A great political cartoon...

A response to Triablogue

Over on Triablogue Gene Bridges has written a response to my blog posting In the Combox... He writes inTriablogue: The Need For An Infallible Interpreter a very good response, I will answer his points below:

Hmmm, and why is this a convincing argument? Let's take a quick look at it:

The plain fact is that an infallible Bible without an infallible living interpreter is futile.

1. So, the Jews labored for centuries with Scripture but no infallible interpreter.This was futile. Okay.

No, the Jews had infallible interpreters. God sent them prophets. These prophets spoke the Word of God. It was only when God ceased sending prophets did the Jews fracture into different sects.

2. How do we ascertain - infallibly - who the infallible interpreter is in the New Covenant era?

Logic and Faith. Jesus left his church. A church which is the "pillar and foundation" and is led to "all truth".

Infallibility never gets from the printed page to the one place where it is needed: the mind of the reader.

This would, of course, apply equally as well to the Roman Catholic if true. Even if the interpreter is "infallible" (the Church and its teachers, who convey its teaching) it's infallibility would never get from the printed page or the audible words to where it is needed, the mind of the interpreter.

Every interpreter is a reader/hearer too, and vice versa. So, the problem isn't related to the necessity of an infallible interpreter (teaching office), it's the necessity of an infallible hearer/reader (person in the pew, reader, etc.).

Using this logic, then the Bible cannot be infallible either. Because it was written down by men. And since men cannot be infallible even under the protection of the Holy Spirit, we must assume the Scriptures are not infallible.

This is the slippery slope that begins to develop when one sets out to discredit the church. See, the Church believes infallibility is possible with the protection of the Holy Spirit. So, the Bishops' arguments do not apply to the church.

The Roman Catholic solution only puts the question back one step or more. So, it's on epistemic par with the Protestant rule of faith, which is precisely our argument - and the very argument you provided here has proven it for us. Moreover, since you apparently agree with it, you have done our work for us. That's a real timesaver.

But the ultimate question is: "Is infallibility possible?" The Catholic says "Yes", the Protestant says "No".

The myriad divisions within Protestantism offer ample evidence of the proof of this statement.

Of course, this is a non-sequitur. The divisions within the receivers of teaching say nothing about the fallibility or infallibility of the teaching itself or the text itself. That's a category error.

No, his point with this statement was that the divisions among Protestantism demonstrate the futility of the doctrine of "Scripture Alone". Because if it were a valid system, there would be unity in Protestantism instead of division.

He was illustrating the flaw in the logic of Protestants who claim the Bible is infallible but they are not.

And it does a miserable job of illustrating it, for if valid, it applies equally to the Roman Catholic.

Everything must be read in context, I only offered one paragraph of his work, I suggest you read the entire chapter.

Another trip..

Yesterday, we decided to visit one of the famous "Painted Churches of Texas" This one is St. Mary's Church in Praha, Texas.




And here is some video:


This is one of the most fantastic Churches I have ever seen.

In the combox...

over at Beggars All, dtking said in response to my statement that the Catholic Church does not prohibit personal interpretation of the Bible:

I beg your pardon...John A. O’Brien: The plain fact is that an infallible Bible without an infallible living interpreter is futile. (Italics are his for emphasis) See John A. O’Brien, The Faith of Millions, rev. ed. (Huntington: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 1974), p. 117.

It's clear that he doesn't think God is able to communicate clearly with His own God-breathed words.

Well, thank God for Google Books, I went there and they happened to have this book and so I looked it up in context, and this is what it said;

"If you do not claim to be infallibly certain that your interpretation of the whole Bible is correct, then of what value is it to have an infallible Bible without an infallible interpreter? In either case, your statement crumbles (this is a statement to a Protestant who said that the Bible is the only infallible interpreter he needs). The plain fact is that an infallible Bible without an infallible living interpreter is futile. Infallibility never gets from the printed page to the one place where it is needed: the mind of the reader. The myriad divisions within Protestantism offer ample evidence of the proof of this statement."

Notice that Fr. O'Brian is not even discussing personal interpretation. He is discussing infallibility. Context is everything. Of course the Catholic is allowed personal interpretation of the scriptures. CCC #109:

109 In Sacred Scripture, God speaks to man in a human way. To interpret Scripture correctly, the reader must be attentive to what the human authors truly wanted to affirm, and to what God wanted to reveal to us by their words.

Hope this helps.

A response to: Tiber Swim Book Club #1

Over at Beggars All James Swan has written an article called the "Tiber swim book club". In it, he is begging potential Catholic converts to be "fair and dilligent" in their studies, stating that they "owe it to themselves and their families". He then tells them they should get a 150 year old venomously anti-catholic book called "A Treatise on the right use of the Fathers"

"fair and dilligent"? Well, I looked at the book and this jumped out on the first page:

When the avarice and ambition of the Romish clergy had, by working with the superstition and ignorance of the people, erected what they call their hierarchy, and digested an ecclesiastical policy on the ruins of gospel liberty, for the administration of it they found nothing of such use for the support of this lordly system, as the making the authority of the Fathers sacred and decisive.

Yeah, this books seems very fair. Page one and the propaganda starts. If it cannot speak the truth about what Catholics believe and has such an obvious agenda, why should I believe what it says about the fathers?

Here's an idea, get a copy of the writings of the ECF's and just read them for yourself and make up your own mind?

Welcome to America

I would like to welcome His Holiness Pope Bededict XVI to the United States!

FreeVideoCoding.com

Screwy blog tests.

All over the web, you can find sites that rate your blog on any number of things, so I thought I would take a few of these and post them here:

Movie Reviews

Created by OnePlusYou

My blog is worth $0.00.
How much is your blog worth?

(Bummer)


Created by OnePlusYou

A visit to the missions.

Yesterday, my family and I went to check out some of the Missions here in San Antonio. In the mid to late 18th Century the Spanish established 5 missions along the San Antonio river. They are Espada, San Juan, San Jose, Conception, and San Antonio de Valero (more famously known as the Alamo).

San Juan is the mission we visited, it was founded in 1690 as San José de los Nazonis. We wandered the grounds for about an hour:


The Park Ranger informed us we were in time to attend Mass in the Mission. I really enjoy attending mass in small churches like this. We were among only about 20 people present. A short Baptism was performed at the start of the ceremony. It is always a joy when a new Christian is brought into the church.


If anyone is visiting San Antonio or lives here, you cannot beat forgoing your local modern church, to take in the history in one of the original San Antonio churches.

One problem Senator.....

PHILADELPHIA - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton says she has something in common with legendary film boxer Rocky Balboa — she's not a quitter.

Someone may want to remind the Senator, Rocky lost!

Just a little note.

Why I believe in the Perpetual virginity of Mary.

Several people in this forum have asked me to defend my position on Mary. So, I will try.

The Bible is silent on the issue of the perpetual viriginity of Mary. While there are references to "brothers" and "sisters" which on the surface seems to support the idea of Mary having other children, the fact is we know nothing about their exact relationship with Jesus. The Bible is silent on these family members untill Jesus is 30! It makes sense that if there were other childeren involved in the return from Egypt or on the trip from Jerusalem, there would be some mention. Now I realize that this is not strong evidence but it is circumstantial and must be acknowledged.

However, there is the additional problem, that even if Mary did not have additional children, that does not mean she remained a virgin. So we must look at the evidence we have. The Bible records that the Angel told Joseph to take Mary as his wife. But it also makes it clear that he had no relations with Mary while she was his betrothed, nor did he have any relations while she was pregnant. Here, we must ask, why? Nothing in Jewish law forbids a man having relations with his pregnant wife. But we see that Joseph choose not to.

An Explination for this may be found in other documents from antiquity. In the Protoevangelum of James written in the 2nd century we read the early Christian legend that Mary was a temple virgin under a life-long vow of celebacy. And that she was entrusted to Joseph to care for her. This is not unheard of in antiquity. And, it would explain why Joseph did not have relations with her while she was pregnant.

Add to this that in antiquity, in the early church, there is no counter argument. There is no one claiming Mary was not a virgin, no one claiming relatives of Christ. As a matter of Fact we know from other early christian sources that James "the brother of the Lord" was in fact a son of Joseph, a view supported by the Protoevangelum.

In short, after prayer and study, there appears to be no evidence from the Scriptures, antiquity or Tradition to support the idea that Mary did not have other children. At least, that is my opinion.

Overheard at CARM this week:

• (referring to an emotional investment in pastors) Not like that required of Catholics which obligates them to believe that their church leaders are not wrong or even Christ Himself is a liar and fraud.
• Individual catholics are subject to the RCC. They lie for they mama. They mama is a liar par excellence. If that does not clearly state that one plus one equals two, nothing does.
• A true Christian is a Christ-follower, not a papist.
• .you (Catholics) have been brainwashed by your superiors...
• You must obey the Roman Catholic Church....This is all they believe and all they think they need to believe.
• But they have been brainwashed Catholicism is "apostolic" so they believe modern Catholic teachings "must be" there, albeit, the fault is THEY cannot see them...
• Now Protestants (and other non Catholics) notice the same thing Catholic readers do, that modern Catholic doctrines are not in scripture...but they aren't brainwashed by the Magisterium...
• No, it's because Roman Catholics get cliched talking points that are seen all over, yet when queried in a way that they cannot rely on those cliched talking points, are totally lost, just like Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses and other cults who regurgitate conditioned cliched talking points.

And all of this from people who claim they "love" us.

A new favorite:

I recently came across a blog that I am really enjoying. It is called American Papist, and it is the blog of Thomas Peters, a lay catholic and sometimes contributor to Inside Catholic webzine.

It is a mix of Catholic social commentary and humor.

Check it out!

Response to eris...

In my stumbling around cyberspace I came upon an interesting blog titled "Masks of Eris" One of her more recent blog entries "A Catholic dilemma", makes for some interesting reading, but it appears to be a gross over-simplification of religion.

She writes:

It is a well-known fact that religion isn’t either necessary for a moral life or, indeed, even a very good source of morals.

Here, I would disagree. I happen to believe that religion is an excellent source of morals. Sometimes we as people need to be told the obvious. "The golden rule", is a notion found in every religion, be it the karma of the Hindus, the Circle of the Buddhists or the morals of Judaism and Christianity. Also, if religion were unnecessary, why is it a element of every society humankind has created?

A further idea of illustrating this point just popped into my head.

Consider the infamous Catholic kid-bothering priests, like Brendan Smyth. Consider the fact that they were the seemingly most religious and sacred persons around in their societies. Then consider what they did.

Then consider whether or not their position was anything to them other than a means to an end, that is, a way for them to use and manipulate people to get what they want. They violated their oaths and betrayed the people who trusted them.

Which of the two resulting alternatives do you rather take: That these outwardly most holy men were liars and didn’t believe the hellfire and post-mortem justice they preached, or that their godly beliefs were of a form that found raping children acceptable?

Consider that.

Or, consider that they were/are pedophiles. Their positions had nothing to do with their crimes, anymore than the teacher who is caught can blame education. Most likely, they did believe what they preached, that makes them hypocrites, but it is hardly condemning of all religion.

The plain truth is that religion doesn’t, on the average, make people any better. Some it helps, some it just hides, some it gives power to do great good or terrible ill, but on the average in doesn’t make people any better. As it isn’t true either, why keep it? Let it pass into the company of hankering for a Habsburg king and spotting ufos — an anachronistic hobby for the slightly eccentric ones.

So, if you happen to be religious or spiritual, you are an "eccentric" with an "anachronistic hobby". Of course, I have seen religion play a huge role in helping people turn their lives in a different direction. And, make them better people. I believe people do need religion, in one form or another. It is our nature, how God made us. We do have souls, and our souls are constantly reaching towards him that created us. That is truth, a greater truth that I am happy to know.

A response to Mr. Svendson

In surfing the web, I came across the blog of noted Protestant apologist Eric Svendsen. Posting as "New Covenant Bible Church", he makes the following statement:

Witness the spectacle of hundreds, or thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of Roman Catholics massing together to worship a piece of melba toast, or a stain on the side of a wall, or a shadow against a building, or a growth on a tree, or the latest "apparition" that vaguely resembles the shape of what Roman Catholics have come to associate with Mary.

Now, I have been a Catholic my entire life, and have never witnessed "the spectacle of hundreds, or thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of Roman Catholics massing together to worship a piece of melba toast..." This is a ridiculous assertion. Most Catholics I know, view such things as silliness, and when they do occur (contrary to what Mr. Svendsen says) they are almost always accompanied by a representative of the local diocese warning against seeing to much in it.

I guess that is why Mr. Svendsen does not allow comments on his blog, that way, he can post whatever he wants without fear of correction.

Death of an Archduke.

History has always been fascinating to me. So it is interesting when traditions from the past are brought out to commemorate the passing of a special person.

On January 12, 2008 the Rite of Christian Burial was performed for His Imperial and Royal Highness Archduke Carl Ludwig Maria Franz Joseph Michael Gabriel Antonius Robert Stephan Pius Gregor Ignatius Markus d'Aviano of Austria. aka Archduke Carl Ludwig von Habsburg-Lothringen. He was the fifth child and the fourth son of Blessed Emperor Charles and his wife Empress Zita of Bourbon-Parma.

The Ceremony was held in the Cathedral in Vienna, and the archduke was later interred in the family crypt in the Capuchin Abbey.

Some videos of the Ceremony:





There are also some home videos on Youtube, posted by the Austrian Monarchist League. This one, is the most moving, it is the family rising to its feet as the Kaiserhymme (the anthem of Imperial Austria) is played, and the crowd present singing the old anthem. Most Americans don't know that Austria was once a superpower that dominated Central Europe.



There are also some photos of the event at the German magazine Bunte:

Eternal rest grant unto him o Lord, and let your perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.

Tony Alamo

After a few hit and run comments by Thomas Richards over at spirituallysmart.com. I realized by reading his site that he is a disciple of Tony Alamo and Alberto Rivera. I have already discussed Alberto, and the fact that he has been completely discredited (even by people who agree with him!) and so we will look at Tony Alamo.

Thomas has done pages and videos about his time with Tony Alamo, but his defenses of Alamo are vague. Alamo is a pedophile (interesting that Thomas bashes the Church about the sex scandal, but he is a proud follower of a pedophile!)

Two of Alamo's wives, were just 13 and 11 when he "married" them. And of course, he denies it, apparently in his world bearing false witness is ok if it keeps your butt out of jail.

But, in reading about some of the people who left, it is not Thomas' fault. Alamo is very good at being two-faced, he and Susan act in such a way that most people have no idea about how truly evil this man is. That is why his motto is "receive not an accusation against an elder."

I pray for everyone under the spell of this false Christ. He is a man of great evil.

For more information:
Tony Alamo News
"Nailing Tony Alamo"

More on the Miracle in Florida

In searching the web, I was able to find more information on the miracle involving the intercession of Blessed Emperor Karl.

From the Florida Catholic:

Miracle in our midst

Central Florida woman’s cure may lead to sainthood for Blessed Karl of Austia.

TANYA GOODMAN FLORIDA CATHOLIC STAFF

Published: 02.08.08

ORLANDO It appeared to be an ordinary gathering of faithful for morning Mass in the chapel of St. James Cathedral, but Jan. 31 was anything but ordinary for those gathered. The Mass signaled the closing of a 16-month investigation of a miraculous cure that may propel Blessed Karl of Austria to the threshold of sainthood.

“This is a very privileged moment for the Diocese of Orlando,” Bishop Thomas Wenski said at a closing ceremony following the Mass at the diocesan chancery in downtown Orlando.

Blessed Karl of Austria, also known as Charles I, Emperor of Austria, was the last of the Habsburg monarchs. He died in 1922. Known for a life of holiness and advocacy for peace, he was beatified in Rome in 2004.

Thousands of miles away in the Kissimmee area of central Florida, a woman, in her mid-50s, who received a diagnosis of breast cancer began what seemed an endless cycle of hospitalization and treatment. The cancer had metastasized to her liver and bones. Medical opinion deemed the disease terminal. She was bedridden. Nothing more could be done. Nothing more on earth, that is.

Soon, a network of prayer began, asking for heavenly intercession through Blessed Karl. One miracle has been attributed to him by the Vatican since his death, clearing the way for his beatification. A second miracle must be confirmed before he can be canonized.

The series of occurrences that led friends of a Baptist woman in Florida to seek divine assistance for her through a European royal under consideration for sainthood by the Catholic Church began with a Louisiana couple’s trip in Austria.

“This is such an extraordinary story, how this whole thing happened. It really is,” said Paula Melançon of Baton Rouge, who along with her husband, Joseph, met and befriended Blessed Karl’s grandson, Archduke Karl Peter, while traveling through Austria.

The Melançons, who told their story to the Florida Catholic after attending the Jan. 31 Mass, said the archduke later invited them to his grandfather’s October 2004 beatification ceremony. The following Christmas, Paula Melançon gave her sister-in-law, Vanessa Lynn O’Neill of Atlanta, a medal of Blessed Karl and a book of novena prayers to him she had received at the ceremony.

“I knew that when I got that novena — I knew that my mother’s best friend was sick — I just knew at that moment that it was something I was going to do. And that is how I got started, I just prayed the novena,” O’Neill said.

Friends near and far joined O’Neill, her mother and her mother’s sick friend in a prolonged period of prayer. The woman recovered and medical experts could not offer an earthly explanation as to why.

How is this friend now? “She’s great — truly a miracle,” O’Neill said.

The woman, not publicly identified, attended the closing Mass.

“The sequence of events has all been totally guided by the spirit of God,” Joseph Melançon said. “There is no other way to describe it; no way,” Paula Melançon added.

O’Neill, who is married to Paula’s brother Tom, and O’Neill’s mother are converts to Catholicism.

“A fairly recent conversion, too,” Paula Melançon said. “She (O’Neill) called and said, ‘Explain this to me, this novena, and intercessory prayer.’

“I did. She told me, ‘I want to start praying for my mother’s best friend.’” Emotional, Paula Melançon paused for a moment before concluding, “It’s just been really unbelievable.”

“She was not immediately accepting,” Paula Melançon said of the sick woman. “She did not understand intercessory prayer.” The sick woman thought her friend wanted her to pray to Blessed Karl for healing.

“She realized the prayers were to ask Blessed Karl to intercede before the Lord. She (the sick woman) then said, ‘All prayer is helpful.’”

The woman who received the healing still attends a Baptist church and continues to pray the novena to Blessed Karl.

According to a 2000 Newsweek Poll, 87 percent of Americans believe miracles can happen to people of religious faiths different than their own.

Bishop Wenski, at the request of the Vatican, commissioned an Ecclesiastical Tribunal to investigate the alleged miracle.

The Tribunal was composed of Father Fernando Gil, judicial vicar for the diocese, who served as the promoter of justice or the “devil’s advocate”; Father Larry Lossing; Father Gregory Parkes, chancellor of canonical affairs; a medical doctor who served as the court expert; and Delma Santiago, the notary. Bishop Wenski also attended some of the proceedings.

Father Gil said, “Other alleged miracles attributed to the intercession of Blessed Karl I are currently being investigated in different places in the world.”

At the chancery, documents were signed, sealed and placed in special boxes.

The boxes were then tied, sealed with wax and stamped with an official seal by Roman postulator Andrea Ambrosi. The boxes were to travel by diplomatic pouch to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints where the case will receive further study. Pope Benedict XVI will make the final decision as to whether a miracle took place.

“I am very happy that the first miracle that is being attributed to Blessed Karl (after his beatification) has been documented from the United States,” said Benedictine Brother Nathan Cochran of St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pa., where he is the curator of the art collection. He is also a delegate to promote the cause of canonization of Blessed Karl in the United States and Canada, at the behest of Archduke Rudolf, one of three remaining sons of Emperor (Blessed) Karl.

For this special occasion, Brother Cochran brought a relic of Blessed Karl and placed it on the table for the signing of the documents. He added, “Archduke Rudolph is very aware of what’s happening today and says ‘thank you very much.’”

In a follow-up telephone call, Paula Melançon spoke of the woman at the center of the miracle. “Knowing her, I think she would say to everyone, trust in God and have faith in the Lord.”

Paula Melançon, herself, deeply affected by the whole experience said, “I have certainly grown in my faith watching the faith of that woman.”

Kissimmee Baptist edges emperor toward sainthood

Orlando, Feb 5, 2008 / 07:12 am (CNA).- Karl von Habsburg, the last emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire moved a step closer to sainthood last week, the Orlando Sentinel reports. A Florida woman has claimed that by praying for the intercession of the emperor, she was cured from breast cancer.

The Baptist woman from Kissimmee, Florida received the ruler’s holy card from a friend, Paula Melancon, who became interested in Emperor von Habsburg on a trip to Europe. The cancer sufferer prayed that Karl intercede on her behalf.

Doctors as well as a judicial tribunal of the Diocese of Orlando agreed that there appears to be no medical explanation for the woman’s recovery.

Karl, who was emperor during World War I, opposed the war, censored obscene materials, closed brothels and increased the chaplains sent to troops. He was exiled and died of the flu at the age of 34. In 2004, he was beatified by Pope John Paul II.

Orlando Bishop Thomas Wenski said, "It is an honor for our diocese to be part of something that is larger than all of us. Miracles are not done for show. Jesus didn't do miracles because he was a showoff.”

Requiescat in Pace

His Most Eminent Highness Fra Andrew Willoughby Ninian Bertie, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, Most Humble Guardian of the Poor of Jesus Christ.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and may your perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

For Catholics Only...

This information is for Catholics only. It must not be divulged to non-Catholics. The less they know about our rituals and code words, the better off they are.
AMEN: The only part of a prayer that everyone knows.
BULLETIN: Your receipt for attending Mass.
CHOIR: A group of people whose singing allows the rest of the Parish to lip-sync.
HOLY WATER : A liquid whose chemical formula is H2OLY.
HYMN: A song of praise usually sung in a key three octaves higher than that of the congregation's range.
RECESSIONAL HYMN: The last song at Mass often sung a little more quietly, since most of the people have already left.
INCENSE: Holy Smoke!
JESUITS: An order of priests known for their ability to find colleges with good basketball teams.
JONAH: The original "Jaws" story.
JUSTICE: Wh en kids have kids of their own.
KYRIE ELEISON: The only Greek words that most Catholics can recognize besides gyros and baklava. (for you non-Catholics it means Lord have mercy)
MAGI: The most famous trio to attend a baby shower.
MANGER: Where Mary gave birth to Jesus because Joseph wasn't covered by an HMO. (The Bible's way of showing us that holiday travel has always been rough.)
PEW: A medieval torture device still found in Catholic churches.
PROCESSION: The ceremonial formation at the beginning of Mass consisting of altar servers, the celebrant, and late parishioners looking for seats.
RECESSIONAL: The ceremonial procession at the conclusion of Mass led by parishioners trying to beat the crowd to the parking lot.
RELICS: People who have been going to Mass for so long, they actually know when to sit, kneel, and stand.
TEN COMMANDMENTS: The most important Top Ten list not given by David Letterman.
USHERS: The only people in the parish who don't know the seating capacity of a pew.