I believe in original sin, but I don’t believe sin is original. What I mean is that there is nothing fresh or creative or new or positive or profound about sin. Evil is always derivative. The devil cannot create anything. All he can do is destroy or distort what is good. And that’s why evil is evil–because it is the destruction or the distortion of something good. A lie is the distortion of the truth. Lust is the distortion of... Read more
Damian Thompson (who is probably one of the world’s greatest journalists) write here about the decline of Christianity in Britain. The shrinking of those who identify as Christians is combined with a dramatic surge in the Muslim population. You can’t disagree with the statistics: Since the last census in 2001, the number of Britons identifying themselves, however loosely, as Christians is down 13 percentage points to 59 per cent. The number of respondents who say they have no religious faith is... Read more
Guest blogger Ed Blanch comments regularly on various religious websites and he blogs at There’s No Sky Fairy where he regularly receives 273 visits a month. Ed is taking a break from his studies at North Jersey College of Technology. Domiciled in his mom’s basement, Ed is busy developing an exciting new video game concept. He doesn’t have time to write a guest post, but we’ve been lucky enough to receive some texts from Ed. Here is the latest one… I hear all... Read more
Whenever I write the Todd Unctuous column I try to make it my friendly Main stream media reporter as outrageously stupid and over the top as I possible can. Nevertheless, invariably a reader makes an outraged comment, and inevitably, Todd’s weird views seem to come up in the real news. Earlier in the week Todd talked here about his meeting with a “Muslim Inman” named Ali Baba who had just conducted an Episcopalian christening. Then I read in today’s news... Read more
I remember as a young priest I was visiting an older woman we’ll call Veronica whose life was in chaos. She was grieving over a broken marriage. Her children were a disappointment. She had health problems and money worries. She had emotional and relational difficulties. In addition to this she talked too much. The poor soul went on and on and on. I spent a long time listening to her. Then I spotted a jigsaw puzzle in a box on... Read more
Do you remember that stylish film The Matrix? The hero, Neo Anderson, exists in a dull, conformist, monotone and monochrome world. Then he wakes up and is “born again” and enters the world of adventure and risk which is the real world. What I find curious about modern American Catholicism is that it is similarly monotone and monochrome. The bland, egalitarian architecture, the shallow show-biz type music, the anodyne homilies and the assumption that the Christian religion is about being nice... Read more
Guest blogger Todd Unctuous is top commentator for MSM. With a degree in Media Studies from Scranton Community College, Todd writes for many papers and websites, and is known for his incisive writing, objective reporting and razor sharp comment. It has been reported that the “Holy Father” the pope in Rome has started to use Twitter to communicate with the masses. I am a staunch defender of freedom of speech and freedom of religion, but eventually someone, somewhere has to... Read more
Someone has commented that I’m echoing Jeremiah in the last few posts. I’m certainly know to do different voices, but I hadn’t thought of Jeremiah, but come to think of it, why not? Jeremiah the prophet is the typical doomsday prophet. Such a rant or lamentation over the wickedness of the world is even called a “jeremiad” I don’t have a problem with it. Here’s why: it’s the beauty of preaching to, and living the liturgical seasons. The first reading... Read more
You know the theory that a frog put in a pan of water will stay there as the temperature rises and the poor thing doesn’t sense the increase in temperature and eventually boils to death. The biggest problem with American Catholics is that the majority of them are asleep. Lulled by materialism, the good life and the cares of the world, they’re blind to the real crisis facing America and blind to the real crisis facing the Catholic Church. They’re... Read more
What I mean is “successful” in the world’s terms. Now that I’ve returned to America after living in the damp lands for twenty five years, one of the things I find most trying is America’s love affair with “success”. I’m not talking about being excellent or being a fulfilled human being or finding what you want to do in life and doing it well. I’m certainly not talking about building a fine family or simply being happy, and I’m certainly... Read more
Select your answer to see how you score.
Fr. Dwight Longenecker
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In