Y'all invested a hell of a lot of money to learn how to split hairs, so let's split some hairs!

It's too late to start praying once the Devil shows up.

Go and sin no more.

Red Mass 2007

Mark your calendars:

Friday, Sept 14, 2007
4:30pm
St. Xavier Church, 607 Sycamore St, Cincinnati
Sponsored by the St. Thomas More Society of Greater Cincinnati

Featured Speaker: Chief Justice Thomas Moyer, Ohio Supreme Court

You Are: 0% Dog, 100% Cat

You are are almost exactly like a cat. You're intelligent, independent, and set on getting your way. And there's no way you're going to fetch a paper for anyone!

Are You More Cat or Dog?

Your Birthdate: September 30

You have the type of personality that people either love or hate. You're opinionated, dramatic, intense, and very outspoken. And some people can't get enough of you - they're totally addicted. Others, well, they wish you were a little more reserved. Your strength: Your flair Your weakness: If you think it, you say it Your power color: Scarlet red Your power symbol: Inverted triangle Your power month: March

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Bits of Wit and Wisdom from Evidence Class...

There's some damn good law on Law & Order!

Suddenly God couldn't come to the trial because the Pope wouldn't let him! *

*Speaking of the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 which forbade clergy from participating in blessings etc during the trial by ordeal.

Yesterday...

I continued my campaign of annihilation against the colony of invading arachnids that have taken up residence on my front stoop.

The indiscriminate bombing campaign (aka the broom) left them homeless but they regrouped and began rebuilding their settlement. It was time for a second attempt.

Yesterday, I resorted to genocide (a la Raid.) I have yet to see a return of the colony so the chemical warfare appears to have been successful. We shall see though.

What Art Movement Are You?

You Are Impressionism

You think the world is quite beautiful, especially if you look at it in new and interesting ways. You tend to focus on color and movement in art. For you, seeing the big picture is much more important than recording every little detail. You can find inspiration anywhere... especially from nature.

What Art Movement Are You?

Clam--you'd better watch out!

You Are a Grilled Cheese Sandwich

You are a traditional person with very simple tastes. In your opinion, the best things in life are free, easy, and fun. You totally go with the flow. And you enjoy every minute of it! Your best friend: The Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Your mortal enemy: The Ham Sandwich

What Kind of Sandwich Are You?

Updates

I updated my Holy Blogs of Obligation to include a blog by a young fellow Ohioan (we'll just overlook that he's from Cleveland, he really can't help it) and a fellow CoC-er who is preparing to swim the Tiber. He's also one of my (two) faithful readers. :) Check out his blog, Y Taith Cristnogol.

How Smart Are You?

Am-I-Dumb.com - Are you dumb?

Anti-Catholicism and the (Campbellite) Churches of Christ

Recent developments on the ex-CoC* Support board have me thinking about anti-Catholicism in the (Campbellite*) Churches of Christ.

Here's my theory--anti-Catholicism is so ingrained in the churches of Christ that even after they leave, many people still do not realize how much of a hold the anti-Catholic rhetoric holds over them.

I grew up in a CoC where regular sermons were preached regarding the evils of Catholicism: praying to statues, worshipping Mary, believing you can work your way into Heaven, you can sin all week and go to confession on Saturday and it's all good, etc. I'm sure others can add to the list, but those are the biggies. I know I believed it all when i was still CoC. After study and meditation though I realized that I had been horribly mislead by the CoC preachers and Sunday school teachers. I'm sure they meant well and thought they were saving me from certain sinfulness, but it delayed my conversion for a long time because I didn't want to be Catholic. I didn't want to believe that all those awful things I'd heard about Catholics weren't really true.

What I've observed on the ex-CoC board is that even among those who have left, there is still an underlying anti-Catholicism. There's an attitude of "I don't know what I believe, but it's not anything like Catholicism" (thanks Stephanie!) I don't even think some realize they're doing it. Others though, are deliberately baiting Catholics. Even among the ex-ers, it's still not okay to be Catholic. The comments on the board have ranged from telling us we're sheep who can't think for ourselves and who couldn't hack it in the real world to calling our belief in tradition "unbiblical garbage."

I would ask all CoC members and ex-members to think about their attitudes. Why do you get upset that Catholics don't believe in Sola Scriptura? Why do you feel the need to make a barbed comment when the question/comment could easily be phrased in non-inflammatory terms?

I'm not really surprised that there is anti-Catholicism in the CoC. After all, Alexander Campbell himself wasn't a big fan of Catholics. See here.

*I use the terms Campbellite and CoC to distinguish the particular branch of restoration movement church of Christ. This is done purely for clarity purposes as the Catholic Church also refers to herself as the Church of Christ.