[THEME MUSIC] >> WELCOME TO FR SPITZER'S UNIVERSE AT THE INTERSECTION OF FAITH AND REASON, EVEN MORE WITH THE HOLIDAY TRAFFIC. I'M DOUG KECK, YOUR GUIDE AND YOU CAN SEND QUESTIONS TO FR SPITZER'S UNIVERSE AT EWTN.COM. YOUR QUESTIONS ARE IMPORTANT. CHECK OUT FR SPITZER'S MAGIS CENTER WEBSITE AND HIS NEW WEBSITE, PURPOSEFULUNIVERSE.COM. THE SHOW IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE ON EWTN ON DEMAND AND OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, SO CHECK IT OUT. CHECK OUT ALL THE OTHER GREAT PROGRAMS, FR MITCH'S PROGRAM, A LOT OF LIVE SHOWS. OUR TOPIC CONTINUES, THE DEVIL IS REAL. CERTAINLY SEEMS TO BE, AND IT'S FROM FATHER'S BOOK, CHRIST VS SATAN IN OUR DAILY LIVES, AT EWTN RELIGIOUS CATALOGUE. GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT, AND THE BOOK OF THE MONTH FOR DECEMBER, ADOPTION, SHOULD YOU, COULD YOU AND THEN WHAT? STRAIGHT ANSWERS FROM A PSYCHOLOGIST AND ADOPTIVE FATHER OF 10, DR RAY GUARENDI, HIS EPISODE OF BOOKMARK AIRED THIS PAST WEEK. NOW WE TURN TO OUR EXPERT ON THE COAST, FR SPITZER, HOW IS YOUR ADVENT GOING? >> MY ADVENT IS GOING FANTASTICALLY. >> WE WANT TO KICK THINGS OFF WITH A PRAYER. >> IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT, AMEN. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR YOUR MANY BLESSINGS, THE BLESSING ESPECIALLY OF YOUR SON COMING INTO OUR LIVES, WHO WE PREPARE FOR IN THIS ADVENT SEASON. WE ASK YOU TO SEND YOUR HOLY SPIRIT DOWN UPON US, SO THAT EVERYTHING WE DO AND SAY WILL BE BROUGHT TO FRUITION IN YOUR WILL, FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR PEOPLE, CHURCH AND KINGDOM. WE ASK ALL OF THESE THINGS THROUGH JESUS OUR LORD, AMEN. AND MARY SEAT OF WISDOM, PRAY FOR US. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT, AMEN. >> THANK YOU, FATHER. HOPE YOU ARE DOING WELL. WE'VE GOT SOME ARTICLES HERE. HERE WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF ADVENT, MOVING ON TO THE HOLIDAY SEASON. THOUGH PEOPLE ARE HAPPY IT'S ALSO A HIGH TIME FOR DEPRESSION. SO HERE'S AN ARTICLE, SUICIDE CAPSULE. SWITZERLAND HAS JUST LEGALIZED A WAY TO DIE BY ASSISTED SUICIDE. THE SUICIDE POD, WHICH IS A 3D PORTABLE COFFIN LIKE CAPSULE WITH WINDOWS THAT CAN BE TRANSPORTED TO A TRANQUIL PLACE FOR A PERSON'S FINAL MOMENTS. TO QUALIFY TO USE THE POD, THE PERSON WHO WANTS TO DIE MUST ANSWER AN ONLINE SURVEY. IF YOU FILL OUT THE SURVEY CORRECTLY, APPARENTLY THE COMPUTER TELLS YOU WHERE TO FIND THIS POD. AND WHEN THEY SEAL UP THE POD THEY FLOOD THE INTERIOR WITH NITROGEN WHICH QUICKLY REDUCED THE OXYGEN LEVEL FROM 21% TO 1%. IT'S VERY COMFORTABLE THEY SAY AND IT TAKES ABOUT 30 SECONDS. THAT'S THE INSANITY WE ARE DEALING WITH IN THE WORLD. >> I THINK IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. IT CLEARLY IS INSANITY. THE WHOLE IDEA OF HAVING A TRANQUIL SUICIDE IS SO CONTRADICTORY I CAN'T BELIEVE IT, NOBODY WANTS SUICIDE. THERE IS A REASON PEOPLE REQUEST SUICIDE, AND THAT GENERALLY IS RELATED TO A REAL DIFFICULTY GOING ON, REAL DISCONSONANCE IN ONE'S MENTAL STATE. SO FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, A PERSON WHO WANTS TO COMMIT SUICIDE IS EMOTIONALLY DISTRAUGHT, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY BE HOLDING IT TOGETHER. THE IDEA OF PUTTING IT IN A TRANQUIL SPOT, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? THE WHOLE THING IS CRAZY. AND IT IS ANOTHER GIMMICK TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF PEOPLE'S TRAGEDIES AND THEIR EMOTIONAL STATES THAT ARE TERRIBLE. AND IT'S A GREAT GIMMICK. I'M SURE THAT PEOPLE WILL THINK IT IS THE NEWEST AND GREATEST DIMENSION OF OUR CULTURE. IT'S CERTAINLY NEW, IT'S NOT GREAT. IT IS A SOURCE OF COUNTLESS TRAGEDIES THAT WILL OCCUR THROUGH IT. I JUST CAN'T EMPHASIZE ANYMORE HOW CRAZY IT IS. WE NEED TO RETURN TO A CULTURE OF LIFE. >> ABSOLUTELY. IT'S AMAZING HOW WE WANT TO SANITIZE THESE KIND OF THINGS. SO HERE IS AN ARTICLE I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING FROM LIBERTY.COM. AND IT TALKS ABOUT ATHEISM. AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT SO MUCH WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH IN SOCIETY AND THIS ARTICLE SAYS "ATHEISM HAS A RULING AND SPLIT THE STATE THE MOST DANGEROUS OF ALL POLITICAL PHILOSOPHIES." ONE OF THE AMERICAN FOUNDERS JAMES MADISON WROTE "IF MEN WERE ANGELS, NO GOVERNMENT WOULD BE NECESSARY." IN THIS STATEMENT HE EXPRESSED A MAN AND WOMEN ARE SINNERS AND SUBJECT TO CORRUPTION IF GIVEN TOO MUCH POWER FOR TOO LONG. IT GOES ON TO SAY IT WITH HIM IS BASED ON A PROPOSITION THAT SOME MEN PERHAPS THOSE WHO ARE SMARTER OR BORN TO RULE OTHERS. IT GOES ON TO SAY TO TELLING DOMESTIC TOTALITARIAN STATES LIKE CHINA ENGAGE IN HORRIFIC BUT EVER FEW ATTEMPTS TO DESTROY NOT ONLY MAN BUT THE RELIGIOUS TEMPLES AND MAN. I THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING. THERE SEEMS TO BE A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING THE PEOPLE IN THE WEST THAT FREEDOM DOES NOT EXIST WITHOUT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. WE WOULD LIKE TO DO OUR BEST TO BRING ENLIGHTENMENT ON THIS WITH OUR READERSHIP SO WE PASS ON THIS ARTICLE. I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN INTERESTING ARTICLE. YOUR RESPONSE. THE ONE FIRST OF ALL ATHEISM HAS WON DIFFICULTY WITH IT AND NORMALLY AS MATERIALISTIC AS IT CAN GET SO MOST ARE MATERIALISTIC AND THEY DON'T LEAVE IN THE SOUL OR TRANSMISSIBLE WORLD OR THE SPIRITUAL WORLD OR TRANSCENDENT BEING. OKAY, WELL, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS WE ARE A BUNCH OF ATOMS AND MOLECULES. THE GUY NEXT DOOR IS A BUNCH OF ATOMS AND MOLECULES. WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE LIVE IN MATERIALISTIC SOCIETY. WE START TREAT PEOPLE AS IF THEY HAD NO DIGNITY ABOVE THE MATERIAL COMPONENTS THAT OBVIOUSLY CONSTITUTE THEM. IF THAT IS THE CASE, IT IS REALLY EASY TO TREAT PEOPLE WITH MUCH LESS DIGNITY, MUCH LESS RESPECT, AFTER ALL, YOU ARE A BUNCH OF CHEMICALS. YOU DON'T HAVE A TRANSCENDENT SOUL, AND DESTINED FOR ETERNAL LIFE ABSOLUTE AND TRANSCENDENT ETERNAL DIGNITY, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT. YOU ARE JUST A BUNCH OF CHEMICALS. THAT MEANS I CAN DISPOSE OF YOU LIKE I WOULD DISPOSE OF ANY OTHER GROUP OF CHEMICALS. JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE MORE SOPHISTICATED, YOU HAVE MORE COMPLEX BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU ARE WORTHY OF ANY MORE RESPECT. BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT MORE COMPLEX BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS WHERE YOU CAME FROM. SO WELL OF COURSE, ONCE YOU HAVE THAT ATTITUDE, YOU ARE JUST A NUMBER. YOU ARE JUST A THING. YOU DON'T HAVE ANY STATUS ABOVE THINGS. YOU ARE AND I IT, YOU ARE NOT AND I THOU. YOU ARE SIMPLY AS IT WERE THE MATERIAL COMPONENTS OUT OF WHICH YOU SEEM TO HAVE COME FROM A SERIES OF ATOMS, ET CETERA. ALL THE MATERIALISTIC SYSTEMS, THEY ALWAYS INVARIABLY GIVE RISE TO TOTALITARIAN SYSTEMS AND TERRIBLE BROOCHES OF FREEDOM BECAUSE MATERIALISTIC DOES NOT BELIEVE IN FREEDOM. SO AUTOMATICALLY, IF YOU ARE STUCK IN A MATERIALISTIC PARADIGM, YOU ARE STUCK IN THE STIMULUS RESPONSE SYSTEM, RIGHT? YOU ARE GOING TO BE AN EXTENSION OF ALL THE ATOMS OUT THERE IN THE WORLD. YOU WILL NEVER GET BEYOND IT. YOU WILL NEVER HAVE A SOUL THAT STANDS ABOVE IT CAN ACTUALLY MAKE A CHOICE AND CHOOSE SOMETHING TRANSCENDENT VERSUS SOMETHING NEARLY A RESPONSE TO THE STIMULI THAT IS OCCURRING IN YOUR BODY. SO THE IDEA THAN WOULD BE, YEAH, MATERIALISTIC NOT ONLY BELIEVES IN GOD, BUT IT BELIEVES -- HE DOESN'T BELIEVE IN THE SOUL OR TRANSCENDENT OR BELIEF IN FREEDOM. HE IS A DETERMINIST. YOU TAKE ALL OF THOSE THINGS, RIGHT, WE LEARNING OUR LIST RIB HISTORY? MARX, MARX, MARX, MARKS AND MARKS, RIGHT? WERE NOT FREE. HE IS HE DOESN'T BELIEVE IN GOD. YOU PUT THOSE THINGS TOGETHER AND WHAT DO YOU DO? YOU ARE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A COG IN THE WHOLE BIG GRAND STATE WHEEL. IT IS THE STATE THAT IS SUPERIOR. THAT IS WHAT WE LIVE FOR A PEER OF THE TOTALITY, TOTALITARIANISM AND WE ARE LIVING FOR THE STATE. AND YOU ARE PIECES OF COG. DON'T THINK YOU HAVE ANY INTRINSIC DIGNITY. YOU ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A FUNCTION OF THE DIGNITY THAT OUR STATE HAS PEER THE TOTALITY IS WHAT MATTERS. YOU WERE INCONSEQUENTIAL. YOU ARE MATERIALISTIC BIT OF COG AND THE WHOLE MESS OF THE THING. AT THE SAM TIME, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY FREEDOM TO WORRY ABOUT. IT IS JUST A FICTION ANYWAY. SO WE CAN DO AWAY WITH ALL OF IT AND DO AWAY WITH THE SO-CALLED DIGNITY THAT YOU DESERVE. YOU ARE PART OF THE PROLETARIAT. YOUR WORK GIVES YOU DIGNITY. CERTAINLY NOT YOUR BEING, CERTAINLY NOT YOUR INTELLECTUAL CAPABILITY, CERTAINLY NOT YOUR FREEDOM CERTAINLY NOT YOUR TRANSCENDENCE. CERTAINLY NOT THE SOUL THAT GIVES YOU ETERNAL AND ABSOLUTE DIGNITY BEFORE GOD. YOU HAVE NONE OF THAT. DON'T FOOL YOURSELF. IT IS YOUR WORK. YOU ARE NOW LIVING IN; IF YOU FOLLOW THE TOTALITARIAN STATE'S WILL FOR YOUR WORK, YOU WILL BE HAPPY AND ALL WILL BE GOOD, AND DON'T MESS WITH US BECAUSE IF YOU DO, WE WILL SNUFF YOU JUST LIKE YOU DESERVE. THAT IS PRETTY MUCH HOW IT HAPPENS. THAT IS THE INTERIOR LOGIC AND BY THE WAY, ONE AFTER THE NEXT. HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY IN MARXISM THERE IS NOT A WORD FOR RIGHT REALLY? THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN RIGHT. THEY DON'T BELIEVE YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM TO DESERVE RIGHT. THERE IS NO FREEDOMS TO PROTECT. SO YEAH, OF COURSE, OBVIOUSLY I'M EMBELLISHING ON THEIR INITIAL INSIGHT. >> RIGHT, AND THE OTHER THING I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING AS YOU SEE AS WELL IS THIS ATTEMPT BY TOTALITARIAN REGIME AND I THINK CERTAINLY WE SEE IT IN CHINA. THE IDEA OF NEEDING TO STAMP OUT RELIGION BECAUSE RELIGION IS THE ONE THING THAT MAKES SOMEBODY ALLEGIANCE TO SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE STATE. >> YES, IT'S NOT JUST THAT BUT IF YOU ARE RELIGIOUS, YOU OBVIOUSLY THINK YOU HAVE A TRANSCENDENT DIGNITY. IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE A TRANSCENDENT DIGNITY, THAN YOU THINK YOU HAVE SOME DESTINY BEYOND THIS WORLD, BEYOND THE STATE. YOU THINK YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO GOD. YOU THINK YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO ETERNITY. YOU DON'T THINK YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO THE STATE, AND MOREOVER, YOU WILL BE UNDER THE DELUSION THAT YOU HAVE FREEDOM IF YOU ARE RELIGIOUS. BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A SOUL, YOU CAN EXPAND ABOVE IT ALL AND CHOOSE GOD VERSUS CHOOSING THE WORLD, CHOOSE GOD INSTEAD OF CHOOSING YOURSELF. CHOOSE GOD RATHER THAN CHOOSING YOURSELF RULE, ET CETERA. IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN TRULY IT WOULD BE FREE. NOW, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE A REAL DANGER TO TOTALITARIAN STATE SO THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO DO AN TOTALITARIAN STATE IF YOU WANT STRICT CONTROL OVER EVERYBODY AND ANNIHILATE EVERYBODY'S FREEDOM AND UNDER THE RULES OF THE STATE, YOU'VE GOT TO GET RID OF RELIGION. THAT IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. AND EVERY GOOD TEST BUT KNOWS IT. EVERY GOOD DESPERATE NOSE RELIGION IS THE ONE THING THAT WILL PROVE TO BE INSURMOUNTABLE OBJECT. SO THE INSURMOUNTABLE, ALL ALWAYS GOES TO RELIGION FIRST. YOU CAN WATCH THAT AND QUASH THE HUMAN SPIRIT. THEN YOU CAN QUASH FREEDOM AND REDUCED TO MATERIAL ENTITY AND THEN CONSUME THEM UNDER THE STATE. THAT IS THE WAY IT GOES. >> BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT DOESN'T WORK AND SO MANY PEOPLE END UP DEAD. >> YEAH, EXACTLY. ABSOLUTELY. PEOPLE WIND UP BEING DEAD BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO GO ALONG WITH THE WILL OF THE STATE. >> ABSOLUTELY. HERE IS ANOTHER ARTICLE I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING, CRISIS MAGAZINE A CHURCH WITHOUT A PURPOSE AND IT WAS A COMMENT BY CANADIAN PSYCHOLOGIST GEORGE PETERSON, WHO WAS VERY POPULAR OUT THERE THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS. HE SAID, MY SENSE IS THE CHURCH DOES NOT DEMAND ENOUGH OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND BY NOT DEMANDING ENOUGH, IT DOESN'T INDICATE ITS FATE AND THEIR POSSIBILITY. THE WHOLE IDEA OF SAYING, WE MAKE IT TOO EASY. WE ARE NOT CHALLENGING YOUNG PEOPLE. AND THEN HE GOES ON IN THIS ARTICLE AND THE AUTHOR SAYS AND HE QUOTES A NOTABLE HOMILY FROM THEN FATHER IN 1964 THAT SAID "THE QUESTION THAT TORMENTS US IS MUCH RATHER WHY IS IT STILL ACTUALLY NECESSARY FOR US TO CARRY OUT THE MISSION TO CHRISTIAN FAITH? WHY IF SO MANY OTHER WAYS TO HAVE AN AT TO SALVATION SHOULD IT BE DEMANDED OF US THAT WE BEAR DAY BY DAY THE WHOLE BURDEN OF ECCLESIASTIC DOGMA AND ECCLESIASTIC ETHICS?" THAT IS THE QUESTION FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. >> I THINK THE FATHER IS CORRECT AND TRYING TO ASK THE QUESTION. FIRST OF ALL, THE IDEA THAT THERE IS LOTS OF WAYS TO HEAVEN BESIDES JESUS CHRIST -- NOW, AS I'VE ALWAYS MAINTAINED FROM OUR CHURCH DOCUMENTS, OF COURSE, PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT CHRISTIANS CAN GET INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN THROUGH THE DEEDS OF JESUS CHRIST, THE UNCONDITIONAL ACT OF LOVE THAT HE HAS BROUGHT INTO THE WORLD IF THEY ARE FOLLOWING TO THEIR CONSCIOUS AND ET CETERA. NOW, THAT IS TRUE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO SAY THAT JESUS CHRIST HAS PROVIDED US WITH SOME REALLY IMPORTANT SACRAMENTS AND SOME REALLY IMPORTANT TEACHINGS TO HELP US GET INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. AND WE WOULD BE CRAZY TO TURN IT ALL DOWN. IT IS ALMOST LIKE SAYING, "WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU ACTUALLY COULD PROVE LIVE A PRETTY GOOD LIFE AD PROBABLY DO BETTER IF YOU'VE GOT AN EDUCATION. YOU WOULD PROBABLY DO BETTER IF YOU GOT MARRIED. YOU WOULD PROBABLY DO BETTER IF YOU DID THE FOLLOWING THINGS, YOU KNOW, AND YOU ARE AN ETHICAL PERSON, ET CETERA." YOU COULD PROBABLY LIVE A GOOD LIFE WITHOUT ANY OF THOSE THINGS, BUT YOU CAN LIVE A THOUSAND TIMES BETTER LIFE FOR THAT ULTIMATE PURPOSE AND YOUR RETURN ON TEST YOU DO LIVE ACCORDING TO THOSE THINGS. SO THE IDEA THEN IS WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO TURN DOWN ALL OF THIS STUFF, WHICH IS MEANT TO BE A HELP FOR YOU TO GET INTO SALVATION JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DO THAT ON A PATH WHICH WOULD BE MUCH HARDER AND MUCH MORE DIFFICULT? WHY WOULD YOU TURN IT ALL DOWN? WHY WOULD YOU DO WITH THE HARD WAY? YOU KNOW, SO THE IDEA WOULD BE, FIRST OF ALL, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERYTHING THAT GOD IS TRYING TO GIVE YOU. THAT MEANS, WE SHOULD BE PUTTING A FIRE UNDER ALL OF US, YOU KNOW, TO GET OUT WITH A MISSIONARY SPIRIT OF EVANGELIZATION AND GIVE OUT AND GIVE PEOPLE THE EASY WAY. NOT EASY IN THE SENSE IT IS EASY TO DO, BUT GIVE PEOPLE THE BEST, MOST EXPEDITIOUS WAY TO GET INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST. HE'S THE WAY. JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DO THAT IN SOME OTHER WAY, WHY WOULDN'T YOU DO IT ACCORDING TO THE BEST WAY? WHY WOULDN'T YOU IF YOU HAD THE CAPACITY TO LEARN THAT JESUS' MORAL TEACHING. I CAN CORRELATE THOSE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE MORAL TEACHINGS. I CAN CORRELATE IT WITH GOOD, EMOTIONAL HEALTH, GOOD SPIRITUAL HEALTH AND GOOD RELATIONSHIP HELP. THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT IT, IT MAKES SENSE ON EVERY LEVEL. AND INTELLECTUALLY, IT MAKES SENSE AS WELL. SO THE POINT THAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO IS LET'S TAKE, FIRST OF ALL, JESUS CAME TO GIVE HIS LIFE AND LET'S TAKE EVERYTHING HE GAVE US. LET'S TRY TO GIVE THAT TO EVERYBODY AROUND THE WORLD. WE SHOULDN'T BE SATISFIED WITH JUST LETTING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, DO IT THE OLD WAY, THEY HARD WA WAY, WE SHOULDN'T LEAVE PEOPLE OPEN TO THE TEMPTATIONS OF EVIL SPIRIT OR EVEN TO THE TROUNCING OR THE EVIL SPIRIT, RIGHT, OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY UNDERMINE THEIR LIVES. WE SHOULD GIVE THEM THE POWER OF JESUS CHRIST. THE POWER OF JESUS CHRIST SACRAMENT. WHO WOULD TURN DOWN THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION, FORGIVENESS FOR YOUR SANDS AND ACTUAL GRACE OF PROTECT YOU FROM THE EVIL SPIRIT PUT YOU BACK? WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT THAT? IT IS INSANE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT SENSE OF -- YEAH, OKAY, COMPASSION CAN BE HARD. I'M NOT SAYING IT IS EASY. BUT IF YOU HAVE GOT A SACRAMENT THAT PUT YOU RIGHT BACK ON THE TRACK TO SALVATION. IF YOU HAVE A SACRAMENT THAT GIVES YOU GRACE AND PROTECTION AGAINST EVIL SPIRIT, WHY WOULDN'T YOU UNVEIL YOURSELF OF THAT? MY POINT IS, NOT JUST THE EASIEST THING, I WOULD SAY THAT A BURDEN OF DOGMA WINDS UP BEING THE FREEDOM AND THE ELATION OF THE SPIRIT. THE FREEDOM AND ELATION OF THE EMOTIONAL HEALTH. THAT FREEDOM AND ELATION OF RELATIONAL HELP, WHICH OBVIOUSLY, WHEN WE HAVE ALL OF THESE THINGS PUT TOGETHER, WHETHER OBJECT CHRIST JESUS WILL BRING US INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. WHY WOULDN'T YOU DO IT? YEAH, THERE IS A BURDEN, BUT IT'S HARD TO GO TO CONFESSION. THERE IS A BURDEN OF DOGMA. THEY WERE AS ALL OF THOSE THINGS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT ALL SPELLS ONE HUGE THING, LIBERATION, FREEDOM. IT SPELLS CERTAINLY THE PATHWAY TO ETERNAL SALVATION, PROTECTION FROM THE EVIL SPIRIT AND A HOST OF THINGS THAT WILL KEEP US EMOTIONALLY, RELATIONALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY HEALTHY. SO YES, EXCEPT -- AND WE SHOULD CHALLENGE OUR KIDS, ABSOLUTELY KIDS WANT TO BE CHALLENGED. THEY WANT SOMETHING TO DO THAT IS NOBLE AND THAT IS HARD TO DO. THEY DON'T WANT TO BE PAMPERED ALL LIVE THEIR LIVES. I SURE DIDN'T WANT TO BE PAMPERED ALL OF MY LIFE. I LIKED OF COURSE HAVING SOME TIME OFF TO WATCH THE THREE STOOGES OR SOMETHING. >> THERE YOU GO. [LAUGHTER] THERE YOU GO. LET ME ASK YOU THIS, THEY ALSO IN THIS ARTICLE, A GENTLEMAN WROTE ON, HIS NAME IS HAROLD AND FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE, WHERE AS IN THE PAST SALVATION WAS PRIMARILY SEEN SOMETHING SOULS HAD TO OPT INTO BY THE GRACE OF CHRIST MANIFESTED THROUGH GOOD WORKS, THE SACRAMENTO OF THE CHURCH, NOWADAYS THE PREVAILING CONSENSUS AND MOST PARISHES IS SALVATION IS OPT OUT RESERVED ONLY FOR EXCEPTIONALLY MALIGNED AND TWISTED CHARACTERS LIKE MAYBE JUDAS ISCARIOT. AND IT GOES ON TO SAY UNSURPRISINGLY, THE DIRECT RESULT OF COLOSSAL PARADIGM SHIFT TO LEAVE ORDINARY MASS CATHOLICS UNSURE OF WHAT THE CATHOLIC IS OR WHY IT MATTERS. >> WELL, HE IS ONTO SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT. THE MAIN THING TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT THERE IS GOOD AND THERE IS EVIL. AND IF YOU DON'T OPT IN FOR THE GOOD AND OPT IN FOR THE SUPREME GOOD WHEN YOU SEE IT, WHEN IT IS AVAILABLE TO YOU, AND YOU DON'T OPT OUT EVIL, YOU ARE GOING TO BUY DEFAULT TO MOVE YOURSELF INTO THE DIRECTION OF THE WIDE, WIDE ROAD THAT LEADS TO PERDITION. YOU WILL OPT INTO EVEN BY DEFAULT INTO THE DARK ROAD, INTO THE ROAD THAT LEADS TO THE DEVIL AND ALL OF HIS COHORTS. SO THE POINT IS REALLY CLEAR. YOU HAVE TO OPT INTO GOOD. YOU HAVE TO OPT OUT OF THE POOL. AND YOU HAVE TRIED TO FIND THE OPTIMAL POINT OF GOOD TO OPT INTO PEER OF THE ULTIMO POINT OF GOOD TO OPT INTO HIS JESUS CHRIST AND HIS TEACHING, BUT WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE EPITOME OF THAT TEACHING BY THE INTERPRETATION OF THE ONE THAT JESUS DESIGNATE CATHOLIC CHURCH. SO YOU SHOULD BE OPTING IN, FIRST OF THE GOOD, THEN OPTING INTO JESUS CHRIST. AND YOU ARE OPTING INTO THE CHURCH TO GET THE INTERPRETATION OF JESUS CHRIST THAT YOU NEED TO GET TO THE OPTIMAL GOOD. IF YOU DON'T OPT IN YOU ARE DEFAULTING TO ANOTHER OPTION, WHICH IS, OF COURSE THE DARK OPTION AND THE EVIL OPTION. YOU SAY, THAT WON'T AFFECT ME. IF YOU DON'T OPT IN TO THE GOOD AND JESUS CHRIST AND INTO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH OR EXPOSED TO IT, RIGHT, THEN YOU ARE GOING TO BE BASICALLY CONTROLLED BY ANOTHER SPIRIT. AND YOU WERE GOING TO BE BY DEFAULT OPTING INTO EVIL. SO BE CAREFUL. BUT THE FIRST STEP YOU HAVE TO TAKE HIS OPTING INTO THE GOOD, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO FIND OUT WHAT THE OPTIMAL GOOD IS. >> VERY GOOD. ONE LESS ARTICLE BEFORE WE GET TO SOME QUESTIONS APPROPRIATING BY REVEREND JERRY JAY GORSKI. HE MAKES FUN OF THE IDEA AND WE TALK ABOUT CULTURAL APPROPRIATION. YOU WATCH ALL OF THESE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT DON'T HAVE ANY FAITH BUT YET USE ALL OF THESE CHRISTMAS SYMBOLS. I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS TREE AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOSE SIGHT OF THE TREE OF LIFE, THE IMAGE OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS, THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT WE HAVE THE CHRISTMAS TREE. CHRISTMAS WREATHS, WHAT DO THEY MEAN? THEY HAVE NO BEGINNING AND THE END AND THEY REPRESENT GOD AND THAT EVERGREEN ETERNAL LIFE. YOU TALK ABOUT HOLLY, THE SHARPLY SYMBOLIZED CROWN OF THORNS WORN BY JESUS AND THE BERRIES REPRESENT DROPS OF HIS BLOOD. THE LIGHTS THAT CHRIST IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. THE POINSETTIA IS LIKE THE EVERGREEN TREE. IT SYMBOLIZES EVERLASTING LIFE AND THE RED POINSETTIA THE BLOOD THAT JESUS SHED FOR US. A LOT OF HIS PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE CANDY CANE AND THE SHEPHERDS, WE KNOW ST. NICHOLAS, OF COURSE THE FOURTH CENTURY. AND WE REMEMBER ON CHRISTMAS DAY THE REAL GIFT, OBVIOUSLY WAS JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF. HE SAID THEY CAN'T EVEN ESCAPE JESUS WHEN THEY REDUCE CHRISTMAS TO WINTER HOLIDAY BECAUSE HOLIDAY DOES CONFLATION TOWARDS HOLY DAY. SO ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT COMMITTED AS A CHRISTIAN HOLIDAY HOLY DAY TO CELEBRATE. >> ABSOLUTELY. IN FACT, I JUST LEARNED A FEW THINGS RIGHT FROM THAT ARTICLE. SO THAT IS WONDERFUL. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT ABOUT THOUGH HOLLY AND THE POINSETTIA. SO I'M DULY INFORMED. BUT YES -- >> THAT IS WHY PEOPLE WATCH THIS SHOW, FATHER SO THEY CAN BE INFORMED. IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO REMIND OURSELVES SO THAT WE SEE THE FAITH IS THERE EVEN THOUGH THEY TRY TO COVER OVER IT AND AWAY. >> ABSOLUTELY, YOU CAN'T LOSE ALL THE SYMBOLISM. >> Doug: ABSOLUTELY OR WE WILL MAKE UP NEW ONES SO LET'S STICK WITH THE ONES THAT WORK WELL. LET'S GET TO QUESTIONS >> DEAR FATHER SPITZER I LISTEN TO THE PODCAST AND SO MANY PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE AN EWTN.COM AND YOU. THIS PERSON SAYS, DRIVING FROM ONE HOSPITAL TO ANOTHER WE LISTEN TO THE SHOW AND WE HAVE A HOSPITAL THAT LOOKS LIKE A FIVE-STAR HOTEL BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE A CHAPEL BUT THE OLD CHAPEL REPLACED BY A NEW MEDITATION ROOM. SINCE MOST CATHOLIC, AT LEAST CHRISTIAN WHAT ARGUMENTS PUT WITH A CEO WITH A REAL CHAPEL AND NOT A SECULAR MEDITATION? DR. ANDREA'S. >> Father Spitzer: I THINK TWO THINGS, DOCTOR. FIRST THING, TAKE A LOOK AT THE ATTENDANCE ONCE YOU CHANGE SOMETHING FROM A CHAPEL TO A MEDITATION ROOM, NOBODY USES IT. THE MEDITATION ROOMS NORMALLY SIT EMPTY. SO FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU HAVE SOME SORT OF DENOMINATION ATTACHED TO IT, EVEN IF YOU WANT TO PUT IN MAYBE ANOTHER MEDITATION ROOM BESIDE THE CHAPEL OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, THAT WOULD BE FINE, BUT THE TO REPLACE IT COMPLETELY, I WOULD SAY, YOU JUST GET MUCH, MUCH LESS USE. THEY CAN ACTUALLY SHOW THIS. YOU CAN ACTUALLY STUDY HOW MANY TIMES PEOPLE ARE GOING IN AND OUT OF MEDITATION OR OUT OF A REAL CHAPEL, ET CETERA. SO I WOULD USE THE OLD ARGUMENT, HEY, DON'T DO THE OLD REPLACEMENT. LET'S DO BOTH END. IF YOU WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING MORE GENERIC FOR THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT BE CHRISTIAN OR CATHOLIC, FINE. BUT LET'S GO -- LET'S KEEP THE OLD CHAPEL AS WELL BECAUSE THE OLD CHAPEL BASICALLY BRING IN A LOT MORE PEOPLE AND WILL DO A LOT MORE GOOD BECAUSE I THINK THE KEY ARGUMENT THERE IS THAT SPIRITUAL HEALTH BRINGS ABOUT PHYSICAL HEALTH AND NOT JUST FOR THE PATIENT'S BUT THE LOVED ONES OF THE PATIENT. AND THE PERSON WHO HAS STUDY AFTER STUDY ON THIS IS DR. HAROLD CAN EGG. IT MEANS KING IN GERMAN BUT DR. DR. HAROLD AT THE DUKE UNIVERSITY AND IF YOU JUST GOOGLE HIM, SO MANY OF HIS ARTICLES AND DOES PRAYER HELP AND HEALING. PUT THAT IN GOOGLE AND JUST PUT IT IN THERE AND YOU WILL COME UP WITH A BUNCH OF ARTICLES. SO THE IDEA WOULD BE TO SORT OF FIRST SAY, HEY, PRAYER REALLY HELPS, NOT JUST THE PEOPLE WE ARE VISITING AND ANYTHING AND FRIENDS AND ET CETERA AND PART OF THE HEALING PROCESS. NUMBER TWO, DON'T DO IN EITHER ORDEAL. DO A BOTH AND DEAL SO GET NATIONAL PARTICIPATION. IF YOU WANT TO REDUCE THE CHAPEL A LITTLE BIT, GREAT. DON'T GET RID OF THE CHAPEL. THAT WILL BRING IN A LOT MORE PEOPLE THAN THE MEDITATION ROOM. THAT HAS BEEN PROVEN AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN BUT IF YOU MAKE IT GENERIC NOBODY USES IT. IT HAS NO MEANING SPECIFICALLY. >> AND YOU WOULD THINK THERE SHOULD BE A CHAPEL WITH THE BLESSED SACRAMENT RESERVED. >> Father Spitzer: ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY. I TRIED TO USE THE MORE GENERIC ARGUMENT. WE DON'T WANT TO BE DOGMATIC. >> WE DON'T -- LET'S GET ON TO THE TOPICS YOU HAVE BEEN WRITING ABOUT, SATAN, DEAR FATHER SPITZER, IS SATAN ABLE TO HEAR WHAT WE SAY IN THE CONFESSIONAL? I THINK TEMPTATION WOULD BE -- >> HE'S GOT A LOT OF EXPOSURE HERE THEY ARE AND EVERYWHERE. SO HE WOULD KNOW WHAT TO CONFESS BUT I WILL TELL YOU ONE THING FOR HIM TO HEAR IT IS PURE TORMENT. BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE THING THAT YOU ARE SAYING, YOU ARE BEING REDEEMED FROM. AND HE JUST CAN'T STAND IT. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THE HOLY EUCHARIST AND THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION ARE THE TWO WORST NIGHTMARES HE HAS. >> BASED ON THE CONFESSIONAL, IT IS NOT PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. >> Father Spitzer: EXACTLY. I DON'T THINK THEY ARE HANGING OUT THERE. HE PRETTY MUCH KNOWS YOU ARE BEING FREED, AND PROTECTING FROM THE SENSE AND HE DOESN'T WANT TO HANG OUT THERE AND YES, HE PROBABLY COULD IF HE WANTED TO. >> OKAY, WE WILL TAKE A BREAK AND WITH THAT SAID MORE FROM FATHER SPITZER AS WE ENTER AGAIN AFTER THE SHORT BREAK. STAY WITH US. [THEME MUSIC] [THEME MUSIC] >> WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU STAYING WITH US "FATHER SPITZER'S UNIVERSE," "THE DEVIL IS REAL" IS THE TOPIC AS WE CONTINUE WITH THE FATHER SPOKE. BUT BEFORE THAT A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS TO GET INTO THIS PROGRAM. WHAT DID SATAN DO THAT GOD WOULD NOT FORGIVE HIM? IS IT POSSIBLE TO REPENT AND BE FORGIVEN? >> I WOULD SAY TWO THINGS, NUMBER ONE, HE WAS DESIROUS OF BEING COMPLETELY FREE OF GOD AND HIS INFLUENCE. NOW, REMEMBER HE'S DOING THAT WITH A KIND OF ANGELIC INTELLIGENCE AND ANGELIC FREEDOM. SO WE HAS ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE TO ACTUALLY WILL SOMETHING FOR AN ETERNITY IN A SPLIT SECOND. SO THAT IS THE KIND OF KNOWLEDGE AND THE KIND OF FREEDOM THAT ANGELS HAVE. NOW, WHAT HE DID WAS HE BASICALLY SAID WHAT JOHN MILTON SAID, "BETTER TO SPEND AN ETERNITY IN HELL WITHOUT GOD THAN SPEND ONE SECOND IN HEAVEN SUBSERVIENT TO HIM." SO THE IDEA THAT THERE IS, I DON'T WANT ANYTHING -- I'M NOT SAYING THIS BUT LUCIFER IS SAYING THIS. HE DOESN'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH GOD. AND SO BASICALLY AT THAT JUNCTURE, HE IS SAYING IT WITH ANGELIC FREEDOM THAT GOES FOR AN ETERNITY. SO HE IS THE ONE THAT SEPARATED HIMSELF FROM GOD. AND WHAT IS HELL ESSENTIALLY BUT SEPARATION FROM GOD. HE IS GETTING WHAT HE ANGELICALLY WILL. SO IT'S NOT THAT GOD SORT OF SAID, WHAT CAN I DO TO PUNISH LUCIFER FOR ETERNITY? LUCIFER WANTED TO BE SEPARATED FROM GOD FOR ETERNITY KNOWING FULL WELL THAT THE SEPARATION FROM GOD WOULD MAKE HIM UNHAPPY. WOULD FILL UP WITH EMPTINESS AND ALIENATION, LONELINESS FROM THE SEPARATION FROM GOD. BUT HE WANTED TO ENDURE THAT SO THAT HE COULD DOMINATE OTHERS IN. IN OTHER WORDS, HE WANTED TO BE THE DOMINANT INFLUENCE. HE WANTED TO BE AS IT WERE "GOD UNTO HIMSELF" WITH A SMALL LITURGY UNTO HIMSELF. HE PREFERRED THAT, TO TORMENT PEOPLE AND TO EXERT POWER OVER PEOPLE. THAT WAS HIS HAPPINESS AND PLEASURE. MUCH MORE THAN BEING IN FEAR WITH THE LOVE AND THE JOY OF GOD AND THE RELATIONSHIP IN LOVE WITH THE BLESSED AND HAVE BEEN. HE REJECTS IT ALL. HE WANTS CONTROL. HE WANTS POWER. AND SO, IN A SPLIT SECOND, "I WILL BE SEPARATED FROM YOU SO I CAN BE ME WITHOUT YOU." AND AFTER THAT GOD SAID "OKAY, GO AHEAD, DO WHAT YOU WILL." SO HE PLUMMETS INTO HELL OF HIS OWN ACCORD AND HIS OWN WILL. AND OF COURSE, GOD GIVES HIM WHAT HE WANTS AND THE FREEDOM THAT HE HAS CREATED LUCIFER WITH. >> ASSUMING THAT SATAN IS NOT HAPPY BEING MISERABLE. >> Father Spitzer: NO, HE'S NOT. THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF PARADISE LOST IN THE HELL SCENE WHEN THE DEVILS ARE DOWN THERE IN HELL. BASICALLY, SATAN IS TRYING TO BUCK UP HIS FELLOW DEVILS AND TRY TO GET THEM, OKAY, I KNOW IT IS GLOOMY DOWN HERE AND BAD, BUT HEY, THINK OF IT THIS WAY, WE DON'T HAVE TO -- WE GET TO BE OUR OWN BOSSES EVEN THOUGH MISERABLE. IT SETS OUT EXACTLY THE WHOLE POINT. I WANT TO BE BOSS OF MYSELF SO BAD. I WANT TO BE MY OWN GOD SO BAD. I WILL ENDURE GLOOM AND MISERY FOREVER. THAT IS THE BIZARRE CHOICE. >> THAT PRIOR TO. >> Father Spitzer: THAT PRIDE, THAT PRIDE. APPEARED THAT AUTONOMY. >> NEXT QUESTION SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TOPIC, DEAR FATHER, I HAVE HEARD THAT THERE ARE LEVELS OF BEATITUDES IN HEAVEN OR LEVELS OF HEAVEN. IF EVERYONE IS PERFECTLY HAPPY AT THE SAME LEVEL, WHY WOULD WE PURSUE HOLINESS WITH INTENSITY AND LIFE RATHER THAN DOING THE MINIMUM TRYING TO AVOID SIN? JOE. >> Father Spitzer: JOE I'M NOT A BIG BELIEVER OF THE LEVELS IN HEAVEN. I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE AND EVEN SAINTS THAT TALK ABOUT LEVELS IN HEAVEN. BUT I TRULY BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE REACH BEATITUDES COME I THINK WE ARE ABLE TO REACH IT WITH A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE. I DO BELIEVE WHEN I GET TO HEAVEN, I WILL HAVE ACCESS TO GOD LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WHO GETS TO HAPPEN AND THAT ACCESS TO GOD AND HIS LOVE. I ALSO BELIEVE I WILL HAVE ACCESS TO EVERYBODY IN HEAVEN AND THERE WILL BE PEOPLE THAT WON'T BE ALSO SO HIGH THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST NOT A BIG BELIEVER IN IT. SO, I JUST THINK THAT THE REASON WE WANT TO BE HOLY US BECAUSE WE WANT TO SPARE OURSELVES THE PREDATION AFTER THIS -- PERDITION AFTER THIS LIFE. I DON'T WANT TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN PURGATORY. I KNOW I WILL SPEND SOME TIME BECAUSE I AM BY NO MEANS PERFECT ON MY FREEDOM IS BY NO MEANS TRANSPARENTLY ORIENTED TOWARDS GOD. I KNOW THAT. I'VE GOT A LOT OF EGO IN ME, SELFISHNESS AND MAKE HIM A LETTER BANALITY AND MEET ET CETERA, ET CETERA. I KNOW AND I'VE GOT A LOT OF IMPATIENCE AND ME AND A LOT OF UNLEAVENED ME SO BASICALLY I KNOW AND WILL PROBABLY HAVE HAD SOME TIME, BUT I WILL TRY TO FOLLOW CHRIST'S PATH AS ASSIDUOUSLY AS I CAN APPEAR TO BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO DO IN THE NEXT LIFE. I LIKE TO GET IT DONE NOW. AND SO, MY THOUGHT IS FOLLOW THE PATH TO HOLINESS. FOLLOW IT AS DISTINCTIVELY, INTENSE DEGREES AS YOU CAN. BECAUSE THE MORE YOU INVEST IN THAT HOLINESS NOW, THE MORE YOU FOR YOUR WILL NOW TO JUST HANG ON TO GOD AND TO DETACH YOURSELF FROM EGO AND DETACH YOURSELF FROM ALL OF THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD. I TELL YOU AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU WILL NOT REGRET ONE SECOND OF IT. BECAUSE ALL OF THAT IS LEADING TO YOUR ALMOST VERY SHORT JOURNEY INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. SO, YOU KNOW, DO IT NOW OR DO IT LATER. PREFERABLY, DO IT NOW. YOU DON'T WANT TO DRAG IT OUT, THAT IS FOR SURE. SO, BE HOLY AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS HOLY AND THAT MEANS BE COMPASSIONATE AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS COMPASSIONATE. BE HUMBLE AND TRY TO PRACTICE THOSE BEATITUDES LIKE THE SAINTS. >> RIGHT AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE TALENTS GIVING BACK WHAT HE GAVE YOU IS NOT A GOOD IDEA OF TIME. YOU CAN'T JUST TRYING TO BE MAKING THE CUT, AS THEY SAY, YOU KNOW? >> Father Spitzer: EXACTLY. >> DEAR FATHER SPITZER AFTER ADAM ANY DESCENDANT OF THE GARDEN THEY BLAMED EACH OTHER AND IF THEY HAD OWNED UP AND ASK GOD'S FORGIVENESS COULD THEY HAVE REMAINED HIM PARADISE? COULD THIS HAVE AFFORDED A NEED FOR A SAVIOR? SUZANNE. >> SUZANNE, WE DON'T WANT TO AVOID THE NEED FOR A SAVIOR BECAUSE REMEMBER WHAT THE CHURCH BECAUSE OF THEIR SIN, WE GOT JESUS. SO WHEN JESUS CAME GOD LIKE REMEDIED ADAMS AND EVE'S SIN BY GIVING A SUPERABUNDANCE IN JESUS, HIS OWN SON. WHICH LED TO THE SACRAMENTS, WHICH LED, OF COURSE, TO THE CHURCH MODE WHICH LED TO THE PATH OF SALVATION, WHICH LED TO THE WORDS, HIS MORAL TEACHING THAT LEAD TO LIFE, ET CETERA. SO ALL OF THESE THINGS, RIGHT, WE GOT ALL OF IT BECAUSE OF THE SIN OF ADAM ANY. WE WENT AHEAD. SO THAT IS WHY WE SAY OH, HAPPY FAULT OF ADAM. SO THE FIRST THING, WE WANT A SAVIOR WE WANT JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD TO BE OUR SAVIOR. AND WE DON'T EVER WANT TO AVOID THAT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM. GETTING BACK TO YOUR REAL QUESTION, BILL, COULD WE HAVE AVOIDED OUR CODE THE SIN OF ADAM OR THE GUILT OR THE CULPABILITY OR THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE SIN OF ADAM HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THEY JUST OWNED UP? THE ANSWER IS, "NO," THAT WOULD NOT HAVE DONE THE TRICK EVEN IF YOU OWN UP TO YOUR OWN SIN. THEY STILL COMMITTED THE SIN IN AN ACT OF FREEDOM, WHICH IS IN ITSELF SEPARATION FROM GOD. IT NEEDS TO BE HEALED. SO UNFORTUNATELY, NO, OWNING UP WOULDN'T DO THE TRICK. SO ANYWAY, THAT IS THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION. >> OKAY, VERY GOOD. LET'S MOVE ON TO PRICE VERSUS SEGMENT DAILY LIVES PAGE 140 IS WHERE WE KIND OF ENDED OFF. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT FOREWARNED IS FOREARMED. YOU SAY IT IS THE DIMENSION OF EVIL AND I INTEND TO BRING UP IN THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT IS FREQUENTLY IGNORED, HOW SO? >> Father Spitzer: I'M SORRY -- >> DIMENSION OF EVIL WHICH JESUS URGENTLY CONCERNED I INTEND TO BRING UP IN THIS BOOK PRECISELY BECAUSE IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE DEMONS AND THESE THINGS. WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS? >> Father Spitzer: EXACTLY. SO, THAT IS THE WHOLE FOREWARNED. IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE REALLY UP AGAINST, YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST, YOU WON'T TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AND YOU WILL LAUGH IT ALL OFF. WHEN YOU ARE LAUGHING AT ALL OFF, YOU GIVE YOURSELF OVER TO THE POWER OF THE EVIL SPIRIT. THE MORE YOU ARE LAUGHING, THE MORE HE'S LAUGHING AT YOU. THE MORE YOU ARE LAUGHING ABOUT THE SILLINESS, BELIEVING INTO DEMONIC THINGS, THE SILLINESS OF BELIEVING IN EVIL, EVERYTHING IS JUST FINE. EVERYTHING IS EQUALLY GOOD. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THESE THINGS. WELL, YOU DO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THESE THINGS. YES, IT IS NOT JUST A GOOD THING BUT IT CAN ALSO BE AN EVIL THING, SEX, IF USED IN THE WRONG WAYS TO DO WRONG THINGS TO EXPLOIT PEOPLE, TO EXALT YOURSELF AND TO USE OTHER PEOPLE AS OBJECTS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. ALL OF THESE CLICHES THAT WE HAVE, THEY ARE ALL KIND OF LIKE LAUGHING OFF THE WHOLE IDEA OF AN APPROPRIATENESS AND A GOODNESS THAT IS INTRINSIC TO THINGS THAT WE BASICALLY REDUCED TO BIOLOGY SAY IN THE CASE OF SEXUALITY, MASTERS AND JOHNSON AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT THE KEY THING IS AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE NOT LAUGHING OFF ANYTHING IF WE REALLY KNOW THE POWER OF THE PERSON WHO REALLY WANTS TO GET US AND HE DOESN'T WANT TO GET YOU. I CAN ASSURE YOU I HAVE SEEN THE POWER OF THAT GUY THAT WANTS TO GET YOU. HE MEANS BUSINESS. HIS WHOLE OBJECTIVE IS TO SEDUCE YOU INTO HELL. OF COURSE HE TRIES TO CLOAK HIMSELF AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR ACTIONS. OF COURSE HE'S TRYING TO MAKE EVERYTHING LOOK LIKE HONEY. OF COURSE HE'S TRYING TO MAKE EVERYTHING LOOK BEAUTIFUL AND SO FORTH AND SO ON, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT HE'S DOING IS PREACHING SEPARATION FROM GOD. WHAT HE IS PREACHING IS TRASH WITH RELATIONSHIP WITH DIVINE LOVER AND YOU THINK THE BELOVED OF HIM TRYING TO TRASH THAT RELATIONSHIP AND HE'S TRYING TO GET YOU TO DO IT IN YOUR OWN FREEDOM SO THAT YOU WILL COME UNDER HIS POWER AND SO THAT HE CAN DOMINATE YOU. WHEN HE DOMINATES YOU, HE CAN USE YOU LIKE A. OF COURSE, HE PROMISES YOU THESE LITTLE THINGS COME OKAY, YOU GET A LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE HERE AND THERE WERE YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF POWER THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE WITH YOUR LITTLE CASTING OF SPELLS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE HAND. BUT YOU PAY THE PRICE FOR ALL OF IT. YOU PAID THE ETERNAL PRICE FOR ALL OF IT. THE ETERNAL AND HAPPINESS BECAUSE SEPARATION FROM GOD IS A HORRIBLE THING, INDEED. I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE THE CONSEQUENCES ARE REALLY HIGH AND YOU HAVE FREEDOM. OF COURSE, I KNOW I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR HERE BECAUSE I'M PREACHING TO THE EWTN AUDIENCE. BUT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO ASSOCIATE WITH THEIR FRIENDS OR FAMILY AND GETTING VERY LAX DAYS AGO, HEY, TELL THEM PLEASE READ CHAPTER THREE OF HIS BOOK AND THAT WILL CURE YOU OF BEING LACKADAISICAL IF YOU HAVE THAT SENSITIVITY. DON'T JUST DENY IT BUT READ THE FACTS AND READ THE DIARY AND ARCHIVAL INFORMATION THAT HAPPENED. JUST READ DR. RICHARD GALLAGHER'S BOOK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THESE THINGS. I THINK THESE ARE VERY RELIABLE AND GOOD, FACTUAL SOURCES WITH GOOD OBSERVATIONAL DATA. TAKE A LOOK. >> YOU SAY THE DEVIL LIKE THE TERRORIST WILL NOT GO AWAY IF YOU IGNORE HIM. PUTTING OUR HANDS IN FRONT OF OUR EYES INSISTING YOU CAN'T SEE ME IS A HIGHLY INEFFECTIVE STRATEGY FOR CONTENDING WITH AND EVEN REMARKABLE INTELLIGENCE AND CRUELTY. SO WHAT KIND OF STRATEGY IS EFFECTIVE? ONE THAT RECOGNIZES THE PRESENCE OF SPIRITUAL EVIL. >> Father Spitzer: FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST AS HIS WORDS ARE INTERPRETED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. THAT IS YOUR STRATEGY. AND THEN IF YOU DO THAT, GO TO CONFESSION AND EUCHARIST OFTEN. IF YOU DID THAT, YOU ARE GOING TO BE FINE. YOU ARE FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST AND YOU ARE GOING TO MASS, GOING TO CONFESSION, TRYING TO BE COMPASSIONATE TO YOUR NEIGHBORS. I'M TELLING YOU, YOU ARE MOVING RIGHT INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. SATAN IS SO POWERLESS. OF COURSE, HE CAN STILL COME AND SORT OF TRY TO HAUNT YOU AND TEMPT YOU INTO ALL KINDS OF THINGS AND GIVE YOU A NIGHTMARE OR TWO OR FEELINGS OF UNCERTAINTY AND SO FORTH AND SO ON. OF COURSE, AND WRESTLE WITH EVIL SPIRITS, THEY WERE WAY BEYOND HIS POWER. BUT OF COURSE, HE WANTS TO MAKE LIFE MISERABLE. AND HE CAN DO THAT IF GOD AND PERMISSIVE WILL ALLOWS HIM TO DO THAT. SO, NO PROBLEM. BUT THE POINT IS, THAT IS NOT GOING TO AFFECT YOU IF YOU ARE A SAINT LIKE PETER. AS IT WERE, JUST TOSS IT OFF. THEY DON'T CARE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY KNOW WHO IS IN CHARGE, GOD IS IN CHARGE. JUST REMEMBER, YOU WANT A GOOD STRATEGY, FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST AS HIS WORDS ARE INTERPRETED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND RECEIVE THE SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH HE INSTITUTED, ESPECIALLY BAPTISM FOR SURE, BUT THE HOLY EUCHARIST AND THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION. IF YOU DO THAT AND YOU ARE COMPASSIONATE TO THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU AND YOU TRY TO CULTIVATE THAT HEART OF CHRIST, THEN I'M TELLING YOU AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU WILL BE VERY CLOSE TO HIM. YOU WILL EAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE TO HEAVEN. YOU WILL BE THE WORST ENEMY SATAN EVER HAD AND YOU WILL ACTUALLY DO A LOT OF GOOD FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE NOT JUST YOURSELF AND THAT WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE AND A REALLY, REALLY GOOD LIFE ON THIS EARTH. >> YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR REFERENCE C.S. LEWIS AND FAMOUS WORK AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS INTERESTING CONSIDERING WHEN HE WROTE THIS, IT TALKS ABOUT THE LIFE FORCE, THE WORSHIP OF SEX AND PSYCHOANALYSIS MAY HE PROVE USEFUL. IF ONCE WE HAVE A PERFECT WORK, THE MATERIALIST MAGICIAN, BUT WORSHIPING WHAT HE VAGUELY CALLS THE FORCES WHILE DENYING THE EXISTENCE OF SPIRITS. >> Father Spitzer: SO THE WHOLE IDEA C.S. LEWIS DEFINITELY A PRESCIENT MAN BUT OF COURSE, HE IS DEFINITELY MOVING INTO THE ROLE OF SCREWTAPE. SCREWTAPE, THE UNCLE AND SOME ADVICE THAT WILL BE HELPFUL SO WHAT DOES HE BRING UP FIRST AND GET THEM THINKING ABOUT FORCE INSTEAD OF SPIRITS. IF YOU THINK ABOUT COURSE, IT DEPERSONALIZE IS. >> MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU, FATHER. >> Father Spitzer: THE FORCE BE WITH YOU, DEPERSONALIZE. BUT THE SPIRIT -- EXACTLY, SPIRITS HAVE NOT BE PERSONALIZED. AND THAT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. BECAUSE YOUR ENEMY IS NOT JUST A FORCE. YOUR ENEMY IS A AS A PERSONALITY AND INTELLIGENCE AND HE CAN INTERACT WITH YOU AS SUCH. SO THAT IS THE FIRST THING, YOU DON'T WANT TO DEPERSONALIZE THE DEVIL. THE DEVIL'S STRATEGY IS OF COURSE TO DEPERSONALIZE HIMSELF. THE SECOND THING THAT IS GOING ON IN TERMS OF SCREWTAPE'S ADVICE IS HE WANTS TO MOVE THE PATIENT, THE PERSON WORMWOOD IS TRYING TO ATTEMPT. HE'S TRYING TO MOVE HIM TO GREATER AND GREATER MATERIALISM. I THINK IT WAS LAST WEEK'S SHOW OR SOMETHING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MATERIALISM AND THIS TIME, TALKING ABOUT ATHEISM BEING MATERIALISTIC AND WHAT IT DOES APPEAR THE MORE THAT EVIL SPIRITS CAN MOVE US TOWARDS MATERIALISM, RIGHT, SO A DENIAL OF SPIRITS FROM THEIR VANTAGE POINT OF THERE IS MATTER ALONE AND YOU DON'T HAVE A SOUL. EXACTLY, YOU CAN ACTUALLY TAKE AWAY THE NOTION OF FREEDOM AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY TAKE AWAY THE NOTION OF ULTIMATE ETERNAL IDENTITY. YOU CAN TAKE AWAY THE NOTION OF BEING RESPONSIBLE TO SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF YOURSELF TO A MORAL ORDER THAT IS BEYOND YOURSELF. YOU CAN TAKE AND COMPLETELY DE-GUT CONSCIOUS. IT IS JUST REMARKABLE WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU COULD JUST TO SPIRITUALIZE PEOPLE. THE SPIRITUAL IS EVIL, DO YOU SPIRITUALIZE THE WORLD AND THEN COME OF COURSE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY, YOU HAVE THE DEVIL HAS THE PATIENT IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND. >> RIGHT, AND HE GOES ON TO SAY AND THIS IS SCREWTAPE "IF ANY SUSPICION OF YOUR EXISTENCE BEGINS TO ARISE AND A PICTURE OF SOMETHING IN RED TIGHTS AND PERSUADE HIM THAT SINCE HE CANNOT BELIEVE IN THAT OLD TEXTBOOK OF CONFUSING HIM HE CANNOT BELIEVE IN YOU. >> Father Spitzer: EXACTLY. THE IDEA OF THE RED TIGHTS COME OF COURSE THE CARTOON FIGURE FOR THE DEVIL HAS RED TIGHTS AND HE'S GOT TWO HORNS AND A PITCHFORK AND LOOKS LIKE A COMIC BOOK FIGURE AND IF SCREWTAPE TOLLS WORMWOOD, HE WILL SAY TO MYSELF I CAN'T BELIEVE IN THAT. BUT THE DEVIL IS NOT THAT. THE DEVIL IS OUTRAGEOUSLY INTELLIGENT, POWERFUL SPIRIT THAT GOD KEEPS IN CHECK THROUGH OUR FAITH IN HIM AND OUR BELIEF IN THE SACRAMENTS AND OUR BELIEF IN THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS. HE KEEPS THE DEVIL IN CHECK. SO THE IDEA IS, OF COURSE, THE DEVIL CAN JUST CONVINCE US THAT HE DOESN'T EXIST, THAT HE'S A COMIC BOOK FIGURE THAT CAN BE EASILY DENIED, IF HE CAN DEPERSONALIZE HIMSELF AND JUST CALL HIMSELF AS IT WERE A FORCE. IT WOULD MAKE THE PATIENT BELIEVE IN MATERIALISM CRUDE MATERIALISM THAT DENIES HIS OWN SOUL AND SPIRITUAL LIFE AND DENIES GOD HIMSELF, ET CETERA. WHY, HE WINS, HE WINS THE BATTLE IMMEDIATELY. YOU WILL DO ANYTHING THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR SOUL WITH YOUR ULTIMATE PURPOSE. HE HAS DETACHED YOU FROM YOUR ULTIMATE PURPOSE. HE HAS DETACHED YOU FROM YOUR CONSCIENCE. HE HAS DETACHED YOU FROM EVERYTHING. ONCE YOU ARE DETACHED FROM EVERYTHING, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT. YOU CAN GO AFTER ANY PLEASURE YOU WANT AND EGOCENTRICITY YOU WANT, NO MATTER HOW MUCH HARM IT CAUSES TO SOMEBODY AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU ARE USING SOMEBODY, NO MATTER HOW MUCH HARM YOU ARE DOING TO YOURSELF, IT IS ALL OKAY BECAUSE EAT, DRINK, BE MERRY. FOR TOMORROW YOU WILL DIE. YOU HAVE NO SOUL AND THERE ARE NO SPIRITUAL CONSEQUENCES OF ANYTHING. THERE ARE NO ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES OF ANYTHING. THERE IS NO SPIRITUAL WORLD. AND THAT, OF COURSE IS HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE IT IS NOT JUST FALSE. IT IS SO EVIL THAT IT WILL LEAVE LEAD YOU TO EVIL. >> THE CLOSING MINUTES LET'S TALK ABOUT DEMONIC POSSESSION. THE DEMONIC SPIRITS INHABITS A PERSON'S BODY BUT NOT HIS SOUL. YOU MENTIONED THIS BEFORE. WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT TO KNOW? >> BASICALLY IF THE DEVIL CAN'T GET AFTER -- IF THE DEVIL CANNOT GET AFTER YOUR SOUL, THE DEVIL CAN'T GET AFTER YOUR FREEDOM. HE CANNOT COMPEL YOU TO DO SOMETHING OR TO BECOME SOMEONE. AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BLOCK YOUR SOUL AS IT WERE FROM COMMUNICATING THROUGH YOUR BODY SO HE CAN ACTUALLY SORT OF TAKE OVER YOUR BODY. HE CAN TAKE OVER EVEN YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND. HE CAN TAKE OVER YOUR IMAGINATION. HE CAN SPEAK THROUGH YOUR MOUTH, BUT HE'S NOT THOUGHT YOU. YOUR SOUL, GOD PROTECTS THAT. YOUR SOUL IS COMPLETELY PROTECTED BY GOD FROM HIM. NOW, HE CAN MAKE IT LOOK LIKE HE HAS CONTROL OVER YOUR SOUL, BUT REMEMBER EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO IS POSSESSED, HE IS NOT POSSESSED ALL THE TIME HERE AND HE GOES OUT OF THAT POSSESSION OR HE GOES OUT OF THE TRANCELIKE STATE WHERE SHE GOES OUT AT THE TRANCELIKE STATE AND BECOMES ABSOLUTELY NORMAL AGAIN, ROBBIE MANNHEIM FOR THREE HOURS AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE EYES ROLL BACK IN THE HEAD, TRANCELIKE STATE STARTS IN THE VOICE CHANGES IN TENOR, PITCH, ET CETERA, ET CETERA AND THE DEVIL TAKES OVER THE SUBCONSCIOUS AGAIN BUT TAKES OVER EVEN PARTS OF THE BRAIN AGAIN, BUT NOT YOUR SOUL, NOT YOUR FREE WILL, NOT YOUR CONNECTION WITH GOD, THAT REMAINS COMPLETELY INTACT AND HE CAN'T TOUCH IT BECAUSE THAT IS GOD'S WILL. >> VERY GOOD. ON THAT NOTE AT LEAST. WE SHALL END THE PROGRAM FOR THIS WEEK. FATHER, IF YOU WILL GIVE US YOUR BLESSING ON THE WAY OUT THE DOOR, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> Father Spitzer: ABSOLUTELY BOW YOUR HEADS AND PRAY FOR GOD'S BLESSING. AND IN THIS ADVENT SEASON, MAY THE LORD GIVE YOU A STRONGER AND DEEPER KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT HAS COME INTO THE WORLD WHEN HIS SON CAME INTO THE WORLD. THE ETERNAL LIFE THAT HE HAS GIVEN YOU. THE PROTECTION FROM EVIL THAT HE HAS GIVEN YOU. THE SACRAMENTS THAT KEEP YOU IN CONNECTION WITH HIM THAT HE HAS GIVEN YOU. EVERYTHING THAT HE HAS GIVEN YOU THAT MAKES CHRIST JESUS THE BEST GIFT WE COULD EVER HAVE BEEN GIVEN AT CHRISTMAS TIME, ALMIGHTY GOD BLESS YOU WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE AND THE POWER AND THE FREEDOM TO ACT UPON IT IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AMEN. >> AMEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FATHER SPITZER. WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK AND TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT CHRISTMAS. THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US. NEXT WEEK WE WILL CONTINUE WITH OUR PROGRAM, BUT AGAINST THE FATHER WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT CHRISTMAS, EWTN BOOKMARK TO "LIVING JOY: 9 RULES TO HELP YOU REDISCOVER AND LIVE JOY EVERY DAY" WITH CHRIS STEFANICK, CHECK THAT OUT. TO CELEBRATE ADVENT CHRISTMAS SEASON, WHOLE LOT OF SPECIAL PROGRAMMING INCLUDING MASSES, CONCERT, PROGRAMS FOR KIDS AND CHILDREN. CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE EWTN.com FOR SHOWS AND TIMES AND OF COURSE IN YOUR TIME ZONE. ALSO, DON'T FORGET ABOUT EWTN ONDEMAND, AND WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK AT "FATHER SPITZER'S UNIVERSE". [THEME MUSIC]
