I made a statement: “Atheist knowledge of the Bible and exegesis (generally speaking) is abominable.” Atheist “Grimlock” replied: Fun fact: If the average atheist’s knowledge of the Bible is abominable, the average Christian seems to be even worse off. (At least in the US.) [source from Pew Research] I do love me some empiricism. This is a major reason why I do what I do: I’m an educator. But at least Christians approach the Bible with respect, which makes it... Read more
[From my 2009 book, Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths (see purchase information; just $2.99 for various e-book versions] [Biblical passages are from the King James Version. My comments are italicized and in blue] ***** Exodus 29:37: Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy. Exodus 30:28-29: And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and... Read more
Some strains of Protestant thought — most notably the “Landmark” Baptists — seek to find a non-Catholic “apostolic succession” all throughout Church history up to the 16th century. In the desperate attempt to claim spiritual and theological predecessors, all sorts of heretical groups are espoused, including the Montanists, Novationists, Donatists, Docetists, Cathari, Albigensians, Waldenses, Hussites, and Wycliffites. The trouble is that none of these groups fit very well into a Protestant schema. They are either radically non-Christian, even Gnostic (e.g.,... Read more
[I was replying to a Catholic leftish Never Trumper, a month before the 2016 presidential election] The problem with your analysis of the Supreme Court is that it doesn’t continue into recent history. The last Democrat-appointed pro-life Justice is Byron White (JFK, 1962). For Republicans it’s a mixed record, but at least it is that. Here are the appointments under Republican Presidents since Reagan and how they turned out on the life issue: O’Connor (Reagan) = mixed record Scalia (Reagan)... Read more
[see Part One] Wikipedia: “Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” is a great resource to further study this issue. More important resources: “Hiroshima: Was it Necessary?” (by Doug Long; opposed to the bombings) NuclearFiles.org (opposed) The latter includes a very helpful page of documented correspondence concerning the decision Quotes: In a private letter written just before he left the White House, Truman referred to the use of the atomic bomb as “murder,” stating that the bomb “is far worse than gas and biological warfare because it... Read more
Hiroshima and Nagasaki fail the Catholic test of “double effect” because they involved the killing of over 200,000 civilian noncombatants. Such an act is condemned in traditional just war criteria which forbids deliberate targeting of such non-military populations. The exceedingly weak counter-argument given by proponents is that these cities had military installations (President Truman absurdly referred to the city of Hiroshima as a “military base”). These were the targets, so we are told, not the civilian population; therefore the dreadful result of... Read more
There is a strain of Protestant thought — most notably the “Landmark” Baptists — which seeks to find a non-Catholic “apostolic succession” all throughout Church history up to the 16th century. In the desperate attempt to claim spiritual and theological predecessors, all sorts of heretical groups are espoused, including the Montanists, Novationists, Donatists, Docetists, Cathari, Albigensians, Waldenses, Hussites, and Wycliffites. The trouble is that none of these groups fit very well into a Protestant schema. They are either radically non-Christian,... Read more
Deacon Greg Kandra, fellow blogger on the Catholic Channel on Patheos, has written twice on the issue (one / two). His second article ended as follows: Absent any other details, what we have here is heartbreaking, but it is not — strictly speaking — evil. Sad? Yes. Sinful and scandalous? No. Pray for Father Morris. Pray for all of our priests. The road is long. The journey is difficult. The laity sometimes do not make it any easier. And, indeed,... Read more
Kim Bishop is a member of the Charismatic Episcopal Church. This discussion came about on my public Facebook page. Her words will be in blue. ***** Don’t care what your traditions say [about] this [Mary’s sinlessness and Immaculate Conception and in partu virginity] is totally ridiculous. Mary herself admitted she needed a saviour. Jesus was brought into the world like every other baby. I accept that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was born, but to stay a virgin and... Read more
From my book, A Biblical Defense of Catholicism, completed in 1996 and published by Sophia Institute Press, in 2003; pp. 80-83. The book is available for $2.99 in several e-book formats. ***** The daunting word transubstantiation is easily understood when broken down: trans means “change.” Therefore, the term is defined literally as the process of change of substance. The Catholic Church, in seeking to understand the Real Presence, a doctrine delivered directly by our Lord and St. Paul, gradually developed... Read more
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