In his fictional book, The Great Divorce (New York: Macmillan, 1946, 39), Lewis portrays the damned (including some near-damned, as it were) making a trip to the outskirts of heaven. One of the spirits is told: “You have been in Hell; though if you don’t go back you may call it Purgatory.” This theme was expanded later in the book (p. 67): “If they leave that grey town behind it will not have been Hell. To any that leaves it, it is... Read more
I discovered this information in the book, The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis, Vol. II: Books, Broadcasts, and the War, 1931-1949, edited by Walter Hooper, HarperSanFrancisco, 2004. Lewis’ words will be in blue. ***** On 24 October 1940 Lewis wrote to his friend Sister Penelope: an Anglican nun (p. 452), noting that “I am going to make my first confession next week” and declaring that this decision “was one of the hardest I have ever made.” One part of himself ... Read more
Joe Omundson runs the website, Recovering from Religion: Ex-Communications. I found the article, “My Escape from the Belly of the Beast” (9-24-18) there, written by one Don R., and replied with my article, Typical Deconversion Story: False Dilemmas & Incoherence (3-28-19). Joe in turn offered comments on my article, underneath it. This is my response. His words will be in blue. ***** Hi Joe, Thanks for your eloquent and cordial reply. I really appreciate it. I am the person who manages the blog where... Read more
No one need accept the Documentary Hypothesis, and there are many solid reasons not to: In the last two decades of Pentateuchal scholarship, the source-critical method has come under unprecedented attack; in many quarters it has been rejected entirely. . . . [various factors] have led scholarship to the brink of abandoning the four sources, J, E, P and D. (The Tam Institute for Jewish Studies at Emory University: Spring 2009 Calendar of Events) C. S. Lewis lampooned the theory in... Read more
This is a reply to Bishop “Dr.” [???] James White’s article, “Truths of the Bible or Untruths of Roman Tradition?: James White Responds to Tim Staples’ Article, “How to Explain the Eucharist” in the September, 1997 issue of Catholic Digest“ (1 March 2000). See my Introduction to what will be a very long series (and the other installments). Words of James White will be in blue. ***** Catholic apologists know the situation well. The Evangelical Christian has his Bible and is making waves at... Read more
It is completely understandable that many people are outraged by abuses in the Mass. When the rubrics are violated it is scandalous and the laity have every right to protest and try to reform the mistaken, erroneous, improper practices. Lots of things are routinely violated. For example, the use of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion is supposed to be restricted to, well, “extraordinary” circumstances (hence the name). As we know, that guideline is hardly ever applied. The Vatican document Inaestimabile Donum (1980)... Read more
This is a point-by-point response to Bishop “Dr.” [???] James White’s article, “The Believer’s Security — A Response to James Akin” (12-5-98). See my Introduction to what will be a very long series (and the other installments). Words of James White will be in blue. ***** Mr. Akin begins with a five paragraph discussion of how Protestants, under the influence of sola scriptura, misread the Bible. He takes as his text the precious words of the Lord Jesus in the Gospel of John, specifically,... Read more
This exchange with an atheist took place in one of my blog comboxes. The words of Humanist_Activist will be in blue. *** Thanks for your articulate input [on another issue] . Not much here that I haven’t already addressed. It just goes round and round. But at least you haven’t called me a bigot. :-) That’s refreshing. Interesting that you didn’t address the inaccuracies you continue to post about transgenderism. I looked at your previous post with the conversation you had... Read more
This is a continuing reply to the arguments of James White: from his oral debate with Gerry Matatics (article posted on 13 November 1992: transcript of the debate that took place on 11-13-92). I will be replying point-by-point to White’s arguments: which virtually never occurs in oral debates such as this. For background, see my reply to White’s Opening Argument (#2 in this series). See my Introduction to what will be a very long series (and the other installments). Words of James White will be in blue.... Read more
A new Catholic convert who was “struggling” with some things in the faith asked me about the Rosary some years ago: Mary is most often mentioned in its entirety. I find it difficult meditating on Christ when Mary is so prevalent. Why is Mary so heavily infused into the prayer? Here is my reply: One must understand the nature of the Rosary and the purpose of the repetition. Most of the words of the Hail Mary are, it should be... Read more
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