The publication, Defending a Higher Law: Why We Must Resist Same-sex “Marriage” and the Homosexual Movement, from Tradition, Family, and Property, printed in 2004, is now available online in PDF form here. It is normally available for purchase from TFP for $12.95 - but now you can get it free as a download. It is a very important book which not only presents Church teaching on the subject of homosexuality - through the ages, but it also traces the genesis and history of the homosexual movement in modern times, which has set the stage and prepared the place where we find ourselves today. I can't recommend it more highly, except to say, amongst those who do recommend the book, and endorsed it in writing are Archbishop Nienstedt and Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz.
Since the online document is in PDF form, it is difficult to excerpt and format. The following is an example.
SAME-SEX ‘MARRIAGE’ IS OPPOSED TODAY AS
INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE WAS OPPOSED FIFTY
YEARS AGO. IT’S PURE PREJUDICE!
This contention is false. First of all, one cannot compare two
essentially different realities. A man and a woman of different
races are not comparable to two men or two women.
A man and a woman wanting to marry may be completely
different in their characteristics: one may be black, the other
white; one rich, the other poor; one learned, the other not; one
tall, the other short; or one may be famous, the other unknown.
None of these differences are insurmountable obstacles to
marriage. The two individuals are still man and woman, and
thus the requirements of nature are respected.
Same-sex “marriage” opposes nature. Two individuals of
the same sex, regardless of their race, wealth, stature, erudition
or fame, will never be able to marry because of an insurmountable
biological impossibility.
There is simply no analogy between the interracial marriage
of a man and a woman and the “marriage” between two
individuals of the same sex.
Secondly, inherited and unchangeable racial traits cannot be
compared with non-genetic and changeable behavior. - Defending a Higher Law
h/t Ray at Stella
I've read their ditty.
ReplyDeleteLying is a mortal sin. You know that, right?
Hi Thom - How do they lie? I read through the book and their history of the movement and Church teaching along with everything else is laid out plainly.
ReplyDeleteI'm not responding in argumemnt, I would just like to know what you found to be a lie? Thanks.
I'm going offline for now - but moderation is down for now.
I forgot to add - the book rings true for me and from my experience and education.
ReplyDeleteThe history of the gay rights movement. The confluence of "communism" and the gay rights movement. The inescapable, inexcusable citation of (and accolades from) Nicolosi (whose "work" has been disproven so often that if he reported that the Pope is Catholic I would need to double-check). Its basis is a tissue of lies. Further, no Catholic is bound by conscience or law, either canon or moral, to accept the work of a wingbat, independent social club.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion you don't do yourself or anyone who believes as you do any favors by promoting works like this. There are other sources you could use that at least have some intrinsic value and make arguments grounded in truth and reason.
ReplyDeleteThanks Thom. I'm not a member of TFP. I respect Archbishop Nienstedt's opinion on the piece and know he wouldn't endorse erroneous teaching. I also respect Nicolosi's work.
ReplyDeleteI reviewed this book and find its contents accurate - grounded in truth and reason.
I respect your right to disagree with that.
Terry, I haven't read the work, ad what you did post is good, but isn't TFP that group that promotes the establishment of an elite aristocracy? Aren't some of them of the "every Catholic woman should have at least 8 children and NFP is a mortal sin except in *extreeeeme* circumstances" crowd (I don't know if this is TFP's official position), and they are very much "throne and altar" as tge only true sort of proper government, arent they?
ReplyDeleteMost of all, isn't TIA a branch of TFP, or am I mistaken?
Either way, what is written here certainly makes sense. I think it's unnecessary to get into far-reaching conspiracies, though - ordinary human sin and stupidity is enough, isn't it?
Terry ... I read the small book and also noted the individuals who also read it and gave encouraging comments on the contents. I found the book well organized and to the point, highlighting history that many might not know.
ReplyDelete"Two individuals of the same sex, regardless of their race, wealth, stature, erudition or fame, will never be able to marry because of an insurmountable biological impossibility."
ReplyDeleteSo "true marriage" comes down to nothing but the ability to reproduce? But you don't need to be married to do that. And what about couples who are married and can't reproduce because of a physical problem. They must not REALLY be married then, right?
John, even infertile couples and aged couples are *essentially*, that is, theoretically able to reproduce even if they cannot actually do so. Heck, even fertile youn couples cannot reproduce MOST of the time.
ReplyDeleteBut that is due to their sex organs either not functioning properly, or not functioning as a natural consequence of age or cycle - in essence, sex is still a reproductive act, even if tge couple cannot reproduce, even if they don't WANT to reproduce at that time, as long as nothing is deliberately done to mitigate that.
With gay sex, the act is never essentially, potentially,
theoretically, or any kind of -ly reproductive. So while with a heterosexual couple one could say "they might reproduce if she wasn't infertile, if he didn't have a low sperm count, if she hadn't had her uterus removed due to cancer, if it were not that time in the month, if they weren't so old, stressed, whatever ...", but with gays you could only say "of one of them were a member of the opposite sex", which they never could be, even potentially, despite the efforts of modern science to fiddle with that.
Oh ok--thanks for clarifying it Mercury. So "true marriage" DOES come down to squeezing out puppies (or potentially squeezing out puppies, maybe squeezing out puppies, used to squeeze out puppies, squeezing out puppies if it weren't for...).
ReplyDeleteJohn,
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't speak well for you or your position to equate human babies with puppies, or with giving birth as squeezing out puppies....not very child-friendly, are you?
Aus--I have two children. And it's a straight colloquialism. Suprised you never heard it. No offense meant or intended to either children or puppies.
ReplyDeleteJohn,
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't put it quite the same way, but yes, the essential orientation towards procreation is a necessary component of marriage. I'd say it's tge very reason we are created man and woman in the first place. It doesn't mean that's all there is to it, just that it cannot be absent.
Strong, even intense love is possible between any humans, but marriage is different.
John, how do you define "true" marriage? And if you say something about two people who love each other - why two? Why that number?
I fail to understand distrust or animosity toward TFP among Catholics. I can understand why those living in the gay lifestyle would have such toward them but not Catholics. I am unaware of the stance by TFP regarding NFP. I would assume it was the same as that of the church on the matter: that unless there was serious reason to do so then it would be immoral. NFP is not "Catholic birth control". As for the TFP being "Altar and Throne" well so? Is that such an uncatholic theory? I remember I used to post things from TFP on my facebook page and I was castigated by a "gay catholic" for doing so since they were as he said a "rabid lot". I don't know either whether Tradition in Action are part of TFP. Any organization tirelessly promoting Catholic faith, family and values and who are pro life and promote the rosary have my vote.
ReplyDeleteServus - I might be confusing TFP with TIA when it cmes to NFP. The former, if they are not out front declaring it mortally sinful, say it can only be done for "grave" reasons such as utter financial destitution, psychological ruin, or proximate physical death. I've seen some people literally scoff at the idea of letting mom rest or taking a little bit of time to make sure things are going right for the new baby - in other words, taking measures to ward those things off in the first place. They also reject out of hand the idea of exhaustion and insist that either total continence is required or having more children in required.
ReplyDeleteOf course, moralists reject such a view, especially those moralists who were close to Pius XII and Paul VI, and they are clear that even if a couple is using NFP without a good reason, the sin would be against charity NOT against chastity.
Personally I think it hard to sin seriously and mortally using NFP, since you are never positively violating any moral precept. Also, a couple who is selfish to the point of limiting children for non-serious reasons (so they can buy a boat, go on longer vacations) will most probably be using contraception anyway. In other words, if someone is wiling to put up with the immense pain in the rear that NFP is (most people hate it), their reasons for doing so are probably good.
Also, "throne and altar", like representative democracy, has its pluses and minuses. If I were living in Austria in the early 20th century, you'd better believe I'd be a monarchist, with a picture of good Kaiser Franz on my mantlepiece. But, as was very true in France, the system can lead to too much and intertwining of political and ecclesial affairs, to the detriment of the church.
I also think it would be asinine to try and *introduce* a system of nobility and monarchy in a place where it never existed, or has not existed for a long time. Remember, not even the Irish in tge 1920s or the Portuguese at tge same time ever tried to reintroduce a monarchy, and both o them were heavily involved with tge Church (with questionable results in some cases). So there is nothing inherently wrong with a system of monarchy and nobility, just not in all times and places.
For the record though, if I were an Österreicher, I would have loved to see Otto restored to the throne. Especially since Felix Austria now serves a master in Brussels who is very, very hostile to religion, The Christian religion in particular.
Above, I meant "the latter" - TIA, not TFP! I don't think TIA serves any purpose that is not to sow discord, contempt, and distrust, but TFP does seem to do some genuine good.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the TIA people were associated with TFP at some point and got "kicked out"?
Mercury,
ReplyDeleteI'll agree with some of your statements probably a lot of what you state.
I'm certain that people who are using NFP in order to buy boats or lake houses probably aren't using NFP. I would agree that almost everyone using NFP are probably not using it for selfish reasons nevertheless I think the temptation can be there. If you don't mind me asking where did you come up with the notion that TFP held such views because I've never read that?
I will agree with you regarding monarchy also having its' flaws and I can't imagine monarchy being introduced in a society such as the USA. I do however have issue with the separation of Church and state. I'm unapologetic in my support for a Catholic state. I don't foresee that happening here. I do think Catholics could be stronger if they voted en bloc like the Catholics of the Netherlands once did.
Es freut mich sehr dass Sie den lieben Otto von Habsburg unterstuetzt haben. ich habe ihn einmal gesehen und gehoert bei einer Rede von ihm in Deutschland.
Servus, I didn;t know much about him until right before he died. I really hate the EU - I think it is a strong-arm secularist cabal that will prove very hurtful to the Church and to Europe in the long run, regardless of any good that has resulted.
ReplyDeleteI found out that Otto had worked his whole life in support of a Europe united on Christian principles - not an ultrafederalist top-down superstate but a confederation of nations united in their common Christian heritage.
Do you know of any good biographies of him in English or German?
Bist du ein Österreicher? Ich habe in Süddeutschland gelebt, unter Schwaben sogar! Ich habe Österreich und Bayern ein paar mal beuscht, und sogar die Oberammergauer Passionspiele gesehen.
I think I am wrong about TFP and NFP. I know TIA and their followers take that hardline view, and I think I am confusing the two groups. I believe TIA was once associated with them, but have gone off the deep end.
Mercury--first, I believe that there is only marriage and don't think that there is "true" marriage and what? "untrue/other" marriage? By making a distinction, it's admitting that they both are marriage. Right?
ReplyDeleteAnd you're correct, strong intense love is what drives two people to want to be married. For the most part, nowadays, people don't marry someone they don't purport to love. The days of arranged marriages are over, at least in the West. Though "gold-diggers" may still be alive and well. And there may be a few who want to be married just to have children, but I don't think their numbers are high either. But, you don't need to be married to have children. You never did.
And why two? Because I believe, and nature and history have shown, that a pair works perfectly, while putting more into a mix causes havoc and doesn't provide the stability and affection that only two can provide to each other. Though I think that polygamists may say otherwise. Without introducing that whole issue into this, a marriage is two people at one time.
But the "two equal partners" comes from the fact that there are two sexes.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe in "true" and "false" marriage either. I believe some marriages simply are not marriages, regardless of what people may think.
And I said that strong intense love is possible between anyone, but that marriage is different.
I disagree with you. Very, very much in fact. But I don't know what your background is, whether you are Catholic or not. If you are a secularist, I wouldn't expect you to see things differently. If you're a Catholic, I'd wonder what you are basing your ideas on.
And by the way "making a distinction" is not admitting both are marriage. Not in the slightest, and that makes no logical sense at all.
ReplyDeleteJust because something shares features, qualities and even presumes to share the same name, it does not make it so.
North Korea styles itself a democratic republic - sure it's the name it uses, but is not a true democratic society nor is it a true republic, and making such a distinction does not concede a point.
The ancients thought whales and dolphins were fish, but they are not. A dolphin is no more fish than a parrot is. Just because some people think it's so doesn't make it so - just because of a resemblance it is still not so.
There are a number of books on Otto von Habsburg in German. I'm not personally aware of those in English. This particular book has a forward by Otto von Habsburg, "Heart For Europe
ReplyDeleteSale Price: $22.95 Order Here
Joanna & James Bogle" Another excellent book is "Holding The Stirrup" Baroness Elisabeth von Guttenberg a fascinating person that tells of a time that no longer exists. I had a conversation with the niece of Therese Neumann the famed stigmatist of Konnersreuth, Germany in October last year about her and her friendship with Therese. These Catholic nobility took it as their personal responsibility to be good examples of Catholic faith and practice and to promote the faith. A good example of the younger generation of this is the princess Elisabeth Prinzessin von Thurn und Taxis.
Nein, ich bin kein Oesterreicher habe aber sehr viele Jahre in Deutschland gelebt und gearbeitet als Englischlehrer. ich habe auch in den letzten 2 jahren 2 mal ein Kloster in Oesterreich besucht und zeit da verbracht. wo bist du im Schwabenlaendle gewesen? kennst du Marienfried und Maria Vesperbild?
Ha, I was in the old Hohenzollern territory, near Hirb am Neckar part of the time. My wife, who is divorcing me, is from there, and we spent all our weekends and holidays there. But I actually lived and worked in the Karlsruhe area in Baden. I loved Baden - I even befriended an old Redemptorist in Duermersheim, the site of a Marian shrine, but not sure of the story.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you live?
Is that first book called "Herz fuer Europa"?
that must be north of Stuttgart near Heilbronn? I'm terribly sorry to hear about your divorce. That grieves me. When I was in the military I lived in Stuttgart afterward I lived north of Mannheim in a small village. I then moved to Hamburg in the far north and at the end I lived in Koeln which I consider to be my adopted home. Did you ever visit Burg Hohenzollern south of Stuttgart? It's my favorite castle.
ReplyDeleteHorb am Neckar is south of Stuttgart. It's in the "neighborhood" of Rottenburg, Rottweil, Tübingen, etc. The old people there certainly "schwätza' Schwäbisch", and everyone else still has a pretty cool accent. My own accent in German is marked by that. REAL Swabians live in "Oberschwaben" - Biberach and that area. I can hardly understand them.
ReplyDeleteHohenzollern Castle is nearby - I've been there twice, and it's pretty cool. My wife's sister and her husband live in Balingen which is right there. First time I ever experienced "liturgical dance" was in Balingen on Christmas Eve!
Karlsruhe is on the Rhine just south of Mannheim, as I'm sure you're aware. I never got a chance to visit Cologne or Aachen or any of those places up thee, but I did to Mainz where they have a cool Guttenberg museum and to Speyer, with its 1000+ year old Romanesque cathedral (St. Bernard of Clairvaux was there for a while).
Oh yes Horb. I know where that is. One of my favorite places is Beuron Abbey between Sigmaringen and Rottweil. I was there for a few days last October. It was the first place in my life I experienced a Latin High Mass (novus ordo) in 1985 when I was stationed in Stuttgart and drove down there. I went to daily mass this past fall at 6 am in the pilgrimage chapel and was pleasantly surprised that the Mass was Ad Orientem since there is no room for a volksaltar.
ReplyDeleteHow cool. I have also been to "Kloster Beuron," though I didn't go to Mass there (I think it's near where the Danube begins). The church itself is very Baroque, but the side chapel and the crypt are beautiful, almost Byzantine.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of architecture, that area, especially Baden and the "Kurpfalz", is a hotbed of Baroque - Louis XIV destroyed the whole region in 1689, and guess what style was prominent then? Unfortunately, some of the bigger cities - Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Mannheim (especially) were destroyed by bombs right before architecture reached it's low point, and now those cities are quite ugly except for some reconstructed areas.
How is Cologne? I know we bombed the he'll out of that whole region, too.
Ha, even the Russians I knew complained about Mannheim being ugly!
Yes, Kloster Beuron is one of my favorite places. The "Beuronese style" of art and architecture is that side chapel or the "gnadenkapelle" that's where the 6 am Mass is said. It has the miraculous pilgrimage pieta image. Conception Abbey in Missouri has alot of Beuron style murals/artwork. Yes, you right the Donau begins not far from Beuron.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was stationed in Stuttgart and it was destroyed although there weren't many baroque churches there. Mannheim was devasted but they did restore the Jesuit Baroque Church there. Koeln has all of its original Romanesque Churches and of course it's glorious Gothic cathedral and shrine to the holy magi. Koeln has a particular feel to it that has more to do with its Rhenish attitude and friendliness than its architectural wonders. Id still take Mannheim over almost any american city and its suburban wonderlands.
I'd love to go to Cologne.
ReplyDeleteThe smaller towns in Baden also have this cultivated, but provincial charm - I lived in Ettlingen (just south of Karlsruhe and the border between Protestant and Catholic Baden).
So what's the deal with Cologne Cathedral and the shrine to the Holy Magi? Are the relics authentic?I just don't see how such relics would have "shown up" in Constantinople in the 4th century, but who knows? I guess it's plausible that they came from Persia.
Perhaps my skepticism is a fault. I do know pilgrims traveled there for years and years, and there must have been miracles.
Whether the relics in the Cathedral of Cologne are authentic or not I do not know. I know the Magi are honored by the existence of the Cathedral and its shrine so........ The Koelners are proud of their Cathedral as you can imagine. I was looking at taking a teaching job in Ettlingen.
ReplyDelete