Contrariwise

I will start off 2008 by recapping all the faith-oriented articles I meant to write about over the past few weeks. In the spirit of blogging superstar Jason Kottke, these are my remaindered links.

I read a heartbreaking and disturbing AP article about the upsurge in paid surrogacy in India. This completely perverts the concept of parenthood and birth. Children don’t deserve to be outsourced, and these women definitely shouldn’t be renting their bodies. The ability to bear children is precious. The fertility and abortion industries are already examples of the way this has played out in our world. Don’t add surrogacy to the dismal picture.

Busted Halo is always a good place for me to read about faith and Catholic issues from a wider perspective than, say, the National Catholic Register (which I also love). A few weeks ago, they featured an article by a Mormon woman decrying stereotypes about Mormons and offering her opinions on Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign. I can relate to so much of what she writes because I feel the same way about the state of Catholicism in America. “Changing the popular perception of a cultural or religious group is a social study of enormous proportions,” she says. Maura’s always insisting that the Catholic Church needs a good marketing campaign. I think Archbishop Wuerl’s “The Light Is On for You” program (which he repeated during Advent and will be continuing this Lent) and For Your Marriage are excellent steps in that direction.

I’ve also been catching up on ZENIT news since I was at FOCUS Conference and doing my last-minute GRE studying. To my great delight, the Holy Father has restarted his Wednesday audience reflections on the saints with St. Augustine. I love St. Augustine! I was even born on August 30, a mere two days after his feast day.

I was also greatly encouraged by the news that, since the Tridentine Rite motu proprio, some anti-Novus Ordo schismatic groups are petitioning for reconciliation with Rome. Jesus prayed that the Church would be one; this is a tremendous step in the right direction. B16 is a very different pope than JPII was, but he’s still doing amazing things for the Church.

Another news story caught my eye today, this time from the Associated Press: “Theology divides Mormons, evangelicals.” It reads like a beginner’s guide to the LDS (Latter-Day Saints) church. I’m not a fan of Mormonism, but I know they favor the practical application of faith in everyday life and big, loving families, which I like.

The biggest concern people have about Romney in the Republican race is that he’s a Mormon. I always thought it was just their lack of familiarity with Mormonism. It seems to me to be more of a question of practical faith.

Another concern for some: that Mormon church presidents are held out as prophets with revelatory power that can alter the church’s direction and beliefs.

Said [Richard] Mouw, “That notion that things can just get changed is scary for a lot of people who worry that a church with a very strong authority center could influence a public leader by suddenly getting a new revelation that has an impact on public policy.”

This reminds me of what they used to say about JFK, that the pope would control the U.S. Thirty years later, they fear the LDS church leader will do the same. I don’t think either is true. It’s a pity that JFK didn’t live long enough for us to see more of his faith in action.

According to data gathered by the Pew Research Center (which has a great website), only 53 percent of people have favorable feelings towards Mormons; 76 percent towards Jews and Catholics. Clearly that 76 percent does not spend much time on college campuses.