{"id":1799,"date":"2013-08-25T16:31:00","date_gmt":"2013-08-25T16:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/daffeythoughts\/2013\/08\/after-visiting-atheist-blogs.html"},"modified":"2013-08-25T16:31:00","modified_gmt":"2013-08-25T16:31:00","slug":"after-visiting-atheist-blogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/daffeythoughts\/2013\/08\/after-visiting-atheist-blogs.html","title":{"rendered":"After visiting atheist blogs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
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It\u2019s nice to get back to basics. \u00a0After the Noon Mass today, a group seeking to become a religious order stopped by the parish. \u00a0There was good eating (almost up to Baptist potluck standards \u2013 and that\u2019s saying something), and a brief presentation. \u00a0Afterward, the sisters broke up and mingled with those who came by from our parish \u2013 not enough IMHO. \u00a0And a shame. \u00a0They were quite interesting. \u00a0Our 13 year old, Mr. Personality, monopolized one of our priests, our deacon, and one of the sisters. \u00a0Another sat by me and picked our testimonial, reminding me that our story is one that should be heard. \u00a0It\u2019s been a while since anyone really said much. \u00a0Most who know us have heard the story and know the story, but it\u2019s old news. \u00a0For divers and sundry reasons, I\u2019ve not gotten out in recent years to tell it much. \u00a0<\/p>\n

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But interested they were. \u00a0So much so that we were offered many prayer cards, opportunities to speak to others, invitations to their retreat center, and a general open armed invitation to keep fighting the good fight. \u00a0This stands in such stark contrast to much of what life has been in recent years. \u00a0Our parish has had, well, some issues. \u00a0I won\u2019t even get into it. \u00a0Let\u2019s just say that five years ago, you better get to Mass early or your family is dispersed across the sanctuary. \u00a0Forget not getting there early for Holy Days. \u00a0Today? \u00a0You could play tennis in all but one Mass and not hit anyone. \u00a0Plenty of seating and parking! \u00a0So there hasn\u2019t been a whole lot of options, and given the craziness of our lives, I\u2019ve not been available to do much. \u00a0Which is fine, since with a couple exceptions, we\u2019ve not really been invited to do much save by a handful of parishioners who seem to remember our stories.<\/div>\n
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Remaining growth was confined to reading, following the always awesome Fr. Barron and some others, or \u2013 ahem \u2013 following various Catholic blogs, some of which have changed radically over the years. \u00a0Otherwise, going to other blogs have had their place, some Protestant blogs and other such blogs still reminding me that to be a good Catholic and good American does not have to be antithetical. \u00a0Going to atheists blogs, however, is an exercise in self abuse. \u00a0I\u2019m sure there are some out there that are thoughtful, open, realistic about atheist thought with its strengths and weaknesses, and a nice visit. \u00a0I\u2019ve been to some over the years. \u00a0<\/div>\n
But most exemplify the worst of the emergence secular left. \u00a0A hodgepodge lazy ideology of debauchery, hatred, bigotry, ignorance, and a yearning for tyranny. Calls for Orwellian censorship, loathing of those who don\u2019t conform, and a growing impatience for the freedom to not be a post-religious leftest. \u00a0And the payoff? \u00a0A promise that religion is at best a bunch of made up fairy tales and legends, a worst a vile set of lies that are the cause of all human suffering that needs to be eradicated from humanity. \u00a0And once done, we can finally lower ourselves to the lowest animal denominator, a life of endless debauch, drugs, sex and the right to abort and euthanize the unwanted who stand in the way of our libidos. \u00a0<\/div>\n
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And naturally lying, disingenuous BS, outrage and name calling are how such things are defended. \u00a0So pointing out that Orthodox Church leaders trying to ban atheist parades, while wrong, is understandable given the brutal oppression of the Church under the explicitly atheist USSR. \u00a0And the result? \u00a0BS, lying, name calling, vulgarities, and copious levels of denial that it ever happened, or that atheists ever say religious people are bad (despite it being the purpose of the blog in question). \u00a0And you know what? Life is too short. \u00a0Would a Jew go to a Nazi site and argue? \u00a0Would a Black go to a KKK site and argue? \u00a0 I don\u2019t think so. \u00a0Bigotry and hate have always been around, and now is no exception. \u00a0That it is encouraged and accepted by the rich and powerful of our society is no different than ever. \u00a0<\/div>\n
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That is not where one finds God. \u00a0On occasion, one must step up and fight the evil. \u00a0Or if modern trends are to be believed, one must succumb like a lamb to the evil. \u00a0But usually, it\u2019s in that still small voice of God that we find Him and His purpose. \u00a0Not in the battles, the arguments, the idiocy and bigotry that is now, always has been and always will be. \u00a0It\u2019s not in the earthquakes of the blogs or the firestorms of cable yell-fests. \u00a0It\u2019s in seeking God. \u00a0<\/div>\n
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And after meeting those sisters, seeing them give it all up in an age that wouldn\u2019t risk a wet hairdo for a cause other than getting high or laid or the latest iPad app, I have to say I was inspired to remember what brought me into the Church in the first place. \u00a0And that was finding the Truth. \u00a0Even if the Church itself will waver and fail, as it has in the past and no doubt will in the future, the Truth remains. \u00a0That\u2019s why I became Catholic. \u00a0That\u2019s why bank accounts and savings accounts that once existed are empty. \u00a0Why cars and vans are rickety and in poor shape. That\u2019s why college funds are depleted and a house stands dilapidated. \u00a0It\u2019s because when one finally finds that pearl of great value, one sells everything else to get that pearl.<\/div>\n
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And that\u2019s what we did. \u00a0It\u2019s not been easy. \u00a0And I\u2019ve not always been pleased with God for the way things have gone. \u00a0I\u2019m not saying it all should have happened in some fairy tale way. \u00a0I\u2019m not saying there aren\u2019t reasons that things have happened that are aren\u2019t good or the way they should have been. \u00a0I\u2019m not saying it\u2019s all everyone else\u2019s fault. \u00a0Though it could be a bit of God and chastisement as today\u2019s readings from the Letter to the Hebrews 12 reminds us. \u00a0<\/div>\n
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So as I rethink things and take an assessment of what has unfolded this day, the reception of our story and the willingness of a bunch of sisters to extend a gracious hand, when set in juxtaposition to the hatred and bigotry of some atheist blogs, and the self righteousness and fundamentalist zealotry of some Catholic blogs, I will take the former. \u00a0I\u2019ll think on that pilgrimage to St. Meinrad all those years ago that first got me thinking about Catholicism. \u00a0And from there, who knows where we\u2019ll go. \u00a0Probably to the retreat center we\u2019ve been invited to, and from there, who knows? \u00a0So while I\u2019ll continue to comment on today\u2019s spiral into yet another historical pitfall, and notice the Church\u2019s hits and misses, I\u2019ll tend to lay off most blogs that don\u2019t inspire or encourage growth spiritually or intellectually. \u00a0Any blog that encourages me to call others Raca for not being good Catholics like me is definitely off the list. \u00a0And any blog that embraces the Father of Lies to convince me my only hope for peace i
\nn the future is to renounce the God of love in order to embrace the age of the valley of Hinnom is not even worth mentioning. Where this will lead, I don\u2019t know. \u00a0But once again, it\u2019s time to go exploring!<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s nice to get back to basics. \u00a0After the Noon Mass today, a group seeking to become a religious order stopped by the parish. \u00a0There was good eating (almost up to Baptist potluck standards \u2013 and that\u2019s saying something), and a brief presentation. \u00a0Afterward, the sisters broke up and mingled with those who came by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2805,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1799","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nAfter visiting atheist blogs<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It's nice to get back to basics.  After the Noon Mass today, a group seeking to become a religious order stopped by the parish.  There was good\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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