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The Egyptian-Italian MEP, Magdi Cristiano Allam criticized yesterday an article published in the Italian daily newspaper Il Giornale, the Islamization of Europe. As "clear evidence", he cited the citizens of European countries, who convert to Islam. "Did you know that in Italy there are already 70,000 Muslim citizens?" Allam asks in his article. The total number of Muslims currently living in Italy comes to, according to the Interior Ministry, to more than 1,583,000. "Did you know that on average every four days in Italy a new Islamic place of worship is established?"

Apologetics: The Next Generation Young Adults Find New Ways to Defend the Faith by Eddie O'Neil in Faith on Saturday, April 17, 2010 6:00 AM Easter reminds us to go and share the good news of Christ’s glorious resurrection. Young adults who are on fire for the faith are doing just that using some traditional means of defending the Church — as well as tapping into the use of new media to get the message out.Down south at Texas A&M University, the opportunities are plentiful for the more than 12,000 Catholics students to get involved in their faith. According to...

To my surprise, one of the local Mormon churches asked me to speak at a special dinner gathering last week. They billed the night as a “fireside” chat. The theme was “I Believe in Christ”. The idea they seem to have intended to promote is that Mormons and Christians share the same faith in the same Christ. The local Mormon patriarch was slated to speak right after my talk and before my talk a married couple, a Christian man with a Mormon woman, were to share their “testimonies”. The night was designed, I believe, to assure the Mormon congregation that...

When presidential contender Rick Santorum bowed out of the GOP White House race April 10, it cleared the way for Mitt Romney’s all-but-inevitable nomination. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will for the first time see one of the faithful nominated for president by a major political party. But while the faithful rejoice, so do the church critics, whose cries of hosanna may be just as loud as LDS members’. For them, Romney’s nomination is an opportunity for the nation to finally pick up on their rebuke of the church’s beliefs and practices, as a wider...

Denver, Colo., Apr 11, 2012 / 03:17 pm (CNA).- The recently-formed Catholic Voices USA organization is seeking volunteers to defend Church teachings, in response to Pope Benedict XVI's recent call for an effective witness in public life. At a January 2012 meeting with U.S. bishops in Rome, the Pope said that “articulate and well-formed Catholic laity” were needed to “counter a reductive secularism which would delegitimize the Church's participation in public debate about the issues which are determining the future of American society.”In order to fulfill this call, Catholic Voices USA is seeking members of the Church in the...

Unto What Shall We Liken the Roman Hermeneutic? Rome insists that she is an authentic interpreter of Scripture. We can easily provide an example, within a document defining a dogma, of Rome making a clear blunder. But let's leave that aside for a second, and consider the effect of Rome's claims on a conversation. Christian: We should reject Marian devotion because the Bible teaches us to trust in God alone. Roman apologist: You have wrongly interpreted the Bible. Only Rome can authentically interpret the Bible. Christian: That's not true, the Bible was written to be understood. Anyone can authentically interpret...

Ten Facts Most Catholics Don’t Know (But Should!) July 9th, 2010 by Gary ZimakEvery time I hear someone claim to be an “ex-Catholic”, a sense of sadness comes over me.  In just about every case, people leave the Catholic Faith due to a lack of understanding.  After all, if Catholics truly believed that they were members of the one, true Church founded by Christ (and necessary for their salvation), nobody would ever leave!  In an effort to help clarify what the Catholic Church teaches, I have compiled a list of 10 important facts that every Catholic should know.  More than...

The Education Question 1092. Speaking of education, what is the real reason for Catholic antipathy to our state schools? Whatever others may think of our public policy of free, compulsory, and secular education, Catholics cannot in conscience accept that system as being suitable for the education of Catholic children. The real reason is that the religious training of the children is not sufficiently provided for, the time allotted for religion being quite inadequate, even were it utilized. The State system demands the "3 R's," reading, writing and arithmetic. Catholic principles demand the "4 R's," religion, reading, writing and arithmetic; and...

Catholic “Fluff” – The Enemy Within by Gary Zimak on Feb 10, 2011 We don’t like to speak the truth about evil because we’re going to hurt somebody.  Let me tell you, you are going to hurt somebody, but that somebody is God.  If you would rather hurt God than your neighbor, there is something wrong with your spirituality.  It’s your obligation to speak the truth and everyone can take it or leave it.  But truth must be in us.  We live in such poverty of the truth today” (Mother Angelica). I was recently asked to comment on an article...

Featured Term (selected at random):REASON In general, the mind in its function of attaining the truth. Also the basis or evidence used by the mind in its pursuit of truth. It differs from the intellect, whose proper role is to perceive the truth, whether arrived at by a reasoning process or perceived immediately as intuition. Reason, therefore, is a process, where intellect is possession. All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

Editor’s Note: This is part two of a two-part story. You can read Part 1 here.5. Freedom Yes, the good old reactionary, repressive Catholic Church has been the most ardent defender of freedom in the history of the world — though it almost never gets credit for it. We live in an age of determinist ideologies — with the fate of nations and individuals supposedly determined by race, economics, history, psychology, genetics, or even — insofar as Protestants have any common doctrinal beliefs — predestination. The Catholic Church stands alone in radical defense of man’s free will.When the media, Protestants,...

American Evangelical theologian William Lane Craig is ready to debate the rationality of faith during his U.K tour this fall, but it appears that some atheist philosophers are running shy of the challenge. This month president of the British Humanist Association, Polly Toynbee, pulled out of an agreed debate at London’s Westminster Central Hall in October, saying she “hadn’t realized the nature of Mr. Lane Craig’s debating style.” Lane Craig, who is a professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, Calif., and author of 30 books and hundreds of scholarly articles, is no stranger to the...

If the Christian has no assurance that God will triumph from the way the world appears to be going, one would be better off hedging one’s bets by siding with the Devil or sitting the whole thing out all together. There are those that attempt to do just that. Atheism is the worldview that believes that God does not exist. Those embracing this perspective tend to do so over both objective and existential reasons. Those claiming to embrace Atheism for objective reasons often concentrate their attacks on the more scientific approaches to the existence of God such as the cosmological...

Since I have studied, lectured on and written material on the "canonicity of Scripture" for 40 years, I read with interest the article by Dr. David J. Lose addressing the origins of the Bible ("Where did the Bible come from?" Huffington Post). I was greatly disappointed. First, the "Bible" is not one book but a collection of 66 ancient Jewish scrolls from the book of Genesis to the book of the Apocalypse. These ancient scrolls were produced in different times, cultures, languages, political, economic and social orders over a period of almost 2,000 years by 40 different authors. They are...

Anti-Mormon literature tends to recycle the same themes. Some ministries are using a series of fifty questions, which they believe will help "cultists" like the Mormons. One ministry seems to suggest that such questions are a good way to deceive Latter-day Saints, since the questions "give...them hope that you are genuinely interested in learning more about their religion." This ministry tells its readers what their real intent should be with their Mormon friend: "to get them thinking about things they may have never thought about and researching into the false teachings of their church." Thus, the questions are not sincere...

What happens when you die? The Bible uses the word death in different senses. Jesus said: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Mt 10:28). Also in Revelation 20:6, John speaks of a “second death,” apparently distinguishing it from the first death or the usual understanding of death. It is important to note that the only way to escape the second death and Hell is through the Lord Jesus Christ (Jn 11:26). Make sure to be in on that one! Now...

Jesus will put an end to this earth—but that is not the end of the story. Harold Camping said something true. The media mocked him. But even Christians who disagree with the radio preacher's Rapture theology can appreciate his basic conviction. After his May 21 prediction of the Rapture failed (but before his June 9 stroke), he said that it had been only a "spiritual coming." He then added, "It won't be spiritual on October 21st. The world is going to be destroyed altogether, but it will be very quick."

Sunday, May 29, 2011 The Catholic Understanding of the Saints: Isn't Christ the 'One Mediator'? (Part 3) The next few posts will examine one of the questions asked specifically by Jim. (I’m not answering his questions in the exact order he asked them, but I will get to all of them). Here's the question I want to start considering: What biblical or theological justification is there for believing that the dead pray for us?This is a hugely important question. But, actually, in a certain sense, this question really contains a number of other questions rolled up into one: Isn’t Christ...

During the final episode of her namesake show, Oprah Winfrey credited God for her success and said His grace is something everyone can have "if you let it in." While Winfrey's lengthy remarks about her beliefs during Wednesday's curtain call of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" drew applause from the audience, many Christians remained skeptical. "People often ask me what is the secret to the success of this show -- how have we lasted 25 years. I non-jokingly say, 'My team and Jesus,'" Winfrey said. "Because nothing but the hand of God has made this possible for me." Christians have criticized...

Islam and Christianity are the two largest and most missionary-minded religions in the world. Their beliefs are very similar in many areas. They are both monotheistic, were founded by a specific individual in a definite, historically verifiable setting, are universal, and believe in the existence of angels, heaven and hell, a future resurrection, and that God has made Himself known to man via a revelation. However, there also are many obvious differences between them, particularly in relation to the person of Jesus Christ, the way of salvation, and each faith’s scripture or scriptures. These differences encompass the very foundational tenets...

One topic which has been the center of a great deal of controversy in Christian doctrine is that of free will. It has been discussed in various forms in St. Paul’ s epistle to the Romans, Chapter 9:Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand not by works but by him who calls--she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ Just as it is written: ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’ What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says...

Richard Dawkins has made his name as the scourge of organised religion who branded the Roman Catholic Church “evil” and once called the Pope “a leering old villain in a frock”. But he now stands accused of “cowardice” after refusing four invitations to debate the existence of God with a renowned Christian philosopher. A war of words has broken out between the best selling author of The God Delusion, and his critics, who see his refusal to take on the American academic, William Lane Craig, as a “glaring” failure and a sign that he may be losing his nerve.

Featured Term (selected at random):DOGMATIC THEOLOGY The science of Christian doctrine. It treats the teachings of the Church systematically as a whole, and considers each article of faith in its own right and in relation to other dogmas of Catholic Christianity. It proves the doctrines of the Church from Scripture and tradition, illustrates them by suitable comparisons, and shows that they are in harmony with reason. It answers objections from philosophy and other sciences and above all deduces theological consequences from the truths of faith. All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal...

Here are just a few of the contradictions which have come out in the last week or so regarding Osama bin LadenÂ’s death. misidentifying which of bin LadenÂ’s sons was killedclaiming bin LadenÂ’s wife killed by gunfire / shot in the legclaiming bin LadenÂ’s wife was used by bin Laden as a human shieldclaiming bin LadenÂ’s wife jumped in front of him in an attempt to save himclaiming bin Laden was unarmed vs. holding a gun vs. reaching for a gun vs. resistingclaiming that Obama and advisors were watching the raid liveclaiming that they had about 25 minutes where they...

HEAVEN: WHY ARE PEOPLE SO HAPPY THERE?          StillCatholic.com   Everybody knows that in heaven there will be no pain, no suffering, no death, no bad feelings, no mourning, no anxiety, no fear, no sin, no heartache or headache or flu or allergies or itchy nose. Just love, justice, mercy, friendship, and intense joy. But the real reason people are so happy in heaven is that the most loveable person in the entire universe will be theirs, and they will be showered by love and gifts by Him eternally. If you’ve only met human people in your life, then this divine person, Jesus...

For years I have followed the controversial career of Noam Chomsky, MIT professor of Linguistics and prolific writer on political philosophy. A self-described "libertarian socialist," in my view an oxymoronic political philosophy, he summarizes as challenging all forms of authority and attempting to eliminate them if they are unjustified – for which the burden of proof is solely upon those who attempt to exert power. Fifty years since publishing his work on transformational grammar, "Syntactic Structures" (1957), Chomsky is viewed as a demigod among the progressive left and a demagogue to the conservative right. According to reconstructed '60s radical David...

Church History: The Didache By Sal Ciresi Herald Columnist (From the issue of 8/22/02) 8/22/02 Historical research has spurred the discovery of many documents that are related to Christianity. Several writings of this kind have given precious insights into the epochs before and after the founding of the Catholic Church. One particular writing, part of the Patristic corpus (i.e. writings of the Church Fathers), has shed valuable light on Catholicism: "The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles," better known as The Didache.A Greek copy of The Didache was first discovered in 1873; a text that was part of an 11th century...

Jesus' Parables   "The Greek word 'Parable,' is rendered in Latin 'Similitude,' by which truth is explained; and an image or representation of the reality is set forth." (Remigius, as quoted by St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church) The Bible on Parables Jesus was known to speak, teach, and reply in parables. The following Scripture passages discuss Jesus' use of parables:MT 13:10-15: The disciples approached him and said, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" He said to them in reply, "Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but...

Spencer agreed with Kreeft that since Islam is the faith of more than a billion people, he would also like to find a version of that religion which renounces religious oppression, the suppression and mistreatment of women, and the use of violence. "Having studied the source materials--the Qur'an, the authentic Hadiths accepted by all Muslims, and the teachings of the most authoritative scholars across the Islamic world, I regret that I must say: Such an Islam does not exist. I wish it did. So does Dr. Kreeft. But we must not settle for wishful thinking. There are many peaceful Muslims...

SAN ANTONIO—Christians curious about apologetics first need to understand what apologetics is not, Jim Denison, theologian-in-residence for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, told a conference. “Apologetics isn’t apologizing. … We’re not here to teach you how to apologize for your faith. Apologetics is simply defending your faith—explaining why you believe what you believe. It’s what the Gospels were written to do,” said Denison, president of the Center for Informed Faith. “If you sell anything, you do apologetics. If you try to convince anybody of anything, you’re doing apologetics. Christian apologetics is simply learning ways to defend our faith in...

CalvaryChurchPO | September 17, 2010 | 0 likes, 0 dislikes Pastor Kevin Lea presents Dr. Walt Brown's Hydroplate Theory, examines the Genesis account of the flood and answers the questions: Where did the water comefrom? Where did it go? Where did the comets come from? ...and many other important questions.

Dave Armstrong said... There is very little video footage of Chesterton and apparently only about 25 minutes of audio. Previously I had put up a post with much of this same material: Hear the Voice of the Great G.K. Chesterton. The virtual movies (2nd and 4th links) are fun. This guy takes a photo of Chesterton and makes it look like a movie, in conjunction with actual audio recordings.

Father Cantalamessa's 3rd Advent Homily "The Christian Response to Rationalism" VATICAN CITY, DEC. 17, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Here is the Advent reflection delivered Friday by Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher of the Pontifical Household, for Benedict XVI and members of the Roman Curia. The talk was titled: "'Always Be Ready to Give an Explanation to Anyone Who Asks You a Reason for Your Hope' (1 Peter 3:15): The Christian Response to Rationalism." * * * 1. Usurping Reason The third obstacle, which makes so much of modern culture "refractory" to the Gospel, is rationalism. We will address it in this last...

I'd like to challenge you to consider that the "good news" we celebrate during the Christmas season really is true. You may choose to believe the Bible is merely a book of fables with nice moral lessons, but there is more abundant and accurate manuscript evidence for the New Testament than any other book from antiquity. Moreover, the number of witnesses to Christ's life, death and resurrection, as well as the nature of their testimony, is strong evidence of the reliability of the scriptural accounts, as are the corroborating secular testimony and archeological evidence. In fact, the New Testament writers...

In a widely read and commented upon post, Nigel Barber examines some of the evidence and trends related to atheism and the decline of religion.  Barber closes his thought-provoking post with the following:"The reasons that churches lose ground in developed countries can be summarized in market terms. First, with better science, and with government safety nets, and smaller families, there is less fear and uncertainty in people's daily lives and hence less of a market for religion. At the same time many alternative products are being offered, such as psychotropic medicines and electronic entertainment that have fewer strings attached and...

Dinesh D’Souza, one of the foremost Christian apologists of our time, spoke at the University of Oklahoma on Wednesday night with an address titled “The God Decision: Delusion, Confusion, or Truth?” He gave an elegant espousal on why there is a large amount of evidence that points toward the existence of some sort of supernatural being, namely God. For those relatively unfamiliar with the Indian born speaker he was mesmerizing. Having seen him in almost twenty speeches and debates, I was still awestruck with not only his intelligence but his ability to convey his message in layman terms. Upon the...

Dinesh D’Souza, one of the foremost Christian apologists of our time, spoke at the University of Oklahoma on Wednesday night with an address titled “The God Decision: Delusion, Confusion, or Truth?” He gave an elegant espousal on why there is a large amount of evidence that points toward the existence of some sort of supernatural creature, namely God. For those relatively unfamiliar with the Indian born speaker he was mesmerizing. Having seen him in almost twenty speeches and debates, I was still awestruck with not only his intelligence but his ability to convey his message in layman terms. Upon the...

I really liked this teaching course by Samuel Green. I got a chance to see Samuel in a debate and it was really good. Here is some description text from the site. ——————————————————- Islam has become an important worldview to understand and respond to. Even if you don’t know a Muslim you may be asked questions about Islam, or have questions yourself. Engaging with Islam equips Christians to understand Islam and to engage effectively with Muslims and those who make comments about Islam or have questions. Its goal is to help you to stand firm as a Christian, to defend...

99 & 1/2 Won’t Do – A Meditation on PurgatoryBy: Msgr. Charles Pope I have blogged before on Purgatory. For example here: Purgatory – Biblical and Reasonable. I have also provided a PDF document on the Biblical roots of the teaching here: PDF Document on Purgatory .On this Feast of All Souls I want to reflect on Purgatory as the necessary result of a promise. Many people think of purgatory primarily in terms of punishment, but it is also important to think of it in terms of  promise, purity and perfection. Some of our deceased brethren are having the...

Featured Term (selected at random):LITURGY OF THE HOURS See: DIVINE OFFICE All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

The Rosary-a tool for evangelizationBy: Susan Timoney The Rosary and other religious symbols worn as jewelry  or tattoos are getting a lot of attention these days. In a recent blog post in the Washington Post, the author opined that this  is part of a growing movement of separating the spiritual from the religious. Religious jewelry “caters to people who are expressing their personal spirituality rather than an affiliation with organized religion.”Putting my jewelry to workI am someone who owns a rosary bracelet, that though it can easily be mistaken for a silver beaded bracelet, is for me, my traveling rosary, always within easy reach...

For the past two weeks, I have let you in on a debate I’ve been having with Brannon Howse of Worldview Weekend conferences (see here , here , and here ). I objected to the numerous articles that populate his site that deal with end-of-the-world issues. I described this preoccupation as “ worldview schizophrenia .” It’s difficult for me to understand how anyone can claim to be teaching Christian worldview while at the same time arguing that there is incontrovertible evidence that the end of the world is upon us. Brannon’s so-called response was one of the worst examples of...

...Much of what passes for "Freethought" and "Freethinking" today is, in reality, atheism wearing a very thin disguise....In that case, it is clear that what is meant by Freethought is adhering to absolute materialism. If a Judeo-Christian cannot be a freethinker then freethought is not freethought but demands adherences to certain restrictive parameters. Yet, since the Judeo-Christian can think beyond, for example, materialistic parameters we can be true freethinkers. Atheists who have commandeered the term Freethought complain that Christians cannot be Freethinkers because they adhere to the Christian worldview. Yet, they commit the same alleged fallacy by adhering to atheism...

Featured Term (selected at random): DONATISM Originally a schism and then a heresy of the fourth and fifth centuries, claiming that the validity of the sacraments depends on the moral character of the minister; also that sinners cannot be members of the Church, nor can they be tolerated by the true Church if their sins are publicly known. The Donatists came into existence in Africa during the disorders following the persecution under Diocletian (245-313). A man named Caecilian was consecrated Bishop of Carthage in A.D. 311, but a group of rigorists claimed that he was not a valid bishop because...

Scots Line Streets to Welcome Benedict XVI Pontiff Completes 1st Day of UK Trip By Edward Pentin EDINBURGH, Scotland, SEPT. 16, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI landed at Edinburgh airport shortly before half past ten this morning amid a blustery and chill wind. But the sun was also shining brightly and the Holy Father looked rested, at peace and happy as he came off the papal plane. He was greeted by the Duke of Edinburgh, an unprecedented gesture signifying how much the Crown values this, the first state by a Pope. Also there to meet him were the primates of Scotland,...

Any time American Vision posts an article dealing with Bible prophecy, we get emails from Bible prophecy “experts” chastising us for our “ignorance.” One fellow wrote that since Revelation talks about earthquakes and we see earthquakes today that earthquakes must be a modern-day sign that the end is near. Here’s what he wrote: “I don’t know who this guy [Gary DeMar] is and I don’t want to know but I am going to say this he does not know the bible cause it says in the Book of Revelation That Earth Quakes is one of the many signs of the...

Lists Every Catholic Should be Familiar With Jump to: The 7 Sacraments (The Holy Mysteries)The 7 Corporal Works of MercyThe 7 Spiritual Works of MercyThe 3 Eminent Good WorksThe 7 Gifts of the Holy Ghost (& the Charismata)The 12 Fruits of the Holy GhostThe 3 Theological VirtuesThe 4 Cardinal VirtuesThe 7 Capital Sins & Their Contrary VirtuesThe 6 Sins Against the Holy GhostThe 4 Sins That Cry Out to HeavenThe 3 Conditions of Mortal SinThe 9 Ways We Participate in Others' SinsThe 10 CommandmentsThe 2 Greatest CommandmentsThe 3 Evangelical CounselsThe 6 Precepts of the ChurchThe Holy Days of Obligation (English)The...

Lists Every Catholic Should be Familiar With Jump to: The 7 Sacraments (The Holy Mysteries)The 7 Corporal Works of MercyThe 7 Spiritual Works of MercyThe 3 Eminent Good WorksThe 7 Gifts of the Holy Ghost (& the Charismata)The 12 Fruits of the Holy GhostThe 3 Theological VirtuesThe 4 Cardinal VirtuesThe 7 Capital Sins & Their Contrary VirtuesThe 6 Sins Against the Holy GhostThe 4 Sins That Cry Out to HeavenThe 3 Conditions of Mortal SinThe 9 Ways We Participate in Others' SinsThe 10 CommandmentsThe 2 Greatest CommandmentsThe 3 Evangelical CounselsThe 6 Precepts of the ChurchThe Holy Days of Obligation (English)The...

Lists Every Catholic Should be Familiar With Jump to: The 7 Sacraments (The Holy Mysteries)The 7 Corporal Works of MercyThe 7 Spiritual Works of MercyThe 3 Eminent Good WorksThe 7 Gifts of the Holy Ghost (& the Charismata)The 12 Fruits of the Holy GhostThe 3 Theological VirtuesThe 4 Cardinal VirtuesThe 7 Capital Sins & Their Contrary VirtuesThe 6 Sins Against the Holy GhostThe 4 Sins That Cry Out to HeavenThe 3 Conditions of Mortal SinThe 9 Ways We Participate in Others' SinsThe 10 CommandmentsThe 2 Greatest CommandmentsThe 3 Evangelical CounselsThe 6 Precepts of the ChurchThe Holy Days of Obligation (English)The...

Lists Every Catholic Should be Familiar With Jump to: The 7 Sacraments (The Holy Mysteries)The 7 Corporal Works of MercyThe 7 Spiritual Works of MercyThe 3 Eminent Good WorksThe 7 Gifts of the Holy Ghost (& the Charismata)The 12 Fruits of the Holy GhostThe 3 Theological VirtuesThe 4 Cardinal VirtuesThe 7 Capital Sins & Their Contrary VirtuesThe 6 Sins Against the Holy GhostThe 4 Sins That Cry Out to HeavenThe 3 Conditions of Mortal SinThe 9 Ways We Participate in Others' SinsThe 10 CommandmentsThe 2 Greatest CommandmentsThe 3 Evangelical CounselsThe 6 Precepts of the ChurchThe Holy Days of Obligation (English)The...