Reclaiming Our Culture

There has been an awful lot of discussion in recent times about the "Culture War". But what is the "Culture War"?

Let's define "culture". Merriam-Webster gives several definitions, and we'll look at some of those.

1. the act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties especially by education

2. the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also : the characteristic features of everyday existence (as diversions or a way of life} shared by people in a place or time <popular culture> <southern culture>

3.  the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization

So, the culture is basically the environment around us. This is the beliefs, customs, traditions, and practices of everyone around us. So if there is a "culture war", there must be some kind of conflict. What is this conflict?

Well, it must be one or more sets of beliefs, customs, traditions, and practices against another. What sets are these?

The three great enemies are the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. All three of these have combined to make the culture of death: the spirit of the World, with the appeal of the Flesh, masterminded by the cunning of the Devil. That is the Culture of Death. All things contrary to God are part of that culture. There is no middle ground.

"No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matt. 6:24)

But not only mammon, but any other master puts on against God.

Then there is the Culture of Life.

The pinnacle of the Culture of Life

 This is pitted against the Culture of Death; they are at utter variance with each other.

This Culture is directly dependent on God. What is God's Will is it's command. And since only the One,  Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church can completely carry out God's Will,  it follows that the Culture of Life is intrinsically a Catholic culture. This does not mean that Protestants, or Mormons, or Jehovah's Witnesses can not aid in the battle. By all means, no. But if one really wishes to do their utmost, they must seek refuge in the only shelter which is completely set against the Culture of Death - there are no compromises with Death in the Church.

Ultimately, the "Culture War" is the battle between the Church and her enemies, as we have seen. It is not Big Government vs. small government, it is not Republican vs. Democrat, it is not conservative vs. liberals.

The only way to win the Culture War is to be Catholic.

Pray the Rosary.
Receive the Sacraments. 
Sacrifice.

We should all be doing those anyways just to save our souls. It necessarily follows that if we all save our souls we save the world. But that takes time - Why not jump start it?

Make a Holy Hour.
Join the Legion of Mary.
Sponsor a Seminarian. 
Say two Rosaries. 
Serve Mass.

The list goes on! But not until we are all doing everything in our power to reclaim our culture will we win. We may have victories, but the ultimate victory will not be until the entire world is Catholic.