Porn, Intolerance, and Other Oddities

1. Mona Charen on the devastating effects of the mainstreaming of pornography. We need to talk about this problem more, and more forcefully.

2. Now this is an odd symmetry. The appearance of Rick Warren at the upcoming inauguration is being critcized not just by "gay" rights groups, but now by Human Life International, a staunchly pro-life group, who think that Warren's participation implicitly endorses the views of the 100% anti-life President-elect. Unfortunately, I think that HLI is practicing the old "cut off your nose" approach to advocacy. One of the gravest threats to the pro-life/pro-marriage cause is the marginalization of our leaders by those who brand us as out-of-the-mainstream bigots. Warren's participation in the inauguration puts the lie to that nonsense, and is thus a good thing; it misleads nobody into thinking that pro-lifers endorse The One's anti-life agenda. If we flee the public square, guess who will be left there to dominate?

3. Pro-life ads from VirtueMedia (a Catholic-run operation) will appear on MTV and BET in the new year, perhaps including a post-abortion healing message. Welcome to the Real World.

4. A Catholic bishop in the UK says that it's not a good idea to go to Confession regularly, especially if all you're doing is confessing the same sins over and over again, since there's no conversion taking place. Um, Your Excellency, if I don't go to the doctor regularly for my chronic illness, won't I get worse?

5. Princess Caroline condescends to promulgate a decree to the peons explaining how she will rule them. Thank you, Your Grace. You are too, too kind.

6. Okay, this is just weird. Scientists studying the physiology of emotion say that people respond to the 100% anti-life President-elect by experiencing the physical sensation of "transcendence" or "elevation", which they describe as "a feeling of spreading, liquid warmth in the chest and a lump in the throat.". And all this time I thought it was nausea.

6. Ladies, for that last minute gift for your spouse, here's something that says it all -- Burger King has started marketing meat-scented body spray for men. Thank God I'm a vegetarian.