Cherie Blair on Modernisation in the Catholic Church

Cherie Blair, wife of former British Prime minister Tony Blair and women's rights activist, fronted a programme on BBC Knowledge called "Christianity: A History". I am nearly always disappointed by shows having such titles because they end up NOT being a presentation of the history of the said topic but a crusade about some aspect of the history that the presenter did not like or agree with. And, needless to say, I was duly disappointed by this one.

Cherie focussed on women's issues and concerns within the Church - notably the issues of abortion and contraception.

I sent an email to Cherie to express my thoughts on her programme:

I understand how women have progressed and enjoy the feeling of having progressed. We have crossed many bridges thought impossible many years ago. And you appear to have done very well for yourself. and all power to you.

Or should I say "All power to God". Ah, there's a twist! After all, we believe in God don't we? That's why we're Christians. If God exists, surely we owe Him complete love and obedience. Surely, a starting point, therefore,  would be to discern His will.

There are certain timeless truths that are immune to "modernisation".

The sixties kicked off a period of "free-thinking" for want of a better word. What was God thinking then? As time progressed, more and more things have become acceptable according to how freely we can think and suited people very nicely. We have legal same-sex marriages now. What will be our next goal? Who's looking to God and wondering what HE thinks??

We will do all we can, like little children sometimes, to get what we want. We will squawk and wriggle until we are allowed to get that ABORTION, use CONTRACEPTION and never fulfil our God-given biological role. Damnit, we'll beg, bite and scratch till we feel things are "fair" and wholly suit us.

But, things are not always obviously "fair". Some of these things we can deal with and should be dealt with, as you have done successfully. But others cannot and should not.

Women of today do not like to feel they in any way "subservient" or "inferior". Did anyone actually ask God why he made male and female the way He did? We may not like many things God does, but that's because we don't understand, or care to understand, why He did them. We just want our own way.

Serious believers do not want modernisation. In fact, the less modernisation, the more conducive to genuine worship, which is God's first commandment. That's why there are cloistered monks living simply in silence.

People who say they want modernisation are simply saying "I want to live MY way, not God's way". But, how God actually wants us to live is outlined in the Bible. It needs no modernisation to live a pure lifestyle, for example.

People who say they want modernisation are all about THEMSELVES and their own gratification rather than in sincerely wishing to know God's will and DOING His will out of love. They want to compromise ancient truths over a restless itch or craving. It has nothing to do with modernisation. "Modernisation" is the smokescreen, a red herring, the con we use to get what we want.

People think they are so progressive and advanced. In fact, people today are flakier than they have ever been. If anything, we need to step backwards. Along the way, we've ditched many important things, which the Catholic Church seeks to preserve. The Catholic Church is the last bastion for considering what God's actually desires for us.

The Catholic Church is the unpopular strict parent in this world of screaming, selfish children.

Yes, we have a Father, who is God. We must love and obey Him. If that is not our view, then why even bother.

God has appointed a Church to administer His will. If we don't agree with His will or don't believe this or that is really His will, we have recourse to the Fathers of the Church, St Augustine et al, who faced, over the centuries, the various issues we may wish to debate. These men were filled with the Holy Spirit and fully capable to discern God's will.

My wife is a genuine Catholic woman. She has a degree and a mind of her own. However, she is completely happy to have Our Blessed Mother Mary as her role model. Mary sought to please God, first and foremost. Our Lady should be the role model for all women - from the simple to those who consider themselves on the cutting edge of modernity. Any professional woman would only add to her beauty and credibility by assuming the attitude, countenance and behaviour of Our Lady. A genuine, pure, humble woman is a thing to behold and has brought many a man to his knees.