Posted on 01/01/2014 1:02:38 PM PST by NYer
Michael Coren didn't have to be Catholic. Actually, he's had several opportunities to walk away from the enterprise altogether. Born to a Jewish cab driver in Essex, England, in January 1959, he became a Roman Catholic in his 20s while still living in the U.K.
After moving to Canada in the late '80s, he abandoned the Catholic Church for evangelical Christianity. A journalist and author known for his bruising honesty, sharp wit, and often provocative style, Coren continued to have a strained relationship with Rome, even though he was married to a cradle Catholic and was raising his children in the faith. In 2004, Coren recommitted himself to the Church and has become one of its most vigorous and plainspoken advocates. He's the author of fifteen books in total, including biographies of G. K. Chesterton, H.G. Wells, Arthur Conan Doyle, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. In Canada, Coren is the host of the talk show "The Arena" on the SUN News Network and writes a syndicated column for ten daily newspapers.
Coren's previous books on Christianity are the modestly titled Heresy: Ten Lies They Spread About Christianity and Why Catholics Are Right.
Now he's written The Future of Catholicism, published in November. A remarkably compact volume for the breadth of its title, it begins with the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio in March 2013 and looks at the ways the Church may change, the ways it cannot change, the role of the pope's leadership, and the survival of Western Christendom in the face of secularization, indifference, and the rising influence of Islam.
Coren took time to answer some questions from Breitbart News on his views and prognostications.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Iappreciate your reply.
This is a topic specific thread. The title is is nothing if not Catholic. The content is Catholic specific and does not compare tenants of any faith other than Catholic.
Where would one find the FR caucus rules, those that would identify this article as not Catholic specific, or guilty of comparing the tenants of some other religion?
Thanks,
Rita
This paragraph mentions "Protestants" and compares them to the Church. Thus, according to the rules the RM posted, this thread is ineligible for the "Caucus" designation.
With that said, I don't understand why it's so problematic for a given thread poster to decide for themselves when a thread is "Caucus". It seems to me, even if a thread, pro-Catholic or anti-Catholic, designates itself as "Caucus", then the conversation won't go very long. How many times can it be said "Those Protties just don't get it, they are a Pope unto themselves" or "Those Papists just don't get it, they are slaves to a man made organization, not true followers of God the Holy Spirit", among a crowd of all who agree with either?
After all, that's all that's essentially said on the "Open" threads anyway. Back and forth ad nauseum. I often wonder, "Don't these people get tired of being so angry all the time"?
Anyway, if one could make any thread "Caucus", then at least the back and forth sniping between both sides would be kept to a minimum. Heck, that might actually be better for everyone's health (mental and spiritual) anyway. But I guess if we didn't have the sniping, there wouldn't be anything to "discuss" around here.
IMO.
Happy New Year!
We considered that but the primary purpose of this Religion Forum is to debate beliefs among those who share conservative values. Posters have many choices across the web to rail against other beliefs without any doors open to rebuttal.
So, this posted article should work very well in a “Caucus” thread. No remark was *made personal* by the columnist of the article against anyone but for pointing to silly Catholics who are out of step with their Church;for protesting some tenant of the faith;for alluding that such a thing, “would be known as Protestant”.
I mean, if this story would not work for caucus discussion, I wonder outside of Scripture text alone, what would work for “caucus”?
Would this thread be pulled if labled, “Caucus”? I get the idea of rules on bashing, but the posting system outside of a “caucus” option, breeds contempt and the wrongful use of Scripture. A shame.
Nevermind that without a caucus designation any discussion on the story itself is completely lost, redirected by insurgents, into a food fight, instead. Not spiritually healthy, imho.
If this thread had been labeled "caucus" I would have removed the label to "open" the thread.
If "open" religion forum debate offends you, then IGNORE all the "open" RF threads and instead post to RF threads labeled "caucus" "ecumenical" "prayer" or "devotional."
Ah, I see. The “caucus” thing would lack the volatility because it is more of a nothing burger, and therefore seems to be rather discouraged.
Yes, I was offended by the redirection from the title and away from the thread topic, and from any hope of discussion among same-faith members. The RF is no place for same faith discussion for news and interesting side bar columns affecting same faith members, so I will keep your counsel on participating.
I thought redirection from a thread topic was a no-no that applied to all threads, but I am still learning the nuance of the rules.
I appreciate the info, though. Thanks.
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