tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64569719202106515772024-03-07T23:07:13.736-06:00A Catholic Citizen in AmericaFollowing Catholic beliefs and practices in America today: One man's experienceBrian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.comBlogger1933125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-56241902963120042372016-07-11T21:30:00.003-05:002016-09-19T10:32:19.970-05:00A Catholic Citizen in America: New LocationThe good news is still that Blogger's changes haven't made images in my posts here unviewable. (<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/05/technical-issues-and-apology.html">May 6-16, 2016</a>)<br />
<br />
Instead of jumping through the hoops necessary to keep track of what I've been showing you, and accommodate Blogger's — caution? — about image files, I decided to set up a new location for this blog, on one of my domains, using WordPress: <a href="http://brendans-island.com/catholic-citizen/">A Catholic Citizen in America</a> / <a href="http://brendans-island.com/catholic-citizen/">brendans-island.com/catholic-citizen</a><br />
<br />
The transition would have gone faster, if I hadn't been down with 'nothing serious' for all of May and part of June, and that's another topic.<br />
<br />
Anyway, <a href="http://brendans-island.com/catholic-citizen/">A Catholic Citizen in America</a> has been relaunched at <a href="http://brendans-island.com/catholic-citizen/">brendans-island.com/catholic-citizen</a>:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://brendans-island.com/catholic-citizen/temperance-catholic-style/">Temperance, Catholic Style</a>"<br />
(July 10, 2016)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://brendans-island.com/catholic-citizen/all-lives-matter/">All Lives Matter</a>"<br />
(July 9, 2016)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://brendans-island.com/catholic-citizen/one-saturday-afternoon-in-minnesota/">One Saturday Afternoon in Minnesota</a>"<br />
(July 2, 2016)</li>
</ul>
The schedule is the same as it was here, by the way: a post about 'science news' on Friday, another on 'being Catholic' on Sunday. I hope you'll check out what I've written there.<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-65239262429547376692016-06-14T23:13:00.002-05:002016-06-14T23:13:46.827-05:00Death in Orlando: Love and SolidarityThe 49 folks killed at an Orlando entertainment venue late Saturday night/early Sunday morning, and the person who killed them, are still dead. Others are hospitalized, and may or may not survive. A whole lot of folks are mourning the loss of family and friends.<br />
<br />
Repeating what I wrote <a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/06/mass-murder-in-orlando.html#love">Sunday afternoon</a>, I should love God, love my neighbors, see everybody as my neighbor, and treat others as I want to be treated. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.43">Matthew 5:43</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.44">44</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.12">7:12</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.36">22:36</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.40">40</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.28">Mark 12:28</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.31">31</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWP.HTM#GOSP.LUK.6.31">Luke 6:31</a> <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.25">10:25</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.27">27</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.29">29</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.37">37</a>)<br />
<br />
That's <b><i>everybody.</i></b> No exceptions.<br />
<br />
Acting like love matters is — another topic. (<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/mercy-and-prodigal-son.html#mercy">March 9, 2016</a>; <a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/predestination-free-will-from-gods.html#acting">July 27, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Folks living in and around Orlando are doing what they can to help survivors. Prayer seems like a good idea, too. No pressure, of course.<br />
<br />
Here's what a Bishop, an Archbishop, and someone at the Vatican, had to say:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><b>A sword has pierced the heart of our city.</b> ... Jesus calls us to remain fervent in our protection of life and human dignity and to pray unceasingly for peace in our world....</i><br />
<br />
"<i>... Priests, deacons and counselors from the Diocese of Orlando and Catholic Charities of Central Florida are serving at the Aid Center established by the City of Orlando. They are on site helping victims and families on the front lines of this tragedy....</i><br />
<br />
"<i>...We pray for the people of the city of Orlando that God's mercy and love will be upon us as we seek healing and consolation.</i>"<br />
<a href="http://www.orlandodiocese.org/prayer-for-peace">Bishop John Noonan of Orlando</a> (June 12, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i>...<b>The merciful love of Christ calls us to solidarity</b> with the suffering and to ever greater resolve in protecting the life and dignity of every person.</i>"<br />
President of the <a href="http://www.usccb.org/news/2016/16-071.cfm">United States Conference of Catholic Bishops</a>, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville (June 12, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i>...<b>The terrible massacre</b> that has taken place in Orlando, with its dreadfully high number of innocent victims, has caused in Pope Francis, and in all of us, the deepest feelings of horror and condemnation....</i><br />
<br />
"<i>...We all hope that ways may be found, as soon as possible, to effectively identify and contrast the causes of such terrible and absurd violence which so deeply upsets the desire for peace of the American people and of the whole of humanity.</i>"<br />
Director of the <a href="http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2016/06/13/160613c.html">Holy See Press Office</a>, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J. (June 13, 2016)
</blockquote>
More of my take on love and life:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/06/mass-murder-in-orlando.html">Mass Murder in Orlando</a>"<br />
(June 12, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/06/mass-murder-in-orlando.html#love">Love</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html">Hate People? Not an Option</a>"<br />
(September 6, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html#love">Love: <i>NO EXCEPTIONS</i></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html">Sex, Satan, and Me: Getting a Grip</a>"<br />
(July 12, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#respect">Respect, Dignity, and Drunk Driving</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/love.html">Love!</a>"<br />
(January 31, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/love.html#love">"...Love One Another"</a></li>
<li><a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/love.html#best">Best - News - Ever</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html">Hate People? Not an Option</a>"<br />
(September 6, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html#love">Love: <i>NO EXCEPTIONS</i></a></li>
<li><a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html#human">Human Life</a></li>
<li><a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html#death">Death and Decisions</a></li>
<li><a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html#recap">Recap</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-64873543177195707242016-06-12T14:15:00.001-05:002016-06-14T22:43:09.833-05:00Mass Murder in OrlandoI'd be writing a longer, more detailed, post about this; but still haven't resolved some technical issues. (<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/05/technical-issues-and-apology.html">May 6, 2016</a>; updated May 16, 2016)<br />
<br />
A young man killed more than four dozen folks at an entertainment venue last night/early this morning. He took some of the survivors hostage, and is now dead, too.<br />
<br />
I've run into several assumptions about what happened: and a few facts.<br />
<br />
What seems certain is that 50 people are dead, and 53 injured. The killer may or may not be included in the 50 fatalities.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="reactions"></a>Reactions</h4>
<br />
In my considered opinion, murder is a bad idea and we shouldn't do it. Not even if we're upset about something the victim is doing. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2268">2268</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2269">2269</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2302">2302</a>)<br />
<br />
The killer's and victims' identity may, quite likely will, inspire various knee-jerk reactions —<br />
<br />
Omar Mir Seddique Mateen's parents are from Afghanistan, he's probably a Muslim. ('Everybody knows what <b><i>they're</i></b> like.')<br />
<br />
The victims were at what's called a gay nightclub. ('They're <b><i>sinners</i></b> and deserved to die.')<br />
<br />
And so on.<br />
<br />
Given the circumstances, and scale, of the incident; we'll probably be seeing this in the news for some time. Politicos are already, I've heard, making use of the deaths. That, I am not looking forward to.<br />
<br />
My guess is that the killer's father has a point:<br />
<blockquote>
"...Mateen's father Mir Seddique told NBC News that the incident had nothing to do with religion, but may have been triggered by the sight of a gay couple kissing in Miami...."<br />
(<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36512308">BBC News</a>)</blockquote>
Instead of ranting about Afghani-Americans, Floridians, or anyone else; I'll repeat what I've said before. A lot.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="love"></a>Love</h4>
<br />
I should love God, love my neighbors, see everybody as my neighbor, and treat others as I want to be treated. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.43">Matthew 5:43</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.44">44</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.12">7:12</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.36">22:36</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.40">40</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.28">Mark 12:28</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.31">31</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWP.HTM#GOSP.LUK.6.31">Luke 6:31</a> <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.25">10:25</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.27">27</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.29">29</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.37">37</a>)<br />
<br />
I've said this before, too (<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html#forgiveness">December 13, 2015</a>):<br />
<br />
Learning to notice whether something I'm about to do will help or hurt another is vital. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a6.htm#1776">1776</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a6.htm#1794">1794</a>)<br />
<br />
We're social creatures, so I must think about the common good: which involves using my conscience. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a2.htm#1905">1905</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a2.htm#1912">1912</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1928">1928</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1942">1942</a>)<br />
<br />
That can include situations like the old "friends don't let friends drive drunk" public service ads. It's a matter of showing love and respect for another person. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1929">1929</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1933">1933</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2284">2284</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2301">2301</a>)<br />
<br />
"Love the sinner, hate the sin" may be a cliche, but it's a good idea. (<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/remembering-armenian-genocide-looking.html#getting">April 26, 2015</a>)<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...judging others leads us to hypocrisy ... a person who judges gets it wrong...because he takes the place of God, who is the only judge: taking that place is taking the wrong place!...</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/cotidie/2014/documents/papa-francesco-cotidie_20140623_no-one-can-judge.html">Francis I</a>)<br />
<hr />
"<i>...although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.</i>"<br />
(Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1861">1861</a>)<br />
<hr />
"<i>Stop judging, that you may not be judged.</i>"<br />
(Jesus, in <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.1">Matthew 7:1</a>)</blockquote>
More about love and neighbors:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html">Hate People? Not an Option</a>"<br />
(September 6, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html#love">Love: <i>NO EXCEPTIONS</i></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html">Sex, Satan, and Me: Getting a Grip</a>"<br />
(July 12, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#respect">Respect, Dignity, and Drunk Driving</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/charleston-church-shooting-emotions-and.html">Charleston Church Shooting: Emotions and Reason</a>"<br />
(June 21, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/charleston-church-shooting-emotions-and.html#our">"Our Country?" Difference, Acceptance, and Murder</a></li>
<li><a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/charleston-church-shooting-emotions-and.html#life">Life and Reality</a></li>
<li><a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/charleston-church-shooting-emotions-and.html#looking">Looking Out For Each Other</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2013/12/newtown-connecticut-mass-murder.html">Newtown, Connecticut: Mass Murder, Assumptions, and Judgment</a>"<br />
(December 29, 2013)</li>
<li>"<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2009/03/catholic-church-and-homosexuals-harsh.html">The Catholic Church and Homosexuals: Harsh and Soft, Judgmental and Understanding</a>"<br />
(March 13, 2009)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2009/03/catholic-church-and-homosexuals-harsh.html#afraid">"Afraid of Anybody or Anything that was Not Like Him"</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-15553152222803423822016-06-05T09:00:00.000-05:002016-06-09T15:35:28.920-05:00Elijah and Pushing a Rock10th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2016:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P8V.HTM#HIS.1KIN.17.17">1 Kings 17:17</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P8V.HTM#HIS.1KIN.17.24">24</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P101.HTM#NTLET.GAL.1.11">Galatians 1:11</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P101.HTM#NTLET.GAL.1.19">19</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWQ.HTM#GOSP.LUK.7.11">Luke 7:11</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWQ.HTM#GOSP.LUK.7.17">17</a></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
Third Sunday of Easter, 2016</h4>
<div style="text-align: center;">
by Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas June 5, 2016</div>
<br />
I have chosen to speak to you today on our first reading, from 1st Kings. In part because I couldn't believe that a part of the story I hadn't read before, and if I have, I have forgotten it.<br />
<br />
The story comes from the time of Elijah the prophet. It was a difficult time in Israel's history. The kingdom had fallen into idolatry. Baal worship had become the official state religion. And there was a terrible drought and famine in the land. Food was scarce, and Elijah the prophet was on the run from the King and his wicked wife, Queen Jezebel. The Lord led Elijah to a brook where he could drink, but soon it dried up. And thus the word of the Lord came to him: "go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there."<br />
<br />
Zarephath was located on the Mediterranean coast between Sidon and Tyre in the heart of pagan territory. In fact, it was not far from where Queen Jezebel's home town is located. It was a most unlikely place for Elijah to hide from Ahab and his henchmen. Then God said something else to Elijah that was equally as unlikely: "I have directed a widow there to supply you with food."<br />
<br />
This sounds counter-intuitive because nobody struggles more mightily during a time of drought and famine then do widows unless they have grown children to provide for them. The government certainly didn't do it. Their neighbors didn't do it either, as they were probably in as bad a shape as the widow. As Elijah made his journey to is Zarephath , he was certainly thinking that a pagan town and a widow and her young son with little resources could not be of very much help but he went where God told him to go.<br />
<br />
This appears to be the first secret, of course, of a fulfilling life. If God tells you to do something or to go somewhere, then get a move on.<br />
<br />
There's story about a weak and sickly man who was unable to afford a doctor. He lived in the deep backwoods in a log cabin. In front of his cabin was a huge boulder. One night he had a vision in which God told him to go out and push on the rock in front of his home, all day long, day after day, until God was to tell him to stop. The man got up early in the morning and did as he was told. He pushed on the rock as long as he could. After rest he pushed more. Each day pushed a little harder and a little longer. Day after day he pushed. Days rolled on to weeks, and weeks into months, as he faithfully pushed against this rock.<br />
<br />
After several months of pushing this rock, however, the man was getting tired. He began to doubt that his vision came from God. He decided to measure how far he had been able to move the rock during those months, and he discovered that it had not budgeted all.<br />
<br />
The man was disappointed and in despair. He sat on his porch and cried, because he had invested so much time and effort for nothing. This day the sun was setting, and Jesus came and sat down next to the man. Jesus asked, "son, why are you so sad?"<br />
<br />
The man replied," Lord, you know how weak I am, and the vision you gave me built up false hope. I have pushed with all that was within me for many months and that old rock is right where it was when I started."<br />
<br />
Jesus said to him, "I never told you to go move the rock, I told you to push against the rock." Then Jesus told him to step in front of the mirror and look at himself. The man did so and was amazed. He had been so sickly and weak, but now what he saw in the mirror was a strong muscular man. And it dawned on him that he had been feeling better the last two months and it was all because he had been pushing the rock. Suddenly the man understood that the plan of God was not to change the position of the rock, but to change him. That's how obedience to God works. Our task is not to understand what God is seeking to accomplish. Our task is simply to obey.<br />
<br />
Later we will see the blessings that will flow due to our obedience.<br />
<br />
Elijah then, heard the word of the Lord that he was to go to the town is Zarephath were God had instructed a widow to supply them with food. Elijah did as he was told even though the plan seemed to be misguided. When he come to the gate of the city, he encountered a widow who was gathering sticks. Since this was Baal territory, we may assume that this woman had been raised to worship idols. Yet she was a giving person, a kind person. Elijah called to the window and asked, "would you bring me a little water so that I may have a drink?" Amazingly she did as he asked, even though there was little water to go around. And, as basic as his request for water was, she was going to get it, Elijah called after her and said, "and bring me, please, a piece of bread."<br />
<br />
She and her son were on the verge of starvation yet she honored the request of Elijah, as Elijah says to her, "don't be afraid."<br />
<br />
I'm sure you all remember the story very well for the oil and flour that she used for baking just never seemed to run dry.<br />
<br />
The part of the story that I have to admit I just did not remember and is the part of the story where her son becomes gravely ill and dies in her lap. She was concerned that she was being punished for her sin by having her son taken away from her.<br />
<br />
How sad it is that we too sometimes have the same concern.<br />
<br />
Yet Elijah picks the boy up from her lap and takes him in his arms carries him upstairs to his room and lays them on the bed. Then he cries out to the Lord, "Lord my God, have you brought tragedy on this poor widow that I'm staying with, by causing her son to die?" You think because Elijah is a prophet that he has life all figured out. But he has no idea how this widows son is dead or at least on the verge of death. After all, he had stopped breathing, so Elijah stretched himself on the boy three times cried out to the Lord, "Lord my God that this boy's life my returned to him!" And so it happened and Elijah picks up the boy and return him to his mother's arms alive.<br />
<br />
Similarly is the story in the Gospel where Jesus restores the son of a widow lady on the way to his burial place. Jesus, "says, young man, I tell you, arise!"<br />
<br />
How can we wrap ourselves around these stories unless we have the firm belief that when God speaks, it is. Plus!, When God speaks we are, not only to listen but to get busy and do.<br />
<br />
One final comment: don't tell God He can't do that! Listen and believe!<br />
<br />
You all be Good, be Holy, preached the Gospel always using Words and Holy Actions!.<br />
<hr />
'Thank you' to Deacon Kaas, for letting me post his reflection here.<br />
<hr />
More reflections:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/p/reflections-from-sauk-centres-our-lady.html">Reflections from Sauk Centre's Our Lady of Angels Church</a>"</li>
</ul>
Related posts:
<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/names-and-name.html">Names and <i>THE</i> Name</a>"<br />
(February 28, 2016)</li>
<li>"<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/joy-to-world.html">Joy to the World!</a>"<br />
(December 27, 2015)</li>
<li>"<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/truth-and-big-picture.html">Truth and the Big Picture</a>"<br />
(November 22, 2015)</li>
<li>" <a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/blessed-are-you-who-believe.html">'Blessed are You Who Believe'</a> "<br />
(December 20, 2015)</li>
<li>"<a href="https://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html">Fire, Brimstone, and Lollipop Faith</a>"<br />
(March 15, 2015)</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-55932208649897065942016-05-06T08:00:00.000-05:002016-05-16T21:53:30.569-05:00Technical Issues: and an Apology<hr />
Update (May 16, 2016)<br />
<br />
Good news: the "fix" option may have been automatically applied to some existing posts.<br />
<br />
Sort-of-good-news: quite a few existing posts got "fixed" without my doing a thing to them. Even better: the images actually appear as they were originally posted.<br />
<br />
Not-good news: at least one recent post can't be "fixed." More accurately, I have not found a way to coax Blogger into 'fixing' the existing jpeg images. In other words, the post's html points to properly-formatted, relevant images: but Blogger 'protects' me from seeing them. You will probably have the same experience.<br />
<br />
Sorry about that.<br />
<br />
At this point, I have decided to wait and see if Blogger's developers sort this mess out: and explore other options for making my writing available.<br />
<br />
<hr />
Another update (May 10, 2016)<br />
<br />
Well, this is interesting:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="https://blogger.googleblog.com/2016/04/an-update-to-blogger-post-editor-to.html">An update to the Blogger post editor to help with mixed content</a>"<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(<a href="https://blogger.googleblog.com/2016/04/an-update-to-blogger-post-editor-to.html">blogger.googleblog.com/2016/04/an-update-to-blogger-post-editor-to.html</a>)</span><br />
The latest tips and news from the Blogger team, Blogger (April 19, 2016 )</li>
</ul>
Good news: the "fix" option works just fine, sort of. Clicking "fix" changed every image URL from "http://[redacted]" to "https://[redacted]" — which would be dandy, if the images would display properly with that protocol specified. They don't.<br />
<br />
Sort-of-good-news: old blog posts still display properly, at least on my system. At this point, I don't plan on "fixing" them, since the images generally aren't decoration: they're part of the content.<br />
<br />
As I said earlier, Blogger and Google have some reason for changing the rules. Aside from real security issues involving images, there's the <b><i>impression</i></b> of security given by the "https" protocol: and impressions count.<br />
<br />
<hr />
Update (May 10, 2016)<br />
<br />
The good news is that I haven't been using Google's Picasa service; not intentionally, at least. Duplicate copies of a number of my images have found their way there, through unknown processes. Unknown to me, that is.<br />
<br />
That's good news for me, since Google is "moving on from Picasa:"<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://googlephotos.blogspot.com/2016/02/moving-on-from-picasa.html">Moving on from Picasa</a>"<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(<a href="http://googlephotos.blogspot.com/2016/02/moving-on-from-picasa.html">googlephotos.blogspot.com/2016/02/moving-on-from-picasa.html</a>)</span><br />
The Official Google Picasa Blog (February 12, 2016)</li>
</ul>
I'll probably find my 'Picasa' images in Google Photos, photos.google.com, but their addresses may or may not be stable.<br />
<br />
In any case, although Google's use of names like "AF1QipOJmKLADpdF-7RYMgywR79FBRJ1NTOGiNag0gfy" is probably very useful for their AI, their system isn't consistent with the way I've been filing and tracking images.<br />
<br />
So the not-so-good-news is that I still don't have a practical way to keep putting images in my blog posts here.<br />
<br />
<hr />
Update (May 9, 2016)<br />
<br />
I enabled the "https redirect" for this blog a few minutes ago. It should (I hope) be something you will notice <b><i>only</i></b> if you pay close attention to the URL. Viewing existing posts, and using existing bookmarks and links should be unaffected.<br />
<br />
That's the good news.<br />
<br />
The still-frustrating news is that I have not yet found an adequate "secure" method for using images in my blog posts.<br />
<br />
<hr />
Update (May 7, 2016)<br />
<br />
I still haven't found a way to put images in my blog posts in a way that Blogger's new 'security' policy will accept.<br />
<br />
The problem, I found, was that .jpg format image files can be altered to include malicious code. I'm not a hacker, and I am reasonably certain that the image files in my blogs do not threaten my safety — or that of anyone else.<br />
<br />
However, I do not have the images stored on the sort of (somewhat expensive) "secure" site that Blogger now seems to demand.<br />
<br />
Blogger is a free service, so I am hardly in a position to complain. I tried, by the way, converting images to non-.jpg formats: and those files trigger Blogger's 'security' warning, too.<br />
<br />
I am still looking for a "secure" place to store images: which is within my budget, will not disappear at some point — I learned that it's called "longevity guarantees," which has stable URLs for images, <b><i>and</i></b> which will allow viewers to see the images without altering them.<br />
<br />
There are other procedural and technical concerns: so I do not expect to get back 'on schedule' very soon.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, I may do the occasional text-only "safe" post here.<br />
<br />
One more thing: Here's a post I made on Google Plus (my online 'front porch'), from last Tuesday afternoon: shortly after I learned that Blogger had changed its 'security' policies.<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>I've been getting error messages, starting a few minutes ago, from my Blogger editor.</i><br />
<br />
"<i> 'This page contains HTTP resources which may cause mixed content affecting security and user experience if blog is viewed over HTTPS.' </i>"<br />
(from my post on Google Plus (<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/112144784741365292059/posts/B9iiQGQySQY">plus.google.com/112144784741365292059/posts/B9iiQGQySQY</a></span>) (May 3, 2016))</blockquote>
<hr />
<br />
Sorry about this.<br />
<br />
I have nothing ready for today.<br />
<br />
I have spent much of this week, trying to find a way to put images in these posts: without triggering Blogger's new 'security' protocol.<br />
<br />
Actually, I might be able to use generic images from 'secure' sites: but they would be pretty much useless as illustrations.<br />
<br />
After, and if, I can get this issue resolved; more accurately, if my tech-savvy son comes up with a practical solution; I'll either start writing posts here — or, more likely, take a vacation and <b><i>then</i></b> start writing posts.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, here's a link to a 'Mother's Day' post from 2014:<br />
<ul>
<li>" <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/05/they-have-no-wine.html">'They Have no Wine'</a> "<br />
(May 11, 2014)</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-48569946375792762512016-05-01T08:00:00.000-05:002016-05-15T18:28:53.740-05:00When Life Isn't Ideal: "Amoris Laetitia"<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Insigne_Francisci.svg"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160428-Insigne_Francisci-svg-329.jpg" /></a>Something I found on page 59 of "Amoris Laetitia"<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/05/when-life-isnt-ideal.html#1">1</a></sup> is an example of why I love being Catholic — common sense, drawing on the Church's experience and wisdom, developed by dealing with people for two millennia.<br />
<br />
Some folks have been having conniptions over the encyclical: some because the Pope won't redefine marriage to suit their preferences; others, I suspect, for his failure to heap abuse on couples in " 'irregular' situations."<br />
<br />
Instead of denouncing them as loathsome sinners who should be cast into the outer darkness, Pope Francis actually talks about "...offering them assistance so they can reach the fullness of God's plan for them...." ("<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf">Amoris Laetitia</a>," page 227)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="validity"></a>"The Validity of Certain Unions"</h4>
<br />
That's 'way ahead of where I'm at in the encyclical, though. I'm still reading through the third chapter, where I found this 'shocking' statement:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Canon Law also recognizes the validity of certain unions celebrated without the presence of an ordained minister.<sup>71</sup> ...</i>"<br />
("<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf">Amoris Laetitia</a>," page 59, Pope Francis)</blockquote>
I put a longer excerpt,<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/05/when-life-isnt-ideal.html#2">2</a></sup> and links to Canon Law cited in footnotes 71 and 72,<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/05/when-life-isnt-ideal.html#3">3</a></sup> at the end of this post.<br />
<br />
Like I said, I love being Catholic: partly because the Church has been dealing with people for two millennia — and learning how to deal with less-than-ideal situations.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="mass"></a>Mass and Mixed Marriages</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html#i"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/1024px-John_Martin_-_Pandemonium_-_WGA14149-detail658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From John Martin, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
<br />
Marriage is a sacrament "...by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life...." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a7.htm#1601">1601</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a7.htm#1617">1617</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a7.htm#1621">1621</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a7.htm#1651">1651</a>)<br />
<br />
Marriage between two Roman Catholics "...normally takes place during Holy Mass...." (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a7.htm#1621">1621</a>)<br />
<br />
So any couple who say they're married, but aren't both Catholics, or didn't have a 'proper' wedding during Mass, aren't really married, and will burn in eternal hellfire?<br />
<br />
I certainly won't say that, partly because I've read <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWP.HTM#GOSP.LUK.6.37">Luke 6:37</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWP.HTM#GOSP.LUK.6.38">38</a>, and that's another topic. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/mercy-and-prodigal-son.html#mercy">March 9, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html#i">March 15, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Also because that's not what the Church says.<br />
<br />
My wife and I were married during Mass, but I wasn't a Catholic at the time. Not on paper, anyway: although my wife once quipped that 'in my heart I have always been Catholic.'<br />
<br />
In countries like America, where Catholics are a minority, "a mixed marriage (marriage between a Catholic and a baptized non-Catholic)" is hardly uncommon. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a7.htm#1633">1633</a>)<br />
<br />
We had to get "<b><i>the express permission</i></b> of ecclesiastical authority," but not "<b><i>an express dispensation</i></b>," since I was already a baptized Christian. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a7.htm#1633">1633</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a7.htm#1637">1637</a>; Code of Canon Law Book IV Part I Title VII Chapter VI, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P41.HTM#4.1.0.7.6.0.1124">1124</a>; Book IV Part I Title VII Chapter III, )<br />
<br />
I'd done the research before an interview with our parish priest. I'd been expecting a detailed examination of my beliefs, and was hoping there wouldn't be too many 'technical' questions.<br />
<br />
The interview was a massive anticlimax. The priest asked me what I thought marriage was: and stopped me before I'd really hit my stride — asking if I thought marriage was a lifelong and exclusive bond. I didn't reply "well, <b><i>DUH!</i></b>," but that's how I felt.<br />
<br />
I knew that some folks stumbled into and out of physical relationships with little or no mutual commitment: but I didn't understand why they'd bother calling it "marriage." Like my wife said, 'in my heart, I have always been Catholic.'<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="banns"></a>Banns and Disasters</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/06/life-in-universe-and-titans.html#living"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/Stower_Titanic-329.jpg" /></a>Ideally, a nice young Catholic couple have their <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banns_of_marriage#Roman_Catholic_Church">banns</a> read, or use "other opportune means to accomplish the investigations necessary," as Canon Law <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P3W.HTM#4.1.0.7.1.0.1067">1067</a> puts it; have perfect weather for their wedding Mass, and live happily ever after.<br />
<br />
Ideally.<br />
<br />
We do not live in an ideal world. Weather was reasonably pleasant when my wife and I got married, but lightning with near-simultaneous thunder and a torrential downpour was in progress at a relative's wedding I attended.<br />
<br />
Couples have faced worse, including imminent death.<br />
<br />
Disasters, accidents, and terminal illness, happen. Couples in such situations might be reasonably certain one or both of them wouldn't survive long enough for a 'proper' marriage ceremony.<br />
<br />
The good news is that they might still get married, if only for a short time:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>If a person competent to assist according to the norm of law cannot be present or approached without grave inconvenience, those who intend to enter into a true marriage can contract it validly and licitly before witnesses only....</i>"<br />
(Code of Canon Law Book IV Part I Title VII Chapter V, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P40.HTM#4.1.0.7.5.0.1116">1116</a>)</blockquote>
The conditions where this is okay are rather limited: impending death; or a reasonable chance that the couple can't find a priest for the next month. The latter isn't likely for couples living in urban areas.<br />
<br />
For the 250 or so folks who keep <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMurdo_Station#Contemporary_functions">McMurdo Station</a> running during Antarctic winters, finding a priest before an icebreaker clears a channel might be challenging.<br />
<br />
Having clergy present is still a good idea, though:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...In either case, if some other priest or deacon who can be present is available, he must be called and be present at the celebration of the marriage together with the witnesses, without prejudice to the validity of the marriage before witnesses only.</i>"<br />
(Code of Canon Law Book IV Part I Title VII Chapter V, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P40.HTM#4.1.0.7.5.0.1116">1116</a>)</blockquote>
I don't see that as being "lax." It's recognizing that a marriage is done by the two people getting married, and God:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life and which is ordered by its nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring, has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament between the baptized.</i>"<br />
(Code of Canon Law Book IV Part I Title VII, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P3V.HTM#4.1.0.7.0.0.1055">1055</a>)</blockquote>
That's pretty much what Pope Francis says:<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/05/when-life-isnt-ideal.html#2">2</a></sup><br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...the couple who marry are the ministers of the sacrament....</i>"<br />
("<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf">Amoris Laetitia</a>," page 59)</blockquote>
It's also an example of the common sense I mentioned earlier: my opinion.<br />
<br />
There may be awkward situations that the Church hasn't had to deal with yet. But after two millennia, my guess is that there aren't many.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="after"></a>After the Wedding</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/amoris-laetitia-or-dont-panic.html"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160408-Kazan-s_Panic_in_the_Street_trailer_screenshot_8-329.jpg" /></a>Getting married is just a first step. Couples tend to become couples with children, which is a good thing: and a lot of work, which is yet another topic. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a4.htm#2201">2201</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a4.htm#2223">2223</a>)<br />
<br />
No pressure, but here's a link to the Vatican Press online copy of "Amoris Laetitia:"<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf">Amoris Laetitia</a>"<br />
Pope Francis, Vatican Press (March 18, 2016)(released April 8, 2016)</li>
</ul>
More of my take on life, love, and families:<br />
<ul>
<li>" <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/amoris-laetitia-or-dont-panic.html">'Amoris Laetitia' — or — Don't Panic</a>"<br />
(April 10, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/amoris-laetitia-or-dont-panic.html#tradition">Tradition and 'Being Traditional'</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html">Sex, Satan, and Me: Getting a Grip</a>"<br />
(July 12, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#not">Not Living in the Past</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#respect">Respect, Dignity, and Drunk Driving</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/holy-family-not-50s-family.html">Holy Family, Not '50s Family</a>"<br />
(December 28, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/holy-family-not-50s-family.html#not">Not All Vocations are "Vocations"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/holy-family-not-50s-family.html#no">No Pressure, Really</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/holy-family-not-50s-family.html#looking">Looking Ahead</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/fear-of-lord-ancient-timeless-wisdom.html">Fear of the Lord: Ancient, Timeless Wisdom</a>"<br />
(November 16, 2014)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/yeats-cthulhu-and-synod-14.html">Yeats, Cthulhu, and Synod 14</a>"<br />
(October 19, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/yeats-cthulhu-and-synod-14.html#things">"...Things Fall Apart; the Centre Cannot Hold..."</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/yeats-cthulhu-and-synod-14.html#tensions">"Tensions and Temptations"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/yeats-cthulhu-and-synod-14.html#change">Change Happens</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<sup><a name="1">1</a></sup> I haven't finished reading "Amoris Laetitia," the Pope's encyclical about love in the family, yet. That's because I'm studying it "patiently and carefully:"<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...The greatest benefit, for families themselves and for those engaged in the family apostolate, will come if each part is read patiently and carefully, or if attention is paid to the parts dealing with their specific needs....</i>"<br />
("<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf">Amoris Laetitia</a>," page 6, Pope Francis)</blockquote>
<sup><a name="2">2</a></sup> From "Amoris Laetitia:"<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Canon Law also recognizes the validity of certain unions celebrated without the presence of an ordained minister.<sup>71</sup> The natural order has been so imbued with the redemptive grace of Jesus that 'a valid matrimonial contract cannot exist between the baptized without it being by that fact a sacrament'.<sup>72</sup> The Church can require that the wedding be celebrated publicly, with the presence of witnesses and other conditions that have varied over the course of time, but this does not detract from the fact that the couple who marry are the ministers of the sacrament. Nor does it affect the centrality of the consent given by the man and the woman, which of itself establishes the sacramental bond....</i>"<br />
("<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf">Amoris Laetitia</a>," page 59, Pope Francis (March 18, 2016)(released April 8, 2016))</blockquote>
<sup><a name="3">3</a></sup> Code of Canon Law, referenced in "<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf">Amoris Laetitia</a>," page 59, footnotes 71 and 72:<br />
<ul>
<li>Footnote 71<br />
Code of Canon Law Book IV Part I Title VII Chapter V, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P40.HTM#4.1.0.7.5.0.1116">1116</a>; Book IV Part I Title VII Chapter X Art. 2, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P47.HTM#4.1.0.7.10.2.1161">1161</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P47.HTM#4.1.0.7.10.2.1165">1165</a></li>
<li>Footnote 72<br />
Code of Canon Law Book IV Part I Title VII, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P3V.HTM#4.1.0.7.0.0.1055">1055</a></li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-64261517687798413972016-04-29T08:00:00.000-05:002016-05-17T08:53:07.126-05:00Cryonics, Smallpox, and Pope Pius VII<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#heart"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160426-steadman016-329.jpg"></a>I remember when heart transplants were front-page international news, not local human interest stories: and when oral polio vaccine replaced injections. I really do not miss the 'good old days.' I <b><i>remember</i></b> them, and they weren't.<br />
<br />
I also remember when cryonics was 'science fiction stuff,' not a highly-experimental and controversial medical procedure. I probably won't live long enough to see whether it works. But if you're young enough: you might.<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#heart">Heart Transplant: "a Rebirth of Sorts"</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#revenge">Revenge of Frankenstein's Son's Sister's Cousin</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#cryonics">Cryonics: Life, Health, and Decisions</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#legally">Legally Dead: For Now</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#death">Death, Saving Lives, and Safety Coffins</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#dead">"Dead," But He's Better Now</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
Since I'll be talking about life, death, and medical practices, I'd better start by saying that I'm a Christian: a Catholic.<br />
<br />
Like it says in the <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/credo.htm">Apostles Creed</a>, "I believe in ... the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting." I'll be explaining why I don't see a conflict between that belief and trying to save lives.<br />
<br />
I had more to say after discussing the 'cryonics' news item, so this post runs a bit long:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#afterword">Afterword</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#health">Health <i>and</i> Faith</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#disturbing">The Disturbing Case of Lal Bihari</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#waking">Waking Up in the Future: Practical Considerations</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#reanimated">"Reanimated Abomination of Science?"</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="multiple"></a>Multiple Surgeries</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/p/about-me-and-this-blog.html"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/BrianGillVideoFrameTrim20140411.jpg" /></a>By the time I started kindergarten, one operation had given me a mildly-functional left hip joint — and another had fixed a complication that may or may not have resulted from the first procedure.<br />
<br />
Decades later, I had both hip joints replaced; <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpal_tunnel_surgery">carpal tunnel</a> surgery done on both wrists: and was in the operating room again when part of my lower digestive tract went bad.<br />
<br />
I'd probably have died if the latter had happened in the 'good old days.'<br />
<br />
Needing <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_replacement#History">hip joint replacements</a> wasn't a surprise.<br />
<br />
Getting a diagnosis of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_depressive_disorder">depression</a> and something that's currently pegged as being an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism_spectrum">autism spectrum</a> disorder — not so much, either, in retrospect.<br />
<br />
I'd gradually learned that many folks transition into adolescence without having the light and color drained from their world: metaphorically speaking.<br />
<br />
There wasn't much wrong with my vision, apart from extreme nearsightedness. I could still notice that beauty existed, and analyze the phenomenon: but the emotional responses were largely missing.<br />
<br />
An array of powerful antidepressants and other pharmaceuticals have been changing that in recent years: which is a very nice change of pace.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#1">1</a></sup><br />
<br />
That brings up an interesting question: am I facing the wrath of God because I defied the Almighty by letting doctors keep me alive and somewhat healthy?<br />
<br />
I don't think so.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="being"></a>Being Healthy</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/ebola-scary-and-beatable.html#getting"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20141014800px-Monoclonal_antibodies3-329.jpg" /></a>Let's back up a little, and ask another question — "is being healthy okay?"<br />
<br />
Maybe that sounds like a daft question, or maybe not. I've run into a few excessively-sentimental 'lives of Saints' tales that focus on Saints who were very ill.<br />
<br />
Saints are noteworthy for their heroic virtue and living in fidelity with God, not for being horribly sick, and that's another topic. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p3.htm#828">828</a>)<br />
<br />
Life and health are good things, "precious gifts entrusted to us by God:"<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>Life and physical health are precious gifts entrusted to us by God. We must take reasonable care of them, taking into account the needs of others and the common good....</i>"<br />
(Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2288">2288</a>)</blockquote>
Maintaining health and fitness is important: but it shouldn't be the most important thing in my life. Being healthy is okay, but it's wrong "...to sacrifice everything for it's sake, to idolize physical perfection and success at sports....." (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2289">2289</a>)<br />
<br />
That seems clear enough. Being healthy is okay. Staying healthy is okay: within reason.<br />
<br />
It's okay to help sick people get better, too, and find new ways to cure disease. It's even okay to transplant organs, providing we don't kill or maim one person to help another. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2292">2292</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2296">2296</a>)<br />
<br />
Even if a disease or injury would eventually kill me, medical treatments — including painkillers — are okay: within reason. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2276">2276</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2279">2279</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="using"></a>Using our Brains</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/06/mutant-mosquitoes-and-made-to-order.html#health"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/People_sleeping_in_a_train-658x220.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Correogsk, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
<br />
I occasionally run into news about someone who decides that getting medical treatment is immoral. If the person is Christian, the idea often seems to be that we can either use our brains or trust God: not both. Or maybe it's that being sick is divinely ordained punishment.<br />
<br />
I trust God <b><i>and</i></b> use my brain, or try to; and don't think God gave me bad hips and glitchy neurochemistry as a punishment.<br />
<br />
I'd better explain that, or try to.<br />
<br />
After the Eden incident, our mental picture of God has been distorted.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#2">2</a></sup> (Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#396">396</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#401">401</a>)<br />
<br />
Maybe life would be easier if God treated us like Pavlov's dogs, promptly smiting 'sinners' and rewarding good behavior with yummies. But that's not how it works:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,</i><br />
<br />
"<i>that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.44">Matthew 5:44</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.45">45</a>)</blockquote>
Then there was the way Israel treated his youngest son, Joseph, and Joseph's behavior, that got him sold as a slave and shipped to Egypt. A few years later, he was running the place: and a good thing, too, as it turned out. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P13.HTM#PENT.GEN.37.2">Genesis 37:2</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P13.HTM#PENT.GEN.37.28">28</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P1B.HTM#PENT.GEN.45.5">45:5</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P1B.HTM#PENT.GEN.45.8">8</a>)<br />
<br />
I accept the idea that my continuing existence depends on God. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#301">301</a>)<br />
<br />
But I also must accept the idea that God made a world where the creatures in it — including me — play a role in making things happen. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#306">306</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#308">308</a>)<br />
<br />
Thinking, making decisions based on reason, is part of being human. I can decide to let whim and emotion guide me, or use my brain. Thinking is an option, not a requirement. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c3a1.htm#154">154</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c3a1.htm#159">159</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#311">311</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1730">1730</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a6.htm#1778">1778</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm#1804">1804</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm#2339">2339</a>)<br />
<br />
My experience has been that thinking before acting is a good idea. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/evil-is-not-good.html#being">December 6, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/raqa-anger-and-whitewashed-tombs.html#being">March 1, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Basically, I'm expected to keep myself healthy: within reason. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2288">2288</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2289">2289</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="beware"></a>Beware Tiny Cows!</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccine_controversies"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/The_cow_pock-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From James Gillray, H. Humphrey, Anti-Vaccine Society; via Wikimedia Commons; used w/o permission.)</span><br />
"<i>The Cow-Pock—or—the Wonderful Effects of the New Inoculation!</i>"<br />
(James Gillray's warning against the perils of preventing smallpox. (1802))<br />
<br />
Concern, reasonable and otherwise, over new medical technology is nothing new.<br />
<br />
For example, in 1802 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Gillray">James Gillray</a> warned the British public against a controversial medical technology: inoculation. Meanwhile, the <a href="http://www.nhshistory.net/smallpox_and_fever_hospitals.htm#The%20London%20Fever%20Hospital">London Fever Hospital</a> opened, "<a href="http://www.nhshistory.net/smallpox_and_fever_hospitals.htm#The%20London%20Fever%20Hospital">to the great horror of the neighbours</a>." It was the first <a href="http://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/londonfever.html">voluntary fever hospital</a>, and that's yet another topic.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Gillray">James Gillray</a> probably realized that using cowpox inoculations to prevent smallpox wouldn't really make little tiny cows burst from the nose, face, and assorted other embarrassing spots. He was a cartoonist, satirist, caricaturist, and arguably invented the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editorial_cartoon">political/editorial cartoon</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_calf"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/800px-GoldCalf-329.jpg" /></a>That may explain what looks like a copy of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Poussin">Nicolas Poussin</a>'s "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adoration_of_the_Golden_Calf">Adoration of the Golden Calf</a>" on the back wall of that inoculation party.<br />
<br />
The golden calf incident, described in <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P2D.HTM">Exodus 32</a>, happened while Moses was on Mount Sinai. It was a major violation of the Decalogue, and they really should have known better. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P21.HTM#PENT.EXO.20.4">Exodus 20:4</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P21.HTM#PENT.EXO.20.6">6</a>)<br />
<br />
Idolatry, putting <b><i>anything</i></b> ahead of God in my priorities, divinizing what is not God, is still a very bad idea.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#3">3</a></sup> (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a1.htm#2112">2112</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a1.htm#2114">2114</a>)<br />
<br />
Where was I? Smallpox, inoculations, tiny cows, idolatry. Right.<br />
<br />
Vaccination against disease has a long history — I'm putting a resource link list near the end of this post<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#4">4</a></sup> — but in the 1700s it was still experimental medicine, and very dangerous.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="science"></a>Science and Silliness</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/230px-Child_with_Smallpox_Bangladesh-329.jpg" /></a>We've lived with, and died from, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox">smallpox</a> for a long time: upwards of three millennia, most likely.<br />
<br />
Egypt's <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1200696/">Ramses V</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_smallpox#Lady_Mary_Wortley_Montagu">Lady Mary Wortley Montagu</a>, and millions whose names are not remembered, suffered from the disease. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/02/smallpox-science-and-silliness.html">February 12, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox">Smallpox</a> wasn't always fatal. About two of every three who caught the worst sort didn't die: but were scarred for life.<br />
<br />
One of the few advantages to surviving smallpox was that it didn't strike the same person twice. Somewhere along the line, folks also noticed that the disease wasn't as severe for those who caught it from a contaminated break in the skin.<br />
<br />
That practical observation led to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_smallpox#Eradication">variolation</a>, deliberately infecting someone so that their bout with smallpox was more survivable, which reduced the smallpox death toll. It was an early step on the road to contemporary medicine.<br />
<br />
I don't recall anyone objecting when the United Nations declared that smallpox was extinct on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox#Eradication">May 8, 1980</a>.<br />
<br />
But in the "good old days" when folks like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_smallpox#Edward_Jenner">Edward Jenner</a> were developing inoculations against smallpox, it was a different story. Vaccination experiments triggered strong reactions, sensible and otherwise:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>for a man to infect a family in the morning with smallpox and to pray to God in the evening against the disease is blasphemy; that the smallpox is <b>a judgment of God on the sins of people,</b> and that <b>to avert it is but to provoke him more</b>; that inoculation is <b>an encroachment on the prerogatives of Jehovah, whose right it is to wound and smite.</b></i>"<br />
(Contemporary reaction to inoculation experiments by American physician Dr. Zabdiel Boylston, circa 1720)<br />
<br />
"<i>Smallpox is a visitation from God; but the cowpox is produced by presumptuous man; the former was what Heaven ordained, the latter is, perhaps, a daring violation our of holy religion.</i>"<br />
(A physician's reaction to Dr. Edward Jenner's experiments in developing a vaccine for smallpox, (1796) via <a href="http://www.psy.vanderbilt.edu/courses/hon182/what_they_used_to_think.htm">Psychological Sciences</a>, Vanderbilt University)</blockquote>
Let's see what other folks said about the newfangled sort of medicine:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...In contrast, many village priests in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and England not only urged parishioners to seek the preventative treatment, they became wholesale vaccinators themselves. Pastors in Bohemia charged parents with responsibility 'before God for neglecting the vaccination of their children.' In 1814, the Pope himself endorsed vaccination as 'a precious discovery which ought to be a new motive for human gratitude to Omnipotence.'...</i>"<br />
("<a href="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201130716ff-Documents/DeliberateExtinction_WhethertoDestroytheLastSmallpoxVirus.pdf">Deliberate
extinction: Whether to Destroy the Last Smallpox Virus</a>," pp. 19-20, David A. Koplow, Georgetown University Law Center (2004))</blockquote>
That would have been Pius VII who said vaccination was "a precious discovery which ought to be a new motive for human gratitude to Omnipotence."<br />
<br />
I'm inclined to think he was right.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="heart"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. </span>Heart Transplant: "a Rebirth of Sorts"</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://wane.com/2016/04/25/heart-transplant-is-a-rebirth-of-sorts-for-fort-wayne-man/"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160426-steadman016-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Lutheran Health Network, via WANE News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(Heart transplant recipient Michael Steadman)
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://wane.com/2016/04/25/heart-transplant-is-a-rebirth-of-sorts-for-fort-wayne-man/">Heart transplant is a rebirth of sorts for Fort Wayne man</a>"<br />
WANE Staff Reports (April 25, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i>Whether it’s taking a walk in the park, spending time with his grandson, and even performing household chores, Michael Steadman is cherishing every experience.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Steadman’s heart began to fail three years ago. He got weak, could barely climb the stairs, and was exhausted all the time. Things gradually got worse, and last year doctors told him he’d need a transplant. He expected to be on the waiting list for months – maybe even years – but within 5 days he got the call.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>That was in July of 2015. He’s still on the road to recovery and doing everything he can to stay active and healthy....</i>"</blockquote>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiac_surgery#Open_Heart_Surgery">Open heart surgery</a> was newsworthy when I was in high school: and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiaan_Barnard">Christiaan Barnard</a>'s successful human-to-human <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiaan_Barnard#First_successful_heart_transplant">heart transplant</a> in 1967 was a major international story. I trust that the donor really <b><i>was</i></b> "essentially brain dead" when the doctor cut her heart out.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Washkansky">Louis Washkansky</a> survived the operation and lived for another 18 days: before dying of pneumonia.<br />
<br />
I could claim that a wrathful God smote Mr. Washkansky something fearful for being a terrible sinner and mocking God by surviving the operation: but I won't.<br />
<br />
I think he caught pneumonia and died because <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immunosuppressive_drug">immumosuppresive drugs</a> had shut down his immune system.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transplant_rejection">Transplant rejection</a><sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#4">4</a></sup> is one reason I think learning to grow our own replacement organs is a good idea, and that's almost another topic. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#replacement">August 29, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
I could also denounce WANE, the transplant team at Lutheran Hospital, and Mr Steadman, for their "encroachment on the prerogatives of Jehovah," as Dr. Zabdiel Boylston put it in the 1700s. But I won't.<br />
<br />
I see the WANE headline,"Heart transplant is a rebirth of sorts for Fort Wayne man," as a mildly-poetic way of expressing the idea that getting a new heart restored at least a porton of Mr. Steadman's health.<br />
<br />
As I said earlier, organ transplants are okay: providing we don't kill or maim one person to help another. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2296">2296</a>) <br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="revenge"></a>Revenge of Frankenstein's Son's Sister's Cousin</h4>
<br />
<img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160427-FrankensteinCollage-329.jpg" />That 'rebirth' headline is mild, compared to its 'dead patient returns to life' counterparts I remember from the late 1960s.<br />
<br />
They were almost accurate, since a common way to tell if someone was still alive was to check for a pulse.<br />
<br />
Surgeons couldn't operate on a beating heart, so the organ had to be stopped — and the patient was "dead." At least in the pulse = life sense.<br />
<br />
I'll get back to that.<br />
<br />
Oddly enough, I don't remember a rash of horror-heart-transplant movies in the wake of Dr. Barnard's accomplishment.<br />
<br />
"<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parts:_The_Clonus_Horror">Parts: The Clonus Horror</a>," 1979, was close; and considerably more plausible than the 1991 "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Parts_%28film%29">Body Parts</a>."<br />
<br />
Maybe studios figured folks had had their fill of Frankenstein spinoffs<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#5">5</a></sup> by then, or maybe I didn't notice 'I Have an Ax-Killer's Heart' titles.<br />
<br />
Anyway, that's movies; and heart transplants are now so routine that they're generally human-interest local stories.<br />
<br />
My guess is that someone, somewhere, is preaching that the road to Hell is paved with transplanted hearts. That's a disturbing image, now that I think about it. Never mind.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="cryonics"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">2. </span>Cryonics: Life, Health, and Decisions</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160424-if-cryonics-suddenly-worked-wed-need-to-face-the-fallout"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160426-p03s222w-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From iStock, via BBC, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>What would it be like to know that everyone you had ever met was long gone?</i>"<br />
(BBC))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160424-if-cryonics-suddenly-worked-wed-need-to-face-the-fallout">If cryonics suddenly worked, we'd need to face the fallout</a>"<br />
Rachel Nuwer, BBC Future (April 25, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i>Right now, in three facilities in the US and Russia, there are around 300 people teetering on the cusp of oblivion. They exist in a state of deep cooling called cryopreservation, and entered their chilly slumber after their hearts had stopped beating. Before undergoing true cell death, the tissues of their brains were suspended using an ice-free process called vitrification. All are legally deceased, but if they could they speak, they would likely argue that their remains do not constitute dead bodies at all. Instead, in a sense, they are just unconscious.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>No-one knows if it's possible to revive these people, but more and more of the living seem to believe that uncertainty is better than the alternative. Around 1,250 people who are still legally alive are on cryonics waiting lists, and new facilities are opening in Oregon, Australia and Europe soon.</i><br />
<br />
"<i> 'We have a saying in cryonics: being frozen is the second worst thing that can happen to you,' says Dennis Kowalski, president of the Cryonics Institute in Michigan, the largest cryonics organization in the world. 'There's no guarantee you'll be able to be brought back, but there is a guarantee that if you get buried or cremated, you'll never find out.'...</i>"</blockquote>
Rachel Nuwer's article mercifully avoids the "<a href="http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140821-i-will-be-frozen-when-i-die">I freeze people to cheat death</a>" and "<a href="http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140704-i-bring-the-dead-back-to-life">Bringing the dead back to life</a>" exuberance of some 'science news' coverage.<br />
<br />
I'd have a problem with cryonics, heart surgery, and emergency rooms, if I thought being very sick or seriously injured was the same as being dead — or that folks who aren't healthy are better off dead. I don't.<br />
<br />
Recapping what I said earlier, I see life and health as gifts from God. Taking reasonable care of them is a responsibility. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2288">2288</a>)<br />
<br />
That's <b><i>reasonable</i></b> care. "Over-zealous" treatment isn't required. Common sense is:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of 'over-zealous' treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one's inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected. </i>"<br />
(Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2278">2278</a>)</blockquote>
<h4>
<a name="legally"></a>Legally Dead: For Now</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160424-if-cryonics-suddenly-worked-wed-need-to-face-the-fallout"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160426-p03s2255-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From iStock, via BBC, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>The bodies preserved today are considered legally dead, but our descendants might not see it that way</i>"<br />
(BBC))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...To the uninitiated, cryonics might seem the stuff of 'Vanilla Sky,' 'Demolition Man,' and other purely science fiction works. But many researchers believe that it is a credible field of inquiry, and cryobiologists are slowly chipping away at the possibility of revival. Most recently, a team succeeded at thawing a previously vitrified rabbit brain. Even after several weeks of storage, the synapses that are thought to be crucial for brain function were intact. The rabbit was still dead, though – the researchers did not attempt to resuscitate the animal afterwards.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>While a thawed out rabbit brain does not a fully revitalised person make, some believe that cryogenic revival might someday be as commonplace as treating a case of the flu or mending a broken arm. 'This is really not so earth-shattering or philosophically weird as you might think,' says Aubrey de Grey, co-founder and chief science officer at the Sens Research Foundation in California, a non-profit organisation dedicated to changing the way we research and treat age-related ill health. 'It's just medicine – another form of healthcare that helps people who are seriously sick. Once you get your head around that, it's much less scary.'...</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160424-if-cryonics-suddenly-worked-wed-need-to-face-the-fallout">Rachel Nuwer</a>Rachel Nuwer, BBC)</blockquote>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryonics">Cryonics</a> "is not part of normal medical practice," as a Wikipedia page put it.<br />
<br />
Quite a few scientists are skeptical about whether or not 'reviving' someone who has been frozen is possible. They've got a point.<br />
<br />
We don't know for sure whether the human brain has to be continually active to preserve memory. If it does: getting stored at around -196°C would pretty well erase the person's memories. I wouldn't like that.<br />
<br />
The last I heard, someone must be <b><i>legally</i></b> dead to be frozen. That makes sense from a criminal-liability viewpoint: but means that if and when folks get taken out of cold storage, medicos will have a <b><i>really</i></b> sick patient on their hands.<br />
<br />
I'm not convinced that cryonics works, or that it doesn't. I'll get back to why I don't see an ethical problem if it does. Practical issues, yes: ethical, not so much. I'll get back to that, too, in this post's <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#afterword">Afterword</a>.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="death"></a>Death, Saving Lives, and Safety Coffins</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Premature_Burial_Vault.JPG"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/800px-Premature_Burial_Vault-329.JPG" /></a>We've been learning a great deal recently, which has helped save lives: and made defining "death" trickier.<br />
<br />
I am convinced that "legally dead" or "medically dead" and "dead" are not the same thing.<br />
<br />
If having a pulse meant being alive, and not having a pulse meant being dead, all recovering heart transplant patients are walking corpses that had no heart at all, let alone a pulse, for several minutes.<br />
<br />
I think Mr. Steadman would not agree, and I think he's right.<br />
<br />
I'll admit to having a personal bias about hasty assessments of death.<br />
<br />
My father's father was on a construction site when a crane collapsed, killing many of the workers: including, apparently, my grandfather. An alert medic noticed that one of the mangled "corpses" was bleeding, which saved my grandfather's life.<br />
<br />
His days as a construction worker were over, but he developed other skills, and that's yet again another topic.<br />
<br />
I'd like to think that most folks buried these days were dead <b><i>before</i></b> getting embalmed/cremated and interred.<br />
<br />
Which reminds me: I've heard that cremation was on the 'don't do this' list for Catholics. The rule wasn't as random as in might seem, and reasons for the prohibition are implicit in the Catechism's discussion of options:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>Autopsies can be morally permitted for legal inquests or scientific research. The free gift of organs after death is legitimate and can be meritorious.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The Church permits cremation, provided that it does not demonstrate a denial of faith in the resurrection of the body.<sup>93</sup></i>"<br />
(Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2301">2301</a>)</blockquote>
I've talked about autopsies and cremation before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/early-hands-mutant-mice.html#reality">August 28, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2009/09/rambling-on-about-death-resurrection.html#change">September 25, 2009</a>)<br />
<br />
I'm forgetting something. Safety coffins: that's it.<br />
<br />
I'd like to think that what's euphemistically called "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premature_burial#Unintentional_live_burial">unintentional live burial</a> doesn't happen: but in 2005 funeral director John Matarese noticed that the "corpse" in a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premature_burial#cite_note-9">body bag</a> wasn't quite dead yet, and called paramedics. Dashed thoughtful of him, I think.<br />
<br />
Quite a few patents for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_coffin">safety coffins</a> date from the 18th and 19th century.<br />
<br />
Cholera epidemics — I've mentioned how much I don't miss the 'good old days' — and a natural skittishness about examining possibly-contagious corpses encouraged not-unreasonable fears of waking up in a cozy little coffin.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="dead"></a>"Dead," But He's Better Now</h4>
<br />
<iframe align="right" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="247" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/pUpcNc5lGgA?rel=0" width="329"></iframe>A recovery team pulled a limp, obviously-lifeless body out of the Red River in Fargo, North Dakota, back in 1987. Young Alvaro Garza Jr. was limp as a noodle when a recovery team fished him out from a hole in the ice.<br />
<br />
He had no pulse, and was quite obviously "dead." That's what happens when you spend 45 minutes under the river's surface.<br />
<br />
Usually.<br />
<br />
His core body temperature went down to 77 degrees Fahrenheit — which probably saved his life. That, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammalian_diving_reflex">mammalian diving reflex</a>, having a hospital with a heart-lung machine nearby, and a family who wanted him to be alive. My opinion.<br />
<br />
Folks at St. Luke's hooked Alvaro Garza Jr. into the machine, which let them "take his blood and warm it up and put it right back in his body," as St. Luke's/MeritCare's Roberta Young, RN, put it. 20 years later, Mr. Garza had four kids of his own: and a healthy respect for water.<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19871222&id=kbAeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hM4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5068,2695080&hl=en">11-year-old-boy who nearly drowned in icy river released from hospital</a>"<br />
Spartanburg Herald-Journal; via Associated Press, Google News (December 22, 1987)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://articles.latimes.com/1987-12-22/news/mn-30740_1_red-river">Boy, 11, Who 'Died' in Icy River Leaves Hospital</a>"<br />
LA Times, via Associated Press (December 22, 1987)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/years-later-christmas-miracle-is-remembered/article_b865c44a-cc90-59c2-979a-e9b49e76d84a.html">20 years later, Christmas 'miracle' is remembered</a>"<br />
(December 4, 2007)</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="afterword"></a>Afterword</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/death-been-there-done-that.html#Jesus"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150403-220px-Thepassionposterface-1-165.jpg" /></a>As I said <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/another-easter.html">last month</a>, I follow the Man who is God: who died in my place; descended to the abode of the dead; rose from the tomb; and lives today and forever. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PW1.HTM#GOSP.MAT.28.1">Matthew 28:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PW1.HTM#GOSP.MAT.28.10">10</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWI.HTM#GOSP.MAR.16.1">Mark 16:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWI.HTM#GOSP.MAR.16.11">11</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P124.HTM#CATHL.1PET.4.6">1 Peter 4:6</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p1.htm#631">631</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p1.htm#635">635</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p2.htm#638">638</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p2.htm#655">655</a>)<br />
<br />
Jesus died. Our Lord had been killed by an execution squad which included Roman soldiers. They surely knew the difference between a dead body and someone who had fainted, or was pretending to be dead.<br />
<br />
About three decades back, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JAMA_%28journal%29">JAMA</a> (The Journal of the American Medical Association, a peer-reviewed medical journal covering all aspects of the biomedical sciences) published an analysis of what our Lord went through.<br />
<br />
It isn't an easy read, but worth the effort. My opinion:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20150212-ff-Documents/deathjesus.pdf">On the Physical Death of
Jesus Christ</a>"<br />
William D. Edwards, MD; Wesley J. Gabel, MDiv; Floyd E. Hosmer, MS, AMI — JAMA, Vol 255, No. 11 (March 21, 1986)<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From <a href="http://hisunendinglov.blogspot.com/2015/04/good-friday-physical-death-of-jesus.html">hisunendinglov.blogspot.com/2015/04/good-friday-physical-death-of-jesus.html</a></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">via <a href="http://associationofcatholicwomenbloggers.blogspot.com/2015/04/good-friday-physical-death-of-jesus.html">associationofcatholicwomenbloggers.blogspot.com/2015/04/good-friday-physical-death-of-jesus.html</a> (April 4, 2015))</span></li>
</ul>
I've been over that before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/death-been-there-done-that.html#Jesus">April 5, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="health"></a>Health <i>and</i> Faith</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/mutant-medflies-gmo-mosquitoes.html#fear"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/The_cow_pock-329.jpg" /></a>When my lower digestive tract went into failure mode, my wife, a devout life-long Catholic, poured me into the family van and drove me to an emergency room.<br />
<br />
I am quite sure she did <b><i>not</i></b> do that because she denied the Resurrection, or wanted to encroach "on the prerogatives of Jehovah, whose right it is to wound and smite," as Dr. Zabdiel Boylston put it.<br />
<br />
I am reasonably confident that her goal was what it appeared to be: restoring my health.<br />
<br />
Restoring and maintaining health is a good idea, within reason. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2278">2278</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2288">2288</a>)<br />
<br />
Getting back to the cryonics, ethics, assumptions, and all that — I very strongly suspect that whether or not getting put in cold storage is right depends at least in part on a person's motive.<br />
<br />
If the individual thinks surviving until a cure for some disease is developed will prove that God doesn't exist — don't laugh, I've heard goofier arguments on several issues. I also don't see that as a good reason.<br />
<br />
Someone wanting to survive until a cure for some disease is developed: that, to me, seems reasonable. I suppose someone out there thinks we're supposed to sit on our hands and let God smite us something fierce, but I'm not of that opinion.<br />
<br />
Basically, I don't see cryonics as wrong, ethically.<br />
<br />
If it works, it's simply another method for stabilizing a patient until adequate medical care is available. If I'm going to denounce cryonics on ethical grounds, I might as well denounce ambulances: because they defy God by getting folks to a hospital while they're still alive.<br />
<br />
We may learn that cryonics doesn't work, and that folks who signed up to be frozen are really dead: as well as legally deceased. But right now, we do not know. I'm inclined to see it as a highly experimental medical procedure: dangerous, but potentially life-saving.<br />
<br />
I think what Dr. Barnard wrote about Mr. Washkansky, the first heart transplant patient to survive more than two weeks after the operation, is relevant to questions about cryonics:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Washkansky could either wait for certain death or risk transplant surgery with an 80 percent chance of surviving. He chose the surgery. As Barnard later wrote, 'For a dying man it is not a difficult decision because he knows he is at the end. If a lion chases you to the bank of a river filled with crocodiles, you will leap into the water convinced you have a chance to swim to the other side. But you would never accept such odds if there were no lion.'...</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bmbarn.html">Christiaan Barnard</a>, People and Discoveries, A Science Odyssey; NPR)</blockquote>
<h4>
<a name="disturbing"></a>The Disturbing Case of Lal Bihari</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160428-250px-India_UPsvg-165.jpg" /></a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lal_Bihari">Lal Bihari</a> was dead, officially, from 1975 to 1994. His uncle had bribed an official to register Bihari's death: putting the uncle in line to inherit some land.<br />
<br />
Bihari eventually sorted the legal mess out, learned that at least a hundred other "dead" folks were in his position, and formed the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh_Association_of_Dead_People">Uttar Pradesh Association of Dead People</a>.<br />
<br />
Lal Biharie and his fellow-dead-people were victims of fraud: and in danger of being really, as well as legally, dead if they made too much of a fuss. I hope folks in that part of the world sort the mess out, but I won't claim that 'it can't happen here.'<br />
<br />
Over the half-century or so that I've been paying attention, quite few definitions of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_death">brain death</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_death">clinical death</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_death">legal death</a> have been popping up.<br />
<br />
"<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_death">Brain death</a>," the <b><i>complete</i></b> cessation of brain activity, might be a useful definition of death: if it was consistently applied.<br />
<br />
It's not, so "brain death" in one place can mean that the whole brain, right down to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainstem">brainstem</a>, has shut down.<br />
<br />
Somewhere else, a patient with an active brainstem can be breathing on his or her own — and be "brain dead" because at least part of the higher brain functions are offline at the moment.<br />
<br />
I don't think it helps that in my country organ harvesting can't start, legally, until a doctor signs off on "brain death." Cheerful thought.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="waking"></a>Waking Up in the Future: Practical Considerations</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/homo-erectus-engraving-long-lost.html#facing"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20141210-800px-The_Telus_World_of_Science_2666520215-329.jpg" /></a>I grew up when quite a few folks still thought human ingenuity would solve all our problems: or at least make "the future" a magical place to live.<br />
<br />
I've seen that silly optimism change to what I think is an equally-silly fear that the future will be just simply awful: and then we'll all die.<br />
<br />
As it is, I <b><i>like</i></b> living in "the future" — when <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poliomyelitis">polio</a> is no longer a health threat in my part of the world, and smallpox is an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox#Post-eradication">extinct disease</a>.<br />
<br />
The World Health Organization released a Global Polio Eradication Initiative Strategic Plan progress report in <a href="http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/wha65/A65_20-en.pdf">2012</a>. This will take time, but I think we can end polio, too.<br />
<br />
About adjusting to 'the future,' it helps that I didn't expect the world I am growing old in to be exactly like the world my grandfather lived in. I lived through the intervening years, learning new skills as needed: and enjoy learning about new technology.<br />
<br />
If I'd — this couldn't have happened, we didn't have the technology, and still don't — been frozen in my mid-20s, and taken out of storage this year: that would be a different experience. I wouldn't mind learning that the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_War">Cold War</a> was over: and wouldn't miss <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disco">disco</a>.<br />
<br />
My guess is that I'd learn how to use today's information technology differently: most likely skipping right past learning how to use <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BASIC">BASIC</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QBasic">QBasic</a>, and DOS. Also, I wouldn't have gotten practice being patient while a dial-up modem made connections.<br />
<br />
What sort of job I'd be qualified for: that, I'm not at all sure about.<br />
<br />
The biggest adjustment, I think, would be getting used to a world without my parents. I would have missed the last few decades of their lives. On the whole, I'm glad to have experienced that.<br />
<br />
Something that I'd wonder about, if I signed up for being frozen, is who would pay the bill if I survived the process. Cryonics organizations charge for their services up front, including storage and maintenance costs: so that's not an issue. Not in the short run, at least.<br />
<br />
But let's assume that I was dying of something, arranged to be frozen, and woke up in the 31st century. Any financial arrangements I'd made could easily have failed in the millennium that passed.<br />
<br />
One of my top concerns would be learning how I'd be expected to compensate folks for keeping me alive.<br />
<br />
In a way, I'd probably rather wake up after several thousand years. That way my memories and experiences might be a mildly-valuable resource for antiquarian scholars.<br />
<br />
And now for something <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python's_Flying_Circus#Frequently_recurring_characters_.28six_or_more_appearances.29">completely different</a>.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="reanimated"></a>"Reanimated Abomination of Science?"</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110207#.Vx_VGEfraM8"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160426-ggmain20110207b-detail-329.jpg" /></a>That's Rudolf Selnikov in the jar: what's left of him, that is. He was "in need of medical attention" — it's quite complicated, actually, like most of the Girl Genius comic series, and mostly irrelevant to this post.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/cryonics-smallpox-and-pope-pius-vii.html#6">6</a></sup><br />
<br />
Selnikov looks happy in that panel because he's realized that being (officially) "dead" frees him from political infighting; and, as he put it, "<i>...<b>twisted and ruthless</b> as you people are, throwing in with <b>you</b> is a step <b>up.</b></i>"<br />
<br />
Several panels back, Selnikov asked why he was "still alive." Given the willing suspension of disbelief required for the story — that question makes sense.<br />
<br />
He'd been seriously injured, but "dead" only in a legal sense. His head was essentially intact, so his medical status in the story was a bit like an accident victim who was unconscious when taken to the emergency room.<br />
<br />
We can't grow a new body for someone. Today, that sort of medical technology does not exist: although scientists have successfully grown a mouse thymus, and a few other non-human spare parts. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html">August 29, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Interestingly, I don't remember folks going ballistic over the first heart transplants. Maybe that's because I'd stopped listening to radio preachers by then, or maybe they were too busy having conniptions over just about everything else going on during the '60s.<br />
<br />
By now, swapping out someone's heart is still a major medical procedure: but I think most folks have gotten used to the idea that not having a pulse does not necessarily mean being dead.<br />
<br />
I also think the Sens Research Foundation's Aubrey de Grey, quoted in that BBC Future article, made sense, talking about cryonics:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...'It's just medicine – another form of healthcare that helps people who are seriously sick. Once you get your head around that, it's much less scary.'...</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160424-if-cryonics-suddenly-worked-wed-need-to-face-the-fallout">Rachel Nuwer</a>Rachel Nuwer, BBC)</blockquote>
More, mostly about faith <b><i>and</i></b> reason, science <b><i>and</i></b> religion:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/synthetic-life-dna-profiles.html">Synthetic Life, DNA Profiles</a>"<br />
(April 1, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/synthetic-life-dna-profiles.html#ethics">Ethics Matter</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/synthetic-life-dna-profiles.html#deciding">Deciding to Act Like Humans</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/humility-science-and-accepting-reality.html">March 29, 2015
Humility, Science, and Accepting Reality</a>"<br />
(November 27, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/humility-science-and-accepting-reality.html#order">Order, Beauty, and Using our Brains</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/mutant-medflies-gmo-mosquitoes.html#radium">Radium, Thalidomide, and Using our Brains</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/mutant-medflies-gmo-mosquitoes.html#famines">Famines, Sumerians, and Making Sense</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/pig-organs-ancient-immigrants.html">Pig Organs, Ancient Immigrants</a>"<br />
(October 16, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/pig-organs-ancient-immigrants.html#tech">Tech, Old and New</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/pig-organs-ancient-immigrants.html#think">Think!</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/kidneys-experiments-and-ethics.html">Kidneys, Experiments, and Ethics</a>"<br />
(September 25, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/kidneys-experiments-and-ethics.html#remembering">Remembering Tuskegee</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/kidneys-experiments-and-ethics.html#love">Love, Science, and Being Human</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html">Regeneration: Getting Closer to Growing Lost Organs</a>"<br />
(August 29, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#growing">Growing a Thymus from Scratch</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#technical">Technical Issues</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#ethics">Ethics</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#replacement">Replacement Parts, Grown to Order: Bladders Today; Hands — Eventually, Maybe</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#brand">Brand-New Tech, Same Old Challenges</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#positive">Positive Law, Isus Positum: Human-Made Rules</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#natural">Natural Law, Lex Naturalis: Universal Principles, Changing Applications</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#living">Living in 'The Future'</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<sup><a name="1">1</a></sup> I've been over this before:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/p/about-me-and-this-blog.html">About Me and This Blog</a>"<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/p/about-me-and-this-blog.html#about">Brilliant, Talented, and On Medication</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/humility-science-and-accepting-reality.html">Humility, Science, and Accepting Reality</a>"<br />
(March 29, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/humility-science-and-accepting-reality.html#accepting">Accepting Reality</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/joy-and-standing-orders.html">Joy and Standing Orders</a>"<br />
(October 5, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/joy-and-standing-orders.html#joy">Joy, Zest, and Mud</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="2">2</a></sup> I've talked about God, love, anger, and getting a grip, before:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/life-death-and-love.html">Life, Death, and Love</a>"<br />
(November 1, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/life-death-and-love.html#moderation">Moderation</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html">Fire, Brimstone, and Lollipop Faith</a>"<br />
(March 15, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html#God">God Doesn't Hate You: But He's No Patsy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html#sin">Sin, Love, and Robots</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/vengeance-anger-and-looking-ahead.html">Vengeance, Anger, and Looking Ahead</a>"<br />
(July 13, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/vengeance-anger-and-looking-ahead.html#anger">Anger, Sin, and Getting a Grip</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="3">3</a></sup> I don't hope to convince zealots — but owning pictures and carvings isn't "idolatry," and the Catholic Church says to worship <b><i>only</i></b> God:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/precision-grip-thumbs-and-a-new.html">Precision-Grip Thumbs and a 'New' Archosaur</a>"<br />
(January 30, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/precision-grip-thumbs-and-a-new.html#priorities">Priorities</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/gideon-gabriel-mary-and-guts.html">Gideon, Gabriel, Mary, and Guts</a>"<br />
(December 21, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/gideon-gabriel-mary-and-guts.html#tacky">Tacky Religious Art and Idolatry</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="4">4</a></sup> Life, death, and medicine; background:<br />
<ul>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiac_surgery">Cardiac surgery</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiac_surgery#Open_Heart_Surgery">Open Heart Surgery</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiopulmonary_bypass">Cardiopulmonary bypass</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiopulmonary_resuscitation">Cardiopulmonary resuscitation</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryonics">Cryonics</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryopreservation">Cryopreservation</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryopreservation#Natural_cryopreservation">Natural cryopreservation</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryopreservation#History">History</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryopreservation#Temperature">Temperature</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryopreservation#Vitrification">Vitrification</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Death<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_death">Brain death</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_death">Clinical death</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lal_Bihari">Lal Bihari</a><br />
(officially dead between 1975 and 1994)</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_death">Legal death</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_death#Reversal">Reversal</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_definition_of_death">Medical definition of death</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_smallpox">History of Smallpox</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transplant_rejection">Transplant rejection</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccination">Vaccination</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccination#History">History</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variolation">Variolation</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_transplantation">Organ transplantation</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_transplantation#Organs_and_tissues_transplanted">Organs and tissues transplanted</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_transplantation#History">History</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_transplantation#Society_and_culture">Society and culture</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/01/10/261391130/why-hospitals-and-families-still-struggle-to-define-death">Why Hospitals And Families Still Struggle To Define Death</a>"<br />
Maanvi Singh, NPR (January 10, 2014)</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="5">5</a></sup> Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the movies:<br />
<ul>
<li>Frankenstein<br />
(1910)</li>
<li>
Frankenstein<br />
(1931)</li>
<li>
Bride of Frankenstein<br />
(1935)</li>
<li>
Son of Frankenstein<br />
(1939)</li>
<li>
The Ghost of Frankenstein<br />
(1942)</li>
<li>
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man<br />
(1943)</li>
<li>
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein<br />
(1948)</li>
<li>
I Was a Teenage Frankenstein<br />
(1957)</li>
<li>
Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster<br />
(1965)</li>
<li>
Frankenstein<br />
(1992)</li>
<li>
Frankenstein<br />
(2004)</li>
<li>
Frankenstein<br />
(2007)</li>
<li>
Frankenstein<br />
(2015)</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Frankenstein_films">More</a> Frankenstein films</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_featuring_Frankenstein's_monster">Still more</a> Frankenstein films</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="6">6</a></sup> Selnikov is a minor character in the Girl Genius comic series. <br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080528#.VyLadr7raM-">May 28, 2008</a><br />
(in need of medical attention)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110202#.VyLcBb7raM9">February 2</a>-<a href="http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110207#.VyLcOb7raM8">February 7, 2011</a><br />
(adjusting to being (officially) dead)</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-49424377307714631962016-04-24T08:00:00.000-05:002016-04-24T20:18:21.500-05:00Flat Earth, Psalms 150:1 — and Joy<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/science-faith-and-leaving-19th-century.html#cosmic"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/OTcosmos-658sepia.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From N. F. Gier, University of Idaho; adapted from an illustration in the New American Bible: St. Joseph Edition; used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(A Mesopotamian cosmology, about <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/__P2.HTM">two dozen</a> centuries back.)<br />
<br />
'The Bible says Earth is flat.'<br />
<br />
If you live in America, and haven't heard that as a reason for rejecting Christianity: you're not paying attention.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/early-hands-mutant-mice.html#reality"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20150827-Gossuin_de_Metz_-_L-image_du_monde_-_BNF_Fr_574_fo42_-_miniature-165.jpg" /></a>On the other hand, word seems to be getting around that the "dark" ages were anything but.<br />
<br />
I've discussed post-Roman Europe, science, and autopsies, before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/dna-headless-skeletons-of-york.html#using">January 22, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/early-hands-mutant-mice.html#point">August 28, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/neurosynaptic-cores-and-retinal.html#science">August 15, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
About Earth being flat — I've yet to run into a Christian who says that; although I did meet one who informed me that our sun goes around Earth, not the other way around.<br />
<br />
He had a point, given a completely <a href="http://www.dictionary.com/browse/deadpan">deadpan</a> reading of <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P5O.HTM#PENT.JOS.10.12">Joshua 10:12</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P5O.HTM#PENT.JOS.10.13">13</a>. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/sagittarius-b2-water-and-asteroid-mining.html#pillars">October 3, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Interestingly, Sacred Scripture <b><i>does</i></b> mention "the pillars of the earth" and "the mighty dome of heaven:"<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S,</i><br />
"<i>and he has set the world upon them.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P6W.HTM#HIS.1SAM.2.8">1 Samuel 2:8</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>He shakes the earth out of its place, and the pillars beneath it tremble.</i><br />
"<i>He commands the sun, and it rises not; he seals up the stars.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PEU.HTM#WISDB.JOB.9.6">Job 9:6</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PEU.HTM#WISDB.JOB.9.7">7</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PJY.HTM#$1P1">1</a></sup> Hallelujah! <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PJY.HTM#$1P2">2</a></sup> Praise God in his holy sanctuary; give praise in the mighty dome of heaven.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PJY.HTM#WISDB.PSA.150.1">Psalms 150:1</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>The angel said to me in reply, 'These are the four winds of the heavens, which are coming forth after being reviewed by the LORD of all the earth.'</i> "<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PUT.HTM#PROPHB.ZEC.6.5">Zechariah 6:5</a>)</blockquote>
So how come I'm not ranting and raving about the evils of science, and why NASA should stop smashing space probes into "the mighty dome:" thereby risking flood and the wrath of a hypersensitive God?<br />
<br />
I've been over that before, too. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html#this">September 6, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/pig-organs-ancient-immigrants.html#synthetic">October 16, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/sagittarius-b2-water-and-asteroid-mining.html#pillars">October 3, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Briefly — <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/kapteyn-b-habitable-zones-and-using-our.html#poetry">poetry isn't science</a>, and I'm a Catholic who knows a bit about my faith.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="learn"></a>"To Learn the Surpassing Knowledge of Jesus Christ"</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/dinosaur-arms-and-ust-ishim-mans-dna.html#sirach"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/Gutenberg_Bible_Lenox_Copy_New_York_Public_Library_2009_Pic_01-detail329.jpg" /></a>Reading the Bible isn't an option.<br />
<br />
Since I'm a Catholic, can read, and have access to Sacred Scripture, it's a <b><i>requirement.</i></b> That's because "ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ," and knowing our Lord is a <b><i>very</i></b> high priority:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P10H.HTM#NTLET.PHI.3.8">Philippians 3:8</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>The
Church 'forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful. . . to learn the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ, by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures. Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.<sup>112</sup></i>"<br />
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm#133">133</a>)</blockquote>
I really do not think accepting "the loss of all things" and considering them rubbish means that I should sell everything my wife and I have, give the proceeds to the nearest charity, and hope we survive the next winter.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="humility"></a>Humility and Getting a Grip</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/humility-accepting-reality.html#balanced"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/439px-Gentile_da_Fabriano_052-ThomasAquinas-329.jpg" /></a>For starters, my wife wouldn't like that: and I don't think impoverishing the family is consistent with my duties as a parent. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a4.htm#2221">2221</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a4.htm#2233">2233</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a4.htm#2252">2252</a>)<br />
<br />
For another, being humble before God doesn't mean being poverty-stricken.<br />
<br />
Being poor <b><i>or</i></b> rich is okay. What matters is what we do with it. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a3p3.htm#544">544</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2445">2445</a>)<br />
<br />
We all have equal dignity and rights, which doesn't mean we're all alike: and this is okay, too. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1934">1934</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1937">1937</a>)<br />
<br />
Humility is accepting reality: acknowledging that God is the author of all good.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/flat-earth-psalms-1501-and-joy.html#1">1</a></sup><br />
<br />
In my case, it's acknowledging that God blessed me with defective hips, freakishly-enhanced language skills, and a probably-inherited predisposition to depression and something on the autism spectrum.<br />
<br />
My contribution to the mix is deciding to do something with that quirky took kit. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/have-no-anxiety-at-all.html#emotions">October 18, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/humility-science-and-accepting-reality.html#accepting">March 29, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Getting back to whether or not Earth is flat: insisting that the Almighty must conform to a contemporary blind-to-metaphor reading of ancient poetic imagery seems pretty much the opposite of humble. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/another-easter.html">March 27, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/humility-science-and-accepting-reality.html">March 29, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="free"></a>Free Will and Death</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/pope-francis-and-nietzsche.html#original"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/Hieronymus_Bosch_-_The_Garden_of_Earthly_Delights_-_Hell-detail-b-20140719-329.jpg" /></a>I have free will. I can decide what I do, or don't do. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1730">1730</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1742">1742</a>)<br />
<br />
Deciding wisely would be a lot easier if we hadn't been dealing with consequences of a really bad decision, and that's another topic. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#388">388</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#390">390</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#396">396</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#412">412</a>)<br />
<br />
I try to keep deciding that following our Lord is more important than anything else, even if that means putting up with the occasional inconvenience or frustration.<br />
<br />
I don't know how I'd respond if I was in Stephen's position, after he said something that folks didn't want to hear:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.</i><br />
"<i>As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PY1.HTM#$410">5</a></sup></i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PY1.HTM#GOSP.ACT.7.59">Acts 7:59</a>)</blockquote>
Keep an eye on young Saul. A bit later, on his way to Damascus, he had an intense interview with our Lord. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYG.HTM#GOSP.ACT.22.6">Acts 22:6</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYG.HTM#GOSP.ACT.22.11">11</a>)<br />
<br />
After that, the narrative calls him Paul. I gather his name wasn't changed. He was a Jew <b><i>and</i></b> a Roman citizen, so he had a name for use in both cultures.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/flat-earth-psalms-1501-and-joy.html#2">2</a></sup><br />
<br />
He may have been exaggerating in <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PZK.HTM#NTLET.1COR.15.31">1 Corinthians 15:31</a>, saying "every day I face death" — but if so, it wasn't much of an exaggeration. He eventually went to Rome and lost his head: literally.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/flat-earth-psalms-1501-and-joy.html#3">3</a></sup><br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="we"></a>"We are Infinitely Loved"</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/death-been-there-done-that.html#stopped"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150404-Stom_Matthias_-_Le_repas_d-Emmaus-329.jpg" /></a>Why would folks like Stephen and Paul let themselves be killed, rather than stop talking about our Lord? Let's see what Paul wrote.<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>And I wrote as I did <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PZO.HTM#$4EF">1</a></sup> so that when I came I might not be pained by those in whom I should have rejoiced, confident about all of you that my joy is that of all of you.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PZO.HTM#NTLET.2COR.2.3">2 Corinthians 2:3</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>But, even if I am poured out as a libation <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P10G.HTM#$4N3">14</a></sup> upon the sacrificial service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with all of you.</i><br />
"<i>In the same way you also should rejoice and share your joy with me.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P10G.HTM#NTLET.PHI.2.17">Philippians 2:17</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P10G.HTM#NTLET.PHI.2.18"></a>)</blockquote>
Two millennia later, joy is still at the core of being Christian — or should be.<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Joy is at the heart of Christian experience. ... In a world of sorrow and anxiety, joy is an important witness to the beauty and reliability of the Christian faith....</i>"<br />
<br />
"<i>...A yearning for joy lurks within the heart of every man and woman. Far more than immediate and fleeting feelings of satisfaction, our hearts seek a perfect, full and lasting joy capable of giving 'flavour' to our existence....</i>"<br />
("<a href="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/youth/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20120315_youth_en.html">Message for the 27th World Youth Day</a>," Pope Benedict XVI (March 15, 2012))</blockquote>
It's hardly a new idea:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>Sing praise, play music; proclaim all his wondrous deeds!</i><br />
"<i>Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PIP.HTM#WISDB.PSA.105.2">Psalms 105:2</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PIP.HTM#WISDB.PSA.105.3">3</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,</i><br />
"<i>gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P105.HTM#NTLET.GAL.5.22">Galatians 5:22</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P105.HTM#NTLET.GAL.5.23">23</a>)</blockquote>
Two millennia after our Lord stopped being dead,<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/flat-earth-psalms-1501-and-joy.html#4">4</a></sup> joy is still important. Or, like I said, it should be. That's <b><i>joy</i></b>, not giddiness:
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...<b>A joy ever new, a joy which is shared</b></i><br />
<br />
"<i>The great danger in today’s world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience....</i><br />
<br />
"<i>...I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them....</i><br />
<br />
"<i>...There are Christians whose lives seem like Lent without Easter. I realize of course that joy is not expressed the same way at all times in life, especially at moments of great difficulty. Joy adapts and changes, but it always endures, even as a flicker of light born of our personal certainty that, when everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved....</i>"<br />
("<a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.html">Evangelii Gaudium</a>," Pope Francis (November 24, 2013))</blockquote>
<h4>
<a name="whatever"></a>"Whatever God Wills is Done"</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/06/life-in-universe-and-titans.html#alone"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/LH_95-detail329x658.jpg" /></a>I could be a Christian, following our Lord, if Earth was a flat plate and the sky a dome with water on the other side.<br />
<br />
But it's become increasingly obvious that God's creation is not like that.<br />
<br />
I don't mind a bit. I see scientific discoveries as invitations to "even greater admiration" of God's greatness. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#283">283</a>)<br />
<br />
Besides, we've always known it was big and old.<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P4P.HTM#$HV">1</a></sup> Think! The heavens, even the highest heavens, belong to the LORD, your God, as well as the earth and everything on it.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P4P.HTM#PENT.DEU.10.14">Deuteronomy 10:14</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder's craft.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PGB.HTM#WISDB.PSA.19.2">Psalms 19:2</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PLS.HTM#$1WI">4</a></sup> Indeed, before you the whole universe is as a grain from a balance, or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PLS.HTM#WISDB.WISD.11.22">Wisdom 11:22</a>)
</blockquote>
<a name="being"></a>Being upset that it's bigger and older than we thought doesn't make sense: not to me.<br />
<br />
Even if I did disapprove of the Almighty's creation, it wouldn't make much difference:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>Our God is in heaven; whatever God wills is done.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PIZ.HTM#WISDB.PSA.115.3">Psalms 115:3</a>)</blockquote>
<a href="http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2007/04/image/a/"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20150725-hs-2007-04-a-full_jpg-AsAGrain-658-long.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA); ESA/Hubble Collaboration; used w/o permission.)</span><br />
<br />
More of my take on God, the universe, and getting a grip:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/taking-bible-seriously.html">Taking the Bible Seriously</a>"<br />
(February 21, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/taking-bible-seriously.html#truths">"The Truths We Need"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/taking-bible-seriously.html#love">Love, Freedom, and God's Family</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/taking-bible-seriously.html#top">Top Priority</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/taking-bible-seriously.html#sacred">Sacred Scripture</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/early-hands-mutant-mice.html">Early Hands, Mutant Mice</a>"<br />
(August 28, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/early-hands-mutant-mice.html#abracadabra">Abracadabra and Getting a Grip</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/early-hands-mutant-mice.html#super">"Super-Intelligent Mice" — Imagined and Real</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/early-hands-mutant-mice.html#reality">Reality Check, Please: "Dark Ages," Autopsies, and Animals</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/why-make-universe.html">Why Make a Universe?</a>"<br />
(July 26, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/why-make-universe.html#perspective">Perspective</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/why-make-universe.html#as">"As a Grain from a Balance"</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/precision-grip-thumbs-and-a-new.html">Precision-Grip Thumbs and a 'New' Archosaur</a>"<br />
(January 30, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/precision-grip-thumbs-and-a-new.html#theres">There's More to Learn</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/precision-grip-thumbs-and-a-new.html#informed">Informed Faith and Norse Mythology</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/joy-and-standing-orders.html">Joy and Standing Orders</a>"<br />
(October 5, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/joy-and-standing-orders.html#joy">Joy, Zest, and Mud</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/joy-and-standing-orders.html#beatific">The Beatific Vision and Mirrors</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/joy-and-standing-orders.html#rejoice">Rejoice!</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/joy-and-standing-orders.html#move">Move Out!</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<sup><a name="1">1</a></sup> Humility, a Catholic view:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><b>HUMILITY:</b> The virtue by which a Christian acknowledges that God is the author of all good. Humility avoids inordinate ambition or pride, and provides the foundation for turning to God in prayer (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p4s1.htm#2559">2559</a>). Voluntary humility can be described as 'poverty of spirit' (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a0.htm#2546">2546</a>).</i>"<br />
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, Glossary, H)</blockquote>
<sup><a name="2">2</a></sup> One man, two names; dual names in Roman times:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>Saul, also known as Paul: there is no reason to believe that his name was changed from Saul to Paul upon his conversion. The use of a double name, one Semitic (Saul), the other Greco-Roman (Paul), is well attested (cf ⇒ Acts 1:23 Joseph Justus; ⇒ Acts 12:12, ⇒ 25, John Mark).</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PY7.HTM#$42M">footnote 5</a>, Acts 13, New American Bible)</blockquote>
<sup><a name="3">3</a></sup> See:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_paolo/en/basilica/tomba.htm">Papal Basilica - Saint Paul Outside-the-Walls</a><br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_paolo/en/basilica/tomba.htm">www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_paolo/en/basilica/tomba.htm</a>)</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="4">4</a></sup> As I've said before, it took a series of meetings to convince the surviving 11 that our Lord was really, no kidding, break-bread, eat-a-fish, put-your-hand-in-my-side, <b><i>ALIVE</i></b>. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/death-been-there-done-that.html">April 5, 2015</a>)<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.</i>"<br />
"<i>With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX7.HTM#GOSP.LUK.24.30">Luke 24:30</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX7.HTM#GOSP.LUK.24.31">31</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, 'Have you anything here to eat?'</i><br />
"<i>They gave him a piece of baked fish;</i><br />
"<i>he took it and ate it in front of them.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX7.HTM#GOSP.LUK.24.41">Luke 24:41</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX7.HTM#GOSP.LUK.24.43">43</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, 'Peace be with you.'</i><br />
"<i>Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.'</i> "<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXS.HTM#GOSP.JOH.20.26">John 20:26</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXS.HTM#GOSP.JOH.20.27">27</a>)</blockquote>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-48819527730648265972016-04-22T08:00:00.000-05:002016-05-01T12:03:03.289-05:00Chameleons, Crystals: and Curiosity<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/chameleons-crystals-and-curiosity.html#chameleon"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160420-_89308418_z7700148-panther_chameleon_preparing_to_strike-spl-329.jpg" /></a>Chameleons may be more famous for changing color than for their high-speed tongues: but today I'll be talking about both.<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/chameleons-crystals-and-curiosity.html#chameleon">Chameleon Tongues, Mathematically Described</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/chameleons-crystals-and-curiosity.html#heads">Heads, Neck Injuries, Getting a Grip, and Designing Robots</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/chameleons-crystals-and-curiosity.html#crystals">Crystals in Chameleon Skin</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/chameleons-crystals-and-curiosity.html#iridophores">Iridophores</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/chameleons-crystals-and-curiosity.html#cool">Cool Chameleons</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="brains"></a>Brains, Curiosity, and Being Human</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/starships-dinosaurs-and-long-distance.html#ulysses"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/Gustave_Dore_Inferno25-detail329.jpg" /></a>Using our brains is part of being human. So is learning about the universe, and using that knowledge. We're <b><i>supposed</i></b> to use our brains. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c3a1.htm#154">154</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c3a1.htm#159">159</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2292">2292</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2296">2296</a>)<br />
<br />
But, particularly if we act without thinking, curiosity can get us killed. I've talked about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Wilhelm_Richmann">Georg Wilhelm Richmann</a> before, and why "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_and_radiation_accidents_and_incidents#Human_error">tickling the dragon's tail</a>" is a bad idea.<br />
<br />
Also why Ulysses is in Dante's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malebolge">Malebolge</a>, and it's <b><i>not</i></b> because being curious is wrong. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/mutant-malaria-designer-babies-and.html#technology">January 23, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Let's see, what else?<br />
<br />
Ethics matter.<br />
<br />
'It's for science' isn't an excuse for subjecting humans to lethal experiments: or mistreating animals. I've talked about that before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-thumb-brain-connection-and-diy.html#missing">March 27, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/dna-test-hype-and-studying-lifes-origins.html#being">December 5, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Basically, science and technology are fine. Ignoring ethics isn't. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c3a1.htm#159">159</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2292">2292</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2296">2296</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm#2375">2375</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm#2377">2377</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2414">2414</a>)<br />
<br />
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="chameleon"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. </span>Chameleon Tongues, Mathematically Described</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36082277"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160420-_89308418_z7700148-panther_chameleon_preparing_to_strike-spl-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From SPL, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>The chameleon feeds by snapping out its long tongue</i>"<br />
(BBC News))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36082277">Chameleon's tongue gives up secrets</a>"<br />
Helen Briggs, BBC News (April 20, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i><b>Scientists have built a mathematical model to explain the secrets of the chameleon's extraordinary tongue.</b></i><br />
<br />
"<i>It took more than 20 equations to capture mathematically how the reptile's tongue unravels at very high speed to snare insects.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The model explains the mechanics of the animal's tongue and the inherent energy build-up and rapid release.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>British researchers say the insights will be useful in biomimetics - copying from nature in engineering and design....</i>"</blockquote>
<iframe align="right" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="185" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/E76YBF3P0K0?rel=0" width="329"></iframe>Depending on who you read, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chameleon#Evolution">chameleons</a> have been around for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anqingosaurus">60,000,000</a> years, give or take, or roughly <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamaeleo_caroliquarti">20,000,000</a> years. That's how far back we've found various iguana-like fossils.<br />
<br />
The odds are good that the critters have been around for a lot longer, and share a common ancestor with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iguanidae">iguanids</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agamidae">agamids</a> upwards of 100,000,000 years back.<br />
<br />
Somewhere along the line, chameleons acquired their color-changing ability. They're not the only variable-color animals. Quite a few critters go through seasonal color changes, of course; but <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dactyloidae">anoles</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squid#Description">squids</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus#Defense">octopi</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuttlefish#Coloration">cuttlefish</a> change quickly.<br />
<br />
Back to chameleons: we know of 202 species, not all can change color; they've got <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dactyly#Zygodactyly">zygodactylous</a> feet, which is a fancy way to say two toes point backwards; and they've got weird eyes.<br />
<br />
A <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chameleon_vision#Features_of_chameleon_vision">chameleon eye</a>'s lens is convex, not concave like ours. That's not obvious, looking at them, but the way they move their eyes independently of each other is.<br />
<br />
Chameleons can swivel their eyes around a whole lot more than we do, which lets them stay still while waiting for their next meal: or avoiding being another critter's food.<br />
<br />
Tarsiers have enormous eyes for their size, at least <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangihe_tarsier#Description">some</a> can turn their heads a full 180 degrees. I'm assuming that's 180 left or right.<br />
<br />
Oxford University's professor of mathematical biology Derek Moulton clarified — if that's the right word — what these scientists did:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...'In mathematical terms, what we've done is we've used the theory of non linear elasticity and captured the energy in these various tongue layers and then passed that potential energy to a model of kinetic energy for the tongue dynamics.'...</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36082277">Helen Briggs</a>, BBC News)</blockquote>
I gather what that means is that the scientists found a set of equations that do a pretty good job of describing what a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chameleon#Feeding">chameleon's tongue</a> does.<br />
<br />
It's a very complicated organ: modified <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyoid_bone">hyoid</a> bones at the core, then about a dozen very thin layers of fibrous material, wrapped in muscles. Energy gets stored in elastic elements — which is what the scientists now understand a bit better.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="heads"></a>Heads, Neck Injuries, Getting a Grip, and Designing Robots</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/a-robotic-tentacle-and-disneys-baymax.html#cuddly"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150519ReutersBayMax01-329.jpg" /></a>We can turn our heads something like 80 degrees left or right: apparently that's about the same for men and women, on average, although men generally have more muscle in our necks.<br />
<br />
That may help explain why men aren't quite as likely to have neck injuries. I'd better explain that, considering the preferred reality many folks insist on.<br />
<br />
I think humans came in two basic models, male and female: and that this is okay. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2012/05/men-women-differences-and-equality.html#women">May 2, 2012</a>)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#not"><img align="right"; src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150707-Addams_family_values-165.jpg"></a>That is not even close to yearning for the 'good old days.' I've discussed Addams Family Values, love, and moving forward, before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/love.html#love">January 31, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/not-going-native.html#moving">August 30, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#not">July 12, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
I must believe that we're all created in the image and likeness of God: with free will, masters of our own actions. I must also see all of us as people, with equal dignity: no matter where we are, who we are, or how we act. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.27">Genesis 1:27</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p6.htm#360">360</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1.htm#1700">1700</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a1.htm#1706">1706</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1730">1730</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm#1825">1825</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1932">1932</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1933">1933</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1935">1935</a>)<br />
<br />
But I don't have to insist that I'm indistinguishable from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_II">Elizabeth II</a>, <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/high-school-senior-california-possibly-worlds-largest-football-player/">John Krahn</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akihito">Akihito</a>, or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phumzile_Mlambo-Ngcuka">Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka</a>. I look a bit like the first two, though: largely because my recent ancestors spent a long time in northwestern Europe.<br />
<br />
Less hair and more beard, though, and that's another topic. Topics.<br />
<br />
Where was I? Chameleons, eyes, being human. Right.<br />
<br />
We've known that chameleons could shoot out their tongues fast and far — and have been learning more about how they manage it. This research could help scientists and technicians design soft, elastic materials for robotics. That's not the scientists' main motive, though. They said their reason for researching was mostly just "scientific curiosity."<br />
<br />
More than you probably need (or want) to know about chameleons, tarsiers, and humans:<br />
<ul>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chameleon">Chameleon</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chameleon#Change_of_color">Change of color</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chameleon_vision">Chameleon vision</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton's_laws_of_motion">Newton's laws of motion</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton's_laws_of_motion#Newton.27s_second_law">Newton's second law</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangihe_tarsier">Sangihe tarsier</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangihe_tarsier#Description">Description</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19590325">When violence strikes the head, neck, and face.</a>"<br />
Trauma Research Unit, Department of Orthopaedics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus C, Denmark; via NCBI/NLM/NIH(2009)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/FSA/forms/pdf/13-585a.pdf">Range of Joint Motion Evaluation Chart</a><br />
Washington State Department of Social & Health Services</li>
<li>"<a href="http://rspa.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/472/2188/20160030">The elastic secrets of the chameleon tongue</a>"<br />
Derek E. Moulton, Thomas Lessinnes, Stephen O’Keeffe, Luis Dorfmann, Alain Goriely; Proceedings of the Royal Society of London A (April 20, 2016)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/owl_mystery_unraveled_scientists_explain_how_bird_can_rotate_its_head_without_cutting_off_blood_supply_to_brain">Owl Mystery Unraveled: Scientists Explain How Bird Can Rotate Its Head Without Cutting Off Blood Supply to Brain</a>"<br />
Johns Hopkins Medicine (January 31, 2013)</li>
<li>"<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&ved=0ahUKEwiGlrmqvaDMAhUBJiYKHQPtCrYQFgg1MAY&url=http%3A%2F%2Fresearch.wsulibs.wsu.edu%2Fxmlui%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F2376%2F2904%2FZheng_wsu_0251E_10148.pdf%3Fsequence%3D1&usg=AFQjCNF_XC8RKaqqYNnddboUHN6txGhrcQ&sig2=5JIE4x2nz8ZOB0MFnzT3Vw&bvm=bv.119967911,d.eWE&cad=rja">Sex Differences in Human Neck Musculoskeletal Biomechanics and Modeling</a>" (.pdf download)<br />
Liying Zheng (MAY 2011)</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="crystals"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">2. </span>Crystals in Chameleon Skin</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31819588"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160420-_81548243_c0216012-panther_chameleon-spl-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Alex Hyde/SPL, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>The study was conducted on panther chameleons, which are popular pets</i>"<br />
(BBC News))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31819588">Chameleon colours 'switched by crystals'</a> "<br />
Jonathan Webb, BBC News (March 11, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i><b>Swiss researchers have discovered how chameleons accomplish their vivid colour changes: they rearrange the crystals inside specialised skin cells.</b></i><br />
<br />
"<i>It was previously suggested that the reptiles' famous ability came from gathering or dispersing coloured pigments inside different cells.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>But the new results put it down to a 'selective mirror' made of crystals.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>They also reveal a second layer of the cells that reflect near-infrared light and might help the animals keep cool....</i>"</blockquote>
Like I said before, (some) chameleons can <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chameleon#Change_of_color">change color</a>. The real animals are nowhere near as versatile as their cartoon counterparts, though.<br />
<br />
Researchers are pretty sure chameleons change color for different reasons: blending in with their surroundings, staying warm or cool, or signalling each other.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="iridophores"></a>Iridophores</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31819588"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160420-_81553278_changes-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Teyssier, Saenko, Van Der Marel, Milinkovitch, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>A panther chameleon can switch in minutes from camouflage colours to more strident, communicative ones</i>"<br />
(BBC News))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Some changes arise from shifting pigments. Tiny packets of the dark dye melanin, for example, can be spread throughout the tendrils of big "melanophore" cells - or gathered into the centre, to lighten the skin again. Many fish and reptiles grow lighter or darker in this way in response to stress, or to match their surroundings.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Panther chameleons, the subjects of the new study, do this as well. But males can also change between entirely different colours, turning a camouflaged green into a more spectacular yellow, for example, when they see a potential mate or a competitor.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Until now, many scientists had thought that these changes arose from a similar dispersion trick with yellow or red pigment. The new research suggests this is not the case....</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31819588">Jonathan Webb</a>, BBC News)</blockquote>
Color-changing chameleon <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chameleon#Change_of_color">skin</a> has a layer of guanine crystals under the outer pigments. The crystals reflect different wavelengths, depending on how they're spaced and arranged: which changes the critters' colors.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanine">Guanine</a> is one of the four main <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucleobase">nucleobase</a> in DNA and RNA. We <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanine#Other_uses">use</a> crystalline guanine as a shampoo additive — for an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridescence">iridescent</a> look — metallic paints, eye shadow, and nail polish.<br />
<br />
The stuff has two <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tautomer">tautomeric</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keto%E2%80%93enol_tautomerism">forms</a>, keto and enol: which matters to folks who make a career or hobby of organic chemistry. My guess is that you're more likely to hear someone mention <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iambic_pentameter">iambic pentameter</a>: which has more to do with Shakespeare than meters, and that's yet another topic.<br />
<br />
Those guanine crystals are in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatophore#Iridophores_and_leucophores">iridophores</a>, a special sort of pigment cell. Here's a photo:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31819588"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160420-_81553275_crystals-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From M. Milininkovitch, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>Inside the 'iridophore' cells of a relaxed chameleon (left) the crystals are tightly packed; excitement causes them to loosen (right)</i>"<br />
(BBC News))<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="cool"></a>Cool Chameleons</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31819588"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160420-_81553280_81553279-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From M. Milinkovitch, Lanevol.org, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>An extra layer of cells that reflect near-infrared wavelengths may help chameleons stay cool in the sun</i>"<br />
(BBC News))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Beneath the layer of iridophores that contained a nice, regular lattice of crystals, the team also spotted an additional layer, where the cells were much bigger and more chaotically organised.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Because that higgledy-piggledy structure reflects near-infrared light particularly well, they believe it might serve to reflect the sun's warming rays and keep the chameleons cool.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>This split appears to be unique to chameleons; other lizards tend to have their crystals arranged in a regular way to give bright colours, or a disorganised way that reflects the heat. With their added layer, chameleons manage to combine the two extremes....</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31819588">Jonathan Webb</a>, BBC News)</blockquote>
<a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/higgledy%E2%80%93piggledy">Merriam-Webster</a> says "higgledy-piggledy" first showed up in 1598, means "in a confused, disordered, or random manner," and that we don't know its etymology.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dictionary.com/browse/etymology">Etymology</a> is a word's derivation, <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/entomology">entomology</a> is the scientific study of insects, and chameleons eat insect. Insects have compound eyes, some critters with compound eyes living near <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrothermal_vent">hydrothermal vents</a> can see infrared.<br />
<br />
Quite a few insects can see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_vision#In_other_animal_species">ultraviolet</a> colors. So could we, at least the wavelengths close to 'visible' light, but the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrachromacy#Human_tetrachromats">lens</a> of our eye is opaque to ultraviolet. And that's — you guessed it — still another topic. <br />
<br />
Posts I remembered while writing this one:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/mutant-malaria-designer-babies-and.html">Mutant Malaria, Designer Babies, and Ethics</a>"<br />
(January 23, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/mutant-malaria-designer-babies-and.html#thinking">Thinking, Curiosity, and Ulysses</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/a-robotic-tentacle-and-disneys-baymax.html">A Robotic Tentacle, and Disney's Baymax</a>"<br />
(May 22, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/a-robotic-tentacle-and-disneys-baymax.html#stiff">STIFF-FLOP's Robotic Tentacle</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/a-robotic-tentacle-and-disneys-baymax.html#cuddly">Cuddly Robots</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/found-genes-for-fins-paws-and-hands.html">Found: Genes for Fins, Paws, and Hands</a>"<br />
(December 26, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/found-genes-for-fins-paws-and-hands.html#knowledge">Knowledge and Being Rational</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/dinosaur-arms-and-ust-ishim-mans-dna.html">Dinosaur Arms, and Ust'-Ishim Man's DNA</a>"<br />
(October 31, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/dinosaur-arms-and-ust-ishim-mans-dna.html#faith">Faith, Reason, and the Ardent Mr. Squibbs</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/dinosaur-arms-and-ust-ishim-mans-dna.html#time">Time and Truth</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/dinosaur-arms-and-ust-ishim-mans-dna.html#ust">Ust'-Ishim Man's DNA: Part of Humanity's Story</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2012/05/men-women-differences-and-equality.html">Men, Women, Differences, and Equality</a>"<br />
(May 2, 2012)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2012/05/men-women-differences-and-equality.html#good">The 'Good Old Days' - Weren't</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2012/05/men-women-differences-and-equality.html#power">Power Tools and Getting a Grip</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2012/05/men-women-differences-and-equality.html#equality">"Equality" and the Olympics</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2012/05/men-women-differences-and-equality.html#women">Women aren't Men, and That's Okay</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-68590272670847431022016-04-17T08:00:00.001-05:002016-05-01T12:01:06.526-05:00Syrian Migrants Traveled With the PopeA dozen folks, three families, rode back to the Vatican with Pope Francis.<br />
<br />
I think that's a good thing, since their homes in Syria aren't there any more. They survived, obviously, and had made it as far as Lesbos,<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/syrian-migrants-traveled-with-pope.html#1">1</a></sup> an island in the Aegean Sea.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="gesture"></a>"A Gesture of Welcome"</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36063300"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160416-_89267334_89267333-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From AFP, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>The migrants are travelling on the same plane as the Pope back to the Vatican</i>"<br />
(BBC News))<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36063300">Migrant crisis: Pope returns from Greece with 12 migrants</a>"<br />
BBC News (April 16, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i><b>Pope Francis has taken 12 Syrian migrants back with him to the Vatican after visiting a camp on the Greek island of Lesbos.</b></i><br />
<br />
"<i>The three families, including six children, are all Muslim and had their homes bombed during the Syrian war.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The Vatican said <a href="http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2016/04/16/0273/00623.html#en">in a statement</a><sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/syrian-migrants-traveled-with-pope.html#2">2</a></sup> that Pope Francis wanted to 'make a gesture of welcome' to the refugees.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Thousands of migrants are now stuck on Lesbos after last month's EU-Turkey deal to try to ease the flow....</i><br />
<br />
"<i>...Under the EU-Turkey agreement, migrants arriving illegally on the Greek islands from Turkey after 20 March will be deported unless they successfully claim for asylum.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>In return, for every Syrian returned to Turkey, the EU will take another Syrian directly from Turkey....</i>"</blockquote>
<a href="http://www.santegidio.org/pageID/3/langID/en/itemID/16144/Three-families-of-Syrian-refugees-hosted-by-Pope-Francis-in-Vatican-Sant-Egidio-provides-first-welcome.html"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160416-rifugiati-papa-6-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Community of Sant'Egidio, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>Coming back from Greek Island of Lesbos, the pope gives a lesson of concrete commitment for refugees</i>"<br />
(Community of Sant'Egidio))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.santegidio.org/pageID/3/langID/en/itemID/16144/Three-families-of-Syrian-refugees-hosted-by-Pope-Francis-in-Vatican-Sant-Egidio-provides-first-welcome.html">Three families of Syrian refugees hosted by Pope Francis in Vatican. Sant'Egidio provides first welcome</a>"<br />
Community of Sant'Egidio (April 16, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i>...They are 12 people- 6 of them are children - who will be hosted in Vatican. They come from bombed cities, had lost everything and are in a very precarious condition.</i><br />
<br />
"<i> 'Everything was arranged according to the rules. They have their documents. The Holy See, the Greek government and the Italian government have checked everything. They have been welcomed by the Vatican and with the collaboration of the Saint Egidio Community they will be searching for work' the Pope said.</i>"</blockquote>
<a name="i"></a>I'm glad that those folks got out of Syria alive, with documentation that passed inspection by three separate governments.<br />
<br />
It would be nice if everyone escaped Syria with their lives, an up-to-date passport, rail pass, international driving permit, and enough <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euro">Euros</a> <b><i>and</i></b> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_dollar">U.S. dollars</a> to set themselves up comfortably someplace else. That said —<br />
<br />
I don't regard migrants "arriving illegally" with horror: not when they are folks who very likely are doing well to have escaped a war zone with their lives — never mind full documentation.<br />
<br />
I've never been in that situation myself, for which I'm duly grateful.<br />
<br />
If — and this is a strictly hypothetical situation — my family's home was a smoking ruin, along with most of the rest of Sauk Centre, Minnesota, we might head north: toward the Canadian border.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36063300"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160416-_89267509_032489078-1-329.jpg" /></a>If we made it that far, we might have passed an intact Federal Building: or not.<br />
<br />
If we had, the place might have had the forms we'd need to apply for passports - - - you get the idea, I hope.<br />
<br />
In that strictly hypothetical situation, I might not be surprised if Canadian authorities thought we could be terrorists.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/syrian-migrants-traveled-with-pope.html#3">3</a></sup><br />
<br />
But I would hope that they'd let us cross the border and help us stay alive long enough to establish that we weren't trying to kill anyone.<br />
<br />
I don't "look like" a terrorist, apart from my beard: not by most American standards. But I do "look American:" Anglo-American, anyway, although I'm not; and that's another topic.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/syrian-migrants-traveled-with-pope.html#4">4</a></sup><br />
<br />
I've seen Pope Francis called a "pro-immigrant" Pope — and 'worse.' As a descendant of immigrants, I don't see that it as a bad thing: which is just as well, and I'll get back to that.<br />
<br />
As for the three families being Muslim — I'm an adult convert to Catholicism, with the enthusiasm for my faith that implies. Among other things, I must take truth seriously: and respect those who seek truth, including folks who don't agree with me:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i> 'All men are bound to seek the truth, especially in what concerns God and his Church, and to embrace it and hold on to it as they come to know it.'<sup>26</sup> This duty derives from 'the very dignity of the human person.'<sup>27</sup> It does not contradict a 'sincere respect' for different religions which frequently 'reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all men,'<sup>28</sup> nor the requirement of charity, which urges Christians 'to treat with love, prudence and patience those who are in error or ignorance with regard to the faith.'<sup>29</sup></i>"<br />
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a1.htm#2104">2104</a>)</blockquote>
I also must take what our Lord said about love and strangers seriously.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="concrete"></a>"A Concrete Gesture"</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:An_Aerial_View_of_the_Za'atri_Refugee_Camp.jpg"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160416-800px-An_Aerial_View_of_the_Zaatri_Refugee_Camp-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From U.S. Department of State, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(Part of the Za'atri camp in Jordan for Syrian refugee. (July 18, 2013))<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Faced with the tragedy of tens of thousands of refugees who flee death from war and hunger, and who have begun a journey moved by hope for survival, the Gospel calls us to be 'neighbours' of the smallest and the abandoned, and to give them concrete hope. It's not enough to say, 'Take heart. Be patient'.... Christian hope has a fighting spirit, with the tenacity of one who goes toward a sure goal.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Therefore, as the Jubilee of Mercy approaches, I make an appeal to parishes, religious communities, monasteries and shrines throughout Europe, that they express the Gospel in a concrete way and host a refugee family. A concrete gesture in preparation for the Holy Year of Mercy. May every parish, every religious community, every monastery, every shrine of Europe welcome one family, beginning with my Diocese of Rome.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>I address my brother bishops of Europe, true pastors, that in their dioceses they endorse my appeal, remembering that Mercy is the second name of Love: 'What you have done for the least of my brothers, that you have done for me' (cf. <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVY.HTM#GOSP.MAT.25.46">Mt 25:46</a>).</i><br />
<br />
"<i>In the coming days, the two parishes of the Vatican will also welcome two families of refugees....</i>"<br />
(<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/angelus/2015/documents/papa-francesco_angelus_20150906.html">Angelus</a>, Pope Francis (September 6, 2015))</blockquote>
I don't know if today's three families include the ones promised last September. If they are, a seven-month wait could seem like a long time: or a short one, depending on how many diplomatic hurdles had to be cleared.<br />
<br />
Either way, I am happy for the twelve folks who made it out of Syria to a reasonably secure location. That leaves more than four million who are still waiting.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/syrian-migrants-traveled-with-pope.html#5">5</a></sup><br />
<br />
Those are just the ones we know about. A great many more apparently haven't made it into official lists; or are still alive, homeless, and somewhere in Syria.<br />
<br />
I don't know any of them, though, and I have a roof over my head: so why should I care?<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="whole"></a>"The Whole Law and the Prophets"</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/neighbors-love-and-upping-ante.html#samaritan"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/200px-Cl-Fd_Saint-Eutrope-vitrail1-165.jpg" /></a>About two millennia back, someone asked our Lord what the greatest commandment was:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>Jesus replied, 'The first is this: "Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone!</i><br />
<br />
"<i>You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength."</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The second is this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." There is no other commandment greater than these.'</i> "<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.29">Mark 12:29</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.31">31</a>)</blockquote>
We see another angle on the same thing in <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.34">Matthew 22:34</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.40">40</a>. Here's how that ends:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>The second is like it: <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#$37L">23</a></sup> You shall love your neighbor as yourself.</i><br />
<br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#$37M">24</a></sup> The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments." </i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.39">Matthew 22:39</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.40">40</a>)</blockquote>
This wasn't a new idea:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P4L.HTM#$HQ">1</a></sup> 'Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. </i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P4L.HTM#PENT.DEU.6.4">Deuteronomy 6:4</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P4L.HTM#PENT.DEU.6.5">5</a>)</blockquote>
'Love my neighbor' is clear enough: but who is my neighbor?<br />
<br />
Basically, everyone.<br />
<br />
I've talked about <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.29">Luke 10:29</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.37">37</a>, the good Samaritan, and getting a grip, before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/neighbors-love-and-upping-ante.html">October 26, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Since I take what our Lord said seriously, I try to love God, love my neighbor, see everyone as my neighbor, and treat others as I want them to treat me. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.43">Matthew 5:43</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.44">44</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.12">7:12</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.36">22:36</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.40">40</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.28">Mark 12:28</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.31">31</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWP.HTM#GOSP.LUK.6.31">Luke 6:31</a> <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.25">10:25</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.27">27</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.29">29</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.37">37</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a6.htm#1789">1789</a>)<br />
<br />
It's simple, but not easy. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/synod-14-what-i-expect-and-what-i-dont.html#rules">October 12, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="strangers"></a>Strangers and Math</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/paris-evil-and-love.html#love"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150211-800px-Wydrome2000-trim658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From sporki, via Wikipedia, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(Some of the 2,000,000<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/syrian-migrants-traveled-with-pope.html#6">6</a></sup> folks at World Youth Day 2000, Vatican City <b><i>and</i></b> Rome.)<br />
<br />
Helping folks who are in trouble is a very high priority. <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVY.HTM#GOSP.MAT.25.34">Matthew 25:34</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVY.HTM#GOSP.MAT.25.46">46</a> makes that quite clear. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/beaver-cleaver-and-common-good.html#keep">May 3, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Folks escaping Syria arguably fall under the "strangers" category in <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVY.HTM#GOSP.MAT.25.35">Matthew 25:35</a>.<br />
<br />
I'd like to think that leaders who have been turning Syrian refugees away do so because there are so many. Refusing shelter to all because they're afraid that a few might be terrorists — is understandable, but regrettable.<br />
<br />
Moving, housing, and feeding even a fraction of a million strangers won't be easy. Neither will helping them settle in as at least semi-permanent members of society. <br />
<br />
I think that helps explain why Pope Francis didn't try solving the problem by inviting all Syrian refugees to Vatican City; or even just the 660,000 who arrived in Lesbos last year — with another 3,000 coming each day.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/syrian-migrants-traveled-with-pope.html#7">7</a></sup><br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_City">Vatican City</a> covers about 110 acres, 0.44 square kilometers, a tad over an eighth of a square mile.<br />
<br />
About 690 folks live there, so the population density is around 1,800/square kilometer, 4,800/square mile. That's between <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong">Hong Kong</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahrain">Bahrain</a> in terms of population density: quite manageable, these days.<br />
<br />
Add 660,000, and you'd have 660,690 folks there: at roughly 1,501,000/square kilometer, or 579,000/square mile, if I did the math right.<br />
<br />
That's a bit over 35 times as <a href="http://www.dictionary.com/browse/snug">snug</a> as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila">Manila</a>, Earth's the most <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_population_density#Cities_by_population_density">densely-packed city</a>, so far, at 42,800/square kilometer.<br />
<br />
That's a lot of folks in one place: particularly if they're going to live there. I think it's worth noting that some of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Youth_Day_2000">World Youth Day 2000</a>'s 2,000,000 attendees spilled over into Rome.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="doing"></a>Doing What I Can</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/angst-hope-and-building-better-world.html#looking"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/summer_walk_by_meganerid-d5ka8eu-329.jpg" /></a>Part of our job is building a better world. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1928">1928</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1942">1942</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2419">2419</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2442">2442</a>)<br />
<br />
I could be overwhelmed by guilt, knowing that I haven't cured cancer, achieved a lasting peace in the Middle East, and helped millions of folks find new homes.<br />
<br />
I could also believe that I can "...<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman#Powers_and_abilities">leap tall buildings</a> in a single bound..." — but that would be crazy.<br />
<br />
Humility, Catholic style, is having a balanced view of my abilities: or lack of them, and that's yet another topic. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/humility-accepting-reality.html#balanced">August 10, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Happily, I'm expected to do what I can: not what I can't.<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><b>As far as possible</b> citizens should take an active part in public life. The manner of this participation may vary from one country or culture to another....</i>"<br />
(Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a2.htm#1915">1915</a>) [emphasis mine]</blockquote>
But I must do what I can as an individual, and a member of my culture, to make things better. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1928">1928</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1942">1942</a>)<br />
<br />
I don't think I have the political clout or wealth to 'make a difference.' As I said Friday before last, my household has been making our own laundry detergent and growing produce out back to make ends meet. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/beam-prototype-habitat-bigelows-plans.html#let">April 9, 2016</a>)<br />
<br />
I can, however, do what I'm doing now: say that the "dignity of the human person" is vital. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1.htm#1700">1700</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1929">1929</a>)<br />
<br />
Each of us is made in the image of God, but we're not identical. We're <b><i>supposed</i></b> to have different abilities and needs. We're also supposed to look out for each other. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1929">1929</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1934">1934</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1938">1938</a>)<br />
<br />
Acting like loving my neighbor, and recognizing the dignity of everyone, matters?<br />
<br />
That's not easy. But like I've said before, it's important:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/attacks-in-paris-people-matter.html">Attacks in Paris: People Matter</a>"<br />
(November 17, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/attacks-in-paris-people-matter.html#life">Life and Love</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/attacks-in-paris-people-matter.html#stranger">'A Stranger, and You Slammed the Door in my Face'</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/911-14-years-later.html">9/11, 14 Years Later</a>"<br />
(September 11, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/911-14-years-later.html#protecting">Protecting and Helping Neighbors</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/angst-hope-and-building-better-world.html">Angst, Hope, and Building a Better World</a>"<br />
(July 5, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/angst-hope-and-building-better-world.html#doomsday">Doomsday Predictions and Fashionable Melancholia</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/angst-hope-and-building-better-world.html#love">Love and Responsibilities</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/angst-hope-and-building-better-world.html#looking">Looking Ahead</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/charlie-hebdo-chick-tracts-and-getting.html">Charlie Hebdo, Chick Tracts, and Getting a Grip</a>"<br />
(January 11, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/charlie-hebdo-chick-tracts-and-getting.html#hamyd">Hamyd Mourad And Assumptions</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/charlie-hebdo-chick-tracts-and-getting.html#abominable">"Abominable"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/charlie-hebdo-chick-tracts-and-getting.html#getting">Getting Angry, Staying Angry</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/charlie-hebdo-chick-tracts-and-getting.html#looking">Looking Around, Looking Ahead</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/neighbors-love-and-upping-ante.html">Neighbors, Love, and Upping the Ante</a>"<br />
(October 26, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/neighbors-love-and-upping-ante.html#samaritan">The Samaritan: An Unexpected 'Good Guy'</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/neighbors-love-and-upping-ante.html#basic">Basic Principles - - -</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/neighbors-love-and-upping-ante.html#long">- - - and the Long Haul</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<sup><a name="1">1</a></sup> Folks have been living on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesbos">Lesbos</a> for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolithic">ten millennia</a>, give or take, maybe more. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mytilene#History">Mytilene</a>, their capital city, goes back three millennia: probably. Hittites called the island Lazpa during the late <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Age">Bronze Age</a>.<br />
<br />
These days it's chiefly famous for being where <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sappho">Sappho</a> came from. Nearly all of that poet's works got <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sappho#Loss_and_preservation_of_Sappho.27s_works">lost</a> in the shuffle when Rome was a superpower.<br />
<br />
About her personal life, I'll go along with this:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>The only contemporary source for Sappho's life is her own poetry, and scholars are skeptical of reading it biographically. Later biographical accounts are also unreliable.</i>"<br />
(Sappho, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sappho#Life">Life</a>, Wikipedia)</blockquote>
We may, eventually, piece together more of what happened before and immediately after the Late Bronze Age collapse. I've mentioned that, and why I don't rant about folks who aren't exactly like me, before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/pig-organs-ancient-immigrants.html#between">October 16, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#if">July 12, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/death-been-there-done-that.html#1">April 5, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
<sup><a name="2">2</a></sup> A "working translation" from the Director of the Holy See Press Office's statement:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Traduzione in lingua inglese</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Statement of the Director of the Holy See Press Office</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The Pope has desired to make a gesture of welcome regarding refugees, accompanying on his plane to Rome three families of refugees from Syria, 12 people in all, including six children. These are all people who were already in camps in Lesbos before the agreement between the European Union and Turkey.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The Pope's initiative was brought to fruition through negotiations carried out by the Secretariat of State with the competent Greek and Italian authorities.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>All the members of the three families are Muslims. Two families come from Damascus, and one from Deir Azzor (in the area occupied by Daesh). Their homes had been bombed.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The Vatican will take responsibility for bringing in and maintaining the three families. The initial hospitality will be taken care of by the <a href="http://www.santegidio.org/pageID/2/langID/en/THE-COMMUNITY.html">Community of Sant'Egidio</a>.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>[00623-EN.01] [Original text: Italian - working translation]...</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2016/04/16/0273/00623.html">Dichiarazione del Direttore della Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, 16.04.2016</a> [Statement by the Director of the Press Office of the Holy See][internal link mine] (April 16, 2016))</blockquote>
<sup><a name="3">3</a></sup> Most Americans do not, I am sure, think of ourselves as "terrorists." However, I can imagine circumstances where folks elsewhere might assume that Americans are mass-murderers just waiting to snap:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/charleston-church-shooting-emotions-and.html">Charleston Church Shooting: Emotions and Reason</a>"<br />
(June 21, 2015)<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/charleston-church-shooting-emotions-and.html#our">"Our Country?" Difference, Acceptance, and Murder</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/charleston-church-shooting-emotions-and.html#looking">Looking Out For Each Other</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/death-and-decisions-in-oregon.html">Death and Decisions in Oregon</a>"<br />
(October 4, 2015)<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/death-and-decisions-in-oregon.html#politics">Politics</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/death-and-decisions-in-oregon.html#sin">Sin and Love</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/death-and-decisions-in-oregon.html#prayer">Prayer</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/strangers-and-standing-orders.html#irish"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/NINA-nyt-329.jpg" /></a><sup><a name="4">4</a></sup> Wikipedia says that "...<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-America#Anglo-American_ethnic_group">Anglo-American</a> is a rare term occasionally used to refer to an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Americans">English American</a> and/or an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Canadian">English Canadian</a>...."<br />
<br />
I'm descended from European immigrants, so I "look American" by some standards. On the other hand, one of my ancestors was not at all pleased when another of my ancestors married the daughter of a 'decent' family:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/strangers-and-standing-orders.html">Strangers and Standing Orders</a>"<br />
(July 6, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/strangers-and-standing-orders.html#irish">The Irish and Other 'Threats'</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="5">5</a></sup> The <a href="http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php">UNHCR</a> says they know of 4,837,208 "Registered Syrian Refugees." (April 11, 2016)<br />
<br />
The bad news is that millions of folks from Syria have no homes, and are trying to survive by leaving the war zones. The good news is that quite a few other folks are trying to help.<br />
<br />
More, not an exhaustive list:<br />
<ul>
<li>Catholic<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.caritas.org/where-we-are/middle-east-north-africa/syria/">Caritas Syria</a></li>
<li>CRS<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.crs.org/stories/syria-crisis-assistance-refugees">Syria Crisis: Assistance for Refugees</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.crs.org/media-center/syrian-refugee-crisis-7-things-you-can-do-help">Syrian Refugee Crisis: 7 Things You Can Do to Help</a><br />
(Starts with "Learn More")</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>United Nations<ul>
<li><a href="http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php">Syria Regional Refugee Response</a><br />
Inter-agency Information Sharing Portal<br />
UNHCR</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refugees_of_the_Syrian_Civil_War">Refugees of the Syrian Civil War</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spillover_of_the_Syrian_Civil_War">Spillover of the Syrian Civil War</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="6">6</a></sup> World Youth Day attendance:<br />
<ul>
<li>Buenos Aires (1987)<br />
1 million</li>
<li>Santiago de Compostela (1989)<br />
Over 500,000</li>
<li>Czestochowa (1991)<br />
1.6 million</li>
<li>Denver (1993)<br />
600,000</li>
<li>Manila (1995)<br />
Approximately 4 million</li>
<li>Paris (1997)<br />
1.2 million</li>
<li>Rome (2000 Jubilee)<br />
2 million</li>
<li>Toronto (2002)<br />
800,000</li>
<li>Cologne (2005)<br />
1.1 million</li>
<li>Sydney (2008)<br />
400,000<br />
(Source: <a href="http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/world-youth-day-by-the-numbers/">National Catholic Register</a> (August 5, 2011))</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="7">7</a></sup> About two thirds of a million folks, 660,000, arrived in Lesbos last year, officially. It's hard to get solid numbers about the Syrian mess: small wonder, considering how many folks are trying to get out. It's what politicos sometimes call a 'fluid' situation. <br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://www.unhcr.org/5645eb7f9.html">Some 3,300 people a day still arriving on Lesvos</a>"<br />
News Stories, UNHCR (November 13, 2015)</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-59452228735174132932016-04-15T08:00:00.000-05:002016-04-15T21:09:58.583-05:00Starshot, SETI, and the Universe<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/starshot-seti-and-universe.html#breakthrough"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160412-_89195063_s9000315-solar_sail_spaceship-spl-329.jpg" /></a>We may be within a generation of sending probes on flyby missions to other stars, high-energy jets from several distant galaxies all point in the same direction, and we're learning more about hot super-earths.<br />
<br />
That sort of thing fascinates me, your experience may vary.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, SETI researchers will be checking out red dwarfs: which may be more promising places to look for neighbors than we thought.<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/starshot-seti-and-universe.html#breakthrough">Breakthrough Initiatives' Starshot Project: Sailing to the Stars</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/starshot-seti-and-universe.html#starshot">Starshot: This Just Might Work</a>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/starshot-seti-and-universe.html#thats">That's Odd: Aligned Galaxy Jets</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/starshot-seti-and-universe.html#black">Black Holes and the Universe</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/starshot-seti-and-universe.html#too">Too Hot for Air</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/starshot-seti-and-universe.html#still">Still Searching for Neighbors</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/starshot-seti-and-universe.html#belief">"Belief in Extraterrestrial Life:" Certainty, Uncertainty, and Religious Affiliation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/starshot-seti-and-universe.html#tesla">Tesla, Pulsars, and "Wow!"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/starshot-seti-and-universe.html#universe">The Universe, Life, and Us</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/starshot-seti-and-universe.html#reassuringly">Reassuringly "Human" — and Otherwise?</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="only"></a>"...Only Two Possibilities...."</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://apatheticlemming.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-artifact.html"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160415-Artifact-658.jpg" /></a>
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>Thar's only two possibilities: Thar is life out there in the universe which is smarter than we are, or we're the most intelligent life in the universe. Either way, it's a mighty sobering thought.</i>"<br />
(Porky Pine, in Walt Kelly's Pogo; via <a href="http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Walt_Kelly#Porky_Pine">Wikiquote</a>)</blockquote>
I've quoted Kelly's Porky Pine before. It's among the more clear-headed things I've seen written about the possibility that we may have neighbors in this universe. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/why-make-universe.html#perspective">July 26, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/harpooning-rubber-duck-comet-public.html#its">November 7, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
In my considered opinion, there's life elsewhere in the universe: or not. I'd be astounded if there isn't, but right now we don't know.<br />
<br />
As I've said before, 'is there life in the universe' isn't quite a new question.<br />
<br />
Back in the 13th century, some European scholars had insisted that Earth had to be the only world like ours: because Aristotle said so. That's when the Church stepped in: reminding folks that God's God, and Aristotle's not. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/pluto-earth-20-and-life-in-universe.html#dr">July 31, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/06/life-in-universe-and-titans.html#alone">June 27, 2014</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/02/science-faith-and-albertus-magnus.html#God">February 23, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
As it turns out, there are more worlds: some orbiting our star, plus a growing list of planets around other stars.<br />
<br />
Aristotle has had a profound influence on Western thought, but he was wrong about our standing on the only world. I've mentioned <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaximander#Multiple_worlds">Anaximander</a> before: but not <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democritus#Anthropology.2C_biology.2C_and_cosmology">Democritus</a>. They both thought there could be, and probably were, many worlds. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/organics-on-comet-and-earths-early.html#beyond">August 7, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
As it turns out, they were right.<br />
<br />
A recent news item involved SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Maybe you've read why God's decisions don't upset or offend me.<br />
<br />
If you have, feel free to skip down to <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/starshot-seti-and-universe.html#breakthrough">Breakthrough Initiatives' Starshot Project: Sailing to the Stars</a>, which doesn't involve SETI; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/starshot-seti-and-universe.html#still">Still Searching for Neighbors</a>, which does; go for a walk; take a coffee break; whatever.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="order"></a>Order, Beauty, and Opportunities</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/dinosaur-arms-and-ust-ishim-mans-dna.html#i2"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/Orion_Nebula_-_Hubble_2006_mosaic_18000-detail329.jpg" /></a>Still with me? Thanks!<br />
<br />
Briefly —<br />
<br />
I think that the universe operates according to logical, knowable, physical laws. As a Catholic, I must believe that. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#299">299</a>)<br />
<br />
I must also believe that this universe is a place of order and beauty, and can learn something about God by studying God's creation: and that studying the universe <b><i>is okay.</i></b> We can, using reason, see God's work in the universe. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c1.htm#32">32</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c1.htm#35">35</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c1.htm#36">36</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#301">301</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#303">303</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#306">306</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#311">311</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a1.htm#1704">1704</a>)<br />
<br />
We're told that scientific discoveries are opportunities for <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/scientific-discoveries-invitation-to.html">greater admiration</a> of God's greatness. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#283">283</a>)<br />
<br />
I certainly don't have a problem with that.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="breakthrough"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. </span>Breakthrough Initiatives' Starshot Project: Sailing to the Stars</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36025706"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160412-_89195063_s9000315-solar_sail_spaceship-spl-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Christian Darkin/Science Photo Library, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>This generic artist's concept shows how a solar sail might work</i>"<br />
(BBC News))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36025706">Hawking backs interstellar travel project</a>"<br />
Pallab Ghosh, BBC News (April 12, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i><b>Stephen Hawking is backing a project to send tiny spacecraft to another star system within a generation.</b></i><br />
<br />
"<i>They would travel trillions of miles; far further than any previous craft.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>A $100m (£70m) research programme to develop the computer chip-sized 'starships' was launched by the billionaire Yuri Milner, supported by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Interstellar travel has long been a dream for many, but significant technological hurdles remain.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>But Prof Hawking told BBC News that fantasy could be realised sooner than we might think.</i><br />
<br />
"<i> 'If we are to survive as a species we must ultimately spread out to the stars,' he said....</i>"</blockquote>
I'm not sure what Hawking meant by "if we are to survive as a species...." He might have meant that we'd die if we don't travel to the stars: or that we'll certainly reach the stars <b><i>if</i></b> we survive. Either way, I think he's (almost) right.<br />
<br />
In the first case, if we stop trying to find out what's 'out there,' we'll have lost something very basic in our nature. I'll get back to that, later in this post.<br />
<br />
In the second case, if we somehow manage to become extinct before reaching the stars — I really do not think that will happen. That's not blind optimism, and I've talked about that before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/spacex-mars-and-someday-stars.html#faith">December 24, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/new-evanglization-fire-and-light.html#saint">October 25, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
My attitude about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hawking">Hawking</a>'s statements may be the sort of thing that happens when remarks by a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hawking">theoretical physicist</a> and cosmologist get nitpicked by a writer and artist. I talked about Hawking's support of a SETI project last year. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/plutos-unexpected-terrain-seti-radio.html#intelligent">July 24, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Breakthrough Initiative's Starshot is "...aiming to demonstrate proof of concept for <b>light-propelled nanocrafts</b>. These could fly at <b>20 percent of light speed</b> and capture images of possible planets and other scientific data in our nearest star system, <b>Alpha Centauri</b>, just over <b>20 years</b> after their launch...." (<a href="http://breakthroughinitiatives.org/News/4">News</a>, Breakthrough Initiatives)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="starshot"></a>Starshot: This Just Might Work</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/24jan_solarsail/"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160416-NASA-nanosail-image_full-329.jpg" /></a>Their version of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_L._Forward#Fiction">Robert L. Forward</a>'s fictional <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beam-powered_propulsion">beam-powered propulsion</a> is a bit beyond today's tech: but not by much.<br />
<br />
I talked about more-than-a-bit-beyond-today's tech like beamed-core antimatter rocket engine and Forward's gigawatt laser array, week before last. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#big">March 25, 2016</a>)<br />
<br />
Current 'light sail' technology, like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NanoSail-D">NanoSail-D</a> — that's a picture of it, unfurled in an Earthside laboratory — might have to be tweaked, but it's been flight-tested.<br />
<br />
We may — eventually — build ships with thousand-kilometer-wide sails, pushed by light from massive laser banks, focused through 10-kilometer-wide lenses, as described in Forward's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocheworld#Forward.27s_light_sail_propulsion_system">Rocheworld</a>.<br />
<br />
Or someone may have worked the bugs out of Alcubierre warp field<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/starshot-seti-and-universe.html#1">1</a></sup> generators by then: leaving the construction of light-sail ships to hobbyists of a later era.<br />
<br />
Or we may discover that there's something fundamentally wrong with the math of both approaches: and find another way to travel between stars.<br />
<br />
What jumps out at me from Breakthrough Initiatives' Starshot is their proposal of an Earth-based laser array using <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptive_optics">adaptive optics</a> to focus the beam for comparatively rapid acceleration while the tiny ships are still relatively nearby.<br />
<br />
That would eliminate the need to keep a beam focused over 'astronomical' distances.<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure at least some of the small probes would still be working after their three-decade trip to Alpha Centauri.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_1">Voyager 1</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_2">Voyager 2</a>, launched in 1977, are still sending back data: 39 years into their missions.<br />
<br />
Just how the Starshot probes would transmit signals back to Earth is — a good question. One approach, I suppose, would be to design them along the lines of Rubenstein's kilobots, so they could assemble themselves into a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directional_antenna">high-gain antenna</a> when they arrived. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/build-your-own-robot-swarm-or-angular.html#harvards">August 22, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Make that <b><i>before</i></b> they arrive. Starshot would be a flyby mission: zipping through the Alpha Centauri system at about 20% <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_light">speed of light</a>. That's fast enough to make the trip from Earth to our sun in a skosh under 42 minutes.<br />
<br />
My guess is that the first interstellar mission, whatever propulsion tech we use, will be a flyby. That's what we've done before, sending probes to other planets. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/plutos-cup-capped-mountains.html">November 13, 2015</a>: <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/kerberos-mars-answers-raise-new.html#remembering">October 30, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
I'm also quite sure that we'll want probes that can slow down and take a look around after they arrive.<br />
<br />
Background:<br />
<ul>
<li>Breakthrough Initiatives<ul>
<li><a href="http://breakthroughinitiatives.org/News/4">News</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.breakthroughinitiatives.org/Initiative/3">Starshot</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptive_optics">Adaptive optics</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_communication">Interstellar communication</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_probe">Interstellar probe</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_probe#Overview">Overview</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_probe#Proposed_interstellar_probes">Proposed interstellar probes</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_probe#Interstellar_concepts">Interstellar concepts</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_probe#Technologies">Technologies</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_travel">Interstellar travel</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_travel#Required_energy">Required energy</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_travel#Interstellar_medium">Interstellar medium</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_travel#Proposed_methods">Proposed methods</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_travel#Nanoprobes">Nanoprobes</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_travel#Designs_and_studies">Designs and studies</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_interstellar_radio_messages">List of interstellar radio messages</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nearest_stars_and_brown_dwarfs">List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="thats"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">2. </span>That's Odd: Aligned Galaxy Jets</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/2816-astronomers-in-south-africa-discover-mysterious-alignment-of-black-holes"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160412-Galaxies-Alignments-Images-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Prof Russ Taylor, via Royal Astronomical Society, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>An image of the deep radio map covering the ELAIS-N1 region, with aligned galaxy jets. The image on the left has white circles around the aligned galaxies; the image on the right is without the circles.</i>"<br />
(Royal Astronomical Society))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="https://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/2816-astronomers-in-south-africa-discover-mysterious-alignment-of-black-holes">Astronomers in South Africa discover mysterious alignment of black holes</a>"<br />
News & Press, Royal Astronomical Society (April 12, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i>Deep radio imaging by researchers in the University of Cape Town and University of the Western Cape, in South Africa, has revealed that supermassive black holes in a region of the distant universe are all spinning out radio jets in the same direction – most likely a result of primordial mass fluctuations in the early universe. The astronomers publish their results in a new paper in <a href="http://www.ras.org.uk/publications/journals">Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</a>.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The new result is the discovery – for the first time – of an alignment of the jets of galaxies over a large volume of space, a finding made possible by a three-year deep radio imaging survey of the radio waves coming from a region called ELAIS-N1 using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) in India.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The jets are produced by the supermassive black holes at the centres of these galaxies, and the only way for this alignment to exist is if supermassive black holes are all spinning in the same direction, says Prof Andrew Russ Taylor, joint UWC/UCT SKA Chair, Director of the recently-launched Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy, and principal author of the Monthly Notices study.</i><br />
<br />
"<i> 'Since these black holes don't know about each other, or have any way of exchanging information or influencing each other directly over such vast scales, this spin alignment must have occurred during the formation of the galaxies in the early universe,' he notes.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>This implies that there is a coherent spin in the structure of this volume of space that was formed from the primordial mass fluctuations that seeded the creation of the large-scale structure of the universe....</i>"</blockquote>
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/schrodingers-cats-and-gravitational.html#we"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/480px-Reion_diagram-329.jpg" /></a>We've been learning quite a bit about the "large-scale structure of the universe" lately.<br />
<br />
The more up-to-date textbooks mentioned "island universes" when I was in high school. These days they're called galaxies, astronomers have been mapping galactic clusters and superclusters, which form walls and filaments of superclusters.<br />
<br />
The universe we're in is <b><i>huge</i></b> and almost unimaginably ancient: which gives some folks conniptions. I don't mind a bit, and that's another topic. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/schrodingers-cats-and-gravitational.html#we">September 26, 2014</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/science-faith-and-leaving-19th-century.html">July 15, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
We've been studying 'light' — microwave frequencies, actually — from the edge of the observable universe, some 46,000,000,000 light years away 'now.' (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-universe-magnificent-tent.html#edge">June 14, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Those light quanta have been heading our way since this universe <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recombination_%28cosmology%29#Primordial_light_barrier">cooled down</a> enough to be transparent, some 380,000 years after the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bang">Big Bang</a>.<br />
<br />
The Big Bang was only <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_the_universe">13,798,000,000</a> years ago, give or take 37,000,000. Light — radiation of <b><i>any</i></b> sort that we know of — travels at the speed of light. But the edge of the observable universe is about 46,000,000,000 light years away because this universe is still expanding.<br />
<br />
Oddly enough, that expansion is speeding up, and that's yet another topic. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/dark-matter-and-energy-new-data-and-map.html#accelerated">April 17, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
That gets me back to what the Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy's Taylor said about "...primordial mass fluctuations that seeded the creation of the large-scale structure of the universe...."<br />
<br />
Sort of.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="black"></a>Black Holes and the Universe</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/philae-headed-for-history.html#planets"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20141110_78796825_hltau_nrao-329.jpg" /></a>We've been learning that big galaxies generally have really big <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_hole">black holes</a> in the middle. Stuff falling toward those black holes forms an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accretion_%28astrophysics%29">accretion</a> disk, sort of a scaled-up version of what forms around new(ish) stars. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/philae-headed-for-history.html#planets">November 14, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
That accretion disk spins — like pretty much everything else in this universe, it's a physics thing. Stuff in some accretion disks spins really fast: close to the speed of light.<br />
<br />
When that happens, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrophysical_jet#Relativistic_jet">jets</a> of stuff shoot out, parallel to the disk's spin axis. Scientists are still figuring out exactly how that works.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Simon_Laplace#Black_holes">Pierre-Simon Laplace</a> figured that the escape velocity for very massive stars might be greater than the speed of light, John Michell wrote about "dark stars" in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Michell#Black_holes">1783</a>.<br />
<br />
Karl Schwarzschild worked out the math for what we call the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwarzschild_radius">Schwarzschild radius</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Schwarzschild">1915</a>, David Finkelstein and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_W._Misner">Charles W. Misner</a> noticed a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topological_defect">topological defect</a> in the gravitational metric — that was in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Finkelstein">1958</a>.<br />
<br />
Don't bother trying to remember all that: there will <b><i>not</i></b> be a test on this, not being a teacher any more has advantages, and that's yet again another topic.<br />
<br />
Where was I? Primordial mass fluctuations, folks with names like Schwarzschild and Finkelstein, Quantum mechanics. Right.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/schrodingers-cats-and-gravitational.html#quantum"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/QuantumClockwork-329.jpg" /></a>I've talked about quantum gears and philosophy before: briefly. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/schrodingers-cats-and-gravitational.html#quantum">September 26, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
The point is that stuff that became those galaxies used to be a lot closer than it is now. That's (probably) why their supermassive black holes spin on pretty much the same axis.<br />
<br />
More than you probably need to know about:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="https://www.ras.org.uk/images/stories/press/Black_Holes/alignment.pdf">Alignments of Radio Galaxies in Deep Radio Imaging of
ELAIS N1</a>"<br />
A. R. Taylor, P. Jagannathan; Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Oxford University Press (Received March 7, 2016 (in original form December 20, 2015); Accepted March 7, 2016)</li>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accretion_disk">Accretion disk</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_galactic_nucleus">Active galactic nucleus</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_galactic_nucleus#Cosmological_uses_and_evolution">Cosmological uses and evolution</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_hole">Black hole</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quasar">Quasar</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermassive_black_hole">Supermassive black hole</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="too"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">3. </span>Too Hot for Air</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36016748"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160412-_89184617_89184616-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Peter Devine, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36016748">Planets stripped bare by host stars</a>"<br />
BBC News (April 11, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i><b>Astronomers have confirmed the existence of planets that have had their atmospheres stripped away by their host stars.</b></i><br />
<br />
"<i>Planets with atmospheres that orbit too close to their host stars are bombarded by a torrent of high-energy radiation.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The gaseous outer layers of these worlds are then stripped away, according to the international team of scientists.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Their work appears in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2016/160411/ncomms11201/abs/ncomms11201.html">Nature Communications</a>....</i>"</blockquote>
What's "hot" and what's not depends on context. A pop tune may be "hot," metaphorically speaking, a summer day here in Minnesota can be "hot," literally, compared to our winter weather; and we've been finding quite a few metaphorically <b><i>and</i></b> literally "hot" exoplanets.<br />
<br />
I've talked about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/55_Cancri_e">55 Cancri e</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HAT-P-11b">HAT-P-11b</a> before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/space-archaeologist-55-cancri-e.html#super">February 19, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/sagittarius-b2-water-and-asteroid-mining.html#hat">October 3, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Scientists had good reason to think that at least some planets orbiting very close to their stars might be more massive than Earth, but with no atmosphere.<br />
<br />
Now it looks like at least some of those theories are a pretty good match with reality. That will help us understand how planets and stars form and develop.<br />
<br />
None of which will give me brighter, whiter teeth; help me find an exciting, rewarding, career; or win the lottery. But I'm human, and I've been over that before: often. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/fossils-dna-and-being-human.html#man">March 18, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/seeking-new-worlds-new-life.html#curiosity">March 3, 2016</a>)<br />
<br />
More:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2016/160411/ncomms11201/abs/ncomms11201.html">Hot super-Earths stripped by their host stars</a>"<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">M. S. Lundkvist, H. Kjeldsen, S. Albrecht, G. R. Davies, S. Basu, D. Huber, A. B. Justesen, C. Karoff, V. Silva Aguirre, V. Van Eylen, C. Vang, T. Arentoft, T. Barclay, T. R. Bedding, T. L. Campante, W. J. Chaplin, J. Christensen-Dalsgaard, Y. P. Elsworth, R. L. Gilliland, R. Handberg, S. Hekker, S. D. Kawaler, M. N. Lund, T. S. Metcalfe, A. Miglio, J. F. Rowe, D. Stello, B. Tingley, T. R. White</span>; Nature Communications 7, Article number: 11201 (Received September 7, 2015; Accepted March 1, 2016; Published April 11, 2016)</li>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chthonian_planet">Chthonian planet</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exoplanet">Exoplanet</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exoplanet#Physical_parameters">Physical parameters</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exoplanet#Atmosphere">Atmosphere</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exoplanet#Surface">Surface</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exoplanet#Habitability">Habitability</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava_planet">Lava planet</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super-Earth">Super-Earth</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="still"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">4. </span>Still Searching for Neighbors</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.space.com/32422-seti-search-alien-life-red-dwarfs.html"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160412-ata-new-2-560px-image-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Seth Shostak, SETI Institute; via Space.com, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>The SETI Institute's Allen Telescope Array in Hat Creek, California is now searching 20,000 red dwarf stars for signs of intelligent life.</i>"<br />
(Space.com))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.space.com/32422-seti-search-alien-life-red-dwarfs.html">SETI's New Alien Life Hunt Targets 20,000 Small, Dim Stars</a>"<br />
Mike Wall,Space.com (March 31, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i>The search for intelligent aliens has expanded to include thousands of star systems very different from that of Earth.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Scientists with the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute in Mountain View, California have just begun a two-year hunt for signs of alien civilizations around 20,000 red dwarfs — stars considerably smaller and dimmer than Earth's sun.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Red dwarfs are promising targets for SETI scientists. They are the most common stars in the Milky Way, making up about 75 percent of the galaxy's stellar population. And because red dwarfs burn through their fuel slowly, they live a long time; on average, the Milky Way's red dwarfs are billions of years older than the sun, researchers said....</i>"</blockquote>
The Space.com article included an informal, highly-unscientific poll: asking "Do you believe alien life exists elsewhere in the universe?" I was the 55,742<sup>th</sup> respondent. The results weren't terribly surprising:<br />
<ul>
<li>Yes - We may not have found them yet, but they're out there.<br />
64% (35902 votes)</li>
<li>No - Aliens are just part of science fiction.<br />
20% (11277 votes)</li>
<li>I'm not sure<br />
15% (8563 votes)</li>
</ul>
I was in the 15% minority.<br />
<br />
<h4><a name="belief"></a>"Belief in Extraterrestrial Life:" Certainty, Uncertainty, and Religious Affiliation</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://www.survata.com/blog/science-or-sacrilege-atheists-and-agnostics-are-76-more-likely-than-christians-to-believe-in-the-existence-of-extraterrestrial-life/"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160414-ET_Life_poll-collage-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(From Survata, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
<br />
My guess is that a Survata poll of Americans, done in 2013 or thereabouts, is a tad more accurate. In that one, roughly a third of American Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and atheists/agnostics weren't sure about whether we have neighbors.<br />
<br />
Interestingly, over half of "other" 'believe in the existence of extraterrestrial life.' That may help explain why some American Christians are adamant that life <i><b>mustn't</b></i> exist anywhere except Earth.<br />
<br />
Like I said, I'm not sure. We either have neighbors, or we don't. Right now, we don't know, and I'm okay with that.<br />
<br />
I hope we do have neighbors. For one thing, it would make this universe seem a bit less empty.<br />
<br />
For another, comparing notes with folks who aren't human would be an opportunity to learn how much of 'human nature' comes from being critters with free will and bodies; and how much is strictly "human."<br />
<br />
My guess is that we'd learn that a great many of our neighbors are fine folks: but not "human." At all. Which is why I think nearly every SETI effort makes unwarranted assumptions.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="tesla"></a>Tesla, Pulsars, and "Wow!"</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wow!_signal"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160414-800px-Wow_signal-329.jpg" /></a>SETI is part of the <a href="http://www.seti.org/">SETI Institute</a>'s name. (<a href="http://www.seti.org/">www.seti.org</a>)<br />
<br />
It's also a generic term, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_for_extraterrestrial_intelligence">Search for extraterrestrial intelligence</a>'s acronym. Like ancient Romans, Americans use a lot of acronyms, and that's still another topic.<br />
<br />
I'll be talking about SETI in general. Current efforts arguably <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_for_extraterrestrial_intelligence#History_of_SETI">began</a> in 1896, when <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla">Nikola Tesla</a> said that he should be able to communicate with Martians with his wireless electrical transmission system.<br />
<br />
He thought he had detected Martian signals in 1899, at his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Experimental_Station">Colorado Springs experimental station</a>.<br />
<br />
I gather that Tesla's oddly-regular static might have come from Marconi's European radio experiments, static from Jupiter's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetosphere_of_Jupiter">plasma torus</a>, or something else that wasn't Martians.<br />
<br />
Or maybe someone was trying to get a distress call to the nearest rescue station — using badly-damaged equipment.<br />
<br />
If that's the case, which I think is <b><i>extremely</i></b> unlikely, we'll eventually find them; or the equivalent of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_and_rescue">SAR</a> ship is on its way — or was here, and left.<br />
<br />
We've had SETI false positives since then, including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSR_B1919%2B21">PSR B1919+21</a> (1967) and the 1977 "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wow!_signal">Wow! signal</a>."<br />
<br />
I gather that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jocelyn_Bell_Burnell">Susan Jocelyn Bell</a>, a graduate student at the time, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antony_Hewish">Antony Hewish</a>, her thesis supervisor, wanted a reason to <b><i>not</i></b> identify the thing as an artificial beacon. They were both professional scientists, and had careers to think of.<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...At this point, Burnell notes of herself and Hewish that 'we did not really believe that we had picked up signals from another civilization, but obviously the idea had crossed our minds and we had no proof that it was an entirely natural radio emission. It is an interesting problem—if one thinks one may have detected life elsewhere in the universe, how does one announce the results responsibly?'...</i>"<br />
(Pulsar, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulsar#Discovery">Discovery</a>, Wikipedia)</blockquote>
Later, after more rapidly-pulsing radiation sources showed up in other parts of the sky, they started looking more like a previously-unknown natural phenomenon.<br />
<br />
Or maybe a network of navigation beacons. Each one pulsed at a slightly different rate: and much, much faster than a star should be able to.<br />
<br />
Eventually we caught one slowing down, and decided that highly magnetized rotating neutron stars were the best explanation for observed data.<br />
<br />
I'd love to think that there's a vast civilization using pulsars as a sort of galactic GPS system: but I figure the scientists are right.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="universe"></a>The Universe, Life, and Us</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_for_extraterrestrial_intelligence#History_of_SETI"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160414-NatureTimeline-Wikipedia-329.jpg" /></a>Recent (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_for_extraterrestrial_intelligence#Early_work">1950</a>-to-current) SETI efforts have tried detecting artificial radio signals from promising sections of the sky, from specific nearby sun-like stars, and now we're trying pretty much the same thing for red dwarf stars.<br />
<br />
I don't think the efforts were a waste of time and effort. Folks collected a great deal of data, which should help us understand this universe.<br />
<br />
But I'm pretty sure that there's nobody like us within several dozen light years. Whether or not we've got next-door neighbors: is another matter.<br />
<br />
Like I've said before, SETI generally makes some whacking great assumptions. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/plutos-unexpected-terrain-seti-radio.html#broadcast">July 24, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
We use modulated radio signals for long-distance communication. We could use off-the-shelf tech to chat with folks on planets circling nearby stars: if they're there, and if they use radio, too. Maybe they do. Then again, maybe not.<br />
<br />
Let's assume that there's a planet almost exactly like Earth orbiting <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Centauri">Alpha Centauri</a> A, a star that's almost exactly like ours. Almost:<br />
<ul>
<li>Mass 1.100 M☉</li>
<li>Radius 1.227 R☉</li>
<li>Luminosity 1.519 L☉<br />
(Source: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Centauri">Wikipedia</a>)</li>
</ul>
Let's also assume that the Alpha Centauri system is exactly the same age as the Solar System, about 4,540,000,000 years; and that life started on that hypothetical planet when life started here. That's a lot of assumptions.<br />
<br />
Two more: let's assume that people (that's one) living on that Earth-analog are almost exactly as 'old' as we are (that's the other).<br />
<br />
In other words, that they got started within 1/1000<sup>th</sup> of their world's age as we did. That's 4,540,000,000 times 0.001 = 4,540,000 years. That's a long time.<br />
<br />
Instead, let's assume that they're 1/4,540<sup>th</sup> Earth's age old: that's 1,000,000 years.<br />
<br />
A million years back, we were making almond-shaped stone <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_axe">hand axes</a>.<br />
<br />
If that's where our neighbors are at, they probably won't build their first radio for another 999,881 years. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/tiny-microbes-and-tree-of-life-big.html#blink">June 19, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
If they started 1/4,540<sup>th</sup> Earth's age before we did, they were probably using radios when we worked the bugs out of those hand axes: and are currently using whatever we'll invent a million years from now. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/tiny-microbes-and-tree-of-life-big.html#blink">June 19, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
My guess is that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drums_in_communication#Talking_drum">talking drums</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drums_in_communication#Slit_gongs">slit gongs</a>, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inmarsat">Inmarsat</a> network are the not the ultimate communication technologies. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/plutos-unexpected-terrain-seti-radio.html#broadcast">July 24, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
I also suspect that people aren't necessarily as incurably chatty as we are. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/seti-looking-for-neighbors.html#assumptions">January 15, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/plutos-unexpected-terrain-seti-radio.html#broadcast">July 24, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/06/life-in-universe-and-titans.html#eldritch">June 27, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Maybe we have neighbors who have more in common, psychologically, with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat#Sociability">cats</a> than <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimpanzee#Behavior">chimps</a>. That would go a long way toward explaining why we haven't heard anything so far. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/faith-fear-and-flying-saucers.html#if">August 2, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Cats don't have pack or herd <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herd_behavior">behavior</a>. They're smart, and social in their own way: but cats don't "act collectively without centralized direction." (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herd_behavior">Wikipedia</a>)<br />
<br />
This doesn't mean we should give up on looking for neighbors. I think, however, that SETI projects would be well-advised to stop looking for signals from the stars, and start looking for indirect evidence that people are at work.<br />
<br />
That'd be something fairly small, and not acting like a natural phenomenon: an infrared source in what looks like empty space, unusual concentrations of one heavy element or molecule, and that gets me back to pulsars. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/schrodingers-cats-and-gravitational.html#scientists">September 26, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
That's assuming that people always develop and use technology on an increasingly-large scale. Maybe we haven't detected our neighbors because they're all quietly contemplating the suchness of sibilance, itemize the enigmatic, or watching the local equivalent of grass grow.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="reassuringly"></a>Reassuringly "Human" — and Otherwise?</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://apatheticlemming.blogspot.com/2014/11/from-mind-of-lemming-mr-chuckles.html"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20141105Chuckles-329B.jpg" /></a>Then there's physical appearance. If — and that's a big "if" — we have neighbors, we may learn that that folks who look like Mr. Chuckles there are the most reassuringly 'human' of the lot.<br />
<br />
Whatever they look like, and however they think, if we do have neighbors — I'm pretty sure that some folks will be upset, others won't care much one way or the other, and at least one religious order — <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_of_Jesus">Jesuits</a>, most likely, or their analog in the n<sup>th</sup> century — will get to work learning their language.<br />
<br />
And that's — you guessed it — another topic. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/faith-fear-and-flying-saucers.html#hands">August 2, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/kapteyn-b-habitable-zones-and-using-our.html#playing">July 18, 2014</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/06/life-in-universe-and-titans.html#klaatu">June 27, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Had enough? If not, here's more:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/seeking-new-worlds-new-life.html">Seeking New Worlds, New Life - - -</a>"<br />
(March 3, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/seeking-new-worlds-new-life.html#joshua">Joshua, Aristotle, and Getting a Grip</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/seeking-new-worlds-new-life.html#just">Just the Bible and Me: and Catherine of Siena, and Albertus Magnus, and Thomas Aquinas, and - - -</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/seeking-new-worlds-new-life.html#earth">Earth, Copernicus, and "a Preliminary Guess"</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/seeking-new-worlds-new-life.html#life">Life in the Universe: Eventually</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/seeking-new-worlds-new-life.html#space">Space Aliens Might Not be Human</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/seeking-new-worlds-new-life.html#wolf">Wolf 1061c: Nearby Super-Earth</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/seeking-new-worlds-new-life.html#habitable">Habitable: Maybe</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/seeking-new-worlds-new-life.html#life2">Life as We Know It: and Maybe Otherwise</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/seti-looking-for-neighbors.html">SETI: Looking for Neighbors</a>"<br />
(January 15, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/seti-looking-for-neighbors.html#flying">Flying Chicken Incubators, Invaders, and All That</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/seti-looking-for-neighbors.html#alone">Alone: Or Not</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/seti-looking-for-neighbors.html#ladders">Ladders, Angels, and (Maybe) a Multiverse</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/seti-looking-for-neighbors.html#assumptions">Assumptions</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/enceladus-and-keplers-planets.html">Enceladus and Kepler's Planets</a>"<br />
(December 18, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/enceladus-and-keplers-planets.html#thinking">Thinking and Humility</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/enceladus-and-keplers-planets.html#neighbors">Neighbors</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/enceladus-and-keplers-planets.html#kepler">Kepler Data Analyzed: False Positives and Big Planets</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/plutos-unexpected-terrain-seti-radio.html">Pluto's Unexpected Terrain; SETI, Radio, and Drums</a>"<br />
(July 24, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/plutos-unexpected-terrain-seti-radio.html#earth">Earth Isn't Flat, Poetry isn't Science, and Curiosity isn't a Sin</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/plutos-unexpected-terrain-seti-radio.html#space">Space Aliens, H. P. Lovecraft, and All That</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/plutos-unexpected-terrain-seti-radio.html#intelligent">Intelligent Life in the Universe: Still Searching</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/plutos-unexpected-terrain-seti-radio.html#broadcast">Broadcast Signals: Slit Gongs, AM Radio, and Whatever is Next</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/plutos-unexpected-terrain-seti-radio.html#klemperer">Klemperer Rosettes?</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/05/habitable-worlds-homer-and-haldane-or.html">Habitable Worlds, Homer, and Haldane — or — Ganymede's Oceans, and Imagining Kepler-186f's Sunsets</a>"<br />
(May 9, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/05/habitable-worlds-homer-and-haldane-or.html#space">Space Aliens May Not be Human — or — 'the Great Filter' and Haldane</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<sup><a name="1">1</a></sup> I've talked about the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_drive">Alcubierre metric</a> before. From what I've read, some scientists and mathematicians still say an 'Alcubierre drive' shouldn't work. They could be right.<br />
<br />
But I think it's significant that objections to building ships whose engines use the Alubierrie metric have shifted from 'it's impossible' to 'it's impractical' and 'it's dangerous.' About the latter: I'm pretty sure they're right. <b><i>Any</i></b> technology, from fire to sewing machines, is dangerous if we're not careful. The trick is being careful.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/05/habitable-worlds-homer-and-haldane-or.html#fire"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/799px-CCTV_new_headquarters_Fire_20090209-329.jpg" /></a>More of my take on fire and other dangerous technology:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html">Reaching for the Stars</a>"<br />
(March 25, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#weird">The Weird Stuff: EM Drives, Warp Field Generators, and More</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/spacex-mars-and-someday-stars.html">SpaceX, Mars, and Someday the Stars</a>"<br />
(December 24, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/spacex-mars-and-someday-stars.html#imagining">Imagining, and Building, Spaceships</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/dna-test-hype-and-studying-lifes-origins.html">DNA Test Hype; and Studying Life's Origins</a>"<br />
(December 5, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/dna-test-hype-and-studying-lifes-origins.html#applied">Applied Genetics: Technology is Technology</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/schrodingers-cats-and-gravitational.html">Schrodinger's Cat(s); and Gravitational Waves, Revisited</a>"<br />
(September 26, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/schrodingers-cats-and-gravitational.html#fine">Fine-Tuning BICEP Results</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/schrodingers-cats-and-gravitational.html#galaxies">Galaxies, Quantum Entanglement, and the White-Juday Warp Field Generator</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-14871387610455738682016-04-10T09:00:00.000-05:002016-06-09T15:13:16.538-05:00Our Continuing MissionThird Sunday of Easter, 2016:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXZ.HTM#GOSP.ACT.5.27">Acts 5:27</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXZ.HTM#GOSP.ACT.5.32">32</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P12U.HTM#CATHL.REV.11.11">Revelation 11:11</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P12U.HTM#CATHL.REV.11.14">14</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXT.HTM#GOSP.JOH.21.1">John 21:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXT.HTM#GOSP.JOH.21.19">19</a></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
Third Sunday of Easter, 2016</h4>
<div style="text-align: center;">
By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas April 10, 2016</div>
<br />
As I'm sure most of you know I always do a certain amount of research and reading before writing these homilies. It happened that I'm reading a homily by a Deacon Ross Braudoin who uses a word I can't recall ever seeing before, and the word is reprise, (spelt, reprise) my dictionary wasn't much help because it didn't have the word either. The best I could come up with was that it's like retelling the story or a development of the story that comes to a final conclusion.<br />
<br />
I have heard father Statz say from time to time that good music, or a good homily or a good story is always worth retelling, so is the case with our gospel stories. Deacon Ross, concluded that there are many reprises in the gospels, because these Gospels were written many decades after the initial incidents took place and the Gospel writers were aware of nuances in the stories that were used to instruct the people for which that particular gospel was written.<br />
<br />
In the events we hear recounted today, Jesus and seven disciples are at the sea of Tiberius. The seven are fishing. This story is a reprise of a similar incident recorded earlier in which the disciples were also fishing. Then, they had caught nothing. In each case, Jesus instructs the disciples were to fish ... and result is an astonishing large catch.<br />
<br />
In the first instance, Jesus used the catch to tell the disciples that they would become "fishers of men." They would bring into the reign of God those who would follow the Lord.<br />
<br />
The disciples left everything to follow Jesus.<br />
<br />
In the reprise of the catch of fish, Jesus builds on the teachings of the earlier catch. The disciples are ready for a new understanding and a new calling. First, we note that this whole scene takes place in this setting of hospitality. This is a Eucharistic scene. Jesus is the host who welcomes and feed the guests. "A charcoal fire with fish and bread" was very welcoming to fishermen who had spent the night on the sea.<br />
<br />
Looking at the course of events and dialogue in this scene, we find a number of important reasons that this was added to the end of John's Gospel (whose first conclusion we read last week).<br />
<br />
First, Jesus makes it clear that, as the risen Lord, He is truly a risen human person, not a spirit-person or an apparition. He builds a fire, prepares a meal and has breakfast with them.<br />
<br />
Next, the catch of fish gives a lesson. The enormous quantity of fish is a reminder of the gracious bounty of God. Always, with Jesus there is not just enough, there is an abundance, even leftovers.<br />
<br />
Finally, the dialogue between Jesus and Peter restates that Peter is to be leader of the disciples. That fact itself is a gracious gift. Peter denied Jesus three times. Peter may now have doubts as to his role among the disciples. Jesus makes it clear that He knows Peter's failures. In his characteristic Love and Mercy, He forgives Peter and restores him to his role of leadership. The threefold "do you love me" gives Peter the opportunity to reaffirm his love and commitment to Jesus.<br />
<br />
Jesus had a call and a role for each of the disciples. In His resurrected presence among them, He strengthen their relationship to Him and their resolve to carry on the mission He had begun. That mission was now theirs. It is now ours!<br />
<br />
Jesus will reprise His encounter at the sea of Tiberius with us, too, from time to time. In awareness and prayer, we will recognize Jesus standing on the shore of wherever we are in life. He will be gracious, shows Mercy and strengthen us in the work He has set up for each one of us. We can respond with Peter, "Lord, you know everything You know that I love You".<br />
<br />
He will say to us follow me!<br />
<br />
Be Good, Be Holy, Preach the Gospel always, using words and holy actions!<br />
<hr />
'Thank you' to Deacon Kaas, for letting me post his reflection here.<br />
<hr />
More reflections:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/holy-thursday-2016-exodus-121-8-11-14-1.html">Washing Feet: Love and Service</a>"<br />
(March 24, 2016)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-messiah-we-need.html">The Messiah We Need</a>"<br />
(March 20, 2016)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/joy-to-world.html">Joy to the World!</a>"<br />
(December 27, 2015)<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/joy-to-world.html#goodness">"Goodness, Life and Truth"</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/new-evanglization-fire-and-light.html">New Evangelization: Fire and Light</a>"<br />
(October 25, 2015)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/talents-and-best-news-ever.html">Talents, and the Best News Ever</a>"<br />
(November 16, 2014)</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-86981916659634995562016-04-10T08:00:00.000-05:002016-04-30T21:51:15.822-05:00"Amoris Laetitia" — or — Don't Panic<a href="https://sv.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fil:Kazan's_Panic_in_the_Street_trailer_screenshot_%288%29.jpg"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160408-Kazan-s_Panic_in_the_Street_trailer_screenshot_8-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Elia Kazan, via Petrusbarbygere/Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">(Screenshot from a "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panic_in_the_Streets_%28film%29">Panic in the Streets</a>" trailer. (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elia_Kazan">Elia Kazan</a>, 1950))
</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/paris-evil-and-love.html#i"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20151113-Saint_Peter-s_Basilica-detail-329.JPG" /></a>Actually, "Amoris Laetitia" means "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amoris_laetitia">The Joy of Love</a>."<br />
<br />
Pope Francis signed "Amoris Laetitia," about 58,000 words about love in the family, March 19. The apostolic exhortation was released Friday.<br />
<br />
So far, I've heard an imaginative summary on radio news, read a few dramatic headlines, and a handful of online remarks about it that make sense.<br />
<br />
The latter generally boil down to 'I haven't studied it yet, so I don't know what it says.'<br />
<br />
That's pretty much where I'm at, but that won't stop me from talking — briefly, for me — about what I <b><i>have</i></b> read. So far, I've finished the introduction, glanced at the index, and am working my way through the first chapter.<br />
<br />
I put links to the Vatican Press online copy near the end of this post, along with other resources.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/amoris-laetitia-or-dont-panic.html#1">1</a></sup><br />
<br />
"Amoris Laetitia" reviews topics raised during Synod 14's two sessions, "...adding other considerations as an aid to reflection, dialogue and pastoral practice, and as a help and encouragement to families in their daily commitments and challenges...."<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/amoris-laetitia-or-dont-panic.html#2">2</a></sup><br />
<br />
This, from page 6, seems like excellent advice:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Given the rich fruits of the two-year Synod process, this Exhortation will treat, in different ways, a wide variety of questions. This explains its inevitable length. <b>Consequently, I do not recommend a rushed reading of the text.</b> The greatest benefit, for families themselves and for those engaged in the family apostolate, will come if each part is read patiently and carefully, or if attention is paid to the parts dealing with their specific needs....</i>"<br />
("<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf">Amoris Laetitia</a>," Pope Francis (March 18, 2016)(released April 8, 2016))<br />
[emphasis mine]</blockquote>
Like I said, "Amoris Laetitia" runs to about 58,000 words in my language, so reading it "patiently and carefully" will take time.<br />
<br />
I'm okay with that: although it means I won't be declaring that Pope Francis changed the Decalogue today. I wouldn't anyway. That's a daft notion.<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure that at least a few folks will get upset at what the Pope wrote — or didn't write — about families. Or how he wrote what he did.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="cultures"></a>"Cultures are ... Quite Diverse"</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/beaver-cleaver-and-common-good.html#i"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/470px-Cleaver_family_Leave_it_to_Beaver_1960-329.JPG" /></a>Folks who feel everyone should live as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leave_It_to_Beaver">Cleavers</a> did may have conniptions when they hear what Pope Francis says about "various ways of interpreting some aspects"<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/amoris-laetitia-or-dont-panic.html#3">3</a></sup> of what the Church teaches.<br />
<br />
The basics are, as I keep saying, pretty basic.<br />
<br />
I should love God, love my neighbor, see everybody as my neighbor, and treat others as I want to be treated. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.43">Matthew 5:43</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.44">44</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.12">7:12</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.36">22:36</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.40">40</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.28">Mark 12:28</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.31">31</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWP.HTM#GOSP.LUK.6.31">Luke 6:31</a> <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.25">10:25</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.27">27</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.29">29</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.37">37</a>; Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a6.htm#1789">1789</a>)<br />
<br />
I don't always do so, and that's another topic. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html#mercy">December 13, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/angst-hope-and-building-better-world.html#love">July 5, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Those basics leave a lot of room for individual and cultural differences: which is just as well, I think.<br />
<br />
I wouldn't feel comfortable, trying to force everyone to live the way my household does. That's just as well, too, since as a Catholic I must believe that there is no one 'correct' culture or political system. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/prologue.htm#24">24</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p3.htm#814">814</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a2.htm#1901">1901</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a1.htm#1957">1957</a>)<br />
<br />
Here's what the Pope says about "traditions and local needs:"<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Each country or region, moreover, can seek solutions better suited to its culture and sensitive to its traditions and local needs. For 'cultures are in fact quite diverse and every general principle… needs to be inculturated, if it is to be respected and applied'.<sup>3</sup>...</i>"<br />
("<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf">Amoris Laetitia</a>,"<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/amoris-laetitia-or-dont-panic.html#2">2</a></sup> Pope Francis (March 18, 2016)(released April 8, 2016))</blockquote>
I'm okay with that.<br />
<br />
Bear in mind that I'm one of 'those crazy kids' who thought we could do better, back in the '60s. I still do, and that's <b><i>not</i></b> another topic. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/change-happens.html#nostalgia">August 23, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/beaver-cleaver-and-common-good.html#i">May 3, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/reforming-world-we-must-try.html#one">September 28, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="future"></a>Future Generations</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/change-happens.html#nostalgia"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20150822-Marilyn_Monroe_in_Gentlemen_Prefer_Blondes_trailer-329.jpg" /></a>If I thought upper-middle-class suburban Americans of the 1950s lived in the best possible society, I might be trying to make everyone live that way. My memory is too good. I <b><i>remember</i></b> "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Days">Happy Days</a>" America, and perfect it wasn't.<br />
<br />
I spent my teens in the '60s, and thought we could do better. A half-century later, America — and the world — still isn't perfect, and I still think we can do better.<br />
<br />
I can't sit back and say 'that's not my problem.' I'm a member of society, so my responsibilities include doing what I can to help future generations. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a2.htm#1905">1905</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a2.htm#1917">1917</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2415">2415</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2456">2456</a>)<br />
<br />
The Pope's 'environmental encyclical, "Laudato si'," upset quite a few folks. After reading it, all 31,000-plus words, I thought Pope Francis might have expressed his ideas more diffidently: but agreed that acting as if future generations matter makes sense. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/family-firsts-and-francis-also-trading.html#more">September 20, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
I figure "Amoris Laetitia" will be controversial, too: most likely for the same reason.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="tradition"></a>Tradition and 'Being Traditional'</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/neighbors-love-and-upping-ante.html#basic"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/451px-Prologue_Hammurabi_Code_Louvre_AO10237-329.jpg" /></a>I'm a Catholic, so Tradition is important.<br />
<br />
That's Tradition with a capital "T."<br />
<br />
So is the Bible and Magisterium.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/amoris-laetitia-or-dont-panic.html#4">4</a></sup><br />
<br />
I've talked about those before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/seeking-new-worlds-new-life.html#1">March 3, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/02/dna-babies-life-and-death.html#diversity">February 13, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Our capital "T" Tradition "...comes from the apostles and hands on what they received from Jesus' teaching and example and what they learned from the Holy Spirit...." (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a2.htm#83">83</a>)<br />
<br />
It's not 'being traditional,' trying to live as if we're in 1st century Rome, 10th century <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carinthia#Duchy_of_Carinthia">Carinthia</a>, 19th century <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Woman_Suffrage_Association">New York</a>, or some other imagined 'Golden Age.' (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#not">July 12, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Maybe it's easy to assume that new laws and customs are bad and old ones are good, or that "new" is always "good."<br />
<br />
What matters is how closely a law and custom matches natural law.<br />
<br />
I've talked about <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#positive">positive law</a>, human-made rules; and <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#natural">natural law</a>, universal principles; before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#positive">August 29, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Sometimes positive law works. When it doesn't, our job — part of it — is bringing the positive law of our culture closer to natural law. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1928">1928</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1942">1942</a>)<br />
<br />
Positive law changes: and must change, as conditions we live in change. It varies from one culture to another, too. We're not all alike, we're not supposed to be, and that's yet another topic.<br />
<br />
Natural law is the same now as it was when Abram moved out of Ur.<br />
<br />
How we apply it has changed, a great deal: and that is a good thing.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://jadrienc.deviantart.com/art/Across-the-Park-Digital-Matte-Painting-342518633"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/across_the_park___digital_matte_painting_by_jadrienc-d5nxd2h-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Jadrien Cousens, used w/o permision.)</span><br />
<br />
I don't think we'll have a perfect society two millennia, or ten millennia, from now.<br />
<br />
But if we work with all people of good will, keeping what is good and just in our societies, changing what is not, and learning from our mistakes — I think we can build a better world for tomorrow's families.<br />
<br />
We certainly must try:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/pope-francis-and-nietzsche.html">Pope Francis and Nietzsche</a>"<br />
(September 27, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/pope-francis-and-nietzsche.html#hope">Hope and Healing, Peace and Justice</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/pope-francis-and-nietzsche.html#maybe">Maybe, If We Keep Working - - -</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html">Sex, Satan, and Me: Getting a Grip</a>"<br />
(July 12, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#not">Not Living in the Past</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#respect">Respect, Dignity, and Drunk Driving</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#law">Law, Love, and Nine Judges</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/angst-hope-and-building-better-world.html">Angst, Hope, and Building a Better World</a>"<br />
(July 5, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/angst-hope-and-building-better-world.html#love">Love and Responsibilities</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/angst-hope-and-building-better-world.html#looking">Looking Ahead</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/holy-family-not-50s-family.html">Holy Family, Not '50s Family</a>"<br />
(December 28, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/holy-family-not-50s-family.html#family">Family and Freedom</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/holy-family-not-50s-family.html#not">Not All Vocations are "Vocations"</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/caesar-civilization-dealing-with-change.html">Caesar, Civilization, Dealing With Change — and Building a Better World</a>"<br />
(August 31, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/caesar-civilization-dealing-with-change.html#end">It's the End of Civilization as We Know It: And About Time!</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/caesar-civilization-dealing-with-change.html#code">The Code of Hammurabi, Plus 3,700 years: Looking at the Big Picture</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<sup><a name="1">1</a></sup> 'Synod 14' (The XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops), from the Pope's viewpoint:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf">Amoris Laetitia</a>"<br />
Pope Francis, Vatican Press (March 18, 2016)(released April 8, 2016))</li>
<li><a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2015/documents/papa-francesco_20151025_omelia-chiusura-sinodo-vescovi.html">Homily</a><br />
Pope Francis, Synod 14 closing Mass (October 25, 2015)</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="2">2</a></sup> From "Amoris Laetitia," page 5:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...I must also say that the Synod process proved both impressive and illuminating. I am grateful for the many contributions that helped me to appreciate more fully the problems faced by families throughout the world. The various interventions of the Synod Fathers, to which I paid close heed, made up, as it were, a multifaceted gem reflecting many legitimate concerns and honest questions. For this reason, I thought it appropriate to prepare a post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation to gather the contributions of the two recent Synods on the family, while adding other considerations as an aid to reflection, dialogue and pastoral practice, and as a help and encouragement to families in their daily commitments and challenges....</i>"<br />
("<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf">Amoris Laetitia</a>," Pope Francis (March 18, 2016)(released April 8, 2016))</blockquote>
<sup><a name="3">3</a></sup> From "Amoris Laetitia," page 4:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Unity of teaching and practice is certainly necessary in the Church, but this does not preclude various ways of interpreting some aspects of that teaching or drawing certain consequences from it. This will always be the case as the Spirit guides us towards the entire truth (cf. <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXO.HTM#GOSP.JOH.16.13">Jn 16:13</a>), until he leads us fully into the mystery of Christ and enables us to see all things as he does. Each country or region, moreover, can seek solutions better suited to its culture and sensitive to its traditions and local needs. For 'cultures are in fact quite diverse and every general principle… needs to be inculturated, if it is to be respected and applied'.<sup>3</sup>...</i>"<br />
("<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf">Amoris Laetitia</a>," Pope Francis (March 18, 2016)(released April 8, 2016))<br>
[Link to John 16:13 added.]</blockquote>
More:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/f1synod2015final.htm">Conclusion of the Synod of Bishops</a><br />
Pope Francis, provided by Vatican Press Office, via EWTN (October 24, 2015)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20151026_relazione-finale-xiv-assemblea_en.html">The Final Report of the Synod of Bishops to the Holy Father, Pope Francis</a>"<br />
Synod of Bishops, XIV Ordinary General Assembly (October 24, 2015)</li>
</ul>
Some of my take on living in a big world:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/names-and-name.html">Names and <i>THE</i> Name</a>"<br />
(February 28, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/names-and-name.html#councils">Councils</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/starbucks-and-religion-of-hope.html">Starbucks and a Religion of Hope</a>"<br />
(November 15, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/starbucks-and-religion-of-hope.html#holiday">Holiday Coffee</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/starbucks-and-religion-of-hope.html#making">Making Sense</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/starbucks-and-religion-of-hope.html#God">"God's Love Endures Forever"</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/change-happens.html">Change Happens</a>"<br />
(August 23, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/change-happens.html#nostalgia">Nostalgia and Diaper Changing Tables</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/change-happens.html#some">Some Things Don't Change</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="4">4</a></sup> The Bible, Magisterium, and Tradition, with a capital "T:"<br />
<ul>
<li>"<i><a href="http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/epub/OEBPS/51-glossary.xhtml#glossB"><b>BIBLE</b></a>: Sacred Scripture: the books which contain the truth of God's Revelation and were composed by human authors inspired by the Holy Spirit (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm#105">105</a>). The Bible contains both the forty-six books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm#120">120</a>). See Old Testament; New Testament.</i>" </li>
<li>"<i><a href="http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/epub/OEBPS/51-glossary.xhtml#glossM"><b>MAGISTERIUM</b></a>: The living, teaching office of the Church, whose task it is to give as authentic interpretation of the word of God, whether in its written form (Sacred Scripture), or in the form of Tradition. The Magisterium ensures the Church's fidelity to the teaching of the Apostles in matters of faith and morals (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a2.htm#85">85</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p4.htm#890">890</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a3.htm#2033">2033</a>).</i>" </li>
<li>"<i><a href="http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/epub/OEBPS/51-glossary.xhtml#glossT"><b>TRADITION</b></a>: The living transmission of the message of the Gospel in the Church. The oral preaching of the Apostles, and the written message of salvation under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (Bible), are conserved and handed on as the deposit of faith through the apostolic succession in the Church. Both the living Tradition and the written Scriptures have their common source in the revelation of God in Jesus Christ (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a2.htm#75">75</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a2.htm#82">82</a>). The theological, liturgical, disciplinary, and devotional traditions of the local churches both contain and can be distinguished from this apostolic Tradition (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a2.htm#83">83</a>).</i>"</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-40061757705138896562016-04-08T08:00:00.000-05:002016-04-16T20:20:51.750-05:00BEAM Prototype Habitat, Bigelow's Plans<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/beam-prototype-habitat-bigelows-plans.html#beam"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160405-AP_914378684972-1024x683-329.jpg" /></a>The BEAM Bigelow Aerospace habitat module, will be launched toward the International Space Station (ISS) today: if all goes well.<br />
<br />
BEAM is packed in the Dragon spacecraft's unpressurized section. This cargo run also carries supplies for the ISS crew, and for several dozen of the roughly 250 experiments planned for Expeditions 47 and 48. (<a href="http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/spacex_crs8_press_kit.pdf">SpaceX press kit</a>)<br />
<br />
After getting attached to the ISS and inflated, BEAM will mostly just sit there for at least two years: empty except when someone in the ISS takes samples and swaps out radiation sensors. I think that's a good idea, since BEAM is testing technology for Bigelow Aerospace rental properties in low Earth orbit.<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/beam-prototype-habitat-bigelows-plans.html#beam">BEAM: a Bigelow Aerospace Inflatable Habitat Comes to the ISS</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/beam-prototype-habitat-bigelows-plans.html#empty">Empty, Mostly</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/beam-prototype-habitat-bigelows-plans.html#commercial">Commercial Research in Orbit?</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/beam-prototype-habitat-bigelows-plans.html#looking">Looking Beyond the Lab</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/beam-prototype-habitat-bigelows-plans.html#needs">"Needs" Change</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/beam-prototype-habitat-bigelows-plans.html#faqs">FAQs</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/beam-prototype-habitat-bigelows-plans.html#robert">Robert Bigelow: "Foretastes of the Space Age"</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/beam-prototype-habitat-bigelows-plans.html#space">Space for Rent: Looking at Numbers</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
As I'm writing this, Thursday evening, <a href="https://spacexstats.com/missions/spacex-crs-8">spacexstats.com</a> says that SpaceX CRS-8 will lift off at 20:43 UTC Friday, April 8, 2016.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/beam-prototype-habitat-bigelows-plans.html#1">1</a></sup> SpaceX has a webcast at <a href="http://www.spacex.com/webcast">spacex.com/webcast</a>.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br>
<a name="update"></a>Update 00:10 UTC April 9, 2016<br>
<br>
The SpaceX first stage landed successfully, and the Dragon spacecraft is on its way to the ISS.<br>
<br>
<iframe width="658" height="370" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/7pUAydjne5M?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="philosophers"></a>Philosophers and Engineers</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/harpooning-rubber-duck-comet-public.html#science"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20141104-s134e009289-detail658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From NASA, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(Part of the International Space Station.)<br />
<br />
I've mentioned the aeolipiles — steam-powered rocket engines — of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitruvius#Machines">Vitruvius</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero_of_Alexandria#Inventions">Hero of Alexandria</a> before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/new-maps-for-earth-and-moon-and-indias.html#pure">October 10, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
About two millennia later, folks living north of the old Roman imperial frontier learned how to make steam engines that don't explode: at least not often. A little later folks started building spaceships, which raises an interesting point: why didn't Athens build space stations?<br />
<br />
I think it has something to do with economics, and a lot to do with attitude.<br />
<br />
I agree with folks who say that the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greek_technology#Technology">ancient Greek</a> upper crust didn't think much of manual labor: that they saw it as something slaves did. Small wonder their philosophers carefully avoided finding practical applications for their theories.<br />
<br />
Romans didn't have quite the same delicate sensibilities. They were top-rate engineers, given the limits of their <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_numerals">numbering system</a>. Try dividing LCX by XVII some time, and you'll see what I mean.<br />
<br />
I gather that Romans often recognized that they weren't as "cultural" as the Greeks: but if a wealthy Roman wanted culture, he could buy a Greek, so that wasn't much of a problem — for the Roman.<br />
<br />
On the 'up' side, Roman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_ancient_Rome">slaves</a> could earn their freedom and become Roman citizens: an idea the Greeks didn't adopt.<br />
<br />
By the way: slavery is a bad idea, and we shouldn't do it.<br />
<br />
Having private property is okay, and the universal destination of goods is another topic. But treating humans as property is emphatically not okay It's "...a sin against the dignity of persons...." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm#2378">2378</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2401">2401</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2406">2406</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2414">2414</a>)<br />
<br />
After about 19 centuries of reminding folks that loving God, loving neighbors, and seeing everyone as a neighbor<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/beam-prototype-habitat-bigelows-plans.html#2">2</a></sup> is a good idea, a few countries stopped practicing slavery.<br />
<br />
As I've said before, things often take time. Particularly when change means giving up long-established privileges. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/angst-hope-and-building-better-world.html#looking">July 5, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/boko-haram-slavery-death-and-love.html#things">January 18, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Where was I? Hero of Alexandria, steam power, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spartacus">Spartacus</a>. Right.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="science"></a>Science, Pure and Otherwise</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://bigelowaerospace.com/b330/"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160406-B330-clamshell01-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Bigelow Aerospace, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>...When fully expanded, the hull thickness will be approximately 0.46m (18in) and offer ballistic protection superior to that currently afforded to ISS. The hull will also feature at least four large UV protection coated windows that will offer unparalleled earth viewing from orbit....</i>"<br />
(Bigelow Aerospace))<br />
<br />
I'm a Norwegian-Irish-Scots-American living in the Upper Midwest, so I'm neither ethnically nor geographically "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee#Yankee_cultural_history">Yankee</a>:" but I think "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee_ingenuity">Yankee ingenuity</a>" is still a defining American trait.<br />
<br />
I suspect the trait may be more common among first- and second-generation immigrants than among many 'real' Americans. When folks stop wanting to move to America, <b><i>then</i></b> I'll start worrying about my country's future, and that's yet another topic. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/attacks-in-paris-people-matter.html#stranger">November 17, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/strangers-and-standing-orders.html">July 6, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
I'll be talking about the Bigelow Aerospace BEAM module, and what that company may be doing in the next few years. It's an American outfit: but don't get the idea that aerospace enterprises are strictly "American."<br />
<br />
I've talked about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reaction_Engines_Limited">Reaction Engines Limited</a>'s Skylon project before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/05/lowering-costs-on-earth-to-orbit-run.html#looking">May 2, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
The last I heard, the Japanese Rocket Society's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kankoh-maru">Kankoh-maru</a> is still trying to get off the ground, financially and literally.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starchaser_Industries">Starchaser Industries</a>, a British firm, is hoping to get part of the nascent space tourism industry; <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero2infinity">Zero2infinity</a>, a Spanish company, is developing high-altitude launching platforms; and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISC_Kosmotras">ISC Kosmotras</a>, an international outfit, is using modified <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R-36_%28missile%29">R-36</a> missiles as satellite launchers.<br />
<br />
ISC Kosmotras vehicles got the Bigelow Aerospace Genesis modules into orbit, and I'll get back to that.<br />
<br />
We've long since gone past the point where space travel is "pure science," a strictly theoretical affair with no practical applications.<br />
<br />
I see that as a good thing, but some have conniptions when business and science intersect.<br />
<br />
Sometimes there's a real ethical issue buried under the rant. Sometimes — I'll let the Lemming, an online alter ego, speak for me:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...The Lemming remembers watching a terribly serious thinker sputtering after the Russian space program launched a satellite.<br />
<br />
His problem wasn't that the Russians had practical launch vehicles. He seemed offended because those people had put an <b><i>advertisement</i></b> on the rocket. Imagine!! That was an affront to science, apparently.<br />
<br />
The Lemming's understanding of the situation was that the Russian space program was short on funds - and sold advertising space on their launch vehicle to help cover expenses. Which, to the Lemming, made sense.<br />
<br />
Maybe it would be nice if exploration of space could be a 'pure' pursuit: an occupation of gentlemen; unsullied by mere commercial concerns.<br />
<br />
The Lemming doesn't think that's how it's going to happen....</i>"<br />
(Apathetic Lemming of the North (<a href="http://apatheticlemming.blogspot.com/2011/05/nasa-launches-space-shuttle-endeavour.html#rent">May 16, 2011</a>))</blockquote>
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="beam"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. </span>BEAM: a Bigelow Aerospace Inflatable Habitat Comes to the ISS</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.wired.com/2016/04/bigelow-expandable-activity-module/"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160405-AP_914378684972-1024x683-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Julie Jacobson/AP, via Wired, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>Bigelow Aerospace founder and president Robert Bigelow answers questions from members of the media during a news conference, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013, in Las Vegas.</i>"<br />
(Wired))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.wired.com/2016/04/bigelow-expandable-activity-module/">NASA Is Finally Sending a Hotel Magnate's Inflatable Habitat to the ISS</a>"<br />
Sarah Scoles, Science, Wired (April 4, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i><b>When humans leave Earth for good,</b> they're going to need somewhere to stay. Somewhere spacious, and safe. Portable, but comfy. Lightweight, but robust to the dangers of space. Something like a big bouncy castle for kids, but built to house astronauts and solar system colonists and tourists looking for an out-of-this-world vacation.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>It sounds like a sci-fi fever dream, but it's becoming reality. On Friday, SpaceX will launch a so-called 'expandable'—a prototype called the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module—to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station">International Space Station</a>. (ISS) It will remain there, attached to the Tranquility module, for two years. Bigelow Aerospace hopes its time in orbit will prove the technology worthy of inhabitants....</i>"</blockquote>
Sarah Scoles did a good job of research, taking readers on a quick tour of inflatable satellites and proposed off-Earth business ventures — including the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Echo#Echo_1">Echo</a> Mylar balloons, Barron Hilton's Lunar hotel, and a Goodyear inflatable space station.<br />
<br />
The hundred-foot-diameter Echo satellites made it into orbit, but the Goodyear <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Inflatable_Station_Concept_-_GPN-2003-00106.jpg">prototype</a> didn't. "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001:_A_Space_Odyssey_%28film%29">2001: A Space Odyssey</a>" featured a Hilton hotel in the (fictional) <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spacecraft_from_the_Space_Odyssey_series#Space_Station_V">Space Station V</a>, and folks stopped visiting Earth's moon after the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_17">Apollo 17</a> mission.<br />
<br />
Scoles' assertion that America's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TransHab#History">Congress</a> ordered NASA to abandon the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TransHab">TransHab</a> project because "a new, airy space station" would add problems to the over-budget and past-deadline ISS is plausible. Whether or not it's true: I don't know.<br />
<br />
Whatever Congress had in mind, "in the 2000 NASA Authorization Act, Congress canceled TransHab. The housing bubble burst," as Scoles put it.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigelow_Aerospace">Bigelow Aerospace</a> bought NASA's TransHab patents.<br />
<br />
I don't mind a bit: particularly since B.A. actually <b><i>did</i></b> something with the research.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="empty"></a>Empty, Mostly</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.wired.com/2016/04/bigelow-expandable-activity-module/"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160405-beam-comparison1-1024x744-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Bigelow Aerospace, via Wired, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(BEAM)
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...For most of its stay, BEAM will be empty, except for the air it shares with the rest of the ISS. 'Currently there is no plan to use the BEAM module as a storage closet,' said Dasgupta. BEAM's empty space should have basically the same internal environment as the rest of the habitat. 'It might be a little cooler,' he said, by which he definitely meant a lot hipper, and also quieter because its walls absorb sound better than the station's metal.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>But four times a year, the station's astronauts will get to actually, you know, inhabit the place—for three hours at a time. With battery-operated flashlights, they will collect data about the module's temperature, pressure, general well-being, and radiation, and switch out radiation sensors. They will also swab samples of surfaces to see what weird life might be growing there, before going back to their regularly scheduled program and habitat.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The balloon will protrude from the Space Station's side for two years. Then, the robotic arm will swing back around and unhook BEAM, its job complete. Cast into its own decaying orbit, the module will spiral back toward Earth, burning up in the atmosphere 290 days after its ejection....</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.wired.com/2016/04/bigelow-expandable-activity-module/">Sarah Scoles</a>, Science, Wired)</blockquote>
Bigelow Aerospace's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_I">Genesis I</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_II">Genesis II</a> test modules have been orbiting Earth since 2006 and 2007, launched by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISC_Kosmotras">ISC Kosmotras</a>, a multinational commercial freight service using one-use converted <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dnepr-1">Dnepr</a> rockets.<br />
<br />
We're still years — at least — from spaceplanes like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylon_%28spacecraft%29">Skylon</a>, and I'm drifting off-topic.<br />
<br />
Apparently BEAM's two-year scheduled attachment to the ISS is strictly a test of the tech's spaceworthiness.<br />
<br />
I figure that keeping BEAM empty except for scheduled maintenance gives researchers 'clean' results: any changes will come from exposure of the outside to near-Earth space, or the inside's exposure to the ISS atmosphere.<br />
<br />
Besides, at a tad over 400 kilometers, 250 miles, above Earth's surface; depending on comparatively untested tech isn't the safest option.<br />
<br />
The half-dozen folks <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station#Life_aboard">living</a> and working there have other <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station#Pressurised_modules">pressurized modules</a> with a total <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/onthestation/facts_and_figures.html">volume</a> about the same as a Boeing 747's. Considering that much of it is packed with equipment and supplies, it's probably not as spacious as it sounds.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="commercial"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">2. </span>Commercial Research in Orbit?</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2958/1"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160405-2958a-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Biegelow Aerospace, via The Space Review, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>An illustration of Bigelow Aerospace's BEAM module attached to the ISS. While BEAM is a step towards commercial space stations, what types of customers they'll attract remains uncertain.</i>"<br />
(The Space Review))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2958/1">The challenges of commercializing research in low Earth orbit</a>"<br />
Jeff Foust, The Space Review (April 4, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i>On Friday afternoon, a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station, the first resupply mission by the company since a June launch failure. Included in its cargo is the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), an inflatable (or expandable, as Bigelow Aerospace prefers to say) module that will be attached to the station. If all goes as planned, by late May the BEAM will be installed and expanded to its full size, enabling tests of the technology.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Bigelow is just the latest in a wide range of companies to make use of the ISS for technology demonstration, satellite launches, and research of various types. Bigelow, though, has plans to develop its own space stations as well, and sees BEAM as the next step in those plans.</i><br />
<br />
"<i> 'A free flyer is absolutely a goal of Bigelow Aerospace, and the BEAM, which will be the first time that an astronaut steps inside an expandable habitat, is a very important milestone moving forward towards that vision,' said Mike Gold, director of DC operations and business growth, during a panel session March 30 at the National Academies that was part of a day-long examination of the commercial prospects for activities in low Earth orbit....</i>"</blockquote>
Wikipedia's list of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_spaceflight_companies">private spaceflight companies</a> has separate lists for "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_spaceflight_companies#Launch_vehicles">Launch vehicles</a>" and "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_spaceflight_companies#Crew_and_cargo_transport_vehicles">Crew and cargo transport vehicles</a>.<br />
<br />
The former are mostly single-use expendable rockets; although it includes the SpaceX <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_9#Reusability">Falcon 9</a>, which has a still-experimental reusable first stage. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/spacex-mars-and-someday-stars.html#spacex">December 24, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
The latter includes (now-bankrupt) <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocketplane_Kistler">Rocketplane Kistler</a>'s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-1_%28rocket%29">K-1</a> planned reusable launch vehicle.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure what the rationale is for placing vehicles in one or the other of those two lists.<br />
<br />
Anyway, that Wikipedia page also lists <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_spaceflight_companies#Space_mining">Space mining</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_spaceflight_companies#Space_manufacturing">Space manufacturing</a> separately: although Infinite Space Dynamics, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shackleton_Energy_Company">Shackleton Energy Company</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Space_Industries">Deep Space Industries</a> show up in both. I talked about Deep Space Industries a few years back. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-threat-to-national-security-new.html#asteroid">January 25, 2013</a>)<br />
<br />
Deep Space Industries' focus is on asteroid mining: which has the advantage of avoiding legal issues rooted in the <a href="http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/oosa/SpaceLaw/outerspt.html">Outer Space Treaty</a> of 1966.<br />
<br />
Shackleton Energy Company may be counting on world leaders to change their minds — or maybe they have really good lawyers. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/luxembourg-and-asteroid-mining.html#law">February 5, 2016</a>)<br />
<br />
The Space Review's article focuses on "commercial prospects for activities in low Earth orbit."<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="looking"></a>Looking Beyond the Lab</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bigelow_Expandable_Activity_Module_at_Bigelow%E2%80%99s_facility_in_Las_Vegas.jpg"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160405-Bigelow_Expandable_Activity_Module_at_Bigelow_facility_in_Las_Vegas-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Stephanie Schierholz/NASA, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(BEAM (Bigelow Expandable Activity Module) at Bigelow's Las Vegas facility last year (March 12, 2015))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...What emerged from that discussion is that the technical infrastructure needed for performing research in LEO, particularly by people, is finally coming together. Orbital ATK and SpaceX have vehicles to transport cargo to and from the ISS that can also be used commercially, while Sierra Nevada Corporation is developing its own cargo vehicle that will be ready in a few years. Boeing and SpaceX, meanwhile, are making progress on commercial crew vehicles that are scheduled to make test flights next year. And Bigelow has its B330 modules that the company says will be ready once commercial crew systems enter service.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>What was less clear from that discussion, though, was the demand for those systems: who will want a commercial space station, particularly when the commercial viability of LEO research remains uncertain?</i><br />
<br />
"<i>NASA argues that it is trying to stimulate that demand now on the ISS, with the goal of having sufficient demand to support commercial suppliers by the time the station is retired in the 2020s. 'Private industry is the driver for the development and the sustainment of the supply,' said Sam Scimemi, ISS director at NASA Headquarters, describing the agency's vision for commercialization in LEO.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The demand for those commercial facilities, Scimemi said, could include NASA, but only as one customer of many at most. 'We expect that the majority of the demand will be private-sector driven,' he said. 'The majority of the NASA focus will be on beyond low Earth orbit.'...</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2958/1">Jeff Foust</a>, The Space Review)</blockquote>
I'm not surprised that "the commercial viability of LEO research" is problematical. There's not all that much demand back on Earth, at least not yet.<br />
<br />
We didn't have Earth-based <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_park#History">research parks</a> until the 1950s. These days we've got <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_research_parks">hundreds</a>, which sounds like a lot: but that's hundreds <b><i>total</i></b> on the planet, including about 170 in North America.<br />
<br />
They're generally associated with a previously-existing university: and I'd be astonished if we're within a generation of seeing the first orbital university campus.<br />
<br />
My guess is that folks who are "chasing long-held visions of using space not just for research but also for manufacturing" are on the right track.<br />
<br />
This is still speculation, but we're discovering that some materials, behave <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station#Microgravity">differently</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_fall">free fall</a>:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Current technology indicates that a microgravity environment has enabled researchers to grow three-dimensional tissues that have characteristics similar to body tissues and to produce protein crystals to aid in novel pharmaceutical development....</i>"<br />
("<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080123150641/http://pdlprod3.hosc.msfc.nasa.gov/A-fieldsresearch/index.html#3">Fields of Research</a>," International Space Station Payload Information Source, via Internet Archive Wayback Machine)</blockquote>
I'd love to give examples of some specific drug that can only be made in low Earth orbit, or another manufacturing process that makes economic sense there. As far as I know, there isn't one. Not today.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="needs"></a>"Needs" Change</h4>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Comparison_satellite_navigation_orbits.svg"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160407-768px-Comparison_satellite_navigation_orbits-svg-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Cmglee, Geo Swan; via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(Orbits of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPS">GPS</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GLONASS">GLONASS</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BeiDou_Navigation_Satellite_System#BeiDou-2">Galileo</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass_navigation_system">Compass (medium earth orbit)</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_navigation_system">satellite navigation system</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station">International Space Station</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubble_Space_Telescope">Hubble Space Telescope</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridium_constellation">Iridium constellation</a>.)
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...'What can we not do without that we have to get from space?' asked Frank Culbertson, president of Orbital ATK's space systems division, about that search for a killer app for LEO research. 'We don't have that yet.'...</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2958/1">Jeff Foust</a>, The Space Review)</blockquote>
"What we can not do without" has changed quite a bit since I started noticing things — <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_satellite">communications</a> satellites, for example.<br />
<br />
The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Telecommunication_Union">International Telegraph Union</a> became a United Nations specialized agency in 1947. Now we're calling it the International Telecommunication Union, and one of its functions is sorting out disputes between folks who want their satellites in the similar orbits.<br />
<br />
I remember when <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telstar#In_service">Telstar</a> satellites were experimental, and when a live transatlantic broadcast was international news. We still don't "need" communications satellites: but we certainly notice when a live video feed from another continent isn't as crystal-clear as local coverage.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_satellite">Weather</a> satellites predate Telstar by a few years. Collecting data from remote areas, and Earth's ocean, helped make weather forecasting a whole lot more reliable than in my 'good old days.'<br />
<br />
As with communications satellites, maybe we don't "need" accurate weather forecasts the way we need food and water: but knowing the odds that a tornado is coming is nice.<br />
<br />
So is having National Weather Service who aren't afraid to tell us. I really do not miss the 'good old days.' (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/asteroid-readiness-and-spacex-test.html#worcester">January 16, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="faqs"></a>FAQs</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BEAM_mock-up_interior.jpg"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160405-BEAM_mock-up_interior-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From NASA, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(BEAM mockup interior (2014))<br />
<br />
<iframe align="right" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="185" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/F78fucCz2Jk?rel=0" width="329"></iframe>Like most of the rest of the ISS, Bigelow's BEAM module has no windows: and doesn't need them, since it's there to 'flight test' Bigelow Aerospace inflatable habitat technology.<br />
<br />
I'm fascinated by this sort of thing.<br />
<br />
Your experience may vary: but if your day won't be complete without a learning more, I put a link list of resources at the end of this post.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/beam-prototype-habitat-bigelows-plans.html#3">3</a></sup><br />
<br />
Here's an excerpt from a FAQ I didn't include in that list.<br />
<ul>
<li>In its packed configuration, the module will measure approximately 8 feet in diameter.</li>
<li>In its expanded configuration, BEAM's internal dimensions provide 565 cubic feet of volume.</li>
<li>BEAM's mass is approximately 3,000 pounds.</li>
<li>BEAM is composed of: two metal bulkheads, an aluminum structure, and multiple layers of soft fabric with spacing between layers, protecting an internal restraint and bladder system. It has no windows.</li>
<li>BEAM will be attached to the aft section of the Tranquility Node on the International Space Station.</li>
<li>BEAM's mission duration is two years.</li>
<li>BEAM is outfitted with various sensors and radiation monitors.<br />
(Source: "<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/feature/beam-facts-figures-faqs">BEAM Facts, Figures, FAQs</a>," NASA (July 17, 2015))</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="robert"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">3. </span>Robert Bigelow: "Foretastes of the Space Age"</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-05-02/robert-bigelow-plans-a-real-estate-empire-in-space"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160406--1x-1-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Michael Friberg, Bloomberg Businessweek; used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>A cutaway showing the interior of the Olympus habitat, which has a volume more than double that of the International Space Station</i>"<br />
(Bloomberg Businessweek))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-05-02/robert-bigelow-plans-a-real-estate-empire-in-space">A Las Vegas billionaire plans to build a real estate empire in space</a>"<br />
Adam Higginbotham, Bloomberg Businessweek (May 2, 2013)<br />
<br />
"<i>Robert Bigelow was no more than 9 years old when he heard his first atom bomb explosion. He was upstairs in his bedroom, in a two-story brick house in Las Vegas. There was a low rumble in the early hours of the morning; a bright flash seared the horizon. 'All of a sudden,' Bigelow remembers, 'it lights up like daytime.'...</i><br />
<br />
"<i>...As he grew up in the Las Vegas of the early ’50s—then still a small town—foretastes of the Space Age transfixed him: exotic jet planes screaming overhead from Nellis Air Force Base and stories of UFO sightings recounted by friends and family. At 12, Bigelow decided that his future lay in space travel, despite his limitations. 'I hated algebra,' he says. 'I knew I was no good at it.' So he resolved to choose a career that would make him rich enough that, one day, he could hire the scientific expertise required to launch his own space program. Until then, he would tell no one—not even his wife—about his ultimate goal. It took more than 40 years....</i>"</blockquote>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bigelow">Robert Bigelow</a> is a few years older than I am, looks quite a few years younger, is a great deal richer. About the latter two: I don't mind.<br />
<br />
Folks like him, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Cousteau">Jacques Cousteau</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldsworthy_Gurney">Sir Goldsworthy Gurney</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton">Sir Isaac Newton</a> are among the reasons I do not mind uneven distribution of wealth. As I've said before, being rich <b><i>or</i></b> poor is okay. What matters is what we do with our lives. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/moderation-and-pythagorean-dribble-glass.html#detachment">January 25, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/talents-and-best-news-ever.html#doing">November 16, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Differences between folks isn't the problem: it's <b><i>unjust</i></b> differences. I've talked about the universal destination of goods, social justice, and Beaver Cleaver, before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/defensive-architecture-and-tobit.html">January 17, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/beaver-cleaver-and-common-good.html">May 3, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Bigelow's sometimes called a "hotel magnate," which means that he owns <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budget_Suites_of_America">Budget Suites of America</a>: and has been <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bigelow#Career">developing</a> hotels, motels and apartments since the late 1960s.<br />
<br />
He's talked about hotels in space, maybe because that's likely to spark interest. He also sees other possibilities: like mining <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium-3">Helium-3</a> on Earth's moon. It's used in cryogenics and MRI machines, and (theoretically) could be used in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium-3#Fusion_reactions">fusion</a> reactors — eventually.<br />
<br />
The ESA and China have been talking about He-3 lunar mining:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Preparing_for_the_Future/Space_for_Earth/Energy/Helium-3_mining_on_the_lunar_surface">Helium-3 Mining on the Lunar Surface</a>"<br />
Space for Earth, Preparing for the Future, ESA</li>
<li>"<a href="http://www.mining.com/china-is-taking-lunar-mining-seriously-65595/">China is taking lunar mining seriously</a>"<br />
Frik Els, Mining.com (August 3, 2014)</li>
</ul>
Maybe that pesky Outer Space Treaty will finally get scrapped. Or ignored.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="space"></a>Space for Rent: Looking at Numbers</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-05-02/robert-bigelow-plans-a-real-estate-empire-in-space"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160406-QuadBA330Complex-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Michael Friberg, Bloomberg Businessweek; used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>The B330 can be deployed by multiple launch vehicles and features an architecture designed with modular expansion in mind. A single B330 can be joined in orbit by multiple vehicles, in addition to other B330 and Bigelow Aerospace spacecraft.</i>"<br />
(Bigelow Aerospace))<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Although he'll be quite happy to sell habitats outright to his customers, he points out that for NASA—or the agencies of any other newly budget-conscious nations with ambitions beyond earth's atmosphere—leasing is by far the more affordable option. For only $51.25 million, Bigelow's sales brochure suggests, a client can travel to the Alpha Station and enjoy dominion over 110 cubic meters for 60 days.</i><br />
<br />
"<i> 'The main thing is trying to save them a lot of money on good quality hardware,' he says. Bigelow's intention is to become the first full-service landlord in space. 'Bring your clothes and your money. We provide everything else.'...</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-05-02/robert-bigelow-plans-a-real-estate-empire-in-space">Adam Higginbotham</a>, Bloomberg Businessweek)</blockquote>
<a name="let"></a>Let's look at the numbers: 110 cubic meters, 60 days, $51,250,000 U.S. dollars. At first glance, that looks like a lot of money: and it is, for someone like me. We're making our own laundry detergent and growing produce out back to make ends meet.<br />
<br />
But let's say that I want, or could use, two months in low Earth orbit; and had a company in Ohio with an annual revenue of between $10,000,0000 and $1,000,000,000.<br />
<br />
That's a "<a href="http://www.middlemarketcenter.org/research-reports/state-of-the-middle-market-in-ohio">middle market</a>" company, according to Ohio State University's <a href="http://www.middlemarketcenter.org/">National Center for the Middle Market</a>.<br />
<br />
It's still a lot of money, but at middle market's high end, it'd be very roughly 1/20th of the company's annual revenue.<br />
<br />
Let's see how much room that gets me. 110 cubic meters is just over 3,884 cubic feet.<br />
<br />
A standard 40-foot <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermodal_container#Specifications">intermodal container</a> — that's one of those big metal boxes you see on container ships, railroad flatcars, or hauled by semitrailers — holds 3,040 cubic feet, or 86.1 cubic meters. That's about as much as a <b><i>really</i></b> small American <a href="http://chicago.curbed.com/2015/2/26/9987282/micro-week-house-calls">studio apartment</a>.<br />
<br />
If it was job-related, I can imagine living in something that size for two months: even if equipment and supplies took up much of the volume. Bear in mind that I spend 12 to 14 hours a day at my desk, virtually plugged in to my computer. My idea of 'roomy' and yours may not be the same.<br />
<br />
If Mr. Bigelow's "everything else" included air, water, food, power, and basic furniture, that $854.17 per day price tag doesn't seem so extravagant.<br />
<br />
I checked, and that 'per day' rate is a bit less than I'd pay for one day at the <a href="http://www.nemacolin.com/accommodations/rate/">Nemacolin Woodlands Resort</a> (Pennsylvania) Chateau Lafayette Club Suite on a summer weekend or holiday.<br />
<br />
I think Bigelow Aerospace may take off: literally and financially.<br />
<br />
Even if that company doesn't, I'm quite sure that other folks will continue humanity's old habit of heading for the horizon:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html">Reaching for the Stars</a>"<br />
(March 25, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#rockets">Rockets in Space: "Absurd?"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#afterword">Afterword: "A Planet is the Cradle...."</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/luxembourg-and-asteroid-mining.html">Luxembourg and Asteroid Mining</a>"<br />
(February 5, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/luxembourg-and-asteroid-mining.html#universal">Universal Destination of Goods and the Monkees</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/luxembourg-and-asteroid-mining.html#grand">A Grand Duchy and Space Mining</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/luxembourg-and-asteroid-mining.html#luxembourg">Luxembourg's Space Mining Law: It's a Start</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/luxembourg-and-asteroid-mining.html#law">Law and Looking Ahead</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/barsoom-development-ltd.html">Barsoom Development Ltd.</a>"<br />
(January 8, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/barsoom-development-ltd.html#mars">Mars and Humanity's Long Journey</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/barsoom-development-ltd.html#vine">A Vine, a Fig Tree, a Cistern, a Habitat Module - - -</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/barsoom-development-ltd.html#psalms">Psalms, Wisdom, and Getting a Grip</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/barsoom-development-ltd.html#curiosity">Curiosity, Robonaut2, and being Human</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/barsoom-development-ltd.html#living">Living and Dying on Mars</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/spacex-mars-and-someday-stars.html">SpaceX, Mars, and Someday the Stars</a>"<br />
(December 24, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/spacex-mars-and-someday-stars.html#faith">Faith, Fear, and Being Human</a></li>
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/spacex-mars-and-someday-stars.html#spacex">SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Cargo Runs</a>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/harpooning-rubber-duck-comet-public.html">Harpooning the 'Rubber Duck' Comet; Public Safety — and Space Aliens</a>"<br />
(November 7, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/harpooning-rubber-duck-comet-public.html#science">Science, the International Space Station, and All That</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<sup><a name="1">1</a></sup> I talked about UTC, 'Earth time,' last year. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/plutos-whale-comet-67ps-sinkholes.html#1">July 10, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Briefly, "UTC" stands for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordinated_Universal_Time">Coordinated Universal Time</a>, an acronym that happened when folks speaking French and English couldn't agree on an acronym.<br />
<br />
UTC is based on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Atomic_Time#Operation">International Atomic Time</a>: a time standard set by the weighted average of over 400 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_clock">atomic clocks</a> in more than 50 laboratories at various spots at or near Earth's surface — coordinated by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System">GPS</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-way_satellite_time_and_frequency_transfer">two-way satellite time and frequency transfer</a>.<br />
<br />
<sup><a name="2">2</a></sup> My faith's basic 'to do' list is quite simple. I should love God, love my neighbors, see everyone as my neighbor, and treat others as I'd like to be treated. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.43">Matthew 5:43</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.44">44</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.12">7:12</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.36">22:36</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.40">40</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.28">Mark 12:28</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.31">31</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWP.HTM#GOSP.LUK.6.31">Luke 6:31</a> <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.25">10:25</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.27">27</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.29">29</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.37">37</a>; Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a6.htm#1789">1789</a>)<br />
<br />
Acting as if that's true: that's what gets hard.<br />
<br />
<sup><a name="3">3</a></sup> Background, far from exhaustive from:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bigelowaerospace.com/">Bigelow Aerospace</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://bigelowaerospace.com/b330/">B 330</a></li>
<li><a href="http://bigelowaerospace.com/beam/">BEAM: The Experimental Platform</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigelow_Aerospace">Bigelow Aerospace</a></li>
<li>Bigelow Aerospace orbital modules<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BA_330">BA 330</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BA_2100">BA 2100</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigelow_Expandable_Activity_Module">Bigelow Expandable Activity Module</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_I">Genesis I</a><br />
(Launched 2006)</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_II">Genesis II</a><br />
(Launched 2007)</li>
<li>International Space Station (ISS)<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_%28ISS_module%29">Columbus (ISS module)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupola_%28ISS_module%29">Cupola (ISS module)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmony_%28ISS_module%29">Harmony (ISS module)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station">International Space Station</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibo_%28ISS_module%29">Kibo (ISS module)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origins_of_the_International_Space_Station">Origins of the International Space Station</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tranquility_%28ISS_module%29">Tranquility (ISS module)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zvezda_%28ISS_module%29">Zvezda (ISS module)</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_architecture">Space architecture</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX">SpaceX</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docking_and_berthing_of_spacecraft">Docking and berthing of spacecraft</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_%28spacecraft%29">Dragon 9spacecraft)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station">International Space Station</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX">SpaceX</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>NASA<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/news/beam_feature.html">NASA to Test Bigelow Expandable Module on Space Station</a>"<br />
Feature, International Space Station (January 13, 2016)</li>
<li>"<a href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/bolden/2015/03/12/american-made-technology-and-innovative-commercial-partnerships-advance-our-journey-into-the-solar-system/">American-Made Technology and Innovative Commercial Partnerships Advance Our Journey into the Solar System</a>"<br />
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology John P. Holdren; NASA (March 12, 2015)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/CMoore_AES.pdf">Advanced Exploration Systems</a>" (.pdf)<br />
NASA Advisory Council, Technology, Innovation, and Engineering Committee (December 4, 2014)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-42493838049763020852016-04-03T08:00:00.001-05:002016-04-03T11:11:54.174-05:00Hoping for and Needing Mercy<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/victory-and-standing-orders.html"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/John_Martin_-_The_Last_Judgement_-_Google_Art_Project-detail658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From John Martin, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-communist-crucifix-and-other.html#judgement"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/356px-Sinners_in_the_Hands_of_an_Angry_God_by_Jonathan_Edwards_1741-329.jpg" /></a>I care about God's mercy because I'm a sinner, which doesn't mean what you may think.<br />
<br />
First, a quick review of what I <b><i>don't</i></b> believe is true. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html#thats">March 15, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
I'm not "some loathsome insect," and neither are you:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...every unconverted Man properly belongs to Hell....</i>"<br />
<br />
"<i>...The God that holds you over the Pit of Hell, much as one holds a Spider, or some loathsome Insect, over the Fire, abhors you....</i>"<br />
<br />
"<i>...you will be wholly lost and thrown away of God....</i>"<br />
("<a href="http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1053&context=etas">Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God</a>," pp. 6, 9, 15, 18; Jonathan Edwards (July 8, 1741) <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(via Digital Commons@University of Nebraska-Lincoln))</span></blockquote>
Samuel Clemens apparently had a well-defined attitude regarding "converted" folks, and I can't say that I blame him:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>I don't like to commit myself about heaven and hell - you see, I have friends in both places.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>When I think of the number of disagreeable people that I know who have gone to a better world, I am sure hell won't be so bad at all.</i>"<br />
(Mark Twain, p.<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=ouvzTy3AD9AC&pg=PA377">377</a> of Evan Esar, "20,000 quips & quotes" (1968))<br />
<br />
"<i>[H]eaven for climate, Hell for society.</i>"<br />
(Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), Speech to the Acorn Society (1901); via <a href="https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mark_Twain">Wikiquote.org</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: 'All right, then I'll <b>go</b> to Hell.</i>"<br />
(Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), via Bartlett's Quotations, 16th ed.)</blockquote>
<h4>
<a name="still"></a>Still "in the Divine Image"</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/climate-summit-costumes-and-smog-brick.html#basically"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/ISS007-E-7304_-90-329.JPG" /></a>Catholics don't, or shouldn't, think that we're 'loathsome insects' that belong in Hell. We have free will, so going native is an option: and another topic.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/hoping-for-and-needing-mercy.html#1">1</a></sup><br />
<br />
God makes us, and this universe, and God doesn't make junk. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.31">Genesis 1:31</a>; Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c1.htm#31">31</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#299">299</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p6.htm#355">355</a>)<br />
<br />
We're rational creatures who can decide what we do, like angels. Unlike angels, we are also material creatures: spiritual beings with a body made from the stuff of this world. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#311">311</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p5.htm#325">325</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p5.htm#348">348</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a1.htm#1704">1704</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1730">1730</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1731">1731</a>)<br />
<br />
Something went wrong, obviously. Glancing through headlines tells you that.<br />
<br />
But we're still made "in the divine image," as <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.27">Genesis 1:27</a> puts it.<br />
<br />
The first of us — Adam and Eve aren't German<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/hoping-for-and-needing-mercy.html#2">2</a></sup> — decided that they'd do what they wanted, even though it meant disobeying God. Then Adam tried blaming his wife, and God: and things went downhill from there. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P5.HTM#PENT.GEN.3.1">Genesis 3:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P5.HTM#PENT.GEN.3.12">12</a>)<br />
<br />
We've been living with the disastrous consequences of that bad decision ever since. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#396">396</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#412">412</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="sin"></a>Sin</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/02/talking-about-sin.html"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150131-394px-Laughing_Sinners_1931-165.jpg" /></a>Sin<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/hoping-for-and-needing-mercy.html#3">3</a></sup> is <b><i>not</i></b> a handful of activities I either don't enjoy, can't participate in, or actively dislike.<br />
<br />
It is what happens when I decide not to do something I should; or decide to do something I know is bad for myself or others, and do it anyway. It "is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience" — and God. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1849">1849</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1864">1864</a>)<br />
<br />
I know that I should unceasingly love my neighbors, see everybody as my neighbor, and treat others as I want to be treated. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.43">Matthew 5:43</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.44">44</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.12">7:12</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.36">22:36</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.40">40</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.28">Mark 12:28</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.31">31</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWP.HTM#GOSP.LUK.6.31">Luke 6:31</a> <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.25">10:25</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.27">27</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.29">29</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.37">37</a>)<br />
<br />
But I don't. I've got lots of company, and there's a reason for that.<br />
<br />
God <b><i>could</i></b> have created an unchanging universe, but didn't: not in our case, at any rate. We're in a "state of journeying" toward perfection, but we're not there yet. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#302">302</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#310">310</a>)<br />
<br />
We started out in harmony with ourselves, with the world, and with God: but that harmony is broken. Human nature has been wounded: but not corrupted. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p6.htm#374">374</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#400">400</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#406">406</a>)<br />
<br />
I can decide to do what is good: but it won't be easy. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#407">407</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#409">409</a>)<br />
<br />
Trying to do what is right doesn't set me apart from the rest of humanity.<br />
<br />
We're not divided into 'good' people who are like me and 'bad' people who aren't. Life isn't that simple. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/we-killed-jesus.html#sin">March 22, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/pope-francis-and-nietzsche.html#good">September 27, 2015</a>)<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...But there is another temptation which we must especially guard against: the simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners....</i>"<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/hoping-for-and-needing-mercy.html#4">4</a></sup><br />
("<a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/september/documents/papa-francesco_20150924_usa-us-congress.html">Visit to the Congress of the United States of America</a>," Pope Francis (September 24, 2015))</blockquote>
<h4>
<a name="very"></a>A Very High Standard</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html#hellfire"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/1024px-John_Martin_-_Pandemonium_-_WGA14149-detail658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From John Martin, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
<br />
After the end of all things, I'll be with our Lord in Heaven: or not. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm#1023">1023</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm#1029">1029</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm#1033">1033</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm#1037">1037</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm#1042">1042</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm#1050">1050</a>)<br />
<br />
Nobody's dragged, kicking and screaming, into Heaven: so at my particular judgment I could walk away from our Lord. That's a daft option: but it is an option. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm#1021">1021</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm#1022">1022</a>)<br />
<br />
Justice<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/hoping-for-and-needing-mercy.html#5">5</a></sup> is important. So is mercy. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm#1805">1805</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm#1829">1829</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1861">1861</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a2.htm#1991">1991</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a2.htm#2011">2011</a>)<br />
<br />
I hope for mercy, so I try to forgive others. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVF.HTM#GOSP.MAT.6.12">Matthew 6: 12</a>)<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWP.HTM#$3JT">13</a></sup> 'Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.'</i> "<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWP.HTM#GOSP.LUK.6.37">Luke 6:37</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWP.HTM#GOSP.LUK.6.38">38</a>)</blockquote>
Our Lord set a very high standard for forgiveness:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX6.HTM#GOSP.LUK.23.34">Luke 23:34</a>)</blockquote>
Forgiving others doesn't mean ignoring trouble.<br />
<br />
Sin isn't just about me and God. I'm not loving my neighbor if I see nothing wrong with someone hurting my neighbor. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2.htm#2196">2196</a>)<br />
<br />
Judging whether an act is good or bad is a basic requirement for being human. It's part of using my conscience. We're even expected to think about the actions of others. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a6.htm#1778">1778</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2401">2401</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2449">2449</a>)<br />
<br />
This isn't self-righteousness. It's hating the sin, loving the sinner: and leaving the judging of persons to God. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1861">1861</a>)<br />
<br />
Before a quick overview of Divine Mercy Sunday, and the Divine Mercy devotion here in Sauk Centre; the best news we've ever had: <b><i>God loves us, and wants to adopt us.</i></b> All of us. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX9.HTM#GOSP.JOH.1.12">John 1:12</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX9.HTM#GOSP.JOH.1.14">14</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXB.HTM#GOSP.JOH.3.17">3:17</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYW.HTM#NTLET.ROM.8.14">Romans 8:14</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYW.HTM#NTLET.ROM.8.17">17</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P127.HTM#CATHL.2PET.1.3">Peter 1:3</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P127.HTM#CATHL.2PET.1.4">4</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c1.htm#27">27</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c1.htm#30">30</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a1.htm#52">52</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm#1825">1825</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a2.htm#1996">1996</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="divine"></a>Divine Mercy Sunday</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2009/04/divine-mercy-sunday-few-words-link-or.html"><img align="right" src="http://www.brendans-island.com/images/jccarv20.JPG" /></a>Sauk Centre, Minnesota, was <a href="http://brendans-island.com/mercy/index.htm">dedicated</a> to the Divine Mercy<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/hoping-for-and-needing-mercy.html#6">6</a></sup> on Divine Mercy Sunday, 1982. That's the year my wife and I married, it's her home town, we moved here a few years later, and that's yet another topic.<br />
<br />
The Divine Mercy devotion started in Poland, where Saint Maria Faustyna (Faustina) Kowalska lived.<br />
<br />
I've heard that official approval of the devotion took as long as it did in part because her diary was written in Polish — and folks at the Vatican had been reading a botched translation.<br />
<br />
We eventually got a Polish pope, Pope Saint <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_Paul_II">John Paul II</a>, who could read the diary in its original Polish. That was good news for folks here in Sauk Centre: and elsewhere.<br />
<br />
I put a resource link list at the end of this post.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/hoping-for-and-needing-mercy.html#6">6</a></sup><br />
<br />
Divine Mercy Sunday is the Sunday following Easter, so it moves around the calendar a bit. This year it's April 2, today.<br />
<br />
There's an image associated with the devotion, showing Jesus with two rays coming from our Lord's wounded heart; one red, the other white — representing blood and water. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXR.HTM#GOSP.JOH.19.34">John 19:34</a>)<br />
<br />
Sauk Centre's Divine Mercy devotion uses a carving my father-in-law made, based on St. Faustina's picture. A photo like the one up there takes its place at St. Paul's church, when the carving is on tour.<br />
<br />
Pope St. John Paul II talked about the Divine Mercy, and what the red and white rays mean, when Sr. Mary Faustina Kowalska was canonized:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...'Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever' (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PJ2.HTM#WISDB.PSA.118.1">Ps 118: 1</a>). So the Church sings on the Octave of Easter, as if receiving from Christ's lips these words of the Psalm; from the lips of the risen Christ, who bears the great message of divine mercy and entrusts its ministry to the Apostles in the Upper Room: 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.... Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained' (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXS.HTM#GOSP.JOH.20.21">Jn 20: 21</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXS.HTM#GOSP.JOH.20.23">23</a>).</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Before speaking these words, Jesus shows his hands and his side. He points, that is, to the wounds of the Passion, especially the wound in his heart, the source from which flows the great wave of mercy poured out on humanity. From that heart Sr Faustina Kowalska, the blessed whom from now on we will call a saint, will see two rays of light shining from that heart and illuminating the world: 'The two rays', Jesus himself explained to her one day, 'represent blood and water' (Diary, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, p. 132)....</i>"<br />
("<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/homilies/2000/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20000430_faustina.html">Canonization of Sr. Mary Faustina Kowalska</a>," Pope St. John Paul II (April 30, 2000) (Divine Mercy Sunday))</blockquote>
There's a Divine Mercy <a href="http://brendans-island.com/mercy/chaplet.htm">chaplet</a> and a <a href="http://brendans-island.com/mercy/novena.htm">novena</a> — and that's yet again another topic.<br />
<br />
More of my take on mercy, love, and living as if God matters:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/mercy-and-prodigal-son.html">Mercy and the Prodigal Son</a>"<br />
(March 9, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/mercy-and-prodigal-son.html#sin">Sin, Sinners, and Me</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/mercy-and-prodigal-son.html#mercy">Mercy and Grave Offenses</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html">Mercy!</a>"<br />
(December 13, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html#merciful">"Merciful Like the Father"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html#mercy">Mercy and Forgiveness</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html#relying">Relying on God's Mercy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html#forgiveness">"...The Forgiveness of God Cannot be Denied...."</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>" <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/life-death-and-love.html">Life, Death, and Love</a> "<br />
(November 1, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/life-death-and-love.html#life">Life, Death, and Beyond</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html">Hate People? Not an Option</a>"<br />
(September 6, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html#love">Love: <i>NO EXCEPTIONS</i></a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html#sin">Sin and Forgiveness</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html#death">Death and Decisions</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html">Fire, Brimstone, and Lollipop Faith</a>"<br />
(March 15, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html#God">God Doesn't Hate You: But He's No Patsy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html#hellfire">Hellfire and Lollipops</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html#living">Living the Truth</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html#responsibility">Responsibility and an Ancient Mandate</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<sup><a name="1">1</a></sup> More about 'going native' — or not:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><b>go native</b> (of a settler) to adopt the lifestyle of the local population, esp when it appears less civilized</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/going+native">the Free Online Dictionary</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i><b>Go native</b> is an expression meaning 'to adopt the lifestyle or outlook of local inhabitants'.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_native">Wikipedia</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>to go native (third-person singular simple present goes native, present participle going native, simple past went native, past participle gone native)</i><br />
<ol>
<li><i>(idiomatic) To adopt the lifestyle or outlook of local inhabitants, especially when dwelling in a colonial region; to become less refined under the influence of a less cultured, more primitive, or simpler social environment.</i></li>
<li><i>(idiomatic) Of a contractor or consultant, to begin working directly as an employee for a company and cease to work through a contracting firm or agency.</i>"</li>
</ol>
(<a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/go_native">Wiktionary</a>)
</blockquote>
As a Christian and Catholic, my duty is "to contribute along with the civil authorities to the good of society in a spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom...." (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a4.htm#2239">2239</a>)<br />
<br />
I'm in the world, but do not 'belong to' the world. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXP.HTM#GOSP.JOH.17.16">John 17:16</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXP.HTM#GOSP.JOH.17.18">18</a>)<br />
<br />
But being 'so heavenly-minded I'm no earthly good' isn't an option:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/not-going-native.html">(Not) 'Going Native'</a> "<br />
(August 30, 2015)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html">Fire, Brimstone, and Lollipop Faith</a>"<br />
(March 15, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html#hellfire">Hellfire and Lollipops</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/reforming-world-we-must-try.html">Reforming the World — We Must Try</a>"<br />
(September 28, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/reforming-world-we-must-try.html#one">One of 'Those Crazy Kids:' Five Decades Later</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/reforming-world-we-must-try.html#social">Social Justice</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/reforming-world-we-must-try.html#faith">Faith, Works, and Perspective</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="2">2</a></sup> I keep saying this: I think this universe is billions, not thousands, of years old; Earth isn't flat; Adam and Eve aren't German; poetry isn't science; and thinking is not a sin:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/organics-on-comet-and-earths-early.html">Organics on a Comet, and Earth's Early Magnetism</a>"<br />
(August 7, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/organics-on-comet-and-earths-early.html#adam">Adam and Eve Aren't German</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/new-horizons-past-pluto-outward-bound.html">New Horizons: Past Pluto, Outward Bound</a>"<br />
(July 17, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/new-horizons-past-pluto-outward-bound.html#truth">"Truth Cannot Contradict Truth" — or — Thinking is Not a Sin</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/new-maps-for-earth-and-moon-and-indias.html">New Maps for Earth and Moon, and India's Mars Mission</a>"<br />
(October 10, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/new-maps-for-earth-and-moon-and-indias.html#God">God: Infinite and Eternal, Almighty and Ineffable</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/sagittarius-b2-water-and-asteroid-mining.html">Sagittarius B2, Water, and Asteroid Mining </a>"<br />
(October 3, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/sagittarius-b2-water-and-asteroid-mining.html#pillars">Pillars Beneath Earth and NASA</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/kapteyn-b-habitable-zones-and-using-our.html">Kapteyn b, Habitable Zones, and Using Our Brains</a>"<br />
(July 18, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/kapteyn-b-habitable-zones-and-using-our.html#copernicus">Copernicus and Newfangled Ideas</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/kapteyn-b-habitable-zones-and-using-our.html#poetry">Poetry isn't Science</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="3">3</a></sup> Sin, defined and discussed —
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><b>SIN:</b> An offense against God as well as a fault against reason, truth, and right conscience. Sin is a deliberate thought, word, deed, or omission contrary to the eternal law of God. In judging the gravity of sin, it is customary to distinguish between mortal and venial sins (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1849">1849</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1853">1853</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1853">1854</a>).</i>"<br />
(Catechism, Glossary, <a href="http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/epub/OEBPS/51-glossary.xhtml#glossS">S</a>)</blockquote>
My take on sin:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html">Sex, Satan, and Me: Getting a Grip</a>"<br />
(July 12, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#satan">Satan, Sin, and Being Human</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#respect">Respect, Dignity, and Drunk Driving</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#law">Law, Love, and Nine Judges</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/02/talking-about-sin.html">Talking About Sin</a>"<br />
(February 1, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/02/talking-about-sin.html#choice">Choice and Consequences</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="4">4</a></sup> More from that speech:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...<b>On religious fundamentalism:</b> 'In any confession there will be a small group of fundamentalists whose work is to destroy in the interests of an idea, not of a reality. Reality is superior to an idea. God, whether in Judaism, in Christianity, or in Islam, in the faith of those three peoples, accompanies God's people with his presence. In the Bible we see it, Muslims in the Quran. Our God is a God of nearness, which accompanies. Fundamentalists push God away from the companionship of his people; they dis-incarnate him, they transform him into an ideology. Therefore, in the name of this ideological God, they kill, attack, destroy, and calumniate. Practically, they transform this God into a Baal, into an idol.'...</i>"<br />
("<a href="http://www.religionnews.com/2015/09/14/pope-francis-jesus-popular-time-look-turned/">Pope Francis: 'Jesus was popular and look how that turned out'</a>," David Gibson, Religion News Service (September 14, 2015))
<br />
<hr />
"<i>...Our world is increasingly a place of violent conflict, hatred and brutal atrocities, committed even in the name of God and of religion. We know that no religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism. This means that we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism, whether religious or of any other kind. A delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology or an economic system, while also safeguarding religious freedom, intellectual freedom and individual freedoms. But there is another temptation which we must especially guard against: the simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners....</i>"<br />
("<a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/september/documents/papa-francesco_20150924_usa-us-congress.html">Visit to the Congress of the United States of America</a>," Pope Francis (September 24, 2015))</blockquote>
I recommend reading the entire address:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/PopeFrancisCubaUSA2015/PopeFrancescoCubaUSA2015Documents/papa-francesco_20150924_usa-us-congress.pdf">Visit to the Congress of the United States of America</a>"<br />
Pope Francis (September 24, 2015)<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From <a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/september/documents/papa-francesco_20150924_usa-us-congress.html">w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/september/documents/papa-francesco_20150924_usa-us-congress.html</a> (September 24, 2015))</span></li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="5">5</a></sup> Justice is one of the cardinal virtues. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm#1805">1805</a>)<br />
<br />
Feeling anger, a desire for revenge, is be a natural response to evil. Directing anger at a person, desiring revenge, may feel like justice, but it's wrong. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm#1472">1472</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a5.htm#1762">1762</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a5.htm#1766">1766</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2262">2262</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2302">2302</a>)<br />
<blockquote>"<i>By recalling the commandment, "You shall not kill,"<sup>94</sup> our Lord asked for peace of heart and denounced murderous anger and hatred as immoral.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Anger is a desire for revenge. 'To desire vengeance in order to do evil to someone who should be punished is illicit,' but it is praiseworthy to impose restitution 'to correct vices and maintain justice.'<sup>95</sup> If anger reaches the point of a deliberate desire to kill or seriously wound a neighbor, it is gravely against charity; it is a mortal sin. The Lord says, 'Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment.'<sup>96</sup></i>"<br />
(Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2302">2302</a>)</blockquote>
Seeking vengeance is a bad idea, and we shouldn't do it:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>We know the one who said: 'Vengeance is mine; I will repay,' and again: 'The Lord will judge his people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P11P.HTM#NTLET.HEB.10.30">Hebrews 10:30</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P11P.HTM#NTLET.HEB.10.31">31</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' Rather, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.' Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PZ0.HTM#NTLET.ROM.12.19">Romans 12:19</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PZ0.HTM#NTLET.ROM.12.21">21</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYQ.HTM#$46D">1</a></sup> Therefore, you are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYQ.HTM#$46E">2</a></sup> For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things. ... There is no partiality with God.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYQ.HTM#NTLET.ROM.2.1">Romans 2:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYQ.HTM#NTLET.ROM.2.11">11</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#$2Y4">1</a></sup> <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#$2Y5">2</a></sup> 'Stop judging, that you may not be judged. </i><i>For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.1">Matthew 7:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.2">2</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVF.HTM#$2XV">11</a></sup> If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVF.HTM#GOSP.MAT.6.14">Matthew 6:14</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVF.HTM#GOSP.MAT.6.15">15</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#$2X7">17</a></sup> But I say to you, whoever is angry <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#$2X8">18</a></sup> with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. </i>"
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.22">Matthew 5:22</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>The vengeful will suffer the LORD'S vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail. Forgive your neighbor's injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven. Should a man nourish anger against his fellows and expect healing from the LORD? Should a man refuse mercy to his fellows, yet seek pardon for his own sins? If he who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins?</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PMU.HTM#WISDB.SIR.28.1">Sirach 28:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PMU.HTM#WISDB.SIR.28.5">5</a>)</blockquote>
I've talked about justice, vengeance, and getting a grip, before:<br />
<ul>
<li>" <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/those-who-are-just-must-be-kind.html">'Those Who are Just Must be Kind'</a> "<br />
(July 20, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/those-who-are-just-must-be-kind.html#beginning">The Beginning of Wisdom</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/those-who-are-just-must-be-kind.html#fear">Fear of the Lord and Karaoke</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/vengeance-anger-and-looking-ahead.html">Vengeance, Anger, and Looking Ahead</a>"<br />
(July 13, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/vengeance-anger-and-looking-ahead.html#anger">Anger, Sin, and Getting a Grip</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/vengeance-anger-and-looking-ahead.html#avenger">"Avenger of Blood," "Forgive ... Injustice" — the Bible and Getting a Grip</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="6">6</a></sup> More about mercy, the Divine Mercy devotion, and St. Mary Faustina Kowalska:
<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco_bolla_20150411_misericordiae-vultus.html">Misericordiae Vultus - Bull of indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy</a>"<br />
Pope Francis (April 11, 2015) (the day before Divine Mercy Sunday)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2014/documents/papa-francesco_20140427_omelia-canonizzazioni.html">Holy Mass and the Canonization of Blesseds John XXIII and John Paul II</a>"<br />
Pope Francis (April 27, 2014) (Divine Mercy Sunday)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/homilies/2002/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20020817_shrine-divine-mercy.html">Mass and Dedication of the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki: Homily</a>"<br />
Pope St. John Paul II, Apostolic Voyage to Poland (August 17, 2002)</li>
<li>"<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/homilies/2000/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20000430_faustina.html">Canonization of Sr. Mary Faustina Kowalska</a>"<br />
Pope St. John Paul II (April 30, 2000) (Divine Mercy Sunday)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20000430_faustina_en.html">Mary Faustina Kowalska</a>"<br />
1905-1938<br />
News Services, Vatican.va</li>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_Mercy">Divine Mercy</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_Mercy#Devotion">Devotion</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faustina_Kowalska">Faustina Kowalska</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Marians of the Immaculate Conception<ul>
<li>Association of Marian Helpers<br />Stockbridge, MA 01263-0004</li>
<li>1 800 462 7426</li>
<li><a href="http://www.marian.org/">www.marian.org</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-10552503311037285612016-04-01T08:00:00.000-05:002016-04-26T16:29:46.606-05:00Synthetic Life, DNA Profiles<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/synthetic-life-dna-profiles.html#new"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160330-_88937591_page-1-image-1-329.jpg" /></a>Syn 3.0, developed by the Venter Institute, has fewer genes than any 'wild' bacteria. The 'artificial' microcritter is another important step in understanding how life works.<br />
<br />
On the other side of the Atlantic, folks in the United Kingdom will be deciding what to do about a bureaucratic SNAFU and their national DNA database.<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/synthetic-life-dna-profiles.html#new">New (Semi-) Synthetic Bacterium</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/synthetic-life-dna-profiles.html#sound">Sound, Fury, and Mutant Squirrels</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/synthetic-life-dna-profiles.html#biotech">Biotech 'Chassis?'</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/synthetic-life-dna-profiles.html#oops">Oops: UK DNA Database Deletion</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/synthetic-life-dna-profiles.html#fingerprints">Fingerprints, DNA Profiles: From Hammurabi to Scotland Yard</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/synthetic-life-dna-profiles.html#using">Using Knowledge Wisely and Well</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/synthetic-life-dna-profiles.html#it">'It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time'</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="ethics"></a>Ethics Matter</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/neurosynaptic-cores-and-retinal.html#rotwang"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/Metropolis_maria-329.jpg" /></a>We're a long way from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_%C4%8Capek">Čapek</a>'s fictional factory mass-producing synthetic people.<br />
<br />
I've talked about robots, real and imagined, Rotwang's ersatz girlfriend in "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_%281927_film%29">Metropolis</a>" — that chap had issues — and I'm getting off-topic. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/a-robotic-tentacle-and-disneys-baymax.html#frankensteins">May 22, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/neurosynaptic-cores-and-retinal.html#rotwang">August 15, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Or maybe not so much.<br />
<br />
I've seen attitudes toward science and technology shift from silly optimism to equally-silly pessimism.<br />
<br />
I am reasonably certainly that mutant <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/early-hands-mutant-mice.html#from">safflowers</a> won't destroy civilization. On the other hand, ethics matter as much now as they ever did.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="deciding"></a>Deciding to Act Like Humans</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/dogs-stone-tools-and-newly-discovered.html#dogs"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150527-_83027866_z9320379-eight_dogs_sitting_in_a_row-spl-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Carolyn A. McKeone/Science Photo Library, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
<br />
Studying this universe, bacteria included, and using what we learn, is part of our job. Ethics apply, as they do with everything we do. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2292">2292</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2296">2296</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2402">2402</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2405">2405</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2456">2456</a>)<br />
<br />
The world's resources are meant for our reasoned use, but our "dominion" is not absolute. Inflicting needless suffering on critters is a bad idea and we shouldn't do it: and we certainly should take our neighbor's needs into account. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2415">2415</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2418">2418</a>)<br />
<br />
I don't see a problem with editing a bacterium's genes: although I suppose someone, somewhere, worries about 'bacteria rights.' I've discussed synthetic organisms, like <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/mutant-cows-mass-migrations-and-brain.html#we">cows and chickens</a>; Laban's sheep; and <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYZ.HTM#NTLET.ROM.11.19">Romans 11:19</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYZ.HTM#NTLET.ROM.11.24">24</a>, before:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/early-hands-mutant-mice.html">Early Hands, Mutant Mice</a>"<br />
(August 28, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/early-hands-mutant-mice.html#super">"Super-Intelligent Mice" — Imagined and Real</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/early-hands-mutant-mice.html#from">From Laban's Sheep to Mutant Safflowers</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/early-hands-mutant-mice.html#rules">Rules, Principles - - -</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/early-hands-mutant-mice.html#speculation">- - - and Speculation</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
An easy way to approach new ideas is to assume that they're good because they're new: or bad for the same reason. "Easy" isn't necessarily "right," we've got brains and should use them, and I've been over that before, too: a lot. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/stones-sin-and-mercy.html#humans">March 13, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/not-going-native.html#faith">August 30, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Basically, humans are animals "...endowed with reason, capable of understanding and discernment...." (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a1.htm#1951">1951</a>)<br />
<br />
But we're not <b><i>just</i></b> animals. We're made in the image of God, with free will. We can think about our behavior, and decide what we do: or don't do. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.26">Genesis 1:26</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.27">27</a>: Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1.htm#1700">1700</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a1.htm#1706">1706</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1730">1730</a>)<br />
<br />
Or we can decide that thinking's too much work, and follow whatever impulse pops into our head. My experience has been that I'm better off if I <b><i>think</i></b> before I act. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1730">1730</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a6.htm#1778">1778</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm#1804">1804</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm#2339">2339</a>)<br />
<br />
And now, Syn 3.0: the latest thing in genetically edited critters.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="new"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. </span>New (Semi-) Synthetic Bacterium</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35895138"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160330-_88937591_page-1-image-1-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From AAAS/SCIENCE, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>The set of essential genes is specific to Syn 3.0; other bacteria, living under different conditions, will posses their own must-have minimal " genetic software'</i> "<br />
(BBC News))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35895138">Synthetic bug given 'fewest genes' </a>"<br />
Jonathan Amos, BBC News (March 25, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i><b>Scientists have taken another step in their quest to understand the bare genetic essentials of life.</b></i><br />
<br />
"<i>A team led by US research entrepreneur Craig Venter has created a semi-synthetic, functioning bacterium in the lab that has fewer than 500 genes.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>This minimal number is lower than in any known free-living bug in nature.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The group says its investigations aim to push the boundaries of fundamental knowledge and could lead to novel means to make new drugs and other chemicals.</i><br />
<br />
"<i> 'Our long-term vision has been to design and build synthetic organisms on demand where you can add in specific functions and predict what the outcome is going to be,' said Daniel Gibson, who is a co-author on a paper describing the latest work <a href="http://science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi/10.1126/science.aad6253">in Science Magazine</a>....</i>"</blockquote>
I wrote about Venter's project a few years back. I still think research at the J. Craig Venter Institute is a basically good idea. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2013/11/spears-dogs-and-artificial-organisms.html#synthetic">November 22, 2013</a>)<br />
<br />
That's not how everybody sees it, though.<br />
<br />
As a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_laboratorium#Concerns_and_controversy">Wikipedia</a> page said, "the main controversy from the project is the undue amount of publicity it received from the press due to Venter's showmanship...." I don't see that as a problem: but I worked in marketing for two decades, and that's another topic.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="sound"></a>Sound, Fury, and Mutant Squirrels</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/victory-and-standing-orders.html#mutant"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20141122SquirrelConspiracy-329.jpg" /></a>There's a juicy conspiracy theory or three lurking in details of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Craig_Venter_Institute">J. Craig Venter Institute</a>'s research.<br />
<br />
I enjoy conspiracy theories: in fiction.<br />
<br />
Which reminds me: my warning that mutant squirrels and corrupt pet store owners are plotting against humanity <b><i>is a joke</i></b>. I made it up. We need not fear being enslaved in the squirrels' nougat mines. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/victory-and-standing-orders.html#mutant">November 23, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Back to the Venter Institute.<br />
<br />
This genetic engineering research project started with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_genitalium">Mycoplasma genitalium</a>, a parasitic bacteria identified in the early 1980s.<br />
<br />
The good news is that the 'wild' variety can be killed with antibiotics. The bad news is that anyone infected with M. genitalium will need antibiotics: badly.<br />
<br />
The bug may or may not be transmitted through sexual intercourse — which means that rational discussion of treatment quite likely will get drowned out by emotion-drenched rants. Me? I prefer rational discourse to sound and fury. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/climate-change-science-and-vatican.html">May 1, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/strangers-and-standing-orders.html#immigration">July 6, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Where was I? Genetic research, conspiracy theories, antibiotics, sound and fury. Right.<br />
<br />
This "synthetic" bacterium, Syn 3.0, is what scientists got after editing out "unnecessary" genes from M. genitalium. And no, I do <b><i>not</i></b> think the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Craig_Venter_Institute">J. Craig Venter Institute</a> is plotting with [bogeyman] to enslave ['good guys']: although that might make a nifty tale.<br />
<br />
Researchers edited Syn 3.0 — much easier to say than <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_laboratorium">Mycoplasma laboratorium</a>, it's 'scientific' moniker — down to 473 "necessary" genes. They know what 324 do: the remaining 149 probably do <b><i>something</i></b>, but the scientists don't know what: yet. They're running experiments to find out.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="biotech"></a>Biotech 'Chassis?'</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/02/dna-babies-life-and-death.html#science"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150210-_80766845_c0104967-ivf_embryo,_light_micrograph-spl-329.jpg" /></a>What's "necessary" and what's not varies. As Jonathan Amos points out:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Context is everything. Other microbes will live in different types of environment, with different ways of operating.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>A bug that powers itself via sunlight and photosynthesis will not have the same essential set of genes, for example, as an organism that processes methane to derive its chemical energy....</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35895138">Jonathan Amos</a>, BBC News)</blockquote>
Another point: we've been learning that some genetic code is redundant. That's a good thing, since we need most biochemical functions. If something goes wrong with the coding on one part of the genome, it's better if the broken code's function has a backup elsewhere.<br />
<br />
It's sort of like a four-engine airplane, as Dr. Venter said: if one engine on the right side goes out, the plane can still fly. If both starboard engines fail: the pilot will be looking for someplace where "a survivable crash landing" is an option. (<a href="https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/airplane_handbook/media/faa-h-8083-3a-7of7.pdf">FAA</a>)<br />
<br />
So: why do I think this '<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/fossils-dna-and-being-human.html#despite">tampering</a> with things man was not supposed to know' is a good idea?<br />
<br />
For starters, we're learning more about how life works by tweaking this bacterium's code. We've also been learning how much we <b><i>don't</i></b> know about genetics, and started learning how to make life better with what we do know. And like I said, ethics apply. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/mutant-malaria-designer-babies-and.html#mad">January 23, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
A synthetic 'life lite' organism could serve as a chassis for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotechnology">biotech</a> microcritters producing pharmaceuticals, biochemicals, and other substances. Whether it'll be safer and more economical than tweaking 'wild' organisms is something we'll be learning.<br />
<br />
I put a short resource link list near the end of this post.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/synthetic-life-dna-profiles.html#1">1</a></sup><br />
<br />
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="oops"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">2. </span>Oops: UK DNA Database Deletion</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35783475"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160330-_82472118_dnasample-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Science Photo Library, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span>
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35783475">Wiping of DNA and fingerprint records 'puts public safety at risk'</a> "<br />
BBC News (March 11, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i><b>Hundreds of DNA and fingerprint records that could have been held for national security reasons in England and Wales have been deleted, a report reveals.</b></i><br />
<br />
"<i>Biometrics Commissioner Alastair MacGregor said police were 'risking public safety' by failing to apply for extensions to hold DNA profiles of suspects who have not been convicted.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>He also said some records which were still stored should have been removed.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The Home Office said the system worked well 'in the vast majority of cases'....</i>"</blockquote>
My fingerprints are on file somewhere, and for all I know my driver's license photo is in a database.<br />
<br />
That doesn't upset me, partly because I'm not engaged in criminal enterprises: partly because I try to limit my angst to things that matter, or can control to some extent.<br />
<br />
As <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PEQ.HTM#WISDB.JOB.5.7">Job 5:7</a> says, "man himself begets mischief, as sparks fly upward" — so I'm quite sure that corrupt officials could misuse fingerprint data, or pretty much anything else. So could I, for that matter, and that's another topic.<br />
<br />
Or maybe not so much.<br />
<br />
I keep saying this. Technology isn't bad, by itself. Neither is science. Both are tools which we can use to help, or hurt, our neighbors. How we use them is up to us. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#brand">August 29, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Studying this wonder-filled creation and using what we learn to make new tools is part of being human. There's more is to life, and that's yet another topic. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a2.htm#1723">1723</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2292">2292</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2296">2296</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="fingerprints"></a>Fingerprints, DNA Profiles: From Hammurabi to Scotland Yard</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35783475"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160330-_DNA-Database-collage-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From PA, Science Photo Library; via BBC News; used w/o permission.)</span>
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...A new system limiting DNA record storage was introduced in October 2013.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Previously, DNA profiles and fingerprints could be stored indefinitely, regardless of whether someone had been charged or convicted.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The anomalies were revealed in the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/507104/54496_Biometrics_Commissioners_Report_Print_Ready__3_.pdf">commissioner's second annual report since the new rules were introduced</a>....</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35783475">BBC News</a>)</blockquote>
The United Kingdom's rules about DNA evidence are an example of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_law">positive law</a>: rules we make up that define how folks may act, and what rights we have.<br />
<br />
When positive law isn't too far from natural law, unchanging ethical principles, societies work smoothly. When positive law isn't, it's time to change the rules. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/caesar-civilization-dealing-with-change.html#code">August 31, 2014</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#positive">August 29, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
That's been happening quite a bit lately. I was among the Americans who thought we could do better, a half-century back, and that's almost another topic:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html">Hate People? Not an Option</a>"<br />
(September 6, 2015)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/morality-isnt-just-about-morality.html">Morality isn't Just About 'Morality'</a> "<br />
(September 7, 2014)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/caesar-civilization-dealing-with-change.html">Caesar, Civilization, Dealing With Change — and Building a Better World</a>"<br />
(August 31, 2014)</li>
</ul>
Folks in Babylon used <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerprint#Antiquity_and_the_medieval_period">fingerprints</a> as an anti-counterfeiting measure on clay tablets, some three millennia back. Law officials in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammurabi">Hammurabi</a>'s day took fingerprints of folks who had been arrested.<br />
<br />
More recently, collecting fingerprint evidence was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerprint#Antiquity_and_the_medieval_period">police procedure</a> during the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_Dynasty">Qin Dynasty</a> — not to be confused with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_China#Qing_dynasty_.28AD_1644.E2.80.931911.29">Qing dynasty</a>. I've mentioned the latter's meltdown, about a century back now, before. Not in any detail, though. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/climate-change-talks-and-remembering.html#china">July 3, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/mutant-cows-mass-migrations-and-brain.html#gene">March 6, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
It took the current iteration of Western civilization quite a while to rediscover fingerprinting as a useful identification technique.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Evangelista_Purkyn%C4%9B">Jan Evangelista Purkyně</a>'s 1823 publication may have encouraged Robert Blake Overton to write Scotland Yard in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerprint#Modern_era">1840</a>. A mess of unsolved crimes later, Juan Vucetich developed a system for collecting and cataloging individual fingerprints, using Alphonse Bertillon's research. (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerprint#Modern_era">Wikipedia</a>)<br />
<br />
That was in the late 19th century. Many folks have gotten used to using fingerprint identification, although some probably associate fingerprints with crime.<br />
<br />
And that brings me back to DNA as a forensic tool. Here's what the BBC News article says about the UK's DNA database:<br />
<ul>
<li>Police take a DNA sample from every individual they arrest, and since 1995 profiles have been added to an electronic database</li>
<li>Two types of DNA profile - a string of numbers and two letters (indicating gender) - are held; individuals and crime scenes</li>
<li>An individual sample is taken through a cheek swab and contains the entirety of a person's genetic information</li>
<li>The profile contains very limited information - but it is sufficient to identify a person, for example from samples taken at a crime scene</li>
<li>The database held 5.7m DNA profiles from individuals and 486,691 from crime scenes, as of 31 March 2015</li>
<li>The Home Office, which operates and maintains the database, says in 2014/15, it provided 30,330 matches, including to 438 offences of homicide and 635 rapes</li>
<li>Since 1998 more than 300,000 crimes have been detected with its help, it says<br />
(From <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/507104/54496_Biometrics_Commissioners_Report_Print_Ready__3_.pdf">Biometrics Commissioner's annual report, 2015,</a> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-policing/2010-to-2015-government-policy-policing">Home Office</a>, <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/484937/52921_NPCC_National_DNA_Database_web_pdf.pdf">National DNA database annual report</a>; via <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35783475">BBC News</a>)</li>
</ul>
Particularly since DNA identification is a new technology, I'm quite certain that rules about its use will be changing fairly often.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="using"></a>Using Knowledge Wisely and Well</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35783475"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160330-_88728907_2f92ef87-287c-4c7f-b13d-09a921a77ede-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Science Photo Library, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span>
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...The report also revealed that DNA profiles and fingerprints of 7,800 people were held on a separate police counter-terrorism database as of October last year.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The database holds biometric records of those convicted in relation to terror investigations and others who have not been convicted but where retention is deemed necessary for national security purposes.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>It also allows for the extended retention of material taken from an individual who has not been convicted when a senior officer makes a national security determination (NSD).</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Of the 7,800 individuals, 4,350 - or around 55% - had never been convicted of a recordable offence....</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35783475">BBC News</a>)</blockquote>
I am quite sure that DNA databases can be abused: like any other technology.<br />
<br />
Tech isn't the problem. How we use it can be. I do <b><i>not</i></b> think we should stop collecting genetic information, outlaw fingerprint identification, or ban all tech invented since <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanaoka_Seish%C5%AB#Use_of_ts.C5.ABsensan_as_a_general_anesthetic">1804</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas-Joseph_Cugnot#The_first_self-propelled_vehicle">1769</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap#Early_history">2800 BC</a>, or some other arbitrary date.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/sleep-and-being-human.html#fire"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/799px-CCTV_new_headquarters_Fire_20090209-329.jpg" /></a>I think that any tech, new or old, is dangerous if we don't use the brains God gave us. As I've said before, we've used fire almost as long as we've made stone tools: and folks mishandle it on occasion. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/sleep-and-being-human.html#fire">January 29, 2016</a>)<br />
<br />
I think that eventually collecting DNA samples will be as routine — probably filed as part of whatever we'll be calling <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_certificate">birth certificates</a> — and as unremarkable as today's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neonatal_heel_prick">neonatal heel prick</a>.<br />
<br />
Infants in my part of the world get their footprints taken — <b><i>after</i></b> the heel prick, oddly enough, so there's a little blood spot on our kids' prints — before they leave the delivery room.<br />
<br />
Footprinting goes back at least to 1928,<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/synthetic-life-dna-profiles.html#2">2</a></sup> when a New York hospital footprinted/fingerprinted babies and mothers at birth: apparently to reassure nervous parents as much as any other reason.<br />
<br />
I see no problem with establishing someone's identity at birth, or before: provided that the information isn't misused.<br />
<br />
Early genetic screening could save lives, or get used to 'purify' the gene pool.<br />
<br />
The former seems like a good idea. The latter — I can hardly be enthusiastic about efforts to prevent people like me, and that's yet again another topic. Topics. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/02/dna-babies-life-and-death.html#problems">February 13, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/mutant-malaria-designer-babies-and.html#curing">January 23, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="it"></a>'It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time'</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/mutant-malaria-designer-babies-and.html#curing"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150119-_80288973_m8020233-in_vitro_fertilization_light_microscope-spl-329.jpg" /></a>Another idea that almost looks good at first glance is using genetic data to spot "criminals" before a crime is committed.<br />
<br />
There's a bit of science behind that notion. Some traits, like low <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontal_lobe">frontal lobe</a> activity, may be more common among folks with particular genes. Trouble in the frontal lobe can be associated with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontal_lobe_disorder#Signs_and_symptoms">emotional and behavioral</a> problems.<br />
<br />
Let's say that's all true — and the last I heard, having 'bad' genes only means that a person is more likely to have problems.<br />
<br />
I think locking up or euthanizing everyone with 'bad' genes might keep a few folks from committing their first crime. I also think I'd probably be behind bars or dead: neither of which are attractive options.<br />
<br />
Since I act quite a bit like my father, and two of my kids act a lot like me, I'm pretty sure that there's a genetic component to my neurological glitches. My version's been called a few different things. The current label is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism_spectrum">autism spectrum</a> disorder.<br />
<br />
That, and depression, were diagnosed a few years back. I'll be taking powerful antidepressants and other prescribed pharmaceuticals for the rest of my life: but I'm okay with that, since I can now think without 'fighting the machinery.'<br />
<br />
Like I keep saying, I'm expected to keep myself healthy: within reason. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2288">2288</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2289">2289</a>)<br />
<br />
A few relatively-minor traffic offenses aside, I don't have a criminal record: partly because I'm sharp enough to realize that crime doesn't pay — enough.<br />
<br />
I try to do what is right because I think ethics matter: but let's face it, the benefit/risk ratio for criminal activity is unacceptable; at the low end, anyway. Even more topics.<br />
<br />
I put another link list of resources at the end of this post, focusing on genetics and bioethics.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/04/synthetic-life-dna-profiles.html#3">3</a></sup><br />
<br />
And, inevitably, here's more of why I think science and technology don't solve — or cause — all our problems:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/pig-organs-ancient-immigrants.html">Pig Organs, Ancient Immigrants</a>"<br />
(October 16, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/pig-organs-ancient-immigrants.html#tech">Tech, Old and New</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/pig-organs-ancient-immigrants.html#think">Think!</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/pig-organs-ancient-immigrants.html#crispr">CRISPR Genetic Tech: Pigs as Organ Transplant Donors?</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/pig-organs-ancient-immigrants.html#synthetic">Synthetic Organisms, like Chickens</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/pig-organs-ancient-immigrants.html#remembering">Remembering Who We Are</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/kidneys-experiments-and-ethics.html">Kidneys, Experiments, and Ethics</a>"<br />
(September 25, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/kidneys-experiments-and-ethics.html#love">Love, Science, and Being Human</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/kidneys-experiments-and-ethics.html#kidneys">Kidneys and Stem Cells</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/kidneys-experiments-and-ethics.html#stem">Stem Cells, Organ Transplants, and Ethics</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/dna-test-hype-and-studying-lifes-origins.html">DNA Test Hype; and Studying Life's Origins</a>"<br />
(December 5, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/dna-test-hype-and-studying-lifes-origins.html#applied">Applied Genetics: Technology is Technology</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/dna-test-hype-and-studying-lifes-origins.html#being">Being Human</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/dna-test-hype-and-studying-lifes-origins.html#dna">DNA Test: Science, Technology, Marketing, and the FDA</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/dna-test-hype-and-studying-lifes-origins.html#looking">Looking Ahead</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/ebola-scary-and-beatable.html">Ebola: Scary, and Beatable</a>"<br />
(October 17, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/ebola-scary-and-beatable.html#getting">Getting a Grip About Health</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/ebola-scary-and-beatable.html#leviticus">Leviticus, Dubrovnik, and Typhoid Mary</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/ebola-scary-and-beatable.html#nurses">Nurses, Torches, and Pitchforks</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html">Regeneration: Getting Closer to Growing Lost Organs</a>"<br />
(August 29, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#growing">Growing a Thymus from Scratch</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#technical">Technical Issues</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#ethics">Ethics</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/regeneration-getting-closer-to-growing.html#brand">Brand-New Tech, Same Old Challenges</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<sup><a name="1">1</a></sup>More about:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://science.sciencemag.org/content/351/6280/aad6253">Design and synthesis of a minimal bacterial genome</a>"<br />
Clyde A. Hutchison III, Ray-Yuan Chuang, Vladimir N. Noskov, Nacyra Assad-Garcia, Thomas J. Deerinck, Mark H. Ellisman, John Gill, Krishna Kannan, Bogumi, J. Karas, Li Ma, James F. Pelletier, Zhi-Qing Q, R. Alexander Richter, Elizabeth A. Strychalsk, Lijie Sun, Yo Suzuki, Billyana Tsvetanova, Kim S. Wise, Hamilton O. Smith, John I. Glass, Chuck Merryman, Daniel G. Gibson, J. Craig Venter; Science Vol 351, Issue 6280 (March 25, 2016)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://science.sciencemag.org/content/339/6121/819">Multiplex Genome Engineering Using CRISPR/Cas Systems</a>"<br />
Le Cong, F. Ann Ran, David Cox, Shuailiang Lin, Robert Barretto, Naomi Habib, Patrick D. Hsu1, Xuebing Wu, Wenyan Jiang, Luciano A. Marraffini, Feng Zhang; Science, Vol 339, Issue 6121 (February 15, 2013)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.jcvi.org/cms/home/">J. Craig Venter Institute</a><br />
<a href="http://www.jcvi.org/cms/home/">www.jcvi.org</a></li>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_redundancy">Genetic redundancy</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genome_engineering">Genome engineering</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Craig_Venter_Institute">J. Craig Venter Institute</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_genitalium">Mycoplasma genitalium</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_laboratorium">Mycoplasma laboratorium</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_laboratorium#Minimal_genome_project">Minimal genome project</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_laboratorium#Concerns_and_controversy">Concerns and controversy</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_laboratorium#JCVI-syn3.0">JCVI-syn3.0</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_biology">Synthetic biology</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="2">2</a></sup> Going home with your baby:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/3409536?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents">
Identification of Newborn Infants</a>"<br />
The American Journal of Nursing; Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 33-36 (January 1928)</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="3">3</a></sup> Genetics, medicine, law, and society:<br />
<ul>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA_profiling">DNA profiling</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA_profiling#DNA_databases">DNA databases</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA_profiling#Considerations_when_evaluating_DNA_evidence">Considerations when evaluating DNA evidence</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_testing">Genetic testing</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_testing#Ethics">Ethics</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/neurophilosophy/201305/criminal-genes-and-criminal-brains">Criminal Genes and Criminal Brains</a>"<br />
"Are we there yet?"<br />
Patricia Smith Churchland, Psychology Today (May 7, 2013)</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-12803336680180941202016-03-27T08:00:00.001-05:002016-04-28T20:57:49.926-05:00Another Easter<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/plutos-unexpected-terrain-seti-radio.html#professor"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/6_Virgo_Supercluster_ELitU-LocalGroup-ObservableUniverse-329.jpg" /></a>There have been only three to six major events so far, depending on how you count them: the creation of this universe; humanity's creation and fall; and our Lord's arrival, execution, and resurrection.<br />
<br />
There's another big one coming, eventually, and I'll get back to that.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="cosmic"></a>Cosmic Scale</h4>
<br />
I'm a Catholic, so I take Sacred Scripture very seriously,<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/another-easter.html#1">1</a></sup> including this:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good. Evening came, and morning followed - the sixth day.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.31">Genesis 1:31</a>)</blockquote>
We've known that God's creation was big and old, and been impressed, for a long time:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup>1</sup> Think! The heavens, even the highest heavens, belong to the LORD, your God, as well as the earth and everything on it.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P4P.HTM#PENT.DEU.10.14">Deuteronomy 10:14</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder's craft.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PGB.HTM#WISDB.PSA.19.2">Psalms 19:2</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_POY.HTM#$2A2">3</a></sup> Raise your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth below; Though the heavens grow thin like smoke, the earth wears out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies, My salvation shall remain forever and my justice shall never be dismayed.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_POY.HTM#PROPHB.ISA.51.6">Isaiah 51:6</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i><sup>4</sup> Indeed, before you the whole universe is as a grain from a balance, or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PLS.HTM#WISDB.WISD.11.22">Wisdom 11:22</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PLS.HTM#WISDB.WISD.11.25">25</a>)</blockquote>
I also believe that God is infinite and eternal, almighty and <a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/ineffable">ineffable</a>: beyond our power to describe or understand. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p1.htm#202">202</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p1.htm#230">230</a>)<br />
<br />
I might not have created a universe as big and old as the one we're in: but God's God, I'm not, and that's a good thing.<br />
<br />
As I see it, what we're learning about the cosmic scale of this creation is cause for greater admiration of God's work, and that's another topic. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/why-make-universe.html">July 26, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/humility-science-and-accepting-reality.html">March 29, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/scientific-discoveries-invitation-to.html">September 21, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="wounded"></a>Wounded, but Basically Good</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/02/talking-about-sin.html#choice"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/Cole_Thomas_Expulsion_from_the_Garden_of_Eden_1828-329-1px-trim.jpg" /></a>I've said this before: God doesn't make junk.<br />
<br />
The universe is basically good. So are we — basically. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.26">Genesis 1:26</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.27">27</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.31">31</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c1.htm#31">31</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#299">299</a>,)<br />
<br />
The first of us — Adam and Eve <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/organics-on-comet-and-earths-early.html#adam">aren't German</a> — listened to Satan, ignoring what God had said. Then Adam tried blaming his wife, and God, which did not end well. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P5.HTM#PENT.GEN.3.5">Genesis 3:5</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P5.HTM#PENT.GEN.3.13">13</a>)<br />
<br />
That was a very, very long time ago. We've been living with the disastrous consequences of their decision ever since. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#396">396</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#412">412</a>)<br />
<br />
Humanity is still made "in the divine image." (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.27">Genesis 1:27</a>)<br />
<br />
But loving ourselves, others, and God is a struggle because the harmony we had with ourselves and with the universe is broken. Human nature is wounded: but not corrupted. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p6.htm#355">355</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p6.htm#361">361</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p6.htm#374">374</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p6.htm#379">379</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#398">398</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#400">400</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#405">405</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a1.htm#1701">1701</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a1.htm#1707">1707</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3.htm#1949">1949</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="true"></a>True God and True Man</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/joy-to-world.html#human"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/John_William_Waterhouse_-_The_Annunciation-329.JPG" /></a>About two thousand years ago, our Lord arrived:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>For God so loved the world that he gave <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXB.HTM#$3RL">7</a></sup> his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXB.HTM#$3RM">8</a></sup> the world, but that the world might be saved through him.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXB.HTM#GOSP.JOH.3.16">John 3:16</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXB.HTM#GOSP.JOH.3.17">17</a>)</blockquote>
Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Shepherds and Magi thought it was good news, Herod didn't, and that's yet another topic. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/jesus-magi-and-me.html#know">January 3, 2016</a>)<br />
<br />
The Word has become Flesh, true God and true man. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a3p1.htm#456">456</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a3p1.htm#478">478</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="anguish"></a>Anguish, Betrayal, Blood, and Death</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/04/dinosaur-tracks-great-dying-and-black.html#Christus"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/Dali_Crucifixion_hypercube-329.jpg" /></a>We reviewed Luke's account of our Lord's final Passover meal last week; and kept reading until <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX6.HTM#GOSP.LUK.23.55">Luke 23:55</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX6.HTM#GOSP.LUK.23.56">56</a>, where some women spotted the tomb his body was in.<br />
<br />
The whole week has been like that. Friday's Gospel, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXQ.HTM#GOSP.JOH.18.1">John 18:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXR.HTM#GOSP.JOH.19.42">19:42</a>, was similarly uncheerful:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXQ.HTM#$3XQ">1</a></sup> <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXQ.HTM#$3XR">2</a></sup> When he had said this, Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples entered.</i>"<br />
...<br />
"<i>So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day; for the tomb was close by.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXQ.HTM#GOSP.JOH.18.1">John 18:1</a>,<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXR.HTM#GOSP.JOH.19.42">19:42</a>)</blockquote>
There's been a lot of anguish, betrayal, torture, blood, and death, in this week's Sacred Scripture.<br />
<br />
All four Gospels agree on what happened next, although the accounts don't quite match up: by American standards.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/another-easter.html#2">2</a></sup>
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXS.HTM#$3YP">1</a></sup> <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXS.HTM#$3YQ">2</a></sup> <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXS.HTM#$3YR">3</a></sup> On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXS.HTM#GOSP.JOH.20.1">John 20:1</a>)</blockquote>
It took time and effort, but our Lord finally convinced the surviving Apostles that they weren't seeing a ghost. Our Lord had stopped being dead. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/truth-and-big-picture.html#man">November 22, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/have-no-anxiety-at-all.html#why">October 18, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
That's where it gets interesting.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="eighth"></a>The Eighth Day: Life, Death - - -</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/death-been-there-done-that.html"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150328-Piero_della_Francesca_-_Resurrection_-_WGA17609-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
Two millennia later, we're still celebrating.<br />
<br />
Pope St. John Paul II called the Resurrection of Jesus "the fundamental event upon which Christian faith rests ... the fulcrum of history."<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/another-easter.html#3">3</a></sup><br />
<br />
Death, physical death, happens: but it is not the end. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a11.htm#1007">1007</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a11.htm#1010">1010</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a11.htm#1014">1014</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm#1022">1022</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c4a2.htm#1682">1682</a>)
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PZK.HTM#$4DA">7</a></sup> <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PZK.HTM#$4DB">8</a></sup> But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.</i><br />
<br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PZK.HTM#$4DC">9</a></sup> For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a human being.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PZK.HTM#NTLET.1COR.15.20">1 Corinthians 15:20</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PZK.HTM#NTLET.1COR.15.22">22</a>)</blockquote>
What happens next is up to each of us: whether we've decided to accept or reject God's grace, and what we've done with our life. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXM.HTM#GOSP.JOH.14.15">John 14:15</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P116.HTM#NTLET.2TIM.1.9">2 Timothy 1:9</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P116.HTM#NTLET.2TIM.1.10">10</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P11W.HTM#CATHL.JAM.2.14">James 2:14</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P11W.HTM#CATHL.JAM.2.19">19</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm#1021">1021</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm#1022">1022</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a2.htm#1987">1987</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a2.htm#2016">2016</a>)<br />
<br />
What our Lord expects is simple, but not easy.<br />
<br />
I should love God, love my neighbor, see everyone as my neighbor, treat others as I want to be treated. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.12">Matthew 7:12</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.36">Matthew 22:36</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.40">40</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.28">Mark 12:28</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.31">31</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.43">Matthew 5:43</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.44">44</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.28">Mark 12:28</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.31">31</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.25">Luke 10:25</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.30">30</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm#1825">1825</a>)<br />
<br />
I try to love God and neighbor because I follow the Man who is God: who died in my place; descended to the abode of the dead; rose from the tomb; and lives today and forever. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PW1.HTM#GOSP.MAT.28.1">Matthew 28:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PW1.HTM#GOSP.MAT.28.10">10</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWI.HTM#GOSP.MAR.16.1">Mark 16:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWI.HTM#GOSP.MAR.16.11">11</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P124.HTM#CATHL.1PET.4.6">1 Peter 4:6</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p1.htm#631">631</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p1.htm#635">635</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p2.htm#638">638</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p2.htm#655">655</a>)<br />
<br />
We are living in the eighth day of creation, a day of life and hope: and have been for two millennia. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p5.htm#349">349</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s1c2a1.htm#1166">1166</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a3.htm#2174">2174</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="beyond"></a>- - - and Beyond</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/strangers-and-standing-orders.html#immigrants"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/800px-The_Fashion_Centre_at_Pentagon_City-detail329x329.jpg" /></a>There's more to being a Christian than celebrating, and waiting for our Lord's return.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/another-easter.html#4">4</a></sup> We're expected to live as if loving our neighbors and loving God matter.<br />
<br />
Truly respecting the "transcendent dignity" of humanity, and each person, isn't easy: but it's something we must do. Also building a better world for future generations. The job starts within each of us, with an ongoing "inner conversion." (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a1.htm#1888">1888</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1928">1928</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1942">1942</a>)<br />
<br />
We've made some progress: and have a very great deal left to do.<br />
<br />
As I said last year, my guess is that we'll still be waiting and working when the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8.2_kiloyear_event">8.2 kiloyear event</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_2000_problem">Y2K</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_10,000_problem">Y10K</a> are seen as roughly contemporary. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/holy-family-not-50s-family.html#looking">December 28, 2014</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/victory-and-standing-orders.html#on">November 23, 2014</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/neighbors-love-and-upping-ante.html#long">October 26, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
<img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20141227-coppernia_city_by_jjasso-d5zayqw-658.jpg" /><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Jaime Jasso, via DeviantArt.com, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
<br />
But — <i><b>the war is over. We won.</b></i> We're already in "the last hour," and have been for two thousand years. <i><b>This world's renewal is in progress, and nothing can stop it.</b></i> (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVP.HTM#GOSP.MAT.16.18">Matthew 16:18</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWI.HTM#GOSP.MAR.16.6">Mark 16:6</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p2.htm#638">638</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c2a7.htm#670">670</a>)<br />
<br />
More of my take on the best news ever:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-messiah-we-need.html">The Messiah We Need</a>"<br />
(March 20, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-messiah-we-need.html#but">"But who do you say that I am?"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-messiah-we-need.html#last">Last Supper, Messy Death</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-messiah-we-need.html#still">Still Celebrating</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/stones-sin-and-mercy.html">Stones, Sin, and Mercy</a>"<br />
(March 13, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/stones-sin-and-mercy.html#neither">"Neither do I Condemn You"</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/names-and-name.html">Names and <i>THE</i> Name</a>"<br />
(February 28, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/names-and-name.html#what">"What am I to Tell Them?"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/names-and-name.html#tell">"...Tell the Israelites..."</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/death-been-there-done-that.html">Death? Been There, Done That</a>"<br />
(April 5, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/death-been-there-done-that.html#Jesus">Jesus Died - - -</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/death-been-there-done-that.html#stopped">- - - and Stopped Being Dead</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/death-been-there-done-that.html#last">The Last Hour — Two Millennia and Counting</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/joy-and-standing-orders.html">Joy and Standing Orders</a>"<br />
(October 5, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/joy-and-standing-orders.html#beatific">The Beatific Vision and Mirrors</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/joy-and-standing-orders.html#rejoice">Rejoice!</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/joy-and-standing-orders.html#move">Move Out!</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<sup><a name="1">1</a></sup> Reading the Bible is a very Catholic thing:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>The Church 'forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful. . . to learn the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ, by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures. Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.<sup>112</sup></i>"<br />
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm#133">133</a>)</blockquote>
It's literally 'Catholicism 101:'<br />
<ul>
<li>Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm#101">101</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm#133">133</a></li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="2">2</a></sup> As I keep saying, Sacred Scripture wasn't written from a contemporary Western viewpoint:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/taking-bible-seriously.html">Taking the Bible Seriously</a>"<br />
(February 21, 2016)<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/taking-bible-seriously.html#i2">footnote 2</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/space-archaeologist-55-cancri-e.html">Space Archaeologist, 55 Cancri e</a>"<br />
(February 19, 2016)<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/space-archaeologist-55-cancri-e.html#so">"So You Believe the Earth is <i>Flat?</i>"</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/precision-grip-thumbs-and-a-new.html">Precision-Grip Thumbs and a 'New' Archosaur </a>"<br />
(January 30, 2015)<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/precision-grip-thumbs-and-a-new.html#informed">Informed Faith and Norse Mythology</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-comet-wobbling-moon-and-earths.html">Earth's Wandering Poles, A Comet, a Wobbling Moon</a>"<br />
(October 24, 2014)<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-comet-wobbling-moon-and-earths.html#evidence">Evidence and a Cosmic Coffee Cup</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="3">3</a></sup> From Pope Saint John Paul II's "<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1998/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_05071998_dies-domini.html">Dies Domini</a>" (Day of the Lord):<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...The Resurrection of Jesus is the fundamental event upon which Christian faith rests (cf. <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PZK.HTM#NTLET.1COR.15.14">1 Cor 15:14</a>). It is an astonishing reality, fully grasped in the light of faith, yet historically attested to by those who were privileged to see the Risen Lord. It is a wondrous event which is not only absolutely unique in human history, but which lies <b>at the very heart of the mystery of time</b>. In fact, 'all time belongs to [Christ] and all the ages', as the evocative liturgy of the Easter Vigil recalls in preparing the Paschal Candle. Therefore, in commemorating the day of Christ's Resurrection not just once a year but every Sunday, the Church seeks to indicate to every generation the true fulcrum of history, to which the mystery of the world's origin and its final destiny leads....</i>"<br />
("<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1998/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_05071998_dies-domini.html">Dies Domini</a>," Pope Saint John Paul II (Pentecost, May 31, 1998))</blockquote>
More about the Resurrection:<br />
<ul>
<li>Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p2.htm#638">638</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p2.htm#655">655</a></li>
<li>"<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/cotidie/2014/documents/papa-francesco-cotidie_20140919_fear-of-resurrection.html">Fear of resurrection</a>"<br />
Pope Francis, via L'Osservatore Romano (19 September 19, 2014)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://www.vatican.va/jubilee_2000/magazine/documents/ju_mag_01111997_p-6_en.html">A mystery of hope, forgiveness and resurrection</a>"<br />
Luigi Giussani Jubilee 2000 magazine (2000)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/speeches/1970/documents/hf_p-vi_spe_19700404_symposium-resurrezione.html">Address to organizers and members of the Symposium on the Resurrection of Christ</a>"<br />
Pope Blessed Paul VI (April 4, 1970)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://www.vatican.va/spirit/documents/spirit_20010420_omelia-pasquale_en.html">Christ the source of resurrection and life</a>"<br />
From an Easter homily by an ancient author (Sermo 35, 6-9; PL 17 [ed. 1879], 696-697)<br />
Prepared by the Spiritual Theology Department of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="4">4</a></sup> Our Lord's return, and the Final Judgment, will happen: and is the next major event. As for when it's coming — I have enough on my plate, without trying to outguess God.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/taking-bible-seriously.html#last"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20150124-nqApocalypseCollage-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Wily Miller's Non Sequitur, <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2011/06/14">June 14, 2011</a> and <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2010/05/03">May 3, 2010</a>, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
<br />
More of my take on Final Judgment and getting a grip:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/taking-bible-seriously.html">Taking the Bible Seriously</a>"<br />
(February 21, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/taking-bible-seriously.html#last">Last Judgment and Getting a Grip</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/doomsday-du-jour-or-doing-my-job.html">Doomsday Du Jour — or — Doing My Job</a>"<br />
(April 19, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/doomsday-du-jour-or-doing-my-job.html#job">A Job to Do</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/victory-and-standing-orders.html">Victory and Standing Orders</a>"<br />
(November 23, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/victory-and-standing-orders.html#ragnarok">Ragnarok - - -</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/victory-and-standing-orders.html#mutant">- - - and Mutant Squirrels</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/victory-and-standing-orders.html#on">On Standby Alert: Two Millennia and Counting</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/victory-and-standing-orders.html#sheep">Sheep, Goats, and Me</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-49856799451746222502016-03-25T08:00:00.000-05:002016-04-01T23:06:27.394-05:00Reaching for the Stars<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#project"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160323-_88891717_41-329.jpg" /></a>Scientists and engineers in BAE Systems' Project Greenglow are trying to control, or sidestep, gravity.<br />
<br />
Back on my side of the Atlantic, scientists at NASA's Eagleworks say they've successfully tested prototype RF resonant cavity thrusters and a warp field generator. Other scientists are skeptical. Very skeptical.<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#project">Project Greenglow, Gravity, and Dime Store Magnets</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#newton">Newton, Phlogiston, the Big Bang, and an Expanding Universe</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#stars">To the Stars — Doing the Math</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#big">Big, but (Fairly) Conventional: Beamed-Core Antimatter Rockets, Gigawatt Laser Arrays</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#weird">The Weird Stuff: EM Drives, Warp Field Generators, and More</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#it">'It Looked Good on Paper'</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#em">The EM Drive and Other RF Resonant Cavity Thrusters</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#afterword">Afterword: "A Planet is the Cradle...."</a></li>
</ul>
Newfangled ideas appeal to some, and upset others. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/02/setting-earths-thermostat.html#allergic">February 20, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/fossils-in-2014-weird-mouth-feathers.html#albertus">January 9, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/kapteyn-b-habitable-zones-and-using-our.html#copernicus">July 18, 2014</a>))<br />
<br />
Maybe, back in the 'good old days' when fire was the latest thing in high tech, some folks still slept with their backs against a tree, hoping hyenas didn't find them — while congratulating themselves on not being like those fire-making innovators.<br />
<br />
The rest of us: well, that's another topic. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/dogs-stone-tools-and-newly-discovered.html">May 29, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="rockets"></a>Rockets in Space: "Absurd?"</h4>
<br />
<a name="yes"></a><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/harpooning-rubber-duck-comet-public.html#experiments"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20141104-800px-183478main_MSG1-329.jpg" align="right"></a>Yes, someone actually opined that rockets won't work in a vacuum:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>JULY 17, 1969: On Jan. 13, 1920, Topics of The Times, an editorial-page feature of The New York Times, dismissed the notion that a rocket could function in a vacuum and commented on the ideas of Robert H. Goddard, the rocket pioneer, as follows: 'That Professor Goddard, with his 'chair' in Clark College and the countenancing of the Smithsonian Institution, does not know the relation of action to reaction, and of the need to have something better than a vacuum against which to react -- to say that would be absurd. Of course he only seems to lack the knowledge ladled out daily in high schools.'</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Further investigation and experimentation have confirmed the findings of Isaac Newton in the 17th century and it is now definitely established that a rocket can function in a vacuum as well as in an atmosphere. The Times regrets the error.</i>"<br />
("<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/14/news/150th-anniversary-1851-2001-the-facts-that-got-away.html">150th Anniversary: 1851-2001; The Facts That Got Away</a>," Tom Kuntz, The New York Times (November 14, 2001))</blockquote>
Quite a few folks apparently still haven't gotten used to the idea, judging from articles like this:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://www.livescience.com/34475-how-do-space-rockets-work-without-air.html">How Do Space Rockets Work Without Air?</a>"<br />
Elizabeth Howell, Live Science (April 09, 2013)</li>
</ul>
The first interstellar probes may use rocket engines for propulsion: or not. There are some intriguing — and testable — ideas on the table.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="quotes"></a>Quotes</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tracy_Caldwell_Dyson_in_Cupola_ISS.jpg"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160324-800px-Tracy_Caldwell_Dyson_in_Cupola_ISS-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From NASA/Tracy Caldwell Dyson, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.</span>)<br />
("<i>Self portrait of Tracy Caldwell Dyson in the Cupola module of the International Space Station observing the Earth below during Expedition 24.</i>"<br />
(<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tracy_Caldwell_Dyson_in_Cupola_ISS.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>))<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>Manned space flight . . . has opened for us thus far only a tiny door for viewing the awesome reaches of space. Our outlook through this peephole at the vast mysteries of the universe only confirms our belief in its creator.</i>"<br />
(Wernher von Braun, cited in Awake! magazine (June 22, 1999), via <a href="https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Space">Wikiquote</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>O LORD, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth! You have set your majesty above the heavens!</i><br />
<br />
"<i>When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place -</i><br />
<br />
"<i>What are humans that you are mindful of them, mere mortals that you care for them?</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Yet you have made them little less than a god, crowned them with glory and honor.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PG0.HTM#WISDB.PSA.8.2">Psalms 8:2</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PG0.HTM#WISDB.PSA.8.6">6</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder's craft.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PGB.HTM#WISDB.PSA.19.2">Psalms 19:2</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PLS.HTM#$1WI">4</a></sup> Indeed, before you the whole universe is as a grain from a balance, or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook the sins of men that they may repent.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PLS.HTM#WISDB.WISD.11.22">Wisdom 11:22</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PLS.HTM#WISDB.WISD.11.24">24</a>)</blockquote>
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="project"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. </span>Project Greenglow, Gravity, and Dime Store Magnets</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35861334"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160323-_88891717_41-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>Dr Ron Evans, the man behind Project Greenglow</i>"<br />
(BBC News))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35861334">Project Greenglow and the battle with gravity</a>"<br />
BBC News Magazine (March 23, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i><b>A handful of leftfield scientists have been trying to harness the power of gravity. Welcome to the world of Project Greenglow, writes Nic Young.</b></i><br />
<br />
"<i>In science there exists a uniquely potent partnership between theory and engineering. It's what's given us atomic energy, the Large Hadron Collider and space-flight, to name a few of the more headline acts.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The theorists say: 'This is theoretically possible.' The engineers then figure out how to make it work, confident the maths is correct and the theory stands up.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>These camps are not mutually exclusive of course. Theorists understand engineering. Engineers draw on their deep understanding of the theory. It's normally a pretty harmonious, if competitive, relationship....</i>"</blockquote>
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/large-hadron-collider-theres-more-to.html#tampering"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/ggmain20140113-detail-w-cprt.jpg" /></a>This is where I could declare that "tampering with things man was not supposed to know" will lead to something pretty much awful.<br />
<br />
But I won't, for reasons that I've said so often that <b><i>I'm</i></b> tired of repeating them. For now. ☺ (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/fossils-dna-and-being-human.html#despite">March 18, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/lizard-fish-fungi-and-change.html#thinking">March 11, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/seeking-new-worlds-new-life.html#curiosity">March 3, 2016</a>)<br />
<br />
Some scientists who say controlling gravity isn't practical, or possible, may simply be repeating what they learned in physics 101.<br />
<br />
Most, I suspect, understand what's involved:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...First of all, there was the big, big problem of scale. As Dr Clifford Johnson from the University of Southern California puts it: 'We tend to think of gravity as very strong - after all it's what binds us to the earth. But actually of all the forces we know in nature, gravity's the weakest.</i><br />
<br />
"<i> 'Let me give you a number. It's 10 to the power 40 times weaker than electromagnetism, that's a one with 40 zeros after it!' It seemed that even if one could manipulate gravity in the lab, there was almost nothing there to create any meaningful effect.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>In short, to alter the gravity of a planet, you need the mass of another planet....</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35861334">BBC News Magazine</a>)</blockquote>
Think about it this way: a <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dime+store">dime store</a> magnet weighing an ounce will pull a paper clip up, against the force of Earth's gravity.<br />
<br />
Putting numbers on that comparison, one ounce is roughly 0.028 kilograms. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_mass">Earth's mass</a> is right around 5,900,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 kilograms: which is a good example of why scientists use <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_notation">scientific notation</a>, and that's another topic.<br />
<br />
Besides, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity">gravity</a> isn't so much a force as it is an effect of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacetime">space-time</a>'s curvature caused by concentrations of mass-energy. That's what Einstein's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_theory_of_relativity">general theory of relativity</a> says, anyway, and that's the best explanation we've found so far.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="newton"></a>Newton, Phlogiston, the Big Bang, and an Expanding Universe</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35861334"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160323-_88895076_newton-329.jpg" /></a>A century from now, we may have a better explanation for gravity. Speaking of which, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton's_law_of_universal_gravitation">Newton's law of universal gravitation</a> isn't "wrong."<br />
<br />
It's still a pretty good approximation of the phenomenon: and "still considered accurate enough for most small calculations," as the BBC News article said.<br />
<br />
I figure Einstein's theory may hold up longer than Becher's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phlogiston_theory">phlogiston</a> combustion theory: which made sense, given what researchers knew in 1667. Unlike phlogiston, however, new data has been supporting general relativity's predictions: for the most part. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/large-hadron-collider-theres-more-to.html#bicep">April 10, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
We also discovered that this universe is expanding.<br />
<br />
A bit later we learned that the data makes more sense if we assume that this universe expanded really fast in the moments after the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bang">Big Bang</a>, slowed down abruptly: and that the rate of expansion has been increasing since then. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/dark-matter-and-energy-new-data-and-map.html#cosmic">April 17, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/large-hadron-collider-theres-more-to.html#bicep">April 10, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
That's — odd — and almost certainly means that we have a great deal left to learn.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="stars"></a>To the Stars — Doing the Math</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35861334"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160323-_88892908_greenglow-sketch-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Project Greenglow, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>One of the original sketches for Project Greenglow</i>"<br />
(BBC News))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...When, in the late 1980s, the aerospace engineer Dr Ron Evans went to his bosses at BAE Systems and asked if they'd let him attempt some form of gravity control, they should probably have offered him a cup of tea and a lie down. Gravity control was a notion beloved of science fiction writers that every respectable theoretical physicist said was impossible.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>As Evans himself admits, it was a tough sell. 'Let's be clear - there were many people in the company who felt we shouldn't do it because we made aeroplanes and this was highly speculative.' Pushing against gravity with wings and jets was BAE's multi-billion pound business, why dabble in scientific heresy? Because, as Evans puts it: 'The potential was absolutely enormous. It could totally change aerospace.'...</i><br />
<br />
"<i>...In the US, Nasa aerospace engineer Marc Millis began a parallel project - the Breakthrough Physics Propulsion Program. Nasa had committed to getting beyond the solar system within a generation, but knew conventional rockets would never get them there.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>According to Millis: 'If you wanted to go to our nearest neighbouring star, and say you want to do it in 50 years, you're having to go at a tenth of the speed of light. Well, the amount of propellant you'd need for that journey is about the mass of our entire sun. We needed something radically different.' Like Evans, Millis was told: 'To think radical, and think big.'...</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35861334">BBC News Magazine</a>)</blockquote>
Researching this post, I learned that at least <a href="http://heiwaco.tripod.com/moontravel.htm">one chap</a> believes that human spaceflight is a hoax, "even if rockets actually work in vacuum." In his version of reality, Yuri Gagarin's 1961 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuri_Gagarin#Vostok_1">Earth orbital</a> flight was "communist propaganda."<br />
<br />
Oddly enough, he didn't mention the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illuminati">Illuminati</a> and the shape-shifting space-alien <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reptilians">lizard-men</a> who control the world. Allegedly.<br />
<br />
Before getting back to interstellar flight, a link to the Lemming's discussion of conspiracies; with tongue firmly in cheek:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://apatheticlemming.blogspot.com/2012/01/planet-x-nasa-and-lizard-people-from.html">Planet X, NASA, and the Lizard People From Outer Space</a>"<br />
Apathetic Lemming of the North (January 2, 2012)</li>
</ul>
Getting back to Marc Millis, the Breakthrough Physics Propulsion program, and big numbers —<br />
<br />
Saying that "the amount of propellant you'd need for that journey is about the mass of our entire sun" is a good comparison: or would be, if Marc Millis had described the payload and propulsion system. Maybe he did, and BBC News edited that part out.<br />
<br />
I did a little checking — there's a link list of resources at the <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#photon">end of this section</a> — the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_travel#Required_energy">energy</a> needed to accelerate one ton to one tenth the speed of light is 125 terawatt hours: minimum. Unless the mission is to fly by the destination at that speed, decelerating the mass will take the same energy.<br />
<br />
That's a lot of energy: <b><i>very</i></b> roughly what everyone on Earth uses in 11 hours, if I did the math right.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#1">1</a></sup><br />
<br />
I suspect that Millis had in mind a spacecraft with something like a one ton payload, driven by rockets like the ones we use today.<br />
<br />
That gets me to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_ratio">mass ratio</a>, the ratio of a rocket's mass with propellant to its mass empty. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multistage_rocket">Multistage</a> rockets are more efficient, since they drop 'empty' parts along the way.<br />
<br />
I agree that "conventional rockets would never get them there." More accurately, a spacecraft like Voyager could reach Alpha Centauri: in about 10,000 years.<br />
<br />
I talked about interstellar distances, Guy Ottewell's "<a href="http://www.noao.edu/education/peppercorn/pcmain.html">THE THOUSAND-YARD MODEL/or, The Earth as a Peppercorn</a>" Solar System model, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_1061">Wolf 1061</a> earlier this month. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/seeking-new-worlds-new-life.html#wolf2">March 3, 2016</a>)<br />
<br />
By the time we have tech that will stay in working order that long, I strongly suspect that we'll have cut the travel time considerably. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/seti-looking-for-neighbors.html#outward">January 15, 2016</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="big"></a>Big, but (Fairly) Conventional: Beamed-Core Antimatter Rockets, Gigawatt Laser Arrays</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/dawns-arrival-at-ceres-sims-and-chaos.html#dawn"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150311-175855main_ionengine-516-329.jpg" /></a>"Conventional" rockets, using energy released by chemical reactions, aren't the only propulsion tech available today.<br />
<br />
NASA's Dawn mission uses NSTAR thrusters, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetohydrodynamic_drive#Spacecraft_propulsion">Magnetohydrodynamic</a> rocket engines that are much more efficient than their chemical counterparts. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/dawns-arrival-at-ceres-sims-and-chaos.html#dawn">March 13, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
The faster a rocket's exhaust is, the more efficient it is: so ideally the exhaust velocity would be speed-of-light, hence speculative fiction's 'photon drive.'<br />
<br />
A <a href="http://ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/213.web.stuff/scott%20kircher/beamedcore.html">beamed core antimatter</a> rocket isn't quite a photon rocket, but the electrons and positrons in its exhaust would be traveling at just under the speed of light.<br />
<br />
We know the physics involved, but building one isn't practical today.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/213.web.stuff/scott%20kircher/beamedcore.html"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/figure10AndKey-329.jpg" /></a>For one thing, antimatter is still hard to contain and expensive to produce.<br />
<br />
For another, the positive pion/negative pion to positive muon/negative muon to positron/electron reaction requires a containment structure about 1,871 meters long: 6,138 feet. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/sagittarius-b2-water-and-asteroid-mining.html#for">October 3, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
That's a small project, compared to some other proposals using today's science.<br />
<br />
One of my favorites is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_L._Forward">Robert Forward</a>'s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watt#Gigawatt">gigawatt</a> laser array powered by solar collectors sharing Mercury's orbit, a planet-size <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresnel_lens">fresnel lens</a> several dozen <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomical_unit">astronomical units</a> out focusing the beam on a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_sail#Interstellar_flight">light sail</a>.<br />
<br />
The technology involved isn't much more advanced than what we have now, although keeping equipment in good condition that close to our sun would be a challenge. My guess is that the cost is what will keep that proposal on the drawing board — for now.<br />
<br />
I suspect something like Forward's laser array could push asteroids and comets out of Earth-impact orbits, and that's yet another topic.<br />
<br />
<a name="photon"></a>'Photon drives,' light sails, and conventional rockets all use Newton's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton's_laws_of_motion#Newton.27s_third_law">third law</a> of motion:<br />
<ul>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_ratio">Mass ratio</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multistage_rocket">Multistage rocket</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton's_laws_of_motion">Newton's laws of motion</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton's_laws_of_motion#Newton.27s_third_law">Newton's third law</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_sail">Solar sail</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_sail#Interstellar_flight">Interstellar flight</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>NASA<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20020023956.pdf">Interstellar Flight by Particle Beam</a>"<br />
Geoffrey A. Landis (February 2001)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/1999/prop08apr99_1/">Setting Sail for the Stars</a>"<br />
(April 8, 1999)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/213.web.stuff/scott%20kircher/beamedcore.html">Antimatter: Beam Drive</a>"<br />
Scott Kircher, The Physics of Starship Design, 2000 Physics 213 (Introduction to Modern Physics), University of Alaska Fairbanks</li>
</ul>
Next: unconventional propulsion systems.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="weird"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">2. </span>The Weird Stuff: EM Drives, Warp Field Generators, and More</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/04/evaluating-nasas-futuristic-em-drive/"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160323-2015NASA-JSCEagleworksWarp-fieldInterferometerTestSetUp-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Dr. Harold (Sonny) White, Eagleworks Lab; via NASASpaceFlight.com; used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(NASA Eagleworks' warp-field interferometer test apparatus.)
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/04/evaluating-nasas-futuristic-em-drive/">Evaluating NASA’s Futuristic EM Drive</a>"<br />
José Rodal, Ph.D, Jeremiah Mullikin, Noel Munson; NASASpaceFlight.com (April 29, 2015)<br />
<br />
"<i>A group at NASA’s Johnson Space Center has successfully tested an electromagnetic (EM) propulsion drive in a vacuum – a major breakthrough for a multi-year international effort comprising several competing research teams. Thrust measurements of the EM Drive defy classical physics' expectations that such a closed (microwave) cavity should be unusable for space propulsion because of the law of conservation of momentum.</i><br />
<br />
"<i><b>EM Drive:</b></i><br />
<br />
"<i>Last summer, NASA Eagleworks – an advanced propulsion research group led by Dr. Harold 'Sonny' White at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) – made waves throughout the scientific and technical communities when the group presented their test results on July 28-30, 2014, at the 50th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference in Cleveland, Ohio.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Those results related to experimental testing of an EM Drive – a concept that originated around 2001 when a small UK company, Satellite Propulsion Research Ltd (SPR), under Roger J. Shawyer, started a Research and Development (R&D) program....</i>"</blockquote>
First of all, I am not making this up.<br />
<br />
NASA seems to have put warp field research on the back burner: no surprise, considering America's politics and economy, and that's yet again another topic.<br />
<br />
Research outlined in this article (not affiliated with NASA, by the way, despite the name) isn't '<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_foil_hat">tin foil hat</a>' stuff, though. The Alcubierre metric and other ideas may go the way of phlogiston: or not. Right now, we're sorting that out.<br />
<br />
Informed speculation by scientists:<br />
<ul>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_drive">Alcubierre drive</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakthrough_Propulsion_Physics_Program">Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Program</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakthrough_Propulsion_Physics_Program#Diametric_drive">Diametrical</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakthrough_Propulsion_Physics_Program#Differential_sail">Differential sail</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krasnikov_tube">Krasnikov tube</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RF_resonant_cavity_thruster">RF resonant cavity thruster</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White%E2%80%93Juday_warp-field_interferometer">White-Juday warp-field interferometer</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wormhole">Wormhole</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>NASA<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/technology/warp/brakthru.html">Breakthrough Technologies</a></li>
<li>"<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/technology/warp/warp.html">Is Warp Drive Real?</a>"<br />
(March 10, 2015)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
- - - and the Dean Drive:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_drive">Dean drive</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_drive#Further_developments">Further developments</a></li>
</ul>
Wikipedia</li>
</ul>
Norman Lomer Dean may or may not have really believed that he'd invented a reactionless drive. However:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Dean made several controlled private demonstrations of a number of different devices, however no working models were ever demonstrated publicly or subjected to independent analysis and Dean never presented any rigorous theoretical basis for their operation. Analysts conclude that the motion seen in Dean's device demonstrations was likely reliant on unsymmetrical frictional resistance between the device and the surface on which the device was set, resulting in the device moving in one direction when in operation, driven by the vibrations of the apparatus....</i>"<br />
(<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_drive">Wikipedia</a>)</blockquote>
After Dean's death, folks didn't find any working models, or diagrams, of his 'Dean drive.'<br />
<br />
The demonstration models he'd shown had been obviously different from his patents; and those were missing, too. This is the stuff of which conspiracy theories are made: but I figure that efforts to replicate the Dean drive failed because it doesn't work: and never did.<br />
<br />
RF resonant cavity thrusters, "EM Drives," sound a bit like the Dean Drive, with one important difference: they can be tested, and apparently work.<br />
<br />
I'll get back to that, after a quick — for me — look at the Bussard ramjet, which probably <b><i>won't</i></b> work.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="it"></a>'It Looked Good on Paper'</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://davidszondy.com/future/space/bussard.htm"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160324bussard01-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From DavidSZondy.com, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(Bussard fusion ramjet: it looked like a good idea at the time.)<br />
<br />
Back in 1960, physicist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_W._Bussard">Robert W. Bussard</a> had what looked like a good idea: the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bussard_ramjet">Bussard ramjet</a>. The math was valid, as far as it went; but involved "handling energy in quantities that scientists refer to in technical terms as 'bat guano crazy.'<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/reaching-for-stars.html#2">2</a></sup>"<br />
<br />
It looked good on paper.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_medium">Interstellar space</a> is far from empty. Depending on where you are in our galaxy, there's between 0.0001 and 1,000,000 molecules in each cubic centimeter.<br />
<br />
That sounds like a lot, but the best "vacuum" we can get in an Earth-surface lab has about 10,000,000,000 molecules per cubic centimeter: which is another reason why space-based labs make sense, and that's still another topic.<br />
<br />
About 99% of the stuff is gas, the other 1% dust. The gas is about 91% hydrogen, 9% helium, plus 0.1% of everything else. Quite a bit of it's ionized; so magnetic fields could, in principle, concentrate the stuff enough for fusion to happen.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://davidszondy.com/future/space/bussard.htm"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160324-bussard02-329.jpg" /></a>That sounds promising, since stars run on hydrogen fusion. On the down side, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton%E2%80%93proton_chain_reaction">proton-proton chain reaction</a> only works for some varieties of hydrogen.<br />
<br />
Bussard said that the interstellar medium had enough non-hydrogen/helium to keep the CNO (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNO_cycle">carbon–nitrogen–oxygen</a>) fusion cycle going.<br />
<br />
He may have been right, but a 'small' Bussard ramjet needs an intake several kilometers across. For meaningful payloads, we're talking a scoop tens of thousands of kilometers across.<br />
<br />
That picture shows the habitat and fusion engine of a 'Bussard' ship: that part is a few hundred meters long. Fanning out at the right are the "field wires," stretching out thousands of kilometers. Minimum.<br />
<br />
Comparison time again: Earth is about 12,750 kilometers across. I'm an American with a nearly-lifelong interest in science and engineering, so I'm used to big numbers: but that's <b><i>big</i></b>, even by my standards.<br />
<br />
Given time and motivation, humanity may get around to building planet-size structures. My guess is that's a long way off, though.<br />
<br />
I won't dismiss the idea, though. Back when the sickle was cutting-edge <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolithic_Revolution">agricultural</a> technology, my ancestors might have found something like the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-225_Mriya">Antonov An-225 Mriya</a> or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_Oasis_of_the_Seas">MS Oasis of the Seas</a> implausible.<br />
<br />
Someone may find a way around the 1985 Zubrin/Andrew analysis of Bussard ramjet technology: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bussard_ramjet#Feasibility">but</a> it looks like even if we built a scoop big and light enough, the thrust produced is less than the system's drag:<br />
<ul>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bussard_ramjet">Bussard ramjet</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bussard_ramjet#Feasibility">Feasibility</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNO_cycle">CNO cycle</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_medium">Interstellar medium</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_medium#Interstellar_matter">Interstellar matter</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fusion">Nuclear fusion</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton%E2%80%93proton_chain_reaction">Proton-proton chain reaction</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://www.askmar.com/Robert%20Bussard/Galactic%20Matter%20and%20Interstellar%20Flight.pdf">Galactic Matter and Interstellar Flight</a>"<br />
Robert W. Bussard (Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, University of California, Los Alamos, NM); Astronautica Acta, Volume 6, Fasc. 4 (1960)</li>
</ul>
<h4>
<a name="em"></a>The EM Drive and Other RF Resonant Cavity Thrusters</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/04/evaluating-nasas-futuristic-em-drive/"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160323-2015-04-19-005958-350x236-329.jpg" /></a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RF_resonant_cavity_thruster">Radio frequency (RF) resonant cavity thrusters</a> produce thrust without reaction mass or directional radiation: so they're apparently in violation of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momentum#Conservation">law of conservation of momentum</a>.<br />
<br />
That's the principle that total momentum is constant in a closed system. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton's_laws_of_motion">Newton's laws of motion</a> and all that.<br />
<br />
Scientists who have been developing hardware to test their theories say RF resonant cavity thrusters conserve momentum: but not the usual way.<br />
<br />
NASA's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RF_resonant_cavity_thruster#NASA.2FJSC_Advanced_Propulsion_Physics_Laboratory_.28Eagleworks.29">Eagleworks</a> tested <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RF_resonant_cavity_thruster#EmDrive_2">EM Drive</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RF_resonant_cavity_thruster#Cannae_drive">Cannae drive</a> devices. They say the things produced thrust: not much, but measurable amounts.<br />
<br />
Other scientists say that the results show effects of air currents, don't adequately deal with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observational_error">observational error</a>, or aren't right for other reasons. They could be right.<br />
<br />
Scientists who are working on RF resonant cavity thrusters say that they've got solid theory to explain what's happening. They could be right. So far, it's "controversial" in the sense that scientists are dealing with a set of new ideas that don't fit what they learned in high school.<br />
<br />
These thrusters send microwaves into an enclosed conical metal chamber with a dielectric resonator at the small end. The idea is that electrical power runs the magnetron, directional thrust gets sent toward the narrow end — where it gets caught, sort of.<br />
<br />
This excerpt from a Wikipedia page is a pretty good example of how the research and discussions have been going:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Shawyer has self-published theory papers about the EmDrive. These include the fundamental assertion underlying the theory: '[t]his force difference is supported by inspection of the classical Lorentz force equation F = q(E + νB). (1) If ν is replaced with the group velocity ν<sub>g</sub> of the electromagnetic wave, then equation 1 illustrates that if v<sub>g1</sub> is greater than v<sub>g2</sub>, then F<sub>g1</sub> should be expected to be greater than F<sub>g2</sub>." This statement makes two assumptions which Shawyer does not substantiate and which may explain the discrepancy between Shawyer's predictions and those of conventional physics. For example he assumes that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_pressure">radiation pressure</a> is the result of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorentz_force">Lorentz force</a> acting on charged particles in the reflecting material. This is analyzed by Rothman and Boughn<sup><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RF_resonant_cavity_thruster#cite_note-rothman2008-32">[32]</a></sup> who point out that the standard theory of radiation pressure is more complicated than the simplified analysis suggests....</i>"<br />
(<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RF_resonant_cavity_thruster#Theory">Theory</a>, RF resonant cavity thruster, Wikipedia)</blockquote>
Maybe these thrusters work because there's a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_pressure">radiation pressure</a> imbalance between the two faces, or because they create a virtual plasma toroid, producing net thrust using magnetohydrodynamic forces acting on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_fluctuation">quantum vacuum fluctuations</a>.<br />
<br />
Or maybe the researchers were detecting pressure from air currents. I don't know.<br />
<br />
Complicating matters, RF resonant cavity thrusters have an annoying habit of "dying from internal corona discharges around [their] RF output circulator." ("<a href="http://nextbigfuture.com/2015/02/more-emdrive-experiment-information.html">NASA Emdrive experiments have force measurements while the device is in a hard vacuum</a>," The Next Big Future (February 07, 2015))<br />
<br />
Replacing them costs money, so researchers have to wait until there's room in the budget.<br />
<br />
That <a href="https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/04/evaluating-nasas-futuristic-em-drive/">NASASpaceFlight.com</a> article says that the Eagleworks warp-field interferometer produced (very slight) results last year:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...During the first two weeks of April of this </i>[2015]<i> year, NASA Eagleworks may have finally obtained conclusive results. This time they used a short, cylindrical, aluminum resonant cavity excited at a natural frequency of 1.48 GHz with an input power of 30 Watts.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>This is essentially a pill-box shaped EM Drive, with much higher electric-field intensity, aligned in the axial direction. The interferometer's laser light goes through small holes in the EM Drive.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Over 27,000 cycles of data (each 1.5 sec cycle energizing the system for 0.75 sec and de-energizing it for 0.75 sec) were averaged to obtain a power spectrum that revealed a signal frequency of 0.65 Hz with amplitude clearly above system noise. Four additional tests were successfully conducted that demonstrated repeatability.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>One possible explanation for the optical path length change is that it is due to refraction of the air. The NASA team examined this possibility and concluded that it is not likely that the measured change is due to transient air heating because the experiment’s visibility threshold is forty times larger than the calculated effect from air considering atmospheric heating....</i>"<br />
(<a href="https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/04/evaluating-nasas-futuristic-em-drive/">NASASpaceFlight.com</a>)</blockquote>
A next step will be to repeat the steps in a vacuum.<br />
<br />
More stuff you may find interesting, or not:<br />
<ul>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorentz_force">Lorentz force</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momentum">Momentum</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momentum#Conservation">Conservation</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momentum#Dependence_on_reference_frame">Dependence on reference frame</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_entanglement">Quantum entanglement</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_fluctuation">Quantum fluctuation</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_mechanics">Quantum mechanics</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_pressure">Radiation pressure</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relativistic_angular_momentum">Relativistic angular momentum</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RF_resonant_cavity_thruster">RF resonant cavity thruster</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress%E2%80%93energy_tensor">Stress-energy tensor</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/ast122/lectures/lec20.html">Relativity</a><br />
University of Oregon</li>
<li>"<a href="http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/equivME/">The Equivalence of Mass and Energy</a>"<br />
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (September 12, 2001; rev. February 6, 2012)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20151212ff-Documents/20160323-NASA-Roundup-2012-Page-8-0712.pdf">Daydreaming beyond the Solar System with warp field mechanics</a>"<br />
Catherine Ragin Williams; Roundup, NASA (July 2012)<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From <a href="http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/roundup/online/2012/0712.pdf">www.jsc.nasa.gov/roundup/online/2012/0712.pdf</a> (March 24, 2016))</span></li>
</ul>
<h4><a name="afterword"></a>Afterword: "A Planet is the Cradle...."</h4>
<br />
As I write this, Thursday night is turning into Friday morning. It's Holy Week, tomorrow's a big day, and besides — I need sleep. A brief quote, and I'm done:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>Планета есть колыбель разума, но нельзя вечно жить в колыбели</i>"<br />
"<i>A planet is the cradle of mind, but one cannot live in a cradle forever.</i>"<br />
(Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky, from a letter written in 1911, via <a href="https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Konstantin_Tsiolkovsky">Wikiquote</a>)</blockquote>
<a href="http://norski.deviantart.com/art/Double-Planet-498750647"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/DoublePlanet20141125-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
More, looking around and looking ahead:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/spacex-mars-and-someday-stars.html">SpaceX, Mars, and Someday the Stars</a>"<br />
(December 24, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/spacex-mars-and-someday-stars.html#imagining">Imagining, and Building, Spaceships</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/spacex-mars-and-someday-stars.html#faith">Faith, Fear, and Being Human</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/spacex-mars-and-someday-stars.html#spacex">SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Cargo Runs</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/spacex-mars-and-someday-stars.html#insight">InSight Launch Delayed — and Robots</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/new-horizons-past-pluto-outward-bound.html">New Horizons: Past Pluto, Outward Bound</a>"<br />
(July 17, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/new-horizons-past-pluto-outward-bound.html#truth">"Truth Cannot Contradict Truth" — or — Thinking is Not a Sin</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/new-horizons-past-pluto-outward-bound.html#heading">Heading for the Hills (Cloud, That is)</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/dark-matter-and-energy-new-data-and-map.html">Dark Matter and Energy: New Data, and a Map</a>"<br />
(April 17, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/dark-matter-and-energy-new-data-and-map.html#living">Living in a Big Universe</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/dark-matter-and-energy-new-data-and-map.html#mapping">Mapping Weak Gravitational Lensing: a Two-Year Report</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/dark-matter-and-energy-new-data-and-map.html#dark">Dark Energy, an Expanding Universe, and Angst</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/starships-dinosaurs-and-long-distance.html">Starships, Dinosaurs, and Long-Distance Service for Mars</a>"<br />
(August 1, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/starships-dinosaurs-and-long-distance.html#what">What is — and is not — in the Beatitudes</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/starships-dinosaurs-and-long-distance.html#ulysses">Ulysses, Fraud, and Sin</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/starships-dinosaurs-and-long-distance.html#seeking">Seeking Knowledge</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/starships-dinosaurs-and-long-distance.html#long">Long-Range Travel Plans</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/neutrinos-and-fading-universe.html">Neutrinos and a Fading Universe</a>"<br />
(August 14, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/neutrinos-and-fading-universe.html#science">Science and an Odd Notion</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/neutrinos-and-fading-universe.html#thinking">Thinking is Not a Sin</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/neutrinos-and-fading-universe.html#portrait">Portrait of a Fading Universe</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<sup><a name="1">1</a></sup> The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Energy_Agency">International Energy Agency</a>'s estimate of world energy use in 2012 was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_energy_consumption#Energy_supply.2C_consumption_and_electricity">104,426</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilowatt_hour#Multiples">terawatt hours</a>.<br />
<br />
<sup><a name="2">2</a></sup> That gem is from David S. Zondy's excellent website. It's still up and running, but as of March 24, 2016 he has still not been able to fix display issues — not his fault, I think. He and his hosting service had a difference of opinion which ended badly, for him. His content is still available, but I have to highlight text to make it visible. It's worth the effort, I think:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://davidszondy.com/future/space/bussard.htm">Bussard Ramjet</a>"<br />
Spaceship, Future Space, Tales of Future Past; DavidSZondy.com</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-49092606377490169262016-03-24T09:00:00.000-05:002016-05-02T18:49:03.885-05:00Washing Feet: Love and ServiceHoly Thursday, 2016:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P1T.HTM#PENT.EXO.12.1">Exodus 12:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P1T.HTM#PENT.EXO.12.8">8</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P1T.HTM#PENT.EXO.12.11">11</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P1T.HTM#PENT.EXO.12.14">14</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PZG.HTM#NTLET.1COR.11.23">1 Corinthians 11:23</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PZG.HTM#NTLET.1COR.11.26">26</a></li>
<li>Verse Before the Gospel: <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXL.HTM#GOSP.JOH.13.34">John 13:34</a><br />
<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXL.HTM#GOSP.JOH.13.1">John 13:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXL.HTM#GOSP.JOH.13.15">15</a></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
Holy Thursday, 2016</h4>
<div style="text-align: center;">
By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas<br />
March 24, 2016</div>
<br />
"If I, therefore ... Have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet."<br />
<br />
To wash someone's feet in the ancient world really meant something. It was, almost always done, by household servants as a way of indicating the importance of the other person, as a way of showing respect. It was a show of humility and tenderness in submissiveness and deference. The person doing the washing was always "lesser" than the one whose feet were being washed. And the fact that Jesus did it spoke volumes. In a sense he was saying, "you must be a servant. You must be humble. You must come in close to the one in need. You must get your hands dirty. You must (maybe for the first time) think exclusively of the other person."<br />
<br />
So what does that look like in this time and in this place?<br />
<br />
Maybe it means.....<br />
<br />
That the starting point is always the dignity of every single person, no exceptions.<br />
<br />
That the happiness and well-being of others is as, or more important, then ours.<br />
<br />
That we don't have to win every argument.<br />
<br />
That we don't have to have all the answers, and that others have something to teach us.<br />
<br />
That the person we like the least is precisely the one we need to help the most.<br />
<br />
That we must never be okay with others being lonely and forgotten or unloved.<br />
<br />
Maybe it simply means that we should approach every single person we encounter, intent on answering the question, "what can I give? What does this person need from me?" And not what can I get from this person?<br />
<br />
How can we possibly do that? Well, it's only possible if God is alive and well within us, shaping all we say and do. And nowhere is that hope more visible than at this altar, at the sacred table whereby our loving Lord and Savior feeds us with his very life, his very self -- our God poured out for us and within us so that we can do all the incredible things he calls us to do. Think about it -- the body of Christ given to the body of Christ so that we can more perfectly become the body of Christ, that is so that each of us can strive to live lives of profound goodness, kindness, generosity, mercy, and love. That's the promise and the challenge of the Eucharist.<br />
<br />
So you all be Good, Be Holy, preach the Gospel always using Words and Holy Actions.<br />
<hr />
'Thank you' to Deacon Kaas, for letting me post his reflection here.<br />
<hr />
More reflections:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/p/reflections-from-sauk-centres-our-lady.html">Reflections from Sauk Centre's Our Lady of Angels Church</a>"</li>
</ul>
Related posts:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/names-and-name.html">Names and <i>THE</i> Name</a>"<br />
(February 28, 2016)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/love.html">Love!</a>"<br />
(January 31, 2016)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html">Mercy!</a>"<br />
(December 13, 2015)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/not-going-native.html">(Not) 'Going Native'</a> "<br />
(August 30, 2015)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/gnawing-our-lord.html">Gnawing Our Lord</a>"<br />
(August 16, 2015)</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-82514057353018754462016-03-22T22:45:00.000-05:002016-03-23T16:32:25.932-05:00We Killed Jesus<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hep-hep_riots.jpg"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160322-Hep-hep_riots-329.jpg" /></a>Despite this post's title, I won't be indulging in a <a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/guilt-trip">guilt trip</a>, or bewailing the decline and fall of practically everybody.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/we-killed-jesus.html#1">1</a></sup><br />
<br />
An incident earlier this month could have been much worse: like the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankfurter_Judengasse#The_first_Judenschlacht_of_1241">Judenschlacht of 1241</a> or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hep-Hep_riots">Hep-Hep riots</a> in 1819.<br />
<br />
What happened was bad enough, though:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>The chanting started with a rude taunt: Newton North High School students cheering for their basketball team Friday night shouted, 'Where are your girls?' to the fans of Catholic Memorial School, an all-boys school.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>But the response from the Catholic Memorial fans to their opponents, many of whom are Jewish, left the Newton North crowd horrified and upset: 'You killed Jesus!' shouted about 50 to 75 Catholic Memorial students. 'You killed Jesus!'...</i>"<br />
(<a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/03/12/catholic-memorial-students-chant-anti-semitic-taunts-newton-basketball-game/SYNt0ozzZm84DiRoSmMRMM/story.html">Evan Allen</a>, Boston Globe (March 12, 2016))</blockquote>
The Boston Globe article doesn't say how many Catholic Memorial fans were at the game, so I don't know if "the Catholic Memorial fans" refers to all the fans, or some of them. Either way, that was unacceptable behavior.<br />
<br />
Catholic Memorial's administration thinks so, too. School brass took "corrective action"<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/we-killed-jesus.html#2">2</a></sup> during and after the game, and my guess is that the lesson isn't over yet:<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bostoncatholic.org/Utility/News-And-Press/Content.aspx?id=32279">Archdiocese of Boston Statement Incident involving Catholic Memorial High School</a>"<br />
<br />
"<i>...The Archdiocese wishes to make clear that the behavior of a number of students from Catholic Memorial at the game is unacceptable....</i><br />
<br />
"<i>...Cardinal Sean O'Malley stood in solidarity with hundreds of members of the Jewish community and in affirming the Jewish and Catholic communities' shared heritage of faith...</i><br />
<br />
"<i>...We stand ready to assist Catholic Memorial in providing the student body with the awareness education that is needed to ensure that there is no recurrence of these actions or attitudes.</i>"</blockquote>
I put the statement's full text<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/we-killed-jesus.html#2">2</a></sup>, and links to more resources<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/we-killed-jesus.html#3">3</a></sup>, at the end of this post.<br />
<br />
Before talking about being a gentile Catholic, and why our Lord died on the Cross: a tip of the hat to <a href="https://plus.google.com/+FrRobertCarr/posts/KNd7mpZAkbz">Fr. Robert Carr</a>, on Google Plus, for drawing my attention to this short recording of a Palm Sunday homily.<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://holytrinityquincyma.podomatic.com/entry/2016-03-20T09_12_34-07_00">Who Killed Jesus?</a>"<br />
Words From Holy Trinity Quincy, MA; PodOmatic, 5:25 (March 20, 2016)</li>
</ul>
<h4>
<a name="anti"></a>Anti-Whatever Soreheads and Me</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:18960415_antisemitic_political_cartoon_in_Sound_Money.jpg"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20160321ff/20160322-800px-18960415_antisemitic_political_cartoon_in_Sound_Money-trim-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Watson Heston, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("History Repeats Itself" — "This is the U.S. in the Hands of the Jews:" editorial cartoon from the April 15, 1896 issue of Sound Money magazine.)<br />
<br />
I've mentioned the rabid Christians who helped me learn to love rock 'n roll, and eventually become a Catholic, before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/beaver-cleaver-and-common-good.html">May 3, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/charlie-hebdo-chick-tracts-and-getting.html#getting">January 11, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/remembering-911-living-in-big-world.html#burning">September 11, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
The lot I ran into seldom mentioned Jews, or Israel: except in the context of their latest 'End Times' prophecy, where Israel occasionally popped up in the ultimate battle between America and Satan. And that's another topic. Topics. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/taking-bible-seriously.html#last">February 21, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/doomsday-du-jour-or-doing-my-job.html">April 19, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
America has had its share of anti-Semitic, anti-Catholic, anti-Irish, and anti-whatever soreheads — yet more topics. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html">September 6, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/charleston-church-shooting-emotions-and.html#life">June 21, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
I <b><i>can't</i></b> reasonably hate Jews, or anybody else. Mainly because —<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="i"></a>I Worship a Jew</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/truth-and-big-picture.html#kings"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/Eccehomo1-329.jpg" /></a>Jesus is a Jew. That's obvious, from both of our Lord's genealogies. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVA.HTM#GOSP.MAT.1.1">Matthew 1:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVA.HTM#GOSP.MAT.1.16">16</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWM.HTM#GOSP.LUK.3.23">Luke 3:23</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWM.HTM#GOSP.LUK.3.38">38</a>)<br />
<br />
They're not exactly the same, and I've explained why the Bible's non-American origin doesn't upset me. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/taking-bible-seriously.html#i2">February 21, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-comet-wobbling-moon-and-earths.html#evidence">October 24, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Our Lord isn't just ethnically Jewish. While Jesus was here, he lived as a Jew, obedient to God's law: understanding it better than the Pharisees and other <a href="http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/control-freak">control freaks</a>. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVL.HTM#GOSP.MAT.12.1">Matthew 12:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVL.HTM#GOSP.MAT.12.5">5</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PW4.HTM#GOSP.MAR.2.23">Mark 2:23</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PW4.HTM#GOSP.MAR.2.28">28</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWU.HTM#GOSP.LUK.11.52">Luke 11:52</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXD.HTM#GOSP.JOH.5.6">John 5:6</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXD.HTM#GOSP.JOH.5.17">17</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c2.htm#423">423</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a3p3.htm#531">531</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a3p3.htm#531">531</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a4p1.htm#582">582</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a4p1.htm#584">584</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a3.htm#2173">2173</a>)<br />
<br />
I could, by <a href="http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/cherry-pick">cherry-picking</a> verses like <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWU.HTM#GOSP.LUK.11.47">Luke 11:47</a> and <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXZ.HTM#GOSP.ACT.5.30">Acts 5:30</a>, claim that God blames the Jews for whatever annoys me.<br />
<br />
I <b><i>really</i></b> don't need that sort of trouble. Sacred Scripture, Tradition (capital "T"), the Magisterium, and my upcoming particular judgment, are — yet again more topics. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/death-at-garissa-university-sin-and.html#partly">April 12, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/fire-brimstone-and-lollipop-faith.html#hellfire">March 15, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/reforming-world-we-must-try.html#faith">September 28, 2014</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/vengeance-anger-and-looking-ahead.html#im">July 13, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
I certainly can't blame 'the Jews' or any other single group for our Lord's death. Not if I take what the Church says seriously.<br />
<br />
For starters, some Jewish authorities wanted our Lord dead, others didn't. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a4p2.htm#595">595</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a4p2.htm#596">596</a>)
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXB.HTM#$3RF">1</a></sup> Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXB.HTM#$3RG">2</a></sup></i><br />
<br />
"<i>He came to Jesus at night and said to him, 'Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him.'</i> "<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXB.HTM#GOSP.JOH.3.1">John 3:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXB.HTM#GOSP.JOH.3.2">2</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>Joseph of Arimathea, <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWH.HTM#$3H3">19</a></sup> a distinguished member of the council, who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God, came and courageously went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWH.HTM#GOSP.MAR.15.43">Mark 15:43</a>)</blockquote>
Differences of opinion didn't stop after Jesus stopped being dead.<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXZ.HTM#$40O">6</a></sup> But a Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up, ordered the men to be put outside for a short time,</i><br />
<br />
"<i>and said to them, 'Fellow Israelites, be careful what you are about to do to these men.</i><br />
<br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXZ.HTM#$40P">7</a></sup> Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important, and about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed, and all those who were loyal to him were disbanded and came to nothing.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>After him came Judas the Galilean at the time of the census. He also drew people after him, but he too perished and all who were loyal to him were scattered.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>So now I tell you, have nothing to do with these men, and let them go. For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.' They were persuaded by him.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXZ.HTM#GOSP.ACT.5.34">Acts 5:34</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXZ.HTM#GOSP.ACT.5.39">39</a>)</blockquote>
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/gamaliel-and-centurion.html#gamaliel"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/Stephengamalielnicodemus-329.jpg" /></a>I think Gamaliel made sense. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/gamaliel-and-centurion.html#gamaliel">September 14, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
But being right, and making sense, is no guarantee of success. Not in the short run, anyway. I've talked about freedom, McCarthyism, and getting a grip, before, too. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-communist-crucifix-and-other.html#freedom">July 19, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
I know enough history to realize that truth wins — eventually. Sometimes we have to be very, very, patient, and that's still another topic. Topics. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-pope-is-catholic.html#history">January 10, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/angst-hope-and-building-better-world.html#looking">July 5, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/boko-haram-slavery-death-and-love.html#things">January 18, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Getting back to our Lord's trial, Pilate was in a highly unenviable position. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/truth-and-big-picture.html">November 22, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
The political situation was complicated, the Sanhedrin threatened Pilate during the trial, and "...the personal sin of the participants (Judas, the Sanhedrin, Pilate) is known to God alone...." We must not blame folks who wouldn't be born for another two millennia. Particularly considering what Jesus and Peter said. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a4p2.htm#596">596</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a4p2.htm#597">597</a>)<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>Consequently, Pilate tried to release him; but the Jews cried out, 'If you release him, you are not a Friend of Caesar. <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXR.HTM#$3YA">3</a></sup> Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.'</i> "<br />
<br />
"<i>They cried out, 'Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!' Pilate said to them, 'Shall I crucify your king?' The chief priests answered, 'We have no king but Caesar.'</i> "<br />
<br />
"<i>So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, 'Do not write "The King of the Jews," but that he said, "I am the King of the Jews." '</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Pilate answered, 'What I have written, I have written.' </i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXR.HTM#GOSP.JOH.19.12">John 19:12</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXR.HTM#GOSP.JOH.19.15">15</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXR.HTM#GOSP.JOH.19.21">21</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXR.HTM#GOSP.JOH.19.22">22</a>)</blockquote>
<h4>
<a name="forgiveness"></a>Forgiveness and Gentiles</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html#sin"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20141014buck20081004-20081218.jpg" /></a>Ill-informed Christians and imaginative editors notwithstanding, forgiveness is not a new idea. At all. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/stones-sin-and-mercy.html#neither">March 13, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html">December 13, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html#sin">September 6, 2015</a>)<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>[Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.'] <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX6.HTM#$3PH">5</a></sup> They divided his garments by casting lots. </i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX6.HTM#GOSP.LUK.23.34">Luke 23:34</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>Now I know, brothers, that you acted out of ignorance, <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXX.HTM#$408">7</a></sup> just as your leaders did;</i><br />
<br />
"<i>but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXX.HTM#$409">8</a></sup> that his Messiah would suffer.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXX.HTM#GOSP.ACT.3.17">Acts 3:17</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXX.HTM#GOSP.ACT.3.18">18</a>)</blockquote>
I get the impression that one of the early questions wasn't whether Jews were 'saved:' it was whether the Messiah came for Gentiles, too. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/jesus-magi-and-me.html#for">January 3, 2016</a>)<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P10A.HTM#$4LK">1</a></sup> Because of this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P10A.HTM#$4LL">2</a></sup> (Jesus) for you Gentiles -</i><br />
...<br />
"<i>When you read this you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,</i><br />
<br />
"<i>which was not made known to human beings in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit,</i><br />
<br />
"<i>that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P10A.HTM#NTLET.EPH.3.1">Ephesians 3:1</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P10A.HTM#NTLET.EPH.3.4">4</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P10A.HTM#NTLET.EPH.3.6">6</a>)</blockquote>
<h4>
<a name="sin"></a>Sin, Death, Redemption</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/02/talking-about-sin.html#choice"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/Cole_Thomas_Expulsion_from_the_Garden_of_Eden_1828-329-1px-trim.jpg" /></a>Sin is what happens when I decide not to do something I should; or decide to do something I know is bad for myself or others, and do it anyway. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1849">1849</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1864">1864</a>)<br />
<br />
It's not loving God, loving my neighbors, seeing everybody as my neighbor, and treating others as I want to be treated. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.43">Matthew 5:43</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.44">44</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.12">7:12</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.36">22:36</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.40">40</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.28">Mark 12:28</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.31">31</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWP.HTM#GOSP.LUK.6.31">Luke 6:31</a> <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.25">10:25</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.27">27</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.29">29</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.37">37</a>)<br />
<br />
Humanity is <b><i>not</i></b> divided into 'the righteous' who can do no wrong and 'sinners' who can do no right. Reality is a whole lot more complicated.<br />
<br />
We're still made "in the image of God," as <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.26">Genesis 1:26</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.27">27</a> says. We're rational creatures who can decide what we do: spiritual beings with a body made from the stuff of this world. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#311">311</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p5.htm#325">325</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p5.htm#348">348</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a1.htm#1704">1704</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1730">1730</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1731">1731</a>)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#satan"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150706-800px-DVinfernoLuciferKingOfHell_m-329.jpg" /></a>Having a body isn't the problem, by the way. Satan and the other rebellious angels are pure spirit, and look what happened to them. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#385">385</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#395">395</a>)<br />
<br />
Our trouble started when the first of us decided to put their preferences above God's — and we've been dealing with consequences of that decision ever since. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#396">396</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#412">412</a>)<br />
<br />
I've been over this before, often. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/stones-sin-and-mercy.html#humans">March 13, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/lent-faith-and-ashes.html#sin">February 7, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/pope-francis-and-nietzsche.html#good">September 27, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Seeing anything from God's viewpoint is arguably impossible for a finite creature. We can, however, learn and come to understand the Almighty: to some extent. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c1.htm#27">27</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c1.htm#43">43</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p1.htm#202">202</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a4p2.htm#600">600</a>)<br />
<br />
God, predestination, and Psalms 115, are even more topics. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/why-make-universe.html#as">July 26, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/scientific-discoveries-invitation-to.html#psalms">September 21, 2014</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/predestination-free-will-from-gods.html">July 27, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
I can't 'work my way into Heaven.' I rely on our Lord for salvation. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/lent-faith-and-ashes.html#working">February 7, 2016</a>)<br />
<br />
By dying on the Cross, Jesus took on our sin: and made it possible for each of us to take on our Lord's divine, risen, nature. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a4p2.htm#599">599</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a4p2.htm#618">618</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p2.htm#638">638</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p2.htm#655">655</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="whodunit"></a>Whodunit</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/have-no-anxiety-at-all.html#why"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150410-538px-Jacopo_Tintoretto_-_Crucifixion_detail_-_WGA22517-329.jpg" /></a>That brings me back to the 'who killed Jesus' <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/whodunit">whodunit</a>. The solution is sort of like Agatha Christie's "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_on_the_Orient_Express">Murder on the Orient Express</a>."<br />
<br />
<b><i>Everybody</i></b> who was there<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/we-killed-jesus.html#4">4</a></sup> was involved. Some Jews railroaded our Lord through that trial. Pilate, a gentile, tried to let Jesus off; but finally went along with the local authorities. Roman soldiers — more gentiles — escorted our Lord to Golgotha and nailed Jesus to the Cross.<br />
<br />
I am there, too, in a sense: every time I fail to love God and my neighbor, every time I "delight in [my] vices and sins." (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P11L.HTM#NTLET.HEB.6.6">Hebrews 6:6</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a4p2.htm#598">598</a>)<br />
<br />
Happily:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...life is eternal, and love is immortal, and death is only a horizon, and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight....</i>"</blockquote>
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/life-death-and-love.html"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20151030-800px-Pieter_Claesz_002b-329.jpg" /></a>I have one life, one soul, and one chance at eternity. Hope is a virtue, despair is not an option, and hope lasts as long as we live. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p6.htm#366">366</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a11.htm#988">988</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a11.htm#1014">1014</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm#1021">1021</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm#1022">1022</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a5.htm#1501">1501</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm#1817">1817</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm#1821">1821</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a1.htm#2091">2091</a>)<br />
<br />
And that is — yes, it's another topic. Topics.<br />
<br />
More about taking God seriously:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/jesus-magi-and-me.html">Jesus, the Magi, and Me</a>"<br />
(January 3, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/jesus-magi-and-me.html#for">"For You Gentiles"</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/life-death-and-love.html">Life, Death, and Love</a>"<br />
(November 1, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/life-death-and-love.html#life">Life, Death, and Beyond</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/angst-hope-and-building-better-world.html">Angst, Hope, and Building a Better World</a>"<br />
(July 5, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/angst-hope-and-building-better-world.html#doomsday">Doomsday Predictions and Fashionable Melancholia</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/angst-hope-and-building-better-world.html#love">Love and Responsibilities</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/angst-hope-and-building-better-world.html#looking">Looking Ahead</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/charleston-church-shooting-emotions-and.html">Charleston Church Shooting: Emotions and Reason</a>"<br />
(June 21, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/charleston-church-shooting-emotions-and.html#our">"Our Country?" Difference, Acceptance, and Murder</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/charleston-church-shooting-emotions-and.html#life">Life and Reality</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/charleston-church-shooting-emotions-and.html#looking">Looking Out For Each Other</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/not-going-native.html">(Not) 'Going Native'</a> "<br />
(August 30, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/not-going-native.html#love">Love and the Status Quo</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/not-going-native.html#faith">Faith that's "Two Coats of Paint" Deep</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/not-going-native.html#moving">Moving Forward</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<sup><a name="1">1</a></sup> If that phrase sounds familiar, your reading habits may be like mine. "The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody" is the title of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Cuppy">Will Cuppy</a>'s uncompleted historical satire. It didn't stay uncompleted, obviously, since Fred Feldkamp sorted through Cuppy's copious notes: finishing and publishing the book in 1950.<br />
<br />
<sup><a name="2">2</a></sup> Response to a "troubling incident:"
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bostoncatholic.org/Utility/News-And-Press/Content.aspx?id=32279">Archdiocese of Boston Statement Incident involving Catholic Memorial High School</a>"<br />
<br />
"<i>The Archdiocese of Boston has learned of a troubling incident that occurred on Friday evening at Newton South High School, during a basketball game between Newton North and Catholic Memorial High Schools. The Archdiocese wishes to make clear that the behavior of a number of students from Catholic Memorial at the game is unacceptable.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>On Thursday evening of this past week, in observance of the 50th anniversary of the Church's landmark document that overturned the Church's history of anti-Jewish attitudes and teaching, Cardinal Sean O'Malley stood in solidarity with hundreds of members of the Jewish community and in affirming the Jewish and Catholic communities' shared heritage of faith.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>We are pleased that the administration of Catholic Memorial took corrective action immediately during and after the basketball game. This incident, while not representative of the school community, presents an opportunity to promote an important learning experience for the students.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>We stand ready to assist Catholic Memorial in providing the student body with the awareness education that is needed to ensure that there is no recurrence of these actions or attitudes.</i>"</blockquote>
<sup><a name="3">3</a></sup> More:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/relations-jews-docs/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_20030908_kasper-antisemitismo_en.html">Anti-semitism: A wound to be healed</a>"<br />
Cardinal Walter Kasper (September 8, 2003)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html">Declaration on the Relation of the Church to non-christian religions - Nostra aetate</a>"<br />
Pope Paul VI (October 28, 1965)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://www.vatican.va/jubilee_2000/magazine/documents/ju_mag_01111997_p-31_en.html">Nostra Aetate: a milestone</a>"<br />
Pier Francesco Fumagalli (1997)</li>
<li>Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p3.htm#839">839</a></li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="4">4</a></sup> Our Lord's mother is a special case. As I've said before, Mary is as human as I am. Catholics don't, or should not, worship her. I've discussed Mary, mother of Jesus, before:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/good-advice-from-mother-of-god.html">Good Advice from the Mother of God</a>"<br />
(January 1, 2015)</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/gideon-gabriel-mary-and-guts.html">Gideon, Gabriel, Mary, and Guts</a>"<br />
(December 21, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/gideon-gabriel-mary-and-guts.html#tacky">Tacky Religious Art and Idolatry</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/gideon-gabriel-mary-and-guts.html#mary">Mary and 'Happy Days' America</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/gideon-gabriel-mary-and-guts.html#submissive">Submissive? Maybe</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-72687336227793285382016-03-20T08:00:00.000-05:002016-03-21T13:06:53.274-05:00The Messiah We Need<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthian_Empire#Continuation_of_Roman_hostilities_and_Parthian_decline"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160319-800px-Roman-Parthian_War_58-60-329.jpg" /></a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius">Tiberius</a> was Rome's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius#Tiberius_in_Capri.2C_with_Sejanus_in_Rome">absentee</a> emperor around the time the Han Dynasty was getting back to business-as-usual, after <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Mang">Wang Mang</a>'s brief takeover. I mentioned him before: Wang Mang, I mean. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/joy-to-world.html#around">December 27, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phaedrus_%28fabulist%29">Phaedrus</a> was retelling <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesop's_Fables">Aesop's Fables</a> in Latin, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontius_Pilate">Pontius Pīlātus</a> was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prefect#Prefects_as_provincial_governors">prefect</a> of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judea_%28Roman_province%29">Roman Province of Judea</a>.<br />
<br />
That part of the world had been under Roman control since the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Philippi">Battle of Philippi</a>, Armenia wasn't a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Armenia#Roman_province_of_Armenia_.28114-118_AD.29">Roman province</a> yet, but it wasn't the force it had been during <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tigranes_the_Great#Wars_against_the_Parthians_and_Seleucids">Tigranes</a>' reign, and that's another topic.<br />
<br />
Tigranes, Tiberius, and Wang Mang, were well-known folks in their day;<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-messiah-we-need.html#1">1</a></sup> at least in their homelands. Two millennia later, not so much.<br />
<br />
Pontius Pīlātus is another matter. He's mentioned each year around this time, when something like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_population_growth">2,000,000,000</a> folks pay at least fleeting attention to a Nazarene's progress from top-of-the-polls celebrity to executed corpse.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="but"></a>"But who do you say that I am?"</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-trinity-divine-unity-and-mystery.html"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/Shield-Trinity-Scutum-Fidei-English-329-2.jpg" /></a>That's because Jesus of Nazareth is one of three <b><i>very</i></b> important persons.<br />
<br />
Abraham's descendants learned, eventually, that the Almighty was serious about this:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P4L.HTM#$HQ">1</a></sup> 'Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P4L.HTM#PENT.DEU.6.4">Deuteronomy 6:4</a>)</blockquote>
I think God is one, too.<br />
<br />
However, I'm a Catholic: so I acknowledge God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.<br />
<br />
That's one God, three persons; a divine Unity; "...the Father who generates, the Son who is begotten, and the Holy Spirit who proceeds...." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p2.htm#253">253</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p2.htm#256">256</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a3p1.htm#456">456</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a3p1.htm#478">478</a>)<br />
<br />
But I don't understand how the Trinity works. Not on an operational, nuts-and-bolts, level. All three were at our Lord's baptism — you can read about that in <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVC.HTM#GOSP.MAT.3.13">Matthew 3:13</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVC.HTM#GOSP.MAT.3.17">17</a> — I talked about the Trinity, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tefillin">tefillin</a>, and metaphor, last year. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-trinity-divine-unity-and-mystery.html">March 8, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
I also acknowledge that our Lord is the Son of God, human <b><i>and</i></b> divine, "true God and true man." (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a3p1.htm#456">456</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a3p1.htm#478">478</a>)<br />
<br />
Again, I don't understand how that works; but I agree with Peter.<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVP.HTM#$33B">8</a></sup> When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVP.HTM#$33C">9</a></sup> he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?'</i><br />
<br />
"<i>They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist, <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVP.HTM#$33D">10</a></sup> others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'</i><br />
<br />
"<i>He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?'</i><br />
<br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVP.HTM#$33E">11</a></sup> Simon Peter said in reply, 'You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.'</i> "<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVP.HTM#GOSP.MAT.16.13">Matthew 16:13</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVP.HTM#GOSP.MAT.16.16">16</a>)</blockquote>
Today is Palm Sunday, Holy Week's kickoff. We've been leading up to a really long Gospel reading with this sort of thing:
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#$3TZ">5</a></sup> Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'</i> "<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#GOSP.JOH.8.12">John 8:12</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>So Jesus said (to them), 'When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me.</i><br />
"<i>The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.'</i> "<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#GOSP.JOH.8.28">John 8:28</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#GOSP.JOH.8.29">29</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>So the Jews said to him, 'You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?' <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#$3UH">23</a></sup></i><br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#$3UI">24</a></sup> Jesus said to them, 'Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.'</i> "<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#GOSP.JOH.8.57">John 8:57</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#GOSP.JOH.8.58">58</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i>If I do not perform my Father's works, do not believe me;</i><br />
"<i>but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize (and understand) that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.'</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXI.HTM#GOSP.JOH.10.37">John 10:37</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXI.HTM#GOSP.JOH.10.38">38</a>)</blockquote>
<h4>
<a name="last"></a>Last Supper, Messy Death</h4>
<br />
<img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160315-05394_Palm_Sunday_collage-658.JPG" /><br />
(Palm Sunday in Mexico, East Timor, South Sudan, and Poland.)<br />
<br />
Today's long Gospel reading, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX5.HTM#GOSP.LUK.22.14">Luke 22:14</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX6.HTM#GOSP.LUK.23.56">56</a> starts with the Last Supper and ends with the women who had come from Galilee with our Lord resting on the Sabbath — after spotting the tomb his body was in.<br />
<br />
The short version, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX6.HTM#GOSP.LUK.23.1">Luke 23:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX6.HTM#GOSP.LUK.23.49">49</a>, isn't particularly short. It runs from the council of elders accusing Jesus before Pilate to our Lord's death.<br />
<br />
Either way, it's a far-from-cheerful account.<br />
<br />
So why did our Lord go through all this?<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-messiah-we-need.html#2">2</a></sup> It's like God told Abraham: "...All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you." (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PE.HTM#PENT.GEN.12.3">Genesis 12:3</a>)<br />
<br />
Jesus may not have been the Messiah folks expected, but our Lord is the Messiah and Redeemer God promised after the first of us made that disastrous choice.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-messiah-we-need.html#3">3</a></sup> (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P5.HTM#PENT.GEN.3.9">Genesis 3:19</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P5.HTM#PENT.GEN.3.15">15</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#397">397</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#410">410</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a3p3.htm#528">528</a>)<br />
<br />
Jesus is the Messiah we need. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c2a2.htm#430">430</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c2a2.htm#435">435</a>)<br />
<br />
Our Lord's messy death, and what happened after that, opened Heaven's gates for you, me, and everyone. Whether we walk in is up to each of us, and that's yet another topic. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a4p2.htm#597">597</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a4p2.htm#618">618</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p1.htm#631">631</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p1.htm#635">635</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p1.htm#637">637</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm#1026">1026</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1739">1739</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1742">1742</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="still"></a>Still Celebrating</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/death-been-there-done-that.html"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150328-Piero_della_Francesca_-_Resurrection_-_WGA17609-329.jpg" /></a>Our Lord wouldn't stay dead: which is why, two millennia later, we're still celebrating — and passing along wonderful news.<br />
<br />
God loves us, and wants to adopt us. All of us. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXB.HTM#GOSP.JOH.3.17">John 3:17</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYW.HTM#NTLET.ROM.8.15">Romans 8:15</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P108.HTM#NTLET.EPH.1.3">Ephesians 1:3</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P108.HTM#NTLET.EPH.1.5">5</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/prologue.htm#1">1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/prologue.htm#3">3</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a1.htm#52">52</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm#1825">1825</a>)<br />
<br />
And that's yet again another topic:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/training-lent-and-me.html">Training, Lent, and Me</a>"<br />
(February 14, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/training-lent-and-me.html#desert">The Desert and Deuteronomy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/training-lent-and-me.html#still">Still Shining</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>" <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/have-no-anxiety-at-all.html">'Have No Anxiety At All'</a> "<br />
(October 18, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/have-no-anxiety-at-all.html#why">Why Take Jesus Seriously?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/have-no-anxiety-at-all.html#rejoice">Rejoice!</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/joy-to-world.html">Joy to the World!</a>"<br />
(December 27, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/joy-to-world.html#human">Human on His Mother's Side</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/joy-to-world.html#goodness">"Goodness, Life and Truth"</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/truth-and-big-picture.html">Truth and the Big Picture</a>"<br />
(November 22, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/truth-and-big-picture.html#kings">Kings and Questions</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/truth-and-big-picture.html#man">The Man Who Wouldn't Stay Dead</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/truth-and-big-picture.html#truth">Truth and the Long Run</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2009/04/firebase-earth-different-sort-of-post.html">Firebase Earth</a>"<br />
(April 5, 2009)</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<sup><a name="1">1</a></sup> As a writer, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phaedrus_%28fabulist%29">Phaedrus</a> wasn't important the way civic leaders are, but the poet <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial">Martial</a> and writer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avianus">Avianus</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phaedrus_%28fabulist%29#Work">mentioned</a> him: and his stories lasted considerably longer than he did.<br />
<br />
Phaedrus made an important contribution to the current iteration of Western civilization, although it wasn't until fairly recently that we worked out where at least some source material for "<a href="http://www.gutenberg.us/articles/anonymus_nilanti">Anonymus Nilanti</a>," a collection of Latin <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beast_fable">beast fables</a>, came from.<br />
<br />
<sup><a name="2">2</a></sup> More about Palm Sunday:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2015/documents/papa-francesco_20150329_omelia-palme.html">Palm Sunday - 30th World Youth Day</a><br />
Pope Francis (March 29, 2015)</li>
<li><a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2013/documents/papa-francesco_20130324_palme.html">Palm Sunday - 28th World Youth Day</a><br />
Pope Francis (March 24, 2013)</li>
<li><a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/homilies/2012/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20120401_palm-sunday.html">Palm Sunday - 27th World Youth Day</a><br />
Pope Benedict XVI (April 1, 2012)</li>
<li><a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/homilies/2004/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20040404_palm-sunday.html">Palm Sunday - 19th World Youth Day</a><br />
Pope John Paul II (April 4, 2004)</li>
</ul>
<sup><a name="3">3</a></sup> As I've said before, often, Adam and Eve aren't German. It's become increasingly obvious that we've passed down accounts of how we lost harmony within ourselves and with the universe for a <b><i>very</i></b> long time:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/pope-francis-and-nietzsche.html">Pope Francis and Nietzsche</a>"<br />
(September 27, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/pope-francis-and-nietzsche.html#original">Original Sin: Not a Design Flaw</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/organics-on-comet-and-earths-early.html">Organics on a Comet, and Earth's Early Magnetism</a>"<br />
(August 7, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/organics-on-comet-and-earths-early.html#adam">Adam and Eve Aren't German</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/human-nature-change-and-dinosaur-names.html">Human Nature, Change, and Dinosaur Names</a>"<br />
(June 5, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/human-nature-change-and-dinosaur-names.html#acknowledging">Acknowledging Change</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/human-nature-change-and-dinosaur-names.html#csi">CSI, Sima de los Huesos</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/human-nature-change-and-dinosaur-names.html#we">"We Have Not Changed Much"</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/advent-another-year-of-long-watch.html">Advent: Another Year of the Long Watch</a>"<br />
(November 30, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/advent-another-year-of-long-watch.html#consequences">Consequences and Hope</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-67816978965872304542016-03-18T08:00:00.000-05:002016-03-24T09:15:21.962-05:00Fossils, DNA, and Being Human<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/fossils-dna-and-being-human.html#tullimonstrum"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160317-_88796397_reconstruction-329.jpg" /></a>Some scientists say they've learned that a 300,000,000-year-old whatsit was a very early version of lampreys.<br />
<br />
That, Neanderthal DNA, and a newly-analyzed Tyrannosaur, gave me something to talk about today:<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/fossils-dna-and-being-human.html#tullimonstrum">Tullimonstrum Gregarium: a Strange Fish, or Lamprey; Probably</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/fossils-dna-and-being-human.html#pit">'Pit of Bones' DNA Says: Neanderthal</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/fossils-dna-and-being-human.html#distant">Distant Cousins</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/fossils-dna-and-being-human.html#horse">A Horse-Size Tyrannosaur: 'Good Ears'</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/fossils-dna-and-being-human.html#smart">Smart, Keen Senses, but Not Big: Yet</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
I'll do my usual explanation of why God's design choices don't offend me: but first, a recap of why I don't miss the 'good old days.'<br />
<br />
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="good"></a>The 'Good Old Days' Weren't</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/change-happens.html#nostalgia"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20150822-Marilyn_Monroe_in_Gentlemen_Prefer_Blondes_trailer-329.jpg" /></a>Some of my kids look like me, more or less, some look like my wife and her family: and we all look like Euro-Americans. That's not surprising, since our ancestors spent a long time in northwestern Europe before resettling in central North America.<br />
<br />
We haven't always looked this way, though. My Campbell forebears still had the clan's characteristic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell_%28surname%29">cam béal</a>, wry mouth, in the family's oldest photos. I don't. I was taller by about inch than my father, and my son is substantially taller than me.<br />
<br />
That's okay. Things change, including family characteristics.<br />
<br />
Cultures change, too. I think nostalgia for the days of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leave_It_to_Beaver">Leave It to Beaver</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentlemen_Prefer_Blondes_%281953_film%29">Gentlemen Prefer Blondes</a> is okay in small doses: but my memory's too good to yearn for the 'good old days.' (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/not-going-native.html#love">August 30, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/change-happens.html#kids">August 23, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/beaver-cleaver-and-common-good.html">May 3, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="being"></a>Being Irish</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/new-species-old-burial-site.html#ancestry"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20140708-Scientific_racism_irish-329.jpg" /></a>Then there was the time an Irishman came sniffing around the daughter of decent family. One of my foremothers, asked about her daughter's suitor, said "he doesn't have family: he's Irish." (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/strangers-and-standing-orders.html#irish">July 6, 2014</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2008/11/american-catholic-bishops-intolerant-i.html#he">November 13, 2008</a>)<br />
<br />
I <b><i>really</i></b> don't miss the days of "<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/strangers-and-standing-orders.html#irish">no Irish need apply</a>," and bias disguised as anthropology:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>The Iberians are believed to have been originally an African race, who thousands of years ago spread themselves through Spain over Western Europe. Their remains are found in the barrows, or burying places, in sundry parts of these countries. The skulls are of low prognathous type. They came to Ireland and mixed with the natives of the South and West, who themselves are supposed to have been of low type and descendants of savages of the Stone Age, who, in consequence of isolation from the rest of the world, had never been out-competed in the healthy struggle of life, and thus made way, according to the laws of nature, for superior races.</i>"<br />
(<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harper's_Weekly">Harper's Weekly</a>, 1899, via <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scientific_racism_irish.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</blockquote>
Most Americans have gotten over having Irish neighbors these days, some have conniptions about other 'un-American' groups, and I've been over that before. Often. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/attacks-in-paris-people-matter.html#stranger">November 17, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/new-species-old-burial-site.html#ancestry">September 18, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/strangers-and-standing-orders.html#irish">July 6, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="man"></a>"The Man Who Evolved," or, 'Side Effects Include...'</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/dinosaur-arms-and-ust-ishim-mans-dna.html#man"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20141006wonder-TheManWhoEvolved-collage-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Wonder Stories, via DavidSZondy.com, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(Illustrations for Edmond Hamilton's "The Man Who Evolved." (1931))<br />
<br />
I still don't know whether some folks decided on careers in science because of — or despite — tales like "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Evolved">The Man Who Evolved</a>" and "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creature_from_the_Black_Lagoon">Creature from the Black Lagoon</a>." (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/dinosaur-arms-and-ust-ishim-mans-dna.html#man">October 31, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
<a name="despite"></a><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/dinosaur-arms-and-ust-ishim-mans-dna.html#faith"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/ggmain20140113-detail-w-cprt.jpg" /></a>Despite the durable notion that faith and reason, science and religion, get along about as well as mongoose and cobra, this is <b><i>not</i></b> where I start ranting about "tampering with things man was not supposed to know."<br />
<br />
I have to believe that: God created and is creating a good and ordered universe; we're made in the image of God, rational creatures — and stewards of the physical world. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.27">Genesis 1:27</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.28">28</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PGB.HTM#WISDB.PSA.19.2">Psalms 19:2</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PLO.HTM#WISDB.WISD.7.17">Wisdom 7:17</a>; Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/prologue.htm#16">16</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p5.htm#341">341</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p6.htm#373">373</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1730">1730</a>)<br />
<br />
We're <b><i>supposed</i></b> to be curious about where we came from and where we're going. This curiosity isn't idle. We're "called to a personal relationship with God," and can learn something of God by studying God's creation. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#282">282</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#289">289</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#299">299</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#301">301</a>)<br />
<br />
Learning more about this universe, and using that knowledge to develop technologies, is part of our job. Ethics apply, of course. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2292">2292</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2296">2296</a>)<br />
<br />
It also gives us opportunities for "even greater admiration" of God's greatness. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#283">283</a>)<br />
<br />
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="tullimonstrum"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. </span>Tullimonstrum Gregarium: a Strange Fish, or Lamprey; Probably</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35821829"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160317-_88796397_reconstruction-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Sean McMahon at Yale University, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>Reconstruction of what the Tully Monster might have have looked like 300 million years ago</i>"<br />
(BBC News))
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35821829">Fishy origin of bizarre fossil 'monster'</a> "<br />
Helen Briggs, BBC News (March 16, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i><b>Scientists say a worm-like fossil with mysterious origins is actually the ancestor of living fish.</b></i><br />
<br />
"<i>The 300 million-year-old animal was found at an Illinois mine in 1958 by fossil collector Francis Tully.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>The 'Tully monster' has been a puzzle to scientists ever since, and has been likened to worms and molluscs.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>US researchers say the fossil is a backboned animal rather than an invertebrate as once thought, based on an analysis of 1,000 museum specimens....</i>"</blockquote>
<a name="tully"></a>The Tully monster's real name is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tullimonstrum">Tullimonstrum gregarium</a>, a bit of zoological weirdness that lived near where the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazon_Creek_fossil_beds">Mazon Creek fossil beds</a> are today, some 300,000,000 years back.<br />
<br />
My part of the world looked different back then.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www2.nau.edu/rcb7/nam.html"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160317-namPP300-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From nau.edu, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(Land that would be North America, Europe (upper right), and Africa (lower right), 300,000,000 years ago.)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35821829"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160317-_88796397_reconstruction-329.jpg" /></a>The Tully monster isn't quite like anything alive today, but it's not as bizarre as some — things — living during the Ediacaran: that might be animals, or something else. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/new-species-old-burial-site.html#last">September 18, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/strange-critters-dinosaur-and-early.html#oh">September 12, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Scientists have been trying to decide where the Tully monster fits into the animal kingdom since an amateur fossil hunter showed up at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History with one in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tullimonstrum#History">1955</a>. The critters have been called worms, molluscs, arthropods, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conodont">conodonts</a>.<br />
<br />
Dr McCoy's team studied about 1,200 specimens and decided they're <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tullimonstrum#Affinity">related</a> to lampreys: Tullimonstrum, that is; not the scientists. Tullimonstrum and lampreys share quite a few characteristics, including a single nostril and teeth make of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keratin">keratin</a>. That's the stuff in our hair and fingernails.<br />
<br />
<a name="sean"></a><a http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35821829"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160317-_88799096_holotype-fossil-1-329.jpg" /></a>Sean McMahon's reconstruction of Tullimonstrum gregarium is a reasonable guess, but makes a few assumptions. <br />
<br />
Tully monster fossils were remarkably well-preserved, but are essentially flat: so we're not quite sure about details like that vertical fin. McMahon put the bar running across the critter's body on top: but it might have been on the bottom. <br />
<br />
Dark material associated with the round bits at the end of the bar is quite a bit like pigments often found in eyes. The shape suggests that they worked pretty much like ours.<br />
<br />
That proboscis with a 'jaw' at the end is complete in only 3% of the 1,000 or so specimens — but half have at least part of it, so scientists have a pretty good idea of how it was shaped.<br />
<br />
Each 'jaw' had up to eight sharp teeth that would have been good for holding prey, but not chewing. The odds are pretty good that Tully monsters lived in deeper water, and that the lot found in Illinois had been blown into shallow water by a storm. That would explain why they've been found nowhere else. So far.<br />
<br />
A few more factoids: Francis Tully, an amateur fossil hunter, found the first Tully monster; it's the Illinois state fossil; and the smallest ones known are eight centimeters/3.1 inches long. The biggest probably reached lengths of 35 centimeters/14 inches.<br />
<br />
More:<br />
<ul>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamprey">Lamprey</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tullimonstrum">Tullimonstrum</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="https://archive.org/details/pennsylvanianinv128john">Pennsylvanian invertebrates of the Mazon Creek Area, Illinois: the morphology and affinities of Tullimonstrum</a>"<br />
Ralph Gordon Johnson, Eugene Stanley Richardson; via archive.org (1969)</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="pit"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">2. </span>'Pit of Bones' DNA Says: Neanderthal</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35806992"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160316-_88780346_88780345-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Science Photo Library, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>The relationship of the Pit specimens to other ancient species has been the subject of debate</i>"<br />
(BBC News))<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35806992">Ancient DNA identifies 'early Neanderthals' </a>"<br />
Paul Rincon, BBC News (March 15, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i><b>The oldest 'nuclear DNA' from a human has identified some early representatives of the Neanderthal lineage.</b></i><br />
<br />
"<i>The well-preserved ancient remains from the 'Pit of Bones' site in Spain have been known for more than three decades.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>They are about 400,000 years old, but their relationships to Neanderthals and other ancient relatives has been hotly debated.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>DNA analysis confirms that they lie on the evolutionary line to Neanderthals....</i>"</blockquote>
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/new-species-old-burial-site.html#he"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20150916-The_March_of_Progress-329.jpg" /></a>We've been learning that humanity's family history is more complicated than Time-Life's 1965 illustration.<br />
<br />
Hats off to Paul Rincon for calling 'Pit of Bones' (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atapuerca_Mountains#Sima_de_los_Huesos_.281983-.29">Sima de los Huesos</a>) folks "human."<br />
<br />
We've come a long way since <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franti%C5%A1ek_Kupka">František Kupka</a>'s illustration of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcellin_Boule">Marcellin Boule</a>'s gorilla-like Neanderthals appeared in L'Illustration & Illustrated London News.<br />
<br />
I've talked about cavemen, assumptions, and my Irish ancestors, before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/new-species-old-burial-site.html#ancestry">September 18, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/strangers-and-standing-orders.html#irish">July 6, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Maybe Neanderthals, Denisovans, and other folks who don't look quite like we do really are distinct "species."<br />
<br />
My guess is that regional variations among ethnic groups have become a lot less extreme, that our taxonomic system is due for another overhaul, and that's another topic. Topics. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/big-eyes-bonobo-squeaks.html#im">September 11, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/dogs-stone-tools-and-newly-discovered.html#humanitys">May 29, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/coping-with-change-for-millions-of.html#human">July 11, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="distant"></a>Distant Cousins</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35806992"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160316-_88781731_88781730-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Kennis and Kennis, MADRID SCIENTIFIC FILMS; via BBC News; used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>This artist's impression shows what the Pit of Bones people might have looked like</i>"<br />
(BBC News))<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Analysis of the mitochondrial DNA from one individual supported a relationship to Denisovans - consistent with the previous study.</i>
<br />
<br />
"<i>This leads the scientists to speculate that mitochondrial DNA types seen in later, 'classical' Neanderthals may have arrived in a migration from Africa, replacing those present in the Pit of Bones people.</i>
<br />
<br />
"<i>Prof Chris Stringer, from London's Natural History Museum, who was not involved with the latest study, said the results shed new light on how our own species (Homo sapiens) and Neanderthals diverged from a common ancestor.</i>
<br />
<br />
"<i> 'There has been continuing debate about how deep in time the Neanderthal-sapiens split was, with estimates ranging from about 800,000 years to 300,000 years,' he explained.</i>
<br />
<br />
"<i> 'I have recently favoured a split time of about 400,000, and have argued for many years that the widespread species H. heidelbergensis at about 500,000 was probably their last common ancestor.'...</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35806992">Paul Rincon</a>, BBC News)</blockquote>
We've been finding evidence that folks who don't look at all British have been making tools, burying their dead, and creating art, for a very long time.<br />
<br />
The earliest stone tools found so far are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_tool#Pre-Mode_I">3,300,000</a> years old, someone carved a zigzag pattern into a shell some 430,000 years back, Even the 'Neanderthals didn't do that' scientists seem resigned to acknowledging their interments as deliberate <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neanderthal_behavior#Burial_practices">burials</a>.<br />
<br />
Partly because so many of my ancestors are "of low type," as a 1899 Harper's Weekly piece said, I'm willing to see folks who act like humans as people: even if they don't look "anglo-teutonic." (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/new-species-old-burial-site.html#ancestry">September 18, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/homo-erectus-engraving-long-lost.html#engraved">December 12, 2014</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/coping-with-change-for-millions-of.html#people">July 11, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
I'm also quite willing to see them as relatives: distant ones, but part of the human family.<br />
<br />
It's not that big a stretch. Think about it — how many folks <b><i>don't</i></b> think of their cousins as relatives, even though they're neither ancestors nor descendants?<br />
<br />
More:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature17405.html">Nuclear DNA sequences from the Middle Pleistocene Sima de los Huesos hominins</a>"<br />
Matthias Meyer, Juan-Luis Arsuaga, Cesare de Filippo, Sarah Nagel, Ayinuer Aximu-Petri, Birgit Nickel, Ignacio Martínez, Ana Gracia, José María Bermúdez de Castro, Eudald Carbonell, Bence Viola, Janet Kelso, Kay Prüfer, Svante Pääbo (Received September 16, 2015; Accepted February 2, 2016; Published online March14, 2016)</li>
<li>Wikipedia<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atapuerca_Mountains">Atapuerca Mountains</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atapuerca_Mountains#Sima_de_los_Huesos_.281983-.29">Sima de los Huesos (1983-)</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denisovan">Denisovan</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_heidelbergensis">Homo heidelbergensis</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neanderthal">Neanderthal</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="horse"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">3. </span>A Horse-Size Tyrannosaur: 'Good Ears'</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35806780"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160316-ToddMarshallIllustration-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Todd Marshall, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span>
<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35806780">Dinosaur find resolves T. rex mystery</a>"<br />
Victoria Gill, BBC News (March 14, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i><b>A newly discovered species of Tyrannosaur - the group of meat-eating dinosaurs to which the infamous T. rex belongs - could hold the key to how these creatures grew so huge.</b></i><br />
<br />
"<i>Scientists from the University of Edinburgh, along with US and Russian colleagues, discovered the fossilised remains of the animal in Uzbekistan.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>They have named it Timurlengia.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>A study of the 90-million-year-old beast suggested its ears and brain were crucial in Tyrannosaurs' dominance....</i>"</blockquote>
Actually, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timurlengia">Timurlengia</a> is the name of the genus. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_species">type species</a> is Timurlengia euotica.<br />
<br />
Timurlengia is named after <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timur">Timūr(-e) Lang</a>/Timur/Temur/تیمور/Tamerlane, founder of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timurid_Empire">Timurid Empire</a> about six centuries back. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babur">Babur</a>, a Timurid prince, invaded <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabulistan">Kabulistan</a> about a century later: and eventually becoming first emperor of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughal_Empire">Mughal Empire</a> in India, and that's yet another topic.<br />
<br />
Euotica means "good eared," which makes sense. Timurlengia had long inner ear canals: good for hearing low-frequency sounds, a characteristic it shares with T. rex.<br />
<br />
More:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarbosaurus">Tarbosaurus</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timurlengia">Timurlengia</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyrannosaurus">Tyrannosaurus</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyrannosaurus#Brain_and_senses">Brain and senses</a></li>
</ul>
Wikipedia</li>
<li>"<a href="http://smithsonianscience.si.edu/2016/03/new-horse-sized-tyrannosaur-big-brain-reveals-t-rex-became-top-predator/">New horse-sized tyrannosaur with big brain reveals how 'T. rex' became top predator</a>"<br />
Becky Haberacker, Smithsonian Science News (March 14, 2016)</li>
</ul>
<h4>
<a name="smart"></a>Smart, Keen Senses, but Not Big: Yet</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35806780"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160316-_88768844_88768842-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Todd Marshall, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)
</span><br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...The team studied about 25 sections of Timurlengia's skeleton, piecing it together to work out its size and shape.</i>
<br />
<br />
"<i>Most revealing was a part of the animal's skull, which the team scanned to work out the shape of its brain and inner ear - an attempt to build a picture of its sensory capabilities.</i>
<br />
<br />
"<i> 'Its brain and ear - which we can tell from CT scans - were almost identical to T. rex,' said </i>[University of Edinburgh's]<i> Dr Brusatte....</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35806780">Victoria Gill</a>, BBC News)</blockquote>
T. rex had a big brain — for a dinosaur — with oversize <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olfactory_bulb">olfactory bulbs</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olfactory_nerve">nerves</a>. So did Timurlengia. The T. rex precursor's head was basically a scale model of the big version: equipped with keen eyesight, smell and hearing.<br />
<br />
It looks like Timurlengia's descendants didn't start sizing up until after <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnosauria">Carnosauria</a> like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allosauroidea">Allosaurs</a> started dying out, leaving room at the top of the food chain.<br />
<br />
Apparently "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_chain">food chains</a>" are still what scientists call linear networks of links in a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_web">food web</a>.<br />
<br />
I think of it as something more like a ring, since <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detritivore">detirivores</a> like earthworms and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decomposer">decomposers</a> like fungi break down dead critters, producing the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_organic_matter">organic</a> components of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil">soil</a>.<br />
<br />
The soil in turn nourishes plants, which are eaten by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grazing">grazers</a>, which are eaten by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivore">hunter</a>/<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scavenger">scavangers</a>, which are eaten by detirivores — and the cycle goes on.<br />
<br />
And that is — what else? — yet again another topic.<br />
<br />
I've written about fossils, DNA, and being human, before:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/europes-complex-heritage.html">Europe's Complex Heritage</a>"<br />
(November 20, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/europes-complex-heritage.html#georgian">Georgian DNA, Homebodies, and Wanderers</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/europes-complex-heritage.html#basque">Basque Background</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/new-species-old-burial-site.html">New Species, Old Burial Site</a>"<br />
(September 18, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/new-species-old-burial-site.html#ancestry">Ancestry and "Flickerings"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/new-species-old-burial-site.html#even">"Even Greater Admiration"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/new-species-old-burial-site.html#origins">Origins</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/new-species-old-burial-site.html#homo">Homo Naledi</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/human-nature-change-and-dinosaur-names.html">Human Nature, Change, and Dinosaur Names</a>"<br />
(June 5, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/human-nature-change-and-dinosaur-names.html#acknowledging">Acknowledging Change</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/human-nature-change-and-dinosaur-names.html#dinosaurs">Dinosaurs, Imagined and Real</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/human-nature-change-and-dinosaur-names.html#csi">CSI, Sima de los Huesos</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/coping-with-change-for-millions-of.html">Coping With Change for Millions of Years; Chatty Chimps</a>"<br />
(July 11, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/coping-with-change-for-millions-of.html#neanderthals">Neanderthals, Denisovans, and Us</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/coping-with-change-for-millions-of.html#people">People Acting Like Humans</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/coping-with-change-for-millions-of.html#stronger">"...Stronger than the Ancient Mountains"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/coping-with-change-for-millions-of.html#human">Human Ancestry: It's Complicated</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/coping-with-change-for-millions-of.html#denisovan">Denisovan Descendants</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/06/lukewarm-dinosaurs-earliest-known-fish.html">Lukewarm Dinosaurs, the Earliest Known Fish, and Durable Faces</a>"<br />
(June 20, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/06/lukewarm-dinosaurs-earliest-known-fish.html#God">God, Clay, and Me</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/06/lukewarm-dinosaurs-earliest-known-fish.html#in">"In the Image of God:" Great Power; Frightening Responsibility</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/06/lukewarm-dinosaurs-earliest-known-fish.html#dinosaurs">Dinosaurs: Warm-Blooded, But Not Very?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/06/lukewarm-dinosaurs-earliest-known-fish.html#metaspriggina">Metaspriggina: Oldest Known Fish (For Now)
</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/06/lukewarm-dinosaurs-earliest-known-fish.html#faces">Faces, Fists, and Survivability</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-85858654513056100332016-03-13T08:00:00.000-05:002016-04-01T19:35:59.308-05:00Stones, Sin, and Mercy<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jesus_und_Ehebrecherin.jpg"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160312-792px-Jesus_und_Ehebrecherin-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Rembrandt, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(Jesus and the Adulteress, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rembrandt">Rembrandt</a>.)<br />
<br />
I figure you know what happens in <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#GOSP.JOH.8.1">John 8:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#GOSP.JOH.8.11">11</a>.<br />
<br />
The scribes and Pharisees haul one of two folks who were committing adultery to the temple, tell Jesus what she'd done, and remind our Lord that it's a capital crime under their law.<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>They said to him, 'Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#$3TW">2</a></sup> So what do you say?'</i> "<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#GOSP.JOH.8.4">John 8:4</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#GOSP.JOH.8.5">5</a>)</blockquote>
They were half-right.<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/stones-sin-and-mercy.html#1">1</a></sup><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P36.HTM#PENT.LEV.20.10">Leviticus 20:10</a> and <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P51.HTM#PENT.DEU.22.22">Deuteronomy 22:22:</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P51.HTM#PENT.DEU.22.25">25</a> say that a man and woman committing adultery should be both be killed. Deuteronomy adds that if the offense happens "in the open fields," the woman lives: since if she "cried out for help, there was no one to come to her aid." (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P51.HTM#PENT.DEU.22.25">Deuteronomy 22:25</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P51.HTM#PENT.DEU.22.27">27</a>)<br />
<br />
That's harsh by today's standards, but let's remember when this was written. Leviticus and Deuteronomy had settled into their current form by the time <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipater">Antipater</a> became <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great">Alexander the Great</a>'s regent and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qu_Yuan">Qu Yuan</a> wrote <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Sao">Li Sao</a>, but represent a much older set of customs and laws.<br />
<br />
I'll get back to John 8:1:11, after explaining why I think some rules don't change: and others must.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="natural"></a>Natural Law, Human Rules</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Ur-Nammu#Background"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160312-Khashkhamer_seal_moon_worship-329.jpg" /></a>Around the time <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intef_the_Elder#Reign">Intef the Elder</a> was reunifying Egypt, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ur-Nammu#Reign">Ur-Nammu</a> was cleaning up a mess left by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gutian_dynasty_of_Sumer#List_of_the_Gutian_kings">Gutian kings</a>. Among other things, Ur-Nammu fixed Sumerian law; writing the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Ur-Nammu#Background">Code of Ur-Nammu</a> — or maybe it was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shulgi">Shulgi</a>, his son.<br />
<br />
It wasn't the first written law code. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urukagina">Urukagina</a>'s code predates Ur-Nammu's by a few centuries, and I'm wandering off-topic.<br />
<br />
Or maybe not so much. Laws like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Ur-Nammu">Ur-Nammu's</a> and <a href="https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/pubs/">Minnesota Statutes, Session Laws, and Rules</a> are examples of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_law">positive law</a>, ius positum, rules we make up.<br />
<br />
When bits of positive law make sense, they're reflecting natural law: part of reality that we can understand through reason. Natural law lets us recognize good and evil, truth and lies. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a1.htm#1954">1954</a>)<br />
<br />
Natural law does not change, ever. Doing evil so that good will follow is never acceptable; the Golden Rule always applies; and we must always respect our neighbor. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.12">Matthew 7:12</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a6.htm#1789">1789</a>)<br />
<br />
Regimes which don't follow natural law cannot serve the common good — which does <b><i>not</i></b> mean that there's one 'correct' political system. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a2.htm#1901">1901</a>)<br />
<br />
How we apply natural law to positive law varies a great deal, and that's okay. Folks in different cultures and eras face different circumstances. But again: the underlying principles of natural law do not change. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a1.htm#1957">1957</a>)<br />
<br />
The Catechism has more to say about natural law: <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a1.htm#1954">1954</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a1.htm#1960">1960</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2259">2259</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2262">2262</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2268">2268</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2270">2270</a>.<br />
<br />
Where was I? Pharisaic double standard, Deuteronomy, Li Sao. Right.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="you"></a>And You Think <i>You</i> had a Bad Day?</h4>
<br />
<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aleppo_Codex_Joshua_1_1.jpg"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160312-800px-Aleppo_Codex_Joshua_1_1-329.jpg" /></a>I've occasionally run into this sort of comment: 'everyone except me has turned away from God, they've silenced all the other believers, and now they're after me!'<br />
<br />
I feel that way myself, but not often: partly because I remember what Jeremiah went through.<br />
<br />
Jeremiah's life didn't get particularly easy after the reality check he got in <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P8X.HTM#HIS.1KIN.19.14">1 Kings 19:14</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P8X.HTM#HIS.1KIN.19.16">16</a>: but when the dust settled the score was Jeremiah 1/Jezebel 0; and that's another topic.<br />
<br />
The Book of Jeremiah "is written in a very complex and poetic Hebrew," apart from one verse in Biblical Aramaic. (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Jeremiah">Wikipedia</a>)<br />
<br />
That gets me back the 'woman caught in adultery,' our Lord, and an all-too-familiar attitude.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#GOSP.JOH.8.6">John 8:6</a> ends with "...Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger." A <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#$3TX">footnote</a> to that verse in my Bible — the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_American_Bible">New American Bible</a> (NAB) — quotes a verse from Jeremiah, as it appears in my language in another translation:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake thee shall be put to shame; those who turn away from thee shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water.</i>"<br />
(Jeremiah 17:13 (RSV), via <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+17%3A13&version=RSV">biblegateway.com</a>)</blockquote>
Here's how the same verse reads in the NAB:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>O hope of Israel, O LORD! all who forsake you shall be in disgrace; The rebels in the land shall be put to shame; they have forsaken the source of living waters (the LORD).</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PPV.HTM#PROPHB.JER.17.13">Jeremiah 17:13</a>)</blockquote>
I think presenting an ancient metaphor, "shall be written in the earth," as "shall be put to shame" is reasonable.<br />
<br />
I love metaphor and poetic imagery, but realize that languages and cultures change. A couple thousand years from now folks might have trouble understanding a literal translation of "kicked the bucket" or "glued to my seat," and that's yet another topic.<br />
<br />
I've explained why I'm not upset or offended that Sacred Scripture wasn't written from a contemporary Western viewpoint. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/taking-bible-seriously.html#i2">February 21, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/space-archaeologist-55-cancri-e.html#so">February 19, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/precision-grip-thumbs-and-a-new.html#informed">January 30, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-comet-wobbling-moon-and-earths.html#evidence">October 24, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="sin"></a>Sin and Sex</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#chastity"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150228-506px-Expression_of_the_Emotions_Figure_15-329.jpg" /></a>Now that I have your attention —<br />
<br />
I tend to remember 'middle-class morality' as the notion that girls should be virgins until marriage, but that it was okay for boys to <a href="http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/sow-your-wild-oats">sow wild oats</a>. Never mind that the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_sex_ratio">human sex ratio</a> is roughly 1:1.<br />
<br />
There was more to it, of course. Buying stuff you don't need with money you don't have to impress people you don't like — is yet again another topic. Small wonder so many folks my age looked for alternatives. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/beaver-cleaver-and-common-good.html">May 3, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/01/moderation-and-pythagorean-dribble-glass.html#pleasant">January 25, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
I've been over this before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/mercy-and-prodigal-son.html#sin">March 9, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#chastity">July 12, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
(Feel free to skip down to <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/stones-sin-and-mercy.html#neither">Neither do I Condemn You</a>.)<br />
<br />
Sex is not a mistake. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm#2331">2331</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm#2391">2391</a>)<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them....</i><br />
<br />
"<i>God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good....</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.27">Genesis 1:27</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.31">31</a>)</blockquote>
<a name="humans"></a>Humans are animals, but not just animals. We're a special sort of animal: endowed with reason, capable of understanding and discernment. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a1.htm#1951">1951</a>)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/02/dna-babies-life-and-death.html#humans"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150211-800px-Wydrome2000-trim329.jpg" /></a>We are people: rational and therefore like God, made in the image and likeness of God; created with free will, masters over our actions. <b><i>All</i></b> humans are people, with equal dignity: no matter where we are, who we are, or how we act. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p6.htm#360">360</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1.htm#1700">1700</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a1.htm#1706">1706</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1730">1730</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm#1825">1825</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1932">1932</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1933">1933</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1935">1935</a>)<br />
<br />
Being rational, having brains, doesn't mean that we must act rationally. We have free will: and can decide to do something daft, or not.<br />
<br />
Humanity is male and female: men and women with "an equal personal dignity."<sup><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/stones-sin-and-mercy.html#2">2</a></sup> (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm#2331">2331</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm#2336">2336</a>)<br />
<br />
Sin is not loving God, loving my neighbors, seeing everybody as my neighbor, and treating others as I want to be treated. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.43">Matthew 5:43</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.44">44</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.12">7:12</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.36">22:36</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.40">40</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.28">Mark 12:28</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.31">31</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWP.HTM#GOSP.LUK.6.31">Luke 6:31</a> <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.25">10:25</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.27">27</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.29">29</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.37">37</a>)<br />
<br />
That happens more often than I like. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/mercy-and-prodigal-son.html#sin">March 9, 2016</a>)<br />
<br />
Adultery is a bad idea and we shouldn't do it: mainly because it's an injustice that hurts the bond between husband and wife. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm#2380">2380</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm#2381">2381</a>)<br />
<br />
Since I take Jesus seriously, I shouldn't even daydream about cheating on my wife:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup>19</sup> 'You have heard that it was said, "You shall not commit adultery."</i><br />
<br />
"<i>But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.27">Matthew 5:27</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.28">28</a>)</blockquote>
Now, let's see what our Lord said to the woman who had been caught committing adultery.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="neither"></a>"Neither do I Condemn You"</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html#forgiveness"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20151212-MissionariesOfMercy-329.jpg" /></a>Justice is important. So is mercy. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm#1805">1805</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm#1829">1829</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1861">1861</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a2.htm#1991">1991</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a2.htm#2011">2011</a>)<br />
<br />
Jesus said the one who was without sin should throw the first stone, then went back to writing on the ground.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P4W.HTM#PENT.DEU.17.7">Deuteronomy 17:7</a> says witnesses should throw the first stone, but after a while nobody was around except Jesus and the woman: still very much alive.<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?'</i><br />
<br />
"<i>She replied, 'No one, sir.' Then Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you. Go, (and) from now on do not sin any more.' </i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#GOSP.JOH.8.10">John 8:10</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXG.HTM#GOSP.JOH.8.11">11</a>)</blockquote>
I'm relying on God's mercy, and that's still another topic. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/life-death-and-love.html#life">November 1, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
A few points about sin, mercy, and getting a grip — and something Benedict XVI said — and I'm done.<br />
<br />
Sin isn't just about me and God. I'm not loving my neighbor if I see nothing wrong with someone hurting my neighbor. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2.htm#2196">2196</a>)<br />
<br />
Judging whether an act is good or bad is part of using my conscience: it's a basic requirement for being human. We're even expected to think about the actions of others. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a6.htm#1778">1778</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2401">2401</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2449">2449</a>)<br />
<br />
This isn't 'my way or the highway' self-righteousness. It's hating the sin, loving the sinner: and leaving the judging of persons to God. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1861">1861</a>)<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Dear friends, let us learn from the Lord Jesus not to judge and not to condemn our neighbour. Let us learn to be intransigent with sin starting with our own! and indulgent with people....</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/angelus/2010/documents/hf_ben-xvi_ang_20100321.html">Angelus,</a>, Benedict XVI (March 21, 2010))</blockquote>
More of my take on law, love, and being human:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html">Mercy!</a>"<br />
(December 13, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html#merciful">"Merciful Like the Father"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html#mercy">Mercy and Forgiveness</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html#forgiveness">"...The Forgiveness of God Cannot be Denied...."</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html">Hate People? Not an Option</a>"<br />
(September 6, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html#love">Love: <i>NO EXCEPTIONS</i></a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html#sin">Sin and Forgiveness</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html">Sex, Satan, and Me: Getting a Grip</a>"<br />
(July 12, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#satan">Satan, Sin, and Being Human</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#respect">Respect, Dignity, and Drunk Driving</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/sex-satan-and-me-getting-grip.html#chastity">Chastity: It's Not What You Think</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/caesar-civilization-dealing-with-change.html">Caesar, Civilization, Dealing With Change — and Building a Better World</a>"<br />
(August 31, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/caesar-civilization-dealing-with-change.html#end">It's the End of Civilization as We Know It: And About Time!</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/08/caesar-civilization-dealing-with-change.html#code">The Code of Hammurabi, Plus 3,700 years: Looking at the Big Picture</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/vengeance-anger-and-looking-ahead.html">Vengeance, Anger, and Looking Ahead</a>"<br />
(July 13, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/vengeance-anger-and-looking-ahead.html#crime">Crime and Punishment: Around 550 B.C.</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<sup><a name="1">1</a></sup> Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and adultery:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>If a man commits adultery with his neighbor's wife, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P36.HTM#PENT.LEV.20.10">Leviticus 20:10</a>)<br />
<br />
"<i> 'If a man is discovered having relations with a woman who is married to another, both the man and the woman with whom he has had relations shall die. Thus shall you purge the evil from your midst.</i><br />
<br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P51.HTM#$IY">5</a></sup> 'If within the city a man comes upon a maiden who is betrothed, and has relations with her,</i><br />
<br />
"<i>you shall bring them both out to the gate of the city and there stone them to death: the girl because she did not cry out for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbor's wife. Thus shall you purge the evil from your midst.</i><br />
<br />
"<i> 'If, however, it is in the open fields that a man comes upon such a betrothed maiden, seizes her and has relations with her, the man alone shall die.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P51.HTM#PENT.DEU.22.22">Deuteronomy 22:22:</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P51.HTM#PENT.DEU.22.25">25</a>)</blockquote>
<sup><a name="2">2</a></sup> "Equal dignity" doesn't mean that humanity is — or should be — a bunch of mass-produced identical clones. Some of us are smarter, or less intelligent, stronger or weaker, richer or poorer, more or less talented; than others. That's okay: it's how we're supposed to be. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1934">1934</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c2a3.htm#1938">1938</a>)
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-23086098707332678902016-03-11T08:00:00.000-06:002016-04-01T23:00:53.740-05:00Lizard-Fish, Fungi, and Change<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/lizard-fish-fungi-and-change.html#ichthyosaurs"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160310-_88618597_ichthyosaur-329.jpg" /></a>We're learning more about why ichthyosaurs died out. Climate change was almost certainly involved: but it wasn't our fault, and I'll get back to that.<br />
<br />
Long before the first not-quite-an-ichthyosaur made the transition from land back to Earth's ocean, a tiny little fungus came ashore and started turning rock into soil.<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/lizard-fish-fungi-and-change.html#ichthyosaurs">Ichthyosaurs in a Changing World</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/lizard-fish-fungi-and-change.html#tortotubus">Tortotubus: Fungal Pioneer</a><ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/lizard-fish-fungi-and-change.html#dirt">Dirt and Oxygen</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
First, though, my usual <a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/spiel">spiel</a> about why I'm not upset that Earth <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/10/sagittarius-b2-water-and-asteroid-mining.html#pillars">isn't flat</a>, Adam and Eve <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/organics-on-comet-and-earths-early.html#adam">aren't German</a>, and poetry <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/kapteyn-b-habitable-zones-and-using-our.html#poetry">isn't science</a>. Also:<br />
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="thinking"></a>Thinking is Not a Sin</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/03/humility-science-and-accepting-reality.html"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/OTcosmos-329sepia.jpg" /></a>I could be a Christian, following our Lord, and believe that we live on a flatish plate.<br />
<br />
But that level of ignorance of what we've learned in the last two dozen or so centuries is not required — or encouraged.<br />
<br />
I keep saying this: We're made in the image of God, able to use our brains: which is just as well, since we're expected to manage this world. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c1.htm#36">36</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#286">286</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p6.htm#355">355</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p6.htm#373">373</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2293">2293</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2402">2402</a>)<br />
<br />
Thinking isn't a sin. Not for Catholics.<br />
<br />
Faith and reason get along just fine: but we're responsible for our actions, and that's another topic. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c3a1.htm#159">159</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1730">1730</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1738">1738</a>)<br />
<br />
Studying this world <b><i>is okay.</i></b> Science and technology, learning about the universe and using that knowledge to develop new tools, is part of being human. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PLO.HTM#WISDB.WISD.7.17">Wisdom 7:17</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#307">307</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a3.htm#1730">1730</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2292">2292</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2295">2295</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2415">2415</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2418">2418</a>)<br />
<br />
Since I believe that God made the universe <b><i>and</i></b> the things of faith, I must also believe that honest research cannot contradict faith. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c3a1.htm#159">159</a>)<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...God can not deny himself, nor can truth ever contradict truth....</i>"<br />
(Dei Filius, Vatican Council I, <a href="http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/creeds2.v.ii.i.html#v.ii.i-Page_248">248</a> (1870) (quoted in Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c3a1.htm#159">159</a>))</blockquote>
Faith and reason, religion and science, get along fine: or should. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c1.htm#39">39</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c3a1.htm#159">159</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#286">286</a>)<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>The question about the origins of the world and of man has been the object of many scientific studies which have splendidly enriched our knowledge of the age and dimensions of the cosmos, the development of life-forms and the appearance of man. These discoveries invite us to <b>even greater admiration</b> for the greatness of the Creator, prompting us to give him thanks for all his works and for the understanding and wisdom he gives to scholars and researchers</i>"<br />
(Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#283">283</a>) [emphasis mine]</blockquote>
Wondering how things began and where we're headed is part of being human. Learning about God's universe is what we're <b><i>supposed</i></b> to do. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#282">282</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#289">289</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2293">2293</a>)<br />
<br />
Over the last few centuries, we've learned that our world is a great deal bigger and older than some of us thought. I'm okay with that.<br />
<br />
Even if I wasn't, it wouldn't make much difference. I figure part of my job is admiring God's creation: not telling the Almighty how it should have been designed. God's God, I'm not — and I'm also okay with that.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="in"></a>"In Statu Viae"</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/cloudinids-and-big-fish-learning-more.html#accepting"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/Cosmic_Calendar-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Efbrazil, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(This universe, so far: 13,800,000,000 years mapped onto a 12-month calendar.)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/07/why-make-universe.html#perspective"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/6_Virgo_Supercluster_ELitU-LocalGroup-ObservableUniverse-329.jpg" /></a>I'm confident that God could have created a tidy little universe, a few thousand miles across: and one that had always been pretty much the same, ever since it started a few thousand years ago.<br />
<br />
We've been learning that the universe we're in isn't even close to being that tidy, new, or unchanging.<br />
<br />
Again, I'm okay with that.<br />
<br />
This world is in a state of journeying — in statu viae — toward an ultimate perfection. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#302">302</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#305">305</a>)<br />
<br />
That's just as well, since the first of us made a profoundly bad decision, and that's another topic. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#386">386</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#390">390</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#396">396</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p7.htm#412">412</a>)<br />
<br />
Again, Adam and Eve <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/early-hands-mutant-mice.html#abracadabra">aren't German</a>, and we've been around for a <b><i>very</i></b> long time. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/08/early-hands-mutant-mice.html#abracadabra">August 28, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/human-nature-change-and-dinosaur-names.html#acknowledging">June 5, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/coping-with-change-for-millions-of.html#scientists">July 11, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
I'm certainly not worried that the universe is too big for God to handle.<br />
<br />
God isn't merely big and strong. God is "...infinite ... almighty and ineffable ... infinitely greater than all his works...." (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p1.htm#202">202</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm#300">300</a>)<br />
<br />
The way I see it, what we're learning about the scale of this universe adds emphasis to verses like these:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PLS.HTM#$1WI">4</a></sup> Indeed, before you the whole universe is as a grain from a balance, or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook the sins of men that they may repent.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you?</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PLS.HTM#WISDB.WISD.11.22">Wisdom 11:22</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PLS.HTM#WISDB.WISD.11.25">25</a>)</blockquote>
One more thing, about us:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place - </i><br />
<br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PG0.HTM#$1B3">4</a></sup>What are humans that you are mindful of them, mere mortals that you care for them?</i><br />
<br />
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PG0.HTM#$1B4">5</a></sup>Yet you have made them little less than a god, crowned them with glory and honor.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PG0.HTM#WISDB.PSA.8.4">Psalms 8:4</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PG0.HTM#WISDB.PSA.8.6">6</a>)</blockquote>
Considering the responsibilities that go with being "little less than a god," that phrase is humbling — my viewpoint. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.26">Genesis 1:26</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P3.HTM#PENT.GEN.1.27">27</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2402">2402</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2415">2415</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2418">2418</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm#2456">2456</a>)<br />
<br />
Our dominion over this world isn't ownership: we're more like stewards or shop foremen, with the authority and responsibilities that go with the job. I've said that before. Often. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/03/seeking-new-worlds-new-life.html#curiosity">March 3, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/glyptodonts-and-climate-change.html#dominion">February 26, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/02/setting-earths-thermostat.html#learning">February 20, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="ichthyosaurs"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. </span>Ichthyosaurs in a Changing World</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35745861"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160310-_88618597_ichthyosaur-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Andrey Atuchin, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>The ichthyosaurs swam alongside early sharks and bony-finned fishes</i>"<br />
(BBC News))<br />
<blockquote>
"<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35745861">Clues to why the 'sea dragons' died out</a>"<br />
Helen Briggs, BBC News (March 8, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i><b>A dramatic shift in the Earth's climate killed off marine reptiles that swam at the time of the dinosaurs, according to a new study.</b></i><br />
<br />
"<i>About 100 million years ago, the oceans warmed up, polar ice melted and sea levels rose to unprecedented heights.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Scientists say the ichthyosaurs, or 'fish lizards', could not adapt to the new conditions, spelling their demise....</i><br />
<br />
"<i>...Evidence suggests their extinction about 100 million years ago was driven by intense climate change and their inability to adapt to the changing world....</i>"</blockquote>
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/beauty-order-and-pterosaurs.html#grim"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20141118-Frontpiece-SeaDragons-329.jpg" /></a>We've learned a great deal since English geologist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hawkins_%28geologist%29">Thomas Hawkins</a> wrote "<a href="http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/lookupid?key=olbp19013">The Book of the Great Sea-Dragons</a>, Ichthyosauri and Plesiosauri" — and are discovering that we have a great deal left to learn. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/05/dogs-stone-tools-and-newly-discovered.html#anaximander">May 29, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/beauty-order-and-pterosaurs.html#grim">November 21, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Ichthyosaurs weren't the only critters affected by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cenomanian-Turonian_boundary_event">Cenomanian-Turonian boundary event</a> — the second <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anoxic_event">anoxic</a> extinction event during the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cretaceous">Cretaceous</a> period.<br />
<br />
That's a fancy way of saying that Earth's ocean ran seriously low on oxygen 91,500,000 years back, give or take a few million.<br />
<br />
Two scientists say they found a few bits of an ichthyosaur from later in the Cretaceous, but the critters were on their way out:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://www.academia.edu/898451/An_ichthyosaur_fragment_from_the_Cretaceous_of_Northland_New_Zealand">An ichthyosaur fragment from the Cretaceous of Northland, New Zealand</a>"<br />
Sven Sachs, Jack A. Grant-Mackie; Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 33, Number 1, pp 307–314 (March 2003)</li>
</ul>
We're not quite sure what happened, but volcanoes had been working overtime some 500,000 years earlier, adding rock to what's now the Indian and Pacific Ocean floor — and carbon dioxide to Earth's atmosphere.<br />
<br />
More about that sort of thing, from Wikipedia:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cenomanian-Turonian_boundary_event">Cenomanian-Turonian boundary event</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinction_event">Extinction event</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinction_event#Major_extinction_events">Major extinction events</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinction_event#List_of_extinction_events">List of extinction events</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Interestingly, the Cenomanian-Turonian thing didn't make the list of "major extinction events."<br />
<br />
<hr />
<h4>
<a name="tortotubus"></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">2. </span>Tortotubus: Fungal Pioneer</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35698463"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160310-_88520207_fungus-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Martin Smith, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
("<i>Filaments of the ancient fungus</i>"<br />
(BBC News))<br />
<blockquote>
" <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35698463">'Humble little fungus' is oldest known land fossil</a>"<br />
elen Briggs BBC News (March 2, 2016)<br />
<br />
"<i><b>It is smaller than a human hair, resembles a mushroom, and is thought to be the earliest fossil of a land-dwelling organism.</b></i><br />
<br />
"<i>The fungus, which dates back 440 million years, spent its life under the ground rotting down matter.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Even the scientist who analysed it - Dr Martin Smith - admits it is a 'humble little fungus'.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>But the pioneer, known as Tortotubus, could help explain how early life colonised the rocky barren Earth....</i>"</blockquote>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortotubus">Tortotubus</a> showed up <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirnantian">late</a> in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordovician">Ordovican</a> period, survived the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordovician%E2%80%93Silurian_extinction_events">Ordovician-Silurian extinction events</a> some 447,000,000 to 443 ,000,000 years back, and lasted until the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Givetian">Givetian</a> stage of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devonian#subdivisions">Middle Devonian</a> — don't bother trying to remember those names. Hardly anybody talks about them these days.<br />
<br />
The Ordovician-Silurian extinction events made what some folks called the 'big five' extinction events, a <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/mass-extinctions-revisited-moving.html#life">somewhat-arbitrary</a> list of hard times for critters that aren't like scorpions, cockroaches, rats or — I think — us. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/mass-extinctions-revisited-moving.html#folks">April 24, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Back to Helen Briggs' article.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="dirt"></a>Dirt and Oxygen</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/tiny-eyeballs-and-purple-socks.html#we"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160211-_88167753_cyanobacteria-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From Sinclair Stammers/Science Photo Library, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
(<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria">Cyanobacteria</a> probably caused the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Oxygenation_Event">Great Oxidation Event</a>.)
<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...Most scientists agree that life moved from the sea to the land between 500 and 450 million years ago.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>But in order for plants and animals to gain a foothold on terra firma there needed to be nutrients and soil to support them.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>Fungi kick-started this process, by getting nitrogen and oxygen into the rudimentary soil....</i><br />
<br />
"<i>...Dr Smith says there were probably bacteria and algae already on land - but these are rarely preserved in the fossil record.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>This makes Tortotubus probably the oldest fossil of a land-dwelling organism yet to be found....</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35698463">Helen Briggs</a>, BBC News)</blockquote>
Drying out isn't the only danger for critters living on land: not since what I called <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/06/life-in-universe-and-titans.html#great">The Great Dioxygen Disaster</a> 2,500,000,000 years back, give or take.<br />
<br />
That's when some microorganisms started making carbohydrate molecules like sugar, using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water — releasing oxygen in the process.<br />
<br />
Critters like us use oxygen to 'burn' food, getting whacking great quantities of energy. Some anaerobic organisms survived the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Oxygenation_Event">Great Oxidation Event</a>: others didn't. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/climate-summit-costumes-and-smog-brick.html#change">December 4, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/06/life-in-universe-and-titans.html#great">June 27, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
More, again from Wikipedia:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria">Cyanobacteria</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_history_of_life">Evolutionary history of life</a><ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_history_of_life#Colonization_of_land">Colonization of land</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortotubus">Tortotubus</a></li>
</ul>
I could prattle on about fungi, Eadicaran whatsits, and convergent evolution. But it's late Thursday evening, I need sleep, and you probably remember what I said about them before.<br />
<br />
Then again, maybe not. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/glyptodonts-and-climate-change.html#wings">February 26, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/06/tiny-microbes-and-tree-of-life-big.html#rearranging">June 19, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/09/strange-critters-dinosaur-and-early.html#oh">September 12, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
Finally, here's the inevitable link list of allegedly-related posts:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/glyptodonts-and-climate-change.html">Glyptodonts and Climate Change</a>"<br />
(February 26, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/glyptodonts-and-climate-change.html#God">God, Clay, and "Even Greater Admiration"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/glyptodonts-and-climate-change.html#genesis">Genesis and Geoengineering</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/glyptodonts-and-climate-change.html#dominion">Dominion: Authority <i>and Responsibility</i></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/tiny-eyeballs-and-purple-socks.html">Tiny Eyeballs and Purple Socks</a>"<br />
(February 12, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/tiny-eyeballs-and-purple-socks.html#psalms">Psalms, Wisdom, and Accepting Reality</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/tiny-eyeballs-and-purple-socks.html#truth">Truth</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/sleep-and-being-human.html">Sleep and Being Human</a>"<br />
(January 29, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/01/sleep-and-being-human.html#animal">An Animal: and Human</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/found-genes-for-fins-paws-and-hands.html">Found: Genes for Fins, Paws, and Hands</a>"<br />
(December 26, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/found-genes-for-fins-paws-and-hands.html#knowledge">Knowledge and Being Rational</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/found-genes-for-fins-paws-and-hands.html#fins">Fins, Paws, and Hands: the Genetic Connection</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/found-genes-for-fins-paws-and-hands.html#penarth">The Penarth Ichthyosaur</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/12/found-genes-for-fins-paws-and-hands.html#not">Not Quite an Ichthyosaur</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/beauty-order-and-pterosaurs.html">Beauty, Order, and Pterosaurs</a>"<br />
(November 21, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/beauty-order-and-pterosaurs.html#order">Order, Beauty, and a "State of Journeying"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/beauty-order-and-pterosaurs.html#greater">"Greater Admiration," or Not</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/beauty-order-and-pterosaurs.html#grim">"Grim Monsters" and H. P. Lovecraft</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/beauty-order-and-pterosaurs.html#ichthyosaur">Ichthyosaur Living Between Land and Sea: Cartorhynchus Lenticarpus</a></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/11/beauty-order-and-pterosaurs.html#theres">There's More to Learn</a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6456971920210651577.post-15910133384169826182016-03-09T23:20:00.000-06:002016-03-12T19:57:11.141-06:00Mercy and the Prodigal Son(This post should have been ready on March 6, 2016: and probably would have been, if I hadn't been out of state at the time.)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:John_Macallan_Swan_-_The_Prodigal_Son,_1888.jpg"><img src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/201508ff/20160309-John_Macallan_Swan_-_The_Prodigal_Son_1888-658.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From John Macallan Swan, via Wikipedia, used w/o permission.)</span><br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWY.HTM#$3N5">1</a></sup> The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him,</i>
<br />
<br />
"<i>but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'</i>
<br />
<br />
"<i>So to them he addressed this parable.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWY.HTM#GOSP.LUK.15.1">Luke 15:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWY.HTM#GOSP.LUK.15.3">3</a>)</blockquote>
That's how last Sunday's Gospel reading starts: <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWY.HTM#GOSP.LUK.15.1">Luke 15:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWY.HTM#GOSP.LUK.15.3">3</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWY.HTM#GOSP.LUK.15.11">11</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWY.HTM#GOSP.LUK.15.32">32</a>.<br />
<br />
You know the story but I'll tell it anyway: the older son stays home, follows orders, and generally toes the line; the younger one asks for his share of the family fortune, gets it, and enjoys the <a href="http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/the-high-life">high life</a> — until his money runs out.<br />
<br />
That's when a "<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWY.HTM#GOSP.LUK.15.14">severe famine</a> struck that country" — another reason I don't miss the 'good old days,' and that's another topic. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/mutant-medflies-gmo-mosquitoes.html#famines">November 27, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/02/setting-earths-thermostat.html#little">February 20, 2015</a>)<br />
<br />
Anyway the younger son ends up working as a <a href="http://www.dictionary.com/browse/swineherd">swineherd</a>: pretty much the opposite of a high-status job. Topping it off, he was still hungry: and not allowed to eat the hogs' chow.<br />
<br />
That's when he remembers that his father's servants had more than he did — decides to go home, admit that he'd been wrong, and ask for a job:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i>...'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.</i><br />
<br />
"<i>I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.' </i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWY.HTM#GOSP.LUK.15.18">Luke 15:18</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWY.HTM#GOSP.LUK.15.19">19</a>)</blockquote>
Instead of a job, the younger son gets a hug and a kiss, fancy clothes, and a party.<br />
<br />
The older son, on his way back from working in the fields, hears the party, learns that his younger brother is getting treated better than he'd ever been: and reacts pretty much as you might expect.<br />
<br />
Eventually their father came out to talk. The older son complains — you know how it goes.<br />
<br />
The father explains that the older son has everything the father had: and "...now we must celebrate and rejoice, your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found." (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWY.HTM#GOSP.LUK.15.32">Luke 15:32</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="sin"></a>Sin, Sinners, and Me</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/pope-francis-and-nietzsche.html#original"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/Hieronymus_Bosch_-_The_Garden_of_Earthly_Delights_-_Hell-detail-b-20140719-329.jpg" /></a>Depending on what part of my memories I dip into, I can see myself in the younger or older son's position — or the father's. Parenting isn't easy, and that's yet another topic.<br />
<br />
Before talking about sinners, Pharisees, and mercy, I'd better talk about sin.<br />
<br />
Sin is deciding that I'll do something I know is bad for myself, or others: or deciding to <b><i>not</i></b> do something I should. It's an offense against reason, truth, and God. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1849">1849</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1864">1864</a>)<br />
<br />
I sin whenever I don't love God, love my neighbors, see everybody as my neighbor, and treat others as I want to be treated. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.43">Matthew 5:43</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVE.HTM#GOSP.MAT.5.44">44</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.12">7:12</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.36">22:36</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVV.HTM#GOSP.MAT.22.40">40</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.28">Mark 12:28</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWE.HTM#GOSP.MAR.12.31">31</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWP.HTM#GOSP.LUK.6.31">Luke 6:31</a> <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.25">10:25</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.27">27</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.29">29</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PWT.HTM#GOSP.LUK.10.37">37</a>)<br />
<br />
That happens more often than I like. Happily, acting like the post-swineherd prodigal son is an option as long as I'm alive. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a10.htm#976">976</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a10.htm#983">983</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm#1442">1442</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm#1470">1470</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm#1021">1021</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a2.htm#1988">1988</a>)<br />
<br />
Maybe it'd be simpler if humanity was split into the "righteous" and "sinners:" but that's not how it is. I've talked about Holy Willie, Nietzsche, and the Pope, before. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/pope-francis-and-nietzsche.html#good">September 27, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/predestination-free-will-from-gods.html">July 27, 2014</a>)<br />
<br />
<h4>
<a name="mercy"></a>Mercy and Grave Offenses</h4>
<br />
<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/death-at-garissa-university-sin-and.html#partly"><img align="right" src="http://brendans-island.com/blogsource/20130220ff/20150410-538px-Jacopo_Tintoretto_-_Crucifixion_detail_-_WGA22517-329.jpg" /></a>God loves us, and wants to adopt us. All of us. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX9.HTM#GOSP.JOH.1.12">John 1:12</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PX9.HTM#GOSP.JOH.1.14">14</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PXB.HTM#GOSP.JOH.3.17">3:17</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYW.HTM#NTLET.ROM.8.14">Romans 8:14</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYW.HTM#NTLET.ROM.8.17">17</a>; <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P127.HTM#CATHL.2PET.1.3">Peter 1:3</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_P127.HTM#CATHL.2PET.1.4">4</a>; Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/prologue.htm#1">1</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c1.htm#27">27</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c1.htm#30">30</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a1.htm#52">52</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm#1825">1825</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a2.htm#1996">1996</a>)<br />
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I've said that before. Often. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/taking-bible-seriously.html#love">February 21, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/training-lent-and-me.html#still">February 14, 2016</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/life-death-and-love.html#for">November 1, 2015</a>)<br />
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As adopted children, we're expected to act like God matters. I've been over that before too. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/10/death-and-decisions-in-oregon.html#there">October 4, 2015</a>; <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-people-not-option.html#love">September 6, 2015</a>)<br />
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Our Lord set a pretty high standard on Golgotha. (<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/04/death-at-garissa-university-sin-and.html#partly">April 12, 2015</a>)<br />
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I want to wrap this up while there's still a remote chance that I'll have <b><i>Friday's</i></b> post ready in time, so — <br />
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Accepting God's mercy is an option. So is refusing it. Admitting my faults — and forgiving others — is vital. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1847">1847</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p4s2a3.htm#2840">2840</a>)<br />
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More about forgiveness and alternatives:<br />
<blockquote>
"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVF.HTM#$2XV">11</a></sup> If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you.</i><br />
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"<i>But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVF.HTM#GOSP.MAT.6.14">Matthew 6:14</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVF.HTM#GOSP.MAT.6.15">15</a>)<br />
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"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#$2Y4">1</a></sup> <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#$2Y5">2</a></sup> 'Stop judging, that you may not be judged.</i><br />
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"<i>For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.1">Matthew 7:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PVG.HTM#GOSP.MAT.7.2">2</a>)<br />
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"<i><sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYQ.HTM#$46D">1</a></sup> Therefore, you are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. <sup><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYQ.HTM#$46E">2</a></sup> For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things. ... There is no partiality with God.</i>"<br />
(<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYQ.HTM#NTLET.ROM.2.1">Romans 2:1</a>-<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_PYQ.HTM#NTLET.ROM.2.11">11</a>)
</blockquote>
Forgiving others and showing mercy does not mean being stupid. We can decide that what someone does is a "grave offense:" <b><i>and</i></b> we must trust God's justice and mercy for what happens to them — and to each of us — in the long run. (Catechism, <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm#1861">1861</a>)<br />
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More of my take on long-term planning:<br />
<ul>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/training-lent-and-me.html">Training, Lent, and Me</a>"<br />
(February 14, 2016)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/training-lent-and-me.html#spiritual">Spiritual Training</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/training-lent-and-me.html#desert">The Desert and Deuteronomy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2016/02/training-lent-and-me.html#still">Still Shining</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html">Mercy!</a>"<br />
(December 13, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html#catholic">Catholic, καθολικός, Universal: Really!</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html#merciful">"Merciful Like the Father"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html#mercy">Mercy and Forgiveness</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/mercy.html#relying">Relying on God's Mercy</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/evil-is-not-good.html">Evil is Not Good</a>"<br />
(December 6, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/evil-is-not-good.html#being">Being Human</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/12/evil-is-not-good.html#jiminy">Jiminy Cricket and "a Law of the Mind"</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>"<a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/life-death-and-love.html">Life, Death, and Love</a>"<br />
(November 1, 2015)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/life-death-and-love.html#memento">Memento Mori <i>and</i> Carpe Diem</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2015/11/life-death-and-love.html#life">Life, Death, and Beyond</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>" <a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/those-who-are-just-must-be-kind.html">'Those Who are Just Must be Kind'</a> "<br />
(July 20, 2014)<br />
Particularly<ul>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/those-who-are-just-must-be-kind.html#beginning">The Beginning of Wisdom</a></li>
<li><a href="http://catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com/2014/07/those-who-are-just-must-be-kind.html#fear">Fear of the Lord and Karaoke</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">From catholiccitizenamerica.blogspot.com</div>Brian H. Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13209697542675181894noreply@blogger.com0