Daibhe Baker: Old-time religion vs. political correctness – Ocala

By Daibhe BakerSpecial to the Star-Banner

Fullness of Truth was the theme of a weekend conference held by Catholic Evangelization Ministries during Lent in Corpus Christi, Texas, on March 4-5. The focus of its seminars was to coordinate efforts to reverse the swing of the pendulum of the political correctness movement, which has undermined much of the conservative ideology that formed the core of our parents generations moral value system; and to reestablish the practice of modeling the example of the Holy Family unit in our homes and communities on a daily basis.

The family unit is the basic DNA that enables human society to establish ethical and moral standards in our culture, and has facilitated the logical development of Christian civilization on this blue water world, circling a modest star, two-thirds of the way out along a spiral arm of this rather average galaxy we call the Milky Way.

From the mists of antiquity, our civilization has emerged from its humble origins, through a continuing series of challenges from sinister foreign elements that have called upon rough men to stand watch through the night and to defend the borders of our ancestors historic lands like when a few good men stood in the pass at Thermopylae, four centuries before the Magi visited the little town of Bethlehem.

When Ive been asked my religion (for the record), when entering critical care units at hospitals, or having applied for visas to countries that require such information, my typical answer has always been, Greco-Roman Catholic. Which, if examined closely, would likely cause your priest to brand me as a heretic who, during the Middle Ages, would have been burned at the stake. But, during the past 50-plus years that I have been replying thus, my definition has so far passed the muster of all those inquiring minds who asked.

I believe the origins of the early Christian Church were created as a result of St. Paul incorporating the teachings of Jesus into the pre-existing logic-train of philosophical beliefs that were held by congregations in those cities in the Roman Empire whose populations were ethnically Greek, i.e. most of the New Testament, after its first four Gospels.

The unique element of this Christian life-path model was that women were not considered, nor treated, as chattel, as is common among so many foreign credos. Rrather, our Christian family unit is a partnership of co-equals, each sharing a common vision, but with separate spheres of personal responsibility in the union.

Man (an alpha male) is the provider of sustenance for and the protector of woman and child, even to the extent it may require him to sacrifice his own life, as a last resort.

Woman, on the other hand, gives birth to and nurtures Child thru infancy and beyond, creating the next generation of life as we know it, and ensuring the future continuation of our culture, our Christian civilization and our God (consisting of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit).

My observation of the current Political Correctness movement, in both America and Europe, indicates it is focused upon implementing constraints and regulations intended to domesticate and tame those aggressive instincts and tendencies that have fostered the natural, God-given behavior pattern of alpha males, since mortals first walked, talked and made love with gods on Mount Olympus.

Further, I believe the recent emphasis by the Political Correctness movement, celebrating and encouraging acceptance of the moral standards of the LGBTQ community, is clearly accelerating the decline of Americas historical Olde Time Religious value system. And it is effectively neutering our cultures supply of alpha males by reducing our young men to the status of relatively impotent, beta males, more commonly referred to as metrosexuals in politically correct social circles in this country and Europe.

[Refer to the CBS-TV series Blue Bloods.] The family dinnertime experience of my youth (Im 78), held at a fixed time each work day, has become lost, as extracurricular activities, sports and societal expectations for women to pursue heretofore male career paths have replaced the professional homemaker, which our mothers considered their first calling.

Our mothers taught their daughters homemaking skills. For example, when fathers came home from work each day no squalling babies, no Hi, Daddy greetings from pre-adolescents and no short-shorts, pedal pushers, jeans nor housecleaning attire was worn. If possible, fathers first activity was either to shower and change into clean clothes, or at least freshen up. Mother would always wear either a dress or skirt and make-up, and would meet father in the parlor or den, and the next 15 to 20 minutes was their time to review their day privately. Only after this parents conference would the whole family unit sit down at a formally set table, say grace and discuss mutual topics of interest while eating.

That was the way it was. (An olde ethnic wives tale said, If Stanislaw has something to come home to, he wont sit in a bar and drink.) And the Fullness of Truth seminars reminded us, Olde Time Religion taught us that families that pray together and eat together, stay together.

Daibhe Baker is a retired engineer and serves on the Star-Banners Readers Advisory Board. He lives in Dunnellon.

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Daibhe Baker: Old-time religion vs. political correctness - Ocala