Nostradamus? More like Nostradangerous

"When ancient prophecies and current events begin to intertwine, that's what we call the Nostradamus Effect." That is The History Channel's advertisement for its series The Nostradamus Effect. In it, the writings of Nostradamus as well as creative interpretations of the Mayan calendar hint that the end of the world will be December 21, 2012.

I say, when Christians forget Christ's warning about false prophets (Mt 7:15-20), that "you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet (Mt 24:6)," and "but of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only (Mt 24:36)," and instead turn to "prophets" whose ambiguous writings can be molded to have "predicted" numerous calamities, and ignoring artifacts that don't fit the doom-and-gloom (some Mayan artifacts indicate the world will still be around in 4772), that is what I call the Nostradangerous Effect.

Following Nostradamus may indeed be dangerous: How many people have committed suicide, ignored health problems, let their houses fall apart, pour money into smart phones, self-navigating cars and other here-and-now luxuries they can't afford instead of saving for the future, because they believe there is no future? Could this be adding fuel to the fire of the consumer credit problem? How many marriages and other relationships between believers and nonbelievers have broken up? I shudder to think.

Liberal Christians, take heart

Michael Moore recently identified himself as Catholic. Some people might be amazed. I am not.

I am an alumnus of Regis University and Creighton University—Jesuit institutions. As a student, I was exposed to organizations like Pax Christi and others providing outreach to American Indian nations, the poor and oppressed both in the U.S. and abroad. Whether one participates in these or not, the message was clear, at least to me: Catholicism (and Christianity in general) is about reaching out to others, to social and economic justice for everyone.

My significant other often laments, “Lord save me from ‘good Christians.’ ” The term “good Christians” has to be in quotes because she means those who wear the mask of religious righteousness and push their values on others. Quick to pass judgment on everyone, they conveniently forget Jesus’s admonition that “as you judge others, you too will be judged…” And of course, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”

I can appreciate those who feel alienated by organized religion because of the churchgoing hypocrites who infest our society. A lawyer working for credit-card companies slapped a lien on my house is a fellow Creighton alum. Despite that, he decided that it’d be better for me to be homeless now than find a way for me to meet my debt obligation in a way that benefited both me and the creditor. I’m sure he rationalized that I deserved it.

The Christian quote that has run through my mind a lot lately is, “The love of money is the root of all evils.” Lots of people seem to have forgotten that one. Not just the aforementioned lawyer. Vise Grip tools now made in China while DeWitt, Neb., the former factory site, languishes in unemployment. Corporate executives like to blame liberal politicians and “big government” for “forcing” them to make these decisions. Rubbish. Without regulations, they’d still fatten their own wallets at the expense of the masses—and the environment.

This has been going on a long time. The Lakota Sioux got screwed out of the Black Hills after gold was discovered in their homeland. I assume that the perpetrators, being white guys, considered themselves Christian. But their spiritual leader’s admonition about the love of money was a little too inconvenient to remember.

Some people might think Mr. Moore should be excommunicated if for nothing else but for speaking up for reproductive rights and gay rights. No. I’m probably not the only one to see these as issues of personal, religious and medical ethics, out of the scope of law enforcement.

I say to Michael, “You go! Rock on!”

Ruling could undo thousands of foreclosures

Ruling could undo thousands of foreclosures

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Cheers to Massachusetts! Victims of Wells Fartgo have a chance to get their houses back! I hope this spreads nationwide! Maybe the new word of the coming months/year/decade will be forereopening!

Spray Bill O'Reilly: Watch Sean Penn Movies

FUX News announcer Bill O'Reilly has decided to boycott Sean Penn movies because the actor's political activities offend him.

As a moderate liberal, I'm routinely offended by this anchor whom MSNBC commentator Keith Olbermann refers to as "Billo the Clown." I was a captive audience to Billo's radio broadcast while riding in the back seat of an SUV with a pair of relatives. I can imagine an Enterprise Rent-a-Car commercial showing the guy in this kind of situation bailing out at a stop light, ringing Enterprise on his cell phone, and getting into his rented, made-in-USA Chevy as the voiceover says, "We'll pick you up!"

I'm not a Sean Penn fan but generally don't support boycotts. They don't work. But I'm inclined to hunt down a Penn movie that wouldn't constitute cutting off my nose to spite my face, just to give Billo some skunk spray.