One of the creepiest things about religion is the tendency for those involved to drift into cult-like behaviors. That doesn’t mean the devotees are all following the leader like zombie Moonies. Religious groups can drift into cult like behaviors without becoming full blown cults. How can you tell if a religious group is operating like a cult? It’s difficult because the people in a religious group can behave like a cult without them becoming a full blown, identifiable religious cult.... Read more

Some of my blog posts are going to start appearing over at the National Catholic Register website. You can follow them through links here. My first blog post for NCR is a comment on progressive theologian Daniel Maguire’s suggestion that the Catholic Church will split into three wings like Judaism–Reformed, Conservative and Orthodox. I agree with Daniel Maguire that there are three perspectives within the Catholic Church. I could even put names and faces to his three groups of Orthodox,... Read more

Right up front I should say that there are plenty of terrific Protestant Christians. They love the Lord. They live their faith. They reach out to the needy. They engage in mission work. They give generously. They are joyful and radiate their Christian commitment more strongly than many Catholics. I don’t dispute the holiness and courageous witness of many Protestant Christians of all denominations and traditions. But there is a problem with their theology which ultimately undermines both their own... Read more

I had an interesting conversation with a non-Catholic Christian today who asked about the Pope’s recent extension of mercy to those who committee abortion. “Is this something new? Weren’t Catholics forgiven for abortion before?” I explained that Catholic were always able to be forgiven for abortion, but because of the extra seriousness of the crime, forgiveness was reserved to the bishop. It is true that any sin can be forgiven, but God’s mercy has to be balanced with a serious... Read more

It’s been said before: we get the leaders we deserve. Take a look at Donald Trump and take a look in the mirror. This is you America: Like Donald you are a strutting, bloated, obscenely rich egomaniac. Like Donald you are an immoral twice divorced, thrice married unrepentant lothario Like Donald your fake tan, fake hair fake teeth is a symbol of your vanity and artificiality. Like Donald you have made money your god and pride yourself on this. Like... Read more

When an aggressive Evangelical challenges me for having a crucifix in church, one of my favorite apologetic one liners is to say, “We believe the Bible. Don’t you know 1 Corinthians 1:23 where Paul says, ‘We preach Christ and him crucified?'” As a convert one of the stunning eye openers was when I stopped to realize that it is only the Catholic Church (and the EO) who not only preach, but venerate Christ and him crucified. We have crucifixes. Crucifixes R... Read more

Here in upstate South Carolina our pro life prayer warriors launched a campaign called “Close the Mill” During the summer they began a special, focussed prayer crusade that the local abortion clinic, and the others in South Carolina would be closed. After the horrific Planned Parenthood videos this summer South Carolina governor Nikki Haley ordered an investigation in the three abortion clinics in the state. This news item shows the remarkable answer to prayer. Two out of the three abortion... Read more

The other day a parishioner was stressed out because of all the bad news in the world. Muslim immigration-invasion of Europe Demographic Winter Abortion World Poverty Pollution Government Corruption Disintegration of Marriage and Family Gross Immorality Increasing Godlessness Violence and Murder I know how it feels. We read all the bad news every day and things seem to be getting worse and worse. We get bad news overload. We get compassion fatigue. We feel helpless and hopeless in the midst... Read more

My essay for Imaginative Conservative this week is a study of an American success story: Waffle House Often on my day off, before a morning motorcycle ride in the mountains, I treat myself to breakfast at a Southern American institution: Waffle House. Waffle Houses are not luxurious. The box-like buildings are designed for cheerful efficiency, and cheerfully efficient they are. As soon as you walk through the door the staff call out a cheerful, “Good morning!” The pleasantries continue as... Read more