Do You Have Common Sense? Clearly, You Should Be Catholic

An Open Letter to People With Common Sense:

You have seen the news. The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned what so many of us supported (way more than opposed it, that’s for sure), in one way or another: The Defense of Marriage Act.

I know you feel conflicted about this.

On the one hand, it is a no-brainer that marriage exists in order to provide state protection for potential parents. Otherwise, why is the state involved in marriage? To create a government sex-partner registry? Yuck.

But on the other hand, you don’t want to be a bigot who hates gay people like the bullies and the religious freaks with those awful signs.

Well, let me introduce you to the Catholic faith.

For one thing, the faith recognizes that homosexual acts are, well, not the same as heterosexual acts. That’s Biology 101, but you have to be religious to believe in biology nowadays (more on that in a second).

For another thing, the faith insists that God loves gay people — and that a good Christian must treat homosexual people with love, just like he does. It’s right there in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.”

An unnatural act, but the people must be respected and loved. Does that sum up your feelings about homosexuality? It does mine.

But there is more that the Catholic faith offers for people of common sense.

Most Americans say they are pro-life. They believe that an unborn child is a human life, and that it’s wrong to take a human life. Again, this is Biology 101, but only religious people believe the biology. And it is mainly religious people who are willing to stand up for biology and morality.

Your mother was right:

• What’s wrong is wrong, even if everyone else in the world says it’s right.
• You shouldn’t jump off a bridge just because the cool kids tell you to.
• Calling a bad thing something different doesn’t make it right.

You will find that the Catholic Church (and many of the Protestant communities, too, I know!) is willing to follow the morality your mother taught you when no-one else will. It has always been this way: The Supreme Court said Dred Scott wasn’t a whole human being; the Church said human beings all have equal dignity. The Supreme Court says the unborn can be discarded; the Church defends the little guy. The Supreme Court says marriage means whatever we want to say it means. But it doesn’t.

Why is the Catholic faith getting things right that society has so disastrously wrong?

Because of Jesus Christ. You have heard him referred to a lot, I know. But have you really heard much about him? Check him out for yourself: Read the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

You may think he is naive and irrelevant. You will find he is wise and his words startlingly relevant. You may have been led to consider him goofy or awkward. You will find he is incisive and noble. You might think he’s a scold or a squish. I think you’ll find he is a man of common sense and love. Like you, the best you that you want to be.

The world is sending you a very clear message: No common sense, here, please. The world is engaged in a giant, destructive game of make believe. Let’s pretend sexuality is free of responsibility and consequence. Let’s pretend unborn babies aren’t really babies. Let’s pretend that parental relationships aren’t really anything special. And let’s ridicule everybody with common sense.

You see through it. So do we. Come find out why. Let them jump off their bridges without you!