This CNN reports on an emerging story where a mother gave birth to octuplets, and the ensuing questions and debates on the religious, economic, moral and social issues that has resulted. At heart is that the single mom had been artificially implanted with the embryos, and had previously 6 other children.

Raising 14 children in an affluent household with 2 parents is a challenge, and that's what is most alarming of this story. The mom stays with her parents, and the grandparents are all ready on record of being against the new additions. Clearly not an ideal situation to raise children, and wish more adults would seriously think of the consequences on the child.

What's also saddening is the quick thought of using abortion to "fix" the problem ... what needs fixing is immature or arguably even mentally imbalanced adults who require very strong counseling, but instead a greedy infertility clinic went ahead with the implantation.

Let us all pray for all involved as this story continues to develop.

Catholic vote video

A new Catholic website intended to inform and unite the Catholic electorate in America had it's debut (abortion-related) ad rejected for Super bowl airing by NBC. Whatever one's views on abortion may be, the profound nature of this video is evident.

Charles Darwin's Marriage...of Science and Religion

from LA Times

He was too honest. He told Emma of his doubts about the veracity of the Bible and of his growing skepticism about religion. Emma said she would marry him anyway. She prized his candor, and she knew he was a good and moral man. But in a letter she sent him soon after their engagement, she told him that she was sad that "our opinions on the most important subject should differ widely."

It turns out that Charles Darwin himself was married to a pious Christian woman, Emma Darwin (news to me, at least). What IS surprising to me though is that evolution theory has caused so many to doubt and reject belief in God. It's almost as if God is rejected if He does not fit in our a priori definitions of Him. Part of me believes if the Orthodox Tradition were available in the West at the time, the emphasis on a God existing beyond understanding would soften the shock of this kind of science. Our sort of mystical theology emphasizes that God stands within and without creation as the author of creation.

Granted, I am not completely embracing the theory of evolution as true. The movement to completely discount any serious study into disproving certain elements of evolution is a travesty. For more information on this, I recommend Ben Stein's recent movie Expelled as well as the Politically Incorrect Guide to Science by Tom Bethel. Whatever the actual means of creation are, we will certainly never show for sure. How can you prove events of the past with 100% certainty? Regardless, the author, mover, and holder of all things is eternally the Lord.

-Steve K.

Ancient church found in Syria

BBC reports that a 1500 year-old church has been unearthed in the ancient city of Palmyra, in central Syria.



You mean ancient churches were built in Synagogue-like fashion and had chancels?? Who knew?!

Pope Benedect XVI Channel on Youtube

I guess "Popetube" was a bad idea for a name.

full report

For the Vatican, it was the latest effort to keep up to speed with the rapidly changing field of communications and new media. For a 2,000-year-old institution known for being very set in its ways, it was something of a revolution.

At the same time, though, the pope warned he wasn't embracing virtual communication without some reservation.

...

But he also warned that virtual socializing had its risks, saying "obsessive" online networking could isolate people from real social interaction and broaden the digital divide by further marginalizing people.

And he urged producers of new media to ensure the content respected human dignity and the "goodness and intimacy of human sexuality."

The Church seems to usually be a step behind every new development of communication. I can understand in as much as not willing to fully jump into a trend before understanding its full ramifications. Inevitably though, every piece of mass media has been shown to be a useful opportunity to evangelize. The real genius then, will be the Evangelist who can jump on the NEXT big trend before it happens.

More Buddhists than Orthodox Christians

This survey by Pew Forum reports that there are more people who call themselves Buddhists than Orthodox in the United States.

A large part of this is arguably the lack of awareness and knowledge of the Orthodox Faith, which is one of the primary reasons for the significant opportunity in America to bring non-believers to the early, pre-denominational Church.

However, I wonder how many "Orthodox" Christians who are members of culturally based Churches are embarrassed to say they are Orthodox. We should take this as a reminder of the need for internal evangelizing especially within culturally closed communities.

Saints in the shortlist

BBC reports on a TV show that's causing quite a stir in Georgia:

"A row has erupted in Georgia after a TV show called Top Ten Best Georgians included 18 saints in its shortlist ... A spokesman for the patriarch, who is the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, said it was wrong to ask the public to put saints in rank order."

Are there canonical impediments to people favoring one saint over the other?