Photograph by AndreasHolzner (12-21-14) [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] *** The following is an exchange I had with a Baptist friend (2-23-97; his words are in blue), followed by a clarification for some Catholic friends (4-10-97) *** Satan thought he could entice Jesus to sin and diversion from His ministry. We give the devil too much credit. He is an idiot and simpleton as well as a “bad guy.” No, no, you do not give the devil enough credit. There... Read more
It Never Was Definitive Teaching Photograph by “tpsdave” (Nov. 2016) [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] *** (12-28-07) *** Many Catholics seem to be under the impression that the notion of limbo was some sort of formulated doctrine in the Catholic Church. Lots of children in Catholic schools were taught that all unbaptized children would not enter heaven. The fact of the matter is that it has always been left open as an option to be believed, but not required. Nor is... Read more
Jacob Blessing Ephraim and Manasseh (1656), by Rembrandt (1606-1669) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (3-8-06) *** Genesis 18:19 (NIV) For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, . . . Grammatically and linguistically, “Children” and “household” are distinct, however, conceptually or logically, I think this shows that the two are present together, and not incompatible at... Read more
Baptismal font in a fifth century church in Shivta: Negev Desert, Israel. Photo by “Eitan f” [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license] *** (3-8-06) *** I think the choices with regard to the history of the doctrine of baptism really boil down to: 1) belief that the apostles had one teaching on the subject, and 2) belief that the apostles contradicted each other, and/or that the Bible is internally incoherent on baptism, and/or that several contradictory positions... Read more
Image by johnhain (Oct. 2016) [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] ***** I noted how Trump issued an executive order reinstating the Mexico City Policy. According to Catholic News: Originally instituted by President Ronald Reagan in 1984, the Mexico City Policy states that foreign non-governmental organizations may not receive federal funding if they perform or promote abortions as a method of family planning. I preceded my link with a sarcastic utterance, excepting the fourth sentence, which is a “straight” statement: More... Read more
Married couple in St. Mary’s Church in Dedham, Massachusetts. Photo by “Briancua” (6-15-13) [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license] ***** This article has been re-uploaded under the title of Natural Family Planning: Anti-Sex & Anti-Pleasure? ***** Read more
Original title: “I’m a Catholic Largely Because of Vatican II” Satirical photograph of yours truly: created by anti-Catholic Protestants in order to mock me. And so I’ll use it to poke fun at myself. *** (4-25-14; expanded and re-edited: 1-23-17) *** [words of Catholic journalist Jay McNally will be in blue; see the original Facebook exchanges for the fuller debate; I have edited and condensed it a bit for this post] *** I was challenged by a Catholic friend who... Read more
He Later Denied the Real Presence Himself Portrait of Philipp Melanchthon (1564), by the Workshop of Lucas Cranach the Younger (1515-1586) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (5-23-06) *** Philip Melanchthon (1497-1560) was a compatriot of Martin Luther, author of the Augsburg Confession, and Luther’s successor. He was, then, one of the major Protestant so-called “reformers.” Preserved Smith: The Social Background of the Reformation, New York: Collier Books, 1962 (2nd part of author’s The Age of the Reformation, New York:... Read more
Dialogue with an Inquiring Baptist Transfiguration of Jesus [Elijah and Moses also appearing], by Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834-1890) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (12-1-08) *** It is not hard to see that she [Mary] should be honored. But it is difficult to foster veneration when it is not clearly spelled out in Scripture. Sola Scriptura may be true or false, but most adherents to it are at least honest if they do or do not see something there. Most... Read more
Saul and the Witch of Endor (1777) [Samuel Appearing], by Benjamin West (1738-1820) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (7-1-07) *** As I have stated many times, I oppose everything that is prohibited in Old Testament injunctions against the occult arts, such as seances, mediums: the whole nine yards. Having been involved myself in some occultic nonsense in my secularist / semi-pagan days in the 70s, I am particularly aware of the wickedness and non-biblical nature of such things, and have... Read more
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