Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Piercing the Darkness (the sinister chaos permeating American society)
CE ^ | April 2, 2010 | Fr. Thomas Euteneuer

Posted on 04/03/2010 7:06:18 AM PDT by NYer

Even a casual observer of American society can tell that there is a certain sinister chaos spreading throughout every aspect of public life these days. Naturally, as it filters through society it finds its way into our homes, families and personal lives as well. The reports of monumental breakups and takeovers, meltdowns, dysfunctions, cutbacks, disasters, protests, catastrophic events, scandals, and just plain moral chaos are, shall we say, legion, and it does not look like there will be any let up in the dismantling of our formerly decent society any time soon. Public officials and the movers-and-shakers of social communications long ago divorced American culture from authentic Christian values, and the result is that modern America has found itself first wandering then running down a very slippery slope to moral and social anarchy. The darkness has settled upon us.

This idea came home to me this week when I attended the 5th Anniversary Mass of Terri Schindler Schiavo at Ave Maria University in FL. How well I remember the horrible killing scene in Pinellas Park, FL in 2005 when the combined efforts of pro-lifers and some political allies were not able to stop the forward motion of such raw evil. From the Florida circuit courts all the way up to the US Supreme Court, the corrupt judiciaries refused to intervene and even ordered her killing, with impunity. The US Congress was almost laughably powerless to help. The utter uselessness of the bishop and clergy in the diocese where Terri was murdered was a microcosm of the Church Impotent rather than the Church Militant. The thousands of calls that the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation now gets in their attempt to stop other similar killings are an indication that this same darkness is now penetrating our society at an alarming level.

Every aspect of American society is touched by this chaos: the pervasive and unstoppable corruption in government, the major media, Hollywood, academia, healthcare, and even within our own churches! All of this corruption is multiplying the shadows over our society and penetrating into every aspect of personal and family life as we speak.

What I find most alarming, as an exorcist, is the spread of truly occult phenomena in our youth culture. It used to be that vampires had to go back into their coffins with the first streaks of dawn. Now handsome young vampires are sullying the covers of every gossip magazine and tantalizing prime time audiences with their evil – and teenage girls are just swooning for them…. Don’t be fooled: the vampire culture is the spawn of the Harry Potter culture that has washed over our youth for a decade and still seduces parents into thinking it is all just “harmless entertainment.” Kids dressing up as sorcerers, blogging about vampires, dabbling in Wicca – it’s just plain seductive and evil. Our Baptismal Promises demand that we “reject Satan and all his works and all his empty promises,” and that includes demons, witches and vampires!

If I were anything other than a Christian, I would probably despair of the status of the culture all around us. Yes, there are movements fighting to take the culture and politics back, but most of these are just about political power and, if they have an effect at all, they will just install another version of corruption in place of the political devils they cast out.

The reason I don’t despair in the face of all this darkness, though, is because I remember that once-upon-a-time Evil had its Hour. I am not talking about sixty-minutes of willowy darkness. I am talking about the worst crime ever committed in history, the blackest deed ever known to man: the killing of the Son of God on Calvary. The corrupt politicians, clergy and laity of the day were all implicated in the crime. Worst of all, the devil was sitting back gloating at his masterpiece of evil.

But much to the devil’s surprise, evil did not win the Day…because at that very moment of deepest darkness, the Son of God did something utterly unforeseen and caught the whole wicked world unaware: He shattered the darkness and rose from the dead! Who would have imagined!

Ever after, those who persevere through Good Friday looking toward the joy of Easter Sunday find themselves immersed in the same eternal mystery of Light. Christ has pierced the darkness and given us Hope! We can sing the great “Te Deum” hymn with the greatest fervor now in every dark hour of our lives: “In you Lord is our hope — and we shall never hope in vain!”



TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Moral Issues; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: academia; cultureofdeath; evil; fifth100days; government; hollywood; judiciary; media; schiavo; vampires
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-31 next last
Fr. Tom Euteneuer is president of Human Life International.
1 posted on 04/03/2010 7:06:18 AM PDT by NYer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: netmilsmom; thefrankbaum; markomalley; Tax-chick; GregB; saradippity; Berlin_Freeper; Litany; ...

Ping!


2 posted on 04/03/2010 7:06:41 AM PDT by NYer ("Where Peter is, there is the Church." - St. Ambrose of Milan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

Fr. Euteneuer tells it like it is. God bless him.


3 posted on 04/03/2010 7:38:28 AM PDT by Lorica
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: NYer
I have found it interesting to search the web and find that there is actually a science called Chaos.
Apparently the Chaos theory is quite well known within the Academic community.

We apparently are experiencing the chaos theory of social upheaval.

Where will American society finally settle?

4 posted on 04/03/2010 7:39:44 AM PDT by Marty62 (marty60)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

Wonderful read.


5 posted on 04/03/2010 8:09:48 AM PDT by Gerish (Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Marty62

Hi Marty - where are we going to settle? You can predict this by looking at what the elite are doing in education institutions and in entertainment with children. Without a miracle, we are headed for mindless obedience to evil.


6 posted on 04/03/2010 8:14:43 AM PDT by SaraJohnson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: NYer

I don’t follow the vampire series stuff, but I love the Harry Potter books. One reason I don’t mind my kids reading in the fantasy genre is that usually there is a clear moral compass. Evil is evil, good is good, and the dangers are spelled out. That’s so much better than the shows with sarcastic, sexy teenagers whose parents are somewhere in the background, with their own messed up lives.

In the Harry Potter books, evil is evil and the good that is done is from human acts of will— good moral choices. The magic makes it interesting, but does not really simplify or improve anyone’s life.

I don’t know if it is still active, but there was a Hogwarts Professor website I used to visit, where Christian professors who were Potter fans discussed the morality and philosphy of the Harry Potter world.

I think kids are very interested in moral choices and good and evil. You could look at the interest in this fantasy literature as a backlash from the “everybody’s special; I’m ok, you’re ok” movement, because it makes you want to root for the good guys.


7 posted on 04/03/2010 8:24:23 AM PDT by married21
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Marty62
Where will American society finally settle?

Back in the late 60's, an italian immigrant friend surveyed the American scene, noted the increase in feminism and proclaimed that American would soon fall, like previous empires. He predicted that feminism would be followed by a rise in homosexual activism and that, in my lifetime, I would see the collapse of the US. At the time, I laughed. I'm not laughing anymore.

“Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. George Santayana

8 posted on 04/03/2010 8:29:06 AM PDT by NYer ("Where Peter is, there is the Church." - St. Ambrose of Milan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: NYer

Agreed. I never bought into the feminist BS. Frankly, I saw plenty of women crumble under the weight of being all things to everyone.

One of what I consider a measure of the cruelty of the Fems was the saying “women not only bring home the bacon but fry it to”
That was in fact a way to eleminate men as the “bread winner”, thereby emasculating millions of men.
The Feminist should embrace their role in the destruction of millions of marriages and millions of unborn killed. Wow what achievements./S+


9 posted on 04/03/2010 8:45:38 AM PDT by Marty62 (marty60)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: SaraJohnson

Yes I believe it is going to take a miracle to stop the trending.

But in a horror movie coming to a block near us all. when society collapses, the evil that will decsend upon us will truely be frightening.
Children with NO belief in self-restraint or sense of right or wrong.


10 posted on 04/03/2010 9:04:41 AM PDT by Marty62 (marty60)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: married21

I have a question about Harry Potter. In the books, is Harry evil or good? And by what standard?

Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, WITCHCRAFT, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

So again, is Harry Potter good or evil? And by what standard?


11 posted on 04/03/2010 9:33:57 AM PDT by WorldviewDad (following God instead of culture)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: WorldviewDad
Harry's supposed to be a "good witch".

Of course, Biblically, there's no such thing.

OTOH, HP is escapist fiction, not catechesis. There were "good witches" in the Wizard of Oz, as well, but nobody seems to object to that.

(Just for the record: my kids watch HP movies and read the books, but I think they're kind of stupid except where they're clever in a sophomoric kind of way.)

12 posted on 04/03/2010 9:59:21 AM PDT by Campion ("President Barack Obama" is an anagram for "An Arab-backed imposter")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: WorldviewDad

Harry’s a good kid who sometimes gets tempted, like humans in the real world.

In the Potter world, the ability to do magic is a natural trait that you are born with and you have to learn to direct it rightly or you will do great harm to yourself or others. It’s like giving your burly, pugnacious kid a football helmet, so he can go exercise his skills and inclinations in a safer way.

In that respect it is very different from magic in the real world, where people who gravitate to the occult are choosing to get into a relationship with the devil, whether they fully realize it or not. They don’t have a natural “gift” for it that they have to decide how to use. What they have is a sinful desire to make the world spin their way and a lack of healthy fear of who or what they are dealing with.

Most readers sort out that difference pretty well.

One can read some literature which includes adultery or drunkenness, or the other sins you mention, and come away from it wanting to reaffirm good behavior, not emulate the bad behavior, even though the milieu in which the sins occur seems intriguing. For me, and I think most readers of it, the Potter series accomplishes that.


13 posted on 04/03/2010 10:06:15 AM PDT by married21
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: NYer

**What I find most alarming, as an exorcist, is the spread of truly occult phenomena in our youth culture. **

This is very scary.


14 posted on 04/03/2010 10:41:42 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: married21

I really disagree with your take on Harry Potter. Why put this stuff into one’s brain?

My children were not allowed to read it.


15 posted on 04/03/2010 10:44:26 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: married21
Your reply raises additional questions and thoughts. Again by what standard is “Harry a good kid”?

You stated that in the “Potter world” that magic is a natural trait and then linked it to football in this world...could I then link this to the “natural trait” that most teenagers have of interest in sex and use a similar thought as your “football helmet” to give the kid a condom to “exercise his skill and inclinations in a safer way”. Isn't that the logic being used to justify condom distribution?

I under stand the difference between the real world and fantasy but by your own statement people that get involved with the occult in the real world are choosing to get involved with the devil “whether they fully realize it or not”. Do you honestly believe that the average seven to nine year old public school student in the U.S. can “sort out that difference” when grown adults in this culture don't?

Through out scripture we as parents are instructed to teach our children and I don't see any where that says we should teach the truth be studying the counterfeit.

Genesis 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord...

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

also see Ephesians 5:1-20

16 posted on 04/03/2010 10:58:16 AM PDT by WorldviewDad (following God instead of culture)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: NYer
I put this up too, but only a handful showed up. I think you are POPular on FreeRepublic NYer ... :):)

Anything by Fr. Euteneuer deserves to be played and played over again anyway ...
17 posted on 04/03/2010 3:25:17 PM PDT by mlizzy ("Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person" --Mother Teresa.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: WorldviewDad

I have a feeling we are not going to resolve our differences on this, but I’ll take a stab at addressing your concerns anyway, because you do pose valid questions.

“Again by what standard is “Harry a good kid”?”


He’s a British kid in the 1990s, so it’s the general norm for that place and time, but generally you’ve got your basic virtues like honesty, humility, kindness, self-sacrifice, respect. He’s also got basic flaws, too, like any fleshed-out literary character.

““football helmet”.... to give the kid a condom to “exercise his skill and inclinations in a safer way”. Isn’t that the logic being used to justify condom distribution?”

Yes, but I’m all for giving a kid a football helmet, but not a condom. (They don’t hand out condoms at Hogwarts, either. They tend to remain chaste, marry young, and have large families.) We do that all the time in our lives as parents, make a judgment as to what must be forbidden or postponed and what must be channeled.

I’m just not too worried that kids are going to want to be like the evil Lord Voldemort, because he is repulsive in the books. And they can’t be like Harry, because it’s clear that he’s magic and they’re not. They get that at age 8 or 9. They also know they’re not really Superman or Spiderman or Luke Skywalker.

I think the people who drift into the occult may be more likely to go there by way of psychics, new age stuff, and that tv show where they try to contact the dead (I can’t remember what it is), and astrology.


Finally, “as for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord” (not sure the exact quote). And we will also have some fun with literature.

BTW, if you have any recommendations of fantasy or other children’s literature that you find entertaining and wholesome, I’d be happy to give them a look. My kids are 8 and 11. (btw, they have not read the whole Potter series, just the first few books, because it gets really dark and scary and meant for older people by the end of book four.)


18 posted on 04/03/2010 3:39:18 PM PDT by married21
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Marty62

Forgetting the possibility of a crashed economy right now, wait to see these “children” interact with the huge number of eldery citizens within government the health care system. That will result in horrendous abuse. No one will give a damn either.


19 posted on 04/03/2010 7:38:22 PM PDT by SaraJohnson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: SaraJohnson

Oh I don’t even want to think about that one.
With the invicibility mentality of the 20-30 somethings. Plus their complete denial of ever “growing old”. Retirees are going to be in the crosshairs of the class warfare.

I am watching Lord of the Rings. As the King said “How has it come to this”. Well they (we) have allowed evil to slither into our Society and now we are paying the price.

But it is Easter, and we need to celebrate the victory over death.


20 posted on 04/03/2010 8:02:50 PM PDT by Marty62 (marty60)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-31 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson