Insight Scoop | The Ignatius Press Blog

Carl's Cut's (For the End of Summer, Start of Fall)

Carl's Cut's (For the End of Summer, Start of Fall) | Carl E. Olson | CWR blog

Commentary on matters big, small, light, heavy, ecclesial, secular, musical, and otherwise.

• A friend, whose alma mater is the University of Notre Dame, wrote me this morning: "Apparently, Pope Francis gave some crazy interview in which he implied that Catholics should not be 'obsessed' with ND football.  A sure sign the end of all things is nigh." He did not send a link to the original comment in Italian, so I cannot verify.

• It is rumored that the word of the month for September is "credibility". It's not clear how credible those rumors really are.

• In recent decades, there have been serious cuts to the funding of good, sharp satire. One reason is that it's difficult to satirize a culture that would make most forays into the satirical arts look like a pale imitation of the madness that holds sway. A recent example is the case of a former British soldier who is now, well, something else altogether:

A former trained soldier has swapped her Territorial Army beret for a veil and become Britain's first transgender Muslim woman. Lucy Vallender used to be called Laurens and says she is finally 'true to herself' after a sex change three years ago. The 28-year-old is now married to a Muslim man she met on an online dating site, but he did not know she was once a man when they wed.

 No, of course he didn't. Because that would likely exhibit some sort of "gender bias", right? Except I doubt that was part of the equation. But if this story were an equation, we'd have to use the "≠" sign as nothing adds up.

• Speaking of changes, the former Crystal Cathedral is undergoing many substantial changes:

The Crystal Cathedral was to [Robert] Schuller what Graceland was to Elvis. Now it has been bought by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, which has long coveted having a cathedral that sat at the center of its vast footprint of 1.2 million Catholics. 

The name has already been changed to the Christ Cathedral. But the work of liturgical consultants, priests and architects to transform a temple so closely identified as a symbol of Schuller's sunny, uniquely Southern Californian theology into one that conforms to the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church has just begun.

"The exterior will always be the Crystal Cathedral, at least for a while," said Duncan Stroik, a professor of architecture at Notre Dame and editor of the publication Sacred Architecture Journal. "Catholic on the inside, but kind of Protestant on the outside."

Those who have taken on the project recognize that their assignment is a intimidating one, but they also have faith: They can turn the Crystal Cathedral into the Christ Cathedral.

Read the entire story on the LA Times site. It is heartening to read the comments by Dr. Stroik, who is leading the way in the revival of great Catholic architecture, as evidenced in part by his recent book, book, The Church Building as a Sacred Place: Beauty, Transcendence, and the Eternal, which was reviewed for CWR by Dr. Amanda Clark earlier this year.

• Is Hollywood out of ideas? Has it tapped out when it comes to fresh cinematic adventures for the masses? I'd say the answer is tilting hard toward “Yes” when there is a remake of Left Behind currently in the works. And it stars Nicholas Cage. Yes, the Apocalypse is upon us, and it will cost you $10.00 to experience for two hours.

• In light of recent events and the reaction of some, I propose that Matthew 16:18 (New Jerusalem Translation) be re-written as follows:

So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my community. And the gates of the underworld can never overpower it, up and until a twenty-first century pope gives a lengthy interview which fractures the very foundation of said community and destroys the faith of millions and plunges the world into darkness and confusion not seen since said pope's comments about atheism a few months earlier.

A bit wordy, I suppose, but I'm sure the original Greek will flow like honey. (And, please, spare me the angry e-mails. Just leave angry comments. We need more comments. I get paid by the comment.)

• Clueless Cut of the Week comes courtesy of mushy, trendy, lefty “Evangelical” author and know-it-all, Brian McClaren: “We have a Catholic priesthood more concerned with keeping women out of the priesthood as the world is destroyed by carbon gases. … We have evangelicals with the audacity to say that homosexual people are ruining marriage. I think anyone who says that should be laughed off the stage. Heterosexual people do that on their own, thanks.” No word if McClaren and Jody Bottum are working on a book together yet.

• I enjoy reading nearly anything by the Anglican Scripture scholar N.T. Wright, and his recent interview with Christianity Today about the Psalms is not exception:

Continue reading on the CWR blog.

G.K. Chesterton Book Collection Giveaway

Today is the 77th anniversary of the death of G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936), and in honor of the great author, Brandon Vogt and Ignatius Press are going to give away five Chesterton classics and collections. From Brandon's site:

Thanks to the good folks at Ignatius Press, the primary publisher of Chesterton's works today, I'm devoting this week's giveaway to the life and legacy of G.K. Chesterton. One reader will receive FIVE books by and about the Apostle of Common Sense.

The books are:

Go to Brandon's site to find out how to participate and possibly win the five books.

Former atheist: "Ignatius Press is my publisher!!!!"

Prolific blogger and former atheist Jennifer Fulwiler posted this news yesterday on her Conversion Diary blog:

One thousand eight hundred and twenty days ago, I started writing my book, a memoir about going from atheism to belief. After three complete, from-a-blank-page rewrites; countless feedback sessions from Joe and my agent and brilliant fellow writers, each of which left me wondering whether I should perhaps just give up on the written word altogether; revisions that made me feel like my brain was melting; a reality show; three new babies; and a pitch process that almost sent me into cardiac arrest every time I saw my agent’s name in my inbox…I finally have a publisher.

I know I use this word too much, but there is no other way to describe the pitch process other than to say it was EPIC. When Ted, my agent, first told me that we had multiple offers from great publishers, I was thrilled. My excitement quickly melted into a vague sense of dread, however, when I realized that I could only pick one. I know, I know, good problem to have. But because my writer angst knows no bounds, I had these visions of making the wrong decision and ruining everyone’s life in the process, leaving some poor acquisitions editor so scarred that she’d spit on the ground any time she heard my name.

I prayed for direction, and to my great relief my prayers were answered. God made it clear which house would be the right fit for this project, probably because he knew that I’d turn this situation into too much of a hot mess if he didn’t intervene directly this time. Ted made some calls, we all signed some papers, and now I can finally tell you:

Ignatius Press is my publisher, and my book will probably be released either this Fall or next Spring! ...

I keep waiting for Mark Brumley to call and tell me delicately that there’s this professor with five PhDs named Jennifer Fullwider, and, long story short, a horrible mistake has been made. But that hasn’t happened yet, and I’ve given it a few weeks, so I guess I can officially say:

Ignatius Press is my publisher!!!!

Congratulations to Jennifer on this good news!

On Writing, Reading, and Fr. Barron's "Catholicism"

I was recently interviewed by Brandon Vogt of The Thin Veil; the first part of the inteview is now available for viewing, commenting, and memorizing:

Q: You've run Ignatius Insight for a while, and with your books and editing roles your days are filled with writing. What are some of the ups and downs of being a full-time writer?

Readers might be surprised to learn that not only did I invent the Internet, I was the first blogger. Ever. And if any readers aren't surprised to hear that news, I humbly acknowledge their trust and suggest they seek therapy for gullibility susceptibility syndrome.

But, more seriously (if only slightly), this summer will mark ten years as a blogger—or, as I prefer to be called, “author of thousands of mini-books that don't cost readers a cent.” I began blogging in June 2002, shortly after becoming editor of Envoy magazine, and then began blogging on Insight Scoop in May 2004, after taking the job as editor of Ignatius Insight.

Which brings me to your question. First, I think being able to make a living as a writer is a privilege, and I hope to never take it for granted. Writing is a craft and an art, of course, and so deserves due compensation, but a writer must earn a hearing and a readership.

One of the challenges of being a writer is to develop and build trust with readers, which is a complicated and even mysterious process, but necessarily involves integrity—personally, professionally, and everything in between. And since I obviously write often—almost daily!—about Catholicism, I have a great responsibility to present and articulate Catholic doctrine, theology, practice, and history as accurately as possible. I do so first as a Catholic, but then as someone with a vocation to communicate, as best I can, the truth regarding everything I write about, even in the shortest and least consequential blog posts.

Read more on The Thin Veil site.

China. Ryan. LCWR. Contraception. Prayer. Baptisms. Music. Scripture.

Some of the topics addressed in recent posts on the Catholic World Report blog:

• Commission for the Catholic Church in China laments confusion caused by illegitimate bishops
• "Give me Thomas Aquinas ... don't give me Ayn Rand"
• LCWR board to "discuss CDF Assessment"; plans to "move slowly"
• The World, um, Created by Contraception
• Benedict XVI reflects on the "profound unity between prayer and action"
• More than 22,000 Easter Vigil baptisms in China
• Catholic Music: A non-definitive but exceptional, eclectic list
• The real shock...
• Two options for the LCWR
• Benedict XVI reflects on the truth and inspiration of the Bible
• And Much More!

Heresy. Evangelicals. Vocations. Islam. Kim. Freedom. Subidiarity. Dawkins.

Just a few of the topics addressed in recent posts on the Catholic World Report blog:

 

• Strange. Heretical. Trivial. Not necessarily in that order.
• Evangelicals copying Catholics
• On the vocations front: "Renewal is coming"
• Islam and England
• Who is Kim Jong Eun?
• U.S. Bishops issue major document on religious freedom
• Type-casting the abortion debate, and Frank Bruni's "Lady on the Ladder"
• Rep. Paul Ryan says principle of subsidiarity helped guide, shape his budget
• Just in: Cardinal Pell and Richard Dawkins don't exchange Christmas cards
• And Much More! 

Joy. About-face. About relativism. "Hunger Game" violence. Contraception. Dawkins.

Some recent posts on the Catholic World Report blog:

• "A Day of Joy": Dr. Robert Moynihan on Palm Sunday in Rome
• Dolan describes Obama's about-face on contraception mandate
• Relativist denies relativism by appealing to relativism
• Producer: "'The Hunger Games' does not glamorize violence."
• "The watershed issue for Catholics is not abortion but contraception."
• 40 Days for Life defends its methods against slurs
• Highlights from Benedict XVI's addresses and homilies in Cuba
• Richard Dawkins: Blustering polemicist, bad philosopher, naked atheist emperor
• Some images from the Pope's Latin American trip
• And Much More!

Nothing. Mandate, Intl. Mexico. Fluke. Freedom. Sneering. Cave-in Catholicism.

Those topics and others, on the CWR blog:

 
• More Nothing
• The Contraceptive Mandate, International Edition
• "A God who responds to our reason": Schall on Benedict on Mexico
• Benedict XVI in Mexico: "I come as a pilgrim of faith, of hope, and of love."
• Pope begins his week-long apostolic trip to Mexico and Cuba
• Sandra Fluke misses contraceptive Target by about $2,919.00
• Across the country, protesters stand up for religious freedom (UPDATED)
• Over 140 "Stand Up for Religious Freedom" rallies planned for today
• Veteran NYT reporter sneers at Santorum's "far right Catholicism"; "dour 13th-century philosophy"
• The Emptiness and Deceit of Cave-in "Catholicism"
• Vatican releases findings of the Apostolic Visitation in Ireland
• And Much More!

If you haven't been to the CWR blog lately, you have likely missed...

... the folllowing posts:

• Modern, secular liberalism is a political religion
• Senate has no time for a budget, no interest in a conscience
• The convenient marriage of Al Jazeera, SNAP, and BishopAccountability.org
• Here is a little thought exercise about the lesbian/Communion controversy...
• How difficult is it to obtain free contraceptives?
• Proposed CA bill would allow non-doctors to perform abortions

And there is my most recent rant/editorial, titled (rather sarcastically, but seriously), "Where would we be without experts? Alive!"

Please visit www.CatholicWorldReport.com on a regular basis, as we are putting up new features, interviews, columns, blog posts, and secret codes revealing the meaning of life every week day!

Seven posts for Saturday reading

Here are some of the most recent posts on the Catholic World Report blog:

• Bishops unappeased by Obama’s “accommodation”  by Catherine Harmon
• A Catholic, a Protestant, and a Rabbi get together and ... by Carl E. Olson
• Redefining Health Care Downward by Michael J. Miller
• Cardinal George: "We cannot — we will not — comply with this unjust law." by Carl E. Olson
• File under: "Curious and Revealing" by Carl E. Olson
• Something missing? by Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.
• White House to announce "accommodation" on contraception mandate UPDATED by Catherine Harmon

Aw, shucks, we're blushing

Actually, I'm not, if only because my deep and perfect Oregon winter tan—don't believe me? See it here—won't reveal any blushing at all. Anyhow, Marcel of Aggie Catholics has listed his picks for "Best Catholic Bloggers of 2011", and this shy, mild-mannered, and retiring blogger made the cut:

Carl Olson - Ignatius Insight Scoop.
Books, music, culture, and more. I have no idea how Carl reads as much as he does or listens to as much music as he does. Must help to work where he does.

No, working at home doesn't help my reading and listening habits, but, yes, working for Ignatius Press certainly does (which, of course, is what he means).

Also, a couple of months ago, Martin Cothran of Memoria Press and the Vital Remnants blog, listed his favorite blogs. Among the picks:

Insight Scoop & CatholicVote.org: The two best Catholic blogs on the net. Insight Scoop is the blog of Ignatius Press, the most significant (and traditional) Catholic publisher in the United States. Carl Olson does a great job informing readers of new books and cultural trends of interest to Catholics.

Thank you, kind sirs!

Catholic World Report's new editor introduces himself, and the new online CWR

Catholic World Report's new editor introduces himself, and the new online CWR | by Carl E. Olson

The writer of Ecclesiastes was a man who had clearly spent time contemplating the transitory yet steady nature of time and existence. “What has been is what will be,” he wrote, “and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccl. 1:9). In the parlance of our time, the more things change the more they remain the same. 

Yet change is real, even if real change is sometimes hard to define and quantify. Twenty years ago, Catholic World Report was founded in order to both report about the Catholic world and to articulate an orthodox, Catholic perspective within the world. Much has changed since then, especially in the realms of communication and technology. As a result (and to make a long story short) CWR is no longer a print magazine. There is, for all things—including magazines—“a time to be born and a time to die” (Eccl. 3:2). 

However, I’m happy to say, in keeping with my use of Ecclesiastes—a book that all scholars agree contains no direct reference to CWR or the information age—CWR has not died, or disappeared, or even taken an open-ended sabbatical. It is alive, right here and right in front of you. The news, analysis, and commentary of CWR is now entirely online. Not only that, its content is free to all readers, including those who question my use of Ecclesiastes in introducing what is somewhat new under the sun!

I say “somewhat” because while the medium has changed, the focus and purpose and goals have not. To borrow from Father David Meconi, S.J., who has just announced that Homiletic & Pastoral Review is also completely and solely online, the “what” and the “why” of CWR are the same; it is the “how” that has changed. 

CWR also has a new editor. ...

Continue reading at www.CatholicWorldReport.com...

The Good, the Bad, and the Surreal

From e-mails or comments received in the past 24 hours:

 If Insight Scoop is not the best Catholic blog there is, I can’t imagine what could be better.  I am amazed daily at the inspiring, informative, critically devastating, humorous, thought-provoking items you post. 

Thank you! I can say with all honesty that Insight Scoop is the best blog I'm currently moderating, editing, and shamelessly promoting. I'll happily leave judgments about "best" to intelligent, insightful, and objective readers such as the one who wrote this kind note.

And, in response to my post about Steve Jobs:

Steve´s words were said to protect us from dogmatic persons like you.

Too which I say: I'm simply going to take Jobs' advice: "Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice." So take that, you dogma-hater, you.

And from another reader, also about the Jobs post (not to be confused with far less substantive jobs bills):

[Jobs] did not only know God (we again go back to the mention of heaven) but he loved and served God by loving the people the world through Apple/Pixar/NeXt ultimately sacrificing himself and I guess he had time to say sorry (so much loved giving people the best it caused cancer), it was a happy death, it wasn't sudden. also having mentioned going to heaven means his soul knew where he is going and reason says this is true because his love to bring joy through good design (showing humble leadership as a ceo who is a presenter and the 1$ salary, of course the humility isn't perfect).This love we now enjoy through cool tech.

Uuuuuuuuhhhhhh. Yeah. Hmmmm.

Abp. Thomas Gullickson recommends YOUCAT for "every Catholic home bookshelf"

Apostolic Archbishop Thomas Edward Gullickson, who is papal nuncio in Ukraine (and who hails from Sioux Falls, South Dakota) has a new blog, "Deo Volente Ex Animo", and one of his first posts is about the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church (YOUCAT):

I finally managed this vacation to take a look at YOUCAT, The Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church, English edition from Ignatius Press. The book did not disappoint. Although I cannot claim that I did more than breeze through it, this is one for every Catholic home bookshelf. If you find the CCC, The Catechism of the Catholic Church, too monumental at times, this book is for you, young or old. I would venture to say that there is not and never has been since I've been a priest (1976) a catechism on the market as well organized and useful as this one.

The question and answer format with references to the more ample teaching of the CCC, no small amount of great commentary and lots of quotes in the outside columns, are complemented by lovely and lively photography all through the book. My reservations over some of the little line-drawings (stick-men) in the margins are not even worth mentioning. The index is far superior to that of the CCC and if you know the general structure of the CCC this book will soon be at your command as a handy reference, and especially via the 10 Commandments to the whole spectrum of fundamental moral teaching and much more. It is definitely something Father should keep on hand when he is preparing his Sunday homily, because the definitions are crystal clear and succinct; many of the marginal quotes from popes, great saints, philosophers and otherwise great thinkers are ready at hand for almost every topic.

Read the entire post. Also see his review post of the book, Mary: The Church At the Source (Ignatius Press, 2005), by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and Fr. Hans Urs von Balthasar. (HT: Chris Burgwald).

CWR: New site, new blog, and lots of news from an orthodox Catholic perspective

The new Catholic World Report site it now up and running—it looks wonderful!—and it comes with a new blog and a number of other features, as managing editor Catherine Harmon explains in this post:

We are pleased to present our brand spanking new Catholic World Report Blog, featuring news and commentary from CWR's editorial staff. We hope you’ll make it a part of your daily Internet diet. We also hope you’ll take a minute or two and peruse our new website – in addition to a complete design overhaul, we’ve also added a Video News section, breaking news updates from Catholic News Agency, and, of course, this blog.

We’re also pleased to make entire issues available online to CWR subscribers. In addition to the current issue, subscribers will also have access to our back-issue archives (we’re still working our way back – right now we’ve got everything as far back as 2008 uploaded). We’ll be making content from each issue available to the public on the homepage, but the only way to get all our coverage of Catholic world news and events is to become a subscriber.

So take a look around the new site, pardon our dust (and the inevitable bugs), and let us know what you think!

Visit the new CWR site and the new CWR blog, and also check out the  new, July 2011 issue of CWR.

Presenting the new "Catholic World Report" (CWR) website!

You may have noticed that things have been a little quiet at Catholic World Report the last few weeks. The explanation is simple: we’ve been hard at work on a new and improved CWR website – a site that will continue to deliver the hard-hitting news, analysis, and commentary you’ve come to expect from CWR, while also offering exciting new features and content.

We’re pleased to announce that the new site is now up and running! Please take a minute to check it out, and let us know what you think.

In addition to a sleek new design, the new site also includes several features we’re very excited about – the brand-new CWR Blog, featuring news and commentary from the CWR editorial staff, as well as a regularly updated Video News section and breaking news reports from Catholic News Agency. The new site also allows CWR print subscribers to access entire issues online – all you have to do is create a username and password.

As a “registered user” on our old site, you will continue to receive email updates about new CWR content and features. But now you won’t need the username and password you created on the old site to access CWR’s online content. If you aren’t already a CWR print subscriber, click here to purchase a subscription and receive online access to CWR’s current and back issues!

If you would like to continue receiving the CWR newsletter – which keeps you regularly updated on new CWR content and features – no further action is necessary.

We’re looking forward to continuing to keep you informed about the latest Catholic news and world events.

Sundry links, scattered thoughts, and super music lists

Lots of stuff to get to. All here. Right now. Okay, deep breath. And we're off!

• I finally (finally!) watched Inception for a second time. And it only reinforced my first impressions (see here and here). Also, my wife agrees with my analysis, which almost never happens when it comes to movies, food, music, and the importance of watching sporting events...

• Nice tweet from Jeremy Thompson, an Ignatius Press reader: "Sidenote on the Pope's new book: Love the design of Ignatius Press books. Of all publishers I read, their books are the easiest on my eyes." 

•  Congratulations, Mary Eberstad! The Italian translation of her best-selling book, The Loser Letters: A Comic Tale of Life, Death, and Atheism, will be presented by Nova Millenium Romae in Rome on March 23rd. The first "letter" of the book can be read on Ignatius Insight.

 • Music list #1: My Twenty-Five Favorite Jazz Albums of 2010:

Fr. Z on "Jesus of Nazareth", Part Two: "Just buy it."

Fr. John Zuhlsdorf has posted a reflection about his reading of Jesus of Nazareth, Part Two: Holy Week—From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection. He writes:

I have been circling back over various passages which impedes my forward progress.  I am circling back not because it is difficult to read, but because I want to remember it well.  Also, I have been taking it to my evening visits to the Blessed Sacrament. The book is about Jesus, after all.  Why not read it with Him?  That has been helpful, though it slows my progress.  So… I hold myself in check even as I strain forward.

The new book will be released worldwide for Lent 2011, with a date of 10 March.  Just buy it. ...

Papa Ratzinger has been thinking about Jesus for his whole life.  And he doesn’t consider Jesus to be static, or a subject, or a thing to be pondered.  Jesus is a who, in whose image we are made.  Years ago I heard Card. Ratzinger answer a question about some of Fr. Karl Rahner’s notions about God.  After a brilliant exposition, Ratzinger concluded, “”What Fr. Rahner forgets is that you cannot pray to an Existenz-Modus!”

Throughout the book, the Holy Father continues in the vein he exposed in his first volume where, in the indispensable preface, he explains where the “technicians” (my word, not his) of Scripture go wrong in reading Scripture.  You cannot simply apply tools of modern scholarship, such as the historical-critical method, form criticism, etc., without also concerning yourself with the who behind each word.  What Papa Ratzinger is doing is showing us how to reconnect with Scripture in a way closer to that the of early Fathers of the Church.  I have been convinced that the Fathers are of growing importance precisely because they reconnect us with a way of reading Scripture.  At the same time as we can make great use of the tools of scholarship we have, and the Holy Father does use them extensively, we never lose sight of that other way of reading and listening.  This is the Pope’s working method throughout.

Read the entire post. Amy Welborn has posted some thoughts as well on her "Charlotte Was Both" blog:

First, a general reaction to the book.  I’ve not yet finished it, but what I’ve read so far as struck a chord, even more, I’ll dare to say, than the first volume. At least with me.  This second book has a narrower focus (Passion and Resurrection) and strikes me as more cohesive. I’m more able to appreciate it as a whole, rather than just in disparate bits, as was the case with the first – at least for me. ...

’ll have more to say when the book is published, for I’m finding the material on the resurrection to be quite helpful.  What Pope Benedict does is a constant weaving and re-weaving of some contemporary scholarship, his critiques of various uses of that scholarship, and deep attention to the person of Christ, not as a mere object of study, but as the One who invites us to fullness of life with Him.

Read her entire post. Marcel LeJeune of "Aggie Catholics" writes:

This work covers much less of the Gospels than the first volume, but I prefer it because he has more time to get into details and the pace doesn't seem quite as rushed.

While I cannot give a full review yet, that will have to wait until next week, what I can say is that this has quickly become one of my favorite books by Benedict XVI. His insights are illuminating and his pedagogy is brilliant. ...

First of all, Pope Benedict is clear that the purpose of this book is to help the readers have a closer relationship with Christ through the Sacred Scriptures. He wants us to be able to see the face of our Messiah and love Him more. I believe the Pope does an even better job in this volume, than the first one, of achieving this goal.

Read Marcel's full post. Other recent posts and articles about the book include:

• Edward Pentin provides some background over at National Catholic Register.
• Catholic News Service has a lengthy piece about the book, "In book, pope says Jesus' death cannot be blamed on Jewish people".
• Reuters focuses on the same subject: "Pope book says Jews not guilty of Christ's death".
• Ditto for The Washington Post.

Visit www.JesusofNazareth2.com for much more information about the book, which will be available on March 10th.

What Fr. Dwight Longenecker said!

Over on his blog, "Standing On My Head":

It seems my post on Anne Rice has got a link on some fan page of hers. I thought the post on Anne was rather charitable considering some of the stuff she's been hurling at the Catholic Church, but if you want to read some irrational comments from angry folks tootle on over to the combox for the Anne Rice post and scroll down.

I was going to delete the more vituperative ones, but on second thought its better to let them stand. They speak for themselves. If you want to witness the irrational fury of those who hate Christ's Church, you'll find some examples in the combox.

Of course, none of the commenters take the time and trouble to actually address the content of my post. None of them offer rational debate. Instead we get all the usual shallow anti-Catholic foot stomping and door slamming about 'homophobia', 'corruption', 'lies', etc. Just more raging accusations of 'being judgmental'. Honestly, how old are these people? 13? They sound like seventh grade girls saying, "I'm more mature than you are!!"

Exactly right. The same craziness is going strong here on Insight Scoop. Alas, as much as I would like to pour wine into a hole in the ground, I have several pressing deadlines/projects I have to work on today.

In the meantime, do read Fr. Longenecker's excellent post about Rice's most recent "criticisms" of the Catholic Church, titled, "Nice Anne Rice?" And, speaking of Fr. Longenecker, I'll be posting an interview with him on Ignatius Insight in the next day or two; it is about his book, More Christianity: Finding the Fullness of the Faith. And here is part of the Introduction to that fine book: "Further Up and Further In".

The Blog of Bill Z. Bubb?

Who knew that a fairly standard, comparitively innocuous post about Anne Rice's latest foray into empty criticism of the Church would result in the busiest day in Insight Scoop history? The fur has been flying, along with insults, names, general mayhem, and specific stupidities. And then along came an e-mail with the following message of peace, joy, and freeze-dried Kumbaya hugs:

I am sorry, but I cannot support an organization that spits in the face of Christ by hosting the hatefest that is the Ignatius Press blog. Whatever you people claim to be, it is not anything remotely Christian. What goes on at that blog is of Satan. Let me know when you put Christ first and the approval of the commenters on a blog second.

Well, it's not often that this blog is mistaken for the National "Catholic" Reporter website. I assumed the e-mail was referring to the Anne Rice post, but it now occurs to me that it could well be referencing one of my posts praising progressive rock music from Scandinavia. After all, rock music is of The Devil, as every good Christian knows. Be that as it may, this blog will continue to be called "Insight Scoop", as the name, "The Blog of Bill Z. Bubb", while clever and catchy, is probably already owned and trademarked. By a Scandinavian progressive rock band.