The following comes from a March 24 story on the Blaze.com.
An Oregon public school teacher says he’s on the verge of being fired because of his outspoken views against Planned Parenthood and abortion.
Bill Diss, who taught at Benson High School in Portland for 11 years, was placed on paid leave March 19 and recommended for dismissal, the Oregonian reported. That day, the math teacher said he was given a few minutes to collect his things and was escorted from school premises by police, according to the Christian News Network.
Diss is a staunch Roman Catholic and blocked two Planned Parenthood workers from entering his classroom in September because, he said, they lacked proper identification.
Planned Parenthood is a partner in the Portland school district’s Teen Outreach Program, aimed at preventing teen pregnancy, and funded by a federal Department of Health and Human Services grant, according to the Oregonian.
“I think, deep down, it’s because of my views,” Diss told the newspaper. “And that it’s much more important for them to have Planned Parenthood in the schools than to have a really dedicated teacher who really teaches math well and goes the extra mile and does a whole bunch with the kids.”
He was reprimanded for the incident and the workers were eventually allowed in to give a presentation aimed at preventing teenage pregnancy — though school district officials said Diss interrupted them.
In December, Diss helped organized a protest at a school board meeting against Planned Parenthood’s presence in the district, calling it “a chance to get healed so that filth doesn’t have to be handed to other people.”
To read entire story, click here.
It’s really not surprising that this happened to teacher Diss given his outspoken views and in-your-face ways of handling these kinds of situations re P.P., which I applaud, by the way. Because the organization that is really Murder Incorporated, AKA ‘planned parenthood,’ DESERVES to be treated this way; they’re liars and bullies and should be treated with ZERO respect. Perhaps someday should moral sanity return to this country and it’s institutions, we’ll finally see the equivalent of the Nuremberg tribunals from the ‘forties working to INDICT AND PROSECUTE all of the officers of P.P., and finally bring them to justice. GOD BLESS ALL, MARKRITE
Markite,
If and when that glorious day comes, the tribunals will have to include the ACLU and probably the Demoncrat Party!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
You are so right. Great comment!
Ok, Church…we need to properly EDUCATE our Catholic children, teens, and adults in faith and morals. So, when we lack, for sure the secular society and the culture of death will profit from the faithful who bury their heads. GET the TRUTH to our families! DO NOT FEAR! God bless Bill Bliss and others who will stand firm against those who uplift evil! Thank you for protecting our children!
Read the book, “Truth and Tolerance” by the then Card. Ratzinger. He says it all in there. We are living in a time similar to ancient Rome where moral relativism has become a kind of dictatorship that cannot coexist with a religion that proclaims the truth.
I constantly feel like Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca because I want to follow my human heart with all its flaws but my conscience pulls me to set that aside to fight in a bigger struggle. Stories like this make me realize that even if I want to stay on the side lines living my own life that events will force us all to choose: do we do nothing and let evil win or do we forget about our own emotional needs because we’re needed elsewhere? And in order to fight, me and everyone else – but especially someone with my background – has to be right with God even if it’s very hard.
Stay on the side of God, we will all go down as children of the one true God.
“We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.” – John Fitzgerald Kennedy [site motto, sacra-pizza-man]
As anyone can tell you, good math teachers or even BAD ones, are as rare as hen’s teeth and not easily replaced. This just goes to show how incredibly powerful pp is that they can go into a school and disrupt classrooms with their evil agenda and anyone who complains or questions it is condemned outright. I say the principal and school board should be held to account, and I can only hope that parents band together to support this wonderful teacher. Having many friends and relatives there, I do know Oregon is even more liberal than California, and perhaps this is going to be a test of some sort. Leonardo di Fillipis lives near Portland…I wonder if he or other courageous Catholics will take a public stand? And the new Bishop Samples?
As rare as math teachers are, some also have integrity (as one might expect in a Catholic HS, too).
However, what is one to do when instructed to not be so harsh when it came to grading. If no answer was given on a quiz, you had to give a “1” (50%); a little work on the problem, with no answer, a “2” (60%). Working on a question, but still getting it wrong: a 2.5 (70%) was “more appropriate.” A “C” for an incorrect answer? The implication was clear and not everyone needs a job that bad, though you would expect a Catholic school to have principles.
Bob,
It is not uncommon in Math and Sciences to give partial credit for using a proper procedure but not getting the actual answer correct. It is not clear to me what you are stating happened in that situation. Please explain further.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
This was the procedure that was “quietly” explained to me while teaching at a local Catholic high school where they are using a LMU-developed program. (A quiz is your choice of selecting one problem out of three.) There is no depth of concept. Credit for trying is one thing, a wrong answer is a wrong answer.
Today it is commonplace for high schools to have their students use a plagiarism program for their English compositions. I wondered why this school did not until I was instructed how to grade math.
These things and a distinct lack of regard for our Faith made my short stay contentious, but my exit a very easy to do.
It didn’t say it was a Catholic school though
It’s more of a myth, Dana, than a reality.
What is a myth, Skai? I agree, if you’re referring to what I wrote about the ‘liberalism’ of Oregon. Having lived there for many years, I found the small towns around the state very much like the rest of small town America. Unfortunately, they’ve become outmaneuvered and outspent and out-powered by aggressive liberals from Seattle and California who have worked dilligently to undermine the local populace in creating amoral laws , changes in property usage etc. It’s been an ongoing assault for many years…as it has throughout this whole country. Californians are bitterly resented there, as well as in Colorado and Idaho and other states that have had similar intrusions. Nothing personal, folks, but California seems to be a real fermenting caldron of dissent , self-absorbtion, amorality with the $$$ to make them real carriers of destruction…and then there’s Hollywood to carry on where a physical presence isn’t necessary to continue the onslaught. Just sayin’. They have the audacity to refer to the rest of us as ‘fly over states’ like somehow that makes them superior that they’re constantly wasting fuel and time flying back and forth like killer bees between New York and California, destroying everyone else’s little nests and sucking up all the honey for themselves. Is that the myth you were referring to? heh heh
You are exactly right, Dana. American school children our way behind in math alongside the children of many other nations.
Correction: American school children ARE way behind.
He has more fire than many (if not most) bishops and priests.
It’s likely that if more of our bishops and priests had as much zeal for the Faith as Mr. Diss, then the Church would be thriving rather than in crisis.
I’m so proud of Mr. Diss putting his job in jeopardy to protect children from Planned Parenthood. I just wish parents could be convinced to take their children out of public schools in order to stop the indoctrination of their children by this organization. If more people would stand up, like black conservatives did for Dr. Carson on Sean Hannity show last night, maybe, just maybe the pendulum could swing back to rational.
Your kids don’t need to leave the school. The people who run the schools need to go!
You might be right but we know that will never happen. I put all my kids through Catholic School but I could no longer afford it. I now Homeschool my 6th grader and 9th grader and its not easy for me because I have a lot of illnesses, loss of hearing, fibromyalgia etc etc. loud noise in my head so yes it’s very hard but I will not allow the public schools to instill evilness into the hearts of my children. My job is to raise God loving boys. It’s really sad that PP is even allowed in the schools.
Betty I hear you and can sympathize with you on the “it’s hard part”…even if you could afford a private Catholic education, that education is most likely watered down and what appears Catholic….is not…it sometimes is more harming. God bless you for your efforts and remember to not put to much on your plate…if the kids feel a stressed out mum, we can actually be doing more harm…find a good local Catholic support group or even if its Christian…at least get support in the homeschooling part. God bless you..
Betty. I am an RN —you have Lyme disease!!!! Contact me for more info…blood tests inconclusive …I homeschooled our daughter too. God bless. Mary
Yes Mary- my thoughts exactly. I homeschool six children and have Lyme and Babesia. My symptoms are not bad at the moment, but I do have fatigue and memory loss. So many suffer from Lyme and don’t even know it. It’s a plague.
But God blesses homeschooling. My children are thriving despite my difficulties, even my teenagers. I had doubts that I would be able to do it when my children were younger, but I am so glad that we stuck with it. Abeca, may you find relief. Find a doctor who will use the Igenex Lab if you can afford it.
The only thing proper in a Math class is Math. It is obvious that Mr. Diss was set up by PP and its minions in the School system, and they don’t give a damn if Johny can’t add two and two as long as he knows how to violate the Sixth Commandment!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Cecilia in order to have more outspoken good Catholics as this gentlman, I feel that we need to have Bishops and priests, Cardinals and the like… to set those good example more often, just so more and more people would gain courage to do so. They say that when we have a strong church leadership, the faith and zeal to do what is right grows because of their example and not the confusion that many have allowed to happen.
You’re right. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been disappointed with our bishops, and yet, whenever a bishop does speak out too few Catholics support his declaration. But then again the media intentionally get interviews from fallen away, atheistic Catholics who always criticize the bishop and the church. Prayer, penance and fasting are the surest way to defeat both planned parenthood and the media. Personally, whenever I drive through a public school zone, I start praying for all the people who have to work and study behind it’s walls. I turn their “school zone” into a “prayer zone” and there is nothing anyone can do about it, not even Satan.
yes Cecilia…I noticed that when one prays, fasts and does penance….it usually leads them to take action…..action with prayer help us unite.
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. ”
Douay-Rheims Bible James 1:22
If we do not start standing up for life and what is right, this will continue to happen.
I know god will bless him abundantly for standing up for life, I will keep him in my prayers.
That is what you call courageous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bon I agree….also please capitalize God…thank you sweet friend in Christ…I know you meant too but just saying…
Why is it that every time I see a story about a public school district, they’re doing the exact opposite of what they should be doing? The students were in that classroom to learn math, not how to avoid multiplication.
Public schools long ago abandoned education in favor of indoctrination. It’s another example of government involvement absolutely ruining what they purport to want to build up.
I believe it was conservative political columnist George Will who many years ago wrote that the education establishment had redefined “the 3 R’s” to be race, recycling, and reproduction. This is more true today than it has ever been.
The persecution of those who oppose the culture of death has already begun. Mr. Diss should be applauded for taking a pro life stance in the classroom. Abortion is the number one issue facing America today. Since Roe versus Wade legalized abortion in America in 1973 there have been fifty three million abortions. Let us pray and hope that there are many more teachers like Mr. Diss who will stand up for the rights of the unborn in classrooms right across America.
So, an otherwise gifted and talented math teacher, who dedicated his last 11 years to helping his students with a skill that is sorely lacking today and will greatly needed by our future work force, is being recommended for dismissal because two hopelessly lost, perveyors of death wanted access to his math class…and he said no?? What exactly does math have to do with contraception and abortion, anyway? Let’s see, take a male and a female, add in serious sin through date rape or fornication, and subtract by violent, horrific means the fruit of their illicit union if the contraception failed and this equals what exactly??? Doesn’t PP (planned perversion) get enough access to all the kids through degenerate “sex education” classes and their ongoing attempts to place condoms and abortifacients in the hands of every man, woman and child willing to sacrifice their bodies to debauched immorality? Everyone who cares at all about Jesus Christ needs to hit their knees and pray for this man and his family! We all may be next in line.
Thank God for people like Mr. Diss! Markrite’s comment above says it all about Planned Parenthood. They allow statutory rapists to get away with their crimes because there is money to be made. Many of their “clinics” are filthy and many women have died after receiving “safe and legal” abortions. Thus it isn’t surprising that this same sick society that accepts PP in schools(!!!!) is now leaning toward acceptance of Same Sex “””marriage!””” When a society reaches the point where it can even discuss homosexuality and “””marriage””” then that society is already dead…Anybody watching what’s developing in N. Korea? Remember what Our Lady of Akita said in the 70’s? “Fire will fall from the sky consuming a greater part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, priests as well as laypeople. The survivors will be so desolate they will envy the dead.” Remember Sodom and Gomorrha, America???
White Martyrdom
So much for anti-bullying schlock sentiment.
The school brown shirts were not just teaching Mr. Diss a lesson. they were letting any other teacher know that they need to be lock step with the Thought Dictators.
I am hoping that he gets pitbull legal representation and sues the school district.
Yes JOHN you are correct, they used that as an example what would happen to anyone else who disagrees. I really pray that more teachers would just follow and do what Mr. Diss did….it would make positive changes but one can only hope
What business do people making a pitch for planned parenthood have in a math class, anyway?
Best,
Richard
“escorted out by police”: What were they afraid of?
Skai I too was threatened to be escorted out and I tried typing all the info but this site just said that I typed too quickly and deleted my whole post, so I am not energy filled to retype it again…but yes they do do that even on friendly caring parents….they use it to intimidate especially if you don’t know your rights…even if are being civil and friendly…
Doesn’t Diss have union representation? Isn’t he a tenured teacher with a lot of job security protection after eleven years?
Skai,
I know you are not so naïve as to actually believe the Marxist Teachers Union would defend an opponent of PP and a CATHOLIC TO BOOT!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
: )) Didn’t think of that, Kenneth. Good point.
Skai those are all good questions but I also know that it’s the unions who are also very liberal too and they support candidates that also support abortions…
Abecca,
By trial and error, I have found that the message you described means you hit the send button more than once. Try resending.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Why don’t the parents stand up for this teacher? Their children were blessed to have him and they are just going to let him be escorted out the door? A man of principle is thrown out on the street and Planned Parenthood succeeds in their bullying ways once more. When are people going to understand the true motives of PP? They are evil.
Rose I agree with you on this one. Wish the parents would fight for this teacher too. That needs to happen in order to make positive changes…the real question is will parents do it?
When my kids were in regular public elementary school, they had sex education (they called it something else and I was warned about it from a devout teacher in secret, he whispered “it’s sex education”) and I was the only parent who took my kids out of that program. I tried educating other parents that it was sex education that was being taught to them and well lets just say I was the minority in keeping that topic at home, making it the parents job especially for 5th graders. I didn’t feel that my child was mature enough to handle that topic as of yet, every child is different, different maturity levels plus I didn’t want strangers with different views about sex to teach my kids, that was my job. I was not treated well by the front desk personnel. It was a very awkward and uncomfortable situation. I also didn’t like it that when they had a box in the middle of the class and they asked students if they had any questions that they felt embarrassed about, that they could write it down anonymously and place it in the box and an adult would try to answer them on another day to the whole class. Would you believe that? Those anonymous questions could of been inappropriate for a school and should not be allowed in a school setting, making kids think about sex. Kids are so immature, that my kids use to tell me that during recess you would hear boys make fun of girls sexually and after the sex education, you would find a boy and a girl kissing during recesses. The boys talked about breasts and the girls about penises. There was no talk about the basics in education that whole month….
THANKS FOR YOUR SHINING EXAMPLE OF TRUE HEROISM!
The logic here is mind boggling. It is not okay for the teacher to express his views but it is okay for PP to go into the school and express theirs?????? Is that freedom of speech? Whooops forgot, not for anyone else but the dictators……Makes one really think hard here, what can we all do to change this pendulum? The answer is not to ignore and to stand up and be counted !
P that’s right. It’s just something that I can’t fathom either. How could a city or state give Planned Parenthood this much power. If people want this filth for their kids on a volunteer basis where they can go after school, off school time on their own, in their own pubic offices, fine that parent may do so but to force this organizations down the throats of everyone during class time, I find it evil!
11 years and this is what this stupid school district does to a good math teacher? Do you know how hard it is to find good math teachers…when I went to school, all my school years they all sucked! I didn’t learn math well in this terrible school system. My younger sister had one good math teacher in her 10th grade and she blossomed so well, she is very smart. That is all it took was a good math teacher. My daughter had several bad ones and she still struggles today with math.
This is a terrible injustice and I pray that parents unite and stand up for this teacher….
This story gives me encouragement, why? BECAUSE this is a Catholic gentleman! Catholic! WOW a Catholic is standing up, what a wonderful witness! Where I live there are too many lukewarm Catholics that this story is refreshing! I think that this is why God is still merciful on this world because of good faithful still fighting the good fight
I would be honored if this was my kids teacher and believe you me, I would be right by his side to help if he made it known to us parents what he needed from us….there is power in numbers.
We need more heroes like Bill Diss. May God Bless you, Bill. Stay close to Mary.
Yes Indeed Daniel…it’s too bad he is a rare breed of good men. He must receive support or else he may be forced to comply….
People should do a search on the Oregon 2009 Sex Mandate where they want to teach vaginal, oral and anal sex to first graders.
The public here turns its back on porn shops in neighborhoods. In the present past, ours used to have lighted up mannequins in the front window and the school bus would go around the window, may be 15 feet away with little children in the bus. This license to promote pornography was the work of a single lawyer who worked for 20 years crafting before taking it to the Oregon Supreme Court, who they alone implemented this ruling. Oregon has a small minority of church people and those of good will. The referendum was brought to the ballot box, and in spite of Portland City Council members, the police and the acknowledgement by a police captain at a neighborhood meeting in response to the porn shop coming in, that these types of businesses are supported by Mafias, Oregonians by an 89% majority gave license extending beyond federal constitutional limits to pornography.
The media is hell bent to show clergy abuse but likewise ignores what the school progressives and ‘free speech’, the crass hypocrisy of it all.
Kathleen,
It was the silent, too silent, so called shepherds who helped bring this sick situation about. We can’t even get priests for the most part to come and join us in the Rosary at a Planned Barenhood Clinic just up the street from a Catholic Church!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Bill Diss you are a hero. A real man!
So, can anyone do anything to help him keep his livelihood, or is PP the new SS? Escorted from your workplace for protecting your charges from government abuse/indoctrination……… PP will never discourage children/adolescents from experimenting with sex but prefers to encourage it by supplying contraceptives and ofcourse a ‘final solution’.
Has Archbishop Sample come forward to praise Bill Diss?
Harriet:
I am not an attorney, but at this point such intervention might not help. Mr. Diss is defending his legal rights as a citizen and a tenured employee of a public school district. His religion should not matter. If at some point the district should charge him with “proselytizing” or something that makes clear they are persecuting him as a Catholic or for being a Catholic, then the bishop needs to come out loaded for bear.
Why does this school district allow Planned Parenthood to “proselytize” in its school? Many faiths do not believe what Planned Parenthood is selling and it is not fair of the school to let Planned Parenthood indoctrinate the students in their beliefs.
PA, because the owners of PP also own the school.
Skai you are not far from the truth….
Mark from PA, The Teen Outreach Program is not a Planned Parenthood Program. It is a program developed in 1978 and concentrates on community service and healthy behabior. Planned Parenthood is a partner meaning it’s employees have been trained to take this program into schools. It has one section on sexual health (which may be omitted but not substituted with another program) but it’s emphasis is on teaching life skills and healthy behaviors. It was developed to assist high school youth who have been pregnant or are at risk of dropping out, failing, or being suspended. The program instills in youth a sense of purpose by emphasising a community service component. It has decreased not only teen pregnancy but also the dropout rates. It is hoped it will diminish violent behavior and drug use as well.
The sodomites and abortionists took over the schools years ago and these minions of Satan have zero tolerance for the holy.
A very sad commentary on the collapse of morality in our increasingly secular culture! I have absolutely no spiritual doubt that this is only the tip off a deadly iceberg which is ascending upon us all. Christians everywhere desperately need to put on the armor of God and immerse themselves in prayer! God Bless us all.
Beej,
That armor of God comes in the form of blessed beads, and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Beej, it’s not “descending”, it’s been descended for thousands of years already.
I think one constitutional problem no one talks about is the disparity between how we deal with “religious” indoctrination in schools and secular “social engineering”.
I am one of the few who mostly agree with how the establishment clause is construed by our courts. I simply do not believe it is moral to use public money in any fashion to support propagation of religious beliefs. However, there seems to be a carte blanche for authorities to “socially engineer” students with public money if their theoretical basis is not based on religion.
I think this, too, impinges upon our freedoms and effectively converts our tax dollars to illicit purposes. I think there IS a way to teach sex education that informs but does not “socially engineer” students—but, its a minefield. To do so would take responsible teachers who are very careful about not trying to impart their own views and instead stick to the facts.
The problem is, both sides insist that the “facts” are things inherently skewed in their favor. For example, if I had the hot potato of trying to teach students about abortion while sticking to “just the facts”, I would say that there are many different beliefs with respect to when life begins. Some believe life begins at conception. Others place that line at some later time–some going so far as to say that life does not begin until birth.
The law prohibits wrongfully ending the life of another human being. Science cannot pinpoint when consciousness begins, but a fetus’ cells are certainly biologically alive when conception occurs. Some think “life” begins from the moment of conception. Others think human life begins only after some undefined level of brain activity that can be called “consciousness” exists.
The law states that pregnant women can choose to abort children before they become independently “viable” outside the womb. This is a moral question and the law does not allow me to influence your opinion on this issue. You need to seek advice from your parents, your church, do independent reading, or seek other philosophical guidance to form an opinion in this matter. The choice is up to you.
I would like to provide guidance in this area; but, since I am a teacher paid with public funds, I am prohibited from doing so. Please carefully consider your stance on these issues before taking any action. You might well regret your decisions later in life.
But, JonJ, “how we deal with “religious” indoctrination in schools and secular “social engineering”, this is a moot point. Social engineering has held sway for a long time now, starting with (atheist?) John Dewey and the Protestant dominance of public schools.
Skai, fundamentally it’s about more than ideology. Ideological indoctrination is the tip of the iceberg. If you have public education, the state is pretty much going to use it to promote it’s own power. That’s happened almost from the beginning of public education.
The state, however, happens to be an amoral animal. I think it’s so pervasive that we can call it part of it’s natural law. Why I am so very doctrinaire about isolating religion from government is that we have multiple examples of religion becoming corrupt as it takes on the power of the state. This problem goes back to biblical times with Pharisees and Sadducees, continued through the corrupt medieval era (I know you don’t want to hear me beat the drum of the Inquisition once again), and we even see corruption problems in the tiny Vatican today.
The state, btw, has a pretty good scam going. First, they seize our money by force (try not paying your taxes, anytime throughout history). Next, they pretend to give us something for “free”, but when an amoral entity gives away freebees, they aren’t doing it out of the goodness of their own heart. Certainly an educated public creates a more vibrant economy. But, more importantly, the state will use education to solidify it’s hold on power.
Now, many consider this somewhat patriotic. However, we suddenly realize how toxic this can be when the same method is used by reviled states like Nazi Germany and Communist Russia. The funny thing is, most don’t recognize it in their own country because well…they’ve been indoctrinated to agree with founding principles of their state.
One of the ways in which our political class is waging war on the Constitution is to convince successive generations that government SHOULD have more power—by pointing out injustices that need to be fixed. And, one of the best ways to do this is by controlling the training the populace gets in the schools. Since the founding fathers never envisioned public education, they didn’t create defense mechanisms for government abuse in this area.
JonJ’s ” I simply do not believe it is moral to use public money in any fashion to support propagation of religious beliefs” presumes a condition where no beliefs exist. This is false, and is a construct of Enlightenment philosophy, and also a product of some Protestant theologies which claim that God is distant and not involved in the affairs of man.
I agree with you Skai
I agree with Skai also. It is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to believe in NOTHING. That in itself is an oxymoron. Jesus said you are either for me or against me…you either believe in darkness or the light. As Chesterton said, ‘If say you believe in nothing, you’ll believe in ANYTHING! If you’re not actively teaching truth, even in math (just ask Blaise Pascal) you’re teaching lies. When I was teaching art, beieve me, it made a difference as to what I reinforced by what I believed.
And, your idea that failing to teach “Jesus died on the cross for our sins” would somehow make turn “2+2=4” into a lie is totally ludicrous.
Not at all, Skai. I presume that MANY beliefs exist and that trying to use state force to compel even the “right” beliefs ends up creating unnecessary conflicts that—on balance—end up leading us AWAY from God.
Think about this: if we use the mechanism of the state to enforce and spread spiritual beliefs, we are necessarily embroiling the people tasked with leading us to God with a myriad of worldly issues and responsibilities. Not only that, we are enticing them with the siren song of political power. How then are we to keep “things of this world” at arms length as we focus on our journey to the spiritual realm when our leaders are thus distracted?
We know from history that structure hasn’t turned out well.
Let’s get to the core issue: using tax dollars extracted by the state’s SWAT team to “make” people think the right way. The bait is the idea that we can create a moral utopia on earth by making people behave the “right” way.
The little problem is that everyone doesn’t agree with these ideas, and we know from the CCC that it is wrong to compel proper worship of God.
A simple analogy should make clear that using tax dollars to compel obedience to God is generally wrong:
Let us suppose I want to put up a massive display in my yard in homage to Jesus and other aspects of particularly Catholic theology. Let us also suppose I’m using state-of-the art technology that would make the best Hollywood special effects experts jealous and that passers by would be awestruck with my visual displays of God’s truth.
Except there’s a little problem: I can’t afford to finance my project. Now, since as we all know from this board, no one here likes me, I cannot persuade anyone to give me money. Instead, I go to my good friend who is an IT whiz and we devise a program to hack Bank of America’s computer system. We install a bug to skim a few pennies from every account in state. We justify our act on the grounds of the righteous nature of our purpose and the result of bringing the Truth to others.
How is this act not theft? The fact is, we all know this is a crime.
How is this any different that the state using its SWAT team to extract taxes from unwilling citizens to spread religious ideas with which they do not agree?
That leads us directly to question ANY use of state force. I am not such an extremist to think that the state, and criminal punishment by the state, should not exist. Then, we must address the question of under what circumstances, and to what extent, is it right to use state force to compel adherence to moral principles.
Funny how no one here want to take a crack at this question despite the many times I’ve posed it. Could it be that no one wants to define ANY limits and simply grab as much vicarious enforcement power as they can?
JonJ, honestly, I commend you for trying to start an intelligent discussion, but you lost me on the first sentence.
LOL, in which “1st sentence” did I fail to make myself clear?
If you’re taking issue with the idea that using state force to make people think the right way ends up creating conflict that end up leading us away from God…
This is how I see that playing out. Many people have deeply held beliefs with respect to religion. Let’s even assume some are objectively right and some are objectively wrong.
If the objectively right people then persuade the state to tax people to make everyone conform to the “right” ideas, then you will inspire the people with “wrong” ideas to fight this process.
Now we end up with constant social battles that will never end. Those social battles will become so pervasive and acute that we will end up spending all of our energy fighting them and become completely embroiled in worldly matters. What then of our journey toward Heaven?
That’s not even mentioning the corrupting influence that worldly power will have over our religious leaders—and maintaining that power will tempt them to skew their doctrinal teaching to support that beast.
Anon, sigh, maybe it would be more concise had I said:
I fail to see the wisdom of empowering Caesar to teach us about God, when all he’s going to do with the loot is raise troops in Gaul that will enable him to cross the Rubicon.
JonJ, I’m not taking issue with anything. I don’t even know what you are talking about. The first line you lost me on was the social engineering one. And the next line- um, I don’t know what an establishment clause is. And no on the Caesar thing.-I went to public schools. The first time I ever heard of the Rubicon was in song by the Rolling Stones and I googled it. And Caesar is a salad. (Just kidding-I know he was some ruler in Rome. There were more than one. One of them was in power when Jesus was killed.) I just wanted you to know that it’s not disagreement. It’s just over my head-may be for many others who post also. But I had been wondering about the lack of intelligent discussion lately as some of the more educated, professional-sounding posters no longer post here. So anyway, next time I hope it is something I can respond to intelligently.
JonJ all I have to say is quote you a bible verse:
Matthew 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Abeca, I presume you would accept the CCC as infallible doctrine, and the CCC states that it is immoral to compel worship. If we use state force to compel attendance at school, and we extract taxes from citizens by force to pay for that schooling, how would instructing pupils in “these words of mine” be anything but compelled worship?
Hooray for this teacher who is considered a hero by Heavens standards but is feared and mistreated by the worlds standards. If you stand up today you will have to pay price but this life is passing by all so quickly so it is really worth it in the end. I will pray this man finds another job.
The Deluge and destruction of Sodom and Gomarrah give me hope.
But I think these events were meant to be mere examples in reference to life beyond the grave, and not routine interventions from Heaven.
The Resurrection of Jesus, Our Lord and Savior, gives me hope, Ski Ven.
Douay-Rheims Bible
What shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but hath not works? Shall faith be able to save him?
James 2:14
most important one:
“And the Lord said: Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips glorify me, but their heart is far from me, and they have feared me with the commandment and doctrines of men” Isaiah 29:13
Well, when he comes in judgement, you had better hope you are on the RIGHT side of him.
Amen to that Anne T…..
I agree with so many of the previous comments. Let us pray for Mr. Diss and pray for the persecutors as well May God’s grace and
mercy be on us all
I am surprised that not one person so far mentioned legal associations such as American Defense League and the Rutherford Institute whose main purpose is to take to court all those governmental agencies and associations like planned parenthood for the violation of religious expression and freedom of speech etc. They have been very instrumental in stopping this kind of garbage. It’s time that planned parenhood get a bit of its own medicine and realize that there are people out there that won’t tolerate their crap! Also, he needs to take this school district to court as well for violation of his freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Someone just did that recently and he school, I mean the university that allowed this professor to stomp on the name of Jesus was on disciplinary leave of absence. But not until this student found a good legal organization such as The American Defense League to take the bullies to court. By the way …..he won!
What I saw:
“I think, deep down, it’s because of my views,” Diss said.
That indicates that the reason given to him, was he was removed for something other than his views. The letters from the school outlining his suspensions indicate a behavior problem: “officials say they suspended him in the past for multiple reasons, including “unprofessional, intimidating and/or harassing behavior.”
OK we have the school saying one thing and Mr Diss saying another. How do we really know what the truth is?
The article gives indications that there were “other problems”. Telling kids they would end up as prostitutes ( 82nd street reference) is one of them. Reading through the user comments indicates there is more to this story. There are links that seem indicate he was forced to take some type of anger management classes as far back as 2004.
User comments , in general supported the premise of a behavior problem in the class room. More telling is the lack of support from parents and students. I’m curious why normally vocal parent’s have been so quite compared to those that voiced complaints?
Well, if Diss is perceived as potentially violent, then that would justify the use of police escorting him from campus. But the silence of the school admin on the violence potential may be due to lack of ability to prove it. Diss might be right after all. He should find a school with a more favorable administration, just like any other job where it is wise to work with friends and not with enemies.
My take is that using the campus SRO ( security resource officer) during a dismissal is a matter of being cautious. If something does go wrong you have an officer there for enforcement and as a witness. That works to the benefit of both parties.
Kind of a darned if you do, darned if you don’t. If something did go wrong the administrators would get into trouble for not following procedure.
My understanding is that the HR people are not allowed to make any comments or give specifics.
From what I can tell, he was let go because of discipline issues. I found references about losing his cool at a football game and yelling at students. Perhaps the real story is how well he has made it seem like he is a victim and how many people bought it, hook line and sinker.
That school’s administration probably manipulated the perception that Diss was potentially violent.
Talk about getting dissed. Good for Mr Diss. The public schools and universties are infested with atheists, leftists, liberals and homosexuals all pushing the govt agendas. How do you think someone like Obama was elected? He who controls the minds controls the future. Now they are making the military an uncomfortable place to be a Christian. They are working on ridding itself of soldiers with beliefs in God and with consciences to be replaced by gays, atheists and thugs who will have no problem turning against the nation’s citizens when asked to do so. Persecution is not only coming… it’s already started and is in it’s infancy stage right now. The lines drawn… pick a side… as Mr Diss did. We need to stand behind him and be ready. The USA is the new Roman empire in it’s fall.
God bless you, Mr. Diss. My prayers are with you. You are in the wonderful company of those persecuted for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Planned Parenthood is an evil organization. In this morning’s gospel Jesus said, “And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil.” This describes Planned Parenthood perfectly. I hope that a Catholic high school will hire you.
In the early 70s, when the abortion frenzy was first taking shape within sectors of my Church, I decided, as a committed Christian, that talk was cheap and that it was time for me to take action. Having been trained in Catholic Action, I decided to infiltrate the system and to produce change from the inside. In my mind, the Planned Parenthood Federation was the arch villain. I saw this group as responsible for promoting cheap and easy abortions as part of their women’s rights agenda. Hence, by way of bringing a religious leaven to this group, I decided to act as a volunteer abortion counselor within the very structures where women were flocking to decide the future of the life in their wombs.
Planned Parenthood provided me with the required four two-hour sessions of training. During this period, no one asked me anything regarding my religious affiliation or invited me to explore my gut feelings regarding abortion. At first I was puzzled by this. But then it became clear that Planned Parenthood was not interested in what I thought or felt; rather, they were focused on whether I was capable of empathetically entering into the mind and heart of a woman coming to me for counseling who was traumatized by “her” unexpected pregnancy.
Next I discovered that I had misjudged Planned Parenthood for “advocating” (even pushing) abortions. Again and again, my trainers enforced the idea that the decision belonged to the would-be mother. I was trained how to assist women whose only difficulty was overcoming the shame and the hesitancy of telling their boyfriends and their parents that they were pregnant. Others needed help because they were in the morass of not knowing who the father was. Still others were unsure whether, for the sake of their child, they could commit themselves to a man whom they judged to be a bad father. Gradually, I came to discover that Planned Parenthood was bent upon respecting the whole panorama of emotional, social, economic, religious, and institutional aspects of deciding how to respond to an unplanned pregnancy. My trainer kept insisting that my task was to allow the would-be mother to accurately assess her “inner resources” and her own “ethical intuitions” in the face of her own condition and that of her unborn child. Even those coming in with a firm commitment to having an abortion, my trainer insisted, needed to be gentle helped to tell their story of how they became pregnant and how they arrived at their choice of abortion. Planned Parenthood knew that a hasty and unreflected decision could later cause much suffering to all concerned. Making a safe place for women to tell their stories was at the heart of what my trainer expected of me.
Then my practice as a counselor began. I was surprised and humbled to have women half my age or twice my age telling me their deepest secrets, and I was very much aware that they were telling me this as a man. Every case was absolutely unique. A 16-year-old got drunk at a house party and decided to lose her virginity in the bedroom with, as she said, “a guy that I didn’t even like.” An older woman near menopause was devastated by a pregnancy at a time in her life when she was physically exhausted by raising four girls and was counting the days until they were all “out of the house.” Each of these women made a slow and painful decision. In the end, both decided to accept the new life growing in their wombs and to rely upon their inner resources to make the best of a less-than-ideal situation.
De Aaron Milavec, why not give such counceling at a pro life crisis pregnancy center instead of at one who will kill the child if the woman so desires. It seems as if your conflict over abortion from the beginning might very well have contributed to these women deciding to give their children life. There is always a way out of the situation with God’s help, even if it is through adoption. There are many agencies who help such women. Not all Planned Parenthood councelors are as compassionate and can convince a mother to keep a child as well as you seemed to have been.
Correction: “Dr. Aaron Milavec” not “De Aaron Milavec”. Also, “as well as you seem to have DONE” instead of “seemed to have been”. if it cannot be corrected Editor, just please leave it out. I seemed to be full of “errors” today. Sorry!
If he lived in California, it would probably take the powers that be 10 years to do anything to him. I guess Oregon is different.
Good for you Mr. Diss! I thank God there are still those that speak up for the UGLINESS that has been a constant companion of this country and the public school system for far too long. Don’t worry Mr. Diss, God ALWAYS takes care of His own! Planned Parenthood is a sublime example of the UGLINESS and DEBAUCHERY that is a constant in this broken world. Remember, Jesus said, “They hated Me before they hated you.”
Who would have ever thought a math teacher would someday loose his job by refusing PP access into his classroom. What correlation is their between algebra to birth control and abortion anyway?
Honerable man! His WHITE MARTYRDOME was planted in the hearts of all his students to not ever be forgotten.
I agree Susan….what a perfect example to his students…if the parents aren’t teaching them….this good soul did! Praise BE JESUS CHRIST!
Bravo! St. Peter or any of the Holy Apostles would have done the same! Back in those times as evil as Ceasar was, he never advocated Abortion like our lovely Public Schools that partner up with Satan killing babies! If those children were Aborted they would have never been sitting in that classroom!
Good point. The schools are depriving themselves of job security. There is no use in having a school if there are no children to go to it.