Tinfoil Hats Not Required

Saint Irenaeus, who grew up in Smyrna (not Tennessee), near Ephesus, in the area which is now western Turkey, was the Bishop of Lyons in southern France in the early second century, is considered a Father of the Church, and was mentored by people who knew the first disciples, including the Apostolic Father, Saint Polycarp, who was the Apostle John’s disciple. Recall that Jesus the Christ called James and John “Sons of Thunder,” who were the sons of Zebedee. That might explain the confidence he felt to write five treatises in Greek on detecting and debunking heresies, which is commonly entitled in Latin as “Adversus haereses” (Refutation of Heresies), and according to the translation of its title, devoted to the “Detection and Overthrow of the False Knowledge.”

Irenaeus studied Gnostics’ writings in depth, and refuted them in meticulously painstaking detail. Gnosticism, which arose in Irenaeus’ era, was considered

Athanasius the Great, Doctor of the Church, Father of Orthodoxy, and Defender of the Faith

Today marks the feast day celebrating the life of Athanasius – Saint, Doctor of the Church, Father of Orthodoxy, Defender of the Faith and “Father of The Canon” – who is highly respected not only within the Catholic Church, but in all of Christendom not just because he defended orthodox Christianity (then in its infancy) against what is described as the greatest greatest crisis of faith ever to befall the Church, the Arian Heresy, but because in the process, he was also the first to effectively elucidate the nature of the Trinity. “Athanasius contra mundum” – Latin, meaning “Athanasius against the world” – was the hallmark phrase noting his dedication to Apostolic tradition during the First Council of Nicaea.

When I converted, I took two patrons: First, Saint Athanasius the Great, and Second, John Henry Newman (now Blessed John Henry Newman).

{NOTE: The tradition of taking a saint’s name in baptism began in Germany and France during the Middle Ages. The custom spread throughout the church, with the exception of Ireland until after the Norman invasion in 1066 (11th century), were at first, it was considered an irreverence. However, a baptismal saint becomes a special and personal patron, protecting the person who bears his or her name. It was expected that the baptized eventually learn the story of their patron saints, model themselves after them, and seek their intercession for guidance and protection. Taking a particular saint as a patron and model of one’s own personal faith might seem somewhat out of character for modern believers, because the saints lived in different times. However, their lives continue to testify that a a baptized person can walk with the mystery of God and thrive in faith. Their lives tell how the Good News of the Gospel can be lived in a practical way. This doesn’t mean that people of today should copy saints in some external way, but rather, that the saints’ lives can be a stimulus and source of inspiration toward one’s personal efforts to follow the way of Jesus in our own time, situations and culture.}

Simply put, Arianism taught that Jesus was created “a son of God” and therefore was not fully divine, but only partially. And as it seems today, increasingly, Arianism had become more a political ideology, rather than a religious movement. At the time, Theology was a topic which most deeply engaged men’s thoughts, and the Arian controversy interested all classes of people. Indeed, the heretical propositions of Arianism made rapid inroads into popular thinking because they were publicized in the form of songs set to popular tunes, were chanted in forums, and carried by sailors from port to port.

Complicating matters was that simultaneously

Publisher sues “faith healer” Benny Hinn: Violated contract’s “Morality clause”

Helpful hint for Benny Hinn:

KEEP YOUR PENIS IN YOUR PANTS!

NOT your twice-divorced neighbor’s wife’s pants!

Benny said, “I forcefully, categorically, and absolutely renounce the lies that have been spread about me and want to set the record straight with you. There is nothing inappropriate or morally improper about my friendship with Paula White. There has been no immorality whatsoever!”

Hey, Benny... answer this question for us, bro. Were your penis AND your hands, or any other part of your body anywhere else other than on your person?

Hell no, man! We got the pics, bro! Your hand was in hers! So the only question that remains is, “What other body parts were in or on her body parts?”

Huh?

C’mon, bro Benny… man up. Were you sexual with her?

It’s time for some brutal honesty here, man.

Are you a

Some “are more equal than others.”

American manufacturing has taken flight to overseas locales thus contributing to our nation’s overall, (and in my opinion) abysmal decline.

The problem is systemic.

A very wrong-headed and misguided political theory has emerged in our nation, which has been, and continues to be promulgated by and through various outlets, including but not limited to governance, private enterprise and most especially by Protestant religious adherents, predominately of the non-traditional inter/trans/non denominational variety.

It is the promotion of the so-called “Prosperity Gospel” – the message of which in essence says “you too can be rich,” but only if you do what I say, and give a generous donation, then you will be “blessed” with good fortune.

It is – contrary to what its adherents may claim – an extraordinarily self-centered ideology, one which is philosophically based upon the idea of increased materialism, or consumption. Essentially, it is heresy, for it contrary to the Christ’s teachings. The “me and what I want” value structure of society has not served humanity well, and in fact, never has.

The pressure to choose their own interests and concerns above and over, and to the exclusion of the just rights, expectations and legitimate needs of others in the community, state and nation is what makes such a philosophy evil. It is essentially contrary to our nation’s constitution and the principles upon which it was founded and established.

When those more powerful than you or I (meaning the über-wealthy, and increasingly their denizen corporations and armies of corporate lawyers) have the ability to wage war against the common man (the average citizen) and the so-called “level playing field” upon which they make the rules, there is no “game,” no competition, no sense of inherent justice or fairness, and certainly no equality.

They are, as the George Orwell novel “Animal Farm” intoned, “more equal than others.”