Posted on 09/03/2009 10:25:47 AM PDT by NYer
From what I've read and heard from the man in his public persona, I think that Penn Jilette is one of those atheists whose disbelief is driven by a deep-seated anger toward God for allowing the good to suffer along with the evil. Most of the atheists that I know personally are the same: they'd love to believe in God, but the fact that He (for his own unknowable reasons) permits the good to suffer while the evil ostensibly prosper offends their reason and innate sense of justice. (I can't say that I blame them; many holy people have also experienced the same anger towards God, as we see in Scripture. I myself have shaken my fist at the Almighty on more than one occasion.)
Many atheists are people of good will who have been driven from Christ by the hypocrisy and weakness of people like me (i.e. weak and unfaithful Christians), and more than a few are intellecually gifted, creative, or otherwise "abnormal" people who have personally suffered injury and abuse at the hands of others acting in the name of Christ. I'm guessing, of course, but based upon his work I believe that Penn Jilette may be such a person.
In any case, I'm not trying to defend this televised attack on the Catholic faith. Neither will I watch it. That being said, I think our best response as Catholics is to ignore this sort of essentially superficial criticism and redouble our efforts to live up to our faith. Being better Christians won't win us any popularity contests, of course, but it will allow us to lead well-intentioned atheists and non-Christians back to Christ by our examples.
They’ve always been this vile - it’s just that they let it show a little more overtly.
“They even get Charlie Rangel on camera saying he doesnt understand the tax code.”
#####
Rangel doesn’t even understand the concept of complex devices such as shoelaces.
If I were Bill Donohue I’d be more disturbed by that farcical Mass of the Christian Burial that took place in Boston last Saturday. The church (my church) just turned itself into a joke. When do you think they will canonize St. Teddy the woman and baby killer?
If we had sharia law we could just kill them!
Just be patient. It is coming.
As far as I can tell, Bill Donohue and the Catholic League have said nothing about Kennedy's burial Mass.
Penn should follow his own advice and...
Season 3 had an episode that dealt with religious ‘icons’ in general (called ‘Signs from Heaven’ I believe). Last season (6) had one that really bashed hard Islamic jihadism and people who give it a pass in a ‘World Peace’ episode.
Penn & Teller are hardcore libertarians and do a nice job roasting the Left in alot of episodes. However their obnoxious brand of atheism is tiresome. Their show also features alot of needless profanity and other “shock value” crap that detracts from their points and instances of true wit. I wish they had more confidence in the ability of a clever argument to entertain. Penn in particular seems to think constant cursing is the height of rebelliousness but it just makes him sound like a 12 year old. I remember they had a good show on the organic food scam that was ruined by their unfunny banter.
“I’m looking for it in those seasons but I don’t see an entire episoded dedicated to Mohammad/Islam in any season. Which episodes are you speaking of?”
Critics of religion like these guys and Bill Maher tend to be very bold when it comes to attacking religions that won’t fight back, like Catholics, Evangelical Christians and Mormons, but I don’t hear them say nearly as much about Islam.
First Amendment anyone?
BTW, I’m still waiting for Mr. Donahue to explain why Teddy the waitress sandwich Kennedy received a Catholic funeral. I’m sure it is on the way. Just like an explanation on why Pelosi still receives communion. SARC
Based on the title, I thought this post had something to do with the desecration of the church when a Funeral ‘mass’ for a well-known reprobate, apostate, and supporter of abortions, homosexual marriages, and other anti-Christian policies, was televised last week...
That's not quite the same treatment that Penn and Teller are giving the WHOLE episode on the Vatican, is it?
Every single advertiser on the entire CBS family of networks? I think you’d basically have to stop buying things.
But it isn’t ‘ignoring’ as was implied. Kind of like South Park (something Donahue has also gone after) P&T are equal opportunity offenders.
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