Where the Rubber Hits the Road

If the evidence is not yet enough to convince you good reader that the War has indeed begun in earnest... I suggest a visit to the CNN (International News version) and scroll down to the the 'editor's choices'. There you will find 17 consecutive articles and video files all based upon the sex abuse scandals in Europe, the majority of which are trying to link the scandal directly to the Holy Father. If that isn't enough, check out the articles posted on the New York Times today and yesterday, including the letters to the editor and the comments that accompany these articles. Again, they all attempt to connect various scandals directly to the Pontiff. Then, take up the spiritual weapons at your disposal (prayer, fasting, charity) as well as the searching for every (NON-VIOLENT!!!) means at your disposal to mount a vigorous defense of the Church. To make use of that old typing lesson phrase: "Now is the time for all good men (and women) to come to the aid of th...

The NTY carries in today's web edition a story about how social media have become the conduit for bringing hundreds of people together almost instantaneously for "snowball fights, "pillow fights" and just plain old "fights". We also know that the dissidents in Iran and other movements have been using Twitter and Facebook to spread the news of various events about to take place. What I propose in my Call to Arms is that people of faith should make use of these same instruments in the furtherance of evangelical mission. For example, imagine the comments that could be generated within the threads of these types of news stories if any number of apologists and Christian activists could be immediately informed so as to be able to mount a defense of our beliefs. We know that every story that touches upon the subject of the Roman Catholic Church is going to generate a large response from our opponents. Why not join the battle in attempting to argue our case as...

The forces of darkness in this world have declared war—a war that attempts to extinguish the light of faith within the Roman Catholic Church. This is not a war of our choosing. Nevertheless, it is a war in which the Church must rally every facet and weapon at her disposal. It may be the start of the famed battle foretold in Revelations, or it may be another attack from the forces of evil in the world designed to wound the faith. But it is a war. And it must be fought, and it will be won. Commentators throughout the blogosphere have been crying out a warning since the creation of the virtual world—but it has been a warning that has been too long ignored. Most decision and opinion makers within the Church have thought these cries to be the clucking of nothing more than modern manifestation of Chicken Little. Sadly, just as the forces of liberty and faith were taken by surprise by at Pearl Harbor and in Jerusalem in 1967, so too have the leaders of the Church failed to heed the warnin...

With H/T to my friends, Carol & Vic J from Mattawa! You should listen someday to their story, if I could convince them to launch their own blog. Being people of such very good heart and character, any thoughts they would share on the subject of their choosing, would be of benefit of others. This  is one of the best explanations of why God allows pain and  suffering that I have  seen...   A  man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began  to have a good conversation. They talked about so many  things and various subjects.  When they eventually  touched on the subject of God, the barber said: 'I don't  believe that God  exists.'    'Why do you say that?' asked the customer. 'Well, you just have  to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist.  Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick  people?  Would ...

Bruce Tallman, Dr. Min. Spiritual Director "Helping people grow in faith and love since 1983" 519-433-0981 www.brucetallman.com HOW COULD GOD ALLOW THE TRAGEDY IN HAITI? If we ask how God, who is supposedly all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving, could allow the disaster in Haiti, it leads us to a larger question: why does God not prevent all accidents, illness, famine, and war? Why does God allow suffering in general? Pat Robertson, an ultra-conservative televangelist from the United States, said that God was punishing Haiti for "making a pact with the devil." Some Haitian preachers are claiming the same thing on the streets of Port-Au-Prince, talking about Sodom and Gomorrah, the biblical Flood, and Judgment Day. A few years ago, some Christians maintained that, because New Orleans had a reputation for being "sin city," God sent hurricane Katrina to punish them. A few centuries ago, John Wesley stated his b...

F r. Ron Rolheiser adds his voice this debate with an insightful perspective.

Fr. Michael Smith, a former philosophy professor and current pastor in Temiscaming, Qc (my next-door-neighbor... even though he's almost 60 miles distant) has offered the following  in response to my previous post on Epicurus' dilemma on the existence of evil. I thank Fr. Mike for the kindness of his response and trust that it might serve to prompt further comment on this subject. The italicized (not) is my addition to his message as I believe that it was omitted in error when he sent me his post. I include my response to him at the end of his post. ------------------------------------------- Tim, I have read your appeal for help with the problem of evil. The whole argument is subject to a number of limitations: 1. If one grants, as Augustine does, that God would not permit evil unless a proportionate good could come out of it, the problem is that we have such limited knowledge that we cannot possibly know what good can come from some forms of evil (e.g., the Holocaust...

I have started an exchange with a former classmate (Martin) from my philosophy days that has been sparked by my postings re: Haiti, evil and the existence of the devil. I spent some time between appointments  typing out the following response to his most recent questions, only to discover that it was too long to be posted as in the comment threads. So, I post it here in the hopes that he will find it and respond - as I hope others will as well. I do not claim that what I am developing is entirely orthodox (I hope it is, but I'm open to being corrected) but I have found that it provides a solid foundation from with to deal with such questions. I look forward to your comments, pro or con. Fr. Tim --------------------------------------------------- Ok Martin...here goes. 1. I introduced the concept of free will into the discussion because I believe it to be the key to rationally understanding the question of the existence of evil and ultimately for the existence of Satan as ...