This is a discussion with a radical Catholic reactionary who thinks that Vatican II compromised the Catholic faith. His words will be in blue.*****Your argument has two sides to it: one is a defense of the Second Vatican Council, another is an attack on those who dare to question it; let’s examine the defense. I am not attacking the people, of course, but their positions. I always make that distinction, and it is absolutely crucial in the field of apologetics, as well... Read more
Photo credit: ruins of the Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady in Ourscamp (Oise), France. Begun in 1129; completed in 1791. 2006 photo [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license] ***** This article has been re-uploaded with the title, “Indefectibility of Holy Mother Church: Believe It Or Not”. ***** Read more
Chapter 1 (pp. 11-18) of my book, Reflections on Radical Catholic Reactionaries (December 2002; revised second edition: 17 August 2013; slightly revised again in December 2023 for the purpose of the free online version). Anyone who reads this book should first read the following three introductory articles, in order to fully understand the definitions and sociological categories I am employing: Introduction (on the book page) Definitions: Radical Catholic Reactionaries, Mainstream “Traditionalists,” and Supposed “Neo-Catholics” [revised 8-6-13] Radical Catholic Reactionaries: What They... Read more
This is a vastly misunderstood area of Christianity and the Bible. Every time I use sarcasm or satire or parody (as I do, not infrequently), I hear complaints. People have this misguided notion in their heads that all sarcasm and satire and pointed humor is sinful and wrong. Nothing could be further from the truth. I would go so far as to observe that if someone thinks Jesus didn’t use sarcasm and satirical-type humor, and quite often at that, that... Read more
+ Analysis and Defense of My Apologetic Methods One of my reader friends sent me this photo of him reading my (2007) book, The One-Minute Apologist (see book and purchase information: available as low as $2.99) ***** People often say (or I know that they think it, from various clues) that I shouldn’t be debating so many people: especially Protestants. A lot of people don’t like debate. They think it is belittling by nature, or that it implies that the... Read more
This is a collection of various Facebook comments of mine in response to an earlier paper, Mandatory Priestly Celibacy: New (?) Argument. That ought to be read for background, because I made a highly specific argument regarding Eastern Orthodox priests, that has some subtle aspects to it. ***** With the data I found (from America), we see that when there is a choice to be married or to be celibate, before being ordained as a priest, 90-93% of those who are... Read more
Dr. Peter Kwasniewski and Dr. John Lamont were both signatories to the “Easter Letter” that accused Pope Francis of heresy. I have written about the reactionary influence in that document, twice (one / two) and also commented upon the pushback even of Francis critics, who opposed the attempt to accuse him of formal heresy. Both these men are properly classified as radical Catholic reactionaries (see my carefully thought-out definition). I recently summarized their glaring errors as follows: 4) Dr. John Lamont questioned... Read more
Some people, after reading my apologetic writings, particularly in debate with Protestants, have concluded that perhaps I don’t respect Protestants or consider them sincere. Nothing could be further from the truth. To acknowledge these very characteristics is exactly what ecumenism is about — what it presupposes right from the outset. I am careful throughout my writings to assert my great love and respect for my Protestant brethren. Even if I don’t state this where I could do so, I assure... Read more
I think C. S. Lewis’s approach to ecumenism was quite wise. He had many close friends (several of the “Inklings”) who were (or eventually would become) Catholic, including George Sayer, who wrote a highly-acclaimed biography (Jack: C. S. Lewis and His Times, 1988), Jim Dundas-Grant, Humphrey Havard, Fr. Gervase Mathew, Dom Bede Griffiths, Christopher Derrick, Fr. Walter Hooper, Sheldon Vanauken, Fr. Martin D’Arcy, and J. R. R. Tolkien, who helped him to convert to Christianity, by describing it as a... Read more
[the following are comments underneath my Amazon review of Dr. Taylor Marshall’s book, Infiltration (now listed as both the “top review” and “top critical review”), with my replies. The words of others will be in various colors. I had previously written three Facebook posts documenting further, the innumerable ad hominem personal attacks I have received over this issue (one / two / three), and also commented on Taylor Marshall’s “response” (choke).] ***** Mike: You write: “Conspiratorialism is a dead-end street; the fool’s... Read more
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