My latest piece is up at The Everyman discussing the always essential question, "Who Benefits?" For instance, take the issue of marijuana. I have heard many things from both sides of the argument whether it should or should not be legalized, and I don’t personally know what the truth is in regards to whether it is … Continue reading Qui Bono, Everyman?
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Ambiguity at the Everyman
My latest piece is up at The Everyman discussing the common trick of arguing from ambiguity: you know, you say "a man isn't a woman," and they answer "who gets to decide the definition of 'a woman'?" Turning obvious and object concepts into mush in order to win an argument: There is a scene in C.S. … Continue reading Ambiguity at the Everyman
Giving to the Poor in Spirit at ‘The Everyman’
Today at 'The Everyman,' I talk about the issue of beauty, modern churches, and who these hideous, spare edifices are actually built for: The beatitude runs “Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” But one of the marks of the poor and meek is that they love wealth and glamor. … Continue reading Giving to the Poor in Spirit at ‘The Everyman’
“Games as a Service”
I've been following this fellow's work for a long time: he's a very entertaining game critic and comedian (he has a great style of saying outrageously odd things in a perfectly normal tone), but he also draws attention to a major issue in the gaming world. I'll let him explain it, since he lays it … Continue reading “Games as a Service”
Cultivating a Heroic Imagination at Catholic Match
My latest 'Catholic Match' piece is up; this one about the benefits of cultivating a heroic imagination. Or, in other words, I'm writing in praise of fantasizing: It has been said that, “as a man thinketh, so he is,” but perhaps it would be equally accurate to say, “as a man imagineth, so he becomes.” … Continue reading Cultivating a Heroic Imagination at Catholic Match
Captain Marvel gets MauLered
I've been waiting for this ever since the film came out. My favorite YouTube critic, MauLer, takes his trademark logical approach to the diseased tumor of a film known as 'Captain Marvel.' I'm glad to see that he shares most of my objections (which we'll get to in turn), while reminding me of many that … Continue reading Captain Marvel gets MauLered
Tolkien’s Songs
This young lady has some of the best renditions of Tolkien's songs that I've ever heard. Not only does she have a lovely voice, but she puts just the right emotion and just the right tone into the music that brings out their poetic beauty and sense of longing and antiquity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZnPlBOZOvs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn1oeEmzFhQ … Continue reading Tolkien’s Songs
Equality at the Everyman
At the Everyman today, I discuss why holding 'equality' up as an ideal is a terrible, terrible idea: Which raises a more fundamental issue. Before you can say any two things are equal, you first have to have a common and objective standard of measurement between them. I can say that two people are of equal … Continue reading Equality at the Everyman
New Aleteia Post
I sent this in about three or four months ago; kind of expected it to have been dropped, but it's up after all! On Aleteia today, In Defense of Grumpy Christians. For such people there’s often a bit of a quandary: They know that, as Christians, they ought to love their neighbor and be good to … Continue reading New Aleteia Post
Bishop Sheen on the Three Confessions
Broadcasted 1957: Ven. Bishop Fulton Sheen traces the course of human sentiment through three great 'Confessions:' those of St. Augustine, of Abelard, and of Jean-Jacque Rousseau: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGGSxxuBtMk Money quote: "Jean-Jacque, therefore, gave birth to an entirely new concept of how to handle a conflict: namely, give way to it and call it right."