Over at Where Peter Is, the always-reliably-sound D.W. Lafferty proposes an idea so shocking and revolutionary that, if implemented, it could revolutionize the Church in a way that is both revolutionary and also capable of bringing about a revolution in the Church. Try listening to the Pope. Actually listening. As in “with charity and a modicum of common sense.” Not searching for ammo to use against him. Not trying as hard as possible to make yourself stupider than you really... Read more
He writes: Hey Mark, You may or may not remember me by my name, and we’ve never met in person, but I’ve been a reader of yours for years (and we’re Facebook friends!) and I’ve appreciated and learned a lot from your take on American Politics and its relationship to Church teaching. Hi! Sorry for my incredible slowness to reply. I’m working on three books–cuz I’m stupid. And so I’ve been thinking about the state you find yourself in, which seems... Read more
It is strange to live in a time where the best teachers of civics are comedians: Read more
Go to a Reactionary Catholic site (typically billing itself as Traditionalist and usually spending a lot of time on conspiracy theories and Francis hatred) and you nearly always find that these specimens of the Greatest Catholics of All Time spend an enormous amount of time hating Jews, theorizing about Jewish conspiracies, fearing Jews, accusing Jews, and telling Jewish Catholics what is wrong with them. A few months back, I chronicled the adventures of Jewish Catholic convert and theologian Dawn Eden... Read more
In a post a couple of months ago, Fr. Z tackles the question of whether Good Catholics can eat halal cooking. The occasion of the discussion is that Evil Pope Francis had a banquet for 1500 of Rome’s poor and, like a considerate host, made sure the food was acceptable to the Muslims who came. The discussion could have gone in any number of directions. You know: “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends... Read more
Just a reminder that MAGA Evangelicals, like the Greatest Catholics of All Time, are a tiny minority whom the temporary accidents of American wealth and a gigantic American media microphone have allowed to drown out the rest of their fellow Christians on the global stage (many of whom their policies are helping to persecute and kill). As the US falls to pieces under MAGA misrule, that dynamic will change and the gospel will come out of eclipse. That, not the ... Read more
One of the marks of the Right Wing Herd of Independent Thinkers is its lockstep conformity in believing any lie their folk heroes tell them while being Deeply Skeptical of what Normals call “actual journalism” but they reactively declare to be “Fake News”. Case in point: This meme has been endlessly circulated by Alt Right and MAGA Big Brains who think it is profound to shout “YOU ARE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!!!” at anybody who demands they do their... Read more
I give you Jonathan Coulton’s Educational Song, “The Presidents”: I was a weird kid. In addition, to completely re-typing the entire text of The War of the Worlds one fall in 9th grade (by hunt-and-peck, no less!), I also once memorized the entire text of the Declaration of Independence in 8th grade, this entire song: and, yes, all the Presidents of the United States up till Nixon (I know the ones after him too) in the summer of 1972. I... Read more
Here is the most awesome proposal in the history of Proposaldom: Read more
Remember: Every Himmler needs a Hermler. Read more
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