Dwight Longenecker's Blog, page 191

Pearce on Chesterton on Progress

Joseph Pearce writes here about G.K.Chesterton and the illusion of progress. This sort of “progress” does not really exist; it is nothing but the superstitious fantasy of “progressives”. It is the mother of deception as its spouse is the father of lies. Let’s return to Chesterton for a healthy dose of sanity. “Progress”, wrote Chesterton, [Read More...]

The Desolation of the Imagination

Smaug? Smug Smog. I’m referring to the second installment of Peter Jackson’s overblown treatment of Tolkien’s charming little adventure story The Hobbit. I like the book. It’s the movie that stinks. It’s smug smog–thinking it is real smart, but smudging up the simple story with overblown effects and overly ambitious story lines. Don’t get me [Read More...]

Frodo Baggins and Christmas?

Christmas is just the ancient Roman mid winter Saturnalia festivities lifted and given a Christian face right? The light in the dark time of the year….that’s just a pagan idea that the Christians lifted. I mean Christmas is a pagan holiday right? Wrong. The idea that the celebration of Christ’s birth was lifted from ancient [Read More...]

What Lucy Saw

Lucy, whose name means “Light” and who was blinded in her martyrdom is therefore the patron saint of the blind. Lucy is also the name of one of the Pevensie children in C.S.Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. C.S.Lewis’ second Narnia tale,Prince Caspian, brings the four Pevensie children back to their alternative world when a young prince named Caspian, [Read More...]

Is Pope Francis Just Plain Wrong?

This article from The Atlantic by Marian Tupy claims that Pope Francis is a nice guy, but that his views on the terrible state of the world are just plain wrong. Tupy claims that poverty, war, murder, disease and violence are all falling dramatically. He goes on to point out that governments already re-distribute a huge [Read More...]

How to Have a Scrooge Advent

In this article John Zmirak in delightfully curmudgeonly form suggests some ways to be properly scrooge-like during Advent. Here’s just a few:  Refuse to decorate before December 24—or better yet, leave your scary Halloween stuff up all through Advent. Then keep your Christmas lights glowing till February 2, reminding everyone who asks that “Groundhog Day [Read More...]

Not Pink. Rose.

This Sunday is Gaudete Sunday–third Sunday in Advent when we light the rose colored candle and wear rose colored vestments. It’s all about rejoicing. Here is my latest article for Aleteia which notices that Gaudete Sunday links with Evangelii Gaudium–the Evangelize with joy. “Not pink. Rose,” I remind the altar boys as I vest for [Read More...]

Converts vs. Cradles

A nice post from fellow convert The Crescat here. Kat writes about a momentary illumination on the advantages cradle Catholics have over converts: My son went in to serve and I opted to read a book in the car*, like the terrible example that I am. It was from this vantage point that I was [Read More...]

Ethan Couch – Therapy and Anarchy

There’s a report today that a spoiled teen who killed four people, wounded and permanently damaged others in a horrible DUI crash is to receive therapy rather than a jail term. Rod Dreher comments on it here and links to a local news story here. The whole horrible story is made worse by the judge [Read More...]

Pope Francis or POY Francis?

I wrote yesterday on the selection of Pope Francis as TIME magazine’s Person of the Year here for Aleteia, observing, While all Catholics rejoice in the widespread popularity of Pope Francis, many Catholics are also dubious of the motivation and manipulation of his image and message by those who are enemies of the Catholic church. [Read More...]