domestic voyeurism', internet use, privacy issues, etc.  It will undoubtedly lead to more GLBT support groups in schools and on college campuses, as well as sex re-education programs.  We already know that in other states kids in the first grade are taught that gay marriage is no different from traditional marriage - Archbishop Nienstedt notes that fact in his communique regarding the Minnesota Bishops' Preserving Marriage DVD.
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How does a parent guide a child through all of this?  What if your kid presents as being attracted, or interested in the same sex?  What do you do when popular culture, government, schools, and science insist it is the new normal?  How has our culture become so disoriented?  A new generation has already been indoctrinated through media and education, and the process is accelerating in both private and public education.  If one opposes it, one is called a bigot.  What to do?
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The Christian Normal.
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I really don't know.  However, I take some consolation from today's second reading from the Letter of St. Paul to Timothy:  "God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.  So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord...  Take as your norm the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  Guard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us."
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In these days when it seems the love of most has grown cold and faith seems weak, we must cling to the faith as taught by the Pope and the Bishops in communion with him - even though our faith be the size of a mustard seed...
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Pray for the Church and families - as well as the disoriented.  We maybe can't solve everyone's problems, but we can have faith and hope, as long as we do what we are obliged to do.
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Photo:  The Gong Show