Safe Haven

Performance-enhancing drugs are a crisis in sports. The American 7-time consecutive champion of the Tour de France, Lance Armstrong, has admitted doping, and the Tour had previously stripped him of the honors. His fall has been spectacular, considering that he is a cancer survivor. And there has been an entire career of lying, intimidation, and legal action against those who spoke out against him. He will not be forgiven for this. One of the targets of his wrath was American cycling legend Greg LeMond, who legitimately won the Tour in 1986, '89, and '90. Armstrong said that LeMond was jealous of his dominance. For a time, the fans of the sport believed this story. But now we can say that LeMond is (again) the greatest American cyclist of all time. Some people may be bothered by my absolutist stance, and to pretend that 1999-2005 did not happen. But the greatness of sports is precisely this: that men and women, on the fields of play, within the rules fight to see who is the be...

Loss Of Dogma, And A Smile On The Way Down, Exhibit A : Isn't he pretty much admitting that it comes down to personal preference? Is this what we're left with? Why does "appreciation" entail, "Accepts your doctrinal distinctives without a fuss"? No one sees a problem here? More questions: Does he know that Kung is a heretic, and that, at the least, von Balthasar, Rahner, and Kasper are wrong in what they teach? Does he care? I hate to break it to you: If you're not Catholic, you are not in the Church. That was the whole point of Trent: to say that the Reformers needed to repent of their errors, and return. That's what heresy means. It does not mean you are an inhuman beast who has no value. It means you are intentionally and persistently at a variance with Catholic doctrine. The penalty of excommunication is meant to produce repentance, not defiance and badges of honor. This makes people really mad. It upsets them. It makes them think the Catho...

It took me 10+ years to get here, but here we are! A few rants, articles, and lists later, it's 1000. I want to thank all of you who read me, and I'd like to thank the Academy, and James Cameron for such a well-written script... [James Cameron has never written a script well.--ed.] It's Day 1 of the Week Of Christian Unity. [I want no unity with papists.--ed.] Well, too bad. We have much in common with our brethren. On the other hand, too many Protestants think that saying nice things about us alters what the Church has always believed: this is Christ's Church, that he founded. We appreciate the appreciation, but unless you change the assumptions underlying your ecclesiology, nice words aside, you're still saying, "We're too Protestant to be Catholic," and that's no different than what the Reformers said. I'm looking in your irrational, emotive direction, Peter Leithart. Still others of you haven't come to terms with the fact that Sol...

Yesterday, I read Colossians in preparation for an assignment I know I'll have this semester. Today, I'm gonna read Hebrews. You know, because it's Scripture. And it's there. I want to thank you all for praying for my stepdad and us. Keep it up. There may be hard things ahead. I was just reflecting on the fact that we're surrounded by liars, if I may digress. Lance Armstrong is a liar. He cheated, and based on his lies, reaped millions of dollars. He even found a way to ruin 'Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.' Thanks, jerk. Manti T'eo's "girlfriend" didn't die, nor was who she who she says. You can think of many more, I'm sure. Isn't it funny? They say of us Christians that we pretend to be better than we are, or in fact, perfect. And I suppose sometimes we do. But I think that a huge part of living before God and others is not digging in deeper, because the truth is too hard to face. In these sports examples, the estimation...

My stepdad Bill is awake, and it looks like he'll be OK! There may be a hard road ahead, but we knew that. I only know that it has happened this way for something we don't yet see. He should have died. End of discussion. And the damage should be worse. I don't even think it was a mercy to us, though it was. I sense something more. Every moment is in the hand of God. The mystery of Divine Providence and the interweaving of human freedom is beyond my understanding. But the lesson is surely this: If you get another chance, don't waste it. O God, Fount of Mercy, thank you for these gifts. I don't want to forget that each moment is a gift from You. Thank you for my life, for Bill's life, and for the chance to start again. I pray this through Christ, who lives and reigns forever and ever, Amen.

As the latest struggle has come upon us, I had a few thoughts. My stepdad is in a coma, and he may never wake up. If he does, he most likely will never be the same. It took me a few hours to feel anything. But then watching my sister in her grief took me apart. As I laid there later in my bed thinking that I couldn't possibly cry more than this, I realized something: I will gladly cry every second of every day, as long as it means that I'm alive, and that there is Good. My sorrow is the proof. This is not a senseless world. The people who say this don't know what they mean. We're supposed to feel this way when horrible things happen. Wouldn't you worry more if you didn't? Our trouble is when we try to make a meaning out of this thing, as if the most fragile creatures we are could begin to guess. I only know that I was thankful for each breath. If one lonely life nearly ended could shatter the lives of thirty-odd people and who knows how many more, how speci...

5 Thoughts For Today 5. It looks like Matt Ryan won't choke it away. 4. JJ Abrams's Star Trek on FX, and Star Trek: Insurrection on SyFy. 3. I admit it, I like the Patriots. [You always root for the favorites.--ed.] Not true. [Or the old guys.--ed.] Guilty. 2. We hadn't seen the Manning Face for awhile. I am pleased. 1. After the Holy Spirit and the Father's affirmation, it makes sense why Jesus didn't feel the need to prove anything. Happy Feast of the Baptism of the Lord!