Skeptical Faith

Google Image If you have been attending Catholic Mass or a Christian service, at least weekly, as long as I have, you will have heard the same stories from the Bible over and over. And it may surprise you to see something new in a reading you’ve heard that often. That was the case a couple of weeks before Easter when I heard, for perhaps the 80 th time, the story in the Gospel of John about “the woman caught in adultery.” It’s a remarkable story, even though it’s a matter of debate among Scripture scholars whether it is an original part of the Gospel of John. That doesn’t mean it lacks authenticity. It may mean that it was a story about Jesus that was added later than the original composition of the gospel of John. If you recall, the context is the continual attempt by the religious authorities to undermine Jesus’ ministry. Jesus is teaching in the temple area when the scribes and Pharisees bring a woman “caught in the very act of adultery.” Presumably, their hands are filled with...

Paddy Moloney, Google Image I’m an amateur musician, with the emphasis on amateur. Over 50 years ago, I taught myself to play the guitar, learning the chords and a couple of “picking” methods, and thereafter learned to play the penny whistle, or tin whistle, after taking lessons from a real musician so I could play Irish music. I never really mastered either instrument (and I’m not just being modest) and have often wondered what it would be like to have done so. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to play the guitar like Chet Atkins or Cat Stevens? Or play the penny whistle like Paddy Moloney? Symphony orchestras and country bands are full of accomplished musicians. The NFL, MLB and NBA are full of skilled athletes. Many mechanics and tradesmen have mastered their trades. Many scientists and teachers have acquired an expertise in their subjects and are able to help others do the same. All these people are not only skilled but passionate about what they do. Endure Tedium Writes David ...

Google Image Jason Blakely grew up in a middle-class family in a suburb of Denver. His father was a fierce critic of religion, though not an atheist. His mother was a practicing Catholic, but silent about her faith. Early on, he went to church but was less than enthusiastic. He perceived many of the Christians around him as less sensitive to human loss and suffering than the secular progressives he knew (and he counted himself as among them) and less responsive to injustice. Blakely, who is now an associate professor of political science at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA, recently wrote an article in America Magazine called, “An Atheist’s Conversion.” Among Millions He was among the millions of young people – according to polling – who were active in their churches and synagogues until their teens but no longer attend. A few have changed religions, but many are no longer interested in religion or are atheists or agnostics. Blakely’s conversion was tortured, marked by inner...

Google Image On the 24 th of last month, many Catholics, and perhaps some others, observed the 45 th anniversary of the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador. Many of you may never have heard of him and may think of El Salvador as an insignificant Central American country that is occasionally in the news because of its frequent earthquakes and its infamous mega prison, the Cecot, or by its formal name, the Center for Terrorism Confinement. However, El Salvador has a special place in my heart because of frequent trips there to aid earthquake victims and help bring medical care to rural areas, and with parishioners of an Iowa church that provides scholarships to rural students. Notorious for Horrible Conditions The prison, according to CNN, is home to some of the country’s most hardened criminals, including mass murderers and gang members. But it's also notorious for the horrible conditions in which the prisoners, many of whom were arrested and charged witho...