Now that the election is over and Christmas is rapidly approaching, we are seeing efforts made to fight those ignorant, intolerant Christians.

The Humanists are doing their part by putting ads on DC buses that suggest Christmas without Christ is rational. I can’t wait to hear my kids’ reactions to “Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness’ sake.”

But attacking Christmas makes sense. Over 90% of Americans claim to believe in a god. And a good chunk of them lean toward the God of the New Testament. But probably half of them don’t go to church, read the Bible, or have any idea about what it means to be Christian except that God loves you even if you aren’t perfect, and you can go to Heaven if you side with the Big Guy. If only the Humanists could get these Christian-in-name-only folks to admit that their winter holiday celebrations are mere sentimentality and an annual nod at a Supreme Being, then real head-way could be made to get rid of all public forms of prayer, cultural references to God (“Bless you” at every blasted sneeze), and other offenses.

Admittedly, the whole lack of eternal life puts a damper on that worldview, since most people think immortality of one kind or another, is appealing. But a huge bonus to taking a god out of the picture is, apparently, lowered stress. As the British Humanists advertised: “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”

I’m not so sure even the Brits would be willing to bet their immortal soul on a “probably.” That’s like playing Russian Roulette with a gun you just found. It’s “probably” unloaded isn’t going to convince most people to pull the trigger, and my guess is that many people (perhaps over 90%?) wouldn’t do it even if you said it’s “definitely” unloaded.

So, while the Humanists try to get the quasi-Christians to go whole hog and renounce God, the media, bored with the dearth of post-election news stories (especially since the Democrats won and they want to project hope in the coming changes) will turn to their perennial ultimate villain: the Catholic Church and other strict faiths.

The goal here is to marginalize anyone who is devout. Devotion is bad because it induces guilt in those who are not devout.

Recently, I casually mentioned something about the possibility of having more children (my uterus is still intact, and I’m not even 40 yet). “More? You want more?” was the reaction. And I found myself somewhat apologetically calming the listener with the assurance that it was merely a possibility and not an intent. To say, “My faith teaches…” is to claim piety, and nobody likes a Goody Two-shoes.

So the secular media, on behalf of all those who don’t want to look bad when compared to all those next-door neighbors who are trying to follow their religion all the time, is hell-bent (yes, a pun) on portraying people who go to church weekly as evil. The Catholic Church is the easiest target because it is so unwieldy and because they have held the same old “truths,” unchanging, for 2000 years.

First of all, they love to report that over 50% of Catholics voted for Obama. This means, they imply, that there are tons of Catholics ready to align themselves with Secular Truths. It also means, they hope, that there are many more who might be willing to ignore their bishops if only those bishops could be exposed for their sins.

What’s the biggest sin against Secular Truths? Intolerance. “In an impassioned discussion on Catholics in public life, several bishops said they would accept no compromise on abortion policy.” Only tyrannical institutions would be unwilling to soften their stance on such a commonplace procedure, right?

“And several prelates promised to call out Catholic policy makers on their failures to follow church teaching.” It’s downright mean-spirited to ex-communicate politicians just because they champion women’s rights over those of a clump of cells. Worse yet, to pressure politicians in such a way, threatening their immortal soul, is undemocratic and violates separation of church and state, doesn’t it? It would be one thing if they lobbied Congressmen, using money and gifts to garner support, but to call them sinners? Over the top. What’s next? The general congregation? Will they haul out scarlet letters and force people to wear them (never you mind that it wasn’t the Catholic Church who did that)?

In America, the Catholic Church has always been the dog that everyone can kick. We’ll tiptoe around the Muslims, and don’t dare say anything bad about the Jews. But if you want to vilify religion, go for the Catholics (evangelicals are second in line).

Watch for a rehashing of the priest sex scandal. Watch how the media covers the March for Life on January 22nd (two days after the Inauguration…do you think Obama will sign FOCA on the 22nd?). Watch for more news stories about how the church (wrongly) spends its money, who the bishops are attacking in the public eye, prominent mention of the Catholic identity of pro-abortion politicians or other public figures, and feature stories of the common person whose main thesis is “Why I left the Catholic Church.”

In other words, there’s probably no god. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.

Well, it’s been nearly 48 hours since the end of the voting. Despite perhaps two mornings of grumbling into our coffee, complaining on our blogs and maybe even shedding a tear or two, most of us are looking for the good (and wondering just how long four years will feel). There have been no riots, no bloodshed. Nobody’s packing their bags to move to…uh, where?

I love democracy.

But of course, in the last 48 hours, about 5000 babies have been aborted, and about 5000 women have had their lives changed immeasurably.

Sadly though, had McCain won, that statistic would not have changed. Yes, I believe he could have appointed Justices who could have hastened the demise of Roe v. Wade and thrown these laws back into the states’ jurisdiction. But true results would have been a long time coming.

And given the results of more than a few pro-life ballot questions – utter failure – I am doubting the efficacy of fighting these battles through the courts and legislatures.

Don’t get me wrong: I firmly believe that unborn children should have their rights protected under the law. I am thoroughly convinced that pro-abortion laws have, in effect, given women little choice but to abort. And I know that if FOCA passes, (and it would not have a chance of passage under McCain), there will be virtually no restrictions on abortion, not even for minors who are legally not responsible enough to make any other medical decisions for themselves.

But in the effort to save lives – and I don’t mean just unborn children, and I don’t mean just preserving a body, I’m talking about a whole person, body and soul, and two victims, mother and child – in an effort to save the life of a child and to preserve the dignity, the mental and physical health, and the immortal soul of a woman, I have no confidence in politicians or judges, nor in laws or mandates, nor in marches or protests.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.” Jeremiah 17:7

I’m not sure of all the things that go through a person’s mind when deciding for whom to vote, but of one thing I am convinced: abortion is not a paramount issue for most voters. And it is that, not any other disagreement with someone’s politics, that gives me a sickening feeling. If the Dems want to raise taxes (and they will, despite the rhetoric), if they want to give all my money away to my neighbors, if they want to try to pacify rogue nations with summits, if they want to re-define the family, and tell me that I’m full of hate because I have strong convictions about morality, and criminalize my expression of this opinion – all this, I can bear.

But the apathy to the unborn? Dear God, have mercy!

The technology is there, showing itty bitty babies doing cute things in the womb. We’ve all seen it. And yet we insist “it” is sub-human. We turn a blind-eye and a deaf-ear because to admit our inhumanity in our actions is too difficult. To admit that an unborn baby is human and worthy of the same inalienable rights as the ones who were (intentionally) born, would be to admit that we are monsters, because only monsters could allow such a slaughter.

Ending slavery required a war. Ending the Holocaust required a war. I can not accept that ending abortion requires a war. But I am admitting defeat in ending it through legal means.

Instead, we are left with the hardest road. Prayer. Sacrifice. Sackcloth and ashes. Educating the ignorant. Counseling the doubtful. Charity in thought, word and deed.

And being filled with joy despite the carnage in which we live, because nobody loves a dour saint.

I believe that God is in control. I don’t believe that He is pleased that infanticide is sugar-coated as “choice.” But I believe it is His will that we struggle. Perhaps had McCain won, we would have all gone back to our cushy lives comforted that we did our part in voting for pro-life politicians, and that would be the end of it until the next election.

But now we all know that we have a LOT of work to do. We will have no help from the government, so we can stop placing our hope there and turn to Him who can do all things.

Some of us might get pumped up at a political rally. Some of us may feel patriotic flipping switches at a polling station. Some of us may work for a campaign and get thrilled at the prospect of making a difference.

And some of us may get all warm and fuzzy feeling inside after committing misdemeanor theft and squelching somebody else’s free speech:

In his blog post, Busse said “yanking out the signs and running like a scared rabbit back to my idling car was one of the single-most exhilarating and empowering political acts that I have ever done.”

Several days ago, Billy asked his dad if he could take some Obama signs down. He’s 8. We can excuse him for not understanding fully the right to freely support any person and the right to tell the world for whom you plan to vote and the right to try to convince others that “your guy” is the best person for the job. I will consider myself a failure as a mother if he reaches adulthood and thinks stealing yard signs is acceptable, let alone “exhilarating and empowering.”