From Catholic Stand
By Gene Van Son
The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis has everyone talking about “systemic racism” right now. Yet just three weeks ago everyone was talking and thinking about social distancing and the best ways to keep from catching a bug.
Social distancing was thrown out the window when George Floyd died. All of a sudden the importance of being able to protest transcended the importance of impeding the spread of the coronavirus. Apparently you can’t catch the coronavirus if you’re protesting, looting, or destroying private property, even though you are not practicing social distancing, but you can catch it if you go to Mass on Sunday. Who knew?
Thankfully the looting and destruction of property, which resulted in a number of deaths, was finally quelled. After a week or so the vast majority of protests did turn peaceful. It is tragic though, and even ironic, that a number of black people were murdered during the protests-turned-riots. But no one is talking about this. Why don’t their lives matter?
It’s also tragic that some people think the destruction of property is not an act of violence. Destroying a business that someone has put their savings and entire life into building does not equate with taking a person’s life, but it is violence nonetheless. And compounding one wrongful act with another wrongful act does not make a right.
‘Systemic’ Racism?
And it’s also tragic that so many are saying that “systemic racism” (or “institutional racism”) exists within all police departments in America today. Such statements are irrational, unreasonable, fallacious, and just plain false.
Nonetheless, the phrase has caught on. And this is exactly what the secular progressives were hoping would happen. If we have “systemic racism” the system is obviously broken. The system needs to be fixed. And since “systemic racism” exists in all police departments, they all need to be fixed.
Those who are at least somewhat rationale are saying more training for police officers will fix the problem. But others are saying the problem goes much deeper. Systemic racism exists in all systems in America and they all need to be overhauled. And, of course, it’s the secular progressives, who should be in charge of overseeing the overhaul.
A bunch of nut jobs in Seattle and Minneapolis are even saying police departments need to be “de-funded.” (Talk about irrational and unreasonable!) How such an action will “fix” the police departments they don’t say. This is because they don’t have any answers. They just want to tear everything down. This too is irrational and unreasonable. It’s also just plain stupid.
But what is also sad and tragic in all this is that once again rationale and reasonable people in this country are letting the secular progressives control the narrative. All of the “systems” in the United States of America, whether socio-economic or political, are riddled with racism, through and through, the secular progressives say. Everything needs to be fixed. But this, too, is irrational, unreasonable, fallacious, and false.
The Real Problem & the ‘Fix’
The real problem with the systems in the U.S. is the same problem every organization or system run by human beings, including the Catholic Church, has – they are peopled by imperfect human beings who are sinners. Some of these people are just misguided, ignorant, or incompetent. And some are bigots. But, some of these people are downright uncaring and immoral.
No system run by human beings will ever be perfect because mankind is so far from perfect. We can, however, become better human beings, which in turn, will make our systems and organizations function much better. All we have to do is live our lives according to the Word of God.
God gave us the rules – The 10 Commandments – and Jesus gave us the game plan – The Beatitudes. God also gave us the Bible to answer any questions we may have. And, Jesus gave us the Catholic Church to guide us and bring us all together. Lest we forget, we are on this earth for one reason and one reason only – to love and serve God.
Our Father in Heaven loves us beyond what we can ever imagine. And our Father wants us to be happy, just as all parents want their children to be happy.
God has a couple of things going for Him other parents’ lack. God is perfect and omniscient. So HE KNOWS what will make us happy.
However too many people continue to let the devil come between them and God. They listen to the devil’s lies and let him lead them into sinful thoughts and actions. And we wonder why the country and the world is so messed up – why we have wars and destruction of property, poverty, hunger, racism, and murder.
We Just Need Better People
We do not need social justice warriors to tell us what we should be doing to fix things. More laws and secular progressives changing our systems in a misguided attempt to make them better are not the answers. We need better people. We need people who are not so easily swayed by the devil.
More people who are willing to forsake the things of the world and live their lives according to God’s laws are what we need. We need people who are trying their darnedest to lead virtuous lives, who are trying to become saints.
Imagine if the world was peopled by devout, practicing Catholics, all trying to lead virtuous lives. In all likelihood, there would be no war, no poverty, no hunger, no racism, and no murder.
Too many Catholics (and other Christians), however, are allowing secular progressive propaganda to sway their thinking. They are letting irrational, emotional arguments cloud their judgment. Too many Catholics are letting the teachings of their religion – teachings that are firmly based in both faith and reason – be displaced by irrational and illogical ideologies intended to put man above God and man’s laws above God’s laws.
And the father of lies is loving it.
Catholics are called to be disciples and to evangelize. Now would be a good time to get started.
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