James Swan Foolishly Attacks Catholic Conversion Stories

Last updated on: November 25, 2019 at 12:32 pm By Dave Armstrong

James Swan is a Reformed Protestant anti-Catholic polemicist, who specializes in defenses of Martin Luther. I have dealt with his arguments off and on since 2002. He wrote an article, “The Protestant’s Dilemma: A Review (Part One)” (1-15-15), on Bishop James White’s blog. It was a partial review of Devin Rose’s book, The Protestant’s Dilemma: How the Reformation’s Shocking Consequences Point to the Truth of Catholicism (San Diego: Catholic Answers Press, 2014). I’d like to concentrate on one portion where he gets... Read more

Mary’s Assumption & Death (?): Debunking James Swan

Last updated on: November 23, 2019 at 3:12 pm By Dave Armstrong

Reformed Protestant anti-Catholic polemicist James Swan wrote a truly ludicrous and clueless article on Bishop James White’s blog, entitled, “On the Death of Mary: Why the Infallible Interpreter Still Needs to be Interpreted” (10-16-11). His words will be in blue. ***** As I’ve understood Roman Catholicism, it isn’t determined one way or the other that Mary died. A Roman Catholic is free to believe either. It’s one of the many marvels of Swan’s polemics, that he actually starts out with... Read more

The Sarxon Fallacy, Refuted (A Eucharistic Satire)

Last updated on: November 22, 2019 at 1:47 pm By Dave Armstrong

Reply to an Evangelical Spoof of Catholic Eucharistic Beliefs Way back in 1991, the year I was received into the Catholic Church, an evangelical friend of mine (who was raised as a Catholic), who also worshiped at my non-denominational church, wrote a satirical spoof against Catholic belief in the Real, Substantial, Physical Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. He did this by concentrating on Jesus saying “I am the door” (John 10:9). By satirizing that as intending to be literal,... Read more

Bishops Viganò & Schneider Reject Authority of Vatican II

Last updated on: November 22, 2021 at 1:56 pm By Dave Armstrong

Abp. Viganò is supposedly the “point man” over against Pope Francis? No thank you. I was willing to hear him out, but now it is manifest that he is yet another hysterical radical Catholic reactionary and conspiracy theorist, who comes very close to denying the indefectibility of the Church: just as we have come to expect from many of the Holy Father’s critics. The big danger now is schism, not syncretism. We have bishops like Viganò and Schneider disseminating ideas like those found in... Read more

Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) Decrees: Universally Binding?

Last updated on: November 21, 2019 at 12:24 pm By Dave Armstrong

Turretinfan: the colorful, vociferous, and ever-anonymous Reformed Protestant anti-Catholic polemicist, wrote an article on Bishop James White’s blog, entitled, “Did the Acts 15 ‘Council’ Rely on the Exegesis of Scripture?” (2-18-12). I’d like to concentrate on one interesting claim that he made. His words will be in blue: ***** IV. Is the Acts 15 Assembly Normative of Anything? [ . . . ] * B. What issued from the assembly and who was “bound” by it?The assembly issued a letter... Read more

Chalice or Host Only Contain the Body & Blood of Christ

Last updated on: November 21, 2019 at 5:20 pm By Dave Armstrong

Reply to Two Direct Challenges from the Calvinist Anti-Catholic Sophist and Polemicist, “Turretinfan” Turretinfan: the anonymous Calvinist anti-Catholic apologist, set out two specific challenges in his article, posted on James White’s blog: “Built on the Wrong Foundation” (1-21-11). His words will be in blue: I openly challenge the Roman apologists to bring forth any example of a church father who says that after the consecration the bread is the blood of Christ, . . . (bolding his own) Many thanks to Facebook friends Robert Brown and... Read more

Can Communion in the Hand be Equally Reverent?

Last updated on: November 20, 2019 at 12:58 pm By Dave Armstrong

The following was compiled from my comments in a recent Facebook thread. I started it off with this quotation: That, in the early Church, the faithful stood when receiving into their hands the consecrated particle can hardly be questioned. . . . St. Dionysius of Alexandria, writing to one of the popes of his time, speaks emphatically of “one who has stood by the table and has extended his hand to receive the Holy Food” (Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., VII, ix). (Catholic Encyclopedia,... Read more

Q & A: Catholic Sexual Morality and Contraception

Last updated on: December 24, 2019 at 1:14 pm By Dave Armstrong

I’m not simply giving my opinions, but seeking to always represent the Catholic Church’s teachings. Paraphrases of actual questions asked are in blue. * * * * * Why would Onan be killed for the sin of contraception, and why was this such a rare occurrence? The problem of the contraception advocate (and believer in biblical inspiration, and one who assumes that God is not an arbitrary, capricious, cosmic tyrant) lies in explaining why Onan was killed at all, if contraception is so innocent of... Read more

Did Jesus Deny That Mary Was “Blessed” (Lk 11:27-28)?

Last updated on: November 19, 2019 at 7:51 pm By Dave Armstrong

I ran across an article by evangelical writer Adrian Warnock, entitled, “The root of Catholicism’s error and a lesson for us” (3-30-06). He wrote: David Anthony says : “Just been reading Luke 11v27-28. This along with 8v21 are Jesus prophetically speaking into where Catholicism will go wrong centuries later. A woman declares ‘blessed be the mother who gave birth to you’ and look at Jesus’ reaction. Rather than agree that Mary ought to be revered he says ‘blessed rather are those who... Read more

Vs. James White #16: St. Basil Held to Sola Scriptura?

Last updated on: November 19, 2019 at 3:42 pm By Dave Armstrong

Reformed Baptist anti-Catholic apologist Bishop “Dr.” [???] James White wrote a book in 1996, entitled The Roman Catholic Controversy (Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers). His words below will be in blue. ***** As his opening of his chapter 5: “Sola Scriptura: God Speaks Clearly,” on page 55, Bishop White cites St. Basil the Great (c. 330-379): If custom is to be taken in proof of what is right, then it is certainly competent for me to put forward on my side the custom which obtains here. If... Read more