About Ryan Adams

A Desperate Plea

June 17, 2013 By Ryan Adams 1 Comment

Bartholomew 1er, patriarche en pays laÃ¯c

"Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy have each become comfortable (may God forgive them!) with the schism, but we, Eastern Catholics, can never truly become accustomed to the schism; there is always a tension within us because in spite of everything, we love both Orthodoxy and Catholicism and we cannot accept separation from either of them. Often that tension is invisible for even long periods of time, but it is always there, and always reappears." -Bishop Basil Losten In case you've … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Tradition 1 Comment

An Orthodox South?

June 9, 2013 By Ryan Adams Leave a Comment

Now that we've all gotten used to Southern Catholics, I'd like to introduce you to a new oddity, the Southern Orthodox. I really don't have much to say, other than this is fantastic. Enjoy. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Icons, Tradition Leave a Comment

How Your Work-Out Might Be Destroying Your Destiny

June 8, 2013 By Ryan Adams 4 Comments

Work-out mania has always disturbed me. Perhaps it is my inherent fear of people too buff to touch their face, or my annoyance with some people's incessant need to post pictures of "the results" via every form of social media imaginable. Whatever the root of my disturbance, the fitness frenzy contains a much more concerning issue; not only is it making you thin, healthy, and obnoxious, it might also be destroying your life. This may sound like a pretty serious claim to raise against … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Death, Despair, Philosophy, Society 4 Comments

Subjectivity, Truth-Relation, and Learning to Be Charitable

May 31, 2013 By Ryan Adams 5 Comments

There is a problem I have found within the climate of American Catholics (I'm sure it's not just us, but still). It's everywhere. Sooner or later, anywhere there has been a discussion, it will appear. It shows up in articles and comboxes, lurking in the dark underside of the comment thread, where few care to continue reading, waiting to pounce on it's prey like a pit viper. It's prey: the unsuspecting reader. It's venom: cruel and unbridled absence of charity. This is a real issue, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Art, Catholicism, Despair, Philosophy, Society 5 Comments

Why Dan Brown Desperately Needs Jesus to Have Sex

May 30, 2013 By Ryan Adams 3 Comments

It's been said that I resemble a younger version of a certain Slovenian philosopher by the name of Slavoj Zizek. And it's not just appearance, its even the mannerisms; the hand gestures, the nervous habits. (Seriously, all I'm missing is the accent. It's weird.) So, maybe it's this similarity that makes me partial to him. Regardless, he does raise an interesting question about a very popular author, Dan Brown. Now, the infamous "Da Vinci Code" is far from new, and criticism of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Femininity, Manhood, Masturbation, Philosophy 3 Comments

The Despair of Greeting Cards

May 16, 2013 By Ryan Adams 3 Comments

I have what one may describe as an aversion to cards. I never know quite what to do with them. Keeping them around seems to be hording. Getting rid of them; an impersonal display of disregard for the sender. But, what is it about these clever little pieces of folded card-stock that makes any sort of dilemma? Why We Feel Uncomfortable Getting Rid of Them: Whenever we look at the pile of cards after any "card holiday," be it Christmas, birthdays, or whatever, there's a certain … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Despair, Society 3 Comments

Why St. Josemaria Escriva Might Just Be the Ubermensch

May 10, 2013 By Ryan Adams 20 Comments

There is an unfortunate tendency both within the Church and within society in general to feminize religion. While it's true that women generally tend to be more religious than men, this trend of feminization has some very costly side-effects. It means making things soft, and comfortable, including the saints. This softness exacerbates the problem, driving off men by the droves, because seriously, what man in his right mind wants to sit through Kumbaya and lectures from old hippy … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Catholicism, Manhood, Philosophy, Superpowers 20 Comments

Stealing Paradise

March 29, 2013 By Ryan Adams 2 Comments

On this most solemn and sacred of days, the day in which the Church remembers the violent death of Her Spouse and Lord, we are accustomed to the Passion narratives (in the West) and the lengthy and ornate funeral procession (in the East). But today marks not only the death of the only truly innocent man to walk the earth, but also the death of the first saint of the Church. No, I don't mean Jesus, God is far above the saints, I mean Dismas. Also known as Titus, Zoatham, Demas, and Rach, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Catholicism, Death, Scripture, Tradition 2 Comments

The Entrance: or Why One Should Care That a Man Came to Jerusalem

March 24, 2013 By Ryan Adams Leave a Comment

Today is Entrance Sunday (or Palm Sunday, as it is more commonly known in the West.) This is the day when the Church remembers the entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem. But what does this day mean? Why all the celebration, the festivity the pomp? The entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem marks the beginning of the fulfillment of God's covenant. The Final Covenant in His Blood, which was foretold by the Prophets and IS our salvation. But since it is Christ, isn't everything a part of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Catholicism, Judaism, Tradition Leave a Comment