Defenses of Pope Francis’ Amoris Laetitia

Last updated on: February 27, 2017 at 4:56 pm By Dave Armstrong

Amoris Laetitia repeatedly cites and expands upon the great 1968 encyclical, Humanae Vitae, from Blessed Pope Paul VI [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication ] ***** Yesterday I chided the radical Catholic reactionaries for opposing the pope’s Apostolic Exhortation even before it came out, and being wrong, as usual. Then I posted extensive highlights of the document, having to do mostly with all the “hot-button” moral issues that reactionaries pessimistically claimed would be changed, and... Read more

Amoris Laetitia: Pope Francis’ “1968 Moment”

Last updated on: February 27, 2017 at 4:58 pm By Dave Armstrong

Heroic Reiteration and Development of Catholic Moral Tradition Pope Francis, 27 April 2014, on the day of the canonization of Pope St. John XXIII and Pope St. John Paul II. Photograph by Jeffrey Bruno [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license] ***** Blessed Pope Paul VI heroically resisted overwhelming pressure to change constant, traditional Church teaching regarding the ban on contraception, in his landmark 1968 encyclical, Humanae Vitae. Tragically, many bishops and theologians then simply ignored it and... Read more

Bizarre Anti-Catholic Junk Refuted (Series)

Last updated on: February 27, 2017 at 5:00 pm By Dave Armstrong

Image by Piotr Siedlecki [Public DomainPictures.Net] ***** The papers below are drawn from my large back-catalogue on Blogspot. I have linked to Internet Archive versions. Be sure to allow a minute or two for them to load, and select archived versions from July 2015 or earlier. ***** BEHAVIOR & METHODOLOGY OF ANTI-CATHOLICS The “Adolescent Theory” of Pervasive Anti-Catholic Mindsets and Behavior [10-4-07] How Anti-Catholics Often Argue (Massive Use of Ad Hominem, Personal Insult, Smear Tactics) / My Humorous, Satirical Retorts [2-24-10] Anti-Catholic... Read more

Luther’s “Snow-Covered Dunghill” (Myth?)

Last updated on: November 20, 2021 at 3:17 pm By Dave Armstrong

Photo by Emmanuel Boutet, 1-27-07 [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license] *** (10-5-05) *** [Martin Luther’s words will be in blue] *** [warning: contains some language regarding dung and related notions in just one portion, that may be offensive to some readers: from a biography of Luther: citing his own words. You (i.e., those who are or may be offended in this way) have been forewarned. Continue at your peril, and don’t blame me... Read more

My Daughter (at 5) on Heaven & Salvation

Last updated on: February 27, 2017 at 5:11 pm By Dave Armstrong

“Out of the Mouths of Babes” My daughter at almost-6: about six months after her words below [family photo] *** (5-24-07) *** Yesterday I was going about my business and overheard my ten-year-old third son and my one daughter (five) — who were born on the same date exactly five years apart — talking about heaven at the kitchen table. I started to listen in a bit and then got the idea of taking down (and sharing with you) what... Read more

Christians Voting 4 Pro-Aborts?!?!

Last updated on: March 1, 2017 at 12:10 pm By Dave Armstrong

Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton at the first 2016 Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas, 10-13-15 [You Tube video still shot / reuse permitted based on Creative Commons license] *** (originally posted on 4-4-04) *** The following is derived from letters and dialogues I had with Catholic Democrats. *** How can a “faithful Catholic” (or a faithful orthodox Protestant who accepts the historic Protestant doctrines and moral teachings) vote for a politician who sanctions the practice of sticking scissors in the neck of... Read more

Mary Mediatrix (Doctrine): Explanation and Defense

Last updated on: July 13, 2019 at 8:22 pm By Dave Armstrong

A Catholic wrote on my discussion list: Though one can argue that there are two ultra-high Mariologies, one embraced by orthodox Catholics and one twisted in the media to generate controversy (for example, Mary made the cover of Newsweek about a year ago; she was depicted provocatively with her arms stretched out like Christ on the Cross, looking suspiciously like a pagan priestess), there are those within the Church who agree with this Mariology as portrayed in the media. This is why,... Read more

Is Male-Only Priesthood Sexist?

Last updated on: February 10, 2020 at 3:31 pm By Dave Armstrong

The Last Supper (1464-1467), by Dieric Bouts (c. 1420-1475) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** This article has been re-uploaded under the title, Is Catholic Male-Only Priesthood Inherently Sexist? *** Read more

Do Catholics Excommunicate People to Hell?

Last updated on: March 1, 2017 at 12:26 pm By Dave Armstrong

Night Scene from the Inquisition (1810), by Francisco Goya (1746-1828) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (2007) *** Critics say such things prove that the Catholic Church sets itself higher than God Himself, since who but God Himself has the power of final judgment. But is this assumed hostile premise true? That is the question. Let’s take a look at it. Excommunication means, literally, “out of communion with the Church” — not damnation to hell. The Catholic Church doesn’t say with certainty that... Read more

My Supposed “Hybrid” Post-Conversion Faith

Last updated on: March 1, 2017 at 12:30 pm By Dave Armstrong

“Neither Fish Nor Fowl” Venetian Carnival Mask. Photo by “gnuckx”: 30 May 2010 [Flickr / CC BY 2.0 license] (9-19-06) *** I love these cynical often fact-free analyses of my conversion and supposed ultimate theological commitments. Steve Hays, of Triablogue fame (no dummy, though still somehow an anti-Catholic) just doesn’t get it. I don’t think he ever will, because these things are so elementary. Having failed (just like James White) in his attempt to play the “ignorance card” with... Read more