Forced to Wave Goodbye to What God Intended
To be honest with you, Dear Readers, I am not in the best of shape right now. “Why,” you may ask? Because of two stories which have shaken me to the core. Both of these stories involve children and both are stories of untold suffering.
As many of you know, there is a young Texas boy, James Younger, who is the product of a broken family. His mother is a pediatrician who thinks her little boy really wants to be a girl. Really. A medical doctor. His father, less educated but far wiser (and certainly more merciful), is adamantly opposed to the idea.
This is atrocious: the boy in question will be force-fed female hormones in order to deform his pubescence so that his normal androgenic formation (because he has an X and a Y chromosome; if you need me to explain the birds and the bees to you, I’ll do a vlog) will not take place. Because of this, he will acquire the secondary sexual characteristics of femininity. In other words, he will not have wide shoulders, increased upper-body strength, a deep voice and an Adam’s apple. –The coup de grâce will happen sometime after puberty when his penis will be formed into a vagina.
When this debate began, the child was five. He is now eight. What will happen if he decides on a different direction as he goes through puberty, not wanting to continue taking female hormones? He’ll be left with a micro-penis and will have problems with continence for the rest of his life.
And now we come to another, even worse, atrocity. The other day, a five-year-old little boy in North Carolina, Cannon Hinnant, was sitting on his bike on his next-door neighbor’s lawn. The neighbor, a certain Darius Sessoms, came out and shot him in the head. Simple as that.
I tremble with anger as I write these words. Both acts are unforgivable and frankly, unimaginable. How did we get to where we are?
As for the child in Texas, James Younger, I place blame on his mother who was Orthodox at one point, believe it or not. I also place blame on the medical establishment, who in their never-ending quest for quackery, have come up with a bogus condition known as “gender dysphoria”.
No tattoo artist anywhere in America is allowed to ply his trade on a teenager, even one who is going into the Marines, but now, physicians and surgeons are lining up left and right to mutilate children. These quacks should be sanctioned by the American Medical Association and Congress should regulate them out of existence.
As for the young boy in North Carolina, Cannon Hinnant, nothing can be taken away from the anger I feel towards his murderer. I’m sorry, but this is why they invented the death penalty and in Sessoms’ case, it’s richly deserved.
But what are we to make of our journalist class, our much-vaunted “Fourth Estate”? Outside of FOX News (yeah, there: I’ve said it!) it’s radio silence. They have more interest in local school board elections in Uzbekistan. The reason, of course, is that it violates the passion narrative of St George Floyd and raises too many uncomfortable questions.
The motto of the Corporate Media today might as well be: “Move along now, nothing to see here”.
The New York Times motto is: “All the news that’s fit to print” when it might as well be: “All the news that’s fit to curate”.
That’s what a journalistic joke modern American media has become. Their job is not to print the news (unless it reflects poorly on conservatives) but to curate it, to make sure that certain unpleasant truths never see the light of day.
Mission accomplished, you bastards. There’s a special place in hell for people like you. Sessoms may very well be insane and thus not (legally) culpable or his cranium may have been filled by all the BLM agitprop that you have spewed out. But you bozos don’t have any such excuses. You all know what you’re doing, so as far as I’m concerned, you’re just as culpable in your own twisted way. You’re no different from the witness at a trial who says he didn’t see the thieves rob the bank or the purse-snatcher knock the little old lady down on the street while you stand around and do nothing. I’m glad they’re laying you people off left and right. If I see you eating out of a dumpster, I may toss you a nickel. Or not.
Lord have mercy.
George
One of my favorite sets of Orthodox books are entitled, The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact, translated by Fr. Christopher Stade. Most of you are probably familiar with this series where each of the four Gospels are explained, chapter and verse, from an Orthodox point of view. (How grateful I am to Fr. Christopher for his effort in this regard, as what we think we know often falls short of what we need to know.)
“Suffer little children . . .” comes from Matthew 19:14. The complete saying is, “But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” According to Blessed Theophylact, mothers were bringing their children to be blessed by the touch of our Lord’s hands. But they were crowding in towards Him in an unruly manner, so the disciples forbade them. The disciples thought that bringing children to Him diminished His dignity as a Teacher and Master and He rebuked them saying, “Let the little children come unto Me, for such is the kingdom of heaven. ” – Children, and like them, those without guile, seemingly hold an elevated place with our Lord.
So why have children become expendable? They are expendable in abortion, taking second place to the human incubators (I hesitate to call them “mothers”) who believe their rights take precedence over the rights of God’s unborn. Where would we be if the Theotokos just couldn’t be bothered with the Child she was asked to carry? And the Saints. What if their mothers felt their own lives were more important than the life they held within them?
From the moment of conception, a woman realizes that her wants and needs are to take second place to the wants and needs of the unborn entrusted to her care. Mothers experience morning sickness, which can, in fact, overcome you at any time, due to the hormones which flood our bodies enabling us to carry a child. We are often tired and out of sorts. With my son, I was seriously anemic, as a child takes whatever he or she needs off the top of what the mother consumes and the mother is left with what remains. We see our bodies stretched to unimaginable proportions and go through that which can only be described as the worst pain imaginable to deliver a child, which in fact is not our child. The child who is entrusted to our care belongs to God, to complete whatever purpose God intends for them. When the child arrives, family members and friends gather and bring gifts, not for us, but for the child while we mothers marvel at the gift God has given us to protect and nurture this precious life He created in His own image.
I have often admired the poem written by Kahlil Gibran in The Prophet, entitled “On Children” because it makes clear that children come through us but not from us:
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
But now, somewhere, somehow, things have gotten so turned around that a child, James Younger, became subject to the whims of a woman who, in fact, was not even his biological mother, transforming him from the child God created, into a mere object she believes she can refashion into whatever she wants. Her desires have become more important than what God intended. To force a child so young into transgenderism consigns them to a life of hormones, surgeries and isolation, putting them at increase increased risk for chronic diseases, and mental health problems, like depression, anxiety and substance abuse.
In James’ case, his legal parent, a physician who knows the difficult path ahead, is undeterred. She believes she knows better than God. In her mind, James is her kid and she can do with him whatever she damn well pleases, even over the objections of his father. And the final kick in the gut is this: the court agrees with her. James is now “Lunna” and well on his way down a road of misery. A Dallas judge took away the father’s claim to his son’s medical, psychological, and psychiatric care, giving power solely to Dr. Anne Georgulas, claiming the title of “mother” when she is anything but.
May God, in His mercy, protect James and soften the impact of her decision in the decades to come, as he was just delivered a life sentence of pain and heartache.
And then there is little 5-year-old Cannon Hinnant, also in the news, shot, point blank, by a man who just walked up to him as he was sitting on his bicycle. There is nothing much to report: an innocent child mowed down by a lowlife lunatic whose name is not worth mentioning twice.
Children, both of them, forced to wave goodbye to what God intended for them in this life.
In the next life, however, we are comforted by the fact that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ will be there to bind their wounds: “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” With Him, they will be unencumbered and made whole again.
Let us pray. . .
Gail
How is this any different than how the ancient Canaanites sacrificed their children to Moloch? The difference is that we have God’s law. Therefore, as Jesus said in Mark 6, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of Judgment than for us.
Anne Georguls is not only indulging (I refuse to say suffering as I regard MBP as a spiritual evil consciously participated in, as opposed to a genuine mental disorder) Munchausen by Proxy but also engaging in sexual revenge. James will be rendered sterile, incapable of begetting children of his own. Since James is not Ann’s biologic son, it is not her genetic line and lineage that will be ended but that of her ex husband whose natural son James is.
Previously, women in an inimical divorce could, though the courts, strip a man of his property, future earnings and custody of his offspring. That was not enough. Now, his very genetic line must be obliterated. There will be no children’s children to be a crown for the aged James’ father.
Anne Georgulas is indeed indulging evil,
but what of the judge who authorises it?
And this is the fruit of feminism.
Yes, it is sick, as is feminism. But as a society, we deserve it inasmuch as we have rejected the patriarchy – God’s social system. Disempowering men and empowering women results in a murderous, twisted feminist/matriarchal social concept. It is a monstrosity.
I feel confident we are near the end of these things. A violent contraction and surge to the Right will occur soon or there will be nothing left, no basis of resistance and renewal. The Betas have already waited far, far too long to reestablish order. We are playing with our very collective sanity at this point and that is why a catharsis is on the horizon.
As to the white child murdered by the black thug:
American whites are going to have to reexamine our conventional, common sense wisdom regarding race. We all know nice black people who seem to be the salt of the earth. But the danger of multikulti is dismissed foolishly. Ethnic groups, just like nations, have interests. They will identify them and pursue them because it benefits them. There is no stronger motivation.
The black thug who murdered the child and BLM are conveying essentially the same message: “We intend to replace white rule with black rule.” It is not any more complicated than that. Zero sum racial conflict. “Systematic racism” is anything less than Black Supremacy. It has no other substantial meaning.
American whites do not want to face this awful reality, but that’s the way it is. And the nicest blacks will pile on when push comes to shove.
They are quite considerate in that they are warning you as to their intentions. When someone says they are coming for your soul, you should believe them.
There was a young convert couple here at St. George for a few years. Three children I believe. Then the woman started got on board with the homosexual/transgender thing. My wife tried to engage her on Facebook to no avail. They eventually left the Church. My wife flat out told her she better watch out or one of her children was going to want to be transgender just to get her attention and praise. Not long after they left–bingo, that is exactly what happened. Husband silent.
Misha, here is one instance in which you might be right.
Wise wife, Michael. How very very sad. In “difficult” couples’ therapy one always sees parents acting out against one another through the child(ren) and as long as that persists, absolutely all will pay, most tragically the child(ren) who is/are truly helpless and powerless unless help from outside can be recruited or each parent agrees to wake up and change. When even one parent takes responsibility for growing up into truth and love, children begin to bloom. Unless of course the other parent sabotages the process and actually harms the child. I’m afraid now with feminism at its peak that many women unconsciously resent the time and energy needed to tend to children and may also turn that anger into abuse — transgender changing being a most severe form of it, now popularized, Lord have mercy. The woman who says anyone wanting a beach body has cause for an abortion…Horrifying perversity is truly lauded by Democrats now openly, proudly. Lord have mercy.
Dear George and Gail:
Wrenching, heart-breaking, agonizing, sickening. The spell cast by the evil one is very powerful now.
Cannon’s father being kind to a lonely, preoccupied young man one night (with possible drug and mental health issues) and the next day…
A devout Orthodox father trying to save his son, with excellent support by his Patristic GOA priest and metropolitan to no avail, once a certain judge takes the case…
I can only think to pray for each fervently and for each family.
Re Cannon: what a challenge for his family to forgive and heal, God being their helper, and for the family of the ill young man.
Re James: This video would upset you likely so don’t watch but I wish there were a way the mother could view the Australia 60 minutes interview of the transgender boy transitioning to be a girl…who changed his mind: https://youtu.be/27qjn0v4Av4
This totally secular presentation is nonetheless such a cautionary tale for anyone trusting professionals with an agenda. Sadly my profession psychiatry became a tool of radical agendas beginning quietly almost 50 years ago and now some but not all are ruled by that agenda, the same one promoted by the Biden/Harris platform and the deluded candidates themselves.
Fathers Hovic and Bernstein nail it. And these two tragedies show the natural consequences of this very platform. We Christians are called upon to understand and forgive the deluded. I pray God helps them and the country see what their agenda promotes and encourages in the world: heartbreak, destruction, human tragedy, and eternal tragedy.
Thank you George and Gail for your hearts and your labors.
As always, we appreciate your your words of encouragement, Nicole. Thank you.
Thank you as well, Nicole.
So Nicole, how is someone with mental health issues supposed to trust psychiatrists when so many routinely violate the Hippocratic oath and their moral and professional duties when treating vulnerable people?
I am sure you are not that way, thank God. Is there a network of Christian psychiatrists?
Of course the founders of the profession came out ot the late 19th century milleau that was intent on destroying faith.
https://www.oca.org/parish-ministry/familylife/when-help-is-needed-choosing-a-therapist
I came across this on the OCA website. It looks quite useful.
Dear Michael:
I would first ask a Patristic Orthodox priest for advice about a counselor, therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist with whom he has had positive experience. There is much different training out there and you care about the world view, training, experience, and humility of the trained professional (who needs to know what he/she doesn’t know) AND who will defer to the priest or spiritual father as the head of the therapeutic team imho. Recently an Orthodox priest mentioned a counselor who wasn’t Orthodox but had Orthodox values and approach, and that says a lot.
Personally I only refer to people I trained with and trust or know well professionally And trust. Often a Roman Catholic worldview and sometimes a Protestant one will suffice IF the professional does not have a worldview counter to ours on the big issues regarding the Holy Commandments. Sometimes a devout primary care doc can handle the psych meds and work with a counselor/therapist who cannot prescribe. Sometimes a medication psychiatrist is only focused on meds and won’t even get into any spiritual issues/quandries. Takes knowing and discussing.
When I was a psych resident knowing I wanted to practice insight oriented psychotherapy with meds as needed, I interviewed with 7 different people before deciding on the 7th as the correct psychoanalyst. Because all had good boundaries, I never knew the exact belief system of any of them (did know their training) but at the end of my analytic work as we were parting, learned that my analyst was a devout Roman Catholic (who would have been Orthodox if she had learned about it earlier I believe). I could sense that in what she said and did from the beginning as well as her excellent training.
Most of all I would suggest that the Holy Fathers are THE best psychologists. Any Patristic spiritual father/priest will be sharing the wisdom of the Fathers and Saints which is life-affirming and encouraging. Those spiritual sources are truly everything when the mind is calm enough to take them in. And the spiritual guidance of the SF/priest will be critical to the healing of the person. So again, check with the head of the team first!
Best,
Nicole
Nicole, thank you for your kind reply. In the particular case I am asking about part of the instability is a pronounced lack of trust in the hierarchy.
Nicole, choosing a good therapist is not just a hypothetical issue for me as someone very dear to me is suffering because of it. I would love to talk with you directly. Gail has my contact info if you are willing. Thank you
Surely Michael. I am more than willing for Gail to share mine with you. God keep you and your dear one. Off to Paraklesis and will pray for you both there. ?☦️?
Michael, to save time, please sign up for a free protonmail Email account at http://www.protonmail.com for us to communicate that way initially. Then please use it to email me at my protonmail account, since the message itself and any attachments are then end-to-end encrypted. Only the subject line is visible I will send Gail that protonmail address. I look forward to hearing from you if you wish. We can also plan a time to talk by signal app (See http://www.signal.org) if you would like. Best, Nicole
Nicole: Proton mail done.
Hi Michael, I know how busy Gail is so if you would like to shortcut and wouldn’t mind posting your NORMAL email address again (can’t find it on google search) I could begin the conversation from my PM and then you could answer me back from yours…what think ye? Or if not urgent, no worries. Dormition upcoming for me, so about to prep for it and hopefully attend, God willing. It is also the anniversary of Vladika Dmitri’s repose and your wonderful Bishop gave a beautiful testimony to him in person which comforted us all!
I gave you his. I just gave him yours.
Anyone got a spare millstone?
LOL!
Another example of how children are objectified as sexual objects:
https://deadline.com/2020/08/Netflix-apologizes-inappropriate-cuties-poster-criticized-sexualizing-children-1203018498/
This time however we fought back and gained a tactical victory. Just as we did when Trump dumped all over Goodyear. They backed off like scalded dogs. Another victory.
Stand and fight.
The whole ‘Cuties’ thing is really creepy. What next?
Basil, with the slogan being used to promote homosexual sex “No love should have to hide” already being applied to the perversion of pedophilia by the Man-Boy Love Association and others. The “normalization” of such perversion has been going on since at least the 60s. Look at Jon Benet Ramsey and that whole pagent scene.
The most likely outcome is that it will be completely OK within 30 years and those who object labeled “haters”. In fact during the Jon Benet case it was deemed ” insensitive” to even question the parents involved in promoting such things..
Ah, the march of progress.
“What was the resisted novelty of yesterday is to-day one of the accepted principles of conservatism. … American conservatism is merely the shadow that follows Radicalism as it moves forward towards perdition. It remains behind it, but never retards it, and always advances near its leader.”
–Robert Lewis Dabney, 1871
Antiochian Son, indeed which speaks directly to the poverty of ideology. Fr. Stephen Freeman on his blog, Glory to God For All Things, recently said that he felt great relief when he converted rom the Episcopal church because he no longer had to be conservative.
There is a big difference between living and espousing Holy Tradition and being conservative.
For instance on matters related to abortion many so-called conservatives support abortion because it is “a matter of settled law” which is much the same reasoning folks support slavery: ” its always been done that way” or the obscene sentalmentalism of the ” Constantinopole will rise again”
Holy Tradition is the dynamic reality of God with us. Condescending to us in order to transform and transfigure us to be like Him.
As I have said before all modern politics has the nihilist/progressive virus at its core. Just seemingly different delivery systems.
We can expect the Love of Money to be celebrated soon.
Oh… Wait…
I doubt that. Most of the conservative or left wing views have not changed much since the 1960’s. Leftist are still seeing blacks as an underclass even though some are billionaires. There are poor whites in rural parts of Appalachia. On the average Asians which were in camps during the Roosevelt era have a higher median income than whites.
Axios to Orthodox subdeacon Wesley Smith: http://anothercity.org/blocking-puberty-in-transgendered-children-unethical/
And yet another compelling reason to vote AGAINST the anti-Orthodox (anti-human) Democratic platform which also denies freedom for parents to protect children, for children to make choices for themselves when their brains are fully connected as adults, and for physicians including psychiatrists to practice medicine as they think best for the patient as well as to honor their own consciences.
In marked contrast AE (Archbishop Elpidophoros) and PB (Patriarch Bartholomew) along with PF (Pope Francis) have failed to call out the barbarism and nihiilism of popular pagan movements and thought entirely embodied in the Democratic platform and candidates for leaders of the land. Anaxios.
An apt word? St. John Chrysostom #41 from On Living Simply:
”Is every ruler elected by God to the throne he occupies? Is every emperor, king, and prince chosen by rule? If so, is every law and decree promulgated by a ruler to be regarded as good, and thus to be obeyed without question? The answer to all these questions is, no. God has ordained that every society should have rulers, whose task it is to maintain order, so that people may live in peace. God allows rulers to employ soldiers, whose task it is to capture and imprison those who violate social order. Thus God will bless and guide any ruler and any soldier who acts according to these principles. But many rulers abuse their authority by amassing huge wealth for themselves at the expense of their people, by unjustly punishing those who dare to speak against their evil, and by making unjust wars against neighbors. Such rulers have not been elected by God, but rather have usurped the position which a righteous ruler should occupy. And if their laws are wrong, we should not obey them. The supreme authority in all matters is not the law of the land, but the law of God; and if one conflicts with the other, we must obey God’s law.”
So many applications spring to mind!