[MUSIC] >> Doug: WELCOME ONCE AGAIN TO THE "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE" AT THE BUSY INTERSECTION OF FAITH AND REASON. WE'RE HERE FOR A REASON! I'M DOUG KECK AND EACH WEEK, WE RELY ON YOUR QUESTIONS, SEND THEM TO ewtn.com FATHER SPITZER, SEE THE WEB SITE ON THE SCREEN THERE. AND ALSO, CHECK OUT THE WEB SITE, crediblecatholic.com FOR ALL THINGS SPITZARIAN. NOW, THE PROGRAM TOPIC SHOW IS CHRIST VS. SATAN IN OUR DAILY LIVES. BASED ON FR. SPITZER BOOK. AND ALSO, CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM, THE UNITIVE STAGE OF CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE CHECK OUT ALL THINGS FOR FR. SPITZER AT crediblecatholic.com AND magiscenter.com. NOW, THE BOOK OF THE MONTH. WEB OF FAITH, A CURIOUS CATHOLIC'S ANSWERS TO THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS FR KEN BRIGHENTI AND FR JOHN TRIGILIO IT'S A WONDERFUL BOOK BASED ON THEIR SERIES, WEB OF FAITH. AND IT'S ANSWERS TO THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS. AND SPEAKING OF CURIOSITY, LET'S TURN TO THE MASTER OF CURIOSITY HIMSELF, FR. SPITZER ON THE WEST COAST. GREAT TO SEE YOU, FATHER. LET'S KICK THINGS OFF WITH A PRAYER. >> YOU BET. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. FATHER, WE ASK YOU FOR YOUR BLESSINGS AND THANK YOU PARTICULARLY FOR THE BLESSING OF THE EASTER SEASON, RESURRECTION AND SEND YOUR HOLY SPIRIT DOWN UPON DOUG, MYSELF, AND THIS WHOLE AUDIENCE SO WHATEVER WE DO MAY BE BRINGING GOOD TO YOUR CHURCH, YOUR KINGDOM AND YOUR PEOPLE. AND THROUGH YOUR GOOD INSPIRATION, PROVIDENTIAL GUIDANCE AND PROTECTION, WE ASK FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN. MARY, SEAT OF WISDOM, PRAY FOR US. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. >> Doug: IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU, FATHER. HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT WEEKEND. THIS PAST WEEKEND, WE HAD MOTHER'S DAY. OF COURSE, WE HONOR OUR MOTHERS AND I JUST WANTED TO READ A QUOTE FROM OUR GREAT FRIEND, AND FROM MOTHER ANGELICA'S FRIEND, ALICE VON HILDEBRAND, A WOMAN BY HER VERY NATURE IS MATERNAL. WHETHER MARRIED OR NOT MARRIED, CALLED UPON TO BE A PSYCHOLOGICAL MOTHER AND SHE KNOWS TO NURTURE, GIVE TO OTHERS, SUFFER FOR THEM, AND GIVE TO THEM FOR MATERNITY IMPLIES SUFFERING AND INFINITELY MORE VALUABLE TO CONQUER NATIONS. IT'S A LITTLE LATE BUT I KNOW WE HONOR OUR MOTHERS. AND ESPECIALLY, YOU TALK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT YOUR MOTHER WAS TO YOUR VOCATION. >> THAT'S RIGHT. WITHOUT HER, THERE WOULD BE NO SPITZARIAN VOCATION, THAT'S FOR SURE! [LAUGHTER] >> Doug: NOW, THE SECULAR WORLD IS NOT VERY GOOD AT CONSTRUING VOCATION, LET ALONE, FAITH. BUT I PICKED UP SOMETHING THAT THE CATHOLIC LEAGUE PRESIDENT, BILL DONOHUE COMMENTED ON THE FACT AND MAYBE YOU HEARD ABOUT THIS, PRESIDENT BIDEN RAISED A FEW EYEBROWS WHEN HE OMITTED ANY MENTION OF GOD IN HIS NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER PROCLAMATION. WHAT HE DID, UNPRECEDENTED, NO PREVIOUS PRESIDENT HAS FAILED TO MENTION GOD SINCE THE DAY IT WAS CREATED IN 1952 JOINT RESOLUTION, EVERYONE, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN FROM 1952 TO NOW HAVE MENTIONED GOD. AND HE OMITTED IT. THE THING THAT STRUCK ME MOST, IF THERE'S NO GOD, WHO ARE YOU PRAYING TO? >> Father: THAT'S EXACTLY THE POINT. I'M NOT ALL TOGETHER SURE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHY EVEN CALL IT A DAY OF PRAYER. WHY NOT JUST CALL IT A DAY OF REFLECTION. BUT OF COURSE, I'M BEING CYNICAL, I LIKE THE DAY OF PRAYER. I DON'T WANT IT MOVED TO A DAY OF REFLECTION AND I WOULD LIKE GOD MENTIONED SINCE HE, OF COURSE, IS THE OBJECTIVE TOWARD WHICH OUR PRAYER IS DIRECTED. IT MAKES NO SENSE TO DO OTHERWISE AND I GUESS EITHER PRESIDENT BIDEN IS HAVING A LITTLE WEAKNESS OF FAITH HIMSELF. OR BASICALLY TRYING TO PLEASE A CONSTITUENCY THAT DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR THE WORD GOD. AND THAT OUGHT TO GIVE US PAUSE. BECAUSE IF THAT'S HIS CONSTITUENCY, THEN I THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO HOLD OTHERWISE OUGHT TO BE LOOKING ELSEWHERE FOR LEADERSHIP. >> AND THE LEAST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. EVEN IF IT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY STAFF, INDICATING THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE SURROUNDING YOURSELF WITH. AND THAT'S CERTAINLY A CONCERN FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE. LET'S TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENING INTERNATIONALLY. WE HAVE THE GERMAN CATHOLICS, QUOTE, UNQUOTE. CNA. DENY VATICAN FOR THE LANGUAGE, SAME SEX COUPLES. AND COUPLE OF THINGS STRUCK ME. WE'RE BOTH OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE GLORIOUS 1960'S AND 1970'S, WITH THE L-U-V AND ALL OF THE BANNERS AND STUFF. BUT PROMOTED USING THE HASHTAG, LOVE WINS. >> AND NOW, THEY TOLD, SUMMARY WAS LIKE A POLITICAL EVENT. GOES ON TO SAY, AFTER POLITICAL STATEMENTS, THE GOSPEL WAS READ ALOUD FOLLOWED BY A SPEECH. FINALLY THE SONG, IMAGINE, BY JOHN LENNON WAS PLAYED. AND. >> Father: OH, DEAR. >> THAT'S THE 1906'S THROWBACK. >> RIGHT. IT'S A VERY NICE SONG BUT IT TALKS ABOUT, IMAGINE A WORLD WITH NO HEAVEN, NO HELL. COME ON. IT WAS KIND OF AN INTERESTING CHOICE FOR A CATHOLIC CEREMONY. >> Father: WELL, I JUST REMEMBER THAT GREAT 1960'S, 1970'S AGE OF LOVE, LUV, AND I SHOULDN'T LAUGH BECAUSE IT'S UTTERLY TRAGIC. AND YOU KNOW THOSE ARE THE YEARS OF THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION WHERE LOVE WAS PROMOTED. AND WHAT CAME OF THIS? NUMBER ONE, THE DIVORCE RATE TRIPLED BETWEEN 1960'S AND TODAY. IN ADDITIONS TO THAT, THE RATE OF MARRIAGES WAS CUT IN HALF. SO, WE HAVE HALF THE NUMBER OF MARRIAGES THAN WE HAD PRIOR TO 1964. IN ADDITIONS TO ALL OF THAT, LET'S SEE, THE RATE, NUMBER OF RAPES IN THE COUNTRY WENT UP 5.54 TIMES. THAT'S TIMES. THAT'S, LIKE, 545 PERCENT IN FORCIBLE RAPES. WE HAD A DOUBLING OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTED ON CAMPUSES. SOMETHING WENT WRONG WITH LUV. RIGHT? SOMETHING WENT WRONG WITH THE CULTURE. JUST SAYING, MAYBE WE OUGHT TO GO BACK TO WHAT JESUS TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF ATTACHING SEXUALITY, NOT JUST TO LOVE, BUT ATTACHING SEXUALITY TO COMMITMENT, TO LONG-STANDING INTENTION TOWARD COMMITMENT. TOWARD REAL EMOTIONAL INTIMACY, AND THE PSYCHIC ENERGY THAT EMOTIONAL INTIMACY TAKES TO OCCUR. AND CHILDREN ARE A BLESSING, YES, THEY THROW TEMPER TANTRUMS AND TIMES OF REAL PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES. YES, THERE ARE ALL THOSE THINGS. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, CHILDREN ARE SO POWERFUL IN THEIR EMOTIONAL CONTACT, NOT JUST WITH PARENTS BUT WITH THE WHOLE WORLD AROUND THEM, AND THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM, THEY ACTUALLY BECOME THE VERY FOCUS OF LOVE IN THE LIVES OF PARENTS. THE FOCUS OF LOVE IN THE PEOPLE AND THE FRIENDS OF THE PARENTS AROUND THEM. THEY BECOME THESE GREAT LITTLE PINNACLES OF POSITIVITY AND CONTRIBUTION. NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT THEY ARE LITTLE ETERNITIES THAT WE WILL SPEND THE REST OF OUR ETERNAL LIVES WITH IF WE SIMPLY FOLLOW THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST. AND THE IDEA THAT CHILDREN ARE OF NO VALUE AND THE IDEA THAT THE 1960'S, VIEW OF LOVE AT ALL COSTS IS GOING TO BRING ABOUT WITH THESE GREAT IDEALISTIC CEREMONIES, THE UTOPIAN WORLD. JUST SO FALSE. I MEAN, LOOK AT THE STATISTICS. WHEN YOU TALK ALMOST SIX TIMES THE NUMBER OF FORCIBLE RAPES IN JUST 50 YEARS. GOD HELP US ALL. IT'S JUST THE WORST IMAGINABLE PHILOSOPHY IN THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION THAT'S BEEN A SEXUAL NIGHTMARE. ASK THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUFFERED FROM IT. BUT ANYWAY, I HAVE SAID MY PEACE AND BLOVIATED UNTIL MY HEART'S CONTENT. >> Doug: IT'S THE WAY WE DEAL WITH IN THE WORLD TODAY, SO MANY WORDS HAVE POURED NEW MEANINGS. YOU GET THAT WORD, LOVE, WHICH WE KNOW, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT IT ON THE SHOW, THERE'S VERY MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF LOVE, ERR EROS, AND FILIAL AND I HAVE HEARD A PRIEST SAY, OH, IN A SENSE, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO LOVE EVERYBODY. LOVING EVERYBODY DOESN'T MEAN MARRYING EVERYBODY OR HAVING SOME SORT OF PHYSICAL RELATIONS WITH EVERYBODY. THAT'S NOT WHAT OUR LORD MEANS BY LOVING OUR FELLOW MAN. >> Father: THAT WAS A VERY SPECIFIC KIND OF LOVE, AGAPE, CHARITY. THAT DEFINITELY HAS THE DIMENSIONAL OF SELF SACRIFICE IN THERE, SELF GIFT FOR THE GOOD OF THE OTHER WITHOUT EXPECTATION OF RECOMPENSE THAT LEADS TO FORGIVENESS, COMPASSION, MERCY, HUMBLENESS OF HEART, GENTLENESS OF HEART. AND THAT'S WHAT OUR LORD WAS TALKING ABOUT. IT'S NOT WHAT WAS MEANT BY LUV, NOT JUST IN THE 1960'S, BUT IN TODAY'S WONDERFUL NEW MARRIAGE CEREMONIES. THE POINT IS, PRETTY CLEAR, THAT LOVE CO-OPTED ONCE AGAIN TO HAVE A MOST SUPERFICIAL MEAN IMAGINABLE. AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIVORCE IT FROM THE TEACHING OF JESUS CHRIST. ANYWAY, IN ORDER TO PREVENT ME FROM GETTING ON MY SOAP BOX ANY FURTHER, PROBABLY BEST TO -- >> OKAY. WE'LL LET THAT GO! I'LL LET YOU GO! THIS IS FROM THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE HERE. HERE'S AN ARTICLE THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT, SOME COMMENTS MADE RECENTLY BY A PARTICULAR BISHOP, MCELROY ON THE WEST COAST. THEY TALKED ABOUT THE IDEA THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER THE PRESIDENT, JOE BIDEN OR OTHER PEOPLE BIKE THAT, SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO RECEIVE COMMUNION. IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT ON AND OFF FOR QUITE A WHILE. THINK THE POINT HERE, WHICH GOES BACK AND FORTH, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT IS ALWAYS CONCERNING IS THE IDEA OF POLITICIZING THE EUCHARIST. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING, IN THE STATEMENT THAT CAME OUT FROM THIS PARTICULAR BISHOP, ADVOCATES FOR PROPOSAL TO ADOPT THE NATIONAL POLICY OF EXCLUDING PRO LIFE CHOICE LEADERS FROM THE EUCHARIST, THEY RELY ON THEOLOGY FOR WORTHINESS TO RECEIVE EUCHARIST. NOW, HE USED THE TERM PRO LIFE POLITICAL LEADERS WHICH FALLS RIGHT INTO THE TRAP OF WHAT PLANNED PARENTHOOD AND ALL OF THEM WANT US TO SAY AND THINK OF IN TERMS. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE, QUOTE UNQUOTE, PRO CHOICE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE POLITICAL LEADERS WHO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADVOCATE DIRECTLY FOR THE PROMOTION OF ABORTION, RIGHT? >> Father: THAT'S PRECISELY IT. SO, WHY NOT CALL IT PRO ABORTION. THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION. AND NOW, THIS IS ABOVE MY PAY GRADE TO DECIDE WHICH POLITICIAN CAN RECEIVE THE EUCHARIST OR NOT. BUT I CAN CERTAINLY SAY THIS. THERE SHOULD BE STRONG PRESSURE PUT ON TO POLITICAL LEADERS TO TRY TO REDRESS THE PROBLEM OF KILLING MILLIONS OF INNOCENT CHILDREN EVERY SINGLE YEAR HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. AND THE POINT IS, AROUND THE WORLD, THINK THE RATE NOW, ISN'T IT 51 MILLION, LAST YEAR, ABORTIONS. I MEAN, IT'S A GENOCIDE OF UNBELIEVABLE PROPORTIONS, MAKING NAZI EUROPE LOOK LIKE NOTHING. SO, THE POINT THAT I WOULD SAY, WHATEVER PRESSURE WE CAN PUT ON POLITICIANS TO GET THIS DONE, TO GET THIS PROBATION DONE IS WORTHWHILE. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT POLITICIZING THE EUCHARIST, BUT I DO KNOW THAT PRESSURES ARE A GOOD THING. LOOK AT HOW THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, THEY PUT PRESSURE ON NAZI GERMANY. THEY GET BLAMED FOR PUTTING THE PRESSURE ON NAZI GERMANY. IN THE AFTERMATH, OH, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH DIDN'T PUT ENOUGH PRESSURE ON NAZI GERMANY. THE POINT THAT I AM TRYING TO GET TO, THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES WERE ALREADY THERE IN NAZI, GERMANY. OF COURSE WE SHOULD HAVE PUT PRESSURE ON. MAYBE MORE. BUT WHY MAKE THAT MISTAKE ALL OVER AGAIN WITH RESPECT TO ABORTION? LET'S JUST KEEP THE PRESSURE ON, KEEP THE MORAL AGENDA RIGHT IN THE FOREFRONT. WE CANNOT ALLOW THE MASS KILLING OF MILLIONS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE. WE JUST CAN'T ALLOW IT. LET'S JUST CALL IT WHAT IT IS. AND LET'S STOP THE EUPHEMISMS AND STOP ALL OF THE PROPAGANDA THAT SAY THIS IS SO GOOD FOR OUR COUNTRY, WHEN EVERY IMAGINABLE STATISTIC SHOWS IT'S NOT GOOD FOR OUR COUNTRY. NOT JUST THAT IT'S MASS KILLING OF PEOPLE. LOOK AT THE STATISTICAL CONCERN WITH THE POST ABORTION SYNDROME. OH, DEAR. HALF OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE ABORTIONS HAVE LONG LASTING, LIFELONG AND IT'S NEVER PUBLICIZED. HOW IS THIS LEADING TO A NOURISHING SELF SUSTAINING CULTURE OF LIFE? IT ISN'T. IT'S TEARING IT APART. AND YOU JUST CAN'T SIMPLY KILL MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AND TRY TO COVER IT OVER WITH EUPHEMISMS AND THINK THIS IS NOT GOING TO EFFECT THE ETHOS OF THE CULTURE. I'M BACK ON THE SOAP BOX AGAIN. BUT THE POINT IS, KEEP THE PRESSURE ON. IT'S A GOOD PRESSURE. AND IT'S NOT POLITICIZING ANYTHING. IT'S A MORAL PRESSURE. THIS IS A JUSTICE ISSUE. IT IS UNJUST TO KILL AN INNOCENT HUMAN BEING THAT HAS INALIENABLE RIGHTS. AND BY THE WAY, THIS IS INDISPUTABLY A FULL HUMAN BEING. IT'S NOT JUST A FULL HUMAN BEING BECAUSE THERE'S A FULL, UNIQUE SPECIFICALLY GENOME THAT IS PRESENT IN THAT SINGLE-CELLED HUMAN ZYGOTE. A SINGLE-CELLED HUMAN ZYGOTE. THINK OF THIS, IT'S NOT LIKE ANY OTHER SELL IN THE BODY, NO SKIN CELL OR MUSCLE CELL, THIS IS A TOTIPOTENT CELL. AND NOT JUST CAN PRODUCE, BUT IT WILL PRODUCE EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY CELL OVER THAT HUMAN BEING'S LIFETIME. TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS UPON CELLS IN A SPECIFIC ORDERING AND SPECIFIC INTERRELATIONSHIP AND INTERACTION WITH EACH OTHER. ALL OF IT IS PRESENT. NOT JUST THROUGH THE GENOME BUT THE ZYGOTE ITSELF, THE POWER THAT ACTUALLY GIVES RISE TO IT. THAT'S WHAT'S PRESENT THERE. WHO CAN DISPUTE THAT? THIS IS A FULL HUMAN GENOME, IN POTENTIA OF A HUMAN BEING THAT'S GOING TO BE SPECIFICALLY PRESENT IN A UNIQUE HUMAN BEING. LET'S FACE FACTS. ALL OF THE EUPHEMISMS IS COVERING OVER IT AND EMBRYOLOGY TEXTBOOKS CONSTANTLY COVER THIS, OVER AND OVER. WE'VE LITERALLY BEEN FED A BILL OF GOODS. AND SO MANY LIES. SO MANY ATTEMPTS. THIS IS BETTER THAN WHAT THEY COULD HAVE EVER DONE IN NAZI, GERMANY. WE'RE MUCH BETTER LIVES THAN THAT PACK OF WOLVES. WE'VE DONE IT PROFESSIONALLY NOW AND PEOPLE ACTUALLY BELIEVE THE PROPAGANDA THAT IT'S NOT ONLY OKAY MORALLY JUSTIFIED TO KILL A UNIQUE HUMAN BEING THAT HAS NOT ONLY INDISPUTABLE HUMAN BEING BUT HAS INALIENABLE RIGHTS TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND HAPPINESS. AND THAT THIS HUMAN BEING IS GENETICALLY AND METABOLICALLY INDEPENDENT OF MOTHER AND FATHER. YEAH, DEPENDENT ON THE MOTHER FOR SUSTENANCE AND OBVIOUSLY, A GENETICALLY DIFFERENT HUMAN BEING. SO, THE POINT THAT I WANT TO GET TO, WE BELIEVE A BUNCH OF LIES. AND OF COURSE, PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE US FEEL GOOD ABOUT ABORTION KIND OF INCREASING, ET CETERA. IT'S TERRIBLE. UTTERLY TERRIBLE. LET'S KEEP THE PRESSURE ON AND I'LL GET OFF MY SOAP BOX. >> OKAY. LET ME FOLLOWUP ON THIS PARTICULAR ARTICLE. THIS WAS A POINT THAT HE MADE IN THE ARTICLE FROM CRISIS MAGAZINE AND I THOUGHT, AS ONE OF THE ONES OUT THERE, FOR THE POLITICAL ELITES, THERE'S A FURTHER MORAL OBLIGATION, NOT ONLY IMPERILING THEIR OWN SOUL BUT SCANDALIZING THE ORDINARY CHURCH -- RAPID READING -- DEVOUT CATHOLICS. AND I GUESS THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LIMITED TO ABORTION, IT COULD BE OTHER THINGS. BUT THAT SEEMS TO, WE'VE LOST THIS IDEA OF GIVING SCANDAL. THERE'S AN IDEA, WELL, YOU CAN'T JUDGE ANYBODY BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THEIR HEARTS. BUT THE ACTIONS OF THOSE, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE PUBLIC SPHERE, WHO PEOPLE LOOK AT, WELL, THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON OTHER PEOPLES' SALVATION. >> Father: SCANDAL REALLY REFERS BACK TO STUMBLING BLOCK. IN A WAY, THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT WHEN WE SEE PEOPLE, POLITICIANS, SAY, WHO ARE NOT ONLY BACKING ABORTION, BUT BACKING ABORTION RIGHT TO THE POINT OF PARTIAL BIRTH! YOU CAN HAVE AN ABORTION AND EVEN NOW, INFANTICIDE, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. WELL, PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION WHAT THEY ARE SAYING AS NO MORAL CONSEQUENCE WHATSOEVER. AND THE POINT THAT I WOULD MAKE RIGHT AWAY, NOT ONLY DOES IT HAVE MORAL CONSEQUENCE, ACCORDING TO THE NATURAL LAW BUT HAS MORAL CONSEQUENCE ACCORDING TO GOD. I HAVE NOT A SINGLE, SOLITARY DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT GOD HAS ENSOULED THE HUMAN BEING AT THE STAGE OF A SINGLE-CELLED HUMAN ZYGOTE. SO, FIRST OF ALL, I'M NOT JUST CONVINCED OF SOULS BECAUSE OF CHRISTIAN REVELATION. BUT THE LUCIDITY STUDIES, IN PEER REVIEWED MIDDLE CLASS, AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN A HUMAN SOUL, JUST READ THE MEDICAL LITERATURE ON THE SUBJECT. I MEAN, I THINK IT'S MORE THAN ENOUGH TO CONVINCE YOU. BE THAT AS IT MAY, THE ONE THING IS, WHEN WOULD THAT HAPPEN. WHEN WOULD THIS ENSOULMENT OCCUR. I THINK THE ENSOULMENT OCCURS DEFINITELY AT THE TIME OF THE SINGLE-CELLED HUMAN ZYGOTE AND BECAUSE, AS I SAID, THAT'S A TOTIPOTENT CELL FOR EVERY SINGLE CELL THAT OCCURS OVER THE LIFETIME OF THAT HUMAN BEING. NOW, IF THAT IS TO BE COMPLETELY INTEGRATED WITH THE DEVELOPING BRAIN, INDEED, THE EMBRYONIC BRAIN FULLY INTERACTING WITH THAT SOUL THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF ITS LIFETIME, DOING ABSTRACT THOUGHT, SELF REFLECTIVITY AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, IF THAT'S THE CASE, IT HAS TO BE UNIFIED AT THE TIME OF THE ZYGOTE. SO, IF YOU LIKE STORIES, GO BACK TO COLTON BURPO, HEAVEN IS FOR REAL. HE GOES UP TO HEAVEN, WINDS UP MEETING HIS SISTER, WHO DIED OF A MISCARRIAGE, TWO MONTHS IN HER MOTHER'S TUMMY DURING THE PREGNANCY. SHE DIES AND WHEN HE GETS UP TO HEAVEN, HE'S SITTING ON JESUS' LAP AND WHO GREETS HIM WITHIN JUST A FEW SECONDS? WHY, IT'S HIS SISTER WHO HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW, OF COURSE. BECAUSE THE PARENTS DID NOT DISCLOSE TO A 4-YEAR-OLD THAT HIS SISTER DIED IN A MISCARRIAGE. AND HE SAYS, WHO ARE YOU. AND SHE SAYS, I'M YOUR SISTER. AND HE GOES BACK, AND HE SAYS, I MET MY SISTER. HIS MOM SAYS, OF COURSE YOU MET YOUR SISTER, SHE'S RIGHT HERE. NO, NO, NOT THAT SISTER. WELL, THERE'S ANOTHER SISTER IN HEAVEN. SHE SAYS, WHAT DO YOU MEAN. AND HE SAYS, THIS SISTER CAME UP TO ME AND SHE HUGGED ME AND SAID SHE DIED IN YOUR TUMMY AND YOU AND DAD HAD NOT GIVEN HER A NAME BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER SHE WAS A BOY CHILD OR A GIRL CHILD. AND THE MOTHER, OF COURSE, THAT WAS EXACTLY RIGHT. AND SHE NEVER HAD DISCLOSED ANYTHING TO COLTON LIKE THAT. AND HER JAW DROPS ON THE GROUND. MAYBE. MAYBE. IF THAT IS TRUE, THEN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE MISCARRIED BABIES, LIKE COLTON'S SISTER, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN THEY ARE ENSOULED RIGHT THERE, IN THEIR EMBRYONIC STATE INSIDE THE MOTHER'S WOMB. AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, I ASSURE YOU, IF GOD CREATED THAT LITTLE SINGLE-CELLED HUMAN ZYGOTE, WITH A SOUL, THEN OUR DELIBERATE KILLING OF THAT HUMAN BEING, WHETHER THAT ENSOULED HUMAN BEING, BEING IN THE WOMB OR OUTSIDE OF THE WOMB IS OF NO CONSEQUENCE, IT'S DIRECTLY CONTROVERTING THE GOOD AND LOVING WILL OF GOD TO BRING THAT SALVIFICALLY-ORIENTED GOOD CREATURE INTO THE FULLNESS OF HIS SALVATION IN LIFE. THAT, I THINK, JUST ENOUGH SAID. THIS IS REALLY PROBLEMATIC AND EVERYTHING IS HIDDEN. THERE'S ENOUGH EVIDENCE OUT THERE FOR EVERYBODY, FOR ANYBODY TO SAY, WAIT, THIS DOESN'T LOOK LIKE RIGHT AT ALL. IT'S THE GENOCIDE THAT IT SEEMS. IT'S THE GENOCIDE THAT COMMON SENSE DICTATES. DON'T LISTEN TO THE CULTURAL PROPAGANDA. LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME. SOME COURT TRIES TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE HUMAN BEING, A UNIQUE, FULLY GENOMICALLY PRESENT HUMAN BEING AND A PERSON. SO, THE SUPREME COURT DID THIS, THE LAST TIME, BEFORE ROE V. WADE IN ANOTHER CASE CALLED DRED SCOTT VERSUS STANFORD. NOW, TAKE A LOOK AT THE CASE FOR A SECOND. AND YOU NOTICE THAT THE SUPREME COURT UNANIMOUSLY SAID, OH, YES, BLACK PEOPLE, YES, THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE HUMAN. YES, OF COURSE, THEY CAN BE EDUCATED. AND THERE CAN BE EDUCATED SLAVES. YES. BUT NONETHELESS, THIS IS A UNANIMOUS DECISION! NONETHELESS, THEY WERE BROUGHT OVER IN A STATE OF SLAVERY AND THEREFORE, THEY OUGHT TO BE SUBJUGATED TO THE DOMINANT RACE AND THEY HAVE NO RIGHTS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION EXCEPT AS ANY A COURT SHOULD DEEM THEM TO HAVE IN THE FUTURE. I MEAN, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THIS IS, AGAIN, THE SAME OUTRAGE. WHAT'S THE DEFINITION OF A LEGAL PERSON HAVING INALIENABLE RIGHTS TO THE RIGHT OF LIFE, LIBERTY FULL, UNIQUE HUMAN BEING. A UNIQUE SPECIFIC HUMAN BEING. SPECIFICALLY HUMAN BEING. HOW MUCH DEVELOPMENT IS IN THAT, THE ZYGOTE HAS THE FULL HUMAN BEING. AND THE ZYGOTE HAS THE DISK OPERATING SYSTEM TO MAKE EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY CELL FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE. AND NO QUESTION ABOUT IT, IT'S A UNIQUE, FULL HUMAN BEING. AND DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE STATE OF DEVELOPMENT IS, SIZE, WEIGHT, DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE ETHNIC ORIGIN, DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE ECONOMIC STANDING OF THIS HUMAN BEING IS. THE MINUTE THAT YOU SEPARATE PERSONHOOD WITH LEGAL RIGHTS AND YOU SEPARATE IT FROM WHAT'S CALLED THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS OF A HUMAN BEING, THE MINUTE YOU DO THAT, AUTOMATICALLY, ALL KINDS OF TERRIBLE THINGS HAPPEN. GENOCIDES HAPPEN. MASS MARGINALIZATION HAPPEN. ALL KINDS OF TERRIBLE PREJUDICES HAPPEN. AND AMONGST ALL OF THESE THINGS, YOU SEE, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIPS ARE MOVING AND THEY ARE LYING LYING LYING ABOUT THIS DISTINCTION, SO-CALLED DISTINCTION BETWEEN PERSONHOOD AND HUMAN BEING. SO, BY THE WAY, IF YOU REMEMBER THAT LITTLE 1670 CASE IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, WHERE THEY WANTED TO REDESIGN, REDEFINE BLACK PEOPLE AS CHATTEL, AS SLAVES. ALL THEY HAD TO DO -- DISPOSABLE, BY THE WAY, THEY COULD BE KILLED AS WELL AS ENSLAVED. THEY JUST HAD TO BE SURE THEY WERE NOT CLASSIFIED AS PERSONS. BECAUSE IN THE LAW, THE MINUTE THAT YOU ARE CLASSIFIED AS A NON PERSON, YOU AUTOMATICALLY BECOME PROPERTY IN THE EYES OF THE LAW. AS IT WERE QUOTE, UNQUOTE, BRILLIANT MANEUVER FOR THE DEVIL. AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE SUFFERED FROM THAT DISTINCTION, THAT FALSE LYING DISTINCTION ONCE AGAIN. SO, ALL I CAN SAY, THE LIES ARE PROLIFIC IN THIS REGARD. AND I JUST WISH THAT WE WOULD COME BACK TO OUR SENSES. I WISH WE WOULD CONFRONT NOT JUST THE POLITICIANS BUT THE LEGAL AUTHORITIES WITH THE KIND OF LIES THEY ARE CREATING AND CRAFTING. ANY TIME WE FORGET INALIENABLE RIGHTS TO CITIZENS -- AND THEY BELONG TO EVERY HUMAN BEING BY THEIR VERY HUMAN NATURE -- NO STATE OR GOVERNMENT GIVES ANY RIGHTS TO ANYONE. AND THEREFORE, NO STATE OR GOVERNMENT CAN TAKE INALIENABLE RIGHTS AWAY FROM ANYBODY BECAUSE THEY BELONG TO THE PERSON AND IF THEY ARE INNOCENT IN THE EYES OF THE LAW. THEY CANNOT TOUCH THOSE INALIENABLE RIGHTS. SO, THE KEY THING, QUOTE UNQUOTE ANY POLITICIAN DOES. THEY SAY, OH, NO, NO LEGAL RIGHTS HERE. NO CONSTITUTIONALLY SPECIFIED RIGHTS. BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU OF THIS, THAT SINGLE-CELLED HUMAN ZYGOTE, WITH A COMPLETE GENOME GIVES RISE TO THAT BODY OVER THE COURSE OF THEIR LIFETIME, THAT'S A HUMAN BEING WHICH IN TURN IS A HUMAN PERSON WHO IN TURN HAS THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS TO THE LIFE, LIBERTY AND HAPPINESS AND THE POWER OF THE STATE, SHOULD SEE THEY GET IT, AND IF IT'S UNJUST, THEN THOMAS JEFFERSON SAID SO CLEARLY IN THE BILL OF RIGHTS SHOULD BE CHALLENGED AND WE DID CHALLENGED AND PRECISELY THAT WAS WHAT WAS USED TO SEPARATE THE UNITED STATES FROM THE TOTALITARIAN POWER OF BRITAIN, AT LEAST, PERCEIVED SO AT THE TIME OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. I SAID MY PEACE. THESE ARE ALL OF THE LIES PERPETRATED UPON ALL OF US. >> NOW, WHEN YOU WERE A KID, WHAT KIND OF SOAP DID YOU ACTUALLY USE? WHAT WAS YOUR MOM'S FAVORITE? >> WELL, IT WAS CALLED, WELL, WE HAD DIAL FOR A LONG TIME, BUT THEN WE HAD IVORY. >> BECAUSE IT FLOATED! >> YEAH, IT FLOATED. >> YEAH, WE ALL REMEMBER THAT. LET'S FLOAT ALL AND FLOAT BACK IN JUST A MINUTE. WE'RE TALKING TO FR. SPITZER WHO IS REALLY LAYING IT OUT FOR US TODAY! >> Father: SORRY >> Doug: MUCH MORE AHEAD BECAUSE IT GETS BETTER! [MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> Doug: WELCOME BACK! THANKS FOR STAYING WITH US AND OUR TOPIC IS CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM. CHRIST VS. SATAN IN OUR DAILY LIVES. CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM, THE UNITIVE STAGE OF CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FROM THE PRIOR SHOW. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, I APPRECIATE YOUR SHOW VERY MUCH. IN THIS DAY OF CONFUSION ABOUT THE TRUTH, IT IS HARD TO KNOW WHO TO LISTEN TO, BUT I KNOW THAT I CAN TRUST YOU. THIS WAS ESPECIALLY TRUE IN MY DECISION ABOUT GETTING THE COVID VACCINE. THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT WHETHER IT WAS MORAL OR NOT, OR SAFE OR NOT, AND YOU HELPED ME TO SORT THROUGH IT ALL. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU. JANET THAT WAS A NICE, POSITIVE COMMENT THERE. >> Father: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JANET. >> Doug: OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT QUESTION. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, ON A RECENT SHOW YOU DISCUSSED THE CREATION OF HYBRID EMBRYOS BY INSERTING HUMAN STEM CELLS INTO MONKEY EMBRYOS. THE NEXT OBJECTIVE IS TO REVERSE THE PROCESS BY USING A HUMAN EMBRYO WITH MONKEY STEM CELLS. MY QUESTION IS, CAN A SOUL BE CREATED BY THIS MORALLY OBJECTIONABLE PROCESS? EDWIN >> Father: WELL, EDWIN, THAT WAS PROBABLY NOT ME, NOT AT LEAST ON THIS SHOW. BUT FIRST OF ALL -- >> Doug: I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED, MAYBE THERE WAS A QUESTION SORT OF RELATED TO THIS. >> Father: OH, OKAY >> Doug: THEY MAY HAVE PROJECTED SOME OF YOUR POINTS HERE AND MADE THEM A LITTLE BROADER THAN WHAT THEY WERE. >> Father: MAYBE SO. ANYWAY, EDWIN, OF COURSE, GOD CAN CREATE A SOUL AND WHOEVER GOD WANTS TO CREATE A SOUL IN. EVEN SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, MAYBE A BABY IS CONCEIVED IN A RAPE. AND YOU SAY, WELL, GEE, THAT'S A TERRIBLE THING. MAYBE WOULDN'T GOD MAYBE JUST NOT GIVE THAT BABY A SOUL BECAUSE IT CAME OUT OF AN IMMORAL PROCESS. BUT THE ANSWER IS, YES, GOD GIVES THE BABY A SOUL BECAUSE THE BABY, INDEPENDENTLY FROM THE PROCESS WHICH SHE OR HE WAS CONCEIVED, THE BABY HAS THE LOVE OF GOD SUFFICIENT TO BE GRANTED THAT SOUL. AND SO, INDEPENDENT OF ANY PROCESS, GOD CAN GIVE A SOUL, EVEN IF THE PROCESS IS AN IMMORAL PROCESS, GOD GIVES A SOUL TO THAT BEING. IF HE WANTED TO. DOES HE? OR WOULD HE? WELL, THAT RIGHT NOW IS ABOVE MY PAY GRADE. I'M NOT SURE. I THINK I WOULD HAVE TO GET TO HEAVEN AND ASK HIM. BUT HE MAY BE ABLE TO DO SO. BY THE WAY, COULD GOD GIVE A SOUL TO A CLONED HUMAN BEING. YES, HE COULD. NO DOUBT, WOULD HE? I DON'T KNOW. NOT SURE. GOD TO ASK HIM. BUT MAYBE IN THE FUTURE THERE WILL BE SOME REFLECTION ON SUCH SUBJECTS AND WE'LL GET A GOOD ISSUANCE OF A MORAL OPINION FROM OUR GOOD CATHOLIC CHURCH. >> Doug: MAYBE I'LL ASK YOU, MAYBE THAT WAS PART OF THE CONCERN, THE IDEA OF DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS. WOULD YOU SEE THIS AS A GOOD THING? >> Father: OH, NO! OBVIOUSLY NOT. WITH CLONING, NO, THERE'S JUST THOUSANDS OF PROBLEMS WITH CLONING HUMAN BEINGS THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED. AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A PARTICULAR VIEW, THIS IS MY OPINION, NOT THE CHURCH'S OPINION NOW. BUT OF COURSE, YOU DO NEED A SOUL FOR SELF REFLECTIVITY, TO ANSWER WHAT DAVID CHALMERS CALLS THE HARD CONSCIOUSNESS , THE HARD PROBLEM OF CONSCIOUSNESS. NOW, IF YOU CLONED HUMAN BEINGS, THEY WOULD BE NON REFLECTIVE AND YOU ARE CREATING A KIND OF AN AUTOMATON, WHICH IS VERY, VERY DANGEROUS, MORALLY DANGEROUS INDEED. THAT'S ONE PROBLEM. BUT THE SECOND PROBLEM IS, WE'RE NOT GOD. WE WERE GIVEN A METHOD AND A MEANS FOR CREATING A HUMAN BABY. AND THE MEANS IS TO BRING THEM UP IN A LOVING FAMILY THROUGH THE USUAL METHOD OF CONJUGAL LOVE. THAT'S GENERALLY HOW WE WOULD DO IT. AND THE IDEA, NOW WITH ALL THE EMBRYONIC GERMLINE RESEARCH BEING DONE, THESE THINGS WHERE YOU START CREATING HUNDREDS OF EMBRYOS, FERTILIZED EMBRYOS, HOW MANY OF THAT ARE BEING PUT INTO A WOMB TO, FOR EXAMPLE, DO WHAT MIGHT BE CALLED THE PROCEDURE, IN VITRO FERTILIZATION, HAVE YOU TO KILL A LOT OF THE EMBRYOS, NOT ONLY IN THE DISH BUT EVEN IN THE WOMB AS THEY ARE DEVELOPING, RIGHT? THE PARENT SAYS, WELL, I ONLY WANT ONE. I DON'T WANT EIGHT CHILDREN. THEN COMES THE NEEDLE. AND THE NEEDLE GOES IN WITH A LITTLE BIT OF POTASSIUM CYANIDE, GOES INTO THIS ONE, THIS ONE, THIS ONE, AND JUST KILL THEM OFF IN THE WOMB. I MEAN, JUST REFLECT ON THIS FOR A MOMENT. HOW CAN YOU DO THAT? IF GOD REALLY DOES ENSOUL A SINGLE-CELLED HUMAN ZYGOTE, YOU ARE KILLING OFF THESE SINGLE-CELLED HUMAN ZYGOTES BUT THEY ARE HUMAN BEINGS DESTINED, LITERALLY TO ETERNITY FOR GOD'S SALVIFIC LOVE DIRECTLY CONTROVERTING THE DIRECT WILL OF GOD. LET'S GO BACK AND PUT A LITTLE HEART INTO SCIENCE. LET'S GO BACK, JUST PUT IN ORDINARY COMMON SENSE, GOOD, LOVING INSTRUCTION OF JESUS CHRIST BACK INTO THE WHOLE IDEA OF CONCEPTION OF BABIES WITHIN A LOVING FAMILY. THIS IS, SCIENCE, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD THAT WE'VE MADE ALL KINDS OF PROGRESS IN SCIENCE. BUT THE IDEA OF JUST KIND OF TAKING, RIPPING THE HEART OUT OF THE PROCESS OF CONCEPTION. RIPPING THE PROCESS OF GOOD FAMILIAL LOVE OUT OF THE PROCESS OF CONCEPTION, IT'S JUST NUTS. YOU CAN TELL, IT'S GOING NOWHERE BUT INTO THE DARKNESS OF THE EVIL SPIRIT ITSELF. ENOUGH SAID. >> Doug: REMINDS ME OF AN OLD BOSS, LET'S NOT LET THE FACTS GET IN THE WAY OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO HERE. SO, IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE BIT RELATED TO THAT TOO. OKAY. HERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION ALONG THE SAME LINES. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, WHY DO RESEARCHERS STILL CONDUCT FETAL STEM CELL RESEARCH SINCE IT IS NOT PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL AND BETTER RESULTS ARE OBTAINED USING ADULT STEM CELLS? FERNANDO >> Father: FERNANDO, I JUST HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS IS THE PUZZLER OF THE CENTURY. I HAVE NO IDEA. ADULT STEM CELLS ARE MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL IN THE LONG TERM THAN ANY KIND OF FETAL STEM CELL TREATMENT FOR ORGAN DAMAGE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO, WE KNOW THIS FOR A FACT. THE GOLD STANDARD IS ADULT STEM CELLS. THE TECHNOLOGY IS THERE TO PULL AND DO A REGRESSION OF ADULT STEM CELLS. LET'S SAY YOU GET SKIN OR MUSCLE, YOU CAN REGRESS THEM BACK TO A TOTIPOTENT STATE AND THEY CAN MOVE INTO A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF ORGAN TISSUE. AND THEY ARE MUCH BETTER FOR TREATMENT OF ORGAN DAMAGE AND OTHER KINDS OF TREATMENT THAN THE FETAL STEM CELLS. SO, YOUR GUESS IS GOOD AS MINE. I THINK THAT THIS IS, WE CAN DO IT SO LET'S DO IT. THAT'S THE WHOLE ATTITUDE. AND IT'S FULL SPEED AHEAD BECAUSE THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING IT JUST EGO MANIACS. >> AND IF WE AVOIDED DO DOING IT, MAY INDICATE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT AND RELATES TO A LOT OF OTHER THINGS GOING ON. MAYBE THAT'S PART OF IT. PROBABLY A LOT OF MONEY IN IT. >> AND IT'S COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY. >> AS A LOT OF THINGS ARE. >> BEFORE WE GET TO OUR TOPIC, ONE MORE QUESTION. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, I AM DISTURBED BY RECENT NEWS REPORTS ABOUT EMPLOYERS NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND ENOUGH PEOPLE TO HIRE. BECAUSE OF COVID RELIEF OFFERED BY THE GOVERNMENT, MANY PEOPLE FIND IT MORE COST EFFECTIVE TO STAY HOME AND ACCEPT A GOVERNMENT HANDOUT THAN GO OUT AND ACTUALLY WORK. DOES THIS EVER BECOME SINFUL BY FORGOING PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND INSTEAD RELYING ON THE WORK OF OTHERS? CHRIS >> Father: CHRIS, I'M NOT SURE IT'S A SIN HONESTLY. I DON'T THINK IT'S ANYBODY TRYING TO STEAL OR CHEAT SOMEONE OUT OF SOMETHING. THE GOVERNMENT IS LITERALLY GIVING A HANDOUT. IT'S CAUSING A TERRIBLE DISINCENTIVE, THAT'S TRUE. BUT IS IT A SIN TO REFUSE A HANDOUT? NO. NO, IT'S NOT. IT'S NOT LIKE THEY ARE CHEATING ON THE FORM SAYING, OH, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY JOBS MADE AVAILABLE TO ME. THAT'S NOT REQUIRED RIGHT NOW. NOW, SOON, YOU MAY HAVE TO FILL OUT A FORM THAT SAYS, I DON'T HAVE ANY JOBS AVAILABLE TO ME SO, THEREFORE, I HAVE TO TAKE THE GOVERNMENT HANDOUT. ONCE YOU START LYING ON A FORM LIKE THAT, THEN YOU WOULD START MOVING INTO THE DOMAIN OF SIN. RIGHT NOW, TO TAKE A HANDOUT IS NOT A SIN. AND PEOPLE ARE GOING, H-MM, I GET PAID MORE FROM THE HANDOUT THAN I DO WORKING. SO, I'LL TAKE THE HANDOUT. LESS WORK, MORE MONEY. THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE DOING. AND THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO HAVE TO STOP THIS DISINCENTIVIZATION PROCESS, BECAUSE WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS CREATING MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS UPON TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND MAYBE THEY HAVE TO BUY BACK GOLD CERTIFICATE AND SHIFTING AROUND OF THE MINERALS MARKET AND THE CURRENCY MARKETS. BUT EVENTUALLY, A LOT OF THE TRILLIONS OF NEW DEBT THAT'S NOW BEING STACKED UP, IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE FUTURE GENERATIONS. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO PAY IT OFF. AND THAT'S, I THINK, A MORAL ISSUE WITH RESPECT TO THE GOVERNMENT. YEAH, WE HAVE TO KEEP THE ECONOMY GOING. I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT. BUT I THINK THAT WE'RE GETTING TO THE POINT NOW WHERE WE HAVE TO START REINCENTIVIZING PEOPLE TO GO BACK TO WORK BECAUSE YOU CAN'T KEEP PRINTING MONEY AND KEEP MAKING DEBTS THAT THE FUTURE GENERATIONS HAVE TO PAY OFF. AT SOME POINT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE PRODUCTIVITY TO BACK THE CURRENCY AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A MAJOR, MAJOR ISSUE IF WE DON'T START TAPERING BACK PRETTY SOON. >> Doug: RIGHT. AND WE'RE SEEING THE BEGINNINGS OF THE INFLATIONARY CYCLE THAT HAPPENS. >> JIMMY CARTER STYLE. >> RIGHT, EXCESS DOLLARS CHASING FEWER RESOURCES. THAT'S HOW IT WORKS. OKAY. NOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE REALITY OF DIVINE GOODNESS AND SPIRITUAL EVIL ON PAGE 84 IN YOUR BOOK HERE. I THINK THAT'S THE ONE I'M ON. YES, I AM. LET'S KIND OF, WE'LL PICK UP WHERE WE ARE. GOD SWITCHES OFF ORDINARY CONSOLATION WHEN WE'RE MOVING OUT OF LIFE OF FAITH TOWARD LIGHT OF DARKNESS AND RESULTANT FEELINGS OF COSMIC LONELINESS AND ALIENATION AND LET US BE AWARE OF OUR DESTRUCTIVE SELF COURSE OF ACTION. LATER ON, PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME FEELINGS WHEN THEY ARE MOVING CLOSER TO GOD IN THESE KIND OF MYSTICAL WAYS. HOW DOES ONE KNOW WHERE ONE ACTUALLY IS? >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CHECK THE MOST OBVIOUS REASONS FOR WHAT MIGHT BE CALLED SPIRITUAL DESOLATION. SO, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, WHAT DOES SPIRITUAL DESOLATION MEAN. REMEMBER, WHEN YOU HAVE AN INCREASE IN EMPTINESS, LONELINESS, AND ON THIS COSMIC, TOTALISTIC LEVEL. AND INCREASE IN ALIENATION FROM SELF, AND INCREASE IN DREAD OR HORROR OR KIND OF THE EMPTINESS OF WHAT CONFRONT ME IN THE TOTALITY. AND WHEN THOSE KINDS OF FEELINGS BEGIN TO EMERGE, THE FIRST THING TO CHECK IS, OKAY. WAIT A MINUTE. IS THERE A PHYSICAL CAUSE. WELL, THAT'S CHECK BOX ONE. DO I HAVE TRAUMA, CHEMICAL IMBALANCE. THAT CAN BE CHECKED BY HAVING A BLOOD TEST. IF THAT'S NOT REALLY THE CASE. THEN GO TO THE NEXT THING THAT'S KEY. SO, THE NEXT THING IS, PRETTY MUCH, AM I GETTING OFF THE ROAD. AM I RETURNING TO THE FIRST WEEK, AS ST. IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA WOULD SAY, AM I BEGINNING TO SAY, AM I SLIPPING OUT OF MY SPIRITUAL VIGILANCE, GOING BACK TO MY FAVORITE DEADLY SINS, REVISIT IN MY IMAGINATION WHAT THE GOOD OLE DAYS OF DEADLY SINS WERE, ET CETERA. ONCE YOU START IN ON KIND OF WANTING TO REVISIT THE FIRST WEEK. AND THE FIRST WEEK MEANS BEFORE YOU WENT ON THE PATH TO CONVERSION AND STARTED TO FIGHT AT THE SAME TEMPTATION IN THE DEADLY SINS, YOU GO BACK TO THE FIRST WEEK. THEN, GOD, THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT, RIGHT, YOU ARE GOING TO BECOME SEPARATED FROM GOD. AND THE MORE YOU ARE SEPARATED FROM GOD, THE MORE YOU ARE GOING TO BE SEPARATED FROM THE SOURCE OF HIS PEACE, CONSOLATION, AND THAT REALLY THWARTS THIS COSMIC ALIENATION, LONELINESS AND DREAD. SO, ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU ARE GOING TO START FEELING IT AGAIN. AND REMEMBER, I TOLD YOU ABOUT THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION'S POLL, BACK IN -- THIS IS THE DERVICK STUDY -- THAT NONRELIGIOUSLY-AFFILIATED PEOPLE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RATES OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND COMING FROM THE EMPTINESS, LONELINESS, AND ALIENATION, FAMILIAL TEMPTATIONS AND SUICIDES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SIGNIFICANTLY, DOUBLING IN PEOPLE JUST BECAUSE OF THAT ONE ASSOCIATION. SO, RELIGION REALLY HELPS. NOW, JUST IMAGINE THAT YOU ARE A RELIGIOUS PERSON. YOU HAVE REALLY TRIED TO MAKE THAT LEAP INTO MORAL CONVERSION, RESIST DEADLY SINS THAT REALLY EFFECT YOU. AND SUDDENLY, YOU START GETTING OFF THE PATH. YOU START GETTING DISTRACTED AGAIN, MEETING FRIENDS, GETTING BACK INTO THE OLD LIFESTYLE AND ST. AUGUSTINE TELLS US, YOU START DREAMING OF THE GOOD OLE DAYS OF SINS AND YOU FEEL YOURSELF GETTING GRIPPED BY THE DARKNESS, EVIL SPIRIT'S PATH. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU SEPARATE YOURSELF OFF FROM GOD. AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE AN INCREASE IN EMPTINESS, ALIENATION AND LONELINESS. FIRST THINGS FIRST, ARE YOU GETTING OFF THE PATH? IF YOU ARE NOT, AND INDEED BECOMING EVER MORE VIGILANT ON THE PATH, YOUR PRAYER LIFE WILL INCREASE, YOU ARE GETTING BETTER AND BETTER AT RESISTING TEMPTATION, ET CETERA. AND HAVE YOU NO PROBLEM STAYING VIGILANT. THEN, YOU ARE IN A VERY DIFFERENT MODE AS YOU JUST PUT IT, DOUG. AT THAT POINT, YOU ARE AT THE POINT WHERE YOU ARE PROBABLY EXPERIENCING THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SENSES. IF THIS HASN'T HAPPENED TO YOU BEFORE, IT'S NOT THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SPIRIT. IT'S REALLY NOT THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SENSES. AND GOD IS JUST TRYING TO HELP YOU ALONG. HE'S TRYING TO PURIFY YOU EVEN MORE SO HE WITHDRAWS SOME OF THAT SENSE OF CONSOLATION. HE WITHDRAWS THAT SENSE OF PEACE OF SACREDNESS AND LOVE OF HIS PRESENCE. AND WHEN HE DOES WITHDRAW IT, YES, IT FEELS LIKE EMPTINESS, ALIENATION AND LONELINESS. SOMETHING CATEGORICALLY ABOUT IT. YOU ARE STILL MOVING CLOSER TO HIM, NOT BEING TEMPTED INTO A DARK SET OF HABITS OR INTO A DARK LIFESTYLE. AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT CONFLUENCE THEN OF NOT GOING OFF THE ROAD AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU ARE HAVING AN INCREASE IN DESOLATION AND NOT A PSYCHOLOGICAL THING. THEN PRETTY MUCH, YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO GO THROUGH THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SENSES. BUT WHEN YOU COME OUT OF IT, YOU ARE GOING TO BE MUCH MORE, MUCH MORE PURIFIED, DETACHED FROM THOSE FEELINGS OF CONSOLATION AND MUCH MORE ATTACHED TO GOD IN AND OF HIMSELF. MUCH MORE ATTACHED TO GOD BECAUSE OF YOUR GRATITUDE TO HIM BECAUSE OF THE CREATION OF YOUR SOUL AND THE SALVATION THAT HE WROUGHT THROUGH JESUS CHRIST AND ALSO, IN THE MANY GIFTS THAT HE HAS GIVEN TO YOU OVER THE COURSE OF TIME THAT HAVE ALLOWED YOU TO NOT ONLY STAY ON THE TRACK BUT ACTUALLY BECOME A SAINT. SO, ALL OF THESE THINGS, THIS PURIFICATION PROCESS, THEY ARE OKAY. DON'T GET TOO PANIC STRICKEN ABOUT THEM, BECAUSE GENERALLY, THE LORD IS REALLY GOING TO TRY TO HELP YOU MOVE THROUGH THESE THINGS, GIVING YOU THE GRACE. AND IF YOU MOVE THROUGH THEM SUCCESSFUL, BELIEVE ME, YOUR LOVE WILL BE PURIFIED AS WAS MOTHER TERESA'S LOVE. >> AND IT STRUCK ME [RAPID READING [AT LEAST MENTALLY, AND KNOW THAT THE LORD IS COMPLETING HIS PROCESS OF PURIFICATION AND SOMETHING THAT IT'S INCREDIBLY LONELY, EMPTY AND TALKING ABOUT THE PERSON, BESIEGED WITH TEMPTATION TO DOUBT THE LORD, EVEN DOUBT HIS VERY EXISTENCE, WHICH WAS REALLY PART OF MOTHER TERESA'S SITUATION, RIGHT? >> YES. BELIEVE ME, WE ARE UTTERLY DEPENDENT UPON THAT UTTERLY WONDERFUL CONSOLATION THAT THE LORD GIVES US, WHAT I CALL ORDINARY CONSOLATION. WHEN THE LORD WITHDRAWS IT FOR THE SAKE OF OUR OWN PURIFICATION, HE'S TRYING TO GET US DETACHED FROM THOSE FEELINGS SO THAT WE WILL BE STRONG IN OUR ATTACHMENT TO HIM. MANY TIMES, FOR EXAMPLE, AN ATHLETE, I'M NO ATHLETE, I'M SPEAKING HYPOCRITICALLY HERE, BUT AN ATHLETE GOES THROUGH MUCH SELF SACRIFICE, A LOT OF PAIN IN ORDER TO JUST GET THE EXTRA ADVANTAGE, RIGHT. MAYBE IN RUNNING TRACK, JUST A FEW SECONDS LESS IN HIS TIME, IN THE SACRIFICES, PAIN, AND ALL OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT AN ATHLETE DOES. YEAH, ALL OF THE EXERCISES, KINDS OF DIETS, SELF RESTRAINT THAT GOES INTO IT, DISCIPLINE. BUT IN THE END, YOU ARE A BETTER ATHLETE. AND THE SAME THING WITH SPIRITUAL LIFE. THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. AND THE SAME THING WITH SCHOLARSHIP. IF YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING TO BECOME A GOOD SCHOLAR AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE SOME TEACHER CRITICIZING YOU, AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE DAYS WHERE YOU JUST GOT TOTAL, A TRAIN WRECK BY SOME PERSON WHERE THIS PAPER IS POORLY DONE. AND THE ANALYSIS IN IT WAS SECOND RATE. AND BY THE WAY, YOU ARE A LOUSY WRITER AND OF COURSE, YOU GET PUNCHED A FEW TIMES IN THE CHOPS AND YOU ARE REELING AROUND. BUT IN THE END, YOU MAKE THAT DETERMINATION, I'M FOLLOWING THROUGH AND I'M GOING TO DO A GOOD JOB. I'M GOING TO GET MY RESEARCH APPARATUS IN PLACE. AND I WANT TO BECOME DISCIPLINED IN THE RIGHT. AND I WANT TO STUDY MY BOOK. AND YOU START DOING YOUR STUFF, YOU ARE GOING TO BE A BETTER WRITER AND YOU ARE GOING TO BE A BETTER SCHOLAR. BUT NO SUCH THING AS PAINLESS. I'M TELLING YOU, IF YOU ARE GOING TO GET GOOD, THERE'S PAIN AND IT'S WORTHWHILE IN THE LONG RUN BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE A MUCH BETTER QUALITY, IN YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE IF YOU ARE A MYSTIC, QUALITY IN YOUR ACADEMIC LIFE IF YOU ARE A SCHOLAR, OR QUALITY IN ATHLETIC LIFE IF YOU ARE AN ATHLETE. >> AND IT'S A GOOD PUNCH TO GET YOU THE COURAGE TO GO FORWARD. YOU TAKE THE HIT AND YOU CAN KEEP GOING. THIS WAS THE THING THAT JUMPED OUT AT ME NOW. TRUST. TRUST THAT HE WILL BE BROUGHT INTO THE FULL PURIFICATION OF LOVE AND SO GREAT THAT IT'S ONLY EXCEEDED BY THE BEATIFIC VISION, UNITIVE WAY, THAT PERSEVERANCE, THAT TRUST, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A DARK STATE, I KNOW THAT THE LORD IS STILL WITH ME AND I NEED TO KEEP GOING >> Father: THAT'S RIGHT. EXACTLY. SO, THE MYSTIC REALLY DOES KNOW THAT THERE IS THIS WONDERFUL HORIZON TOWARD WHICH HE'S GOING, LIKE ST. TERESA OF AVILA, YOU READ HER BIOGRAPHY, SHE HAD DARK DARK DAYS LIKE MOTHER TERESA DID. AND SOME LASTED, WELL, WOW, CERTAINLY JOHN OF THE CROSS. 0 MY GOSH, HE HAD SOME REALLY, LONELY, DARK, ALIENATING, AS HE CALLED IT, NIGHTS OF THE SOUL. AND THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THEY WENT THROUGH IT. BUT IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THAT, THEY ARE, LIKE, THESE SOLDIERS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH BASIC TRAINING. RIGHT? YOU GET THROWN INTO A NEW CHALLENGE, AND THROWN INTO A NEW CHALLENGE. IT'S REALLY TOUGH. AND EVERYDAY YOU SPEND, AS YOU PUT IT, DOUG, YOU CAN TAKE A PUNCH. YOU CAN TAKE A HIT. AND YOU SAY, GOING FORWARD, I KNOW I CAN TAKE THIS. I'M NOT GOING TO START WORRYING ABOUT WHETHER I'M GOING TO WIMP OUT AT THIS JUNCTURE. SO, YOU GET THAT RESILIENCE IN YOU. AND THAT'S ALSO USEFUL BECAUSE SOMETIMES CROSSES COME THAT ARE NOT CAUSED BY GOD AT ALL. CROSSES COME FROM THE EVIL SPIRIT AND FROM EVIL PEOPLE. RIGHT? THINGS COULD HAPPEN TO YOU. IT COULD EVEN HAPPEN BY LOSS OF A JOB OR FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. BUT ALL OF THESE CROSSES, BOY, IF YOU ARE USED TO DEALING WITH SOME ADVERSITY IN YOUR LIFE. AND BLINDNESS IS A GREAT ONE. IF YOU ARE USED TO DEALING WITH IT, YOU KNOW YOU CAN TAKE IT. YOU KNOW YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD. YOU KNOW IF YOU TRUST IN THE LORD, HE'S GOING TO GIVE YOU THE RESOURCES TO MAKE IT THROUGH TO THE END. SO, YOU JUST KEEP PUSHING FORWARD. LO AND BEHOLD, YOU DO MAKE IT THROUGH THE TRIAL PERIOD. YOU GET BETTER AND BETTER DEALING WITH THE CROSS. BETTER AND BETTER AT RESISTING TEMPTATION. BETTER AND BETTER AT STAYING TRUSTINGLY AND LOVINGLY TRUSTING IN THE LORD EVEN IN THE MIDST OF ADVERSITY. AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU ARE TURNING INTO A SAINT! >> Doug: VERY GOOD. WE'LL LEAVE IT RIGHT THERE, PAGE 85. AND NEXT TIME WE'LL GET INTO THE UNITIVE STAGE OF CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE. SO, FATHER, GIVE US YOUR BLESSING ON THE WAY OUT THE DOOR >> Father: ABSOLUTELY. BOW YOUR HEADS. MAY THE LORD OF ALL CONSOLATION CONTINUE TO SEND YOU THAT SENSE OF HIS PEACE, LOVE, SALVATION, JOY, AND HIS SACREDNESS AND HIS HOLINESS SO THAT AS YOU SENSE HIS PRESENCE IN YOUR LIFE, WHEN THE TIMES COME OF CHALLENGE AND DARKNESS, YOU WILL CONTINUE TO REMEMBER THAT HE IS THERE AND THAT HE IS CARRYING YOU THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES. AS YOU MOVE THROUGH THOSE TOUGH TIMES, TO SHARE THAT PURIFICATION AND THE GRACES THAT YOU RECEIVE WITH OTHERS. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. >> Doug: AMEN. THANK YOU SO MUCH, FATHER. STAY WELL. AND OF COURSE, DON'T FORGET ALL OF FR. SPITZER MATERIALS AVAILABLE THROUGH ewtnRC.com, INCLUDING THIS WONDERFUL BOOK. YOU CAN SEE THE BOOKS LISTED ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW. SO, NEXT WEEK, WE'LL CONTINUE AS WE SAID, CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM AND THE BOOK, VICTORY OVER SATAN. AND BOOK MARK THIS WEEKEND, HAPPENS TO BE THE BOOK OF THE MONTH AS WELL, AND THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS BY THE DYNAMIC DUO, FR KEN BRIGHENTI AND FR JOHN TRIGILIO NATIONAL MASS FOR LIFE FROM OTTAWA, THURSDAY, MAY 13, AT 10:30 AM EST EWTN ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY, I AM WITH YOU, THE STORY OF BLESSED CARLO ACUTIS, FREE AND ON DEMAND THROUGH MAY 31. WWW.EWTN.COM/CARLOACUTIS WE HAVE THAT ON EWTN AND CHECK IT OUT. CHECK US OUT AGAIN AS WE ONCE MORE RE-ENTER "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE." [MUSIC]
