Mark P. Shea's Blog, page 1288

It's my Awesome Dark Lord Persona that Attracts Them

Just got this completely believable email:

Hello sweetie

My name is Judy, i am 25yrs old, i'm a free minded,open hearted girl, i like to take life as easy as i could, i'm one of the few that still believes in friendship, love, trust and signs, am very much single and ready to mingle. was browsing through your profile, believe me i like what i see and i am attracted to you,it will be my sincere pleasure to be your friend if you don't mind, i hope you will not take my request for granted,feel free to email me through ( XXX@xyz.com ),i will appreciate it if you can send me some pics to my private email address,i look forward to hear from you soon.

The magnetic power of my world-spanning supervillain coolness just naturally draws women who desire to stand behind my large leather chair looking vacuous and beautiful while I stroke my Persian cat. I will add her to my file of women for whom I temporarily have affection until I throw them to my pet alligators on a capricious whim.

Prayer Request

A reader writes:

I have a prayer request, if you would be willing to share it, for a very special little boy named Noah. His story is not on Snopes, it is sadly very real. Noah lived a very typical life until this past January when his parents found him non-responsive. He has a rare seizure disorder and doctors have been trying to help him since that time. He has responded slowly to treatment but took a difficult turn today (the 4th). I don't know if you can share this, but the family is passionately requesting prayers for Noah.

Father, hear our prayer for Noah's complete healing and grant skill and compassion to his caregivers. Give grace, peace, strength and consolation to his family and let this issue in their joy and your glory through Christ our Lord. Mother Mary and St. Luke, pray for them! Amen!

How not to act

Kevin O'Brien gives tips from an old hand to aspiring newbies in the thespian arts. Pay special attention to the dire warnings about rubber chickens. So, *so* important!

Why I Like Living in the 21st Century

Because things like this are possible:

Prayer Requests

A reader writes:

A friend of mine (a former atheist who is converting to Russian
Orthodox) has just learned that her grandmother has serious lung cancer. Could you ask your readers to pray for her and her family?

Father, hear our prayer for this woman that she would be healed through your Son Jesus to the glory of your Name or that, if it is her time, that you would grant her the grace of a happy death and eternal life through the same Christ our Lord. Grant her comfort, strength, peace, and grace in her trial. Grant skill and compassion to her caregivers and grace, strength, comfort and peace to all who love her, through Jesus Christ. Mother Mary, St. Luke and St. Peregrine, pray for her and for all us sinners at the hour of our death. Amen.

Another reader writes:

I have another prayer request for you. I am going for major back surgery at the end of July. The surgery is for a herniated lumbar disk (the product of a nasty car accident), and if everything works out, I should have a major reduction in pain. I'm 25 and I have been in constant pain for years now; I've been fighting the insurance company for this surgery for a year and a half, so by the grace of God it's finally worked out. However, since it is major surgery, there is still a certain amount of risk attached, and any prayers you and your readers could offer would be hugely appreciated.

Father, grant through your Son Jesus Christ that this surgery would go perfectly so that your child will be set from the bondage of pain to do your will and give glory to you. Grant skill and compassion to her caregivers and peace, grace and comfort to her and all who love her. Mother Mary and St. Luke, pray for her and her complete healing.

Outta here till Tuesday

I'm in Edmonton, AB for the Familiaris Consortio conference for the next couple of days. (You Edmontonians: I'll see you there!) Then home Saturday and on Sunday gone to the fambly Independence Day hooptido at my brother's house (after Mass). Then July 4th goof off time. Back to it on Tuesday!

Have a great Fourth, Americans! The rest of you, have, er, a great Fourth too, just not an Independence Day Fourth of July since it's not one, for you, I mean. Independence Day, that is, not the Fourth. Because it's still the Fourth (of July), I mean. Unless you are not on the Gregorian calendar. Because... oh never mind.

NY GOP Wins another convert!

...to the DQ3 (Doomed Quixotic Third Party) Movement!

Our motto: Since Your Vote Doesn't Matter Anyway, Why Not Use it to Say What You Believe Instead Getting Suckered Again?

Welcome, Erin, to the Land of the Politically Homeless!

Harry Potter...

...and the Romulan Cloaking Device. Cool tech geek news.

Brian Green, Groveling Lickspittle, writes

Dear Dark Lord,

With greatest trepidation I present for your approval two more installments of my review of Sam Harris's The Moral Landscape: Part Two and Part Three.

If you see fit to share these with the rest of your minions I would be most fortunate.

How can I refuse such obsequieous sycophancy?

Marcel Lejeune...

on why same sex marriage is gaining ground.

I think the bottom line is: few people understand what marriage is and what it is for, and even fewer understand why the state has an interest in protecting the family (namely, because that's where the next generation of the human race comes from), but not an interest in making narcissistic homosexuals feel affirmed in their okayness. Since Generation Narcissus redefined ethics as "consent is the sole criterion of the good", our culture has radically lost touch with the idea of actually ordering society toward the common good.