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Friday, April 30, 2004
World War II Soldiers Finally Get a Memorial I'm 1000% in favor of it. The older I get, the wiser Gen X people seem to me for looking right past my own generation of Baby Boomer narcissists and seeing afresh the greatness of the World War II generation. I think my generation is the final Scourge and Trial to be visited on their parents (and the first one to be visited on their children--the ones we let be born, that is). We shall have so much to answer for. And the judgment will consist of the fact that when God asks us to give an account, all we'll have to give him is Stuart Smalley self-affirmation platitudes, some half-remembered New Age twaddle, a slogan we once shouted at a pro-choice rally, and our stock portfolios. The Webelves have a fine essay on the Situation in Soviet Canuckistan Nothing like an apostate Catholic politician for fostering real evil in the world. No one in this world, so far as I know ... has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. - H.L. Mencken I will never ever ever understand the popularity of this creep. I don't have a TV. I've never seen this show but... Sheesh! Karen Hall: If you are still out there in St. Blog's, what are they putting in the water cooler for the Judging Amy writing staff? The martyrdom of Terri Schiavo continues to bear silent witness to the Culture of Death It's a good thing Muslims don't do this or it would be barbarous. We have met the enemy... and he is us. Nobody, not even us Good Guys, is immune from the temptation to put on the One Ring. Thursday, April 29, 2004
Stupid Politician Quotes "I have to march, because my mother could not have an abortion". -- US Democrat Congress-rep Maxine Waters User Warning: Do not attempt this level of stupidity while driving or operating heavy machinery. How to be a gutless and contemptible Catholic Elinor Dashwood lays it all out for you in six easy steps. Gay Brownshirts on the March! Gay priest harasses Envoy website. The homosexual community: so very very tolerant of people who disagree with them. Can anybody make head or tail of what's going on in Iraq? Just a question I've got. I can't tell if we are accomplishing something, getting bogged down, succeeding or failing. If you think you know, feel free to tell me. Gay Brownshirt Enabling Act Passes in Canada I wonder how long Canadians will put up with soft fascism. Been busy the past two days Steve Ray is putting together his next "Footprints of God" episode (on David and Solomon). So basically, the past two days have been spent hammering out the essential shape of that show, what events in the lives of David and Solomon he will focus on, locations to shoot, images to use, music, as well as typological significance and literary tie-ins which affect our reading of the New Testament. It was lotsa fun. Roy Schoeman is here, as well as Ed Peters (canon law guy) and several others. We finished up this afternoon, so I thought I'd say howdy to y'all and see what's happening in the wide world. Steve's got a really lovely house (enormous!) out in the middle of the Michigan boondocks. He is definitely a 21st century resident, what with all the George Jetson technology everywhere. I'm not used to looking out the window and seeing Eternal Flatness. There are supposed to be mountains! Anyhow, I will be here till (I think) Saturday, when Fr. Stanley comes to whisk me away to Coldwater so I can frighten children and small animals with the sound of my voice. Tomorrow is a writing day (More Exodus Studies!) but for now I'm taking a breather. Shalom! Fr. Doyle loses his job--again. Much discussion over at Amy's about whether he was asking for it or not. The Passion Continues to Make Inroads into the Umma I think of the Iranian student who wrote me because he and his madrasseh (including the teachers) were eager to learn more about Christianity. They were bloody sick of the regime and the whole Islamic fundamentalist mind shackle. Verrrrrrry interesting. Passion Pogrom Current Body Count: 0 and doubling daily. Another Evil Party Catholic Whore for Abortion What I find most despicable is the Dem habit of trying to cast this as "The Church interfering with politics." No children. The Church is not telling you you can't be a whore for abortion if you want. The Church (or at any rate, Rome) is saying you can't be a whore for abortion *and receive communion*. I wonder if we will see some more bishops grow spines in the wake of the recent document. Tuesday, April 27, 2004
As Augustine said when asked how the Church would cope with the discovery of monopods... (that is, strange one legged men with one huge foot who hopped about everywhere), I think the soundest answer to the question "What happens if they find Noah's Ark on Mt Ararat?" is "Let wait and find out if there's anything there." I'm one of those dangerous False Catholics who is not entirely sure what to make of the Noah Story. I suspect there's a kernel of historical truth to it, but I don't know that you have to posit a global flood. However, if (which I remain skeptical of) they *do* find a big ol' ark up there at 12,000 feet or however high it is, there will need to be some serious rethinking. But, as I say, let's wait and see what they find. Go read Disputations today No particular reason why today and not some other day, since *any* day you read it, you will become a little bit wiser. More proof that the true religion of many American Jews is Pavlovian Liberalism Anybody who can look at Bush and conclude that he "hates Jews" is an idiot. Period. Greetings from Steve Ray's basement Hopped a flight from Seattle to Detroit (by way of O'Hare) today. Very uneventful. Plugged away at bible study on the plane. Dozed. Not much excitement (which is the way I like it). I figure any flight I don't remember the rest of my life is a good one. Anyway, got in and had dinner with Steve and Roy Schoeman, who told me about his conversion story. Very interesting tale! You should have him come speak at your parish sometime! Tomorrow (and Thursday) we will be sitting around, eating sandwiches, drinking wine, and brainstorming Steve's next video (on David and Solomon). I think it will be quite fun! God is good! Monday, April 26, 2004
Well, so much for my day in Seattle. Now I'm off to Michigan tomorrow morning. Not as horribly early as the OK trip, but still early (stop laughing at me Sherry!) Here's the intinerary for Michigan gigs: May 2 7:00 PM St. Charles Borromeo Parish, 150 Taylor Street Just remember: you could not live with yourself knowing that I am going to be this close to you, for this cheap, if you don't come here me speak and buy many of my books and tapes. You'll kick yourself if you miss it. You'll lie awake at night. You will reflect with bitterness on the words "It might have been..." You don't want that. Neither do I. Neither does God. So come hear my talks. You'll be filled with bounce and pep, not bitter regrets and sorry for lost opportunities. See y'all in Michigan! Not the Grinch, Kathy. The White Witch. Secular liberalism: Where it's always winter and never Christmas. Another writer notices that the NY Times is, not to put to fine a point on it, a haven for liberal bigots "Still, the Times has vastly stepped up its coverage of pop culture and, in doing so, seems to be bending its normal rules of journalistic fairness." Ya think? Ono Ekeh Whines about losing job for using USCCB computer to shill for Sacrament of Abortion Candidate Turns out there's "more than one prolife way". There's the "traditional" prolife way which is, well, prolife. Then there's the "fanatically supportive of the sacrament of abortion and contemptuous of the teaching of the Church" prolife way. Fr. Rob takes a look at Ekeh's whoring on behalf of Kerry. Mordechai Vanunu freed from prison I don't know much about this guy other than he was a Christian convert who basically forced the fact that Israel had acquired nukes out into the open. From the coverage, it appears that camps have long split off into "He's a hero like Karen Silkworth!/He's traitorous scum!" factions. Anyway, now he's out, and here's one editorial somebody sent me. I imagine there are also editorials from the "He's a traitorous scum" side, but I'm too lazy to Google them. If somebody is not as lazy as badly underslept me, feel free to put a "traitorous scum" URL in the comment box. CAEI: Fairly balanced, when I'm not exhausted. Dim stirrings of awareness of liberal bigotry at NY Times Kristof considers the possibility that the Times is a blinkered, provincial, haven of small-minded ideologues suffocating in the hot house of their own constrained sense of rectitude and superiority to the hoi polloi. Naaaaaaaaah! Sheen did not support Abortion March I'm glad to hear that. Also, I think it's cool that Ben Stein is a prolife guy. He cracks me up. A church musician who actually follows V-II's documents on liturgy A team of scientists is studying this phenomenon in the hope that it can be reproduced. One of these days, Antichrist will have big PSA announcement which say, "If you aren't with the National ID Program, you're with the terrorists! And most people will happily say "Amen!" What could it possibly hurt? The Godsend Institute is a fertility clinic and practice, specializing in the replication of cells for the purpose of creating life from life. We believe those with the power to grant or restore life have an obligation to our community and our world to share that power. At Godsend, we have perfected a procedure by which a single cell could be used to create a genetically identical fetus – a fetus which could be carried to term and, in effect, be reborn. Science: Discovering new forms of blasphemy to improve the American Lifestyle! Update: Zing! Turns out the site is a promo for a new DeNiro movie. D'oh! Remember: Bishops never speak in a normal tone of voice Everything they say is an "edict". They also love "cracking down" on things. Someday, reporters will learn to write about religion without cliche. Emily Peterson's Riveting Account of Her Experience with the Caring People at the Rally for Baby Killing in DC Brings new meaning to M. Scott Peck chilling title "The People of the Lie". If you've ever doubted the existence of evil, doubt no more. A Survivor-style hour to determine who gets to adopt some woman's child I sure am glad God is on our side in the clash of civilizations. If Muslims did this stuff, it would be barbarous. I remain majorly unpersuaded that Evangelicals are "driving" US Policy in the Mideast However, I am majorly persuaded that the Guardian is majorly bigoted against Evangelicals. Sunday, April 25, 2004
The Whimsical Web Elves Go All Sloppy, Sentimental and Ecumenical on Us AND NOW, FROM THE CRUSADES: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I Accepts Apology for Sack of Constantinople from Pope John Paul II. We'd like to go onr ecord here at CaNNet, that we think it's way heinous that Pope John Paul II plundered Constantinople; and it must have taken him a long time, being old & sick and all .... (Mark Shea) CaNN: Your best Sane Anglican source for chronicling the disintegration of the ESUSA into Mr. Wiggly's Playground. Fight the good fight, guys! If you are looking for more scripture study materials and references than you could ever hope for... remember to go the St. Paul Institute for Applied Biblical Studies. Talking to Scott Hahn about scripture is like drinking from a firehose. Now you can have the same experience in cyberspace. Bookmark the site if you've got any need for resources in Scripture study. You should see the guy's library! Greetings from Norman, Oklahoma! Had a jolly weekend with OU Catholics, an intrepid little band of organizational wizards disguised as college student who pulled off an impressive weekend that yanked in quite an impressive crowd (particularly on Friday night) of engaged, well-formed Catholics, and a good little cadre of Evangelicals and a couple of postmodern seekers. Got to meet the inimitable and very funny Fr. Shane Tharp, as well as a couple readers of my blog and other folk I've heard of through the grapevine. I gave four talks and managed to escape yesterday afternoon just before the sound of my voice had become unendurable to the crowd. Ken Cole, has been the soul of gracious hospitality and his girlfriend, Katie Moulthrop (a formidably bright and well-formed young Catholic) has been squiring me around everywhere and feeding me yummy meals. Last night we all went out for a lovely dinner and had a splendid time and I got to experience the Oklahoma sky,which is awesome for this Washingtonian hemmed in on all side by mountains. The universe just seems a lot bigger in Oklahoma. When we got home, I got to see Ken's film (yes, he's a genuine filmmaker), "Tornado Glory". It's a jolly documentary that follows a couple tornado chasers around Oklahoma and Texas, in search of the perfect adrenaline rush. Makes me want to try it! (Don't tell my wife. She'd kill me.) Anyway, today it's off to Mass, brunch, and a gander at the dinosaur collection at the local museum. Then home, sweet home (for about 36 hours), and off again to Michigan. Thursday, April 22, 2004
I'm outta here and off to Oklahoma bright and early (in fact, *dark* and early, 6:15 AM flight. Yawn!) Something for the American Episcopacy and John Kerry to Read DECLARATION BY THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR LEGISLATIVE TEXTS Rabbi Lapin Speaks his Customary Common Sense... ...to all the naysayers, frustrated that TPOTC did not result in pogroms in the US, who have been assuring us that "people will die" in the Islamosphere because of this film: Just Wait Till the Muslims See It The funniest thing about this piece is the word "even" in the headline I can think of at least one journalist who really needs to catch up their Orwell. Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Worn out, tired, busy, and crabby and I just don't have enough hours in the day. No blogging tomorrow The Holy Father continues to lead all of humanity astray by acting as if the Jews worship the same God as the Catholics Oh. Wait. My bad. Monotheists who worship the God of Abraham *and* are congenial to American foreign policy worship the same God we do. Monotheists who worship the God of Abraham but who are incongenial to American foreign policy worship a different god because uh, they deny the Trinity, er, don't offer blood sacrifice, um, add human tradition to biblical revelation. Or something. Anyway, my mistake. Everything's fine. Though the Pope needs to be aware that we at St. Blog's *are* watching him closely and we do not much approve of what we see! Rosemarie injects the insidious Poison of Charity into the discussion again As for the Koran-kissing incident; I've said this a zillion times so please bear with me if you've read it here before: Exhibit A in my point about the strange relishing of anger in so many Traditionalist circles. The fascinating thing is how many "faithful orthodox Catholics" can look right at the Standard Issue Catholic Moral Imperative to take the most charitable view of any ambiguous action, spit on it, and return to this particular gesture again and again and again and again and again, full of dark relish as they moan and wail and complain and gripe and call the Pope an appeaser and a coward and every other name in the book. And when somebody like Rosemarie points out the fairly obvious--that this minor act of kindness and cross-cultural communication was not that big a deal--they will get angry and curiously disappointed. Why? Because they *want* to believe the worst, to put the worst possible construction on the Pope's gesture. They want, in a word, to be angry, not charitable. "Stop reading minds, Shea!" Can't read minds. Can only read email and I've read more bitching and griping about this incident from Chicken Littles determined to see the sky falling and the Pope selling out the Catholic faith than I care to count. For the life of me, I don't see why people couldn't just read Rosemarie's note and say, "Oh! Well that's reasonable. Okay." and move on. But I know perfectly well that there is a certain percentage of people who don't *want* to move on because they don't, at the end of the day, want to be charitable. They want to be angry. Update: As if to oblige me, one my comment box Inquisitors retorts to Rosemarie: What proof do you have for the statement: "He accepted the book and kissed it, using an Eastern gesture of respect toward the givers"? That's right Rosemarie! Just what *evidence* do you have that we should not put the absolute worst possible construction on what the Pope did? Don't tell me you are one of these pantywaists who thinks we should extend charity or presume innocence until guilt is proven! The burden of proof is on *you* Rosemarie to show why the Pope should not be condemned! The Inquisition has spoken. Cool Lay Catholic initiative starting up in the the Islamosphere Just got this letter. The writer said I could blog it: I have recently launched a site called Holy Spirit Interactive . It is mainly an information resource for Catholics living in the United Arab Emirates (a small muslim country in the Middle East) and is probably the first site of its kind in the region. It is under authority to the Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia. No can do on the books (cuz the publisher handles stuff like that), but they will be using my Sheavings. I'm gonna see if maybe Catholic Exchange can do something to help out too. Very cool initiative! CBS moves us a little closer to live gladiatorial combat There is absolutely positively and unequivocally zero news value in this ghoulishness. It is a pure play for Shock ratings. Forget Howard Stern. *This* is what the FCC should kick down the stairs. A reader writes: I've read some of the postings to your blog topic on what gives up hope today. When I saw this article, somehow it reminded me of that topic in a symbolic sort of way. The beauty that was seen as only worthy of being painted over in the 1960's is now being revealed again - you'll catch my drift when you read the article. I believe we are also slowly stripping away the ideological junk that got plastered over the Church at that time. I have hope. I should also note that my kids, whose taste in music runs to Five Iron Frenzy, Relient K, and various other forms high voltage electricity, have remarked to me that they much prefer the chant and incense of our parish's "High" Mass, to the twangin' Glory and Praise at the family Mass. Like I say, I have no beef with the Traditionalist love of older forms and piety, nor with the longing for majesty in the Mass. Who would? It's the *anger* and the relishing thereof, not the arguments, that I take exception to. Buchanan on Bush's Recent Balfour Declaration Simply linking this will lose me some readers. But I don't agree with all of it. If we have the right to kill non-government affiliated terrorist like bin Laden, then I don't see why Israel can't take out the thugs who run Hamas. But, I do agree that our "Screw you" to the Palestinians re: the West Bank was wrong. From a discussion down below Mark: your point about not being able to read the Pope's mind is well-taken. However, as a faithful Catholic, am I permitted to complain -- and even be angry -- about the Pope's decision to appoint a Kasper? Knock yourself out. Though being angry about something that you have absolutely no ability to change and which will not, in any real concrete way, adversely affect you (except in your mind) strikes me as a tremendous waste of time. If your *goal* is to be angry, why not get angry about something where the anger will do somebody some good? Or better still, ask yourself, "Why am I seeking to be angry?" Do you get angry about the actions of "gay brownshirts" or abortionists? How about abusive priests? Or bishops who support them? Yet, *you* have no ability to directly change any of that, and nor do their actions adversely affect you. On the contrary, my anger at the evils you mention *is* something I can do something about. I can call attention to it. I can, in some of the instances you mention, urge people to political action, or simply to affirm that they are not crazy loners when they think, "Gee, gay activists sure act like brownshirts a lot. I'm not a Bad Person for thinking that." I can put people in touch with resources for organizing to oppose the various evils you mention. There are a great many practical things I can do and I try to do them through this blog. But there is, I will repeat, absolutely nothing that you or I can do about who the Pope picks for the Assistant Apostolic Undersecretary of HumptiFratz. And you know what? That's mostly fine with me, because, although we like to imagine that we have the slightest idea of what we are talking about as we blather on about these remote and unknown men that we Heard a Thing or Two About, the reality is, we don't know hardly anything about them at all, nor about the job they do, nor about the Pope's reasons for appointing them. Nor (and this is the critical thing) can we do a blessed thing about it. So I repeat, "What is the sense of *wanting* to be angry about something that your really can't do a thing about? There are enough real evils in my life over which I have no power. Why would anybody want to seek out more to be angry about? What's the sense of it? And indeed, I don't buy it when I'm told the Pope is "silent" while the Faith is attacked. I have a CD-ROM full of the Pope's teaching on the faith. What is really meant here, of course, is the demand that when some bishop diverges too much from what somebody in St. Blogs regards as an essential of the Faith (and in fact, may be an essential of the Faith), the only "real" response of a good Pope is for him to publically denounce that bishop. I continue to think this a wildly unrealistic demand and a splendid formula for civil war and schism in the Church. Heretics die. Schisms go on for centuries. Meantime, I am minded of Disputations repeated advice: "Have you tried prayer and fasting?" These seem to accomplish so much more than getting really angry. So instead of trying to tear the Muslims down, why don't Christians use this opportunity to build up the Church? Whaddaya wanna bet some of these complaints are coming from Christians (of all people) complaining that Caesar is allowing religion into the public square. If the Muslims can be allowed in, then praise the Lord for the foot in the door and take advantage of the opening. Don't join the secularists in trying to make sure the public square stays naked. Nice promo page for the Da Vinci Hoax! I wonder if Larry King will have Sandra Miesel and Carl Olson on when Brown's bogus crap receives the Seal of Authenticity from Russell Crowe and becomes The Assured Result of Critical Scholarship in the minds of average TV viewers. Muslims Apparently Didn't ask for Permission to Pray at Cordoba Cathedral Now. Stop. Is your reaction, "Oh. Okay." or is it a vague feeling of disappointment because you were, in a strange way, cynically hoping the Vatican would say, "Okay" and give you something else to be infuriated about? This is what I mean about the addictive enjoyment of Anger. Subservient Chicken Just Wants to Make you Happy Command him to pray, jump, sit, fly, eat, lie down, roll over. Explore and see if he'll do other things. For all my comment box experts who assure me that Christians and Muslims do not worship the same God and that the Second Vatican Council doesn't know what it's talking about 'FOR THERE IS NOTHING WHICH ALMIGHTY GOD, who wishes that all men should be saved and that no man should perish, more approves in our conduct than that a man should first love God and then his fellow men ... Most certainly you and we ought to love each other in this way more than other races of men, because we believe and confess one God, albeit in different ways, whom each day we praise and reverence as the creator of all ages and the governor of this world.' - Modernist indifferentist heretic Pope St. Gregory VII, burbling stupidly about the Spirit of Assisi to the Muslim Sultan of Bougie in North Africa in 1076. Just another post-Vatican II ecumenical wuss. Designated Victim Group Member vs. Designated Victim Species Member PC Ettiquette decrees that in such cases, the homo sapiens is always to be considered the less significant victim. I don't normally cover the Orthodox But an Orthodox reader sent this along (It's a letter to a priest, not to me, which explains some of the tone): I was browsing the web this evening and came across this preview article, by Claudia Rosett, from the upcoming May 2004 issue of Commentary about the UN Oil-for-Food program, which became a conduit to funnel funds that would enrich UN officials, keep Saddam in power, and deny the people of Iraq the basic neccessities of life they desperately needed. Just as I don't much like it when non-Catholics start talking like they own the joint and mouthing off about prudential matters in the Catholic Church which do not affect them... ("I demand, Mark, that you drop everything and explain to me right here and now why the Pope has put Cardinal Whosit--who I read something about somewhere and don't much like--in charge of Apostolic Secretariat for Blahdiblah!!!! If you don't answer me, it shows you just can't deal with substantive criticism" - Signed, Lutheran Buttinski. "Dear Lutheran Buttinski: What am I? The Pope's spiritual director? Why not mind your own damn business and stop demanding I drop everything to answer your nosy subpoenas about matters in which I am utterly incompetent to speak. Isn't it obvious I have no idea why the Pope makes the appointments he does? I live in Seattle, not Rome, and I've never met the man. How in hell should I know why he picks who he picks?") ...so I shall refrain from offering my two bits here as far as "What the Orthodox should be doing about all this." It's for them to settle their own hash. I post it for another purpose: to remind Catholics who may be suffering from the Grass is Always Greener illusion, that corrupt ecclesiats are not an especially Catholic disease. Things are tough all over. Margarine Party Tries to Say it Tastes Like Butter Curious how butter never tries to say it tastes just like margarine. Oh please. There is no idea so stupid but that some materialist nitwit on a TV show has said it. Look guys: it's like this. Religious experience is the norm, not the exception. Epilepsy is the exception, not the norm. And skeptical materialists scrambling to reduce all religious experience to a purely neurological explanation are not just the exception, they are an actively stupid sect so vanishingly insignificant that future generations will regard them with the same stunned disbelief that we accord odd little sects of Flagellants. But then this is TV science after all, not real science. It's purpose is to sell beer and shampoo, not to be serious about anything. Happy News! Martino and (some) American conservatives are finally on the same page: it would be wrong to bail on Iraq. However, if Sullivan's analysis is accurate, National Review is apparently positioning for bailout should it become expedient to do so. Tuesday, April 20, 2004
A reader asks what I think of this article My answer: I agree with the author 100%. This article is only of real interest to hardcore baseball fans--which I am not. When Agendas Collide Back in the Day, Muslims were the Victims and Serbs were the bad guys. Now Muslims are the Bad Guys. But we haven't quite gotten around to figuring out what to do about rehabilitating Serbs. So stuff like this gets to be done to Serbian churches and we don't much notice. Besides, they're only Christians, so it's not like its really wrong or anything. Just think of it as Transgressive Art. Dominican Vocation Crisis! They've gone from 4 to 44 and they're bulging at the seams! What magic strategy did they use? Prayer, service, and faithfulness to the teachings of the Church. Don't that beat all? "Ordinary Palestinians, too, are drawing the salutary conclusion that murdering Israelis brings them no benefits." I certainly hope so. This wretched people have been so badly served by the murdering kleptocrat thugs who lead them and exploit their misery. The Shadow Tradition Something to contemplate near Holocaust Remembrance Day. Old Sin=/=Sacred Tradition. Don't Hold your Breath Waiting for the Divine Liturgy to be Celebrated at Hagia Sophia Islamic tolerance tends to be a one way street. D'oh! Someone in the world is the world's worst doctor. And somebody has an appointment with him tomorrow! - George Carlin Gay Brownshirts on the March! Here's an edifying note sent to the folks at FreeDominion.ca: Biil c250 will pass. Your group will be the first one we go after. You are nothing but a group of hatefilled bigots. How dare you use a name like freedominion, free for who, right wing ***holes. I was in Edmonton last week and I enjoyed ****** Lorne Gunters son in the *****. Tight. I am headed down to parliament hill later to slap that ******* Anne Cools[bible thumping nigger] and to ****** your hero Steve Harper. I'll bet he likes the taste of ********. Talk to you later redneck *********. The folks at FreeDominion are hoping the cops will investigate this. However, once C-250 passes, that will probably constitute police harrassment. Bigots like FreeDominion people could be arrested for that, you know. Boy. I am just so unreasonable to see a strong fascist impulse at work in the heart of the Gay Right Movement. What inflammatory rhetoric I use! |
