[MUSIC] >> Doug: WELCOME ONCE AGAIN TO THE "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE" IS HE INTERSECTION OF FAITH AND REASON. A LITTLE DETOUR THIS WEEKEND. THIS IS A PRE TAPED PROGRAM SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE ELECTIONS OF THE ELECTION BECAUSE WE'RE TAPING IT AT A TIME BEFORE THE ELECTION HAS OCCURRED. YOU CAN REACH US GOING FORWARD FOR FUTURE PROGRAMS, VIA EMAIL, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, DON'T FORGET ABOUT magiscenter.com AND crediblecatholic.com. WE HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS COMING IN, AT THIS POINT NO LONGER DEALING WITH THE ELECTION. SO, THE BOOK OF THE MONTH, ALWAYS POPULAR, FATHER CONNOR, TOIL AND TRANSCENDENCE, GREAT HISTORIAN PROGRAMS DONE AT EWTN. VERY POPULAR, FATHER CHARLES CONNOR, LATEST BOOK THROUGH EWTN PUBLISHING AND ewtnRC.com. NOW, WE TURN TO FATHER SPITZER. NOW, IF YOU WOULD, START US OFF WITH A PRAYER. >> YOU BET. >> IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. HEAVENLY FATHER WE ASK YOU THIS DAY TO BLESS OUR COUNTR, CULTURE AND PLEASE, CONTINUE TO VOUCHSAFE US IN THE GOODNESS AND RIGHTS IN WHICH THIS COUNTRY WAS BORN. WE ASK YO, TOO, LORD, TO SEND YOUR SPIRIT DOWN UPON DOUG, MYSELF AND THE WHOLE AUDIENCE SO THAT WHATEVER WE DO IS BROUGHT TO FRUITION IN YOUR WILL FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR PEOPLE, CHURCH, AND YOUR KINGDOM. WE ASK THIS THROUGH JESUS OUR LORD, AMEN. AND MARY SEAT OF WISDOM, PRAY FOR US. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AMEN. >> AMEN. VERY GOOD. SO, LET ME ASK YOU THIS, FATHER SPITZER. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ABORTION QUITE A BIT OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND OF COURSE, AS WE MENTIONED THIS IS A PRE TAPE PROGRAM AND WE DON'T KNOW THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION, IF IT HAS BEEN EXACTLY DETERMINED AT THIS DATE. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME WAS THE TIE-IN. AND YOU BROUGHT IT UP BEFORE TALKING ABOUT ABORTION BUT EUTHANASIA, T THE OTHER END OF E EQUATION. HERE'S AN ARTICLE THAT OUR OWN EWTN, AN ARTICLE WRITTEN BY THE CARDINAL OF UTREK, OVER THERE IN THE NETHERLANDS. HE WAS A FORMER DOCTOR SO I SUPPOSE HE HE IS STILL A DOCTO. AND HE PROPOSES THAT THE LATEST EPISODE OF THE CO COUNTRY'S 40 R DANCE WITH DEATH, HE SAYS THIS SHOULD BE POINTED OUT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 1980 -7S, TERMINAL PHASE OF TERMINAL ILLNESS WAS CONSIDERED ACCEPTABLE. AND THEN HE JUMPS AHEAD, THOSE THAT TERMINATE LIFE BECAUSE OF CERTAIN SUFFERING LET GO THAT LIFE IS NOT AN ESSENTIAL VALUE ANY MORE. THE DECISIONS ABOUT EUTHANASIA OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, CRITERIA FOR PERFORMING EUTHANASIA HAS BEEN EXTENDED FURTHER AND FURTHER. THAT'S WHY HE'S CONCERNED THAT NOW THEY ARE EVEN DISCUSSING THE IDEA OF DEALING WITH BELOW 12 YEARS OLD, WHOLE SERIES OF REGULATIONS WHEN YOU NEED A PARENT'S PERMISSION AND NOT. GOES TO SHOW THAT THE TERM OF THE SLIPPERY SLOPE IS IN REALITY TRUE. >> Father: YES IN REALITY IT IS TRUE. YOU CAN SEE WHAT HE'S POINTING OUT, THE VARIOUS STAGES OF THE EUTHANASIA MOVEMENT, THE SLIPPERY SLOPE THAT HE POINTED OUT, IT WAS JUST RESTRICTED TO PEOPLE WITH A TERMINAL ILLNESS. THEN IT BECAME NOT JUST PEOPLE REQUESTING IT BUT ALSO, DOCTORS WERE ALLOWED TO HAVE, IN OTHER WORDS THEY WERE NOT PROSECUTED WHEN DOCTORS ACTUALLY AND VOL VOLUNTARILY EUTHANIZED AND GAVE THEM A LETHAL INJECTION EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T ASK OR GET PERMISSION TO DO THAT. THOSE DOCTORS WERE NOT PERSECUTED. AND THAT'S COME OUT IN A RECOMMEND LYNN REPORT QUITE CLEARLY SEVERAL YEARS AGO. THEN, IT HAS PROGRESSED. A DEPRESSION BECAME A REASON FOR THIS. THAT WAS A FORM OF SUFFERING. THEN IT BECAME THIS GREAT AREA THAT STARTED TO COME IN A DOCTOR COULD SEE THAT THEY WERE DEPRESSED OR SUFFERING. EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T REQUEST IT, THEY WERE EUTHANIZED BY THE DOCTOR. AND THEY WERE NOT PROSECUTED FOR THIS, FOR DOING THIS. WHEN YOU HAD A DOCTOR WHO JUST FOUND A PATIENT TO BE REALLY INCONVENIENT, SHE WAS BASICALLY FEAR, ANGER IN THE CORRIDORS IN HER INSTITUTION THERE. SO, SHE DECIDED, WELL, IT'S TIME FOR THIS WOMAN TO BE EUTHANIZED. SO, SHE GIVES THE WOMAN A DRUG IN HER TEA TO KNOCK HER OUT. AND THE WOMAN DRINKS THE TEA AND THEN SHE WAKES UP AS THE DOCTOR IS PRESENTING THE HYPE DERMIC THERE. AND SHE RIGHTLY PERCEIVES THAT THE DOCTOR IS ABOUT TO KILL HER. SHE STARTS KICKING, SCREAMING AND BASICALLY SAYS, I DON'T WANT IT. I DON'T WANT IT. SO, THE DOCTOR GOES OUT OF THE ROOM AND BRINGS BACK IN SOME OF HER RELATIVES AND SAYS, YOU HAVE TO HOLD HER DOWN FOR HER OWN GOOD. THEN, HE GIVES HER THE SHOT TO KILL HER. THIS IS VERY MUCH AGAINST THIS WOMAN'S WILL. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT. NOT ONLY MAKING THE RELATIVES COMPLICIT IN THE ACT. THIS IS WHAT THE DUTCH OVERSIGHT BODY FOUND. BY THE WAY, SHE WAS NOT CRIMINALLY PROSECUTED AT ALL! SHE DIDN'T EVEN GET A SLAP ON THE HAND FROM THE PHYSICIAN'S OVERSIGHT COMMISSION. INSTEAD, THEY EXONERATED HER BY SAYING SHE DID IT IN GOOD FAITH. CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS! SHE DID IT IN GOOD FAITH. WHAT FAITH? THIS IS LIKE SOATLE NIETZSCHIAN'S DREAM COME TRUE. WHAT'S THE DREAM HERE? WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? THERE'S NO GOOD FAITH AT ALL. CARDINAL IS RIGHT, EUTHANASIA HAS GONE RIGHT DOWN THE SLIPPERY SLOPE IN WAYS THAT WE CANNOT EVEN POSSIBLY HAVE IMAGINED, EVEN 10 YEARS AGO. IT'S OUR REALITY RIGHT NOW AND HAPPEN HERE, ONLY IN HOLLAND. NO, NO, NO. ONCE WE GET THE EUPHEMISMS GOING FULL BLAST AND ONCE WE GET THE BUY PRODUCTS OF ALL OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN FROM EUTHANASIA AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE IN HOLLAND RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE CARRYING CARDS IN THEIR POCKETS SAYING, IF I GET IN AN ACCIDENT OR SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME, PLEASE, TAKE ME TO A CATHOLIC HOSPITAL. THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE ASKING! THEY DON'T WANT TO BE INVOLUNTARILY EUTHANIZED IF A DOCTOR GETS THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS PERSON WOULD BE BETTER OFF DEAD AND KILLING THEM WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION. THIS IS WHERE WE ARE TODAY. YOU THINK IT'S IMPOSSIBLE IN THE U.S. IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE IN THE U.S. I MEAN, PEOPLE BELIEVE THE PROPAGANDA OF THE EUTHANASIA MOVEMENT. THEY BELIEVE THE HEM LOCK SOCIETY OR WHATEVER THEY CALL I. THAT'S RIGHT. >> Doug: RIGHT. CALL IT NOW. AND IT'S FAST AND LOOSE WITH THE LANGUAGE, YOU GET FALSE COMPASSION, THIS IS MERCIFUL. >> COMPASSIONATE DYING. THAT'S THE KNEW EUPHEMISM. >> THEY HAVE BOTH OF THEM RIGHT THERE. EXACTLY. THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. AND YEARS AGO, THEY WOULD HAVE GIVEN THAT PERSON A FRONTAL LOBOTOMY, THAT'S HORRIBLE. TODAY, THEY JUST GET RID OF HER ALL TOGETHER AND DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT. >> Father: THAT'S VERY TRUE AND IT'S HAPPENING. IT'S A DIRE PREDICTION BUT IT IS GOING ON RIGHT BEFORE OUR VERY EYES. >> MORE AND MORE WE SEE THAT, WITH THE LIFE OF THE UNBORN, YOU DECIDE, OH, WELL, YOU CAN HAVE THESE LAST MINUTE ABORTIONS AND MAYBE IF THE BABY IS ACTUALLY BORN, YOU CAN DECIDE WHAT TO DO AFTER THAT. SAME THING WITH THE OLDER PEOPLE. LIKE YOU SAID, THIS IS A CRUNCH OF MEDICAL MONEY, THINGS LIKE THAT, STATE FUNDING, THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS AND HAVE YOU TO HAVE COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS, HOW MUCH MONEY IS IT WORTH FOR US TO INVEST SOMETHING INTO YOU WHEN YOU ARE 75-YEAR-OLD, VERSUS INVEST ANYTHING A 25-YEAR-OLD. >> Father: YEAH, AND YOU BETTER BE CAREFUL IF YOU LIVE IN A PHYSICIAN-CIDE ASSISTED STATE YOU MAY FIND THAT YOU DRASTICALLY REDUCED BENEFITS IN THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE STATE BECAUSE NOW COMPANIES CAN PUT PRESSURE ON YOU BECAUSE THEY SAY, WE AREN'T COVERING THAT BECAUSE WE COVER ASSISTED SUICIDE. AND YOU HAVE TO GO TO NEVADA OR WHEREVER TO GET TREATMENT BECAUSE, OF COURSE, NOTHING IS GOING TO BE COVERED BY YOUR INSURANCE IN THE PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE STATE. >> Doug: VERY GOOD. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE OTHER ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IN THE COUNTRY. IMPACTING OUR FAITH AS WELL. OKAY. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, I BELIEVE THAT THE NEW RELIGION OF OUR TIME IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE. THE ULTIMATE END OF THIS PHILOSOPHY IS ANTI-LIFE BECAUSE OF THE GOAL TO REDUCE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT BY REDUCING POPULATION THROUGH ABORTION AND OTHER MEANS. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOU COMMENT IN YOU PROGRAM. JOHN >> Father: JOHN, ABSOLUTELY WE NEED TO BE ENVIRONMENT ARTICLELY RESPONSIBLE AND WE SHOULDN'T INTRODUCE UNNECESSARY CARBON IN THE ATMOSPHERE. I BELIEVE THAT. YES, AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A DEFINITE WAYS OF KIND OF CURTAILING THESE KIND OF EMISSIONS AND TRYING TO BE ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE. ON THE ON THE OTHER HAND, JOHN, I HAVE TO SAY, IN HASTE, POPULATION IS NOT THE PROBLEM OF THE CARBON FOOTPRINT. THE REASON THAT WE HAVE A CARBON FOOTPRINT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE GAS EMISSIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE WHICH CAN BE CURTAILED. AND INDEED, ACTUALLY COLLECTED. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY WHERE WE CAN USE VORTEX MACHINES TO PULL CARBON OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE. THERE'S ALL KINDS OF OTHER WAYS TO SPET SPECTRAL REFLECTANTS INTO THE ATMOSPHERE THAT REFLECTS SUNLIGHT AWAY FROM US SO WE CAN KEEP THE TEMPERATURE DOWN. THERE'S A MILLION OTHER WAYS TO DEAL WITH THIS. OVERPOPULATION, THAT'S LIKE KILLING THE POPULATION -- KILLING OFF SOMEBODY IN ORDER TO HELP THEM OUT. YOU DON'T NEED TO KILL ANYBODY. YOU DON'T NEED TO CONTROL THE POPULATION AT ALL TO GET RID OF CLIMATE CHANGE OR AN EVER RISING TEMPERATURE IF INDEED THERE IS WURN. THERE'S A DIFFICULTY IN CALCULATING WHETHER THE TEMPERATURE IS RISING SIMPLY BECAUSE OF CARBON EMISSIONS AND OTHER KINDS OF BEHAVIORS. I MEAN, THERE'S THE WHOLE ISSUE OF BASICALLY, THE SUN GOES THROUGH CYCLES. AND WE JUST MIGHT BE COMING INTO A DOWNWARD CIRCLE. SO, IF WE GET A RHYTHM OF SOME OF THE CARBON THAT'S CONSTITUTING THE OZONE RIGHT NOW MAYBE WE MIGHT BE NEEDING THAT IN THE FUTURE IN CASE WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER COLD SPELL. WE HAVE TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON GEE THERMICALLY. WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH S SOLAR EMISSIONS BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO PREDICT. YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL THERE. I WOULD SAY, JUST LOOKING AT IT AND TRYING TO BE OBJECTIVE ABOUT IT, I DO THINK THAT CARBON EMISSIONS ARE RAISING THE TEMPERATURE. BUT I'M NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT, WE'VE BEEN IN AN UPWARD CYCLE AND GOING TO DOWNWARD CYCLE RELATIVE TO SOLAR EMISSIONS. AND IT'S A HARD THING TO CALCULATE. WE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE IN TRYING TO LIMIT THOSE CARBON EMISSIONS JUST IN CASE WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO INTO A DOWNWARD CYCLE. BUT THE WAY TO DO IS CERTAINLY NOT TRYING TO KILL PEOPLE OR DECREASE THE POPULATION. THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO CONTROL CARBON EMISSIONS AND FIND THAT THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO DO THAT. AS I SAID, YOU CAN PUT SPECTRAL REFLECTANTS UP THERE, ABOVE THE OZONE AND DOING A VARIETY OF OTHER THINGS TO LIMIT CARBON EMISSIONS THAT ARE ALREADY BEING DONE RELATIVE TO THE KIND OF PETROLEUM THAT WE USE, RELATIVE TO THE KIND OF EMISSIONS THAT ARE COMING FROM OUR CARS. WE CAN CONTROL THAT AT A MUCH GREATER DEGREE THAN WE COULD PREVIOUSLY. AND OF COURSE, FACTORY EMISSIONS CAN BE CONTROLLED MUCH, MUCH BETTER THAN THEY CURRENTLY ARE. AND WE CAN ALSO USE RESIDUAL CARBON IN MANY, MANY PRODUCTIVE WAYS. AND IF WE START COLLECTING CARBON, WE CAN REPROCESS THAT CARBON INTO A KIND OF COAL, YOU KNOW, USEABLE FUEL THAT COULD BE REUSED AGAIN. WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT ALL OF THOSE EMISSIONS INTO INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO DO IN THE BALANCED WAY. POPULATION CONTROL, YEAH. THAT'S LIKE SAYING, I'M GOING TO KILL THE PERSON I WANT TO HELP. >> Doug: EXACTLY. THINK THAT I HAVE TO SAY GROWING UP, IT'S GOING TO BE A NEW ICAGE OZONE HOLE IS GOING TO HAPPEN. AND THINK ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE PROMPTED TUESDAY TAKE GOOD POSITIVE STEPS. SO WHAT YOU SAID REMINDED ME SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COVID-19 SITUATION EVEN WITH THE WHO, WHO ULTIMATELY CAME OUT AND SAID WE'RE NOT IN FAVOR OF THE LOCKDOWNS AS MUCH AS ANYTHING BECAUSE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT THAT HAS ON POOR PEOPLE IN SOCIETY. AND AGAIN, THIS IDEA THAT YOU CAN'T LOOK AT ONE SIDE OF THE EQUATION. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT BOTH SIDES OF THE EQUATION AND MAKE SURE THAT, AS THEY SAY, THE CURE IS NOT WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM. NOT THAT YOU ARE NOT TRYING TO DEAL WITH IT. AND WE SHOULD BE DEALING WITH THE ENVIRONMENTALISM AND WE NEED TO BE SURE WE'RE OUT OF POCKET NOT DESTROYING PEOPLES' LIVES OR INDUSTRIES THAT ARE FEEDING PEOPLE OR PAYING PEOPLE A DECENT WAGE. AND I THINK, THE IDEA THAT THEY BROUGHT UP, IN A WORLD WHERE THEY DON'T SEEM TO BELIEVE THIS, WALKING AWAY FROM CHRISTIANITY, THERE'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL, GENERAL SPIRITUALITY WITH OVERTONES OF BUDDHISM OR WHATEVER, AND GIVES PEOPLE LIKE, OH, I'M SPIRITUAL, I'M STILL DOING SOMETHING POSITIVE. >> YEAH, TURNING ENVIRONMENTALISM INTO A RELIGION IS A VERY DIFFICULT THING BECAUSE IT'S NO BETTER THAN A KIND OF NATURE WORSHIP WHICH IS PRETTY RETROGRESSIVE. AND THE POINT THAT I WANT TO SAY, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO BETTER THAT BE THAT. WE CAN TREAT KNIT A SCIENTIFIC WAY AND ALSO, IN A BALANCED WAY. AND WE DO HAVE TO LOOK AT BOTH SIDES OF THE EQUATION. I THINK THAT PROBABLY THERE IS TEMPERATURE RISING FROM CLIMATE CONTROL -- I MEAN, FROM CLIMATE CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY FROM CARBON EMISSIONS. THE PROBLEM IS, WHAT CYCLE ARE WE IN IN OUR SOLAR CYCLE RIGHT NOW. THERE'S HOT SPELLS AND COLD SPELLS. AND IF WE'RE MOVING TOWARD AN ICE AGE, NOT EVEN THAT, A DOWNWARD ICY CYCLE, IF WE'RE GOING IN THAT DIRECTION, WHOLLY TRYING TO REMOVE CARBON MAY BE PROBLEMATIC, TOO. SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS. I THINK ALSO THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT A VARIETY OF GOOD SOLUTIONS AND A GOOD BALANCED SCIENTIFIC WAY. AND THINK THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS OUT THERE, DOING A VERY GOOD JOB. I TRIED TO READ ASSIDUOUSLY. AND HOPEFULLY, WE CAN BE RESPONSIBLE TO THE ENVIRONMENT. LET'S FACE IT, IF WE DESTROY IT, IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET IT BACK. >> Doug: ABSOLUTELY. NEXT QUESTION UP. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF JESUS AS THE PRINCE OF PEACE. HE SAID, "PEACE I LEAVE YOU, MY PEACE I GIVE YOU." BUT JESUS ALSO SAID, "DO NOT THINK THAT I HAVE COME TO BRING PEACE TO THE EARTH. I HAVE NOT COME TO BRING PEACE, BUT A SWORD." THIS SEEMS CONTRADICTORY TO ME. WHAT'S WORSE, GIVEN OUR CURRENT POLARIZED SOCIETY, I'M THINKING HIS WORDS COULD BE PROPHETIC. IS JESUS THE CAUSE, THE PROGENITOR OF POLITICAL STRIFE? DANIEL >> Father: DAN, I WILL TELL YOU THIS, IT DOES SOUND CONTRADICTORY BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT HE'S THE PRINCE OF PEACE. MY GIFT TO YOU IS PEACE. AND HE SAYS IT IN JOHN'S GOSPEL AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. NOW, THERE'S TWO WAYS IN WHICH THE TERM CAN BE USED, THAT TERM PEACE. IT'S ONLY A CONTRADICTION IF YOU ARE USING THE SAME TERM WITH THE SAME MEANING IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS IN AN ARGUMENT. THINK THAT JESUS IS USING PEACE WITH TWO DIFFERENT MEANINGS IN THOSE SAYINGS. THE FIRST SAYING, MY PEACE IS MY GIFT TO YOU. HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL PEACE THAT COMES, INTERIOR PEACE THAT COMES. WHEN WE PRAY AND GOING TO THE SACRAMENTS OR TRYING TO TAKE CONTROL OVER OUR MORAL LIVES, RIGHT, WE HAVE THAT SENSE OF DEEP, DEEP PEACE IN OUR LIVES. AND THAT DEEP PEACE THAT WE DO HAVE REALLY IS ORIENTED TOWARD OUR SALVATION. ORIENTED TOWARD HEAVEN AND WE'RE GIVEN A PEACE. KIND OF HAVE A DECREASE IN WHAT I CALL SPIRITUAL EMPTINESS, ALIENATION, LONELY NLINESS AND GUILT. HE DOES GIVE US PEACE. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, GOD DOESN'T SAY, I'M BRINGING YOU PEACE AND I'VE COME TO BRING DIVISION. HE'S USING IT IN THE SENSE OF, DON'T THINK I CAME TO BRING POLITICAL PEACE. DON'T THINK I CAME TO BRING THE PAX ROMANUM TO THE WORLD. DON'T THINK I BROUGHT A POLITICAL PEACE. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, MY MESSAGE IS GOING TO BE PRETTY DECISIVE AND LOTS OF PERSECUTION IS GOING TO HAPPEN FROM THIS. I KNOW IT'S A MESSAGE OF LOVE AND A MESSAGE OF INTENDED TO BRING SPIRITUAL PEACE. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO REACT TO THE MESSAGE OF LOVE. BECAUSE SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS FENCES OF MESSAGE OF LOVE IS WHAT? YOU CAN'T KILL. YOU CAN'T KILL AN INNOCENT PERSON OR A INNOCENT CHILD. THAT'S A LOVING ACT, NOT TO KILL THE INNOCENT CHILD, BUT TO GIVE THE CHILD LIFE AND LET A CHILD WHO IS ALREADY LIVING, ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE LIVING. THAT IS FOR JESUS AN ACT OF LOVE, COVENANT LOVE IN THE HIGHEST SENSE. YOU KNOW, THAT MESSAGE, THOUGH, OF LOVE, THAT MESSAGE, UNFORTUNATELY GOING TO BRING UNFORTUNATELY, AS WE KNOW POLITICAL DIVISION. AND JESUS ANTICIPATED THAT EVEN THOUGH HE HAD A MESSAGE OF LOVE, RESPONSIBILITY OF GREATER LOVE JUSTICE AND PEACE THAT WILL CAUSE POLITICAL DIVISION. IT'S AN INCONVENIENCE. THIS IS GOING TO CHANGE WHAT I HAVE TO DO IN MY LIFE. I MAY HAVE TO ACCEPT THE CONSEQUENCES OF MY ACTION TO GIVE THIS CHILD A CHANCE TO LIVE, SO FORTH AND SO ON. THAT'S INCONVENIENT AND I'M MAD. SO AGAIN THIS GOING TO BRING FIRE TO THE EARTH. AND BEING THE PROGENITOR OF POLITICAL DIVISION, WELL, I WOULDN'T CALL HIM THE PROGENITOR OF IT, THERE'S A LOT OF POLITICAL DIVISION PRIOR TO JESUS. THERE'S A LOT OF DIVISION BETWEEN THE JEWS AND THE ROMANS, WAY BEFORE JESUS CAME ON THE SCENE. AND DIVISION BETWEEN THE RIVAL FACTIONS GOING ON BETWEEN THE BABYLONIANS, CYRENEANS, PERSIANS, ROMANS AND THE GREEKS AND SO ON. ALL KINDS OF POLITICAL DIVISION GOING ON. JESUS IS NOT A PROGENITOR OF IT, BUT JESUS MIGHT ACTUALLY, YOU MAY SAY THIS, PROBABLY THE VERY FIRST PERSON TO BRING A MESSAGE OF LOVE, PEACE, AND RESPONSIBILITY THAT DID CREATE SUCH A DIVISION, YOU KNOW, THAT BASICALLY IT DID CREATE DIVISION BETWEEN MOTHER, FATHER, MOTHER-IN-LAW AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW ALL THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, NOT JUST IN LITTLE ISRAEL BUT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. SO, IN A WAY, HE IS KIND OF A PROGENITOR OF THAT KIND OF POLITICAL DIVISION. BUT CERTAINLY NOT A PROGENITOR OF POLITICAL POSITION AND NOT SINCE THE TIME OF ADAM AND EVE, SINCE THE TIME OF ORIGINAL SIN. >> Doug: VERY GOOD. LET'S GO TO THE NEXT QUESTION. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, I AM A PRO-LIFE CATHOLIC, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL. IF BIRTH CONTROL PREVENTS THE FERTILIZATION OF THE OVA, WOULDN'T THIS REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF ABORTIONS THAT ARE PRESENTLY HAPPENING? LARRY >> THAT'S SOMETHING OUT THERE, IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF ABORTION WHY AREN'T YOU IN FAVOR OF BIRTH CONTROL. >> Father: RIGHT. LARRY, WHEN I WAS A YOUNG STUDENT, FRESHMAN IN COLLEGE, I FORWARDED THIS EXACT ARGUMENT TO ONE OF MY VERY GOOD FRIENDS. I BELIEVE HE'S A STATE SENATOR IN WASHINGTON, MIKE PATTON. HE HEARD THE ARGUMENT FROM ME. AND HE SAID, WHOA, SPITZER, THAT'S BAD ARGUMENT. WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS, GEE, WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND USE ONE EVIL TO GET RID OF ANOTHER EVIL. HAVEN'T YOU EVER HEARD, THE END DOESN'T JUSTIFY THE MEANS? AND OF COURSE, I WAS A FRESHMAN, WHAT DID I KNOW. AND I'M, LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT. SO, FINALLY, OF COURSE, I PUT MY HEAHEARING AIDS IN AND SAID WHAS THIS MEAN. HE SAID, CAN'T USE EVIL MEANS TO GET TO A GOOD END. IT ALWAYS UNDERMINES THE GOODNESS TO THE END. AND SO, THE BEST THING, USE A GOOD MEANS TO GET TO THE END OF NOT HAVING AN ABORTION. THAT IS, TO TREAT SEXUALITY WITH THE RESPECT IT DESERVES WITHIN MARRIAGE ACCORDING TO JESUS CHRIST. THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GO INSTEAD OF JUST USING BIRTH CONTROL SO WE CAN ALL SORT OF PRACTICE SEXUALITY IN SOME IRRESPONSIBLE WAY OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE. I FINALLY GOT THE ARGUMENT. YEAH, THE END DOESN'T JUSTIFY THE MEANS. SO, DON'T USE AN EVIL MEANS TO GET TO A GOOD END EVEN IF IT'S LESS EVIL THAN ABORTION. YOU DON'T EVEN WANT TO USE A LESS EVIL MEANS TO GET TO A GOOD END. LET'S JUST USE GOOD MEANS TO GET TO GOOD ENDS. THAT'S GOING TO BE THE PROPER WAY TO DO IT. AND BY THE WAY, PEOPLE WHO USE NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING. AND I'M NOT PRESENTING A WHOLE PART OF THE SHOW ON THIS. BUT PEOPLE WHO USE NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING ARE JUST AS EFFECTIVE AND EVEN MORE SATISFIED THAN PEOPLE WHO USE ARTIFICIAL BIRTH CONTROL. BY THE WAY, IT'S WOMEN WHO ARE EVEN MORE SATISFIED WITH NFP THAN MEN ARE BECAUSE THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT WITHIN THE MARRIAGE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE USING NFP. THEY GENERALLY TEND TO HAVE MORE SATISFYING MARRIAGES, HAPPIER MARRIAGES, STRONGER MARITAL COVENANT THAN PEOPLE USING ARTIFICIAL BIRTH CONTROL. NFP IS A VERY GOOD WAY TO DO THIS. THERE ARE SEVERAL GOOD ARTICLES. AND IN THE SAME BOOK, VOLUME 3 OF MY TRILOGY THAT'S COMING OUT. VOLUME 1 IS COMING OUT TOMORROW ACTUALLY, BY IGNATIUS PRESS. AND VOLUME 1 OF THE NEW TRILOGY, A CALL OUT OF DARKNESS, CONTEND BEING EVIL THROUGH THE CHURCH, VIRTUE AND PRAYER. AND THAT'S COMING OUT TOMORROW. SO, VOLUME 2, THAT'S THE ONE THAT HAS THE STUFF ABOUT THE CHURCH. VOLUME 3 IS IN DEFENSE OF ALL OF THE CONTROVERSIAL DOCTRINES OF THE MORAL DOCTRINES OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. SO, GO TO CHAPTER 4 THERE AND I HAVE A LONG SECTION ON NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING VERSUS ARTIFICIAL BIRTH CONTROL LOOKING AT THE PROS AND CONS AND LOOKING AT THE EXCELLENT STUDIES DONE ON THIS. DON'T COUNT NFP OUT. OF COURSE, SEXUAL RESPONSIBILITY IS REALLY WORTHWHILE. I POINTED OUT TO SEVERAL, BY THE WAY, ALL OF THESE ARE SECULAR STUDIES, NOT DONE BY CATHOLICS. RICHARD FERRING, VERY GOOD CATHOLIC AND DID A FIRST CLASS STUDY ON NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING AND MORE EFFECTIVE THAN ARTIFICIAL BIRTH CONTROL. IF YOU HAVE IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR, LIKE, PRE MARITAL SECTION, MORE PARTNERS YOU HAVE, IT'S CORRELATED WITH LESS MARITAL SATISFACTION AND LESS LONGEVITY WITHIN THE MARRIAGE AND OF COURSE, GREATER DIVORCE RATE. ALMOST INVERSELY CORE RELATIVE OR INVERSELY RELATIVE. SO, THESE STUDIES ARE INVALUABLE. BEST TO SAY, USE NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING AND YOU ARE GOING TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE IF YOU ARE MARRIED. AND BEFORE MARRIAGE, JUST KEEP THE LORD'S COVENANT OF LOVE AND BE SEXUALLY RESPONSIBLE. THAT'S THE BEST PLAN OF ACTION. >> Doug: FORTUNATELY, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SOLD THE BILL OF GOODS OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS WHEN IT COMES TO THAT TOPIC. LET'S GET ANOTHER QUESTION IN BEFORE THE BREAK. HERE'S THE NEXT QUESTION. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, ASIDE FROM GOING TO MASS, HOW DO WE KEEP THE LORD'S DAY HOLY? ARE WE ALLOWED TO DO HOUSEHOLD CHORES SUCH AS HOUSECLEANING, SHOPPING FOR GROCERIES, ANSWERING EMAILS, OR PAYING BILLS? GIGI >> Father: GIGI, YOU CAN DO THOSE THINGS. WE DON'T OBSERVE THE SABBATH IN THE SAME WAY THAT PERHAPS A JEWISH PERSON WOULD HAVE OBSERVED THE SABBATH WHERE THERE WAS ABSOLUTE PROHIBITION OF ANY KIND OF WORK TO BE DONE. THEIR INTERPRETATION OF WORK WOULD NOT BE SHOPPING. OF COURSE, YOU CAN DO SHOPPING, THAT'S FINE. BUT SUNDAY IS MEANT TO BE A PLACE WHERE WE ARE TAKING OUR RELIGIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES SERIOUSLY. GOING TO MASS AND HAVING EXTRA TIME WITH THE FAMILY, DEVOTING TIME TO THE PRAYER, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, HAVING TIME WHEN YOU CAN JUST GET AWAY FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THAT. AND THERE'S NOTHING BETTER THAN SITTING BACK AND CONTEMPLATING WHAT MAKES MY LIFE WORTH LIVING. WHERE DO I WANT TO GO WITH MY LIFE, WHAT DO I WANT TO DO WITH MY FAMILY. AND YOU KNOW, HAVING HEALTHY DISCUSSIONS AND WHEN WE GET A BREAK FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS AND WORK, YOU CAN DO SO MUCH MORE. WE DON'T REALIZE IT. BUT WE DON'T HAVE VERY MUCH BREAKTIME IN OUR LIVES. WE'RE BUSY KEEPING ENTERTAINED AND SO FORTH. BUT IT'S A DAY OF REST. AND THAT'S PRIMARY TOO. IT'S OF COURSE, A RELIGIOUS RITUAL, SABBATH. BUT CONTEMPLATING ON WHAT MAKES LIFE WORTH LIVING, HAVING FAMILY DISCUSSIONS, TRYING TO EVEN THINK FOR MYSELF, WHAT DO I NEED OR WANT, THINK OF THAT NATURE ARE PROBABLY BEST USED ON A SUNDAY AND WHEN YOU ARE AT WORK. SO, OF COURSE, YOU CAN -- >> Doug: LIKE YOU SAID, STEP BACK, TURN OFF THE DEVICES AND FOCUS ON YOUR LIFE, FAMILY AND LISTEN TO WHAT GOD MAY BE SAYING TO YOU. SO, STAY WITH US AND WE'LL HEAR MORE FROM FATHER SPITZER AFTER THIS QUICK BREAK! [MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> AND WELCOME BACK TO FATHER SPITZER'S UNIVERSE." WE'LL CONTINUE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ON THIS SPECIAL QUESTION-ANSWER SHOW, WHICH HAS BEEN PRE TAPED PRIOR TO THE ELECTION, WHY WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT. SO, SPEAKING OF RECENT HAPPENINGS, WE HAD AMY CONEY BARRETT RAISED TO THE SUPREME COURT. WE HAVE THESE WONDERFUL T-SHIRTS AND CAPS THAT SAY THE DOGMA LIVES LOUDLY IN ME, IN HONOR OF HER AND FOR HER STANDING UP OVER THE YEARS. YOU CAN ORDER THOSE THROUGH OUR EWTN RELIGIOUS CATALOG, ewtnRC.com. IT'S SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE YOUR CATHOLIC FAITH AND WEAR IT PROUDLY IN PUBLIC. THE DOGMA WORKS LOUDLY THROUGH ME. AND NOW, WE'RE BACK WITH FATHER SPITZER AND CONTINUING ON WITH OUR QUESTIONS. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, THIS WEEK THE LIFE OF CARLO ACUTIS WAS THE SUBJECT IN OUR HOMESCHOOL CLASS. I MENTIONED TO MY CHILDREN THAT HE OFFERED UP HIS SUFFERING FOR THE SALVATION OF SOULS TO WHICH MY DAUGHTER ASKED, HOW DOES IT WORK. IS IT LIKE GOING AND PAYING FOR SOMEONE TO GET OUT OF JAIL. HOW DOES UNITING OUR SUFFERING SAVE SOULS? JOZETTE OF COURSE HE WAS MADE A SAINT. >> Father: ABSOLUTELY, CARLOS ACUTIS WAS A TALENTED, GIFTED COMPUTER PROGRAMMER THERE IN ITALY. HE DIED AND HE OFFERED UP HIS SUFFERINGS. HOW DOES THAT WORK. THAT'S THE QUESTION AND HERE'S THE BASIC ANSWER. WE'RE IMITATING JESUS. SO, WHEN JESUS WAS ON THE CROSS, BASICALLY WHAT HE WAS DOING, HE WAS TAKING THIS WHOLE IGMONIOUS ACT, ACT OF HATRED AND CONVERTING THAT ACT OF HATRED INTO A SELF SACRIFICIAL ACT. JESUS COULD HAVE AVOIDED GOING TO JERUSALEM OVER THE PASSOVER, RIGHT? BUT HE DIDN'T AVOID GOING TO JERUSALEM. INSTEAD, WHAT DOES HE DO? HE DELIBERATELY GOES UP THERE AND THOMAS SAYS, OH MY GOSH, THEY ARE GOING TO KILL YOU. WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT. AND ZOOM, HE JUST DECIDES, I'M GOING TO KEEP GOING. SO HE GOES UP THERE. AND FINALLY, HE IS PERSECUTED. AND EXACTLY AS EVERYBODY KNEW HE WOULD BE AND PERSECUTED THEREFORE, WHAT DOES HE DO. AS YOU CAN SEE, HE'S QUOTING PSALM 22 ON THE CROSS AND PART OF PSALM 22 IS PART OF A SELF OFFERING. WHY AM I DOING THIS. WHY IS THE INNOCENT SERVANT DOING THIS? HE'S DOING IT AS ISAIAH 52:13 SAYS, AS IT WERE, TAKING THE PLACE OF, PAYING THE PENALTY, NOT TAKING THE PLACE BUT PAYING THE PENALTY FOR EVERY ONE FOR EVERY SIN THAT'S EVER BEEN DONE WITH HIS OWN BLOOD. PAYING THE PENALTY HE DOESN'T HAVE TO PAY A PENALTY, HE'S DOING IT FOR GOD. BUT HE'S WHAT IS DOING, HE PAYS THE PENALTY FOR US, AND GIVES UP HIS LIFE, SHEDS HIS BLOOD. WHAT THAT IS, LOOK AT THESE WORDS FROM JOHN'S GOSPEL. THERE IS NO GREATER LOVE THAN A MAN CAN HAVE TO GIVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS. NOW, IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THAT FOR ONE MOMENT, WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS THAT JESUS IS DOING AN UNCONDITIONAL ACT OF LOVE. HE TAKES THE HATRED THAT'S PERSECUTING HIM, GIVES IT TO THE FATHER IN SELF SACRIFICE FOR ALL OF US. WHAT IS THAT? I'M GOING TO GIVE MY WHOLE LIFE FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD. WHAT IS THAT? WHAT CO DOES HE SAY THAT IS? THERE'S NO GREATER LOVE THAN THIS. SO, HE'S TURNING THAT ACT OF HATRED INTO AN ACT OF SELF SACRIFICE, WHICH IS REALLY AN ACT OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR ALL OF US. AND THAT SELF SACRIFICIAL ACT OF GIVING HIS LIFE AS AN ACT OF LOVE, HE'S THEN ASKING THE FATHER TO POUR THAT LOVE. HE'S MADE A WHOLE ACT OF LOVE OUT OF THIS. AND POUR THAT ACT OF LOVE ON TOP OF ALL OF US. JUST GIVE THAT AWAY TO THE ENTIRE WORLD. AS YOU GIVE IT AWAY TO THE ENTIRE WORLD, THEN, YOU KNOW, MAKE SOME GOOD COME OUT OF IT TOO. NOT JUST FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD AND ALL OF THE SOULS IN PURGATORY. MAKE IT GOOD FOR JOE MY BROTHER, MARY MY MOTHER, AND SO FORTH AND SO ON. SO, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THAT LOVE AWAY AS BEST THAT WE CAN. AND TO OFFER IT UP, OFFERING UP OUR SUFFERING FOR THEM. MAKE YOUR SUFFERING A VOLUNTARY SELF SACRIFICE FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD, FOR OTHER PEOPLE. A VOLUNTARY SACRIFICE FOR OTHER PEOPLE IS AN ACT OF LOVE AND GOD SHOWERS THAT LOVE UPON ANYBODY WHO WANTS IT, NEEDS IT, DESIRES IT. >> OKAY. VERY GOOD. RELATED QUESTION, DEAR FATHER SPITZER. I AM 61-YEARS-OLD AND HAVE BEEN IN A NURSING HOME FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS. I HAVE MS AND MANY OTHER PROBLEMS. SUFFERING MEANS EXACTLY, BUT I KNOW IT MEANS UNITING MY SUFFERING WITH CHRIST. DOES THIS MEAN I SHOULD NOT TAKE PAIN MEDICINE? JESUS SUFFERED TERRIBLY AND HE DID NOT HAVE PAIN MEDICINE. PLEASE EXPLAIN AS I AM CONFUSED. GAIL >> Father: WELL, GAIL, JESUS PROBABLY DID NOT HAVE PAIN MEDICATION. OF COURSE, THEY DID HAVE DRUGS THAT DID SIGNIFICANTLY MITIGATE PAIN, THEY DID. AND THEY WERE VARIOUS HERB SOLEMNITIES, VARIOUS THINGS THAT THEY DID SUP LEMENTS THAT THEY HAD. NOW, THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT. THE CHURCH OF COURSE ALLOWS DRUGS TO BE USED TO BRING SOME RELIEF TO PAIN. IT'S VERY GOOD FOR YOU TO USE THOSE DRUGS. IT'S VERY GOOD FOR YOU TO SEEK PAIN RELIEF WHEN YOU CAN GET IT. AND THIS IS PART OF CATHOLIC TEACHING. ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE ARE A FEW KINDS OF PAIN IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION THAT CAN'T BE CONTROLLED. SOME OF THEM ARE FOR AR THREATIC PAIN AND VARIETY OF OTHER PAIN THAT CANNOT BE CONTROLLED COMPLETELY. THERE ARE BIO FEEDBACK METHODS OF TRYING TO CONTROL PAIN. AND OF COURSE, THERE ARE WAYS OF PUTTING TOGETHER PAIN PROTOCOLS UNFORTUNATELY THAT ARE ALMOST NOT OUT YET. BUT THE MAIN THING, YOU WANT TO CONTROL IT TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CAN, WITHOUT OBVIOUSLY KILLING YOURSELF. CERTAINLY IT'S PERMISSIBLE BY ANY CHURCH STANDARD TO SEEK THAT. AND COMES OUT VERY CLEARLY TAUGHT IN EVANG ELLIE VITAE, GOSPEL OF LIFE ENCYCLICAL WRITTEN BY ST. JOHN PAUL II THE SECOND. >> Doug: VERY GOOD. LET'S GET TO THE NEXT ONE. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, THE CATHOLIC CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH QUOTES, "WHOEVER UTTERS BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE PARDONED NEITHER IN THIS AGE NOR IN THE AGE TO COME." IS RECEIVING THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION IN THE STATE OF MORTAL SIN CONSIDERED A BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT? PAUL >> Father: NO, IT'S NOT, PAUL. YOU CAN RECEIVE THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION IN THE STATE OF MORTAL SIN. NOW, OBVIOUSLY, IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO TRY TO GET TO CONFESSION, IF YOU ARE IN A STATE OF MORTAL SIN BEFORE YOU RECEIVE THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION. BUT IT'S NOT A PROF NATION FOR THE SACRAMENT OF EUCHARIST. NOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO BE IN A STATE OF GRACE FOR THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION. BUT IT'S NOT A SIN TO RECEIVE CONFIRMATION IF YOU ARE IN MORTAL SIN. IT IS CERTAINLY NOT, BY ANY MEANS, I DEAL. GET YOUR SOUL IN ORDER BEFORE YOU RECEIVE T THAT SACRAMENT. BUT THAT SACRAMENT, LIKE, WITH BAPTISM, BAPTISM DOES FORGIVE SINS BOTH MORTAL AND VENIAL. AND A CONFIRMATION DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS BAPTISM BUT IT DOES ACTUALLY BRING THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO US. AND IN SOME WAYS, ODDLY ENOUGH, THAT HOLY SPIRIT MAY SPEAK LOUDLY THAN EVER TO THAT SACRAMENT THROUGH US, TO GET OUR SOULS BACK ON TRACK, OUT OF A STATE OF MORTAL SIN AND COME BACK TO THE LORD. SO, IN POINT OF FACT, I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN ANYTHING THAT SAYS TO RECEIVE CONFIRMATION, IN THE STATE OF MORTAL SIN. BUT SECOND POINT, WITH RESPECT TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT, IT'S CERTAINLY NOT THAT KIND OF A SIN. THE SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT THE PHARISEES WERE DOING WHEN AFTER THEY HAD SEEN JESUS EXERCISING ALL OF THESE THINGS, THEY KNEW WELL THAT HE HAD A PROLIFIC MINISTRY OF EXORCISMS. THEY KNEW VERY WELL THAT HE HAD A PROLIFIC MINISTRY OF HEALING AND RAISING THE DEAD. YET, HAVING SEEN ALL OF THIS, CERTAINLY NOT MAYBE SEEN IT ALL, BUT HEARD ABOUT IT ALL AND SEEN SOME OF IT, THE FAIR SEES STILL SAY THERE. IT IS BY THE POWER OF BEELZEBUB, THEY DON'T DENY THAT HE IS CASTING OUT DEMONS. THEY DON'T DENY THAT HE'S HEALING OR RAISING THE DEAD. INSTEAD, THEY TWIST IT AND THEY SAY, OH, HE'S DOING THIS BY THE POWER OF BEELZEBUB. AND THE REASON THAT JESUS CONSIDERS THIS SUCH A GRAVE SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT IS, NUMBER ONE, MAKES NO SENSE LOGICALLY. WHY WOULD THE DEVIL CAST HIMSELF OUT. HOW CAN A KINGDOM DIVIDED AGAINST HIMSELF STAND. THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL, FROM A LOGICAL POINT OF VIEW. HE'S SAYING FROM THE PHARISEES, HEY, THAT'S BAD FAITH, YOU OUGHT TO KNOW BETTER. BUT THEN THERE'S A SECOND PROBLEM. IF IT'S ILLOGICAL TO SAY, THAT THE DEVIL IS CASTING HIMSELF OUT, THAT MEANS THAT JESUS IS CASTING OUT THE DEVIL BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE SPIRIT OF GOD HIMSELF. AND IF JESUS IS CASTING OUT THE DEVIL BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE SPIRIT OF GOD HIMSELF, THEN YOU ARE SAYING THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE EVIL SPIRIT. AND THAT IS, LIKE, TRIPLE-BAD FAITH. THAT'S A BAD FAITH THAT IS SO BAD. I MEAN, IF YOU ARE WILLING TO GET OUT OF THE BIND OF HAVING TO EXPLAIN JESUS. IF YOU ARE WILLING TO GO SO FAR AS TO KNOWINGLY CLAIM THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD IS THE EVIL SPIRIT. IF YOU ARE WILLING TO GO THAT FAR, JESUS IS SAYING, YOU ARE IN TROUBLE. YOU ARE IN SUCH DEEP TROUBLE WITH SUCH DEEPLY INAUTHENTIC BAD FAITH. YOU ARE IN DEEP TROUBLE AND YOU ARE RISKING YOUR IMMORTAL SOUL AND WHERE CAN THE FORGIVENESS BE. BECAUSE THE FORGIVENESS COMES FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND YOU JUST CALLED THE HOLY SPIRIT THE EVIL SPIRIT. HOW CAN YOU MAKE RESOURCE THAT YOU THINK IS EVIL OR ACCUSING TO BE EVIL AND IF YOU CUT OFF THE VERY SOURCE OF YOUR FORGIVENESS, WHERE WILL YOU BE? THAT'S WHAT HE IS TRYING TO SAY. AND THAT'S REALLY THE SIN OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN OBVIOUSLY QUITE A BIT DIFFERENT ACTUALLY FROM RECEIVING THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION IN THE STATE OF MORTAL SIN. >> Doug: VERY GOOD. NEXT UP. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, MY QUESTION REGARDS THE MAN CRUCIFIED WITH THE LORD, WHO REPENTED, TRADITIONALLY KNOWN AS ST. DISMAS. IN VARIOUS TRANSLATIONS OF THE GOSPEL HE IS REFERRED TO AS A THIEF, A ROBBER, A REBEL, A REVOLUTIONARY, AND AN INSURRECTIONIST. I KNOW TRANSLATION IS AN ART BUT WHICH ONE WAS HE MOST LIKELY SINCE THERE ARE GREAT DIFFERENCES IN MEANING OF THE VARIOUS WORDS. WHAT WORD MEANING DO THE BEST ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS CONTAIN? PHIL >> Father: PHIL, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. BASICALLY, THE WORD CRIMINAL IS A VERY GENERIC WORD. AND YOU REALLY CAN'T TRY TO MAKE IT BE ONE THING RATHER THAN ANOTHER. AND THE REASON IT'S DIFFICULT IN THIS CONTEXT, OF THE PARTICULAR PERSON CRUCIFIED NEXT TO JESUS IS THAT THE PERSON COULD WELL HAVE BEEN A POLITICAL INSURE EKSIST. AND ROMANS CRUCIFIED POLITICAL INSURRECTIONISTS AND IT WAS A PENALTY OFTEN USED. SO, THERE'S A REAL POSSIBILITY THAT HE WAS AN INSURRECTIONIST AND HE COULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING ELSE. A THIEF, PROBABLY UNLIKELY THAT EVEN THOUGH THE WORD THIEF THERE IS A GENERAL WORD, REALLY MEANS CRIMINAL. AND KIND OF, LIKE, SOMEBODY MAYBE A ROBBER, GENERALLY THAT WAS NOT DESERVING OF CRUCIFIXION WHICH WAS CONSIDERED A PENALTY FOR A HIGH CRIME. IT'S THE FULLEST EXTENT OF SUFFERING AND PROSECUTION. BY THE WAY VERY EXPENSVE. IT'S JUST EASIER TO SORT OF KILL A THIEF, IF YOU WANT TO KILL HIM, YOU JUST THRUST A SPEAR THROUGH HIM AND HAVE IT DONE WITH. BUT TO TAKE HIM OUT AND CRUCIFY HIM, THAT'S MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE. AND THAT'S RESERVED FOR POLITICALLY HIGH CRIMES AND AND THE RUSSIANS -- WHAT AM I SAYING. ROMANS. THE ROMANS REALLY WANTED TO MAKE A SPECTACLE OF THIS. YOU DON'T GET AWAY WITH POLITICAL INSURRECTION, YOU ARE GOING TO BE FINISHED SEVERELY. SO, I WOULD SAY PRETTY GOOD DETERMINING THAT HE WAS ININSURRECTIONIST. >> SO, WHEN HE ADMITS TO BEING GUILTY, IS HE HAD A MITTING BEING GUILTY TO THE FACT THAT HE'S A POLITICAL INSURRECTIONIST. I MEAN, THAT IT WAS PROBABLY FINE FOR HIM TO DO? >> WELL, MAYBE HE HAD DONE OTHER THINGS AS WELL. WE SIMPLY DO NOT KNOW. BUT HE CERTAINLY IS ADMITTING WHATEVER HE DID, HE WAS GUILTY OF IT. AND IT WAS AN INJUSTICE. SO, HE DESERVED THE PENALTY THAT HE WAS GETTING. AND WE DON'T KNOW. WE DON'T. BUT THAT'S A DARN GOOD QUESTION. >> Doug: NEXT UP. OKAY. DEAR FATHER SPITZER I GET THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN FREE WILL. WHAT I CAN'T RECONCILE IS THAT GOD MADE US KNOWING WE WOULD CHOOSE SIN AND DEATH, SELFISHNESS AND EVIL. WHY DID HE MAKE US THIS WAY? VAL >> Father: WELL, HERE'S THE PROBLEM. GOD CAN'T MAKE US LOVING WITHOUT MAKING US CAPABLE OF EVIL. THAT'S THE PROBLEM. IF YOU ARE NOT CHOOSING LOVE, THEN YOUR LOVE DOESN'T INITIATE FROM WITHIN YOU. IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING SOMETHING UNLOVING, THE ONLY BEHAVIORS THAT YOU CAN DO IS LOVING BEHAVIORS. YOU HAVE NO POSSIBILITY OF DOING UNLOVING BEHAVIORS. THEN THOSE BEHAVIORS ARE NOT COMING FROM YOU, IF YOU COULD NOT HAVE CHOSEN OTHERWISE. THEY ARE BASICALLY PROGRAMMED RESPONSES THAT GOD HAS PUT INTO YOU. SO, YOU ARE A VERY NICE ROBOT PROGRAMMED FOR DIVINE BEHAVIORS BUT YOU ARE CERTAINLY NOT SOMEONE WHO IS INITIATING LOVE FROM WITHIN YOU. IN ORDER TO INITIATE LOVE FROM WIN YOU, YOU MUST HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF INITIATING SOMETHING UNLOVING OR AT LEAST SOMETHING WHICH IGNORES LOVE ALL TOGETHER. BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT POSSIBILITY, THEN THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU COULD HAVE CHOSEN LOVE. IF YOU DIDN'T CHOOSE LOVE, IT'S NOT INITIATED FROM WITHIN YOU. IF IT'S NOT INITIATED FROM WITHIN YOU, THEN YOU ARE A ROBOT PROGRAMMED BY GOD TO DO LOVING BEHAVIORS. AND GOD DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT. THAT WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR GOD. HE WANTED TO MAKE YOU, CREATE YOU IN HIS OWN IMAGE AND LIKENESS. AND GOD IS FREE AND SO YOU ARE FREE TOO, TO DO THE CONTRARY OF LOVE AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT WOULD BE TO CHOOSE EVIL. >> VERY GOOD. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, I WENT BACK TO THE CHURCH AFTER A 40 YEAR ABSENCE. I WENT TO CONFESSION AND THE CHURCH GAVE ME ABSOLUTION WITHOUT MY SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF ALL OF MY SINS. I TOLD HIM BEFORE I STARTED THAT I HAD BROKEN MOST OF THE COMMANDMENTS. NOW I'M FEELING THAT MY SINS HAVEN'T BEEN FORGIVEN BY GOD. PLEASE HELP ME. I'M WORRIED IN MAINE. >> OKAY. IN MAY MAINE, BASICALLY THIS IS FOR YOU. IF THE PRIEST DIDN'T MAKE YOU SPECIFY, DOESN'T MEAN THAT HIS ABSOLUTION DOESN'T COUNT PARTICULARLY IF YOU SAID, I HAVE VIOLATED ALL THE COMMANDMENTS. IT IS GOOD TO HAVE SOME SPECIFICITY ON THE SINS THAT ARE VERY SERIOUS. BUT IF THERE'S A LOT OF VENIAL SINS THERE THAT WERE NOT PARTICULARLY EGREGIOUS, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY ALL OF THOSE THINGS. BUT NORMALLY, CERTAINLY A PRIEST SHOULD ASK, WHAT ARE THE REALLY BAD THINGS THAT YOU REGRET MOST THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO SPECIFY THOSE THINGS. BUT DOES THE ABSOLUTION COUNT EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT HEAR THOSE THINGS AS LONG AS YOU WERE NOT INTENTIONALLY HIDING THEM FROM HIM. SO LONG AS YOU WERE NOT SORT OF TRYING TO DISGUISE SOMETHING. BUT BASICALLY, HE SAID, OKAY. I GET THE POINT. THERE WERE PLENTY OF SINS THERE AND GAVE YOU ABSOLUTION UNDER THAT AUSPICES AND THAT ABSOLUTION COUNTS. IF YOU WANT TO GO TO ANOTHER PRIEST JUST TO GET A SENSE OF RELIEF, YOU COULD. BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO. YOU ABSOLUTELY DO NOT HAVE TO. AS LONG AS YOU WERE NOT HIDING ANYTHING, AND HE WAS THE ONE THAT SAID, I GET THE POINT, YOU DID ALL OF THESE THINGS, I WILL GIVE YOU ABSOLUTION ANY WAY. THEN, YOU ARE FORGIVEN FOR ALL OF THOSE SINS. YOU ARE FINE. >> Doug: VERY GOOD. NEXT QUESTION. DEAR FATHER SPITZER WHAT CONSTITUTES VIATICUM? AND THAT'S ART. >> Father: WELL, THE ATTEMPT IS, AS YOU ARE ON THE WAY, VIA, RIGHT, YOU ARE GOING TOWARD GOD. NORMALLY VIATICUM INCLUDES THREE DIFFERENT THINGS. FIRST, YOU TRY TO SEE IF A PERSON IS REALLY CONSCIENCE AND ABLE IN SOME WAY TO SIGNIFY THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF BEING SORRY FOR THEIR SIN. MOST OF THE TIME, PEOPLE HAVE AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT SO I HAVE THE ABILITY SOMETIMES I SAY, OKAY. IF YOU CAN'T TALK, JUST, I'M ASKING YOU NOW, RECOLLECT YOUR SINS AND ARE YOU SORRY FOR ALL OF THOSE SINS, SQUEEZE MY HAND OR BLINK YOUR EYE. IF THEY BLINK THEIR EYE OR SQUEEZE YOUR HAND, THEN I WOULD GENERALLY GIVE THEM ABSOLUTION. SOME PEOPLE CAN TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF COMMUNION, SOME PEOPLE CANNOT. SOME PEOPLE CAN TAKE MAYBE A LITTLE DROP OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD ON THEIR TONGUE AND SOME PEOPLE CANNOT. BUT IF THEY CAN TAKE JUST A LITTLE FRACTION OF THE HOST, THEN YOU KNOW, I DO TRY TO GIVE THEM, AFTER ABSOLUTION, GIVE THEM A FRACTION OF THE HOST. OBVIOUSLY, THEN I 0 WOULD GOO -- I WOULD GIVE THEM THE SACRAMENT OF THE SICK, EXTREMIES AND THEN THEY WOULD BE ESCORTED INTO HEAVEN. SOMETIMES NONE OF THAT IS POSSIBLE. SO, THEN IN THAT EVENT, WE GIVE THE SACRAMENT AS THAT PERSON MAY BE SLEEPING OR IN A COMA. WE WOULD GIVE THE SACRAMENT OF THE SICK AND DEPEND ON GOD'S MERCY IF THEY WERE TRYING TO BE A GOOD CATHOLIC IN THEIR LIFE, THAT THE SACRAMENTS MATTERED TO THEM. I WOULD BE VERY, VERY COMFORTABLE THAT THAT PERSON WAS FORGIVEN FOR THEIR SINS AND AUTHENTICATE SENT ON THEIR WAY. SO, VIATICUM, IDEALLY IS ALL THREE. BUT YOU HAVE TO ADJUST SOMETIMES. IT'S ONLY THE ONE SACRAMENT AT THE END BUT YOU ARE SENDING THAT PERSON PERSON ON THEIR WAY TO GOD AND AWAY FROM THE EVIL SPIRIT. >> Doug: OKAY. WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER TWO MINUTES TO SQUEEZE IN OUR LAST QUESTION AND WE'RE ALL CAUGHT UP! DEAR FATHER SPITZER THE PHRASE "THERE ARE NO ATHEISTS IN FOXHOLES" IS OFTEN ATTRIBUTED TO JOURNALIST ERNIE PYLE. HOWEVER, THE PHRASE IS SIGNIFICANT IN THAT IT EXEMPLIFIES SPONTANEOUS PRAYER, WHICH USUALLY OCCURS WHEN WE ARE EXPERIENCING A SEVERE PERSONAL CRISIS. DOES GOD GIVES AS MUCH WEIGHT TO THOSE WHO ONLY PRAY WHEN IN DESPERATE NEED, OR GREATER WEIGHT TO THOSE WITH CONSISTENT DEVOTION TO PRAYER? FRED >> Father: WELL, I DON'T THINK, GOD GIVES GREAT WEIGHT WHERE MERCY IS NEEDED. AND OF COURSE, IF SOMEBODY IS DESPERATE AND THEY MEAN WHAT THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, LORD, I'M SORRY FOR MY SINS, HELP ME OUT HERE. GOD WILL GIVE GREAT WEIGHT IN HIS MERCY AND IN HIS UNCONDITIONAL MERCY. GOT DOESN'T DEPRIVE A FAITHFUL PERSON FROM ANYTHING. SO, FOR ALL INTENSIVE PURPOSES, GOD WOULD DEFINITELY GIVE THE FULL WEIGHT OF HIS MERCY TO A PERSON WHO IS A FAITHFUL PERSON, NOTHING WOULD BE DEPRIVED FROM THEM. BECAUSE GOD IS SO PLEASED WITH THAT PERSON'S LIFE AND THE FULL WEIGHT OF HIS MERCY WOULD COME TO THEM. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IF SOMEBODY IS JUST, LAST MINUTE, THE GUY, REMEMBER THE PARABLE WHERE JESUS TELLS THE PERSON WHO COMES IN AT THE NINTH HOUR, BASICALLY WORKED AN HOUR OUT OF THE WHOLE DAY, AND HE GETS THE SAME PAY AS THE OTHER GUYS. WHAT JESUS IS SAYING IS, I DISPENSE MY MERCY AS I WOULD HAVE IT. AND MY MERCY IS UNCONDITIONAL. IF THAT PERSON NEEDED THE MONEY, WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME THAT I CANNOT DO WITH MY MONEY AS I PLEASE? SO, WHAT HE MEANS, WITH MY MERCY, MY GRACE, AND MY LOVE AS I PLEASE. SO, I'M GOING TO GIVE THEM THE SAME PAY AS I GAVE TO YOU. BUT I GYPPED YOU OF NOTHING! I'M GIVING YOU THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND I AM MUCH PLEASED WITH YOU. AND I AM SO DESIROUS AND HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH YOUR LIFE AND HERE'S ALL OF THE MERCY THAT I CAN LAVISH UPON YOU. BE RECEIVED INTO MY KINGDOM! AT THE OTHER END, TOO, IF YOU GET THE PERSON AT THE LAST MINUTE WHO COMES IN AND GET THE SAME MERCY LAVISHED ON HIM. BUT I SAY THIS WITH THE ONE CAVEAT IN MIND. DON'T PUSH THE BOUNDARY OF THE ENVELOPE TOO FAR. IF YOU GO DOWN THE ROAD TO PER PERDITION TOO FAR, IT'S HARD TO TURN BACK. YOU GET ADDICTED TO STUFF. YOU GET ADDICTED TO EVIL, ADDICTED TO VIOLATING THE LORD'S COVENANT. AND MORE THAN THAT, YOU GET DECEIVED, AND SO DEEPLY WHEN YOU ARE IN THAT MODE THAT YOU MAY WIND UP CHOOSING HELL. I'M NOT KIDDING YOU. YOU DON'T WANT TO PUSH THE LOGIC TO THE EXTREME. IF YOU DO TURN AROUND AND YOU ARE LIKE THE PRODIGAL SON WHO DID EVERYTHING IMAGINABLE, GOD IS GOING TO COME OUT, THROW HIS ARMS AROUND YOU AND KISS YOU JUST AS THE FATHER OF THE PRODIGAL SON BY THE WAY WHO IS THE CONSUMMATE REVELATION, GOD THE SON, GOD THE FATHER AND JUST PALLING IT. >> FATHER, THANK YOU SO MUCH. GIVE US YOUR IMPLESSING OUT THE DOOR, PLEASE BLESSING. >> ABSOLUTELY. BOW YOUR HEADS MAY THE LORD OF ALL CONSOLATION COME DOWN UPON YOU, AND TRULY REVEAL TO YOU HIS MERCY, HIS LOVE, AND HIS GOODNESS SO THAT YOU MIGHT FOLLOW EVERYTHING THAT HE SAYS IN HIS MORAL TEACHING, HIS DOGMATIC TEACHING, THAT YOU MAY COME INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND LEAD OTHERS TO DO SO. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. >> AMEN. THANK YOU, FATHER SPITZER. STAY WELL, WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK. AND DON'T FORGET ALL OF THOSE WONDERFUL BOOKS AND VIDEOS THROUGH ewtnRC.com. NEXT WEEK, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT SOME MORE TOPICS FROM crediblecatholic.com. AND WE HAVE A BOOKMARK INTERVIEW, ANTHONY DE STEPH NO, THE GRUMPY OLD OX. I THOUGHT ORIGINALLY IT WAS ABOUT ME! BUT IT'S JUST A KID'S STORY. THERE'S A WONDERFUL MISSION TRIP TO HAITI BEGINNING THIS FRIDAY ON TV AT 10:00 AM. AND THE PROPHET OF LAKE COMO. AND THERE'S A GREAT SHOW ON TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE. THAT'S ON MONDAY. CHECK US OUT NEXT TIME WHEN ONCE TIME MORE WE ENTER "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE" AND WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE INTERSECTION OF FAITH AND REASON! BE WELL. [MUSIC]
