In Search of the Real Mt. Sinai

Last updated on: August 16, 2021 at 4:19 pm By Dave Armstrong

Fascinating Topographical and Biblical Factors Closely Examined This is a fascinating question to ponder. Most Christians likely think that the location and identity of this mountain is certain: that there is a Mt. Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula and that’s that! In fact, everyone admits that it’s not absolutely certain. 7,497 feet high Jebel Musa (or Jabal Musa or Gebel Musa: “Mount Moses”) is the leading candidate. The Catholic Encyclopedia (“Sinai”) states: [T]he precise location is uncertain. It is Jabal... Read more

Debate: Conscience vs. COVID Vaccines / Natural & Herd Immunity

Last updated on: August 19, 2021 at 5:31 pm By Dave Armstrong

Two days ago I put up an article: Unvaccinated People, Conscience, Condescension, & Coercion (A Vigorous Group Discussion Among Equally Committed Orthodox Catholics). Robert W. Woodman objected to my stated position in the combox and a debate ensued. His words will be in blue. ***** I flatly disagree that the objections of your conscience trump the need to protect the health and safety of society writ large from this pandemic. The idea that we need to be sensitive to people’s consciences... Read more

Unvaccinated People, Conscience, Condescension, & Coercion

Last updated on: August 14, 2021 at 3:37 pm By Dave Armstrong

A Vigorous Group Discussion Among Equally Committed Orthodox Catholics From my Facebook page, edited a bit for flow and content. See the entire unabridged discussion there.] Words of Michael Speyrer will be in blue; those of Charlie Fromm-Starkville in green. ***** The discussion was kicked off with a meme that stated: “If you have to be persuaded, and reminded, and pressured, and lied to, and incentivized, and coerced, and bullied, and socially shamed, and guilt-tripped, and threatened, and punished and criminalized... Read more

Overly Strict Parenting: Catholic Traditionalist Self-Critique

Last updated on: August 13, 2021 at 9:05 pm By Dave Armstrong

I cross-posted the following two tweets on my Facebook page on 8-3-21: A hard pill for many TLM devotees to swallow is the fact that kids from these families are leaving the Church at the same rate as everyone else. (Traditionalist Fr. Ryan Hilderbrand: 8-2-21) I’ve seen this in my own life. Overly strict TLM [Traditional Latin Mass] families (or even NO [Novus Ordo / New Mass] families – but TLM families do this more) almost always have kids who... Read more

The Amsterdam Apparitions: Where Are We Now?

Last updated on: August 14, 2021 at 3:47 pm By Dave Armstrong

Guest Post by Dr. Robert Fastiggi On December 30, 2020, Bishop Johannes Hendriks, the current bishop of Haarlem-Amsterdam, issued a clarification regarding the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary as “The Lady of all Nations.” [1] In his clarification, he allows public veneration of the title, image and prayer to continue, but he also states that this in no way can be understood as recognition of the supernatural character of the Amsterdam Apparitions. This position, though, departs from the judgement... Read more

Parting of the Red Sea: Feasible Scientific Explanation?

Last updated on: March 22, 2023 at 11:09 pm By Dave Armstrong

The material formerly here has been re-worked, modified, and edited and is now included only in my book, The Word Set in Stone: How Archaeology, Science, and History Back Up the Bible (Catholic Answers Press: March 15, 2023) *** Photo credit: The Delivery of Israel out of Egypt, Colman, Danby & Allston, c. 1820-40 [Flickr / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license] *** Read more

Plagues of Egypt: Possible Natural Explanations

Last updated on: March 22, 2023 at 11:07 pm By Dave Armstrong

The material formerly here has been re-worked, modified, and edited and is now included only in my book, The Word Set in Stone: How Archaeology, Science, and History Back Up the Bible (Catholic Answers Press: March 15, 2023) *** Photo credit: Seventh Plague of Egypt [Hail] (1823), by John Martin (1789-1854) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** Summary: I take a look at the possibilities of a natural or mixed natural-supernatural understanding of nine out of ten of the... Read more

Joseph in Egypt, Archaeology, & Historiography

Last updated on: March 22, 2023 at 11:03 pm By Dave Armstrong

The material formerly here has been re-worked, modified, and edited and is now included only in my book, The Word Set in Stone: How Archaeology, Science, and History Back Up the Bible (Catholic Answers Press: March 15, 2023) *** Photo Credit: Joseph Overseer of the Pharaoh’s Granaries (1874), by Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1836-1912) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** Read more

Why Folks Like the New Catholic Answer Bible

Last updated on: August 5, 2021 at 6:17 pm By Dave Armstrong

+ Clueless Anti-Catholic Attacks On It The New Catholic Answer Bible is the bestselling book of all of my 50 volumes. [originally posted on 5 April 2009] Certain anti-Catholic Protestant apologists have lately been waxing ridiculously about how this volume is sending a mixed message to its poor, pathetic readers. I made a passing remark about the “notoriously liberal” (1970) footnotes for the New American Bible (the translation used) which has been seized upon for the purpose of a wholesale... Read more

Archaeology Verifies 13th c. BC Cities Listed in Joshua

Last updated on: March 22, 2023 at 11:26 pm By Dave Armstrong

The material formerly here has been re-worked, modified, and edited and is now included only in my book, The Word Set in Stone: How Archaeology, Science, and History Back Up the Bible (Catholic Answers Press: March 15, 2023) *** Photo credit: Avram Graicer (4-15-11). Aerial view of Tel Megiddo, northern Israel. [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license] *** Read more