In the present debate over what to do with illegal immigrants and their children, there seem to be two main camps: Those who see innocent people in a desperate situation, who deserve to be treated with as much kindness and help as possible. Those who see law-breakers, albeit in a desperate situation, who must be dealt with firmly, no differently that native-born criminals must often face harsh consequences. Call it: Why do you hate families? vs. Why do you hate... Read more
The latest in the Ideological Purity Wars is the public shaming and repentance of Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey for the sin of posting that he’d gotten a discount at Chick-fil-A, this month of all months. As I understand it, the reason for his tweet was to promote his company’s “boost” cashback reward program. The trouble is that obviously the man has been eating all the wrong chicken. Why would someone as woke as Jack Dorsey eat ideologically unsound... Read more
It’s been a crazy few weeks here as school wrapped up, the internet went down (why no, a merger of AT&T and Time Warner does not cheer my heart), and I’ve been trying to get a few big projects knocked out. But fear not, the internet has not been entirely deprived of my presence! For your reading pleasure: Surviving the Suicide of Someone You Love Patheos blogger Leticia Adams and her colleague Gabe Jacobs talk with me about what it’s like... Read more
South Carolina is basically one big small town, so the odds are high that I have kin or acquaintance at Red Bank Baptist Church. I have nothing ill to say about the place, not even after the congregation’s latest art problem went viral. I do think, however, that there’s something Patheos readers across the channels should be thinking about in the whole “Too Catholic” problem. It’s Not About the Art There is nothing to be gained by quibbling over whether... Read more
One of the myths about abortion laws — lately the Irish amendment, but it could be any country’s — is that if abortion isn’t legalized, doctors will be obliged to let women die of fatal complications of pregnancy. So let’s look at a case in present-day Ireland (pre-repeal) and see if that is true. Over at The Catholic Conspiracy, budding blogger Leah Gaines tells the story of her daughter Naomi, born at 26 weeks, 4 days: My first two pregnancies went... Read more
I haven’t read it yet, but with great joy I see that there’s something more interesting than Laurel & Yanny on the internet this week: “‘Oeconomicae et pecuniariae quaestiones’. Considerations for an ethical discernment regarding some aspects of the present economic-financial system” of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, 17.05.2018 *** For those who are wondering how I’ve fallen off the internet again, the answer is that I’ve been doing... Read more
Subsidiarity is the organizing principle that a matter should be handled by the lowest level of authority competent to handle it. This is why, for example, we have potty-training: It’s important for parents to change diapers up to a certain point, but then one day your child becomes capable of handling matters for himself, and needs to be taught to do so. The same is true of family life: Inasmuch as your family is able to choose its own meals, employment,... Read more
A couple days ago a friend of mine, and then a second one, announced on Facebook that they’d started up an account on MeWe. Within another twenty-four hours, more friends were doing the same, and two of the groups I’m most active in had counterpart-groups started up at the new (to us) platform. Today I see that my Patheos colleague Father Longenecker is making the move. It was the first announcement though that got my attention, because it was Tom... Read more
Here in a few hours begins our customary three days of unplugged living. Which looks about like the picture, only maybe with more complaining from the children, and also the odd bit of excuse-making about how this or that internet thing really must be done. Have a lovely Triduum! Artwork from the public domain. Read more
Melinda Selmys asks, “Is Contraception the New Usury?” and poses a variation on an old argument. In her view, the Church’s teaching on usury has faded out of memory or practice because it’s just too difficult to obey; she forsees the Church’s teaching on contraception going the same way. She isn’t original in this line of thought, and Catholic Answers treated the question back in 2006 in “Did the Church Change Its Stance on Usury?” For a summary of the... Read more
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