February 2018 -

The Power of Confession

Many Catholics today ignore the sacrament of reconciliation. Some parishes don’t even push it hard as they don’t like to talk about how important it is.

That would require discussing the possibility of Hell and many parishes avoid that out of fear to upset the congregation. Those parishes are doing their flock a disservice.

You see there is a constant battle outside our immediate realm amongst Powers and Principalities (angelic vs. demonic) for our souls. God wants us to love and obey Him so we can come Home to Him in the inheritance of Eternal Life.

Satan knows where the game ends for him and wants to take as many souls with him to Hell as possible. Don’t believe me? Okay, but that doesn’t stop it from being true.

Satan doesn’t want us because he values us; he is incapable of that. He hates us and is jealous of our ability to inherit the Paradise Jesus won for us, which Lucifer turned his back on long ago. He wants us to be tortured with him and his minions (1/3 of the angels who followed his rebellion of God’s Plan) in the fires of Hell.

Satan tempts us to sin so he can have us in his clutches. One of his most important victories today is getting people to ignore him or believe he doesn’t exist.

The strongest of us are actually quite weak in the grand scheme of things. We cannot defeat the demonic on our own. We need Jesus and His mercy.

This is where confession comes in. The worst behaviors possible are not as powerful as His Mercy.

Whatever you can think of: murder, rape, abortion, whatever; they are all forgiven and whipped away with confession and repentance. Now that doesn’t guarantee absolution in earthly terms, but your soul on the day of your judgment will be in a state of God’s Grace.

That’s right. If David Berkowitz (Son of Sam) has made peace with Jesus before his death, he will inherit Eternal Life in Heaven.

At the same time if a free man walking the streets dies in a state of mortal sin he faces the very real possibility of eternity in Hell. I say possibility because it’s not for me or anyone to decide other’s fate. We only have a say in our own.

Some look at confession as some type of punishment. It’s actually a tremendous gift.

If you had cancer and could be cured with one doctor visit would you not go? How much more important is where you spend eternity?

Many Catholics avoid confession out of fear and embarrassment. This is the devil planting his seeds of doubt to deter you from freeing yourself from him. Like I said in prior articles: running to your fears empowers you while running from your fears will haunt you.

There is nothing you can tell that priest that he either has not heard or is unprepared to hear. And for the most part chances are he won’t even remember what you told him after a short while.

Another common objection I have heard is that God is everywhere, knows I am sorry and forgives me. Yes, God is everywhere and forgiving.

However, Jesus told Peter (the first Bishop of Rome and therefore the first Pope) that he was the rock on which Christ’s Church is built and what he binds on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and what he looses on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven.

Additionally, the apostles (original priests) were sent out in pairs by Jesus to heal the sick, drive out demons and forgive sins in His name.

I wonder why Jesus would do this if a silent “sorry Lord” was sufficient. However, the Church does teach that a personal confession to Jesus with repentance is sufficient in emergencies where the sacrament is not available.

Another common objection I hear is “well I have nothing to confess.” Oh really St. Sally?

You have never taken the Lord’s name in vein? Never lied? Never fornicated outside of HOLY matrimony (with someone else or yourself)? Never practiced artificial contraception? Never missed Mass without a valid reason?

I once heard that St. John Paul II went to confession daily. If he had to then we probably all need to get there at least a couple times per year.

Personally I go to confession every time I am in a state of mortal sin. The low life I am capable of being, that means usually every week or two.

You see I can’t face my own fears in life without receiving Jesus in the Eucharist. And it is a mortal sin in and of itself to receive Him in a state of mortal sin.

Even if my sins were only venial I’d go once per month. Most exorcists I have read about describe confession as a mini-exorcism and a great tool against demonic oppression and/or possession.

No, though rare, these occurrences are not fantasies made up in Pediwood, I mean Hollywood. The fact is demonic activity is on the rise today with the removal of God from society. So it’s a good idea to protect yourself with the Armor of God.

Lastly, confession is therapeutic and liberating. The longer you have been away from it and the greater the sins you are carrying, the more freeing it is.

My aunt went for the first time in years about a year or two ago and was moved to tears. She has been back to the Eucharist ever since (and this is not a woman who lives a very sinful life).

It’s my belief that if more Catholics went to confession, there would be less demand for psycho-therapy and drugs. I will leave you with a hypothetical.

Say I offered you $10,000 to go to confession this Saturday. Be honest. You would go right? How much more is your soul worth? Talk soon.

-Marksman

PS: Many diocese offer extra confession times during Lent. Maybe instead of giving up cheesecake go break free from the chains of sin. Satisfaction is 100% guaranteed!

What Will You Do With Your Tax Cut?

As you all know, though I have been critical of him at times I am an unapologetic supporter of President Donald J. Trump. Back in December I published If You Don’t Like Your Tax Cut, Don’t Keep Your Tax Cut.

As I eluded to back then, I wasn’t throwing a parade over the plan. Some people I trust told me it didn’t help the middle class enough and I happen to have a residence in one of the states that would benefit less.

I was taking a wait-and-see approach, but felt it was a necessary legislative victory for the President. Last week I got my biweekly paycheck and found that there was just under $90 more in my net.

Now, would I like it to be $150 more? Sure but I am not one of the elites like Demented Nancy Pelosi who thinks $45 per week is peanuts.

This gives me a chance to save a little more money. If you follow any of my fitness advice and read anabolicmen.com you know that you can eat dinner like a man about 5-7 times on that.

So I am asking all my readers to comment; also pass it on to others and encourage them to comment. Trump haters are as welcome as anyone so long as they are civil and respectful. Those who violate this policy (Trump supporters included) will be blocked permanently.

It’s okay to dislike Trump and still agree that working people keeping some of the money they earn is a good thing. It’s no different than admitting Osama bin Laden being whacked was a positive even if it happened on President Barack Hussein Obama’s watch.

Please tell us here at The Straight Shot what you will be doing with your extra money. Will you spend it on 2 more 6-packs of craft beer per week? Save it? Invest it? Donate it to charity?

Some of you may not be able to stomach anything associated with Donald J. Trump. In that case I just want to remind you that you can always send it back.

If you believe the government should have more of your money to spend as they wish, possibly on entitlements for able-bodied deadbeats send your payments to:

Gifts to The United States

U.S. Dept. of the Treasury

PO Box 1328

Parkersburg, WV

26106-1328.

I look forward to your comments. Talk soon.

-Marksman

PS: Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. Please see my article from Lent of 2017, Sacrament Over Sacrifice During Lent.

Ideology Trumps Race

In my last article I pointed out that today’s version of Jim Crow separate-but-not-equal coverage and tolerance is less clearly racial and more clearly ideological. The left side of the room showed this during President Donald J. Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night.

If you read this blog you know I am pro-Trump but that’s irrelevant here. If you are pro-Trump you liked the speech; if not, you probably didn’t. I liked it but somewhere along the way we got to a point where nearly every sentence is applauded making these much longer than they really need to be.

Of course the Democrats applauded very little of what the President had to say. This is nothing new; the Republicans were the same way with President Obama.

But there was a moment when the Democrats showed their true colors. When Trump reported that black and Hispanic unemployment were at record lows, the donkeys who love to exploit minorities for their votes claiming themselves to be the party of the less fortunate sat sulking the same as they did the entire night.

Why is that? Because it was Donald J. Trump delivering that message. And it’s really not about race per say. Yes, the left loves the tool of identity politics but that identity has to suit their agenda.

Obviously the Dems would have applauded thunderously if Barry from Honolulu was able to deliver that same message. But let me give you a couple hypotheticals.

Let’s say Crooked Hillary Clinton was able to capitalize on a rigged Department of Justice, a media in the bag for her and the God-knows-how-many illegal votes resulting from a lack of voter ID requirements to become President. Do you think the Democrats would have sat looking like they ate lemons if she were reporting record low unemployment for minorities?

That’s an easy one right? They would have been touting that stat long before the address.

But let’s say Dr. Ben Carson was up there giving the State of the Union address and delivering that same message of improved black and Hispanic employment rates. How would the left side of the room have reacted?

Probably only slightly warmer than the nasty stares that Trump received and that is only because Dr. Carson has a more gentle delivery making him slightly more palatable to his political foes. But never forget how they attempted to belittle the Doc’s abilities both as a candidate and upon his appointment as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

You see, though the satanic left loves the divisiveness of identity politics you have to be the right kind of black, Hispanic, female or homosexual to fit their agenda. Justice Clarence Thomas, Ted Cruz, Sara Palin and Milo Yiannopoulos are never celebrated by the mainstream like their liberal counterparts. Instead they get the Joe Frazier treatment.

Why does the Congressional Black Caucus not celebrate rising black employment? Why does Rep. Luis Gutierrez not celebrate rising Hispanic employment? Because the Democrat agenda is way more important than the people they claim to represent.

They want high minority unemployment for two reasons: 1-it keeps the grievance industry robust. 2-it keeps “their people” needing them rather than realizing the empowerment of self reliance; same goes for whites.

This is why the Democrats always have been and always will be the party of slavery. Many civil rights and community leaders follow suit. The president pointed out 2 families whose daughters were killed by MS-13 savages on Long Island. These families happened to be black/Hispanic.

Where was Rev. Al Sharpton to support those families? Why did Black Lives Matter not raise hell in Suffolk County on George Soros’ dime?

Simple. Innocent black/Hispanic young ladies slain by third world barbarians doesn’t attract the number of cameras and headlines that minorities slain by a demonic white coward and/or a sociopathic rogue cop does.

In fact there was a moment when Trump introduced a soldier who saved the life of one of his comrades. The soldier happened to be white. One of the MS-13 victim’s family members who happens to be black extended his hand to the soldier.

If you gave the Democrats truth serum I would bet they would tell you seeing that bothered them more than anything the President said. Unity amongst the people racially but more importantly ideologically to the Democrats is like a Crucifix to a legion of demons. Talk soon.

-Marksman