How to succeed as a Catholic apologist

Don’t admit you are one first.  Following the Comedy central or Glenn Beck approach, just say you’re some nobody important slob laity throwing out opinions.  This allows you the forum of a pundit or apologist, with the post-modern desire to avoid accountability.  Which fans love.

Then, know your audience.  In the end, the Catholic Church, in America at least, is hard to the Left.  Most Catholics are more liberal than conservative.  And it isn’t hard to see the Church is making strides in that direction.  You want numbers, you go for the largest market.

Now if you really want to get a following, then declare yourself a conservative and then spend almost all of your time trashing conservatives.  That is important.  It’s common today.  Declare your demographic to be as bad as everyone else says.  Those not in the demographic love it.  And then take the next step and praise the demographic you insist you have nothing to do with!  Look at how Ron Paul and McCain were loved by the press.  The Media love them.  At least until you run for office.  And if you aren’t running for office, then there’s no reason to change.  It is also beneficial because you can insist it’s all just part of being a bold non-tribalist.  Another important factor in the new ‘non-hyphenated Catholics’ movement.  That is, everyone is a tribalist, but I’m just pure, unblemished Catholic.  Many wishing to thank God for not being like those hyphenated Catholics over there will surely flock to the banner.

And of course, dispense with the old ‘let’s reason together’ approach to discourse.  Lay it on, judge ruthlessly, and declare that there are only two groups: those on board with the Truth (that is, your interpretation of things), and the stupid, evil people.  If the bulk of those stupid, evil people are your own demographic, you’ll have quite a fan base, and do quite well – as witnessed by the sheer uptick in engagements and venues you’ll be offered.

FWIW, when you have multiple sources of income, and are seeing an average of three or four speaking engagements a month at $2,000.00 to $3,000.00 base per engagement according to your own website (even assuming some are for free for charity sake), however, I’d suggest that the description ‘lower middle class‘ no longer applies.  Even assuming living in a high expense city and 1099 income.  At least in the world of the Faith. In the world of media driven polemics and self promotion?  Who can say.