On the Endless Second-Guessing of Pope Francis

Last updated on: March 27, 2017 at 12:24 pm By Dave Armstrong

Pollyanna is a classic 1913 children’s novel by Eleanor H. Porter; the title character’s name is a popular term for someone with the same very optimistic (“unrealistic”) outlook. [You Tube image / Creative Commons license] * * * * * These are some thoughts that I expressed in private Facebook messages or in public on Facebook, and then (following the five asterisks) a longer public comment in reply to the well-known Catholic blogger Amy Welborn’s post, Against Popesplaining (2-21-16). It’s not a developed, structured essay, but... Read more

Biblical Evidence for Calling Priests “Father”

Last updated on: March 27, 2017 at 12:28 pm By Dave Armstrong

Screenshot of James Cagney and Pat O’Brien from the film Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] * * * * * Anti-Catholics often ask Catholics the following garden variety objection, “How can Catholics explain calling their priests ‘Father’ in light of Matthew 23:9 (RSV, as throughout): ‘And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven’?” We reply as follows: Jesus was simply teaching (using the common Hebrew method of... Read more

Biblical Evidence Against Tithing

Last updated on: March 27, 2017 at 12:31 pm By Dave Armstrong

. . . and in Favor of Progressive Giving According to Ability The Widow’s Mite, by James Tissot (1836-1902) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] * * * (2-4-09)* * * From exchanges on the Coming Home Network board (where I was moderator). * * * * * Why don’t Catholics give more to the Church? Probably because they are materialistic, like most folks (especially Americans). That’s the short, easy answer. Secondly, because the absolute necessity of it is relatively less stressed... Read more

Bible on Invocation of Angels and Saved Human Beings

Last updated on: September 24, 2018 at 5:52 pm By Dave Armstrong

. . . in Heaven, for Intercessory Purposes Guardian Angel, by Bernhard Plockhorst (1825-1907) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] * * * (6-10-08) * * * All verses are from RSV. * * * * * The argument is a rather simple one, based on a combination of different factors. The nutshell (mostly) implicitly biblical argument for asking saints to pray for us is as follows: 1) We ask others to pray for us. 2) Those who die in Christ are still... Read more

Biblical Evidence for Physical Objects as Aids in Worship

Last updated on: April 19, 2017 at 12:35 pm By Dave Armstrong

(Called “Idolatry” By Some Protestants) Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle, by James Jacques Joseph Tissot (1836-1902) or follower [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] * * * (4-7-09)* * * [all passages: RSV] * * * * * Exodus 20:3-5 You shall have no other gods before me. [4] You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the... Read more

Dialogue with Priests on “Eucharistic Ministers”

Last updated on: March 27, 2017 at 12:38 pm By Dave Armstrong

I.e., [official title] Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHCs) Fr. Peter Stravinskas: Catholic apologist, author, and liturgical expert [You Tube image from 2012 / public domain; Creative Commons license] (12-1-08) * * * This is a continuation of the vigorous combox discussion stimulated by the post, “Excessive Abuses in the Use of Lay Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion in America.” In particular, one “John”: an “EMHC” himself, started up a critique of me which began after I made this remark... Read more

St. Alphonsus de Liguori: Mary-Worshiper & Idolater?

Last updated on: October 16, 2021 at 11:28 am By Dave Armstrong

Does He Teach in The Glories of Mary that Mary is “Above God” and Can “Manipulate God”? (vs. Anti-Catholic Len Lisenbee) [9 August 2002] * * * Corrections of Protestant Misunderstandings of Catholic Mariology * * * — Len’s words will be in blue — * * * Len Lisenbee: E-mail of 17 July 2002, 14:54:24 (emphases added): . . . What one feels is God’s honest truth is, to the other, a complete distortion of that same truth. Take the Catholic... Read more

St. Paul’s Word Selection vs. Sola Scriptura

Last updated on: March 27, 2017 at 12:45 pm By Dave Armstrong

St. Paul in Prison (1627), by Rembrandt (1606-1669) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] (4-3-10) * * * * * First of all, before I get to my argument, let’s get some preliminaries out of the way. Readers can rest assured that I greatly love and revere Holy Scripture as much as any Protestant does. That’s not at issue. The issue is sola Scriptura: whether Scripture is the only infallible authority. Scripture is a set of divinely inspired books. Sola Scriptura... Read more

Biblical Evidence for an Eternal Hell

Last updated on: March 27, 2017 at 12:47 pm By Dave Armstrong

“The Door to Hell” (in the nighttime) / Turkmenistan, Darvaza [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license] * * * (1998; Afterword: 8 February 2003) * * * * * One cannot deny the traditional Christian doctrine of hell and honestly call oneself an orthodox Christian. No mainline or self-proclaimed evangelical denomination denies this doctrine (Seventh-Day Adventists being a special case), and of course, Catholicism and Orthodoxy have always held to this belief as well. It has... Read more

33,000 [?] Denominations & “Thankful” James White

Last updated on: November 15, 2019 at 3:11 pm By Dave Armstrong

I Rejected This Absurd Number Way Back in 2004 / Reply to White’s Dividing Line Webcast of 2-18-16 Bishop James White [public domain video and image / Creative Commons license] * * * * * This discussion of the actual number of Protestant denominations is no big deal in the grand scheme of things, but since White took it upon himself to make a general blast against Catholic apologists and organizations using this figure, I thought it was important to show the facts... Read more