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The Georgia Bulletin
September 18,1980
The Moral Majority
BY MSGR. GEORGE G. HIGGINS
Columnist Nicholas von Hoffman delights
in irreverently baiting sacred cows.
Recently, he went after the
ultraconservative evangelical-political
movement, the Moral Majority, headed by a
TV evangelist, the Rev. Jerry Falwell.
Von Hoffman concedes that such TV
evangelists have a right to express their own
points of view on political issues. However,
he suspects their real aim is to gain control
of government and “make us practice their
religion.”
He objects. Theocracy and democracy, he
says, do not go well together. These
evangelists, “claiming to have an inside track
with Jesus ... have lost their immunity,” he
thinks.
I hesitate to state my reservations about
this movement as sharply as von Hoffman,
because of the ecumenical movement.
However, ecumenism will not be served if
those Catholics who disagree with Moral
Majority remain completely silent.
Accordingly, I shall list a few of my
serious disagreements with Mr. Falwell,
based on a careful reading of his book,
“Listen America!” - the official manifesto
of the Moral Majority.
On theological issues, let me simply note
that I am uneasy about the extremes to
which Mr. Falwell consistently goes in citing
isolated biblical texts to support his own
position on controversial public-policy
matters.
Von Hoffman is correct in saying that
this kind of biblical fundamentalism, when
used for partisan political purposes, leaves
no room for the “give and take rationality of
sane politics” in a pluralistic society.
I strongly disagree with Mr. Falwell on
national defense. His highly emotional
argument in favor of a massive build-up of
American armaments is almost
blood-curdling in its avowed hatred not only
of communism as a political system, but also
of communists as flesh and blood humans.
He says: “Ten years ago, we could have
destroyed much of the population of the
Soviet Union had we desired to fire our
missiles . . . ; the sad fact is that
today ... the United States would kill only
three to five percent of the Soviets because
of their antiballistic missiles and their civil
defense.”
To lament, in the name of biblical
religion, our real or alleged inability to kill
many Soviet civilians in the case of war turns
the message of the Gospel completely upside
down.
Mr. Falwell contends that the Russian
people are to be punished for their sinful
ways. “A political leader, as a minister of
God, is a revenger to execute wrath upon
those who do evil” and is to be a “terror to
evildoers within and without the nation.”
One can only pray that this country will
never elect leaders who subscribe to this
incredibly vengeful philosophy of
government.
Mr. Falwell’s militarism is coupled with
an extreme form of jingoism or
superpatriotism. He repeatedly says, “God
promoted America to a greatness no other
nation ever enjoyed because her heritage is
one of a republic governed by laws
predicated on the Bible.” I should think that
respect for the opinion of the rest of
mankind would have restrained him from
putting such a view into cold print.
His ability to discern the hand of God in
those political, social and economic causes
that he approves and the hand of Satan in
those he opposes leaves no room for rational
debate in the political order.
The Bible has settled almost every
conceivable issue in public policy. He
maintains: “The free enterprise system is
clearly outlined in the Book of Proverbs”;
the welfare system has gotten out of hand in
clear violation of “God’s law” of tithing.
If Mr. Falwell’s fundamentalism were
confined to religious matters, I would not be
disposed to take issue with it. However, I
suspect that Moral Majority aims to elect
public officials who will bring the nation
back to “biblical basics” in Mr. Falwell’s
sense.
For this reason, people like von Hoffman
are speaking out. They are afraid of what
might happen to the freedom of those who
interpret the Bible differently if the Moral
Majority should ever become a political
majority.
I regret to say I think their fears are
well-grounded.
(Msgr. Higgins, a member of the U.S.
Catholic Conference staff for 36 years,
retired Sept. 1)
Resound • •• Resound
To the Editor:
I am a Nigerian Holy Ghost Father. In
Nigeria we have the “Block Rosary Group”,
in the villages and towns, where groups
gather together, at sundown, to say the
Rosary. We need thousands of Rosaries. Also
we need medals for the newly baptized.
I would be grateful to the Rosary
Societies and individuals, who would send
me Rosaries and medals to the address
below, or send them to Father Patrick
Kinnerk, C.S.Sp., Irish Holy Ghost Fathers,
48-49 37th St., Long Island City, N.Y.
11101, (212) 729-6949. He will forward
them. v
Thanking you in anticipation,
Father Moses Orakwudo, C.S.Sp.
Holy Ghost Fathers Provincialate,
P. O. Box 5,
Ihiala VIA Onitsha,
Anambra State,
East Nigeria, West Africa
Potpourri
Teresa Gernazian
Bravo to Catholic Charities of
Plattsburgh, N.Y.! According to National
Right to Life News (Aug. 18), Catholic
Charities there did 30 percent better than it
had the year before. Archdiocesan Director
Monsignor L. Lawler attributed the success
in part to pro-lifers reaction to support of
the Catholic Charities withdrawal from
United Way. This year United Way of
Clinton County decided to include Planned
Parenthood funding and to eliminate several
local charities. Catholic Charities protested
and withdrew.
What is the Church’s position on
supporting United Way when you know that
some of the funds contributed are being
used by one of the agencies for abortion
services? According to Father Frank Sheedy
in the Aug. 31 Our Sunday Visitor: “One
cannot knowingly cooperate in evil. If you
know money you donate is used for
abortions you cannot give to that cause. A
number of dioceses have withdrawn support
from the United Way for that very reason.”
_ While Atlanta Planned Parenthood cries
out they are not into abortions, they were
one of the loudly-proclaimed co-sponsors of
the recent NOW rally to fight for tax-funded
abortions.
GOOD NEWS FROM MORALITY IN
MEDIA! In a grateful letter from Father
Morton A. Hill, president of Morality in
Media, he acknowledged a marvelous
response from the Atlanta audience to the
TV Special, “Pornography: You Are Its
Victim,” aired on Channel 11 on July 20.
Father Hill has written all governors of the
U.S., asking that they appeal to President
Carter, urging that federal anti-obscenity
laws be vigorously enforced.
In Father’s letter to Governor Busbee, he
stated: “A glaring example of this lack of
enforcement is the entrance into the United
States of the Guccione film, ‘Caligula.’ This
film was made in Italy, subsequently
declared obscene in Italy and removed from
exhibition in that country ‘ arid seized by
U.S. Customs as contraband. Critic Rex
Reed said of it: ‘The most graphic sexual
abberations flourish in closeups that would
be banned on 42nd Street.’ ”
Father Hill claims this is the most
deparaved film he has seen in his 15 years
working in this area of obscenity. More
information can be obtained by writing
Morality in Media, 475 Riverside Drive, New
York, N.Y. 10115 and asking for their
newsletter on this film. Please write
Governor Busbee, State Capitol, Atlanta,
30334 and let him know we do not want
this film in our state and ask him to appeal
to President Carter to see that federal
anti-obscenity laws are vigorously enforced.
The Knights of Columbus are to be
commended for not being afraid to step on
toes! Thanks, men, for taking a stand against
the Equal Rights Amendment and taking a
resolution urging defeat of “so-called
homosexual equal rights laws.”
I was inspired by the beautiful Family
Holy Hour at the Knights Convention - the
choir from St. Jude’s was magnificent and
Bishop Charles P. Greco, Supreme Chaplain,
delivered a superb homily.
On Oct. 11 from 9 to 5, Mothers on the
March will sponsor a huge pro-life rally at
the Omni. Guest speakers will be Dr. Mildred
Jefferson and Carolyn Gerster, former
National Right to Life presidents; Greg
Brezina, retired Falcon linebacker, and many
others. I was inspired by Mr. Brezina’s
pro-life commitment when he introduced
Ronald Reagan at the Republican rally in
Marietta several months ago. “Abortion is
the key issue in the upcoming campaign,”
Mr. Brezina has stated. “If the right to
abortion is upheld, then our Bill of Rights is
negated.” Come and join in the rally for the
unborn. For more information, call Beth
Switzer at 972-0960.
Anne Wrigley, lovely 23-year-old
daughter of Marvine and Norman Wrigley of
St. Jude’s parish, is going on a Lourdes
pilgrimage Sept. 23. Anne has suffered so
much from injuries incurred in an auto
accident several years ago. Would you please
remember her in your prayers at this time?
With overwhelming sorrow in our hearts,
we lovingly remember in our prayers young
and beautiful Birty Mion of St. Thomas
More who died recently at the age of 29. In
her memory, I hope to promote the idea
that, where petitions from the laity are given
at the liturgies, a prayer for the unborn is
mentioned on a regular basis. I know Birty
would love that. Will you help spread the
idea ... as spiritual roses ... in her
memory?
m
Working Women
IF 1
Sheila Mallon
“Villa International, where Atlanta meets
the world”, is the way the brochure
describing Villa International begins. like
most large American cities, Atlanta is
attracting more and more international
visitors and residents. Atlanta is unique,
however, because it is the home of the
National Center for Disease Control (CDC)
where hundreds of public health specialists
come for training and research each year. In
the late 1960s Atlanta area churches saw an
unusual opportunity for responding to the
special needs of these people while they are
in our community. The result of their
concern is seen today at Villa International.
The Villa is a non-profit ecumenical
agency which serves the international visitors
in our community. Built and supported by
the churches and congregations of the area
the Villa opened for service in 1972. It is
located a short walk from CDC, but its
services are available to any international
visitors. Guests have included scholars,
business personnel, church leaders, students
and immigrants as well as tourists and public
health care personnel.
The facility is really a guest house with
private bedrooms and shared common
lounge, game, dining and kitchen areas. The
fees paid by the guests cover about half the
operating expenses. The remainder is ^
contributed by the supporting churches,
local civic organizations and individuals.
The purpose of Villa International is to
provide a means for an effective, ecumenical,
cooperative. Christian ministry of concern
and services to aid persons from other
countries while they are in the U.S. and to
witness to them of God’s love.
Through the hospitality, friendship and
concern expressed by the staff at the Villa
and the many volunteers from the area
churches we have made many friends for our
city and country in the past eight years.
Dr. George Brown, is the director of Villa
International and he will be the speaker at
the International Affairs Workshop of the
Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women
scheduled for Oct. 4.
Dr. Brown was born in China, where his
parents were Presbyterian missionaries for
20 years. He spent this last summer traveling
in China, and will be the speaker at “Second
Friday At Villa” on Oct. 10. His topic will
be “The Church in Contemporary China”
and will encompass his observations on the
status of religion and the church in China
today.
“Second Friday” is one of many activities
scheduled regularly for the residents of the
Villa and the interested members of the
Atlanta community. All are warmly invited
to attend these talks which schedule a
different speaker and topic each time. The
time is always at 8 p.m.
There are also dinners sponsored by the
different churches. These take place on the
“Last Sunday of the Month”, and the host
group for Oct. 26 will be St. Thomas More
Church.
Plans are underway for a series of covered
dish suppers for Villa residents and outside
guests. For information on these dinners
contact Ruth Culley, administrative assistant
to the Villa at 633-6783.
This effort is doubly rewarding because
not only are we reaching out our hands to
the stranger on our shores but we are
working with our neighboring churches in an
ecumenical endeavor.
Among the other services which Villa
attempts to provide is information about
and transportation to worship services in the
churches of the community. Since a large
number of the people taking advantage of
the facility are Catholic this has been a
favorite area of service for the concerned
Catholic volunteers.
Among the churches supporting the Villa
are the Christian Church, Lutheran,
Presbyterian, Episcopal, Roman Catholic
Archdiocese, Church of Christ and
Methodist Conference.
It is so important for the Catholic
volunteer to take an active part in the
activity at the Villa since so many of those
served are Catholic. Volunteers are needed
to serve as guest hosts at the Villa in the
evenings, to take visitors to church, to help
with dinners and to schedule their church
for one of the “Last Sunday” dinners.
Perhaps most important of all would be the
opening of our homes to these foreign guests
who are here in this country during the
holidays.
If you can help contact Betty Messner at
636-5450, Betsy Fodor at 636-3023 or Ruth
Culley at 633-6783.
Perking Up A Professor
Dave McGill
“Are you kidding?” he answered, a bit
angrily. “I’m doing well to come up with the
$125 a year for my kids to swim in the
neighborhood pool.”
“Well, then, Rodgers claims a $9,187
housing allowance. Do they, help you with
your housing?”
“Dave, they don’t care if I live in a tent.
Just so long as I stuff those kids’ heads
properly.”
“$5,335 in gifts from alumni? $4,809 in
Coca-Cola promotions? $4,700 for speaking
appearances? $5,000 from a radio show and
$34,677 from TV? $7,500 from a football
camp? What about those goodies? Don’t
good teachers get anything like that?”
“Listen,” said the Doc, dejectedly, “if I
were to give a speech to the public on
Statics, nobody would listen. If I got on TV
with a Dynamics Show, nobody would
watch it with the possible exception of Isaac
Newton’s ghost. If I opened a Strength of
Materials Camp, not even the materials
would come. If I got on the radio and spoke
about Vibrations, they would be the wrong
kind, and all the dials would switch to WQXI
or Z-93 or 96-Rock. And last of all, if I took
a gift from an alumnus, they’d bounce me
out of there quicker than you can say
‘Herman Talmadge has a coatful of money.’”
“Ah, but I’ve got you now. Pepper has a
paid $400,000 life insurance policy. Now I
KNOW they carry some insurance on you.
You can’t deny that, not on your life.”
“You’re right. Ours is far from $400K,
though.”
“HOW far?”
“$385,000 far. They pay for a $15,000
policy.”
“Doc, I’m sorry. I thought I had a
get-rich-quick scheme for you.”
“Don’t worry about it, Dave. It’s just that
your theory has two holes in it. First, Pepper
is suing them for $1.3 million for the two
UNEXPIRED years left on his contract, and
they only give us a angle year’s contract at a
time. And second, with tenure, they can’t
fire us without severe cause.”
“Well, at least you have one thing that
football coaches don’t have, and that’s job
security.”
“True.”
Absent-minded professors talk to
themselves sometimes. I had been doing that
while I shaved. I turned away from the
mirror, put away the razor, got into my car,
and drove downtown to the classroom where
I love to teach.
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I know a fellow who is a college professor
at Georgia Tech. He would be embarrassed
to see himself in print, so I’ll just call him
Doc. I saw something in the sports section of
the paper last Thursday that I knew would
be of interest to Doc, so I spoke to him
about it this morning.
“Hey, Doc, I just found out how you can ,V
become rich!”
“Great! Tell me quick, before I drown in
this sea of bills.”
“O.K., what you’ve got to do is get
yourself fired.”
“WHAT? That won’t put any bread on
the table,” said my friend. “Matter of fact,
your idea would reduce us to eating worms
from the backyard.”
“No, no, you don’t understand,” I
replied. “What you do after you’re fired is to
sue the school for the value of all the perks
you won’t be receiving any longer, and you
clean up! We could call it ‘The Yellowjacket
That Roared.’ ”
“Are you talking about the Pepper
Rodgers lawsuit?”
“I sure am! Why, that guy’s suing Tech
for everything but the kitchen sink in the
athletic dorm. Hold it, let me check this
article - that sink may be in there too.”
“I appreciate your interest,” Doc said
upon reflection, but that idea doesn’t apply
to teachers like me. Those football coaches
are a different breed of cat.”
“Baloney,” I persisted. “Look, don’t tell
me you don’t get all these freebies— It says
right here that Rodgers claims he’ll be
deprived of eight Tech season tickets at
$560; four Falcons season tickets for $600;
$620 worth of Hawks, Braves, and Flames
tickets; six Tech basketball season tickets at
$336; $160 worth of away game football
tickets; $7,660 for two private booths at
Tech home games; $375 pocket money for
road games; $3,250 for training table meals;
and a whopping finale of $15 for free Tech
baseball admission. Don’t you get benefits
like that?”
“They let us buy two season tickets for
half price, but that’s it,” said the Doc with a
glassy look. “Frankly, I’d be happy with the
training table scraps. I’ve long since
forgotten what a steak looks like.”
“Doggone it, man, you teachers are doing
as much good for the world as a football
coach, turning out engineers and all. Look 7
here, Pepper is claiming $21,000 for ah
administrative assistant and $12,500 for a
secretary. Couldn’t you claim those if you
got fired?”
“Well, I do have a secretary, but she
works for 13 other profs at the same time.
As for that $21,000 person, I don’t even
know what his job is. Do you?”
“Doc, if you don’t know what a gofer is,
then you ain’t got one. But surely they must
provide you with a car? Rodgers is claiming
$5,000 for a new Cadillac, $1,166 for his
auto insurance premium, $1,800 for gas and
oil, and $38 for free parking. How does that ;
compare with what they give YOU? ”
“Put it this way: If a Marta bus ride cost
a penny, then with what I’ve been given for
transportation in 15 years, I couldn’t get
home tonight.” ( I then realized that I
wasn’t helping my friend at all; on the
contrary, I had better find something on
Pepper’s list to cheer him up in a hurry.)
“AHA! Now HERE’S a perk that I
KNOW they must provide you - Pepper
claims paid memberships in five country
clubs: Capital City Club, $7,050; Atlanta
Sporting House, $880; Terminus Club, $667;
East Lake Country Club, $970; and
Cherokee Town Club, $4,654. Which of
those do they buy for you professors;”
Most Rev. Thomas A. Donnellan — Publisher
Rev. Monsignor Noel C. Burtenshaw — Editor
Gretchen R. Keiser — Associate Editor
Thea K. Jarvis — Contributing Editor
Member of the Catholic Press Association
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