Clarity from Chaos

By: Dave Campbell

Faith and Hollywood Legends

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Highlighting legends such as Mary Astor, John Wayne, Alfred Hitchcock, Spencer Tracy, Lana Turner, Gary Cooper, Patricia Neal, Betty Hutton, and Bob Hope, Oasis: Conversion Stories of Hollywood Legends uncovers stories of recovery and conversion intimate portraits that often contrast with the more common profiles of these all-too-human stars. Many were touched by infidelity, alcoholism, unbridled ambition, or other moral failings that often seem to characterize life in Hollywood. Some had deathbed conversions, others underwent a gradual process of conversion; each found solace in embracing the Catholic faith.

While taking nothing from their fame, Oasis: Conversion Stories of Hollywood Legends shows that even those who seem to have it all need the hope, strength, and fortitude provided by faith.

Mary Claire Kendall is a Washington-based writer, with a special focus on Hollywood. She has written three feature film screenplays; three pilot sitcoms; a TV action drama pilot; two feature film treatments; and is producing and hosting an interview show about Hollywood, for which four episodes have been filmed. In 2013, she completed a collection of short stories and continues to add to it. She has been published in Forbes, where she was a regular columnist in 2012 and 2013; and Breitbart, where she was a regular columnist in 2014; as well as the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Washington Examiner, The Weekly Standard, Washington Times, San Francisco Examiner, NY Daily News, New York Post, Newport Life Magazine, National Catholic Register, Catholic New World, and Our Sunday Visitor, among other venues. A graduate of Wellesley College, Mary Claire served as a political appointee in the Administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, at the Departments of Education (1987-88) and Health and Human Services (1989-93), respectively, as a speechwriter, policy analyst and representative spearheading various initiatives.

http://www.maryclaircinema.com

Mr. Leo Battenhausen

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“In his ground-breaking and controversial upcoming book, ‘Socialcide: How America is Loving Itself to Death’, Leo J. Battenhausen shows the other side of the American Dream – one where individuals are so obsessed with themselves that emotional and social problems have taken on a destructive new aggression. By exposing the problem through a unique fusion of social and psychological observations, Battenhausen hopes that citizens will stop committing ‘Socialcide’ and rebuild themselves into a race that is a model for global dignity and respect. 

There’s no way to sugar-coat the conclusions of Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Leo J. Battenhausen; Americans have become so obsessed with themselves that their country’s once-great bedrock of dignity and respect is crumbling from underneath them. Childhood social problems prevail at record levels, crime is becoming more heinous and the average American is now just a deranged sociopathic shadow of their former self. 

Battenhausen calls this shift ‘Socialcide’. In his new book, ‘Socialcide: How America is Loving Itself to Death’, he presents this fatal problem in its true light, while urging all Americans to change and make their nation great once again. 

What happens to a society when common courtesy, values, morals and kindness are not merely disregarded, but considered old-fashioned and outdated? Why are more and more children being diagnosed with social and emotional disorders today than ever before in history? When has true face-to-face communication become unwanted and obsolete? Where has America’s sense of decency and honor gone over the past 35 years? Why do we find humor and entertainment at the expense of others’ dignity and innocence? 

The words “narcissism; “sociopath” and “psychopath” are thrown around on television daily in describing those responsible for heinous acts of school shootings, murder, rape and child abuse. ‘Narcissist” is currently one of the most searched words on the World Wide Web. Meanwhile, the field of Psychology wants to eliminate “Narcissistic Personality Disorder” from its references. When children are becoming less willing to leam, work or take responsibility for their actions, and parents are “too busy” to enforce morals and consequences when raising their children, we have a social problem. Socialcide is destroying families, marriages and true love. The media manipulates us, technology corrupts us, and spiritual warfare remains undetected to the naked eye because of it. America is Loving Itself to Death and Socialcide explains why.

“The truth is that, if America continues to ignore the evil behaviors of so many, we risk losing everything that brought us together in the first place,” explains Battenhausen. “We urgently need to return to a culture of dignity and respect, while being aware that the technology apparently taking us into the future is actually causing us to regress.”

Continuing, “It’s also time that we regained our confidence in spirituality and the existence of a higher power. It appears that we can’t just look after ourselves.”

Check out this episode!