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Showing posts from October 7, 2018

Arguments Concerning Sexual Identity

I saw an argument today: People who identify as gay (or another sexual identity) believe that the Catholic Church, and Christians in general, hate them; Some Christians do in fact hate such people; But in fact, Jesus loves all people, their sins notwithstanding; Therefore, Catholics and other Christians should attend gay weddings (and other ceremonies) to show solidarity with the people involved. And the counter-argument: The Church (the Catholic Church) teaches that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered, (CCC, 2357) that is, by their nature contrary to God's design for the body, and for human sexuality and cannot be approved under any circumstances; (stipulate to the compassion, respect, and sensitivity commanded of Christians by Jesus in CCC, 2358) Attendance at a wedding signifies approval and celebration of the union, or putative union; To approve and celebrate such unions would be to commit the sin of scandal; (CCC, 2284-2285) Therefore, Catholics and

Public Education: Its Foundation, And The Red Herring That Obscures It

The system of public education exists philosophically and theoretically upon the foundation that the purpose of education is being formed in virtue. The good, the true, and the beautiful were once the foundation of the liberal arts, and in fact, the definition of the liberal arts. If the common good exists as something more than a set or collection of private goods, then it stands to reason that some baseline education in the liberal arts ought to be a matter for public concern. That is to say, it is a worthy matter for significant public funding. This contention is irrespective of other arguments that could be had about subsidiarity, or parental rights and duties. Knowledge itself is a part of the common good, because it does not diminish when it is shared. What is known to be true benefits those who do not know that a particular thing is true, and also those who take great pains to deny that a particular thing is true. It is a red herring to use the content of public school cur