June 2004

Dear Brother Knights,

I read this morning that U.S. and Japanese scientists have successfully produced a genetically engineered cow that will be resistant to Mad Cow Disease. They promise that this won’t be used to produce mad-cow-free meat, but instead the blood and milk will be used to produce medicinal treatments and drugs for human diseases such as pneumonia, hepatitis C and arthritis.

Congratulations to the progression of science and to all those who stand to benefit from such a discovery. To the people that have worked on this for so long, to the people who have suffered waiting for this for so long, to the consequential things that may also occur or be discovered as a result of this breakthrough. So much good can come of this I am sure. However when I read of this I am uncomfortable about the fact that this is the result of genetic engineering. It appears to me in all honesty to be the exact and subtle work of those who strive to compromise God and the morality of the church. I know that sounds paranoid, but let’s take a look at how an attack on God takes place.

First of all there will be suffering and need. These are two things that are as much a part of our lives as life and death itself. God has yet to reward those who earn His blessing with eternal life in paradise. Let’s not forget that we have not yet achieved this and so that means that this life here on Earth is not the promise of our Lord. We face a life of balance between happiness and sadness, joy and pain, health and suffering, good and evil.

The natural plan of life here on Earth is balance of all of God’s work. The circle of life is an excellent phrase to describe what is intended for us as creation. This life isn’t supposed to be a trip down a smooth straight highway. It is work and test for us in the service of God.

The work of Satan is to tear away at the natural balance of God’s creation. He takes the things that cause us fear and pain, and convinces us of their injustice. Then he slips in short term logic and creates confusion. Before long he has us running around looking for truth and hearing all kinds of different claims to truth.

Same sex marriage is another example of this kind of confusion. We are being forced to accept the homosexual act as acceptable by our governments and our courts due to our own lack of initiative until it is too late.

The infamous Roe Vs. Wade case in the US that became the foothold for legalized abortion in that country is another example of how something subtle starts a huge erosion of morality and accomplishes yet another task for the evil one. Too often we notice too late how these little defeats can and will affect our lives. Due to the full scale implications of Roe Vs. Wade we now find ourselves wondering how and why we are paying for abortion and how anyone can argue about the medical necessity of various types of CHILD-OCIDE at it’s varying stages, including the new reality of scientifically creating a human in order to sacrifice it for it’s physical contents and harvest them for the superficial convenience and comfort of those who can afford it. As a group who profess our faith in God and claim to lead our lives for Him, how is it that we constantly roll over and allow His word become ravaged and decimated by Satan and his army, comprised by those aware of their work for him and those who so often choose not to acknowledge their part, but aim their weapons at God none-the-less.

Getting back to the issue of genetically engineered cattle, I looked briefly for some specific guidance on the issue before making an opinion and sharing it with you. However there is such a tidal wave of controversy on the issue relating to a multitude of different contexts that I was unable to sort through it coherently enough for my letter. Just the fact that when you go to Google.com and type in the search “Catholic ethics on genetic engineering” brings up several billion articles shows me that Satan is at work causing confusion. There are so many people with different credentials in this arena yelling fact, opinion, quoting and misquoting scripture, and twisting what should be clear and straightforward into what seems like smoke and mirrors thrown in by a defense attorney to create reasonable doubt. It is an orchestra of evil trying to drown out the truth and it is so obvious it is sickening.

Ironically I will share quickly with you what I think. When in doubt I refer to God’s natural law. We are born here to prove to Him that with our free will, we choose Him and do His will. I see nowhere in God’s creation where He hints that we need to be screwing around with the balance of nature. Technology is great, but we are now soft and have created our own doom. Our atmosphere is becoming poisonous and dangerously thin. Our resources have become plundered and dwindle while there should be more than enough for all. The rich waste and the poor do without. We hold back aid because of lack of money while people die in dry and dusty corners that we don’t have to share with them. Our lives as brothers and sisters have been twisted into solitary lives of greed and suspicion of each other.

While it seems wonderful that we now have the technology to create a disease free cow, it is another small victory for Satan who has convinced so many of us that it is our right to manipulate the balance of God, and now he will move on to the next small battle, lulling us to sleep at our post while he convinces us that if a genetically engineered cow will solve some problems, then maybe we should genetically engineer all the animals and solve some more. Then if that is all right maybe we could engineer humans to solve other problems. Maybe that will cure the common cold. Isn’t that great. Aren’t we wonderful? We do this alone without some God who obviously doesn’t care enough to do it for us. We are all powerful. Who needs God?

So here I stand, professing to avoid all of the confusion and chaos created by Satan’s army of destruction, but instead I am contributing to it with just one more voice. That irony is painfully frustrating. What do we do to battle this infectious evil? We pray. God awaits our faith in Him and not our arguments with others. He will show us the way. He always does. Didn’t He lead the Israelites out of Egypt? Didn’t he lead Noah to safety when no danger was in sight? Didn’t He save Daniel from the lion’s den? Hasn’t He saved you at one time or another? Let’s trust Him and follow His lead. He has a way with these things.

This will be my last letter to you as the Grand Knight of this council. I have been blessed and privileged to be your GK and your DGK these past few years. I can honestly say that in the short time that I have been a Knight that it has changed my life for the better. I can only hope that somehow I might have had the same effect in some strange way on the Knights.

When I came in, there was a set of goals that I aimed at achieving. I even sat down and wrote it all out in a five-year plan. I knew then that some of the changes, repairs and fixes that I wanted to attempt would be long term and not attainable in a two year term. As it turns out, there was so much that I never even got to effectively, but so much more that came as a blessing in their stead. I truly hope that I’ve done more good than harm in my position and I hope that you feel that I honestly and accurately represented our council abroad.

I’ve seen many things take place during my time with you all that has suddenly opened my eyes or forced my hand and as a result forced me to be more prepared in my faith, as a father, as a Catholic and as a friend. I could never repay you all for what I have been able to gain from this experience, but I also know that I will never stop trying to.

My family and I thank you for letting me, a young and inexperienced wandering Catholic soul, take this position and make the mistakes and take part in the successes that we have had with all of the support that you have given me. I am sure that our council is unique in the acceptance of new members and ideas. So many other young Grand Knights have suffered what is typically referred to as the old regime forcing its experience and will on the executive of their council, and I can truly say that in no way was this the case here in Leduc.

Take pride in the fact that we in Leduc have always been special, which is engraved in our records and awards, and continue to be special as written here by my experience and that of those around me as well.

Vivat Jesus

Christopher C. Carr
Grand Knight Fr. Leduc Council #7061 2002-04

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