So, not everyone who reads this (if in fact there is anyone who still reads this) shares my political or social beliefs, so I'd like to offer this one up to anyone who wants to field it, or just call me names ( Read more... )

In the Roman Catholic liturgical year, the Sunday between Christmas and New Years is the Feast of the Holy Family. I mention this because today's homily contained a profoundly disturbing statement. The Deacon (who is a pompous jackass) gave the sermon and pointed out that the man was the only member of the family who had to travel for the Census ( Read more... )

From the shooting fish in a barrel edition of The Breakfast Nook, we have Today's Asshat, Pastor Terry Jones from Florida. This Terry Jones, who should change his name forthwith to avoid besmirching the comedian, medievalist, and font of awesome that is Monty Python's Terry Jones, is the guy who is holding a Burn a Qu'ran day on September 11 ( Read more... )

I keep seeing things on the intertubes that just have to be hoaxes. Seriously, no one can actually have thought some of these things were good ideas. Of course, I'm wrong, and they are read. As an example, I offer Exhibit A. From the funhouse of wingnuttery that is Conservapedia, Andrew Schalfly brings us the Conservative Bible Project, a ( Read more... )

So, who here has ever heard of "imprecatory prayer?" I hadn't, until today, when I listened to a radio interview with Reverend Wiley, who used to be a big wheel in the Southern Baptist Convention and apparently was Alan Keyes running mate in 2008 on the Only the Little Blue People Who Talk to Gary Busey Think I Should Run for President ticket. ( Read more... )

I saw this article referenced at Daily Kos, and I have to say, it's full of win. Many people, of course, don't give a crap about what religion has to say about homosexuality or marriage, or in fact anything at all, but for those who do care, Newsweek (in the person of Religion columnist Lisa Miller) gets it rightAs Martin Luther King said, " ( Read more... )

Today's Asshat is Pastor John Hagee. You know Hagee, he's the one whose endorsement Senator McCain sought, despite his noxious anti-Catholic views. Well, Hagee has apologized to Catholics. It's not much of an apology, but that's not why he's Today's Asshat. I wouldn't expect much of an apology, considering this is obviously a political move ( Read more... )

For those of you unfamiliar with the Catholic Mass, one of the critical points is the Eucharistic Prayer. It is at this point in the Mass that the Transubstantiation, the changing of Eucharist into the Body and Blood of Christ, occurs. Before the Eucharistic Prayer, a short hymn, the "Holy, Holy, Holy," is sung. It's where the congregation joins ( Read more... )

I went to Mass today. I haven't been to Church in Massachusetts in awhile. I think I'm going to try to start going regularly again (as opposed to regularly when I'm in New York, which doesn't count for a number of reasons), but we'll see. I say that every year around Lent and every year I go two, maybe three, times up here ( Read more... )

Hey, if I call a Catholic archbishop Today's Asshat, does that mean I'm going to Hell? Well, I'm gonna do it anyway. With any luck, Hell is reserved for calling the Pope an asshat-which leads me down another digression about the relationship between asshats and other kinds of hats, like mitres and papal tiaras, but I'm not going there, because if ( Read more... )